I’m in tech rehearsal this week, 10 hours a day for at least four days. My full time job this week is to read magazines, change my clothes, and talk about Michael Jackson, serial killers, and the rap class offered at Duke University. Oh, and occasionally rehearse my scenes, which is awesome because I have a fight scene. In heels. And pearls.
You really get to know people when you have to kill hours and hours on end with them. And it’s been nice to see that everyone here is really...nice. People offer each other their prime floor space, share their snacks, and go on coffee runs. I’ve had good conversations about unexpected topics (see above) with people I barely knew.
While this group of actors is fairly young, their talent and experience is really remarkable. (When you come see “Future Anxiety,” you’ll see what I mean.) People ask each other about their auditions (some of our team have managed to squeeze TV auditions into our lunch break, which is no small feat), and they share information with one another. They genuinely help each other out, and want each other to succeed.
Believe me, I want my friends to succeed. I always have. But I will honestly admit that in the past, I have sometimes experienced what one might call a mild case of “competijealousism”, a malady I named just this minute. It’s just what it sounds like. But here, it doesn’t seem like any of our company members have that with one another. And if they do, they hide it really well. Like I said, they are talented. (When you come see my show, you’ll see what I mean.)
It’s all about Kharma, it really is. The more good stuff you put out there, the more good stuff comes your way. I am proof of that.
After sitting around for hours, it’s good to take a walk. Get out and breathe and stretch a little more, turning here and there, not really caring where you end up. Discovering new shops and restaurants, realizing, “Oh, that’s where that is,” seeing how close this neighborhood is to that one. And even if it starts to drizzle a springtime rain, it’s ok, because you have your umbrella, flimsy though it may be. That’s what I did during dinner break today (thanks to the generosity of Sean Crespo, best dog-watching neighbor ever), and I gotta say, I love TriBeCa. (For those of you not in NYC, it stands for “TRIangle BElow CAnal (street), and is where The Flea Theater is located.) When you come see my show, you’ll see what I mean.
Living in New York City is the best.
Come visit.
