We have entered the final week of Mary Stuart. Yesterday, Julia had to have to her understudy go on because her voice needed the day off. Meredith went on though, book in hand, and did an admirable job. Quite the feat for someone so young.
Last week I finally hit that lull in the run where I just felt like i had NOTHING. The two weeks before, I was working with a lot of lightness and ease and joy. Technique ensured that my performance didn't die, but I felt like it lost its spirit. It's tough to keep things fresh with 6-8 shows a week. How do the Russians do it? How do they still have tears in their eyes after doing the show for ten years? Action. But how do I strengthen my actions to such a point?
I'm excited for New York. I'm excited to have access to classes with seasoned teachers. A proper Meisner class is probably first on my agenda. I'd like to work with some Linklater and how I can use breathing to access a higher degree of vulnerability on stage.
But before NY, Iowa for a week, Cleveland for seven, then back to Detroit for Summer. Hope I can make enough money over three months that I can actually afford New York. Doesn't help that I'll have to pay for three flights within a few months of moving there.
Well...there will never be enough money. That's a fact of life. But there will be enough money to survive doing what I want to be doing. And that's what's important.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
How Don Shrewsbury described lacking the necessary flexibility (2/19/12)
Thought I would be keeping up with this blog more, but it turns out it's really hard to find time for leisurely activities when you're a professional actor...apparently we don't make a lot of money? Hadn't heard that.
Hustling like crazy! Wasabi, Berman, 7 shows a week of Mary Stuart, auditions, etc. It's great, but starting to get spread pretty thin. Hard to maintain a relationship, go to auditions, do shows and make enough money...feels like something's gotta give, but i don't wanna give up anything. So maybe I just gotta find a way to be more efficient.
The best news I've gotten recently is that my brother and Naomi had their new baby girl...Aria Lenore Whalen! So excited to meet her in a few weeks here...let's hope my little car can get me to Iowa and back:)
The second best news is that I will be playing Paris in Romeo and Juliet at Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland. Truly an honor to be joining them and a pretty big accomplishment for me...I'd been pursuing them for almost a year! Glad to have it pay off!
(I've decided that the word AMAZING will be BANNED from this blog...overused and losing its meaning.)
I really feel like I'm coming into my own as an actor. I've been working with a lot of lightness and ease in Mary Stuart and it's yielded excellent results (from my perspective). Learning my lines BEFORE we started rehearsals was key as well. This has allowed me to focus on just living in the moment on stage and really being able to pay attention to my scene partner. Nothing's better than being able to be alive onstage and have fun and be active...not simply redoing the same performance night after night. Take what you're given and play your actions!
I've learned so much from this cast that it's strange to think that it's almost over. Only two more weekends then we're done. I will miss this show for sure, but with this closing, I'll move on to R & J and learn from a whole new group of people. It'll be interesting to live away from home and Sara for 7 weeks, but luckily I'm close enough to drive back on a free Monday or something. Plus there's Skype. Don't know how long I'll want to try living away from my home base, but I'm young and unsettled enough still that I want to try it.
Hustling like crazy! Wasabi, Berman, 7 shows a week of Mary Stuart, auditions, etc. It's great, but starting to get spread pretty thin. Hard to maintain a relationship, go to auditions, do shows and make enough money...feels like something's gotta give, but i don't wanna give up anything. So maybe I just gotta find a way to be more efficient.
The best news I've gotten recently is that my brother and Naomi had their new baby girl...Aria Lenore Whalen! So excited to meet her in a few weeks here...let's hope my little car can get me to Iowa and back:)
The second best news is that I will be playing Paris in Romeo and Juliet at Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland. Truly an honor to be joining them and a pretty big accomplishment for me...I'd been pursuing them for almost a year! Glad to have it pay off!
(I've decided that the word AMAZING will be BANNED from this blog...overused and losing its meaning.)
I really feel like I'm coming into my own as an actor. I've been working with a lot of lightness and ease in Mary Stuart and it's yielded excellent results (from my perspective). Learning my lines BEFORE we started rehearsals was key as well. This has allowed me to focus on just living in the moment on stage and really being able to pay attention to my scene partner. Nothing's better than being able to be alive onstage and have fun and be active...not simply redoing the same performance night after night. Take what you're given and play your actions!
I've learned so much from this cast that it's strange to think that it's almost over. Only two more weekends then we're done. I will miss this show for sure, but with this closing, I'll move on to R & J and learn from a whole new group of people. It'll be interesting to live away from home and Sara for 7 weeks, but luckily I'm close enough to drive back on a free Monday or something. Plus there's Skype. Don't know how long I'll want to try living away from my home base, but I'm young and unsettled enough still that I want to try it.
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