Prologue: We Are Incredible Humans
Welcome back! This is about the fact that one week ago I never thought I'd hear someone tell me my "fitting schedule" or hear someone tell me to clear my calendar for "rehearsal." This is about me crying during new hire orientation. This is about me getting audition nerves and telling myself to shut up and sit in those fears and appreciate them because I was lucky enough to get an audition in a time when we thought there were no auditions and we weren't sure when the next ones would be. This is about me getting to walk backstage in two theme parks in a single day and think "maybe someday soon I'll be working here." This is about getting a new ID badge and an "action pack." This is about resilience. This is about perseverance. This is about hope in a world full of hopelessness. This is about light in dark. This is about the fact that we are incredible humans.
And of course we are! Are you kidding? How could I let myself fall into a pit of nothingness? How could I forget all the incredible ways humans continue to adapt to their circumstances, situations, and surroundings? Like wi-fi? iPhones? Air drop? Air planes? Microwaves? Toaster ovens? Hair cuts? I dunno. I'm amazed. I may sound ridiculous, but - C'mon! We are incredible humans and of course we are going to adapt no matter the circumstances. And if we have to tackle the art of making theatre in the midst of the global pandemic - you better believe we gonna do it.
Because we can't survive without art. We can't survive without storytelling. We need it. It's in our blood. It's in our souls. It's who we are. And even if I have to spend 20min in a mask unable to breathe while doing an audition because I picked the heavy duty mask because it was the only one I felt would stay on with all my jaw's beautiful gesticulation, then, well, I can do it and I will do it. And maybe it won't be easy. And maybe I don't feel secure. And maybe I feel rusty and unprepared. And maybe my mask almost falls off. And maybe I over compensate with my body. And maybe I fail. But failing doesn't mean I'm not awesome. Because those do not cancel each other out! Failing does not make you a failure! Failing means you are a human who failed, which confirms you are not a Beep Boop robot [But robots are cool too, thanks, Janet. [Janet: (points towards self) Not a Robot.]]
All this to say: I am more hopeful than I have ever been for our art form, for our souls, and for humanity. Maybe I'm naive or still wearing my rose-colored glasses, or high from "The Good Place" endorphins, but, in the famous words of Queen Poppy [spoiler alert], "Hey, I know it’s not all cupcakes and rainbows, but I’d rather go through life thinking that it mostly is," because life is beautiful and sometimes I want to appreciate that.
1. Things To Be Grateful For
- Better Homes & Garden Magazine - I've never paid for a single issue my entire life, but it arrives in my mailbox every month without fail and it brings me so much joy.
- Air Drop
- Long walks
- Cool temperatures
- Snow
- Christmas
- The LEGO Movie
- Corny jokes
- Meeting new people
- Friendship
- Characters written so well you think they are your friends and you care so much about them
- Listening to Jim Dale read Harry Potter in the rain
- Knowing that if you ever need a party on a Saturday night, you can stand in your driveway and dance to the music in your neighbor's backyard
- Baby showers
- Themed parties
- Fun shaped cakes
- Homemade pumpkin empanadas
- Homemade tortillas
- The sound of sizzling in a frying pan
- The clicks of a gas stove turning on
- The smell of your grandmother's perfume
- Harry Potter chapter cover coasters
- Having all you ever needed or wanted
- Being open to love
- Free money
- Work
- Gifts
- Secret Santa
- Surprises
- Sunrises and Sunsets
- Frog and Toad / Arnold Lobel
- Musicals that make your heart sing
- Smooth feeling keyboards
- Ergonomic chairs
- Soft plushy rugs
- Foot baths
- Face masks
- Things that you discover are glow in the dark once the lights go out
- Hot tea before bed
- Trainer-led yoga classes on the Nike Training Club app for freeeeeeeeeeeeeee
- Panda Express orange chicken
- Chick fil a sandwiches and Taco bell cinnamon twists (but also be sure to donate twice what you spend to NAACP/ACLU/The Trevor Project)
- Remembering that time you first heard someone perform the national anthem live and then proceeded to spend four hours in the shower singing it at the top of your lungs praying that you would one day be that singer but your parents tell you "Yeah, we had no idea you were interested in theatre" To that I say, it's okay, me too. I still have to convince myself I am indeed an actor and this is my passion.
2. Lessons Learned
- If cold, you could grab a blanket, or you could do bicycle crunches until your whole body is a sauna
- It's really hard to remember to cover your sneeze if you don't do it all the time
- Employee-exclusive events are like getting a puppy on Christmas - seriously, the best thing ever and if I ever lead a company they are gonna be EVERYWHERE (both puppies on Christmas and employee events fyi)
- Hand sanitizing and hand wash stations should be contactless
- Every door should have a contactless method for opening in both directions (foot push)
- It's okay to cry
- You can stand up for your beliefs
- Sometimes your relationship with your plant/pet can tell you a lot about how you treat other people. Today I realized that I drowned my plant despite its soil clearly being damp because I guess I thought I knew better what it needed than itself? Which then helped me realize this is what I tend to do with people - I tend to think I know better what they need rather than maybe - I dunno - listening to the humans themselves about what they think they need? Rocket science, I know. I'm workin' on it.
- It's okay to take time for yourself
- Sometimes you create your biggest obstacles, fears, pressure, and standards. Great news, though! If you created them, that means you can also UN-create them. Or. . . something.
- Everyone is capable of being beautiful
- Everyone is capable of being nice
- Everyone is capable of being kind to themselves
3. Things To Look Forward To
- Being able to say "LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!"
- Being a Daily Show correspondent
- Audiences
- Makeup
- Costumes
- Fittings
- Rehearsals
- Programs
- Bios
- Spotlights
- Microphones
- Lace-fronts
- Silicone masks
- Transformations
- Quick changes
- Scene partners
- Audience participation
- Live music
- Choir
- Singing
- Dancing
- Christmas parties
- Christmas decor
- Any excuse to watch Elf and sing along