Towanda Goes Cockney

So this has been roller coaster weekend. Lots of craziness I haven't asked for or wanted. Trying to tip my life back t the awesome side, slowly but surely. If only the world would come with! I got an offer for a lousy/barely/covers your travel expenses and perhaps one coffee production of Oliver. The audition was Thurs and incredibly empty. Less than forty girls, mostly no equity and all with a sort of sad desperation. It went well and they offered it to me. I haggled for the first time (before signing a contract. I'm learning)and I'm waiting to hear back on if I can get two cups of coffee from my salary. So I go to check my camp job (show rehearses nights and weekends and then runs four evening shows. Would be totally doable with camp)and they give me crazy answers. From the JCC, I didn't know you were interested (despite receiving my cover letter and resume?)and then schwitzing about low enrollment at the studio down the street. Two "irm most likely Nos?" "We're having budget problems" from schools I've worked for before. Ensue my panic. Day of pacing and more talking to myself than usual. Doing lots of calculations and what ifs in my brain. I haven't received my two coffee offer yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll take it. It's good creative team full of people who work all the time. Only two weeks where I am unable to go in and flyer or some money (the first week I'm still at Golda Och) It's less of a job and more of a two weekworkation. The hours are short (relatively speaking). The world has tried me bring me down, so this a treat from me to me. It's a two week bubble bath,during which I play some bizzare let's pretend. My motto for this weekend and life in general "Towanda"! This lady will triumph. Bring it world! Though I would really appreciate a break from suckey things for a while). I'll leave with some classic Towanda feirceness!

Awkward Shower Belting And Ramblings

It's been an antsy self reflective week so far. The kids have most of this week off from school, which means I'm off work. But one of my other part time jobs (office work (blegh) and some sub teaching at a small musical theatre studio literally down the street from me) is super busy this week. I haven't worked more than bits and pieces here and there for them, and they really only need me for small occasional tasks right now. Which means I've been working on their "when there is nothing else to do" projects. I'm almost done with them all and I hate making copies for four hours straight. Hopefully this will lead to better paying teacher hours during the summer once I'm done at Golda Och. It's also good to have some time to keep my mind off suckey life things. This week has been slow on auditions I fit. The one I had, I tried new material in my callback. It didn't work the way I tried it. So good thing to know. Onto the next one...next week. I know I'm making the right steps, upping my ante and such, but I just want to be performing again. I'm grateful for Showboat. I got to meet some great people and be able to spend the time with family when we all needed to be together. It also gave me both the time and the financial ability to be able to visit my uncle as much as I did inhis last few days. I'm ready to be back at 8 shows a week. In a rehearsal where I'm not just going through choreo in the back. I want to be face belting and high kicking on someone else's dime, not my own. And this has been my VAL moment for the day. Dance ten and so on and so on. Sometimes awkward shower belting does make you feel better!

Ups and Downs Across the Country

It's been an up and down few days. After getting the kids through the rest of Be Our Guest, I stayed up way too late re-editing my reel for the umpteenth time this month. This time without pics! Caught the red eye to Houston then hopped in a car to drive to the VA to see my uncle one last time. Didn't make it in time. I'm becoming way too familiar with corpses and how to clear out a hospital room after a death. It was good for my folks, especially for my dad that I was there, so no regrets! Back to Houston for Fledermaus auditions. I was one of final eight. Loved auditioning for Danny Pelzig. He cut the big group early and with realistic choices. It wasn't squishy sorry about this cutting but very tactful manner of fact cutting. It was a ballerina heavy group. I stuck out. Hopefully in a good way. Got lots of notes from Danny (always a good sign), had a grand old time soft shoeing to some Cole Porter and waltzing to Strauss. If nothing else, it was a chance to go in for a choreographer who does lots of my type of shows (multiple My Fair Lady's in the past few years). I liked his choreo and he was fun. I dont' know why I felt comfortable with a small Jewish man from New York. I'll have to thank my students on Monday.