How do you like them apples?

Two things are creeping ever closer. The start of the Capital Fringe Festival and the end of birds. Tomorrow night we have a performance of birds which is almost sold out I am told and that should serve as a warning to those of you who can put the puzzel pieces together that there is every chance that the rest of the performances will start filling up as well.

I know that we are taking the opportunity to put some of your theater options here before you in an easy to read and digest format. Hopefully these shows will spark your interest in seeing a lot of theater in the next two weeks in addition to birds.

Today we start off with what Danny Gavigan has been up to since References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot closed. Mostly I think he was brushing up his Southy accent and eating sandwiches if the photo is any indication. And then a one night poetry and dance event at the JCC. See some theater!

Molotov Theatre Group, Washington, DC’s most incendiary new acting company, is introducing itself to theatre-goers with the new work For Boston, which will see its world premiere during this year’s Capital Fringe Festival.

Written by Michael McMahon and Lucas Maloney (Molotov Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director)

Performance Schedule:
Saturday, July 21, 2007, 9:00pm
Thursday, July 26, 2007, 9:30pm
Friday, July 27, 2007, 7:00pm
Saturday, July 28, 2007, 8:00pm
Sunday, July 29, 2007, 2:00pm

Location:
Flashpoint’s Mead Theatre Lab, 916 G Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Featuring Washington, DC-based actors JJ Area, Chris Dinolfo, Danny Gavigan, and Eric Humphries, For Boston is a horrifically dark comedy following two barfly buddies as they get sucked into the undertow of bad decisions.

While For Boston is Molotov’s first theatrical production, the company plans to begin reviving original Grand Guignol scripts later this year. This makes Molotov the first company on the East Coast, and only the second in the entire United States to focus on this genre as a key part of its mission.

To find out more about Molotov Theatre Group and Le Theatre de Grand Guignol, please visit www.molotovtheatre.com or www.myspace.com/molotovtheatre.

Hi everyone!

Just a quick note about my upcoming piece in the DC Fringe Festival.It is a live poetry reading of Carly Sach's book, the steam sequence,combined with an interactive dance performance.

We don't want to tell you too much beforehand, but Carly and I are very excited about the performance and hope you can make it!

Performance Schedule:
Wednesday July 25, 8pm

Location:
DC JCC, 16th and Q Str. NW

Tickets available at the door, or see attached flyer

All the best,
Shannon

PS Because of the nautre of the poems, the project is not appropriate for children.

Get to Know Danny Gavigan

Today we present the first in our on-going series Get to Know Your Cast and Crew. This series allows you, the reader, to get to know the cast and crew of Rorschach's upcoming production of Jose Rivera's References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot.

We begin our journey by invading the psychic landscape of one Mr. Danny Gavigan. This young man is doing the two show thing this season for Rorschach and we couldn't be more pleased to have him. So please enjoy this excurison into the Dali Zone.

1. What is your job in References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot?

My job is "Coyote." No clue yet as to what exactly that ends up meaning, you know, if it comes with any benefits.

2. Have you ever worked for Rorschach before and how?

Yes! I was Ariel in Rough Magic. It wasn't all madlibs and man tights, it was fun.

3. Do you have any recurring dreams and if so what are they about?

I haven't been dreaming a lot lately, and it's starting to really frustrate me because I miss them. Either I haven't been dreaming or I'm just so wrapped up in day to day life, moving to the city, working on this show, the niner-to-the-fiver, that I'm losing them when I wake. But recurring dreams? Nothing really comes to mind. I usually dream about certain people in various contexts now, whereas when I was younger I distinctly remember dreaming about recurring places, like a house or a yard or a movie theatre, with very specific layouts that never existed in real life, but I'd always recognize in dreams. I also usually dream about old friends or lovers, only, in the dreams we have completely new relationships, on my terms, relationships that aren't as fucked up or nonexistent as they are in real life.
4. Other than Dali which painters turn you on?

Alex Ross. Bob Ross. --I wonder if they're related? But Bob Ross' furry fro definitely turns me on.

5. Have you been doing any special research for the show?

A lot of youtube research. Lotta backwood coyote huntin' videos. I saw an episode of The Simpsons where Homer is tripping off chili peppers and a coyote spirit visits him, voiced by the late Johnny Cash. I initially had this urge to try to incorporate as many coyote traits as I could into this character, but the more I read from Jose Rivera, the more he seems to discourage actors from doing exactly that. So I think I'm just gonna do a little bar hopping, take in some slovenly scumbag vibes.

6. Who is the biggest celebrity you have ever met and how?

I've worked with quite a few as a background artist. I'm kidding. I'm not that delusional. Quite a few have worked with me. But I guess you could say I met John Waters when I asked him to sign my copy of Cecil B. Demented after he spoke for a few hours at UMBC, which was basically some of the most hilarious stand-up I've seen about his life and his movies. Anyways we shot the shit, I thought it was time to crack a joke, told him all I could find was my copy of Cecil but if I had things my way, I'd have his Pecker in my hands. Only it didn't come out that smoothly and the awkward silence was cut by the asshole behind me in line pushing me out of the way.

7. In a steel-cage-no-holds-barred -death match which character in Dali would win?

Gabby. I would say Coyote, but the friggin Moon weakens him, it's too much of a kryptonite. Gabby all the way, she's got Benito by the balls and a .9 millimeter.

8. Who do you kiss in the show? (director and stage manager feel free to answer this as well)

Cat, played by the lovely, Yasmin Tuazon. And interestingly enough, she does smell like soap. I don't know if Yasmin likes to stay severely true to the script or if she's just a really clean gal.

9. If you could live inside of any painting what would it be?

That's like indecisive person torture is what that is. I think I'd like to live inside Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night, or whatever the French call it. It seems pleasant, rich with culture, relaxing, breezy. Order a drink. Watch the people walk by. Hear whatever hits the cobblestones.

10. If you had a theme song what would it be?

And for the actors what would your characters theme song be? Danny's theme song would be Daniel by Elton John. Coyote's theme song would be Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio.

Pei Day

Would it really be a Rorschach play if something surreal or metaphysical wasn't taking place somewhere on stage? My answer is no. If it isn't the devil making an appearance (which has happened three times) or people dying and coming back to life (which happened about a dozen times in one show) would our audiences even know they were watching a show at Rorschach?

References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot has a lot of things going on that make it a Rorschach show. Today I introduce you to the cast of characters that inhabit Acts I and IV. This time the meta comes from a talking cat (second time we have had one of those prowling Casa), a talking coyote (first time for that one) and the anthropomorphic moon (Rahaleh was the last one to take a stab at that one). What does it take to make these wonderfully weird creations of Jose Rivera come to life? Well costumes and research have a big part to play in allowing the actors to be the very best talking, walking and acting creatures of dream that they can be.

Today's entry will borrow heavily from other peoples research and work so the drawings are Pei Lee's our Costume Designer and the words come from Jacqueline Lawton's Dramaturgy.

Danny Gavigan returns after his Rorschach Debut in Rough Magic to play our coyote.

Coyote:

The coyote has grayish-brown to yellowish-brown fur on top and whitish fur on its underparts. It has large triangular ears on the top of its head and a long, narrow muzzle. It has a black nose, yellow eyes and a long, bushy tail. One way to tell the coyote apart from wolves and dogs is to watch its tail when it runs. The coyote runs with its tail down. Dogs run with their tails up and wolves run with their tails straight out.

Coyote often plays the role of trickster, although in some stories he is a buffoon and the butt of jokes and in a few is outright evil. His personality strengths are humor and sometimes cleverness. His personality weaknesses are usually greed or desire, recklessness, impulsiveness and jealousy. Coyote is often the antagonist of his brother Wolf, who is wise and good natured but prone to giving in to Coyote's incessant demands. In Tongva Mythology, it is Coyote who is tricked. Coyote challenges "The River" to a race. Coyote is victorious, but collapses from fatigue. The river laughs at him and takes the name "Hahamongna," which is said to explain the noise made by the upper Arroyo Seco which sounds similar to laughing.


Yasmin Tuazon joins the Rorschach five timers club in her role of the cat.

Cats:

A cat believes in itself, her walk can assure you that much. She is independent, has a mind of her own yet she is gentle enough to be liked by all. A number of myths have surrounded this animal since ages. In ancient Europe, she was believed to be an evil spirit. Those were the bad days for cats. Now, cats have become a part of almost every household. They have the power to win the hearts of their owners through their elegance, dignity and off course, their soft purrs and mews can have effect on you almost instantly.

· Myth: Cats always land on their feet.
· Fact: While cats instinctively fall feet first but that does not mean that they will not receive any injuries.

· Myth: Cats should be given milk everyday.
· Fact: Some cats have lactose intolerance. So, they should not be forced to have milk. A grown up cat can have its nutrients even without having milk.

· Myth: A cat's sense of balance is in its whiskers.
· Fact: Cats have whiskers as "feelers" and not to have balance.

· Myth: Cats smother babies
· Fact: Nothing can be more false than this. There has not been even a single case in the whole world so far.

And Scott McCormick is the moon.

The Moon:

The Full Moon seems to have some odd effects on both people and animals. They go bananas! Did you know that the word "lunacy" comes from lunar? Did you know that once people thought there were little green men living on the moon? Take a look at some of these superstitions:
· A full Moon on Christmas day brings bad luck.
· Two full moons in the same month will cause severe weather in the following month. It's also called a blue moon!
· The moon is made of green cheese!
· It is unlucky to look at the new Moon through a window for the first time.
· Chickens lay more eggs under a Moon in its last quarter.
· A full Moon during harvest means a good crop.
· A new Moon brings good fortune.
· Blowing nine times on a wart while the Moon is full will make the wart go away.
· A wish while looking up at a new Moon is thought to come true within the year.
· It is best to cut your hair when the Moon is waxing; it grows strong and healthy.
· It is unlucky for a child to be born when the Moon is waning.
· A ring around the Moon is a warning of rain to come.
· Bowing to a new Moon and turning over silver coins will result in doubling your money by the end of the next cycle.