Opening Night Recap (Buried Child Post #8)

Last night feels like a happy dream!  I really couldn't have asked for a better opening show.

I went into call two hours before the show feeling extremely stressed and nervous.  There was a mix-up (on my part) about how to get the programs for the show printed, and I spent almost two hours of my afternoon working with the press on campus to get emergency copies printed up.  I felt so nervous and dumb I wanted to cry!  In addition, the realization that judges from the Kennedy Center would be watching our performance really started to rattle my nerves (more about that later)  So I finally got the programs, hurried through dinner, and went in to get my make-up done.  Stan, who plays my boyfriend in the show, was so sweet and tried to calm me down and give me a pep talk (which I then had to return when his nerves got the best of him!)

I calmed down as the cast ran through an Italian of the show and my costume and make-up came together.  The nervous energy became excited energy which became a performance that I'm so proud of!  Besides one or two minor skipped lines, our show went off without a hitch to a packed audience!  Several people that are important to me were in the audience, including a childhood best friend whom I hadn't seen for two years and I didn't know was coming.

Backing up, I'll explain about the Kennedy Center thing.  Barnstormers decided to enter our show in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.  Our college enters each of the academic shows in the festival, and Carl encourages the club to participate as well.  So last night the Buried Child directors hosted two judges out to dinner, and then they watched the show.  Afterwards the cast and crew has what is called a "response time" with the judges, in which they comment, ask questions, and have "dialogue" with us about the show.  Based on their evaluations, different aspects of the show can be invited to compete at our region's KCACTF.  For the climax of this post, I am ecstatic to announce that I was nominated for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship!!!  This was a huge goal of mine!  Nathan gave me the news, and all I could do was scream, smile, jump up and down, and hug him.  Stan was nominated as well, so if all goes as planned we will be competing at the 2011 KCACTF Region 2 Semi-finals.  (I've talked a bit before about my past experience with the festival.)

To top off my night, I had roses waiting for me at home, sent by my wonderful Nathan!  My first-ever opening night flowers. :-)

Thanks for following this incredible ride I've been on, and for your support and interest!  I'll be sure to post about how the rest of the run goes.

We Have A Show! [and a mini rant] (Buried Child Post #7)

Cast and crew of Buried Child had our first dress rehearsal last night, and I feel soooooo awesome about it!  The show had energy from start to finish, it felt great to be in full costume and make-up, I felt connected to everyone on the stage, and I didn't forget [most] of my lines.

The directors were very happy about what they saw.  Efraim, one of the directors, said that he'd "been lying to us the whole time" about how good the show was and that last night was the "first time we'd been on from start to finish."  That's both encouraging and discouraging at the same time, haha.  Nathan (who is co-director) told me he hadn't been bored (which he usually is at some point or another during rehearsal; the script has really dry spots) and he felt like he was seeing the show for the first time. 

The weekend was a little rough.  Nerves got raw during Sunday night's tech rehearsal.  It had moments that made a tiny part of me question why I like theatre so much.  It reminded me that some of the occupational attitudes in theatre really irk me at times.  The social divide between techs and actors bothers me, because while one group usually thinks thinks they are better than the other, the truth is you don't have a show (or art) without either.  I realize that my exposure to theatre is limited to the small pool of my college's educational stage, and there maybe is good reason for one group to be annoyed with the other.  But it's all personal perception and ego, in my opinion.  Actors aren't dumb, and technicians are to be paid heed to.

Regardless, I am so proud of my club and our show!  The program went to press today, and the cast is meeting tonight to italian and clear up rough patches in dialogue. 

TWO MORE DAYS! :-)

One Week (Buried Child Post #6)

As of today (Thursday) it's one week till opening curtain for Buried Child. 

We're not quite ready, and it scares me.  But we have a long and thorough tech/dress rehearsal week ahead of us to work out the kinks.  I've seen the pressure and the magic of opening night pull a show together, and I believe that will happen for this show.

The shoes that as of Monday I still detested are now broken in, and I don't hate them so much.  I've run the show in full costume and make-up, and it feels good.  I know all my lines....I just don't quite know where they all go.  :-(  For the past two rehearsals I have been scared and angry at myself that I don't know my lines and cues in my sleep.  My acting teacher says you should practice not until you have something right, but until you can't get it wrong.  None of the cast is in that place.

But I know my characterization is in place.  Every rehearsal, I've become Shelly.  I'm so, SO excited to be under stage lights, in front of an audience, and tell a story! 

Between time spent rehearsing and still not feeling well physically, my studies have suffered.  I have to make up some work this weekend (in the throes of our final rehearsals).  I love working on shows, but I will be glad when this one is over.

Epiphany

To me, the Fox television show "Glee" is like fountain soda. 

To be continued.

Don't It Feel Good!

Yesterday I realized something.

I don't know why I didn't put into words sooner.  Why it didn't occur to me.  It's so simple when I stop and anything about it.

I'm in love!

The smile-like-a-fool, walk-on-air, kiss-him-every-chance-I-get Love.

I realize that this part of a relationship doesn't last forever.  But Nate and I have had our clouds already, and at the moment I'm really enjoying the sunshine.

Something Familiar In The Woods

My good friend Anderson starred in a production of "Into The Woods" this weekend and Shannon and I saw it Friday night.  I was not familiar with this show, and definitely have discovered a new favourite musical!  It's a story disguised as an against-the-grain fairy tale that has serious life lessons in its lyrics.  Two of the songs in particular resonated with me.


An excerpt from "I Know Things Now". Little Red Riding Hood made a vow to her mother to not stray from the path.  She broke her vow, and sings after she is eaten by the Wolf and saved by the Baker.


"And he showed me things
many valuable things
that I hadn't thought to explore.
They were off my path
so I never had dared.
I had been so careful
I never had cared.
And he made me feel excited
Well, excited and scared

...And I know things now,
Many valuable things,
That I hadn't known before:
Do not put your faith
In a cape and a hood,
They will not protect you
The way that they should.
And take extra care with strangers,
Even flowers have their dangers.
And though scary is exciting,
Nice is different than good.

...Isn't it nice to know a lot!
And a little bit not..."

I felt a little pang in my heart when I listened to this song.  It put into perspective some of my dating relationships or encounters that changed my innocent view of life and love. 


An excerpt from "Stay With Me".  The Witch sings to her daughter, Rapunzel of why she kept her locked in a tower.  (If you click the link, don't be startled by the scream at the beginning of the song. :-p)

"Don't you know what's out there in the world?
Someone has to shield you from the world.
Stay with me.


Princes wait there in the world, it's true.
Princes, yes, but wolves and humans, too.
Stay at home.
I am home.


Who out there could love you more than I?
What out there that I cannot supply?
Stay with me.


Stay with me,
The world is dark and wild.
Stay a child while you can be a child.
With me."


There was no way this song could escape me.  I have extremely loving and protective parents.  While I was never literally locked up at home, many constraints were put on me that were meant to shield me, yet more so ended up making me resentful and unprepared.  Rapunzel escaped her tower regardless of her mother's pleas, just as I have learned to carve a life for myself separate from that of my family and their expectations of me.

I realize the two songs and lessons go hand-in-hand if you think about it.  If one does not stray from the path, or leave the tower, than one will never get hurt.  Is the hurt worth the lessons that are learned and value added to the journey?  I have come to think so.

Don't be afraid of the woods.  But don't throw caution or vows to the wind, either.

Where Business Met Pleasure (Buried Child Post #5)

On Saturday afternoon I spent a few hours painting the set and watching Nathan unclog (and then break) a sink.  We discovered that the utility sink in the Barn Theatre was clogged with muck that is quite possibly from last year's show and the pipe under it had rotted.  Now we're waiting on a campus engineer to come fix the leaking pipe. :-\  So I carefully washed brushes and rollers in a tiny kitchen sink next to the costume rack.  I've gradually been realizing how in actuality the Barn is completely equipped to be a very decent theatre and venue, but has been allowed to fall into disrepair.  Things are constantly lost, broken, or dirty in the Barn, yet it's the hub of many Student Life activities.  It makes me sad, and want to bring love and repair back to a building full of so much character. (I'll post some pictures of the Barn here later to give you guys a better appreciation of what I'm talking about).

After set work and business with a plunger, I headed to dinner with a fellow cast member.  (That dinner will be the inspiration for a separate post concerning my recent diet change.)  After that, we were meeting more cast members at a bookstore and cafe for an evening of studying lines.  We worked on the same act for about 2 hours, at the end of which time we were totally fried, silly with script-based bantering, riding a caffeine high, and purusing the book shelves according to our individual tastes.  It mellowed into a nice time of getting to know each other better and just enjoying the company!  I hope we get more evenings like that, and take away good friendships that continue after the show.

Sick Advertising (Buried Child Post #4)

Today I helped move the set pieces across campus from the shop to the Barn Theatre.  One flat was too big to load into the van, so it had to be carried.  As per a tradition started last year, something dirty was to be written on said flat (to be painted over later, and remain an inside joke for the build crew).  This was what I came up with:

This is only humourous if you know that the play has a theme about incest. :-p  I apologize if to some the joke seems callous, but honestly this play has so many serious themes that if we didn't joke about them we'd be a very depressed bunch of people come closing night!

Dressing The Part (Buried Child Post #3)

My "Shelly" costume is coming together this week!  Inspired by the 1970's, I am wearing blue jeans with widely-flared legs, a tight purple top (which will possibly be cropped; the costumer and directors are debating this choice :-p), high-heeled leather clogs decorated with fringe and beads, and topped with a fur stole.  If it sounds a little eclectic, it's because it is (in my opinion).  In the director's words, "Shelly" is supposed to look like a slut without actually being one.  My make-up is going to be extremely heavy and dramatic, and I don't know what they're doing with my hairstyle.  Besides the fact that my shoes (which will be broken in by showtime) and the top (which is still being debated) are very uncomfortable, I'm excited about it all!

My hair colour has been debated and stressed over for weeks!  It seemed like every other day something came up about it.  Was my hair too red, too brown, too short, too long...*sigh*  It has gotten a little old having an aspect of my personal appearance discussed that much!  I also had a dry laugh when the costume assistant/stage manager called and asked me to bring my best bra to a fitting...as I am not exactly well-endowed, she was considering putting me in a Wonderbra!  But my own from home worked out just fine. ;-)

We were supposed to be off-book (have lines memorized) as of last week, but we're all still struggling with that.  Tonight's rehearsal will be our first complete run-through of the show, so I'm going to get some study time in before then!  (Plus, I have a biology test right before rehearsal and I crammed for that yesterday and today. Ugh).

Easter Sunday

Are there many things more pleasant than a home filled with gardening and cooking?

I think not! :-)  The gardening is courtesy of my mom and Bethelle (our newly-"adopted" family member ;-) and the cooking is the result of my new quest in healthly eating!

My family attended church together, and then went to Trader Joe's because Bethelle and I were longing for "safe" dark chocolate (neither of us can have milk product).  I found lunch foods for this week that cheered up my current situation immensely.

My heart was softened in so many ways today; family, sacrifice, celebration, salvation, sunshine, health, knowledge- these are all things being added to my life in abundance.

This song strikes the perfect chord with me recently.

One Day In Annapolis

This picture makes me so happy I honoring it with its own post. <3

Staring Beneath

The results of the recent allergy test, the possibility of having Celiac Disease, and my struggle with eczema have made me ponder and think about many uncomfortable things.

Beauty is not just skin deep. That's something I've always known in my head; but lately I've realised just how vain I am. I've spent months hiding my eczema beneath layers of clothing, but the change of season is making that extremely impractical and uncomfortable. Every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to sleep, I hate what my skin looks like. I've spent months dreading trying to sleep or dress due to the physical pain the eczema inflicts. Wearing clothing that reveals my irritated and scratched-up skin in public makes me so self-conscious it inhibits my enjoyment of social situations. Lately, Nathan and my family have seen me randomly cry countless times because of how ugly I feel. I can't even believe Nathan when he tells me I'm beautiful. I keep putting off the day when I feel good about myself for the day I look down at my arms or legs and see the clear, freckled, Irish-pale skin I know God gifted me with.

But why should I keep doing that? Why should I foster such insecurity, cheat myself of so much enjoyment and love, and cling to such vanity? The most beautiful people I know are not magazine-cover worthy. They are not lovely simply for their outward appearance.

I know I won't be covered in this thing I consider so ugly forever, but more importantly, it doesn't matter what my skin looks like. Cultivating a kind heart, a receptive spirit, a joy in all things, and a hope for the newness of each dawning day are what will truly add to my life. Maybe accepting that lesson is a step toward my physical healing.