I wish I had more time...

I've neglected this blog as of late. Well... as of the new year. I apologize for that, more for myself than for anyone who might stumble upon this blog and read it when I update, because I really do love blogging. But once the New Year hit, my time was fully consumed with callbacks, preparing for the best role of my life, and yet another new semester.

I rang in January 2011 with the parents, with our usual To the Manor Borne marathon. Took two nights to get through, but who cares? Penelope Keith is a genius and I'd gladly watch her any day.

I got a callback email from The Final Battle 2011 a couple days before that, and the deadline was the 10th, so I decided to get it done early so I could concentrate on memorizing music and lines for Piazza. I posted it and sent it a whole week before it was due, and felt so freaking accomplished, it was a great way to launch into my last week of freedom before school started again. Which only felt even better when I got cast a couple weeks later...????

Seriously, how does this happen in my life? It's ridiculous. I got cast as Pansy Parkinson, and I literally couldn't believe it. I got in touch with the girl who played Pansy last summer at Infinitus, Lauren Fairweather, most known for her solo career, fiveawesomegirls fame and being in the wrock band The Moaning Myrtles, because we're friends on Facebook. I told her I was going to be playing Pansy this summer, and she FREAKING WROTE ON MY WALL BACK telling me that she was excited to see me in it! Just. WHAT?? UGH! My life. It is crazy =]

Anyway, I mostly spent the last week of break watching Doctor Who (which I adore and have had absolutely NO time for since school started) and working on The Light in the Piazza. So I was all prepared to go to World Lit first thing at 9am on that Monday. And that's when it happened.

IceStorm2011.

Which didn't end up existing all that much.

The Saturday before classes started, the school announced that all classes and activities on campus were canceled for the 10th because of incoming ice front. It also happened to be the same day as the BCS National Championship, so most people think that because almost nothing happened weather-wise, it was just the University's excuse to cancel classes because of the game. I would buy that if it weren't for the fact that the public schools also completely shut down, as well.

Tuesday ended up being canceled too, so I got an extra two days off, but only in terms of classes. The Sunday before classes started marked the day of the first Piazza rehearsal. All we really did was do a read through/sing through, but right away from that first rehearsal I knew I was in for the ride of my life.

This show has given me a whole new insight into my voice and my acting ability and how my energy works. Lately I've been just exhausted because of my lack of sleep and homework load and fact that I have rehearsal 6 nights a week, but when I'm on stage, when I am Clara, I forget that I'm utterly depleted of energy and it all seems to come back. I don't really understand what that means, but I honestly think it's a sign that this role is changing me. I'm learning so much through her, even if she isn't "normal" and everyone makes fun of me outside of rehearsal because I frequently have "Clara moments." It doesn't matter to me. I'll gladly live with the Clara moments for a few months after Piazza is over because it means that at least for a few weeks, I've truly understood myself. I bring all I have to it every night because I can't see Clara any other way. She wouldn't half-ass something, so I shouldn't either. And working in this way is extremely enlightening, especially since I'm at the core a very lazy person. Well... not when it comes to shows, but in like, everything else I'm lazy xD

Anyway, the point is, Piazza rehearsal is by far the best part of my day, and I look forward to it every night. I don't know what I'm going to do when it ends. Probably cry myself to sleep every night. I wish I were kidding about that xD

The only negative consequence of having rehearsal is that I'm really struggling to get my homework done for my classes. I'm almost taking a full load, I'm at 17 hours, and I'm working 7 hours a week in the costume shop (last week I actually worked 9, because I'm insane). World Literature, Theatre History: Text, Musical Theatre Acting, Biology, Jazz, Tap, voice lessons. I literally spent all Saturday AND Sunday afternoon just working on catching up in World Lit, and I started to get ahead in Theatre History. I have a Biology test on Tuesday and while I don't think that it'll be too difficult, I just have to make sure that I read over my notes and study guide a lot over the next day and a half. I also have a performance in Musical Theatre Acting that day. And a paper for World Lit due on Friday which I have not started and wanted to this weekend. Whoops.

This past couple of weekends have been really fun, however. Two weekends ago, after rehearsal on Friday I went to one of the local bars, Quixotes, for the first time ever with a bunch of people from the Piazza cast. It was nice to get out and be social for once, and I really started to feel like I was making real connections with my cast members. It was a great feeling. The next night we celebrated Jennie's 20th by going out to Olive Garden. It was just me, her and the Kellys, but we ended up running into Garrett's birthday dinner group, because Jennie and Garrett have the same birthday, so that was fun. We then went to get ice cream (despite the frigid temps) and then back to Kelly C's dorm to watch Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century. Hey, no judgements!

Last weekend I... don't... think I did anything on Friday night, but I'm probably wrong about that and I just have a terrible memory. Or the days are running together because with rehearsal I have no real sense of time anymore. Either way, Saturday night, Jennie hosted a Lord of the Rings night at her apartment, and a few people came over, including KDav, Ben and Savannah. We watched Two Towers and slept over and it was a good time =]

This weekend was Kelly Cochran's 21st Birthday!!! I woke up yesterday and went to Kelly's parents house for a lovely birthday brunch, where we had mimosas, pancakes and bacon, and then birthday cake. Kelly was, as always, totally adorable when opening her presents, and even modeled for me her prom dress from a couple years ago. Beautiful!! That night, after a couple location changes, we finally all went over to Quixotes to celebrate. Almost the entire theatre department ended up showing up, although for different reasons, but Kelly seemed to have a ton of fun, so it was totally worth me and Sarah staying until the bar closed with her! We all had a good time.

Today I went to the library with Kelly to get some homework done and to study some for our Biology test, went home, ate a Superbowl dinner that my dad made, got some more homework done, and then went over to Ben's to FINALLY watch Mewtwo Returns, which I've had sitting in my room for a couple weeks. Despite the momentary picture cutouts, it was delightfully lame and adorable, just what Pokemon should be!

Anyway, another long week ahead of me. Let's hope that I can keep up with the work load. Rehearsal will always be my haven, so I don't have to worry about that.

Until we meet again?

HPRT: I registered for LeakyCon2011 because I WAS CAST IN THE FINAL BATTLE AS PANSY PARKINSON. Yes way.
Current Book: Some Script Analysis book for Theatre History.
Current Song: Breathe Again by Sara Bareilles