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| MAY 1, 2008
Yes, I'm alive. Yes, I'm still working on the redesign and it's coming along swimmingly. Yes, I'm juggling a lot of stuff. Here's the latest... I've decided to put a little more muscle behind promoting the live caricature 'eventertainment'. Over the years, I've been happy to land of these gigs occasionally and I've enjoyed them for monetary, educational, and other reasons. So I've conceived a side entity to my business and here is its own website. Yes, click this link to see a tiny bit of what I've been cooking up. Take care, all! Peace & love. APRIL 8, 2008 It's been an eon since the last update here, but I have been staying pretty regular over at the blog and will continue to do so after the new website design comes down the pike. Please drop by now and then to keep up with my regular musings (click here). Yes, even after so long I'm still talking about a new website design. Until recently I've beat my head against the wall trying to focus on learning Dreamweaver CS3. It is generally accepted to be the industry standard web design software and it would be great to have in my quiver of knowledge, but at this point in my career, I don't need to focus on being a webdesigner. My issue is that my old software Adobe GoLive won't make the trip over to my new(ish) computer. Thanks Adobe. Anyway, long story longer... I'm just going to be satisfied with redesigning and updating my site on my old computer where I'm at least knowledgeable enough in the software to be dangerous to myself and others. Aren't you glad to have this peek into my brain? So anyway... the new site is in the works. My main goal (besides making it pretty) is streamlining. My Squigs' Ink site will focus only the illustration and design... in a friendly and charismatic yet professional way. Any of my other irons in the fire will have its own place (the blog, the acting, the event caricatures) and the content of Squigs' Ink will be focused to show exactly how I want to be represented for future work. That last part is hard. I'm proud of all my work so choosing between pieces is like I imagine it would be like to choose between children. So it won't be easy, but I think the outcome will be a good one. Professional. Streamlined. In the mean time, I've been staying very busy at the drawing board, but I'll save the updates for the new site design. This will include a new comic/coloring book for Riverside Public Utilities about "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle", a coloring book for the San Bernardino based municipal bus company Omnitrans, the logo for a new family show called Little Green Men, and more projects that are lined up. Briefly on other fronts, I'm happy to be auditioning a bit for upcoming shows and I look forward to returning to Music Theatre of Wichita in late May to take part in their A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum. it's a super fun show that I haven't had the opportunity to do yet, so in addition to looking forward to playing again with the Wichita gang, I can't wait to do this show. The careers are plugging away and I feel so blessed. So with that I'll close for now. Take care, all! Peace and love. FEBRUARY 17, 2008 Here's another update while I'm in "learning new web design software" limbo. I'm posting artwork from a project I've been incredibly fortunate to take part in... Li'l Abner at Reprise! Broadway's Best. The show closed this evening, and here is my traditional closing night sketch. I'm happy to say that it effectively captured a really fun experience and the feedback was wonderful – from folks I've spent the last month with and really admire. I've also recently heard that my recent Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular piece has found its way into the hands (and onto the office walls) of renowned director Hal Prince and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. That's fun news! Well, that's it for now. Keep up to date with my regular doings at the blog. Peace and love, y'all! FEBRUARY 3, 2008 Okay, so the blog is rolling along over at Blogger, but I've got a couple fun things to post here too. In the midst of a crazy rehearsal process (Li'l Abner at Reprise!) I took on a couple illustration projects. First came a logo for a show opening Off-Broadway later this month, Fabulous Divas of Broadway. And then came a sketch of the cast of The Kid From Brooklyn, a show about Danny Kaye playing at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Big thanks to Alan Palmer and Joshua Finkel, respectively, for thinking of me for these wonderful projects. Take care, all! And swing on over to my blog for more regular updates. Peace and love! JANUARY 24, 2008 Okay, it looks like it may be a while since I'm going to be getting down to business with the site redesign. I'm just bustin' to post a little something fun, and so I'll show you now. Last autumn friend David Quinn commissioned another sketch, this one of his friend Amy Ryan who was just premiering her film Gone Baby Gone. Amy sent me a beautiful note and I wanted to post it before, but now since she's been nominated for an Oscar I've just gotta! See the sketch and her lovely note here. Wow! Okay, that's all for now. Keep on checkin' in with my doings over at Blogger. Take care, all! JANUARY 7, 2008 Happy 2008, y'all! As a reminder of the last update, I've moved the blog to Blogger. Come on over. Visit the blog. At this writing, you can read about my holiday adventures in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Also, check out the latest art – the project I was toiling away at just before Christmas – Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular. The cast sketch included 45 folks, and I also drew seperate sketches of the show's conductors and stage managment staff. That's all for now. I'll be learning the new web design software over this month, so it's likely I won't be updating this site until the new version is up. But in the meantime, check out the blog over here at Blogger. Happy New Year, all! Peace and love to you and yours in 2008. Go get 'em! DECEMBER 20, 2007 Biggish announcement: I've moved the blog (at least temporarily) here. Yes, I've moved to Blogger so I can actually update the thing when I'm on the new computer. (Until I learn the new Dreamweaver, I can only update the site on the old computer.) So take a mosey over to Blogger to see what I'm musing about lately. Peace and love, y'all! DECEMBER 17, 2007 Merry & happy, y'all! Hope all is festive in your world. For me it's out of the frying pan and into the fire... in a good way. The weekend went well – crazy, but well – and now I'm in deep nose-to-the-grindstone time on the commissioned work. It's gonna be way spiffy to behold, folks. You'll see it here when I'm able to post it. And on the January work front, the show I was rejoicing about on the 14th might not work out. But this is in favor of another show that kind of conflicted. Once the dust settles and things are more definite, I'll post an announcement. Well, I've got to get back to drawing before heading off to a lovely party this evening. Ho ho ho, y'all! Peace and love. DECEMBER 15, 2007 I'm writing you from the eye of the storm. My crazy weekend has yet to bring its craziest day, but so far so good. Yesterday's gig was lovely although I had to brave one of the worst traffic days of the year to get there – over 3.5 hours to get from my audition in Burbank to the dock in Newport Beach. And that was without a fender bender in sight – nothing to rubberneck at. Sheesh! Anyway, it was my first time seeing the Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade, and I had the good fortune of seeing it close up since we were floating in the middle of it. Pretty breathtaking really. Today brought a lovely three hours in Beverly Hills and two plus hours at a party in Sherman Oaks. Tomorrow, I'll repeat my Beverly Hills stint and then hit the road to Newport Beach once again. Monday will be a treat – time to work on homework and shipping Christmas gifts, and then a Christmas party in the evening. Said homework is plugging right along. I have a huge project on the table that I want to get done by Wednesday, and I know it will get there. Since I don't have to be up super early tomorrow and I tend to work best at night, I think I'm going to burn the midnight oil. Take care, all! Peace and love. DECEMBER 14, 2007 Merry and happy, all! I hope you're having a fantastic holiday season. When time has allowed, I've been writing Christmas cards and working on gifts for the nieces and nephews and creating holiday mix tapes. (It just feels right to call 'em "mix tapes" even though they're on CD now. Ah, technology you toy with our lexicon and vernacular and what not!) I just love holiday music and so I've been happy to find that I'm enjoying it even more this year now that I'm not caroling full time. Donning the Dickensian duds is super rewarding – and I'm really enjoying the six or seven gigs I'm subbing into – but it's funny how one can get desensitized to the glorious tunes when singing them full time. Now on more than one occasion I've teared up when certain tunes start on the radio. Yay, Christmas! Ah, but it sounds like my season is all leisure and whistling carefree tunes. But no. I've now hit my work whirlwind (which is why I'm spending time online – huh?). I have an audition callback this afternoon and then start into a weekend filled with caricature gigs (harbor cruises, a couple shifts on Beverly Drive, and a company party). In the seconds between and after gigs I'm hard at work on a huge commissioned project (which I'm thoroughly enjoying, thank goodness). 'Tis the season for lots of things, and right now – for me – it's the season of stuff to do. But in just over a week, I'll be on a plane to Oregon to see the family and take a breather. Ah! Speaking of auditions (Were we?), I just found out that I booked a show next year, and the best news is three-fold: 1. It's a new show so I'll have a bit of a hand in creating it. 2. I will have almost five months of solid work which could possibly lead to more. 3. The theatre is about a mile from my apartment so I won't be spending tons of time on the road (which also means that I will be able to spend as much time as possible on the artwork). And the ironic thing is that when I was first called into audition I felt like I was so wrong for the project. I was even tempted to try to get out of it, but I figured someone thought I could offer something, so I'd go – but I wouldn't enjoy it. Ha!. Even after getting a callback, I set myself up to feel like a fish out of water. Then at the callback I realized that it's always best to just show up and do your best with what you've got – and not try to pretend to know what you're "supposed" to be. It's a lesson I know in my head, but getting it into the heart and the bones isn't always easy. Almost 15 years in this business and I'm still learning. And isn't that what life's about? When you stop learning, you need to just stop. I'm ready and rarin' to go! Anyway... I really need to draw. Take care, all! Merry & happy! Peace & love! DECEMBER 10, 2007 Merry and Happy! Just droppin' in quickly for an update. This week will mostly be spent working on an exciting commissioned piece (or rather, pieces), but there's more on the docket. I've got auditions tomorrow morning and Thursday evening, caroling tomorrow afternoon (Knott's), and caricature gigs Friday evening and throughout the weekend. I'm thankful my holiday season so far has been pretty flexible and freewheeling, but I'm also grateful for the spikes in activity. It's amazing to think that we're less than two weeks from Christmas. I hope everyone's holidays are full and meaningful. Peace and love, y'all! DECEMBER 7, 2007 Season's greetings! The holidays are rolling right along. I hope you're having all sorts of special moments. We're in the midst of Chanukah. Last night I was wandering about Santa Monica's lovely Montana Avenue. As I returned to Peet's coffee to use the restroom (I guess you don't buy coffee – you only rent it. Ha ha.), I was greeted with an enthusiastic "Happy Chanukah" from a rabbi who had set up a little table with toy menorahs and dreidels and goodies along with a big menorah with tiki torches for candles. I echoed the greeting. He was in traditional attire and sporting a long beard, and asked if he could interest me in a donut. I declined because I had just stuffed myself to the gills (Father's Office Burger – best in LA), but as I exited Peet's he asked if I had a minute. I said "Why not?" He then asked if I could help him schlepp his table a block up the street to the Whole Foods. As we walked, I asked him if he was just out spreading the joy. He answered that that's what it's all about. As we parted ways I thought that the world could use more folks like him – giving his tradition a big ol' shout out and passing the smiles. The holiday calendar is steadily filling up. Along with more caroling and caricature gigs and a couple auditions along the way, I'm looking forward to some parties and other times getting together with friends. It's the first time (since just after college) that I haven't had a full-time gig filling the holiday schedule. Sometimes I just don't know what to do with myself. I've tried to look up holiday events around So Cal. I'm keeping a must see list which includes visits to some great light displays and concerts. Last entry, I mentioned my new "teaser". Well, I've shaken it up a bit and tricked it out holiday style. Check it out here. Yes, I'm really putting some muscle behind being a major resource for crayon-bearing folks all over the world. Exciting stuff to come! Keep an eye out. Well, merry and happy everyone! Keep in mind that random acts of kindness make everyone's world a little brighter. Peace and love, y'all! DECEMBER 1, 2007 Well, happy December to you all! With Thanksgiving being rather early this year, it seems that December has taken an eon to arrive, but here we are! It's chilly here in North Hollywood (well, chilly for Southern California) although I hear we'll have temps in the low 80s on Tuesday. Ugh. Ho ho ho? I'm in the midst of my "work week" which finds me caroling at Knott's Berry Farm yesterday (which was rained out – they closed the park), caricaturing from 1-7pm today and tomorrow in Beverly Hills, and back at Knott's on Monday. It's so much fun to be in the "making people happy" industry and I don't take it for granted for one minute. The rest of the week will bring lots of home work – my own projects and a few cool commissioned pieces that you'll eventually see here on the ol' site. I do want to let you know a teensy bit about the personal project I've been working on. You can take a look at my teaser here. Ooh... do you feel teased? Keep an eye out at this site for updates and developments. I'm excited! And as my December is full of fantastic projects and possibilities, I'm also looking forward to a wonderful Christmas. For the past 12 years, I've been caroling (or, for one year, playing a dwarf) during the holidays and hence have made my holiday family trip after the fact... still nice, but a little anticlimactic Christmas-wise. Well, things have worked out this year to actually spend Christmas Eve and Day in Oregon with the folks. I'm so happy about this! The trip will include some playtime with the niece and nephews, a jaunt over to the coast, and possibly a few days in Seattle. Besides being great to be with the folks on Christmas, I'm also looking forward to a bit of rest. I've been pretty much non-stop since early summer and I'm ready for a vacation. Now, for me that means I'll probably bring my sketch pad and probably my computer along, but that's just how I tick. They say that if you do what you love, you don't work a day in your life. I think that's true. Well, I think that's it for now. Time to get the gear ready for the caricature gig. Take care, all! Peace & love! NOVEMBER 26, 2007 Just wanted to post a recent piece so y'all can have a peek. I've been working on the ad campaign for Reprise! Broadway's Best reading of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple which will star Martin Short and Jason Alexander (also Reprise artistic director) in January. As of now, the version of the piece that is being used just features my hand-drawn lettering and borders. Click here to see the caricatures that accompany the piece and which hopefully will see the light of day. As for other recent happenings, I just did my first caroling of the season today at Knott's Berry Farm. (If you saw the tree lighting show tonight, the Calico Caroler going the wrong direction in "We Need A Little Christmas" and almost taking out several small children... well, that was me. Oops.) I spent the weekend drawing the fine folks in the Beverly Hills shopping district. This is turning out to be a really nice gig, especially early in the day when I'm super busy. And in such a prime location, I've seen all sorts of fun people. I witnessed Marcia Cross get badgered pretty good by paparazzi, and I had a short chat and a handshake with Jon Voight. Add to this the lovely evening I spent with those wonderful Winter Wonderettes on Saturday and I'm seeing stars! Oh yeah, and I watched the show in the general vicinity as the lovely Swoosie Kurtz and her mother with whom I had a lovely chat about the Wonderettes and Al Hirschfeld. And yes, my friend Steve was mocking me from across the room since we had just seen Pushing Daisies the other night and I was a bit starstruck. Life can be a little surreal sometimes. Well, I should get some beauty rest. I have a big day of art and errands set for tomorrow. Peace and love, all! NOVEMBER 24, 2007 Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! My Turkey Day went just as I had envisioned it – the Macy's parade is such a guilty pleasure. Had an amazing dinner with some friends. (Thanks, Christa and Mark!) And then I raced home to draw. I'm posting the results... Winter Wonderettes is the holiday chapter of The Marvelous Wonderettes. The Marvelous team (in the midst of an open-ended run in North Hollywood and anticipating an off-Broadway run in the spring) decided to bring some merriment to No Ho and switch gears to the Winter version for the holidays. Back in the autumn of ott six, I did a sketch of Marvelous that has been included in the program, and for Winter I created this sketch as an opening night gift (in addition to prop signs used in the show). Thanks so much, Roger Bean (writer/director) and David Elzer (producer), for making me a small part of the Wonderettes family. By the time I post this, the show will have opened. I will have raced from my Beverly Hills caricature gig to attend the opening night performance. Speaking of the caricature gig, I've now got a couple shifts under the belt. The trickiest part of the job has been to convince folks that the caricatures are actually free (compliments of the BH Chamber of Commerce). Unless they actually see me in action, shoppers seem to think I'm just there on my own (despite my big ol' sign). Once someone sits for me, the lines start and I'm super busy. Anyone who might be in the area, please drop by and say "hi". I'm usually near Beverly Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard in the general vicinity of the Crate & Barrel and Tom's Toys. Come on down! Well, gotta git. Take care, all. Peace & love!! NOVEMBER 20, 2007 Turkey Day is bearing down on us! I'm looking forward to watching the big ol' Macy's parade on TV and hanging with some friends for dinner, but I'll most likely spend most of the day at the drawing board. I'm thankful for the ability to work on fun, amazing projects. Why not spend Thanksgiving doing one of the things I'm most thankful to be able to do? I've posted another piece I've done for the City of Riverside Public Utilities Department. This one's a reminder of how to go green for the holidays, featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer who has traded in his nose for a compact fluorescent light. Cute, huh? Mike Bacich is cooking with gas at creating a multitude of green-minded promotions. See this one here. And I've got more work coming down the pike. I've got two or three show casts to draw, and a few other commissioned pieces. But mostly, I am really trying to devote time to working on my fun personal project. Can't wait to show you what I've got lined up! I've been reminded lately of the passage of time. It's an amazing thing to watch the nieces and nephews growing up. While it's astonishing, I happily get to see it on a regular and somewhat gradual basis, with the visits and the photo updates from the siblings. But in the show biz, it's really wild to be working with kids in a show, when suddenly you blink and they've jumped ahead years and are accomplishing wonderful things as young adults. A kid in the youth ensemble of a show I did in Wichita a few years ago said "hello" this evening while we were seeing the same show in Westwood. He's now in Hollywood and accumulating some good credits on TV and in film. A little girl in my very first pro-type show is now married and is now in Grease on Broadway. And a girl who played my daughter in Carousel eight years ago at the Moonlight is now a sensation as part of the High School Musical craze. I won't even go into all the fiercely talented college kids I've worked with around the country who are now conquering Broadway and Hollywood. Time flies and people grow and accomplish things. It might be more than a little personally depressing to see these kids doing great things if I didn't also have something to show for my hard work. As I reflect, I'm reminded that when one relentlessly follows their dreams and ambitions, good things happen. I am so incredibly blessed to be working steadily in two creative fields that feed my soul (and my stomach). I have the blessings of a wonderful family and an amazing family of friends (which grows with each adventure I take on). I am so thankful for my blessings as we approach Thanksgiving. I hope we all do this Thursday what we should do every single day. Give thanks, y'all. Peace and love to you all. NOVEMBER 16, 2007 Just coming off of a few days of a vacation, hanging in San Diego with friends, seeing shows and just plain chillin'. I've got to admit it was nice (and pretty well-deserved after five months of blessed continuous work). But I also have to admit that I had a really hard time staying away from the work. It's definitely true what they say... that when you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. I feel this way when I'm performing and especially when I'm drawing. I LOVE my work and I feel so blessed to do what I do. So I did more than a little sketching – a rather productive time I must say! And over the past week, I was fortunate to take part in a wonderful benefit for the Pasadena Playhouse honoring director David Lee, and I was thrilled to watch Can-Can take four LA Ovation awards on Monday eve. Congrats also to the other nominees and winners, including The Marvelous Wonderettes who took the Ovation for Best Musical in a Smaller Venue. Now, I can't believe that Thanksgiving is almost here. I hit Beverly Hills tomorrow for my first day of caricaturing in the shopping district. I'll be somewhere near Rodeo and Dayton if you're in the area. Lots of entertainment around including a set or two from fab band, The Ditty Bops. Next week will bring more art and possibly some caroling. We'll see. But it can no longer be ignored... the holidays are here. Yay! So now I have to do some work for the gig tomorrow. To the drawing board! Take care, all. Peace and love! NOVEMBER 10, 2007 Does the Christmas retail season get earlier and earlier every year? Yes? Okay, it's not just my imagination. In Milwaukee, the grocery store across the street decked out the deli and produce sections in trees, lights, and garlands a week before Hallowe'en. I was amazed. I'm now hearing holiday tunes in every store which I think is particularly jolting because I haven't been immersed in caroling rehearsals since September as has been my usual seasonal routine. On one hand, I love being reminded of the lovely season, but I will be living every day in the hope that such an overwhelming wave of sights and sounds doesn't dull the full significance of the special moments I'm looking forward to. Speaking of the caroling group, I am indeed subbing for said company. I went to my first rehearsal today. Having hardly thought of the tunes since last year, almost everything came back to me. The brain is truly amazing! Well, not mine specifically, but in general. Ha! I'm feeling settled again. While unpacking the Milwaukee boxes, I had the chance to weed through the closet and drawers. Did you ever just get in the mood to streamline? I've taken a few bags and boxes of clothes to Goodwill. I'm getting set to dig through books and other boxes. I'm realizing that I have a lot of stuff that I just don't use. Am I just restless? Just got a call from Mom. She and Dad are in Corvallis, Oregon tonight attending a concert I suggested they attend. When I heard it was going on, I thought they would enjoy Tuck & Patti. If you're not familiar with them, do yourself a favor and give 'em a listen. It makes me feel good to know that the folks would take me up on a suggestion. Hope they like the concert. Well, I should get some more sketching done before bed. Tomorrow is a full day with church and the rest of the day spent being involved in a benefit event at the Pasadena Playhouse. Monday will bring more work and then the Ovation Awards in the eve. Tuesday I'm going on vacation! Well, I'll only be going as far as San Diego, but I need some chill time. I'll be hanging with good friends down in the North SD and catching up with good friends who are doing shows down south. I look forward to vegging out a bit. Okay, seriously... I'm going now. Take care, all! Peace and love. NOVEMBER 6, 2007 I'm writing this entry from my good ol' desk at my place in North Hollywood. It's good to be home. I've been unpacking and running errands (driving my car for the first time in three months). The fridge is stocked and the work area is set up. I even had a chance to take a couple bags of clothes to Goodwill. I've been a busy bee, but I think I'm going to go hang with the gang tonight. It will be good to see them. But, yes, I do already miss Milwaukee. I'm sure it will be strange to not be heading to the Stackner Cabaret tomorrow, but I'll be going to see friends in Ray Charles Live! at the Pasadena Playhouse. It will be nice to be back there after spending so much time there three months ago. And I'm happy to be taking part in a gala on Sunday honoring David Lee, our director and co-writer of Can-Can. Back to Milwaukee, I did my traditional closing sketch for the Dreamer peeps. Check it out here. We spent three months together, often seeing few others than our small group. With so many strong personalities, it's amazing that we didn't kill each other. But quite to the contrary, we hit the finish line as friends. And we really had something to be proud of – a really fun, entertaining show that brought a lot of joy to our audiences. It's funny how people feel the urge to tell you that you look like someone, especially when you've been performing onstage. In Can-Can, I got Jack Black, Avery Schreiber, and Chris Farley. In Life Could Be A Dream, I got Ned Beatty, Nathan Lane, and George Wendt. After initially realizing that I really need to lose weight, I would always be thankful that I've been fortunate to reach people on the level that they know, that they can relate to. I've been so lucky over the past five months to have the chance to step up to the plate and do some good work. I'm so thankful for the opportunities and I'm so proud of the results. Now, where's my vacation? Ha! Well, I'm gonna go do some more errands. Or maybe I'll just drive. We'll see. Take care, all! Peace and love! NOVEMBER 2, 2007 First off, some great news... Farm Girl In New York (a hilarious independent film I was fortunate to create the poster for) is an official selection of the Big Apple Film Festival! It will be hitting the big screen on November 15th at 6pm at Tribeca Cinemas. Congrats to Bobby Spencer and all those involved! Also... Happy November! It's really amazing how quickly time can pass. We're almost at the end of our three month stint in Milwaukee and life is bittersweet. I've had a great time here and been so fortunate to build some friendships and experience some wonderful things, but I'm also yearning to see all the folks back home. There's lots of stuff already in the works for the return – seeing shows such as Ray Charles Live! in Pasadena and The Pajama Game in Long Beach, catching Nickel Creek at the House of Blues, singing in a concert in Laguna, attending the LA Ovation Awards via limo with some Can-Can peeps, and many a catch-up chat over a beverage or two. Three months can be a long time. I really look forward to getting back in the swing of things. So, the next time I make an entry, I'll most likely be back home. Take care all! Enjoy the autumn. Peace and love. OCTOBER 29, 2007 First of all, some fun Hallowe'eny illustration news... In additional illustration news, I'm working on some fun new stuff:
And on the showbiz front, we've now reached our last week of Life Could Be A Dream here in Milwaukee. As fellow Dreamer Richard has said, we now begin the "lasts"... Last days off, last Sundown Supper, last four-show weekend, etc. Our last days off are pretty well packed... Tonight, our wonderful stage manager Richelle is having us over for a lovely dinner party, and tomorrow we'll be venturing out to catch some fall colors and visit a haunted house. I've done a pretty good job of exploring Milwaukee, but there are a few things I want to do before the end of the run. Milwaukee is a great city – nice vibe, lots to see and do. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing the folks at home again. This past weekend was great for glimpses of home, both LA and the Pacific Northwest. Mom and Aunt Pam dropped in for a visit and I had a great time sharing the show with them and moseying hither and yon. I look forward to heading up north to be with the folks on the actual Christmas Day – my first time in 12 years due to caroling and other performing schedules. In addition to family time, I'm also looking forward to some Oregon coast time and hopefully a side trip to Seattle. Also visiting us Milwaukee folks, Dream writer/director/friend Roger Bean stopped in to see us and the show. It was so great to see him too. He's now headed back to LA to host rehearsal for the upcoming NoHo Marvelous Wonderettes transition to the holiday version, Winter Wonderettes. Looking forward to that! Boy, this has been quite the wordy entry. And now I have to get to the drawing board before we head to Racine for Richelle's magical vittles. Take care, all! Have a happy, spooky, and safe Hallowe'en. Eat lots of candy. Peace and love! OCTOBER 24, 2007 Did you ever have a favorite pair of shoes? I'm just realizing that this must be true for me. I have a pair of black, low-top Doc Martens that I broke in on my first (and only) trip to London and Edinburgh in 1994. They've been a part of me on almost every major trip abroad since then – the Great Pacific Northwest and NYC (numerous times), the Twin Cities, parts of Kansas and Texas, of course all over Southern California, and now... Chicago. Yay for my shoes, and Yay for the trip to the Windy City... I hemmed and hawed about actually making the trek for good and not-so-good reasons, but in the end, I couldn't with good conscience be so close to this major metropolis and not visit. I hitched a ride Monday with Carlos and his parents culminating with my first taste of a real Chicago stuffed pizza. Wow. And I don't need to eat for a week. I then met up with my friend Mindy and her mom and aunt. We kept each other entertained throughout the evening, and then we tuned into the news to get updates on the horrendous So. Cal. wildfires that are threatening the homes of friends and family. So frustrating for all involved to be at the mercy of Mother Nature. Prayers and good thoughts go out to those affected. The next day, after an amazing breakfast at a place called Orange, I hit the Art Institute of Chicago (where in honor of Seurat, Sondheim, and Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, I stared endlessly at "A Sunday on La Grand Jatte") and took numerous pictures of signs and architecture. Mindy helped me get a lottery ticket for the show she's in, Wicked, at the Oriental Theatre, and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance from front row center. We followed up the show with more pizza and a viewing of MTV's energetic filming of Broadway's Legally Blonde. Today, I said goodbye to Mindy (THANKS SOOOO MUCH, MOOTER!) and journeyed up to the observation deck of the Sears Tower before catching Amtrak at Union Station. Peak autumn color is just starting to hit this area, so the train ride was glorious. I arrived in Milwaukee in time to get settled at the Plaza and have a good walk (yes... more) and dinner before jumping back into Life Could Be A Dream tonight. It was such a great trip and I'm SO glad I went. Now, I've primed the pump, though, and a return trip HAS to happen. So much still left to see. In the mean time, after their own short trip to Chicago, Mom and Aunt Pam will be heading north to Milwaukee to see me at the Stackner on Friday and Saturday. Can't wait to see them. Also, Roger Bean, creator of our show, will get into town on Saturday night for a visit. In addition to visits, the Dreamers are going to stage manager Richelle's place in Racine for a dinner party on Monday and a trip to a haunted house on Tuesday. Hallowe'en is almost here! And yes, my time here in Milwaukee is drawing to a close. I'll actually be packing some boxes for shipping in the next couple days. I head back to LA on 11/5 and I really can't wait to see my LA peeps that I haven't seen for months. I have work – my own projects, commissioned pieces, quick-sketch gigs, caroling, and other performances – waiting for me when I return. I also want to head down to San Diego to see friends and help however I can. So, since I'll be packing away much of my stuff, I'll be slower on the draw with my illustration turn-around until I get back to desk at home. I think it's a good thing to be able to make myself available for last-minute Milwaukee exploration as I finish up. I've really liked this city, but home is a-callin'. Yes, I know this has been a long post. It could have been a longer one with a great story about my Martin Sexton sweatshirt, but I'll save that one for another day. Peace and love, y'all! OCTOBER 19, 2007 Here's something nifty: As part of Jersey Boys' fund-raising efforts for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a copy of my caricature has been autographed and put up for auction. See the corresponding entry at the Jersey Boys' blog here. Also, I got a really nice note from Amy Ryan regarding my sketch commissioned by David Quinn. So incredibly thoughtful! Okay... back to the drawing board. Peace and love, all! OCTOBER 18, 2007 Mom has reminded me that I've been lacking in the blog department. Yes, I'm still alive and well, kicking along here in Milwaukee. The show is still getting great response and I'm having a good time. One of the highlights of the run has been the conversations with audience members afterwards – bringing memories back, making folks laugh, and generally entertaining folks in the Stackner Cabaret. The other night Carlos and I met the couple with their names on the theatre complex. The Bakers own department stores AND they bought us drinks. Really nice! Still... I'm at the point where I'm missing home. I can't wait to see my LA peeps. I also have some work lined up. It looks like I'll be spending weekends drawing caricatures in Beverly Hills and caroling here and there for the ol' gang. Life will be kicking along once I get back to the ol' stompin' grounds. One spiffy bit of recent news... My bro, Jordan, just drove down from St. Paul to see the show. We had a great time as we shared the Stackner and spent a day exploring Madison and an apple orchard, chowing down and seeing the wonderful movie Into the Wild. It was a short visit, but so great. Mom and Aunt Pam head into Milwaukee on the 26th. Can't wait to see them. I also want to show off a couple of sketches I did recently. Good friend David Quinn has continued in his quest to commission sketches of all his amazingly talented and attractive friends. This round included Josh Charles, TV and film star sketched on the occasion of his Broadway opening of Manhattan Theatre Club's The Receptionist, and Amy Ryan, Tony-nominated star of Broadway and of TV and movies, sketched on the occasion of the premiere of her latest film, Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone. Thanks, David, for putting the Squigs pen to work once again. I'm working on other fun projects which are based around some of the best of Broadway, TV, and film. We'll see what lands, but I'm having a great time sketching. And my own personal projects are simmering away. Can't wait to unveil what's up. That's all for now. Take care, all! Peace and love. OCTOBER 9, 2007 Well, we've had what we hope will be the last of the hot and muggy weather here in Milwaukee. Yesterday it was 86 degrees and humid. I spent most of the day working at the drawing board, and as I did I had lit this great-smelling candle I just bought – labeled "Thunderstorm". Then as I took a bit of a break to walk down to Lake Michigan and get some fresh air, an actual thunderstorm rolled in. I made it back to the apartment before the serious deluge, but I got to wondering about the power of my candle. Ha ha. Anyway, I'm looking forward to donning the light jacket, and I think I'll light my "Fall Colors, Apples, and Hearty Soup" candle. Wait... maybe those should be seperate candles. I'm really trying to churn out the art. Most of what I'm working on right now is a personal project that will emerge soon enough (very exciting, I might add). But I'm also lining up some fun and varied commissioned pieces as well as the possibility of a regular quick-sketch caricature holiday gig in Beverly Hills. We'll see what lands, but overall I'm so thankful to be getting freelance work. So thankful. My bro will be driving down from St. Paul this weekend. He'll see the show on Sunday, and then we'll take a little day trip to Madison. Looking forward to seeing him. So, that's it for now. Take care, all! Peace and love. OCTOBER 4, 2007 Okay, just so I'm not accused of disappearing off the face of the earth, I'm dropping a little line. The show is plugging away. We've had some really lovely audiences and some fun reactions. In addition to folks singing along and talking to each other like they were watching TV, we had a guy with some sort of a chronic cough who would hack emphatically with each laugh throughout the show. And one evening a lady laughed so hard and suddenly that she flatulated quite audibly. It's always interesting to see which antic that folks will like. Such a fun education. I'm also trying to be like a whirlwind at the drawing board. Lots of wonderful stuff in the works. I've posted a recent piece that I did for the City of Riverside Public Utilities. See it here. It's Halloweeny and energy-conscious all at one time. It's starting to feel fallish here in Milwaukee. I'm eager to grab a pumpkin and start carving. My bro and the family just sent a package of apples and goodies from their local orchard – so tasty. Well, take care, all! Enjoy the season. Peace and love! SEPTEMBER 28, 2007 Just about a perfect day here in Milwaukee! An end-of-summer cold has been getting me down, so I slept until I couldn't sleep any more (which actually wasn't too late). I've been running my typical gauntlet of remedies and trying to stay positive. At any rate I'm happy to say that I now feel close to 100%. Yay! And as I dove headlong into the day, I completed three loads of laundry, grocery shopping, some mailing, and a trip to the art supply store. After tackling the to-do list, I headed to the local art film house to catch a documentary, but the day was just too gorgeous. I ended up chatting with friends on the phone, sketching some fresh ideas, and downing some java in the beautiful afternoon sun. And after a productive and lovely day, I joined my fellow cast members for a wonderful Friday evening show where an uncharacteristically quiet Friday night crowd was eventually cheering and guffawing at the nerds in the basement. (Come to Milwaukee... You'll know what I'm talkin' about.) And it's amazing how simple pleasures can make a day even better – a half-dozen tiny amaretti cookies from a local Italian bakery, lavender sachets from Trader Joe's that make the dryer cycle a happy thing, and a mix CD from a good ol' So Cal friend. It's been a great day! I wish you all some amazing days. Enjoy the newly-arrived autumn – go apple picking or pumpkin hunting. Dig into harvest season. Howl at the moon if that's your thing. And get set to give thanks for all you have. It's a beautiful time of the year. Enjoy. Peace and love, y'all! SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 Hi. Me again. In addition to staying busy with the show and sketching away, I wish to tell of another couple of fun episodes in Squigs' down time: First of all... I've just floated back into the apartment after catching the amazing Martin Sexton at the Pabst Theatre. Yes, after our show (and compensating for a dead mic for most of the second act), I jumped out of costume, ran down the stairs and across the lobby to the Pabst. Marty was in great form and I was still able to catch over an hour of the show. How amazing that I had to go such a short distance! It was also amazing to hear some of his older material I didn't get to hear early in the Seeds tour like My Maria, Way I Am, Beast In Me, and 13 Step Boogie. Such a great show! Second... and this actually happened a couple days ago, but the Dreamers journeyed out to Genesee Depot to see our girl and the other Rep interns read the play The Country Cousin out at Ten Chimneys, the former summer home of Broadway royalty Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Before the reading, we took the estate tour which was absolutely incredible. It was so beautiful to see this incredibly well-curated testament to an inseperable couple and their commitment to sharing gracious living with dear friends and family. The whimsical interiors were decorated a like theatre sets with an incredible attention to detail. I was thoroughly taken in by the vibe of the place, shared at one time by talented folk such as Nöel Coward, Helen Hayes, Carol Channing, and Laurence Olivier. I am so inspired to work towards having a place for respite and for sharing with loved ones. And now, I'm going to spend a bit of time at the drawing board before hitting the hay. Peace and love, y'all! SEPTEMBER 22, 2007 Hi, gang. Just a couple quick notes based on recent outings here in the Milwaukee... First off, a recommendation: King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters is a really amazing documentary about the struggle for the world record score on the classic game Donkey Kong. What begins as a rather silly, geeky situation soon becomes a sort of good-versus-evil story. Highly recommended! Second, a few of us from the show took a trip to visit Milwaukee's own Goldmann's Department Store, just weeks before it closes its doors permanently. It was more than a little sad to see what was once THE one-stop shopping spot for so many now on its last legs. While the lunch counter was still hopping, the rest of the store was full of empty racks and shelves, candy counter almost empty, great old signage heralding a ghost town. A dinosaur of the golden retail era, the store is closing in a new age of glittering shopping oases and online shopping. It's really amazing it held on so long. Well, that's it. My break is over. Time to get back to drawing. Peace and love! SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 UPDATE I have to update this day's posting with some really fun news... I received my copy of the 2006-2007 Playbill Broadway Yearbook today, and my A Chorus Line sketch is officially published in said tome. This makes me happy! Many thanks to David Baum for commissioning the piece and to Heather Parcells for thinking of including it! Peace and love to you all. Take care. I'm off to the drawing board to sling some more ink. SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 What a great day! Castmate Carlos and I spent a few hours wandering around the East Side of Milwaukee, taking pictures of fantastic old buildings. We even took a few minutes to hit the swingset and monkey bars at a cute little neighborhood park. It's been a while since I've done that. And when I returned to the Plaza, the cleaning lady had been to clean my room. (This service every other week has really been a treat!) Now I'm working on the computer and making some dinner and looking forward to getting to theatre to check the mail and do a show. I've been given a heads up about an awaiting package so it's all a little like Christmas. On the walk today, we saw a few random trees here and there that are starting to change color. I can't wait for peak color season! I have the Foliage Network website bookmarked on my browser so I don't miss anything. As I've mentioned, I'm working hard at the drawing board. In addition to simmering a few select commissioned pieces, I have the following personal projects on high heat:
So that's it for now. Take care, all! Peace and love. SEPTEMBER 15, 2007 We're firmly into our run here in Milwaukee, and I've begun my illustration work journey here in my down time. I have so friggin' much to do. Sheesh! But I think I'm up to it. This afternoon I realized that I needed size 03 and 05 nib Micron Pigma markers, so I made the 1.5 mile hike to the Utrecht Art Supply store. On the way, I talked with Mom on the phone which was nice. (She had just sent out a package with all sorts of goodies and I was in need of offering thanks... and a Mom fix.) After a tangental trip to the Alterra Coffee House and a chat with Stacey at Utrecht who had seen our show the previous eve, I was off to the theatre. It was our first two-show day, and it was a lovely one with two enthusiastic audiences separated by a lovely "sundown supper" where volunteers brought in Chinese food. Now I'm back at the pad, munching on Mom's jerky and other snacks. I think I'm going to get some inking done as I dive into my recently-delivered Muppet Show Season 2 DVDs. Can it get better than this? Maybe. But not right now. Peace and love, all! SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 First off, I'd like to remember those lost six years ago on 9/11. We must never forget, but let's honor the victims by doing everything we can to work for peace. Vote. Discuss. Be the peace you want to see. Yes? I'm heading into our first full week of shows here in Milwaukee. The days off have been lovely. The weather today has been especially nice – sunny and crisp enough to signal the coming autumn but not yet jacket weather. A walk around town was just what I needed to shake me out of hibernation. Yes, I've been spending a lot of time in the apartment because... I'm incredibly happy to say that I've updated my computer system. There I was on the bus Monday afternoon, returning from the Wauwatosa Apple Store, the proud owner of a new MacBook Pro and the fixins. Now I'm finally getting a handle on file transfers, installations, necessary software upgrades, and I'm sort of glowing. It feels great to know that this development in my illustration business has been the direct result of hard work paying off. Next, I plan on putting the new system to good and heavy use. Here I go! Take care, all! Peace and love. SEPTEMBER 9, 2007 Life Could Be A Dream is officially open! Yay! We now look forward to an eight week run. But in the immediate future, we'll have the day off tomorrow and then head to the recording studio to lay down the demo recording of the show. It will be wonderful to have a lot of down time here in Milwaukee – almost all day every weekday. I will be hitting the drawing board with a couple select commissioned pieces and a huge work load of sketched for an exciting new personal project. If any of you drop a line, please ask me, "Are you drawing?" I have a lot of work to do and I'm building the momentum. Here I go! Well, take care all! Peace and love to you. SEPTEMBER 7, 2007 Well, we welcomed our first audience this evening at the Rep's lovely Stackner Cabaret. The show is going over like gangbusters. And just as a warning to those performing in a Roger Bean jukebox musicale, the folks in the audience know all the songs and love to sing along. Now that I know it's coming I won't be surprised. Ha! Seriously, the show is getting great response, and once the nerves are under control the show will be an unadulterated joy to perform night to night. If any of you find yourself in Milwaukee in the next two months, let me know. Peace and love to all! SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 I know I know... two posts in as many days. But I thought I'd muse on the interesting experiences I've had with Milwaukee panhandlers. I don't mean to be callous to the plight of the misfortunate, but you've got to wonder about some people's honesty... or at least their brazenosity. Did I just coin a word? Anyway, here are the situations, true as I am livin'. I swear I'm batting a thousand:
It's frustrating when one wants to be helpful, but sadly it's difficult to be generous when there are so many out there who seek to take advantage. What do you do when you seek to help "the least of these", and all that's happening is a contribution to the coffers of the dishonest or just plain disreputable. I hope I have the gift of discernment when the help is really needed. SEPTEMBER 3, 2007 So... how've ya been, strangers? I know it's been almost two weeks since my last post, but I haven't been able to do much else than rehearse or all the doo-wop type stuff would have fallen out of my overstuffed brain. I have, however, worked on wrapping up several illustration and design projects... laboring even on this lovely Milwaukee Labor Day. I will post some of the results soon. Life Could Be A Dream is going to be a lot of fun. Our rehearsals have been intense with lots of hard work (peppered with hysterical laughter as well as mild meltdowns here and there). But one day we were cramming new notes and moves and lines in our noggins, and the next day we were running through the show. It was rough, but we knew it was all going to be there. Now we're in the midst of a couple of days off. Tomorrow, we all get haircuts, hit the recording studio to lay down some incidental tracks, and then it's a big dive into the tech process. We preview Friday and open on Saturday. On our moments away from the rehearsal hall, we're gradually discovering Milwaukee. It's really a lovely little big city. Some of my finds:
Also just found out that Mom and Aunt Pam will be coming out to the MKE to see the skit. That will be wonderful. And with bro Jordan making the trek down from St. Paul sometime, it will be great to see some family out here in Cream City. Well, I need to do a little drawing. This piece is going to be weird. I'd tell you about it but it has to be a surprise for the recipient. Tell you about it later. Take care, all! Peace & love! AUGUST 20, 2007 Still plugging away here in Milwaukee. Life Could Be A Dream is fun but there's so much to learn. We'll be enjoying ourselves a lot when the music and the lines and the moves are learned and polished. I often feel like a fish out of water combining it all, but I know that eventually it will rock hardcore. In our off time we've been having some adventures. Friday saw us at the Irish Fest listening to Gaelic Storm. Saturday we went right from rehearsal to board a river cruise (which we christened "the taco barge" for the menu. Sunday, our first day off, we caught the Pisarro exhibit at the amazing Milwaukee art museum and saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on their national tour. We look ahead to Mexican Fest next week and other adventures. Here we go! Peace and love, y'all. I'll keep you posted. AUGUST 14, 2007 Thought I should drop in a little update while I have a minute. I'm writing from my room in the lovely old Plaza in Milwaukee. Rehearsals have begun, and while our brains are already fried from cramming so much music into them, we have a great start on Life Could Be A Dream. The gang (cast, creative staff, etc.) are pretty whacked-out, crazy, and fun. We'll be cramming more info into the ol' noggins through the week, and we already have weekend outings planned – a company river cruise, art museum, and Irish festival. Fun stuff. Well, I've gotta go head over to Eugene's for some Dreamers rehearsal. Peace and love, y'all! AUGUST 11, 2007 Yes, Can-Can has closed and I'm sad. Although there is hope for the piece to have a future life, we all must scoot on to our other things. I presented my traditional cast sketch on Wednesday. You can see it here. Now it's off to Milwaukee. I've just returned home from some chill time and sitting in on rehearsals of West Side Story at the Moonlight. They open on Wednesday and it promises to be a fantastic show. While in north San Diego County, I said goodbye to the ocean for a while since I'll soon be sort of land-locked. Now in the 24 hours I have before jumping on a plane, I'll finish packing, get a haircut, print some artwork, make some deliveries, and hopefully get a little rest. My first week in Milwaukee will be set aside to get my bearings and get to know my show family for the next few months. I'm really looking forward to it. So that's it until I'm in the land of cheese. Take care, all! Peace and love. AUGUST 7, 2007 WHAT AN AMAZING DAY! I turned 35 today and I couldn't have had a better time. After burning the midnight oil on an illustration project I slept in 'til the crack of 10. Soon thereafter, the phone calls began. Mom. Dad. Sis. Wonderful friends. As I worked on packing some boxes for the move to Milwaukee, I chatted with loved ones, and then I met dear friends Meloney and Robin for a jaunt to Santa Monica and fish & chips at the Kings Head Pub. Then it was time to head to the theatre. I've been told that it's good luck for an artist to be working on their birthday. I was feeling incredibly lucky today. A lovelier group of folks a guy couldn't ask for. Throughout the evening there were special dances and songs and gifts and happy thoughts. And there was the cake. Intermission brought red velvet cake and chocolate cake. In addition to the wonderful cake at Steve and Judy Orich's place yesterday, I don't remember a more cake-intensive time in my recent history. A very happy thing! The show was received incredibly well this evening. I got to meet Betty Garrett and also chat with more dear friends, and then numerous folks converged on Lucky Baldwin's Pub in Old Pasadena for a birthday-capping gathering. A really great day! I feel so incredibly blessed. Now, we're closing Can-Can tomorrow. I know I won't be the only one that will be incredibly sad. It has been such an amazing ride, and I really hope that the show has a great future. In the mean time, we'll have a great closing night crowd, and some of our amazing donors will be throwing a party for us. It will bring the best closure possible to a lovely journey. Then, my goal is to chill for a couple days before jumping on the plane to Wisconsin. I have some time scheduled with friends down through Orange County and into north San Diego. Can't wait! I'm so happy to have a little down time. So, that's a busy posting, but I'm off to bed now. Happy thoughts to you all! And peace & love, ya'll! AUGUST 5, 2007 I'm writing from my dressing room at the lovely Pasadena Playhouse. Had we not extended until Wednesday the 8th, tonight would have been closing night. So the sadness of closing has been deferred. Whew! I'm posting my mountain of recent illustration work. I think I've been gradually working into my signature logo style – hand-lettered titles, vivid colors, the ubiquitous spatter texturing. See the results: ShowTunes! Theatre Company's 2007/08 season (Rodgers &..., Promises, Promises, Sail Away) and Rena Strober's fantastic one-woman show, Spaghetti & Matzo Balls. Also, take a look at a comic/coloring book project, The Kids' Green Riverside Report, an environmental education effort of the City of Riverside (CA) Public Utilities Department. Well, that's it for now. I'm off to get into costume. Peace & love, y'all! AUGUST 4, 2007 Well, I'm nearing the completion of a mountain of illustration work. Once final touches are done, I'll post the results. I have more work awaiting me, but I've scheduled it for after I get to Milwaukee, so I have some breathing room next week. Can-Can continues to make audiences go crazy. It's so much fun to be a part of a show that gets people laughing hysterically, cheering, and standing. We're so proud to be a part of it. And peppering the sell-out (and near sell-out) crowds have been some celebrity-type folks. It's kind of neat to be playing for folks I've been entertained and moved by over the years, like Courtney Cox, Jeff Goldblum, and (just last night) Helen Mirren. And with dreams of the show having some sort of future, it has been wonderful to play for the folks who hold the rights to the show – director/writer James Burrows (son of Abe) and the folks from the Cole Porter estate. And the icing on the cake has been the steady stream of friends that have been coming out to see the skit. I'm so happy when I get to share the show with loved ones. It's going to be sad to see this one go. We close on Wednesday night. Well, that's a little update. I'm back to the drawing board. Peace and love, y'all! AUGUST 1, 2007 Happy August, all! My birthday is just a week away. I just thought I'd drop a quick line heralding the posting of a couple more pieces. Friend (and key player in Squigs' small world) David Quinn commissioned a piece for his dear friend, the multi-talented | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
