Feeling all theatre-y...

Maybe its the weather, maybe its the fact that I am at the final countdown before the holidays... maybe it's the fact that "Singin' in the Rain" (The ULTIMATE movie musical) was on TV last week.  But I'm just in a theatre-y kind of place at the moment.

Now that I have basically finalized my New Year's Eve plans (I will be down in San Diego at the opening of "The Maiden's Prayer" put on by my favorite men over at Triad Productions) I am feeling a little nostalgic.  Remembering my days at SDSU, taking acting classes, and working on shows, and sitting at the ever entertaining benches (where if you stand there long enough you will likely see someone break out in song, a fight scene, or a dance number) makes me wonder why, with so much talent in the world, does no one put on an honest to god movie musical anymore.  They keep trying ("Chicago," "RENT," "Burlesque") but nothing compares to the real deal.


As I've said before, I was brought up in the world of theatre, and I am what they used to call a "triple threat."  I can act, I can dance, and I can sing, because those were almost requirements back when movie musicals ruled the silver screen.  Not so much anymore.  To prove to you that musical theatre, however campy it may be, should be revived, I have supplied you with links!  You will all be converts after watching these, I just know it.

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A few weeks back, on an episode of (what else?) Glee called "The Substitute," a number of teachers come down with a form of bird flu (all thanks to Sue) and so Mr. Schue's substitute Holly Holliday (played by the magnificent Gwyneth Paltrow) takes over the New Directions.  While she's at McKinley, hipping up the Glee club, Mr. Schue is at home, dreaming himself into his favorite feel better movie "Singin' in the Rain." 

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Watching him dance around with Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.) was a real treat, and I commend them for sticking as close to the original choreography as possible.  However, as you are about to see, Donald O'Connor is a tough act to follow.  Enjoy!
 

Also, I think tap dancing is a lost art.  It's incredibly difficult (especially to make it look effortless) and when done right, the end result is nothing short of magical!  I give you, Moses Supposes, which can also be seen in "Singin' in the Rain!"

I'm Classy Like That...

So, if you read my last post, you know I'm losing my job.  Sad story, the industry is political, blah, blah, blah.

My bosses have asked me to make a few little notes here and there to pave the way for the new guy.  There's just something about that that rubs me the wrong way.  When I came into this job, they told me what to do, they helped out here and there, but mostly, I had to figure things out for myself.  Thank goodness their last PA had things like their grocery list saved on his computer, and was able to email them to me.  That was a big help.

Keep in mind, I work in an industry where, as my mother would say, "everyone thinks they're curing cancer."  Basically, that means that my job is to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch.  Perfection is expected of me, but as the new guy AND the lowest guy on the totem pole, perfection is impossible.  It's difficult, at times, to cope with the fact that I am not really allowed to screw up, but it is next to impossible NOT to screw up.  Shit happens.  Like parking tickets.  And cops who have nothing better to do than to write a speeding ticket for the last in a line of cars who are also speeding.  Last time I checked, that's called "keeping the flow of traffic."  But I digress...

Back to my original issue.  How come this guy has it easier than I did?  I'm willing to bet that since he's worked with them before, AND he has a penis, he will not catch nearly as much shit as I did when I started.  I mean, these guys were downright rude.  And I played cheerleader, and kept a smile on my face.  'Cause I'm classy like that.

So I wrote down instructions for different tasks.  How to order office supplies online, everything he needs to know about coffee, how to transfer calls on the multi-line phone (it took us about a week to figure it out), how to handle the petty cash envelopes, etc.  It almost felt like I was back in school, and writing my final essay on all of the testable material.  I'm even letting them keep the expandable file I bought to keep the petty cash organized (and separate from my own money).  'Cause I'm classy like that.

I also keep other paperwork organized in a larger expandable file. That I bought.  And it's pretty.  I'm taking that with me.  He can figure out his own filing system.  His boy brain probably works differently than my girl brain, anyway.

Needless to say, I'm feeling bittersweet about this situation (leaning toward the bitter side, if you couldn't tell).  On the up side, I won't have to work for these guys and deal with their ridiculous eccentricities anymore.  Down side, no job, two tickets, and more time spent cooped up at my parents' house.  I can definitely kiss any possibility of attending the premiere goodbye.  I probably won't even get an assistant credit, or special thanks on the film.

I do appreciate the opportunity I had, the learning experience, and of course, the fact that my voice will be part of the ambient sound in the film.  It was an extraordinary first entertainment gig, and in no way do I take it for granted.  'Cause I'm classy like that.

The Ugly Side of Nepotism...

I work in the entertainment industry.  I grew up eating, sleeping, and breathing theatre, film, and television.  Whether I was at a Christmas party with several industry names in attendance, helping backstage at benefit performances, or actually on the stage, this is what I was meant to do with my life.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with how the entertainment industry operates, I'll tell you that almost no one got here on merit alone.  Basically everyone in entertainment knew someone, who knew a guy, who knew this other guy, who worked for someone important.  They went through the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and got their first job in the mail room (or whatever other bottom rung job was available), and worked their asses off to get where they are now.  Or they had a dad or an uncle that handed them their first job on a silver platter.

I personally tried to do it myself, pushing my resume on all kinds of job databases, before I took the Six Degrees route.  Luckily, my first bottom rung job has been to be a Production Assistant for a bunch of editors on a major motion picture.  I'm a girl in a boys club, and I have managed (a few panic attacks later) to hold my own pretty well.  Last week was particularly difficult, starting with a panic attack over thinking I lost my badge and my parking pass (which turned up under the driver's seat of my car), and ending with a $343.00 parking ticket so that the men I work for could have coffee they no longer wanted. That's how it goes.  They say "jump," I say "how high?"

Come Monday, I had basically recovered from my meltdowns, and was having your average day, when at the end of the evening, they dropped the bomb on me.  As of two weeks from now, the show is going on hiatus for the holidays.  It is at this point, that I will no longer be of service.  I have been replaced by someone working for one of Big D's other sons.  He can no longer keep this guy (who is a guy) so he pawned him off to Daddy.  Since this guy has worked for them before, and actually wants to be in editorial, it only made sense.  Of course, that leaves me, once again, jobless.  Merry Christmas.

That being said, I do understand the situation.  They apologized for having to do this to me, and softened the blow in every way they could.  And as strange as it may sound, I have grown a little attached to these guys, and I will miss their little eccentricities.  So I sat there, head held high, with a smile on my face to show that there were no hard feelings.  That's showbiz.  Them's the breaks, kid.

In-Office Bowling...

Hello Wonderers!!

Instead of moaning and groaning about the really unfortunate chain of events that ended my work day last night, I thought I would tell you about this new awesomely strange game I get to play at work.

The lights in our office are on an automatic motion sensor.  After a while, when there's no movement out in the front of the suite (and most of the time, there isn't) the lights go out.  My boss, "Big D" (gotta love this industry) really hates it when it's dark, so whenever the lights go out, I have to make movement happen for the little motion sensors so the lights go back on.  Instead of playing stand up/sit down all day, we have figured out a much more effective (and WAY more fun) method of turning the lights on.

We went through many ideas (stand-up/sit-down, paper airplanes, etc.) before coming up with the perfect solution.  In-Office Bowling.

Among our office decorations, we have a big work out ball.

The size was very important, because if it were smaller, it might not be detected by the motion sensor.  Basically, there are no pins or points or rules.  It's not really much of a game.  But it does mean that every so often, I get up from my little desk, and granny-roll the ball down to the other side of the suite.  I apologize for the darkness, and the size....

 

So there you have it.  In-Office Bowling.  Ta and da.

Why I Hate the West Side...

*Long overdue post number two*

    Nothing like a good ol' fashioned rant to fix a case of The Mondays.  So I decided to give you a list of reasons why this Valley Girl can't stand the West Side.

• The Drivers.  Nobody knows how to drive over here.  Kinda like no one in SoCal knows how to drive in the rain.  To call these people "retarded" would be an insult to the mentally challenged.

• Traffic.  Over in the Valley there is only traffic during certain times of the day, and it's mostly limited to certain areas.  Over the hill, there is traffic EVERYWHERE, all day long.

• The streets.  Much like downtown San Diego, there is a multitude of ONE WAY streets.  So getting lost happens, fairly easily.  In addition to that, there are WAY too many center dividers, which make it so that one must first get MORE lost, before becoming UN-lost.  And if that weren't bad enough, there is currently a lot of road work being done, producing road closures a-plenty.  Fun.

• Everything is more expensive.  Gas, food, parking, you name it.  It's pricier over here. And while I'm making more money than I ever have in my life (which isn't saying much), I'm poor.

• The people.  This applies to drivers as well.  Self-Important S.O.B.s.  All of 'em.  Snotty little bitches...

• The time it takes to get from my parents' house in the Valley, to work.  To be here at 8:30am, I have to leave my house AT LEAST an hour early.  Even today, I left at 7:30 and still didn't make it to the office until 8:55.  And as you might have guessed by now, I am NOT a morning person.

      On the up side, you WILL be able to hear my lovely voice in the movie I'm working on.  It's called The Change Up, and it stars Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman.  The editors I work for recorded my voice as the receptionist for some ambient sounds in a law firm.  I suppose that kinda makes up for how impossible they are.

    I should really end on a happy note.  So, without further ado:

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Santa goes to San Diego on Vacay...

Okay, okay.  I've been meaning to write these posts for a couple of weeks now.  So here is overdue post number one:

     A couple of weeks ago I drove down to my lovely San Diego after work for one of my friends' birthday parties.  After the long day I'd had preparing to switch offices with the guys I work for, I was hardly ready for a long drive south.  However, it was his Big 3-0 celebration, so I kinda couldn't miss it.  I went with three other girlfriends of mine, including Old Roommate Lisa, Ashley, and Brittany.  It was at a club in La Jolla, a downtown feel with better parking and fewer people.  Right up my friend's alley.  Here we are (Brittany was nice enough to capture this picture with Ashley's camera, even though she is not in it herself) all dolled up.

This makes me look overdressed, I swear I wasn't.

     The next day, Lisa and I decided to do brunch at El Torito.  We had originally decided to eat from their brunch buffet, but ended up ordering our usual.  At least we got some free champagne out of the deal.  Haha.

     The real treat for us, was that out of the corner of my eye, a mere few tables away, was none other than Santa Claus.  Or at least a man who looked an awful lot like him.  He was not in his traditional red suit, but a polo shirt with vintage cars on it, and khaki shorts.  I suppose he puts the suit away when he's on vacation.  We did hear him speak to another patron of the restaurant, saying something to the effect of "Santa loves you!"  Remember, we were a few drinks in by the time we noticed Santa, so our meal was full of entertainment, and laughter.  So I do, firmly believe that Santa is another name to check off on the list of celebrities I've met.  Lisa seems to think he was double checking his "Naughty/Nice" list.  She says I'm on the Naughty List.  That's okay.  She is, too.

Getting my Mid-November Laugh On!

     Hey guys!  It's been forever, and I apologize.  I have been super busy these past couple weeks, PA-ing my little ass off!!  I am, however, back to tell you guys (all three and a half of you) more stories of my adventures in Wonderland.  So, without further ado...

     I spent this past weekend with my Cousin Face (someone, I imagine you will hear a lot about) Tamra.  She had a rough week, so I baked her some cookies and went out to Guada-La Habra on Saturday to spend time with her.  She lives with her brother and his family, so it was nice to get to play with the kids and hang out with her brother and his wife, since I don't see them as often as I might like to.  Later that day, I brought Cousin Face back down to the valley so we could go see a very good friend of mine play a comedy show at The Spotlight Comedy Club in Studio City.

     A few quick words about Cousin Face:  we are two years apart in age, and have always been very close.  Many have called us two halves of the same old soul.  Or they have made reference to those old cartoons where the good and bad sides of one's conscience are manifested as an angel and a devil sitting on each shoulder.  I'll let you figure out who is who.  I have a firm belief that God made us cousins because the universe couldn't handle us as sisters.

     We arrived in the valley in time for primping before a night out, the results of which can be seen here:

Yeah, we're pretty hot.

 

 

 

     To keep this short and sweet, I'll tell you that the comedy show was awesome.  There were definitely a few comedians that could stand to work on their material and delivery, but that is to be expected, and bias aside, my friend Ryan Shores, and Mike Wentz (both local San Diego comedians) were the best part of the show.  The host did a pretty good job, too.

     I'll spare you the stories of our post-show adventures, but I will leave you with this:

     Both Ryan Shores and Mike Wentz are fantastic comedians, and if you are blessed with their presence in your town, you should definitely check out their show.  That being said, they can also be found on YouTube, so you should check them out there too.  Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed!