Thursday, October 20, 2011
William Shakespeare ROCKS.
So. Most of you don't know this, but I am in a play. Since I quit my job and have been helping Matt, I have a LOT more free time. I decided to fill this time by doing things like family history, teaching myself how to sew, scrapbook, blog (sarcastic laugh), and make my home more efficient. I've also willingly and enthusiastically helped Matt on projects that I would've dragged my feet about previously (hey, it's hard to pick out audio clips after 8 hours at another job). Anyways, one of my friends told me that they were doing A Midsummer Night's Dream at the college, and auditions were that night. After some debate, and some ego-reining in (I know that I should always be the star, but the rest of the world may not have heard), I decided to audition because A) I love the stage and haven't been on it for a while and B) THIS PLAY ROCKS!!! When I was 15, I was the understudy to Puck for the Wyoming Shakespeare Company's production, so I know this play REALLY well, and just love it. I mean, I sat at rehearsals every afternoon for like 2 months, never once got to go on stage, and still went to most of the performances! Now, I bring an iPod and pretend that I'm not a total nerd, but I really could watch this play every day for a long time (it's been 6 weeks already) and never get sick of it. It's an illness, I tell ya. Maybe Oberon hit me with a shot of his love juice and the next thing I saw was A Midsummer Night's Dream... hmmm.... Anyways, to find out the plot, I suggest reading it, watching the Michelle Pfeiffer movie, or come see it performed, starting November 11th! And what part did I get you ask? Helena, the jilted lover? Puck, the mischievous sprite? Beautiful Titania, the Fairy Queen? No, I'm FOXGLOVE THE FAIRY!!! (Crickets as you consult the cast list and do not see this fairy name listed) Ok, so it's a totally made up part, but still, I get to do everything that I wanted. I get to sing (solos even), dance (which after Nazi fairy dance camp tonight, I feel like I'm not very good at...), and I get an AWESOME costume depicting my connection to the flower that shares my name (more crickets as you Google Image a Foxglove flower and discover that this flower is in fact, purple, which you are probably well aware is my absolute least favorite color). Well guess what, I DON'T CARE. My costume is rockin, and I wasn't about to whine and throw a diva fit that it couldn't be that color. Plus, it's not the bad shade of purple, it's more lavender and aubergine, both of which I am pretty okay with. Plus, I'm quite possibly maturing, and not as into sharing the things I loathe as I used to be (insert anti-Nicolas Cage rant here. Did you know he bought an island this year instead of paying his taxes? ). So yeah, I'm in a play. Matt is totally supportive, even went with me to tryouts, and loves how much fun I'm having, but I haven't been able to convert him into a true fan yet. I think it's the magic aspect that bugs him, but I haven't given up yet, and he hasn't seen the whole thing yet! And I am surrounded by theater majors, who are some of the weirdest and some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. I am caught in between egos and love triangles and glitter and props, and I love it. So my advice would be to quit your job and avoid all responsibility and go do something that you love (okay okay, maybe just the last thing). So- goodnight unto you all. Give me your hands if we be friends. And Robin shall restore amends.
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11 comments:
Hey! I'm was a theare major...are you calling me weird?! :) I'm glad you're having so much fun. The theatre is a sickness, it gets in your blood and then you're stuck. I love it!
Congrats B! That's awesome. I love AMND. I can honestly say that I have never laughed harded watching any other play or movie than I did watching AMND. I saw it at the Shakespeare Festival and Thisbe made me laugh so hard I had tears streaming down my face and I couldn't breathe. Dang, I wish I could come see it! Will it still be going in December? Have fun!!
What a fun thing to do B! I can totally see you having the time of your life. This play happens quite close to the showing of Breaking Dawn does it not? Might have to make a showing up there. Close to Thanksgiving too. Don't know what's going on this year about that though. For the record, I did hear crickets when you told of your fairy name, but I DID know what a foxglove was. I am my mother's daughter after all.
I truly think Matt could dig Shakespeare. It is amazing to watch, and this play is seriously hilarious. The things they do to it at the Shakespeare festival blows me away. I would go with a comedy for him though (either this one or Much ado), I think he would be pleasantly surprised. I am going to be a wee offensive here, but I am talking about plays acted by real Shakespearean trained actors. A local play, may not blow him away so much, but I'm sure it will be fun enough watching his wife sing and dance on stage. I feel like the movies -however much I like them- wouldn't impress him too much either. Anyway, that's all just about Matt discovering Shakespeare..........I on the other hand, think it would be awesome to see your play and would enjoy it a lot I'm sure. Matt might enjoy it more then I think, who knows, even without his wife being a part of it.
I meant a comedy as opposed to King Lear or Richard III. Did I sound like a total jerk/snob in my comment? Hope not. I am a wee bit of a Shakespeare snob though, I must admit. I don't even really like reading it, I think it was meant to be acted, not read.
Haha! Camie, I threw you into the "Nicest people on earth" category.
Haley, our last show is December 2nd, I think, so sorry, I don't think you'll make it. But maybe Matt can sneak in a camera or something :-)
Em, hehe, you can totally be a Shakespeare snob. I know that reading "Double double toil and trouble" in Macbeth is not nearly as effective as actually seeing the witches in the wood. And I know that our little production doesn't measure up AT ALL to professionally trained actors. But, there are some really talented leads who make me giggle every night. (Haley, Josiah Sifuentes plays Bottom (of course) and does it smashingly). And Thisbe and the rest of the Rude Mechanicals (the play within the play peeps) are great. And the fairies are going to have technicolor makeup and lights in our hair. I think we'll be pretty cool to watch. I don't think Matt has ever seen anything Shakespearean, but I think this is a good place to start, and maybe we can find a good Shakespeare festival this summer to go to, any suggestions? Who knows about T-give. Phisters are heading to St. George to meet Mike Long's family, so Matt and I and Mom and Dad may head to Utah, but I know that we're performing the 11th, 12th, 13th and 18th, 19th and 20th. Breaking Dawn comes out the 18th, so... that could be fun! B's premiere!! But the AMND shows are at 7:30, so I'd either have to skip it, or we'd go to a midnight showing, or you'd come to the Sunday performance, which is a 2:30 matinee. Anyways, that could be fun!
The Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City every summer is top notch. We used to go lots, we should plan a time to go this year. I think it would fit in nicely with my 2012 epic year. I'm going to check out the plays next year right now.
Cool if you guys come down for Thanksgiving! Maybe we could come up the week before. The 18th is also my birthday......just saying.
Sad day! I just realized I won't be able to see BD with all of you! :( You guys should try and catch the festival next year. They do an amazing job, as Emily said, top notch. I also saw R&J and Camelot the year I say AMND.(They do a regular musical too sometimes). I want to see all of them! The Kenneth Branaugh version of Much Ado is great, if you haven't seen it.(Side note: he is the actor that plays Lockhart in Harry Potter) Wish I could see your play B!
Looks like we kind of missed out this year, they showed:
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Richard III
Romeo and Juliet
a tri-fecta of awesome.
I've never seen any of the 2012 plays:
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Mary Stuart
Titus Andronicus
So I can't really say much about them including Matt's enjoyment level of them. Maybe Sue knows. Merry Wives is a comedy/romance, Mary Stuart is about Mary Queen of Scots and Titus is a dark tragedy- that's all I know.
Perhaps we save something (and our money) for the next year.....
They are doing Hamlet that October, which I have never seen live (just movies). That's not true, I did see it in Cedar City, but they made it WWII era, so it was different.
B, I think it is awesome that you auditioned for the play and got a part! And what a fun play to be a part of. I've only seen it performed live, I haven't seen the movie versions. Seems weird to see it as a movie, but, I've heard good things about the movie version, so I'll check it out some time. I would love to see you in this play, B! If I can't make it there to see it, then I really hope Matt can film it so we can all see it.
I am not sure if Matt would like AMND or not. I think he should go and see it once, just to support his wife and to perhaps record it for us. But, he is just not a fan of make believe worlds that involve fairies and things like that. I really think a good introduction to Shakespeare for Matt would be either Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet. Those are both pretty easy to follow stories about real people. Okay, there is a ghost in Hamlet, but I think Matt could handle that. I just don't think a world full of fairies and stuff would be the best way to introduce Matt to Shakespeare.
As for the plays they are doing in Cedar City for 2012. Kind of a lame line up. The Merry Wives of Windsor has some funny parts. Falstaff is the main guy in that play, and he is a very funny character. He is in King Henry IV parts 1 and 2 and he is great. But TMWW is not my favorite by a long shot, I've never seen it preformed, only read it, so that could be the problem. But I just don't really care for it's themes. It's all about cheating spouces, jealousy, and revenge. Not my favorite topics, although I don't mind revenge so much. I wouldn't go all the way down to Cedar to see this play. I had never heard of a play by Shakespeare called Mary Stuart, so I looked it up and it wasn't written by Shakespeare, it's just being performed in the globe theater down there.
Titus Andronicus is a great play to read, I'm not sure it would be good on stage. Cedar City might be able to pull it off, but I'm not sure. It is Shakespeare's most violent play. There are several murders and a very violent rape scene where they cut out the girl's tongue and cut off her hands so she cannot let anyone know who raped her. And like 30 to 40 people are killed in this play, and is not a favorite for obvious reasons. I enjoyed reading that play and even named a pet snake Titus, I'm just not sure it would be done right on the stage. I'm very curious though. I wish they were doing a couple of other Shakespeare plays that were worth going down to Cedar for, then I'd see Titus, but I'm not going down there for that one play. However, there is a very good film adapatation called "Titus" directed by Julie Taymore and starring Anthony Hopkins that is great.
Sorry this is so long. I noticed on the Cedar City festival website that they are doing Hamlet, but only between September 20 and October 20 that might be fun and worth it to go down for. Too bad To Kill A Mockingbird isn't happening while Hamlet will be there.
I'm excited to see your play, B. I bet Matt enjoys it more than he thinks. I agree with the line-up for the festival in Cedar, but knowing how good they are, I bet we would be pleasantly surprised how good they are.
Yes, we are going to southern Utah for Thanksgiving, but the week before would be awesome for the play and Breaking Dawn and Emily's birthday celebration. Plan on it!
Boo I want to come. :'( <-- That's me crying.
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