An Actor Blogs

Okay, so there’s not much.  The first is me as Anne Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor, the second is my shoes from opening night of Merry Wives, and the third is my awesome vintage hat thingy I wore for opening night of The Merchant of Venice.  I have others, but I don’t want to put up pictures of people without their permission, so I thought I should stick to myself only.  Both my opening night outfits kicked ass - I kinda splurged on two new dresses and a new pair of shoes (it was totally worth it!)  The shows are going well - both got very favourable reviews and we’re already playing to sold out houses, which is amazing for the week after opening.  I do wish the weather would warm up.  I’m freezing out there.  What happened to dry, smokin’ hot Saskatchewan summers?  It has pretty much rained every day since the beginning of June.  Where’s the bloody heat?!

Got a phone call Saturday afternoon from Angus at Dancing Sky Theatre.  One of the actors in the show  just received some awful news that her sister in Montreal is very ill, and she needs to leave tomorrow to be with her.  Could you take over the role?  The show opened last weekend.  I said yes.  That is one of my biggest fears - that I’ll be in a show and something will happen that I need to leave the show immediately.  I would hope someone wouldn’t hesitate to do it for me if I ever find myself in that situation.  It actually wasn’t that bad - I was able to watch the show on Saturday night, and then I had all day Tuesday, all day Wednesday, and five hours on Thursday to rehearse.  My goal was simply to remember all my lines, let alone act.  And I did (I did manage to act a little too)! 

Can’t say I didn’t have a couple minor panic attacks - I had to learn 10 roles in two and a half days - but I did it.  And it was a really good test of my technique - is my craft strong enough to create10 different characters in two and half days?  I find movement becoming a bigger part of acting for me these days - when I find how the character moves, then I find the character, and everything just clicks into place, including lines.  The impulse for the movement usually comes from the text, and from reacting to my scene partner.  I used to approach characters very intellectually - objectives, beats, tactics, verbs, etc. - but lately, I only turn to those when I am not understanding what the scene is about, or I’m having trouble playing the scene.  My craft is becoming more based on impulse, movement, and being in the moment.  Sounds flaky and artsy.  Never thought I would approach acting in such an intuitive manner - I’ve always been a very logical, very brainy actor.  I make a to-do list and check it off as rehearsal goes along.  Not as much anymore - things are evolving for me.  Maybe I’m reaching my 10,000 hours on the way to being an expert.  Ha!  Next year will be ten years since I graduated from theatre school.  Good lord, ten years!  Gah!

Anyway, am off to do a show.  Is strange to find yourself in a show when you haven’t gone through the rehearsal period.  Don’t really feel like it’s my show yet.  Maybe after a few more performances it’ll start to feel like my show.

I play the Flower, the King, the Vain Man, the Business Man, a Singer, the Drunkard, the Lamplighter, the Geographer, the Fox, and the Snake.  Phewww!

So I bought the first three headshots, and even though I really, really love them, I felt like there was something missing.  I went back to my photographer for a second look, and found one more - with a smile.  I’m not smiling in my other ones, and even though they look great, I am a smiley person, and I need a shot with a smile. 

Love, love this shot.  This is a keeper.  I was actually going to buy it the first time around, but the husband saw it and said I looked naked.  So I didn’t buy it.  Lesson learned.  Listen to gut instinct, not husband. 

And some work!  Yay!  Some great work!  Am going to be in Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival this summer.  The plays are The Merchant of Venice  and  The Merry Wives of Windsor.    A fabulous gig with some great roles.  Am really looking forward to it.  Am reading a book right now called Instant Shakespeare.  It’s got some interesting ideas on how to make Shakespeare’s plays really fresh and exciting, and not some boring literature/history lesson. 

That starts in June, so until then, I’m working box office, and of course, working on my house.  I’ll post some pics of the home repair soon.  Finished fixing the parging this week - next up, move the giant dirt pile in the front yard and buy some lattice to cover ugliness under the front steps.  Do not want to move giant dirt pile, but if I don’t, who will?  Tried to get teenage nephews to visit over Easter break and do some heavy labour (of course, I would pay them!) but they were unable to get to Saskatoon.  So dirt pile - watch out!  It’s you and me next week, and I will win.  Ha!