Start: Sat Sep 23 21:21:24 MDT 2000

I braved the snow, got into Tobias, rode into Boulder, and saw the much anticipated play. I don't really have any automated provisions for a "playlog", so I'll just use this space.

Title: Brother Lateef Carries On In Grand Fashion
Written and performed by Donald Booth
Directed by Beth Osnes
Light an dsound Technician: Trevor Nordeen

From the program:

About the Playwright/Actor: Born and raised in Chicago, Donald attended Bradley University. In 1973, after five years of teaching history and government at Peoria Central High school in Peoria, Illinois, he moved to Boulder. He has absolutely no stage experience and given his questionable decision to leave a company after a successful 19 years to perform, this could be an interesting, if not an entertaining evening!

About the Director: Beth Osnes, on the other hand, is a proven professional. She teaches theatre at the University of Colorado. She has earned a PHD in theater; conducted field researches in Malaysia on shadow Puppet Theater and is currently writing a book on acting throughout world cultures. Beth has written and performed in many multimedia productions. Beth, her husband J.P. and their children, Peter and Meltsande, live in Boulder.

Venue: Old Main Chapel Theater.
Admission: $5 students, $10 general admission.

In a one-time only performance, Donald Booth occupies the stage to perform (and narrate) segments about the life of a a boy who grew up loving jazz music, went through school (Memorable statement (paraphrase): Except for music, high school was nothing but misery.), and found his way into the corporate world as an acronym-spouting sales manager. It would soon become apparent that this spattering of anecdotal tidbits was actually a work of autobiographical non-fiction.

Non-linearly recounting and single-handedly re-enacting many experiences from childhood, school, work, times when sister and mother died, and personal revelations about life, Brother Booth does indeed carry on in grand fashion. A thoroughly entertaining and engaging hour-long performance, he received a standing ovation from the audience. Wish I had a transcript, cause there were a lot of damn good statements in there. (I'm sure the monologue about the buzzword-filled board room presentation would have every content vulture rotfl.)

That certainly made for a unique Saturday night entertainment experience.

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This afternoon, I got about half way through transcribing the ramblings from the trip. I gotta get these done before this content spoils, and all the content vultures all die of starvation. But hey, gimme a break. It takes a while to transcribe pages and pages and pages of scribbles. Especially when you're being distracted by DVD content. I think I'll get back to it now. Having all this backlog is making me itchy inside.

Finish: Sat Sep 23 22:03:18 MDT 2000