Tag Archives: theatre

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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And Another Thing About Ruby’s…

Posted on February 26, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

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Right before Ruby’s!

Posted on February 26, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

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It’s Almost Time for Ruby!

Posted on February 24, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

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Theatre Memories on Tired Tuesday

Posted on February 22, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

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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.

 

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He’ll Never Even Miss the Duck

Posted on February 19, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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More About Rubbed Out at Ruby’s

Posted on February 8, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been promising a full blog post about Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls, NY.  Excitement is building!  The event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 25 starting at 6 p.m.

The production involves more audience interaction and less performance than previous murder mysteries I have written (notably Engaged to Be Murdered, presented last April at Morning Star Methodist Church; perhaps you read one of my blog posts about it).  Oh, we’ll still get to ham it up.  You know how I love to ham it up!

The story takes place in the 1920’s and centers around the death of Benny Bottini, Little Falls’ most beloved bootlegger.  Benny’s body was discovered on the ground floor of the mansion some days previously.  The audience will have a chance to read a few details about the murder in an article from Little Falls Confidential, a rather sensational newspaper.

Located in the basement of the Overlook is Ruby’s Rathskeller, the hottest speakeasy in town, which is run by George Raffle. He named it after Ruby Van Renssalaer, a rich society lady who loaned him the start-up cash.  Upstairs of the Rathskeller is Mavis LaLonde’s very fancy bordello, which features Zelda Helsinki, Little Falls’ most sought-after good-time girl.  Benny was in love with Zelda, but her boyfriend is Jimmy “the Shiv” Schlavinsky, George’s head muscle man.  Also on hand are Dianne Enger, George’s new torch singer;   Vivian Velasquez, who runs a rival speakeasy;  and Avery Wainwright, the new bootlegger in town.

Audience members will have a chance to talk to the suspects and search for clues in the basement and first floor of the mansion. Hors d’ouvres will be served with a cash bar available. Participants are encouraged to dress to the period.  Tickets are $25/person.  The Overlook Mansion is located at 55 Douglass St. inLittle Falls, phone number 315-823-1907. For more information you can visit the Overlook’s website at http://overlookmansion.com/mansion/ or visit their Facebook page.

 

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