In the Rough - The Blog of Joel McDonald Jr.

Virginian-Pilot article with some cast member information, their connections to showbiz, politics, and history in addition to information in newly added show times. [Read]

He just sat there wondering what he was going to do the next day, and the next, and the days following after. Darren hated making decisions, and avoided coming into conflict with a choice; almost at all costs. For someone who to so many seemed to be the very epitome of having his life together, Darren would rather defer to another or leave it all up to chance if it meant that he wasn’t the one who would be making the decision.

Indecisiveness, however, can only move a person but so far. Sure, there might be some success in a life lived without making solid decisions, but these successes can only be short lived, like lightening in a storm; a flash of powerful brilliance. It’s only a flash though, a temporary spark. For anything lasting, any long term constructive energy to be maintained there must be planning; and planning by nature requires making decisions. And Darren hated making decisions.

There on the park bench, overlooking the lake, Darren found it hard to settle on what to invest his time and energy into. The pressure of the closing day and the perceived expectations the world lingered heavy on his mind. Of what consequence were his actions in the lives of others? Would the sacrifices required in the making of a decision be worth the return on such an investment? Would the value of the accomplishment of a decided goal outweigh what he would give up to pursue that goal?

The sun was setting into the trees surrounding the lake, changing them from comforting greens to dark silhouettes behind a golden sky. Each moment as the sun moved toward and then into the horizon seemed to Darren as a clock counting down to a moment where either a decision is made or all hope for success is lost.

Taking a deep breath, Darren pushed back the imposing deadline in his mind to another day. Perhaps that day would be tomorrow, or the next, or a day that follows after. What he knew was that he would again confront this decision again, and as the sun vanished into the western horizon and sky turned dark, all Darren could think of what how much he hated making decisions.

Reading reviews leaves one feeling humbled, sometimes a little hurt and humiliated, and wanting a chance to do better. It’s interesting to get a third party’s point of view. Here’s a couple more of 1776, with highlights quoted.

Shannon Dunlap of Portfolio: “Though the expected sour notes do appear at random, the vocal performances of the cast are unexpectedly good, and exponentially better than you would expect from community theatre.” [Read More]

PL Freebourne of OnHamptonRoads.com: “Little Theatre of Virginia Beach’s cast is replete with talent, particularly with some professional level acting from a couple of the leads and some great singing from the ensemble. ” [Read More]

Jul 27 - Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon, says aliens been visiting the earth for the past sixty years.

A veteran of the Apollo 14 mission, Mitchell also says world governments are aware of the alien visits, but have covered them up.

NASA denies it is involved in an alien conspiracy or cover up.

[Reuters]

Montague Gammon’s review of 1776 was published in this morning’s paper. The title: “Theatre’s 1776 is a salute to good performance”. For those who haven’t seen the show, or have and forgotten, his chosen title is a play on “Richard Henry Lee” as he prompts Adams and Franklin with “Gentleman, a salute to Virginia, the mother of American Independence!”. I have a lot of fun with that line, garnering a good chuckle from the audience as I give it. I’ve even got the orchestra mimicking my salute with a riding crop, only they’re using bows from their violins and other items around them. Much fun.

Overall, it’s a good review. Montague misspelled my name, but I suppose I should be tickled with the fact that I was even mentioned by name at all. Many actors got a wonderful mention and praise. Of me, Montague wrote, “Joel [McDonald] has great fun as the young, buffoonish, and self-centered Virginian Richard Henry Lee.” From there he segways into somewhat of a rant on how historically inaccurate the character is; a victim of the playwrights. I suppose I should take pride in having accomplished exactly the character that was written and not being anything like the man as he was.

Montague closes with “It’s fun to watch the conflicts of 1776 tunefully resolve themselves, and it’s essentially impossible not to applaud the subject, no matter the inconsistencies of acting abilities or historical veracity. It’s quite acceptable as a light-weight, light hearted summer diversion.”

You can read the entire review by clicking here.