(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cooper High School fine arts chairman Tim Haynes will make his New York theatrical debut as an actor and a playwright this weekend. He was accepted into a prestigious Horton Foote workshop at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. While in the Big Apple, he will be blogging about his experiences.)

This has been a wonderful experience and something beyond my dreams and expectations. BUT it shouldn't have been beyond anything. I have always lived by the quote: "we are limited only by our imaginations" so why didn't I ever dream about this? I guess my imagination was going in a different direction at the time. BUT no more!!!! Playwriting and play festivals in NYC are going to be a part of my dreams.

I have no idea what will come of my play - something will one of these days (I hope I get it finished first). But something has already moved into the developmental phases for TYCHO DE BRAHE where I play the the lead. Plans are in the works taking that play to Prague next summer in an cultural/educational exchange program that Baylor University has developed and maintained over the last five or six yeras. Now that sounds exciting - and another possibility that I never imagined - acting in Europe????? Another window - another adventure. (I hope Clydi Mae gets to go, too.)

THE END

Posted by · October 10, 2006 6:21 PM · Comments (1)

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cooper High School fine arts chairman Tim Haynes will make his New York theatrical debut as an actor and a playwright this weekend. He was accepted into a prestigious Horton Foote workshop at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. While in the Big Apple, he will be blogging about his experiences.)

Sunday was a busy day and began early - early for me in NYC. I don't think I ever got back to my hotel before 2:00 AM. If I did, I can't remember it - probably slept on the subway.

Tech rehearsal at noon on Sunday went well and we made a couple of changes in the script to better adapt to the space, etc. Nothin difficult, but everything has to be done without much notice or thought - you just go and do. The tech rehearsal was only an hour long so we had to move quickly in order to cover the entire script. We did it.

We had some downtime during the afternoon and went down to China Town for a late lunch (which turned out to be an early dinner as well - I guess eating two meals at once saves time - I don't know.) Woo Hops - a great little (and I mean little) basement restaurant with lots of great food and at a great price. We shopped a little along the street along with what seemed like 2 or 3 million other people all trying to walk along the sidewalk or shop where I was. BUT the weather was cool and beautiful. I love going down there - a different world. Found a great hat for Toryn and he loved it - hasn't taken it off since we bought it. I almost laughed when I looked at the label - Nordstrom's - can't help but wonder how it got down to China Town, but for the price, I asked no questions. I will accept a bargain anytime.

Then back uptown to Manhatten and the theatre district. We stopped by a great deli for a snack and to collect our thoughts before the performance. I was getting a little nervous by this point - not knowing what to expect. Cab ride across town to the theatre and to meet with the cast for last minute notes before the performance at 8:30 PM.

It was a small audience and at first I was disappointed, but then I realized that one should never be disappointed with windows of opportunity - just experience them. Here I was in NYC at an off-broadway theatre hosting a festival for new plays; both my children were performing; and a host of friends were involved as well. What a night! I can honestly say that six months to a year ago, I would have never believed I would be climbing through that window. I loved it and the moment.

As for the audience? NYC doesn't know me and I know only a handful of New Yorkers. It I was a New Yorker, I would have to think twice before I attended a play about West Texas - I would have probably thought it was a Western movie type of play with horses and everyone carrying pistols on their hips. Can't blame them. BUT I got some great and postive comments/suggestions and that is what I need. One of these days, I am going to finish this play and put it aside. I've worked with these characters so long, I feel like they are family. AND I've talked about them so much that one afternoon my mother asked me how Clydi Mae was doing. Clydi Mae is the main character in the play. That was when I realized that I had been consumed with the play.

The cast did a great job. I was delighted and as I listened to it and watched, I kept finding things that need to be changed/deleted/repaired. I guess it just never stops. I loved watching my daughted play Chester - the actor who played Chester had to drop out at the last minute) so I shoved Haley into the role of a 65 year old black man with no legs. She did a great job - handled the rhythm of the lines like a pro. I was delighted. This was the first time that Toryn, Haley, and I have ever appeared on stage at the same time and that was a wonderful experience.

Monday, was a low key day - we slept in and then headed to Central Park for an afternoon of doing nothing, but watching those little motorized sail boats on one of the ponds. Also got in some great people watching as well as observing this pair of hawks that had built a nest over one of the windows of a high rise apartment building. New Yorkers were fascinated with it and I couldn't help but wonder why those birds chose that location - with all those big trees in the park. The next building and onlookers reminded me of that pair of eagles that built their next on the Llano River near Llano a couple of years ago. People came from everywhere to have a look - so did I. But at least the eagles chose a tree.

Monday's performance was much tighter and precise. I got a much better feel for the rhythm and temp of the play. It is difficult to feel that when I just sit and read it. Hearing it really helps. I'm also surprised by some of the line readings---not quite the way I hear it, but they work.

After the last performance we headed to a cafe/bar called DRUIDS - over on 10th Avenue. It was a great place and new to me - I am looking forward to going back again.

It was great seeing some Abilene graduates - they all live and work here now. Luke Longacre, of course. He played J.J. for me and I was surprised to hear him use a West Texas accent - all I've ever heard from him was 'no accent' - which is what actors try to maintain. He did a great job. He is such a great guy and makes Abilene proud - I know his parents are proud of him.

Thomas Leverton and Rachel Knowles, both CHS graduates, dropped by and sat in on our rehearsal on Saturday evening. Rachel came to the show on Sunday.

Kirsten Chilstrom (another CHS graduate) came to the show last night. It was great visiting with her and hearing about her classes at the Fashion Institute.

Thanks guys and gals - I appreciate the support and it is always great seeing you.

And thanks to the phone calls from friends and colleagues in Abilene---can't wait to tell you about it.

And thanks to Marsha Moore who came up for the performances. I appreciate the support and advice. Always great to have a good ear to listen and make wonderful suggestions.

And thanks to everyone at Baylor - there is a big group of Baylor graduates that I have had the opportunity of working with over the last five or six years. It is always a pleasure visiting with you.

Today is Tuesday, and I got up early to get Haley to the airport and back to San Angelo. She had to go to work this afternoon. Hope she makes it. The weather channel indicates storms/rain along the way.

Toryn and I are flying out later this afternoon and then back to class in the morning. Students - get ready - we have several big projects coming up quickly and we have a lot of work to do.

So this is Tim signing off - my adventure here in NYC is winding down and I'm moving on to the next project.

Thanks Janet and Laura - I appreciate having this opportunity. CALL ME!!!

Posted by · October 10, 2006 3:07 PM · Comments (0)

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cooper High School fine arts chairman Tim Haynes will make his New York theatrical debut as an actor and a playwright this weekend. He was accepted into a prestigious Horton Foote workshop at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. While in the Big Apple, he will be blogging about his experiences.)

Crazy night last night - just trying to get to the rehearsal studio for DOMINO rehearsal. This town has everything - and we had a great studio for rehearsal. In fact the whole building was used just for that purpose. So while we were rehearsing in one studio, we could hear someone singing opera in the next. Great singers. I was impressed.

Good rehearsal - just not enough time to get everything done like I wanted. We have a great cast, and Haley is going to play Chester. When push comes to shove, you just have to use what's, available and Haley is available and a wonderful actress. She knows the script and the town and the West Texas mentality. She is going to make a great Chester. She asked, however, if she was going to have to play it without legs because Chester lost both of his legs in an accident. Couldn't help but laugh as she reached for a script and took on the character of Chester. What fun!!! Another window of opportunity???? Who knows, but it works for me.

This morning we are off to a tech rehearsal and then prepare for a performance this evening. Can't wait. I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm in NYC and my play is going to read off-broadway. What a day.

More later.

Posted by · October 9, 2006 11:19 PM · Comments (0)

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cooper High School fine arts chairman Tim Haynes will make his New York theatrical debut as an actor and a playwright this weekend. He was accepted into a prestigious Horton Foote workshop at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. While in the Big Apple, he will be blogging about his experiences.)

Another busy day - without much sleep. Is this the city that never sleeps? I can't remember, but if it isn't - it should be. And about those free hot dogs - its true. At least they said they were free and if I paid for them, I have no idea how they got my money. I have a feeling I paid for them somehow, though. hummmmmmm

Performance this afternoon of TYCHO. Another great audience and a good show. I think it may have been a little better than last night. It felt better, anyway.

And on a another note, I had a call from the actor I had cast as Chester and he had to drop out. Not exactly what I wanted to have happen because I really need Chester to be played by a middle aged black actor. The role of Chester is somewhat based on a man that lived and worked in Roscoe. He was a great guy and very much a part of the community. I have been on the phone trying to locate another actor, but without luck. I am still working on that and awaiting return messages. I'm not that worried about it - something will turn up. Maybe it's one of those window/door opportunities - -time will tell.

Must run for now. Meeting Toryn and Haley in a few minutes and then dinner and then rehearsal at 7:00 - can't wait.
More later.
tim

Posted by · October 7, 2006 10:00 PM · Comments (0)

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cooper High School fine arts chairman Tim Haynes will make his New York theatrical debut as an actor and a playwright this weekend. He was accepted into a prestigious Horton Foote workshop at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. While in the Big Apple, he will be blogging about his experiences.)

Well, my adventure began with an hour delay out at the Abilene Airport so I sat and watched the sun come up----great view from there. It gave me some time to think about what was going on and I kept seeing the expression in my dog Hooch's eyes when I told him he couldn't go with me. He was so disappointed because he had a ball, a stick, and a partially stuffed animal all wrapped up in that stinky ole goat skin. I just left him standing in the middle of my road with dust clouding around his big toothy grin. See you later Hooch!!!

The delay caused me to miss my connection in Houston which cramped my schedule, but sometime things happen for a reason. I guess we can call it a serendiptious moment----I am sometime amazed at how many doors and windows are available to us if we just take the opportunity to experience them---and that is what I was able to do. My seat companions from Houston to New York were SFASU art professors. They began teaching there just about the time I left---SFA is my undergraduate alma mater. We had a great time visiting about the school, common friends, etc. It was a great flight and now I have some great friends. They are 3-D artists---mainly ceramics and they have just opened a show at the Tyler Museum. Tyler has a great museum and one that I enjoyed visiting when when I lived in East Texas. It's well worth the time.

Thursday was mainly a day for travel---the daylight hours anyway. I checked into my hotel, quickly unpacked and headed out for the subway and Manhatten. Rehearsal for TYCHO DE BRAHA began at 7 PM and we finally finished about 1 AM. I finally made it back to my hotel at 2---exhausted, but feeling like I was a working actor here.

I stood on the platform for the train last night and enjoyed the cooler weather. What a change. It really feels like fall here---not just the last days of summer like home.

This morning, I had to get up early and head into the city to secure a rehearsal space for my play DOMINO. I found a great studio for that and one that I can afford for 4 hours. Things are so different here. Just getting from one place to another requires more concentration on my part---not only because I'm not accustomed to the ins and outs of NYC, but it is necessary to carry everything you are going to need for the day---AND that is a big challenge for me. Rehearsal clothes, performance clothes, subway map, my Metro card, my money, my cell phone, and anything else you can think of. I felt like I was traveling to California with that GRAPES OF WRATH family---looked like it, too.

We had a final rehearsal to TYCHO at 1 PM up on the East Side---90th. The playwrites 23rd floor apartment---what a view of Central Park and Manhatten and what a price tag. He seemed delighted with the cost---I was flabbergasted.

I found a Starbucks after the rehearsal and tried to get a note off to you, but a woman sitting next to me was apparently listening in on a phone conversation---anyway, she said she was a playwrite and wanted to know more about what I did, etc. She was delightful----and said she wanted to bring a friend of hers to see my show--DOMINO. I was excited about that until she said her friend was a theatre critic---now that scares me to death. Whether she comes or not---it is still one of those open windows. I got her email address so we can stay in touch. More friends.

Toryn arrived this evening----great to see him. He got here just in time to see TYCHO. He will be playing Little Joe in DOMINO.

Well, I made my acting debut in NYC tonight---at least off broadway. The performance went great and it was a lot of fun. Very nice size crowd and very appreciative. I loved it.

Right now, I am sitting in Starbucks writing this and listening to Toryn and Anna (one of my past students and schoolmate with my kiddos.) They are talking nonstop and laughing a lot. I can't get a word in edgewise---just like the old days when they were in high school.

We are headed to some place called Rudy's---they say they have free hot dogs----surely there's a catch to that. I guess I will find out. The only thing in NYC that I have found that is free are those thousands of pamplets that people hand out on the street and they can keep those. I don't want them.

Tomorrow---another performance of TYCHO and then rehearsals for DOMINO tomorrow night. Very exciting.
More later.

Posted by · October 7, 2006 2:47 AM · Comments (0)

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cooper High School fine arts chairman Tim Haynes will make his New York theatrical debut as an actor and a playwright this weekend. He was accepted into a prestigious Horton Foote workshop at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. While in the Big Apple, he will be blogging about his experiences.)

Sometime I wonder why I ever choose to go out of town. The preparation is almost overwhelming and this adventure has been a long time in the making. Set designs, acting roles, rehearsing at Baylor, co-directing a fall show, designing and building the set for the CHS Marching Band Half-time Show, casting two class productions, teaching classes, and working on our musical production of CATS. Just making a list is exhausting, BUT I have enjoyed every minute of probably the busiest fall I could imagine. I am so grateful for a great place to work, great associates & colleagues, and great students. Nothing would or could have taken place without each of them. So once again, I say: 'I appreciate each you.'

Very busy day preparing lesson plans, saying good-byes, giving last minute instructions, and making last minute arrangements. I can't remember the days before cell phones and laptops and email and voicemail. Thank goodness for technology and that I am able to crawl along in the midst of it.

During my last minutes at work this afternoon, I was so encouraged by watching Kristie Perkins choreograph a couple of students in a number from CATS. They are already fantastic and it's just October. The musical doesn't open until February---just can't wait to see them then.

And of course I had to drop by Starbuck's on Buffalo Gap for an evening cup of brew and a quick chat with my coffee pals before I head home, finish packing (Like I've already started!!!! hahaha) And I have to run by the grocery store for a bag of food for my crazy dog Hooch. He probably wonders where I go all the time.At least he has this old goat skin that he brought home to play with and to keep him company-----it is gross, but he really loves it. He wants me to play 'keep away'----and I just wish he would----keep away from me with that nasty smelling thing.

Some last minute phone calls to make to my own kiddos as we finalize our plans in NYC. Where and when to meet, etc. And we get to work with Anna McLaughlin, one of my past students and close friends with my kids---they all went to school together in Big Spring. This will be the first time Toryn and Anna have been on stage together since they graduated. That will be fun.

So the time has come----my suitcase awaits. And 4:30 AM is going to come earlier than usual. I wonder if I will be able to sleep tonight---I wonder if I will sleep for the next week.

More later.
Tim

Posted by · October 5, 2006 3:41 AM · Comments (0)