Not-so-brief recap
It's been forever since a real update. I'm going to have to put this in a cut because it's quite long, but I at least tried to pare down the old news.
I never really wrote about my birthday or the fourth. Birthday was good. We went out to Butte Creek again, and this time it wasn't just Brian, Shasta, Bethany and I. Britin and Dani came for the day, my mom and Maggie were there through lunch, and my dad even made a brief appearance. Fun and alcohol was had, pictures were taken, etc. They're on my Myspace.
The Fourth was pretty good. Brian got off work relatively early, and we went to Britin's for festivities. We also went to watch fireworks in Mt. Shasta, but not wanting to deal with driving through the crowds at the lake, we watched from a distance and it was crappy. Luckily, Scott and Britin had bought a fuckton of fireworks, which we let off both at the lot where we were supposed to watch the city's fireworks, and at the cul-de-sac next to their apartment. I got some awesome pictures with my new digital camera (oh yeah, did I mention I got a KICKASS NEW DIGITAL CAMERA for my birthday?), some of which are also on my Myspace.
Since then, it's pretty much been a blur of work and rehearsals up until this week. Crystal came home on leave from Italy, but I barely got to see her. The fact that she won't be in the US again until next May is incredibly disheartening.
Rehearsals went okay. I would like to have been more daring with my role, but Rod wasn't actually THERE until the 5th, and also gives NOTHING back as far as sexual tension, so I took it about as far as I could without embarrassing myself. It was still pretty good, and evidently I didn't so much act well as I just WAS my character on stage (so says Ned). Which is pretty cool, since I did actually spend every second on stage thinking of how to react, and adding every nuance I could think of.
As far as the individual performances went, there were good and bad. Opening night (Thursday) we were awesome, but the audience was pretty small. No biggie, as they seemed to enjoy it. Friday night the audience was equally small, but I had Pete, Brian, Dani, and Tammy in the audience (Damon was there but left in the second scene because "he wasn't feeling well," AKA he's a pissy bitch and I hate him), and Pete has the most infectious laugh EVER. So that was encouraging and the show was a lot of fun, though evidently we had SO much fun that Act II was "interesting" as far as lines go.
Last night, Saturday, was dreadful. There were literally only 14 people in the audience, which almost isn't worth it, except that they'd paid $12 just like everyone else, so we had to put on a show. The problem with small audiences is that they're afraid to react. And as an actor, it's so hard to have energy when you're getting nothing back, especially when you've gotten used to having some sort of reaction. Apparently we performed bravely in the face of adversity, but I was definitely not at top of my game. In the very first scene, Rod forgot the second half of my cue, which totally threw me off, so there was a long pause before I spat out a butchered version of part of my line. I was SO angry at myself (and a bit at Rod, who still thought he hadn't missed his line) because I hadn't fucked up a line since the first tech rehearsal. So of course, I was in a bad mood for the rest of the show and dreaded every moment I was on stage.
Today was our matinee, and if not our best show, at least in the top 2. We had a nearly full audience (who were a bit talkative, but nonetheless REALLY in the mood to have fun) and I think all of us were just at the top of our game because we knew we'd never get to do it again.
As far as the social goes, Logan, a friend from Ashland, came down Thursday night and saw the show, then he, Brian and I went to Denny's and played Settlers of Cattan until nearly 1:00 a.m. Love that game. Friday night Pete came over after the show (Britin had to leave and we opted not to go to the bar with Tammy because we didn't want to get wrapped up in her friends' drama), and Saturday night a few of us went to Denny's and then Rhyan and Robin were over until 3:00 a.m. playing Cattan. Didn't get to bed until 5:00 a.m. which was fun and yet not. Tonight after the show we all hung out at the theater for a long time exchanging hugs and gathering our stuff, and then went over to Tyler's house for an onofficial and impromptu mini-cast party. It was going to be at my apartment, but Tyler had a whole house free and his parents were out of town, so that was cool. I brought over snacks and stuff to make spaghetti and garlic bread, and luckily some other people helped with dinner. It was really nice to have even a little cast party, since JJ had nixed the idea of having one at the theater. Actually I'm pretty sure no one invited her to Tyler's, but she wouldn't have gone anyway, so oh well.
All in all, the show was a lot of fun, and I think I did some of my best acting. I've learned that I have to really be into a part to truly act it well, otherwise I just get bored. But playing evil is way too fun to be boring. The other great part was that I actually got to know more of the cast (many of whom were in Once Upon a Mattress) this time. Virginia, who played Gonzala, and I had WAY too much fun being sarcastic bitches behind the scenes. She even nicknamed me "Bitch" (or "Witch" when the younger crowd was around) because my character was just that, and I nicknamed her "Hag" because she played an old woman. I'm going to miss her a lot, as well as her daughter, Suzannah, who played Prospera. I'd always thought Suzannah was kind of self-absorbed, which she also thought of me, but it turns out we get along really well. Actually I liked nearly all the teenagers, which I wasn't expecting.
But now the downside. I'm really disappointed in the people that didn't see the show. I kind of figured Shasta, Bethany, and other people who live far away couldn't make it, so it's no big deal. But no one from JC Penney came, Dani didn't come, Crystal didn't even come to part of the dress rehearsal before she left (though that probably wasn't her fault), and most disappointingly, my dad didn't come. He hasn't missed a show of mine ever, at least not that I recall. I didn't even call to see if he was going to see The Underpants and he showed up on the last day. But this time, when I forgot to call him, he actually called and talked to Brian and to my mom, and had us reserve tickets for he and his girlfriend. No one told him Rachelle wasn't welcome, so I don't know what his excuse was. But I do know that I'm pretty hurt, and it furthers my insecurities that he's just not interested in being a father to me anymore.
Even more devastating is the fact that my SD card for my camera fucked up, and the video I took of my mom and the three other ladies who played goddesses doing a spoof of their part in the play (which everyone wanted on the DVD of the show), doesn't work. Plus, all the pictures I took of the cast party got erased (and I'm sure they took in the first place, because I hit the Review button and looked at each of them after I took them). Pictures, to me, are very important because they're all I have when my memories of an event start to fade. I dread having to tell people that the goddess video doesn't work. MEH.
Right after this, I made the mistake of catching up on the news and found out that Tammy Faye died, Cheney is our temporary president, and we bombed a bunch of civilians in Iraq and then went "Oops." So now I'm in a terribly sad and bitter mood, and I'm going to bed.
I never really wrote about my birthday or the fourth. Birthday was good. We went out to Butte Creek again, and this time it wasn't just Brian, Shasta, Bethany and I. Britin and Dani came for the day, my mom and Maggie were there through lunch, and my dad even made a brief appearance. Fun and alcohol was had, pictures were taken, etc. They're on my Myspace.
The Fourth was pretty good. Brian got off work relatively early, and we went to Britin's for festivities. We also went to watch fireworks in Mt. Shasta, but not wanting to deal with driving through the crowds at the lake, we watched from a distance and it was crappy. Luckily, Scott and Britin had bought a fuckton of fireworks, which we let off both at the lot where we were supposed to watch the city's fireworks, and at the cul-de-sac next to their apartment. I got some awesome pictures with my new digital camera (oh yeah, did I mention I got a KICKASS NEW DIGITAL CAMERA for my birthday?), some of which are also on my Myspace.
Since then, it's pretty much been a blur of work and rehearsals up until this week. Crystal came home on leave from Italy, but I barely got to see her. The fact that she won't be in the US again until next May is incredibly disheartening.
Rehearsals went okay. I would like to have been more daring with my role, but Rod wasn't actually THERE until the 5th, and also gives NOTHING back as far as sexual tension, so I took it about as far as I could without embarrassing myself. It was still pretty good, and evidently I didn't so much act well as I just WAS my character on stage (so says Ned). Which is pretty cool, since I did actually spend every second on stage thinking of how to react, and adding every nuance I could think of.
As far as the individual performances went, there were good and bad. Opening night (Thursday) we were awesome, but the audience was pretty small. No biggie, as they seemed to enjoy it. Friday night the audience was equally small, but I had Pete, Brian, Dani, and Tammy in the audience (Damon was there but left in the second scene because "he wasn't feeling well," AKA he's a pissy bitch and I hate him), and Pete has the most infectious laugh EVER. So that was encouraging and the show was a lot of fun, though evidently we had SO much fun that Act II was "interesting" as far as lines go.
Last night, Saturday, was dreadful. There were literally only 14 people in the audience, which almost isn't worth it, except that they'd paid $12 just like everyone else, so we had to put on a show. The problem with small audiences is that they're afraid to react. And as an actor, it's so hard to have energy when you're getting nothing back, especially when you've gotten used to having some sort of reaction. Apparently we performed bravely in the face of adversity, but I was definitely not at top of my game. In the very first scene, Rod forgot the second half of my cue, which totally threw me off, so there was a long pause before I spat out a butchered version of part of my line. I was SO angry at myself (and a bit at Rod, who still thought he hadn't missed his line) because I hadn't fucked up a line since the first tech rehearsal. So of course, I was in a bad mood for the rest of the show and dreaded every moment I was on stage.
Today was our matinee, and if not our best show, at least in the top 2. We had a nearly full audience (who were a bit talkative, but nonetheless REALLY in the mood to have fun) and I think all of us were just at the top of our game because we knew we'd never get to do it again.
As far as the social goes, Logan, a friend from Ashland, came down Thursday night and saw the show, then he, Brian and I went to Denny's and played Settlers of Cattan until nearly 1:00 a.m. Love that game. Friday night Pete came over after the show (Britin had to leave and we opted not to go to the bar with Tammy because we didn't want to get wrapped up in her friends' drama), and Saturday night a few of us went to Denny's and then Rhyan and Robin were over until 3:00 a.m. playing Cattan. Didn't get to bed until 5:00 a.m. which was fun and yet not. Tonight after the show we all hung out at the theater for a long time exchanging hugs and gathering our stuff, and then went over to Tyler's house for an onofficial and impromptu mini-cast party. It was going to be at my apartment, but Tyler had a whole house free and his parents were out of town, so that was cool. I brought over snacks and stuff to make spaghetti and garlic bread, and luckily some other people helped with dinner. It was really nice to have even a little cast party, since JJ had nixed the idea of having one at the theater. Actually I'm pretty sure no one invited her to Tyler's, but she wouldn't have gone anyway, so oh well.
All in all, the show was a lot of fun, and I think I did some of my best acting. I've learned that I have to really be into a part to truly act it well, otherwise I just get bored. But playing evil is way too fun to be boring. The other great part was that I actually got to know more of the cast (many of whom were in Once Upon a Mattress) this time. Virginia, who played Gonzala, and I had WAY too much fun being sarcastic bitches behind the scenes. She even nicknamed me "Bitch" (or "Witch" when the younger crowd was around) because my character was just that, and I nicknamed her "Hag" because she played an old woman. I'm going to miss her a lot, as well as her daughter, Suzannah, who played Prospera. I'd always thought Suzannah was kind of self-absorbed, which she also thought of me, but it turns out we get along really well. Actually I liked nearly all the teenagers, which I wasn't expecting.
But now the downside. I'm really disappointed in the people that didn't see the show. I kind of figured Shasta, Bethany, and other people who live far away couldn't make it, so it's no big deal. But no one from JC Penney came, Dani didn't come, Crystal didn't even come to part of the dress rehearsal before she left (though that probably wasn't her fault), and most disappointingly, my dad didn't come. He hasn't missed a show of mine ever, at least not that I recall. I didn't even call to see if he was going to see The Underpants and he showed up on the last day. But this time, when I forgot to call him, he actually called and talked to Brian and to my mom, and had us reserve tickets for he and his girlfriend. No one told him Rachelle wasn't welcome, so I don't know what his excuse was. But I do know that I'm pretty hurt, and it furthers my insecurities that he's just not interested in being a father to me anymore.
Even more devastating is the fact that my SD card for my camera fucked up, and the video I took of my mom and the three other ladies who played goddesses doing a spoof of their part in the play (which everyone wanted on the DVD of the show), doesn't work. Plus, all the pictures I took of the cast party got erased (and I'm sure they took in the first place, because I hit the Review button and looked at each of them after I took them). Pictures, to me, are very important because they're all I have when my memories of an event start to fade. I dread having to tell people that the goddess video doesn't work. MEH.
Right after this, I made the mistake of catching up on the news and found out that Tammy Faye died, Cheney is our temporary president, and we bombed a bunch of civilians in Iraq and then went "Oops." So now I'm in a terribly sad and bitter mood, and I'm going to bed.