Hiya Strangers!

You'll have to excuse the dust; I've been doing some updating on the blog and things are shifting rapidly. Hopefully my readers are okay with change and won't run away shrieking. (Actually, I kind of think it would be awesome if a blog redesign could inspire that kind of reaction). Why the change? Well, I just felt like going for something sparser, yet more personalized. There will be more changes to come.

I also went through and cleaned up the tags. Now you can actually use them for navigation, as opposed to before when their purpose was more ornamental/snarky.

Summer is a bit of a catch-up time for me. I'm still working during the day, but teaching eases off while the kids are out of school. Chimera, the company I direct, is also on hiatus for a couple of months in order to give me time to prepare for next year's show. Next year we'll be incorporating actors into our show and putting together an experimental theater piece with text and dancing. I've never done anything like this before, so it's a huge, scary undertaking. At the same time, I'm so thrilled by the idea of a new challenge. I don't think I'm happy unless I'm a little bit scared and I have so many ideas! It will be amazing. Or awful. Whatever it is, at least it won't be boring.

Hubby and I went to New York about a week ago and it was pretty amazing. This was my first trip to New York and it was an amazing, crazy, hot whirlwind. I've dreamt of visiting New York every since I was a kid and hooked on films like Fame and A Chorus Line. So glad that I've finally walked those streets. :)

While in New York we were fortunate enough to get to see The Book of Mormon, which was irreverent, sacrilegious and hilarious (as expected). What I didn't expect, was the amount of thought and care that went into the music, staging and actual plot of the musical. This wasn't just a show build around a few jokes. It was an honest-to-goodness theatrical experience with a wonderfully committed cast and creative production team.

We went to another show, as well. This one is a little harder to sum up, as it was one of the most unique and memorable theatrical experiences I've ever had. If you're a fan of Gossip Girl, you might have heard of it, since apparently it was featured on that show. It's a production by Punchdrunk called Sleep No More and it is outstanding. If you have the opportunity (and don't mind things that are a little traumatic/messed up) you should not miss the opportunity to experience this. I'll try to elaborate without spoiling too much, because this is the kind of show that should not be spoiled.

Basically, it's an interactive theatrical experience. The production took over three abandoned warehouses and used them to build the most elaborate set I've ever seen. Called the McKittrick Hotel, guests are invited to explore all six floors on their own, drifting through graveyards, shops, cabarets, sanatoriums, and more. The rooms are endlessly detailed and filled with clues. As the night wears on, a modernized version of Macbeth, with elements of Rebecca thrown in, starts to build all around the hotel. Action happens simultaneously on every floor, even in adjoining rooms. Putting the whole story together is next to impossible, but that adds to the appeal. Even though guests wear masks and are discouraged from speaking, they still play a part in what occurs, shadowing performers and sometimes stepping into the story itself. Here's a great, somewhat spoilery review: New York Times.

It was the most immersive show I've ever attended. Sleep No More felt like something I'd been hoping to experience my whole life, though I didn't know it until I was there.

What about you? Any big projects in the works, or summer trips planned? Seen any interesting shows lately? How are things? :)