ACTORS CO-OP PRESENTS THE ACTORS ACADEMY [Note from Barb: Marianne is a good friend of mine and a brilliant actress and acting teacher. If you know any aspiring actors, this will be a day well spent.] Actors Co-op – a professional theater company composed of Christian actors in Hollywood presents a day-long workshop for actors. Topics to be covered include: PLAYING OBJECTIVES – What’s the most important thing an actor does? – What give a scene life? – Playing an... Read more

CHRISTIAN IMAGINATION AND THE MEDIA I’m here in Orlando to give a speech to the Catholic Press Association and the Catholic Academy of Media Professionals. Here, for posterities’ sake, are the notes (in someplaces outline) for my talk. I. Greetings from the Church in Hollywood! I am very honored to be addressing you. And intimidated. The topic I was assigned seems so much better suited to a theologian or philosopher or historian. I am a screenwriter. And the Executive Director... Read more

SONGS FOR THE POST-MODERN SCAFFOLD? I’m doing research for a spec script about the 17 Carmelite martyrs of Compeign. The story is that these women – ages 27 – 78 – offered themselves as a holocaust to stop the Great Terror. This is the same story that was novelized by George Bernanos, and made famous in the opera Dialogues of the Carmelites. (And I know some of you are out there thinking that this kind of project is just more... Read more

CYNTHIA GETS BACK TO ME ON SACRED ART “As for your art interests, sounds to me like your thinking is justfine.” (comment from Barb: “Now, I can die.”) “When it comes to modern art, the problem is not only representational but pedagogical. A lot of modern art and music requires some previous formation in the viewer/listener. (I love Picasso now that I’ve studied him a bit. His story is one of the most exciting in art history.) The thing with... Read more

RIPPED OFF YOU WERE I’m in a hotel business center in Orlando. Even though they are charging me .69 a minute, I am making the financial sacrifice to let all of you know that Revenge of the Sith is abominably, laughably, inexcusably bad. If you haven’t gone yet, please do not pour your money into the Lucasfilm dark side. It’s a terrible movie. More later. (I’m not THAT generous.) Read more

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…AGAIN I’m off to San Antonio, Washington and Orlando. I’m not sure how much blogging I’ll get to…Unless, of course, I run into another convention of nuns. Then, you KNOW you’ll be hearing from me! Keep the faith! Read more

PENTECOST SEQUENCE (attributed to Pope Innocent III) Holy Spirit! Lord of light! From Thy clear celestial height, Thy pure, beaming radiance give: Come, O Father of the poor! Come, with treasures which endure! Come, O light of all that live! Thou, of all consolers best, Visiting the troubled breast, Doth refreshing peace bestow: Thou in toil, are comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe. Light immortal! Light divine! Visit now these hearts of Thine,... Read more

BEAUTY = LOOKING LIKE WHAT GOD DOES – ? I’m in that hellish, scary place of preparing a couple of new talks. This means I’m doing lots of book reading, surfing the Internet, earnest discussing with blinking-eyed friends, and brooding, brooding, brooding (although in my happy Sicilian way…thank God I didn’t take after our French dark side!) At the end of it, I’ll have a new schtick to add to my repertoire – exactly like my opera singing sister, Val,... Read more

SEE BARB IN DC Artists for a Renewed Society and Act One present, ARE YOU MISSING THE REVOLUTION? HOLLYWOOD ONE YEAR AFTER THE PASSION a discussion with Barbara R. Nicolosi,screenwriter and Executive Director, Act One, Inc. Topics to be covered: – The new openness in the entertainment industry to spiritual themes. What will it look like on the screen, and will it last? – Some cool projects in the works… – Talking to the MSM about God-stuff. What we’re doing... Read more

SEE BARB IN SAN ANTONIO I’ll be doing a lunch-time talk in San Antonio on May 18th. The Macro goal is to keep building a groundswell cultural strategy in the Church. The micro strategy is to help pay for my hotel and airfare bill for the rest of the trip. (rats…) It’s basically Bring Your Own Food. More info to follow, but here’s the gist. Interested people will have to email an RSVP and we’ll send you the room where... Read more