monkeys just decended from our roof ond peered into our window!  a whole little family! 

it is currently raining like crazy!  so we are staying in for a while. 

the view is amazing.  we have an infinity pool that overlooks a mountain valley that oversees the ocean.  there are banana trees and coconuts every where!

my skin feels so good and i am eating my ass off.

more updates to follow.

love la la

i am a director guys...really...
With a come-as-you-are attitude and reasonable prices, Dog Story Theater hopes Grand Rapidians make a regular date with the theater.

"Theatre" is to champagne as "theater" is to Pabst Blue Ribbon. And Jay Harnish, managing director of the newest theater in Grand Rapids, seems to think Grand Rapids needs a little more of the latter. Theater, that is. Thus enters Dog Story Theater, a nonprofit black-box theater company created to bring opportunity for artists and theater to the people through professional, live performances.
Theaterniks: Jay Harnish and Josh Fremer.

Dog Story Theater is filling a niche while offering a variety of work. From drama to stand-up comedy to Shakespeare, it's all about performing and enjoying. "We wanted to provide an affordable place for young professional companies and entertainers to perform. Grand Rapids has a great fine arts scene," Grand Rapids-native Harnish said. "We've got the art walk downtown, the only professional ballet in Michigan, a Grammy-nominated symphony, a professional opera that pulls world class stars, but there is no professional theater here except what we bring in from New York."

When you think of going to the theater, maybe you imagine small dots of people on stage in ornate costumes. "People are disillusioned by $150,000 sets and mediocre acting. Theater needs an update," Harnish said. "There's a stigma. But people don't necessarily dress up to go to the theater anymore. It's not bad to think it's cool to go to the theater. We're not pretentious. I want people to come to the theater because it's fun. People come into my theater, and they can bring their drinks, they can wear T-shirts and jeans, and relax."

So dress for the movies, but go to the theater. Dog Story Theater plans on keeping ticket prices comparable to movie tickets and keeping it small, with seating for about seventy-five people. "The beauty of a black box theater is the intimate setting," Harnish said. "There's something so moving about being five feet away from the actor. The audience loses themselves in the show when they're that close."

Dog Story Theater opens August 14 at its permanent location, 1115 Taylor NW, the former home of the furniture company Waddell Manufacturing. It will be sharing the newly renovated building with Beerstone Draft House, the newest addition to the family of Cambridge House, Graydon's Crossing, Logan's Alley, and J.D. Reardon's. So no one was kidding about the "bring your drinks" thing.

"I've got the theater I've always wanted to start," Harnish said. "It's going to give opportunity that I never had. We don't have to be Grand Rapids' version of Steppenwolf. But if Steppenwolf comes out of our theater, that's great."


Two to Tango

For its debut performance Dog Story Theater has selected the lesser performed, edgier play Boston Marriage by David Mamet, author of Glengarry Glen Ross and the recent film Redbelt.

The term "Boston marriage" describes a long-term live-in relationship between two women, platonic or sexual. "It's a brilliant show," said Jay Harnish, managing director of the theater. "It's not often done, written by one of the top writers in theater. It fits along the lines of what we're trying to do, edgy without being edgy."

Set in the Victorian era and splashed with Oscar Wilde's wit, Boston Marriage tells the story of Anna and Claire, two bantering, scheming "women of fashion" who have long lived together on the fringes of upper-class society. Anna has obtained a new male benefactor who provides her with money and expensive gifts. Meanwhile, Claire has fallen in love with a schoolgirl. The benefactor is no threat to Anna and Claire's relationship (men, after all, "only exist to be deceived"), but the schoolgirl is.

"It's fast paced, super witty, very funny," Harnish said. "It's a tough play to pull off. A good challenge to start off with."

"Boston Marriage," directed by Rachel Finan, runs August 14--23 at Dog Story Theater, 1115 Taylor NW. Showtimes are 8 p.m. daily and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10/adults and $7/seniors and students. Visit www.dogstorytheater.com or call 821-8955.

in the light of recent events and all the controversy our little show has generated there are a few things that remain clear:

1.the show is stronger than ever. it doesn't matter if gonzo loves our show or hates it, or if we are banned from meijer gardens, the fact is he talked about us on his blog (that obviously people read and take seriously) at least 5 times in the past week. he mentions our name as if no explanation was necessary. this is a good thing.

2.the management team is stronger than ever. sorry to disappoint, there is no tearing us apart. we have come too far and worked too hard to let stupid gossip come between us. could it be that we are adults? we know where we stand and are super charged up for traverse city in february.

3.solidarity. this could possibly be the most important part of our ability to remain together. to see the cast and crew laughing, applauding and coming together in the face of all this crap was beautiful. we know who our friends are and will continue to defend and support them until the end times.

4.communtiy. it has never before been more clear the role and power we have in this town. again i say, the stage is a powerful tool. it is our responsibility to use it to the best of our ability and for our vision to remain clear. always push the envelope but never abuse our privilege. we didn't get this far on shock. we respect our audience and challenge them be it burlesque or the the radio show and they understand that, and this is why 350 people come to see us.

so kids...be prepared for a fabulous burlesque show in march and a new radio show.

in case you missed it. i am proud of my little happy pants.
http://www.mlive.com/grandrapids/stories/index.ssf?/base/features-1/1189322624113880.xml&coll=6

this weekend i got to watch the ETO play at celebration on the grand. with our lovely river flowing behind them!
the artist market was the best market we have had. the community really came out to support us. they had 12 new vendors i think and the quality of the merchandise was way better than the past ones. they had break dancers! honestly that was what got the crowd going! their amazing energy and crazy moves.

i also got to fire dance later that night before chance jones to a very appreciative crowd. it was then that i realized that i have been learning poi for one year! time flies.

and of course the after party...gladly i was not apart of girls getting duct taped to chairs and sitting in pools rain water. but rather having great conversations, brainstorming burlesque horror themes and ending with chinese food.

for the most part my experiences on livejournal and myspace have been amazing. there hasn't been an event that has occured to make me stop writing in this thing, or bragging about my performances or posting clever photographs.

once i got fired for exposing too much on here. i worked for a small business with big fears.

on the other hand i have met amazing artists from all over the world. some even in person...kara and ben and anida etc... i have also heard from others how my journal has inspired them.

lj has made me more passive aggresive, mostly because it is a public forum and i don't want to get into a altercation with anyone. i am quite good at avoiding people, places and things, it doesn't mean that they don't exist it just means that i have decided to ignore these issues, and to see a physical presence can bring up the old resentments and fears. some habits you never kick, but i have learned from being repeatedly hurt to finally stay away.

with that said, i have good news to share. i got accepted to perform at the new york butoh festival this year in november. i will be doing three nights at CAVE gallery in williamsburg. i just got the letter today, it took over a year to find out. so hugo and corey get your butoh hats on and let's explore the "darkerer" side of ourselve and butoh. i will be doing the piece i did in chicago at link's hall, the one about addiction.

tattoo ideas. for the left sleeve.

http://rachelbutoh.livejournal.com/

i seem to be addicted to this one.

nyc  butoh fest was a hit. 

here is a photo

please tell me i am insane.  isn't one enough?  i need more and more and more.  one more please.