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Memorial Day

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate… we can not consecrate… we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government : of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

–Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863

Whether you're 4 or 40, it feels the same...

President Obama!

Two great speeches from two great men…

November 4th, 2008 will forever be remembered as a historic night for the United States of America! We all have cause to celebrate, including those who voted for the first time, like my sister!

The party I had planned to attend was canceled at the last minute, due to logistics. So instead, I stayed home and watched the election results come in on the Internet. My two closest friends, Gary and Trenton, were both at their jobs, so I text messaged them updates throughout the night. Excitement grew as we took Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, New Mexico... Then I got a call from my friends, Kate and Nate, to meet them for drinks as we waited. So, as I prepared to send Gary and Trenton one last update before I headed out, my computer crashed. As I was restarting, I suddenly heard something amazing from outside - cheers, whistling, and car horns honking… I knew then that Barack Obama had officially won the election! I tried to call Trenton, who recently moved from here to Los Angeles, so that he could hear the noise on his old Brooklyn block, but the lines were flooded. When I finally got through, we shared our joy as two American friends, one on the East Coast, and one on the West – celebrating from one shining sea to another!

So, when I finally got out to meet Kate and Nate, I found an excitement and jubilation in the streets of New York City, unlike any I have ever seen before. Strangers hi-fived each other, friends hugged, all coming together in a common bond. I decided to drink only American beer, but the keg of Sam Adams in the pub had kicked, and I don’t care for Bud, so I had a Jack and Coke – good American Whiskey! And together we celebrated our historic landslide victory! I even managed to get a copy of the NY Daily News, which sold out rather quickly!

This is the moment we have been waiting for…

President Barack Obama!




I know “Toot” is hosting an incredible, heavenly celebration, and my dad is at that party!

The future is in OUR hands

As actively blogging as I was during the last Presidential election, some have wondered why I’ve not been so much this time around. I guess I’ve seen the choices as simple ones this time: two honorable men who love this country – one offering to lead us in the same direction we’ve been headed for the past eight years, the other offering a new, different course. Now I’ve recently learned that I have some friends who are as yet undecided, as well as many who seem overly confident as to the outcome.

I could spend hours writing about why I support Barack Obama for President of the United States, but our former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, expressed my exact sentiments with eloquence and passion in his own endorsement:




My former roommate, and good friend, who just recently moved to the other side of the country, is a registered independent voter in the swing state of New Mexico. As I collect and sort our mail, I find an abundance of mail for him from the Republican party and the McCain campaign, all of which smear Obama – painting him as a Socialist with terrorist connections. I, like General Powell, find this level of campaigning quite alarming.

I can’t even respond to the terror implications, only that it has already incensed some smaller minded individuals to plan harm towards Obama, proving such rhetoric to be irresponsible and dangerous.

As for the Socialist charges, his plan is not about punishing the successful to give to the lazy, as many on the Right have stated. It’s about affording the same opportunities for success for everyone. Anyone in this country who has achieved success did not do so alone. If you own a successful business, for instance, your merchandise is transported on public roads, which cost money to build, maintain, and patrol. Those who protect us - police, firefighters, and military, as well as teachers, are paid from our collective tax dollars – and should be paid well enough to attract good people to these professions.

McCain is proposing an across the board spending freeze. It really boggled me when, in the final debate, he stated that we could work on research for Autism without funding it. It made me wonder just who, exactly, he thought could work on such things for free. Doctors and scientists have bills to pay like the rest of us! Everything we have must be paid for. Many have wondered where Obama would find the funds to do all of the things he proposes, such as funding for universal health care, education, and energy independence. Well, is it too much to ask that those who are abundantly successful, giving that they could not get there alone, give just a little more than those who are struggling just to put food on the table and work equally as hard?

Secondly, those who are struggling will struggle less when there are more employment opportunities – when jobs that have been shipped overseas are back on American soil for American citizens. When jobs are created to find alternative energy sources, creating thrice the benefit – employment, as well as a reduced dependence on oil and non-allied countries, instead of compromising our environment with excessive drilling which will reap much less than we sow, and much later.

So, even though middle class workers will see a tax reduction, revenue will increase because of volume - more jobs means more workers paying taxes. This isn’t Socialism; it’s the American Dream at its best: Opportunity for ALL, not just the privileged few. We have found that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation of Wall Street, which John McCain has supported, are not working. It’s time for a new way of doing things. It’s time to rebuild America from the bottom up, on a solid foundation.

These are just some of the reasons I support Obama for President. What frightens me now is the feeling of excitement I see in fellow supporters, as if the outcome is in the bag. But we must remember that the McCain camp is still fighting strong. We must not get too comfortable, for if any one of us stay home on Election Day, figuring the outcome is already decided, we give our vote to the other side. We must all get out there, wait in line and cast our vote – even if it’s nasty out or we’re not feeling well. It doesn’t take that long. We can take America back. What’s an hour or two out of our day, when it affects the next four to eight years? Let’s get out and vote! We can do this. Like Obama says, “I’m fired up and ready to go!”

YES WE CAN!!!

Candle for Tibet

http://www.candle4tibet.org

Father's Day

My dad passed away this year, on March 3rd. I did not expect today, the first Father’s Day I could not call him, to be so difficult. But it was.

But I am grateful for the memories, especially for the memory of my last visit home. We held a surprise birthday party for my mom at the end of February. It was also, as it turned out, to be my dad’s farewell party. It was there that mom and dad had their last dance.

My dad’s illness caused him to need a lot of rest. But that final weekend the entire family was together; he managed to stay up with us. We played cards, ate dinner prepared by my sister, talked, and sat together. When I finally said goodnight to him, he held his gaze on me longer than usual. I think we both knew it would be the last time we saw each other. It was also the first time I realized how blue his eyes were.

Shortly after I returned home, my sister called to tell me he was near the end. They didn’t know if he’d last the week or another month, but that it would be soon. I was torn with whether I should go home immediately or wait it out, so I talked with a close friend who helped me decide that it was probably best to keep the good memories of the family’s last time together as they were, rather than one laden with anguish. When I spoke to my brother and sister, they concurred. I am grateful for that friend, as well as all those who were so supportive during this time.

I spoke to my dad on the phone on Sunday, March 2nd.

“Hey dad, how ya doing?”

“I’m doing okay.”

“I hear you’re not doing so well.”

“Yeah, I might not make it.”

I then told him of all the great memories I had of my last visit with him, and I knew the effort he put into all the time he’d spent with us that weekend. I told him I loved him, and that I’d call again soon. He died the next day.

It is only now that he’s gone that I realize that he left me with much more than just memories. He also left a part of himself that lives in me. Small everyday things, like a taste for butterscotch, folk music, and a laugh that has been dubbed by a friend as the “Cary Cackle”.

Just last week, I was teaching a girl at work how to tie a tie, and it suddenly dawned on me that it was my dad who first taught me. When I mop a floor, it was he who taught me the best way to do so. It was he who taught me about working hard. The way he and his best friend were always there for each other is something I've tried to emulate, always feeling like I've fallen short. And lately I can hear his voice telling me, as it did when I was a kid, not to take so much of the world on my shoulders.

So although my dad has left this world, he still lives on in me in so many ways. Yes, I’ve inherited so much more than just his name. I just wish I could pick up the phone and tell him so.

Yes We Can!

As many of you may know, I supported Hillary Clinton in her bid for the United States Presidency for some time, even before she announced her candidacy. However, I now find myself late in coming to a revelation, which many of my friends and fellow Americans have already had, and I am changing my mind. This is not to take away anything away from Mrs. Clinton, I proudly voted for her twice for the Senate, and again in the Democratic primaries. But after watching the debates, listening to Barack Obama speak, and watching her falter in desperation, I’ve come to believe that the better candidate is the one who offers “change I can believe in.”

During the last Presidential election, I encouraged many acquaintances and co-workers to vote. Many of them did not believe they could make a difference, or that they even mattered to any politician. They would say, “No matter what I do, things are going to be the same.”

Now, these very same people are fired up! I see people of all ages, races, economic levels, and backgrounds getting excited about this election because Obama has inspired them. That’s HUGE! That’s what America needs now. Progress will not come about with one person sitting behind a desk in Washington. It will come about when Americans step up and stand up for what they believe their country is and should be.

I finally became completely swayed when she released this ad…



I and many others have a horrible distaste in our mouths when it comes to using fear to win up votes. It will not work this time. It is not only desperate, but also a very shortsighted tactic which can only backfire on her. The next President of the United States needs to do more than just win a primary. If I were John McCain, I would eagerly hope that Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, so that I could immediately run an identical ad, word for word, for myself.

Perhaps Hillary Clinton’s reward for her great service to this country should be to allow history to be kind to her by going down in it as a great First Lady and an outstanding Senator, rather than as a polarizing President. I would also like to see her as an active part of Obama’s administration, perhaps as an advisor in any of the many of the areas in which she excels.

What we need now is someone to unite the United State of America - someone who pulls us together rather than tearing us apart – someone who speaks of hope rather than playing on fear. Barack Obama gets people excited about our country, excited to be and take a part in it, excited to believe that they actually matter. If you haven’t already, listen for yourself…



Even if you do not agree with all of his stances, there is no doubt of his power to inspire and bring this country to an even greater level. I truly believe that this man could end up being the greatest President of my lifetime.

“The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into red states and blue states; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and, yes, we've got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.”

- Barack Obama

Alas, Poor Horatio!

Yeah, yeah, I know…

I haven’t posted in a while. This my first year of doing the Faire when I haven’t cut back on my "day" job, so time and energy for writing haven’t been in abundance. I’m just determined to get financially ahead, and it’s starting to work!

However, a few issues have arisen which I’m taking as a sign to slow down a bit. The most alarming is my leg. I work on my feet a lot, and often wake at night with a "Charlie Horse"; however last week, after doing two fifteen hour shifts in a row – following a Faire weekend, my leg cramped severely while I was at work waiting tables. It was quite painful to walk, and when I told my boss that I was unable to keep up with my tables because of it, he let me go home early. Since then, I’ve been soaking daily in Epsom salt, constantly stretching, and wrapping it. While it’s not cramping so much, it is tired and achy.

So please forgive my lack of posts, I’m just trying to take it easy on myself. Luckily, the job has evened out my work schedule, so that I’m not losing shifts but they’re spread out more evenly.

So onto the Faire…

Last Sunday was the best Faire day I’ve had in my entire six years! Why? Because of the "Daily" our Improvisation Director, Chant Macleod, introduced at morning notes:

The Queen is coming to Sterling! In her company, is a Jester! In the Jester’s possession, is a homunculus! Word has gotten out that within the homunculus, are the Key’s to the Kingdom! At the end of the day, whosoever posses the Jester’s homunculus would be ruler of all England!


Since I needed my homunculus, whose name is Horatio, for the Morning Parade and Queen’s Address, the game was to commence immediately after that scene. To raise the stakes for myself, I – as Yorick the Jester – introduced myself and Horatio as best friends of 25 years, and today was the anniversary of the day we first met and became friends. I explained that we met underneath the bridge at Hawker’s Crossing, while I was preparing to audition for the role as Queen’s Jester. I said that Horatio had supported me through thick and thin, and that we’d been inseparable for the entire 25 years! When people snickered and whispered to each other, I told Horatio that I thought they were planning us a surprise party! I went on acclaiming the virtues of my best pal, Horatio, "I don’t know what I’d without him!"

Well, I was about to find out…

As I walked offstage after The Queen’s Morning Address, I heard the Sheriff’s Guards begin to signal each other. As I was expecting them to all converge on me, they were intercepted by Talia Fortunata, Village Apothecary and Mystic, played by Johanna Lynn Maple. She placed a spell on me, compelling me to hand over Horatio to her! Then the fun began!

Horatio made his way through the entire company throughout the day. I, as Yorick, was very distraught and going through the stages of grief! At one point, I approached the Sheriff of Nottingham, on the verge of tears…

It went something like this:

"Sheriff, Sheriff! I’d like to file a missing persons report!!!"

"Alright, who exactly is missing?"

"Well, Sheriff…. Have you ever had a friend? A best friend? You did everything together! Played cards, talked about life, exchanged jokes… THEN one day… on the 25th Anniversary of the very day you became friends… someone else comes along and runs off with him?!?! Leaving you... all... alone..?"

"Alright, personal feelings aside, please... he left of his own will?"

"NO! He was kidnapped!!"

"Who?"

"Horatio!"

"Alright, can you describe what he looks like?"

"Yes, he looks just like me (very attractive), but he has no body..."

"You mean your little stick thing?"

"My stick for my shtick!"

"An inanimate object…"

"Well…"

"So not really a missing person, is it?"

"SEMANTICS!!!"



And thus went the day. I cannot recall a Daily when so many patrons, cast, vendors, ect… had been involved. At every turn, people were telling me they had seen Horatio, and who had him. And Yorick was losing his mind!




Finally, at the end of the day, Chant, as Alan 'a Dale, confessed to making the whole thing up and Yorick and Horatio were cheerfully reunited!


The next day, one of our favorite patrons, known only as “The Green Monk”, presented us with a gift commemorating the Anniversary of Yorick and Horatio’s friendship. It was a “Friendship bracelet” with Horatio’s name and CPM off to the side. I promptly put it on Horatio, where it will remain forevermore!


And that was the best time I’ve ever had at the Faire!



photos by Rob Pivarnik

Blast from the Past!

This past weekend’s performance was greatly highlighted by the visit of an old high school friend whom I haven’t seen in twenty years! We did all the school plays and musical groups together back then, even attended church together, and were great friends. Although there was no time to chat with her out of character and catch up with everything, it was great to see her, along with her husband and their beautiful 4-year-old son. Hopefully, it won’t be another twenty years before we see each other and catch up again!

I’m still working hard on getting my Chessboard fight to the level I’d like it to be. I asked for and received some great feedback from my friend, Nathan DeCoux, who helped me immensely. In this fight, I use a Broadsword, which is a bit of a challenge for me, being a heavier weapon. It’s totally different from the Rapier style I’m more used to, and I’m really learning a lot. A friend did get a video of the fight, but I’ll not post it until I’m more satisfied with the fight.

As with last year, our Improvisation Director, Chant MacLeod, gives the company a “Daily” every morning before we open. On Sunday, it was “Robin Hood’s Birthday”! The task was for the peasants to give Robin the best birthday ever, while also helping him to keep a low profile from the Sheriff of Nottingham. What happened on this day was incredible, due to the brilliance of Adeline Amber Brown, who plays the duel/alter ego roles of Sister Mary Euphoria and Sloppy Madge. As both characters, she told everyone that what Robin Hood wanted, more than anything, for his birthday was sticks. Yes, sticks. So, throughout the day, Seth Bridges as Robin Hood, had children and cast members alike bringing him sticks. Everyone got in on it! By the end of the day, he had more than 200 sticks in his possession!

Lastly, I want to thank Aryiana, our “Brownie Wench” for her generosity. Aryiana sells CDs for The Crimson Pirates, and every week brings homemade brownies from scratch to share with the cast. After reading my blog last week and learning of how tired I was during my Chessboard fight, she made it a point to come backstage before the Chessboard scene to share her brownies. I was not alone in the cast in finding the hit of sugar at that point in the day extremely beneficial to our performances. I believe I can safely speak for the rest of the cast in expressing our gratitude to Aryiana for her time, effort and thoughtfulness in taking care of us.

I’m looking forward to the next weekend!

A Great Start for NYRF 30th Anniversary!

This year’s Faire season has gotten off to a great start!

After Friday’s dress rehearsal for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I wasn’t feeling too pleased with myself. Playing a comic role can be very difficult, as I never know whether what I’m doing is working or not. But, on opening day, hearing the bellows of laughter from people of all ages was quite encouraging. There’s nothing like hearing the giggling of children, especially when it’s Shakespeare. Yeah, they get it!

Steward Hamilton and Jim Mundy, who play the Mayor and Mayoress of Sterling, had a Shire mascot made, Dewly the Dragon. So, I got to run around as Dewly for a while, which was a lot of fun. Various cast members will have a turn as Dewly throughout the season.

I also made a new friend, Clowney, a four-month-old baby goat. I got to walk Clowney around for a while, much to the delight of the little ones!

The humidity on Sunday kinda got the best of me, as sometime after Midsummer, I was totally wiped out. Knowing I still had to do my Chessboard fight, I kinda took it easy as to save my energy for the fight. I still don’t know how the audience is reacting to my fight, as it is something different and I cannot hear anything.

Jeff Kalmar introduced a new song for Pub Sing, Beggars to God which I am in love with. As tired as I was, I got rather emotional when I heard it; it’s such a beautiful song. Here are the lyrics to the chorus…


Make love to each other
Be free with each other
Be prisoners of love 'til you lie in the sod
Be friends to each other
Forgive one another
See God in each other
Be beggars to God.

It was great to see so many friendly familiar faces; I’d forgotten how much I loved the camaraderie of this place!

I’m looking forward to next weekend!

Photos by Rob Pivarnik

Trenton Clark

Today marks the birthday of a wonderful friend, Trenton Clark.

I first met Trenton when I went to see my friend, Dwayne Tan, in his final showcase at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, which Trenton was also in. I was very impressed with Trenton’s performance, a young leading man type performing a character piece and quite well.

We eventually became friends. I don’t know how we became such good friends, it just seemed to happen. In fact, in my 17 years of living in New York, I haven’t had a friend more loyal, giving, and completely accepting than Trenton. He is a rare individual, only matched by my best friend, Gary Scott Irons.

I’ve seen some difficult times this past year, and Trenton has been there for all of it, always supportive and ready to help at any time. In this city full of busy people, in a career where many become self-involved, Trenton is someone any of his friends can sincerely count on. He makes each of us feel truly special, while also taking perfect care of himself.

He always seems to make the right decisions for himself. There have been times when I feared his actions were rushed and rash, such as when he left his job to free himself for more auditions. He was determined to land an acting job during the Spring audition season, and I believed he would. That very decision led him to landing a tour of Southeastern Asia with the company of the musical 42nd Street! He’s gone for an entire year, and while I miss him, I am so proud of my friend! He’s been acting and singing much longer than he’s been dancing, but he’s worked very hard and completely deserves this opportunity. I know that this is just the beginning for him.

He will have a successful career, not because of his abundant talent and good looks, but because of his drive, determination, and refusal to become complacent. His actions have taught me so much about what one needs to do if one wants to succeed. Yet there isn’t a speck of selfishness in him, he’s among the most generous, encouraging, and compassionate people around.

I believe that God puts certain people in our path to help us become better people. I am so grateful to know Trenton, and hope to be his friend for a good long time. So today, although he couldn't be farther away in the world, I couldn't be closer in spirit.

Happy birthday, Trenton! You deserve the very best that life can offer!