Stories Left to Tell - Boston 2009

Stories Left to Tell - the amazing play of Spalding Gray's works and Diaries will play in Boston in 2009!!! A MUST SEE!!! for fans and everyone else too!
Schedule:
Sunday, Mar 1 (2009) 2:00pm
at Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA
AND

Thursday, Feb 26
7:30pm

Friday, Feb 27
7:30pm

Saturday, Feb 28
7:30pm

(http://calendar.boston.com/boston-ma/events/show/85701563-spalding-gray-stories-left-to-tell)
AND
http://www.storieslefttotell.com/ (note: as of Dec. 24th, 2008, this site is NOT up to date)
For Reviews of the Play, see http://www.spaldinggray.com/spudreviews.html

Book: Spalding Gray’s America

From Limelight (Publisher):
Spalding Gray’s America is a thoughtful study of Spalding the artist, taking readers from his early days with the Performance Group and Wooster Group all the way through his entire career. It’s a lively and accessible evaluation of Gray's career, nicely illustrated. We definitely recommend it for all Spalding Gray fans! Here are a few lines from the introduction to give you an idea of the author’s point of view:“Gray the consummate storyteller offered honest, usually hilarious, and often poignant confessions that bear witness to a world that has generated ever more frequent moments of isolation, self-doubt, and despair. Gray was willing to deal with such moments. But in a spirit that is almost uniquely American, he never allowed us to wallow in the misery that often accompanies those times of doubt, desperation, and panic. Optimism pervaded his performances, even as he recounted dark times when a positive attitude seemed more like foolhardiness. But then, isn’t that what America is all about? Gray’s perspective on life in our world always took on an absurdly funny luster that penetrated his audience and offered us all a sense that, whatever our particular woes, we’re all in it together. And that is a good thing. Of course, Gray was doing far more than just talking. He worked hard at his craft, elevating his talent as a storyteller to an art form rarely (if at all) recuperable by the most ambitious of imitators. One felt that there was something intense and very significant going on when we were in Spalding’s presence, despite his disarming affability.”
http://www.applausepub.com/itemDetail.jsp?itemid=332725

new music for Spalding Gray

David T. Little, a New York based composer has written a piece in memory of Spalding Gray, which will be premiered Dec. 9th, 2008 by NOW Ensemble at Princeton University. It ends the concert, which begins at 8 pm EST, and is being webcast from http://music.princeton.edu NOW Ensemble will perform the work again on December 17th at the Chelsea Art Museum in New York.

Sderbergh Documentary

Update links about Soderbergh Documentary about Spalding Gray (it's still in the works)...
http://animeboobs.org/?p=2817#comment-68
http://www.indiewire.com/people/2008/12/honor_roll_08_v.html

jb

Stories about Birds

After I listened to Kathie Russo's recent story of NPR about Spalding Gray and a returning bird, http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=369
reminded me of a friend who also had a bird story. Not nearly as hopeful or spiritual but alas still true.

They were at the SPCA and found a cockatiel in a nice cage. They wanted to save it but could only fit it into their office at work. They found that it was very noisy as it appeared to have been mistreated. However, no one complained.
Then one day, their 'team' turned against him, making all kinds of false accusations, including that they were cruel to the bird. Which was absolutely false. They had saved the bird and treated it very well.
They had to agree to get rid of the poor bird who went back to the SPCA. My friend's team was vicious from then on, led on by 2 people whom my friend had helped a great deal. Eventually my friend had to leave their position and their team did nothing to back them up. They should all feel a great deal of SMAME and I personally hope that birds never bless their lives. I hope the Squeek, the cockatiel, found a great home.

Fundraiser at Kathie Russo's

The Holiday Fundraiser to benefit Time for Teens will be held at the North Haven home of Kathie Russo on Saturday, December 6, 2008 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $150 and $250 (the $250 amount will sponsor a child for camp in 2009). Nick & Toni’s will cater the event. To reserve, call Laraine Gordon at 338-7258.
Teens Find Time to Grieve
http://sagharborexpress.sagharborpublishing.com/shexpress/community/teens-find-time-to-grieve/#comment-2661
Fundraiser at Kathie Russo's - if you can go, please send me (Contact/jb) pictures.

Black Spot

where in Ireland is the precise location of the Black Spot? Where Spalding Gray had car accident...near Moate,Ireland...

Mike Daisey DVD / plays Vancouver BC

Important Update from Mike Daisey:
"we're making a movie. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING is becoming a feature film.It's being directed by Steve Anderson, who did a film a few years ago about the word fuck, conducted the last interviews with Hunter S. Thompson, is a trained Hollywood stunt driver, has lounged in the grotto at the Playboy Mansion, and posesses a great eye and understanding of the piece—between all these skill sets he will be outstanding at translating this monologue to film."
This will now be complete. Please watch for the DVD. I'm sure Mike will tell us when it's released. Remember to buy through affiliates (ebay and abebooks being fixed)
PS: Mike is playing Vancouver, Canada! see www.mikedaisy.com for details. Any one going to Vancouver show? (let me know -click contact,join the spiders!)
VANCOUVER, BC MONOPOLY!at the Push Festival February 4th,2009 at 9pmDetails

Spalding Gray Book...

Note re book: Spalding Gray's America:
Author:
William Demastes

Biography & Memoir
Publisher:
Limelight Editions
ISBN-10:
0879103604
ISBN-13:
9780879103606


Format:
Softcover
Publication Year:
2008
is from reports: "really this isn't anything... and his is more for academia."...
Will I read it...oh yeah, I want a signed copy!
Remember to buy thru our link to amazon.ca (link to amazon.com coming soon!) For now, sign in thru .ca on out affiliate page then click link to .com - schorlarship fund still gets percentage).
jb

Black Spot...

where in Ireland is the precise location of the Black Spot? Where Spalding had car accident...near Moate,Ireland...

Halloween Pasts

I once had gotten a job at an unnamed hospital in a clinic.
My first day of work was Halloween. I was living in my uninsulated cottage with a fireplace, sauna and break thru ice for water. That part was fine except the days that the wind came off the lake. It was called windy bay in the winter, sandy bay in the summer.
The first place I went at work was the cafeteria as I was early and needed a coffee. Virtually everyone in the cafeteria was dressed up, from the servers to the doctors.
Then I went to the clinic - I had been hired on the phone.
No one was dressed up. My denial kicked in but I was fairly sure what was wrong. It turned out I was right about both guesses. Half or more of the staff were rigid, and the other half were recent hires in total fear of rocking the boat. Anything new or 'liberal' was taboo. I can't say more as it would identify the hospital and at this point I don't want to. But I can always come back and edit...
My days there were short as I was on the cutting edge of the work done at the clinic, and that was way too threatening. Not only did I suffer, but many clients suffered as well.
As Lou Dobbs says of the current Bank bailout going into executive pockets - it is despicable...

jb

Spalding Gray mailing list (Bonus Material at End!)

Spalding Gray mailing list (Bonus Material at End!) (tried to > copy and paste from Word into notepad to remove code, then paste again. > So since> I sent it to myself, then edited in reply mode. Hence the > signs.> There is so much that I will likely miss something, so here goes, in some > vague sense of priority. Or just skip to the zen story at the end!> 1) Soderbergh Documentary is still alive!!!> - quote from http://animeboobs.org/?p=2817:> "Steven Soderbergh got quizzed about his untitled Spalding Gray project. > It is still in the works and he has masses of material but the process is > being lengthened by the fact that only he and one other are working on it > >> And you heard it hear first. I have applied to help out- no joke! After a > stroke (I recently had another one this time 'minor' like a stroke can be > minor!!!) I figure I either get depressed or bold personally I prefer > bold!!!> 2) a 3 month complete update to the site is underway. Every pe plus new > pages. There will be lots of new info. Iam transferring to Dreamweaver so > the site will be CSS compliant if you dont know CSS and dont have a > website that you yourself code, dont worry. Just know its better!> 3) and yes, as I am doing this all myself, I still need volunteers,eh!> 4) because blogs have not died as predicted, unlike the world financial > system, there is now YES! a Spalding Gray blog. SO tell your friends and > neighbours to visit the page, write on the blog (use Spalding Gray in the > entry and google alerts will pick it up) and VOTE FOR OBAMA!!!> We in Canada want Obama as prime minister as we unfortunately re elected > the quasi fascismo conservative party think mccain without nuclear weapons> http://spaldinggray.blogspot.com/> 5) kudos to James Braly for his success in NYC and Shawn Watson for his > brilliant performace of Swimming to Cambodia in Victoria, Canada hey, > thats where I live. Shawn needs to tour this show. An amazing > performac!!!> 6) delays the DVD box set has been delayed (at minimum) because it needed > to follow Soderbergh for publicity sake. It the #1 question that I get > asked where's the box set! (next to 'I once saw a monologue with Spalding > where he was buying a cabin, it was hilarious but I dont remember the > name where can I get it) I see now used on Amazon starts at $24 and new is > $133!> So chant 'om mane padme hum' 'box set' 'om mane padme hum'etc.> 7) affiliates - I am working hard on this as part of the site update.> The amazon link still works and the pennies still flow thank you.> But ebay and abebooks (recently bought by amazon for 160 million - not > bad for a 10 year old company, except if you compare it to utube. I > estimated that the 2 founders made about $200,000 an hour each based on > the sale to google) anyway, ebay and abe went to new affiliate company and > we need to start all over. I will let everyone know when its set up. In > the meantime, please use our lnkfor amazon tell your friends and tell > them to vote for OBAMA!!!> 8) which brings me to the following:> I have a very good idea for a software program that will help affiliates > and non profits in a potentially tremendous way hence making it very > sellable to amazon. Two things:> a) I'm no good at writing Java> b) I need a partner who does write Java and will agree that 10% of profits > will go to the Spalding Gray Scholarship Fund.>> Interested??? Email me. You will have to agree to a strict confidentiality > agreement as this software has the potential to make a great deal of money > and do groovy things like help out any non profit such as red cross or...> 9) and going back to affiliates if you got to updates on the site, you > will see I have posted a survey about affiliates. If you have any ideas > for companies that have affiliates and somehow are appropriate to the > site, please fill it out. By the way, Spalding (the company turned me down > I will try again)andthat favourite beer of Spalding which always slips > my mind but is contained in the 2000 + emails I am currently sorting, > doesnt seem to have an affiliate but I'm thinking a banner anyway.> 10) I NEED A JOB> Simply because I am going broke and its not a great time for that as my > mutuals have turned into unshareds (actual opposite believe it or not), I > am possible facing bleak times. I was working on line as a mediator for > eBay but the program was closed. I have an MSW, have lots of computer > skills and have even been diagnosed (among other things!) as high > intelligence asbergers (as are 80% of MIT professors), so smart and a good > writer. If anyone sees any LEGITMATE online jobs, please, please tell me.> 9) perhaps of not everyone's interest but I have at least 2 Irish fans who > are searching for the Black Spot (Irish term for dangerous corner) where > Spalding was in accident. I am searching my thousands of emails/articles > etc. for the date of accident for locl Irsh newspaper search, for the > Vets last name same last name as realtor in NY that Spalding did not like.> To quote one of the fans:> Most valuable of all would be a radio interview Spalding did on a popular > afternoon talk show in which he criticised the hospital in Tullamore, Co > Offaly he was in.> There was a reaction to Spalding's comments from other listeners defending > the hospital which was wrong, we may have lots of nice thigs in Ireland > but our health care is a mess. The people who work in the hospitals are > lovely but work under enormous pressure> Now does that sound familiar. I'm blind in the right eye because the > emergency did no have enough doctors so the stroke was not properly > treated or in time. IÃf��fÃf�Ã,¯Ãf�Ã,¿Ãf�Ã,½Ãf��,Ãf��Ãf�Ã,¦am I angry and bitter you betcha!> 10) ZEN STORY (thanks for the feedback that people actually enjoy these).> True story - one day, Suzuki Roshi (Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, if you have > no read this, go right now to amazon, through the affiliat page of > course, and buy it!)> and some followers were to plant a tree on top of a hill for some reason. > After reaching the top of the hill, it was discovered that someone had > forgotten the shovel. The blame game broke out until someone noticed the > Roshi had already gone down the hill and was half way back with said > shovel>> jb>this message is dedicated to Janwillem van de Wetering, the author who wrote Empty Mirror, zen detective stories and fantastic children's books, who recently passed on from colon cancer in Maine) So don't forget your colonoscopy! The new virtual colonoscopies are either out there now or about to be and I can tell you, since I was diagnosed with colitis at 12, I have had colonoscopies since they were invented and the virtual type really is going to be a huge improvement. I will miss you Janwillem>>> Bonus Material>> 1) Completely forgot : in cooperation with www.sideshowworld.com,> Randall Levenson and Kathleen Russo> I have begu to put parts of In Search of a Monkey Girl (part written by > Spalding) on the site. It will eventually have it own page. Sideshow is > posting it in parts so I haven't checked lately to see how much is there. > However, it's great to have access to this rare book.> 2) Who won the 3rd Spalding Gray Award. My memory suggests that it should > have been awarded last June (?)> 3) Someone kindly pointed out that the sidebar is way too far down on the > Updates page and perhaps others. It was suggested that for unknown reasons > there was a lot of &nsp code. So I eliminated the excess code but it did > not solve the problem. Could someone familiar with XTML code look at the > code and make a suggestion. Greatly appreciated.> 4) awhile back, I wrote a story called Open Letter to Amy Sedaris (aka > Swimming to Amy). I have yet to post it on my site , should as it is funny > if you have read her 'I like you Hosptitality Under the Influece' if you > haven't...then> So today, I wrote anopen letter to joe the plumber and I am pleased to
> be able to copy the complete letter here:>
dear joe,
fuck you>>>>