On Tour . . . For Real!!!

I really regret not posting about our move to\ stay at The Strand theatre of Dorchester- because shorthly thereafter I suddenly became very busy and time was too precious to spend in front of the computer and fiddling with technology. Tech week for this show was more intense and nerve-wracking than any I've ever been a part of, and the reason? Money. This is theatre for MONEY, not theatre for a hobby. Thus everything seems amped and everyone runs around catering to the chain of command-- with the Producer at the very top.
The Strand is a beautiful old place which admittedly needs some love and care, but which has a quiet old grace about it. Though I had never stepped foot in this space before, I felt instantly at home. To the best of my ability I explored every nook and cranny I could manage to sneak off to, and found lots of fun things, Including the oldest Wurlitzer Organ in Boston (I mean this literally, it had a plaque declaring it so.).
One of my favorite things about this space, however, was the fact that the City of Boston has purchased it and will be restoring the Old Dame to its original state. Here's the cool part: They have already begun the restoration by sectioning off a section and, like the half-woman half-man at the carnival, or like a cross-section in a book, you can see the original colors next to the current bordello-style scheme.












Then, before I knew it, it was time to load out! This was quite a process, let me tell you! We had to UNcable, Unplug, Undo and generally UN stuff.









Then we had to pack all out dismantled set, our boxed-up lights, our wrapped up cables and out crated costumes. There Is a specific packing order (which is helpful- imagine the chaos that could ensue otherwise), and boy do we PACK that truck! - - The Truck, by the way folks, which is the largest size you can get without having to have a special driving class liscence to drive it. I am actually very intimidated by it and nervous to drive the monster!!




Load out was SLOW. It was slow, it was long, it was difficult and I was very, very sore by the end of it. I could barely stand up when I peeled myself out of the honda Thursday night.

Then We had two blessed, two much needed and well appreciated days off. Mum and Dad helped me pack and collect all the items I'd need for the next 3 and a half months. And most importantly (in addition to resting my back) I got to spend time with Family and Dear Friends.







And then, a the bittersweet moment arrived when I had to say goodbye to home, goodbye to my summer vacation, goodbye to friends and loved ones, and HELLO to touring the countryside until CHRISTMAS!!!

It's getting late, and i have to be up quite early tomorrow morning. Let me jsut tell you this: The first 3 days (the first three hotels) have been pretty good. It actually doesn't feel quite real as of yet. I drove the van for nearly 400 miles yesterday from New york, through Penn and Ohio and into INDIANA. This land of ours is quite breathtaking sometimes, and I am humbled and awed frequently as I look out tyhe van windows. Our first show was today. Load in and set up took nearly 3 hours. It needs to get down to under 1 hour. heeeheeeheee. wish us luck- or pray for us, because we need it. I love you all very much, and I'd like to thank Aaron for the Digital camera with which I have been able to capture this adventure!!

I leave you now with photos!

First day in the van:


Road Sign!


Postcard-like view from a rest stop!


GYPSIES!!!

Stage Managers.
There are bad ones.
There are adequate ones.
And then ther are the . . .

GREAT ONES.

For those of you who don't know or maybe don't fully appreciate the duties and function of a Stage manager, I'm going to expound- in brief- upon the subject.

A Stage Manager in theatre has all the responsibilites and typically none of the glory. They are at once Mother and Father, Firend and Mentor, Task Master and Crusader- They go to bat for their actor and crew- standing between tham and harm. They are the reason anything gets accomplished. ever. The good ones, that is. Maybe some people haven't had the experience of working with a really fine stage manager- but the positon is a masterful art and a rare skill, and not just anybody can or could do it with effectiveness.

Maybe I have this view, despite the fact that most actors have only an inkling of an idea what their stage managers go through for them and their show, because i have worked behind the scenes so much and in so very many capacities. But I am grateful to have seen- to have witnessed and learned from some truly incredible stage managers, and I have held all other stage managers to their standard.

The finest stage manager- and someone I'd like to consider a friend as well as a mentor, the finest stage manager I had ever worked with was the incomparable, unflappable Kent LeVan who I had the privelege of working with at AMDA. I got to know him and witness him in action for a few semesters while working production as work study- then I was blessed enough to have him as my SM for the drama showcase. He is efficient, he is incredibly brilliant, funny, warm, caring, intuitive and he knows how to make the trains run on time as-it-were. His advice, his support, his well chosen jokes and encouragements made all the difference in the world to me during that whole show-process, and I believe all involved could feel the effects of his skill-- even if they didn't realize or fully appreciate it for what it was.
I vowed from practically the moment I met him that I would hold all other stage managers to that impeccable standard.


They say we are shaped by those we have known- we learn what we like, and what we don't and then mold ourselves accordingly. Sorry future SMs, you have some incredibly big and stylish shoes to fill- not to mention some funky Tees.

All My Love,
BETH

Long and winding road.

So I've been in rehearsal for over a week now and things are progressing quite nicely. I must say how blessed I am to be working with such incredible people; Meagan, Katie,Steven, Scot, Zack, Nicole and most especially our incomparable stage manager Lanny -- I'm so fortunate that these people, who will in essence form my family, friends, and collegues for the next four months, are so giving, funny, intelligent and loving.

I count myself doubly blessed since this is my first professional theatre job and I couldn't have asked for a better 'cast of characters'!

Driving into Dorchester everyday has been delightful (insert groan of frustration here). I'm glad i'm saving money by living at home though, and more importantly I get to enjoy my family a little bit longer, which is a great reward after being away at AMDA so long.

The Uphams Corner rehearsal space is incredible. I mean, it's a fourth floor walk-up and is deteriorating rapidly with paint peeling, water damage, un-drinkable lead pipes, and no AC, but the bones are stunning. It is a one time masonic hall, with a huge old ballroom that had been converted to a basketball court somewhere along the way and is now a dusty, well used theatrical space. I especially love the incredibly large, gracefully arched windows and the soaring ceilings. Those masons certainly had a good thing going.









Let me say now that it is my goal to blog about this wonderful and exciting era in my life at weekly intervals throughout. I'm not making PROMISES per se, but that is my aim. You all got cjheated out of sharing the Acting School experience with me, and I don't want to let this go undocumented. Most everybody is taking their Lappies with them on the tour, so I'm seriously reconsidering that idea myself. Of course, Dad has the final say on the subject, I suppose. :)

More soon I hope-

By the way I'm right near ladder company 21 Uncle Tommy, If that helps you place my locale.

Oh, and, I felt like I was seeing a spoof about boston the other day when we all got to witness a one-of-a-kind collision outside the rehearsal hall the other day: a T bus collided with a Duck Boat! They were going about 2 miles perhour collectively, but nonetheless no fewer than 5 boston P.D. cruisers responded to the scene. I think they just didn't want to miss out seeing something so priceless.

( All photos courtesy of Katie until I get my own camera!!)








Love Always, BETH

Well well well............... . . . . . . ....

Hullo Friends and enemies! My, but it HAS been a long time hasn't it? Let us see. Since we last spoke I have managed to make it through the AMDA musical theatre boot-camp intensive conservatory training program, get myself engaged to the love of my life, and get hired for a touring theatre job. In point of fact, this is my first week- I started wednesday, and I have never been so at home so quickly!

Friday was a red letter day. It marked a pretty important first: I recieved my very first PAYCHECK as a professional actor. Of course, I'm an understudy- and also mainly a techie (sound board operator and house manager)- but it counts! I'm getting paid to participate in the greatest profession I could wish to be a part of - - and I am euphoric.

** DISCLAIMER: Some of the Euphoria may be caused by the wonderful evening I spent last night having a birthday dinner with friends and seeing SNAKES ON A PLANE with Mr. Samuel L. Jackson. **

Abouth the tour. . .


So far I am very delighted and impressed by the high level of efficiency and professionalism with which this company is run. Of course, the Chamber Theatre Production Tours are older than me, I think, (or nigh so), and thus mainly run like clockwork with shiny replacement cogs, but nevertheless I stand in awe of the process.

There certainly seems to be a great deal to learn. I ust say that I understand the style of acting that we are presenting, the style of theatre, I understand it and find it a very effective and specific sort of medium, especially with the wonderful actors in our company- but I'll admit that I'm nervous about having to actually put it into practice myself. It is so broad, so presentational, almost cartoon-like. It is really brilliant and entralling storytelling designed very cleverly and carefully to reach every seat in any large house, but we spent so much time on american realis at AMDA and so little time on characterizations, style, broad comedy, and no time at all on theatre-for-children that I a feeling self concious and somewhat glad that I haven't needed to get up there and do it thus far.

Of course I think I'll be fine, should the need arise. Musical comedy in most cases is quite colorful and broad, and I have had some great instructors- and just watching this cast is teaching me so so very much that I could never hope to learn in a class room environment. They are fun, funny, kind, enthusiastic, warm, welcoming, preofeesional yet relaxed, eager yet not over-bearing, they seek perfection and demand excellence without ego, and these are the people I'll be spending a big chunk of time with ere long- living with them as a family.

I can't tell you how truly blessed I feel to be part of such a great theatrical tradition. A TOUR. a touring company! Like in the old stories, like something out of legend. We get to pack, un pack- set up and take down- sleep on the road, get lost, fing wonderful destinations and most importantly bring our work all over this country!

It is late. It has been a momentous and an important, exhausting, exhillerating week for me. I'm going to go ahead and encourage myself to stop here, even though I have so much more to say, because I'm going to try to do what I had set up this blod to do in the first place, all that tie ago: I'm going to tryn and keep a running log of y adventures in the theatre! (yeah, yeah, don't hold you're collective breath- but some other darling company members have similar blogs, and I'm thinking that maybe their dedication and comittent to blogging will help keep me on track- so keep a keen eye my way.)

*** Next blog I'll tell you all about the rehearsal space, the cast of characters I have the honor of working with, a little bit about the tour (as far as I know at the moment), and hopefully will be providing PICTURES to aid in my marvelous storytelling. *****

With Love,
and giddiness
BETH

New Year's Comic!

THE NEW YEAR

Happy new year everyone! It was wonderful seeing so many friends and family members over christmas break, short though it may have been, it felt great. Now I'm back to the grind. You wouldn't think theatre work is a grind, and it certainly isn't manual labor, but this semester especially has been taxing. Running to and fro for duet rehearsals, scene practice, dialects class, voice lessons and the all the regular course work- it is a bit overwhelming. I'm told this semester is designed to make or break you- grace under pressure, get your act together or get out of the business, that sort of thing. I'm innundated, but the light at the end of the tunnel I'm trudging through is this: I'M ALMOST DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soon I'll be committing to a photographer for headshots, be putting my resume together and really be auditioning for actual work. Professional, paid, real-time work! Also, we are elligible for auditions at a great time for casting; Summerstock and national tours are always casting in early spring, so the odds are on the up side.

No matter how stressed I get, how down on myself or behind in homework, I remind myself how blessed I am to have such an incredible opportunity and a family who are so supportive and generous. I love you all and you keep me going.

Hey, did you hear the latest? My appetite has grown beyond just theatre and I'm thinking about finishing my degree at the New School where I'll be looking into film making!! What do you think, the next Spielberg? M. Night Shyamalan? Cecil B.
Reardon?

With Love and Affection, (and great big dreams)
Beth

Birthday Felicitations

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM & DAD!!!!! :)

A BRIEF UPDATE

Hello Friends and Family! We are entering our mid-term rush here at AMDA. I had my Acting midterm already, all next week will be dance midterms, the following week will be very high stress because I'll have Musical Theatre and VPS- both classes I really want to excel in and am very nervous about.

The acting midterm went well. My scene partner and I did a scene from David Mamet's 'The Woods', for which we recieved the stellar grade of A. We were very happy with it and so was our instructor (who happens to be the head of the acting department.).

For Musical Theatre I'll be singing a very funny vamp-y number called "Paree", where I do a silly french accent. For VPS we all have to do the witch's thing from MacBeth "double double toil and trouble..."

I love you all, miss you all and long for home very very much. I miss my family, my friends, my flowers, my pets, my own shower and home-cooked meals. But time seems to be flying by at an astonishing rate. I hope I'll be able to stay on top of things. The heat here is opressive at best and absolutely draining most of the time. And NEW YORK CITY SMELLS VILE WHEN IT HEATS UP.

I'm happy to be busy, happy to be doing (cross your fingers and knock on wood-) well. My love and affection.

--- Oh yeah, Due to a snag with miscommunication I have no internet access in my room at the present, and so must make due with the school computers- much less convenient, much less comfrotable, and there are time limits! So, apologies, I'll do my best to pop in once in a while to keep you updated!!!---

Love Always,
BETH

Good to be Home.

Hello, and sorry for the little dry spell. Moved out of my room in NY a little while ago and am here in good old MA for a few short weeks before I need to head back; folks, let's just ponder the absurdity of necessitating my complete move-out from the Strat when in a few short weeks I'll be moving BACK IN to the EXACT SAME ROOM! I suppose they might do some maintenance, painting, cleaning and exterminating, but yikes! P.S. for any who may have wondered: I woke up at about 6 am that morning and had exactly six hours before the fam would arrive to load my life into the van, and had I started anything in advance? No siree- to know me is to love me (harharhar) and if you know me you might have guessed I would leave it till the last minute. Let me tell you I have never cleaned\packed\organized so furiously and so completely ever in my life! I was done at ten minutes to noon and quite exhausted. Turns out they hit traffic anyhow and I would've had some wiggle room, but it got done.

Now I'm in The City of Champions and loving it immeasurably. I'm sure this is due to the fact that I'm being terribly spoiled by my family and friends for the duration of my brief stay, but this has been a great vacation thus far. Dad and I have worked outside on various projects- including the erecting of a lovely copper birdbath in the front garden. Mum and I picked out some charming flora for the front as well, and I had a very enjoyable day planting and gardening. {We won't talk about the jungle of mint and wild violet in the back yard. Three weeks home isn't nearly time enough to fight that battle- the fence is beautiful though!}
I've played board games, seen movies, watched some red sox baseball, played with pretty and daubs and seen alot of friends who are home from college! I have not practised and prepared for second semester as well as I should, but there's another week left.
My pet project has been my fairy tale. Maybe I'll make big bucks and never have to worry again. As for small bucks, I'm subbing at North jr. high tomorrow and will see about a few more days while I'm around.

Talk with you soon,

Beth

1st Semester

I HAVE COMPLETED ALL MY DEMOS AT LONG LAST!

Thank you to all the loyal readers of this little blog. I feel honored and grateful toward all those who took time out to keep up with my excerpts. Today, thursday the 2nd of June marks my final day as a First Semester student at AMDA. It's all down hill from here! Hahaha. No, not downhill, though I'm told the effect feels alot like a mad snowball careening out of control down a steep hill. From here on out things will get very intense, very hectic and crowded.

Today was a relative breeze compared to the other demos too. Only sight singing (the hardest part of this one was the fact that it was at 8 am and I was so wound up yesterday after Dance demos that I stated up into the wee hours of the morning, garnering maybe a total of 3 hours sleep.) and then a Musical Theatre Film Lab Exam- my only written exam here. It was very cut and dry. very anti climactic. yesterday, Musical Theatre and 2nd Round Dance Demos was the biggie- the hurdle I was fretting over.
However, fret as I frequently do, the final decision is this: They both went very well. As a class the A1's really delivered in Musical Theatre and our teacher [the head of the department, coincidentally] had tears of pride (relief?) in her eyes as she bade us a fond farewell. We really stepped it up, and I am particularly proud of my group-mates. We have become very much like a family. I love them all and in a few short hours we're going out to dinner, to celebrate and to tear up over the loss of some of our friends who have decided not to return for second semester.

Still not packed. yipes. this is not going to be an easy chore. I smell disaster. BUT nothing can crush the elation inside of me that sings: I MADE IT!!!! believe it or not (and to my frank astonishment) I ACTUALLY MADE IT! I'm one quarter of the way through!

Love and Appreciation,
Signing off from NYC,

Beth

This is Katherine Helmond- You might remember her form SOAP or as Mona from Who's The Boss?, or recently as Debra's mother on Everybody Loves Raymond. She's done a great deal of stage work as well and some film too. Well, for reasons unbeknownst to me, Ms. Helmond showed up at my DANCE FINAL last week and stayed for a bit- watching my tap class and such. She must be friends with the head of the Dance Department- but I was so shocked that I refused to believe my eyes. Couldn't be. Why would Mona be here? So I just sort of smiled and tapped and didn't think much of it until some friends of mine confirmed the sighting as valid. Yikes. http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-5383 

ENJOY MIAMI"S SUNNY SEAQUARIUM. A photo journal exhibit by Beth and Aaron! (heeheehee)

Here's the only picture of me at the Seaquarium. We (complete geeks that we are) found the idea of taking my photo standing in front of a photo-booth to be utterly amusing in a mildly ironic sort of way. YIKES! Now that I'm out of the sun and reason has returned, I recognize the humor to be weak and sad, but you might as well enjoy the goofy look on my face!! 

I have loads of pictures from this great and entertaining SeaLion circus show, but as we were in the very tip-top of the nose-bleed section, I wont laden this blog down with too many. Here's the star of the show doing the quintessential showstopper. Quite talented, very delightful. Oh, and a personal note: The weather was maaaaaaaarvelous! 

Aaron said it best: "This looks like a put-on. It looks like a lawn ornament!" 

Look at the crazy flaming fight! They look like tropical dinosaurs. "No wonder these guys learned how to fly.." right Dad? 

In case you had a hard time viewing the animals through all the edible-litter, here's a shot taken from the under-level viewing area. hard to believe these beauties were ever mistaken for mermaids. But I suppose when you've been out at sea for long enough... 

Hey, here's the manatees- this old girl has plants growing on her. Not much of a rolling stone I guess. The flotsam and jetsam there on the water is lettuce, sweet potatoes, apples, and other varieties of produce- and It floats around to be munched! The effect was strongly reminiscent of a garbage disposal explosion and struck my funny bone. 

Heeheehee- these guys are adorably grumpy. 

national geographic style. These birds (I'll have to look him up, i've forgotten his name- soooo many new species and varieties to remember) would sit so still I firmly believed they were decorative props until he blinked at me. 

Look how close we could get to these magnificent beasts! Had he the inclination, thisone could have sprang forth and nipped Aaron's camera hand off! 

Beautiful shot of some rays. I heard of an INCIDENT with Aunt Carol on the trip- she'll have to tell me all about it later!  

Crocodiles and birds alike gather for the mid-afternoon feeding. Let me say this: Those birds didn't wait around for scraps, they fought teeth and beak for their share. Quite bold. 

More than the marine life, i was practically drooling over the exotic native birds that congregated at the seaquarium. Look at this thing! It's all well and good to see it on tv, but in reality it felt very dream like for me. 

Here are som cute sea lions in an up-close viewing pool. They are playful and puppy-like. 

The killer whale, and myself in the aft- marveling at the many complex variations nature has gifted us with... or maybe just psyched that I'm somewhere where the temperature is in the high 80's in mid-may! 

There's the Killer Whale as captured digitally by Aaron, with me across the way with a good old disposable and big gaudy sunglasses. 

Ahoy!

Welcoming the cruisers back to dry land- you landlubbers! No scurvy I hope? (heeheehee)
Hope the cruise experience was wonderful and glad you all had a vacation.

Well,I promised I would do it- and I really musn't put it off longer else I'll surely lose all my ambition to do so. Today, my last official day of classes for term one, is the day (night) I applaud and thank the New York Public Library System for exemplary standards of excellence in service and materials. Specifically The Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center and the NYPL Riverside branch (a few doors down).

Let me preface this with a bit of background info: I know not by what power, but by some power it is, the AMDA library is actually one of the best and most extensive in the city- if not in the performing arts realm in general. It is so inclusive and detailed that the Juliard students tend to get haughty about us using 'their' facilities- which is the NYPL Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. Apparently over the years many people have donated scores and media items to little AMDA out of the kindness of their hearts, maybe from pity or some other such impetus, but like a clever spider the AMDA folk have been pleasantly cultivating a swelling horde of treasured and out of print material that will prove invaluable to my education. Here's the cute little snag: Due to renovations and a most timely decision to move the library facilities, the AMDA library had been closed for most of my crucial first semester here- and then for a few weeks was half-heartedly functioning like some sort of bizzarre musical drive thru, where in you would stroll up to a windowed ticket booth type service area, order the music (sheet, or cassette, script or score), pay a processing fee, and then return to the window in a few hours time (sometimes the next day) and pick up your materials.

No problem, you'd say nonchalantly. Au Contraire, mon frere! Though the library's grand opening was delayed well beyond it's target date of the First week of the Semester, our BIG, HUGE, VERY IMPORTANT musicals project *which required hours and hours of listening, reading and researching very obscure and lesser known musicals* was not at all deterred from the due date arbitrarily set probably a year or more ago when someone sat down to make a syllabus for First Semester students. What, then, were we to do?

As a matter of what I consider to be supreme luck and maybe a bit of grace, on my daily walk to school, in the blocks between 70th and 61st, lies a treasure trove of knowledge and blessed input! The Performing arts library at Lincoln Center is widely considered to be the best in the country- and how right they were! Shelves and Shelves of Musical scores (more opera and classical, but pleanty of Broadway to be getting on with), Volumes and volumes of important texts, interactive exhibits (currently a lovely pair on Donna Summer and the other Harold Arlen who composed the famous Somewhere Over the Rainbow from Wizard of OZ) rows and rows of CDs - which are available not as reference materials, but just like books in a regular library available for checking out at your convenience! This is also true of a whole large video\dvd section- free movie rentals! They have everything from obscure instructinal videos (Play the violin series volume 1) to taped performances of live ballet, opera, symphonic concerts and even some musical theatre, to regular old films like John Wayne in The Searchers or Tom hanks in the Terminal. Let me just say that I don't believe i'll ever go to blockbuster again while i reside here.

One particularly valuable feature is the exclusive and heavily monitered viewing library on the third floor. here you can listen to music that may not otherwise be available for checking out, but more importantly you are able to choose from a huge tome-like catalogue of live theatre\musical theatre\ opera\ dance performances recorded for posterity on film. There are many rules and regulations here, and the staff is reminiscent of a fierce priode of mother lions sheltering their young, but once you've gotten over this the resource is quite exciting. In a smallish room off the main floor you sit in very comfortable chairs and have your own monitor and earphones and computeized remote-control and can view some broadway show! Free! I, in my research, was able to see Ragtime with the original cast, and consider myself most fortunate to have done so, as I may never have given the musical a real chance- and was so very impressed with its scope and gravity, which the soundtrack itself really doesn't illustrate. I can see plays that are greatly impactful but are obviously not still up and running. One can examine the changing and evolving styles of american theatre over the span of seasons and decades!

What i've taken advantage of most, however, is the rental of cds and dvds. I now have half the library's broadway cd collection stored in my media library on the laptop, and i'm sure the other half will be entered next semester as we cover vaudville and operettas untill 1960!

But i am most excited about the classic films i've always wanted to see and have scarce been able to locate in your frindly neighborhood video store.
3 that stand out as "wow i'm gald I rented that (for free!)!" are the following: starring bette davis and henry fonda, JezebelThe Maltese Falcon starring Humphrey Bogart and Sydney Greenstreet and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie for which (Dame) Maggie Smith was awarded her oscar. Dad's been telling me for ages to see The Maltese Falcon if i ever got a chance- and let me tell you, I see why! What a fine film. I happen to love old movies, and appreciate them when alot of folks find them hard to 'get into'. I credit this to my parents and my brother all of whom had a great deal to do with shaping my cinematic taste-buds, but often it takes a certain disposition in this day in age- in this hustle-bustle action-and-specialeffects generation to actually sit down and glean enjoyment from films so stylized, so deliberately paced and so rudimentary in technique and technology. The Maltese Falcon (and another great piece, Some Like It Hot) is a film that needs no special taste for older films. This plot was exciting, rich, *mostly* unpredictable and dealt with subject matter just as prevalent today as it was in 1941. What an engaging movie- one that can be put on a FAVORITE MOVIES OF ALL TIME list and nor relegated to a favorite old movies list on a separate piece of paper.

I could bore you with full reviews here, but it's late (or early, depending on your point of view) so I'll restrain myself. Suffice it to say this: the NYPL is probably my best friend and most useful tool here in New York so far. Maybe Someday I'll be earning big bucks as a broadway actress and will finally be able to drop some cash in that Donations box I pass guiltily every week upon entering and exiting!!!!!

Love you all greatly- Be home soon,

Beth

A whole lotta trouble over a little idol... 

And a whole lot more trouble (not to mention angst) over the color of a dress! At least the Maltese Falcon appeals to greed and crime- this dress was just MUCH ADO ABOUT Very Little Actually. Nothing like a good case of Yellow Fever to put things in perspective though. 

"Little Girls! I am in my Prime!" . . . ASSASSIN! ASSASSIN!! 

Where the magic happens... Thank the fates for small miracles like taxes going toward something wonderful! 

I Have Returned!

GoodMorrow Friends and Neigbors,

Let me apologize in brief for the terrible dryspell here at the Blog. What with the Florida trip and finals fast approaching, things have been chaotic to say the very least, but not a day has gone by without my wishing I were posting. If only I could be a professional journaler!

Second on my ever-growing bullet list of items we need to discuss is my Sister's Wedding. I know alot of you were unable to attend, understandably, so let me fill you in (again, in brief. When pictures are available I swear I'll do a full-out report, pulling out the stops and giving you the best society column I can manage, but for now, I'll cut to the chase!). The flight down was lovely. After the 5 hour greyhound bus ride to and from Boston a couple of weeks back, this seemed like a jaunt on a commuter train (except for the pressure related ear-popping and the beverage cart)! I tell you, in all honesty that it felt as if I had just begun to settle in when the Captain announced we would be beginning our descent into the Ft. Lauderdale Area. It was somehwat late at night Friday when we arrived at the Miami Holiday Inn, and as chance would have it, Mum was in the Lobby to greet us! It seemed we were the last to arrive, as i couldn't leave until after my afternoon acting class, but I'm told Danny and Rachel WORKED on friday, thus they take the prize for last across the finish line.
Saturday morning dawned beautifully, and I finally got to see those palm trees I had glimpsed in the dark of Friday evening. What a fun and exotic location! It felt so very differsnt from all the places I've been, even L.A. and Virginia Beach, which are both warm\beachy climates. Some people had a view of the port from their windows and we could see thw HUGE Royal Carribbean Cruise Ship that we would all be boarding in a few short hours to attend the ceremony and reception.
Many members of the Fam had a scattered Breakfast Buffet at the Holiday Inn dining room, but not the Bride! She was having her Hair done in a very princess-ly fashion (again, you'll see pictures soon I hope.)and at 9:45 AM we all boarded a small fleet of shuttle vans and were taken to the Cruise Ship! After a seemingly interminable length of time spent standing around like so many herded cattle we finally. . . (skipping over some real tedium here) . . . boarded the ship.
What an exciting thing! It was like being in an indoor-city! Shops, restaurants, attractions! It was lovely. I'm told the boat boasts a mini=golf course, a cinema, bowling alleys, arcades, casinos, an Ice-skating rink and more than several swimming pools. What a luxury! I'm sure the fam is finding plenty of things to do out there on the open ocean!
The wedding took place in a fun lounge\banquet hall with big cushy couches and armcairs. Quite the most Comfortable wedding ceremony I've ever attended, and very well orchestrated too. Not a hitch, not a moment of stress (well, none that i could see, but then I wasn't a featured player :)). All the Wedding party (and guests too now that I think of it) Looked Very Lovely. -Possibly my favorite ensemble of the day was my cousin Sean's "Tux"- which was actually a t-shirt with a picture of a tuxedo torso printed on it- compete with a carnation boutineer!
Sharon was radiant, I shed a tear or two and then was wrangled into pictures and then (gulp) singing! I sang a wedding song by wedding singer Glenn Navis called Take My Hand. I probably should have taken my brother's advice and finished my drink before I got up there- it may have eased my nerves! But, The happy couple were pleased with it, and that's the important thing. I sincerely hope it was a gift they will hold in their hearts as I cherish the giving of it.
Then, in the very same room (very large mind you and multi-functional) the reception was held. The food spread was very impressive, and even with my picky tastes I found plenty to enjoy. I tell you, I even tried Salmon, which I have always wanted to sample, but have never been willing to shell out the money on something with such slim chances of being palatable. This salmon, however, was FREE! It was not bad folks. I'm not a seafood eater (much to the chagrin of my New-England blood), and while this was fishy, it was much more tasty than any other fish I've ever sampled- with the exception of Shark (which, whenever I eat it is always quite thoroughly covered in alot of teriaki sauce, so who really knows if shark is yummy?). Only one person could find nothing to eat, but pizza was ordered and all was well!
The whole affair was lovely, and my one wish is that more family could have had the chance to attend. All in all it was a rather small wedding- and I missed the Reardons! Then, those-who-were-not-sailing were asked to leave the boat and none have been heard from since!
I can't wait to hear about the rest of the adventure!

~~Well, Unfortunately, this post was not as brief as I had wanted and now I'm afraid i'll have to wrap it up! i have plenty of schoolwork to be getting on with here and with a sigh, I must say goodnight for now. Stay tuned for the next items on the agenda: Extolling the virtues of the New York Public Library System, and Miami's Sunny Seaquarium! ~~


Distractedly yours,
Beth!

Just a few short days till MIAMI!! Very exciting stuff. I won't even really get a chance to think about it though, since this week is so packed. Extra dance classes, extra speech classes, extra rehearsals and extra voice lessons all leading up to finals. i really don't even know if I'll be able to pack untill thirsday night! Tomorrow I have performance day in musical theatre for our second song (Since you stayed Here -from Brownstone) and then Wednesday {THE VERY NEXT DAY} We have performance day for our third song (Little Girls -from ANNIE) !!!! I am quite harried. [But smiling, don't worry!]

Then Miami

Then right bqack to work!! Haahaahaa. Then Finals... the Home- and while at home I plan to sub as much as possible for the little Brocktonians, as they are in school until the 30th of June because of Snowdays. I want to take it easy as much as I cane though too, because second semester I hear is grueling!!!

Well, love to All,

Beth

June 3rd

Hello everybody! I sincerely hope my little tutorial didn't do more harm than good and proved at least somewhat helpful. Upon re-reading I think maybe I over-complicated, but we'll see.

I am posting just a few words right now, as it is past my bed-time. The words are this: June Third. June 3rd, folks, is the last day of my first semester. As May third wanes rapidly into may 4th I have to tell you how very excited I am. My second song in musical theatre is coming along quite well (knock on wood) and upon the successful completion thereof I will get to start my third and FINAL song for the term. It will be Little Girls from ANNIE which was my last minute wild card choice that I didn't really think my teacher would consider! How fun!
In VPS we are all now working on shakespeare monologues for the final demos and mine is one of Goneril's speeches from King Lear. Very nasty lady is Goneril. Lots of meaty stuff to sink my teeth into. Now I have to re-read Lear though- a daunting task when I am already swamped. Even for one who enjoys Shakespeare as I do, it isn't like skimming through nursery rhymes or even a thick but contemporary work of literature. I have my work cut out for me- and that doesn't even begin to describ how meticulous I have to be with the diction, articulation, breathing and vocal projection with the piece- since this is my VOICE PRODUCTION and SPEECH class- so I can't just act up a storm and hope my intensity makes up for any technical fuzziness. No sir, this is what my friends and collegues call: A pain in the rear end!
hahahahaahahha heeheehee. Oh well, It's good for us. I should do fine.
The dance is driving me nuts (maybe more on that later- it deserves it's own entry) sight singing is ok and acting should go well. I love my scene partner. She and I went downtown to the east village yesterday to get a sense of the setting of our scene. We had fun even though it rained. ALL the food shops looked and smelled delectable and made me wish I had brought lunch money- but we'll go again and I VOW to sample the cuisine!
Allright, I'm overdue for my 40 winks as it is- but tomorrow's post will be about the Bootleg copy of WICKED I was just watching.

Goodnight everyone- have a pleasant day!!


Love and Well Wishes
Beth