We apologize for the inconvenience:

Rachel is calling in dead on account of a personal life, and will emerge once the rainbows and bunnies go away.

My first weekend with a NEW and IMPROVED wig!!!!!!!!! I feel like a girl again! And a pretty one at that. My Laurey was much vainer today since she had such a pretty head of long yeller hair.

On the negative side, I got through the lines and the prologue to People Will Say We're In Love, sang my first "don't" - and my brain said ".....................s...s...sssssigh and gaze at me!" Then my brain said, "That's the second verse. The SECOND VERSE! What the hell is the first verse, 'cause I have blocking that goes with that one that I can't do here!!!" I managed to come back with a second line of "Don't please my folks too much..." but then had to sing "don't sigh and gaze at me" three times in the song, since that's how I start my reprise before I cry.

I tried out a high D in the reprise (before the second show), but my musical director nixed it. He said I have lovely tonsils, but it(the note, not my tonsils) detracted from the moment. I agreed, and thanked him for letting me try it. Oklahoma! has boring high notes.

I'm off to bed now. I was tired on the way home, but now I'm just wired.

I've had a particularly social week this week. After an entire summer of everyone I know being out of town doing summerstock, it's been lovely.

Monday I got off work early (after pouring coffee of a film director up from LA working on postproduction of a film that's made it into the Toronto Film Festival, and is using the composer from Little Miss Sunshine) and decided to spend the afternoon bumming around downtown. I walked from Pike's Place to Chinatown, stopping at a thrift store for a pair of nude fishnets and a few tank tops. Then I walked to the Goodwill Outlet for some more materials for Lachellybelly's next batch of items. I found a couple of things for myself, and a vintage pillowcase (for a skirt), some bohemian multi-fabric curtains (soon to be a peasant blouse), an eyelet tablerunner (possibly the frontpiece of a tux shirt), and the innards of a Bucilla Embroidery kit (when I pulled that out of my bag, Miles looked at me like I'd purchased garbage, but this morning I separated the colors and put them on spools - and I have a completely full embroidery kit now).

On my way home I took the bus through Greenwood instead of up Aurora, and on my way, Zandi called and wanted to know if I wanted to meet her for shopping. I was three stops from where she was standing. We met at the Library, then ran to Vietnamese for some pork fried noodles and root beer floats. Then we ran into a Vintage jeans store, and found Zandi two pairs that fit, and a pair of old Levi's button ups for me. No lycra (thank heavens). Then off to Labels where Zandi found a new sweater for headshots, and I got a headband and a string of pink pearls that goes to my waist even after I've looped it around my neck once. Fab.

Tuesday I worked. On my way out I heard from Julian (my high school prom date, in town from Germany for our ten year reunion) and agreed to meet him for coffee in Pioneer Square before he headed back to Ellensburg. I visited Diva Dolls on my way, after eating a salad in the park, and found that my favorite hat had sold. Sad day. Vintage purple cloche hat with polka dotted tulle. But they've started carrying a line of garters and seamed stockings. I'll be going back for a purchase once I find the perfect pencil skirt to wear with seamed stockings.

Coffee in Pioneer Square was perfect, and we got a picture of the two of us holding our prom picture. That should make it's way to facebook soon. I made my way home after stopping to check my email at the library, and Becky and I worked on our projects on the back porch until the sun went down. Gewurztraminer and hand embroidery don't mix well, but I did my best.

Today is my day off. I'm researching Hedda Gabler for the play I'm costuming (1890's costume - hurrah!), finishing my current dress and starting on the peasant blouse, then going with Becky to Louise's lakehouse for Thai takeout. Should be working on my monologues for an audition on Sunday.

Tomorrow night is the new season of Project Runway.

And my new wig came in the mail. Hopefully this one will last the duration of the show.

After all the debating, I'm glad I went to my ten year reunion. I met some people I hadn't seen in a long time, and got reaquainted with some people I barely knew a decade ago.

I found several people that live right near me in Seattle, and several of whom I'll be meeting up with later this summer.

Funny thing though. In the inevitable "what do you do" conversations, I was surprised to find that people got stammery and vague with me about "you know, working. Nothing exciting." They seemed to find my life exotic.

Well, casting has changed again, and I'm back to the Witch in Snow White, instead of one of the Dwarves.

There is more to life than theatrical projects, but not much these days. Which is good. The goal of building up the resume continues. Both resumes. I'm on now officially as a dwarf and the huntsman in Snow White for the fall, and I've taken on Ghostlight's fall show to costume. I'm still hoping for another evening play in there somewhere. Two shows and one costuming would fill out my fall nicely.

I'm starting to think ahead to slightly longer term goals, and have begun researching doing some national cattle calls this year. I'm not quite ready to leave Seattle, but I am feeling the need to cast out a little further for work opportunities.

Waitressing has cut back to two days a week. Livable, but not enough to save what I wanted to for the summer (my own fault since I'm not available to work weekends all summer). So it's back to retail next week. Time to start shifting my schedule to one that will acommodate Storybook.

Susan and Zandi were in town yesterday doing some auditions. They went to see Storybook's current show, and I met them for coffee. Today Erin is in town, and we're doing some shopping. I'm excited for the fall when several friends will be moving to Seattle permanently.

Oklahoma! is open. Outdoor theater is blazing hot, but throwing myself into the river between shows helps.

This week I'm just trying to stay cool as Seattle hit's an all-time high.

Work has slowed down since I'm not available for weekends anymore, but Banana wants me back, so all is well. Working on a few Lachellybelly items while I have free time.

Snow White rehearsals will start three weeks after Oklahoma! ends (I wonder, do I really need to put in the exclamation mark every time I mention it?). And I've agreed to costume Ghostlight Theatrical's Fall show. I was hoping for one more evening gig, but I may concentrate on oodles of dance classes instead, and wait for the SMT shows I'd like to audition for this season. (Company and 110 in the Shade).

Off to eat apple pie made from scratch this morning.

I've survived hell week, and have a day off. Hooray!

We did three solid shows opening weekend. I know every cast member had a moment they didn't like, and I was late for an entrance, but overall three very good shows at the end of our 10 show hell week. Everyone kept their voices, and now we have a chance to rest up for the next weekend. Curly and I are coming early for an al italiano blocking and line run.

The 3pm shows out doors are hot and humid. The weather is not meant to improve for next week. Under my costume I wear knee high stockings, black ankle boots, bloomers, chemise, corset, corset cover, and petticoat. In 80 degree heat and high humidity, it's a very heavy combination. (Besides the fact that the costumer in me appreciates the detail, my dresses look better with underpinnings - and my corsetted waist looks so tiny when my skirts are swirling like they're supposed to) The chorus starts shedding petticoats as it gets hotter. Between shows on Saturday, Curly and I shed our layers, threw on swimsuits, and hurled ourselves in the 38 degree river. I only went up to my waist last time. Next time I'm getting in up to my neck.

I've been asked my a director who saw me do the French reading two weeks ago to do her reading tonight. I'm going over the script today. I wasn't able to make their one rehearsal Thursday, so my introduction to her style will be in the half hour before we read at ArtsWest for SPS. (The same group and place as the last one)

I'm off to forage for coffee.

Hell week has commenced.

First dress for the ladies tonight. My wig should finally make an appearance. Rehearsal ended at midnight last night, and I was up at 6 after going to bed at quarter to 1.

This is the toughest venue I've ever had to sing in. Outdoor theater sans mics is essentially like singing into a vacuum. In this theater, the rake is so dramatic that in order to play to the back of house, one's head must be tilted almost all the way up. (The 2nd floor balcony of the farmhouse puts me face to face with the third to last row) What a killer on vocal production to have one's chin that high in the air. So one does one's best, and trusts that all will sound fine, even if one has no clue how one's voice sounds.

Now I'm off to sing in a corset and see if there's any way to be period and still breathe.

Hell week starts Sunday. All week I'll be working days, then commuting to the mountains at night. Once we open, my schedule should be fairly easy-ish.

I remembered last night why I have a general policy not to spend a lot of time killing time with groups of performers. (After show hangouts being the exception) Inevitably the conversations start about who's amazing, and who's not, who is up for the same roles you are, and who they heard got cast, and who didn't. I find auditioning manageable only if I can walk away and not think about it again. Or that's the theory. I'd rather not know who I'm up against, or how good everyone else thinks they are. Policy back firmly in place.

Oklahoma had a markedly good rehearsal last night. The chorus made every entrance on time and with enthusiasm, and our new track tempos are much sprightlier. My personal practice sessions are going well, even though I don't maintain it easily in the very difficult acoustics of our rehearsal space. (One room, like singing underwater, the other, an echo chamber) The dialect coach called in this week to monitor the cast approved my accent, and was very happy that we're pronouncing Catoosie correctly. (My personal mission)

My credit card is now paid off. Hoorah! This week I should be able to start saving for next season.

Last night my roommate and I went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince. I had not been especially looking forward to this installment, since I'm not thrilled with the new Dumbledore. But good directing makes a difference, and this director did a lovely job balancing plot and subplot, exchanging exposition for action, and keeping everything moving along. Kudos to Daniel Radcliffe for his acting in the "Felix" scene. Also to Ron Weasley for the Love Potion scene. Kudos to Narcissa Malfoy for perpetual tearage. Nice mention to Draco Malfoy as well for a greatly expanded role from his previous one liners. I missed Moaning Myrtle, but nothing else was terribly glaring that got cut. There wasn't too much additional shooting that didn't come from the book, and only one directoral decision is going to be difficult to overcome for a major plot point in the next film or two.

That's my two bits. On a side note, I've never seen so many teenyboppers using a wizarding movie as an excuse to wear hotpants. And I saw even a balding middle aged man dressed in Hogwarts robes. There was no possible way, either, to eat all the candy, popcorn and soda my roommate and I splurged on for the film.