that's 'technician' for...

CTC called me last week to schedule a fitting; when I returned the call, the following conversation ensued:

ME: Hi, this is Leigha Horton from Tale of a West Texas Marsupial Girl returning your call.

COSTUMER: Whoa, you actually said the whole name of the thing.

ME: Yeah, um, well, uh… why, what do you call it?

COSTUMER: Oh, just “Marsupial,” (pause) or “The Pouch Play.”

The Pouch Play! I love all people behind the scenes for this very reason. It reminds me of a personal tour of the Old Globe’s set for How the Grinch Stole Christmas by my Lighting-Director-best-friend – there are a few scenes where you can see townspeople in windows and on the hills silhouetted in the distance, and up close it turns out they were plastic Simpsons and alien figurines. In plain view. Let's hear it for the folks that make theater magic!

buh-bye, day-job!

As I've been alluding for several weeks now, after five years of service to the Walker Art Center in the position of Performing Arts Assistant, I am (sadly, yet excitedly) departing to pursue my acting career full-time. That said, we have started the official search for my replacement, allowing ample time for new-hire training before my departure December 6^th.

Below is a brief job description. If you know someone who might be interested in the position, and/or who might be aware of potential candidates, please forward along this information. If you have any questions about the position, please feel free to contact Julie Voigt, Performing Arts Senior Program Officer, at 612.375.7625 or julie.voigt@walkerart.org.

Thanks for your help in spreading the word!

WALKER ART CENTER Job Opening

JOB TITLE: Assistant

DEPARTMENT: Performing Arts

CLASSIFICATION: Full-time, exempt

REPORTS TO: Senior Curator

HOURS: 35 hours/week, M - F with additional hours as required

RESPONSIBILITIES Provide a full-range of assistance to the Performing Arts Senior Curator, along with added assistance to the department. Duties include acting as lead contact between Performing Arts department and other departments for the oversight and coordination of general office projects (IT systems implementations, office moves, etc.); serving as first point of contact for public and collegial inquiries; serving as liaison between Senior Curator and public for incoming and outgoing communications; assisting with, and often managing, grant applications, interim reports, and final reports; coordinating project details for artist site visits; coordinating national- and international-colleague site visits; arranging Senior Curator’s and artists’ complex travel itineraries; working with box office staff to maintain comp lists and attendance records for Performing Arts programs; managing Senior Curator's calendar; drafting and executing departmental correspondence; and providing support in executing Senior Curator's presenting responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS Arts administration or related arts degree with practical experience in an arts discipline and project management preferred. Two or more years of administrative support experience required, executive-level preferred. Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with strengths in marketing and public relations, strong decision making capability, and organizational skills with attention to details. Essential to work effectively with a wide range of people (artists, administrators, funders, community partners, patrons) and have the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously in a fast paced department. Knowledge and experience with the Microsoft Office Suite (PC), database systems, and Internet required. Knowledge of Photoshop, InDesign, and Quark a plus.

SALARY High $20’s to Low $30’s depending on qualifications; excellent benefits

APPLICATION DEADLINE Wednesday, October 25, 2006

For consideration, send letter of interest, resume, and names of three professional references to Human Resources, Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403.

Posted 10/06/2006 Job line: 612.375.7588 or www.walkerart.org/jobs/

Walker Art Center is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Chasing Windmills

I hereby offer you your new daily internet addiction, Chasing Windmills. I’ll be joining this new season’s expanded shenanigans about mid-October…you’ll know when my character gets introduced because I’ll get added to the bulletin-board. In the interim, you can catch a 2.5-second teaser appearance in the six-minute Overture and soak up the joy that is the new cast in the new episodes – and since I’m at a bit of a loss as how to describe it at this point, I’ll give you Max Sparber’s take, slightly edited to make sense in this context, but mostly posted in its entirety because I’m lazy:

…a daily vlog detailing the fictional experiences of a real Puerto Rican couple living in Minneapolis. The show was created by Juan Antonio del Rosario and Cristina Cordova, who, at the end of the last season, fictionally ended their romance after a grueling fictional miscarriage. Most of the last season followed the couple bickering, goofing around, and pontificating in their downtown apartment…This season begins with a long "overture" that introduces the filmmakers' intentions and new characters for the season... The remainder of the cast is mostly drawn from the local blogging scene, including local actress and theater producer Leigha Horton, Girl Friday's Alexis McKinnis, Amber of An Amber-Colored Life, and Mpls.St.Paul Magazine associate editor Steve Marsh. So far I have very little idea about what this season is going to look like -- I have only seen the scripts that I have already shot, as they are written week-to-week. But this suits me, as I will be discovering the storylines and my character's developments as the season progresses, and I like that sense that there is something to be discovered.

What Max said. And one more thing to note – the video on their fancy homepage always seems to look all pixilated – you might want to just bookmark the archives and view the videos from there instead (it’s updated daily). Enjoy!

Earth to Horton; come in, Horton.

I just realized the Ivey Awards are happening right now. And I’m at home. Ooopies.

I had a blast at last year’s Iveys playing Waldorf and Statler up in the balcony with my MoCW compatriots… alas, it just wasn’t on my radar this year; it got overshadowed by Elevator Repair Service’s masterpiece, GATZ.

Ah well; next year. Until then, I'll leave the Iveys with a topical quote from two of my favorite old men:

Statler: What's the name of that famous song Tony Bennett sings?
Waldorf: "I Left My Heart In San Francisco"
Statler:  Big deal! I left my teeth in Minneapolis!
Both:	Dooh ho ho ho ho!

Elevator Repair Service

Last night I attended part one (of two) of Elevator Repair Service’s GATZ – a wildly unconventional adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, in which every single word of the novel is spoken. In order. The entire performance lasts about six-and-a-half hours, and while I had the opportunity to see the show as a marathon this Saturday or Sunday, I decided to take the easy route and see it in two parts over two evenings. Most of the time I don’t feel a day over 24, but the idea of sitting in a theater seat for seven hours in one fell swoop makes me want to play the age card. Or the unadventurous card. Doesn’t really matter which because either way it’s a card. Moving on.

I arrived at the theater last night in unfashionable (read: purposefully comfortable) clothing, looking forward to nothing more than settling down in my chair and allowing the language of the work to enfold me. There’s a sweet nostalgic comfort that accompanies being read to, and it seemed the perfect fit to the end of a rather difficult week and to the beginning of a long rainy night. The performance was wonderful…set in a fantastically dingy industrial back-office with office-workers living their office-lives yet assuming the characters of Nick, Gatsby, Daisy, Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson (amongst others, including a hilarious moment with the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg) on a sometimes-bustling parallel plane, the most beautiful moments are those when the set is quiet and dim and we are left with just our narrator, Scott Shepherd. You’ll have to forgive my sentimental foolishness, but it was honestly like being hugged by something far greater than myself, and being told that everything was going to be okay.

I was engaged. I was entertained. I was critical. I was inspired. Ever since I was first introduced to Elevator Repair Service in 2004 when the Walker brought Room Tone in as part of the Out There series (a dark, eerie piece that married the text of Henry James’ Turn of the Screw with his brother’s, William James, psychology writings) I have been a fan. But now, with my resolve to finally make a 'go' of it as a full-time actor, I want very much to be an active participant. I want to create the kind of theater they’re creating. I want to challenge and entertain with them, doing what I do best. Working with ERS as an actor is now officially on my list of goals. Expect a call, John Collins.

too legit to quit

Check-it: I’m on the Internet Movie Database. My filmography is teeny-tiny, but it’s a start. And a start ain’t half-bad.

In other news, I spent some time last weekend tweaking my commercial voiceover demo with a friend, the goals of which are to garner a richer, fuller tone and replace some of the weaker reads. The highly-contentious Morgan Stanley script stays. Yes, it’s a stodgy RP English accent and some of you hate it, some of you love it; but since everyone seems to feel strongly about it I figure it’s memorable and therefore it stays. You'll know when the new demo is up because you'll want to buy some ice cream. And that's all I'm going to say about that. *ahem*

In the next week or two I’ll also be recording narrative and accent demos…I can’t wait to get those done, especially since I've been wanting to do the former for months now. The narrative demo will include part of one of the ice-fishing stories I recorded for the Walker Art Center's Open Ended: The Art of Engagement exhibition, and another piece or two yet to be determined - probably pieces from Ken Burns' Jazz series, and Nova's The Elegant Universe. Fitting since I adore both jazz and quantum physics.

I’m also hoping to spend some quality time with my home-recording setup to get the recording levels set once and for all. I know this thing has the power to make some really nice recordings, I just haven’t been able to find the sweet spot yet. I’m working with a Digital Reference DR-CX1 mic with a Stedman Proscreen XL on a desk mount, patched into a M-Audio Mobilepre USB. The preamp runs directly into the computer, and I’m using Audacity (open-source software) to record. If any of you pros have any recommendations off-hand, I’m completely open to suggestions. For those of you who might suggest not using the brand name of the windscreen to help me avoid sounding like a novice; I'll work on that.

Past a Freak School Bus Crash and Everything

After five years of managing grant applications on behalf of my day-job and the artists/artistic programs we present, I just submitted my very first grant application on behalf of myself and my own artistic aspirations. I even hand-delivered the package to the Minnesota State Arts Board office with an hour to spare before the deadline, despite efforts to scare me away from completing the delivery.

It’s like I’m a real artist now. Wild.

Taking the Leap

Last fall I read a conversation between two of my favorite playwrights, Suzan Lori-Parks and the recently deceased August Wilson, in American Theatre magazine. On taking risks, Wilson said, “You have to believe that you could dive off a cliff and that you’ll be okay, that you’ll sprout wings and fly, otherwise you’ll never dive off the cliff.”

Looks like this girl is about to do some cliff-diving. Some scary, scary cliff-diving.

This December, I begin rehearsals at The Children’s Theatre Company for Tale of a West Texas Marsupial Girl, and with the start of rehearsals brings the end of my five-year career at the Walker Art Center. It also brings the end of the comforts (steady income, health insurance) upon which I have come to depend. Okay, depend heavily. Starting in December, I will be making my living as an actor. Please excuse me while I repeat that, for my own sake: I will be making my living as an actor.

I find this concept equally thrilling and terrifying.

In early July when I turned 28, a dear friend sat me down and paced the room while lecturing me for a solid hour about how, in regard to performing, this is going to be The Year of Leigha. That means no more fucking around. No more cutting corners. No more procrastinating. No more waiting for things to fall in my lap. I have been inspired on the short-term in the past, but nothing like this. This friend knows me deeply, and he cared enough to point out and shoot down my bullshit excuses and my laziness. He helped me navigate my way out of complacency, out of inaction.

Two weeks after my birthday we went and saw the touring Broadway version of Wicked – and it only deepened my resolve. As fully expected, some of the performers could sing circles around me; but surprisingly, some of them couldn’t. For the first time, I realized that doing what they were doing on that stage wasn’t just a pipe dream. I’ve worked long and hard to develop the chops that I have (and I fully comprehend that I have plenty more work to do now and throughout my life); it’s high time I start giving those chops the respect they deserve. I will be making my living as an actor.

Move-over Dog, make way Boar, and mind the gap John Miller-Stephany; July 3, 2006 through July 3, 2007 is The Year of Leigha. It’s time.

The Antidote

Post-Fringe Blues ('pOst 'frinj 'blüz), n. – a psychological state of depression lasting roughly a week after The Closing Night Party, affecting the majority of Minneapolitan performers. Symptoms include waxing poetic about the merits of community and artistry, sitting alone at home feeling sorry for oneself, and suffering delusions of grandeur in regard to ones future as a performer.

I, my friends, am annually afflicted by the Post-Fringe Blues. And why wouldn’t I be? How else would one appropriately commemorate watching an absurd number of performances, acting ones brains out, developing artistic crushes on other performers, and partying for 11 straight days and nights? And I, my friends, am not alone: I hereby present Exhibit A: a blog post on the matter by the lovely Mo Perry; Exhibit B: a blog post on the matter by the fabulous Zoe; Exhibit C: a blog post on the matter by the best satirical writer in the country, Foster (look for the Daily Fringe #9 on the left side of the page); Exhibit D: a blog post on the matter by the best citizen reviewer west of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixon Line, Philip Low. I’m sure there are more examples, but the sentiment is the same.

This year’s affliction, however, was different. Very different. In fact, so different it didn’t exist. I decided to thwart the Post-Fringe Blues by spending some long-overdue QT in my hometown, San Diego. I stayed with my extremely generous brother, I visited dozens of lifelong friends, I frolicked near tide-pools, climbed into ocean-side caves, shared glorious sunsets with my best friends in the whole world, jumped on my favorite suspension bridge to test impedance, and paid homage to the mighty blue Pacific. I sang. I was sung to. I was accosted by a timed sprinkler system. I performed one of my monologues for my anam cara in the middle of the beach in the middle of the night. I regained my footing. I became grounded. I remembered Home. And now here I am back in Minneapolis - proud and happy and refreshed and inspired.

And yes, I am proud. My Ministry of Cultural Warfare did good. Our average attendance for the run of the Fringe was 101%. We were awarded an extra performance in the final “Encore” timeslot. Out of 163 shows, we ranked #4 by percentage of capacity (um, fire code? what fire code?), and #10 by audience attendance (not bad for having a house size that only seated 110 people – there were several venues that were far larger).

And the reviews. Oh, the lovely reviews:

Pioneer Press: MUST SEE: The Unbearable Lightness of Being American Agitprop is practically the official language of the Fringe, but Matthew Foster’s lefty manifesto distinguishes itself with its suppleness of thought, its keen sense of observation and a heartfelt honesty that catches you off guard. Performers Leigha Horton and Nathan Surprenant provide just the right touch and some glistening moments, including some genuinely funny stuff that’s non-political but still germane. For Surprenant, that includes a riff on the Nicene Creed devoted to pop divas; for Horton, it features a spot-on meditation on young adult identity that hypothesizes that all those white kids talking black are actually “transracial.”

—Dominic Papatola

City Pages: The Unbearable Lightness of Being American Ministry of Cultural Warfare Leigha Horton and Nathan Surprenant tackle the state of the nation in 11 sketches and monologues scripted by Matthew Foster. What works is great: a chilling security-state interview that naturally can't happen here, an exposition on slavery to housecats, and an affectingly raw piece of musical storytelling that commands us to live in the America we were taught should exist. A few segments need more time in the oven, but the show's format ensures that another take on American life comes around the time you'd be looking for the remote control. Thu 7:00 p.m., Sat 8:30 p.m. Intermedia Arts.

—Quinton Skinner

Audience Reviews:

"Great Show" by Brad Wagner: Nathan and Leigha are fantastic, the writing is fantastic and the overall flow from a directional standpoint is great. There was not a lull, it was a jam packed hour of entertainment. I highly suggest getting to this show, you will enjoy it. (Posted on Aug. 4)

"Political Satire that Works" by Tim Voss: Whatever its leaning, social and political satire is filled with traps. All too often, it comes off as strident, preachy, and very not-funny. MoCW's return to Fringe dodges all the pitfalls and comes up with a series of hilarious and witty sketches. The Essay Contest and The Art Show are excellent examples. Then there's Cats, a step by step guide to growing a family of cats. I'm the Decider is a dark, and not so funny, peak into what might well be our future. Leigha Horton and Nathan Surprenant do a superb job. Matthew Foster's videos are funny and sparkling. Must see. (Posted on Aug. 4)

"America, the Beautiful" by Ben Layne: Great performances, a fantastic script, and nary a dull moment in the whole hour. The opening "history" of America was a pitch-perfect start, and the closing "Stanzas" give what few politically-charged shows give - a message of hope, if you're willing to work for it. I could not have been more entertained, nor more pleased with the overall message. While these kinds of shows generally "preach to the choir," with much of the audience already inclined to agree with much of the content, the ending in a way serves as a much needed reminder to the "choir" of what's really important. Bravo! (Posted on Aug. 6)

"Smart, Funny and Entertaining" by Stephen Dwyer: The Unbearable Lightness of Being American is a must see this year at the Fringe Festival. The humor and social commentary are interwoven in such a way that you leave feeling hopeful as well as with a smile on your face. Both Nathan and Leigha are brilliant and who could pass up a show that pays tribute to Babs and patriotism. (Posted on Aug. 7)

"Outstanding Performance" by Catherine Mika: I loved the show! The writing was quick, witty and insightful. The material made you think twice about being an American. Nathan Surprenant and Leigha Horton were superb in the many characters they represented. This is a must see! (Posted on Aug. 8)

"MoCW strikes again!" by Curt Lund: Another hit from Matthew Foster for MoCW. (Did I mention I actually bought a copy of the script for "Into the Acid Fountain"? I did. I don't know why but I did.) I'm a fan of Nathan Surprenant, especially Cat Lady Nathan Surprenant, but Leigha Horton was the star today. She gave a magnificent and so so versatile performance -- so funny and then, suddenly, startlingly touching. And damn Leigha, that WAS a quick costume change! But you recovered gracefully and ended on undoubtedly the highest note. (Posted on Aug. 10)

"This play should be mandatory..." by Jamie S: The Unbearable Lightness of Being American does not disappoint. The brief history of America slide show in the beginning set the tone for the rest of the scenes: quick, funny and poignant. The scenes seemed to be the perfect length with great music playing during the breaks and a quote relatable to the next scene. This was a brilliant commentary to myself as an American. I am so programmed from television that those shorter scenes with the slight breaks between kept me focused, entertained and surprised when it was over. Smooth transitions should never be overlooked, especially when there are 11 scenes. I didn’t fidget or look for my nearest exit once! The acting was amazing. Nathan Surprenant and Leigha Horton were miraculously changing characters so often and seamlessly. Every scene was relatable, thought provoking and a commentary of pop culture. Two of my favorite scenes, The Diva’s Creed and Cats were painfully funny. Nathan drove those monologues home with truth, humor, and complete humility. Nathan, I give you praise! This show is a must see. (Posted on Aug. 9)

"I heart Nathan & Leigha!" by Mary Mulheran: What a fun show! Nathan & Leigha demonstrated incredible range from one skit to the next, changing their look, voice and body to adapt to the scene. I was laughing out loud throughout the show and would say this is a Fringe show not to miss! (Posted on Aug. 9)

"Droll, Flip and Poignant" by Melissa Norsten: Part history lesson, part trip down memory lane, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being American" is both provocative and provoking. With humorous visual sound bits, Nathan Surprenant and Leigha Horton, execute the droll, flippant and sometimes poignant, comedy seamlessly. Their outstanding portrayals quickly move the audience from shallow complacency to the personal cost of war; from moral judgmental righteousness to the paranoid climate of fear. But in the end, Nathan and Leigha provide hope - and that is their gift to everyone. (Posted on Aug. 11)

"Laughed AND cried" by Timothy M: I'm proud to live in a country that has these guys in it. (Posted on Aug. 11)

"Brilliant!" by Katherine Lenaburg: My criteria is "make me laugh, make me cry, make me think about it later". This show did all three! (Posted on Aug. 11)

"Unconscious Isms in the light" by dixie treichel: Political Satire and dark comedy equals a Matthew Foster work--add The Ministry of Cultural Warfare and the stakes are raised. The opening video collage is excellent--the acting great--and the topics give you something to think about. Especially in this age of nostalgic fascism, McCarthyism, securityism and you name it --isms. Oh and don't forget patriotic songs. (Posted on Aug. 12)

"Fantastic show" by Nancy Antin: Extremely entertaining. Did not want it to end. (Posted on Aug. 9)

"very funny" by Heather Wescott: I thought this play was very funny! The skits are well written. My favorite skit was the one about the guy become a 'cat lady'. Hilarious!! (Posted on Aug. 10)

"a message of hope, if you're willing to work for it" by evelyn blum: There was no work or need of hope to enjoy this one. Granted I was on the side of the writers view, as was my companion for the evening. But we laughed from begining to start. Entertaining and spot on. (Posted on Aug. 9)

"This Land Is Your Land" by Reid Gagle: This show consists of a series of unrelated skits, as funny and clever as we have learned to expect from the Ministry of Cultural Warfare, who in the past have brought us 'Industrials', and 'In Defense of Sin'. The show closes with star Leigha Horton renouncing the Ministry's usual ironic tone in favor of a sincerity which I found very resonant. (Posted on Aug. 7)

"Oh Say Can You See" by Patrick Curren: From the genius of the fabulous photo montage opening to the last word, this is a nonstop comic ride through the trials, challenges, and absurdities of contemorary American life. Deftly written and wonderfully performed by two talented actors, you gotta catch this one if you can. (Posted on Aug. 9)

"Worth seeing" by James P: Though not as politically oriented as advertised, this 11-skit comedy skewers a broad cross-section of Americana: corporate machinations (an elementary schooler discovers McDonald’s placed an ad in her prize-winning essay), the collegiate coming-of-age conundrum (a student describes her roommate as “trans-racial” or born into the wrong race), and both the overzealously patriotic and anti-patriotic leftists in the final sketch. The “Brief History of the United States” opening montage is a funny satire on our nation’s evolution, but for the local jabs, “At the Art Show” delivers the best. A few sketches are underdeveloped, and the show switches rapidly between funny and serious, creating a lopsided effect, especially as actor Leigha Horton was given all the juicier monologues. However, Horton and her counterpart Nathan Surprenant deftly switch between each character, imbuing all with distinct and amusing mannerisms. A funny and smart show; I’d see it again. (Posted on Aug. 8)

"Sharp political wit" by Ronald Corradin: This is the best political satire I have seen in years. But then, there's so much material to work with. Leigha Horton's insightful comedy is always on the mark, whether it involves a confused college student, a revved up real estate agent, or a Department of Homeland Security "interview." Media/technical support is first rate. The venue is comfortable, with good sight lines, and was full on opening night. Highly recommended. (Posted on Aug. 4)

"Not to be missed" by Cobra Bentley: This show is hilarious, smart, powerful, and fun. Killer scenes and nice use of video during transitions help keep a perfect pace. This is a MUST SEE! (Posted on Aug. 5)

"Great political humor!" by John Armstrong: Leigha Horton is fabulous, portraying a multitude of characters ranging from a 7 year old essayist to a desperate southern belle. The script has many fantastic lines and the jokes were hysterical. There was some problems with projection simply because the audience was still laughing as the actors were trying to move the show along. Overall though, very funny! Must see if you're into political humor. (Posted on Aug. 3)

"Fair and Balanced" by Alexander D: Ok, not exactly balanced but more balanced than most political theater these days, and definitely fair. I took a friend who could be described as slightly religious. He was laughing along with everyone else. Both actors looked like they were having fun with yet another great Matthew Foster script. (Posted on Aug. 4)

"Interesting" by Kristi Lawless: I agree with others that the beginning was a very strong start to this show. Some of the scenes were very strong, and others were weaker. I particularly liked the "I'm the Decider" scene. It packed a powerful punch. "Poverty" was amusing but went on too long. And diva's creed was a clever idea, but watching people ridicule what others find sacred grows tiresome after awhile. I thought the ending was strong and made me want to relook up the words to those songs. I could have done without the political advertisement though (I'll make my own choice in voting, thank you). But, it wasn't completely unexpected. I did, after all, read some of the other reviews to this show. It did come off as rather preachy in my opinion, but it's hard not to do so when you are trying to pursuade. (Posted on Aug. 13)

"All over the map...literally" by Steve On Broadway (SOB): Last night, one of the first promising productions out of the starting gate of the Fringe Festival was the often incendiary Ministry of Cultural Warfare's The Unbearable Lightness of Being American. With varied vignettes encapsulating several shades of American life, this production may appear at first blush to be literally all over the map (as in these United States). But MOCW's play, punctuated by a variety of often clever sketches by Matthew Foster, provide a thought-provoking send-up of the disparate crazy quilt our nation really is, including the politically correct school girl (Leigha Horton) reading her contest essay to the gay diva worshipper (Nathan Surprenant) to the Christian right businessman who proselytizes his clients to the disillusioned liberal who makes an impassioned case for Americans to come together. Horton is excellent in each of many characters she inhabits; Surprenant is quite amusing as well. The one-hour production begins with a fascinating -- and alternatively funny and chilling -- video of "A Brief History of America" that neatly and succinctly relates the American experience through a series of images, each described in just a few words. Sometimes the self-examination of what it means to be American is just plain hilarious, while at other times, it is unafraid to speak in political terms -- in fact, after the disillusioned liberal makes her case while singing the "forgotten" second stanzas of the patriotic songs with which we all grew up, the show ends with a partisan plea to vote for Minnesota's venerable DFL (Democrat-Farm-Labor) Party on November 7. While some of the sketches work better than others, and some may easily be turned off by the overt political content, The Unbearable Lightness of Being American should be required viewing for anyone taking in this year's Fringe Festival. (Posted on Aug. 4)

"Snappy, witty fun..." by B. Riley: just not what I was looking for when I decided to go. A series of sketches illuminate the players' political and social perspectives on a range of topics...I thought the catty Art Gallery piece was especially well-done. The political commentary was strong but not heavy-handed. Well executed, good use of video, great quotes, and a feel-good ending. I wanted to sing along. (Posted on Aug. 8)

"SUCKER FOR THE THEME" by Nancy Brown: Yep. Give me creative slide show in a show, in this case for sort of a history lesson and I am in your camp. Interesting vignettes. The show was well attended so book it or show up early if this topic interests you. (Posted on Aug. 8)

"Fun, tight, engaging" by Mo Perry: Leigha and Nathan deliver a consistently engaging hour of socially and politically astute theatre in The Unbearable Lightness of Being American. I laughed, and yes, even cried. My favorite part was the last monologue, which captured the nuanced, conflicted, and passionate feelings of secular liberal American patriot. Go team! (Posted on Aug. 6)

"Get in while you still can!" by Brian O'Neal: I was touched by Matt Foster's script and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the show. Leigha Horton and Nathan Suprenant both give really wonderful performances. It's satire that has just the right amount of bite to be effective and also the self-awareness to not slip into being preachy or, well, unbearable. (Posted on Aug. 6)

"Inspiring power" by Allan Valgemae: This is a show of brief skits, all superbly acted, but of varying power. Nonetheless, the opening slide show of American history and final skit make it all a must see. Leigha Horton's beautiful singing voice accompanied expertly by Dan Sarka on the guitar closed the show with words that brought back the hope that I might again feel proud to be an American. (Posted on Aug. 6)

"mostly good, uneven" by David Trudeau: The energy and writing are uneven in this satirical look at what truths we hold to be self-evident. Luckily we had reserved for this sold out show, or would have been turned away. (Posted on Aug. 7)

I mean, hell, even the not-so-glowing audience reviews were still constructive and positive. Two of those I left out of this post because, well, it's my blog and I get to do whatever I want with it. You can still review all the audience feedback by using the link above - the two I left out are at the very bottom of the page.

Overall, I am so pleased, so humbled, so honored. This girl has got no blues. Except for the loss of my stolen iPod. I still have the blues for that. And I'm still accepting donations (use the PayPal button at right to make a secure donation) to the iPod replacement fund. Many, many thanks to those of you who have already generously given.

Pleased, humbled, honored, and no post-Fringe blues. Life is good.

Off-Stage Drama

I have come to the saddened conclusion that sometime between our tech rehearsal and opening night last week, my beloved iPod was stolen.

What does this have to do with acting, you say? Well, everything. Not only has the device held countless hours of music, it has held years-old old phone messages that I couldn’t bear to part with, my very first forays into podcasting, and several hours of voice lessons that I recorded to practice with later (which I did on many, many occasions in preparation for auditions – I credit those lessons with helping me get the Children’s Theatre gig). On top of all that, it holds personal sentimental value. I’m so, SO bummed out that I don’t even know how to express it without sounding idiotic.

I have sent out e-mails and made phone calls to local friends and family, my 120+ colleagues at the day-job, the Children’s Theatre Company where we were rehearsing for our show, Intermedia Arts where I’m performing this Fringe, the Fringe Festival office, and every other place I can think of. I have torn my apartment apart top to bottom, I have combed my car. I even looked in my refrigerator. I wish I were kidding.

No leads. Not a single one.

This is just so frustrating, because I DO NOT misplace things. I just don’t. Okay, I did once in college – I had lost my car keys and after an hour called my dad, crying. After a stern reminder to slow down, I discovered them on the floor under a shirt. In my panic, I had moved the shirt several times but just not far enough to expose the keys. I have been much more cautious and deliberate with this search, a search that has lasted several days – to no avail.

The absolute last thing I can afford in this world right now is a new iPod – yet for my acting growth it proved itself an essential tool - therefore, I have to replace it. And therefore, I’m now awkwardly asking for your help. If I am able to raise enough funds to cover the iPod, I will start a podcast to repay you in my own funky audio way. Any excess funds raised will be donated to the Minnesota Fringe Festival.

Anything you can do to help is sincerely appreciated - secure donations can be made by clicking the PayPal donation button to the right. Many, many thanks for your consideration.

Opening Night

I love this time of year. The only thing that usurps my wistfulness at hearing the cicadas of deep summer is the 10-day par-tay known as the Minnesota Fringe Festival. It seems awkward to be so romantically melancholy about summer at the core, yet so thrilled for the experiences of performing and watching performance at the same time, but there it is. The paradoxes never end, folks.

Anyway - Thursday night was the opening of The Unbearable Lightness of Being American. The performance, aside from a rather substantial personal disappointment, went really well. And thus far, the audience response has been quite positive – you can go to our show page on the Fringe site and scroll down to the end to see some of the feedback we’ve been getting (or to write your own! – yes, do!). I also heard my favorite reviewer was in the house, too, so we’ll see what comes of that.

So about this personal disappointment - I need to back up just a little to Tuesday night’s tech rehearsal to give the full exposition: We ran six minutes over in our tech rehearsal. This was problematic, so we had to figure out what to cut. It ended up being a video clip of “Who’s on Iraq” (our version of Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First”), the absence of which effectively removed any quality time I had to change costumes from a monologue into the final scene, which is just me accompanied by the stellar Dan Sarka on guitar; a scene in which I sing sporadically throughout the whole thing. This made me uneasy - quick-changes are not good for breath-control.

On Thursday things went beautifully, up until that very last quick-change. The house was full (about three seats shy of sold-out), responsive, and Nathan and I had good, positive exchange with each other and the audience. Yet there I was backstage before the last scene, frantically trying to right the series of wrongs that had unfolded - I accidentally removed my layered tops all the way down to my camisole (decided to not find the shirt to put back on over the top), while trying to either rip out (didn’t work) or shove-in (eventually did) the insole that was blocking my foot from entering my shoe. I finally entered the stage late with lights up and guitarist waiting – and I was completely out of breath.

Really, really bad for having to sing after just one line of dialogue.

And I sucked. Within the first stanza my voice cracked. I spent half the monologue having no idea what I was even saying as I was competing with the running dialogue in my head, “Focus, Leigha. BREATHE. BREATHE SLOWLY. Focus. Yes, you’re saying the right lines, but slow down. BREATHE.” About halfway through the monologue I felt like I got my bearings back and was able to actually perform the monologue and sing modestly well.

Honestly, I was just so disappointed in myself. This singing-well onstage thing is a new concept for me, and throughout the rehearsal process I’ve been getting really positive compliments. Hell, a couple of people said it was so good that it gave them goosebumps. By the end of rehearsals I had confidence and trained skill to back it up - so if I got flustered or self-conscious, I could take refuge in the fact that I am trained to do this. And I had every intention to demonstrate that to the audience, but it just wasn’t happening that way. And there was nothing I could do about it.

Live and learn, I guess. Although I don’t know what to take from this so that I can fix it if it happens again. Perhaps today I’ll practice that quick-change and succeeding monologue so I can figure out how to tackle it vocally for the rest of the run.

Okay – enough self-abuse for now. Back to getting pumped for tomorrow’s performance! Despite my disappointment, it really is a great show, and there is much to be proud of.

Doing Your Patriotic Duty

The Minnesota Fringe Festival returns TOMORROW(!) and runs through August 13^th at various Minneapolis venues. With it comes The Unbearable Lightness of Being American, a new(ish) offering from my snarky little theater company, The Ministry of Cultural Warfare. COME SEE!

But first, a caveat or two (after all, what's a Ministry show without some proper caveats?):

1) We highly, highly recommend reservations, as The Ministry’s last four Fringe offerings have sold-out every single performance. Turning people away totally sucks.

2) Not even remotely suitable for children under, say, 15. They won’t get most of it. And the stuff they DO get, you would probably prefer they didn’t.

This is what happens when smart patriots get angry. The Unbearable Lightness of Being American is a twelve-part multimedia parody of American politics, godliness and culture that blitzes Blue and Red. The company that brought you the Fringe hits Industrials, Slaughterhouse Warming and In Defense of Sin: My Friends' Best Stories is back with their snarky, sarcastic, Fringe best! For its sixth big Fringe year, the Ministry of Cultural Warfare trashes American largess and hypocrisy on religion, immigration, sex, identity, war, and cats. Yes, we even go after the cats! The show was first performed in its one-woman incarnation at the 2002 Absolute Originals festival at Intermedia Arts. Then we went on to be the first sell-out of the 2004 Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montréal — AND sold out every single one of our Montréal performances — AND got the cover of the Montreal Mirror. Like all things American, the show is returning home like a prodigal son after getting scrubbed, detailed and tricked-out. The script even has that coveted new-theater smell. Tickets: $12 at the door (Fringe ticket info) GUARANTEE YOUR SEAT... BUY TICKETS NOW! PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Thursday, August 3 at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, August 6 at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 8 at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, August 12 at 8:30 p.m. At Intermedia Arts 28th and Lyndale, Mpls (driving directions) Intermedia has been designated a scent-free venue. Please refrain from wearing smelly stuff. Starring Leigha Horton and Nathan Surprenant Guitar by Dan Sarka Directed by Reid Knuttila Script and video by Matthew Foster Photo courtesy Craig VanDerSchaegen

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Understanding "Exhaustion"

So tired. Mentally. Physically. Drained.

We had a tech rehearsal tonight for our show that opens Thursday (I’ll post official info about the show tomorrow when I’m cognizant of things other than my pillow), and it generally went well – we consistently cracked up our technicians, which is a very, very good sign. It’s also good because it eases the cost of a good bribe. Theater Rule #1 – know what the technicians like to drink.

In related, albeit guilt-ridden, news: I have a million e-mail and voice-mail messages that I’ve neglected to return, seven different blog posts about latest inspirations and funny stories that need to be written, and an all-around return to communication with the outside world that’s waiting to be picked up from the wayside.

Friday. Expect communicationy stuff on Friday. Or maybe Mondayish. Until then, I'm a couple of cards shy of a full deck. And we all know that decks with missing cards suck. Yeah... bed. now.

MoCW Wants YOU!

Kittens! The Ministry of Cultural Warfare is back at the Fringe this year with our usual smatterings of agitprop and snark! But after taking last year off to recharge our creative batteries, we need your help to recharge our financial batteries.

With artists to pay, rehearsal space to rent, props to buy, set pieces to pillage, it all adds up fast. So we're turning to our ever-faithful infidelitous friends to help us make up the difference. Join us for some post-work wine and hors d'oeuvres on Thursday, July 27 at la maison de Nathan Surprenant to schmooze, drink and get your name in our program (you'll be famous!). The party lasts from 7 to 9, and your Ministers will all be on hand to give you our eternal gratitude and ply you with more drinks.

"Before I sink any more dough into this so-called Ministry, what's the show?" you ask. We are proudly updating and expanding our hit "The Unbearable Lightness of Being American." It's 13 individually wrapped sketches — some live, some video, some sung — that trash American largess and hypocricy on religion, immigration, sex, identity, war and cats. Yes, we even go after the cats!

The usual gang is at it again: Leigha Horton and Nathan Surprenant are performing, Reid Knuttila's directing and Matthew Foster's writing and doing video voodoo. The show was first performed in its one-woman incarnation at the 2002 Absolute Originals festival at Intermedia Arts. Then we went on to be the first sell-out of the 2004 Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montréal — AND sold out every single one of our Montréal performances — AND got the cover of the Montreal Mirror. Like all things American, the show is returning home like a prodigal son after getting scrubbed, detailed and tricked-out. The script even has that coveted new-theater smell. To get so much more information (and to buy tickets), visit our page on the Minnesota Fringe Festival site.

So... We'll see you at our pre-Fringe post-money party! This is what you need to know:

Thursday, July 27, 7-9 pm

Nathan Surprenant and Brad Wagner's fancy loft (comment or e-mail me for the address - there's no way I'm posting that sucker on the internets-machine)

Can't attend but still want to help? Of COURSE you do! Make checks payable to Matthew Foster (we dissolved the official company because it was a pain to file with The State for the pittance we make from shows... I mean, how much time would *you* want to spend arguing with a Republican Secretary of State?) and mail to the following address: (again, comment or e-mail me for the address - there's no way I'm posting that sucker on the internets-machine).

7QQ

I was recently invited to answer seven quick questions for the 7QQ Interview Series by my favorite online time-killer for Twin Cities issues, MNspeak.

An honor, and a pleasure. And kind of embarrassing after all of my day-job colleagues found out about it.

Note: As is possibly far too obvious, I'm procrastinating memorizing my freaking lines for the next show right now. I ought to garner some sympathy with the level of difficulty, though; one of the scenes is a play on Abbott and Costello's Who's on First? called Who's on Iraq? (the premise: "Who's on Iraq, What's on Iran, I Don't Know's on North Korea" - if you don't find that as hilarious as I do, go take a listen to the original audio and then imagine the new consequences...it's comedy gold, people). Sadly, it's right up there with Havel's Vanek Trilogy or Gertrude Stein to memorize. Lots of talking in circles. Circles that I have to lead.

It burns. Buuuuuurns. (whimper)

The Unbearable Lightness of the Minneapolis Police

Two weeks ago Foster, Nathan, Craig, and I got together for a Ministry of Cultural Warfare photo shoot. The goal was to get some publicity images for our latest incarnation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being American, presented at Intermedia Arts as part of the 13^th Annual Minnesota Fringe Festival this August.

For this publicity shoot, we stationed ourselves at the figuratively shady corner of Franklin St. and Third Ave. So. My favorite record store, The Electric Fetus, was closed for the evening, so we were free to do what we chose without much disruption or fanfare. Or so we thought. Turns out that two weirdos standing alongside a freeway dressed as the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam attracts more attention from the surrounding state-assisted-mental-health neighborhood than we bargained for.

After several drive-bys that momentarily halted to near-stops for staring, and a few pedestrians slowing their gait to mere wanderings before resuming their initial purpose, the Minneapolis Police rolled up in a squad car. My three compatriots turned slightly away from the car - I don’t know if they were trying to hide their faces or pretend they didn’t see the cops or what, but I knew we couldn’t just ignore these officers that were now within ten feet of us - so I looked straight into the squad car and mustered up my cutest, “Hi!,” including my extra-dorky two-handed wave with hunched shoulders and a goofy smile. This is the kind of “hi” that’s the short way of saying all in one breath, “ohmygosh, we’re having so much fun and we’re totally innocent, but we think we might get in trouble, but you really shouldn’t worry about us because we’re plainly harmless and frankly adorable.”

The guys then turned around see the police’s reaction. We all stared at the cops. They stared back at us. They stared at us a little while longer. Then the cop in the driver’s seat broke out into a huge grin, punctuated it with two thumbs up, and drove away.

Sweeeeet.

Shenanigans and panic aside, I hereby share some of the fruits of Our Labor for the Good of the People:

Photos copyright 2006: Craig VanDerSchaegen.

A quick note about The Fringe for the greenhorns: it is the largest non-juried Fringe Festival in the United States, and the third largest in North America; it’s 11 days of the most gritty, raw, clever performance with sloppy blocking that you will ever experience, all wrapped up in a killer Minneapolis atmospheric taco.

A quick note about the latest incarnation of TULoBA for the already-indoctrinated: this is a brand-spanking new version with a few of your favorites, plus several new monologues and two-person scenes and a second person (Nathan Surprenant) to go with them, and some singing. Leah Cooper directed the Montreal version, now Reid Knuttila is directing this one.

Do come see the show - America will be so proud.

Fish Stories

I spent last week fishing in the Superior National Forest, hiking, turning 28, and blowing stuff up. Those mere facts kept me from posting entries that I had written, but hadn’t had time to edit – so, from my screen to yours, the freshly edited archives:

JUNE 21, 2006:

I was approached last week to do a storytelling gig for a St. Paul Public Schools summer program. Did you catch that? – storytelling; not story-reading. As in making up a story for 45 minutes, no book, no script. As in all by myself in front of a gaggle of kids. I initially put forth strong protestations, but was convinced to reconsider by a few well-meaning friends. And money. Good money. So I agreed. And then the panic attacks set in.

Ever since that lapse of good judgment, I have been just shy of completely terrified. White-knuckled-nightmarish-poor-attitude-terrified.

Yes, I had several years of training and experience doing improv comedy over at the Brave New Workshop, but that was always aimed at adults…let me repeat that – adults. As in not children. As in swearing like a pirate. As in creating socially inappropriate characters in socially inappropriate situations and acting socially inappropriate until hilarity ensued or the lights were turned off. Not great experience to fall back on for an audience between the ages of 6 and 9.

I have spent the last two nights obsessing over what story to tell, and finally had a breakthrough involving a humpback whale, a green sea turtle, three dolphins, and two fishermen. I even did a load of research to back it all up - no made-up stuff for these kids - I’m hard core (well, okay, save for the anthropomorphization of five sea creatures, but whatever – these kids are gonna learn something).

So I should relax now that I have a story, right? NO. Now I’m terrified to tell it. Seriously. I have to stretch a three minute scenario into 30-45 minutes. hhhhhhelp.

JUNE 22, 2006

I once had a teacher tell me that my writing was like a frayed rope, and that I spent “way too much time on the frays, and not enough time on the rope.” I guess this was the one time that the frays were actually useful – I told a 35-minute story. Take that, rope.

I think it actually went well, but you never know with kids and teachers. Kids are never itching to give constructive feedback, and the teachers were so nice that I could have probably gotten naked and flailed and they wouldn't have batted an eye.

The start of the story was, um, rather rocky, but once I got about five minutes in I finally hit my groove. There were a few moments when I got flustered because I had left out certain details at the beginning, and had to figure out a way to reincorporate them without breaking the flow too much, but all in all, it wasn’t half bad.

My favorite parts:

1) one little girl was trying to be a bad-ass and sat down right in front so she could give me hard looks. About halfway through the story I glanced down at her - she had her thumb plugged in her mouth, and was looking up at me with huge round brown eyes. I realized I had won her over, and I about melted.

2) a little boy in the very back of the group was intrigued by how physically animated I was while telling the story, and mimicked most of my huge arm gestures in the very back of the room - practicing them carefully so the other kids wouldn’t notice.

3) when I told about two fisherman discussing what they should do with the green sea turtle they accidentally caught, mentioning that they could get $5,000 for it if they brought it to their boss (thanks, Roald Dahl!), one little boy's eyes got HUGE and he, in sheer wonder, slowly mouthed the words, "five thousand dollars!"

I’m still kicking myself for forgetting to record it so I could listen and learn how to make it better if there’s a “next time.” I would love to go back – those kids were absolutely precious.

The Best of Minneapolis

The weekend before last was a whirlwind of filmmaking chaos and excitement – the 48-hour Film Project sat upon Minneapolis, and the town was appropriately aflutter. To put it plainly, 60 production companies (that makes Minneapolis the third largest in the nation, thankyouverymuch) got together for our assignments on a Friday evening at Cuzzy’s, a bar that should only seat about 17 people but somehow crammed in about 139 before the revolt and subsequent move to the parking lot. There, each company drew out of a hat a genre written on a slip of paper. Genres included such gems as Restoration Drama, Musical/Western, Foreign Language Film, Comedy, Mockumentary, Spy, Sci Fi, etc. After everyone had their genre in hand, the 48hFP Dudes in Charge (DIC) announced a character name and profession, a prop, and a line of dialogue – all of which had to be used in our films. Then we were released with the instruction to get back to Cuzzy’s and the DIC with a completely original 7-minute (max) film by 7 pm on Sunday. Yes, a mere 48 hours to work some cinematic magic.

And so we did. We had the best damn team these Twin Cities have ever seen – it is rare to be amongst so much staggeringly good talent across so many fields, from cinematography to music to editing to acting – I was so proud. Tired and cranky come Sunday, but proud.

And, as it turns out, for good reason: we’ve just been informed by the DIC that our little ditty was selected to be re-screened as part of the “Best of Minneapolis!” Yay, us! So – grab whoever is nearest, and swing on over to the Riverview Theater on June 27^th at 7 pm to view “Burnout Trail” and the 12 other besters. I only saw 10 out of the 60 when ours first screened last Tuesday – I can’t wait to see the others!

This experience hereby makes it on my personal "Best of Minneapolis" list. Indeed.

UPDATE: Well, a girl goes fishing a day earlier than planned, and all hell (the good kind) breaks loose! I just returned yesterday from the northwoods and it looks like while I was getting in touch with nature our film was getting in touch with the "Best Actor Ensemble" Award! Congrats, team! SO proud.

The Week of Definites Came Early

Holy Hannah in a honkin’ huge hand-basket. Know how I said two posts ago that I hadn’t heard back from Children’s Theatre Company, so assumed that I ultimately wasn't chosen for the part – but the callbacks were an honor nonetheless? I was wrong. YES – I WAS WRONG, and I’ve never been happier to say so! Dudes, I got cast. My very spanking first audition at the illustrious CTC, and I got cast!

This winter I shall warm the hearts of wee ones in Tale of a West Texas Marsupial Girl – in the role of awesomely named Lacey Rubbertree. And it’s professional! And it’s full-time! And there’s a real-live bunny outside my window right now, no doubt here to congratulate me because we all know that animals talk to you when you’re a princess! And I am so excited that I don’t even know how to act properly when I think about it! HI LITTLE BUNNY! THANK YOU FOR COMING TO VISIT!

Oh, MAN. This is really really good - nay, this is FANTASTIC.

The New Phonebooks are Here! The New Phonebooks are Here!

I’m not sure how most of you get to this here greenroom (if you have just the greenroom bookmarked, or if you go through plain old www.leighahorton.com, “coming soon,” to get here). If it’s the latter, you might have already seen the source of my excitement. If you didn’t notice anything different, go back and hit the refresh button. If you generally skip the main page all-together and come straight here, quick-quick go look at www.leighahorton.com! IT’S MY SHINY NEW SITE! IT’S HERE! Yay, yay, yayyayyayyayYAY. YAY!

Now, in all your awesome readership glory, will you check the site out on your various browsers and report back any problems? I thank you, and my web monkey thanks you. And I thank my web monkey. He deserves many head-injury-free naps under coconut trees and many bushels of bananas.

(Insert Horton Happy Dance here)