Buckle up.

Well, I was going to wait so people could be surprised when they saw the show, but here is a pic from 12th Night - that's me sans hair with my bro. Jay Perry in the background (thank you Liz Perkins for the pictures). Tonight is our 2nd Dress/Preview, tomorrow we open - my bowels are starting to churn with nervousness! I hope everyone I know in Utah can come and see the show and I hope I don't screw it up!



July 30th - August 9th (no Mon. or Tues.) matinee on the 9th at 2:00 all other evening shows at 7:30. Babcock Theatre, University of Utah. Tickets through Kingsbury Hall 581-7100 or kingtix.com

And another update

Just a quick update - any of my updates these days are going to have to be quick as time is a very sparse thing lately. To follow up on my last post, I did cut my hair, oh boy, did I. It's short. I cut it on Tuesday so I am still getting used to it, but it's okay. It's good to have a change, it doesn't look too bad. If I had a picture I would post it, but I don't and it's probably better that people are surprised when they see me in the show (if they do). Rehearsals are going pretty well, we are running every night now, it takes lots of energy but it's nice to be using this kind of energy again - this intense, complete, mind, body and soul focus. We open in less than a week - yikes! I mean we'll be ready, but it's still scary, I just don't want to suck. For those reading this that want to see Twelfth Night, it opens on Wednesday July 30th and runs to Saturday August 9th (everyday but Monday and Tuesday). It's at the Babcock Theatre (basement of PTC) and you can get tickets from calling or visiting Kingsbury Hall. So there's that.
We have just about a week of teaching left, cannot wait for that to be over.
Later.

To cut or not to cut

That is the question. I am in the middle of trying to decide what to do with my hair for 12th Night. I dress up like a boy and I'm supposed to look like my brother. The guy playing my brother has very short curly hair. He's getting it chemically straightened, so we'll see how it looks then, but basically if I want to really match it I've gotta go pretty short with my hair. There's no budget for wigs and no wig person to tend to the wigs, so basically I was told that wigs are not an option. So, okay, I can cut my hair, but there's a short haircut and then there's boy/pixie short. I know it's just hair, hair grows, but cutting it that short would mean a year to two before it really grew out - that's a long commitment. In talking about this people say that I'd look good with short hair, that I could pull it off, but I do know I'll feel pretty unattractive for a while, most likely. What to do, what to do. . . Luckily I've been pretty sick of my hair lately, it usually just ends up in a pony tail or a bun, so a change will be welcome - but it looks like it might be quite a change.

Animated

These are pretty fun:

I'm Back

Hoorah! We tapped into the internet thanks to a neighbor so we are in business at my parents' house.
I wanted to talk a little bit about teaching.
So I'm not going to lie, I was dreading teaching. I just got stressed out thinking about having to entertain a bunch of teens for the Summer, but it's been going pretty well. We're teaching at the University of Utah's Theatre School for Youth. I have my home room class which meets twice a day, I teach two Dialects classes and a class called Acting Methods(?). My home room class consists of ten 12 & 13 year olds. We're writing a play right now to perform at the end of the session. It should be pretty cute (I hope). Acting Methods was weird to me - I got assigned this class and I had no idea what to do with it - it's just such a general term, so I started teaching them Uta Hagen exercises, I have no idea if they are liking that class, but whatev'. I love teaching dialects. I don't feel like I'm particularly qualified to teach this, aside from the one dialects class I had in college, I don't have a great amount of knowledge, but I sure do enjoy it. This week we worked on a British dialect (RP) and it is fun to try to get the kids to stick their little lips out to make the correct sounds. It has reinforced the fact that I really love speech/language/dialect work - maybe I will finally fulfill my dream to go to Central School of Speech & Drama in London and get a degree in this so I can be a dialect/speech coach.
As extremely tired as I am from teaching, it has been good for me to review a lot of acting information - it is good timing to remind myself of the basics and the lessons I learned in the Actor Training Program as I am working on 12th Night.
By the way, rehearsal tonight was incredible. We worked on an Orsino/Viola scene which is just so beautiful. I adore working with Creighton James - I love this show, I feel so lucky.
Okay. I'm going to sleep.

Utah

Wow. This is the first time I've been on the internet this week. I'm staying at my parents' house and they don't have internet access and I finally got a password to get on the computers at the University of Utah. I wanted to write a quick blog update while I have a few minutes left of my lunch break.
It has been super busy. Super busy. We started teaching and rehearsing on Monday - so it's been getting up early for school and teaching from 8:45 to 3:30 and then going to rehearsals anywhere from 5-11 at night. There is no down time, no relaxing. I mean nothing I can't handle - it just means I am tired.
Rehearsals are going well. The cast is absolutely amazing. I am constantly amazed by how great my fellow actors are in this show. It's such a fun, positive, exciting process already and we've only had our first three rehearsals. The first table read on Monday night blew us all away. The best table read I've been to. I guess it's just my own low self-esteem, but I do fear being the weakest link - or at least a weaker link - but I need to not worry about that and just enjoy playing with these people. Most of my scenes are with Amanda Fulks (Olivia) and Creighton James (Orsino) and I am besotted with both of them. I couldn't ask for better scene partners. Sean Kazarian is playing our Andrew Aguecheeck and he makes me laugh so hard, it's a fantastic character. Whit is, of course, going to be a great, unique Malvolio. So that's 12th Night, so far.
Dang it! I gotta get to class already - so I'll write about my school experiences the next chance I get.