Break a Leg

Well, as everyone has been saying: it's been a long road.  So many memories; so many good times; so many complaints about time, character development, and facial hair; so much humus eaten out of the trunk of Hilary's car; and so much love. 

I always knew that the lads were a talented bunch, but the Finale really blew me away.  The professional quality, the amazing effects, the plots twists: outstanding.  My beret is off to you gentlemen.  It's been a privilege to be used, abused, insulted, berated, complimented, pandered to, patronized, showcased, and allowed to act like the idiot that I really am.

I was saddened a bit ago when I realized that I may never don the beret again.  But that's just negative thinking.  I mean, come on: I own the beret.  I can put it on whenever I want.  So...yay.

So what's next?

Well, I've got The Nutcracker coming up, an audition for Glengary Gless Ross, workshopping a new adaptation of The Tempest, and getting my 70 paladin geared for when Wrath of the Lich King comes out in a couple weeks...so, you know, I'll be busy.

I just wanted to express to all the fans out there how much you have made this experience worth it.  As they say: without an audience, it's just another rehearsal.  I have had a blast interacting with everyone and your support through this whole thing has been absolutely fantastic.  So, a huge THANK YOU to everybody who has watched, posted, commented, shared, and enjoyed.  It's been a lot of fun getting to know you guys and I hope you'll all stick around to see what comes after.  With a group of fans like you guys, I know that kinda goes without saying, but it just seems like one of those things that you have to say.  So, keep the site alive, keep posting, keep telling your friends/family/neighbors/enemies/random strangers/dogs/chickens/furbies what they're missing by not watching Break A Leg.  Thanks, guys.

Happy Jenday

Yuri has asked me today to talk about something finale-related, whatever that means. I had an entire article prepared about the beautiful, sublime, and delicious Atlantic Shad (A. sapidissima), but that will just have to wait, now won't it?

Did you know that shad can detect ultrasound?

Right, anyway, Monday's episode is the one you've all been waiting for, the Season Finale to end all Seasons Finales. All questions will be answered, all secrets revealed, all plotlines tied up in a neat little bow so that you stare at your monitor in disbelief for literally minutes upon minutes afterwards before you finally muster up the will to whisper softly, almost to yourself, "What the fuck was that bullshit all about?"

The truth is that I really don't remember what happens in the finale. We shot it, like, around 14 years ago. You know, a couple days after Yuri was born? I couldn't spoil anything for you if I tried. I actually stopped watching the show a month ago, it was just getting too predictable, like I knew exactly what was going to happen, and then it did! Wait, that was Desperate Housewives.

So it was nice that they jumped forward five years for Desperate Housewives, but then everyone still has all the same bullshit problems? Maybe that's a comment on our society or something, but I think it's just lazy writing.

There are some exciting things happening behind the scenes here at Late Again Films, mainly surrounding a couple of new projects that Yuri and Vlad have developed. One is something I can't really talk too much about, and coincidentally so is the other one. Wait a second... I'm laughing so hard that I need to catch my breath.

Actually I think I can slip some little details in. What you can look forward to (eventually, you know how fucking long it takes us to shoot something) is a brand-spanking new show that will turn your life upside down! It's a reality show about 14 San Francisco actors and their efforts to get a little internet sitcom noticed by the corporate fatcats that pull the strings in Hollywood. It's composed entirely of outtakes from Break A Leg.

Actually, that's not such a bad...

Of course I'm joking! Yuri and Vlad have come up with TWO new shows, both of them very good in a I-hope-you-like-network-television sort of way. They're actually very good, I've read them. Of course I liked The Quick and the Dead, so what do I know?

The first will not be produced by us, but is being shopped around to folks that had expressed interest in Break A Leg but wanted to see something different. It's called XXXXX XXX XXXX, and basically XXXXX quits his job in XXXX, then returns to XXXXX to try and get back into XXXXXX. It takes place in XXX XXXXX, so shooting it ourselves is just too fucking XXXXXXXXX.

The second project is what we're starting work on now, and is called XXXXXX. You can probably Google that name and come up with some mentions already, it's not really a big secret. I think the title even made a cameo in a recent Break A Leg episode! It's basically about a XXXX XX XXXXXX XX X XXXXXXXXXXX who X X and XX X asshole XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, the new guy, Sammy! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. I'm in it, too.

So that's that! Yuri will no doubt censor some of the details I have divulged about the two new shows, though hopefully he does it with some taste and removes sensitive details, while still letting you get a feel for what to expect from these brilliant concepts.

If you're in SF over the next four weekends you can see me in a new play called March To November. We open this Thursday (well, tonight). Head to my website at www.drewlanning.com for more details.

Also if you watch daytime television you may notice me and my dulcet tones pitching Sunsweet Prunes. Look for people eating prunes at a farmer's market-type thing. That's my voice talking to them, and at the very beginning that's me pretending to lay out the bags of prunes. My wife is actually in some versions of the commercial too!

You know, I always find it hard to come back from vacation, the older I get the harder it gets.  It's like "No...I was still on vacation...I was still vacating!"  To leave all the fun and revelry to come back to all the things that you HAVE to do but don't really feel like doing, i.e.: your life...this is just dumb...I need to find a way just to be on permanent free-time, just floating above reality and scoffing all the people still stuck in it...but I hate LA.

I finally went to the dentist yesterday.  It's only been about 5 years or so, no biggie.  I need two fillings, a word that starts with M that I can't remember, and possibly braces.  Well, I can't say I'm surprised.  Actually, I can: I surprised it wasn't worse.  At least I didn't have to have anything pulled or get a root canal or something crazy like that.  I try to take care of my teeth...but I just could never get into the habit of regular flossing.  So now I (and by "I" I mean the dental insurance I get through work) will be shelling over a not inconsiderable amount of cash to make up for 5 years of lazy.  Will I ever learn?

No. Nope. Uh-uh.

I finally finished my traffic school. Woo!  Just one less thing lurking over my shoulder.  Now if only somebody would put a deadline on cleaning my room, I could get something done around here.  The other night I was having this dream in which I found out I was going to die and the first thing through my mind was not fear for my life, but fear that somebody else would have to clean my room.  Is that how I want to be remembered?  Dirty socks and glasses and  random dusty pile of things accumulated over the years?  I've considered the prospect of having a "Clean Chad's Room" party where I get everybody gloves and gas masked and tetanus shots and pizza and beer...but I don't think there would be a very big turn out for something like that.  Still, one can dream.

I started rehearsal for The Nutcracker again last Friday.  This is an annual thing I do with a local ballet school for which they pay me pretty good money.  It's always weird to come back after a year of having not seen these kids and suddenly they're 4 inches taller and starting to look weird, when they used to ba all small and cute.  And me with less hair every year...the first year I did it I have nigh unto an afro.  Now: not so much.  But it's still fun.  It was just one of those things that fell into my lap and has turned out for the best.

So that's my weekely update.  Everybody in America, go vote on Tuesday.  Everybody not in America, scoff at our ridiculous political system as we scrabble in a last ditch effort to stave off another economic depression.  Good Times!  Yay, America! USA! USA!  The only good thing about a depression would be that then EVERYBODY would know what it's like to be an out-of-work actor.

Happy Jenday!

Hey, guys!

The second to last episode of the SEASON is out and ready for your watching and wild loving!

Watch Episode 16, Hollywood Jesus, on YouTube AND right here on our website -- why both places? Because we need your support and your eyeballs for both places! Let's have the two-part finale have the biggest views.... ever!

Remember, on YouTube, commenting, favoriting, rating and subscribing is hugely important -- so please, please, please, if you have a moment, do as many of those as you can!

Finally, tell your friends!

Thanks everyone! Hope you like it!

-The Break a Leg Team