While burying my head in the book, I lifted it and found my self!

It has been far too long since I last posted.  The last was a week ago, and I was sharing how I was feeling first day jitters.  Well, the first week is almost done, and it has been an enlightening experience.  Coming into this new project, I wondered if it really were like riding a bike.  Would I straddle the not too comfortable seat, put one foot on the peddle, push...."OH! That's the break!" or push and go "WEEEEEEEE!" Believe what they tell you, it is the latter, not the former.  I really found an amazing freedom in the text this time, so it was "WEEEEEEE, WEEEEEEE, WEEEEEEEE" all the way home. Because I am in the best of hands this is great, but most importantly, I found the courage to say Mr. Shakespeare's words in the way that I hear them.  Looking around the table, every actor is individually unique and uniquely individual.  It was clear that we were all assembled to bring our special brand of classical interpretation to this show.  It challenged me to fire the mental editor who has often whispered in my ear, "That earthiness that you walk through the world with, is not welcomed here. Drop it for what you know is a better way." She/it was given the boot, and I found a relationship with the language that I had never had before.  Again, like in most relationships, if you are coming with your authentic self, it cannot work....at least not for the long haul.

First Day Jitters

Oh good friends, as we approach Labor Day, many of us gear our young people up to start a new school year.  School bags are picked out, clothes are neatly organized and excitement, sprinkled with some dread, runs rampant.  The energy is palpable.  The desire to know more and be moved up a rung on the ladder of education is being fanned again.  Going back also means being reminded of all of the things that may have been forgotten in the sun, poolside. I say, be gentle with oneself.  It will all come back to you.

I say this to myself as well, as I begin a new project.  It has been a while since I have been at this particular school, in this building, with these "students."  My excitement is high, but I cannot ignore the gnawing dread that I have of being back in "school."  First day jitters, I guess. Though I know I won't be the only new kid feeling this way and there will be some familiar faces, but what will the upper class-men think? Better yet, how will I perform?  Will I meet my own expectations?  I say, be gentle with oneself. It will all come back to you.

I was "Swagger Jacked" Today

If you are anything like me, you don't know what "swagger jacking" is.  Well, it is when you "hate" on someone, but I will be using this term to describe having my twitter account hacked today! They jacked my swagger today and it made me think about how easy it is for someone's identity to be stolen.  I then thought about how often I have given my identity away in various ways in this business.  Every time I read for a role that I know is so far from any truth that I know or every time I tell myself, "Well, it's just for this project," I am allowing my identity to be jacked.  As a matter of fact, that's not even a real "jacking." I would assume the very nature of a "jacking" is the element of surprise.  There is very little surprise to what I describe for those of us who have been traveling this road.  I reclaim my swagger today. I am owning my name, my identity and holding on to them with both hands.