Tootles September

First day of rehearsal for "Pure Poe" went very well! And we had a good production meeting. :o)

Really rather sleepy again ... so this is a short blog post ... and tomorrow's October - HOLY SHIZOLY!!!

Ok. That is all. For tonight.

:)

Busy Bee

I love being busy, especially when it's all theatrically related, but right now I am looking forward to Sunday ... and entire day off (and my only day off) for the next month. Well ok, it's not the only day off, it's that I only have Sunday's off.

So far Cap Rep is going well - though I've only been doing prep stuff and site visits. Driving all over creation is actually really tiring.

Drama Kids is under way and I'm now in the midst of stressing the juggling of DK and Cap Rep.

And I've gotta get some info out to the kids at the Middle School so that they can prep for their auditions - and I've gotta get the audition stuff ready and I've gotta get the scripts ordered and the performances booked. Oh my ...

NOt eNOugh Sleep

Ok, that title's NOt exactly true, but I thought I'd put the NO's in there. What it really means is that I'm tired. This week - and it's only the end of Wednesday - has already been really REALLY long! Car pooling = long hours. Capital Rep'ing and Drama Kidding. And then today, add to the tired with the fact that I drove a lot in order to do some of my site visits for "Pure Poe". I'm sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!

But NO bed yet for it is my cousin's birthday and there's cake to be had! mmmmmm cake!

Zoinks ... NO post from the 25th ... how can this be?

I have no idea how that happened or what happened that day so this time warp is not very effective...we'll see if I remember what went on that day and if I do I'll update this ... or add a comment or something.

No more No Car

This coming month is going to be BUSY! Cap Rep SM tour and when I can Drama Kids, it's going to make for some late nights and lots of traveling! :o)

Car situation sorted today. The folks bought a brand new CR-V and I'm going halvsies on the rest of the now "old" (2009) CR-V ... woop woop!

Some Cap Rep and some Drama Kidding today ... and I am exhausted, so that is all for today.

Theatre Theatre Theatre Theatre Theatre Car!

So I've officially signed my contract to Stage Manage "Pure Poe" with Cap Rep, and me likey! I realized last night that I had accepted the job without ever asking how much I would actually be making, ha ha ha - brilliant, no?! - and I love the number. Of course one could always say they'd like a larger one, but it's more/week than I have made in quite a while, woop woop!

It's going to be a busy month ... assuming I can manage to do some of my Drama Kids classes on top of stage managing this tour, however, my DK boss knows that I've got this job (in fact she ok'd me to do it, knowing that I might not be able to work at all in October ... so ...) so we'll see what transpires. The schedule looks to me like there will be some days I can do DK after the tour day, but I'm not entirely positive yet. Gotta look at it all ... with maps and stuff ... travel happens when it's a TOUR!

CAR ... gotta get this sorted out. I'm totally stressing it because my SM job is Monday - Saturday and without wheels ... well that's just tragic. And there are days when my call will be well before the folks need to be at work so going in with them, or them going in with me would be tragic as well.

Anyhoo...I spent several hours over at Cap Rep getting started - the SM has to do "site visits" to the locations so we'll know exactly what we need at each place before we go there on the show day, which means a lot of scheduling (and a little grumbling on my part, I wasn't aware of this aspect before hand - again, neeeeeeed me some wheels - and a few of the locations are pretty "far" ... though I was told that I will get mileage reimbursed and tolls for anywhere I go for a site visit, so it's not all bad).

So I'm now waiting, at our newly renovated Brugger's Bagel, until I have to go for today's Drama Kids class.

And that, for the moment, is all!

Cap Rep Starts This Week

Called the Production Manager at Cap Rep back and my contract will be in on Monday to sign and get things rolling! :o) Saaaaa-weet!

And that is all ... for now.

Meeting ... ideas ... phone call!

That title makes it sound like I did a lot today and really, I didn't. Haha.

My meeting at GCS MS went well, we're now good to go with the MS Play - and I've got the dates starting in November with the show happening in January of 2012 (like we did with "The Wizard of Oz") so that it does not collide with my Stage Managing "Pure Poe" at Cap Rep.

*Ideas are bubbling forth for this show ... must note them down tomorrow and start getting things ready and really researching my script etc...

And the phone call is about "Pure Poe". Prep week is next week so I got a call from the Prod. Manager at the theatre, will call back tomorrow to find out all the details - and then I'll also know (hopefully) how often I'll be able to - or not - Drama Kids while "Pure Poe" is happening.

Oh, and I'm officially back on the sub list so that's a plus. Of course now that I'll be busy for the month of October ... ha ha ha! But I digress, I can only sub a total of 40 days at GCS anyway - apparently that's the law when you're not a certified teacher.

And that is all she wrote for today.

Oh...I found another job I can apply for. Now I've just gotta get my cover letter up to snuff and send that stuff out!

Drama Kid Day

Today I had two of my three "just Maggie as teacher" classes!
Good times.
And I'm tired now.
Goodnight!

Connections ... Job Ap

My friend Justin works as the Resident Director of "Billy Elliot" ... currently on Broadway, but he's also worked with other productions of it, like the one in Sydney, the one in Korea, the one in Chicago (though I think that was a tour that started there) etc...

Anyhoo, he's - they - are looking for a Resident Director for a tour that's about to go out, Nationally, and they're going to be interviewing folks soon. He called me up and said he wanted someone in the mix that he knew and trusted as well and thought of me! :o)

SO, I've just sent him my resume. Who knows if they'll like it and want to interview me or not ... but it never hurts.

I'm not sure anything will come of it, I've actually sent him my info once before, for a similar position - don't remember if it was for the NYC sit down production or a different tour ... but nothing came of it. Still it can't hurt to send the resume out there. We'll see.

If, knock on wood, I were to get and interview and then the job, it would mean some major reorganizing of current projects ... but again, like yesterdays post, I'll bridge that gap when and if it comes.

Two I can actually apply for!

Well I finally found two jobs I can actually apply for! :o)

One AEA Stage Manager's job in Pittsburgh and the other is a Directing job at Yale for their winter production. Technically they both overlap one of my current jobs, but they pay well so I am going to submit myself and if I get an offer then, well, I'll bridge that gap when (and if) it comes.

Now, onto writing up a better, more current, eye catching cover letter ... and making sure my CV is up to date!

And today Drama Kids classes start!

Title Schmitle!

Book work.
*Ok, so today I'm going to work on a book I've been trying to write for a long time now. I'm going to get "un-stuck" ... some how, right?! Right!!!
*I'm also putting together, what's likely (and I may have said this in a post last month) another of the bajillions of theatre game books that are out there in the world. It's mostly so that I can have all my games in one spot, this way when I'm in a class I've got all the games I like in one place. I don't kNOw if it will ever become anything other than my own compiling for my own use...but, well, anything could happen!

Job Applications
I've found three different Stage Manager/Production SM jobs that I "could" apply for. Problem = how do you apply for gigs that:
a.) aren't anywhere near your current location?
b.) would overlap one or more of your current jobs (all of which are in theatre to begin with)?

Argh!

I'll very likely do more research work on my MS Play, Greek Myth research is a lot of fun! :o)

And I've gotta figure out what the theme for my December 24 Hour Round at the HS should be ... I'm stuck on this one, gotta find something fun to do that can be "done" at the school so the kids don't have to travel at any point during the process ('cause then there's permission forms etc...).

Ok, now I've gotta get crackin', 'cause I'm also getting back on that exercise wagon TODAY!

Lazy Day

The only thing I did today, related to this blog, was to double check my Drama Kids schedule for the upcoming week. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be able to use my Grandmother's car the days I have to work this week ... and I'm working on getting a car so ... hopefully this will be the only week I have to inconvenience my G'man.

And that's all for today.

No Post Time Warp

I'm 28 minutes late ... ok, now 29, in getting my 17 September 2011 post up. Seeing as I didn't do a damn thing theatrically today I suppose a time warp isn't really necessary...but I digress.

Actually, I did chat with my Aunt - who's also the Assistant Director (among other things) for the MS show - today about a few things I'm thinking about the show. I've got at least 9 masks, including a really sweet idea for a Medusa Headdress Mask for the show. I'm super excited.

AND I told her I think that she and I should do a Shakespeare with the HS kids. We don't need to purchase rights for Shakespeare, and we don't need a set - the Bard wrote all of his scenography into his dialogue as they didn't have elaborate sets back in the day. Simple costumes and minimal / simple props and we're good to go. We just need to secure a weekend for the performance, and students of course. She did seem as enthused by the idea as I am, so perhaps we'll get it done. Wish me luck! (I won't get paid for it of course ... but we Theatre Folk do many jobs without pay simply trying to get more experience and the possibility of being noticed etc ...)

And that is all she wrote for today (ok yesterday as it's now technically the 18th)! 12:34pm ... time warp out!

NO Idea

No Idea #1 - what am I going to do now that the car, that wasn't even mind but I had access to, is dead? I'm due to start Drama Kids this week and that requires a car. I'm freaking out a bit.

No Idea #2 - the GCS MS Principal wants to have a meeting about the show ... this makes me nervous for some reason, mostly because I don't recall having to have a meeting about the shows in the past, but maybe we did and it was more like an "I'm in the bldg. so we had a conversation" type deal, or I simply don't recall the meetings (I'm too young to be forgetting things already...). It feels like I'm in trouble or something, ha ha, oiy!

~Actually, I wonder if it's got anything to do with the fact that I'm not on the payroll as a sub right now - late paper work due to my being on the West Coast this summer and all that ... hoping to get that resolved ASAP as I've already lost out on a day's work, I could have been sub'ing in my aunts room today. Sigh...

No Idea #3 - there are no jobs, that I've found yet, for me to apply for right now. GROWL! I'm back to a nothing life ... or feeling like that at any rate.

No Idea #4 - I've still not heard anything more about my AEA Contract with Cap Rep and I'm getting nervous about it / anxious about the hours I'm working, ya know, 'cause I don't know them.

No Idea #5 - some times, ok more often than not lately, I've been feeling like everyone I know has the insider information on how to get what they want. How to make what they want in their lives happen. A secret that I'm not privy too! I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I have all these ideas and NO WAY to get them done, yet so many people would know how to make them happen ... I think ... I'm feel very frustrated!

Carrot Cake

Today is my Mother's Birthday and I made my very first Carrot Cake, and it rocked!

Other than that - that meaning cooking my Mom's birthday dinner and cake, NOthing done today.

Seriously gotta get my arse in gear tomorrow!!!

Greek Mythology

Well, despite driving up to Albany today - and getting half way there and having the breaks stop working (no no, I'm fine ...), forcing me to wait in Albany all day while my folks finish up their work day - I did get a little theatre stuff done. I bought a book and started researching some Greek Mythology. This is for my MS Play.

Other than that, nothing done.

Creativity today!

That sounds uplifting and like I've done something really creative, right?! :o) Muwhahahahahahaaaaaaaa!

So far all I've done today are little things. Add some photos (scrapbook style, yes I'm that girl) to two different albums.

I did do some job searching, so far the only thing I found is with WAM Theatre (I've worked with them before), and it's an AEA Stage Manager's position, but the dates overlap with my current (well I'll consider it real when I've got the contract) AEA gig in October ... as well as my DK stuff. The show takes place in Massachusetts and there's no housing provided there so....it's a defo no go. :( Oh well.

Gotta start doing some research and other MS Play things - still waiting on confirmation that the script is an ok one to do, by the principal though so ...

And that's all for today folks (so far, hey it's only 4:09pm).

No Motivation ...

Today I had pretty much no motivation to do anything with/about/for any of my upcoming gigs. Not that I NEEDED to do anything for any of them today, but still...I haven't yet received my contract for the show with Cap Rep., I've gotta call them about that now - I am supposed to start in sixteen days and I don't know what time or where I'm supposed to be on that first day. Anyway...that's all. Boring nothingness.

Today

I missed yesterday September 10th ... oiy ... oh well! I didn't do anything theatrical anyway, all I did was purchase a new bookshelf, put it together and fill it up!

Today I did a little Drama Kid emailing and such, I've now got 3 classes this year that are just mine, and the others I will continue to Co-Teach. :o)

And I went to see a community theatre production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" that had two people I knew in it.

And that is all ...

Stuff.

So I'm a total Office Supply Store Junky (and bookstore and kitchen store)! It's a sickness really, ha ha ha! But I digress...I went out and purchased my new notebook for this years MS Play so I can start making notes and doing some research and all that jazz!

I also got to watch a great video on Bunraku, Kabuki and Noh theatre with my Aunt! :o) I SO WANT TO LEARN THEM ALL!!!! The Bunraku puppetry is simply amazing!

Anyhoo...that is what I did today, theatrically speaking.

I'm starting to think that the above line is what this blog should have been called ... ha ha ha!

Nada.

No theatre stuff done today ... I hung out with a friend instead! :o)

"Circus Olympus"

I believe - as long as it gets approved by the MS Principal - that this will be the play we're doing this year. It's Greek Mythology woo hoo!!! Here come the masks the movement the togas and simple sets!!! :o)

Still Searching for a Script

Oh my gosh ... it is proving VERY difficult to find this years Middle School production. Arrrrrrrrrgh!!! It's also SUPER hard when you come across a title of a show that sounds good but you've no way to preview the script without purchasing one. Granted it's not the end of the world to purchase a script, but how many is one supposed to purchase ... why not have a way where teachers can sign in and read scripts without having to purchase them?

Some site do have preview sections of their scripts, and with some the previews are longer than others. I've now read several plays - or most of them at any rate - and a few very brief previews and a few more descriptions.

We'll see what happens/what I find. :o)

Working on Labor Day

It's true ... I had my Drama Kids staff meeting today! All went well. This year I will be team teaching the classes I did last year and doing two classes all by myself as well! Woot woot!!! ;o)

And then we had food! Mmmmm...

And now I'm going to read...I'm in the middle of about five books, no lie:

1. Jane Goodall 50 Years At Gombe
2. Encyclopedia of the Exquisite
3. The Power of One
4. The Elegance of the Hedgehog
5. Fragile Things (a Neil Gaiman book of short stories)

Get back to reading!

Theatre Discussions

Today was Dave's 60th Birthday ... Happy Birthday Dave! And so, aside from his party, the only theatrical thing I did today was to talk shop with my cousin David (no, it was not his birthday)! :o)

Shopping! :o)

Not sure I'll get to any real theatrey stuff today as I'm going shopping! (What a post, eh?!) :o)

Script Choices

Trying to chose a script for the MS show ... this is, as always, proving difficult. I am looking for a play that can handle up to 20+ kids (but could be done with fewer in case I don't get a lot of kids trying out - so many of "my kids" from the past two years are now up in the high school so ...). I am looking for a play that will allow me to utilize masks. I am looking for a play that will be aesthetically different from the two previous shows - I want little to no set, so the kids feel a different way of performing a show for the audience. I want it to be educational as well as fun - we did two fantasy plays so far, this time I am looking for something that's fantastical but also informational. I am looking for something Greek or perhaps Native American ... or ... ??? I've also got this desire to do "His Dark Materials" ... but I have to read the script and see if it's even doable by a cast of Middle Schoolers. So far I've found a few possibilities on both Playscripts.com and the Dramatic Publishing Co. website. The only problem is that these sites only allow partial viewing / pre-reading of the scripts - Playscripts more of the show than Dramatic Publishing ... so ... anyhoo, that is what I'm up to at the moment. :o)

Hello September!

HOLY Ba-jeazus! How on earth did it become September already??? Anyone ... ???!!!

So I'm back from the West Coast, a little sad - though I'm loving my gigantic bed! I could live there, it's a lovely part of the country for damn sure! Now to find me a man who's all into theatre (at least seeing it / and accepting his gal works in it) and the great outdoors and stuff. hahaha Amie, the first person I stayed with while I was out there, insists that to be an easy find. ;o) We'll see.

As for Theatre Today:
1. Thinking on this Fall's 24 Hour Round at GCS ; and pondering if I should try to get a round in other schools close by (using some GCS folks as helpers into the process ... )
2. Searching for this years GCS MS production ... what should I do?
3. Gearing up for my Drama Kids Staff Mtg., and getting this years schedule into my brain.
4. Awaiting my AEA Cap Rep Contract for "Pure Poe" for next month (holy shizoly, since it's September that is literally next month, sweet)!
5. Going to do some "Human Condition" stuff.
6. And back to the job search we go.

Thank you Arlene and Richard for getting me out the Seattle and helping me have an amazing time while out there - Amie and Aidan as well!

One Day Late ...

This is a time warped post for August 31st, 2011

Drat, I totally missed the final day of August ... as a blog post that is, I totally lived the day! ;o) Slept "ridiculously" late, for me any way, all the way to 10am - which for my jet lagged self felt like 7am, this is how I console myself. Haha.

And that is all ...