Gray and cold this morning -- I hope an inversion isn't developing. It was light enough to let my cat outside, thanks to the end of DST. My front yard is all tracked over by the Deer.

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris, from my jet-lagged first day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley
Click on Exceptionally Yours to find Footsbarn Theatre

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW! Spitfires of the Spaceways
Watch Dale Arden rescue Flash Gordon for a change!

Charity Alert: Keep that resolution as Winter sneaks in! Click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: My slide presentation about Footsbarn's Celebration of Theatre was well-received by our Intro to Theater class. When I mentioned that Buckinger's Boot Marionettes were often made with roadkill, it took a few moments to sink in, before one of the young men said That's COOL!

Media Watch: Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux was going pretty well until the author tried to pull things together. Even in Horror and Fantasy, there is a difference between being mysterious, and being preposterous. The book was a lot funnier than I expected, though.
The Dancing with the Stars Results Show has suffered lousy performances by very big names. I will say that Willa Ford's singing wasn't the worst I've heard, but there was nothing particularly special about it either.
The two times I've seen Il Divo on TV have been marred by their corny translations of overdone sentimental tunes. The first time it was Unchained Melody, which always makes me laugh anyway, but their version of the joke wore thin. Last night they did an Italianate version of Without You from Nilsson Schmilsson (1972) -- not only have I never liked the song, but I was sick of it within a week of first hearing the damn thing. (I am not dissing the late Harry Nilsson's talent, but I am expressing my opinion of that fuckin' record.)
I also have to say that I was unimpressed with Il Divo's all-too-predictable vocal arrangement, and the lousy audio mix.
BTW -- Monique Coleman went home, even though the judges picked her not-too-bad Cha Cha Cha with Louis Van Amstel for the featured encore dance. (Amongst all the padding, I almost forgot the supposed point of the show.)

Speaking of Footsbarn:


Eavan and Camille showing up for duty at sunset -- they will work until 5:30 in the morning during Footsbarn's 35th Anniversary Celebration of Theatre. We will clean up theater tents between shows, and they will also serve drinks until all the beer and wine is gone. (However, I'LL go to sleep about 2 A.M.)