The Gregory Awards

Since this summer I have been working with The Gregory Awards [The Puget Sound Theatre Awards] as their Social Media Manager. I have been a Facebooking, Tweeting, Tumbling, Cross-Posting, Content Creating Artist.

Artist may be a bit of a stretch. BUT there is Art in Advertisement, in Publicity, in Social Media. A creation of a persona, a purpose for each website maintained. It’s not me. It’s the Gregory Awards. That’s acting right? It has given me a lot of opportunity to connect with local artists, to check out websites I normally wouldn’t have found, to write. To write, A LOT. It’s been an artistic adventure guiding people from one website to the next until they found themselves at ACT on October 17, 2011 for the real deal. I only hope the real live people who followed [are following] us are as excited about how this year’s Gregory Awards went and are even more excited for what next year has to offer as we all are.

This was the only picture I have from this year’s awards. All the others I’m bent over my phone capturing the night to be shared via Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr/TheInternet with those who couldn’t make it to the totally rad celebration of Puget Sound Theatre [if I do say so myself.]

Hope you enjoyed it Tw’orld! I’ve enjoyed being a part of creating it for you!

Stage Fright

I still get stage fright. It is momentary, the instants waiting in the wing to enter. My stomach turns a little bit. My breathing is quicker than usual. I have to pee. I always have to pee right before I go on stage no matter how many times I go before places are called. It’s stage fright. My body’s version anyway.

I am not a good phone person. My hearing is not 100% it’s not bad it’s just not 100%. It makes me self conscious. I often have to ask people to repeat themselves in person & it only gets worse on the phone. Not to mention I’m awkward. In life but it’s exponentially worse on the phone. I’m a visual person. I use my body to talk. My sarcastic facial expression does not communicate well over the phone. Neither does yours.

I did something I’ve never done before last week. I did a radio interview. For a radio show in LA. While I was in Seattle. I did a radio interview on the phone. There was no stage but boy, did I have to pee.

I had about 1001 horrible scenarios run through my head in the 3 minutes I waited on hold. Forgetting names. Saying Umm one too many times. Swearing. Hiccups. Coughing fits. Saying something just to fill the silence. Silence. I will admit to doing a little bit of yoga breathing to bring myself down from what I’m sure the ER would have qualified as hyperventilating. And then I was on the air. I could hear. I could breathe and suddenly I no longer needed to pee.

It was a new experience for me & one I am thankful to Brett & Nett for guiding me through so well. I was given the chance to speak on several things I am extremely passionate about including BYT & arts education and I am truly excited to give you the opportunity to hear what we discussed… Listen Here

I love stage fright. It reminds me that  I get to experience something new & exciting every time I walk on stage. Pick up the phone. Go to an audition. Sing. It reminds me why I love my job. The new experiences I get. The new people I am lucky to meet. It reminds me that I can’t control everything and I remind myself that that’s ok. That that’s life.

I love it. All of it. Even when I really, really have to pee.

Christmas Comes Early

Last week were Fall auditions for the Bellevue Youth Theatre. After 6 months, directing 2 shows & working on 3 other productions I was excited  to be recognizing a lot of the kids coming through.

This season I will be adapting & directing A Christmas Carol which will start off the holiday season performing Thanksgiving weekend. I have finalized my casting [43 actors] and am now working to complete my adaptation.

As one of my favorite stories I am trying very hard to stay true to the original story while creating new parts to be played by showing scenes with characters who are mentioned but rarely seen. We will be performing at the Theatre @ Meydenbauer in downtown Bellevue. It will be my first time directing for a 500 seat house [ok. 410]. I am seriously looking forward to the new experience and all it has to teach me. I can’t wait to share this story, experience, cast, production with you this holiday season. It seems to be coming quicker every year. Does that mean I’m growing up? Do. Not. Tell. Santa!

Teaching Art When Schools Can’t

Schools budgets are being cut everywhere. Unfortunately the first programs we see getting cut from schools are the arts, especially in the elementary & middle schools. It is disappointing but it also provides the opportunity for professional artists around the country to step up and find ways to keep arts education available. The arts education I received as a child made me who I am today. I am committed to providing arts opportunities to children for the rest of my life.

This Fall, besides continuing my work at the Bellevue Youth Theatre, I am very happy & excited to announce I was hired by the Stone Soup Theatre as a Teaching Artist. I will be teaching after school classes for grades K-2 in several Seattle schools starting this September!

I truly believe as artists we must see the serial execution of arts programming in public schools as an opportunity – to create classes, workshops, find grants, coach and teach on our own & through our own companies. As a national theatre community we must rally together to provide these chances for kids. They are our next generation of artists & patrons and we have an obligation as professionals to teach them what amazing experiences await them in the arts.

This Week :: AS YOU LIKE IT

My first adventure into directing Shakespeare AND to top it off – Shakespeare in the Park. It has been a wonderful, enlightening, challenging project/summer/experience. I truly hope to get the chance to share it with you. My actors have worked so hard all summer and deserve to show it off to full parks of people.

We invite you to come discover the Forest of Arden with us…

Your Formal Invitation –> As You Like It

Look forward to seeing you there!

Stage Directors & Choreographers Society Observership

I’m so excited to officially announce that I was accepted into the Stage Director & Choreographer’s Observership program. Which means I am an eligible to apply for 25 opportunities to work with & observe master directors on Broadway, off Broadway and in regional theatres across the country.

If you are a young/emerging director you must look into this program! It has a rolling deadline so you can still apply for this year! The final cut off is September 15, 2011.

Check it out my fellow up & coming directors! Break some legs.

SDC OBSERVERSHIP or LIKE them on Facebook for updates!