THE UNIVERSITY THEATRE PLAYERS CHAPTER OF
THE TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY EX-STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
GREENROOM NOTES

February 17, 2009

"Green Room everyone! It is time for notes"- Ron Schulz

 

Hi!  Some of you may remember me.  My name is Jimmy Odom and once upon a time I used to edit the Green Room Notes, that place where Players gathered to keep up with each other.

 

My God, will you look at all that dust?  It looks like nobody’s been in here for months.  Oh, they haven’t.

 

Well, I’m hoping that at least some of you will be pleased to hear that the reports of my demise have been somewhat exaggerated. 

 

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but things are rough in the outside world right now.  I started getting wind of it at the end of July, when I started hearing rumblings from the various companies that are signatories of my union.  I’ve had my hands full trying to do my full time job at Lyric plus deal with the fall out of the economy in the opera and dance industry.  I should have taken the time to treat myself to The Notes, but it seemed like there has always been something else that needed to be done first.  It wasn’t until I got a message on my cell phone (which is the court of last resort when trying to reach me) from Patrick Donnelly asking if I had been hit by a bus or just died due to natural causes that it occurred to me that some of you might have been worried about me.  I hope that some of you are worried about me.  Well Pat and Deborah are.  I think. 

 

I could go on and on about what’s been happening in my life, but I’ll let you get over your mad before I start boring you about me again.  Except for one thing.  I was privileged, shortly after the election, to be asked to participate in a conference call with then President Elect Obama.  I got to spend a half hour on the phone with the President of the United States .  Well, me and forty-nine other national labor leaders.  I like to say that, like God, I am no respecter of persons, but sometimes you just have to be impressed.

 

To those of you who sent in time sensitive things, I can only grovel at your feet and beg your forgiveness.  For the less time sensitive things, we’ll get on to your letters.

 

First, a birthday note from Cole Cantleberry.

 

Jimmy!

 

I haven't heard from the players in awhile?  What's going on?  I remember the first players notes I received was a very stern warning to write in or there would be some heavy exercise involved.  and now... nothing.  

 

I hope all is well in chicago and I'm checking in for my birthday.  On the 5th, I'll be 24.  As you know, I'm working with Patrick Donnelly at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio .   I have to admit that this job rocks!!  I've met several famous people, and several stars I'm a fan of.   We continue to bring the theatre up to snuff; it had been neglected for a long while before Patrick or I got there.  Upcoming shows include but not limited to:  Jerry Seinfeld, Ave Q, Tuna Does Vegas, Color Purple (the most upcoming), Kathy Griffin (Cat's favorite comedian).... the list goes on to a place where my memory won't.

 

So here is a very big "hi" from San Antonio and hope all is well.  

 

talk to you in a year.  Well, maybe sooner if I get notes back.  j/k

 

 

Cole

 

Well what can I say but, “happy belated birthday!”  And obviously I can’t point fingers anymore if you don’t check in more than once a year.

 

Next an offer from Becca Fields Worley.  I hope it’s still in effect.

Jimmy,
Though it is not my birthday, I had a few things I wanted to put in the next edition:
As some of you may or may not know, my husband Jesse & I have been in Fort Worth for two years now.  I've just started my second year teaching Theatre at Aledo High School (a small 4A school just outside of Fort Worth ) & am enjoying working with an incredibly talented & enthusiastic group of kids.  It's been a very busy two years: last year my partner (I am one of two Theatre teachers there) & I produced six shows (three of which were musicals), took our UIL One-Act Play to State, & somehow managed to stay sane through it all.  We are slowing things down a little bit this year & only producing four shows (Moon Over Buffalo, The Music Man, whatever we do for One-Act, & Alice in Wonderland).  I will be directing Alice in the spring & cannot wait to get started on rehearsals. 

Anyway, we 've been doing really well in Ft. Worth .  We bought a house last Christmas, own three dogs, & are loving the area.  Now, to the real purpose of this update.  Jesse is in the process of getting his web design company off the ground & has already done some work for a few Tech Theatre alums.  We wanted to offer a special rate to anyone out there who either needs a website or wants to get a professional website for cheap.  Here's all the information:

***Fast, cheap web design and hosting. I'm putting together custom sites and hosting them for Tech Theatre Alum at a discount. These aren't dinky little websites either – I'm talking full-featured, let your imagination run wild kind of websites.

You pay:

-- $200.00 one-time for design and development

-- $200.00 per year for maintenance and hosting

-- Registration fees for your domain (usually around $9.00 per year)

You get:

-- Custom-designed website on your .com

-- Unlimited pages

-- Unlimited email addresses

-- Photo gallery, blogging engine, contact forms, video/audio media playback

-- Real-time site editing and authoring – you have complete control over your content

-- Email and telephone support

-- Fast, stable, state of the art hosting

For samples or more information call Jesse at (817) 422-1396, email jesse@worleysystems.com, or visit http://www.worleysystems.com****

He does really great work...& I'm not just saying that because he's my husband.  Anyway, that's it for now!  I hope all is well in everyone's lives.  Thanks, in advance, for looking into the website thing.

Much love,
Becca Worley (used to be Fields)
class of '01 & '06

 

Next is a birthday note from Peter Harris.

 

Hello Green Roomers!

My name is Peter Harris.  Didn't I used to be a Player?  I still am, I hope.

I'm writing this nearly three months to the day after the last GRN appeared, and four months and two days after my birthday in June.  I have been shy about writing where before I wasn't.  That's because it's been two years since I've been on a stage.  Darn it! 

The primary reason is that I have two jobs which are a little related to theater.  One is as a telephone relay operator for the deaf.  I've had that job since January of 2007.  I mostly work evening and overnight shifts, which makes rehearsals out of reach.  The other job is as chess teacher at small Premier High School here in Lubbock .  Chess teacher?  Yes.  I didn't play chess while I was a Player very much, but before then I got pretty good at it and enjoyed it a lot.  In September 2007 I met a high school classmate who is now an educational reformer, and she talked the administration of the school into letting me preside over an after-school chess organization.  That worked out quite well.  So they created a teaching position for me and I do that 20 hours a week, then do the other job 32 hours a week.  I deal with interesting people on the positive and negative side in both jobs.  One of the positive people is Mickie Klafka (nee Marion Pennington when she was a Tech student).  She manages to do her teaching job a nd still do shows in Post.  I am in awe of her for doing a teacher's job and an actor's job -- name two that are more challenging!  (Okay, director is one and designer is the other.)  Her daughter Kim, whom I've never met, is going to South Plains College and may tread the Tech boards in a couple of years.  I hope so, anyway!  Mickie has a well-earned reputation for being very sprightly and for not being fazed by anybody, especially not high schoolers.   

At my other job, I recently met Laura Mallory.  You know her mother, Louise Mallory Stinespring, from the 1990s and 2000s at Texas Tech.  The family moved to Sarasota , Florida , in 2007, but Laura moved back recently and does telephone relay work for people who can't hear or speak (or pretend they can't and call us through the Internet).  Laura says her mom really enjoys Sarasota and has found plenty of shows to do there. 

When my girlfriend and I were together (we broke up a couple of months ago, but she is still friends with Richard Privitt and sees some of his shows), we would go to see Tech productions but wouldn't go backstage to talk to the Players.  I've seen some good actors up there.  There are people who are my own age (not gonna tell you, but you can probably figure it out) up there.  I miss being on stage with them.  My last Tech production was in 2003.  If I could save a bunch of money I would still consider coming back, but=2 0it would have to be a BUNCH of money. 

I hope to get back into theater sometime if my schedule lets me.  I'll let you know. 

To Judy Blue:  I still remember meeting you back at one of the reunions and being very glad we got to talk.  You played Viola in Twelfth Night, the first Tech production I saw as a student.  I remember you and Robin Stanton giving me a quiz on Texas Tech theater experience and history and being so relieved when I passed it! 

To Bill Kerns:  Did you ever find out if Elysse West and her daughters moved to Los Angeles ?  You told me that some time ago when I interviewed for a job at the A-J and we chatted in passing.  I'm keeping all 10 fingers crossed for her. 

Jimmy, please start sending out these GRNs again.  That's why I worry about still being a Player!

Peter Harris
Classes of 1985 and 1997

 

Yes, Peter, you’re still a Player.  It’s my status that is unclear right now.

 

Cat Grey and Will Bigham have an opportunity for you screenwriters out there.  And you have just enough time to get in on it.

 

Hi everyone!

I know some of you have written screenplays, or might know someone else who does.  Will's company is sponsoring a screenwriting competition through Creative Screenwriting Magazine.  The details are below.  There's no fee to enter!  So spread the word!

We hope all is going well for you guys!

Cat Gray & Will Bigham


Creative Screenwriting Magazine, Jan/Feb 2009:  Shamrock Motion Pictures, a company headed by Will Bigham, the filmmaker who won a $1 million DreamWorks Pictures development deal in the reality show “On the Lot,” is sponsoring a contest in search of screenplays to set up for production.  There is no fee to enter.  Entrants are asked to submit a synopsis of 100 words or less by no later than Friday, Feb. 28 to justin_sheehy@paramount.com.
    
A prize of $5,000 is being offered to the first-place winner, and two runner-up prizes of $500 each will also be awarded.  In conjunction with the first-place prize, a one-year option will be issued on the winning screenplay for Shamrock Motion Pictures to develop as a motion picture.  Writers of the top 50 synopses that interest the company will be notified by email, and each will be asked to submit the complete screenplay by no later than March 20. At that time, screenwriters will be asked to sign a waiver allowing the company to read and consider the material.  Winners will be announced by no later than May 1, according to producer Doug Draizin (Fools Rush In), who is working with Bigham to develop material for production.
    
“Will triumphed over 12,000 entrants to win the On the Lot competition, and as a result he has a development deal with Paramount ,” says Draizin. “In the same spirit of the contest he won, Will is committed to helping other artists from outside the studio system get a foot in the door.”  Says Bigham, “Just two years ago I was at a place where I had tons of potential but nowhere to go with it.  No one would read what I wrote.  We want to open the door to a writer who has a big, marketable, four-quadrant story, the kind that studios really go for, but has no access to the studios.”

Per Draizin, the contest is seeking “family comedy, action comedy, romantic comedy, and thrillers, scripts with broad-based appeal from fresh and original voices.”  Scripts outside those genres may be considered, Draizin says, but “smaller indie movies will have less of a shot.”  The runner-up scripts might also be shopped around for possible production, he adds.  Entrants are advised not to wait until the contest deadline to send their synopses.  “The sooner people get it in, the better,” says Justin Sheehy, head of development for Shamrock. 

The contest was conceived as “a way to target young and emerging talent that big studios don’t have an opportunity to explore,” says Sheehy. Shamrock is an independent company, but has a first-look deal with Paramount .  “I come from the agency world,” says Sheehy, “and it takes so much for a new writer to break through -- the manager, the agent, the agent’s agenda – before a studio can ever be exposed to their work.  It’s too difficult, so this is a way to help them get through.”  Adds Draizin: “This is a great opportunity for writers to benefit from the experience Will has gained, and he is excited to give something back to the community.”

 

Okay, those of you who sent in things that I missed in my absence, again I apologize.  I’m looking at ways to maybe take a short leave and have someone else deal with The Notes for a while, but we’re going to try and make certain that this kind of lapse never happens again.

 

That’s it for this time.

 

Don’t forget to check the board as you leave!

 

Jimmy