Point of You Productions

NYC Fringe - POY Alum Takes Center Stage

2011-08-09T04:06:00.000-07:00

POY Alum Lizzie Czerner is bringing her "one-woman, two-booby" show to the NYC Fringe Festival this week! Congratulations Lizzie! She first developed this piece on POY's very own stage and she's got immense talent. We heartily recommend you check out her show!

From the desk of Marc Adam Smith who is working on Lizzie's show:

I am very excited to tell you about THE BOOBY PRIZE, which is a new hit solo show to be performed at The New York International Fringe Festival next month. This one-woman, two-booby play was nominated for BEST COMEDY (voted in top 3) at The Hollywood Fringe Festival 2011, and was selected for an extended run as part of "THE BEST OF THE FRINGE".

Please find our press release (attached and pasted below, for your convenience) as well as links to rave reviews from LA THEATRE REVIEW, THE EXAMINER, and HOLLYWOOD PASSPORT. More information can also be found at www.lizzieboobyprize.com.

There are several story angles that I would like to point out, as these subjects may be of interest to you:

1. THE BOOBY PRIZE has partnered with KEEP A BREAST FOUNDATION and will donate a percentage of ticket sales to this worthy organization to help promote breast cancer awareness and prevention. (The show is not about cancer but the disease has touched the family of writer/performer Lizzie Czerner, and the subject is as close to her heart as her boobs are.) ;)

2. The show has local appeal, as Lizzie lived in New York City for 20 years before moving to Los Angeles, and her show chronicles her life and adventures in Manhattan.

3. THE BOOBY PRIZE deals with body image issues, and other subjects that may be of particular interest to your female readers. (Many times after a show, women have come up to thank Lizzie for portraying the female experience in a manner which is raw, fearless and truthful.)

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This uplifting one-woman, two-booby comedy chronicles Writer/Performer Lizzie Czerner’s struggle to stop playing second banana to her two melons, and find true love.Comedy writer and sketch-comedienne Lizzie Czerner performed her solo show in The Hollywood Fringe Festival to full houses and standing ovations.

A seasoned performer with degrees from Sarah Lawrence College and N.Y.U. Tisch School of the Arts, and with off-Broadway credits to her name, Lizzie was a member of the successful and long-running sketch comedy group, Faulty Logic, (St. Marks Theatre/HA! Comedy Festival) and her solo shows have been performed in venues all over New York and Los Angeles. Her show entitled GETTING NAKED was an official jury selection of the New York International Fringe Festival in 2009, and her newest work, THE BOOBY PRIZE was performed at Upright Citizens Brigade, Santa Monica Theater and BANG Comedy Theatre, prior to its festival debut in The Hollywood Fringe Festival.

The show will be performed in New York City at The Players Theatre as part of the New York International Fringe Festival on Saturday, August 13 at 7:30pm, Sunday, August 14 at 8:45pm, Tuesday, August 16 at 5:00pm, Friday, August 19 at 4:15pm, and Sunday, August 21 at 4:30pm. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.fringenyc.org, or $18 at the door.

Turn Out The Lights...

2011-06-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

From the Desk of Marc Adam Smith:

[Editor's Note: As many of you may know, we at Point of You had a home away from home with our Officers Gerard Savoy and Tina Trimble - we hosted many a party and held many a rehearsal there. At the end of 2010, they left the city for the suburbs. What better way to end our 10th Anniversary Season than with a look back...]

"The Parties Over" the recently passed Don Meredith used to sing that at the end of Monday Night Football in the 70's and 80's and now it seems apropos for the end of the CASA DE SAVOY where so many of us spent so much time over the past few years. I hope you all had a chance to stop by and help out with the move, and to take one more look at our home away from home and the two folks who invited us into it over the years, I can only think back to 8 years ago when we started going there...

Tina and G had 5 Cats: DJ, Jack, Roscoe, Ben and Omar. They now have one cat...do the math folks.

Mel and Sean where a couple living together down in the South Street Seaport and had no cats or a baby... and Mel was not yet Jewish, welcome to the front of the Bus Mel!

Jeff and Meghan where not Jeff and Meghan.... Jeff was ....well Jeff, and Meghan as far as we knew did not exist. Since we can only think of them as a couple let us not dwell on the past.

Paul looked like Lenny from the Simpsons, and back then he was always leaving things at the loft. Glad that stopped....wait, I think G just found Paul's South End script.

Johnny was the Dirty one, the single guy who had the nerve to sleep with women. OMG how did we ever survive that shock? And now he's a married man!

Keating was Keyser Soze in training, and now we know how wrong we where about him (PLEASE DO NOT KILL ME ONE DAY KEATING)

And I was a Loudmouth, Sarcastic, Prick... Good that some things stay the same, huh?

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Editor's comments: Thank you for the love, the laughter, the learning and the food. We'll miss the loft. Thank you G & T for letting us share that magical place with you.

Enthusiasms

2010-09-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Gerard J. Savoy

When you put together shows like POY's I'm Just Saying Series, most of the major components are in place. You round up your writers (new and old), your directors (new and old), your actors (new and old) and stick them in the POY blender and see what you've got. You plan, you re-plan, you rehearse and you obsess. In the end, you do the best you can and hope that the audience enjoys what you have spent so much time on and worked so hard at. If you come out in the black then you're another step ahead of the game.

With this season's I'm Just Saying: Summers in the City, the Officers were fortunate enough to have added an relatively uncharted component: An "intern". Erin came to us as people often do, through a friend of a friend. She was looking to work with a theater company and get some experience doing what she hoped to be pursuing in college and beyond. Her interest was primarily in stage managing. Anyone who runs an OOB company can attest to the fact that good stage managers are hard to find.

We met, we connected, we threw her in the mix. Officers took the lead in guiding her through our process and giving her tips based on our own experiences. She was professional every step of the way. Erin was involved, listened carefully and came with a built in personality that worked perfectly for the job: No nonsense, organized and hard working. Rarely, if ever, did she crack a smile.

As we progressed through the rehearsal process, Erin became the keeper of the production. During tech she herded cats (don't ask). She kept a straight face throughout.

On opening night I stood backstage; not in the dressing room but directly backstage so that I could hear our Executive Director give the curtain speech. I like to gauge the audience by how they respond to these. While I was standing there in the dark, Erin joined me. As I listened and my eyes adjusted, I turned to look at her. She looked at me and in the dark I could see the biggest smile come across her face. She bent her elbows, put her hands next to her face and gave a little shake.

Thank you Erin. That is what its all about.

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If you would like to intern for one of our productions, please contact us at info@pointofyou.org.

I'm Just Saying: Summers in the City!

2010-07-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

Point of You ensemble and guest artists gather together for monologues, scenes and music celebrating all things summer in the latest installment in our I’m Just Saying series.

I'M JUST SAYING: SUMMERS IN THE CITY
Tuesday, August 3rd &
Thursday, August 5th @ 8pm

Gotham City Improv
48 West 21st Street, 8th fl
(btw 5th & 6th Ave)
New York, NY 10010

Tickets: $18
Reservations: 212-613-6138
www.pointofyou.org

Featuring the talents of: Brandon Beilis*, Ellis Cahill*, Jessie Fahay, Kathleen Rose Fletcher*, Marlise Garde, Annalee Hardison*, Cedric Jones, Karron Karr, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Monica Blaze Leavitt, Jeff Love, Meghan Love, Alyssa Mann, Leslie Marseglia, Rita MenWeep*, Gerard J. Savoy, Jessica Silver*, Lee Solomon, and Felicia Eugenia Velasco

Playwrights: Eilis Cahill,* Kathleen Rose Fletcher,* Nicholas Walker Herbert,*Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Monica Blaze Leavitt,* Peggy Lee,* Jeff Love, Leslie Marseglia, Olivia Worden,* Ceren Zorlu*

Directors: Jeff Love, Monica Blaze Leavitt,* Alyssa Mann, Marc Adam Smith, Paul Weissman, Ceren Zorlu*

Choreographer: Jessica Silver • Photography: Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Marie Halloran • Production Manager: Johnny Blaze Leavitt

* Guest Artists

Who are you and what are you doing in my costume?

2010-07-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Gerard J. Savoy

It’s going to happen sooner or later. If you’ve been doing theater since before you can remember a time when you weren’t, eventually you are going to watch another actor step into a role that you’ve played.

It happens all the time on Broadway. Headliners come and go in order to keep a production that may or may not have been produced without them, alive. In the world of OOB however, this is much rarer. Sure, we’ve all done our Shakespeare and Sheppard. We’ve watched as others have taken on the roles of Iago or Desdemona, Eddie or May. It’s expected. Theater is a living breathing art and in it, characters can exist forever.

I recently had the opportunity to experience this first hand when POY remounted a production of Kenneth Branagh’s “A Midwinter’s Tale”. Originally produced in 2004, I was given the opportunity at that time to play the role of Carnforth Greville. Up until that point most of the roles I had been cast in had me playing tough guys or the guy next door. I had begun to think that this was what I was destined to play forever until POY gave me the chance to sink my teeth into a role that was totally against my “type”.

Let me just clarify something. I think that casting on “type” is bullshit. I have seen this happen over and over again. Most of the jobs I have gotten, I knew in the first 30 seconds that they were mine. Didn’t matter if my audition was crap (at least in my mind), I could see the look in the casting director’s eye that I was the one they were looking for. They pictured me when they envisioned the character. But I digress.

Carnforth has a depth of spirit that I wanted to explore. He is a quiet, shy man who loves his mother and seeks approval from her in a life that she considers a waste of time. Carnforth is a drinker. Hiding behind the strength and confidence that alcohol provides. Here is a man that has never been challenged regarding his ability as a performer or his ability to stand up straight. I love this character. I loved bringing him to life.

Jump ahead to 2010. POY remounts the production from March 3 to the 13th. The show is
recast with some of the same actors that appeared in the original and several new additions to the POY family. All the original actors are recast in different roles. I am not cast as Carnforth. Instead another actor takes on the role at his request and I am given the role of Henry Wakefield by the director. A brand new opportunity opens for me to play another interesting role. I have the chance to mostly work opposite an actor who I have enjoyed watching in the past but have worked with on a limited basis. We make each other better. I watch as the actor playing Carnforth now works out his own interpretation of the character. It is not easy. Not because of what he is doing but because like most actors there were things that I had only begun to discover the first go around. I want to jump in and share these insights with him but realize it is not my place. He is on his own journey. It’s tough. I concentrate on my own role. I have to hope that the director and actor take care of the character I love. It’s an interesting place to be. In the end the production had its run. A good time was had by all. And for me, I have learned to let it go. Who knows, in the world of OOB, I may cross paths with Carnforth again.

A 10th Anniversary Conversation with our Founders

2010-03-01T07:13:00.000-08:00

Jeff: I feel like Jeremy Pevin talking to John Cusack in Gross Point Blank, “TEN YEARS!!! TEN YEARS! TEN….YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSS!.....TEN! YEARS!”

Johnny: Oh, I see where you’re going. I thought it was because I’ve lived in Chicago. Yes, Point of You has been around for 10 years. Wait, WHAT?!?!?

Jeff: It’s amazing when you’re so focused on the next project how suddenly you take a break and look behind you and see you’re a decade older and such is the case with Point Of You Productions.

Johnny: Stop saying that! You’re making me feel old! I still buy comic books, for crying out loud! … Maybe I shouldn’t have confessed that to the World Wide Web?

Jeff: Do you think there’s anybody out there who’s shocked by that?

Johnny: (sigh) No. BUT comic books play a pivotal role in our 2011 season!

Jeff: Stop looking ahead right now. This blog is about looking behind us.

Johnny: … I like these curtains.

Jeff: (sigh) And as amazing, wonderful, and even surprising as it is to see that POY has turned a tenth of a century older this year, I can’t say that if you had told us ten years ago that we’d still be doing theater that I would’ve expected anything else.

Johnny: That’s quite a run-on sentence you’ve got there. But I take your point.

Jeff: I mean, some of the faces have changed but the goal hasn’t.

Johnny: I was updating some of our files the other day and it’s amazing to see how much the Ensemble and even the governing board has changed over the years. So many fantastic guest artists have worked on our stages and some truly amazing people have dedicated years to this group and continue to do so.

Jeff: A special thank you to Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez, Chris Keating, Paul Weissman and Karron Karr who have been with us since Day One. And to all of the current Ensemble members and guest artists who help us continue to do entertaining, challenging, and well crafted shows.

Johnny: I know you said no looking forward but we’ve got to talk about our 2010 season at the very least.

Jeff: This will be a different year for us as we will be bringing back some old favorite productions with new casts (mostly) and directors (possibly…depending on if enough people want to see me act).

Johnny: Oooh! Should we put that to a vote?

Jeff: How many sugars were in your coffee this morning?

Johnny: I can’t blink, so… seven? -teen?

Jeff: Moving on. We kicked off our 10th season with a night of stand-up and improv comedy that was a HUGE success. Thank you to Gotham City Improv for the use of the space! And coming up in March we’re bringing back a fan favorite.

Johnny: If you say Hurt So Good I think I’ll cry. That show takes a lot out of me!

Jeff: No no, we're bringing back our staged adaptation of Kenneth Branagh’s A Midwinter’s Tale. It opens on WEDNESDAY!!

Johnny: I love that movie!

Jeff: Who doesn’t? A bunch of desperate actors fed up with their current career paths trying to do Hamlet to save a church, Christmas and their souls?

Johnny: Sounds a bit like how POY started. Only we did Titus Andronicus and it had nothing to do with Christmas.

Jeff: Although that gives me an idea!

Johnny: Save it for 2012! This time around, A Midwinter’s Tale has some of the same performers from the 2004 production but all of them are playing different roles. In addition to the newer ensemble members we also have some fantastic guest artists. This production is already a hoot and a holler!

Jeff: And that’ll take us through winter. Come summer, we’ll have an I’m Just Saying with a “summer in the city” theme, looking at life in NYC dealing with the heat, enjoying the sun, hating the humidity, etc.

Johnny: But with flashbacks to various years! It’s not just about summer 2010.

Jeff: Correct. And again, we’ll have plenty of guest artists bringing new scenes, monologues, songs, you name it.

Johnny: And I promise the theatre will be air conditioned!

Jeff: And this fall we’ll be doing a brand new production of Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus.

Johnny: Marlowe’s written something new? Amazing (if not highly improbable)!

Jeff: What I mean is we’ve done Shakespeare before but this will be our first adventure with Marlowe. This, by the way, will have a Washington D.C. angle with Dr. F being a prominent Governor, or Senator, or whatever politician is in the news that month for being a scoundrel…it came to me while in the bathroom of a bar. Not so surprising when you think about politics and the devil these days…

Johnny: It just hit me! Ten years, man. A decade!

Jeff: I know! And as challenging as every year has been in the way of finding spaces for shows, and ways to draw in crowds with much smaller wallets than in previous years, what seems to never be hard to do is to find something challenging to ask people. In the case of A Midwinter’s Tale, we ask why people put themselves through such hell to do something they love, why they chase so hard after something. In a sense, we’re asking is theatre worth it, or life? And why?

Johnny: But in a funny way!

Jeff: And with Dr. Faustus, we will be asking our audiences at what point do we, as voters, decide that personal demons should be allowed to usurp our decisions of who we want running our country, city, or state (I mean seriously! He brought a prostitute across state lines. THAT’s a reason to get rid of the man an entire state wanted as Governor…? Really?????)

Johnny: Ok, reign in the rant, there, killer. Save it for the stage.

Jeff: Hopefully the next ten years will yield similar successes of exciting productions and amazing performances, but if we had a goal that we most would like to see realized, it would be to finally find a home for POY where we can do all of our shows. After all, as we get older, we do feel that ache to finally settle down.

Johnny: Ya think? In the past ten years, we’ve had four weddings and one baby (with another one due in April).

Jeff: Johnny means the company settled down! (Dude, this is how Ernie and Bert rumors get started!)

Johnny: I look back with nothing but pride. We’ve built one hell of a family here at Point of You. I look forward to giving each and every one of them a chance to shine.

Jeff: Anything else sappy you’d like to say in conclusion?

Johnny: A toast! All my love to long ago and to days to come!

Stand Up vs. Theatre - it's a whole new ball game

2010-01-29T12:28:00.001-08:00

From the desk of Jeff Love:

So I'm five hours away from making my sophomore performance as a stand up comic. Somebody asked me the other day if it was any different than doing theater. I'm hard pressed to think of anything MORE different from doing theater. I mean sure, there are certain characteristics that are the same. In both you're "performing" in front of an audience, timing and words and sometimes props are involved...but comedy is far less forgiving than theater. In theater, an audience, even if they are going to see a comedy, is open to anything. Stand up audiences, on the other hand, expect to laugh...period. It doesn't necessarily matter why, or when, or how...but if you tell a joke, do a bit, or tell a story during a stand up set and there isn't a laugh, you've failed. Period.

The thing that makes stand up both thrilling and absolutely petrifying is that you only have yourself to rely on. Even if you do an act that relies on exact wording, chances are you're still doing material you've written, and again, if no one laughs, they know exactly who to blame.

Even my act, that doesn't have a typical setup-punchline delivery and is about a guy on stage who's petrified, won't be funny if the wording and timing is off. And it's a very funny thing about comedy, not everyone has the same opinion as to what's good comedy, but truly bad comedy is something that most people agree on. I've been to clubs where nothing but strangers from all walks of life sit there and watch some poor schmuck get up on stage - something they all admit they could never do - and tells something he thinks is a joke, and nothing but crickets.... While sometimes there'll be comedians who say something that some people don't respond to, but others will.

It's that definite freeze of time...when a joke doesn't land...that is the performance equivalent to getting the wrong chamber in a game of Russian Roulette.

Hopefully tonight I won't be reminded of that silence before my five minutes are up.

POY Literary Director Paul Weissman Sweeps Chester Horn Short Play Festival Awards

2009-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

From the desk of Literary Director, Paul Weissman...

After acting in Theatrerats Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival last year, I got to direct a piece in this year’s Festival. And I can honestly say, I had a fabulous time. Theatrerats could not have been more accommodating and professional. After five years, they have this thing down pat and I have a packet with handouts and folders to prove it. The fun part is the way that you choose the play: you read the plays, all the directors meet up and draw numbers from a hat, and your order is based on the number you draw. i.e., #1 picks first, #2 picks second all the way down the line. It’s quite fair, because often a play you don’t relate to at all is picked as someone else’s first choice, because they DO relate to it. Practically everyone walks away happy.

I decided to direct “An Actual Baby Person” by Barbara Lindsey. It’s a sweet story about a young, goth married couple. She is about seven months pregnant and worried that he really doesn’t understand what’s in store. It frightens her, so she tries to get him to talk about it. He, of course, is terrified, so he deliberately distracts himself from the idea rather than confront it. By the end of the fifteen minutes, he is head over heels in love with the impending child and she can go to sleep comforted. It was a challenging piece and spoke to me in a special way as my wife is expecting.

So, after reading through the play and getting the idea of the tone and arc, I set up auditions. I put out ads in Craigslist and Actor’s Access and received an overwhelming response from women and a decent response from men. I held one two hour audition with no time for a callback. I called about ten women and five men and used the fabulous Marlise Garde and Morgan White as my readers. From a solid group, I picked Jessica Renee Russell and James Redfern. Both impressed in different ways. Jessica because she instantly connected and was fully involved and James because he took chances AND he took direction.

Our first rehearsal was a read through and a conversation. The most important thing, I felt, was to build a relationship. And that’s what we did. Through deconstructing the script line by line, improv and basic theater games, the two of them discovered a relationship with me overseeing and sometimes commenting or guiding but mostly keeping my mouth shut. I figured the two characters are married and in love. If I got too involved, I’d just be the third wheel.

After a few rehearsals of that, we started blocking. I let them run a few times the way they felt it should look, going off of their instincts, cleaning up for traffic and such. And then I started going in and getting my hands dirty, so to speak. Since this was such an actor’s piece, I really set it up as a collaboration.

They were more than up to the task. Jessica tried a variety of approaches before settling into her character. What is fun to watch with her is that she is emotionally connected and available every single second. Doesn’t matter if the choice works or not. She’s always committed.

James liked to work and talk through things before moving through them. He would chat about an idea while at rehearsal and come in the next time with a fully genius new moment or interpretation of a line.

Really, again, all I had to do was to keep the tone and pace consistent. I can honestly say they did all the rest.

When it came to working with Theatrerats at Medicine Show, well, it was just so much fun. The tech went swimmingly. Alexis, the former goth, approved highly of the costume choices - particularly James’ getup (which was pretty much all his idea).

And my favorite part, just like last year, was meeting so many committed, interesting actors and directors. The show was the best set of plays I’d seen so far, so it made me very happy when my play swept the awards ceremony at the end: Best Overall Production, Best Script, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Actor.

Again, I want to thank Alexis and Theatrerats for allowing me to flex my creative muscles and Jessica and James for heartbreakingly honest and sweet performances. And a big thank you to my POY home for giving me the confidence to go out there and be all that I can be without actually having to join the army.

New Photos on our Website!

2009-10-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

At last! As Webmistress, I must extend my apologies to all who have repeatedly checked our website only to find the SAME OLD CONTENT. I had a baby at the end of July so my time has been taken up by the sweetest little lady, but now that she's a little older (and being a good napper), I can get back to the task at hand!

Additional updates are in the works, but for now, please check out our updated Photo Gallery section. You'll find pictures from our productions of Much Ado About Nothing (finally), Sunset Motel and The Block.

Thanks and we look forward to bringing you an exciting season in 2010!

Letting Go - The Playwright's Perspective

2009-08-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

From Playwright Olivia Worden - author of THE BLOCK

I am a professed control freak. I micro manage myself because I like to minimize any unexpected surprises. I have a hard time letting go. I don’t particularly like change. And although these are not things I generally tell people when I first meet them, I don’t try to hide these more astringent personality traits either. Why hide what you can’t change, right? Well, as I’ve discovered over the past five months, sometimes change is necessary to move forward and sometimes letting go is exactly what you need.

When I worked in television I was responsible for writing scripts, casting, choosing wardrobe and props. If my scripts were children then I was a helicopter mom. Part of me loved being so involved and in control of the end product, but part of me wished for a time when all I would be responsible for was writing. I also longed for a time when I could write what I wanted to write and not what some man in an expensive suit told me I should be writing.

Having the opportunity to write The Block was a pleasure. I wrote it in fifteen days and fell in love with my characters in the process. I carried a stage in my head, acted out the scenes, the blocking, and the subtle gestures that made the characters real. It was truly one of the best days of my life when Alyssa called me and said that Point of You wanted to produce it. I was finally doing something that mattered with my writing and it felt amazing. However, as I started re-editing and re-working scenes, it dawned on me that I would have to give this up. In accepting Point of You’s generous offer to produce my play, I would have to give up my control and let them breathe life into my writing in their own way.

At first I silently freaked out and then not so silently (sorry, boyfriend!). But at the same time, I knew that I did not want to be one of those writers that was constantly underfoot, making suggestions or stepping on the director’s toes. I did not want to be one of those writers who are off-putting or impossible to work with. I wanted to be as generous and accommodating as Point of You had been with me. So I took a few deep breaths and told myself that if letting go meant furthering something that I love and a piece of work that is important to me, then that was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

In the end, I had nothing to worry about. Not only did the director Jeff Love nurture my play as if it were his own, the actors took on my characters in ways that I had not even imagined. It was more than I had envisioned in my head on that tiny stage I had created for myself. I was touched by the actors’ attention to detail, their thorough creation of background stories and their understanding of the meaning behind the writing. I was touched by their sincerity and their passion for their craft. But most of all I was surprised by how much I learned about myself through this process.

Life is not meant to be controlled and theatre is definitely not something that can or should be. A line skipped, a door locked, a cue missed (all things that make the experience unique to each night and each audience) is what makes going to the theatre so exciting. I’m not saying I’m totally cured of my control-freak ways, but thanks to Point of You, their amazing cast and this experience (which was all at once humbling, reaffirming, comical and joyous) I am much closer to the carefree, go-with-the-flow, flowers-in-her-hair kind of girl I want to be. Thank you!

Our guest artists return!

2009-07-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

A note from POY guest artist, David Holt.

So I arrived on my first day of rehearsal for The Block with many expectations. I knew the company from a few years ago and knew they did very good, funny (intentionally funny), and professional work. I was really happy to be back together with them again after a couple years at another company that was not nearly up to the same standards as Point of You. I won't mention who they were, but it was a breath of fresh air to get actual direction as opposed to "let's start rehearsing" and "ok, we are done rehearsing for the day." I'm not kidding. That was the extent of the direction I got a few years previous. Sometimes though, you have to go away for a while to realize how good things can be. I always knew they worked well, but didn't FULLY realize how much it mattered that people actually think about what is going to happen before the day of rehearsal.

Some of the most talented theatre actors and behind-the-scenes people I have worked with are in, or related to, POY. Related to like a 3rd cousin twice removed even! This time was especially fun for me because I got to interact with the people ON STAGE as well as the dressing room (G has a funny story about one such interaction the first time we worked together. Ask him about it, but it did bring us closer somehow). The first time I worked with them, 3 years ago, it was in a show called Fairy Tale Monologues. And as the name may suggest, it was a monologue show. Meaning just my skinny 6'0" butt on stage for 5 minutes before the next monologue was presented and I could not interact with them on stage. All of the monologues were amazing and so were the actors playing the fairy tale characters, but I always wished that I could have worked with them on stage as well.

I got cast in their newest show in the role of Ben. I had observed homeless people for a while, but during the rehearsal process I could not seem to get the character at all - until one day that I got a fever. Somehow having a fever made me think of Ben in the correct way and two days before we opened, it finally hit. I will say that was cutting it as close as I have ever cut it before to finding a character before a show opened. In the end, the show went very well. My father loved it and thought that the company was much stronger than the last one I worked with. Not only him, but everyone that came to see it loved it. They even liked me in it! The most fun I had during the play was when everything went wrong on one performance. The door locked, voices cracked, and one person did a face plant on the stage. When the door locked (on me no less) I really only had a quick little scene, literally 2 lines. But that scene stretched out into about a 5 minute scene of me trying to bust the door down, G saying in his head "Why doesn't that skinny guy just use some MUSCLE!" and me finally pleading meekly at the door "Help." Mind you, all the other actors were backstage with a poised ear to hear how we were gonna solve this, it being the door we ALL used. But that kind of thinking on your feet is what makes live theatre the best art form in the world!

Overall, I loved my second performance with POY and will hopefully be writing another blog one day soon on how my 3rd experience went with them. Thanks for reading! And if you came to the play, I really hope you enjoyed yourself because we all had a blast performing for you.

Being a Psuedo Producer - Not For Everybody

2009-07-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

The ensemble speaks! A note from Alyssa Mann:

So I'm a Virgo. I know a lot of people think all that stuff is nonsense which is fine, but whether you attribute it to the stars or my crazy mother, I am a perfectionist by nature. I also am a little high strung and can't stand it when things aren't organized. All these things made being a psuedo producer for The Block a little rough for me.

The first hurdle I faced was the fact that I wasn't entirely sure where my juristiction laid as a pseudo producer, so I ended up getting a little involved with a lot of things, which I think made me less helpful than I would have liked. I was also a bit frustrated with some of the communication between outside parties involved with the show and because I was kind of a producer (and due to my Virgo nature), I felt the need to constantly be patching things that I maybe couldn't or shouldn't patch.

Now, all those things aside, I had an amazing director to work with who constantly talked me down from the ledge and assured me that all I was feeling was normal, helping me see things from a different angle. After each one of those talks (and there were many, Jeff will tell you) I felt better and was able to continue on helping make things happen. That was what I would say was my favorite part of being a pseudo producer... I helped make a lot of things happen. That felt good.

Would I produce again? Maybe with the right people. Would I have to reevaluate the way I think about things? Definitely. I would have to work to make sure that all the stress I have to deal with doesn't affect my acting work, which was a tough balance this time around. I would also have to remember that not everything is going to be perfect and that doesn't mean it isn't good. I'd have to learn to try to chill a little bit and take things more in stride. I'm getting better at it, this I know. But I'm proud of The Block and I'm proud of my work in it. And I am most proud to be a part of POY whose members made it possible for all this to happen. I'm excited to see what's up next.

New Kid

2009-05-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Johnny Blaze Leavitt:

To be honest, I’m not sure how to write this blog without stating the obvious. It’s good to get out of your routine every once and a while to help refresh your perspectives. In 2009, I’ve been lucky enough to find time to work on projects outside of Point of You (though not too far).

In January and February 2009, I had the pleasure of working on a new one-act by Point of You’s favorite recurring guest artists, Lizzie Czerner. Lizzie had reworked a one-woman show into a three person show. “Getting Naked” is the story of a young girl who blossomed early and blossomed big! We learn of her trials and tribulations as Lizzie (playing the titular character) has a series of conversations with her breasts. I was Lefty. My lovely and talented fiancé, Monica Russell, wore two hats (or in this case, should I say pasties?) as Lizzie’s right breast and as the show’s director.

Working with Lizzie is always a hoot and a half. She’s the closest thing to Dot Warner (any Animaniacs fans out there?) as you’ll ever find on planet Earth. This also was the first time I’d ever seen Monica direct before and hopefully not the last. There were no egos or attitudes, just a happy and helpful collaborative process, reworking the writing as we went. A good time was had by all on this tit-tacular production.

In February 2009, several Point of You players appeared in TheatreRats 4th Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival. See Paul Weissman’s Feb. 2009 blog for more on this experience.

And in April 2009, I returned to TheatreRats only this time, as Louis XV in Catherine Gore’s “King O’Neil” directed by Alexis Hadsall. A fun and refreshing experience, this cast also featured Point of You member Felicia Eugenia Velasco, another of Point of You’s favorite recurring guest artists, Cedric Jones, and the throne from my show “Hurt So Good.” So while I wasn’t “a stranger in a strange land,” I was working with a lot of new faces.

You know, it’s a bit like going to a new school. Everything is familiar yet different, you don’t know if these people will get your sense of humor, you don’t get all of their in-jokes, etc. But I found the whole experience to be a grand ol’ time. Alexis had a clear vision of what she wanted and even wrote additional scenes to tell the story from the point of view of school children. The cast was not only skilled with their period work but also HYSTERICAL! Kudos to Alexis for her patience in working with a cast full of class clowns! I won’t turn this blog into full length review, raving about the work of each and every member of the cast (which I may do in a blog for another time) but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Peter Schuyler (“Who? Who’d ya say?!?”) and his work as King O’Neil. The man didn’t just commit to the role, he would email period songs to the cast, wax didactic about character biographies and previous production histories, and banter with the best of them.

It was nice to wear just the one hat. Johnny Blaze: Actor. I didn’t have to worry about ANYTHING beyond my lines and blocking. The programs have a typo? An actor is missing? There’s a problem with the rental contract? For once, not my problem. Ticket sales are low? Ok… That is EVERYONE’S problem. And I thank the Point of You crew for coming out and showing their support to TheatreRats!

The best part about working elsewhere is that Point of You is always so great to come home to!

Yes, Improv has uses beyond a 10 block radius of Chelsea

2009-03-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Lee Solomon...

For those of you who aren't NYC improv nerds, that title refers to the fact that the three major improv theaters of NYC are...you guessed it, within a 10 block radius. In those theaters, on any given night, you can find a barage of performers and groups executing the art of improv, some well, some not-so-well, but always for their own pleasure and the pleasure of the audience. Nothing wrong with that, I do it myself, and it's a huge part of what keeps me sane. However, about 9 months ago I found out that we can use those skills for something even more beneficial. A wonderful organization that I am proud to now be a member of, called Cherub Improv, was created to bring improv, in the form of shows and in some cases workshops, to places such as nursing homes, hospitals, teen shelters, etc. The group has built up a huge array of clientele, all of whom absolutely love when we pay them a visit. The group also has a very large ensemble of rotating performers, which is a good thing, since there are multiple events pretty much every week. My fellow POYer Marc Adam Smith and I are both involved in this, and we have both discovered the joys of using our improv chops to give back. A simple thing to do, yet to the people we visit, a source of excitement, joy, and healing. To find out more, or to become a performer (they are always happy to accept new people, we need 'em! :), check out www.cherubimprov.org.

Recap of POY Variety Hour 2

2009-03-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

I had this grand plan of recapping the Variety Hour for you WITH pictures, but time is just not on my side, so you'll have to settle for the verbal recap with pictures to follow soon:

Thank you for making the variety show so successful – I don’t know about you, but we had a GREAT time!

Since we don’t hand out programs for these one night only events, here is a run down of the performances:

Jeff Love & Johnny Blaze Leavitt – Dance routine. I use the word “dance” loosely, but this dynamic duo performed a modern ballet number to none other than Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”

Lizzie Czerner – Scene from her one woman show. Lizzie explored the wonder and release of embracing her… er, two biggest assets. Johnny Blaze Leavitt and Monica Russell helped out with costumed aplomb as “Lefty” and “Righty.”

Gerard J. Savoy, Paul Weissman, Marc Adam Smith and Jeff Love - Mob Sketch. If the mafia ever wanted to get into the modern age and recruit via infomercial, this would be it! G was able to tap into his inner gangster to hilarious effect.

Chris Keating and Amy Kersten – Personal Ad skit. Looking for that special someone? Real life couple, Chris and Amy laid out their lengthy and slightly wacky wants and needs as two singletons placing their personal ads.

Jeff Love - Stand Up routine. Have you ever stepped onstage and not known what to do? Imagine that, but with Jeff’s panicked inner monologue out there for the world to hear.

Paul Weissman and Andrea Scannell – Songs. Paul and Andrea performed beautiful duets.

Lee Solomon - 1-Man Star Trek. ”Khaaaan!” Lee focused on Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan as he acted out ALL the parts in this condensed and highly energetic version of the geektastic classic.

Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez - Snow White Monologue. Fairyland was never like this. A jaded, imprisoned and highly pregnant Snow White told her side of the “Happily Ever After” story.

Jessie J. Fahay, Lee Solomon and Johnny Blaze Leavitt – Improvisation. The three improv vets performed a game called “Styles” where they performed the same scene over and over as audience members shouted out movie and play genres to hilarious effect. The telenovela style was my personal favorite.

Alyssa Mann, Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez, Tina Trimble and Felicia Eugenia Velasco - Coochie Monologues. Alyssa played Jennifer, a modern women at one with her body, or so she thought until her coochie took a stand and spoke up for herself!

Gerard J. Savoy, Marc Adam Smith – Inside the Actor’s Studio Sketch. This was a sketch that truly was for the POY insider as Marc asked G questions about his career with Point of You.
Paul Weissman and Andrea Scannell – Song. Let me just say, no one in the company expected the two of them to perform THAT number – but they did so with such class!

Cedric Jones, Kenny – Men on Stage Sketch. Frequent guest artist Cedric Jones recruited his talented friend Kenny to create a fun take on cable access programming where the two dished on the men who were currently performing on stage – with a special shout out to none other than Johnny Blaze Leavitt!

Chris Keating – Monologue. More strange but true musings from our premier pontificator. This show’s installment involved spidergoats… yes, you read that right, spidergoats.

Johnny Blaze Leavitt – Song. Johnny completed the evening with a sweet love song. With assistance from Molly Blau and Jeff Love, the finale ended with an actual wedding proposal to Monica Russell!

Godly Acres and other Chester Horn Musings...

2009-02-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

From the Desk of Paul Weissman...

On the weekend of Jan 29 to Feb 1st, I, along with other members of Point of You, had the pleasure in taking part in Theatrerats “Fourth Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival.” I was in a play called Godly Acres about Greek gods in rehab. I played Ares, G played Zeus, Jeff directed and played Cronos, Johnny played Hermes, Lee played Dionysus and Meghan played Willow, who had to keep us all in order. It was quite an amusing satire on rehab. We all came out in our togas, but with the ever present bathrobes you see people wearing on all those rehab shows (great call, Jeff).

We had about six rehearsals to get the piece into shape. Now, I haven’t performed in theater in a while. I spent all of last year writing and working on Sunset Motel. It was so much fun to work out bits and discover things with the other POY actors. We cracked each other up constantly. Even on stage, it took all my strength not to burst out laughing at Lee’s meltdown.

When it came time for the show, all I can say is Alexis and her crew at Theatrerats couldn’t have been nicer. They were very welcoming to everyone, our tech ran without a hitch. They even let us all sit and watch the other plays during the run through since, of course, we would not be able to see them otherwise.

And backstage, I got to meet friends, old and new. Imagine my surprise... actually, don’t imagine it, I’ll tell you... to see my old friend Kevin Shinnick there. He was one of the first people that I worked with in theater when I first got to New York. He is a wonderful director and actor and a fabulous human being. We have been in email contact for a couple of years, but the last time I saw him was in 2003 and the last time I was backstage with him was in 1997. I also met a compadre that I was in a not very good play with many years ago. We would bond over said play’s awfulness by drinking every night. Luckily, I drink less. . . probably because I do better plays now. He was fabulous as a grumpy grim reaper. And then a fellow acting student played a female Elvis impersonator. I ended up chatting with the directors of a couple of pieces and writers of a couple of others.

And my fellow POY actors? Heelarious. G was a regal, randy Zeus, Johnny channeled Steve Buscemi, Meghan nailed her character’s desire to just get out of this alive and unmolested, Lee’s jocky yet weepy Dionysus was a riot, Jeff’s Cronos... well, let’s just say he turned me off of chicken for quite a while. And myself? I tried my best to imbue Ares with a sense of hurt pride. And I got to throw a chair and imitate The Hulk.

And the piece that Marc directed was quite fun as well. Johnny playing a ninja who happens to be a video store clerk, the faboo Katie Currie as the put upon wife who just wants a regular visit with her mother in law, played with élan by Tina Trimble Savoy. Very, very funny stuff.

All in all, a very good time was had by all. And it served as a reminder to me what the gift of theater is about. Collaboration.

You can visit TheatreRats at http://www.theatrerats.com/.

The 4th Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival

2009-01-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

We at Point of You encourage our members to get out there and experience theatre of all types. I am happy to report that numerous POYers are participating in a new acting/directing adventure with another company we know and love called TheatreRats.

Sean and I had the privilege to watch the dress rehearsal last night and we were quite entertained. Our POYers were funny and touching as Greek gods, ninja masters and fairytale characters. We may be biased, but we thought they stole the show!

You should make your way to the Medicine Show as the festival only runs this weekend! It’ll be worth the effort if only to see Jeff AND Johnny sport spandex.

You can get more details on the Chester Horn Short Play Festival by visiting http://www.theatrerats.com/ or www.myspace.com/hornfestival

Chester Horn Short Play Festival
January 29 - February 1, 2009
The Medicine Show Theater
549 West 52nd Street (btw 10 & 11)

Featuring the talents of POY's own: Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Jeff Love, Meghan Love, Gerard J. Savoy, Marc Adam Smith, Lee Solomon, Tina Trimble and Paul Weissman.

We're Baaaack!

2009-01-18T17:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! POY hopes 2009 has wonderful things in store for you.

We are developing new work for the new year and to help us fund these productions, we bring you another fun-filled variety hour (which truthfully will run closer to 90 minutes).

We’re back with more comedy, more music and lots of entertainment...

POINT OF YOU VARIETY HOUR 2
Thursday, February 19 @ 7pm
GOTHAM CITY IMPROV
48 West 21st St, 8th Flr
New York, NY 10010
(btw 5th and 6th Avenues)

Tickets: $20
Includes one drink and free eats!

Reservations: 212-613-6138

Our Ensemble and guest artists perform like you’ve never seen them before...

Jeff and Johnny perform their song and dance sequel, G lets his inner gangster out and Lizzie fills us in on what it’s like to be so “boobalicious.”

It’ll be a fun night to remember. Seating is limited, so please reserve soon!

Part Two: The Reading (of the Celeb Rehab show)

2008-12-16T07:21:00.001-08:00

For those who read my first installment “The Inception” this is part two of that “series”. POY recently read the first draft of my comedy set in a celebrity rehab center and had, as one would hope, a great amount of help to offer. I thought however, that I would begin this blog entry with my thoughts and feelings pre-reading…because…well…it seems sort of interesting to do it that way. Maybe give folks a better perspective of what it’s like for a writer as opposed to the reader/listener of a play’s first draft:

The night before the reading:

It’s a little bit like feeling the need to clean up before company comes over. For me, no matter how much time I’ve spent cleaning, there’s always SOME piece of “wrongness” I can take five minutes and fix. A bit of dusting, for example, seems suddenly deadly important when people are just about to arrive. Sure, they probably won’t actually check the top of your doorways but hey…you never know. And if they do, how cool will it be when they look down on their index finger and don’t actually see any dust.

That, to me, is what I strive for in a first reading. Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward was written in four days, Zoo Story by Edward Albee in very few as well (I think a week…maybe two?) And all without any real revisions (so I’ve been lead to believe in any case). That, along with the legend that Shakespeare never had drafts (which I personally think is a lie) makes me dream of everyone sitting remarkably silent after the last line is uttered from this draft…shook to their very core at the genius they’ve just been witness to. I imagine they’ll tell their children, and their children’s children about how they were there when the Pulitzer Prize winning play by Jeff Love was first read out loud and how it made everyone in the room lose their breath with admiration and awe.

Of course, when that is what I am hoping for, and I look down at what they’ll actually be reading by my hand, I see the need to dust as much as is humanly possible in what appears to be an impossibly small amount of time (and even though my parallel discusses the time period as being mere minutes, in reality, I’ve had months to write this play…)

It’s not that I can’t take criticism…I love criticism…I remember realizing in 8th grade that as soon as I was proven wrong about something, I could go the rest of my life speaking the opposite of what I’d previously believed with complete and utter conviction for I knew (now) that I was “right”.

So, I love people tearing apart my work. It makes it stronger, tighter, more professional and well…better…basically. And who wouldn’t always want to get better? But really…if given a choice between “getting better”…and simply “being the best”…who wouldn’t rather be...the best? I know I would. And so I’m dusting. Dusting the heck out of what might as well be the desert in the state my wife is from. There’s simply no way around it. This play is going to suck.

My self consciousness can’t help but to leap to all sorts of excuses…it literally becomes an excuse-making machine. “well I was getting married…,” “I really haven’t felt well…some sort of stomach bug or something…,” “how can I concentrate on a play when there’s so much death in the world?” and of course, the ever popular, “dude, I totally wrote this last night while I was drunk off red bull and wine coolers…” but I have to ignore the need for those excuses and opt, instead, for maturity because…well…my friends and family would think less of me if I didn’t.

Nope…time to step up to the plate, take my knocks, and a few other cliché metaphors that never really help when you’ve put you’re heart on the line and fully expect it to be stomped.

After the Read:

Maybe it’s a defense mechanism that I always expect the worst but hope for the best. But I am once again astounded by the fact that the company of readers didn’t throw me out on my ass saying that this was the worst piece of rubbish they’ve ever read in their lives. With the exception of a few jokes (replacing the “n” word for the word “noodle” for the character going through language rehab for example, seemed to be on everyone’s list of best bit) I pretty much thought I should be thoroughly ashamed of myself. After all, while we were reading my play, I realized how absolutely absent of character, plot, and setting the entire thing seemed to be (not that any of those things are essential to today’s theatrical productions). It sounded as if written by a fifth grader (did I write this in fifth grade and just, understandably, forget…?) it sounded as if written by a fifth grader who was arrogant enough to think he had something worth listening to…the gall!

But there was a lot of laughing (always a good thing when writing a comedy) and everyone immediately responded with the customary, “I liked it”. It’s at times like that when being a director comes in handy. You listen closely to the subtext involved in the simple, polite sentence, “I liked it.” And see if you can detect elements of sarcasm, sincerity, or, possibly, flat out lying.

In the end…mostly what I was left with was that there was too much “bantering” between the characters I’ve assigned to me and Johnny, and not enough of the supporting characters. And while I’d love to dismiss these remarks as simply those of needy actors wanting more lines and more interesting moments to act on stage (it was sort of amusing seeing folks flipping through the pages to come to see when their next line would be)…the fact of the matter is…they’re right. When I wrote before about letting the characters act out different basic scenarios revolving around a simple theme such as “who ate my roll?” I should’ve noticed that most, actually ALL…of those scenes involved my two favorite characters…the ones I’m writing for me and Johnny. Now of course, comes the arduous task of finding the voices and moments in the other characters that will help me fall AS in love with them as, I hope, the audience will.

This comes down to the same thing…start writing different scenarios involving them. See what “sticks” and is fun and/or interesting for the audience to listen to. After all, plays should be the most interesting conversations anyone’s overheard, at least for me.

Back to the drawing board…let’s see what happens.

First Time's the Charm

2008-11-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

Tina Trimble, first-time director of Paper Thin, shared a few words with us about her experience.

For some time I’ve had the idea in my head of how the director and actors should collaborate to shape the play. My recent experiences on stage have been as a member of a large cast where the director has had little time for discussion of why the action is happening, what the characters hope to gain or fear to lose, how a gesture or position of a hand or inflection of a voice alters the audience’s expectations. To me the director’s role is not only to discover and reveal the play’s intention but also to explore with the actors each character’s impact on the action, to examine the validity of his/her emotions in each scene and to nurture the actors’ choices of voice, manner and spirit as they relate to the rhythm of the whole. I wanted to direct to see if I could do the job as I thought it should be done.

Marlise Garde and Gerard J. Savoy as Maggie and Clark

I chose “Paper Thin” for my directorial debut not because it spoke to me, but because it shouted. I fell in love with the characters – two damaged people who are emotionally distant from each other and from their own selves struggling to control the untamable human desire for connection. That’s juicy stuff. From the beginning I saw Clark and Maggie locked in this battle for control with the power constantly shifting between them right through to the final fade-out. Fortunately Paul Weissman, the playwright, shared my vision and gave me the opportunity to run with these beautifully complex people.

Marlise Garde and Gerard J. Savoy as Maggie and Clark

Paul conceived “Paper Thin” as a screen play and to me it felt far more cinematic than theatrical. I wanted to present the intimacy of film on the stage, and to achieve this we did numerous “takes” for each scene and even for many moments until we found the right mood or soul that worked. The challenge for me was to strike the right balance between the two characters so the audience would see them as equally matched in their emotional wounds as well as in their desire for and inability to embrace healing. The play has so many layers – so many choices could be made that would change the audience’s expectations and perception of what was happening. The actors brought numerous ideas about their characters’ essences and intentions which we discussed, tried, tweaked and sometimes threw away after several weeks. It was a wonderful gift getting to know Marlise better as a person and as an actress. She brought a lot to the table and kept adding more and more layers to Maggie as we worked. Being married to my leading man was not very different from living with him while he worked with another director since we always discuss his character when he is preparing for a role. The biggest difference in being his director is that this time he could argue with my suggestions but he had to try them anyway.

As Maggie and Clark came to life, anger became understanding, sorrow replaced empathy, stoicism morphed into humor (and sometimes back to anger) and we all laughed -- and ate -- a lot. I could not have had a better cast or a better experience as a first time director. Would I like to direct again? Absolutely!

Almost Over

2008-10-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sunset Motel has had a great run... we've had fun crowds and amazing performances. I want to thank everyone for coming out to the far West Side (the theatre is across from Chelsea Piers if that gives you any indication) to support our production!

There is still time to visit the Sunset Motel! We close on Saturday, so reserve your tickets now.

We'll leave the light on for you...

Sunset Motel Tickets are on Sale Now!

2008-09-16T08:13:00.001-07:00

Hi Folks,

Just wanted to let you know the SUNSET MOTEL is now open for business! You can purchase your tickets at TheaterMania. com by clicking here.

Tickets are only $18. Seating is limited, so we suggest you purchase your ticket in advance. If you choose to purchase your ticket at the door, please note we ONLY accept cash.

Any reserved tickets that have not been pre-paid will be released 15 minutes prior to curtain, so plan accordingly. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the house staff.

The two plays are coming together really well and we are excited for opening night! We look forward to your visit at the SUNSET MOTEL!

Variety Show was a success!

2008-09-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Point of You Productions would like to thank everyone for their commitment and participation in our first ever Point of You Variety Hour. We are pleased to say that it was a quality production that helped us raise funds for our fall production Sunset Motel. The event was filmed and we hope to post video snippets on our website soon.

I know many audience members wanted to see a playbill for this event (sorry we didn't have one, we wanted to keep you on your toes!). To that end, here is a run down of the fabulous acts who performed… it truly was a POY-pourri of comedy, music and entertainment!

If you would like to participate in our next Variety Hour, please reach out to Marc Adam Smith (marcadam at pointofyou dot com – we are trying to avoid spam, so please change the “at” to “@” and the “dot” to “.” when emailing)

POINT OF YOU VARIETY HOUR – INAUGURAL SHOW

Jeff Love and Johnny Blaze Leavitt started the evening performing a song and dance routine – with a bit of improv thrown in. This number was originally supposed to be a Family Guy spoof, but in the end they developed their own composition.

Lizzie Czerner as Mistress Delia. In this comedic monologue, Lizzie’s dominatrix-to-the-stars revealed why she cannot “schnoogle.” Fun fact: This monologue was inspired by and developed during the run of our production Hurt So Good!

Paul Weissman – John Cazale Tribute 1, 2 and 3. Paul exploited his uncanny resemblance to the actor and re-enacted several of Cazale’s most famous roles to hilarious effect.

Monica Russell stand-up routine. Monica entertained us and made us squirm with her depiction of Southern cockroaches (aka water bugs).

Jason Spiewak set. Jason entertained and moved us with two original songs from his album coming out next year. http://www.notbillyjoel.com/

Johnny Blaze Leavitt stand-up routine. What fun to have an unintentional boyfriend-girlfriend stand-up routine. Much of the audience didn’t realize it, but Monica and Johnny are dating and their routines worked so well as a "he said, she said."

Jessie J. Fahay, Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez and Alyssa Mann in a scene from Glengarry Glenn Ross. A gender bending take on the foulmouthed salesman play.

Chris Keating monologue. Chris brought the house down with his humorous monologue about the impending extinction of the banana as we know it. Based on true events! http://sooperdelishus.com/

Andrea Scannell set. Andrea closed the evening with her soulful voice and performed two great numbers accompanied by her main squeeze Paul Weissman, on guitar.

Marc Adam Smith, MC Extraordinaire. Marc kept the night rolling and our audience rolling in the aisles with sharp wit in between performances. http://www.bearonfire.com/

Announcing the first ever POY Variety hour!

2008-08-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

This is a first for POY. We are letting it all hang out and hosting a variety hour on Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 7:30pm. This concept is a little hard for me because I am what some would call a control freak and the concept of this variety hour is fast and loose (and fun)!

We will have a WIDE range of acts from singing and dancing to stand up to monologues to scene work. We've involved a great group of guest artists as well... it's going to be hard to pack it all in to just one hour.

There's free food and prizes, so you'll get A LOT out of your $25 ticket.

Please call 212-613-6138 if you are interested in attending. The official press release is below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Point of You is putting on this POY-pourri of comedy, music and entertainment to help raise money for our next show SUNSET MOTEL, opening October 9th! Our Ensemble and guest artists perform like you’ve never seen them before... Johnny (that would be Johnny Blaze Leavitt of BlackRock) and Jeff sing and dance... Chris plays with projectors... Paul rocks the guitar...Melanie swears, for Pete’s sake! It’ll be a fun night to remember.

Thursday, August 21st @ 7:30pm

GOTHAM CITY IMPROV
48 West 21st Street, 8th Floor
New York, New York 10010
(btw 5th and 6th Avenues)

Tickets: $25
Includes one drink and free eats!

Seating is limited, so please reserve your tickets now. Call 212-613-6138.

Featuring: Lizzie Czerner*, Jessie J. Fahay, Chris Keating, Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Jeff Love, Alyssa Mann, Leslie Marseglia, Monica Russell*, Gerard J. Savoy, Andrea Scannell*, Jason Spiewak*, Tina Trimble, Felicia Eugenia Velasco, Paul Weissman and hosted by the one and only Marc Adam Smith.

* Guest Artists

Auditions, Round 2

2008-07-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been remiss in posting at least once a month. Here's what you need to know: We have cast both our shows and have started rehearsals.

Marc Adam Smith, director of Family Values referred to our female callbacks as a "grand slam home run" (I'm paraphrasing, so please forgive me if I misrepresented your quote Mr. Smith)!

We saw a great group of female actresses and cast the lovely and hilarious Louise Flory! Check her out at http://www.louiseflory.com

We saw a lot of talented me during our auditons for the role of Jason, but we didn't find just the right chemistry... until we matched Louise up with our very own Johnny Blaze Leavitt! Congrats, Mr. Leavitt.

As I mentioned before, rehearsals are underway and so far so great! Family Values should be lots of fun. Check it out starting October 9th. Tickets will be on sale soon!

Auditons, Round 1

2008-06-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we're only half way through our first round of auditions for Family Values and I just have to say I love this process (and I love having internet while sitting in the holding area!).

I love this process because it's a great chance to meet some wonderful people. Just within the first hour we met some really friendly and talented women. POY is a great company and we are like family, but it's nice to open things up to those outside of our family now and again. Fresh faces, new energy. All good things.

I can't wait to see how things go for the rest of the afternoon!

Variety is the Spice of Life!!

2008-06-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

And now a word from our friend, Marc Adam Smith:

When discussing fundraiser possibilities for Point of You Productions, one of the ideas that came up and that I jumped behind 100% was to do a Variety Show. And we are on - Thursday night August 21st!!

For those of you too young to remember, the variety show was a staple of prime time TV, shows like Ed Sullivan, Dean Martin, Tom Jones, Donny and Marie, just to name a few, all had huge followings in the 50's, 60's and 70's. 73 million people watched the Beatles on Sullivan in 1964. But by the 80's the concept faded away. Back then getting your music, comedy, dance, and magic all in one place for 90 minutes was what Americans wanted. Now-a-days, with more choices you can find a separate channel for all of those things. But for one night on a stage in NYC we will bring it back.

All of the folks in POY whom you have seen on stage for the past few years will get up and do stuff that you may have never seen before. Who would not like to see Gerard J. Savoy do some interpretive dance? He isn't for this show, but still who would not want to see that!? But Gerard, Johnny Blaze, Mel, Jeff, Chris Keating and more along with some very special guests will be there to entertain the crap out of you. Also booze and cheese will on hand, so what more could you ask for!

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION BONUS: We at Point of You would like to give our Variety Show a title (other than "Variety Show"), so here's where you can directly participate in the fun. Post your show title ideas on this blog. We'll make our selections by July 9th!

Auditions: Sat, June 21st for Sunset Motel

2008-06-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

Greetings readers,

I thought you would like to know POY will be holding auditions for the female lead in our comedy Family Values. Not to worry 'gents, we'll be casting the male lead within the next few weeks, so stay tuned... You can see the full posting at http://www.backstage.com:

Point of You Productions is casting the comedy Family Values as part of a night of two One-Acts to be performed at the Sanford Meisner Theatre from October 9th-25th, Wed-Sat at 8pm. Paul Weissman, Writer, Marc Adam Smith, Director. No Pay.

Seeking-Amanda, Mid-Twenties, Lonely, Unpredictable, Ex- Child Star.

Auditions will be held on Sat, June 21st between 1-4pm by appointment.

Please email headshot and resume to marcadam@pointofyou.org or mail hardcopy to:

Marc Adam Smith
C/O Point of You Productions
FDR Station
PO BOX 673
New York NY, 10150

www.pointofyou.org

Good Help is Hard to Find

2008-05-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

And now a few words from our Technical Director, Gerard J. Savoy.

Well technically it’s not hard to find good help, but it’s going to cost you. So what better place for me to hang my technical hardhat but with a non-profit theater company. POY members wear lots of hats as do most who work in the wonderful world of Off Off Off... Broadway. I’m an actor, a writer, a set designer, a carpenter, a painter, a prop master, a lighting designer, a stage manager, a script reader, a tech, a gopher, a confidant, the muscle but what I really want to do is direct... not really. If it needs to get done, we as a group take charge and get it done, even if it is out of our realm of experience. My feeling is that one learns by doing. Now here’s the rub. I’ve got a Superman complex. (Johnny’s got one too, but that’s material for another time.) I have a difficult time with letting things go. Not in the “I can forgive but will never forget” sense (although my family will beg to differ) but in the sense that there are others out there who are fully capable of doing what needs to be done. So where are these people?

Well, they’re all over the place. Put an ad anywhere, do the word of mouth thing and you will get an influx of talented techs from the 4 corners of the earth. Once you weed out the nuts (and let’s be honest, in this business there are plenty to go around), you compile a list of people who can get the job done. You’re set. Now it’s time to get down to the details. Availability, experience, personality are all things that you’re looking at... after all, we’re not desperate here (snicker). So, you finally get that together and you’re left with the one person who fits the bill. They are going to be your Rock Star! They are finishing your sentences for Pete's sake! Everything’s ready to go, Set Phasers to Stun (you’re welcome, Johnny). Then the question comes up: How much does it pay?... Aw Man! You just killed my puppy. Did you not read the ad? Did the person that recommended you not fill you in? Non-Profit means, we ain’t got no cash. “Oh I’m sorry but I thought it was a mistake.” Or even better yet “Oh…you were serious?”

So what’s a company to do? Well you manage. You double, triple, and often quadruple the tasks that your team is responsible for. You make do. And hopefully, you think to yourself, "Someday we’ll have the money to hire the truly wonderful people that require monetary compensation for their efforts." In the meantime, you know that you have what no money could pay for: people you think of as family. Who devote their time, talent and love to do whatever it takes to put on the best productions possible. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by those people.

So if you are out there and have the time, talent and passion for what you do, let us know. We’d love to meet you; even if you are a little nutty (emphasis on little). We’ve got plenty of a lot nutty already. (Talk to Marc Adam Smith for two minutes if you don’t believe me).

A Note About Peripherals

2008-04-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hi there blogging audience,

I thought I'd take a moment to mention that even though I referred to some of our colleagues as being on "the very peripheral" of our group, that doesn't mean we love them any less!

I didn't realize my previous post could be considered slightly dismissive with that phrasing, so if I offended anyone, I do apologize. We are truly grateful for any and all involvement!

POY is now on Facebook

2008-04-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

I just launched a Facebook group for Point of You Productions today. I really wasn't sure what I was doing, so I invited just a few company officers, ensemble members and guest artists to check out the page. This was at around 4pm or so. It's 10pm now and our membership is already at thirteen and people are joining who only have a very peripheral association with our company.

This is my first real experience with the Facebook phenomenon and it's pretty exciting! I look forward to seeing who else joins our group to get up to the minute info about our latest projects or to just dish on the theatre scene. My plan is to figure out additional features and upload videos, more photos and an RSS feed of this blog if possible. If you know how to do the blog thing, please reach out to me. Thanks!

Head on over to Facebook and look for us! We'd love to hear from you.

The Art of the Rewrite - Procrastination, Desperation and Margaritas

2008-04-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Paul Weissman, Literary Director and playwright of POY's next production Sunset Motel:

Rewrites are a pain in the ass. It takes so long for something to gestate in my head and get it down on paper that when I finally finish the first draft, I just want to shoot it out there and say, “There it is, it’s perfect, enjoy it, I’m going to get myself a margarita.” Of course, it’s never perfect. And readings of the play will always magnify the flaws of the plot, dialogue, character, etc.

So, on to the second draft. This usually means I sit on the couch with a beer (yeah, I drink. I’m an artist. It’s in the rulebook) and my notepad (I don’t write drafts on the computer, I longhand it first) and stare. . . .and stare . . . and I go back to my notes to remind myself of things that need changing, tweaking or sometimes full on rehauling. I curse my lot. “Oy, couldn’t I have been a carpenter or a lawyer. Oy, this writing is hard.” Aaaaand nothing. So I put the pad down and proceed to watch The Daily Show or Boston Legal or whatever. And I go through the week with the deadline for the next draft looming over me. I ignore it for at least two weeks.

But lo and behold, in the back of my head, unconsciously, wheels are turning. I gave my brain a task and it loves tasks. Characters are saying things in my head. I hear them talking as I head up the subway to work. The dialogue is clunky. Somewhat inept. But they keep talking. Then, eventually, they say the right thing. The thing they were meant to say. THAT’S when I start rewriting. And then everything is easy as pie (I don’t understand that phrase. Easy as making pie, sure. Easy as eating pie, absolutely, but easy AS pie?!? I don’t get it). And finally, the words move from my notepad to my computer with ease. And I smile. And I hand it to the gang. And I go off to have my margarita.

The Inception (of the Celeb Rehab show):

2008-03-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Jeff Love, Artistic Director:

This will be the first part of a series. I'm not entirely sure how many parts there will be in this series because I've never mapped this sort of thing out before. Essentially, what I plan on doing here is showing the steps that I, and occasionally other members of Point of You Productions, take when deciding to write a show for the company to perform.

THE INSPIRATION

At some point, while watching the news, it dawned on me that our society is completely entranced in hearing about various celebrities going to rehab, whether they are famous for acting, singing, or pretending to do those things, we are, as a collective consciousness, spending time thinking about them. This is usually a good indication that POY has a subject to write about.

What also seems to be a fixation is just how much these rehab centers are actual rehab centers versus how much they're glorified country clubs that cater to the wealthy and mentally irresponsible. This dichotomy, along with the need for a subject, seems to immediately indicate a genre best suited for the subject. For me, this genre is clearly comedy.

So there we have it. A comedy, about celebrity rehab.

THE OUTLINE

After already bouncing the ideas off the other company members and some select friends and family, everyone seems very positive (as opposed to my idea of a tragedy musical about dolphins dying in fishing nets) and so all that remains is...well...absolutely everything else.

First an outline (which I've been taught goes in 3 stages: the play's story written in a paragraph, than a page, then several pages describing what happens, with each draft obviously becoming more and more in-depth regarding the events). After that, you make sure all the characters you
need are fully thought out in your head. Are there any who are too similar and should be combined, or one who should be eliminated? This gets particularly tricky when you are trying to write parts for your friends and company members because along with wanting to put on a good show, POY makes it a point to encourage each company member to be challenged and have fun (so, for example, writing a part for Johnny to be a crazy old man in a wheelchair as I did for Five Years Later, while never getting any older or less funny in my mind, wouldn't necessarily be the best for him as a stepping stone to becoming a fully rounded actor).

THE DIALOGUE

Once the characters are fully fleshed out, and I have people in mind (or a couple of people) for the parts, I begin writing bits of dialogue about any general conflict ("who ate my roll!?" or what have you) to get a feel for how the characters talk and interact with one another. This is usually such a fun part of the process, that it completely supersedes everything else, and I've got piles of "bits of dialogue" that may very well never see the light of day...but it was still fun coming up with the lines.

THE CHARACTER AND CONFLICT

Then I begin to see if any bits of dialogue can be directly inputted into the play. I've already mapped out the scenes and the conflicts, so hopefully something as simple as "who ate my roll?" in a celebrity rehab comedy could become, "who vomited on my stash?" (because I hear that can happen in those places). If not, then the process of truly "working" comes in as you try to capture the characters, tone, and conflicts that your play needs. This is often where writers can misstep, because we tend to either love dialogue we've written but it doesn't fit the conflict, or it fits the conflict but seems to be completely out of left field for the characters to say. When either happens, it's important not to be too married to either characters or conflict. And I usually
rely on company members and other writers to tell me if this happens since they'll be the initial audience who decides if everything makes sense (until opening night that is).

You have to back up and see what it is you're trying to accomplish with a scene, character, or play as a whole, and then change whatever needs to be changed in order to communicate the Moral of the story. I had a pair of "judges" for Five Years Later that took me until a month
before rehearsals started to finally admit they should not be kept.

But once you've done that, you've got a working draft, and then the fun part of rewriting after readings happens... I’ll write about that next!

POY BOWLING ADVENTURE

2008-02-19T18:32:00.000-08:00

The POY crew got together the other weekend - amid a downpour no less - and showed off our new team shirts! We had a great time at the newly remodeled Port Authority Bowl. The space was very loungy and the music was very loud (and appropriately cheesy). A few of us were surprisingly good bowlers (and a few of us - myself included - were not-so-surprisingly bad bowlers!). Enjoy a little slide show of our team building adventures.

Our T-Shirts get press!

2008-01-12T16:49:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

This past fall, Point of You Productions participated in the Best Audience Club giveaway with United Stages (a really great company that helps promote small venue theatre and provides printing services for a great price - as many small theatre companies have equally small budgets). One of the lucky people to win our t-shirt sent a lovely comment and it has been posted on the United Stages homepage!

Here's the blurb:

"... and this from Merete who won a very cool Point of You company t-shirt:

'Thank you! That is so nice of you, and it's great promotion work you are doing for New York theatre as well! We have to all stick together and keep the theatre thriving.'"

Check out www.unitedstages.com and join their Best Audience Club. You can get ticket discounts and free stuff - like our POY t-shirts, of course!

If you don't want to wait to win one, you can easily get yourself a really spiffy POY t-shirt for only $15 - email Melanie (melanie [at] pointofyou [dot] org) to find out how. We have black, olive green and a few orange and red left.

Here's a groovy shot of my husband and I modeling the POY t-shirts:

First hand experience with negative misconceptions

2007-11-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

Or as Marc likes to call this entry: If Your Play Is About Sex Then You Must Be A Perv

From the desk of Marc Adam Smith:

As we close another successful run of Hurt So Good, I now feel free to relay to you an incident that happened on our opening Saturday night. I was accused by a gaggle of what I will call “soccer moms” of trying to sneak into the men's room to look at a young boy!

The incident begins with the call of nature. I go to the john and find it to be locked. Now, our theatre was in a shared space with a public restroom that should never be locked, so I was surprised to find it so. I knocked on the door and tried to get in, at which time four of the aforementioned soccer moms (who it turns out have children doing a dance recital in one of the other spaces) come over to me.

Here is a recap of our conversation:

The Moms: "What are you doing? There is a child in there!"

Me: “Okay, but it is a public restroom and I need to use it.”

The Moms: "He is part of that sex show!"

What I didn’t know at the time was that the Moms where upset that Hurt So Good was in the space and they did not want to their young ones to see our actors in their "sex costumes." Not that these folks had seen our costumes at all...

At this point, one of the Alpha Moms comes up to me and says, "What are you trying to do, get in the bathroom to look at the boy?" To which I replied, "No, I need to take shit." Well, needless to say, my salty language set her off and she started to make threats and told me how she could "take me out." As I struggled to hold back the laughter, I suggested she back off and I went into the bathroom.

The incident seemed to be over, but about 20 minutes later a cop comes into the theatre space looking for a bald guy. That would be me. So, the Moms went out and got the fuzz to get the “perv.”

The cast seemed worried, so I asked the officer if we could go outside and talk. I told him what happened and he said he had to talk to the other witnesses. He does so and proceeds to tell me, "I spoke to seven people and they all had different stories and you are the only one who is calm, so it appears to me that this is nothing.” He called it in as a 91 which is the code for a non call. Nice guy and not the first time I have ever been questioned by cops in my life, so even though I was upset and angry I held myself in check.

So the moral of the story is: If you need to use the bathroom and are cast in or working behind the scenes of a play that has to do with sex, use your home toilet or the Moral Soccer Moms of America will get you.

Editor’s Note: It is very interesting how reactionary people can be over perceived perversion. Our show was a romantic comedy, it just had a kinky backdrop. The fact that our advertising used sexy imagery, just made it all the more volatile. This was our little experience. I myself witnessed parents swatting our postcards out of the hands of children, but I also experienced others positively intrigued by our show and its marketing campaign. And interestingly enough, TV and film can get away with much racier stuff… heck, even print advertising! One look at any Calvin Klein billboard will make my point clear.

This was all an incident of misunderstandings and over-protectiveness on the part of the parents. I certainly can’t fault them for wishing to shield their kids from subject matter deemed inappropriate, but the fact that they jumped to upsetting conclusions that our director was a pedophile… that’s just too much. As Mistress Lyla says in our show, “BDSM is lumped together with bestiality, pedophilia and other unloving acts.”

This was just a small taste of what many in the community - or in any other alternative lifestyle for that matter - have to deal with every day. Protect your children, but don’t promote prejudice. Promote tolerance. I hope that our show, in some small way, did just that.

"... a good time was had by all."

2007-10-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

And we are finished.

Our revival of Hurt So Good was a success - it's nice to know the production's success the first time around wasn't just a cosmic aligment or some other fluke. People genuinely enjoyed the story. Everyone left the theatre charged with laughter and excitement and hopefully, a few left a little enlightened.

Now that the show is over, I thought I'd inlcude a few snippets from the run:

THE SHOW WHERE EVERYTHING BROKE

Okay, I exaggerate, but we did have one show where everything seemed to fall apart. I lost my contact lense in the middle of a scene, Johnny's watch broke apart mid-spank and his earring flew out of his ear at some point in act two. I wouldn't be surprised if the lamp gag malfunctioned during this show, too!

THE SHOW WITH THE HECKLERS

I know this can be a taboo subject and cause people discomfort, but the audience we had one night included several people who were vocally bothered by what they were watching. They were inebriated and felt the need to make fun of the production throughout... snickering at moments, talking back and calling out to each other at other moments. We knew this night would be interesting when the show opened and a woman in the front row took a call and proceeded to tell the person on the other end, "I can't talk, I'm at a show! I'm at a SHOW!" No stage whispering there, no actually getting off the phone. It was truly a night to remember and for many members of our cast, their first experience with a heckling crowd!

THE SHOW WITH THE LAUGHERS

We had a couple of shows during the run that had some wonderfully enthusiastic audience members, so much so that we had to do some serious pausing to accomodate for all the laughter. Not a bad problem to have! Trouble was, the first show with such an audience threw us for a loop because we weren't used to such a boisterous response... I admit the audience probalby lost half of what I was saying during my first scene because I wasn't prepared to pause for their extended laughter.

THE SHOW WITH THE STANDING O

Our final Friday show was treated to a standing ovation from two audience members who happened to be pro-dommes. One was even dressed exactly like Mistress Lyla... or I suppose I should say that our character of Mistress Lyla was dressed just like HER! Hats off to the costume designer for authenticity! It was so touching to have people in the scene appreciate the show.

THE SHOW WITH THE AMAZING CAST

This was every show. I just wanted to note how special it was to work with such a great group of people who were professional and genuinely enjoyed working with each other. With a cast of twenty, this is no small feat! Great job everyone. I, for one, had an amazing time working on Hurt So Good! Thank you for a great experience!

Check our website in the coming weeks as we post pictures from the production.

The Review is In!!

2007-10-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

Ian Marshall of United Stages reviews our latest production Hurt So Good. See below:

Spellbound and Gagged

The Point of You production of Hurt So Good has been relaunched by popular demand. Why? Is it back because it’s a sweet romance, “an honest look at love?”, as the show’s marketing proclaims, or because it’s a kinky, sexy-hot show with lots of leather? Umm…you choose.

The love story concerns main character Tom, played sincerely by Johnny Blaze Leavitt (also the show’s playwright), who meets the girl of his dreams over the internet. When they finally meet in person, alone, Cecily cautiously tells him, “You can hurt me.” He takes it to be a warning. It’s an invitation.

The audience is also invited, although figuratively, into the world of BDSM (Bondage and Discipline, Domination and Submission, Sadomasochism). The BDSM community is greatly misunderstood, often purposefully. Hurt So Good confronts the bias, misconception, animosity and dismissal through Tom’s friends. His sitcom-quirky roommate, played spot-on by Chris Keating, tends to stand back and comment bitterly. His friend Rebecca, played by Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez, tends to get angry at the social irresponsibility of even mock servitude. The show may not change your opinion, whatever it is, but you won’t have the option of simply declaring the entire community just a bunch of perverts.

They’re people, of course. But specifically, they’re honest people, both with themselves and with their playmates. In the show, Tom must learn that real communication is the key to keeping his lovely Cecily, played with a wonderful innocence by Alyssa Mann.

But it’s easy for Tom to get carried away when the supporting cast is clad in leather and steel. His submersion in BDSM is guided by some wonderful characters, lead by the slightly creepy, but ultimately lovable Gerard J. Savoy as Master Anthony and the professionally intimidating Marlise Garde as Mistress Lyla. The menagerie of doms and subs, tops and bottoms, fulfills the conversion of a fourth-floor theater into a basement dungeon. Each character has a moment to shine, but especially engaging is Simply Because (Melodye Brant) who is so excited by her lifestyle, well, simply because “it’s fun!”

If fun is on your lifestyle agenda this weekend, simply because, Hurt So Good might just be what the mistress ordered.

Click below to read the actual article - with pictures! Thank you Ian for taking the time to see our show.

http://www.unitedstages.com/displayProject.php?ID=383&show=U

Hurt So Good is enjoying a great run

2007-10-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

So far, so good. We are getting large crowds and putting on a good show. Last night was our best show yet with the crowd hooting and hollering at every plot twist. As a performer, it is so great to audibly hear the audience engaged in the production and we had that in spades last night. If you were a member of the audience last night, we thank you!

Here's a quote from Mr. Shaw who attended the show last night:

"Great show, laugh out loud funny, handled difficult subject matter with great sensitivity and playfulness!"

So, what are you waiting for? Tickets are selling fast, so don't miss out on this great production!!

Reserve tickets here.

Another Paddles Adventure

2007-10-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

The cast embarked on a second fact-finding mission to Paddles and boy did we get an education. I don’t need to tell you about the layout as Lizzie already described it so beautifully… it can be a bit of a sensory overload, but it really is fascinating.

I admit, I was quite nervous to go. I didn’t know what to expect, all I knew was that this club was nothing like the fetish party I went to prior to the last run of Hurt So Good. This wasn’t a stand and be seen venue… I stuck close to my little group for much of the evening and noticed we had a small group of “vultures” hovering at the edges of our group. They were quite curious about us to be sure.

Our Leather Liaison and the playwright gave a guided tour of the venue where we ran into Sir Guy, one of our voice over guest artists dressed in a fabulous military uniform. We walked from room to room where the various bits of furniture and implements were explained to us. One by one, we were all chained to a large St. Andrew’s Cross (just to see what it felt like of course).

We watched a Mistress top a man using nothing more than cellophane and a couple of nipple clamps! She also had two slaves assisting her. We girls felt it would be nice to have a slave boy for a night…. Little did we know, I would get my chance later!

We met with quite a few different people there and they were all happy to chat with us and tell us about their experiences and answer our silly questions. One woman in particular was so sweet and open. Her name was Helen and she gave us a fire demonstration (thanks to the lovely Luna for providing her back for this experience!).

Helen was so great with her demo – she made it totally accessible. She explained that the torches used were soaked through with 70% isopropanol alcohol, so when it is lit, it is the alcohol that burns, not the torch or the person’s skin. In fact, we all got to hold fire in our hands. It felt warm for a moment and then a tingling afterward – almost like after spending a day in the sun.

The demo on Luna’s back was super sexy. Helen trailed the torches across and down, making shapes, drawing LL for Lovely Luna. She also told us how to make our own fire kits at home. I could tell all the girls were really enthralled by this, so watch out!!

Next we met Glenn who gave us a demonstration on Melodye of his Vampire Gloves. These are leather gloves with small spikes in them. Sounds a lot more painful than it is. It felt to me like a massage with a bristly brush…. Really good!

Glenn enlisted the help of Theresa to show me all the other toys in his bag. He used all sorts of instruments on her and teld me about each one and what it does. When Theresa had had enough, he made sure sooth her because she had gone into another realm mentally (called subspace) and she needed to come down gently from the endorphin high.

After that demonstration, I found the ladies all huddled by the bar excitedly beckoning me over. Luna turned to me and said “close your eyes and trust me.” Well, okay… and I was given a quick jolt of electricity to my back! It was at a very low level and actually felt pretty cool. It really wakes you up, thanks for sure!

Toward the end of the evening, I was approached by a Master who told me there was a man who would very much like for me to spank him. At this point, I was feeling brave, so I told him I would, but he’d have to coach me through it, as I’ve never done something like that before.

The man in question was this little slip of a thing in his 70’s. You can’t get much more non-threatening than that, so I felt pretty comfortable. We went to this massage table type thing that was CLEARLY not used for massages and I proceeded to spank and spank. My coach gave me pointers now and then (start slow, vary your pattern so the slap is unexpected, etc). I think I did a pretty good job. I had accumulated quite a crowd and they all clapped for me at the end as my coach announced it was my first time.

An interesting experience to say the least!

Lizzie discovers her inner kink at Paddles

2007-09-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hurt So Good castmember Lizzie Czerner, as well as several other members of the HSG crew, went with our Leather Liaison Luna to a NYC BDSM club called Paddles to do a little "character research." Lizzie was kind enough to tell us all about it...

Hi! ‘Servant’ here… Ok, so I’m in the cast of Hurt So Good, a comedy about S&M. What could be more fun than that? I mean I get to parade around in a French maid’s outfit with a bunch of other actors who are scantily dressed. It’s good times, people! I confess though, I really didn’t know anything about S&M before joining the cast besides the fact that it involves leather and whips. By that description though, Cat Woman was the only person I had ever seen who was in the scene. (By the way, I have always considered her something of a fashion icon …hmmm…)

When the Director announced that we were going to take a field trip to an S&M club called Paddles as a form of research, I was intrigued. If nothing else, it was an opportunity to wear my fishnets someplace besides rehearsal. (Well, hey…you have to ‘don the traditional garb’, right?) However, having visited the Paddles website, I was a bit nervous. Was there going to be blood? Were people going to be crying out in torturous pain?? Some of the other cast members and I decided to meet for drinks beforehand for some liquid courage, and to talk about how we felt about the prospect of possibly being initiated into a deviant sub-culture. We all felt excited for the new experience but nervous that we might be approached by someone for a game of nipple twisting. Or maybe we were just worried that we would discover we were secretly kinky and then we’d have to come out to our friends and partners. That could be…umm…awkward.

When we got there (“there” being the same block where I go for coffee after acting class…Who knew?) I noticed a few things right away. First of all, Paddles is a ‘dungeon club’ so you go downstairs and they really do a good job of making it look like one - with grey walls, black ceilings, various medieval looking chairs and benches, wall mounts for tying people up, and even a small cage. Although I understand the joint is usually jumping, the night we went it was mostly empty (we were told this was due to the High Holidays, which tells you something about the clientele right there). Once inside, I came upon a counter full of paddles and floggers of various sizes and shapes. But as I looked around and got more acclimated, I realized that it was not really much different from any other NYC club –Oh, except that there was no bar. That’s right. These people were sober….Sober!! There was good music playing…Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and Jefferson Airplane. And the people were friendly! I got into some conversations with interesting people – a teacher, a receptionist – people just like me. (I’m actually starting to think that being into S&M is about as deviant as a henna tattoo). I learned that most people there had taken classes on safety so that great care is taken to ensure that all the rope tying and paddle swatting is done with concern for the person’s well-being.

I started to feel brave and asked if I could get a personal demonstration of one of the paddles. ("When in… Sodom?") So I asked Delia, the receptionist, if she’d give me a little swat on the tush. Her swats grew in intensity, but I was given complete control over the situation and was constantly asked how I felt and if I wanted to stop. In other words, I felt safe. Was it hot? Hells yeah! And so was Delia!!

By the end of the evening, my cast-members and I all felt that we had experienced something fun and new, and it didn’t automatically make us ‘kinky’ just ‘cause we liked certain aspects of the evening…Ok, maybe a liiiitle kinky. ;)

HURT SO GOOD interview on United Stages website!

2007-09-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hurt So Good producers Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez and Johnny Blaze Leavitt were interviewed by Jon Reuning of UNITED STAGES - an excerpt has been included below. To access the original article (pictures included!), click here.

Ouch. Johnny Blaze Leavitt's comedy Hurt So Good is back by popular demand. This time around both playwright and producer take their cuffs off to reveal how laughter and discipline can make an audience beg for more.

Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez, producer of the first and now second run of Hurt So Good, what possessed Point of You Productions to bring the show back?

Melanie: The audience inspired us. We received such great feedback and enthusiasm from everyone who saw the show—from those in the scene and those who never heard of BDSM. In fact, during the last week of the first run, we had several people lament that the show was not running longer as they wanted to bring their friends to see it. The audience was really encouraging and thorough in their feedback. Hurt So Good is an original play and the last run was the first time it was presented to the public. We received a lot of feedback and as such, we have tweaked the script accordingly.

And you're reopening in the middle of Times Square.

Melanie: We are thrilled to be producing the show in Times Square. The subject matter is something you'd think would be more appropriate for an East Village venue, but our production is accessible to all walks of life. The story of love and communication transcends any sexual preference. Hey, maybe we'll get a couple of tourists to attend, dispel their preconceived notions and they'll pass that feeling of tolerance on when they return home.

Johnny Blaze Leavitt, what inspired you to write this play—Wait: first, can you tell me what BDSM stands for?

Johnny: BDSM stands for Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadomasochism. It's an umbrella term that covers a lot of ground, an evolution from the more simple/popular S&M. As to what inspired me, a lot of things. The current state of sexual education over the past decade or so seems to be slipping back to "Don't ask. You'll just magically know when you get married." And the entertainment industry seems to be fighting back with movies like Kinsey to Broadway shows like Spring Awakening. So I just took it a step further.

Sex is everywhere (without it, none of us would be here) but all the sexual comedies we're seeing all seem to be the same. Until you see something like The Secretary or 9 1/2 Weeks. With all of the S&M shops and clubs and bars in this city (which people usually pass by, afraid that someone will see them looking in the direction of those tinted windows…) I figured there had to be more to the story than what we see in sitcoms or Law & Order episodes. And is there ever!

Hmm. Okay, Johnny, now this is interesting: why this play, why you, why now?

Johnny: Why this play? I think it's an honest look at the subculture, touching on a number of relationships, styles and fetishes in the BDSM community. Why me? I've done the research, held the interviews, heard the stories and gotten the perspectives. My writing has been described as having bittersweet warmth and I think that's what this sort of topic needs: there's a lot to care about, to laugh at, and a lot of emotional intimacies involved. I just try to offer it all from several perspectives. Why now? BDSM is becoming more mainstream, more so than the general populace realize. But it's still not talked about any more now than it was in the days of Bettie Page and Irving Klaw. In an age of disinformation and suppression, it's important that there be people out there providing the answers to questions people are afraid to ask (or don't know who to ask).

Melanie, what is a nice person like you doing producing this sort of fringe subject matter? Do you invite relatives to your plays?

Melanie: Ha! I know! When Johnny first mentioned his idea for this play, I admit I was very skeptical. A play about S&M? Really? How can we do that and not be sensational and gratuitous? Do we even want to go there? But then Johnny showed me the script and all my fears were dispelled. It is an honest love story about communication and understanding—it just so happens to have a BDSM backdrop. When you strip that away, it's still a solid story of a boy and a girl trying to make their relationship work and making good decisions and bad decisions along the way. And you bet I invite my entire family!

Really, if you have to break it down to one or two elements, what's so funny about BDSM?

Johnny: Let's be honest: sex is funny. And so is anyone who takes anything too seriously. But most importantly, people love to laugh when they are nervous or uncomfortable. And our lead characters are certainly uncomfortable on their journey. Some are afraid of what they'll find out there, others afraid of what they'll find out about themselves. If the key question to this piece is "What are you willing to do for love?" then some are afraid that they'll find they can't go as far as they need to. We're not making fun of the subculture so much as we're making fun of people's fear of new information. The key to any healthy relationship is communication.

Melanie: There is a lot of humor in the whole fish-out-of-water story. BDSM just so happens to be a fish pond filled with really colorful costumes, props and even some larger than life characters.

Did people come to your last incarnation in leather?

Johnny: This is New York. The majority wore leather: coats, shoes, belts, etc. But in the spirit of what you're asking, we do offer discount admission to those belonging to certain organizations in the subculture and they dressed for the occasion. And why not? Have you seen the audiences at Rocky Horror? Great fun! I dare everyone to wear fishnets and leather when they come to see Hurt So Good.

Melanie: Here, here! Dressing up adds to the whole atmosphere of fun to our show.

What's the best thing an audience member said to you after seeing it last season?

Johnny: I think the most popular thing I heard afterwards was "When are you doing this again? I want to bring some friends!" The happiest "pay off" as a writer was when someone talked to me about the final fates of one of my characters (I'm trying to be vague so as not to spoil anything). One of my characters doesn't make it through the play and their fate was a little Hollywood ending-esque. But someone thanked me because that exact scenario happened to someone he knew and he was pleased to see it represented with heart and dignity.

Melanie: I think one of the best comments I heard was, "This wasn't scary at all!" Seriously though, I did get a great comment about how our show is a "must see" for anyone curious about the scene.

...In the producing and writing of this play, did either of you have an "aha!" moment when you understood something about love that you hadn't before...?

Johnny: I didn't have a discovery more so much as a confirmation that everyone is kinky on some level. Be it just playing with a blindfold, playful spankings or using silk scarves on a four post bed with your lover once or twice, or whether you're a card-carrying member to four or five S&M groups, everyone likes to have a little fun with sex. And why not? Correct me if I'm wrong but it is supposed to be fun.

Melanie: Yup, there's a kink in all of us! My "aha!" moment was discovering that this "alternative lifestyle" is not just about sex—it's about real people experiencing real emotions. Love comes in all shapes and sizes.

Thanks so very much, Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez and Johnny Blaze Leavitt. We'll see you at the show!

Melanie: We look forward to seeing you there…fetish attire optional, but encouraged!

Something new has been added! Meet Hurt So Good’s Leather Liaison!

2007-07-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

Dawne Garrett (known also by her nickname Luna in the leather community) has graciously volunteered to help promote and raise funds for our current production of Hurt So Good, reaching out specifically to the various organizations in the BDSM scene.

Dawne, how did you come to be involved with Hurt So Good? What are you doing for this upcoming production?

I was told about Hurt So Good at a leather event last year. I have heard of shows in the past that had touched on the subject of BDSM, but this one seemed different. More human. I was asked to sit in on a few rehearsals to help out with explaining what it was really like in the leather community and to help break some of the standard stereotypes. I stayed on to work tech for the show and even got to perform! (My New York debut!)

This year I have been working hard in the fundraising department. The goal is $5000 and we're well on our way. I have been speaking to several leather organizations about helping this show reach its full potential. Showing them what this show can do for the community and help in areas of outreach. I’m also helping on such tasks such as finding specialty “scene based” set pieces and I’m even looking to audition for the show this time around. For me, I just love the whole process… from beginning to end.

What are your experiences in the subculture (in a nutshell)?

I’ve been in the lifestyle for 15 years now. It’s definitely been an interesting journey. I have served on organization boards, have helped form groups, run events, I have taught classes for organizations on the east coast. It’s not just all about outreach and education for me. I play, I have fun. I go to parties, events, leather camps, classes, and sometimes just bar nights. I have met some amazingly wonderful people in this community. Some I call friends and some I even call family. The best thing is that I am still learning. 15 years in the scene and I am just starting to become in touch with certain sides of me that I chose to ignore. It’s really a wonderful thing.

What are your feelings about Hurt So Good? Having seen the original and read the revised script, what are your thoughts?

Now I’m not biased….really I’m not! I would have never taken part in this show if I didn’t believe in it. This show has what it takes to show people what this is all about. It shows BDSM in its human form. Not a bunch of dungeon romping freaks, but people. I have always loved that about this show. The happy times and the drama filled times. I think this show keeps getting better and better with each re-working.

I’ve always found the situations to ring very true for me. I myself remember what it felt like to realize I was into this and having to work through all of my own and societies concepts of what it was - the fantasy vs. the reality. I also love the NY humor of it all… I don’t want to give away plot points though. I want people to come and check this out and see for themselves!

As someone reaching out to the kink community – why should they see the show? Why do you think those who know nothing of the world of BDSM should see the show?

The community as a whole is usually rather skittish about shows that portray them. They sometimes worry that they will show them in a negative light or that they will portray us as mentally damaged, sick or unhinged. I say to them that this show gives us the positive light that we have been looking for. Explaining that what we do is Safe, Sane and Consensual. That we love, honor and respect.

This is also a great show for educating not just those who are not in the know but also those who are curious and want to know more. It’s like a mini springboard if you will. Be you kinky or vanilla, you will learn something about not just the scene but I think about how similar we both love. We just have more toys. *laughs*

What's it like working with Point of You?

I love working with Point of You. I have since I started working with them a year ago on the first run of HSG. They are talented, driven, and are all round fun to be around. This isn’t just another theater company, this is a family. They support each others’ talents, they help each other branch out and try something new, and they are there for each other well after the curtain falls on another production. I’ve worked with other theater companies in the past but never one as tightly knit as this one. I’m really honored that they invited me to work on this production!

If you could say one thing about the show to potential audience members out there, what would it be?

Go! *laughs* Seriously….run don’t walk! This show is what theater is supposed to be about. It makes you laugh, it makes you think, it starts discussions, it raises questions and it’s real. It takes a topic that usually raises eyebrows and shows it in a light that doesn’t make you uncomfortable. You will not be disappointed and you will be happy that you went.

Point of You Productions would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dawne for her amazing help and support!

POY supports Habitat for Humanity

2007-05-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Johnny Blaze Leavitt:

Thea Cimmino, a friend and volunteer with POY, will be participating in a Habitat for Humanity - NYC Women Build project in June of 2007. POY applauds Thea's efforts and our company members plan to donate to her cause. Once donations are complete, we'll post the total POY donation tally on our blog!

We took some time to interview Thea regarding Habitat for Humanity - NYC Women Build:

1. Tell us a little about this project and its goals.

The project is called "The Halsey Street Project in Brooklyn." Nine homes will be built in compliance with EnergyStar standards which will minimize waste and maximize natural resources, resulting in environmentally-friendly homes that are cost efficient for homeowners. Nicknamed “The Coffee Cup Building,” this is one of the first structures in New York City to incorporate energy-efficient insulated concrete forms made of polystyrene, similar to insulated coffee cups.

Once completed, it will look like this:

2. What inspired you to get involved in this project?

I recently converted to Lutheranism and joined a parish in the Bronx which I LOVE! This summer, my parish is participating in a project called Lutheran Women Build (for Habitat for Humanity). I thought it would be a great way to get involved, give back to the community and simultaneously get to know my fellow parishioners better.

3. What exactly will be your participation on the project?

I don't know the exact details of my participation, but it has been described to me as, “You will pound, haul, lug, dig, raise, demolish or scrub. You will see results and you will get dirty!”

4. The project is described as “Lutheran Women Build.” - are all of the volunteers women or are you assisting women in need?

There are several different groups of volunteers participating in this project, both men and women, including Delta Airlines employees, Jon Bon Jovi and independent volunteers from throughout NYC. My group is made up of 50 Lutheran women coming from multiple Lutheran parishes throughout the NY metro area. Some of the other volunteers are trade professionals (carpenters, electricians, plumbers) who will contribute their expertise to the completion of the project.

The end product of the project will be nine affordable, environmentally-friendly homes for families with low incomes. Although not exclusively for women, seven of the homes will be occupied by single women with families.

5. How do you feel this project will affect the community?

The project is a great asset to the community. It is providing safe, clean and affordable housing to good people in need. It will help improve the aesthetics of the neighborhood. It also unites diverse individuals of a different race, religion, profession and background working together for an honorable cause.

6. Is there anything special you would like people to know about this project?

I’d like people to view this as more than just a charitable cause. It is also a unifying event for New Yorkers. After 9/11, people of every imaginable background united to help rebuild New York City physically, mentally and emotionally. But, we shouldn’t have to wait for major a tragedy to bring us together. There are plenty of everyday tragedies within our community that we ignore on a regular basis. Volunteer workers and sponsors for projects like this are living testaments that New Yorkers care and will hopefully inspire others to get involved and help better our community in some way, regardless of how big or small.

To make a donation to this project, please visit:
http://habitatnyc.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&amp;i=220352&u=220352-171977054&e=1033067148
And if they ask “How did you hear about us?” tell them “Point of You Productions.

Good luck Thea - we hope you have a great time and take lots of pictures so we can share your success with our blogging public!

death becomes her...me...uh, us?

2007-04-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

never thought you'd have a conversation with death, did you? neither did shamus (played by marc adam smith) in five years later, but he comes nose to nose with her.

it surprised very few that i was to tackle the role of death in poy's current production, seeing as i do have a penchant for the darker roles. (for those who may not remember, i have played two very different versions of satan in deadtime stories and lovesmacked). what may surprise many, however, is that the lovely courtney tisch will be picking up death's sickle (or scroll in this case) as i am forced to leave the production a week early.

it is with mixed feelings, that i do this. playing this part has been such fun and i feel like the show is just coming into its own. but, opportunity has knocked and there is no way i can't answer it. i am leaving the production of five years later to be the assistant company manager of don't quit your night job, a new broadway after hours improv, sketch comedy, and musical review. the first preview is on april 26th, during the last week of five years later. by taking this position, i am fulfilling my dream of my "day job" being theater. go figure it's with a show called don't quit your night job.

courtney will be joining us back stage and in the audience this week to learn all the fun stuff i do back stage (i get to play with fake blood and makeup!) and on stage. i know she'll take the character in new and exciting directions and I only wish i would be able to see it.

want to see the different faces of death? come see me, karron karr, as death in five years later from april 18-21 and go again to see courtney tisch as death april 25-28.

Taco Express - it DOES exist

2007-04-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

And is a chain restaurant apparently... to quote Bruna from the show, "Will anyone ride the Taco Express with me?!"

The answer is a resounding YES:

Check out the show, would you???!

The show has opened and audiences like it!

2007-04-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

The show opened this past Wednesday and so far so good... everyone who has come to see the show has really enjoyed it. There have been lots of laughs and great reactions to our antics on stage.

New York comedian Johnny Vito attended the show on Friday night and posted the following on our MySpace page:

"5 Years Later deserves 5 stars, five thumbs up! I loved it! I just can't praise this enough. This is what theatre should be! Biting satire, Comedy with teeth (Just the way I like my comedy), highly entertaining! Superbly written! Extraordinary characters! Terrific performances! A must see! And for me a must-see again!" http://www.myspace.com/johnnytzito

Feel free to check out our MySpace page yourself by clicking here or just buy your tickets already!

Postering

2007-04-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks before the show started several members of the company went around hanging posters to advertise the show. Postering is never a fun job - walking around, entering into various establishments to ask if you can put your poster in their window. Sometimes, you are greeted with kindness, other times, you just get a disdainful wave of the hand.

On this occasion, we ran up against lack of space and foul weather - many of the stores had too many posters already and the weather on this day went from great to cold and rainy.

Hey, but you have to get your image out there - a great poster placement could mean more butts in seats! My sister and her boyfriend were in town and accompanied Paul Weissman and myself as we postered Times Square. Below are two lovely pix documenting the adventure:

Sis caught me making a lovely face while hanging a poster at a local laundromat.
Paul is in the background.

More postering at a new restaurant in the area. What a fabulous poster, if I do say so myself.

Paul and I were stopped on the street while postering to have a passerby ask if that was me in the poster. How flattering! We chatted the couple up about the show and gave them a postcard.

You've got two weeks left to see the show, so hop to it and buy your tickets now!

The Wearing Of Many Hats

2007-03-28T04:32:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Marc Adam Smith

With this current production of Five Years Later going up in the coming month, I find myself once again having many tasks as a member of POY. Not only am I the Co-Writer of the piece, I am acting in it (on stage for almost the whole show), Assistant Director and Sound Designer as well. As a group, we all do many things for all of our productions, but this time I am in the unique position of having the lines I’ve written said by other people – often they are said to me (my character). Very strange… at times I want to give the a line reading, but one cannot do that nor give notes when one is not the Director, so it has been an adjustment. It has taken me long time to find this character and who he is, but in the past week it all came together for me, so I am chomping at the bit to get it going.

Jeff Love has been great to work with on this and having not collaborated with anyone in the past (some say Marc does not play well with others), this experience has been great and we may do some more writing together in the future. The cast, well, they are amazing. Getting to work with G again is always a learning experience and makes me a better actor. And after all the years we have been friends and in the company together, to finally have scene work with Melanie is a true joy. Johnny, Paul, Alyssa, Tina, Felicia, Brandon, Ian, Meghan and Karron have been awesome and Leslie is a great stage manager. With Sean as House Manager for the run, I am super confident that this will be our biggest and best show yet....

"More space in the space"

2007-03-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

That is the phrase that pays with our merry band of actors. We have been rehearsing in a cost-effective venue that is smaller than the actual performance space we will be in come April, so each time we find ourselves cramped on the “stage” during rehearsal, someone invariably shouts “there’s more space in the space” - that someone is usually Alyssa Mann. We have even joked that we should get t-shirts made with the slogan… I am sure many off-off-Broadway performers can relate.

We got a taste of “more space” this past week as we moved into a larger venue to really get the show on its feet. It was amazing how much of a difference the play felt when we had more room to move. Certain “dead spots” with the blocking were found and we are going to make some adjustments accordingly. I am so glad we were able to use a larger space (as much as I love the space graciously provided to us by POY members Gerard J. Savoy and Tina Trimble).

The show felt different in the space… after rehearsing in a certain environment for the past month and a half, it was eye-opening to run the show in a larger venue with fluorescent lighting. I know that it threw me off a little and I am sure others felt the same way. Thanks go out to POY member Marc Adam Smith for giving us the opportunity to work out the kinks in a rehearsal space closer to the actual size of the stage… it is still a little bit smaller, so ultimately, we’ll be saying “there’s more space in the space” a few more times before the show opens.

Three weeks to go!

Scriptwriting – an outsider’s perspective

2007-03-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

I have such respect for Jeff Love and Marc Adam Smith as they work on the script for Five Years Later. We have been rehearsing this play since January technically, but the first month was reading through the script and providing feedback to the playwrights.

It is amazing the metamorphosis this play has undergone! It must be so difficult for a playwright to love a scene or concept and then need to remove it for the strength of the overall piece. Originally, Five Years Later used a play with in a play setup featuring two additional characters from the future looking back on our present. We affectionately called them “The Judges.” Through our initial readings and much heated debate, it was determined that The Judges, while intriguing, were not necessary to the piece. The actual story stood on its own and made all the points the playwrights hoped to make.

Through this same process, various plot points were introduced and then discarded. Hilarious scenes were written and ultimately cut. One version of the script had Death dating Plague so she could get War to notice her!

Know that the play you will see in April has undergone hours of writing and rewriting so that we can bring you a quality piece of entertainment with a solid purpose. We hope you enjoy it!

Five Years Later runs April 11 – 28, Wed – Sat @ 8pm at The Sargent Theatre @ ATA, 314 West 54th Street, NYC.

Purchase tickets now!

Comedy is Hard!

2007-03-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd take a moment to let you all know that we are hard at work rehearsing Five Years Later, which is set to open a little over a month from now, on April 11th. It's an absurdist comedy, and if you are familiar with that medium, you know that zany things happen to characters who are larger than life - not quite as large as with a farce, but pretty out there.

I have the privilege/challenge of playing Oblivia, the hostess of the evening's memorial (but when you get right down to it, it's more of a party for these characters to flaunt their neuroses than any sort of memorial service). She's not the most outlandish of all the characters, but it is hard to let go of the humanity of the character and just run with it. The last few roles I have had were completely grounded in reality (even though one of them was the fictional Snow White in POY's Fairytale Monologues). I also have to trust that I'll be funny - the writing is really clever, so I don't need to work at being funny, I just need to get the timing right. Wish me luck!

We've got a seriously ridiculous (in a good way) cast of characters in this play:

A self-absorbed, technology-obsessed executive
A sexy, vacuous model
A tragically beautiful ward
A bull dyke
A flamboyant male nurse
A theatre snob
A sex-starved hippie
A lovestruck playwright
A dirty old man
A debutant (my character)
War, horseman of the Apocalypse
Death, fourth horseperson of the Apocalypse

They all interact with each other - they flirt, they fight, they get their 'nads shot off... It's a hoot. We hope you enjoy it! Tickets are on sale now, so please check it out.

'Diamond Jim' Wins Westminster Dog Show

2007-02-20T09:03:00.000-08:00

Point of You Productions would like to congratulate James ‘Diamond Jim,’ a spaniel, for his victory at Westminster! Diamond Jim is owned in part, by Diana Hadsall, the mother to none other than Alexis Hadsall of TheatreRats!

Notes and quotes from BEN WALKER, AP National Writer:

An English Springer spaniel with a preference for chicken-and-garlic treats prevented America's top dog event from turning into "The Cosby Show."

Diamond Jim beat out a Dandie Dinmont terrier co-owned by Bill Cosby, as he did at the big AKC/Eukanuba event in December. The Springer was the nation's No. 2 show dog last year behind Cosby's entry — Fitzgerald also repeated, having gone Best in Show at Westminster in 2000.

This was his 51st Best in Show victory, and his last. He's retiring from the show world to live the life of a therapy and obedience dog. He has already worked with Alzheimer's patients.

Kudos to Kathy Searle

2007-01-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

If you own a television, then odds are you’ve seen a commercial with Point of You alumni Kathy Searle! Be it encouraging her boyfriend to grab some cash that’s fallen from the sky from the New York Lottery to seeking therapy from Doctor Angus of Burger King, Kathy has always brought her amazing natural comedic timing into many a home.

Kathy was a member of Point of You, performing in our inaugural production of Women and Men: A Night of Four Original One Act Plays. “She has such natural comedic abilities and an endearing charm. I’m amazed she’s not the leading lady in a sitcom somewhere. But knowing her, it’s only a matter of time,” says Johnny Blaze Leavitt, who performed opposite her in the one act Acushla.

Point of You congratulates Kathy Searle on her recent national "bone crunching" Radio Shack commercial!

Jeff Love speaks to college students at NMSU

2006-12-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

Point of You's Artistic Director, Jeff Love, was recently in New Mexico, and had the opportunity to speak with some college students about POY. He recalls his experience below.

I recently had the pleasure of leading some workshops on living and thriving in the busy New York theatre scene with fellow company member Meghan Dickerson at New Mexico State University. We discussed with the students both the rewards and challenges associated with coming to the Big Apple and beginning a theatre company.

Meghan is a Co-Artistic Director and founding member of POY's sister company, New World Theatre (whose recent production of The Crackwalker can be read about at http://www.newworldtheatre.org/). Students asked about the prices involved in both rehearsal and performances spaces, as well as the general vibe of New York's Off-Broadway world.

We stressed the absolute necessity in surrounding yourself with like-minded artists, and also, with other theatre companies. Meghan discussed both New World Theatre and POY's collaborative efforts, and I spoke of my recent work with TheatreRats (www.theatrerats.com). While working with like-minded artists was something we have both been keenly aware of, our discussions on the topic showed that this collaboration was an even bigger factor in bringing success to our companies than we realized. It helps that, despite the ever-growing financial trials of having non-for-profit companies in this world, other companies and artists are more than willing to lend you their knowledge and talent in making great art for this magnificent city.

As cliche as it is (thank you Whitney Houston), our children really are our future. And if the noble doctrines of quality art and collaboration are not brought to them in all walks of life, not just in business, then we run the risk, as a people, of heading toward something resembling moral bankruptcy.

We also jumped at this chance to influence the artists that will, in the years to come, hopefully add to the history of artistic efforts in our country. We have, for years now, stressed the need to communicate and recruit New York's own student communities, whether they come from great colleges and universities like Columbia and NYU, or the city's many fine high schools.

The other amazing thing was how willing students are to learn. While these young minds were aware of the monetary constraints in making art, they were, nonetheless, undaunted by the prospect of finding alternative means for finding props, talent, and opportunities. And Meghan and I were more than happy to give them the advantage of our experiences.

We look at the other theatrical artists in our companies and are astounded again and again at how much they sacrifice to bring a rewarding and entertaining experience to our audiences and fellow collaborators. Whether it is with the set-building innovation of POY's Techincal Director Gerard Savoy, or the marketing genius of POY's Administrative Director (not to mention NWT's Managing Director) Melanie Kuchinski Rodriguez. Without these individuals, we would be strapped both finanically and artistically.

Moving on to future productions, the students at NMSU were also anxious to hear about what Meghan and I were working now. This was a topic I was able to speak at length about since Point of You is currently in production for a hilarious black comedy Marc Adam Smith (our own Production Director) and myself are writing, called Five Years Later. It would be a wonderful thing if NMSU realized the need to have these future artists come out and see our April production (hint hint...). But if this isn't to be, perhaps the graduating students that spoke to Meghan and me, and who are thinking of moving here, might be able to make a quick weekend stop to check out the city as well as the show. Granted, it would help a bit if their parents read this blog and spotted them the money (again...hint hint...).

The Play's the Thing

2006-10-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

from Tim van de Ven

Recently, I was commissioned to provide music for an off-off-Broadway play, "Hurt So Good", a ground-breaking story written by Johnny Blaze Leavitt and directed by Leavitt and his partner in theatrical crime, Suse Sternkopf.

"Hurt So Good" is equal parts love-story, drama, and comedy-lively, intelligent and very witty. It's also entirely groundbreaking; the crux of the story is the culture of BDSM relationships. This is not something that you'll find in the latest Andrew Lloyd Weber production; at least, not yet. Johnny's one of the first to bring this into the light of day. Michael Criscuolo of nytheatre.com gave the show a glowing review, including "Hurt So Good achieves what good theatre aims to do: it entertains while encouraging the viewer to question and examine their own beliefs."

Two of my pieces (both on this page currently) were used in the production; "Five" and "How Could I've Been So Blind" (the latter featuring the luscious vocals of Lobelia). Suffice it to say, I was very eager to see this production, both for the original content and naturally, to hear the fruits of my labours spilling out over the audience. So, it was off to New York.

I couldn't have been happier; a strong story, a gifted cast, and dynamic performances kept the play moving along and my music fit perfectly to heighten the mood. Did I mention that the play's musical director is a genius? When I wrote "Five", I'd never imagined having it used in a play; I was simply trying to write a good song. The same goes for "How Could I've Been So Blind"; it was all about the music. Hearing these two pieces worked into the body of play was amazing; they fit like the puzzle pieces that you didn't even realise were missing. Have I lauded the musical director enough yet? No? She's fantastic. You need one for your play.

There were challenges-both songs had to be adapted to really "fit" the play. "Five" had to be edited-lengthened-to fit under a 7-minute-long scene of pantomime and dialogue. Suse told me what the scene was about, and what it was going to need in terms of lengthening the song, but left the rest to me. With "How Could I've Been So Blind", I thought it would be interesting to turn the original demo version sung by a man (Paul Casey) into a duet sung by Lobelia and Paul. It provided a way to recap the first act without bludgeoning the audience. It also provided me with an opportunity to expand the song, giving it a tension it didn't have originally.

I caught the final two performances of the show, and was able to speak with almost all of the cast, and the writer and directors at a post-show gathering. I have made a lot of new and wonderfully talented friends and for this, I am deeply grateful. It's rare to meet people this special.

From my seat in the sold-out audience, "Five" fit wonderfully; it gave a sophisticated feel to the party scenes, sitting under the dialogue and putting a subtle rhythm into the activity on stage. This was something that Suse had heard all along; her foresight was what sent me back to Blue Punkin Studios to lengthen "Five" to fit these scenes. It fit beautifully. "How Could I've Been So Blind" was a treat; at the end of the first act, the curtain drops and this song pours out of the speakers and over the audience. Again, Suse was right on the money; it summed up the tension between the lead characters beautifully. Lobelia's lush and beautiful singing, when juxtaposed with Paul's treated and distorted vocals tell a wonderful story. I'll leave it up to you to decide what that story is; after all, art is a mirror (and sometimes, its work).

It thrilled me to no end to be part of the audience and to hear my music spill out and over us; I couldn't help but smile. It felt very, very good.

So, now that you've read this far, you're likely wondering, "How can I see these amazing people" or "How can I be part of this"? Well, wonder no more; you can visit the site www.pointofyou.org or click-through on the link on my page , just above my friends. They are a not-for-profit theatre company, and you can donate money or time to assist them. Help support independent theatre in New York; today's independent play might be tomorrow's blockbuster.

Thank-you to Johnny, Suse, Point of You, and the entire cast and crew for a tremendous opportunity and a tremendous experience; I won't forget this.

2nd Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival

2006-09-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

A note from Artistic Dirctor Jeff Love:

Last weekend I had the magnificent pleasure of partaking in Theatre Rats' 2nd Annual Chester Horn one-act festival.

Theatre Rats is a great company of people who are focused on developing the community of theatre in New York. I got to meet and work with such visionaries as Alexis Hadsall and Michael Ruby, the Artistic and Associate Artistic Directors (respectfully) of Theatre Rats.

And I really do have to call them visionairies.

They are able to see theatre in New York as a whole and not just as a collection of individual companies. It's easy to get so wrapped up in the feeling of competition for fame or fortune when you feel like there are only so many audience members to go around, but nothing could be farther from the truth!

Theatre Rats managed to bring over sixty people together to produce some wonderful work. Most of us had not worked together before.

If there is any sort of competition out there, it would seem that it is from those who are not interested in making good work as much as gaining popularity and wealth.

In that sense, Theatre Rats is an inspiration to everyone. Imagine in this day of infomercials and commericals that tell you how to make a quick buck and / or how you can become the most popular / happy / smart / rich kid on the block, having someone who just wants to see you succeed and have a good time doing it?

It was fabulous and a relief.

I certainly hope that we'll be able to work again in the future and I wish them the absolute best in luck.

A fond farewell for Hurt So Good

2006-09-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it. We performed our last show on Saturday night to a sold out house - everyone had a great time. In fact, Jessie J. Fahay, the actress who played Cecily, wanted to take a moment to bid the show adieu. Read below:

Working with Point of You has been nothing short of fun, challenging, and above all, inspiring. They are a team of artists who are organized and professional and at the same time versatile, creative, and really f***ing talented! Though this is my first time working with them, I can tell from this short 3 month period that they work so well together because of their ability to make great decisions while still creating a supportive environment for all those who collaborated with Hurt So Good. And when I say "collaborated," I mean just that. This was a remarkable ensemble piece in which the writer, director, and lead actor himself let his cast and Point of You members give many, many suggestions towards all three of his responsibilities... all of which he considered, making this a show about the ensemble--the best type of show to be a part of. Point of You members personally provided me with a lot of support, respect, love, and a really fun and challenging character--one that I will miss. Thank you guys. I am proud to call you family.

We'll miss you, too Jessie and thanks for doing such a great job. Thank you to all of our actors, crew members and staff who made Hurt So Good such a success. We could not have done it without you.

An interview with Female Pet, Felicia Velasco

2006-09-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Q. Thanks for meeting with me this morning, Felicia.
A. No problem, anything for Point of You.

Q. So tell me a little about your character, Female Pet. You don’t speak much, huh?
A. Female Pet was explained to me as being the fairy god pet of the BDSM scene. I just sort of flutter around from scene to scene observing what is going on with everyone else. I think Female Pet has all of her sh_t together and is a simple girl. She is quite content in her lifestyle.

Q. How do you feel about being a submissive and having a mistress?
A. It’s awesome. I love my Mistress Lyla. Female Pet is extremely loyal to her. And Sonia is such a kick ass girl!

Q. With such a large cast sharing one big dressing room, are there any fun tales to tell?
A. Well about once a week Sonia (Mistress Lyla) gets her first outfit polished by Maggie (Servant). That’s always fun to see and so very ironic. Maggie does very good work. Jessie and I (Cecily) have begun this ritual of warming up before the show by jumping invisible rope and then we do some crazy yoga exercises and then she does two push ups with me on her back! It’s awesome! Jesse is a kick ass girl, as well.

Q. There are two party scenes in the show - what do you really talk about at the party?
A. I keep my conversations in character, which is fun. In the Act I party scene I try to convince Rebecca (Marlise) to get a collar and I flirt with her and make her all uncomfortable. In Act II, while I’m bent over the saw horse, Woman Seeking (Hailey Giles) once whispered “now I’m saying something kinky” and “I’m bending this way because if I don’t, the audience can see right up my skirt”. Sonia tries to behave as my Mistress, but then I just start laughing – we need to work on that.

Q. Any mishaps on stage?
A. Well, the saw horse has been a huge problem. I think someone unintentionally walks into it every night. I’ve missed my cue twice last week in one of the scenes at the end of Act II, but shhh…don’t tell. And I covered it beautifully, if I say so myself!

Q. Were you worried about the subject matter?
A. I was slightly nervous about revealing too much. I didn’t want to be naked or half naked or three quarters naked. I believe I told Marc at the beginning of the production that I wanted to save my nakedness for the wrap party. I did some research on the scene. I read a book, Sensual Magic, very informative!

Q. How has the feedback been?
A. A couple of my friends were curious to know who “Female Pet” really was – there is just so much mystery and intrigue to my character. =)

And the first question that one of my girlfriends asked her friends when they left the theatre was, “what’s fisting?” Their response: “you really don’t know?” So people have definitely learned a thing or two!

Q. Any parting words?
A. I just want to say how awesome (I use that word a lot) it has been working with the cast and the Point of You peeps. I’ve met really great people and I hope to work with all of them again. Cheesy, but true!

Do you have a question for a cast member? Feel free to contact us at info@pointofyou.org. We may just post your question and our answer!

Felicia (second from right) and her castmates during a scene in Mistress Lyla's den.

Hurt So Good received a great review!

2006-09-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

nytheatre.com review

Michael Criscuolo · August 31, 2006

Equal parts expose and sex-ed class, Johnny Blaze Leavitt's new comedy Hurt So Good is also one of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of the still-young theatre season. Smart and engaging, Leavitt's story of one man's initiation into the world of BDSM teaches tolerance, encourages diversity, and reminds us that love and sex aren't confined to the little vanilla breadbox we often want to keep them in.

Tom is an aspiring documentary filmmaker whose soon-to-be live-in girlfriend, Cecily, has a surprising confession: she's a sexual submissive who wants him to dominate her. Having no idea what exactly that means, Tom sets out to learn more. He gathers up his film crew and embarks on a journey into the BDSM subculture to find out how to be a proper master, what being a submissive entails, and get some good footage for a new documentary project. Of course, Tom and his intrepid crew discover some unexpected things about themselves and each other along the way.

Leavitt succeeds on several fronts with Hurt So Good. First of all, his play is funny. Hurt So Good has a lot of fun ribbing both its protagonists and its subject. When telling his best friend, Keller, about Cecily's revelation, Tom immediately conjures images of leather-clad sadists in a dark dungeon. "Dude, I can't do any of that stuff!" he exclaims, "I mean, I don't even have a basement!" Later on, Keller protests Tom's suggestion that the film crew attend its first fetish party. The reason? "It's in Queens!" In Act II, while pondering the morality of having a female submissive (played perfectly by Maggie Cino) clean their apartment, Tom and Keller both pause long enough to note that "the place looks great, though."

Second, this is skillful writing. Leavitt surrounds Tom with a crew that represents several opposing viewpoints: there's Mairi, the quiet one who goes with the flow; Keller, the smart-ass who makes fun of everything (sometimes as a defense mechanism); and the tightly-wound Rebecca, who freaks out when confronted with something that doesn't jibe with her beliefs. The beauty of his writing here is that this device never feels likes one. When Tom & Co. debate the validity of their documentary and the BDSM lifestyle (which is often), their arguments come off as believable disputes between friends and co-workers.

Leavitt also demystifies common misconceptions about the BDSM community, putting the image of dungeon-dwelling masochists quickly to rest as Tom & Co. come into contact with a smorgasbord of people who, while firmly entrenched in the lifestyle, turn out to be just regular folks. They may do things a little differently in their relationships (and their bedrooms) than others, but they still want love, compassion, and understanding just like everybody else. And, their relationships are governed by the same tenets: trust, consent, and communication. Leavitt does a great job of making the lifestyle palatable and un-scary for the audience.

Hurt So Good is also blessed with a compelling immediacy that throws the audience right into the thick of things, experiencing the play's eye-opening twists and turns along with the protagonists. But Leavitt (who also directs, assisted ably by Suse Sternkopf) never handles any of the play's potentially sensitive moments—which include the film crew's first trip to sex toy store, and Tom's first administering of a spanking to a willing sub—in a way that's distasteful or uncomfortable for the audience (this is a comedy, after all). What's life-altering for the characters is fun-and-games for the audience.

The production is complemented by a marvelous ensemble cast of 23. There are many standout performances including Marlise Garde, Chris Keating, and Alyssa Mann as the fish-out-of-water film crew Rebecca, Keller, and Mairi, respectively; Jessie J. Fahay as Cecily; Sonia Gardea as Mistress Lyla, a dominatrix who is the crew's first point of contact; Amy Kersten, a Wonder Woman-clad sub who proves to be a sticking point later on; and Gerard J. Savoy as Master Anthony, an intense but seductive dom who befriends the film crew. Anchoring the production is an endearing lead performance by Leavitt as Tom.

Hurt So Good achieves what good theatre aims to do: it entertains while encouraging the viewer to question and examine their own beliefs. If the subject matter sounds a little frightening to some, there's comfort to be found in the maxim laid down by one of the characters who tells Tom, "Fear itself can be fun." Indeed.

I can't believe I did it!

2006-09-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Well, theatre is always an adventure in the unexpected and the last two days have been a bit of a whirlwind. One of the actresses in the show had to leave town suddenly, so I got a call at 7pm on Tuesday asking if I could go on in her place on Wednesday and Thursday. Yikes!!

I had attended several rehearsals and I listened to them tech and run the show all last week, so I feel that I have a working knowledge of the piece (more or less). It was just such a crazy experience to get home and start to learn lines so that I could perform the next night sans rehearsal. This character may not have a lot of lines, but she's got a rather lengthy laundry list of things that she rattles off nonchalantly. Talk about flying by the seat of your pants!

I called the costume designer and discussed what I could do for costumes (as I am quite a bit taller than the actress originating the role). We agreed to bring our options to the theatre on Wednesday and we'd make selections at that time.

Well, I arrived at the theatre and got immediately into costuming knowing that we had to move as quickly as possible so that I could then learn the fight sequences (yup, this character HAD to the be one with all the fighting). The costumes selected range from items from my closet, the costumer's closet and that of her male roommate (thanks for the vinyl pants, Hatim!). What fun!

With that out of the way, I went into fight call. Not having any stage combat experience, I was a little nervous, but the fight captains did a great job teaching me the basics and I am proud to say that I pulled it off (truthfully, I anticipated one slap a bit early, but the good news is that I didn't crash and burn).

The entire cast was so supportive. I had actors running lines with me backstage, whispering blocking to me and helping me get to where I needed to be. Thanks so much everyone!

It has been QUITE the experience. I am thrilled to have been able to do this, but I'll sure be glad when my responsibilities return to running the front of house. =) I will be on stage again tonight, so come see me sink or swim! Buy tickets now!

Enjoy some fun backstage photos:

Here I am in my fabulous outfits!

Maggie Cino polishes Sonia Gardea's outfit before she goes on stage.

It's tough to be so beautiful.
Nicole Godino cinches up Gerry Aguirre's corset as Hailey Giles looks on.

Hurt So Good has opened!

2006-09-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

We did it! After a tremendous five days of late nights and loads of preparation, Hurt So Good opened last week and was an immediate success (in my humble opinion). We've received great feedback and everyone seems to be enjoying the show!

I just have to say the sets and costumes are amazing - vibrant colors, loads of texture. I'll try to upload some photos soon.

We have some unique offerings this time around featuring a photo exhibition in the theatre lobby by Marie Halloran. Her collection is called Surrender (based on our show's theme, I bet you can guess the theme of her photographs).

The work hanging in the lobby are available for purchase - we have a silent auction going on right now with starting bids at a reasonable $25. You can also purchase prints directly from the photographer. Check out her work at www.mariehalloran.com/surrender/index.html.

A plentiful concessions area is available as well, where you can buy wine, water, chocolate and awesome POY t-shirts!

I feel that this company gets better with each production and I couldn't be more proud of our latest efforts.

There's a week and a half left of our run, so get your tickets now!

Artistic Director Jeff Love in the News

2006-07-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Ted LoRusso of United Stages interviewed playwright and POY Artistic Director Jeff Love regarding a piece he wrote for New World Theatre's summer production Hamlet: Evolution. His modern Hamlet adaptation Priscilla opened July 7th.

Here is the interview:

United Stages spoke with playwright Jeff Love about his latest play Priscilla, a female Hamlet for modern times, commissioned by New World Theatre as part of their show Hamlet: Evolution.

To avenge the death of a beloved parent, or wallow in self-pity and indecisiveness? To follow the advice of well-intentioned friends and advisors, or take the road less-traveled and follow one's own heart? To take up arms and fight for what's right, or put on a play? To be or not to be? Sound familiar?

It should. Then again, maybe not. For while the above questions can be attributed to William Shakespeare's Hamlet, arguably the greatest play ever written about a pussyfooter, they also belong to another wishy-washy title character named Priscilla.

Written by Jeff Love and currently playing at the Stella Adler Theatre, Priscilla is a boldface, contemporary rewrite of the Bard's great Dane. With a female at the helm.

So how does one rewrite Hamlet? For a girl? "You don't," said Love, "you grab the essence and you run with it. You create something new."

Indeed. Less a rewrite, more a redux, Love's Priscilla takes Shakespeare's orgy of indecision and plunks it in the backyard of a young, twenty-first century career gal, who wonders aloud if she's settling for Ray, the man she claims to love, or maybe there's someone better on the horizon.

"It only takes one mistake," says Priscilla, "going left instead of right. Choosing one guy over another," to lead her to her death. Then there's Priscilla's recently-murdered mother, or the ghost of her recently-murdered mother, reminding her that there's something's rotten on the patio.

The play was commissioned by Bob Zick, artistic director of New World Theatre. Zick wanted a contemporary comedy to play in rep with NWT's production of Hamlet 1603: The First Quarto. For playwright Love, adapting Hamlet was an easy fit.

"I'm interested in the act of indecision," Love said in a recent telephone conversation. "Women of the Gen-X and Y-ers are faced with more decisions than their mothers or grandmothers ever had to deal with. Indecision leads to destruction."
And in the hands of Love, destruction is funny. Career or motherhood? The guy I'm with, or the knight in shining armor I've always dreamed about? Avenge my mother's death, or go shopping? For Love, as with Shakespeare, it's the big and the little decisions that make a character come alive.

To read the real thing, click here

First Reading & Postcards

2006-06-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

We had our first reading of Hurt So Good last week and it went really well. The cast is HUGE, but I think it'll be a lot of fun. Everyone did a wonderful job and had great chemistry. I'll be putting photos and bios of the Guest Artists up on our site in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, let me tantilize you with the first of three postcards advertising the show. A big thank you to Marie Halloran for taking the luscious photographs for our production.

Remember, if you or someone you know may be interested in helping out with the show or donating a costume piece, prop, wine, etc. let me know! We're a 501(c)3 organization, so it would be tax deductible. Thanks!!

TV STAR!!!!

2006-06-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

Well Basic Cable, but...
So I am on a show called YEARBOOK on the Discovery/Times Channel. It airs Sunday nights at 10:00pm and again a few other times during the week. The show picks a year (1968,1973 and 1988 to name just 3 of the 6) and goes over some of the major events that took place. Then a learned group of Writers, People of Letters, Lawyers, Actors and such make comments on that event and what significance it had.

It is very surreal to see myself commenting on the same topic as Rev. Jessie Jackson or Henry Rollins. In one episode I got to comment on William Shatner's Album "The Transformed Man". Right after my comment was The Man himself, so as far as I am concerned I have worked with William Shatner!! Now if I can do something with Adam West, I will be a very happy boy!!!!

Yours
Marc Adam Smith

A little risque research...

2006-06-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

As you know by now, we are producing a romantic comedy of sorts about the BDSM subculture, called Hurt So Good. This past weekend was the Fetish Marathon in NYC and a group of POYers decided to attend one of the functions to educate ourselves and hopefully to promote the show. Here's a taste of what I experienced (remember, this is a first-timer's experience, so expect to read a little wide eyed naivete):

Marc Adam, Johnny Blaze, and I arrived with a few friends at the club around 11pm. When we first got there, it was still relatively quiet, but there were some interesting characters - a larger than life drag queen in latex, a man on the floor wrapped in carpeting, more latex... there was even a guy who looked like Marilyn Manson complete with odd colored eyes, latex body suit, heels, long black hair and nails.

Shortly after arriving, an innocuous fellow in a tuxedo and glasses walked up to me and told me I was beautiful and he wanted to know if I was a Mistress in the city. I told him, no I was from out of town and he hoped that I was a Mistress wherever I lived. I thanked him and moved on. I wasn't sure how to respond to his question... it was flattering, but I felt like I was a bit of a disappointment - apparently all decked out like a dominatrix. The reality of it was SO different (girly voice, big friendly smile).

We perused the vendor tables where we could get collars, leashes and other fetish gear as well as custom vampire teeth in 30 minutes. We saw various performances and interesting demonstrations (combat scene with flogging, regular flogging on a saw horse, foot worship... some poor guy was all tied up in a rope harness and a Mistress was whipping his bits from afar - ouch! He didn't seem to mind). Very educational.

After watching more demonstrations downstairs, we all went upstairs for the fashion show, which was lovely. My favorite was the nurse in black latex with a black latex mask that covered half her face. I have to wonder about the latex... it certainly isn't breathable, but almost EVERYONE was wearing it.

There were much older gentlemen there as well, a gentleman in tweed, the aforementioned tuxedoed gentleman, and I even saw a couple of older gents in latex and heels... this seemed like an environment that was very accepting of ANYTHING. I even saw an Orthodox Jew there!

At one point in the evening, I got to experience foot worshiping first-hand. It was interesting to see that something as simple as rubbing ones hands over my boot would be so satisfying.

All in all, it was very educational. Everyone was really nice and open. It seemed to be ALL about the costumes. I felt far more confident and sexier there than I normally do in real life. It's a chance to be someone else for a little while, a release from the tedium of day to day life and it is not all about sex.

So, there you go! I feel far more knowledgeable about the subculture and I can appreciate what Johnny's trying to do with Hurt So Good even more. I'd definitely be up for going to another event, but I think I need to learn more about protocol so that I feel prepared.

We papered the place with HSG flyers, so hopefully, we'll see some of these great people at our show.

Johnny snapped a quick picture of me dancing
around on the stage. Just call me Meltrix.

POY t-shirts are here!

2006-05-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

You, too, can own an awesome Point of You Productions t-shirt for only $15! POY Officers Melanie and Sean model two colors below:

Colors/sizes shown are Women's American Apparel Large in Army Green and Men's Hane's Beefy Tee Medium in Fire Engine Red. All shirts are 100% cotton.

We have the following:

Women's American Apparel T-shirts (they run small)

Large Fire Engine Red
Large Construction Orange
Large Army Green
X-Large Fire Engine Red

Men's Hane's Beefy T-shirts

Medium Fire Engine Red
Large Fire Engine Red
Large Construction Orange
Large Army Green (this one is a Gildan shirt and runs a bit large)
X-Large Fire Engine Red

Again, the cost is only $15. You can get yours by contacting a POY officer or by mailing a check made payable to Point of You Productions:
526 East 20th Street
Suite 1A
NY, NY 10009

We hope to have online purchasing options available soon, so stay tuned!

The AIDSWalk - photos and commentary

2006-05-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

Point of You Productions and New World Theatre partnered to participate in this year's AIDSWalk New York on May 21, 2006. Together, we surpassed our goal and raised $2,880 helping the event raise a total of $6,473,108! Congratulations to everyone who walked and thank you to all who donated. See the photos below:

The team (L-R): Bob Zick (NWT), Karron Karr (NWT/POY), Carrie Rueda, Chris Keating (POY), Johnny Blaze Leavitt (POY), Meghan Dickerson (NWT/POY).
Not pictured is the birthday boy Gerard J. Savoy (POY).

Karron Karr at the beginning of the walk (with Bob's profile in the foreground). Karron was the one who initiated our participation in the walk and we thank her for it. It is a great cause and everyone had a great time.

Here's Chris with Gerard whose birthday fell on the day of the walk.

Bob Zick is having a great time.

A photo of the VAST QUANTITIES OF PEOPLE participating in the walk.

Superheros from all walks of life participated in the walk. I am sure it should be noted that Johnny was very excited to be walking so close to the DC Comics team.

Chris, Karron, Bob and Gerard - what an enthusiastic walking bunch!

Johnny and Bob

A larger-than-life-size Red Ribbon was giving high
fives to keep the walkers' spirits up.

Johnny and Karron with Chester Cheetah!

And one of Johnny with Cap'n Crunch!
Is it just me or is his mustache REALLY oddly
placed (the Cap'n's 'stache, not Johnny's)?

Chris is truly the epitome of a "lost child."

The ladies of POY/NWT sporting their stylish
Walk Gear - Karron, Meghan and Carrie

And one final photo of the team: Bob, Karron, Carrie, Chris, Gerard,
Meghan and Johnny (taking the photo and thus not pictured).

Good job everyone! Let's do it again next year!

Open Call Auditions

2006-05-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Point of You held open call auditions for Hurt So Good last week at Atlantic Studios. They were a first for our company, but this show has a multitude of parts and we needed to find great actors and actresses to fill them. We - Johnny (Playwright/Director), Jeff (Artistic Director), Suse (Assistant Director), Gerard (Technical Director) and Marc (Production Coordinator), Sean (Production Manager) and me (Administrative Director) - arrived early and got set up. Sean was going to be the "gatekeeper" in the hallway and I was to be the "greeter" in the waiting room. The rest of the production staff was in the room waiting to interview potential actors. Sean, Jeff and I were set up with walkie talkies - complete with headsets - and I felt quite tech savvy. They really came in handy!

The open call started at 7pm and ran until 10pm - practically on the dot. We had a steady stream of auditioners and I had the privilege of sitting in the waiting room with them. It's a great place to be because I was able to talk up the show and interact with the auditioners in a very casual way. I got to see a side of them that the audition panel did not get to see. It was great! Although I think I acted a bit like a mother hen for I felt the need to reassure every auditioner that the panel of people they were going to meet was great and they shouldn't be nervous.

I am not sure if all open call auditions run this smoothly, but I think our first time out was quite the success. We met a lot of really great people and if they weren't quite right for this production, we will definitely keep them in mind for future projects.

Hurt So Good - Full draft reading

2006-04-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last week we had a table reading of Johnny's full length play Hurt So Good, both acts I and II. The reading went very well, followed by an extremely thorough and lively feedback session from new and familiar faces.

Johnny has already incorporated a good deal of the feedback into the script and he's sent around Draft 2 for the company Officers to review.

The plan is to have an open call audition in mid-May so stay tuned!

2006-04-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

The camera swoops in and finds a news anchor with a youthful demeanor sitting behind a desk. He’s shuffling papers that seem to have no writing on them while an unseen audience cheers like it’s a college prep rally. He addresses his audience.

Jon Stewart: Welcome back to ‘The Daily Show’, I’m Jon Stewart. Beat. Wait a minute, no I’m not. And this isn’t ‘The Daily Show’ at all. It is a written scene that does not involve the living, breathing Jon Stewart in any way, shape or form. It has nothing to do with ‘The Daily Show’, ‘Comedy Central’ or even basic cable. He stares with wide eyes for a beat then shrugs. But, you know, we’re here so what the hell?

He looks over to Camera Two.

Jon Stewart: Our guest tonight is an aspiring playwright, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, who’s latest work is a (and I quote) “a coming of age S&M love story” titled ‘Hurt So Good.’ Let’s see a clip!

Jon spins in his chair as the TV screen is filled with a scene from ‘Hurt So Good’.

Scene: A typical college apartment’s kitchen. It’s small, unkempt and nothing matches. Seated around the table are TOM and his roommate and co-worker KELLER.

Keller: You’re going to have to tell them sometime.

Tom: Will I?

Keller: Tom, you’re pretending to make a film about S&M just to score points with your girlfriend! Don’t you think when people go to see the film and there’s no actual film-

Tom: Now wait, there is an actual film!

Keller: But not a good one! You’re too distracted! You’re focus isn’t “How can I teach the world about S&M.” It’s “How quickly can I become this kinky weirdo Master for my submissive girlfriend so she won’t dump me!”

Tom: Keep your voice down! She’s still sleeping.

Keller: Do I get to meet her or are you going to kick me out again so you two can play Dungeons & Drag Queens?

Tom: Is that joke even yours? Tom fishes some money out of his pocket. Here’s five bucks. Go to the movies.

Keller: Gee, I wonder what’s playing in 1974…? ‘Cuz that’s when movies were five bucks, you jackass!

The bedroom door opens and out steps CECILY, a small woman with large eyes. She’s in pink flannel pajamas. Tom tenses.

Cecily: What’s all the shouting about?

Tom: Nothing. Keller’s just being, well, Keller.

Keller: And you love it.

Tom: Cecily, this is my best friend Keller. Kell, this is Cecily.

Cecily: It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.

They shake hands.

Keller: Likewise. So you’re a submissive, eh?

Cecily freezes, the looks at Tom. She can only see Tom’s left eye as the rest of his face is buried in his hands. Keller, not noticing or caring, barks:

Keller: Go make me some coffee. Now!

Beat.

Cecily: You’re an ass.

She storms off.

Tom: Thanks a lot.

Tom smacks the back of Keller’s head as he chases off after Cecily. Keller is left alone at the table. He pulls Tom’s bowl of Fruit Loops over to him and takes a spoonful. He says simply to no one in particular:

Keller: Huh. I like her.

The screen quickly cuts away from the clip and reveals a wide-eyed Jon Stewart looking like a deer caught in headlights. The audience laughs and let’s out a few yelps.

Jon Stewart: For those of you that were hoping for a hotter clip… He trails off, looks away and shrugs. He very rapidly follows up with… Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I’m wearing leather underpants. Please welcome Johnny Blaze Leavitt. Johnny Blaze!

The crowd cheers (and why not?) as a young man walks onto the Daily Show set. He has spikey hair, a goatee, and is clad in a black velvet tuxedo jacket, button down shirt and blue jeans. He shakes Jon Stewart’s hand and sits.

Jon Stewart: Sit. Welcome. Nice to have you on the show.

Johnny Blaze: Thanks, it’s great to be here.

Jon Stewart: So, first, I’ve gotta ask… “Johnny Blaze Leavitt”? Are you, like, the Jewish Method Man?

Johnny laughs.

Johnny: No, Blaze is my middle name. And I’m not Jewish.

Jon Stewart: Really? He leans in and whispers in a conspiratorial tone. Seriously, it’s ok to say so in Hollywood now. You can trust me.

Johnny just laughs and Jon Stewart leans back in his chair.

Jon Stewart: So this play, ‘Hurt So Good’, tell me a little about it.

Johnny Blaze: Well, it’s basically a story about two people who have always loved each other but just had really bad timing about getting together. And when they finally do, that’s when she reveals that she needs to be dominated for the relationship to, you know, work.

The women in the audience cheer louder than the men. Jon Stewart flashes them a bashful boyish face.

Jon Stewart: “I order you to order me!” Beat. See, I can’t get away with that.

Johnny Blaze: It is tricky.

Jon Stewart: I’ll bet. But let me ask you this. Jon hits the desktop and then points at Johnny Blaze. This is staged in such a way - or written, I should say, as a documentary film?

Johnny Blaze: Yes.

Jon Stewart: On stage.

Johnny Blaze: Yes.

Jon Stewart: You just blew my mind.

Johnny Blaze: The story goes that in order for Tom, who knows nothing about BDSM or anything, to find out about it all, he makes a documentary on that lifestyle.

Jon Stewart: I did the same thing. My wife said “Honey, host the news or we’re done!” And I still don’t know how to do it.

Johnny Blaze: I think you’re a riot.

Jon Stewart: Thank you. But getting back to this, why tell this story? Why now?

Johnny takes a long breath before giving a short explanation.

Johnny Blaze: Well, it’s a very volatile time right now for sex and sexuality. You’ve got an administration whose whole philosophy is “Sex is dirty and shouldn’t be mentioned anywhere until you’re married” and yet BDSM or S&M is popping up everywhere: TV shows, movies, fashion, even in advertising. From automobiles to Altoids.

Jon Stewart: And let me just say this, Altoids? He rolls his eyes up and takes a beat. They hurt SO good!

The audience laughs and John’s chin disappears into his neck as he giggles at his own silliness.

Jon Stewart: I agree, though, sex is a controversial issue these days.

Johnny Blaze: It’s only controversial because the powers that be tell us we shouldn’t talk about it.

Jon Stewart: In this play, you point out that some people can lose their jobs over being ‘out’ about this lifestyle.

Johnny Blaze: Being into BDSM now is like being homosexual in the 1950’s. It’s shrouded in ignorance and negative stigmas but in reality is far more common than anyone expects.

Jon takes a moment and puts on his ‘serious’ demeanor.

Jon Stewart: I, uh, I too am in a, uh, a relationship where I’m ordered to do humiliating a degrading acts… for someone else’s amusement. See, I just had a kid and, well… Jon instructs the show’s crew… Show them the picture I have, there.

We see a picture of Jon Stewart’s face. He’s CLEARLY feeling depressed and humiliated. The camera zooms back and we see why. Jon is dressed in a homemade “Death to Smoochie” dinosaur costume while an infant in diapers and a “daddy is my bitch!” baby t-shirt points and laughs at him. We hear the audience howl with laughter. As the camera comes back to Jon in the studio, he’s waving off the audience’s applause.

Jon Stewart: Don’t. Don’t encourage him. He goes back to addressing Johnny Blaze. So was it hard for you to tell your theatre group or your cast or, you know, tell me about any of that. What do your parents think of the play?

Johnny swallows a smile.

Johnny Blaze: They don’t know. I told them I’m adapting 'The DaVinci Code' to the stage.

Jon Stewart’s eyes narrow and he strokes his chin.

Jon Stewart: Very shrewd, my friend. Well played.

Johnny Blaze: I don’t let many folks in on my comings and goings.

Jon Stewart: I don’t think you can say that on basic cable.

Johnny Blaze: But the few friends that had to be let in on a few stories behind my play? Well, you know, everyone reacts differently. Some people just shrugged, some people freaked out, some people are just idiots and want to gossip.

Jon Stewart: Gossip? In the entertainment industry?! With mock indignity I do not believe your lies. Punching every word I said good day! :

Johnny Blaze: It’s bad enough society puts sex lives on trial but when your inner circle does-

Jon Stewart: So this is or is not based on true events? Tell me. He bangs the table. Don’t wait for the translation!

Johnny laughs and runs his fingers through his hair.

Johnny Blaze: It’s all fiction. The characters are made up, the situations, the scenarios, it’s all fiction. But there’s a lot of truth in the ‘documentary’ aspects, the instructional parts.

Jon Stewart: Let me ask you one more thing and then we’ve gotta go to commercial. Was it difficult then, writing such a… such a personal piece about a taboo topic?

Johnny Blaze: It was tricky to find the balances; making it informative yet entertaining, making it feel like a documentary yet with a driving story, sexy enough to entertain the ‘in’ crowd yet not too over the top to alienate the vanilla crowd. I’ll be very interested to see what the audience thinks.

Jon Stewart: fumbling with his tie I’m, uh, I’m more of a, uh, Cherry Garcia crowd myself.

Johnny Blaze: I’ve heard that about you.

Jon Stewart makes a fist in front of his mouth as he let’s out another giggle.

Jon Stewart: very rapidly Well, thanks for coming down. The play is called ‘Hurt So Good’. Look for it this September, it’s sure to be an exciting time! Johnny Blaze Leavitt, everyone!

Johnny waves to the crowd as the camera zooms back. The Daily Show’s theme plays as the audience cheers and yells. Jon Stewart leans in and he and Johnny Blaze continue to talk and laugh, probably at their own jokes.

Blackout.

*No one from The Daily Show was harmed in the writing of this FAKE interview. Cross my heart.

Andrew Upton on Adaptations

2006-04-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

From Artistic Director Jeff Love:

Johnny and I went to Andrew Upton's symposium on adaptation on 3/21 at Yalcinak Hall here in the city – thank you to Bob Zick of NWT for inviting us. Johnny wanted to attend the symposium because he had recently adapted Kenneth Branagh's film "A Midwinter's Tale" and I was interested because of the modern day take on "Hamlet" that I'm writing for New World Theatre.

As a person, Mr. Upton seems nothing short of brilliant, and he's funny. Actually, he's funnier than he thinks he is. He was obviously nervous and was apologetic about almost everything that he said and did - drinking incessantly from his bottle of water and commenting that giving a symposium is a "thirsty business."

He pointed out one major thing to keep in mind about today's audiences: They (we) can pick up story lines faster than our ancestors from Norway in 1895. (He recently adapted Henrick Ibsen's play "Hedda Gabler" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music where his wife Cate Blanchett is playing Hedda, hence the reference.) When I spoke with him afterward, I mentioned that I completely agree with this observation and offered that the reason may be because we are exposed to many more storylines. In fact, in a span of two hours, one can see at least four storylines (if we're watching sitcoms for example).

I also spoke with him about the version of "Hamlet" we are working on and we discussed the need to focus on the premise of the original texts while allowing the characters to decide the action. I even heard Mr. Upton refer to our dialogue and mention Point of You by name when he was speaking with another group of people!

All in all, I found the symposium to be very inspiring and it was great to see a successful playwright tackling the classics in a new way. Johnny’s got some adaptations in the works, so I know he walked away with a bit of inspiration as well.

Get Involved with Hurt So Good

2006-04-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

The script for Hurt So Good has been completed! We are scheduled to have a table reading of the play in its entirety on April 19th. I, for one, can't wait.

While the subject matter of this piece is a bit foreign to me, I feel that it is such an important topic about which to discuss and educate. What better way to do so that than with entertainment? See a great show and leave a little more enlightened than when you arrived.

Do you feel strongly about educating people about BDSM, dispelling the myths and negative stereotypes? If so, please contact us. We are looking for organizations and individuals to help us get this production off the ground. We welcome affiliations, volunteers, financial sponsors, donated goods - you name it, we can probably use it!

Please send any inquiries to affiliations@pointofyou.org.

A new show: Hurt So Good

2006-03-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Hurt So Good: a romantic tale based on the beginnings of an S&M relationship. It’s funny, erotic, dramatic, and educational. It’s a love story. But why this story, and why now?

It’s a piece focusing on an alternative lifestyle that, believe it or not, isn’t all that alternative. By that I mean most people have at one point engaged in BDSM (an umbrella term for “bondage & discipline; dominance & submission; sadomasochism”) activity in their sex lives. No, not everyone is a die-hard member of this subcultural community but ya don’t have to be on a major league team to play baseball.

This is a story that’s able to shed some light on a very dark topic. Most people have heard about BDSM (or at least S&M) but it seems most have questions and yet never ask them. Or at least never ask people who have the right answers. I cannot tell you how many people have visited a website or rented a dvd (after summoning up the courage to walk through the bead-draped doorway to that ‘forbidden section’ of their local video store) and assumed that the fiction/fantasy they’ve found is fact.

And I’m not a fan of the current political agenda of anti-education. It’s an American age of “let’s get back to family values.” And how is that being implemented? “Let’s just not talk about any of the undesirable topics, like sex and sexuality, and let’s not ask any questions. Ignore it and it will all go away. Until you’re married. Then you’ll just magically know everything.” Um… What?

It’s a tricky thing, though, to create a piece that’s educational without being preachy, erotic enough without alienating the average audience member, yet still appealing and entertaining enough to those in the subculture.

Keep in mind, this isn’t meant to be - nor am I attempting to make it - an A-Z guide of everything the subculture has to offer! This is but ONE relationship in ONE particular style. Think about it people: Every relationship is different no matter what culture, subculture, lifestyle or sexual preference you’re into.

Is this a personal story? I think every piece a playwright creates is personal. Is this autobiographical? There will always be snippets of personal experience in what I write, surely. But this is a work of fiction. This isn’t a journey I’ve been on personally but it is a story that will have a lot of moments that will ring true to a lot of people. Act One is a lighter, funnier romp peppered with stumbles and foibles. Act Two is the dark shadow the lighter Act One casts, dealing with the more devious and dangerous aspects that always seem to grab society’s attention (which they then twist to their daily-talk-show-loving delight).

What do I hope will come of this? I hope people will laugh, I hope those in the subculture will smile and say “I remember being in that situation.” I hope those that know nothing about BDSM will have some questions answered. I hope it will raise more questions and that people will feel comfortable enough to find the answers.

Of course, fortune and fame wouldn’t be SO bad…

Welcome!

2006-01-30T19:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Point of You blog. We hope to use this new technology to keep you updated about what we are doing and how we are doing it. We want to be able to provide you with an insider's perspective into our company. We're a zany bunch of people, but we do great theatre and would love to take you on the journey with us!

Feel free to send us your comments at feedback@pointofyou.org or respond to this posting by clicking on the COMMENTS link below.

Thanks!