Running Diary of Obama’s Address.

Or a repeat viewing of it, at least.  Times are all AM EST.  I watched on MSNBC, if that matters.  Also, I saw the tail end of this speech (and Jindal’s sad, unfocused, off-topic response) live.

1:16 — My man started speaking before Pelosi introduced him.  And that’s one of the things we lvoe about this guy: he’s excited, and he’s a bit of an awkward dork.

1:18 — Those dials jumped instantly.  People simply approve.

1:18 — Biden and Pelosi jumped up fast for the “we will rebuild” line, didn’t they?  I kind of would love if the next time around, Obama comes out and says: “let’s relax this time around, folks.  Stay in your seats. I know I’m bad.”

1:23 — It’s always fascinating when part of the Congress stands and applauds, while the other just sits there.  Ugh.  What a coutry.

1:25 — RESPECT JOE BIDEN’S GANGSTA!

1:29 — His tie might be hypnotizing us.  It’s possible.

1:30 — He’s talking real tough on the banks, which I love, but does this mean that Wall Street is going to go berzerk tomorrow?    Also, isn’t more lending kind of a bad idea?  Also also, Joe Lieberman scares me.  Also also also…eff those fancy drapes, CEOs!  What do you think you’re a pachuco?

1:32 — Ah…here’s some sense of tough love for the banks.  It’s about helping people, not banks.  Everyone’s applauding that one.  Seriously, this dude makes a statement, then tells you how what he’s proposing will work.  Maybe he doesn’t list all the steps, and maybe he’s speaking on a surface level, but he’s as pragmatic as you can be in a broad speech like this, I think.

1:37 — GI Bill gets some love.  Government didn’t supplant private enterprise, it catalyzed private enterprise. Man, Jindal really didn’t respond to this speech at all.  It’s like he didn’t listen/read it.

1:39 — Energy, health care, and education. Amen.

1:42 — We can’t walk away from the automobile. Let’s see what he means by that.  Oops — looks like he won’t say too much more.  There’s no way around cars, really.

1:43 — We can’t afford to put health care on hold.  It’s time. I love it.  As one of the many millions of uninsured (with my share of outstanding bills), this is what I need to hear.

1:45 — Stop it, Nancy Pelosi.  I heard her described as having “ninja legs” during this speech.  I see what those people meant.

1:47 — Oh snap:  high school dropout rates?  A president talking about high school dropout rates?  Wow.  Wow.  Wow.  I love this.  I love all this.  People — this is the stuff that impacts the future of a nation.  Make kids graduate high school.  Make college affordable.  Of course, I’m curious as to what kind of role the arts are going to play in all this.  If we can move away from the rigidity of testing and such, this could be gigantic.

1:48 — One year of higher education — all Americans making that commitment.   Wow.  Dropping out of high school is not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country. Step up, folks.  That’s a challenge.  I love this.  I love all this.

1:51 — Yo, 90s Republicans: this is how you talk about “family values.”  It’s not empty rhetoric.  It’s personal responsibility.

1:53 — Oooh…with the deficit we inherited — that’s the closest to a sucker punch we’re gonna get, I think.

1:56 — Those taxes better not increase, otherwise it’s all just rhetoric, and it’s worse than “read my lips, no new taxes,” I think.

1:58 — Nobody seems to be sure when to stand.  It’s like at the end of play that most people only kind of liked but some people loved, so they shoot out of their seats and everyone else feels like they have to jump up too.

1:59 — NINJA LEGS!

2:02 — The US does not condone torture — I think this is where I came in originally.

2:04 — I like that bonus story a lot.  That deserves standing.  As does the little girl, especially with her mom there to soak it all in.

Folks.  This is special.

Spider-man.

I’m watching this very cautiously.

It seems like there is an easier, more obvious way to do this.

Taymor and them are even going to come up with something way more genius than we can imagine, or…this is going to effing suck.

Chicago: Go See This Show Now.

I love the playwright.  I love the cast.  I love just about everyone involved with this, including many of the folks you’ll see in the audience.  If you live in Chicago and you don’t already know Tanya Saracho, you are missing out.  Go.  Now.

And oh: it’s by Teatro Vista, which happens to be my hometown home base company of residence.  Even though it’s in Chicago.

In The Heights is Better Than You.

It’s an oldish video apparently, but I’m just seeing it.

People.

The world is completely different now.

I cannot express to you how beautiful this is to me.

I Just Want To Point This Out.

Best Musical: In The Heights
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

This is not a coincidence, nor or these two unrelated events. I’ll say no more on that topic.

But I also want to point out that if you add those two and then multiply by The Wrestler, you get…The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.

Prince.

I can’t embed this here for some reason, but you must watch it.

More On The Met in HD

Good article about the risks of HD opera.  Let’s be clear about this though: we’re talking about the future of the art form here.  Live HD transmissions are, unquestionably, an upgrade over live opera for most folks.  You can see the stage, you can hear the music, you can get in for cheap and wear what you want and treat the art event the way you’d treat a more pop cultural event.  This is all a good thing.

Now, will it cannibalize live audiences?  I bet it will in some places.  But you know what?  Maybe those audiences need to be cannibalized a bit to keep the overall art alive.

YouTube – Preview Ameriville by UNIVERSES

Humana is gonna be off all possible chains, folks.

New Executive Director at Victory Gardens.

Playbill News: Jan Kallish Is Chicago Victory Gardens’ New Exec Director.

I usually don’t post news like this on here, as it’s a little theater insidery for my tastes.  However, Victory Gardens is a theater with whom I’ve got a great relationship, and will be working with for years to come (knock wood), so I figured I’d mention it.

I’m happy to welcome Jan, and look forward to everything she’s going to bring to the table.  And I definitely want to thank and congratulate Marcy for everything she’s done in her long, impressive career at VG, and wish her nothing but the best.

Hooray for The Vibrator Play.

Theater Review – ‘In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)’ – At Berkeley Repertory Theater, Sarah Ruhl’s Play About a Quaint Treatment for Women Wronged – NYTimes.com.

Gotta love Sarah.