Kate Danley's Blog, page 33
September 29, 2011
Thank you Seattle!
It was a great time up at the Jet City Comic Show! My kid sister is so frickin' talented.
I'm not just saying that. She IS. In addition to her METICULOUSLY crafted pet bows (like, every single tail is perfectly even and fray checked and sewed. I'm the sort of crafter that would just frickin' Tacky Glue it and call it good enough), she did this couture retractable Breakfast at Tiffanys dog leash with hand placed Swarovski crystals... I am unable to do justice to this thing. I mean, seriously. It was blinding.
Imagine this, except 1000x Awesomer Squared in real life.
The Seattle crowds were so good to me.
Friendly and supportive, met some really nice folks. My other sister and mom swung by to say hello before they ditched us for THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL going on RIGHT OUTSIDE. Comic convention AND all the spaghetti you can handle? WIN!
The guest of honor was William Katt a.k.a. The Greatest American Hero. So down to earth and normal and completely unphased how everyone and their mother seemed to have a GAH spandex outfits and curly wig just laying around in their closet to bring out on a moment's notice. It was a HOOT. Unfortunately, I missed him judging the karaoke competition, which I can only image.
Thank you Seattle!
I'm not just saying that. She IS. In addition to her METICULOUSLY crafted pet bows (like, every single tail is perfectly even and fray checked and sewed. I'm the sort of crafter that would just frickin' Tacky Glue it and call it good enough), she did this couture retractable Breakfast at Tiffanys dog leash with hand placed Swarovski crystals... I am unable to do justice to this thing. I mean, seriously. It was blinding.
Imagine this, except 1000x Awesomer Squared in real life.
The Seattle crowds were so good to me.
Friendly and supportive, met some really nice folks. My other sister and mom swung by to say hello before they ditched us for THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL going on RIGHT OUTSIDE. Comic convention AND all the spaghetti you can handle? WIN!
The guest of honor was William Katt a.k.a. The Greatest American Hero. So down to earth and normal and completely unphased how everyone and their mother seemed to have a GAH spandex outfits and curly wig just laying around in their closet to bring out on a moment's notice. It was a HOOT. Unfortunately, I missed him judging the karaoke competition, which I can only image.
Thank you Seattle!
September 26, 2011
As sad day
I love Doritos. I love them so much I would marry them if it was legal in California. I am currently on a 90-day diet. What foods am I not allowed to eat, you ask? Soda, pizza, and chips. But mainly chips. Mainly Doritos. Seriously. I mean, have you tried the taco flavor throw back? My favorite past time is to eat a whole bag while scrolling through Tumblr. Yes, I realize that is EVERYONE'S idea of a perfect evening, but mine especially!
Today, the founder of Doritos, Arch West, passed away. May he nosh in peace at the Great All You Can Eat Nacho Buffet Restaurant in the sky.
In honor of his passing, I bring you a little Doritos commercial some buddies and I put together for a competition earlier this year.
Sock Zombie is very upset that Arch West passed before expanding the brand.
Today, the founder of Doritos, Arch West, passed away. May he nosh in peace at the Great All You Can Eat Nacho Buffet Restaurant in the sky.
In honor of his passing, I bring you a little Doritos commercial some buddies and I put together for a competition earlier this year.
Sock Zombie is very upset that Arch West passed before expanding the brand.
September 23, 2011
Jet City Comic Show
Howdy Cats and Kids!
I'll be doing a signing September 24, 2011 at the Jet City Comic Show! I'll be over at the Christy Bows table, purveyers of fine puppy dog (...and people) bows, so swing by and say hello!
Jet City Comic Show
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
10am to 6pm
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
299 Mercer St.
Seattle, WA 98109
I'll be doing a signing September 24, 2011 at the Jet City Comic Show! I'll be over at the Christy Bows table, purveyers of fine puppy dog (...and people) bows, so swing by and say hello!
Jet City Comic Show
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
10am to 6pm
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
299 Mercer St.
Seattle, WA 98109
September 15, 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen, Maggie for Hire
When monsters appear on Earth, Maggie MacKay is on the job. No one is better at hauling the creepy crawlies back where they belong. No one, that is, except Maggie's dad, who disappeared in the middle of an assignment without a trace.
Now, an elf named Killian has shown up with a gig. Seems Maggie's uncle teamed up with the forces of dark to turn Earth into a vampire convenience store, serving bottomless refills on humans.
The only hope for survival lies in tracking down two magical artifacts and a secret that disappeared with Maggie's dad.
WARNING: This book contains cussing, brawling, and unladylike behavior. Proceed with caution.
Paperback
https://www.createspace.com/3660073
Type in Code WQY5KAZN for $4 off!
Kindle
www.amazon.com/dp/B005MZ1F8E/
Nook
search.barnesandnoble.com/Maggie-for-Hire/Kate-Danley/e/2...
The amazing cover art was done by Kirk Diedrich at Vondada.com
September 13, 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen... The Playhouse Soap Opera Episode One
A year ago, I got a call from Richard Van Slyke asking me if I might be interested in co-writing a webseries with him. He was thinking it would be a soap opera set in a community theater. I innocently agreed.
A year later, episode one is now on the web. Welcome to The Playhouse Soap Opera!
Richard's been a fab producing partner and I've had a great time getting to chew up the scenery as this character. She's one of those stock characters I've always carried around in my back pocket and am THRILLED whenever I can pull her out and step into her shoes.
I've also been inducted by fire into the wonderful world of production and post-production. If you ever have any questions about any glitch that might possibly come up when using Sony Vegas, feel free to drop me a line BECAUSE I EXPERIENCED EVERY ONE OF THEM.
That said, there is something empowering about my transformation into computer geek. I know RAM. I know cores. I know luminocity and color matching plugins and changing my user preferences without blowing up my hard drive. I have installed cards in to my mutheffin muthaboard, muthaeffers. I've got an HD camera and sound systems and lighting kits. I'm tearing my way through sound scrubbers. And I no longer have a dining room because I have a production office now.
So enjoy this most recent baby! I promise she's a charmer.
September 6, 2011
And then...
...there was more terrible artwork as I goofed around with covers, trying to come up with something stomachable after my cover artist flaked on me.
And THEN... I remembered my friend Kirk Diedrich is a graphic designer over at Von Dada Artwerk...
To be continued...
And THEN... I remembered my friend Kirk Diedrich is a graphic designer over at Von Dada Artwerk...
To be continued...
September 1, 2011
In the beginning...
...I signed up for NaNoWriMo 2010...
...and at the end of 30 days, I had a first draft of a little book...
...and a terrible, horrible, home designed, place holder cover...
TO BE CONTINUED...
...and at the end of 30 days, I had a first draft of a little book...
...and a terrible, horrible, home designed, place holder cover...
TO BE CONTINUED...
August 21, 2011
The Playhouse Soap Opera Trailer
Yesterday we wrapped principal shooting on The Playhouse Soap Opera.
And today, we have the trailer.
Biting my fingernails until September 13,
Kate
P.S. I love living in the future.
And today, we have the trailer.
Biting my fingernails until September 13,
Kate
P.S. I love living in the future.
August 17, 2011
Well. That was cool.
"I would like you to pay attention to what happens on August 16-17... As I mentioned just now, various parts of your life are likely on fire. If your birthday falls on June 15 (mine is the 16th), you are feeling massive change." - Astrology Zone Gemini Forecast for August 2011
For giggles, I sometimes check out my astrology forecast. You know. Just so I have something to blame when all heck breaks loose and I need a good excuse. Everything is in the shitter? Darn you, Mercury in Retrograde! Saturn is crossing paths with Uranus AGAIN? (*note: I have no idea if that is a real thing)
But, there have been some huge changes this month, each deserving of their own blogpost. The culmination of all these changes has been a general push towards, "Get off your arse and do something. Anything. Anything at all! Time is ticking!"
(*Please note the August 16th date. There will be a quiz at the end of this blog post.)
One such wake up call was actually in the form of a phone call last week. I started training last year at The Groundlings. I got through their Beginners and Intermediate and, after nine months off, got the call that I'm getting close to the top of the list for the writers lab.
For those of you outside of the Wonderful World of Sketch & Improv, this is probably the most panic inducing call you can get out here. Your brain becomes aswirl with thoughts of, "Crap! What have I been doing with my nine months!" It's like your SAT test. You knew since you were a freshman you should be boning up, but unless you had a tiger mother dragging you away from Night Court reruns every afternoon, The Day of the SATs probably left you thinking maybe you should have spent a few more evenings cramming and a few less nights trying to figure out if McGuyver REALLY could have freed himself from that underground vault with a stick of bubble gum and a shoelace.
But this was just the "Pre-Panic" call. I would have plenty of time to panic later. Unless... *as the thought formed itself*... unless one could proactively invest one's self in one's own future and CHANGE TEH COURSE OF CAREER SELF DESTRUCTION.
The Groundlings, for you folks who worry about things like building rocket ships and saving cancer babies instead of fretting over being able to make up songs about proctologists* on the spot (*for the love of god, if you ever go to an improv show, do not shout out "proctologist"), is a theater here in Los Angeles. It is the Yale School of Drama to the sketch and improv world. Phil Hartman? Groundling. Pee-wee Herman? Groundling. Will Ferrell? Groundling. Kathy Griffin? Jon Lovitz? Lisa Kudrow? 90% of the cast of Saturday Night Live*? Groundlings. (*not sure if that is a real statistic. But it FEELS like a real statistic)
But more importantly, they don't just have this reputation because of a reputation. They are achingly funny. Their shows will hurt your face. Their brains will make you feel like the village idiot. You will DIE* from laughing so hard. (*you will not actually die)
But because of their Reputation Of Where All Things Funny Come From (please see: "People Ignoring That The Main Company Is Actually Insanely Talented And Not Just Automatically Famous), everyone and their sister tries to get into their classes. And you get one shot. That's it. One shot and then you are cut and you are NOT ALLOWED back into the Clubhouse to try again. EVER. Because there are 12.2 million kids in the queue. So you had better be ready.
So... I decided yesterday it was time to get ready. Not that I'm fooling myself into thinking I'm good enough to ever be a part of them, but because I started the classes last year because I really and truly wanted to know what they know. My entire sketch/improv journey these past four years at the Acme and UCB and The Groundlings and Theater Asylum and Impro has been because of a quest for the answer to, "How?" Once I get into the lab, if I fail, I can't go and take their special workshops on writing and singing and characters. The opportunity to learn "How do they do that?" will be over.
So, I decided to dip my toes back in with going to a show - their Lottery show. As a graduate of Intermediate, I was eligible to put my name in a bucket and, if chosen, get up on stage and improvise with their main company* (*See: The Chosen Ones of Comedy. Gladiators of The Gauntlet of Funny. Honored War Survivors.)
I arrived and sat down in their gorgeous theater. It was completely sold out. I struck up conversations with the folks around me. They were just people there to see a show. They weren't students... they didn't know anyone in the cast... they were actual... audience members... just coming... to see... a... show... *brain malfunction*
The lights dimmed.
The director, Mitch Silpa, comes out with the buckets. Puts his hand in.
And pulls out my name.
I ran down the aisle like I just got called on the Price is Right.
Because I kind if did.
Last night, for a blessed forty five minutes, I got to improv with the insanely talented Edi Patterson, Jeremy Rowley, Christen Sussin, and Taran Killam. I've been watching these guys for years. And I was on stage. WITH. THEM. *cue Elvis fangirl swoondom*
I can't even describe what it was like sharing a stage with them and watching them work. The ease. Their ability to delve into details. To sit there and trove the moment for truth and nuance. I've been replaying the night with "should have/could have/would have"s, but not in the beat-yourself-up way. In the, "OH! This is how you can make it better!" sort of way. Answers! I got ANSWERS! I walked out feeling so inspired and in awe and honored... and hungry.
The whole night feels like a dream - but it was one of those things where no matter what happens in my life from here on out - once, just once, I got to be on The Groundlings stage. And I acted with Edi Patterson, Jeremy Rowley, Christen Sussin, and Taran Killam. I was directed by Mitch Silpa. I got to play with The Groundlings.
*cue quiet moment of reflection as we sit, staring at the sun rising over the Hollywood sign on August 17th*
For giggles, I sometimes check out my astrology forecast. You know. Just so I have something to blame when all heck breaks loose and I need a good excuse. Everything is in the shitter? Darn you, Mercury in Retrograde! Saturn is crossing paths with Uranus AGAIN? (*note: I have no idea if that is a real thing)
But, there have been some huge changes this month, each deserving of their own blogpost. The culmination of all these changes has been a general push towards, "Get off your arse and do something. Anything. Anything at all! Time is ticking!"
(*Please note the August 16th date. There will be a quiz at the end of this blog post.)
One such wake up call was actually in the form of a phone call last week. I started training last year at The Groundlings. I got through their Beginners and Intermediate and, after nine months off, got the call that I'm getting close to the top of the list for the writers lab.
For those of you outside of the Wonderful World of Sketch & Improv, this is probably the most panic inducing call you can get out here. Your brain becomes aswirl with thoughts of, "Crap! What have I been doing with my nine months!" It's like your SAT test. You knew since you were a freshman you should be boning up, but unless you had a tiger mother dragging you away from Night Court reruns every afternoon, The Day of the SATs probably left you thinking maybe you should have spent a few more evenings cramming and a few less nights trying to figure out if McGuyver REALLY could have freed himself from that underground vault with a stick of bubble gum and a shoelace.
But this was just the "Pre-Panic" call. I would have plenty of time to panic later. Unless... *as the thought formed itself*... unless one could proactively invest one's self in one's own future and CHANGE TEH COURSE OF CAREER SELF DESTRUCTION.
The Groundlings, for you folks who worry about things like building rocket ships and saving cancer babies instead of fretting over being able to make up songs about proctologists* on the spot (*for the love of god, if you ever go to an improv show, do not shout out "proctologist"), is a theater here in Los Angeles. It is the Yale School of Drama to the sketch and improv world. Phil Hartman? Groundling. Pee-wee Herman? Groundling. Will Ferrell? Groundling. Kathy Griffin? Jon Lovitz? Lisa Kudrow? 90% of the cast of Saturday Night Live*? Groundlings. (*not sure if that is a real statistic. But it FEELS like a real statistic)
But more importantly, they don't just have this reputation because of a reputation. They are achingly funny. Their shows will hurt your face. Their brains will make you feel like the village idiot. You will DIE* from laughing so hard. (*you will not actually die)
But because of their Reputation Of Where All Things Funny Come From (please see: "People Ignoring That The Main Company Is Actually Insanely Talented And Not Just Automatically Famous), everyone and their sister tries to get into their classes. And you get one shot. That's it. One shot and then you are cut and you are NOT ALLOWED back into the Clubhouse to try again. EVER. Because there are 12.2 million kids in the queue. So you had better be ready.
So... I decided yesterday it was time to get ready. Not that I'm fooling myself into thinking I'm good enough to ever be a part of them, but because I started the classes last year because I really and truly wanted to know what they know. My entire sketch/improv journey these past four years at the Acme and UCB and The Groundlings and Theater Asylum and Impro has been because of a quest for the answer to, "How?" Once I get into the lab, if I fail, I can't go and take their special workshops on writing and singing and characters. The opportunity to learn "How do they do that?" will be over.
So, I decided to dip my toes back in with going to a show - their Lottery show. As a graduate of Intermediate, I was eligible to put my name in a bucket and, if chosen, get up on stage and improvise with their main company* (*See: The Chosen Ones of Comedy. Gladiators of The Gauntlet of Funny. Honored War Survivors.)
I arrived and sat down in their gorgeous theater. It was completely sold out. I struck up conversations with the folks around me. They were just people there to see a show. They weren't students... they didn't know anyone in the cast... they were actual... audience members... just coming... to see... a... show... *brain malfunction*
The lights dimmed.
The director, Mitch Silpa, comes out with the buckets. Puts his hand in.
And pulls out my name.
I ran down the aisle like I just got called on the Price is Right.
Because I kind if did.
Last night, for a blessed forty five minutes, I got to improv with the insanely talented Edi Patterson, Jeremy Rowley, Christen Sussin, and Taran Killam. I've been watching these guys for years. And I was on stage. WITH. THEM. *cue Elvis fangirl swoondom*
I can't even describe what it was like sharing a stage with them and watching them work. The ease. Their ability to delve into details. To sit there and trove the moment for truth and nuance. I've been replaying the night with "should have/could have/would have"s, but not in the beat-yourself-up way. In the, "OH! This is how you can make it better!" sort of way. Answers! I got ANSWERS! I walked out feeling so inspired and in awe and honored... and hungry.
The whole night feels like a dream - but it was one of those things where no matter what happens in my life from here on out - once, just once, I got to be on The Groundlings stage. And I acted with Edi Patterson, Jeremy Rowley, Christen Sussin, and Taran Killam. I was directed by Mitch Silpa. I got to play with The Groundlings.
*cue quiet moment of reflection as we sit, staring at the sun rising over the Hollywood sign on August 17th*
August 12, 2011
In a Fairy Tale
So way back in 2002, I was working at an arts high school here in Los Angeles. My cube mate and touchstone of sanity was a fantastic gal named Katie Thompson who, at the time, was a struggling artist just like me.
One day, out of desperation, I decided to remount my one woman show and asked Katie if she'd like the second half of the evening. And she said, "Sure!" Which, as a sidenote, is how I met Adam-Adam - as he hauled a piano up two flights of stairs to a theater on the 2nd story of a strip mall. Sorry Adam-Adam. And Katie. You are good sports.
So the show maybe had six to ten people in the audience a night, which, having lived in Los Angeles for awhile now, actually isn't too shabby. Right? I know.
But it was a hoot and a project to keep ourselves from losing our minds.
Flash forward to today, Katie's got a couple Broadway contracts and if you watch "So You Think You Can Dance", you've seen a bunch of her songs on there.
But there is this one little song that she sang in our little two woman, one woman show night that has always stuck with me. So, last night, I decided to bust out some of the trinkets I've got lying around and put together a little piece. What can I say? Some people watch TV. Some people take 500+ pictures of plastic toys they got out of blind boxes and set them to music. Don't judge me.
One day, out of desperation, I decided to remount my one woman show and asked Katie if she'd like the second half of the evening. And she said, "Sure!" Which, as a sidenote, is how I met Adam-Adam - as he hauled a piano up two flights of stairs to a theater on the 2nd story of a strip mall. Sorry Adam-Adam. And Katie. You are good sports.
So the show maybe had six to ten people in the audience a night, which, having lived in Los Angeles for awhile now, actually isn't too shabby. Right? I know.
But it was a hoot and a project to keep ourselves from losing our minds.
Flash forward to today, Katie's got a couple Broadway contracts and if you watch "So You Think You Can Dance", you've seen a bunch of her songs on there.
But there is this one little song that she sang in our little two woman, one woman show night that has always stuck with me. So, last night, I decided to bust out some of the trinkets I've got lying around and put together a little piece. What can I say? Some people watch TV. Some people take 500+ pictures of plastic toys they got out of blind boxes and set them to music. Don't judge me.
