Our beautiful show has closed! I tried very hard to to think of what to say about my feelings about this. But, as hard as I try, Puck's words are better than mine:

• "If we have unearned luck
• Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue,
• We will make amends ere long;
• Else the Puck a liar call;
• So, good night unto you all.
• Give me your hands, if we be friends,
• And Robin shall restore amends."

Then again, as Juliet said;

"Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow."

:)

Let me tell you something, it's not easy being a virgin in Athens these days. My dad wants me to marry this guy who was totally hitting on my best friend last week! What am I supposed to do? I'm in love with Lysandra, and if daddy doesn't like it I'm just going to have to elope. It's a perfectly reasonable solution; lots of people do this. There are so many successful couples that ran off together... um... like that guy and gal from Verona? Totally cute, right? You're definitely invited to the big day - once we figure out the details. Right now I need to figure out what to wear on a hike through the woods so that I look good but also chaste. You can find my bridal registries are on West Elm and Tiffany, nothing too fancy you know?

The causes of death in Shakespeare’s plays are numerous. Almost half the characters who die are stabbed; the next largest group are beheaded, and the next poisoned. Several characters die of shame and quite a few are hanged. Some die of grief and one of insomnia. One is torn apart by a mob, one eaten by a bear, one baked in a pie, one is bitten by a snake and one even dies of indigestion.

What have I been up to??

Writing, fine tuning, and loving the delicious torture of creating my interlude. Hard work such as a bellows mender!

Look at the picture--- Here I am in my super cute outfit, tinkering and tailoring my craft.

Two of the things don't apply to me . Can you guess?? (Think lower left).

Well I must tarry, and weave and join my writing work.

Oh, and, please meet us in Alameda. All weekends in May to enjoy my interlude.

Until then...til all truth be made plain.

Hippolyta! Oh, how we fight!

Vases are smashed, windows are broken, clothing is rent. But then we embrace and right there on the floor, among the debris, we have the hottest...

Philostrate! Stop your gawking and blow your horn someplace else!

Hello! It’s Peter Quince and I’m back to talk to you wonderful people.

You may be wondering of so many things in my life. Where shall I begin?...

My interlude is coming along very well. The actors are working so hard! I can’t wait to present it all weekends in May at various parks around the town of Alameda. We were just at Franklin Park a few days ago where my actors practiced away in a marvelous convenient place to rehearse.

I am asked all of the time what your favorite thing is about being a director and what is your least favorite thing.

Favorite: wearing a beret ( I have three! ) and showing off my shiny curls! It adds to ones je ne sais quoi; don’t you agree?

Least favorite: Actors not knowing their lines. It’s Ninus’ tomb!! , not Ninny’s tomb.; and it’s odours, not odious.

One must practice, practice, practice, and work oh so hard to be an actor.

See you all in the merry month of May!

• In this play A Midsummer Night's Dream,
• I play 3 parts or so it seems,
• A weaver, actor and a donkey,
• Whose head we hope is minimally wonky,
• Friends call me Nick and not to boast,
• But I'm the butter on your toast,
• Which is to say my thespian skills,
• Will cause some tears to well and spill,
• And stir your heart and move you so,
• You'll tell your friends that they must go,
• And see our play, Pyramus and Thisbe,
• A great piece of work writ by our Quincy,
• The costumes shall be quite divine,
• At least the star, which means that mine,
• Shall fit and flatter upon the stage,
• As I both sing and speak with rage,
• And move you with my eloquent speech,
• The kind that your dear heart will reach,
• To where you'll cry,"Let him speak again,"
• Which I shall do my audience friend.
• I thank thee for reading these silly rhymes,
• Come back for more at a later time.

My cast-mate, Benji at rehearsal. See the video below :)

Hey Blog Readers! Like Puck (and other Shakespeare characters) I’m here to break the 4th wall with some behind the scenes stuff about what goes into stage managing.

The stage manager is the to keep everything running smoothly and to do that I need quite a bit of gear!

Most important is my script binder, it’s where I take most of my production and blocking notes, these notes can be referenced in later rehearsals in case of confusion and for continuity.

Those in script notes a taken on color coded sticky notes. Scenes can change on a whim so to keep my script relatively neat I use sticky notes.

I take my more general notes in my notebook, my personal preference is composition books. I’ve used this current one for the past three years and for various projects.

Another personal preference, but I always take notes in pencil so I can erase as needed.

My last note taking apparatus is my laptop, which I use to update our various notes spreadsheets and to send out emails.

I also keep a tape measure with me for rehearsal space set up. We use spike tape to mark the outlines of our acting space.

And of course I have my water bottle!

Could you comprehend the stress that I am under? Hast thou any idea what weight rests upon my shoulders? Tis absolutely unfair to claim that I am not taking our relationship seriously. I am absolutely taking our relationship seriously.

I am also taking the mortal's relationship seriously. How couldst I focus on us knowing how they suffer? We are timeless but they have such little lives- Such fleeting moments upon this earth. They need our help.

And yes- I am capable of taking it all seriously all at the same time. But the mortals will die. Time is of the essence here! I pray thee, have some patience. The seasons are fine... Mostly...

I'm certainly taking this seriously- It's Puck who isn't. I'm not deflecting- It's all Puck's doing. I am absolutely in control.

With love,

-Oberon, Lord of Faeries

I’ve written a new play if you will know! “The Most Lamentable Comedy, and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe”. It will be performed throughout the island city of Alameda weekends in May. The most fit actors in all of Athens will play in my interlude. Snug, the Joiner, Robin Starveling, the Tailor, Tom Snout, the Tinker, Frances Flute, the bellows-mender, and , well, my dear friend and mentor, William Shakespeare, told me never to name-drop, but, we have --- Nick Bottom, the weaver, in one of the key roles. So, please be merry and join us!

More details to come!

Through my blog I will let you into all of my theatrical know-how and ways.

Through my directorial techniques, you’ll learn how to constructively criticize an actor without shredding them to bits.

Through my writing techniques, you’ll learn how to keep the Duke, the Duchess, and all of the Court enrapsured.

Through my acting techniques, you’ll learn how to move storms and condole in some measure.

I’ll teach you to:

• Attempt a new accent in a public place.
• Act like you constantly have an audience.
• Perform a one-person show at home to whomever will watch.

WHAT IF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM WASN'T ACTUALLY A DREAM?

Our nuptial hour draws on apace! Four happy days bring in another moon. But, Philostrate, my usual manager of mirth, lingers my desires in his arrangements for wedding entertainment. I wished for the DJ simply known as "Bard", but methinks he is in league with some rude mechanicals to bring forth a tedious brief scene of some sort. Fie on you, Philostrate!

I’ll beat thee, but I would infect my hands.