Tag Archives: theatre

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.

 

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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.

 

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Pre-Dress Panic Attack

Posted on April 26, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Do you suppose anybody is getting tired of All Leading Ladies All The Time?  Do you suppose I care?  Well, of course I do.  One writes a blog for one’s readers as well as one’s self (oneself?).  One hates to be boring.  This one, at any rate.

As I have often observed, I can only write what comes out of my pen, and I am naturally obsessed with Leading Ladies these days.  We open Friday, and writing that down almost induced a panic attack.  Deep breath.  Didn’t help.

The phrase just entered my head, “This is MY show.” Only kind of, sort of.  Some people in the Ilion Little Theatre Club may refer to it as “Cindy’s show,” but in fact, it is really OUR show, meaning me, the cast and the crew.  In fact, let me take just a minute to give another shout-out to the cast and crew.  They are AWESOME!  And I don’t just say it because some of them might read this blog (or do I flatter myself?).

I will soon be hurrying to the theatre to do some last minute set things before our First Dress Rehearsal.  The actors have been wearing costumes here and there already, but tonight is a real Dress:  all costumes, all costume and set changes, curtains opening and closing, and no calling for lines. Yikes! My cast and crew are up to it!  They’re going to be great!

I guess this has not been a super exciting blog post and for that I am sorry.  I hope it is all right for a Monday Mental Meanderings.  Perhaps I can do better on Tired Tuesday.  At least I can report on how our First Dress goes.  For those readers who are not tired of All Leading Ladies All The Time.

 

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Leading up to Leading Ladies

Posted on April 25, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had meant to avoid Wrist to Forehead Sunday, but, well, that is not going to happen.  What did I expect on the Sunday of production week for Leading Ladies (you know, my play at Ilion Little Theatre? Surely I have mentioned it) (and I’ll call you Shirley if I feel like it; I’m sure you’ve been called worse).

Where was I?  Ah yes, pausing in a dramatic pose as I make my blog post.  Today is my last chance to take a deep breath for the foreseeable future.  I have not even been able to spend the whole day breathing, either. I had to paint the floor of the stage, do grocery shopping, make a salad for my lunch for the coming week (there IS still a chance I could fit into that little purple dress on Friday), do laundry (oh yeah, I still have to get it in off the clothesline, but I am SO grateful for the sunny day), oh, and some other things I probably will not get to.  Don’t judge.  On the other hand, go ahead and judge if you want to.  I don’t have time to worry about who might be judging me.

Painting the stage was not the onerous chore I had feared.  I don’t think I did as good a job as others have done, but one cannot always have perfection.  An awesome member of my awesome cast finished the garden mural that really deserves to have a more prominent place on the set.  Really, if I can learn how to post a photo, this will deserve such a thing.  However, I shall not post the photo now. COME AND SEE THE PLAY!!!

So this is my Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  We’ll see what I can come up with for blog posts in the coming week.  In between trying to remember to breath.

 

 

 

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Wine-ding Down on Saturday

Posted on April 24, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought of this title as we were driving away from the liquor store.  And you see it has multiple levels of meaning because I am often kind of a dingbat.

I have had a busy Saturday.  I left the house shortly after eight this morning and stopped by a new place called Belly Busters to purchase a dozen donuts.  I’ll write a whole blog post about them later.  It is, of course, a good idea for the director to bring donuts to the theatre on a Saturday morning when people are helping with the set.  I arrived before anyone else and ate a donut.

Then I fixed a costume that needed a stitch or two and carried a bunch of costumes we decided not to use back up to costume storage.  Upstairs I looked for one more piece an actor had requested and wondered if there wasn’t more good stuff I hadn’t seen yet.  Friday I had found a hitherto unopened (by me) box labeled “specialty stuff” or something like that.  It had two felt hats such as I had been going to attempt to make.  Yes!  Score!

When people showed up, we went to Ilion TruValue Hardware to purchase more paint, put another coat of paint on the walls, polished all the wood on the furniture, went to a certain big box store for necessary fabric for set and costumes, and, yes, visited and talked about all kinds of fun stuff.  The only real reason to be involved in anything is to hang out with the other people involved (oh, I may get arguments about that; when will I learn not to make such global statements).  The extremely talented young man who is painting the garden mural which is, unfortunately, only vaguely seen by the audience, showed up and worked some more on that.  It looks awesome!  Before I left another nice man had shown up to hang the black fabric from the ceiling to the top of the walls which makes the set look so much more finished.

Really, I have gotten so much help on my show.  I am quite grateful to all involved. I must try to find some way of showing my appreciation besides mentioning them in a blog which I am afraid only a few of them read.

Back home, I did what I have not had a chance to do in recent weekends and took a nap.  You see, after yesterday’s bad headache I was afraid of getting another one so took some of the migraine medication the doctor prescribed.  It makes one a little dopey (even more so than usual) (so you don’t need to make unkind and rather obvious jokes about it) (you know who you are).

When Steven got home I was having coffee.  Ahhh.  We went out to Sorrento’s in Ilion, NY for a late lunch/early dinner, enjoying a glass of Pinot Grigio with the food.  On the way home we went by Valley Wine and Liquor, where they were tasting some Italian wines (so that’s two more places that deserve a full blog post).  We got a couple of bottles, including some champagne so we can mimose tomorrow, if we are so inclined.

So this is my Scattered Saturday post.  Steven is having a little doze on the love seat, but I will wake him up so I can read him this before I post it, then I think we will watch one of the VCR tapes I purchased at a rummage sale recently (perhaps you read my blog post on it).  Happy Saturday, everybody!

 

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Leading Lame

Posted on April 23, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Ever since I decided to direct Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT), I knew I would at some point use the headline “Leading Lame.”  So today is the day.  I have rehearsal tonight and I really, really, really want to make my blog post before I have to leave for it. Luckily, it is Lame Post Friday.

I know, I know, many other days of the week I just type something foolish and go.  I can’t worry about those days right now.  The fact is, I have had a minor headache all day which has since flared into a full-blown sinus event.  It has been a while since I have complained about a headache. Or has it?  I can’t be bothered to go back and check now.

But getting back to All Leading Ladies All The Time, I seem to be spending a great deal of my time these days trying to remember every little thing I have to take care of or make sure gets taken care of.  A few big things, too.  Oh well, it was my dumb idea to direct a play.  I have been blessed with many people helping me out in all kinds of way, so I am grateful for that.  I got taken off overtime at work so have been getting an hour and a half more sleep in the morning.  Score!

Last night’s rehearsal went very well.  My husband, in particular, did a fine job with his scenes.  The other actors all had excellent moments as well.  I think it is telling that as many times as I have seen this play now, my cast can still make me laugh out loud.  For example… I’m not going to give you an example!  Come and see the play!

In case I have not mentioned it before, it is Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre, on Remington Avenue in Ilion, NY.  Performance dates are April 29, 30, May 1, 6, 7 and 8; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, admission is $12 for adults, $8 for students. For more information you can visit ILT’s website at www.ilionlittletheatre.org.

 

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Alas, No Naked Actors

Posted on April 22, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday before rehearsal for Leading Ladies (remember, that play I mentioned once or twice?), I got a Facebook message that the OD wanted a photograph of the cast.  In costume.  That night.  Yikes!  Oh, for non-local readers, if any, the OD is the Utica Observer-Dispatch, one of the local newspapers.  Of course we have been working on costumes right along, but with a cast of eight, numerous costume changes and two cross-dressing characters, these things take time.

I emailed the cast to give them a heads-up and searched my house for a few things.  One thing I needed was Steven’s three-piece pin-striped suit.  He has worn that suit for roughly 859 plays since the late ’80s (I just made that number up; I really have no idea).  Here is the story of the suit:

Back when we were merely dating, we had gone to the thrift store in Potsdam, NY (we lived up north at the time).  I was looking for men’s blazers, which I love to wear. Steven was just looking.  He found a practically brand new, dark blue, three-piece pin-striped suit that fit perfectly.  When we went to pay for it, the lady said in kind of a hushed tone, “You know, three piece suits are eight dollars.”  I worked at JC Penney at the time, and I knew that suit had cost at least a hundred bucks new.  I was happy to pay eight dollars for it.

Getting back to 2016, I got to Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) early and once again went through the costume room upstairs.  It took me several trips to bring down all the stuff I pulled.  I’m certainly going to get my exercise putting it all away.  As cast members started showing up I got them started trying things on.  One fellow went upstairs in search of a suit.  When he came down with one, I sent him back up with the actor playing his son to find another one (um, another suit, not another son).

We all had great success with our finding and trying, although I could not convince one cast member that the mauve hat does NOT go with the blue dress.  She won’t wear it, because as her director I told her not to, but she is not happy about it.  However, we were able to begin rehearsal not too late with everybody wearing something (although naked rehearsal shots would indeed cause a sensation in the local paper).  The secretary of ILT was there to take the picture to send to the OD.  She got some good action shots and one or two posed pictures.

Alas, this is not a photo blog, so I cannot share them here.  Perhaps one day I will figure out how.  Don’t get your hopes up too high, though:  I probably will not be able to talk the actors into naked rehearsal shots.

 

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That Little Purple Dress

Posted on April 21, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

So this is the third time I’ve put pen to paper attempting to write my blog post ahead of the time I type it into the computer.  I still don’t have a clue what to write.  I suppose it is still All Leading Ladies All The Time, but I think I’d rather talk about me.

As director, one of my jobs is to give the curtain speech before each performance.  I welcome everybody, tell where the fire exits are and introduce the show.  It is a classy touch for the director to dress nicely for this.  Oh dear.

I know I have spent many blog posts on my wardrobe ills.  When dressing for anything other than work, I struggle over What To Wear.  What fits this week?  What would look good?  How is the weather going to behave?  Will I be over- or under-dressed (regarding style OR weather)?  I know some people do not agonize over these decisions and, oh, how I envy them.  Then again, do they ever have the utter satisfaction of finding the perfect outfit after great effort?  Oh, they probably have it more often and without effort.  I can’t worry about other people!

With opening night just over a week away, my concerns are coming to a head.  When the production was just a blip on the horizon, I had big plans to become small. You see, there is this little purple dress I purchased in 2011 and have never worn.  Wouldn’t it be delightful to give my opening night speech looking all hot and awesome in a little purple dress?

I have not tried on said dress so have no idea how far off I may be.  However, I am trying to take off weight.  Having no time for  exercise (I know, that makes me TOO busy), I have been concentrating on eating less.  I’ve heard where eating less without exercise will lose you more weight than exercise without eating less.  I must say, I find exercise more fun.  I mean, I like fruit, I like salad, but…

I WANT POTATO CHIPS!!!

There, I’ve said it.  That was as far as I wrote earlier today on my lunch hour.  Now I am frantically typing prior to hurrying to rehearsal.  I did not eat the potato chips.  Yay me.

 

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Mired Meanderings

Posted on April 19, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m not sure I can call this a Monday Mental Meanderings.  Meandering implies movement and I feel like a stuck lump.  No matter, post I must and so I will.

Today is the only day this week I do not have rehearsal, just to get back into All Leading Ladies All The Time mode.   I’m always so damn tired on Monday, largely because I do not lead a healthy lifestyle, especially on the weekend.  What I will do next week when I have rehearsal, I do not know (although no doubt I will write a blog post about it).

Steven drove me to work this morning and picked me up afterwards due to vehicle issues.  I suggested we make a couple of stops for props on the way home.  Alas, we did not stop at any distinctive local stores such as I love to mention in the blog.  A dollar store and K-Mart.  We were looking for a punch bowl and a couple of swords.  I’m afraid we are going to end up with something rather ridiculous-looking.  Then again, it is a comedy.  Perhaps we can get away with it.

Oh dear, I hope I have not given too much away.  I especially hope I have not given any local readers a distaste for the production and a disinclination to attend.  I can just hear somebody out there saying, “I’m not going to see THAT play!  I hear they have ridiculous-looking props!”  Or is that just my inner critic?  Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

So here I am, mired down in my theatrical problems and trying to make a blog post.  Will the blog posts get any better as the week wears on and I must run to rehearsal?  I hope everybody will stay tuned to find out.

 

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Running Out on Rummage

Posted on April 16, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

In lieu of my usual Friday Lame Post, I shall tell about a brief Mohawk Valley adventure I enjoyed after leaving work this afternoon.  Last night when I looked at the newspaper, I noticed a rummage sale at the Episcopal Church in Ilion NY.  I could have hurried right over, but I had already reached the sweats on, bra off portion of the evening.  I decided on a quick stop after work today instead.

I was searching for props and costumes for Leading Ladies (remember, that play I’m directing at Ilion Little Theatre?).  Of course I did not rule out finding something for my own personal enjoyment, but that would be strictly by the way.

Right away I found a decanter, such as a rich person might have sitting on a table with booze in it.  I wanted one of those.  For the play, I mean.  I don’t have any booze in my house to decant; I stick with wine.  Then I saw some tins.  I don’t need any tins for the play, but Steven likes to put Christmas presents in tins.  Put a present in a present, he says.  I picked out three.  Then I found two large silky-looking nightgowns.  I thought these might supplement the costumes for the boys that dress as girls (the titular leading ladies).  If not, they might be useful as part of a Halloween costume sometime.  Waste not, want not, I always say.

I asked if I could put my stuff down while I looked at the books and jewelry.  I snagged two books and a huge handful of jewelry.  The nice lady in charge of the jewelry counted up what all I had while I took one last swing though the tables.  That was when I found the VHS tapes.  Cheesy movies!  Yay!  There were a couple of titles I already own (The Killer Shrews and Plan 9 From Outer Space), but I found SIX I’ve never seen.  Cheesy movies have nothing to do with the play but EVERYTHING to do with this blog!

It turned out I had gotten a little too excited about the jewelry and did not have enough money to pay for it all.  The nice lady agreed to hold it till tomorrow, when either Steven or I will return with the cash.  As I was paying for my other purchases, I discovered the decanter was broken.  I told them somebody might still like it to sit on a shelf and look pretty, but I needed one I could actually pour a drink out of.  This was just as well, because I would not have had enough money for everything otherwise.

The ladies at the rummage sale said they would be happy to see me tomorrow, when it will be dollar a bag day.  I’d probably better send Steven, because I would probably find at least a couple of bags’ worth of stuff more.

 

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