two letters away

I forgot the best part! - when I was listing off some salient features of "Old Growth", I forgot the most exciting thing!

And here, let me stall for a moment to build suspense and say that I always give myself an impossible task when I work on a show. It keeps me sharp. In 2005, I taught myself to play accordion (poorly but seemingly entertainingly) for "Adieu, Friedrich Lips". In 2006, I was my own director for a show with chalk on the stage and water in a bucket and a BICYCLE there too ("WOOL"). In 2007 I decided I was going to play eleven characters, four at once ("The Fugue Code").

And now - and NOW - I have decided that Old Growth will contain...magic. Magic! It's two letters away from music, after all. Magic: some coin magic for sure, and probably magic with paper, gum, lights, and perhaps water. Why? My character is a hobby/busking magician among other things, and it will become more important to him as he comes to see himself as a kind of modern day, urban shaman.

Is this a new thing for me? Yes and no. My interest in magic goes back to childhood. My resolve to practice sleight of hand is about a year and a half old. But performing it for people - a very new venture. And a rather important one.

There was a tiny bit of legerdemain in "The Fugue Code" - but this is a much bigger undertaking for me. Since I am also planning a virtually paperless tour (whenever possible), I'm planning to use some walkaround magic (probably in character - and sometimes with flute accompaniment) as a way to entice audiences. I think what I do with this will evolve over the summer.

The tour is taking shape. It's WEIRD. More soon.