Gregory G. Allen's Blog, page 24

Americans Respond to Racism, Media & Paula Deen

Well, Paula Deen can't stay out of the news. From networks and corporations dropping her to panels discussing her Today Show appearance, people have strong opinions. In a media started fire that was fueled by social media (where tweets try to outwit each other with humor), I decided to reach out to people across the country to hear their thoughts. I submitted this to Huffington Post where I have been blogging the past 8 months, and for the first time my piece was rejected. Maybe it was too controversial to have such different opinions or maybe Huff Po was saturated with stories. In any case, I wanted to share the opinions from a cross section of Americans from those working in healthcare, teachers, and the arts. People from different ethnicities, genders, and educational backgrounds. Basically -- people that make up our country and are not simply hired to give sound bytes in the media.

I appreciate each of them for taking the time to respond to me and wanted to make these opinions heard. 

"I remember being younger and cringing when I heard "that word". Growing up in the South, you hear it. I vowed that I would not pass that to my children. I found myself in a class Sunday morning at church taught by a black man who I have known the past 5 years. When he mentioned Paula Deen briefly, you could see pain in his eyes. I heard him say "we hear people say, 'get over it, you were slaves "400" years ago, move on!' But, every time you see movies, re-runs on TV, songs - it's like you can't get away from it". Seeing it from a 60 year-old grown man's eyes made it clearer. It is about putting another down to elevate self. It makes me want to really evaluate what I say more. Would I want what I say in private to be broadcasted, tweeted, face booked, and talked about on talk shows all day? So it has made me look at what I say, and think about another." - Julie Ann Potts - Preschool Teacher, AL

"I've always been a tad bit suspicious of Paula Deen because she has often struck me as being inauthentic, despite her story: abused wife, single mother, had to raise two boys, sold bag lunches. But I admired her story and so I gave her the benefit of the doubt. But I also liked John Edwards' story too. People in leadership positions have more accountability but Americans have short memories." - Stephen Kitsakos - Professor/Writer, NY/FL

"2002. Paula Deen and I were new Food Network hosts meeting TV critics in Los Angeles. Mark Fuhrman was also in the building to meet press. We say the term "the N-word" because of his testimony in the OJ Simpson trial. Paula said the N-word. She apologized. So did former "Seinfeld" actor Michael Richards after he was caught using the N-word. Don Imus apologized for calling female college athletes "nappy-headed hos" on his show. Paula was afflicted with the blindness of privilege and definitely showed racial insensitivity, an insensitivity that should've been checked earlier. In a 2012 New York Times Talk interview, she defended her great grandfather who was devastated after losing the Civil War. He lost 30 of his "workers" who'd been on his books. He couldn't take care of the plantation by himself. Had I been the on-camera interviewer, I would've interjected that "workers" meant slaves. Had I worked in the Food Network press department, I would've told Paula to quit talking like that in public while under contract. I think she'll have a new gig in six months to a year. Mark Fuhrman used racial slurs. He went on to TV news and radio work. Michael Richards will be on a sitcom this fall. Don Imus is still making big money. Paula? Heck, I was angrier at Donald Trump for racially disrespecting President Obama -- and Trump remained a prime time NBC reality show host. It seems like privileged people who make racially or sexually insensitive comments can bounce back and eventually move on to new privileges." - Bobby Rivers - TV Host/Actor, CA

"Yesterday I watched a performance of "Hairspray" the musical that deals with racial integration in 1962. The villain Velma, doesn't consider herself as a racist, she only wants to keep her television show pure by not allowing white and blacks to dance together; while the heroine Tracy wants all kids to be able to dance together every day. While watching it one can easily feel that things have changed a lot in 50 years, but the recent stories about Paula Deen prove that we haven't come as far as we want to believe we have. As a Southern transplant to the Northwest I have seen racism in many forms: the casual, blatant racism of the South and the hidden, equally harmful racism in the Northwest. Paula Deen may want to sugarcoat her racist words and deeds the way that she sugarcoats her food, but like Velma, she can't hide her truth. I don't want to vilify Paula Deen, but like Tracy I want everyone of all races to enjoy the same opportunities. No one should have to work in an environment which demeans them. All the butter in the world won't make the "N word" be something I can swallow." - Dayna Childs - Admissions Officer, WA

"Why are we so quick to judge a person based on sound bytes of a media we don't trust? Do I think some of the ideals in regard to Ms. Deen's restaurant absurd and insensitive? ABSOLUTELY! But that, in my mind, doesn't make you a racist. Mind you, I'm not defending her because I DON'T KNOW HER! Black folk, I have heard the 'cracker' conversations from some and you know that if judged based on answers to the SAME QUESTIONS Paula was asked, some of us would not only lose our jobs but be in jail. And white folks, please stop apologizing for the actions of Ms. Deen and for any other white person you feel is embarrassing the white race. You don't see me apologize for Flava Flav! Is Paula Deen a racist? If she is, she'll have to live with it. But if she's not, what damage has been done to this woman? Think for a minute...if I got to select 2 sound bytes from your life, would you want to be judged by that? And would people be surprised? I deal with closeted racist every day. Those are the ones I worry about." - Denise Lee - Actress, TX

"What is most interesting to me with the Paula Deen situation is how significant social media played a role. From Twitter comments to Facebook posts to Deen herself apologizing for her actions on Youtube, it wasn't traditional, but social media sites that were the go-to places for breaking news, conversations and updates on the issue. If there was any doubt in the minds of celebrities, agents, producers and the public about how important a role social media plays in the lives of everyone, and anyone, this should be the textbook example. Whereas just a few short years ago, this story would have been broken by print days, even weeks later, thereby slowing down the onslaught of anger and surprise of viewers. Now it catapulted around the globe in mere minutes. Because of this instant accessibility, a career can be made from one brief action or performance ~ as in the case of Susan Boyle ~ or destroyed, as we've witnessed this past weekend." - Elizabeth J. Musgrave - Columnist, IN

"I absolutely abhor racism. I have no tolerance for hatred. I do not knowingly associate with people who do. That being said, I am bothered by the manner in which Paula Deen has been treated by the media in the days since she confessed to having once used a racial slur. She stated she did so after she'd been robbed at gunpoint: a time she would likely have not been in her usual frame of mind. I don't believe this constitutes labeling her a racist. I think her biggest obstacle here is being Southern. People still rather freely apply the term 'racist' to Southerners and I find that unfair. Racism is indeed still alive and well in this country but it's not exclusively Southern. Dehumanizing Paula Deen for one mistake is akin to condemning her without a trial. It's just not the right thing to do." - Carey Parrish - Healthcare Professional, GA

Take a Book on a Test Drive

It's been a few weeks since I've blogged, but life has kept me busy with some travels and reading some manuscripts for other indie authors. That second part really got my mind going. We hear and read so much about how indie authors (or self-pub'd authors) are ruining the literary landscape. As if they come in and take a giant poo on the major publishers in New York.

As someone who reads all the time, I can usually tell within the first chapter if I'm going to be able to get into a book or not. Sometimes it's the writing - sometimes it's the story. And sometimes I'm just not in the mood to read. This has nothing to do with the author. I don't look them up to see what their credentials are to have written the book. I don't think about who their agent is or if <insert big time publisher here> has them on a world book tour. 

But when I see reviews on Amazon that gives 1 star ratings based on "terribly misspelled words and bad editing", I often think that is someone that has a personal grudge against the author. Just the same that several 5 star reviews usually means everyone in that person's family has gone online (for the first time) to write a review.

Try this. Kindle allows you to "look inside" before purchasing. So use it! Read that first chapter and see if it grabs you. If it doesn't, why bother buying the book? Just so you can write a nasty review after you've forced yourself to read through the entire thing?

Take a Book on Test Drive

It's been a few weeks since I've blogged, but life has kept me busy with some travels and reading some manuscripts for other indie authors. That second part really got my mind going. We hear and read so much about how indie authors (or self-pub'd authors) are ruining the literary landscape. As if they come in and take a giant poo on the major publishers in New York.

As someone who reads all the time, I can usually tell within the first chapter if I'm going to be able to get into a book or not. Sometimes it's the writing - sometimes it's the story. And sometimes I'm just not in the mood to read. This has nothing to do with the author. I don't look them up to see what their credentials are to have written the book. I don't think about who their agent is or if <insert big time publisher here> has them on a world book tour. 

But when I see reviews on Amazon that gives 1 star ratings based on "terribly misspelled words and bad editing", I often think that is someone that has a personal grudge against the author. Just the same that several 5 star reviews usually means everyone in that person's family has gone online (for the first time) to write a review.

Try this. Kindle allows you to "look inside" before purchasing. So use it! Read that first chapter and see if it grabs you. If it doesn't, why bother buying the book? Just so you can write a nasty review after you've forced yourself to read through the entire thing?

Tony Sunday Makes Me Stop and Think

It's Tony time and I have to admit as I child - I was a freak at this time of year. The house had to be quiet while I dreamed in front of the TV of winning a Tony award...someday. Those were big dreams for a young kid from Texas, but one I always hoped would occur.

Well, that never happened...but a friend recently told me I need to stop and look at my successes and not simply think about what I have NOT achieved.
So taking her advice, I thought I'd not only 'think' of those, but share them on my blog with others. (You never know if something you do might inspire someone else to look at their achievements too!)
~I just returned from a very successful school tour for my kids book Chicken Boy and always have such a wonderful time talking to the students. It's amazing when they get the message of the book and share their own connections to autism.
~Last week, I heard from a teacher at my high school alma mater that my book Proud Pants has been added as a Psychology IB Summer Reading Assignment. Sweet!
Patinkin '89 Broadway~In the summer of 1989 I got to see Mandy Patinkin perform his one man show at the Helen Hayes Theatre and actually jumped up on stage with him. Who knew 25 years later I would be interviewing him about his career and that very same concert. Thrilled that I got to do that for Broadway World.
~Theatre is in my blood and as much as I love writing, I still also enjoy performing and directing. I'm returning to directing a musical in the fall and the exciting thing is...it's a musical about WRITING a musical!
~In 1995, I attended the Paper Mill Playhouse with a well known reviewer (who has always been so encouraging about my writing career) as he reviewed The Secret Garden. If only he would have told that young man that 18 years later, they would pass in that same lobby again and this time I'd be there to review The Little Mermaid . 
So maybe I never won that Tony. That's not to say I still don't enjoy watching the awards on television, but thanks to people around me - I can still feel like a success even if I never got that little silver award. Do yourself a favor...view that glass 1/2 full. Write down the accomplishments you do each day no matter how big or small they may seem to you. We all do things in which we can take great pride!

Divas in Training Take Broadway

It is the year of the child on Broadway and this week I saw two of the leading ladies: Annie and Matilda. Two shows about mistreated girls. Two shows with nasty women blowing whistles. One girl smiles with hope through her adversity. One scowls and doesn't let us in. And lots of children.
“Annie” was the last musical I did in Texas in 1987 before I moved to NYC. I was Bert Healy and I have fond memories of that. I actually didn’t think I’d ever want or need to see it on stage again, but decided to give the Broadway revival a try.
Let me start by saying that I love Lilla Crawford as Annie. The girl has a wonderful voice that never seems to strain. She approaches the role in a much more ‘laid back’ way instead of the constant wide-eyed look we get from previous Annies. I appreciated that realness and loved her relationship with Daddy Warbucks. What I do not like in this production is the accent the director has chosen to make her use. I realize it’s supposed to be a Brooklyn, NY accent, but it sounds more cockney and it’s a shame she has to be impeded with the silly thing. (As a matter of fact, the director has many accents in this show – Bert Healy sounds German, Lily St. Regis is an over the top Asian, Texans in the White House…it was a show all about accents!)
Merwin Foard (who usually plays FDR) went on as Daddy Warbucks and I loved his performance. A big man with a beautiful voice, but such heart and warmth shines through when he sings about Annie.
Jane Lynch (of TV’s Glee) has taken over as Miss Hannigan and she really has made the role her own. Sometimes ‘stunt casting’ on Broadway doesn’t work – but this one got me to the theater with her smart comic timing, totally serviceable voice for the role and it seems to be enjoying herself greatly.
The show looks good. Nice sets (especially in the mansion when they turn huge pages of a book to create different rooms). It has held up well over the years. But something seems to be ‘missing’ from this production. The scenes with Rooster and Lily should send us into overdrive and the choreography and relationships were lackluster. I’m sure young audiences seeing it for the first time won’t even notice any of this, but there’s a sense of going through the motions – a trap in which many shows can fall. Still, it was nice to return to the songs by Strouse and Charnin.
And then we have “Matilda”. The British import that has won over every critic touting it as the biggest thing since…EVER.
I have never read the book. I never saw the entire Americanized movie version. So I went in cold. The show is very ingenious. The direction, staging, choreography, the score by Tim Minchin – all of that is pretty wonderful. (You will want to be a kid again and will go out singing “When I Grow Up”.) The energy on that stage is incredible – and much of that comes from the ensemble. The kids and adults in the ensemble work their rears off! And I was super impressed with what they did. Four girls share the title role and I saw Sophia Gennusa who was adorable. Great voice. Good actress. If only they would allow her to relax and pull us into her world.
If you ever saw the movie Lemony Snicket’s with Jim Carey – that is what I felt I was witnessing on stage. That movie had such a unique look with quirky, dark, odd qualities and Matilda offers all of those (even with shadow puppets at times). It’s a never ending wild ride of ‘what can we throw in next to be strange?’ type of feel. Even in the casting of a man in the role of Miss Trunchbull the headmistress of the school. I can’t find any other reason why a man must play the role. And Bertie Carvel as a mix between Riff-Raff in Rocky Horror and the child catcher in Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang has created a very creepy/odd/wonderful woman. (Though I’d still prefer to see Rob McClure take the Tony award for Best Actor.) Matilda’s parents are completely insane over the top comical performances (probably to take away from the fact they are so dreadful to her) that one would see in old Benny Hillsketches. (I’m completely dating myself with that reference.) And Lauren Ward gives a beautiful and moving performance as Miss Honey, Matilda’s teacher that seems to be one of the few people in her young life that actually cares about her.   
When people compare this to “The Lion King” – I tend to disagree. That show continued to top itself throughout the performance. This one, we walk into a world of this cool set of blocks and books, but we continue to go back to the same scenes over and over. I also felt it needed to be cut. It runs a little long, especially for a kid’s show and I found myself looking for the end.
 This show will probably run forever. People will not be able to get enough of it and I know I’m in the minority on this one. I like a show with heart – where that shines through. (Probably why I loved “Once” so much.) This is about the magic and clever way of telling a story – yet the poor child playing Matilda didn’t smile until curtain call. That made it difficult for me to care about her journey to right the wrongs of the world…all at five years old. And while much has been said about four girls playing the role – I don’t see it necessary. One girl played Mary in “The Secret Garden” on Broadway and won a Tony. One boy played Ralphie in “A Christmas Story” and carried that show. One girl sings her lungs out in “Annie” and rarely leaves the stage. All of those had alternates that may have to go on now and again (I actually saw the alternate in "A Christmas Story" and loved him), but the producers didn’t see the need to quad cast it so each does two shows a week. Personally, I think that was just one more thing on a very long list to make Matilda different, quirky and get audiences to return to compare each girl so that groupies can decide their favorites.

Have you seen these shows? Leave your comments and let me know what you think!

Moonlight & Love Songs at GayFest NYC

Gerald McCullouch and Nick BaileyOne of the great things about New York is when you stumble upon something unexpected. Not sure of what it is you are going to find when you attend an event and then discovering just how wonderful it is. That is how I felt this past Sunday attending a performance at GayFest NYC. Not knowing much about the organization, I quickly learned from producers Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman that it is their seventh season and 5th year of presenting the festival of gay-themed plays. One of the wonderful things about this festival is that all proceeds benefit The Harvey Milk High School - from ticket sales to purchases at the concession stand. The organization has presented 40 scholarships to graduating seniors and established an accredited elective Playwriting program at the school.
I attended the first play at the festival "Moonlight & Love Songs" by Scott C. Sickles after interviewing one of the leads for a BroadwayWorld interview. Mr. Sickles has written a moving love story about a 45 year old man who falls for a 20 year old college student. The two bond on their love of film which gives a foundation for this May/December romance.
I was very drawn to the piece because when I first moved to NYC at the young age of 18, I was in a relationship with a man many years my senior. I saw the relationship one way then and see it through different eyes with age. Now in my forties and in a long, loving relationship with someone my own age, I feel like Joni Mitchell and have 'looked at love from both sides now'. Sickles nails the complexities in this relationship in such a powerful way without alienating an audience or making them judge the older man and director Steven Petrillo has assembled a wonderful cast and worked out each nuance of this incredible story.
The two amazing actors playing Harry (the 45 year old) and Jim (the 20 year old) deserve much of the kudos in how they are portrayed. Television and film actor Gerald McCullouch shows Harry as a man who has not been able to find the right man. He is not looking for someone when Jim enters his life, but circumstances come into play. McCullouch's performance is rich with many levels. He appears shy and introverted as the show begins and the aggressive and self-assured performance of Nick Bailey causes Jim to seize the challenge. Both actors show a wide range as we witness the shift in their relationship. McCullouch literally brought me to tears; sometimes by what Harry chooses not to say to Jim and what this fine actor can portray in a look, a pause, or a catch in his voice. Bailey transforms in front of our eyes; an impressive feat for an actor of his age. They are but two in this wonderful ensemble piece of seven fine actors with a special mention going to the two women that play the sister of one and the mother of the other. Kathryn Markey and Christine Verleny both bring vibrancy to their scenes and great insight into the 'lost in love' couple. (Plus I had a wonderful discussion with talented cast member Robert Meksin afterwards as we left the theater and I swear we've crossed paths in NJ Theater at some point in our lives.) 
The cast of Moonlight & Love SongsThank you to GAYFEST NYC for presenting such powerful pieces and allowing writers like Scott C. Sickles to take chances with subject matters in front of your audiences.

If you find yourself in New York celebrating gay pride this coming month, make sure you treat yourself to the shows at GAYFEST NYC. "Moonlight & Love Songs" runs through June 2, 2013. "The Loves of Mr. Lincoln" (about the love letters between Lincoln and his longtime friend Joshua Speed) by David Brendan Hopes runs June 6 - June 16, 2013. They are also running in rep "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde" by Moisés Kaufman May 30 - June 16, 2013 presented by The BASiC Theatre Project. 
Photo Credit: Carlos Gustavo Monroy

Assembling Near Heaven with One Author

I witnessed two very different shows from the pen of the same writer in one week.

When I was in the BMI Musical Theater Workshop, we learned that in a musical you learn what the main character wants by the second song. Think about it with a musical now - you'll get a sense of what they long for in the show. (In that workshop, they actually call it the "I Want" song.)
Plays are very different. And in some cases, plays do not even have a huge conflict written into them.
That's how I felt about the much nominated and critic loved The Assembled Parties on The Assembled PartiesBroadway. I found it more of a character study and less of a fully structured show that gives us conflict, resolve, etc. Some reviewers have said that nothing happens in the show, and yet they still adore it for it's language and themes. Actually, a dear friend of mine feels the same way and has seen it numerous times.
Don't get me wrong, I love good character development in a story. And I especially love flawed characters. But I also want to know there is a reason I'm supposed to care about the plight of those characters. Richard Greenberg is a well loved playwright and obviously knows what he is doing - but this particular piece did not grab me.
Four days later I saw the limited run of the musical version of Far From Heaven  for which Greenberg wrote the book. Here he was not writing an original piece, he was adapting a film written by Todd Haynes. A film that had conflict and plot already embedded in it. With music & lyrics by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie (the men that wrote the musical Grey Gardens ) this piece had a completely different feel from Greenberg's other piece in NY. I loved the movie when it came out and was so excited I was able to get tickets to the Sold Out limited run at Playwrights Horizons - believing it would be the next 'big thing' to see.
In the current incarnation, I'm not certain it is.
Far From HeavenDon't get me wrong. It is beautiful and an enjoyable night at the theater. The writers and director Michael Greif have chosen to keep us in the feel of the movie. One of theme, color, tone and a true throwback to the old 50s movies that border on melodramatic. And all of that is on stage. 
ALL of it - sticking too closely to the source material instead of allowing songs to soar to another level. 
Unlike most musicals when a character sings to share their inner monologue of what they are feeling - these characters sing their dialogue like an opera (but to music that fits perfectly to the period). There is a never-ending sense of a sheer facade in this Connecticut town where letting people inside to know what is really happening in one's life seems forbidden. That is fine as the setting, except the audience isn't granted that right either. In keeping up that wall of pretense, the audience is never allowed to know how these people feel about what is happening in their lives - the very things pulling them 'away' from heaven. We never applaud one single moment in the show; it's moving at that cinematic pace and no time is given to stop the flow to give appreciation for a song. So I assumed people would jump to their feet at the brilliance of the amazing voices of Kelli O'Hara, Steven Pasquale and Isaiah Johnson when the final lights went off. But that didn't happen. 
Greenberg spent so much time on The Assembled Parties giving us a character study, that I wished he would have done a little more of that on Heaven.  I wanted the musical to rip down those upper class walls and allow us to peer into the insides of these characters going through such strong circumstances (in a certain historical period).  Instead of getting a sense of how these major decisions are affecting the lives of these characters, one leaves feeling that Hartford, CT has beautiful seasons shown through falling leaves, falling snow, and falling cherry blossoms.

The Subway, Screenplays & Tom Hanks

I had a dream I was on the New York City subway and couldn't find my way back into the city. This is odd because I know the system pretty well and can usually get my way around any city when I travel.

But even I didn't need to go to a dream interpreter to understand this one.
I'm trying something new in my life right now. As I often do, Greg thinks "what can I do next?" and usually attack it in as fearless a way as possible. Well, let's be honest and say the fear is there - I just don't usually show it to those around me. I'm writing a screenplay to the first book I ever published: Proud Pants . I thought it was a new idea, but I recently read an interview I did in 2011 and said then that I thought it might make a good short film. 
I'd love to see some of my books turned into film, but like most things I do in life - I jump in and think "how can I do this on my own?" and then go for it. I can see creating this story as a small film as another way to tell the story. And that's what I do: I'm a storyteller. Who knows, perhaps at one point I could turn one of the others that I can see as a film into a full length movie, but baby steps. That's the smart way to go.
And that takes me back to that dream. I'm in uncharted territory and not sure I can find my way around it, but in the dream I asked others how to get back to my destination and in life - I'm asking and learning from others that have already done it. And I really appreciate the kindness of those people who can point me in the right direction.
A few nights later, Tom Hanks shows up.
No, not at my house - in another dream. 
It's not at his Broadway show, but more like he is headlining on a floating city with a captive audience. We start to chat, he asks what I do and I have to play Sophie's Choice really fast and decide which book to share with him. Knowing he is a producer of films, I pitch the one I think that would most interest him and he tells me to get it to him.
What does THAT mean? Who the heck knows. But I'd be more than happy if Mr. Hanks wants to read any of my works to turn into something for the screen.
Maybe dreams are simply ways that the universe continues to push you towards a goal.
Or maybe I ate something really funky the night before.

Indie Authors and the Great Editor Debate

One of the hardest moments for me as a writer was almost 5 years ago when an author friend read my manuscript and said "I know you are proud of this and it's a good story, but it's not ready for others to see." 
What a punch in the gut.

But she did more for me than I ever knew. She first taught me about POV. I always told stories in third person point-of-view, but she suggested first. What a challenge for a writer! All those chapters that happened away from the main character had to be rewritten as he had to experience it. This helped me clarify what was important to the story and stop me from head-hopping from character to character. Indie authors beware: shifting from first person POV to third in the same novel is a dead giveaway of a new writer. After going through that long process of rewriting an entire novel in a different POV, I realized how much I love writing in first person. It pulls the reader in and allows one to get inside the head of the main protagonist; keeping it immediate and personal.I've worked with so many editors since then and have seen very different styles from each. Editors can be your best friends and allies- even when you want to smack them. You think they are ruining your story or telling the story THEY want: but they really are helping you find the important points and make each chapter move the story along. I've had pages covered in red marks and comments - even when certain reviewers may think some of my books were never edited. Trust me: they all were. As important as it is to work with a great, qualified editor – there are things authors can do to help put their best foot forward when submitting that manuscript to the editor: certain rules that apply across the board that can allow your editor to do his/her best job. Here are a few I’ve picked up from different editors and wanted to pass along to my writer friends. Check the tense of your story. Don’t jump from past tense to present tense within the same manuscript.Set that POV and stick with it! If you are writing in first person POV (using “I said”) – you can’t have that chapter where Sally is at the bank cashing her check because I am not there to witness it. In first person POV – your protagonist must be privy to everything going on.Help your editor’s and reader’s eyes by paying attention to formatting rules:

Narrative and dialogue should be split.If a new person speaks, they get their own line. (No need to crowd your page.)If there is a page of dialogue – add some modifiers throughout to assist the reader in keeping up with who is talking. A simple “he said/she said” will suffice.If the character thinks it – use italics. If they speak it out loud to themselves, you need to use the quotes.Add ‘easy beats’ by breaking up a dialogue with a descriptive phrase in the middle. Even if that is “So-in-so said” between two sentences they are speaking.

Some of my personal flaws are: writing in a passive voice. Telling more than I show. Starting too many sentences with “I” when writing in first POV.  Not using enough description at times to paint the entire picture. Double check your own work on these before sending to an editor – they are going to get you for these!

And if you've worked with an editor before submitting to a publisher (which I have been known to do simply because I want to submit the best possible thing to a publisher), be sure and clean up that manuscript before submitting! If an editor has written notes to you in the manuscript itself and not as a comment – by all means – ERASE it! Why should a potential publisher see notes another editor has written to you?

And lastly: don’t be upset when that publisher decides to edit it in a different way. After all, they are the ones investing time and money into you and may have other great ideas for you.Hope these things help my author friends reading this. I’ve made these mistakes and think it’s great to share so someone else doesn’t have to make them too.

Forget Chekhov and Laugh Through Depression

I have been a fan of Christopher Durang since I directed a workshop of "Betty's Summer Vacation" about 14 years ago. He knows how to push comedy to a place where at times you laugh from a sheer "what just happened?" moment. I've heard friends talking about "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" since it ran at The McCarter Theatre Center in NJ and then off-Broadway at Lincoln Center. I'm so glad I finally caught it on Broadway before the Tonys occur and tickets are completely gone. 

This show is hysterical.
I will admit, I was fearful. I'm not a huge fan of Chekhov and I wondered if I would get all the inside jokes in this new play. Set in a weekend home (beautifully designed by David Korins) in Bucks County, PA Vanya lives with his sister Sonia when their sister Masha shows up with a young boyfriend Spike and a crazy weekend occurs.
So I really didn't have to love Chekhov in order to LOVE this show. And I did. I could not stop laughing from the moment it started. The actors volley back and forth like a perfect game of tennis. Tony nominated Kristine Nielsen as Sonia KNOWS Durang and absolutely knows how to deliver. I was memorized by her pacing and delivery. Not only her comic chops, but a few moments where truth and realness shine through as well. When I see that occur in the middle of a comedy, I consider it a gift from a talented performer. Working opposite David Hyde Pierce (also nominated for a Tony) as her brother Vanya - the two are comic genius. He has such an amazing background in stage and television and knows how to make a moment fresh. Even when doing broad comedy, the two of them are so in sync that we are witnessing a beautifully choreographed piece. 
I have always been a huge fan of Sigourney Weaver. (Even met her when working at my old video store in the late 80s on the upper west side in NYC.) She has recaptured the fun of her character in "Working Girl" and layered that with an even more over the top performance that she must maintain as her energy starts at 120 and just keeps going higher and higher. I find her role to be the most difficult, because in a way - she has to comment on her own career: playing a movie star. Billy Magnussen rounds out the title characters as Weaver's young love interest and he plays 'young, dumb stud' brilliantly!  Shalita Grant is a voodoo, future-seeing house keeper that exudes exuberance whenever she is on stage. And the night I went, Amelia McClain went on as Nina and fit in wonderfully with this well-oiled machine of a cast. She was perky and fun and everything that Masha hated.
Kudos to Nicholas Martin for directing this fun romp of a play in such a manner that an audience barely gets a chance to recover from a previous laugh.