Catch Me I'm Falling...

Today I can feel the weather finally starting the change (thank God). Signs of crocuses and snow drop flowers blooming... I was even able to ditch my jacket.

Although cooler this past weekend, Sarah and I managed to get outdoors for a hike with her parents on Saturday afternoon, along one of our favorite nature preserves in the Capital Region. I already blogged last June about the Christman Sanctuary, which contains a couple of really stunning waterfalls. Well I think now is really the time for us to get cracking on our waterfall search, because things are thawing and the water is falling! Here are some photos I took with my new Canon EOS Rebel T3:

Interesting to see the changes with a longer exposure:

For those who attended our wedding, this waterfall might look familiar 

(we used a photo of it on our invitations).

Fairest of Them All

Switching gears from performing to interviewing, over the past couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of getting to know acclaimed dancer/choreographer Marge Champion. In the 1940s and 50s, she teamed up with her then-husband Gower Champion to become quite an successful dance team, performing on Broadway, TV, and such MGM musicals as Showboat and Lovely To Look At (here's a beautiful routine from the latter film):



One of Ms. Champion's other big claims to fame was serving as the live action model for Walt Disney's first feature-length animated film, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. "Uncle Walt" and the other Disney animators filmed her movements as a reference, which they later used to bring Snow White to life. Only a teenager at the time, it was Champion's first big break: every scene you see of the character in the 1937 film was actually based on her movements, many of which were improvised.

Reference photos of Marge Champion, who at the age of 14, began
serving as a live reference model for Walt Disney's "Snow White and The
Seven Dwarfs." Photos courtesy Marge Champion. ©Disney.

Dancer Marge Champion in New York.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

This summer Norman Rockwell Museum is hosting the traveling exhibition, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of this classic 1937 film that is beloved by viewers of all ages. Organized by The Walt Disney Family Museum, the exhibition explores the development of the animated masterpiece− from conceptual drawings and character studies, to watercolor backgrounds and colorful cels that brought Disney's ambitious project to life. 

As you can imagine, Marge Champion has considerable insight into the creation of the film, and I had the exciting opportunity to visit with her at her homes in New York City and the Berkshires (she has a part-time residence in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where our Museum is located) to conduct a videotaped interview and learn more. She had plenty of interesting stories to tell, including the fact that she went on provide model reference for Disney's Pinocchio (the Blue Fairy) and Fantasia (some key insight and ideas for the dancing hippos). She was even married for a short time to Art Babbitt, one of Disney's early animators (credited with the creation of Goofy). I have to thank my friends at CTSB-TV, who allowed me to use their Sony AVCHD camera to conduct the interview− the recording looked great, and I look forward to sharing the material in the coming months to help promote the exhibition.

Jeremy meets Snow White (Marge Champion).
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Of course I also asked her about her career in dance and connection with the Berkshires− she served for a long time as a board member of Jacob's Pillow, the dance festival that initially attracted me to the area. I think the most inspiring thing about Ms. Champion is that she is 93, but you would never believe it. She's mentally sharp and in great shape, reinforcing the idea that keeping your mind and body active over the years has its benefits.

The Museum will be honoring Champion as the guest of honor at a special opening gala for the exhibition on the evening of Saturday, June 8. I look forward to meeting her again at that time, and maybe learning a few new dance steps. I also look forward to seeing the art in the exhibition− my father was a big Walt Disney fan (he even got the animator's autograph back in the day), so here's another opportunity I'm sure he would be amazed to learn I was involved with.



Related Links: 

"The Real-Life Snow White," CBS News, October 13, 2009

"Snow White: Marge Champion, a Model Princess," Animated Views, October 7, 2009

Sense and Sensibility

Pre-show... getting that ascot just right!
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

March madness turns into April Fools... surely it's the time of year for absurdity! For me, it's time to catch my breath after finishing up Woman in Mind at Schenectady Civic Players last week. We had a good run and I learned a lot... about perfecting comedic timing, dealing with varying audiences, and working as part of an ensemble. 

The cast was great. We had some very talented people on board, including Victor Kahn who played Dr. Bill Windsor, the physician attending to Susan (the wonderful Amy Lane) for much of the play. During one of our pre-show conversations, Victor told me that Alan Ayckbourn, who wrote the play, doesn't find his work performed much in the States. The more we worked on the show, I realized that Sir Ayckbourn's British "sense and sensibility" might indeed prove a challenge for many American audiences to grasp, at least in seeing much of the inherent humor in the text. There were nights we had near deadly silence, and others where the audiences reacted more vocally to the dry, dark comedy (having a fondness for British literature and music since I was a kid, I may have been the exception to this particular kind of taste).

In terms of my own performance, I tried to straddle the line, adjusting my tone and delivery as I felt it needed to be... playing slightly more broad or intense as I felt the evening justified. I think I also learned that with a play like this, you need to play it fairly brisk. 

One night in particular during our second week I felt like we really nailed it−the show was sailing along, and I really found myself amused backstage as I listened to my fellow actors do their thing− interesting to note that that night was a fairly quiet audience... at least until the second half. 

Master of ceremonies... getting ready for the big finale of "Woman in Mind"
at Schenectady Civic Players. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

To sum it up: Woman in Mind was a complex show to perform, and I think we all learned quite a bit from working on it. Again, I tip my hat to Schenectady Civic Players for being brave and talented enough to pull it off. Our final show on March 24 was met with a very receptive audience which was nice, which made it feel like all the hard work did not go unnoticed. Immediately after that show, we went about striking the set and enjoying a cast party... a night of mixed emotions, of course.

Things have showed down a bit this past week, as I get used to not being "famous" anymore... ha ha. Actually, I have had time to reconnect with Sarah and visit with our families during this past week of Passover and Easter... and rest... let's not discount that.

But it looks like it's time to ramp up once again... a few new projects in the works this week, as well as some offers that came my way during the run of the show... so we'll see what happens next.

Cast of Schenectady Civic Players' "Woman in Mind," March 2013. Left to right: 
Alysson Kelly, Joan Justice, John Nickles, Jeremy Clowe, Amy Lane, Marty O'Connor, 
Ben McCauley, and Victor Kahn. Photo courtesy David Goldfarb. ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Mind Games

Showtime! My talented co-stars Amy Lane (Susan) and Victor Kahn (Dr. Bill Windsor)
in Schenectady Civic Players "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy Schenectady Civic Players. All rights reserved. 

Wonderfully artistic and love-filled weekend... we just finished our first week of performances of Woman in Mind at Schenectady Civic Players. It felt great, and was made even more special by the number of friends and family who stopped by to show their support. My fellow cast and crew are first-rate, and I'm really proud of what we have achieved so far.

Unfortunately, the newspaper reviews so far have been mixed... I'm never sure whether to read these things while I'm in the middle of a show, but I was curious since this is such a difficult production to pull off. Alan Ayckbourn's dark comedy is all told through the subjective point of view of Susan (played by the wonderful Amy Lane), who accidentally hits herself on the head with a garden rake; the resulting injury leaves her having a hard time distinguishing between her unfulfilled reality and imagined fantasy life. As performers, we walk a fine line here between keeping it funny and delving into the darker themes... I took the reviews with a grain of salt, since so much of the play is open to interpretation in the first place. Even though I wasn't specifically mentioned, I also found their critiques useful in helping me to further think about how to strike that balance− as Susan's "imaginary" husband, I have perhaps one of the darkest moments in the show, while also needing to come off rather light and charming throughout. I have noticed myself injecting a little more of myself into the piece... at times utilizing more of my improv skills.

It's really all part of the process... something Amy and I discussed with WAMC's Joe Donahue last Friday on the radio show, The Roundtable. 

Mind the gap! I think some of the funniest scenes belong to Joan Justice (Muriel),
Amy Lane (Susan), and Marty O'Connor (Gerald) in our production of Alan
Ayckbourn's "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips. Courtesy Schenectady Civic Players.
All rights reserved.

In fact, there are some delightful things I have learned with each of our performances so far, and the cast seems to be getting more and more comfortable with each other... that always seems to happen, and makes it harder to realize that your show has a limited run. One very cool thing for me, returning to work on a full play after several years, is that I have also had a couple members of the audience approach me after our performances with requests that I audition for upcoming shows they are putting together at the Civic Players and other venues! Hey ya! Must be doing something right...

All I can say is that it feels great to be back on the boards, doing something so creative and rewarding... after three shows I have enjoyed hearing the reactions of delighted audiences, and getting a sense for what it must feel like to do this as a full-time gig (kudos to the talented staff at SCP). On Wednesday night we're back at it, with a 7:30 p.m. show, followed by performances Thursday through Sunday. Of course, it can only get better. I can't wait, and look forward to further "Mind" games... 

Related Links:

"Schenectady Civic Players present Alan Ayckbourn's 'A Woman in Mind,'" The Roundtable, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, Friday, March 15, 2013

Sch'dy Civic Players "Woman in Mind" on Schenectady Today, YouTube

Schenectady Civic Players website

www.alanayckbourn.net

State of Mind

You bet your sweet ascot I'm back on stage! 
With actress Amy Lane in SCP's production of Alan 
Ayckbourn's "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy and ©Schenectady Civic Players.

Sorry for the lack of posts here lately... I have been too busy preparing for my upcoming play, Woman in Mind, with Schenectady Civic Players. We actually open this Friday, March 15, with an 8 p.m. performance, followed by shows throughout the week and next (final performance is on March 24). If you haven't ordered tickets yet, you can do so on the theater's website.

Working on this play has been quite the process. My character, Andy, is very much "in the head" (to play on words) and there are a couple tricky scenes that I have been learning how to pull off convincingly. Luckily I am working with a great cast and talented production staff. We have all been busy with tech and dress rehearsals over the last few days, which has made for an even more intense schedule.

Before I moved out to the Hudson Valley and Berkshires, I was working at a couple equity theaters in Rochester, New York. I must say that Schenectady Civic Players is every bit as professional from what I have experienced so far. 

Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.

Although technically a community theater, SCP has been around since 1928, operating out of Schenectady's historic Stockade district. The theater is actually a former mid-19th century Masonic temple, so it has a lot of character and plenty of resources (including a vast collection of costumes and props). Now in its 85th season, the theater has produced nearly 450 plays— from recent Broadway hits to classics to avant-garde— I have seen a couple of these shows and have been impressed with the results.

So I'm quite excited about my return to the stage! I am scheduled to appear with the cast and director on WAMC Radio's The Roundtable this Friday to discuss the show— it should be a fun preview to our opening night! You can listen in to the Albany NPR station's segment around 10:30 a.m. on their website.

Ok, it's off to fuss around with tying an ascot for tonight's dress rehearsal... as they say, "the Show" must go on! 

Related Links (updated 3/14/13):

Schenectady Civic Players website

"A 'Mind' of her own," Albany Times Union, March 13, 2013

For My Next Performance...

Happy Saturday. It's been a busy week for me, so it's nice to relax for a change. Yesterday I headed out to the Berkshires super early(!!!) to do a segment about Norman Rockwell Museum for the radio show, Good Morning Pittsfield. The appearance gave me the chance to talk about the Museum's upcoming exhibitions and programs, and host James Campagna had some good questions about Norman Rockwell's ongoing relevance and inspiration. You can watch a video of the broadcast here.

"To us all... the family!" Photo of the cast from Schenectady Civic Players "Woman in Mind."
Left to right: Allyson Kelly, John Nickles, Amy Lane, Jeremy Clowe. Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy Schenectady Civic Players. All rights reserved.

Outside of the Museum, my main focus has been rehearsing and learning my lines for my upcoming show at Schenectady Civic Players. Woman in Mind is a dark comedy that tells the story of Susan, an unfulfilled British housewife who suffers from hallucinations after stepping on a garden rake. After her injury, Susan's real and imaginary life start to blur, and we are introduced to both her "real" and "imaginary" family. I play the character Andy, Susan's "ideal" husband (typecasting, I know!). 

Written by English playwright Alan Ayckbourn, there is a lot to enjoy in this play. Ayckbourn's clever British wit and intriguing story lay the groundwork for quite an effective bit of theater. I must also give props to my fellow actors and director Tom Heckert, who are really bringing this show together. We had another rehearsal last night, and I feel very strong about how our performances are taking shape!

For me it is just a delight to be onstage again, and Schenectady Civic Players does a top-notch job (doesn't hurt that I can basically walk just down the street to the theater!). Woman in Mind opens March 15, and runs through the following week. You can purchase advance tickets on the theater's website. To give you an idea of the show, here are some fun promotional photos that we took the other week. Ok, back to rehearsing... need to get that smooth British gentlemanship down pat (Downton Abbey, take note)! 

Related Links:

Schenectady Civic Players website

Woman in Mind promotional photos, Schenectady Civic Players Facebook page

Good Morning Pittsfield, March 1, 2013

Comes The Last Hurrah...

A-ha performing in Chicago, IL., May 13, 2010. Photo by Jeremy Clowe. 
All rights reserved.

I received a nice surprise in the mail yesterday— WEXT sent along a copy of my recent radio show, Chrysalis Dreams: 30 Years of A-ha. The retrospective had two very successful airings on the station over the past two months, and I again received very positive feedback following its re-airing last week: fans from Korea reported an early morning listening party... a fan from Poland was on the opposite end, staying up very late that evening in order to catch the broadcast.... 

there was even a Brazilian community from Quebec who checked in (A-ha was always very big in South America, where they actually achieved a Guinness World Record for the largest attended concert ever--198,000 people in Rio--back in 1991). I didn't hear any new reports of the station's online stream being overwhelmed, so hopefully everyone had a chance to tune in this time out.

For those who have asked, here is the playlist I put together for the two-hour program, which was presented chronologically:

Hour #1:

One of two album reviews I
wrote for a-ha's 2010 tour program.
Courtesy www.a-ha.com

“Take On Me”—Hunting High and Low

“The Sun Always Shines On T.V.”—Hunting High and Low

“Hunting High and Low”—Hunting High and Low

“The Swing of Things”—Scoundrel Days

“Manhattan Skyline”—Scoundrel Days

“I’ve Been Losing You”—Scoundrel Days

“The Living Daylights”—The Living Daylights movie soundtrack

“Stay On These Roads”—Stay On These Roads

“Crying In The Rain”—East of The Sun, West of The Moon

“Scoundrel Days” (live in South America, 1991)—Angel CD single

"Move To Memphis” (single version)—Headlines and Deadlines: The Hits of A-ha

“Dark Is The Night For All”—Memorial Beach

 Hour #2:

“Summer Moved On”—Minor Earth, Major Sky

“Minor Earth, Major Sky” (Niven’s Radio Edit)—Minor Earth, Major Sky single

“Mary Ellen Makes The Moment Count”—Minor Earth, Major Sky

“Forever Not Yours”—Lifelines

“Lifelines”—Lifelines

“Celice”—Analogue

“Analogue”—Analogue

“Cosy Prisons”—Analogue

“The Bandstand”—Foot of the Mountain

“Foot of the Mountain”—Foot of the Mountain

“Shadowside”—Foot of the Mountain

“Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)”—25

In addition to these songs, I also included other various clips— from Bridges to early demos to album/rare/live tracks—during my narration.

A-ha performing in New York City, September 12, 2005.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

It's funny how music can stir up so many memories and emotions... I was surprised to find myself getting a little choked up again last week, as I listened to the beginning of the first hour. The sequence from "Hunting High and Low" (one of the most beautiful songs ever, IMO) to "Manhattan Skyline" felt so raw to me... it's hard not to still find myself transported back to my high school days, when I leaned very heavily on this music to help me cope with the loss of a loved one. 

In terms of the show's production, I thought WEXT's Katie Gorham provided a great assistance. I had the show pretty well-scripted and timed with the musical segments, and was pleased to hear from listeners telling me how well the songs flowed into each other. In terms of narration I feel a little more satisfied with the second half, but maybe it just took me awhile to warm up with the recording (or perhaps the second half was more "upbeat")... all in all, my return to DJing certainly whet my appetite for more. I think of those broadcasters whose delivery I admire (i.e. NBC News' Brian Williams), and always strive to get better. Having said that, it was an absolute pleasure to share this music I have loved for so long with a North American audience (where I feel it has always belonged). There is something of a sense of closure for me here, although the radio show does present a useful template to complete my long-planned video documentary.

"Foot of the Mountain" promo photo by Stian Andersen.
Courtesy of and ©2009 A-ha.com

Speaking of A-ha, there is an interesting exhibition of photographs of the band opening this week at London's Strand Gallery. Photographer Stian Andersen, who documented the band's comeback from 2000 through 2010, has assembled a collection of quite striking images from his book  A-ha Photographs 1994-2010 (Press), which was published last year. I have a copy of Andersen's very substantial coffee table book, and found much to enjoy... he brings a grainy, "rock and roll" atmosphere to his photos, which A-ha didn't always have back in their early days. Thankfully, much of Andersen's work was used for promotional materials and album covers for the band over the last decade, and I think it helped provide a more "mature" image for the long-beloved Norwegian band. 

It also seems fitting to show Andersen's exhibit in London, as the city played such an important part in the band's development (somewhere I have my own photos of The Blue Sky Cafe, where Paul Waaktaar supposedly penned a few of A-ha's early songs). For those in the UK you can see for yourself, as Andersen's photographs will be on view at the Strand from February 28 through March 17, 2013— cheers!

Related Links (updated):

www.a-ha.com

http://exit977.org

www.stianandersen.com

A-ha Photographs by Stian Andersen, The Strand Gallery

"He's a Lot More Rock and Roll Than We Are," February 22, 2013, A-ha.com

"A-ha Captured on Tour in New Photograph Exhibition at London's Strand Gallery," Huffington Post, February 28, 2013

Stian Andersen and a-ha, The Photographs, Vimeo