In Providence OR My first post-MFA post

I sit here in my friend's living room at the first rehearsal of the Fringe show I am directing this summer... It's a new musical that needs a lot of workshopping. I was approached to direct it because apparently my reputation is being a "New Play" director. Can't complain with that one.

It's a new theatre company, Populus Theatre, that is producing it. They are finding their way as they go. They have handed me a lot control, "trusting my education." Frightening, right?

Not really. It's quite lovely. They let me choose the musical director so I called my favorite musician and heart child, Eric, who wrote the music to Abiyoyo. We both sport the word, "Cocolee"on our left arms. We are also the only people in the world who can explain it. It's good to be back with him and frankly, because he's been lost, it's good just to have him back.

Then I cast it. So in front of Eric sits two of my dear ones, Coco and Jessica, Virgin Territory survivors and constant muses to me. Next to them is Alex, a friend from Duluth, who along with her husband, Patrick, transformed from school friend to family somewhere along the way without noticing the change. The final two actors are Max and Sheena, two kids who I used to watch in St. Cloud years ago but never had a chance to work with--when they showed up at auditions with impressive resumes and comic timing, I took the opportunity to cast them.

Across from me on the floor is the Production Stage Manager, Carissa, a girl who calmed me down every night during my last show at UMD when the director pissed me off so royally daily, I got lost in rages. She has seen me at my most high maintenance and still signed on to be my right hand.

We are begging, borrowing and stealing to find rehearsal space, cover technical needs and raise money for marketing. There are no guarantees on any of it. For the publicity shots, the producers bought some fabric and I started wrapping, twisting and tying it on them until something looked good. Took some shots, photoshopped it in a MacBook and sent it for our official "Show Image." The company is new and this is the premiere show. I taught them how to read a light plot. I made a teeny-tiny production budget for the show. In the span of one meeting, I had used every design class I took.

Meanwhile, I have been working with another new company lately--a ridiculously exciting tap & live music company who wants me to continue on with them. (www.rhythmiccircus.com) They booked a 40 city national tour with their booking agent and the grant I wrote for them this spring was approved for a state tour for community outreach. They want me to clean up their show and their company. And while I don't know exactly what I am doing, I know how to figure it out or who to contact who WILL know how to do everything. But no guarantees.

We're working without a net. No Papa Hustoles to save me or tell me how to do something better. No professors to get indignant at for whatever reason. No peers to compare work with, trying to get on top. We are just trying to make some theatre with good people.

And I like it.

What I'm trying to say is, I graduated exactly 4 weeks ago and I have use every inch of my degree every single day.

It was all worth it.