The actor's stream of consciousness...

We're all familiar with how Romeo and Juliet ends, but have you ever wondered what was going through the heads of the actors onstage during one of the most famous scenes ever written?  You might be surprised! Here’s what I was thinking the other night, as we rehearsed this well-known scene:

“Ok, I’m dead. I’m going to try not to breathe too heavy. Little breaths, shallow little breaths, oh God, I feel like I CAN’T BREATHE! How am I going to lay here for this whole scene and not take a deep breath?! Ok, settle down. You’re making it worse. Here comes Paris. Just focus on the story, don’t worry about your breathing. What’s he doing? I wish I could open my eyes and see where he is. Oh, now I hear Romeo. Crap. They’re going to start sword fighting. I HATE this part. Don’t flinch. They’ve rehearsed this a lot. They won’t hit you with the swords. AH! I’m pretty sure they were like 2 inches from my face! Ok, just ignore them. Think about your next line. What is your next line? I can’t remember it. Oh no. What is it? ‘What’s here? Poison I see will be his timeless end.’ That’s it. Ok. Romeo killed Paris. He’s coming over here right now. Now he’s standing next to me. Did he just spit on me while he was talking? YEP. He totally did. I guess I just have to leave that there. Here comes the part where he picks me up. Limp, lifeless, don’t move. Ragdoll. Here comes the kiss, but don’t kiss him back, remember you’re dead. Do you remember your line? ‘What’s here? Poison I see will be his timeless end.’ Yep, still got it. Ok, time to wake up. Not too fast…you’ve been fake-dead for a while. ‘What’s here? Poison I see will be his timeless end!’ NAILED IT! Back to the story. You loved him. He’s dead! DEAD! Oh, awesome, I feel tears coming. Don’t think about it. Just let them come. If you force it, they’ll go away. Dead. He’s dead. Dead. Ok, now you kiss him. I hope my breath is ok and I’m not too spitty from crying. Time to stab yourself. Be careful, don’t hurt yourself. Contemplate? Then….STAB! Cough! Fall. Back to shallow breathing. My ear is right on his stomach. Ha! I can hear his stomach digesting. I wonder what he had for dinner. Do dead people still digest their food? That’s stupid, Emily. Uh oh, my right arm is slipping. Hold yourself up! You can’t move! Thank God, he’s holding me up with his other arm. Remember to thank Chris for holding me up while I was slipping off the tomb. Oh my word, my right butt muscle is cramping up from holding this position. That’s going to be sore tomorrow. Ugh, I should do more pure barre classes. Lord, this scene is SO LONG! Ok, now we’re at the end. Yay! We did it! I wonder if anyone’s going out for a drink after rehearsal...”

A rose by any other word...wait...what's my line?

I have been involved in theatre for 15 years, and in those years, I’ve done lots of challenging things onstage including: changing costumes 32 times in one show, riding a motorized platform from the balcony to the stage, kissing my best friend’s husband while she watched from the wings, and even playing a virgin while 4 months pregnant (that one wasn’t as challenging for me as it was for the costumer). The one thing that has never been a challenge for me is memorizing lines…until now.

People frequently ask me “how I do it.” Typically, the answer is easy because I don’t actively “do” anything. Most plays are rehearsed repetitively enough that with some time spent running through lines at home, your next line pops into your head just like the next line of your favorite song. If I said “Oh say, can you see…” you’d say “…by the dawn’s early light,” right? The same thing goes for choreography. I’m not a dancer, but I’m not immune to the reality of muscle memory either. Now, seven years later, I can still do most of the dance steps to Beauty and the Beast’s “Be Our Guest.”

Then I was cast as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Hoooo, buddy! The moment I finished highlighting my lines, I had the weirdest feeling. It was a mixture of panic and exhilaration and joy and claustrophobia. It reminded me of the feeling you get when you find out you’re pregnant, or when the roller coaster starts going up the lift-hill with you strapped into the front seat.

How in the world was I going to memorize these lines?! It’s not like if you mess up on stage you can just improvise your way out of it; you either say it the right way, or you fall flat on your face! I did what any self-respecting person would do in this situation. I Googled “how to memorize Shakespeare.”

Google told me that the whole “Iambic Pentameter” thing can actually be quite helpful, but only if you listen to your lines. After all, Shakespeare didn’t intend for his plays to be read, he intended for them to be heard! So I diligently recorded all my scenes onto my iPad and have listened to them many times since.

The trickiest part? It’s the little words. Since Shakespeare invented anywhere from 1,500 to 10,000 words (depending on your source) it came as no surprise that he really doesn’t concern himself with grammar. “In this line is it ‘who’ or ‘that?’” Don’t count on grammar to point you in the right direction.

Shakespeare also likes to take a few words in every sentence and just flip flop them to make them interesting. Take “Give me, give me! O, tell not me of fear!” If you’re like me, your brain will automatically change this line to “Give me, give me! O, tell me not of fear!” And your brain will likely try to change it EVERY time you attempt to say it out loud.

Many times I’ve been running through my lines with my mom, or my husband, or my brother, or my scene partner and end up cursing, hitting something or someone (sorry, Romeo!), or just growling in frustrating agony because I can’t remember if it’s “thee” or “thou” in this particular line.

Now it’s time to put the script down, add in the set, costumes, lighting, and oh yeah, do some acting. Wish me well!

Wow! It's been a while!

Ok, it's been 2 and a half years since I've blogged! Wow! Time sure flies when you're having fun!

The Center for the Arts has asked me to write a few blogs during the process of Romeo and Juliet, so I'll be posting throughout the month of February. Maybe that will give me the kick in the pants I need to start blogging again!

Please enjoy the upcoming posts!

And the adventure continues...

As we approach Mother’s Day, I’d like to share some of the interesting observations I’ve made over my last three years of motherhood. I knew my life would change when I had a child. I didn’t know how MUCH it would change. The world looks totally different through a mother’s eyes!

I look forward to the many lessons my son has yet to teach me, and I look at my own mother, grandmothers, mother-in-law, aunts, and friends with such admiration. I feel like I’ve joined a special club!

- Being a mommy makes you overcome your fears of spiders and begin to eat foods that you’ve always hated in order to show your kids that they shouldn’t be afraid to try something new.

- 24-hour pharmacies are the greatest invention – EVER.

- Motherhood is probably the leading cause of anxiety disorders.

- Everyone should carry diaper wipes with them at all times. They’re so convenient!

- A high speed digital SLR camera is worth every penny.

- The genius at Crayola who decided to put cleaning tips for every product of theirs on the website deserves a huge pay raise.

- Going to the grocery store with your child can be a fun teaching opportunity; going to the grocery store without your child can be a fun vacation.

- Playing with play-doh is incredibly therapeutic.

- When it’s cold enough outside to see your breath, it’s cool to pretend you’re a dragon.

- No matter how gross it is, there is some satisfaction that comes with picking your child’s nose.

- Having a Mary Poppins Dance Party in the living room is a great workout!

- A few funny faces can cure a bad attitude no matter how old you are.

- Nothing in the entire world is better than hearing your child say, “Mommy, I love you.”

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. - Sophia Loren

"OMG, you guys, it's Thomas!"

This past weekend we took our son on a pilgrimage to Greenfield Village. Don't be too impressed with my son's excitement for turn of the 20th century American history...we were there for one reason, and one reason only. T-H-O-M-A-S!!

I have to admit, I love me some Thomas the Tank Engine. I think it's by far the most sophisticated children's program and it has fantabulous morals. When I use the TV to babysit my son (come on, everyone does it, don't pretend) I know I can pop on a Thomas DVD and have no worries. It sure beats the pants off having to explain why Max and Ruby don't have any parents.

Anyway, major kudos goes to whoever thought up the idea of creating a real-life Thomas engine and touring him around to all of the heritage railways around the country. "Day Out With Thomas" is well worth the money for any choo choo-holic.

Even though we had chilly and damp weather, no one could have rained on Liam's parade as we walked into Greenfield Village to see THE REAL THOMAS pass by on the tracks. We stopped by the carousel where they let Liam ring the bell, we got our picture taken in front of the hat shop, we saw the glass blowers, listened to a banjo, and then we got in line to board the train. The train ride itself was a tolerable 20 minutes long, blaring familiar Thomas songs as it went all the way around the village.

Nothing is as thrilling as a parent to see your child full of excitement. I heard one little boy exclaim, "Mommy! This is the best day of my life!" I remember saying the same thing to my parents as we stood outside the gates of the Magic Kingdom when I was three. Music to Mommy and Daddy's ears.




















As a side note, the people of Greenfield Village were exceedingly courteous and accommodating. The grounds were immaculate and beautiful, the food, carousel rides, and Model T passes were inexpensive, and there was enough there to have kept Liam interested even without you-know-who. We plan to head back this summer during our staycation (more on that in a later blog) when we have nicer weather.

Liam is 3!!!

My baby boy is growing up before my eyes! In celebration of Liam's 3rd birthday, here is a brief recap of The Life and Times of Liam Anderson.

Favorite Toy: Play Doh!

Favorite pastime: Digging for worms

Favorite Movie: Finding Nemo (still)

Favorite Character: Thomas the Train

Favorite Phrase: "What you said?"

What you said recently that made us laugh: Daddy told you that he would take you wherever you wanted to go. You said, "I want to go to the Chiropractor."

What you said recently that made us cry: "Mommy, you're beautiful like the clouds are beautiful."

What you've learned recently: How to say the dinner blessing (complete with crossing yourself!)

What you do frequently to get in trouble: Not listening to mommy and daddy

Recent Milestone: Going potty!!

Latest injury: Trip to the ER after eating some medicine that wasn't yours.

We love you, Little Liam!

Reflections of a mom with an only child

My son (whom I love more than anything in the world) was a surprise blessing. Specifically, my husband and I had a “five year” kids plan that was shortened when we got pregnant five weeks after we got married.

Adjusting to the idea of having a child so soon was difficult for me. Yes, we “knew how this sort of thing happens” and we immediately took on the responsibility of our new lifestyle, but there were tearful nights (undoubtedly egged on by raging hormones) where I questioned whether or not I was “ready” to be a mom. I didn’t know if I was ready to lose control of my life and what I wanted to do.

Now that we have our three-year old bundle of energy, I know that I am a good mom. We’re also blessed with an amazing “supporting cast” including grandparents that invite us to dinner and have sleepovers and friends who are insulted when you try to pay them for babysitting.

Finally, it’s fun instead of stressful. My house is (usually) picked up, my closets are not overflowing, we have enough left over money in the checking account to go out to eat every now and then and go on vacation, and I get a solid 8 hours of sleep most nights. My husband, son and I love our lives.

Maybe we’ll only have one child. Why mess with a good thing?

“WHAT!?” Tends to be the general response. (It turns out that people you barely know get incredibly frustrated and angry when they find out that you might only have one child.) “That’s awfully SELFISH!” they say.

Or they’ll say “You want to raise a little BRAT?”

Perhaps my favorite response is “What happens if you die?!” they ask, “Your son will be so LONELY!!!” Yeah, thanks a lot. Nothing makes a mom happier than thinking of what will become of her children if she were to have an untimely death. Perhaps if there were a SIBLING involved. Yes! That’s it! Then my son wouldn’t be sad about me dying. He and his brother/sister could just take over the house and create their own little Lord of the Flies.

When I see the term “only child”, a lot of emotions run through my mind: relief, guilt, happiness, regret, sadness, and the inevitable “more guilt” are only a few. Images pop into my head of a little boy sitting on the swing set all by himself with tears rolling down his cute little cheeks. But I also see a little boy who is able to take piano lessons and go to college without mountains of debt to burden him. I see a little boy who comes home to a mommy who isn’t exhausted, a mommy who doesn’t have to divide her attention, a mommy who isn’t stressed about finances.

There are so many wonderful people who are wonderful parents to more than one child. I just don’t know if we're those people. We haven’t decided yet. Maybe we'll start a new trend: Green parenting?