Everything Else
Secret Circus
John Szostek & Ken Raabe are The Secret Circus. The Secret Circus variety show is a marvel of comic styles, vaudeville, music, magic, silent comedy sketches, and dreamland stories. From the zany exploits of Nutman! Insane Superhero to the impossible magic of Justin and Nickoff Thyme, the Secret Circus creates an improbable and ridiculous world. The Secret Circus successful stage show was picked up by Cablevision and the duo produced two seasons of weekly shows, garnering them an Best Local Origination Show Award. Those who happen upon a Secret Circus show often exclaimed, “What Tha?”
Steel & Roses
In 2004 I was offered the opportunity to teach a play production class and direct plays written by steelworkers as part of the United Steelworkers’ (USW) Institute for Career Development (ICD) program, probably because I came from a steel working family and had worked at US Steel, Gary Works. I happily agreed, with the condition that all the actors and actresses be steelworkers, not professionals. Assistant Director Loraine Masterton coached and guided the game steelworkers and helped them become thespians. The play was called Steel and Roses. Read More.
Brainco
Brainco – The Company with Your Brain In Mind, began as a fictitious sponsor of The Secret Circus TV Show. Brainco specializes in biodigital brain ad-ons. Brainco’s first product was The Electro-Brain, a device that lets you run household appliances from the electricity of your brain. Brainco recently released The Sensorium Booster that amplifies all your senses. Brainco continues developing new and miraculous inventions.
Written by John Szostek with Ken Raabe as the spokesman.
Writing
John is the writer of the Brainco ads that appear on the Secret Circus website and YouTube channel. He wrote comedy sketches for his Cablevision TV series, Secret Circus. While Artistic Director of Piccolo Theatre he co-wrote several Pantos with Ken Raabe. He writes short stories in the magical realism mode about life in Northwest Indiana during the 1950’s. His story, “Time Hangs a Louie” was recently published in an anthology of short fiction from historic steel mill towns. The collection is called, “Children of Steel” and is edited by Gloria Ptacek McMillan. “Time Hangs a Louie” has been adapted for the stage.
The Planet Zoom Players
A project of Gloria McMillan and The Tucson Hard Science Fiction YouTube Channel, presents animatric-style retellings of science fiction stories. Their first production was H.G. Wells’ The Crystal Egg. Coming soon is Lea Bracket’s The Terror from Space. Company members include Gloria McMillan, John Szostek, Ken Raabe, Molly McIntyre, Phil Nichols, Loraine Masterton, and C. Jenny.
Anne Rudolph
For fifty years she operated the Anne Rudolph School of Modern Body Education and Dance, offering techniques she developed in Germany during the early 1930s. Her students were not only dancers but other people seeking to improve the use of their bodies. They included actors, athletes, physical-fitness buffs and recuperating stroke victims. John Szostek was one of her students and Anne authorized him to teach her method of Body Education. Her journals and other information about her are published here.
