Restaurant Etiquette

I've been trying to be a more positive person lately. I think that in my past I've been fairly positive, but for some reason, be it the stress, or work, or whatever, I've been a little less forgiving and slightly more judgmental of other people.

Like I said I'm working on being better, but when one is a server at a restaurant certain people make it... difficult to be positive. For example, I've tried to be more understanding of small tippers lately. I know that times are hard for a lot of people and that leaving a big tip might seem like an avoidable cost. I understand that. (Although we in the restaurant business have a saying: "If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out.") But some people just really get my goat. Last night I was working at Texas Roadhouse and I had a party of four come in. They were nice people, apparently wealthy, and they were ordering big. (Servers love it when people order big.) In the end their total came to around $90.00. So, fifteen percent on ninety bucks is about $13.00 but they seemed generous so maybe twenty percent, $18.00. What did they actually leave me in the end? Zero dollars. So I'm trying to be positive and not hate them without knowing them. And I know that there are a lot of factors that could've gone into their decision. Maybe the guy paying picked up the check (to be nice) before he knew how much it was and he didn't have enough to cover a tip. Or maybe they thought I had already added gratuity, or maybe they thought I was making an hourly wage so I didn't need a tip or something. So as I was thinking about slashing their tires I thought of all the things that we as servers wished that our tables knew. So, I'm going to make that list right now.

Things that your server wants you to know about.

1. In many states servers get paid less than minimum wage.

For example. In Utah most servers only get paid $2.13 an hour by the restaurant. We make ALL of our money from tips. The paycheck I picked up from the restaurant yesterday for two weeks of work was $13.00. I kid you not.

2. Many restaurants have a 'tip share' system.

What is a tip share? Many restaurants require the server to 'share' a percentage of his/her gross sales. For example if I sold $1,000.00 worth of food and my tip share was a three percent. At the end of the night I have to 'share' $30.00 out of my pocket with the buss boys, the hostess', and the kitchen. Now lets look at this $90.00 ticket I had last night. Three percent of ninety is $2.70. That means I actually lost money on that table. When you 'stiff' your server, the person who just got all of your refills, brought you your food, and six baskets of rolls, just lost money.

3. Our tables are out money makers.

Many restaurants today have three table sections. This means that I can only make as much money as those three tables produce. What's my point? Please don't linger at your table long after you've paid. The longer you're there the longer I'm not making any money... that said It's totally fine if you want to stay and chat with your friends. As long as you make up for it in the tip.

4. You are not our only responsibility, and we only have two hands.

Please be patient with us. If we don't bring your refill back in ten seconds it's probably because we're busy doing something else. We may have other tables to greet, food to run, floors to sweep, garbages to take out, glasses to restock, ice to refill, specialty drinks to make etc... the job description of a server includes many more tasks than just waiting on you. We're trying our hardest to please you. I promise.

5. It's not our fault your food is: burnt, cold, late, wrong, gross, etc...

We didn't make it. We put the order in, and when it was done we brought it to you. We will certainly do what our part to make it better, but don't take it out on us if something is wrong. On that note, it's also not our fault that you had to wait an hour, or if you didn't get a seat where you can see the TV.

6. Fifteen percent should be the minimum.

We as servers understand that times are hard. Because times are hard for us as well. For some reason many people seem to think that a fifteen percent tip should only go to reward excellent service. Not so. Fifteen percent should be for any service. If you feel like your server was a good one, and you can afford it, tip them more. But please, if you can't afford to tip fifteen percent then don't order the Big Steaks and the expensive combos. Because we have to pay three percent of your bill. When ordering, and when tipping, keep in mind that three percent of that bill comes out of your servers pocket.

7. We Appreciate a Thank You but...

There is a phrase that is dreaded in the restaurant world known as "the verbal tip". It comes when the table is so gracious and kind and full of compliments to the server that the server is certain that they will be tipped well only to find a six to seven percent tip. We love it when you are nice to us, but it doesn't make up for a bad tip.

8. Servers believe in Karma

If you're good to us then we will think happy thoughts for you all night. If you're bad to us we'll curse the day you were sat in our section. Treat your server as if he/she was your favorite child. Be patient, forgiving, and generous.

This is already getting too long so I'm going to wrap this up with a list of things to keep in mind when decided how much to tip. (Please remember that you should start at 15 percent and go up if these things are good. Not start at 15 percent and go down if they are bad.)

* The amount of your bill.

* The quality of service.

* Effort required to serve you. (lots of refills, and extra things etc...)

* Time spend at the table. (Time is money.)

* The amount of people at the table. (Kids meals are cheaper, but don't require any less effort to serve. They also take up just as many seats as rich adults.)

*It is never acceptable to stiff your server.

If you actually made it through this one servers everywhere thank you!

-Travis Cox_

New Life, New Ideas, and almost a New Year!

Attention fellow Bloggers!

I apologize that my blog has been down for so long. This past semester was, to say the least, an interesting one. But school has finally ended and I will definitely be blogging much more frequently!

I love the feeling of being done with a semester. To be able to pull up this blog and not have to worry about getting homework done or anything like that! It's fantastic. Freedom. Haha.

In other news I'm thinking about starting some other blogs as well. I was recently cast in Dixie State College's production of 'Macbeth' and I'm dreadfully nervous. But I'm also very motivated to get into shape for the production. And although I know that nobody wants to see me with my shirt off I thought it might be cool to document my transformation into sexiness photographically. (Plus it would provide me with some much needed additional motivation.) I'll keep you posted on whether or not I decide to go through with it.

And secondly, if I decide that I can afford it, I want to make a blog dedicated to entering all of those sweepstakes we find on the wrappers of candy bars and soda pops, and then documenting and reporting on the results.

So anyway, this blog will continue to be my priority bringing you random bits of info from wherever I decide to find it.

Thanks for reading.

Neil Simon Festival Awesome-Ness

Ok... I know it has been about six billion years since I've written any sort of blog, but it's because I've been very busy with rehearsals for the Neil Simon Festival. For those of you who don't know my wife Whitney and I have been participating in the shows at the Festival this summer and we just opened our season last week. I don't have a lot of time, but I want to take a few minutes to talk about the three shows at the Festival.

The first is called 'Last of the Red Hot Lovers'. I'm not in this play but my wife is, so I've had to opportunity to watch it several times. And to be completely honest with you, it is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen anywhere. It's a small cast of four, but the cast is extremely talented. The story is about a middle-aged man named Barney Cashman (played by Richard Bugg, the founder of the Neil Simon Festival.) who is going through a middle age crisis. Barney is trying desperately to join the sexual revolution of the seventies by having an affair for the first time. It's a play in three acts and each act is a different woman. What interests me most about this script is that Simon uses three very different styles of comedy in each act. So that no matter who you are there will be something for you to laugh at. (If you're like me you'll laugh at all three acts.) The three women are played by talented actresses: Susan Page Lane, Ellen Treanor, and (my personal favorite) Whitney Morgan Cox. All three women have created beautifully colorful characters that light up the stage. I honestly have nothing bad to say about this show. I highly recommend it.

The Second show is an American classic by Mary Chase: Harvey. (my wife and I are both in this one.) Most people are very familiar with this story because of Jimmy Stewart's Hallmark performance in the movie. Well, I haven't seen the movie yet, but let me tell you first off the Roger Dunbar's portrayal of Elwood P. Dowd is flawlessly adorable. From what I hear he has managed to avoid copying Jimmy Stewart but has still developed an incredibly interesting character. The story revolves around Elwood and his invisible friend Harvey... who also happens to be a rabbit... and six foot tall rabbit. Is Harvey real or not?

Lastly is Biloxi Blues. The second installment in Neil Simon's autobiographical trilogy is about Eugene's stint in the army. The play takes place at boot camp, and I must say that this entire cast is really incredible. Every so often a show comes along that you are truly proud to be a part of. Biloxi Blues is one of those shows. If you don't mind some PG-13 rated language I highly recommend this show.

This festival is so much fun all around. They've brought the chairs up on the stage so that the audience is really part of the story. you get to see the tears in the actors eyes and every little facial expression. It makes for a truly intimate theatre experience. Ticket prices are only a fraction of what the Shakespeare Festival will cost you, and I can humbly tell you that the performances are just as good. If you get a chance come support this young and growing festival. There are two shows a day everyday but Monday and Sunday. For more information visit www.simonfest.org And remember that the best way for poor people to support the arts is word of mouth. Most of us can't afford to make donations, but all of us can tell our friends about upcoming theatrical events.

Excuse and spelling or gramatical errors that may be in this blog, I don't have time to proof read. But I hope you get a chance to come check us out, and as they say on the poster: Come Laugh With Us!

New Resturant.

Whitney and I always like trying new restaurants so when she wanted to take me out for my birthday dinner on Wednesday we decided the new restaurant Haven. It's located over by all of the car dealerships on your way into Bloomington. Anyway, they had a cool logo, so we decided to check it out. The first thing I noticed when we got there was there very cool feel of the place. It somehow seemed classy, and... groovy at the same time I dug it. Our table was right in front of the kitchen, which in a normal restaurant I would hate... alll the yelling, the loud cooks, the servers taking a break back there can be really distracting. But Haven actually has a window for you to observe the goings on of the kitchen. Everyone was professional, and quiet back there. At one point of the night we een overheard a conversation with the Executive Chef, Francis vander Stappen, and a very curious little girl who was peering over the counter. It was very charming.

We started with an appetizer that was simulationously a great start to a fancy dinner, and the prefect super bowl dip. (See Buffalo Chicken Dip) And soon saw that this was a theme of the resturant. on their home page Haven owners say that "The chefs blend the old with the new. They specialize in making something comfortable and familiar with a contemporary, sophisticated twist." Menu items like Macaroni and Cheese, and Meatloaf speak true to this.

The service there was great and so was the food. I have to tell you that working at a very good steak house has made me incredibly hard to please when it comes to eating steak. But I decided to risk it and I ordered the ribeye. At first I was didsappointed because my steakwas obviosuly over cooked (let me add that for being well done it was surprisingly tender and juicy) but at the first mention of it my server, Paul, immeidietly had the kitchen going on a new steak. This one was perfect. Really one of the best steaks I've ever had. Perfectly cooked and the flavor was beautiful. My hats off to the chef.

The whole evening was very enjoyable. It's a little priceyer than applebees or chilis but much less than scaldonis. Menu items range from $10.00 to $26.00. If you're looking for a new place to tryout I definitely reccomend it.

The St. George Road Runners

I only have a minute to post, but I thought I'd give a shout out to the The St. George Road Runners. For those of you who don't know, we have a baseball team... and a good one! They're 9-3 for the season, and leading their division. I got free tickets to their game against the Chico Outlaws so I took my wife and went. It was really fun! I was surprised to see high energy double plays, home runs, and our pitcher has a 93 mile an hour fast ball!

Like I said I only have a minute, but I recommend going to support these guys. It's great night out with the fam, or a date, or whatever. Check out their website for the schedule.

Oh, and just so you know The Road Runners won 12 - 7.

Double Vision

Well, in keeping with the 'random' part of this blog I thought I'd share this way cool optical illusion I stumbled across. When you look at it up close you should see Albert Einstein. But if you go across the room and look at it you should see Marilyn Monroe. How cool is that! And apparently it's more than cool. Check out this article to see how scientists use images like this to study how our brains process light. It's pretty interesting.

Star Trek Review

I know this is old news for the majority of you… but I just saw the new Star Trek movie and I thought I would share my thoughts. Before I start getting all analytical and stuff let me just say: Awesome! I’m sorry, I don’t like to shamelessly praise movies but every so often there comes a movie where one just can’t help it. I loved it. Here’s why:

This movie literally had everything the movie-goer could ask for.  High energy action, just the right amount of comedy, some genuinely touching moments, and pretty people! Speaking of pretty people… the casting was absolutely brilliant. They managed to find the perfect person to play every role! Some particular favorites were Simon Pegg as Scotty (Love him!) Zachary Quinto as Spock (He was great in Heroes he was great in this.) And Eric Bana as Nero. (Didn’t even realize it was him until the end.) Oh, and of course Leonard Nemoy was also cast spot on. ;) While we’re on the subject of pretty people I need to give a head nod to the make-up crew of this film. Everything from prosthetics, to cuts, shaving eyebrows, to painting bodies green. I wouldn’t be surprised to see an Oscar nominee for those folks. They helped us believe that these were the younger versions of all the characters we know and love in the original Star Trek.

Now, while I am by no means a qualified ‘Treky’ I do know a little about the original and from what I could tell die hard Star Trek fans should thrilled about the care taken to protect the integrity of the franchise. Everything from the costumes, the sets, the design of the starships, the history, even the dialogue just ‘fits’ into the original. My only qualm on this issue is that Scotty never said “We need more power!”  But he did say “That’s all she’s got!” though, so I’m fairly satisfied…

Well, I guess I never got to the “all analytical” part of this review. But I think that’s because while you’re watching Star Trek you just don’t care about that kind of stuff. The movie is just so much fun.  If you’re one of the few people left who haven’t seen it yet… you should. And see it in the theatres. It’s just not gonna be as good if you RedBox it.

 

I give it an A

Renaissance Faire and Inverted: Two Great Thinsg at the Same Place!

Hey, it's Saturday, it's Memorial Day Weekend, you need something fun to do in St. George! Some of you may have heard about the Renaissance Faire that is going on out at the Washington County Fairgrounds this weekend. Well, my acapella group 'Inverted' performed there yesterday and it was actually a lot of fun. I had to work immediately following our set so I didn't have too much time to walk around. But from what I could see it looks like a pretty sweet set up. Very similar to the Dickens Festival. There are games, shops, dressed up characters wandering about, lots of activites for the kids, contests, and of course live entertainment several times throughout the day.
If you get a chance I recomend heading out there today to support this great event. If you happen to head over there around 6:30 make sure to stop by the King Arthur Stage to listen to 'Inverted.' We do abot an hours worth of acapella songs, several of which are original arrangements... but it's not your mom's acapella. (Not that there is anything wrong with your moms acapella.) We sing songs like: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz, Used to Love You by John Legend, Smooth Operator by Sade, and a bunch of other cool stuff. Anyway, it's a great way to spend a Saturday night, whether you're on a date, or spending time with the family. While you're there you might want to check out the Big Dinner Feaste as well. Check out Roger Dunbars blog for more info on that. Hope to see you there!

Angels and Demons

I saw Angels and Demons last night, and I have to say I loved it. I've never read the book, but I thought that the story telling by Ron Howard was phenomenal, and the Acting by Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Stelin Skarsgard, and really the whole cast was suburb. Dan Browns writing is so great at grabbing audiences, and keeping them on the edge of their seats. Angels andDemons had me guessing the whole way through.

I've heard that some book fan's are a little upset about some inconsistencies, and even some major characters being completely left out. To them I say: so what? My wife has read the book and she explained some of the major differences (ie: the description of the bad guy, the wheelchair guy, the love story etc...) and to be completely honest with you if any of those things had been left in the movie it would've been too much. Dan Brown's storys are so complex already that anymore relationships, or plot twists, would've been overwheliming, and too hard to follow for the average movie-goer. I give kudos to Ron Howard and the writers for simplifying and only keeping what was needed to tell the story.

Without giving away too much of the story allow me to tell you some of my favorite things:
1- Tom Hanks. He has always been one of my favorite actors, and I think he can do anything. He nails this younger version (even thoughTom is now older) of Robert Langdon. Without going overboard he subtly makes us believe that this character is actually 'that good'. When he finds the clues we don't say "oh that was convienient..." we say "this guy is awesome!"
2- I have to say that Ewan McGregor was perfectly cast! I can't think of anyone better to play the role of the Camerlengo. His performance was excellent.
3- I think that Catholics will be very pleased with the way thier church was portrayed overall. I know that there was a lot of fuss over The Divinci Code, but I feel that both Ron Howard and Dan Brown were very delicate in the way they handled religion in this movie. This is a fictional movie, I hope people remember that.
4- The ending was great. But then again the whole movie was great. You laughed, cried, cringed, gasped, cheered, and in the end you were completely satisfied. It was $7.50 well spent if you ask me.

I give it an A-

Stand By Me ... You've Gotta See This

So I stumbled across this video today... I don't know if I'm just in a super sensitive mood today or what... but it made me cry. In a good way. I don't have much time to write a whole blog about it. just check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM You can see more videos (and I recommend it) here.

Top Ten Reasons to Go See DSC Theatre's Student Directed One Acts

Last night I went to see 'A Night of One Acts' at DSC Theatre last night and I liked what I saw. The students in the Directing II class have worked tirelessly putting together these shows and are allowing the public to come see them for absolutely free. Tonight (Friday) is the last night so head over to the Dolores Eccles Black Box Theatre at 6:00 for a great night of unique (and free) theatre.

10. It's Free!
9. You get to see several new faces in the St. George Theatre World.
8. All the lights were designed by student designers.
7. You'll get see a semester of training come to fruition.
6. There are four great one acts to see all on one night.
5. You probably know the directors! (Crystal Bates, Anisa Bennett, Mellissa Erickson, Brooke Owen.)
4. Tonight (Friday) is the last night.
3. It makes a great date night! (It starts at 6:00 and will be over by 8:00)
2. You'll get to see four new shows that you've never seen before.
1. You'd be supporting your local college arts program. (Good cause.)

Improve Comes to St. George

Last Wednesday my wife I and went to check out St. George's brand new improve group called 'The Truth About Lies". The meet every first and third Wednesday of each month at 9:00pm at The Electric Theatre. 

I haven't been to The Electric Theatre since before my mission and I really loved the space. It's got a great eccentric, hip, yet unconventional feel to it... A great space for improve. The show was hosted by Anisa Bennett, who's energy really got the show going on the right foot. As we met the players we immediately saw that this was going to be a high energy show. The cast includes Justin Cullimore, Jarom Brown, Danielle Wolverton, Noah Dixon, and Steve ___________ (Sorry Steve, I don't know you're last name.) And as I understand there are other players that sometimes rotate through. Every player had several brilliantly funny moments in the show, but there were two people that stood out as being, not just funny, but hilarious, the entire evening. Justing Cullimore was born for this as far as I'm concerned. His level of energy is overwhelming and contagious in a beautiful way. The other being Noah Dixon. His political incorrectness, and strong character choices light up the stage. I've never seen a better Brittany Spears.

The crowd was small but 'The Truth About Lies" still brought their A game and really put on an entertaining show. The cost is six bucks, but as far as I'm concerned it is well worth it. Hopefully as time goes on, word will spread and they'll begin to pick up a following. For what it's worth I think it makes a great unique date night, or for a night out with friends. 

I give it a B+

Ricky Valadez

Some of you may know Ricky Valadez. Well I just want to take a short moment to tell you all to check out his music. He's a student at Dixie State College, a good friend of mine, and a ridiculously talented individual. He just got some songs up on iTunes, check em' out. Or you can listen for free at http://soundsugar.net/ricky. Leave a comment, tell your friends about him, and let's get this guy the reckognition he deserves. He has a great, unique sound that is refreshing to hear. My personal favorites are Rubik's Cube and his rendition of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Hope you enjoy his sound.

One Life: The Story of Nathan Hale

For those of you who don’t know, Dr. Brent Hansen of Dixie State College has been working, along with Ricky Valadez and Ben Stratford, on a new musical based on the life of Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale. I don’t know just how long Brent has been going at it, but I’ve known about the play for over a year now. I first heard of it when Brent asked Joel Thomas and I to do a scene from the play for part of a lecture he was giving. I fell in love with the project then, and it’s been an honor to be a part of it since. Dr. Hansen finished the first draft just before the Christmas break and held a public reading of the piece. I read for Nathan and my wife read for Nathan’s love interest Lydia. It was great. People were weeping by the end… and we were in our street clothes sitting behind a table! However, Brent won’t be offended when I say that it wasn’t perfect, because it wasn’t. And that’s why he wrote a second draft and is going to be doing another public reading on the 18^th of this month.

There are several things that have made me fall in love with this play. First of all it’s a truly incredible story. Based on the life of an extraordinary man. (Nathan Hale is the man who famously said: “My only regret is that I have but one life to lose for my country.”) Secondly, it’s an original piece. And for some reason I get ridiculously excited about new theatre. Especially when it’s good! And this piece is good. I’m obviously biased because I know all of the people involved, and I’ve had the opportunity to work on the project with them, but I really feel that when this script is complete it will have the epic power and quality that will put it in the same category as Les Miserables. And thirdly Brent Hansen is just an incredible human being. He loves writing. And it shows in his work. My first play back off of my mission was another original piece by Brent called ‘A St. George Christmas.’ I learned from Brent that he puts a tremendous amount of care into whatever he is working on. And everyone involved feels rewarded because of it.

The reason Brent holds these readings is to make the project better. He gets to hear the script out loud, and get feedback from his peers. So if you get a chance, come watch us read and sing this amazing work in the art gallery located in the Dolores Eccles Building on the campus of Dixie State College. You won’t regret it. After the reading Brent is humble enough to ask you what you thought. So you’ll have the opportunity to have a hand in creating a marvelous piece of theatre. The reading starts at 7:00, and admission is free. Hope to see you there. 

Divorce Agreement

It has been a while since I've had time to post anything so I'm stealing this thing I got in my e-mail. I have to admit it's pretty clever. 

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:    We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly,  this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological s ides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way..

 
 Here is a model separation agreement: 
 
Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our 
respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes. 
 
We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael 
Moore and Rosie O'Donnell (You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them). 
 
We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's 
and rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood . 
 
You can make nice with Iran and Pales tine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help
provide them security 
 
We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N... but we will no longer be paying the bill. 
 
We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find. 
 
You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors. We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right. We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be 
happy to substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World. 
 
 We'll practice trickle down economics and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot. Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag. 
 
Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. 
In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you ANWAR which one of us will need ; whose help in 15 years. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 John J. Wall 
 
 Law Student and an American 
 
 
 
 P.S. Also, please take Barbara Streisand & Jane Fonda with you. 

Two-Fer

I've been meaning to write a couple blogs lately but I decided that it would be best just to cover both subjects briefly in one blog. The first subject, if course, is that DSC Theatre opens '110 in the Shade' tonight! We had a preview audience last night and the general consensus is very positive. (Unless people were lying just to be nice.) We had around 100 or so people there and they were very responsive. They laughed when they were supposed to, cheered when they were supposed to, and even stood for us at the end. It is always so nice to get your first audience. Towards the end of the long rehearsal process you start to wonder if you're a horrible actor that's part of a horrible show. But it's nice when an audience, seeing it for the first time, seems to thoroughly enjoy themselves. It gives the cast a breath of fresh air, and a little hope that we might actually be doing something right. Anyway, if ya'll get a chance we'd love to have you stop by. If you need some buy one get one free tickets just let me know. Otherwise order you tickets online by clicking here. Or call: 652-7800. We'd love to see you!

Secondly, I was involved in a original one act play last month at KCACTF and I loved it. Every year the festival brings between five and ten original scripts (most of them ten minute plays) to work shop and premier at the festival. Since I got home I've been working on a script, but I'm having some troubles. I thought ten minutes would be easy, but I'm finding that it's incredibly difficult to squeeze my "message" into ten minutes. Anyway, I'm kind of just doing a call for ideas: things that you like in a good story, or movie, or script. I'm no where near ready to start asking people to proof read it, but if any of you would like what I have so far I'd love suggestions and input. Otherwise general tips that you may know about are much appreciated. 

Not Quite Venting... but Close.

As 110 in the Shade approaches I start to get mixed emotions. I'm excited because finally our hard work, and the hard work of others, will pay off. And this is a great show, with real rain, and an incredibly hard working cast. But I'm also worried, and frustrated because even though, the students, the staff, and myself have really upped our advertising efforts, I know that our opening night crowd will be scarce. And I don't know why.

For some reason the same community that fills the house every night for Saint George Community Theatre productions doesn't show the same type of support for Dixie State College Theatre productions, or for that matter any other community theatre venue. (See: The Space Between, Dixie Dramatic Arts) As I've considered reasons why, I ruled out quality of the show. I think that I can honestly, and unbiasedly say, that Dixie State College Theatre productions are at least as good as SGMT productions. In every aspect: talent, set design, lighting design, etc... The shows that we put on the stage are always top notch.

I know that part of it has to do with our lack of marketing. We don't have the big banners, or the radio spots, or the bill boards, or the sponsors, that SGMT has... but we do advertise.

I'm embarrassed for the community to say that I'm sure part of it has to do with show selection. The college sometimes does 'less-known' plays, but I would hope that the community would be excited at the opportunity to see something new. Instead, if they've never heard of it, they don't bother coming to see it. That's really a shame, because we have put on some really great shows.

I really don't know why things are this way, but since the Dolores Eccles building was constructed a Dixie State College Theatre main stage production has never sold out. I remember last year when I was in 'I Hate Hamlet' we sold less than 30 tickets on opening night. There is nothing more disheartening as an actor to walk out on stage after 3 months of rigorous rehearsal and seeing empty seats.

My goal is not to guilt people into coming to see our shows. I just hope that as time goes on our reputation will grow, and I hope that people can start to trust that they will see high quality entertainment on our stages. In the mean time I'll keep blowing our horn as loud as I can so that at least people know what they're missing. Because our students deserve a crowd. And the community deserves to see these shows.

I'm through complaining... I just have to end with a shameless plug here... sorry.

Dixie State College Theatre opens 110 in Shade on Thursday March 5th at 7:30 pm, and will run through March 14th on the Dolores Eccles main stage. It's going to be a fantastic (family friendly) show complete with song, dance, and rain! Yes, REAL rain! Based on the play 'The Rainmaker' set in 1930's Texas. Joel Thomas called 110 in the Shade the play that Oklahoma wishes it was.

For tickets call: 435-652-7800

or visit: http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase

Join our event on Facebook!

Tell your friends! And your family! And your neighbors! And your co-workers! And your cousins! And your cousins neighbors! Tell everyone!


**Let me just add, just in case, that I love SGMT productions and I think it's great that they get the support they deserve. I hope that I haven't suggested anything otherwise in this post.

The Actors List

These things are kind of a guilty pleasure for me. You don't have to read it if you don't want to... but I love filling them out. Especially because this one is all about acting. 

That Actors List.

LAST SHOW ADDED TO YOUR RESUME:
'Things that Fall from the Sky' - It was a new play that we work-shopped at KCACTF It was very cool. 

LAST SHOW YOU AUDITIONED FOR?
The Utah Shakespearian Festival 

DID YOU GET IT?
I don't know yet... I sure hope so. 

LAST SONG/MONOLOGUE YOU USED AT AN AUDITION:
Monologues: "If you have tears..." from 'Julius Caesar' and one from 'Death of a Salesman'

Songs: I sang and played on my guitar "Don Quixote" by Gordon Lightfoot

FAVORITE MUSICAL(s):
Hard one... lets see, 

Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, Lend Me a Tenor: The Musical, One Life: The Story of Nathan Hale.

FAVORITE PLAY(s):
A Thing of Beauty, I Hate Hamlet, Foxfire, The Game of Chess.

FAVORITE ROLE YOU'VE PLAYED, AND FROM WHAT SHOW?
Action - West Side Story 

FAVORITE ROLE OVERALL THAT I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY:
John Proctor - The Crucible... 

SUPERSTITION:
I don't know if you can really call this a superstition, but I like to drink half of an energy drink before I go on, and the other half at intermission. I know they're awful... but it makes me feel better. 

YOUR GOAL IN SHOW BUSINESS:
I'd really love to find my place in the 'theatre/film' world where I can support my family doing what I love without sacrificing my integrity, or redefining my morals. Whether that's acting, designing, directing, teaching, or all of the above only time will tell. 

FAVORITE DIRECTOR YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH:
Varlo Davenport and Michael Harding both for different reasons. Though I would've love to have more time working with Jim Holmes... a week just isn't enough. Brent Hanson is right up there as well. 

WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST SHOW?
West Side Story... and it changed my life. 

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A DANCE SOLO?
I've never had a "solo" per se... but I've been in a cluster of "featured dancers" several times. 

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SINGING SOLO?
Yes

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THE LAST PERSON TO TAKE A BOW?
Just once. 

HAVE YOU BEEN TO NEW YORK?
I've been to the state while I was the Production Assistant for The Hill Cumorah Pageant, but never in the city. 

HAVE YOU BEEN TO LA?
Yeah... I love the ocean, but I'm not crazy about the city. 

WHAT'S THE SCARIEST PART OF AN AUDITION?
When the person who is right before you is in there. 

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF AN AUDITION?
Being right in the moment. I actually really enjoy auditioning, I view it as another opportunity to perform. And I love performing. 

NAME A SHOW YOU WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN:
The Game of Chess... I would do the show again, but not in those circumstances. 

NAME A SHOW YOU COULD DO FOR YEARS:
West Side Story, or I Hate Hamlet, and if it wasn't for the make-up I could've done Sweeney Forever.

WHAT ARE YOU AUDITIONING FOR NEXT?
I have a call back for The Neil Simon Festival on the 28th. 

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PAST CAST MEMBERS?
Yeah, most of them I see at school. But the others I'm still great friends with. Gotta love facebook. 

ON A SCALE OF 1-10, HOW IMPORTANT IS GETTING PAID?
Hmm... well, right now it's not super important because I'm still in school. But as time goes on it's going to be very important. This is how I want to support my family. It's hard to do that without getting paid. So, to balance the two out I'll say a 7.5 ish...

SOMETHING EMBARRASSING OR UNEXPECTED THAT HAPPENED TO YOU WHILE ON STAGE?
Oh geez... the worst moment ever happened during a 1950's musical review show called 'Twist the Night Away.' We had a eight month run so I hate to admit that some nights we were on autopilot. Anyway, I was singing 'That'll be the Day' by Buddy Holly and I was all decked out with the glasses and everything. But as I I came to the verse "You give me all you money and your, your turtle dovin'" I just kept singing 'That'll be the day..." Over and over again. I sang about a minute straight of 'That'll be the day" and I didn't even realize it until I was off stage. 

WHO IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PERSON (ON STAGE OR OFF) THAT YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH?
In show business you never name names... but I worked with a student director a while ago that had no idea what he/she was doing. The rehearsal process was awful, no advertising was done, so by the time we opened the only people in the audience were our family members. The whole process was extremely painful and I was thrilled when it was over. 

WHAT IS YOUR ONSTAGE PET PEEVE?
Greedy actors who try to still focus at the expense of the show. Playing for laughs etc...

WHAT IS YOUR BACKSTAGE PET PEEVE?
Disrespect. Talking back stage, being late for call, back biting, note giving, etc...

EVER BEEN NAKED ONSTAGE? WOULD YOU???
No, and No.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN KILLED?
Yes, in Sweeney I had my throat slit, and my head bashed in... good times. 

BEEN DRUNK?
I've played a drunk character...

PLAYED SOMEONE HALF YOUR AGE?
No. 

PLAYED SOMEONE TWICE YOUR AGE?
Twice, three times, and four times my age. 

CRIED?
... this is a sensitive subject. I played a character that 'bawled'... but I can't cry. The audience thought I did... but I didn't. 

FIRED A GUN?
Actually no... use switch blades and swords. But I've never fired a gun. Sad. 

BEEN DRENCHED?
Not yet, but on Monday were rehearsing with rain for '110 in the Shade!'

BEEN IN A DREAM SEQUENCE?
Not that I can recall... The Spoon River Anthology is kind of one big Dream Sequence. 

BEEN KISSED?
Yes.

An Interview

A friend of mine recently posted this thing called 'an interview moment' and the deal is that she has to interview the first five people who want to be interviewed... I thought it sounded like fun, so here is Tamari's interview of myself. 

1. You are married to a very talented women, way to go on that! I am aware that among her many talents she is a choreographer. Do you dance? Even if you don't, if you could choreograph any musical or ballet what would it be and why?

First of all thanks! My wife is amazing, and for those of you who don't know she is choreographing (and starring in) Dixie State College's 110 in the Shade right now! (It opens on March 5th... go see it.) As for my self... I'm more of a mover rather than a dancer, although I usually pick up on things relatively quickly. If I could choreograph any musical or ballet I would like to turn a regular musical into a ballet... Like Sweeney Todd -  The Ballet or something like that. Now that I think about it, 110 would make a great Ballet.  

2. You seem to me to be a deep thinker AND a very spiritual person. Who are your heroes in Academics? In Religion? (They can be dead or living.)

Wow, again thanks. This is a tough question for sure. I think in academics I'm going to have to say Ayn Rand... her book "Atlas Shrugged" has made a big impact on my life. I love her view on the greatness of man, and his or her potential. I love the idea of working hard to earn, and deserve what you get. And I love that her characters never back down from a problem... they never give up. I must mention however that she fails to make room for a key ingredient that I believe a successful human being needs; and that's charity. She won't allow it. And that's were my religious views come in to balance things out. If I have to pick just one religious hero I think it has to be Christ. There are several other incredible men and women that I look up to, but they would all be upset if I named them instead of my Savior. I apologize for the 'obvious' answer... 

3. From what I've observed your family is close and all of you get along well. Are their any traditions that you do with your immediate family that you want to carry on with your wife and children? 

Yeah, my family is great. Some traditions that I really love happen on Christmas. Every Christmas morning we're led into the kitchen with our eyes closed to eat blueberry muffins and drink eggnog before we've even seen the presents. The anticipation is so much fun, and we get some family time before the excitement of opening the presents takes over. Then the day after Christmas we usually go shopping with our Christmas money and then go see a movie or a play that night.

4. You are such a nice, easy going guy. Do you ever get confrontational? How do you deal with the 'jerks' of the world? Have you gotten into an all out shouting match or fist fight with someone?

Tamari, you're making me sound like I'm much cooler than I actually am. Haha. "Keeping my cool" is something that is very important to me. I think it comes from the realization that in most situations losing you temper, getting stressed out, or worrying does absolutely nothing towards solving the problem. So keeping calm, is usually a lot easier than getting all heated. Although I'm definitely not perfect and sometimes I do get upset. My triggers are broken promises, and obligations. (When people say they're going to do something, and then don't I tend to get frustrated.) And then of course anytime anyone offends, threatens, or upsets my wife or family I get very defensive. Other than that I TRY to stay pretty chill, and I can usually get along with anyone. 

5. You love the theater and have so much talent in that area. What is your dream role and why?

This is another question that is near impossible to answer. I think I'm just going to have to make a list of characters I would love to play. 

*Sweeney Todd - Sweeney Todd *Either lead man in Singing in the Rain *John Proctor - The Crucible 

* Macbeth - Macbeth *Hamlet - Hamlet *Nathan Hale - One Life *The Pirate King - The Pirates of Penznace

I don't know... every character always has some new and exciting element about them. I just like acting, regardless of the character, but those are a few that I hope I can get my hands on some day. 

Thanks for all the questions Tamari! 

I guess the deal now is that any of you who want to be interviewed just let me know, and I'll e-mail you five questions. Thanks for reading!

-Travis_

Ways to Woo or How to Steal a Penny

Dixie State College Theatre is opening a new show on Monday that I think is definitely worth mentioning. The concept itself is very unique. Student director Jarom Brown has, for the past several months, used improv workshops to develop a completely original story in the style of Comedia del Arte complete with huge cartoon like characters and genuine Comedia del Arte masks. Jarom even wrote the script... sort of. You see the story is the same every night in as there are key pieces of information that the audience needs to receive every time, almost like checkpoints that the actors must stop at, but the actual lines and blocking that are used are almost entirely improvised... every night.

I had to see it for myself....

I popped in on tonights rehearsal and though I missed most of the first act, I was very very impressed with what I saw. The story is absolutely hilarious, and the actors are all astounding. How they come up with that stuff is beyond me. Every one was really in the moment, because they literally did not know what they were going to say, or how they were going to react until right before they said or did anything! So exciting! I mean, I watched a rehearsal! With no costumes, no lights, frequent interruptions by the director, and I was still laughing hysterically.

I really wish I had better words to describe it, but it really is unlike anything I have ever seen, or will ever see again in a long time. All I can do is urge you to come and see it, and bring some friends with you. Because this is a student production at a college that is experiencing budget cuts the funds for marketing are a bit low so we're relying mostly on word of mouth. This really is a rare opportunity to witness some truly unique theatre.

The show opens Monday February 2nd at 7:30pm in the DSC Black Box Theatre located in the Eccles Building and will run until Saturday February 7th. Tickets are only $5.00! Come and show the school that St. George supports new and different types of theatre! The director has given his word that although the script is improvised the actors are under strict instructions to keep everything G rated and trust me this is a show that will actually hold your child's focus for an hour and a half. Tell your friends, and bring the fam! I hope to see you there!

And keep checking www.DSCtheatre.blogspot.com for updates on the college's theatre schedule!

Just Singin'and Dancin'

                                      Just Singin' and Dancin'

                The other night my wife and I had the great opportunity to attend St. George Musical Theater's production of Singing in the Rain. And, as many of you know Roger Dunbar usually reviews the plays in the St. George area, and he does a fantastic job. Unfortunately for those of us who enjoy reading †hose reviews Roger is in Singing in the Rain. So I've decided to unleash my secret desire to be a critic and attempt to tell you what I thought about the show. I feel like I should precede this with a disclaimer: I am not a professional. Anything I say is my opinion and nothing more; it's very possible that I'm wrong. I apologize that this took my so long to get to, since the show has since closed everything I say is mostly irrelevant anyway.

                Community theatre is an interesting creature. And as I think about attempting to review this show part of me feels a bit cold hearted. With a few exceptions, most of the members of the cast are not professionals, or even want to be professionals. Many cast members are without any formal acting training at all…  They're all volunteering their time, and essentially doing the community a service project by sharing their talents.  So I'm hesitant to be too critical. However, whenever I'm doing a show I only want honest feedback, because I can't learn from 'polite' feedback. Therefore I'll do my best to provide those involved with my honest opinion, because they deserve it.

                Overall I was very impressed with the hard work and dedication of the entire cast. I really felt that everyone involved must have worked their hearts out to get to the level that they achieved. The dancing was definitely not easy, and there are a lot of numbers. If I'm picky I have to say that the big group numbers seemed a bit sloppy… but this is tap dancing… we get to hear every mistake. All things considered I have to say that I looked forward to every dance number, and I was pleasantly surprised with the skill and energy.

                Speaking of skill and energy; Roger Dunbar, who played Don Lockwood, was fantastic. It was interesting to see him in a new type of role for him, and when I watched a dress rehearsal earlier I could see some ‘uncomfortable-ness’ in his character, but by the time I saw him the second time around he had mastered the charming yet sensitive character of Don Lockwood. His voice sounded great, though I would’ve liked a little more punch. Or, to be simpler, volume… and his dancing was out of this world. If it weren’t for a few (and only a few) moments where I could see the concentration on his face, I would’ve believed that he had been dancing all of his life. Roger continues to be one of my favorite actors to watch on stage and I can’t wait to see his take on Thomas Putnam in DSC’s production of The Crucible.

         I think that I can put Kyle Turman in the same vein of skill and energy. Here is a kid that I can tell loves the stage and is willing to work hard to be there. He appeared very comfortable on stage, and most of the time had good energy. His dancing was also extremely impressive, though sometimes his arms were a bit crazy. His character was sometimes too casual, and I think I caught him playing for laughs once or twice, but most of the time he was great. One of my least favorite moments of the night however was the song “Make em laugh”. But I don’t believe that it is Kyle’s fault... he sounded fine. First of all a joke rarely flies when you say, “I’m going to make you laugh” first. Secondly I just did not think the blocking/choreography was… well… funny enough. It was cliché and punchy and the audience didn’t fall for it. I congratulate Kyle for committing to what he was given.   

         Tazia Marie (Is that her last name?) was also very good. Her voice was beautiful, her dancing was spot on, and her character was adorable. She really did a good job of capturing that ‘up and coming’ desperateness. If I have to be picky there were a few times when I felt that her responses were ‘pre-planned’ and so I missed some spontaneity. However Taz has always been someone that I love to listen to. Her musical numbers were great.

         The last person that I’m going to single out is Sally DeMille who played Lina Lamont. There is a fine line that has to be walked when you’re playing an ‘annoying’ character because you can’t be so annoying that the audience hates it when you come on stage… I think Sally did a great job of walking this line. Her facial expressions were priceless; she got the most laughs out of me because she was actually ‘in the moment’ instead of playing for laughs.

         The ensemble / “smaller roles” are so important to a show and they really help to flesh out the stage and create a believable world for the story to take place in. The main note I have, especially to those with lines, is to pick up the pace. Try thinking ‘on the lines’ not in between the lines. Close those gaps, and speed up the dialogue.        

         Layers, and depth… this is a note for every person in the play. With a story so happy, cheerful, and musical theatre-y I can see how it would be hard to find some depth. But most of time I didn’t believe that these characters on stage were real people. I saw just a little too much of ‘I’m on stage! Laugh here! Clap here!’ I saw really good versions of ‘I’m on stage.’ But those layers would’ve brought this show to a whole new level.

         Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the level of discipline required by all members of the cast. And I was very entertained by the show. There will always be picky things, but especially for a community theatre show I think that everyone involved should be very proud of their work. Great job everybody! And thanks for working so hard so that we could enjoy it!

 

I give it a B- 

Celebrity Status

My dreams of becoming a celebrity came true last night. I am officially a star! Get my autograph now, because I will probably start charging!

Last night my wife Whitney and I were in McDonald's renting a movie from the Red Box (best invention ever) when the girl behind the counter screamed: 'Oh my gosh! You're the people from the video!' At first neither of us had any idea what she was talking about, but soon discovered that she had seen this video and loved it, and us! We didn't know that anyone other than our friends even knew it existed, but apparently she called all of her friends, and they called all of their friends etc... It was very unexpected, really funny, and kind of made both of our days. Now I know what Ashton Kutcher must feel like.

Dear Mr. President

I recently stumbled across a website that Pepsi was hosting at http://refresheverything.com And they've got a pretty cool idea going there. They've asked people to upload a video of a letter to our soon to be President, Barak Obama. What a great idea! I know that Mr. Obama will probably never see these videos, but the idea of getting our voices heard and just being involved is a good thing. So I made a video. You can find it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKVbvVZYZQg For those of you who don't have a flash player or something like it, here's what I said:

Dear Mr. President,

You should know that I did not vote for you… sorry. However, now that you are our Nations leader I sincerely hope that I was wrong about you. Please prove me wrong. You talk about change, well, I hope that you make me change my mind. But allow me to mention a few things I hope you don’t change:

Don’t change what America stands for.

Don’t change the 2^nd Amendment. I have a right to own a firearm.

Don’t change our taxes too much… Just because I’m poor doesn’t mean I want a rich person paying my taxes, that’s degrading. And let me pay my own hospital bills.

Don’t change the meaning of good: It is not good to punish success and reward laziness. (Taxes, Healthcare, etc…)

Don’t change my desire to fight for a better life. If you make living in the gutter too comfortable, I’ll stop trying to get out.

Don’t change the pledge of allegiance, or what it says on our currency. We are one nation under God, and I do trust in Him. I hope you will too.

I am proud to be an American… Don’t change that.

Please remember that you are not a celebrity. It is not your job to be cool. I personally do not think that my Presidents face belongs on the cover of the same magazine that featured Kid Rock surrounded by four naked women, Britney Spears topless, and three very naked Red Hot Chili Peppers. I don’t want your face on my t-shirt, or your name on my shoes. I don’t want my President to be a fad.

I will support you Mr. Obama, I will pray for you, and I honestly hope that if “Yes you can” change anything, I hope you change my mind about you. You have my sincere Congratulations, and my heartfelt wishes; best of luck to you. And by all means change all the bad stuff, just don’t lose the good.

-Travis Cox, St. George, UT

My "Cornpone Opinion" on "The Ophelia Syndrome"

My ‘Corn-Pone Opinion’ on ‘The Ophelia Syndrome’

Bear with me… I'm killing two birds with one stone here... I'm writing an essay for my ethics class, and writing a blog for my amazing friends to read about two articles that I actually quite enjoyed. In class we're discuss individuality and the effect that our surroundings affects/controls our personalities. The two articles that we were assigned are 'Corn-Pone Opinions' by Mark Twain, and 'The Ophelia Syndrome' by Thomas G. Plummer; both of which address the issue of individuality, or lack thereof. To start things of I'll provide a brief summary of each article, and then I'll give my two-cents worth.
I'm sad to say that Mark Twain's view on the situation is rather depressing and hopeless. He seems to be of the opinion that no one is innocent and that there isn’t any hope for any of us. I'm even more sad to say that he may be right. He starts his article by sharing an interesting quote from a black friend he had as a child, his friend said: "You tell me whar a man gits his corn-pone, en I'll tell you what his 'pinions is." Meaning that if you know where I live and the people I live with, you know what I think. To support his claim Twain accuses religion, fashion, etiquette rules, standards, politics, etc… of being nothing more than fads. He states, very dismally, that people do not think, or reason, they only feel. The reason this bothers me so much is that I see his point manifesting itself all around me... sometimes within me. How many people do you know that are Republican because their dad was/is Republican? How many people do you know that voted for Obama because the media told us he was 'cooler?' How many friends do you have, that won’t wear white after Labor Day?
I'm interested in pointing out, though, that it's not always a bad thing... conforming is not always a negative action. Just because girls are allowed wear pants, and people shop at Abercrombie, does not mean that society has devolved. It is sad however, that where we are has such a major impact on who we are.

Naturally, once accused of being, in essence, mindless almost all of us will refuse to accept it. We will deny ever making a choice simply because somebody else made it first. We will passionately call Mr. Twain a liar when he tells us that we have not weighed all the options, reasoned the pros and cons, and truly decided exactly how we feel about something and why. We’re all individuals! Right? Sadly, a closer look might reveal otherwise.

The second article ‘The Ophelia Syndrome’ is quite a bit more optimistic. After offering some interesting script analysis on Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ Mr. Plummer compares us, or at least Mark Twain’s version of us, to Ophelia; a young person who “knows not what to think.” He then draws a parallel between the media and authority figures to Polonius who answers: "I'll teach you [what to think]. Think yourself a baby." He warns us of what he calls ‘The Ophelia Syndrome’ and gives us several tools that will help us to think for ourselves.

This article is actually one of the best pieces I’ve ever read. It is sound advice, it rings true, and it has hope for the future. Mr. Plummer believes that we actually have the potential to think for ourselves. (Exciting isn’t it?) Although he reminds that escaping the clutches of conformity will require a certain amount of effort. Plummer quotes a S. I. Hayakawa who said something that is very interesting:

What Does It Mean to Be Creative? Most people don't know the answer to the question, "How are you? How do you feel?" The reason why they don't know is that they are so busy feeling what they are supposed to feel, thinking what they are supposed to think, that they never get down to examining their own deepest feelings.

It’s sad, but true. Thanks to Plummer I now know the ways to avoid falling into the category of ‘most people.’ And lucky for you, if you continue reading, you will too. Plummer’s steps (drastically paraphrased) are: 1. Seek out learning from great teachers. They’re great for a reason, and they will often teach you things more valuable than the course material. 2. Dare to know and trust yourself. Write in a journal, write letters, record your thoughts and your dreams. 3. Live with uncertainty. Don’t demand to know every answer to every question. It’s ok to imagine, and wonder. 4. Practice dialectical thinking. Check out another point of view, and try arguing with yourself. 5. Foster idle thinking. It takes time, but allowing your mind to relax and wander can often lead to some very profound and original thinking. 6. Plan to step out of bounds. This step is my personal favorite, and is the reason that I’m doing this assignment as a blog. It doesn’t mean to break the laws and be destructive, but it does mean to think outside the box and mix things up a bit.

So those are the steps to take to avoid being a mindless sheep. Cool stuff isn’t it? I appreciate that someone took the time to do more than say “Think for yourself.” Plummer actually says “Here’s how to think for yourself.” Which is a lot more useful than Mark Twain saying “You don’t think for yourself… in fact, you don’t think at all.”

So here’s to individuality, originality, and not being sheep. If you get the time, check out those articles, and drop me a line about what you think. Plummer mentioned that one of the best ways to see things from another view is to hear it from your peers. So by all means peers… lay those other views on me. And thanks for reading.

-Travis_

Good Always Trumps Bad

I just noticed that it has been almost a complete year since I've bothered to post anything here on this page... That's a long time sure, but considering everything that has happened in my life since then it seems like it has been much longer. I could write a big long comprehensive blog about all the things that have happened... but I won't. For two reasons. One, I don't think anyone reads this anyway. Two, if you did read it, it would bore you.

Instead I'll write about something much more interesting... now. Now is a beautiful time for me. I'm married to a beautiful woman and we're happily going on seven months. I'm part of a show again to the first time in half a year, and it's nice to be back in the game. I'm playing the part of File in 110 in the Shade, and so far so good. What makes it even better is that my wife, and my best friend are both in the show with me. I really think that it's going to be one of the best shows that I've ever been a part of. There really is so much good in my life that I almost feel bad mentioning anything remotely bad. But I will, cause we all need a little drama in our life. Just know, reader, that the good in my life, is definitely trumping the bad.

I auditioned for Crucible on Tuesday and I actually felt really good about my audition. I think I applied all the things I've learned in the past and really had a good go at things. But then I wasn't called back today. And even though I know that a. Just because I wasn't called back doesn't mean I'm not going to be in the show. And b. There are way more factors than just "how good my audition" was that go into making a casting choice. I still feel the sting of disappointment. I was really excited about this show, I mean... it's The Crucible! It's THE SHOW! It's legendary in it's amazing-ness. And it looks as though I'll be in the seats instead of on the stage. I'm trying my best to be a good person, and be excited for my friends who did get called back, but I'm still down about it. Dumb huh.

On a positive note I had the incredible opportunity to watch some of my peers audition for the show. It was so great because I got to put on the eyes of a director and see what things stand out for the good and for the bad. I had three different sections of notes. One section of things for me to remember next time I audition. One section for things that Michael did that I will emulate if ever I direct a show. And one section where I kind of... evaluated each persons performance and recorded what roles I felt they would be good for. It was so amazing that it almost makes up for not getting a callback. I hope I have more opportunities like that in the future.

As for those who do end up in the show, congrats! I can't wait to see it!