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Thursday, March 6, 2008

A look back...


Yesterday, in the mail with all of my bills and attempts to collect large amounts of money I don't have, was a big manila envelope. My son excitedly opened it because he recognized the sender. It came from Theater Works, a community Theater in Peoria that I was involved in when I was pregnant with Sophie. So, let's go back in time (in my head I hear the "Remember the Time" montage from 104.7 I hear every morning, right Christine?)

December 2006....I was doing a musical called "The Christmas Schooner" about how Christmas trees were brought to Chicago by German immigrants and how it's still tradition to this day....but, I digress...I hadn't been involved in a show since before Abby was born, and it was at Glendale Community College about 5 years before. My theater blood was seriously depleted and in need of a transfusion of applause, STAT! I had always known about Theater works because I had auditioned for the "Secret Garden" there in '97, but had to drop out because it conflicted with a show I was doing in school that I was getting graded for. If I stayed in the show, I would have failed, so school came first. Failing Choir, Oh my gosh!

So, anyhoo, I was a chorus member for Schooner. It was really difficult running there after work, staying until 9:00 and leaving my little ones at home. James was really supportive and wanted me to do it. I was enjoying the performance factor. It was a small show, I had a one line solo and about a page I had lines on. Whilst we were performing, we heard talk about the auditions for the next musical, "Little Mary Sunshine (here's a link for a website that talks about the show http://www.littlemarysunshine.com/). I talked to James and decided to audition. I told him I would only say yes to a role if it was a "lead" with an entire song or something. I know that sounds a little stuck-up, but basically, if I'm giving up time for my family, it would have to be something major, since I just was finishing up with another show.

I auditioned with a piece that had to show off my range. Well, since we all decided a little last minute to audition, I was permitted to audition with "Silent Night" because I could really show off the old upper range with that one. I did a run through of the song the character I was auditioning for sang, a read through of the lines and the dance audition.

I was reading for Madame Ernestine Von Liebedich a retired German opera singer. Her lines were all written like she talked, written with the accent built in. It was very difficult since it was a cold read, to know what the hey she was saying. But, it worked because I got the part!!!!

About a month in to the rehearsals, I found out I was expecting my 3rd, my little Soph. I was sick all day long and had to go to rehearsal and perform ill. Lovely...but back to the envelope....if anyone is still there?....Hello....Bueller?

Okay, I was nominated for a ariZoni award (Zoni) for this show. For those of you that don't know, here's the site http://arizoniawards.com/aboutzon.shtml and it's basically, a theater award for Arizona people. We used to say the Arizona Tony Awards. If you don't know what a Tony Award is, shame on you, that one you'll have to look up on your own. So, anyway, I was nominated and they have this wonderful dinner and awards and it took place two days from my due date on the other side of town. So, I couldn't risk going, to far from home, too close to popping and no way was I going to taint my baby with any Eastside germs (LOL) WESTSIDE!!!! I didn't think I had a chance, but just going...it's an honor to be nominated, that sort of thing.

17 months later, in the mail, I receive my certificate for being nominated for a Zoni award in the mail. Now I have some proof, it's being framed and going on my wall! At least it does look good on a resume to say "Zoni Nominated" I guess like having your work published (all you scrappers out there)

Well, there's my look back after receiving an award 17 months old in the mail yesterday.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well I thought that you were wonderful in that show. oh the good old days.
love M

Amie said...

what fun!! I'm not kidding, I was just thinking yesterday how I'd like to try out for something...musical or not, it would be a fun experience. But it would be hard to do with the hubs' schedule right now. How many times a week do they rehearse usually? 5? 1?

Christine said...

Rock on chick! I have a famous friend!!!!!!!!!!! Love the 104 nod as well as a little 80's thow back...good times, good times.

Anonymous said...

Chris I knew you were famous but I thought it was for that other ...thing ...you know...the other thing! LOL No really congrats...Why did it take so long to get your certificate? I know because they thought you snubbed them by not showing up to the high nosed function. So you will have to let Joey follow in your footsteps...no not those foot steps....the other ones! Geez!! LOL

Anonymous said...

Well said.