Under the Umbrian Sun

To prepare all of you and myself for my upcoming trip to Umbria, I decided that I needed to post a hot Italian man today. But I found myself drawing a blank when it came to who that hottie should be. Good thing there is a Vice President of IMS who specializes in excellent Italian shirtlessness! His suggestion of Raoul Bova was dead on, since Mr. Bova plays a hot Italian shirtless man in "Under the Tuscan Sun," the movie that I will be striving to emulate during my two-week writers' retreat. I have never even seen the movie, but I know I want to live it, starting on Thursday.

So here's to some happy days of shirtlessness and creativity in Umbria. I hope I come home with lots of fun stories to share and report of how good shirtlessness is not simply a domestic issue. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Once Desperate, Twice Shirtless

One of the many things that I bemoaned in the second season of DH was that the introduction of Alfre Woodard to Wisteria Lane did not cause the actor playing her son to take his shirt off. He had a brief fling with Danielle which resulted in a scene in which he was not wearing a shirt but was also hiding under the bed. I always thought that it was a waste of perfectly good shirtlessness. But the Vice President of IMS recently alerted me to Mehcad Brooks joining the cast of "True Blood," and a brief internet search revealed that others did not make the same mistake as DH. He seems to have quite a nice shirtless career developing, and I must applaud Mr. Brooks for upholding the 2 point standard. I always knew he had it in him!

I am busy getting ready for my trip to Italy during which I fear I will not be able to post as regularly as usual. I'm hoping that I will substitute posting about shirtlessness with experiencing Italian shirtlessness firsthand. A girl can dream...Aside from the shirtlessness, I'm also hoping for excellent weather, delicious food cooked by someone besides myself, and the inspiration to write a new play. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Update on Show Boyfriend

In my continued Blue Period, I had a momentary reflection on last summer and my show boyfriend, David Gandy, and so I looked him up to find out how he is. Even after the affair, there are still warm feelings! I'm happy to report that Mr. Gandy continues his excellent shirtless work for Dolce & Gabanna. I'm wondering if he is also doing lots of yoga based on his excellent vashistasana shown here which means that we did have stuff in common besides my dressing room mirror! In any case, it's good to know that times are bleak, there are some reliable arbiters of good shirtlessness out there, fighting for the cause.

I'm in a reflective mood today on the state of ethnic theater because I find myself disappointed yet again in my own community. I wonder about things like karma because what goes around does not seem to be coming around to this little Indian. For instance, all the activism for good shirtlessness has produced exactly no good shirtlessness for me in recent months, but I guess one cannot be an activist for personal gain. So I guess I'll just sit out on the balcony and look at the shirtless guy across the street and feel satisfaction in helping to create a world in which such a neighbor can exist. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Fun in the Sun Shirtlessness

I'm still in my Blue Period in which I walk around shiftlessly, wondering what the point of it all is and even the shirtless guy on the balcony across the street doesn't cheer me up, but this picture of Taye Diggs made me smile. So I decided to post it. I don't know why it is so small, but I think he looks cute in his inner tube floating on some impossibly blue water. I know I gave Mr. Diggs a hard time about not being shirtless enough on "Private Practice," but it's only because he really does uphold the two-point standard. Honestly, look how fit he is as he spends a little time in the sun! And I will admit, the fact that he might be pantsless in this shot is a bit intriguing. I know that IMS has a strict pants-on policy, but anyone who saw "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" knows that Mr. Diggs could also be a poster boy for pantslessness too. And truly at this point, I'm wondering how Nandita is going to get her groove back...

Hopefully my two week playwrights' retreat in Italy will provide a much needed change of pace and scenery. I'm also hopeful that I will see some good Italian shirtlessness or run into George Clooney while I am there. I could definitely catch my groove either of those ways. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness for the Spirit

Since the show I directed "Grace" closed last night, I decided to post someone to lift my spirits, that man of men, George Clooney. I find that after any theatrical endeavor ends, I always experience a Blue Period which will last for different amounts of time depending on my investment in the project. In the case of "Grace," the investment was big, and so I suspect the Blue Period will be long. While I was grateful to sleep through the night, something I rarely do when directing a show, I woke up feeling sad that I wouldn't see the cast and crew today after spending a solid week in a black box theater with them. Also, they are the people whom I was with when Michael Jackson died, and so I am bonded with them on many levels.

But back to using shirtlessness for good, I just want to point out that Mr. Clooney has shown us all how to take something silly (celebrity) and use it for good(world peace). His work in Darfur has certainly alerted a huge subsection of the population who only read People magazine about attrocities that happen in other countries even as we worry about why Britney Spears has shaved her head. I hope that his work and the work of others can remind artists of our power and responsibility to shed light on issues that may be hard to digest. While I love People magazine (I came home and read it cover to cover after coming home from striking the set of the refugee play last night), I also find time to devour the paper with similar enthusiasm if not always the same thoroughness. I hope as members of IMS, we can all strive to find the balance between silly and good in our lives. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Socially Conscious Shirtlessness

Last night was opening night for a play that I directed called "Grace" for Rising Circle Theater Collective which follows the stories of three human rights workers and one refugee that they cross paths with in a camp in Zambia. Working on this play has been an incredibly meaningful process not only because it is the first time I have worked on a piece exclusively from its first reading to a production but also because of the heart-wrenching subject matter. It has meant a lot to me to be able to help shed light on a story that doesn't get told. I think that is the point of creating art, to share stories with each other and recognize stories that may be different from our own. The show is wonderful - all the actors did such an amazing job. I feel like a proud parent! We have sold out our entire run, and the audience has been very receptive and enthusiastic. I feel gratified in being able to use my art for good.

And this morning as I think about my post, I feel compelled to use my blog for good too. So I post the beautiful Djimon Hounsou in a still from "Blood Diamond" in hopes of being able to use shirtlessness for good too. The movie tells the story of conflict diamonds being mined in Africa and how they add to the political climate in which children are abducted and forced to become soldiers. I have been doing some research on child soldiers because of the subject of Grace and think that I would gladly give up on the conditions that create such good male shirtlessness to save those children from fighting in a bloody and brutal war.

So even as we promote the two point standard of good shirtlessnes, let us not forget what price we pay for pretty things. I hope you will all take a moment to learn a little bit about the conflicts occurring in Africa right now. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita

Summer Bloom

I hope that everyone had a fabulous holiday weekend! I know I did! While my weekend did not contain any great deal of good male shirtlessness, it did include a lot of sun which seems almost like a dream after this dreary spring. I spent the weekend on the North Fork of Long Island with some dear friends and their family and worked on the two point standard for myself, fitness and seeing the sun. What a little vitamin D can do for the spirit!

And upon returning, I decided to venture into new shirtless territory with Orlando Bloom whom I noticed shirtless in a People magazine a few weeks ago. While I do have a soft spot for pretty boys like Mr. Bloom, I never really longed for him to take his shirt off until my research uncovered his fairly rockin' torso. I think that Mr. Bloom should definitely exchange his pirate's puffy shirt for a shirtless look more often!

Now I'm off to tech for a show that I am directing. No one takes his shirt off in this play about human rights workers in Zambia, but the play is fulfilling on other levels. Sadly for me, I do have to spend the next four days in a dark theater instead of outside, but I'm sure it will all be worth it. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Happy 4th of July!

For Independence Day, I thought I would post a picture of the All-American Zac Efron and say that he seems just as sweet as apple pie. He used a lot of expletives in his GQ magazine interview, but in spite of that, he seems very wholesome. I think that's a good metaphor for Americans. We seem very wholesome in spite of engaging in blatantly un-wholesome behavior. Since I live in New York, I have been rather obsessed with our State Senate of late and how their dysfunstion has ground state government to a complete halt. Let's just say that they don't make democracy look very good. And yet, I can't help but get a lump in my throat when I think that we voted for all of these hooligans who are currently collecting per diem for turning the lights off on one another, and maybe this is what we deserve. It's the American way. Indian people call it karma.

So as I head off to Long Island for a long weekend, I ask all you fellow IMS members to consider what you have done for your country lately. While good male shirtlessness can benefit society by promoting fitness and equalizing the beauty standards between the sexes, can we all take a moment this 4th of July to recognize that unplugging our chargers and turning off the lights can also benefit the world that we live in? Can we consider paying as much attention to who we elect to office as we do to whether Zac Efron wears make-up or not? Is it too much to hope that we can manage our time to include reading the paper as well as trolling the internet for good shirtless pictures? I hope so. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS