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Allow me to recommend a very fun article by French Stewart over at LA Stage Times about theater. About small theater, mostly. Part seriousosity, part tongue-in-cheek.

So why small theater? A couple of years ago I told a friend I was doing another play and she seemed really perplexed. “Why are you still doing this, French? It’s an irrelevant art form. You might as well concentrate on CAVE PAINTING!”

Indeed. For me it’s really simple. It’s a small group of people making something for another small group of people. It’s the same feeling you get when someone sends you an actual letter, prepares a meal for you, or helps you move furniture. It’s personal. Time has been taken, effort expressed. It connects both parties in a very direct way. Plus, you’ve  had an experience that isn’t held hostage on hard drive or film. It’s the sole property of memory. Lovely.

Yup, lovely. This is true and wholesome. But the other side of theater is fun stuff like, “Backstage, we do a pedophile-themed vocal warm up (‘get in the van, I’m a family friend, get in the van, I’m a family friend…’).”

I recommend his current production very much. What’s not covered in this article is that Watson is very inventive in its stagecraft!

Frequently people tell me my name suits me, that it is more or less in keeping with my essence. Fine by me, I say. The name Kevin Ashworth is a good name, and fitting for an actor who books roles of white-collar professionals with the names of Jim Bayliss, Brendan Walker, Robert Schuler, etc. But some people out there named Kevin Ashworth are not that type. Take this guy, kind of my opposite. I’m never going to go fishing in a storm and he’s never going to book a role as a federal attorney. But he’s still my people. Hope you caught one, Kev!

My friend Stephen Katz appeared in a commercial during the Super Bowl. He’s the one that gets slapped as he graduates, slaps back, and then has a slapping moment with a dog, too!

It was a great experience to watch him watch himself. I spent that Sunday at his apartment, and after this spot aired, we high-fived and generally celebrated. We did not slap each other in the back of the head — he was too busy responding to the onslaught of text messages from his peeps. Good stuff. Congrats, Katz!

I had a brief lunch with an old friend from Boston today. This was good! (Also good: more and more, restaurants are happy to serve a bun-less burger with fruit on the side.)

But Linda, we didn’t take a picture! This was not a wise turn of events. I posed at the stop of the stairs. The street we met was lovely, as was the weather, as were we all. In other words, the conditions were oh so right! Oh, well. Next time. Next time we’ll snap a pic.

Nice seeing you!

So it has come to this. My motivation for this entry is solely a desire to get in one more post for the month of July. I have 3 hours and 59 minutes to write this entry.

Tell you what? Let me link to a few friends slash bloggers I read pretty regularly. Lots of these people don’t live in Boston anymore, but that’s where I met them.

Erin Fast, Fran Betlyon, Jeremy and Rachel, Katie Clifford, Neil Jenkins, Marissa Turley Benson, Dave Evans.

There you go. Happy August, everybody!

30-35, Intense, Smart, Sexy, Parental, Cool dad, Plumber, Outdoorsman, Loyal, Cowboy, Creepy coach, Blue collar, Mischievous, Dad, Dark, Cynical, 33-40, Blue collar, Dad, Handsome, Rugged, Doctor, Man you want to marry, Sad, Rugged, Southern boy, Midwestern, Dad, Sam Shepard, Dirty Harry, Rough, Bad, Easy Rider, Farmer, Edgy, Handsome, Dad, Worker, Blue collar, 35-45, Could play a cool thug, Humorous, Cute, Kinky, Rugged, Blue collar, also white collar, CEO, Lumberjack, Dad, Principal, Professor that fools around with students, Could have a drug problem, Rugged, Confident, Western, Country, Blue collar, Dark secret, Loving, Dad, Trustworthy, Works with hands, Played football and stayed in same small town, Pedophile, Stalker, Gay, Nice guy, Awkward, Video gaming adult, Silent killer, 27-33, Farmer, Suspect (murder), Professor, Pediatrician, Dentist, Trouble, Husband, Dad, Young dad, Crazy, Dangerous, Mid 30s, White collar, Trusting yet up to something, Doctor, Outdoorsy, Late 30s early 40s, Hip, Rugged, Cool dad, Really cool uncle, Worldly, Always planning, All-American, Texan, 35-40, Best friend, Serious, Friendly, Doctor, Nice, Funny, Texas, Intelligent, Artist, Gay or straight, Charisma, Laid back, Comfortable in skin, Serial killer, Quick-witted, Early-mid 30s, OCD, Dangerous, Artist, Creepy, Seductive, Mean, Intelligent, Goofy, Good or bad father, Athletic, Determined, Lawyer, Doctor, Leading man, Serious, Romantic, Educated, Dad, Late 30s to early 40s, Intelligent, Professor, 30s, Husband, Intense, Stalker, 35-40, all-American, Dad, Office guy, Wears a suit well, Corporate, Smart, Manipulative, Bad guy, Best friend turned bad, Urban, Cool dad, Northern California feel, Discerning, Friendly, Approachable, Smart, All-American, Nice, Young dad, Teacher, Secretly gay, Farmer, Late 30s, Rugged, Handsome, Professor, Best friend, Witty, Spontaneous, Sweet, 35-40

“Some people need to learn how to park.” That was the relatively polite commentary I made early this morning as I walked up my street, passing a young woman trying to fit her small car into a large space. The space was plenty big enough, so her friend jumped out to help guide her. Aargh! If I couldn’t parallel park worth beans, I’d practice. That’s all I’m saying.

That experience was on my mind as I pulled into the lot of the Starbucks in Los Feliz a few hours later. I took the back way, and was pleased with myself for knowing where that alley led, but the one empty spot was next to an atrociously parked Prius. I’m having a good day, so it set me off only just a little. The owner was coming out just as I was exiting my car and she immediately fessed up to a bad parking job. This is the right behavior to make me not care any more. I made a joke back to her, it’s all good, I’m on my way. And then I looked a second time, as she seemed familiar. “I know you, don’t I?” Now, besides fessing up to her bad parking, she also didn’t pretend to be nobody. Two for two. (Two for three, I should say. She missed one point for the crappy parking job.) A little conversation ensued with Annabelle Gurwitch. You remember her from “Dinner and a Movie” on TBS. I remember her from a podcast on Fired! that I listened to a few months ago.

I’m not used to having conversations with people I recognize, but that’s two days in a row. (Yesterday’s will remain un-blogged.) Conversations are not always appropriate, but they’re better than “I love [insert favorite show here]!” Annabelle and I agreed that times are tough. She’s into writing exclusively these days, so even though the timing is better than ever to revive Fired!, it ain’t gonna happen. Too busy writing to revive Fired! … or to park well, wink wink. And when I said I was an actor, she said gloomily, “How’s that going?” Since I’m still on the six-month upbeat kick, I was all “Great!” … but eventually I did agree that the numbers are not good. No worries, though. I feel better about life because of all the savings I have in the stock market.

In brief: it was nice chatting, Annabelle!

When I came out of the Starbucks, her small grey Prius that had been parked at a horrible angle was gone. In its place was a small yellow Honda Fit — parked at a horrible angle. Aargh! You small-car drivers need to learn to park!

Happy. Happy to sit outside and eat delicious food. Happy to find a restaurant in LA that I like and that feels like Cambridge in a good way, an awesome place in Los Feliz called Alcove. And — especially — happy to meet up with an old friend for lunch. She has achieved more acting success than anybody else I’ve been friends with over the years, which is not surprising because she’s dripping with talent. But she’s just a person, and it was great to meet up with her for the first time in years, catch up on her new marriage, new shows, new life in Los Angeles. We agreed that my new life in Los Angeles is also going fine, or as I like to say, So far, so good.

I like actors. Except when I don’t.

Actors that I meet through The Actors’ Network are all right. I have enjoyed meeting them very much. But some actors are asshats. That’s all I’m saying.