Monday, September 5, 2011

Case of the Mondays

Things:

We are in the final moments of rehearsal. The bones are built. It is tweaky season.

We tweak, sustain the monsters we created, and let them ravage.

Monday is the new free day. Saturdays are now double-header performances.
Rainyday Labor Day. I hope the parking bitches don't work on Labor Day. And if they do, I hope they do not work on Rainyday Labor Day. But they probably do, because they are parking bitches. No offense to any parking bitches reading this.

Coffeeshoppy quality internet. I have discovered that if you sit in Coffee on the Corner long enough, you will always run into Glenn Schudel (our beloved Tour Manager/Assistant Director/Man with the sharp wit to keep us sane) and nearly ever Mary Baldwin Renaissance Graduate student.

Recovering from first MidSummer run since August 18th. Sprained Thumb (hopefully just sprained).
When I played Caliban for Austin Shakes. I went balls to the wall physically every performance. Flinging myself onto the floor and reveling in the masochistic body bruising that I personally translated into Caliban angst and suffering. It was tough enduring, but lots of fun. I was not asked to do half of the things I chose to do with the flinging. But it was for only 12 performances, so why not?

Now I find myself in a similar situation with Puck. Choosing to do physically taxing things that I was not always directed to do, but stuff that I brought, and was kept. The difference here is ... there are 3980483 performances of MidSummer Night's Dream. I am going to be in rather good shape, if I don't screw something up. Last night was a reminder that you should always block things that you can repeat without fear of injury. It has been a tendency of mine to over-exert myself on stage, which actually is not always a good thing. Working too hard, looks like working too-hard. And often, that is not what a character wants to be presented as. Complication with ease can be glorious. Simplicity with ease can be, and often is, just as effective.

 Remember this:

Always be in control. Always know where your foot is going. Because the second you don't, you step on Lysander's foot while he is "sleeping", and this does not bode well for your production.

Know where your hands are going. Because the second that you don't, your thumb lands on the floor before the rest of your body does, and this does not bode well for your thumb.

Ease.

The second it seems hard to do. You know that you either need to run it 3809384 times, or you have to modify. Because this shit has got to run. And your body needs to keep up with it.

I used to only believe that you were only doing things right on stage if you were completely lost in it. That is not true. Only when part of your brain is reserved for hitting marks and safety, may the other part feel free to get lost. But one eye must always be in the moment, and the other outside looking in. At least until it becomes clockwork.

I am losing money. But I am gaining ... stuff. Good stuff. A guitar case. Bass case. New bass on its way. Contacts. Microsoft word. Now that the plays are almost built, I feel like I can pick up the play I was writing months ago, and resume work. I am fortunate to have 11 brilliant, experienced theatre artists at my disposal, and, unfortunately for them, cannot run away from me because my laptop and I will be lurking next to them all the time.

Stencil Spray Paint parties rule. My soft guitar case got ambushed with ShakesNerd all over it. The light-headedness isn't too bad, either.
Party at Ralph Cohen's mansion tonight. He and Jim Warren built this thing. Now I will drink and eat things in his home.

Starting to reconnect with some old voices. It feels good to have them around again. Even though it makes me question a lot of things from the past. Wow, is this vague enough?

Omelette and waffle outtings are also fun. Getting to know strangers is something I should have done more of a long time ago.

Too much coffee. Have to pee. Bye.

Love and Blueberries,
Dola.

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