The First Step.

A busy day in store today.  I have to pull together the song for Garbo Talks.  That call back is tomorrow and on Tuesday the one for ANNIE.  Ángie and I are heading over to Long Beach to spend the night for the two back to back auditions.  More on all that once it's done.

Well, we were finally attacked by a virus.  First time it's happened to me.  The computer simply shut down.  We had to take it into have it "debugged."  Pain in the ass.

I watched three separate specials on 9/11 yesterday and was horrified all over again.  What a terrible, terrible day for this nation.  As I watched the images unfold from nine years ago, I was struck with the same feeling of helplessness I had back then.  Of all the mind-boggling images, the ones that effected me most profoundly are the ones that showed ''the jumpers".  Those poor souls who's only option, apparently, was to leap to their deaths from the World Trade Center.  Absolutely horrific.  And most frustrating, these nine years later, is the fact that Bin Laden still remains free traveling from cave to cave in the anthill countryside of Afghanistan.  I have always liked Colin Powell's assessment of the situation back then.  While other politicians bandied about eupemisms such as "bring the perpetrators to justice," or "right this terrible wrong," Powell said on national TV, "make no mistake, we will find you and kill you." 

Anyway.

I've contacted a number of very fine actors about a preliminary meeting regarding the new theater company and I've started putting together a comprehensive, step by step packet for that meeting.  Nearly everyone has responded positively to the idea.  Some haven't responded but I think that may be because of they're loyalty to other theater companies.  Perfectly understandable.

I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a way to do this without relying on the "pay to act" blueprint.  Talent will be the first and most important criteria to join this company, not money.  Once the tax-exempt status can be established, there are myriad ways to raise seed money without getting it from struggling actors who have to choose between rent and food and dues.  There's something inherently nefarious about that business plan.

In any event, we'll raise all of these issues at the preliminary meeting.

See you tomorrow.