Yesterday evening, I deleted the Facebook app from my phone. It's my first step towards trying to "re-find" myself.
When I was younger, I had so many interests. I read and re-read books, plays. I wrote poetry, I took time to draw and paint. It may have been partial boredom, but I worked my butt off.
Then I went to college and I was focused on my acting work, but other things in my life took over too, not the best influences, I should say. It's almost become like beginning to fight off demons. One by one.
There are times that I wish the internet had never happened. Or that I wish it wasn't nearly as advanced. Too often I find myself glued to my computer to do every day tasks. When I'm listening to music I put it on my computer. When I'm watching TV I put it on my computer. When I'm writing I do it on my computer. When I'm reading I do it on my computer. When I'm researching I do it on my computer.
Everything. And I'm going to break my habit.
Last night before I came home I went to pick up Chinese food. And while I was waiting, I sat. And simply waited. Didn't take out my smart phone. I took the place in. Because to me, that's what's real. That's reality. Life in a virtual sense doesn't completely make sense to me. And I don't want to make complete sense of it.
After I got my Chinese food I went home and my neighbors were chilling outside. My neighbors are all about 50, 60 years old. They were drinking wine. And they offered me some. And I had some and connected with people I hadn't really connected with. It was amazing. We didn't talk about theatre, we talked about the neighborhood, the community events coming up, making good food, and working out. I stayed out there with them for the better part of an hour. Then I got hungry and said my goodbyes. But it was this incredible connection that happened. And I don't know how open I would have been to it a few months ago.
I know this post doesn't have to do with theatre, but it has to do with me reconnecting with myself and my interests. Finding time again to read, write, and be outside in the world. Creating is something I have wanted to do and I haven't been doing it. Why?
Because I believe the internet made me lazy. It's easy to scan through Facebook all the time and feel really shitty about not doing anything. Because it seems like everyone else is doing the thing you want to do. So then what's the point?
What do I want to contribute to the world? What do I want to remember about my life? Certainly not sitting at my computer not doing anything. That would be a disservice to myself. I like myself too much to not allow myself to fall into that again.
So I'm creating and writing. I'm doing the Sunday Best again with the Berserker Residents, I'm working on Luckiest Kid with White Pines, I'm beginning to pick up where I left off on my children's musical (that's right, complete with songs as well!), I'm going to read, I'm going to continue seeing theatre, I'm going to travel, and I'm going to love. My life will be important. To me and perhaps eventually to the world. Or at least a small part of the world.
I'm off to Quig's to have fun with the Berserker Residents and also my dear friend's show The Playdaters.
Until next time.
-Cindy
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
My first *true* marathon theatre experience...
I can't make this post too long because I have to clean my apartment and go over materials for Luckiest Kid (which starts up again tomorrow) and exercise before going to The Adrienne and seeing Ego Po's A Doll's House (I know I haven't seen it yet and I should be ashamed. Being an artistic advisory board member and everything but...you know...I've been busy).
In any case, yesterday I saw The Nature Theatre of Oklahoma's Life & Times parts 1-5. That equals 12 hours of theatre. I've never experienced anything like this. For several reasons...
First off, the show was freaking 12 hours long. With intermissions so they could transition (they fed us multiple times...including a delicious BBQ! With organic ketchup!). That's the longest I've ever sat in a theatre and been emotionally invested in something. Ever. The longest shows I've seen before was Elevator Repair Service's The Sun Also Rises, and Operetta by the Capitol Theatre (Wroclaw) in Poland, both of which were 3.5 hours long.
That's how long the first episode of Life and Times is. 3.5 hours.
Secondly, the entire concept behind the piece is unlike anything I've ever seen. Over the course of 10 phone conversations, artistic director Pavol Liska asked their sound designer Kristen Worrell to tell the story of her life. And she did. And they recorded 16 hours of dialogue. And they use that dialogue verbatim. Each episode is a different "style". So the first episode was live music and dance. And it encompassed birth to about kindergarten. The styles change drastically over each episode. The next "styles" were 80's dance-themed, murder mystery style, an animation, and a book. A freaking book. While an organ played wildly live in the background.
The woman in the recordings is only speaking on the seemingly mundane. Memories, flashes of thought, remembrances, feelings. But the entire "style" of the piece, making each and every "episode" EPIC. Well. That was what touched me. Truly.
Life is precious.
Listening to her talking about Fisher Price toys, the differing smells of her friend's houses growing up, Judy Bloom novels, having her first friend fight. All these details brought up SO MUCH FOR ME. So many memories washed over me. Moments I was proud of, moments I was ashamed of, moments I had forgotten about. What the woman was going through when she first recorded this dialogue (which is now being retold by the company members on stage, including herself) I was going through in the theatre. Laughing, relating, crying.
It got to be a little overwhelming for me.
I had a hard time keeping it together in the theatre during the animation segment, because she talked about her family cat Bentley. And after watching about 10.5 hours of theatre by that point, I couldn't hold in my emotions anymore. It was too much for me to handle. Even writing this now I'm misting up. I kind of quietly exploded in the theatre.
The piece is oddly universal. It's a celebration of life. It's realizing that while you think what you have to say isn't worthwhile, but in fact it's important. You are important. We are important.
It seems as though they tour often and all over the world. So if you get a chance take some time and go see it. My favorite episode was Episode 1, but all of them are thoroughly enjoyable, if not a bit off-putting and odd. Well not a bit. In fact there were a lot of off-putting moments. But really it didn't feel as though I was sitting there for hours on end. It flies by.
Go see it. Experience life. This beautiful life.
Until next time.
-Cindy
In any case, yesterday I saw The Nature Theatre of Oklahoma's Life & Times parts 1-5. That equals 12 hours of theatre. I've never experienced anything like this. For several reasons...
First off, the show was freaking 12 hours long. With intermissions so they could transition (they fed us multiple times...including a delicious BBQ! With organic ketchup!). That's the longest I've ever sat in a theatre and been emotionally invested in something. Ever. The longest shows I've seen before was Elevator Repair Service's The Sun Also Rises, and Operetta by the Capitol Theatre (Wroclaw) in Poland, both of which were 3.5 hours long.
That's how long the first episode of Life and Times is. 3.5 hours.
Secondly, the entire concept behind the piece is unlike anything I've ever seen. Over the course of 10 phone conversations, artistic director Pavol Liska asked their sound designer Kristen Worrell to tell the story of her life. And she did. And they recorded 16 hours of dialogue. And they use that dialogue verbatim. Each episode is a different "style". So the first episode was live music and dance. And it encompassed birth to about kindergarten. The styles change drastically over each episode. The next "styles" were 80's dance-themed, murder mystery style, an animation, and a book. A freaking book. While an organ played wildly live in the background.
The woman in the recordings is only speaking on the seemingly mundane. Memories, flashes of thought, remembrances, feelings. But the entire "style" of the piece, making each and every "episode" EPIC. Well. That was what touched me. Truly.
Life is precious.
Listening to her talking about Fisher Price toys, the differing smells of her friend's houses growing up, Judy Bloom novels, having her first friend fight. All these details brought up SO MUCH FOR ME. So many memories washed over me. Moments I was proud of, moments I was ashamed of, moments I had forgotten about. What the woman was going through when she first recorded this dialogue (which is now being retold by the company members on stage, including herself) I was going through in the theatre. Laughing, relating, crying.
It got to be a little overwhelming for me.
I had a hard time keeping it together in the theatre during the animation segment, because she talked about her family cat Bentley. And after watching about 10.5 hours of theatre by that point, I couldn't hold in my emotions anymore. It was too much for me to handle. Even writing this now I'm misting up. I kind of quietly exploded in the theatre.
The piece is oddly universal. It's a celebration of life. It's realizing that while you think what you have to say isn't worthwhile, but in fact it's important. You are important. We are important.
It seems as though they tour often and all over the world. So if you get a chance take some time and go see it. My favorite episode was Episode 1, but all of them are thoroughly enjoyable, if not a bit off-putting and odd. Well not a bit. In fact there were a lot of off-putting moments. But really it didn't feel as though I was sitting there for hours on end. It flies by.
Go see it. Experience life. This beautiful life.
Until next time.
-Cindy
Friday, September 13, 2013
*Peeks around corner*
Oh. Hey. Yeah. I know. Yeah I know I promised to keep it updated and...well would you look at that I didn't. Again. But you know I'm not going to put myself down about it, nor will I apologize. I will just update.
SO HI. Hello world, welcome back. It's good to be here. Many things have of course happened since I last posted.
Ed and I had our most successful summer of Summer On Stage yet. It was incredible. Our dear friends Ross and Brenna were up there with us this summer directing and teaching. That meant that Ed was able to really run the camp and focus on administrative stuff and we all got to focus on truly teaching and directing. We noticed a difference and the kids noticed a difference as well.
We pow-wowed before hand all three of us and really pin pointed on what we were going to focus on in classes. I focused on movement. Straight up Greek chorus style. We worked on building an ensemble and working together. The older kids totally locked into choral movement and I had them write stories. This one incredibly talented and wiser-than-her-years camper named Julia wrote a story filled with wolf imagery and journeys. So we stuck with that and I read the story to them while they, along with the help of the teen apprentices, wrote a choral ode. It was outstanding and beautiful and moving. We were each able to establish a language with them so that when we got into rehearsals I could use words that they normally wouldn't understand. Our camp moved up a level and I couldn't have been more proud.
The piece I directed was full of choral movement and flashlight use and puppetry and character development and music and call and response. It was beautiful and the kids were fantastic! The play was short and sweet but precise and told a great story. I pushed kids. I had one moment where were improv-ing a scene and this one boy did this great movement where he jumped up in the air with legs and arms spread out. And later while we were rehearsing a scene he didn't use it so all I had to say was "Hey you did this great thing in the improv where-" and he burst right into what I was talking about. I felt so connected to them this year it was wonderful.
So we did a little bit of traveling and relaxing and then Ed had to get back to town to start rehearsals for Bathtub Moby Dick with The Renegade Company for the Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival. So August was an interesting month because I had some work lines up but not much. So, being inspired by Ed's sister, we started an eBay store!
Alfie's Nook
We are still working on adding products and such. My mom and I were talking last night about the store and she was asking me various questions about it. And I mentioned that we were getting items from yard sales and the like. And my mom just said, "Wow! My daughter the entrepreneur!" and it made me feel amazing. It made me feel important. And relieved a little.
August was good. I made a lot of decisions last month. I'm recording a demo for voice over in two weeks and I'm going to go forth with that. I have worked out really hard and for the first time I'm really REALLY seeing a difference. And I've been sticking with it and eating better. I'm going to start taking Meisner classes at a studio in NYC. I've been submitting myself to more projects. Oh yeah and I've done some stand-up comedy...
This particular evening was hosted by The Beserker Residents. Great guys, hilarious and really talented, and I'm looking forward to the next time.
Video streaming by Ustream
I start at around 27 minutes, but the rest of the comedians that night were really fantastic. It's definitely worth taking a look at the entire show. The rest of the show is linked in the bar next to the video on the USTREAM page. I performed again at the Late Night Cabaret a few days later. After Fringe is finished up I'm going to be trolling about, looking for more open mics. There is one down the street from me and at Fergie's. If you know of any more let me know.
I can't tell you how much of a dream it is to be up there and making people laugh. It's a dream. And I know I'll fail eventually and I'll get heckled, but something happens to me up there. I feel really powerful. And I am looking forward to doing it again.
So fringe is happening and I've seen some really great stuff. I saw Ed's amazing show: Bathtub Moby Dick . It's so good. I couldn't be more proud him. The press has been great and so have the audiences.
So far this Fringe I've seen Ajax: The Madness, Pay Up, and Completeness. Tonight I'm seeing BASEMENT and this weekend I'm seeing Holly's Dead Soldiers, Life & Times, and A Doll's House. Next week it's The Talk Back and I'm actually going back into rehearsals for White Pine's production of Luckiest Kid, which is a world premier opening in October. You should come see it because it's going to be BEAUTIFUL.
You can get tickets here. It's directed by Ben Lloyd (who founded the company in 2009) and written by the incredible Martha Kember.
Featuring: Martha Kemper, Joshua L. Browns, Cindy Spitko, Eva Hall, Fleece, Andrew Carroll, Dan Ison
So that's about it for now. I know I'll be thinking of more things to update you all on. But life is good, we are getting into Autumn, changes are happening and there will be more to update I'm sure.
Be good to one another.
-Cindy
SO HI. Hello world, welcome back. It's good to be here. Many things have of course happened since I last posted.
Ed and I had our most successful summer of Summer On Stage yet. It was incredible. Our dear friends Ross and Brenna were up there with us this summer directing and teaching. That meant that Ed was able to really run the camp and focus on administrative stuff and we all got to focus on truly teaching and directing. We noticed a difference and the kids noticed a difference as well.
We pow-wowed before hand all three of us and really pin pointed on what we were going to focus on in classes. I focused on movement. Straight up Greek chorus style. We worked on building an ensemble and working together. The older kids totally locked into choral movement and I had them write stories. This one incredibly talented and wiser-than-her-years camper named Julia wrote a story filled with wolf imagery and journeys. So we stuck with that and I read the story to them while they, along with the help of the teen apprentices, wrote a choral ode. It was outstanding and beautiful and moving. We were each able to establish a language with them so that when we got into rehearsals I could use words that they normally wouldn't understand. Our camp moved up a level and I couldn't have been more proud.
The piece I directed was full of choral movement and flashlight use and puppetry and character development and music and call and response. It was beautiful and the kids were fantastic! The play was short and sweet but precise and told a great story. I pushed kids. I had one moment where were improv-ing a scene and this one boy did this great movement where he jumped up in the air with legs and arms spread out. And later while we were rehearsing a scene he didn't use it so all I had to say was "Hey you did this great thing in the improv where-" and he burst right into what I was talking about. I felt so connected to them this year it was wonderful.
So we did a little bit of traveling and relaxing and then Ed had to get back to town to start rehearsals for Bathtub Moby Dick with The Renegade Company for the Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival. So August was an interesting month because I had some work lines up but not much. So, being inspired by Ed's sister, we started an eBay store!
Alfie's Nook
We are still working on adding products and such. My mom and I were talking last night about the store and she was asking me various questions about it. And I mentioned that we were getting items from yard sales and the like. And my mom just said, "Wow! My daughter the entrepreneur!" and it made me feel amazing. It made me feel important. And relieved a little.
August was good. I made a lot of decisions last month. I'm recording a demo for voice over in two weeks and I'm going to go forth with that. I have worked out really hard and for the first time I'm really REALLY seeing a difference. And I've been sticking with it and eating better. I'm going to start taking Meisner classes at a studio in NYC. I've been submitting myself to more projects. Oh yeah and I've done some stand-up comedy...
This particular evening was hosted by The Beserker Residents. Great guys, hilarious and really talented, and I'm looking forward to the next time.
Video streaming by Ustream
I start at around 27 minutes, but the rest of the comedians that night were really fantastic. It's definitely worth taking a look at the entire show. The rest of the show is linked in the bar next to the video on the USTREAM page. I performed again at the Late Night Cabaret a few days later. After Fringe is finished up I'm going to be trolling about, looking for more open mics. There is one down the street from me and at Fergie's. If you know of any more let me know.
I can't tell you how much of a dream it is to be up there and making people laugh. It's a dream. And I know I'll fail eventually and I'll get heckled, but something happens to me up there. I feel really powerful. And I am looking forward to doing it again.
So fringe is happening and I've seen some really great stuff. I saw Ed's amazing show: Bathtub Moby Dick . It's so good. I couldn't be more proud him. The press has been great and so have the audiences.
So far this Fringe I've seen Ajax: The Madness, Pay Up, and Completeness. Tonight I'm seeing BASEMENT and this weekend I'm seeing Holly's Dead Soldiers, Life & Times, and A Doll's House. Next week it's The Talk Back and I'm actually going back into rehearsals for White Pine's production of Luckiest Kid, which is a world premier opening in October. You should come see it because it's going to be BEAUTIFUL.
You can get tickets here. It's directed by Ben Lloyd (who founded the company in 2009) and written by the incredible Martha Kember.
Featuring: Martha Kemper, Joshua L. Browns, Cindy Spitko, Eva Hall, Fleece, Andrew Carroll, Dan Ison
So that's about it for now. I know I'll be thinking of more things to update you all on. But life is good, we are getting into Autumn, changes are happening and there will be more to update I'm sure.
Be good to one another.
-Cindy
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Embrace the funny...
 |
| Officially EMC! |
So yeah that pic is from the other day when I received my EMC card in the mail! Very exciting for me. Depending on what type of audition I go to and how they decide to run it, I can get seen before Non-Equity actors. I've spent the past several years being Non-Eq at EPA calls and it is not fun. So I'm on my way.
A Little Night Music is about to close in about a week and I'm sad to see it go. I saw it again on Thursday with my friend Dana and it was of course so good. I've seen it I think about 8 or 9 times since watching that first run through of Act I which feels like so many months ago. I'm sad that I won't be going back on, but it really has been a joy watching Karen in that role. There's so much I can learn from watching her!
These weeks where there is "downtime" are hard. I've tried to fill it with workshops and other types of work (chores!) and it's hard to get moving sometimes. I find it's easier to get going when I'm busy busy busy rather than having one or two things to do in a day. It makes me want to sit around and eat bon bons all day. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but wanting to do that all the time can be troublesome.
So today I'm meeting with my friend Alex Bechtel to help me with a song. And then I'm working out. Then I'm definitely doing chores (i.e. cleaning the bedroom I had no time to clean for all of May and most of June...or so I told myself). And then I'm seeing my friend Josh Hitchens' show: Guilty But Insane. It's a part of the SoLow festival here in Philadelphia. SoLow Festival 2013. This is it's fourth year and it's grown SO MUCH since they started. My good friend Johnny Smith is doing this piece: My Last Trip to Nowhere Land. I saw my friend Kevin Meehan's piece Last Meals From Death Row where we ate a conglomeration of different people's last meals. Yes it was in some ways disturbing but also thought provoking and I feel inspired by my friends and colleagues to explore what I can contribute to this world of art.
I was feeling down the other day and I talked to Peter Schmitz, who is an actor here and he was my monologue coach for grad schools (See: Multiple Focuses at Once...). He gave me sage advice about creating what I want to and just going ahead and doing it. So I have ideas for next year's SoLow festival and also just for characters to create. I find that I don't give myself and my ideas enough credit. Often I'll have a creative thought and I'll shut it down in my head because I don't think it's "good enough". But now looking at it through that lens I have to say that that's completely unfair to myself.
I had a someone tell me once, "You're afraid of your own power" and at the time I didn't know what that meant. But I'm ready. I feel like I'm ready to take those risks. For the first time in my adult life I feel secure in myself in who I am. And I'm ready to try new things.
For example I went to NYC the other day for a Musical Theatre Intensive. It wasn't really, well I guess you could say it was intense. It's what they call a "one-on-one" session and the session I attended was with a casting director and a talent agent.
It was scary. And hard to hear what they had to say, simply because in that world of musical theatre I don't know what I want. There I said it. And when they asked me where I think I fit in I didn't know how to answer. I told them that I was in a transitional spot where I'm not super young but I'm not all that old. So I feel confused sometimes. And they said well that's something you need to figure out. As I sat and thought and watched other people sing their selections I thought....
I'M FUNNY! I'm a funny woman. I make people laugh. And I do it well.
After the sessions were done I went up to the casting director and mentioned that and he said he understood my issue with the age. "But if you embrace the funny, the roles will come to you".
So this past week after that I've been going for it. Enough of this wishy washy nonsense, I've been looking specifically at roles on Backstage and Equity and if I think I'm right for it, I submit myself. I don't try to over think it, I don't try to wonder what they are looking for. If I think I'm right for it, I submit. End of story. So far nothing has come out of that save for an email that said they would pass my information along (success!) but I think it's best for me to fire on all cylinders and tell them, "Hey, I'm this, that, and the other thing. This is my awesome credit that makes me think I can do this. I'm available and interested. Hope we can keep in touch".
One last thought before I throw on clothes and run out the door: If other people can do it, why can't I?
Until next time,
-Cindy
P.S. For another good read from another awesome woman (which is going viral) read my friend Katherine Fritz's blog: i am begging my mother not to read this blog. Profanity laden wisdom.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Getting ready for the summer...
Acting is a weird profession sometimes.
I remember my father saying to me a few weeks ago, "Your life is so different from mine." My dad's a semi-retired environmental engineer. I'd say our lives are very different in many many ways.
First of all, I can't do a 9-5. Tried. Won't do it ever again. When I look at my calendar, every day is different. Sure, there are times when I have weeks of a standardized patient job, but that's usually 4 days a week and for a limited time. To look at my calendar now and see that in about 6 months I don't have work scheduled yet, doesn't bother me. Something always comes up, which is dangerous to rely on at times but that's the way it is.
It's taken me 5 years to get comfortable with all of this. I feel like I just now am getting a grip on my work scheduling, planning the actual work, and my finances. Getting older has been good to me.
As my friend and mentor Jess Conda once said to me, "It's a very calico lifestyle". We take work from everywhere and assemble a life out of that. I'd rather that than a 9-5 any day. And honestly a full-time job really exhausts me. I have mad respect for people who can do a full-time gig but also do more on the side. When I'm working those hours I have a hard time doing what I love (like seeing theatre or even reading) let alone going to the gym and having more work and responsibilities at home. I turn into a bit of a blob.
This summer, Ed and I are going up to Massachusetts again for our third year of Summer On Stage. So for work right now, since my Temple SP job just ended for the season, I'm focusing on this as well as doing a few odds and ends (including UPenn SP work and constantly working on A Little Night Music).
We love our summer camp. The kids are great, the families are fun, and I learn so much. This year because of schedules we unfortunately cannot be in Massachusetts for 6 weeks like the previous two years. So this year we pared it down to 3 weeks in total and we are bringing our friends and colleagues Brenna Geffers and Ross Beschler to teach with us. This is exactly the kind of growth we wanted to move towards. I think that because we have a shorter amount of time, we won't feel so tired by the end and we can give the kids an even better experience. And since we have more people, Ed can really focus on his responsibilities as Camp Director and run the camp, instead of having to deal with a bajillion other responsibilities. That way Ross, Brenna, and I (as well as our Stagecraft teacher, Sam, who's been with us all three years and is amazing) will be able to focus on our classes and rehearsals. We've learned so much from the past two years that I think this year we'll be able to run it like a well oiled machine (or at least a machine in need of a little WD-40).
Here's our website: www.summeronstage.com
Summer can sometimes be a lonely ghost town for actors. If you don't book acting summer stock work or a camp gig it can be deadly. Please tell me if I'm wrong on that because those are really the two jobs I've been able to get in the summer, one of which I had to create in order to get. Maybe I'm picky...
Anyway, I am off to run some errands. It's a beautiful day here in Philadelphia. Hope it's beautiful where you are.
-Cindy
I remember my father saying to me a few weeks ago, "Your life is so different from mine." My dad's a semi-retired environmental engineer. I'd say our lives are very different in many many ways.
First of all, I can't do a 9-5. Tried. Won't do it ever again. When I look at my calendar, every day is different. Sure, there are times when I have weeks of a standardized patient job, but that's usually 4 days a week and for a limited time. To look at my calendar now and see that in about 6 months I don't have work scheduled yet, doesn't bother me. Something always comes up, which is dangerous to rely on at times but that's the way it is.
It's taken me 5 years to get comfortable with all of this. I feel like I just now am getting a grip on my work scheduling, planning the actual work, and my finances. Getting older has been good to me.
As my friend and mentor Jess Conda once said to me, "It's a very calico lifestyle". We take work from everywhere and assemble a life out of that. I'd rather that than a 9-5 any day. And honestly a full-time job really exhausts me. I have mad respect for people who can do a full-time gig but also do more on the side. When I'm working those hours I have a hard time doing what I love (like seeing theatre or even reading) let alone going to the gym and having more work and responsibilities at home. I turn into a bit of a blob.
This summer, Ed and I are going up to Massachusetts again for our third year of Summer On Stage. So for work right now, since my Temple SP job just ended for the season, I'm focusing on this as well as doing a few odds and ends (including UPenn SP work and constantly working on A Little Night Music).
We love our summer camp. The kids are great, the families are fun, and I learn so much. This year because of schedules we unfortunately cannot be in Massachusetts for 6 weeks like the previous two years. So this year we pared it down to 3 weeks in total and we are bringing our friends and colleagues Brenna Geffers and Ross Beschler to teach with us. This is exactly the kind of growth we wanted to move towards. I think that because we have a shorter amount of time, we won't feel so tired by the end and we can give the kids an even better experience. And since we have more people, Ed can really focus on his responsibilities as Camp Director and run the camp, instead of having to deal with a bajillion other responsibilities. That way Ross, Brenna, and I (as well as our Stagecraft teacher, Sam, who's been with us all three years and is amazing) will be able to focus on our classes and rehearsals. We've learned so much from the past two years that I think this year we'll be able to run it like a well oiled machine (or at least a machine in need of a little WD-40).
Here's our website: www.summeronstage.com
Summer can sometimes be a lonely ghost town for actors. If you don't book acting summer stock work or a camp gig it can be deadly. Please tell me if I'm wrong on that because those are really the two jobs I've been able to get in the summer, one of which I had to create in order to get. Maybe I'm picky...
Anyway, I am off to run some errands. It's a beautiful day here in Philadelphia. Hope it's beautiful where you are.
-Cindy
Saturday, June 8, 2013
In which you go on as an understudy...
Hello everyone!
This past week (or I should say several weeks) were incredibly busy. I was working nearly full time as a Standardized Patient at Temple Medical School as well as attending rehearsals and performances for A Little Night Music, seeing other theatre, and going to the gym as much as possible. Yesterday was my first real day off so I took care of things I've put off like getting a hair cut.
This week in particular was stressful. But the kind of stress that you hope for as an actor. The woman I'm currently understudying, the incredible Karen Peakes, got a little sick and needed to go on vocal rest.
Let me set the scene.
So Tuesday night we had our final understudy rehearsal before our full understudy run on Thursday. Earlier on Tuesday I saw on Karen's facebook that she wasn't feeling well and there were two shows set for Wednesday at 2pm and 6:30pm. So I thought for good measure I would email the powers that be at The Arden and tell them that while Wednesday's matinee would be my only conflict because of work with Temple, if really need be I would get out of work and make myself available.
Good thing I did. Later on Tuesday we decided that I was to come in at 9am on Wednesday for a costume fitting and if she was feeling alright for the matinee I would watch the matinee and hang out until I got the word for the evening performance. I told my boss at Temple and she said it was totally fine and she congratulated me. So off I went to the Arden Tuesday night for our understudy rehearsal and I slept relatively well until packing a bag for myself and catching a bus to The Arden.
My costume fitting was nerve wracking but fun. Alison Roberts, the costume supervisor, was so friendly and conversational and made me feel right at home. The costumes and shoes she pulled were gorgeous and fit me like a glove. It was my first time really wearing an actual corset (and it was a joy to have my friend and colleague Meredith Boring backstage to lace me up).
So after the fitting I checked in with the assistant director, Sam Tower and we talked for a while about the character and how I can better tell her story. I sat in The Arden's offices and tried to calm myself, having been on stand by for nearly 20 hours, not knowing definitely if I was going to go on.
Finally, I decided to sit outside and go over my lines and song. The birds were chirping and it was beautiful outside. Then around 10:45 I got the call from the stage manager, the lovely John Grassey, saying that it was official: I was going on at 2pm.
The official call. After that I went backstage, sat on the floor, went over lines even more, and started to cover my tattoo. I actually didn't really know what to do with myself with that time so having an activity like that was helpful.
About a half hour before "half hour" (the official call time for the actors) we had a "put in" rehearsal. The cast was amazing. They all checked in with me and said that if I had any questions or any concerns they would make themselves available. Ben Dibble, who played my husband Carl-Magnus, took the reigns on the dancing and was SO HELPFUL. He made me laugh but made sure to let me know that he was there for me. Everyone did. I felt like I was walking on air. Chris Mullen (who plays Fredrik) took me through step by step of our little waltz we do at dinner and he said "we finally get to share the stage with each other". I was enthralled. We went through a few scenes with the time we had (which was 30 minutes) and then I was off to get make-up and costumes on (in which I discovered the beautiful Alex Keiper bought me a tasty good luck doughnut!). There wasn't any time to collect myself so....
...THANK GOD I WAS PREPARED. We hadn't had the full understudy run yet. I know my lines verbatim. My blocking was pretty solid as well. And what my character was doing was mostly there, though I must admit I discovered so much on stage.
I was most nervous about the dancing and the singing. Mostly because it was the first time I had done anything with the full orchestra. The first time I ran "Every Day A Little Death" with an instrument other than piano was the 2pm matinee. Yes. It was terrifying.
What was nice about being prepared was that I met my personal goal. If I was to go on stage I wanted to go in confident and make sure that no one worried about me. I wanted to allay the fears as much as possible and with my confidence say "I got this. No worries". I also didn't have to worry about what my next line was. I was in the scenes. Fully. It was so fulfilling.
One funny thing that I discovered while on stage were the scenes that we hadn't gone over. While we were doing them I thought to myself, Oh my gosh...we NEVER went over this in understudy rehearsal. Including the long (and I mean long) kiss at the end of the show. That just had to do with actor availability.
I did wind up going on for the 6:30pm show as well. I had so much fun. It was surreal and exhilarating. I was up there on The Arden stage. With my teacher from undergrad, Grace Gonglewski (who plays Desiree) up there with me. I even got to look her in the eyes during the dinner scene and say "Dearest Miss Armfeldt, do regale us with more fascinating reminiscences from your remote youth". It was a blast and I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Ed was able to see the 2pm matinee and afterwards he went downstairs to the greenroom with me and Terry Nolan, the director, was there and he gave me the biggest hug. I was near tears. I'm so happy with my experience.
The 6:30 show was completely different, in that the actors backstage were carrying on like it was a normal show. I'm sure that the first understudy brings on a bit of anxiety, especially since they really had no gauge of how I was going to do. But the evening performance was deeper for me. I wasn't nearly as nervous (though the song was still nerve wracking) and I felt so much more "in it".
This was the sign in board backstage. The question of the day was "How great will Cindy be today?". Of course everyone was so nice (except JAKE BLOUCH!)
This past week (or I should say several weeks) were incredibly busy. I was working nearly full time as a Standardized Patient at Temple Medical School as well as attending rehearsals and performances for A Little Night Music, seeing other theatre, and going to the gym as much as possible. Yesterday was my first real day off so I took care of things I've put off like getting a hair cut.
This week in particular was stressful. But the kind of stress that you hope for as an actor. The woman I'm currently understudying, the incredible Karen Peakes, got a little sick and needed to go on vocal rest.
Let me set the scene.
So Tuesday night we had our final understudy rehearsal before our full understudy run on Thursday. Earlier on Tuesday I saw on Karen's facebook that she wasn't feeling well and there were two shows set for Wednesday at 2pm and 6:30pm. So I thought for good measure I would email the powers that be at The Arden and tell them that while Wednesday's matinee would be my only conflict because of work with Temple, if really need be I would get out of work and make myself available.
Good thing I did. Later on Tuesday we decided that I was to come in at 9am on Wednesday for a costume fitting and if she was feeling alright for the matinee I would watch the matinee and hang out until I got the word for the evening performance. I told my boss at Temple and she said it was totally fine and she congratulated me. So off I went to the Arden Tuesday night for our understudy rehearsal and I slept relatively well until packing a bag for myself and catching a bus to The Arden.
My costume fitting was nerve wracking but fun. Alison Roberts, the costume supervisor, was so friendly and conversational and made me feel right at home. The costumes and shoes she pulled were gorgeous and fit me like a glove. It was my first time really wearing an actual corset (and it was a joy to have my friend and colleague Meredith Boring backstage to lace me up).
So after the fitting I checked in with the assistant director, Sam Tower and we talked for a while about the character and how I can better tell her story. I sat in The Arden's offices and tried to calm myself, having been on stand by for nearly 20 hours, not knowing definitely if I was going to go on.
Finally, I decided to sit outside and go over my lines and song. The birds were chirping and it was beautiful outside. Then around 10:45 I got the call from the stage manager, the lovely John Grassey, saying that it was official: I was going on at 2pm.
The official call. After that I went backstage, sat on the floor, went over lines even more, and started to cover my tattoo. I actually didn't really know what to do with myself with that time so having an activity like that was helpful.
About a half hour before "half hour" (the official call time for the actors) we had a "put in" rehearsal. The cast was amazing. They all checked in with me and said that if I had any questions or any concerns they would make themselves available. Ben Dibble, who played my husband Carl-Magnus, took the reigns on the dancing and was SO HELPFUL. He made me laugh but made sure to let me know that he was there for me. Everyone did. I felt like I was walking on air. Chris Mullen (who plays Fredrik) took me through step by step of our little waltz we do at dinner and he said "we finally get to share the stage with each other". I was enthralled. We went through a few scenes with the time we had (which was 30 minutes) and then I was off to get make-up and costumes on (in which I discovered the beautiful Alex Keiper bought me a tasty good luck doughnut!). There wasn't any time to collect myself so....
...THANK GOD I WAS PREPARED. We hadn't had the full understudy run yet. I know my lines verbatim. My blocking was pretty solid as well. And what my character was doing was mostly there, though I must admit I discovered so much on stage.
I was most nervous about the dancing and the singing. Mostly because it was the first time I had done anything with the full orchestra. The first time I ran "Every Day A Little Death" with an instrument other than piano was the 2pm matinee. Yes. It was terrifying.
What was nice about being prepared was that I met my personal goal. If I was to go on stage I wanted to go in confident and make sure that no one worried about me. I wanted to allay the fears as much as possible and with my confidence say "I got this. No worries". I also didn't have to worry about what my next line was. I was in the scenes. Fully. It was so fulfilling.
One funny thing that I discovered while on stage were the scenes that we hadn't gone over. While we were doing them I thought to myself, Oh my gosh...we NEVER went over this in understudy rehearsal. Including the long (and I mean long) kiss at the end of the show. That just had to do with actor availability.
I did wind up going on for the 6:30pm show as well. I had so much fun. It was surreal and exhilarating. I was up there on The Arden stage. With my teacher from undergrad, Grace Gonglewski (who plays Desiree) up there with me. I even got to look her in the eyes during the dinner scene and say "Dearest Miss Armfeldt, do regale us with more fascinating reminiscences from your remote youth". It was a blast and I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Ed was able to see the 2pm matinee and afterwards he went downstairs to the greenroom with me and Terry Nolan, the director, was there and he gave me the biggest hug. I was near tears. I'm so happy with my experience.
The 6:30 show was completely different, in that the actors backstage were carrying on like it was a normal show. I'm sure that the first understudy brings on a bit of anxiety, especially since they really had no gauge of how I was going to do. But the evening performance was deeper for me. I wasn't nearly as nervous (though the song was still nerve wracking) and I felt so much more "in it".
This was the sign in board backstage. The question of the day was "How great will Cindy be today?". Of course everyone was so nice (except JAKE BLOUCH!)
 |
| My costume for Act I |
 |
| Grace and I in our dinner attire |
Thursday's understudy run went swimmingly. Everyone did a great job! A bunch of the cast was there and Sam and Terry were as well. Karen was feeling better by Thursday and she went on for that performance. I'm glad she's feeling better. Honestly I wouldn't be nearly as deep into the character if I hadn't watched her discover and grow with it over the past month. She's so talented and I could only hope as an understudy to bring to the character what she brings with such precision and ease.
After our understudy run, when I got the official call that I wouldn't be going on, I went home and slept for 16 hours. I guess running on pure adrenaline for a 48 hour period will do that to you.
Thank you, Arden Theatre, for giving me the experience of a lifetime.
Until next time,
-Cindy
Saturday, May 25, 2013
A Weekend in the Country...
Hello All!
The past few weeks have been very very busy. Good busy. I've been working as an SP at Temple Medical School during the day, going to the gym, then doing something in the evening, usually going to The Arden to see a run through of A Little Night Music, or working on that, or seeing a show. I haven't had time to post much recently so I'm sorry if I've neglected this little blog. But I have updates.
A Little Night Music is a charming and romantic musical that just went into previews at The Arden Theatre Co. in Philadelphia. I was asked to understudy the role of Charlotte, who is played by Karen Peakes (who, by the way, is fantastic in the show). The experience of being an understudy is unlike anything I've done in my life. Or, I should day, being an understudy who is actually doing what they are supposed to do is unlike anything I've ever done.
See, I was supposed to understudy Ado Annie in my high school production of Oklahoma but I didn't take it seriously. I had a scare where the girl who played Ado Annie (Courtney Starr Pezola, who again, was amazing) came late to school after their senior year class trip and almost didn't make it in time for her to be considered "present at school", which was, I believe 10:10am. That would mean that the performance that night would have had to be me, little unprepared me, because she wouldn't have been allowed to perform that night if she had been considered absent that day. I remember very vividly watching the street outside waiting to see her car drive down Loch Alsh Ave and turn into the high school parking lot. Long story short she got there with about 10 minutes to spare and she went on. When I saw her later that day I hugged her and said to myself "I'm never putting myself in this position again." Thusly, I have been treating this whole opportunity very differently.
It's a treat to work on a musical of this size and caliber. Just being in the rehearsal space with everyone was like feeling electricity pop all around you. Actors are making strong, bold choices with extraordinary voices (one of whom, Teri Bibb, played Christine on Broadway in Phantom of the Opera!). Terry Nolan, the director as well as Artistic Director at The Arden, is a very precise and caring director, he seems like a really great leader. He was always honest with the cast but never condescending. In fact he was always really complimentary and would say things like, "That was really great, you lovely lovely group of people". Everyone working on the piece is really talented people, it has turned out to be a gorgeous piece of theatre. Watching it grow has been a delight.
Yesterday was my first understudy rehearsal and it went well. Of course there is always work to do but I felt very prepared and ready to work. Though I never feel truly totally prepared, especially when I'm on my feet on stage for the first time, so when I was finished with my scene I was a disappointed in myself, constantly thinking about how I can do more work. Sam Tower, the assistant director, gave me great direction and I was happy to hear how I can make this character more on point.
There are, I feel, a lot of things you need to balance while you're working as an understudy. I had to call the actor's hotline every day to hear if my character was called at rehearsal the next day (which honestly was kind of a thrilling experience for me. I get to call...a hotline? It felt so old school and all..."actory" to me. Anyway, I got a kick out of it). I had to decide how often to go to rehearsals, not just depending on when my character was called, but also if I had conflicts like working, and also I didn't want to be there all the time. I was there as often as I needed to be, I didn't want to overwhelm them with my presence. I tried to show up to rehearsal 1-2 times a week, so that I really did see it grow and change, I became more and more comfortable with the show. It was also good to be there just to show my face and get to know people I didn't know before. When I would decide to not go to rehearsal I spent a lot of time working on lines and singing the songs to get them down and sounding alright. I met with my sister and she helped me plunk out the songs on her piano. Ed's been helping me with lines and my intentions. And I've been drilling and drilling until I get closer and closer to cold on the part and the lines.
The idea of going on, IF that happens, is all at once exciting and terrifying. But I'm trying not to focus on that. I'm trying to get my work done so that if it does happen I can walk in and be confident, precise, honest...and just simply tell the story.
I'm going to see another preview tonight so we'll see how it's changed since the dress rehearsal I saw on Tuesday. I am still struggling with the switches in intention. I can get cerebral in my acting and sometimes I just need to accept that thoughts come and go and sometimes we say things when we aren't thinking, or when we are angry, or happy. That a character, if written well, speaks exactly how they are. I don't need to "act" it, it's all within the dialogue. I just need to be it and live in it. Which, as a lot of actors know, dangling off that cliff and allowing yourself to risk and possibly fail, is a very scary and sometimes petrifying place to hang out. But that's my goal. I'm going to listen and not focus on my line. I'm going to focus on being.
What's cool is that there is an understudy run during the day in early June. So I need to know my character cold by that point at least! I don't know all the details as of yet but once I know I'll post them on this blog and my website.
Well I have a lot of housekeeping things I need to take care of, that I've severely neglected over the past few weeks. So I must get on that before hitting the gym and going to The Arden tonight!
Be well, and if you haven't seen "Failure: A Love Story" by Azuka Theatre Co in Philadelphia, you need to try and get to see it. Show tonight at 8pm and tomorrow at 2pm. It was a very emotional experience for me, but that's part of why we do this.
Until next time...
-Cindy
The past few weeks have been very very busy. Good busy. I've been working as an SP at Temple Medical School during the day, going to the gym, then doing something in the evening, usually going to The Arden to see a run through of A Little Night Music, or working on that, or seeing a show. I haven't had time to post much recently so I'm sorry if I've neglected this little blog. But I have updates.
A Little Night Music is a charming and romantic musical that just went into previews at The Arden Theatre Co. in Philadelphia. I was asked to understudy the role of Charlotte, who is played by Karen Peakes (who, by the way, is fantastic in the show). The experience of being an understudy is unlike anything I've done in my life. Or, I should day, being an understudy who is actually doing what they are supposed to do is unlike anything I've ever done.
See, I was supposed to understudy Ado Annie in my high school production of Oklahoma but I didn't take it seriously. I had a scare where the girl who played Ado Annie (Courtney Starr Pezola, who again, was amazing) came late to school after their senior year class trip and almost didn't make it in time for her to be considered "present at school", which was, I believe 10:10am. That would mean that the performance that night would have had to be me, little unprepared me, because she wouldn't have been allowed to perform that night if she had been considered absent that day. I remember very vividly watching the street outside waiting to see her car drive down Loch Alsh Ave and turn into the high school parking lot. Long story short she got there with about 10 minutes to spare and she went on. When I saw her later that day I hugged her and said to myself "I'm never putting myself in this position again." Thusly, I have been treating this whole opportunity very differently.
It's a treat to work on a musical of this size and caliber. Just being in the rehearsal space with everyone was like feeling electricity pop all around you. Actors are making strong, bold choices with extraordinary voices (one of whom, Teri Bibb, played Christine on Broadway in Phantom of the Opera!). Terry Nolan, the director as well as Artistic Director at The Arden, is a very precise and caring director, he seems like a really great leader. He was always honest with the cast but never condescending. In fact he was always really complimentary and would say things like, "That was really great, you lovely lovely group of people". Everyone working on the piece is really talented people, it has turned out to be a gorgeous piece of theatre. Watching it grow has been a delight.
Yesterday was my first understudy rehearsal and it went well. Of course there is always work to do but I felt very prepared and ready to work. Though I never feel truly totally prepared, especially when I'm on my feet on stage for the first time, so when I was finished with my scene I was a disappointed in myself, constantly thinking about how I can do more work. Sam Tower, the assistant director, gave me great direction and I was happy to hear how I can make this character more on point.
There are, I feel, a lot of things you need to balance while you're working as an understudy. I had to call the actor's hotline every day to hear if my character was called at rehearsal the next day (which honestly was kind of a thrilling experience for me. I get to call...a hotline? It felt so old school and all..."actory" to me. Anyway, I got a kick out of it). I had to decide how often to go to rehearsals, not just depending on when my character was called, but also if I had conflicts like working, and also I didn't want to be there all the time. I was there as often as I needed to be, I didn't want to overwhelm them with my presence. I tried to show up to rehearsal 1-2 times a week, so that I really did see it grow and change, I became more and more comfortable with the show. It was also good to be there just to show my face and get to know people I didn't know before. When I would decide to not go to rehearsal I spent a lot of time working on lines and singing the songs to get them down and sounding alright. I met with my sister and she helped me plunk out the songs on her piano. Ed's been helping me with lines and my intentions. And I've been drilling and drilling until I get closer and closer to cold on the part and the lines.
The idea of going on, IF that happens, is all at once exciting and terrifying. But I'm trying not to focus on that. I'm trying to get my work done so that if it does happen I can walk in and be confident, precise, honest...and just simply tell the story.
I'm going to see another preview tonight so we'll see how it's changed since the dress rehearsal I saw on Tuesday. I am still struggling with the switches in intention. I can get cerebral in my acting and sometimes I just need to accept that thoughts come and go and sometimes we say things when we aren't thinking, or when we are angry, or happy. That a character, if written well, speaks exactly how they are. I don't need to "act" it, it's all within the dialogue. I just need to be it and live in it. Which, as a lot of actors know, dangling off that cliff and allowing yourself to risk and possibly fail, is a very scary and sometimes petrifying place to hang out. But that's my goal. I'm going to listen and not focus on my line. I'm going to focus on being.
What's cool is that there is an understudy run during the day in early June. So I need to know my character cold by that point at least! I don't know all the details as of yet but once I know I'll post them on this blog and my website.
Well I have a lot of housekeeping things I need to take care of, that I've severely neglected over the past few weeks. So I must get on that before hitting the gym and going to The Arden tonight!
Be well, and if you haven't seen "Failure: A Love Story" by Azuka Theatre Co in Philadelphia, you need to try and get to see it. Show tonight at 8pm and tomorrow at 2pm. It was a very emotional experience for me, but that's part of why we do this.
Until next time...
-Cindy
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