The Craziest thing i've ever done...

Working the lovely outdoor box office with Ashley

So... I did something crazy. But, it is crazy in a good way, rather than a bad way, and i am almost certain i won't regret it! Guess who is going to now be spending a WHOLE MONTH in New York City Stage Managing a show? You've got it - me! I have officially extended my visa and (hopefully) rebooked my flights and rearranged my entire August all because I got given this amazing amazing opportunity to SM a show at the NYC fringe. It couldn't have come at a more perfect time, because i am not nearly ready to leave this country or these people yet. It has been tough to leave here, and the goodbyes are still continuing (which is super sad...as the liklihood is i won't be back very soon, as least not next year. Financially - and in terms of my education - it just isn't viable) but it makes things easier that i will at least still be in the country! I am going to be staying with Janine and Drew (Dan, one of the playwrights, parents) in the Upper West Side of Manhatten, which is exciting. And although it is exciting, i am also rather nervous and daunted - this really is a big deal. It was an opportunity i couldn't really pass up! These past couple of weeks have been crazy but good - i did very much enjoy working Box Office for Hamlet (mainly due to the wonderful people) - it consisted of sitting outside for about 6 hours every evening, which was tough in the heat and with the bugs, but it wasn't too boring and it all went very smoothly. We even got to babysit a baby one night, which was fun! We played lots of games of cards lol, and read lots, and chatted - it was, in general, good. So, this is short and sweet, because i leave at 6.30am ish tomorrow morning to go to D.C with Katie (yay, excited!), but i wanted to update just so i remember what this part of my amazing american journey was like!!

Ciao ragazzi xxx

Time is really coming to an end...

Me and Katie at Busch Gardens

So, now it has become weeks or days rather than months that I have left here until i will be winging my way to Spain and then back to the rainy UK to finish my damn degree! It is (i've been trying not to count, because it makes me sad but...) 3 weeks until i leave the US, two weeks and two days until i leave here - and that just seems too soon. I am dreading returning, i really am - not because i don't think life is going to be alright, just that i would prefer to be here, in the company of wonderfully talented likeminded people, than being in Canterbury where everything is very much on the rocks right now. It's really scary going back, far scarier than coming here.

Virginia is pretty damn amazing. Doing this internship was a GOOD IDEA. Although it hasn't made leaving the USA any easier at all (in fact, it has probably made it more difficult!) it has taught me that it is the country i like, not just Milwaukee and my student situation. I love the American theatre scene, i love the people, i love the culture and everything about this place. And i could see myself spending a lot of time here in the future. Endstation is a FANTASTIC company to work for, i couldn't wish for a better situation here - there is just the right amount of challenge about the work that i do, always room to make mistakes and for it to be okay, and they are a more than fantastic bunch of people and super supportive. I would recommend anyone to get an internship here. Alice is now at the stage where we are almost closing - in fact, we close tomorrow :-( From then on, i basically become a box office/anything that anyone needs help with intern, which is cool - i am sure i will be kept busy!

Alice has been a fantastic show - i have 140 cues in a 37 page script, which is pretty good going, but i feel, after doing this, i could do more difficult shows with even more cues than that. Tech went pretty smoothly, despite the fact it felt like the longest tech EVER, due to the 50 thousand days it took (And the three dress rehearsals and preview!). I only had a couple of mini freak outs, and there was one particularly fraught day where i was worried, but i have been through FAR worse tech wise (nothing will ever beat the hell of Annie!). It was lovely to have supportive people around convincing me that i was doing a good job - I feel secure in the fact that soon i will feel comfortable enough doing this stuff on my own, but its nice to have someone holding my hand until then. And this feels like the safest place in the world to experiment like this. We have all sorts of cool things during the show: a mechanical pig, remote control hedgehogs, AWESOME UV bubbles and UV lights and a pretty damn awesome cast! This is definitely one of my favourite shows that i have ever worked on - on a par with Lieutenant of Inishmore!

I remember mentioning that i was going to Busch Gardens in my last entry - well, katie, tania, matt and myself did go, and it was VERY VERY cool! I totally got over my fear of rollercoasters and went on no less than three - riding 'The Griffin' at the centre of the front row over the vertical drops and twists and loops was terrifying but exhilerating, and despite the pain my back was in for the next few days, it was TOTALLY worth it! I would not hesitate to go on rollercoasters again - it DEF makes themeparks more fun. It was nice to spend some time outside the rehearsal room with the cast, making new friends and going on an adventure. It's one of the memories i will keep with me for a long time. I have developed a new 'why not?' attitude which has really opened up my world - kareoke every week is pretty exciting, and i really like the culture here in the South. But i like the north just as much too. They are very different!

So, tasks i've worked on as well as Alice over the past few weeks have indeed been very varied! I have painted and glue gunned tea cups to make a lobby display, i've written out numerous tickets, i made a furry remote control hedgehog complete with sparkly green nose, i've checked the mail lots and lots (Postman Jess!), sorted out adding a bunch of people to the mailing list, scanned stuff, printed stuff, and generally done lots of little things that wouldn't get done otherwise! It has been good fun :-) It reminds me of doing a little bit (or a lot!) of everything last year for Stage Spiders!

Anyway, i have to vamoose now (i forgot i hadn't sent out an e-mail i was supposed to send, eek!). Hopefully i will update once more before i get back to the UK.

Ciao ragazzi xxx