Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:40:22 -0700WeeblyTue, 07 Nov 2017 22:15:57 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/ovation-nomineeWell, that's amazing. Haven't been on here to write in a bit...sorry if you've missed me - is anyone even reading this? LOL!
So, we got a nomination for Original Book for a Musical - which is quite the surprise. 1) we assumed our little show that could would NOT be getting any noms as we only ran for 4 weeks. 2) if we DID get one it would be for either Ensemble - because, c'mon, they all played instruments, sang and acted!!! - or for Music and Lyrics. We'd been told repeatedly that the book was weaker than the songs and cast... but... well, there ya go! 
Hey, glad to be invited to the party. Proud of our show and hopeful this nomination helps kick start the next venue/production....
​
]]>Sat, 05 Nov 2016 20:24:42 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/what-a-long-strange-tripMan. I'm bushed. Anyone who's ever put up a show knows that feeling. And then the emotional aspect of putting something up you've worked on for a decade is pretty heavy, too. It's taken me a full two weeks to finally be able to write about it. 
First off, to have the kind of support we did for this project was extraordinary. The Cast - first rate (thanks to my wife and Rory!). The tech aspects - best sound in a 99 seat show. Kudos to Gary Grantham and to Sloe -just amazing. The running crew/SM's - Bobby, Mercedes, Mitch, Crystal...way to go! And of course to our Director - Darin putting it all together, keeping us afloat. Brad Ellis who is my savior as a composer - amazing. And Jason Weiss - who came up with the crazy idea of putting us in his theatre...wouldn't have happened without that phone call. Our designers - Brad and Angela and Brandon, who realized vague ideas and made them concrete. And our GM/Producers - putting all this together.
All these people.
Dedicated to making some art together.
Amazing.
We built audience size and buzz as the run went out - every week we had more peeps seeing it, more buzz generating, more theatre mavens coming by and supporting our work. Truly lovely to see this community get behind an independent production like ours. 
So. Now what? 
We need to move the show to it's next venue - a LORT house or SPT contract or something along those lines - maybe a workshop leading into rehearsal and performance...
It's all up in the air right now. 
But I'll keep you updated as things start to shake out.

Thank you all for your kindness, your generosity, and your support of The Devil You Know...

​Larry]]>Mon, 10 Oct 2016 18:43:05 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/12-way-homeWe're now half-way into our run. We have two more weekends and then ...well, who knows! We're hopeful that we'll find a partner to continue this journey - a new location, or more time in our current local at the lovely Arena Theatre. Or...? Any thoughts anyone? We're open to continuing the development of this piece and we know that it continues to need that nurturing to fully bloom. We've discovered so much as we've run, and we have our "hit list" of things we KNOW need work and yet, we have a GREAT piece already - which is deeply exciting to know "it works"!. We also are blessed with an amazing cast that just lights up the stage every night. A crack production team that makes that possible and we are now starting to get "the buzz" that happens as more people see the show and talk to their friends, post on social media and get the word out. 
For me, besides being exhausted, I'm hitting the stage every night excited to be there, filled with amazement at the people I get to work with, and the difficulty bar I've set for myself and the show makes it "never a dull moment". 
​Looking forward to the next 1/2 of the run!
]]>Fri, 07 Oct 2016 18:22:27 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/peepsOne of the many joys I've had on this journey - are all the people that have contributed and supported the show during it's gestation. Harrison has been with us since the first reading. And now is bringing his joy and talent and expertise to the show - it's wonderful to have him by my side. And the new cast members I can (and will) go on about. However, last night a bunch of people came to see the show who have been instrumental in it's development. Terron Brooks - we did a workshop of a show together and I've been enamored by his talent ever since - he's never been available to do our show, and yet he came last night and brought tears to my eyes with his grace and kindness and words of support. LaTanya Holmes - powerhouse vocalist and amazing perfomer giving ME props. C'mon. Scott People - also a member of our merry band at different points - and being so lovely to me and the show last night. Clark Johnson - my S.W.A.T. director and co-best man, showing up out of the blue to support. Anthony Stark - who did the VERY first read of our show at the Fountain - playing Bobby - and just raved and was so damn enthusiastic and cool. Thank you all for helping in all the ways you have....You all are part of this show.]]>Wed, 05 Oct 2016 00:06:27 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/another-opening-another-showOMG

We opened and we ROCKED THE HOUSE! Our Amazing cast KILLED it. Slayed it. Whatever you want to use - they brought the house down! Just rose the bar. I mean, it was AMAZING.

And then - I had a breakdown. 

Curtain fell and 10 years of frustrating-not going forward-the deal wasn't right-no one likes it-what the Fuck am I doing working on this-refusing to give up-losing money tears came. Couldn't stop crying. Relief. JOY. Just overwhelmed. I couldn't hold it back anymore, I guess. There's something to be said for laying out there, for giving it everything you got - and I feel like I gave it everything I could - and it was worth every bit of hard work - and every tear. 

I have no idea what happens next. But I'm so glad we planted our flag and said - "THIS". 

Come see it.

It's really good.

​




]]>Sun, 02 Oct 2016 19:07:46 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/another-openin-another-showSo it's finally here. 10 years in the making. 6 months since Jason Weiss thru out an offer to give us a home. A couple of months of building our team. A month of casting. 6 weeks of rehearsal. 17 pounds lost. We open today. I'm overjoyed and amazed and grateful and scared and excited and Verklempt as my wife's family would say. Last night was our final preview and it went really well. I feel ready. So. No more writing on it today - I'll give you the update tomorrow....MERDE'!]]>Sat, 01 Oct 2016 17:48:18 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/remissWell. I'm back. Been awhile, I know. I've been a tad busy. 
Let's catch up, shall we?
It's been two weeks since I sat down to write here - now, I've been writing (or rather RE-WRITING) a ton on the show, but that left me little or not time to sit down here.
So here's the catch up: the show came together last night. I mean, WE HAVE A SHOW! The last week and a 1/2 has been the normal tech hell costume changing lights and sound tuning and tweaks that always must happen in a show. One wonders when you're in the thick of it (and as an actor and writer and composer - man, am I in the thick of it) whether it's going to come together - and what happens if it doesn't.
But...

WOW! It truly has. Suddenly there was a collective landing in the cast. A beautiful grace in the tech and administrative staff, the sound got tuned in, the lights snapped into focus and at the right intensities...

It's amazing when that happens.

And for me personally to start to "have and experience" as my teachers used to say - cause that's what it's about for an actor - you're trying to set yourself up to go thru the characters journey - and if the writing and direction, the other actors, the tech aspects all line up - you get to have that. And that's where we're at now. 

Final preview tonight and we open tomorrow.. .

wooot!


]]>Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:23:40 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/a-rare-daySomehow, I have a day "off". Which of course means I simply am not at rehearsal right now. When you're putting up a show, there's no such thing as "off". I got hand percussion at Guitar Center, checked in on music equipment rentals, ran lines, had a notes session with my co-wroter and director, practiced guitar, sent a publicity email to a writer for a possible story...oh, and teacher/parents meeting, kid pickup and drop off and general human stuff too!
We're about 2 1/2 weeks out from opening.

]]>Tue, 13 Sep 2016 02:35:37 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/tweaking-itToday we moved into our temp space to rehearse. And got the whole band together. And had the joy of watching Alexis Krause discover her inner rock star! She and Sasha were throwing it DOWN in their duet - Hidden. 
Brad Ellis is a genius, working stuff out, teaching, inspiring, and I get to learn and listen and absorb the way he treats people (and, honestly, ME) and his understanding of the root of the music and what a song  needs to really fly! AND his wealth of knowledge and experience in the musical theatre and recording world is just...well, we're so fortunate to have him along on this trip.. And what a trip it is. 
]]>Wed, 07 Sep 2016 06:02:31 GMThttp://thedevilyouknow.rocks/the-devils-blog/insanitySo. Here we are a week and a half into rehearsals and I've posted nothing! NOTHING! Why, faithful reader, why you ask? 
We've assembled an unbelievably talented and dedicated group of people (far more talented than moi) who are SLAYING IT in the "room where it happens"! As I update the site and the press release goes out, you'll get more info - but let's just say; Sasha Sloan, Alexis Krause (who came in on a moment's notice and saved us- thank you!), Harrison White (who is our spiritual animal and has been with the show since conception - bless him), Niles Rivers, Trevon Davis, Gildart Jackson, James Patrick Stuart, William Watterson, Braxton Molinaro and Julia Harriman are amazingly talented folk. I'm honored to share the stage with them. And we are having a blast! I don't know when I've had as much fun in rehearsal - and still kicked butt...
Oh, yeah. That's why I haven't been posting - I'm playing Bobby. 
So. A bit busy.
More updates soon!
]]>