THE DAY THAT FEELS AS THOUGH IT WILL NEVER END.

Despite the fact that I've garnered a total of seventy-five minutes of sleep in the last thirty hours, I am still feeling relatively upbeat.
And, despite the rather groaning fact that my flight from Charlotte to Allentown in officially dead (in the sense that the FAA has cancelled it and held a service in its non-existant honor), I have been typing, reading, and playing UNO online. The news of its earlier cancellation was abrupt if not relatively shocking, leaving me in a rush with sixty other passengers, all fighting tooth and nail for answers and flight vouchers.
At the moment, I'm scheduled to depart from the great state of North Carolina just after two PM, at which point I head out to Pittsburgh, at which point (and this is the section where I'm crossing fingers and doing a holy jig), I catch a flight to Eastern PA.
This is, of course, pending all the the tumultuous energy that is floating around this airport, stuffed with individuals who would give arms and legs to have comfortable seating, inexpensively priced dining, and better yet, the golden ticket back into loved ones' arms.
This airport thing can get moderately weepy. I haven't reached the brink of dreariness just yet, but, in a positive spirit, there is always opportunity for growth. That is, depression.
Nah. I'm relatively confident that this should work out in the end. At the very least, maybe they'll pay for my damn nine dollar crab cake sandwich.

OH, CHRISTMAS TREE.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)," this is the most unbelievably wonderful thing ever.


(Note: This is, of course, in leiu of a play-based post this evening. After all, it is Christmas.)

A PEAR SLICE IN YOUR JELLO.

Tonight was, despite the fact that is was a wet and rainy Christmas, considerably warm.
Not in temperature, per se, but in the hearth-esque glow that steamed out from the people I shared company with. The description might seem off-putting or, dare I say it, "smutty" in those terms, but, in fact, it was a most civilized occasion.
Civilized, that is, when the grown-ups weren't making penis jokes.
Lucky for me, I have one of the most energetic and sassy Uncle Franks known to man, and his companions are some of the most fabulously entertaining individuals I could have imagined spending my holiday time with. We were treated to a delicious dinner, saucy conversation, platonic embraces, and, best of all, the most fruity celebration this side of...well, conservatism.

It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful old, orchid-loving men can be.

And, yes: this book definitely was the focus of their coffee table.

MEDEA

By Christopher Durang and Wendy Wasserstein

-To be honest, as tempting as Medea is, the Chorus is the best part of this show, hands down, no questions asked. Totally.

NO SHOULDER

By Nina Shengold

-Ruth is obviously the nicer of the two parts (especially seeing as I'm too old to play a "waif-ish" sixteen-year-old).

WHY DOES BLOGGER HATE ME?

Am I stuck with an infinitely unappealing white screen, or is this just a test-post?

You be the judge.

(Hint: It's the former. Definitely the former.)

UPDATE: Blogger doesn't hate me. It loves me. And it's back to normal.

EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT, TAKE ONE.

Oh, how deeply compassionate my family can be when I find myself needing them the most.

Christmas and 20th Birthday presents now consist of [somewhat expensive] tickets to see Mr. Read in the Poconos from the 31st to January 4th, at which point I meet up with family at Hilton Head Island for a mini-family reunion.

I am overjoyed and giddy.
And those two adjectives can't even begin to reinforce how much I miss him.


[Note: Not Gerard. He has a creepy "porn stache." And staches, of any form, are just scary.]

CLOSER

By Patrick Marber

-I'm not sexy enough to play either Anna or Alice (as a character actress often should not be), and I am totally and completely okay with that.

WORKOUT

By Wendy Wasserstein

-The "woman" is an obviously obsessive sort of character, which could be nice to play, but physically, I just wouldn't cut it. Too bad.

THE ROLE OF DELLA

By John J. Wooten

-Emma, in her infinite control of the situation, is my obvious first pick. However, With the physicality and comedy that can spring from Elizabeth, I feel as though her character might prove the greater challenge and, ultimately, more fun.

HUH.

I'm glad that I just saw my six-year-old Target brown/polka dotted shirt on a thirty-something-year-old woman in the midst of a Disney Mobile commercial.

Life is consistently odd.

THE MOST MASSIVE WOMAN WINS

By Madeleine George

-This show has obvious appeal, even if only for the weight necessary to produce the show realistically. Carly is feisty and moderately abrasive, which I love the character for, but Sabine, with her "Michael" monologue, is most definitely my choice.

INDEPENDENCE

By Lee Blessing

-Evelyn is a firecracker of a role, but Kess is, if I dare say so myself, a really strong and engaging female, even if the idea of her as a lesbian forces the character to be as gruff as she is.

THREE TALL WOMEN

By Edward Albee

-Given the fact that I'd need to age myself considerably before tackling any of these parts, B and C are both roles that could easily make me the happiest of campers.

JUST BECAUSE I SAID SO.

It's been a bad day. Not for any specific rhymes or reasons, but...well, just because.
So, pictures.

DESDEMONA: A PLAY ABOUT A HANDKERCHEIF

By Paula Vogel

-Emilia. Definitely Emilia. As long as I don't screw up her "Broad Irish Brogue." Thank you, Paula Vogel, for the insertion of "Broad" into her character description.

THE PERPETUAL TICK AND TOCK.

Here I sit, at home, drowning in the laziness that exists when there seems nothing pertinent going on.
I could be complaining, and I have some instances where I am sure that will be all that springs from my fingertips, but, at the moment, I can do nothing but bask in the lack of emotion I'm feeling. I, of course, feel the need to be more outwardly driven and productive in my daily existence, but perhaps tomorrow shall provide significant leaps and bounds forward. One completion at a time, I have almost overcome the desperation and torment that is Holiday Shopping. Not that I have all of my projects completed, but at least a few here and there have come to pass, and I am unbelievably happy with all of them thus far.
So, left to tackle is the remainder of loved ones, not to mention the hope of propelling myself into the PA region at some point in the coming months.

I feel lucky that I am not unbelievably miserable. Just marginally bored.

THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSE

By Christopher Durang

-Both Elanor and Elaine are almost character roles, but I think I'm better suited for Elaine's "Master of Ceremonies" kind of part.

LIVES OF THE GREAT WAITRESSES

By Nina Shengold

-Kay, Tammie Sue, and Yetta (despite possible ethnic conflicts) are all nice character roles that I'd love to play. Melissa has that great monologue at the end (which I've already used for auditions), but she probably needs much more ingenue than I could fathom.

WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

By Edward Albee

-I would kill to play Martha in twenty years when I could viably pass for an older woman.

THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS

By Carlo Goldoni
(Translated and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher and Paolo Emilio Landi)

-This Spring, I'm playing Brighella. Sweet.

TWO DAYS AND COUNTING.

I would assume that time is supposed to make all things easier to sort out, to deal with, to confront. Along those same lines, I would garner that time, itself, is a mechanism of healing and growth.
The difficulty is, I don't have any desire to be healed or fostered- instead, I'd much rather remain broken, battered, and content with that parallel reality of happiness my life has sprung up. I fervently seek it out- I miss it already with all of my heart, mind, and soul.
There is no cry echoing louder within my being that screams for two beings to merely "be" as they once were, even if that parting seems mere moments ago.

I haven't really cried yet. And, I don't plan on doing so.
Productivity reigns supreme in reality, I suppose, and I will go on acting in such a way.
But, I miss you. I miss you infinitely.

FAT PIG

By Neil LaBute

-I could play Helen. Not that I'd really, desperately, eagerly want to, but I could.