By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATIONWHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
G. Washington
General Thanksgiving
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‘Ready Teddy’ Set Photos
Here is a small sampling of photos from the Ready Teddy shoot. These are about all I can share on this blog. The rest are rather brutal. Enjoy!
Filed under Film
The Long Unwinding Reel
Here’s an update on Ready Teddy from writer/director Jarod Costa:
The film is good…in fact it’s freaking amazing. The transfer session could not have gone better. Every shot looks perfect. We did not lose a single take due to focus, underexposure, or scratches on the film. I could not ask for a better looking film. It’s being transferred HD so it looks amazingly crisp. I wasn’t able to get the footage due to some equipment malfunctioning, but I’ll be able to pick up my drive on Monday and then start editing. So for now we have this weekend to celebrate our amazing achievment.
Sounds like it is going very well. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out.
Filed under Film
Happy Birthday, Tiny Tim!
Our Tiny Tim turned nine years old yesterday and we celebrated her birthday at rehearsals for Ebenezer Scrooge. After rehearsing the opening number our director, Jeff Vance, halted everything and announced we would be adding a new unrehearsed song at that point in the show. We then broke out into a chorus of “Happy Birthday to You” and cake was presented. Needless to say, our Tiny Tim was surprised and delighted.
With only one week of rehearsal left, opening night is fast approaching. We open the day after Thanksgiving and run through December 23. I just made reservations for my family and found that seats are already filling up. This will be a long run of sold-out shows, I can tell. If you haven’t made your reservations yet, I suggest you contact Pocket Sandwich Theatre as soon as possible. Seats are going fast!
Filed under Theatre
“I Buried Paul”
Ready Teddy has wrapped!
The bizarre and bloody short film in which I play a Goodfellas-esque Paul McCartney successfully completed principal photography over the weekend. It took two 14-hour days to shoot the six page script but there were a lot of effects to cover in those six pages. Without giving too much away, let’s just say there was more blood spilt in this flick than contained in all four Beatles combined — or perhaps almost as much as was in Elvis himself.
I just received an e-mail from the screenwriter and director, Jarod Costa:
It’s a great feeling to stop for a moment, look to the right and Elvis is on his cell phone wandering a graveled Mansfield parking lot…turn to my left and see George Harrison and John Lennon bloodied and sharing a cigarette and look straight ahead and see Troy shirtless and spitting blood. Every one of you gave a spectacular performance and deserves massive amounts of kudos. I now know what cast and crew I want on all of my projects.
It’s a great feeling for an actor when a director is this enthusiastic about a shoot.
I’ve been promised stills from the set and, of course, a copy of the completed project which should be done before the year is out. In the meantime, above is a shot taken with my phone. Enjoy!
Filed under Film
Smash & Grab
Well, sadly, events unfold that remind us we live in a world where man is truly a fallen being.
My wife went to lunch with a friend today and, upon leaving the restaurant, found that someone had smashed the driver’s side window of our car and stolen the portable GPS that was inside. The blessing is that no one was hurt and we are both grateful for that. Indeed, we’ve managed to make light of the situation. We sort of feel bad for the thief who made off with an ancient GPS with outdated maps and a bad tendancy to route you to the wrong place entirely. He’s probably lost somewhere right now cursing the spoils of his effort.
Upon reporting the incident, my wife learned that someone witnessed the theft and called the cops with a description of the perp (I’ve always wanted to use the term “perp”). If it’s God’s will, he will be caught. Otherwise, life goes on and so shall we. After all, it’s only stuff, nothing of real value — certainly nothing worth the risk of getting caught and going to jail.
Tough break, perp. 😛
Filed under Personal
A Hunk O’ Burnin’ Love Me Do
This weekend I will be playing the role of former Beatle Paul McCartney in a short film titled Ready Teddy. This won’t be a portrayal of the public McCartney, the animal-rights activist, entrepreneur and philanthropist. No. This is the McCartney from the mind of Jarod Costa, a local filmmaker who loves deconstructing icons. This McCartney is nasty.
The film will involve a short scene with McCartney (me), John Lennon (former KD Studios classmate Scott Barber), George and Ringo tormenting a kidnapped Elvis Presley. What they want from him is ambiguous but it is clear that McCartney wants Elvis to acknowledge their superior pop status. Of course, the King bows to no one, not even for a fried peanut-butter and banana sandwich — hence the conflict.
Costa has written a deliciously absurd and campy script. This should prove to be a fun shoot.
Filed under Film
Humbuggery!
Currently I am in rehearsals for Ebenezer Scrooge, a musical based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. I am playing two parts in this show: Bob Cratchit and Mr. Fezziwig — two completely different characters, both equally fun to play. This will be the 27th consecutive holiday season the Pocket Sandwich Theatre has hosted this highly successful production. Having lived with the show over the last month, I can understand why it has become a holiday staple in the Dallas market.
This adaptation is one of the most charming musicals I’ve encountered. Every tune is catchy, which explains why you’ll catch me obliviously humming the score if you run into me on the street. All the important story points are present with dialogue pulled directly from the novel. The darker moments are blended with well-timed comedic relief.
The cast has been one of the most entertaining with whom I have had the pleasure of working. Ranging in age from as young as 8 to as old as — *ahem* — myself, every member brings a youth and exuberance that feeds an atmosphere of creative energy. It is also the largest cast with which I have worked; seeing all of us on stage in the small space is an event unto itself.
I have the pleasure of working with Amy Wells who plays both Mrs. Cratchit and Mrs. Fezziwig (she’s a bit put out that no one seems to know her character’s first name, not even, apparently, Mr. Dickens who never mentions it in the novel). The Cratchit kids are all endearing. The youngest, our Tiny Tim, has taken to affectionately taunting me with her “crutch-fu” skills. And David H.M. Lambert reprises the title role for the 15th time and he truly embodies the character. Working against his Scrooge generates an authenticity that should prove engaging to this year’s audience.
With little more than two weeks to go before we open, it is exciting to see the pieces come together. This weekend, the set used in the current Pocket Sandwich melodrama, Sweeny Todd — Fiend of Fleet Street, comes down and our set goes up which, no doubt, will require some re-blocking next week. The rehearsal process has been a great deal of fun and I look forward to sharing that fun with an audience.
The show opens Friday, November 28 and runs through Tuesday, December 23, 2008. This is Pocket Sandwich Theatre’s most popular show so reservations are strongly recommended if you wish to come (and I hope you will). Food and beverage service is available before all shows. Visit www.pocketsandwich.com for more details or call the box-office at (214) 821-1860.
Filed under Theatre
…oh…my…holy…God…
I actually started my own blog.
What in the world possessed me to do such a thing? Am I so vain as to think anyone in the world would care to sit and invest precious time they could never get back reading my mindless musings in cyberspace? Apparently so since here I sit, fingers flying over my keyboard, spewing out thoughts like a burping infant spews his latest meal.
I have often wondered what would lead people to regurgitate their views in such a public manner. For that matter, I’ve often pondered why I have occasionally taken the time to read them. Now, with no real answers, I have joined the ranks of the trendy.
I am a blogger. 😮
May God have mercy on us all.
Filed under Uncategorized
Brad Stephens 