If you wake up in the morning and all you can think about is writing.....

Yes it has been a while since this has been updated... moving on.
So I really like the movie Sister Act 2 and every once in a while I think about different quotes from it.
So today what popped in my head was the scene where Whoopi Goldberg is talking to Lauryn Hill and trying to persuade her character to think more about singing and joining the choir. Here is the quote...well actually here is the scene:


Whoopi: I know you want to sing. See. I love to sing. Nothing makes me happier.I either wanted to be a singer or the head of the Ice Capades. Hey. Do you know who the Ice Capades are? Don't roll your eyes. They were very cool. I went to my mother who gave me this book...called Letters To A Young Poet. Rainer Maria Rilke.He's a fabulous writer. A fellow used to write to him and say: "I want to be a writer. Please read my stuff." And Rilke says to this guy: "Don't ask me about being a writer. lf when you wake up in the morning you can think of nothing but writing...then you're a writer."I'm gonna saythe same thing to you. If you wake up in the mornin' and you can't think of anything but singin' first...then you're supposed to be a singer. 


Girl: What's the point of your story. Sister? What's the point?

Whoopi: Read the book.


END SCENE


Ok so I am in the process of editing a play that I wrote almost two years ago. Why two years? Well ...yeah kinda complicated (I really just had to take a break from it and partly just did not have the energy to edit)
BUT ....I have decided that this will be a summer of writing and this is the first project.


So how does this relate to the quote?


Well in order for this to be a summer of writing, I guess I am reflecting on myself as a writer of plays. So for those who read my blogs, those who write plays, those who read plays...what suggestions do you have for upcoming playwrights in general? How do you get through dry spells? What inspires you to write? Where do you get your ideas from?


Yeah this is a summer of writing, reflection...and more. I am waking up in the morning trying to be.. a playwright?

Stay tuned. 

AMC got money from me in 2010

Yes this is the second post I have done today but I had a great idea for a post and I wanted to go ahead and write it before I forget about it and well, just not do it.


I looooove watching movies. It started when I was young and my mother would buy any movie my sister and I wanted. Present day, things are pretty much the same and it is so bad that my mom and I will memorize the dates when movies are going to be released and she or I will be two copies of the movie to add to our collections. 


So thanks to a great movie buddy (shoutout to Kelundra) I saw some pretty good movies this year and I am excited for the ones to come in the new year. So what I have is my top movies for 2010, my wish list (those I wanted to see but just didn't) and those I am looking forward to seeing in 2011. If there are any movies you guys think I should add to my wish list, please comment and I will Netflix or buy it.


I must say that animated movies dominated the 2010 year for me so this list will be comprised mostly of some great animated films. So now lets get to it.


My Top 2010 Movies (in no particular order)
Toy Story 3- great finale to the series, I cried (like the sap I am) and it just felt good to watch it

Megamind- hilarious and not your average hero movie, loved it

Tangled- creative, funny, pretty in 3D

Karate Kid- - the scene with Jackie Chan and Jayden with the car lights and shadows, brilliant filmography

How to Train Your Dragon- did not expect for this to be so funny, glad I saw it

Book of Eli- refreshing, had a great message and just great (except for the annoying co-star..she bothered me slightly)

Despicable Me- OMG hilarious to the point where my boyfriend and I have inside jokes about it

Hot Tub Time Machine- I thought this was going to be soooo corny, but it was a great laugh!

Date Night- Tina Fey never lets me down and I have been bringing this movie with me to others houses

Just Wright-  one word: Common, and I will say, no write it again COMMON plus the thick girl wins!! (ha ha skinny hoes..lol j/k)

2010 Wish List

Eat. Pray.Love

Love and Other Drugs

Burlesque

Letters to God

Black Swan

2011 Excitement

Frankie and Alice

Rio

Cars 2

The Dilemma

Kung Fu Panda 2

Sherlock Holmes 2

Just Go With It

War Horse

On an ending note, I really want to see more black performers in film in 2011. (other than Tyler Perry) Not knocking everything he does ( I appreciate ya bra) but I want to see a variety of black films, black directors, black screenwriters doing it big in 2011. So please help a sistah out! 

Alright I think this will be my last post for 2010. Thank you all for following the blog and giving your feedback. I will do a better job of posting things in 2011. 

What if???

So I was riding in the car the other day and I started reflecting on society and how nowadays a lot of people want success and they want it quickly. I scan through Facebook and see a lot of my friends who are self-proclaimed models. (which is rather annoying because one photoshoot of yourself half-dressed with your cousin's  new camera from Christmas, hardly qualifies you to be a model..but I digress) I look at tv and you have people like Sheree from The Real Housewives of Atlanta who just decides one day to become and actress and all of a sudden getting headshots and performing on stage.

So as I was riding I began to panic a little, what if in a few years the degree I worked hard these past four years for doesn't mean anything?? What if getting a degree and having a degree in the arts becomes ancient and people laugh at it? What if all over it matters more about the money you have and how much money you can raise than true talent? What if places like Julliard and NYU become museums of how the performing arts used to be?

It is sad that people think that nurturing a craft such as dance, music, drama etc is something that can be launched in one day and that is it. I think this is one reason why there are folks who truly dislike the work that Tyler Perry does. You know it is one thing to begin as an amateur and create  decent work but then it is another to continue to parade around, disrespect the craft, and not receive training in the art that you create and expect to receive nods from everybody.

I am not saying that raw talent is a bad thing. There are probably plenty of stars out there who did not receive formal training and are doing well and are learning from those who have receive training.

The point I am trying to emphasize is that nurturing your craft should be the most important thing.

Your intentions for wanting to be on the screen, stage, etc should not be because "Well since I have this amount, I should be on tv" or "Since I know these people, I think I should be an actor/actress" or "Hey I am skinny and tall maybe I should be a model" or "I'm not really feeling this job maybe if I get an agent and become an actor in Hollywood I can get more money".

We are coming into a new year and I want to see talent from genuine and creative people. Those who truly want to share their gifts with others to entertain, to inspire, to uplift and then of course get a little money too. (Hey I have to be a little realistic)

I never want the what if's I mentioned earlier to become a reality.

Final Undergrad Stage Crew Experience

UGA's Dept. of Theatre and Film Studies Production of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Yes I am a slacker....and yes it has been since August since a post has been made on this blog. So to those who have been reading, my apologies and I will do my best to do better in life when it comes to updating this. Soooo I guess the way to start this blog back up to describe my experience working stage crew for the last time in my undergraduate career. The show was the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee directed by the wonderful George Contini. Ironically, it had been 3 years since I worked crew for a show and that show was Urinetown: The Musical directed by Mirla Criste. So two musicals on my belt...oh yeah.

I must say that doing crew can be a long exhausting run, nights can be long and things can get tedious. But for what it is worth, I can now add a little something more to my resume (light board operator)

I for one was dreading having to do it, but there is always a lesson to be learned or something I can observe.So I can say that there were two takeaways from the experience of working crew for Putnam. (And just a warning I can be sappy about things so these takeaways are a little more on the sappy side )

1. It is refreshing to see talented actors on the stage
I don't want to brag too much about the theatre department I am a part of but hey, we have talent. I worked crew from Oct. 25th- November 14th seeing the show over 30 times and it never got old seeing the cast perform. I do not think I could say that about every show I will see in my lifetime. And maybe it is just me being a sap for everything but it felt good to see my peers onstage receive laughs and applause for their hardwork. And it is a plus to see actors who can effectively sing, dance, and act for two hours with no intermission. (Talent at UGA!!!) There were nights when things just did not go as planned but these actors were able to camouflage the mistakes and keep the show going. It is scary yet inspiring. Could I be as clever to keep moving? I like things to go as planned, I do not know if I could handle unexpected things onstage. And I am horrible at improv. (Who ever said that an actor had to be good at improv should be shot!...j/k ) But nevertheless there are people who are my peers who have a great talent and I enjoy learning from them.

2. The cast family
On the last  two days of the show, I observed as cast members signed cards for the director and a cast member who fell ill during the run. The director got them all small tokens and letters of appreciation. The assistant stage manager made cupcakes. The cast got the musicians toys. And even though the crew came into the production scene late, there was still a sense of family that was cultivated. I guess when you don't do a show for a while you forget about those small things. To this day, I can be around former cast members of Once on this Island (a show I was in 3 years ago) and we can just bust out singing songs from the show. Of course this is not to say that the cast family is peachy clean and there are no disagreements or tension here and there. But in the end, a show has to go on and when the show ends we laugh and enjoy the memories that were created.

So even though I was dreading this crew assignment, it was a great...good experience. 

To Audition or Not to Audition ...That is the Question!!!

It is that time of year again for me and about 200 (well this number may be an exaggeration) other Theatre undergraduate majors at the University of Georgia to get their monologues together, read the plays for the upcoming season, and sign their name on the ever eluding and daunting call board for auditions. I guess this year kind of caught me off guard, even though in the back of my mind I know this happens the first weekend in the school year, and has been this way since forever...lol. But I said to myself over the summer that I would get my monologues together early and have no worries once the auditions come around the corner. That plan...EPIC fail. So I come back to campus about two weeks before school starts and realize that I need to get my life together.

But getting my life together for auditions involves a lot more than just finding monologues and reading the plays. For those who know me, I am very much involved on campus (darn me the overachiever). As of now I serve on two executive boards, I work for housing, and of course I am a senior so the class load is pretty involved, and there is just always something I find that is on my to-do list or calendar to do. And so here I was having to make a decision.. to audition or not to audition.

This decision is really crucial for three main reasons:

1. I have never been in an University Theatre show. It is not required at my school to be in a department show in order to graduate but at times I feel like such a slacker because here I am a Theatre Major and I have never even been in a show with the department.

2.Hey this is my last year..ever since attending the University I have put theatre on the the backburner for other organizations that were not really my passion. For once I just want to be able to be fully committed to my department and have all the faculty know my passion and my fellow classmates say "Hey there she goes again, she must really love what she does" or even "Dang she is doing too much, can she just sit down somewhere"

3. Going along with reason one, I have just wanted to be in a regular University Theatre show, not the one with the "multicultural themes" where fellow classmates whisper around each other and say "Well they only got in because they were _____" I want my first show with University Theatre to be something I got in purely because of my talent. (yes I believe that is possible)

You see I love being in, around, under, behind, on (you get the point) the stage. I get itchy and my heart beats faster when I am just sitting in the audience and I cannot experience the stage. I will tell anyone Theatre is all I really know and even with that there is still so much for me to know, so many more plays to see, write, direct, and act in.

But yet again I found myself asking the question "Do I need to audition?"

I made my decision this week just four days before auditions and I can say I am content with the answer. The answer: Not to audition.

Like I said earlier, I am very much involved on campus. And although I feel as though I put theatre on the back burner sometimes, I still have to stay true to the commitments that I have signed my name to. I think as a performer, or person of the arts, you have to stay committed to the contract of the rehearsal schedule, you have to stay committed to the notes that were given to the director. You have to stay committed to blocking. Because of the commitment is lost, the most beautifully written show with the best intentions can become a horrid show with people wanting their money back, critics writing their dislike during the show, and your reputation going down the drain.

At the end of the day I would rather be known in the department as one who stays committed to tasks I have been charged with and do well at those instead of trying to do everything and being known as one who cannot be trusted with putting on a show or given a task.

I have all my life to explore the theatre world, but it is in these precious months that I can hold on to the promises I made.

And hey I signed up to stage crew a show for this semester that is required for the major so my "itch" can be relieved a little. :)

It's all in the Small Things

So I have made it safely back to the states and as I try to get over the jet lag, I begin reflecting back on my experience in London. I am so blessed and grateful for the opportunity to travel abroad and in London out of all places. Since my last post I got a chance to see Sister Act the Musical (AMAZING!!!), The Lion King (AMAZING), eat at a Gordon Ramsey Restaurant called Foxtrot Oscar, go to West End Live 2010, and act like a big kid at the Science Museum. 6 weeks is a long time to truly experience a place and I think I have seen all the ups and downs of London. This post is just to reflect on the small things I enjoyed in London. To my readers, I urge you all to experience visiting, studying, etc overseas. It is truly a great experience and I stole this idea from my classmate. I plan on filling up passport before it expires in 2020... who is with me??

1. Pre-sliced mangos for about 2 pounds
2. The ability to ride for two stops on the Tube and find myself in the middle of West End
3. Always finding something free to do
4. Eating McDonald's and not seeing grease and not having my stomach messed up afterwards
5. Being fascinated with flowers in the park and find myself taking pictures of all the ones I past by
6. Eating scones!!
7. Tea with milk
8. Going to 2-3 museums in one day for free
9. Covent Garden!!!
10. Getting my exercise on..because I was walking everywhere (oh how I have become so lazy in a matter of 2 days..lol)
11. People trying to guess which part of the states I am from
12. Costa Coffee (so much better than Starbucks)
13. Tesco Express (the smallest store with everything you need that is open for 24 hours)

ENERGY ENERGY!!!

So I am in my last week of London...tear! But I think that it will be time to come home once this week is over. I have finally had Bangers and Mash (basically mashed poataoes and sausages), so that makes me certified in English cuisine...lol. I saw a bit of the Queen's birthday parade known as the Trooping of the Colour

1. How do people in London not know about the Queen's birthday parade?? Like they shut down streets??
2. Energy, Energy!! (DJ in Moonlighting Club who said this the whole night)
3. People watching went to a whole new level at Moonlighting Club, in fact we have gotten to the point where if we see something crazy we will just say that it is "moonlighting"
Example:
Woman walks by in jeggings that are too small
We look at one another and say "now she know she moonlighting"
4. So I have come to the conclusion that half of London does not work..lol. It is 9 a.m. I am going to work, why are you on the tube with 5 shopping bags?
5. I wrote a 12 page paper in 2 days...gotta love procrastination..grrr
6.So I went to the National Gallery and why were there over 10 pictures that have Baby Jesus breastfeeding
7. "I mean you know he had to eat but dang"- Kelundra in response to seeing all the pictures of Baby Jesus breast feeding
8. Saw Avenue Q and I find myself singing songs from it at least 3-4 times a day (now humming "Only for now...for now")
9. Saw Sister Act the Musical...sooooooo great! Now it is on my top 3 list from London shows that I have seen so far. Plus I got a chance to meet the star Patina Miller
10. Oh hi ho- Paradise Found.... probably one of the corniest musicals ever in life
11.Went to Stonehenge
12. They have a TK Maxx..lol
13. hey I know my Americans, ya'll don't like to pay for shit!- club promoter
14. Yeah ya'll looking for quality hip hop, we got it right here (Chris Brown song plays) #epicfail
15. What a pleasure it must be for you to look upon my beauty every day.- La Dispute
16. Endsleigh Court...when our lights don't work, our internet connection is better :)
17. Went for a couple of days without a toilet seat...grrr