Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A Slow Morning

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I’m moving rather slowly. I slept in today, and while I’m very grateful for the much needed extra sleep, I’m also very groggy. But I’m enjoying a nicely slow morning, that’s for sure.

I coached for about two hours yesterday, not all that much when you look at it in terms of hours, but a lot in reality, as coaching is very, very concentrated work. All of the actors in Jane Eyre  have been delightful to work with, very open to my suggestions, and very professional, including the two young girls who play Adèle/young Jane.

I’m not working on Jane Eyre today. I’ll most likely work with Jim either today or tomorrow.

We have a primary on Tuesday, but New York has early voting now, so we’ll probably vote in the next couple of days. Don has jury duty next week, so we can’t know if he’ll be available to go to the polls on Tuesday. He’d actually like to be selected, so I hope he is.

Today? Vacuuming (my heavens, it’s been too long!) and maybe some weed trimming. It’s so dry here that barely anything is growing right now except for some weeds on the edges of the Secret Garden.

Last night? Rain predicted, heavy rain coming from the northeast. Can you guess what happened?

Yep. Nothing.

Time for a bit more coffee.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Seasonal Shift

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I started a new puzzle the other day but I never got to it yesterday.

It was a full day, with a first read-through of Jane Eyre in the morning and 3 hours of coaching in the afternoon. I’m tired.

I have more coaching to do later this morning.

The actors are very nice and eager to figure out the dialects.

It takes such concentrated effort to coach one-on-one. But when you’re in the same room as the coachee, it’s easier to pick up on facial expressions or frustration or whatever mood the actor is in. It’s much, much harder to do when coaching via Zoom. With Jane Eyre, I was coaching actors sitting in a board room and they were quite far away.

By the way, after I finished for the day I told Don I was absolutely sure I was speaking too loudly the whole time I was coaching. Not on purpose, of course, but I think that “They’re far away and I have to talk loudly” feeling crept into my voice. I’ll try to do better today.

On my break between the read-through and coaching sessions, I ran outside to water everything, folded clothes that had just come out of the dryer, and made a quick lunch. Don had gone out to take some pictures.

I’m coaching for two hours today, so it won’t be quite as tiring.

Then Jim again, later in the week.

The theme for this week is Zoom Dialect Coaching.

Don mentioned that it’s dark now when he gets up. And we both keep mentioning that it’s getting darker much earlier in the evening now. Sigh. Summer, you’ve been a huge challenge, but I’m not sure I’m ready for you to go. I think it’s fortunate that I’m coaching now, just as I was last year around this time when I coached during September – December. I’m so busy that I won’t have the time to be sad for very long..

And the light is different. You can tell that we’re heading into Autumn.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Busy Week

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I have a busy week ahead, so posts might be on the short side.

Yesterday, I worked with Jim for a chunk of time. Today I have the read-through for Jane Eyre and later in the afternoon, I coach some actors. And more tomorrow.

I was really tired after my session yesterday and I’m sure it’s because I haven’t done any one-on-one coaching for over six months. I clearly have to get back into coaching shape.

Our house isn’t conducive to attractive, clutter-free Zoom sessions, by the way. We’ve tried everything. I am now zooming in the den, with my chair turned toward the table and some of the blinds shut. It ain’t great, but it will have to do.

Meanwhile, we’re extremely dry here. We might get some rain next Monday. Might.

Madeleine.

Katie.

I’m going to vent for a wee moment. Theaters are on tight budgets and many of them lost scads of money during lockdown. I completely understand that. Add to that the fact that dialect/voice coaching is always near the bottom of the list in terms of budget.

Yes, I’d love, love, love to earn more money than I do working in the theater. But I never have and I’m used to it. More importantly, how am I supposed to coach an entire cast when learning a dialect takes time and they’ve given me the equivalent of 5 days in which to perform this magic? Two of those days will involve watching and taking notes on a run-through and a performance. So, it’s really only 3 days of coaching. For several people.

It’s impossible. I just have to pray that they get it and/or have a good ear.

My name is on the program, so it does reflect on me, and I am once again very frustrated about the whole process. Add in having to do it via zoom, and I want to scream.

Okay. Thanks for letting me vent a bit. I won’t address it again. As I hear all too often these days, “It is what it is.” I’m not faulting the theaters. I’ve spent my life in non-profit theater. I know how tough things are for them, especially now.

It’s just hard.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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