Brothers and Sisters: Bloggers and Sisters

Friday On The Couch -- With David Marshall Grant

Penetrating as DMG's eyes are, it's those ears that enable his brilliant interpretations.

Before joining Brothers & Sisters in May 2006, David Marshall Grant had primarily worked as an actor and playwright.  But he quickly became a stalwart of the B&S writing staff – co-authoring episodes 107, 109, 113, 115, 119, 123, 202, 207, 210, 213 and, most recently, 301.

While it goes without saying that David’s transition to television has been smooth, those of us who lunch in the 4th floor conference room have become intimately acquainted with one of his lesser known skills: interpreting dreams.  Simply put, the man has a gift.

David was generous enough to put writing episode 305 on hold in order to humor us.  With this in mind, I sent Beth Schwartz, assistant to Consulting Producer Josh Reims, into David’s office armed with a tape recorder and a head full of trouble.
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Beth Schwartz:  Thanks for taking the time, David.

David Marshall Grant:  Don’t mention it.  What do you got for me?

BS:  Okay.  The dream had three parts.  In the first part, I was in a cabin with some of my old campers, from when I was a counselor in Michigan.  Yes, I was a camp counselor.

DMG:  Please go on, Beth.  I have to finish Act Three.

BS:  Alright, alright.  We were all packing up to leave camp and go home the next day.  When there was nothing left to do except go to sleep, I went to my bed…but there was an enormous spider web next to it! 

DMG:  Hmm. 

BS:  What?  Does that mean something?

DMG:  Maybe.  But I was just wondering when the next Starbucks run is.  Alas, continue.

BS:  In the second part, the cabin turned into a college campus.  I found myself in an aerobics/dance class.  There, I saw a high school friend lying on the floor, fast asleep, with peanut butter smothered across her face and hands. 

DMG:  Disgusting.

BS:  Since she was obstructing the dancing, we slid her to the side of the room.  That was the second part.  Then, all of a sudden, I was running down the stairs to catch a play. 

DMG:  Like… a football play?

I was really hoping to find out this was in the dream.  Oh well.


BS:  Like a theatre play.  Anyway, there was an older woman waiting outside, and she asked me if I was alone, because if I was, I was more than welcome to join her friends.  I assured her that I was meeting some friends of my own.  Although privately, I was a bit worried my friends wouldn’t show up.  But, sure enough they did, and I didn’t have to sit with the old women…  What are you writing?

DMG:  Just some notes about my scene.  Is an avocado a fruit or a nut?

BS: Umm...

DMG:  Never mind, it's a nut.  Now -- do you remember what this play was or where it was?

BS:  I doubt you've seen it.

DMG:  Watch your tone, young lady.  Now who was the woman who came up to you?

BS:  Someone I don’t recognize.

DMG:  Was she an older woman?

BS:  Yes.

DMG:  Do you see plays?  A lot?  How often do you seem them?

BS:  I grew up seeing them.  I come from a theatre family.  My mom directs plays.

DMG:  Do you take a dance/aerobic workshop now?

BS:  Sometimes.

DMG: Did you take dance when you were a kid?

BS: Yeah…

DMG:  This dream is very clear to me.

BS:  What?  Really?!

DMG:  This is a dream about being afraid of losing your childhood, about being desperately afraid that it’s all slipping away from you.  First part of the dream takes place at a camp, which is your actual childhood.  You said it was time to leave, but you needed to go to bed before you left… which you couldn’t do, because of the spiders.  In other words, you’re afraid that if you go to sleep, “it” will all be over.

BS: "It"?

DMG:  The whole shebang, kiddo.  Life.

BS:  Yikes.

DMG:  Your next stop was adolescence.  The girl who is smothered in peanut butter serves as a warning for you.  Peanut butter is a childish food.  But because she wasn’t careful enough to not “go to sleep,” she’s dead, and you have to drag her off the floor.  In the last dream, you went to the play, where an older woman asks if you have any friends – and you’re all like, “No, no, no!  I’m still young.  I’m not with you yet."  You’re scared that you might be with her now, and then your younger friends show up.  This relieves you, to know that you’re still young and in your childhood.

BS:  That’s really good, David!

DMG:  No sweat.  I’m here all week. 

BS:  So, can you sum it all up for me?

DMG:  Look, it’s about the fear of getting older – as well as the anxiety about that fear.  It’s a dream about trying not to hold on to your childhood.  You want to know:  How can you be an adult but not be old?  What’s the middle ground between childhood and old age?  You need to try and make peace with that.  It’s a great dream; it’s an affirmation of your maturity.

BS:  Wow.  You're like a shrink mixed with a spin doctor.

DMG:  In this business, you ought to wear every hat you can find.  Now let me write my script!
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That's all for this week.  Please let us know what you thought of this feature!

Your pal, Dan

Regrets To Our DC Area Fans...

Apparently, some pretty crazy stuff went down on the ABC affiliate in the Washington, DC area.  For those of you who may have missed the final minutes of the show, you can watch them here.

One thousand apologies,
Dan

Season Finale Sunday -- "Prior Commitments"

These actors would be even happier if they got a break after Season 2!

Yes, it's true -- Sunday night's season finale has what I believe to be a network television first.  You can correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure you will, but if any other shows on the big 4 have done a gay wedding on prime time, no one gave me the memo.

Regardless of the history we're making or not making, "Prior Commitments" is by all accounts a fabulous episode.  Directed by Executive Producer Ken Olin, and written by fellow EPs Greg Berlanti & Monica Owusu-Breen & Alison Schapker the episode does what any finale should do -- wrap up one box and hint that there's another waiting behind it.

Me thinks you'll likey. 

Today was quite enlightening.  It started out with a hearty debate about the merits of a New York Times review of our show -- which left some of us in stitches, and others a bit irate.  To quote one writer/producer, "She went to a lot of trouble to say what a guilty pleasure the show was, but only mentioned all the reasons the pleasure had to be guilty." 

I'm not linking to the review, but you can access it easily via that old thing, the World Wide Web.

Then the entire writing staff convened for something like 8 hours and drank 347 coffees.  Some of them are still here, trying to figure out what agonies and ecstasies to put our beloved Walker Family through.  Through my office wall, I can still hear David Marshall Grant yelling about it.

Just so you know, since the writing staff is working straight through the summer (and in fact through April 2009), I will continue to be here, and will likely have more time to post sweet nothings in your ears.  So keep checking back.

-- and I'll try and get that music guide updated for y'all.

Thanks for all the love and enjoy our finale,
Dan

New Episode Sunday -- "Moral Hazard"

Where will "Moral Hazard" take these guys?

Greetings lovers (and ex-lovers) of our show.

Sunday night brings the promise of another new episode -- #215, "Moral Hazard" -- written by Sherri Cooper-Landsman and Jason Wilborn. This marks the first time Sherri and Jason have been teamed up, and Jason's second B&S writing credit over all.  (He last worked with David-Marshall Grant on #210 -- "The Feast Of The Epiphany.")

"Moral Hazard" is all about ramifications.  What the Golden Plum debacle will do to Ojai Foods; what Rebecca's jarring discovery that she is not a Walker will do to her and her mother; what news of a "fertile window" for conception will do to a couple trying desperately to conceive.  Drama is aplenty amid these ramifications, and you won't want to miss it. 

On a more personal note, many of you have commented quite negatively about the Rebecca storyline.

We all recognize that you have invested your time and emotions in our show, that we have a responsibility to you, and that you are entitled to your own opinions about our work.  More than that, we appreciate that you care enough about the Walkers to have strong ones.

Just know that we are as dedicated as ever to telling these stories in a way that balances comedy and drama, and that is grounded in emotional truth.  We believe we succeed at this more often than not, and we are proud of the end of the season.  Just watch and see.

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In other news --
Leonard Koplitsky -- the blogging videographer of "McCallister & Me" -- has returned to our site.  While basically no one, save for his family and friends, has shown any interest in Leonard thus far, I continue to hope he'll find his way into your hearts.

Though his days of spying on Senator McCallister may have ended with the Republican primary, Leonard has become quite attached to the Walker family.  The adventures he gets caught up in hovering in their midst will offer rabid fans an exciting glimpse into the coming week's episode.   

This week, Leonard goes to the movies with Justin and Rebecca in advance of "Moral Hazard"...

until next week
Your pal
Dan

New Episode Sunday: "Double Negative"

Sunday you can all stop hypothesizing about the meaning of Rebecca's eye-color... or can you?

Howdy.

With Season 2 continuing breathlessly toward its haunting, gorgeous and inexorable conclusion -- Sunday night, writers Liz Tigelaar and Josh Reims give us "Double Negative."  In this episode, Ojai Foods is the center of a very personal betrayal within the family, which could threaten the company's future; Robert has a momentous tete-a-tete with the Republican nominee, Boyd Taylor... oh, and Rebecca gets the results of her paternity test. 

The weather here in Burbank is worse than excruciating; it's simply apocalyptic.  I saw an elderly man melting like a popsicle on the sidewalk when I went out to pick up a birthday cake for Monica.  People just watched and did nothing.

And in case anyone cares, Season Three is shaping up to be terrific.

Your pal
Dan

301 Table Read - An Inside Look

"It's been delayed 15 minutes," Dan tells me. Great, now I have to kill more time before the table read.

I sit down at my laptop and resume watching episode 204, "States of the Union." I'm writing an entry on this episode for the writers' bible. This requires attention to episode facts and frequent use of the pause button. Alright, Sarah and Joe were married ten years. Sarah says Kitty used to throw back bourbon and dance on tables. Oh no, this is the episode where Tommy and Lena spend the night together at the office. I continue jotting down my notes.

At 2:15, I make my way downstairs. The table read today is for the first episode of Season Three. It's called "Glass Houses" and is penned by Molly Newman and David Marshall Grant. Walking down the hallway, I can already smell the food. That's the thing they don't tell you. If you want to work in show biz, be prepared to have food around you at all times of day. Lunch runs, coffee runs, craft service, catered meals. Sometimes you pay for it, sometimes you don't. But you'll learn to take your free lunches where you can get them. Seriously though, at this rate it's a wonder we're not all morbidly obese.

Inside, the actors, episode writers, producers, and director all take seats at the table. All the other people take seats along the walls. Everyone is chatting. There's a really good energy bouncing off the walls and ceiling.

Balthazar Getty, Alison Schapker, (co-producer) Jennifer Lence and Matthew Rhys look forward to another delightful table read.

Executive-Producer Alison Schapker gets things underway. "We want to thank everyone for all the hard work. The end of season two has been AMAZING. And we are so excited, the wheels are spinning, and we're going with season three." Everyone in the room gives encouraging applause. Alison gives credit to David and Molly for an excellent script. She introduces director Tucker Gates to everyone not around for his episode in season one. Sally Field, friendly as usual, encourages other new people around the room to be introduced.

Soon, things seem ready to begin. Roles have been assigned for those actors absent. Script Supervisor Margery Kimbrough kicks us off, reading the descriptions of the opening montage. Rachel Griffiths narrates. The actors join in, one by one. It's interesting to hear their deliveries before they have honed and perfected them, and it's fun to hear the room fill with laughs. Actors add sexual innuendo whenever possible. The sexy scenes get catcalls. Molly and David's script scores laughs on its own merit. This whole reading seems to play longer than a real episode because the actors are constantly holding for laughs. It's as if Brothers & Sisters has become some random family sitcom.

Sally Field switches between playing Nora and playing Paige. One scene it's "Cooper said poop!" The next, it's an intense head to head with Holly.  At the end of one particularly heated scene, the room is chilled and silent, but Patti breaks the intensity. She raises her arms and cheers in victory. Yes, she made it through her speech! And yes, her character is one feisty woman.

I really don't want this table read to end. It's way too entertaining. Sure enough, though, it does. Everyone gives hearty applause and then goes along their way.  Molly and David stick around to talk with the actors about any questions or concerns.

Meanwhile, I'm left feeling a little more lifted than when I came in. I can actually say the table read made my day. It's a fun experience, and more importantly, it 's a great episode. I look forward to seeing the final product…in September!

Until next time.

Cole Fowler
Writers' Intern

From The Set Of #E214: "Double Negative"

As bloggers who've come before me have noted, walking onto the sets of Stage 6 is a rather surreal experience…

I enter through the sound stage's double doors, not knowing what to expect.  I walk past clusters of lights and equipment.  I walk past a lonely table of food at craft service.  And suddenly, I'm walking on squishy grass, unapologetic in its fakeness, and it's only then that I realize, oh, this is the Walker's lawn.

The front door is wide open, so I just walk on in.  In most contexts, this behavior would be reserved for criminals and fairytale characters, yet I do not feel like a trespasser. In fact, it's a strange mix of feelings. Everything's so warm, inviting and familiar, but I also feel like a child visiting a museum.  Keep your hands and feet to yourself, no touching.

I peer around.  The whole house seems bigger and more open than it looks on TV.  Past that famous wall of family photos, the staircase leads to nothing. I look up and see no ceiling but rather the dark empty space of a sound stage.  If only the cameras would pan up five more feet.

In the dining room, I remember countless family dinners I wasn't at.  Tommy and Julia, in front of everyone, admitting they both had cheated.  Kevin not so discreetly plucking one of Rebecca's hairs.  And I imagine all the future dinners full of secrets and dysfunction.

Then, I peek into the pantry.  So this is where Nora went when Sarah got engaged and when Kitty told her she was pregnant.  This is the pantry where Kevin and Jason McCallister finally just cut the pretense and sucked face. As my mind continues to wander, my eyes scan the shelves. Teddy Grahams? Hmm, I wouldn't have pegged Nora as a Teddy Grahams kind of gal.

I turn around and I'm in the kitchen, probably the most frequented room of the house.  The room where the siblings sit around gossiping, drinking wine, snacking.  Ah, the Walker kitchen. I can't help but smile.

And then, I'm snapped back into reality.  Crew members march through, setting up lights, reading meters.  The kitchen is actually where they are filming now.  Stand-ins for the actors wait patiently as the crew busily works around them.  Oh, that lady looks like Nora.  I wonder if Sally Field is nearby.  And then I don't even have to wonder. "Calling first team."  A rush of adrenaline.  I'm a newbie, but I've been around film sets enough to know what that means.  I quickly exit the kitchen, as Sally Field and Rachel Griffiths begin making their way in.

I reenter the dining room and now see it for what it really is: "Video Village."  The furniture has been pushed against the wall. Director Michael Schultz, script supervisor Margery Kimbrough, and episode co-writer Liz Tigelaar sit watching the video screens.  A few of the seats look vacant, and I'm invited to take one.  Now I can just sit back and relax. It's almost as if I'm sitting at home on a Sunday night watching the show. 

Soon, crew members huddle around the monitors to watch the actors at work. The scene includes much of the cast as Justin, Tommy, Kevin, Sarah and Rebecca surprise Nora with an elaborate brunch. The siblings all play along innocently, but Nora sees through this obvious attempt to cheer up Mom.

They film the scene a few times in a wide shot, then a few in a medium shot, and then some close-ups of Nora. This process includes even more downtime than I had imagined.

In between these set-ups, Balthazar Getty comes into the dining room and chats with his two agents, who have taken the time to visit set today. He introduces them to Dave Annable and Matthew Rhys. Dave Annable jokes, "You guys come to see some Balty magic?" Balthazar and his agents discuss what projects he can do over summer hiatus. "You look good and fit," they tell him. Balthazar mentions that the strike gave him time to develop a fitness routine. 

They continue chatting. Balthazar recounts a couple years back when he first auditioned for the show. "I originally read for Kevin. I told Robbie (Jon Robin Baitz) and Ken (Olin) that I wasn't interested in Kevin. I just told them. But for Tommy they thought they wanted a blonde haired, blue eyed, athletic, All-American guy." The agents smirk at this. "That's what I love about you," one pipes in, "You just tell it like it is."

Director Michael Schultz approaches the three men, his brow sternly furrowed. "You need to keep your client UNDER CONTROL." He pauses and gives a long chuckle. They all stand around, making small talk, throwing in a little industry talk here and there. As they joke around, I can't help thinking these agents must be a little jealous. Whatever high-rise, posh office they sit in rolling calls to casting agents and TV executives can't compete with the warm and homey Walker kitchen.

[Editor's note:  Yes, they can.]

Then Michael Schultz gets back to work. Emily VanCamp needs his assistance because a fellow actor keeps cutting her line off. Everyone on the set talks about Emily as being polite and sweet. It seems Emily is just one of those people, that when she leaves the room, no one can say anything but good things about.

A few minutes later when Emily forgets one of her lines, she swears under her breath. She's mad at herself, but not a single person even rolls their eyes. Rachel Griffiths yells out, "Come on, you half Walker!" The actors and crew hiss at this insult and all start laughing. Clearly, this group is a family, able to goof around and insult one another, which makes it all the more fun to watch.

"Alright, places." They're taking it from the top. And in exactly a month, I, along with you, will be watching this on my TV screen.

Until Next Time,
Cole Fowler
Writers' Intern

"Double Negative," the second episode back, airs Sunday, April 27^th.

A Tale Of Two Seasons

Goodness. 

Yes, I read your comments.  And no, I haven't been the target of so much personal animosity since I bailed on my weekly neighborhood softball game for the Brothers & Sisters team.  But I get it; I get it.  I haven't been great about updating the blog lately, and I did say feel free to harangue.  Now at least I know how it sounds.

Things here, simply put, are a little insane.  Because of this winter's, ahem, interruption, we're straddling the fence between Season 2 and Season 3, and this week, because we're a little low on assistants, the straddling process don't feel so good.  At least not to me.  But what do I know?

Here's the breakdown of what's doing at Brothers & Sisters:

1. We're shooting episode 215, "Moral Hazard," the penultimate ep of season 2.  It's a splashy story, to say the least, involving a movie theater misunderstanding, a controversial business deal and a car wreck.  Sherri Cooper-Landsman & Jason Wilborn executed the script with brilliance and aplomb, and Supervising Producer Michael Morris is directing.  You will gasp with joy at every commercial break.

In episode 215, an old "project" of William's comes to light.

2.  We're prepping episode 216, "Prior Commitments," the exquisite season finale written by Greg Berlanti & Monica Owusu-Breen & Alison Schapker -- though, at the urging of one of our most vocal blog commentators, the great Tennessee Williams took an uncredited pass at the script.  Ken Olin will direct.

Tennessee Williams struggled with Leopard, so we let him use his typewriter.  Outside.

3.  David Marshall Grant & Molly Newman are putting the finishing touches on episode 301, title TBD.  There is no contest being held to determine a title, though you are welcome to submit suggestions as long as your sole aim is each other's (and my) amusement.

4.  Sherri Cooper-Landsman & new co-executive producer Jennifer Levin are hard at work outlining episode 302.  That reminds me -- one of these days I'll interview Jennifer for your entertainment.  In previous lives she was a doctor and a point guard for the Lakers.

5.  Two of our other new writers, Michael Foley and Nancy Won, are working with veterans Cliff Olin and Peter Calloway on several scenes for ABC's annual Upfronts ceremony, which takes place in May.  Every year the network solicits scenes (usually of the humorous variety) from all of its flagship shows with an eye toward choosing one to produce for the event.  We think we've got some good ideas... but there's no accounting for taste.

6.  I am getting lunch every day this week, and when I'm not getting lunch, I'm getting dinner or coffee.  And trying to finish yet another draft of my pilot.  (I think I hear someone playing a violin for me.  Thank you, you're the best.)

7.  As far as I know there will be 24 eps in Season 3, but I've also heard 27. 

8. Working on getting a Bloggers & Sisters exclusive interview done with the lovely Emily VanCamp.  No idea when this will go up but I PROMISE you will enjoy it.  And I will get you a set diary soon, too, but if you're looking for gossip you're really looking in the wrong place.

That's all for now.
Love
Dan

The Question On Everyone's Mind

[Editor's note:  This marks the first blog by Cole Fowler, a charming and talented young man from Austin, TX.  We at The Board think you'll find it most enjoyable.]

As the new writers' intern at B & S, I must say I am privy to some exciting information about upcoming storylines. It's truly an adrenaline rush to sit in the writers' room and realize you are one of only a handful of people to know the upcoming twists and turns. Over the internet, I see fans reeling over whether Rebecca is actually a Walker. And knowing the answer, I can't help but get a small, mischievous grin.

My mother, who has recently become a fan of the show, calls me and emails me with her own theories.

"I know you can't say anything Cole, but I JUST want to tell you my theory…"

My mom prides herself that after a lifetime of television viewing, including 20 years of All My Children, she is an expert at deducing plot twists.

"I was just watching the Valentine's episode from season one. Holly invites Saul to a Valentines' dinner, and Saul says that they've been down that path BEFORE…"

Saul and Holly have a long and checkered history.  But how long?

"Uh-Huh." I rack my brain, trying to remember this scene.

"So WHAT IF Holly was sleeping with William AND Saul? That'd be a great twist. AND Rebecca would still be a Walker."

"That's an interesting theory Mom." It's the standard reply that we've agreed upon. I will acknowledge her theories, and in a month when the episodes begin airing again, she will be able to say, "See, I told you so." Or "not so," as the case might be.

My mom also prides herself in her random tidbits of knowledge. Another of her theories relates to eye color, and the passing down of genetic traits.  "William had blue eyes. Holly has blue eyes. Two blue-eyed parents can ONLY have blue-eyed children. I learned that in school."

"Yeah Mom, I know."

"Your father has blue eyes. I have blue eyes. You, your brother, and your sister all have blue eyes. Rebecca has deep BROWN eyes. That's just scientifically impossible."

She has a point, but come on, this is television. "Mom, the vast majority of educated college students don't know genetic rules offhand. Plus, I don't think eye color becomes a number one priority when casting a television show. I can guarantee you that it's the last thing on the writers' minds."

Too bad this picture of the cast of Eight Is Enough is in b&w... or we could really have some fun with TV genetics!

Last week she read the Spring TV issue of Entertainment Weekly, and her theories have only gotten crazier. In the EW feature, our very own Monica Owusu-Breen responds to the question of whether Rebecca is actually William Walker's biological daughter: "It gets resolved, but then it brings up something that no one will see coming. There's a surprise in store for the Walkers. When Greg Berlanti (one of Brothers' executive producers) pitched it, we were dumbfounded for 10 minutes. It's just amazing.''

Since this, I've gotten multiple emails.

"What if Rebecca isn't even Holly's daughter? Holly has been tricking us all along!"

"What if Nora was married before and Sarah, the oldest child, is actually her daughter from that previous marriage?"

"OR what if Rebecca is actually Nora's daughter? Rebecca and Justin were twins, but William felt bad for Holly and, unknowing to Nora, separated them at birth?"

Same reply as always. "That's an interesting theory Mom. You'll have to wait and see."

"I know, I know. I want to be surprised."

-- Cole Fowler, Writers' Intern

Writers Video

Today, for the first time, I joined the ranks of Brothers & Sisters scribes featured in the "Writers Room" -- the neat little interviews ABC online does with the writers of episodes.  Normally the video is posted immediately following the corresponding episode's airdate, but "The Missionary Imposition," the script I co-wrote with Brian Studler, was aired over a month ago, and we didn't have a chance to do one back then.  Why?  Oh, just this little thing called the Writers Strike.  But we did them for 211 and 212 today, so you should be seeing them up in the next few days.

I want to respond to a couple of questions I've been reading over and over on the blog. 

1.  Are we coming back?
Yes, God yes, of course.  As soon as we have a firm airdate, you will have it too. 

2.  Is there a Season 3 in the future?
We have already begun mapping out the long arcs for the Walkers in Season 3, and we've hired three new writers to help us with this:  Jennifer Levin, Nancy Won, and Michael Foley.  In the coming weeks I'm hoping to feature little interview-lets with them.  Or maybe I'll just force them to write personal statements.   I got heft like that.

3.  When is the "McCallister & Me" blog returning?
Okay, no one actually asked that.  But the triumphant return of Leonard Koplitsky will precede our first new episode by roughly three days. 

4.  What happened to the B&S Softball Team?



We had an inspiring run, finishing the regular season at 7-3 and handily defeating Family Guy -- the No. 1 seed who were previously undefeated (10-0) -- in the first round of the playoffs.  Pyper pitched maybe the most dominating game I've seen in high-arc softball, and our offense led us to a 15-2 win.  For my part I was 3-4 with a walk, I think.  Unfortunately, then the holidays came.  We had three weeks away from the diamond -- so did everyone else -- and when we returned to face CSI, we played like we were rehabbing after surgery.  Which is to say, we were atrocious.  The game was so depressing that after Pyper drove me back to Silver Lake from Sherman Oaks, I vomited on my street corner.  We were pretty down for about a week.  But hey, there's always next year...

On an unrelated note, I had the privilege of attending a lip-syncing contest held by Sarah Jane Morris's (Julia Walker) theater group in Echo Park last Thursday.  Emily VanCamp was there, as was Pyper (Joe Whedon) and David Burke (who played Jack Bishop, the "White Chair" from Red, White & Blue in Season One), and of course Sarah Jane, clad in purple tights -- who, with the help of two other brilliant lip-syncing dancers, reinvented Heart's classic "These Dreams"... and very deservingly won 1st prize!   The performance somehow managed to be both totally hilarious and oddly touching.   

A photo:

Okay that's all for now -- talk soon.

Your pal
Dan