A MAN OF “INDISPUTABLE PUBLIC VALUE” There is an interview with one of our Act One heros, Dana Gioia, the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts here. We have raved about Chairman Gioia on this site often and eloquently, but here is a chance for you all to hear his own eloquence and erudition for yourselves. The interviewer, Jeffrey Overstreet has a very informative profile of Chairman Gioia here. Thanks Jeff, for ‘getting the religion’ and for the... Read more

ANOTHER STEREOTYPICAL CHRISTIAN… Steve Beard over at Thunderstruck sent me this link as a follow-up to my previous post about Alice Cooper’s python’s near death experience with a heating pad. Turns out Cooper is a man with a plan. A Christian with an ideological foundation for his graphic shock rock concerts. Okay… Never let it be said I am not open to discussion. Read more

SON OF MAN AND MAN OF STEEL I’m hearing from my friend, Leo Partible, who is deep in the comic book sub-culture, that Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) is the leading contender to play Superman in the upcoming Bryan Singer release. The comic book Christians love this as they are always telling me what a clear Christ-figure is the man from another world who comes to dwell among humans to save them. (I dunno, I’m not sure I... Read more

ACT ONE-ISH BOOK One of our act one alumns, Erik Lokkesmoe, has just co-authored a book now available on Amazon. Erik is one of the founders of the arts organization The Voice Behind, and is the Director of Communications for the National Endowment for the Humanities. Kudos Erik! Here’s the press blurb for the book: Now Available! THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNICATOR: Seven Principles Jesus Lived To Impact, Connect, and Lead. Authors: Erik Lokkesmoe (Act One 2002) and Jedd Medefind. Endorsed by... Read more

EMILY MONDAY 816 A Death blow – is a Life blow to Some Who till they died, Did not alive become — Who, had they lived, had died — But when they died, Vitality begun. Read more

MUSIC FOR THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST Friend, Mark Joseph, co-produced the just-released TPOTC inspired CD that has tracks from an impressive list of A-list artists. Mark noted to me with wonder last Spring how almost miraculous it was to field the requests from so many top artists who wanted to contribute a song to the project. Kudos to you, Mark for getting it all together. Here’s the press release… The Passion Inspires CD Album Of Songs Artists inspired by... Read more

WHAT DOES HATRED LOOK LIKE? I just finished the beat sheet for the screenplay that I am writing for hire this Fall. It took me about a month of research beforehand, but then, I was able to hammer out the beat sheet in just about three hours this morning. And it is a good one. Not great yet, but I feel very good about it. If I just write the story as I have it now, it will be a... Read more

THEMES LIKE A GOOD IDEA We just chose the official theme for Act One next year. Every year since our founding, we have chosen a theme that seems to emanate from the ongoing journey of the program itself. That is, every year, a new subject seems to become the topic that all the journalists are asking us in interviews, and/or all the faculty seem to be hitting from different angles, and/or a weird zeitgeist of the staff, friends and students... Read more

DEVELOPMENTAL ENTERTAINMENT Jan the Maven has some very interesting insights from writer Regina Doman on approppriate themes in children’s entertainment. You have to skip down to the posts for Tuesday, August 3rd, but it is well worth the scroll. I particularly liked this from Jan reflecting on Regina’s thoughts… I find this whole concept of metaphysical arena fascinating. It rings very true. And the thing that really struck me: The little kids, the 3- to 6-year-olds, really have it right.... Read more

EMILY MONDAY This is another one of those poems that hworks on two levels. The literal level, obviously, is about a well. I’m wondering about the symbolic/metaphoric level, however. Is it well as person? Or well as work of art? Any other ideas? 1400 What mystery pervades a well! That water lives so far — A neighbor from another world Residing in a jar Whose limit none have ever seen, But just his lid of glass — Like looking every... Read more