We're in the home stretch

I always intend to update this thing, but I fear it will always veer into the "AH! I have so much to do!"

Right now, I'm in a swirled rotation of the following:

• Work
• Prepping for training my replacement at work (which is still work, but completely different)
• Reading the monster reading list (a lot of acting theory)
• Reading plays and hunting for monologues
• Pilates
• Yoga
• Occasional running
• catching a movie here and there
• "moving logistics" planning, apartment application, packing, etc.
• light following of the drum corps international tour and scores

It's busy. Now we're entering the final stretch. I'm in Lanesboro for 16 more days. Theoretically, in 30 days, I'll be moving into an apartment in Houston.

The apartment business is the most nerve-wracking at the moment (because it's not a for-sure thing yet). I'm also not eager about essentially moving twice in 2 weeks. I've got stuff in MN and then at home. I'm taking everything home and assessing what I need to bring. Right now I live in a fully-furnished house. In a sense, it's great that I don't have much stuff, but I will still be continually packing and unpacking.

Okay. So go back to the first sentence of this post. Gah. I told ya so.

I waver between feeling thrilled and terrified. Then there's also some inadequacy/paranoia settling down here and there. I also need to add to the list my monologue prep for the first week. Here's what I've got to perform within the first five days:

First night of orientation:

• 2 monologues (the pieces I used to get here)

Then, on Friday night: a first year showcase of sorts.

• 2 contrasting 2-minute monologues
• 1 verse and chorus of a song (a capella)
• 30 seconds of Standard British

I've got the song and Standard British figured out (but it's a secret). Now I need to just pick the right pieces for this Friday showcase.

THEN on Saturday morning, we audition for The Hot L Baltimore and Our Lady of 121st Street:

• two contrasting 1-minute monologues (I'm really close to having this figured out)

I'm going to stop with this because it gives me minor anxiety.

But that's my world right now. I breathe and knock off one thing after another. This summer has been about leaping into the shallow end of the grad school pool and adjusting to the growing pains of what this training will require. This is a big pool though, and it goes much deeper, I'm sure. But it does me no good to worry about the entire pool yet (even though it's easy to do).

Mamet & LaBute (and more)

I read two things today:

1. Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things - I tread along, thinking there'd be monologue possibilities, but I'm just not digging the final climactic monologue for Adam. Maybe I'm placing too much judgment on it, but its power lies in its context (I think). And I have a feeling that, yes, I could include this monologue in my portfolio, but I don't know that I'm going to have ANY DESIRE to work on it. So I kind of feel like that was a waste of time...

Additionally, I pride myself on the ability to cut and paste a monologue from dialogue together, but that was tricky to do with LaBute. There's just a lot of overlapping stuff that hinges on what the other person says. Good thing it was a quick read. I may change my mind, but I think I'm done pouring over LaBute plays for this monologue hunting. I'm guessing nearly every actor in his/her twenties has a LaBute monologue in their pocket.

2. David Mamet's Writing in Restaurants - I was lost at first, but I got into a groove, and he's redeemed himself since True & False. (But I'm pretty sure T&F came AFTER Restaurants). It's a random assortment of essays on theatre, showbiz, culture. I copied down quite a few quotes.

“Camus says that the actor is a prime example of the Sisyphean nature of life. This is certainly true, and certainly not novel, and additionally there is this: a life in the theater need not be an analogue to “life.” It is life.”

And

“Actors are many times afraid of feeling foolish. We should teach each other to feel power rather than fear when faced with the necessity of choice, to seek out and enjoy, to feel the life-giving pleasure of the power of artistic choice.”

And

 

"[The organic] actor brings to the stage desire rather than completion, will rather than emotion. His performance will be compared not to art, but to life; and when we leave the theater after his performance we will speak of our life rather than his technique. And the difference between this organic actor and the self-concerned performer is the difference between a wood fire and a fluorescent light.”

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In other news, I'm done with my acting tenure at the Commonweal. It's been an adventure--just over two years. I've worked on 6 supremely different roles (and probably at least a couple hundred performances). Two of those roles have been Ibsen (as interpreted by Jeffrey Hatcher). It's an eclectic bunch and I'm immensely proud of this work (and I can tell it's made a difference to people).

I've got just over 30 days left in Minnesota. Then I pack my things, try to sort it all out in South Dakota, and head to Texas. I think my roommate and I are settling on a place to live. I've got to get proof of income, which I'm not sure how to make that happen quite yet.

Aight: It's time to get ready for company-wide dance party. I'm the DJ.

Boom!

Last night, I saw Boom!

It's dubbed as an "international lost and found marching band."

Six actor/musicians comprise the band. You've got members from Jersey, Nova Scotia, Germany, New Zealand, Russia, and Ireland. And they're all brothers and sisters due to their "careless" scientist parents (or something). (The crew is actually from Kansas City...)

It was a zany, zany stuff that had careful attention to detail. And it was performed to a full house in at the American Legion in Lanesboro, MN.

This show incorporated everything that is (or was) my universe: marching band, choir (there were some beautiful 7-part harmonies), and theatre. And it dawned on me that I have tools to create my own show. I mean, it's always been there, but it was more palpable and immediate than ever before. Perhaps I'll even campaign to join their sequel as their long lost Brazilian/Carnavale trumpet-playing brother. I think his name shall be Eduardo.

It's also struck me just how much I want to see some more theatre. I've only seen like 5 productions this year. Granted, I live in a town of 788 people, and it's a good two hours away to the Twin Cities. AND, I'm more concerned with the reading list and monologue hunting and other preparation for grad school. But I'd love to see more. This performance filled me with wonder, imagination, and whimsy