This past weekend, StoryZ presented our first live theatrical production: Gentle Larceny, written by the late Terry Hamilton who, I’m told, was a Broadway bartender with aspirations of being a successful playwright. The subject of this one-man play was Wilson Mizner who seeks fame—or infamy—through his monologue. Is he telling the truth, embellishing, or outrightContinue reading “The Premiere Premiere”
Author Archives: stephenschrum
Questions Only
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain. Over the years, the questions that made me uncomfortable have changed. I guess that corresponds to my level of maturity and leads me to where we are now. First, speaking generally of questions, I always like to come back to the Bernard Pivot questions usedContinue reading “Questions Only”
Don’t Tell Me I Can’t
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? One of the quickest ways to encourage me to do something is to tell me I can’t do it, or to speak the more passive phrase, “it can’t be done.” That’s precisely the motivation I’ve often needed to accomplish a goal. ItContinue reading “Don’t Tell Me I Can’t”
5000 What?
You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence? “It all started in a little 5000 watt radio station in Fresno, California.” That is of course a brilliant start to an autobiography, but it wouldn’t be mine. It actually comes from Ted Baxter, the pompous anchorman character on on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from theContinue reading “5000 What?”
My, How Ads Have Changed
When I think back to ads from an earlier time, they were pretty innocent. They may have flirted slightly with actions and language that, if you had a dirty enough mind, you would have said, “Whoa!” But for the most part, commercials reflected an attitude of a simpler time. For example, I think of Charmin,Continue reading “My, How Ads Have Changed”
Call It Fate…
Do you believe in fate/destiny? I read the prompt and, as often happens, a song came into my mind, but with a slight difference: I wrote the lyrics to this one, and Jeremy dePrisco composed the music. The song, “Call It Fate” was sung by the Spirit Guide Dog in my musical, Dog Assassin. WeContinue reading “Call It Fate…”
Tech Support! How Can I Hinder You Today? (Part 2)
After dealing with phone tech support twice in two days, I discovered the bedroom humidifier wasn’t working. I had no idea where the manual was, so I found it online. (This is one of the great achievements of human civilization, by the way.) I opened the .pdf and found “Troubleshooting.” Since I had already checkedContinue reading “Tech Support! How Can I Hinder You Today? (Part 2)”
Tech Support! How Can I Hinder You Today? (Part 1)
One day last week my fiancee got on a tech support chat because she’d been having trouble getting calls from one particular number. She handed her phone to me, and I went through the steps suggested by the IT person (in what foreign country I don’t know). Eventually I reset the network settings as suggested.Continue reading “Tech Support! How Can I Hinder You Today? (Part 1)”
Line!
When directing actors who are working on getting off book (having learned their lines), I always tell them the only four-letter word they are allowed to use to call for a line is: “Line!” And speaking of actors and lines, have you ever worked with an actor who memorized their lines so well they can’tContinue reading “Line!”
Line!
When directing actors who are working on getting off book (having learned their lines), I always tell them the only four-letter word they are allowed to use to call for a line is: “Line!” And speaking of actors and lines, have you ever worked with an actor who memorized their lines so well they can’tContinue reading “Line!”
MUSOFYR 