Chautauqua.
It’s beautiful here – except for the weather. The weather, alas, is the same as it is back home; muggy, stormy and generally uncomfortable.
The night of my arrival, after a 5 hour train trip that turned into 6 hours, and a 90 minute trip from the train station to Chautauqua, I dropped my stuff off at the apartment, met my roommates (I was the last one in) and then we all went over to the Artistic Director’s house for a lovely meal.
It rained torrentially while we were there. Thunder, lightning, the whole shebang.
But then this happened:
I haven’t edited this photo, save for adding the watermark.
This is how it looked on Chautauqua Lake.
We’ve been in rehearsals for two days now. I love the cast members I have met so far. More are coming on Thursday. And, as always seems to be the case, I’ve found out that I coached two of them years ago at the Old Globe. Theater is an extremely small world. In that same vein, one of my roommates is the costumer designer and we were chatting about her wedding a couple of years ago, which, it turns out, took place very near to my home in a well-known mountain resort. She told me that the rehearsal dinner took place at a different venue – an old distillery – and I quickly figured out that she was describing a place just down the road from our cottage. Then she remarked on what a lovely area it is and that she worked with an actor once who lived in that same town. Now, I know of a few well-known actors who live near us, so I was thinking about possible names. As she struggled to remember his name, she mentioned that they had worked together in Pygmalion in Williamstown.
She was talking about Don.
The moment I realized it, I said “That’s my husband!” And we laughed. I also got a chuckle because I was thinking of all these other names and not Don’s. Theater is truly a small world.
Then my other roommate, who I met last year and who has a long history with the Chautauqua Theater Company, and I had a conversation and we discovered I had coached him in a production of The Countess at the Old Globe. When I met him last year, I thought he looked familiar and I also remember a conversation we had at the time where we racked our brains trying to figure out how we knew each other. It wasn’t until this year that we got the connection.
Just after this realization, we walked back to the rehearsal room and another actor in the play who has done a lot of television and film work (on The Wire, for example) looked at me and said, “We’ve worked together. I recognized you when I saw you.” And then we went through possible connections and realized we had worked together on a production of The Hostage at the Old Globe.
It never fails to amaze me. I’ve coached hundreds and hundreds of productions over the years, so the details don’t always come readily to mind, but I never forget a face. I knew I recognized that actor, but the director said it was probably from The Wire. Turns out it was because I coached him in a Irish dialect!
I love this sort of thing. It’s so wonderful to meet up again with faces from the past.
Happy Wednesday.
Have fun, Claudia!
Thank you, Heather!
I find your work to be so interesting, Claudia. Maybe in a future post you could describe in more detail what you actually do concerning dialects. How does one study dialects and can you speak in all the different dialects? Not knowing much at all about the theatre world, I am totally in the dark about all of this, but like I said, I find it fascinating. Great lake picture, by the way!
Thank you, Kathy! I’m not doing dialects on this show, just voice and speech. Someday I’ll write a post about it. (I think I’ve written one in the past, but I can’t swear to it!)
Summer weather can be a bear, but that photo makes it worth while. Gorgeous! How much fun to meet and see others in your wonderful theater world that you’ve worked with before. I’m off to a fun lunch with my Atlanta blogger friends and of course we are celebrating my birthday!
hugs,
Linda
Have a great time, my friend!
It sounds like your trips to Chautauqua are as much a yearly reunion as a job! ;) Did you wave in a northernly direction as you passed through Rochester? I could have sworn I felt a wave :) Have fun!
I definitely thought of my Rochester readers and friends, Laura!
You have a very interesting career. I have heard of Chautauqua….sounds wonderful. Hope the weather improves while you’re there.
Me too, Marilyn!
it is great to see you in your element and having a good time. What a wonderful “small” world. Just imagine all the lives you have touched just in theater!!!!!!!!!! Have a great time Claudia
And those who have touched mine, Sue!
What a beautiful place Claudia, and how fun that you are meeting up with old friends. xo Laura
It is one of the lovely perks of working in the theater for a long time, Laura. You’re just going to run into people again and again.
Hi Claudia! Glad you are meeting up with so many your have known previously. And what a gorgeous setting. Your lake picture is magnificent. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Vera!
Your conversations with her sound like serendipity. Love the photo. I could sit by that lake for hours! Enjoy your stay!!
I may walk back down there this evening, Diane. It’s so pretty.
What fun…renewing friendships! It sounds like a small, but exciting world in which you work. Enjoy your time there…beautiful sunset! ;)
It’s always wonderful to re-connect with people – out of the blue!
I love the serendipity of it all ~ as Diane said above. And serendipity is one of my most favorite concepts to ponder. Goes along w/ the circle of life…. so many circles!!
The picture is lovely. I hope the rains and storms take some time off for your stay there. We haven’t had many storms, but have had more than enough rain. The mosquitoes are just awful.
BUT, I still will take all of it over snow and brutal cold.
Hope you are having a great day!!
Mosquitoes are bad here, too. Too much moisture and humidity! And it’s only June!
Have a wonderful week free of tornadoes..I have never been there but have several friends who go there quite often….Sounds like a wonderful place to visit..
It is, Missy. It’s quite lovely.
It looks beautiful there. It’s wonderful being able to do a job you love. I really miss my work. I often left for the train station at 5.30am, and wouldn’t get home until after midnight. I didn’t get paid overtime, but I had a very generous expense account. lol. Those were the days! I wish I had even a fraction of the energy I had then. Looking back, I wonder how I managed it all. Blessings, and hope rehearsals go well.
I love my work, but believe me, there are long stretches in which I have no jobs lined up. Unfortunately, this isn’t a constant!
That is amazing meeting up with so many on this production.
What fascinates me is the IRISH Dialect! How many different dialects are you capable of teaching? Is this part of your degree? Something you learned and picked up along the way?
I would imagine — this is just me thinking, that you have a finely tuned ear. Musically and with voice.
I have a knack for picking out actors and actresses in voice overs and animated movies.
Though as more young ones come into the scene– I am at a loss these days! LOL
I’d love to hear more about this aspect of your work.
Unless you’re like a lot of folks– and leave your work at the door! Ha!
I’ve coached dialects and taught student actors dialects, as well as how to learn a dialect for over 30 years. I have a very good ear and I also understand and teach the science of phonetics, which is how we chart the changes in vowels and consonants from dialect to dialect. Yes, it’s something I learned as an actress and something that anyone who teaches Voice and Speech for actors has to know as does anyone who coaches in the professional theater.
It is fun to meet up with old friends and familiar faces. How could you have not thought of Don as a well-known actor? LOL He’ll love that.
Have a great time. Hope the weather calms down some.
Judy
He already heard, Judy! He got a kick out of it!
Sounds like you are off to a great start there Claudia..the lake picture is gorgeous..
Thanks, Nancy!
Beautiful colors off the lake! Have fun as you re-connect!
Thank you, Wendy!
The weather there sounds a lot like it has been here for two weeks now – and no end in sight! Nothing but rain and humidity for days on end – save yesterday. Which I truly cherished. Anyway, sounds like you’re having a good time and meeting interesting people. Have fun!
At least it didn’t rain today, Melanie! The first day in a long time where there was no rain.
Count me among those who’d love to know more about your work, how does one go about teaching an accent etc. I think it would be SO interesting. And PS – wonderful photo. Pink skies at night – hopefully… :>)
Well it rained the day after that sunset, so… But today was lovely, thank goodness!
Beautiful photo! Claudia, your life is always so interesting to read about!
Thank you, Lily!
You lead the most interesting life. Lucky you!
S
xo