i was at the doctor's office today with mum (she needs an interpreter). while in the waiting room i was flipping through the calgary rag when i spotted this huge article featuring my ex-boss tom phillips!! if you didn't know already, tom is making his acting debut, playing the role of superstar hank williams, his childhood hero and doppelganger extraordinaire.
the article was hilarious.
commenting on his previous acting experience (or lack thereof), he said, "i wasn't even a tree in a school play...maybe i shoulda' done that before i took on a one-man play..."
his debut as hank williams was "...kind of like playing jesus christ for your first role." tom, you are not jesus christ. maybe, jesus h. christ. ha! for me, it'd be like playin' mao zedong for my first role...
apparently tom didn't have to extensively research for the role. he's lived it for a vast majority of his adult life. "i play in a band. i play honky tonk. i know what's it being around booze all the time..." hear, hear...
the play captures the downward spiral that hank william's life took at the hands of booze and drugs.
"...in the second act (in a steady progression of drunkeness), he's really hammered so he gets obnoxious with the band and audience." in a brilliant observation, tom goes on to say, "ironically, i've come to realize that you have to stay completely sober to play a drunk." tom, dude, that's something i've known for many years.
here's props going out to tom for takin' on new challenges, for memorizin' the 52 pages of lines ("i wouldn't wish that (task) on a dog"). i can't think of a better person to take on hank williams. he's gonna be brilliant.
i'm a fan of hank williams. he was the real deal. he sang real hurtin' songs. unlike the schlock dished out by contemporary wannabe "country" stars. according to the article there's gonna be 21 songs in the play itself. i'm most familiar with songs like "your cheatin' heart" and "i'm so lonesome i could cry" and i'm willin' to hear more...
i think i'm going to dish out for a ducat.
more info at the ironwood bar and grill website.
ps
the 6/49 lottery jackpot is 24 million dullah for wednesday. i know. i know. it's 2 dullah down the drain. it's fun. i luv the adrenaline rush it gives me.
Monday, October 17, 2005
well, lookie what we got here...
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6 comments:
Interesting.
I think Corb Lund is the only major contemporary country star I can respect. No disrespect to Tom meant. Just out of the majors is all I'm saying. Maybe after the play Tom and the boys'll skyrocket to infamy.
kyle: yep.
mike: that's weird, i was just talkin' to dave over the phone and he mentioned corb lund!! never heard of him before tonite.
i can see tom being infamous, eh.
stay tuned for my first theatre review...
According to the history books, he unfortunately does not choke.
So how did Tom get this role? Where is this being performed? This whole thing has me terribly confused.
And who the hell is Corb Lund?
according to the article, the idea of tom reviving the role of hank evolved over several drinking sessions... an actor/director friend then took over the production.
the play will take place at the ironwood bar in inglewood. tom is the friday nite house band there. i sense a kickback situation here...ha!
ya know, i had no idea who corb lund was... what kind of name is corb?
Corb was in The Smalls, an Edmonton indie band in the 90s. He went solo as a country artist (with a sense of humour). He is best known for his song "Five Dollar Bill" - I'll play it for you tomorrow night.
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