The first day of school feeling
I've been at the Utah Shakespeare Festival for two weeks, and it's been a whirlwind. I was talking to my angel, Tanya Searle, during a break today and we were both amazed that it's been two weeks. Of course, for me, I've felt like it's the first few days at a new school where everybody knows each other, and nobody knows who I am. However, those first day jitters have been taken away by the lovely people here. I've been welcomed with open arms. Given a seat at the table and been encouraged to be a partner in this process. By everybody, directors, actors, administrators, designers, choreographers. It's sort of like dying and going to the heaven I hope exists. A beautiful Shakespeare festival that is loving, welcoming, and filled with ridiculous talent!!
I love the characters I am playing in Much Ado and Henry VIII, and I especially love that I am doing Henry VIII. My new friend, Topher, who is playing Henry commented on how lucky we are to be getting to do this play, at this level, with so much talent. It's awesome! I also have been diving into my understudy work. John, the AD (and my former restaurant coworker) commented when we zoomed before I got here that they gave me some heavy lifting in that area. I assured him that it would be no problem, and now I need to back up that big talk with big work. And I'm on good pace. I know all of my main stuff. I have the hardest of my understudy roles down well enough that I could go through a run thru and call line only occasionally. I haven't started on the last piece yet, but I still have a month before we open and I ain't messing around. I'm here to work. And I am soaking it all in. I've been named fight captain for Henry, I haven't heard about Much Ado yet, but I'll be happy to do that too. I really like the approach to the fights and intimacy that is happening here, and it's definitely something I will put in my toolbox and carry forward.
I do miss the family very much. Luckily, we live in the age of FaceTime and I get to see at least two of them every day. Ellie loves to tell me about her day and she has sent me presents that I am opening one day at a time with her, virtually. Occasionally she allows Annie to talk to me. Corey won't get on screen, but we've developed a fun little text exchange that is pretty awesome.
I live in a beautiful house about 8 minutes from the theatre, with an awesome housemate that has the same thoughts about theatre as I do and he also makes bread, so win-win. The drawback of being outside the closer living quarters is that I don't feel like I know anybody not in the two shows I am in. But I have to say, every single person I meet is really kind and good. It's a much-needed recovery from the trauma of last year.
TTFN
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