Tag Archives: theatre

Still Trying to Break a Lame

Well if I do not want to be posting late at night when I am dead tired, I need to post RIGHT NOW!!!

And that was when I thought, no, no! I can’t make a blog post now!  I’ve got to get to the Theatre!!! Regular readers may recall that I am in Prescription: Murder at Ilion Little Theatre.  The play ran last weekend and runs this weekend.  I have made a few blog posts about it.

Of course I got to the theatre early and spent ten or fifteen minutes sitting in my car going over my script.  You’ll have that.  But sometimes one feels too agitated to sit at home and arrive at one’s destination at precisely the right time (as if I have ever done anything at precisely the right time!).  I am now sitting at my house, sipping some echinacea tea (here’s a weird thing:  the ch is pronounced k and the c is pronounced ch, or have I been saying it wrong?).

Here we all are!

The hair and make-up lady took a picture of the whole case plus the director and assistant director.  She was obviously not in the picture nor was the light and sound person, but one does what one can.

The show went pretty well.  I had a bit of a hard time.  It was either my allergies acting up big time or I have a cold, but I was sniffling and sneezing up a storm.  I played one scene with a handkerchief in my hand.  It was a fancy handkerchief with lace around the edges, so I felt it was in character.  Backstage I resorted to one of the men’s handkerchiefs I usually use to try to contain the overflow.  Sorry if that gives you an unfortunate mental image; people with sinus problems will understand.

The beauty part is this is Lame Post Friday.  I am over 300 words.  This may be a foolish post, but I deem it acceptable by my rules for me.  Back to my echinacea tea, and Happy Friday, everyone!

 

 

Thickheaded Thursday It Is!

Now look what I’ve done!  It’s late (for me) Thursday night, and I still haven’t done my blog post!  Sounds like a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post for me.  I am very tired and feeling a big brain dead.  Could I start a new feature called Thickheaded Thursday?  It has the charm of alliteration at least.

There’s no point in losing my head over it.

I do like to use a picture to pep things up.  This is shown at the end of that William Castle classic StraitJacket, a long time favorite of mine, and often part of my Severed Head Sunday viewing, when I have Severed Head Sunday.  When am I going to have another Severed Head Sunday?  Not this Sunday at any rate.  As regular readers may recall, I will have the final performance of Prescription: Murder, the play I am in a Ilion Little Theatre.

How I’ll feel by Sunday night.

Of course there is no rest for the wicked, because after Prescription: Murder, I have to get going on Recipe for Murder Royale, the murder mystery we are putting on for Salisbury Grange and the Herkimer County Historical Society.  Oh what trials and tribulations that will cause!  You’ll be able to read about it in this blog, no doubt.

In the meantime, I am over 200 words.  Score!  All I need is a punchy headline that doesn’t quite fit.  Uh oh.

 

What Can I Say on a Wednesday?

It is either a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday or a Wuss-out Wednesday.  Earlier tonight I had the pick-up rehearsal for Prescription: Murder, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (as I believe I have mentioned).  Then I went to hear the music of Phil Arcuri at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY.  I did not take any pictures of either activity, although I suppose I could make a blog post about either without new pictures. Perhaps tomorrow.

The eyes have it!

This is a picture I took backstage at Prescription: Murder.  It is Samantha, the woman who plays the chippy my husband murders me for.  She worked hard to make her eye make-up just right, with excellent results.

St. Francis is all inclusive.

This is a picture I took on a recent walk.  I was quite delighted to see a rainbow sign reading, “All Are Welcome Here,” at St. Francis Church down the street from my house.  I am all about loving and welcoming everybody.

Looks fishy to me.

The other picture I have is from Fat Cat’s Fish Fry in Herkimer, NY.  I went there today for a fish sandwich, and it was delicious!  I must do a full blog post on Fat Cat’s, but I did not get a picture of their sign, because it was hailing when I left the place this afternoon.  Maybe it was not actual hail, but it was colder and harder than rain, and it was not snow.  In any case, I hurried to my car.

Once again, this is my blog post.  I hope at least some of you have enjoyed it.

 

Blog Now, Panic Later

Oh dear, can I make a pre-show post before I have to finish getting ready to go to the matinee of  Prescription: Murder, the play I am in at Ilion LIttle Theatre?  Naturally I must make a big deal of things on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  I just took a two-mile walk, towards the end of which I figured out a few things about my character’s motivation, background, and relationship with her (murderous) husband.  I suppose real actors might argue that I should have settled all these things during the rehearsal process, but I am always adding things, filling in blank spaces, refining, etc.  I like to think it is the writer in me.

In any case, I have a few minutes before I have to start bustling around, saying, “One more thing!” like Columbo, and I have a few more backstage pictures to share.

He is telling Columbo the facts of life as he sees them.

This is a guy from the district attorney’s office who happens to be close friends of my (stage) husband (that character’s wife is my character’s bestie, but she is only mentioned).  The guy in the raincoat is, obviously Columbo.

I think the guy on the right looks evil.

The man in the hat has a small but pivotal role; the other one is the murderer himself.

We couldn’t have done it without him!

This is the assistant director and stage manager, Mason, obviously an extremely important person.

I will try to get a few more backstage shots today.  In the meantime, I need to start running around my house saying, “I know I’ve forgotten something!”  I sure hope it isn’t my lines!

 

A Dull Post, A Few Pics

I managed to take a few pictures backstage during opening night of Prescription: Murder at Ilion Little Theatre.  For anyone just tuning in, that is a play I am in.  I have written a few blog posts about it.  Full disclosure:  I am feeling quite brain dead at the moment, which is bad news since I have another performance in a very few hours.  However, blog posts must be made, at least my blog posts by me, according to my rules for me, so I will share a few pictures and say a few things.

Would you kill this woman?

I took a selfie with hair and make-up.  Both were done for me by a wonderfully talented woman.  She did all the women’s and one man’s hair.

And this is the one my husband murders me for!

This picture doesn’t show her hair as well as I had hoped.  Perhaps I can get another picture tonight.  Also she has a better costume in Act II.

Also does not do justice to the hair, alas!

And here is the other female character.  I love the dress.  She has two other costumes, but this is the best.  Perhaps I can get a picture of one of her other dresses tonight, as well as a better shot of the hair.

I’m afraid this is rather a dull post, so I am going to bill it at a Slacker Saturday.  I’d better look over my lines again.  Perhaps a cup of coffee would be a good idea, before I go off to try to break another leg.

 

Once Again, I Hope to Break a Lame

I was going to further interrupt my bout of All Prescription: Murder All The Time for a Lame Post Friday post, but I fear it will be a Blogger’s Sick Day as well.  What a headache I am getting all of a sudden!  On the brighter side, it is more lightheadedness than pain.  Let us by all means count our blessings.  A nap did not help.  Perhaps some coffee?

Picture to denote passage of time while I put on a little coffee.

I have only gone over my lines once so far today.  That does not seem like enough.  Oh dear.

Picture to denote passage of time while I look over my lines one more time.

I just looked over my lines again, but I am not sure it did me any good.  However, it seems the coffee is ready.  I did not put a picture to denote passage of time while I got a cup (I think it is funny when I do that, but perhaps I flatter myself).  The picture is me at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer at one of their tastings. The pourer often has to take a picture to show their boss that they are so pouring samples.  I always let them take mine, cheese-eating grin and all (only I don’t say cheese) (see what I did there?).

I just wore that skirt yesterday. The slippers are worn out.

The coffee is steadying my nerves as well as helping my headache.  Or perhaps it is getting the blog post done that helps.  However, I am still a bundle of nerves, seeing as tonight is opening night for Prescription: Murder, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) (perhaps you read some of my blog posts about it).  I encourage myself with a rehearsal shot from one of my stage triumphs, The Busy Body, which ILT put on some years ago. You may think I am flattering myself by saying “stage triumph,” but everybody said I was very successful in the part.

In any case, I have rattled on for over 300 words.  I had better make sure I have done everything I need to do to get ready for tonight.  I’m sure it will be fun.

 

Memories of Theatre Husbands

What a terrible time I am having getting anything done this week.  And how unbecoming of me to whine about it.  I’ll stop whining and try to make a Throwback Thursday post.  As I mentioned yesterday, I did not have rehearsal tonight (for Prescription: Murder at Ilion Little Theatre, for anybody just tuning in) so was able to cover a meeting of the Frankfort Town Board.  I still have to write my story about it, but I thought making the blog post first might be a good idea.

He thinks he’s tough now, but…

This is a rehearsal shot from Roxy, which Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) presented in 2015.  That’s me as Roxalana Druse, on the left.  The brute with the ax is my husband.  I kill him later in the scene.  I do not have good luck with stage husbands. There was one in And Then There Were None in 2011 who wasn’t too bad.  Neither of us killed the other, but we also did not survive till curtain call.  I can’t find a picture of that one, unfortunately.  I had a better time with husbands in real life.

There’s the best husband!

Here is my late, wonderful husband, Steve.  He had a few parts in Roxy, and was very good in all of them.

We were an exceptionally cute couple.

And here are Steve and I together after A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, which we put on to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society in 2017.  I always thought it was so great that both Steve and I loved theatre. The couple that does plays together, stays together!

 

Last Rehearsal, YIKES!

And it’s another Post-Rehearsal Post during this week of All Prescription: Murder All The Time here at Mohawk Valley Girl.  For anybody just tuning in, Prescription: Murder is the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT).  I had meant to take pictures of my fellow actors in costume tonight but, alas, neglected to.  I will try to get some pictures on Friday, opening night.  Yikes, that’s SOON!

We have no rehearsal tomorrow.  It is an ILT tradition to be dark the night before opening.  In this case, it is good news for me, because there is a Frankfort Town Board meeting tomorrow night I need to cover for Sentinel Media Company (I believe I mentioned my side hustle of writing for them) (full disclosure:  I don’t have a main hustle any more) (but this is not a work blog, so never mind).

Where was I?  Ah yes, the play.  I still have a couple of rehearsal shots I haven’t shared.

You can tell which is Columbo by the raincoat.

I think I have mentioned that the play later became the first episode of Columbo, which regular readers know is a series I adore.  I have seen the episode several times, and I must say, I prefer the TV movie to the stage play.  However, I am having a great deal of fun with the play, and my fellow actors are doing a wonderful job.

Yeah, he SHOULD feel bad!

I hope my readers realize I do not need to include a spoiler alert as I point out my murderer, because that is the point of Columbo:  the audience sees what looks like a perfect murder, but Lt. Columbo brings the murderer to justice nonetheless.

For more information about Prescription: Murder,  you can visit ILT’s website, www.ilionlittletheatre.org, or their Facebook page,

 

Good Rehearsal, Glass of Wine, Tired Blog Post

As I was getting ready to leave rehearsal tonight, a fellow actor said, “Something tells me Cindy is going to go home and have a nice glass of wine.”  I thought that would be an excellent idea, and perhaps motivate me to make a post-rehearsal post, since I let the pre-rehearsal part of the day escape me.  As regular readers know, rehearsal was for Prescription: Murder, at Ilion Little Theatre, and this blog is for the present time All Prescription: Murder All The Time.

He hasn’t gotten to the one more thing yet.

I do not have any pictures from tonight’s rehearsal, but I found some I haven’t used yet from other rehearsals.  We are in dress rehearsals now, so I will try to get some pictures tomorrow so you can see the costumes and hair.  We have a very talented lady helping us out with hair.

I totally want a pair of shoes like that.

You can see my hand under the couch in this shot.  I’m dead.  I keep telling people I am going to have a glass of wine backstage to sip after I’m done with my two dramatic scenes.  Will I follow through?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my week.

I’m afraid I do not have a whole lot to say other than I am enjoying being onstage quite a bit, and I think the production will be a good one.  I guess I’ll just call this a Tired Tuesday post and drive on.

Prescription: Murder will be presented at Ilion Little Theatre March 28, 29, 30, and April 4, 5, and 6, with curtain at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, at The Stables, 13 Remington Ave., Ilion, NY.  For more information you can visit their website at www.ilionlittletheatre.org.

 

Pre-Rehearsal Mental Meanderings

I begin again as a daily blogger.  Today will be a Monday Mental Meanderings. For one reason, I am too old to do Middle-aged Musings.  It’s funny how fast you move from middle-aged to old.  Oh well, as my sister Diane says, Time is relative, not our relative.

It seems he has been there for some time.

I thought I should put a time-related picture just then but could not find any clocks in my Media Library.

AAAaaand then I just sat here with nothing to say.

That is as far as I got this morning.  It is now almost four in the afternoon and I have to start thinking about getting to a dress rehearsal for Prescription: Murder, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre.  Friday is opening night.  I think I need to study my lines some more.

I think this is my new favorite picture of myself.

That picture was to denote the passage of time while I heated up leftover coffee from this morning.  I read my lines out loud while it heated and then while I drank it.  I have not had as easy a time learning my lines as I usually do.  Do you suppose my brain is getting too old?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!!!

Now I have blathered on for over 200 words and must deem that all right for a Monday Mental Meanderings post.  I’m afraid for the next week this blog will be All Prescription: Murder All The Time.  Oh dear.  I’d better check again to see that I have all my stuff together (no, not my act!  Regular readers know I NEVER have my act together!).