What I've been up to:

• Rehearsals for Is He Dead? have begun, and while some of it is very funny, other parts of it are being directed in the most heavy-handed, over-the-top way possible. Also, we still don't have a full cast. It's early, though, and the theatre audiences (excluding myself) LOVE LOVE LOVE over-the-top performances, so there's that.


• I went to a dress rehearsal for the local premiere of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee last night, and it was pretty good, although they completely blow the best joke in the show by trying to tell it no fewer than four times. Also, they added an intermission (to a 90-minute show) for some reason.


• Opera Memphis chorus assignments will be coming out within a week. I'm vibrating in anticipation, although there's a strong chance that I won't be needed. 40 total chorus roles over the season = 20 males = 10 baritones, BUT the most chorus roles in any one production is 14 / 7 / 3.5, and I'm sure they've got more than 3.5 baritones to choose from (although I can easily sing tenor). Anyway, we'll see what happens!


• I'm gonna be singing the national anthem before the Tennessee Roller Derby bout on Saturday. I asked if I should dress up fancy, but they seemed indifferent to the idea.


• The Memphis Theatre Awards are in four weeks and change. Once again, I'm not nominated, but it still promises to be a good time (and a better time than last year, as my ex- is reportedly once again going to Burning Man, but this time I'm not paying for it, nor answer any awkward questions about her whereabouts).