Wow - its been so long i don't really no where to start.
Things are going well - hows that?
I'm really enojoying life here in the twin cities at this point. I have really developed some great friendships in the past few months. Teaching the kids is just more fun everyday, as they grow and learn more and are able to retain the things we teach them (that is the most amazing part about it). Auditoning and performing is continuing to go well. I am looking into getting some agent representation to start doing more on camera work soon. Right now though, i am home for a visit and will then be in Chicago for new years with the one and only EB.
i finished up my fall shows and am ending 2009 with some real positive work. I was really happy with the past couple of shows - proud to be working so consistently and having a lot of fun with the work and groups of people i have gotten know. Here's to it continuing.
As this year starts to come to an end. I realize how quickly 2009 went by. Pretty wild. i can't believe i have already been in the cities for 10 months. so much happened in the past year and i am eger to see whats in store for 2010.
I already have a couple of shows lined up. And what with teaching as well, it should be pretty busy right out of the gate.
I have a show starting rehearsals when i get back from vacation - this one is with the same company and some of the same people i worked with over the summer with my Fringe Festival show. This one will perform in February - not a large role but i do like the show. I think it will be a good one. Also i just heard about a show i auditioned for this past week - this one will be in April/May - really looking forward to this one (interested to read the script). It is with the Minnesota Jewish Theater Comapny. I havn't read the whole script - just bits and peices at auditions and call backs - so im not sure the whole story or what my character is really about but i gathered that the show is a pretty controversal one dealing with Orthodox jews in Meah Shearim in Israel and Homosexuality. (Like i said interested in reading the script)
I decided to not do the tour i did when i first got to minnesota again this coming spring. I was planning on it but once i got my teaching job and realised how much time i'd have to step away from the class room for it, i realised i didn't really want to do that to the kids. I think it was a good choice - its opened up some options for me - other shows i am now available to do (like the one i just described above) so i am happy with that decision.
Hannukkah was fun this year. i was worried a little bit about yet another holiday kind of on my own but one of my new good friends (the other assistant teacher for Pre K at school) is super fun, we get along famousley, and we had a hanukkah party with latkes and home made jelly donuts and everything. I think we were the only jews at the party but thats part of the fun. We told the story and tought peopel about dreidles and traditional foods and ate a lot! I think this hannukah i ate more latkes than i have in all my years of latkes . I owe that to Rachel- thanks.
Also celebrated with the Elhais that live in MN, we had a very enjoyable family hanukkah celebration together. I also got to decorate the tree - that was fun and pretty. Oh! and i got lots of hanukkah gifts from my students - a plate of cookies, gift certificates, a bottle of wine - really no one told me how good a gig this teaching thing is.
Now i am home - so far a good relaxing trip. Landed Saturday night - daniels bday. Totally surprised him - he had no idea i was coming home and it was a perfect birthday present. Its weird to be home with neither of the boys around. I do hope to get around to both apartments this trip to see how my brothers are getting along on their own. I hope to see lots of friends enjoy some good catch up and then head to Chicago for some new years fun. Thats basically it over here for now.
Hope everyone else is well
Happy new years to all of you, may 2010 bring success happiness and health to all.
-Roneet
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
P.S.
Changed my pictures check them out. Production pics from the shows i've been in since i got here. Plus a pic from the new one opening Nov 7.
Also to see something i worked on this summer go here (check all 5 out they are great) :
http://www.vimeo.com/videos/search:zipnosis
Also to see something i worked on this summer go here (check all 5 out they are great) :
http://www.vimeo.com/videos/search:zipnosis
Thought i would write a little.....
It is quite gloomy here in MN. Rainy for the past couple days. I woke up this morning thinking i had missed day lights savings switch because it was so damn dark. I kept expecting the radio to say it was an hour earlier than it really was and then i would be able to go back to sleep.
Things are going pretty well. I have a show opening in a week and half, so we are starting to get down to the all consuming week of rehearsals right before opening. It's been a fun light short rehearsal process. I have to say i am looking forward to the break from shows for a while. I do have a good few projects i should get to work on completing that were started at the beginning of summer!
Marisol was an amazing experiance - i don't remember if i said something about it here yet or not. It truly goes on the list of best theater experinces in my life. Just a peice of work i am so proud of. I loved performing it (as much as i complained before hand - it was taxing - i loved being on stage and going through her journey each show) I wokred so hard to make it happen and the result was something i can not really put into words how i feel about. I said more than a few times that i was jelous of the audience becuase i would never get the chance to see the show unfold from an objective point of view. The rehearsal process was so challengeing, frusterating, overwhelming, fun, feirce, and empowering. I really went through so much during that experiance from feeling to green and inadiquite to really feeling like i had found the charecter and her world. I will miss it terribly. And this next show? has been like some bad watered down coolade in compareison.
Teaching at the preschool is going well. I am enjoying the children more and more each day. They are so fun, high energy, sweet little people. When i'm having a rough day - regardless of whether they are the cause or not - they will just go ahead and do something real cute and i am powerless.
Recently the wonderfulness that is childhood that they decided to share with me was lice! Yay! SO i have lice once again after 12 years of critter free hair ::a little shudder:: The best part was when i was washing my itchy head with some extra strength dandruff somthing or other (thinking that would do the trick) i discovered a little bug on my finger. Having had two kids pulled from school becuase of lice at this point, i quickly google imaged lice and found a direct relative of my little friend staring back at me. FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN!
Yesterday was a day off from school filled with laundry, vacumeing, intense smelling shampoo, and lots of hair in my face. Also some creepy crawly feelings on my skin. again i repeat FUN!
The funniest part was when i looked around my apartment and realized i was worse than these kids: 4 stuffed animals, 2 pillows and a body pillow, 3 blankets - and thats just whats on my bed.
At some point you just got to laugh. Laughing is better than crying. so thats where i am.
The gloomy season and my cold apartment makes me think. i still miss home a lot, family and friends. I have made some friends here, but its still the beginging of those relationships, my freinds at home can be called fora trip to target(or insert any errand here) or to help me lug garbage bags of laundry up to my apartment, while i could probably call on my mn friends for that i feel like its just too soon. A friendship has to blossom before you can request manuel labor.....
I did plan a trip for my winter break from teaching, which i am so excited about. I will be at home for a good 10 days and then New Years is going to be with the one and only EB. Nothing could serve as better incentive to get through this gray season.
I didn't mention it here but i feel as if it might be time to let my blog followers in on things. Granted some of you already know, but the famous boy this blog was started in association with and i are no longer together. We broke up for several reasons, i will not go into, at the end of the summer, when Guy went back to Hungary. While this is a decision i am glad i made, feel relived about, and notice the differance in my life because of, needless to say, things arn't perfectly hunky dory. Break ups never are. They leave a lot of retrospective analysis and complicated feelings in their wakes. A rainy day is perfect for visiting that aspect of my life.
While not spending so much energy on that relationship has given me time to focus on my life here in MN, making freinds, working, school and shows, i still feel like i have a lot of time on my hands i didn't used to have. Yes i could use that time for the dishes in the sink, the memorizing or the many crochette projects i have lying around but somehow those don't get done. I guess i'm just chewing on everything a bit and finding it hard to be motivated to do stuff.
I am excited for this weekend. Going to hang out with 3 of my 7 mn friends (i'm counting) for halloween. Should be fun, i don't remember the last time i had a truly fun halloween. Maybe i just don't remember past halloweens now that i think about it......We are going to a show sat night that one of the freinds is opening and then who knows what the night will bring. i will also be doing my young cousins make up for his (truly yucky) girl costume (too much pink for me) which i know will be a blast. and of course lots of rehearsal. SO it will be a busy weekend which will be good. This past week i spent a lot of time at the family's house lots of birthdays in october. A different birthday dinner and present opening each night almost. It was fun to be able to be apart of all that. So aside form the lice thing its goingto be a pretty fun week in the end.
i guess all in all things here are good, just a little funk to go with the day. I could use a little sunshine soon.
Things are going pretty well. I have a show opening in a week and half, so we are starting to get down to the all consuming week of rehearsals right before opening. It's been a fun light short rehearsal process. I have to say i am looking forward to the break from shows for a while. I do have a good few projects i should get to work on completing that were started at the beginning of summer!
Marisol was an amazing experiance - i don't remember if i said something about it here yet or not. It truly goes on the list of best theater experinces in my life. Just a peice of work i am so proud of. I loved performing it (as much as i complained before hand - it was taxing - i loved being on stage and going through her journey each show) I wokred so hard to make it happen and the result was something i can not really put into words how i feel about. I said more than a few times that i was jelous of the audience becuase i would never get the chance to see the show unfold from an objective point of view. The rehearsal process was so challengeing, frusterating, overwhelming, fun, feirce, and empowering. I really went through so much during that experiance from feeling to green and inadiquite to really feeling like i had found the charecter and her world. I will miss it terribly. And this next show? has been like some bad watered down coolade in compareison.
Teaching at the preschool is going well. I am enjoying the children more and more each day. They are so fun, high energy, sweet little people. When i'm having a rough day - regardless of whether they are the cause or not - they will just go ahead and do something real cute and i am powerless.
Recently the wonderfulness that is childhood that they decided to share with me was lice! Yay! SO i have lice once again after 12 years of critter free hair ::a little shudder:: The best part was when i was washing my itchy head with some extra strength dandruff somthing or other (thinking that would do the trick) i discovered a little bug on my finger. Having had two kids pulled from school becuase of lice at this point, i quickly google imaged lice and found a direct relative of my little friend staring back at me. FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN!
Yesterday was a day off from school filled with laundry, vacumeing, intense smelling shampoo, and lots of hair in my face. Also some creepy crawly feelings on my skin. again i repeat FUN!
The funniest part was when i looked around my apartment and realized i was worse than these kids: 4 stuffed animals, 2 pillows and a body pillow, 3 blankets - and thats just whats on my bed.
At some point you just got to laugh. Laughing is better than crying. so thats where i am.
The gloomy season and my cold apartment makes me think. i still miss home a lot, family and friends. I have made some friends here, but its still the beginging of those relationships, my freinds at home can be called fora trip to target(or insert any errand here) or to help me lug garbage bags of laundry up to my apartment, while i could probably call on my mn friends for that i feel like its just too soon. A friendship has to blossom before you can request manuel labor.....
I did plan a trip for my winter break from teaching, which i am so excited about. I will be at home for a good 10 days and then New Years is going to be with the one and only EB. Nothing could serve as better incentive to get through this gray season.
I didn't mention it here but i feel as if it might be time to let my blog followers in on things. Granted some of you already know, but the famous boy this blog was started in association with and i are no longer together. We broke up for several reasons, i will not go into, at the end of the summer, when Guy went back to Hungary. While this is a decision i am glad i made, feel relived about, and notice the differance in my life because of, needless to say, things arn't perfectly hunky dory. Break ups never are. They leave a lot of retrospective analysis and complicated feelings in their wakes. A rainy day is perfect for visiting that aspect of my life.
While not spending so much energy on that relationship has given me time to focus on my life here in MN, making freinds, working, school and shows, i still feel like i have a lot of time on my hands i didn't used to have. Yes i could use that time for the dishes in the sink, the memorizing or the many crochette projects i have lying around but somehow those don't get done. I guess i'm just chewing on everything a bit and finding it hard to be motivated to do stuff.
I am excited for this weekend. Going to hang out with 3 of my 7 mn friends (i'm counting) for halloween. Should be fun, i don't remember the last time i had a truly fun halloween. Maybe i just don't remember past halloweens now that i think about it......We are going to a show sat night that one of the freinds is opening and then who knows what the night will bring. i will also be doing my young cousins make up for his (truly yucky) girl costume (too much pink for me) which i know will be a blast. and of course lots of rehearsal. SO it will be a busy weekend which will be good. This past week i spent a lot of time at the family's house lots of birthdays in october. A different birthday dinner and present opening each night almost. It was fun to be able to be apart of all that. So aside form the lice thing its goingto be a pretty fun week in the end.
i guess all in all things here are good, just a little funk to go with the day. I could use a little sunshine soon.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Well Hello There
Hey everybody!
So so sorry about the disappearing act. So much has happened including moving into a new apartment without internet - thus the blogger lameness.
The new apartment has gotten better and better with all the shiputzim (fixer ups) that have happened to it. The last of which will be heat. Once that starts happening i will be a happy camper. So far since i moved in - the place has been painted, the wood floors have been redone, new linoleum has been put in for the kitchen and bathroom. This does not include the total bathroom and walls make over that was done before i moved in. I also have to finish emptying all the storage unit boxes from NY. Then the place will really feel like home. Its a little lonely to live on my own but really only at night. Coming home from a show and not really having anyone to share with is sort of a bummer but i am so tired by the end of the day i am not bummed for long cause the second my head hits the pillow (and my body has warmed up the layers) I'm asleep.
After heat - internet is my next project!
Also I've started teaching at a jewish preschool at the local synagogue. Its a blast teaching little ones about Judaism and hebrew and all that junk. I have 9 wonderful 4 and 5 year olds. The are cute and excited about everything and sticky and of control and beautiful 4 and 5 year olds. I am having fun. It's a busy tiring day, I'm with kids from 9 - 1:30 and it is a 4.5 hour whirlwind.
On the theater side of things. I just opened my first show this fall. It is going great so far. I'm real proud of it. And its an awesome show regardless of me and what this theater company has done with it (i mean, don't get me wrong, that also makes it awesome). My dad took a special trip out before another one of his big business trips to see a final rehearsal because he last minute had to go out of the country for the entire run. It was wonderful to have him here - show him around my life (the school, the theater, the apartment) and having him as my first audience. The show is such high energy and fast passed that it takes a while to come down from the actor high, hence the sitting at a computer in the coffee shop/ice cream place a couple blocks down on the way home.
Yesterday i started rehearsals for my second show of the fall season. This one is still in the process of being written as we rehearse which is also a pretty interesting experience, i arrive at rehearsal am handed what we will be working on for the first time and add it to the rest of my script. And thats how it works. Should also be a fun show - i play a sort cleopatra type character in an adaptation of an old brittish adventure book.
Other then that - ive been trying to go out more and see more shows or meet more people. I was able to do a little of both right before tech happened. it was nice to be out with other people for a change.
These were my first holidays without anybody really - not my fam and not Elie. The past almost 5 years i'd say i spent almost every holiday with Elie and this was a change. I got through it fine though. Spent some time with the family that lives here which was nice and then went to services for the most part by myself. My coworkers from the preschool were very kind and generous in taking care of me and making sure i got into services somewhere.
And now its work work work until the end of November - thanksgiving really. December should be low key and then i'll have winter break. I hope to be some where warmer than here for the majority of that. havn't figured it out yet though. And then when i get back in Jan i'll start rehearsals for a show going up in February. That's abut as far as i have planned out right now. The auditions have sort of taken a pause with the no internet and no time thing. That's ok though - I'm ok with that for a little bit.
Well on that note - it looks like they are closing up here. I should probably go.
Hope all are well - would be more than happy to get an update back from you all.
Yours (no matter how negligent),
Roneet
Saturday, July 25, 2009
blogitty blog blog blog
So ive been busy how bout you?
Sorry for the long time no blog - i know there are perhaps many of you who are very upset by this - let's all try and move past it and make the best of this blog post
ok so - whats going on now?
I just moved into a new apt - signed a lease until next July - its really coming along thanks to all of Guy's help. He has been a real trooper with all the domestic activities that come with moving to a new place - all the silly shopping that needs to be done and all. My goal was to really try and make it a real home not just an obviously temporary dwelling - when it is done i will post a video or something clever like that.
Guy is here! Besides being stuck doing apartment projects and shopping and him being stuck at home by himself when i am off at auditions or rehearsals we have been having a nice time
We spent a lovely week in cali visiting so cal and no cal. Guy got to experience a little of what i do - he came and helped out the fiddler on the roof jr camp that i taught for two weeks. he helped us with costumes and sets - the 5 girls (my entire camp) loved him and called him dude. He also came to a rehearsal of mine. This was pretty funny becuase it was a rather abstract day at rehearsal - non of your traditional block bits and run kind of rehearsals - we walked around the space trying to fine our characters and inner fat woman. He had a lot of questions afterwards. It was quite actor shmactory if you ask me and i was impressed he was so into it the whole time. Even though we don't have tons of time together with me working and my aunt was able to find an israeli doctor she works with who took Guy under his wing - we are still finding some time for day trips here and there. And we have a week planned in NY for later in august to visit family and friends.
My show is going well - its a great show, a good group of gals. I am looking forward to Fringe and lots of theater - it is rather expensive so we'll see how much theater i actually get to see. But it should be an exciteing week. That starts as well as my show opening in a week.
Coming up ive got shows scheduled for fall already and in the process of applying to jobs. So things are going pretty well. Thats all i got really. Maybe more detail soon but i just wanted to up date everyone - let you all know i'm still here.
Hope all is well - feel free to shoot me an email i would love to hear how things are going by you.
Yours always,
Roneet
Sorry for the long time no blog - i know there are perhaps many of you who are very upset by this - let's all try and move past it and make the best of this blog post
ok so - whats going on now?
I just moved into a new apt - signed a lease until next July - its really coming along thanks to all of Guy's help. He has been a real trooper with all the domestic activities that come with moving to a new place - all the silly shopping that needs to be done and all. My goal was to really try and make it a real home not just an obviously temporary dwelling - when it is done i will post a video or something clever like that.
Guy is here! Besides being stuck doing apartment projects and shopping and him being stuck at home by himself when i am off at auditions or rehearsals we have been having a nice time
We spent a lovely week in cali visiting so cal and no cal. Guy got to experience a little of what i do - he came and helped out the fiddler on the roof jr camp that i taught for two weeks. he helped us with costumes and sets - the 5 girls (my entire camp) loved him and called him dude. He also came to a rehearsal of mine. This was pretty funny becuase it was a rather abstract day at rehearsal - non of your traditional block bits and run kind of rehearsals - we walked around the space trying to fine our characters and inner fat woman. He had a lot of questions afterwards. It was quite actor shmactory if you ask me and i was impressed he was so into it the whole time. Even though we don't have tons of time together with me working and my aunt was able to find an israeli doctor she works with who took Guy under his wing - we are still finding some time for day trips here and there. And we have a week planned in NY for later in august to visit family and friends.
My show is going well - its a great show, a good group of gals. I am looking forward to Fringe and lots of theater - it is rather expensive so we'll see how much theater i actually get to see. But it should be an exciteing week. That starts as well as my show opening in a week.
Coming up ive got shows scheduled for fall already and in the process of applying to jobs. So things are going pretty well. Thats all i got really. Maybe more detail soon but i just wanted to up date everyone - let you all know i'm still here.
Hope all is well - feel free to shoot me an email i would love to hear how things are going by you.
Yours always,
Roneet
Friday, May 15, 2009
Some pictures from the tour!
This was in the living room area at the amazing, adorable, high character, and a little haunted bed&breakfast we stayed at in New York Mills, MN. This was such a fun and nice change from the motels.
In Pelican Rapids, MN this pelican has been repainted and reads "Minnesota State Bird The Loon"
A picture of the Minneapolis skyline as we return home at sunset.
We went to the original first ever Super 8 Motel located in Aberdeen, SD.
One of the well equipped high schools left signs and water in dressing rooms for us. Some of these HS theaters were really something to write home about. Spangenberg had nothing on some of these theaters.
This was the first restaurant we stopped at on our first out of town gig. Also the last restaurant we stopped at on our last out of town gig. We actually went back to the same city and same motel. This place was not only a bizarre experience in itself, but had great fries and fabulous 2$ drink specials!PS. remember how i promised pictures of MN? Well unfortunately all those pics i kept boasting about having got erased, serves me right for never getting around to posting them. Sorry about that. I've learned my lesson. Hope you enjoyed these!
oh blog, how have you missed me?
It does take two to blog. I hear the words of my mother in my head, "Roneet, what are you doing? Don't just sit there with your teeth in your mouth! That blog isn't going to wright itself you know?"
Ok so ive taken some artisitc liberty with my motherisims. But if she were to comment, in this tone, on my blogging skills, it would probably sound something like that....except in reality she would probably add something about the spelling too.
moving on.....
SO what. is. up?!
Hijab Tube is coming to an end. We actually extended one more show day (this monday) in the end. We had the possability of extending a week but there just wasn't enough interest to make it worth it. I guess this one school is paying a lot for two shows to make this happen. A-ok with me, its not like i got anything else giving me money, so what am i going to say? no? pah!
So monday will be our final shows. Bitter sweet i'd say. It was a great experiance, fun, intense, challenging, tiering, exciteing etc...i would like to seperate exauhsting out from the rest of those adjectives and underline it. maybe more than once. Not only was the show a high energy show lots of costumes and quick changes you wouldn't believe, but early morning, lots of waking up to sit in a van, a different bed each night when on the road, not much down time, loading and unloading the set twice, sometimes 4 or even 6 times in a day (and we are not taking feathers and foam here, try metal bars soddered together). Not only was the show physically tiering, but also mentally and emotionally, this coming from the Jew who the majority of the questions were not personally directed at. In hindsight it makes a lot of sense that the more religiouse and immegrant populations we performed for would have strong reactions to the more libral american and feminist view of Islam that the play portrayed, but i don't think the show or the poeple involved were prepared for it. I think the responcibility lies with the teachers and schools for not preparing those specific groups for western ideas of performance, for one thing, in some cases, as well as our side not insisting that this show is not for just popping in and haveing some good ol' educational theater experiance for students, its a lot of info all at once and audiances are asked to pay attention and be engaged. I mean this is all good, and what theater is about, don't get me wrong, i just think that we as actors had to endure some back lash that was not expected and it would have been nice to have been prepared. In short, we had audiances that called out at the characters, completely walked out within the first scene, and directed personal comments about being a bad muslim to one of our actors.......this was hard. But i would like to add that we also had students come up and tell us how much this meant to them, to see someone like themself on stage, to share that as they walk down the halls of their highschool people will ask if they are hiding bombs under their Hijabs and other hardships they have had to endure, and to thank us for coming and performing this at their school. The interesting thing is that i think across the board the people who came to talk to us after the shows were all muslims, rarely did we get a white bread american to come up and say wow i learned alot thanks for cleraning stuff up for me, which i think that was what this play was really meant for. I think second season of this show might go a lot smoother so i guess this can all be chalked up to first run of a new play with a lot of contraversal material.
Up next?
The Trial of Mother Teresa. also a play that hits high on the scale from 1-contraversal.
We are starting run throughs which have been a little lack luster really. This play has been hard to peice together for all of us it seems. Putting the scenes together has been interesting becuase of the nature of the play. rehearsal time was spent rehearsing scenes that don't come together chronologically in the run of the show. (sounds familiar huh? Table For Six anyone?) I have been working hard on being a youthful 87 year old global icon in death - peice a cake i tell you!
I am excited for the show, next week we start tech rehearsals, i guess that means we meet in the theater?? i will love being able to just walk to rehearsal instead of driving out to no mans land.....probably isn't but it feels that way to me without having explored or any knawledge of the surrounding area, we rehearse in a sort of wearhouse that has some offices and a karate place in it. An underground cement box has been our reherasal hall. Excited for my family to come and see this one. Too bad i'm not getting paid.
I've got a couple of auditions in the wings. Someone is doing a production of Most Massive Woman Wins (a play i saw performed i think my first year of college during DP's maybe?) for the fringe fest. That audition is next week. And i have a call back for After Juliet, another play i am slightly familiar with. These would both perform end of summer.
In the mean time i am looking for sublets for Guy and I for the summer. It seemed like a good idea for everyone and this way i will get a little feel for living here on my own, which i feel isn't a bad idea at this point. Craigslist is a frusterating world, but rent is far, far, far did i say far? cheeper than NY which is beautiful, we're just dealing with entirely different numbers here.
Also i have been given the job as a camp director for two weeks at the JCC here. I am super excited. Its not that big a deal really, I will be directing/teaching/hanging out with 5 young girls (at this point. it was supposed to be like a full size camp but due to JCC camp conflicts and bad schedualing, ultimatly, it will probably be about 5-8 kids) age range 3rd grade to 6th grade. The original plan for the camp was to put on Fiddler On The Roof Jr. Clearly that is not possible with 5 girls so probably i will take advantage of having such an intimate group and allow the kids the luxury of haveing a say in what they do for the two weeks. Be it wright, be it rehearse with a performance goal in mind, be it play lots of fun theater games, whatever. So i am excited about that. I love working with kids (and, of course, i love Fiddler) so how could this be bad. I also i get paid, so no complaints.
This weekend there is lots going on and not being so tired and around has been fun to be apart of whats been going on for my cousins and family here. Tonight the boys and i went out to a movie while aunt and uncle took a night out. (We saw Star Trek, loved it!) Zander has started Baseball so ive been going to his games and taking him to practice on the way to rehearsal. There are end of the year concerts and play to see and tomorrow is the elemntry school's yearly fund rasing carnival which should be fun provided weather is good.
Right now it seems as if Dorothy and toto might show up any minute. It rained several days this week, was warm and sunny in between, and right now we are having a "cold blast". This place is crazy!
Well i guess thats it for now.
Hope all is well out there.
Missing you,
Roneet
Ok so ive taken some artisitc liberty with my motherisims. But if she were to comment, in this tone, on my blogging skills, it would probably sound something like that....except in reality she would probably add something about the spelling too.
moving on.....
SO what. is. up?!
Hijab Tube is coming to an end. We actually extended one more show day (this monday) in the end. We had the possability of extending a week but there just wasn't enough interest to make it worth it. I guess this one school is paying a lot for two shows to make this happen. A-ok with me, its not like i got anything else giving me money, so what am i going to say? no? pah!
So monday will be our final shows. Bitter sweet i'd say. It was a great experiance, fun, intense, challenging, tiering, exciteing etc...i would like to seperate exauhsting out from the rest of those adjectives and underline it. maybe more than once. Not only was the show a high energy show lots of costumes and quick changes you wouldn't believe, but early morning, lots of waking up to sit in a van, a different bed each night when on the road, not much down time, loading and unloading the set twice, sometimes 4 or even 6 times in a day (and we are not taking feathers and foam here, try metal bars soddered together). Not only was the show physically tiering, but also mentally and emotionally, this coming from the Jew who the majority of the questions were not personally directed at. In hindsight it makes a lot of sense that the more religiouse and immegrant populations we performed for would have strong reactions to the more libral american and feminist view of Islam that the play portrayed, but i don't think the show or the poeple involved were prepared for it. I think the responcibility lies with the teachers and schools for not preparing those specific groups for western ideas of performance, for one thing, in some cases, as well as our side not insisting that this show is not for just popping in and haveing some good ol' educational theater experiance for students, its a lot of info all at once and audiances are asked to pay attention and be engaged. I mean this is all good, and what theater is about, don't get me wrong, i just think that we as actors had to endure some back lash that was not expected and it would have been nice to have been prepared. In short, we had audiances that called out at the characters, completely walked out within the first scene, and directed personal comments about being a bad muslim to one of our actors.......this was hard. But i would like to add that we also had students come up and tell us how much this meant to them, to see someone like themself on stage, to share that as they walk down the halls of their highschool people will ask if they are hiding bombs under their Hijabs and other hardships they have had to endure, and to thank us for coming and performing this at their school. The interesting thing is that i think across the board the people who came to talk to us after the shows were all muslims, rarely did we get a white bread american to come up and say wow i learned alot thanks for cleraning stuff up for me, which i think that was what this play was really meant for. I think second season of this show might go a lot smoother so i guess this can all be chalked up to first run of a new play with a lot of contraversal material.
Up next?
The Trial of Mother Teresa. also a play that hits high on the scale from 1-contraversal.
We are starting run throughs which have been a little lack luster really. This play has been hard to peice together for all of us it seems. Putting the scenes together has been interesting becuase of the nature of the play. rehearsal time was spent rehearsing scenes that don't come together chronologically in the run of the show. (sounds familiar huh? Table For Six anyone?) I have been working hard on being a youthful 87 year old global icon in death - peice a cake i tell you!
I am excited for the show, next week we start tech rehearsals, i guess that means we meet in the theater?? i will love being able to just walk to rehearsal instead of driving out to no mans land.....probably isn't but it feels that way to me without having explored or any knawledge of the surrounding area, we rehearse in a sort of wearhouse that has some offices and a karate place in it. An underground cement box has been our reherasal hall. Excited for my family to come and see this one. Too bad i'm not getting paid.
I've got a couple of auditions in the wings. Someone is doing a production of Most Massive Woman Wins (a play i saw performed i think my first year of college during DP's maybe?) for the fringe fest. That audition is next week. And i have a call back for After Juliet, another play i am slightly familiar with. These would both perform end of summer.
In the mean time i am looking for sublets for Guy and I for the summer. It seemed like a good idea for everyone and this way i will get a little feel for living here on my own, which i feel isn't a bad idea at this point. Craigslist is a frusterating world, but rent is far, far, far did i say far? cheeper than NY which is beautiful, we're just dealing with entirely different numbers here.
Also i have been given the job as a camp director for two weeks at the JCC here. I am super excited. Its not that big a deal really, I will be directing/teaching/hanging out with 5 young girls (at this point. it was supposed to be like a full size camp but due to JCC camp conflicts and bad schedualing, ultimatly, it will probably be about 5-8 kids) age range 3rd grade to 6th grade. The original plan for the camp was to put on Fiddler On The Roof Jr. Clearly that is not possible with 5 girls so probably i will take advantage of having such an intimate group and allow the kids the luxury of haveing a say in what they do for the two weeks. Be it wright, be it rehearse with a performance goal in mind, be it play lots of fun theater games, whatever. So i am excited about that. I love working with kids (and, of course, i love Fiddler) so how could this be bad. I also i get paid, so no complaints.
This weekend there is lots going on and not being so tired and around has been fun to be apart of whats been going on for my cousins and family here. Tonight the boys and i went out to a movie while aunt and uncle took a night out. (We saw Star Trek, loved it!) Zander has started Baseball so ive been going to his games and taking him to practice on the way to rehearsal. There are end of the year concerts and play to see and tomorrow is the elemntry school's yearly fund rasing carnival which should be fun provided weather is good.
Right now it seems as if Dorothy and toto might show up any minute. It rained several days this week, was warm and sunny in between, and right now we are having a "cold blast". This place is crazy!
Well i guess thats it for now.
Hope all is well out there.
Missing you,
Roneet
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