My sisters all came to visit this week and really encouraged me to work on my blog again.  I got out of the habit over a year ago because I felt like my life just got too boring, but I live in this city now so that can't really be my excuse anymore.

Today before the show our set started to break, we ran out of cookies, and the velvet tuxedo jacket was missing a button.  So while I threw trash around the stage, our intern went and bought cookies.  Then he helped the producer to fix the set.  In the meantime, I put everything where it's supposed to be for top of show, then sewed the button on.

This was the conversation while I was doing that:

"I can't believe you are sewing, that's amazing."
"Ya, it's the second thing she's had to sew this week. She's been doing a lot of sewing."
"Wow, I mean...I would NOT know how to fix that."

What?  It's not like I was making a ball gown. I was sewing a button on. A decorative button as it turns out. I'm not sure why the actors were being so weird about my sewing skills, but it did make me feel like kind of a big deal.

Just another day.

Miss Independent

If I had to describe myself, absolutely one of the first words that would come to mind would be Independent.

I'm ok being on my own and figuring things out and making it all up as I go. I've been the new girl for so long, that I'm growing accustomed to the feeling of having lots of acquaintances or new friends, but no real or close friends.

Now that I'm planning on staying for a while, I am excited by the people I'm meeting.  And I'm meeting them everywhere. I truly love the quote from Anne of Green Gables:

Source: etsy.com via Danielle on Pinterest

I have been living here for almost 3 months now, and I'm getting used to it.  I rarely use my phone for directions anymore, and I can help tourists figure out where they are going.  I'm making friends and working on a show and just carving out a little life for myself here.

But there are some days that I get pictures or texts from my family, and I'm so homesick that it hurts.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I am.

“George, who is out somewhere there in the dark, who is good to me - whom I revile, who can keep learning the games we play as quickly as I can change them. Who can make me happy and I do not wish to be happy. And yes, I do wish to be happy. George and Martha: Sad, sad, sad. Whom I will not forgive for having come to rest; for having seen me and having said: “Yes, this will do”. Who has made the hideous, the hurting, the insulting mistake of loving… me, and must be punished for it. George and Martha… Sad, sad, sad.” ― Edward Albee, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

My plans for getting a theatre job out here are in motion.  Week 1 - drop off my resumes at every theatre. Week 2 - Begin making appointments to shadow the Stage Managers.  Week 3 - Start Shadowing.

My first show to shadow was Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.  This is probably the best way it could have worked out.  It is a very low key show with no set changes and not a lot going on backstage.  So I was able to walk through all of their pre show while they explained to me what was going on.  I think it also helped that the Stage Manager is based in Chicago and just came out to Broadway for this one show.  So he was able to point out the differences between LORT theatres (where I've been working for years) and Broadway.

The show was also amazing.  It's the longest I've ever been to.  There are 3 acts and 2 intermissions (do you still call it intermission if there are 2?).  I'd never read it before so I was pretty enthralled the whole time, even with listening to the stage manager calling the lights and only watching it from the wings/on the monitor.  Those actors put so much into that show, I can't imagine how they feel at the end of a two show day.

In the coming week I've got appointments to shadow at Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, Mary Poppins, and Lion King.  The goal is that I'll learn some things, make an impression, and be remembered if any jobs pop up in the coming weeks.

I guess this is what chasing dreams feels like.  Jealous?

“I said I was impressed, Martha. I'm beside myself with jealousy. What do you want me to do, throw up?” ― Edward Albee, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?