Wanta Gypsy Robe?

Maybe I should have named my blog "Pin-stripe" as that seems to be the new theme of my layout. I just created the new banner and the background and they are completely temporary until I get the motivation to do something better. I want to do something art-deco style... hmmm.

Yesterday was very interesting. I woke up with very puffy and painful skin around my eyes, so I took the day off. I applied aloe vera on the areas all day until I headed to do our opening performance.

I was already having an off day, with the eye-fiasco, that when it took me 30 minutes to get bobby-pins in my hair, I just broke down. I refused to go rehearse the bows, got a little snippity with the assistant stage manager, and I ended up having a co-cast member help me. Once the pins were finally in, the costumer came up to me with a wig cap and said, "I hear you need this". I am so glad I have a wig cap now, but goodness it definitely would have helped to have it a half-hour prior.

Embarrassment was the emotion of the moment, after letting bobby-pins open the flood gates to the entire days frustrations, when I was suddenly awarded the Gypsy Robe from the last show (Urinetown)'s owner Michael Fischetti. I can't tell you how bad I felt at that point.

Long ago, actors didn't really have venues to perform in and had to tour with the clothes on their backs from town to town to do their shows. At that time they were referred to as 'gypsies' and they would take a little something from each town as a memento. Well, at Bloomington Civic Theatre we have a tradition where someone from each show is awarded the Gypsy Robe for having portrayed a wonderful theatre spirit. Usually its given to someone who has made some sort of accomplishment in the show - whether its making a change within their own acting career or making a simple change in their cast members' lives. The person it's awarded to then attaches something to the robe to honor the show and its experiences and hands it off to someone in the next show that they feel best exemplifies the qualities previously mentioned. It's a popular tradition for many New York theatres - and you can see the gypsy robe for one such theatre above - yay Avenue Q!

Only a couple of minutes before I got the robe I had pretty much refused to participate in a theatre activity (with reason though, as my make up usually takes anywhere from 45-60 minutes and it was only 30 minutes before the show started), and I had been stern with the asm and teared up at my station. I did not feel like I exemplified a wonderful theatre spirit at that time. I accepted the robe and apologized to a couple of people that had witnessed my embarrassing moment.

I am extremely excited though to attach something to the robe, I just need to think of what it could be - The show is called "The Fantasticks" and when I first auditioned for it back in High school someone asked "what's a Fanta Stick?" so maybe I could take the drumsticks in the show and put Fanta soda labels on them? Um, no... that would be too cheesy. This show is so beautiful, I have to do something that reflects that beauty. I'll think of something.

Meanwhile, I know my friend Meghan LOVES this commercial to death, so since we're on the topic, I'll post it!

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