The 4th Wall

Ok, so I haven't written in this blog for a long while. Not that it much matters because I know no one actually reads this, but anyway. After the apprenticeship ended I sort of fell into theatrical limbo, I wasn't cast in any shows during the summer, then I finally got a cast in a show but it doesn't start until the end of September. Then to make matters worse my stepmom passed away this summer right before I was planning to go on vacation. Then I finally got an offer from the Shakespeare tavern (which is something I desperately wanted) for a role in Antony and Cleopatra but (heartbreakingly) I had to turn it down because I was already committed to this other show. When I got back in town it was back to school season and the tax free holiday so I have been working pretty consistantly at Office depot and with all this craziness going on, this blog sort of got forgotten. To be honest I really don't like living in atlanta. It may have been a mistake to try and stay here for another year. I'm not happy and I'm ready to move on. I will stay... [More]

---

Posted at: 07:15 PM | 1 Comment | Add Comment | Permalink

My apprenticeship at the shakespeare tavern is finally drawing to a close. This monday (april 28th) is my last day as an apprentice as well as the apprentice night performance. I am performing as the Duke of Suffolk, Prince Hal, and to a lessor extent Horation and a hell fiend. I'm a little worried about what I am going to do once the apprenticeship ends as I don't have any shows lined up right now. Hopefully I will get something soon. I don't think I can stand to not be acting for a long period of time.

---

Posted at: 10:41 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

Romeo and Juliet is over now, it was fun and I will miss it but I suppose it is time to move on. But before I do, I would just like to bask in the glory of this review that was posted online.

 " I always enjoy the productions at the Shakespeare Tavern, but this year's R&J seemed less joyful than in previous years. Yes, I know, it's a tragedy, but as their Artistic Director has said in house speeches, "It's a very funny play until everybody starts dying!"
Having seen previous Tavern productions of R&J, I agree. They can find the humor in anything! But this production seemed to lack some luster, some energy. Though Veronika Duerr (Juliet) brings a youthful exhuberance to the part (and she is probably the best thing about this production), it seemed as though she had more chemistry with her dad (Dikron Tulaine as Lord Capulet - also notable for his understated but very funny performance)than with anyone else on stage. I do not mean to imply that this is Duerr's "fault". I just didn't see much genuine chemistry between Duerr and Long (Romeo), though they did their best to manufacture it.
Troy Willis...

[More]

---

Posted at: 01:16 AM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

I'm currently backstage of the shakespeare tavern and it is opening night. It is act 2 and I can hear Romeo wailing about being banished (which means I still have a good bit of time before I go on to as balthazar to tell him that his beloved one night stand is dead). The show is going pretty well, the audience is small which is odd considering it is opening night and this show is usually sold out. After the show is the cast party thing which is cool because it means free food (which I am never opposed to). I have finished doing drop in work for the my scene which was an interesting experience and quite beneficial I am sure, and I am almost done reading Henry 4 part 1 which is what my fight scene is from.  I am trying to recover from a severe sleep deficit that I have developed over the past two days, but tonight should take care of that (I hope).

---

Posted at: 09:38 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

It's remarkable to me how short the rehearsal process is for a professional show. Romeo and Juliet starts having an audience a week from tuesday. I was kinda bummed when I found out that only like 3 of the apprentices were going to be in the audience opening night. For every other show the majority of the apprentices are there to show there support for the ones that are performing, but in this show, the majority of the apprentices are actually in the show. Oh well. At least I get a cool rapier fight with 2 (count em) glissades. Things are going decently otherwise. I had some delicious chocolate chip pancakes for dinner tonight and was rocking call of duty online. I suppose I should review my fights before tomorrow's stage combat class. I think we are performing them then. I still don't know what the last line of dialogue in my unarmed fight is yet. I also need to somehow get a copy of the music for madrigal class as I seem to have misplaced mine.

---

Posted at: 10:28 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

I'm at the tavern right now, at Romeo and Juliet rehearsal. It is going pretty well, I have gained an additional line in the show ("I know not, sir"). Hooray! Tomorrow I work at the depot from 1-10, and the next day same time. I'm not really looking forward to that.  My roomate is currently sick and so I am doing everything in my power to prevent getting sick myself.  I had a splitting headache last night, it felt like my head was about to burst. All this is irrelevant though. I don't really feel like I'm fitting in here in Atlanta, I'm not really sure what to do about it. I'm really craving some good japanese food (non-sequiter, I know) as I haven't had any since I was home in Connecticut. I use to eat it all the time and I really like it if I can find a good place but I haven't really found one here in Atlanta (or Decatur). There is one I am thinking about trying, I should stop by it one night after rehearsal.

---

Posted at: 05:25 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

Things are back in full swing here in Atlanta. I watched Twelfth Night last night at the tavern with my fellow apprentices. My roommate was in that show. Overall I thought the show went remarkably well, it was very funny and enjoyable, although some parts did drag on a little bit. Tomorrow I have work at Office Depot followed by a Stage combat class at the tavern. We actually have combat classes the next two days in a row followed by a Madrigal class (which I still haven't learned my music for yet). Rehearsals for R&J are that day as well. Seeing Twelfth night really made me miss being in a show, everyone seemed to be having such fun with it. I'm really glad my rehearsals are starting soon. Other than that I've just been sort of lazy the past few days, it is the calm before the storm because once R&J Starts I doubt I will have any free time. But until then I've just been goofing off. I've almost beated Assassins creed (which is awesome and fun), I haven't gotten too far into Call of Duty because I've been playing around on the online multiplayer mode. My roommate... [More]

---

Posted at: 10:41 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

Hey everyone, It is new years day so Happy New Years! Last night I signed up for Playstation network so I can play games online now, I already know that is going to be consuming my life. I spent new years eve with friends, I had dinner with one of my fellow tavern apprentices and hung out and lit fireworks with a college buddy and his friends. All in all I had a pretty good night. Even though I was scheduled to work at 6:00 in the morning and I only was able to get about 2 and half hours of sleep beforehand. Oh well. Rehearsals for R and J start next week and Twelth Night opens friday I think so I'll be going to see that. This was actually the first year I spent new years away from home which was a little sad, but I still had a good one. To a amazing and successful 2008!

---

Posted at: 09:18 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

Hey all, I got back to Atlanta today. My flight left at 7:00am so I had a pretty early morning. I had a great time in Connecticut and wasn't really ready to go home when I left as it felt much too short. But now that I am back I'm ready to get back into the swing of things. I recieved some cool new video games for christmas so I'll be having some fun with those for a good long while. I'm looking forward to New Years (even though I have to work at 6am, bleh) and I'm also very excited for R&J rehearsals to start. Woot!

---

Posted at: 11:27 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink

It is Christmas day and I am up in Connecticut spending some time with my family. I have had some time to reflect on my acting career and have realized that in many ways I have been very fortunate. I have gotten something out of nearly every audition I have done and I have never really had to work that hard before. I have been a little frustrated over the past few weeks because I had some really bad "crappy actor" moments and it got me to thinking. I have been lazy. I haven't been doing all of the actor work I should have been doing and I have been basically operating on instinct. Now with the new year starting and Romeo and Juliet rehearsal beginning very shortly, I have decided that my New Year's resolution (among other things) is to do the work I have neglected to do for my roles in the past.  I have also begun thinking about what I want in the future. I know I want to go back to graduate school at some point, and maybe become a teacher, but more recently I have begun to play with the idea of starting my own theatre...

[More]

---

Posted at: 01:03 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink