Tuesday Samurai - Another Step in the Crescendo of Energy

Yes, I've been observing the last few rehearsals as assistant director of A Few Good Men and I already have a Matt Greseth gem to quote. It's just one indication of a great rehearsal process so far. This cast is so talented and is already working off book. After three rehearsals. That's nutso!

But we're taking a break from rehearsals tomorrow night for our first ever Urban Samurai FUNdraiser at Park Tavern Bowling & Entertainment Center in St. Louis Park. With bowling, door prizes, an exhibition bowling game, grand raffle prizes, and karaoke - not to mention fun times with USP friends and family - it's sure to be an event to remember. So you should come!

If you don't have it in your plans already, drop by tomorrow night and have an amazing time. $10 gets you through the doorway to FUNtown! Don't miss it!

Ryan Grimes
Managing Director
Urban Samurai Productions

FUNdraisers!

This is the first fundraiser I've ever been in charge of. It's also Urban Samurai's first fundraiser. Coincidence? I think not.

I can tell you that it has been a learning process. It has also been ulcerating. My ulcer is quite intelligent now.

But I think it will all be worthwhile when we come together on Wednesday to bowl and have a good time. Until then I'm sure I forgot at least one thing. I will remember this thing the night before. Or maybe on the drive there.

I truly hope a lot of people come, and that everyone has a good time. Cause at the end of the day, it's about the fun. Well, actually it's about raising money to match grant funds, but you understand what I mean. Matching grant funds is fun. And so is bowling.

On a semi-related note: I think raffles may be obsolete. No one carries cash or checks anymore, and it's illegal to sell them on the internet (we discovered). Whatever. So how are you supposed to sell raffle tickets if no one carries cash?

So if you are reading this, then you are a friend of Urban Samurai. So come out to Park Tavern on Wednesday and celebrate 5 awesome years of theater producing goodness. And for christsake, bring cash.

And so it begins...

Well folks, yesterday evening, several actors, one director and one stage manager from all across the metro gathered together and started...A Few Good Men rehearsals. It was an unconventional start to the process with no read-thru (causing one stage manager to have to read the play before rehearsals actually started), but it didn't even faze anyone. Clearly the actors have been reading the script, studying the lines and the characters, and are already right on pace...of course this is after only one night. But when an actor comes in and can pretty much do a scene off book day one, I'm thinking these people mean business. So yay to the actors thus far! You are impressing me already!! Now just get me your bios and headshots...;)

Bowling and Running and Writing (Not Necessarily In That Order)

The 2010 Minnesota Fringe Festival is history.

I saw a show in every slot again this year, including the encore. 56 performances, 53 shows (Three I went back for a second look, one of those I even had a very odd cameo appearance in). 29 reviews down, 24 to go.

The day after the Fringe, an epic Fringe Decompression podcast with Josh Humphreys and Nick Decker for Twin Cities Theater Connection, which should be posting in the near future.

Back at the day jobs, a lot of catching up to do.

And of course there's a play to write (the first of a couple, actually, which is nice)

Tomorrow, I head down to Winona with two vanloads of teammates for the Ragnar Relay's Great River Run. It's a 24 hour run from Winona, up along the Mississippi River on the Wisconsin side, and back into Minnesota around Stillwater, running on back to Minneapolis. 192 miles. 12 runners, doing three legs of the relay each. I'm the 6th runner on my team, last in my van (Van 1)to go, handing off to the 2nd half of the team in Van 2 when I'm done. We got a late start time for our team (2pm), so I won't be starting my first leg til around 6pm. 8.3 miles. Then I've got a breather til around 3:30 in the morning Friday/Saturday, when I run another 7.1 miles. Then my last leg will hit around 11:15 in the morning Saturday, only 3.5 miles. That one's rated "Moderate," my first two are both rated "Very Hard" (gulp). 18.9 miles total. Needless to say, I scheduled myself off from pretty much everything on Sunday.

And because that's not quite enough to completely derail the blogging for a few days, how about we throw in a bowling night fundraiser for my new artistic home, Urban Samurai Productions?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

8pm to closing time

$10 to bowl all night (it includes the shoe and ball rental)

Park Tavern Bowling and Entertainment Center
3401 Louisiana Ave S
St. Louis Park, MN

You can get your tickets online or at the door.

Also, they're raffling off three monster prize packages - $10 per raffle ticket, or you can get 3 for $25. Here, too, you can order raffle tix online now, or grab yourself some the night of the event. Better yet, why not do both?

The prizes...

Grand Prize - Ultimate Jackpot Getaway
A Weekend Stay at Mystic Lake Resort & Casino
Gift card for your choice of activity at Mystic Lake
Centerspace Pilates Gift Certificate
Urban Samurai Season 2011 Tickets (includes a new full-length version of my play "Leave")
Gift Basket from Caldrea
Bottle of Wine from Wine Time
Guthrie Theater Tickets


2nd Place - Theater Lover's Package
Urban Samurai Season 2011 Tickets
Theatre Unbound Tickets
Theatre Pro Rata Tickets
Crave Restaurant Gift Certificate


3rd Place - Comedy Lover's Package
Urban Samurai Season 2011 Tickets
Comedy Sportz Tickets
Brave New Workshop Tickets
Chipotle Restaurant Gift Card


So, you know, bowl, win stuff, support live theater, everybody feels good.


The Samurai website says...

"Urban Samurai Productions is celebrating Season 2010 by knocking down pins! Everyone's invited to the Park Tavern to join us for unlimited bowling, raffles, games, karaoke, and general merriment. Whether you're the King Pin or Gutterball Grand Poobah, it's sure to be a smashing good time, all supporting theater with Urban Samurai!

Bowling on the lanes with karaoke! A raffle with FABULOUS prizes and bowling challenges for awards! HILARIOUS entertainment! Drinks and food available in the restaurant and bar for purchase. Because this is a grown up event, Park Tavern requests that all guests be 21 or older.

What if you can't make it? It can't be true! Well, life happens, (sigh). But don't fret. You can still share in the fun by entering the raffle for fabulous prizes, or making a tax deductible donation to Urban Samurai. That way, you can be a part of making future productions possible."


And the day after all that, I turn 46.

Yikes. Where'd that year go?

Checking in from the Fringes

Hey all

Another Thursday out Fringing, so the only blogging you'll be seeing out of me is here...

See you after the Minnesota Fringe Festival dust has settled.

Meanwhile, don't forget the upcoming Samurai bowling night (Wednesday, August 25th!)

Tuesday Samurai - What Day Is It?

I've been slacking for the last month and I know it. And this week, I thought, "Ooh, I'll post on the blog this week!" And then I logged in today and realized it's Wednesday, not Tuesday, and that I'm a moron.

Well, what else is new?

OK, so here's the deal: It's been a crazy summer and I can't even believe it's almost over. Isn't that depressing? Sure, not as depressing as this disgusting weather we've been having (don't talk to me about humidity...it won't be a fun conversation), but all that time I thought I'd have this summer...GONE!

We start A Few Good Men rehearsals in the coming weeks. That production I thought was so far into the fall is now within reach. Seriously, where does the time go? I'll be assistant directing for the production, though my time with Men will be limited due to my commitment to perform in Minneapolis Musical Theatre's Evil Dead: The Musical. Fall will be yet another busy time of this year, but I probably wouldn't want it any other way.

One thing I'm going to do to try to kick back and relax before fall is our super awesome Urban Samurai Bowling FUNdraiser that is coming up on Wednesday, August 25th. The Park Tavern in St. Louis Park has donated their fine establishment to host bowling, karaoke, games, and just all-around merriment to celebrate Urban Samurai's Season 2010. It will be a blast and we hope to see all our supporters there.

But, let's be real. What I'm really stoked about is our raffle at the FUNdraiser. There's three prize packages up for grabs, each with its own theme. The grand jackpot includes a weekend stay at Mystic Lake and a giftcard for one of the many activities available at the resort. The prize packages also include tickets to the Guthrie, Theatre Unbound, Theatre Pro Rata, ComedySportz, Brave New Workshop, not to mention season passes for Urban Samurai's Season 2011.

Are you salivating yet? OK, here's the scoop. More information about the raffle, as well as a way to get your raffle tickets online (and advance admission to the event), is at our website. More specifically, http://www.urbansamurai.org/news.

Do it up!

Ryan Grimes
Managing Director
Urban Samurai Productions

Some Men and One Women

Well things are underway for A Few Good Men! And so far so good! Emails are a pouring out, getting conflicts, giving information, it never seems to end. It's crazy how it's less than a month before we start and I've already learned so much from the cast, and I haven't even met half of them! But nonetheless, it will be a good one! I am truly looking forward to meeting these fine actors and settling in for a show that I actually get to work on from start to finish, with virtually no interruptions!! This scenario has not happened, since, well, um, about 3 years ago. And I say boo to that. You become so distanced when you have to take off even one night. I hate that feeling that I missed so much...even though it may only have been one 3 hour rehearsal. But alas, as I said, this won't happen during the course of this show! And thank goodness, because working with a cast this large, keeping everything straight is the most important thing.
So cheers to us, getting the ball rolling and looking forward to the read-thru!

Fringe Break

Hey all

This Thursday and likely next Thursday, the only blogging you'll be seeing out of me is here...

See you after the Minnesota Fringe Festival dust has settled.

Meanwhile, don't forget the upcoming Samurai bowling night (Wednesday, August 25th!)