In Memory of My Life Pre-Graduate School

I bought a VOGUE Magazine today. It's an old habit of mine that I haven't indulged in for a while. I simply haven't had time between acting classes, student films, plays, auditions and readings to concern myself with the frivolities Coco and Oscar can offer, but today, today I bought a March VOGUE. While I'm sure I'll very much enjoy the photography, the clothes, the interior design, and whatnot, a stipulation for my purchasing it was that it contained a theater section this month. I can't even look at a fluff magazine without concerning myself with the stage these days.
After an alarmingly difficult second quarter of graduate school, I am taking a few days to myself, spending my time reflecting on my studies, imagining my life and career as an actor, and preparing myself for the challenges ahead. Upon returning to school I will be auditioning for roles at the summer stock on Cape Cod where several of my classmates and I will be acting (I'm very excited to be living and working on the cape this summer). I am also readying myself to play a key role in Olympic Village a new play by David Mitchell Robinson, a third year playwright at Ohio University who's play Carapace won the 2010 Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition. Olympic Village will be part of Ohio University's annual spring playwright's festival.
So it's been nearly seven months of constantly eating and breathing acting, taking small breaks to consume organic produce from Athen's ample year round farmer's market, and I cannot say I'm unhappy. Even the days I feel totally overwhelmed, I still am happy to be where I am, learning as much as I am. Of course, someday I look forward to buying a fashion magazine without checking for a theater section.

Show Stills from Proof

This is the Week

Hey y'all,
(I felt the need to begin this post the way my Texan of a director begins her notes at the end of a run).
Just a quick note to let you know that this is the week! This Friday my first full production as an acting graduate student is opening. I am playing Catherine in Proof. We have a very strong cast and production team, and I am so excited to share our hard work with all of you!
I am constantly amazed by the fantastic work that is produced here at Ohio University. This past weekend I saw the first full production of the award winning Carapace written by our very own David Mitchell Robinson. It was an extremely captivating and moving piece. A big congratulations from me to the cast and crew!

Slogging

Slog, Slogged, Slog-ging, Slogs -verb- 1. To walk or progress with a slow heavy pace; plod, 2. To work diligently for long hours
This is one of my favorite words in David Auburn's Proof, which I am currently working on at Ohio University in an all graduate student cast. I play Catherine.
I think it's my favorite word because I have the opportunity to use it so often in my real life these days. It's the second term of my three year Masters in Fine Arts acting program, and I am slogging. It's not that graduate school is terrible, it's simply that it is forcing me to work on some of my most difficult and reoccurring acting problems. Which is easier said than done. In case any of you are under the impression and unfortunately common misconception that acting is easy, you're wrong. Acting is, in fact, incredibly hard.
I am, however, trying not to be discouraged, and I repeat my personal mottos to myself all day.
1. Failing is good. If we do not fail, we do not grow. We must fail, and fail harder.
2. I went to graduate school to become a better actor, and although attempting to let go of my bad habits is frustrating, it is worth it.
3. I must remember to give my all in my work here, and if I continue to do that I will ultimately succeed.
In other words, I'll be fine.
Proof is going quite well. Catherine is an extremely challenging character and I am doing my best to manage her. As a cast we are doing very well. Only half way through our rehearsal process, we have worked all the way through doing a second round of scene work through Act I, and we find ourselves in a place of great exploration, curiosity, and promise. I am pleased.
Add that to all the class work, and of course the fun things like Friday night madnesses and you have quite a party!
Speaking of Friday night madnesses, this photograph was taken by Andy Black last Friday before the show. The man in it is Scot West, a talented third year MFA student who co-stared in Andy's short piece with me.

Back

After such a long stretch in Oregon over the holidays, getting back to being a graduate student in Athens, Ohio, is a little shocking. Suddenly my world has gotten a lot smaller (this town is tiny), and my life has gotten a lot busier. Yesterday, for example, was not only my first day of classes (acting class included), but I also did a play reading and went to my first rehearsal for Proof. I'll be playing Catherine in February in an all graduate student cast. A very talented all graduate student cast I might add. We're also working with a very enthusiastic graduate student director. I'll certainly be working to keep up with my colleagues on this one. Everyone is really passionate about the project, though. We just began last night with a read-through and some table work, but the conversations that are happening about the play are already really interesting and exciting.

Christmas Carol at PCS

Christmas time is sometimes as hectic as it is joyful. Why, I've attended three different holiday parties this week alone, but when a friend of mine invited me on a group outing to see A Christmas Carol at Portland Center Stage (PCS) somewhere between fretting about gift buying and what to do for New Years, I found I just couldn't say "no." Maybe it was because Dicken's ghost of Christmas past was tugging at me, because I knew I would be in for a night of really interesting special effects, or because two of the Northwest's very talented theatre practitioners (Rose Riodan, direction, and Mead Hunter, adaptation) had brought the show to life this year, but despite the particular reason, I was compelled to go.
I can honestly say, from the bottom of my heart, that it was my favorite production of A Christmas Carol I have ever seen. Yes, it's the same old story, yes, it's certainly a little silly, but for me it recaptured some of the magic of this season that tends to lose its sparkle as we grow older. Jacob Marley was terrifying, the snow was beautiful, the way objects would occasionally move about by themselves or voices would resound in eerie whispers across the house was ever so spooky, and Ebbe Roe Smith's Ebenezer Scrooge was charming.
I have to confess, I have an awful habit of getting teary in the scene where Scrooge is shown the Christmas of Tiny Tim's death. This year Michael Fisher-Welsh as Bob Cratchit just made me weep as he held his grieving family close. As comical as it sounds, my friend sitting next to me was understanding enough to pull a handkerchief out of his pocket for me.
So, I loved it. It was a nice dose of holiday cheer without all the hustle and bustle, and at the end of the show, when it began to snow once more, not just onstage but on us as well, I could not keep the smile from my face.

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year.

Reindeer Monologues at RTR

It is lovely to be back in Oregon for the holidays. I'm so enjoying seeing my family and friends, and, of course, some of the delightful holiday theatre that's happening around Portland.
In fact, these days, I've been spending my time on Santa's sleigh team in the dark Christmas comedy The Eight: Reindeer Monologues at Readers Theatre Repertory. This NOT CHILD FRIENDLY version of the Santa Claus myth is told through the eyes, hooves and antlers of his eight emotionally dysfunctional reindeer. It really is quite a scandalous tell-all revealing Mr. and Mrs. Claus' strained, alcoholic relationship, what really happened with the Rudolf foggy Christmas debacle, and why Vixen has accused Santa of sexual assault.
Come down to RTR and see me, Dancer, along with my seven teammates, Dasher, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen at 8:00 tonight! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!