A place for me

That is what I hope to find at the 5th Avenue.

On Wednesday, I hopped on a ferry and headed to the big city for a lesson with an artistic producer at the theatre. On this particular day, he was using a small rehearsal room backstage, and my instructions were to go to the alley behind the theatre, find the door marked "stage door" and tell the attendant I was attending a class. Will you believe . . . . I got excited as soon as I walked into the alley! I found the stage door, and when I opened it I just felt like I was home! People using the stage door are part of the program - the singers, actors, musicians, lighting and sound techs, production team. Entering that door, you are no longer an audience member, you are IN . . . a bonafide participant in the magic happening on and around that stage.

Yes, I was just there for a lesson, not a production, but my visceral reaction upon entering that space confirmed to me once more that the stage is where I'm meant to be. You say I should find my passion? Done! I can't put it into words, but I know that everyone has something like this in their lives that moves their souls and makes them feel more alive than any other time.

Well, after being greeted by the friendly and helpful stage door attendant who called me by name and welcomed me as if we were old pals, I made my way up the stairs to wait until my lesson began. I am not ashamed to say I wandered in the hallway a teeny bit and felt my heart swell at the sight of large dressing rooms and rehearsal schedules. I wanted to tuck myself into a corner and observe all the action for that night's performance. Even more, I knew that I wanted to be back one day for the real deal - my own performance.

I was warmly greeted by each person I encountered, and even offered cake from their opening night celebration! Then, a minute or two before my lesson was to start, I felt a little vibration in the floor and a beautiful sound of multiple voices in harmony rose up around me: a rehearsal! They were doing a quick tune-up of a few things and I got to hear it! I snuck into the stairwell just a little, and I must confess I probably would have inched as close as I could get to the stage if I had any more time!

The lesson itself went extremely well, and I learned a lot that makes me much more confident about my audition in a few weeks. It was a lovely day, and as I walked back to my car in the sunshine I couldn't help but feel optimistic.

Busy day

Today I have a lesson in Seattle in preparation for the big audition. It is with one of the theatre's artistic directors and I'm very excited but also very anxious because I'm not as prepared as I should be. I'll be working some more on that when I finish this post!

My other plan for this morning is to go grocery shopping. Most of you who visit my blog occasionally found me through my mother-in-law's blog, Cedar Chest of Dreams, so you know she has moved to Washington with us, and is actually living in our home right now. I'm so glad she's here for many reasons, but a big reason is that she is one heck of a cheerleader for eating healthier. We all fell off the truck for a little while on that topic, but we decided when she got here we would focus more on eating right. Luckily, she decided the same thing before the big move! So far, so good. We're eating fish two nights a week, adding lots more fruits and veggies, and even purchased a Magic Bullet for quick and easy smoothies. Now if I can just get my sweet tooth under control everything will be just right! It is traumatizing, and I might need an intervention or rehab or something, but I'm determined to reduce my sugar intake. Fortunately Ms. Robbin has more willpower than me, LOL.

The rain and cooler temperatures have returned this morning, but hopefully they are not here to stay. I'd like to snuggle up with a good book, but it's time to put my nose to the grindstone. If you need me, follow the sound of warm-up scales until you find me crying over sheet music. :-)

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

It is another gorgeous spring day. I think I should go take a walk and soak up some of this sunshine!

I have a lot of practicing to do today. Tomorrow I have a private lesson with one of the gentlemen I will be auditioning for in a few weeks. This will be my first attempt at becoming a prefessional theatre actress, and I'm a wee bit nervous. I've been narrowing down my song selection (and if you watch American Idol, you know it's all about song selection!) for what seems like forever, and now I need to just buckle down and make them the best they can be!

Aside from rehearsing, I hope to spend a little time with my hubby today. Tuesdays are some of my favorite days because we are both off work and Haleigh is at school, so we get to just hang out, and that is important.

And that's about it in my little world right now. It is calm and peaceful, the way I like it.

Getting ready for church

I have finally found a church at which I feel at home. I had a good feeling because I already knew the pastor and his wife - their daughter Katie has been in the past two shows I've done. She is one of our little group of friends that bonded during the Pajama Game and have stuck together ever since, so much so that the director pointed it out and we dubbed ourselves "The Pajama Gang". But I digress.

I have attended this church for the past two Sundays, and Haleigh went with me on Easter. So far, I just love it. Listening to the pastor is like hanging out in someone's living room and just chatting. His wife has an angelic voice that I could listen to forever, and on top of that she's just a cool lady.

Well, it is a beautiful sunny day once again and that's about it for my plans today.

Good morning, Sunshine!!!!

The sun is out on what is, so far, a gloriously beautiful morning. It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiney day, and I need that. Yesterday was horrid, a continuation of the soaking wet, chilled to the bone Easter Sunday we had out here. The weather just set the tone for my unexpectedly unpleasant afternoon.

I have an abundance of various skin cancers in my family, and I have blue eyes, freckles, and pale skin. Plus, I grew up in the deep south and have been blistered more times than I care to think about, so I like to get a professional opinion that everything is in good working order. Yesterday I made my annual trek to the dermatologist. Have you ever been to the dermatologist? It's not nearly as invasive as some of those other doctor visits we ladies have to make, but for some reason it is even more uncomfortable as they scrutinize every inch of your skin. By the time they start parting the hair on my scalp I feel like a groomed monkey.

Well, yesterday she barely made it down my chest before deciding that this was not going to be a normal visit. I ended up having to get two moles removed, a new experience for me . . . and I was scared to death. They had a cancellation so she was able to do everything while I was there. If you've read any of my earlier blogs, you'll know that I strongly dislike needles. My doctors seem determined to cure me of that this year (appendectomy, oodles of bloodwork, dental work, and B-12 injections for pete's sake!), but this was really taking the cake. I can proudly say that although I was quivering jelly on the inside, I totally put my big girl panties on and got through that! And you know what? The injections were nothing! I go back in ten days to find out if they were normal or not and get my stitches removed.

So, that was my yesterday. I'm looking forward to a lovelier day today!

Ready for spring

and ready to see THESE!!!

This and That

I woke up this morning with what appears to be the beginnings of a cold, so I'm settling in for a quiet day at home. This is terrible timing to be sick, since I'm trying to get ready for a HUGE audition on May 7th, but it is what it is, I guess. I'm heading to the store in a little bit for some preventative medicine so hopefully that will help.
As for that big audition, it seems like it is rapidly approaching. I've decided on my two songs, one of which I know backwards, forwards, and inside out. It is "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" from Showboat. The other I have never sang, but I feel good about it, and it's the style they are asking for. I learned a lot at my audition class, so I feel like I am actually able to prepare and go in there with confidence. I will be a bundle of nerves - my stomach already starts to churn when I even think about it - but those can sometimes be helpful. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to attend that class. It was given by two of the people I will actually be auditioning for, and they chatted with us for 3 hours about everything from song choice, to how to give your music to the accompanist, to what to DO with yourself while singing to impress the auditioners.
I guess this Saturday is a good one for staying in. Our weather has turned to rainy and chilly again, although we were hoping for sunshine for all the egg hunters. Oh, well - in Washington if you don't do it in the rain, it doesn't get done!

Still here!

Don't be alarmed by my lapse in postings! My husband and my mother-in-law arrived on Thursday evening, a whole day earlier than I was anticipating them. After seeing the things they wanted to see, they were just ready to get HOME, and I was glad they made that decision. I wasn't quite as ready as I would have been, but in the grand scheme of things, what does a little dirty laundry and some unfinished painting really matter? Our little family is all together under one roof and that makes my heart happy.

I want to tell all about my audition workshop, and I promise I will soon, but tonight I am going to bed early. Another busy day tomorrow!