Dom Irrera's Still Got It

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 :)

It's Been A While...

...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

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:

Two Week Check-In

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

Becoming Jack Dempsey

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!"