Well, it's been a while, but I've been busy! With finals approaching and Math class still a pain in whichever part of the body you prefer I've had my hands full. Let's see, since Niada closed (a pretty spectacular success for Alysha, I think :) ) I've been acting in the Directing class finals for both Liz and Alysha (although getting shoved over is about all I did in Alysha's. Does that count as method acting?) For Liz's I got to play Oberon the fairy king in a scene from Midsummer Night's Dream. It was fun, and I hope we did well enough to get Liz an A.
After Niada closed, we had the Cast Party. This time we headed to Issac Spiecher's apartment and had pizza while watching Iron Man. Fun stuff. Issac threw Hershey's kisses at our car as we left (he explained later that he was throwing them at me... another "fangirl" reference.) Later that week directing class rehearsals started in earnest, so in Liz's scene we had Katelyn as Dewdrop the fairy, Winter as Titania, and Chloe Payne as Puck, although about a week before the we presented for Liz's grade she had to re-cast Jordan as Puck. Kudos to her for learning all her lines in a week! It went pretty well I think. Alysha did an earlier scene from Midsummer, and we had the hilarious duo of Mitch and Justin playing Oberon and Puck, respectively. I played Demetrius, a love-struck stooge chasing after Mary Simpson's character, Helena. Basically I just run on stage, back into her accidentally, ask why she doesn't love me, get pushed over, then run off after her. She had way too much fun with that, I think.
This week went by fast, with much work being put into Math and Arabic. I came to realize that if you summarize the "stories" that accompany each chapter of my Arabic textbook you get quite a jaded picture of the world our two characters inhabit. Check it out.
Story One: Maha
Maha is an Egyptian girl living in New York. Her dad works for the United Nations and her mom is a prof. at her University. She never sees her parents since they are so busy, she has no friends because she dislikes people in general, and she hates New York for a variety of reasons. I dub her a whiner.
Story Two: Khalid
Khalid is a twenty-something teaching assistant at the University of Cairo. He wasn't allowed to study literature like he wanted, so he had to go to business school because his dad thought that business had a better future. Now, since his mom died and his grandmother won't let him sleep past six A.M., he has to raise his brother's, because apparently Dad can't be bothered. Khalid spends most of his free time in sports bars playing chess and smoking, a habit he hides from his grandmother. Reverse Cinderella?
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Khalid and Maha are first cousins, and that later on Maha apparently goes to Egypt and they get romantically involved.
What???
Anyway, after the parade of homework and studying and putting off studying by writing silly articles, we arrived at the weekend. Friday night we had the dueling events of the Sock Hop hosted by the ballroom club and the Invisible Children presentation in the Chapel. I went to the dancing lessons at the Sock Hop first, reasoning that I could come back after the Invisible Children presentation. Invisible Children is an organization working to put Ugandan children orphaned by AIDS and the war (which until recently devastated the country) through school. They showed a very powerful video and then two Ugandan people (the grandfather of the boy who was the main subject of the video, and an IC employee on the ground in Uganda) spoke to us. It was very good, and I was about to donate some of the eighteen dollars I have to them, when I realized I couldn't find my wallet. I spent about an hour and a half looking for it before I finally found it next to the sink in the Sanderson Men's room. How it got there I have no idea, I'm just glad I found it. Later that night Isaiah and I watched Blade II and enjoyed riffing it at every opportunity for taking itself WAY to seriously.
Saturday night we had a double feature in Jordan's room: Zombieland and Hot Fuzz. Gareth Jones, myself, Liz Brink, Liz Simpson, Alan Cheney, and Jordan herself spent the evening laughing and (at least I) enjoyed the fact that since Jordan hadn't seen the movies, I could have fun keeping her in the dark as to what was about to happen, kinda like watching LOST with Josh Bernitt. :) Needless to say it was awesome.
Sunday was pretty quiet, although I did finish my penultimate math assignment and started on the final one. It's almost done, and then my nightmare of a class is mostly over. We went to the Founder's picnic, played cornhole and frizzcup, had hamburgers, and generally had a good time.
That brings us up to today, and pretty much the only memorable thing was dinner. Me, Ann, Jordan, Lauren Hartzell, Zach McElrath, Laura Vickery, and briefly Chris Musser had a great time telling stories and eventually Jordan literally dragged my chair (with me in it) about fifty feet away from the table. I can't even remember why, but it was hilarious.
So, that's it for now. I'll try and update again on the flipside of finals. Oy vey...
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
"I think you are confused...there's no one there."
It hasn't been a week, but I wanted to blog about the brush up rehearsal we had tonight while it was still fresh. For anyone unfamiliar with the way theater works at Covenant, we usually have one rehearsal, very informal, right before the second weekend starts, just to get everyone back into the show and make sure they remember their lines. Since Niada was in pretty good shape last weekend, the pressure was off and we could have some fun with it, especially because Alysha was a good sport about all the joking.
I've tried to put together a full, chronological list of the pranks we pulled, but I'm sure I've missed some, so I apologize in advance.
1. Wes Simmonds
2. In the first scene the "drowning" scene was exaggerated to comic heights.
3. Apparently the only really preplanned prank. As I walked onto the stage for my first scene, I heard a lot of screaming coming from the audience. Since I was in the scene, it didn't really register to me what they were screaming, or that they were coming on stage until Liz Simpson tackled me and Ann Jones and Jordan joined her in grabbing me and screaming. This was supposed to be the "screaming fangirls" that Alysha has joked would jump me ever since I started playing Kade.
4. Jacob Corbett pretended to be talking on a cell phone while setting up the scene in Istre's cavern.
5. Wes Simmonds got slapped.
6. The transformation of Merin from mermaid to human was apparently pretty funny, but I didn't see it since I was backstage.
7. Kade told Dorian to "king me" instead of "checkmate" during the chess scene.
8. Wes Simmonds some more. :)
9. Since Chris Hartwell wasn't there, instead of saying "I think you are confused, this is Aislyn" Kade said "I think you are confused, there's no one there."
10. The Sea King, when told what it will cost to save Merin's life, fell to his knees and screamed "NOOOOOOO!!" then after saving her muttered "she was right about you..." before leaving.
11. Kade carried Merin offstage instead of walking off with her.
Anyway, I'm positive I've forgotten a ton of them, and I know that we tried to get "Under the Sea" to play during Curtain call, but tech difficulties prevented it. We had a blast, and I can honestly say it was the most fun I've had at a brush up at Covenant.
After brush up we went to see the Senior Art Gallery in the Library, which was really amazing and I was thoroughly impressed. Among the pieces was a sculpture representing two ways people respond to God's calling and gifts, a set of hand-thrown pottery, several sculpted hands, a set of really cool paintings, a photo-stitched thing I wasn't sure what to call but it was cool, and a neat dresser/book/bunch of other cool stuff. There were a lot of people there, so I didn't get as good a look as I would have liked at some of the pieces, but it was still awesome. Afterward Liz, Audrey Brown, Jared Menard and I headed to the Blink and hung out for a while.
Well, only 2 1/2 more weeks left 'till finals. I'm really ready to be done with all of the classes (though I could hang out with my friends a good while longer). Just gotta push through!
I'm done.
:)
I've tried to put together a full, chronological list of the pranks we pulled, but I'm sure I've missed some, so I apologize in advance.
1. Wes Simmonds
2. In the first scene the "drowning" scene was exaggerated to comic heights.
3. Apparently the only really preplanned prank. As I walked onto the stage for my first scene, I heard a lot of screaming coming from the audience. Since I was in the scene, it didn't really register to me what they were screaming, or that they were coming on stage until Liz Simpson tackled me and Ann Jones and Jordan joined her in grabbing me and screaming. This was supposed to be the "screaming fangirls" that Alysha has joked would jump me ever since I started playing Kade.
4. Jacob Corbett pretended to be talking on a cell phone while setting up the scene in Istre's cavern.
5. Wes Simmonds got slapped.
6. The transformation of Merin from mermaid to human was apparently pretty funny, but I didn't see it since I was backstage.
7. Kade told Dorian to "king me" instead of "checkmate" during the chess scene.
8. Wes Simmonds some more. :)
9. Since Chris Hartwell wasn't there, instead of saying "I think you are confused, this is Aislyn" Kade said "I think you are confused, there's no one there."
10. The Sea King, when told what it will cost to save Merin's life, fell to his knees and screamed "NOOOOOOO!!" then after saving her muttered "she was right about you..." before leaving.
11. Kade carried Merin offstage instead of walking off with her.
Anyway, I'm positive I've forgotten a ton of them, and I know that we tried to get "Under the Sea" to play during Curtain call, but tech difficulties prevented it. We had a blast, and I can honestly say it was the most fun I've had at a brush up at Covenant.
After brush up we went to see the Senior Art Gallery in the Library, which was really amazing and I was thoroughly impressed. Among the pieces was a sculpture representing two ways people respond to God's calling and gifts, a set of hand-thrown pottery, several sculpted hands, a set of really cool paintings, a photo-stitched thing I wasn't sure what to call but it was cool, and a neat dresser/book/bunch of other cool stuff. There were a lot of people there, so I didn't get as good a look as I would have liked at some of the pieces, but it was still awesome. Afterward Liz, Audrey Brown, Jared Menard and I headed to the Blink and hung out for a while.
Well, only 2 1/2 more weeks left 'till finals. I'm really ready to be done with all of the classes (though I could hang out with my friends a good while longer). Just gotta push through!
I'm done.
:)
Friday, April 9, 2010
"You look like a...Patella?"
Well, I was accosted today about my failure to update my blog (and by accosted I mean that I am writing this blog post with a knife at my throat.) Anyway...
The last time I think I left off right before Easter break, which means that's probably where I should start... but I'm not going to. I'm going to back up and tell you about something that happened just before we left.
Friday was technically the first day of Easter break, which meant that there was no Great Hall for me to go and get food at. Thus, I woke up, learned this, and resigned myself to a diet of Jolly Ranchers, water, and Icebreakers. That is, I was resigned until Katie Jenkins saved my by having my come down to her apartment, where she provided me with pizza, fruit salad, and someone to talk to. I am extremely thankful and so are the roommates I was planning on eating before long.
This year Mitch invited me to join the group heading to his house for Easter break (he also managed to get me to agree to marry one of his sisters before I realized what I was saying. Nothing wrong with either of them, I just hadn't met them at the time.) So, come Friday afternoon we loaded up Jon Davis' car and drove down to Katelyn's apartment to pick her up. By the end of the five minute drive, I was sufficiently (and justifiably) terrified J.D.'s driving to switch over to ride in the car with Katelyn and Mitch's friend Michelle. This wasn't much better. Finally, I car hopped again to Angela's car at the florists shop she works at and found that thankfully Alan Cheney can drive smoothly.
The car ride was pretty uneventful, except for the time we formed into a V formation on the highway and the last hour of the ride when Alan got a nosebleed and drove the rest of the ride one handed... in a stick-shift. After we got to Mitch's we met his mom (who is awesome!) and debated taking out the Golf Cart for a spin. We didn't all fit, so Mitch introduced J.D. and I to Prince of Persia until the girls got back. After dinner, we played a late night game of Pictionary, which was hilarious because J.D. was mildly buzzed and had trouble drawing the things on the cards. In addition, even though we won, Angela and I had a roller coaster ride getting to the end of the board since she's a graduated art major and I can't draw a straight line.
Saturday Alysha and Liz came and hung out with us for the day. We spent a bunch of time at a strip mall looking into various stores and letting the girls try on dresses. While in Books-a-Million, we found a rather amusing book: the Serenity Roleplaying Game. Anybody who knows Serenity or Firefly will understand that reading through this provided us with a good couple of laughs. Since everyone in our group had been "dubbed" a certain member of the cast we each got pictures holding the book open to our character's entry. I'm still trying to get them off my phone, so look on FB for them once in a while, they might show up. For those of you who don't know Firefly... shame on you.
Sunday we went to Mitch's church and everyone but Alan and I sang in the choir. Sunday afternoon I actually met Mitch's sisters who I supposed to marry (a fact Mitchell made sure to remind me of before they got there) and we had a hamburger cookout provided by Mr. Mitchell. Oh, and in case this is confusing anyone, Mitch's last name is Mitchell, he doesn't go by his first name. So when I say Mr. Mitchell, I mean his dad. Anyway, we had a great time and by the time we got back to school we were all sufficiently rested and ready to start again (at least, as ready as one can be...)
Since Niada opened last night I should mention tech week. By now, if you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know what tech week is, but just in case, tech week's when everything comes together for a play and we start running the full show with lights, costumes, sounds, and scene changes thrown together just like they'll be when we're doing the show for an audience.
So, opening night was last night, and things went really well! Everything came together, we had a pretty good crowd for a Thursday, and we got some unexpected publicity from the Student Development Office. About two hours before the show, they sent out an e-mail which proves that they don't always read things before they send them out. Mitchell had sent in an e-mail to them asking that they send an e-mail out advertising the show, and he provided an example ad to get them started. Rather than read it, they simply e-mailed out his example. I've pasted it below, and keep in mind that this is being sent out by an official school department which usually writes things that sound like this: "The music department will give a free concert tomorrow evening – Friday, April 9, 8 PM – Manhattan Piano Trio – to students with their ID card. This is to replace the concert in January that was cancelled. This is the final Covenant Arts concert for this year."
Instead we received this:
"Come see "Niada" - a play written, directed and produced by one of our finest.
The last time I think I left off right before Easter break, which means that's probably where I should start... but I'm not going to. I'm going to back up and tell you about something that happened just before we left.
Friday was technically the first day of Easter break, which meant that there was no Great Hall for me to go and get food at. Thus, I woke up, learned this, and resigned myself to a diet of Jolly Ranchers, water, and Icebreakers. That is, I was resigned until Katie Jenkins saved my by having my come down to her apartment, where she provided me with pizza, fruit salad, and someone to talk to. I am extremely thankful and so are the roommates I was planning on eating before long.
This year Mitch invited me to join the group heading to his house for Easter break (he also managed to get me to agree to marry one of his sisters before I realized what I was saying. Nothing wrong with either of them, I just hadn't met them at the time.) So, come Friday afternoon we loaded up Jon Davis' car and drove down to Katelyn's apartment to pick her up. By the end of the five minute drive, I was sufficiently (and justifiably) terrified J.D.'s driving to switch over to ride in the car with Katelyn and Mitch's friend Michelle. This wasn't much better. Finally, I car hopped again to Angela's car at the florists shop she works at and found that thankfully Alan Cheney can drive smoothly.
The car ride was pretty uneventful, except for the time we formed into a V formation on the highway and the last hour of the ride when Alan got a nosebleed and drove the rest of the ride one handed... in a stick-shift. After we got to Mitch's we met his mom (who is awesome!) and debated taking out the Golf Cart for a spin. We didn't all fit, so Mitch introduced J.D. and I to Prince of Persia until the girls got back. After dinner, we played a late night game of Pictionary, which was hilarious because J.D. was mildly buzzed and had trouble drawing the things on the cards. In addition, even though we won, Angela and I had a roller coaster ride getting to the end of the board since she's a graduated art major and I can't draw a straight line.
Saturday Alysha and Liz came and hung out with us for the day. We spent a bunch of time at a strip mall looking into various stores and letting the girls try on dresses. While in Books-a-Million, we found a rather amusing book: the Serenity Roleplaying Game. Anybody who knows Serenity or Firefly will understand that reading through this provided us with a good couple of laughs. Since everyone in our group had been "dubbed" a certain member of the cast we each got pictures holding the book open to our character's entry. I'm still trying to get them off my phone, so look on FB for them once in a while, they might show up. For those of you who don't know Firefly... shame on you.
Sunday we went to Mitch's church and everyone but Alan and I sang in the choir. Sunday afternoon I actually met Mitch's sisters who I supposed to marry (a fact Mitchell made sure to remind me of before they got there) and we had a hamburger cookout provided by Mr. Mitchell. Oh, and in case this is confusing anyone, Mitch's last name is Mitchell, he doesn't go by his first name. So when I say Mr. Mitchell, I mean his dad. Anyway, we had a great time and by the time we got back to school we were all sufficiently rested and ready to start again (at least, as ready as one can be...)
Since Niada opened last night I should mention tech week. By now, if you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know what tech week is, but just in case, tech week's when everything comes together for a play and we start running the full show with lights, costumes, sounds, and scene changes thrown together just like they'll be when we're doing the show for an audience.
So, opening night was last night, and things went really well! Everything came together, we had a pretty good crowd for a Thursday, and we got some unexpected publicity from the Student Development Office. About two hours before the show, they sent out an e-mail which proves that they don't always read things before they send them out. Mitchell had sent in an e-mail to them asking that they send an e-mail out advertising the show, and he provided an example ad to get them started. Rather than read it, they simply e-mailed out his example. I've pasted it below, and keep in mind that this is being sent out by an official school department which usually writes things that sound like this: "The music department will give a free concert tomorrow evening – Friday, April 9, 8 PM – Manhattan Piano Trio – to students with their ID card. This is to replace the concert in January that was cancelled. This is the final Covenant Arts concert for this year."
Instead we received this:
"Come see "Niada" - a play written, directed and produced by one of our finest.
This play - based on a fairy-tail classic - features a mermaid more beautiful than a moon-rise, a witch more graceful than melted butter on a bald monkey, two men so manly they make Xena-Warrior Princess look like a woman, a small army of magical sea-creatures with strange fascination with shiny objects, and a masquerade more sophisticated and enjoyable than a box of Godiva Chocolates!
It happens tonight (4/8), Saturday(4/10), and all next weekend (4/16-18)! Don't miss it! Buy tickets in the great-hall at lunch!"
And with that: I've screwed up the formatting and can't get it to return to normal. Thus the rest of this blog will be typed out in "Font" font. Fortunately nothing else has really happened since last night, so I really don't have anything else to blog about. Except that I stole Jordan's jacket a lunch during a friendly dispute over a chair and forgot that I was wearing it until I had walked all the way back to Founders. I gave it to her roommate, so hopefully she won't have too much trouble getting it back. With that, I'd like to turn my blog over for a moment and remember someone near and dear to all of us: Alysha McCullough's Patella.
Alysha's Patella has been a great friend and a hard worker for many years, but has struggled with identity issues and feeling out of place. Last Sunday, the pressure became too much, and he snapped. Believing himself to be a part of the Fibula, he lunged sideways, out of his usual position between the Femur and the Tibia, and around to the side of the knee. After much icing and anti-inflammatory, it's still touch and go. Adding strain to the problem is that Alysha has revealed a hidden passive-aggression for her poor Patella, taking every opportunity to stand on it and walk around, causing him great stress in his hour of need. Please pray for Pat... and that Alysha will come to forgive him, and me for writing this paragraph.
Until next time. :)
And with that: I've screwed up the formatting and can't get it to return to normal. Thus the rest of this blog will be typed out in "Font" font. Fortunately nothing else has really happened since last night, so I really don't have anything else to blog about. Except that I stole Jordan's jacket a lunch during a friendly dispute over a chair and forgot that I was wearing it until I had walked all the way back to Founders. I gave it to her roommate, so hopefully she won't have too much trouble getting it back. With that, I'd like to turn my blog over for a moment and remember someone near and dear to all of us: Alysha McCullough's Patella.
Alysha's Patella has been a great friend and a hard worker for many years, but has struggled with identity issues and feeling out of place. Last Sunday, the pressure became too much, and he snapped. Believing himself to be a part of the Fibula, he lunged sideways, out of his usual position between the Femur and the Tibia, and around to the side of the knee. After much icing and anti-inflammatory, it's still touch and go. Adding strain to the problem is that Alysha has revealed a hidden passive-aggression for her poor Patella, taking every opportunity to stand on it and walk around, causing him great stress in his hour of need. Please pray for Pat... and that Alysha will come to forgive him, and me for writing this paragraph.
Until next time. :)
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