September 02, 2004

Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart

I must admit; I worry a LOT about my new 8th grade class. I don't think I've ever seen a more chatty class before. Seriously! Last year was tough with them, since they were a 7/8 combo. One of the 8th grade girls has admitted to me that she wishes the class was still a 7/8 combo! Does she not see the disastrous effect this would have on the class as a whole? Apparently not. This is the only class I've actually had to raise my voice with, assign extra homework to a selected few, have a seating chart, or hold after class--IT'S ONLY THE FIRST WEEK!!!!!!!!!!! What is with them????????? I do like them, but they're harder for me than my bloodthirsty 10th graders (seriously, when drawing characters from Medea today, one of them drew Glauce dying a bloody death which happened to also expose her intestines! I don't THINK so!), and that's saying something!

I got a brochure today from one of the places where I think I'd like to go to grad school. This is a program in alliance with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. I highly doubt I'll ever be accepted, seeing how only 8 students a year are. I can dream though, right? This school offers an MFA in Theatre Arts. They focus more on the classical training of a performer. Each of the class requirements sound fascinating to me, particularly the one where you watch plays on film. HELLO! I love that! I own two copies of Hugh Jackmen's Oklahoma (I believe to be the definitive version), Pirates of Penzance, Kiss Me Kate (the one we saw in London, Dev! Same people and everything!), Crazy for You, Romeo and Juliet (set in the 1920's, with Meagan Follows!), The Taming of the Shrew, Crazy for You, and Charley's Aunt. I would love to add more to this growing collection. Ooh! This school also offers a three year, full ride scholarship and living stipend for all of its students! And the final drool-worthy detail, at the end of the three years, I would get my Actor's Equity Card! How perfect is this?

I've become very intrigued in the way of Carousel and where it is going now. Bob separates people by ages and then groups them accordingly. I have five daughters! Amanda, Julie, Katie, Jackie and Taner. They change depending on the scene. They range from 8-15. I feel like Mrs. Bennett (though, I hope, far more sensible)! This is particularly funny to me, considering I now have a part with a name in the show. I'm playing Arminy, who has only been married a year! Clearly, I've been a little busy since the age of 8, myself! :)

ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) will be having our area's convention the weekend after Mattress. It's in Sacramento. Guess what? Hairspray will be playing that same week there! I could not convince Mr. Libby that it was a worthy teacher outing, so I must pay for my own ticket. I guess it was worth a shot, right? I'm stoked!

Esther is coming the day after tomorrow! Woo-Hoo!

I really really really hope that on Big Brother 5, Drew steps into his position as one who will not back down from his own true feelings. I think that Diane needs to leave! She's far to manipulative and I hate that she really has all the power in the house. She kind of controls everybody and it's sickening. I don't think Drew will eliminate her, but I'm hoping so.

Congrats to Nina--She is the Duchess in UNR's Gondoliers. It's not one of their operas with which I am familiar, but I like all that I've seen (Pirates, The Mikado, HMS Pinafore, Patience). She gets to be a snob which should be a great deal of fun.

Congrats to Devon--your apartment sounds great! When do you start school again?

These lyrics are taken from one of the most beautiful songs that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote, "You'll Never Walk Alone." It was sung at my 8th grade graduation, at the time my adoration of Carousel really peaked. I know I might sound a bit batty, but I feel it is a true honor to be singing it with the rest of the cast in the show. I love the message of the song. I love the music of the song. I love the harmony in the song. I don't think I'll get tired of it. When we're doing it for real, I wonder if I'll be able to keep the tears from escaping my eyes. Gorgeous!

2 comments:

Devon said...

I didn't know that Meagan Follows was in a version of R & J. Is it good? I need to see that now. Do you think it would be at a library somewhere? And yay for the Hugh Jackman version of Oklahoma. I love it!

Hey, this would interest you: last night at the Mona Lisa I waited on this couple and their daughter (23ish) who is apparently an actor. She was talking about going to NY to see Wicked and how she was considering a part in that show and also the part of Eponine (which, incidentally, she liked but thought might get old as it was a bit "melodramatic" and she couldn't believe that her friend, who apparently was the last Eponine on Broadway, had been able to play her for years and years.) I really wanted to ask her more about her career, but they weren't really talking to me so I didn't.

Anyway, school starts for me in about two and a half weeks, (with the week before being filled with introductory meetings and such). Wish me luck!

Lynette said...

Dev,

Yes! The Meagan Follows version of R&J is incredibly good. I'd go so far as to say it's one of the few versions I will willingly sit down and watch. It was the production that was put on at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada. A library may have it. My high school drama teacher showed it to us when we put it on my senior year.

That's awesome about your customer. It would have been hard for me not to pull up a table and join them! :) Was the girl refering to Diana Kaarina? I believe she was the last Eponine. I saw her on the Millie Tour as Miss Dorothy. She was good.

Good luck in school! Is it in Portland?