Legalize Marinara?

I never wanted this to be political.  But the signs are everywhere – literally.  On billboards, at bus stops, you name it.  “Legalize Marinara” in big, bold letters.

After a lifetime of working with food I’ve always looked askance at the “Marinara Crowd”.  Quite frankly, they’re a disturbed lot; many of whom have ruined their own lives and lost close friends to this red devil.  Yes, I’ve heard all the arguments for it: it's a mood enhancer, an appetite stimulator,  and simple to make with just a few easily-grown ingredients from the backyard garden.  Some go to the extreme using organically grown tomatoes.  Or even worse, the highly potent San Marzano.  Non-using supporters say, “If that’s what they want to eat, great. We got no beef with that.”  But that’s just turning a blind eye to the problem.

Then there are the arguments against.  The most well-researched and thought-provoking are these: the addictive qualities of marinara are so severe that many regular users order it every time they eat Italian.  Beyond that, marinara addicts have been known to mix their Italian Gravy, known as “IG”, or “iggy” on the street, with items such as cream and vodka; creating potentially lethal combinations.  And in the worst cases, marinara has been a gateway sauce to more dangerous toppings such as Bolognese and Putanesca; which are often cut with such mind-bending ingredients as capers, anchovies, or chicken livers.

As for me and mine, it’s all about tradition.  Having been raised on spaghetti sauce, I passed Mama’s recipe with pride on to my own children as she did me.  Always served with meatballs, hand-made bracciola, or a good fennel sausage.  For four generations no one ever thought they were missing anything, or ever felt the need to “experiment” to get their kicks.  That’s the way it’s supposed to be.  Family and food.  Safe and legal.  We never look over our shoulders at Sunday dinner.

So, before you take a pass on this issue, you have to ask yourself:  is legalizing marinara going to make your neighborhood better or worse?  Do you want users and growers living next door? How about your kids and their kids – what do you tell them?

Now is the time to think about it because if this screwy law passes, and things go predictably wrong down the road, as they most certainly will, it will be a lot harder to put the sauce back in the bottle or the tomato back on the vine than people seem to think.

Capisce?!

Phil Levere - BookPALS

A program that I participate in regularly is BookPALS - Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools.  It's a wonderful program that brings the fun, imagination, and wonder of reading to school children in a way that demonstrates that reading is not a chore, but an enrichment to their lives.  As an actor, you can imagine that I enjoy these "performances" and, from their rapt attention, it is very clear that they enjoy these visits to their schoolroom.  I have no doubt that as a consequence, books and reading have taken on a grander importance in their lives.

Need I say that it is a very gratifying experience for me as well!

Monologue: a work in progress

This is a monologue I am working on during a Skype session with Stephen Mitchell. No attention was paid to lighting or sound but what I am working on is the character who is cynical about the cards life's dealt him and his disappointment in people, but who is willing to let the exception happen. This guy has a lot of things he's dealing with that are going unsaid.

Phil Levere in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

This was my first show playing the role of Dr. Spivey in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the Camarillo Community Theater in Camarillo, CA.  In the photograph above Jessica Lynn Verdi as Nurse Ratched can be seen on the border of the left frame and on the edge of the right frame is Patrick Beckstead as Billy Bibbitt.  Though not fully formed at the time, my acting signature can be seen in this performance as a man who has a cynicism based on the cards life has dealt him and his disappointment in people, but who is willing to let the exception happen.

What I learned to love from this experience was the process of coming together with creative and talented individuals with a common goal and supporting one another in the endeavor -- like going to war without the ugly side effects.  I imagine athletes who are part of a team experience the same camaraderie whether they are climbing a mountain or going through a pro football season.  They, too, are events that have possibility of success and failure as part of the equation.

The photograph below is the moment where Dr. Spivey looks into Randall Patrick McMurphy's file for the first time and sees the history of yet another one of life's disappointing human beings staring me in the face.  Notice the bandaged wrist of Patrick Beckstead as Billy Bibbitt, evidencing the character's previous suicide attempt.  And out of focus in the background you'll see Chris Alton as Chief Bromden.  Credit for both photographs goes to Barbara Mazeika.

An Interview with Phil Levere

Q: How did you get started in acting?

Phil: I have always enjoyed going to the theater and watching movies.  It wasn't unusual for me to pay attention to the actors more so than to the story line, often thinking which role I'd be most comfortable in.  A couple of years ago a co-worker told me that she was taking acting lessons and my immediate response was. "I want to do that!"  I've been involved in theater or movies ever since.

Q: What kind of roles are you best at playing?

Phil: I am that cynical, hard-boiled guy who has been around the block, seen and done it all, not believing much of what anyone has to say, but occasionally willing to make the exception for someone.

Q: Is there a director whose work you admire and with whom you would like to work?

Phil: I really admire the film and TV work of John Dahl.  The movie Rounders is one that completely grips me whenever I see it.  The character portrayed by Edward Norton is such a despicable guy whom I found myself hating from the moment he appeared on screen.  I want to be able to have that kind of effect on people.

Q: Do you have a director "wish list"?

Phil: Sure, this is it:  Frank Darabont, Rob Reiner, John Dahl, Robert Zemeckis, Bryan Singer, Alexander Payne, David O. Russell, Gregory Hoblit, Phil Alden Robinson, Robert Lorenz, Robert Redford, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Steven Soderbergh, Steve Shill, Richard J. Lewis, Jason Reitman, Nat Faxon, Jim Rush, Paul Haggis, Bennett Miller, Debra Granik, Tim Owens, Brian Pulido, Randy Murray, Frank Thomas, and Rick Pease.

Q: What is your background?  

Phil: I am a trained chef and have spent my life in kitchens across the USA.  A sports fan and movie aficionado, my favorite films include Godfather, Godfather II, and Shawshank Redemption.  Also somewhat of a World War II buff, one of my favorite scenes of all-time is in Jaws, when Robert Shaw tells the story of how his character survived the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.  I saw this film in the theater the night it came out and not a single person in the packed house moved a muscle when that story was told.  That was amazing command of an audience.

For further information contact:

(520) 243-9298

pjlevere@yahoo.com