Cabaret on This Island

We got to Bamberg in early afternoon - - another rainy day. We never seem to get a break with the weather. Bamberg is the same City where I did an improv workshop a couple of weeks ago. I was pleased to find out that folks who took it were still talking about how much they liked it. Our hotel here is the Ibis, a chain of mid-range hotels, which are fine -- clean, small rooms. This one is located in the Center of town, a short walk to major attractions.

After settling in, we took a walk into the oldest part of town. I took some photos of the main church and other buildings, but I couldn't really concentrate on "touring" or "learning." I just wanted to take a nap. I was exhausted. I returned to the hotel and rested until it was time for us to go to dinner at this nearby Greek restaurant. The food was average, but the young men who were work there are all stunning. We must have had three waiters, one more attractive than the next. I know it's not what we were there for, but we all commented on this fortunate perk.

Dinner was short, so we could get to the theater in Bamberg for their production of Once on This Island, the Ahrens/Flaherty musical about a poor orphan, Ti-moun, who falls in love with one of the rich boys who co-occupy this Caribbean island locale. The play is told through a kind of story theater format, with all of the cast as the storytellers who take on different roles as the tale unfolds. Ultimately, Ti-moun sacrifices herself so her lover will be happy with another woman of his own class, but she sets the stage for a future generation where everyone gets along regardless of social status.

It was early to bed because the next morning we had one of our longest rides: to SHAPE in Belgium (it's near Mons and Brussels) to see Cabaret, the musical. Since it was a matinee, we had to leave at the crack of dawn in order to make the curtain. We made great time. We arrived at the entrance to SHAPE (the same NATO base where we saw Red Ryder on our first night) only to discover that they had no record of us and they would not let us on the base. We tried not to panic -- there was only a few minutes until showtime -- as we tried to reach Dan La Morte, our host, who could sign us on to the base.

Eventually, someone on his staff came to help us and we got in. It is beyond us why this continues to happen. They had been given information about all of us prior to our arrival (twice!) and still, everytime we arrive, there is a problem. Ah, the military! (This can't be blamed on the US Army, since this is a NATO base; a different thing altogether.) We finally got to the Kit Kat Club. The entire lobby was decorated as the famous Berlin club from the play, with photos from the show on the walls...and always here, the smell of freshly baked cookies attacks your senses as you enter.

Cabaret tells a story that has been adapted many times since Christopher Isherwood first wrote his Berlin Stories in the 1930's. It was a play, I Am A Camera, then a film of that name, then a Broadway musical with Jill Hawort and Joel Grey, then a film with Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey, then a revised stage version, then another revised stage version directed by Sam Mendes, starring Natasha Richardson (may she rest in peace) and Alan Cumming. This version seems to be an amalgamation of the musical stage and film versions.

After the show, we set out to the countryside for our much-anticipated Chinese dinner. Just as we started to make some progress down the road, the car decided to go bonkers. Our little "Prudence" decided that she would not accelerate beyond 38 kilometers/hour. We were pooched! We couldn't figure out what was wrong, so we turned around and went back to the hotel instead of chancing getting stuck in the country somewhere. Dan came to pick us up a bit later and we squeezed into his car for the ride to the restaurant. It was worth it. Nice to have a good Chinese meal after all this time. I opted for the corn soup with crab and prawns with black bean sauce. During the meal we got a call from the car rental company. They were sending someone to our hotel to look at the car. We finished our meal and rode back to meet him.

Of course, as often happens, when you arrive at the doctor's office, suddenly the pain is gone. When Annette and the car repair guy took Pru out for a spin, she worked perfectly. No problem. The guy left and we kept wondering whether the symptoms would reemerge the next day when Eva, Annette and Jim would be traveling back to Heidelberg. Stay tuned.

The four of us spent the evening reviewing all the musicals we had seen over the previous five weeks. One part of our job is to nominate the participants in a variety of categories and then select a winner in each; awards are given out at the Toppers Gala in Heidelberg in April (after we are gone.) We consider each show in each catergory and come up with our decisions after some discussion. Sometimes the discussions are more heated than others. Mostly, we are in agreement. We will discuss the entries in the Drama and Comedy categories next Sunday, after we have seen all of those plays. Having the discussion about musicals now, will help make next week less complicated.

Today, I spend the day with Dan. I believe we will be going to Brussels and other places. It's finally sunny (which is right, since we are not in Germany...)

Let it snow, Let it rain, Let it STOP!

Another rainy morning, grey German day. Seems we've had mostly those since I arrived over a month ago. I like the Mueller Hotel. It's very well located, quiet, clean and comfortable. We arose to explore the City before driving on in the afternoon. Unfortunately, Annette was not feeling well, so she rested while Eva and I strode the streets of Munich. In a couple of minutes we were smack in the middle of the historic center. The architecture is extraordinary. We walked the long pedestrian shopping street (it was fun to shop; Annette hates shopping, so we don't do much when we're together.) Eva was this close to buying a pair of rhinestone-covered sneakers, which were on sale for 59Euro -- but she chickened out. We found a lovely cafe (Brot und Butter) where we enjoyed a coffee and biscuit.

It was blustery and very cold so after a couple of hours we headed back to the Hotel for our departure from Munich. The ride to Ansbach was supposed to be 2 hours, according to Penny, our Ford chariot. She was exactly right. I had just enough time to get ready to speak to a couple of my clients via Skype (which I am feeling is the greatest invention, since the computer...)

We didn't have a show this night, so we enjoyed a leisurely meal at The Windmill (same place we stayed the last time we were in Ansbach a couple of weeks ago.) The grandmother who had always served us, was not there that night. We got worried about her. We learned that she had been in hospital, but was now released and doing fine. I was able to order the Apfel Streudel that I loved so much the last time I was here. It didn't disappoint!

Next morning I was able to get over to the Base at Ansbach to work out at the Fitness Center. It had been a few days and I needed it! Each base has a fitness center, but they are all different. I especially like the one in Heidelberg, which has the best equipment. And it's huge. Ansbach was pretty good. Dinner was again at our wonderful hotel restaurant. But this time, when it came time for the streudel we had to rush out to get to the theatre, so I had to forgo it.

The play, High School Musical (a condensed, thank God, one-act version) was being done in the base high school. Lots of kids were involved in the production. For the two people who have never seen or heard about it, the play is an excuse for singing some annoyingly memorable tunes. The "plot" such as it is, concerns two high school students who fall in love and want to audition for the school's musical show. But, alas, he is a jock and has to practice for the basketball championships and she, alas, has to participate in the Science Club competition. Somehow, they win both and still get to star in the musical. It's Disney, what do you want?

After the play, we retired to Eva's room for drinks. This is becoming a routine. It's a chance to discuss the productions, and other things and kick back a bit. We are developing our "in" jokes and it's fun to share a laugh at the end of the day.

Next morning, we had a different car. Instead of "Penny" we now have "Pru." She's a Mercedes and rides like a dream. I got a chance to drive since Pru is an automatic shift car and that's the only kind I can drive. It was fun zipping down the autobahn at 180 (that's km/hr) with no effort. We arrived in Wiesbaden, our next stop, just in time for a quick bite before an afternoon of client phone calls.

Our play in Wiesbaden was Fools, by Neil Simon. This was directed by Charlie Fontana, the Entertainment Director on the Wiesbaden base. (He is brother to TV writer Tom Fontana, who gave us Oz on HBO, one of my favorite series.) They perform in the Amelia Earhart Theater, a former hotel restaurant that was renovated into a theater and bar. It's small but effective as a playing space.

Next, we are on to Bamberg for Once on This Island. But I'll be back in Wiesbaden on Tuesday to do a workshop with the theater folks here.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore!

Our Aviano/Venice adventure behind us, we have landed, for a moment, in Munich. Our hotel, which we booked online on the advice of my friend Andreas, is very nice. It's on a quiet street just ten minutes from the Center, in a nice area with lots of restaurants and cafes, etc.

First, let me retrace: from Frankfurt, we drove to Ramstein, an Air Force base, where we were to see a production of The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs. (I realize I had posted a photo from that production on my previous blog entry -- instead of one from Seussical. Sorry about that.) Ramstein has a very nice accommodation -- better than the typical Army housing, but still on the base. It's a huge base, with an airfield and thousands of people living here. Their theater company, Razz-a-ma-Tazz, has been doing kids' shows for decades. This show is very clever. It's about the 3 Little Pigs story that goes wrong when one of the pigs decides to change the story; they get their story confused with the Billy Goats' Gruff story and the Three Bears story. Eventually, everyone gets screwed up and ultimately they decide to enter each others' stories. (Stage hands changing the sets are continually frustrated because they are trying to change sets that aren't needed, in light of the changes, which is quite funny.)

The next day, we drove from Ramstein to Aviano -- the same theater where we saw David and Lisa, the first week (seems like months ago.) Frank Lewandowski was our host again. He directed the production of The Wizard of Oz we were to see the next day. He took us out to eat that evening and then again the next day for lunch just prior to the show.

After the show we drove to the town of Salice, a few kilometers from Aviano, and took a train to Venice. We arrived after dark, so we never got that extraordinary view of the Grand Canal that one gets upon arriving by boat to San Marco. We found our hotel easily. It's the Montecarlo, just seconds from San Marco and a few minutes from The Rialto Bridge. A gentleman at the hotel recommended a restaurant - La Scala - which we tried. It was indeed an excellent choice. We had one of our finest meals, so far there.

The next morning our first stop was La Fenice, the famous theatre that has burned down at least twice since it was originally built in the 1700's. We were early, so we left to explore the Rialto Bridge and surrounding market (which were quite small compared to what it's like in summertime.) We took our hotel up on their offer of a free boat ride on the canals and over to Murano, an island where they blow glass and create the famous Venetian Murano crystal. We "took the tour" but didn't buy anything. It was the boat ride that was truly a treat. We were blessed with sunny, warmish (50) weather in Venice during our entire time there. What luck!

Then it was back to La Fenice. What an extraordinary place! We took the taped tour, marveling at the house, with it's opera boxes and Royal Box, exquisite frescoes, painted ceiling, gilt covered designs on the boxes, etc. It was fascinating. (If you haven't read City of Fallen Angels by John Berendt, you should; it's all about La Fenice and what happened when it burned most recently in the 1990's.) After the tour, we visited the church of St. Mark (or San Marco.) I left Annette and Eva on their own to explore the Doge's palace and other sites that I had seen before.

We met up in the evening for dinner. We decided to explore some of the smaller Osteria (wine bar) restaurants, drinking our way through Venice at night. I had a list from Jessica Provenz, my friend who had been their last summer. We found some on her list and some others. At some we just drank (always red wine); at others we drank and ate something. One place had a seafood antipasto that was extraordinary -- about a dozen different things, each one better than the last. It was an indulgent evening, but a great way to explore Venice at night. We had hope to find "the best gelato place in Venice" for our dessert, but were not able to locate it. So we had simply "very good gelato" somewhere else.

The next morning, we took a vaparetto (water bus) to the train station and caught our train to Salice. We just got on as the doors were closing. A close call. The next train didn't leave for an hour. But we made it. An hour later we were back at our car and on the road for Munich. It was a beautiful drive through the Alps this time. The weather stayed clear until we got to Austria and then it changed to snow. Everywhere. We stopped at a ski lodge for lunch. I was feeling sick at this point -- not sure if it was the windy roads, the two espressos I had for breakfast, or residual nausea from my drinking the night before. Anyway, I couldn't truly enjoy the beauty of the ride.

We arrived in Munich around 5:30 p.m., giving us a couple of hours before meeting Andreas for dinner. He took us to his favorite Italian (again!) where he knows the owners. His partner Dasa was already there when we arrived. Then came another incredible meal; this time it was specials prepared just for us by the owner and the chef -- antipasti, 2 pastas, beef filets, vegetables and a dessert sampler plate with five different things on it -- each one more decadent than the last. The wine flowed again; I believe we got through 3 or 4 bottles, plus 2 limoncellos each. Everyone got along extremely well and it was an enjoyable evening all around. Now it's late and I'm off to bed.

Here are some photos from Venice and the ride through the Alps. Also, one of Munich friends Andreas and Dasa. Enjoy!

A Person's A Person No Matter How Small

Another entry from the sky. This time I’m flying back to Frankfurt from Ankara, Turkey. We arrived day before yesterday – what day would that have been? Wednesday, I guess. Now it’s Friday. I should know this because I read the review of West Side Story in the New York Times on my computer this morning. (I still want to see it!)

I had been to Ankara once before, when I was the mentor director for the One-Act Play Festival for the US Army a couple of years ago. Clay Bridges (he looks just like you’d expect from his name – tall, handsome, square-jaw) was my host and the commander of the base here. Now, he’s retired, but he still lives in Ankara, working for an American company that does business with the Army (natch!), while one of his daughters attends college here. He picked us up at the Airport and we drove to our hotel – The King Hotel, which is located just around the corner from the American Embassy.

We went to a local Turkish restaurant for dinner. For once I don’t have to ask, “Does this have pork in it?” because they don’t eat pork in this country for the most part. It’s actually hard to find (as opposed to Germany, where it is ubiquitous – you know, all those wursts.) I had a chicken dish with rice that was very good, and an excellent bowl of lentil soup. You see that quite a bit here. Lots of peppers, lentils, eggplant and many fresh vegetables. The last time I was here was during the Festival of Ramadan, so the people fast during the day. It was quiet. This time I saw the City in full regalia. It’s a bustling place, with probably the worst drivers I’ve seen outside of Southeast Asia. Pedestrians beware!

The City has over 5 million people and is the capital of Turkey. As you may expect Ataturk is very big here. Statues, a Citadel, museums, the Main Street, etc. all celebrate the great liberator. We got to drive through the main areas the next morning as we traveled to the “old” section, where we had an appointment to look at rugs. Not me, you see, but my colleagues, wanted to at least look. I was looking forward to revisiting that old section of the City, which is picturesque, with rug and copper and jewelry stores and spice market – all just below the Citadel, which is one of Ankara’s main attractions.

The owner of the shop came out to greet us as we descended from our taxi. He offered us Apple Tea, which is surprisingly delicious. I was in one room looking at scarves while my colleagues studied the “carpets” on display (and many more that they willingly unfurled for them to peruse.) After a while I went outside to look around the area. But, it was so cold and windy (though clear and sunny, for a change) that I didn’t stay out long.

When I came back, my eyes fell on a beautiful kilim rug that Annette had considered and rejected. I couldn’t stop from staring at it and finally got the courage to ask the price. A big price. But, of course, it is all handmade and very detailed – an excellent piece, I was told. I had already selected some scarves and figured that would be my contribution to the store’s daily take. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted that rug. It wasn’t even a question of looking at others; it was the only one that appealed to me. Suffice it to say that after some negotiation, where the price came down quite a bit, I walked out with a new rug and some scarves! (Please note that Jim, Eva and Annette also each bought rugs and scarves as well.) I guess we made his week. Aside from the money, I was a bit worried about whether Frank would like it…and where we would put it.

We walked out to go up to the spice market. They wanted saffron; I was happy with some of the sweetest golden raisins I’ve ever tasted. We looked for a place to have lunch. I spotted this building that looked intriguing. Looking inside, I couldn’t see the restaurant, which was up several steps, but I had a good feeling about the place. The others agreed and we climbed up to the foyer; then climbed even higher to the dining room, which was so much nicer than we expected. In addition to the requisite carpets, there was a wood-burning stove to heat the room, which had no less than 9 doors leading to it (see photo above.) From up there, you got a beautiful view of Ankara below. The menu had only a few choices, so we tried almost everything on offer. I had the lamb skewers, which arrived without skewers, but with potatoes. Very tender and tasty.

Time to rest at the hotel before we went to see our production that evening of Seussical, The Musical at the Turkish American Centre. There is no theatre on a base here, so they use the theatre here and cast a lot of Turkish youngsters in the production. If you’ve never seen it (I hadn’t), Seussical tells the story of Horton, the Elephant who is determined to save a group of tiny people living on a speck of dust on some clover. He hears them calling (they are called Whos), but nobody else does. Around this frame, are interwoven many of the Dr. Seuss characters and stories, including the Cat in the Hat, who serves as narrator. Music is by Ahrens and Flaherty (Ragtime and Once on This Island). There were loads of people on the stage, seeming to have a wonderful time. The house was packed as well.

After the show, Clay and his wife Laurence, the show’s director, Vern and some of the other artists went to dinner with us at the Indian restaurant, Spice. It’s easy to see why this is a favorite. The wine flowed. Appetizers appeared and many dishes which ranged from mild to “I’ll never feel my lips or tongue again.” Our hosts were so wonderful to us. It was a festive meal. A great way to end our time in Ankara. The next morning (today) we were up and out to the airport early.

Cheerio Old Chap!

Being back in London, I immediately felt a sense of being reunited with an old friend. The weather looked clear as we came in for our landing, only a few high clouds. It was already dark, but the air was definitely warmer. It would prove to be a spectacular couple of days ahead, with sunny skies and temps in the 50s.

From Gatwick, I took a train into town and then had to switch to the tube (read "subway," for you Americans.) Unfortunately, the directions I had didn't work because of track work and other train problems. I ended up having to change several times before finding Mile End, my stop in East London, which is closest to Queen Mary College. When I arrived, Lois Weaver was waiting for me. I checked into my "bedsit" which is like a big hotel room with a full kitchen and bath, big desk, sofa and chairs and a bed. Very clean and comfortable. Lois lives in one just like it, one floor above at France House. She was ready with a glass of wine and a basket of goodies for me to have for my breakfasts. So thoughtful and sweet. I slept well that night.

Monday was a beautiful day, but I was inside for most of it. I had a full day of workshops with Lois' students. In the morning I worked with ten MA's and Post-Grads; in the afternoon I had two classes of about 20 students in each, back-to-back. I have to admit, the older students in the morning were more interesting to me. That were seriously thinking about their careers in the theatre as they were about to embark on them in just a few months. It is a diverse group, from several countries (including one from the U.S.), who were a bit more mature (naturally) than the younger groups in the afternoon. We had a very interesting time before sharing a lunch of sushi and sandwiches which Lois had arranged for us. We ate outside in the fabulous sun! Sorry to be so thrilled about the weather, but after so many days of clouds and rain, this was a pleasant break -- and especially great because it's London, which can be so grey.

I was exhausted after the day, but felt it went very well. The students seemed to enjoy it, even if I challenged them to think about things they were not used to thinking about. It can be a struggle to answer life's bigger questions and those are the ones that I continually ask, in an effort to help them plan for the future with a clear vision.

I took a quick nap before heading to the National Theatre for a performance of Burnt By the Sun at the Lyttleton. My friend Deena Gornick had arranged the tickets for us and her girlfriend Sarah and my friend Marcia Plum. I got off the Tube at Embankment and walked across the Thames to the South Bank. Here's a photo I took while crossing -- a perfect night, the buildings shine proudly as they are reflected in the River. I had love going to the National when I lived in London years ago. The feeling was no different tonight.

Everyone arrived. It lifted my heart to see old friends again and to share this experience with them. The play, starring Ciaran Hinds, was like a Chekhov play -- a Russian family dealing with the new realities of the Soviet Union after the revolution, but still trying to cling to the life they had under the Czar. The key conflict involves the husband (Hinds) who was a general in the Revolutionary Army, who married the daughter of the former nobility. Her previous lover had gone away years earlier under dubious circumstances. He returns and the three of them play a power game. It is unclear who the real hero is in the story until lots of secrets get revealed in the last act. Howard Davies directed the play beautifully, with a grand revolving set of the family's summer house with its various rooms and a huge cast of characters (30 or more) who moved through it comfortably.

At the beginning I could swear I was watching a take on The Seagull or The Cherry Orchard. (There were even trees surrounding the house on all sides reminiscent of the cherry trees.) But as the play progressed, it was clear that this was not written as elegantly as a Chekhov play. It was beautifully rendered, with excellent acting and directing, but the story got a bit muddled in the second act and the resolution was not particularly satisfying. Still, a worthwhile night in the theatre.

Afterward, we walked across the bridge and went to Joe Allen for a post-play repast. Great times, reminiscing and discussing our current endeavors. I called Frank during the meal so he could feel part of the celebration, since he knows all of the friends.

The next day, I had to myself, to reconnect with London and visit more friends. I walked and walked and walked. Another extraordinary day. First, I went to Wilton's Music Hall, where my friend Filippo works as Technical Director. This is one of the oldest theatres in London, a former music hall/opera house. Now it run by two sisters who program a variety of events including concerts, operas, plays and special events. It's a gorgeous space, with original details from the 1850s. The lobby and bar area date back even further -- to the 1700s. They were part of a series of row houses that now serve as a welcoming area for the theatre. Filippo has transformed the technical side of things, organizing and rebuilding the infrastructure, so they will have more flexibilty with the lights, sound, projections, etc. He seems very happy with the job and to be back in London. We had lunch at the Dispensary, which had been a dispensary at one time, but now is a very nice pub/restaurant. I was desperate for a burger and they had one on the menu!

I tubed to the West End and got myself a ticket to Madame de Sade, a new play starring Dame Judi Dench about the women in the life of the infamous Marquis. Then I wandered around, lighting at the National Portrait Gallery and then looking for my old haunts. I found the dorm I had lived in for my year abroad as a junior in college, Ramsey Hall. Here's a photo of me in front of it. The photo was taken by this kid who was doing HIS year abroad in London, from Syracuse University. I looked at him and I saw myself (if only I had been that cute!) That year was so impactful that I still look back on it as one the major passages of my life.

Exhausted in late afternoon, I returned to Lois' bedsit where I was to stay that evening. Peggy Shaw was there! We caught up and Lois prepared a lovely meal for us. A short nap and I was back to the West End for Dame Judi. I had standing room (only 10 pounds), but it was no problem at all. The play is fascinating, very poetic. It's a translation from Yukio Mishima. The themes of devotion, love, revenge, parental protection, plotting and perversion were woven through the intermissionless 2 hours. Costumes befitting the period -- those dresses with huge bustles on both sides and in the rear, high hair and wigs -- were extraordinary. But it was truly the acting that won the day. To a one, these actresses relished their words and while you could understand every syllable, it was never at the expense of believability of character or emotion.

I wandered into Soho after the show, had a cheap pizza and took the tube "home." It was St. Patrick's Day, so the Irish frivolity reigned. I didn't feel much like celebrating alone. I was still full from the play, thinking about the ideas, and the pizza, thinking I ate too much.

Getting Pooched

I’m writing this entry from the sky. I’m flying from Venice to London. It’s Sunday evening. Since I last wrote, we have seen two productions: The Glass Menagerie at Heidelberg’s Roadside Theater and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Soldiers Theater in Vicenza. After a couple of days on my own, I was reunited with my fellow adjudicators when we went to dinner on Saturday evening prior to the show in Heidelberg. We went to Taj Mahal, an Indian restaurant that is very popular. The décor takes itself seriously – everything to remind you or India. Again, it was nice to have a break from Italian or German food. We shared some Tandoori salmon, Mango Curry Chicken and Tikka Masala lamb, along with Nan and basmati rice. Excellent. Make a note to return here.

The show, as everyone knows, tells of narrator Tom’s (read Tennessee Williams) family memories -- specifically, his mother, Amanda and his sister Laura, who is crippled and painfully shy. It’s a touching play that doesn’t get done as often as you might think. Tom’s story of frustration at not being understood by his mother, who seems overbearing, but is clearly disappointed herself, by her “fall from grace” as a Southern belle, her husband’s abrupt departure and her children’s lack of ambition. Lyrically written, it can’t help make you think of your own memories and ponder what was really true and what is your own distorted perception looking back.

The next morning we embarked early for our second southward trip across the Alps to Italy. This time the weather was with us; for most of the day it was sunny and getting warmer, flirting with the mid 50’s (or teens, if you only read Celsius, like my colleagues.) I’m fortunate that Eva and Annette are Canadian and, as such, they have a new vernacular for me to learn. It is quite evocative. My favorite expression so far (this is from Eva) is “That’s flat as piss on a plate.” That gave me a huge laugh. Annette talks about getting “pooched” which means either “screwed” or “screwed up” depending upon the context. I’ll try to provide more of the most colorful expressions as we go on.

Penny (that’s our car/GPS system, if you recall) led us valiantly until we got fairly close to Vicenza. Then she got creative and had us leave the main road to take a picturesque smaller road through the mountains, full of hair pin turns where you could easily fall of the edge of a cliff. (Have you ever driven through the Rockies? It’s like that.) After going along for quite a while, we came to a sign that said, loosely translated, “The pass is closed.” We then had to go back the way we came, retracing our steps until we got back to the main highway. From there, it was easy to find Vicenza. The hotel on base, Ederle Inn, was easily the nicest of the ones we have stayed in.

I took the ladies into the old section of Vicenza to go to a special restaurant I had heard about that was supposed to be very special. After some missteps, we found it, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get a table. We ended up at a less spectacular place that was actually quite wonderful. A family place, it had no menus, just the waitress who told you what was on offer this evening. The pasta with duck breast was just great. Then I had a steak and a huge mixed salad. We managed to get through 2 bottles of a local red wine; we had been driving for ten hours; we deserved it! A nice ricotta cheesecake finished me off (or I, it.)

Today, we saw a matinee of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. That’s the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical of the bible story. It’s a slight piece, whose only real attraction is the opportunity to do each of the numbers as a tribute to a certain style of music, from French ballad to Spanish cha-cha to Elvis impersonation. For that, it is lots of fun and with a running time of barely 75 minutes, easy to take.

Annette and Jim drove me to the Venice airport. It was very nice of them; it takes about 45 minutes to get there from Vicenza. I arrived in plenty of time before my flight. Time enough to have a real Italian espresso one last time before I left Italy for England. Mmmmm.

Here are some more photos from the Alps; one with Eva and Annette in front of Penny, our Ford chariot.

Following the Impulse

I admit I was nervous. I hadn't taught an Improv Class in many, many years. Fortunately, when I put the word out to my colleagues, I got tons of helpful suggestions, exercises, books to read, etc. Those, in addition to my good old Viola Spolin (Improvisation for the Theater) gave me more than I would need to lead ten workshops! I planned it out and then just said, "What the hell. I'll just go in and try to have fun. And if I screw up, I'll just....improvise!"

That's what I did. The first session in Bamberg had just 5 adults, as I mentioned in a previous post. In Schweinfurt there were 9 initial participants, with 3 more joining us after Sports Practice. Here there were mostly kids -- just 5 adults (4 of whom were parents of kids who also participated and Travis.)

I began with some warm-ups, some I had done before; some were new to me. We did a breathing circle, played Red Ball and then did a Mirror Circle with different leaders -- and ultimately no leader. We had a Blind Walk/The Chair is There exercise to engender trust. Then we worked on Transformations - the game where you have to change one activity into another based on the movements and body shape of your fellow actor. After that we worked on Showing Where (using 3 objects and an activity, Showing Who, playing the Age Game, Showing Relationships, using Hi/Bye and then followed with Contentless Scenes. For the last, they had to memorize a simple scene and perform it with different attitudes and emotions. Ultimately, we put them altogether in scenes for which I just provided a provocative opening line of dialog. Each of the workshops lasted about 2-1/2 hours.

It was a completely different type of experience working with the kids and adults together. The littlest ones were the most enthusiastic, but the least attentive to detail, as one would suspect. There were a couple of kids, however, who were pretty amazing at following the instructions and clearly executing their objectives. The adult group "got it" a lot faster, so we were able to move along very quickly from exercise to exercise. With the kids, I didn't trust sticking with one thing for too long for fear they would get bored -- especially concentration exercises. I think I was wrong about this. They would laugh and speak out during inappropriate moments, which threw me for a minute. I just let it transpire; usually I laughed a bit with them.

I would do certain things differently were I to do this again. (I have another workshop to give in a couple of weeks, but it is more of a "life coaching through theater" experience, which will be significantly different.) I learned a couple of things though: I enjoy teaching improv. That's huge. I can do it, at least with this type of group that is not too experienced. A next challenge would be to do longer classes with professional actors. I will look into those possibilities when I return to New York.

Huge thanks to everyone who provided me with ideas, exercises, etc.: Jewell, Justin, Shayna, Annie, Liesl and Andrew (plus anyone I may have forgotten.)

Army ABC's

Being in Schweinfurt with Garland Travis is like experiencing a crash course in Army lingo. There are lots of acronyms which I'm slowly learning and lots of protocol, about which I'm just scratching the surface. From the outside, it may seem confusing (okay, it definitely IS confusing) but somehow, when you are in it, you learn what you need to know.

Here's a bit of what I've been learning: MWR is the area under which the theatre programs fall. It stands for Morale, Welfare and Recreation, but actually the name is Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Nobody has gotten around to changing all of the signs yet, so most people still call it MWR. In addition to the Entertainment Division, which includes theatre, bands, talent contests, etc., it also includes Fitness (AFRC, which stands for Armed Forces Recreation Centers) and Libraries, among other areas (such as bowling, officers' and other clubs on base, etc.) Evidently, certain areas are line-itemed in the budget and others are discretionary. (Guess where theatre fits in?!?!?) The theatres are supported by funding from the Garrison commanders, money they earn, money they raise, etc. That's why the theatre programs on the different bases are so varied, both with production facilities, but also in quality of the technical elements. In addition, some communities have developed a volunteer base who not only perform in the shows, but also do the backstage and front-of-house jobs. There is an Entertainment Director for each base who is responsible for the budget for the theatre and other programs they are running on the base. (Travis is the Director, here at Schweinfurt; Dan LaMorte at SHAPE in Belgium, etc.)

Over the years, what Jim Sohre has been able to do is to create a division of the American Association of Community Theaters (AACT) for the Army theaters. He has worked hard with each base's Entertainment Director to help them develop their programs, so that at the very least they can participate in the AACT's One-Act Play Competition in the Fall and the Tournament of Plays in the Winter/Spring (where I am now.) Winners of this competition go on to the "Nationals" in the States to compete with the winners of the other AACT Divisions. Some bases provide full seasons of theatrical productions; others do the minimum. Jim has even arranged for a "mentor" director to visit all of the sites prior to the One Act Competition to work with the directors of the individual productions to improve them prior to the competition. (I did that job in 2006.)

By the way, MWR is completely separate from USO (United Service Organization) which still sends performers to the bases and military outposts to entertain the troops. It seems odd, but the two don't seem to work too closely together (except, as I have been led to believe that USO consistently asks MWR for funding for its services.)

A challenge for Schweinfurt and some of the other garrisons is that many of the soldiers are regularly deployed to service in Iraq or Afghanistan. So you tend to see lots of plays with women and children here. (The next production here will be Steel Magnolias.) Other times they get PCS'd. (That means Permanent Change of Station -- basically a transfer.) When some soldiers or other workers finish their tours of duty, they return to the States; others can find jobs and stay in Europe. There are different classes of non-military workers that come with different requirements and limitations. There are NAFs and GSs. Evidently, GSs can't get fired even if one's position is terminated; they have to find you an equivalent job, when one becomes available. NAFs get cut loose. But GSs have a five-year limit, unless they get moved to a different level. NAFs don't have a time-limit. This part got pretty confusing as it was being explained. More acronyms; more protocol. Suffice it to say that some people have figured out how to stay here in good jobs, which provides some consistency to the theatre and other programs.
Above is a postcard of Schweinfurt and a photo of Garland Travis, my host there and his colleague, Lisa, who is head of Marketing for MWR Schweinfurt. We had lunch at that Chinese restaurant that you see in the background. Nice to have Chinese for a change! It was pretty good, too. They don't know from brown rice, but the Duck with Garlic Sauce was delicious.

Bam Bam Bamberg

After a fairly laid-back Monday -- working out at the gym on the base, prepping for my workshops and talking to clients, I woke up early this morning to experience my first U-Bahn adventure. My trip to Bamberg involved two changes of trains. I needn't have worried about the timing. The schedules are eerily correct. It was a four hour ordeal, but with my book and ipod, I was zooming along. These are pictures from the Frankfurt station -- very modern and impressive; clean, easy to navigate, etc.

I had been to Bamberg before, but I don't remember it very well. The old part of town has several pedestrian only streets of cobblestone and wide, generous platz's (or plazas). It's a great town for walking, with structures that have survived the centuries around every corner. Here's a photo from my hotel window of the rooftops of Bamberg. The Hotel National is not a great 3 star hotel, but it is close to the train station and the breakfast was good.

For my workshop (done on the still-being-built set for Once On This Island, which we will see in a couple of weeks) we had five participants. I don't mind saying that I was nervous, not having done one of these in many years. But they are a wonderful group and it went very well. We had to force ourselves to stop after 2-1/2 hours. It was a diverse group, some who have never acted before and the director of Island, who has more experience.

Today, I move on to Schweinfurt (where I had seen School House Rock Live!) to do another workshop.

From Kids to Nuns

We arrived in Schweinfurt in plenty of time to rest before our visit to the theatre here to see a production of School House Rock Live! If you have kids, you may be familiar with the School House Rock TV series. This live show, combines a bunch of songs from the series woven through this story about a teacher getting ready for his first day of class. His "alter-egos" come on the scene to boost his confidence, singing him songs about adjectives, adverbs, math, social studies and science. Each song is a "lesson" for the youngsters in the audience.

We were staying in another Army Housing facility on the Schweinfurt base. Our host was Garland Travis, who runs the program here. But he didn't direct the play; his colleague, who I had met a couple of years ago, directed the show. It was her virgin experience directing a musical. The show had lots of kids in it, as expected and only a couple of adults. Because so many of the soldiers stationed at Schweinfurt get deployed, there are rarely adult male actors available for the shows. The adults in this production were all women.

During WWII, Schweinfurt was a center for manufacture of ball bearings. As such, it was a target of 17 Allied bombing raids. In 1945, the US Army marched into Schweinfurt, and turned it over to the American Air Corps. In 1948, it was transferred to the US Army.

After the show, we retired to Annette's lavish suite to discuss the show. We are responsible for recommending nominations in dozens of categories, which ultimately will lead to us selecting winners in all of them. Awards are given out at a special ceremony in April in Heidelberg, called the Toppers. We will be gone by then, but it would be great to see the pride in the community when they win awards for their hard work.

Although the theaters are "amateur," some of them show a great deal of talent. The trick to our adjudication, as I am learning from Annette and Jim, who are masters, is to give encouragement and to teach, not to berate or criticize. It's inspiring to see so many kids in a production like School House Rock Live! who have never done a show before. They were clearly having a ball. (It's unfortunate that the material is not up to the level of the commitment of these kids; it's repetitive and has no particular dramatic structure, beyond providing a setting for the songs, which all sound alike.)

Next morning, on to Grafenwohr. (The "o" should have an umlaut, but I don't know how to type one.) It's less that two hours away and we had no traffic. The weather continues to be cloudy and rainy. We are getting fed up with the lack of sun. But we arrive nice and early, have lunch in a local Italian restaurant and find our way to the base.

"Graf" as they call it, is part of a large garrison which includes Villseck, another base nearby. In between are large fields that are used for manoevers. This is a key area, not only for US soldiers, but also for our NATO allies. What is now a 1,000 soldier garrison is expected to grow into an installation with 10,000 active duty soldiers and 15,000 family members; a billion dollar construction project is now underway.

But the theater program is stuggling. It had been dormant for many years and just re-opened in a new space with new personnel last September. The theater is a converted gymnasium (with basketball court markings still visible on the floor.) They are fortunate to have Joline Powell at the helm. She has tremendous energy and she has that ability to see what can be created in the future, not just the limitations of the present. She not only directed and designed the production, but she was also the stage manager and the key person responsible for creating a usable theater space in this cavernous building she was given.

The play was Agnes of God. It's been a staple of regional and amateur theaters for years. It played on Broadway originally with Geraldine Page and Amanda Plummer. Jane Fonda was in the movie. It calls for three extraordinary actresses to pull off the story of a young nun who is found with a dead baby in the waste basket in her room at the convent and the psychiatrist who tries to unravel the mystery of what happened, much to the chagrin of the Reverend Mother. It can be a compelling play. The set was simple -- black, with two chairs and a white platform upstage with steps and a ramp.

This production only suggests what Joline and her team can accomplish in the future. She has only been here for six months. (She and I had met when I was here adjudicating the one-act festival a year-and-a-half ago; ironically, she had won an acting award for portraying a spoof of Agnes of God in a Christopher Durang play.)

Jim and I drove back to Heidelberg today, while Annette and Eva remained to do a workshop this afternoon. Jim invited me to dinner with a couple of his friends in Mannheim this evening. He took us to a wonderful Greek restaurant, Akropolis, where we enjoyed a wonderful meal, good wine and nice friends.

No Place Like It...

This is the view from my window.

This is Jim's apartment building - my Heidelberg home.








Today, we move on the Schweinfurt. More news shortly.

Working Out and In

Being back in Heidelberg does feel a bit like being home. Staying with my boss, Jim Sohre, at his house is very comfortable. I'm beginning to get to know the neighborhood, some of the shopkeepers, restaurants, etc. Jim lives in an area called Ziegelhausen, which is a comfortable residential enclave in some low hills just below the Neckar River, which runs through Heidelberg. The Old Town and the Castle, the main tourist sites, are on the other side of the River. I walk up the road to "my" bakery, "my" meat shop, "my" fruit and vegetable market, and pick up food for the next day. Bakeries are the worst; I am attracted by them and can't seem to stay away. In a short 1/2 mile radius from here, there must be at least four.

Just so you don't think I'm sitting here eating pastries and getting fat, I want you to know that I have been working out (semi-)regularly. Today, I figured out the buses and traveled by myself to Campbell Barracks (one of several Army installations here) where they have a gym I could use for free. Having a Army-base pass does have its privileges. It was about 40 minutes on 2 different bus lines, but I had no trouble. The facility is great, though it is a bit intimidating working out alongside these soldiers, many of whom are huge!

On my way home, I spent time walking through the Old Town of Heidelberg. I didn't go to the Castle yet (I had been there two years ago), but I may tomorrow. The weather finally turned around and it became a sunny, flawless day, temperature near 50. I sat outside at an overpriced cafe because it was so beautiful. Gave me a chance to catch up on some reading.

I also discovered the spot where the old synagogue of Heidelberg had stood. Here's a photo of me there. The white stones on the ground mark the outline of what was the original building. Now it's preserved as an historic site.

Heidelberg is a beautiful city with some great architecture. It hugs both sides of the Neckar River and seems to be content mixing the old and the new in an aesthetically pleasing fashion. Here are some photos I took today.

The Proof of the Streudel

This morning we were on the road again – this time for Ansbach, a small village near Nuremburg – yes we went back in that direction again. It was a relatively short ride - only 2 hours. In Ansbach we are staying in a quaint old hotel called Hotel-Gasthof Zur Windmuhle (The Windmill.) We arrived just in time for lunch at the hotel restaurant, a family-run establishment with great care taken to make every dish special. I ate the Weiner Schnitzel (made of veal), which was very good and finished with their homemade apple streudel. This was truly the most sublime apple streudel I have ever eaten – a thin flaky crust, warm, cinnamony apples – just perfect! Eva is back with us and she seems to be fine. Her weakness, I found out, is ice cream. She was more than pleased with the sundae she got at The Windmill. The grandmother of the family was our server. She didn't speak a lick of English, but we managed to communicate quite well, anyway. Annette tells us she is there at every meal, every day of the year, working with her family. After lunch, a marching band began playing a series of tunes outside the hotel entrance. A crowd gathered to hear them.

Tonight’s play was Proof, by David Auburn. You know, the one about the math genius and his daughter who proves something extraordinary but noone believes she could have done it. Mary Louis Parker did it on Broadway; Gwyneth Paltrow was in the film. It’s a solid, well-made play and it holds up well. The show was early, 5 p.m., so we ate afterward at a second rate Italian restaurant where the pasta was overcooked (wouldn’t happen in Italy!), but the wine was good.

Tomorrow, back to Heidelberg for a bit of rest, a chance to regroup, talk with my clients, and prepare the Improv Workshop I will be doing the following week.