The holidays are over...

This month I saw two films that totally rocked my world. The first was Milk, starring a remarkable Sean Penn. This movie really opened my eyes to what the gay community in America went through and are still going through in getting and maintaining their civil rights. From the opening montage of actual police footage of gay men being herded into the backs of cruisers to the recreation of some of Harvey Milk's most famous speeches, there was rarely a moment that I wasn't either outraged, encouraged or almost brought to tears. It is really depressing to think that even after 30 years, the gay population is still fighting for civil rights (Prop 8 anyone?). I feel extra luck to be living in a country that treats everyone (or at least mostly everyone) as equals. I know that Canada still has a ways to go and is not at all the perfect country but it is a damn good one and I am proud to be Canadian (we just need to work on our arts and media....it's a little sad).

Last night I saw Doubt with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The performances from Streep, Hoffman and Amy Adams were incredible and I highly recommend anyone (especially actors) to go see this movie. It's based on a play, so there are a lot of long scenes of dialogue, but they're executed so well that I didn't mind.

Yesterday morning I had an audition for a TV show for the Family/Disney channel. It is basically "Charles in Charge" only called something different. I read for "Blake" a rebellious teen who moves into a woman's home to take care of her kids. I don't think it went well, but the little kid I read with was amazing. I wish I was as good and funny and smart as him when I was six! I can't wait to see what he does!

Tomorrow I'm back to school after a month's break. I am not ready to go back and don't want to start being not-lazy. We'll see what happens.

One Word

My friend Fiona sent this to me and I thought it might be fun...

USING ONLY ONE WORD

Not as easy as you might think! It's really hard to only use one word answers.

Where is your cell phone? Floor

Your significant other? Imaginary

Your hair? Dry
Your mother? Cute

Your father? Quiet
Your favorite thing? iPod
Your dream last night? Hot
Your favorite drink? Whiskey
Your dream/goal? Theatre

What room are you in? Fort

Your hobby? Theatre

Your fear? Failure

Where do you want to be in 6 Yrs? NYC

Where were you last night? Date
Something that you aren't? Patient

Muffins? Elderly

Wish list item? iPhone

Last thing you did ? Facebook

What are you wearing? PJs

TV? Gone

Your pet? Cross-eyed
Friends? Missing
Your life? Busy

Your mood? Tired
Missing someone? Yes
Drinking? Water

Smoking? Nothing

Your car? Missing

Something you're not wearing? Bubblewrap

Your favorite store? TheatreBooks

Your favorite color? Blue

last time you cried? Milk
Who will resend this? Nobody
Where do you go to over and over? Sheridan(?)

Holidazed

So it's only been about two months since I last updated. To be honest, it's been a boring and busy couple of months, all at once. Boring in that I haven't done anything exciting because the "busy" mostly encompasses rehearsals, homework and the holidays.

My show went well, I suppose. I definitely dropped one of my fellow cast members when I was supposed to catch her in a trust fall. I'm pretty sure it was the first time she actually trusted me. Anyway, she learned a valuable lesson that day. Luckily, no one was injured (just our pride). The whole Winter Festival thing was a very valuable learning experience. I don't think a lot of actors can honestly say they had a paid performing gig right beside a herd of mooing cows and shared their stage with snakes and flying squirrels.

The holidays were good. I had to work three all-nighters at American Eagle, which kinda ruined Christmas Eve (I slept till 7pm, when I could have been spending time with the fam), but I didn't have to deal with any customers, who are at their worst behavior at Christmas. I also got Boxing day off, which was a godsend.

I don't really understand why people are so miserable during the holidays. I always thought that it was a time of joy and giving. But all my joy came from a bottle and the only thing I got was a headache and violent thoughts. It is very difficult to stay in the holiday spirit while working in retail. I'm a stock person, who rarely sees the sales floor, and even I was going nuts.

I think the best part of Christmas this year was a DVD my uncle made for everyone on my mom's side of the family. It was a compilation of home videos he had filmed since the '70s. I don't ever remember him having a camcorder, but the video showed my parents' wedding, my first Christmas, my brother's first Christmas, and pretty much every family get-together since we were babies. It was surreal. I love how excited I was at Christmas when I was a kid, before I had a VISA card, student debt and parking tickets.

Anyway, it's 2009 and I feel like the whole world is at my beck and call. One of my new years resolutions (besides the usual 'gain weight' and 'save money') is to read the Bible again. I read it once before, back when I was really into the church scene, and I'm interested on my interpretation of it now that I have a few more years' experience under my belt. This was triggered while I was at home for Christmas and going through some old boxes. I found my yearbooks and some old magazines, along with a box full of Bibles and Christian rock CDs. Needless to say, my iPod is a little more pack with Christian rock now. Oh, the memories.

Until next time...

Reading Week

I just got back to Oakville from a week in Niagara! I actually have mixed feelings about reading week being over. I love school, but it is still school and there is a lot of work to be done in the coming weeks.

For one, I'm going to be appearing in a play at the Toronto Winter Fair next month, so I've been in rehearsals for that on top of my regular classes. I also have to memorize a script for tomorrow (its my own damn fault for not doing it this week) and I have to sing the song "Dogs in the Yard" from Fame tomorrow, which I haven't started preparing for.

I'm excited to get back to dance class...though there is a project due tomorrow that I haven't started, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to finish it during my lunch break...I am the worst procrastinator in the world.

On Friday the Wildcats and I went to see HSM3. It was opening night, so naturally we went in full costume and danced in the lobby and in the theatre, to the sheer joy of all the tweens who thought we were their heroes. People even came up to us to get their pictures taken.

In all, it was the best movie-going experience of my life. The movie was surprisingly good and I have a new respect for Zac Efron, who was awesome in this. He didn't even have to take his shirt off! Go see it if you haven't already.

It was also my mission to have a good time with my friends without drinking this week, and I managed to do it! I had a couple of beers, but nothing that left me inebriated or hating my life the next day.

My very good friend Claire is currently playing the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, which I got to see this weekend as well. She was awesome, as usual, and pretty much stole the show! Congrat's Claire!!

Anyway, I'd better get to singing so I don't fall flat on my face tomorrow morning!

Yesterday I let a complete stranger with no training cut my hair. This was actually an amazing experience. If you know me, and you probably do, otherwise why would be be reading this (unless you're just one of those people [like me] that reads random blogs I like), you know that I take particular pride in my appearance. 

Luckily, the end result was good and got some really nice attention today in class. 

I'm getting fat. I never thought I would say that. I am actually the skinniest person alive. I give some Ethiopian anorexics a run for their money. I do think that I need to lay off the pints for a while. My mid-section is not looking like a washboard anymore (which is the only option for skinny people with the slightest bit of muscle - I'm not saying I have a six-pack). 

Anyway, I had a meeting with my new improv company tonight. It was awesome and very cool to finally sit down with a couple of cool, intelligent people and just discuss life and shit over some beer. I haven't done this since moving from Niagara and I missed it. I also ate some amazing garlic bread.

I'm excited to be performing again in a non-scholastic setting. To do it just for the sheer joy of doing it, without the pressure of a teacher watching you. The team is made up of some of the most talented and hilarious people I have ever met, and I am supa-stoked to be working with them (though the pressure is on!). 

I just saw a show at Second City in Toronto, which was amazing. The actors even came out to talk to us after the show. I was amazed at how hard working they are. I think that sometimes we think that all the "hard-work" we will have to do as "starving" artists is to wait tables or make lattes, but the reality is, we have to wait tables and makes lattes and also try to make a name for ourselves in the business. You have to eat, sleep dream and shit your art. You can't leave it behind. It also struck me as amazing that they never stop learning. They take things from each other, from other actors, take classes and still crave more knowledge. No one will ever be the best performer ever, because it is all relative. Therefore, no matter how far you go, there is always more to know.

An Update

Okay...so apparently the video blogging thing isn't working so well. I broke the battery on the camera and, being a theatre practitioner, can't afford to replace it at this juncture. So, you people are going to have to just put up with using your imagination and visualizing all the amazing things that I am going to write about.

I have now been in Sheridan's theatre school for about a month now, though it seems like its been a year. I think I've learned more in these couple weeks than I have since I started taking this theatre thing seriously. I'm finally doing all the things I've always wanted to do, but never thought I would. I'm actually not bad at ballet and am already feeling different. I'm standing straighter and am fairly graceful (whereas everything I used to do was SO awkward).

I have already seen three shows and am going to two more this week. Jersey Boys was amazing. The whole conceit of the show, the blocking, choreography and the way the story is told, amazed me (not-to-mention the Frankie-Valli-esque singing that called every dog in the GTA to the theatre).

It was also awesome to think that in a number of months "bare" is happening in that same building. Its a little surreal.

Also, my new roommates are awesome. I haven't met two more chill guys and they're also really talented. I sometimes feel like the den-mother of the group though, and I am still being introduced as "Brian...he has a degree." They're really different though. Al is our leader and Liam likes to ingest foreign substances, they're a nice balance. Its like living with the odd couple.

As most of you know, I don't have a bedroom. I have three walls beside the kitchen and a bookshelf with a sheet over it. Not the most private situation, but I'm used to it (lets all be reminded of the window in the bedroom in my old apartment).

Even though I am having an amazing time singing and dancing with other, insanely talented people, I still miss everyone back home in Niagara. Though I don't really miss the University life, I do miss the routine I had last year. I miss McKenna on Wednesdays at Sheehan's and Mansion, I miss funk night after rehearsals at L3...wow...all of these things revolve around drinking....something else I really miss. There are only two bars near my apartment. One is the school pub (which sucks) and the other is a restaurant with a bar in it. Because Oakville isn't a student town, like St. Catharines was, there are a lot of older people in the bars. I am desperate for the days where I could go to a pub with a group of friends, listen to a band and have a pint.

Tomorrow the new Jack's Mannequin album comes out. I have been looking forward to this album since their last one came out three (four?) years ago. This has been a good year for music. Colin Oberst's solo album, the new Augustana and now...the new JM. Stoked!!