fletcherrhodenblog

THE FIVE & DIME: Best Of 2005-2010 cd/download

2011-03-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

Fletcher Rhoden.com is releasing THE FIVE & DIME Best Of 2005-2010 in CD and digital download, over 70 minutes of live and recorded tracks. The tunes, covering both secular and religious themes, include "On The Wings Of An Angel" and others and feature appearances from Robbie Rist and Eva James. Following the cd/dd release of the I LOVE LUCY-inspired musical Original Soundtrack Recording of REDHEAD CUBAN HAUSFRAU HUSBAND (also on DVD) THE FIVE & DIME is expected to be the last release of its kind from the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist.

"There was a lot of good work in that five-year span," Rhoden said, "more than enough for a retrospective of this kind. It makes a nice album with a very cohesive feel, even if the work is spread out over so long and covers so many themes. Stylistically, it's very consistent. All my work from before that period, and there is a ton, just doesn't add up to a release the way this stuff does." No new music was recorded for THE FIVE & DIME, although the fertile period has resulted in fragments of almost 10 new songs. No new recordings are anticipated. "I have other plans," Rhoden said.

All the songs on THE FIVE & DIME are originals, but the same five-year period included a lot of covers, radical reworkings of classic rock tunes also being released as CHANGE FOR A TEN. Not for sale or resale, CHANGE FOR A TEN comes as a complimentary download with any purchase of THE FIVE & DIME. Tunes from this collection include a reggae version of "The Sultans Of Swing" a slowed-down "Carry On, My Wayward Son" a delta blues "Helter Skelter" and more.

Free downloads of THE FIVE & DIME are being given away once a week until April 15 to those who sign the home site guestbook. Downloads of both albums are available now, the CD of THE FIVE & DIME Best Of 2005-2010 is expected in early April. Free samples and purchase information is available at
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/music.htm

THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! now in paperback

2010-04-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Fletcher Rhoden.com presents kids' book THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! now out in paperback from CreateSpace. We spend the first years of our children's lives teaching them to speak and identify and group things, but what happens when they take it too far, which they always do? Teach your kids what NOT to say with this laugh-out-loud life lesson. An awesome gift for others' kids and for adults too! Perfect for teachers and homeschoolers! There is no other book on this common behavioral problem! The hilarious, gross-out rhymes are sure to drive the point home! Full-page, full-color, all-digital images from the creator of IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI and BALLOONZEE!
https://www.createspace.com/3445780
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/childrensstore.htm

IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI now in paperback!

2010-04-13T19:04:00.001-07:00

The Fletcher Rhoden early readers book IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI is now available in paperback from CreateSpace. This 8x10 full-color hand-painted adventure follows a young boy whose incredible imagination turns a boring shopping chore into a trip down jungle rivers to face wild beasts and other dangers. A modern-day Don Quixote, Imagine Nathan sees the world they way nobody else can! This awesome story is perfect for imaginative kids, busy parents, teachers and home-schoolers too! Never have an unpleasant errand again! The book is also available in ebook and read-along video formats perfect for iPad and other devices, from the creator's home site:
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/imaginenathan.htm

Three other Rhoden kids' books, THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! and two BALLOONZEE books are coming soon in paperback! BALLOONZEE books LET'S GO FLOATIN' and BLUE, NO CLUE are already available in ebook format and as animated videos, perfect for iPad and other devices. THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! is also available as an ebook and is expected in paperback later this month.
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/childrensstore.htm

IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI in paperback direct link:
https://www.createspace.com/3443082

New POEMS page and new poems for 2010!

2010-04-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

Fletcher Rhoden is publishing poems for the first time in his career, covering such themes as religion, family and love. Several of the new poems are Haiku (a poem whose three lines consist of five, seven and five syllables) and some are composed of several Haiku sequentially, such as the poem JESUS SAID (in 4 HAIKU).
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/poems.htm

Fletcher Rhoden's new pop album WHIRLED WITHOUT END, available as a digital download from http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/music.htm also reflects Rhoden's interest in religion, history, science and other intellectual themes. Rhoden is an acclaimed author and dramatist ("Last Tango With Marlon" "The Trial Of Davy Crockett") an award-winning film writer ("Stump the Band") and writer/illustrator of children's books ("Imagine Nathan On Supermarket Safari" "That's Rude, Jude!" "Balloonzee").

New album WHIRLED WITHOUT END out now!

2010-04-02T16:40:00.001-07:00

The new Fletcher Rhoden pop album WHIRLED WITHOUT END is now released for download. The 10 new songs mix Christian and secular themes in an upbeat collection that features Rhoden on all instruments and vocals. Songs include the football tune "Bowl You Over (Rock Your World)" and others. This is the first collection from the Los Angeles singer/songwriter and dramatist to be released as a complete downloadable album. The aforementioned football novelty was released as a downloadable single in January but is now only available as part of the new album. "Its great to be on the cutting edge of the new technology," Rhoden said in a press release. "It really streamlines the distribution process, not bothering with all those clunky cds and jewel cases. Much better for the environment, too! We've been selling downloads of ebooks and videos for a while now, it's good to add some new music into the mix." Live performance DVDs from Rhoden were released last year.

The collection may surprise fans and friends. "I wasn't going to be doing one of these now, but guess I had some song writing energy left over from the musical," Rhoden said, referring to the stage musical he wrote last year and is mounting for a Los Angeles premiere run this summer. "Plus, some of these songs are older, but were never recorded. So I already had a few songs in my pocket, ready to go. That's probably why this collection came about so quickly. What a great way to spend 3 months!"

Standout tracks include, "Jesus On My Side" which Rhoden performed this year at Mt. Hollywood Church in Hollywood, CA. A video of the performance is posted all over the internet and at the home site, http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/performances.htm. There is also a video of the football single "Bowl You Over (Rock Your World)" on the VIDEOS page of that site. Other standout tracks include "Strings" a McCartney-esque pop tune with a blistering extended harmonica solo, and two versions of "Child Of The Most High God" one in 4/4 and a more stately reading in 3/4, or waltz time.

Rhoden's last album was 2008's NEW HEAVEN, which was posted online in its entirety since its release. Only a few tracks remain on the home site, http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/music.htm. A download rerelease may follow the new WHIRLED WITHOUT END sometime this year.

New performance clip now online, new CD coming

2010-03-27T12:35:00.001-07:00

A Feb. 2010 Fletcher Rhoden performance of "Jesus On My Side" is now online on Youtube, Yahoo! video, Facebook and at www.fletcherrhoden.com/performances.htm The original song is from the upcoming Fletcher Rhoden cd WHIRLED WITHOUT END, expected to be made available only in digital download format later this week. It will be the first cd of new original material from Rhoden since 2008's NEW HEAVEN, which featured the popular songs "Mt. Hollywood" "One Body, One Spirit" and the recently performed "Former Things". NEW HEAVEN is the only Rhoden collection to be made available online for free, for listening but not downloading (found at www.fletcherrhoden.com/newheaven/htm). If released as a download only, WHIRLED WITHOUT END will be Rhoden's first collection not to have an initial cd release. Like its predecessor, WHIRLED WITHOUT END will feature a mixture of Christian and secular pop, written, performed and recorded by Rhoden. The tunes are not related to Rhoden's upcoming stage musical, REDHEAD CUBAN HAUSFRAU HUSBAND, slated for a world premiere run in Los Angeles this summer. Rhoden is the composer of over 500 songs, including many soundtracks.

Davy Crockett dies once more: Fess Parker passes away at 85

2010-03-19T09:21:00.001-07:00

Few did more to keep the memory of American naturalist Col. David Crockett than did actor Fess Parker, who embodied not only the great Tennessee bear-killer but also Daniel Boone. Today, many people cannot tell the one historical figure from the other, in large part to them being portrayed so famously by the same man, but Parker cannot be held accountable for the cloudy American memory. It is thanks to Parker and, largely, the Disney corporation that Americans remember either Crockett or Boone at all.

Crockett was a great American; a politician, best-selling author, explorer, businessman, Indian fighter and, ultimately a martyr, although it is likely Crockett himself would have blanched at such a high mantle. When he arrived at the Alamo, for example, he insisted on fighting with the rank of high-private, even though he already held the rank of colonel. But Crockett was also a master of the media and what we would now call "spin" -- and Crockett had eyes on no less than the White House had events at the Alamo not gone so disastrously for the norte americanos (an outcome that was in no way certain as the conflict festered.)

There is much complexity in Crockett's actions and motivations, and this is not the time to explore them all (my book, THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT, does this in detail.) Of Parker, we can say that his portrayal reduced the boiling kettle of Crockett as a man to the bare essence of Crockett as an ideal; sturdy, confident, moral and courageous. This was America as it wanted to see itself in Crockett's time and in Parker's. Aside from General Eisenhower himself, there is no single image that more encapsulates America in the 1950's than Fess Parker, staring determinedly out from under that beaver-skin hat.

In our currently divisive and tumultuous political climate, Americans struggle to redefine themselves and their country; still sturdy and moral, still courageous; but the simpler times now evoke feelings of backwards thinking, resistance to change or liberal thought. Are the virtues for which Parker's Crockett stood now becoming red flags on a regressive course that could cost our country years of progress? Or have these virtues simply been co-opted by one or more clever political fronts, pretending to represent a people they all but disdain, perverting the principles upon which the country was founded? Let's hope that Fess Parker, like Col. David Crockett, finds peace in his rest even as his image continues to be a symbol and a rallying point, often times for groups that cannot match the ideals for which Crockett and now Parker will ultimately stand.

THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT a fact-based novella by Fletcher Rhoden
www.trafford.com/robots/ 01-0132.html

New and Been Moved -- what's up and what's to come!

2009-12-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays from Fletcher Rhoden.com:
It may seem that things have been quiet around FR.com since the release of the children's ebook IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI in the fall. But the year ended on a big note with the day-long Mt. Hollywood Winter Music and Arts Faire on Saturday, Dec. 12. This rousing celebration featured performances by soul legend Willie Chambers of the Chambers Bros., the Snozzberries, Rickyricardo Sims and many more. Website- and production company namesake (and head of the PR department) Fletcher Rhoden performed with singer Ryan Seaton and others on songs including EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL, ON THE WINGS OF AN ANGEL, I AM THE ONE, CAN'T STOP TALKIN' LIKE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN and others. Photos have been posted at the RISTANDRHODENGROUP on Yahoo! Videos are soon to follow. It is possible that a DVD of the event will be issued, but this is unverified. The other lingering DVD release from Fletcher Rhoden.com, EVA JAMES BAND LIVE 2006 is in the can and waiting for Ms. James' final approval.
2009 was also going to see the release of one or more Rhoden books through CreateSpace, which has successfully distributed the FR.c DVD releases this past year. But the books have been held over for a 2010 release schedule, set to include at least 4 novels and the recent IMAGINE NATHAN... children's book in full-color paperback. The novels that are not already available as ebooks will be released in that format as well as in paperback. (CARING FOR CAROLYN and SISTERELLA are already available in digital download form but are due to be released in paperback in a single volume as TWICE IN THE HEART: TWO SHORT NOVELS.) THE REBELS OF OZ, Rhoden's graphic novel from earlier in 2009, may or may not be included in the release lineup. (2009 also saw the release of a full-length cd RESONATOR and an episode of HISTORY DETECTIVES featuring Harold Rhoden and including Fletcher Rhoden.)
2010 will also see the development of 2009's last in-house project, an as-yet unannounced stage musical in two acts by Fletcher Rhoden. Demos and a completed script are due to be shopped to producers in January and, failing an outside production, will be produced for its premiere run by Fletcher Rhoden.com in the first half of 2010, with the writer to direct. FR.c has not released details of the play, but is expected to shortly.
You'll hear from FR.com again in 2010, until then -- tres bien!

Fletcher Rhoden HISTORY DETECTIVES episode Mon. Aug.31

2009-08-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

Greetings family, friends and fans:
Monday, Aug. 31 at 9 pm will be the first airing of HISTORY DETECTIVES episode STALAG 17 PORTRAIT, wherein I am interviewed about my own artwork and that of my late father, Harold Rhoden. The show will rerun on Sept. 5 at 4pm. It's already being called the highlight of the episode (which featured two other twenty-minute segments) and is featured on many affiliate websites. There is even a preview video up at the PBS.org site on their HISTORY DETECTIVES page. To celebrate, my paintings and fans are being made available for sale DIRECTLY FROM THE HOME SITE (www.fletcherrhoden.com) with a handy and safe PayPal transaction. Get them while they're hot, collectors -- values are sure to go up after the episode airs!
In other news, I am recording a new pop song as previously mentioned, but have decided to hold it back from release as it may well become part of a larger, new project. I can't discuss details, but if the project comes together as planned it will be my first stage musical. A planned new cd release, unrelated to this project, will likely be delayed (but not scrubbed) so I can focus on the musical which, if I don't have any complicated legal issues, should be one of my highest-profile projects ever. Unlike my last play, the successful LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, which went into production only a few months after the writing began, this new project will develop more slowly, so fans shouldn't expect any kind of production before the end of this year. A staged reading is a possibility, however, with some type of production also possible in the first half of 2010. But there will be plenty of good stuff from Fletcher Rhoden.com between now and year's end, so stay tuned!
If you miss the scheduled airings of HISTORY DETECTIVES, my understanding is that it can be seen anytime at the HISTORY DETECTIVES page of the PBS.org website on or after September 1st.
See you on the tube!
FR

WIZARD OF OZ 70th Anniversary

2009-08-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

Greetings, folks:
As many of you know, I recently created a graphic novel called THE REBELS OF OZ, based on the original works of L. Frank Baum and following an adult Dorothy Gale's return to Oz to overthrow the tyrannical regime of her former allies Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion. And as such, somebody asked me recently what my thoughts were on this 70th anniversary of the well-loved musical motion picture starring Judy Garland.
It's an interesting question. I was never a fan of the movie, to be honest. I was attracted to the graphic novel project I did for a number of reasons: I was interested in returning to that medium, I wanted to exploit the new softwares that made creating such a project so easy. And I liked the story of Dorothy going back to face down her now-corrupted allies. I thought it was a nice story about the drawbacks of intelligence, bravery and sensitivity, and the need to face and accept your past.
But the movie never really grabbed me. I find the sets and costumes kind of cheap. Honestly, I know this film was shot on a sound stage, with painted backgrounds and wooden sets. But when the film was refurbished and digitized (which I think it has been a few times) couldn't they have blurred out that obnoxious line between the edge of the set and the bottom of the painted background? When they're trotting "Off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz..." I keep wincing, half-expecting them to skip face-on into that backdrop. And while the music is good and the acting overall is pretty solid, the script is very, very weak. Now I know this will rankle a lot of people. I'm just a largely unknown writer, after all, and this film is considered a classic. It is often used in screenwriting books as one of the great screen examples of the Hero's Journey and of the basic three-act structure (I've even mentioned it myself in my writing seminar WRITE MAKES MIGHT: Stronger Structure in Storytelling, now on DVD from my site, Fletcher Rhoden.com). But throughout most of the movie Dorothy pouts and whines, she runs away from home, rides a bicycle and talks to her pet in a voice that sounds almost cartoonishly meek and childlike. She's carried from one place to another by a force of nature, helpless in the hands of a virtual God in the Machine. She is then sent on a fool's errand and does just what she's told without question, without countering. Later Dorothy is plucked out of the action near the midpoint and spends much of the rest of the act sitting in a tower sobbing, waiting for death. Once rescued, she spends the rest of the time running away from the witch until accidentally killing her. Then she pleads and pouts some more to the Wizard. By today's standards, this behavior is considered much too passive. Today's heros do the rescuing, they don't sit around needing to be rescued -- especially today's female heroes. While I realize it can be considered less than fair to hold one work up to the standards of another era, I would say that the best works in any era do hold up to the standards of another. Even by today's standards, for example, the Mona Lisa is still a great painting, the great pyramids are still great engineering feats. Charlie Chaplin's City Lights still holds up. Which is why it's not a matter of holding TWOZ up to the standards of its own time and not our own; even back then lead characters were more dynamic. These elements of story are consistent all the way back to the first stories ever told; those of the hunts to kill the mammoth and the cave bear, told by the hunters to their Neanderthal and Cro Magnon women and children over 15,000 years ago.
There's another glaring weakness with this film that is centered around the depiction of Dorothy Gale. In the first book, Dorothy is 8-years-old. In the movie based on that book, she's supposed to be 12, but is portrayed by an actress of about 15 (Garland was born in 1922.) So what we wind up with is a 15-year-old, fast becoming a woman, who is dressed like a 12-year-old and acts like an 8-year-old. Then she runs off and travels across a country she doesn't know in the company of three single middle-aged men. And these men, all outcasts and without significant social ties, can only find wholeness in the company of this woman/child. The psychosexual undercurrents of these relationships are not new ground, but in this day of child predation I think they deserve a second look. Strippers and hookers (whose business it is to be sexual) dress up as Judy Garland's Dorothy, so it's not hard to find the contemporary manifestations of this troubling dynamic. A brief surf on the internet will reveal even more frightening echoes of MGM's Dorothy Gale. Seventy years on, the legacy of THE WIZARD OF OZ continues to evolve along these strange lines. As long as Hollywood continues to hypersexualize young women, I expect the Oz legacy to continue on its twisted course.
www.fletcherrhoden.com/therebelsofoz.htm

Fletcher Rhoden's new ebook / read-along video now available!

2009-08-06T15:17:00.001-07:00

Greetings from Fletcher Rhoden.com! The namesake here, happy to announce that FR.c has released IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI as an ebook and in read-along video format. Over 40 fully illustrated pages -- all full-color, hand painted and digitally reproduced -- this first "Imagine Nathan" story turns a boring chore into a wild adventure into the deepest jungles! Go face-to-face with charging rhinos, deadly sea creatures and more as Imagine Nathan makes the everyday extraordinary. This is a great book for any imaginative child, homeschooler, busy parent or concerned teacher. The ebook is a handy pdf that downloads in a snap and is designed to be read on any computer or similar device. The read-along video will help your kids with any reading difficulties they may have, and downloads as a safe and convenient m4v file, perfect for iTunes. IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI is my 3rd ebook for kids, after THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! and BALLOONZEE: LET'S GO FLOATIN'. There are several more Imagine Nathan adventures for possible sequels, in case any publishers are out there and are interested. Anybody can buy the book and video, as well as enjoying free ebook and video clips, at the new IMAGINENATHAN page of our home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com (www.fletcherrhoden.com/imaginenathan.htm). Publishers can request free pdfs when considering acquiring various rights by emailing me. The address is on the page.

To celebrate the release of IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI, we've spruced up Fletcher Rhoden.com -- many of our videos are now embedded right on the page, so you don't have to link over to Youtube or Yahoo! Video and then back to the site. Also, the new CHILDREN'S STORE has been completely revamped for easy use. Check out the NEWS page to see what else has been added since you've been there last, and what you can expect when you go there to buy IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI.

I was very happy with the way IMAGINE NATHAN ON SUPERMARKET SAFARI came out. Visually, it's a combination of a cartoonish style I sometimes use for face and body painting, but I used acrylics (my usual paint medium) instead of Indian ink (the norm). Kids' books are also often done in crayon, oil pastel and colored pencil. But the first two were hard to use and the colored pencils weren't going to give me the depth of color I wanted. In any case I think it's just the right balance -- it looks like most kids books in the stores. As for the writing, this book is smart, funny, never talking down to kids but appealing to the very things they love; imagination, whimsey, and constant entertainment.

Next up for me are some possible musical projects (including a new pop single I wrote on a fishing boat off the Malibu Pier last month.) I still plan to release several of my novels through CreateSpace, likewise the Eva James Band Live DVD (which could be the next official release from Fletcher Rhoden.com) and a few other things I hope to get in by the end of the year. There is also a possibility that I may return to theater directing, working with my LAST TANGO WITH MARLON star Frank Cavestani, who played Marlon Brando. I have also appeared recently with my TANGO star Raf (Wally Cox) Mauro in his for-kids improv show THE MAGIC MIRROR. We hope to continue that, but have no plans to do so until early 2010.

In other news, I continue to work as a medical ghostwriter with Jeanell Suggs. We are also finishing a non-fiction book proposal which I'm sure we'll have done by the end of the summer. Add this to the stream of dvd rereleases, the graphic novel (THE REBELS OF OZ) and the two cds I put out early in the year, and 2009 is bound to go down as one of my hottest yet. And there could still be even more great news, putting the year way way over the top, but (like me) you'll just have to stay tuned and wait for the news to roll in.

Steady on,
FR

WRITE MAKES MIGHT seminar now on DVD

2009-06-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

From the PR desk of Fletcher Rhoden.com:

DATELINE, LOS ANGELES: The essential writing seminar from the acclaimed author, playwright and director covers the mythic 3-act structure, scene and sequel structure and more, using modern classic films like THE GODFATHER as examples. Shot live in Hollywood, CA in 2008. Includes the entire 2009 appearance on AUTHORS! AUTHORS! featuring Raf Mauro (LAST TANGO WITH MARLON). Available for the first time ever on DVD. "I had a good time with this seminar, and I think it can be of great value to a lot of writers on every level," Rhoden said. In point of fact, the dvd has been available for a few weeks, but Rhoden is only now promoting the release online, and this after a spat of high-profile releases. "I've just been so busy with the video editing and the medical writing," Rhoden said of his increasingly frequent freelance work. "And this being one of the last dvd releases of the series, I guess it got put off. It's not for a lack of confidence in the dvd, of course." The DVD also includes Rhoden's 30-minute appearance on 2hip4tv's AUTHORS! AUTHORS! an interview program hosted by Raf Mauro, who played Wally Cox in Rhoden's acclaimed stage play LAST TANGO WITH MARLON (now on DVD). Rhoden and Mauro discuss the play and novella about the friendship of Cox and acting legend Marlon Brando, in addition to Rhoden's other projects.
https://www.createspace.com/266817

The next (and perhaps last) DVD release expected from Fletcher Rhoden.com is a live DVD of Eva James Band, featuring Rhoden on lead guitar, backing vocals and featuring several performances of the Rhoden/James pop tune I LOVE YOU, NOW CHANGE. "I was very happy with the work I did with Eva, and that DVD will make our best work available to her many fans." The DVD will feature the video JUDGMENT DAY, featuring Robbie Rist (who produced the recording.) The dvd will the the third musical dvd from Rhoden, whose other dvds are more literary and dramatic in nature.

Rhoden has a slew of other projects, both new and from his canon, that will be released this year. In addition, he hopes to resume live performances on a regular basis this year as well. For more information, check in often with the home site:
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/index.htm

Two more DVDs at Fletcher Rhoden.com!

2009-05-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Fletcher Rhoden.com:
As promised, two more DVDs have been released by Fletcher Rhoden.com through CreateSpace and Amazon.com. FLETCHER RHODEN LIVE! features over 90 minutes of live and televised performances featuring Robbie Rist and Eva James. Great Christian pop and some fun secular tunes too. Acoustic and full band performances compliment a full-length interview. SOUL CANCR is an hour-long stage play in one act starring Robbie Rist (THE BRADY BUNCH, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES) as a tormented man searching for the details of a failed romance. Michael Dunn (EXPECTING LOVE), Christy McBrayer (SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKIE), April McKay (BALLOONZEE) and Quinton Flynn (THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY) also star. This powerful drama did well at the New York Independent Film and Video Festival and the play was performed live (in excerpt) at New York's Madison Square Gardens. New commentary by star Rist, plus animated shorts and more make it an excellent gift or addition to any DVD collection. A favorite of writer/director and website namesake Fletcher Rhoden, who calls it, "A piece that is close to my heart, in many ways closer than all the others." It is a worthy companion to the FR.Com flagship release, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, a stage play about Marlon Brando and Wally Cox, written and directed by Rhoden last year and released this year on DVD. The next DVD is WRITE MAKES MIGHT: STRONGER STRUCTURE IN STORYTELLING, in which the acclaimed author and playwright breaks down the famous 3-act story structure and more, using modern film classics as examples. Rhoden's 30-minute interview on Authors! Authors! rounds out the DVD, due next week. Other DVDs from Fletcher Rhoden and Fletcher Rhoden.com are now available:
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/store.htm

ST. LOUIS BLUES dvd now available!

2009-05-27T19:16:00.001-07:00

DATELINE, LOS ANGELES: The classy music video is coupled with behind-the-scenes footage, over an hour of live performances and more. Featuring Fletcher Rhoden (Last Tango With Marlon) Robbie Rist (Soul Cancer) and more! Over 90 minutes! Featuring R&B singer Kina!
https://www.createspace.com/266091
This is a special release, folks. As part of the Fletcher Rhoden.com dvd roll-out, this is the first official music release (FLETCHER RHODEN LIVE! was held over for a chronological release pattern). Basically, these two dvds are the Fletcher Rhoden career overview, musically speaking (an EVA JAMES BAND LIVE dvd will round things out later this season). ST. LOUIS BLUES not only includes a fresh print of the classy video and fun behind-the-scenes stuff (fans of Robbie Rist must have this dvd) there is over an hour of vintage live performances by my '90's jazz/rock band Dance Hall Racket (featuring Rist) and also some Avenue Out performances, my pre-DHR pop/punk club band featuring future PROMISE KEEPERS drummer Rich Johnson. Good stuff all around.
One interesting thing about this dvd is that it captures several of my major collaborations: long-time partner-in-crime Robbie Rist, also Mighty One Productions mainstay April McKay, who appears in the video as the flirtatious waitress. And the whole video was directed by Patrick Francis, a lifelong friend who has worked with me on several things, including THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY, he did the camera work for SOUL CANCER and others. Great guy, very talented. Then there's Rich, a wonderful friend and awesome drummer. We'd played for years before these Avenue Out sessions, although he isn't the only drummer, as Jose Murillo rounds out the set as a fill-in player (he also did some time on some of the DHR performances.)
The other big collaboration that appears in the ST. LOUIS BLUES DVD (it must be addressed) is with DHR rhythm guitarist Jeff Greene (then called Jet). He was my first true collaborator of any sort, and since I've had many in music, literature and so on. ST. LOUIS BLUES is the last thing we did together (the video was really our last thing, the dvd is just recently compiled and released), and it's basically the best of our many years working together. Good to have gone out on a high note. (One point: the Avenue Out performances on this DVD, from 1988, are as far back as the new dvd releases are likely to go. Before that it's all school plays and baby pictures anyway.)
And of course, THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY represents a lesser collaboration I had with the producer of that short. This was another working and social relationship that I brought to a close.
Now, as I enter a new and very exciting phase in my writing career with a new and extremely talented and trustworthy collaborator, it makes me consider what elements make a great partner and which make a bad partner. Certainly, it's a matter of chemistry, but that's only enough to get a partnership started. After that, it's a matter of respect -- earning it, having it and showing it. It's also a matter of carrying one's own weight and evolving creatively and socially and, more importantly, not devolving in those same areas. Do I speak of my collaborators or myself, or both? I'll let you decide.
But for a look at some of my most significant collaborations, check out ST. LOUIS BLUES and enjoy what must be considered, in retrospect, a very productive and accomplished time in my creative life. Next week, FLETCHER RHODEN LIVE presents the next chapter in my musical evolution -- or is it devolution?
Or both?
Stay tuned.
FR

New online article

2009-05-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

Greetings, friends and fans:
I'm taking a moment or two from my dvd rollout to circulate this online article I wrote about the new netiquette and current marketing ethics. What is spam and what isn't? It's a complicated issue that should reverberate with anybody who has ever or will ever buy or sell anything over the internet. I am posting it here on the blog for your convenience. Feel free to copy and paste it around, maybe stir up a little positive action.
And stay tuned to Fletcher Rhoden.com for more on our exciting dvds and other releases!
Fletcher Rhoden

Moon Over My Spammy
An online article by Fletcher Rhoden 5/20/2009

Spam. Here’s how J.D. Falk describes it on spam.abuse.net:
“Spam is flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. Most spam is commercial advertising, often for dubious products, get-rich-quick schemes, or quasi-legal services. Spam costs the sender very little to send -- most of the costs are paid for by the recipient or the carriers rather than by the sender.
There are two main types of spam, and they have different effects on Internet users. Cancelable Usenet spam is a single message sent to 20 or more Usenet newsgroups. (Through long experience, Usenet users have found that any message posted to so many newsgroups is often not relevant to most or all of them.) Usenet spam is aimed at ‘lurkers’, people who read newsgroups but rarely or never post and give their address away. Usenet spam robs users of the utility of the newsgroups by overwhelming them with a barrage of advertising or other irrelevant posts. Furthermore, Usenet spam subverts the ability of system administrators and owners to manage the topics they accept on their systems.
Email spam targets individual users with direct mail messages. Email spam lists are often created by scanning Usenet postings, stealing Internet mailing lists, or searching the Web for addresses. Email spams typically cost users money out-of-pocket to receive. Many people - anyone with measured phone service - read or receive their mail while the meter is running, so to speak. Spam costs them additional money. On top of that, it costs money for ISPs and online services to transmit spam, and these costs are transmitted directly to subscribers.
One particularly nasty variant of email spam is sending spam to mailing lists (public or private email discussion forums.) Because many mailing lists limit activity to their subscribers, spammers will use automated tools to subscribe to as many mailing lists as possible, so that they can grab the lists of addresses, or use the mailing list as a direct target for their attacks.”
So this is what spam is. But how about what spam ISN’T?
I am a writer and producer with a stream of new releases through Createspace. I have ebooks and video files available for download, all on my site, which has been rebranded as a digital media superstore (Fletcher Rhoden.com) Like many others, I am promoting my products, which include dvds of acclaimed plays LAST TANGO WITH MARLON (https://www.createspace.com/259516) and SOUL CANCER, among others. Where better to market my digital media than the internet? There are lots of like-minded people out there surfing the web who would want to know about my acclaimed works and live performances (maybe even you, dear reader.) And while other types of advertising are becoming less effective and more expensive, the internet provides near-limitless choices and venues and ways to reach people. This is the very heart of the internet, giving voice to the individual, circumventing the gatekeepers and allowing a true democratization of our world society; one person, one voice, one vote. No longer do the rich and powerful record companies, film studios and publishing houses get to decide what’s available for sale, which authors get to share their vision with the world. Now we can all have our say! So, when I recently published THE REBELS OF OZ (http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/therebelsofoz.htm), my digital download graphic novel, I alerted a variety of sites and many of them posted information about the book. So far, so good, no spam to worry about.
Then I went to the user groups. For those who don’t know, these are groups (most are on Yahoo! and Google, though AOL and MSN host quite a few as well) founded by fans of one thing or another and featuring related media and chatting about that thing. There are forums that offer basically the same interactive, message- and file-sharing functions. There are plenty of Wizard of Oz user groups and forums out there, as there are for all kinds of subjects of interest. (And I use this as a hypothetical example, as I relate nothing specifically about any of the Wizard of Oz groups. I’ve posted at Marlon Brando groups, homeschooling groups and others, depending on which product I was marketing.) But after posting a notice about a given product (and my work is widely acclaimed) and where to find it, I was often hit with a request not to, “spam the group.” Often my message was never allowed to be posted.
This is where I get confused.
It’s true, my messages were basically commercial in nature, whether marketing an Oz book to Oz fans or my novella THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT (http://www.trafford.com/01-0132) to students of American or Latin/American history. But look at the definition of spam again. I never posted any of these messages 20 times (not more than once per group.) I’m sure the group moderators didn’t search all groups to count other postings, as they never numbered even close to 20. Also, my messages were always related to the interests of the group, so it wasn’t like I was sending penis enlargement ads to groups concerned with freeing Tibet. Relevance is key.
Falk says the cost of such advertising is covered by the recipient, and this makes it wrong. But what cost? I have a Yahoo account and several groups and they’re all free. I pay for the internet service, but I’d be paying that anyway. If somebody goes to my new Rist and Rhoden Yahoo! group (http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/ristandrhodengroup/) a place for the individual and joint projects of my friend Robbie Rist and I, and they post an ad for Brady Bunch costar Maureen McCormick’s book, that doesn’t cost me a single penny. So there’s really no harm financially, even in the worst-case spam scenarios. Falk says that some people pay for their internet by the minutes used, and so extra emails cost them money to open and read. But these emails have subject headings, and one glance at them will tell you if its something to invest your time and money in. If the subject appeals and you don’t like the email itself, it seems like a matter of getting what you pay for. If you don’t want to waste your time and money reading it, just delete it en mass with the others you don’t want. And this is just for user group and forum post-related emails. People who send automatically generated spam mail directly to users usually find their goods winding up in the mailbox SPAM box anyway, right? I don’t defend them, in fact I separate myself from them for the purposes of our new parameters. But in any case I haven’t set eyes on one of those for years, or even bothered to empty my SPAM box (it happens automatically.) And in any case that is not the nature of my posts or of posts like mine from other young producers and artists. These are not multilevel marketing schemes to defraud people, rather the faint echoes of an underdog artist’s noble struggle to reach an audience and live out the true meaning of the American dream.
Falk refers to reaching out to, “Lurkers” who read but don’t post. But what’s wrong with that? Maybe they’re bashful about sharing their information (who wouldn’t be?) but still want some good information about the group’s subject of focus? Why shouldn’t they find what they’re looking for?
Falk maybe right that spam makes it difficult for moderators to moderate, but they can allow or disallow comments on a case-by-case basis with relative ease by deleting the membership of the true spammers and letting the rest of us industrious types grab a little face-time.
People have insinuated that these posts interrupt the flow of conversation in the message sections of these groups and forums. But it’s not an interruption in the traditional sense because you don’t have to stop and read it, nobody is physically interrupting anything. Just reply to the message you’re replying to and ignore the ones in between. It’s just a headline on a newsletter, not a pop-up ad! Why is your conversation the only one worth occupying that section of the group?
Of course these uninvited posts do wind up in somebody’s mailbox often enough, but these members choose to have the emails from the group sent to them. They can arrange a daily digest and skip the articles not part of their conversation, if receiving uninvited emails is really a problem. I don’t see why that slight inconvenience has to prevent me from being able to share my work with a potentially interested public. They might even be interested in the work themselves if they’d take a look.
And what harm does even a slight interruption do? An isolated post every now and then about a relevant subject shouldn’t prevent anyone from enjoying their discussions in these groups or forums.
But some of these moderators of those groups disallowed my messages and labeled me a spammer, which may be their right, but they do so not in accordance with the above definition. I know these are privately moderated groups (I’ve founded about five myself), and I’m not suggesting people be forced to allow posts they don’t want. I’m just trying to help clarify this year’s netiquette so we can all enjoy (and yes, USE) the internet to greater effect. The internet is not serving us all the way it should. Instead of greater freedom of expression and more opportunity to reach out and share our lives with others, we have less freedom and more rules, different gatekeepers deciding who can say what to whom. Of course I’m not advocating yelling, “Fire!” in a crowded (internet) theater, or that any forum should be able to be abused by anyone for any reason. But I do think a person promoting animated children’s programing should be able to post their dvd url on a group dedicated to animated children’s programing, such as my new dvd BALLOONZEE (https://www.createspace.com/265047).
So how difficult is it for us all to agree on a parameter? Falk provides us with a good one above (if flawed in spots), one which allows for a person like to me post (within numerical and contextual guidelines) without infringing on the rights of others. If only we could all agree to these parameters, it would be a big step forward in self-governing this wonderful world wide web.
So let’s have a compromise: Group moderators, let the reigns up a bit, give a person a chance to spread his wings and promote their relevant products and services. What’s a plug or two gonna hurt? Promoters, keep it brief and relevant, don’t repeat the same post in any given group. Updates should be allowed if there’s truly new information, but let’s keep it reasonable. You true spammers out there, with your search engines and your email list thefts and your penis enlargement drugs and your get-rich-quick, multilevel marketing schemes, you should be paying for your advertising anyway. Stop ruining it for the rest of us.
###
Other online articles by Fletcher Rhoden can be found at this site and at www.fletcherrhoden.com/onlinearticles.htm

BALLOONZEE dvd now available online!

2009-05-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

This week BALLOONZEE joins LAST TANGO WITH MARLON on the growing list of Fletcher Rhoden dvds available for purchase online from Amazon.com/Createspace.
In the wonderful world of BALLOONZEE, bright-eyed balloon animals sing, dance, tell jokes, learn to count, add, spell and much more. Created to California Content Standards, this 30-minute, all-digital animated dvd features educational shorts, a 13-minute series pilot and even a bonus short! Kids all over the world love balloon animals, and your whole family will love BALLOONZEE. Order now!
https://www.createspace.com/265047
Rather watch BALLOONZEE on your iPhone or similar device? Download the videos and picture ebook now!
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/balloonzee.htm
Also great for the kids, THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! the hilarious ebook for early readers that teaches kids what NOT to say! As funny for Mom and Dad as it is for the kids!
http:www.fletcherrhoden.com/thatsrudejude.htm
And for Mom and Dad there are other dvds, downloadable videos and ebooks (perfect for your Kindle 2) ready to buy through Google Checkout or PayPal -- take a look at our impressive catalogue!
It's always a safe and secure transaction with Fletcher Rhoden.com, and there's more fun stuff coming up, so stay tuned!
FR.c

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON on dvd from Amazon.com

2009-04-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Folks, the wait is over -- LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, the acclaimed stage play about the lives and legendary friendship of actors Marlon Brando and Wally Cox, is now on DVD and for sale from Amazon.com. The dvd was recently called, "A welcome dvd release...a theatrical dance to remember..." by LivelyArts.com, in addition to the critical raves heaped on the play itself during its premiere run ("...Exquisite... Intensely comedic... fast-moving and funny...). Just $18.00 and available for sale nowhere else on the net. The ideal gift for the Brando fan in your life.
https://www.createspace.com/259516

To celebrate, I'm also making three novels available for sale in e format:
SISTERELLA combines the revisionist fiction of WICKED with the modern light comedy of BRIDGET JONES' DIARY in a story of 3 sisters who find disharmony when a young rock star enters their lives. A contemporary Cinderella.

CARING FOR CAROLYN: Painful memories and an antagonistic sister challenge a young woman's attempts to care for her estranged stepmother, the only survivor of a plane crash that takes the life of the siblings' father and brother. From the author's own life experiences.

NEVER DIE TWICE: A young man must look after his deranged grandfather, who believes himself to be an international spy. Hilarious adventure.

These handy pdfs are affordable (just $7.99) and formatted for your Kindle or other portable device, with 12 point fonts and 1.5 line spacing for easy reading. Download them today and, as always, stay tuned for more.

http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/novels.htm

Fletcher Rhoden.com Download review, DVD preview

2009-04-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

Greetings, all!

That's right -- another fletcherrhodenblog! But lots of things are happening, and it was suggested to me that I recap all the downloads we've had and try to sum up what you can expect in the coming months.
As many of you know, and hopefully many more didn't up until now, Fletcher Rhoden.com has been rolling out all our digital video and other media for download, making Fletcher Rhoden a fully functioning download superstore... and more.
In addition to various publisher and distributor links for such popular products as my novellas (LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT, Trafford) or the award-winning slasher STUMP THE BAND, you can now find PayPal and Google Checkout links to buy things from the site through trusted file sharing site Payloadz.com. These titles include:

THE REBELS OF OZ: A new, dark sequel to the original books finds an adult Dorothy Gale returning to Oz to overthrow the tyrannical regime of her former allies Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion. Already showing up all over the internet, this is an all-digital, full-color downloadable graphic novel for mature readers -- just released! $7.99!

WRITE MAKES MIGHT: STRONGER STRUCTURE IN STORYTELLING -- two mp4 video files cover this funny and frank 30-minute writing seminar covering the mythic 3-act structure, scene and sequel structure and more. One lunch break with your iPhone or iPod can save you hundreds of dollars and hours with various screenwriting books or classes. Just $5.99 per file!
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/writemakesmight.htm

THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY -- the internet legend comes to download in a new DIRECTOR'S CUT with new sound, new music. The only place on the net to find the new (or any) version of this acclaimed short. Just $2.99 for a 9-minute mp4!
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/tcweda.htm

BALLOONZEE -- Those bright-eyed balloon animals are back, singing and learning and floating over exotic places in a new picture ebook, "Let's Go Floatin'" and two downloadable 15-minute animated programs, "Quickies" and "Blue, No Clue". $5.99 each.
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/balloonzee.htm

THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! A laugh-out-loud ebook for early readers, "That's Rude, Jude!" teaches over-observant children what NOT to say! Gross enough to keep kids amused, with pictures parents are bound to find hilarious. $5.99
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/thatsrudejude.htm

That represents our current download catalog, and while April has been all about the downloads, May will be all about the dvds from Amazon.com. For example:

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON -- the already-acclaimed dvd of the critic's darling play, based on the widely-praised novella about Marlon Brando and Wally Cox, due out this week. Just $18!

BALLOONZEE -- The line of Balloonzee products continues with this dvd, the second release in the Fletcher Rhoden.com DVD roll-out. Just $12.00!

SOUL CANCER -- the hard-hitting one-act that made LAST TANGO WITH MARLON possible, in a brand-new director's cut. Features new commentary by star Robbie Rist and stars international actor Michael Dunn. Unpriced

THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY -- the director's cut of this legendary short, with hilarious, unrated outtakes, never-before-released performances, new videos and commentaries, animated short subjects and more. Unpriced

FLETCHER RHODEN LIVE -- a decade of performances from the singer/songwriter behind CAN'T STOP TALKIN' LIKE CHRISTOHER WALKEN and others. Unpriced

Even more? Sure, the late summer should see dvds from the EVA JAMES BAND, DANCE HALL RACKET, possible special edition CD re-releases of NEW HEAVEN, JOY OF SONG and others, ebook novels from the vast store of unpublished work by Fletcher Rhoden and even more.

Original artwork by Fletcher Rhoden can now be purchased online through Emerging Painters.com and others. See the links on http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/paintings.htm

So check out http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/index if you just want to browse around this fascinating and far-reaching site. There's never a membership or subscription fee and always lots of free content. Kids stuff is clearly labelled (separate kids store!). Includes links to groups for various Fletcher Rhoden.com products and those of our friends and associates.

Even in these tough times, you can afford to splurge at Fletcher Rhoden.com!

digital download roll-out continues at Fletcher Rhoden.com

2009-04-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

Friends and fans, the digital download roll-out continues at Fletcher Rhoden.com with the DIRECTOR'S CUT of the popular short subject THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY. Starring Quinton Flynn and Robbie Rist, it's got new shots, new sound, new music and more. You can download the short for just $2.99 from the VIDEOS page of our home site, www.fletcherrhoden.com! This is the only place you'll be able to find this short on the net -- there are no other postings which will be sponsored by Fletcher Rhoden.com. Here's a little promotional trick -- if anybody finds the short in its non-director's-cut form (it won't say DIRECTOR'S CUT in the opening) I will send you the new director's cut short, free of charge (as long as you or a friend didn't post the file yourself). Or you can wait for the DVD to come out from Amazon.com next month -- it'll have commentaries, newly released performances, animated shorts and a ton more, but it'll price at about $15 bucks or so. S'up to you. Email me at fletcherrhoden@yahoo.com
I always liked this short, even if it had a very controversial debut. But it was called, "Hilarious...best in show...rivals the best output of SNL... we're treated to the immensely hummable tune..." The song CAN'T STOP TALKIN' LIKE CHRISTOPHER WALKN was very popular for me on a solo stint I did in 2000, and I giggled all the way through this re-edit. Some people may wonder if it's fair to make this short available only for money. What about those who worked on it, who might need it for some online posting of some sort? To that I can only say that TCWEDA averages several hundred hits a month -- not a ton by internet standards, but it's been a free ride for a lot of people for a long time now. Now that Fletcher Rhoden.com is an AFTRA signatory and all our selling permits are in order, we gotta do what we gotta do. Last year when we closed our DVD page at Fletcher Rhoden.com, we announced that we were streamlining our distribution system. This is what we meant. Anybody who wants an mp4 can buy a download, those who want better fidelity should get the dvd. Anyone else can post the link on their site and let their friends or fans decide for themselves at http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/videos.htm!
Next up the BALLOONZEE picture ebook LET'S GO FLOATIN' joins the two animated shorts in the download arena -- the DVD should be out in about two weeks, after the imminent release of the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON dvd.
That's about it for now -- happy viewing, Fletchheads!
FR

Write Makes Might joins digital download roll-out at Fletcher Rhoden.com

2009-04-17T09:54:00.001-07:00

Greetings, friends and fans:
The digital download roll-out continues at Fletcher Rhoden.com with the release of WRITE MAKES MIGHT: Stronger Structure in Storytelling in 2 handy mp4 files. You can watch them on your desktop, laptop, iPod, iPhone or other portable device. In WRITE MAKES MIGHT, I break down the all-important 3-act structure, as well as scene and sequel structure, using popular films such as JAWS, THE GODFATHER, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and other modern classics to illustrate. You can spend countless hours and hundreds of dollars on books or classes, or you can spend a half-hour during your lunch break to check out this funny and informative seminar. Do you think a sequel is the second film in a franchise? Are you struggling with that long second act of your screenplay or novel? Then WRITE MAKES MIGHT is for you. Beginners and professionals alike will benefit from this seminar, shot live in Hollywood, CA just last year. My credentials as an acclaimed author and playwright are too long to list here, but you can link to them on the WRITE MAKES MIGHT page of my site -- you can also see some free sample clips and more. The mp4 files are just $5.99 each and all transactions are safe, secure and automated. Use Paypal and Google Checkout, just like with all the new downloadable stuff from Fletcher Rhoden.com, including the new graphic novel THE REBELS OF OZ.
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/writemakesmight.htm
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/therebelsofoz.htm
Stay tuned for more!
Fletcher Rhoden

New graphic novel THE REBELS OF OZ and MORE!

2009-04-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter, gang!
Here's the sup-sup on all the exciting new stuff at FLETCHER RHODEN.COM. Very happy to announce that my new digital-download graphic novel THE REBELS OF OZ is now available for sale. This 140-plus page, all-color, all-digital work comes in a handy 48 mb pdf file, safe and secure from either PayPal or Google Checkout. In this mature-readers sequel, Dorothy Gale must return to Oz to overthrow the tyrannical regime of Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion. This stunning piece is just $7.99, so check out the free posted excerpt and download the whole file today from www.fletcherrhoden.com/therebelsofoz.htm
Also newly available is my laugh-out-loud-funny ebook for early readers THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! the only book that teaches kids what NOT to say, and why. Just gross enough for kids, helpful for parents and a handy tool for teachers or home-schoolers. At just $5.99 and 7mb, THAT'S RUDE, JUDE! is affordable and easy to download and send to friends with that problem child you just don't know how to correct.
www.fletcherrhoden.com/thatsrudejude.htm
In other exciting news, the dvd of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON comes to you from Amazon.com later this month with a price of just $17.99 -- that's only pennies per word if you tally up all the great reviews we got! There's more information on that (INCLUDING NEW CLIPS FROM THE DVD) and on the acclaimed novella:
www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon.htm
That's right, it's all at the new Fletcher Rhoden.com -- come in and take a look around. In addition to the new easy-to-use PayPal and Google Checkout buttons, there is lots of FREE content, including archival PERFORMANCE VIDEOS, new MUSIC and other cool stuff -- too much to mention, so think of it like an Easter egg hunt with cool free music and videos as the rewards! There are more dvd and ebook releases coming up from Fletcher Rhoden.com, including BALLOONZEE products and much more, so stay tuned.
Happy Easter!
Fletcher Rhoden

New performance video posted at Fletcher Rhoden.com

2009-03-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

Yikes, Bloggies, where did February go? First of all, I know I'm late getting the DVD of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON on the market -- sorry, folks! But the webcast is up at 2hip4tv.com, and the dvd should be available from CreateSpace on Amazon.com in March -- this time, I promise. Thing is, I was just a bit distracted this month with some editing I'm doing for 2hip4tv.com, and some rewriting of a script for a very interested producer -- we're waiting to hear from a certain Oscar-winning actress about starring. In other news, I'm jumping into a project also slated for a March release -- look for this one at the end of the month though, at the earliest. Can't say much about it yet, but it's pushing back my various dvd releases (except for TANGO, of course) and will be taking me places I haven't been since 1992. Any guesses? Feel free to join the fletcherrhodengroup at Yahoo Groups and post your spoilers if you have any.
In the mean time there's another archival performance on the PERFORMANCES page of the home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com -- this one a gospel favorite I did around 2006, and hadn't performed live in almost 15 years. So there's that... Stay tuned and have fun! And slow down, March -- don't rush by the way February did (I need time to breathe!)
FR

New performance video posted at Fletcher Rhoden.com

2009-01-30T14:21:00.000-08:00

Well, bloggies, the video itself is new, but the performance dates back to 2002 -- "My Ship" from Kulak's Woodshed. This was taped the same night of the Abby Rode stand-up set that would eventually be released (in a very-limited edition) as ALMOST INFAMOUS. Those who were there might remember Quinton Flynn, of THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY, did a stand-up set that night as well. In addition to this solo-guitar piece, which has become a staple of the Fletcher Rhoden.com index page, I did a version of CAN'T STOP TALKIN' LIKE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN which has never been seen and might surface soon. A different performance of the same song, also from Kulak's Woodshed, has drawn thousands of hits online over the past few years. But I don't want to give too much away about all the upcoming releases from Fletcher Rhoden.com. In the mean time, you can enjoy this little jazz guitar clip. It's on the PERFORMANCES page of the home site, but here's a direct link:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4396950/11795266
I was reminded of this clip when I read the cover story in LA Weekly about the ongoing struggle between Paul Kulak and his neighbor on Laurel Canyon Blvd. who objects to the sound and activity of the Woodshed. I'm not involved in this struggle (I haven't been a regular at Kulak's since around 2001 and I haven't really been a patron since after 2002) but I would like to go on the record attesting to the character of Mr. Paul Kulak. Here is a man who gives of himself -- his time, his energy, his money -- to further the opportunities of a small class of below-the-radar entertainers. He is one of the very rare people who seek not to take advantage of those who struggle, but to assist them. He still invites people to play (as far as I know) and tapes everyone as a free service. Some of the material I taped there during my 2000 open-mic tour will appear on dvd soon, and now I understand he offers a 6-camera set up (only used to be one!) Thinking about all this makes me want to go back to the Woodshed for some more performances -- maybe I'll do just that. I encourage others to do the same -- take advantage of this unique and fantastic opportunity, and support a man who is ready and willing to support you. Seems fair, doesn't it?
Rock on, Paul Kulak!
Best,
Fletcher Rhoden
fletcherrhoden.com

New RESONATOR cd now available!

2009-01-26T22:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings, bloggers and Fletchfans:
This week Fletcher Rhoden.com is releasing my new covers cd, RESONATOR. First, for those interested in such things, there are a few noteworthy facets to this new cd. It's my second all-covers cd in a row, following up the late-2008 release CLASSIC JACK. And like CLASSIC JACK, RESONATOR includes versions of popular tunes that are vastly different from the original versions. But unlike CLASSIC JACK, which features different genres for each cover, RESONATOR is basically Delta blues versions of classic rock tunes, so there's not so much disparity or variety of song styles. This is also the first cd without an electric guitar since the unreleased SERIO from 1989 or the half-live, half-demo release ACOUSTIC ROCK from way back in 1986. Yikes. And, unusual for a group of recordings from me, there's only one guitar solo on all ten tracks. When you hear it, you'll know why. There is a lot of harmonica on it though, an instrument I haven't recorded with for almost 10 years. I don't want to say too much more about this new CD, since there are even more exciting things to come from this particular project, I suspect, and I don't want to give too much away too soon. But I do think it's a pretty snappy little cd, regardless. I wasn't even going to release these new recordings, but they did come out pretty well, and I'd like to drum up interest for future exploitation of this very novel music. Tunes are up at the Yahoo group fletcherrhodengroup -- you have to join, but it's confidential, it's free and it's fun -- like me. If you count my cd of originals from a few months back, NEW HEAVEN, both recent covers cds and my Christmas tune, I AM THE ONE, it's clear that I haven't cranked out the music at this rate since the late '80's or early '90's. What can I tell you? As I explained to American Chronicle, if I could help it, I would. Until then, let's keep rockin' a little while. Where's the harm in that?
There is still an amazing amount of cool stuff coming up, but 2009 is off to an incredible start and we here at FR.com can't wait to share the joy!
Arise and shine in 2009!
Fletcher Rhoden

Adios, Ricardo -- Hello, Brando!

2009-01-14T17:33:00.000-08:00

Just a moment to reflect, Bloggies -- it's a sad day for the Mantalban family. But he's in a better place, so for the rest of us, "Smiles, everyone -- smiles!" There is also a bit of news -- a new ad for the webcast and upcoming dvd of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON up on Yahoo video. It's also part of 2hip4tv's "15 Seconds Of Fame" which I've been editing for Raf Mauro and which should be up on that site soon. They're already webcasting the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON program and the video of my seminar, WRITE MAKES MIGHT: STRONGER STRUCTURE IN STORYTELLING. Here's the direct link to Yahoo video:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4296406/11544030
Enjoy the rest of this historic month, blog-readers and deep-kneaders -- things are about to get very interesting.
Fletcher Rhoden
www.Fletcher Rhoden.com

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON webcast and more at Fletcher Rhoden.com!

2009-01-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

Greetings, 2009-ners!
Here we are, just about 11 days into the new year, and there's already big action at Fletcher Rhoden.com. Over the holidays I wrote my first official Christmas song (if you don't count A CHRISTOPHER WALKEN CHRISTMAS) and now a little demo of I AM THE ONE is up at the MUSIC page of the home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com. It's a sweet little ditty currently making the rounds with publishers across the country -- snap it up while you can, as this one could make Santa Claus come every year, albeit through the mailbox, not down the chimney. And so you don't think I'm all about the Benjamins, the new tune is about remembering Jesus on Christmas (and those whom we've left behind...) Incidentally, if anyone is interested in the single A CHRISTOPHER WALKEN CHRISTMAS, it's always up at the Yahoo! fletcherrhodengroup, along with other neat stuff you can't see or hear anywhere else. It's part of a small family of groups, including one for Balloonzee (balloonzeecartoongroup) and the other various animated shorts (mightyoneproductionsgroup). They're all free to join, completely private, and a swell way to spend a little time and catch a few laughs on the side. Back to current events, it is also true that I've been recording some other music in the last few months, but to what end and exactly how much if any of that will ever reach the public remains to be seen -- hey, I gotta keep some sense of mystery going here!
In other fairly huge news, the digital video of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, the acclaimed stage play in two acts, is now available -- webcasting on 2hip4tv.com, also there as a PPV, and on DVD from the 2hip4tv store. The dvd is coming soon to Amazon.com -- we're expecting a February release, but it could happen even sooner. Still on the way, the new tune with Eva James, news on other DVD release and a few big surprises -- stay tuned.
FR.com

Happy New Year! 2008 recap

2008-12-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

Greetings, New Year-lings:
Well, what a year 2008 was for FR.com -- definitely the year of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON. The stage play, the novella and now the video program all getting rave reviews. I also had a spat of good scripts, including two with my neighbor Jeanell Suggs and one including her roommate Gladys Tamez. A new tv show idea is also ready to shop for 2009. This year included a spiffy new cd of new material, NEW HEAVEN, and one of covers, CLASSIC JACK -- both very well and widely received. It's interesting to note that my audience has increased considerably from the old days. And, at the last minute, I contributed two new songs to the world, one a Christmas song called I AM THE ONE, and another with Eva James -- it was mostly her song, so I won't give away the title, but we finished if off together and are planning both a recording and a video for early 2009. Amid many other plans for the new year, one includes putting together a live performing unit, and to this end I am announcing that I am seeking singers who also play either percussion, double-bass (commonly miscalled a stand-up bass) or fiddle for a paying gig throughout 2009 and onward. Contact information is on various pages of my site, but here's my email: fletcherrhoden@yahoo.com
I can't say much more about it yet, but stay tuned to the homesite (www.fletcherrhoden.com) and this blog for more details.
They say announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh, so even though the idea of amusing God is very tempting, I won't say much more about our numerous plans and releases for the new year, except that 2009 should be even better than 2008, for sure the best year yet at Fletcher Rhoden.com -- thanks to you guys!
Happy new year!
Fletcher Rhoden

Seasons Greetings and news from Fletcher Rhoden.com

2008-12-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

Ho ho ho there, blogmeisters and meisterbloggers, misers of either the heat or cold variety. There's much to cover and little time left in the year, so let's get to it:
Fans and friends may recall I headlined an all-day music festival at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church during our recent Holiday Bazaar. Friends like Adelina and Olaf came in with their musicians to help make it a very festive and successful event. I played a set of all covers, including a few from the new Classic Jack cd. There are some cuts from that cd on the MUSIC page of the home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com I taped the gig, but I don't think the footage will ever come to much. One never does know, however.
I'll be following that up with two solos during services on Dec. 28 if anyone is interested in popping by. I'll be doing two brand new originals, both Christmas songs (besides my comical A CHRISTOPHER WALKEN CHRISTMAS single and cd, I've never really done anything seriously holiday oriented). I can't divulge the titles, but if all goes well I'll probably post at least one on the internet to be available through the PERFORMANCES page of the home site. These performances are leading up to the long-gestating live dvd release sometime in the Spring of 2009, to be marketed on Amazon.com through CreateSpace. We're planning several dvd re-releases through Amazon.com for next year in fact, so clear some space on those shelves, Fletchheads.
Speaking of dvds, the indie slasher STUMP THE BAND is doing a brisk business now that Boathouse has taken over distribution. You can buy the 7-time award winner (and 3-out-of-4 "stars" from Fangoria Magazine) at www.stumptheband.com, plus t-shirts and posters.
Christmas came early for me this year -- Midwest Book Review called the novella LAST TANGO WITH MARLON "A unique and entertaining story -- well worth the read" and gave it 5-out-of-five stars on Amazon.com. Buy it there or from the publisher: www.trafford.com/07-2958 You can read the other awesome reviews on the REVIEWS page of the home site, or link to buy it through the STORE page at the home site.
There is even more big news coming, so don't miss the 2008 wrap-up next week at the fletcherrhodenblog -- thanks for helping to make 2008 the best year yet at FR.com!
Fletcher Rhoden

New video single, MT. HOLLYWOOD (live!) now online

2008-10-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings, brave bloggers:
Eva James joined me this weekend for the live debut of my new single, MT. HOLLYWOOD, for and about the rising Los
Angeles congregational church where we performed it (I'm a regular member there, folks.) I think the congregation really dug it -- they sang their part perfectly, I have to say. Anyone who is unfamiliar with this little progressive church really should come in and check it out 4607 Prospect Ave. LA CA 90027. You can see the vid at the url below or at www.fletcherrhoden.com/performances.htm:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3806120/10424412
It was great to sing with Eva again -- we had a couple false starts earlier this year but we finally pulled it off. It was our first since doing the piano version of ON THE WINGS OF AN ANGEL at the same church back in January '08. But Eva and I are talking about a variety of different musical projects we may embark on together in the near future, so fans of such things should definitely stay tuned.
As promised, there's more big news coming up in November -- sick around, bloggies and Fletchophiles.
FR

New album NEW HEAVEN now online!

2008-10-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

Greetings, interested readers:

Things are popping all over the place at Fletcher Rhoden.com, including new screenplay synopses, new music on several pages, and of course the brand new full-length album, NEW HEAVEN, accessible from the MUSIC page or the NEWS page. It's 10 new songs, all written and performed by Yours Truly, with lyrical contributions on one song from St. Paul's 2 Corinthians, 12-20, and a musical co-writing credit going to none other than Eva James. We're playing one of these new tunes at Mt. Hollywood on Sunday, Oct. 26 around 10:30 am if y'all wanna come on down to 4607 Prospect Ave. LA CA 90027. I'm also running live entertainment at the church's Winter Bazaar on Sat. Dec. 6 and will be playing throughout the day. I'm not one for many liner notes and so forth on the cds, but since this is my blog, I'm going to sketch out a few comments or notions about each song -- you can print it out and read along as you listen at: www.fletcherrhoden.com/newheaven.htm

"One Body, One Spirit": From the great and holy scripture 2 Corinthians, 12-20, familiar to any fans of the HBO western DEADWOOD.
"Mt. Hollywood": New song for, about and dedicated to the great folks at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church. This is a deliberate aping of the Beatles, circa 1963/64. It's not an homage, I don't think, or a rip-off; I'm aping them, that's the best I can do. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?
"That's Where I Wanna Be (When the Christ Comes)": The happiest song about the apocalypse and/or rapture that I'll ever write. This is one of my favorites from NEW HEAVEN, reminding me of my old jazz-rock band Dance Hall Racket and some of my work with the more-recent Eva James Band. This is actually my first collection of new recordings since the EJB ended its run in 2006.
"Former Things": Sounds like Supertramp jumping Billy Joel behind the bathroom at Disneyland, but I still like it. Based on parts of the Book of Revelation -- not the scary parts though, the happy parts.
"Tal Vez Otro Dia": I really like this one, which reminds me of "Sgt. Pepper's"-era Beatles doing an outtake from Bob Dylan's "Desire". A Mexican-style ballad of would-be lovers meeting three times over their lives. The title translates as, "Perhaps on another day" or, more commonly, "perhaps some other time."
"Bad Boy Down": You'd think on an album that's half Christian pop, a song with this title would be about the devil. Still, it's about the Good Book itself. Has a serious Steely Dan feel, which is no coincidence, with big fat swaths of Bob Dylan too. Funny how this record showcases my influences, hopefully I've done something interest or compelling with them.
"Cry A Little": I finally broke down and wrote a song about my dog, Sarah, two years gone. Every day I cry a little. I think this would be a good one for my friend Robbie Rist to cover, it has a pop ballad feel he does very well.
"Latter Rain": This one surprised me with how much it sounded like 80's-era Grateful Dead. I stopped short of the Garcia-style lead guitar though, only one of three songs that don't have guitar solos. Hey, I like to play guitar, what can I tell ya?
"Cracker Love": A Randy Newman-type song, this was the first one I recorded, back in May. This one also could have used a big Grateful Dead-type arrangement with a long, loud guitar, but it's already over four minutes and that's with no solo at all.
"Can't Fight Love": This tune incorporates a lot of musical themes used elsewhere in the collection, so it almost has a Who-ish, "Tommy"-like theatricality, like the finale of a musical. Which isn't a bad thing, I suppose.

So there you have it -- enjoy these tunes free of charge. I think you can download for free as well. I know for sure you can't pay for them (at the moment) and if you can download 'em, you can have 'em and you can share 'em, just don't sell 'em. Stay tuned to FLETCHER RHODEN.COM because there several more exciting things coming up before the end of the year. All in all, with the acclaim of the stage play AND novella LAST TANGO WITH MARLON (trafford.com/07-2958), the webcast of my writing seminar WRITE MAKES MIGHT (2hip4tv.com) and a surge in hits on my internet shorts (by the tens of thousands), 2008 has been the best year ever for FR.COM -- and we're finishing it out in grand style.
Keep blogging, folks, and let's all have a little fun!

Fletcher Rhoden

New review of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON novella online

2008-10-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

The first review of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON is up at BookPleasures.com -- and it's a corker: "Bravissimo... Amazingly well written... the dialogue throughout was exceptionally believable..." and much more.

http://bookpleasures.com/Lore2/idx/0/3890/article/

Get your copy of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON today:
www.trafford.com/07-2958
Also available at Amazon.com

Check in with www.fletcherrhoden.com/reviews.htm for ensuing reviews.

FR

WRITE MAKES MIGHT seminar now online!

2008-10-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

Happy October, everyone:
Ah yes, the traditional month of fiscal failures, yellow leaves and what we used to call Halloween. This month, I'm happy to report that the 30-minute seminar WRITE MAKES MIGHT, Stronger Structure in Storytelling, is now up and running at 2hip4tv.com. This live program, which in person can extend up to an hour including Q&A and signings, covers the 3-act structure, scene & sequel structure and much more -- using popular films to illustrate, including JAWS, THE EXORCIST, THE GODFATHER and others. DVDs are available at the 2hip4tv store. Here's the link to watch the seminar:
http://2hip4tv.com/show.php?i=NTI%3D
Interested in booking the seminar for your college or organization, or even your speakers' bureau? The WRITE MAKES MIGHT page of the home site, www.fletcherrhoden.com, will give you a choice of bureau-friendly or direct-booking pages (the two pages are not directly linked, video clips are bureau friendly).
In other news, I've finished work on my new CD, which was mentioned in this very blog some months ago. NEW HEAVEN should be available within a month or so from my website, where a few tunes will soon be posted on the MUSIC page. One of the earliest tracks, CRACKER LOVE, is already up, but it doesn't reveal much of what the cd has to offer. This disc is almost an even balance of Christian and secular pop -- five months recording time and over a year in the writing. I'd release it now, but the recent release of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON and the upcoming release of Dylan's new BOOTLEG SERIES cd set makes me think another month might be a better time to drop my new disc. Check back in about two weeks for a few more samples from what I really think is my best collection of new tunes ever. I'll post a blog with the appropriate announcements.
In other news, my new script (with Jeanell Suggs) is just about there, and a TV "back door" pilot is next in the pipeline. Some of you may have read about this in my interview with BookPleasures.com, which spread with unbelievable speed and breadth across the internet. I've done a few others (in support of my new novella, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON -- www.trafford.com/07-2958) and several outlets have reviews upcoming, including MIdwest Book Review, BookPleasures.com and some of the nation's leading university newspapers. Keep an eye on Entertainment Weekly magazine too! All will be posted on the REVIEWS page of my home site when they come out. Because many of the reviews will be in university papers (I feel many of my potential readers of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON are college students), I may not be notified when the reviews are published, so if anybody comes across one, feel free to contact me. Contact information is all over my site (see above) and I think in my blogger.com profile. At my site, you can also check out my new novella, read excerpts, follow links to the publisher's site (the book is now available at Amazon.com too) and so on.
I did also make an appearance at the West Hollywood Book Faire this past weekend -- made some new friends and spread the word of my book around, although I was not on the official roster. A big shout-out to Jim Marquez at CITIZEN L.A. and the gang at OR magazine!
Also in other news, Eva James is back in Los Angeles, but those hoping for an Eva James Band reunion will have to keep hoping for at least a while. Eva and I came close twice to gigging as a duo recently, but for various reasons it didn't happen. With both of our lives in such states of flux, it's hard to say when or if it will. To quote a certain ex-Beatle, that would be something. In the meantime, you can view some performance clips on the PERFORMANCES page of my home site, plus our video JUDGEMENT DAY on the VIDEOS page.
Speaking of videos, my much-maligned short subject spoof, GEICO.COM: CAVEMAN MEETS GECKO has handily become my most viewed on any site. In September, the cheap-o quickie averaged (on Youtube alone) 2,000 hits per week (In August, 1,500 per week, and in July about 1,000 per week and so on). Not a ton by Youtube standards, but it's far-and-away my most viewed at about 24,000 hits since last year. What's interesting is that the numbers keep increasing, whereas most of my shorts get a lot of their hits in the first six months and the average usually drops off after that. There were even a few people who posted favorable comments, although they are in the minority. Believe me, folks, I wasn't shooting for the moon on that one -- it's just a little goof I tossed together, but I'm glad it's reaching so many people. My most recent short, JURASSIC FART CLUB, also on the VIDEOS page, has started off strong, with over 1,500 hits in the first month (the animators of JURASSIC FIGHT CLUB even sent me a congratulatory email, thanking me for the laughs!) To compare, CAVEMAN MEETS GECKO's first month brought in only a few hundred hits, although it picked up steadily as the year went on.
So after you order your copy of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON from Trafford or Amazon.com, check out WRITE MAKES MIGHT: Stronger Structure in Storytelling at 2hip4tv.com, along with their other cool programs. Then spend some time at www.fletcherrhoden.com for a variety of amusements -- and stay tuned to this blog for additional developments in all things Fletch.
Keep blogging, everyone!
FR

New Fletcher Rhoden interview now online

2008-08-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

A new, extensive interview with Fletcher Rhoden now online at American Chronicle, bookpleasures.com, Digg, Facebook, and other sites. The interview covers the new novella, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON and the stage play, the previous novella THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT, with mentions of the new parody JURASSIC FART CLUB and other projects. Here's one link:
www.americanchronicle.com/articles/72531
Stay tuned!
FR.com

Stump the Band continues to impress

2008-08-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

There's a nice online video review of the Rhoden-storied STUMP THE BAND, check it out:
http://www.reelzchannel.com/trailer-clips/35255/movie-up---guilty-pleasures
Stump the Band is available for purchase at Amazon.com or for rent at Netflix.com -- see the new STORE page at www.fletcherrhoden.com for direct links.

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON novella now available!

2008-08-20T10:48:00.001-07:00

Greetings, blog readers:
The long-anticipated novella LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, based on the acclaimed stage play in two acts about actors Marlon Brando and Wally Cox, is now available from publisher Trafford at:
http://www.trafford.com/07-2958
The link is also up at the new STORE page of my home site, www.Fletcher Rhoden.com -- you can also buy my novella THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT and buy or rent the horror slasher STUMP THE BAND from the store page with more products to follow.
The new live-action parody JURASSIC FART CLUB is winning praises from internet fans, including creators of the actual show JURASSIC FIGHT CLUB, who reported that their whole office got a real kick out of it. Here's a link: http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3324592/9339233
That's it for now, but there's more news to come, so stay tuned and happy reading!
FR

New parody short subject

2008-08-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

Hail, Blogmeisters:
Had a wild hair this weekend and whipped up a new short subject, this one a parody of the History Channel's weekly dinosaur death match, JURASSIC FIGHT CLUB called, appropriately, JURASSIC FART CLUB. Here's the link, or go to the VIDEOS page of my site, www.fletcherrhoden.com:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3324592/9339233

New stuff all over the place -- watch out, Stephen Colbert!

2008-08-07T17:14:00.000-07:00

Greetings, Bloggies and Fletchfiles.
Here's the latest -- I'm taking one of many bold new steps forward, so take note, as this one appears first among many. I am taking my place beside Franklin and Colbert and other great Americans and coining a phrase -- step back and prepare, as your life is about to change.
P'OSCAR -- new slang for posthumous Oscar award, such as was given to Peter Finch for NETWORK. Current usage: "Do you think Heath Ledger will win the P'OSCAR this year?" There -- I've coined it, the P'Oscar. And as we all know, copyright law states that as soon as something is fixed in a tangible form, such as a publication (as on the internet in a blog, for example), it is copyrighted by virtue of its creation.
So, do YOU think Heath Ledger will win the P'Oscar?
In other news, my very successful writing seminar, WRITE MAKES MIGHT: Stronger Structure In Storytelling, will make its debut this month on DVD in a very limited release at first. Plans are set to webcast the Keynote presentation on 2hip4tv.com and clips will be available soon on the net so interested parties can start booking this exciting and informative writing seminar. A new page on the home site designed around this seminar will correspond with the posting of the clips and the release of the DVD later this month.
In other news, my long-awaited novella LAST TANGO WITH MARLON is (also) being set for release in August with no further delays. I've signed off on the first run, which should be available in only a week or so, with a full page on the Trafford website. I just read this thing (yet again) the other day, and I stand behind it as one of the best, if not THE best thing I've ever written -- certainly the most realized and ambitious since THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT. I wouldn't be surprised if the reviews for TANGO match those of CROCKETT or the glowing reviews for the TANGO stage play. Stay tuned for more!
I'm continuing to book readings/signings of the new book -- interested parties can already access the BOOKINGS page of the home site, WWW.FLETCHERRHODEN.COM
Some will notice that the DVDS page is no longer accessible on the site -- we're gearing up for a new marketing operations at Fletcher Rhoden.com, including new sales and rental distribution deals, so DVDs are no longer for sale. It's just a temporary thing though, so don't fret -- your favorite titles and new DVDS, such as WRITE MAKES MIGHT: Stronger Structure In Storytelling, will be available soon -- faster, better, more reliable. Thanks for your patience!
There was some talk about a new review of my play LAST TANGO WITH MARLON -- I even got a hard copy from the writer, but there is no confirmation of this as yet. My feeling is that the writer hadn't turned in his copy before sending one to Raf Mauro, his friend and our eternal Wally. We'll see...
There is also talk of a brand new website, and this in the works, above and beyond anything you've come to expect from Fletcher Rhoden.com. Wish me luck!
For those who keep track of such things, I am also finishing up a new script with my brilliant and gorgeous writing partner, meanwhile readying for our next 3 projects together. I've had a lot of collaborators over the years, Fletchlings, among them my own dear ol' mother, but Jeanell Suggs is my favorite, far and away. Wait 'til you see what we're cooking up for you, Hollywood -- can't wait? You know where to find me.
"Til then, I'm laying down a few new songs in demo form for some kind of music release by the end of the year (believe me, folks -- if I could help it, I would). Good songs, though -- a sneak peek can be found on either the PERFORMANCES or the MUSIC pages of the home site, with at least one new posting coming in the next week. There's a few new things on there if you haven't been lately, and some older bits might be popped off to make way for new media, so check it out while you can!
When the clips from WRITE MAKES MIGHT are posted, we'll keep you... posted.
Best to all,
Fletch
FR.com

WRITE MAKES MIGHT seminar tomorrow night, Fri. 7/25/08

2008-07-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

A last-minute reminder that WRITE MAKES MIGHT: Stronger Structure in Storytelling featuring Fletcher Rhoden will have its world premiere at The Theater at Mt. Hollywood, home of the premiere run of the popular two-act play LAST TANGO WITH MARLON. The new multi-media presentation from the acclaimed author, playwright and film writer will take place FRIDAY JULY 25 at 8 pm (7:30 door) and includes free refreshments. NO ADMISSION CHARGE. This is also a great chance to check out Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church, 4607 Prospect Ave. LA CA 90027 -- c/o Prospect & Rodney, one of the great churches in LA which celebrated one hundred years of service to the community. Friends and fans are welcome to stay afterward and chat, detractors are welcome to ask about some of the more controversial Mighty One Productions shorts, such as "Geiko.com -- Caveman Meets Gecko" and "The A-Christian-crats," or the Christopher Walken parodies, "The Christopher Walken Ecstatic Dance Academy," "Frank Beans In Walken The Wild Side," "Christopher Walken EVERYBODY'S NUTS Ad" or the popular novelty song, "Can't Stop Talkin' Like Christopher Walken." There will be a Q&A and signing of any and all materials.
FR.com

ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT L.A. premiere of new writing seminar

2008-07-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hi, friends!

Please come out FRIDAY NIGHT JULY 25 8 pm -- ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT and for ONE NIGHT ONLY, to see the first L.A. presentation of my writing seminar, WRITE MAKES MIGHT: Stronger Structure in Storytelling. This 40-minute, multi-media presentation will cover the 3-act, scene and sequel structures and more! We're shooting it for a dvd, so we hope to get a lot of you folks in for this free seminar -- refreshments will be served too, and there'll be plenty of time to hang out and chat. And you'll be right in the heart of the coolest spot in L.A. for a meal or some drinks afterward. We're doing it at The Theater @ Mt. Hollywood, where we staged LAST TANGO WITH MARLON back in February -- 4607 Prospect Ave. L.A. CA 90027 (between Vermont and Hillhurst, c/o Prospect and Rodney, enter S/E corner of the church). Doors open at 7:30
Hope to see you next Friday night!

Fletcher Rhoden

New song debut at Mt. Hollywood THIS SUNDAY

2008-06-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Attention, blogmonsters and Fletchfans:
I'll be performing a new song at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church this Sunday morning during service. It's a piece based on 1 Corinthians 12-20, by one of my personal favorites, Saul Paulus of Tarsis. You may know him as St. Paul, and anybody familiar with the HBO Western DEADWOOD will recognize it. This is one of two annual solos that have become traditions for me at Mt. Hollywood, (4607 Prospect Ave, c/o Rodney between Hillhurst and Vermont in the Los Feliz Village), the coolest progressive Christian church in all the land. We like to say, "Where ever you are on your life's journey, you're welcome here." And kids, we mean it. We're about to welcome Rachel, our new pastor, so anybody who hasn't sampled this awesome place should consider this a great time to take me up on this personal invitation. And you might not want to miss the opportunity to tell me how much you hate my Geico ad parody on Youtube. This one really has the nerds cackling, folks -- I'm not sure why. it's one of my most-watched shorts. I mean, it's not SONG OF THE SOUTH or anything, but... oh well. If anybody's curious, there's a link to it from the SHORTS page of the homesite. If you don't like it, maybe a few of the others will be more to your liking. For those of you who can't make to church this week (services start at 10:30 am), keep an eye on the PERFORMANCES page of my site, as a video single seems likely next week.
In other news, there is a new cover design for the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON novella, now at the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON Yahoo! group and, shortly thereafter, on the home site, FLETCHER RHODEN.COM. The book is still slated for a late July release from Trafford Publishing.
See you on Sunday!
FR

Stump the Band dvd & real-life gruesome crime drama!

2008-06-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

Fellow Stumpers and blogriders everywhere:
2008 continues to be a busy and exciting year. The novella of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON is still on schedule for a July release, with everyone at Fletcher Rhoden.com working to get the word out with readings & signings and associated media interviews. Look for those to start in the fall, lit fans!
There's also a new screenplay in the works, and a new live production, of sorts. Without saying too much about it, I can mention that it would feature both a live appearances tour, along the lines of the TANGO book tour, and will likely have a new non-TANGO DVD release as well. For those hoping for a LAST TANGO WITH MARLON dvd, we'll have to wait until certain union matters are straightened out.
But the main reason for this particular blog is the indie slasher STUMP THE BAND, finally available at Amazon.com and Netflix. Reviews are popping up all over the internet, at each end of the scale. Nobody's been unfair, that's something. DVDs are being given away in contests on various horror sites, and the buzz is really starting to pick up. After a few years of floating around before a proper dvd release, STB has had a period to sink into the public consciousness, for good or ill.
Even more startling is the news that severed human feet having been washing up on the shores of Vancouver, BC. THE GUARDIAN's Dan Glaister wrote a story dated this very day -- this is an ongoing, unsolved mystery. Human feet, encased in shoes, are washing up and nobody can figure out why. Some suggest mafia or gang corpse dumps result in feet which have "popped off" the victims and washed up, protected from decay by the shoes themselves. Two such feet were found in the last four weeks, today's article states.
One foot appears to be a hoax, but others are suggested to originate from such diverse sources as the 2004 Asian tsunami or other maritime or air disasters.
But a more sinister theory is also fascinating those following the mystery: They could be remains of pig farmer Robert Pickton, convicted last year of murdering six women and, according to the prosecution of his trial, confessed to killing 43 others. It is impossible not to notice the similarity between the story and the morbid tale at the heart of STUMP THE BAND. Both center on a rural nutcase who kills women and dismembers their feet. It's a most unusual MO in fact or fiction, but to have them overlapping is astonishing.
Well, it might not be astonishing if one had inspired the other, but as the story writer of STUMP... and the person responsible for introducing the dismembered-foot element of the story (it goes with the title, thank you very much), I was certainly not inspired by Pickton's exploits. STUMP THE BAND's first draft was written around 1996, and I'd used the same MO in a cop thriller I'd written the year before called FOOT OF PRIDE. The crazy, ax-wielding foot fetishist, who was in that version (and is revealed to be this in the final STB film in deleted scenes!) is a former shoe salesman (like myself). I based the whole of STUMP THE BAND around that story idea, tossing in the all-girl rock band for obvious reasons. Once John and Robbie and Jojo got a hold of it, they did a pretty drastic overhaul of the script, keeping the basic concepts, title, characters and a few of the bits and basically rewriting everything else. Still, no Robert Pickton. And since Pickton's crimes predate any kind of release of STUMP THE BAND, I think we can safely say he didn't get the idea from us.
So what remains is a gruesome coincidence, a horrifying implausibility, but it's front-page news in Vancouver (the feet are, anyway.) Makes you think...
Coming up, my delayed follow-up to the CHARM & HAPPY.COM JINGLE, the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON novella and more cool stuff. Stay tuned.
Fletcher Rhoden

New series of online articles from Fletcher Rhoden

2008-06-06T19:56:00.001-07:00

Greetings, Blog Monsters:
To help celebrate the release of my new novella, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON (Trafford, July 2008) about Marlon Brando and Wally Cox, I've begun a series of online articles, posted on Writing.com, Helium.com and on a new page of my home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com (the page is called Online Articles. Easy enough to remember?) My first two subjects are, not surprisingly, Marlon and Wally. The first essay is called Sean Penn: Our Marlon Brando. Are the similarities more than skin deep? For Penn's sake, let's hope so -- or is it not? Next up is the successor to Wally Cox's comedic throne. No fun giving it away, you can read them for yourselves, real quick and easy like.
http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1435845
http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1435146
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/onlinearticles.htm
If you chose to read the articles at Fletcher Rhoden.com, you can always pop over to the NOVELS page for the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON excerpt, available nowhere else on the net, not to mention all the other cool free stuff on that expansive site!
In other news, I am currently booking readings/signings of the book, with Q&A, mostly at campus and bookstore events, plus I'm putting together a series of print, radio and TV interviews. More on those as they materialize.
There's good news for STUMP THE BAND fans -- the growing cult flick WILL be coming out from Invincible Pictures, I'm told, although the release date of June 3 has come and gone like a pair of size 7 1/2's ("My favorite...") But they tell me so I'm tellin' you... it's coming.
There's even more to come, but again it's no fair to give away too much too soon. Stay tuned, hang tight, and keep reading!
Best,
Fletcher Rhoden

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON @ the Louis B. Mayer Theater

2008-06-01T01:46:00.000-07:00

The rumors were true, blogdalereos, the cast, crew and I headed to Calabasas for a rare shot of live theater at the famous Motion Picture & Television Fund. LAST TANGO WITH MARLON played out as usual, with satisfied customers all around. I'm currently booking interviews and campus/bookstore appearances for the novella, which comes out in July. I know it's been delayed a few times, but the final result will be worth it. There are other TANGO matters pending.
You may have read, bloggies, that Quinton Flynn and I had discussed a new toon venture, but with Q on tour and me getting ready for a similar venture, that toon may not be in the cards. I really want to invest myself in promotion right now, so keep in touch with www.Fletcher Rhoden.com for more details. You can also read the as-yet only online excerpt of the new TANGO novella, up on my site now.
See you on the junket!
Fletcher Rhoden, esquire

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON novella excerpt now online

2008-05-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Hail, Bloggies:
An excerpt from the upcoming novella LAST TANGO WITH MARLON is now up at the home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com. You can get to it from the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON page, the NOVELS page, or go direct: www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlonexcerpt.htm
The book is set to be released in July from Trafford Publishing, who published my acclaimed 2001 effort THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT, excerpts of which are included in the back of the new novella. ...DAVY CROCKETT is now available as a Kindle Edition from Amazon -- this is an e-book format whereby you download the file onto an electronic book-style portable computer called a Kindle. Anyway, a few copies of my novella are selling in this format, which is exciting. Kindle readers, check it out at
http://www.amazon.com/The-Trial-of-Davy-Crockett/dp/B000RG1FRO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211756545&sr=8-1
My recently mentioned DV short subject is written and ready, but it won't go before the cameras until at least the fall, maybe sometime in early 2009, depending on when my partner Robbie Rist starts HIS short (they're part of an anthology feature project). I am hoping to have a new animated short this summer though, possibly to feature the star of THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY, Quinton Flynn. Q and I haven't worked together since 2002's one-and-only live appearance of rock groupie-turned-comic Abby Rode, currently under the artistic guidance of co-creator Diane Germano. If anyone's interested, Mighty One Productions released a DVD of this performance, ABBY RODE: ALMOST INFAMOUS, available only by request (fletcherrhoden@yahoo.com). The Christopher Walken Ecstatic Dance Academy just passed 10,000 hits on Youtube, a first for any of my shorts. Not huge numbers by Youtube standards, but all in all I seem to pick up about 50-100 hits a day on various shorts over various sites, which isn't bad. (Note: these TCWEDA numbers are from 'trekfox's' posting of the short -- my own recent posting has lower numbers and only a few weeks online.)
And yes, I am recording a follow-up to my much-ballyhooed jingle for CharmandHappy.com. I couldn't believe how positive the response was! If Carmen likes the new one (it was her concept and request), that should post sometime in June. It looks like I'll be doing one of my solos at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church also in June -- I've been asked to speak on Father's Day, and since I'll be there I may be tapped to sing a number, probably with a father theme of some sort. "Father, Father" by Pops Staples? Bring Eva in for another duet? Hey, it always sounds better with Eva in the mix, but she does keep pretty busy these days. Whatever it is, if it comes out half-descent you can expect a video single to pop up on the home site's PERFORMANCES page (www.fletcherrhoden.com/performances.htm). You can go there now for a taste of what I've done so far.
Other news to follow as this busy year progresses!
Blye Blye for now, Bloggers!
Fletcher Rhoden

New LAST TANGO WITH MARLON clip, other news

2008-04-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hail, blogriders.

There's a new clip on the internet from the upcoming dvd of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON. In contrast to the two clips currently on the net, this one is from DV, so it looks great. It's also a dramatic clip, unlike the previous comedic samples. In one of my favorite parts of the play, Marlon Brando describes a painful experience from his years in a military academy, one which shaped his life from that moment on. The link to the Metacafe post of the clip is at my site, www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon. It's also up on Yahoo video, Youtube and Veoh, But don't be surprised to see it pop on other sites, as most of my shorts seem to do. I'm not sure who puts them there (various sites I only discover because I'm on them), but I sure don't mind. For those of you who track such things, I generally get higher numbers on Metacafe or Yahoo video than Youtube, but it's pretty close. Depends on the short, really. Others, like Veoh, trail considerably in numbers, but I get more downloads from those sites (to date you can't download from Youtube that I know of) so it all balances out.

The dvd of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, THE WORLD PREMIERE should be available by the end of May, perhaps before. The novella is also slated for a May release from Canada's Trafford Publishing.

In other news, Stump the Band's dvd release has been postponed until the first week of June. Fans of my CharmandHappy.com jingle will be happy to hear I've been hired to do a follow up jingle for the same site, this one for the mighty Charm the Clown. Look for that sometime in May too, at www.CharmandHappy.com.

Okay, it looks like I gotta get back to work. Stay posted, blogheads and Fletchfans!

Fletcher Rhoden

April update: CharmandHappy.com Jingle and more!

2008-04-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings, blogthusiasts:

I won't keep you, I know it's a busy month for most of us. But there's news to share, so let's get right to it.
My new CharmandHappy.com Jingle is up at their self-named site (CharmandHappy.com is the leading party entertainment company in the southland, mommies and daddies!) I didn't write the music for this little dittie, fans, but I did rewrite the lyrics and produce it, and so far it seems to be a big hit. Check it out for yourselves:
http://www.clowns4all.com/CharmandHappy-Jingle.html

In other vaguely musical news, I did post a demo for another new tune (this one all mine) called "Cracker Love" and it's available on the MUSIC page of my site, thus:
http://www.fletcherrhoden.com/music

In other goings on, I'm just getting deep into editing the video footage for the dvd/webcast of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON and I'm hoping to have that done by the end of this month -- with the webcast on 2Hip4TV.com to follow. May will also see the release of the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON novella, from Trafford Publishing. I just reread it and it holds up -- I think it'll do even better than my first novella, the acclaimed TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT (Trafford, 2000).

There are more cool things coming up in the summer, including a possible DV short subject (my first since THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY, MIghty One Prod. 2000), the return of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON the stage play, a few cartoons, new songs and performances. So far 2008's goin' great!

Back to you, bloggies, but stay posted!

Fletcher Rhoden

STUMP THE BAND DVD pre-sale reservations at Amazon.com

2008-03-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Bloggers, Stumpers, et al:

The award-winning slasher STUMP THE BAND (story by Fletcher Rhoden) is available now for pre-sale reservations at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Stump-Band/dp/B00166UKUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1206341339&sr=1-1
Official dvd release is set for May 7, 2008.

In other news, the novella LAST TANGO WITH MARLON should be available in April from Trafford Publishing and will also be featured on Amazon.com, among other outlets. The DVD and webcast will also likely be available in April, albeit later in the month.

And now, answers to recent most-asked questions:
Q: Why the delay in delivering the book/dvd or LAST TANGO WITH MARLON?
A: I made some changes to the book, which delayed production. Our editor for the video, who was going to work on a deferred payment plan, changed his mind -- so we changed our plan. It falls to me to edit it and that will take just a little more time. Since I haven't screened the footage, I can't even guarantee that a dvd can be delivered from the video we have. 2hip4tv.com will still carry the webcast when and if it is ready, however.
Q: Will there be more performances of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON?
A: We're trying to book the show at universities and other unique venues across California -- nothing yet. but stay tuned.
Q: Is there a LAST TANGO WITH MARLON film in the works?
A: Not yet, but several possibilities for that remain. Check out the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON Yahoo! group for dream casting wish-lists. Who would YOU cast?
Q: Are there new songs and/or new recordings on the drawing board?
A: I'll be doing some recording for CharmandHappy.com, but a release is as-yet uncertain -- it'll be April, if at all. And I have a new song I may debut soon live at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church. The new Christian/pop song, tentatively titled FORMER THINGS will likely be issued as a "video single" on Youtube and will probably appear on a dvd of Mt. Hollywood live performances to be released at the end of the year. I'm accumulating a bunch of new songs, but I don't have any plans to record them any time soon.
Q: Are you animating Robbie Rist's new internet 'toon project?
A: I did some designs and I'm waiting for notes to finalize them.
Q: Are you and Eva James still recording or performing together?
A: Eva and I are still great friends, but we're both busy with our own separate projects at the moment.
Q: What other new projects do you have going on?
A: I'm hoping to do another animated short before summer (this one a pilot for another prospective series) and I'm finishing 2 new screenplays. I may start a third screenplay for Robbie Rist to shoot in New Orleans and a fourth with an eye toward shooting it myself here in LA by the end of the year if possible. I may also shoot LAST TANGO WITH MARLON if nobody else wants to. Any shooting plans are way up in the air, however.

Stay tuned for more, including new archival additions to www.Fletcher Rhoden.com and all kinds of other exciting stuff!
Best,
Fletcher Rhoden

STUMP THE BAND coming to DVD worldwide!

2008-03-09T01:57:00.000-08:00

Blogologists, take note:
The rumors are true -- the award-winning indie slasher STUMP THE BAND has been picked up by an up-and-coming distributor and should be released on DVD some time in late spring or early summer, 2008. Some speculated that the rock'n'roll horror/comedy (story by Fletcher Rhoden) went to Troma (the TOXIC AVENGER film series) but although an offer was made, producers opted for a more attractive deal elsewhere. Commentaries with producer Robbie Rist, director Bill Holmes and screenwriter Jo Jo Hendrickson have been recorded for the DVD. More details to come.
Rist performed at the M Bar on Saturday night with fellow CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY actor Quinton Flynn for a classic rock karaoke sing-a-long featuring a live band including members of WONDERMINT. Robbie sang Supertramp's THE LOGICAL SONG, the night's show-stopper.
FR.com

Balloonzee at CharmandHappy.com

2008-02-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hail, Blogganistas!
As promised, some non-LAST TANGO WITH MARLON news. My animated children's DVD BALLOONZEE is now available for purchase through CharmandHappy.com, where you can also see the first 6-minute webisode anytime, for free. Nearly a half-hour of brand-new animation, BALLOONZEE brings you into a wonderful world where bright-eyed balloon animals entertain, educate and enthrall. In the 11-minute series pilot, BLUE, NO CLUE, it's up to Geraldine to help Stretch out of a blue mood. Can they get to the library to see Mr. Book before he becomes completely deflated? In QUICKIES, Geraldiine, Colt and the gang sing, tell jokes, count, float over exotic places and much more. Featuring all new music and songs and created to California Content Standards, BALLOONZEE is ideal for kids, parents, teachers, and will also be of interest to producers, distributors, book publishers and much more. Kids everywhere love balloon animals, and your whole family will love BALLOONZEE. There is more information at www.fletcherrhoden.com/balloonzee, and we're proud to be made available through CharmandHappy,com, the southland leader in children's party entertainment. Specializing in clowns and balloon art that must be seen to be believed, CharmandHappy.com also features body art, singing telegrams, puppet shows, characters and much, much more! You can request Fletcher Rhoden (that's me, bloggies) at no additional charge -- I do it all but my specialty is face painting, y'all!
There's more to come, on several fronts, so stay tuned and stay happy -- see ya at the party!
Fletcher Rhoden

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON closing weekend

2008-02-17T20:53:00.001-08:00

Greeting, blog fans:
LAST TANGO WITH MARLON ended its run at the Mt. Hollywood Theater in spectacular fashion. Closing night Saturday was the best performance yet, and everyone agrees the show is not to be abandoned. The whole run was a huge hit -- artistically, commercially, critically. The reviews have been awesome (www.fletcherrhoden.com/reviews), audience response excellent, I'm happy to report that by all accounts TANGO has surpassed anything I've done to date. I couldn't have done it without my superb cast, of course, and the good people at Mt. Hollywood. While we can't keep up at what Joseph Mailander called, "An amiable little church," we are now investigating other ways of bringing this acclaimed play to more people across this great land. Stay tuned to www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon for details on future performances. We've also got a DVD and webcast about to go into the works, and of course Trafford publishes the novella in March. Those of you who did see the play, don't forget to request your special-price copy of the book when it comes out!
There is other non-TANGO news, but that can wait until later this week, when fletcherrhodenblog returns to a state of near-normalcy.
Thanks again to everyone who came out to see our play, for those who missed it -- stay tuned! As Raf "Wally Cox" Mauro is fond of saying, "Steady on."
Fletcher Rhoden

coming up: LAST TANGO WITH MARLON closing weekend

2008-02-12T21:52:00.000-08:00

Don't miss it, gang -- seats for the last two shows of this world-premiere run of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON are going fast. We've gotten terrific notices, the actors are in full swing! $5 off for students, seniors and writers guild members (congrats, fellow scribes!) Back to MY writing, however -- we've got a few celebs on the list for this weekend, no fair telling who! But it's nice, and who knows who else may yet make a reservation. (323) 667-9113. Complete reviews at www.fletcherrhoden.com/reviews
There's big news NOT related to the new play, but these announcements will have to wait until the closing weekend recap(s) you'll read here soon. See the show and you can blog about it yourself -- or join our Yahoo! group LAST TANGO WITH MARLON. Unlike the play it's free, you can check it out from home, it's an internet group not a live play, and so on. They're really not alike at all, but the one relates to the other, and you can post your own reviews and keep track of all the latest LTWM action to come!
FR

Hollywood Square Karen Valentine attends LAST TANGO WITH MARLON

2008-02-09T23:29:00.000-08:00

It was a special treat for everyone in the cast and crew of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON when original Hollywood Squares vet Karen Valentine came to see the show. Not only a good friend of our boy Wally, Karen's own intense friendship with fellow Square Paul Lynde figures into the script. Could it be that the famously gay Paul Lynde was himself smitten with the adorable Valentine, and his frustrated love for her, heightened by their close friendship, led to his sorrow and self-destruction? As Marlon describes it, "A homosexual Cyrano?" Perhaps we'll never know, but Karen was very positive about the play, pointing out wide range of emotional experiences it offers with much appreciation. Our packed house didn't even seem to mind that we had to start quite late -- of course a little Pizza Hut goes a long way.
Two more shows at Mt. Hollywood this weekend, Feb. 15, 16, seats are already filling up -- maybe original Hollywood Square himself, Peter Marshall will make it! Who knows?
Thanks to everyone who has come out to enjoy the show so far -- see the rest of you next weekend!
Fletcher Rhoden

More praise for LAST TANGO WITH MARLON

2008-02-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hello again, Blog readers:

Happy to say the good reviews just keep coming! The newest one, from the Tolucan Times, tosses around some pretty heavy phrases: a fascinating play, meticulous research, intensely comedic. Who are we to disagree? You can read the whole review at www.fletcherrhoden.com/reviews, along with other positive notices. We're running the show again tonight (Feb. 9) with a handful of available seats, but there are plenty for closing weekend, which is coming right up! We've got a new $5 discount for seniors, students and Writer's Guild members, so take advantage and check out this terrific little show while you can. There will be no extention -- call for reservations and check out the site for details: www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon
4607 Prospect Ave. LA CA 90027 8 pm sharp, $20

FR.com

Critics praise LAST TANGO WITH MARLON -- clips now online!

2008-02-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

Hail, Bloggards:

The reviews are coming in and, to reflect the universal opinions of our audiences, it's so far, so good. On the political website Mayor Sam's, Joseph Mailander called LAST TANGO WITH MARLON "A funny and touching play" noting Raf Mauro as Wally Cox is "A constant delight." UpCurtain agrees, calling Mauro's comedic timing "Exquisite." Check out the entire reviews at www.fletcherrhoden.com/reviews.htm

TWO CLIPS from LAST TANGO WITH MARLON now up at www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon.htm
You'll see the iconic "Mr. Jazz Himself" an Irving Berlin gem I unearthed for the show, and the swordfight sequence, one of my absolute favorites.

There are seats still available for Feb. 8, 9, 15, 16 -- reservations strongly recommended!
(323) 667-9113 Business hours only please. See ya there!

Fletcher Rhoden

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON opening night recap

2008-02-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

Well, bloggerinos, we made it out of our opening night with all limbs in tact. No police were called, no fires were started, no riots broke. What more can a production ask? Our packed house was very appreciative of our little play, and we know the rest of our audiences will feel the same. Care to find out for yourself? Come down to Mt. Hollywood on Prospect Ave (4607) and find out -- just $20 a ticket, which includes free street parking and free refreshments. Yummy. Reservations strongly recommended. (323) 667-9113.

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON preview recap

2008-01-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

Greetings, Bloggadeers -- just grabbing a moment to let you all know what a great success our preview of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON was. Our nearly filled house was very enthusiastic, and reports I got afterwards were universally positive. There were no great mistakes, sound and lights came off nearly without a hitch. We did pick up a few nice things to think about on Friday for our Opening Night -- speaking of which, we are no longer taking reservations for Opening Night, as it is SOLD OUT. There are plenty of seats for Sat. Feb. 2 and the subsequent weekends, but since we're expecting at least 3 reviews next week, those reservations may get snapped up pretty quickly. It doesn't look like the theater will be available to us for an extension, so see this show while you can! All the info. you need is at www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon.

One somber note was that Saturday Jan. 26, our preview, was the day Christian Brando died. While only appearing off-stage, Christian (and Brando's other kids) figure heavily into the play, so it was a particularly poignant thing to learn of his passing. And, like Wally Cox, he died young and under cloudy circumstances after years of self-abuse. I actually played the role in an uncredited cameo, which was especially strange. I may be passing the role off to Aaron Gordon, our stage manager, but for other reasons entirely. Our hearts go out to his family and friends for their tragic loss.

Check out the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON yahoo! group to read audience reviews as they come in -- or post your own. You can talk about Christian if you knew him, Marlon or Wally or whatever! It's secure, always free, and lots of fun. Thanks again for everyone who came out for our special preview, don't be shy about spreading the word! As for the rest of you, see you at LAST TANGO WITH MARLON!

Fletcher Rhoden

LAST TANGO WITH MARLON preview this weekend!

2008-01-23T23:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, bloggies, I can't believe how quickly the time has gone! We're gearing up for our big preview performance this Saturday night, 8 pm at Mt. Hollywood Theater in Los Feliz. It's a half-price performance (just $10) which is probably why there are only a few seats left (just over a dozen!) If you can't stand missing this great opportunity, call 323-667-9113 during business hours and make a reservation -- tickets for sale the day of the show only, cash only. There will also be six shows over the first three weekends in February ($20, including free street parking and refreshments!) For those of you who can't make it, we're expecting reviews from a few sources, so keep your eyes open! Heck, they'll probably be posted at the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON Yahoo! group and, after some time, at the REVIEWS page of the home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com. The actors are ready, I'm calm as can be expected. There's little more to do now but look back on a fairly snag-free pre-production and forward to what I'm sure will be a great run of a truly entertaining play. Beyond that, who knows?
One thing worth mentioning -- our second ad, featuring footage taken during a photo shoot earlier this month, has excited a lot of interest, popping up on sites all over the interne that I've never even heard of. I'll be taping the premiere, so look for clips to show up on Youtube, Metacafe, Yahoo Video and perhaps some of these other new sites that have inspired some folks to spread the good news about our play.
In related news, not quite as good, the novella of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON may not be ready for sale at the performances (certainly not for the preview) but in the interest of the book's excellence, I think it's fair to skip a marketing opportunity or two. I am including a coupon in the program, however, and interested parties can contact me directly and I will still honor the proposed bargain price of just $10 a book, autographed if requested (plus shipping.) The novella did turn out great thanks to the slight delay, so that's good news after all.
Thanks for your continued interest, and stay tuned as there is much excitement to come -- next blog, the PREVIEW REVIEW. See ya then!
Fletcher Rhoden
www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon

New ad up for LAST TANGO WITH MARLON

2008-01-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

Hey bloggers! There's a new ad up for the upcoming world-premiere run of my new play, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHsypBoUdow
Our Friday Jan. 25 preview has been cancelled, but the Saturday Jan. 26 preview is a go and filling up fast! After that, we'll have the first three weekends at the Mt. Hollywood Theater in Los Feliz at $20 a ticket. We strongly recommend reservations: fletcherrhoden@yahoo.com or 323-667-9113 during business hours only please.
There's lots more info at www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon
There's also a new video on the VIDEOS page of my site, this one of a recent performance of my tune "(On the) Wings Of An Angel" with my friend Eva James: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tA8rJFtze8
Eva's been gigging lately to promote the two compilation cds to feature our recordings "Judgement Day (Galbraith)" and "I Love You, Now Change" (Rhoden/Galbraith) -- check her out at the Liquid Lounge in Long Beach from time to time.
See you soon at LAST TANGO WITH MARLON!

New ad up for LAST TANGO WITH MARLON

2008-01-08T21:54:00.000-08:00

The new internet ad for LAST TANGO WITH MARLON is now up at Youtube, Yahoo video, metacafe and others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHsypBoUdow

Reservation lines are now open, Bloggerinos, and we're getting calls in from everywhere. There're only 40-50 seats per show, and just 8 shows including the two half-price previews (Jan 25, 26, 8 pm), so make those reservations while you can at fletcherrhoden@yahoo.com. We're looking forward to an excellent run, with lots of music, laughs and drama, not to mention a celeb sighting or two. There's more info at www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon.htm
We had a photo shoot recently with my very talented sister-in-law Christine, and some of those pictures are now up at the Yahoo group, Last Tango With Marlon (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lasttangowithmarlon/). You have to join to see them, but it's free and safe and fun and the best place to interact with other fans of the play, the novella, or our boys Marlon and Wally. Or you might be fans of our cast, Frank Cavestani (Marlon) or Raf Mauro (Wally). Between them they've worked with everyone from Andy Warhol to Jerry Seinfeld to Oliver Stone. What a Thanksgiving dinner THAT would be.
In other news, my old conspirator Eva James recently joined me in a live version of a new arrangement of my gospel ballad (ON THE) WINGS OF AN ANGEL, which I hope will be on the net soon. There's already a pretty good band version from 2005 on Youtube, but this version is piano and vocals with a much churchier feel. Actually performed in a church -- Mt. Hollywood, where I am a member. I hadn't sung live since performing there last year, also in January. I actually kicked off the new year singing ST. JAMES INFIRMARY for the first time in over a dozen years. That was some party! No telling how much I'll get to perform this year, with the play and the clowning and the horror movies, but you never know. Robbie Rist keeps threatening to produce an album for me, but I think the odds are better that he'll direct the short film I wrote for him late last year, or be involved with a new horror film to follow up STUMP THE BAND.
We shall see, but either way the year's starting off with a bang, and also an awesome slogan: 2008 is gonna be great.

Best,
Fletcher Rhoden

Last Tango With Marlon: Still the Last Word

2007-12-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, blogsurfers!

The Last Tango cast and crew are on vacation, and our play is coming along very well. We can't wait for our January 25 preview! Along the way, as mentioned, we've come across a few plays about our Marlon and his troupe, but our official stand is that while we are slightly disappointed not to be first, we are not in the least bit deterred from being the best. All of us at Fletcher Rhoden.com stand behind the play and the novella (not to mention the Charlie Kaufman-esque teleplay I've just completed) and we know that nothing that may have come before it or will come after will be quite the same.

Trafford Publishing is readying the first printing of the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON for a late January/early February release to coincide with the opening of the play here in Los Angeles.

In unrelated news, there is wild speculation that a certain well-known B-movie producer and distributor has made an offer on STUMP THE BAND (Boathouse Studios, story by Fletcher Rhoden). We have no confirmation on if the seven-time award-winning festival-favorite slasher indie will be aquired by this well-known but currently annonymous company, as there have appearantly been several recent offers for the feature. But we will announce whatever news we have here and on the NEWS page of the home site, Fletcher Rhoden.com.

We are also currently looking for photographers with a 35.mm digital camera for some publicity shots in exchange for promotional consideration. Considering the publicity this play is likely to generate, this could be a great opportunity. Contact information is on the play's site page, www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon

Happy holidays,
FR

Last Tango With Marlon: NOT A Love Lost Life

2007-12-12T20:33:00.000-08:00

Greetings, blog readers:
As the year ends the LAST TANGO WITH MARLON juggernaut continues. We're on schedule for our three-week run in February '08, the novella has been turned into Trafford Publishing for a late January release. Santa even seems to have brought a special gift to the crew this year, but I can't, um, open it yet.
One interesting thing that crossed the eye of www.Fletcher Rhoden.com as we were setting up our new LAST TANGO WITH MARLON MySpace page is that there was a new stage play produced this year ('07) about our boy, Marlon Brando, called A LOVE LOST LIFE. It did pretty well at a few festivals back east and got plenty of good reviews. We here at fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon want to congratulate the cast and crew of ALLL. We had no idea until setting up our MySpace account this very day (12/12/07) that such a play existed. But without having seen it, we can already tell there are plenty of differences. Our play focuses on the friendship of Brando and Wally Cox (we doubt he's in ALLL which seems to take place near Brando's death in 2004). This undoubtedly fine play seems to be more of a drama, whereas our production leans toward the comedic. And I can't imagine they cooked up some of the wild stuff we have planned in our LAST TANGO WITH MARLON. I'm sure some themes overlap -- they're bound to. I'd like to see ALLL, I'm sure the two plays would make a fascinating study in contrast and comparison. But a man as big (figuratively and literally) as Marlon Brando can surely sustain two plays (at least) and will likely be the subject of many more. Best of luck to us all! However, I must make one correction -- I said earlier in this blog that LAST TANGO WITH MARLON was the first play to feature Brando as the lead and I now realize I was in error. I stand corrected. So here I say officially (until further information dictates) that www.Fletcher Rhoden.com presents LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, the SECOND play about the great actor Marlon Brando. We think it's still the first novella about him though!
Best of the season.
FR

Last Tango With Marlon press release

2007-12-07T18:54:00.000-08:00

Friends and fans, the official press release for my new two-act stage play, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, is now up at the Last Tango With Marlon yahoo! group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lasttangowithmarlon It's got quotes, information, a lot of neat insider stuff. You can read it for FREE! (Although you do have to be a member to post -- which is also FREE!) You'll want to be a member anyway, with all the new updates and exciting polls and conversations about this exciting play and novella. The 3-week world premiere run is fast approaching (Feb 1 - 16) and you'll want to enjoy every stage of this growing phenom.

To that effect, I guess this is as good a time as any for another production diary: Frank brought in a dvd of the Marlon Brando / Larry King interview, which we all found entertaining and informative (I learned most of the best information during the writing, but it was still plenty entertaining). Everything else is right on track for our preview at the end of January. We're already getting reservations for opening night, so don't delay -- call today!

I sent in the manuscript for the novella of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON and the Canadian publishing house Trafford should have it out by the end of January. Upcoming, a few excerpts will be posted on the home site, so stay tuned!

www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon

Best,
FR

Last Tango With Marlon reservation line open, production diary

2007-12-01T21:13:00.001-08:00

As promised, bloglovers, the reservation line for LAST TANGO WITH MARLON is now open: 323-667-9113. You can also email the reservations to fletcherrhoden@yahoo.com. But be sure to check out the webpage, www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon. This play is a very exciting project, and the 3-week world-premiere run in February '08 only has a limited amount of seats, so make those reservations now! Again, I can't say too much, but since this is the first-ever play with Marlon Brando as the lead character, and since our actors our very well connected, you can expect lots of celebrity appearances. I've already seen a few of the names on the list, and while I can't repeat them, let me say that even I am impressed. PLEASE KEEP YOUR RESERVATION CALLS TO BUSINESS HOURS, though you can call on the weekends as well as weekdays. IF YOU CALL, LEAVE A PHONE NUMBER WHERE YOUR RESERVATION CAN BE CONFIRMED. Press passes available, scribes!

I remember mentioning that I might keep an online production diary, so here's my first installment:
It took a while to get my cast, but it was worth the wait. Frank and Raf are tearing it up as Marlon and Wally. We're having fun in rehearsals and the overall flow of productivity is amazing. Before Raf, I was disappointed that my old friend and frequent collaborator Robbie Rist wouldn't be playing Wally, but things are turning out great with Raf, so it just goes to show you. This is no doubt some of my strongest writing, and I think both the play and the novella of LAST TANGO WITH MARLON will surpass anything I've done in the past.

There's more news and other fun stuff all the time at www.fletcherrhoden.com, and the latest production photos and other interactive stuff is available at the Yahoo! group, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON. It's free, it's safe (what more do you want from the internet?) There'll be posts, reviews, surveys -- don't miss the fun!

Blog ya later!

Fletcher Rhoden

Last Tango With Marlon stage play performances set

2007-11-22T23:39:00.000-08:00

Greetings bloggers:
Those of you who follow my new blog have been waiting for this: the performance dates for the world premiere run of my new stage play in two acts, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, are now up at www.fletcherrhoden.com/lasttangowithmarlon. In a nutshell, it's the first three Friday and Saturday nights in February, 2008, at the Mt. Hollywood theater in Los Feliz Village. Tickets are just $20, including free street parking and complimentary refreshments! Big stars are expected to turn out (it is a play about Marlon Brando, after all). Our two actors, Frank Cavestani (Marlon Brando) and Raf Mauri (Wally Cox) are extremely well connected, that's all I'm allowed to say at this point. Reservations (strongly recommended) are being taken as of Dec. 1 -- contact information is on the site page. Press passes available. I'm no less excited about the novella, to be published by Trafford in January, 2008. Trafford published my acclaimed 2001 fact-based novella, THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT. There is also a new Yahoo! group, Last Tango With Marlon, where you will be able to check out publicity and production stills, read reviews and even post your own! Plus book store signings and much more!

Otherwise, I don't want to forget to give thanks to the Lord for all the good opportunities He's laying before me, and for bringing my family together this holiday season -- a rare and wonderful treat. Thanks also for all my new blogger friends, who have shown such incredible support and interest in my work. You guys rock!

See you at the theater, bloggers, but stay tuned to this blog and to www.fletcherrhoden.com for developments as they happen!

Fletcher Rhoden

New stuff at www.Fletcher Rhoden.com

2007-11-12T17:08:00.000-08:00

Hello readers:

What an awesome response to the first fletcherrhodenblog! Let's get right to what's new at the home site, www.Fletcher Rhoden.com (www.fletcherrhoden.com): On the RADIO page, which attracts a surprising number of viewers, there are new episodes of "Writer's Block" (tv comedy writer Adrienne Armstrong guests) and "The MIghty Three" (Infrared Cameras and the AFI Top 100 Movies Supplemental List). Writers and film students should check it out! It's hard to believe that this year marks the 10th anniversary of "Daily Mahalia" and "Writer's Block," my first feature radio shows. "The Mighty Three" ran the year following, 1998.

The groups are back on the LINKS page: the FLETCHERRHODENGROUP specializes in my music and performances and features music and photos available nowhere else. MIGHTYONEPRODUCTIONS showcases my animated and live-action shorts, and BALLOONZEE is the home group for those lovable bight-eyed, animated balloon animals. Check out the BALLOONZEE page of the home site if you haven't checked out that great new children's programming. All the groups are free to join, family friendly and feature exclusive content and more. Join in the fun! There'll be a new group forming for the big stage play/novella that's coming up, and in just a few days I'll premiere the new page on the home site. As stated, performance dates won't be announced until after Thanksgiving, but you can get a sneak peak by the end of this week.

There are some new pieces on the MORE FANS page of my site -- it's an extention of the FANS page in the PAINTINGS... section of the site.

On the NEWS and LINKS pages you'll also find a link to... THIS BLOG, just in case you ever have trouble finding it.

It looks like the Eva James single "Judgement Day" will follow our collaboration "I Love You, Now Change" (Rhoden/Galbraith), onto a cd compilation this month. "I Love You, Now Change" is on the Songsalive! cd sampler 9 -- info on the site on the LINKS page. Both tunes feature Robbie Rist and myself on various instruments. Robbie produced at his now-defunct BOATHOUSE STUDIOS in 2006. You can hear them and see videos on the MUSIC, PERFORMANCES and VIDEOS pages of the home site.

It may not be news, but December weekend slots for party entertainer FLETCH THE CLOWN are already filling up fast, so email at fletcherrhoden@yahoo.com or check out the Fletch The Clown page at www.Fletcher Rhoden.com for more information! Best rates, full southland coverage, original comedy/magic/balloon and paint designs.

So that should keep you busy until the sneak peak at the new play and subsequent announcements. Bookmark the site (www.fletcherrhoden.com) and come back often!

Happy Veterans Day!

Fletcher Rhoden

premiere post: 2007 in review and what's to come in 2008

2007-11-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

Greetings, blog readers:

I am Fletcher Rhoden, and while this is the premiere post of the fletcherrhodenblog, some of you may already know me or my work. If not, this year-end review will help introduce my canon. Old friends and associates can catch up, and we can all take a look ahead together.

The first thing to consider is that all the work you will read about can be found at the home site, www.fletcherrhoden.com on various pages, such as MUSIC, PAINTINGS, ANIMATED SHORTS and so on. Everything on the site is free to view, although you can buy dvds, my 2001 novella THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT (Trafford) et al. if you so desire. There're plenty of links and lots of information on the site.

2007 was really a fantastic year. As 2006 rolled over I was creating BALLOONZEE, a children's program featuring bright-eyed balloon animals that entertain, educate and enthrall. The 1/2-hour dvd features an 11-minute pilot segment and 20 minutes of shorts, songs and gags created to California Content Standards. Teachers should really check this out! The first Webisode is up at Yahoo! video and Youtube and is accessible on the BALLOONZEE page of the home site. Two manuscripts for picture books are currently making the rounds at major publishing houses. I moved on to a romantic comedy screenplay SISTERELLA and then wrote a "chick-lit" novel of the same story, a modern-day Cinderella about three sisters who find disharmony when a budding rock star enters their lives. An excerpt is available free on my site, along with excerpts of FREEDOM HALL, WARRIOR TIDE and a few other unpublished novels. My agent, LEW WEITZMAN at PREFERRED ARTISTS, has sent SISTERELLA to New York as well. In May I wrote and illustrated another child's book, this one for early readers called THAT'S RUDE, JUDE, about a hyper-observant little boy who learns a valuable lesson about what NOT to say. It's out in two exciting digital formats: as a page-by-page readable version on the THAT'S RUDE, JUDE page of my site, and also as an animatic presentation narrated by the author. Rights are available to major publishers. That summer I had my first art show, a solo exhibit in NoHo called FLETCHER RHODEN SLEEPS WITH THE FISHES, featuring my marine scapes, fans and so on. It was so successful that it was extended from one month to two! There's a link to ENCHANTED DEVA'S, where I had the show, on the LINKS page of my site. I also did my second mural in Los Angeles, a tropical scene called KENMORE ISLAND -- see the MURALS page. Many of you may know my animated short subjects, such as RABBIT IN THE MOON or FRANK BEANS IN WALKEN THE WILD SIDE, but this year I returned to live-action shorts with my "Ice Road Truckers" parody MUDDER TRUCKERS and the Geico ad parody GIECO: CAVEMAN MEETS GECKO. These shorts earned some of my better numbers on Youtube in their first few weeks and are currently available to rent on a dvd called PIMP MY SHORTS, along with BALLOONZEE and a bunch of other DVDs. They're at a variety of the cooler rental outlets in LA like Rocket Video and Vidiots -- check the home site's DVD page for a complete list. All in all, my most popular web shorts remain RABBIT IN THE MOON, the dv short THE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN ECSTATIC DANCE ACADEMY and the live-performance video of the short's theme song, CAN'T STOP TALKIN' LIKE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN. They're on Youtube and on the VIDEOS and PERFORMANCES pages of my site, www.fletcherrhoden.com. This year also saw the release of STUMP THE BAND, produced by my friend Robbie Rist from a story by me. It's won 7 awards so far at various indie festivals, including best sound, best feature (twice, I think) and a bunch of others. Go to STUMPTHEBAND.COM to see the cool trailer. This year I also wrote a short subject for Robbie, which he hopes to direct in 2008. As if all this weren't enough, I've been busy performing at kids parties as FLETCH THE CLOWN -- full southland coverage, unbeatable rates and top-notch clowing. Check out the FLETCH THE CLOWN page at the site. The very latest news is that the Eva James single, "I LOVE YOU, NOW CHANGE" (Rhoden/Galbrath) is now on the Songsalive cd sampler 9, rights available to publishers. Check out this pop gem on the MUSIC page of my site (there's also a performance video of the tune on the PERFORMANCES page). You can check out the Eva James Band video JUDGMENT DAY on the VIDEOS page or go directly to Youtube. I play guitar (also played bass and sang on the recording, produced by Robbie Rist).

All of which brings us to the end of 2007 and into 2008. My next major project is a two-act stageplay to have its premiere run in Jan/Feb of 2008. I don't want to give too much away, but it involves the fabled friendship between two actors, at least one of whom is a bonefide legend. I have also written a novella of the same story, to be published by Trafford in Jan 2008. Trafford published my acclaimed novella THE TRIAL OF DAVY CROCKETT, which was called "A must read...not to be missed" and "thoughtful yet riveting from the first page to the last" by Midwest Book Review and wound up on a lot of Alamo recommended reading lists. You can sample it and buy it from Trafford or Amazon.com (5 stars!), or go to the links page of my site, www.fletcherrhoden.com. There will be a new page at the site for the new project after Thanksgiving, when performance and reservation information will be announced.

Various other scraps of info: People have been trying to contact me on MySpace, which is great, but I can't seem to access my page there anymore. I've tried, but I'm blocked -- don't know why, don't really care. But those of you who are trying to reach me there and can't can join the fletcherrhodengroup or mightyoneproductions group at Yahoo for free and post messages there if you like. You can also hear mp3s and see jpegs available nowhere else. There will be a new group for the new project soon as well.

Okay, that's all for now! Stay tuned for more information and don't forget to check out www.fletcherrhoden.com -- it's fun, it's free. It's me.

Fletcher Rhoden