Well, for the most part, I would say that you're review is right on. I think the show was good, and had Brad and Janet been in the right places I may have done a bit better, but I had to fix it... and what can you do? Thanks for the honesty, and I must say that I prefer less breasts, but I trust Alicia's judgement and don't mind being topless... since I started doing Rocky I've gotten very comfortable that way. My cast members enjoyed Kitty's nun-thing.. They said that it was more entertaining than the usual rolling around... As for my feelings toward my performance... I did better than I thought I was going to do (considering I spent all day long trying to think of a really good excuse.. and reason NOT to go), but I think I may keep Frankie on the back burner until after New Year.. Unless I get requests...
L
L

Nicely done oh Uberious one. I made a slow weekend of it and did absolutely nothing. Life in the fast lane for ya!

Pinkie-lady:

Oh, I'm not saying Kitty's thing didn't have a place. I am just a bitter person. No, looking back that B+ was a bit harsh. It prolly should be an A-. But I am a "first-draft" kind of writer. And given that I'm about as offensive as anyone can be a lot of the times, I have no room to talk (literally and figuratively). Ehh, so I'll revise my earlier statement. I just guess the thought of a nun in Sam's crotch was really disturbing to me this morning after a whopping 4 hours sleep....

Oh, and BTW, no need to hang up your Frank. I thought it was nicely done. Playing in a Rocky cast is like cooking with a cast iron skillet. Rarely does it cook just right the first time; most of the time it takes a while to really build up that shine and slick surface to cook on. But it doesn't make the pan bad. It just needs SEASONING!

Well, except for James. He's rusted through and needs to be put in the next garage sale...

Not putting Frank down because I am disappointed with my performance, but because I want to perfect my Columbia before I move on to anything else. I really enjoy playing Columbia and I know it still needs a bit of work.. so one to work on and one to wait for... but I have exorcized my fears of playing Frankie...

Uber,

I love you man.... Ok that said I now feel like I have been at the show. I am glad you did a review. I had hoped to be there but well they just will not let me go. It now looks like I am stuck hear till Tuesday. Help I want to get out of hear.....

Uber should review the conversations at Dixie's after the shows.

Well y'all suck. It would seem I'm missing all the fun. I will definitely have to make it a point to come see this show again. Soon. Keep up the good work kids!

P.S. Lindz, if your Frank is as good as your Columbia then I'm sure you did just fine.

Hey "Jess" ... what the heck you doin with that Rocky domain? Sent you an email ya putz and you never replied. You too busy learning to shave those legs or what?

Hey Jess! What;'s up? I checked out your site.. I love it! I think you are doing a brave and special thing. Thank you for the compliment! Hope to see you soon Jarimie!

Yeah, I must admit I wouldn't mind having Brooke casted opposite my Riff. I think that would make for an interesting performance. Great review, Uber. And don't worry, I won't tell Jim who your favorite Riff is.....j/k

Actually, I'd like to see Brooke take a stab at Janet. I would be first in line to be her Brad, of course, but I can see where David might be a better match - also as Riff to her Magenta.

I am strongly opposed to Brooke playing Janet, and I believe that Liz would be offended. It was difficult enough for me to convince myself to do Frank, and I ended up scaring the life out of myself attempting to do it. Generally I am opposed to playing more than one character, and I don't plan on the Galveston kids (who believe the same) switching roles much as everyone is happy where they are. If you ask me, there is no way that Brooke could effectively play Janet (thus the reason that my cast is casted so).

"Liz would be offended"

To that, I would say, "Get over yourself." There's tons of people who get up and butcher Riff week after week, not to mention every other role up there. I might be offended, but my singular opinion isn't reason enough not to cast them. Worse yet when one person's opinion about how someone else's Janet <i>might</i> be performed is reason enough to keep them from that role, sight unseen.

"Generally I am opposed to playing more than one character"

I am opposed to this only inasmuch as people rarely have the range to pull it off. Not having seen her play Janet, I'm not prepared to say that about Brooke. I'm going on a hunch.

I think most actors would be offended and insulted if told "you can't play that part, only this one." Acting is about playing a character other than oneself. That said, every other peson on the planet is someone other than oneself. There's no <b>inherent</b> reason why one person couldn't play more than one character in any particular show. More importantly, this ain't professional theater and nobody's getting paid. The cult started because a few people showed the initiative to stand up and just act. That's a spirit worth preserving.

I will grant that I tended to cast people to one role at the Bel-Air years ago... but only <i>after</i> having seen them try a few. As a matter of fact, I cast a guy out of the blue against all objections, a guy that no one thought would be any good whatsoever, as Frank. And he completely sucked. But I don't regret for a minute doing it, because I also cast a chick everyone thought would suck as Frank and she turned out to be the best Frank in the cast for several months. And that happened more often than not, so I trust my instincts.

Speaking for myself, I prefer my Riff to all other parts, but I think I'm a fair Brad and Rocky, and with some work could be a good Frank. Thing is, I need the opportunity and I'm glad that our cast directors are reasonable enough not to have told me "there's no way that Jim could effectively play Rocky."

And how could you have played Frank this past weekend if someone with your attitude were running the cast? Guessing you're glad they don't think that way...

Brooke might not be any good. She might not even want to do it. But my point is that I see a latent ability in her to convey an aspect of the role succesfully and I'd like to see it realized.

I wasn't trying to be nasty. Had you people chosen someone other than Brooke I believe that I would not have spoken so. Don't go ranting like you know Brooke, Jim, because you don't. I said that Liz would be offened, not because Brooke was playing HER role but that Brooke was playing any role other than Magenta/Trixie/Betty. I believe that I have perfect right to speak the way I did in reference to her, as I have known Brooke for almost five years now and I am perfectly aware of what she is capable of. I know perfectly well what I am capable of, what Liz is capable of, and what Ryan, DJ, Dor and Michael are capapble of. I believe I understand my friends very well, and I don't appreciate you stepping on my tail about it. I would never hold anyone back from doing something at Rocky if they wanted to do it (as it is no longer MY baby), only suggest whether or not I thought it was a good idea. I refuse to put people on stage that I don't think have a chance (and don't twist my words JIM, I make such a decision AFTER I seen them try their hardest!) during my dance performances and such.. which is why I was, for the most part, not thrilled about Michael and Dor playing so soon with a major lack of preparation on their parts, and I suppose, on my leadership. Did I keep either of them from Rocky, though? No. I let them do it, so please, lay off me. Do you think that I simply casted these people with out first considering what they would perform like? We tried several ways of moving the cast around and it looked best as so. This was no decision that I just MADE BY MYSELF. I stand by my idea that Brooke would not make a good janet, as she would not be capable of the emotions and expressions that janet shows as they are VERY far from her actual nature (don't let the sweetness fool you), that liz would not make a good magenta, as she would not be able to make her motions BIG enough nor be as mysterious...she may make an alright Columbia, but she would never be interested, as she doesn't like the charcter very much... hell, I am not sure even Brooke is NEARLY as mysterious as P.Q., but she does so closer than any of us other girls. I don't think that I would make a very good Magenta, but I imagine that I have a better chance at playing Janet more effectively than Brooke (even if I trained her) simply because of my recognition of important details. I imagine that Brooke's performance would not be horrible, but it would not be praisable either. And you know that praisable is the only way to go (for me). I will further state that I don't believe that Ryan would make a believable Rocky, as he is not confident so, nor could he achieve the youthfulness associated with Rocky's expressions. Dor might make an interesting Frank, as his appearance is good, as DJ would make an alright Rocky, but Dor is self-concious to do the opening up that it takes to effectively perform Frank, and DJ is too animated to achieve that dull youthfulness (besides.. he'd want lines. :) ) that is associated with Rocky's expressions also... oh yeah, and he couldn't catch anyone!! Michael's only hope is Brad, as he is incredibly shy and it would be difficult for him to achieve any of the characteristics of the other charaters, and wouldn't want to. He loves his role. So there. Back off me, and understand that what I said wasn't meant to be ugly, simply my honest opinion, which I must say is based on years of knowledge of the discussed and their acting ability. Can you say that for your statements?

okay...WOW! It only took me like 4 days to find this website and this review! But I am sure glad I did! Thank you for my grade, I will definatley try harder next time. And a special thanks to Jim for sticking up for me(as I saw it).I would LOVE to take a stab at Janet! As for Lindsay, I kinda knew that she would be opposed(probily because she didn't come up with the idea first)to me play that part. YOU may be opposed to playing more than one character but I am not...how do you know I believe the same?! Yes I am happy playing Magenta(I love it very much) but I would also like to try a few others. Because that's what an actress does; she doesn't just stick to playing the damsel(sfs) in destress, but tries to solve the mystery on her own. And why would Liz be offended if I played any other role than I have in the past? You have every right in the world to speak the way you did, because this is a free country. And as do you, so do I.(and just to correct you, I have only known you for about three years. we may have known OF each other, but that is not 'knowing')You only THINK you know what I am capable of...but your about to find out just what I am capable of! In your eyes you may ever see me as a good Janet, and that doesn't bother me.I love you to death and ALWAYS will...you have helped me in so many ways and given me so many chances that it hurts me to see you upset with me just because you can't control everything I do... you need to put it in a bubble and blow it away!

First off everyone should just calm down. I understand what Lins was saying when she said i would be offended, maybe she used the wrong word I'm not sure. The only person who could even come close to be offended is O'Brien. Maybe Brooke should take a stab at acting Janet before she would go on stage to see if she is ok with role, who knows maybe she would think it isn't right for her(but now theres no way that would happen). Lins has voiced her opinion about being against jumping from role to role from the very start. And babe shes not controling you, I've seen people do that before and this is nothing like it. To be controlled you have to be a weak person, and from what I have see you are not. So try not to rebel against nothing.

<i>"I said that Liz would be offened, not because Brooke was playing HER role but that Brooke was playing any role other than Magenta/Trixie/Betty."</i>

Now that's an extremely poor defense of your argument, in fact worse than what I originally thought. So it's not how Liz would feel about someone else playing her part, it's that Liz would be offended...<b><i>offended</i></b>... by the thought of Brooke playing a role that Liz doesn't think she could play. If that's how Liz really feels (and I'd prefer to hear that firsthand) then she <i>really</i> needs to get over herself.

<i>"I believe that I have perfect right to speak the way I did in reference to her, as I have known Brooke for almost five years now and I am perfectly aware of what she is capable of."</i>

<i>Perfectly</i> aware? No room for error there? And more aware than Brooke herself? Interesting... but again, another poor argument.
Let me get this straight: If <a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?Rapaport,%20Michael">Michael Rapaport's</a> best friend thinks he can't play a part in a script, then it doesn't matter whether <a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?Taylor,+Juliet">Juliet Taylor</a> thinks he can play it because she didn't go to high school with him, so what does she know? Gee, kinda calls into question the whole casting concept upon which Hollywood and Broadway have relied. No more auditions, no more script read-throughs, let's just get his best buddy on the horn and find out what he thinks.

<i>"I know perfectly well what I am capable of, what Liz is capable of, and what Ryan, DJ, Dor and Michael are capapble of."</i>

Again, <i>perfectly?</i> Well, nice to know you can set your friends' limits for them. Hope you're there for them on all their job interviews.

From your earlier post:<i>"I don't plan on the Galveston kids (who believe the same) switching roles ..."</i>

Important question: Have you asked <i>Brooke</i> whether she'd like to switch roles? Her reply seems to indicate you didn't, which makes me wonder how well you do know her.
More important question: Who gave you authority over the Webster cast?

<i>"I stand by my idea that Brooke would not make a good janet, as she would not be capable of the emotions and expressions that janet shows as they are VERY far from her actual nature"</i>

v. act·ing
1) To play the part of; assume the dramatic role of. To perform (a role) on the stage
2) To behave like or pose as; impersonate.
<i><b>The American Heritage Dictionary</b></i>

Acquaint yourself with the definition of the word. Who gives a rat's ass if it's far from her actual nature?! Do you think the part of a young boy with a mental handicap was close to the actual nature of Leonardo DiCaprio when he took on the role in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"? Was Edward Norton an actual racist and anti-Semite when he took on his role in "American History X"? How about this: Was Tim Curry similar in his actual nature in 1973 to a transvestite transexual from outer space? In fact, I've found in many instances that actors can better channel parts that are unlike themselves than ones that are.

<i>"simply my honest opinion, which I must say is based on years of knowledge of the discussed and their acting ability. Can you say that for your statements?</i>

No, I can't say I've known Brooke that long. And maybe that's why I don't pigeon-hole her the way you have. Maybe the situation is the reverse of what you're implying: rather than that I know her too little, maybe you know her too well to make an objective evaluation of her ability, and are all to eager to set her limits for her.
My argument was simply this: I have a hunch Brooke would be a good Janet, I'd love to see it, and I'd hate to see anyone short-circuit her opportunity to prove herself in that role.

BTW, I hate dick-swinging attempts to prove credentials in arguments like these, but since you brought it up, remember this: the topic is <u>acting in the Rocky Horror Picture Show</u>. If I wanted to know what to get Brooke for Christmas, you'd be one of the first I'd ask. As for whom to cast in a performance of Rocky, I've got 15 years experience with 6 different casts performing in 4 different cities playing every role, more than 3 years experience actually running a cast single-handedly, the honor of playing one of the roles on a professional stage as well as in public appearances, more books and information on the genesis of the musical and subsequent cult than have passed in front of your eyes, and several years of general acting experience via plays and college theater to boot.

Can you say <i>that?</i>

<i>"I believe that Liz would be offended"</i>

<i>"maybe she used the wrong word I'm not sure. The only person who could even come close to be offended is O'Brien.:</i>

So now we have heard it firsthand... and it doesn't quite mesh with Lindsay's characterization of her position. I appreciate your honesty, Liz, regardless of whether you and I agree on this topic or not.

I am so sorry. Everyone is allowed to think and do as they wish. Brooke, I am sorry you feel that way, but I couldn't give a flying fuck whether someone else came up with the idea of you playing janet, simply because I think that you would make a better janet than magenta, and you should stick to it. But go ahead. My feelings are hurt, and I am sorry if I hurt anyone else's.. but Jim, if you could ever misunderstand me more. You won't see me up there anymore. I don't compete with my friends for attention, and I don't continually explain myself to people who supposedly care about me. You have a wonderful way of screwing up what I say and making me feel weak minded. I guess we probably wouldn't be a good match, huh? That sucks, too... I like you very much.

Wait a minute ...

<i>"...I've got 15 years experience with 6 different casts performing in 4 different cities playing every role..."</i>

So you've played Janet & Columbia? <b>WHY AM I JUST NOW LEARNING OF THIS????</b>

Greg,

Because that was 14 years ago, within months of when the show opened at the Bel-Air... when there were, like, 6 of us in the entire cast. On the bright side for you, if Pete demurs playing Magenta on camp night in 3 weeks, I am his back-up.

Lindsay,

I can see where this has gotten personal, as it inevitably would since my contention is that you have made your opinion about Brooke's performance too personal, so let me say a few things:

1) I'm not sure what you mean by "competing with your friends for attention." To this point you have always received the lion's share of my attention, far and away more than any of the other Galveston folks. That's genuine.
2) I'm not sure why you feel you're explaining yourself. I thought you were explaining an opinion, one with which I happen to vehemently disagree. I figured you were strong enough to handle a robust argument. I just wanted you to make it on the merits of the case, not what you know about Brooke's personality. I have never and would never ask you to justify yourself as a person.
3) Whether we agree or not, I don't believe I have misunderstood you. You stated your position rather clearly, and I distinctly disagree with that position. You can make a judgement if you want to about a performance Brooke hasn't yet given, but as for me, I don't think her potential should be discouraged by anyone.

And as for whether she's any good as Janet, I think there should be a larger forum for that opinion than just one person. Let the entire cast decide. Better yet, let the audience decide. Maybe everyone except me will think she sucks. Maybe I'll think she's bad. Fine, but the only way we'll know is if we see it. For that principle, I stand firm.
Can you accept that I feel that way and still be friends?

Greg,

Sorry for turning the post into a soap opera. What's the name of this blog again....?

Brooke,

I'd love to see you play Janet, but it ain't my call.

I feel kinda guilty because this is all over me playing Janet...something I would honestly like to take a shot at. I love the cast at Webster and Lindsay, Liz, Ryan, DJ, Dor and Micheal and have a blast doing anything involved with Rocky. But arguing over something that may or may not happen is no reason to burn bridges that we may need to cross later...or a reason to run away just because there's a disagreement.

Jeebus, you people really piss me off. It's F'n Rocky. Get over yourselves (ALL OF YOU) and have some fun with the damn show. You all suck for filling my inbox with your comments on a stupid little review I made while hopped up on prescription medications.

Just a little free-floating hostility for your Friday morning....

Fuck off, Uber.

;-)

Watch it. Everybody back down or I'LL play Janet. I have 45 years experience in 22 casts (four of them were in prison) and haven't ONCE been required to register as a sex offender (case pending).

<a href=http://www.livejournal.com/users/ralphieboy333>NO! DON'T DO IT!!</a>

<i>(backing away very slowly)</i>

"No sudden movements..."