Going late night sailing on the 4th of July!  How cool is that!  We will have great seats for the fireworks show as they will shoot them out over the water. The picture above is the boat we will celebrate the fourth on!

In a couple of weeks it will be time to paint the set.  I think I am going to need between 5-7 painters to paint this show.  Lots and lots have to be painted in a total of 5 days, 10 hours per day. That's 250 hours of painting! I think it can be done.  If they base coat the set, I can detail paint the rest with one other detail painter.  Time to get supplies.

So it was announced that the sequal to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, is closing in the West End in London in just a couple of months.  This show opened last year in 2010.  So why is it closing?  My research lead me to stating that the story needed some umph as well as the design and score of the show.  So basically the whole thing needed to be reworked.  The all new production opened in Australia  on June 14th, 2011 with an all new breath taking design, that even impressed Lloyd Webber himself.  Andrew Lloyd Webber described the set as "unlike anything he had ever seen" and that Gabriela Tylesova reminded her of the original set designer for The Phantom of the Opera, Maria Bjornson, who passed away some time ago.  He has called Ms. Tylesova brillant as he said decades ago with Ms. Bjornson on her Phantom set.  So are you ready to see some Phantastic pictures of the set?!  You will have to click on the link below as I do not have the rights to put them on this blog....enjoy!
http://www.loveneverdies.com.au/photos.php

My dad just bought eight yards of the Scottish Night's Templar tartan to make a formal kilt.  The best person that I could think of to sew this together was Deborah Gerard.  We have worked together on many shows.  We drove to Dennison, Tx today and met with her.  If your are in the theatre or in the movie business you need to contact her. Her web address is http://www.timetraveleroutfitters.com, check it out now! 

I took my socks, that go with my kilt, to the dry cleaners.  Kilt socks are made of wool and are insanely itchy! The going price at dry cleaners to clean these socks are about $5.  To the left is my mom, Patricia Bell and me.  Think I am going to where my kilt tonight at the theatre! 

Skimming through the design book Alice Through the Proscenium: more scenic set design by Clare DeVries.  This book always helps when I am working on a show.  It is a true what to expect guide through set design.  It also reminds you of helpful things along the way.  You can pick up a copy today at Lulu.com. Oh, this book is also handy for your nook book or iPad.  I have both!

Working the box office tonight for 'The Hand' presented by BGPT.  Last night's house was sold out with all types of theatre peeps in the community. Be sure to get your tickets before they are gone at www.ilovedallasdrama.com.   

Well I turned in my baby...I meant my model for The Mikado.  I was not happy, I left it in the car for 24 hours in the Texas heat and it made it worpy and a little dumpy.  I set it up in the rehearsal hall for all to see and it looked kind of worn but still crisp. The model answered many of the directors questions.  On my way back home I noticed the Valspar paint factory where they actually make the paint.  I have never noticed this before, old building turning out expensive paint.

Currently you can catch Macbeth & As You Like It going on at the Trinity Shakespeare festival in Fort Worth, Texas.  The award winning set designer, architect & book author, Clare Floyd DeVries, has designed this beautiful set.  For tickets or further information about these shows please visit the website at www.trinityshakes.org .  Pictures courtsey of Clare Floyd DeVries.

Came across this stage design company that has built some of the best musicals ever.  They also built Phantom that is playing in Las Vegas.  Visit them at www.hudsonscenic.com and take a gander at some really cool stuff they have done.  Also by looking at the picture below you know why Phantom is my favorite design for a show...period!