This week's take on work and art and the rain
Yes, I'm back; I just haven't had much to comment on. I came back from a Preliminary (first) Thesis Review at work this evening; the student did okay, but he has to have an interim review, meaning he can't move onto the next one yet (so he has a lot of work to do). However, it's taken him 2 1/2 years to get to this point, so I was just thrilled to see him show up with some sketches, models (one was particularly cool), and some ideas. He is going to do an experimental music school/lab in New Haven, and since music is my passion, as well as his, I'm his client (I was also available, which counts for a lot ;-)). I was glad to be able to help. It's been a tough week at work, as we tried to get students through to graduation Saturday. It looks like we'll have about 75 graduates in total, counting the 20 from January, and that's the highest total since 1989 (6 years before I arrived there), so we're pretty excited. Frankly, I'd rather be at my sister's in Western Mass this weekend, since my other sister and Sammi and Matt are coming for the weekend, but I'll go Sunday, and it will be a nice ceremony and luncheon, plus tomorrow is the free concert at Avalon with Josh Ritter (excited to see him), Suzanne Vega (not so much), and Bruce Hornsby (could be okay), and A. can join me, so that's cool (we'll start the evening off with pizza at Bertuccis in Kenmore Square, as I have a $10 gift certificate; I love cheap evenings).
Speaking of cheap, I saw FALSETTOS last night for free at the Huntington Theatre at B.U., and it was very good. The kid, 12, who played Jesse was not spectacular (though I think he'll grow more comfortable with time), but the other leads, particularly Marvin and Trina, were magnificent, and though I'm not a huge fan of musicals, this one was interesting, with brilliant lighting and stage design and comic songs (more like sung dialogue at times) and I'm glad I went (plus I had excellent seats, 4th row mezzanine, with NO ONE sitting in front of me--yeeha). As far as the theatre world, I did not have my play UNCHARTED TERRITORY accepted by the Hovey Players in Waltham for their one-act festival in July. However, the producer wrote me a nice email back (after I wrote to him, wondering if I ought to bother auditioning), so I'll go and see what happens (it's in 10 days). I cannot tell you how bloody much I want to act, and as much as I said I would not audition anymore, but passion for acting has overtaken common sense and my fear of rejection, and so I go to auditions once again (except more tears in the future unless, by some oddity, I actually get cast this go-round).
I also sent two monologues from WORKIN' PROGRESS to a small theatre in Chicago; they were seeking short plays on superstition, and while neither were on that theme, they each had to do with a quirky character, so MAYBE that will be enough. I kind of doubt it, but I put them out there and we'll see (it would be so amazing to have another piece accepted by someone, and since this is in Chicago, as it works out, I could have friends go and see it if it gets produced). I actually hoped to be able to write something on that theme, but it's been such a busy week, that I've been too tired to come up with anything, alas, and the deadline was Monday. Oh, well; perhaps the theme will inspire me to write a 10-minute play that another festival will take sometime in the future. Oh, and I'm reading and enjoying (believe it or not, as I have not enjoyed many books lately) PREP by Curtis Sittenfeld. I can't quite relate to the character, as she has better luck than I did at that age, and has actually had men interested in her, but she also struggles, as Sittenfeld probably did, and so I can relate to many of the turmoils she encounters on a daily or weekly basis.
So that's about it for now. I noticed, interestingly, that although Diane (she of the "Sparktacular" blog) live hundreds of miles from each other and have yet to meet or even speak on the phone (though I hope we will sometime soon), our lives often eerily parallel one another's, and so her rather ho-hum week echoes mine to a large degree. This weekend should be fun, however, and will hopefully put me in a good frame of mind for PORTFOLIO REVIEW HELLWEEK, which begins Tuesday. Of course, if it stopped raining--it has been doing so for over a week now, without any breaks of sun or warmth--everyone's mood would improve. We MAY see sun this weekend, and not a second too soon. And if anyone complains about the heat this summer--assuming we HAVE any--I am prepared to slug them.
Speaking of cheap, I saw FALSETTOS last night for free at the Huntington Theatre at B.U., and it was very good. The kid, 12, who played Jesse was not spectacular (though I think he'll grow more comfortable with time), but the other leads, particularly Marvin and Trina, were magnificent, and though I'm not a huge fan of musicals, this one was interesting, with brilliant lighting and stage design and comic songs (more like sung dialogue at times) and I'm glad I went (plus I had excellent seats, 4th row mezzanine, with NO ONE sitting in front of me--yeeha). As far as the theatre world, I did not have my play UNCHARTED TERRITORY accepted by the Hovey Players in Waltham for their one-act festival in July. However, the producer wrote me a nice email back (after I wrote to him, wondering if I ought to bother auditioning), so I'll go and see what happens (it's in 10 days). I cannot tell you how bloody much I want to act, and as much as I said I would not audition anymore, but passion for acting has overtaken common sense and my fear of rejection, and so I go to auditions once again (except more tears in the future unless, by some oddity, I actually get cast this go-round).
I also sent two monologues from WORKIN' PROGRESS to a small theatre in Chicago; they were seeking short plays on superstition, and while neither were on that theme, they each had to do with a quirky character, so MAYBE that will be enough. I kind of doubt it, but I put them out there and we'll see (it would be so amazing to have another piece accepted by someone, and since this is in Chicago, as it works out, I could have friends go and see it if it gets produced). I actually hoped to be able to write something on that theme, but it's been such a busy week, that I've been too tired to come up with anything, alas, and the deadline was Monday. Oh, well; perhaps the theme will inspire me to write a 10-minute play that another festival will take sometime in the future. Oh, and I'm reading and enjoying (believe it or not, as I have not enjoyed many books lately) PREP by Curtis Sittenfeld. I can't quite relate to the character, as she has better luck than I did at that age, and has actually had men interested in her, but she also struggles, as Sittenfeld probably did, and so I can relate to many of the turmoils she encounters on a daily or weekly basis.
So that's about it for now. I noticed, interestingly, that although Diane (she of the "Sparktacular" blog) live hundreds of miles from each other and have yet to meet or even speak on the phone (though I hope we will sometime soon), our lives often eerily parallel one another's, and so her rather ho-hum week echoes mine to a large degree. This weekend should be fun, however, and will hopefully put me in a good frame of mind for PORTFOLIO REVIEW HELLWEEK, which begins Tuesday. Of course, if it stopped raining--it has been doing so for over a week now, without any breaks of sun or warmth--everyone's mood would improve. We MAY see sun this weekend, and not a second too soon. And if anyone complains about the heat this summer--assuming we HAVE any--I am prepared to slug them.
posted by Sue B at 5:45 PM
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