Most of you on the web know me best as “that guy who draws the ADDANAC CITY comic strip series“. Although I totally love Hank and his pre-adolescent gang of dysfunctional misfits, I’m an artist at heart and there are other things that I do in the visual realm.

A few years ago, I became involved with my local theater group, Halifax County Little Theatre. These nice people gave me an opportunity to act for the first time (I’ll have to blog about that on another occasion). I played Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin In The Sun”. Anyway, being that I am a well-rounded artist, I enjoyed my time as a thespian (no, I don’t have a lisp). Also, being that I am a controlling megalomaniac, I had to design the playbill, too.

I began a wonderful relationship with the directors and producers of these plays and they started requesting my artistic skills to promote their performances. One recent project that I worked on was designing something eye-catching for “Escanaba In Da Moonlight”. This was a play originally written, produced, and directed by Jeff Daniels (yeah, that Jeff Daniels). “Escanaba” is a play about a man and his three sons who journey to their camp for the opening day of hunting season in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan. Strange things happen during their excursion. I came up with a pretty nifty design that they loved. This is it.

I stopped by the rehearsals with my trusty digital camera and took photographs of all the actors in the production. I wanted to create something that was true to HCLT’s unique performances, so I made each character resemble the respective actor. I think I did a competent job. Most of the organization’s play posters are printed in black and white, so I had sorta limited creative freedom. It was different without having all of the magnificent, vibrant colors that I get to play with while creating my ADDANAC CITY comics.

The local theatre group that I do a lot of graphic work for recently held a production of the 50′s-style musical Forever Plaid.

I attended a performance this past Sunday, and I’ve gotta say, the Halifax County Little Theatre did a bang-up job. I really enjoyed the music, and the acting was superb.

This is the playbill I designed for the production.

I’ll be posting some more samples of the work I do for them in the near future. I’ve completed three other posters for the organization, and hopefully, there will be another coming soon.

I designed this poster for the play “Lying In State” which held performances in February ’08. I like pen and ink cross-hatching and drawing on paper. Most of my clients who request art like this are surprised to find out that I also create a webcomic. I guess the joke’s on them, huh? I hope you like this design.

This is another design I created for the play version of the popular Frank Capra holiday classic film. I really dig working with the theatre. Maybe, one day soon, I’ll blog about my stint on stage.

See? Told ya I was versatile.

When I’m not updating ADDANAC CITY comic strips seven days a week, I’m rehearsing with The Stage Left Performers which is a dinner theater production company.

We have an incredibly funny production coming up soon called “American Icon: Who Killed Simon?”. It’s a spoof of ….well, you know. The production is directed by the extraordinary Robert Ciresi. I’m working with quite a few talented thespians and the show should be a hit!

If you happen to find yourself in Riverside, California on the dates mentioned in the ad below, come by and get some yuks with us (not to mention some superb food)!

Still from the movie The Color Purple

Most people (at least those born prior to 1974) know The Color Purple as a film about an oppressed African American woman who struggles against the odds. It also introduced the world to Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey in a major way. Shoot, after seeing this film in the theaters as a kid, it took me three years to not wanna just kick Danny Glover in the twig and berries. The story was that powerful.

I later learned that the movie was based on a novel written by Alice Walker. Well, this past Saturday night, I attended the Broadway-touring theatrical production of The Color Purple at the historic Fox Performing Arts Theater. Don’t ask me how I was able to get my hands on $140 apiece-chillin’-in-the-Mezzanine seats, but I wanted to surprise my wife by doing something cultural and being the one to initiate it. I’m constantly working on ADDANAC CITY in some way, shape, or form, and I usually won’t take the time to do anything else when I’m not at work. So for me to make plans to do something on a Saturday night that didn’t even marginally pertain to Hank’s town was a gigantic surprise for her.

I was tremendously impressed with all of the renovations that had been done to the Fox Theater. The facility is gorgeous! It had more than adequate seating and was adorned with tons of ornate features. My wife claims she even saw Ernest Thomas (Raj from that old 70′s comedy show What’s Happenin’), but I somehow missed him while ogling the building like a lost tourist.

Now, usually I’m not a huge fan of musicals. In fact, the only musicals I rave over are Team America and the South Park movie, so you know my taste buds were in for some twists. I was amazed by the performances of all of the actors. These folks could act. And more importantly than that, these folks could sing. Every single person who took the stage could hold their own vocally. I didn’t hear a single error or off-note during the entire two hour and forty-five minute production.

This troupe knew exactly what they were doing, and they had the audience eating out of their hands. Since I’m not in the know regarding who’s who on the Broadway theatrical circuit, I wasn’t familiar with any of the principal actors nor behind-the-scenes people, but I must admit that they knew their craft and they gave us every ounce of their capabilities. If they held anything back, I would be very, very afraid of them.

The cast of The Color Purple musical

The choreography was magnificent. The performers executed dance moves with seemingly perfect synchronization. And they did it all effortlessly. If this musical makes its way anywhere near your vicinity, I advise you to go see it. The tickets may seem to be a bit steep for decent seats, but believe me, it’s worth it. You should not be disappointed.

And fellas, if you’re trying to impress a certain young lady, getting tickets to this show will do wonders for your relationship. Your significant other will look at you in a new light as you transform from ashy to classy. I give this production two thumbs up, and I would definitely go see it again if the opportunity arises.

I love a good papparazzi moment