A great article about my current show

Blocking

I blocked Standing today.  

I hate blocking.

I think in pictures and all, but the pictures are much different on paper than they are on stage.  And then there's height differences and body types etc.

And sometimes, I can't get the pictures in my head to translate.

I know the blocking will change from what it is now to what it will be in the performance.  But I still want to go into blocking rehearsal tomorrow with some idea of what I'm doing.  Just to give a structure.  So people aren't wandering around aimlessly.  It's always worked for me before...but this time I'm having doubts.  

And I'm worried about this cast trusting me.

Yeah...I think that's the bigger fear.

But the more present fear is the fact that I hate blocking.  The trust one will be more present tomorrow in rehearsal.

What's funny is that in all of my shows, all of them, I have been complimented on my stage pictures.

If only they knew...

It's a GIVEAWAY!!!!

The show I'm working on this summer (Standing Still Standing) is doing a free GIVEAWAY!!!  We're giving away 2 sets of 2 tickets to the premier of Pixar's new movie, UP! for this Tuesday evening!

Scoot your bum over to http://www.SSStanding.blogspot.com for details on how to enter the giveaway and more information about this awesome show!

GOOD LUCK!  :D

Unsatisfied

I'm working on the spring show at BYU right now as an ASM.  My friend Dave asked me to be the ASM for the class and I needed some more credits last semester so I agreed.  Currently, my job is to sit stage right, set props, call 5 scene changes, catch an apple...I think that's actually it.  So far, I've played 4 full games of Phase 10 with my crew (I've won two!) and many games of speed.  We've had a lot of down time.

I am extremely unsatisfied with my experience with this show.  I don't feel creatively stimulated or satisfied.  I was just telling Dave that I need to find something about the show that I love.  There were several things that stood out to me during the reading we first did of the script.  I teared up 3 times!  But now that the show is up on its feet and I am involved in back stage-ness, I've lost any feelings of love that I may have ever had for this show.  I need to find something that I love to make this show a good experience.  I really hate how much I dread going to rehearsal, how useless I feel there, and how unhappy I am when I come home.  I know that you choose your own attitude or whatever, and I've tried to think positively about this show, but I haven't succeeded.  I really need to find one thing, even if it's just one tiny thing, that I love!

The sounds and projections are cool (they're fantastic actually!).  But I can only see like 20% of them, so they don't quite make the show for me.  The lighting is also really cool, but again I can only see very little of it, and from the side of the stage I feel like I'm missing something.  I wish that I could say that I loved the acting, but it's not compelling to me.  (Is it bad that when I'm watching the show, I just want to redirect it??)  

I really just feel like I'm putting in my time, like it's some sort of sentence...What can I find to love in this show? 

Wow...

What a lack of blogging!

I guess it's really obvious that I'm not taking any theatre classes or working on any shows that are creatively satisfying or enlarging for me.  

Sorry.

I'll get right on that.

Enjoy the break, I guess.  ;)

We are really resistant to change - if someone tells us "you should do this" or "you should believe this" we are resistant to it.

However, if we can read a story and vicariously experience something through a story, that's when we are able to experience a change of heart within us and be able to change.

That's why God tells us stories in the scriptures, in the Endowment session, and why General Authorities use stories.

It's why we do theatre.

God is a Director

My testimony is closely tied to my experience in theatre.  Last night I had a realization while watching a dress rehearsal of my latest show, Little Happy Secrets.  I was wondering what my role had been as director.  What had I accomplished?  What good did I do?  I felt very much like I wasn't needed for this project, like much of what was good had come from the actors and the writing, and I was the weak link getting dragged along with the production.  I was feeling pretty down about my role with the show (although the show is fantastic).  

I realized that what I was doing to myself I often do to God.  I get caught up in how "awesome" I am and what I can do "on my own."  My pride gets me in the way from acknowledging the Lord's hand as the director of my life.  I discount Him and give myself the credit, just as I did while watching LHS last night (discounting myself and giving the actors the credit).  

How do I solve this??