Am already getting started on next Fall’s production! We had our first read-through last week, and it’ll prove to be a great experience. Our cast is pretty big, I must admit! I think it’s the biggest ensemble I’ve been in yet at University…somewhere near 18 people, I think? I’m so excited to work with these folks– not only do we work under Director D. Terry, who is the former Chair of the Department of Theatre (and namesake of the D. Terry Williams theatre), but I am also able to work with friends who I’ve never acted with before (other than classwork).

I’m not sure how elaborate the costuming and staging will be, but I do know that we were encouraged to take a Stage Combat class with an alum this summer. I doubt my role will call for many physical stunts– I’m Elise/Mother Superior/Abess/Old Woman– but I can’t WAIT to see what will ensue with this new production.

We at the Department of Theatre count ourselves as quite lucky to work on two Alexandre Dumas works in just one calendar year, and I must admit that I’m one of the luckiest– I’ve the opportunity to be in both! I love working on period pieces such as “Cure for Love” and “3 Musketeers.”

I just wanted to update everyone on my upcoming work. I’m going to be renting the newest Disney version of the film, and hopefully get my hands on the Tim Curry version within the next week. (I cannot WAIT to watch that one, because Tim Curry is my favorite actor!)

So, I’m off to re-read the script; everyone have a lovely day, and enjoy this increasingly gorgeous weather!

Crazy to see all of my classmates graduating! All of my dearest friends got to walk across Miller stage today and receive their degree, and I’m so proud of everybody. You’ve helped make these past four years the best of my life. I’m so glad to have met you guys. It’s also strange to think that I should’ve been up there with you all! I’m glad I’ve still got one more year yet to enjoy college life, but I will certainly miss you folks. <3

I found this gorgeous video of the Bronco Marching Band singing WMU's alma mater….and it brings tears to my eyes. You all deserve the best futures, and I know you'll enjoy so much success.

Western, we sing to you.

Broncos for life! <3

Now here starts a week of vacation, then back here for Summer classes!

Yours,
Sara

Well, here we are. Another exam week! It’s kind of staggering to realize that, had I not adopted a second major, I’d be walking this Saturday….and officially out in the real world by next week. :O It’s way too frightening– I’m so glad I have just one more year of being a college kid!

Waiting at the moment to turn in my Scenic Design Portfolio. Had a Comm exam yesterday, and a Theatre History and Dialects exam/presentation last week. So….basically, after this portfolio is graded, and after I submit my final paper on Victorian Actresses and Social Mobility to the incomparable Lofty Durham……I AM FREE.

Well, at least until the second week of May. I’ll be working the Run Crew (meaning, I move set pieces and help actors) for “The CAB Show: Bronco Way” which is the Summer Musical for Orientation students….it’s so cool, and one of the hallmarks of the WMU Orientation experience. I’m thrilled to be working on it! Furthermore, I have friends in the cast, as well as my good friend Aleks (Fabien in ‘Cure’, see below) being a Orientation Leader! It’ll be awesome seeing them every day. I’m also lucky to have been allowed into Dr. Orbe’s Interpersonal Comm class. He’s the BEST, so inspiring and so passionate. He’s a great prof. So that’s my Summer I!

Until then, I get to have a few days of rest and relaxation…and I’m super excited. I’ll be heading back to my hometown of Byron Center on Friday to spend the week with my family. <3 <3 <3 EEE! Can't wait.

And now, I must sign off– time to get my portfolio judged. ) Have a great day, all!

Yours,
Sara

Happy Easter!

Just wanted to pop in and let everyone know that “the Cure for Love” has officially ended its run just a little while ago, and what a magnificent experience it was. I truly fell in love with my cast; just because we no longer have rehearsal every night is no reason to stop hanging out.

We got lovely reviews, and frankly, this has been my favorite play experience. My character was absolutely a blast to work on. It was a great, great run (with only one small snafu with our chaise-lounge breaking from under me whilst in the middle of a monologue, but we worked through it and got huge laughs/applause…reminded us of the joy of live theatre!) Jim was such a wonderful director, our script was fabulously done by Jay, our technical staff was (as always) unparalleled. It was just so splendid.

And now….time to gear up for the next show! I’ll be playing Elyse/Mother Superior/Abess next Fall in the 2012 production of “Three Musketeers!” We have our first read-through on the 21st….I’m wonderfully excited! PS– we’ll be sitting in on a stage combat class during summer to rev us up fo the role. EEEE!

So, I shall leave you to enjoy your holiday, but here is a few photos from “Cure.”

Sara, Andi, and Jody being silly in-costume.

Sara, Andi, and Jody still being weird.

Just the Ladies of “Cure.” (Look at those wigs….Thanks, Garrylee McCormick!)

Everyone….our big happy, “Cure for Love” family. )

Such an experience. <3

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Happy Leap Year!

Clotilde, Mme. de Neuilly, and the Baroness

The Count and the Baroness

Clotilde

Still working hard in rehearsals. We’ve now obtained our petticoats and the mockups of our skirts, so we’re moving right along! Last night was quite funny, as literally my last line onstage, I heard the clasp on my skirt go “Snick!” right before floom– and there I was, clutching my skirts in an attempt to keep ‘em up, lest everybody view my drawers. We barely finished the scene, we were all cracking up so hard.

Midterm week here at WMU! I’ve already completed my Communication 1000 midterm online, and just had my Scenic Design midterm (which, by the way, I’m pretty sure I aced ). Tomorrow is possibly the hardest test I’ll have to endure– Theatre History II! Lofty is pretty much the best teacher ever, but his exams are not the sort that a confessed-non-studier (like me) can skate by on. Thus, here comes the rare time of the year that I actually have to pull out my notes and form a study party. :O But it’ll be fun.

Then, it’s off to Florida with my boyfriend and parents! Very, very excited. I’m out of town by 6 am on Friday morning….welp! Seems like so much to do before then. Can’t wait.

Yours,
Sara

Hey there folks!

Am on break during Scenic Design class (working on a floor plan for Miss Julie, set in the 1960s South). Wanted to check in and update everyone on everything while our professor bribes us with Thin mint cookies.

(Madame de Neuilly, Fabien, and Baroness)

“Cure for Love” is going so well; it’s such a blast. The language can be a challenge but it’s hilarious. The costumes are so fabulous– I’ve gone in for two fittings now and, whilst my torso is indeed constrained within a corset, the gown itself is huge. The sleeves on us ladies are so huge that we can’t let ourselves get in the habit of grabbing biceps in rehearsal, because it will be impossible once we’re costumed. My shoes are these fabulous gold-glittered-sequined things with these obnoxious yellow bows. I’m so excited.

The best part about this show is working with one of my favorite professors, Jim. He and his wife (who was my first acting teacher here at WMU) are having their last semester this spring and it’s such an honor to be in his final show. They’re amazing and we are so lucky to have had them for all these years….so, basically, I feel I need to try extra hard to make sure this last show will make him proud.

Meanwhile, I’ve got to solve my totally wonky project for Scenic design. Apparently straight-edges and triangles are my worst enemy. But it shall be conquered.

Hope you’re all well!

Yours
Sara

Hola and welcome to 2012!

So to update everyone on the goings-ons of last semester….last I left you, we were auditioning folks for our Directing Scenes. Luckily, I got a pair of beautiful, fabulous actresses (Ali Shea and Pleasant Huq) who BLEW THE SCENE OUT OF THE WATER. It was wonderfully received and hilarious…these two had the whole audience laughing. I was so so pleased.

Meanwhile, I was given a role myself! I’ll be playing Madame de Neuilly in this semester’s University show “Cure for Love” which is based on the Alexander DuMas short story “Fernande.” It’s a bawdy period piece, and so I’ve been having a blast in fittings for corsets and gowns and the like. I’ll try to update with little pictures from the rehearsal process. That’s my big commitment until late March, what with rehearsals beginning tonight! Wee!

Thirdly, I was offered another role under the Directing II class– playing that of Kate from “Taming of the Shrew.” I’m very excited for that one, too. I’ve never done extensive work with Shakespeare in a scene, so this’ll be new. And hopefully successful. xD

Updating this right before Scenic Design class, so I’d better start getting my supplies all sorted out. (: But I’ll update soon! Hope you all have a lovely week, folks!

Yours,
Sara

Hello all!

Tomorrow morning, we have another WMU Open House for Seniors! I love Open House season. It reminds me anew of the many things that make WMU awesome. Seeing all of the booths and representatives for the different Academic colleges and services on campus refreshes this old 4th-year’s brain. I get kind of geeked out all over again. It also helps to have enthusiastic prospectives surrounding you.

Will go to bed soon. I was working diligently on my annotated bibliography for my Theatre History class, which will be due tomorrow at midnight. Can’t stay up much longer because I’ve got Directing Class in the morning. The Directing Class students will be working on a scene of our choice for the rest of the semester; this includes doing research, making prompt books, casting and holding rehearsals until our final showing. I’ve chosen “Sisters” by Cherie Vogelstein.

Here’s the schedule for the week of Directing Scene Casting:

We (the Directing students) hold auditions from 6-8 pm on Sunday, and again from 10-midnight on Monday. We hold individual callbacks on Tuesday, then cast on Wednesday morning. After that– we get crackin’ on rehearsals!

It’ll be good.

Greetings, everybody!

First day of classes! Can’t believe my fourth year at WMU has started….just two Theatre classes today. Tomorrow, I’ll have Directing class, Intercultural Communication, and American Literature. I look forward to this brand new year! So far, I think I’ll be able to keep my sanity this semester.

ISORP has come to an end! Seems like last week I was blogging about it beginning…and now, it’s all done! It was a lot of hard work and definitely had its periods of stress, but we had a successful and HUGE orientation (bigger than at least the last four years, I was told)! 367 new International Students checked in on Monday of last week, including 57 new English-learning students from CELCIS. Our night activities went really well and we had a team of 12 fantastic leaders from the USA, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, the Phillipines, Kenya, and Norway. Overall, I think it was a job well done, and so much fun.

Some fun highlights from the week…we had a pool party sponsored by Campus Habitat, and my dear partner-in-crime and coordinator Edwin tossed me into the pool, heedless of my screams.

Then he went after a few unfortunate others. We, luckily, got him back in the end….with the help of some of strong International guys who wrestled him in.

We also had an ice-skating night…here are some friends skating, some for the first time.

ISORP was a great time…shopping at Walmart, Ramadan Iftar dinner at the Shawarma King, the Pool Party, karaoke, bowling, glow in the dark kickball, Pizza Party, Downtown tour with our American freshmen, Ice-skating, and finally a trip to the Beach!

We drew a grand-prize winner for a Streak Tablet….the winner was Erika, from Japan!

We also went swimming…and Lake Michigan was GORGEOUS!


A group of us at the Picnic and Beach Party.

Below, a picture of our Beach Party and 148 of our International Students.

Again, a GREAT Orientation and lots of memories…sad to think I won’t be going into the ISORP Office every morning any more, but I’ve got plenty of classwork now to keep me from dwelling…;) If you’re interested in International Life at WMU, please come to our International Programs Council meetings every Friday at 4:15 pm in the Bernhard Center!

Now on the dockit for the night: Theatre Majors Meeting at 5 pm, moving my best friend into the Res Halls (she just transferred!), and, finally, catching a movie with the boyf. Good first day of school, I’d say.

Signing off fondly,
Sara