Saturday, June 20, 2009

Star Trek Film

I'm not a big Star Trek fan, especially TOS. just never felt like the writing or the acting, for the most part, were very engaging. I like Next Gen and DS9, but have never been a Voyager fan, and just didn't bother to even go see the last three or so movies.

I was talked into going to see this one, though, and I'm SO glad I did! It was absolutely fantastic! I loved all the little tributes they made to TOS, and the respect they showed for it and for the fans (since I know several people who are really strong, longtime fans of TOS). I liked learning about the backstory, although I really would have liked to have seen more of Kirk's mother-- what happened to her? She just kind of disappeared.

The acting was incredible, the sets and special effects were wonderful and the writing was excellent!!!!!

Has anybody out there seen it? What did you think? Good or bad! LOL! Any other big summer films you want to see or have seen and recommend?

WHEW!!!

Spring is FINALLY over!!!!!!!

I will never, never, NEVER agree to stage manage a show again, not even for my best friend! A friend begged and pleaded and G. and I felt sorry for them and wanted to help, but neither of us knew what we were getting into. And, no matter WHAT, I won't agree to do it again. It takes up WAY too much time and energy for no payback. If I'm going to waste my time and be sleep-deprived, I'm going to do it ONSTAGE, thank you very much. Not backstage.

During the time we were doing this, I took another workshop with T... and although I loved my scene partner (she was great), I was disheartened when I found out he gave us Chekov... CHEKOV! Let me just say, I am NOT a fan of ANY Russian writers. Just not. IMO, they are too wordy, I don't care for the awkwardness of the language (at least in translation) and they are always SO depressing. I should have known, though.... T. and J. liked it a lot the first time, spent some time talking with us about it, and with one or two sentences, gave me a whole new perspective not just on the scene, but the whole play.

I also took a workshop with an agent from NYC. Got a standing ovation for the one monologue we did, and she felt I had a breakthrough... I really think I got what I need to get the 'rest of the way' to the changes I need to make for film/tv. It was GREAT to actually get to work with a partner-- that really made a BIG difference. She said I needed to get up there, get started with T.'s studio (which I'm going to do, because I'm not going to do anything else down here that TM is in charge of), and get some exposure. The agents need to see your work, they prefer work on stage, and you've got to be there for them to do that. That is the next step. The problem is finding a job right now.... it is not easy.

I am really glad that the school year is over, though!! This one seemed to go by SO fast, and I felt 'behind' from the very beginning, and like I was playing catchup all year long. Now, after a hellacious Friday getting things ready and set up, summer school starts on Monday. I actually don't mind it, except for the heat!!!! It will go by more quickly than I can imagine, too, I'm sure, and it'll be time to go back for the new school year.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Pinter.... why does it have to be Pinter?

We went to see a friend of G.s in a Pinter show last night. He was EXCELLENT. His two co-stars were not up to his level, but the one who played his wife wasn't bad. I am, however, NOT a Pinter fan. Ever. Especially after the last Pinter show I stagemanaged. So, although I was happy to go and to see M. in the show, I dreaded sitting through Pinter.

I have to say that the best thing about it is that it was SHORT. And I do mean SHORT. Each act was only about 40 minutes.... so we were out of there by 9:30. Then G. and I went looking for someplace to have dessert and discovered -- yet AGAIN, that there is noplace to go around there, especially on a Saturday night. It's all bars. UGH. The one place we might have gone (which is where we had dinner before the show) was charging a cover because they were showing a fight in the bar... ::SIGH:: We found a little place where we got something to drink and talked..... 'til almost 12 (almost 1 with the clock changes).

Things are happening quickly.... by June, he'll probably be in NYC.... and I am hoping I'll be there soon..... this is such a bad time to be making such a move, but both of us know we have to, and he was told that housing prices are actually down right now, and will probably be going back up. He's got both a job offer and an agent interested and waiting for him to get up there. He just has to find a place to live (which is NOT easy!!!).

I can't leave until at least the school year is over and I need to find a job. We both HATE it here, though, and whether we are acting or not, both of us would be much happier there. Finding a job right now is not easy, though. I keep telling myself that things work out as they are meant to... they always have and they will this time. It's just a matter of timing.

I asked D. about places to live up there.... going to go up some weekend and she's going to show us around and she does know the places to avoid!!!!!! I really didn't want to come home when we went to see Pal Joey... it would be a dream to be living there. Working at T.s studio and auditioning, hopefully booking jobs. Never know until you get there, because no-one will even LOOK at you unless you live there and they can come see your work.

We're both getting our places ready, getting rid of stuff... it just seems like you pay twice as much there for half as much space!!!!!!!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Murder Mystery Night

Ever been to a murder mystery night? Neither had I. There was actually a group that I thought about joining a few years ago, but they were really too far away for me to do it on a regular basis. But, P.'s temple did this, and she really wanted us all to go. J1 didn't go, but J2 did... although J2 and L. got lost on the way there, so they didn't get there until the mystery was half over.... oh, well. The food was okay (although the desserts were great!!!).

It was a 'high school reunion." We got to meet a few of the classmates and one of their former teachers. It was kinda fun. The actors were fairly funny and had a good way of involving the crowd. It was fun, but after dessert, they did "Whose Line is it Anyway?" Now THAT was funny, and really good. They asked for different theatre styles, and a couple of us said Kabuki.... obviously, they had no clue what kabuki IS, but it was fun to watch anyway.... they also didn't know what 'peevishness' is (or how to spell it) when they asked for different emotions), but we thought they should do an evening of it. Y'know, a bit before dinner, a bit after dinner, a bit after dessert, y'know...... it would be a LOT of fun.

So, even though I have had a 'relapse' of the cold I had last week, and I didn't feel great, I'm still VERY glad I went.

Today, we are supposed to have MAJOR snow... first 'real' snow of the season, and frankly, I could do without it. UGH.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Lion King

So, my principal comes to me two or three weeks ago and says, "Do you have any Broadway connections?" Um, none that are going to get you tickets cheaper, that's for sure!!!! So, she asks me to see about tickets to The Lion King for sometime in May, as a graduation gift for some of the kids. OK. Fine. You couldn't have asked a little SOONER?

I never expected, however, to have such a ridiculously difficult time getting tickets for a show! It was unreal! You have to put in a request for tickets to the 3rd party company, wait for THEM to submit it to the box office, and wait for their response.... which takes 3-5 days. So, I submit. I get back a notification that tickets weren't available, but I should call to 'discuss other dates when tickets may be available.' So I call. To be told that they don't KNOW when tickets are available, they just submit the requests. So, I ask who DOES know what's available? The box office. Then how do I get in touch with the box office? You can't. ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, he tells me 'if you have 20 days when your group can go, submit for all 20 days." So I do.... which takes ANOTHER 45 minutes.

And get a call the next day, asking WHY I did that... um, because I was TOLD to? So, STILL not knowing when tickets are available, he chooses 3 dates and says he'll submit those. So, we get a date that we can't use.

Meanwhile, I had actually GONE to the box office, to see if I could get some information directly from them... and they were EXTREMELY nice and helpful, but basically what I found out was that there was not much available where they would have the seats we needed together. ::SIGH::

Fortunately, the principal knew of a group that works specifically with school groups, so we did get tickets.... best deal we were going to find at this point. And I get to be the 'official guide' to NYC. LOL!!!!!!! I am really looking forward to it!!!! FINALLY.... who would have thought that it would be SUCH a huge deal? Anyway, now to find out about other things to see in NYC and where to take a group of kids to eat in close proximity to the theatre that would have food they will want to eat!!!!!

Joey is my Pal!!!!

Oh, it was wonderful!!! We drove to NYC, had a great dinner, and walked 14 blocks to the old Studio 54 (which is now the Roundhouse Theatre) to see Stockard Channing in Pal Joey.

How FABULOUS was she?! And the guy who played Joey, though I didn't know him, was JUST as fabulous. I am STILL trying to figure out how they made some of those quick changes, including one where they went from one side of the stage to the other and had a costume change before coming back out on stage within a minute..... we had a great time, stopped for cheesecake on the way back... didn't get home until 4 am, but I tell you, I did NOT want to leave. I HATE living here. Just LOVE New York so much.

We ARE moving to NYC. Gotta find a job and sell the house (and this is NOT the time to sell the house, but still......)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Have you ever......

volunteered to do something, and it ended up being a LOT more than you intended??????????

After the 3 shows back-to-back, and 2 films, I decided I needed a little bit of a break. I thought January was going to BE that break, since in Feb., I'll most likely be teaching SAT prep some Saturdays.

Except G. was stagemanaging a show, and I said I'd help out... I'm figuring I'll be back stage, helping out a few shows, on the weekends, after they open. Well... not so much. More like being there for two solid weeks until midnight, running the boards, and ending up stage managing! ACK!!

Not that I mind, really, I am enjoying it. BUT, sleep deprivation is MAJORLY catching up with me!!!!
Now that the run has started, there are 3 of us, so we are rotating shows (which is nice because it means I don't have to be there for every show, but kind of defeats the purpose of DOING this, which was to spend time with G! LOL!). So, today I'm trying to catch up on some stuff around here, get some rest, and find the @*%@)(% script I had to buy of Glass Menagerie (even though I already HAD it but couldn't find it) and now THIS one has disappeared! ARGH! I need it for a monologue for a class I'm taking (with the director from the show I'm stage managing now). Which was supposed to have started last Monday, but the weather was so bad, only three of us showed up , so he postponed it. Which was good, except I still haven't been able to find it... and do not want to spend ANOTHER $10 on it!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Last Ditch Effort......

of 2008 to suck the life out of everyone... here's how I spent most of my New Year's Eve......


Spent most of it in the ER. A friend was taken there. She was at work and went to a store to get something to eat. When she walked in, they had a mat on the floor-- she tripped over it, hit her head on the counter, and the girl who was with her fell on top of HER. We wouldn't have even known except we decided to call several hours later to see if she'd gotten out of work early. So, we had to get down there-- down in the city and my other friend (her sister) who was with me HATES driving in the city. So, I drove, we finally found it, and got in to see her. They don't think she had a concussion, and she didn't break anything, but she has a NASTY cut on her nose from where she hit the counter, and probably has a nice black and blue nose and eyes this morning. She can't wear her glasses and thus can't drive. They have glued the cut on her nose.
Her car was in the parking garage at work, and would be towed if she left it.... SO, off we go, when she FINALLY gets released (and we insist that she's coming home with us and staying with her sis for the night-- she only relents when the doc says, "That's a very good idea."). Only problem is that her pass card won't work from the outside (because as far as the computer knows, she's still in the building-- she didn't 'check' her car out, so no-one else can use it to get in). I'm sitting there, with no way out except to possibly back up out into the road, when two cars come up behind me and start honking.... and I have nowhere to go. ::SIGH::.... they manage to get in the garage, but can't find anyone to help them get her car out (and get ME out of there someway! LOL!). FINALLY, I guess someone came back to the booth, and came out to open the door so I could get in, they finally get her car (with her sis-- the one who gets sick to her stomach driving in the city--driving) out of the parking garage (her card wouldn't let her out, either, so we had to get someone else to let us out... ::SIGH::)....after MANY long minutes, we are out and on our way home..... FINALLY getting out of the city and friend is starving, 'cause she hadn't eaten any breakfast and didn't get the lunch she was going after. So we stop somewhere to eat (try finding a place that's open on NYE and not full of people with reservations!!)..... then she finally got to relax (although it's VERY difficult for her not to be able to SEE, and she can't wear her glasses until Monday).... and I'm exhausted! LOL!
But at least it all happened BEFORE 2008 was over.... Happy 2009!!!! :)

Thank GOD!!!!!! 2009 is here!!!

Well, 2008 sucked in almost EVERY single way. Well, except a couple-- that would be meeting G. He played my husband in the last show I did, and we started talking, as he is bound and determined (and was before I met him), to move to NYC (well, the NJ suburbs-- he whispered DESPERATELY "suburbs, suburbs" and I wholeheartedly agreed with him-- unless you have BEAUCOUP bucks, Manhatten is NOT the place to be). I decided the time has come to quit putting it off, since I've been saying for several years, "Someday...."-- part of the problem has been my recertification and selling the house.

We discussed it... then one day he nonchalontly says, "I was talking to (the director) and he said, "Why don't you and she just get a place together?" So, that looks like a strong possibility. The only problem is that he's ALLERGIC TO CATS! OMG!! :*( He said, "I wouldn't want to make you get rid of them...." and I told him we'd figure it out.... I THINK maybe J. would benefit. Her furbaby, D., is probably not going to live much longer. :*( I think having some lap kitties might make her feel better. I haven't broached the subject with her yet, but we'll see what she says. I was talking to T., and she suggested perhaps renting out the house until the prices improve.... and that is a possibility, because I just don't think I'm going to get a price that I can live with right now. Maybe in a year or two, it'll be better. If I leave here (which I want to desperately), I'm not coming back. G. said, "If it doesn't work out, we can always come back here." Uh-uh. I HATE it here... and he doesn't like it much, either.

He is an actor (didn't I PROMISE myself no more actors?! LOL!!!), but I feel no reservations with him.... unlike everyone else I've dated in the past!!!!! We will see where it leads. Here I thought that January would be a bit of a breather, but it looks like it's going to be as busy as October, November and December were!!!!!

Anyway, so there ARE some good things to look forward to in 2009.... and good RIDDANCE to 2008!! As a year, it just SUCKED royal duck eggs.

And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(even if I do have to go back to work on Monday... UGH!)