The past week

It's almost Friday!

I have begun my traditional pre-tech panicking right on schedule. Yep. Dance show combined with classes combined with cal state apps combined with dalloway combined with department stuff combined with being sick AND lack of sleep=a not so pleasant SM. Oops.

However we are less than two weeks from opening and I am so excited!!!! :)

I fail at updating this. I will better.

Love you all.

What to talk about...

This has been a hectic week. Not too much to say other than I'm SO GLAD it's Friday. Danielle and Andrew and I are continuing our weekend tradition of going to Mel's (though we have to go tonight as opposed to our usual Saturday because I have to go to the SF symphony tomorrow night). I am housesitting for Marissa and Amanda. And I'm just crossing fingers that the ugliness of this week is behind us :)

Beauty and the Beast

I feel like I was part of Beauty and the Beast even though I didn't work on it. One of my favorite parts of returning to my high school is I feel instantly welcomed back into my theater circle of friends as if I never left. Which may be why it was difficult to leave this weekend. It was like closing a show and leaving my friends all at the same time. I also knew that this would be the last time I would be able to do this. There is a very good chance that I won't be able to get home for the spring musical (it was the same weekends as sweeney last year) and my girls are all graduating this year. When on earth did time pass so quickly??

Mey

You're welcome :)

I missed his performance (and Jenna and Galindo's) due to the warm up for the Dalloway portion of the showcase so I recruited Danielle to video tape for me and it was awesome. Glad I got it on video. The showcase went well and now I'm glad it's over!

I miss you. When we find gaps in our schedule (which is...never) we need to talk. About life. And all that entails. I love you!

Hmm

Good to know I haven't grown since I was TWELVE. As in, 7 years ago. I tried on my junior bridesmaid's dress from 7th grade and it still fits perfectly. Can't tell if this is good or bad.

In other news, Beauty and the Beast was even better the second time around and that might even have made it harder to leave tonight. I already miss them. It's hard.

Stage Management

Theatre is my life. I pride myself on the fact that I love and appreciate this special art form and I feel honored to work such an inspiring environment. I found my passion for stage management 3 years ago and I haven't looked back since. I'm not perfect. I am still learning. But I truly love my job. I have good days and I have bad days. I still get upset when I get emails from Michael telling me that I forgot to put something away at night because I know that I know better or Linda tells me that I missed something and I still get really excited when everything goes well. However, I don't purely define my successes on whether or not the theater looks perfect, emails are sent to the right people at the right time, or that rehearsals run exactly on time. My real success is in the trust I receive from the actors. If I know that they know that they can come to me with anything, can trust me to keep their lives running smoothly, can rely on me when they are having trouble, and can consider me a friend as well as their stage manager, then I know I've done my job right. It's not always about looking perfect. My relationships with actors and technicians are what keeps me going when those bad days pop up and how I feel useful when bad days happen to them. If I am nothing but a person that they can trust, then all of this is worth it. It won't matter if I screwed up one night or even if I never hit broadway. Knowing that I've been blessed to work with so many wonderful people and being a source of stability for them is all I really need.

Home

Home is incredible

Saw Beauty and the Beast tonight. I've always loved the work my high school does but their shows seem to be getting better and better. I'm so proud of the tech girls and the actors. Although their were some tech mistakes, Brittny did a great job with handling it. It was so nice seeing my friends again too! Seeing the show again tomorrow :)

Weather is awesome down here this weekend! So happy about that. Had lunch with dad on the wharf. I really enjoyed that. He has been talking about changes but I am trying to focus on the positive. I really don't like change but since it's inevitable, I should at least look at the bright side.

Okay. I am very happy. I had a really insightful blog going on in my head on the way home but now I have no idea what I was saying so I can't actually write it down. Oh well. It will come to me later :)

YAY

I'm going home finally!!!!!!!! I leave in 40 minutes. I am so so so excited!!!

Happy Thoughts

-I have an amazing ASM

-I am going home on Friday

-Seeing my girls finally

-The Forest Theater will be fine. I hope.

-I have the best sisters ever

-I am surrounded by wonderful people

-I am very blessed

<3

Sometimes...I hate being right

I hate knowing that I predicted this

And that I let it happen again

Saturday

I am sick of writing papers. The rough draft of my seminar paper is due Tuesday and the final draft is due the 20th. So I will have at least a week to get it perfect if perfection is unattainable this weekend.

We did suzuki in foundations yesterday. It did enhance my understanding of Japanese theater...we were all just in a little tired by the end of the week so it was not our favorite part.

I was cast in the Jan Term show! The parts haven't been assigned yet (it's done similar to our show right now--everyone is a narrator and the lines have yet to be divided) but I'm really excited to work on it. I've never officially been in a musical and I've only officially been in one play (my director liked to throw me in to random musicals in high school though) so this will be a very new experience and I'm glad I will get to see the other side of the production. Danielle is going to be a fabulous SM.

Okay. Must work. Call me. I want to talk to people.

It has not been a good night.

And I don't want to rant and bitch when I'm in a bad mood because I'll just end up saying stupid things.

So I am going to finish my homework. Get into bed. And look forward to the days ahead.

Updates

-Audition moved to Thursday since the theater was being used on Monday during my scheduled time

-Paper turned in! Currently working on paper #2 of the week

-Knee still hurts. Need to go to doctor but finding time is nearly impossible

-Housesitting for Linda starting on Thursday!!!! Spending time taking care of Sadie and writing a seminar paper all weekend. I'm actually really looking forward to it. I love housesitting.

-I go home in 10 days and I'm super excited. I have missed my parents, my friends, my school, and my kitty very much. Good thing too because I am in love with Andrew's cat and I need my own kitty soon before I go nuts.

-Grades are still good. Crossing fingers these papers don't screw that up!

-One month till tech weekend. Ohh lord here we go.

-Time for homework :) Dear friends, I love you and miss you!

Nervous!

Well I did it. Paper #1 is done. And to tell you the truth, I actually like it. Now I have no idea if Reid will or not but I am hoping he does.

Fall preview day was today. That was fun.

Rehearsal was rehearsal. End of story.

Andrew Danielle and I are contemplating a roadtrip to disneyland sometime in the future. No ide when considering I don't have a free weekend until Jan term but we'll see.

My audition is tomorrow at 10:00. I'm so nervous. Very excited yes and I feel prepared but still not quite sure how it's going to go.

Okay. Sleep would be good now :)

I should be in bed

But I had an awesome day so I need to blog.

Morning: Apple store and target with Sami and Natalie

Afternoon: Checked on Sadie at Linda's

Late afternoon/evening: Went to Andrew's with my ASM Danielle to watch the Sweeney DVD. That in itself was hilarious. #1, his roommate just got a kitten. I was in love. This was apparent the second I got inside the door. If you know me, you know cats are my weakness. Watching Sweeney was hilarious. We commentated throughout the entire DVD and Danielle and I watched Andrew cringe during his scenes (he really wasn't bad. But I can understood why he felt that way. hard to watch yourself onstage). So we watched that till about 8 and realized we all hadn't eaten all day and were hungry. Went to Mel's, spent about an hour there. Somehow we got into the discussion about the ghost in the theater and Andrew wanted to prove his manliness by "beating up the ghost" in the bathroom. So we actually drove to St. Mary's and went into the theater. Andrew did not find Lily in the bathroom but I think she just wanted to outsmart him. We ended up onstage and were there until 2:00 when my suitemates called, concerned about where I was. I then realized that I had to work fall preview day the next morning and should probably sleep. Except my car was still at his apartment. So we drove back. He had an adventure first though. He explored all the roads of st. mary he hadn't seen in awhile and sped around the roundabouts a few times before finally getting off campus.

Hilarious and awesome night. Danielle and I had a blast. And...now I think sleep is good since tomorrow is going to be epically long. Fall preview day. Linda's. Rehearsal. Finish 7 page paper (I'm doubting it will reach 8). Write stuff for lighting design. Yep. I'm exhausted right now but tonight was totally worth it

My Life at St. Mary's

I haven't changed that much since I got here. But if there is one thing I can say, I can say I have an even deeper appreciation for those in my life. I always knew I loved my friends and family and would do anything for them. The hierarchy of my life goes friends/family-school-theater. In that order. No question. But since I got here, that has meant even more to me. Because even though I can't be there to sit on my daddy's lap after work or make a starbucks run before class and drudge through assembly or drive taylor caitlin brittny alena caroline or alex around when they need a ride or listen to Skadoosh practice in my garage while I try to distract Anna and Brittny or be there when taylor wants a hug, I am still always there. My motto is that I am never far away--even if I am not there physically, I am always there spiritually. I still think of home constantly and hope they are thinking of me. I say goodnight to taylor every night even though she can't hear me. I write extensive emails to my parents detailing my day when we can't find time to talk. I send letters religiously. I tell Tanner I love him even though it drives him crazy. And I fill my days with the love of the people I have here at St.Mary's. I love my life more than I can say. You think you can't love any more than you already do...and then suddenly this new person comes into your life and you find one more way to love. There are a million ways to love...use them to the best of your ability.

The past 24 hours

I've actually had a pretty nice couple of days. Once I got past the barriers my paper posed, I was able to deal with it in manageable pieces and my stress level has fallen drastically.

I really wish I could videotape rehearsal sometime but the best moments come so randomly that I doubt we would have ever gotten the greatest moments on tape. The motto of our show is, "to allow ourselves and fellow actors to fail spectacularly". This philosophy has really allowed us to feel comfortable with each other and to try new things without the possibility of ridicule. It's great to watch all of them experiment with movement and accents and spacial relationships with no hesitation. Plus they are absolutely hilarious. Danielle, one of my ASMs, is also really great to work with. She and I have become very close over the past couple of weeks. We are always laughing and having a good time during rehearsal and we have bonded with the cast. This cast makes my life so much better during the hard days.

Danielle came over at 2 am last night. We listened to dance music. We talked. Just hung out. And then we realized we probably should sleep. We are going to Andrew's tomorrow to watch the Sweeney DVD since she has never seen it and Andrew has to sing Johanna for a performing arts thing in a couple weeks and he wants to "critique" himself.

Prospective student and parents in Foundations today. Haha ohh they picked a crazy day to come. It was one of our scattered/slightly inappropriate theater talk/playing games day. Yay theater.

Kind of off day in dance today. Might have been my exhaustion and being distracted that threw me off; I just didn't feel connected to the dances or the music today. However, that was not enough to ruin my day. I've also really got to start taking care of my knees. My right knee has good and bad days. The bad days usually happen on dance days or days when I use a lot of stairs. The left knee feels left out and has decided to start hurting too only it's nothing like the right. The right just has issues.

Okay. Highlight of my day. I saw A Midsummer Night's Dream at Cal Shakes tonight. Now I was excited to see this production since my friends Christina and Sam both worked on and they said it was really good. I like Midsummer. It's the shakespeare play I know the best (I made my theatrical debut in midsummer when I was 12. Haven't been in a play since). I like the plotline. And I can understand the language and the storyline without having to think too hard. However, I thought it would just be another very well done but fairly classic rendition of this show.

I couldn't have been more wrong. This show defied my expectations in every sense. Puck was incredible and stole the show. The characters were given a modern twist but not to the extent that you felt it took away from the integrity of the show. They incorporated popular songs (which was a huge hit) and also included original music using both shakespeare's original language and songs that were written around the theme of the show. I haven't seen a show that moved me that much in a long time. I was completely engaged at every moment. The show ended with a rock song written about the show and kind of reminded me of Spring Awakening (similar style) and I was on the edge of my seat smiling the entire time. There were some absolutely gorgeous lighting moments and the physicality of the actors were amazing. I can't get past how incredible it was and how much I truly enjoyed the performance. Of course now I have to write a 5 page paper by Thursday (on top of the 7 page paper due Monday for reid's other class) but this production speaks for itself. Writing my paper will be no problem.

Break a leg for your opening night Mey! I'm so proud of you and everything you have accomplished. I really wish that I could be there cheering you on but you know that I will always be here supporting you. I cannot WAIT to see you in a couple weeks.

"You'll be swell. You'll be great. Gonna have the whole world on a plate. Starting here, starting now, everything's coming up roses."

Love you!

Can I just say that I love how statuses become epic conversations each night.

Between Danielle, Talbot, and myself, I end up conversing with most of my theater friends via one of our statuses for most of the night.

Dear Mey. You are not old. You are beautiful. You should be on glee. Love munchkin.

Beautiful Night

Rehearsal was hilarious (though a table has gone missing. Dear Lilly, please return our table).

I finally have a freaking structure for my paper and know how to write it and what to write.

Talked to mommy finally.

Have dance tomorrow.

Seeing Midsummer at Cal Shakes tomorrow.

Sweeney DVD viewing with Andrew and Danielle on Saturday.

Home in 2 weeks!

Dear friends, I love you.

Sink or swim

I spent a good part of tonight crying over my stupid paper. I don't normally cry over homework. I just like to deal with it and get over it. I don't like to cry in general over things. But I feel unprepared enough to write this monster that I don't even know where to start and combined with my lack of sleep and stress in other areas of my life it has results in hysterics. Dislike. My only consolation is I'm not the only person in my class who feels this way.