Ned Donovan - Ithaca ‘12

Hey everyone,

So if you know me at all, you know that I am obsessed with the musical “Passing Strange”.  My story with Passing Strange is kind of fun, because I didn’t want to see it when I first read about it in the NY Times that February, and then when I went to the city in March, my friend Debra Evans informed me that if she was going to help me find cheap tickets, I was required to see Passing Strange.  I begrudgingly agreed.  Man, was I wrong.  I was on the edge of my seat, laughing uproariously, crying, rocking out, enjoying myself fully, just the way theatre was meant to be.  I saw many shows that week, including Sunday in the Park with George, In The Heights, A Catered Affair, and more; and Passing Strange easily took the cake for the best thing I saw that season.  I came home, saddened that no CD of the show

existed yet, and told everyone to go see it if they were in New York.  Not many people listened.

Fast forward a few months and we’re in June of 2008, the CD rendition of Passing Strange is totally a letdown in comparison with the beauty of the show, many songs are overlooked, and the interludes which made the show so great aren’t in there.

Hey everyone,

So it’s that time of the year where we all get together and stuff our faces in honor of good in the world.  That’s not me being sarcastic either, I love that tradition (I love food).  There’s not much to report here, I just hope that everyone’s having a phenomenal thanksgiving, that all my college friends are having wonderful breaks from school, and that everyone in my life is taking a day to relax, and just enjoy themselves.  I know I am.  I’m here in Allentown at my dad’s house with my Dad, Diana, Devan, and Graham joined me for thanksgiving as well.  We’re about to go out to a large thanksgiving gathering of friends which should be fun, and should have too much food involved.

My break has consisted of relaxing and eating and sleeping.  I’ve watched a bunch of football with Jason, played video games with Derek, watched movies with the gang, and one day when Graham, Jason, Christine, Danny Moss, Nick Taylor, and I went out for a hike in the woods of Ithaca.  The pictures are posted below.  Beyond that there’s not much else to report.  Graham and I got really lost driving down here…(okay I got really lost because I was driving and Graham was playing video games on his computer) and the trip which should’ve been 3 hours, took a little over 4.  Ah well, we can’t win them all.

Hey everyone,

So I’ve been here at school freaking out about life and the things I have to do, because everything is so hectic right now.  It was only today, that I had a sort of epiphany, where I realized just how confined to my own program I am right now.  Looking at the trials and tribulations of my friends and family I realize just how much less stressful my life is than I thought.  Specifically my brother and my father have been having truly stressful and trying months.  We’ll start with my father. My dad (Michael Donovan, and no, not the director who is all over my resumé; they are different people) is a city councilman in Allentown Pennsylvania. Earlier this year he was assaulted by some teenagers he asked to stop go-karting in a park they were not allowed to be riding motorized vehicles in.  One kid punched him in the face and broke his cheek bone.  My father, did not push the full wrath of god upon this kid to make an example of him, instead he talked with the boy, the judge, and the boy’s father, and came up with a suitable juvenile sentence.  I can tell you if I had been hit, I would have gone after him in a heartbeat.  Later on this year my father went next door late at night to ask his neighbors to quiet down and to bring their barking dog inside.  When he knocked on the door, he was answered by an angry woman who was screaming at him, and she slammed her glass door in his face.  The door shattered, covering him in glass, and he (wisely) left the scene after calling the police.  Soon after he was served with two cases, one for criminal harassment, and one for destruction of property (she maintains that he broke her door).  The harassment case was thrown out by the judge at the end of the summer, and the DOP case was voluntarily removed by the complainant after receiving a letter detailing the penalties for the consequences of wrongful use of civil proceedings and abuse of process.  You can read the details here on Bernie O’Hare’s blog.  The time between the charges being dealt, and the dismissing of the cases was a few months, however, and over that time many biting personalities in Allentown were able to take potshots at my father over the case (Bill Villa being the #1 instigator).  These people have been coming after my father a lot recently, and this is the other trial my father is constantly facing.  On his public blog he hopes to allow a forum for people to get ideas through to the city council.  As with all political public blogs, these bring out the best and worst of people.  Recently he’s been getting a lot of the worst from Bill Villa and his supporters.  In that blog post I just linked, Mr.

Hey everyone,

So it’s been a while since my last update, mostly because the last couple weeks have been extremely stressful.  But here we are, it’s September 7th, and I think I can finally start settling into a normal schedule.  Upon arriving here the theatre department was dealing with the Dillingham Renovations (which are awesome by the way), auditions for the fall mainstage season, and just the acclimation of the new freshman class, as well as the returning students back into the swing of things.  Auditions went very well, and I’m pleased to say I’ve been cast as Shem in Stephen Schwartz’s Children of Eden.  Last year around this time it was really hard to come in and become adjusted to the new atmosphere and classes, but with that year of familiarity having gone by, the year has just started without a hitch.  I’m really happy with all my teachers and classes, and I’m excited to get down to work.  Review is coming up in only about a month, or a month and a half…so it’s time to buckle down and get stuff done.

Hey everyone,

Just writing to let you know that I have some new videos up.  Three of the videos are from my performances at Anthony’s Italian Kitchen, one being a duet with the wonderful Jessica Ernest (Point Park ‘11).  The other video is the first of its kind on my site, but hopefully soon there will be more like it.  It is a video of the fight sequences from Fenix Theatre Company’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the park, for which I co-fight directed the show with Sally Wood (who by the way is amazing).  I saw the show tonight and my god, it is wonderful.  Everyone should go see it if they have the time, and it’s free in Deering Oaks Park only for the next 3 nights starting at 6 o’clock each night.  It then moves to Damariscotta where you have to pay $17 for admission, so I would see it here in Portland!  The fights turned out pretty well if I do say so myself, yes there are problems, but there are always problems.  Check the video out and let me know what you think.  I have the moments in order of where they come in the show, so the first parts are more stunts, and quick slaps, but at the end is the big lovers’ brawl, which I think is very cool.  There was a great review of the show by the Portland Phoenix, which can be found here.