Author: Lee Hurtado

Once More Around The Block

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It’s been another something of an arc in this blog (if you hold to the idea I suggested last time of blogs having arcs) that much of the time I spend in the arts is spent meeting and supporting young talent in all fields.  Given that last week’s performance at Morgan’s Wonderland included three young actors, the post it inspired could fall into that category.

I’d like to believe that with the proper development and encouragement, young talent is a renewable resource.  And last night was another case in point. Continue reading →

Hurtado In Wonderland

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It’s been something of an arc in this blog (if blogs can be said to have arcs) that I really haven’t seen as much of San Antonio as I should have by my age.  That’s pretty much all on me – in my younger years I wasn’t as interested in getting out and meeting people and experiencing the world.  It took a little time, and some much-valued inspiration from friends, but I did ultimately choose the path of engagement.  And I’d like to think I’m better off for it.

All of which should tag this post as #MakingUpForLostTime. Continue reading →

Making Site 13, or: I’m No Clark Gregg, But I Get By

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He’s the guy who’s tasked – a very disciplined guy in my opinion who possesses secrets that would turn your hair white – but at the same time he’s tasked with handling these kind of diva superheroes, you know? “Oh, really, Asgard? Dude, just get in the car.”

– Clark Gregg

Within the sci-fi genre, there’s a type of character we all know, and often love.  He’s a little more weary than the rest, maybe a little more cynical.  He knows more than he lets on, and usually more than he can let on.  If he hasn’t seen it all, he’s seen at least too much for surprise.  And he’s the guy who holds the story together.

You’ll know him as Walter Skinner.  Or Frank Black.  Or K.  Or Phil Coulson.

He’s The Agent.
Continue reading →

How To Create A Pop Art Spectacular

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Even the smallest art show is an ambitious undertaking.  An art show with live models might be more so.  And an art show with live models impersonating pop-cultural icons?  To pull something like that off, you need great people at every level.

With Glamour in Glitter, we had them. Continue reading →

Going Out In A Blues Of Glory

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The thing that made the Blues Brothers so special, of course, was their total commitment to their personae and to their music.

Jake and Elwood may have been the brainchild of two comedians in their prime.  They may have been born of a Saturday Night Live sketch that saw John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd dressed up as bees.  And their film may have come as close as we’ll ever see to a Road Runner chase sequence rendered in live action. But they were no joke.  Neither parody nor tribute, the Blues Brothers succeeded as real musicians, with a real band behind them.  (In naming some of those band members – Steve Cropper, Paul Shaffer, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, North Texas alum “Blue” Lou Marini, the late great Alan “Mr. Fabulous” Rubin and Donald “Duck” Dunn – I’m only scratching the surface of their legend.)

So when I learned that the Overtime Theater was trying to recapture their magic, this was something I had to see and hear. Continue reading →

Kickstart Our Art

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In the last year, the concept of crowdfunding (most popularly defined as the idea of financing a project through internet donations and pledges) has quickly become a pop-cultural phenomenon. As a case study, I submit to you one Amanda Palmer, a singer/songwriter who launched a Kickstarter page ten days ago to help fund her next album; within about five hours, it had reached its goal of $100,000. As of this moment, with 20 days left, that album’s about 635% funded. I repeat, 635%.

The promise of crowdfunding is that it strengthens the bond between artists and fans/consumers, and allows them to share in the creative act in a way that I hope remains positive. As Palmer’s husband recently said, “I love the way that Kickstarter allows people both to be patrons of the arts and to directly support the creation and manufacture of the thing they want.”

All of which provides a nice teaser for what we’re working on right now… Continue reading →

Two Blondes Walk Into A Theater…

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When we were working with The Renaissance Guild on Rumors, there was some discussion on whether to keep its late-80s setting or to update it to the present day.  The decision was ultimately made to make it contemporary to our audience, which meant adapting some lines and references to make sense to a 2010 playgoer.

For one example: In Neil Simon’s original script, there’s a reference to the 1986 film Platoon.  Someone (and it might actually have been me) suggested changing the title to The Hurt Locker, and we went with it.  I thought it worked pretty well; like the movie, the play’s all about characters trying to defuse a bad situation before it blows up in their faces (though I’ll admit there’s a little less… drama attached to our play).  But if I have to be honest about the reasoning behind my suggestion, I really just wanted to hear Danielle King say “The Hurt Locker“.

I bring this up to illustrate that the production of a play is not always a process of exact translation or transcription.  Sometimes we have to make some changes to get the story and characters from page to stage.  Which of course brings us back to the San Antonio Stage Script Study Group. Continue reading →

Give Me Some Light: Luminaria Reignited

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They say into each art some rain must fall… or at least they would if I were They.

It was a lesson learned back in March, when organizers of Luminaria: Arts Night in San Antonio found themselves faced with the threat of storms on the very day they had planned to hold the city’s biggest arts gathering.  After considerable discussion, they took the side of safety and postponed the event from March 10 to May 5.

I’d have been there under any circumstances, of course.  But as Nikki was scheduled to MC one of the music stages (having done the job before, two years ago, she was invited back for this year), I wanted to be there to support her and take pictures.  So, I made sure to keep the new day open on my calendar.

Continue reading →

Farewell, Paul…

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I hadn’t heard the news when Nikki first texted me yesterday, and I wasn’t in a position to get online and find out.  So when she told me what had happened, I was in shock.

It was through Nikki and Chadd that I was introduced to The Renaissance Guild, and to its founder, Paul Riddle, Jr.  They had known him for several years – PrimaDonna‘s earliest work was with TRG, and Nikki (as actor and producer) and Chadd (as director) were both active supporters of the theatre company.  So when I joined PDP, I joined their partnership as well. Continue reading →