48 Hour Film Project

Every year for the past 5 years, I have been involved in something called The 48 Hour Film Project. If you are not familiar with it the idea is this: You have only 48 Hours to write, shoot, edit etc.. a 5 to 7 minute film over a weekend. On Friday evening all the film makers meet and draw a genre -such as "Horror, Sci-Fi, Romantic, Super Hero, Drama, Suspense, Action" and so on. Once you are assigned a genre of film, everyone is given a Character and occupation, a prop and a line of dialogue that must be in your movie. Once you have those elements, you have from 7pm Friday evening until 7:30pm Sunday to make a film. It must be turned in on the dot Sunday or else you are out of the competition.
This year, I drew "Super Hero" as a genre. The character that had to appear was "Ashton or Ashley Brown" - "Expert" (they could be an expert at anything)
The prop we must have was "A Photo of Mom and/or Dad"
The line of dialogue was "Have you ever seen anything like it?"
Below is the result. Enjoy. Feedback encouraged!

"Getting Murdered In The Morning" premiers in Vietnam

That's right. My work has been produced in the United Kingdom and in Spain but now, The Saigon Players are bringing "I'm Getting Murdered In the Morning" to the Legend Hotel in Ho Chi Minn City May 21st, 22nd and 23rd.

I can't tell you how great that feels. When a playwright first writes a play, he or she just hopes a few people in the area show up to see it. To think that this little idea you plunked out on a typewriter is being produced for a whole different culture half way around the world is pretty amazing.

Here are the details:

Email saigonplayers@gmail.com or

SMS: 0908 546 015.
7pm Thursday 21st, May
7pm Friday 22nd, May
2pm & 7pm Saturday 23rd May
@ The Legend Hotel
2A-4A Ton Duc Thang Street
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam

Take a Look Behind the Scenes of "Murder Me Always"

A few years ago, Exit Theatre based in Croydon, UK. staged a brilliant production of my script "Murder Me Always". I'd seen a few photos from their version and even use some of them on Play-dead.com. From all appearances, Exit Theatre went all out with the play and I really wish I could have traveled across the pond and experienced it. But the next best thing is a series of videos they posted called 'Behind the Scenes at Murder Me Always'. They allow you the viewer to wander around backstage and get a... well, "Behind the Scenes" look. So let's look at the scenes that are.. behind Murder Me Always.

Cascade Community Theatre "Murder Me Always"

The Cascade Community Theatre has announced they will be presenting "Murder Me Always" at the Sno-Valley Senior Center on Friday May 29th and Saturday May 30th 2009.

"Murder Me Always" is essentially a play within a play. Or more specifically it is a Murder mystery within a murder mystery. Well it's both really.

The Cascade Community Theatre is located in Carnation Washington. If you are in the area, I highly recommend you attend.

Check out the details here: Cascade Community Theatre

Blast from My Past

Many years ago, before writing Murder Mysteries, among other things, I wrote music reviews for a local St. Louis paper called "Spotlight". Since I was expressing my opinion on local and national recordings, I thought it best to use an alternate name or pen name if you will. I guess I thought that if I used my real name and I happened to write a less than favorable review, the musicians could find me and express their displeasure. So, I invented a name or character if you will.
Quick back story, for years I had this problem, I apparently looked like "Jim" or someone named "Jim". Countless times, I would be approached in a public place or party and asked if my name was Jim. No, sorry, it's not. No Jim here.
Anyway, while deciding what my "pen" name should be, I thought about my Jim issue. I went on to think...Hmmm, you know, there seems to be a "cult" of people out in the world that think I was this guy named Jim. Aha! Perfect! Thus my pen name became.. are you ready? "Jim Cult". Yep.
One of the bands I wrote about and reviewed were called "The Eyes". The Eyes were a very popular local group that drew national attention. Eventually, they were signed by Atlantic Records and had to change their name, (see they did it too) and became "Pale Divine". Well, Pale Divine imploded after one record, but the guitarist Rich Fortus has gone on in the music industry to great things. In fact he is now a member of the newer Guns n Roses.
This past Monday, December 29th 2008, "Pale Divine" reunited for one night in St. Louis at The Pageant and played to a packed house. The reason I am telling you all of this - is that I found a The Eyes/Pale Divine website. On the site, under their "Press" tab, I found 2 of my old reviews listed. I almost don't remember writing them, but I thought I would share a little bit of what I used to do. Keep in mind I was much younger back then, but weren't we all. Here are the reviews:

"Just Released: 'Freedom in a Cage'"
Spotlight, April 6, 1989 (by Jim Cult) all rights reserved.

You may have to listen to Freedom in a Cage more than once to convince yourself that this is a locally produced product. Yes, the Eyes are a local band, and they've just come out with a superior cassette. Hats off to Dave Probst for an outstanding mixing and engineering job. The overall sound quality makes for an aural experience. "Body Fall" pulls you in one side with a few delicate acoustic notes, then dives into a powerful punch of rich harmonies and driving rhythms. "Way Strange" follows with searing guitar work from Richard Fortus. His lead work is like a wild fire that can barely be kept under control. Michael Schaerer ignites each song with powerful vocals, his range and approach setting the musical atmosphere. For example, "The Closet," which depicts a boy who's hiding after experiencing motherus-interuptus in a girlfriend's bedroom, becomes dark an foreboding through Schaerer's haunting vocal approach. Also, take note of Greg Miller's off-kilter attack on drums in the songs - it really adds to the tension of the lyrical content and mood. All ten songs on the tape are wonderfully crafted, there are no throw-away fillers here. The stand out track has to be "Delicate Balance," with its funky, winding tempo highlighted by Fortus' bouncing riff what wraps around Dan Angenend Jr's perfect, popping bass groove.We could go on and on here, but it would suffice to say that Freedom in a Cage is one rockin'-sonic-funk, dance-to-the-music, I-want-to-take-you-higher, get-up-like-a-sex-machine, let-me-stand-next-to-your-fire feast of excellent songcrafting. It's a must hear cassette by a top notch St.Louis band. Nuff said.

But wait! There's more.

The Audio File: “Straight To Goodbye, Pale Divine”
Atlantic/Atco Records
Spotlight, October 1991 (by Jim Cult) all rights reserved.

You may have heard it all by now: Record deal… long wait… name change… blah, blah, blah… et cetera, et cetera. Let’s cut to the exposition and go straight to Straight To Goodbye. You’ve probably heard most of these songs live or at least some of them on Freedom In a Cage, the independent cassette/cd, released a couple years ago.

Well, producer Simon Rogers has captured and kept the heart and energy of the initial compositions. Rogers, who has worked with the Fall and Peter Murphy in the past, seems to have let Pale Divine define their own sound. Categorizing the early Eyes’ sound found lines drawn to bands such as Mission U.K., the Church and so on… but some of the newer material carries hints of older influences. You may hear a touch of Beatles in “Universe” with its Eastern sitar-ish mysticism, a slice of Bowie in “It Couldn’t Happen To You” and even a hint of Hendrix in “Something About Me” with Rich Fortus’ feverish wah-induced fret work. But, of course, similarities are only in the ear of the beholder. Naturally, there is the original Divine sound. The best example can be found in the song “Anything” with its rich melodies, lush harmonies and lyrical quips like: “And if I have to sell you/What’ll you buy?”

A note on the atmosphere that Michael Schaerer’s lyrics present: Let’s just say they are not the “feel good” images of the year – somewhat lost and lonely, seething with neurosis. The only real love song is “Cigarette.”

The overall essence of strong guitar work and melodic presence that is the core of Pale music is enhanced by producer Rogers. The dynamics that one loses in live settings or local recordings, Rogers captures with crystal clarity. My only problem with the recording is some of the placement levels. Greg Miller’s drums are a tad subdued on most songs, with the exception of “Flow My Tears,” where they pound prominently under Schaerer’s tortured vocal. Also, the background harmonies on “Anything” area little light compared to how I usually enjoy hearing them. Aside from these minor peeves, Straight To Goodbye is an outstanding recording. The band’s basic inimitable sound is intact and enhanced on a professional level, allowing fans of Pale Divine or first-time listeners to hear their music in its purest form.

By the way. I did go to the Pale Divine reunion show. And not once did anyone ask if my name was Jim.

Death of A Doornail raises funds for Great Cause

LUVLife the High School youth group with First Presbyterian Church in Pueblo, Colorado will be presenting "Death Of A Doornail" by Lee Mueller to raise money for the national nonprofit Project C.U.R.E.

From the Puelbo Chieftain Online
After trips to Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic in 2006 and 2007, the youth group decided to forgo a summer mission trip this year to save money.

Instead, they devoted themselves to raising money to help equip the hospital they helped to build last summer, along with other volunteers under the auspices of Ministries in Action, in the town of Hato Nuevo, just outside Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Their goal is $20,000 by the time the hospital opens next year, and they've raised more than $8,300 so far with regular chile and cornbread dinners at the church, calendar and bake sales and other events.

Performances for the Murder Mystery will begin at 6 p.m., starting with hors d'oeuvres in the fellowship hall. The first act of "Death of a Doornail" will follow in the sanctuary. Dinner will be served during intermission, when audience members will be given clues about the identity of the "who" in the whodunit.


WHAT: "Death of a Doornail" dinner theater

WHERE: First Presbyterian Church, 220 W. 10th St.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday November 9th 2008 (Saturday is sold out)

TICKETS: $10 at the door

Staying Dead at Magic Valley Little Theater

I posted previously about Magic Valley Little Theater presenting my play "Stay As Dead As You Are" about a wacky high school reunion, but I came across this nice little promotional piece at Magicvalley.com. I recommend if you are in the Southern Idaho area to check out their production.

By Erica Littlefield
Times-News correspondent
Story published at magicvalley.com on Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Audience members will find themselves in the middle of the action at Magic Valley Little Theater's latest production.

"Stay As Dead As You Are" is interactive dinner theater, and the audience will have several opportunities to participate in the show. Director Julie Dodson said dinner theater is a more personal, intimate theater experience because the audience members can be involved as much or as little as they want.

"It's fun for them to be involved with the show," Dodson said. "You feel like you're part of the cast."

The dinner theater opened Thursday night at the Turf Club in Twin Falls and runs through Saturday.

Dodson said the show is a murder mystery with lots of comedy thrown in as well. It takes place at a reunion of Slightly Left of Central High School, class of 1995. Barbara "Babs" Gleeson, the peppy class president and organizer of the reunion, is doing her best to make sure things run smoothly, but things go awry. Two of the reunion's attendees are wounded in the parking lot, and when shots ring out and Egbert the janitor disappears, every classmate is a suspect.

After getting up close and personal with the actors as they mingle before the show, the audience can ask them questions to help figure out who the murderer might be.

"Right from the beginning, they're part of the show," Dodson said. "It's different than watching a typical show in an auditorium."

Interactive shows like "Stay As Dead As You Are" present a challenge for the cast because they test the actors' improvisation skills. Stacie Jensen, who plays Babs, said the majority of the show is scripted. However, when it comes to actors' contact with the audience, they have to think on their feet. Jensen said she and the rest of the cast have done exercises and worked with Dodson to brush up on their ad-libbing skills.

"I'm pretty much ready for anything," Jensen said. "It's never the same twice. It's always different, and it keeps you on your toes."

Dodson believes audiences will enjoy the play's zany characters and trying to find out whodunit. But she also has a caveat: Things might not be what they seem, and the culprit might not be who you think.

"It surprised me the first time I read it," Dodson said.