Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want…

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Hello Dear Reader!

I hope you had the most fabulous of weekends! I really do. It was Global Pride Weekend! I have been on an emotional upswing this week, mostly. There were a few moments of sadness, but they didn’t last for long. Physically, I am still trying to adjust to the movements of the acting class I am taking. It is so different from my experience with Meisner and Stanislavski method classes. This one has a focus on Laban Movement which is really fascinating. I love learning all of these different techniques. I think it will be crazy fun to “build” characters combining all the various methods/styles, and I can’t wait to try it. Whenever that may be.

But, before I get bummed out dwelling on this, Gentle Reader, let’s move on…

Yesterday during a “Brunch For 2” breakfast, we decided to watch Bridge Theatre’s version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream thanks to National Theatre At Home on Youtube. For the record, I do enjoy watching Shakespeare contrary to what some may have heard. (But we aren’t focusing on that right now. LOL!) I even enjoy learning monologues and soliloquies from his works, but I have never wanted to audition for a Shakespeare show. The honest to goodness reason, selfish as it is, is because most of the places in this area are Shakespeare in the Park type of companies and have the bulk of their performances in the summer months. I don’t do summer. I hate being overheated unless I am exercising, in a dance class or performing. As most of these places do the bulk of their rehearsals and performances outside, I steer clear. I will go see the shows since it is only about 3 hours of a day. I can handle that. Only once a month though! LOL!

Kindest Reader, watching that production was breathtaking. I was full of humor and heightened tension and brilliant releases of energy that shock the audience out of the expected in the best possible ways. There were beautiful stage pictures nearly everywhere you looked. Everything about the production was lush and vibrant. Even the beds looked great! LOL!

And it made me realize what my soul has been missing.

While I loved being in the shows that I have been lucky enough to participate in, the one thing that I have been longing for is something that is an extravagant reimagining of a classic or an immersive world creation. I felt like the latter was going to be what the original idea behind my summer project with Dragon Theatre was supposed to be. Then, COVID-19 put a stop to that. I trust that some day I will get the chance to be a part of something as incredible as this production. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, Dear Reader, I highly recommend it.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Check it out while you still can. It is the best 2.5 hours in any day. The actors playing PUCK and BOTTOM steal the show, in my opinion, but there are no weak links in the cast. I hope you check it out and let the magic of the show color the rest of your day.

Enjoy your Monday, Gentle Reader! Stay safe and alert and open to learning. I adore you.

Until next time.

It’s time for Episode 5!!

Episode 5

(Click to listen)

Special thanks to Samantha Stidham, Lisa Milanes, Kyle Dunnigan, Podsafe Music Network, and Danny Ippolito for their contributions to Episode 5. Check out the shownotes for this episode by clicking HERE.

Hope you enjoy it.

Weird little audition last Saturday

I got this email on Wednesday, saying that the company, Three of a Perfect Pair, was going to have an audition for three one act Shakespearian style plays. It was to take place on Saturday, which leaves not a lot of time to prepare. The email said that there were a couple of characters that are my actual age range, however, I always seem to get cast as younger than my age.

In the hopes of trying something different, I decided that I would give this a go. But first I had to figure out how to look older. Since I hadn’t shaved in nearly a week, I figured…will one more day really make a difference? I also stayed up as late as possible. My original plan was to try and hold out til after the audition to sleep. I only made it until around 4 AM when I began to do that thing that kids do when they fight off sleep with the bobbing heads. I got up at 9:30 or there about, so I didn’t get a full night of sleep, but then again, I hardly ever do.

So looking like a hot mess, I get to the playwright’s house, and there are 4 other men there. Of course they are all about a foot taller than me, so I know that the romantic lead role is probably out. I decide that my best bet would be to shift gears and audition for a corrupt priest. In that particular play, the priest plots to over throw the current king in order to obtain that power for himself. In the audition side that we were given, I came to find out that this man is a really interesting part, as he identifies himself as a “devotee of debauchery”. He is a clever character that has to play allegiances to the king to manipulate him, the queen to woe her, and the church to help carry out his plan. Sounds like fun! The script was well written and did indeed feel Shakespearean but slightly less confusing.

I was surprised but the director and playwright had all the men read for every part that they needed to cast. It was fun to see how many different ways people can interpret a scene.

The final decision about the casting will be rendered within the next week and a half. I’ll keep you posted. Although to be honest, with looking slightly younger than my age, AND the fact that I am short, I don’t think I’ll get cast based on appearances. I just hope that my reading did come off well.