JMU and El Orfanata

What a weekend! I spent the past 3 and 1/2 days at James Madison University visitng friends. It was a nice break from the bustle that's beginning to consume my life again. I saw so many high school friends (Ryan Cury, Claudia Kiss and Kelly Abott) and made lots of new ones. So many cool, nice people go to JMU. And what a different air exists there than that of Maryland! So much more relaxed, less pressure and more open. I really like going there to visit and play, but do prefer where I am at now. However, I must say that if it would not wreck my career, I would transfer to JMU in a heartbeat. In a paralell world, perhaps I am something other than a theatre major and attend that school. But the slowness of a small town does not appeal to me in the least, so I'll stay content with my D.C. abode.

Tonight I saw Guillermo Del Toro's presentation of The Orphanage. What an amazing movie. Anyone who has the opportunity must see this brilliant piece. There's something about Spanish film currently - they are capturing a beauty and fantasy in life that completely evades American movies. This movie was so beautifully haunting! I can't even begin to describe it, but the director - Juan Antonio Bayona - took so many risks when making this film that his sheer valor deserves commendation! His direction was fearless - with staging and filmography that American producers would never touch for fear of it looking stupid. And, yes, in the wrong edit it would look ridiculous. But this movie doesn't fail in the least, it soars! I cannot express how well mad it was. So I say bravo to this enslaught of Spanish filmmaking, we can learn alot from their daring.

This week is going to be pretty busy for me, and I am dreading it. Tomorrow I have rehearsal for Filthy Rich from noon to five. A run thru, I believe. So I should go rest for that now. I'll post again soon.