thank goodness Endgame is over. It was a little too drawn out, and anticlimactic non-the-less. Onto CHEKHOV!!
I've fallen in love with "The Cherry Orchard" hopefully the visions will remain strong, and I'll be able to create a fully realized design for the play.
Thinking about "Three Sisters" casting
....AND CHRISTMAS BREAK....
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
President-Elect Barack Obama
At 12:38 am November 5th I received a message from a friend in Scotland who had stayed up all night watching the polls: "Unbelievable, America! Exciting and unforgettable - we recognize you once more. Welcome!" The next day many other notes from abroad flooded my inbox - words of congratulations and a pat on the back from around the world. I'm so proud of this country! I'm proud to be an American for the first time in my life. Deep-seeded resentment and shame I harbored for many years, mostly ingrained into my brain during the early years of my life when I was surrounded by non-Americans, bashing America. But today, and yesterday, and tomorrow I feel proud. It's the dawning of a new time.
As I drifted off to sleep on the night of the election, I heard WOOTS and GO OBAMAS from outside my window... a very good day.
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Now it's time to go back to school. Or at least put my focus there, but for some reason I feel let down this semester. I feel suffocated and am clawing at the walls. I don't really where it comes from, but part of me is putting the blame on not accepting that touring-gig over the summer. Of course it would have forced me to take a break from grad school, but now that I am here and unhappy it seems that I made the wrong choice. It's easy to just say I shouldn't let it get me down, and that I am young and that opportunities may arise again, but I feel disappointed that I made the wrong choice. Of course, it is possible that I didn't make the wrong choice - but I guess one will never know and that is what I need to get over, and understand about life. There are so many things I could have done thus far in my 23 years that would have placed me in a "better" situation, or worse even. I guess I just need to take it on the chin and let life steer me where I need to go.
Sometimes I miss the iron-cad methodology of science. But it feels too late to retreat to that at this point. And art is inspiring, but can be draining at the same time. Maybe a change of location is needed for me - a new perspective on the world, and what life is and who I can hope to be some day in this world.
I suppose the early 20s are a complicated time, and you are meant to question your existence and purpose in the world... but goddamnit it's frustrating!
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Next phase in New School for Drama directing program:
*The beckett phase of my training is coming to an end, and boy am I glad. As we enter into Chekhov world, I hope that my sense of things gets more positive.
*CoLab project with Garlia is going to be hot. We are going to make it work and it will shine!
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I love Towey Tow Truck more than you could ever imagine. And my dad. And cheese. (doodles)
As I drifted off to sleep on the night of the election, I heard WOOTS and GO OBAMAS from outside my window... a very good day.
------------------------------------------
Now it's time to go back to school. Or at least put my focus there, but for some reason I feel let down this semester. I feel suffocated and am clawing at the walls. I don't really where it comes from, but part of me is putting the blame on not accepting that touring-gig over the summer. Of course it would have forced me to take a break from grad school, but now that I am here and unhappy it seems that I made the wrong choice. It's easy to just say I shouldn't let it get me down, and that I am young and that opportunities may arise again, but I feel disappointed that I made the wrong choice. Of course, it is possible that I didn't make the wrong choice - but I guess one will never know and that is what I need to get over, and understand about life. There are so many things I could have done thus far in my 23 years that would have placed me in a "better" situation, or worse even. I guess I just need to take it on the chin and let life steer me where I need to go.
Sometimes I miss the iron-cad methodology of science. But it feels too late to retreat to that at this point. And art is inspiring, but can be draining at the same time. Maybe a change of location is needed for me - a new perspective on the world, and what life is and who I can hope to be some day in this world.
I suppose the early 20s are a complicated time, and you are meant to question your existence and purpose in the world... but goddamnit it's frustrating!
--------------------------------------
Next phase in New School for Drama directing program:
*The beckett phase of my training is coming to an end, and boy am I glad. As we enter into Chekhov world, I hope that my sense of things gets more positive.
*CoLab project with Garlia is going to be hot. We are going to make it work and it will shine!
--------------------------------------
I love Towey Tow Truck more than you could ever imagine. And my dad. And cheese. (doodles)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Not here, not I...
It feels strange to be back, but the last couple days in Zurich were really amazing and in retrospect I probably should have pushed my flight back een farther than I had... but oh well. Completely back in the grind of school now. Class and rehearsals and more rehearsals... I am not sure how I feel to be back, actually. I am not as excited as I thought I was - everything seems a bit dull after such a whirlwind summer, but I suppose that is natural.
There is a furture in store for me abroad, I can smell it... and almost taste it. I am not sure where my life is going but I know that I've been lucky so far, and hopefully that luck with stick with me. I miss Switzerland so much, though. The environment, the cows, but most of all the people and my friends. I made such good ones there this summer, and rekindled old ones. I am not sure what I am doing in New York anymore... I am really starting to feel that I need to get away.
In October I have an invitation to go back to Zurich (for some business prospects) so I will try and make that happen, although it really depends on how school starts to unfold. Next week begins ADing for the Second Year production of 'Stage Door' directed by Hal Brooks. I am excited to get to watch a professional director in action, because I never have before... so definitely something to be learned there.
Currently directing a whole crapload of Beckett. Getting prepared to go to my first rehearsal of 'Not I' a one person short play that features just a pinspot on the mouth... it ends up looking like a blabbering mouth suspended by nothing... here is one of the most famous versions, starring Billie Whitelaw:
Other beckett that I will be direcitng includes Happy Days, and Endgame. I think I will also get to act in Endgame, since the directors are directing themselves in class...
So I guess it will be an interesting year, I suppose I am just spoiled from Europe and miss it dearly.
There is a furture in store for me abroad, I can smell it... and almost taste it. I am not sure where my life is going but I know that I've been lucky so far, and hopefully that luck with stick with me. I miss Switzerland so much, though. The environment, the cows, but most of all the people and my friends. I made such good ones there this summer, and rekindled old ones. I am not sure what I am doing in New York anymore... I am really starting to feel that I need to get away.
In October I have an invitation to go back to Zurich (for some business prospects) so I will try and make that happen, although it really depends on how school starts to unfold. Next week begins ADing for the Second Year production of 'Stage Door' directed by Hal Brooks. I am excited to get to watch a professional director in action, because I never have before... so definitely something to be learned there.
Currently directing a whole crapload of Beckett. Getting prepared to go to my first rehearsal of 'Not I' a one person short play that features just a pinspot on the mouth... it ends up looking like a blabbering mouth suspended by nothing... here is one of the most famous versions, starring Billie Whitelaw:
Other beckett that I will be direcitng includes Happy Days, and Endgame. I think I will also get to act in Endgame, since the directors are directing themselves in class...
So I guess it will be an interesting year, I suppose I am just spoiled from Europe and miss it dearly.
Monday, August 25, 2008
a rubber chicken, gregorian chant, and mr. fizzywig
The last performance of '1913' went really well: we tried out some new things in the play including me getting shot with a rubber chicken, and a gothic style ending with Maria Tarnowska being sainted by Alice as preacher. It was exciting to try something new and daring after minimal rehearsal in front of a live audience - it gave me a rush. Three weeks of performances was an invaluable experience, but I must say that I am really happy to go back to directing in the fall.
We fly back to Zürich tomorrow, and then it will be a hectic day of running around, seeing people, and saying goodbyes. I don't like those - they are the worst - especially when it's unclear when the next time you will encounter each other again will be. But we will make it happen, our group was too strong to let the fire die. There is something special here.
On the other side, I am so freakin' excited to go home. I can't wait to see my Towey, my love. My father, of course, and my mom (although she was just in scotland last week - which was absolutely great - we rented a car and drove on the other side of the road among other things).
I am getting very excited to start school again, but I can't believe I begin on sept. 2nd already. Life is moving past me fast... it's getting blurry. But I still remember, and the pictures are clear in my mind. Life is getting better everyday... with new experience comes new strength. I am such a cornball, but I really have grown this summer in so many ways. I don't feel like the child I felt like when I graduated from college - so unsure and undefined and helpless. I am starting to take shape, and am becoming interested again (in what? in everything!). I finally feel whole again, and strong enough to be by myself. Independent. Phenomenal woman.
Monday, August 18, 2008
And all of a sudden it's Christmas again...
Went and saw 'An Evening of Steve Reich' at the Festival Theater last night. It was live performances of Reich music, with choreographed minimalist dance by Anna Theresea de Keersmaeker. It was pretty unbelievable - trans-inducing, even. Alice, Eliane and I felt very inspired. The precision and skill that is needed to play that music is... well have a look for yourself:
Oh, no! Where did the groove go??
Have been smoking a lot of cigarettes lately - Parisiens - and I don't feel too guilty about it; at the moment it's an okay thing to be doing, and for some reason Swiss ciragrettes taste better than all others. One more week of performing, the shows have been going well. Some days are better than others, but generally audience reponse is very positive and we have received some great reviews.
invaluable experiences:
a summer in scotland
chillin' with swiss cows
meeting new people
hiking up the salsibury crags
eating fish and chips in Leith
christmas in august
blond beer for dinner
international theater
Oh, no! Where did the groove go??
Have been smoking a lot of cigarettes lately - Parisiens - and I don't feel too guilty about it; at the moment it's an okay thing to be doing, and for some reason Swiss ciragrettes taste better than all others. One more week of performing, the shows have been going well. Some days are better than others, but generally audience reponse is very positive and we have received some great reviews.
invaluable experiences:
a summer in scotland
chillin' with swiss cows
meeting new people
hiking up the salsibury crags
eating fish and chips in Leith
christmas in august
blond beer for dinner
international theater
My mom comes to Scotland on Wednesday - then we are back to Zürich next week. It's been one of the best summers of my life.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
1913 or Nude Descending a Staircase
from left to right: Nicholas Naumoff (Alice fiedler), Count Paul Kamorovsky (Eliane Iten), Maria Tarnowska (geraldine Dulex), Donat Prilukoff (Sarah Bellin)
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