Friday, May 22, 2015

Some Climate Change Theater This Weekend


For some environmental theater, come by this month's Cafe Improv at the Arts Council of Princeton this Saturday, May 23, around 8:40-9pm, for some Climate Change Cabaret. We'll perform three original comic sketches: Complaint Training, Carbon Dating, and Breaking Up With Your Car. The full lineup for the 7-10pm show is at http://www.cafeimprov.com/. Actors will be Basha Parmet, Cheryl Jones, and myself.

Monday, May 11, 2015

The New, Improved Mr. Sustainable

"As long as we must choose between present comfort and future climate, there can be no joy!" So declares Mr. Sustainable, as he searches for a way to feel good while doing good. In this before and after, can new advances in ultra light winter wear and "fresh perspectives on intergenerational relationships" help Mr. Sustainable and his spouse end a long, tense period of thermostat wars? Actors are Steve Hiltner, Basha Parmet and Cheryl Jones. Performed in wintry march at the Princeton Public Library as part of the Princeton Environmental Film Festival.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Crying It Out: At the Bawl

A memorable rendition of a tune I wrote called "Crying It Out: At the Bawl", which reminds me of days spent touring with a bigband in the midwest. The tune (starts at 2:05) is prefaced by some remarks wherein you can learn what a territory band was in the '30s. The territory band I toured with briefly was the Eddie Howard Orchestra, which by the time I joined it in the late 1970s was in its "ghost band" phase, meaning the leader had long since died, but the band could still fill ballrooms in the midwest with dancers. After an endearing rendition of the tune itself, I take questions from the audience, which brings on a story of my quitting the band, but not before getting fired, and the band's dramatic demise soon thereafter, which I hadn't known about until I recently checked out the band's description on Wikipedia.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Around 8 Sings "99 Too Many Cars On the Road"

Princeton High School's a cappella group Around Eight was a big hit at the March 13, 2015 premier of the Climate Change Cabaret at the Princeton Public Library. Here they offer ways both large and small to get from 99 down to zero too many cars on the road. At the beginning of the video, they refuse my offer of printed out lyrics, this being the digital generation. A paperless performance--very sustainable. Around Eight led by Landis Hackett. Lyrics and arrangement by Steve Hiltner.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Climate Theater Returns in This Year's One Minute Play Festival, May 3 and 4

A year ago, I got an email out of the blue asking me to write two one-minute plays for something called the One Minute Play Festival. The plays, along with 50 or so others by various NJ playwrights, were all performed with only seconds inbetween, in two shows at Passage Theater. You can see the whole intense show, or just the two plays (both having to do with climate change) at this link.

This year, they asked for two more, so I wrote "One Day Stand" (about planting a raingarden) and "The Economy Gets Hers", which explores the relationship between the economy, people, and the earth.  Six different directors, each with six actors, converge to bring the plays to life in the course of one zany hour. This year's performance is at the Luna Stage in West Orange, NJ.

Tickets may still be available.