I haven't written in a little bit because I've been rather busy recently. I go back to school on Monday and have some more work to get done before then. I have been preparing a monologue for one of my classes and still have more to do with that one. I have done the written work, but I need to rehearse it more before I go to perform it during the first week back in class. I think it will be good, though!
I also have to have a Shakespearean sonnet prepared as well as a few new musical theatre songs...eep! Not only is it time to get my work done for school, but I also have to make sure that I am prepared for my last performance with Bringing Tap Back on May 26th. It's coming up soon and we still have a fair amount of stuff to get done before the show. We have two numbers to finish and one to start! It should come together fairly quickly, though. It just makes me a little nervous. I am also taking part in a 10 year anniversary celebration for my former dance studio, Center Stage School of the Arts. We have 2 rehearsals, one stage tech and 4 performances. Good thing everything is condensed and will be taking place on weekends! The first Sunday after all of this, I will be teaching tap at a workshop in Hamilton as well as a few more throughout the summer. At the end of my second term in school, I told myself I wouldn't do anything outside of school.... so much for that! At least these are all ways to make money that are much more fun than any regular part-time job! ;)
28.4.11
18.4.11
It's Coming Along
I have been making slow but steady progress on my monologue preparation since I last posted. I have read the play a few times now and have really tried to understand the story (it's a little complex). I have started breaking the monologue apart and separating the text in the way that I would speak it while paying attention to punctuation. I've also started developing my character analysis by giving the character a bit more of a background story as well as deciding what she wants in this particular moment. I'll need to go further into detail later, but I've got a good start. What I really need to get into now is the analysis of my character's relationship with her scene partner so that I can understand how she would be speaking to her in this moment. I will keep working slowly but surely; I like being able to work on this stuff while on a break from class because I can relax (i.e. stopping to eat food about 50 times a day...and possibly having a beer or seeing a friend) and have more fun with it rather than just worrying about getting it done.
I need to do a significant amount of written work for this monologue, but it's really starting to come along. When I've completed a first draft of everything, I will start rehearsing it and experimenting with it. We learn a lot of really neat exercises at school that are incredibly helpful for discovering new things (meanings, ways to perform, etc.) in a particular text and it's really fun to put them to use!
On another note, my dad and I are going to pick up our new Ford Explorer tomorrow! Well, it is new to us, but it is a used vehicle: 2007 Eddie Bauer Explorer, mint condition. He made a really good find and got a wicked deal on it. I'm excited to drive it! I'll post a picture once we have it in our driveway. ;)
I need to do a significant amount of written work for this monologue, but it's really starting to come along. When I've completed a first draft of everything, I will start rehearsing it and experimenting with it. We learn a lot of really neat exercises at school that are incredibly helpful for discovering new things (meanings, ways to perform, etc.) in a particular text and it's really fun to put them to use!
On another note, my dad and I are going to pick up our new Ford Explorer tomorrow! Well, it is new to us, but it is a used vehicle: 2007 Eddie Bauer Explorer, mint condition. He made a really good find and got a wicked deal on it. I'm excited to drive it! I'll post a picture once we have it in our driveway. ;)
17.4.11
Farewell...
I woke up today feeling a little gloomy because of the weather, but I knew that the day would get better. I rolled out of bed and made myself a huge and delicious breakfast which consisted of 3 eggs, 2 pieces of toast with peanut butter, a bowl of cereal and a banana (I eat a lot. It's actually ridiculous). I felt much better after that - who wouldn't feel good after a breakfast like that?!
I hung out and relaxed a little bit and finally decided to get ready because I had a party to go to! I showered and did my hair and all of that fancy stuff, and hopped in the car to head to the party. The women in the tap company that I just recently left (What's On? Tap!) were having a goodbye party for myself and another member who is leaving. They are all so sweet and I will miss them very much. We had a really great time chatting and eating a lot of good food. The women who have young children brought all their babies and toddlers with them so, obviously, I spent a lot of time chasing them around the house and reading them stories. Kids tend to stick to me like glue for some reason - it's a good thing I love them! I will miss all of these women very much. I have spent 3 years with them and have learned so much from them. My current style of tap dancing as well as the accuracy of my technique is all thanks to this company. I am still in another professional company called Bringing Tap Back, whose artistic director is Everett Smith (So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 2's top 4 finalist). His style is crazy and I have already learned so much within the short amount of time that I've spent in his company (I only joined the company this past August). After our big production in May, I will be leaving B.T.B. as well in order to be able to focus on school and possibly have a part-time job. I will miss being in both companies because I love being challenged and learning new things, but it doesn't mean that this is the end. Depending on what happens when I graduate from school, I may go back to the companies while I look for other jobs. They told me that I am welcome to return whenever I am ready and I would love to once I have more time!
Despite the fact that I will miss being a member of both companies, I am happy to be able to focus on this new chapter of my life, and to be able to devote all of my time and efforts to learning everything that I can in school. It is time to move on...but I will be back! ;)
[Edit, April 28th/2011]
Here is a photo of us ladies at the party... I find this one particularly beautiful as it really shows how close we are, despite the fact that we are missing a few members here.
[Edit, April 28th/2011]
Here is a photo of us ladies at the party... I find this one particularly beautiful as it really shows how close we are, despite the fact that we are missing a few members here.
14.4.11
Success!
Guess what, all! I found a monologue today! It's from a play called That Pretty Pretty; Or, The Rape Play by Sheila Callaghan.
Eric was so helpful today - I love having him as a friend! He introduced me to this store called The World's Biggest Bookstore and their section entirely devoted to plays, which consists of several Canadian playwrights as well as the most recently published plays. I found so many great things there and now know where to go to find more monologues in the future. We then went to eat lunch at Johnny Rocket's and devoured some messy burgers as well as some giant milkshakes. It was delicious. After stuffing our faces, we hung out and played video games until I had to leave to drive back home. It was a great and productive day that ended with the perfect amount of laziness, and I owe Eric big time!
Now I just need to get to work on preparing this monologue!
Eric was so helpful today - I love having him as a friend! He introduced me to this store called The World's Biggest Bookstore and their section entirely devoted to plays, which consists of several Canadian playwrights as well as the most recently published plays. I found so many great things there and now know where to go to find more monologues in the future. We then went to eat lunch at Johnny Rocket's and devoured some messy burgers as well as some giant milkshakes. It was delicious. After stuffing our faces, we hung out and played video games until I had to leave to drive back home. It was a great and productive day that ended with the perfect amount of laziness, and I owe Eric big time!
Now I just need to get to work on preparing this monologue!
13.4.11
The Hunt for a Monologue
Today was a very nice day. I am currently on a break from school until May and have been relaxing and sleeping (finally!) The weather was especially nice, so my friend and I spent some time outside and then went to the gym. Being active again felt great! I was starting to get a little lazy and lethargic. After the gym, we grabbed some really great, light food. It was wonderful.
After coming home, I slowly began searching for a new monologue. My only resource for this when I'm at my parents' house is Google, as we live in a rather small town. "Google is amazing," you might say. Well, it is for many things, but when you're a theatre student in Canada who is new to this and you need to find a monologue that was written in the past 10 years, it doesn't do much good. Sure, you can type in "contemporary monologues for women" and it will give you results that fit that category, but "contemporary" does not necessarily mean that it was written within the past 10 years. There is also the fact that our school requires that we only use monologues from published plays, which poses another problem with Google: there are many monologues on the Interweb that are just monologues, floating along in cyberspace hoping for some actor, any actor, to come across them and put them to use. As much as I like many of the ones that I find, I am not allowed to use them. Humph!
I came across this one monologue that I loved. It's from Laughing Wild by Christopher Durang, but it is sadly not something I can use right now as it was published in 1987. I will definitely keep this one for future use, though. It is hilarious!
My friend, Eric, suggested two plays to me after I sent him a text message expressing my frustration and disappointment. I read each one's synopsis and they seemed good, but another problem arose in this situation: they are both so new - as well as Canadian - that even though I can find them listed on Google Books, there are no text previews so I have nothing to go on.
Long story short: I gave up for tonight.
Eric and I are meeting up downtown tomorrow to visit different used book stores and theatre book stores. This should prove to be a more efficient way of hunting than the use of Google. I will inform you of my findings tomorrow.
After coming home, I slowly began searching for a new monologue. My only resource for this when I'm at my parents' house is Google, as we live in a rather small town. "Google is amazing," you might say. Well, it is for many things, but when you're a theatre student in Canada who is new to this and you need to find a monologue that was written in the past 10 years, it doesn't do much good. Sure, you can type in "contemporary monologues for women" and it will give you results that fit that category, but "contemporary" does not necessarily mean that it was written within the past 10 years. There is also the fact that our school requires that we only use monologues from published plays, which poses another problem with Google: there are many monologues on the Interweb that are just monologues, floating along in cyberspace hoping for some actor, any actor, to come across them and put them to use. As much as I like many of the ones that I find, I am not allowed to use them. Humph!
I came across this one monologue that I loved. It's from Laughing Wild by Christopher Durang, but it is sadly not something I can use right now as it was published in 1987. I will definitely keep this one for future use, though. It is hilarious!
My friend, Eric, suggested two plays to me after I sent him a text message expressing my frustration and disappointment. I read each one's synopsis and they seemed good, but another problem arose in this situation: they are both so new - as well as Canadian - that even though I can find them listed on Google Books, there are no text previews so I have nothing to go on.
Long story short: I gave up for tonight.
Eric and I are meeting up downtown tomorrow to visit different used book stores and theatre book stores. This should prove to be a more efficient way of hunting than the use of Google. I will inform you of my findings tomorrow.
12.4.11
The Car Post
Yesterday, I briefly mentioned that I worked in a car dealership and that I would need to devote a separate post to that story...well, here it is!
That was another experience that I never really planned for. When I was younger, I used to do some work for my parents every once in a while because they felt as though they could ignore the child labor laws. Ha! In all seriousness, I spent so much time with them in their office that I wanted nothing more than to help them. I would answer the phones when I was 8 and confused many callers with my tiny voice, and I would occasionally try to translate some text from English to French for my mom because I thought it was cool. Yeah...that didn't last very long. I still help them now and then whenever they seriously need help and are willing to pay me, but that's about it.
I also started babysitting at a young age and I really enjoyed it, but I didn't want to have to do it for too long.
Once I became old enough to hold a real job, I was too busy with school and dance, so I didn't begin working until I started university. I started in the kitchen of a restaurant in my home town and eventually worked my way to the front as a server. I was also given the chance to start training on the bar before I left, but didn't stay long enough to follow through with that. I was initially looking for a second part-time job once I left school and just spent my days throwing my resume around town and trying to speak to anyone I could. I was desperate and was not even opposed to working at McDonald's...
Luckily, I walked into a few of the car dealerships in town and was offered a part-time job at the local Ford dealership! Yay! My dad only had Fords as I was growing up and had bought them all from there, so after they hired me, they made the connection and then started to hassle me about the fact that I we were now driving two Chrysler products. My poor little Jeep Compass has never been the brunt of so many jokes as when I left it parked on the Ford lot. Its new name in the dealership became "P.O.S. Chrysler" (P.O.S. = Piece Of Shit). I eventually left the restaurant when the dealership offered me a full-time position and a raise. Man... if you ever want a really cool temporary job, try to get into a car dealership! I was the youngest person in there and one of the only women. All of the men either became brothers or adoptive fathers to me - it was so funny. If I started dating a new guy, they had to meet him and wow, would they ever grill him! My boss, the GM, was the worst for that. They would tease me all the time, but if I ever needed anything, they were always there for me and they looked out for me all the time. I was just working at the front desk, but they had me doing everything in there: I would do the standard administrative tasks, but I also did a lot of work for the parts and service departments, I did some accounting and some inventory as well. If I was really lucky, they'd let me move some cars around on the lot. For my 21st birthday, my boss gave me the keys to a brand new, red 2011 Mustang GT convertible and let me take it for a spin. That was the best joy ride ever! Ahhh...if only I could own one of those!
I know I sound like I have an odd interest in cars for a 21-year-old girl who is studying musical theatre, but working in the dealership for a year taught me so much and caused me to develop a love for cars. Driving was already one of my favourite things to do; it was bound to happen!
Thanks to that job, I have made some very useful connections and have a place to work if I am ever stuck. While working there, I would tell my dad everything that I was learning. He is currently in the market for a new vehicle, and he's getting a Ford.
For those of you who are only interested in theatre: I promise to try to not talk about cars anymore!
That was another experience that I never really planned for. When I was younger, I used to do some work for my parents every once in a while because they felt as though they could ignore the child labor laws. Ha! In all seriousness, I spent so much time with them in their office that I wanted nothing more than to help them. I would answer the phones when I was 8 and confused many callers with my tiny voice, and I would occasionally try to translate some text from English to French for my mom because I thought it was cool. Yeah...that didn't last very long. I still help them now and then whenever they seriously need help and are willing to pay me, but that's about it.
I also started babysitting at a young age and I really enjoyed it, but I didn't want to have to do it for too long.
Once I became old enough to hold a real job, I was too busy with school and dance, so I didn't begin working until I started university. I started in the kitchen of a restaurant in my home town and eventually worked my way to the front as a server. I was also given the chance to start training on the bar before I left, but didn't stay long enough to follow through with that. I was initially looking for a second part-time job once I left school and just spent my days throwing my resume around town and trying to speak to anyone I could. I was desperate and was not even opposed to working at McDonald's...
Luckily, I walked into a few of the car dealerships in town and was offered a part-time job at the local Ford dealership! Yay! My dad only had Fords as I was growing up and had bought them all from there, so after they hired me, they made the connection and then started to hassle me about the fact that I we were now driving two Chrysler products. My poor little Jeep Compass has never been the brunt of so many jokes as when I left it parked on the Ford lot. Its new name in the dealership became "P.O.S. Chrysler" (P.O.S. = Piece Of Shit). I eventually left the restaurant when the dealership offered me a full-time position and a raise. Man... if you ever want a really cool temporary job, try to get into a car dealership! I was the youngest person in there and one of the only women. All of the men either became brothers or adoptive fathers to me - it was so funny. If I started dating a new guy, they had to meet him and wow, would they ever grill him! My boss, the GM, was the worst for that. They would tease me all the time, but if I ever needed anything, they were always there for me and they looked out for me all the time. I was just working at the front desk, but they had me doing everything in there: I would do the standard administrative tasks, but I also did a lot of work for the parts and service departments, I did some accounting and some inventory as well. If I was really lucky, they'd let me move some cars around on the lot. For my 21st birthday, my boss gave me the keys to a brand new, red 2011 Mustang GT convertible and let me take it for a spin. That was the best joy ride ever! Ahhh...if only I could own one of those!
I know I sound like I have an odd interest in cars for a 21-year-old girl who is studying musical theatre, but working in the dealership for a year taught me so much and caused me to develop a love for cars. Driving was already one of my favourite things to do; it was bound to happen!
Thanks to that job, I have made some very useful connections and have a place to work if I am ever stuck. While working there, I would tell my dad everything that I was learning. He is currently in the market for a new vehicle, and he's getting a Ford.
For those of you who are only interested in theatre: I promise to try to not talk about cars anymore!
11.4.11
Introduction
Here I am writing my first ever blog post. I asked myself what I should write about and still am not so sure as to what I will come up with, but I guess I can start with an introduction to my story.
I am 21 years old, I live in Toronto and I go to a musical theatre school where I study dancing, acting and singing. I am also a member of a professional tap company (it was two until just recently, but school is getting too hectic). My lifestyle is rather crazy and I sure experience many exciting things on a regular basis. I seek refuge from my daily stressors by writing and listening to music. My name is Geneviève and most people where I live have a hard time pronouncing that, so I can often be heard saying "just call me Gen" in a reassuring way; hence this blog's URL and my screen name!
Now, let's see... how did I get into musical theatre? Well, it was never my original plan. It's funny how it happened, really. I've been dancing since the age of 4 and playing the piano since the age of 5. Those were my two main focuses as I grew up and by the time I started high school, they were both more important to me than school; I knew I wanted to be an artist after completing school. In grade 11, I started taking psychology and sociology courses, and began to develop a serious interest in these studies. Having always been one to whom my friends would come for advice, I decided that psychology would be a good back-up plan for me if I couldn't make it as a professional dancer (by this time, being a musician had become a nice hobby for me, but I didn't plan to ever make a career out of it). When I graduated from high school, I applied to various universities for both dance and psychology. The school that I was set on going to for dance rejected my application after my audition and interview process, simply because I was not the type of dancer that they were looking for (i.e. I did not want to become a professional ballerina) but at the time, I thought that it meant that I just wasn't meant to be a dancer. It broke my heart and I decided to go straight into the psychology program at the same school. It was alright at first and like any new experience, I appreciated the change, but after a year and half in the program, I realized that it really wasn't the place for me. I was so miserable there and just wanted to leave. I then decided to take time off from school and spent a year working. I continued to work as a server (which I had been doing while in university) and eventually left that to go work full-time in a car dealership. Now that is a whole other story in itself! Anyway, I applied to new schools when the deadlines began approaching, but I wasn't so sure about staying in the psychology/sociology field; if I had to go back to that, I'd stick with sociology and become a social worker for a children's aid society, but I'd much rather be doing what I'm doing now. While filling out my applications, I remembered a school that I wanted to apply to when I was graduating from high school.
The problems back then were that:
a) The school could only supply graduates with a certificate (my father did not approve)
b) I just wanted to be a dancer
c) It was VERY expensive
What had changed this time was:
a) They had become an accredited private college and could supply graduates with college diplomas
b) I had begun to understand that if I wanted to make it as a performing artist in this day and age, I would have to learn to do other things in order to compliment my dancing
c) I had been making a lot of money
I applied to this school, prepared myself for my audition despite the fact that I had never had a vocal lesson nor had any experience as an actor, and just went for it. I received a call within 3 weeks saying that I was invited to join the program that following September. "HOLY CRAP," I said aloud in the car with my parents after that phone call. I simply could not believe that they were willing to let me join the program. After receiving their student contract and reading it over very carefully, I took one very deep breath and signed it, promising myself to just dive head-first into whatever was to be thrown at me, and assuring myself that I must belong there, despite the lack of experience.
After my first day of school, I was in love. As time went on, I let go of all of my previous fears and inhibitions and did everything that was asked of me by my teachers. Now, two semesters later, I have received some wonderful reviews and have been told some very reassuring words. This is where I belong. The other students in this school are just as weird as I am and they are my family. The building itself is more of a home to me than my apartment. We spend long, gruelling days there and it will only get worse, and I can't wait. Yes, it is hard work, but it hardly seems like work when I think about what I was doing two years ago. I have found my niche and am set on doing this for the rest of my life.
As this blog grows and develops, I will tell you more stories from my past as well as what is currently going on in my life. I am not vain enough to believe that people will be interested in my stories - this is mostly for myself. However, if you come across my posts and feel as though you can relate, feel free to follow my story and give me your feedback!
I am 21 years old, I live in Toronto and I go to a musical theatre school where I study dancing, acting and singing. I am also a member of a professional tap company (it was two until just recently, but school is getting too hectic). My lifestyle is rather crazy and I sure experience many exciting things on a regular basis. I seek refuge from my daily stressors by writing and listening to music. My name is Geneviève and most people where I live have a hard time pronouncing that, so I can often be heard saying "just call me Gen" in a reassuring way; hence this blog's URL and my screen name!
Now, let's see... how did I get into musical theatre? Well, it was never my original plan. It's funny how it happened, really. I've been dancing since the age of 4 and playing the piano since the age of 5. Those were my two main focuses as I grew up and by the time I started high school, they were both more important to me than school; I knew I wanted to be an artist after completing school. In grade 11, I started taking psychology and sociology courses, and began to develop a serious interest in these studies. Having always been one to whom my friends would come for advice, I decided that psychology would be a good back-up plan for me if I couldn't make it as a professional dancer (by this time, being a musician had become a nice hobby for me, but I didn't plan to ever make a career out of it). When I graduated from high school, I applied to various universities for both dance and psychology. The school that I was set on going to for dance rejected my application after my audition and interview process, simply because I was not the type of dancer that they were looking for (i.e. I did not want to become a professional ballerina) but at the time, I thought that it meant that I just wasn't meant to be a dancer. It broke my heart and I decided to go straight into the psychology program at the same school. It was alright at first and like any new experience, I appreciated the change, but after a year and half in the program, I realized that it really wasn't the place for me. I was so miserable there and just wanted to leave. I then decided to take time off from school and spent a year working. I continued to work as a server (which I had been doing while in university) and eventually left that to go work full-time in a car dealership. Now that is a whole other story in itself! Anyway, I applied to new schools when the deadlines began approaching, but I wasn't so sure about staying in the psychology/sociology field; if I had to go back to that, I'd stick with sociology and become a social worker for a children's aid society, but I'd much rather be doing what I'm doing now. While filling out my applications, I remembered a school that I wanted to apply to when I was graduating from high school.
The problems back then were that:
a) The school could only supply graduates with a certificate (my father did not approve)
b) I just wanted to be a dancer
c) It was VERY expensive
What had changed this time was:
a) They had become an accredited private college and could supply graduates with college diplomas
b) I had begun to understand that if I wanted to make it as a performing artist in this day and age, I would have to learn to do other things in order to compliment my dancing
c) I had been making a lot of money
I applied to this school, prepared myself for my audition despite the fact that I had never had a vocal lesson nor had any experience as an actor, and just went for it. I received a call within 3 weeks saying that I was invited to join the program that following September. "HOLY CRAP," I said aloud in the car with my parents after that phone call. I simply could not believe that they were willing to let me join the program. After receiving their student contract and reading it over very carefully, I took one very deep breath and signed it, promising myself to just dive head-first into whatever was to be thrown at me, and assuring myself that I must belong there, despite the lack of experience.
After my first day of school, I was in love. As time went on, I let go of all of my previous fears and inhibitions and did everything that was asked of me by my teachers. Now, two semesters later, I have received some wonderful reviews and have been told some very reassuring words. This is where I belong. The other students in this school are just as weird as I am and they are my family. The building itself is more of a home to me than my apartment. We spend long, gruelling days there and it will only get worse, and I can't wait. Yes, it is hard work, but it hardly seems like work when I think about what I was doing two years ago. I have found my niche and am set on doing this for the rest of my life.
As this blog grows and develops, I will tell you more stories from my past as well as what is currently going on in my life. I am not vain enough to believe that people will be interested in my stories - this is mostly for myself. However, if you come across my posts and feel as though you can relate, feel free to follow my story and give me your feedback!
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