DUSTIN LOOMIS = SMILODON SUIT

This a picture of Dustin Loomis and Barbara Callander in Unnecessary Farce, currently showing at Wayside Theatre and getting great reviews.

Dustin and I worked together once on a production of Twelfth Night at Cumberland Theatre.

"Dustin Loomis" is an anagram for "Smilodon Suit."

Coincidence? Some look to anagrams to reveal hidden meanings.

Could Mr. Loomis actually be a prehistoric creature in human disguise? The smilodon (a.k.a. the "saber-toothed tiger"), if standing on its hind legs, would be rather tall. And Dustin is rather tall . . . .

Playing Ketchup

I've been a busy boy. Baltimore Shakespeare Festival's Taming of the Shrew opened July 18th, closed August 3rd. I started rehearsals for Wayside Theatre's Moonlight and Magnolias on July 22nd, which opened August 8th and closed August 24th.

Wayside and BSF are 115 miles apart, so to pull off both shows with these the overlapping dates, I did a lot of driving -- 2000 miles in 2 weeks. Add to that, both shows involve a lot of scenery chewing. By the time Shrew closed and we got into the final week of rehearsal for M&M, I was getting a bit googly-eyed. But -- I was having a ball, being so busy doing what I like.

Three days after M&M closed, I started rehearsals for Way of the World at the Shakespeare Theatre. It's a rare and beautiful thing in this business to go from one job right to another like that.

And here's a link to pictures from Moonlight & Magnolias.

DEMETRIUS, P. 5!

Way cool:

Jen and I were talking on the phone today -- she's out of town for a few weeks -- and she said, "Guess who called me today."

"Who?"

"Demetrius."

!!!!!

He called her and left a voice message.

We'd both been wanting to call him, but nervous about it -- so we were going to talk with friends who were more "in the know" first.

But then Dee beat us to it.

Rock on.

(Image via)

Check Out The Shrew

No, not that one.

This one:

The Taming of the Shrew opens tonight "In the meadow at the Evergreen Museum and Library." Yup, it's outdoors, so bring your lawn chairs or blankets, your picnic basket, and some nicely chilled vino or brew, and have yourself a grand time!

Frankly, Heidi, I Don't Give a Shrew

We're getting to the tail end of rehearsals for Taming of the Shrew at Baltimore Shakespeare Festival. Moving from our indoor rehearsal space to the outdoor space, it's been frenetic. Sweaty, too, rehearsing outdoors on a balmy Baltimore afternoon. We open Friday the 18th.

And then some crazy days to come, for whilst
This Shrew doth show, once more I'll in the breach,
Rehearsing Midnight and Magnolias, yay,
At Wayside Theatre, though eventually
We'll play at nearby Shenandoah U.,
And open on the day of August Eight.

Whew.

Oh, and just so you know, I was recently cast in Heidi (the musical, based on the book), at Imagination Stage -- that'll be next spring.

At this very moment, the local weather is playing a suitable accompaniment: via the open window I can hear a pleasant, steady rain.

Demetrius, P.4

(Image via)

New update. The latest news I have is via a voicemail message, so I can only be broad right now. Still, worthwhile info:

Dee is out of ICU, as of maybe 2 weeks ago. Good, of course.

And he is now conversing, quietly. That's excellent: that sort of communication, so I hear, is a "higher function." To put it poorly, when an injury happens to an organ, functions generally come back "online" lower to higher, lower being the more necessary functions, breathe, eat, etc., higher more like, "dude, where's my comic books?" Not that he's specifically called me and asked me that yet, but supposedly now we might be able to broach that subject.

More news, hopefully, soon.

Keep praying, knocking wood, etc. I won't be content 'til Dee and I take a jog to the local coffee shop, where we'll play chess and talk about women, music, and mouse-traps (long story).

Demetrius, P. 3

(Image via.)

I went out to Ohio June 4 - 8 to see Tecumseh!, visit a few folks I know, see Jen, and of course, to visit Dee. By the way, everyone at T! did a stellar job from what I saw. The understudies really stepped up to the plate. I had the chance to see a couple of run-throughs and the first couple of official performances, and what I saw was a good, solid show. Kudos to them. Go see it.

I saw Dee on Saturday the 7th. Before Jen and I went in, we talked to mutual friend Geddy, who had visited him a bit earlier. He told us that Dee has continued responding to nerve tests, and that he opened his eyes when Geddy talked to him, he responded a bit with his eyes when Geddy indicated another friend in the room. All good news.

When we went in, Dee pretty much slept. This was not unexpected -- his earlier responses with Geddy were probably about all he was up for at the time. Dee was still on a respirator, but it was just giving him a bit of an assist, it wasn't doing the breathing for him. In fact, while we were there, Dee took a couple of deep breaths and shifted his body a bit. These are excellent, I think -- he has full body movement, and his muscles want to move. I talked to him a bit, told him he needs a new barber, but mostly I just held his hand.

Some of Dee's family were at the hospital. When we left, we gave a hug to his mother, shook hands with his dad, said hello to a couple of aunts. They seem to be bearing through it okay, though I know recent improvements have helped on that account.

Since then I've only heard a touch more. Good stuff -- he has has communicated to a degree with his mom, doing 1-finger-for-yes-2-for-no stuff (I don't think he could actually talk right now because of the ventilator tube), and apparently gave a thumbs-up when his mom prayed and said amen. Occasionally his temperature will spike, and when that happens they sedate him so he'll rest.

And that's what I know. Good news, certainly. I'm impatient, I want more, faster. Turns out he left a couple of comic books in Jen's car. I read 'em, of course. I'm waiting for him to call me and say, "Hey, send me my comic books!"

After a Buncha Bad, A Little Something Good

For a few weeks, I just kept getting lousy news. A good friend in a very bad accident. A close relative developing Type II diabetes. Another close relative's supposed pregnancy turning out to be an unusual non-pregnancy. Getting a thousand $ of emmissions-related work on my car, just to have it fail emmissions again (I have a waiver now). So a few days ago, I silently said to the Power(s)-That-Be, Enough of this, okay?

Well, the same day, the PTB gave in a little. Jen's car passed emissions, yay (after 500 $ of work), and I had a chat with the wonderful Warner Crocker over at Wayside Theatre -- and it looks like I'll be doing the comedy Moonlight and Magnolias there. I'm excited about working at Wayside again!

Alrighty. Thanks, PTB (tho' we're still talking).

Rehearsals for Taming of the Shrew at BSF start in a week.

Demetrius, P. 2

Latest news:

Brain swelling has gone down to more "acceptable" levels. Good.

He has responded to prick tests to his feet. That's very good.

Not conscious, thus far. But that's partly by doctor design, to keep his movements minimal for right now.

Demetrius

Hey, folks.

Demetrius Thomas is a good friend of mine, and has been a part of Tecumseh! for a number of years. The last couple of years, he has played the lead / title character, and was set to do so this year as well. In '06, Jen and I had three ceremonies; the first was on the Tecumseh! stage, and Dee was my best man that evening.

A few nights ago, Dee was in a major car accident. I'm getting my information 3rd or 4th hand, so I know very little for sure. I know he was flown to Columbus, and there was some head trauma. There was some swelling of the brain. Apparently he's been through some surgery, and the swelling seems to have gone down at least a bit. I was told he's in critical but stable condition.

But there's still a lot I don't know. I don't know the extent of the damage, and that has me worried.

I don't know if you pray or not. But Dee is one of the good guys, and I ask that you pray now. Thank you.