That's a wrap, people

Mayhaps you recall that i was in a one act play somewhat recently. It was another new experience, per my New Year's Resolutions. It was an interesting and educational process filled with delightful moments and times that made me want to gauge my eyes out. Overall, i am really glad that i did it, but in no hurry to do it again. I thought it would be fun to share some of the process with you. I have no pictures of rehearsals cause it is exactly what you would expect: people holding scripts and saying lines, then people walking around with scripts saying lines and then people just saying lines. Most rehearsals were done without sets; instead, we had colored tape on the stage marking where walls and things would eventually be placed. I didn't actually see the full set until tech week. One thing that really surprised me was that once we had the full set, it didn't stay in place. Because the Barn at CCBC is used as a classroom nothing could stay in place, so every night of rehearsal and even the 3 days of the show, we always started with a blank stage. Upon arriving, the cast would go to the stage left wing and enter the kitchen -marked OFFICE for some reason- where only authorized personell were allowed (though no one is sure exactly what a personell is), to drop off our personal stuff and start the transformation. I really liked that costumes were laid out neatly by actor so that you knew exactly where your stuff would be found: First step is to put on our character shoes and pick up our makeup. Most of the cast went back out into the house to do makeup because there was more room and light and cool air. Mara is getting Marty ready to be Mr. Vernon Larouge, corporate manager and vaguely lecherous creep. Though i did most of my own makeup, Shannon had to do my eyeliner every night cause i fail miserably at it. Back in the tiny kitchen, hair was being worked on next. Shannon gives Samantha's hair a few more flips to get her Ruby ready, while Sabra tries to control her braids to receive the first of two different wigs during the night. She and Lorraine both changed wigs twice and it was always hilarious to walk in on Lorraine talking to her wig before she put it on. Once we were fully dressed, we'd hang out in the house until everyone was ready. Erica brought a Coffee News one night that we read aloud to keep from being nervous dontcha just love the Coffee News? While the actors were getting prepared, Nathan the technical director prepped the stage and then he and the run crew got the set pieces in place. Everyone had things that they were specifically in charge of, like i set the bottles along the front of the counter and Samantha set the bottles that she and Marty used as props. Once everything was in place, it was time to open the house and we had to go behind stage to the chairs where we began waiting. I sat next to Sabra because of the order that we went on stage. You can barely see it, but through that door behind me there is a landing of a stairwell where Lorraine was set up for her costume and wig change, plus where she had hot tea and losenges at the ready since she was sick as a dog during the whole run. Sometimes cast members would quietly run lines, but generally we just waited. Once the house was open, Josh was up in the tech booth and Debbie was set up behind the back of the stage with her annotated script and flashlight. The run crew - Nathan, Nathan and Shannon - were dressed in all black and either a flurry of activity or completely motionless, but i have no pictures of them cause at this point i needed to get on stage. I played the worst customer ever, drawing a lot on my own retail experience to be as annoying to the poor perfume counter girl as humanly possible so that she became so exasperated that the Lady in the Leopard Print Hat -moi- was able to shoplift several bottles of perfume. Though we chose ahead of time which ones i would steal and i placed them in specific places, it is interesting to note that at every performance i actually took different bottles. After the first scene i had to run behind stage and totally change outfit, shoes, hair and makeup to become one of Vernon's sycophantic assistants. Due to the speed at which it happened there are no pictures of me in that costume, but rest assured that Sabra and I looked like matching fight attendants. I love being on stage and it was fun afterwards to talk to people in the audience. TM Amy and new husband Aaron came opening night as did a bunch of staff from Objects Found. The director, Michelle, shared roses with us all before we celebrated some birthdays. On Sunday, after the matinee, the cast and crew had to stay to strike the set. We were all put on teams with specific responsibilities. I was on the costume team so i helped Mara sort out what belonged to whom and get the kitchen stripped and cleaned of all show materials. Then i helped pull apart the set. It was kinda sad to see everything get broken down but everything had to go. At the very end we all went out to dinner together to celebrate not only the performances, but the whole process of creating live theater. Of course, we went to Motel Restaurant (Chappies). Thanks to the cast and crew of The Perfume Counter!

Motel Restaurant

After play practice two weeks ago, the director declared that she was going to go try the Motel Restaurant by the Beltway, did anyone want to go with her? Are you kidding me? You know the kind of place i am talking about here, huge neon letters that tell you nothing you couldn't have figured out on your own (as pointed out by stage manager, Debbie) at a place that probably once did a thriving business, but has fallen on some hard times. This is the kind of place that we have all passed a zillion times, but never dare to stop. But by jimminy, we were going to dare. First, Michelle had to put up the rear seat of her station wagon, which i declared to be a rumble seat, but was then immediately referred to as the rumple seat It was a bit of a tight fit for actors Samantha and Erica, but we all made it to the infamous location unscathed. We were even more unsure what type or quality of food we would find since the big sign said RESTAURANT, the door sign said Coffee Shop and the road sign said Chappies. Imagine our delight to find a diner on one side and a lovely dining room on the other with a big round booth just waiting for a group of hungry thespians. The menu was huge and varied. It was easy for all of us to find something to order, even with 2 vegetarians and 1 allergic-to-gluten-dairy-eggs-ian. The restaurant had somewhat recently been bought and refurbished and now tries to live up to the motto: Get Happy at Chappie's. The service was good, the food was good and the prices were good. We spent almost 2 hours laughing and talking and eating and yes, we did indeed get happy! It was so good in fact that i went back the next day by myself for some lunch. I sat on the diner side this time, revelling in the awesome touches of yesteryear, like the lamps over the counter and the ultra-cool clock. Give Chappie's a try - it's at the Beltway and Washington Blvd, by the Home Depot; you really can't miss it. (though remember that there is no exit 10 going south, take Sulphur Spring Rd off of the 95S exit) No doubt i will go back. And i will even refer to them by their proper name, Chappie's, though in my heart it will always be -

The Perfume Counter schedule

We are now less than 2 weeks out from my theatrical debut. I continue to be equally excited and terrified. Being off-book (lines memorized) makes it much easier for me act. Without fumbling with a script i can use my body as i am accustomed to and knowing the words means that they flow out more naturally with the proper em-PHA-sis on the right syl-AH-ble. I only have about 24 lines so it wasn't too hard to get them down, though there are 2 sentences that are very similar and i routinely mix them up in my head; oh, and i actually memorized the wrong word in one line so i had to struggle to replace moonlight with midnight in my head. The Perfume Counter, as i've said before, is a One Act and it looks like it will be about 34 minutes long. The production team is planning other things- dancing, vignettes, something, who knows- to round out the event to an hour, but i have little knowledge about what it will actually end up becoming. Since this is sponsored by the Theater Club -Barnstormers- at CCBC, Catonsville Campus all of the performances will be FREE to the public. I would love to see some friendly faces at any of the three performances in The Barn Theatre on the Catonsville Campus: Thursday Sep 23 at 8pm Saturday Sep 25 at 8pm Sunday Matinees Sep 26 at 2pm Come one and all. Bring your friends. Bring your family. Bring relative strangers. Join me as i continue to do at least one new thing a month - growing, stretching and possibly making a complete fool of myself. Come point and laugh. Just come.

a creepy thing about being in a play

Coming off of stage i am greeted by this sitting next to the director: Evil disembodied mannequin - yikes! Someone should warn a girl.

The Perfume Counter

The theater club at CCBC is called Barnstormers and they had a playwriting contest to determine their autumn production. Michelle, a former co-worker at the antique store, won the contest. A few weeks ago I was in Objects Found, chatting away and Michelle was telling me all about how her play was going to be performed and how it was almost completely cast and how excited she was, except that there was one small, but significant role that she couldn't find anyone for... at which point she stopped in mid-sentence and started to stare at me with narrowed eyes. You act, right? she said. Not really. I mean, i perform, but i don't really act... i stammered. But you can act, right? And you're comfortable on stage? This role needs someone who can be loud and over the top. I'm looking at you and i can't believe i didn't see it before. Would you be willing to audition? Wellllllll... I have never been in a play. I've done some workshopping and took theater both in high school and college, but i've never done an actual production. I have never even really been interested in being in a play, but i agreed to audition because i never have before. It's a new thing after all. Anyhoo, i auditioned (i'm not sure if it is considered an audition if i'm the only one who read for the role) and got the part, so now i'm in a play. I never imagined that i'd be in a play. My job is so unpredictable. But rehearsals are going to be during this down town between summer and school programming. It is only a small role with about 20 lines so it's not like if i suck the entire play is ruined. The Perfume Counter is a short one act about a disenfranchised young perfume girl who feels out of place in her life. I play a flamboyant old woman who makes her day go from bad to worse. It is kinda screwball and should be fun. I just had my first rehearsal and was happy that i held my own, but am still pretty scared. After all, i am a director, not an actor. Plus, i don't normally memorize lines; i am an improvisationalist. I am super nervous that i will just say what comes to mind instead of what is on the page. Of course, the point of doing new things is to stretch myself and leave my warm, fuzzy comfort zone. Let me tell you, i'm pretty frickin' far outside my comfort zone, people. Performances are the last full week of September, tentatively Thursday and Saturday at 8pm. More info will follow, if i survive the rehearsal process.