Sep 01, 2008 12:49
Romeo and Juliet is sliding into place, like a massive cruise ship docking :) We are starting full runthroughs today and are still putting together costume pieces. The show's look is pretty simple--black and white (men are black, women are white), and red and green (Capulets are red, Montagues, green). I wanted to emphasize how strict the boundaries are in this piece, and also help the audience tell who was whom, especially with so many women playing men. This has been enormously stressful to produce, for some reason--I have literally been jerking awake in the middle of night stressing about shit, and suffering some weird kind of attacks where I can't breathe or start choking suddenly. Very strange and upsetting. But it's coming together--and as importantly, my performance is coming together. I'm starting to feel a lot more in command--I've been running my lines so obsessively that I can play with them now, explore them, think around them. I'm no longer daunted by the Queen Mab speech--I don't have it nailed yet but I feel confident about it. The one thing left that's still a little daunting is the death speech--I don't think I've ever died yet on stage. But I LOVE my two scene partners, my Benvolio and Romeo--they are an absolute blast to do the show with. Very giving, accomodating--they go along for the ride. And they tease me non-stop, so I frequently have to threaten them with ass-kickings. It's all good.
I love all the members of the cast--I interact with very few of them on stage but I had a cast party for them the other night which was tons of fun. Jodie (Juliet) and I had a long talk in my room where she was raving about the show and the experience and what a great time she was having. She's actually much more mature than I realized for someone so young--she is as unabashedly feminist as I am. Woo hoo! She loves the Holla Holla cheer (Holla Holla Productions is named for the Sweet Briar cheer, called the holla holla--"here's to ya, Sweet Briar, holla holla holla, nothin' that you cannot do-o-o! Here's to ya, Sweet Briar, holla holla holla, nothin' that you cannot do-o-o! Workin' for the good and workin' for the right! Always doin' somethin' and doin' it right, so here's to ya, Sweet Briar, holla holla holla, nothin' that you cannot do-o-o!" Don't ask me why it's called a holla holla, not a holla holla holla :)
Charlie (our Friar John and Lord Montague) said the COOLEST thing to me at the party. He pointed to me and said "I've figured you out. I've decided you are a doer." I beamed and said "YES! Yes, I am. Do or do not--there is no try." I just know I'm going to be glowing about that for awhile. That is high praise indeed, at least to me. Don't sit around (I mean, in lieu of action). Don't complain. Don't be negative. DO. My favorite line from The Untouchables--"What are you prepared to do?" I am a Sagittarius to a fault! (The funny thing is, I was wearing a Sagittarius-themed tee-shirt at rehearsal Saturday.) It's true though--it's the guy in me. DO DO DO. Make it happen. Make your own reality.
Man, I REALLY am such a Sag! It's such a great sign, though. The Archer, a fire sign, we're athletic, impulsive, very forward thrusting. I've always felt it was a masculine sign, in some ways.
holla holla,
astrology,
romeo and juliet,
sweet briar