Video Killed the Blog Star.

Inhabiting a Role.

Andrei came back today.  We had his class and zipped through the scenes that we had.  Everybody today was on point, perhaps refilling some of the confidence gauge all around.  Yeah, there's a gauge.  Afterwards we were treated to a little lecture of sorts by Mr. Serban reflective of one he delivered in Romania a few days prior about inhabiting role; the importance of elevating the character and the aspirations of theater, especially as a place of spiritual healing.  If you've been keeping up on some of my lengthier posts, you an probably imagine me grooving to this chat.  I did.

It turns out that this is just what I needed.  The past two weeks, or so, I've been in a bit of a funk where I often found myself thinking,"What the fuck am I doing here?  I don't belong here."  Admittedly, I still am not entirely sure, but the talk roused me out of my malaise and I'm now totally stoked to get back to work.  I'm working on a scene from Spring Storm with Kristie that I'm really thrilled about, even more so now that I've got a little fire back; and a scene from Last Days of Judas Iscariot with Zarif that I just returned home from rehearsing.  We may have drained a twelve during the scene.  It takes place in a bar.  Rehearsal was incredibly productive.  The scene's (on the surface) just two guys having out in a bar, having a chat.  What's really brilliant is that Zarif and I really jive as actors together, and honestly there's probably not too many people that I'd rather hang out in a bar with right now.

I'm going to turn in before the buzz (of the beer and of the lecture) wear off.  We'll be back tomorrow, I'm sure.

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."
- Robert Louis Stevenson

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

-R

Paging Mr. Herman.

Halloween has yet to happen; tomorrow is the 31st, but we'll be busy in labs.  We celebrated Halloween Friday night with the rest of the actors before the third-years departed to take their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream to Germany.  Before that, I stopped by the official IAC party at Dodge Hall to try and overthrow the competition for best costume.

I take Halloween very seriously.  There are very few opportunities where you can act like a complete child in public and not get scoffed at.  Halloween is one of those opportunities.  I made the decision pretty early on to assume the role of one of my childhood heroes: Pee-Wee Herman.  Modesty aside, my Pee-Wee impression is on point.  Here are some pics from the night including my favorite with the girl who took the big 1st place prize, Fiction Writer Basak Ulubilgen as Wednesday Addams.  It was a big night for classic television.

w/ Wednesday Addams (Basak Ulubilgen)

w/ Seinfeld (Sander Gusinow) & Wednesday

So much plaid...

w/ Kato (Jeena Yi)

What was really fun was that from the moment that I sat down on the bust get back to Morningside Heights, people wanted to talk to me.  They love Pee-Wee.  Walking up and down Broadway, people wanted to talk to me.  They love Pee-Wee.  Nobody called me by me real name all night long.  They love Pee-Wee.  The whole night long!  I might have to dust it off again some time in the future and get in touch with my inner-child.  Hopefully Paul Rubens won't mind.

A sucker for a pretty face.  w/ Kristie Larson

On that subject, I will say this, to try and maintain that kind of energy for right hours is exhausting; my hat's off to Mr. Rubens.  I should also take the time to thank him for giving us such a wonderful character.  Thank you!  For everyone else...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

"I know you are but what am I?"
-Pee-Wee Herman


-Nix

Snow.

We had a pretty amazing night of Halloween-time fun followed by a little sleep and the last of our series of Alexander classes with Nina D'abbracci.  You could see that the evening might have affected some of the class a bit more than others.  Attendance was low.  In the class with Nina, we worked on some new ways to stretch from the shoulders before working into our posture and walking.

You'd be surprised how many people laugh when you tell them you're spending several thousand dollars to learn how to stand and walk.  Granted there's some other things... a few other things that we learn in our time here, but, yes, we learn how to stand and walk.  What was really interesting for me was that, when she was diagnosing me, I learned that I lean way back into myself.  She had set me to a "correct" posture and I felt like I was a short breath away from falling head-over-heels on to my forehead.  It's really uncomfortable, but I've been playing with it all day, and hopefully will be able to correct the issue in the next few weeks.

I'm learning to walk.

After class, Phillip, Jeena, Ariel, Kristie, Marianna and I went to Tom's Diner (of Seinfeld fame) which is down Broadway from College Walk for a little breakfast.  I should just disclose with you really quick, that if you really feel the need to get in touch with a little Seinfeld nostalgia, this is the place to go; if not the food is less than stunning and you aren't really missing anything by passing on it.  I've eaten here a few times now and there's definitely better diners to be found in the city. We were in just finishing up with our meal, hanging out/chatting, and getting pressured to pay and leave up by our busboy when something magical happened:  It started to snow on Broadway.  I've lived here, I've seen it, but it's still impressive.  Especially since the sentence "It started to snow n Broadway" is an understatement.  It started dumping large white flakes of utter cold on Broadway might me more apt.  There was something there, though, having that experience with each other.  Having a laugh; sharing a look of wonder at nature practicing the changing of the season before our very eyes.  Hearing the breathy, gleeful gasps of fellow Californian, Jeena Yi experiencing her first winter snow in the city where she lives... it was grand, and a wonderful experience to share.

(Photos courtesy of Marianna Caldwell)

Snow on 112th & Broadway

Jeena & Kristie

Ariel & Ryan

Phillip & Jeena

Kristie & Marianna

I returned home, warmed and excited to have a few hours to myself.  To remove the cares of the program from my mind and reflect upon the week and finally curl up with a book, some hot tea and a blanket and relax beside my window that looks over on the whitening street below.  I'm about to get back to it now; the moments are too sterling to continue pass up.


"And finally Winter, with it's bitin', whinin' wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow."
-Roy Bean

-Nix