Happy Anniversary, Josh and Athena!

Best wishes to my old friend Josh Herman and his wife Athena, as they celebrate their first anniversary... www.joshuaherman.com

I got an email back from another dear old friend across the seas, this morning. Justin turned 32 this week. It never ceases to amaze me that we have stayed friends for so long and over such distances. I tend to think that if the Gods had ever shone down on us and granted us better timing we would be a couple. However, Justin has instead been blessed with his wife Maria, and I am blessed with Brian. So maybe our timing has always been right on, making sure that we never quite got together! Anyhow, I love hearing from him, knowing that everything is ok for him. I know it's not great as he is serving in a war in which no ones could ever picture him. I guess his saving grace is that at least he's playing, and able to have music be the main focus of his life.

Brian and I have had an interesting few days. Our relationship was tested in a hard way. But, we've come through, hopefully stronger then before.

So far, I've spent the day cleaning and doing laundry. Perhaps a shower is in order!

And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms

In this world...I'm glad there is you

Someone once asked me how I thought actors did eight shows a week. The same show day in and day out, week after week. How do you maintain something that is amazingly glorious at the beginning, but whose brilliance fades. I said I thought it was a matter of love and work. Somedays you want to call out sick, but you don't because it's a team effort and you love and support the team, even when you're not certain you want to. Other days, you can find opening night glory. But no matter what, it takes effort and commitment and desire. Oftentimes, it starts out as a whirlwind, full of excitement, but I'm not sure it can ever stay that way. You just find a groove that is comfortable. You find patterns. And then you find variations. But you never give up, because the overall picture is what you're working for.

This is not really about the theatre. It's about a conversation I had with Brian until 3am. I hope that he gets the analogy. Don't give up yet... there's so much more, just waiting...

Some favorite moments: Fourwheeling in August. Laying under the stars. Waking up to your song. Laying on the sofa and watching TV. Sitting on the stoop in Lancaster, just chatting. Finding out you're not gay. Yelling at you on stage and trying not to smile. Sitting in the firelight drinking wine. Helping you pack up and move. Saying "goodbye" at the theatre. Wandering around the mall with you and being "normal". Driving to Hershey instead of home after rehearsals. Going to Colette's together. Waking up to the "banging" in the bathroom. The first time you drove down in the middle of the night. Seeing you get out of your car at Jessica's party. Dancing at the dinner thing. Going to the bar, all dressed up. Seeing De-Lovely with you. Chuck's house...

Song of the Day

(...you know why...)

Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can't tempt us
With their lies

I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high
So won't you try to come

Come away with me and we'll kiss
On a mountaintop
Come away with me
And I'll never stop loving you

And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me

Luck Be A Lady

So, I've had a run of really good luck lately. Let's review: I got the directing gig at DreamWrights. We're doing a Zelda reading in a few weeks. I got the lead role in Miracle On 34th Street at a new dinner theatre in Baltimore (www.justleftofbroadway.com). I successfully purchased an awesome car on ebay (1999 Hyundai Accent). The Cincy gig is becoming a reality (ok that one's a little scary). There you have it. I think that's it. Oh, right, of course, I got to spend time with Brian.

On the flip side, I'm real tired of living in my father's house. I guess there's not much I can do about it right now, but it's starting to suck. I feel like I'm 12 and I have to ask permission to do anything. I'm 26. I should've known this would get old real fast. It's hard to justify the expense of an apartment though, when I have a place to stay for free... argh. Someone please remind my father that I lived on my own in New York City for four years...

Frank Burns on the Subject of War

"Never have so many suffered so much so that so few could be so happy." - Frank Burns, character on M*A*S*H

For Bill Wesbrooks...

...who always told me to take bigger risks - I'm buying a car from ebay. Nice right?! Sunday we go to get it/make sure it's what ebay said it was... YAY!!!

I feel like a grown up all of a sudden. I have car insurance now and I consolidated all my loans today. Brian made arrangements for our spring break trip. I have an appointment with the Harmon Agency next week (Talent Agency in Harrisburg). I'm meeting with the Dreamwrights folks on Saturday. I may have a christmas show gig - will find out on Monday, perhaps. Wow that's a lot for one week.

Now I just have to get slightly better organized so I can keep track of all of it. Goal this week: Focus on consistantly balancing my check book and not spending extraneously.

Bbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

baby, it's cold outside

Ok,so I guess it's officially fall now. I had to pull out my winter coat before I left or work today.

Interesting work day. I sat in on a meeting of the graduate programs at YCP. There are only three grad programs and unfortunately there is no uniformity among them, at all. While this is probably fine for marketing needs, it stinks for admissions and applications. Each dept is handling there on admissions proceedures, and it doesn't seem to be very effective to me. Fortunately, Phil seems open to my opinions on the matter and we will discuss it further before we meet with the project heads.

I'm still shopping for a car. Ebay seems to be my friend. I found a brilliant car on ebay in Norristown (not that far away) that ends at 3:30am... sigh... guess who's going to be up till then.

I ahve a meeting with the Homeschoolers/Dreamwrights on Saturday to discuss Harvey. yay!!!! So, I'm updating my CV and rereading the play and I'll be all ready to impress on Sat. It would be a nice birthday gift to have a directing gig.

So much to do and so little memory for all of it.

Put on your Sunday clothes...

I had a wonderful day. Spent it with Brian, of course. We got up this morning and went to breakfast with my mom, Charlie and Julia. Shannon was our waitress. The afternoon took us to Towson. B & N, Borders, and Towsontown Center. It was wonderful to spend normal time with Brian. It seems so foreign sometimes because of the distance. But today was really nice. We came home and made an early dinner/late lunch of grilled kabobs, watched the end of Love Actually and then Brian had to head back to State College.

I'm going to spend the rest of my evening preparing for my auditions this week...

Another week down

It's been a weird week.

I'm somewhat glad it's over... Looked at a few cars. Just missed the one I really wanted. damn. Spent some time with Brian. Not enough, as usual. Lost the lead role at YLT to the supreme overactor. (That's just a sign that I'm beyond them). Colette is scheming some sort of Zelda reading at PSU. Or so I heard, from Brian. I have an audition today for A Baltimore Christmas Carol. Three auditions on Monday and Tuesday. I have to find a Dickenese Monolgue... whatever the hell that is. Maybe some Oscar Wilde...

I found a recipe yesterday for Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Butter Sauce. mmmm.... So I'm going to make that for dinner tonight. Cooking sounds very relaxing right now. Bri is coming down tonight. If he get's out of rehearsal early we are going to try to see my friend Casey in his improv show.

Ok, have to go get ready for this audition...

Oh yeah, Rachel talked to Big Frank yesterday. Apparently, he sent my deposit. We'll see.

E.L. Doctorow's Vision of Dubbya

Way to Go Edgar!

I read the most amazing editorial by E.L. Doctorow this morning, about George W. Bush. I will find a link to post. It covered my feelings about the upcoming election pretty well. I'm not a terribly political person, and I'm probably the only blogger not really getting down and dirty about the election in my weblog, but I do feel very strongly about Bush not winning. Not that I prefer Kerry, per se. But truly anyone can be a more compassionate president then the asshole we have in office now.

On a happier note, I'm starting to think about Christmas shopping. I have two new people to shop for this year! Yay!!! (That would be Julia and Brian for those confused.)

Flask Photo

Flask Photo
Originally uploaded by actorkate.

Putting the flask away...

Boy catches fish, boy loses fish

Boy catches fish, boy loses fish
Originally uploaded by actorkate.

Me, Joel Halstead (Fitz), and CJ Coolsen (Ernest Hemingway)

Dress Shop

Dress Shop
Originally uploaded by actorkate.

Me and CJ Coolsen (as gay dress shop guy)

Cast of Zelda

Cast
Originally uploaded by actorkate.

Slightly scary picture of the cast.

Zelda Pictures

Paris
Originally uploaded by actorkate.

Beginning of Paree. Joel Halstead (Fitz), Me (Zelda), Brian Franko (Cole Porter)

Camping and Zelda

I had a fantastic weekend of camping! Brian and I went out to "the falls" near his house, which I have to say is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. I will post pictures when I get them... We set up camp literally right next to the water. Brian attempted to build a fire for dinner (I say attempted because, it took him two hours, and when I built one the next day it only took about 10 minutes), and we made burgers and baked potatoes. Yummmm... All I asked for was to sleep in a tent and cook on a fire. We sat and talked and stared at the dying fire for a long time. It was really very nice.

I won't go into it, but it was pretty cold in the middle of the night. I didn't sleep very well because I was so cold. Apparently, I whined about it all night too... hahahahahaha!!!! The next day we got up, made breakfast and broke down camp. I had a lot of fun.

Sunday afternoon we went to Colette and Glenn's so Brian could get info for his Cole Porter/Zelda project. I got pictures! Finally! And we sat and watched most of the Zelda DVD. It was bizarre watching the video for two reasons. 1: I was reminded (Brian said this too) of how awesome it was to work on this project. I was getting really involved in watching some of the scenes. It wasn't a bad little show. 2: It was weird to watch Brian and I on stage together, knowing how things ended up. If I had only known then what I know now.... hehehe. While we were there Colette mentioned some projects/opportunities coming up, and I threw out the idea of doing the Luce play The Last Flapper as a benefit for future productions of Zelda. I'm wondering now if Zelda is something that New Stage Collective would do. hmm....

Anyhow, as soon as I can get flickr to work, i'll post a few Z pictures!

Why Oh Why Ohio...

Cincinnati???

Great opportunity, but Cincinnati? Wait till Brian hears this one...

www.newstagecollective.com - I could be the next Executive Director... gotta love me some APK.

Well, I'm almost finished with my first week of work. I've never felt lazier in my life. There just hasn't been anything for me to do. Friday's, I hear, are especially lazy. Cool.

It's been a semi-interesting week, I guess. I've been taking dance classes as often as possible. I got in Pilates, Ballet and Modern within the past two days. I love modern. I had never taken it before, but damn is it cool. I'm going to take it on Monday with a slightly more advanced group... (Haha... Shannon, that means you!!!) courtesy of "Miss Martha." Tuesday, I drove through a smallish hurricane to take text books to Brian for his directing paper... (really it was just an excuse to see him.) Alan P. Kenney and I discussed the possibilities of a theatre company. If there was anyone in the world that I would partner with on that it would be Alan. I went out for drinks with Ciara and Martha on Wednesday to discuss life (men and work). It's official, I'm not working at the high school, and after that god-awful interview where the Assistant Principal, practically laid his head on the desk the entire time, I'm glad. I don't want to work for those people, and I'm sorry that that's what that school has come to. Tomorrow I get to go camping with Brian. (YAY!!!) and then Sunday, we are going over to Colette's to discuss various Zelda related projects.


Just got off the phone with Ciara. I get to take Bailey for the evening! YA!!!!!!!! I love that little girl. She might as well be my own.

Ok, one that happy note, off to do more of nothing!