Gray and overcast -- nobody sane is getting the water skis ready for THIS weekend! We have a big Raven cawing away on top of a light pole at work, and pooping on the construction trailer below -- the two acts seem to be simultaneous. Do you think he/she KNOWS what's going on, and is enjoying doing it?

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

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: Make a resolution as Spring finally gets into gear to click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: The Hockaday Museum of Art will take down the student art shows this weekend! (See it while it's up!) Me and the director are rolling off to Big Sandy, Montana on Tuesday for MORE STUFF.

Media Watch: NPR did a brief, but fairly good report on the death of cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. Unlike his mentor Shostakovich, he spoke out against the Soviet Union's supression of it's artists, but like Shostakovich, he was also cowed and quiet under Stalin's deadly regime, otherwise he would have been "put away" and forgotten. Thanks to the existence of recording technology, we can appreciate his REAL voice -- his musical voice, even after he's gone.
Speaking of the Soviet Union, the Republican Party of the United States is looting the country, installing incompetent cronys to aid in their theft, and further corrupting the workings of government by blocking enforcement of effective laws, except against individuals who dare to be honest or ethical. Reagan's and Bush I's administrations did NOTHING effective against the Soviets -- the latter ruined their OWN country economically because of officially sanctioned greed and stupidity. Bill Moyers' Journal showed only one of many perspectives on our nation's Hydra-like problem.
Another passing of note is Jack Valenti -- I don't like censorship of any kind, but there have been other, more vile and grasping, people trying to dictate indefinable taboos over the Arts. I guess one of his epitaths could be "Could Have Been Worse."

Theater/Theatre: (Via Nina Cheney)
New York Downtown Clown is proud to present The New York Downtown Clown Golden Nose Awards.
Kraine Theatre 85 E 4th St (btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave) NYC
Monday, May 21st Red Carpet 7:30 pm Show 8:00pm
For tickets ($15) call SmartTix (212) 868-4444
www.NewYorkDowntownClown.com
This first-annual event will honor Clown Excellence from performances of the New York Downtown Clown Monthly Revue’s inaugural year. In addition to the awards presented, the evening will include performances by nominees, dance numbers, door prizes, red carpet, and audience participation games with prizes. The show will also feature Clown Superstar Presenters, including Barry Lubin (Grandma - Big Apple Circus) and Hovey Burgess (Father of the New Circus Movement). The Golden Nose Award Statues will be designed and created by Clown Nose/Mask Maker, Stanley Allan Sherman (creator of the WWF Mankind Mask).
Dress: Formal Attire- Noses Optional.


(L to R) Jacob Mills and Nina Cheney tossing clubs in performance.
Check out their Website!