A Wand Chooses Scott (Finally......)

           Welcome back, dear readers. Today is a day of confession. Today is a day that I share one of my deepest, darkest secrets with you, and I pray that you will not judge me. OK- here goes. Up until July of 2016 I had not read the Harry Potter novels. Go ahead- gasp, weep tears, gnash teeth in shock and amazement. How could a learned book-reading man such as myself, a teacher of AP Literature, never have read some of the most popular books in the history of mankind? I will regale upon you how just a heinous event occurred- but hopefully my redemption will earn your forgiveness.

            Jump with me into my time machine as I take us back about 15 years, back to the early 2000’s. I was teaching drama at Del City High School, and had also previously taught English. Most of my life to that point I had been a steady reader. During the school year I find it difficult to plop down with a good novel, but during the summer months I typically would blaze through several. At that point I was aware of the Harry Potter phenomenon. At least four of the novels had been released, and I watched as children and adults gobbled them up voraciously. I was somewhat intrigued, but I have to confess something else here: part of the reason I didn’t want to try them was for the simple reason that the protagonists were kids- and I don’t really like kids. “How can you be a teacher if you don’t like kids??!!??” 

High school is a totally different ball game. I can relate much more to teenagers, then to 10-13 year old kids. And once I found out that Harry and his cohorts were just 11 years old in the first novel, I had serious reservations about wanting to read them. Friends of mine were insistent though- “You have to read them! They’re great! You’ll love them!!” But still, I was hesitant. In 2001, the first movie was released, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. And even though I knew it was about kids, I was a big movie buff, and still trying to stay relevant in the pop-culture world (see previous blog post), so I went to see it. I thought it was “meh”. I didn’t dislike it, but I wasn’t taken in by it either. All it did was reinforce my decision to not read the books. When I expressed this sentiment to friends, they would respond by telling me that of course the book is way better than the movie because they had to leave so much out- which is typically true whenever a beloved novel is adapted for film or television. So finally I broke down- I borrowed a copy of the first book from a friend (“You’re gonna love it!!”) and began reading it unenthusiastically.

            I was right. About 50 pages in, I really lost interest and put it away. I had decided that Harry was just not for me. So I hid in shame, not wanting to share with my nerd friends that I just couldn’t get into the world of Potter. But little did I know, Harry was not done with me yet. Some years later, when my oldest daughter, Sabrina, began reading in earnest, I thought perhaps that she would enjoy them, since she read a lot of fantasy-themed novels. But she really had no interest either, and I was not going to push her. But then fate stepped in. One night the wife and I went out, and Sabrina’s Grandma Sherry and her daughter Lynn came over to babysit. When we came home, I walked in and gasped- there they all were, watching Harry Potter!! (I’m not sure which one it was- maybe the third one??) Sherry looked at me sheepishly and said “I hope that’s alright that we let her watch.” 

Sabrina was now convinced- “Dad, I want to read these books!!” And read them she did. In fact, she loved them. And she convinced me to start watching the movies again. She promised me that the books got better and darker as they progressed, and I would like them. So we watched the ones that had been released to that point, and she was right- I did enjoy them more as he got older. Then the sixth film came out, and we all went to see it at the theatre. After the movie, I began peppering Sabrina with questions- “Is Snape really that evil? Who dies in the last book??” She just looked at me, grinned, and said “I’m not telling you.” This infuriated me and I immediately yanked off my belt and began striking her repeatedly until she told me what I wanted to know!! (OK- that’s not true.  There was no beating.) So I did what any mature, logical adult would do- I read the final book. Sabrina was a little concerned since I had not read the previous ones, but I assured her I would be ok. And, I discovered, I really liked it. I was a little lost at times because I didn’t have the background of the other books, but I still liked it. However- not enough to go back and read them all. Not yet…..

            Eventually my youngest daughter, Marilyn, read them as well, and she was hooked. She began her campaign of getting me to read them, but still I resisted. Then a few years ago, we took a summer vacation to Florida and spent several days at Disney World- the most magical place on earth!! While we were there we decided that we should hop over to Universal Studios, where just a few years before they had opened a huge Harry Potter addition to the park, with rides, and recreations of various locales from the books. 

While there, I have to admit I was quite impressed, and of course the girls loved it. But still- I would not read. And last Christmas, we were visited by our dear friends, the McEvoys. Shawn and Val are QUITE passionate about their love for Mr. Potter. Val made several attempts to convert me. She told us that she had listened to the books on CD multiple times, and that I would love them. (Unfortunately, I just can’t listen to books. I don’t like being read to. I can’t tell you why- I’m just weird that way.)

            Until finally, we arrive at the summer of 2016. At the beginning of the summer I had a stack of books that included Stephen King, John Grisham, David Baldacci, and Lee Child. Lots of thrills, action, and suspenseful stories, which I quite enjoyed. But then something happened. Within just a few weeks, our country, and the world, was rocked by multiple horrific acts of violence. I picked up another Jack Reacher book, and as he was fighting off some bad guys with a combination of weapons and his brute strength, I had a moment where I thought- I really don’t want to read about more violence right now. It was just too much. So I set it aside, and began thinking about what I could read. And out of nowhere, a voice told me- “Why don’t you finally try those Potter books??” Yes, they were violent as well, but not REAL WORLD violent. And I thought- “Yes. That’s just what I need.” So I asked Sabrina, and she gave me her battered, well-read copy of the first book. I shared on the social media that I was going to try it again, and multiple people told me- just get through the first few books, and then they get much better. Not a very encouraging way to begin, but I was determined.

            So how did it go? Well, I tore through them all in a few weeks. People were right- they did get better as they progressed. I found myself totally immersed in the wizarding world, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m not going to say that they were the greatest books I’ve ever read, or that they changed my life. But I definitely understand why so many people love them. J.K. Rowling created a rich, sumptuous world, and inhabited it with loveable, complex characters. In fact, when I finished the last one, I went through a bit of “Potter Withdrawal”. I was a little sad to see it end. To help ease the sadness, I began re-watching the movies, and I also know now why so many people told me that you lose so much if you just watch the movies. I kept thinking- “well, where’s so-and so? And why didn’t this happen? And that’s totally different!!” But I do think the films absolutely capture the spirit of the novels, and the actors for the most part are perfectly cast. And to top it all off- last week the script for the new Harry Potter play was released, which is the official 8^th story in the series. It’s a good story, and it’s fun to see what happens to all of the beloved characters and their children. However, just being a play script, it’s somewhat like just seeing the movie, because without the characters thoughts and feelings spelled out, you can only rely on the dialogue. I’d love to see it filmed someday, but that would be several years off, because they have to milk the play for all it’s worth.

            So there you have it. I’m convinced. I shall no longer poke fun at the people who love Potter. We nerds have to stick together, not tear each other down. No longer will I refer to him as Colonel Potter. (I always thought I was so funny when I did that. What an jackass.) 

Now, you probably won’t see middle-aged me putting on robes and round glasses and joining in at a Harry Potter convention. But I do think I want to go back to Universal Studios, take a stroll down Diagon Alley, and have myself another butterbeer. For years I have been a comic book geek and a Star Wars nerd, and now I can add Harry Potter fan to my Nerd Resume. Thanks for waiting on me, Harry.

The Death of Scott Culture

               We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of someone, who for so long, was near and dear to my heart. We all knew him, and most of us loved him- yes, I’m talking about the former “King of Pop Culture”- Young Scott Bartley. (Wait a minute, you’re asking, aren’t YOU Scott Bartley??) Yes, dear friends, I am. But I have gone through a startling metamorphosis- a transformation that I thought would never take place. I went from the freckled-faced young lad who immersed himself in everything pop culture- movies, music, TV, books, and the like- to a soft, middle aged man who now just has a mild, passing interest in all of those things which once consumed me. Allow me to splain.

                To really delve into this issue completely, we have to look way back into my childhood. During my formative years of grade school and junior high, I was a chubby, nerdly young fellow, who spent a lot of time alone. My siblings were all much older than me, so I had no built in playmates. I spent countless hours reading books, comic books, watching TV (often unsupervised, which was ok until we got HBO), and going to movies. I slowly started to realize that I had quite a bit of knowledge when it came to the entertainment aspects of society, and I would amaze and astound my other nerd friends flashing displays of said knowledge. This interest in all things entertainment stayed with me all the way through high school and into college. I remember as a high school student often going to the movies by myself. This was not because I had to- by this time I was wicked cool, with a much thinner body and an awesome perm- but because I just liked to. I remember my niece Shannon telling me not to, because she just thought it was so sad. But I loved it, and continued going.

 

                Off I went to college, which took me several years to complete, primarily because of my hiatus when I moved to Southern California to be an actor (which is a whole other story), but I finally finished in the early 90’s. I also met the love of my life, Cindy, and we got married in 1994. But it was about this time that I met the second love of my life- I discovered the periodical “Entertainment Weekly”- and my life would never be the same. EW had it all, and on a weekly basis- movies, TV, music, books, and even occasionally, theatre!! As Cindy and I settled into our life together, she observed how when on Saturday morning, when the new EW would arrive, I would immediately devour it from cover to cover. She started referring to it as my “bible”- which is, of course, absurd, because I didn’t WORSHIP it. Geez.

                I became a little obsessed, I’ll admit it. I would pride myself on knowledge of obscure pop culture references or facts. There was a game we would play called “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” where you would try to link two actors together through films that they had appeared in with other actors. I found myself often competing against my old college roomie, Shawn McEvoy, and I would try to stump him with very obscure actors. Sometimes this worked, but Shawn was also strong in the pop culture “force”, and he often made for a worthy opponent. Then in the early 2000’s I finally got to put my useless knowledge to the test. There was a new TV game show that was sweeping the nation called “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”. It was hosted by TV personality Regis Philbin, and contestants would answer general knowledge questions, many of them pop culture based, to win money. The questions would get gradually more difficult as the prizes got larger. I would watch often, and found myself knowing the answers to many of the questions. I will confess- I didn’t think I could win a million dollars. But I felt like I knew enough to win a nice chunk o’ change. Now I just had to get on the show! There was a “hotline” that you would call and answer questions, and if you got them a computer randomly selected who would be invited on. I tried this for weeks, but to no avail. Then they made a stunning announcement- they would be holding live auditions! For someone as smart and immensely talented as myself this should be easy- right?!? The closest they were holding auditions was in St.Louis, so I quickly called in and got myself a slot. They took the first one thousand people at each location. When we arrived there, we were given a written test, with many of the types of questions they ask on the show. Then we all sat around while these tests were scored. They finally came out to announce the results- those that passed the test would be invited to stay for a live audition on camera, but there were fewer than 100 people that passed. And guess what? I passed! I was a little surprised, but mostly just impressed with myself. The producers then took us remaining geniuses in groups of four to a separate room, where they would interview us on camera to see what kind of personalities we had. They told us before we went in- “make us remember you”. So I did. It’s somewhat of a blur, but I’m pretty sure I made a total ass of myself. I remember a variety of facial contortions, a demonstration of my double-jointed fingers, and just a whole heapin’ bunch of general obnoxiousness. I came out of there thinking that I either nailed it, or was a colossal fool. I would have to wait a few months to find out which one it was.

                About six weeks later I got the call- I was in! They were flying me and a guest out to New York City for 3 days and 2 nights to appear on the show. I won’t go into great detail, but I will tell you this- I did not win any money. You see, to answer the money questions you had to get in to the “Hot Seat”, and to do this, you had to win the “Fastest Finger” question first. I always came in second- one time by less than a second. So I sat there watching a few other buffoons try to win money, but they kept striking out. And I knew the answers!! But alas, the show was over, and as we were all walking out, my fellow contestants were all talking about what fun they had- but not me. I was furious. I had come so close to actually using my vast pop culture knowledge to win money, but I was denied. So other than the nice free trip to NYC, Cindy and I returned home empty handed.

                My self-education in all things pop culture continued into the 2000’s. Then in the middle of the decade, a new show popped up on VH1- “The World Series of Pop Culture”. This was made for me! Contestants came in teams of 3, and they had to answer questions over all aspects of pop culture. As I watched at home, answering a majority of questions, I realized I should try to put a team together and get on there. But my plans never took shape, and the show only lasted two seasons. Denied again.

                Flash forward to the past few years. I have noticed that my interest had begun to wane in all things pop culture. I still read Entertainment Weekly, but more and more I realized that much of what was in there I had less interest in. Especially in music- most of the artists I did not even know. What was happening to me? Where was my edge going? And it finally hit me. You see, a few decades back, after Sting had left The Police and was recording music on his own, I remember complaining to my friend Alex Greenwood, who was a Police and Sting superfan. “The new stuff is OK”, I complained, “but he’s gone soft. He’s lost his edge”. Now I know. I’m there. I think it’s not really losing your edge, it’s just simple maturation. As you get older, your tastes evolve, and what once seemed oh-so-important, no longer is. That, my friends, is what I am going through. I still love movies, but I’m a little more picky, and not as obsessed. I still love Star Wars and Batman- some things you NEVER give up. But my musical tastes have not moved forward- there’s not many newer artists that I care to listen to. My once busy weekly TV viewing schedule has been reduced dramatically, and I only watch a few shows now. And my comic books? I had collected since I was in first grade, and had amassed almost 5,000 comics- and I sold them 2 summers ago. Shocking.

                At first, when I recognized myself slowly slipping into a tepid pool of pop culture mediocrity, I was a little disturbed- and sad. But I have slowly come to accept the fact that there are some things I just don’t care about anymore- which would be totally foreign and shocking to 30 year old Scott Bartley. And I will confess- sometimes I feel a little left out. When most of my friends are raving about the most recent episode of “Game of Thrones”, they notice the somewhat blank, disinterested look I have on my face, and with dismay they ask- “Don’t you watch it??” I feel like an outcast, a pariah- but doggone it, I just don’t really have much desire to try it out. (Plus it’s on HBO, and for decades I have steadfastly refused to pay extra to watch shows. My self-righteousness will end next year when the new “Twin Peaks” comes on Showtime. I’m such a hypocrite. Look away- please don’t stare.) But I do watch “The Walking Dead”- so I feel that earns me back a smidgeon of street cred. So here I am- middle-aged Scott Bartley, closing in on the magical age of “Fitty” (that’s how we used to say it back in the hood).  I let my subscription to Entertainment Weekly end a few months ago. And I am no longer a Pop-Culture addict. And that’s OK.

How to Put on a Smash Hit- Part Deux

         Let’s continue, shall we? Last time we talked about the process of picking a show, securing performance right, and assembling a production team. Once this was all completed, the brain trust met and decided that auditions would be set for early January 2016. This would allow us plenty of time to cast the show, and begin rehearsals for the April production dates. Over my decades of directing and acting, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with auditions. 

As a director, I get excited about the possibilities. But at the same time nervous that people won’t show up, or I would have to disappoint some people. Neither option is fun. To be perfectly honest, when I decide on a show to direct, I think about who I could possibly cast in each role. I believe you have to do this in a community theatre setting, because you have to know if you can realistically cast your show. This method of thinking of people is not to be confused with pre-casting- this is the method where you decide on certain actors for specific roles even before auditions. I also have mixed feelings about pre-casting, and here’s why: many times over the years I’ve heard complaints in the community that they see the same people in shows over and over. They know if  ______________ is directing, then __________________ will be in the show. And often that’s true. But many times pre-casting takes place because people don’t show up for auditions, and you as a director must plan for that. As an actor I’ve been on both ends. One of my first experiences at SLT was when I was a freshman in college, and I heard that SLT was going to be performing a play that I really liked. But when I inquired about it, I found out that the show had already been cast, and I wouldn’t even have a chance. I was furious- this was an outrage! A grave injustice had taken place!! But over the many years, I’ve also been pre-cast in shows, which, to be frank, is kinda nice. So I definitely see both sides of the argument. For Spamalot, only one role was going to be pre-cast- King Arthur. I was casting myself. I didn’t feel too badly about it, because this show is choc full o’ really good male roles, and each have there own moments to shine.

            As the audition dates got closer, I was feeling apprehensive- would we get enough people to cast the show? Would the RIGHT people show up? The last show I directed, the musical “How to Succeed in Business….”, had a serious audition problem. Only about 13 people showed up, and I frantically began calling and begging people to be in my show. Fortunately, this was not the case for “Spamalot”. We had a tremendous turnout, and we were thrilled. But this brought a new anxiety. Most of the people that auditioned I knew, and had worked with over the years. We knew that not everyone was going to get a part, and some very talented people were going to be told that they were not being cast. So we began our casting meeting, and it was hard. Extremely hard. We had to make some tough decisions, and in the end there was some weeping and gnashing of teeth. But we put together what we felt like was the best cast based on the characters and the actors. I know there were some disappointed people. I know people didn’t get the parts they wanted. But sadly- that’s theatre. I’ve auditioned quite a bit myself over the years, and there were many times I didn’t get the outcome that I had hoped for. I used to tell my students that if they were going into the theatre business then they needed to get used to rejection. It stings. It sucks. But in the end, you just accept it and move on.

            We had our cast about the second week of January. And although the show was still months away, I was ready to start rehearsals. We began meeting a few times a week to learn music and choreography. This definitely pays off later on. Finally in mid-February, we actually got into the theatre. Now it begins! The way Rebecca and I worked together was that I did most of the actual blocking, and she organized and coordinated all of the other elements- costuming, lighting, set building, and numerous other tasks. She also blocked a couple of the scenes in the show, so she pretty much had her hands in everything! I absolutely couldn’t have done any of this without her!!

            At this point it becomes a puzzle. Trying to fit all of the pieces together in a race against the clock. Eight weeks of rehearsal seems like a long time, but believe you me, that time flew by. Slowly things started to gel and coalesce. Songs were memorized, lines were learned, and choreography was cleaned up. Costumes were sewn, sets were built, and props were created. What looked like a long time on paper, suddenly felt like a mad dash to the finish line. And a few weeks before opening night, I’ll confess, I was feeling some anxiety. Would it all come together? Would there ever be a night the entire cast was at rehearsal? (One of the pitfalls of true community theatre.)

            As I write this we are one day away from opening night. And I have to tell you- I couldn’t be more proud of the way it’s turned out. This has been a fantastic group of people to work with! Every person, from the boys who move the sets, to the people working in the box office, to the fellow actors I join onstage has give 110%, and I am truly honored that they have chosen this production to be a part of. I can’t wait for you all to see it! (Although I am extremely confident in it’s quality, I must confess- every show I ever do I wallow a bit in my own insecurities. Actors are a funny lot.) I’m ready for you to see our baby- our big, loveable, goofy, silly, sometimes inappropriate baby- warts and all. I want you as an audience to come away with pains in your sides and sore cheeks from laughing so much. I want you to have as much fun as we are performing it for you. So go get those tickets- we’ve been working a LONG time to entertain you! And remember- always look on the bright side of life……

They Say the Neon Lights are Bright......

              Often, over the years, as I am stopped on the streets of Shawnee and hounded for autographs and selfies, I am asked “How do you possibly find time to direct and star in all of those award winning plays at Shawnee Little Theater??” I realize in the span of a few minutes I couldn’t possibly tell them everything that goes into the vast creative process. But it has made me think about this- generally speaking, most people don’t realize the amount of time and effort that goes into selecting and mounting a production at a community theatre. They see the finished product and are pleased, and they know that some rehearsal went into it. But when you share with them just how much, they are often shocked. So I thought I would share the process with my masses of adoring fans. I will go into detail what has happened so far in the effort to bring the newest production at Shawnee Little Theatre to life. Strap in kids!

                It all started about a year ago. I serve on the Board of Directors at Shawnee Little Theatre, and I have often taken an active role in the selections of upcoming seasons. In early spring of 2015, we were frantically trying to put together the New Season for 2015-2016. We had most of the titles settled, yet we lacked a final show. It needed to be vast, epic, sprawling if you will. It needed to tie the season together, and push us into the following year. We had thrown out many titles, but nothing was sticking. Then finally, at a board meeting, our fine SLT President said “I’ve had a bit of inspiration. What about…..Spamalot??” (For those of you who do not know, Spamalot is a musical based on the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”.) 

We all thought it was a magnificent idea! Rebecca even offered to direct said musical- with one caveat. “This is such a big show- I really need someone to help me….” And as she said this, her eyes, in slow motion, turned to me. You see, 8 years prior, Rebecca and I teamed up to co-direct one of the greatest shows ever performed in the state of Oklahoma- “Urinetown”. It was a great experience- we worked really well together, and in the process created magic. “Urinetown” was such a good experience and fun show that, if given the opportunity, I would do the show again. I can’t say that for most of the shows that I’ve been in. 

So with our previous history in mind, I told her that I would think it over and let her know as soon as possible. But first , I wanted to see the show. Even though “Spamalot” had played on Broadway years earlier and had toured, I had actually never seen it. I went home, and over the next few days, I may or may not have watched an illegally recorded production of it on a popular video website. And I laughed, and laughed, and laughed! I called Rebecca and said- “I’m in”. And the award winning duo of Bartley and Fry (or Fry and Bartley, depending on who you ask) were reunited, much to the delight of theatre audiences everywhere.

                Once a show is decided, the next thing that must be done is to procure the rights of performance. Every play or musical is has their rights controlled by a publisher- Samuel French, MTI, etc. And if you want to perform that show, you have to pay the publisher royalties for each performance. And, what most people don’t realize, is that there are strict copyright laws- when you purchase the rights, you are required to do the show as it is written. Often we’ll get complaints about a show’s mature language- why couldn’t you just cut those nasty words? Because- if the publisher finds out we have altered a script without getting their permission, we could be restricted from ever doing one of their shows again. So it is kind of a big deal. 

Anyhoo- we set about requesting performance rights to “Spamalot”, and we were happy that we got a quick response- Yes!!

                After rights have been settled, then it is customary for a director (or in this case directors), to begin assembling their production team. Over the years I have learned that the key to success as a director is to surround yourself with talented people, and then let them do their job. It makes the director’s job much easier, and makes the director look brilliant! So Rebecca and I began discussing in earnest who we would want involved in our production team. Since “Spamalot” is a musical, one of the first things we needed to do was get a good musical director. This is always tough- in every musical I have ever directed, I have had a hard time getting a good musical director. Not because there aren’t any- I have relationships with a plethora of outstanding musicians. But because they are so talented, these are often very busy people, who usually don’t have time to commit to such a long rehearsal period. I’ve been lucky in the past- I’ve had the good fortune of getting some wonderful musical directors. Rebecca and I put together a list of the usual suspects, and we quickly decided on one name- Sherri Thompson, a local music teacher in one of our community’s grade schools. We had both known Sherri for years, and were excited about the possibility of working with a musician of her caliber. We made the offer early in the summer of 2015, and waited patiently for her answer. After a brief waiting period, she agreed, and we were set at musical director! (Yes, it meant that her husband would have to be involved also, but sometimes concessions have to be made……) Now that was set, we began piecing together the rest of our team- of course a musical needs a top-notch choreographer. Once again, we had several possibilities, but we finally settled on young Trevor Mastin, a local lad who is attempting to make a career of theatre. He’s performed in, and directed and choreographed numerous shows, so we felt supremely confident in our choice. And to hold all of these lunatics together, you need a strong Stage Manager- someone who organizes many of the little details, helps run rehearsals, and controls the show backstage during the performances. We found another youngster, Bethany McWilliams, a recent graduate of a local university, to take on the herculean task of putting up with me. Luckily, Bethany has worked with me before, and knows all too well that sometimes extremely talented people can also be quite volatile at times. So by the end of the summer, we had our team. Avengers Assembled! And we began preparing in earnest for the next phase, which would be the casting of the show.

To be continued…….