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I knew who I was when I woke up this morning
Of potential interest to people who don't normally read my actor-blog: Thoughts about and inspired by the (unexpectedly amazing) movie Phoebe in Wonderland, on the topic of mental health.
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Too complicated to cross-post
Well, okay, I could, but it would take time to format, and my break from the joys of dryer troubleshooting/repair has been long enough already.
Those interested in my Lizzie Siddal project, poetry on the page vs. in the voice, people who do funky things with animation software, and/or Desperate Romantics are invited to check out today's rather long Divababble.
Those interested in my Lizzie Siddal project, poetry on the page vs. in the voice, people who do funky things with animation software, and/or Desperate Romantics are invited to check out today's rather long Divababble.
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In syndication
The very wise ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
havocthecat pointed out yesterday that a syndicated LJ feed for my Divababble blog is easier than cross-posting and/or posting here when I update it. To which I say, "Well, that would make sense or something."
Ergo,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
divababble. There will still be some content overlap, as that's my actor!Val blog and LJ is life-in-general, which includes actor!Val. But I do yammer at length over there about stuff I don't here, so if you want to have it handy on your flist, now you can. :-) (I changed it to the short feed setting on Blogger, though it's not showing up that way just yet. Presumably it will at an update, or for future posts, or whatever. I'm unclear on how this whole feed thing works.)
havocthecat pointed out yesterday that a syndicated LJ feed for my Divababble blog is easier than cross-posting and/or posting here when I update it. To which I say, "Well, that would make sense or something."Ergo,
divababble. There will still be some content overlap, as that's my actor!Val blog and LJ is life-in-general, which includes actor!Val. But I do yammer at length over there about stuff I don't here, so if you want to have it handy on your flist, now you can. :-) (I changed it to the short feed setting on Blogger, though it's not showing up that way just yet. Presumably it will at an update, or for future posts, or whatever. I'm unclear on how this whole feed thing works.)Entry tags:
Divababble du jour
Small films, big ideas
Re: my latest short film gig, and a ramble that's more relevant to my fannish interests than I usually do over there, but at a less geeky level than I usually do here.
As you may have noticed, I've pretty much given up on crossposting, partly because I'm too lazy to adjust the formatting, but mostly because that blog is developing a distinct voice that would sound weird here. I used to think that being a public figure came before evolving a public persona, but apparently not. %-}
Re: my latest short film gig, and a ramble that's more relevant to my fannish interests than I usually do over there, but at a less geeky level than I usually do here.
As you may have noticed, I've pretty much given up on crossposting, partly because I'm too lazy to adjust the formatting, but mostly because that blog is developing a distinct voice that would sound weird here. I used to think that being a public figure came before evolving a public persona, but apparently not. %-}
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Divababble update
It's not often I make a post on my Divababble blog that isn't mirrored here, but I did so today. It's pretty much a catchup post on stuff you guys already know from LJ updates, but should you be curious, it's here.
ETA: Just so you guys know, because I've never really stated it clearly... I'm not making a big effort to keep Actor!Val and Fannish!Val separate online, in the sense of actively trying to avoid a connection being made by someone doing actual research. The point is academic at this stage of the game, but if and when that changes, the likelihood is that it'll change FAST. There's nothing I post publicly here that I "wouldn't want to get out" if I were a name actor, but I'm not pointing directly here from Blogger or MySpace anymore either, and keep those just for acting stuff.
Which is not to say that, if you have me friended on MySpace, we can't keep doing casual comment chatting there, even about fannish stuff. Just that it isn't the focus there. Facebook I'm not worried about at all, as it's strictly for people I actually know, either in person or sufficiently extensively online.
ETA: Just so you guys know, because I've never really stated it clearly... I'm not making a big effort to keep Actor!Val and Fannish!Val separate online, in the sense of actively trying to avoid a connection being made by someone doing actual research. The point is academic at this stage of the game, but if and when that changes, the likelihood is that it'll change FAST. There's nothing I post publicly here that I "wouldn't want to get out" if I were a name actor, but I'm not pointing directly here from Blogger or MySpace anymore either, and keep those just for acting stuff.
Which is not to say that, if you have me friended on MySpace, we can't keep doing casual comment chatting there, even about fannish stuff. Just that it isn't the focus there. Facebook I'm not worried about at all, as it's strictly for people I actually know, either in person or sufficiently extensively online.
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And if you call me 'Emma baby' one more time, I will scream
So. Bailiwick is looking for an understudy for Tell Me On A Sunday. Which I adore and which nobody ever does.
"Must be able to rehearse the last two weeks of July and participate in tech the first week of August."
Y'know, exactly when I'm in the final blitz to have everyone dressed when Shrew opens July 26. And of course the show runs through the weekend I'm covering the Widow/Servant.
I hate linear time.
"Must be able to rehearse the last two weeks of July and participate in tech the first week of August."
Y'know, exactly when I'm in the final blitz to have everyone dressed when Shrew opens July 26. And of course the show runs through the weekend I'm covering the Widow/Servant.
I hate linear time.
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Still alive (despite the weather)
Okay, who stole spring? I object. Strenuously.
Acting class continues to be Of The Awesome. Pre-class chitchat revealed an unusually high geek quotient in the room, which I always appreciate. There are never as many fannish types in theatre as you (or at least I) think there should be. Also, I appear to have been permanently dubbed "Red" by our coach, which is fine but amusing. Last week I was Red for the first hour and Victoria a couple of times, then he settled into Valerie for the rest of the evening, so I know he does in fact know my name.
Scenework is proving to be a great push for figurative muscles I haven't been working nearly enough lately. Once my scene partner got hold of the out-of-print play we were assigned a scene from, that is. Some things really aren't just getting in your own way! %-} It's A Cry of Players, which, now that I've read it, I'm kind of amazed I'd never heard of. There are thoughts formulating in my head that I want to blog about in addition to the stuff going directly into the scenework itself, but I'm not sure yet what form that'll take. Except a glancing amusement that I would be given Anne Hathaway Shakespeare as my first assignment, after my recent babble touching on the playing-a-historical-person thing. Scene partner is awesome and open to pushing himself and risking. Not to mention willing to alternate coming out to the burbs on Metra with me going into the city to get together and work.
In the area where Actor Val intersects with Fannish Val, beginnings of an interesting discussion this morning on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
melancholydanes. (Spoilers galore for all three seasons of Slings and Arrows.) I really need to rewatch that whole series. Y'know, in my copious free time...
Acting class continues to be Of The Awesome. Pre-class chitchat revealed an unusually high geek quotient in the room, which I always appreciate. There are never as many fannish types in theatre as you (or at least I) think there should be. Also, I appear to have been permanently dubbed "Red" by our coach, which is fine but amusing. Last week I was Red for the first hour and Victoria a couple of times, then he settled into Valerie for the rest of the evening, so I know he does in fact know my name.
Scenework is proving to be a great push for figurative muscles I haven't been working nearly enough lately. Once my scene partner got hold of the out-of-print play we were assigned a scene from, that is. Some things really aren't just getting in your own way! %-} It's A Cry of Players, which, now that I've read it, I'm kind of amazed I'd never heard of. There are thoughts formulating in my head that I want to blog about in addition to the stuff going directly into the scenework itself, but I'm not sure yet what form that'll take. Except a glancing amusement that I would be given Anne Hathaway Shakespeare as my first assignment, after my recent babble touching on the playing-a-historical-person thing. Scene partner is awesome and open to pushing himself and risking. Not to mention willing to alternate coming out to the burbs on Metra with me going into the city to get together and work.
In the area where Actor Val intersects with Fannish Val, beginnings of an interesting discussion this morning on
melancholydanes. (Spoilers galore for all three seasons of Slings and Arrows.) I really need to rewatch that whole series. Y'know, in my copious free time...
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I am actress, hear me snore
First class at Chicago Actors Studio last night. Like the coach, like the atmosphere, like the other members, and think it will be just the right kick in my slightly stagnant pants for this moment in time.
It's a good sign that I didn't realize until I was in my car that the ostensibly 7:00 - 10:30 class had run past midnight. Really it is. Getting up this morning, however... *YAAAAAAAWN*
If they continue to have 17 people attending the Monday night class, it's going to be an interesting 10 weeks.
It's a good sign that I didn't realize until I was in my car that the ostensibly 7:00 - 10:30 class had run past midnight. Really it is. Getting up this morning, however... *YAAAAAAAWN*
If they continue to have 17 people attending the Monday night class, it's going to be an interesting 10 weeks.
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Chipmunk Girl has left the building!
Or mostly, anyway. There's still a little puffiness around my jaw, but I only notice it because I know my face. Also, hooray for being able to open my mouth all the way! Should make it a heckuva lot easier to have a voice lesson tomorrow. Also means I can see where the wisdom teeth came out from, and man was I right about there not being enough room in my jaw! I don't know where the heck four more teeth were anchored! Am both apprehensive and excited about seeing an orthodontist once it's all healed. I've had this traffic jam in my mouth for so long, it's going to be strange not to have them so crowded that I slice through dental floss at least three times before I get them all.
Meanwhile, I have a completely irrational craving for a chili cheese dog. *facepalm*
Curiously, hurting more today than it has the last couple. Mostly stitches pulling, I think. Which makes me very glad the Vicodin doesn't loop me out to speak of, because I have stuff to get done, darnit. Have been itching to sing, and planning to give it a shot for a while tonight. The poor voice is like "Okay, cold and then sinus infection and then wisdom teeth... Are we DONE with all this stuff now? Can we get on with business plzkthx?" I really wanted to be in solid vocal shape before we started Suor Angelica, darnit, but that just wasn't in the cards. Ah, well.
Also need to start sketching for Shrew. And must go over to Chicago Actors Studio and get registered early next week. But those are for after BigBabyBrother's wedding this weekend, which, yay!
Next week. *deep breath * Next week will be NORMAL craziness. ;-D
Meanwhile, I have a completely irrational craving for a chili cheese dog. *facepalm*
Curiously, hurting more today than it has the last couple. Mostly stitches pulling, I think. Which makes me very glad the Vicodin doesn't loop me out to speak of, because I have stuff to get done, darnit. Have been itching to sing, and planning to give it a shot for a while tonight. The poor voice is like "Okay, cold and then sinus infection and then wisdom teeth... Are we DONE with all this stuff now? Can we get on with business plzkthx?" I really wanted to be in solid vocal shape before we started Suor Angelica, darnit, but that just wasn't in the cards. Ah, well.
Also need to start sketching for Shrew. And must go over to Chicago Actors Studio and get registered early next week. But those are for after BigBabyBrother's wedding this weekend, which, yay!
Next week. *deep breath * Next week will be NORMAL craziness. ;-D
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Um... No, thanks.
Dude. I dunno if it's just a seasonal cycle thing or what, but the preponderance of reality shows on the casting breakdowns the last couple weeks is downright creepy.
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Rainy days and Mondays
...are at least not snowy days. But still Mondays.
I've been meaning to hit the Midwest Independent Film Festival some first Tuesday or other. Networking yay! Was too sick last month, but am totally going to haul my finally-getting-better butt into the city tomorrow night. (Yay, Zithromax! Yay, sinuses no longer attempting to secede through the front of my skull!) The offering scheduled happens to be one that others might also be interested in, a docu about women's body image called America the Beautiful. Tickets are $10. Chicago peeps, if you end up planning to go, let me know!
In opera news, apparently we're doing Tosca next year. Went to Solange's bel canto recital yesterday afternoon, and she did "Vissi d'arte" (of all things...fach shift much?) as her encore and mentioned that. First I've heard. And actually, this time last year she was talking about The Merry Widow, which ended up morphing into Elisir, so we'll see. I did a bit of a doubletake at the public mention, tho.
Also, now that the former Café Magdalena is officially launched as the newest location of Villa Verone, our cabaret nights there are coming back! Looks like they will now be Sunday nights, and early word is that they'll be Sundays in May and July. I'll keep you posted as details become available.
I've been meaning to hit the Midwest Independent Film Festival some first Tuesday or other. Networking yay! Was too sick last month, but am totally going to haul my finally-getting-better butt into the city tomorrow night. (Yay, Zithromax! Yay, sinuses no longer attempting to secede through the front of my skull!) The offering scheduled happens to be one that others might also be interested in, a docu about women's body image called America the Beautiful. Tickets are $10. Chicago peeps, if you end up planning to go, let me know!
In opera news, apparently we're doing Tosca next year. Went to Solange's bel canto recital yesterday afternoon, and she did "Vissi d'arte" (of all things...fach shift much?) as her encore and mentioned that. First I've heard. And actually, this time last year she was talking about The Merry Widow, which ended up morphing into Elisir, so we'll see. I did a bit of a doubletake at the public mention, tho.
Also, now that the former Café Magdalena is officially launched as the newest location of Villa Verone, our cabaret nights there are coming back! Looks like they will now be Sunday nights, and early word is that they'll be Sundays in May and July. I'll keep you posted as details become available.
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The Belle of New Hampshire
Last night we attended Sarah Vowell's reading/talk, which was all kinds of cool. Really must read her books. Though I don't think it will be quite as fun as her reading them aloud. :-)
She chose a Lincoln-assassination-related passage for the first reading, prefaced by an entertaining tangent about how dumb it was from a PR standpoint for Booth to pull the trigger on Good Friday. Something to the effect of "thus ensuring that a President half the country hated on Friday would, by Sunday morning, be eulogized in every Easter sermon." Which is a really, really good point, and one I don't remember if I ever thought about before.
If I did, it would have been while I was devouring research getting ready for These Honorable Men, and that was 1995, so it's a little fuzzy. I read about the whole topic, of course, but mostly I was focussing on any mentions I could find of my character, Booth's "secret fiancée," Lucy Hale. (The linked article just happened to be the first Google hit I got this morning, and is really cool, but has the same oddity from my perspective as the one I'm about to explain...)
( This is me, therefore it's kinda long. )
It's a curious thing, that people seem to find it essential to characterize such a person as a beauty, even if she wasn't. Which feeds tangentially into the Lizzie project, as one of the threads I'm playing with is how she started out being perceived as quite plain and/or odd-looking, but became defined as the Pre-Raphaelite stunner. Complete with a certain amount of revisionism going into the story of her "discovery" by Walter Deverell, who was looking for red hair and a girl who could be convincing as a boy (i.e. Viola-as-Cesario). All pretty much because Rossetti said so, and saw her that way, and painted her that way.
Funny all the things popping up lately that resonate with that watershed year. Maybe just me, or maybe the Universe trying to tell me something. :-)
She chose a Lincoln-assassination-related passage for the first reading, prefaced by an entertaining tangent about how dumb it was from a PR standpoint for Booth to pull the trigger on Good Friday. Something to the effect of "thus ensuring that a President half the country hated on Friday would, by Sunday morning, be eulogized in every Easter sermon." Which is a really, really good point, and one I don't remember if I ever thought about before.
If I did, it would have been while I was devouring research getting ready for These Honorable Men, and that was 1995, so it's a little fuzzy. I read about the whole topic, of course, but mostly I was focussing on any mentions I could find of my character, Booth's "secret fiancée," Lucy Hale. (The linked article just happened to be the first Google hit I got this morning, and is really cool, but has the same oddity from my perspective as the one I'm about to explain...)
( This is me, therefore it's kinda long. )
It's a curious thing, that people seem to find it essential to characterize such a person as a beauty, even if she wasn't. Which feeds tangentially into the Lizzie project, as one of the threads I'm playing with is how she started out being perceived as quite plain and/or odd-looking, but became defined as the Pre-Raphaelite stunner. Complete with a certain amount of revisionism going into the story of her "discovery" by Walter Deverell, who was looking for red hair and a girl who could be convincing as a boy (i.e. Viola-as-Cesario). All pretty much because Rossetti said so, and saw her that way, and painted her that way.
Funny all the things popping up lately that resonate with that watershed year. Maybe just me, or maybe the Universe trying to tell me something. :-)
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Work what you got
( In which Val and cameras continue to have an uneasy relationship )
I'm not a model; I have no expectation that posing for still photos is ever going to be a large part of my work. But it is always going to be a part, and it is usually going to be what people see first. For better or for worse, things are structured such that I'm being assessed out of the gate on something that is a weak point for me. So sometime in the next year or so, however long it takes to get my teeth closer to where I want them, I need to learn how to be better at it.
I'm not a model; I have no expectation that posing for still photos is ever going to be a large part of my work. But it is always going to be a part, and it is usually going to be what people see first. For better or for worse, things are structured such that I'm being assessed out of the gate on something that is a weak point for me. So sometime in the next year or so, however long it takes to get my teeth closer to where I want them, I need to learn how to be better at it.
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Working smarter, not just harder
In my "get this damn career thing together already" mode, various thoughts that have been whirling through my little diva brain, gathered here for some semblance of order and to have them in one place as a reminder:
( Divababble du jour )
So. Plan of attack for this weekend:
1. Check out classes in Chicago (there are a couple I know a bit about), get registered, and get back in training.
2. Start getting mailings out to agents. Was going to wait until my new headshots and reel were ready, but both of those are taking longer than I'd hoped, and my current headshot and resume could be enough for now. I can get in the door now, and give them more and updated material soon.
3. Strategize the hunt for a day job that will keep me alive without eating my life.
Yay, plan!
( Divababble du jour )
So. Plan of attack for this weekend:
1. Check out classes in Chicago (there are a couple I know a bit about), get registered, and get back in training.
2. Start getting mailings out to agents. Was going to wait until my new headshots and reel were ready, but both of those are taking longer than I'd hoped, and my current headshot and resume could be enough for now. I can get in the door now, and give them more and updated material soon.
3. Strategize the hunt for a day job that will keep me alive without eating my life.
Yay, plan!
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But then there was a star danc'd
Thirteen years ago today, Much Ado About Nothing opened in a small black-box theatre in Columbus, Ohio. Yours truly, complete with flittery fidgets and Minnie Mouse voice, was playing Beatrice.
( I'm still not entirely sure how that happened, but I'm eternally grateful that it did. )
For whatever reason, certainly not for any reason as concrete as this one, I've been feeling lately like anything is possible in 2008, in a way I maybe haven't since I was that clueless 25-year-old. So when you see me driving and reaching and muttering that it's not enough, you know why. I know what I'm trying to capture. It's going to be mine.
Pass the Gatorade.
( I'm still not entirely sure how that happened, but I'm eternally grateful that it did. )
For whatever reason, certainly not for any reason as concrete as this one, I've been feeling lately like anything is possible in 2008, in a way I maybe haven't since I was that clueless 25-year-old. So when you see me driving and reaching and muttering that it's not enough, you know why. I know what I'm trying to capture. It's going to be mine.
Pass the Gatorade.
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Drive-by Divababble
New Divababble blog post here.
Great Big Ball of Operatic Fluff opens TONIGHT.
And there's a bubblebath calling my name.
Happy Saturday, all!
Great Big Ball of Operatic Fluff opens TONIGHT.
And there's a bubblebath calling my name.
Happy Saturday, all!
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Bobbing up briefly from the Tech Week Abyss...
...with a new post on the Divababble blog.
Other than that, life is Office of Doom and Great Big Ball of Operatic Fluff. And snow. Lots of snow. :: eyes window ::
Other than that, life is Office of Doom and Great Big Ball of Operatic Fluff. And snow. Lots of snow. :: eyes window ::
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Did I really need another one?
Dunno, but after much hemming and hawing, I've finally set up blog just for my acting/theatre stuff. Most if not all of what I put there will still be posted here, so it won't affect you lot much (unless you're only here for the acting/theatre stuff, in which case I won't be at all offended if you unfriend this madhouse and read the blog instead), but I figured I'd point it out anyway.
It is dubbed, of course, Divababble, and has been launched with old divababbles from this very LJ.
It is dubbed, of course, Divababble, and has been launched with old divababbles from this very LJ.