Weekly Update

So I've discovered that a pal in the cast of Chess has a blog here on the same website as me! How cool is that. Check out his blog at mattvant.blogspot.com. But I've also stolen his idea (don't be mad, Matt!). A weekly update is a fabulous idea. Although he calls his a "weekly roundup", which is way more cool than my "weekly update". Despite that, here it is.

Job search- I DID get the job at Kids R Kids! I'm stupidly excited to start working there. I'll get benefits, which means visiting an allergist and figuring out how to control my asthma. The best part is that I'll be finished every night at 6pm, enough time to get to whatever rehearsal I'm going to, and not working weekends! Yippie! Of course one of the highlights is that I'll be making a lot of extra cash. Which means-

1. I'll get to pay off the majority of my credit card debt (how stupid was I in college?).

2. Make bill payments on time.

3. Pay off Sloan for "Wishes" (the fantastic painting hanging in my living room).

4. Buy a new computer and couch.

5. Be social again! Now I'll be able to go out with friends and afford that $8 appletini at Mary's.


Chess- We rehearsed last night at the CMT warehouse. Boy was that a horrible nightmare. Like 5 cast members weren't there (again, I understand you're busy, but seriously, we're RUNNING Act One). It was about 45 degrees in there, with dust and sawdust flying around (great for people with asthma), and both the music director and pianist weren't there. Needless to say, we didn't have as good a run as we would have hoped for. Check out this photo from rehearsal that night (courtesy of Matt!) that shows us in the disgusting, meat-locker-esque warehouse. However, Brian and I have now kissed. Not as weird as I thought it would be. It helps that he is gorgeous and a good kisser. It's strange how something that is so intimate between lovers can make you more comfortable around your friends. I'm becoming friends with many of the cast members. Next Saturday, a few of us girls are taking a pole dancing lesson. HA! This is going to be amazing. Just for fun. And that night, all of us girls in the cast are going out for drinks/dancing/party time! I can't wait. It's been so long since I've gone out with "the girls". I need this.

Cincinnati- I think we've decided to stay in Cincinnati. Now that I've gotten this job, and Rob hasn't had much luck in the job prospect area, it makes sense for us to stay. We'll now be able to save effectively, and both of us spend more time on the things that are important to us. I'll be able to do some heavy research, and maybe spend some time behind the stage learning about starting a theatre company. Rob is going to spend some time getting published, and writing pieces for the piano. We're thinking of moving out of Covington, to a place where we can get more room for a cheaper price. We're thinking Bellevue or Dayton, KY. Which is only about 5 mins. from here, but a world away. We'll just wait and see!

Pilates- So I've started this pilates program. I'm telling you I have never worked so hard in my life at an exercise! However, it's been five days, and I can already tell a difference in my waistline, my butt and my arms. This is a great program, that targets all regions of your body, and gives you a total workout. One of the DVD's is a fat-burning workout. 40 minutes of working your ass off. I watch this thing and am thinking "how are all of those people on the video not sweating or bent over wretching like I am?" But it's fab. Plus the 30 minute Pilates DVD, which works muscles I never knew I had. It's so great,I'm cancelling my gym membership!

That's it for now- I'm outta here.

Chess- the first month

I can't believe we've been rehearsing Chess for over a month now. I'm not nearly as anxious as I was at the beginning, or nervous about meeting people. I've met so many wonderful people, and am becoming fast friends with many of them. There are still a few who give me leary looks. Is it because I don't get to spend much time with them during rehearsals? Do I come off as a bitch or a "diva"? I surely hope not. But the majority of them are so nice, and supportive to boot. The fun part is getting to work with a host of talented people. Brian Anderson, playing Anatoly, is a complete doll. We have to make-out. This I'm a little nervous about. Sure the guy is gay, and both of us are in a committed relationship, but kissing is a very intimate thing. I don't care who you are. Being that close with someone is always frightening. What if my breath stinks? Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that hummus before coming in. How does my skin look? Is that zit going away? These are the things I think about when I'm standing there. But it's going well. We have yet to kiss. It was surreal the other day when I was telling Rob, my husband, that "It's very sweet. Brian and I have started holding hands." And Brian Berendts. This guy is the most crass individual I've ever met in my life. But we read together at an audition a few years back, and the chemistry between us was like nothing I've ever experienced. So it's been fun working with him, too. Plus, he's gorgeous. That never hurts. One of the hardest aspects about rehearsal is that many of the cast often has conflicts and aren't there. Including Michael Shawn. Hello? Does anyone realize how hard it is to act to air? Or to get shit done? Maybe I'm just bitter because I don't have much of a social life outside of this show.
I'm so jealous of those people. Keith calls to go out and I say "Sorry, can't. I'm broke." And I'm not lying about that. I have $29 in my checking account that has to last until the end of the month. This getting paid monthly thing really sucks. But I'm up for a job at Kids R Kids as a Lead Teacher. This will be awesome! The sad part is that I would have to leave Gymboree, where I've been for three years. It's been such a wonderful company to work for, and the people have been super. But it's hard to make ends meet when you aren't making any money. And if I get this job? I'll have money to go out and be social and feel alive again. Like a living, breathing, human, social butterfly. Like I was years ago. What happened to that girl? I think she got married and started staying in, watching old movies in her flannel pants. Spring is coming. Maybe she'll come out of her shell in the weeks to come.

Anniversaries and Chinese Buffets

A year ago tomorrow, my appendix decided it had had enough and thought it might be nice to throw a party in my colon. Of course, when the appendix decides to throw a party, it becomes inflamed and needs to be removed via a scalpel and anesthesia. It was a raucous time, for sure, seeing as I was in the run of a show. I am glad that it came out though, as it was one of those things I'd always feared. "What will I be doing when my appendix flares up?" was one of those fears I had since childhood. After seeing the giant scars on my stepfathers belly from his surgery nearly thirty years ago, it was something that I greatly worried about. Mine flared up after an hour workout at the gym. I spent a day thinking I had a turd stuck in my colon until the pain became so bad that I couldn't walk. I called Rob at school in tears, and he came riding in on his white steed to take me to the hospital. I was forced to drink a half gallon of Crystal Light "flavored" contrast solution, and had my first legalized drug experience. Morphine is awesome. After not eating for two days, the nice nurses on 3 West (the wing I was staying in) brought me french toast for breakfast. I could have kissed her. So here's to morphine, french toast, and not showering for three days. Happy Appendix-versary.


Rob and I went slummin' at a chinese buffet the other night. These places are just fascinating to me. You pay seven dollars for an all-you-can-eat meal of fried food, undercooked meat and sticky rice. I think it's an interesting culture clash of the small, quiet Chinese women who bring your drinks, fortune cookies and ultimately, the bill, and the giant, fat, loud Americans who come to these places to do what Americans do best- consume and consume and consume. There was this one guy who could easily top 4 bills, just piling the food on his plate. The man was a walking sterotype- giant Bengals football jersey (this thing could cover your 57 Chevy), two plates filled with food, stuffing a crab rangoon in his mouth while standing inches from the sneeze guard, and talking smack to his buddy behind him with bits of food flying from his mouth. It just reiterates the fact that something evil is happening to this country. We weren't always like this. Americans did fine before SUV's, buffets and NASCAR. Why do Americans feel the need to push toward big business/corporate greed, filling their expanding guts with fast food, and consuming all natural resources and fossil fuels to haul their overly scheduled children in SUV's the size of tractor-trailers? What the hell is happening to this country? I love America, and the fact that we as a nation have the freedoms and choices that we do. But what has happened in the past ten years that little girls want to end up like Britney Spears, pregnant at 22 with a white-trash husband in tow, holed up in a McMansion subdivision with no trees that looks like every other house on the block? This country is becoming a slum for commercial greed and conservatism. Maybe I'll move to Norway, where abortion is legal and politicians believe health care is universal. Here's to the people who have courage to think for themselves. Happy Consuming!

Make your move....

The gauntlet has been thrown down. Chess rehearsals began today, and I enter into this arena with much caution and anxiety. The problem is this... the past three shows I've done have been ensemble shows. No more than five or six people. In doing a show like this, number one the workload is much less. Number two I'm a lot less visable. However with Chess, my character is onstage about 95% of the time. No breaks, no set changes to run and get a drink, nothing. I of course fear that I'm getting too old for this. But one could question that 28 is not too old. I have much dialogue, and about four solo songs plus a bijillion duets with both men in the show, including the other female lead and the man who plays my father. The story is based on Florence (my character) and her life and trials in a world filled with nothing but the game of chess. What if I can't carry this show?! Do I even look Hungarian-American? Not in the least bit. Maybe Irish or German-American, but definately not from Budapest. Elaine Paige originally played Florence, and she was a blonde. But don't get me wrong, I'm so stupidly thrilled to be a part of this show and to work with these people. All my dear friends are involved some way or another, on or off stage. And to perform at this theatre? Insane! Not everyone gets to perform at the Aronoff. And you can now get tickets for the show- already! If you're planning to come, visit the Aronoff or their website to purchase. Damn. The show doesn't go up until May and you can already buy tickets. Sweet!

The other good thing is that Rob's final solo recital is this coming Wednesday. I'm glad for it to be done and over with. He becomes so stressed and can't sleep or eat. But he becomes a giant baby who throws temper tantrums where he literally squats and grunts and turns all sorts of colors like red or purple. Goddess, if you're listening, please grant me this one wish and let Wednesday come sooner rather than later. He's beginning to lose hope in the whole job prospect area. I keep telling him to be patient. But now he's creating a "back-up" plan, which I guess is good. The cool thing is that he's found a few Assistant Prof. of Piano jobs overseas. One in Newcastle, GB and Glasgow, Scotland. Could you see us bashing around the UK? Man, I sure could!

We're looking very forward to the weekend of March 3 and 4, as we're heading back close to home to Rantoul, Illinois. Sounds like a thriving metropolis, don't you think? But we're heading there to spend a day or two with my very dear old friends Kal and Wade and their five-year-old Cacie. Kal is pregnant with her second girl, which provides me with such joy just thinking about it. We are planning to have a nice visit with them, and even if it's only a few days out of the Nati, we'll take it.

All for now.
ACE

A real update...

Hello gang-
Never thought I would have a blog myself. I always thought of blogs as "What the hell is a blog?". Geez I didn't even get a cell phone until last year! But I Googled an old high school friend a few weeks ago and stumbled upon his blog and thought "Wow, so this is a blog. Very cool" and decided I needed one myself. So it must be an end of an era- I've actually entered the 21st century, at least technology-wise. Now all I need is to get rid of my dial-up internet. Sad, I know.

Have been trudging along through January, anticipating the start of Chess rehearsals (beginning Feb. 12th). Why is January such a hard month to get through? Is it the let down of Christmas? The gray days? Nothing to look forward to? Plus my dear friend Keith has left The Nati to be a gypsy the next few weeks. So that's been rough not being able to see or talk to him as often as we used to! Fortunately, he'll return to the Nati in a few weeks to begin rehearsals with the Childrens Theatre and to celebrate evenings at Mary-oke on Thursdays once again. Here is one of him at the K. Akimbo cast party last June. All I can say is...Wow.


Chess will be a super fun show. My other dear friend Mark is directing (who directed me in Love,Change), and starring alongside of me will be Michael Shawn, who I had some serious make-out time with during Side Show. Sadly, we won't get to have any make-outs during this show. We only get to scream at each other. We're still hoping our amazingly hot chemistry will light the stage curtains on fire sans lip-action. Mark has some incredible ideas, where he wants to take the show. It will prove to be a great show. I also get to spend time with my friend Sarah who was also cast in Chess. Sarah starred with me in Love,Change last year and we became fast friends over a rant about disorganized producers! Although the saddest part will be that our rehearsals will be far from the Pepper Pod. The PP is this awful dive where you get your choice of sitting in "Smoking" or "Smoking", with the strangest waitress this side of the Mason-Dixon. There isn't a place in town like the PP, where you can get a half chicken dinner with all the sides for only six bucks. But the french toast is great. All of us in Love,Change seemed to think that the many nights of eating at the PP after rehearsals/performances was really why my appendix decided to nearly burst during the run of the show.

Rob is anxiously awaiting word from the twenty-some schools he sent his application materials to. Of course we're hoping to move back home to the QC if Rob gets the Augustana job, but now, any place with health insurance will suffice. It would be nice to hear something as his anxiety is becoming infectious.

We're both doing fabulously on the WW plan. I'm down five lbs. since the holidays, and clothes fit again. But I told myself that I wasn't going to be a fat girl in this show. I usually lose weight during a show anyway, so hooray! It's hard to believe that when we left the QC 4 years ago, I weighed 30 pounds more than I do now. Jesus. I must have been huge!

I've been busy with research during my free-time. Grant-writing, PR, marketing, Web design, technical theatre, legal guides in biz and for theatre. Plus scripts- reading, analyzing. Hopefully within the year I will be beginning my own theatre company, my dream for many years.

Best to all,
ACE