The Brown Note

AXB's Speech to the SJP Mothers

2011-09-27T12:23:00.000-04:00

Haven't posted in forever, but thought I'd share a wonderful speech by Tony Braithwaite (SJP '89) delivered Sunday, September 25th at the St. Joseph's Prep Mother-Son Communion Breakfast:

"Thank you very much. I am really honored to have been asked to speak to you today, and so a big thank you to the wonderful Prep Mothers’ Club who set all this up. Specific shout outs to Ceal Biello, Melissa McGrath, Judy Centrella, and Ellen Giangiordano. I have always been a huge fan of the Prep Mothers’ Club. My own dear departed mother was a member of the Mothers’ Club, my sister is a member. It’s a wonderful organization. I would even consider joining the Prep Mothers’ Club myself, but I’m pretty sure don’t meet the one big qualification.

Before I get to the bulk of my speech today, I want to take a second to advertise The Big Bang again… (3 people applaud) ..a show which apparently 3 people saw. It’s 70 minutes long, it’s hysterical, and it’s at The Kimmel Center thru Halloween. I sure hope you can all come. Taking no chances, I also brought in flyers that are on the tables in front of you with all the information you’ll need to buy tickets. I also have some tickets on me right now and I can even make exact change.

…also, Father Maivelett: pay close attention cause I may be getting you up to answer questions about my speech just like you did to us during your homily today…

But I digress.

I thought I’d open today with a story from my very first day of Freshman year. A story that my own dear mom always thought was pretty funny. On the first day of classes of my Freshman year in 1985 – I was in Homeroom 1A, we were the honors section, the nerds – the air conditioning was broken in the building. It was sweltering. We all sat waiting quietly in room 101 for classes to begin, sitting there with our hands folded, me and all these other 30 little guys, all in identical blue blazers and khaki pants. First period bell rang, and in walked our English teacher, though we didn’t yet know who she was, it was the first day, they didn’t mail schedules home in those days. We didn’t know she was our English teacher. We would come to get to know and love her – she’s no longer here, but she was a great teacher – but that first day we had never seen her before. We just knew that a women in her twenties walked into a room. And the other thing we all sort of knew was, well, that she was…strikingly beautiful. She did not introduce herself immediately. In fact because of the broken air conditioning, her first words to us were these: “Oh wow, I am just so hot.” And I remember sitting there thinking to myself: well who am I to disagree with that.

That was my first day. And that was the fall of 1985. I then spent 4 years here as a student, I worked here during the summers in college, and I returned to teach here 17 years ago. I had been living a miserable existence as an actor in Los Angeles. Suffering thru a ton of rejection, and a series of near misses, including coming this close to landing the part of Chandler on the tv Friends…. (Crowd sighs: awww) …I know how ya feel. A teaching position opened up at the Prep and I applied, got it, and came back to Philly. I was hired to teach 6 sections of Freshmen Religion and Sexual Education. I was very careful on my first day not to say, “Oh wow I am just so hot.”

The man who hired me to teach was then Prep Principal Father Herb Keller, now the President of Scranton Prep. In addition to teaching, Father Keller handed me the reins of the Cape and Sword Drama Society and he gave me a kind of Mission. He wanted to make sure the plays here at the Prep were better than any other schools', so that kids would actually enjoy going to school plays, that they would be popular and competitive, and that students would find them actually enjoyable, and the comedies actually funny, which as we all know sadly doesn't really happen at many other places. Father Keller wanted the theatre program here to be as strong as crew or football. 17 years later, I’m proud to say that I think it is. Serving as Director of The Cape and Sword Drama Society for nearly two decades has truly been the joy of my life, and it’s a job I hope to have until the day that I die. Which is good, because I applied to be the Principal at this new Cristo Rey School in Olney and they turned me down. I don’t know who they got instead. I hear it’s some guy from Beyonne.

I feel incredibly lucky because I love what I do for a living, I really do. And that in large part comes from my own mother, Sally. We lost Mom - too young - a few years ago and I wrote a show about her called, “Look Mom I’m Swell.” Swell was her favorite word. In the show I tell a story about how I was a misfit kid who wasn’t good at sports, and was bookish and dorky, and all that stuff (real hard to imagine, I know) and how she helped me be me. I really suffered thru childhood, always feeling like an outsider. And then I came to the Prep. And things started to become different. I remember I came home from the first day of Freshmen Orientation and taught my Mom the Prep Fight Song that the Seniors they had taught us that day. I can vividly remember my mom singing the Fight Song, and the corners of her eyes were moist. She was sort of crying tears of joy, just a little bit, because she could tell – maternal instinct – that I had found happiness at St. Joe’s Prep. All 700 of you wonderful moms here will have to forgive me when I tell you that I actually had the best mom of all time. Ever. And I think it was for one big reason. Her main concern all thru my life was that I was happy, and that I was having fun. That’s what she cared about. More than anything, more than grades. I don’t even remember her ever looking at my report cards! We didn’t have Power School in those days (thank God!) but if we did I know for certain that my mom would have only checked if there were catagories marked Fun and Happy, and if I was doing well in those subjects she’d be content. Above all, my mom wanted me to feel loved. She was glad I came to the Prep, and found that love here.

I know many of you feel the same way. On back to school night a few years ago my sister Angie McAllister, sitting right here, hi Angie. Angie told me that her favorite person was Sister Kate Woody, who had my nephew for Religion. And that was because Kate Woody said to all the parents at mini school, in her demure Southern accent, “Ok look, here’s the course expectation form, and you can read that on your own if you want to, but I am going to talk about what you really want to know. Is my son ok? Does he have enough time for lunch? Does he know where the bathroom is? What happens if he misses the bus,” etc.” Angie said those were her exact concerns: she saw that night Kate Woody got it, and that Kate was reassuring her that the boys would be cared for here. They would be loved.

What I cherish about the Prep, why I have devote myself to this place, and why I brag about it now to you is because I believe this place is special. And Kate Woody’s story is a great example of the many ways in which the Prep is not merely concerned with your kids getting good grades. We want your sons to belong. We want them to be loved.

A few decades ago, Pedro Arrupe, the Superior General of the Jesuits, said that Jesuit Schools had gotten the education thing down, they did that well, they got that, and that was great, but that there was truly a bigger concern. That the new charge was to delve into richer, more profound formation, the formation of the spirit of the young men in our charge. Jesuit Schools need to form Men for Others. As we say here today, Men for and With Others.

Its one of the things that makes the Prep special. And I do believe the Prep is special. But I also believe, and I’ve thought a lot about this, that St. Joe’s Prep is better now than it ever has been. I really believe this. I was even here as a student when the Kairos Retreat was first introduced, and that was utterly amazing. And I thought that era couldn’t be topped. Long term Faculty member Earl Hart said at the time Kairos was the best addition to the Prep ever. But I went on Kairos last spring with the current Seniors and it was richer and more impactful than it even had been. The Mission of the Prep has simply never been more fully animated here on a day to day basis than it is right now. There are currently Ignatian evenings for parents, there are more service opportunities than at any time in the Prep’s distinguished history. In my little corner of the world in Prep Drama – we currently involve 10% of the student body in the various programs that the adminstration has asked us to add in recent years. The Prep’s added the Sophomore Conversation, and the Freshman Retreat. The campus is bigger and better, the student body smarter, and the place is booming. And the best part is that, in true Jesuit fashion, our President – our gentle, sweet natured, smart and humble Presdient - has instituted a new mantra for us amdist all these wonderful additions: Let’s Go Further Still. In fact Father Bur ended a Faculty Meeting the other day with the motivating words: We can do anything!

Another reason I believe the Prep is at its best now is that so many of our sports teams are coached by men who, “get this place,” – men who realize the importance of character above all. Men who see their sports as integrated to the mission of the school. One specific story related to this.

Our current head football Coach Gabe Infante came to see our production of The Producers last spring. And he was so impressed by what he saw, that he wanted the whole team to see the show. He tricked them into thinking they were coming in to an evening practive, but instead they attended one of our final performances. And they loved it. Let’s be clear – the entire football team cheered on the Drama kids at a play. That that just doesn’t happen at other schools.

Yes I truly believe that the Prep is better now than it ever was. Now granted I wasn’t here from 1851 to 1984, but Mr. Griffin was and he assures me I’m right.

One of the reasons that the Prep is in the good shape its in these days is of course our Principal, and my own dear friend, Mike Gomez. A man who gets Jesuit education, in his bones, deep down, he lives it. There will be plenty of opportunities to thank Mr. Gomez as we say goodbye this year, and thank God for that, but at this time let me just share with you my own strong concern regarding his departure. No matter who gets the job, whoever it is, there is simply no way that new Principal will give us off for as many snow days as you have, Michael. My God. We were even closed for rain this year, people! What’s next, no school due to too many falling leaves? Days off for high pollen content?! We get so many snow days from Mike that I am convinced he must have been trapped as a child in some icy tundra somewhere. But nobody’s complaining.

Mike is one of the many reasons the Prep is in such solid shape, one of the many reasons that your sons are loved here. I had the opportunity to speak to the Freshmen class the other night in the Gesu for their Retreat. And I said the following words to them, words that were said to me, words that have been said time and again: “Yes, you have a great journey ahead. An amazing, epic Prep journey. But that doesn’t mean there won’t also be times of disappointment along the way. Prep students are all used to being the best at their grade schools in sports, academics, and activities, and now all those bests are gathered here in one school. As such: you won't get an A on every assignment, you won't pass every quiz, you won't make every team or get cast in every play; you won't win every race, make every tackle, score every goal. You will feel awkward at times, and alone. You'll probably do something stupid without thinking and maybe disappoint your parents. You may try hard to be friends with someone and just not have that work. You may face some hard times at home and even lose someone you love. You may find yourself wondering is God really there. In all of these situations, you will need help, friendship, love and support to sustain you on your Prep journey. And you will find that love here. For one, you have great company. For instance, you have the friendship of your Prep brothers…

…in fact I was just thinking what a beautiful metaphor it was today when Father Maivelett asked the boys in Mass to stand and recite the Prayer for Generosity. Just like the Prep, they started out all awkward and nervous. When they started they were quiet and not really in sync with one another. Then about half way thru they found their rythym together, became unified, and they ended loud and confident…

You also have the love of your your teachers (so many of whom are Prep grads themselves), the administrators, your Principal – this man, and this man (maivellett) and all the Jesuits, and most importantly you have the friendship and companionship of your God. Which is a good thing, because God also went to the Prep.

You will find that love here. You belong here, you are not alone.

In his book, the history of St. Joseph’s Prep, Father James Gormley S.J. quotes a Freshman in 1976 as saying this: “I’ll admit that the Prep has its bad points, Jug and sophomores for example, but there’s one really special thing here. I suppose that it’s a kind of feeling and it happens all the time, especially at a rally or something where everyone’s together. They start –I mean we start – cheering and pouring forth our pride in knowing that we belong here.”

That was 1976. And there was pride in knowing we belong here. My own dear mother teared up in 1985 when she saw me first feel like I belonged here. And here we are today, when the Prep is the best its ever been, and our goal is the same: for your sons to feel happy, and swell, for these guys to be men for and with others, to know that they belong here, and that they are loved.

Thank you all so very much."

Toasting the Magis

2011-04-18T08:34:00.000-04:00

Celebrating a historic run on the Prep stage with some wonderful human beings.

Rep Radio Interview

2011-04-15T10:28:00.000-04:00

I talk about taking over as the new head of PTW and also talk about all the other hats I wear in the Philly Theatre Community.

104DMhowiebrown by represented

Blogging For Act II Playhouse

2011-04-08T09:57:00.002-04:00

The following is a post I wrote for Act II's blog. See other posts on the Act II blog HERE.

The New Guy, But a Familiar Face

Today’s blog post is from our new Development Director Howie Brown, a familiar face to the Act II family.

Audience Services Manager Beth Dietzler (left) and Howie work to get out the season announcement to subscribers.

Act II has become a second home to me in the past year. I had the time of my life last winter running around the aisles of the theater as Tony Braithwaite made fun of the inhabitants of the Oval Office in First Impressions and continued that thrill ride as the Ed McMahon to Tony’s Johnny Carson in Heeere’s Tony! In addition to being on stage for these special events, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing countless productions in Act II’s wonderful intimate space.

As an audience member at yesterday’s matinée performance of The Pride of Parnell Street, I had a new aspect thrown into the mix of my Act II experience – being an Act II staff member.

In March, I took over as the Development Director at the Playhouse and as I watched the powerful performances yesterday, I found myself constantly checking in with the audience members around me. I guess typically as an audience member, I’m more “selfish” and am there to take in the show for myself. After the final bow and some quick process time, I like to share my experience with friends and other audience members.

But yesterday was different – not I only did I experience the show as a regular patron, I felt extra pride watching audience members enjoy their journey, knowing I’m apart of the team making it all possible.When David Whalen’s character made a joke and as a result the gentleman in the row in front of me laughed, as I smiled I laughed more heartily. When poignant moments between the actors made the woman behind me sigh, I sensed an added dose of empathy inside myself. I look forward to sharing this group experience with you again during Art.

Act Now For Act II!

2011-03-28T13:14:00.000-04:00

Check out the video I made with Tony Braithwaite for Act II Playhouse. For those who don't know, one of the many hats I wear is as the Development Director at Act II. This video is part of a new giving campaign called Act Now For Act II. Check it out -- and while you are at it make a donation :)

McNamara's Band, The Tourney, and My Picks

2011-03-17T07:32:00.000-04:00

Today is the start of one of the best days in sports! With it also being St. Patty's Day, the official song today honors the celtic holiday and one of Syracuse's most beloved players, Gerry "We Wouldn't Have Won Ten F&%$ing Games This Year" McNamara.

Of course, Gerry will always be remembered for shooting the eyes out of the ball when we beat Kansas for the the Nat'l Championship in '03followed by his historic run in the 2006 BET (only to be rivaled by Kemba Walker in this year's BET), but one of my favorite memories of Gerry was in his curtain call to the '03 title during the the opening round of the '04 tournament against BYU.

Gerry drops 43 against BYU in the first game of 2004 Tourney

As for this year's picks, I have a lot of chalk and as always I have Syracuse going farther then they probably will in reality. Some specifics from my bracket:

Opening Round Upsets: Richmond, Florida State, Michigan State (How the hell do you pick against Tom Izzo in March?)
My Final Four: Syracuse, Duke, Kansas, and Pitt (Jamie Dixon finally gets there -- the easiest bracket helps)
Championship: Kansas (81) over Duke (78)
The only person with more chalk than me is President Obama (which reminds me -- come see the all new First Impressions!)

A Glimpse of First Impressions

2011-03-15T08:33:00.000-04:00

Get some background on First Impressions, now playing at the Hedgerow Theatre. Video courtesy of Stage Magazine.

How Carlos Ruiz Celebrates a Perfect Game

2011-03-04T07:22:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz had another son. This is Ruiz's second son and in the style of George Foreman, both are named Carlos. The most interesting fact -- Ruiz's newborn was born 9 months to the day when Roy Halladay threw his perfect game. So on that day 9 months ago, Roy threw a perfect game and Carlos went home and hit a Home Run! Congrats Chooch!!!

How Out Of Touch Was Mubarak?

2011-03-03T07:49:00.004-05:00

Take a look a the former Egyptian leader. He seems to be dressed like a normal politico in a traditional pinstripe suit. However, go a little closer and you'll see his pinstripes are really composed of repeating lines of his name.

For that, we dedicate a little Hall and Oates to Heeere's Tony! contributor (uncredited :) ) Hosni Mubarak:

Photos from The Blackout Show

2011-02-17T12:54:00.003-05:00

Heeere's some photos that give some context to the day the power went out at Act 2 Playhouse on Sunday, Feb. 6th and Heeere's Tony! had to move down the block to the Colony Club.

(Heeere's Tony's Grand Entrance at the Colony Club!)

(AXB goes with the flow and does the opening monologue.)

Some specific jokes from the show on Sun, Feb. 6th:

"Well folks, just like Charlie Sheen, Act 2 woke up this Sunday morning to a blackout."
"OK, we'd now like to start the PTA Meeting."
"I feel like I should be calling for the vote on Independence from Mother England."
"I think they filmed The Crucible in the very room."
"Ben Gay - why didn't Mrs. Franklin have any kids...ladies and gentlemen that joke was first told in this very room 200 years ago."
"See this is why it's called "Heeeeere's Tony," cause it applies to anywhere we go!"
"Bud Martin and Harriet Power's facebook status: what a lovely day! did we pay the electric bill?"

More From the Phila. Zoo!

2011-02-17T07:55:00.002-05:00

Here's some great video that musical guest Matt Duke shot from on stage and after the show:

The Philadelphia Zoo Visits Heeere's Tony!

2011-02-13T09:51:00.002-05:00

Clips from HT when the Phila. Zoo was on the show -- Fri, Feb. 11, 2011 (Thanks to Will Dennis for filming)

My Own "The Show Must Go On" Story

2011-02-07T06:16:00.003-05:00

(Dave Jadico having fun with all the last minute changes)

"Hey gents, no electricity at the playhouse. Peco has been called."

This was part of the text I got from the Heeere's Tony! stage manager, Margie Price at 12:22pm on Sunday, Feb. 6th. Our matinee performance was for 2pm. Margie is one of the best in the business so honestly, I wasn't too worried when I got her text. However, finding out the power is off at the theater about and hour and a half before showtime is not something you look forward to hearing about.

Once I arrived at the theater around 12:55pm, I spend about 20 minutes in darkened dressing room upstairs doing my best Anne Frank imitation with the rest of the cast and crew. Next, calm as could be, Margie said, "Ok boys, we're taking the show around the corner to our rehearsal space."

The rehearsal space was at the Colony Club -- a place that looked like a sight specific production of 1776. Luckily, the Colony Club was still decorated for the Christmas holiday (please note the sarcasm).

Almost every patron decided to wait an extra half-hour and trekked over to the Colony Club for the show. I have to admit, it was kinda funny since some audience members were carrying chairs and other things over to space -- we looked like a really bad production of Fiddler on the Roof.

Once the show got underway, Tony did what he does best and worked on the fly. The show is always funny but the last minute changes provided immediate fodder for the quickest wit in the business. On top of things, the wonderful Dave Jadico was our guest who showed of his juggling skills and the golden voice of Jeff Coon filled the acoustic friendly Colony Club like a dream. The show was a blast and hopefully I'll be able to put up some pics that Margie took on her phone when I get them.

My favorite line from Tony's monologue: "This morning, much like Charlie Sheen, Act 2 Playhouse woke up to a blackout."

17th Annual SAG Awards - My Picks

2011-01-30T09:15:00.004-05:00

One of the fun things about being in the Screen Actors Guild is getting free copies of movies and voting for the SAG Awards. I end up voting for favorites in each category hoping that they'll win. She how many of my choices will win tonight at 8pm on TNT/TBS. (NOTE - This graphic will look cut of on the post, but it was too tough to figure out how to exactly make it fit -- plus you can still see the picks on the left side)

Top of Form

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Actor	Title	Change
COLIN FIRTH	THE KING’S SPEECH	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Actor	Title	Change
NATALIE PORTMAN	BLACK SWAN	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Actor	Title	Change
CHRISTIAN BALE	THE FIGHTER	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Actor	Title	Change
MILA KUNIS	BLACK SWAN	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Title	Change
INCEPTION	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
Title	Actors	Change


THE KING'S SPEECH	ANTHONY ANDREWS, HELENA BONHAM CARTER, JENNIFER EHLE, COLIN FIRTH, MICHAEL GAMBON, DAREK JACOBI, GUY PEARCE, GEOFFREY RUSH, TIMOTHY SPALL	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Actor	Title	Change
DENNIS QUAID	THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Actor	Title	Change
CATHERINE O’HARA	TEMPLE GRANDIN	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Actor	Title	Change
JON HAMM	MAD MEN	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Actor	Title	Change
ELISABETH MOSS	MAD MEN	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Actor	Title	Change
TY BURRELL	MODERN FAMILY	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Actor	Title	Change
SOFIA VERGARA	MODERN FAMILY	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
Title	Change
DEXTER	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
Title	Actors	Change


BOARDWALK EMPIRE	GREG ANTONACCI, STEVE BUSCEMI, DABNEY COLEMAN, PAZ de la HUERTA, STEPHEN GRAHAM, ANTHONY LACIURA, KELLY MacDONALD, GRETCHEN MOL, ALEKSA PALLADINO, VINCENT PIAZZA, MICHAEL PITT, MICHAEL SHANNON, PAUL SPARKS, MICHAEL STUHLBARG, SHEA WHIGHAM	Edit
* Vote for Maximum 1 candidate(s).

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
Title	Actors	Change


MODERN FAMILY	JULIE BOWEN, TY BURRELL, JESSE TYLER FERGUSON, NOLAN GOULD, SARAH HYLAND, ED O’NEILL, RICO RODRIGUEZ, ERIC STONESTREET, SOFIA VERGARA, ARIEL WINTER	Edit

Bottom of Form

CAPE AND SWORD - The Producers Cast List

2011-01-29T22:27:00.000-05:00

The Producers Cast List

Max Bialystock - Kevin Toniazzo-Naughton '11

Leo Bloom - Joe Binck '11

Ulla - Kelly Leonard MSJA '11

Roger Debris – Patrick Romano ‘12

Carmen Ghia & Accountant – Hasani Allen ‘12

Franz Liebkind - Andrew Staub '12

Hold Me-Touch Me, Sabu, Donald Dinsmore, FDR, Sergeant, Judge - Alfred Ventura '11

Sign Man, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Brian, Jack Lepides, Winston Churchill, Betrayed Guard, Prisoner of Love - Will Bankhead '11

Pimp, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Sailor, Hitler Auditioner, Springtime for Hitler Solo, Prisoner of Love - Nicholas Endo '12

Mr. Marx, Hitler Auditioner, Convict - Scott Hannum ‘12

Opening Nighter, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Fire Fighter, Jason Green, Hitler Auditioner, Von Trapp, Foreman, Convict - Nicholas Norberg ‘12

Newspaper Vendor, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Cowboy, Hitler Auditioner, Stalin, Convict - Pat “Red” Cunningham ‘13

Bum, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Leather Dude, Hitler Auditioner, Ticket Taker, Convict - Brendan Kolon ‘13

Opening Nighter, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Indian, Hitler Auditioner, Von Trapp, Prison Trustee - Paul Mancano ‘13

Opening Nighter, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Construction Worker, Hitler Auditioner, Von Trapp, Cop, Convict - Luke Mazurek ‘13

Cop, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Scott, Hitler Auditioner, Tapper, Prisoner of Love - Michael Rizzo '13

Street Cleaner, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Kevin, Hitler Auditioner, Schindler, Baliff, Prisoner of Love - Brendan McHale '14

Blind Violinist, Accountant, Little Old Lady, Cop, Hitler Auditioner, Tapper, Prisoner of Love - Karol Szymula '14

Opening Nighter, Chorine, Little Old Lady, Maria Von Trapp, Storm Trooper, Old Lady in Court - Sarah Blake MMA ‘11

Usherette, Chorine, Little Old Lady, Anne Frank, Storm Trooper, Prisoner of Love - Samantha Ricchiuti MMA '11

Nun, Chorine, Little Old Lady, Tapper, Swasta Person, Prisoner of Love - Anna Betteridge JWHallahan ‘12

Usherette, Chorine, Lick Me-Bite Me, Tapper, Gretl Von Trapp, Swasta Person, Prisoner of Love - Jess Riloff MSJA ‘12

Little Old Lady, Tutu-Clad Hitler Auditioner, Storm Trooper, Stenographer - Jacqueline Uveges MMA '12

Nun, Chorine, Little Old Lady, Tapper, Brigitta Von Trapp, Swasta Person, Prisoner of Love - Mary Kate Glenn MSJA ‘13

Bag Lady, Shirley Markowitz, Kiss Me-Feel Me, Marta Von Trapp, Storm Trooper - Quinn O'Brien MSJA '13

Opening Nighter, Chorine, Little Old Lady, Leisl Von Trapp, Storm Trooper, Old Lady in Court - Juliana Angelone MSJA '14

Opening Nighter, Chorine, Little Old Lady, Louisa Von Trapp, Storm Trooper, Old Lady in Court - Alessandra Zito MMA '14

Thanks to all who auditioned. As you can tell, the cast list is a complex list of specific parts that will become clear once rehearsals begin. Anyone not cast can feel free to email Mr. Braithwaite (antonyxb@aol.com) for feedback. Please do not be discouraged, and know that you are more than welcome to audition anytime in the future.

Rehearsal This Week:

- Tuesday, Feb. 1st – 3pm to 7pm: Sing Thru with Sonny Leo for Joe Binck, KTN, Kelly Leonard, Pat Romano, Andrew Staub, and Hasani Allen

- Friday, Feb. 4th – 3pm to 6pm: Full Cast Sing Thru with Sonny Leo

- Saturday, Feb. 5th – 2pm to 6pm: “Opening Night” Choreo with Sonny Leo

The first meeting of the 2nd Semester for the Cape and Sword Improv Club will take place on Monday, February 7th at 3:30pm in the theater.

This Is Only A Test

2011-01-26T06:23:00.000-05:00

Never made a blog post via email so testing it this morning with a pic of one of my favorite shows "Morning Joe" on MSNBC.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A Great Speech

2011-01-20T00:49:00.008-05:00

Google is honoring one of the most famous political speeches today, 50 years after it was first given with this doodle which I adore. The text of JFK's inaugural address is here.

Do Your Part To Save Tastykake!

2011-01-20T00:44:00.003-05:00

Go buy my new crack -- this type of krimpet right now:

It's one of the best things I have EVER tasted. Need more incentive, just listen to everyone's favorite octogenarian, Betty White:

If You Still Like Sarah Palin....

2011-01-09T08:44:00.003-05:00

Maybe this graphic from her PAC will show you why she has no business being in public service. How do you "spin" having Cong. Giffords on a crosshairs lists? The answer is you don't. Her rhetoric has been part of the politics of hate since the minute she stepped onto the national stage. People will still stand behind Palin and that's just sad.

Pitter, Twitter, and Resolve

2011-01-01T09:25:00.003-05:00

Musical theatre enthusiasts will get the reference to today's title from 1776's Piddle, Twiddle, and Resolve. The play on words with the song title works two ways:

1) This post is about my New Year's Resolutions. Using 'resolve' as a noun and a verb, I have "made up my mind" to use with "purposefulness" all things related to....

2) Twitter. Well, social media in general, but Facebook did not work as well with songs choices from 1776. Molasses to Facebook just doesn't have the same ring to it.

But I digress....

My 2011 Resolutions:

1) Never solely write "Happy Birthday!" on people's Facebook pages. If I really want to wish someone well after being reminded of their birthday on FB I will either write something more meaningful and creative on their page, or better yet if they are a true friend I will pick up the phone and call them. And if my OCD is in order that week, I'll plan ahead and mail them a card.

2) Connected to #1, I will do my best not to clutter Twitter and FB Captain Obvious posts. I'm not going to post things just to post. Except early on with Twitter updates, I'm not a "just ate a sandwich" FB poster. However, I do things like write things "TD!!!!!!!!!!!" when I'm watching the Eagles. I'm not Merrill Reese, I don't need to report major plays in the game. Why the hell am I even on FB when I'm watching the Eagles?!?! If I am so compelled to write something during a game for example, like if there is another amazing run/TD from Shady McCoy, I will most likely write something like "Not afraid to say that I'm developing a man-crush on Shady McCoy." I'm mean, who doesn't have one on him at this point?

3) Finally, I'm going to make sure I use my Dempsey workouts as a catalyst to stay in shape in 2011. I've already made so many excuses not to go to the gym in December of this year after being a gym rat since August.

Have a great 2011 everyone! Strive for the Magis!

On the Set of "Safe"

2010-12-18T10:49:00.005-05:00

Last week, I was lucky enough to get a day's work on the set of Safe, the Jason Statham film that has been shooting in the Philly area for the past few months. I was cast as the "Mayor's Aide" -- a part so integral to the plot that I didn't require an actual name. Like any good political wonk, my name is my job description.

The illustrious "Mayor's Aide" appears in one scene of the movie opposite of -- you guessed it -- "The Mayor," played by Academy Award Nominee Chris Sarandon. The casual movie goer will remember Mr. Sarandon as "Prince Humperdinck" in The Princess Bride.

The movie is set in NYC so locations around Philadelphia double for the Big Apple. My scene was shot around the corner from Villanova University at a mansion used to portray NYC's Gracie Mansion -- the official residency of the NYC mayor.

I had a great day on set and learned a ton, even if I only had one line in a very small scene. My one line was with Mr. Sarandon who could not have been nicer the entire day. No release date has been set yet for Safe, but I will surely keep you posted. In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed that my 15 second scene does not end up on the cutting room floor. Although, that happened to Kevin Costner early on in his career and things turned out pretty well for him :)

Here's some pics from the day:

(The door to my cell for the day)

(Since I still live at home it was nice to have my own place for a few hours ;))

(The label on my costume)

(If I ever need to make ends meet, this pictures proves I can sell my giant forehead for AD space)

(The political science degree pays off as I bring realism to the coveted "Mayor's Aide")

Dom Irrera's Still Got It

2010-11-26T14:58:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving Eve is one of if not the biggest bar night of the year. In my opinion, it's become the new New Year's Eve i.e. lots of planning, lots of build-up, and little payout. It's just another night out. It's not like you were just invited to the last party at the Playboy Mansion.

Anywho, my friends and I decided to go see Dom Irrera this year at Helium Comedy Club followed by a few beers before the crowds of Jersey Shore wannabes made it out for what they thought would be the best night of their lives. It was an extremely wise decision and a very funny night. This clip below is Dom Irrera from the 80's. He did this bit on Wednesday and it still killed. He recycled old material and also had some great new stuff on TSA pat downs. Somewhere in the world, Don Rickels was smiling when Irrera dropped this gem: "She was so Chinese it hurt."

Dom Irrera is in town for 2 more nights. I highly suggest going to check him out...after you see Molumby's Million of course :)

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2010-11-22T22:30:00.003-05:00

Kanye West is a very polarizing celebrity. For whatever reason, his eccentric ways have not taken away from my love of his music. His newest album out today, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," is amazing. He takes chances with his music and make songs that are entirely creative and different all while keeping some of the influences from his earlier work.

In his personal life, he is a hot mess. As a musician, he is at the top of his game.

One of my favorite tracks off the new album:

It's Been A While...

2010-11-13T15:15:00.004-05:00

...Since my last post on the Brown Note and I know the 2 avid readers are up in arms. To those 2 readers, I appreciate the concern you expressed in your earlier emails but were the death threat notes asking me to return to my blogging ways really necessary?!?!?!?

Anyway, I've been very busy juggling all the productions in my life right now:

- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opened to a wonderful crowd last night St. Joe's Prep and runs until November 21st. I'm an assistant director at the Prep and also oversee the house managers and ushers. I'll be there Wednesday and Thursday night this week.

- Philadelphia Theatre Workshop's Front Row Seat by Kathy Anderson opens Nov. 20th. I am the General Manager for PTW.

- And of course, Molumby's Million opened last weekend and continues it's successful run until the end of November. I play Jack Dempsey and my latest post for the Brown Note is a co-blog with Iron Age. Click here to read about the pop culture connections with Molumby's Million.

Dempsey Previews

2010-10-31T09:55:00.002-04:00

Molumby's Million -- the world premiere play where I play heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey -- opens this Friday! Below is some nice press clips previewing the show. Can't wait to see you all from the stage.

First clip is from Stage Magazine:

The next 2 are from the Hank Cisco show:

Dog Days of Autumn

2010-10-26T08:11:00.003-04:00

This past weekend in NYC was the annual Halloween Dog Parade in Tompkins Square Park. I've never heard of it before, but some of the costumes are priceless. A bunch of photos from the day can be found here, but I wanted to point out one of the funniest pop culture costumes I've seen in recent memory.

You don't recognize who that is? Maybe this refresher will help :)

One Month To Go For Dempsey

2010-10-03T20:50:00.005-04:00

This update is a few days late since I was busy closing my 3rd show this weekend at the wonderful Montgomery Theater in Souderton. This time, I said goodbye to "Everybody Loves Opal," a charming play that resonated in a special way with audiences. Thanks so much to all my friends and family that made it out to see me play the misogynistic/drunk Brad Winter. Your constant support means the world. And now it's on to full-time Jack Dempsey in Molumby's Million at Iron Age.

This latest Jack Dempsey update:

8/5/10 (Pre-Dempsey Work Out Weight) = 178 lbs

8/19/10 (Two Week Check-In) = 182 lbs

9/4/10 (One Month Check-In) = 183.5 lbs

9/17/10 (Month and a Half Check-In) 184 lbs

9/30/10 (Two Month Check-In) = 187 lbs

11/5/10 (Molumby's Million Opening Night/Dempsey Fighting Weight in 1923) = 188 lbs

The Void Has Been Filled

2010-09-20T07:56:00.006-04:00

On June 10, 2007, one of my favorite shows of all time -- The Sopranos -- ended with a controversial bang. For what it's worth, I loved the way the series ended...but anyway....

Since Tony and his family (actual family...not the goomba one) ordered some of the best onion rings in the state, many shows have come into my life....Mad Men, LOST, Dexter, Rescue Me, to name a few. All great shows with wonderful characters and story lines but none created the hype each week the way my dysfunctional family from North Jersey did. In college, every Sunday night at around 8:45pm, it was like everyone I knew went into a trance. No matter where I was, I always found a way to make it home to 419 Euclid with a least 10 other guys to order food and have my eyes glued to the TV at 9pm. This was not a unique ritual. Similar TV bonding was happening all over campus and from what I would later learn, it was happening all over the United States. Thinking back, I don't think I ever watch an episode of the show with less than 2 other people. It wasn't just an event each week, it was a way of life.

I've yet to do this with a new show. I turn to blogs and emails with people after LOST and Mad Men, but not everybody I know watches those shows (or watched as is the case with LOST). Everyone I knew, everyone I ran into, people I met for the first time watched The Sopranos and shared a similar community watching aspect.

After the season premiere of Boardwalk Empire last night, I think happy days of community TV watching are here again. My parents and I had a countdown for this show since Friday. People I work with were talking about it for weeks. I rearranged my schedule so that I would not have to watch the first episode on DVR. And I am so happy I did -- the first episode was gripping from the opening credits. It's basically The Sopranos 80 years earlier which doesn't hurt the matter -- but it's a lot grittier. Do yourself a favor and start watching this show NOW! It's themes that make for great TV - crime, loyalty, and as is the case with most classics it deals with the dark side of pursuing "The American Dream."

Side note -- Jack Dempsey gets a little shout out in the first 15 minutes of the first episode. Below is the artwork for Molumby's Million as well as the latest weigh-in update from Friday, Sept. 17th (the month and a half mark)

8/5/10 (Pre-Dempsey Work Out Weight) = 178 lbs

8/19/10 (Two Week Check-In) = 182 lbs

9/4/10 (One Month Check-In) = 183.5 lbs

9/17/10 (Month and a Half Check-In) = 184 lbs -- Gotta eat more carbs!!

11/5/10 (Opening Night/Dempsey's 1923 Fighting Weight) = 188 lbs

Um....Ok....

2010-09-09T14:36:00.002-04:00

Just got this message from Twitter:

Karl Rove (@KarlRove) is now following your tweets (@HowieBrown) on Twitter.

Karl Rove

@KarlRove

Washington, D.C.

Bio Former Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush, Author of Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight

2,611	151,514	172,140
tweets	following	followers

I don't know if I should take it as a compliment that Rovie likes what I have to say or if I should be scared shitless. I'll go with the latter.

One Down, Two to Go

2010-09-06T17:37:00.005-04:00

On my quest to become Jack Dempsey, I had my one-month weigh-in this past Saturday. Eating more carbs and adding lots of whey protein shakes to the diet seem to be paying off. I've gained 5.5 pounds so far!

8/5/10 (Pre-Dempsey Work Out Weight) = 178 lbs

8/19/10 (Two Week Check-In) = 182 lbs

9/4/10 (One Month Check-In) = 183.5 lbs

11/5/10 (Opening Night/Dempsey's 1923 Fighting Weight) = 188 lbs

I have 2 months until Opening Night and I'm very pleased with my progress. I have to say, up until this point the toughest part of this workout has been physically training for Jack Dempsey while mentally and physically preparing for my current role as Brad in Everybody Loves Opal at Montgomery Theater which opens this week. I've had to treat the Dempsey workouts as necessary exercise time to keep me balanced with my already busy schedule. When I first started a month ago, I was concentrating too much on both productions and as a result was having trouble focusing in on Brad/ELO initially. I've never had to prepare for 2 different roles at once. This was far from a serious burden, I just have to compartmentalize my focus and make sure that Brad training comes before Jack. Hope to see everyone in the audience of both shows.

Wake Up Everybody

2010-08-21T12:49:00.001-04:00

Loving this new song from John Legend and The Roots featuring Common and Melanie Fiona. Teach for America should grab this song immediately for their next ad campaign. The song is an early release from a collaboration album between John Legend and The Roots called "Wake Up!" The Roots are amazing and I think John Legend makes gold out of everything he touches. The album doesn't come out until Sept. 21st, but this single is already available on iTunes.

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Two Week Check-In

2010-08-20T06:02:00.004-04:00

On the "Jack Dempsey Work Out Plan", yesterday was the two week mark. As a result, today's post is sponsored by Grizzly Bear and their hit single "Two Weeks."

As for the JDWP Update, I've already gained 4 pounds! Now, Ron tells me that I will gain probably 4 to 6 quickly in the first month. So for those playing the home game:

8/5/10 (Pre-Dempsey Work Out Weight) = 178 lbs

8/19/10 (Two Week Check-In) = 182 lbs

11/5/10 (Opening Night/Dempsey's 1923 Fighting Weight) = 188 lbs

More Sinatra Movie News

2010-08-16T16:53:00.002-04:00

Last year, Martin Scorsese was set to make a biopic about Ole Blue Eyes and there was lots of talk about who would play Frank in the film.

Today, it was reported that in a different movie (The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog) George Clooney would play Frank to Angelina's Marilyn Monroe. Clooney makes sense to portray Sinatra mostly based on the "cool" factor. At first, I thought AJ would be awful, but after letting it percolate for a bit I think she could be great. Those sultry lips and everything else make her a powerful sex symbol that could definitely embody Monroe. Plus, the movie focuses on Monroe's final years and Jolie has the acting chops for such a role.

Do you think Angelina is a good choice? BANTER!

What Ifs in the Entertainment Business

2010-08-14T13:17:00.003-04:00

I'm getting ready to leave Chicago this morning after a few days in this wonderful city, with great people, seeing some great and just eh shows. BTW -- if this place was just a little closer to the east coast, I would probably move here in a second. On top of having tons of wonderful things to do, every 3rd person is like the most beautiful person I've ever seen.

Anyway, while on this midwest vacation, I came across two clips that pointed out some of the randomness of being an actor. The first clip is from Siskel & Ebert (the Chicago based movie critics whose show officially comes to an end this weekend) talking about Cop and a Half. Back in the day, this was one of the first things I ever got called back for several times. I was called in for the main character and obviously things didn't work out. What if I had actually made this movie with good ole Burt Reynolds? Yes, it definitely would have changed some things, but looking back now the movie was directed by Henry Winkler! He was the Fonz on Happy Days, but to a new generation he played the wonderfully stupid Barry Zuckerkorn on Arrested Development.

At the time, I could actually see myself playing the lead role in Cop and a Half. However, from the minute I read the script for this next clip, I knew I was totaly wrong for the part before I even stepped into the audition. This next clip is from the new James L. Brooks film How Do You Know? -- a bunch of this movie was filmed in Philly last year. I was called in to play one of Owen Wilson's teammates on the Washington Nationals. My original instincts were spot on when I saw that part I tried out for being played by Domenick Lombardozzi from The Wire and Entourage fame. The character appears in the scene where Owen asks his teammates, "How do you know you're in love?" Mr. Lombardozzi gives a unique answer....

'How Do You Know' Theatrical Trailer @ Yahoo! Video

All to say, it's fun to see how these things pan out on the big screen even though I was a mere after thought in the casting process. At least in these two examples they actually filled my part with another actor and I was able to see who eventually got the role. In Law Abiding Citizen, I was called in several times -- and once in front of the director -- to read for one of Jamie Fox's 2 assistants. In the audition room, it seemed like it was down to me and one other guy. I never got the part and when I went to see the movie, I noticed they cut the part I read for out and instead gave all the lines to the hot blonde assistant. Oh good....

Welcome!

2010-08-10T06:22:00.002-04:00

Please welcome my good friend Will Dennis to the blogosphere. He has finally given into the dark side and started his own blog which you can check out here.

Define: DEAM

2010-08-09T06:55:00.003-04:00

From Mr. Chris Geschke, the definition of DEAM as mentioned in "Becoming Jack Dempsey":

"DEAM- To operate at the highest level of wavyness. To be so on point that you just rock swagger, poise & toughness 24-7. "

Becoming Jack Dempsey

2010-08-07T07:45:00.005-04:00

This week I was cast in the World Premiere of Molumby's Million by DW Gregory at Iron Age Theatre. I was in a reading of this play a few months ago and played the title role, Loy Molumby, who was a Montana oil man (FYI - not this guy) trying to set up a fight in his hometown of Shelby between local war vet Tommy Gibbons and Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey.

To my surprise and delight, I was cast in Iron Age's production as Jack Dempsey! I'm already super excited to take on this role even though performances don't start until November. Obviously, many of you who know me know that my physique is far from that of a heavyweight boxer. So, this project is my very own Robert De Niro/Raging Bull. I need to make myself as close to Jack Dempsey's look, weight, etc circa 1923.

I immediately went to my good friend and personal trainer, Ron Gross, to help me with this transformation. To keep myself honest -- not that Ron won't already do that -- I plan on chronicling some of my training here. My first training session was two days ago on Thursday, August 5th -- Almost exactly 3 months until opening night.

Here's the basics of what needs to happen in 3 months:

Hobro's Weight = 178lbs
JD's Weight (1923) = 188lbs

I'll try to add 10 pounds of upper body muscle so that I'll appear more like one of the pound-for-pound best boxers of all time on stage. Here's the "before" photos (are you happy Carolyn??) from the morning of (8/5/10):

They almost look like a mugshot -- at least they didn't come out like this:

Here's a photo from actual fight between Dempsey and Gibbons. Dempsey is on the left:

My second training is today -- more info to come as there's something to report. I'll start to talk about my 5 a day meal plan once I have it more established. In the meantime, I'll be getting my Jesuit on, striving for the 'magis' in a very tangible way with this role. Or as my boy Chris Geschke says, "Time to get DEAM!"

Say "Happy Birthday" Gracie

2010-07-26T07:17:00.002-04:00

Today would have been the 108th birthday for half of one of comedy's best duos, Burns and Allen. In honor of Gracie's birthday, I give you two of the best in the business, Tony Braithwaite and Jen Childs.

An Apple That Looks Like A Tomato A Day....

2010-07-17T10:01:00.003-04:00

Is a HUGE waste of time. The new "Redlove Era" apple is red all the way to the core making it appear like a tomato. And although this new apple wasn't genetically made -- it was done through cross-pollination and grafting (I thought that was for burn victims?) -- it still took 20 years to make. 20 YEARS!?!?!? Don't you think we need to be putting our efforts elsewhere? You know like Cancer research, eliminating world poverty, capping a gushing oil leak in less than 3 months....

Immediately after hearing about this new apple, I could only think about Jerry Seinfeld's take on the seedless watermelon:

A Must See

2010-07-15T07:07:00.003-04:00

Other than "Inception" -- which is the first movie since "The Dark Knight" that I've bought tickets to in advance -- "The Social Network" is the movie I'm most excited to see this year. Even if you don't use/hate Facebook I think is a movie to see. Holy crap does this look good and the teaser doesn't even show a single clip from the movie. Why should I be surprised, Aaron Sorkin (Syracuse Grad and creator of "The West Wing") wrote the script. His words are gold.

NJ's Own Bruce Willis Doesn't Smell Like The Turnpike

2010-07-05T13:12:00.002-04:00

Happy Wednesday -- New Jersey's own, Bruce Willis (he grew up in Penns Grove, NJ about 25 minutes from my hometown of Washington Twp.), is having quite the week already. First off, Mr. Yippe Ki Yay himself is getting his own fragrance. I think this official makes him one of the last celebrities on Earth to not give the perfume business a try. I love one write up of the new line that describes the fragrance smelliing "of grapefuit, pepper and vetiver, which is disappointing for me, since I always assumed Bruce Willis gave off a scent of dirt, sweat, and terrorist blood." And what the hell is "vetiver?" Before I looked it up I thought it sounded like a type of fabric.

At least we did get this great little song from the group "Jeep Cheroke" dedicated to Mr. Willis.

Bruce Willis from wreckandsalvage on Vimeo.

I Still Believe In a Person Name Hope

2010-06-27T08:07:00.003-04:00

As I've pointed out in previous posts, I'm a political dork who loves when politics and comedy come together. One of the great entertainers of our time, Mr. Bob Hope, is on the Mt. Rushmore of Political Comedy and his jokes still hold up today:

“There are so many congressmen and senators here. I don’t know whether to tell a joke or pass a bill.” (Pause) “As if there was a difference.”

Recently, a new exhibition opened at the Library of Congress called "Hope for America: Performers, Politics, and Pop Culture." The NYTimes review of the new exhibit can be found here. If you are a fan of Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert or countless other comedians who make fun of politics, take a trip to DC and learn about one of the masters. And the next time a big election year roles around, and you get tired of hearing the same old rhetoric, think of Mr. Hope who put the two-paryy system best:

“No one party can fool all of the people all of the time. That’s why we have two parties.”

Bill is a Bud Boy

2010-06-25T06:45:00.004-04:00

The last time I was at a Phillies game a few weeks ago, one Matt "I Used to Jump Over Bars This High" Troha (he was a high jumper at Syracuse) found it interesting that I enjoyed a good ole Bud Heavy. There's just something uniquely American that I find about an original Budweiser -- it's like a regular Coke (which no one seems to drink anymore with the Diet Coke, Coke Zero, etc. of the world saturating the market.) It's right up there in my book with a Ying-Dinger as the most American of beers.

Well, other than my usually rhetoric, I now have tangible evidence to back my enjoyment of Bud Heavy and it's Americanness. Check out this photo of former President Bill Clinton and USA Defender Carlos Bocanegra sharing a Bud Heavy after the Algeria win.

"We Are Orange With Pride!"

2010-06-24T06:40:00.002-04:00

I got this video from the boys over at "Otto's Army." At first glance, you think you are about to watch a Chessy/Dick Clark/Vanessa Williams/Any Famous SU Sportscaster Alum ladened promotions video for Syracuse University. Instead, you get a promo for being a Hooter's girl which is comic gold. I can almost take it seriously until the blonde at the 0:18 mark says, "Hooters taught me the value of serving others." Hilarity ensues.

A Reminder....

2010-06-22T06:39:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, when the day-to-day parts of life get bogged down with a lot of junk, it's good to refocus with some wise words: "Words of Wisdom from the Smartest Man I Know."

The Forrest Gump of B-List Celebs

2010-06-19T09:32:00.002-04:00

Adam Abdi doesn't have the nickname "Big Time" for no reason. Mr. "Fan-of-Film.com" himself was hobnobbing with Erin Andrews and others from Dancing with the Stars recently and the paparazzi caught it in this clip below. For those who don't know him, Abdi is the awkward guy all the way on the left hand side of the screen trying to look to-cool-for-school but definitely looks like he doesn't belong :) Kinda like Forrest Gump with any celeb he was around:

Paging the Director of Programming at HBO....

2010-06-17T19:15:00.004-04:00

What happens when you take a little bit of one of the best TV shows and a little bit of one of the best animated movies from the past twenty years? You get this gem. You have to know both sources to truly appreciate the clip.

A Different Proposal

2010-05-31T08:47:00.004-04:00

I've never seen The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan "I was dating Alanis Morissette and then dropped her in a hot second for Scarlett Johansson" Reynolds. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it gets a 43% so chances are I probably won't see it unless I'm looking for a way to waste a few hours one raining afternoon.

Here's a shorter version of a different kind of proposal. It's a prank set up by one friend in a prank-war with another friend. Just watch -- it's so worth it for the reaction of the girlfriend and one Yankee fan that gets interviewed. I came across the video this morning in this article about the funniest Jumbotron moments.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

3-Dumb

2010-05-20T11:59:00.003-04:00

I've been having conversations with friends recently about whether or not technology is a good thing. Let me rephrase that -- technology is a good thing, but whether or not MORE technology for technology's sake is a good thing. Most of our conversations get back to how cellphones do way too much. Being a Crackberry addict, I usually don't do well in these debates. Regular TBN reader, Tony Braithwaite, sent me this wonderful Seinfeld clip from his March 3rd appearance on Letterman. It pretty much sums up AXB's own views on the cellphone discussion. The whole clip is funny, but you can skip to the 2:45 mark if you want the bit about the cellphone.

Anywho, even though fancy cellphones are one of my vices, here's a technology thing I think we can all agree is a waste of time: Newspapers with a 3-D section. Really?!?! The Philly Inquirer announced today that it will have a page that will include 3-D pictures and ads starting on June 13th.

Let me get this straight, newspapers sales continue to decline. So, to get more people to buy newspapers, you're going to add a page AND an extra pair of 3-D glasses to view the page. How does this help sales? In this fast-paced internet age that makes news of any kind so easy to get you're going to challenge readers to not only buy a paper -- which already is tough -- but to also put on some cheap ass glasses to look at said ad. Yeah...I see this fizzling out after about a month. 3-D isn't even that special. When I saw Avatar in 3-D AND Imax, I would take my glasses off for long portions of the movie to see what it looked like. Basically, it was like watching a movie with one contact missing. Nothing to write home about if ask me.

Will a lot of people buy this issue on the 13th? Yes. Will I? Probably -- but only once just to see what it's like. This is a stupid gimmick that won't last. Just because Playboy is making a 3-D centerfold, doesn't mean the next thing we need to see is a 3-D ad for the latest Verizon cellphone. But, I am a sucker for a fancy cellphone, so who knows!

Power Producer

2010-05-19T14:42:00.000-04:00

If you have Facebook and are connected with Mr. Power Producer himself, Brian Callahan, go to his page and congratulate him. Surprisingly, beneath the man also known as "To Cool for School" and "Cocky Cally" lies a modest Merrrrrr-Man who won't brag about his accomplishments, so I'll do it for him.

Brian Callahan, producer of the #1 DC morning newscast for WRC (NBC Affiliate), has been nominated for a 2009 Emmy Award by The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The winners will be announced on June 5th. Afterwards, I hope to see Mr. Callahan doing a similar pose as the picture below. Go get 'em Cally!!!!!!!

TaserMania

2010-05-08T12:54:00.004-04:00

The week of the taser continues. At the Players Championship yesterday, a man was tasered and charged with "disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest without violence." In honor of the return of "taser" into our everyday vernacular, I'd like to take a trip down memory lane to the Kerry Campaign in 2004 and the now infamous" Don't Tase Me Bro!!!" guy. For the best part, skip to about the 2 minute mark.

"They just f*@$ed with the wrong Mexican..."

2010-05-07T17:22:00.003-04:00

Machete is an upcoming film by Robert Rodriguez that has a litany of actors from some of best of all-time (Robert DeNiro) to typecast action heroes from the 80s/90s (Steven Segal). I'll probably just wait to see this movie on Netflix, but 2 parts of the trailer below had me laughing hysterically: 1) The voice over line that is the title of this post, and 2) well...just watch the first 1o seconds....

I love actor Danny Trejo (aka that dude from Desperado and some other movies that has the giant tatoo of lady on his chest) calling out the State of Arizona. TBN follower Chris Geschke, who just moved back to The Grand Canyon State said in an exclusive interview about his new home state, "They are already getting a ton of bad press out here for the ID thing, but get this contrast....there are cameras set up at stop lights to ticket people who don't come to a complete stop. BUT -- you can now carry a gun in the state where ever you want without a permit." So there's that....

Another Reason to Be a Good Proofreader

2010-05-06T09:00:00.006-04:00

I'm a poor speller. I look up words online all the time to see whether or not I get the "did you mean [fill in the blank]?" prompt several times a day. I just saw a wonderful production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at Montgomery Theater, and had a conversation with the other actors about how I think it would be hard for me to be in a show where I needed to constantly spell crazy hard words correctly. (Side note -- only 4 performances left-- get your tickets now! The show was amazingly funny!)

Nevertheless, because of my spelling deficiencies I constantly read things that I write out loud to catch spelling and grammar mistakes. I'm still not a syntax hawk, but I'm better than the days when my motto was "Who needs to be a good speller? Just have a good personality and spell check will do the rest." FYI -- Hobor3 still follows this adage.

This brings us to this cake celebrating 50 years in baseball for the Atlanta Braves manager:

Now, I didn't give his name yet, but if you've followed baseball at all for the past 30 years, you already know where this is going. The Braves skipper's name is Bobby COX. I'm assuming I don't need to spell out the problem/joke here (and yes, if you're wondering, that lame pun WAS intended).

Being a Phillies fan means I don't like Mr. Cox, but I do love the way he laughed the incident off saying: "That's funny. What bakery did he get the cake? That's what I want to know."

I can think of two people loving this faux pas: 1) Cake Wrecks and 2) The University of South Carolina. (BTW - Congrats to soon-to-be USC Acting MFA student Joe Mallon. Those who know Joe already know that Joe has that hat in at least 5 different colors and styles. (Joe knows that.")

A Huge LOST Leak

2010-05-04T08:53:00.003-04:00

Apparently, there are 6 pages from the final episode of LOST online that according to most are 100% accurate. Do you have the guts to click on the link below to read them???? I chickened out and only read the intro to the article before the bullet-point section that summarizes the major plot points from the leaked script.

Click HERE if you want the leaks.

I'm just happy the show is back on the air tonight.

WHCD 2010

2010-05-02T11:33:00.006-04:00

On the long list of things that make me a huge nerd is the fact that I LOVE the White House Correspondents Dinner. It's right up there with the Oscars as an event I want to attend before I die. One of my favorite books is Clinton & Me by President Clinton's humor speechwriter, Mark Katz. It's a great read about what it was like to write comedy for the President.

Anywho, President Obama did a nice job last night. Although, I have to admit, I kinda hate watching Presidents try to be funny while their bodies are stuck in serious speech giving mode. It amazes me that they spend so much of their lives speaking to people and most of them don't know how to play laughs properly. But I digress.... the President, who from what I can tell bucked the trend and spoke first last night, was 10 times funnier than Jay Leno -- which in my opinion isn't that hard to accomplish. Some of my favorite lines from the President's speech:

- "I'm glad that the only other person whose ratings fell more than mine last year is here with us tonight. Good to see you, Jay! I'm also glad to be speaking first. We've all seen what happens to the person in the timeslot after Leno."

- "Michael Steele is here, aka 'The Notorious G.O.P.' Michael knows what truly plagues America today: 'taxation without representin.'"

- "...I hear I'm still pretty big on Twitter and Facebook. Or as Sarah Palin calls it: the socialized media."

- "You know what really tickles me? Eric Massa. Apparently, Massa claimed that Rahm came up to him one day in the House locker room, stark naked, and started screaming obscenities at him. To which I say: welcome to my world.'"

The full speech:

"Life Is An Eskimo Pie, Let's Take A Bite"

2010-04-30T10:22:00.005-04:00

I love Betty White. She's super funny and is a great example of why age is just a number. What make me love her even more is how excited she is to be hosting SNL with Jay-Z on May 8th. Her quote for an interview yesterday:

"I'm thrilled to meet him. I'm thrilled to hear he's going to be on the show because he's the hottest thing since sliced bread, but I certainly enjoy him. I hope we'll get along well."

I'm holding out hope that they pay tribute to one of my favorite SNL skits and recreate this gem -- Click HERE since the embedded link seem to be faulty.

Big shout out to Zlo who first introduced me to this back on Brew 5.

Guilty Pleasures

2010-04-25T21:18:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite websites -- "This is why you're fat.com" -- has come up about 5 times in conversation in the past week. You need to follow this website for 2 reasons:

No matter what kind of mood I'm in, I'm always happier after seeing this site.
Bacon is featured frequently.

If you or anyone you know can make/deliver the following to me -- as seen on this glorious website -- I will instantly propose marriage.

(Bacon Mug filled with Cheddar Cheese aka My Holy Grail)

***Warning: Do NOT read "This is why you're fat.com" while simultaneously eating a KFC Double Down sandwich or you will die instantly from heart failure. But by all means, please enjoy both of these guilty pleasures separately.

LIVESTRONG

2010-04-22T10:56:00.004-04:00

In honor of the 100th post on "The Brown Note" -- the most influential website since the Drudge Report -- I want to give a shout out to my boy, and 1 of about 3 avid "Brown Note" readers, Chris Geschke (SJP '00). Aside from today being his last day in PA before heading back to his adopted home in AZ, Mr. Geschke is one year cancer free today!

For all the faults associated with the over-saturation of social media these days, if it wasn't for Facebook, Chris and I would not have reconnected over these past few months. Geschke -- have fun living it up in Zona, I'm sure you'll continue to have a ball :)

Tracy Morgan is Hilarious

2010-04-18T11:59:00.001-04:00

Maybe because it's one of 5 impressions I can do well, maybe because he's a funny dude, or maybe a little bit of both, but I love Tracy Morgan. This clip from his appearance on The Daily Show is wonderful:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Tracy Morgan

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

The Drowsy Chaperone Opens Friday at SJP

2010-04-08T09:18:00.002-04:00

The next installment of continued excellence on the Prep's stage begins tomorrow night with the opening of "The Drowsy Chaperone." Along with Episcopal High School in Houston, St. Joseph's Prep, will be the first high school to produce this Tony Award-winning musical.

One of my mentors and former chaplain of the Cape and Sword Drama Program at SJP, Fr. Ryan Maher S.J., once said:

"Sometimes theater is about trying to escape from the darker corners of the human condition. Sometimes it’s about trying to hide in the comforting folds of the skirt of the human condition. Sometimes it’s about the tough middle where most of us spend most of our lives, where some things are good and calm and even funny, and others are bad and stormy and sad. Theater is about all of that because being human is about all of that. That’s why theater will always be part of Jesuit education, and why it has been since the very first days of Jesuit schools in the 1500s. And for that, I say, “Thanks be to God.”

Come see Fr. Maher's words and hundreds of years of Jesuit ideals alive on stage by getting your ticket to "The Drowsy Chaperone" by clicking here.

Barf

2010-04-06T14:29:00.003-04:00

I know it's time to turn the page and I know in the long run it's the best thing for the birds, but as a Syracuse Alum and an Eagles fan, this photo makes me want to vomit.

Scarface: School Edition

2010-03-30T09:35:00.004-04:00

I'm all for promoting the arts with children. One of the best classes I took while getting my Master's in Elementary Education focused on infusing arts in all aspects of the classroom. I know I used various rap songs in my teaching, but I would always change lyrics or use "clean" versions.

The video below is of a school play version of "Scarface" -- yes, you read that correctly -- the movie starring Al Pacino that deals with coke, killing, coke, coke, and just a little more coke for good measure. I haven't found out where the video is from yet, but I do know that I think I can safely say this is NOT a good use of arts in education. What is this school doing next year? Requiem for a Dream: the Musical??

Now, the awful side of me did laugh at 2 parts:

1) The pile of popcorn representing cocaine.

2) The dutiful drama teacher ushering on the student at the end so he wouldn't miss his cue. (I'm definitely burning in hell because I watched this part 3 times laughing harder each time at sincerity of the teacher.)

Biden is a Real Person!

2010-03-24T10:14:00.002-04:00

Love or hate his politics, you can't deny that it's refreshing to have politician like VP Biden who can still be himself. I'm not saying it's right to curse to the President, and by no means is this in the same league as when Cheney cursed at another senator, I'm just saying it's nice to have a politician that isn't fully scripted every second of every day.

Still Lovin' It?

2010-03-19T07:34:00.003-04:00

Take a long look at this photo. It looks pretty normal right? Just a regular old McDonald's Happy Meal. Key word in that last sentence is "old." The picture is of a Happy Meal after being left out for ONE YEAR!!!! The photographer is Joann Bruso, author of "Baby Bites - Transforming a Picky Eater Into A Healthy Eater Book." From Joann about the Happy Meal:

"My Happy Meal is one year old today and it looks pretty good. It NEVER smelled bad. The food did NOT decompose. It did NOT get moldy, at all."

I rarely eat fast food anymore, and I know this won't stop me from ever eating it again (I mean, c'mon, is there anything better after a night of drinking than McDonald's french fries?!?!?) I just found it fascinating that basically, McDonald's food is as invincible as Chuck Norris.

Blinded By My Own Loyalty

2010-03-17T21:18:00.004-04:00

I finally did my Final Four brackets. A few years ago, based on my boy Matt Troha, I decided to only fill out one bracket and use that in all my pools. I know, I know, it limits my changes -- but I want to win big or not win at all.

This year, I went with my heart and my Orange. AO or not, I think they have what it takes. I based my FF on the "Melo Theory." Basically, what team has the best stud with a really, really, really ridiculously good supporting cast -- just like Carmelo et. al in '03. With that being said, my picks:

- Ohio State (Turner is a beast)

- Kentucky (Ditto for Wall)

- Nova (Scottie has something to prove after a poor regular season finish -- plus their bracket sucks)

- Syracuse (All-America and Big East POY Wes!)

Final: Syracuse over Kentucky 81-78. NB Ever since 2003, I always use 81-78 as my score. Sappy, but I don't care.

PS -- Follow Otto's Army if you aren't already.

Whiskey Not So Neat

2010-03-04T08:53:00.004-05:00

For about a month I was super excited to attend my first every whiskey tasting which was held at Monk's Cafe this past Tuesday night. Monk's is a good place -- even if I don't care a thing about whether or not my beer is hoppy, and IPA, blah, blah, blah. I wish I had a picture of the waitress' face when I said, "Just give me whatever you have that's like Miller High Life."

Anywho, everything I've ever heard about any kind of tasting before sounded great. You get to sample a product, laugh with the people you're with, and maybe mingle with some other interesting people. Unwittingly, we walked into a Star Trek Convention for whiskey drinkers. Out of about 40 people, my group of 7 were the only ones who never had been to a whiskey tasting. Our collective experience was limited to doing shots of Jack, Jameson, Makers, etc. Needless to say, "those" brand hand no place here since they were not part of the featured item of the night: single malt scotch whiskeys.

Every person there was SUPER serious about the tasting and just loved listening to our host talk for 15 minutes about each drink while you had to listen silently. No joking, no cheersing, nothing. It was like a bad dream -- having drinks with your friends...in the library. Well, there was that one time we were drunk and ran through the library while drinking after Cuse made it to the Final Four -- but I digress....

The event was the most counterintuitive drinking experience of my life. The more we drank, the quieter we had to be, which was very hard since the 2nd of 8 tastings was already 111 proof! Our host would also throw out some of the following gems that we obnoxiously laughed at under our breath and NO ONE else did:

- "I expect to taste a lot of nutty in this one."

- "If my body was Scotland, the lowlands are here..." as he kept gesturing to his penis.

- "Never mix and 18 year old and a 35 year old."

- "I taste light coffee flavors, a little sea, and some brine." oh good...cause those things go together soooo well.

- And the winner of the night: "Most people these days try to make sure the bung hole is accessible."

It was worth it for these unintended puns and of course for the great company. For the next tasting, I'm just having people over with a bunch of glasses and a big ole bottle of Mr. Daniels.

What If....

2010-02-25T11:03:00.003-05:00

James Earl Jones was never born and as a result never provided the voice for one of the best movie villains of all time??!?!! Well, Darth Vader would have been less intimidating than Rick Moranis' parody of him in Space Balls. Here's the proof:

The Ups and Downs of Google Alerts

2010-02-11T08:53:00.005-05:00

When I began my acting career in January 2008, I decided to make a Google Alert for myself and some of my other friends in the business. For those who don't know, a Google Alert will send you an email every time something is posted online with the specific words from your google search. We used to do this for my boss, Gene Sperling, when I was in DC as a way to make sure we didn't miss any articles he may be mentioned in on a given news day.

Well, my google alerts rarely produce anything of note except the few times I've been in shows. Usually, my friends Tony Braithwaite and Michael Rady get tons of hits -- and rightly so since they are big names in their respective fields. Sometimes, no matter who the google alert is for, you get random things because it will search for any articles with the given words. Hypothetical Example: If Entertainment Tonight had an interview with Howie Mandel and in the interview he said that he liked the color brown -- I would get a google alert about it.

All to say, sometimes I find out about other interesting "Howie Browns" in the world. For example, there is a Howie Brown who was a former golden glove boxer and race car driver. Plus, he looks like a bad ass which is kinda fun:

However, sometimes there are Google Alerts that put me and especially Howie Brown the tough as nails boxer/race car driver in some interesting company. For example, today I received an alert for a pair of Betsey Johnson shoes. They are called "Howie" and of course, they come in the color brown. Once my mom heard this -- being the mother and wife of a Howie Brown -- she's on a mission to buy a pair.

As for Google Alerts in the future, I'm anxiously awaiting the time I get something really random like "Musician Howie Day releases a cover of Bobby Brown's It's My Prerogative." That would make my day.

TV Show Art

2010-02-10T17:50:00.004-05:00

A UK-based company, Blanka, put out a pretty cool collection of posters for TV shows. What I like best are the simplicity of the designs. Each poster is 50 pounds or about $78. A complete list of shows can be found here --- below are some of my favorites:

"A Few Good Men" Headed Back to the Great White Way

2010-01-30T09:18:00.003-05:00

I was ecstatic to hear this week that "A Few Good Men" by the incomparable Aaron Sorkin is gearing up for a Broadway revival. One great thing this revival is doing is having Sorkin make some rewrites to the script. His movie script is much stronger in several scenes that and I think this is clearly a good call -- especially with the whole flight plan sequence. With the changes, I hope that they don't modernize the situations to reflect the current climate. Just because Gitmo is a setting in the show doesn't mean the show needs to deal with Iraq/Afghanistan inmates, etc. We shall see.

The other talk is about the casting of Lt. Kaffee -- the part originated by Tom Hulce, made iconic by Tom Cruise on film, and of course immortalized (more like moderately portrayed ) by yours truly in March 2009.

According to the NYTimes an executive "mentioned off hand that James Franco was the sort of actor who might be ideal in the role — or perhaps Justin Timberlake — but said that those names were merely examples of the sort of star name and caliber of the talent that were being sought, and emphasized that it should not be assumed with either actor would be cast in the part."

I like the Franco call -- he's always done good work and would love to see him on stage, but c'mon -- JT?!??! He's funny on SNL but not a pick for Kaffee. Outside of Franco, how about Chris Pine of "Star Trek" fame? His look could have him play either Kaffee or Ross (Kevin Bacon role). Plus, he has some recent stage credits -- in the summer of 2009 he appeared in the Los Angeles production of the Beau Willimon play "Farragut North."

It's Good (Not) To Be The King (Of Late)?

2010-01-21T08:57:00.003-05:00

Like many people out there, I've been on "Team Conan" during the NBC late night battle. I'm glad Conan has stuck to his guns and I think he's gained more fans during all this by putting the show before himself. On the flip side, karma is going to come around and keep NBC's late night ratings low because of the awful way they have handled things and Jay's likability has definitely gone down. So, Conan will no longer be the King Of Late Night after this Friday -- but I guess *NOT* being king isn't so bad after all when you leave with your principals and $45 million ($33 million for Conan/$12 million for his staff). Conan can go back on the air somewhere in September -- here's hoping he gets picked up right away.

Wes Clark for House

2010-01-19T13:44:00.003-05:00

I was excited for the Wes Clark campaign for President in 2004. I think maybe I had hopes of him being a modern day Eisenhower for the Dems. I was waaaaaay off. It looks like Mr. Clark has his sights set a bit lower this time -- he's considering a run for Congress. I hope he does run -- I think he could bring some good perspective to the often muddled House.

Worst Album of 2010

2010-01-12T10:19:00.003-05:00

This album that's going to be released Jan. 26th is already my vote for worst of the year. Do we really need smooth jazz versions of hip-hop songs? Just because things worked well when the Beatles "White Album" was mixed with Jay-Z's "Black Album" doesn't mean throwing anything into the pot and cooking it is a good idea.

Some preview songs can be heard here. I guarantee it will make you ears bleed.

The Amazing Johnny Mercer

2010-01-03T09:54:00.003-05:00

First off, Happy 2010! Haven't written anything for the faithful readers of The Brown Note in a few weeks -- all 2 of you. To start off for this new decade, I thought I would share from a show that I love so much each week -- CBS Sunday Morning. Fr. Ryan Maher SJ described the show to me in high school as "poetry on TV." The show is brilliant and is always filled with in-depth profile and pointed commentaries.

This morning, I was loving a piece on lyricist Johnny Mercer. I knew that Mr. Mercer had penned the words for so many famous songs including some of my favorites of all time: "Summer Wind," "Days of Wine and Roses," "Moon River," and "One for my Baby" to name a small few. The piece on Sunday Morning filled you in on the plethora of songs his wrote but also gave insight into the tortured, flawed side of the man. It was a great story and I look forward to finding out more about him. The clip isn't up on CBS yet, but you can read more here.

Robin Hood Returns

2009-12-22T07:16:00.004-05:00

Finally got a chance to see the trailer for the new Robin Hood movie starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett with Ridley Scott directing. My only concerning is that it's going to be Gladiator in the forest.

Still, nothing will beat the wonderfulness of Disney's Robin Hood for me:

Up In The Air

2009-12-18T07:59:00.004-05:00

Just like everyone I've talked to and every critic I've read, Up In The Air is definitely one of the best movies of the year. During our current economic climate, the film uniquely captures the quest for happiness and the American Dream. However, it smartly juxtaposes this theme with how hard it can be to find a balance between the sometimes unrealistic American Dream and making powerful, meaning relationships in your life that complete you more than the material things you pursue. I already cannot wait to see this film again and percolate all it has to offer the just like I want to do with other works that deal with similar themes (Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, and Mad Men). If you see one movie for the remainder of the year -- make it this one.

Aria at City Center Opens

2009-12-17T09:33:00.004-05:00

(Aria at City Center. Go to www.citycenter.com for more views)

Just want to give a shout out to my father today. Last night was the opening of the Aria casino/hotel that is part of the larger City Center complex. My father has been working on the Aria part since February. I'm so proud of the work he has accomplished with the project. Most published reports have the budget for this project at around$8.5 BILLION (although I think the final is going to be well over that). Either way, this is the largest, non-governmental project in the world. For that, I think we should all tip our hat to Hobro3 and this crowing achievement of his career. :)

(Hobro3 celebrating his 60th in LV this past August)

Tony Braithwaite in "Flats and Heels"

2009-12-14T05:48:00.000-05:00

Don't worry...it's just a reading at Philadelphia Theatre Company. Tony is not looking to drastically change his life style by any means. Tony joins Amanda Schoonover, Veanne Cox, and Lisa Birnbaum in a staged reading of "Flats and Heels" by Diana Fithian tonight at 7pm at the Suzanne Roberts Theater on Broad Street. This is a free event open to the public -- it's doesn't get much better than that. Hope to see you there.

Details about the play from PTC's website:

“Flats and Heels”
by Diana Fithian
directed by Rebecca Taichman
featuring Tony Braithwaite, Amanda Schoonover, Veanne Cox, Lisa Birnbaum

A hip new office comedy set in the absurd world of reality television. Two best friends battle for a promotion and cross the line from healthy competition to malicious antics. A razor sharp comedy from an exciting new voice in American theatre!

There will be a short talk back with Ms. Fithian after the reading.

Diana Fithian recently received an MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University. Her full-length play “Girls on the Clock” received a workshop production in the summer of 2008 as part of the Brown Trinity Playwright’s Rep; previously her one-act “Take Care of Yourself” was produced by manhattantheatresource. She is currently under commission by Roundabout Theatre Company.

All STAGES readings are held in the Suzanne Roberts Theater and are free and open to the public (no tickets or reservations required)."

West Wing Kind of Mood...

2009-12-13T09:36:00.003-05:00

Someone sent me one of these clips and I just thought I'd share 2 great scenes, from 2 phenomenal episodes, of 1 of the best shows in TV history.

1) "Noel" -- a great story for anyone who knows someone who needs a helping hand.

2) "Two Cathedrals" -- captures the way any Catholic has felt at least once in their life.

Happy Birthday Frank

2009-12-12T08:19:00.003-05:00

If he were still alive, Frank Sinatra would be 94 years old today. I'm convinced he would still have a Camel hanging out of his mouth, a glass of Jack with four ice cubes in his hand, and be the biggest bad ass in whatever room he chose to walk into. With the Beatles and Elvis, Frank is the type of icon that will be imitated until the end of time and never equaled. I regret not liking him when I was really young because then I would have MAYBE had a chance to see him perform live when I was five or something. The closest I'll ever get is seeing Tony Bennett in 2002 in AC and hearing his tell stories about knowing Frank. Here are some of my favorite Frank songs and items:

1) "Fly Me to the Moon" -- I think his best song.

2) "You Make Me Feel So Young" -- Great song, not the cest version but I always love the last 20 seconds or so of this song.

3) Phil Hartman as Frank with one of the best lines ever: "You don't scare me, I got chunks of guys like you in my STOOL!"

Words of Wisdom from the Smartest Man I Know

2009-12-10T08:57:00.003-05:00

A defining moment in my education life was my Junior year at The Prep. For AP English that year, I was lucky enough to have Fr. Joe Michini SJ for one semester followed by Fr. Ryan Maher SJ. For those who know these 2 men -- or have had any type of Jesuit education for that matter -- can appreciate how wonderful it is when you are taught to be a "contemplative in action." These two men challenged me in so many ways, and it was the first time ever that I was motivated to read literature without just getting what I needed in order to get a good grade. Fr. Maher -- now a dean at his alma mater Georgetown -- recently shared the following Jesuit traditions with his class this semester. Whether you are Catholic or not, I think we can all learn something from his wise words.

(Thanks courteous Maher!)

Ten things the Jesuit tradition wants you to have heard before you graduate from a Jesuit college. (There are more, but these ten will do for starters…)

Don’t settle for being less than fully alive. Evil’s main strategy is to get us to compromise away, bit by bit, what it means to be human, usually by keeping us from even thinking of God and the reason we exist at all. Or by getting us to measure our selves and our lives by standards that aren’t worthy of us.

Be bilingual: speak poetry and prose. Learn to love metaphor and the worlds of insight it opens for us. Recall that there is a reason Jesus preached so often in parables. At the same time, learn to communicate intelligently, rationally and effectively what it is you believe and why you believe it. Make room for beauty in your life: art, music, theater, poetry, literature, architecture, sculpture, dance, etc. Beauty feeds your soul and can help attune you to the “frequency” of Grace.

The culture of the “Academy” and professional schools (and most jobs) serve up thin gruel for the human soul. Take from them what helps. Reject the rest. Keep learning for the rest of your life. Seek intelligent sources of support (books, people, courses) for your faith. Intellect and faith can support and correct one another, but it takes work, the hard work of paying consistent attention to both.

Regular, substantive, meaningful conversation is the key to healthy/vibrant learning, life and faith. Be sure your life includes conversation partners and topics worthy of you. This can take some work, but it repays the effort many times over.

Know that you have a committee in your head, always read to sit in judgment of your choices and define/measure your success. Shape this committee, as much as you can, carefully. Pay it the attention it deserves, no more, no less. The committee can help you or tyrannize you, depending on your approach to it.

If you marry, marry carefully. When the time comes, ask advice of people who love you enough to tell you the truth about the person you are thinking of marrying. Consider what they say. Ask God for advice. Pay attention.

Remember, should you become a parent, you will NEVER do ANYTHING more important than raising your children. Keep in mind that children are human beings entrusted to you by none other than God. There is no higher calling on the planet than parenthood.

Love your country enough to struggle to make her better. Vote, and know why you're voting the way you do. Be sure your reasons fit into the Big Picture informed by your faith.

For those of you who are Catholic or might one day be Catholic: Love the Church enough to struggle to make Her better. We seem to be in/entering a time marked by a mindset on the part of many who exercise power in the Church characterized by a cramped understanding of “orthodoxy,” the stifling of conversation, and the confusion of conformity/uniformity with unity/community. None of these things has ever marked a healthy era in the life of the Church. The Church needs people who love Her enough to speak up...and stay.

Be open to God. For some, this will mean looking for the action of Grace and listening for the subtle voice of God in whom they firmly believe. For others, it will mean trying to be willing to entertain the possibility that God might exist. And everything in between. Openness is what matters because it gives Grace a fighting chance.

Tony Braithwaite in "This Is The Week That Is: The New Administration"

2009-12-05T10:32:00.006-05:00

1812 Productions' "This Is The Week That Is: The New Administration" is back for it's 4th installment. Being a political junkie, this has been one of my favorite things in the Philly theatre community to look forward to -- but you don't have to be a C-SPAN groupie to love the show.

The show opens tonight and runs until Jan. 3rd. It's Written & Performed by

Don Montrey, Jennifer Childs, Steven Wright, Dave Jadico, Alex Bechtel, Brian Anthony Wilson Thomas E. Shotkin, & one of my dearest friends in the world, Tony Braithwaite.

(NB: I will be appearing with Tony in "First Impressions" this January at Act 2 Playhouse and Alex Bechtel will be our pianist.)

Some shots of Tony in TITWTI:

(Tony Braithwaite as Sen. Al Franken and Steve Wright as Bill Cosby)

(L to R: Tony Braithwaite, Brian Anthony Wilson, Jennifer Childs, Dave Jadico, and Steve Wright [kneeling])

(Tony as Castro with Steve as Obama)

Mike Rady (and others) Are Ready for a Treaty to Reduce Global Warming Emissions

2009-12-05T10:10:00.003-05:00

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is being held in Copenhagen this upcoming week (Dec. 7-18th). President Obama is going to the conference to support the case for an international treaty to reduce global warming emissions. My good friend, and Melrose Place star, Mike Rady (SJP '99) joined several other celebrities in this PSA from Environment America encouraging people to support this initiative. "We're ready" for this global treaty and we only need to look at what some states like California and New Jersey are already doing to be a catalyst for something on a larger scale.

Others in the video: Cedric the Entertainer, Simon Baker, Alanis Morrisette, Chevy Chase, Amy Smart, Jason Mraz, Jake Mclaughlin, Frances Fisher, Ollivia Wilde, Kevin McHale, Emily Van Camp, Dana Delany, Ed Begley Jr. and Diana Agron

Happy Birthday Jigga!

2009-12-04T11:08:00.003-05:00

In honor of the media mogul Jay-Z's 40th birthday, here's 2 of my favorite videos. I hope to accomplish 1/10 of this modern day Sinatra by the time I'm 40. For whatever reason I can't embed them, so click and enjoy:

I Just Wanna Love U (Give It To Me)

Excuse Me Miss

Netflix this RIGHT NOW!

2009-12-03T07:47:00.003-05:00

"The Lives of Others." -- might be the best movie of the decade. What an amazing film.