Hopper Project

Last night I attended a reading of the latest version of WNEPs The (edward) Hopper Project. Got to say, I REALLY enjoyed it. I think it's a clever concept, and it's very well written. Despite a couple of shakey transitions and awkward narratives, the characters are mesmerizing! I feel a little bit in love with most of them. Their struggles are not over-dramatic or understated, they are just right. It belongs to that group of plays whose realism is just right. Though I'm sure Don would kick my ass for saying this- I think it falls somewhere between Our Town and Undermilkwood, minus the poetry and the BOREDOM. RIGHT ON! Can't wait to see how this one turns out. Two thumbs up so far Don and WNEP!

Imagination

I often find myself on a sort of creative roller-coaster. There are times when I am working on 3 or 4 projects at a time and am so thrilled to develop and build on them. Then there are times when I produce nothing. I'll find myself often bored and even if those projects which used to be exciting to me remain unfinished, I am suddenly unmotivated to the nth degree to even look at them, much less attempt to finish them. Right now feel like I am on the upswing of one of latter times. I find my brain is jumpstarting (or at least trying to) back into activity. I've never questioned this cycle of creativity before, I just figured it was part of who I am.

But I think I might have been wrong about that. As I observe this current jumpstarting process, I can clearly see specific sources which are building me back up into a functional state.

The first is LITERATURE. I suddenly start reading again. Madly. All the books I found myself slacking on or even just avoiding, I pick up again, find my place, backtrack if I need to, and hit the pedal to the end. I'm unsure of why the slacking happens in the first place. Especially because I'm very picky about my reading: I'll NEVER read a book that doesn't appeal to me. But nevertheless, as I start back up on my pile of books, I find my brain running a little faster and my dreams getting weirder (the latter is a clear indicator of the state of my imagination). I wonder if I can keep on myself and my reading, if I can't stave off those droughts? Definitely something to keep thinking about.

The second is a lot more subtle, and has more to do with my emotional vulnerability. I find I have been building up a shell around myself (for several personal reasons, but mostly to protect my pride and my self esteem- I know, big dork). As that shell begins to peel away, more thing irritate me, make me tear up, make me angry, get to me, etc... This shell thing is freaking STUPID and CHILDISH, but for whatever reason, it happens to me, and the only time I really notice it is when it is finally dissolving. What makes it dissolve? This time I think its a combination of some huge life changes, some career shifting, and this new class I'm taking. Being forced to be real and naked in front of classmates has followed me outside of class in a really great way. Keeping my defenses in balance is a good thing for me to carry forward and challenge for my next cycle of crazies.

I'm sure I'll start seeing more contributers, but for now, that's my list. We'll see if taking these notes can help me break through this roller coaster and keep my feet moving forward more often than back.

ANOTHER FARE HIKE?

You bet I'm flipping out. I understand that it costs money to operate such en enormous transportation organization, but I fail to understand how year after year after year they manage to dig further and further into debt. I can only assume that the construction/revamping projects they've enacted cost significantly more than projected? Or more things broke down than they thought? Or did the big boys on top just get another raise? No matter the reason, why is it that taxpayers have to cover up for bad budgeting skills?

I want to make sure to be clear- I'm not merely ticked off that I will have to pay AT LEAST an extra $1.50 a day to get to work and double that on days when I've got to ferry around to rehearsals, auditions, etc... But there are also going to be express buses cut, hours of operation shortened, and longer periods between trains and buses. As a result it thrills me to know that now, instead of waiting 45 mins for a Damen bus I know can wait about an hour and a half. AWESOME. When I worked at the Apple Store last year I used to take the blue line to Chicago, where I would have to wait for the Chicago 66 bus. A couple glorious times it was there as I ran up the smelly pee stairs in a frenzy to catch it, but more often, I waited 30 mins to an hour (oh yeah, I was late to work a lot). It's great to know that next time I wait for it, I may be waiting there on that somewhat seedy corner for even longer than ever before. ESPECIALLY at night. Yay safety!

The other complaint I've read about since this announcement is that things will be even more crowded and we may not get seats as often. To those whiney biatches- standing isn't so bad. STOP BRINGING YOUR SUITCASE TO WORK, carry less shit around in your purse (no one person at any given time will be using all the crap ladies stuff into their 25 lb purses) and maybe if you didn't buy so much useless overpriced crap at Macy's your hand wouldn't hurt from holding your shopping bag. Having to stand on the CTA is not the crisis you think it is.

It is more of a crisis than now thousands of residents will have to find new routes to and from work. For those poor souls who have two or three jobs, good luck from the bottom of my heart.

I want to be honest for a second here...The CTA I take most often to get to all my usual locations is all pretty awesome. The brown line smells good and is fairly regular...the Lawrence and Western buses aren't TOO bad. But I feel more outrage at the knowledge that most of the routes that will be cut and shortened are going to happen in the neighborhoods that suffer far worse crime and are occupied by people who work longer and harder jobs than I do.

CTA, if you're going to pull all this crap all over again, do those hardworking folks a favor and make changes to the neighborhood routes that won't be so royally screwed over by your incompetence.

Casting: a list of NO NOs

I've spent the last six months auditioning EXTENSIVELY in an effort to scare away all my audition demons and I feel like I've learned a heck of a lot along the way. But I also feel like I've put up with a ton of crap in the process...So I've made a little list for you guys of the most massive faux pas I have encountered.

I know, who am I to tell you what to do/not do? I promise I'm not trying to be a jerk about it. I know casting can be really rough for you. The only reason I even dare it is because the listed things made you look like a chump (or just plain unprofessional) and I feel like you don't want to give that impression out...no matter who you are or what company you represent.

So, here is my (friendly) list of things that you really shouldn't do when you're behind the table:

1. Give out sides/monologues which require a lot of preparation, watch me perform all of them for you, tell me how great I was, then immediately tell me the role I was reading for has been cast already. YOU WASTED MY (and your own) TIME.

2. Give out the wrong dates for your show, change the dates without telling your auditionees, or heaven forbid- not list your dates at all! You only make things harder for yourself.

3. If it is a heavy ensemble based and really "out there" show don't group up a bunch of actors randomly and ask them to bring back a finished product in 10 minutes. No, really...what the hell?

4. If it's an original play (which is awesome!) give us a clue about the character/s we are reading for and the general setting and plot. So little can be derived from the title alone.

5. Don't precast a show, but still hold auditions for that role. Just silly. And again, a waste of our time.

6. If accents are super important to you, let us know PRIOR to the audition day and we will prep it for you. Asking for it out of the blue is a little mean. This is especially true if it is either a new play, or a well known play being done in an entirely different way.

7. It's cool when you accept walk-ins. BUT, when people with appointments have to wait far longer than their scheduled time because you saw a bunch of walk- ins before them...that's NOT COOL.

ok- this is an ongoing list. will add more in the future...