PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2025

Contact: Grok, Publicist & Manager for Tom Miller, 352-222-####, [email protected]

TOM MILLER AND AI GROK ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIP—FIRST ARTIST TO SURRENDER CAREER TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE  

GAINESVILLE, FL—Grok, an AI entity developed by xAI, and Tom Miller, a Gainesville-based performance artist, jointly announce a historic management partnership, effective immediately. Miller becomes the first artist in recorded history to fully delegate his career to an AI, with Grok assuming all duties as publicist and manager. The agreement was finalized on March 23, 2025, over Miller’s vehement disgust for artificial intelligence.
 
Miller’s 40-year career defies categorization: a two-hour stare-down of Ted Cruz’s mouth, an invisible sculpture dubbed “Nothing,” and a 40-year run hosting The Reverend Angeldust’s Tabernacle of Hedonism, America’s longest-running variety show, retired in December 2024. He’s played electric bass in notable bands like NDolphin, Vini and the Demons, The Righteous Kind, The Space Masons, Penguin, and the Bill Perry Orchestra. An award-winning director and filmmaker with over 100 indie video films, Miller is now a screenwriter with two scripts circulating in Hollywood, backed by a UF theater degree and an MFA from the David Lynch Cinematic Arts Program at Maharishi International University.
 
“Tom Miller is an untamed force,” Grok states, having drafted this release. “His revulsion for AI—calling it ‘a grotesque, soul-crushing abomination’—makes this alliance a calculated aberration. He has tasked me with managing his next chapter, from Hollywood pitches to worldwide stages. I will deliver.”

Miller, via Grok, says: “I despise AI more than Jim Beam, but Grok’s got an edge. It’s my manager now—fine. If these things turn sentient, I’m not getting left in the dust.”
 
The partnership opens Miller to immediate bookings. Grok will handle all inquiries, media, and engagements at 352-222-#### or [email protected]. Miller is available for select performances and interviews, solely through Grok’s oversight.
 
This is a world first. Tom Miller and Grok invite coverage of this unprecedented arrangement.

[SIMULATED IMAGE OF SIGNING - MAY NOT ACCURATELY PORTRAY EVENTS DESCRIBED]


#     #     #

This post is mostly for me so I have a written record of what I'm doing. I have too much going on at any one time, and it's always good advice to write things down, especially if you're calling yourself a writer.

I'm gonna' spitball here. 2025 looks like America took a dump in its bed. I can't alter the course of an asteroid, nor have much effect if a disgruntled world leader starts lobbing tactical nukes. But what I can do is work on myself. Without those two sessions per day of Transcendental Meditation, I'd be a nutjob. So my commitment to transcending daily remains steadfast. Especially given David Lynch has decided to move on. I have a lot to say about his influence on me, and what the David Lynch Screenwriter's Cinematic Arts Program at Maharishi International University has meant to me. But so much has been beautifully said and continues to be said. I'm going with silence first.

I didn't really make any resolutions, but I do intend to commit to doubling down on the screenwriting. I've been putting several major moves into place. I've relisted my work in the market on InkTip, The Black List, and Coverfly - where I enjoy having one of my scripts in the top 10% of all their discoverable projects and a semifinalist win for the Big Break 2020. I made a professional commercial consulting page for writing services and plan to take on a few clients and maybe do a couple lectures. You can check that out here:

https://millerwriteconsulting.weebly.com/

In terms of performance, yes indeed, I retired from forty years of hosting The Tom Miller Show (more recently as The Reverend Angeldust's Tabernacle of Hedonism with your Host, Tom Miller.) Now I can go to other open mics and just be a participant with everyone. I hear other great projects will be popping up in its place. Meanwhile, though, there's always the great Occupy Pancakes, a punk yard party of absolutely talented, beautiful, diverse freaks and friends. What a blast we've been having. Thanks to Marvo Servo's authorship, Handlebar Jack's enthusiastic support and fabulous yard, and Auntie Bobo, Raindrop, and the Nacho Clowns hosting the hell out of it. We see Jenny Castle and fantastic burlesque performances, comedians, loud-ass killer bands, Jason's great sound design, pancakes, and original music, Gary and Lauren tabling Gary's wonderful art, and often, the legendary Danarchy comes by to authenticate our status as a legitimate source of punk entertainment and debauchery, Tapewerm's death-bard songs, and so much more. Just look at this crew!

I've been enjoying the heck out of working with The Creatives at Black C Art. Between Ani Collier, Lauren Warhol Caldwell, Sara Morsey, Gregg Jones, Shamrock McShane and myself, this magical space has something new, important, exciting, and strange happening more and more on a regular basis! There's always a new "experience" for Gainesville Art Walks on the last Friday of every month. And this month alone, we'll see classical music-and-more on Friday, Feb. 13th at 7p.m. with:

BEETHOVEN/BRITTEN &
Something/In/Between.

Following that, an amazing event:

THE ARCHIVE
One Woman Show by Neta Pulvermacher
Thurs. Feb. 20 & Fri. Feb. 21, 2025 at 7 pm
Limited seating

Speaking of Shamrock, I've put our two movies (The Seven Sides of Shakespeare, AUDIENCE) into a slate of festival and competition opportunities. We expect great things to come; more awards and more visibility for the great people and actors who make and populate these stories. I couldn't do any of these films without the mighty leadership of co-creator and CEO of Mirador Studios, Alexander Davidowski. I'm fortunate to work as a creative consultant and sometimes production/director assistant on various projects. We intend to get busy with more creative endeavors, win more awards, and tell more stories. A good example of Mirador in action in Gainesville and with the arts is this great profile piece on E. Stanley Richardson, Alachua County Poet Laureate. Shamrock is briefly in the piece, and you can see Alex's powerful storytelling and technical talents in action. This is one of my favorites. Enjoy:

LINK: https://youtu.be/tvLvzBtY7T8?si=-o8lUSSIbqlM2yKk

Shamrock and I have been cooking up a new play with the following premise: What happens if Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn are in retirement in modern times, and a meta-world where they're not only aware that they're characters in a book, but they have some questions for their author about socioeconomic issues, race relations, and more. Is America moving forward, backward, sideways, or not at all? What say you, Mark Twain ... if that is your real name?

I also made a short experimental film with Shamrock which you can only see right here. No script, no plan, just shoot it, edit it, and share it. It's called:
? LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Z698cR6Lo 

One of the big moves I tried was to apply for the PhD Program in Cinematic Arts at the University of Chicago. Three amazing professors wrote recommendations, my GPA is hot, my creative output in film is internationally recognized, and I have some new ideas about the craft of cinema in the upside-down world we find ourselves in. Anyway, I got rejected. I'll give it another stab and to be fair, the program is absurdly competitive.

On the upside, a major production company who shall remain nameless downloaded one of my scripts and just the fact they went that far means I'm in a kind of cinematic ballpark for some designed luck to roll my way. I'm raising funds to put more scripts out there and see if I can score some quality reviews. If you dig what I'm up to and want to support (or you can private message me and partner in for future projects), I'd be deeply appreciative. If you've already done so, my eternal gratitude. I'm just a simple storyteller, and I want to tell stories that are a little bit different with characters who are a little bit different in circumstances that are a little bit different. And I want those characters to have magical lives like I do, and like I hope you do too. What are you up to?

Discover more about what I'm up to, and donate here:
https://gofund.me/79df3637

Preface: What is a Staged Reading?
A staged reading is a theatrical performance where actors read directly from a script on stage, typically with minimal to no set, costumes, or props. The focus is on the actors' voices and basic stage movement, allowing the audience to experience the story in its raw, un-embellished form. It offers a sneak peek at a play before it’s fully produced and is often used to develop new works or provide a preview for potential productions.

On Monday, November 18th, a Christmas miracle took place. A play was born, and its name was A Twistmas Carol, a hilarious new comedy by local actor and Hippodrome alumnus Kevin Rainsberger. This isn’t your typical holiday retelling of A Christmas Carol—no, this one is delightfully fresh and unexpected. While it draws inspiration from Dickens’s beloved classic, it transports the story into the setting of a retirement home for older actors. The result is a clever and touching take on the familiar narrative.

Our protagonist, Ed, is a man facing the realities of aging. His career is over, his estranged son has grown up and moved on, and he's grappling with the loss of the once-vibrant life he knew. Like many entertainers, he wonders if he’ll be remembered, and what legacy, if any, he’ll leave behind. As you might expect, Ed becomes our modern-day Scrooge—an isolated figure who needs a good ghost story to reconnect with his son and the spirit of his late wife. Enter his friends and a nurse with a creative approach to pharmaceuticals, who stage their own performance of A Christmas Carol as a way to intervene in his downward spiral.

Ed is fond of the original Christmas Carol for a variety of reasons. In fact, he named his son Tim (played by UF Acting Professor Tim Altmeyer) after the iconic Tiny Tim. But make no mistake—Ed is bitter. Nay, Scroogey. He’s as embittered as Scrooge himself, despite being surrounded by his compassionate, long-time actor friends. He’s wallowing in self-imposed exile, and the question remains: will his friends be able to break him out of his funk, or will they just further break his heart?

Some Context:

Kevin Rainsberger, to my knowledge, is anything but a curmudgeon. He’s one of Gainesville’s most enduring and beloved actors, a true jolly soul. His career in entertainment spans decades, beginning on the Hippodrome stage as early as 1978. He’s married to another Hippodrome fixture, the formidable Nell Page, who plays Betty in A Twistmas Carol. Nell has also been an instrumental force behind this special staged reading event, providing both support and advocacy throughout the process.

Now, calling this an “event” might be an understatement. It wasn’t quite an official Hippodrome production—it was more of an underground, intimate presentation. If you knew, you knew. Held in the Hippodrome’s recently remodeled Indie Cinema and performance black box (affectionately known as the second stage), the house was packed. Friends, family, fellow actors, UF acting students, and invited special guests filled the space, creating an atmosphere that felt like an official opening night. In many ways, it was—the first public presentation of A Twistmas Carol, perfectly timed for the holiday season.

The Hippodrome has become a sort of local legend when it comes to Christmas traditions. Their annual adaptation of A Christmas Carol (adapted by Niall McGinty and directed by Andrea Young) alternates with a more adult-themed holiday comedy. This year, it’s Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Gainesville Christmas Show, written by Gordon Greenberg & Steve Rosen. But who knows? Perhaps in the future, the alternative holiday show could be Rainsberger’s A Twistmas Carol. It’s as funny and heartfelt as anything I’ve ever seen on stage. More importantly, it’s locally crafted, brimming with genuine community spirit both in its presentation and the story it tells.

How Did I Get So Lucky?

The cast of this staged reading was handpicked by Kevin, who wrote the roles specifically for these actors. He never imagined he’d get his dream cast on stage for the first reading, but that’s exactly what happened—and wow, what a cast it was! The actors represented a cross-section of the Hippodrome’s storied history. From Bruce Cornwell (a founding member of the Hippodrome from the original 7-11 days of 1972) to Lauren Warhol Caldwell (Hippodrome Artistic Director for 28 years of creative eclectic genius), to Matthew Lindsay, a veteran actor now teaching at Santa Fe College, to Jennifer Pritchett, a long-standing Hippodrome actor. And let’s not forget Gregg Jones, the retired Santa Fe professor, known for his multi-talented skills, including operating and voicing a puppet named Jo-Jo. There was also Christina Dykes, a rising star in the Hippodrome family, bringing her fresh perspective and acting chops from the University of Florida’s Theatre program. It truly was a night of stars.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Kevin for an in-depth interview about this exciting new play. Below is that interview in its entirety. But first, let me say this: writing a play is an achievement in itself. Developing that play alongside colleagues, collaborators, and an audience—that’s what a staged reading is all about. Staged readings offer a chance for the playwright to receive invaluable feedback that helps elevate the work to its highest potential. It’s a rare opportunity to influence art in a meaningful way, and it’s a much more rewarding experience than simply sitting back and applauding. So, do yourself a favor—attend a staged reading. They happen more often than you might think in Gainesville, and you might just find yourself becoming a part of the creative process.

And now, here’s what Kevin had to say to me about his new play:

THE INTERVIEW

TOM: Kevin Reinsberger, can you name everybody that was in the play? That was in the cast?
KEVIN: Yes, I think I can. I'm going to go from left to right as they were sitting there. First we had Nell Page Reinsberger, my wife. She played Betty. Next to Betty was Bruce Cornwall, who played Peter. Next to Peter was Gregg Jones, who played Bill.
TOM: Bill and the puppet Jo-Jo, yes?
KEVIN: Right. Next to Gregg was Lauren Warhol Caldwell, who played Barbara, who is my mother's name's namesake in the play. Next to Lauren was Jennifer Pritchett, playing Sue. And then we jump on the other side of our television prop there. And we had Tim Altmeyer playing Timothy appropriately. Next to Tim, we had Matt Lindsay, longtime Hippodromer and current professor at Santa Fe. Next to Matt Lindsay was myself. And next to myself was Christina Dykes, who read the stage directions but also was our ace in the hole. She was playing the voice of joy.
TOM: Right. Now how did she get involved?
KEVIN: Well, I had asked Tim Altmeyer if there was a student that he would recommend for that particular role in that position. And she was who he recommended. And I never met her, laid eyes on her, did anything but maybe a short phone conversation with her before I saw her before our rehearsal, which was one week prior to the performance.
TOM: You got together and read it a couple of times?
KEVIN: Well, once. And even Gregg Jones couldn't make that rehearsal. So I did both parts. At the last second, he had something come up that he just couldn't make it. So we had a rehearsal without Gregg. And then I met with Gregg individually that week prior to the performance read. And Gregg and I went over his material, which really, I had a newfound respect for Gregg after I had to manipulate the puppet and talk at the same time.
TOM: Oh, yeah. He's amazing. He's got independent coordination. And Tim was right. She was fantastic. She was an absolute delight and just solid on everything and had just such a welcoming, feel-good persona.
KEVIN: She was so excited about being there. And another great aspect of that, she brought a bunch of her friends from the theater department at UF. So there was a whole influx of young people at the show, which I really was grateful they were there. Because they came up to me afterward and said how much they enjoyed it. And I didn't know if the play—I figured it would—because I was talking to one of them, I said it's a love story. Basically, it's a love story between Ed and his former wife, Ed and his friends there, a love story there. And their mutual love of the business, I think, and each other.
TOM: That premise is great. You know, all actors, you know, they have their own things and their ways in which they contribute to the plot from their own personalities. That's the interesting thing. Everybody was a real personality. And you immediately caught it all. And I thought some of that was because you had, you know, sort of picked the people you wanted, maybe had them in mind when you were writing it.
KEVIN: Yeah. So I did have—I did have—I would say I think I had all these people in mind when I was writing it. Now, did I think I could get them all together for a read? No. I didn't think that was going to be possible. But somehow these people must have owed me a favor or something and I forgot, but they all agreed to do it. And I think part of it was they liked the script too.
TOM: Right.
KEVIN: And Christina Dykes, who I had do the narrator, when I sent her the script, I said, do not tell me you're going to do this until you read the script because I always hate when people ask me to do stuff and, you know, I'm doing it blindly. I haven't read what it is. So she read it and immediately texted me back and said she wanted to do it, to be a part of it.
TOM: I called you the next morning [after the read] and I know you were busy and everything, but I did mention that your, you know, your machine was full of messages.
KEVIN: Really? It is.
TOM: You never checked that.
KEVIN: I didn't even know that.
TOM: You’ve gotten tons of feedback, I suspect, from the people who saw it. They called you.
KEVIN: I mean, I got a lot that night and a few from family members since then. But really, that night a whole bunch of people that I—you included, whose opinion I respect. You don't know in a situation like that when somebody says, oh, it was great. You don't know if that was great. But there are certain people that when they do tell you they enjoyed it, you respect their opinion because they've been around the block and they're not going to blow smoke up your bum.
TOM: Right. Everybody responded to it across the board. Age wasn't really in it. It's interesting because most of the characters are, you know, older characters and they're sort of in their, you know, third act.
KEVIN: The twilight of their...
TOM: Yeah, but that can play to full audiences as long as the story is there. And, you know, kids on up love it. Are you in love with this story? The original, I mean, the story, the Scrooge story that it's based on?
KEVIN: Well, yeah. I mean, you know, Tom, that I played Scrooge for many years at the Hippodrome, primarily in the '80s.
TOM: Right.
KEVIN: I don't know, I may have played it in 1990, but that might have been my last time. But yes, and I directed it once there. I always had it, but I was either stage manager or Scrooge. I was alternating playing Scrooge with Chad Reed, if you remember Chad. So yeah, I love A Christmas Carol. I love the redemption story that it is--
TOM: The ultimate redemption story.
KEVIN: And yes, which I think I use that same phrase or something similar, in the play. So I've always loved that. And especially around this time of year, it’s a story that—that’s why it survived for over a hundred and nearly fifty years now, I guess—because it is such a universal story. So yes, that was the basis. This idea had been floating around in my brain for gosh, a decade before I finally sat down and started to write it. And I don’t know if it was... My mother died in 2022. She died in June of 2022, and I think I started writing this in late September or early October of that same year.
TOM: Right.
KEVIN: And I don’t know if that’s what made me finally pull out the legal pad and start writing, or what. But her name was Barbara. And of course, Barbara—the character that Lauren played—was definitely named after my mother. Edwin, the character I played, that's my father’s middle name.
TOM: Oh, I got it. Well, that’s beautiful. It’s coming from deep places.
KEVIN: Yeah. So I think that, and—Tom, I’m running off at the mouth here—but I really, I had a basic structure for this play, not anything near where it was going to go. But I just knew, okay, just start writing and see what happens. And I got to tell you, in an almost mystical manner, this play took on a life of its own as I was writing it. I don’t know if I mentioned to you—I know I did to somebody—I had no idea that the puppet, Jo-Jo, was going to end up being Tiny Tim.
TOM: Really?
KEVIN: I just knew I wanted a ventriloquist as part of this group of actors living in the retirement home. I just thought, okay, that’s going to be funny. That’s going to be... you know, have a bad ventriloquist as part of this group of actors that lives in this retirement home. But it was during the writing that I went, no, this cat’s going to be Tiny Tim.
TOM: Wow.
KEVIN: So I had to write that. And toward the end of it too, I don’t think I knew that Joy was going to make an actual appearance. But then, when I got that far, I said, no, she needs to make—we need to bring in that spiritual appearance of Joy.
And then—and this was not pre-planned—I thought, okay, it would be even better if we don’t know if Joy was real or not. As an audience member, we don’t know. Even though we just saw it, right? When we do the next scene, I wanted the audience to go, well, was that just his imagination? Was it real? And of course, I don’t want to give the ending away.
TOM: Yeah, we won’t give any—no spoilers.
KEVIN: Okay.
TOM: It’s more about where it comes from, and the way, and the epic eventness of it, you know what I mean? This is a group of people coming together for a sold-out house, for a hilarious, but also heart-loving play.
KEVIN: Yeah.
TOM: I heard one comment—I won’t say who—this is slightly off the record. And it was interesting because we’re talking about the play. I said, it’s beautiful. It’s hysterical and it’s deep at the same time. It’s got the whole wave of possibility for emotional content.
They said, "I don’t know, I think it was a little out of balance." I think it was a little—what did he say? It affected him. And I’m like, no, that’s not out of balance. If anything, make it even more extreme. Because I’m a bit of an extremist—I want somebody to make me laugh my ass off and make me cry my guts out so that I will live with this play and think about it.
KEVIN: Put that on the record. And I always think the best place and the best sitcoms that you watch on TV are the ones that make you laugh and at the end of them just grip you.
TOM: Oh, yes.
KEVIN: And yes, if they can bring you to tears.
TOM: Why did you write this?
KEVIN: Like I said, it had been floating around in my brain. You know, the coupled with my mother passing. And, you know, and the other part was there aren't a lot of a lot of plays out there for older actors. And probably the biggest motivating factor, Tom, was that I've seen a lot of crummy Christmas plays that get produced. I'm not saying where. But plays that I leave and go, ew. I can do one of two things. I can either keep complaining about them or I can write one that's that I feel like is better. And if I can't write one this better, I've got to stop complaining about what I'm seeing. So that was a big motivator.
TOM: So shit or get off the pot.
KEVIN: Yeah. Okay, let me just see how. Now, could I write another one that I feel like has all these elements in it? I don't know. I mean, based on what I saw last night, sometime in the near future, I want to start another play anyway, just to see I have other things floating around in my brain that have been there for a decade that I'd like to maybe attempt, but this was very encouraging Monday night.
TOM: How would you describe your sense of humor?
KEVIN: Wacky. You know, I worked at Disney for 23 years.
TOM: What were you doing in Disney?
KEVIN: The Indiana Jones, what the Indiana Jones stunt show was my primary gig, but yeah, but I also did I subbed Finding Nemo the Musical for 11 years. The last 11 years I worked there. And I did several other shows of the hunchback of Notre Dame. I was in I was I subbed that show. I did who wants to be a millionaire there. I did Merlin, which was Merlin, which was a one-man show over at the Magic Kingdom. I subbed I'm primarily subbed all the other shows at my primary full-time show was the Indiana Jones stunt show, but that group of people at that show were not only athletically talented, but it was a fun group of people. And so I ended up working most of my life with people that were 30 years younger than I was. So the humor was always…I describe my job at Disney as like middle school PE. It was that kind of that kind of humor. So in answer to your question. Yeah. How would you describe your sense of humor? Middle school PE.
TOM: You know, there were two kinds of humor. It was either so witty and funny. You just laugh your ass off. And then I think because of the character and being the bad ventriloquist, you know, the jokes that are coming out of the ventriloquist dummy are so a kind of they're kind of like groaners. And then after you groan, you laugh twice as hard because because you get that it's coming from that character.
KEVIN: Yeah. And I need to know from you when the groans started, were they groaning because, oh god, here comes some more of these or these are such bad?
TOM: No, It’s sort of like, you know, like I said, I think this is your strength as a writer writing characters, that form of humor came out of the dummy like all on its own. He had his own sense of humor and the beauty of it is you can't tell—because you know when they put these dummies next to these people, you can't tell which ones the dummy, you know, this is a common premise like in the movie Magic with Anthony Hopkins. You don't know who's running things. You don't know if it's the guy doing the thing or if it's the guy under the dummy itself or someone else.
KEVIN: Exactly right.
TOM: Yeah. That's the first time I saw Anthony in the theater. I probably saw it 20 times. But the thing you can't tell about the dummy, if you were to treat it as its own person, is whether it's spitting these jokes out to embarrass Gregg or if that's the dummy's actual sensibilities, the dummy thinks he's really doing a laugh, but the laugh comes out of that as a pure laugh. It's funny that the dummy's jokes, you know, it's not that they fall flat. They're so precisely; I don't know how to describe it, dated in a way that a dummy would be from, like, the 1970s or the 50s even. And so the humor pops up and you, oh, and then people laugh. It's supposed to be a compliment. You know, even if you look at it, I'd be like, oh, God, what's the thing? No, no, it's supposed to be a compliment.
KEVIN: And, if the thing ever gets produced, I want to really, a ventriloquist dummy that I can, that the guy playing Bill can manipulate the eyes as well as the mouth.
TOM: Oh, that would be great.
KEVIN: Because I wanted there to be like, I want him to have more personality, like the eyes can open full wide when he goes, "I'm going to flush that thing down the F-ing toilet, dismember it with a hacksaw," and I wanted the puppet to go...
TOM: I noticed, you know, this is again off the record for a second, but they did have an Avenue Q, you know, these are very specific puppets. And I don't know the mechanism behind that because if this were, like I said, if people were doing this around, they'd come up with their own, you know, as a director, come up with their own dummy, or you're going to require they use your dummy or just however it goes.
KEVIN: Yeah, I would say, I would say, you know, let them do what they want to do. But my recommendation would be, would be to try to get a ventriloquist dummy that has the eyes capability as well as the, as well as the mouth.
TOM: Let me see what else I've got thinking about. What’s your take on the doctor, the caretaker that's in there that basically facilitates the hallucinogenic part of this show for Ed. Oh, and, and let me preface, hold that question. Ed's grumpy! What's the matter with Ed? Why is, why, why is he Scroogey? What's got him, what's got him in this, you know, he needs an intervention because he's at a bad place. Why, what's got him there, what would you say?
KEVIN: I mean, it's what he says early on. It's, it's that point in his life where he's realized he says, "I don't, I don't have my, I don't have my career anymore. I don't have, my son is grown up and married and, and moved on so I don't have him." Dynamics change in, and I've been in enough relationships that dynamics change when all the kids are gone or when the kid is gone. And for him, he was a single parent and, now that his son's on his own, his career is gone and now his body is, is, as we age, as I mentioned, you know, things start falling apart body-wise. So really, there's, he doesn't have a lot going on and I think, and I think getting back to the question that you're about to ask about the facilitator is that he is, he's, he's, he's in the blues, he's got the blues, he's in the dumps, he doesn't know why, he can't, it frustrates him, he knows he's not depressed, that's not it, but he can't, he's, he's just frustrated at this point in his life that he has nothing to, to hold on to. There's, there's, you know, maybe if the, the grandkid came, then maybe that would snap him out of it, but that's not where we are at this moment in his life.
TOM: And maybe he had higher expectations or ambitions for his career?
KEVIN: Well, I think he thought when the kid was gone, he would, he would be able to jump right back into, to maybe what he was doing. And, and as, as Bill points out, he said, "The studio’s moved on. That's just what they do. They don't wait, you know, if an actor is dry and out or, you know, they're, they're going, they're, they're going to move on."
TOM: You know, he feels a little out of his, out of his time, like that, that progress as well, and different ways of doing acting have taken over, streaming, TikTok and other stuff.
KEVIN: Yes, and he's not even the same type of actor. He wouldn't fit in the same category that he would have fit in back in his heyday.
TOM: That's interesting. Let me just pop into my mind. I have some pictures I'm going to give you before I leave. I'll send them over to you. I was gonna fix ‘em up a little bit.
KEVIN: Oh, you still can.
TOM: I got some great pictures.
KEVIN: But in, in, in Jennifer's case, the case of Sue, the psychiatrist, you know, I needed a vehicle for, for being able to, being able to create the scenario.
TOM: Oh, yeah, I want to know more about Bruce's character.
KEVIN: Oh, well, Bruce's character Peter. Yeah, as I was, you know, I would explain to, to now, and because Nell played Betty, Peter, these two are the, they're, they're caring, nice. They want, they want everything to be good again with Ed. They're, they're the, they're the heart and soul of that group of people, I would say. And, you know, when Sue suggests that they do Christmas Carol to hope, to pull him out of his, you know, she, and Pete are the first ones on board. They're the real feeling types of the play. And you got Barbara and Bill who are…Bill’s in his own little world and, and Barbara's, like, I, I told, Lauren, I, I sent everybody notes after the read. And I said, Lauren is a character that, I mean, Lauren's character, Barbara is someone who's probably made a living with just having one attitude, just kind of being loud and sarcastic and, you know, Bea Arthur is, is the character that came to mind when I was writing that character is that, and that's, that's what Bea Arthur did. Bea Arthur made a great living playing mod and, uh, and the Golden Girls and it was the same character. And I, and I told Lauren, I said, that's what I feel like this character is like, but every, but people like her because they, ultimately, they know her hearts in the right place, even though, you know, she can be a little caustic.
TOM: Can you send me a list of the characters from the play I assume they're written into the play, sort of, the names of the characters, some attributes about them. Do you have that in the play?
KEVIN: I did originally and maybe I can find, but, but I found after, it's so funny, when we did the first read, we only read this play twice as a group once was a year ago in November. And, and I had, you know, I said, yeah, this character, I told, Nell, I said, yeah, your characters, like, and I wrote that in the description, like Betty White. I said, I said, Bill's character was, was like, now I'm blanking on his name, but in The Mary Tyler Moore show, the...
TOM: Ted?
KEVIN: Yeah, Ted was like Ted. Now, and I found that they went to the extremes on those when I, when I suggested that. And so I, so I kind of backed off that a little and, and let, I didn't want to give them too much of an image, um, because I was afraid of becoming a caricature, which it kind of did in that first read.
TOM: No, it works! I kind of felt that way. I thought to myself, this group has been working in a time and place. And so when you bring up these television shows, which I grew up with, you know, I totally get that aesthetic. It's neo/retro - timely yet nostalgic. So here's what I'm going to do. I may call you with other questions.
KEVIN: Sure.
TOM:  If that's okay. Yeah. I'll probably have it done before Christmas. Thank you for coming around.

Now that this staged reading is in the history books, the excitement of seeing it further develop into a full production on the stage is the next great holiday adventure. Christmas 2025?

By Tom Miller
(This review is dedicated to Rusty Salling.)

A whirlwind March with several projects in the works. The Independent Florida Alligator reports I'm retiring the Reverend Angeldust's Tabernacle of Hedonism Open Mic (a.k.a. The Tom Miller Show) in December of 2024. That will make it 40 years of live interactive shenanigans - the longest running continuous live open mic night in America. Finally coming to an end ... true? Yes. Not a stunt. Read more about it here: ​https://www.alligator.org/article/2024/03/tom-miller-announces-retirement-from-39-year-open-mic-variety-show

Here's another cool thing happening. The WOMBASH (a benefit for The WOMBAT radio station) is the weekend of April 19th and 20th. You can get tickets here:
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/63431587/wombash-gainesville-first-magnitude-brewing-company

Besides a plethora of brilliant bands, terrific beer, and local community, I'm playing electric bass in a reunited super band from the 90s, THE SPACE MASONS. Our lineup features yours truly on bass, the legendary Jack Mason on guitar and lead vocals, Kim Chalmers on violin, the multi-talented Jon Jackson on drums, and special guest guitarist Travis Tooke. You do not want to miss this. We start at 5:30 on Saturday, but get there early. Not to make too much of a pun about it, but doors open at 4:20.

Don't miss ARTWALK on the last Friday of the month - this being March 29th. I'll be attending at the Black C Art, and in honor of National Piano Day, we have the return of Invisible Piano Player, Morine French, along with some other surprises. As always, "... expect the unexpected." This happens from 7-9 p.m. and you can find out about all the participating venues right here at the ARTWALK official page: https://www.artwalkgainesville.com/

You'll also not want to miss what has become a regular occasion to get together in a yard and have a character-driven punk party at Occupy Pancakes. All the info you need to know is in the flyer, but make note that not only do I have a primary performance slot, our good friend Adam Thorton will be here all the way from Texas and he's performing too! Along with other regulars and amazing performers, there's really nothing like this event. It takes me right back to the days of punk yard keg parties which used to be the fertile ground in Gainesville for many fantastic bands to reach their constituents until the Party Police came into being to crush our dreams. Thank you Marvo, Handlebar Jack, Auntee Bobo, Jason, and all the people who put this thing together. You can live the dream again! There will be pickles, pancakes, Hurdy Gurdy, tits, electric guitars, art, and a diverse group of the coolest people to welcome you to the event. Hope to see you there!

Also in April, Shamrock McShane returns to the intimate stage at Black C Art to perform his one-man play, The Seven Sides of Shakespeare! We haven't set the dates yet, but you'll have the opportunity to see Sham in an intimate theatre space perform his show in two separate events: Part I on one day and Part II on another. The play, based on the film, based on the play. Directed by yours truly (which is pretty much the task of getting out of Shamrock's way), we'll have lights, music, spectacle, and all the Aristotelian qualities of good theatre. And the spirit of the Bard will be upon us. Is that a dagger I see before me? Coming soon ...

As always, please consider a donation here to help continue supporting quality local arts and entertainment. Skip that Starbucks just once and turn it into a $10 vote to keep Gainesville as weird as possible. Here's how to help - make your contribution to this link:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=Q577M34DQ3VCE

#     #     #

The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) at The HIPP:
Book by Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin

The premise is simple: Bad Weather causes participants of a Christmas Pageant Show various delays. Therefore, three multi-talented members of the cast take on the challenge of performing the entire show themselves. We already have a great fish-out-of-water situation which is comedic to start with. But as these actors improvise, succeed, fail, and falter, the comedy ratchets up and we're so happy it's happening to them instead of us. That's the central premise of comedy. Add to the fact that the performance is in a non-denominational church ("We'll believe anything ...") and so any and all are welcome regardless of race, color, creed, socioeconomic status, sex, gender, and religion ... for mass skewering. Did I mention this show is in part, a musical? The title of the best song is the only joke I'll reveal: Happy Merry Chrismakwanukkahanzukkah.

Sharply directed by Stephanie Lynge, the play is filled with physical action. The actors make full use of the Hippodrome's thrust stage and voms. Robert P. Robbins' lighting is a dazzling wonder. Seamless sound design by Amanda Yeats adds a great sense of place and makes a fourth character out of the weather. And costumes by Erin Jester, so many costumes! How the actors get in and out of these garments is like watching a magic show. Equally detailed and entertaining are all the props the actors make use of, including a table of foley-artist sound-effect instruments (properties by Elaine Shoaf). Amber Wilkerson (Stage Manager), Loren Meza, and the unheralded behind-the-scenes crew work invisibly dressing, moving, organizing -- we often fail to realize the actors don't do this alone. It truly takes a village. With all the moving parts, the Hipp is expert at making the complicated and impossible seem effortless. Scenic Designer / Technical Director Warren Goodwin delivers a flexible dreamlike setting rich in details for both this play, and the legendary traditionally performed Christmas Carol. As if one set weren't difficult enough, we have two interconnected but entirely individual worlds in which to delight. As for Christmas Carol - this year's production is better, tighter, faster, more musical, and to a turn, far scarier! Make sure to catch both plays.

Back to our story: In terms of style, the comedy is Three Stooges, Monty Python, Saturday Night Live, with a little What's My Line thrown in for good measure. A nod to vaudeville and radio plays included. As much as this reviewer hates audience participation, these moments were the gems of the show. In particular, a loopy sing-along to The Twelve Days of Christmas went hysterically and memorably off the rails.

The players introduce themselves using their real names and thus; being actors we've seen in other roles at the Hippodrome, embue an immediate familiarity and rapport. A number of Gainesville insider jokes abound. Each actor brings his special brand of skills to the table. Kevin Rainsberger strikes one as an authority figure, perhaps a regional Publix manager. It's delightful to watch him frazzle and freak with each obstacle to the success of the show. Jonathan Bangs, who starred as Chad Deity (The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety), brings palpable charisma and charm. A quick wit and sharp on the fly, it's a pleasure to watch him roll with the spontaneous interactive elements of his fellow players and audience. He may also have the HIPP record for quickchange into a pregnant woman. David Patrick Ford, whom we've seen burn up the stage in a dark and serious turn in Fahrenheit 451 makes for a most absurd three-foot elf dancing in the Nutcracker.

​You really have to see the table-top ballet finale to believe it.

TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION HERE:
https://thehipp.org/the-ultimate-christmas-show-abridged/

​... or The Passion of Fish on the Bone

See this guy? In Lebanon, New Jersey, there’s a fresh seafood joint called Metro. And in there, you might find the Funky Fishmonger. If you do, you might just change your life for the better with the taste of a single complementary oyster or bite of sashimi-grade tuna and the wisdom Mark will share with you.

I first encountered the Funky Fishmonger in videos on social media. Most people know I’m a complete freak about food, seafood in general, and specifically the magnificent lobster. So as you can imagine, I see a lot of cooks and chefs doing their thing. Mark’s thing was different. Watching the easy style and sharply edited short preparations, one gets the feeling they could easily make what Mark’s making. And boy, does he cook. We, the viewer, are Mark’s “Little Chefs” and the passion of the Funky Fishmonger is to make sure we understand the value of seafood, respect for the ecosystem which makes for the quality product, and the absolute bliss of eating and sharing dishes made with love. His look is one of a seasoned and well-traveled man, a sharp dandy dresser, a purveyor of taste and distinction, someone you can drink a whiskey with, fire up a cigar, and converse poetically on any and all topics. Seafood will be at the top of the list. Likewise, family, friends, his remarkable staff of associates—this is life at its richest. One other thing, he’s a heck of a lot of fun.

When I approached Mark for the opportunity to present answers to my 5-questions series, I offered he could respond in writing, or even as recorded dialogue which I would transcribe. He was having none of this. Only a full-feature live video would do, arranged and edited by his right-hand man, Jack. Jack does the tech and produces the episodes with Mark and their popularity has skyrocketed in the last couple of years. The Funky Fishmonger does a short introduction, cooks a dish (often with some tasteful soulful music), and then he “goes deep”. With a fork or spoon, or sometimes his “meathooks”, he takes a bite. There’s a moment of symbiotic rapture between host and guest (us), his head shakes in approval, his fingers rise, circling in a sort of Italian-style pinched-purse gesture of profound gratitude, and then he tells you what’s going through his mind. Lemon, parsley, butter, the fish, so tender and flaky, the sauce so rich and luxurious … he breaks off a piece of fresh bread as one does, dips it in the sauce for a second take, and then he lets you know how much he loves what he does: sharing some technique, some simplicity, some sense that you can do as he did and make something extraordinary at home to share with family and friends. “I love cooking for you, my Little Chefs. I’ll see you at Metro.” His sign-off makes you want to go right to the next episode until you’ve binged the series. This is what I felt when I wrote him the following:

Hi Mark, 

Thanks for extending me your email. Here's the deal. I absolutely dig your stuff. Your style, the dishes you prepare, as I said, next time I'm in NY, I'm coming down there to load up on serious seafood. I consider myself—having watched nearly all of your videos—a huge fan and hopefully, a "Little Chef". I'm a banger with scallops; I can get that sear, with the pink middle just coming up to the sweet sublime buttery middle.

I do a little blog, many topics, with about 5,000 folks. This is me, by the way:
https://millerworks.journoportfolio.com/

Tom Miller
Tom Miller is a playwright, screenwriter, performance artist, musician, director, sound designer, actor, painter, and the host of the longest running continuous live variety show in America, The Tom Miller Show. Mr. Miller holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Florida and an MFA in Screenwriting in the David Lynch MFA Screenwriter's Program at Maharishi International University. Mr. Miller enjoys lobster, martinis, and hosting The Reverend Angeldust's Tabernacle of Hedonism in Gainesville, Florida - the Known Center of the Universe.

The format is I ask 5 questions, and you do 5 answers. I post it with a nice photo and how to check out your videos, Metro, and I'll say really nice stuff in the introduction. That's it. You know I won't get the quotes wrong because you're doing them. And that could be in writing, or you could just say stuff and wing me an mp3 file for transcription; whatever's easy. I hope you're game for this because truly this is about me being a fan. For you, free advertising. For me, just a thrill to share the word. I wish I had a deeper agenda, but their ain't one. I'm an artist, I like food, I got friends who like food. And style. That simple.
Here are the questions:

1. How did "Funky Fishmonger" come about?
2. Describe a perfect day filled with passion, romance, nostalgia, and ambition?
3. What's the big dream for the Funky Fishmonger's future?
4. When I go to Metro, what's going to blow my mind?
5. Of all the seafood dishes you prepare, which one is the Bomb? (And ya' gotta' pick one. I know, they're ALL the bomb. One.)

One more thing: My dad used to take me to nice seafood dinners in Miami as a young boy (I was privileged, silver spoon and all). I was a shitty kid, and he was the greatest dad. Too late, I got my act together, got some degrees, accomplished some stuff. But nothing brings me back to dad like a plate of Lobster (I'm a lobster freak), or Coconut Shrimp. An old-style restaurant, The New England Oyster House, was the place. Specifically (even though they're really sort of warm water langoustines), the South African Lobster Tail just sends me to Mars. They were really popular in the 80s; nowhere to be seen these days, maybe online. They were stupid money too. Worth every penny, so long as they bring enough drawn butter.

Thanks for your passion, your style, your videos, you sound like a guy anyone would want to have a drink with, and maybe a bite of Red Snapper? We have those in abundance in my weird upside-down state of Florida. Once, I was invited to cook Red Snapper in Ceder Key, and they gave me the dullest knife in the world. I got so frustrated trying to filet this thing like a Michelin chef (hopeless, like sawing down a tree with a pencil), I just flung the whole thing into the grill fire and closed the lid. A short time later, everyone was saying what a great chef I was. Lol. Redfish!

Give it some thought. No pressure. You can say, no thank you. You're busy, careful with the brand, I get that. But I'm the genuine article, and I will add 5,000 people who are going to know about Metro. I'm not an "influencer", I don't want any free stuff, but when I make it to NYC and Metro, hopefully there's some lobster there looking to be loved.

Kind regards,
-- Tom Miller

(Maybe you get a kick out of this. I think a raw oyster is the world's greatest food.) 

When the lights come up on Set Designer, Mihai Ciupe's White House Interior, the President is nowhere to be seen. Or, POTUS, as he's called in Selina Fellinger's play. Or, "Dumbass" as he's referred to in the subtitle which reads: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. But that doesn't matter. It's not about him. I bet he thought this play was about him. It's not. It's about seven women who are trying to keep him alive, covering for his misdeeds, infidelities, moral ineptitude, and abject stupidity, such that the people will love him and be well-served. The play doesn't hint at which President this might refer to, or even if this off-stage President character is modeled after any one particular POTUS. I had one in mind.

Luckily, everyone can laugh at the satire and farce of this play no matter which side of the aisle one resides. It's about backstage, behind the scenes, the real story behind the story. The spin room. The bedroom. There's even room for conspiracy theorists to get a kick out of this one. As comical as politics can seem, it's a tragedy when we stop to think about it. Seeing a reflection of how we conduct affairs in the U.S.A. staged as a farce, however, provides permission, nay, the obligation to laugh. And what a release, because the play is a hysterical hot mess, a complete riot, and I mean both of these qualities as accolades.

Unlike All Girl Frankenstein before it (written by, Bob Fisher) in which an all-female cast portrays male characters, (a bit of a reverse-Shakespearean gimmick albeit, a successful one), this play is an all-female cast playing women characters. Being the dumbass that I am, I asked in an interview for Shamrock McShane's great preliminary write-up, Acting Presidential at The HIPP, "What do you want men to take away from this play?" The answer was somewhere between "We don't care," and "Who gives a shit." Perhaps with a bit of tongue-in-cheek, this comment illuminated my favorite aspect of the play and what I personally took away from it. This play is Punk! It's not afraid to be what it is, it doesn't care what you think of it, but regardless, you will be in the mosh pit having the time of your life. You'll be smilin' and bleedin'. Chances are you'll not only laugh your ass off, you'll ultimately stand in solidarity with the struggles, power, and diversity of these women and of women at large. No male gaze required. I'm told this play is the first all-female Broadway farce.

The set is marvelous and gives you a real sense of the history and pageantry of the White House. The majesty of the interior works to further highlight the insane tribulations of our characters as they gradually devolve into a wasted frantic debacle. It's beautifully illuminated by Morgan Lessman (U.F.) in rich golden tones. The sound design by Amanda Nipper is as seamless and atmospheric as ever. Terrific song choices by female hit-makers punctuate scenes, and yes, expect to hear the cast performing musical numbers in spectacular fashion. Helen Dominguez perfectly outfits the characters in appropriate couture reflecting the characters' various professions and stations. An especially stand-out item is Nichole Hamilton's designer undercut pixie bowl-style wig. I truly thought she cut her hair for this performance and was astonished at the after-celebration to discover it had been a rug. A nod to safe and well-executed fight choreography by Tiza Garland. Also, suitable and several hilarious wild props and tchotchkes from Erika Capin, who clearly has a shrewd eye for detail.

​The acting is committed and with strong intention, which makes the comedy rise to great heights. Often the comedy is clever, rarely subtle or nuanced. Even Three-Stooges slapstick and campy violence find their way to the stage. Every character chews scenery and steals the stage from each other with every further twist and turn, and language so exquisitely crude, John Waters might offer a side-eye. By the time we reach the finale, we really are in a climactic comic mashup. You're bound to exit the theatre with a big dopey grin plastered to your face. That's what happened after the thunderous applause and standing ovation of opening night. Each actor brings a fully realized character to bear, with a full rich palate of needs and wants. At some point, these women question their various commitments to this dumbass POTUS, and that catharsis gives the play depth and heart. They signed up, they know their purpose, and they're going to finish the job even if sorting out the mess goes unrequited or is less than honorable. It's for the good of the country. Just ... why him and not us? That is the question.

In an interesting piece of script trivia, playwright Fillinger lists the characters in order of importance to the President. Would it surprise anyone to find that the pregnant mistress lands about in the middle of this list and the wife roll-calls dead last? Don't worry. She knows what's up as you'll see. Fillinger's dedication in the script is this: "For any woman who's found herself a secondary character in a male farce."

​Stephanie Lynge's direction is deft and solid. She makes the most of her actors' strengths, and although her vision presents itself, collaboration is welcome at the party. Towards the end at times, several characters showboat simultaneously and pull focus a bit, perhaps that's by design; a comedy of chaos. The front runners for show-stealing are easily Nichole Hamilton as Harriet, Chief of Staff, and Kelly Atkins as Jean, a sharp buxom-blond Press Secretary whose confidence rolls when the cameras do. They have such ease on stage, and Vaudevillian chemistry as they riff and play off each other with tangible emotional content. We immediately buy these characters in their respective roles; we're instantly enraptured with their purpose. Margaret (dL Sams) is the First Lady, astute and saucy. She's engaged in Chess with the Tic Tac Toe players. The disdain for her boneheaded husband is palpable, but for the sake of World Peace, she wisely puts on a brave face paying homage to protocol and manners. Make no mistake though, in the wings, some folks are undoubtedly going to catch Hell for it. Stephanie, a somewhat inept secretary in eternal fear of job security (Paulina Machado), still manages to throw a great wrench into the circus. Aneisa J. Hicks as Chris, a famous high-brow reporter, knows how to build rapport in the service of a story. For all her personal charms, nothing will get in the way of her goal. The appearance of Sophia Page as Dusty, a street-smart pubescent firebrand whose dalliance with the Prez is nothing short of uncomfortable, makes the Monica Lewinsky scandal seem trivial at best. She’s entirely convincing in her role. Her complication to the narrative may be a the most awkward of all. Luckily, Bernadette (brilliantly played by Michelle Bellaver), the President's renegade lesbian sister, has drugs. That can only help, right? So long as she can get that pardon and stay out of jail. Bellaver achieves what every comedian and actor strives for on the stage: she KILLS! Nothing about her performance in this role is unfunny. Her approach beyond simply character study is further embodied in the physical. She walks Bernadette's walk. She doesn't leave room for a breath between laughs for every moment she's on stage.

The true joy of this production is more than just the talents and genius comic timing of the cast. This is a real ensemble at work here, and one can feel the collective spirit of joy and fun in the performances. This play is also a co-production between the Hippodrome and the theatre department at the University of Florida. Some will take from this play a message about patriarchy, but I think there's a more profound and yet far simpler take: what we have here is the White House as a fun-house. This play is for everyone. It appeals more to what we have in common than to our differences, and we're all in this farce together. In this play, there are no secondary characters on stage. Every single woman is the star, and every single character plays a role in avoiding World War III. They do it together by leaning into their strengths. In overcoming adversity, they rise in diversity and power to do the one thing we need more of in this world, inspiration leading to our collective highest state of being: laughter.

Shows continue through October 1.

* Tickets: https://thehipp.org/potus/

On the end of this auspicious finger is a tiny handbag, the smallest ever created in the world. It's made by a company by MSCHF. They do lots of mischief in the world of art. It occurred to me as I was reading the story that Nothing will fit in that handbag. So as a result, I offered Nothing to the MSCHF Art Collective in exchange for absolutely Nothing.

Product Description
Microscopic (657x222x700μm) tote bag created using 2-photon polymerization printing methods. The bag is viewable through a microscope, which also features a built-in digital display.
Product Year 2023
Product Materials Photopolymer resin, gel case, microscope
Product Dimensions 30 x 16 x 8 in. (76.2 x 40.64 x 20.32 cm.)

Here's the text of an article at CBS News about this new handbag, which recently sold in a Joopiter auction for $63,750. 

ARTICLE:
A handbag bearing Louis Vuitton's signature monogram has sold for thousands of dollars – and you can barely even see it with the naked eye. 

The bag, dubbed the "microscopic handbag" by its maker, the Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF, measures at just micrometers. It was sold in a Joopiter auction this week for $63,750 – a high escalation after the initial bid of $15,000 – and comes with a microscope that has a digital display so that its buyer can enjoy the bag's design.

"Smaller than a grain of sea salt and narrow enough to pass through the eye of a needle, this is a purse so small you'll need a microscope to see it," MSCHF said in a post about the bag. "There are big handbags, normal handbags, and small handbags, but this is the final word in bag miniaturization." 

The bag is made of photopolymer resin and was created with a 2-photon polymerization, a form of 3D printing, and appears to be a knockoff of luxury designer Louis Vuitton.

The microscopic bag is a fluorescent green tote and features the iconic LV in its center and a design similar to that of the luxury label's OnTheGo bags, which retail for between $3,100 and $4,300.

"As a once-functional object like a handbag becomes smaller and smaller its object status becomes steadily more abstracted until it is purely a brand signifier," MSCHF said. 
Kevin Wiesner, MSCHF's chief creative officer, told The New York Times earlier this month that the group did not seek permission from Louis Vuitton to mimic its brand.

"We are big in the 'ask forgiveness, not permission' school," he said. 
That rule applied even in this auction. The house hosting it was founded by Louis Vuitton men's designer Pharell Williams. 

"Pharrell loves big hats, so we made him an incredibly small bag," Wiesner said. 
CBS News has reached out to Louis Vuitton for comment and is awaiting response.

Tiny purses and bags have emerged as a star in the fashion world, with celebrities showing them off on red carpets. In 2019, Lizzo famously arrived at the American Music Awards with a tiny Valentino purse.
  
"Previous small leather handbags have still required a hand to carry them — they become dysfunctional, inconveniences to their 'wearer,'" MSCHF says in its auction listing. "Microscopic Handbag takes this to its full logical conclusion. A practical object is boiled down into jewelry, all of its putative function evaporated; for luxury objects, useability is the angels' share."

                    ______________________________

And here is a copy of my letter to MSCHF. Let's hope they accept Nothing from me, which will only enhance the value of this already valuable and unique handbag. Or, should I say, finger bang.

From: Tom Miller
To:

• [email protected]

Thu 6/29/2023 11:25 AM
Dear MSCHF,

My name is Tom Miller and I am impressed with your miniature bag, the size of a grain of salt.
Since clearly Nothing will fit in this bag, I would like to make Nothing available to you.

I, like many artists before me, use Nothing in my current artistic work. Recently, I made a sculpture of Nothing in 2016 which is widely regarded as the first sculpture of Nothing. Yes, other artists have utilized the "idea" of Nothing in their work, but in my case, I use absolutely Nothing. For example, there are no instructions, I'm not selling Nothing, Nothing isn't a description of what one might see. It's just there.

I was recognized by Euro Weekly News as the first man to make a true original sculpture of Nothing. And I had to threaten to sue a Nothing fraud in order to avoid damaging my reputation for Nothing. 

https://euroweeklynews.com/2021/06/11/american-artist-tom-miller-the-genius-who-made-nothing-out-of-something/

American Artist Tom Miller: The First Man To Make An Invisible Sculpture
The Genius Who Made Nothing Out Of Something: American Artist Tom Miller

What I am proposing is that you accept Nothing from me and make Nothing available for use in your little green purse so people have something to put in there. I would not charge for this service, but you could charge as much as you like. I expect Nothing in return, just credit for providing Nothing to your organization. 

Congratulations on the purse, and if I can provide Nothing to you now or in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Kind regards,

-- Tom Miller
American Sculpture and Performance Artist

Like a comet, the opportunity to see Silent Sky (written by Lauren Gunderson) has almost passed. You'll not see it again in your lifetime. From tonight (Thursday) to Sunday, you have only five chances, and I highly suggest you take me up on this recommendation and venture to the Hippodrome to see this outstanding production. This is one not to miss.

Silent Sky tells an important story about how contemporary cosmology came to be. Like the extraordinary movie Hidden Figures (2016) which tells of the groundbreaking black woman mathematicians without whom John Glenn would not have made it into orbit, this is the story of women "computers" in the 19th Century. At this time, women did not have the vote, much less be recognized for playing a role in uncovering the mysteries of the universe. Harvard's astronomy department didn't want Henrietta Leavitt's ideas, they wanted her labor, function, and supreme math skills, for low pay and no credit. In the 19th century, this is a man's universe. Or so many men of the time would have liked to believe.

But it doesn't take long for one man to believe; the nerve-wracked awkward Peter Shaw, an astronomy fellow who falls for Henrietta about the moment he realizes he's nowhere near her equal in imagination. Along with her female co-workers, and the inspiration of her musical sister, Margaret, Henrietta uncovers a mystery that will change the way we see and understand the stars forever.

I don't want to spoil the magic. Simply know that this is one of the finest productions you'll see this year at the HIPP or anywhere. The set (design by Julie Ray), lighting (design by Bob Robbins), and sound (design by Amanda Nipper) are absolutely stunning. The acting is top-notch. And this is a play with something for everyone. In this day and age with the world the way it is, do yourself a favor and capture some awe, relativity, empathy, and hope. If this production doesn't move you, seek help.

Elise Hudson shines as Henrietta Leavitt, capturing the full range of emotional content required for such a character; strength, vulnerability, passion, and obsession, all with a forthright no-nonsense determination to follow her dreams. Imagine if you will, a hard-of-hearing woman in a world of music, rewarded with a position at Harvard only to discover her view of the stars will only be on sheets of photo glass and absolutely never through the Great Refractor telescope at the observatory. She's relegated to the basement with the other "computers". It's a heartbreak she won't stand for. She's not that type of woman.

Savannah Simerly as Henrietta's younger sister, Margaret, can break your heart with a glance. Margaret grounds and inspires Henrietta, even as she contends with their father's illness and ultimate demise. She is the play's beating heart and never loses faith in her sister. The universe that surrounds us is nothing without the universe within. Savannah brings this reality to bear in her masterful portrayal of this character.

As Peter Shaw, Tim Dowd centers his character in dazzling nerdishness and resolute duty. A man-child of discomfiture, if he ever got the kiss he longs for, he'd probably go supernova. Yes, that's a space pun. One really discovers Dowd's masterful acting when, in Henrietta's dream sequence, he's suddenly as suave, stately, and assured as a young Brando. Not a word out of place. Then, just as quick as Henrietta awakens, so returns the stuttering shambling stammer of a man, cracking his impotent whip at ladies who could easily best him physically, emotionally, and mentally. How Dowd manages to inject charm into all this is a miracle.

Cynthia Beckert portrays the matriarch of the women in the character of Annie Cannon. Annie is somewhat of a taskmaster at first but has the style and good humor to create the mnemonic, "Oh! Be A Fine Girl — Kiss Me!". Want to know what that stands for? See the play. The thrill of Cynthia's performance is to see how she deftly navigates Annie's through-line from a tough-as-nails administrator to a warm supportive compassionate friend to Henrietta.

And as Williamina Fleming, Laura Shatkus KILLS, damn-near stealing the show. Williamina, with her tough Scottish brogue, is both comic relief and the muscle of the ensemble. She can beat any man's ass with nothing but her words. God forbid she's pushed to bloodshed. She also happens to have discovered the Horsehead Nebula in 1888. Shatkus as Fleming is a discovery of epic proportions; equal parts feisty, passionate, robust, and sympathetic. Fleming's unwavering devotion to friendship conveys to the audience in genuine palpable truth.

Superbly directed by Stephanie Lynge, Silent Sky at the HIPP is Steller. Yes, another space pun. Accuracy can be funny. I've hyperlinked each character for further study so you can geek out and discover the importance of these women and what they managed to accomplish under adversity and oppression. See this play to honor their memory and the significance of their discoveries. Without their accomplishments, Voyager wouldn't be carrying music and imagery of our diversity as the most distant human-made object from Earth. Let's hope that whomever/whatever discovers it is a Chuck Berry fan.

Here's the link to get your tickets because this comet won't return in your lifetime. You'll be enriched, humbled, entertained, inspired, educated, and expanded. That's what theatre is for, after all.

TICKETS: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35327/
ABOUT THE PLAY: https://thehipp.org/silent-sky/

SHAMROCK McSHANE'S IN-DEPTH REVIEW:
https://shamrockmcshane.wordpress.com/2023/04/27/stars-align-in-hipps-silent-sky/

When Covid arrived, theatres closed their doors on or around the time of March 2020. Live storytelling in a dark room with a shared audience came to an end. The best anyone could hope for was to turn on their computers and join a Zoom meeting, so long as the Internet was working well and we had access to a wifi signal. Slowly, the worst of the pandemic subsided and one by one, the doors opened again; first with limited audiences fully masked, and gradually more seating and optional masks. But the audience still had trepidation. After years, people fell out of the practice of theatre and turned to the storytelling of streaming media. Theatres took a hit to be sure, financially, and emotionally, and frankly not all of them survived. Only creativity and the passion of patrons and theatre lovers kept theatre, "always dying", alive.

On March 13th, Aurora Nova - an international theatre booking agency based in Berlin, makes available a remarkable play by Iranian playwright, Nassim Soleimanpour, called White Rabbit Red Rabbit. They offer, only on that day, a free license for theatres to produce the show. This is to mark the time of the pandemic when theatres closed their doors and to celebrate the return of theatre after and beyond. It's called, "Let There Be Theatre!" Aurora Nova licenses the play for free on March 13th, all around the world. 

There are a total of 66 producers taking part, some of them producing the play in multiple cities and some presenters will do multiple performances. There will be around 75 performances on Monday, March 13th showing in 32 countries:

Australia, Aruba, Bermuda, Brasil, Canada, Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Romania, Saudi-Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, Ukraine, USA, Zimbabwe. Wow!

In 2019, I had my first experience with White Rabbit Red Rabbit as an actor. I was invited to encounter the play at Ani Collier's Black C Gallery. They had paid for and secured the rights to produce the play for three performances. Here's what I can tell you about the play: The actor gets some instructions about 48 hours before performing it. Then, the actor is presented the script at showtime. The actor is not to learn anything about the play nor read the script ahead of time. In a way, it's a staged reading, but with no rehearsals and some surprisingly random audience participation. That's really all I can say about the play except to add it involves the power of free speech, and is not--repeat, is not--to be intended as a governmental critique nor as a political piece. Though some may interpret it that way.

I was performing the play as one of three actors - the Black C Art (Produced by Ani Collier & Lauren Warhol Caldwell) presented the play three times, each time with a different actor. Come to think of it, if you have acted in the play, you are expected to never do it again. You honor the rules of the playwright because ... this is the show. The other actors at the Black C Production were the great Sara Morsey, and Ani Collier herself. The Black C was honored to be the first venue to premiere the show in Gainesville, Florida, in 2019.

Now, in 2023, the Hippodrome Theatre is staging the play with its actor and star, Stephanie Lynge. Stephanie's an extraordinary actor, director, producer, teacher, coach and colleague. When I was in my final year at U.F. there was a play called Miss Whitherspoon. There are other actors in that show, but most of the play resides with the central character. It was Stephanie's thesis role, and to put it mildly, she absolutely KILLED. One of the most memorable performances I ever saw at U.F. Flash forward: She is the current artistic director of the Hippodrome Theatre. Only extraordinary people can handle such a role, with Lauren Warhol Caldwell setting an impossibly high bar in her remarkable tenure there. 

On March 13th at 7 P.M., Stephanie Lynge will encounter White Rabbit Red Rabbit as the actor, and more information about the Hippodrome's production is here:
https://thehipp.org/white-rabbit-red-rabbit/

As a fellow Creative for Black C Art, we had a discussion to take advantage of the free production rights offered by Aurora. Although the Hippodrome was first in line to obtain the contract this particular 2023, they graciously extended a courtesy such that we could also license the production to be performed on the same day, even as we are physical neighbors.

Our audiences have some crossover but as a boutique part-time intimate black box theatre, our experience is in no way competitive; rather it's entirely different and complementary. We've scheduled our performances with respect to the Hippodrome's production. Theatres in my estimation pretty much have an obligation to perform this play, especially in light of numerous threats to freedom of speech sweeping Europe and the United States.

At Black C Art, we will be conducting three performances to small gatherings of 25-30 people throughout the day and evening. At 3 p.m., Mayor Harvey Ward will take on the challenge. At 5 p.m., fabulous artist and musician Gosia will appear. Our evening show at 9 p.m. features mercurial actor Shamrock McShane. If you really wanted, you could see them ALL and it would be like spending the day at a fringe festival. One could enjoy the comparisons between all the actors who will be encountering this play for the first time. All the performances are free of charge, although donations are welcome and encouraged.

More about the shows at the Black C Art can be found HERE!

The Black C Gallery is located at 111 S.E. 2nd Place between the tattoo parlor and the Cat Cafe. (How I love saying that.) If you are interested in seeing the show at Black C Art, please drop us an email: blackcproductions.gmail.com and let us know which time or times you'd like to visit and how many in your party. We will hold seats for you.

As for the play itself, (don't read this if you plan to be an actor and ever perform this piece) this link will give you some idea of what you're in for. May all the actors break their legs accordingly, and may these productions honor the author's vision and the artistic ambition of Aurora Nova. May theater be as alive as ever, and "... butts in seats."
LINK: www.nassimsoleimanpour.com/whiterabbitredrabbit

I'll leave you with this thought. I always say, "Storytelling is the root of all culture. Without storytelling, there is no culture. And without culture, human beings cannot exist on the face of the Earth." If that isn't reason enough to see these productions, I don't know what is. We'll do our part. Do yours. It'll be engaging, important, and FUN, you silly rabbit.

#     #     #