What You Say Daddy Peter?! How I'm Learning to get rid of Those Lonesome Blues and be so Happy Here on Cat Fish Woah

So every time Porgy (of Porgy and Bess) sings to his Bess, 'I wanted you to be so happy here in Cat Fish Row' it sounds like he's saying, 'Cat Fish Woah'. And it makes me laugh.

Something that doesn't make me laugh is how this computer won't let me upload photos. I'm in Baden-Baden, Germany now and was more than prepared to share some photos of Hamburg and Baden-Baden now, but alas, the photos will have to wait...

I'm learning so much in this land of long days, late nights and the sleeper bus (insert photo of my bunk on the sleeper bus, which actually was a rather bumpy ride. As we were leaving Hamburg (a port city) I imagined I was a German imigrant from the 19th century heading out of the city on a ship to an unknown land across the ocean). This land where singers never check their costumes until 5 minutes before places when ten of them freak out because they're missing their apron or hat or pants (o.k. the pants are a legitimate reason to freak out).

This land of wonderful German costume helpers (insert photo of the girls who helped us in Hamburg who were very nice, helpful, AND gave us incredible presents when we left -- including a CD of the Beatles on the Reeperban in Hamburg!!), Italian restaurants on every other corner, and lovely parks (insert about a billion photos of the fantastic park that was 2 minutes walk from the hotel in Hamburg and the park just outside the hotel in Baden-Baden where I saw a crane this morning!)

Okay. There are a number of other people who want to use this computer so I'm going to end this edition here... (promising more with photos sometime!) with a short list for those who are theatrically-inclined:

Here, for the ACU Theatre Majors (and anyone else who is interested) are some things I've learned from observing performers (mostly those playing Bess):
1.) Memorize the relaxation exercies you learn in class! Doing a show is STRESSFUL and it makes it harder on yourself and everyone else around you when you're not relaxed. Use what you learn and breathe!
2.) When doing a love scene, make sure you have actions, otherwise it's much easier to get lost in the 'I am really in love with this person' world. Even -- indeed, especially -- if you don't have lines, make sure you have character-driven actions. They will help keep your head on straight.
3.) LOTS of people will tell you that you're fabulous (especially after you come off stage after a love scene with a 'sexy man'. Don't let it get to your head.
4.) Be nice to everyone. Everyone.
5.) You will be invited to party. Be smart about it. If someone asks you to go to a club on a Saturday night (after a two-show day and before a Sunday two-show day) get a good night's rest instead. You will be refreshed and enjoy the next day's performances, they will have a hangover.
6.) For costumers: when you're running up and down three flights of stairs for the 7th time in the past two hours, find something that will keep your spirits up. I listen to music when I deliver socks and t-shirts at the top of the day, and recite Shakespeare when I deliver costumes and fetch things for the performers at the end of the day. It even surprises me how just a few lines of As You Like It, or Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth can change my outlook and energy level. : )

o.k. That's it for now.
Expect the next installment soon (I hope!)