Honoring Ten Years of Always Off Book!

That's right, this month marks the ten year anniversary of this humble theatre blog of mine.

In all that time, I have been in many shows, lived a few places, tried a few experiments, published a novel about the theatre, tried to start my own company, wrote produced and performed (for very few people) my own one man show, helped found a small arts center, wrote another stage play I hope to have performed sometime, and generally continued to participate in and celebrate the stage in my life.

Through all of that there has been this blog. True, it has over the last few years had less content on it than it did in its early years. This is due mostly to my not being in someone elses show for quite a while. As regular readers know, most of what I write about here on the blog is how any given show I am in is progressing. I write about other theatre thoughts sometimes as well, but a general over view of my success and that of the production has always been the meat and potatoes of always off book, with general theatre advice columns coming in a decent second place in terms of frequency.

One of my first posts ever, about stage kissing, continues to get responses even all of this time later. I am proud of that, and happy to advise anyone who come to the piece by way of a Google search. (where the post is in the top ten, first pages returns sometimes.)

That early post is, however, in general the exception. I rarely get feedback on my thoughts here on the blog, even when I'm in a show. Outside of that kissing post from 2005, I've not gotten any comments on anything I've posted here in a very long time from the perspective of cyber space, despite my best efforts to involve any readers our there in the conversation.

Does that bother me? Honestly, yes. Perhaps not as much as it did in the earlier years, but the lack of connection I have made with fellow artists on this blog is discouraging and sad. That was and remains that only reason for Always Off Book- to share my thoughts and experiences on acting in the theatre with others who share my deep interest in same. I have hoped for years that a niche would build around this blog and it never has.

Blame promotion, or luck, or something else for that, heaven knows I don't know. I have the same problem with my regular, somewhat more business focused blog, TyUnglebower.com. The fact is that with that one exception, this blog, after ten years of my trying, (ten years!) reaches and touches, it would seem, nobody. I am not even certain if any of the posts get read, though I have, in theory, a few following via blogger, according to the stats.

I'll allow myself a tiny bit of self-indulgence here when I ask, would it have killed any of you guys to have answered and shared your thoughts on something I posted over the last decade, when I asked?

Now that I've put the disappointment front and center, I won't dwell on it. I will say that despite all of this, the blog is vanishing. I may have less frequent original content so long as I'm not in a show, and it would seem I am writing for basically nobody but myself here, year after year. But just as I won't allow myself to give up on the desire to do more acting and directing on my life even during the inexplicably dry periods, I will continue to keep this blog. Like the creative life, it will have eras of high and low points, much activity, and virtually none. But the words remain. My reflections, advice, perceptions and temporary memoirs-in-miniature from productions continue to have value to me, and, I maintain, still have value for others in theatre who should happen to come across it.

So despite the crickets, for now, it stays. And to celebrate ten years of blogging, I will be reposting some of my "greatest hits" on a regular basis throughout the next year, as time allows. Posts of all kinds that I think have defined this blog in its many stages, and posts that I think, or at least hope, can be of service to my fellow actors. Short of that, I hope the posts are interesting.

I'll continued to post original context throughout the tenth year, as it comes to me. But I'll have blasts from the past mixed in as well.

So, happy anniversary, Always Off Book.

Stop Phoning It In!

Not in the way you may be thinking...

Just read this article about cellphones ruinous effects not only by audiences on performances, but on backstage by cast and crew of the shows themselves. I have been there.

For my own part, I do have a cell phone, and have had for most of my years in the theatre. But I have several rules for it's being with me during a show.

1) It stays in the green room or the dressing room. If I am in the house watching the rehearsal, I do not need a phone with me for that, and I would be sickened to have my phone interrupt the rehearsal process.

2) It goes on mute once I get to the theater. Not only could a ring still be heard on stage, depending on the venue, but I have always viewed the green room as a sanctuary for actors, each of whom require a different level of preparation and respite. I'd rather be over-considerate of that than under-considerate.

3) If I don't have time between my scenes to use the bathroom comfortably, than i don't have time to check my phone. I was once in a show where between my final scene in Act I, the intermission, and my first scene in Act II, 50 minutes elapsed. Fifty. That remains my longest break between scenes ever, and I would check messages at some point during it. I also do so for shorter breaks than that one at times, (especially if fantasy football is involved) but if I need to scramble to get back on stage, I'm doing things wrong.

Though I try not to be the cell phone police in a show, i will mention to someone if their phone is going off causing a disturbance. Once or twice I moved the guilty phone to another location of my own accord.

Most of the people I have worked with in shows have been good about phones, but even the local groups I sometimes do shows with have had an increase in cell phone encroachment from both audience and cast/crew. It is worrisome, and it pisses me off, to be frank.

At least, however, there is some tiny solace that even the big dogs, such as the actors and the venues mentioned in the article, have to deal with the same sort of bologna.