Author: Lee Hurtado

Always A Learning Experience

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One of my earliest experiences in the PrimaDonna universe (or could I say “PrimaDonniverse”?) was a table read for a film then known as Dream Healer (which ultimately premiered as Dream Healing).  It was a great experience, and looking back, the foreshadowing of the moment was so blatant only someone like me could have missed it, as I met so many people I’d ultimately come to know as friends and colleagues.

Among those actors (as the Dream Healer herself) was a girl by the name of Gabi Walker.  I was genuinely impressed by the talent she showed at that reading, and even more impressed with her poise and character.  So it was hardly a surprise to learn that she was one of Nikki’s students.

All of which is a roundabout way of saying that working with kids was an important part of my PDP experience well before the beginning of it all.  And as you’ve probably figured out from recent posts, that continues today. Continue reading →

On Next Generations, or: Meanwhile…

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As you can likely see from my last couple of posts, the year to date has been one for expanding our creative horizons.  And while I’ve been working on building my résumé as a practicing screenwriter, my boss has also found a new venue for her passions and mission… Continue reading →

Me And Steven Moffat

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Writing is really, really, really difficult. Have I mentioned that recently? Difficult. There, I mentioned it again. DIFFICULT!!!

– given the post’s title, is it completely redundant of me to say this is from Steven Moffat?

It’s weird to see such a comment about writing coming from someone who’s so damn good at it.  But as a writer who still classifies himself as Aspiring and therefore can’t believe he shares a calling with the guy who gave us the likes of “Blink” and “The Big Bang”, I hope I understand where he’s coming from. Continue reading →

Epilogues And Prologues

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If you’re in San Antonio, it’s hard to think of a better place to spend New Year’s Eve than the roof of the Cameo Theatre.  You get a great show, and if there’s room for you up there, you get a fantastic view of the downtown fireworks.  Much as I loathe the term “bucket list”, seeing in a new year at the Cameo, alongside friends both old and new, really is one of those things you just have to do.

For me, standing on that roof last night, watching those fireworks unfurl, became a strange kind of meditative experience, much like staring into the candle.  That moment when the old year and the new meet is one of the few times when you can simultaneously look back and look forward.  And there was a lot to look back upon in 2010, just as I know there’ll be a lot to look forward to in 2011. Continue reading →

Time Waits For No Writer…

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Close friends will hopefully know that I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions.  But I had made a few exceptions for 2010, and if I had to name the most important resolution, it would be the one I made to really focus on my writing.  While I’m still in all ways a novice writer, I want to believe there’s something worth exploring in this.

That said, when that certain individual suggested that I should submit myself as a playwright to the year’s various local playfests, I had my apprehensions.  I’ve had a lot of opportunities in the last few years to expand the scope of my writing, to work in so many different styles and genres.  I’ve worked on proposals and press releases.  I’ve written copy and correspondence.  I’ve written bios, blogs, and business plans.  And I’ve worked on a few screenplays.  But playwriting is still undiscovered country for me.  To throw myself into something like TheatreASAP just seemed too daunting.

So of course I threw myself into TheatreASAP. Continue reading →

Rumors Control, Finale and Coda: So Falls The Curtain…

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The Little Carver Civic Center now bears no trace of the Brocks, Gormans, Ganzes, Cusacks, or Coopers.  There’s nothing left for Officers Welch and Pudney to investigate.  We struck the Rumors set today, and all the props and set pieces that helped bring the play to life have been taken down and returned to their respective places of origin.

Needless to say, it was a rather bittersweet two days.  From the cast’s final bow yesterday afternoon, to our post-show celebration at Pappadeaux last night, to the drive home after returning the last of the props in my care, it’s been a time heavy with goodbye.  And I kinda hate goodbyes, especially after the experience I’ve had these last two months. Continue reading →

Rumors Control, 2nd Weekend: “This is so going in my blog…”

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My apparent secret desire to be an actor has been a subplot in the PDP narrative for a few years, so I suppose it was natural that it would find its way into Rumors, especially after I stepped in during a couple of rehearsals to fill in for unavailable cast members.  With that (to say nothing of the persistence of my boss), my professional stage debut was more or less an Inevitable Fate.

Of course, being inevitable and all that, Fate wasn’t exactly bent on making it easy for me.  Buoyed by enthusiastic opening audiences and strong word of mouth (including a great review from Deborah Martin at the Express-News), our second weekend would see our best crowds yet, with Sunday’s show nearly filling the house.

I’ll let you guess who was scheduled to play Officer Pudney that day. Continue reading →

Rumors Control, Opening Night: The Arrival

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It all came to this.

Two weeks of auditions.  Six weeks of rehearsals.  Days spent on building the set, securing props, publicity, promotion, and phone calls and texts and E-mails to cover every miscellaneous detail you can think of and probably a few more.  All for this.

One moment.

Opening night for Rumors. Continue reading →

Rumors Control, Week 5: I Love It When A Play Comes Together

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There are moments in the creative process that are hard to define, hard to explain, hard to set down in words or pixels.  But if you’re an artist, you KNOW them when they happen.  Whether you’re working toward the first performance, the first screening, or the first edition, they’re the landmarks that keep you moving forward, until you reach that ultimate goal.

The hope of capturing those landmarks has been a driving force behind the “Rumors Control” series.  The chance to experience and share those moments, be they planned or spontaneous, when a character, a laugh, a scene is found.  The belief that before it was all over, I’d get to write a post like the one you’re about to read. Continue reading →

Rumors Control, Week 4: Is This How Mark Valley Got Started?

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LEE
You won’t rest until I’m up there on that stage, will you?

NIKKI
Nope.

It’s my fault, of course.

Since I wrote that blog about my acting class, some three years ago, she has concluded that I have some manner of secret desire to be an actor.  I’ve tried to dissuade her, but she persists nonetheless.

I suppose it doesn’t exactly help my case that I’ve enjoyed my ‘onstage’ moments as much as I have.  Which brings us back to Rumors. Continue reading →