The last 6 months...

Brrrrrr! It sure is cold outside! Those of you following the news know that Philadelphia is covered in snow!... 5 months ago. Here's a picture from the all-time seasonal snowfall record for Philadelphia. Businesses and schools were closed for days. Public transportation shut down and flights were cancelled.

During the snow storm the (Rocky) steps of the Art Museum became iced over and the locals used them for sled riding. Since the museum is downtown, no one owned a sled. So the riders used whatever they could find - trash can lids, inflatable mattresses and (in true Philly fashion) stolen cigarette signs.

While Ruby and I were outside playing in a Winter Wonderland, VA was stuck inside copyediting a book about how to crochet your way to happiness or some such thing. Boo. But our friend Beth did manage to weather the storm for a quick dinner hello on her way to NY.

Soon after those winter pictures were taken, VA and I moved out of Center City to a part of Philly called Mt. Airy. This neighborhood couldn't be more different from downtown. Imagine the historic district of Newport but ten times as big and with two commuter trains running through it.

Ruby likes the new neighborhood as well. What it lacks in loose chicken bones and homeless fecal matter, it makes up for in wilderness. The largest in-city park in the whole country is right next to our new place. Here are some pictures of Ruby and her boyfriend Wiley (he's Canadian) going for a swim.

School is going well. I recently directed a one-act by Chekov, am currently assistant directing Measure for Measure by Shakespeare, and in September will be directing a play and radio show by Ray Bradbury called Kaleidoscope. Temple has awarded me a grant to produce the show and I will use the money to incorporate video into my production. This will be my first time ever directing a live show with video, and I'm excited about working in this new way.

In other news, Ruby broke her toe. She was running after a tennis ball in the woods and came back limping. She has to stay off her foot for 4-6 weeks, which is tough on her since she's used to 90 minutes of exercise a day. Now her "walks" consist of sitting outside on the front steps of our apartment watching stray cats.

I am teaching an online course for Temple - Theatre History I. This is the future of teaching! I can meet my students live in a virtual online classroom. We can see and hear one another and I can display PowerPoint presentations for them to view while I lecture. This means that I could (theoretically) teach a course for the University of Hawaii from my Philadelphia living room.

One semester down.

Here's a little something I learned during my first semester:

If you ever find yourself stuck while evaluating a movie or a play, keep the following in mind. There are only 5 things any one story can focus on:

1. Character - (Rain Man)

2. Plot - (And Then There Were None)

3. Spectacle - (Independence Day)

4. Music - (Obviously musicals, however, this category also includes words. Anything you hear.)

5. Message - (American Beauty)

While some stories contain pieces of all five elements, a good storyteller knows to focus only on one. Only great directors should allow a second element to present itself. Anymore than two however, and the story will appear sloppy, unfocused and unsatisfying for everyone because no one element will be fully explored.

While discussing this idea with my friend Russell, he told me that he is reading a book called "Understanding Comics" that promotes the exact same idea, only for graphic novels. It's interesting that these same rules would apply to storytelling even in a different genre.

___________________________

See this picture off to the left? That is the show I just directed. It's called The Palooka and it's a one-act written by Tennessee Williams. The show focuses on a former boxing champ and is about his faded glory and the American idea of success. The desire to be #1, all the time. Regardless of whether or not you can still "throw a good punch".

The first semester is over and I have learned a TON about directing. The program here at Temple is a great fit for me. I truly feel like I am becoming a better artist everyday.

There are a number of things I have been working on to improve my directing this semester. But here are the basics:

Speak less during rehearsals. If I can't say it in 15 seconds or less - I don't say anything. Actors don't need to know the reasons why you are asking them to do things. They don't need to discuss the symbolism of where they are standing or what they are wearing.

Get results. Don't give them. This is huge. Explaining character or motivation to an actor limits their creativity and keeps them from personalizing the performance. The results are much more powerful if the actor decides how the character feels in the moment and plays actions of their choosing, instead of yours. This will keep the performance strong since the actor will intuitively understand the choices instead of just agreeing with a director.

The way to guide actors is to help them discover what the character wants. Because everyone always wants something - always. The only way to end wanting is to die. That is why the two following questions are the most important tools a director can have.

"What are you trying to get them to do?"

"How are you trying to make them feel?"

Asking one of these two questions never fails to get an actor thinking about who they are, what they want and why. And those are the first steps to personalizing a performance.

Is what you are doing ACTUALLY interesting? This is a question I have been asking myself at every rehearsal. If the answer is "no", then be honest about that and change what ever can be changed to make things interesting. This is also known as viewing your work with "fresh eyes" and it's essential to a show's success. This is something I definitly did not do enough in Cincinnati.

Here are some pictures VA and I took while in NYC. We went there for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade (obviously) and then again to see A View From The Bridge on Broadway.

Our Apartment

Hello! And welcome to another edition of my personal life.

It's photo day today. So get excited to see where Virginia and I have been living! Let me set the scene: Our apartment is literally two rooms big. A living room and bedroom with a deck attached.

Let's start our virtual tour at the front door.

This is the door to our building. Bill Wilson tells me that the steps are made from real marble. And I believe him.

Next up is a BEFORE picture of our kitchen.

And an AFTER picture.

Here is a BEFORE picture of the living room.

And the AFTER.

Look closely on the right side of the picture to see our bathroom.

Our couch area (still in the same room).

Here is our bedroom (as seen from the couch)...

...which leads to our awesome deck!

Apparently, decks are a big deal in the city and we count ourselves lucky to have one. It's a nice place to sit out on Sunday mornings, and Ruby loves it compared to the narrow window she used to have connecting her to the outside world in Newport.

Here is a picture of Virginia, on the deck, modeling the latest in fashionable bike gear.

These helmets look so good, we sometimes wear them around the house. Just to turn each other on.

I have been in school for four weeks now and have learned TONS. I will be organizing my thoughts and blogging about it soon.

However, I have learned one interesting thing I can share right now.

I am researching the play Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlow, written during the Renaissance in England, and my research has uncovered something that I did not know: It was standard for people living during that time to believe in magic. Straight up call-upon-demons-to-turn-your-horse-into-a-dragon-and-destroy-your-enemies magic. There were many books out about how to practice it, the most popular being written by a man named Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (what a great name). If you were especially well educated in languages and chemistry it was a very real option for you to study magic, instead of say... medicine. And you had your choice to study white or black. But beware! Studying magic was frowned upon by the church because you were attempting to alter your reality instead of accepting the reality assigned to you by God. This is the same reason the church disapproved of acting. Poor Christopher Marlow wrote a play about using magic to call upon the devil. Needless to say, he was branded an atheist.

I suppose I should not be surprised by this information. Witch hunts happened in America after the Renaissance so clearly a belief in magic was already established. However, I feel like this fact has been glossed over my whole life regarding this period in European History. It makes me wonder - did DaVinci also study magic? Did Shakespeare regularly visit with a sorcerer? Did Michelangelo try to have "the shade" of his mother brought back from beyond the veil?

It's interesting for me to think about the greatest period of intellectual transformation in European history also containing a large growth in the study and practice of magic.

First Week In

You see this building off to the left? That is where I am currently sitting and typing the words you are reading right... now. That is a picture of the Free Public Library of Philadelphia - and it's only a five minute walk from my apartment.

I come here everyday because I do not have the internet at my apartment and they give it away for free, which is very nice of them.

As most of you know, I am telecommuting to work everyday for my job at the Library in Covington. Ironically, I still have to get up and report to a library. I think most people that telecommute get to do it in their pajamas. Well, at least I can stop wearing khakis.

Can I get a few more pictures of the library?

Thank you.

So what has Nathan been doing for his first week in Philly? Unpacking and installing towel racks. I spend every night unpacking with my lovely wife or going to the hardware store. I have been to the hardware store so many times that I have a jokey-friendly relationship going with it's employees.

I have learned how to use a wall anchor, how too use a hacksaw, install a towel rack, find a stud, utilize a stud, the difference between drywall and plaster etc. etc. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I still don't care for manual labor. When I survey my successfully finished projects, I don't think: "What a great feeling! I DID that! Using my know-how and muscles I made life better for me and my family!" Every time I find myself thinking: "Well, that took forever. Geez, let's hope I never have to pull this drill out again. Aw man, I'm sweating! Now I'm gonna need a shower before bed."

I'm also riding my bike a lot. Not having a car is awesome so far (except when you want to go to Ikea). I love riding my bike and I get the chance to do it everyday. I am hoping to fashion one of those baskets to the back of it so I can ride to the grocery store! I guess I should go talk my friends at the hardware store about that...

Below are some pictures of my neighborhood. The part of town I live in is called the Logan Circle area. We are pretty close to the Philadelphia Art Museum (with the Rocky steps) if that means anything to you:

See that fountain above? Kids swim in it from time to time and Ruby got in with them 2 nights ago. She loved it! Our neighborhood is very beautiful and filled with various Museums. It's also very safe (momma Gabriel and Wilson - don't worry).

Virginia likes her new job and every time she tells me about it - the job gets better and better. Her job is a promotion from what she was doing in Cincy. She is now an Editor in the publishing world. So more $$$, more responsibility, more everything good. The company, Elsevier publishing, had great benefits packages and a 35 hour work week! Plus, her commute to work is a 12 minute walk! So she has a sweet gig going.

For me, the most noticeably different thing about living is Philly is the beautiful people. They are everywhere. Male and female alike. Almost no one is fat. Everyone is dressed very stylishly and has a great haircut. Now while that is wonderful for my eyes, my self esteem needs to toughen up a bit. I feel kind of... dated, concerning my fashion choices. It's nothing that a few hundred dollars and a trip to the shopping district can't fix though.

Oh! Something new in my life is the Too Beautiful To Live podcast! I have been listening to it like a madman recently. It's a radio talk show on which young 20-30 somethings sit around playing cool music and sounds clips and laughing for three hours a night. I tried it in Cincinnati and didn't like it but I'm all into it now because it makes me feel... less... lonely. As sad as that is to admit.

I do miss home. I miss everyone back home. But I have nothing to complain about here. After the initial home-sickness wears off, I start classes and begin making friends, I will be very happy for the next two years.

In the mean-time, I am going to enjoy some quality time with my wife (no, that's not code) and dog.

This is how close our apartment is to the city.

NEXT POST: Apartment pictures & Dr. Faustus!

Welcome to the Temple.

Welcome.

This blog will chronicle the life and times of Nathan Gabriel during his two years studying at Temple University in Philadelphia. It will pay special attention to what I learn in graduate school.

It's my hope that writing down what I learn will do two things:
1. Help me better process and remember what I learn.
2. Spark discussion.

Stay tuned for pictures of my neighborhood and apartment! Classes don't start until the end of August so until then the posts will be pretty pedestrian.