John A. (Jay) Cross
@johnacross.bsky.social
Working on historical Commedia dell'Arte plays. Interested in: Astronomy/Cosmology, Movie-making, Photography, Shakespeare, Other theater, Medieval Science, SCA, and other things that amuse me.
It's been a great few weeks with all the performances. Now to get back to the editing and review of the upcoming books (Summer 2027).
January 19, 2026 at 1:35 PM
It's been a great few weeks with all the performances. Now to get back to the editing and review of the upcoming books (Summer 2027).
#CdATroupes Le Zanzare did a great show yesterday, and it was seen by my new friends at "Fork & Shoe Theater Cooperative" Through them I will be doing another show closer to Boston based on 4 six-hour sessions from March 28th through April 18th
January 18, 2026 at 5:04 PM
#CdATroupes Le Zanzare did a great show yesterday, and it was seen by my new friends at "Fork & Shoe Theater Cooperative" Through them I will be doing another show closer to Boston based on 4 six-hour sessions from March 28th through April 18th
#CdAHistory the UK group went through one of the messier plays and solved everything. It's a relief to solve those issues.
January 16, 2026 at 7:57 PM
#CdAHistory the UK group went through one of the messier plays and solved everything. It's a relief to solve those issues.
This is Peter Wolf & The J. Geils Band (Boston Area) covering Sonny Boy Williamson's song "One Way Out" (1962). This version is from 1968,, three years before the Allman Brothers Band made it a Southern Rock Classic.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmY8...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmY8...
J. Geils Band (feat. Peter Wolf) • “One Way Out” • 1968 [Reelin' In The Years Archive]
YouTube video by ReelinInTheYears66
www.youtube.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:29 PM
This is Peter Wolf & The J. Geils Band (Boston Area) covering Sonny Boy Williamson's song "One Way Out" (1962). This version is from 1968,, three years before the Allman Brothers Band made it a Southern Rock Classic.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmY8...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmY8...
With all the AI crap coming out about the Renee Good incident, I worry about a time in the near future when it comes out faster and significantly harder to dispute based on quality.
January 15, 2026 at 1:57 PM
With all the AI crap coming out about the Renee Good incident, I worry about a time in the near future when it comes out faster and significantly harder to dispute based on quality.
Here's a picture from 15 years ago of my youngest with a celebrity in an airport.
January 14, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Here's a picture from 15 years ago of my youngest with a celebrity in an airport.
About a year and a half ago, I took down my Flickr account for some privacy reasons. Before doing it, I downloaded all the images, which are in ZIP files. Today I am looking for images of my recently late uncle. The long unzipping process has begun. So far, 7 of 335 archives unzipped.
January 14, 2026 at 2:48 PM
About a year and a half ago, I took down my Flickr account for some privacy reasons. Before doing it, I downloaded all the images, which are in ZIP files. Today I am looking for images of my recently late uncle. The long unzipping process has begun. So far, 7 of 335 archives unzipped.
I got another walk in with Andy. We walked part of the Rail Trail in Wayland. We talked about a lot of stuff, like who the second worst POTUS might have been.
January 13, 2026 at 8:32 PM
I got another walk in with Andy. We walked part of the Rail Trail in Wayland. We talked about a lot of stuff, like who the second worst POTUS might have been.
I am optimistic about getting some help that will speed my big scenarios project a bit, and so I might finish recovering and publishing the 700 scenarios in less than 10 years. I'll have a much better sense of it by September.
January 12, 2026 at 3:54 PM
I am optimistic about getting some help that will speed my big scenarios project a bit, and so I might finish recovering and publishing the 700 scenarios in less than 10 years. I'll have a much better sense of it by September.
Here's the video from last night!
youtu.be/IKntyoBSKrs
youtu.be/IKntyoBSKrs
LSdB - TheTreasure - Berlin MA, 10 January 2026
YouTube video by Jay Cross
youtu.be
January 11, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Here's the video from last night!
youtu.be/IKntyoBSKrs
youtu.be/IKntyoBSKrs
Today's job is transferring all the media to my desktop and making a video, then upload and publicize the video. I have a few other tasks, like the weekly Zoom visit with my grandson, and perhaps seeing part of a football game before I fall asleep. It's Recovery Day! Happy Two to the Fifth, Rose!
January 11, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Today's job is transferring all the media to my desktop and making a video, then upload and publicize the video. I have a few other tasks, like the weekly Zoom visit with my grandson, and perhaps seeing part of a football game before I fall asleep. It's Recovery Day! Happy Two to the Fifth, Rose!
Busy Day today. Friend's housewarming, play rehearsal, play performance, video recording the play. Plus, book editing. I started a new phase of editing yesterday, and it is slow getting into the rhythm. This phase should take 3 months, but I have travel in March and May, so, maybe longer.
January 10, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Busy Day today. Friend's housewarming, play rehearsal, play performance, video recording the play. Plus, book editing. I started a new phase of editing yesterday, and it is slow getting into the rhythm. This phase should take 3 months, but I have travel in March and May, so, maybe longer.
This evening, I have a rehearsal for the group in Carlisle. Normally we do this on Wednesdays, but this week we had icy conditions making driving difficult.
Tomorrow, I have a performance by the teenagers' group (Le Stelle di Bacco). Busy week.
Tomorrow, I have a performance by the teenagers' group (Le Stelle di Bacco). Busy week.
January 9, 2026 at 8:34 PM
This evening, I have a rehearsal for the group in Carlisle. Normally we do this on Wednesdays, but this week we had icy conditions making driving difficult.
Tomorrow, I have a performance by the teenagers' group (Le Stelle di Bacco). Busy week.
Tomorrow, I have a performance by the teenagers' group (Le Stelle di Bacco). Busy week.
#CdAHistory We went through a 2nd pass on a play that seemed problematic before today, and we found the things that made it magic. This will be a fun play to perform! In it, Pantalone gets to be especially grouchy.
January 9, 2026 at 7:44 PM
#CdAHistory We went through a 2nd pass on a play that seemed problematic before today, and we found the things that made it magic. This will be a fun play to perform! In it, Pantalone gets to be especially grouchy.
Getting to the end of a big phase of my big project, with some daunting phases still to come. Today, I will finish the last of my available scenarios other than the ones I need to transcribe myself. In a couple weeks, another 65 will be available. They might be the final set. On to other work!
January 8, 2026 at 1:34 PM
Getting to the end of a big phase of my big project, with some daunting phases still to come. Today, I will finish the last of my available scenarios other than the ones I need to transcribe myself. In a couple weeks, another 65 will be available. They might be the final set. On to other work!
Yay! A library in Venice just gave me a reasonable quote to get digital images of a manuscript I need soon.
January 7, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Yay! A library in Venice just gave me a reasonable quote to get digital images of a manuscript I need soon.
#CdAHistory I'm just starting to look at a scenario in the Vatican library, and one of the props is a bag with a live cat in it. I will be interested to see how this prop is used.
January 6, 2026 at 3:07 PM
#CdAHistory I'm just starting to look at a scenario in the Vatican library, and one of the props is a bag with a live cat in it. I will be interested to see how this prop is used.
Do I get enough exercise? Not lately, but once a week, typically, I get 70-90 minutes of walking on local rail and aqueduct trails with my friend Andy. Today, we will once again try to get our walking done before the cold, wet, freezing weather falls from the sky. Thanks to the towns for the trails!
January 6, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Do I get enough exercise? Not lately, but once a week, typically, I get 70-90 minutes of walking on local rail and aqueduct trails with my friend Andy. Today, we will once again try to get our walking done before the cold, wet, freezing weather falls from the sky. Thanks to the towns for the trails!
I had the grandson visiting, and a show to put on, and so had a slow weekend in terms of productivity on the usual projects. It's early on Monday, and I'm not feeling all charged up and ready to go, but I'll get there. Lots to do.
January 5, 2026 at 1:58 PM
I had the grandson visiting, and a show to put on, and so had a slow weekend in terms of productivity on the usual projects. It's early on Monday, and I'm not feeling all charged up and ready to go, but I'll get there. Lots to do.
They, "Le Stelle di Bacco" did a show, it was chaos getting ready, but the show went very well. Next performance in a week. We had Cat Crow filling in for a player who dropped out a couple weeks ago, so not ALL teenagers this time.
January 4, 2026 at 12:11 AM
They, "Le Stelle di Bacco" did a show, it was chaos getting ready, but the show went very well. Next performance in a week. We had Cat Crow filling in for a player who dropped out a couple weeks ago, so not ALL teenagers this time.
The teenagers "Le Stelle di Bacco" are doing shows this weekend and next. For next weekend I am testing out using tickets for the first time. Here's a link to the event that makes tickets available: events.eventgroove.com/event/Le-Ste...
Le Stelle di Bacco present "The Treasure": Sat, Jan 10, 2026
Hilarious comedy, 450 year old play, performed by brilliant teenagers - Sat, Jan 10, 2026 - Berlin, MA - Get tickets online
events.eventgroove.com
January 2, 2026 at 2:44 PM
The teenagers "Le Stelle di Bacco" are doing shows this weekend and next. For next weekend I am testing out using tickets for the first time. Here's a link to the event that makes tickets available: events.eventgroove.com/event/Le-Ste...
Brief pause and slowdown in the translating of scenarios. Doing an analysis of Act 4 of "The Merchant of Venice" which includes the big Quality of Mercy monologue. Additionally, this is the weekend coming up with the first performance of the teenagers doing "The Treasure".
January 1, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Brief pause and slowdown in the translating of scenarios. Doing an analysis of Act 4 of "The Merchant of Venice" which includes the big Quality of Mercy monologue. Additionally, this is the weekend coming up with the first performance of the teenagers doing "The Treasure".
#CdAHistory I've started translating a scenario, "The Metamorphosis of Pulcinella" from about 1730 (very late), but it has a LOT of notes attached about how the players played it that year. One of those notes is a sample monologue by the Dottore. I'm pleased that it sounds like my work.
December 31, 2025 at 8:52 PM
#CdAHistory I've started translating a scenario, "The Metamorphosis of Pulcinella" from about 1730 (very late), but it has a LOT of notes attached about how the players played it that year. One of those notes is a sample monologue by the Dottore. I'm pleased that it sounds like my work.
#CdAHistory A few scenes into act one of the play I'm working on now, and the maidservants and young male lovers are trying to figure out how one of the female lovers can get an abortion. I don't know the date of the manuscript, but it is probably between 1650 and 1750. I might know better later.
December 30, 2025 at 11:42 PM
#CdAHistory A few scenes into act one of the play I'm working on now, and the maidservants and young male lovers are trying to figure out how one of the female lovers can get an abortion. I don't know the date of the manuscript, but it is probably between 1650 and 1750. I might know better later.
#CdAHistory Tomorrow, I will finish the first pass of translation on all of the scenarios where I've found other transcriptions published (not counting another 65 I'll get at the end of January), so great progress. After that I have about 170 left to transcribe. 2026 will be busy.
December 30, 2025 at 11:23 PM
#CdAHistory Tomorrow, I will finish the first pass of translation on all of the scenarios where I've found other transcriptions published (not counting another 65 I'll get at the end of January), so great progress. After that I have about 170 left to transcribe. 2026 will be busy.