harsh reality

It has been the most exciting and scariest summer yet. I have loved every minute of the city but come August 13, if I don't have a job I'm headed home. It's not that I don't love home. I miss it and I miss the people, but at the same time I can't do the work that I love there. Over the past few weeks I have been applying for jobs like crazy. Anything and everything I could find. Some dream jobs, so just jobs that would mean I could stay in the city, others that are not marketing but would let me work in other areas of the theater. It is funny because when you are in school they talk so big about how you can get a job if you intern a bunch or have all this experience and yet it still isn't enough. I also find it hard to think that someone has to get an idea of you from two sheets of paper. I don't know, I guess I just feel lost because for the first time in 23 years I don't have a class schedule to go to and being the planner that I am, I can't make any plans because of all the unknowns.

I don't really bring up my job searching much to my mom because I know she really wants me to come home or closer to home. She always talks about how she and dad moved to LA and how hard it was and I get that, but this is different. I am so much closer to home and I am in a city where so many people share my passion. I have friends here and more are moving up. I am not sure where it came from but tonight she brought up what I was planning to do. Couple that conversation with a lack of sleep and you get me crying on the phone as my mom talks about the reality I am dreading having to face. She mentioned that people keep asking what I was going to do and that it didn't matter that she didn't have an answer for them but that I really needed to think about things. Which let me tell you, I have done more than she knows.

It makes me made because I have applied for so many jobs that I am more than qualified for and I have all the experience that everyone at school made such a big deal about and it is getting me no where. A few minutes later my dad called. Where my mom was realty my dad was the voice of reason tonight. Sometimes he is a little harsh about reality, but tonight he knew just what to say, or just what I needed to hear. It was comforting to hear him tell me to just keep trying and when he came to visit we could talk things over. I am just hoping things will come together. I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life, but I know I want to work with the arts and even if I do go home, I want it to be with a few years experience here that will give me a leg up on the competition.

Love, Loss and What I Wore

Earlier this week at work we got an e-mail for Comp tickets to see the new cast of Love, Loss and What I Wore. I had the show on my list to see and what a better way to see it than free! The cast, which rotates monthly (usually) is five women telling stories triggered by the memory of clothing and accessories based on the book by the same name. The new cast includes Haylie Duff, Penny Fuller, Sharon Lawrence, Ashley Austin Morris, and Myra Lucretia Taylor. The stage is simple and they ladies are all in black dresses sitting on bar stools with music stands that have the stories for reference. What is so amazing is how much you have in common with the stories. I loved one that talked about choosing the right shoe, how you loved high heels but they hurt. It is hard to explain, but it was a unique concept that I really enjoyed. One character had images on coat hangers that showed the clothes she was talking about and at the end she showed the audience how to draw themselves. Here were her instructions (aka drawing for dummies):

draw two rectangles (one is the top; the other the skirt or bottom of the dress)
draw arms, but put your hands behind your back if you don't know how to draw them
draw an egg for the head
two lines for the neck
you can be sleeping, draw eyes and lots of mascara
an l for the nose
an m for the mouth and then add the lower part
add some hair
three lines for the legs
finish with the shoes
add detailing to the dress to match your clothes!

It's as simple at that!

A Short Week

This week felt like it went by really fast. I am in the process of applying for jobs, which is nerve-racking and daunting. Now that I have been in the city for a while, I do not want to leave. I love it here, the pace, the atmosphere, the shows. I have thought about looking for jobs in other cities, but I can 't figure out another city that I could work with the arts like I can here in New York. Slowly but surely I am getting to know people which is exciting. Probably the toughest thing about meeting people is that I am not a big drinker and that always seems to be weird. It's not that I am against drinking, but I have never cared for the taste of any of it, so I just don't drink it. I'm just as picky with food! My favorite drink is a champagne sorbet from Madrid, but that isn't easily accessible here in the states. I have found that I love strawberry margaritas. But most restaurants don't make them right. I want half regular margarita and half strawberry; the sour part of the mix but the sweetness of the strawberry - perfection. And not too much tequila. blah! But back to jobs...I have applied to a few. It is hard because they want a bajillion years of experience and I have great experience but most is in the form of an internship. What is frustrating is that paper doesn't begin show the extent of my work.

So Monday was a nice night to chill out and watch my Gamecocks dominate in Game one of the championship at the College World Series against UCLA. They won 7-1 and were is a good position going into Tuesday's game. Tuesday evening I went to see Next Fall. It was nominated for Best Play (and should have won). It was a brilliant play that tells the story of Adam and Luke that begins in the hospital waiting room and then flashes back to fills you in on how they meet, the growth of their relationship and their insecurities. When Luke is hit by a taxi and in the hospital, Adam is not allowed to see him because it is "family only." Luke had also never told his family that he way gay and they were not accepting of that type of relationship either, so he had never told them about Adam. The show made me laugh but also made me cry. Actually there might not have been a dry eye. Grown men sitting in front of me were brought to tears in the poignant, hard hitting issue. I wasn't familiar with the cast much going in, but Luke (PATRICK HEUSINGER) is on Gossip Girl and I grew up watching Connie Ray on The Torkelson's (played Luke's mom). Sadly the show is closing Sunday. I only wish I had time to see it again.

From their website:

NEXT FALL has captured the hearts and minds of Broadway’s toughest critics and most discerning audiences. In this contemporary love story, sparks of genuine humor lighten even the most difficult moments. The characters speak and act like real people; they have irrational phobias… conflicting beliefs… and lingering secrets. They are two men in love, two parents in denial, and two friends on speed dial. NEXT FALL weaves a story that’s as funny and infuriating and unpredictable as life itself – it will make you smile, laugh and perhaps even cry. Bring someone you care about, take a deep breath, and enjoy this bonafide Broadway hit.

Next Fall was over in time for me to get back to my place to see the end of Game two in the CWS. My wonderful friend Molly had been texting me game updates, but they were not what I wanted to see! We were losing 0-1 in the eighth by the time I started watching. Then we tied the game! I could finally breath. Next came overtime/ extra innings (as if 9 weren't already enough). Tenth inning, nothing, eleventh inning UCLA nothing, Gamecocks, a run! You could see the smile on his face as he ran in, knowing that they had just won. The University of South Carolina GAMECOCKS were the National Champions. It was amazing! Although I am not sure that my neighbors appreciated my cheering. And how are you supposed to go to sleep after that? I was shaking, so excited. So mark your calendars, but July 1 is Gamecock National Championship Day! These are the things that make me miss Columbia soooo much! But I am so proud on my Gamecocks!

Wednesday night I was invited by Chris (a friend of a friend) to join a monthly outing called Sushioke. I really had not paid much attention to the name, but I was excited to get to meet some people so I graciously accepted the invitation. Once I got there I learned that the name meant Sushi then karaoke and between to we stopped for ice cream (my kind of group!). It was nice to meet other people and the evening was lots of fun. New York karaoke is a lot of fun because unlike the south it isn't a country song every time and there isn't a stage per say, but people just sing where they are and everyone else helps. The first karaoke bar was pretty bad so we hoped in cabs and went to where they had gone previously. The cab ride was more fun than the first bar as we sang along to Lady GaGa's Bad Romance (much to the drivers despair!). Needless to say it was a fun night!

Where does the time go?

I could never have believed that I would be this on the go and busy this summer. To be honest I don't know where the time has gone. Since I last blogged, my friend Michael came to visit for the weekend from Washington D.C. and I can't remember the last time I walked that much! We got student rush tickets for American Idiot and had front row center seats. I am a little spoiled now and I don't think that I could ever sit anywhere else! We also got to see Hair one more time before it closed and Promises, Promises. During our walking tour of the city, we really got to see a lot of areas I had never been in around the city. Greenwich Village and the river area where there is a great walkway, Chinatown and Central Park. Sunday night was the most fun, starting off with seeing Jonathan Groff at Joe's Pub and finishing the evening with Broadway Bares: Stripopoly. After the concert, we got to meet Jonathan Groff and that made my night. Then we grab a cab uptown to see Broadway Bares, a huge fundraising event for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights Aids. Cameron Adams, who is originally from Myrtle Beach, was dancing along with 200 dancers from Broadway and celebs like Vanessa Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Diana DeGarmo and Lucy Lui.

Michael left Monday morning, which came way too earlier and I headed off for another week at work. Ashley, who I went to school with at USC, was visiting her sister and so we got tickets to go see Best of Fest, a fundraiser that showcased past and upcoming works from the New York Musical Theatre Festival. I knew a couple of the people performing, but I was very impressed by the talent and excited to see some of the shows to come!

Tuesday I went to see Best Musical winner Memphis. I went into it having high expectations because it did win the Tony, and it did not disappoint. The entire cast was so talented, but Montego Glover and Chad Kimball were phenomenal. I'm still not sure how they keep their accents the whole show. Definitely a show to see.

Wednesday I went to the Carlyle Cafe, which was an intimate dinning room and small bar, to see Sutton Foster. I got a bar seat, which was great because it was high and you could see really well. Most of the concert was the same as what I had seen in Charlotte, but she did add some songs from Anyone Can Whistle and for her song drawn out of her Ho cup, Jonathan Groff (who came to see the show!) choose Don't Rain on My Parade. My favorite is when she sings Sposin' (not sure on the spelling), which was a song taken out of Thoroughly Modern Millie and another song taken out of Shrek.

Thursday was the 4th Street Bar Association (4SBA) event for work. Beginning at 6:15 we had a pre-show cocktail hour in the lobby of the St. James Theatre, followed by the performance of American Idiot and then Sardi's for the post-show party with the cast (or so we hoped). Luckily, a good number of the cast came and hung out for a while, which was a relief! The whole event went really well and everyone seemed to have a great time.

Friday it was off to North Carolina for mom's family reunion. It was really nice to go to the mountains and get away for a few days. Maw Maw picked me up at the airport and I drove us to our mountain house. It was really weird to drive because I hadn't been behind the wheel in over a month! Other than seeing my family, I was most excited about the food! For dinner we had roast and mashed potatoes and peas...so yummy...and then pancakes for breakfast. Lunch was at Juke Box Junction and dinner was my all-time favorite, Grandmothers creme corn and green beans. I don't know quite how to explain them, but the creme corn it like dessert. I literally had a plate with half beans/ half corn! Sunday morning brought sausage gravy and biscuits with peach jelly! Spectacular! Sadly the weekend had to come to an end, but we didn't have a car because once again the mercedes was broken (between the two that my parents drive, one is always not working). My grandfather ended up having to drive us to the airport and my parents had to rent a car to get home.

Sunday evening consisted of cleaning my room and laundry, my most unfavorite thing in the world to do! Another busy week ahead!

Playing Catch Up

I am kinda behind in the blog so this is going to be an overview of last weekend's exciting adventures.

Cole flew in on Thursday afternoon in time to see American Idiot. We had second row tickets and it was even more amazing than the first time (mostly because I knew more of the song lyrics). Sadly John Gallagher, Jr. did not come out and sign and according to the door man he never does.

Friday I had to work until 2 and then we grabbed lunch at Smac, a restaurant that makes mac and cheese any way you can think of. Of course, I got All-American, which was three cheeses and it was great. The rest of the afternoon we spend shopping and exploring the East Village and Soho (making a pit stop at Baked By Melissa - yum) and then headed to see The Addams Family. The critics didn't like the show at all, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but we really enjoyed the show. The sets were creative and transformed into the many different rooms of the house. Most fascinating was their use of the curtain. Most shows just pull it up when the show starts, although many shows don't even have that now, but for this show it has two pieces that pulled to the side and then three scallops that would rise and fall to create different looks. Unlike many shows, where you see the sets move, The Addams Family would have a character singing or talking in front of the curtain and move the sets then. Of course hand stopped by and Uncle Fester flew to the moon - which was very entertaining. Overall I really enjoyed the show and its story. The music was catchy and I have enjoyed listening to it since I saw the show too. I forgot to mention that the cast featured Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. I do feel that the show was overlooked for Tony nominations, especially sets and best musical. I think it was way more exciting than Million Dollar Quartet is going to be (I'm seeing that is a few weeks, so I'll keep you posted).

Saturday we wandered around before seeing the West Side Story matinee. I was not looking forward to this show because I had seen a horrible version at Town Theatre in Columbia. So a little unenthused, we saw the show and I really enjoyed it. The cast was so talented and authentic. The mix of Spanish and English was a little annoying because it seemed to randomly switch throughout scenes and I thought it should have been one or the other, but overall a good production. That evening we went to see Hair again. We got student rush tickets for $25 and had the amazing seats in the box to the left side of the stage. It was exciting because the cast frequently comes out in the audience and they were right there. Like last time we got to dance on stage at the end for the eParty. The stage door for this show is particularly fun because the cast is so nice.

Sunday was jam packed. It started with trapeze school at 10:30 until 12:30 followed by a quick lunch and then to see Restoration at NYTW where I work. After the show we hoped on the subway and ran back to my place to shower and change for the Tonys! Doors opened at 6 and you had to be seated by 7. It was raining so it was a little gross commuting, but it was exciting non-the-less. From 7-8 you get to see the "early in the evening awards were presented to..." awards actually presented and then the live show starts at 8. There is so much energy there and the sound is so much better than what gets broadcast on TV. I was particularly happy that Fences did well because it was a great show. Probably my favorite win was Katie Finnegan from Promises, Promises. She is only in two scenes, but if you ask anyone what they remember from that show, it is her parts. American Idiot was a great performance, but seeing Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele was my favorite. When Lea Michele sang "Don't Rain on my Parade" it was mesmerizing.

It was a great weekend, but as Monday came Cole had to head back to Columbia and I had to go to work. I was so tired on Monday, but we had a benefit event that evening so I had to help with the set up beginning at noon and finally got to eat dinner around midnight, but which point I was exhausted!

Fences

Before I moved to NYC I got an e-amil with a discount to get a ticket to Fences staring Denzel Washington. I've always liked his work so I got a ticket. Thank goodness I did! It is a limited run show and the night I went the house was sold out of seats and standing room only tickets. It also features Viola Davis and the two of them on stage is electrifying. The play by August Wilson is performed on a single set, the Maxson's front porch.

Described for their website:

Both a monumental drama and an intimate family portrait,FENCES tells the story of Troy Maxson, a man torn between the glory of his past and the uncertainty of his future. Emboldened by pride and embittered by sacrifice, Troy is determined to make life better for future

generations, even as he struggles to embrace the dreams of his own son.

Although their have been other shows that I love, there has never been a show that I found myself so caught in their story and emotionally touched. As the show came to an end, I just sat their and cried for the loss but also the life the others still had to live. Very rightfully deserved, both Washington and Davis won Tonys for their performance and the show won Best Revival of a Play. It was truly a phenomenal piece. I feel so lucky and spoiled to be getting to see so many shows. Normally when we would visit for a weekend, we would see all musicals, maybe a play, but being here for the summer is allowing me to expand to see shows that under normal circumstances I probably never would have seen.

The Arts In South Carolina

As you can probably tell, the arts are a HUGE part of my life and this past week our idiot of a governor vetoed two budgets that were the bulk of the budget for the SC Arts Commission. Not only would eliminating this money cripple the agency, making it so they would no longer be able to give grant money to artists, but it would mean eliminating arts in education and any other program as well as staff at the Arts Commission.

I spent the last school year interning at the Arts Commission and the do amazing work. It is the first time I have worked somewhere where everyone is soooo passionate about what they do. They don't just work at an arts agency, the perform, the are artists themselves. A lot of times people do not see the work that they do, but they make a huge difference, both in the lives of residence and economically by supporting arts that bring money into our state.

Today the House overrode the governors' vetoes and now they are waiting to go the senate. PLEASE click here and contact your senator! They are listening.

Here is an article from The Daily Gamecock I was quoted in.