To the Moon - An Homage to Roethke

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An homage to the poet, Theodore Roethke.

"I knew a woman lovely in her bones..."

Produced by Michael Kleven
Written and directed by Sandra Kleven
& Michael Kleven

Cast and Crew
Michael Brill - Voice-over
Tom Brophy - Roethke
Linda Jordan - Poetry reader 1

Finn McGrayne - Poetry reader 2
John Elkin - Production Assistant
Craig Downing - Poetry reader 3
Craig D. Stratton - Sound - Lights
Bridget Nicol - Poetry reader 4
Dean Jensen - Composer
Gus Hellthaler - himself
Eric Miller - himself
Tyler Kleven - Editor
Special thanks to Mary - the goddess behind the bar.

Voice of Roethke -
Michael Brill

Actor Michael Brill

Photo - Michael Kleven

Click on photo below to go to Production stills.

Gus Hellthaler - owner of the Blue Moon 2010 (Photo - Mike Kleven)

PROJECT PAGE
This page supports the short film we are making in Seattle from December, through January of 2010, as part of my colloquium for the MFA at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. As I get bios and such from the cast, I will add them here. As filming begins the page will be a source for progress reports, reviews, and process. See the notes below under Running Commentary for the first entries.
Roethke died when I was eighteen. My older friends were his friends. Friends of the Blue Moon Tavern. I was too young to get in, so I did not meet him. However, I retain the ability to pronounce Roethke. I am trying to find the friends of 45 years ago. These older friends may be elderly depending on a number of things (See mysticism, below).
Seattle-based actor Michael Brill has agreed to read Roethke poems in what I am imagining to be “voice-over.” Film maker Michael Kleven will produce, I will direct my motley crew in discovering Ted Roethke.
Search is on for others: Stan Iverson, Lee Johnson, Ingerann Haig, Tom Robbins, James McLean, Barbara Tomlinson, Joel Jensen, William Cumming.
The film may cover mysticism. The northwest. Love. Or "a woman lovely in her bones."
It will be a short film.

Behind the scenes creation of the world premiere play First Class, poet David Wagoner's unique, insightful portrait of his friend and mentor, legendary poet Theodore Roethke. Master actor John Aylward (also seen on The West Wing and ER) gives a bravura performance as the charismatic poet in this voyage into the passionate heart-and art-of a genius. The play is directed by Kurt Beattie.

Order from HeartWorks $20

Click on shirt to order.

Click for (below) for Sandra Kleven's "Devils of Poetry" an exhibition of paintings

Click for Blue Moon wiki

Link to Stan Iverson Memorial Library

We are casting Roethke -- "a bear of a man," to play the part.

Roethke walks. While he walks, Michael Brill's wonderful rendition of Roethke's words will play in voice over. B roll - will continue, nature scenes background scenes. Poems in part or complete based on timing. Cuts to the Moon. The interview with Gus.

Cutting back to Roethke who is making his way to the Moon. Cut to interviews of personal stories from patrons at the Moon.

Roethke is seen walking. Eventually it is dark.

In the moon there is an informal poetry reading of Roethke's work. Friends read favorite poems.

Then Roethke enters unseen and from the shadows he recites the poem "Lost Son." Pan to the portrait. Close up on the portrait. Applause.

Photo by Michael Kleven

Click on photo to go to Out Takes

Running Commentary from producer, director and cast:

1/19/10 - Last casting call (below) /Finale at the Blue Moon done.

On Jan 13, 2010, at 6:24 PM, Michael-Peter wrote:

> Performers needed Friday Jan 15th for HD Video project filming at the
> Blue Moon Tavern on 45th in the U-District. Filming will take place
> from 2:30 to 5:00.
>
> Performers will take part in a staged "open mic" reading poems from
> the 1950's and 1960's. You may select your own favorites. Choose arty,
> offbeat or topical poets from that time.
>
> Please wear black or dark colors. Performers must be over 21.
>
> The bar will be open and performers may order beer if they like. No
> free beer. Sorry.
>
> This is the project web page: http://www.heartworksak.net/roethke.html
>
> This is a dual production of the MFA Creative Writing Program at
> University of Alaska Anchorage
> and Seattle Central Film and Video program.
>
> Sandra Kleven is the writer. She and son Mike Kleven are sharing
> directing and producing duties.
>
> The project is being shot on the Canon 7D. Audio is being recorded on
> the Zoom H4N and Sound Devices 702T

1/11/10 Taping in the University District, done. Great weather. Relentless rain followed for days. Got an okay from Gus at the Moon to do the final scene on Friday afternoon.

01/01/10 Taping at Blue Moon (see out takes).

12/28/09 Talked to Gus Hellthaler, owner of the Blue Moon. Will meet him there on Friday to talk about Roethke's relationship with the Moon.

12/26/09 Stan Iverson has been dead for 30 years. We visited the Blue Moon Tavern. Mary, behind the bar, pointed out Andy King as one with a lot of history. He told me about Stan. If he were alive, I suppose he'd be about ninety -- maybe older than that. There are a few online tributes to him. He's called an old Trotskiite and Anarchist. Mostly, he was good... unconstrained... full of life and strong. He introduced me to black coffee and stuffed green peppers. His daughter with Barbara Tomlinson -- would be 40 something. Thanks for everything, Stan.

12/12/09
It won't be stressful because it's too funny. Remember your addition to it is for your vivacity... joyful, sparkplug kind of quality. It should have the mood of a lark... a goofy, funny, an adventure -- until it grows more serious of with its own weight.

But let's let things develop. I have lots of time before you get there to get things moving and some of the film be finished (Like the exteriors the voiceover poems).

Then, so he can film (being in school)... can Saturday (or Sunday) be your long day? Sat might be art walk in Ballard. Wine in all the galleries with curiously interesting art all about. Maybe, that would be where we film the preliminary conversations... about Roethke... while on the art walk talking about the art and reflecting on Roethke. All spontaneous. End up at the Blue Moon that night. I know I contradict myself and as the famous somebody said, "So I contradict myself."

I hope the weather is good for the time of year. Maybe there are no artwalks in Winter. I'll check these things out. It is a "short" film being in the unscripted parts should feel no different then an outing when someone in the family is videotaping. The only thing scripted are the poems and that's all in voice over. sk

12/9/09

I don't know where Ted Roethke is, but I am in Fairbanks, working on preproduction research. See web page. A few nights ago, my computer seemed to have a ghost in it. The keys kept typing nm,06. Then the return would zip on to add maybe 26 blank pages. A Rilke poem opened "Ninth Requiem," as I recall. At first, Ithought it was a Roethke poem which increased my sense of freaking out... the next day the effect was gone -- but now my computer is real fast. The ghost was a computer tech. sk

12/7/09

I am writing to you about my Roethke film, now titled “Where is Ted Roethke?” because I just made scene 2 take place at your house. Go to the web page and scroll down to the story board. If any of that is intelligible it will show that my thought for this short film is that we start out with little… just as it would be in the first two scenes as you and I for example talk about Roethke… with movement through the piece… we’ll have this wonderful actor reading the poems. The poems themselves will have an impact of some kind as will our comradely… with the one’s I am calling my posse. It will end with a trip to the Blue Moon to see Roethke’s portrait which I am almost positive is still there – and if it were not, that too would be fine. The poems will carry the movie and we will just be responding to the experience. sk

THAT WAS A FABULOUS ARTICLE!!! i had actually googled roethke yesterday...but didn't see this particular article in my search.
how exciting this is going to be?
thank you for including me.... it's right up my alley.....
yes, a veritable sashay up my sidewalk!

[Just added the link to notes from a student. Will find and add link to The Stranger article, too.]

12/06/09

Your project sounds right up my vocal alley!

Please send me the text for your film.

~~~

Gosh, does one need to be conversant about Roethke? If so, I'll study up

~~~

The movie idea sounds SUPER FUN!!! my 15 seconds of fame right around the corner. will i have lines to say and a costume? shall i start to practice right this minute? will i get to say "I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP . . ."

~~~

Okay, I have to go back to the start of the film project that you are in. It's a movie... I want you to be in the movie. The movie (a short) will be something I show at my graduate colloquium -- next July. Maybe, it will go on You Tube.

For the film, we are going to discover some things about Theodore Roethke. He died in 1963. He taught at the University of Washington until his death. From 1948 onwards, he lived in Seattle though he is still considered Michigan's poet. He drowned on Bainbridge Island in a swimming pool. He hung out at the Blue Moon tavern. Some say he drank too much. There was a cadre of what you might call Bohemian's who hung out there. I know some of them but not Roethke. I am going to try to find some of them and the discussion that ensues will be part of this short movie. Some of this to happen at the balky ****'s house if he will allow it. I will call him today. I will also make a page for the project with links and things so people can get into Roethke and the film... which will need a name [Where is Ted Roethke?].

I have written summaries of this for the others and for the "voice over" guy, an actor. The film I am conceptualizing will be a 6 - 15 minute thing -- when all the video is edited and I will show it at my graduate colloquium where they decide if I am worthy of the degree.

12/04/09 -- The filming for the project will be done between Dec 26 and Jan 16^th. If you are interested, please write me back. I’ll tell you more of the conceptual stuff and give you some background on Roethke. The play “First Class” was produced in Seattle a couple years ago. You can find a trailer or some short material by searching on You Tube.

I KNEW A WOMAN

I knew a woman lovely in her bones.
When small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them.
Ah, when she moved, she moved more ways then one:

The shapes a bright container can contain!
Of her choice virtues, only God should speak,
Or English poets who grew up Greek

(I'd have them speak in chorus, cheek to cheek).

How well her wishes went! She stroked my chin,
She taught me Turn and Counter-turn and Stand.

She taught me Touch, that undulant white skin.
I nibbled meekly from her proffered hand;
She was the sickle, I, poor I, the rake,

Coming behind her for her pretty sake

(But what prodigious mowing we did make).

Love likes a gander and adores a goose:
Her full lips pursed, the errant note to seize;

She played it quick, she played it light and loose.

My eyes, they dazzled at her flowing knees.
Her several parts could keep a pure repose
Or one hip quiver with a mobile nose
(She moved in circles and those circles moved).

Let seed be grass, and grass rturn into hay:

I'm martyr to a motion not my own;
What's freedom for? To know eternity.
I swear she cast a shadow white as stone
But who would count eternity in days?
These old bones live to learn her wanton ways:
(I measure time by how a body sways).

My Papa's Waltz

The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.

We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.

The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.

You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.

In a dark time, the eye begins to see,
I meet my shadow in the deepening shade;
I hear my echo in the echoing wood--
A lord of nature weeping to a tree,
I live between the heron and the wren,
Beasts of the hill and serpents of the den.

What's madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance? The day's on fire!
I know the purity of pure despair,
My shadow pinned against a sweating wall,
That place among the rocks--is it a cave,
Or winding path? The edge is what I have.

A steady storm of correspondences!
A night flowing with birds, a ragged moon,
And in broad day the midnight come again!
A man goes far to find out what he is--
Death of the self in a long, tearless night,
All natural shapes blazing unnatural light.

Dark,dark my light, and darker my desire.
My soul, like some heat-maddened summer fly,
Keeps buzzing at the sill. Which I is I?
A fallen man, I climb out of my fear.
The mind enters itself, and God the mind,
And one is One, free in the tearing wind.

Journey into the Interior

In the long journey out of the self,
There are many detours, washed-out interrupted raw places
Where the shale slides dangerously
And the back wheels hang almost over the edge
At the sudden veering, the moment of turning.
Better to hug close, wary of rubble and falling stones.
The arroyo cracking the road, the wind-bitten buttes, the canyons,
Creeks swollen in midsummer from the flash-flood roaring into the narrow valley.
Reeds beaten flat by wind and rain,
Grey from the long winter, burnt at the base in late summer.
-- Or the path narrowing,
Winding upward toward the stream with its sharp stones,
The upland of alder and birchtrees,
Through the swamp alive with quicksand,
The way blocked at last by a fallen fir-tree,
The thickets darkening,
The ravines ugly.

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