Smitten

It's a word that I've used often lately. "Smitten". Now it's been used back at me. An ex-girlfriend, Shannon, has decided to alert me to the fact that I guess the fact that I'm more than a little smitten with "Heidi" is fairly obvious. Ah, well. No use hiding it from anyone, anyway...not that I was trying.

I only mention it because, officially, "Heidi" is part of my Turkeyville experience. The fact that I might have taken something pretty serious out of that experience is surprising...to say the least. But there she is. And I'm planning weekend trips taking her away for her birthday and talking to her every night and missing her like crazy and...well, the usual stuff.

Aside from "Heidi" becoming a bigger and bigger part of my life, I'm busy trying to immerse myself back into being in shows. As I've mentioned, I'm now fully in rehearsals for "Escanaba In Love" at Circle Theatre and it's going pretty well. After that, I'm doing "Six Degrees Of Seperation", which should be kinda fun. Yesterday I got word that the audition for LiveWire Theater's spring show, called "Wonder Of The World", decided to go in any casting direction. That's a euphemism I never really understood, to be honest. If I wasn't good enough, I think I'd rather have somebody just say so...nicely. Anyway, it's just further proof of something I think I wrote about a few weeks ago when I actually auditioned for this show...I have absolutely no "radar" worth any good at all when it comes to things like figuring out how an audition or a callback went. In all honesty, I thought I had nailed this audition. Not sure what happened but there ya go...I'm back to scouring the usual websites for something else to do once 2009 rolls around.

Luckily, I'm mostly booked for the rest of 2008, which is nice. And in less than 2 weeks I get to be with "Heidi" for a few days to celebrate her birthday. And that is something I can really look forward to.

People are always leaving

First things first...I got that weird Circle Theater show that I mentioned getting called back for in my last post. The callbacks were Saturday morning, they cast the show Sunday morning, and Monday night was the first rehearsal. Thanks for the time to move schedules around, Circle!! Turns out the director is a University of Memphis grad (MFA, 2000) and the guy playing my son went to Governors School in Tennessee with Jo Lenhart, the voice professor at Memphis. Small friggin' world!

Anyway, looks like I'm set for the rest of the calendar year. "Escanaba In Love" at Circle and then "Six Degrees Of Serperation" with Signal Ensemble. Cool.

Early Sunday afternoon brought the arrival of "Heidi" and "Jonathan" from the Delta House. We hooked up with SP and his wife and the five of us went down to Navy Pier for some touristy-type fun. "Heidi" wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel, which I have never done because of my wacky fear of heights, and so away we went. And we had fun. After some burgers and beers, we all came back here to hang for a little while and then we did a dive bar pub crawl for a little while. So much fun. Monday was more hanging out (with a short voice-over audition downtown) and then they drove me out to Forest Park for the Circle rehearsal before heading off to Battle Creek again. All told, they were here for about 30 hours and that's just not enough time for my liking.

This morning I got up and walked up to SP's apartment to help him and his wife move stuff out of the apartment into the U-Haul for their trek to Cincy. A couple of hours later and the apartment was empty, the truck was full, the three of us were sweaty tired messes, and I was on the walk back here to shower and maybe nap. I did one. Now it's time to do the other. I hope I don't need to say which one I did first...

SP's wife is mere hours away from being a part of Turkeyville's next show, "Church Basement Ladies". I find it humorous. She'll be trapped in Battle Creek at the Delta House while SP is out on the road in the Western portion of the country touring. What a happy couple!

Well, I guess that's about it for now. Time to nap. G'night...

Keepin' on keepin' on

The whole reason I even bothered to leave the BC again on Saturday was to be in town for this audition Sunday night. If I didn't have that, I might have tried to convince the Delta Housers to let me come along to Cedar Pointe and hang out with them. But...alas..."work" gets in the way. So I did a couple of errand-y type things and then heard from "Heidi" about how she had broken away from the pack for a while (making me wish I was there even more) and then I went off to the audition. An hour and a half travel time (love the CTA) for a chance to do my 60 second monologue that I was convinced he wasn't even listening to. (---sigh---) Then an hour and a half back to sulk in my apartment.

Luckily for me, I was getting constant updates from "Heidi" about how the Delta House group was struggling to get together to leave the park and try and get home. So at least I wasn't having the WORST evening of everyone I knew!

So Tuesday I got invited to callbacks for that show. Who knew? My radar for how auditions go is so completely messed up. Almost without fail, whenever I think I do poorly I get the job (or callback or whatever) and when I feel like I nailed it...nothing. I don't understand how I can be so off about it. Huh.

Last night I had another audition (for a show in the spring of 2009...which seems so far away right now that I actually chuckled when the director asked if I had any conflicts) that...here we go again...I think I did really well with. He's casting in the next two weeks so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I got to read with a great actress who took direction and had her own ideas and was just full of energy...very nice to have that opportunity. In fact (he says, hoping not to jinx the whole thing) I wouldn't be surprised if we were both cast because we got along great and had a good time reading and stuff. Good times.

Tonight I audition for a Columbia student film and then on Saturday morning I go back to the callback for the Circle Theater show that I thought I had blown on Sunday night. I know a couple of people who were also called back so that'll be fun. In between all that, I keep checking my phone to see if the agent has called about that wacky Army industrial film I auditioned for last week (which I can't believe I might not hear about) and cleaning the apartment up for weekend guests.

The Delta Housers "Heidi" and "Jonathan" are coming into town either very late Saturday or early Sunday to hang for a couple of days so that we can all hang out with SP before he takes off for all points Cincinnati and then Boston for the tour he got. So it'll be the four of us again (along with SP's wife...who is also awesome) just hanging out and I couldn't be more excited for it. I know "Heidi" wants to go ride the Ferris Wheel on Navy Pier, which terrifies me like crazy. But she has promised to ride it with me so how can I turn that down? I may die of a heart attack or anxiety...but it'd be worth it.

But there's a lot to look forward to in the next several days. Which keeps me going. Something has to, I guess...

Returning to the scene of the crime and going crazy...like a FOX!

I know it’s been a while since I last wrote but I’m having a lot of questions about how to proceed, not just in life but in career and in relationship and…well…everything. And so I guess, because I haven’t figured out too many answers, I’ve been reluctant to post anything. Laziness, embarrassment, general ennui…they are all contributing to my lack of posts. My bad.

But I’m right now on the way back to Chicago from a few well-deserved days back in Battle Creek. Why “well-deserved”, you may ask? I dunno. But I felt they were and so I went, damnit. Who are YOU to judge me? Anyway…after a week in Connecticut with Monkey Boy and the monkey kids and monkey family (that can’t stay like that…I’ll get in trouble), I felt I owed myself a little treat. So, naturally, that means going to the BC and hanging with “Heidi” and “Jonathan” and the other folks I’ve come to know and enjoy from the Turkeyville experience. “Heidi” and I had a planned date…our first…and I wanted to see the show in its full version. And I like those guys. Isn’t that enough?

And, of course, no sooner had I purchased my ticket on Amtrak for early Wednesday morning when the agent calls and has an industrial film audition for me for…ain’t it always the way…Thursday afternoon. It seems that any time I want to ensure a call from my agent all I have to do is make plans to go to Battle Creek. Maybe I should make mid-week plans every week. Hmmm…

So I accepted the audition because I had already turned down two auditions a week from them while I was working there. I figured I would think about it a little and then decide whether or not I wanted to go later. Perfect. Well, “Heidi” couldn’t have been cooler about me potentially not being around for a majority of the day on Thursday while I took off for Chicago and then came right back. She really is pretty great. And when she and “Jonathan” asked me about it in the car when they picked me up at the train station on Wednesday as well as announce that they had an added Thursday night performance, I figured that it was going to have to happen. I rented a car and planned to shotgun the trip…drive there, do the audition, and drive right back. The whole trip should take about 7 hours. So I did it, somewhat reluctantly, and I think (---knocking wood---) that I did alright for myself. It was an Army industrial about sexual assault and how that’s not necessarily something that the United States Army might want to be associated with. And who can argue with that? Well, I was auditioning for the role of “First Sergeant”, who teaches the young whippersnappers about how bad it is to rape and inappropriately touch and so on and then, after a hotel party potential sexual assault is prevented, I swoop back in and tell them how proud I am that they listened to all my wisdom. Good stuff. Anyway, I auditioned with this guy who, bless his heart, couldn’t read very well. So he stumbled over almost every line and made up words and stuff. Meanwhile…I came across (I think) as authoritative but with a softer side and an actor who had somehow managed to memorize his lines. Sweet! So we’ll see what happens with that.

Meanwhile, back in Battle Creek, “Heidi” and I continued our romantic interludes. We talked a lot and got to know one another a lot better. But we also got a lot of partying done with the Delta Housers and the various friends that were going in and out of the house. I’ll tell you what…SP and I lived a VERY quiet existence in that place while we were there. We didn’t have friends come in (I had the Raven’s GC visit but that was when the Mid-Lifers had already shown up) and we certainly didn’t have a rotating bunch of people stopping by. But the Mid-Lifers…man!...”Jonathan” had two friends stay overnight on Wednesday night. “Heidi” and “Jonathan” knew a guy who saw the show on Friday night and stay overnight. “Crystal” had a friend in also Friday night. Not to mention the fact that I was there all three nights. It’s always a full Delta House…which I guess is good for general morale so long as nobody really minds, which nobody seems to. I’m actually pretty jealous that they get to do so much as a group and that each person has a choice between four other folks to do something with. Poor SP and I only had each other.

Not that that was a bad thing, mind you.

Anyway, so I’m headed back to Chicago late Saturday night because the Mid-Lifers are all (get this!) going to Cedar Pointe tomorrow for a day of roller coasters and fried dough and stuff. A family outing! Again, I’m jealous. But I have an audition tomorrow night out at Circle Theatre so maybe it’s good that I won’t be traveling on the same day. I can relax, do some laundry, try and figure out my life a bit, and THEN head out to the audition. You know…the regular Sunday. Meanwhile, SP is in his last week and a half or so of Chicago life. And with that in mind, “Heidi” and “Jonathan” are trying to come out to visit next weekend on their days off. Which, of course, would be awesome. “Heidi”, “Jonathan”, SP, and me back together again to do some drinking and catching up. SP’s wife will be there, naturally, but she’s very cool and a welcome addition to the band we’ve sort of created. I can’t wait. AND, if it means another day or two spent next to the lovely “Heidi”, then I’m all for it. So we’ll see what happens.

And in the land of the theater, I have accepted two small parts in Signal Ensemble’s November/December production of “Six Degrees of Separation”, which is a great show and a company I want to work with. Which is why I’m willing to take a small part this time. THIS TIME! I am also keeping my nose to the grindstone and my eyes peeled for any audition that I might even come close to being right for. Nothing too promising just yet. What a fun life, huh?

OK, well, I’ve somehow managed to kill the second hour of this suddenly loooooong trip. And, just as I was wondering what to do with the third hour and had allowed my thoughts to really turn to what “Heidi” might be up to and how the show went and blah blah blah, I receive a text message from her saying that she loved the card I left for her (I left a card for her saying, essentially, that I thought the world of her) and that she was home safe. I’m telling you…there’s a real connection here and this time I refuse to blow it with petty bullshit like I might have done in the past (I admit nothing). Who would have thought…I’m falling for an actress after I had years ago told myself it was never gonna happen again. I must be crazy.

Crazy guy…signing off for now.

THREE months removed?

I'm in Connecticut this week for some family-type business. Sorry to all of you Northeastern folks I'm not able to contact while I'm close by. But time is rather short. I hope y'all understand.

Anyway...while I was on my flight into lovely Bradley International last Friday, ole DM (director of "Don't Dress For Dinner" called and left me a message. Seems he is doing a show in nearby Cold Water and his back is flaring up something awful. He's lost feeling in his left arm and hand and he's even having trouble sleeping and he has been told that it would not be a smart choice to continue on in this show that he's doing. It's a quick commitment (10 days of rehearsal and then two weekends of performances) and DM is now in charge of finding his own replacement. He asked if I would be interested in taking over the role from him. Rehearsals would start in two days (Sunday) but I told DM that the earliest I could get there was Tuesday. I would have to do the family thing, fly back to Chicago, pack and get my various affairs straight (whatever that means), and get to Battle Creek to get a ride the rest of the way to Cold Water. He told me to think about it and get back to him.

After thinking about it a little and talking to "Heidi" and "Jonathan" and my mom, asking my brother for permission to go back to Chicago a little early, and doing some more thinking...I accepted. I left DM a message saying as much on Saturday morning. Hours later I still hadn't heard anything. Finally, after checking in and seeing if he'd even gotten my message, I heard back (via text message) that the theater had thought that missing two days of rehearsals would be too much and that they decided against me. Which sucks...but whatever. If they had somebody closer who could start rehearsals on time, then so much the better for them. I was upset (you hate losing a job...and it would have meant some more time with my new Delta House friends, which would have been nice) but you learn to move on as quickly as possible.

Then, two days (or so) later, I learn that DM is still doing the part. Which is...to say the least...surprising. This theater rejected my offer to come in at the last minute to help out because I would have missed two days of rehearsals (and, for the record, I would have gladly negotiated them down to only missing one day...but I never got the chance to haggle with them) and they decided to stick with the guy who has SEVERE health problems. I mean...loss of feeling in a whole arm?!?! And who is DM to actually accept this solution? After 10 solid days of driving about 45 minutes to and from rehearsal maybe twice each day and rehearsing maybe 6 or more hours a day and not sleeping at night, he's gonna be in a better position to perform than me...who would have maybe missed a few hours of rehearsals early on?

I'm shocked that DM would still be doing this part, actually. I've put my own health in jeopardy for a role before but not when the problem is a serious-sounding as DMs case sounds. And it's hard for me to believe that the theater, the director, or DMs wife would think this was in any way an acceptable solution. That's even assuming that DM himself was stupid enough to WANT to do the part, which I don't think he was.

So anyway, I was almost in the greater Battle Creek area for another 3 weeks or so. But it didn't work out.

What WILL happen, though, is that I will be going back anyway for a couple of days probably next week. I'm anxious to see "Heidi" and "Jonathan" and all the rest of the good folks in Battle Creek again, see "Mid-Life" and maybe even the show that DM is doing (I think it's open by the time I get there), and hang out. This...as it turns out...might end up being my Summer of Slack. I'm not necessarily happy about it but the thought of a day job makes me sick to my stomach and I don't have any show set up just yet. So...I slack. What the hell, there's a first time for everything, I guess.