Remember my lines & try not to bump into the furniture

So some strange goings-on around the homestead.

I am currently still job hunting, but the focus of my time has now been drawn into getting my lines down for the upcoming Prenzie Players production of Henry IV (Part Two of The Henriad). This is easily the heaviest line load I've ever had and were it not for the cast and some other friends patiently donating their time in helping me run lines, I would be in much worse shape than I already am. I'm trying to continue to pace myself, however, and not stress out about it as I don't think my body is fully back to 100% following what happened after quitting my job & now that my insurance is gone, I really can't afford (monetarily and physically) to revert back to where I was. My income at the moment is all CSz based, but I'm still keeping my head above water, as it were.

Speaking of CSz, I am doing a bunch of high school workshops right now for them and while in the middle of one, was approached by a director of a local theatre with a unique, rare, and once in a lifetime opportunity.

A director who was originally from the area and had gone on to direct the multiple Tony Award winning, The Boy From Oz (starring Hugh Jackman), was going to be directing the world premiere of a brand new play based on the life of Coco Chanel (pictured at right), entitled Creme de Coco, and staging it back home in the Quad Cities in conjunction with St. Ambrose University. I have done three shows with the University before, but two of them were studio productions, and the other show I was basically just an extra, so this would be a great chance to really dig into a role with them. The director of the local theatre, who is friends with this man, told me that they were still looking for someone to fill this role and he was recommending me to go audition for it. Keeping in mind that I'm still in the midst of rehearsals for Henry IV - which stages in March - rehearsals for Coco would begin immediately after Henry IV wraps, and then immediately after Coco wraps, rehearsals would begin for Henry V (Part Three of The Henriad). Auditions were right after my workshop ended, so I went over there in street clothes (everyone else was all dressed nice and very nervous in that 'sizing everyone else up' way that theatre folk do) with no preparation (knew nothing about the script and no monologue prepared), and I went over there really very relaxed and not that concerned about getting it. Personally, I prefer doing cold readings to prepped monologue auditions anyway - I think that's the improv side of me coming through. If I didn't get cast, I had Henry V to really focus on, but if I did and had the opportunity to work with the director of a Tony Award winning musical - not to mention a very talented cast, then that would be pretty incredible.

I got cast.

I haven't read the script yet, but I know I play one of Coco's lovers and, seeing as how many of the other guy roles are lovers as well, I'm guessing that the line load won't be too heavy as each lover has their own tale to share (which is nice because I really couldn't handle another heavy line load right now). Plus, I found out that the playwright and some casting directors from New York and Los Angeles will be coming to see the debut performances as well.

Now do I really think something big could stem off from this? No, I'm not that naive (that's too Waiting for Guffman), but I am honored to have the opportunity to work with these talented and accomplished people. And, taking absosmurfly nothing away from the Bard, it will be nice to memorize something that isn't Shakespeare for the first time in three years.

I'll post the dates, etc., as it gets closer and would love to see any of you there!

Whereas my employment and income life has become stagnant, all of a sudden my creative life is starting to flourish a bit. Now if only there were a way to merge the two...

Hope you all are well!

(Yes, this post contained no movie, TV show, or real pop culture reference....with the exception of the Guffman remark.)