Advertising Fail

 

 

Hmm… with sales prices like this, no wonder Circuit City went out of business!

Watch a Trailer, Save a Life. It’s That Easy!

Many of you probably know that my daughter was born with a congenital heart defect called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) and required open-heart surgery a week after she was born.  (More info can be found from this post.)  Today she is a healthy, active, “normal” two year old thanks to the doctors at Children’s Hospital of Illinois and research funded by The Children’s Miracle Network. 

Now you can help save the lives of millions of children just like my daughter without spending any money or exerting much effort.  WordPress and Showtime have teamed together to support the Children’s Miracle Network.  All you have to do is scroll down to the red box with the CMN logo on the bottom right side of my blog and click on the box that says “Help now. It’s free”.  Showtime will ask you to watch a short trailer for one of their series.  (When I clicked, it was for Nurse Jackie, which looks like an awesome show starring Edie Falco from The Sopranos.) 

 That is ALL you have to do and Showtime will make a donation to The Children’s Miracle Network!  (C’mon, it’s not like you weren’t going to watch some trailers on the net today anyway!)

Broadway in 3-D

How would you like to see a Broadway show in 3-D?  (I know, “Isn’t ALL live theatre essentially in 3-D?“)  SHUT UP AND READ!

A company called Fugobi is pitching the idea of filming Broadway productions to be shown on movie screens in a 3-D format.  Producers Dale Smith and Tim Hickson shared their ideas for a “21st century model for theatrical distribution”  with an audience of Broadway producers, tour presenters and industry professionals at the Broadway League’s annual Spring Road Conference.

The project, called “fugobi broadway 3d,” is a response to “an increasing demand for interactive, integrated and inclusive entertainment options.” Smith and Hickson’s “fugobi broadway 3d” will combine “the unique thrill of live performance with the captivating experience of 3D film, bringing the Broadway experience to digital cinemas across the United States and around the world.” It will give “Broadway fans a new way to enjoy and interact with their favorite shows and to expand Broadway’s reach by giving new audiences the chance to see the best that Broadway has to offer without having to travel further than their local cinemas.”  -Kenneth Jones, Playbill on-line.

 I think it is a FANTASTIC idea!  There is still nothing to equal the thrill of seeing a show live, but this sounds like it will come close.  It would be a wonderful opportunity for both new and seasoned Broadway fans to see some of the Award winning performances up close that they may have missed because they live hundreds or thousands of miles away from New York city.  

In these economic times, I may not be able to afford a trip to NYC and a $100 theatre ticket, but I CAN afford $15 and a trip to the movie theater! 

Read the full article by Kenneth Jones at Playbill.com .

G-FORCE!!

I was quite excited when I heard Jerry Bruckheimer was producing a 3-D movie called G-Force.   Being the old sci-fi geek that I am, I was sure it was going to be a reimagining of the classic 70’s-80’s cartoon Battle of the Planets!  MAN, did I love that show as a kid! 

The heroes of the show are called G-Force, five intergallactic teenagers named Mark, Jason, Princess, Keyop and Tiny.  They dressed in bird costumes and drove a fiery spaceship called The Phoenix.  The ship could also split into five separate vehicles that each member could pilot independently like Voltron.  I cannot tell you how many times my friends and I played “G-Force” on the playground!   Our favorite park had these gliders shaped like lions and they were the perfect vehicles for 5 year olds to save the universe in! 

We have Transformers movies and a GI Joe movie, and soon we will have He-Man and Thundercats movies.  I thought for sure Hollywood had finally reached this Golden Mecca of my youth, and was ready to introduce it to a whole new generation of kids… IN 3-D!!!!  I could not wait to see whom they had in mind for Zoltar, the androgynous, lipstick-wearing villain!   I wanted to see the new rubberized versions of those cheesy bird costumes, now with extendable wings like in The Dark Knight!

I finally saw the trailer for G-Force, and apparently this version is about guinea pigs or something like that.  Words cannot express how disappointed I was.  Jerry Bruckheimer, 20^th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, if you are listening, the world is ready for the new BATTLE OF THE PLANETS!  Those of us that grew up with the show will come in droves, and we will drag our kids with us!   Think of all the merchandising you could sell!  Hmmm…maybe it’s time I start working on the screenplay…

Great “Star Wars Weekends” Posters

I found some funny posters online to promote Star Wars Weekends at Disneyworld.  Make sure you also check out the slide show on the bottom for the airport cross promotion!

http://www.starwars.com/fans/events/news20090427.html

It’s Potty Time!

Our daughter, Larken, has officially started potty training again last week.  We knew it was time to start trying when she started making every doll in her dollhouse “poop” on the toilet.  We bought her a frog shaped potty and she is doing really well with it.  Now when she has to go we say, “Poop on the froggy!” or “Pee in the froggy!” and she goes to work.   (Man, I sure hope this does not ruin frogs for her later in life!)

 

When she is successful, we all cheer, and then (after flushing and washing of course) we go to chart we have on the fridge and put a star on it.  She then gets to pick out a Sesame Street sticker as a reward.  Many times she puts the sticker on the side of the potty, kind of like how the Red Baron used to mark how many enemies he has shot down on the side of his plane!  When the chart on the fridge is full of stars, she will get to pick out a toy as a reward. 

 

You know you have reached a special milestone as a parent when you are cheering and dancing because someone just pooped, but if it means no more dirty diapers I might just break out the “Cabbage Patch!” 

 

 

Jane Austen…For Guys!

Have you ever finished Pride and Prejudice and thought, “You know what this book needs is more zombie attacks!” 

Well now you are in luck!  Seth Grahme-Smith has reimagined the classic work with a new twist to spice up the “duller parts”.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!  will grace your bookstore shelves mon May 13, 2009.  It features the original text of Jane Austen’s beloved novel with all new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action!

What’s that?  Guys don’t READ Jane Austen?  OK, How about this…

Have you ever been forced to watch the movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and thought, “You know what this movie needs is a killer alien hunting his human prey!”  Guess what?  You too are in luck!

Elton John’s Rocket Pictures will produce a film called Pride and Predator. “It felt like a fresh and funny way to blow apart the done-to-death Jane Austen genre by literally dropping this alien into the middle of a costume drama, where he stalks and slashes to horrific effect,” his Rocket partner David Furnish tells Variety. 

 

 

 

Mmmmm….cake!

If my wife and I are blessed with another little girl I hope expect  DEMAND that we receive this cake!

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/02/come-to-dark-side-we-have-cake.html

This would also work for a boy with a few modifications.  OOH!  Even better if we have twins! (A boy and a girl, of course!)

If You Know Dan Allar Please Read This…

This email was forwarded to me through several friends.  If you know Dan please keep him in your thoughts and prayers and forward this information to anyone else who may have known Dan.

 

Dear friends of First Folio,

First of all let me say sorry if you are getting this email and have already received this news, but we just wanted to make sure everybody was aware of what is going on.  Also, let me apologize if you are receiving this info for the first time through email – it was just the surest way to get a hold of everyone in time. 

As many of you know, “Big” Dan Allar has been struggling with cancer for about four years now, and is, unfortunately, losing the battle quickly.  At this point, doctors give him about a week left with us.  While physically weak, he is mentally still very much Dan, so calls and notes are more than welcome.  We just wanted to make sure all knew, and had a chance to say goodbye, if they would like.  

If you would like to call, the number is 708-492-0459.  If you want to visit, please call his wife, Gwen, ahead of time at the same number.  If you want to send anything, their address is 1851 Bellview ave Westchester, IL 60154. 

If you noticed that we’ve missed somebody on this list, please feel free to forward this information.  We’re doing our best to make sure everybody gets this news. 

If you have any questions about what is going on, or just want to talk, please feel free to call us here at the office.  We’re here. 

-  Hayley Rice.

First Folio Theatre
630-986-8067
www.firstfolio.org  

 I first met Dan when he was the Scene Shop Foreman at Bradley University.  Imagine my shock the first day I opened the Theatre door my freshmen year and was greeted by this 6’7’’ 300+ pound giant!  As I got to know Dan, I quickly learned that he was a gentle giant with a great heart and a terrific laugh.  He used to say a set was never finished until it was “Allarized”, which involved him jumping up and down on the platforms.  He joked that if a set can hold his weight then it will certainly hold all of us.

 As an actor, Dan was superb.  His larger than life characters always commanded your attention and he was surprisingly light on his feet.   He went on to great success on the Chicago stages and even appeared as Avocado in the first two seasons of Fox’s Prison Break.  He was a great actor and a great man and will truly be missed.  

UPDATE:  Dan passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 10th.  You can read his Obituary here.

The Specials That Make Christmas Special

I have had a lot of fun this Christmas season rediscovering the magic of Christmas through my daughter’s eyes.  Now that she is two, she understands more and more things each day.  She knows who Santa Claus is (“Claus” she calls him) and snowmen, lights, Christmas trees and snow.

She can sing about five Christmas Carols, and if you have been around me that last couple of weeks, you’ve probably had to sit through one of her performances on my cell phone!

 

Another great thing is seeing her discover all of the Christmas Specials I grew up watching.  We’ve watched Charlie Brown, the Grinch and Frosty the Snowman.  We’ve seen the entire Rankin/Bass Holiday Catalog  (i.e. Rudolph, Jack Frost, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, A Year Without Santa Claus, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, etc…)  Thanks to my wife, she has seen A Christmas Story so many times I’m surprised she hasn’t asked me for a bb gun yet!

 

Last night I introduced her to two of my favorite Holiday traditions, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas and Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean.  She was enthralled by Emmet Otter and bopped along with the songs.   To my surprise, she recognized “When the River Meets the Sea” from Daddy’s botched lullaby attempts, and was singing along with the chorus!

 

I don’t think she is old enough to appreciate all of the subtle nuances or Mr. Bean yet, but she laughed aloud at some of the physical humor.  I’m sure in the future; she will really appreciate “Have you got the turkey on?”  If you are not familiar with this special, may I suggest you run to iTunes and download it!

 

I can’t wait for tonight as we prepare for Santa’s visit, and flip between 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS and the Rankin/Bass Marathon on ABC Family!

 

Merry Christmas!