The Short, Bright Teatime of My Soul

Another Review of Damn Yankees

2008-06-25T22:34:00.000-05:00

Elaine Liner gives a mixed review in The Dallas Observer. The only mention of my performance gets this line, "The men's voices blend nicely on the miles and miles and miles of 'Heart.'"

Damn Yankees Reviews

2008-06-25T18:45:00.002-05:00

The first review is online only. The best parts as far as I'm concerned were:

The singing in this version of Damn Yankees exceeds the film and original cast recording. The emphasis on this production was the vocal performances versus the dancing. The tunes are classic staples of musical theatre and have become ingrained in the popular culture. To hear them sung so well is a delight: a big treat!

* * * * *

The cast for Damn Yankees is rather large and the entire company chews up the scenery. There are no weaknesses here.

I'm not entirely sure that "chew[ing] up the scenery" is a good thing, but the reviewer seems to have meant it in a positive way.

A second review came out today on the Dallas Edge website. (A guess a warning should be given that the site is a GLBT site).

Damn Yankees opens in a week

2008-06-14T00:17:00.001-05:00

Garland Summer Musicals production of Damn Yankees opens Friday June 20th. I play the Catcher for the Washington Senators baseball team, Smokey. I am featured in two songs, "Heart" and "The Game," and I also dance in "Shoeless Joe" and "Two Lost Souls." Our wonderful cast includes Joshua Doss as Joe Hardy, Morgana Shaw as Lola, and John Garcia as Applegate. The rest of the cast is tremendous, too.

The show should be a blast, so please come check it out.

You can order tickets by calling the Box Office at 972-205-2790. If you use my name (Marty Scott) when ordering, you will receive a $6.00 savings off the regular price of $25.00, so you will pay the cast price of $19.00 plus a $1.00 service charge per ticket.

Performances are June 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, & 29. Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.

Fast, Effective Weight Loss Plan

2008-05-29T17:01:00.002-05:00

Want to lose 5 pounds overnight? Get a stomach virus like I did yesterday.

I'm feeling better already, but I was miserable from about 9:00 last night until I fell asleep at 11:30 this morning and slept for 5 hours. My stomach still isn't completely right, but I'm pretty sure the worst is over.

Quick Update

2008-05-28T23:29:00.002-05:00

I've been busy lately. I bought a bicycle about a month and a half ago. Then, I joined a local gym a few weeks after that. In all, since I bought the bike, I have lost 11 pounds, and my waist has started to shrink already.

I finished The Philadelphia Story at KCCT in April, and yesterday, I had my first rehearsal with Garland Summer Musicals for Damn Yankees. It should be fun, but tiring.

A little sickness is going around the family. First, it was Hannah, then Erin. Tonight, my stomach started feeling not quite right. I hope I can avoid the unpleasantness the girls have had to go through.

A Theatre Milestone

2008-04-07T14:03:00.002-05:00

I just looked again at my theatre resume and noticed that my current show is my 30th in my acting "career." That's a few more than I thought. My full resume can be found HERE.

Blind Refs?

2008-03-23T20:38:00.002-05:00

I am no fan of Texas A&M, but they got jobbed in their game in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against UCLA. Here's the photographic evidence. That was on A&M's final drive in an effort to tie the game at 51-51. In the second half of the game, A&M went over 10 minutes without a basket from the field. Several times, they took the ball inside and got rejected. I have to wonder how many of those "blocks" were really fouls as well.

Daylight Saving Time

2008-03-11T07:28:00.002-05:00

Am I the only one who doesn't like Daylight Saving Time? There is just something wholly unnatural about having to get out of bed before the sun has come up.

Johari Window

2008-02-24T23:40:00.006-06:00

I created my own Johari Window personality assessment. You can contribute to it here. Or you can get your own Johari Window

Arena

(known to self and others)

confident, intelligent, observant, witty

Blind Spot

(known only to others)

complex, dependable, idealistic, independent, religious, trustworthy

Façade

(known only to self)

friendly, self-assertive

Unknown

(known to nobody)

able, accepting, adaptable, bold, brave, calm, caring, cheerful, clever, dignified, energetic, extroverted, giving, happy, helpful, ingenious, introverted, kind, knowledgeable, logical, loving, mature, modest, nervous, organised, patient, powerful, proud, quiet, reflective, relaxed, responsive, searching, self-conscious, sensible, sentimental, shy, silly, spontaneous, sympathetic, tense, warm, wise

Dominant Traits

100% of people agree that TheCalvinator is confident

All Percentages

able (0%) accepting (0%) adaptable (0%) bold (0%) brave (0%) calm (0%) caring (0%) cheerful (0%) clever (0%) complex (50%) confident (100%) dependable (50%) dignified (0%) energetic (0%) extroverted (0%) friendly (0%) giving (0%) happy (0%) helpful (0%) idealistic (50%) independent (50%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (50%) introverted (0%) kind (0%) knowledgeable (0%) logical (0%) loving (0%) mature (0%) modest (0%) nervous (0%) observant (50%) organised (0%) patient (0%) powerful (0%) proud (0%) quiet (0%) reflective (0%) relaxed (0%) religious (50%) responsive (0%) searching (0%) self-assertive (0%) self-conscious (0%) sensible (0%) sentimental (0%) shy (0%) silly (0%) spontaneous (0%) sympathetic (0%) tense (0%) trustworthy (50%) warm (0%) wise (0%) witty (50%)

Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 24.6.2008, using data from 2 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view TheCalvinator's full data.

Is this the change he means?

2008-02-11T17:58:00.000-06:00

Take a gander at this picture taken in the Houston Barack Obama Volunteer office.

Just in case you aren't up on your Communist iconography, that's the national flag of Communist Cuba with the image of Che Guevara superimposed on it.

The image is a screen capture from the video located HERE.

Yet Another Reason I Like Mike (Huckabee)

2008-01-31T01:24:00.000-06:00

At the California GOP debate at the Ronald Reagan Library, the last question was asked of all 4 participants. "Would Ronald Reagan endorse you for President?" Governor Huckabee was fortunate to get the final word of the evening, and this is what he said:

I think it would be incredibly presumptuous and even arrogant for me to try to suggest what Ronald Reagan would do, that he would endorse any of us against the others.

Let me just say this, I'm not going to pretend he would endorse me. I wish he would. I would love that, but I endorse him, and I'm going to tell you why.

It wasn't just his specific policies, but Ronald Reagan was something more than just a policy wonk. He was a man who loved this country, and he inspired this country to believe in itself again.

What made Ronald Reagan a great president was not just the intricacies of his policies, though they were good policies. It was that he loved America and saw it as a good nation and a great nation because of the greatness of its people.

And if we can recapture that, that's when we recapture the Reagan spirit. It's that spirit that has a can-do attitude about America's futures and that makes us love our country whether we're Democrats or Republicans. And that's what I believe Ronald Reagan did -- he brought this country back together and made us believe in ourselves.

And whether he believes in us, I hope we still believe in those things which made him a great leader and a great American.

Those, my friends, are the words of a true Statesman.

Picked up at Church this Morning

2008-01-27T12:26:00.000-06:00

It's easy to love God. It's hard to love God most.

Republicans and Limited Government

2008-01-13T20:31:00.000-06:00

To hear some Republican establishment types, the raison d'etre of the G.O.P. is to reduce the size of the Federal Government. This has been the basis for some of the criticism of Mike Huckabee in the Presidential race. The truth is that the only candidate with any credibility on this issue is Ron Paul.

And just how many of those establishment types are supporting Ron Paul?

Exactly!

So, the next time you hear this attack aimed at Huckabee, you can ignore it because you know it's insincere.

Right Wing Nation

2008-01-13T12:55:00.000-06:00

I used to be able to post comments at Right Wing Nation with no problem, but apparently I committed the mortal sin of defending Mike Huckabee over there, so now I'm on "administrator must approve" status.

So much for the free exchange of ideas.

The offending comment was made on this post. After rightwingprof's response, I pointed out that his calling Huckabee a "a soft on crime socialist who spits in the faces of crime victims" is no different from those who attack by calling John McCain, MCSHAMNESTYMCCAIN! And that was the type of attack that he was condemning in the original post.

People don't like it when their hypocrisy is exposed.

UPDATE: Now, he's calling me an amoral idiot. Yup, really bringing the level of discourse up over there. Really avoiding the ideological nonsense he was condemning.

Hello kettle, this is the pot . . .

Fracture

2008-01-08T00:21:00.000-06:00

Just wondering:

Why is Mike Huckabee accused of trying to fracture the so-called Republican coalition, but Giuliani, Romney, & McCain aren't?

Social Conservatives' values are ignored by Giuliani, belittled by McCain, and pandered to by Romney.

When less than desirable candidates from a social conservative perspective are nominated (Bush '92 & Dole '96 spring immediately to mind), values voters are told that we have an obligation to support the Republican Party because the Democrats are much worse. That may be true, but it's no less fracturing than Huckabee would be in asking fiscal conservatives to come along for the ride this year. In fact, I believe that fiscal conservatives have far less to fear from Huckabee than social conservatives would have to fear from Rudy, John, or Mitt.

After all, Huckabee is the only candidate proposing to completely do away with Corporate Income Taxes.

And personal income taxes, and estate taxes, gift taxes, social security taxes, medicare taxes, self-employment taxes, and capital gains taxes.

Republican Debate: Final Assessment

2008-01-06T20:32:00.000-06:00

Thompson disappeared in the final segment.

Final Grades:

Thompson B+
Giuliani B+
Huckabee B
McCain B-
Romney C+

The focus group was completely opposite me on First and Last. They liked Romney most and Thompson least.

They thought Huckabee's first response was weak and waffling.

The focus group thinks Romney can beat Obama. They are deluded.

This woman just said "He speaks off the cuff and is very, very well-versed." I don't think she even understood that her statement was internally contradictory.

Republican Debate: Closing Arguments

2008-01-06T20:26:00.000-06:00

Why are you the candidate to beat the Democrat?

Giuliani: I've fought the battles and gotten things done. Has worked successfully with Republicans and Democrats

Thompson: Only one at the table who has never lost an election. National Security, tax cuts, balanced budgets, good judges, pro-life. Has the courage to speak the truth to the American people.

Huckabee: Lived a life like most people live. Believes in lower taxes, lower spending, pro-life, Second Amendment, Experience in governing and practical problem-solving.

Romney: "I got in the race because my family told me I oughta." I know how to draw on the American spirit. I will work to change Washington.

McCain: We need leadership, and I bring the experience and the knowledge necessary to make the decisions. Will reach out to Independents.

Republican Debate: McCain's Age

2008-01-06T20:25:00.000-06:00

McCain will not pledge not to seek re-election. He's exactly right. Making that pledge would make him a lame duck from Day 1.

Huckabee took the opportunity to compliment McCain.

Republican Debate: Giuliani Scandals

2008-01-06T20:23:00.001-06:00

Giuliani admits some mistakes, but points out that some of the attacks that have been made against him were shown to be untrue in the New York Times. He just wished it hadn't appeared on page 39.

He had a good line that if anyone hasn't made any mistakes, then that person probably hasn't ever done anything.

Republican Debate: Flip-Flopping

2008-01-06T20:20:00.000-06:00

Romney tries to put the best face on his flip-flops. He says that yes he changed his opinions on some things. Then, he turns around and fires off his litany of negative attacks on Huckabee.

Republican Debate: Negative Campaigning

2008-01-06T20:15:00.001-06:00

They showed clips of two of Romney's attack ads against Huckabee and McCain.

Huckabee echoed something I've said, that people want to vote FOR somebody and not AGAINST somebody.

Romney claims his ads are not attack ads. I think the voters in Iowa told us differently. Romney recited his tired line about not touching his hair. Can this man be any more plastic?

Republican Debate: Second Break Assessment

2008-01-06T20:11:00.000-06:00

Whew, that Immigration section was painful.

Interim Grades:

Thompson A-
Huckabee B
Giuliani B
McCain B-
Romney C+

Republican Debate: Immigration

2008-01-06T19:53:00.000-06:00

Boring. Nothing new from anybody.

Republican Debate: The Table Dynamic

2008-01-06T19:50:00.000-06:00

Once again, it seems to be coming through that 4 of these guys like each other, but none of those four really like Romney.

I think the sitting down works against Huckabee. He seems to be more in his element behind a lectern than sitting around a table.

Republican Debate: Huckabee on Foreign Policy

2008-01-06T19:46:00.000-06:00

Huckabee promotes his travels abroad. Nothing new there. Now points out that he has more Executive experience than anyone else in the race. Maybe non-political junkies haven't heard this, but nothing new is coming out here.

Huckabee says that his convictions and moral clarity count for more than experience when it comes to Foreign Policy.