Anything Goes

Tonight we begin the rehearsal process of "Anything Goes" and I'm actually pretty excited about it.

There's several people in the cast that I'm really looking forward to working with (Josh, Andrew, Lee, Troy, Ravyn, Emily, Tyler, etc.) and lots of the music students that I don't know that I'm excited about meeting.

Tonight we're going to be doing a full readthrough and then blocking out Scene 1. I'll write more later on how that all goes down.

I'm actually going to try and keep my journal updated throughout the "Anything Goes" process but....heh....mice and men, right? We'll see how that goes.


Comics
Yeah. I'm a nerd. (...or is it a 'geek'? Oh well. Whatever. I love it.)

Just finished up reading the Watchmen comic last week and I can now say that I am officially ready for the movie to come out!

Got to admit, I'm a little hesitant on all this stuff I hear about them changing the ending for the movie. I've tried to stay away from the spoilers and just wait to see the movie to see how exactly they might change it...but just from the vague talk I've heard, most fans don't sound pleased.

Ah well. I wasn't a huge fan of the comic book ending anyways, to be honest sooo...guess we'll just have to wait and see. If nothing else, it's sure to be a very visually appealing movie.

Honestly, I'm just excited about seeing Rorschach. I mean, yeah, I do like Night Owl and Dr. Manhattan and all...but....it's all about Rorschach. Such a freakin' cool character!

And speaking of freakin' cool characters...

I have recently discovered the most incredible, funny, all-around-made-of-awesome character evar!

Wade Wilson. Merc with the Mouth. Deadpool.

I have such a mad, passionate love for him right now. I've been reading through his series and cannot get enough of him. He is just made of so much epic win!

There are no other characters out there that can make me laugh right out loud whilst disembowling someone the way he can. ("...you laugh, but it's true!")

From what I hear, he's suppose to be in the new Wolverine movie that's coming out which thrills me to no end. I will admit that I'm a little bit nervous about it because he's such an awesome character that I just don't know how any actor could ever do him justice. But Whitney assures me that Ryan Reynolds will be good for the part so I'm gonna trust her judgement and keep my fingers crossed.

In other comic news, I continue to be put out by the fact that Captain America is dead.  Not sure how I feel about Winter Soldier taking over.

Not sure how I feel about the whole Civil War arc in general! Am very torn.

(...and clearly writing like Rorschach now...)

Also. I'm pretty much in love with Sharon Carter.

You know...even though she killed Cap. I guess there is that to be considered.

Love that Cap's dying words were to tell her how pretty she is. Geeze!

LOST

Because it made me el oh el right out loud.

Theme: Pirates of the Caribbean
Call signs: Elizabeth Swann (Angela), Captain Sparrow (Josh), Barbossa (Mr. Miller), Jack the Monkey (Bliss)

And the rumors about Josh & I have begun to spread. Apparently according to Bliss, we're making out in the Light Booth during the show.

Big surprise. People in the theatre are the biggest group of gossips ever.

and I'm really done with it all.

After having a rather serious talk over the whole thing, Josh & I decided to just ignore it. My biggest concern was how it was going to affect him or our relationship - but he seems completely unphased by it, so if he's not worried over it then there's really no need for me to be either. It's not even worth our energy or concern. We know the truth. That's really all that matters.

And if Josh & I really are making out in the booth...? Well, I'm just a little disappointed that I missed it. I bet it was crazy hot.

Tonight was pretty much a bad rehearsal as far as tech stuff goes. Cues didn't get called...no one was paying attention...things were forgot or ignored.

Yeah. Epic.

But Josh & I still had our usual amounts of fun.

At one point Josh grumbled over the headset to me. "I'm bored."

I smirked, knowing Bliss & Daniel and everyone else was listening and said, "Ya wanna come over here and make out?"

Bless him. He tried to contain his laughter.

"Now, Angela, don't be naughty. That's the way rumors get started."

We laughed & high-fived each other later on.

Tonight's theme: Disney
Call-signs: Ariel (Angela), Aladdin (Josh), Pumba (Bliss), Scar (Mr. Miller)

Rehearsals with "Tartuffe" continue.

Bliss (our stage manager) forgot her script at Sean's house tonight. That was epic.

We wound up getting a really late start due to costuming reasons - so Josh & I decided to watch a few episodes of the old "Get Smart" television show up in the light booth. It was so nostalgic! I use to watch that show *every* *night* when I was younger. It was the last show that came on Nick at Night before my bedtime - and I loved Smart. :D

So that was really exciting getting to visit those old, childhood memories again.

Josh had a paper on Gay Marriage he had to B.S. while we were in the booth tonight so that meant we had to cut back on our playing around a bit so he could focus. So he worked on that while I read one of my "Acting I" texts for my Directed Studies.

Very relaxing.

Of course, our focus lasted all the way up until the latter part of Act Two. Then we gave up and decided to try and watch the show.

And by that, what I mean is give a running commentary on it a la "Mystery Science Theatre 3000".

One of my favorite moments of the night...

...when Brendon came out in his lavish, extraordinary outfit, Josh gasps and cries "Captain Hook?!"

Beautiful.

Today was a wonderful, relaxed day.

I had tech-call at the theatre at 11:00am so I wound up just sleeping in and skipping out on going to church.

Got up to the theatre and Mr. Miller walked me through all of the sound stuff that I was going to need to know. It's going to be a very, very easy show for me. Only 12 sound cues to worry about. No big at all. I'll probably just bring a book up there with me and chill.

That is, if Josh will let me. lol.

Josh is going to be running lights right next to me...and goodness knows putting the two of us together is nothing but trouble.

At one point in the evening, Mr. Miller got on the headset and was like "Am I gonna have to come up there and separate you two?"

The answer, Mr. Miller - is yes!

I love Josh. I really do. He's good people. One of my absolute favorites around the department.

After we got done doing tech stuff, Mr. Miller gave us a few hours off for break before we had run-throughs that night. Josh & I decided to use that time to go take a walk out in the botanical gardens. He's always complaining that I never spend time with him so I promised him that, for the day, I was all his.

It was such a beautiful day! I loved it. Its been awhile since I've just gone out and walked through nature and it was nice having a companion to share that with.

That evening, back at the theatre, Josh & I decided we needed to use call signs while we were on the headset. So he became Rubber Duck & I was Mother Hen. I suggested that Mr. Miller could be Bald Eagle and then Bliss decided she was Mourning Dove.

Yeah. It was fun.

The production of "Tartuffe" is one of my least favorites that South has done...but man, am I having fun with the crew! :D

Today I purchased my first Hei Matau.



It's symbol that originated in New Zealand that represents "safe travel across water".

It seemed fitting.

Last Thursday was our last "Thursday Night Sail" on the Black Magic until March when the time changes over again. The Captain let me Skipper it and, while it wasn't my usual preferred gail-force winds, it was pleasant to be able to just drift along underneath the canvas of stars.

There's a few regattas that are coming up in December and January. For sure, it's going to be ridiculously cold and I will probably hate myself - but you'd better believe I'm going to be crewing.

Not sailing for four months? Not going to happen.

I think I would cry.

Because I don't have any inspiration for what to write today, I have stolen a Meme from over at Monday Meme:

Monday Meme 38 : 2006-02-06 : True Colors

1. From where you are sitting right now, list an object that is one of each of the following colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white and black.

Red - My Iron Man bracelet
Orange - piece of yarn from Brendon
Yellow - a Post-it note Whitney left me
Green - a push-pin on my cubicle wall
Blue - an origami sailboat Chris made me
Purple - Gobstoppers
White - my Wall-e Eve toy
Black - JARVIS (my Ipod Touch)

2. What color do you wear most often? Why?
Various shades of blue.

Apart from it always managing to bring out the blue in my eyes, I just like the color alot. It's soothing and comforting to me. It reminds me of the water and tranquility.

3. What color are your eyes? What color do you wish they were?

My eyes tend to shift between hazel...blue...and gray, depending on what I'm wearing.

If I wear blue, they're probably blue. If I wear any sort of green colors, they usually go hazel. If I wear blacks or browns they turn a gray color.

Im happy with my eyes. I dont think I'd want another color. :)

4. What color is your desktop image?
It's a picture of a pier looking out over the water amidst a storm so it has alot of dull blues and grays and blacks.

5. What colors are you walls and floor?
I'm in the office right now and the walls here are...hah...blue.

Can ya tell what my favorite color is?

I was the 1,867st person to take this week's Monday Meme!
 

On November 17th, auditions will be held for "Much Ado About Nothing" - one of my favorite Shakespeare shows by far. (Second, perhaps, only to "Richard III".)

And yours truly...will not be auditioning.

It's frustrating and it's disheartening, but the unfortunate thing is that there is absolutely nothing that I can do about it.

There's several reasons for me not being able to audition.

- My department has started to crack down on people auditioning for community shows and they'd rather see me audition for "Water Engine" (or "The Water & Egg Man" as Brent likes to call it).

- I will be taking 21 hours next semester which will leave me no time at all for extra-curricular work.

- I will be stage managing "Anything Goes" at the end of the season, which I already have work to do on.

- I really need to be focusing on grad school stuff right now and I simply don't have the time or the energy to invest in splitting my attention.

There's other reasons too...but those are the big ones.

It's really difficult to explain to people (ie: my faculty) why this play is so important to me. And even beyond this play, why this particular production is important to me. More likely than not, this is the last chance I will have to work with these people. After this show, I jump right into "Anything Goes"...then off on my summer internship...then straight into grad school.

That's it. For the next two years (if not likely more) I will be gone.

This would probably be my final bow in Mobile Community Theatre for some time (if not for all time).

And that hurts.

These people are my family. I've gotten comments from Dr. Van Dyke about how I need to aspire to be more than just a "local celebrity" - but that's not really it. It's not about the 'fame and the glory' (such as it is)...it's about sharing in an experience with these people. About reaching an audience (any audience!) and touching them and for one evening, sharing in something magical. It's about the sweat and the blood and the tears and the laughter and the joy that goes into putting on something like this.

and I'm going to miss that.

It's sad. It's frustrating.

...but unfortunately, it's what I have to do. There's really no other option.

and somehow that just makes it that much worse.

So, I have decided to give NaBloPoMo a try this month. We'll see how that goes. Last time I tried one of these "post every day for a month" challenges, it fell through within a week. Hah. Let's see how disciplined I can be this time. Maybe I can make it into two weeks!

Halloween was alot of fun this year.

Well, as much fun as can be had for my first year in a long time without my partner in crime here to share it with me.

Went down to JJP for their Halloween party...which, unfortunately, was not nearly as exciting as it was last year. Just alot fewer people this year. But it was still a good chance to get to hang out with Mike (who dressed up as the Beast) and Lori.

Also, a couple of kids from the theatre wound up coming too. Kristi, Penny, Josh & Brody.

I was really excited about Josh being able to come. That's a really good kid right there...and with so much potential. I was talking to someone the other day about him and said "Yeah, I was so set and ready to leave the theatre department right then...then suddenly Josh came walking through the doors and I thought 'Oh yeah...it is actually gonna be hard to leave here'."

Josh is definitely gonna be one of those that it will be really tough to say good-bye to.

On top of getting to hang out with good friends, I made a new friend as well. Josh's roommate Brody came and hung out with us and he's pretty cool too. He understands and appreciates my nerdom, which is always exciting. The car ride back home when I went to drop the boys off was filled with nothing but nerdy references and talk. My favorite kinds of conversation!

But yeah. All in all, really good night. We even went down to Dahlia's to listen to Brent play for awhile and he was really good. I was proud of him. Certainly way more than I could ever think of doing.

well, it's late and I'm really tired so I think I'm going to go on and head towards bed. I'll write more anon.

Because it made me lol out loud.

i think i might cry.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is going to releasing an on-stage sequel to "The Phantom of the Opera".

i lie you not.

The summary?

"The Phantom, having fled Paris, is running a freak show. At night, he crawls into his lair and makes love to an automaton that looks like Christine. Christine, meanwhile, has become a famous opera singer. But she's fallen on hard times because her husband, Raoul, has squandered their fortune. So she's accepted a high-paying gig from a mysterious impresario to open a new amusement park. On her first night in New York, she draws back the curtain in her hotel suite and comes face to face with her new employer — flash of lightning, crash of chords — the Phantom! Christine has a child, Gustave, but is his father Raoul or the Phantom?"

He...makes love...to an automaton of Christine...

Are you serious?!

my phan soul just died.

I have been doing alot of writing lately!

Obviously not on here, since it's been at least a million years since I last updated this journal...but just in general. Mostly my writing has centered around a story Whitney & I have been working on together for about six years now. Lately the both of us have had an awesome muse spark in that genre and we're both starting to consider picking it up again.

And on top of that - I have actually found a new writing partner via the interwebs that I have been tossing some stuff around with. That has been really refreshing!

Granted, he's no Eric...but he's good.

I really miss Eric hardcore. When I was working with him, I was never at a loss for a muse. We were always in such perfect tandem. It was nice.

It's odd that I still suffer some amount of separation anxiety from our characters together and the storyline we had woven.

So...yes, writing - that is what I've been doing instead of focusing on my grad school audition materials like I should be. Unfortunate and true. I'm having a difficult time getting myself motivated. Mostly because I know that every step I take towards grad school is one more step I take away from everything I have here. All of my friends...my family...my home...

There's a song from the Titanic soundtrack that I think sums it up perfectly: "Unwilling to Stay - Unable to Leave".

Yep. I'd say that's about the extent of it right now.

So, I have refrained from writing any thus far on the search for a new acting professor - but today everything finally came together and we now have one!

Not only do we have one - but it was the one I was cheering for from the very beginning. :D

I'll write more on the whole process anon, but for right now I simply couldn't be happier.

I never, ever, ever want to do this professor search thing again!

Ever.

Just a little something that made me el oh el.

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FTW!:

"I *AM* the nightlife!"

"I give people panic attacks."

"My movie was designed to make you forget about Joel Schumacher."

"...and I'm the Joker!"
"Well, I can't argue with that logic. I'll see you later."

My reactions to last night's season finale:

First off, let me start by saying that I have stayed completely spoiler free (I dont even know who the episode focuses on as far as flashback/forward/sideways). So all of the following predictions are simply my own opinions and thoughts. I have nothing to back it up save for my own conclusions and thoughts.

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Who's in the coffin?
Ben. But he's not actually dead. He's faking his death so that he can get to Penny Widmore once she lowers her guard.

Reasoning: The person that's in the coffin is someone that Kate obviously hates. She had absolutely no desire to go to the funeral. There aren't many people that Kate hates that passionately.

Jack also identified the person as being neither a friend nor family.

Why would Jack go to the funeral? Closure. I personally understand this very, very well and it's not a reach at all. As terrible as it may sound, there's a person in my life that if he were to die, I would actually be tempted to go to his funeral...just to make sure he was dead.

Plus, it would be a relatively big twist/shock which LOST is known for.

Other possibilities?: Juliet. This one just came to me today, actually. Kate doesn't like her...but Jack would for sure have a reason to go to her funeral. But why would he say she wasnt' a friend? Maybe she somehow betrays them? I don't know...but it'd be an interesting little twist that I could get with.

Final thoughts: If it winds up being Michael in the coffin (the most blatantly obvious choice) I will hang my head in despair.

Who are "the two people that died on the island" that the Oceanic Six keeps referring to?
Sawyer and Claire.

I think Claire is already dead. I think she died when the house fell on her. How on earth could anyone survive that? That's why she's chillin' in Jacob's cabin without a care in the world right now.

Sawyer will die by the end of this season. I have resigned myself to this. He has been taking over a leadership position and really stepping up to the plate. He's started to redeem himself - and we know how well that works out on the LOST island. He's been watching out for Hurley and Claire...taking care of Aaron. It's time for him to bite the bullet.

But Kate mentioned him in the flash forward! Simply explained - she was doing a "final wish" for him that he gave her right before he died.

How does he die? Doing something impossibly heroic. One of those moments of ultimate self-sacrifice a la Charlie at the end of last year.

But, you know, I'm not as upset about that as I should be. I think it's because since Ben was introduced, Sawyer has begun to simply be eye candy.

Who will have the "spectacular kiss" in the end of it all?

Well, my prediction has been Penny/Desmond...but the more I think on it now, I'm afraid I need to change that prediction to...

Kate/Sawyer. I've really been trying to stay away from this prediction because..honestly...after the cage!sex scene, can you get anymore "spectacular"? But I'm afraid that if it is this couple it will be right before Sawyer dies and he kisses Kate. I really, really, really hope they don't go in that direction - but I have a gut feeling.

I hope it's Penny/Desmond.

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So, those are my predictions. What do you think? What are you predicting?

Please keep any comments spoiler free!

I officially began my obsession with the sea when I was in second grade.

That was the year my teacher gave me the book Treasure Island to read.

My passion was born.

Naturally, one of the main elements of the book that interested me was the pirates and that became a great love of mine that existed way, way before it was "cool" to like pirates. In fact, I use to get teased unmercifully for this odd obsession. But in this, I really didn't care. I loved the idea of being able to just set sail on a ship and have the romanticized adventures that I read about.

Now, finally, so many years later - I have been given the opportunity that I have waited my whole life for.

I have begun sailing.

Bernard, my Skipper, was introducing me to one of the Captains at the Buccaneer Club tonight.

"This girl has been a sailor all her life - she just didn't have a boat. This one has the ol' sea salt running in her veins."

Bernard Moseby (Jr. & Senior) have taken me under their wings. They are the Skipper & Captain of a beautiful boat called the Black Magic. Together they have begun to train me in the "ways of sailing".

It's incredible. It's better than I could have ever imagined. To be out there rolling over the seas...feeling the wind in your face...the sea spray showering down on you...

I've never felt so absolutely and fully in my element.

Even at the theatre! I do feel very happy and natural when I'm in the theatre...but there's just something about being out on a sailboat at sea that fills my soul with a simple peace and a feeling of genuine belonging.

And one of the coolest things about it is that it's something that I feel like is so very mine.

I think this feeling comes from the fact that I share so many of my passions with people. Theatre, specifically. Nearly all of my closest friends are involved in the theatre. It's an experience we all share. And that's cool, being able to share this similar love of something...

...but when it comes to sailing, I sometimes feel like it's this little secret that's all mine. Like it's this magnificent feeling and adventure that was meant specifically for me.

I guess, in a way, it's like finding my own Secret Garden. This place I can go to and take sanctuary in whenever I please. A place where I know I belong and feel so very much at home.

This Saturday I have been invited aboard the Black Magic to work as crewmember in the Super Bowl Regatta. I have been counting down the days for almost a month now!

More than likely the crew will consist of myself, the Captain, the Skipper, and Chester. If the DI Race is anything to judge by, I say we have a very fair shot of first place. Bernard is a wonderful Skipper and he knows the Magic well. So long as the rest of us stay on our toes, we should be good to go.

Every moment I spend out on the water, the more enthralled I become with it...and the more I begin to understand how sailors fall in love with the sea.

Well, I have been doing alot of writing lately, which has kept me away from updating my journal.

However, today I stumbled upon the most brilliant thing. A drabble generator. No need to write! Just fill in a few words and it does it for me!

Let's see what it has to say...

Things are steadily progressing with work on Two Gentlemen of Verona.

We open this Friday...and I think we're going to be ready for it. There are still a few main characters that are having difficulties with their lines - but hopefully that will all be settled in the next night or two. We're reaching the point where we really should be getting this now.

Michael & I are finally beginning to find our onstage chemistry...so that's good.

It's funny, this is the first onstage relationship I've ever really had to work at. When I did Hamlet with Mike, there was immediate chemistry between us. Neither one of us had to work towards it - it was simply there. I knew I could trust him as not only an actor but also as a partner. It didn't come as any kind of difficulty for us to play opposite of one another. In fact, we could have pursued the relationship onstage further and felt even more comfortable in our characters. It was all just there and clicked without needing to really work on anything.

With Jacob in Veronica's Room, it wasn't so much about chemistry as it was about trust. Our characters had only just met so there was no need for any kind of intimate connection - but I certainly had to have a great deal of trust in him when it came to the second act of the show. No worries there either. I'd gotten to know Jacob offstage over the past several months so if there was anyone in the world that I felt okay about having hold a needle over me, it was him. (Granted, I still got jittery just over the fact that I had a needle that close to me...but knowing it was Jacob holding that needle calmed any completely irrational fear I had.) The chemistry we shared wasn't romantic...but in that scene it was existent...and never had to be worked out. He could play the role of the terror...and I could play the role of the terrorized without any concern.

But this onstage relationship with Michael has been difficult. Neither one of us knew each other really well before the show began. We've never worked in a show together so we didn't entirely know what to expect from the other. I'll admit, I was rather intimidated by Michael when first stepping onstage with him. He's one of the theatre's "stars"...and I'm still trying to carefully figure out what the heck I'm doing. He seems like he's able to snatch up characters and run with them immediately, while I'm still having to spend hours on character analysis and such. I'll admit, I felt like I did have an advantage in that we were doing a Shakespeare show - and if nothing else in the world, I know and understand Shakespeare. But I was still so hesitant the first few rehearsals as I tried to figure him out and he did the same for me.

During that time, I think he had more chemistry onstage with Drew than he did me.

It felt like a dance. Like we were moving around one another. Only he was dancing a foxtrot and I was trying to waltz.

But since those starting few rehearsals, we've really started to mesh and our dance has started to at least move to the rhythm of the same music.

After both of us getting irritated with Van Dyke for not providing us with any real blocking or direction, we decided to take matters into our own hands. We met two hours prior to our rehearsals and just started reblocking things. We scratched what Van Dyke told us to do (which was basically just stand there and talk at each other) and formed something all our own.

We started with the letter scene which was frightfully boring. But now we've changed it into a fun little game of keep-away.

For the first time we were working as one. We gave and took ideas equally. We grew excited and suddenly found revelations about our characters that we didn't even know existed. We had fun and finally enjoyed what we were doing.

Beyond that, we found a quiet respect for one another.

This continued on for several nights as we met to simply run lines and reblock scenes. Each night brought us closer together and with that newfound respect, the chemistry onstage heightened.

When we showed our work to Van Dyke, he loved it...and I won't forget Michael and I practically collapsing against one another in relief.

"Why yes, I love your choice to blatantly defy me!" - Van Dyke...as spoken by Whitney

Apart from our characters drawing together, Michael & I have started to draw together as well which is really helpful. Having a good offstage relationship certainly helps the onstage work.

Certainly we'll not become BFFs anytime soon  - but we're at a good place in things all in all, I think. If nothing else, I feel like our scenes together will be decent to watch.

Now let's just hope the rest of the show will be the same.

(And...awwrrr...dontcha love this mood icon? <3 )

I had a dream last night that actually left me rather on-edge throughout today.

I was in a Dystopian society much like that in the movie/comic V for Vendetta . There were two factions of people in this Gotham City-styled place where I lived. There was a military force that worked under the government (and they could be easily identified by their all-black fatigues) and then a rebel group (which wore sort of a modern day tribal-styled garment). These two groups had co-existed with one another in the past, but tension had begun to run high now and the government had given permission to the military to start taking out the rebel faction.

I was one of the lead players of the rebel faction and my dream actually started with me being captured by these military guys. My wrists had been cuffed behind my back and they were dragging me towards this old castle-like structure. I remember that the stones were black and somehow it was at once clean and pristine on the inside...while still being gloomy and dingy.

They brought me to a dark cell and sat me down in a wooden chair in the center of the room. My hands were still cuffed behind me. They left me and time passed in that dream-like way.

The only thing I remember is being absolutely, fully aware of the fact that I was going to die. That there was no way out of it. And that the death would be a very long and painful process. It was a terror like I've never known before.

About an hour later, the door opened and I knew they had come for me. But to my surprise, it was Jason that walked in - fully clothed in the military garb.

I felt like I'd just been punched in the gut. He had this look that was a mixture of violent anger...and sadness...and it scared me worse than anything had up until that point.

"You weren't suppose to get caught," he told me, and his voice was so cold. "This wasn't suppose to happen. You said you would be in hiding. They weren't suppose to ever find you."

I was crying now. Completely terrified and heartbroken. I kept telling him that I was sorry. That I was so sorry. I didn't mean to get caught...but I couldn't stay in hiding.

He wasn't moved by my words though. He turned in the open door, reached out into the hallway and wheeled a metal cart in. On top of this cart were various instruments of torture and I started to cry even hard.

I have never been so scared.

He looked almost on the verge of crying himself, but his eyes remained cold as he closed the door and locked it. I began to beg him to help me escape...that I wouldn't get caught again. That they didn't have to know he'd helped me and we could stage it to make it look like I'd gotten out on my own.

But he turned on me and there was complete helplessness in his eyes. "Angela, there's nothing I can do! I can't help you. They'll kill me if I do. And there is no way for you to get out of here."

I knew he was right. And oddly enough, as that last trace of my hope dissolved before me...I found myself becoming strangely at a sense of peace.

"Could you make it quick?" I whispered...and he wouldn't look at me.

He was quiet for a time, but then said, "I'm going to snap your neck. I'll make it as quick and painless as I possibly can."

I'd stopped crying. "Thank you."

He still looked so haunted. "But...afterwards, I will have to mutilate your body...so they think I've done my job."

I remember wondering if they would send my body to my parents for a funeral. "I understand."

He came around behind me and I closed my eyes. He put his left hand across the crown of my head and his right hand firmly underneath my chin with his forearm braced against my shoulder so that I couldn't turn. I remember thinking how ironic that his hands were so gentle on my face.

Then he simply stopped and stood there. His vibe didn't betray anything other than cold resolve...but I can only imagine it was probably out of a desire to not want to do the task set before him.

"Jason, please do it," I whispered.

He didn't say anything. I simply felt him brace himself...turn off all emotions...and with an abrupt twist of his hands, my neck was broken.

Upon arriving at rehearsals tonight, one of the first things I did was seek out Jason and throw myself into his arms...and simply cling to him for a long, long time.

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In other news, I don't really know how I feel about this just yet...

Shakespeare: Manga Edition!

These pictures were taken from my costume fitting today. I used my cellphone camera so they're a bit blurry...but you can at least get a gist for the dress.

And the best part is...this is just the under-dress. There's a whole nother gown that goes on over this one with huge bell sleeves and a long train.

*And* I get a crown! :D