Of amazingness

I can't really remember the last day I posted something, and I'm just to darn lazy to look it up. :)

Yesterday was opening night! Wooo Hooo! I can't believe how well our little play was accepted by the people of Fowler, and the surrounding towns. Before I get all excited and jump to my favorite parts of the day, I should probably just go in chronological order.

Before opening night, cornerstone has a tradition called the ritual. Basically, everyone sets up chairs on the stage in a huge circle. We each then shared about our favorite line on the play. I was amazed. Not only was every single person so open, it was really a homage to the fact that individual people hold different moments dear to them. For example, I've never felt particularly drawn to one of the scenes where two ghosts are talking about the differences between now and when they were alive in the great depression. But Keaton, my favorite 8 year old ever, sobbed as he told us about how much that part reminded him of his grandma. It was a refreshing experience. Everyone's hearts were just poured in to the middle of that circle. And everyone took care of the feelings being poured out. there was no skepticism, and no hurting. The whole act of the ritual made certain parts of the play jump out. Like the actors were doing those parts for the other cast members they impacted.

It's gonna be hard to leave this little makeshift family.

After that, I was feeling pumped. We each got a Gerber Daisy, and a poster. I very calmly strolled over to my car to put them inside of it, and then, again calmly, locked my keys in the front seat.

I've never done anything like that. I'm hype aware of my keys, so super worried about them getting lost, because I have three house keys, and my 100 dollar work keys on there. I was in shock when I did that. Literally standing there for 3 minuets waiting for my brain to register. Of course it would have happened when I was so far from home. Oh lessons, you have a way of being learned. Luckily one of our cast members is a tow truck. That's the thing about the world, it looks out for you. He did some voodoo magic, got a long hooky thing and opened it for me after the show. This makes Fowler a lovely place- the people.

But on to my favorite part of the day yesterday! For those of you who haven't heard anything about the play, I'll give you a little sneak peek. It's set in Fowler, and basically starts in 1918 and works through the history of the town. There are characters that are followed, the main two being Lydia and Ed. You watch them meet, get married, have kids, and have grand kids. Another large person in the play is the radio station host. He was the first African American radio host in California, and really helped build the community of Fowler. The play was written by collecting stories from holding story circles while in Fowler.

Back to my story. I'm sitting on a bench, completely emotionally worked over, due to excitement about seeing the play, and stress about my silly key situation. I'm pretty sure I look haggard and dead. As I'm spacing out, a soft, huge hand appears on my shoulder. I look up at the old, tall, smiling black man and smile back.

"It was amazing" are the only words he says to me.

The man was Woody, the person who our Radio Host was exactly based off of. He just kept saying how amazed he was. How he felt so big, to be in a play. I'm not sure he knew, but the air he gave off, made me feel so proud to be a part of this play. There are so many lessons that the play tried to convey, but the one that sticks with me the most is to just follow your dreams. He did, and he talked about how it was just something he was passionate about. It was inspiring to see that you can do what you love and make history. Even if it's small history, it is history.

I also got to meet the people Ed and Lydia were based off of. They were such sweet, kind people. Being here really has made me feel so young. There is a whole world waiting out there, and I have a whole 100 years to do things. I've got to stop looking ahead and look where I am.

Besides the hustle and bustle of everything coming to an end, everything else is calm. As weird as it sounds, I'm calm inside. What a fun life this is, and I love it.

I miss you all at home, and while it's bittersweet leaving, I can't wait to see you.
Stay lovely, ya'll.
Willie

P.S. 18 days until college starts? Is that even real?

P.S.2. LOVE YOU MIMAW! ;)

So much to tell! (days 6/7/8?)

I've been mega neglecting this blog! Oh well! Let's see, what to tell, what to tell.

On the production side of the play, all is dandy and lovely. My job is pretty much only getting easier and easier from here on out. We're currently in day three of tech(the show opens day after tomorrow!) so, I've got pretty much an awesome sense of who needs their mics on and when, and once people stop talking off stage, if I make a slip up, it's easy to fix.

Really what I'm feeling lately is very blessed. I love it here. Fowler has definitely made an impact on my life, and not just in the theater experience type of way. Since I've been here I've only grown more independent. It's an amazing feeling, knowing that in a couple of weeks, when I go to college I'll be able to handle it. I feel like I'm truly myself while I'm here, and haven't needed to be something I'm not.

My mother asked for more information on the other people down here, so that's mainly what I'll put from here on out.

Institute student:
Everyone here has been so great, it almost feels like their not real when I try to explain them.
The three people I've become the closest to would have to be Tom, Birdie, and Sabrina.

Tom is the Sound assistant, and puts Mics on people for us. The way he holds himself is so care free, and I've never heard a negative word out of his mouth. He always has a nice thing to say about anything, and it's obvious that he loves theater. He gives me this sense of feeling at home when I'm with him, and I think it's cause he just is so real. We got close over setting up sound stuff around the park.

Birdie is the most wonderful adventure I've ever had the fortune of meeting. She's short, beautiful, and from Georgia, with an amazing accent. You know how when you look at a super ripe peach it's all soft, fuzzy, and beautiful on the outside, and when you bite in to it it's even more juicy and delectable on the inside? That's what Birdie is. (not saying I want to eat her. She's amazing, but not 'I'd be a cannibal' amazing." She just does what she wants. She changed her name, had this crazy adventure where she got married and then divorced, doesn't believe in boy friends, and totally is inspiring. I doubt she'd take anything back, and she's really taught me not to regret anything in life. That all of life is this compilation of moments that coincide to make something beautiful. I'm so blessed to have met her.

Sabrina was the first person I got super close to here. She's the type of person who everyone (except crazy people) like. She's so nice, and positive, and gives off this vibe of "yeah! lets go do it!" when ever she's presented with a challenge. As weird as it sounds, I wouldn't mind growing up to be more like her. She's planning to become a teacher, and will be the best theater teacher (besides my mother back in her day) I'll have ever had the fortune to meet. Sub, as I call her, do to a mistype by the chamber of commerce, is the most loving, caring person I've met in a long time, and I can't believe that she has helped me here so much.

I could write for hours about the rest of the people. Everyone is so unique here, and has these back grounds that are adventures. I've said it before, but I can't wait to be like that. This trip has reaffirmed my, take like as it comes, have no regrets, and take every single opportunity you can, out look on life. It's been a wonderful adventure, one that's helped me develop the type of person I want to be. It's really the final step of escalating the childhood stairs, and I've hit the second floor, and don't plan to stop running. As much as I'm excited to go home and see my mom, Thomas, Morgan, and friends, I'm going to miss being here.

Anyways. Stay lovely ya'll.
I like your face.
Willie


Our wonderful set!


My wonderful buddy Birdie and I at the fabric store!


we went to dollar tree and got 54 dollars worth of fake grapes for props! What's a play about the raisin capital of the world with out grapes?

Of sleep and smiles (day4/5?)

For no real reason, I'm feeling a little less excited to post today. But I figure there are exciting things to share. :)

We've got all of our sound stuff up and running! Yay! So much less work then lighting! ;) Basically now that the sound designer is here, it's my job to learn everything I can from him, and learn how to fix anything if it stops working during the show.

Last night we had our first spacing rehearsal on the set, and our first rehearsal where people were had mics on. There are 11 people on wireless mics, and 9 more mics that get transferred from person to person throughout the show. It's my job to sit up there and make everyone sound dynamite. It really wasn't that hard to do, but yesterday I only had 6 people with microphones on, and no script. We'll see how tonight goes.

I can't believe we're at 6 days till show! It's gone by so fast! 4 of those six are going to be tech rehearsals, so we'll be pretty busy.

Other than that, nothing of huge amazing-ness has happened. The light board blew up yesterday (literally started smoking and smelling like burnt wires. it was AWESOME to see, especially from my seat up above!)I've got blisters on my hands from climbing the scaffolding to get to my board, and I saw myself in a mirror for the first time since I've been here. (I haven't worn any make up, cause I just sweat it right off, so I'm looking a little more natural then I'm used to.)

I'm doing amazingly well. Much better than I could have ever hoped for. I feel like a real person. With a real purpose and I'm REALLY happy.

As good as that is I still miss all the lovely people at home, and can't wait to see you all again.
<3

Stay lovely you wonderful people you.
WM

(p.s. I LOVE YOU MOM.)



our Awesome set during blocking last night! it's made entirely from raisin bins! I set all of the bins on stage right, and swept the stage 3 times to get the raisins left over in the bins off the stage!



my battle wound from the epic fight I got in with one of the source four lights! We dueled till the end, and I came out on top!


My "home away from the Buddhist church" as Tom, the other sounds associate, calls it. This is where all the magic happens!

Cuts, bruises, and dirt. (day2/3)

It's regretful that I didn't get a chance to post yesterday. The fact of the matter is simply that I couldn't force myself to do something I didn't want to. Good news on my part is that I got to do something I wanted instead.

Yesterday was plagued by long hours and to much heat. We ended our morning call an hour early for the sheer fact that no one could keep going. I was then left with 5 hours of nothing to do, and I only slept for one of those hours. What ever could I do with 4 hours in a town the size of Fowler? Well, my good people, I did what I always do when I need an emotional let out- I went on a perfect picture search! This town is a funny little one. It's like the town is in a box, and the sides are made of grape vines. In any direction I drove I hit people finishing the last day of harvest. I got a couple good shots, which I'll post at the bottom of the page.

But back to the whole production crew thing.

Yesterday and today we've been cabling lights, a tedious process of climbing up a ladder, tying 80lbs of cable to a pole 25 feet above the ground, climbing down, moving the ladder, and repeating. Luckily we just finished up with the aspect of our job, and now the lighting crew starts focusing tonight. (a process that starts at 9pm, and ends at 1am.) I get to do sound tonight, working while people are rehearsing, from 6 to 10.

I can't believe how much I've learned while here. Anyone who wants to go in to theater should just intern as much as possible. It's like I've stepped in to a whole new world. While gaining knowledge has been awesome, it hasn't been my favorite part by far. I've loved, and I mean LOVED, getting to know the people. Everyone has these crazy back stories, and these crazy adventures still in front of them. It's inspiring to know that I'm on the cusp of this life that is going to be full of passion, and adventure. It really makes me feel like the whole world is open to me. There isn't anything I can't go out and do if I really want to.

Well now that I've got all cheesy, and optimistic I'll end. :)

I love you all, and miss you tons.
Stay lovely,
Willie Mae

(P.s. Tomorrow marks 1 week till open! WOAH CRAZY FAST)

Of Heat and Lighting (Daytwo)

I've just had a mental argument about the benefit of getting up to get my headphones. I really wanted them, but my actual ability to move my feet was a concern I had. Instead I just waited for someone to walk by so I could ask them to lend a hand.

Today is HOT. 91 degrees as I write this, but I can guarantee that it feels hotter when you're directly in the sun and working above your head. I can complain all I want, but the fact of the matter is that if it wasn't a thousand degrees at the park it would be one of the better days I've ever spent.

I slept in this morning, for the sole purpose that I didn't have a strong enough will to get up at 6. 6:40 was well enough for me. With no purpose for a shower, I could just get up and hobble over to the Nest for my morning Cheerios, and white nectarine. (P.s. the fruit here? oh holy batman. SO AMAZING. Fowler is a huge cropping culture, so it's fresh and YUMMY.) I entered the nest, only to have Paula, the supervisor of everything, run past. Our technical supervisor had hit his head, and had to be whisked off to the hospital in an ambulance to get 5 staples.

After that morning drama, I drove myself over to the park, and started hanging lights. Really one of the main things that's obvious to me is that I don't know anything about anything really. There is so much information to be learned from the lighting designer, and I've been trying to soak it all up. Source 4s, Parkhans, yoking, boom degree, cross arms- the list of things I don't know goes on and on. Really though, all in all the work today hasn't been bad. Long and tedious, but the worst of it is when you're balanced on a ladder working above your head. Nothing a little "don't look down" and stretch can't take care of.

I've still got a 6 o'clock call, and my boss, Matt, got here at lunch time. This basically means that I have to somehow tell him I have no clue how to run a sound board for a play, and learn. :) We hopefully will begin focusing lights at the end of tomorrow. And then things start happening really fast. We open in 12 days, and no sound is in, and we're about 20% don't with lights. The actors haven't even seen the venue.

But I'm excited. There isn't any time here to sit around and learn. There is time to do. Which I think is how the world should function. And sure, I'm sleepy, sore, and the heat here rivals the heat of Hell. But that's life. And at least today will be remembered.

I love and miss you all.

Stay lovely,
Willie Mae

(p.s. I think I'm switching back to Willie Mae. Funky, huh?)


The crazy scaffolding that we climb up every day. Up there in this picture is Leo, and Charlie, hanging spot lights on the top. The middle platform is probably where I'll be with the sound board and Nikki, our stage manager.


Our lovely units, weighing in at about 35 lbs. Whew! thank goodness we're done with that part of our day!

Cornerstone (Day One)

I suppose this isn't really day one. It's actually day two. Seeing as day one consisted of nothing but an 8 hour drive and learning a plethora of names, today seems like the actual kick off to the start of this particular adventure. Not that learning how to pump my own gas, and traveling by myself for the first time wasn't a blast. But today the actual excitement started.

I woke up five minuets before my alarm was set to go off at 6 this morning (thank goodness I didn't go out with the company late last night!). I had only a moment to question my strange wake up tactics as I walked to our makeshift showers out side of the Buddhist Church we are staying in. (Get this, made out of some shower curtains strung together, our showers are warmed with a solar panel machine thingy that our technical producer made!) The Buddhist Church contains 3 of the main rooms the institute uses- rehearsal space, living quarters, and "The Nest". I stay in the women's dorm, also known as the coldest place in Fowler, due to our blasting of the AC. The Nest, standing alone between our rehearsal space and our dorms, basically serves the purpose of kitchen, office, restroom, and general 'hang out space'. Also between our the Nest and our makeshift home lives our little, 7 week old, black kitten named Fowler.

The majority of my time today was spent at the park, where our finished play will take place. Our task was to set up our scaffolding and bases/poles for setting lights, which we're doing tomorrow. Needless to say, while my shower felt nice, the work it had done was over in 10 minuets. Dusty and heavy, the scaffolding we put up was three stories high, and leaning from side to side like a spaghetti noodle being waved in the air. I had the fortune to let the boys go up there and have me hand them their pole and wood needs. Often time, my job required climbing 15 foot ladders with a 21 foot pole, only to hand it up to a friend that was another 10 feet above me. I also did a lot of fetching Cheese Burrows (a nifty little clasp thing, jokingly called a cheese burger as we neared lunch) and anchoring ladders. The work was hard, but we were blessed with a small little storm, which made the first part of the day a little cooler (although our setting up giant metal structures in the thunder and lightning was sketch to say the least). I found comfort in the fact that I am the newest, and baby of our little production family. It felt good to know I could only grow up.

While the physical part of my day ended at 1, the spiritual, and mental part has kept going. Two of the girls I've really connected with are on the community engagement team, and set out after lunch to pick up hats from a lady in town. I didn't have a clue what that meant, but offered to go, so as to not lounge about for hours.

Her name is Frances, and she was diagnosed with a deadly disease in 2007. The hospital in Fresno told her she had 12 hours to live. She said she had openly welcomed death, and that it had felt good to know that her time was coming so quickly. But alas, she didn't die. She's still here in Fowler, very much alive. Oh. Did I mention she was 99 in '07? Yeah. She's 102 currently, going on 103 in October. Not only is she the oldest person I've ever met, but she's also one of the most inspiring. She knits a hat a day, and has since September of 2007 when she found out she didn't die. Every hat she makes, she donates to premature babies at the hospitals around, and to the children's hospital of central California. This woman... I can't even explain her. She had to much skin for her body, and to much knowledge to be explained in our hour sitting there. When she spoke, she looked off in to the distance like she was somewhere else, and her ankles were swollen to the point where she couldn't tie her shoes. She was beautiful. Not physically really, but just the way she talked. She was a very sweet reminder that the 2 weeks I'll be staying here will be nothing when I look back on it.

All in all today was full. And not over yet. I've been avoiding the rehearsal space for the better part of 2 hours now, not wanting to visit due to the extreme heat that's ruling Fowler at the moment. But tonight we've got a run through that all company members are required at, and I wont have a choice but to bake myself.

I miss everyone at home, and can't wait to be back and create my final 2 weeks of memories in Ashland. I love you all (but especially my mom, who may be the only person reading this. :)) and can't wait to see you. 14 days left. That'll go by faster than fast, right? ;)

Stay lovely.
Willie Mae

7/31/11


Our little kitten, Fowler!


What I did today!