The Royce Files

I have scoured the 'nets for years trying to find further recordings of the Japanese band Bob's Fish Market of the late 70s. The only place I found anything besides seafood listings was a vinyl record catalog of sorts online. But it only has 1 album and it is the album I encountered while in college. Now a flashback. I was an aspiring thespian (who are often pains, too!) at a small college in a rural land. In my first term, I did not take Intro to Theater-like most with theatrical aspirations would take. In fact I sort of skipped it, but that is another tale. In 2nd term I  enrolled in Stagecraft. It sounded a little more serious. Behind the scenes it was often called "tools for fools," since there were whole units dedicated to tools used to build props and scenery. One of the requirements for the class involved working weekly in the scene shop. However, by some means I found myself also volunteered to design sound effects for the upcoming...

The World Cup is fast approaching as most of the world knows. Well, this part of the world doesn't know it that well. They couldn't tell Lionel Messi from Clint Dempsey. The game stateside is still developing. It's adopted more American ways by eschewing relegation and embracing playoffs. Hence, why last season in MSL Real Salt Lake won the MLS cup despite having a losing record. Oh and Beckham and Co were on the losing end. Enough with the intro. This whole thing precipitated when DJ Segue had some questions concerning soccer this week. You see, he was confused why Barcelona won on Thursday night but Inter Milan go to the European Cup final. Well, its on of those insider things. The match was played over 2 games and the highest aggregate score advances. And if tied the goals scored away from home count more. Inter had 3 total goals to Barcelona's 2. The World Cup used to be played similarly during the early years of the tournament. Now it follows a league and knock-out...

I was looking through the Chicago theater listings for what is playing over the holiday season. I was equally surprised and amazed by this rendition of the Nutcracker. That's right. Chicagoans can see The Nutcracker on horseback . The Noble Horse Theater is the only venue in North America performing it in this manner. According to history, this was how the play was first produced back in the 19th century. Not until 1892 did Tchaikovsky set it to music and it became a ballet. Not much on horseback theatrics on the interwebs so this theater must be a revival of a tradition long forgotten. Probably because we drive automobiles now.

F argo North High School produced The Mystery of Edwin Drood of which one performance I attended with my roommate. It is a rather peculiar show as it seems to blend interactive with show within a show style. It is definitely an ensemble piece. There are no big parts although a few do stick out as important (yes Edwin Drood is a character.) As like our previous theatrical outing, I took a staged photo with one of the actors. No flask photography was allowed until after the show. As you can see at left my roommate refuses to entertain swig from the flask. I think he's a Nazarene. There was one photo op we just could not get because the actor kept entertaining the lady folk. This actor had particularly long sideburns plastered on. I wanted him to compare them to my roommate's natural ones. Instead I submit a side by side analysis without the hammy actor. (Yes the other guy above has long sideburns too, but he was the flask man.)

King Louis XIII made an appearance in Fargo a few weeks ago. Being a young king I think he drew on a mustache to appear older. His Royal Highness obliged us with a photo op while his body guard flirted with nearby ladies.

This young man performed a death scene for the audience of The Three Musketeers at Fargo South High School back a few weeks ago and then did it again for my camera after the show. Superbly done. Bravo young thespian!