No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on June 14, 2010

My sister Sheila is a creative soul. I can remember her and Patrick doing elaborate tales with our Star Wars figures. They had an entire space city set up and she could tell you who everyone was and what their role was in the drama that was unfolding. She has always been scribbling in various notebooks since she could write. I think she still has them. I equate writing with Sheila. It is as much what she does as it is part of who she is.

She is a brave soul. She has gotten up in front of a group of total strangers and read her poetry. She has participated in numerous poetry slam over the years and judged them too. She moved to Japan for a while after she got out of college. Planned out how she was going to do it, saved up her money, and went off to Japan to teach English. Floored me when I finally was told.

She is an artist soul. This year she started to fuse her ability to write with her ability as an artist. It is some amazing stuff. She has it up at her website wonderbink.com. I am in awe both for the writing and how she puts it together. She did a piece for Neil Gaiman that impressed him mightily and Neil is not easy to impress. She has prints up for sale too.

She is a hardy soul. Considering a bunch of stuff that has happened to her including long term unemployment (She is looking for work either as a paralegal or a technical writer. She would also do really well as a copy editor because she has an absolute eagle eye for errors in grammar, spelling and syntax. She is looking for something in the Atlanta Area so if you of something, please tell me. It would be a great birthday present.)She soldiers on. She has found bits and pieces of work but no long term employment.

She is my sister and I love her lots and lots. In fact I love her so much I am not going to make mention of the numerical milestone she has reached this year. *grin*

I am so very grateful that my sister Sheila is my sister. Love ya Sis.

Category: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Flag Day 2010 or as I call it, My Sister Sheila’s Birthday!
Tags:

Posted By Kathleen David on June 13, 2010

Again we have a story that you could drop just about any Doctor in, which I like. We have the return of a very old Who adversary (I won’t say villain since they have their POV which allows us to sympathize just a bit with them just not too much). We have some more companion taking the bull by the horns brava.

I am liking this series more and more. It feels more like old Who every week. I am wondering if some old scripts are getting dug up and refitted for this Doctor. Honestly I would recommend this season to those who couldn’t get into New Who because it was different.

And I continue to love Rory as a foil for the Doctor but how he has his own mind about what should be done. Sort of Harry Sullivan on steroids but with less of a bumble factor.

I am grateful how things are shaping up for the end of the season

Again I remind readers that there will be spoilers in the comments but only up to the end of Hungry Earth which is a two parter with Cold Blood being the conclusion. (more…)

Category: Uncategorized | Comments Off on New Who Review for the Hungry Earth
Tags:

Posted By Kathleen David on June 11, 2010

The Pigeon ready to drive the bus, eat a hot dog, and stay up all night.

Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tags:

Posted By Kathleen David on June 11, 2010

Pigeon is official more than half done. Today I finish the pigeon and write up the script. Field Day is in a week. Next week is Spirit Week with all the wacky days like wear your clothes inside out day.

I’m in one of these, “I just need to get to” points of the year. I know that once I make it to that point I have a little (OK a day’s worth) of breathing space before the next looming project takes over my life.

Pictures will be posted later today once I get the pigeon done and ready to drive a bus.

I am grateful for how far I got yesterday.

Category: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Plugging along
Tags:

Posted By Kathleen David on June 10, 2010

It is hard for me to believe but I graduated from the Yale School of Drama twenty years ago this year.

The Yale School of Drama is an interesting place. The program is three years long and it can be some of the toughest work you will do during your theatrical career. It does get you ready for what life is like in theater. After doing the Drama School, everything else seems pretty easy and you are well prepared to handle it.

When I was there Lloyd Richards was the dean of the drama School. The admin program was run by Ben Mordecia. The acting program was run by Earle Gister. The directing program was run by Dennis Scott. Technical Design and Production program was run by Ben Sammler. Design was run by Ming Cho Lee and Bill Warfel. The Stage Management program was run by Maggie (who’s last name escapes me) along with Mo Gibson as the resident stage manager at the Yale rep.

We had some interesting playwrights walk through the doors. I got to know August Wilson pretty well. I also met Athol Fugard, John Guare, and Wendy Wasserstein while I was there. I worked with Lee Breuer and many other directors there.

There are actors that were in my class that have gone on to careers in film and television. Occasionally I get pulled out of a movie or a TV show when I see an old buddy of mine from the YSD.

Can I recommend the YSD for someone who wants to further their career in theater? Well yes, but with a caveat. It is not for everyone. They are picky because they want to make sure that you can make it through the three years to get your MFA. There are still people who drop out for various reasons, but it is few and far between. We had two people drop out for very different reasons. One due to a drug problem that they couldn’t get under control. The other due to circumstances way beyond their control. If they think that you can’t cut it, they are probably right.

I came out a better stage manager than when I went in. I got to work with a lot of interesting people a couple of which I have stayed in touch with. I learned the Yale method, which I have taught to numerous stage managers since then. I learned how to deal with various departments and difficult people within those departments.

Did I get work out of being at Yale, a few gigs here and there. But the name of the Drama School did hold weight in job interviews.

Would I do it again? Looking back, yes I would. Even knowing what I know now. It wasn’t easy at the time and seemed impossible occasionally, but I did it and have the piece of paper to prove it.

If you have any questions about the program or my time there, feel free to ask.

I am grateful for all the people I met while at the Drama School.

Category: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Tags: