My second favorite holiday is showing its weak points... by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer/Grog Drinker) This past Friday, I noticed something strange. I think St. Patrick's Day might be the only holiday where the bars get progressively more empty as the day goes on. I mean, you can't blame people for rolling out of bed into their green beer and corned beef hash and cabbage. That slop is delicious. But for a person who happened to venture out into the city at 9 PM, the streets were surprisingly quiet for a Friday night in midtown. On the other hand, the subways... Continue reading

Stupid, stupid people everywhere... by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) In doing some recent research for a musical I'm writing, I found some amusing stories about people who died while reaching beyond human limits. Pretty fun stuff. Thought I would share the anecdotes I like the most. 1. Franz Reichelt People aren't supposed to fly. However, in 1912, Franz Reichelt confidently leapt from the Eiffel Tower in his homemade “flying suit” and plummeted swiftly to his death. In a fortunate turn of events, the event was caught on film, so you can see it today on YouTube! Morbid, but humorous. 2. Chicken... Continue reading

Don't think about the current POTUS, there's plenty more out there. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) Happy President's Day everyone! As we enjoy this day off from our worries, and celebrate the greatest office in the world, remember, we don't have to respect our current president, when there are plenty of others in the past to look back fondly on. And many of them are in musicals! Yep, let's look at the greatest musical moments of the American presidency in our history! 1. 1776 (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) In our first example, we have two future presidents in one show!... Continue reading

Gabe the Dog is a Youtube meme king, and I just recently found out he passed away, via the official Gabe the Dog Facebook page. In honor of his borkliness, and in honor of the impending arrival of Valentine's Day, please enjoy Gabe borking to "Careless Whisper." Bork on, sweet prince... And since I'm not leaving many words with y'all this week 'round, I'll let Gabe take care of it. That's right, an hour of Gabe. Enjoy if you will...for him. Continue reading

How to laugh through the difficult times. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) Donald Trump is not immune to the internet. While it is his greatest tool (thanks, Twitter), it is also his greatest enemy. Here are just a few ways you can laugh at the biggest joke American politics has given us since Vermin Supreme. Of course, there is Alec Baldwin's spot-on portrayal of our Commander-in-Chief, readily available on the Youtube: Tremendous. And this wonderful webtoy where you can literally 'trump' the Trump. And of course, Trumpsults, a wonderful soundboard, where you can hear just a sampling of all the horrible... Continue reading

How to keep everyone happy this calendar year. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) This weekend, as I sit in a comfy living room surrounded by my peers, I think about how much I appreciate the work they each contribute to our field, their unforgettable personalities, and all the little things that get under my skin about them. With that in mind, and because of the changing landscape of our global community, I thought it might be nice to share my list of ways to mind one's manners in 2017: 1. DO NOT chew with your mouth open. We start with a... Continue reading

Escape reality for an hour or two. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) Ever since Friday, my shoulders have rested a little bit higher than usual. I'm sure many of y'all feel the same thing. I wondered how I could relax my mind and body, when everything going on around me was telling me, "HOLY SHIT, FREAK OUT! FREAK OUT! THE WORLD IS ENDING!!!" Luckily I stumbled upon a savior of an experience on the ol' Tube of Yous. The most relaxed I've ever felt in my life is while sitting on my buddy's couch in Painesville, Ohio, sipping some sweet tea,... Continue reading

How no other pair of men can possibly compete with Presidential love. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) It is no secret that the world is changing drastically in a few days. It is a depressing conceit, but ultimately, I believe we, as a community of artistic, social, active Americans, will make the most of the next four years. However, there is one thing I am going to miss most about our nation's highest (and second highest) office. Of course you know what I'm talking about. The legendary Obama-Biden Bromance. First heralded as a prophecy from the great Oracle of America (picture... Continue reading

It's the day after Christmas/the second day of Hanukkah, and like me, y'all are probly done with family time and want to hole up in a cave with your new ugly sweaters and nondescript gift cards to places you'll never go to and eat all the leftovers from the dinner you made that nobody appreciated. Good times. Also, even worse, I'm in California this year, and if any of ya know me, you know I love a great white Christmas. The best we have here is a couple of gloomy rainy days, properly channeling my mood during this season. Julia... Continue reading

A world without giraffes is hardly a world at all. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) So my mother sent me this breaking news this week: A world without giraffes is hardly a world at all. If any of y'all reading this are close to me, you will know that I love giraffes. Favorite animal. Hands down. They are majestic, they are hilarious, they are survivors. So when I saw they were put on the endangered list, I was heartbroken. Of course, my enterprising mother suggested I put on a fundraiser performance of my musical, Giraffenstein and donate the proceeds to a... Continue reading

How an unconventional Thanksgiving became one of my favorites thus far. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) I'm writing currently thanks to the free WiFi at Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. As I await my flight back to the States, I reflect on what a wonderful Thanksgiving week I had as an American in Paris. Thanks to my wonderful host and sister, Joanna Syiek, I was able to experience the city in style. I had an international Friendsgiving... Pictured: Two Americans and a German. I explored some bomb-diggity Christmas markets... Hot wine. Yum. Made a new friend. He was surprised. And... Continue reading

Going halfway across the world to see one of my favorite musicals...why not? by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) I'm heading to Paris, France to visit my sister (and fellow Crazytown writer) Joanna Syiek this week! And the thing I am most excited for is seeing Notre Dame de Paris. NDdP is an amazing Italian/French musical (that may have been translated into English and played in Vegas - don't look it up, it's awful) adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was recorded and filmed during its original French run back in 1999. Joanna and I watched the crap out of... Continue reading

A crushing week almost at a close. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) So, I know we've been talking a lot about the outcome of the election on this blog since Tuesday, but I just have to drop my two cents in, and then I'll return to musing about corgis and Brechtian theatre next week. If y'all didn't watch SNL this past weekend, Kate McKinnon (as Clinton) delivered a stunning performance of "Hallelujah" by the late Leonard Cohen. No more words on that, just watch: Two upsetting losses this week. Beautiful. I've also been writing a lot since the outcome, and I... Continue reading

This election can not be ignored. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer/Voter) You cannot sit on your butts tomorrow. You cannot ignore your right to vote. This election determines a whole hell of a lot about our nation. Do not stand back with apathy. Care. Get angry. Vote with passion, whoever your choice might be. Just do it. Now, a lot of wonderful artists feel the same passionate feelings. I would like to share some of their viewpoints through song. First up, Sara Bareilles' wonderful take on what President Obama might be feeling about the current race, sung by the magnificent Leslie... Continue reading

This is Halloween, this is Halloween! by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer/Spoopy) Not much to say this time, y'all. This is my favorite holiday by far. And I have been celebrating it this whole weekend. Unfortunately this year is the first year I have not had a chance to construct my own awesome costume (see sample pics below of me), but I still have major spirit. Pun definitely intended. Lil' bit of Bloody Face. Lil' bit of Twisty the Clown. Lil' bit of 'work-in-progress' Capri-Sun morpher. So with that last one (last Halloween), suffice to say I learned why people wrap potatoes... Continue reading

Nintendo's new system might be the best idea they've ever had. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer/Gamer) If you're a person who happens to love video gaming, then last Thursday was probably a very exciting day for you. Nintendo, father of Mario, Link, Samus, and many more, unveiled their new console, Nintendo Switch, set to release in March of 2017. They shared this news with the masses through a three minute video on Youtube that I will share with you now: So sleek, very Nintendo, wow. Now, aside from the fact that I was freaking out while watching this, because, I mean...look... Continue reading

Music...when being tired just isn't cutting it. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer/Tired) So, sometimes you have weeks that seem to go on and on and on and on and on and etc. And sometimes you don't get a lot of sleep in those weeks. But sometimes, that week ends and you get to have sleeptime again. Those are the best sometimes. But, even then, sometimes, you find it hard to sleep now that you have to opportunity. So, hypothetically, if I were in that situation right now, well, I suppose this would be the ULTIMATE SLEEPYTIME PLAYLIST. 1. 'Nessun Dorma' by... Continue reading

An ode to collaboration, even when really really annoying. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) Last night, I had a bunch of my favorite people with me singing some of my favorite material. Just the six of us, drinks in hand, huddled around a piano and a guitar, sharing our music with a collection of other writers. I don't think there's anything that can make me as happy as hearing a big group of people singing things I threw onto a piece of paper. They're the ones who make it funnier, clearer, more memorable. I have written a poem for all the... Continue reading

Okay, I don't usually get that excited about months. But this month is Halloween month. And there is a certain video that lurks quietly on the internet...waiting for its chance to emerge. And when Halloween month rolls around, it bursts forward in all its grand and spoopy nature. This video haunts me to my core. It whispers demonic utterances into my virgin ears. It violates me in ways I didn't think possible. And it compels me to share the horror. So, without further ado, Tim Curry in the film The Worst Witch: If you aren't scared, wait until he finds... Continue reading

A trip to a little island can give you a lot of brainfood. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) Yesterday I took a ferry (wonderfully named the Alexander Hamilton) to Governor's Island, a 172 acre island just south of Manhattan. The island was used as a military headquarters for the U.S. Army until the mid 1990s, when the island was sold back to the state of New York. Currently, it is undergoing development to further the recreational and artistic possibilities the island affords. I had never been to the island before. Even though it's so close to the southern tip of Manhattan,... Continue reading

Childhood memories ain't all they are cracked up to be. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) So, I was lucky to have been performing some of my material at Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey today with some of my buddies. And we got to take a bus there from Manhattan! I was so excited. I couldn't remember the last bus trip I had taken. I was immediately thrown back into my grade school self's world. OMG! SO FAST! 5th-grade-me would climb those sticky steps onto the yellow and black Leviathan and peer down the seemingly endless aisle. But 5th-grade-me... Continue reading

How do you deal with loss? by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) This past week saw the first anniversary of the passing of a good friend of mine. I, as a person who doesn't like to dwell in sadness, avoided Facebook and Twitter for a few days, as a great number of my friends posted statuses and pictures and videos in remembrance of this awesome dude. But today, I ventured back on and decided to see what I had posted a year ago, just after he passed. I found a quote from one of my favorite pieces of literature. "For what is... Continue reading

Does time give you nightmares too? by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer/Tired) After being in California for a week and a half, I flew back to NYC the other night. However, I wasn't able to sleep on the flight (guy snoring next to me, generally uncomfortable seats, stress from being a human being). So when I arrived back in my apartment at 7 in the morning, I promptly fell asleep. I have have no clue what time zone I am on. It's been two days now, and I haven't seen a morning hour yet. I think I can get back to normal... Continue reading

A look at the two very different sides of our country. by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) I was at my dentist's office in Southern California today, getting in all my last minute cavity fillings before I have to stop riding off my parents' insurance, and the dentist asked me if I thought I would move back to Los Angeles area any time soon (I'm in California on vacation for a couple of weeks). I told her that I didn't think so, as I love New York so much. And besides, I continued to explain, you're either a New York person or... Continue reading

Is personal tragedy really such a bad thing? by Alex Syiek (Writer/Performer) A friend of mine reminded me of an Oscar Wilde quote the other week: "There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." It's the 'artist's struggle', isn't it? An actor goes to hundreds of auditions. Shut down, time and time again. Early mornings, he's rushing to the cattle call, just to find that the "room where it happens" has no time for him. A writer dreams up hundreds of ideas. Draft after draft, submission after submission.... Continue reading