L.N. Blog

From RecycledRecordArt

2014-08-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the RecycledRecordArt.com Best Comment Contest! In order to win, you need to qualify and then post the best comment for the item (on the list below). Below is information on us, how to qualify, the rules, and a list of the Notebooks and Record Holders you can win by creating the best comments on them.

About RecycledRecordArt.com
At RecycledRecordArt.com, we rescue record albums from dark garages, and dank storage units, and keep them out of landfills (vinyl records are non biodegradable!) by turning them into working art. We take album covers and up-cycle them into reusable Notebooks and vinyl records are forged into Record Holders -- Bowls, Boxes and Pencil Holders. Record Holders and are perfect for holding small items in your office, living room, bedroom or anywhere you need to keep things. And they make excellent gifts!

How to Qualify
In order to win, you must qualify. To qualify for the RecycledRecordArt.com Best Comment Contest, you must be willing and able to:

travel to Kearney Mesa in San Diego, California to claim your prize
help make your Record Holder shape, which entails getting hot
post photos and comments all over Social Media during, and after the contest
post good, kind, humorous and witty comments on the pages of the RecycledRecordArt products on the list below
Email your name and phone number to: info@recycledrecordart.com

Rules

Click link(s) below to be taken to the page the item(s) you want to win

Once there, write a comment at the bottom of the page
Follow all protocols for leaving comments

In the comment, describe why you should be given this item free of charge

Share the page, and your attached comment(s) on Social Media

The best comment, placed (on qualifying items) during the contest dates, wins that item

The best comment is at the sole discretion of RecycledRecordArt
"There is no criteria for 'best' but I'll know it when I see it"

You may enter as many times as you like for as many of the items, on the list below, as you like

Only comments on the items listed below qualify for the contest
But go ahead and comment on other items too

You may comment as much and as many times as you like

Commenting in response to another person's comment is encouraged

All comments will be moderated

Mean, Dangerous or non-clever comments will be removed
Removed comments are disqualified

Encourage your friends to like your comments on Social Media
The Contest begins at 8:00 a.m. on 7/28/14 and ends at 5:00 p.m. on 9/1/14

Only comments made between the above dates/times will be considered
If someone purchase the item before that time you're out of luck

Winners will be announced September 2nd

You will be asked to contact us to schedule your processing and pick up time

What you can win
Each item has a link to its own page on RecycledREcordArt.com. To click the link of the item(s) you want to win and leave your comment(s) there. We've sorted them by Artist, Album and Style. Good luck and may the comments be ever in your favor!

Contest Cuties By Artist
Artist	Album	Style
Adams, Bryan	Cuts Like a Knife	80s
Chorus Line	Broadway Cast Album	Musicals
Clapton, Eric	Timepieces	Classic Rock
Cocker, Joe	A Little Help From My Friends	Classic Rock
Diamond, Neil	The Jazz Singer	Musicals
ELO/ONJ	XANADU Soundtrack	Musicals
Jett, Joan	I Love Rock N Roll	80s
Kool and the Gang	Ladies' Night	R&B
Sister Sledge	We Are Family	R&B
Snow, Phoebe	Phoebe Snow	Classic Rock
Steve Miller Band	Fly Like an Eagle	Classic Rock
Van Halen	1984	80s

Contest Cuties By Album
Album	Artist	Style
1984	Van Halen	80s
A Little Help From My Friends	Cocker, Joe	Classic Rock
Broadway Cast Album	Chorus Line	Musicals
Cuts Like a Knife	Adams, Bryan	80s
Fly Like an Eagle	Steve Miller Band	Classic Rock
I Love Rock N Roll	Jett, Joan	80s
Ladies' Night	Kool and the Gang	R&B
Phoebe Snow	Snow, Phoebe	Classic Rock
The Jazz Singer	Diamond, Neil	Musicals
Timepieces	Clapton, Eric	Classic Rock
We Are Family	Sister Sledge	R&B
XANADU Soundtrack	ELO/ONJ	Musicals

Contest Cuties By Style
Style	Artist	Album
80s	Adams, Bryan	Cuts Like a Knife
80s	Jett, Joan	I Love Rock N Roll
80s	Van Halen	1984
Classic Rock	Clapton, Eric	Timepieces
Classic Rock	Cocker, Joe	A Little Help From My Friends
Classic Rock	Snow, Phoebe	Phoebe Snow
Classic Rock	Steve Miller Band	Fly Like an Eagle
Musicals	Chorus Line	Broadway Cast Album
Musicals	Diamond, Neil	The Jazz Singer
Musicals	ELO/ONJ	XANADU Soundtrack
R&B	Kool and the Gang	Ladies' Night
R&B	Sister Sledge	We Are Family

Good News

2014-06-25T13:24:00.001-07:00

We sold the John Travolta Grease Soundtrack two record set BUT we just received another one! So Win-Win.

If you are interested, email info@recycledrecordart.com because we haven't put it up yet.

Stop singing off key!

2014-06-24T13:27:00.001-07:00

I am not musical. I will be the first to admit that. But, it turns out that I can hear when someone is singing off key.

It's been going on for almost an hour now at the Del Marr fair. And it's all I can do to not scream, "stop singing off key!"

I am also thinking of sneaking down there and unplugging her microphone. Or asking the piano player to play the melody. Or asking the drummer to drum very loudly.

I am of course the pot who calls the kettle black because I have trouble singing on key but at least I don't do it on microphone. At the fair. In front of people.

The LA lifestyle

2014-06-02T16:13:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you, but I don't like LA very much. Probably because I have to drive there from San Diego. I think that if I lived in Los Angeles, I might hate it more...

For example, I am driving home from Santa Monica (don't worry, I'm dictating this to Siri). And it has taken me almost an hour to get from interstate 10 to interstate five. Of course, I made the mistake of leaving at 3:13 PM.

I mean who has the type of job that will let them leave it at 3:00, or even 2:00 PM? Oh wait, I guess I do. As an actor I can pretty much come and go as I please, until I get cast.

People who come from Los Angeles to San Diego for auditions are usually flabbergasted. I just look at them and laugh. We San Diegans travel to Los Angeles much more frequently than Los Angelenos travel to San Diego.

We know you need to give three hours for traffic and accidents and pee pee. Space that or take what Google tells you is the time it takes to get there and add one hour.

I once drove three hours to Los Angeles, there was a an accident, then did a two-minute audition, after a two hour wait, then drove three more hours back to San Diego.

I did not get that job.

The nice thing about blogging in your car is, people in Los Angeles think you're talking to your agent. And, when the traffic stops I can do quick edits. All I have to do is wait for the horn and I'm back on the move.

If you are reading this on Facebook, I will try to comment with the time I actually arrived in San Diego. I am supposed to be at a casting call that stops at 7:00 PM in San Diego. We shall see…

From our friends at RecycledRecordArt.com

2014-05-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

Customers take photos of their RecycledRecordArt Record Holders and they look awesome. These photos were taken in the wild i.e. the homes and offices of our customers. If you want to show off your Record Holder -- or your Notebook, send photos to: info@RecycledRecordArt.com

These game controllers belong to gamy boy Steele.

Customer Josh shows off his Notebook and Pencil Holder.

Perfect for holding coiled cables don't you think?

Customer Chris put Aloe Vera into a Record Holder and put that in her window box.

The Bar Manager at a famous regional theatre shows off her Pencil Holder.

Blogger and Photographer Kymri keeps pens and pencils in hers.

Kathleen's Kindle and all its cables fit into this special Kindle Holder.

Young Zuri puts her makeup on a Record Holder.

Jambo (l) and Java (r) keep their dog toys in a Record Holder.

Leann's iPad and cables make them easy to find.

Jambo loves his toys.

Bird Supplies fit in record holders too.

Tiffany keeps her remotes in this Record Holder.

Kymri keeps musical instruments in her Record Holder.

Emotional Roller Coaster

2014-01-13T13:22:00.001-08:00

So we watched the game yesterday...

From iPhone Land

2013-12-22T12:59:00.001-08:00

Yes I am blogging from my phone. I will try to use excellent spelling and grammar. Now how do I place photos?

New photos of Kevin Six's "The Art of Love"

2013-11-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

From my agent's blog...

The part about choking...

This is actually older news but, since we just received the photos, we thought we'd share them with you. Kevin Six took "The Art of Love" to the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in 2012. At this year's conference, TBA Theatre produced it at the festival.

The annual conference is a place for playwrights to have their plays read by actors and hear valuable feedback from theatre professionals. Kevin was surprised when, at the closing banquet, his play was called out as one of the best by Shane Mitchell, Artistic Director of TBA Theatre.

Kevin thought nothing of is and readied another play for the 2013 festival when the news came that his play was to be produced as one of the fully staged evening productions. To top it off, Kevin was also assigned the Mitchell family for his staged reading. No news yet on that production...

Click the image below to see of the photos. Enjoy!

TBA Theatre's production of The Art of Love 2013

Simply Sci-Fi promises to be a hoot

2013-08-06T08:35:00.003-07:00

So New Play Cafe is 1/3 Kevin Six and an other third, Lizzie Silverman, designed this cool banner. On top of cool graphics and great dessert, you can expect to see six brand new plays penned by local playwrights and some of San Diego's finest actors. And the plays are science fiction-themed.

Simply Sci-Fi runs Aug. 15-30 and tickets are going fast. More information at http://newplaycafe.com/shows/

Kevin Six directs three of six new plays for New Play Cafe

2013-07-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

New Play Cafe is proud to announce the Simply Sci-Fi plays and playwrights

Crash Bang Boom. By Nate Black Two young men and a doomsday prepper battle aliens. Playwright bio: Nate is, well, pretty much thrilled to be a part of the New Play Café Series. Currently Nate works at Cygnet Theatre Company where he does lights and works in the box office. Previous writing credits include Fugue State in the 2010 Philadelphia Fringe Festival and The Whispering Ruckus in the West Chester One Act Play Festival. Salvador Dali once said that any artist who is truly serious about creating good art should first marry my wife. Nate didn’t marry Dali’s wife, but he married Haley who is the most beautiful, supportive and patient woman in the world. Much thanks to Kevin, Jennie and Lizzie for this opportunity and much love to Echo and Makhai, the two most adorable pit bulls ever.

Don Juan Whitman on Earth by Carla Nell Reporter falls for alien; news at eleven. Playwright bio: Carla is the co-Artistic Director of InnerMission Productions. She has over 14 years of experience acting and directing in the San Diego theatre community. She is an SDSU graduate with a BA in Theatre Arts. Locally she has produced and directed The Marriage of Bette and Boo at 6th @ Penn, I Am a Woman at Claire de Lune, an evening of one-acts at Diversionary Theatre, First Love at St. Cecilias Playhouse, Dancing at Lughnasa at Onstage Playhouse (winner of four Aubrey award nominations including best direction and ensemble), and Personal Space in association with THE COLLECTIVE. Carla is a member of the Pasadena Playhouse Directors Lab West.

Evil Alan by Ryan Roach Alan meets himself for coffee. Playwright bio: Ryan Roach is new the the "playwriting scene", as much as there is one. Is there one? Ryan Roach doesn't know. But if there is, he is new to it, and taking it by storm. Or maybe not. It's just too early to tell.

Peripathetic by Bryan Finnigan The timing was almost perfect. Playwright bio: Bryan is an award winning playwright who has also written comedy for network television and nationally syndicated radio. New to the San Diego area he looks forward to furthering his work with the local theatre community. Learn more about him at www.bryanfinnigan.com

Romancing the Machine by Kathleen E. Massé The shiny promise of a perfect child, not to mention the convenience. Playwright bio: Since moving to San Diego nine years ago, Kathleen has been involved in several grass-roots projects in community and professional theatre as a performer, writer and director. After starving for her art for a while, she got hungry and decided to become a massage therapist. This career has brought her regular meals and enormous satisfaction, but she missed all the crazy people, so has recently returned to theatre via the New Play Cafe. She’s delighted to have her play performed among such worthy offerings and hopes you’ll enjoy the show as much as your dessert.

The Time Travel Café by Janet S. Tiger A quick trip to your past is easy and affordable. Playwright bio: Janet S. Tiger's monologues, one-acts and plays have been performed internationally and published in anthologies in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Tiger is the recipient of an NEA-COMBO Fellowship Award, numerous contest awards and multiple commissions. She has been a member of the Scripteasers playwriting group since 1979, and from 2006-2008 she was Playwright-in-Residence at Swedenborg Hall in San Diego. Her website is PlaysbyJanetSTiger.com.

For tickets and information, please visit New Play Cafe.

Monologues from the Last Frontier Theatre Conference is available online and in stores!

2013-04-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Kevin Six and about 45 other worthy playwrights will have their monologues published in an anthology of monologues work-shopped at The Last Frontier Theatre Conference from 2008-2012.

Monologues from the Last Frontier Theatre Conference is available online and in stores!

Kevin's Integrity Problem was part of the 2012 conference. The playwrights from the Last Frontier Theatre Conference are some very cool and talented people -- and so are the editors of this book, Laura Gardner and Dawson Moore. I encourage you to purchase this book when I bother you again about its publication later this year. Thank you.

Kevin

Silent Majority Saturday

2013-04-12T09:24:00.003-07:00

If you like funny things, you'll love Silent Majority with Special Guest Stephen Perlstein. The performance, a Finest City Improv production, is at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13th at 705 16th Street. The evening features Red Squared and Underground Improv as well. So that's quite a night of Improvisation fun -- and there's a bar, so... check the deets here -- and we'll see you there.

This is a test

2013-04-11T21:42:00.002-07:00

I am testing two types of Facebook Feeds.. One is a Facebook App and the other is a Twitter App. Which one do you like? Click like on this one (of you like it the best) or the other one (above or below it -- if you like it best)/

I cannot decide... Here's a link.

It's Hard Out Here for a Plush

2013-04-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

I was looking for Grover last night. Long story in which I found Super Grover, and bought him, but it's just not the same as my old knitted Grover of years ago. Not so many as you might think and, therefore, there is no excuse for loosing him.

So... this is an apology, or a series of them. To the person who gave me Grover, forgive me for not remembering that you did this and, probably, for not thanking you. To the person I gave Grover to, forgive me for not remembering you -- and for wanting him back. To Grover, please forgive me for all of it: not remembering, abandoning, not missing, all of it until last night when I remembered how my drinking affected so many -- including knitted Grovers who deserved so much more love. To Super Grover, for what I'm sure you will feel; that I love another Grover better. To myself for all of it. Perhaps, if it was meant to be, knitted Grover might come back to me.

If you know me and the Grover of which I speak -- and have a better memory than I -- I would appreciate very much seeing old knitted Grover again.

So I have this new thing... See it April 13

2013-04-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, so I'm a member of Finest City Improv's Silent Majority. No, we're not that silent. You'll see.
You can read about our first show, Sat. April 13th at 8:30 p.m., right here.

The Art of Indian Beading

2013-04-07T18:14:00.006-07:00

Can you even call it that?

I no longer have any desire to learn The Art of Indian Beading. I remember learning, in a film strip or 16mm film in grade school, that the Indian (can I even say that?) -- OK Native American -- artists who did the beading purposely made errors in their beaded things because to be perfect would offend the Gods.

Bullshit!

There is no way to be perfect! It took me three hours to do one silly bracelet and I didn't offend the Gods about fifty times.

Nine strings as thin as human hair!

Hell, setting the loom up took about 45 minutes. It wasn't the loom itself it was the thread that had to be thin enough to fit the teeny tiny beads. And the needle was so thin. Let's just say I screwed one so badly it can't even be recycled. OK, I can't find it. I'm hoping it isn't embedded in the carpet.

Then, once you have all the threads separated, you have to put the beads on one row at a time and follow a chart putting one bead of one color followed by another bead of another color. The mad styles were far beyond my comprehension and ability to concen-- look shiny objects! I did one with 26 rows and just made my pattern of letters.

And it was hell!

OK, strings as thin as MY hair.

And I did one row that was so bad I thought I'd have to go back -- you see it's all like -- oh shit, just believe me that people have to be crazy to get good at this shit and I don't have the patience, eyesight and back strength to get through more than what I did.

Which sucked like a Hoover Deluxe.

Speaking of sucking, I'm pretty sure I inhaled more than one of those tiny little beads. The box says eight and up but children of all ages are going to suck a dozen or so beads up their noses just because you have to get so close to them to get them on that jenky needle.


Not a cupcake with Jimmies.

Yes, thanks for asking, I do have about seventy tiny holes in my fingers and one in my lower lip. I was a quick maneuver away from sewing a bead into my left nostril.

I placed the beads on the top of my wife's cream jar, which was indented -- the only artistic thing I did the whole time. Yes, I spilled them -- many times. I spilled a bead or two every time I dipped the evil needle into the concoction to gather the right combination of colored beads. (Can I even say that?). And I spilled the entire load five more times. So I'm guessing I spilled more beads than I wove into the Nightmare Catcher, as I've come to call it.

Then! After you finish. And your back hurts like Manifest Destiny, the instructions call for you to untie the strands and tie each vertical string to the last horizontal string and -- That's when I said fuck the fuck out of this fucking fucker.

But I have a friend with a daughter who might like to do this. Good luck getting those beads out of your carpet. Here's the finished product.

Anyone who finds they love Indian Beading.

Another Monologue Published

2013-02-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

Kevin Six and about 45 other worthy playwrights will have their monologues published in an anthology of monologues workshopped at The Last Frontier Theatre Conference from 2009-2012.

Kevin's Integrity Problem was part of the 2012 conference. The playwrights from the Last Frontier Theatre Conference are some very cool and talented people -- and so are the editors of this book, Laura Gardner and Dawson Moore. I encourage you to purchase this book when I bother you again about its publication later this year. Thank you.

Kevin

Records in Excellent Condition

2013-02-02T15:51:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we come across LP records that are just too good to repurpose. That was the case with a whole collection of Time Life Legendary Singers two record sets. Here's the best part -- they are unopened!

Each boxed set contains two mint condition LPs, a booklet about the singer and a very nice container. The plastic wrap on all the records isn't perfect -- they've been languishing in a friend's grandmother's album collection since the 80s -- but the records have to be.

They cost $15 apiece 20 years ago and we're selling them -- auction style on e-bay -- for a pittance. Check them out here:

FRANK SINATRA Capitol Time Life Legendary Singers
LENA HORNE Time Life Legendary Singers
PERRY COMO Time Life Legendary Singers
TONY BENNETT Time Life Legendary Singers
ANDY WILLIAMS Time Life Legendary Singers
BING CROSBY Time Life Legendary Singers
ELLA FITZGERALD Time Life Legendary Singers

Theatre for a Cure 2-5-13

2013-01-31T09:19:00.001-08:00

Join me as I perform a very cool monologue for the great Eliza Gonzalez. Theattre for a Cure is her event to raise money for charity and I jumped at the chance. It was either that or do a triathalon... so...

Here's the event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/133601630133506/

No, really. Donate.

2013-01-19T22:55:00.000-08:00

One Billion Rising Takes Over San Diego On 2-14-13

2013-01-07T16:00:00.004-08:00

InnerMission Productions, in association with V-Day, presents One Billion Rising San Diego on Thursday, February 14, 2013. One Billion Rising San Diego is part of a global uprising designed to bring an end to violence against women and girls. There will be events all day, beginning with a rally at City Hall, a march, and an uprising, at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, that includes music and dancing.

At 2:14 p.m. on 2/14/13 we invite the city of San Diego to RISE. For more information on One Billion Rising events in San Diego, please visit 1BillionRisingSD.com.

San Diego Area Events

RISE
At 2:14 pm on 2/14/13 there will be a city wide coordinated 20 minute walk out. San Diego will walk out of their homes, jobs, and classrooms. This unified stance will mark the beginning of the day’s events in which we will come together as a community who agrees that we will no longer accept violence as an option.

Employers are asked to either give their staff the day off to join us or organize a rising within their work day. We are securing locations throughout San Diego that can serve as meeting places for the rising. Please contact InnerMission productions via 1BillionRisingSD.com for details about how to involve your company or organization with our community wide event.

STRIKE
Time/Location TBD – A press conference will be held (location at or near city hall). We will join with local celebrities, business leaders and politicians to stand up and speak out against violence towards women in our local community for this international event where we will rise together in solidarity.

Following the press conference San Diego will march together in the streets.

DANCE
At 6:30 pm One Billion Rising San Diego will gather at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. This event will feature local performers, musicians, and spoken word artists coming together to end violence – and dance!

About One Billion Rising

ONE IN THREE WOMEN ON THE PLANET WILL BE RAPED OR BEATEN IN HER LIFETIME
ONE BILLION WOMEN VIOLATED IS AN ATROCITY
ONE BILLION WOMEN DANCING IS A REVOLUTION

On V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, 2.14.13, V-Day invites ONE BILLION women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence.

ONE BILLION RISING will move the earth, activating women and men across every country. V-Day wants the world to see our collective strength, our numbers, our solidarity across borders. V-Day and ONE BILLION RISING and SAY NO to violence against women and girls and we ask you to join us.

What does ONE BILLION look like? On February 14th, 2013, it will look like a REVOLUTION.

About V-Day

V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sex slavery.

V-Day campaigns, local volunteers and college students produce annual benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues, A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer, Any One Of Us: Words From Prison, screenings of V-Day's documentary Until The Violence Stops, and the PBS documentary What I Want My Words To Do To You, Spotlight Teach-Ins and V-Men workshops, to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence groups within their own communities. In 2012, over 5,800 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls.

Links:
One Billion Rising San Diego Website: http://1billionrisingsd.com/
InnerMission Productions Website: http://innermissionproductions.org/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1billionrisingsd/
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/249397358516524/?ref=ts&fref=ts
Media Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/100859148750825511151/OneBillionRisingMediaPhotos?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOqJ6M-vg_OBPQ&feat=directlink
One Billion Rising San Diego Video: http://youtu.be/YJuIpT0xsk8
#reasontorise photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/100859148750825511151/Reasontorise?authuser=0&feat=directlink

My birthday is coming up

2013-01-04T19:35:00.001-08:00

I want to do this!

WordPlay Tuesdays at Diversionary

2012-11-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

Inaugural WordPlay Tuesdays will be a great big hit when it catches on

by Kevin Six

I was honored to be chosen as one of three playwrights to present work at the first WordPlay Tuesday, a collaboration between Diversionary Theatre and the Playwrights Project. Being chosen makes me feel good. The event, which should grow into something that every San Diegan who loves theatre will attend, is a place for playwrights to present work early on in its development.

So I brought something I'm working on that isn't near finished and got to see what it sounds like with actors and an audience who knew nothing about it. This is a situation as unique as a unicorn because in the world of theatre, the actors are well rehearsed and the audience has a pretty good idea of what to expect due to all the Facebook events, e-mails, preview articles and marketing material. Because let's face it,very few people willingly go out to an evening of complete surprises.

The idea behind WordPlay Tuesdays -- at least for me -- is to see just how actor-proof your play is. I cannot tell you how many playwrights blame actors for their plays, that it works when the actors are rehearsed, that blah blah blah. The fact is that if someone can't pick up a script and make sense out of it in a few short minutes it will never get produced.

This is because play readers don't rehearse. The people who read your play are literary assistants, volunteers, writers themselves -- theatre people. And it is they who you have to impress; and you'll note that I didn't mention actors in this bunch. Actor-proofing is something every good playwright should do because literary people are not good actors.

If they were, they would be out acting instead of reading your play. The point being that if it's good, anyone -- regardless of training -- can make sense out of it. So I have a little work to do because some of the readers (playwrights, administrators and trained actors among them) had trouble making sense out of my ten minutes. I didn't blame them. I also didn't rehearse them; I wanted to see how it read cold. And, thanks to the Playwrights Project and Diversionary Theatre, I got a a pretty good real-life sampling of the kinds of people looking at my play for the first time.

As this program gains in popularity, more professional actors will be enlisted -- either by playwrights who want ringers or because it's just good, free, training for actors. But I was thoroughly satisfied.

Thanks to all who made this happen, especially Cecilia, Derek, Olivia and Heather!

Line Reading = Creative Death

2012-11-08T09:04:00.001-08:00

By Kevin Six (future former actor)

A message to directors the world over: When you direct a play, please try and refrain from giving line readings. It not only makes us actors feel like we're being babysat, it also makes us wonder, Director, if you think you can do it better. Actually, if you're doing lines technically, with emphasis on certain parts of it -- you're missing the fucking picture.

Some actors thrive on this kind of attention and some directors love these kinds of actors. But really, what a director wants is the best possible production and I for one do not believe you can get there telling people how to say things.

The way acting works is you feel everything in every moment and --if you happen to get into a long series of moments -- no one line is going to matter. Because you are a living, breathing, thinking, feeling person -- entirely different from the person you are off stage. The problem with line readings is that they are the function of the actor -- not the character.

And audiences can see it. They may not be able to determine if an actor is giving a line reading instead of feeling or thinking. Look next time you see a play and see which actors are engaged -- who have something going on behind the lines and the blocking.

I got a note last night that, "for the third time", I was doing the line wrong. I was inflecting up and not down. I asked what the director wanted. He replied "a declarative statement."

The problem with line was that I was thinking too much about the previous notes on how to deliver it -- to give the proper line reading -- and it ended up cold and dead. I was cold and dead in that moment -- the character not me. The character had ceased to exist. Killed by an insecure actor believing that a note on inflection, delivery or the dreaded Line Reading. Line readings kill actors little by little -- that is if they brought any life into the part they play.

Many actors believe a director who says, "Just learn your lines and blocking and I'm happy". You're not happy. You're dead inside. Like my career.

Actors: if a director insists on giving you line readings, make sure to have a family emergency early on in the process. Get the hell out.

Directors: if you hire actors you trust and let them breathe life into a role it's not like working at all. If you made a bad choice in casting, get rid of the actor and find the right one. You are doing no one a favor by keeping an actor in a play if little is working.

Me: two more note sessions. Oh, and try not to say: "Why don't you call my phone and read the line
exactly the way you want and I'll copy it exactly" in front of people.
The line reading killed the moment, threatens to kill the creativity every time it is given and has nothing to do in this world where directors are supposed to create safe places for actors to create.

Vote Today, Baby

2012-11-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

Vote, Baby.