Major Barbara

This past Sunday, I saw the final preview performance of George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara at the new Sidney Harman Hall by the Shakespeare Theatre Company. What a treat! This company does classical works so well, Shakespeare or other authors. I always love going to shows by the Shakespeare Theatre, they're consistently well executed. World class performers performing intense works in world class facilities. And the scenic elements of Major Barbara! I'm sure that they spared no expense on the scenic design, no doubt in order to illustrate the beauty of their new center. This show was performed in the traditional proscenium setting, very different from their recent Marlowe repertory usage of the space, which was very open and utilised the spaces' inherent design. The acting, for the most part, was wonderful. The lovely actress who played Barbara and the amazing actor who played her father, Undershaft, both did incredible jobs. So go see it while it runs!

Passivity and What It Means To Me

I struggled with the idea of posting this blog because of some people who will probably read it and impose their own biases on it. But this is something I need to write about. Something that's been bugging me for a while now. Possibly the root of a lot of my frustration for this semester.

I am a very calm and collective person. Those who are confused or frightened by my ability to be so refer to it as passive. Today, someone I respect said that passivity will be death in this industry. This person was of course being indirect about to whom he was referring, but I'm pretty sure it was me. This frustrates me to no end. For someone to have the audacity to say that I, or anyone, can not make it in theatre while being passive is completely incredulous! I have, in the last three years of my life, accomplished more than the vast majority of my peers can even begin to imagine. I came from podunkville Virginia, the middle of nowhere, from a family who has had roots there for years. I am now a Creative and Performing Arts Scholar at the University of Maryland, living and working in the Washington, D.C. theatre community, one of the most competitive markets in the nation. It may not seem like much, but I have accomplished an immeasurable amount in a very short amount of time. ONE SEMESTER out of high school and I took off for Orlando, Florida where I took part in a prestigious internship with the Disney Corporation (and maybe continuing with this summer). I have moved to two HUGE citites twice now, where I knew no one and nothing and have gotten along swimmingly. On the acting career front I have constantly accomplished goals that I am setting for myself: I've acted in D.C. theatre, worked for professional D.C. companies, been in numerous productions at UMD, and will be performing at the Kennedy Center this summer. Not to mention the extra work that I am constantly accruing. I've worked on MAJOR MOTION PICTURES people. Sure, it's been background work, but this was stuff I could only dream about doing three years ago. And now here I am! And I'm not close to stopping.

I say all this not to be bragging, but to prove that I have accomplished plenty with my "passive" self. More than most people can even begin to say. I choose what to exert of myself and what to retain. I'm am always collected and together. I promote myself better than anyone I know, and that is what gets me work. And I work damn hard at whatever I set in front of myself. It is only when I get "stuck" that I become stagnant. So for anyone to say that passivity will keep me from success in this business, they are simply kidding themselves. I have succeded and I will succeed. If this makes people uncomfortable, I don't really care.

And the Run Continues

Now in its second week of shows, Filthy Rich is chugging along just fine! Aside from mostly positive response from audience members, the show has also garnered a very warm reviews from The Diamondback, our campus newspaper. Unfortunately, I doubt that we'll garner any more media attention, so it seems a legit review will not happen. Not that we need it anyway. The cast of this show, lead by the great Mitchell Hebert, has done such a good job that a review or confirmation of thus would be rather superfluous. I cannot begin to express how greatful I am to have been a part of this process. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to work with. Everyone gets along well, drama does not happen. People are there to do their job and explore this show continuously, ensuring it is never dull or dead. And the opportunity to work with masters like Jerry Whiddon and Mitchell Hebert is an opportunity rarely afforded to young professionals such as myself. So I am very pleased with this process and regret seeing it end on Saturday.

On the future front, things seem so up in the air - as they always do in this field. I went to an open call for Spring Awakening again this past Saturday. They came to UMD for a D.C. open call. And of course I couldn't pass up this opportunity, especially when it's being spoon fed to me in my own backyard! So I went, auditioned for Carrie Gardner of Roundabout Theatre Casting and had a good audition. I didn't get an immediate callback or anything - not sure I'm at all what they're looking for even - but I feel that it was one of the better auditions I've had in a long time. This call was definitely much more chill than the NYC open call! No typing out here and we all went in to the same person one after the other. In NYC you could be typed out AND you were going in 6 at a time to 6 different agents. Very fast and very stressed. Here it was so calm and the Ms. Gardner was especially sweet and kind to those auditioning. A great experience all around and I'm glad I went.

I've got a couple of extra work calls this weekend. One is for a movie called State of Play which will be filmed here in the district starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe. The call is through Rich King Casting, some agency from L.A. that I haven't worked for. So I hope I get it! The money would be nice, and I really rather enjoy extra work. But I would really like a featured role... ah well. Maybe I'll get lucky? Who knows?

Memory Scents

It's so funny how strong the memory of certain scents can be. Walking around day to day different scents bring up different feelings and sensations to me. It's incredible. A couple of days ago, it was really, really nice here. The weather was sort of tropical - even the sun seemed to hang in the air longer into the evening. It all reminded me of Orlando - the smell of the breeze, the warmth. I'm constantly reminded of how much I miss the place. Then, yesterday, I went downtown to meet a friend, Claudia Kiss, who had come into town for the day. The smells and sounds totally brought me back to the first few weeks I moved here - the sense of exploration and freedom I felt, that sensation that comes with immersing yourself into a totally new and unknown place. I enjoy that sense of discovery - the challenge it brings and the reward it eventually gives. I graduate in a year, so that sense will soon come again. And I applied for NYU summer housing, so hopefully I'll get that experience again soon. I love it!

Currently I'm in tech rehearsals for Filthy Rich at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. A great group of people are working on it and are in the cast, so it's been a fun experience so far. I look forward to opening on the 14th. Come see it if you can!