I haven’t done a scoop in a while, and the last long blog I wrote was a little depressing. It’s part of living a creative life or ANY life for that matter. Ups and Downs. Ebb and Flow. Feast and Famine. Flood and Drought. Highs and Lows. ummmmmm….you get the idea.
Anyway, I feel pretty UP right now. I’m really enjoying my time off now that I have gotten over the initial panic of gloom and doom, and never working again, and other such nonsense. I am able to actually take care of my body. I am able to sit down and plan my next move. More on that later, but first here are some things coming up and going on!
In my hiatus from theater (I’m being dramatic. It’s only two months!), I am keeping myself busy in other ways.
I have always been extremely interested in casting. In my last update I talked about how the new Bailiwick Chicago asked me to be an Artistic Associate. Well, at my request they have expanded my role to include casting assistant.
I’m helping them cast AIDA and I’m having a wonderful time. I’ve been on the other side of the audition table before, (Someday I’ll talk about my old theater company, Blue Moon Studio Theater. But not today!) but never with a project as difficult and interesting to cast as this one.
It is nothing less than an education to watch auditions. There are people who thought they did horrible, that worried for nothing and got called back. There are people that came in and were so amazing we were thinking of shows we could produce JUST to showcase them, but that just weren’t right for this particular project. Those people, if they’re like me, will feel bad that they didn’t get a callback not knowing what a fabulous impression they left on us. It just goes to show, you seriously never know what’s going on in that audition room. Just go in, do what you do, and leave the rest to them. Don’t try to figure out what they’re thinking. It’s fruitless and frustrating. Easier said than done, right? I know.
The thing I’m loving the most about casting is that I can make sure that some of those crazy talented people that aren’t known yet can be seen. It feels so good to do that.
Another behind the scenes venture for me is SHOW US YOUR LOVE, a musical review also produced by Bailiwick Chicago. I’m only house managing this one, but I have to plug it because my INSANELY TALENTED roommate, Eric Martin, is in it (And he designed the poster). AND one of my best friends and crazy talented herself, Kate Garassino is directing.
SHOW US YOUR LOVE features songs from HAIR, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, PIPPIN, FLOYD COLLINS and BROOKLYN THE MUSICAL to name a few. Audience members vote for their favorite selections. So you, in fact, will help us pick our next season. So come, listen to some tunes, vote for your favorite shows, and afterwards have a drink with me!
After all that behind the scenes work I’m gonna be itching to get back on stage. I can’t tell you how excited I am to get started on OH BOY! Not only does it re-unite me with some of my favorite gals, Jenny Grubb and Annie Passanisi, but I get to work with Sheldon Patinkin again who is a mentor of mine and one of the people I respect most in this business.
Sheldon is not only brilliant and timeless…think the Dumbledore of Chicago theater, he casts me in pretty roles!!!
He’s the reason I got to wear this:
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After a year of this,…
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…this character actress/occasional leading lady is so darn excited to play an ingenue! It’s just so different from what I normally do and I’m positively thirsty for the challenge. I’m playing Lou Ellen and I sing a song about how all I want in life is to be a housewife. I seriously couldn’t be more different than this character and I couldn’t be more thrilled to play her.
OKAY…SO THIS IS THE LONGEST BLOG IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD! But the title is “Big changes are a’comin” so I have to talk about the changes. I mean, it’s in the title! You can sue or something for false advertising, right? Who am I kidding? No one read this far down. Maybe my roommate did because I made him and my mom because she loves me. Hi Eric! Hi mom!
Well since it’s just the three of us I’ll let you in on a little secret. Something huge is coming. It’s so exciting and so game changing that I can’t even talk about it on here lest I jinx it. I know! I know! I’m a tease. You both know what it is anyway.
I am more excited and terrified of this venture than anything I’ve ever done including bootcamp and a one-woman show. I will know in 2 weeks if I can share it with the world or not. Until then I at least want to thank Janet Louer, David Zak, Scott Olson, and Sheldon Patinkin for supporting me on this new and scary adventure. I love and respect all of you more than you’ll ever know.
Completely exhausted and deliriously yours,
Harmony
