THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SHOWCASE

“Don’t look at me!” actor Ann Breitbach demands as we try to rehearse our scene without laughing, while standing in front of Jeff Love.  Good luck with that. “Okay,” Jeff says as he pulls up the script to cover his face.  It doesn’t help.  They laugh anyway, and it becomes contagious. Pretty soon we are all laughing. Ann and I are attempting to get through “The Icon Con”, a sketch from THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SHOWCASE, which opens on January 17.

We can barely make it through a single rehearsal without cracking up.  I just hope I can keep a straight face on opening night. This is what happens when you work with some of the most hilarious people doing indie theatre in New York.

Point of You Productions was founded a decade ago by Artistic Director Jeff Love and Executive Director Johnny Blaze Leavitt with the purpose of enlightening and enriching New York theatre audiences through both classical and original works.

Jeff Love and Johnny Blaze Leavitt make decisions

Kathleen Fletcher and Monica Blaze Leavitt are Desperate Turkey Wives

We are rehearsing one such original work that has been almost two years in the making.  The laughter began when we met to develop sketch ideas for a show spoofing the winter holidays. We met in studios, parks, apartments, and at that famous green coffee house to mold ideas that would eventually become THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SHOWCASE.

This is the first show of 2013 produced by Point of You Productions. In true POY style, there are no egos here -- just hard work, loyalty and dedication. There has been a strong collaborative effort to produce this show. It’s the type of experience that keeps me involved in New York independent theatre.

A few minutes later, as I toss aside the imaginary piece of paper Ann hands me, she breaks into laughter again, and I follow suit.  We just have to get it out of our system. We are having way too much fun to call this work, but we get the work done. We are determined to put on a good show, even if we die (laughing) trying.

Actor and Makeup Artist Ann Breitbach with co-star

   

Poor Dandy Elf! Joe Esbenshade does a "bang up" job

THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SALE SHOWCASE!

 January 17, 18, 24 & 25, 2013

The Roy Arias Studios – Stage II Theatre

300 West 43rd Street | New York, NY 10036

Performances are at 8pm

Reservations: SmartTix.com

Written by: Nicholas Walker Herbert, Cedric Jones, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Jeff Love, Lee Solomon, Paul Weissman

Directed by: Cedric Jones, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Monica Blaze Leavitt and Jeff Love

Featuring: Ann Breitbach, Emily Dalton, Nick DeMarco , Joe Esbenshade, Kathleen Fletcher, Cedric Jones, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Monica Blaze Leavitt, Jeff Love, Miles Neuvirth, Gerard J. Savoy, Marc Adam Smith, Emily Stokes and Lindsay Kitt Wiebe.



FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:

Desperate turkeys, drunk elves, the Mob and a very disturbed Who from Whoville…

Point of You Productions celebrates the end of the winter holiday season with some much needed therapeutic laughter! Come decompress with us.

THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SALE SHOWCASE

celebrates the insanity of the winter holiday season. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s

Day, the holidays bring us joy… as well as headaches, drama and a sudden urge to live on a deserted island.

Meet Matt and Sarah, two little kids who each try to convince the other that they know more about the real story of the holidays. This leads us to hearing such unknown holiday classic stories as ‘The Santa Con Bunny,” “Santa’s Misery,” “Birthday Claus” and “The Oddest Couple,” featuring Jesus and Scrooge.

Will the elves form a labor union? Will Thanksgiving go turkeyless this year? Why is the Grinch talking to Madonna? And what does the Holiday Human Resources Department have to announce?

The winter holidays are over! You’ve hung on to your sanity for another year! Come celebrate that with us as we lovingly say goodbye to the most [censored] time of the year.





Johnny Blaze Leavitt in THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SHOWCASE

Broken

One of my close friends has recently found himself at the lonely end of an unrequited romance.

"How do you get over it?" he asked me.

"Well," I said, "With about a dozen sad love songs, some comfort food, and the occasional one night stand. Y’know, the same as the real thing."

There are no magical cures for a broken heart, the same as there are no instant cures for a broken leg. You have to set it and let time do its thing.

The same is true of that crush - that relationship that only really exists in our fertile and romantic imaginations. It's in the haven of our minds that we find the man or woman of our dreams. They cannot otherwise exist. We project this fantasy on other, mostly unsuspecting, persons and we fill our days listening to beautiful, inspiring love songs. We familiarize ourselves with their comings and goings and adjust our own to follow suit.

"Wounded Cupid" by Lovey appears courtesy of the Open Clip Art Library (www.openclipart.org)

Eventually, events unfold that return us to the realization that we are the only member of this duo with any real emotion invested in the relationship. We are reminded what a wonderful “friend” we are. We notice that he or she is attracted to everything we are not. We meet the significant other. We understand that they will not or cannot return our emotions. We deem this love "unrequited" because the word sounds as hopeless and harsh as it feels. The hurt is valid because the love we feel is valid and the fact that it is not flowing in both directions does not make it any less so.

So, we light candles. We sing along to sad songs. We write poetry.

When a lonely heart is broken

And a smile no longer shines,

The laughter slowly dies

And the fervor melts inside.

When the moment is suddenly broken,

And all dreams are set askew,

My soul turns shades of blue

And my tears burn silent for you.

Then life is set asunder

And the day no longer fades,

But it shatters like a crystal,

And the shards bring tears of pain.

When a lonely heart is broken,

Yet no one seems to care,

I'll cry about my broken heart,

And broken hearts everywhere.

Eventually, we move on.

Cheers,

-Ceddy

The poem "Broken" is from I Wear The Colour Green 

Street Behavior

Hey Everybody,

     Check out the new web series I'm doing Street Behavior.  In it, I play Reginald who is, slowly but surely, beginning to reveal himself. Watch on http://streetbehavior.comor visit  blip.tv/streetbehavior

Cheers,

Ceddy 

Happy Veterans' Day!

This Poster was created by J. Luke Barland of the Air Force News Agency.

Final Curtain: The Last of Ed Wood

"Nobody will ever notice that. Filmmaking is not about the tiny details. It's about the big picture," said Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's award winning biopic, Ed Wood.

He was speaking as Edward Davis Wood, Jr. who was widely known for his low budget horror flicks with their technical errors, bad editing and outrageous plots. Although he was dubbed “the worst director of all time,” over time, he has amassed a following of loyal fans in the millions who appreciate the way in which he created: with little know how, a shoe-string budget and a whole lot of heart. He is an inspiration to B movie buffs as well as independent film makers and thespians. Although he didn’t receive respect as a filmmaker when his career began in the 1940s, his legacy lives on, and live on, it must.

This summer, led by Frank Cwiklik, DM Theatrics resurrects five of its original stage adaptations of Ed’s classics as Final Curtain: The Last of Ed Wood, featuring Bride of the Monster, The Sinister Urge, The Violent Years, Night of the Ghouls, and Hot Ice.  With new casts, new enthusiasm and new magic, this is a must see!

Like Ed, Frank wears many hats, acting as writer, producer, director, photographer and videographer. Also like Ed, he operates with a vivid imagination on a limited budget. However, unlike Ed, Frank’s career has gained him the respect of his peers and fans in the Independent Theatre Community. While Ed’s creations were rushed (and it often showed), Frank takes the time to sculpt a production that is polished with elements of comedy, action, burlesque, vaudeville, and technical wizardry. They are about the big picture and the tiny details. Then again, I may be biased.

Cedric Jones as Johnny Ride in The Sinister Urge

I first had the pleasure of working with DM Theatrics in 2010 during Plan 9 From Outer Space, when I got to play the wacky Space Commander Bunny. The show received a positive review in The New York Times, and ended up being one of my best theatre experiences. Frank has been foolhardy enough to cast me again, this time in four out of five of the shows taking up residence in the East Village this summer. Me, and the entire cast have been having a blast preparing for it. We love Ed Wood, and we love celebrating him with DM Theatrics.

Space Commander Bunny, Plan 9 From Outer Space

“Our shows may be loud,” according to the company website, “they may be chaotic, they may be eccentric, they may even be stupid, but they are always heartfelt and engaging, and they are never, ever boring.”

I’ll see y’all at the theatre. 

Cheers,

Ceddy (“Hikes Pants”)

FINAL CURTAIN: THE LAST OF ED WOOD

Production Stylist ANN BREITBACH * Fight Director ADAM SWIDERSKI

Choreographer SHILOH KLEIN

Based on works by EDWARD D. WOOD, JR, ALEX GORDON, and A.C. STEPHENS

Co-Producer MICHELE SCHLOSSBERG

Produced, Designed, and Directed by FRANK CWIKLIK

June 20th thru July 1st 2012

The Red Room, 85 E 4th St, third floor

SHOW SCHEDULE: WED JUNE 20 8 PM Bride of the Monster, 9:30 PM The Sinister Urge!
THURS JUNE 21 7:30 PM The Violent Years! PLUS trailers, retrospectives, and more
FRI JUNE 22 7:30 PM Night of the Ghouls PLUS shorts, trailers
SAT JUNE 23 8 PM Bride of the Monster, 9:30 PM Night of the Ghouls
SUN JUNE 24 1 PM double feature Hot Ice/Bride of the Monster
SUN JUNE 24 8 PM The Violent Years!; 9:30 PM The Sinister Urge!
MON JUNE 25 8 PM Screening of Ed Wood shorts and rarities; Details TBA
TUE JUNE 26 8 PM The Ed Wood Memorial Burlesque Blowout; Details TBA
WED JUNE 27 8 PM The Violent Years!, 9:30 PM Hot Ice
THURS JUNE 28 8 PM Night of the Ghouls, 9:30 PM The Violent Years!
FRI JUNE 29 7:30 PM The Sinister Urge PLUS a retrospective of past DMT B-movie shows
SAT JUNE 30 8 PM Hot Ice, 9:30 PM Bride of the Monster
SUN JULY 1 1 PM Matinee Double Feature: Night of the Ghouls/The Violent Years!
8 PM Hot Ice, 9:30 PM The Sinister Urge!

The Ed Wood Play Festival: Final Curtain

 DM Theatrics Presents Final Curtain

We Will Always Love You -Whitney Houston

Host I'Wante Diamond, celebrity stylist James Davis, and I sit down to discuss the life, the legacy and our love of the late pop icon, Whitney Houston.

I'Wante Diamond, Cedric Jones and James Davis