Rani Brings To Life The Big Funk

It was with great pleasure that I began to make my mark on the radio industry hosting a guest driven show, attending, games and concerts, and befriending media members, athletes, and coaches. It was only a matter of time before I would begin to dominate the ratings book on route to a hall of fame career! Only, destiny disagreed. A couple years after graduating college, I was out of shape, unemployed, and heart broken. The expected rise to the top had turned out to be a downward spiral to rock bottom. I drowned my sorrows in taking a thirty minute film script from a college script writing course and turning it into a full length feature. After completing a draft, I felt it best to register for acting class. A week before class began I was told I would be assigned a scene from Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House and my scene partner would be a young talented actress named Rani. On the first day of class I arrived early and found a seat waiting for Rani to enter. Then a young woman walked in, exchanged pleasantries with the instructor, and turned to me and said, "Hi Israel, I'm Rani. I'll be your scene partner." I had the opportunity to spend time with her as she read through our scene and told me a bit about herself. One thing was immediately clear, I was going to really like this young woman because somehow in some way she was going to redefine my life. It is a feeling I had experienced before and it always came true. She was fun and displayed a no nonsense approach which shined through her determination and toughness. Prior to meeting Rani I had the belief that the three basics of acting were memorize lines, display some pretend emotions when the script called for it, and toss in an accent when appropriate. In my first session with rani she dispelled those and immediately went to work on helping me build my foundation as an actor. She had a natural ability of knowing when to be demanding and in my face and when to be supportive and tender. It was the most educational experience for me as an actor aside from the day I finally stepped on to a Chicago stage for the first time as a professional actor in front of a live audience who had paid to see me evoke a response, take them on a journey, and carry a show. What I took from my scene partnership with Rani became the foundation for not only my artistic life but for my personal life. She opened my soul to experience emotions I had never had as an artist and as a person. She was not only my first scene partner in my first acting class, but she was the first director I ever had. She had the ability to tap into me as no one ever had to bring out what no one ever did. She was that talented. She continues to be that talented! She has a gift and ability to bring out the best in people even if it means being as she was with me, a one woman wrecking crew tearing down my walls then digging her heels in then being a one woman search party reaching down into my core finding a dead spirit breathing life back into it pulling it out and saying, "Here. This is your best!"

Rani's ability to bring the best out of talented individuals is on display currently, but this is the final week to see it with The Big Funk directed by Rani Blair-O'Brien

"The director, Rani Blair-O’Brien, has done a great job corralling these performance and gets the upper register from the meta-psychic storage of each actor."hollywoodchicago.com

presented at Red Tape Theatre. St. Peter's Episcopal Church 2nd Fl. 621 W. Belmont Ave. Thursday at 7:30p, Friday and Saturday at 8p. For tickets, please log on to:

www.rodezproductions.com

In The Kitchen With Julie Swieca

I enjoyed playing baseball, basketball, and football. I was never any good at executing the plays, but I was usually very fast. It was not until I lost my sight that I took an interest in learning the rules and history of various sports. The main way I did this was listening to as many broadcasted sporting events and call-in shows on the radio. I quickly grew fond of certain broadcasters and lost interest in others. After many months of studying radio personalities, I realized I wanted to become one. Soon I had the courage to start calling into these programs. One day, I spoke to a woman who was producing the show to which I was listening and I appreciated the way she kept checking in on me as I was on hold informing me how many callers there were ahead of me and to stay on the line. I made sure to express my appreciation on the air and the on air personality told me her name was Julie Swieca. Soon after that day, I heard Julie giving on air sports updates and hosting. Julie had conviction in her opinions, but was very classy and respectful in handling callers who disagreed with her. Not every host handles the callers in that manner so I was excited that Julie would be playing a bigger on air role. My sports education continued when Julie's voice started coming through my speakers with more frequency when she would cover White Sox, Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks games as an in-game reporter. She would also get sound from the press conferences and locker room after the game. The more I heard Julie on the air the more I learned about sports. When I went on to college and began hosting my own radio show and attending games as a reporter, I relied on Julie to guide me along. The very first time I ever called her to book her on my show as a guest, she called me back immediately and left me a voicemail message stating if I wanted I could leave her another voicemail or I could try to reach her that same night by calling the number for the phone inside the White Sox press box as she would be at the game. I was so nervous about getting her in trouble by calling during the game. I was also filled with anxiety because I had spoken to Julie on her shows as a caller, but I had never spoken to her off the air as a fellow media member. She quickly put me at ease with her usual cherry personality. She was so warm and inviting. From that day forward, any time I ever called her either to get her on my show as a guest or to get her expertise in dealing with teams' public relations personnel or players' agents, she always made time for me. Over the years, I worked with a couple different female co-hosts and they always said that their highlights included interviewing Julie Swieca. My female co-hosts looked at Julie as a source for inspiration that as women, they too could be intelligent, tough, talented individuals and succeed in a male dominated industry. Julie helped them and me in ways she may not have realized. The day she exited the all sports station in Chicago which had been her radio home for over ten years was a difficult one for all her fans. I was sad to hear her leave because she was so knowledgeable, funny, and classy. Above all, she was "one of the good ones." Since the day she left, I frequently find myself witnessing major sports accomplishments by players or teams in Chicago and always wondering, what is Julie thinking right now. What would be her reaction on the air if she was still broadcasting? For what it is worth, in the years since Julie left, no one has filled the void she left. As a fan of her work, I am so thrilled that she now has a great opportunity to have her own television program where she can combine a love for sports and food. As fans, we have a chance to help make Julie's show a reality by voting for her all this week. Vote as often as you want and get all your friends to vote. If she gets enough votes to catch the eye of Oprah Winfrey's people, then she will have a wonderful opportunity to bring a quality show to television. A quality show from a quality person!

For more information and to vote for Julie Swieca, please visit:

http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=22453&promo_id=1

World's Largest: A Documentary About Small towns With Big Things

Even with the various connections, references, and support I had made in the media industry, I found myself unable to land an entry level post in the smallest of media markets in the country. Per one of my former university professor's suggestion I took the thirty minute film script which I wrote as my project for his media writing course years before and turned it into a full length feature. As I neared the completion of the first draft, I began to research schools for writing, acting, and directing as well as organizations where I could network with filmmakers and other industry insiders. I came across IFP which began in New York in 1979. I located the Chicago chapter and familiarized myself with the people in charge. I attended a Chicago screening for a film in which one of my friends whom I met in acting class had been. After the screening, the Executive Director for Chicago IFP was introduced to the audience and I knew I had to introduce myself to her. Unfortunately, I was not able to do so that night, but I made sure to send her an email to which she promptly responded. I followed up with a phone call to the IFP offices. To my surprise, Elizabeth Donius, the Executive Director, picked up and gave me all the time in the world to ask my questions and receive further information on the IFP organization. By the end of the conversation, I had registered as a new member of IFP. From that day forward any time I had questions, concerns, or issues, Elizabeth would be the person to whom I would speak or send an email. She was always pleasant, prompt, and willing to give me all the time in the world. I then attended a seminar called Producers' Series were I quickly made some contacts with filmmakers and producers who were just starting out and others who were established in Hollywood. The highlight for me was that on one of the days, Elizabeth was leading a panel discussion. Everyone was ready. She walked in, sat down, and began to speak, "Welcome to today's panel. Let's get started. Oh wait." She paused to acknowledge a young man sitting in the front row immediately in front of her. "Good morning Israel. How are you? How are you enjoying our seminar?" She and I exchanged pleasantries as I answered her questions. She may not have realized it, but that made my day! Every time I have ever had the pleasure to speak to Elizabeth Donius, she has been warm, inviting, and classy. She truly is "one of the good ones." Above all, she is an extremely talented filmmaker whose abilities are on display in a film she and her childhood friend, Amy Elliott made and is now screening as part of the Seventeenth annual Chicago Underground Film Festival which runs from June 24 through July 1, 2010 at the Gene Siskel Film Center. "World's Largest: A Documentary About Small towns With Big Things" can next be seen on Tuesday, June 29, 2010. When one travels throughout this country, one will hear or see how towns constantly promote roadside attractions and make claims that theirs is the home of the world's largest tomato, moose, or statue of some kind. Elizabeth and Amy decided to seek out and document these attractions.For more information on the filmmakers, the documentary, or future screenings, please visit

www.worldslargestdoc.com

Astronomy For Beginners

If you have read previous entries of this blog then you know that Laura Shatkus is a lovely and talented artist with whom I had the privilege of being in several acting classes years ago. She continues to shine on stages in and around the Chicagoland area. She can currently be seen in Astronomy For Beginners written by Kristin Idaszak and directed by Sarah Moeller. It is one of many pieces which can be seen at the Chopin Theatre as part of Sketchbook. Performances remaining for the show will take place on June 21, 24, 26, and 27. Please feel free to get more information about the show in which you can see Laura as well as the other pieces at:

www.collaboraction.org

Fleet Feet Soldier Field 10 Presented By Adidas

Saturday, May 29, 2010. A picture perfect morning on Memorial Day weekend to honor the memories of those fallen soldiers who sacrificed to ensure we have our freedom. The Fleet Feet Soldier Field 10 Presented by Adidas. A ten mile race which would begin just outside Soldier Field, run south on Lake Shore Drive, then return back towards the stadium ending up on the field with the finish line at the fifty yard line over the Chicago Bears logo. This was the third straight weekend I would be racing in an event and the second one I would be guided by Michael Crissie who gained plenty of confidence for this race by guiding me for the half marathon on May 16. It was another 4:30a.m. wake up call for a 7:30a.m. start time. Michael and I arrived at the stadium one hour and a half before the race. We walked around. He described some of the booths set up by the various sponsors. We looked for Justine Boney of Fleet Feet Chicago, the race organizer with whom I had worked to ensure Michael and I could run in this event. Frequent readers may have already figured out that a regular theme is my having to first reach out to race organizers of all the events I wish to race to explain how I lost my eyesight as a teenager, was active prior to that life changing moment, have remained active since, and how I wish to race in these events, but I must find out what restrictions and accommodations may allow my participation to take place. Where most people can read about a race, have a desire to race it, then register, I do not have that luxury. At least, not presently. After reaching out to Fleet Feet with my story and questions, Justine graciously responded and worked to ensure I and a guide would run in this event. Michael and I walked around, but could not find her. Accelerated Rehabilitation had a booth set up where runners could go for a pre race stretch. Michael and I took advantage of this. I had my quads and hamstrings stretched out by Amanda who when she realized I could not see then began asking about how I am able to participate in road races and triathlons. I explained about using a guide and how there are different options of how one could lead and she was amazed at the difficulty yet simplicity of making this happen. After the stretching, Michael and I walked over to the start line. We took our place, listened to the pre race ceremonies, then waited for our time to run. It took a while to get going as there were 10,000 runners in the event. To my best recollection, this is the largest field of any race I have done to this point. The one concern I had was how long before Michael and I would be able to find some running lanes or space to operate without having to worry about clusters of runners boxing us in for long periods. I assumed it would probably be about the third mile before we would be comfortably running. By mile three, we could not break loose. Michael did his best to weave us through people constantly guiding me to the left then quickly right then left again. Some seemed annoyed by this as they shot Michael dirty looks upon us passing them. This is yet another difficult aspect of guiding. Most people can see an opening and sprint to take it. Guides must find an opening big enough for two or figure out ways to maneuver in single file formation through a possible opening without getting hurt or in any way upsetting other runners. I would accidentally hit people with my leg or arm as we passed, but I would quickly apologize. Some were understanding once they saw Michael and the tether guiding me, but others did not realize that I could not see or did not care and simply shot us angry or disgusted stares. We made it to mile five, the turn around. We needed a quick break. A woman, Amy saw us and laughed as she asked, "What's the rope for? Is it so you don't lose each other?" Well, kind of. I explained that I could not see and she began to joke around with us. She mentioned that she will be racing the Rock N' Roll Marathon on August 1 and maybe we will see her out there if we do the race. After the quick stop to take care of business, it was time to head home to the fifty yard line. Refreshed and ready to rumble we picked up the run once more. At some point in the seventh mile, Michael was continuing to work his magic of weaving us through the crowd when I did not quite clear passing a woman on my right. I stepped on her heel, hit her on the back of the leg, and put my arm into her back. She let out a startled shout and I quickly apologized various times. At first she was clearly angry, but when she turned and realized I could not see, she quickly informed me that she was okay. As Michael and I passed her, one of her friends made a comment to which she said, "It's not his fault. He can't see." The friend then remarked, "That's amazing. I'd like to get into good enough shape to do that. It must be so rewarding to guide a blind person through a race." She went on, but her voice trailed off as Michael and I sped away. When we reached the ninth mile, we heard an announcement that the organizers had canceled the event due to severe weather. It had become too hot so we were asked to walk the rest of the way. We slowed down to a job, but while many listened, others kept racing so Michael and I picked up the pace too. Along that final mile, officials and police instructed us to stop running, but we were so close that we pressed on. We reached the tunnel only a couple hundred meters from the Soldier Field playing surface and once more, we were told to walk, but we kept running. We reached the field and Michael voiced a concern that they might not let us sprint to the finish line. Sure enough, we pretty much had to job it in. With the final straight away on the field and broadcasted on the stadium jumbotron, we had hoped to close the show with a dead sprint. We crossed the finish and received our finishers' medals. Even if we could not sprint to the finish, we were on the field where Dan Hampton and Walter Payton once shine. We met Steve Blair of Stewart's Coffee. I joked around with him about Bob T and after all these years of hearing Terry Bores and Dan Bernstein on WSCR 670 The Score talk about the brand, I finally tried a cup of Stewart's. It was delicious! We walked back to Accelerated's booth and this time, Noel, gave my quads and hamstring a sweet stretching. We had a solid run and I credit Amanda's pre race stretching that for the first time that I can remember, my quads and hamstrings were loose and did not tighten up all race long. In fact, for the first time ever, I did not feel any soreness or tightness in my quads and hamstrings all day long and even the next day. Again, it is a credit to the stretching. I will have to do that before every race from here on out. This was the first time I had run the Soldier Field 10 and I so enjoyed the experience that I hope to be back every year. Again a special thanks to Michael Crissie for guiding me and Justine Boney of Fleet Feet for helping me through the process to ensure I was there on race day. Three races in three weeks seemed a bit challenging, but now that they have come and gone, I am hooked on the idea of scheduling as many long distance and challenging races on consecutive weekends. I am a bit sad I do not have another race next weekend. It is so much fun to be out there with others. It is so wonderful when organizers step up and are willing to work with me so I can run in their events. It is so great when friends or boyfriends of friends volunteer to guide me and assist in giving me some special memories.

Arica And I Warriors For Life

Sunday, May 23, 2010 was a hot day in Athens, GA and it was only 9a.m. How hot would the sun beat down on us by 3p.m. which is when Arica Ebersold and I would be meeting our destiny competing in Warrior Dash Southeast. Arica drove to Mountain City, GA. We arrived in plenty of time. Plenty of time to allow nerves to truly kick in. Whatever nerves were left. We walked to the bus which was shuttling people from the parking area to the location of Warrior Dash. As I sat next to Arica pensive about the situation staring me in the face, she informed me that there was a line of medical personnel, ambulances, and helicopters along the route. Once again, what were we thinking tackling this event? We arrived and walked around for a bit. Arica described the area, layout, and some of the stranger outfits participants were sporting. We signed in and received our bib numbers. Now, time to play the old time favorite waiting game for our wave to begin at 3p.m. We had almost two hours to kill before we would get killed. There were some pretty buff men and women which served to dishearten me. There were also some individuals who clearly had not pushed themselves away from a meal nor have pounded any pavement to get into another shape other than round or pear. These people gave me hope. Now we were under an hour. Then less than thirty minutes. Every few minutes, Arica would ask, "Are you ready?" I would shake my head. Neither was she. Arica attempted to look out over the course to ease her and my mind, but other than a flat opening path, she could not see much.. As we joined the others set to go off as part of our wave, the public address announcer mentioned that we were standing just ten miles away from where the movie Deliverance was filmed. That was not a good thing for "a yankee" like me. The man said, if I heard banjo music start running. In fact, as Arica and I were walking to the Warrior Dash grounds after jumping off the bus, she told me of a very old man sitting on his front porch with a sign which read "You Better Run I hear Banjo Music." A minute away! Then ten seconds away. Time to go. The opening stretch was a flat winding path. We ran for a bit before coming to the first of many obstacles. My best description is that it was a muddy pool across which we had to walk, but if we hesitated, our shoes would get stuck and would sink. A few feet into it, I hit a wooden divider and I fell back hitting my ankle and cutting it or so I thought. It began to sting. We made it through and ran for a bit more before coming across muddy slippery tires. I hit my ankle and with water still dripping from the previous obstacle, I felt a stinging sensation as mud entered my eyes. Oh great. As we pressed on, I relied heavily on Arica's instructions and encouragement. I also found myself holding on to her for support when I was losing my footing, but it hit me, what if she loses her balance or footing? I felt it was not right for me to rely on her to support my weight so I tried to avoid having her do so, but some times, I could not help, but cling tightly to her. We ran through uneven terrain. Up hills then down hills. We crossed logs, climbed over walls, used ropes to climb other walls, went up then down rope ladders, ran through a junkyard of old broken cars, crawled through a shallow tunnel, and did our best to not get hurt. Every step of the way, volunteers also shouted support and instructions. While Arica was the only one with whom I maintained physical contact and from whom I received help, the volunteers and course officials were helpful verbally. There were other difficult obstacles which we overcame, but the two which jump out as we neared the home stretch were the event where we crawled through muddy waters while just a few inches from our heads were real live barbed wires and the final event which was the fire pit over which we needed to leap prior to racing to the finish line. Arica said, "This is the last one. Do you want to do it?" She said all we had to do was leap. How far? How high? As far and as high as possible. What were we doing here again? Living. Then let's live! We jumped. High and far then I heard her gasp, say no, and felt Arica grab me. We had cleared the fire, but there was another hotter larger one and my momentum had carried to me towards it. I spun on a dime and was able to hold on to Arica. That is it. We had completed Warrior Dash. We slipped over the finish line to make it official. There we were. Arica and Israel. Warriors!! We had stared down the unknown and had conquered it. Bruises, cuts, and blood, but we had lived. I would have never dreamt in a million years I would ever do such an event, but Arica had motivated me and had been there every step of the way. I will never forget that. We walked around meeting some wonderful people then departed from Atlanta the next day. I was happy to be home as I looked towards the next weekend's race, but I can not get rid of a smile which appears on my face each time I think of how the Warrior Dash gang was right that it was the best freaking weekend of my life. I had spent time with Arica and had done the once impossible. Again, a special thanks to all who played a part in making this happen. Laura Colvin, the crews of United and Delta, Adriana who first posted a link about WD, Patti who sent me a message saying WD was something she thought I would try, the folks at Red Frog Events especially Courtney and Ali who answered all my questions and concerns while encouraging me to give it a try, and of course, Arica!

As I walked into the airport to take my flight down to Atlanta on Saturday morning May 22, I was excited, but nervous. Excited that I would spend the weekend with my dear friend, Arica Ebersold, but nervous that she and I would have to endure the unknown of the Warrior Dash Southeast presented by Chicago based Red Frog Events. Warrior Dash is an obstacle course in muddy, wet, wilderness conditions. Beyond that, Arica and I did not know what awaited us. A special thanks to Laura Colvin for getting me a great deal on airfare to Atlanta on Delta and the return flight on United. Laura is the best travel agent in the business!! Atlanta was hot. I met Arica at the airport as she made the long seven hour drive from her home. It was such a pleasant experience to see her again after over two years of not. We spent Saturday afternoon and evening reconnecting as she drove to Athens. In the morning we would make the trip to Mountain City where as the Warrior Dash gang kept informing us in their frequent emails, "The greatest freaking weekend of our lives" awaited us. The great news was that Arica is a military veteran so whatever was out there on the course would be made easier through the calming influence of someone who had been through military training and experience. Since Arica had never been through Warrior Dash, she was nervous. What would be the most difficult event of the course? The one where we'd have to leap over fire, crawl through muddy waters under barbed wire, the log jumping? I tried losing myself in Arica's stories as I listened to her pretty voice, but in the back of my mind, I kept asking myself, what are we doing here? Over a month ago when Arica volunteered to guide in this event, she insisted we should not concern ourselves with how we perform, but focus on simply completing the course as best we could. After all, even if we came in last, we still would have come in and that beats never having the guts to try. At one point, I told Arica about an interview I read where David Mamet said that he believes the quality of writing has suffered because so called writers stopped living. He insisted that young people call themselves writers, but then sit in coffee houses all day drinking and pretending to write, but at the last minute they churn out the same type of script about an abusive mother or upbringing. The reason they can not create an original story is that they do not live and experience life. Mamet said the reason Hemingway and other great writers were so is that they lived then wrote what they lived. So to answer my question of what are we doing here? Arica said we're living. One thing I did not do on Saturday night was sleep. Too nervouse. Unfortunately, time does not stand still and soon we would have to face our destiny. Ready or not Warrior Dash is coming.