I am very excited about a new opportunity to be creative. I've been working this Christmas on using materials I already have. I constructed two regency short jackets, one from some grey wool and red brocade, and the other from three pairs of jeans and a jeanskirt. I managed to incorporate a few of the structural details from the skirt into the jacket.

There may be an opportunity to start designing my own articles and consigning them at an antique store. It's still in the "possibility" phase, but it's something I've been thinking about for a while, and hoping an viable opportunity might arise. This could be fun!

Today, this week, is my sabbath. Thanks to years of Teri's endless ooching and scooching on the subject, I've tried to maintain one day of nothing in a week - even though mine rarely, if ever, happens on a Sunday. In fact, this fall has been almost churchless due to two shows worth of Weekend performances.

Today I woke late. Actually I got up early, but then school got delayed, and nannying was cancelled, so I went back to bed. I've emailed, painted my toenails, read Harry Potter, worked on embroidering the last flowers on my corset, drank lots of tea and hot chocolate, and am still sitting around in my bathrobe watching the snow on the rooftops around me. The weather isn't going to get above the twenties this week, so our snow should stick for a while. I'm about to leave for three days in the mountains, where temperatures are in the single digits. Hurrah for a much needed holiday!

My current show is going. It's the best I can say about it. The larger part of the run is over, and one weekend of multiple shows is all I have left. I'm glad for a bit of a vacation before I have to finish out the run. It's very exhausting grinding out a show with problems. We had a review in a Children's magazine which was, at best, lukewarm, though very kind to the actors. Basically it was summed up as, the actors did the best they could with what they were given. Which is pretty much what my one friend who came to see the show said yesterday. I am happy for my friend who plays the bad guy, who had the only glowing review. He does a great job!

The script for my next show arrived in the mail a few days ago. I love the script, I love the music - I get to sing soprano in this one. I can't wait to start rehearsing, and I'm sad that my involvement in this one is limited.

Today my birthday present from Wendy came - chocolate and new nail polish colors!

Today, for my birthday, I'm going to be as lazy as possible. I've borrowed Wall-E from the girls I nanny, and intend to drink many cups of hot chocolate and eat some Velveta and Shells for lunch...

Possibly a show tonight.

I had a boy and his father come up to me after the second show and say, "We wanted to say hi to you again. You were the Fox weren't you?" I said I was. "We were the ones who also saw you this summer in The Sound of Music."

I have my first fan!

Am very busy.

Moved.

Close Pinocchio Saturday.

Open Elves and the Shoemaker tonight.

Trained at new retail job.

Housesat three dogs at two houses.

Went home for dinner on Thanksgiving.

Have 14 performances in next 10 days...

Want to sleep for a long time.

Another tearing round of insomnia last night - frustrating after a six show weekend, capped with an Elves rehearsal and a photo shoot.

Much upheaval with a show running, a show rehearsing, a move needing to happen by the first, and a sudden declaration from the company I gave up two other jobs to work for, only to be told several weeks later that they've decided to downsize due to the current economic climate - and will only be using their 65 new hires for the two weeks right around Christmas. I have put calls into one of my other options, offering my services, but have not heard back yet. Am supposed to hear back today at the latest.

And at this moment, of course, Murphy's law being what it is, my brakes decide to go out. That however, was Miles' fault. We were talking a week ago about how nice it is to finally be earning enough to keep an even keel for a while. He said, "Well, you know, now it's time for your car to break down."

Waiting for the other shoe to drop - as Becky took it upon herself to mention aloud the unmentionable "Scottish Play" the next night. Am fully expecting to be hit by a bus now.

Pinocchio going very well. One of my Kurts (see sidebar for that exchange) came to Pinocchio yesterday! It was so exciting to see him out there. He was in the second row but I didn't notice him until curtain call. I got to say hi for a few minutes after the show. He's going to re-audition. I'm very hopeful to get another round with him. His sister is auditioning this year, too.

The library has started sending me Buffy seasons. This should keep me busy now that I've finished all three seasons of Slings and Arrows.

The bald patch in my right eyebrow grows larger every day. 'Til now I could pretend lik it was a rather narrow wax job, but in a few days I fear I'll have a strip of skin showing right through the middle.

It's all because of a monacle.

The Fox, being very dashing, has a top hat, a cane, and as a last minute character choice, a monacle to make me look less human, since we don't wear much animal makeup.

Monacles, as a rule, sit on one's cheekbone and wedge in under the eyebrow. In a ver physical comedy, I thought it might be difficult to hold it in he traditional way. The alternative? Spirit gum around the rim, glued to the inside half of my socket.

So far it's been fairly effective, only falling out on occasion. Sometimes, though, it's glued in so well that it actually makes it to the end of the show. Herein lies the problem.

The end of the string tied to the monacle is safety pinned to the inside of my collar. After a quick run, in the haste to get out of a very sweaty costume, I tend to forget this and rip my dickey off. And the monacle comes with it - along with the dried spirit gum and portions of my eyebrow.

Ah...the hazards of the workplace.

It's that time of year again. Time to suddenly be doing everything at once and wondering where all the lovely freetime went that I was complaining so much about having too much of.

I have three job offers for Christmas. I'm waiting to see which one offers the most, and should know early this evening.

I'm moving again. In a few weeks. I've just taken a second load of books to add to my credit at the used bookstore. Which is like moving, but in smaller batches. I have some furniture items that need to go away, but basically I've been downsizing since I've been home, so it should be an easy move. Relatively.

Last night I was on Capitol Hill when the election results came in. It was a good thing Obama won, because it was already a riot - and they were happy about it. Masses of people everywhere, running up and down the streets, waving signs and red white and blue banners, horns honking, news trucks pulling up. One entire intersection blocked by people. People kept dashing into the little bar I had holed up into yelling for a shot, slamming it down, hooting, and running back out into the melee. What a night!

My cast will be very happy tomorrow.

I've started booking auditions again for winter shows, and thinking about the generals which start in January. I need some coaching for my monologues. There is a sad lack of things worth doing right now on the auditions pages. I hope that rectifies itself soon. I'd love to have another show or two to add to my spring schedule.

I'm off to enjoy the sun which is making occasional appearances. I may head to the library to find more episodes of Slings and Arrows to watch. Very good Canadian Series.

"It's a Wrap!" -- Goofing off on location in Vantage.



Standing in for the leading lady - on the set of "The Comet Chronicles"

Been sick all week. Just managed to keep my voice through four performances of Pinocchio and then lost it for days. Been sleeping nearly round the clock, except for nannying. By lucky coincidence, this is my understudy's week to go on for me, so I had five days off. I can speak now, and sort of sing, and should be good to go by saturday.

I've been making a Halloween costume this week - an airplane - for a woman's 6-year-old nephew. I finished this morning just in time for her to come pick it up. It looks pretty cute, but I did have to punt a bit with the materials that were purchased for me.

My third Lindy Hop class tomorrow - followed by a class outing to go swing dancing.

Batboy the Musical for Halloween going dressed as Elizabeth Bennett.

Saturday shows.

My roommmates and I have been talking about moving - and finally squared it with our landlord today. I've got to find a new place by December 1. I'm trying to stay in the neighborhood - easier to move, and near all the places I already know.

I'm ready for a break, (one that I don't spend sick) but next month will be spent running one show, rehearsing another, and moving.

I have a very busy weekend ahead. Today I costumed a short film competition submission. At 7pm I dropped off a stack of distressed scrubs and tea-dyed lab coats. Now I'm waiting until midnight when the writing team will send me a final synopsis of the shoot tomorrow, and I'll send an email to the actors telling them what of their own to bring, and how to do prepare hair and makeup.

Tomorrow I have two performances of Pinocchio, and another two on Sunday. Sunday night is the premier of "November" - the film I costumed last march. Its being shown at a cafe on 5th along with two other shorts. I will, of course, utilize the opportunity to dress up.

Pinocchio is finally going well. The first two performances were good, but felt like a dress rehearsal. The rehearsal process involved a significant amount of cutting and re-writing. We got two new songs on our last two days, and much of the expositional dialogue was curtailed drastically. I spent a lot of my first performance trying to remember WHICH part of that line had been cut, after I'd already memorized it the old way. Our third and fourth performances suddenly clicked, and we're feeling solid. It's fun to do a physical comedy role. Each show I find something new to do with the cane, a clever way of sliding about, or a way to reinforce that our comic duo is more than just funny. We are, after all, the bad guys.

Next week I get a bit of a break. We've only got one weekday show, and it's the one my understudy is taking over. I've come down with Pinocchio's cold, so I'll be glad to have a few days to recover. It started as a sore throat, too. I'm such a baby when my throat hurts. I spent most of my day in a fuzzy bathrobe alternately napping, and checking on the progress of the costumes I'd poured a liter of bleach over. I'd kind of hoped they'd smolder a bit, but I guess it takes longer than I left them. There was a nice mottled look to the formerly-solid colored scrubs. The white lab coats got modified with tea dye and soy sauce, leaving a nice streaky finish. Then I had a hayday tearing out cuffs, ripping off some buttons, and whipping together a few holes with dark-colored thread. It was a fun day, all in all.

I'm reading Harry Potter. All the books I've been checking out meaning to read have gone by the wayside. I'm just too busy now to start anything new, and too tired to absorb a new cast of characters.

My corset-making class finished last week, though my corset still needs to have its edges finished. I also need to embroider flowers on the stems I ran up all the seams. I'm hoping to get it done to wear to Batboy on Halloween.

Two more weeks of Lindy Hop class before Elves and the Shoemaker rehearsals start. I"m hoping to pick up some more extras work to fill in my empty days. And I'm gearing up to vote, trying to be informed, but feeling woefully unable to sort through all the propaganda to get to any sense of what's real. Even something as simple as Prop 1 - a tax increase to fund our mass transit - gets murky once shunted around the commercial circuit. I'm all for more public transportation, since I use it pretty often, but then I read that the last proposition fell quite short of the intention, and is now overbudget and a decade behind. Sigh.

I'll be glad when the election is over.

I got a call this weekend from a director wanting me to costume a shot film for a competition this weekend. Today I met with him on location to discuss options. As with most of these short film things, only a general sense of characters and setting can be determined until the criteria are assigned by the organization. For this film the crew will get the topic friday night, shoot all day saturday, post on Sunday, and mail the film on Monday. I'm putting together a basic wardrobe setup for them to pull from once they officially script and cast the short. So for the next two days I'll be assembling wardrobe pieces and distressing them to fit a post-apocalyptic world. On the day, the director will pull from the pieces I've assembled to make the shooting wardrobe.

Pinocchio is going well so far. Our two audiences found wildly different things humorous. Yesterday was a bit rough, but today began to feel like a cohesive show. There were a few line flubs, but nothing major, and I got my first Q&A comment from a boy who thought "The Fox is my favorite because he's funny!" YAY!!! Then every kid had to tell THEIR favorite, so everyone got their kudos today.

Two shows tomorrow, Lindy Hop class tomorrow night, and in between attacking lab coats and scrubs with bleach, tea, and soy sauce.

Today I left my house at 5am to meet the crew of "The Comet Chronicles" for our day on location filming near the gorge.

It was a very windy day, with clouds of dust being kicked up with each step. Within minutes our dust filled hair was matted, our faces dirty, and our teeth gritty. After a day of shooting here in the rain last year, and a pickup day with a snowstorm, wind and sunshine was the better combination.

We had a lot of fun today, getting every shot we wanted even as the light faded on us. My costumes held up for the most part, except for a split seam up the leading lady's left leg, that I sewed back in on set four times (we didn't have time to take the costume back up to the base camp where my machine was set up) Eventually even the basting between takes was given up, and she was stuck together with double-stick wall mount tape for the final long shots.

The lady working hair and makeup was the extra who saved my butt by helping me sew the cape for the snow shoot on the first day of the "November" set. We may get to collaborate in the future - which would be great! She's very determined, and wants us to submit ourselves as a team for some big budget feature films coming up.

Tomorrow we're greenscreening in town. Hopefully there will be less dirt. Except on the costumes which have to maintain the dust level for continuity.

Giving

Elizabeth, to do her justice, had, in the first ardour of female alarm, set seriously to think what could be done, and had finally proposed these two branches of economy: to cut off some unnecessary charities, and to refrain from new-furnishing the drawing room; to which expedients she afterwards added the happy thought of their taking no present down to Anne. ~Jane Austen~

Let's talk financial crisis. We're all aware that there is one, and a lot of the last political debate focused on it. In a time where the costs of commodities are rising worldwide, and the masses are panicking over the stock market, what are we to do?

I think, as a whole, this time can be a good one for our nation. For far too long we have been using up far more than our share of the world's resources; convinced daily by the media that every want and desire should be instantly satisfied. We live in bigger houses and drive more cars than our ancestors, and consume so much more than our share of food that we have a national obesity problem.

This could be a very good time to re-evaluate the difference between wants and needs. A time to make smarter choices about how to spend money, how to eat, how to save, and how to sell off the excess. (I've been weeding through my possessions to find anything I can eBay to supplement my income, and found a surprising amount of extra)

But there is a danger in this time. As people tighten their belts, one of the first things that people give up is their giving. Food banks are going to be tighter this winter. Homeless shelters less funded. I haven't heard anything from Compassion, but I can imagine that many people are giving up their sponsor children because they can't keep up with the payments. One place that hasn't fallen off is KIVA - which has so many donations being made that it's almost impossible to lend. By the time the page loads, the individual is already fully funded. (One personally relevant sidenote - please continue to support the arts as well. Your actors already starve regularly. We're worried about our live theatre ticket sales)

In a time when the rest of the community is panicking, and battening down the hatches, we who believe that God knows our needs should have a response of continuing generosity. Giving, especially when one doesn't know exactly where the next bit is coming from helps to develop a basic faith that God can provide. It also gives us a chance to loosen our grip on our things and having control of them.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...~Rudyard Kipling~

If we use this time to learn to let go of possessions, let go of excess, and find that we can do with less, we'll enjoy simple things and moments more than we'd expected. Use things up, wear them out, melt them down (wait, I think someone already said that)...Give as much as you are able, and even more. Be generous when every nerve is telling you to hoard. Learn to find joy in things that don't cost much. Borrow from the Library instead of buying. Eat staples instead of fast food. Walk as much as you can. (You'll lose a SURPRISING amount of weight this way, too!)
Dance socially. And give even beyond your ability!

One who cannot cast away a treasure at need is in fetters." ~J.R.R. Tolkien~

Lots of theater happening. (Speaking of which, why have all the theaters, even the community theater I acted at growing up switched over to "theatre." I've had to change everything on my resume to look snootier.) Last night I went with three people to the preview of "The Drowsy Chaperone" and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" at the 5th. Pinocchio runs with costumes this week, and my script and contract for Elves should be showing up soon.

My film shoots in Vantage on Saturday. It's getting really cold. Going to need the Wookie Coat. We've had our leading actress drop out of the film, so I have to go to the rehearsal tomorrow to fit the new actress into the costume.

I put in three resumes for waitressing jobs, but nothings come of them. Instead, Craigs list has furnished some sewing jobs to bring in extra cash. Hurrah! Maybe I'll be able to take dance classes after all! My corset is coming along nicely.

It's an odd thing living with a boy. Oh. Wait. My roommate's boyfriend moved into our empty room. Things are very even keel, and they're always cooking and offering me interesting healthy dishes (I mostly live on carbs, myself) to try.

But there's a plastic model of Russian Superman planting a flag on our perishables tray, next to my French cookbook and our Linen's N Things cake plate.

We have some sort of game-station thing in our living room.

There are very large shoes by the door.

There's also a lot of painting happening upstairs which is spreading down the stairs. Things look nice.

And, on an unrelated to boy but related to house projects, we've begun taping clear plastic to all the windows to save energy for the winter. It's not pretty, but we're covering them all with sheer curtains so we don't look QUITE as "under construction" as last winter.

Today I went to the filming to be an extra. When I got there, a little early, they put me in a trailer and had me fill out paperwork. Then they said, "Alright, let's get you to wardrobe and makeup. Oh. Here are some sides for you."

Sides. What do I need sides for. I'm just in the background. Oh, holy crap - I'm a featured extra! I don't have lines, but we have a whole SCENE with the lead.

I went to wardrobe, and got put into a beautiful pink blouse with a ruffled high neck collar treatment, and promptly got lip gloss on it when it was pulled over my head. "You're a costumer. You should know better. Next time put your lips together." I felt so bad - they had to go a different direction.

I spent half an hour in makeup, and 20 minutes of that was on my eyeshadow. Quote of the day: "Oh, we've got to make her look younger!" Quite the shock after getting told all summer how young I looked. But the guy playing the other half of my "young couple" is in college. They used my ring for my engagement ring.

We blocked the scene before lunch, ate, then the filming itself took about an hour for three setups. Six takes. And the lead actress was Cambodian - so we had a few sentence conversation in Khmer.

What a great way to spend a day! And craft services was excellent...I had red vines.

I have internet again at my house! And a new-to-me laptop! I can check my email from home now, and print out resumes to attach to my headshots, and OOHHH I'm so excited!

Today was a lovely day for a walk, so I walked to church (about 20 minutes), then to my costuming meeting (another half an hour), then to the library (40 minutes), then home. All in all, an hour and forty minutes - about 6 miles up and down hill. I felt justified in driving to the Miles and Beckys this evening. My legs hurt.

I've got a day job as an extra in a film tomorrow. I'm playing half of the "young couple" in a cafe scene. It pays cash - hurrah! Another day job! I'm going to bike to nannying, come home, and then head to Bellevue for the afternoon.

LST Pictures

With Miles and Becky at Kiss Me Kate


Doing Erin's hair for Sugar

Wow...my dashboard says this is my 1502nd post. That's a lot of typing of nonsense. Thanks, all, for letting me stay in touch with you like this.

Last night was my Forbidden Broadway style gig. It was actually a lot of fun. And I remembered all of the parody lyrics on my solo number ("I'm in Love with a Man Named Dan Guy"). And, even better, we had about 2 1/2 hours off between the mike check and the performance, AND WE HAD A GREEN ROOM! So I got to sit and listen to stories from people who have been in the business a LOOONG time. I even got to share a few stories of my own. It was fun to hear the ups and downs, and encouraging to know that persistance can pay off. There was a funny outdoor theatre 'possum story, too.

Today I've paid some bills, and come out just about even. The nice thing about this time around in Seattle is, I'm able to make it (almost - I'm still behind on my sponsor kids) on just nannying and my shows, with a few corporate gigs and events thrown in. This is a far cry better than last year with eight part-time jobs and a few days a week of acting. I feel I'm making some, albeit slow, progress here. This is encouraging.

I'm trying to take two dance classes and a corset making class this fall, as well as doing some monologue coaching. I've been working for a while on finding some good audition monologues, and also reading as many plays as I can - so next year I won't elicit gasps from the serious theatre junkies in Leavenworth when I say I've never read, say, The Glass Menagerie. Which I have now. I read it last week. And yesterday I read Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on the bus. So there. And Relative Values the day before. I think I need to read some farces, because modern theatre is very depressing. (At least the stuff I've been reading)

I have a few days off, and rehearsals start tuesday. I've got a script to memorize in the next few days, but that's about it for me this weekend!

So I was standing in line to buy tickets to see Shrek: The Musical, and the guy behind me goes, "excuse me, haven't I seen you in a show here?" "Oh no," I said, "I've never worked for the 5th." "Yes, but I've seen you in something." "Well, I've just got back from being out of town for a few months."

We went back to purchasing our tickets when suddenly he has an "aha" moment and says, "That's it. Leavenworth!" I whirled around and said, "What did you see there?"

"I saw you in The Sound of Music. You were fantastic. Here. Take my tickets. My wife fell asleep in the restaurant and we were just going to turn them in."

So that's how Phil and I got to see Shrek. Row G. For free one night.

Doing a Forbidden Broadway style parody gig this week, which is turning out to be a lot of fun! Good lyrics, fun cast and director, and good pay.

Nannying all week, and starting to costume (or rather, recostume) a film I did last fall which is being refilmed. I've got to fit my old costumes to the new actresses and add some new accessories.

Still sick. There should be a limit on how long you're allowed to sniffle.

Today was my early nannying day, so I crawled out of bed at 4am, came home at 9, and went back to sleep until one, stuffed full of a new cold meducine.

Suddenly I'm innundated with work possibilities, and faced with the uncertainty of picking one, as one tends to negate another, but none are certain. A new costuming gig puts me out of the running for a week long show that pays three times as much, but they're calling one person more before they call me in for it. A christmas show that I recently was offered a role in (Children's Theater) overlaps the first week of rehearsals with the tech week of a show I'd really like to do, but I'm burning bridges by putting off a definate answer until after the audition - but then, if I get the well paying week long gig, I'll be in rehearsal during that audition anyway and it won't matter. Ahhh!

It's nice to be potentially busy - but also hectic trying to make the best choices about what to do and when.

My roommates are all back now, and we're setting up house again. Our utensils somehow walked off during the summer, and several organizer-y things. Don't know where they went, but with everyone moving in and out we're hoping it was the confusion, not theft.

I am sick as a dog.

Yesterday I wouldn't have gotten out of my bathrobe at all, except ACT had an open call (which I wasn't up for, but wanted to speak to a human about when their next open call general audition would be, and get signed up right away), so I dragged myself up off my deathbed, threw on brown slacks, open toed suede heels and my D&G turtleneck (hurrah! It's fall!), and after nannying jumped on a bus downtown and went in to their office. The next audition is two months from now, on a day I have a show, so I may have to reschedule for the one two months after that. *Sigh* If I'd been on the ball faster I could have done their one last thursday.

We finished Lord of the Rings yesterday, and will be starting on The Two Towers on Monday. I can't believe she's following it all - Tolkien is nothing if not verbose - but we're both really enjoying it, and I love doing all the voices. I appreciate Tolkien's skill as a writer more at this speed. He has excellent sense of varying description passages with dialogue passages, so one doesn't get bored reading aloud.

I'm doing research looking for monologues. I think true theatrical people must do this all the time, but coming from a music background I'm trying to get up to speed by reading as many plays as I can. I read two yesterday and the day before, and am checking out three more. Some Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams today. And a bunch of DVDs since I plan on spending the rest of today on the couch drinking lots of liquids. I have a callback on Sunday and can't afford to be sick for it.

Finally, $7.95 haircut day at the local Academy of Hair. I've been feeling terribly frumpy with my grown out bob from the summer, which became two inches too long to do anything with except pouf and frizz. Oh, I'd style it in the morning, but an hour later: *pouf* *frizz*

So as soon as it opened, I ran over with a two headshots for reference (of what it has to look something like or have to fork over another several hundred dollars for new headshots) and found a couple of styles in those big oversized salon books that I liked as well. My stylist was very chatty, but hadn't seen Shear Genius - which put a damper on any contribution from me to our conversation - but she did a lovely job mixing the front view of my headshot with a back view from the reference book. The cut is great, but styling wasn't included beyond blow drying, so I sauntered home, tossing my new hair this way and that, and curled it the way I wanted it.

It looked so good I had to change clothes and walk in heels to the library just so I could swoosh my way down the street more effectively.

Funny how a simple thing like hair can change how you feel about getting dressed for the day. Now I'm going to go walk Jake in heels so I can swoosh and flip some more.

Home again, home again, jiggety jog.

I'm back in Seattle now. The weather was completely sunny for the first three days. Excellent! The only downside to the summer was having made it through a Seattle winter, I moved just as the weather was getting nice. I'm glad I've caught a bit of it at least. Today is a little cloudier and colder, and I'm layering for the first time this season. I love fall clothes. Turtlenecks and jackets and sweaters and wool skirts.

Having discovered money I didn't remember I had, I went on a major shopping spree yesterday - buying frivolous things like groceries and toiletries...and a pair of jeans and two pairs of fishnets at Goodwill and Value Village, respectively. ("Getting ready for Halloween early?" asked the cashier at Value Village. "No, I wear them in real life just for fun," I answered, "And I don't need a bag." "Not shy, are you?" he replied as I carried them out the door.)

As I was at the grocery store I got two calls for auditions. One for a previous audition that had to be rescheduled, and one for a company doing Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella this fall, who I was hoping to be seen by. I've got three auditions in the next two weeks, then Pinocchio rehearsals start. The lovely thing about these three auditions is; 1) for the first time I may have to turn down a gig - if I get it - because I'm too busy, and 2) if I land any or all of them, I'll be booked solid through at least Christmas, and have something for days through March. Pretty stinking good feeling, that.

I'm nannying again, and I've ridden my bike both days this week. I thought I'd gotten in shape this summer, with walking and biking everywhere most of the time, but this is the first proof I've had. I made it up 87th (though, going back up 90th defeated me and I had to walk my bike), and over the 30 blocks to where the family lives without it killing me! Hurrah! I think I'll continue to bike as long as the weather holds.

Being home is lovely. I've busied myself getting my house put back together, and trying to make our living room more usable, instead of the repository of stuff from various tenants, current and prior. I'm scrapbooking at Becky's, my quilt is there too, and cleaning at my house when I'm home. The cats stretch out across the back of the couch and nap every time I sit down, and it's very cuddly and purry as we sit in the sunny window and laze our way through the afternoon. How nice to be home, except for missing show people terribly...

Things are winding down...

Tonight is closing night of Kiss Me Kate. Two more performances of Sound of Music on Saturday and Sunday. I sent home three boxes with my friends who were in town this week, and have begun filling all my free time with "lasts" with cast mates. Last night was the last Project Runway/Shear Genius post-show with the Captain, today is the Last Sewing Day with my Liesl, tomorrow morning we strike the Kiss Me Kate stage, then my Last Hair date with Sugar (my understudy for Sound of Music, and the lead of the third show). Last two shows, Last company picnic (technically only the second of those, but last goes with the theme), then leaving town either after the picnic, or the next morning. Many of my favorite castmates have to miss the picnic to head back to schools and performance programs that have already started, so it'll be a bit of a letdown. Two other people I spend time with (The Captain and Franz) will be in rehearsals all day starting Monday, and I won't be able to see them anyway before I leave. I may have already had my Last Waitressing, but may also get to work Labor Day. We'll see.

I'm excited to head back to Seattle. I have my next few day gigs lined up, and a callback scheduled already. I have two more shows I'm trying to get auditions for for the fall, and the feeling I'm getting here is that people don't expect to see me back next year, because I'll be on to "better things" whatever those may be. Frankly, I'd be glad to come back to get a few more showy roles under my belt, and to play Maria to my Captain from this year, with this years director, if both come back. But March is a long way away...

Lots of nostalgia about leaving people I've grown to care about, and a role I love.

Plus the weather is overcast, which always makes me a bit weepy when I haven't had enough sleep. (4 hours last night, thanks to two hours of insomnia and birds singing early).

I'm looking forward to the next few months, feeling a lot more confident about being "marketable" in future auditions, and having a newly updated resume and photos on the Puget Sound Actor's site, which makes me look a lot cooler to people I'm sending my resumes to for auditions.

Professional Goals for the next few months: Color headshots, dance lessons, and monologue work. Monetary goals: paying off my credit card again, and paying off people who loaned me money to get started this year. Personal goals: not having to work quite so hard, and getting to enjoy the process more now that I'm a bit "established."

See you next in Seattle.

Singin' in the Rain

Another rainy night. Not a downpour like the understudy run, or a quick shower like a few weeks back, but a steady drizzle for most of the second act. The paths were quite slippery, but no one fell onstage.

A few unexpected sound effects. Someone did a "Lollypop" sound effect over our first kiss, which caused lots of laughter and rather ruined our moment. Then, a plane flew over during Edleweiss. As I walked down the isle I heard a woman tell someone how short I am - which I'm surprised is the first I've heard of it during this show. Normally I get variations on, "how does such a big voice come out of such a little girl."

The Captain and I discovered that we switch audience feedback by trading places in the receiving line. He gets more "you've got a beautiful voice" and I get more "and you were good, too." We tend to run a cycle of five or six comments apiece.

We had six buses tonight. We sang a quick reprise of Something Good, which made the bus happy. Another man asked the Captain if I enjoyed his kisses.

My hair changed colors yesterday. This town doesn't carry my color of Clairol, so I had to make 10 phone calls to my two directors to ok a one shade difference, decide which one shade difference it should be (lighte or darker), dye it, run by my main director's house to check the color, then check again tonight once my hairpiece was on to make sure it hadn't changed too much. Ahh, the theater.

The Hills are Alive

The Hills are...actually...Alive
One of the joys of live, outdoor theater (or theatre, if you want to be really snooty) is incorporating elements you can't control. Sometimes it's really neat - like firework noises opening night when the Nazis invaded. Sometimes it's not - like a train whistle in the middle of the love scene. Yesterday, though, as I wandered down the hillside singing, a bird flew across the horizon just about when I sing about birds, and then right behind me, in a tree, a black squirrel hopped around and chattered from a branch. Sunset also happened during the song, and behind me from the audience's point of view, fluffy pink clouds floated by overhead. Pretty nice effect.

I am one critter away from a Disney Princess, though.

The Captain and I at a soiree for the major donors.

Moving Backwards: Some cute pictures from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Lilli (Katherine) and Lois (Bianca) backstage at the Understudy Run of Kiss Me Kate.

Seven left of the Sound of Music, Six left of Kiss Me Kate. When you enjoy working with people, twenty shows isn't nearly enough time to spend with them. I'm really not wanting Sound of Music to end.

One cast of kids, realizing they were on their second to last run, brought out a camera and ran around for hours backstage flashing the thing in our faces. Very annoying. I keep bringing mine, but never have time to snap pictures anyway.

I've checked out four new books from the library; another Madeleine L'Engle, the new Lois Lowry, At the Back of the North Wind by George McDonald, and The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit. I thought, when I checked the last one out, that the name seemed familiar. She must be the precurser to every author I love to read. Her writing (mid 19th to early 20th century) must have influenced P.L. Travers, C.S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowlings. (I wikipedia'd this morning, and found that Lewis does quote Nesbit as a big influence on Narnia - especially The Magician's Nephew.) I've been reading quite a bit of adult fiction, but several books I didn't finish. I began a book by Simone de Beauvoir, thinking I'd like her, but I grew tired of the hopelessness of the heroine, and started feeling her emotions rub off on me, so I put it aside. I used to count it a mark of honor to always finish a book I'd started, but, too many books to read, too little time to finish one I'm not liking.

More backstage conversations - this time, "Which Hogwarts house would you be in?" Apparantly there's a quiz out there somewhere. I'd hope for Griffindor, or Ravenclaw. Most others hoped for Griffindor, too. The Captain landed in Slytherin. I've taken the "Which Harry Potter character are you most like?" quiz. Surprise, surprise, I always end up Hermione. Even when I lie, and change my answers.

Three days off from shows for me, but I work Monday and Tuesday. I'm spending today doing as little as possible before another week of shows, and another double header on Saturday. My quilt is assembled, and I'll be quilting to Book 7 on CD today.

We've hit the halfway point. I have so many stories, and so many backstage happenings, but one of the downsides of being in professional theater is a limit on what I can publish - including several hundred wonderful pictures which would constitute a copyright violation.

It's been a great run, sold out every nigh but opening, and standing ovations almost every performance, except the last one, where it was so cold by curtain call that people were too swaddled to stand. We didn't take it personally. It's amazing to think that this show will be the means of making about 10,000 people happy this summer. How neat is that?

The best part of a long-ish (date wise, not show-wise) run is the developments that occur as the show goes along. I was out for cookies with one of my Liesls, and she was talking about the new things she finds each show: new motivation, new inflections. She said it's great, especially since it's her second summer in the role. I've been trying to find new ways to say things, especially in the emotional scenes, and I tried to pep up "Confidence" one a good friend warned me that it looked a bit forced.

My second show has just opened, and I'm still finding myself backstage panicking because a cue has come and gone, realizing just in time that it's the cue not for my own character, but the one I'm understudying. I asked the other female understudy if she was having the same problem. She is. It's too bad it's so dark backstage. With all the free time I have as my glorified walk-on, I could be quilting.

I splurged with my first acting paycheck and bought batting, so my quilt I brought along as my summer project is laid out, safety pinned, and I'm listening to the 7th Harry Potter on CD while I work on it. We had our hot tub up and running for a couple of days, but today it's been drained again. I spent both nights out in it, especially after the frozen SOM night.

Four week and I'll be back in Seattle.

07/25/08 On the Record

ON Magazine

* Yakima native Rachel Kunze is the latest to play Maria, the singing, skirt-twirling nun in the Leavenworth Summer Theater's production of "The Sound of Music."

This is the Leavenworth Summer Theatre's 14th consecutive season of performing "The Sound of Music," and the company expects to welcome its 100,000th guest to the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic sometime this summer.

Many will remember Kunze from her stunning portrayal of Catherine in the Warehouse Theatre Company's 2005 production of David Auburn's Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play "Proof." Kunze's performance earned her a Warehouse Winnie Award for Best Actress of the 2005-06 season.

"Sound of Music" performances continue through Aug. 31.

LST Recently Overheard

Me: "And what will I do if you come to my show and don't stay and say hi?"

Kurt: "Something about you'll hunt me down and kill me."

Me: "That's right."



Kurt: "They're BACK!...I mean...I found him!"


Man to the Captain: "Does she enjoy your kisses?"

Captain: "Well, I think so..." (People really fixate on the kissing scenes)


Rolf: *gasp*...I have a fruit roll-up in my pants!"


Woman to the Captain: "You make a much better Captain than a dancer." (Especially funny since he danced professionally for ten years in Seattle)


As I walked down the isle: "My, she's VERY short isn't she?"


A German tourist: "Ach! The mother is shorter than the daughter!


Girl after show: "Are you two married in REAL life?"

Captain and Me: "No, just in the play."

Girl (to her mother): "Well, they kissed A LOT!"



Liesl: "We couldn't find all the kids and Joseph got caught in his Liederhosen."



Nazi: "I almost got hit by a cuckoo kid."



Briar: "You guys are only people because you've stopped being butts."


Friedrich: "And then we all say, 'Father!'"

Liesl: "But not in unison. 'Cause that sounds dumb."



John: "And then you'll go tearing up the hill with the children so you can do the final pose before the lights come one."

Captain: "Come on Gretl! Move faster!"

Me: "LEAVE THE SMALL ONES BEHIND!"

Opening night of Kiss Me Kate tonight. My understudy performance on Monday went really well. I interpolated an F above high C into the cadenza, and actually performed the thing. That was the most exciting moment for me. The audience can't tell how high things are, really, but the cast did. I felt a little slow starting out in the show, but overall it was a very cohesive performance (considering it was only the understudies' second full runthrough). We had some good moments and a great audience. Now it's the regular cast's turn!

And, I got a role offered to me for Pinocchio through the fall, so I have my next show lined up!

Great day all around.

So at church today, the pastor was preaching on Mark chapter 7 - the one where Jesus calls the religious leaders hypocrites. The illustration went as follows:

"So let's define hypocrite for a moment. The word is a greek word, and is actually a Greek theatrical term referring to the masks that the actors would put on to portray characters in a play. Where's Rachel? Is she here today? Some of you may have seen her around. She helped out at VBS this week. She is also playing Maria in The Sound of Music this summer. After the games, she would have to leave to go get ready for her shows. As an actress, when she goes to the theater, she has to play a character that isn't her. This is what hypocrite means - the masks we wear."

It was actually really funny, after I stopped blushing furiously and trying to hide behind my Liesl, who was sitting with me that day. And the lady in front of me, who had been discussing the play before the service, turned around afterwords and said, "So, were you just sinking under the pew?"

Week two of the show is over, to great audience feedback. The night before last I "sound just like Julie Andrews," and last night the Captain was "better than Christopher Plummer." Several people told us they're going to go home and watch the movie now.

I'm still job hunting everywhere I can, but no luck so far. Business in town is very slow, and people just aren't hiring. Two more hotels posted front desk opening, which I'll go apply for. But having worked front desk several times, usually they don't want to train someone for less than two months worth of work. We'll see.

I had my first batch of friends come into town and see Friday night's show. It was great to see both of them, and Tasha with her theatrical background can offer constructive comments about what works well. We had breakfast at the local coffee shop, then walked along the river until it was time for them to go. It was lovely to have friends here.

Today we run Act 2 of Kiss Me Kate. I've got to go brush up on lines in case they get to understudies today.

Opening weekend was a success! We had a 3/4 full house on the 4th, and a full house on the 5th. I thought the second show went better than the first one, but both were good solid performances. I sang better the second night. The first night the wind was blowing and I felt dry and raspy for a few songs until my water kicked in.

Last night was a soiree for major donors. The leads from all three shows went and sang a song apiece. Afterwards we schmoozed. The Captain and I had several people come up to us who had been to the understudy performance. They all said the same thing; "Well, we saw your understudies, and really enjoyed it. You'd better do as well as they did." Huh. We looked at each other, smiled and said, "We'll do our best."

Really, what else can you say?

Opening Night.

Oh dear. Oh dear.

My hands starting shaking so badly an hour ago that I glued my braid to my hands instead of my headband.

I'm filling out my opening night cards now, and thinking about whether I'll be able to keep dinner down if I eat something.

Oh dear.

Watching Sound of Music

Watching

The Captain and I got to watch the understudy run tonight, and see what works and what doesn't. It's going to be an absolutely beautiful show. Beautiful setting, beautiful costumes, beautiful moments.

We were, however, wet, as a thunderstorm rolled through pre-show and dampened us all, but not our spirits.

Tomorrow, first dress!

Can't remember what day this is. Thursday, perhaps?

Blazing hot rehearsal this afternoon getting the dances shifted from our rehearsal space to the outdoor theater. Seriously cool set, and unbelievably nice vista from the audience over the mountain ranges that surround the ski hill. Tonight is a lengthy cue to cue rehearsal. I have a vocal rehearsal for the other show to go to in an hour or so.

A bit of boredom ensuing. We're so far ahead of schedule with Sound of Music that they keep cancelling rehearsals. Which is great for the people who live in town - they can get back to doing regular things. For me, it means more hours of bumming around my room twiddling my thumbs.

Today I'm running over to see the rehearsal for my director's other show, and then I'll be good and go schlepping for jobs again. It would be so nice to start working and refill the coffers a bit.

Last night was the first rehearsal with orchestra - always a rough proposition, but the conductor has done the show many many times, and all will quickly be well. Something Good needed an extra runthrough, and Confidence made their eyes go big - I change tempos a lot in the opening. But we all muddled through somehow.

Tonight is a dance rehearsal for Kiss Me Kate - I've not had to go so far, since I'm mainly set dressing. I hear its really fast and really good. I get to Lindy Hop at some point, hurrah!

And I'm off to see the Wizard now. Really. That's the kids show. The costumes were lined up around the room during last night's rehearsal, and I was itching to put on a munchkin hat. The one with the big flower on it. But I didn't, since I am a professional.

And there was a big sign saying:

DO NOT TOUCH
NOT NO ONE
NOT NO HOW

Triple Act II runthrough today, after a morning of review rehearsals. The first run was a bit clunky, but the last was great. Tomorrow our first full run.

I'm feeling a bit dry, and hoping I'm not getting the cold that one of our Kurts has brought to rehearsals. I think it's just aclimating to the desert after living on the coast. I can't seem to drink enough water to stay hydrated for longer than a few hours. My huge water bottle sprung a leak at rehearsals the other day, so I'm relying on the fountain.

Personal victory, I have now climbed the hill to my house on my bike twice without getting off and walking the last bit. Next goal is to be able to do it while singing "Doe a Deer" at the top of my lungs. I also got a library card - and checked out the Hitchhiker's Guide to read this weekend.

An endless runthrough with the kids, who are all doing a great job, but with double casting we run and run and run the kids songs. A break, and an hour Laendler review.

It's really starting to look good, and we have our first Act 1 runthrough tonight. It's going to be nice to put everything together finally. I'm going to stop by to see the manager at a job I'm hoping to get lined up so I can stop wondering when that's going to fall into place, and then rest for a few hours until its time for a review before the run.

I got my first full night's sleep last night, and am feeling good, if a little tired of singing the closing number over and over and over and over.

Last night was complete schizophrenia. I had to remember my own blocking, the blocking of the lead I'mm understudying, and then out of the blue, I found out I'mm also in the chorus as a completely different character, and I have to learn more music. Not a huge deal since I already am in the scene, but more to do.

Today we blocked our last kids number. The only dance we have left is the Laendler. That happens...thursday? I've lost track. Today Maria was a little more centered. I'd gone completely overboard trying to get rid of my own rather prim mannerisms, and had to reign in my Maria-on-the-run persona. Putting on my character shoes fixed most of it. I'm also moving slower.

In my bit of spare time I'm going to eat lunch and go to safeway to buy hairspray. Then, rehearsals until 10. The long days have commenced in earnest, and I'm raring to go. First full Act-1 runthrough on Thursday night.

Like Solvang

It's beginning to feel a lot like Solvang...

Well, here I am, writing to you from the Library - slash - Civic Offices Building in downtown. My bike is up and running, and I thought it would be good now to take advantage of a rather long lunch break that will rarely be repeated in the next few weeks.

The weather is sunny and warm. Walking to rehearsal this morning I was able to air my glittery short skirt - the only above-the-knees anything I've worn in ages. Looking down, I could see my legs shining white in the morning sunshine.

Today is a Kiss Me Kate day. We have one vocal rehearsal this afternoon for Marias and Captains, but all the blocking tonight is for the other. I added mayo to my tuna salad a la Becky, and may make it last two or three lunches. I filled my car with all the groceries I had in the house, and stopped at an outlet store to pick up the obligatory Ramen Noodles (3.00 for 12), Macaroni and Cheese (off brand, 3 for 1.00), some produce and a box of dented Cheese-its. The above must last until I can start working in July, so any stretching I can do is necessary. I also brought along some yeast and flour - to bake bread when I run out of my current loaf. Ah the life of a performer.

I didn't want to add extra gas in my car, since the plan is to ride my bike everywhere and not use my car again until its time to go home. So I was gaging my gas usage, furious at anyone who made me brake suddenly, or come off cruise control, and pulled into town just as the gas light came on. Hurrah!

Now I'm on my own power, settled into my little room. The windows must be on the East Side of the house - because I woke at 5:54 with sun in my room. It's a lovely little place. I'm all unpacked and settled in, with my coffee maker in my room as well. This morning I slept in a bit, brewed coffee, did a smattering of yoga to wear off the road-weariness, showered and walked the quarter mile to rehearsal. I love the weather here, and walking down the road with the farms on the ground and mountains on all sides, it's all I can do not to throw out my arms and twirl a-la Julie Andrews.

Now I'm going to bike around and try not to break any laws as I find milk for my coffee. Hopefully someone has a sale.

Ciao all!

Last day of Sanity

Last Day of Sanity

Today is the end of my vacation. Tomorrow I head back down for one more post-op appointment, then board the plane for home.

I've had a great trip. I ate at Manny's twice - and had our chicken avacado burrito, Drea. I had some chocolate at Rocky Mountain, coffee and Wendy's, sang at Fess' Inn on Thursday, sang in church today (after which a lot of people, upon learning that I act - not sing - for a living, expressed incredulity that a person with my voice would do anything but stand up and sing, which I find boring compared to DOING a SHOW), had Thai at Boonie's one town north, ate at the waterfront one town South, and wandered the Paseo eating Ben and Jerry's from a cone.

My vision is 20:20 now, and isn't dry anymore, and in another day or so I'll be able to wear eye makeup again. Very very exciting for me - since I love to dress them up.

I've had lots of chances to nap, sit in the sun, and watch late-night sitcom reruns while resting. I've also practiced some, and ran lines, and feel ready for rehearsals to start. I have some more ideas to try in the kids songs and with the Captain.

I have 48 hours at home, while packing to leave for my summer shows. I've got to meet up with Fred, pack up my room, load my car, make a key, move in my subletter, and have coffee with Bean on the road - where I'll give her the bridal shower present that's been sitting in my car.

Then, 3 weeks of 8am-10pm rehearsals, and my first show opens!

Ta for now - see you when the dust settles.

I CAN SEE! I CAN SEE!!!

I'm also very tired from getting my eyes fried yesterday.

But I can see signs and words and hills and mountains and in the mirror and flowers and my feet and that I need a pedicure and that I left conditioner in my hair trying not to get water in my eyes in the shower and the birds and the television and my hand when I wake up and don't have to look for my glasses after all.

It's really nice.

Going Crazy

Only time for a short one. I'm trying to get out of town shortly. All my bills are paid, the cats fed, my suitcase packed.

I'm trying to make copies of my resume, but this computer won't let me. I'll have to stop by Miles and Becky's before I go.

I'm in rehearsal this weekend, then getting my eyes fixed next week, then moving for the summer. It's all snuck up on me, but I'm prepared already, so I'm not worried.

I've got to go make copies of my work schedule for taxes, and copies of my music for singing next Thursday. I should anticipate that I'll also be asked to sing in church on Sunday, but I think I'll leave that to chance.

I'll talk to you guys probably from California.

In a twist, my new side job has me spending hours typing sentences like this:

Also regionally, vegetation cover is sensitive to the differences between the gravelly fanglomerates of the bajadas and the alluvium of the valley floor.

Western Christianity

I've got a bit of a rant coming, so be warned:

I recently went into a Christian Bookstore. Normally I avoid those places like the plague, as in order to get to anything of value (ie Bibles, good Christian authors, Classics, Reference, perhaps even some music) you have to wade through endless shelves, rows and piles of Christian stuff.

So I went in, looking for an NRSV Bible to pricecheck. My old NIV fell apart in Cambodia (I'm missing all of my reference material, and parts of Revalation - which to me, is not much of loss. I don't like that book much anyway, except in parts. Caused me endless nightmares at a child.) and one of our speakers read from NRSV and I like the translation.

As I walked through trying, first, to located the Bibles (Grievance one: shouldn't that be THE MOST obvious thing in the store? Right up front where one might walk in and steal one because it's so accessible - and more power to them if they did, might be useful to them, in the end) I passed the statues, the plaques, the coffee cups and wall art. The streamers and banners and greeting cards. The glossy self-help books and End times fiction, movies, cds, stickers, pins, pens, bookends, christmas ornaments, placards. And I finally found the Bibles. But not "regular" ones. There were commemorative ones, shortened ones, paraphrased, for Dads, for Grads, for Moms, for Army and Navy men and women.

I'm not a translation snob. There are some I like better than others, and some I don't like at all (The message kills me, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy it for someone who wants a fresh revision or will get lost by all the historical and cultural references). I love that we have some options, and can understand what we're reading better by reading another translation and getting something new out of it. But all of these special editions were superfluous.

I didn't find what I was looking for, and I made a hasty exit before I started to cry - which is my reaction to a lot of Christian crap.

Christian Bookstores are deeply antithetical to the teachings of Christ.

There is nothing wrong with 'Christian Enrichment' per se. We are very very lucky to have such a wealth of Christian authors and the freedom to read them. In Cambodia the only Christian authors that have been translated for them are the ones going through doing crusades and faith healing movements, and some of their books are less than orthodox.

We have no business to be spending our excess in this fashion. We are very wealthy. We have lots of money to spend, but we should be putting it to better use than filling our houses, cars, and bodies will themed decorations. With all of the people lacking in our world; the 30,000 children who die every day from preventable and treatable diseases; the many natural disasters and unnatural ones; the children lacking basic education and sanitation; the girls subjected to slavery and rape by their parents and villages; and the billions who will never know that there is a God who loves them; we have no business to be supporting an industry of producing crap for our own display.

With all the privileges we have - and being wealthy is a great privilege. On a worldwide scale, even those of us who consider ourselves just barely making it are in the top 10% of living. If you own two cars for your family you just jumped to the top 5%. God gives us this incredible opportunity to use our money to do such good in this world, and we squander it. Giving money away isn't a burden, it's a joy to have the excess to spread around and do good. Many Christians in this world would love to have what we have, and would use it far better.

What are we thinking?

Between all the odd jobs, role learning (two days have gone by since my last practice sesson, but the sun has been out for three days - a miraculous thing in Seattle, and it justifies letting everything else go while you move 'round your porch playing lizard.), cleaning, and getting ready to leave town in two weeks, I've found a new hobby.

It came about like this. One morning the girls got up early, so the Younger One started flipping channels and found Bob Ross. She exclaimed that she loves him, and I agreed (I painted a few happy little trees at a summer painting class), and we watched PBS. The next morning, early again, we flipped on PBS and found an art show, and one of the guest artists was into Artist Trading Cards.

What the heck are those, I wondered.

Well, artsy people worldwide create minature art on trading card size pieces of paper (or metal, or whatever) Anything goes, except you have to keep within the required size (2.5" X 3.5"), and you cannot sell them, only trade them for others by mail or at ATC meetings.

Amateurs and professionals do these, and then trade them with people all over the globe. How cool is that!!?

And it's a great way to use up those tiny leftover pieces of scrapbooking paper that's too big to throw away, but too small to use.

I've made ten so far.



...Oh, and check out this site for some really neat ones!!!

A Smattering

This month is speeding by, and it's only just begun.

The countdown is on for June, when I go to California to get lasik done by a specialist, then return home to pack and leave for the summer! I don't believe that it's possible to "tempt fate" - so I'll just say it - I'm very excited that in less than a month, barring complications, I'll be able to see again for the first time since I was five years old!

I'm going through Sound of Music on average of three times per song, and one complete run through each day (I had to take a break over the weekend - it's too early to be getting tired of the musical already). Yesterday I sang for an hour and a half. I'd really like to get my Kiss Me Kate score already. I have two more roles to learn, and it would be nice to get started! (Oh, for those who don't know -surely I posted it SOMEwhere down there - I'm playing Maria in Sound of Music, and Hattie and understudying Kate in Kiss Me Kate this summer)

I'm hired now by three temp agencies, Nannying, Filing Books at my local used bookstore, and now entering bibliographical information into Endnotes from stacks of journals. You would think that I'd be making ends meet since my shows ended a week ago, but the truth is, things are very tight. I'm really banking on my tax return and economic stimulus check showing up soon. So far, between three agencies, I've only had a day of work.

My roommates are both gone for the next few days, so it'll be all Sound of Music, all the time.

And I've managed to clean a good portion of my car out, pick up my room, make my bed, and finish several sewing projects I've been meaning to do, but didn't, since I hadn't set up my sewing station yet. Now it's up, and I'm off like houses afire.

As I was walking home from some errands today, I crossed the street in front of an older gentleman who let me by. He leaned out his car and offered me a ride. I do not make it a habit to pick up rides from strange men, (or women for that matter, but none of them have ever asked me), but I DID want to get to the library today, and getting a ride from him made things so much faster...

So I accepted. He's retired and very polite...

And he hit on me.

Huh.

On the plus side, I'm a "very pretty lady."

I discovered at my lasic appointment last week that I can no longer see even the big E.

Interesting nonsequiter from today's show:

Me: "What do you think will happen next?"
Boy: "You'll be naked?"
Me: (In a tone of a maidenly aunt) "I should certainly hope not."

(I think all the british lit I'm reading is getting the better of me."

Me: "I have the chance to go to Yakima this weekend to visit my family."
Holly: "I didn't think there were any Jewish people in Yakima."

It's snowing today. Hard. With a bit of hail and rain thrown in. And lightning, of all things. We decided either global warming has taken a turn for the worse, or the apocalypse is here.

Tomorrow I have an audition for some industrial work. It isn't glamorous, but it pays the bills. (Industrial work is all of the acted out employee training or sensitivity lectures. Bet you didn't know they hired real actors for that, did you? Ditto, in film, for all corporate training videos and those flight safety informational featurettes.)

Alice's Wonderland is drawing to a close. Yesterday was hellishly cute. After the Red Queen threatened to cut everyone's head off, and retired backstage in a snit, the kids took my suggestion to hide at face value, and eight of them crowded under the set table and behind the curtains. I had to do an operatic move - namely, hide a bunch of people behind my skirts. Holly came out and broke character.

I decided that, in the face of an appalling lack of spring clothing, I could spend my Alice money this week to find two pairs of pants. And anything else I could afford for $36. As a woman on a mission who hates jeans shopping more than anything else (except swimsuits), I was proactive. I went to my favorite thrift store first, and invested in a girdle. Everything fit nicer after that, and at Goodwill, I found one pair of jeans that fits except for hemming, and three tops! All told, I spent $32 on clothes today. I feel very accomplished.

Having done my spring shopping, it began to snow as soon as I got home.

It's a very religious day in Seattle today.

My bus was filled with people dressed up like proper Asian Buddhists for the appearance of the Dalai Lhama. Which I understand if you're of Asian descent and can conceivably worship in an ultra conservative wat-esque way. I was trying very hard on the bus not to judge the obviously western caucasian people dressed the same way, but then I went to my favorite chocolate shop, and I mentioned the costumes, and she said, "Were they white?" I said "Thank you! I know, right?" (I haven't been to enough Christian conferences to know for sure, but I don't recall anyone dressing like a biblical disciple, or a Catholic Priest or whatever to show solidarity - although we do wear enough Jesus t-shirts, wristbands, hats, and bumper stickers to be equally silly-looking in my mind).

I digress.

On the bus ride back the Christians were picketing the Christian Scientist building.

Today is the dreaded taxes day. Well, not so dreaded as I did all of the adding and computing yesterday, and now have only to go get a fresh copy of all of my forms and submit the thing. If I did everything correctly (Oh PLEASE!) I'm getting a nice refund. Plus the money our Mr. President is giving us back to make us feel better about our economy - instead of paying off our deficit.

Last night was a stay at home moving night for me. Hurrah! I've been running like mad this week. One of the former roommates had left behind two Danny Kaye movies. One of them, The Court Jester, was fantastic! Glynes Johns was the leading lady (Mrs. Banks from Mary Poppins), and Angela Lansbury was the Princess -and almost unrecognizable. All of the performances I've seen her in were from later in her career. Danny Kaye, of course, was brilliant as usual. And there are some immortal lines, like the "Flagon with the Flagon" speech.

I'm doing one more show of Alice this weekend, and 8 more shows of both roles from now until the end of the run on the 27th. Tech for Cinderella is Monday, and I perform two shows on the 29th.

I sat on the bus coming home yesterday with this woman across from me hollering into her cell phone almost the entire ride. She spoke very slowly, and was trying to get a prescription written from a receptionist in an office. As the bus went up hills or sped up, she got louder and louder to compensate - until I found myself humming to myself to escape from the noise. Finally, towards the end, she bellowed "I'm only slightly mentally ill!" That explained it. But it was very odd to sense behind me the discomfort of all of the other passengers, and to watch the faces of people getting on the bus who had to pass by the barrage to get to their seats. I feel sorry for the yelling lady, and glad she seems to be managing so well. My ears were ringing, though.

We had our wrap party for "November" which is currently up for awards at the 168 Festival in LA. Our lead actress is also up for an award for her performance. I won an award as well - on behalf of my cast and crew, at least.

The Scarlett O'Hara Award - for ability to make costumes out of common household items.

My Florida working vacation is almost over. So far no major catastrophies other than one child being rather sunburned. They're out shopping for "Lillys" right now, so I'm cleaning clothes and preparing to pack suitcases.

It's been pretty good. Other than the desperation that comes from trying to keep two girls (ages 7 and 10) on their best behavior all the time. Another unforseen problem, trying to get them to converse with Grandmama at the table. Trying to keep the playing from turning into fighting is a given, but since they operate in much the same way as my sister and I did at that age, I feel I've got a good handle on the dynamic.

It's funny, not having children of my own, how much work it is to be "mom" all day. I can't complete a phone call without someone calling for me, or needing me. I eat only after they've scarfed and left, and I disappoint them when I spend an hour in the pool with them, and the WHOLE REST OF THE DAY reading by the poolside, watching for drowning or unfair playing, and dragging them out to reapply sunscreen.

The best part of the trip was the eldest picking out the first book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as her reading. Which, actually, became my reading - as I read them to bed at night, and on long car trips. I'm doing all the voices - though Pippin and Merry I haven't figured out yet. They kind of fluctuate between Irish and Yorkshire. Frodo is very proper British, and the Elves all talk very slowly - though not as slowly as Fangorn would, if we were to get there. Gandalf is the hardest -my voice doesn't go that low. (This is sort of a cop-out, but their parents did say to either have them read, or read to them. And since the youngest loves Lord of the Rings, and spent an hour in the pool one night grilling me for back history, it didn't seem fair not to let them both enjoy it. I had the oldest help me read my script last night - and she played half the characters. That counts).

So that's it. I hear the washing machine has stopped, so I'd better go take care of that.

Ciao from Florida!

Congratulations

Congratulations to Maurleine, one of my sponsor children, who just Graduated from the Compassion Program. One more woman in the world who has been allowed a chance to expand and grow and learn. It is an amazing thing for a girl in her country to go to school, much less to complete her education (the equivalent of finishing high school) and I'm very very proud of her!

If you'd like to give the gift of education to someone yourself, click the compassion icon on my sidebar and check into it!

Florida

Toddlers are the best form of birth control. I'm in Florida nannying my own usual charges, but their Aunt and two cousins (ages 5 and 2 1/2) are here as well. They fly out this evening after extending their trip a few days. They are a handful. The noise level is tremendous. And the Aunt, who was a lovely professional woman, now converses by way of a constant dialogue interspersed with indictments to her children, or answers to their millions of questions.

Would it be possible, do you think, to have a baby and then ship them off until they are, say 7?

Otherwise my working vacation is lovely. I spend ages in the pool, yesterday was at the beach, and we go every day to the ice cream store. I bought a new straw hat yesterday with a wonderful floppy brim, and there's an alligator in the fountain at the entrance of the resort. He comes complete with his own egret, who stalks around the pond and stares in the direction of the alligator, so you always know where he is. He's been removed by the grounds staff several times, but always comes tromping back to his habitat.

Tomorrow we're to go see the Everglades.

Leavenworth

The letter has come in - I'm playing Maria in Sound of Music, Hattie in Kiss Me Kate, and understudying Kate/Lilli in Kiss Me Kate. I'm so excited! So I'll be out of town for 10 weeks rehearsing for my 30 shows, and hopefully working some too.

Roommates

Well, and now I'm sick. Which always happens after a stressful week -- and with my job going to heck this week, and my immediate resignation on Tuesday, now I'm spending my Saturday with a cold. On the plus side, I have nothing scheduled for today except a costume fitting. And getting my room back in shape from being gone all weekend followed by houseguests.

My roommates have all been home, and this week has been a guest haven. I had Drea here for four days, Denise here overnight, and my whole family in for dinner. One roommate's boyfriend (who won brownie points last night for bringing me popcicles for my sore throat) was in again, and the other roommate has a friend up from Eugene staying on the recently vacated sleeper sofa.

I'm leaving next week for a week and a half nannying in Florida. Very excited. Should have been getting in shape all spring, but have instead been munching on whatever suits my fancy at any given moment. I do not want to see what I look like in a swimsuit just now -- added to pale-and-pasty Seattle skin (which in any other context I love - just means lots of big hats and SPF 50) which will look out of place in the land of fakenbake.

I finally went on yesterday as the actor number two in Alice's Wonderland. I'd only had an accent rehearsal - no physical one, so I was very nervous trying to remember my entrances, and no idea of how long my fast changes could take. All went well, however, and somewhere around the Cheshire Cat everything clicked into place.

Also, the 1985 made-for-tv Alice in Wonderland was just released on DVD for the first time. I bought my copy yesterday!

And that's all for me today. I'm off to clean my room, drink my cafe au lait, and eventually get dressed and go to my fitting.

November

November

OH and the film I costumed, that we sent into here, has been nominated as one of the 20 best films submitted - and therefore will be shown at the festival, and is up for best film, as well as many acting and production awards.

Happy Bloody St. Patrick's Day

Yesterday was miserable. At work they had me scheduled for upstairs, which the bartenders quickly contested, because they don't usually have a waitress upstairs as there's no computer terminal for them to place orders. Then, after following my bosses around to try to find out what I was supposed to do, I was given a basket and told to circulate with sandwiches. After I got over the frustration of not knowing what I was supposed to do with myself, coupled with not having worked all weekend - so being out of the loop (my own fault - out of town audition), I became the "Little Sandwich Girl."

Well, I busted my butt, and sold so many that the kitchen had to start an assembly line to make more once we ran out, and all was going well...until someone stole my waiters notebook with all my big bills in it - $180 worth of cash - out of my apron pocket as I walked by. I spent the rest of the night selling like mad just trying to break even for the night. I came up $50 short even still. Everyone 'felt bad' for me, but I management's stance was 'well, that's why you have to be careful with your money.' So far now, in four weeks I've had to eat over $300 at this place, plus all the nights I came in and paid for bus or parking, only to get sent home an hour or two later, plus the nights I bussed those first two weeks and was never tipped out by anyone. I think, all in all, I may have broken even this month, but only barely.

Cinderella

I just was offered, and accepted, a position with Storybook Theater as an understudy for one of the Stepsisters in an original musical production of Cinderella. Pretty cool, huh? This show opens about a week and a half before Alice closes, and runs through the end of the school year. I'm guaranteed at least one day of multiple performances, but they said in the last show they actually used their understudies quite a bit. That gets me up to June something-eth with continuous theatrical employment since November.

Also this weekend is the Leavenworth Summer Theater audition.

Alice's Wonderland

Here's a cast photo of Holly and me in Alice's Wonderland this morning! We began rehearsals as the C-cast, but have rotated around so much now every body's worked with everybody else. I begin rehearsals this week to start playing "Everybody Else" as well - The White Rabbit, The Caterpillar, The Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter, and The Red Queen.

November Shoot

Just a few pictures of the crew from my shoot. We spent four days filming, which was absolutely great! I had so much fun, and worked so hard - often sewing on set, then going home to work until midnight or later finishing up the costumes for the next day's shoot.

The cast was amazing, our lead actress had such an emotional depth to draw from I was duly impressed. Our crew and directors were very professional, and worked very hard to make a really wonderful film, short, and under a deadline though it may be.

On the set, day one, with Roach, Natasha, Constance and Ben

With Ben and Eric final checking the extras.

Myself as Natasha's stand-in.

MLK- In His Own Words

Martin Luther King - In His Own Words Cast.

This is Me, Charles, and Andy, the touring team of three that went round to schools in the Puget sound during January, doing a 30 minute play about Martin Luther King's Life. It was a lot of fun, and as driver, I got to pick the music on the long car trips. Mostly, since it was very early, they slept. We always were surprised by the kids' questions at the end. Almost every time we got a kid ask "where was he shot?" followed by "no, where on his body?" when we answered with the locale. Then "what kind of bullet..." etc. We did get some good questions too, like, "will segregation ever come back again?" To which a teacher replied by asking the school, "I don't know -- will you ever let it come back again?"

The only part of the show I didn't like was my eyes giving out again, and having to wear my glasses. But then I found out that having an actress in front of the kids wearing glasses, made some kids feel better about having to wear them themselves. I grew reconciled after that. Well, almost.

Update

So, sorry for the long delays between posts. Many many things have been happening recently, most of which I either couldn't talk about, or didn't have time to.

One of them was work, which has been going badly for a long time, but of course blog-law says not to talk about it. Tomorrow is my last day, and I've just been gutting it out. These past couple have been sooooo hard -- I've started my new show, which is paid, last week I was nannying, also paid, started a new job - to cover this one, since I could see the handwriting on the wall for the current one, and starting production meetings for the movie I'm costuming this week. It has been insanely busy (following almost a solid month of inactivity, Teri, because of the pass closure, and all my money being tied up in moving), but getting less each week. Three weeks from now should be lovely.

I realized again today how much music can affect me. As I've spent the last few days forcing myself to not walk out - as I desperately want to, I've been listening to the "cool favorites" station at work. It's not a bad channel. In the evenings I can't stand it because the DELILAH show (gag!) is on, but during the day they play a lot of pleasant music. Somehow, when I think I can't last one more minute, the Cranberries song from You've Got Mail plays, or that Hawaiian "Over the Rainbow" (also in You've Got Mail), or something else fun, and for that three minutes life is ok again, and I'm not fuming over how much I loathe this job, and how much I have to do today that I'd rather be doing. But tomorrow is it.

I've had one week of Alice in Wonderland, and the shows have got well. The kids, as always in this genre, always give me a run for my money, and I never know what they'll say or do or laugh at. It's different every day. Thursday I had to do the show blind, as my eyes have completely wigged out again from using my contacts the first two shows. It's fun to prance around in a frilly blue dress and pinafore for a few hours a day, acting young and emphatic, and watching my fellow actress play the other six characters.

Life at the new job is so far slow, but doable. My manager and I need to have a talk though. She keeps putting me on the schedule when I'm not really needed just to "give me hours." I finally had to let her know yesterday that I have plenty of "just hours" elsewhere, what I need here is just a couple of nights or days good serving. The other three or four jobs (soon two or three) can take care of "hours" and I'd rather have the time right now. I'm going in tonight to waitress.

I'm costuming a film for the 168 project this week, which is very exciting, and I'm having a great time working out how to reproduce my designs, but since its for a competition, I can't discuss anything at all until the film is finished.

And now I'm off to nap. Last night there was great upheaval and crashing about in the middle of the night, which, as it turned out, was my roommate getting hauled off to the hospital by four EMTs. Very exciting stuff.

So much to do, so little time

So much going on, don't even have time to breathe, much less write. My life seems to go through phases of nothing, followed by phases of anything-that-can-be-packed-in. Right now, it's packed in. I've been slated to nanny this week, on top of barista-ing for a while now. Then I got into a show that has rehearsals this week before I open as Alice next monday. Then, realizing I was never going to make it financially on my hourly pay, filled out an application to waitress, got hired after the shortest interview ever, and started right away, which also happened this week. So. I go from one thing to the other, often changing clothes in my car at stoplights.

The TPS general audition was this week (read - cattlecall!). I did my two minutes in between Nanny-Field-Trip Day and 2nd-Day-of-New-Work. I think it went well. I did a monologue from Proof, and my song from The Music Man -- that one usually goes well for me.

I also had another interesting audition this week, for a childrens theater company. I almost didn't go - since I'm so busy now I don't know where I'd fit something in. But I'm finding with acting, you never really know what'll happen next, so best to be overbooked in the short term, with continuous employment in the long term, than have to do the auditioning round in a panic after your show ends. Other than finding myself very interested in their next season of shows, they also caught a typo in my resume that would have gotten me blacklisted in Seattle had I not changed it (The typo listed my current show as the "Children's Theater" not "Children's Museum" - two separate entities. That could have been BAAAAAD!

That's all I've got time for. Tomorrow is a three job day. Then, I hope, I'll have Saturday night off -- at least, I do so far.

The House of Coffee

It's an interesting cultural quirk of Seattle - it's love of coffee. In no other city could there be this many independent places, right next door to national chains, and holding their own. Because coffee is a pastime here. It is not uncommon to start the day with a latte, and have several more throughout the day. Some friends of mine buy mocha on their morning walk, then make a pot of coffee to carry to work with them.

My roommates and I, in a household where we have a designated toaster corner - where, when I brought in my toaster oven another had to make it's way to storage because the corner was crowded - have a coffee maker apiece. We have one krupps duo coffee/espresso maker, one coffee maker with two refillable cups attached, and one barista style espresso maker.

I would be snarky, but the duo is mine, which, when I left all of my other belongings behind in a storage unit, remembered to pack my coffeemaker.

Alice's Wonderland

Guess who just got cast as Alice in Alice's Wonderland at the Children's Museum?

Just one of her genetic gifts

It's just one of her genetic gifts

Juno is amazing. I bought the soundtrack today I like it so much. Of course I've always been a sucker for odd quality folk music. It's similar to the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, but more contemporary. The majority of the songs are by various members of the Mouldy Peaches.

I had an audition Monday and an audition this morning. The one this morning felt good, but they've still got to see a few people. I hear they'll let me know this weekend sometime. The other one, well, it's hard to say. I never know how to judge film auditions since I'm not sure what to do in one. I think I'm slowly figuring out the balance of showing emotion without getting theatrical, but I'm not there yet. My new book, Acting for the Camera, should help.

I spent today after my audition shlepping around downtown Seattle, refilling everyone's TPS Guide coffers. I had half a box left from the first round, so I went around to all the hotels and handed them out to Concierge. They were all pleased. It makes their lives easier. Then I went to Sephora and bought some Babecake, walked to Pike's Place and dropped off the last of them in the free stuff kiosks, and went to Ivars on the waterfront for fish, which I ate, and chips which I fed to the million seagulls that clustered around my head.

I was tired, by then, of walking round in 3" heels, so caught the free bus to the monorail and rode it back to the Space Needle. Then I went home in the driving rain. (Sidenote: Everyone I talk to in California starts every conversation with 'how's the weather?' I live in Seattle. It's February. Doesn't it go without saying?)

I spent the afternoon working on answering emails, ordering headshots, and working on more of my script I'm doing for practice -- or really -- to see if I can do one. It's not original. I'm just adapting, but it's fun so far.

I headed over to Miles and Becky's to steal their guitar and learn to play two songs from the Juno Soundtrack. One of the songs has two chords and one has three, so not too hard, but the strumming pattern is too difficult for me to sing along, and I don't know all of the words yet anyway.

Much to do for my last day off of the week tomorrow. But I got laundry done, so I won't have to spend the day in my bathrobe. Probably will anyway. It's comfy.

Little Ghost Girl

A little ghost girl is in my head today.

Running ahead of me, she turns back to look at me.

Impish.

With dark sleek hair pulled back in a clip.

Tiny white teeth bared in a grin that is almost a grimace.

Her nose wrinkles.

My little ghost girl wears a dress perfect for twirling.

She runs across the grass on a sunny day.

The world isn't too big for all the adventures she's going to have.

She reminds me a little of a face I see every day.

My little ghost girl, bright and witty.

My little ghost girl, laughing and unafraid.

My little ghost girl, I can see her,

silhuetted between earth and sky.

Another Day Off

Another day off, finally. I've been juggling three jobs all week, and am very tired. I woke up late (8:30 - who'd have ever thought that would be sleeping in someday?) and have lain in bed reading and updating my reading/film journal.

It's a lovely journal. It's bound in red, pink and maroon ribbons, with endless clean sheets of white paper to fill. It ties with ribbons. I've long had my little quote book with a geisha on the cover, but someone recommended once, I've forgotten who, to write down every book I read. Necessary since sometimes I've forgotten if I've read something, and bought or checked it out again. A year or so ago I realized that I was doing the same think at Blockbuster, so I turned my journal upside down and began my film list upside down in the back.

This play is almost over, and I don't have another one to do. I've had no word from My Fair Lady, so I'm assuming at this point I didn't get it. Keeping up hope seems the workings of madness. There have been a few other auditions, but not many I'd be right for, and most now cut through the week I'm taking the kids I nanny to florida. So that's out.

I do have two costuming jobs coming up shortly. That will fill my time. The TPS general auditions are in three weeks. I have my song picked out, but need to decide whether to go modern or classical on my monologue. I need to practice like mad to make sure my shops are in shape again. I've also applied for a costuming job with a local theater company for their next two shows. I haven't heard back, but I've only just submitted myself.

I'm in my new apartment, and yesterday I went exploring 'round the area. There's a lot nearby, and the restore just down the road. Also a Goodwill and Value Village, for all my clothing needs. Minus underwear. I refuse to wear second hand underwear.