Dead Man's Cell Phone

So, whirlwind return from Washington State, jumping pretty much immediately into rehearsals for Dead Man's Cell Phone, whirling through the most insane start to a school year ever (Earthquake, hurricane, power outages and flooding insanity...), closing of DMCP, and now I have time to write again.

I'm literally just walking in the door after closing and striking Dead Man's Cell Phone at Milburn Stone, and it was easily one of the most exhilarating, challenging, fantastic theatre experiences I've had the privilege of being a part of.  It was one of those shows where I feel like I left a part of myself onstage.  I don't even know if I can put into words how pleased and proud and satisfied I feel about the whole production.  It was like a dream--  and not because it was easy, because it definitely was not.  There were rehearsals where I left (or started) near tears, there were panic moments, freakouts, confusion, frustration, questions, doubts, fear...  and they fueled me and challenged me to push my boundaries, really throw myself out there onstage, and I don't think I could be happier to have been part of a production that puts me through something like that.

My hands are bruised, bleeding, and sore from my next-to-last scene, and I couldn't be happier to have those battle scars.  Shows where you literally put blood, sweat and tears into them just mean more, you know?

The show, the script itself had such meaning for me, all about connections and love and the difficulty of those things in the face of technology and death...  Searching for those connections and wanting that so badly...  I'm really glad that the audiences (for the most part) had such a positive reaction to the production.  I couldn't have asked for a better of group of people to work with.  It's nice when you leave a production and you have friends and family there to greet you afterwards...  And I saw so many of my students and their parents who really enjoyed the production, and that really means a lot to me.  And family and friends who also found it powerful.  But the coolest part is the strangers who make a point to express how much the enjoyed the show.

Our review:

DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE Really Rings

A lot of times I don't have enough faith in myself or my abilities...  And I think I'm starting to shed that insecurity a little bit.  Gaining confidence in what I am capable of doing, and getting on a firmer ground in my professional world.  I think that a lot of that might be coming from my experiences at CWU this summer, and shifting into DMCP, and starting to sprout and it feels damn good.

I'd like to thank MST for producing the show, and especially Marshall for casting me in this production.  I think that Theatre helps make me a better person, and this show has been one of those definitive building blocks.

Happy Canada Day!

I am just returning to my apartment from the first big Theatre party of the summer- the Canada Day party.  (Apparently this is a tradition? -A third of the students in the program are Canadian.)  We were given Canada Bandannas to wear, a lot of people were decked out in red, the Canada National Anthem was sung, delicious Canadian desserts were tasted, and Canadian beer was had.  (Well, one Canadian beer.  I've got a ton of reading to get through...)


I met some of the other students and some of the faculty, and things continue to look wonderful- everyone is really diverse (except sometimes I feel like I'm one of the only East-Coasters here) and really genuine.  Professors in the department are wonderful.  My God Forsaken Paper has been graded, but I have yet to receive it back, or to find out what my grade was.  Rumor has it, the professor really likes his red ink, and I'm interested to see what I get on my paper.  (also, slightly trepidatious, but at this point, that's just par for the course...)


Today, I got a 100% on a quiz in Settings and Properties...  I'm really happy.  Part of me wants to say, "It was easy, because it was mostly stuff I already knew, like identifying parts of the flat," but I'm really trying to work on not downplaying my strengths or doubting myself, and getting out of my head.  All my classes so far have had some element of needing to react from the gut and getting out of your head to just let things come organically...  I tend to overthink things (anyone who knows me knows that!) and I'm really trying to break myself of that behavior.  Also, in Settings and Properties today, I used a circular saw to make a plunge cut as we worked to construct the carriages for a staircase.  I also used a table saw to cut the treads of said staircase.  I'm proud.  I overcame my somewhat unhealthy fear of saws.  Tomorrow,  we'll be finishing the staircase and installing a set onstage.  That will be fun, and I'm looking forward to it.


Now, it's time to stop procrastinating and read this DENSE book I have to prepare for Directing tomorrow.