You may know that I am a follower of the machinations of the United States Senate. Often have their live feed on during times of votes and in the evenings when Voice Vote confirmations occur. Fortunately for me, they spend less than half the year in session! Never the less, these elected folks are among the most powerful people in our nation. We ought to know what they are about. And it's fitting to acknowledge the passing into Ancestry.
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Remember Some TV Actors Who Passed Into Ancestry In 2023
I grew up on TV. It doesn't hold much interest to me today, but still when I learn of the passing of someone who help to raise me, whose work I admire greatly, I feel the sense of loss and gratitude.
Shakespeare Theatre Company: As You Like It
A fresh cast is a joy, and this one was especially enjoyable. They clearly loved what they were giving and for the minor weaknesses, joy can cover little sins. The strength of the voices was uneven. Fortunately, they belonged to actors playing minor rolls. And it might have a tech issue, certainly some of the actors knew exactly how resonate in the space. By tossing in 22 Beatles numbers, the show was long. Almost 3 hours.
Of the cast, some members really stood out. Jeff Irving as the love-struck Orlando was a thing of beauty to watch. Gorgeous, great dancing, great comic timing and rizz of the charts. Andrew Cownden in the dual rolls of Jaques/Le Beau was both funny as hell and maudlin in turn. He voice was strong and highly expressive, his rendition of "I Am The Walrus" was a show stopper. Likewise, the comic stylings of Kayvon Khoshkam as Touchstone hit the mark every time. Finally, the best vocals in the cast were offered by Chelsea Rose as Rosalind. Her voice was clear and fill of nuance and power. I had a wonderful time. What a great to bring a year of Theatre to a close.
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Everyman Theatre: Dial M for Murder
The opening scene if full of delightful banter between the two women: Margot Wendice (Beth Hylton) and Maxine Hadley (Megan Anderson)...and then it kind of bogs down in some more tedious narrative and an inexplicable bout of lameness by Morgot's gold-digging husband Tony Wendice (Tony Nam). I found myself admiring the set and costumes at times. The two women next to me failed to return after intermission--the thought crossed my mind. But recognizing that I have a lot of extemporaneous shit vying for my attention, chose to remain connected to this distraction.
And I glad that I did. The second act picked up the pace nicely.
The cast of five included no non-members. All were, in fact, the cake's heart in this company with 19 confectionery delights. Like 5 pairs of comfortable slippers tossed in a pile, they were all equally enjoyable in a play that allowed them to just do what they do best without any fear of pulling a muscle.
The set was magnificent. designed, no doubt, to mimic the screen of an old bijou theater or early model console TV with muted colors just north of black and white. Subtle, brilliant, luscious.
Everyone around me as I left were a buzz with joy. Things that seemed obvious to me, delight them. Even the banter in the public parking garage elevator a block and a half away filled with patrons like myself was convivial and sparked laughter among strangers. That's no small feat.
Monday, December 25, 2023
Christmas Breakky and Gifts!
Christmas Eve at the Maryland Zoo
Spent Christmas Eve volunteering at the Maryland Zoo. What a wonderful day. So many lovely encounters with guests and amazing view of animals.
Clyde-the-Wise, one of our Saddle-billed Storks. They have a 12 year average lifespan in the wild. Ol' Clyde is 36!
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Federal District Court of New Mexico
I'm having fun. Lets look at another District Court: New Mexico. I pop the facts into a single post.
The Lay Of The Land
New Mexico is part of the 10th Circuit which serves the states of: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. All of the states are single Districts except for Oklahoma which is subdivided into 3 Districts: Western, Eastern and Northern. New Mexico is a state that has transitioned from Republican to Democratic over the past 40 years. The Federal Courts are slowing following this pattern. This post will illustrate how.
At 86, Senior Judge Bobby Ray Baldock appointed by President Reagan is the longest serving Justice in the state. An Appellate Judge, Baldock is like all of the other Appeals Court Justices seating in New Mexico--a Republican appointee.
At the District level, the present Chief Justice is also a Republican appointee, confirmed in 2001 after being nominated by President George W. Bush. Judge William Paul Johnson will serve in this role until 2025, when it will transfer to Obama appointee Kenneth John Gonzalez. Justice Gonzalez will be succeeded by Justice Matthew L. Garcia, appointed by President Biden.
The Historical Perspective
Again, I took the history of the seats back to the advent of the Reagan Administration, the first in what is becoming a line of Judicial Activists Presidencies. At the time there were only four seats in New Mexico. One seat was filled by President Johnson, one by President Nixon and two by President Carter. President Reagan got the opportunity to appoint three judges, after his first appointee was elevated to the 10th Circuit Appellate Court. Clinton holds the distinction of appointing the first woman, Justice Martha Vasquez in 1993.
Partisan parity was lost in 1992, what a new seat was allotted during President George H. W. Bush's administration. With two additional seats added during his son, President Bush-the-Younger's administration, the Republican advantage on the Federal judiciary was locked in at 5 to 2 beginning in 2003 and lasting until 2021. All during this time, local and state political fortunes favored the Democratic Party. Within the following 3 years, President Biden has appointed 3 Judges to the Federal District Court of New Mexico, flipping majority to the Democratic Party in 2023.
Meet The Judges
I think I will look the midwest for the next installment...maybe, Ohio.
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Round House Theatre: The Seafarers
There were funny moments, though I am fairly certain that some slipped by unacknowledged. And there were dramatic moments of which the full impact that not comprehended in real time. Thought the gist of the story was clear and the ending a twist I surely would have seen coming were it not for the effort I was expending in following the dialogue.
An Irish play set in Ireland, of course the actors were training to deliver their lines with strong Irish accents. Being drunk most of the time, gave way to a cadence more in tune with Keith Richards garbled English than the Lucky Charms Leprechaun's delightful lilt! I know I missed some of the details, and sudden bursts of anger that must have been building in the course of the dialogue felt disconnected. There was a teleprompter on the side of the stage for the hearing impaired. I found myself darting my eyes towards it throughout the play.
As I said many times I never preview the reviews of the photos or anything about the plays and musicals I attend before going. I like the element of surprise. After finding my seat I glanced at the program and was delighted to see the cast was made up of 5 of the most powerful actors sharing their talents in the DMV. And everyone of them was amazing, in spite of my lack of Irish brogue fluency! Marty Lodge as Richard was so completely in character that I could help by think he was adlibbing dialogue as a blind man consumed with whiskey desperate to remain relevant in the intercourse of life. He was also the one who was most "Keith Richard"-y in his mumble-speak.
Marcus Kyd as Mr. Lockhart was an alien presence from the moment he entered the room. He clearly was not of this world, yet charmed the others, until revealing himself to Sharkey. Confident, determined, his description of hell made my skin crawl.
Michael Glenn as Ivan brought such a nuance physicality of inebriation to the stage that I half expected him to tumble into the laps of the patrons in the first row half a dozen times! He was the classic sweet drunk, and never more so in this production than when he teamed up with Marty Lodge's blind Richard to sing Ave Maria.
Maboud Ebrahimzadeh as Nicky impressed me most of all. I have seen Mr. Ebrahimzadeh in over a dozen performances and each is always rock solid. But this one was very special in that I just kept thinking, "Is this really him?" The look, the presentation, the embodiment of the character. If I didn't have the program to guide my thinking, and you told me after the show that he portrayed Nicky, I would have be incredulous. In every respect that makes up a person, his Nicky was unique from anything he's done in the past.
Last but not least, Chris Genebach's embodiment of Sharkey. Chris is not a shy or subtle actor. He finds the north star in a character's raison d'etre and he that bull by the fucking horns and just doesn't let go. The play begins and ends with him on stage. And the arch of the events our his above all others. It is a journey that he shares generously with his fellow actors, and yet, he is clearly holding the reins when the lights go out.
The other standout player is the set, designed by my new favorite local Scenic Designer, Andrew R. Cohen. I've seen so much of his work this past autumn (The Tempest, The Chameleon, Monumental Travesties). With each one he finds a way to enhance the fundamental elements of the play through nuanced metaphors. In this set, the room featured is subterranean, and the key conflict is whether or not the Devil will be able to drag Sharkey into hell. In the last scene with Mr. Lockhart on stage, he glanced through a ground level window at the rising sun and acknowledges his defeat. The light overcoming the darkness--on Christmas Eve morning, no less.
Even with the dialectic difficulties, the actors present a story of hope and triumph. I mean, if 4
fucken alcoholics can defeat the Lord of the Underworld? How hard can our lives really be?
The full cast playing Poker--L-R: Richard, Ivan, Sharkey, Nicky (Maboud Ebrahimzadeh), and Mr. Lockhart
Monday, December 18, 2023
Federal District Court of Eastern Texas Snapshot
It occurred to me after the past two posts that I should have started with this Snapshot of the Judges currently occupying the 8 seats of the Eastern District of Texas.
The nine columns read from left to right:
1) Order of tenure of the judge: por ejemplo, J. Campbell Barker is the 31st Justice appointed to this District.
2) The chronology of the establishment of the seat: por ejemplo, Amos L Mazzant III occupies the first seat established in the district
3) The year of the Justice's confirmation
4) The Name of the Judge
5) The Gender of the Judge
6) The race/Ethnicity of the Judge
7) The Age of the Judge
8) The college or University issuing the Juris diploma to the Judge
9) The status of the Judge Active or Chief
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Federal Judicial District of Eastern Texas: History
When he took the oath of office in January 1981, there were just 4 seats in Eastern Texas. They were held by White men:
- Seat 1, William Wayne Justice, appointed by President Johnson
- Seat 2, Joseph Jefferson Fisher, appointed by President Eisenhower
- Seat 3, William Steger, appointed by President Nixon
- Seat 4, Robert Manley Parker, appointed by President Carter
In 1990, a 7th seat was authorized by Congress. This should have been filled by President George H. W. Bush; however, he was unable to get a nominee through the Senate. Thus it fell to newly elected President Clinton to make the first appoint. In 1994, Judge John H. Hannah Jr. became the first of four Justices appointed by President Clinton. A year later, President Clinton appointed two more judges beginning a 9 year span with Democratic appointments out numbering Republican. The balance ended in 2004 during the George W. Bush Presidency, and the 5 to 3 Republican advantage has remained for the past 19 years.
Thursday, December 14, 2023
A Deeper Dive Into The Article III Courts: The Fifth Circuit; Eastern District of Texas
There has never been a President who didn't appoint more men than women. There has never been a president who has appointed more minorities than White people. There has never been a president who has done either of these things until President Biden--who has done both to a degree that is nothing short of radical. Of the 39 Federal Appellate Judges nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate, 77% were non-White, 74% were woman, and only 3 were White men or 8%. At the Federal District level 125 judges have been confirmed. Of these, by comparison, 67% were non-white, 65% were women, and only 11 were White men or 8% again. No President has ever even come close to only appointing 8% White men. Did I mention that this is...radical? Wonderfully, diversely, well over-due radical!
Let's look at one District in one Circuit. The Fifth Circuit, or should I say, the infamous 5th Circuit. Known as the most conservative of all the Circuits (there are 11, plus the District of Columbia, and a non-geocentric Federal Circuit), the Fifth covers the states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. These states, as indicated by the map below, have been sub-divided into 9 Districts. Not all states are subdivided. Some that are even relatively populous like New Jersey, Maryland and South Carolina are a District on their own.
Along with Active Justices, Judges are allowed to take Senior status upon turning 65 or older. The decision is theirs alone to make, there are no forced retirements. Senior Judges work a far reduced schedule with as few as 12 weeks of hearing cases per year. Nearly every District has a mix of Active and Senior Justices. There are Senior Justices who were appointed by Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter who are still serving.
Buff Red - President Ronald Reagan
Justice Marcia A. Crone who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003, is the only woman serving in this District. All of the Judges are White. This in spite of a significant percentage of the general population that is Hispanic, with pockets of African American and Asian citizens. I've always thought in one fell swoop the writers of the Constitution were brilliant and blind. Brilliant in crafting the idea that citizens are judges by a jury of their peers; yet judges need meet no such social expectation.
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Folger's Shakespeare Theatre: The Winter's Tale
A artist's rendering the new East Entrance. |
They've excavated below to create and expand even to the point of recasting the entrances to subterranean walls of glass facing a patio and sloping pathway encircling a gorgeous butterfly garden. Dormant now, but brimming with possibilities. "The Winter's Tale" is the inaugural production. How you ever seen it? I had not. I had not even bothered to read it or any cliff notes. So the story was new to me as I watched it for the first time.
In a nutshell, it's about two kings, who are or consider one another brothers. The King of Bohemia is visiting the King of Sicilia. They are inseparable until suddenly the King of Sicilia, Leontes, becomes convinced that his "brother," Polixenes, the king of Bohemia is doing the nasty with his once virtuous wife, Hermione. Much of the first half is consumed by Leontes spiraling into madness over it. He plots to have Polixenes assassinated and tasks his servant, Camillo, with the deed. But Camillo thinks the king is off his rocker and warns Polixenes instead escaping to Bohemia with him and changing his allegiances. Meanwhile, Hermoine, very much pregnant is thrown in prison where she gives birth to a daughter (they already have a son). With no one left to punish, Leontes sets out to burn his newborn daughter, whom he thinks is a bastard child and kill Hermoine. A nobleman named Antigonus implores Leontes to have mercy on the baby is given permission to take it away and abandon it on some far foreign shore. A little while back, Leontes sent of to Apollo the seer for confirmation of his twisted ideas. Just as he is about to put Hermoine to death, the servant returns with the seer's response. It is read aloud in the court and all of Leontes' ideas are called false, suddenly another servant arrives to announce that his now only child, the boy Mamillus has died by mysterious causes. Leontes cries out that it is Apollo punishing him, and Hermione collapses and dies, too.And this is a Comedy?
Reza Salazar from a guest role on Law & Order in 2007's episode "The Melting Pot". |
The costume were fine, the staging functional and solid, the lighting seamless...save for the light bulb meant to illuminate the two rows of seats were I sat under the rear balcony, stage left. Tens of millions of dollars and 3+ years of renovations and you don't replace a light bulb? My biggest complaint!