Hofmann outlives Kesey.

Father of the Drug LSD
Dies at 102

AP Posted: 2008-04-30 09:32:14

GENEVA (April 30) - Albert Hofmann, the father of the mind-altering drug LSD whose medical discovery grew into a notorious "problem child," died Tuesday. He was 102. Hofmann died of a heart attack at his home in Basel, according to Rick Doblin, president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, in a statement posted on the association's Web site.

His death was confirmed to The Associated Press by Doris Stuker, a clerk in the village of Burg im Leimental, where Hofmann moved following his retirement in 1971.

Hofmann's hallucinogen inspired - and arguably corrupted - millions in the 1960's hippy generation. For decades after LSD was banned in the late 1960s, Hofmann defended his invention.

"I produced the substance as a medicine. ... It's not my fault if people abused it," he once said.

AND FROM KEN KESEY'S BIOGRAPHY!

At Stanford in 1959, Ken Kesey volunteered to take part in a CIA-financed study named Project MKULTRA at the Menlo Park Veterans Hospital on the effects of psychoactive drugs, particularly LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, cocaine, and DMT. Kesey wrote many detailed accounts of his experiences with these drugs, both during the Project MKULTRA study and in the years of private experimentation that followed. His role as a medical guinea pig inspired Kesey to write One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1962.

Kesey died on November 10, 2001, following an operation for liver cancer.

THEY LOST IT!

How many times can you run a scene in an hour. I think we hit a record tonight. It took about 10 takes to finally get through it but now we figured out the window needs to stay open. At least everyone was laughing!

Good work tonight and we are now working with the set and it all feels good.

Socks, Socks, Socks.

As Promised we have socks. The first photo is Nurse Flinn and her lovely foot, sockless. I guess we all have to work with a basic foundation.















Socks #1 shows an abstract sock layout pretty much showcasing the complex make up of our assistant nurse.














And finally sneaker socks, or should I say Character Shoe socks.














Does this make us all crazy?

Titicut Follies

Yes, we managed to take the same route as the cast of the 1975 movie and we watched "Titicut Follies" as a cast. It was an interesting movie to say the least. As a Director I watched the cast more than the movie and found them to be intrigued, uneasy, unnerved at times and revert to laughter to get through it. All in all though it sparked some excellent dialog afterward and I feel the cast is really grasping the need to deepen their characters. It will only serve to heighten the audience's interest and response. Its time to start posting pictures! I'll see to that.

And let us not forget Nurse Flinn's socks!

Ironies in The Nest

Gary Allen Martin plays Chief Bromden
Gary Alan Boyer plays Charles Cheswick
Both had a tooth or two extracted this week!

Michael Thomas Febbo (Mikey) plays R.P. McMurphy
Michael Thomas Brown (Mickey) plays Anthony Martini

Ralph Schwalm plays Dale Harding
Ralph Montesano plays at Directing

Confusing? You should be there when at least two people turn when a name is called.

Coming Attraction!

Stay tuned for the saga of Nurse Flinn's socks!

"The Nest" has a cast!

Auditions were held and I think we have put together a group of some of the most talented people in the Lehigh Valley. We have held 4 blocking rehearsals and Act 1 is blocked. I couldn't be more pleased but those of you who know me also know that I hate blocking. The placement of people on stage and keeping them from bumping into each other is not my most favorite chore. However it is the white base coat that we start to paint pictures upon. Keep visiting for pictures, notes and updates on how the rehearsal process is going.

You can view the cast here: www.paplayhouse.org/ccn.htm