Tag Archives: rehearsal

Wrist to Ruby’s and Beyond

Posted on February 20, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

A Slice of My Life

Posted on February 17, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

2 Comments

Posted in blogging, humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Too Much Theatre?

Posted on February 16, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s that moment when you are pondering what, oh what, to make a blog post about and you’ve got just about enough time to do it, and you find out your rehearsal is at 6 not 6:30.  Oh NO!  I can’t handle it! (Said in a dramatic tone of voice, posing with my wrist to my forehead).  Incidentally, it is rehearsal for Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre, which will be presented the first two weekends in March.

I’m thinking it’s Wuss-out Wednesday, but given that last parenthetical comment, perhaps it is Wrist to Forehead Wednesday.  The sad thing is my husband had just started to tell me a story about his past.  I may have heard it before, but I do not mind a re-run.  That is one of the secrets to a happy marriage (not a very well-kept secret). (A lesser known secret is to have a husband that tells good stories). I guess he’ll have to tell me later.

AND we are watching WKTV News at five, where I believe there is to be a NewsTalk about Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the murder mystery to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls. DVR to the rescue!

You may have noticed that I am a little stressed lately.  I have mysteries to write, costumes to find, lines to learn and blog posts to make.  And who’s fault is it that I have too much on my plate?  That’s right, the overriding problem in my life is ALWAYS Operator Error.  Maybe I can get caught up on the weekend.  But don’t count on it.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Wuss Out Wednesday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Holding On Till The Next Hot Flash

Posted on February 6, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Welcome to another Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I did not get much done today, although I tried.  I don’t know why I thought I could get anything done.  Hope springs eternal, I suppose.

It has been a cold weekend in the Mohawk Valley.  I know, it’s February, what can I expect?  As a matter of fact, I did expect it to be cold.  And I did not expect to enjoy it.  However, I will admit to feeling… not good, but as if the cold was doing me good as I walked through the Hannaford parking lot after picking up a few groceries.  You know, like an ice pack or a cold shower is sometimes just what you need.  I couldn’t pinpoint for you exactly what about me I felt needed icing at at time, but I decided to go with it.

The cold did not continue to do me good (or feel as if it was doing me good, I guess), but you’ll have that.  As usual, I just tried to hold on till the next hot flash.

We had another rehearsal for “Rubbed Out at Ruby’s,” the 1920’s murder mystery LiFT Theatre Company will present at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls.  This week I positively will write a full blog post about it.  In the meantime, I’ll try to find a link you can click for more information.  You can also go to the Overlook’s or LiFT’s Facebook pages.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Off the Cuff and On to Rehearsal!

Posted on January 18, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I spent my breaks at work studying my lines for Steel Magnolias, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre.  Production dates are the first two weekends in March.  That makes it just a little early for this blog to become All Steel Magnolias All The Time.  However, I don’t have much else to write about today and I REALLY don’t want to blather on about how I’m having trouble writing, as I have done too many times in the past.

We had rehearsal last night.  You should see how much the set has progressed!  Alas, you cannot, because I did not think to bring my Tablet and snap a couple of pictures.  We have rehearsal again tonight, so perhaps I could remedy the omission in a future post.

And I just this minute remembered something!  I am supposed to have my bio for the program ready by tonight!  Oh no!  Longtime readers may remember that I have a problem with bios.  I think I wrote a blog post about it once.  Oh well, I’ll come up with something off the cuff (what, ME? come up with something off the cuff?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!).

As I was saying, the set is filling in with set pieces and props.  Now we have to learn our lines, so we can drop our scripts and pick up the props.  It is just a bit awkward, script and pencil in one hand (to make notes about blocking), prop in the other.  Then you drop the prop or lose your place in the script… um, not that everybody does that.  Some of my fellow cast-members are most adept.  OK, I’m the big klutz in the bunch, as usual.

Well, this post is not amounting to much, is it?  I guess there is not a whole lot to report about the play.  But I suppose this will have to do on Tired Tuesday, because I have to get ready for rehearsal.  I hope I remember to bring my Tablet.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Remember Those Donuts?

Posted on January 11, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So Tired Tuesday follows Mental Muck Monday, everybody must have seen that coming.  For anyone that was worried (although I don’t imagine anybody was),  my writing abilities seem to have returned.  Um, not that I expect this post will reflect my best efforts, but I did work on my articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.   The deadline is looming; I must make haste.  In the meantime, I need a blog post.

I had thought I would be posting in haste (posthaste, there’s a word you don’t see much anymore) before getting to rehearsal.  First, of course, I had those articles to work on.  As I worked, I could hear the sleet striking my window panes.  Oh dear.  Luckily my rehearsal is not far.  Still, it was not going to be a fun drive.  This is why I don’t like being involved in the March production, but it is useless to repine about that now.  Then the phone rang.  It was the director, cancelling rehearsal.  Cast members who live farther away than I do had phoned him, saying they did not want to drive in this weather.  I didn’t blame them.

I’m sure some readers are thinking, “Well NOW you can write a decent blog post, can’t you?  Can’t you?”  And I’m thinking,”Apparently not.”  However, I do have a few pictures to share.  Not very good pictures.  Perhaps not worth a thousand words.  Then again, my posts don’t usually run to a thousand words.  Who has time to read thousand word blog posts anyways?  Not me!  Let’s look at the pictures.

These were taken Saturday, at the set-building session to which I brought the donuts (perhaps you read my blog post about it).

20170107_101042

Two walls were already up when I arrived. And you see how fast our set-builders were working: this fellow is a blur!

 

 

20170107_101010

There was much discussion about where the window would be.

 

20170107_101025

They are discussing more walls to raise. The walls are there now, but I did not have my tablet with me at rehearsal last night.

Perhaps I can remember to bring my tablet to the next rehearsal and take more pictures of the set in progress.  At least I can hope to post pictures of the completed project.  And I will write many more word about the play itself, especially when the blog becomes All Steel Magnolias All The Time.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

5 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Lazy Saturday Afternoon

Posted on July 31, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, it is another Slacker Saturday post.  I decided this after I typed in four or eight possible leads (who was counting?) and immediately backspaced over them.  Don’t judge me.

Our dear little doggy, Spunky, got us up prior to 5:30 this morning.  That was at least later than our usual 4:30 rising time, so I counted my blessings and put on my running clothes.  After accompanying Spunkman (as Steven likes to call him) on his morning business meeting, I went for a run.  It was not as long a run as I have taken, but I petted two dogs, went up something of a hill, and reached the I Can Rock This stage, although briefly.

I had rehearsal for Much Ado About Nothing at 10 a.m. in Little Falls.  That’s always fun.  I just love community theatre.  You meet the nicest people.  Also, I am an incurable ham (get it?  Because ham is a cured meat?  Well, I thought it was a play on words).

After rehearsal, Steven and I had some discussion of what to do, but eventually we went out to lunch at Cucina Berto in Frankfort, and grocery shopping at Hannaford in Herkimer.  When we got home, we took our doggy for a walk around the block (that is usually about as far as our little friend wants to go). Now we are wondering what to watch on television, if anything.

As you can see, I have indulged in a number of bloggable activities today: run, rehearsal, lunch, shopping, walk.  I could even write about How I Can’t Write a Post Today, given the number of starts I erased before I started.  Instead, I offer… what I just wrote.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

P.S.  Steven suggested the title.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Slacker Saturday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Me and the Bard

Posted on July 1, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, it has been  while since I made a flying post before hurrying off to a rehearsal, hasn’t it?  If I wasn’t such a theatre junky, it would be longer yet.  What the blankety-blank was I thinking, saying I would be in a play?  Oh yeah, I like to be in a play.  And it is so flattering to be asked.  And I really, truly have a difficult time saying no.

Be all that as it may, I am sitting in my living room, typing on the laptop and sipping iced coffee, and debating what best to do.  To update anybody just tuning in, or regular readers who have forgotten, I am to play the Friar in Little Falls Theatre Company’s production of Much Ado About Nothing.  The first rehearsal for my character is tonight.  I have been learning my lines from a Yale Shakespeare copy of the play.  I had been going to use my Complete Works of Shakespeare, but I foolishly misplaced it.  How does one misplace a large yellow book, you may ask.  What can I say, I have unusual talents.

Two friends came to my rescue when I lamented the loss on Facebook.  One sent me a link to the Complete Works online.  The other had a collection of the plays, each play its own little volume, that she no longer wanted.  While we made arrangements for me to get the books, I logged onto the link and got started.  I have been looking at the lines almost every day since.

As I feared, learning Shakespeare is not as easy as learning other lines.  For one reason, a couple of my speeches run a little long.  For another reason, well, you know, Shakespeare.  I love Shakespeare.  When I read a Shakespeare play, my brain (or is it my soul?) gives in a little sigh of contentment.  But memorizing it is just a trifle more difficult than regular old dialogue.  I say this not in a complaining spirit but in a little embarrassment that I do not yet know my lines.  I like to learn my lines right away.

It really is no matter though.  Also, it is no matter than I have been out in the sunshine all day having Mohawk Valley adventures.  Tired?  Ha!  No brain for learning lines?  Ha!  The show must go on!  Rehearsal will be fun!  And I have written a blog post.  I am not entirely satisfied with my title, but then again, this is Non-Sequitur Thursday.  It will have to do.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

It’s Curtains for Me!

Posted on April 28, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, once again I did not write a blog post while on breaks at work today.

Then I just sat here and stared at that sentence for a few minutes.  Oh dear.

My second dress rehearsal last night went very well.   We have two more dress rehearsals then open on Friday.  Tonight I decided to practice my curtain speech, which I have to give before each performance.  I’m wondering if I should mess with my actors’ heads and say some really wild things like, “I just want to apologize to you all in advance…”  No, that would be mean and completely untrue.  Maybe something like, “I’m sure you’ve read the cast bios in the program.  I’m a little surprised none of my leads mentioned their illustrious past in the adult film industry.  I suppose they didn’t like to brag.”

Actually, I’m wondering if they ought to let me make the curtain speech at all.  You know, I’m missing being on stage.  During the murder mystery I greatly regretted not taking part.  It is conceivable that I will refuse to get offstage.  I might go into a stand-up comedy routine, or do the entire play as a one-woman show.  How embarrassing will that be, if I have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, off the stage.  Well, maybe if they get a large-ish, hunky type of guy to do it…

Now I’m being silly.  In my defense, it is Wuss-out Wednesday.  I shall end by re-iterating, my play is Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre, Remington Avenue, Ilion, NY, April 29 and 30, and May 6 and 7 at 8 p.m.; May 1 and 8 at 2 p.m.  For more information you can visit Ilion Little Theatre’s website at www.ilionlittletheatre.org.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Wuss Out Wednesday and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

My Own Dress Rehearsal

Posted on April 27, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

While I was working today, a song came to me.  It is to the tune of “The Volga Boatman.”

It’s just Tuesday (Uh!)

It’s just Tuesday (Uh!)

Time is dragging, worries nagging,

Happy Tuesday.

The fact is, I was quite anxious to get through my work day and get to Second Dress Rehearsal for Leading Ladies tonight.  First Dress went very well, and a number of nagging little details are now taken care of and off my mind.  Not ALL the nagging details, mind you.  Good heavens, I’m not a miracle-worker, I’m just a community theatre director with a full-time job and a silly blog.

I was heartened by the fact that although time was passing slowly, it was passing.  And you can tell me all you want that there are always sixty seconds per minute, sixty minutes per hour; many of us are convinced that some of them have more.

Work day finally over, I returned home to disaster, self-induced as most of mine are.  I foolishly decided to try on the little purple dress I had hoped to wear opening night to give my curtain speech (YES, and go out for drinks after the show, do you have a problem with that?).  The thing is, I have been getting so hungry lately. I snack on fruits and vegetables, lunch on salad, and try to be sensible for breakfast and dinner.  This is not natural behavior.  And the fact is, you have to do it EVERY DAY or it is not very effective.

So here we come to the ugly truth about me, and what an apt expression that is!

I really should have known better.  I purchased the dress five years ago then stupidly gained weight.  I have lost some of what I gained, but you never shrink back to the same shape.  Full disclosure:  I haven’t lost all the weight, either.

Part of me says I should now be happy it is only Tuesday.  I still have Wednesday, Thursday and part of Friday to lose more weight!  Most of me knows, however, that this is a crock of shit.  I’d best give away that little purple dress to some skinny chick that will appreciate it and go shopping for some plump middle-aged lady garments.

It is really no great matter, after all.  I stand on the stage for a very few minutes for my curtain speech and for the 50/50 raffle after intermission.  I am certain I can find a frock suited to my current shape.  In the meantime, I have written a whole silly blog post on my wardrobe and waistline ills and given very little update on the play.  Let’s just call it a Bad Attituesday and drive on.  After all, I have a rehearsal to get to.

 

2 Comments

Posted in Bad Attituesday, humor, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →