Whatever Wednesdays: Thoughts for the Start of HAIR

Last night I had my first rehearsal for HAIR at Serenbe Playhouse. Now, a meditation on nostalgia, hypocrisy, and hope.

***

My mother was a hippie who left college for six months to live on a commune in California with her boyfriend. That makes her the coolest mom ever. When I was little, I would ask her to regale me with stories of her wild youth, but she could never remember much. Or, the things she did remember seemed so unremarkable that she told them with great nonchalance. "Oh, I don't know - we lived in tents and grew our own food." I lived in the suburbs; it sounded magical. 

***

When I was a teenager, I believed that I belonged to an era decades gone; I would go to sleep wishing that I would wake-up in 1968 - or at least that the present world would transform.

I would watch the news and get mad. Ann Coulter would spew her hate all over the airwaves and I would seethe. I knew other people were upset - I could hear it from the people at my church, some friends, and a teacher or two - but no one was doing anything about it. Not even me. I was a middle-class girl doing her homework on her bed while listening to Room For Squares.

***

My freshman year of college, I heard there was going to be an Iraq War protest in front of the student center. I was thrilled - finally, I was among like-minded peers! My 10 AM class ended and I ran to the quad. I raced up the steps and stopped cold on the grass. Before me were five people holding sloppy posterboard signs. Two were sitting down; they all looked bored. No one even glanced their way. I silently walked into the student center and bought a pizza pretzel.

How embarrassing, to stage a protest in an echo chamber. 

***

I seriously considered going back to New York when Occupy Wall Street started. For the first time in my life, I saw a group of people I agreed with who were angry enough to beat their chests. I wanted so badly to abandon my comfortable life and spend my days and nights on the streets - to get arrested and yell until I was hoarse. But I was doing a show at the Alliance; I couldn't walk away from that. I felt like a fraud for choosing career over cause. Which dream is greater: the one where I'm an actress, or the one where I'm a force for good in the world? 

***

Historians argue about the effectiveness of protests. Some will tell you that all the hippies did was piss people off - that they undermined the causes they supported by scaring people. Considering the backlash against both the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street, I'll concede that's a good point. Most people don't go for extremes. 

I do. 

I am easily swayed by the romance of 60s counterculture. I want to believe in the magic of people standing-up and demanding change - I want to believe that our leaders will listen when we cry for justice and equality.

***

I no longer want to live in the past. All I want is to shape the future. Sounds simple enough.

Whatever Wednesday: The Serenbe PR Tour

In July, I start rehearsals for Hair down at Serenbe Playhouse. It's an outdoor production set in a wildflower meadow, complete with a technicolor bus. Of course right now I'm working with a different technicolor prop (a dreamcoat) but Serenbe is already gearing-up for the big musical with some scattered PR performances.

In July, this will be a stage.

Our standard set for these appearances is a mash-up of Hair songs ("Aquarius" and "Let The Sun Shine") and top 40 hits ("Girl on Fire" and "It's Time"). We threw the five-minute number together in a single hourlong rehearsal, proving that this cast has some serious chops.

Our first event was the Human Rights Campaign Gala at the Hyatt Regency. As you know, Matthew Morrison was the keynote speaker. He was one of fifteen hundred people at the event, and we opened the dinner to cheers like I've never heard.

(Photo credit: HRC Atlanta)

(Photo credit: HRC Atlanta)

The next day, I went down to the tiny town of Serenbe for something completely different - the May Day festival. While the night before was loud and crowded, May Day was simple and bright. I sang with one other cast member for a small crowd, and explored the vendors all over town. Oh, and I had an amazing bacon cheeseburger from the Grazing Here food truck.









Last week, we did our thing at a fundraiser for C4 Atlanta. C4 is a nonprofit that aims to give artists the marketing and business tools they need to make a living from their work. Their event was held at the Fuse Arts Center downtown, and it was an intimate, eclectic gathering. We got to see local steampunk band Extraordinary Contraptions play a few of their songs. Definitely check out their Bandcamp page if you like story-central songwriting (I especially like "Prelude to the Nocturnis").


Saturday was the grande finale, a performance for the Playhouse's Dali Gala.

Serenbe's Artistic Dirictor, Brian, as Dali
(Photo credit: BreeAnne Clowdus)

(Photo credit: BreeAnne Clowdus)

There are a lot of really great things about being an actor, but this week I'm especially thankful for big, glitzy events. It's such a blast to wear surreal make-up and schmooze with a great group of people. Oh, and sing for a wild crowd.

The Jackson Family, reunited
(Make-up by Jared Boty)

The food was to die for. Gloriosa provided some excellent noms. I was especially charmed by the Parmesan and truffle oil fries. I also had a couple shots of the melon and champagne soup. I may start inviting myself to their events - or maybe I could get a part-time gig as a taster. They wouldn't need to pay me; it's a volunteer position.

I can't wait to spend the second half of the summer in Serenbe. So far, I'm completely taken with it.

Make-it-Monday: Blue Skies, Blue Heart

I'm a little down, everyone. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson closed yesterday, and I've got the post-show blues. Six weeks is a long time to run a musical, and it's wormed its way into my life in a significant manner. I'm going to miss the cast, the crew, the set, our themed mic checks, the goodies always waiting in the kitchen, and smearing blood all over a friend's arm every night. Rachel Jackson is quite a lady to inhabit - I'm gonna miss her most of all.

Rehearsal moment.

The Jacksons, incognito.

Merry Effing Christmas from the Jacksons
(Photo credit: BreeAnne Clowdus)

Hashtag, TheAmericanDream.
(Photo credit: BreeAnne Clowdus)

Final preview, a chemical explosion forced us out of the building.
The show still started on time.

Final notes session.

Sexy tour guide.

Sexy Andrew Jackson.

If illness is not metaphor, then why do I feel sick when I look at you?
(Photo credit: BreeAnne Clowdus)

"I choose you." / "Thank you."
(Photo credit: BreeAnne Clowdus)

Don't fret - I'll be back to normal in a few days. I'm running a children's show, after all. Being Anne Frank will lift my spirits.

Courtesy of Caleigh. 

I promised I'd show you all the Valentine's Day present I made for Dan - but I forgot to take pictures before I left the house. Oops. Instead, I'll show you the infographic that inspired the project:

Click pic to see the full post on P.S. - I made this...

I was smitten with this idea from the moment I saw it - such a simple, personal gift to give my Very Excellent Boyfriend! I bought a lovely frame from TJ Maxx, kissed away, and now it sits on his bedside table. I'll share a picture of the finished product when I get home.

It was a frugal Valentine's for Very Excellent and I. I'm very low on discretionary income, and he's too polite to shame me with expensive gifts when I can't respond in kind (how sweet). But I can't say I minded. There's something special about a low-key V-Day. I don't need him to spend money on me - I just want to spend some time together. He made that happen with a surprise oyster dinner at home, and a few episodes of Friday Night Lights.

Favorite!

No V-Day is complete without candy.

Gracie Bell!

The baby's eyes in that screencap are making me feel a lot better. Maybe I need to spend some time watching baby videos on YouTube - that'll chase the last of my melancholy away.

Fashionable Friday: Opening Night

Remember when I went to Clothing Warehouse? And I kept one of my finds a secret? Well, it's time for the big reveal. 

Drumroll, please...

Wild-eyed and windblown.

I put this on and I could not stop smiling. It's horrible - hideous, nearly - but for some reason I just love it. And it made it's first outing last week at the opening night party for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. 

I got the best comments about it. Overall, the girls and gay guys loved it, and the straight men were appalled. In my book, that's a Royal Flush. 

Here are some pics from the party:

Rachel and Andrew Jackson

As a nefarious friend pinched my backside

With one of my wonderful sisters from "Taffeta Christmas"

With my actual sister - and a special guest artist

The dress underwent a mild alteration before it hit the party - I cut off the bottom ruffle. I need to hem the fabric (it's already fraying like crazy) but I like the new length. It's less "I just fell off the turnip truck," and more...no, it's still pretty ridiculous. 

I won't lie, I was ever so slightly nervous to wear it. It's not exactly fashionable. But that doesn't actually matter.  The only thing that does is how great I feel when I have that silly thing on. 

The best compliment I can ever get (besides a friend telling me that I remind him of Amy Poehler) is "You really make that work." It's usually followed by a demure, "I could never pull that off..." but I promise you, you can. 

"Pulling it Off" has nothing to do with curly hair, or height, or weight. It's all about attitude. If you feel kick-ass in it, then you will pull it off. End of story. So forget everything you know about "dressing for your body shape," and swear to me that you will never worry about trends again. Promise that from now on, you will wear whatever you feel GREAT it - whether that's bandage dresses, or burlap sacks. I can't tell you how happy I was when I wore that dress - even though several people told me it was hideous. Style is 100% subjective, and yours is the only opinion that counts.

I had about eight more paragraphs typed about personal style, but I'll spare you that rant. For now.

Wordy Wednesday: My trip to Robinson, Illinois

Sometimes, actors get to do ridiculous, awesome things. One of the coolest things I do is sing with an Elton John impersonator - "Almost Elton John." In December, the show took me to the Midwest. I'd been away for a few years, and it was nice to see that Southern Illinois is much like I left it.

Fun fact: Robinson, IL is the only place in the country where Heath Bars are made. While we were there, we visited the Heath Museum, which is located right on the town square. It's a small storefront with a host of local artifacts. It's also a fully-functioning soda shop, complete with ice cream and penny candy. You can buy one-pound bags of Heath Bars - fresh from the factory. Not even wrapped yet.

Local Lore:

Next, we took a drive to Palestine, the oldest town in Illinois. It's about 10 miles away from Robinson, and while we drove we passed the "New Cemetery." And yes, there's an Old one, too (it's full - that's why they needed the new one).

I love how the cemetery melts into the factory behind it.

VFW Hall

The sign outside Veterans' Hall

In Palestine, we saw the Fife Opera House - and every little bit of cynicism drained right out of my body. It was amazing - this gorgeous old opera house, olio drops still in place. It's about as beautiful a place as I've ever seen in my life. And in some ways, it looks like a show was right in the midst of production. The front drop is raised halfway, the back room hold curtains and costumes and mannequins, and there are Christmas decorations lying about the room. The original floor has been exposed - the seats and the elevated flooring they sat on we're removed long ago. So now, the angled side-paneling only suggests at an audience.

The costume shop

Water damage betrays the years - it has slowly seeped from the ceiling, and faded whole sections of wall. And the plaster has veins running through it, ribbons of open air where gravity pulls the walls apart. But it's still so nice to look at.