Hey Mary Washington College folks, your distinguished thespian alumnus Russell Morgan was featured on WDBJ7 here in Southwest Virginia! The television station did a segment on David Walton’s excellent stage dramedy, “Closing Arguments,” in which Russ had a starring role.
Let me tell you something — the dude was damned funny too. I guess the old MWC theater department taught him well!
Check out the link below:
I immensely enjoyed today’s matinee performance of Closing Arguments at The Bear Theater at 302 Campbell Avenue in Roanoke. (A caveat — I cannot offer an unbiased review here, because a great old college friend, Russell Morgan, is one of the cast.)
But suffice to say I had a blast. Closing Arguments is an engaging, thoughtful, and genuinely funny comedy delivered by a talented, energetic cast. It portrays a dysfunctional family reuniting in a small town for a funeral for one of their own, where their latent animosities and neuroses boil over.
Writer and director David Walton was on hand to introduce the performance. (And it occurs to me as a theater neophyte that there must be a benefit to playwrights directing their own plays — who better to guide actors performances toward matching the intent of the text?)
Anyway, I cheerfully recommend this. Closing Arguments’ next weekend is its last; if you are interested, you can buy tickets here.
“Closing Arguments” is a new play written by local playwright David Walton — and one of its stars is none other than my friend and fellow Mary Washington alumnus, the brilliant Russell Morgan.
So check it out! It opens on April 4th, 7:30 PM at 302 Campbell Avenue, SE in Roanoke. You cand find out more about the show (including ticketing information) right here.
So … once again, the cool and rugged Mary Wash kids kindly invited this New York nerd along for their annual 5-day camping excursion at Iron Gate, Virginia. And, once again, I bailed like a weenie.
I’m speaking specifically about Russ, Janet, Paula and Paul. (No, the latter two are neither spouses nor siblings, even though that would be totally awesome.) I WANTED to go!! Seriously!! And I know that you guys went to great lengths to assiduously counsel me about the availability of wifi, coffee, cell phone reception and convenience stores. I appreciate your encouragement.
I WILL be there in spirit. If you DO have any access to the Internet (you guys totally equivocated when I asked that), then here is evidence that I am thinking of you.
It’s a story I wrote about a disappearance in the thick forests surrounding a small, rural town. Just switch out Willibee, Massachusetts for Iron Gate, Virginia, and it could be your little getaway. It’s called “The Disappearance of Little Tommy Drummond,” and it was first published in Dead Beats Literary Blog in November 2013.
Party like the old days, but beware of strange messages carved into trees. And don’t walk too far alone at dusk.
http://www.deadbeats.eu/post/66085895442/the-disappearance-of-little-tommy-drummond-by-eric
Photo credit: “View southeast, general view, barn at left – Woods Homestead, County Route 12 on north side of North Fork of Hughes River, 2.2 miles north and east of Goose Run Road intersection, Harrisville, Ritchie County, WV,” 1933, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, via Wikimedia Commons.
It’s just wild what you can locate in the new digital archives for the college — here are posters from two theater productions in 1990, “Twelfth Night” and “The Blood Knot.”
I wasn’t in either of these shows. (I don’t think I was ever in a major production; I was only in the smaller Theater Workshop productions.) I couldn’t find any posters for the smaller plays that I appeared in.
But I attended and enjoyed both of these.
Actor Alums — you can check out the entire poster archive right here:
http://archive.umw.edu:8080/vital/access/manager/Collection/umw:1322
[Edit: I just noticed that the poster for “The Blood Knot” lists its venue as “Studio 13” — this was the slightly less than opulent stage better known as “The Black Box!” I had a hand-scrawled poster for it — I gave it to Russell Morgan when he graduated.]
And, this time, let it be for something other than a Civil War documentary.
Russell Morgan’s “Next Steps” is a groundbreaking planned television drama that will be set in Fredericksburg, Virginia … so if it’s your hometown or your college town, then please consider supporting the project. Russ will be filming on location in Fredericksburg, and plans to continue to do so after the show finds a home with a major network. He’s currently working with the Virginia Film Office.
Russ just shared some casting news today: “We have cast John Stagnari, Kosta Trifunovic, Camille Moten, and Curt Foy in our main ensemble. These guys bring so much to this project that it takes what I’ve written and makes it exponentially bigger, better and stronger.
“But we still can’t do it without your help … we have a LOT more to do to do this the right way the first time. Please check out our Indiegogo page and contribute if you can … every little bit helps, believe me … and then pass it along! Thank you!!!!”
Check out the project’s Indiegogo page here:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/1258921/fblk…
[EDIT: The broken link has been fixed!]
And, please, consider supporting “Next Steps” financially or just help spread the word!!
Photo credit: “Fredericksburg Dusk” by Bsteckler – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
My fellow Mary Washington College alumnus Russell Morgan is developing what promises to be an outstanding Fredericksburg-based television drama: “Next Steps.” Please stop by his (rather well done) Indiegogo page here, and read up on his ambitious plans for a unique television show:
http://igg.me/at/Next-Steps/x/10747104
Yes, I may be somewhat biased here, as Russ is an actor and screenwriter who also happens to be a very dear old friend. But if you get acquainted with “Next Steps” at the page linked above, you’ll see that it really is an ambitious project benefiting from visible talent and great commitment.
As Russ says, please support “Next Steps” financially, if you can. But if you’re not in a position to do that, then please help spread the word and share this Indiegogo page.
I am especially looking at YOU, MWC grads! Please share the link, and support a determined classmate’s very creative vision.
This is my big brother — actor and screenwriter Russell Morgan. Look at that iconic face and that steady stare.
TELL ME THIS GUY DOESN’T DESERVE A GUEST-STARRING ROLE ON NBC’S “HANNIBAL.”
My Mary Washington College “Big Brother,” Russell Morgan, has an imdb page for his planned television series, “Next Steps!”
My great friend and Mary Washington College alum Russell Morgan has a terrific new planned television series. He’s got an intriguing idea and is seeing it through with a heck of a lot of talent and hard work.
Check out the official Facebook page for “Next Steps.”
Eric Robert Nolan, Author 