It's a lovely night when the director after one run through of a 40 minute show says, "Ok that was great, everyone go home and rest," and you all go out and have a drink and McMinenmans (or however you spell it).

NICE! Very nice.

It's raining in Seattle

Big surprise I know. I stayed in today until it was time for rehearsal. Then I sloshed my way downtown to the TPS studios, meeting the musical director on the way, and stepping in a very large puddle, soaking my shoes, socks, and the lower half of my jeans. Did I mention how large this puddle was?

Jake ate my dinner tonight. I went to put some things in the dryer, came back, and my $3.50/lb grapes were on the floor. How could that have happened, I asked myself until I realized my potatoes were missing as well. Dumb dog. No treats tonight.

I have a roommate in my little basement -- a mouse that I've heard and seen calling cards for. I haven't named him yet, but I'm supposed to buy a humane trap soon to be rid of his nesting little presence. Where's a handy cat?

And that's all. Rehearsals all week, and lining up auditions for my remaining weekends here.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Happy Belated Thanksgiving
My family had a very VERY low key thanksgiving this year. No family in town - but the Logsdons, who I rode over with since I had to be in Seattle the days before and after for rehearsals.

We had ham and baked potatoes. We did have green been cassarole and jellied cranberry sauce still in the shape of the can on the little odd shaped cut glass we always put it in.

We had Lasagna on Friday, and this year there was no Kunzepalooza. No Christmas trees. No garland. Only outdoor lights courtesy of Miles who planned out a great rope light "noel" to alternate with a flashing four point star - courtesy of Becky who insisted on another two strands of lights - which were perfect from a distance.

There was a small glitch in the works when they dropped the frame from the deck trying to put in up on the rafter pole, but after that all went smoothly and we all piled in the car to go and see their creation.

Dad and I put up some more sheetrock in my bathroom too.

Then we all piled back into the car friday morning to get back for my 1:00 rehearsal.

New's from the other side of the curtain

And from the other side of the curtain...
I spent this week nannying during the day, then rushing to rehearsals at night. I had three days off for Thanksgiving, and must go back again tomorrow for a week of tech before we open on the 1st.

It's nice to be back with theater people. During a break we were all discussing what odd jobs we were working to support our habit. One pounded 'for sale' signs in for real estate companies, another had given in at 40 and gotten a 'real job.' We were commisserating on how difficult it is to balance making money and doing theater, when suddenly an impromptu chorus began with improvized lyrics - to the tune of 'Anatevka.' I've missed that.

I also got two jobs this week; substitute teaching on one side of the mountains, and a temp agency on the other. That should cover me a little more wherever I am.

I'm up for a 'possibly paid' film role, and thinking about auditioning for Romeo and Juliet on the 8th. I've never done Shakespeare, so I'm a little hesitant. But it's paid, and I'm already in town for a show that weekend.

Life Behind the Scenes

Life Behind the Scenes

Back to the wonderful world of costuming, today was day one of the sci-fi short I'm costuming. It was a crazy day. To begin with, outdoor shoot. Rain.

We pulled into a podunk town near the gorge for our location shoot. I got there before the rest of the crew - they had to come over the pass. We set up wardrobe/makeup/greenroom in the banquet room of a diner, and set to work transforming our actresses into a Space Policewoman, and a shape-shifting alien hooker. First snag. Our lead actress became very sick this week, and the meducine she had to take caused water retention. The costume which fit very well a week ago was tight, and the boots that we measured for but didn't try on took four people to shove them halfway onto her feet. She had to limp on tiptoe to the first location -- and only after considerable hiking did they finally go on all the way.

Water. Water is difficult on film people when falling from the sky and blowing in all directions. The actress was cold and wet, the hair that had taken so long to put up was instantly bedraggled. Then we went back to get the alien, who had to wear a miniskirt and bra in 40 degree weather and torrential downpour. In between shots she huddled under the tech ten wrapped in coats. As the shot progressed, her legs turned blue. Luckly, when it came time for the dialogue shots, the rain let up, and we were able to get them done quickly.

Then the lead actress was chauferred home, and we called in our stunt double. The only problem, she's smaller than the lead, and her costume needed modified to fit. And now it was 3:30 and what little light we had was fading fast. Once again I found myself altering an outfit while flying down the road. We basted her in, adjusted where we could, and all the action shots were filmed in the waning daylight. They called 'it's a wrap' as the sun sank behind the hill, and cast and crew went back to the diner for dinner and warm beverages to wrap our hands around.

It's funny how glamorous films look. Shooting them is a long, exhausting, and sometimes hypothermia-inducing prospect!

Real Live Actress

Real Live Actress

And now the trick is -- how not to starve to death while being a paid actress for a season. Though today's confirmation of a three day Nannying gig will pay the bills and buy food for a couple more weeks.

Start Spreadin' the News

Start Spreadin' The News...
I am an honest to goodness paid actress now. I just got the call from the director of the show I auditioned for, and I'm in the cast. Phew.

Costuming

Aliens Abounding
I'm in Seattle for another round of costuming the retro sci-fi movie I've been involved in. Yesterday was the great unveiling of the 'pr-skirt' costume I had to construct. The director was effusive in praise, though he was high on cough syrup. But the director is happy and so is the talent coordinator. Next week I got on location in Vantage and Issaquah to babysit the costumes.

Learning

...how to sew on vinyl and clear plastic to make a 'pro-skirt' shape shifting alien costume. So far the red vinyl miniskirt and bra top are done (minus fastenings, since I haven't done a fitting yet), and the clear plastic Regency Pelisse is finished - and I can't believe I got the director to go for it, but it looks amazing with the costume!

I've been in Seattle three days this week, and must go back tomorrow for the final rehearsal. I also had an audition of my own on Wednesday which I'm waiting to hear back from. I have no idea if I'll make it in, but I had a really good audition, so I feel very well about it. If I don't make it in, this is it for the holiday season, and I'll settle down next week, get a couple of jobs, and try to pay off the credit card, save up for lazic, and put a little aside for the next hiatus.

Today we're working on the bathroom.

Civic Duty

Doing My Civic Duty

Very long couple of days. Very long weekend upcoming. I arrived into Seattle from Chicago Monday night, and then attempted to stay awake (with only moderate success) through two episodes of Star Trek Enterprise before I was told it was legal to sleep, where I collapsed on the fold-out chair and was out like a light in less than a minute.

Yesterday I had a costume meeting for the film I'm working on. I ran around to thrift stores trying to find a 1950's swimsuit pattern. No success. But I didn't manage to find the huge downtown Goodwill, which I will try today.

I scheduled an audition for today while in Chicago, but of course all of my headshots and music are at home, so after my meeting I drove back across the state, arriving just in time for the latest episode of Bones and heckling Dancing with the Stars with my mother, while Dad snored on the couch. My cat was so happy to see me after being gone for over a week that he opted out of his hunting routine to sleep as close to me as he could without being technically on top of me.

Today I'm being efficient, as I have to drive back to Seattle for my audition. I'm debating whether to stay for the weekend since I have a costume to make and a dress rehearsal on Sunday, but since I have a lot to do at home, I think I'll come back tomorow, construct here, and then head back Sunday. We'll see. I might change my mind between now and 1:00.

Oh, and the reason I wanted to post in the first place. Yesterday was election day. All over Seattle people had signs and banners. I had the envelope to my ballot in the car, but not the ballot itself. When I finally made my way back to my apartment, there was my ballot sitting next to my computer -- so I filled out the rest of it, and got back in my car to drive to the 3rd Avenue post office in order to get it postmarked by midnight. I was so tired and inattentive that I plopped it in the packages slot instead of local mail, but the clunk I heard from behind the wall assured me that someone caught my mistake in time. And I drove half asleep back home to pass out.

I contemplated wearing my "I VOTED" sticker on my forehead to sleep.

Ahh, Vacation

Ahhh...Vacation

Well, my time here is halfway up. I leave on Monday. We thought about going into The City today, but realized, on our budgets, we have plenty of money to get there, but none to actually do anything. That leaves an excuse to come back though.

Yesterday was the beginning of Operation Christmas Child '07. We've got about half of our boxes done, only hindered by an excessive lack of wrapping paper. Stupid expensive (ha -- dollar store) foil paper that only has enough for 2 boxes. Silly us. And then I wrapped three boxes that turned out to be large enough for the crayons, but too small for the requisite coloring books. Oops.

More Buffy ensues. We finished season three last night and then did the musical sing along -- or Teri did. I only know about 3 songs partway through thanks to Youtube.

I've scheduled two auditions for the next two weeks back, plus my costuming 'gig' plus my ongoing filming in Portland. I'm going to be plenty busy for the next two weeks, and if I get any of the gigs I'm auditioning for, I'll be busy and PAID through the holidays. Won't that be nice?

Signing off now for some Cinnamon Toast Crunch.