Category Archives: personal

Right before Ruby’s!

This may be a very short Scattered Saturday post, because I have not done that much today.  In my defense, I feel I must recruit my energies for Rubbed Out at Ruby’s (all together now:) the interactive murder mystery to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls, NY… TONIGHT!!!  That is, Saturday, Feb. 25 starting at 6 p.m.  Yikes!

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Kind of a suspicious looking bunch, aren’t we?

This is a cast photo taken at the end of last night’s rehearsal. Yes, that outline is all that is left of our beloved Benny the Bootlegger.  Oh how I shall miss him!  (I did mention that Ruby is a terrible lush, didn’t I?)  Rehearsal went very well, but I cannot help but have a few butterflies before a performance.  Additionally, everybody will know I wrote the damn thing.  I mean, not just you, my lovely blog readers.  My name is right there on the front of the program:  Created by Cynthia Quackenbush.  I am so flattered, but the pressure is awesome.

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the front of the program to share.  In fact, I stole the above pic from Facebook.  I forgot to bring my Tablet to rehearsal.  However, I did manage to steal a picture of the inside of the program for your delectation:

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We don’t look any less suspicious in close-up, do we?

Hmm… this is turning out not to be a Scattered Saturday post after all, but one last plus for Ruby’s.  I don’t see a problem with that, do you?  Happy Saturday, everybody.

 

In My Defense, I am Really, Really Tired

It is still Lame Post Friday, although I almost never make my blog posts this late.   I know I have previously used the headline Late and Lame (or similar words), so this is not unprecedented.

Steven and I have just returned from the final rehearsal for Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls, NY (I know I have mentioned it before, using pretty much those exact words) (so nobody needs to point that out, in case anybody felt inclined to do so).  We are all pretty excited about it.

It has been another beautiful day in the Mohawk Valley, although it may be the last one for a while.  I have not mentioned the stretch of gorgeous, spring-like weather we have been enjoying this week.  Well, we have.  Temperatures have gotten up to the 60’s.  It has been so wonderful, I have felt vaguely inclined to burst into tears.  I’m not even going to try to analyze that emotion; I merely mention it, because it is true.

And that raises a bit of half-baked philosophy (regular readers know I like to include a little half-baked  philosophy on Lame Post Friday).  It in not necessary to say something just because it is true.  For example, people with a fat butt (like me) do not need to have it pointed out to them.  For another example, many people do not care to hear whether or not somebody is wearing underwear with holes in it.  Or anything about the last time you did the naughty with your significant other.

On the other hand, some people like to share everything all the time, and I daresay there are others who do not mind hearing it.  This is scarcely a profound observation, but you know what, that is OK on Lame Post Friday, because, as regular readers also know, random observations are the other component I like to include on Lame Post Friday.

So this has been my Lame Friday Post for the week.  Perhaps it has been even more lame than my usual Friday post.  Sorry, folks.  Tomorrow, I’ll try to make my post earlier in the day.  Happy Friday, what’s left of it, anyways.

 

It’s Almost Time for Ruby!

Well, what’s wrong with going All Steel Magnolias or All Rubbed Out At Ruby’s All The Time when Ruby’s is the day after tomorrow and Magnolias opens a week from tomorrow?  I am a little obsessed with both of them.  Since Ruby’s is coming up sooner, I’ll share a little about that today.

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Round up the usual suspects.

 

Here is a picture of the characters for Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, taken from LiFT Theatre Company’s Facebook page.  This is the first I’ve seen of some of the costumes, and I’m pretty excited about it.  I confess, I am less than thrilled about how the picture of me turned out.  It seems I am not nearly as cute as I think I am.  No matter. I’m sure I shall be highly entertaining as Ruby.

Hey, I just thought of something.  I wrote the mystery. I named it Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, and I cast myself as Ruby.  Doesn’t that sound supremely egotistical of me?  How embarrassing.  I assure you, I am not the star.  It is an ensemble piece, and all the characters are quite memorable.

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Doesn’t it look mysterious?

Here is a shot of the Overlook Mansion, where it all takes place.  I feel thrilled every time I approach it.  The inside is just as magnificent.

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I end with a couple of Facebook ads for the mystery, just in case any local readers wanted more information.

 

One Of These Plays…

You know, like “One of these days…”  I thought it was an acceptable play on words.  What else can I do on Wuss-out Wednesday but play a little bit with words?  Yes, Wuss-out Wednesday follows Tired Tuesday as inevitably as… as inevitably as I begin a simile and can’t think of a good way to finish it.

I tried to write a blog post while at work today, but it was only another I Can’t Write a Post post, and I thought, why am I writing such a thing in advance?  Should I not be composing at the keyboard at such times?  So that is what I am doing.

We are doing complete run-through on Steel Magnolias, last night, tonight and tomorrow.  We must be in full costume by Monday, but the director would be delighted to see costumes any time between now and then. With that in mind, I put on the skirt I think will do for me in Act I Scene 1.  I purchased a jacket I think will coordinate with it last Saturday at New 2 You Consignment Shop in Ilion (perhaps you read my blog post about it).

Regarding the rest of my costumes… I’m working on them.  Quite frankly, I thought I had more stuff than I in fact do.  Oh dear, I suppose some of my cast-mates might read this and they will look sternly at me when they see me in.. yikes, less than an hour!  At least I looked over my lines today.  And other people’s.  I learn my own lines first, so for the first couple of rehearsals off book I sometimes say them at the wrong time.  How embarrassing.  Other actors learn their lines and where those lines go at the same time.  I’ll have to try that one of these plays.

 

Theatre Memories on Tired Tuesday

I interrupt my reading of other people’s blogs to make my Tired Tuesday post.  I’d like to do the picture thing, but I think I’ve used all the good ones in our Downloads, and I haven’t downloaded any new ones lately. I wonder if Steven has.

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Photo by Mark Hanna, who is also a pretty good actor.

This is the cast of the murder mystery I wrote last year for Morning Star Methodist Church in Ilion, NY, Engaged to be Murdered.  I’m writing a new one for that church, to be presented April 1.  This one is titled He Laughed Himself to Death.  I intend to incorporate the April Fool’s Day holiday in the plot.  I shall write more blog posts about that, rest assured.

 

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They were all leading ladies to me!

To continue the theme of theatre memories, here is the cast and crew of Leading Ladies, which I was blessed to direct with one of the finest groups ever associated with the Ilion Little Theatre stage.  Perhaps you read one of my blog posts about it.

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Full disclosure: a selfie stick was used in the taking of this picture.

Is it silly of me to post two pictures of the same cast and crew?  No matter; it is what is in my downloads, I will post it.  We took a selfie of the whole group a few times before performances.  It was one of those casts that really bonded.  I’m hoping we take a few backstage selfies of Steel Magnolias.  I’ll be sure to share them here if we do.

For now, I must scurry off to rehearsal, which is a little earlier tonight.  Happy Tuesday, everyone.

 

Getting Ready for Ruby’s

I thought I would share a few pictures from Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls, NY this Saturday.  We had rehearsal Sunday, to which some of us wore our costumes.  So I guess this is kind of a preview.

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Yes, that’s a flask tucked under the garter on my sexy leg.

This one turned out kind of blurry, but here I am, as Ruby Van Rensselaer, wealthy socialite, investor and lush.  The basement of the Overlook will become Ruby’s Rathskeller, the hottest speakeasy in Little Falls.  Ruby does not run the place, but she fronted George Raffles the money to open it and he named it after her in gratitude.

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Full disclosure: I found this dress in Ilion Little Theatre’s costume collection and wanted to wear it myself.

This is Vivian Velasquez, who runs a recently-opened rival speakeasy.  What’s she doing at Ruby’s Rathskeller?  Sounds suspicious to me!
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Isn’t she hot?

And this is Mavis LaLonde, George’s girlfriend.  She runs the bordello upstairs from the speakeasy.

Incidentally, those are fake cigarettes.  We’re not going to blow smoke in anybody’s eyes.  Not literal smoke, at any rate.  As for figurative smoke up, you know, other body parts… well, that is a vulgar expression. I don’t think Ruby would use an expression like that.

Rubbed Out at Ruby’s will be this Saturday, Feb. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Overlook Mansion, 55 Douglas St., Little Falls.  Tickets are $25, available at  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2840239.  For more information you can call the Overlook at 315-823-1907, or you can visit their Facebook page.

 

Wrist to Ruby’s and Beyond

It is a later than usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday post, and I really do face a dilemma as I contemplate the upcoming week.  That is, should this blog become All Steel Magnolias All The Time for the next two weeks, or should I first indulge in a week of All Rubbed Out at Ruby’s All The Time or do a weird hybrid such as All Steel Ruby All The Time?

We just got home from another rehearsal for Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls, NY.  I can report that it is looking good, especially considering the costumes people wore or brought.   I think it will be a great deal of fun.  I only hope I can remember everything.  It’s not my lines I’m worried about.  I don’t have that many lines; it’s mostly improvised.  But I don’t want to forget a prop or costume piece.  I’m so scatterbrained these days!

I have not thought much about Steel Magnolias today; that is, the next production at Ilion Little Theatre, to be presented the first two weekends in March.  This means I must do some serious looking at lines tomorrow.  I hope I don’t forget to bring my script to work with me (see earlier line about being scatterbrained these days).

And what about the other murder mysteries I’m working on?  Well, I’ll bring my notebook to work with me, too.  Write, study lines, I can do it all, why not?  And if the stress gets to me, I guess I’ll just have a Wrist to Forehead Monday, too.  I hope everybody is having a nice end of their weekend.

 

He’ll Never Even Miss the Duck

What I day I’ve had and it’s not over yet!  We got to sleep in, because Steven did not work till 10:30 this morning.  After a fairly leisurely first part of the day, I got to moving and shaking when Steven left for work.

I first buzzed by the post office, where once again I needed post card stamps. I sent some people post cards of Utica, NY, which I purchased at the Oneida County Historical Society last Saturday.

From there I went to the Hot Spot Salon and Spa in Herkimer, where I had scheduled a pedicure.  I haven’t had a pedicure in months!  I was early, so I worked on the character sheets for the murder mystery I’m writing to be presented by Ilion Little Theatre at Morning Star Methodist Church April 1.  The title is He Laughed Himself to Death.  Soon, however, I was soaking my feet and chatting with the stylist.  I got my toes painted red, in honor of my character, Ruby, in Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls Feb. 25.

With my toes all pretty (and a little cold, since I insisted on wearing my faux-birkenstock sandals (isn’t that a more elegant term for them than Fakenstocks?), I went to Ilion Little Theatre, where I met a couple of cast-mates from Steel Magnolias, to be presented the first two weekends in March, one of whom is also in Ruby’s.  We were going to shop a few thrift stores.

First we went to the Cornerstone Shop on Morgan Street.  We found purses for our characters in Ruby’s, and they found  a few good shirts for Magnolias.  I found a black evening purse with rhinestones on the clasp.  I did not need it for any play, or indeed at all, since I have many evening bags (I kind of collect them).  I bought it anyways.  It was beautiful!

Next we went to the New 2 You Shop in Central Plaza.  My friends had never been there, a scandalous omission.  We spent a lot of time looking at all kinds of things.  I found two pair of earrings, one for Ruby, one for me.  I tried not to look at the books but failed.  I actually refrained from buying any; aren’t you proud of me?  I found a jacket that will work for Claree, if I can put the right skirt with it. It was only a buck!

Then I saw a little duck that was only a dollar.  Wouldn’t Steven like a little duck?  However, we have many, many stuffed toys and are constantly giving each other more.  I refrained.  My friend Kim thought Steven might be disappointed.

“I will fix him something wonderful for dinner,” I said.  “He’ll never even miss the duck.”

“He never even has to know about it,” Kim suggested.

“Well, he will when he reads my blog and the title is, ‘He’ll Never Even Miss the Duck.'”

Kim agreed that was a good title, so I used it.  We had thought to go to the Salvation Army Thrift Store, but I was quite shopped out by that time.  I went home and had something to eat.

Now I have to get my rear in gear again and figure out something wonderful for Steven’s dinner.  Otherwise, I guess I’ll be going back to New 2 You on Monday and buying that duck.

 

Party Like It’s 1980something!

So this Friday I am staying home and putting rollers in my hair (long story for another post), but last Friday, Steven and I and a couple of friends partied like it was the ’80s’s.  Yes, I said like it was the 1980’s, not like we were in our 80’s (although that it does feel like sometimes).  We went to the American Legion in Mohawk and danced to the sounds of The Posers.

We had never heard the band before, but we were interested because the bassist is our good friend, Rick DeJohn.  We got to the Legion shortly before they started.  I texted the  couple who planned to meet us that we had arrived.  They soon joined us, and we were enjoying the band.

It was not long before they played a song I remembered well from my days of watching Mtv, back when they actually played music most of the time.  I asked Steven to dance with me.  We bogeyed down!  Not many people had been dancing prior to this, but afterwards, the dance floor started to fill up.  We danced a lot, and I loved it.  They did not only play 1980’s music. We enjoyed it all.  It was easy to see the band was having fun, and I think everyone listening was having fun as well.

The Posers will be playing at the Team Rebecca Fundraiser at the Ilion Moose Lodge, on Barringer Road this Saturday, Feb. 18.  Donation for admission is $15.  For more information, go to http://teamrebecca.alfordplace.com/. For more information on The Posers, you can visit their Facebook page.

 

 

A Slice of My Life

Sometimes I am too ill to write a blog post. Does it count if I am too depressed? I feel so self-indulgent even considering such a thing. Ooh, maybe this is a good lead.

That is what I just now posted on Facebook.  Almost before I had copied and pasted it here, a friend had commented that depression IS an illness.  I suppose I feel it counts for everybody but me.  You know, that thing many of us do that we treat our loved ones way better than we treat ourselves.  I know, a lot of people do the opposite, especially with physical indulgences.  However, I know a great many people who will put themselves down using terms they would NEVER employ when talking to a friend.  Just saying.

Where was I?  Ah yes, trying to make a Non-Sequitur Thursday post before I hurriedly get ready for rehearsal for Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  This is what I posted on Facebook earlier:

Here’s the problem: I have so much to do, I not only keep thinking I’m forgetting something, I keep forgetting what it was I was just about to do. Making a list does not help. I not only forget to put stuff on the list, I forget where I put the list!

To make this a true Non-Sequitur Thursday post, I should make a catchy headline that has little or nothing to do with the post.  What is this post about, anyways?  Not much, as is par for the course when I am involved in a show.  Right now I am involved in two shows and need to finish writing two more to begin working on them within the next two weeks.  Yikes!  Why do I do these things to myself?  Ah yes, refer to an earlier paragraph about treating others better than I treat myself.  And I’m not all that freaking nice to others, either!  Happy Thursday, everyone.