Ira's brevet

I got a call this AM from my very nifty pal, Ira, who tells me that he began a blog today. So I may be late in joining, but I'm not the very latest. (Ira, by the way, can be found here at blogspot as well. His is called Chocolate Ration. http://chocolate-ration.blogspot.com/)

Speaking of Ira, he and I are directing a one-act play for Silver Spring Stage (www.ssstage.org) called "21 Pairs of Sneakers." In the beginning (July), I was directing it on my own, then Ira agreed to AD, which thrilled me because he notices everything. After several rehearsals where he did as much of the heavy lifting as I did, I gave him a field brevet. We are now directing the show together without (fingers crossed - we have one more rehearsal) the bickering and power struggles that could imply.

I love one-acts. They are short and fun to direct, short and fun to perform, and (GLW) short and fun to watch. Some of my favorite are written by David Ives, including that staple of one-act festivals everywhere, "Sure Thing."

"21 Pairs of Sneakers" is an original work by local playwright Steve LaRocque, so I'm doubly lucky. My cast gets to create the roles they are playing and our playwright has made himself completely available so that we can get immediate clarification when we have questions. "Sneakers" is a romantic comedy in the mode of the early movies of Jimmy Stewart. The action is set around a football game played on December 9, 1934 in which basketball sneakers provide the New York Giants with enough traction on a slippery field to overcome the strongly favored Chicago Bears. Lloyd, the BMOC, has made very complicated arrangements to take Myra to this game, but his plans fall through when Dewey - Lloyd's roommate and the Manhatten college gym Equipment Manager - gets a call from the Giants' Equipment Manager who is in desperate need of sneakers. If you're anywhere near Silver Spring, Maryland this weekend, come and see it!