UPFRONTS AND PERSONAL READING 2-12-2007
Four Broadway stars will take part in a free reading of Ken Levine's Upfronts and Personal on February 12th at 7:30 PM at CAP21's The Shop (18 West 18th Street).
The reading will star Tony Award-winner Joanna Gleason (Dirty Rotten Sco
undrels, Into the Woods), Malcolm Gets (Amour, A New Brain), Chip Zien (Falsettos, Into the Woods) and David Rasche (Regrets Only, Speed-the-Plow).
According to CAP21 notes, the show "is a comedy about how studios and writer/producers get their shows on the network fall schedule. It’s a world of competition, deals, deceit, allies, enemies, compromise, sex, love, death, savvy, ageism, ethics, and a fat guy in a Beefeater suit."
The rest of the article is here.
Also thanks to Playbill.com for their nice piece.
Here's just a sample of the play. When a young writer asks a studio president (who will be played by WINGS' David Schramm) just what are "Upfronts", he says:"The networks announce their new Fall schedules then the advertisers buy commercial time "up front". Spending billions on nothing more than blind faith. It's like if you put an Off-track betting window in a mental institution."
I may not win a Tony but it was great to get off my chest.
I'll see if NYC can raise the temperature for this.
ReplyDeleteHow does 16 degrees sound?
The Mrs. and I can think of no better way to celebrate Lincoln's birthday.
Thanks, Poor man. That was going to be the opening joke of my NY travelogue. Maybe it still will be. I was so proud of myself.
ReplyDeleteHey, good luck, man!!!
ReplyDeleteLet us know how it all goes.
Best of luck, Ken.
ReplyDeleteKen,
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the reading! Sounds like you've got a first-rate cast doing it for you. --
Don't know if I'll be able to get down there from Rochester to see it unfortunately, but wishing you all the best!
Good luck! Wish I was up there next week. I'll spread the word to my NY friends.
ReplyDeleteI love David Rasche. I thought the Sledge Hammer sitcom, where he played a parody of Dirty Harry, was underrated.
ReplyDeletehope your reading goes very well, i would buy a ticket just to hear the line about off track betting in the mental institution.
ReplyDeleteany chance of try-outs in la jolla?
How cool is that! You've got the Baker and the Baker's wife from Into The Woods for your reading! My daughter is squeeeing hugely and wanting to book a flight right now!
ReplyDeleteSounds keen! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a way for the reading to be recorded posted on YouTube.
It's a terrific play (I was honored to be in the L.A. ensemble). Anyone with Broadway or Off-Broadway stroke should go. It's really a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteSadly the website says there are no tickets left. Any secret stash of tickets for loyal blog readers?
ReplyDeleteI thought not.
It says FREE reading, so does that mean no tickets necessary? If there's a list, I'll just tell the person at the door that I'm Beaver Cleaver.
ReplyDeleteNothing against him or even the character as originally played, but to me the classic "jump the shark" moment in all TV (other than the Fonz original, of course) is when the producers of "Caroline in the City" tried to persuade us that there were romantic sparks between Malcolm Gets and Leah Thompson.
ReplyDeleteDownright painful.
Check with the theater the day off. If there are cancellations there may be some tickets freed up.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much to all of you who want to see it.
Dave Rasche?!?
ReplyDeleteAsk him if he remembers the lyrics to "It Was Your Fault". He sang this wonderful torch song in a show at Second City, probably around '73 or '74. I recall the tune perfectly, and it started with "It was your fault, I'm not to blame..."
Too funny (as was Dave)!
Good luck!
Another David Rasche brush with celebrity. Back in the Second City era, my father let him borrow my guitar for some performance or audition. I remain embarrassed all these years later because it was a really crappy guitar (and I a really crappy guitar player), but I guess it didn't undermine his career too badly.
ReplyDeleteWish I could be there, but I'll be on your turf, out in LA on a little vacation. Good luck - your cast is a group of first-rate actors and sweet people, to boot.
ReplyDeleteI just called the theater and, indeed, no tix left. C'mon, Ken, how about an encore performance?
ReplyDeleteI am so thrilled that this is why you are in NYC, Ken. This play is witty and hilarious. The reading is going to rock! All best!
ReplyDeleteAs to the weather, I'll be in NYC on business Thursday and I'm already wondering how many layers I can get away with without looking like Ralphie's little brother in Christmas Story. :) Brrrr.
Wow, what a cast! Ken, you rock!
ReplyDeleteSince I loved all the TV shows that you have written for, I'm sure that I would enjoy this. If it plays in Seattle, I will definitely go to watch this production.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your reading Ken. I had a play of my own read in NYC a few years ago. The pipes burst and flooded the stage and next day the theatre closed for good.
ReplyDeleteThere's a moral there somewhere.
Speaking of tv writing found this link on another writer's blog:
http://nicco.wild-reality.net
it's a story about a tv writer currently living with a well-known actor. The chief interest for us is the author/hero "Gus Ashbrook"'s struggles with spec scripts and his descriptions of the horrors of "the Room". His made-up sitcoms are also great - 'My Brother's Goat'. A 'hilarious family show about a guy whose brother has a goat'
It's good satire, written by someone who must have been there.
Maybe it's even you Ken?