the good that won't come out: Happiness is a warm AWESOME JOB AT THE PLAYHOUSE!!!!!

20051025

Happiness is a warm AWESOME JOB AT THE PLAYHOUSE!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Life is so GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!

So basically, the ucsd grad theatre dept. is amazing. AMAZING. Like JESUS. JesUs CRISTO. Basically. Uhm. Yes.
I guess I need to just sort of start from the beginning (lol or that could just be my whole post.)
Well, to begin, West, my director/teacher is awesome. He just is. My friend Maddie- *LOVE!* and I were cast in his little movie thing that's going to be shot next month, which is just really fun. That was just the beginning.

UCSD's graduate theatre department is third in the nation, right after NYU and Yale. Their directing major dept. only takes 2 directing majors per year-my teacher West was one of them-this is his last year here, and he's now big in the grad dept. Auditioning for his show in Feb (Measure for Measure) is a requirement for the grad acting majors. (I'll get to that show later, though). He shares an office w/ two other grad directors. One is Joe (it is currently his last year) and the other is Jeff (he has one year left). Through going into West's office so much, I met Joe-for some reason almost no techies have been volunteering for any of the three big shows coming up (First: Jeff's "Blood Wedding", then Joe's "Arms and the Man", then West's "Measure for Measure".) - they're DESPERATELY low on tech.

In essence, Maddie and I have been volunteering to help out w/ these shows and getting far. It's absolutely amazing. As freshmen UNDERGRADS we have been placed in charge of all props for Joe's "Arms and the Man"...it's a period WAR show...yeah. Enough said. That opens next month-the most AMAZING thing in the world is that The La Jolla Playhouse in on the campus, like, a 4 minute walk from my dorm. Apparently, because we'll be halping w/ set changes, we get our own costume...our own show PERIOD costume. 3 Days ago I went into the actual La Jolla Playhouse and was MEASURED for a costume that they'll be MAKING for me and then I'll go back to be FITTED in it. THE COSTUME DESIGNERS OF THE LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE ARE MAKING ME A COSTUME. Yeah. Yeah. Uhm, yes.

For the last 2 weeks or so I've been wanting to be West's PA (personal assistant) for "Measure" and today I FINALLY talked to Lexie (the SM) for that show. She was like, "He doesn't get a PA but *I* do." And I was like, well, uh...I guess..." but then about 5 minutes after I left I was like, "Maddie? I really don't want to be Lexie's PA. If I'm going to do that for anyone, I want it to be West." So I went back into West's office and I was like, "West, this will be the last time I'll come in here for like, a week." and he was like, "No! It's office hours! Come in here whenever!" so I was like, "I really wanted to be your PA and I'm unable to and I'd really only have liked to be your PA...can you tell me any other positions that are open that I could do for your show?" So first he was like, "You know who really also needs help on their show is Jeff (who was sitting right there) and West was like, "Blood Wedding really needs help." And I was like, "Jeff, I'd love to, but I'm doing "Arms and the Man" and I think your performance dates conflict with the tech rehearsals for Joe's show." And Jeff was like, "Damn it! Why didn't I grab you when I met you at Whole Foods last week?!?!" ...it was funny. Anyways, so West started jobs listing jobs like costumes, hair & makeup, lights, spots, etc. and I was like, "if it isn't too much, I'd really like to be in the rehearsal process as much as possible." (Maddie is West's AD (assistant director) for it - she's gonna be flippin' awesome b/c she loves directing and knows what the hell she's doing(!!!!) :) And "I was like, I'd really like to be there as much as possible and then his face lit up and he was like, "Do you know what would be the best thing for me and for the show?" And I was like, "....what?" and he was like, "Sound is HUGE to me and I use it a lot in all of my shows-would you be head sound op?" and I was like, "I'd love to but I've never touched a soundboard in my life, West." And he was like, "Don't worry! We'll teach you everything!" And he got really excited and started mumbling to himself talking about who we could go to to ask about it right then and then he stepped out and then came back in and was like, "Stephanie! Let's go! Come with me!!" (HAHA he's so happily excitable. What an adorable hot gay man he is.) And then as I'm leaving I was like (to Jeff) "I'm really sorry I can't do your show. Is this your last year here?" And he was like, "No, I have another year left". So I was like, "Well, I'd love to work on your stuff in the future!" And he was like, "Oh, awesome!" As I was running out the door. So yeah-basically, I've got an in for next year after West & Joe are gone.

So West takes me upstair to meet one of the grad student sound guys named Michael and West was like, "Hey-remember for "Uncle" we had that sound op from the playhouse work w/ us and do sound all the way through rehearsals?" And Michael was like, "Yeah, but we had to give them overtime and now they'll never do that for us again." And West was like, "Well, here! I'd like you to meet Stephanie-she's willing to do that and operate sound a month and a half through rehearsals without any of the other tech!" And Michael just looked at him and was like..."Are you serious?...West, where did you find her and where can I get five more like her?" HAHA it was funny. Anyways, they totally trust me. And THEN ... here's the kicker-West was like, well, you do KNOW that "Measure" 's gonna be on the main stage at the Playhouse, right? And I almost DIED. DIIIEEEEEED.

I WILL BE IN CHARGE OF SOUND FOR MONTHS IN THE FUCKING LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. So yeah-then after we left Michael West was like, "Now-this is one of the biggest time dedications and it's one of the most-high stress jobs. Are you sure you want to do this?" And I was like, "West, trust me-I'm ready. You just teach me and I'll do the best I can do with it." And he was like "Okay. You'll probably also be a mediator between me and the sound designers." And I was like AWESOME!!!

But yeah...apparently West uses more sound than any of the other directors and I'll be there in rehearsals at the end of winter break while school hasn't even started again yet. I'll be one of the only techies at any of the rehearsals, and sound for this HUGE show on the Playhouse stage is all on me...Hah-I just hope I don't screw up too much-they know that they'll be teaching me from square one and they still believe in me so much. Seriously, these grad students are so accepting and they're so willing to give us all a chance-it's so amazing. AND Maddie and I are seeing Jason Mraz tomorrow night. Love is perfect, our relationships lives are exactly where we want them, and all of this is going on for us here...seriously, life couldn't get any better.

Life is absolutely beautiful.

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is meaningful
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful

~Mraz.

If you read this entire thing, props. And thank you.

posted by stephy_andthejets @ 4:31 PM

11 Comments:

At 10:49 PM, Unknown said…

that's so awesome! i'm excited for you!!!
At 12:13 AM, Collin said…

WHOA! That's fantastic! Oh, wow... That's an incredible opportunity. You're gonna do so well :)
At 10:29 PM, Anonymous said…

i just got soooo carried away with your story. I loved it. I'm so glad you're doing so well.

internet hearts,
Sarah Grosman
At 3:12 AM, The Poet in Anachronism said…

hey let me know if anything is up....

Allan
At 4:52 PM, Anonymous said…

You are crazy, baby. C-rayzy. I love you so much for it! You are SO excited about this, and I love it and think it's awesome and know you're going to do SO well. LOVE!! YAY FOR STEPHZ!! YAY!! LOVE!!
At 4:01 PM, stephy_andthejets said…

Thank you for believing in me...

::LOVE!::

Rehearsals for "arms" start next week...

:)

I love you, Sweetie.

P.S. CHARLES THIS WEEKEND!!!!! (& hopefully C-Bell...!!!!)
At 6:31 PM, Anonymous said…

Sometimes I love you.

_MGL
At 6:32 PM, Anonymous said…

Soemtimes I Love you.

Actually All the Time.

Im such a liar.

-MGL
At 1:33 AM, Collin said…

You're not fuckin going to prom with Charles. This is unacceptable. Un-fucking-acceptable.

YOU'RE MINE, HONEY. HUH-NEE.

I wanna be at your stupid dorm and have mad sex with all your suitemates :(
At 3:07 PM, Imp said…

Im going to congradulate Steph for this wonderful opportinity that I havent read about cause of my laziness feat and say evey thig that everyone else said...maybe not Collins last post...
At 5:14 PM, Alex said…

what?

charles and stephanie going to prom together?

thats cool

*points and laughs at collin*