Tina Fey and My Fat Suit

Well ladies and gents, I will be closing my first ever three week run of a show tomorrow. I will be shedding my sweaty and smelly fat suit and french mustache, but before I do that I thought I'd give you guys a taste of what these last 12 shows have been all about...

"As You Like It" Jay as the Wrestler
Me as Touchstone 

Fat suit + 90 degree weather + Shakespeare in The Park=














I finished reading "The War of Art" (thanks Ben!) this week. I highly recommend it to to anyone who  has aspirations...so that's probably you! Read it! It kicks your artistic rear-in-gear!

Now I've moved on to the Tina Fey's hilarious autobiography, "Bossypants" (thank you Ali! Man, I really know how to pick em'). Since it's by Tina Fey I realize I  just have to accept that I will inevitably laugh out loud wherever I am reading (so, tip: don't read it anywhere where you are supposed be quiet...like, I don't know...back stage during a show). My favorite chapter title thus far is "Peeing in Jars with Boys".

Inspiration in a Coffee Shop

On my first day off in two weeks, Erik, Jay and I spent many hours talking about theatre over coffee and thin-crust pizza....here are some highlights:

• Someone Erik really looks up to said "Contrary to what people say, life is really long. Really. So if you can't decide between a few options of what to do, JUST PICK ONE! The other places will always be there. I promise. And if you take a step in one direction and it doesn't make you happy after all-great! Now you know. Now you can try another one of your options you wanted to try" The point is we need to pursue things that make us HAPPY. That is the end goal. 
• Be open to what God has to say. Get yourself out of the way. It's great to be goal-oriented, but remember that God knows better than you, so include him on your goals. 
• Ultimately, if you're blessing others you're probably on the right track. Me centered thinking might get you to your goals you wanted, but it might not make you  happy. The successes in life that make you happy will be the ones where God is leading you. We've got to pursue whatever Love is leading us to do...whether it's looks glamorous or not:

So, to those of you that just graduated, or are soon to graduate think about this. I've found it helpful:

"Sometimes we balk at embarking on an enterprise because we're afraid of being alone. We feel comfortable with the tribe around us; it makes us nervous going off into the woods on our own.  

Here's the trick: We're never alone. As soon as we step outside the campfire glow, our Muse lights on our shoulder like a butterfly. The act of courage calls forth infallibly that deep part of ourselves that supports and sustains us." 

(Steven Pressfield, The War of Art)

The enlightened musings of Baloo

This morning, I'm taking pointers on life from Baloo. The bear in Jungle Book? That's right, a Disney character. See, I was finishing my banana french toast and tea this morning, relaxing to the soothing and alluring tones of my Disney Pandora station, when The Bear Necessities came on. It went a little something like this:

'Cause let me tell you something little britches

If you act like that bee acts, uh uh

You're working too hard

My mind has been a buzz (pun intended) about what I will be doing come graduation day, and paying off student loans. But see, I think Baloo is a rather enlightened thinker. He says...

Don't spend your time lookin' around

for something you want that can't be found

When you find out you live without it

And go along not thinkin' about it

I'll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you

 So I'm going to take a deep breath and know that wherever I'm supposed to be, whatever I'm supposed to be doing, and whatever loans need to get paid, it will become clear to me when it is time to know these answers. Right now I'll just keep bouncing along knowing that the bare necessities will come to me.

Grown-up Foods Like Lasagna and Pancake Cookies

I'm feeling extremely proud of myself. Here's is a day for firsts...

1. I made my first grown-up meal...vegetarian lasagna (please don't bust my bubble and tell me it's not grown-up). Get this, I made it in a SKILLET! I don't have an oven or stove in my apartment. The point is this was very inventive and successful:  I really should be on Top Chef.
2. After having been so successful with my skillet, I got really ambitious and tried my hand at making cookies...pancake style. Charred and mooshy is not how they should turn out? I guess I won't be auditioning for Top Chef after all. 
3. And....(drum roll please) Completed my first weekend of shows and have my first (and possibly only) day off tomorrow!

Taking photos around town...

Exactly how I am feeling right now.

I DID IT!!!! I MEMORIZED THE PART IN 6 DAYS!!! 


OPENING NIGHT HERE I COME!

"If you didn't love the project that is terrifying you, you wouldn't feel anything. The opposite of love isn't hate; it's indifference"  

(Steven Pressfield, The War of Art)

Working here is a challenge, but the fact is it's kicking my butt into shape. I hoped for the kind of guided learning that I'm used to, but this is more like a throw you into the deep end and hope you swim kind of experience. I need to learn two parts in a week before opening this thursday. Never thought I'd have to memorize entire Shakespeare roles in a few days!!

Here is what I'm learning from conversations and experiences I've had recently:

• "Joy and excitement are 90% of what sells a good performance"

• This is my first step towards being a professional- If I want to do this professionally I will need to know how to learn how to memorize quickly, trust my instincts and follow them, and jump onto that stage with joy and confidence! 
• Learning how to laugh and find joy when your performance isn't at the level you would like it to be. 

The view from my apartment

Here's a view from our outdoor theater-a bit smokey from the current forrest fire close by

The theatre!

This town is adorable. It's a little mountain town with a population of about 500.  I live in the apartment above the theater with three other actors. When there isn't a performance happening, the theater shows one or two movies a weekend for the locals. 

The drive into the town in Colorado where I'll be for the next two months

Hey guys! So over the next five months I'll be traveling around and doing lots of theater so I wanted to keep you all updated and share any thoughts or revelations on God, art, and traveling. 


Hired for a theater in Colorado through July to act in:

• As You Like it
• Henry the IV Part I
• Barefoot in the Park

Then off to England to study and travel for two months. At the end of which we'll  put on Pericles!