Ducati

After the secret bike in college that his mother didn't know about, there was the vintage Harley that leaked oil, followed by the the BMW that he sold because it went too fast and was too much fun and he knew he would kill himself if he kept it, so he got a Honda chopper that looked cool but you couldn't drive too too fast, but that was boring, so now there is a Ducati; and with luck he will enjoy it exclusively on the track.

These and more photos can be found on gotbluemilk.com from Thunderhill 10/8 and Infineon 11/1. Look for the Yellow Ducati with the red and black suited rider.

'shrooms

The first of this year's "crop" of coprinus comatus,

a.k.a Shaggy Mane or Lawyer's Wig or Ink Cap

mushrooms, growing under our sequoia tree.

Go Mikado

Just one weekend is left to see the Mikado. Here is a preview, but don't miss the show!

The Grand Pooh-Bah

With Dennis Arrowsmith as Pooh-Bah, The Lord High Everything Else (First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral, Archbishop of Titipu, Lord Mayor, ... to name a few),

Wortham Center Cullen Theater, Houston, Texas, July 15-24, 2011.

• Ralph Katz - The Mikado of Japan
• Josh LaForce - Nanki-Poo (his Son)
• Alistair Donkin - Ko-Ko (Lord High Executioner of Titipu)
• Dennis Arrowsmith - Pooh-Bah (Lord High Everything Else)
• Cris Perez - Pish-Tush (A Noble Lord)
• Shelton Alsup - Go-To
• Three Sisters - Wards of Ko-Ko:
  • Abigail Dueppen - Yum-Yum
  • Julia Swindle - Pitti-Sing
  • Melissa Nguyen - Peep-Bo
• Sara Lee - Katisha (an elderly Lady, in love with Nanki-Poo)

More information

Humanettes

Look up on the stage -- It's a puppet. It's a person. No, it's a humanette! Something like a Muppet, but you see the person too.

One of this season's Opera to Go! productions is The Princess & the Pea. They've done it before, but this time they're adding a whole 'nother dimension. In a normal Opera to Go! show the performers often fill more than one role in more than one costume, but now they get to be puppeteers too. One of Dennis' characters will be the Ogre shown in the second video below.

Read all about it in this Houston Press blog story by Brittanie Shey about Designer James Wojtal. He's the one in these videos.