Great News

Greetings, Everybody!

I'm so happy to tell you that Frog & Peach has finally found a place we can really call home; the Beautiful Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew on the corner of 86th Street and West End Avenue!

Our first show of the season is yet to be announced, but we open October 2, 2008 and run through October 26, 2008.

Thanks to all our supporters who have helped make this possible. We are so grateful to you for your generosity and support as we go forward.

It's Spring again, thank goodness! If you're a dog-owner, or the kind of person who likes to walk a lot, or if you're just into shoes, this time of year brings a wonderful sense of freedom; from bitter winds as you round the familiar corner, freedom from wool and the bulky trappings of winter.

Hooray for t-shirts and flip-flop and grass!

I Am Being Natural

Greetings, Friends.

Did you hear the one about the staged press conference down in Washington the other day? Just when you think things can't get any weirder, the good folks at FEMA decide to hold a press-free press conference regarding the fires in California.

I haven't caught the video, but according to reports I've read, the transcript goes something like this:

Fake Reporter (in show business, they call them "shills"):
"Mr. Secretary, how do you manage to fight fires and be such a huge dream-boat at the same time?"

FEMA Guy: "That's a good question Phil. You know, it's hard, but so rewarding. Thanks for coming down here today."

Legit press got all of 15 minutes notice to show up, assuring the administration that no reporters would be present. The shills were all FEMA employees, and from what I can glean, the questions were all pre-screened by the guy answering the questions.

Pretty bizarre, huh?

Shakespeare was no stranger to this kind of cowardice among the powerful--200 years before the Bill of Rights he explored some very dirty stuff in the wonderfully rich play "Measure for Measure." The fair but imperfect (and lonely) Duke takes time off to live among the regular people in disguise as a priest, leaving his duties to Mr. Law and Order, who turns out to be Mr. Sexual Sadist Nutball.

Shakespeare's examination of this hypocrisy in power is very creepy and modern... I urge everyone to give it a read.

Resisting the Impulse

It happened to me again today...strolling downhill toward the park, minding my own business with my nervous little canine in tow and

whoosh! from behind, along comes a Mom and her rugrat on a bike, all helmetted and belted in, as safe and careless as can be (because, don't you see, she's a parent, and may therefore commit all kinds of rude acts),

terrifying the canine, who leapt to the left, smack into an elderly woman's path, terrifying the elderly woman. Of course, by the time we'd all recovered, the homicidal woman was almost out of earshot.

But oh! What I could have said!

The impulse was to correct her, to make sure she knew how rude she'd been, to make her realize that it is not okay to ride on the sidewalk and whoosh past unsuspecting neighbors and to frighten them.

The old woman could have broken a hip, and then what? That could have been the beginning of the end for her. No more shopping. A long hospitalization. A rest home. The End.

What does one do, dear reader, in such a situation? Anything screamed out makes one feel like an idiot, and wouldn't be likely to have much effect on the offending party anyway.

No, one must choose one's battles wisely, which is why it's rather distressing to read about the provocative language used by the White House toward Iran.

One of my favorite characters in Hamlet has always been Claudius. The fabulous Joe Corey used his great talent and sensitivity to bring this role alive this summer...a careful reading of Act I Scene 2 reveals this new king to be a skilled diplomat, gently mopping up the Norway mess left behind by his more impulsive brother: no blood spilled. How can you not like the guy?

Claudius would have been a great king --it's tragic that he doesn't get the chance! But of course he must pay for killing his brother.

Nevertheless, one needn't be a foreign policy scholar to grasp that on the world stage, it's often much better for everyone if the Big Guy uses restraint with one's enemies, even if it would be yummy to let loose and wipe the floor them.

I doubt that members of the current Administration have gleaned anything from Shakespeare.

Here's hoping the next one does.

Stuff Happens

Yo, one and all. Greetings.

What would Shakespeare say about this nasty torture business revealed in today's New York Times? I'd have to seek out Macbeth or Richard III to find the right words.

It seems that the Bush Administration was lying (big surprise,right?) about what we were doing to detainees; that we were indeed committing torture, contrary to the The President's stern disavowal; all "legally " accomplished through secret approval from then-AG Gonzalez.

"Mom, I didn't have my pals torture Mrs. Johnson to death (which is kind of true because Dad told me it was okay to do it)." Basically, that's what's happened.

Isn't it creepy that this hasn't caused more of an uproar?

Have we become so jaded that this new set of outrageous crimes merits little more than a shrug from one's neighbors and friends? How can it be that this morning's national news televised far more in-depth coverage of a pop singer's marital woes?

What does this acceptance of cruel acts and lies mean we have become?

Am I the only one who is scared of the message this sends to law enforcement?

I doubt it. But the callous on the heart of our nation is every bit as dangerous as terrorism. It's making us sick.

Richard III talks about the rot that afflicts a country when the people have been fooled just enough to let a Monster run loose on their government. The Monster Richard is successful for a while, until finally the ghosts of all the people he's killed come back to haunt him; he feels horror and doubt for the first time, and loses his life in battle the next day.

Macbeth is about the relentless guilt that tortures the ambitious Thane of Cawdor after he commits terrible crimes in order to be King.

Both these guys are pretty neat; smart and sexy and fun, in a way. When they finally get their comeuppance, it's sad, you feel for them, because they're tortured by what they've done.

Any bets that anyone in this Administration will someday admit to guilt for any of the blood that's been spilled in our name?

Or maybe the epitaph will read, "The President doesn't have second thoughts."

Chillin'

Yo, from NYC.

Thanks for stopping by.

Let's lay it out...Shakespeare would be pretty shocked at our technology. He probably wouldn't be so surprised at how little progress we've made as far as getting along with each other.

So we'll be talking about lots of things; Frog & Peach, the state of the planet, politics, money, and where to find a decent ladies room when you're shopping on the go.

How remarkable that this seems to be working! I'm just as happy as can be. And a little sleepy...

Til we meet again,
TSC