Keeping Busy = Lack of Blogs in the New Year

So I was trying really hard to make myself wait until I got caught up with last years blogs before posting in the New Year and by doing that I'm just getting farther behind so.... Here I am posting. And when I post belated posts - I will point them out in present time, because even though they may be delayed there's still some good stuff to be shared....no, really! ;)

Currently my time spent outside of the work day has been occupied with casting and starting rehearsals for a play I wrote and am directing for Phare Play Productions called "Call Waiting". Back in Omaha, (a couple drafts back) it was called "Why Can't This Be Love?" and had a reading @ the P.S. Collective sponsored by the Shelterbelt Theatre. Although I had decided I was moving to NYC at that point 2 years ago (read this article and you'll see what all I was up to about the time I decided to prepare for a leap - crazy), I would not have imagined that said script would be getting produced in NYC 2 years later. In fact, I had shelved it, aside from an excerpt posted on my site. I never felt it was quite ready yet. But Phare Play saw the excerpt and asked me to submit the play to them for consideration. After looking it over and finally tweaking and adding things that I should have done a long time ago I did submit it and now...here I am!

It's a shorter script (no intermission) but one that I hope people will find entertaining and easily identified with. While directing these scenes and watching them being brought to life I've had this sensation of being in a weird time warp of past and present as I reflect on the path the play/script has taken and the real life situations I've experienced and witnessed that inspired it juxtaposed with being in the present and accomplishing something that wasn't even in scope 2 years ago.

I am very fortunate to have a talented and professional cast to work with. Even though we are only in the first week of rehearsals they are adding their own special touches to their characters and we aren't even off book yet! I can't wait to see how the show grows as they become more familiar with the script and their castmates. I know there's a lot of work ahead but I'm truly excited about the potential of the finished product!

So when I'm not directing...I'm baking. I'm in the process of starting an online baking business w/ an emphasis on "bite size treats." Right now I'm figuring out a plan of attack or launch or something like that... In the meantime however, buzz has started and that has motivated me to get a website in the works - www.nibblesbynora.com , start a Facebook Group - Nibbles by Nora and make sure I have a logo (which was created by the very talented Pam Felthauser.) Of course, looking @ the economy it is probably not the best time to start a business but I'm being cautious and it is encouraging that last week, USA Today had an article on their front page about bite size treats thriving in bitter times...so that may be a good sign? We'll see...

In other news- Although I was unable to be there, Amerigo the Brave was shown on the big screen this past week for the Omaha Film Festival and seemed to get fairly positive reviews. The guys from H-Minus have submitted to other festivals as well, so I'm hoping they get one accepted near me soon so I can go see it! :)

On 2/25 I became an "aunt" again. A friend gave birth to her second child/son, Hunter Troy. I've only seen one cell phone pic but he is quite the cutie and has a bit of both Mom & Dad in him. I'm told that his new 4 yr old big brother was the first one to visit Hunter after his birth and they got the meeting on film. I hope to get a visit on the calendar to see him in person later this year. ;)

And this Tuesday I'm headed out to Vegas for a fam vacay (yep - we'll all fly in to meet each other - I don't think we've actually done a fam vacay since a trip to the Mall of America about 10 years ago...) and then Friday we'll depart and I'll head to Cali to visit my West Coast friends and see one of those friends in Opening Night of "Taming of the Shrew". Then it's back to NYC on Sunday!

Needless to say, multiple to-do lists are made daily but everything will get done in due time...yes, even blogging...even when it keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list, at least it still is on the list! ;)

Amerigo the Brave @ the Omaha Film Festival

A short film that I flew back to film in NE about a year and a half ago had it's official "premiere" at the Omaha Film Festival last night. There were preview screenings prior to the public screenings (a second one will be held Friday) and this is what Leo Adam Biga of "The Reader" had to say about the film already... (Note: the stars are out of 4)

Amerigo the Brave ****
Of the 20 films I screened, the single best work of art is this short by Omahan Jonathan Trvdik. He’s a serious filmmaker to be watched. Shot in expressive black and white by Bill Sitzmann, it is reminiscent of the best original “Twilight Zone” offerings. There are hints of Arthur Penn’s Mickey One and David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks.” It ultimately stands as something all its own. It plops us into some backstage netherworld on the vaudeville circuit for a few telling moments in the lives of three people on the edge of existential abyss.

A sense of impending doom drives the story. Jon Purcell, Bill Hutson and Nora Vetter distinguish themselves among the small cast. Kudos to Michael Arch for lighting design and Justin Thompson for set design. I can’t wait to see another film by Tvrdik, his producing partner Purcell and his DP, Sitzmann, who reportedly have new projects in the can and on the drawing board. Add Tvrdik’s name to Nik Fackler’s, Dana Altman’s, Alexander Payne’s, Vince Alston’s, John Beasley’s and Omowale Akintunde’s as Omaha’s best hopes for a homegrown feature film industry.

Wheeeeee! This group that I worked w/ are up and coming for sure. I'm happy I was able to be a part of their film and hope the opportunity arises for me to work with them again.