Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Aunt Thing.

I am a "Grand-Aunt."  Wow, baby Chase.  (He is beautiful and looks like my husband.) My first grand-nephew.  With no children of my own I delight in my nieces and nephews.  I am loving watching them grow and learn about the great big world. Several of them are in college now, one is still in grade school. (Do they still call it that?)  And one has married and has a brand new son! Somehow, through all their growing up, I forgot that they too would have children one day.  How remarkable.
Children are indeed an amazing gift.  Particularly for the odd aunt who loves them unconditionally and sees them not quite often enough.  How lovely to hear that my nephew called my husband when the Lakers won last night.  How marvelous my niece is becoming (the most beautiful) archeologist and is traveling the planet, exploring her next dig.  How exciting the 17 year old got her driver's license on the first try.  (She called me on the way home from the DMV.)  How proud I am of my dear nephew graduating high school this year.  And, how heartwarming, when I asked another nephew to lunch on his 13th birthday, if I should include his mom and sister and he said..."no, just us."  Love that some of them are old enough to appreciate Theatre. (And come to my shows.)  Love it all.  Love the newness.  Love their discoveries.  Love how they remind me how far we've come and how much we all have grown.  I am proud of each and everyone of the 9.  No, make that 10! 
My mom would have loved this. We miss her. 
I love the whole family thing.
It is a good thing.  

Saturday, May 30, 2009

I've been called out.

I have been called out by a comment listed on an earlier posting.  Hmmm.  I don't talk about the intimate details of theatre.  Stage Managers do not gossip.  If that is what you are looking for, you have hit the wrong blog.  I will talk about my own unique experiences, but this is not a gossip rag.
Stage Managers share information.  We Do Not Gossip.  If one were an actor, one would appreciate that.  
So, with that in mind... My day.
I spoke to my husband, by phone... we are gypsies and are rarely where life needs us to be.   I finished the morning breakfast and emails from work that had to be taken care of NOW.  I got dressed, went to work, found a lot of uncontrollable construction happening, tried to rain in the compressor that was set inside my theatre, tried to deal with costumes that weren't there.  Managed to get the rehearsal started, with a very frustrated director.  Later we did a fairly successful run-thru.  (Oh, costume problems, missed entrances, missed sound cues, the like.)
Yes.  I will always be "vague."  
There is an unwritten code in place here.  A private rehearsal is: a private rehearsal.  I will share what I think is appropriate.  I will share my experiences.  My company deserves that privacy.  My past companies deserve the same.  
It was a hard day, but after  (only) 12 hours of tech, we were able to run Coriolanus!  That is an achievement and speaks to the professionalism of my entire company.  We start 12th Night tomorrow.
peace.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

A very long day among many.

Today (tonight) was the first of many more to come, where the working hours are the only "awake" hours.  It is an odd thing called "Tech".  One tries to get some sleep the night before, and, before one realizes, it is time again to pull oneself up, into a shower, and off to work another near endless day.   
I work in such a bubble...Did something happen today with the California Supreme Court?  I am only peripherally aware.  I have this vague feeling that things are not going quite as right as they should be.  Worse.  Very off-track.  Very disappointing.  But, I have no first hand knowledge.
I could tell you about the very quick costume change we accomplished for Coriolanus... complete with blood.  I could tell you how well we moved through a very tough fight sequence and how pleased I am about the top of the show.  But, I don't know any details about what the Federal Government is doing.  Is it something about confirming a Supreme Court Justice?  It gets a little mixed up, what with California's Supreme Court acting like a bunch of idiots and all.  Is the Senate no better?  I can't comment.  I've read nothing.  Didn't realize until this moment that I had heard so much.  Haven't had time to process it yet.  
A bubble, as I've said.  Yet, satisfying, as so many introspective activities are.  The thing is... this is group introspection.  A real examining of our creative selves in order to share the result with anyone who cares to buy a ticket.  We hope we will share it with the public at large.  We hope we are building something everyone wants to, has to see.  We hope we will present a work of art that will provoke thought, conversation, education and change.  It is our business.  It is our life's work. 
So, we, collectively "introspect."  It is all to share and maybe, ultimately change the mindset of an entire population.
This is finally the point.  This is finally all about the art.  And the Art means nothing without an audience who is affected and changed.  Who witness and participates.  It is cultural.  It can be mind-blowing.  It is important.  It is food and drink.
So.  I am living in a bubble and can't see the outside world.  I will peek out from time to time, but my first and final responsibility is to a (several) show(s).  
It is the only way I know how to serve and to effect change.  It is joyful!  
Weird work, if you can get it.
xo  

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Daylight Day of Rest

What an odd bit of wording.  Daylight Day of Rest.  It is peculiar to the theatre world; actors and stage managers get it and on the day, appreciate it.  To explain:  within every six weeks of an Actor's contract the Actor gets a daytime off.  We show up for work at 6pm, and rehearse or perform until 11pm.   It means we get to sleep in late, do a little shopping or laundry, go to the post office, pick up a prescription, watch a soap or cook a few meals to last us the rest of the week.  Many of us just go to the beach, either figuratively or in reality.  It is a good thing.
Today is my Daylight Day of Rest.  I slept until my phone rang.  (It was the costume shop - yes business.)  Stage Managers rarely get the entire day.  I answered some critical show emails.  I made some coffee and intend to take care of a few personal things throughout the day.  I will call the people I love and remind them I am still alive.  It is a day to remember that although I live inside a very small bubble, there is a wider world out there that needs my attention too.  It is a day to take in slowly.  To stop running around and to catch my breath.  Ah.
In my little world, we start a very long series of technical rehearsals on Tuesday.    Many of us will be working 15 to 18 hours a day, 6 days a week, for 40 days.  I will disappear again.  But the good news is 6 weeks is not forever.  I will reappear on the next Daylight Day of Rest.  4th of July to be precise.  
It is somewhat like living in Brigadoon.   
I am in a very weird business. 

    

Monday, May 18, 2009

Loggoria.  Why doesn't the dictionary recognize that word?  I have tried multiple spellings. Kushner would know the word.  It is what I have.  It is the uncontrollable need to talk and talk.  ("I'm always talking... Chickens squawking.")  What I really mean by it is the uncontrollable need to connect.  The advantage of blogging is that no one has to read or listen.  And yet... there is some connection, out there, even if I am unaware.  I recognize this because I read other blogs and either do not respond or do and sign "anonymous ".  Maybe I'm a coward, but I don't think so. Maybe it is just smart.  The age is different.
Hmm.  That could mean many things.  
I am expecting a picture of my peace plant blooming.  Wish I could see it in person, but, with digital cameras and email.. is it really like being there?  Didn't mean this to be about technology, was really trying to talk about something else.  Maybe that is the point.  We wander around what we really want to say.  Technology makes it easier to avoid the point.  We are all so busy being clever.  Rarely sincere.  Maybe that is too cynical.  Maybe.  And maybe it is just me. 
It is nice being a bit older.  Many things are clearer and many things that cause people stress one comes to realize do not mean a thing.  It may be why the older people in your life say..."it will all be okay."  
Because it will.  It has to.  It is that or we die.  And we die anyway so, what the fuck.  Move forward.  Look back if it is instructive, otherwise, let it all go.  
Hey....Have a great Tuesday! 
(wake up happy)
(yes, I know an apse is not a pew)
So, I spent the evening taking quizzes on Facebook.  What a great waste of time.  I realized I knew a lot about dogs and nature, and (hmm) Sex in the City... but very little about World Capitals and characters in classic novels.  (Though I did do well on State Capitals, and can apparently spell well.)  What does that say?  Not sure. I think these quizzes are specious.  No.  I know they are.  Someone's idea of what is smart.  And... given the choice:  Which word is spelled correctly: Asp, Apse, Asep, Apes... which is right?  I chose Apse.. thinking they were looking for, you know, a pew. Apse.  But it could easily been Apes.  The right answer was Asp.  The right answer for the test-giver.  No definition given.  Annoying.  This may in fact be the problem with standardized tests.  The tests actually fail the creative among us.  Ultimately they mean nothing.  I am not playing anymore.  I need to find a real game to play.  Or, maybe just a classic book to read. Clearly I've forgotten more than I've learned.    
 

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Pay no attention to the ads.  They are just there.  I endorse nothing.  Not even this blog.
This is new and it is fun.  Hmm.  Wonder what I will do with it.
I wake up happy.  Don't know why.  I just do. Don't go to bed that way.  Maybe it is the new day coming toward me.  Maybe it is just believing in LIFE.  Maybe it is hope.  Maybe it is a sun shiny day and a "good morning morgan town."
I may never know.  I just wake up happy.