Thursday, May 29, 2008

true stories

One of the all-time best headlines in today's Times:

Monkeys Control a Robot Arm With Their Thoughts

Yes.

You can switch the nouns around, have some Word Fun,

Robots Control Monkey Arms With Their Thoughts

Monkeys Control Robot's Thoughts With Their Arms


Et cetera.

True story, great news for amputees, but what a great headline.

Big showdown with NYU last night at the Community Board 2 meeting. Much calmer than the way we do it at CB3, still some good shouting and tense officials going through the indignity and embarrassment of actually facing their critics.

Officials hate actually, physically listening to their critics. You can just feel it in the room, they stare at the floor and look at you in half-wonder, half-contempt, thinking,

"Who are you people? Don't you know I'm in charge? Jesus, go back to the sixties."

I gave them a solid proposal: Give LIT or Manhattan Theater Source or a consortium of West Village theaters a 99 year lease, dollar a year, at the Provincetown Playhouse to program the space 33% of the time. They're claiming the place is fully programmed, which is patently false and kind of a funny thing to insist on.

Their own numbers have them doing stage work and maintenance 24% of the time, "other" 12% of the time and closed 7% of the time.

That's 43% of the total time available.

And if you're mopping the stage 24% of the time, you're doing something wrong, folks.

Good run-through of The Event yesterday, working it again this afternoon. Come by the PIT tomorrow night, 9:30 and watch Matt Oberg do what he do.

Big farewell shindig for Steve Kovacs tonight. Steve is heading to Hong Kong next week to make his fortune, like many a free-lancer before him.

Hong Kong.

The Future.

Busy day ahead, lots of maintenance and house-keeping. Staying mindful of the daily tasks, polishing the silver and whatnot.

Monkeys actually typed this whole post with the loving thoughts of armed robots.

The Future!

Come on.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great to see you and Leonard there last night. Thanks again for speaking for the theater community. Also, great that Leguizamo spoke - he was in my theater history class back in '83. While I don't think that just saving the Provincetown walls and facade is enough of a compromise, I hope one can be found. (Save 2 of the 4 buildings and build around 'em? Or make those Sex&City gals buy the building off nyu just to make amends for all they've brought upon the neighborhood.) Hope you'll keep us posted on any other place where bodies are needed to stand up.

Rosemoo said...

I have to say that the image of a monkey eating a banana with a robot arm this morning definitely reminded me of you John. :D
See you tomorrow night!

John said...

NYU controls monkeys with armed robots.

A future headline we're sure to see.

Ann said...

ROSE??

ROSE IS COMING TOMORROW NIGHT??

I GET TO MEET ROSE?!?!

John said...

Yes, Ann.

Worlds will collide.

Monkeys will finally rise against their robot masters, arm themselves with Candy and, driven forward by the incessant beat of 70s rock and roll, storm the gates of Paradise and regain the Kingdom.

Or Something.

Maybe we'll just go around the corner and get a drink after the show.

You never know in Rat City.

Ann said...

You know my motto: drinks before storming. I gotta have at least three drinks prior to any revolutionary activities.

I'll see you at the thing. Bringing books, booze and bail money.

...I get to meet ROSE!

Rosemoo said...

Yay! I hope I live up to expectations! :D I must wear the bear hat!