When You Comin' Back Red Ryder?

Hear ye, hear ye! TheatreVCU will be presenting Mark Medoff's When You Comin' Back Red Ryder? This and next weekend. Check the VCU website for more information. It's going to be a fantastic show and I'm personally really looking forward to seeing it!

In other news, I have a play called All Women are Eve being presented in the Student Play Festival here. I'll update with the dates later. I will also be playing God (that is so much fun to say) in one of the undergraduate one-acts coming up in April!

I got to see Dr. Faustus, presented by the Richmond Shakespeare Company at the Second Presbyterian Church, and I absolutely loved it. The audience was eight people apart from myself, but those two men couldn't have had more energy if there were a thousand audience members. I was so impressed! I've seen other versions of this play, but this was by far the most creative. Graham Birce, playing Mephistopheles, is a senior at VCU, so it's always fun to see some of us in the community! Definitely go check it out. It runs through the 24th.

WOW, Way to Go, Caroline...

Gee, I'm great at updating, aren't I??

I spent all of the winter break working lots and lots...so I earned a little money. Sadly, it's not to spend on anything but school. I had lovely holidays and a FANTASTIC nineteenth birthday!!

I also got a callback for Theatre IV's "The Wizard of Oz"! This was unexpected because nearly a month went by before I was notified, so I had assumed that I wasn't needed. I'm very excited about the callback because a few of my VCU friends have also been called back! That's happening on Tuesday.

Tomorrow, there's auditions for the undergraduate directing one-acts.

On Monday, there's auditions for the Student Play Festival...if I'm correct, TWO of the plays I've written will be presented! This is absolutely amazing to me and I'm thrilled!!

Dates for everything will be posted soon regardless of whether or not I'm actually in the shows, because there's some excellent theatre going on and the word needs to be spread!

Cast Lists and INTROlympics

I wasn't cast in "Smokey Joe's Cafe", but congratulations to all those who were! I'm auditioning for "The Wizard of Oz" tomorrow, so hopefully that will go well. I was in it at Theatre IV a few years ago and played a Munchkin...good times!

Today, I have the INTROlympics...where all the Intro to Drama classes are reviewing for the final exam. I'm not really sure what this will be like, but it should be fun (or it would be if I weren't getting sick...again...stupid college, making me sick all the time). We also have our fashion show for our final Costume Construction projects.

It's sad to me that this semester is almost over. I've had a really great time! I can't believe how fast the time went by. It feels like I only just got here, and yet here I am, at the end of my first semester in college. I must be growing up.

"Smokey Joe's Cafe"

I had a callback for "Smokey Joe's Cafe" last night. It was a lot of fun and a very supportive time! I was one of four freshmen called, so I don't know what sort of a chance I have. I also wasn't called back to dance today...not really sure if that means anything, but we'll see! I'm not expecting anything since I've got a few more years here, but it would be fun if I got cast. I'm looking forward to the cast lists regardless!

Mame

I saw "Mame" today! Nothing like a last-minute matinee to put a cherry on top of your Thanksgiving break. My fellow Theatre VCU friend Brian Baez was in it, adorable as always, as well as a number of other people who I know and love and miss working with. I thought it was a great show, lots of fun, and generally a feel-good play. If you can, go see it!

Auditions for "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?" and "Smokey Joe's Cafe" are getting ever closer! Nerves are high on my end. Hopefully they'll go well!

Auditions

Theatre VCU will be putting on "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?" and "Smokey Joe's Cafe" next semester. Auditions for both are very soon.

And I am very nervous.

Medea

I saw "Medea" last night...if you have the chance, GO. It was absolutely stunning. I can't say enough about! I was so taken by Mary Vreeland...she is so wonderfully expressive. It was so easy to forget that she was not actually speaking! And I have a total "talent crush" on Landon Nagel. I've seen three other Jasons and he was, easily, the most impressive of all. I love the way the chorus was done and the drums added SUCH a great touch...gah! I can't say any more or I'll give it all away!

Seriously, though, try to go see it, because it's a beautifully done production. Hats off to the cast and crew!

Never Mind

Never mind, no "This is Our Youth" for me. I'm sick and it's highly unlikely I'll be better in time to audition.

HOWEVER...mainstage auditions are sneaking up fast!! "Smokey Joe's Cafe" and "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?" are the spring productions. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to sing. My voice is suited for standard showtunes, not R&B and rock! But I'll make the best of it.

Jenny and I are planning to write a play together. Not sure what about yet, but I'm sure it will be awesome!

This is Our Youth

I'm hoping to audition for "This is Our Youth" at the Firehouse Theatre. I really love that play and I've wanted to try out for something at the Firehouse for a while. I have to figure out getting permission from VCU, though!

JKF

Well, Gallaudet made Jane K. Fernandes resign. I guess the protests worked! I don't really get to have a say since I wasn't involved, but I do think it's important that the president of Gallaudet is Deaf, as well as deaf, so I hope they make a good decision for the next. Apparently, the Deaf community is partying hard...I kinda want to join in.
Some people are bashing the protesters, saying they were "stupid" and all that jazz...I don't think the protesters were stupid...I think they felt strongly enough about their school to try and campaign so that it can be as good as it can be. I often talk about things I'm not pleased with and wish I could do something about it...and then don't do anything. I think it's great that they held out and made a difference. Whether it was in fact for the best or not remains to be seen, but I do admire how strongly they fought for what they believe in.

Medea

As the opening night of "Medea" comes ever closer, I find myself practicing my sign language more and more. Oh, and also because my allergies are so bad that my ears are almost totally blocked and I can't hear a thing. Yeah, that too.

But in all seriousness, I'm really excited about "Medea". I like that show anyway and I think this production will be so unique! I'm also going to try to get up to Gallaudet to see "A Streetcar Named Desire", which will be in ASL with open captions for the hearing.

I really think deaf theatre might be the niche I want to be in. It's such a fascinating style and I'm really interested in it. I'll have to look at how to become more fluent in sign while an undergrad so I can maybe do my grad work at a school like Gallaudet.

My Life in Bullet Points

• I am going to withdraw from Algebra class and take it at a later date, after I've figured out this dyscalculia thing.
• I'm not a Marilyn Manson fan, but have been listening to his cover of "Tainted Love" nonstop, and so should you.
• I keep on writing scenes and monologues for the Holocaust Play Project...and I have no idea how to fit them into the script. But I'll find a way.
• FDP was amazing and my cast was hardcore. I had a blast and I can't wait for the next performance opportunity!
• I have lost six pounds. Fourteen more to go.
• I want to do something Shakespeare-related. Not sure what, but I definitely want to.
• I have no idea what to be for Halloween. It has been suggested to me that I should be Sara from "CSI" because apparently I look like her (I see no resemblance). This would be cool, but I have no time to create a CSI vest or anything. Any other ideas?
• My roommate cannot sing. Please note that I am not saying this to be mean. I'm saying this because she's singing with headphones on and can't hear herself, and NO ONE sounds good under those conditions.
• My ears hurt. I had them flushed at the doctor's office on Friday morning...and haven't slept for more than five hours since then. They throb whenever I try to sleep. Frustrating! Also, my hearing doesn't feel totally restored, which surprised me. Maybe that takes time.
• Apparently, Sweet Pea from Bath and Body Works is men's preferred scent for women. I have the lotion, spray, shampoo, and conditioner...and every guy I sit next to just smells me the whole time. Weird, but whatever...

FDP

I just want to say how much I love my FDP cast and director. They have made the experience of my first performing opportunity of college such a blast...I can't wait until we actually get to go onstage on the 16th and 17th.

Our play itself, "Small Word", is REALLY hard. It's all choreographed, all in the timing, has to be totally in synch with the other actors...yet has to be natural. It's absolutely hilarious, and yet we have to remain frozen and not laughing (my greatest challenge in this play, considering Jay's favorite pasttime is to try and make me giggle. He's good at it, too).

I'm so excited about FDP...I wish all the groups the best and can't wait to see the others!!

Diets...

...are awful. I'm hungry and I want chocolate. But on the plus side, I'm going to be slim and fabulous. I kind of refuse not to be. I'm (apparently) an adult now, and I'm old enough to actually follow through with a diet for once.

I want to do EVERYTHING!

College!!! It's like a theatrical wonderland!!!!

I can have staged readings of the plays I write! I can audition for the shows next semester! I can turn into a statue around campus whenever I want! I can try desperately to find somewhere to perform the play we were originally going to do at the Holocaust Museum (we're still looking...and we have no money. Suggestions??)!

I love it. There are times when I feel like I got in by accident, there are times when I'm pretty sure my letter of acceptance was meant for the name just below me in the alphabet...there are times when I go, "Caroline, why are you here? You're kind of bad at acting"...but then I think about it. Would I really be happy doing anything radically different? Nope.

I want to act!
I want to sing!
I want to direct!
I want to write!
I want to CREATE!!!!
I want to do EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!

Aaaaand...deep breaths on my end.

The Nerd

Okay, so, I officially love "The Nerd". I just saw it tonight (opening night!) and it was HILARIOUS.

Well, first of all, it was made funnier by the fact that I was all dolled up in my little black dress, my little black heels, and my adorable shawl (stolen from Kaytren...thanks, Kay!)...had my hair done, makeup perfect, etc etc etc...and it starts POURING down raining. Oh, and hail. Don't forget the hail, which by the way will hurt if it hits you in the eye. A lot. Anyway, Jake, Kaytren, and I were sitting together in the theatre, soaked and shivering. But we looked so ridiculous that we had to laugh at ourselves as we dripped all over each other while dancing around and singing to the pre-show 70's music (play that funky music, white boy).

Everyone was hysterical in their roles. I was most impressed with their physical comedy! It's not easy to do - I'm pretty awful at it - and I really commend them all for it. The Nerd himself was just...oh, Frank. You're silly and I will never get the voice out of my head. I think my favorite character was Axel. He just has these hilarious lines that I was a half-step behind everyone else in understanding. But I tried. Tansy was cute as can be...her facial expressions were fabulous (mime box, anyone?). The character I would want to play is Clelia, because I can totally identify with her mannerisms. She's probably the one I could play, were I ever in it, because I'm more likely to be able to act kind of nervous and uptight than anything else. Waldgrave, too, was so funny...poor, poor confused Waldgrave. And shout-out to the kid who played Thor...too cute! I just wanted to snatch him up and hug him! And, of course, Willum. Aww. Aww, Willum...he was great in his transitions from "Aw, Shucks, I'm Eternally Grateful" Guy to "I Might Go Homicidal. You Might Want To Duck" Guy.

So do I recommend seeing this? Absolutely. Go with some friends who make you laugh, because you'll definitely be quoting it on the way home (I know we were). Heck, it's worth seeing just to see that amazing Creature of the Black Lagoon costume (props to the costume department, where it was housed and where we admired it for many a class)!

This is Our Youth

I just reread "This is Our Youth" yesterday with Sarah and Dallas (I read Warren, but, you know, whatever)...and I remembered how much I love that play. I want to be in it SO badly. I would definitely consider Jessica to be a dream role. I know it's going to be at the Firehouse Theatre in March, but I don't know anything about auditioning or their rehearsal process, and I know I'd have to get permission from the theatre department here at VCU before I did anything...but I really want to do it!

I have been a completely caffeine-powered writing machine this week. I wrote two one-acts and came up with ideas for a few others, and I fine-tuned some of the script for the Holocaust project...all on about three hours of sleep a night. Okay, so I know that's really not the healthiest or smartest way to go about things, but what can I say? I became a college student REALLY fast.

I got a C on my Art History exam. Boo. I studied really hard for that, too! And then I did really well on my "This is Our Youth" quiz and I didn't even look over the script a second time. I guess it just goes to show...you do better at things you're truly passionate about.

Boo, Plays Being Cancelled. Hooray, Continuing to Pursue Them!

I know our play at the Holocaust Museum was rejected. But I don't care. I've wanted this too much for too long not to have it happen. Jake may have found us a new stage and I'm writing up a storm, trying to improve the script. We'll make it happen. We're too in love with the project to just give up. Yeah, it was tough having to find out that we were rejected by the same people who originally really wanted us, but c'est la vie. Maybe we can do another project for the museum. I just know that THIS one is going to happen. I feel it.

In other news, FDP is going beautifully. I love my cast and my director is just too darn adorable to be true. She's a grad student and is a lot of fun. I'm also pretty much healthy again, which is more exciting than any of the other stuff, I think. I can still barely hear a thing, but apart from that, I feel great.

Shout-out to Hannah, who makes me prouder than anyone I know on a daily basis. Hannah, you're the best little sister who I'm not really related to ever! (Kelsey's the best sister who's my age, before she says anything, haha)

When Plays Fall Through...

Our Holocaust Museum project was rejected. I was e-mailed by the man we sent our material to and he basically said that our play wouldn't hold an audience's attention and really wasn't a play. I don't know if he understood what we were trying to do with the material, but what can you do? It's over. I took it personally because all but two of the scenes were things I had written (and put my heart and soul into). Jake took it pretty hard, too, so I hope he's okay. Interestingly, Kaytren was the most optimistic of all of us (if you know her, you know what I mean).

I think we might try to get it produced elsewhere, maybe even here at VCU. I'll keep y'all posted.

Boo, various infections. Hooray, cookies!

GoodNESS. I can't seem to get healthy and stay that way. I was fine for a while following the dehydration spell, and now I have infections all over the place (sinuses, ears, etc). What's the deal??

But Grammy visited and brought me cookies, Mandarin oranges, and brownies...so that makes me feel a wee bit better.

We started rehearsals for "Small World", the ten-minute play that I'm in. I get to do crazy things like sing the theme song to "The Jeffersons" and yell out "POP TAHT TUOBA ERUS TON MI"...it's a funny play. I'm looking forward to FDP. It's too bad no one outside the department can come, because my mother really wanted to. Oh, well.