Chillin at the Bookstore

Howdy!

I just got home from the coffee shop at Barnes and Noble, where I had my first meeting with my mentee (is that even a real word?). The high school I attended requires seniors to do a Senior Thesis project, and in the past I have judged a couple theatrical presentations. This year I was asked by a student to be her mentor, and I am super excited! She's written a really fun script that she is also going to direct a production of, and I can't wait to be there for her process and see her final product. We're hoping to stage the play at the Margo Jones Theatre.

Today has also been a work day for me; I'm about half-way through with editing the intro/teaser for a new web series I have in the works. It will be a series of dramatic readings of original works that I have written, titled Dark Roast Confessions. Working on my piece for Matt's fundraiser inspired me to get back into writing (something I have dabbled in off and on for YEARS- I always drift away and then drift right back to it). I've always wanted to experiment with Youtube as an outlet for content, and this will be simple/minimalist, which will allow me to focus on learning the process, getting better at editing, and of course on grad school and other projects.

I'm currently on the fence about whether I should continue auditioning for anything this fall. I do have an audition coming up at ICT, but I'm already getting started on this web project and doing the mentor thing and I have a LOT of work to do for grad school applications... It may be wise to take my boyfriend's advice and really just focus on a few things. I might be a little bit of a workaholic. Just a little bit. I just want to do everything- is that too much to ask??

GRAD SCHOOL UPDATE: I think I've settled on two contrasting monologues; now I just need to pick two extra monologues and then work work work work work. I know I want to apply to SMU, Brown, and ACT; I'm debating about adding two more schools. I don't want to overwhelm myself, but I also don't want to limit myself. I also need to fill out applications, meet with a professor from SMU and ask him five billion questions, write personal statements, order transcripts, schedule appointments with various coaches, choose audition music, request recommendation letters and give info to one of my letter writers. I'm sure I'm forgetting a ton of other things. I have a giant list of everything, though. This is what anxious stage managers do. I have two to-do lists, a list of deadlines and application requirements, and a list of questions to ask. I didn't get as much done this week as I would have liked, but on Tuesday I have the whole day set aside to make a schedule, update my to-do list, send emails, and hopefully make progress with my monologues. I need to start working them every day, preferably in front of people. For some reason I have no problem getting up on stage and giving a talk or performing a scene, and I am very comfortable with cold readings at auditions, but I get terrible stage fright with monologues in auditions. One of my biggest goals for this fall is to overcome that.

I ordered a collection of Sara Ruhl's plays! I love her, I'm excited to read them. I'm hoping to find a good monologue in Eurydice to use, I saw a production of that show at Undermain Theatre and loved it. I'm currently working on organizing a monthly-ish meet-up at my apartment where we will read a play together as well as auditing and critiquing performance projects. Because I didn't have enough to do. I really am a workaholic. These are all of the things I'm working on right now in no particular order.

-Community Theater Show
-Mentoring/Producing High School Show
-Self-Taught Web Series
-Monthly Play-Reading Group
-Grad School
-Part-Time Day Job
-Odd Jobs for extra cash

Plus, Family/Friends/Boyfriend and Mental/Physical Health. That's a lot to keep up with.

Anyway, time to go rock climbing. TTFN!

Grace