Tag Archives: theatre

Much Ado Monday

Posted on July 19, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m a little early for All Much Ado All The Time, but yet, here I am.

And I just sat here staring at that sentence with no idea what to put next.  My plan had been to DEFINITELY write my blog post while on break at work, so I would only have to type it in.  Instead I studied my lines.  I hope nobody in the cast reads this, because they may wonder why I still don’t know my lines if I was studying them when I should have been writing.  Oh well, perhaps I know them better than I think I do.  We’ll see.

I mentioned yesterday that I got very little done over the weekend.  Among the chores still hanging over my head in a threatening fashion:  figure out and get together my costume for the Doodah Parade in Ilion on Friday,  find a few more costume pieces for my two characters in Much Ado About Nothing, finish learning my lines, unpaint my toenails, fix my work pants, wash my other work pants, clean my house, finish my container garden, work in my yard…

Why did I start listing those things?  Now I’m having a panic attack!  Not really, but it isn’t making my headache any better either.  And it isn’t making this blog post any more interesting.  Sorry about that.  However, there is not much I can do about it, because I have rehearsal tonight.  I have to look over my lines again.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, Middle-aged Musings Monday, Monday Mental Meanderings, Muddled Monday, personal and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

From Witch to Watch

Posted on July 8, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, I  tried to write a blog post this morning.  There I was, on a break at work, snack at my side, notebook open… and I did a cryptogram puzzle I cut out of the newspaper.  Then I felt properly ashamed of myself and began writing a post about a cheesy movie I watched recently.  I had been thinking about the movie while I was working (as I have mentioned many times, you can do that with my job).  First I couldn’t remember the title or the plot.  Then when I remembered the title, parts of the plot came back to me.  I even thought of a few witty things to say about it (or do I flatter myself?) (we can’t tell till I write the post).

I got a few sentences out, but it just was not working well.  It was kind of a relief when break ended.  I cravenly stuck with cryptograms  and crossword puzzles during lunch (how’s that for a nice bit of alliteration?  I may use that for the title, thus blowing any chance of this being a true Non-Sequitur Thursday).

You can disregard that last parenthetical comment; I’m sticking with my first headline.  However, since I intend to explain said headline, this may not count as Non-Sequitur Thursday after all.  No matter, because I want to tell you about the Watch.

I’ve mentioned that I am in Much Ado About Nothing with LiFT Theatre Company in Little Falls.  I am the Friar.  At rehearsal last night, the director asked me if I would mind taking another small part.  Of course I never turn these things down.  More stage time? Another character?  I’m in!  The part is Second Watch.  I’m this homespun, uneducated farmer-type who has been recruited to be on the watch.  I don’t want to give anything away, but it’s a pretty funny part, and there are not many lines for me to learn.

One reason I think it is so fun to be Second Watch is that some time ago, when I was in a scene from MacBeth, directed by the same fellow who is currently directing, I was the Third Witch (wouldn’t it have been so cool if I had been the Second?  You can’t have everything).  I wrote several blog posts about it.  Perhaps you read one or two of them.

I will write more about Second Watch and Much Ado About Nothing in days to come. I hope to also finish that post about the movie.  I shall also get back to that list I mentioned in an earlier post this week.  I’m thinking I’d better get a move on if I want to cross out any more items.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal, writing 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.

Slacker Saturday

Posted on June 5, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Welcome to a new feature here at Mohawk Valley Girl: Slacker Saturday.  When you haven’t done enough to warrant a Scattered Saturday post, you didn’t write a post earlier and you just can’t wait to make your post and declare it wine o’clock. Oh, who am I kidding?  I don’t have to wait till after I post to have a glass of wine.  We’ve talked about sipping and typing before.  It is acceptable behavior among bloggers and a daily routine for some (um, I don’t do it daily.  Do you suppose I ought to?).

I worked today.  Although I was able to sleep until 3:30 instead of my usual 3:00, I’m tired.  I tried to take a nap earlier but without success.  I had a number of projects I thought I might work on, but all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and stare into space.  Naturally I stared at Facebook for a while instead.

I did spend a little time folding laundry.  Talk about a task of Sisyphus (ooh, I just figured out how to spell Sisyphus; yay me)!  Of course I love having a washer and drier in my house, but ever since I stopped going to the laundromat, I never have all my clothes clean at once!  I just can’t get to the bottom of the pile one load at a time.  I keep thinking, if I do one load every day, I will get caught up.  I can do that for maybe two days in a row.  Then if you don’t fold one load, you naturally don’t fold the next, and then you don’t want to wash another load till you fold everything you’ve washed so far.  Then sometimes you wear something out of the pile and think, “Ha, ha, don’t have to fold that one!”  Or is that just me?

One thing I did after much dithering was begin to learn my lines for Much Ado About Nothing (remember, with LiFT Theatre Company; I’m the Friar).  I had a bit of a sticky wicket when I could not find my Complete Works of Shakespeare. What’s that all about? It’s a giant yellow book, how do I lose it?  It takes a talent, I suppose.  If only I could use my powers for good.  When I lamented my loss on Facebook a kind friend offered me some Shakespeare books she doesn’t want any more (duplicates, I believe).  Another friend shared a link to all the plays.  I hope to get the books from the first friend soon (greatly prefer paper; I’m old), but in them meantime, I checked out the link, found my scenes and started studying.  Oh, how I love being in a play.

I almost forgot to mention:  I worked on my banana play while on break at work (I only got one today).  I think it is going rather well.

And look at this, I am over 500 words for one of my silly posts.  I think that deserves a toast.  Hope to see you all on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Slacker Saturday, Why I Cant Write a Post and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Out of the Frying Pan into the Friar

Posted on June 4, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I think I need theatre detox or one of those 12-step programs.  I just can’t stay away from the stuff!

I thought it would be an easy matter to take the summer off from working on a play (except, of course, for the one I’m writing).  Ilion Little Theatre doesn’t have a summer show. LiFT Theater Company in Little Falls is doing Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare (should I feel silly putting “by William Shakespeare”?  Because I do), but I carefully stayed home from auditions.  When a friend, who did audition and was cast, mentioned that Matt Powers, the director was still looking for people, I was tempted.  However, I reminded myself that I had decided to take a break and to use my summer for other projects.

Then I got a Facebook message from Matt, asking me was I interested in being the Friar.  Oh NO!  Of COURSE I was interested!  And so flattered to be asked (I know, he may have asked forty people before he asked me; the fact remains that he did ask me).

Still, I dithered.  I messaged back asking questions about dates and times.  I pondered and thought.  Then I realized that I had stalled for a couple of days during which Matt could have been asking someone else.  How rude to say no now!  Oh, who am I kidding?  We all knew I was going to do it.

And yes, if anyone was wondering, it was the friend mentioned previously who suggested Matt ask me.  I told her I didn’t know whether I should thank her or shake my fist at her, but we all know I’m happy about this.  For one reason, it will give me something else to write blog posts about.

Look, I’ve already started.  My question now is: was today’s post better or worse than my usual Lame Post Friday schtick?

 

Leave a comment

Posted in community theatre, humor, personal and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

A Cup of Soup and Back to Bed

Posted on May 23, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is my five year blogiversary and I am taking a blogger’s sick day.  The irony is not lost on me.

I really don’t know what’s wrong with me.  Yes, I had wine o’clock last evening, but I didn’t go too crazy.  A few glasses with my husband, a nice dinner, some true crime television and an early bedtime.  When I woke up with a headache, I thought, “Oh well, maybe a glass too many.  I’ll have some coffee, take some aspirin, everything’ll be great.”  It was not.  The headache has gotten so bad all I can do is be in pain, and I’m having dreadful nausea.  Sorry to complain about my ills; so tiresome of me.

I have spent most of the day in bed, except for one rather interesting interlude at Ilion Little Theatre Club.  A group of us read an original play written by a local musician.  I really like it.   The plan is to present a staged reading of it at the Club’s September meeting with an eye to possibly producing it for real in December.  I’d better get going on my own play.  I’m not saying mine will be good enough to be produced, but it would be nice if I actually finished something.

Oh dear, I am just blathering on, aren’t I?  (I always think that should be “Amn’t I?”  “Am I not?” sounds too precious.)  I just hate to make a post of under 200 words.  But I see I’m over now.  Thank heaven.  As always, I’ll try for a better post tomorrow and thank you for participating.

 

6 Comments

Posted in bloggers sick day, blogging, humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Some Semblance of a Blog Post

Posted on May 8, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m having kind of a Flustered Sunday today.  You know, I like that better than Wrist to Forehead Sunday, because it has that internal rhyme with the short u.  It is appropriate, too, because I have spent most of the morning saying, “Uh, what should I do now?”

Regular readers may remember that today is the closing performance of Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre.  I directed.  My cast and crew are the most wonderful people you can imagine.  Other members of the theatre group are awesome as well.  I just love community theatre, because everybody lends a hand.   People who hadn’t signed up to work door sold tickets or refreshments if needed.  The people who had signed up worked hard to make sure our audience had a pleasant experience.  We sold out for the last two nights, which meant the box office people were setting up extra chairs and asking people to move over one, trying to get everybody a seat.

Oh dear, this is turning into a Scattered Post (neither alliteration nor internal rhyme!).  I started out crying about how flustered I am, then gave a brief shout-out to my cast and crew, then started praising the box office folks.  I’m jumping around like a maniac, mentally at least (physically I’m sitting on the couch with my feet up, feeling another migraine hovering just outside my head; SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!) (I’ll try heading it off with some blue Gatorade).

Where was I?  Ah yes, trying to type in some semblance of a post before I have to finish getting ready for this afternoon’s matinee.  I’m repeating an outfit I wore last weekend, because it was both fabulous and comfortable.  At least, I may have to re-think my shoe choice if I want real comfort, but we’ll worry about that later.

In the meantime, I’m just over 300 words.  I call that more than respectable.  We’ll see how quickly I can segue back into “real” blog posts once the play is really over.  Don’t count on it happening tomorrow, though.  After all, I have a cast party to attend tonight.

 

2 Comments

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

Leading Ladies Limbo

Posted on May 4, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was going to call this post “Life after Leading Ladies,”  but I’m not quite there yet.  We still have three more performances, plus a pick-up rehearsal before and a cast party after.  So the show is not over, yet my job is largely done.  It is distinctly odd to be sitting here not thinking about the thousand and one things I am supposed to be doing or making sure get done.  Oh, I know, not 1,001 actual tasks.  But at least 846.  Theatre people understand.

I have big plans for my post-show life.  I am going to clean and organize this house.  I am going to write at least two plays, a novel, several magazine articles and, yes, some non-lame log posts.  I may entertain.  I mean by giving parties, not be being on stage.  Audition for a play?  Surely you jest! (And I’ll call you Shirley if I feel like it).

But I can’t do any of that right now.  I couldn’t even begin a blog post when I was on break at work today.  I was compulsively doing cryptogram puzzles.  And while I was working, my mind would not bend around anything worthwhile.  It kept singing me re-runs from the TV show Galavant.  I loved that show, and I’m afraid it is not coming back.

One must transition into ambition, is what I’m thinking now.  Hey, that almost rhymes.  Maybe one of the plays I’m going to write ought to be a musical.

 

 

Leave a comment

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

Pre-Matinee Wrist

Posted on May 1, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

If ever I needed a Wrist to Forehead Sunday, today is the day.  Oh, who am I kidding?  I need these excuses for a foolish blog post several times in any given week.  In fact, I needed one yesterday but serendipitously found an unused shout-out to a local business in my notebook (my computer seems to think “serendipitously” is not a word but is okay with “serendipitous,” so go figure).

Where was I?  Ah yes, posed dramatically with one wrist to my forehead (only figuratively, because I like to type with both hands), lamenting, “The blog can’t go on!”  You know, like, “The show can’t go on!”  Only the show will go on.  That’s Leading Ladies, the show I directed at Ilion Little Theatre.  Today is the matinee.  We had shows Friday and Saturday night, and the show continues next weekend.

We had the BEST opening night!  I was so proud and happy I got tears in my eyes during curtain call.  My cast and crew are so wonderful.  I kind of feel as if the show is all theirs and I’m just along for the ride.  I seem to remember doing a lot of work on it (and writing numerous blog posts; perhaps you read a few of them).  I definitely remember thinking, “I will NEVER direct another show again!”  Well, never say never, except when you say, “never say never.”  I probably won’t direct another show this year, but who knows what the future will bring?

Our second performance went even better.  The audience loved us.  I guess mostly they loved the people on stage, but there were a couple of points where I thought to myself, “I told them to do that.”  Of course there were many, many wonderful things I didn’t tell them to do that they came up with on their own, and even when I made a suggestion they had to make it their own.  Still, I believe I did have something to do with our success.

So why, you may well ask, is my wrist to my forehead?  Oh, don’t mind me.  I’m just tired, and my house is a mess.  I’ve been trying to clean and do laundry prior to today’s matinee and I must say it isn’t going well.  Of course one must persevere.  For one reason, I’ve invited everyone over for a cook-out in two weeks.  That’s not a lot of time, given the mess I’ve let my house get in.

As a wise woman once said, “Oh well, what the hell?” (It was my mother.)  The important thing is that I take a shower and find a fabulous outfit to wear to the show.  It’s at Ilion Little Theatre, Remington Avenue, Ilion, NY, today (May 1) at 2 p.m., May  6 and 7 at 8 p.m., and May 8 at 2 p.m.  For more information, visit ILT’s website at www.ilionlittletheatre.org.

 

4 Comments

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

I Also Plan to go Wine Tasting

Posted on April 29, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Let’s have a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  I am feeling even more flustered than usual tonight.  It’s Final Dress!!!  And I took a little, small, short, teeny tiny, itty bitty nap after work today, so I have even less time than previously.

I have a couple more directorial chores left to do, but will I get them done?  Will I be on time for rehearsal?  Will my cast be pacing the theatre parking lot cursing my name as I drive in, taking the corner on two wheels, tires squealing, Steven in the passenger seat holding on for dear life?  You know, I have not been writing fiction in some time now.  I miss it.

Yesterday’s rehearsal when very well. Now we’re talking about the cast party, and the cook-out I am offering to throw the day we strike the set.

Oh dear, this is dreadful.  I cannot think of a thing new to say about Leading Ladies.  This is what I get for going All Leading Ladies All The Time so early.  Well, regular readers may be pleased to know that after this show, I intend to concentrate on my writing.  There is a Banana play I was supposed to write a year ago, a novel I’ve been working on even longer, another play that is almost finished if only I can find it, and a whole BUNCH of Mohawk Valley stuff I could be writing blog posts about.

In the meantime, I have to finish up my last minute chores.  Just as soon as I think up a good Non-Sequiturish title for today’s post.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →