Wednesday, October 31, 2012

I've got chills, they're multiplying

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to write a quick post updating you all on the Hurricane Sandy situation. DC was quite lucky and was not hit quite as hard as New York or New Jersey was. Everyone here is safe and there was not too much damage. Hopefully everyone in the area got their power back. Catholic never lost power but the lights did flicker a lot on Sunday.

We still managed to have Monday and Tuesday off of school and returned back to classes today (actually I did not because I was performing at a Tea at the Strathmore Mansion).

It was quite interesting. The rain began on Sunday and continued until yesterday morning. I only went out once on Monday and it was like getting hit in the face with very cold pebbles. Hence why I stayed inside for three days.

The hurricane did give a very nice academic respite to the school and felt nice. I managed to get some work done and fought cabin fever with some Tae Bo and movies.

I hope that New York and New Jersey recover and I wish all the best for them.

Also, Happy Halloween everyone!

And now, enjoy this delightful image of Hurricane Sandy.

Bye-Bye!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

When shall we three meet again

Hi Everyone!

Sorry my life has been incredibly busy the last few weeks. But I have some big news: I'M GOING TO LONDON!!!!!!!!

I found out last week that I got into the London Dramatic Academy for the spring of 2013. I am unbelievably excited and can't wait to fly back to London in January. I've been missing the city ever since I left way back in April 2010.

I get to take acting classes on Shakespeare as well as period dance and an amazing class in which we go and read plays where they were produced in the city.

Well back to the present. Hedda Gabler went exceptionally well and I had an amazing experience being able to go through the entire rehearsal process. I just wish I could have gone onstage at least once. Hopefully I'll be cast in a mainstage next year. At least I have London to look forward to acting all day, every day.

Today my directing professor (who also directed Hedda) laughed with me about the fact I'm such a Shakespeare geek. It all came about because one of our assignments coming up is to come up with how we would produce Macbeth if we were directing it. Basically everything I am doing in that class is Macbeth because the paper I just wrote is about three separate productions, this next project is about it and I've decided to use it as my final scene for the class. I love it.

Also we just finished with our Freshmen showcase. Because we are juniors now, we were directing it. It was strange to look at the freshmen and realize that was us only two years ago.  I can't believe I've made it to this point in time.

Anyway, that is my life in a nutshell. I'll try to keep writing more.

Bye-bye!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

But oh, it's heaven: Nowadays

Hello Everyone,

So I am well aware that it is the beginning of October and I haven't written a post in over a month. I'm sorry about that, my life has been extremely busy.

Junior year started at the end of August and so did my application for going abroad to London. I worked on that for about a month and finally managed to turn everything in about three days before the deadline. It was a trail though trying to get all of the paperwork done and turned in by October 1st. I should be accepted just on that account. I had my audition on Friday and it was very interesting. Let me explain.

I had prepared Margret from Much Ado About Nothing because it was a speech that I had in my wheelhouse for about three years. I also believed that I was going to be filming my audition and this speech was funny and tame compared to some of the others that I also know. I went into the audition and did my speech, feeling quite confident in how it went. The woman running it told me that it was good and then asked if I had any other speeches prepared (I'm assuming because I did prose and they wanted verse). I told her that I had two Joan Le Pucelle speeches from Henry VI and told her which ones they were. She asked me to do the speech that begins "The Regent Conquers.." etc and I did. She worked on it a little with me and told me that I have a power that I tend to undermine (which is very true). Now this speech that she picked for me is one of the biggest, craziest moments a female character in the canon has, even surpassing Lady MacBeth, and it would typically be something I would NEVER do at an audition. It was one of the greatest feelings though. I hope I get into the program.

Also big news is that I am the female understudy for Hedda Gabler here at Catholic. This was possible because I would have been cast originally if the seniority card had not be outplayed this semester. The director was happy having me be an understudy and I've been doing it ever since. The show opens next Thursday and is amazing. The acting, the lighting design (which I squee over all the time), the costumes (Helen Hayes award winner), come see it if you live in the area. Please do, it's your only chance to see CUA Undergrads in a show.

My classes have been going solidly. I enjoy most of them except my Shakespeare class because it is taught from an English perspective from a teacher who has no understanding of theater and acting. My philosophy class is taught by a very theatrical monsignor and happens to be metaphysics, which is one of the craziest things I have ever studied. My theology class is extremely interesting except for when we discussed religion and politics and this girl was freaking out about Obama being a Muslim ( no he's not) and why she would never vote for a Muslim president.  My entire class was extremely offended. I have two classes in my major, Directing and Production both of which are amazing. It shall be an interesting semester and I hope it goes well.

Sorry about being MIA for so long but I'm back in the game. Thanks!

Bye-Bye!