So, apparently I haven't blogged in a month. Bad Jo. Very bad Jo. There are reasons for this though. Reasons, not excuses.
I am not even going to TRY to sum up the last month. But I will try to mention some of the major highlights (or lowlights).
Highlight-
I have a mattress and a box spring and a squishy mattress enhancer too! I have never had a mattress enhancer before, and I am loving it. It is almost TOO comfy.
Lowlight-
I am poor. Well...honestly, this is nothing new. I have always been relatively poor. I just hate having to live paycheck to paycheck and not being able to save anything. And the fact that loans are starting to rear their ugly (yet inevitable) heads. I freak out every time I look at my bank account and count up all the things I need to pay: Rent, gas, and food are the main things. But then there's loans coming up, I could really use a new winter jacket since mine is lost somewhere in my parents' basement in Colorado, and I could use some gloves and a hat (also apparently in Colorado), would really like to get shelves and a dresser for my room (though I am making do with my stuff spread around the room and in boxes) and wouldn't mind being able to get Christmas gifts for people and plane tickets to Colorado for January. Some of these things may not be NECESSITIES, but that winter coat and gloves/hat will be necessary VERY soon. Remember, I live in Wisconsin. It is now mid-November and we have had no real snowfall yet. But this will change all too soon.
Highlight-
To help combat my "poorness" I have been trying to find ways to make $ even though I don't have time to get a second job (Since She Loves Me takes up a lot of the time I would have for a second job). I found this new art website called Art-City.org. Their goal is to get coverage of the art scene in every major city in the US, written by artists and art appreciators alike. Well- I am a PERFORMING artist, and I love other forms of art as well. So, I asked if I could write for their new Madison part of the website. They said "sure"! So, I have interviewed one artist and have a few other artists in the works to write articles on. I only get paid $10 per article. But still, $10 is $10. And not only do I get paid, I also get published (on the web) and experience in article writing (something I have been wanting to try to break into). So, money for something I have always wanted to do....WIN! I also booked another modeling gig for Winnebago Studios next month. So that should be fun.
Lowlight-
I have done a really good job at recruiting volunteers for special events. But in terms of volunteers who come at least once a week? Not so great. I have tried a lot of things- contacted student groups both at colleges and high schools, hung up signs in community areas, asked coworkers if they know anyone, slid flyers under doors, asked parents...I am out of ideas.
Highlight-
The kids LOVED our first off site volunteer project. We went to UW the day before the election to encourage people to get out and vote the next day. The kids really loved it. Made me happy.
Lowlight-
Because of money issues and certain other failures, I find I am lacking motivation of late. I felt very low in October. Not all the time, mind you. But a lot of the time. It resulted in my being sad a lot too. Poor Ben had to help me through a lot of yucky emotional things I was going through. I still have trouble from time to time. Luckily, I have him to help me deal with it. Even if he can't necessarily fix everything, he can at least help me figure it out or be someone to sympathize with me.
Highlight-
I am taking steps to make this "thing" go away. Part of that was getting these side opportunities to make money. Part of it is trying to stay focused on things. But I think the biggest part is making myself busy. I hate being bored. When I get bored, I get lazy. When I get lazy, I get bored. And it is just a never ending cycle. I much prefer to have my time filled. Makes me feel more productive and fulfilled. So. I am writing about artists. Which also means I get to go places, see things, meet people- fun stuff! I am going to do more sitting at Winnebago. I am going to the Women's Expo on Saturday. Rehearsals are going to start filling even MORE of my time. I am going to work harder to recruit volunteers. And I talk to/visit Ben whenever I can. Because he is amazing at making me happy. I will try to get a real second job come January. It will be okay.
Other than that: Family Stuff (my baby brother is sick, boo. We'll have to see what happens with that.); The Election- Four more years of Obama! (Hey, he supports the Arts and Education and more affordable Health Care...not mad about it!); Skyfall (The new James Bond movie. Went to see it with Ben. And...I was impressed!); Pinterest (I got one. I am thinking of starting a blog/vlog series called: Johanna does things on Pinterest. That way, I actually try the stuff I pin.); AmeriCorps opening ceremonies (tomorrow. Should be interested. Should also be going to bed, so I can survive!); She Loves Me (Going swell! Getting acquainted with people and having fun getting to sing and dance a little.)
Next blog- Thanksgiving? (With Ben's extended family...this should be a fun one.)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Birthday fun and more
The last week has seemed so much longer than a week. I can't believe it was only last weekend that I was in Point with Ben for his birthday. Each time we leave it each other, it seems to get harder and harder. I suppose we will get used to it. And, really, compared to this summer when we were 10 hours apart for 3 months and I had almost no cell phone reception, I think we can survive being 2 hours away with the option of texting or calling basically whenever we want. And...we do a lot of that. Everyday we talk on the phone at least once, even if it is only for 15 minutes when Ben is driving from his day job to his karaoke job. And we text a lot too. Good thing I have unlimited text! :) We are doing really well though. Making it through our own way.
Anyway, last weekend I went to Point to celebrate his birthday. He worked everday, so I only really got to see him in the evening. But oh well- such is life. I loved getting to spend time with him. He had to work karaoke the night of his birthday, so I ended up spending Friday evening at Pete's Sportsbar and ended up having a pretty good time, except when I got pretty tired toward the end of the night. The next day, I was able to give him his birthday presents- all beer themed! Now, I'm not trying to promote alcoholism or anything, but Ben just really likes beer! It included a Point Brewery t-shirt, a special beer glass I saw him eyeing in Nebraska, and a growler of an O'so Brewery beer which is the brewery about 5 minutes from his apartment that he can have refilled with a new beer whenever he goes. I consider myself a pretty cool girlfriend for this idea. Then his friends delivered Ben's new (new to him anyway, it is actually kind of old) couch and took the other one. It is a longer and comfier couch and that also meant his futon was banished to the garage. It's L shaped and takes up a good portion of the living room. We were also able to go out for dinner to the Amber Grill thanks to a little extra money from my mom for the occasion. It was nice, because we very rarely get to go out to dinner, especially to a nicer place like Amber Grill. So we quite enjoyed that. When dinner was over, we discussed what we should do for the rest of our evening. We decided to go back to his apartment and watch a movie with some popcorn. We needed to go get more popcorn from a grocery store, so I made a suggestion that we should get some apple cider and heat it up on the stove. Ben agreed that this was a good idea so we set off to get some cider and popcorn! We then heat it up and enjoyed the movie Step Brothers with our hot cider and buttery popcorn. We also had some wonderful chats as we lay on the couch- Me on one part of the L, Ben on the opposite part of the L, and sharing a pillow that sat in the corner where both L's met. It was kind of adorable. We both ended up falling asleep sometime in the middle of the movie. It was just so comfy and warm with the cider, that we ended up falling asleep and waking up at the end of the movie! Kind of funny; definitely adorable. Sunday was spent relaxing and soul searching about my housing choices. When Ben got done with work, we were back at his place and he surprised me with...MORE CIDER! So we drank that while watching The Office. Then we ordered some Chinese food for dinner. After dinner, it was time for me to hit the road back to Madison. So we said goodbye for now.
I ended up choosing the house with the art teacher- Elizabeth. It was a good choice, and I was able to negotiate for a little cheaper rent. I signed a lease and moved in Saturday afternoon! No furniture, so I am sleeping on an air mattress for the time being and my stuff is pretty much just pushed to the walls. I unpacked most of my clothes as I do have a closet and a little linen closet in my room. I also unpacked some happy things I can look at and remember that I am loved and blessed. Like all my picture frames, my jewelry boxes, and some odds and ends from Ben, Catherine, and others. I knew for sure I was in the right place when I walked into my room and there was a vase with some pretty flowers from Elzabeth and a card that read "Welcome to your new home." She really does seem super nice and I hope it continues to go well. Although, I will say that being in such an empty room makes me miss people even more. But that's okay. I have already talked out a few of my bedding options with Ben and we are gonna figure something out for me.
Oh yes- Also, I got cast in a show here in Madison! It will be with the Four Seasons Theatre. I will be in the Ensemble for She Loves Me. We start rehearsals at the end of the month! Yay! I also got invited to second callbacks for Avenue Q, which will take place sometime in the next two weeks.
The last week kind of swung between being busy and slow. I went to a few trainings which were okay. I am getting to know my coworkers a little better which is nice. I have started tutoring (FINALLY!) and I have also started planning one of my service learning projects! AACE (the afterschool program) starts tomorrow. We are all nervous. We are a bit understaffed, so hopefully it will run smoothly despite that fact. I am excited that things will start to pick up soon, though. I don't like being bored and I work better when things go at a faster pace. Oh...and....this might be a little awkward but...I DON'T CARE! I am proud of this- I posed for a figure art class....nude. Yup. My first fully nude public appearance. It was four hours of posing. We would do it in increments. 20 minutes and then a five minute break over and over again except in the middle where I got a 20 minute break. Honestly- it was an amazing experience and I am very proud of myself for officially overcoming one aspect of being a performer. There were some really amazing artists there. Some of them did drawings either with charcoal or pencil and some did paintings either with oils or water color. I was amazed at their work. Some chose to do full body, but some decided to do portaits either from the wasit up or just the shoulders up. One guy did one full body and TWO portaits. They really liked me as a model. Said my lines and angles were fascinating, really unique, and beautiful. One girl, who was from Russia, said I was beautiful and that it was an honor to paint me. She did an AMAZING oil painting of me. An Asian woman did an amazing drawing of me that made me look like I was made of glass or porcelein or something. The guy who did three drawings of me said he was excited at having such an interested, good model. The lead guy of the studio said I made a great model for art because of my fascinating features. My favorite was this man who did a gorgeous water color painting of me. He and the Russian girl not only captured my features, but also seemed to capture my "essence" and personality. They were all super friendly, thanked me a lot, and talked to me about my life, why I was in Madison, what I do, and THEATRE! Really, I loved the experience even though I was really tired after having to hold that same pose for 4 hours. But it was an easy $50 with fabulous people and an enlightening experience. I wish I could tell 13 year old Johanna, 16 year old Johanna, and even 21 year old Johanna that her features are beautiful and that people would be honored to paint her one day. This experience not only built up my confidence, but also made me feel like an artist again myself. I told them I would do it again whenever they need me. :)
Sorry if that was awkward for any of you (particularly if you are a family member). Just know, that I am safe and had an amazing time!
Things I have done in my new house:
Pet the dog a lot (her name is Mai Yia and she is a grey miniature poodle)
Watched Princess Bride
Watched Mulan
Cooked
Slept on my air mattress
Talked to Elzabeth
Listened to and watched the rain pour outside (it has rained allllll weekend!)
Listened to Mumford and Sons and other lovely musical artists
Looked up lots of furniture options
Talked to Ben...a lot.
Decided to wear hats...like....constantly...like....I think I have spent about 2 hours tops without a hat on since moving in here
Next blog....um.....I don't know. I am thinking of maybe doing a video blog (vlog)? I dunno....we'll see.
Anyway, last weekend I went to Point to celebrate his birthday. He worked everday, so I only really got to see him in the evening. But oh well- such is life. I loved getting to spend time with him. He had to work karaoke the night of his birthday, so I ended up spending Friday evening at Pete's Sportsbar and ended up having a pretty good time, except when I got pretty tired toward the end of the night. The next day, I was able to give him his birthday presents- all beer themed! Now, I'm not trying to promote alcoholism or anything, but Ben just really likes beer! It included a Point Brewery t-shirt, a special beer glass I saw him eyeing in Nebraska, and a growler of an O'so Brewery beer which is the brewery about 5 minutes from his apartment that he can have refilled with a new beer whenever he goes. I consider myself a pretty cool girlfriend for this idea. Then his friends delivered Ben's new (new to him anyway, it is actually kind of old) couch and took the other one. It is a longer and comfier couch and that also meant his futon was banished to the garage. It's L shaped and takes up a good portion of the living room. We were also able to go out for dinner to the Amber Grill thanks to a little extra money from my mom for the occasion. It was nice, because we very rarely get to go out to dinner, especially to a nicer place like Amber Grill. So we quite enjoyed that. When dinner was over, we discussed what we should do for the rest of our evening. We decided to go back to his apartment and watch a movie with some popcorn. We needed to go get more popcorn from a grocery store, so I made a suggestion that we should get some apple cider and heat it up on the stove. Ben agreed that this was a good idea so we set off to get some cider and popcorn! We then heat it up and enjoyed the movie Step Brothers with our hot cider and buttery popcorn. We also had some wonderful chats as we lay on the couch- Me on one part of the L, Ben on the opposite part of the L, and sharing a pillow that sat in the corner where both L's met. It was kind of adorable. We both ended up falling asleep sometime in the middle of the movie. It was just so comfy and warm with the cider, that we ended up falling asleep and waking up at the end of the movie! Kind of funny; definitely adorable. Sunday was spent relaxing and soul searching about my housing choices. When Ben got done with work, we were back at his place and he surprised me with...MORE CIDER! So we drank that while watching The Office. Then we ordered some Chinese food for dinner. After dinner, it was time for me to hit the road back to Madison. So we said goodbye for now.
I ended up choosing the house with the art teacher- Elizabeth. It was a good choice, and I was able to negotiate for a little cheaper rent. I signed a lease and moved in Saturday afternoon! No furniture, so I am sleeping on an air mattress for the time being and my stuff is pretty much just pushed to the walls. I unpacked most of my clothes as I do have a closet and a little linen closet in my room. I also unpacked some happy things I can look at and remember that I am loved and blessed. Like all my picture frames, my jewelry boxes, and some odds and ends from Ben, Catherine, and others. I knew for sure I was in the right place when I walked into my room and there was a vase with some pretty flowers from Elzabeth and a card that read "Welcome to your new home." She really does seem super nice and I hope it continues to go well. Although, I will say that being in such an empty room makes me miss people even more. But that's okay. I have already talked out a few of my bedding options with Ben and we are gonna figure something out for me.
Oh yes- Also, I got cast in a show here in Madison! It will be with the Four Seasons Theatre. I will be in the Ensemble for She Loves Me. We start rehearsals at the end of the month! Yay! I also got invited to second callbacks for Avenue Q, which will take place sometime in the next two weeks.
The last week kind of swung between being busy and slow. I went to a few trainings which were okay. I am getting to know my coworkers a little better which is nice. I have started tutoring (FINALLY!) and I have also started planning one of my service learning projects! AACE (the afterschool program) starts tomorrow. We are all nervous. We are a bit understaffed, so hopefully it will run smoothly despite that fact. I am excited that things will start to pick up soon, though. I don't like being bored and I work better when things go at a faster pace. Oh...and....this might be a little awkward but...I DON'T CARE! I am proud of this- I posed for a figure art class....nude. Yup. My first fully nude public appearance. It was four hours of posing. We would do it in increments. 20 minutes and then a five minute break over and over again except in the middle where I got a 20 minute break. Honestly- it was an amazing experience and I am very proud of myself for officially overcoming one aspect of being a performer. There were some really amazing artists there. Some of them did drawings either with charcoal or pencil and some did paintings either with oils or water color. I was amazed at their work. Some chose to do full body, but some decided to do portaits either from the wasit up or just the shoulders up. One guy did one full body and TWO portaits. They really liked me as a model. Said my lines and angles were fascinating, really unique, and beautiful. One girl, who was from Russia, said I was beautiful and that it was an honor to paint me. She did an AMAZING oil painting of me. An Asian woman did an amazing drawing of me that made me look like I was made of glass or porcelein or something. The guy who did three drawings of me said he was excited at having such an interested, good model. The lead guy of the studio said I made a great model for art because of my fascinating features. My favorite was this man who did a gorgeous water color painting of me. He and the Russian girl not only captured my features, but also seemed to capture my "essence" and personality. They were all super friendly, thanked me a lot, and talked to me about my life, why I was in Madison, what I do, and THEATRE! Really, I loved the experience even though I was really tired after having to hold that same pose for 4 hours. But it was an easy $50 with fabulous people and an enlightening experience. I wish I could tell 13 year old Johanna, 16 year old Johanna, and even 21 year old Johanna that her features are beautiful and that people would be honored to paint her one day. This experience not only built up my confidence, but also made me feel like an artist again myself. I told them I would do it again whenever they need me. :)
Sorry if that was awkward for any of you (particularly if you are a family member). Just know, that I am safe and had an amazing time!
Things I have done in my new house:
Pet the dog a lot (her name is Mai Yia and she is a grey miniature poodle)
Watched Princess Bride
Watched Mulan
Cooked
Slept on my air mattress
Talked to Elzabeth
Listened to and watched the rain pour outside (it has rained allllll weekend!)
Listened to Mumford and Sons and other lovely musical artists
Looked up lots of furniture options
Talked to Ben...a lot.
Decided to wear hats...like....constantly...like....I think I have spent about 2 hours tops without a hat on since moving in here
Next blog....um.....I don't know. I am thinking of maybe doing a video blog (vlog)? I dunno....we'll see.
Friday, October 5, 2012
HOUSING HELP!
I need help deciding what my next step should be in terms of
housing. If you can, read over my very fragmented, frantic, terribly written
thoughts and then add in your opinion as to what I should choose. THANKS!
Option A: The boarding house. A $405/ month sublease. Near
downtown. Just a short walk to the Capital, yet on a relatively quiet side
street, so it isn’t exactly in the middle of EVERYTHING. Older house. A little
dirty, possibly mold but not as bad as I have seen it in the past. About 15
minutes (depending on traffic) from work. The girl said I could even have her
furniture if she wanted so…no worries about finding a bed! The good things:
cheap rent, free furniture, no security deposit., all utilities (except
internet) included in rent, can move in right away. Downside: living with a
bunch of strangers, sharing kitchen/bathroom, potentially bad for my health
since it is an older building, application and application fee, parking (would
have to buy a street parking pass), landlord.
Option B: I am pretty positive I am not going to go with
this one because of its price. It would be awesome if I made just a smidgeon
more, and you really do get a lot for the price. It would be in a very
clean/modern condo that I would share with one other girl. I would be renting
from the other girl because she owns the condo. She seems relatively nice, but
I can tell it would be more of a business arrangement than anything else.
$475/month plus half of the electric bill. The rest is included. About 10
minutes to work. Includes access to a laundry room, swimming pool, and workout
center. Very nice location just across from the East Town Mall. The good
things: Only one roommate, very clean/modern, get a lot of other goodies
included, LOVE the location, renting with the person I live with so no deadbeat
landlords, could move in basically right away, a dog. The bad things: Mostly
all the hidden fees- electric (who knows how much that will be every month), I
have to pay a security deposit, application fee, no furniture (though Ben did
offer his futon he doesn’t need anymore, so I could use that for awhile!)
Option C: This is the one I am leaning towards, even though
it is a little on the more expensive side. I just have a good feeling about
this one. I would be living in a house with a very artsy, free spirited 40 year
old elementary school art teacher. She just bought the house and decided to
rent out the extra room. Very nice room. Very nice house! Very nice person! She
really wanted to get to know ME which is great. After she showed me everything,
I even stayed and talked with her for a good half hour just to talk. SHE HAS
A DOG!!! And I have had some crazy puppy fever lately. $475 flat rate, so it
includes all utilities including tv/internet. And I even talked to her about my
financial situation (not getting paid a lot/ being paid every two weeks versus a
month) and she said I split the rent into two installments every month for as
long as I needed to. That way my first check of the month wouldn’t all be going
to rent. About 10-15 minutes from work. Very quiet, residential area. Awesome
art studio and covered porch in the back. Seems very sunny and inviting. The
good things: Flexible lease dates, onsite laundry, Awesome roommate, no
landlord since I would be paying her, no application or application fees, no
security deposit, easy parking, no worrying about paying bills, I could move in
right away, a dog! The bad things: Slightly more expensive rent, being in
someone else’s house (though, she and I really did hit it off, so I feel like I
will be able to feel welcome and make myself at home), no furniture (once
again, Ben’s Futon could be of service).
Option D: Super cheap, downtown location. Young, fun
residents. Old house, but kept VERY nice and clean. Only $305 a month plus a
portion of all utilities (split between 5 roommates), with the opportunity to
rent cheap furniture from the landlords (only $5 for a bed). The landlords seem
very involved in this property, so I doubt they would be negative or deadbeat.
Sublease. About 15 minutes from work. Nice area, a short walk one of Madison’s
big lakes. The good things: Kept up nicely, onsite laundry, cheap rent. The bad
things: Wouldn’t be able to get in until late December (which means I would
need to stay with/ pay Phyllis and John at $250/month till then.), security
deposit, application/fee, parking (I would have to buy a street parking pass),
wouldn’t really know my roommates (though the girls I did meet seemed pretty
nice), paying part of the bills/worrying if the bills got paid.
These aren’t ALL of the
options. I am seeing one more today before going to Stevens
Point for the weekend. But I don’t think I am going to
take that one because it is slightly more expensive, several roommates, seems
too far away, etc. So, these are the ones I am probably going to choose from.
Difficult decision. I want to decide by Tuesday, so please comment your
opinions! Do I go with something I can get into right away? Do I sacrifice the
luxury of a clean place for cheaper rent? Do I really want to take a place I
wouldn’t be able to get into til December? Considering how much I spend on gas,
plus the fact I would need to start paying Phyllis and John for letting me
stay, plus the fact that I really want my own space- my feeling is I should
take something I can get into right away, even if it is more expensive. I love
Phyllis and John and they are amazing people, but I do need my own space and
don’t want to take advantage of their goodwill more than I need to. Plus, they
have a family member who really needs a place to stay in Madison
the next few months, too. So if I left, their family member could take my
place.
So….what do I do???
In other news (to be written about soon-ish): Auditions/
casting for shows in Madison (success!),
visiting Ben for his 28th birthday this weekend (the MOST excited),
and starting to write again.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
First 3 Weeks in Madison
I was talking to Ben just now about how I was thinking about starting to write again. About how I want to start writing articles and send them into magazines, maybe start playwriting again. And then he said "Oh you didn't tell me that. I mean, I knew about your blog thing." Oh yeah....my blog thing! I hadn't forgotten about it, I just felt like I didn't have anything to post. But, silly me, OF COURSE I HAVE STUFF TO POST! So, here it goes.
My time off after Brownville was amazing and sad all at the same time. Amazing because I got to spend time with a lot of awesome people and because I got to rest up a lot after a very busy summer. But sad because I missed my Brownville people and because I found myself losing focus. I have this tendency to lose my direction when I have too much time. This is one of the reasons I like being busy. Almost too busy. Because I don't like feeling lazy or out of touch with myself or the world.
My first two weeks were spent in Topeka, KS where I got to spend some quality time with family. I stayed at my Uncle Fred and Aunt Sandy's who were nice enough to let me crash at their home. I spent a good week recovering from Brownville and my post-Brownville sickness which was nice enough to wait until I was done performing to attack me with its sinus pressure, sneezing, stuffy nose, and general fatigue. I also had my sting to tend to. You see, a few days before Brownville was over I got stung by something and had a really bad reaction to it. It took roughly a week and a half to really clear up. In Topeka, I spent my time running little errands, hanging out with Granny and other family members, helping get everything together for her 90th birthday party, and taking a well deserved break. The party was really cool. I helped set up the picture slideshow presentation my sister made and then spent most of my time at the Guest Book telling people they should sign it, showing them where to put cards/gifts, where they could find refreshments, and just generally chatting them up about their lives and their relation to Granny (or even me!). It was a very fascinating job to have and I had a lot of fun doing it. I love talking to people, getting to know them, even if it is just for a little while. It was also great to see a lot of family I don't get to see very often. I miss the days of playing hide and seek at Jackson Family Christmas in Dave and Annette's basement. We were just passing the time until we could FINALLY pass out and open the gifts. Fond, blurry memories of days gone by.
I then spent 2 weeks in Stevens Point to spend time with my boyfriend and all my old college friends. It was so much fun. I really loved being able to spend time with them again and felt both happy and sad. Happy to see them all, happy I graduated...but sad that I couldn't have graduated with THEM! Don't get me wrong. I needed to graduate. I am glad I did. But when you are a transfer and you come in with one class, but graduate with the class ahead of you...everything just doesn't quite feel right. I liked the people I graduated with, but I never felt like I was a part of them. Probably because I wasn't. Because I was...and AM...a part of the graduating class of 2013. The class I came in with. The class I laughed with, cried with, learned with, and grew with. Oh well. Such is life. I will watch their senior year from afar with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. I will celebrate their successes and mourn their woes. I just won't be a part of them. It was really interesting to be in Point while everyone else was in the midst of classes, auditions, orientation, and moving back. Yet, I didn't have to worry about those things. I felt both free and sad. Nostalgic. Bittersweet.
I also got to spend a lot of time with Ben, which was REALLY REALLY needed after being so far apart the entire summer. I mean, we not only had to deal with being 10 hours apart, but we also had to deal with me not having any cell phone reception. And when I did, I could only call at certain times because I was so busy and the call would drop a lot since service was so terrible out there. But we made do. In fact, we did BETTER than that. He came to see me for my birthday weekend and that was absolutely AMAZING! And we tried to talk everyday. If not on the phone, then at least via Facebook message. Which is why I am so glad I live in a world where technology is on my side. So we were able to "stay close" even if we were so far apart. So when I got up to Point, it was amazing because we hadn't gotten to spend a lot of time together over the summer. But nothing felt awkward because we still talked everyday. (Gushing about to ensue...reader beware) It felt...right. Being able to hold his hand again, talk to him in person, just BE with him. Everything felt right. And now we know that with me being in Madison, I will not only have cell phone reception, but will also only be two hours away. If we can do 10 hours away with no cell phone reception for 3 months, we can certainly do 2 hours away easily. We had a great time seeing friends together, singing karaoke, touring the Point Brewery, watching movies, cooking, and just having fun!
And then I went to Madison....
I ended up not being able to find a place of my own in Madison, so for now I am staying with an acquaintance of my sister's- Phyllis, and her husband John. They also house a college graduate student named Anna, who is also new to Madison. They have been some of the most kind and generous people. Not only in terms of letting me stay at their house, join in their meals, etc. But also generous in spirit. They always ask about how my day was- rejoice in my successes, empathize with my failures. They try to help me in any way they can whether it be giving me directions, buying me food, or paying for my ticket to see a play until I can pay them back. They listen to my stories, I listen to their's. And they are FASCINATING people. I am glad I got to stay with them and though I still want to find a place of my own and one on the East side so that my drive to work isn't so long everyday, I am happy that I at least got to stay with some wonderful people in the mean time.
Work is....different. Right now, it takes a lot of self motivation. Since the program hasn't started yet, I am spending most of my time coming up with ideas for things to do once it DOES start. Lots of planning. Lots of brainstorming. As an AmeriCorps member, I have to recruit at least 20 volunteers on my own and I have to do one-on-one tutoring with at least 10 kids for an hour a week each. I can't start tutoring really until the program starts. And recruiting volunteers takes a lot of planning and navigating. I have started the volunteer recruitment process, but haven't had too much luck yet. Things will fall into place eventually. This job is going to be one of those "Figure it out as you go" jobs. But that's okay. It will all fall into place before I know it.
Madison itself...is growing on me. It, once again, did NOT make a good first impression. Streets are confusing, traffic can be difficult, and living on the west side does not make it easy when you work on the east side. However, the people are all SUPER nice and welcoming. And I am starting to figure out how to get from one place to another. So....you live, you learn.
In the meantime, I have been doing lots of things. Reading- I finished Crime and Punishment and am now on to The Princess Bride. Writing- Well...more like...planning to write. But I will get around to it soon! This blog post, for example, is a step in the right direction. Exploring- Trying to experience Madison! Auditioning- I auditioned for the Four Seasons Theatre here in Madison. I auditioned for She Loves Me and Avenue Q and got called back for both. My Ilona callback for She Loves Me was a little rough, but my Avenue Q callback for Lucy The Slut was AWESOME! So...we'll see how that turns out. I have a few other auditions in the works, so we will see what happens.
Today, a little girl at the school pointed at my mismatched socks and said "Do you think it's opposite day or something?" as she swung back and forth on the swingset. I love kids. Especially elementary age kids. It dawned on me in that moment that I am right where I need to be at this point in life.
My time off after Brownville was amazing and sad all at the same time. Amazing because I got to spend time with a lot of awesome people and because I got to rest up a lot after a very busy summer. But sad because I missed my Brownville people and because I found myself losing focus. I have this tendency to lose my direction when I have too much time. This is one of the reasons I like being busy. Almost too busy. Because I don't like feeling lazy or out of touch with myself or the world.
My first two weeks were spent in Topeka, KS where I got to spend some quality time with family. I stayed at my Uncle Fred and Aunt Sandy's who were nice enough to let me crash at their home. I spent a good week recovering from Brownville and my post-Brownville sickness which was nice enough to wait until I was done performing to attack me with its sinus pressure, sneezing, stuffy nose, and general fatigue. I also had my sting to tend to. You see, a few days before Brownville was over I got stung by something and had a really bad reaction to it. It took roughly a week and a half to really clear up. In Topeka, I spent my time running little errands, hanging out with Granny and other family members, helping get everything together for her 90th birthday party, and taking a well deserved break. The party was really cool. I helped set up the picture slideshow presentation my sister made and then spent most of my time at the Guest Book telling people they should sign it, showing them where to put cards/gifts, where they could find refreshments, and just generally chatting them up about their lives and their relation to Granny (or even me!). It was a very fascinating job to have and I had a lot of fun doing it. I love talking to people, getting to know them, even if it is just for a little while. It was also great to see a lot of family I don't get to see very often. I miss the days of playing hide and seek at Jackson Family Christmas in Dave and Annette's basement. We were just passing the time until we could FINALLY pass out and open the gifts. Fond, blurry memories of days gone by.
I then spent 2 weeks in Stevens Point to spend time with my boyfriend and all my old college friends. It was so much fun. I really loved being able to spend time with them again and felt both happy and sad. Happy to see them all, happy I graduated...but sad that I couldn't have graduated with THEM! Don't get me wrong. I needed to graduate. I am glad I did. But when you are a transfer and you come in with one class, but graduate with the class ahead of you...everything just doesn't quite feel right. I liked the people I graduated with, but I never felt like I was a part of them. Probably because I wasn't. Because I was...and AM...a part of the graduating class of 2013. The class I came in with. The class I laughed with, cried with, learned with, and grew with. Oh well. Such is life. I will watch their senior year from afar with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. I will celebrate their successes and mourn their woes. I just won't be a part of them. It was really interesting to be in Point while everyone else was in the midst of classes, auditions, orientation, and moving back. Yet, I didn't have to worry about those things. I felt both free and sad. Nostalgic. Bittersweet.
I also got to spend a lot of time with Ben, which was REALLY REALLY needed after being so far apart the entire summer. I mean, we not only had to deal with being 10 hours apart, but we also had to deal with me not having any cell phone reception. And when I did, I could only call at certain times because I was so busy and the call would drop a lot since service was so terrible out there. But we made do. In fact, we did BETTER than that. He came to see me for my birthday weekend and that was absolutely AMAZING! And we tried to talk everyday. If not on the phone, then at least via Facebook message. Which is why I am so glad I live in a world where technology is on my side. So we were able to "stay close" even if we were so far apart. So when I got up to Point, it was amazing because we hadn't gotten to spend a lot of time together over the summer. But nothing felt awkward because we still talked everyday. (Gushing about to ensue...reader beware) It felt...right. Being able to hold his hand again, talk to him in person, just BE with him. Everything felt right. And now we know that with me being in Madison, I will not only have cell phone reception, but will also only be two hours away. If we can do 10 hours away with no cell phone reception for 3 months, we can certainly do 2 hours away easily. We had a great time seeing friends together, singing karaoke, touring the Point Brewery, watching movies, cooking, and just having fun!
And then I went to Madison....
I ended up not being able to find a place of my own in Madison, so for now I am staying with an acquaintance of my sister's- Phyllis, and her husband John. They also house a college graduate student named Anna, who is also new to Madison. They have been some of the most kind and generous people. Not only in terms of letting me stay at their house, join in their meals, etc. But also generous in spirit. They always ask about how my day was- rejoice in my successes, empathize with my failures. They try to help me in any way they can whether it be giving me directions, buying me food, or paying for my ticket to see a play until I can pay them back. They listen to my stories, I listen to their's. And they are FASCINATING people. I am glad I got to stay with them and though I still want to find a place of my own and one on the East side so that my drive to work isn't so long everyday, I am happy that I at least got to stay with some wonderful people in the mean time.
Work is....different. Right now, it takes a lot of self motivation. Since the program hasn't started yet, I am spending most of my time coming up with ideas for things to do once it DOES start. Lots of planning. Lots of brainstorming. As an AmeriCorps member, I have to recruit at least 20 volunteers on my own and I have to do one-on-one tutoring with at least 10 kids for an hour a week each. I can't start tutoring really until the program starts. And recruiting volunteers takes a lot of planning and navigating. I have started the volunteer recruitment process, but haven't had too much luck yet. Things will fall into place eventually. This job is going to be one of those "Figure it out as you go" jobs. But that's okay. It will all fall into place before I know it.
Madison itself...is growing on me. It, once again, did NOT make a good first impression. Streets are confusing, traffic can be difficult, and living on the west side does not make it easy when you work on the east side. However, the people are all SUPER nice and welcoming. And I am starting to figure out how to get from one place to another. So....you live, you learn.
In the meantime, I have been doing lots of things. Reading- I finished Crime and Punishment and am now on to The Princess Bride. Writing- Well...more like...planning to write. But I will get around to it soon! This blog post, for example, is a step in the right direction. Exploring- Trying to experience Madison! Auditioning- I auditioned for the Four Seasons Theatre here in Madison. I auditioned for She Loves Me and Avenue Q and got called back for both. My Ilona callback for She Loves Me was a little rough, but my Avenue Q callback for Lucy The Slut was AWESOME! So...we'll see how that turns out. I have a few other auditions in the works, so we will see what happens.
Today, a little girl at the school pointed at my mismatched socks and said "Do you think it's opposite day or something?" as she swung back and forth on the swingset. I love kids. Especially elementary age kids. It dawned on me in that moment that I am right where I need to be at this point in life.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Brownville and Beyond
The end of Brownville was so bittersweet. I was excited to move on, start my new job, have cell phone reception. But, I was sad to leave a supportive, kind, fun group of people who became my family. I honestly have never felt so accepted by an entire group of people before. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive of each other. It was a beautiful summer full of beautiful friendships. Our shows closed, we had fun at the auction/cabaret for Founder's Day, and we worked hard to close up the theatre right. Brownville Fun Facts- The People-
Xavier (X)- The first person I truly connected with at Brownville. My Sanjar. Such an amazing voice and committed to making himself a better performer. I loved singing with him in The Apple Tree, watching his journey of character discovery in Look Who's Laughing, and seeing him take the bull by the horns as a mad scientist in The Prevalence of Mrs. Seal. Sassy and fun. Moved back to Georgia to be with his family. I hope to one day sing with him again.
Hollyann- The first one to really reach out to me. Hollyann and I bonded over our love for Musical Theatre. We would often BFA-geek out while listening to Musical Theatre tunes, talking about our favorite shows, dream roles, and fake casting various shows. We found out we both auditioned for UWSP the same day and know a girl who grew up in the same town as Hollyann and went to college with me. The girl I could talk about food, music, clothing, everything with. We had THE MOST fun rehearsing during And Then I Wrote...being crazy tired, but always having the most ridiculous fun and never ending laughter.
Mitch- Someone who I am SO GRATEFUL was in Brownville. Mitch helped keep me sane, keep me social, and was always willing to listen. Mitch has an AWESOME vlog which chronicled all the backstage, everyday activities at Brownville. http://www.youtube.com/user/beanm1?feature=g-user-u. He was always so smiley, lighthearted, kind, giving, and understanding...yet, had a sense of crazy fun as well as sarcasm that made him so unique. We also had crazy fun during And Then I Wrote both during the rehearsal process as well as making up actor challenges for our final 5 shows. I loved rocking out and having music/dance parties with this kid.
Maggie- Maggie is always so beautiful! We were callback buddies at ACTF, because I thought she looked nice. And I was right! She and I loved to be divas together- singing Celine Dion, looking at pretty dresses, dueting Take Me or Leave Me. We definitely bonded over our love for cheesy pop music (boy bands, Call Me Maybe) and could often be found having dance parties in the living room with Mitch and Rachel. We loved to boyfriend gush and talk Musical Theatre. A true friend to the end, Maggie is FIERCE!
Brian- Brian is that special kind of person who can talk to you about anything. A true theatre artist, I loved talking to him about technique, awesome scripts, reviews, anything. He is also that person who can joke about everything one moment and then be completely sentimental and sweet the next. Acting with him was a pleasure and I enjoyed bouncing my character reactions off of his. He made rehearsal unpredictable and fun. And Then I Wrote was a total trip and oh so much fun with Brian in the cast. Brian moved to New York and I can't wait to hear of his future success there.
Stephanie- Stephanie was probably the most good hearted of everyone there. She always tried to be positive, even if she wasn't in the best of moods. Oh so very talented, she brought to life difficult characters and gave them spice, dimension, and fun. A classical actress at heart, I can't wait to see how she grows in theatre and classical acting. Steph was the kind of girl who you could talk to when you were down and feel instantly better. I love this lady and can't wait to go RAAAAAAGING with her. You can check out her blog at: http://stephaniepiper.blogspot.com.
Ian- Ian was our resident one-liner guy/ nerd extraordinaire. He was quiet until BAM! he surprises you with the most witty and hilarious and random comment. Ian also brought to life some outrageous characters and had some of the funniest physicality of the season. His character in Look Who's Laughing became so iconic over the course of the season that it would often appear in real life situations usually to creep people out. Laid back and intelligent, Ian was a perfect balance to most of us loud, crazy theatre kids.
Monica- Monica was the revolutionary. She was all about fighting for her beliefs which, usually, were seen as a little outrageous to our small town theatre director. Unbelievably cool, full of culture and passion, intelligent, plus increadibly beautiful, I loved chatting with Monica about anything and everything. She is truly a supporter of the human race to become a better world and shows that in her actions. I could talk to Monica about theatre, culture, music, college, life in general and never felt judged for anything I had to say. I also loved listening to her talk about her boyfriend in a way that reminded me so much of how I felt about my boyfriend a year ago. Monica, whatever she decides to do in life, shall succeed. Cause that's just how it is going to be!
Nathan- Every group of people have to have their puppy dog, their 12 year old kid. Nathan was definitely that for our group, but also so much more. In talking to him, I found he was much more than what he portrays on the surface. He is extremely intelligent, an explorer for knowledge, and a very caring individual just searching for acceptance. He worked very hard on his characters and had quite the challenge of being in all 5 shows. He grew so much from this summer and I cannot wait to see his future success in theatre and education.
Rachel- Rachel is just about the most hilarious lady ever; but, also is kind, caring, responsible, patient, and super talented. I loved watching her build her character of Mame in Look Who's Laughing. She worked so hard on that role as well as every single one of her other roles in the theatre including Stage Managing for both Kindly Leave The Stage and The Apple Tree. An amazing actress to the core, she really committed to the work at hand, yet knew that at the end of the day we should just let things go and have a little fun. I loved having dance parties with her as she has AMAZING taste in music. She was also very keen at telling when people might be having a rough time and always reached out her hand in support.
Layne- Layne impressed me from Day One with his committment to his roles. He had some of the longest, most difficult lines in all of the plays and handled it with such professionalism. I loved watching Layne do fantastically random, hilarious things out of the blue. I also loved talking to him about his life and his love. He made me smile whenever he talked about his girlfriend and her children and how much he loved all of them. He is not only hilarious, but also a sweetheart to the core. Layne worked hard and played hard and knew how to make everyone feel welcome.
Kristen- Kristen was interesting to watch throughout the season. Her growth as an artist and a person was outstanding. She was fun to party with and was very skilled at talking to the locals. Even though she was a big city gal, she embraced the quirkiness of Brownville and even found some romance in the process. The poor gal had the difficult job of dealing with the randomness of the And Then I Wrote cast, but dealt with it very well by indulging our craziness here and there (such as singing the Sewers part of the Mario soundtrack for the doorbell).
Jarvis- Jarvis was our Technical Director and a hilarious, understanding individual. I think I can speak for our entire company when I say that this summer would have been impossible without him. He helped us through any difficulties we had in adjusting to Brownville with both sympathy and humor. He also did an amazing job designing all the sets and teaching all of us new technical things if we had little to no experience. Really- he is an AMAZING teacher. Jarvis is also now the father of a brand new baby girl, so congratulations to him!
Doc- There are so many things I could say about Doc- Our fearless leader clad in brightly colored suspenders. He loves BVT. And he loves all of us. And I know he would do anything for us and for the benefit of the theatre. He is hilarious, kind of awkward, and has a boyish sense of humor under an elderly man's exterior. He cares. He loves theatre. And he will continue to support all of us whether or not we return. What more could you ask for?
In closing- Brownville was amazing. I could not have chosen a better place for my summer. I feel empty without my theatre Family near me, but I still feel their support everyday. I still smile and laugh at memories of months ago. I cherish my time at Brownville and cannot wait to see these people, work with these people, and RAGE with these people again.
For now, I enjoyed some time in Kansas visiting with family, celebrating my Granny's 90th birthday. And now I am spending time in Stevens Point (where I went to college) visiting with friends and my boyfriend before my new, post-graduation adventure in Madison with AmeriCorps! This is just the beginning....
Xavier (X)- The first person I truly connected with at Brownville. My Sanjar. Such an amazing voice and committed to making himself a better performer. I loved singing with him in The Apple Tree, watching his journey of character discovery in Look Who's Laughing, and seeing him take the bull by the horns as a mad scientist in The Prevalence of Mrs. Seal. Sassy and fun. Moved back to Georgia to be with his family. I hope to one day sing with him again.
Hollyann- The first one to really reach out to me. Hollyann and I bonded over our love for Musical Theatre. We would often BFA-geek out while listening to Musical Theatre tunes, talking about our favorite shows, dream roles, and fake casting various shows. We found out we both auditioned for UWSP the same day and know a girl who grew up in the same town as Hollyann and went to college with me. The girl I could talk about food, music, clothing, everything with. We had THE MOST fun rehearsing during And Then I Wrote...being crazy tired, but always having the most ridiculous fun and never ending laughter.
Mitch- Someone who I am SO GRATEFUL was in Brownville. Mitch helped keep me sane, keep me social, and was always willing to listen. Mitch has an AWESOME vlog which chronicled all the backstage, everyday activities at Brownville. http://www.youtube.com/user/beanm1?feature=g-user-u. He was always so smiley, lighthearted, kind, giving, and understanding...yet, had a sense of crazy fun as well as sarcasm that made him so unique. We also had crazy fun during And Then I Wrote both during the rehearsal process as well as making up actor challenges for our final 5 shows. I loved rocking out and having music/dance parties with this kid.
Maggie- Maggie is always so beautiful! We were callback buddies at ACTF, because I thought she looked nice. And I was right! She and I loved to be divas together- singing Celine Dion, looking at pretty dresses, dueting Take Me or Leave Me. We definitely bonded over our love for cheesy pop music (boy bands, Call Me Maybe) and could often be found having dance parties in the living room with Mitch and Rachel. We loved to boyfriend gush and talk Musical Theatre. A true friend to the end, Maggie is FIERCE!
Brian- Brian is that special kind of person who can talk to you about anything. A true theatre artist, I loved talking to him about technique, awesome scripts, reviews, anything. He is also that person who can joke about everything one moment and then be completely sentimental and sweet the next. Acting with him was a pleasure and I enjoyed bouncing my character reactions off of his. He made rehearsal unpredictable and fun. And Then I Wrote was a total trip and oh so much fun with Brian in the cast. Brian moved to New York and I can't wait to hear of his future success there.
Stephanie- Stephanie was probably the most good hearted of everyone there. She always tried to be positive, even if she wasn't in the best of moods. Oh so very talented, she brought to life difficult characters and gave them spice, dimension, and fun. A classical actress at heart, I can't wait to see how she grows in theatre and classical acting. Steph was the kind of girl who you could talk to when you were down and feel instantly better. I love this lady and can't wait to go RAAAAAAGING with her. You can check out her blog at: http://stephaniepiper.blogspot.com.
Ian- Ian was our resident one-liner guy/ nerd extraordinaire. He was quiet until BAM! he surprises you with the most witty and hilarious and random comment. Ian also brought to life some outrageous characters and had some of the funniest physicality of the season. His character in Look Who's Laughing became so iconic over the course of the season that it would often appear in real life situations usually to creep people out. Laid back and intelligent, Ian was a perfect balance to most of us loud, crazy theatre kids.
Monica- Monica was the revolutionary. She was all about fighting for her beliefs which, usually, were seen as a little outrageous to our small town theatre director. Unbelievably cool, full of culture and passion, intelligent, plus increadibly beautiful, I loved chatting with Monica about anything and everything. She is truly a supporter of the human race to become a better world and shows that in her actions. I could talk to Monica about theatre, culture, music, college, life in general and never felt judged for anything I had to say. I also loved listening to her talk about her boyfriend in a way that reminded me so much of how I felt about my boyfriend a year ago. Monica, whatever she decides to do in life, shall succeed. Cause that's just how it is going to be!
Nathan- Every group of people have to have their puppy dog, their 12 year old kid. Nathan was definitely that for our group, but also so much more. In talking to him, I found he was much more than what he portrays on the surface. He is extremely intelligent, an explorer for knowledge, and a very caring individual just searching for acceptance. He worked very hard on his characters and had quite the challenge of being in all 5 shows. He grew so much from this summer and I cannot wait to see his future success in theatre and education.
Rachel- Rachel is just about the most hilarious lady ever; but, also is kind, caring, responsible, patient, and super talented. I loved watching her build her character of Mame in Look Who's Laughing. She worked so hard on that role as well as every single one of her other roles in the theatre including Stage Managing for both Kindly Leave The Stage and The Apple Tree. An amazing actress to the core, she really committed to the work at hand, yet knew that at the end of the day we should just let things go and have a little fun. I loved having dance parties with her as she has AMAZING taste in music. She was also very keen at telling when people might be having a rough time and always reached out her hand in support.
Layne- Layne impressed me from Day One with his committment to his roles. He had some of the longest, most difficult lines in all of the plays and handled it with such professionalism. I loved watching Layne do fantastically random, hilarious things out of the blue. I also loved talking to him about his life and his love. He made me smile whenever he talked about his girlfriend and her children and how much he loved all of them. He is not only hilarious, but also a sweetheart to the core. Layne worked hard and played hard and knew how to make everyone feel welcome.
Kristen- Kristen was interesting to watch throughout the season. Her growth as an artist and a person was outstanding. She was fun to party with and was very skilled at talking to the locals. Even though she was a big city gal, she embraced the quirkiness of Brownville and even found some romance in the process. The poor gal had the difficult job of dealing with the randomness of the And Then I Wrote cast, but dealt with it very well by indulging our craziness here and there (such as singing the Sewers part of the Mario soundtrack for the doorbell).
Jarvis- Jarvis was our Technical Director and a hilarious, understanding individual. I think I can speak for our entire company when I say that this summer would have been impossible without him. He helped us through any difficulties we had in adjusting to Brownville with both sympathy and humor. He also did an amazing job designing all the sets and teaching all of us new technical things if we had little to no experience. Really- he is an AMAZING teacher. Jarvis is also now the father of a brand new baby girl, so congratulations to him!
Doc- There are so many things I could say about Doc- Our fearless leader clad in brightly colored suspenders. He loves BVT. And he loves all of us. And I know he would do anything for us and for the benefit of the theatre. He is hilarious, kind of awkward, and has a boyish sense of humor under an elderly man's exterior. He cares. He loves theatre. And he will continue to support all of us whether or not we return. What more could you ask for?
In closing- Brownville was amazing. I could not have chosen a better place for my summer. I feel empty without my theatre Family near me, but I still feel their support everyday. I still smile and laugh at memories of months ago. I cherish my time at Brownville and cannot wait to see these people, work with these people, and RAGE with these people again.
For now, I enjoyed some time in Kansas visiting with family, celebrating my Granny's 90th birthday. And now I am spending time in Stevens Point (where I went to college) visiting with friends and my boyfriend before my new, post-graduation adventure in Madison with AmeriCorps! This is just the beginning....
Saturday, July 21, 2012
So much news....and a few fun Brownviille facts!
A lot can be taken out of you when you work essentiallly everyday from 9 am until 11 pm. We finally got our first day off July 9th. I went to Lincoln, NE with a couple of fellow Brownville kids. We had a lot of fun. Went to the mall, a park with a dinosaur riding a bike, and the Old Market downtown. It was a great day. My second day off was spent with my oldest brother Christopher, his wife Mary and my nephew Thomas (6), niece Elise (almost 4), and niece/ god-daughter Violet (2). They came through for the day and we walked down to the Missouri River and had a fantastic mexican dinner. We then had a bunch of performances and that Friday (July 13) I had my 24th birthday! It was exciting because my boyfriend, Ben, drove 10 hours from Wisconsin to spend the weekend with me. I had a GREAT birthday with wine, chocolate, and friends. Plus, a surprise balloon/streamer party courtesy company member Nathan. The weekend was spent doing a lot of work, but cuddling with my boyfriend whenever possible. I was just so happy to see him. After 2 months apart, we were definitely ready for our little reunion. On Monday, we made a trip to Omaha and went to the zoo as well as the Old Market downtown (different from the Old Market in Lincoln, but essentially the same type of thing). It was a fun filled day. I have always wanted to spend a birthday with a boyfriend as well as go to the zoo with a boyfriend. Lucky me, it worked out! Tuesday, we said goodbye and I dove back into work again. We had a full week of special performances and a full weekend of performances (which we are still in the midst of). It has been crazy and busy, but good. On my off time, I made a wallet out of scrap fabric. Without any help. And without a pattern. Just from my own head. It isn't necessarily the best looking, but I did a pretty good job for my first stab at it and I am super proud. Tuesday, I also had an interview for an AmeriCorps position in Madison, WI. The next day, I was offered the job and I accepted. So this fall, I will start a job with Madison School and Community Recreation (MSCR). I am very excited. It is essentially what I did the last two summers with Project Transformation in Tulsa, except it is a year long after school program instead of a summer day camp. I will also be looking for a second job to keep me afloat in Madison. And now the search for apartments is on! But I am really happy that I achieved my goal of getting an AmeriCorps job for the year so I can get myself a little more financially stable before really pursuing acting. Though, I might audition or do backstage stuff for some shows around Madison. We'll see. I was also lucky in that on Thursday, my brother Chris and his family came back through Brownville and made it in time to see me perform in the Apple Tree (though only Chris and Thomas saw it, because the girls are a little too young to sit through it). It was exciting considering Chris hasn't really seen me perform in probably about 10 years. And getting to see them again was aboslutely fantastic! YAY FAMILY!
Brownville fun fact of the day: Dogs!
We have a plethora of dogs that either roam around Brownville or are owned by theatre people. Our company favorite is probably Spook, an adorable black doggy who is owned by the ex-mayor of Brownville. She is so adorable. She herds us from the theatre, to where we eat meals, and our residence because we are her sheep. She likes to hang out by our theatre and stay cool in our shade or in the scene shop and occasionally tries to get inside. She also hangs out on the porch of our residence or by the Lyceum Restaurant (where we eat meals). She is always a delight when we see her, though she often gives us heart attacks when she runs in front of and alongside trucks and cars zooming on the streets and highway. At night, she is a born killer and will occasionally kill a rabbit or a snake in front of company members. She is very sweet to us, however, and is always ready for somebody to scratch her belly. Her main counterpart is Chocolate Dog. We don't know his name, so we just call him Chocolate Dog. He is a big, dumb, and goofy chocolate lab. Some people don't like him, but I have a soft spot in my heart for him. He likes playing with Spook, swimming in the river, following us around, trying to get people dirty, and peeing on things. He is a goof and I love it. The head of the theatre, our boss Doc, has a weiner dog named Rusty. He is only 2 years old and an absolute cutiepie. Though, he definitely plays favorites and much prefers the company of Doc than anyone else. He will often whine if Doc is away. Rusty's main thing is playing catch. He could do it all day. When he returns the ball, he places it on the ground and then nuzzles it with his nose toward whoever threw it. SO ADORABLE. He also has a habit of sitting up on his hindlegs whenever he wants to get attention. When he does this, he resembles a groundhog or something.There is also Woody, owned by our costume designer (Devon) and director of Look Who's Laughing (Josh). He is a funny hipster dog and many of the company members swear up and down that he understands the human language better than most dogs. He really likes to cuddle, which I enjoy. Along with all these dogs, there are other dogs that roam around Brownville or we have met at people's houses. Brownville is very dog friendly...and I enjoy it. I can't wait to one day have a puppy of my own! :)
Brownville fun fact of the day: Dogs!
We have a plethora of dogs that either roam around Brownville or are owned by theatre people. Our company favorite is probably Spook, an adorable black doggy who is owned by the ex-mayor of Brownville. She is so adorable. She herds us from the theatre, to where we eat meals, and our residence because we are her sheep. She likes to hang out by our theatre and stay cool in our shade or in the scene shop and occasionally tries to get inside. She also hangs out on the porch of our residence or by the Lyceum Restaurant (where we eat meals). She is always a delight when we see her, though she often gives us heart attacks when she runs in front of and alongside trucks and cars zooming on the streets and highway. At night, she is a born killer and will occasionally kill a rabbit or a snake in front of company members. She is very sweet to us, however, and is always ready for somebody to scratch her belly. Her main counterpart is Chocolate Dog. We don't know his name, so we just call him Chocolate Dog. He is a big, dumb, and goofy chocolate lab. Some people don't like him, but I have a soft spot in my heart for him. He likes playing with Spook, swimming in the river, following us around, trying to get people dirty, and peeing on things. He is a goof and I love it. The head of the theatre, our boss Doc, has a weiner dog named Rusty. He is only 2 years old and an absolute cutiepie. Though, he definitely plays favorites and much prefers the company of Doc than anyone else. He will often whine if Doc is away. Rusty's main thing is playing catch. He could do it all day. When he returns the ball, he places it on the ground and then nuzzles it with his nose toward whoever threw it. SO ADORABLE. He also has a habit of sitting up on his hindlegs whenever he wants to get attention. When he does this, he resembles a groundhog or something.There is also Woody, owned by our costume designer (Devon) and director of Look Who's Laughing (Josh). He is a funny hipster dog and many of the company members swear up and down that he understands the human language better than most dogs. He really likes to cuddle, which I enjoy. Along with all these dogs, there are other dogs that roam around Brownville or we have met at people's houses. Brownville is very dog friendly...and I enjoy it. I can't wait to one day have a puppy of my own! :)
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Catching up- 2
SO MUCH IS GOING ON!!! We had the 4th of July celebration and we got to walk/ride in the parade with the Brownville Trolley all dressed up in fun costumes. A few of us sang a few songs for the 4th Celebration ceremony- also fun. Then we had a few hours of rehearsal for Wrote and then we had the rest of the evening off (WHAT?!?!?!). So we cooked, ate, partied, watched fireworks, and shot off our own fireworks. It was super fun. This last Thursday, we opening And Then I Wrote... to a FANTASTIC audience. Friday, we opened The Prevalence of Mrs.Seal, which I do lights, sound, and costume mistress for. It is a really funny show too. Saturday and Sunday we did two performances a day, with Wrote and Apple Tree on Saturday and Kindly Leave The Stage and Look Who's Laughing on Sunday. Overall, the performances went really well. And with that- we have all 5 shows open, performed all of them in one weekend, and we finally get our first day off on Monday to explore and have fun. I am really excited for this next week. Monday, I am going to Lincoln with four of my other castmates. Tuesday, I get to see my oldest brother, his wife, and his kiddos. Wednesday, we do a special performan of Wrote. Thursday, we open for another weekend of performances. Friday is my birthday and I am getting the BEST birthday present because my boyfriend is driving 10 hours to visit me for a few days. HOORAY!!!! Then on the next Monday, my boyfriend and I will be going to Omaha to explore, have fun, AND GO TO THE ZOO!! This is going to be such an amazing week.
I really enjoy performing here at Brownville. I love performing the different shows for different reasons. Kindly is fun because it was my first show to work on here. It has a special nostalgic place in my heart. Apple Tree is fun because I get to belt my heart out in the second act and then just be RIDICULOUS in the third act. And Wrote is fun because it is such a crazy and fun script that had such a crazy and fun rehearsal process. Basically, I am just loving performing here. I also love being Script Supervisor for Laughing and Lights/Sound for Mrs. Seal. It means I never really get a break from things, but ya know....that is okay. I enjoy being busy and having my time be occupied.
I know I said a lot of things happened, but didn't post a lot. But, seriously...so much happened that I can only really sum things up...otherwise, this would be FOREVER long.
I really enjoy performing here at Brownville. I love performing the different shows for different reasons. Kindly is fun because it was my first show to work on here. It has a special nostalgic place in my heart. Apple Tree is fun because I get to belt my heart out in the second act and then just be RIDICULOUS in the third act. And Wrote is fun because it is such a crazy and fun script that had such a crazy and fun rehearsal process. Basically, I am just loving performing here. I also love being Script Supervisor for Laughing and Lights/Sound for Mrs. Seal. It means I never really get a break from things, but ya know....that is okay. I enjoy being busy and having my time be occupied.
I know I said a lot of things happened, but didn't post a lot. But, seriously...so much happened that I can only really sum things up...otherwise, this would be FOREVER long.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Brownville- Trying to Catch Up Blog 1
So....it will be impossible to be extremely detailed in the next few blogs because of the fact that I haven't been upkeeping this like I should. I still hope to give you all a taste of just how wonderful Brownville is. Because it is- wonderful! Upon arriving, I instantly had over 12 new best friends. It is quite amazing how we all mesh. Of course some people have grown closer to others over time, but I still feel accepted by this community of artists who are all dedicated to working hard toward a common goal. Over the summer, our task is to memorize and perform a rotating schedule of 4 plays and one musical. Upon my arrival in Brownville, I had to say goodbye to my brother and father right away and then immediately arrive to a music rehearsal for The Apple Tree. I was a little sick still from the New York trip, so I couldn't belt out my songs completely, but despite that, I already got a lot of compliments about my voice, which was nice. The next day, we went to Omaha to shop for the season. I hung out with my fellow costume shop girls- Monica and Steph, as well as Devon (our Costume Designer) and her husband Josh, the director for Look Who's Laughing. I really enjoyed Omaha, but that was pretty much the final time I saw civilization for the summer. We then started our rehearsal process for the summer. We started with Look Who's Laughing, directed by Josh. I was stage manager for it. It was so much fun. I got a couple of compliments about my stage managing, and that was super nice. There were a few times where I got a little frustrated or in over my head, but for my first time really stage managing, I think I did alright. We then went into rehearsals for Kindly Leave The Stage, which I have a leading role in. It is not the best script in my opinion, but we have done a pretty good job with it. It was an insane rehearsal process because we repeat a lot of the same general lines with different wording here and there, so sometimes it was hard to remember exactly where we were in the script. But we got it figured out. We then had our opening weekend for Kindly and Laughing. It was fun! I met two Pointer graduates, which was fun. We had rehearsals for The Apple Tree which is a 3 Act Musical with a different love story every act. I play Princess Barbara in the 2nd Act and a chorus member in Act Three. It is so much fun! We had a great opening for that too. Then I spent a week in the costume shop as they rehearsed The Prevalence of Mrs. Seal. I made an entire cape and a dress. Which is awesome for someone who can sew, but is not a builder. I want to go back to Point and show my costume designer what I made just so I can be like "LOOK! I CAN sew, despite the fact that you believe I suck at it." I am also doing lights and sound for Mrs. Seal, so I learned how to work a VERRRRRRY old light and sound board for that. Now, we are in rehearsals for our final show And Then I Wrote..., and we will have another weekend of performances this weekend before we open Mrs. Seal and Wrote next weekend. Staying busy, that is for sure! I am having such a great time! We work from 9 am until 11 or 11:30 every night, with only an hour and a half break for lunch and a two hour break for dinner. Sometimes we get out a little earlier, or a little later, but usually those are our times. So, that is a basic overview of my summer thus far. I will give more details and updates in the days to come. :)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Making up for lost time!
I have been so busy with....well, EVERYTHING that I haven't updated this like I should. So. This will be an update on all things New York City and Graduation so that I can get caught up to the rest of the summer....
New York City- I reported to the Noel Fine Arts Center a little before 5 AM in order to take a shuttle with the rest of my class to the airport. The first plane ride was fairly painless. After an already long layover, our second flight left an hour late. I began to feel a little sick during this flight. but I thought it was just allergies. When we landed, it felt like my ears would not pop and my own voice sounded like I was in a tunnel. We stood in line for over another hour for taxis. And then we finally made it to our hotel, which was just off of Times Square. I had a relaxing evening of Italian food (where I saw a few mini- celebs from the Late Night Show with David Letterman), tea, cold medicine, and a bath...because (surprise, surprise) I was sick.
The next day we left for Pearl Studios which is a building where they have a lot of professional auditions. While we were there, there were other schools doing showcases as well as professional auditions for Beauty And The Beast, Catch Me If You Can, and commercials. We warmed up, got pretty, and then had our first round of showcase. My scene with my classmate Zach was from Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph. My first solo was "I Did It On Rollerskates" which was cut from Funny Girl. My second solo was "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar. Everything went alright. I am glad I took the time the night before to take care of myself, because I only felt a little under the weather and everyone said that I didn't sound sick. So that is good. I then had a small lunch with an old friend of mine from my Casper College days who had moved to NY a few months ago. Katie Rhodes and I talked New York, the past, the present, the future...it was fun to see someone from way back then! We returned to do another round of showcase and then we were dismissed for the evening.
I went down to the TKTS booth in Times Square to see if I could see a show. I ended up getting a ticket to see War Horse. It was a bit of a walk from the booth to the theatre War Horse was playing. I had a lovely walk, though, and ended up eating at this lovely little bistro type restraunt. My waitress was from Moldova and knew very little about NYC. I had the best panini of my life and a cup of coffee for $12 (including tip!). I made it to War Horse and....it was just so beautiful. I am glad I saw it. The puppetry was amazing as was the acting. I cried the entire second act. Superbly written, as well. I then went back to the hotel and went to sleep.
Thursday was much of the same. Two rounds of showcase with a lunch break in between. Then after we were done, I went and had drinks with Tyler and some of my classmates at The Pod hotel and then we made our way to the irish pub where we had a Pointer reunion. It was fun to see some of the old graduates and see how they are doing and such. After leaving, Grace and Kelsey and I had some froyo and then went to bed. Friday was spent with Brynn and Lauren. We had breakfast in Central Park, then we explored Times Square. We had BBQ for lunch and then headed back to the hotel to catch our shuttle back to the airport. Then our class flew back to Wisconsin and arrived in Point around 9 pm.
My Dad and my little brother, Caleb, just got into town for my graduation as I got into town from NY. I saw and talked to them for a little bit, then hung out with my friends Emily and Michelle for a little bit before going to see my boyfriend, Ben, at Pete's Sportsbar where he dj's karaoke on Fridays. Stayed there for awhile before getting tired and hitting the hay.
Saturday was spent doing all sorts of crazy things. I had brunch with all my guys (Dad, brother, boyfriend) and then graduated. We had some yummy mexican food at the restraunt I ate at when I first moved to Point my first year. Full circle. Then we packed up the car with some of my stuff that I was sending back to Colorado. Then it was naptime, then we had ice cream at BELTS!!! Then I went to a little graduation party and said goodbye to some awesome friends. And spent some final quality time with the boyfriend before I had to leave the next day.
Sunday, I left Stevens Point. I will be back for visits (especially since Ben lives there), but I am mostly gone for good. The next 12 hours were spent driving with Dad following in the red car and Caleb and I driving in my car to Nebraska. We had a short stop in Ames, Iowa to visit my new nephew, David Michael Steffen. He was only a little over a week old and already a total cutie. He is my sister's first baby and I am so happy for her. She is already a fantastic mother. The last 10 miles to Brownville, Caleb and I witnessed an eclipse! First one I've ever seen, I think. It was pretty. And then, immediately upon arrival, I was sent to music rehearsal for The Apple Tree. So I said goodbye to my brother and father and hello to my summer in Nebraska. More on Brownville to come...
New York City- I reported to the Noel Fine Arts Center a little before 5 AM in order to take a shuttle with the rest of my class to the airport. The first plane ride was fairly painless. After an already long layover, our second flight left an hour late. I began to feel a little sick during this flight. but I thought it was just allergies. When we landed, it felt like my ears would not pop and my own voice sounded like I was in a tunnel. We stood in line for over another hour for taxis. And then we finally made it to our hotel, which was just off of Times Square. I had a relaxing evening of Italian food (where I saw a few mini- celebs from the Late Night Show with David Letterman), tea, cold medicine, and a bath...because (surprise, surprise) I was sick.
The next day we left for Pearl Studios which is a building where they have a lot of professional auditions. While we were there, there were other schools doing showcases as well as professional auditions for Beauty And The Beast, Catch Me If You Can, and commercials. We warmed up, got pretty, and then had our first round of showcase. My scene with my classmate Zach was from Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph. My first solo was "I Did It On Rollerskates" which was cut from Funny Girl. My second solo was "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar. Everything went alright. I am glad I took the time the night before to take care of myself, because I only felt a little under the weather and everyone said that I didn't sound sick. So that is good. I then had a small lunch with an old friend of mine from my Casper College days who had moved to NY a few months ago. Katie Rhodes and I talked New York, the past, the present, the future...it was fun to see someone from way back then! We returned to do another round of showcase and then we were dismissed for the evening.
I went down to the TKTS booth in Times Square to see if I could see a show. I ended up getting a ticket to see War Horse. It was a bit of a walk from the booth to the theatre War Horse was playing. I had a lovely walk, though, and ended up eating at this lovely little bistro type restraunt. My waitress was from Moldova and knew very little about NYC. I had the best panini of my life and a cup of coffee for $12 (including tip!). I made it to War Horse and....it was just so beautiful. I am glad I saw it. The puppetry was amazing as was the acting. I cried the entire second act. Superbly written, as well. I then went back to the hotel and went to sleep.
Thursday was much of the same. Two rounds of showcase with a lunch break in between. Then after we were done, I went and had drinks with Tyler and some of my classmates at The Pod hotel and then we made our way to the irish pub where we had a Pointer reunion. It was fun to see some of the old graduates and see how they are doing and such. After leaving, Grace and Kelsey and I had some froyo and then went to bed. Friday was spent with Brynn and Lauren. We had breakfast in Central Park, then we explored Times Square. We had BBQ for lunch and then headed back to the hotel to catch our shuttle back to the airport. Then our class flew back to Wisconsin and arrived in Point around 9 pm.
My Dad and my little brother, Caleb, just got into town for my graduation as I got into town from NY. I saw and talked to them for a little bit, then hung out with my friends Emily and Michelle for a little bit before going to see my boyfriend, Ben, at Pete's Sportsbar where he dj's karaoke on Fridays. Stayed there for awhile before getting tired and hitting the hay.
Saturday was spent doing all sorts of crazy things. I had brunch with all my guys (Dad, brother, boyfriend) and then graduated. We had some yummy mexican food at the restraunt I ate at when I first moved to Point my first year. Full circle. Then we packed up the car with some of my stuff that I was sending back to Colorado. Then it was naptime, then we had ice cream at BELTS!!! Then I went to a little graduation party and said goodbye to some awesome friends. And spent some final quality time with the boyfriend before I had to leave the next day.
Sunday, I left Stevens Point. I will be back for visits (especially since Ben lives there), but I am mostly gone for good. The next 12 hours were spent driving with Dad following in the red car and Caleb and I driving in my car to Nebraska. We had a short stop in Ames, Iowa to visit my new nephew, David Michael Steffen. He was only a little over a week old and already a total cutie. He is my sister's first baby and I am so happy for her. She is already a fantastic mother. The last 10 miles to Brownville, Caleb and I witnessed an eclipse! First one I've ever seen, I think. It was pretty. And then, immediately upon arrival, I was sent to music rehearsal for The Apple Tree. So I said goodbye to my brother and father and hello to my summer in Nebraska. More on Brownville to come...
Monday, May 14, 2012
My graduation letter!
Dear Family, Friends, and Teachers-
After 5 years of fun, work, and busy schedules, I am finally graduating with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre! As most of you know, I already have my Associate of Arts in Musical Theatre from my 2 years of studying at Casper College in Wyoming. After leaving Casper, I transferred to the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point and after 3 years I am now receiving my BFA. I have always been more of a personal type of girl, so instead of sending out the generic graudation announcements, I decided to send out a letter thanking the people who helped shape the last 5 years of my life. You are one of those people.
In the words of Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Now, hopefully I don't end up like Blanche. And, really, none of the people reciving this letter are "strangers." But, I can tell you that I would never have been able to achieve what I have in the last 5 years without the help of you and countless other friends, family members, and teachers. For this, I am forever in your debt and I hope you all realize what an impact you have had on my life with your kindness. Honestly, words cannot convey my gratitude.
The last 5 years has been tough, but extremely rewarding. I made many, many friends who I consider my family. I met many, many teachers, bosses, and coworkers who helped guide me down a path of professionalism. And, of course, I had my family always present to help me escape the world of school and theatre for a while, de-stress, and suppported me all throughout my decision to become a performer. My time at Casper was a whirlwind of shows, late night rehearsals, and quirky friendships. My summers were spent either touring with Gypsy Theatre Company, working at theatre camps, or doing summer stock at Big Country Dinner Theatre. Those two years helped me realize that I really, honestly want to work in theatre the rest of my life. Transferring to UWSP was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Not only did I have to figure out which credits transferred, but it was also difficult to be in a new place with new people in a state I had only been to twice. But, eventually I began to make amazing friendships that will provide useful contacts for future artistic endeavors, not to mention a whole lot of fun! At UWSP, my acting and singing developed more than I could hav ever imagined. I was tested and shaped which proved difficult at times, but has made me a stronger, more confident and inspired artist. During my summers at UWSP, I dabbled into a different side of me- The Humanitarian. I worked for Project Transformation, an AmeriCorps sponsored program that puts on a summer camp for underprivileged children. I was so blessed to spent two amazing summers with PT. Not only do I feel like I helped transform lives, but I was also transformed along the way. It also helped show me why I do theatre- to tell the storied about people, to people, and hopefully transform them. In a nutshell- that was my college experience!
Now to answer the question I have been asked ever since I declared my major- What are you going to do after graduation? And all I have to say is- THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION! Honestly, I am open to wherever the wind takes me. In my life, I have always been shown where I need to go, so I have no doubt that something will turn up. As of right now, I will be going to New York City for four days with the rest of my graduating class to audition in front of 21 agents and casting directors. After I return, I attend graduation on May 19th and am lucky enough to have both my father and younger brother, Caleb, coming to Wisconsin from Colorado to celebrate with me. Then, the very next day I drive 10 hours to Brownville, Nebraska where I will perform all summer with Brownville Village Theatre. I will be playing lead and supporting roles in 1 musical and 2 plays, as well as working backstage for two other plays. If you find yourself in southeast Nebraska, consider visiting me and seeing a play or two! My contract wih BVT ends August 14th and as of right now, I do not have anything lined up to do afterwards. However, I know I will figure something out. I have applied for a few year-long AmeriCorps jobs and am looking at applying for other "survival" jobs in larger cities. My dream would be to somehow end up in Chicago with a survival job and to start auditioning, but we will just have to see what happens. If nothing pops up, I will most likely end up back in Colorado for a little bit to save up money and eventually move. But we will see where the wind decides to take me! I enjoy adventures.
In the meantime, all I ask is for your prayers, hugs, and support as I embark on a new chapter of my life. Once again, thank you for the support you have already shown me and I hope that I will make you all proud! I am going to be starting a blog all about my life and the life of a young actor trying to make it; so, if you wish, please feel free to follow my blog and my Facebook! God's blessings to you all!
Hugs, smiles, and love!
Johanna Jackson
Dear Family, Friends, and Teachers-
After 5 years of fun, work, and busy schedules, I am finally graduating with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre! As most of you know, I already have my Associate of Arts in Musical Theatre from my 2 years of studying at Casper College in Wyoming. After leaving Casper, I transferred to the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point and after 3 years I am now receiving my BFA. I have always been more of a personal type of girl, so instead of sending out the generic graudation announcements, I decided to send out a letter thanking the people who helped shape the last 5 years of my life. You are one of those people.
In the words of Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Now, hopefully I don't end up like Blanche. And, really, none of the people reciving this letter are "strangers." But, I can tell you that I would never have been able to achieve what I have in the last 5 years without the help of you and countless other friends, family members, and teachers. For this, I am forever in your debt and I hope you all realize what an impact you have had on my life with your kindness. Honestly, words cannot convey my gratitude.
The last 5 years has been tough, but extremely rewarding. I made many, many friends who I consider my family. I met many, many teachers, bosses, and coworkers who helped guide me down a path of professionalism. And, of course, I had my family always present to help me escape the world of school and theatre for a while, de-stress, and suppported me all throughout my decision to become a performer. My time at Casper was a whirlwind of shows, late night rehearsals, and quirky friendships. My summers were spent either touring with Gypsy Theatre Company, working at theatre camps, or doing summer stock at Big Country Dinner Theatre. Those two years helped me realize that I really, honestly want to work in theatre the rest of my life. Transferring to UWSP was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Not only did I have to figure out which credits transferred, but it was also difficult to be in a new place with new people in a state I had only been to twice. But, eventually I began to make amazing friendships that will provide useful contacts for future artistic endeavors, not to mention a whole lot of fun! At UWSP, my acting and singing developed more than I could hav ever imagined. I was tested and shaped which proved difficult at times, but has made me a stronger, more confident and inspired artist. During my summers at UWSP, I dabbled into a different side of me- The Humanitarian. I worked for Project Transformation, an AmeriCorps sponsored program that puts on a summer camp for underprivileged children. I was so blessed to spent two amazing summers with PT. Not only do I feel like I helped transform lives, but I was also transformed along the way. It also helped show me why I do theatre- to tell the storied about people, to people, and hopefully transform them. In a nutshell- that was my college experience!
Now to answer the question I have been asked ever since I declared my major- What are you going to do after graduation? And all I have to say is- THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION! Honestly, I am open to wherever the wind takes me. In my life, I have always been shown where I need to go, so I have no doubt that something will turn up. As of right now, I will be going to New York City for four days with the rest of my graduating class to audition in front of 21 agents and casting directors. After I return, I attend graduation on May 19th and am lucky enough to have both my father and younger brother, Caleb, coming to Wisconsin from Colorado to celebrate with me. Then, the very next day I drive 10 hours to Brownville, Nebraska where I will perform all summer with Brownville Village Theatre. I will be playing lead and supporting roles in 1 musical and 2 plays, as well as working backstage for two other plays. If you find yourself in southeast Nebraska, consider visiting me and seeing a play or two! My contract wih BVT ends August 14th and as of right now, I do not have anything lined up to do afterwards. However, I know I will figure something out. I have applied for a few year-long AmeriCorps jobs and am looking at applying for other "survival" jobs in larger cities. My dream would be to somehow end up in Chicago with a survival job and to start auditioning, but we will just have to see what happens. If nothing pops up, I will most likely end up back in Colorado for a little bit to save up money and eventually move. But we will see where the wind decides to take me! I enjoy adventures.
In the meantime, all I ask is for your prayers, hugs, and support as I embark on a new chapter of my life. Once again, thank you for the support you have already shown me and I hope that I will make you all proud! I am going to be starting a blog all about my life and the life of a young actor trying to make it; so, if you wish, please feel free to follow my blog and my Facebook! God's blessings to you all!
Hugs, smiles, and love!
Johanna Jackson
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