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.

I felt under the weather yesterday and didn’t have a whole lot of energy. (Allergies/sinus.) So I distracted myself with this:

This suitcase full of clothes was a mess. Full to the brim. I had to dive into the piles of clothes to find anything. Fortunately, Don heard me complaining the other day, freed up another one of his ‘art’ suitcases since he really wasn’t using it, and passed it on to me. We found these suitcases at a local antique shop several years ago. They came from the estate of a man who bought them and decorated them with stickers and beautiful paper. They’re very lightweight and decorative – not meant for traveling.

I sorted everything in piles; dresses, coats, socks, tights, pants, overalls, etc.

Much better!

Of course, I did no work at all on dialects or my tax deductions. Today, however, is a different story and I’ll start in on Yorkshire and Dublin later today. Actually, I’ve already started working on both of the dialects, but just a first pass a couple of weeks ago.

Not quite ready for the tax stuff yet.

Meredith is still very tired, but she’s feeling better.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.