I am so sick of rehearsal...

...I have no idea why Donna cast this show 8 ways to breakfast. There are 7 performances and she has 7 disparate casts (although some members are in more than 1, like me). We have TWO dress rehearsals tonight--1 for the May 5 cast, 1 for May 6. Next week, lather, rinse, repeat for the May 12 & 13 casts, and the following week. She must be exhausted, and it's not easy for us either. It's interesting--she's been pretty proactive about seeking my advice/thoughts on directing, scheduling, etc. and I've stepped forward to offer opinions a few times, although I am really careful about respecting boundaries because nothing is more annoying than a show with no clear hierarchy. One time she, Jason and I were talking after everyone else had left, and he'd suggested a big choreo rehearsal where Ria ('ographer) would have everyone line up behind their counterparts, and everyone step in to be taught the choreography in turn. He thought this would be more efficient than having 7 different 'ography rehearsals. Donna asked me what I thought--I said I didn't think it would work. They asked why. I said "Because it's more important not to waste the time of 7 people, than of 1 person." Jason paused and said "yep, she's right. So...that's that." Think of the children! Seriously, the group rehearsals are pretty inefficient.

That said, I'm psyched about Saturday. We have as good as show as it can be (there are, uh, inherent limitations with some of the cast members--blood from a stone, etc.). Aurora and I have a great chemistry together, and of all the Rosalind/Celia combos I've seen, I definitely think we have the best connection. I was working with one of the other Rosalinds on Sunday and she asked me what I did during "Super Hero" (a song where Rosalind tries to cheer herself up even though she misses her father, having been banished). I said I (as Celia) cheer her on from the sidelines--smile at her, make little jokes to get her to smile (which is in the text), try to connect with her. The subtext is all written out for you (it's TEXTUAL) in the actual script of As You Like It--"I pray thee, coz, be merry..." Floryn said HER Celia stays upstage of her and makes fun of her during the whole song. She didn't seem too happy. My eyebrows went way up--I said "that's, uh, not a very interesting or helpful choice, considering in this cabaret Celia is supposed to be IN LOVE with Rosalind!" How do you go from mocking Rosalind to the torch song of "Come Away Death"? (My big number--it is a beautiful song. Proteus's "Who is Sylvia?" is lovely as well.)

Aaaaaughh!!!!!!

Can't. Wait. FINALLY, the man sees the light. I don't care about Hayden Christiansen at the end of ROTJ, and I actually liked seeing the celebrations throughout the galaxy and the new song ("Celebrate Tonight" was pretty craptastic, guys, let's admit it). But Han Shot First, dammit!

I am so George Lucas's bitch.

Shallow, Clothes-Oriented Post

Today I have on a delightul sherbet-y outfit in honor of the lovely warmth outside. I was standing in front of my closet and decided to wear my pistachio cropped pants, and then paired them with my yellow sandals (my toenails are painted lime-green so they matched my pants). Looking at that I thought "This outfit NEEEDS a yellow top!" so I put on my yellow boatneck 3/4 sleeve top. THEN, in a BOLD move, I matched it with this belt I don't wear too much--it's braided with bright jewel-toned, gold-laced cords, with this huge gold-tone centerpiece. Plus my Moroccan brass bracelet and my ruby heart earrings. Makeup is subtle with rose-pink lips and blue/black eye makeup (mostly liner).

May the Fourth Be With you...

I had no idea there was even such a thing as Star Wars Day. I just found out on Yahoo! Buzz. Aaaaugh!! My Star Wars geek credentials may be lifted!!! What else don't I know about??

This summer I hear the drummin'...

It's weird, though, I always think of May 4 as the day of the Kent State massacre (May 4, 1970, in Kent, Ohio, after a weekend of protest following Nixon's incursion into Cambodia). Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'...Four Dead in Ohio.... That song is so haunting--I first learned about this event in college when I read a book by James Michener about it (the book was very much a product of its time--each female student was invariably described as a "leggy blonde co-ed" or "a stunning, brunette student." I'm surprised he didn't call them birds. But for all that it was pretty informative). I had also discovered the score to Godspell, which, coincidentally was big when Kent State happened, and the song "On the Willows" kept going through my head as I stared at those pictures of Jeff Miller, lying on the pavement, shot in the face. (He's the one in the Pulitzer Prize-winning picture with the screaming girl, who was actually a 14-year-old runaway.)

Rest in peace, Alison Krause, Sandra Scheuer, William Schroeder and Jeffrey Glenn Miller. And not to be forgotten--Philip (?--I don't know that case as well) Green also killed at Jackson State College a few weeks later. Students shouldn't be afraid to demonstrate peacefully.