I do a lot of audio work – A couple of podcasts, some random sound design, and a favor every once in a while for a friend.  I really like doing sound work, and I really appreciate something that makes it a lot easier.

A couple of weeks ago I purchased ($0.99) the recorder [itunes link] application for the iPhone.  I bought it based on its own promises and soon realized that they were completely true.  The application is a fantastic, high-quality sound recorder and is extremely easy to use.

I work at Stage West on the weekends, and on opening weekend of the current show a reporter, Jerome Weeks, who does radio work for KERA was at the theatre trying to record some audio.  Unfortunately his digital recorder wasn’t working and I had to loan him my iPhone with the recorder application.

After he recorded it, I pulled the audio off my phone (using the application’s wifi downloader) and emailed it to him.

You can hear the final product on KERA’s ArtandSeek blog.  The part that was recorded on the phone is the voice of Jerry Russell.

“It quickly became obvious that Jane [Austen] had laid down the blueprint for a zombie novel [with Pride and Prejudice],” said Grahame-Smith “Why else in the original should a regiment arrive on Lizzie Bennet’s doorstep when they should have been off fighting Napoleon? It was to protect the family from an invasion of brain-eaters, obviously.”

This is sheer brilliance. Grahame-Smith took a well-known novel about the romantic antics of several young ladies, the Bennet sisters, and tweaked it into a zombie story.

Grahame-Smith says that 85% of the story is Jane Austen – he just changed enough to make it a zombie story.

He was able to do it because Pride and Prejudice has entered public domain.

This thing has garnered national interest, and as I write – several movie studios are in a bidding war for the movie rights.

Leaving zombies aside for a moment (gasp!), I think this is something that we can expect to see a lot more of – reworkings of existing scripts and stories. And, if it means more people are reading, I welcome it with open arms.

Now, what public domain story can I rewrite…

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Times Online

No? Neither do I.  Not really.  I mean I have 4 of them, but they’re so much like throw rugs that I just tolerate them.  And, I tolerate them because I don’t have the luxury of saying that I’m allergic.

Well, now neither do you.

As long as you have six thousand dollars to blow, you too can no longer have the luxury of saying you’re allergic, and avoiding the whole “pet” thing altogether.

A company called Allerca produces cats that are “hypoallergenic” if you can believe it.

Now, before you say, “Ha! I still don’t have to get a cat because I don’t believe in genetic manipulation.” you can rest assured that these hypoallergenic kitties are bred to be hypoallergenic – and their genetic code remains untouched.

Allerca has essentially bred Fel d 1, the protein that causes cat allergies, out of these fine felines through simple, old-fashioned selective breeding.

Now keep in mind that “hypoallergenic” isn’t something that has to be proved.  The FDA has no requirements on the use of the word.

And, if you’re feeling especially extravagant feel free to splurge on an Ashera™(yes, that’s a trademark symbol), a leopard spotted house cat – the hypoallergenic version retails for $37,000 (USD)

So, why would I write a post about a prison in the Philippines?

Because they have the ass-kickenest choreographer of any prison, that’s why!

Take a look at their rendition of Michael Jackson’s famed “Thriller,” and tell me that you don’t want to get caught transporting heroin in the Philippines.

Here’s a longer list of some of their routines: CPDRC Dance Videos.

These guys are known as much for their dancing as for their criminal background.

It all started with the head of the prison, Byron Garcia, looking for an accessible exercise program for the inmates in the yard.

He was initially inspired by “The Shawshank Redemption.” He mentioned the scene where Mozart’s Figaro is piped into the prison yard.

I don’t know how he got from there to marching to a drumbeat in unison, but luckily he soon moved from drumbeats and marching to pop music and dancing.

The prisoners have gotten so good that the prison has hired choreographers to put together routines.

Secondarily, I learned about these guys while reading about Thriller the musical, which is being created as we speak – Brilliant!!

Thriller the Musical

This is an amazing prosthetic created by i-limb. It looks real and evidently gives its user an extremely versatile arm that’s really easy to learn.

But, once he said it, the only think I can think about when I watch this video is the term he used to describe what happened to his original, non-star-wars arm – which was caught between a car door and a wooden post. It’s called degloving and it makes me want to scream.

When the wind blows the monsters inflate. (I think we need a song)

Click the “read more” link for the video.

I took my little video camera along with me only because Dana wanted to be able to watch some of the show later.

A couple of days later I heard that the singer had died of a heart attack in his kitchen, and suddenly the few rough shots I had taken at the concert were the only footage that existed of the lead singer, Wayne’s, last ever stage performance.

So, I thought I’d cut something together for the band – and to show the last performance of Telico Band.

And, because it was so rough, I had to use liberties with the audio track (to keep it all together). Add in the fact that I then had to try to match it to video that it definitely didn’t match, and, well, I hope it turned out okay. Let me know what you think.

This was originally posted at The Flowercast. You can subscribe to The Flowercast with the RSS Feed.

Dana Schultes is producing for me, which really means that she does most of the work, and I have to say that it has already become a wonderful experience.

The Dallas Fort Worth arts community has opened up its arms and welcomed us in.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to listen to an episode, you should check it out as soon as you get the chance – And subscribe while you’re there, we’re a couple of weeks ahead on recording – and you’re not going to want to miss the next couple of shows!

Also, while you’re there, if you have anything you’d like to hear us feature, you can email me a note or leave a comment on one of the existing shows (You can now sign in to comment with your Facebook ID – both here and at This Week in the Arts!)

So, drop by the podcast, subscribe if you like it, and get out and support the arts.

I gotta say I’m pretty excited.

The show is similar to Peter and the Wolf in that it is an educational piece about the different sections of the orchestra, but it’s presented as a murder-mystery/comedy.

The composer is found dead and an inspector is called in to question all of the instruments in the orchestra, and to get to the bottom of the crime.

An excerpt:

“Well, I guess that takes care of the strings.” The Inspector said, “Oh – The violas, I forgot all about you!”

“Everyone forgets about us,” said the violas bitterly. “We play the notes in the chords that nobody cares about. We play crucial counter-melodies nobody hears. We often have to stay late after performances and stack up all of the chairs.”

Last night I did an interview with Thomas Hong, the conductor, for This Week in the Arts – that’ll go up on the website next Wednesday.

I only wish it was possible for more people I know to come see the performance (like I said, it’s for the Fort Worth ISD), but I am going to be able to squeeze in Dana and my sister, Heather.

If you find a production of this open to the public you should try to find a way to see it – it’s short, and a lot of fun.

The best one of all, of course, is number 17: zombies.