wanna play in the Theater?

Right now Austin Shakespeare is preparing for Tom Stoppard's The Invention of Love .. a wonderful mysterious sometimes whimsical play.  We always have a place for volunteers but right now we have a job as Light Board operator.. http://www.austinshakespeare.org/drupal/index2.php?q=node/781
check it out!  show opens Feb. 19.  Can't wait. check it out! http://thelongcenter.org/event/invention-love/

reading new mysteries

I've been kicking off the new year by reading Helen Foster Currie's Alice MacDonald Greer mysteries.  I read Ghost Dog first which is actually the second in the series.  What fun! now reading Ghost Cave.  They take place in the Texas Hill country, which is described vividly.  The characters are authentic, esp Alice herself, the amateur detective/lawyer now living in small town Texas. Ghost Dog features the world of singer/songwriters and even has some lyrics in the back of the book!  The plots are just complex enough to keep you want to read more and more.  I just want to get the next in the series!

I love the creative use of language: is "howdied" a real verb? well even as a girl born and raised in the city, I liked it.  The romantic relationship that blooms in Ghost Dog is a special treat!  References to music, from Bela Fleck to Beethoven and notes on plants such as Japanese Allspice/Winter Sweet enrich the reading experience.  The atmosphere of both has an undeniable joie de vivre even amid the danger and murder.  It's a world you'll want to spend time in.

revving up for Cyrano!

One week til we begin rehearsal. Starring Marc Pouhe' as our hero, Cyrano.  Working on the nose these days.  Taking photos this week.   Jeff Britting composing music.  Leslie Turner designing set. Talena Martinez doing costumes.  An exciting time when it is all before us.  We will be replacing Marc's headshot in the poster with his image as Cyrano.. once it is created. perhaps next week. This is my fav play.  So great to get to do it!

Advice to the players Tips on auditioning (getting ready for Austin Shakespeare's upcoming Season)

To be successful today means to be present, relaxed and connected during your audition.  I want to a sense of who YOU are… at first very simply: your voice and body, spirit and personality.  Try to be relaxed enough to not use a “stage” voice, speak from your truthful voice. I am very interested in the uniqueness you bring to character.  So, don’t try to guess “what the director wants.” In fact, sometimes I see “something” in someone that I hadn’t anticipated and changed my vision of a character.

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What is important is:

Be clear about what the words mean, ie what you are saying each moment.  Don’t anticpipate.  Discover with each phrase. 

If you are doing a speech, SHARE what you are saying with me. Mean what you are saying.  The words will get you what the character wants.  What is the result you want in this moment from saying these words?

And you want to get it NOW as the immediate result of your speech.  Did you get what you want or not by the end of your speech? Show that at the conclusion of your lines.

If you working in a scene, LISTEN to your scene partner.  Acting is re-acting.

Plunge into the moment.  Take Risks, surprise me. Surprise yourself…. And enjoy it all your can. 

NERVES.  It is natural to feel stress at auditioning.  Envision a relaxed environment before you come into the room.  Tell yourself that relaxing will help you perform better.  Breathe, drink water.  Be present.  Seeing the audition as a playful game is probably the best framework.   Again try to enjoy, relax and be present.  Let all your tension turn into that energy that is excitement. 

Coach yourself with kindness to do that. 

summer refreshing...

My job directing and teaching for Austin Shakespeare is kinda done for this season.  Now looking forward to planning for upcoming shows which start in Sept.

Also thinking about my own playwriting this summer.  Planning Late Aug. Auditions for actors for upcoming CYRANO starring Marc Pouhe.  Interviewing designers, planning budget for entire year … but most of all taking moments every day to refresh and renew.  Listening to new music classical (Vaughn Williams) and pop ((Ed Sheeran).  Gardening… sometimes just taking enough time to water plants and look at birds.  Of course reading, looking forward to Frances Mayes autobio Under Magnolia.  you can always check out Austin Shakespeare for upcoming info!

Shakespeare camp!

It's not too late to enroll in Summer Shakespeare Camp! June 23-27 For ages 11-15. A week-long session presents a series of workshops designed to tap into campers’ natural abilities (no previous experience needed here!) and to engage their creative intelligence. Workshop classes include:   Acting---Stage combat---Text analysis---Movement---Design Each session finishes with a mini performance of Shakespeare scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream staged and acted by campers for an audience of family and friends. Austin Shakespeare Camp will focus on three major aspects of theatre production:   Exploring Shakespeare introduces students to the beauty and meaning of Shakespeare's language and to what life was like in Elizabethan times.   Basics of Acting uses voice and movement exercises to challenge students to use the power and expressiveness of their voices and bodies when conveying thoughts, moods and character traits.   Ensemble & Collaboration allows campers to experience the power of ensemble work.   Actor and AISD Teacher Nancy Owens leads the workshop. Camp is 9:00 am - Noon, Monday – Friday. Workshop performance Friday. St. Michael’s Catholic Academy 3000 Barton Creek Blvd.   For information and enrollment, email Nicole at nic625@hotmail.com or call Alex at austin shakespeare.org

Rehearsing Othello with Austin Shakespeare... what an amazing play.  Stands proudly next to the great tragedies of Macbeth and Hamlet.  The cast is super smart and talented.  We open on Feb. 13 at the Long Center just in time for Valentine's Day.  Smother your love with kisses.

Belle of Amherst Act 1 Clip

The Hamlet Weblog featuring Shakespeare Blogs: 'Shakespeare on Stage: Thirteen Leading Actors on Thirteen Key Roles' by Julian Curry.

The Hamlet Weblog featuring Shakespeare Blogs: 'Shakespeare on Stage: Thirteen Leading Actors on Thirteen Key Roles' by Julian Curry.

thinking about playwriting

Getting ready to put together an Artist's Way group at the Austin Museum of Art and journaling and thinking about my own playwriting or lack thereof. I am thinking abt doing a reading for Austin Shakes of my version of Antigone. That "should live" .... I have lots of drafty stuff for a play about American/freedom and the Middle East, mainly Turkey. But soo much more to do on that. Weekends are really the best time for playwriting if we don't have a show in rehearsal and that won't be for months... so ... time to dig into the journal more and do some soul searching. What do I really want to write about. what subjects do I want to live with a year or two or three. Old friends like Jason Phelps ask me about playwriting and I just have to shrug and say I haven't been doing it seriously in the three years I have been at austin shakes. But that is part of the reason the Artist's Way group can help me.. give me the jump start I need.