The other thing that was really cool was we performed at the Parthenon in Nashville at the feet of a very tall and very golden statue of Athena.  The ambience that was created was spectacular!

So what’s been happening…Gov. School came and went this summer with a great success and a little stress (ie. moving venues and meeting a very strict schedule) but the students were awesome and their work was amazing.  I have to give a big shout out to the faculty as again this year they were…fantabulous!

I have to admit that I reached a state of burnout and that I wanted to do very little to anything but play golf.  Snicker, snicker…golf…yeah, I know and I have to say that I am really not that good.  But I really enjoy it and I look at golf as a walk with strategy.  Plus, you gotta love the pants, right?  I estimate my handicap to be somewhere between 40 and infinity…but that hardly matters.

I am teaching 5 classes this Fall: 4 Theatre Appreciation and 1 fundamentals of acting.  It’s still early days but the students seem to have a great energy to them and I hope we can build on that over the course of the semester.

I have a shakespeare project lined up and maybe a few other things…more on that later, I swear!

(Derrick Raley as John Buchanan, Jr. and Brandee Kent as Alma Winemiller)

Tonight is the opening of MTSU’s production of TN Williams’ play Summer and Smoke and I am very pleased with the production.  The cast have worked their tails off and the lights, set, costumes are gorgeous!  If you are in the Middle Tennessee area please stop by Tucker Theatre Feb. 18-21 at 7:30pm and Sunday Feb. 22nd at 2:00pm to see this fine play.  Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.  House opens at 7:00pm.

All right, so with the new year comes a new look for the website.  I know it is February already…but better late than never.  I felt that with the incoming year of 2009 that the Tao of John needed some sprucing up.

A lot has been going on…Summer and Smoke is moving right along and I have been blessed to direct a great group of actors who have clearly put a lot of work in on their own time.  This will pay great dividends guys as we get closer to performing in front of an audience!!  If you are in the Murfreesboro area,  stop by Tucker Theatre Feb. 18-22 and check it out for yourself!

IDS is planning a few trips in the next few months.  Our first stop will be SETC where will do some recordings and present a workshop.  Then later on in March we will be heading back to the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actor’s Theatre of  Louisville.

TN Governor School for the Arts has held auditions and looks to be an interesting summer program that is starting to take shape…more on that later!