Week 2: Highs and Lows

by brian
Thursday, June 26, 2008 2:47pm (PST)

So I have now concluded my second week up here at the Lake. Basically my life right now is wake up at 9-9:30, do my morning routine (shower, brush teeth, etc), and get to rehearsal by 10. I am at rehearsal until 6pm with an hour lunch break from 1:30 to 2:30pm.

Then I am free to go about my business after that. I usually go to the gym, where the Festival has generously given us memberships, before dinner. Then I go home and either A) play video games B) watch a movie or C) hang out with my friends. It’s been that like that for the past week to week and a half.

My main job as of now, being the assistant stage manager, is to give line cues to the actors as they are memorizing their lines. You would think this would be a simple job, but you would be wrong. It is surprisingly difficult to simply read the script over and over waiting for someone to say “line” and even harder when they need a line. I feel a degree of pressure trying to say the line audibly, given my struggles with articulation, being quick enough with each prompt. I mean I know I shouldn’t feel any pressure, but I’m really trying hard not to screw up and sometimes I feel like if I miss a cue or lose my place the professionals are judging me, which I know isn’t entirely true, but it adds a little stress.

However, this week I got a little break from reading the script because we started learning fight choreography, which I enjoy a lot. I was asked to take down the moves, but found that putting down words wasn’t working so I decided to start drawing sketches of all the fights to remember the moves. Now I thought these were just helpful to me; but to my surprise people liked them and thought it was a good idea. It made me feel good. That and the moves are really cool and it’s nice to be outside.

So I am still in the transition process, feeling all the ups and downs. But I’m glad to know that I am learning here with people who are supportive and kind. I really enjoy these people and I am looking forward to spending the next few weeks with them.

See you next week!