Jean Marie Ward

The Pretty! The Pretty!

Sunday, July 29th, 2007 | Author: jmward14 | Blog | No Comments

A couple months ago I commissioned Anne Cain of 

dragonsdisciple

to paint a picture for the WardSmith web site, and this is the result:

Shared Dreams, (c) Anne Cain 2007

Wow!  Can’t wait ’til our next site update.  Meanwhile, expect to see lots of icon action.
Cheers and smiles,
Jean Marie

Kabuki Is As Kabuki Does

Friday, July 27th, 2007 | Author: jmward14 | Blog | No Comments

Feeling a bit like Forrest Gump here.  Saw my first Kabuki with Greg earlier this evening, and I’m still processing.
Not that the production wasn’t spectacular.  The Japan-America Society of Washington, DC, celebrated its fiftieth anniversary by bringing in top Kabuki actor Nakamura Kanzaburo XVIII and his troupe to perform Kanjincho (the first Kabuki play ever to be performed before the Emperor of Japan) and the comedy Migawari Zazen.
It was incredibly weird and wonderful.  The orchestra (a flute, drums, shamisens and eerie sounding singers) sits on a bi-level, red-draped dais at the back or side of the stage.  Aristocratic male characters wander around in pants two feet longer than their legs, necessitating an on-stage handler to keep their clothing in line.  These koken, or “invisible” stagehands, remain on the stage for the duration.  The costumes are over-the-top fabulous–so over the top the white make-up seems almost restrained.
But I couldn’t help it.  Every time I looked at Kanzaburo as Togashi in Kanjincho, I kept expecting him to launch into The Mikado.  The shamisens make me think of the Yoshido Brothers, which is a little more culturally relevant…but only a little.
I dearly wish someone had provided surtitles like they do at most operas.  Not knowing any more than the scene outlines of the two stories left me very much at sea.  Which meant my favorite moment in the evening happened at the end of Migawari Zazen, when Kanzaburo as the unfaithful husband who’s about to get creamed by his much bigger wife sputtered in English: “Wait a minute!  Wait a minute!  Honey, it’s not what you think.  Really, I was just at the Nationals’ game.”
The venue, DC’s Warner Theatre, was a trip in itself.  It was built during the 1920s for vaudeville and silent movies.  Harry Warner, one of the Warner Brothers, liked it so much he insisted on the family name going on the marquee.  The last time I was there (when James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer played Othello) all the plaster reliefs had been painted white and were crumbling as I watched.  I spent most of the production staring at what was left of the ceiling wondering which way to duck.
Now it’s a palace.  Every relief has been lovingly restored and gold-leafed.  There are heavily swagged velvet drapes and enormous, vintage chandeliers reflecting all that burnished gold.  Seeing a movie at the Warner in its heyday must’ve been an event.
And next month it’s hosting Weird Al Yankovic.  You know, that says a lot about this town. 
Hugs and grins,
Jean Marie

Hide in the car first, THEN worry about the other guy

Wednesday, July 18th, 2007 | Author: jmward14 | Blog | No Comments

Which lolcat are you?

I appear to be: 

Lion Warning Cat
62% Affectionate, 62% Excitable, 35% Hungry

You are the good Samaritan of the lolcat world. Protecting others from danger by shouting observations and guidance in cases of imminent threat, you believe in the well-being of everyone. 
Yeah, a regular saint.  That’s me!
Cheers and evil grins,
Jean Marie

One of these days I’ll learn to blog small

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 | Author: jmward14 | Blog | No Comments

But it probably won’t be my biweekly Fantasy & Enchantment contribution.  *headdesk*
I try.  I really really do.  But I always seem to wind up babbling about the stuff that makes me scurry around researching cross-cultural connections and esoteric links.  This time I tackle the (to me) compelling connections between Sinbad and his Seven Voyages and the Ming Dynasty admiral Zheng He.  You can read the article here if you’re among the few, the proud and determined to avoid DH spoilers.  Yes, there are Chinese marines involved, but only briefly. 
Cheers,
Jean Marie

Just Added to the DragonCon Guest List

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 | Author: jmward14 | Blog | No Comments

I’m official.  My name and novel now appear on the DragonCon Guest List.  Thanks, gang!  I am so looking forward to the Labor Day weekend.  Can’t wait to see everyone there…and to raise a glass and a heart to the dear ones who aren’t.
Happy fireworks!
Jean Marie