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A Few Thoughts Before Another Rehearsal

Posted on March 14, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here I sit, laptop on lap (and if you just said, “Duh,” hey, some people put them on tables), searching for a blog topic.  I push my wet hair out of my face and remember that I can get it cut now.  I kept it “long” for Steel Magnolias.  I put “long” in quotes, because it was not exactly all the way grown out.  It is long enough to get in my eyes and drive me nuts.  With help from fellow cast-members, I made it do for the play.

And why am I not running to the Hot Spot, where I usually get my do’s done?  Well, I have rehearsal for He Laughed Himself to Death, the murder mystery Ilion Little Theatre is putting on at Morning Star Methodist Church in Ilion on April 1.  Yes, this blog may become All Murder Mystery All The Time very soon.  For one reason, I have another one coming up April 22 (Who Shot JS? at the Elks Club in Herkimer, to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society).

In other news, a nor’easter is expected in the Mohawk Valley tonight and tomorrow.  I read a Facebook post from WKTV Weather saying it was a nor’easter not a blizzard, citing the specific conditions to earn the “blizzard” designation.  I was moved to comment that “nor’easter” does not sound like a real word.  It sounds like something the old timers say is headed this way, basing their prediction on their corns or bunions.  My bunions say precipitation, by the way, but they do not seem to feel strongly about it.

Well, I must go.  I need to photocopy the scripts for tonight’s rehearsal.  I am counting on the nor’easter NOT to start till after my actors are safely home from rehearsal.  I am going to call this a Monday Mental Meanderings post and hit publish.  I hope to see you all on Tired Tuesday, although I will perhaps be less tired now that Steel Magnolias is over.

 

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Some Steel on Scattered Saturday

Posted on March 12, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

My plan had been to do the picture thing again.  You know, where I find something good in my downloads and write whatever I can about it?  Then I remembered that there have been a few pictures of Steel Magnolias on Facebook, and I thought, “Hey!” Of course now I can’t find any.  However, here is a picture taken last night during a performance by our awesome sound and light guy, Rick DeJohn.

From left to rght, Kelly Stone as M’Lynn, me as Claree, Kim Darling as Truvy, Cindy Shepherd as Ouiser, and Kara Buttermore as Anelle.

A way better picture was in the post containing the review of us in the Times Telegram.  Unfortunately, I could not download just that photo.  However, if you click on “review,” I have provided a link (I’m not completely technologically illiterate).

Kelly Stone as M’Lynn with Kaylynn Iglesias as Shelby

I realized the first photo did not include the entire cast, so here is a pre-show photo of mother and daughter, showing off the family resemblance.

A great bunch of people to work with!

And here is most of the cast and crew, sharing a toast after final dress rehearsal last week.  I believe we are missing one crew member. I believe she was taking the picture and perhaps prefers to remain anonymous.  I may just have to cast her in a murder mystery or a play (did I say I was never going to direct again?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!) and get a picture of her as a diva actress (I mean that in a fun way, not the sort of diva who only deserves eye-rolls, especially at the community theatre level).

In the meantime, I am over 25o words and I have a show to get ready for!  That’s Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  Visit their website or Facebook page for more information!

 

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Not the Same as Be-Bop

Posted on March 10, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I think I am suffering from some form of anxiety.  Or do you suppose that’s just hypochondria or self-dramatizing?  Well, why wouldn’t I self-dramatize; I’m all into theatre, you know.

This is going to be a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  I am going to just let my thoughts jump all around everywhere, type up what I can, think of a silly headline, and hit Publish.  I feel this is better than than taking a Blogger’s Sick Day, which was my first impulse (I think stress is as legitimate an excuse as a diagnosable physical ailment) (and isn’t “diagnosable” a word?  My computer seems to think it is not) (I can’t go get my dictionary now, that will only add to the stress).

Where was I?  Nowhere in particular, I suppose.  I spent most of the day at work pondering various plans for getting done all that I wanted to do before tonight’s pick-up rehearsal for Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  I formulated and discarded numerous scenarios, then came home and sat down going, “Heh-bee-be-buh-buh.”  You know, that sound you make when you just kind of fiddle your lower lip in wordless distress.

Me without words?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

And, obviously, it is not so.  I am just over 200 words.  Score!  I call that a blog post!  Maybe I can come up with something better tomorrow, on Lame Post Friday.  After all, stranger things have happened.

 

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Late Post on a Busy Sunday

Posted on March 6, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, I just knew this would happen. I waited till the last minute to post and now I don’t want to write a good post and I’m not even convinced of my ability to do so.  Then again, is that not appropriate on Wrist to Forehead Sunday?

I had a matinee of Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  Before that my husband Steven and I went to the HALO Chinese Auction at the Herkimer VFW and to Rose Quartz Stand, a gem store located nearby.  HALO, for anybody that does not know, is the Helping Animals Live Organization, based in Little Falls, NY, a no-cage, no-kill cat shelter.  The Chinese Auction, in addition to being their major fundraiser of the year, is one of the hottest tickets in the area.  There were a LOT of people walking around,  putting in their chances to win a wide variety of marvelous prizes (I donated an afghan myself).  We did not win anything, by the way.

Rose Quartz Stand is a business I visited back at Christmas time and intend to go to again.  We bought a frog carved from stone for Steven for his birthday (which was Friday) and a dinosaur to keep the frog company (I am a big anthropomorphizer).  I intend to write more about the store later, perhaps even doing an article for submission to Mohawk Valley Living, my favorite magazine.

After a well-received matinee of Steel Magnolias, Steven joined me and  several other cast and crew members for Applebee’s in Herkimer for drinks and dinner.  It was a great time.

Now I am dying to get back to watching a DVR’d Columbo and crocheting yet another afghan to donate… somewhere.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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Macaroni Salad on Scattered Saturday

Posted on March 5, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s that moment in an every day blogger’s life, when you’re waiting for the macaroni salad to chill and you want to get your blog post published and you realize your brain is working no better than it was earlier today (that is, not at all).  I’ve done a few things, so perhaps I could manage a Scattered Saturday post.  We’ll see.

We slept in till almost 6:30.  It was a late night (for us), opening night of Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  So we got a slow start.  Eventually we made our way to Mona’s Diner in Mohawk, NY for breakfast.  The last time we ate there it was called The Family Fun Center.  It’s still a pretty good place to eat.  We don’t get to eat breakfast out together as often as we used to, so we enjoyed it.

Next we went to Basloe Library in Herkimer.  Ah, libraries, how they can save your life.  I had the character sheets from He Laughed Himself to Death I wanted to print out.  That is the murder mystery Ilion Little Theatre is putting on as a dinner theatre at Morning Star Methodist Church in Ilion on April 1.   It may be a scramble to put it together, but I think it will be highly entertaining.

Around one o’clock, I took a nap.  I will have another late night tonight.  As I type this, I am drinking coffee in anticipation.  I do love coffee.

After getting up from the nap, I made a macaroni salad for dinner (remember, I mentioned that in the first paragraph?).   I enjoyed the therapeutic benefits of chopping vegetables.  I will enjoy even more eating the salad with the kielbasa we got to go with it.  Yum!

Now all I have to do is wait to go to the theatre for tonight’s performance.  I don’t feel as nervous as I did yesterday, but I am far from calm, cool and collected.  That was to be expected.  However, I am glad I have at least composed a blog post.  I hope to see you all on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

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I Should Be a Movie Star

Posted on March 4, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Why would I not have a Lame Post Friday?  It’s opening night of Steel Magnolias!  I have other things on my mind!  Will I remember everything?  I’m not talking about my lines (although it would be good if I remembered all of those too), but what about my costume pieces, props, ooh, and my contact lenses?  Will my hair stay on?

Ah, you think that last one was a joke?  Alas, no.  In the first scene I have to wear some fake hair, so that in the second scene when Truvy calls attention to my new short hair-do, it makes sense.  I meant to write a whole, humorous blog post about my hair troubles, but I’m afraid if I tried to do it now, it would just make me upset (is that a run-on sentence?  I usually know these things, but I am flustered).

Yes,  I have opening night jitters.  The closer it gets to time to go to the theatre, the more jittery I feel.  This is completely natural.  I bet even Tony award winning actors feel this way.  I say Tony not Oscar, because I can’t imagine movies give you the same jitters.  Just do another take! It is really no wonder that many people feel the stage is real acting and movies are not. Now don’t start defending movies to me!  I love movies!  Of course it is real acting (well, some of it is and some of it sucks, we won’t get into that).  But that lots of takes thing really has my envy tonight.

I’m sure everything will go fine.  And if it does not, well, that is the excitement of live theatre. I’m sure enough will go well to entertain our audience (sometime they are entertained by the mistakes, but we prefer to avoid going that route.  I will probably mention it tomorrow, when I make my Scattered Saturday blog post about how I was too tired after Opening Night to do much of anything.  Happy Friday, everyone.

For local, theatre-going readers,  that’s Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre, Remington Ave., Ilion, NY, March 3, 4, 10 and 11 at 8 pm., 5 and 12 at 2 p.m.  For more information, visit www.ilionlittletheatre.org or go to their Facebook page.

 

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Me, Me, Me, It’s All About ME!

Posted on March 3, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I KNEW this was going to happen!  I did not make my blog post earlier and I don’t damn well feel like doing it now.  I just got home from final dress for Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  Fun times!  It looks like we got us a show!

I’m thinking today is Non-Sequitur Thursday.  Or maybe it could be Lame Post Friday, because it is my Friday.  I am taking a four day weekend to celebrate my delightful husband Steven’s birthday, which is tomorrow.  I have not gotten him enough presents, but perhaps he will not mind.  Maybe I could make him potato soup tomorrow.  Steven loves my potato soup, and I hardly ever make it.

I just paused in my writing to discuss with Steven our plans for tomorrow. He likes the potato soup idea.  Additionally, I got him one of those sampler cheese cakes, the mini kind.  I like cheese cake too.

Now I see that I have started every paragraph with “I” and was about to start this one the same way.  Yes, this is a personal blog, but still.  It seems a bit… excessive, although it does give me an idea for a silly headline.  And as regular readers know, Non-Sequitur Thursday is all about the headline.  Additionally, I see that I am over 200 words, which regular readers may recall is all I require of myself for a post.  I hope to see all you lovely people on Lame Post Friday.

 

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Maybe I Should Have Rehearsed My Blog Post

Posted on March 1, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

The operative thing to do one a busy week is to write blog posts ahead of time.  I say this merely as an observation.  I am not offering advice to fellow bloggers nor yet outlining a plan I am capable of following myself.  As the expression goes, I’m just saying.

Theatre loving people such as myself tend, by and large, to be too busy.  If we’re not too busy, we are often looking for some project or other to busy ourselves with.  I feel a little silly even talking about it, because there are other theatre people who are way busier than I am.  I don’t know how they do it, although I suspect, for one factor, they get far less sleep than I do.  And I don’t get as much sleep as I would like.

I suspect some readers are nodding their heads wisely, saying, “Ah yes, this is me, too.”  Others are shaking their heads in a superior fashion, saying, “Well, duh.  Do you think you could find something more obvious to state?”  Guess which one is the critic that lives in my head.

That is what I wrote while on a break at work today.  Then I went back to studying my lines for Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  Second dress rehearsal is tonight.  I have a whole new roster of costumes, which I think will work better.  One advantage will be if I actually remember all of them.  Funny story:  Sunday night I dreamed I got to rehearsal and had forgotten the off-white blouse for Act I, Scene 1. Monday night I made damn sure I remembered that blouse!  When I got to rehearsal I realized I had forgotten the jeans and sneakers for Act I, Scene 2.  As I say to others when they make mistakes, this is why we have rehearsals.

So this is my Tired Tuesday post.  I must soon hurry to rehearsal.  I put most of my costume pieces on the same hanger or in the same bag.  This will work!  And if it doesn’t, I’ll have something else to write about tomorrow. Happy Tuesday, everyone.

 

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Flubbed Up Monday

Posted on February 28, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

AAAaaaaand, welcome to a week of All Steel Magnolias All The Time.  I am posting in haste before hurrying off to First Dress.  I can only hope all my dresses are there!

Oh dear, this isn’t very interesting, is it?  I was going to have a Middle-aged Musings Monday, and I even had something to muse about. Oh, it wasn’t anything very good, but at least it was something.  Earlier I was going to take a Blogger’s Sick Day. I’m not sick, but my poor dog is.  We’re a little upset about it.  However, we did manage to get Spunky to come out of the closet (his favorite place these days) and administered another dose of his medicine.  Now he is resting comfortably on his afghan at the end of the couch (I’m sitting at the other end, typing) (as Truman Capote once said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing”)  (one of my favorite quotes).

Where was I?  Ah yes, nowhere in particular.  Steven is nicely making me a sandwich.  Then I shall go down my list of  things to remember and see what I forgot (yes, I remember where I put the list).

Earlier today I looked over all my lines, paying special attention to the portions that were somewhat dicey during the last few rehearsals.  I feel quite sure I will remember everything.  Then again, actors often feel that way just before they flub up big time.  Then again, if I flub up big time, it might make a funny blog post for tomorrow.  As always, I hope you’ll tune in.

 

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I Think I’m Rubbed Out

Posted on February 27, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Nobody thought I would not have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday today, least of all me.  I’m TIRED!  We had a wonderful show last night.  The audience loved us!  And we loved the audience!

I am speaking, of course, of Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls.  They served hors d’oeuvres catered by That Little Place on Main, and they were, you should pardon the expression, to die for.  Of course, I did not eat a lot.  I was busy acting.

Now I must gear up for a bear of a week, that is, production week for Steel Magolias at Ilion Little Theatre.  Opening night is March 3.  Yikes!  I don’t think I even have all my costumes together, but I am working on it.   Additionally, I must finish writing, cast and begin rehearsals for not one but two murder mystery dinner theatres.  If anybody says, “Well, you’d better get writing,” I’ll scream.

In the meantime, it is Oscar night, traditionally a big night in our humble household.  My dear husband, Steven, has watched them every year since 1965.  In previous years we have had better luck in catching more of the nominated pictures.  Additionally, in previous years I have not been in the habit of going to bed as early as a much older woman or a little kid.  I do not apologize for my nocturnal habits but merely note them.

Well, one can’t do everything after all.  I write, I participate in community theatre, I work full time, and I get what sleep I can.  Additionally, I intend to start running again.  I do not have time to go to movies that tend not to play around here in the first place.  Clean my house?  Who brought that up?  And what are you implying?

I say never mind all that.  Sunday is traditionally a day Steven and I spend time together.  I am going to hit Publish and get back to him.  As a closing note, here is the final cast picture of the marvelous actors of Rubbed Out at Ruby’s.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

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What a crew!

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