A Dramatic Year in Review...
Well, so long to 2008. It has been busy.
I started out the year with Crimes of the Heart. A wonderful start to any year. It was certainly one of the most gratifying projects I have ever worked on and I was proud of the product and the work.
I zipped into Baby. This project was not as satisfying as the first. I did, however, learn some things about what I will do with my time. I shall trust my instincts about projects. I did enjoy working with Magnolia and Shelby and I worked with a lovely cast and crew, however, I know that I was disappointed with the overall product and that work was not stimulating enough to commit that time to a similar project in future.
I squeezed in Assistant Directing Cellar Doors, Secret Gardens at Walterdale for the One Acts. I don't know how much I contributed, but I did what I could with the limited time I had available.
Then what? The Fringe. On a whim I auditioned for Cinderella and got the Fairy Godmother role. What fun. I so enjoyed working with Linette and meeting and working with the exuberant young cast. It was also enjoyable to make money for acting. First time that has ever happened!
In the Spring I made a decision about going back to school. I had researched this over a year earlier but it didn't feel right then. Now was the time. So in the Fall I started Drama Classes at the U of A. It was truly a learning experience and I had to think a lot about how I 'do' my drama. I will continue courses into the Winter term and next year.
Overlapping with drama classes, I did Black Hearts in the Green Room, a new work at Walterdale Playhouse. This was a challenging project. It was one of the most difficult scripts I ever have had to learn. I was frustrated with some of the process because of the varying levels of abilities of the cast. However, I learned a lot about melodrama and made some wonderful friendships. This was one of the most enjoyable casts I have ever worked with and when we opened we were a real team. It felt good. It also felt good to close. I resolved never to do a show at this time of year again. It was too challenging with the demands of the rest of my life. Lesson learned.
Through the whole year I maintained my position as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Walterdale Theatre. I also participated in the entertainment for the 50th Anniversary Gala. I saw a lot of shows (Lion in Winter, 18 Fringe Shows, Half Life, Children of a Lesser god, Pride and Prejudice, Mo and Jess Kill Susie, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff, Spamalot, Hairspray, The Madwoman of Chaillot, A Pair of 3s, Desire Caught by the Tail, Without You, and Crazy for You) and tried to be reflective about their strengths and weaknesses. In any case, I feel like I have supported theatre in my community! I joined the ELOPE Board of Directors (although I have been unable to go to a single meeting - ha ha), and have been invited to join Kompany's Board of Directors (again, I have not been able to make a meeting).
What does the next year hold for me? Well, I have a big job on the horizon. I hope to scale back a bit, but I doubt I will be able to. Already I have 3 projects in the first 3 months of the year.
I started out the year with Crimes of the Heart. A wonderful start to any year. It was certainly one of the most gratifying projects I have ever worked on and I was proud of the product and the work.
I zipped into Baby. This project was not as satisfying as the first. I did, however, learn some things about what I will do with my time. I shall trust my instincts about projects. I did enjoy working with Magnolia and Shelby and I worked with a lovely cast and crew, however, I know that I was disappointed with the overall product and that work was not stimulating enough to commit that time to a similar project in future.
I squeezed in Assistant Directing Cellar Doors, Secret Gardens at Walterdale for the One Acts. I don't know how much I contributed, but I did what I could with the limited time I had available.
Then what? The Fringe. On a whim I auditioned for Cinderella and got the Fairy Godmother role. What fun. I so enjoyed working with Linette and meeting and working with the exuberant young cast. It was also enjoyable to make money for acting. First time that has ever happened!
In the Spring I made a decision about going back to school. I had researched this over a year earlier but it didn't feel right then. Now was the time. So in the Fall I started Drama Classes at the U of A. It was truly a learning experience and I had to think a lot about how I 'do' my drama. I will continue courses into the Winter term and next year.
Overlapping with drama classes, I did Black Hearts in the Green Room, a new work at Walterdale Playhouse. This was a challenging project. It was one of the most difficult scripts I ever have had to learn. I was frustrated with some of the process because of the varying levels of abilities of the cast. However, I learned a lot about melodrama and made some wonderful friendships. This was one of the most enjoyable casts I have ever worked with and when we opened we were a real team. It felt good. It also felt good to close. I resolved never to do a show at this time of year again. It was too challenging with the demands of the rest of my life. Lesson learned.
Through the whole year I maintained my position as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Walterdale Theatre. I also participated in the entertainment for the 50th Anniversary Gala. I saw a lot of shows (Lion in Winter, 18 Fringe Shows, Half Life, Children of a Lesser god, Pride and Prejudice, Mo and Jess Kill Susie, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff, Spamalot, Hairspray, The Madwoman of Chaillot, A Pair of 3s, Desire Caught by the Tail, Without You, and Crazy for You) and tried to be reflective about their strengths and weaknesses. In any case, I feel like I have supported theatre in my community! I joined the ELOPE Board of Directors (although I have been unable to go to a single meeting - ha ha), and have been invited to join Kompany's Board of Directors (again, I have not been able to make a meeting).
What does the next year hold for me? Well, I have a big job on the horizon. I hope to scale back a bit, but I doubt I will be able to. Already I have 3 projects in the first 3 months of the year.
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