I Heart NY...! (Happy 1st Year Anniversary)

June 1st. One year in New York. I survived. (Well barely). But I survived. 

There's been some incredible times. Some moments of triumph. Some moments of doubts. Some moments of sheer happiness. Other moments of disbelief, while walking down 5th Avenue, that I live here...I know I've said it in the past, but I feel like I'm living one of my dreams. A dream that took eight years to achieve, but it came true, through hard work, dedication, and not losing sight in living here.   

I compiled a list of some of my favorite things and places about New York and why I heart it so much...

1. I'm constantly surrounded by people of all types. You never know when you might make a connection with someone, including a cute guy.

2. The Subway. I can eat my lunch while heading to work. I can finish reading a play while going to and from Astoria to the Upper West Side. I can write and rewrite. I can get as drunk as I want and I don't have to worry about driving. 

3. Empanada Mama. (located on 9th Ave, closer to 51st St) They have the best empanadas in Manhattan, the Sangria is to die for, and the staff is extremely friendly.

4. Hell's Kitchen. For three reasons; the gay bars, the boys, & the restaurants.

5. Times Square. Although it's overly crowded with tourists, there's a sense of tranquility and serenity when I walk on 42nd St and I know that I'm standing in the heart of the world. It's truly an amazing experience.  

  

6. The Four Seasons. The fact that I get to experience four seasons is something that I always longed for; fall and spring are my favorite. Winter is beautiful, but snow is cute in theory but living in it, not so great.

7. My friends. They are the people who have helped me in the past year through thick and thin. To the old ones, I had before I came to N.Y., I am truly grateful to you all. To the new ones, I can't wait to see where our new friendships go. 

I am truly grateful to be living in this ecliptic, wonderful, vibrant, face paced city known as New York. 

This is my home. This is where my career is. This is where my love is. Everything is in New York. So Happy Anniversary to me and to New York; we survived our first year! Onward...to many more...!

My Birthday...!

My birthday was this past Monday the 25th. It was an amazing day. I can only hope that 27 will be a great year for my career and hopefully I'll meet someone special along the way. Here are some photos of my birthday at Barrage in Hell's Kitchen.

Only in New York

I was sitting in Greenwhich Park waiting for my friends to arrive when I notice this homeless man gawking at me. 

"Can I help you?" I rudely said.

"Got a quarter?" He replies without flinching. 

(I say, what my usual response is to any homeless person asking for money.)

"I don't have any change." 

"Well then can I have some head?" And when I don't respond he banishes. The reason that I don't respond is because I was in shock that this nasty homeless man just preposition me for sex.

Only in New York...!

Lucky!

Three days ago, one of my former students from UNLV sent me a message on Facebook with the subject line that read "Lucky", this is what he had to say...

Hey Oscar, 
This is J.. I took your Gay Plays class Fall of '07 (pretty much still one of my favorite classes). You popped up on the side under Suggestions and I saw that you put New York as the place you live. Lucky! When did you move there? That is pretty much my favorite place on Earth and somewhere that I'm planning on moving to. Which is also why I sent this message.

 
I've always loved theater, ever since I was a kid. Even so, I never went to New York or saw a Broadway show because the thought just never really crossed my mind, as it seemed so unrealistic. And then you had to go talk in class about "Legally Blonde: The Musical". You went on and on about it to the point where my interest was ridiculously peaked. That led to me buying the album, seeing the MTV recording, and going to New York last May to see it while Laura Bell Bundy was still in the cast. Luckily I also saw "Gypsy", "In The Heights", and a couple others. Since then I have taken two other trips to New York, with this past trip in February putting an additional 25 shows onto my roster. I just love Broadway so very much. 

So I basically wanted to thank you. People always talk about the teacher who changed their life or made this huge impact. And while I'm hardly trying to evoke some " Oh Captain, My Captain" moment, I really want you to know that you made a profound difference. Your class and what you did reignited my love for theater and made it now expand to where true theater actually is. So for that I am eternally indebted and just want to truly thank you from the bottom of my heart. :)

Sincerely, 
J.

After reading his message several times, I decided that I was lucky, lucky not because I was living in New York and following my dreams to be a playwright, but lucky because I got the chance to evoke his love for theatre again. I know what I need to do with my life, I need to teach and be a playwright. Those are the two things I know how to to do best in this world.

And thank you J. for reminding me how lucky I am to be able to teach all of you...! I thank you from the bottom of my heart...! 

Thursday's Food for Thought #5

Age...does it matter? Or as I've often heard people say, it's just a state of mind. In a culture that's obsessed with age can we really be all right with growing older? Or are we constantly going to lie about our age?

This upcoming Monday the 25th, I'll be turning 27 years old, three years shy of 30. (My scary age when I was 22 was always 30). I believe that people freak out about growing older because they're not in a place in their lives where they thought they'd be when they turned that age. I'm not so much freaking out about turning 27 because at my young age (and yes I'm still young) I have accomplished plenty of wonderful things. Although as a playwright/writer, I still need to accomplish much much more, but that will come with the years. I'm exactly at the place where I should be when I turn 27 this Memorial Day Weekend, and I'm completely comfortable with that. 

In the end, age is just a number that really shouldn't mean anything, but yet at times it holds so much weight when said out loud. 

Quote of the Day

"IN CHARACTER,

IN MANNER,

IN STYLE,

IN ALL THINGS,

THE SUPREME EXCELLENCE

IS SIMPLICITY."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This quote is written in one of the walls next to the cash register at Club Monaco. I barely noticed it today and thought it's very clever. It's all about "simplicity". 

Farewell Roundabout...Hello Monaco

Last Tuesday I quit my job at the Roundabout Theatre Company, after three months of working in the TeleSales Department, I had to leave. I was going to see if I could survive through last Friday, but the thought of calling another person was just nauseating. My supervisor, M. was really cool about the whole situation. I just didn't want to burn my bridges with the company because I do want to work for them again in their education program.

When I walked out of the Laura Pels theatre where the offices are located I got this feeling of relief. I knew that I had done the right thing. I now have my nights back, I'm not stuck in a cubical dialing a telephone for four hours a day and soliciting past subscribers to come back to the theatre.

I couldn't leave the Roundabout without having another job lined up so I interviewed with Club Monaco on 5th Avenue and they hired me three days later. I decided to go back to my retail roots, for now. So far so good. It's like riding a bicycle, it all comes back to you. Everyone that I work with is great. I get along with all the managers and the store is Club Monaco's Flagship store, which means it's the best one in New York City and it's tied to corporate. I've been getting good hours so far and I do love their clothes, they fit my body like a glove; can't complain about the discount, it's fabulous. I think, I'm going to stay with Club Monaco for a while, I'm just tired of bouncing from job to job. It's time to settle for a bit. 

Thursday's Food for Thought #4 (posted on Friday)

Are guys my age living in New York searching to date with a possibility of being in a relationship or are they all looking to hook-up with strangers and having no connection what so ever?

Sometimes I wonder why being in a relationship is so important to me? I mean, I'm in my mid-twenties living in New York, I should just enjoy dating and meeting as many guys as possible and if the opportunity of sex presents itself then by all means I should go for it! Am I crazy to want to be in a relationship at the age of twenty-six? Or should I just explore and enjoy my youth and forget about being in a relationship until I get to my thirties, unless the right guy arrives before that, and if that happens then that would be amazing!  

Although lately I have been enjoying myself much more, I due it all to spring...!

Thursday's Food for Thought #3

Why is it that when theatre artists attend a play or a musical they're so critical of it? Why can't we just enjoy the play and/or musical for what it is? Have we become jaded as artists that nothing we see impresses us anymore?

My friend A. created the "50-Foot Rule" you don't talk good or bad about a show until you're 50-Feet away from the venue and I live by this rule. I hate hearing people criticize the show during intermission, I'm like, "hello, the shows not OVER!" 

The 63rd Tony Awards Announced

The nominees for the 2009 Tony Awards follow:

BEST PLAY

Dividing the Estate
Author: Horton Foote

God of Carnage
Author: Yasmina Reza

Reasons to Be Pretty
Author: Neil LaBute

33 Variations
Author: Moises Kaufman

BEST MUSICAL

Billy Elliot, The Musical

Next to Normal

Rock of Ages

Shrek The Musical

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

Billy Elliot, The Musical
Lee Hall

Next to Normal
Brian Yorkey

Shrek The Musical
David Lindsay-Abaire

[Title of Show]
Hunter Bell

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE

Billy Elliot, The Musical
Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Lee Hall

Next to Normal
Music: Tom Kitt
Lyrics: Brian Yorkey

9 to 5: The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton

Shrek The Musical
Music: Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Mary Stuart

The Norman Conquests

Waiting for Godot

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

Guys and Dolls

Hair

Pal Joey

West Side Story

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT

Liza's at The Palace

Slava's Snowshow

Soul of Shaolin

You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage
Raúl Esparza, Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini, God of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski, Reasons to Be Pretty

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Hope Davis, God of Carnage
Jane Fonda, 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish ‚ Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gavin Creel, Hair
Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical
Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

Musical BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical
Allison Janney, 9 to 5: The Musical
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

John Glover, Waiting for Godot
Zach Grenier, 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan, The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Hallie Foote, Dividing the Estate
Jessica Hynes, The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland, Reasons to Be Pretty
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

David Bologna, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5: The Musical
Christopher Sieber, Shrek The Musical
Will Swenson, Hair

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests
Derek McLane, 33 Variations
Michael Yeargan, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls
Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Scott Pask, Pal Joey
Mark Wendland, Next to Normal

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Jane Greenwood, Waiting for Godot
Martin Pakledinaz, Blithe Spirit
Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages
Nicky Gillibrand, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
Michael McDonald, Hair

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

David Hersey, Equus
David Lander, 33 Variations
Brian MacDevitt, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Hugh Vanstone, Mary Stuart

BEST LIGHTING DESING OF A MUSICAL

Kevin Adams, Hair
Kevin Adams, Next to Normal
Howell Binkley, West Side Story
Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Paul Arditti, Mary Stuart
Gregory Clarke, Equus
Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

BEST SOUND DESING OF A MUSICAL

Acme Sound Partners, Hair
Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Peter Hylenski, Rock of Ages
Brian Ronan, Next to Normal

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage
Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Greif, Next to Normal
Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages
Diane Paulus, Hair

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Karole Armitage, Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin's White Christmas

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS 

Larry Blank, Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Martin Koch, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
Danny Troob and John Clancy, Shrek The Musical

The 2009 Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall June 7. CBS-TV will broadcast the event live.

For more information visit www.tonyawards.com

Quote of the Day

"The revivals aren't reviving!"

(This quote comes from one of my callers that I called yesterday in reference to the Roundabout Theatre Company's 08/09 Season) 

I just thought it was really interesting what she had to say, she commented on wanting to see more edgier new stuff. For the most part Roundabout only produces revivals. I mean we are currently producing "Distracted" with Cynthia Nixon at the Laura Pels Theatre, a new edgy comedy by Lisa Loomer, but other than that they are all revivals. How unfortunate for new emerging playwrights like myself that everything that Broadway is producing is revivals, and the new shows that are being produced are just movies made into musicals such as "Shrek: The Musical" or "9 to 5" that just opened last night. 

Is there hope for new work to thrive on Broadway? Hopefully, in the years to come, we get more shows like "In the Heights," who won the Tony for Best Musical last season or the brand new rock musical "Next to Normal" which I'm sure will be nominated and win the Tony for Best Musical this year. We need original shows; Broadway is starving for new original work. How many times can we revive "Gypsy" without it being boring or stale? Maybe this is my time to write a brand original musical, and believe me, I do have some fresh new ideas...I just have to start writing them down, and maybe, just maybe one day my original musical will be produced in the Big White Wave.