Haven’t Done This In Five Years…

Dear Gentle Reader,

I never thought I would want to have a seat in this position again. The amount of detailed organization that was needed for a large cast show was sheer madness. 😜 For me. I am a non linear thinker as I have mentioned a few times here. I bounce back and forth on things in my head, on paper, in projects, when I speak, pretty much in every way. It took a lot out of me. I loved that show so much as it is one of my favorites of all times, which is why I wanted to try my hand at the director gig.

✂️Cut to today…

🎼We had orientation for Smokey Joe’s Cafe and we laughed a lot! Always a good sign. This is one of my top three favorite shows of all time. I had to do this. HAD TO!

I am ecstatic with the cast that we have. They are all such fun personalities and strong vocalists. My gut tells me there is something so special about this cast and I am sure that every director thinks that about their own cast. Having been in LOTS of casts and many of them were GREAT but, I have only ever felt something like this one other time. That show was Pippin from a couple of years ago.

So, after all the introductions and a rendition of Happy Birthday to one of our Music Directors, Sarah, we took a short break for costume measurements then the cast and our Vocal Director, Jonathan, began working on the opening number “Neighborhood.” 🎶

When the 4 guys in the quartet started singing the opening notes in harmony, I got chills. CHILLS, I tells ya!! As we move further into the song and the ladies come in and we get the group harmonies… I was getting teary eyed and almost cried. There is something magical in this group, and I am looking forward to the rest of the rehearsals!

Oh Dear Reader, I fail to have the words to explain how lucky I feel at this moment and the joy that I had on the drive home.

Have you ever had a moment where you just couldn’t fully explain your emotions? How did you “vent?” Celebratory dance party? Scream of triumph? Quietly sit and enjoy tears of joy? Let me know, so I have a way to get this joy out!

Until next time, Kind Reader. 🎶

Time Goes By, So Slowly…

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Hello Dearest Reader!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving 🍗 holiday, if you celebrate.

Oh my stars! 😜 It has been a crazy couple of weeks. We held our auditions and callbacks for Smojo’s. We got the casting done along with phone calls out to potential cast by lunch time by the end of the second day of callbacks! 👍

The amount of talent that we had audition was amazing. We could easily have double cast the show. Possibly even triple cast it. Saying I am beyond excited to work with this group of people is a massive understatement.

It was tough to make the final cuts though. We had such close competition for all roles except our bass for the quartet. I think I really lucked out with the team that I have for Smojo’s.

We looked at EVERY THING! 👀 We had to. That’s how close it was. We looked at how they handled their audition songs and/or the callback songs, how they adjusted to direction, interactions on and off the stage with one another, and conflicts. 👀

I just finished a preliminary rehearsal schedule that is crazy aggressive but I fully believe that we can easily get it done.

In other news, Gentle Reader, I have finally had a chance to see the madness that is the Star Wars Christmas Special! OH. MY. STARS! 😱 What madness, indeed… 😂

Tonight begins rehearsals for “The Making of the Star Wars Christmas Special” at Dragon Production Theatre in Redwood City. 💖 I am incredibly excited to be a part of this little bit of “holiday” insanity. 🎄 What makes it even more nerve wracking is that the Mayor of the city is excited to see it. No pressure. Oh, and I am playing Carol Channing for a scene! I am way too excited for that. LOL

In #survivaljob news, I popped into my shop for Black Friday to complete an inventory count because the building was closed and it was kind of nice to complete a massive project under the time limit that I allowed myself. 🕑

I wonder if that is why I figured we can fit our Smojo’s schedule 📆 to what I’ve pitched to my team? Speaking of minimized time, “Star Wars Christmas” is only a 3 week rehearsal period and one weekend of shows. 😓

I heard that time slows down the more you are moving, so I am giving it all to the Universe. My hope is that I can fit in everything I need to do in the next 3 months.

If you would be so kind, Dear Reader, can you cross your fingers for me? 💖

When I survive this first project, I will write again. Expect a LOT of images of SWCS on my Insta!

Cheers and until next time… LOL! Get it? Time… (I’m a dork. LOL)

Can’t wait, but…

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Hello Gentle Reader!

As you know, I am stepping into a director role once again for 🎷 Smokey Joe’s Cafe (which I lovingly call SmoJo’s). I didn’t think that I would direct again after Jesus Christ Superstar. 😔 It wasn’t the complete vision that I had and made way too many compromises for it to end up the way that I wanted. It wasn’t my vision, but I loved every person that worked so hard on it. My only wish is that I didn’t compromise what I wanted. 😉

I had mentioned that I was hesitant to direct to a good friend the other day (even though I have already accepted the position, yes, I know how it sounds) and she had some great advice and said “Don’t be! You learn from every situation, so whatever happened last time, learn from it and don’t let it happen again! You will make mistakes with every show…”

As I sat listening to the talented people 🎤 belt out tunes during the initial auditons, the voice of self doubt kept popping up and asking “are you sure you want to call XYZ back for XYZ role?” or “are you sure you can bring the best out of these people?” 👿 It was hard to shut it down. I am so glad that I have the team that I have. We laughed so much with each other and were all excited by all the people we had come out and sing us a song. The laughter does SO much to help squelch that voice. Something about sharing laughs with people helps me bond and connect them. Do you ever notice how laughing settles nerves and most uncomfortableness? It helps me so much. 👍

My Dear Reader, I was initially worried that we didn’t have people banging down the doors to audition but the number of people that did, had brought a lot of great stuff to the table. When I got home, after the second day of auditions, I KNEW I had a cast in there.

I slept so good that night! LOL. 💤

Oh, Gentle Reader! Knowing that I have 9 roles that can be filled 3 or 4 times over by these auditionees puts my nerves and heart at ease, but that stupid worry voice, while muffled, is still there. Am I the right person to lead these 9 people to a packed house of spectators that will be blown away?

Yes.

I am. Thank you ❤︎, Jillian, for giving me a different way to look at this! So once the decisions are hashed out, I will happily pour as much of my heart and soul into this show that I am asking the performers to give to the audience.

And I can’t wait for you to see what’s in store!

So my Kind Reader, what do you do to get over that little voice that makes you doubt yourself? Or maybe you don’t have that issue… if you don’t, damn! I would love to be you. Well, like you. 😉

Until next time, Dear Reader. I look forward to talking about the callbacks… but that’s another post. Muahahahaha!!!💖💖

My Bag of Lemons Rotted…

They say when life hands you lemons make the situation better by making lemonade. They don’t tell you what to do when the lemons begin to rot because you are taking care of life and time just. will. not. stop!

My Dear Gentle Reader, this summer was a hard few months to get through. I have had ongoing issues with my #survivaljob that makes me want to swat “decision makers” (I use that term Über sarcastically) with a rolled up newspaper in their face. I know, I know. Violence never helps solve anything.

Then we had a visit from the cancer fairy. Luckily, we had medicine men and women fix THAT issue. Then there was the recovery which took the longest time and made me worry. That was all I did. Night and day. Day and night. Sometimes I still do. That whole mess floored me. I wasn’t the patient but the caretaker with TONS of help from my mother in law and our incredible, wonderful friends. That level of stress really cuts a big gaping hole in the sails and just left me feeling like all I could do was hope the waves would take me close to land.

I have also had a number of deaths in the family that left me numb and again, unable to process. Just last week, I lost another cousin. I worry about the mental health of my father who seems to be getting a little more and more forgetful. I worry about the health of my mother, who takes care of my father on top of her job and most of the rest of my siblings. It gets SO overwhelming that I just turn it all off. Everything.

When I thought about writing a post, I would sit at a blank screen and just watch the cursor blink. I didn’t even read plays or work on my own show. I kind of abandoned Facebook and Twitter. Only occasionally did I make a post on Instagram.

I think that the worst is over. I still haven’t recovered that missing magic from March. I don’t know if you recall that post, Dear Reader. That particular event was that I totalled my car in an accident and rolled it down a small hill. We walked away with some cuts and bruises and soreness, but otherwise intact. I don’t think I have still processed that because I still think about what I could have done to prevent it, and then I get worked up and anxious about it all over again. I know I have definitely lost even more magic.

I know that I don’t feel the same emotionally or physically. I just feel a little “off” but hoping it is just cobwebs creeping into places I haven’t used in the last 10 months.

Things are looking up though! In 9 days, I have auditions for Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and two weeks after that, I begin rehearsals for my return to the stage. I will be working on a production of the “Making of the Star Wars Christmas Special” at Dragon Theatre Productions. We open in December for one lone weekend.

I have my fingers crossed that the magic will find me again. I am officially excited for theatre to come back into my life as something more than just an observer. I need it.

If you have read this far, Kind Reader, I thank you for letting me bend your ear/eyes for a moment or two.

May the magic bring all your dreams to life.

Until next time, Gentle Reader…