We Open Tonight

And I'm feeling SAD!

This will be my last opening night in the bay area for a while. I hope it won't be my last opening night forever.

I'm Not An Overweight Hooker

I played wii fit for the first time last night, and I stopped playing feeling very bad about myself. I've since then signed up for the gym, and gotten a personal trainer. I haven't done any of that - except sign up for the gym, and that was before I played wii fit.

I did, however, walk into Walgreens this morning at 7:00am because I had a few things I needed to pick up. We're opening the show tomorrow and I am wearing a blonde wig. Thus, my mission - grab the essentials. I get the mascara, the fake eyelashes, the blonde poppy pins, the wig pins, ask about a wig cap, and finish off with my birth control pills. Once the cashier throughly finished giving me the evil eye, he promptly reminded me that Halloween is over, and that this is not the Walgreens down on polk street. Smiling I said, "I'm in a Show. He replied, "Again, spare me the details."

Who cares if that conversation was in both of our heads! I know it happened

I'm Sad California.

I've been mum on religion and politics because it really torments me. I have really strong opinions on what I believe to be right, and I'm well aware that my morality is based in Christianity. Yet, I have to say this because it's eating me up inside.

I have to believe that at the end of the day we all want the same thing: peace, love, respect and equality.

I have read many articles apposing Prop 8 and in support of Prop 8, and I've seen and heard the hateful mantras and actions coming from both sides and it sickens me. I'm watching relationships deteriorate before my eyes based on these differences, and it's taking everything in me to remain as open minded as possible, but please explain to me California why Prop 8 passed?

I don't understand.

I'm thrilled to see that our nation is ready for a radical change, but outraged to see that we can not look past our differences and see what is right for our fellow human beings.

It tears me up watching my friends fight an uphill battle towards a fundamental freedom, and I hope and pray that one day we will all stand together in acceptance.

The Right to Vote

Since I've moved, my polls are now an hour away. I felt my cell phone alarm go off, and I thought I need the extra hour of sleep. I shut it off to try and go back to sleep.

I tossed and turned for ten minutes thinking about how voting is a privilege and how I owe it to my nation, my friends and myself to vote.

I forgo my shower and race to the polls only to stand in line for about 40 minutes, but I sat down at that station and cast my ballad. I walked away feeling rather emotional about this election because it's so important to so many people that I know and love dearly. This election will go down in history, and I have pride knowing my part in the movement towards equality. My part in the movement towards a better nation for my friends and for my family.

I'm sitting here in knots thinking about how the polls are going to sway. Is our nation really ready for the necessary change? One can only hope, and I believe.

Death by Tempo

We have one more rehearsal before our invited dress rehearsal and nothing is going right. I have not worked with all seven of my costume changes, my shoes aren't re-heeled, I left them at thee theatre and the worst thing happened tonight:

At the beginning of Act 2, I am left sitting on the stage waiting for my husband's return. I start this beautiful trio ballad with the first three versus. Tonight also happened to be the first night with the orchestra. I take a deep breath after singing the first verse and incomes dust from that felt like it was left over from the set build. The dust is settling nicely in my throat and I can not breathe to save my life. I am desperately trying to cough as I'm choking out the song lyrics. There. is. no. way. " Moon in my oh-my-I-can-not-breathe." Its just happening, and I'm the only one on stage singing. I had to stop the whole performance, and choke to death on stage. Luckily, the entire cast came to my rescue swarming me with cups filled with water. Glad this is a drinking show and there is tons of liquid all around including water (playing vodka) and tea (playing whiskey). Still I could barely breathe and it didn't come back as fast as I would have liked. That has never happened to me in all my years of performing. Never. Not Once. Its one thing to get lost in a song or have other actors save you, but being the only one on stage with no rescue in sight. Terrifying. I opened my mouth to sing, and all I could thing was please let me breathe.

I felt the dust go into my windpipe and it is still lodged inside my throat.

How many times do I have to learn the same lesson? Do not breathe and swallow at the same time.

Tech

Tech rehearsal is sooooo long! Especially on a night like tonight where I'm running on a few hours of welcomed interrupted sleep, and a christmas show rehearsal right before the dreary hours of tech.

This is going to be a great show! I can't wait for all to come and see.

Do I Hear a Break?

Is it true? Did I really sleep for 10 hours last night? Am I really getting two days off from my hectic rehearsal schedule and life?
I guess not really. I have two huge projects that I should be working on, and trying to wrap m brain around. Yet, I really need a break. I just need to take a moment and breathe and suck in the wonderful idea that I will not be working on any websites. I will not be rehearsing. I will not be driving around. I'm just going to take a big deep breath, and enjoy this wintery rainy day - and take in fall.

Rehearsal for Waltz has been spectacular. I know I haven't really said much about the process mostly because it has been so short, and because with the week off for Hawaii, all my energy has been focuses towards the production. The theatre is only 99 seat house, we have no mics, the sets are looking great, and most of all, the cast is so incredibly talented. It's such a pleasure and an honor to share the stage with these folks. Their talent and dedication has really inspired my creative talent. For one, I want to do a really good job to match their choices. Two, I've always felt like I've lacked creative-ness that I behave more like a monkey. Just do whatever you're told. This cast has really let my creative brain get worked, and I've actually come up with a lot of funny one liners - at least subconsciously. It's a real treat to play the dumb blonde trophy wife - character part for a change. Granted, I'll never trade my love sick, in turmoil and with character arch characters. Yet, after Maria and after Kim, this is a nice break.