"You were once wild here, don't let them tame you!" ~Isadora Duncan
"Be faithful to that which exists within yourself." ~Andre Gide
"Follow your bliss!" ~J. Campbell ... and my folks!
"The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting." ~Andy Warhol
"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." ~Nelson Mandela
"...open and expanding like an unfinished book..." ~Quote from a friend, Travis Judd
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." ~St. Francis of Assisi
"And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." ~Nelson Mandela
"The capacity to be puzzled is ... the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science." ~Erich Fromm
"Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before." ~Mae West
"Theatre is a form of knowledge; it should and can also be a means of transforming society. Theatre can help us build our future, rather than just waiting for it." ~Augusto Boal
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Travel Post ...
Hurricane Irene which became a Tropical Storm Irene has caused a lot of flooding in New York - upstate - it's been several days since the storm and the hill is still without power ... oh my, what, no shower when I get home??? Arrrrgh! ;o) Sigh...it's more the dirty laundry I don't want to think about piling up ... on top of the already pretty good pile I'm bringing home with me (I should have done a load or two yesterday while I still had access to Arlene and Aidan's apartment laundry room, oh well).
But I digress...
I just bought a travel pillow to see if the on plane sleeping is any easier with it - it's one of those U shaped pillows ... we'll see. And because my little white sweater bit the dust - holes in the seams at the neck line and under the arms - I bought a "Seattle Washington" Fleece. The single gal's version or a Family Vacation Sweatshirt of T-Shirt! Hahaha...I probably spent more money than I should have while I was out here, and though I'd love to come back, who knows if I will have the opportunity to do so again ... so it was business and pleasure, my one real vacation/holiday since Ireland in 2009. Go me! Hahaha. I'm such a dork.
And on that note, I am going to post.
NO theatre in this post, haha!
PS...so apparently when you have a stop but you don't change planes Soutwest Air doesn't see fit to tell you so ... not only do I have a layover in Vegas (where I am currently typing from) BUT the flight went to Salt Lake City Utah first, we got a new crew and some passenger changes AND THEN we went to Vegas. For a gal who doesn't particularly love to fly that's un-fun information. Both landings in Utah and Vegas were bumpy - must be windy out thar. Hope the next one's smooth.
Monday, August 29, 2011
"His Dark Materials"
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Masks & Photography
I'll get some photos on here soon, and I'll even put up the photo my second mask is "based on".
AND
Photography - I took Arlene's Headshot's today! Sitting #1 was a success, even if all the photos weren't, hahaha!!! We did some inside and some outside! Oh yeah! We might do another sitting with her in a lighter color top so that she has some contrast. We'll see.
And that is all for today.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Theatre Games ... a book ... ???
Friday, August 26, 2011
Random Rants By Maggie ???
Seriously ... should this be a blog? I can rant pretty well ... and well funny ... and all that jazz??? You know, about nothing, about everything, about ... whateve's ... what say you? (MIKE????)
Success!
Some amazing kiddos ... some kiddos that make you want to stand on your head and scream ... and what it all boils down to is a bunch of kiddos who make theatre - outside - in one week! Good job all Stone Soup Campers ... Teachers ... and Assistants! Fun times!!! :o)
What's next ...
Drama Kids begins the new year in September.
I'm Stage Managing "Pure Poe" with Cap Rep (it's their youth tour) in October.
Greenville Middle School's 2011 Production (started looking for what to do ... we shall see ... weeeee ....)
AND ... and ... and, we'll see!
I'm seriously thinking of doing a flyer for an Improv Class ... seeing how many kids I get to sign up ... and making it happen! Why not do a bit of freelancing? I'm good at what I do ... and perhaps this will get my name out even further!
OH YEAH ... and back to the application process!!!
Woot woot!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
One Day Left
"Harriet's Secret" is tomorrow at 1pm in Meridian Park, Seattle. ;o)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Games ...
And that's all she wrote for today folks.
"Harriet's Secret" camp is going well. Run thru's and show polishing tomorrow - mixed in with some games - and the same for Friday morning with a show at 1pm on Friday afternoon! Oh yeah ...
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Job Inquiry
;o)
Monday, August 22, 2011
Kids ...
Also ... a wee while back I asked a group of students if they knew what the word status meant - obviously I was relating it to theatre ... but I digress. The answer given back was "like on facebook when you write what you're up too." Hahaha...now they are in fact correct, however, that is not what it means in theatrical terms. :o) Oh kids ... and technology!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Today ... AfroLatino Festival
Au Lac Lion Dance - it's a Vietnamese Dance
Devils Dance by African Conexion
Today I went to two "festivals" in Seattle, one was actually the first Annual AfroLatino Festival in North Seattle, while the other was like a smaller community/cultural/farmers market type festival. At both of them however, not only was I able to see the AfroPeruvian Devils Dance that my friend is in, but at one I got to see these adorable kids perform a Colombian Dance, and at the other I got to see a Vietnamese Lion Dance. Very cool.
Photos above...
And this morning I planned my class for tomorrow!!! :o) Woop woop.
Oh ... and QUESTION FOR MY READERS:
Should I do a "Maggie's Rants" Blog? A friend suggested I do it because he finds my mini-rants (about anything and everything) to be rather funny and good natured / good humored. So ... what say you, you 7 readers that I have (if that)!??!?!?!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Working!
1. I am working on my final script for the summer, with Stone Soup Theatre, "Harriet's Secret". I'm trying to find ways to make the magic fun for the kids to do, especially when we have NO "special effects" that can be done ... well, that is to say, no external special effects other than what the kids can do. :o) I've got some good idears if I do say so myself! Onto planning lesson one for Monday.
and
2. I'm working on my project "The Human Condition". Woot woot! Uploading some more photos to my shutterfly account so that I can get them all printed ... once I've gotten them all. Making sure the correct notes are with the correct photos ... and simply admiring the photos themselves. I'm already in love with this project (well, ok, seeing as I thought it up I'm a little biased, loving it from the very beginning and all that jazz...)! I love how different everyone's views are, the different things they see where they live, and what strikes each of them as a picture of The Human Condition. Brilliant!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Theatre ... isn't always great!
:o)
Time Warp (Three Strikes and You're Out)!
I REALLY DISLIKE KIDS WHO ARE BULLIES AND OR PICK ON OTHER KIDS - REGARDLESS OF THE ABILITIES OR DISABILITIES A KID / PERSON HAS! This past week I had to deal with such a situation. Sigh... It's just devastating to me to see how many kids are MEAN to other kids ... what does that say for their future as a human being? Does not bode well. It makes me question, are they being raised poorly ... (I fear that's true, at least in my opinion, and I think that's so sad). I would never claim to be perfect, or to say that my folks were perfect parents either, but I do know the difference between right and wrong ... but I digress ...
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Script Picking
Goal(s) For This Show:
A. To "force" storytelling a little more strongly with the kids by utilizing a small (as in very minimal) setting. Perhaps I can find a show where we have no real backdrop or anything but the black curtains and a few set pieces that come on and off the stage?!
B. To utilize some mask work into the script - where by I can have a group of students in masks moving ... would be pretty sweet right?
C. To be a show that is something the kids don't know - in other words, nothing as "well known" as Peter Pan or The Wizard of Oz, thus fostering learning in another way that isn't - "...see this well known story was adapted and our show is not the same as the Disney Movie...etc...". Perhaps something that fosters specific cultural learning, like a Japanese Play - or stories from Japan, or something like that...
At any rate, it is time to start searching!!! What will we be doing ... ???!!! :o)
And...Comedy, Comedy! camp continues ... some frustrations ... some really fun comic moments ... and that is all!
PS...should I start a "Maggie's Rants" blog? Could be funny?
Time Warp Take Two!
Camp continues. And that is all. Hahaha!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Time Warp
The first day of Comedy, Comedy! class went well! We've a small class! And we're already having fun! :o) Woot woot! We'll see what the week brings!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Tomorrow begins Comedy, Comedy!!!
And ... as for theatre today, or more accurately tomorrow, I've got my first Comedy, Comedy Class! It's planned, I did the planning while sitting at the Quinault Lodge today, looking at Quinault lake, in the rain forest! It was lovely!!!
And that is all. For the moment.
Gonna go do some other prep work for tomorrow and then go to bed! :o)
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Quasi Interview
Then Arlene and I stayed there and watched their kids production of "Pirates of Penzance". Pretty good show ... a junior version for sure, good times! :o)
Shakespeare = Great Job!
By the way, this is yesterday's post - Friday the 12th of August.
Well done Shakespearian actors/campers!!!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Totally Unrelated Blog Post Here
Here's the more in depth version of the above question.
Ok, so I thought (a while back now) that I was going to be doing a gig in NY this summer directing kids in a production of Oliver, and it turns out that I couldn't do it, but I digress ... one of the things I was asked to do when I thought I was directing the show was to create an online blog for the parents to follow, like I've done with my Middle School shows ... so I did it. I came up with the blog title and "created" it and had one post of "more info to come" (or something like that) ... BUT NOW I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DELETE THE BLOG. It's not needed. I didn't do the show. etc... How do I get it off of "here"???
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Camp Shakespeare ... Ha ha ha!!!
And that is all I have to say about that. I'm exhausted...it's bed time! :o)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Went to the Theatre Tonight!
Then in the evening I went to see "The Next Room" at ACT Theatre, with Arlene! Very funny!!!
And now I need to sleep so I can get up and make sure the lesson plan for tomorrow - that I created while in a coffee shop waiting for Arlene after class - is good to go!
Good night!!!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Responses!
Day One of Stone Soup's "Midsummer..."
Today went really well! Now that I know they kids a bit I can make lesson plans to suit them and the show! Woo hoo!!! Looking forward to tomorrow when I can start blocking - we're in "The Rock Garden", which has some sweet trees and this great rock cave/sculpture thingy that we can use! Nice!!!
Lesson Plan Making Time Now!
And that, for the moment, is all my friends! :)
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Lesson Plans etc...
Job Ap's
I emailed the woman from Seattle Public Theatre to set up a meeting ... they've got a potential position opening up, and they have other things like SM gigs and Summer Camp gigs that I can "interview" for. So here's hoping I can get an interview while I am here!!!
And now I have also emailed my cover letter and CV to the person in charge of hiring for the Summer Camp at Lakeside school in North Seattle, for next summer's Drama Teaching position. Let's see if - here's hoping- I get an interview for that while I'm out here too!
:o)
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Letter of Intent
So I've just emailed out my letter of intent (still need to put the signed one in the post) so that I can direct the local middle school production again this coming school year. Now ... what show to pick???!!! ;o)
And I will be - either today or tomorrow - sending out my cv/cover letter to the guy who hired my friend Arlene for a summer theatre teaching job at Lakeside (I believe) school in Northern Seattle. She won't be here next summer ... so ... we'll see ... perhaps I could have a second summer of Seattle gigs?! :o)
Friday, August 5, 2011
NO theatre today!
Today I went to Crystal Mountain, braved my fear of heights, and took a "gondola" ride up to the top of the mountain so that I could see Mt. Rainer "up close" without going onto an active volcano covered in snow and glacial ice! :o) And it was BEAUTIFUL!!! Amazing amazing amazing! Once I've downloaded my photos I'll put one or two on here.
On the way back we also stopped in a bit of the forest that is covered in moss, the trees are COVERED (and I mean covered) in moss, it's wicked! I'll put a photo of that on here eventually (most likely) as well!
And then we went to a winery, Chateau Saint Michelle and then a fabulous Puerto Rican restaurant ... mmmm and I am TIRED! I've been out of the house for 13 hours!!!
I was also told by a friend that I should create a blog called Maggie's Random Rants (or by Maggie) ... and record myself going on little (or not so little) rants about things and then uploading them ... it's actually a rather amusing idea! :o) We shall see...
Goodnight moon!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Improv Workshop
The kids did really well. And I enjoyed being a "guest workshop'er" in someone else's class. :o)
And I went and officially signed my Stone Soup contract at the theatre, and saw the park where the classes are taught! Woo hoo!!!
And that is all I have for today ... nope, I lied, I also sent made contact with "my local middle school" about doing the play again this coming school year! :o)
Cool.
August 3rds Post
And Happy 2nd Birthday to my niece T!!!
Time warp over.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Seattle Sight Seeing
On the list for the day (let's see how much I get done, by the time I get out of the house and all that jazz...)
a. Seattle Underground Tour
b. Pike Place Market where I will get a Starbucks from the Original Store.
c. The Space Needle
d. The Klondike Gold Rush Historical Site
e. Waterfall Garden
f. The Seattle Aquarium
And if for some reason I get all that done and still want to "do something" ... there's always the Seattle Art Museum and about a bajillion other things I could do!
Gotta' buy a map when I get off the train which Arlene will take me too in a little while! :)
Monday, August 1, 2011
Welcome August!
And so far, and likely the only thing I'll do today - theatrically speaking (aside from having some theatrical conversations with Arlene like we did last night, YAY) was to read two more scripts for the Comedy, Comedy class in two weeks! :o)
More coffee please!
AND WELCOME (holy shizoly how did it get to be) August!!!