Drama, Drama, Drama

There was a tentative, half-formed resolution in the back of my mind that this year, I would write at least one more blog post per month than the month before (which, come to think of it, would be really scary if I end up doing the 30-In-30 again, unless I finesse the dates just right, hmmmm, TANGENT, sorry) and that did not work. In February I actually wrote one LESS than January, and Month 1 was not exactly overflowing to start with. I blame the Romans. Obviously, if I'd had the other 2-3 days that February should have had, my blogging schedule would be on track! OBVIOUSLY.

For reals, though (and I would only EVER say that here and then only rarely because hello, grad school, be a grown-up, for pete's sake [though I don't honestly think Pete cares]) this life is a lot like being in college, only harder. And a lot of people talk funny. We are all exhausted and stressed-out to the point of being numb - for the first several weeks of this term, for example, when we would run into anyone outside of the approximately 10 people we'd been working with on our course we would squeal, hug, do a sympathetic catch-up and go on about how much we missed each other. Today, I walked past one of my non-group course mates (practically passed each other in a doorway) and she didn't see me or even hear me when I greeted her. And, sadly, I didn't have the energy to turn around and try again, louder. NUMB.

Also today, we had two people leave the room in tears, at separate times. We're getting really good at that - to some extent, we know rehearsal isn't "working" unless somebody has a breakdown. Let me tell you, the one guy in our group is having a WONDERFUL time. And yet - crazy as they all make me and hard as it is to actually feel like we're accomplishing anything, we ARE managing to get things done, and I do still like every last one of them. You know, as people. Individuals. Who I would totally hang out with sometime, socially, when we were not talking about theatre. AT ALL.

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Note to self (and high-school musical directors): Sometimes, in order for a show to work, one (meaning all) must FULLY EMBRACE THE CHEESE. A production of "Mamma Mia", for example, in which some of the cast at least some of the time is determined to "be real" and "take things seriously" is one in which I become determined to stab myself in the eye and stomp really, really hard on the director's foot (at least). Any production that leaves you wistfully thinking about how Pierce Brosnan could maybe consider doing more musicals has FAILED. EPICALLY.

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Dear West-End "Mamma Mia" -

I was fully prepared to have fun while watching you, and it did not happen. Shame on you for not being realistic about your purpose and making it work, and shame on you for firing your choreographer halfway through the rehearsal process (that's the only explanation I can find). I'm going back to Legally Blonde, Wicked, and the Royal Shakespeare Company - because at least they know how to have a good time!

In your defense, I have downloaded one new Abba song that wasn't in the movie version - thanks for that.

Go see Jersey Boys. They'll show you how it's done.

No love,
Me

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More school tales coming soon - including one about how I walked out in the middle of a lecture. Seriously. And only felt a little bit bad about it.