+Goodbye to a hero, Stan Lee (dedication)
It's not everyday that you get to live-witness the career of someone who truly enriched the world, but that's exactly what I got to see with Stan Lee and his work.
I usually don't pick favorites, but I have, on more than one occasion, found myself asking who would've won in certain hypothetical battles (Hulk vs. Superman is a good one that comes to mind, btw, X-Men would totally mop the floor with The Avengers😉). The truth is, I really don't have to; just being able to be have that conversation should be an honor in itself. Letting yourself get lost in such ludicrous discussions just because is a great thing. We have the folks at Marvel Comics/Entertainment to thank for that, and Mr. Stan Lee, in particular.
One thing I'm really happy about is that he got to see his ideas brought to life on the big screen. It's one thing to flesh something out on paper with ink and lead. It's another thing to have talented animators, cinematographers, and a cast of professional actors portray your characters pretty much as you imagined -- decades prior. In my opinion, that's the equivalent of winning the Nobel Prize in your later years (something that I never agreed with. If you deserve it, the Committee should just give it. Why wait, you know?). I'm also really happy that he was honored with cameo slots in pretty much all of those movies. It goes without saying that Mr. Lee and his iconic creations have been - and likely will remain - a respected exponent in what it means to pursue your dreams and live up to your potential.
Thank you, sir,
I usually don't pick favorites, but I have, on more than one occasion, found myself asking who would've won in certain hypothetical battles (Hulk vs. Superman is a good one that comes to mind, btw, X-Men would totally mop the floor with The Avengers😉). The truth is, I really don't have to; just being able to be have that conversation should be an honor in itself. Letting yourself get lost in such ludicrous discussions just because is a great thing. We have the folks at Marvel Comics/Entertainment to thank for that, and Mr. Stan Lee, in particular.
One thing I'm really happy about is that he got to see his ideas brought to life on the big screen. It's one thing to flesh something out on paper with ink and lead. It's another thing to have talented animators, cinematographers, and a cast of professional actors portray your characters pretty much as you imagined -- decades prior. In my opinion, that's the equivalent of winning the Nobel Prize in your later years (something that I never agreed with. If you deserve it, the Committee should just give it. Why wait, you know?). I'm also really happy that he was honored with cameo slots in pretty much all of those movies. It goes without saying that Mr. Lee and his iconic creations have been - and likely will remain - a respected exponent in what it means to pursue your dreams and live up to your potential.
Thank you, sir,
+Brock Vickers as🎭 'Anton Gruber' in Easter
Gruber.
Yes, that Gruber. The infamous villain from The Detective series (especially, Nothing Lasts Forever, where he is better known as 'Hans Gruber'), who became a household name in the movie, Die Hard (1988), after being played impeccably by Alan Rickman.
Fast-forward. New time. New interpretation. New actor.
Brock Vickers[a] will bring his acting chops and athletic background (he was a former collegiate baseball player) to the role of Anton 'Little Tony' Gruber in my opera, Easter. Let's keep our fingers crossed in hoping that we make Roderick Thorp proud.
We know that (according to the literature), despite his gruesome exterior, Gruber did what he did (perhaps not in the manner that he did it) because he was a freedom fighter. Ironically, he attacked the Klaxon corporation because he thought - thanks to his independent leftist leanings - that the company wasn't doing enough to help the less fortunate in the South American country from which it was exploiting. In that sense, he (as the leader of a terrorist group) was a self-proclaimed Robin Hood.
Our first encounter with Gruber comes in Die, Detective!, where he is a Pinkerton contractor working for shipping magnate, Maundy Lindros, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Normally, Maundy wouldn't need the services of someone like a Gruber, who is a versatile mercenary employed by her business to head general counsel as she battles legal difficulties put forth by the incoming competitor, Canaan Dusk and his company, Nile, LLC, because she's made due just fine these past forty years with smart management to her credit. But the days are no longer quotidian. This is the first time in her career that Maundy has had to operate from a position of apparent weakness - a challenge she does not relish by any means - as she engages with her longtime political rival, Marty Abrams, in the civic sphere.
Some call him "Little Tony", even though he stands 6'3''. He's nice when he has to be, the jobs call for it. Just know that Gruber is a dangerous thirty (30) year-old German-born double agent for the IDF. He was hired to do a job - and he'll do it well - but can he really outmaneuver Ms. Lindros at her own game? We have five (5) chords to do a character study and learn his fate, as Gruber starts out as a lightweight, but becomes a major player by ChordH of the opera.
Yes, that Gruber. The infamous villain from The Detective series (especially, Nothing Lasts Forever, where he is better known as 'Hans Gruber'), who became a household name in the movie, Die Hard (1988), after being played impeccably by Alan Rickman.
Fast-forward. New time. New interpretation. New actor.
Brock Vickers[a] will bring his acting chops and athletic background (he was a former collegiate baseball player) to the role of Anton 'Little Tony' Gruber in my opera, Easter. Let's keep our fingers crossed in hoping that we make Roderick Thorp proud.We know that (according to the literature), despite his gruesome exterior, Gruber did what he did (perhaps not in the manner that he did it) because he was a freedom fighter. Ironically, he attacked the Klaxon corporation because he thought - thanks to his independent leftist leanings - that the company wasn't doing enough to help the less fortunate in the South American country from which it was exploiting. In that sense, he (as the leader of a terrorist group) was a self-proclaimed Robin Hood.
Our first encounter with Gruber comes in Die, Detective!, where he is a Pinkerton contractor working for shipping magnate, Maundy Lindros, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Normally, Maundy wouldn't need the services of someone like a Gruber, who is a versatile mercenary employed by her business to head general counsel as she battles legal difficulties put forth by the incoming competitor, Canaan Dusk and his company, Nile, LLC, because she's made due just fine these past forty years with smart management to her credit. But the days are no longer quotidian. This is the first time in her career that Maundy has had to operate from a position of apparent weakness - a challenge she does not relish by any means - as she engages with her longtime political rival, Marty Abrams, in the civic sphere.
Some call him "Little Tony", even though he stands 6'3''. He's nice when he has to be, the jobs call for it. Just know that Gruber is a dangerous thirty (30) year-old German-born double agent for the IDF. He was hired to do a job - and he'll do it well - but can he really outmaneuver Ms. Lindros at her own game? We have five (5) chords to do a character study and learn his fate, as Gruber starts out as a lightweight, but becomes a major player by ChordH of the opera.
+Paul Allen ... still computing (dedication)
Personal computing legend and software icon, Paul Allen, left us, but his work lives on.
I came up in the industry hearing loud whispers of the Microsoft story. Two very young men who were childhood friends from Seattle leave exceptional academic programs to build what at one point was the most successful company in the world (and still to this day, one of the most valuable technology companies on the market. Stock prices as of October 15, 2018 closed at $107.60💹). That always spoke to me, telling me that with smart investments, good timing, and strong work ethic, America is a country (perhaps the only one) where if you really want to, just about anyone can achieve what they set out to do.
A favorite quote of his (head over to my quotes blog, if that kind of thing interests you) comes from the book, 📖Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry--and Made Himself the Richest Man in America, where he tried unsuccessfully (or successfully, depending on how you look at it) to prep a seventeen years-old Bill Gates on college life as an incoming freshman at Harvard. He says something to the effect of, "You know, Bill, you're going to meet people who are smarter than you (at Harvard).". To which Gates replied, "Smarter than me? No way, no way!". Those words stuck with me. I think it's because Bill refused to believe it, and decided that he wasn't going to let himself fail at the hands of someone else. He was all for taking control of his own destiny. (One bit of trivia: Paul Allen scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT, while Bill Gates got a 1590.)
Even though he left day-to-day operations at Microsoft for health and personal reasons in 1983, he helped lay down a company culture that defined an industry, change the world, and ultimately, helped people. I also respect what Paul Allen did with his extracurriculars. He was the owner of the Portland Trailblazers (NBA), Seattle Seahawks (NFL), and the Seattle Sounders FC (MLS). As a sports fanatic and Pacific Northwest (Montana) resident, I appreciate that bit of recreational lifestyle he nourished for the region.
Thank you, Paul.
+Rock Hefner to portray🎭 'Bobbe Penn' in Easter.Die, Detective!
Moving along...
In my opera, Easter, we have an overarching plot with a lot of smaller substories. And in those substories are front-facing characters with tie-ins to real-world happenings. Basically, what this amounts to is me trying to say that I couldn't tell the story of Easter without a ritornello.
What may be confusing to some people is that the prelude, Die, Detective!, is in itself a backstory, so to speak (sort of like a roman à clef), that sets up the remaining four (4) chords (you'll see). But, as it stands, this actual first chord features a number of times where the protagonist must revisit his past in order (for the audience) to piece together present-day clues. Take, for instance, August 1978, where we find a young West Catholic-grown Joe Leland, full of hope+aspirations, caught between his childhood friend's personal strife, and his own ambitions of perhaps someday becoming a renown comedian.
That Summer (Labor Day weekend), Philadelphia's famed Uptown Theater is closing its doors due to increasing crime in the north part of town*; the neighborhood is no longer as safe and vibrant as it was just a decade prior. The African-American community is still feeling the effects of the Civil Rights Movement, compounded with first Chief of Police and then-Mayor Frank Rizzo's antics and policies frozen in place during that decade. Turning inward, the Community becomes increasingly activist, self-destructive, and simulataneously self-expressive [in my opinion, some of the most beautiful music from that era came directly out of Philly]. In the middle of all this we have some blue-eyed soul, a young Pascha who is also struggling to find his place in the world as he chases his dreams, follows his heart, and succumbs to destiny. This part of the story (fictitiously what transpires in the aftermath of the Amateur Night held on Saturday August 5, 1978) is the most pivotal in telling because the events define who and what our eponym is (to become).The venue's
Again, in bringing this flashback to life, there was a lot of second-hand study done during my research, but I had a few allies here. There are people still around who can vividly recall the days when acts such as The Supremes were booked to perform at the venue on the cheap (relatively speaking, $400 for a 10-day residency!!!🤯). Uptown Theater was also a staple on the so-called Chitlin' Circuit. Many of the acts (colored or otherwise) over a period of time were brought in courtesy of Georgie Woods, himself a voice (literally, he worked in radio🎙️📻) instrumental in getting other voices in the Community heard at a time when the work to do so was still greater than the payoff. As they say, old habits die hard. In Die, Detective!, Woods is portrayed (an indirect representation) by native Philadelphia personality, Rock Hefner, who - as Bobbe Penn (the name was his pick) - brings his own individuality to the role.
In my opera, Easter, we have an overarching plot with a lot of smaller substories. And in those substories are front-facing characters with tie-ins to real-world happenings. Basically, what this amounts to is me trying to say that I couldn't tell the story of Easter without a ritornello.
What may be confusing to some people is that the prelude, Die, Detective!, is in itself a backstory, so to speak (sort of like a roman à clef), that sets up the remaining four (4) chords (you'll see). But, as it stands, this actual first chord features a number of times where the protagonist must revisit his past in order (for the audience) to piece together present-day clues. Take, for instance, August 1978, where we find a young West Catholic-grown Joe Leland, full of hope+aspirations, caught between his childhood friend's personal strife, and his own ambitions of perhaps someday becoming a renown comedian.
Note (+): The comedian angle for Pascha is reminiscent of me. Part of my own biography is that I was a touring stand-up comic during my teenage years. I retired from the craft February 14, 2009, but I *think* I still have some funnies left. In this chord, pretty much all of the jokes spoken are mine. I consider it a natural extension of what Bruce Willis brought to the John McClane role, where he would make wisecracks throughout. Also, Philadelphians (particularly folks from West Philly) have a special kind of humor that I'm excited to showcase here.🤪 |
That Summer (Labor Day weekend), Philadelphia's famed Uptown Theater is closing its doors due to increasing crime in the north part of town*; the neighborhood is no longer as safe and vibrant as it was just a decade prior. The African-American community is still feeling the effects of the Civil Rights Movement, compounded with first Chief of Police and then-Mayor Frank Rizzo's antics and policies frozen in place during that decade. Turning inward, the Community becomes increasingly activist, self-destructive, and simulataneously self-expressive [in my opinion, some of the most beautiful music from that era came directly out of Philly]. In the middle of all this we have some blue-eyed soul, a young Pascha who is also struggling to find his place in the world as he chases his dreams, follows his heart, and succumbs to destiny. This part of the story (fictitiously what transpires in the aftermath of the Amateur Night held on Saturday August 5, 1978) is the most pivotal in telling because the events define who and what our eponym is (to become).The venue's
closure🔒 part is factual, but the date(s) may not be accurate.
The significance of the Uptown Theater cannot be understated here (it was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1982). Factually, Georgie Woods ceased to produce shows in/by 1972, not 1978. I, of course, am |
Again, in bringing this flashback to life, there was a lot of second-hand study done during my research, but I had a few allies here. There are people still around who can vividly recall the days when acts such as The Supremes were booked to perform at the venue on the cheap (relatively speaking, $400 for a 10-day residency!!!🤯). Uptown Theater was also a staple on the so-called Chitlin' Circuit. Many of the acts (colored or otherwise) over a period of time were brought in courtesy of Georgie Woods, himself a voice (literally, he worked in radio🎙️📻) instrumental in getting other voices in the Community heard at a time when the work to do so was still greater than the payoff. As they say, old habits die hard. In Die, Detective!, Woods is portrayed (an indirect representation) by native Philadelphia personality, Rock Hefner, who - as Bobbe Penn (the name was his pick) - brings his own individuality to the role.
Note (+): At first, I had Bobbe Penn as part of a duo that was supposedly modeled after the music production team, Gamble & Huff, from that era. They were called 'GO' from 'Todd G' and 'Warren O'. There was a scheduling error with the would-be partner of one of the actors, so I went ahead with just making the producer solo. I then decided that music production (having to create 1970s-style R&B tunes) just for a solo act would be too costly, and wouldn't really add anything outside of a soundtrack. |
+Rauol Gore cast🎭 as 'Socks' in Easter.Die, Detective!
Having spent a considerable amount of time in Philadelphia trying to gather an understanding to the swagger of the City, I've come to realize that you truly must carry yourself a certain way in this town in order to remain respectful of her inhabitants and customs. Or else. I made a few announcements with the Greater Film Office of Philadelphia about my opera, Easter, as well as with some of the local newspapers🗞, but to really get the vibes of how things are done, I took to the streets.
There, I consulted with a number of people who - if you must know - have helped me with crafting certain elements* of this storytelling that make it look and sound authentic. One of whom is Rauol Gore, who will play the character of 'Socks' in Die, Detective!. Ironically, 'Socks' is so-named because he adopted the style of actually not wearing socks🧦 over his feet with his attire (that name and backstory were credited to Gore himself).Okay, really just his scenes while in character.
I originally had Roscoe as a lone kingpin, so clever and dangerous that he has managed to evade capture and prosecution for nearly three (3) years pretty much by his lonesome. This is as radical as it is incredible, say some persons with legitimate street cred in Philly, who tipped that in reality, the code for any gangster to follow is that they must always watch their back because there is a hungry lion in the shadows ready to pounce. It would, therefore, be highly unlikely for a gangster, let alone a kingpin, to operate solo (hence the term 'gangster'); there would be an intrasquad Number Two. That person would be the lookout and group manager, considering that a drug ring is a type of business operation. In Roscoe's ring, this person is Socks. I was also informed that when huge sums of money are involved (as is the case with Mr. Alphabet's city-wide investment), the worst of human nature surfaces, and individuals tend to only (want to) take care of themselves [folks don't share]. This translates as Roscoe needing to always look over his shoulder in the company of his understudy.
Socks' character allows for me to innovate with the format. Since he is more or less a bit player in the opera, not dissimilar to Ric Flair's part, we are releasing a set of compensatory 2D 'mixtapes' (ie. experimental short dramatic videos) under his banner to help further emphasize his importance and better explain his angle leading up to Die, Detective!. His own credibility was on the line in this endeavor, as Gore, also known as the rapper, Zula, was a tremendous resource in intimating intricacies of the streets (within certain parts of Philadelphia) with me.👍🤐
There, I consulted with a number of people who - if you must know - have helped me with crafting certain elements* of this storytelling that make it look and sound authentic. One of whom is Rauol Gore, who will play the character of 'Socks' in Die, Detective!. Ironically, 'Socks' is so-named because he adopted the style of actually not wearing socks🧦 over his feet with his attire (that name and backstory were credited to Gore himself).Okay, really just his scenes while in character.I originally had Roscoe as a lone kingpin, so clever and dangerous that he has managed to evade capture and prosecution for nearly three (3) years pretty much by his lonesome. This is as radical as it is incredible, say some persons with legitimate street cred in Philly, who tipped that in reality, the code for any gangster to follow is that they must always watch their back because there is a hungry lion in the shadows ready to pounce. It would, therefore, be highly unlikely for a gangster, let alone a kingpin, to operate solo (hence the term 'gangster'); there would be an intrasquad Number Two. That person would be the lookout and group manager, considering that a drug ring is a type of business operation. In Roscoe's ring, this person is Socks. I was also informed that when huge sums of money are involved (as is the case with Mr. Alphabet's city-wide investment), the worst of human nature surfaces, and individuals tend to only (want to) take care of themselves [folks don't share]. This translates as Roscoe needing to always look over his shoulder in the company of his understudy.
Socks' character allows for me to innovate with the format. Since he is more or less a bit player in the opera, not dissimilar to Ric Flair's part, we are releasing a set of compensatory 2D 'mixtapes' (ie. experimental short dramatic videos) under his banner to help further emphasize his importance and better explain his angle leading up to Die, Detective!. His own credibility was on the line in this endeavor, as Gore, also known as the rapper, Zula, was a tremendous resource in intimating intricacies of the streets (within certain parts of Philadelphia) with me.👍🤐
+Laura Stetman cast🎭 as 'Ethel Porst' in Easter
Newcomer, Laura Stetman[i], has been cast as Ethel Porst in my opera, Easter. Ethel starts out as a bit character in the piece, but as it progresses, so does the importance of her role.At one point early-on, I wanted Stetman to play a young version of Holly Gennaro in the flashback scenes of Die, Detective! (the first chord), but that idea was soon discarded after further thought and factoring in a few details. The younger Ms. Gennaro's story must be told, as it is essential in understanding the character arc of Joe Leland, but the realization I had when writing her was that, since Easter is peppered with (the notion of) premonition - where Joey Leland is the ultimate sufferer of déjà rêvé, there would be an inevitable revisit of a guy named 'Leland' who is delicately balancing work and an intense amorous relationship.
Ethel Porst is a young professional in the Washington, DC area. She very much enjoys her job as an actuary for the federal government, yet can't seem to shake the feeling of not being able to fit in with the local culture of the District. Is it because she is a tried-and-true small-town Southern belle from Wickliffe, Kentucky? Is she just too serious for her own good? Will her personality and uniform upbringing yield to the necessary multi-cultural and ethic shifts that the DC area demands? These are questions she asks herself five days a week. The other two days, she finds herself wrestling with the make believe bliss of being in a relationship with Egg (Joey Leland), who, on paper looks like a great match. In reality, his job as a field operative of a prominent intelligence agency is leaving him weary, distrusting, and second-guessing his ability to devote the right amount of time to their romance. She shares similar concerns, but, at her age (28), there's a glaring truth that being single and having to start over again sucks. So, she is patient.