Embracing Life

Torrid Affaire opened this past weekend. Opening night was nearly sold out, it was incredible. The amount of love and support this show and I have received is truly amazing. I've said this before on this blog but it's worth saying again, I do really believe that I have a charmed and magical life here. It's something I probably dreamed about as a kid, not this exactly, but something similar. Surrounded by friends, doing something you love doing, in general being in love with life. And at this moment I truly am in love with life!

It's taken me a while to say that and the road to get there has definitely not always been smooth, but now that I've found that place I want to cling to it and never let it go. I don't plan on seeing it leave anytime soon, but I've discovered that pure contentment can be elusive and it doesn't always come in the form you think it will come in. I've learned you have to search for it, dig it out and then truly revel it in it. I'm beginning to see that the more you embrace happiness and contentedness the longer it stays and the easier it is to find again.

Everything I have here in LA, my roommates, my incredible friends, my jobs (both paying and non-paying), my adorable kittens, the creative outlets, all this has fallen into place as I settle into my early thirties. I have embraced this life and it has embraced me. It's an incredible feeling.

I received my first directing review this week. It was filled with exclamation points and while the grammar may not be the best it was kind and complementary. I'm posting it below so there will be a record of it somewhere. It won't be the last review with my name attached as director.

While I'm not giving up stage and production managing I have absolutely fallen hard for directing. When I was acting back in December I never felt "it." I kept waiting for the excitement, the "thing" whatever it is that actors crave, that makes them want to go out on stage every night. I never really understood it until now. Acting didn't do it for me, but directing does, I finally know what the "it" is!

Torrid Affaire Review:

Theatre Unleashed presents Andrew Moore's comedy TORRID AFFAIRE, a rather playful romp about a group of five women as they gather together to torment one another as they face their own personal selves.
The setting is a rather shabby yet comfortable living space. A group of five twenty-something women meet for a "Torrd Affaire" party. This sort of party is related to a Tupperware event. However, the products shown are not meant to hold leftovers. These products are more of a sensual nature that range from body oils, scented candles, outerwear, and even battery operated "toys" one can't find at Toys R Us! As the leader of this group offers what's available, every one of these woman reveal a few secrets! Among the tales and stories that are told, this little evening comes out toward its end--and perhaps with a few of these personal devices falling into the hands (among other places) of these ladies!
This play is very funny and witty, full of smart lines that one can relate to especially if one is of the demographic as depicted on stage. Sure, the humor becomes "blue" in nature at times, but it's more geared toward playfulness that something rather offensive! The cast of players that depict the five, consisting of Taryn Chaifetz as Molly, Darci Dixon as Melanie, Ana Therese Lopez as Charlene, Annamarie Mignini as Camille, and Katie Sikkema as Esther, hold their charm as robust and as the post-modern people that they are. They aren't sappy, but they do know what's going on! Erin Scott is on helm as director of this one-act play that appeals to all!
Also seen within the cast is Joshua Morrison as Jonah, the humble "man servant" that is a modest milquetoast that is ironically, the only male character in this play!
It's been a well known fact that when the girls get together, anything goes--or almost anything anyway! TORRID AFFAIRE is a little comic gem that is short and sweet. In addition, it's naughty yet nice indeed! Oh, yes...it's also for mature audiences only! But you already knew that! (Right?)

TORRID AFFAIRE, presented by Theatre Unleased and performs at The Sherry Theatre, 11052 Magnolia Blvd. (east of Lankershim Blvd), North Hollywood, until March 6th. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights @ 8:00 PM. Reservations and information, call (818) 849-4039. Visit the website at http://www.TheaterUnleased.com
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ACCESSIBLY LIVE OFF-LINE

(Vol. 15-No. 8-Week of February 22nd, 2010)

Today We Fight

This will tell you my state of mind, I woke this morning with two phrases from movies playing in my head. The first one, “Take it to the mattresses.” While I know that it originally comes from The Godfather, in my head it was coming from You’ve Got Mail. Hey -- I’m a girl alright, cut me some slack. The second was “Today We Fight.” It’s part of a longer monologue that has been playing in my head today. I’ve already divulged that I am a bit of a Lord of The Rings geek, so get ready – this will only confirm that for you. In Return of King, Aragorn is leading what is left of the armies of men to the Black Gate to what they believe is certain death. In his speech he says, “there may come a day when the bonds of men come crashing down, but it is not this day, today we fight.”

Now this may be a dramatic, but I was sleeping and it’s what my brain came up with. That phrase though, “Today we fight” has become my mantra of the day. Due to sensitive issues I can’t really explain the details, but it has been a day to fight for something worth fighting for, to believe in something that grew from excitement and passion and to realize that it will be alright. And it will be alright, I said to someone in the past 24 hours, we are tornado proof, we may shift around a bit and shake a little during the actual storm, but we’ll still be standing once the clouds disappear. And what’s more we’ll be all the stronger for it.

Listerine

Yesterday I was rinsing out travel size Listerine bottles to make prop body oils for Torrid Affaire. I realized that the smell of Listerine reminds me of my grandfather. It was an odd realization. A certain smell so clearly identified with a person. The memories of him were so strong. My grandfather, Jeremiah Kennedy, Boppy to me, was truly an amazing man. He was married to my grandmother for over 50 years. Together they raised my mom and my aunt, over the course of those 50 years he suffered from an eye condition that eventually caused him to lose his sight. He was a talented vocalist. He had strong opinions, was very intelligent and he was one of my biggest cheerleaders. He always wanted to know what I was doing, how I was doing and no matter what I said, his response would always be, "well you certainly are busy out there, keep it up, we are proud of you."

My grandfather died four ago. So much has happened in those four years. The biggest change occurred just 6 months after he passed away, that's when I was asked to stage manage for the first time. It's when the pieces of the puzzle that make up my life in Los Angeles all started to come together to form this amazing life that I truly love.

I know that when I moved here six years ago my grandparents were a bit worried. Why would I give up a nice teaching position with a nice income in a nice midwest town to move to Los Angeles? I know to them my decisions probably didn't make sense, but my grandfather never expressed any of that doubt, not to me anyway. I wish I could tell him everything that has happened in the past four years. I know what his response would be, "well you certainly are busy out there, keep it up, we are proud of you." I also know that where ever he is, he is probably saying that anyway!

As I get ready to add the word director to the long list of things I've done in the past four years, I wish I could tell him about it. While he may not have appreciated the subject matter of Torrid Affaire, I know he would be proud of me.

Even after four years I still miss hearing those fifteen words, "well you certainly are busy out there, keep it up, we are proud of you." I know they may not sound like much but they were full of love.

It's funny how a smell can bring up some many emotions and memories isn't?

A Whirlwind...

Life is crazy right now. Torrid Affaire is in full rehearsal mode. We open two weeks from this past Friday. We'll be adding props this week! Last night was our third successful 24 hour festival, Sex, Love, Rock n' Roll and Beer: A Day if the Life of Cupid. I am constantly amazed at the enormous amount of talent Theatre Unleashed possesses. Each play was well written, the actors were off book and our host was fantastic. A good night of great theatre.

Today I wrote my director's statement for the Torrid Affaire program and thought I would share it here:

"Directing -- it's not a word that was ever supposed to be next to my name, and yet here it is. I blame -- no I think our Associate Artistic Director Jacob Smith and our president and the writer of Torrid Affaire, Andrew Moore for this. In the past eight months I had two conversations that led to the reason why the "directed by Erin Scott" appear in our program. Eight months ago Jake asked if I would consider not only being his stage manager but also being his Assistant Director. I believe my first response went something like "Really? Me? Um...okay." And then the fear set in. I'm not a director, how could I possibly be any use to him that way. Rehearsals started, it took me several weeks to feel even slightly comfortable, but Jake was patient and let me find my directing style. At that point I knew I was hooked.

The second conversation happened in December. Andrew and I were cleaning the lobby and he mentioned he had found the perfect person to direct Torrid Affaire. He then told me he thought I should do it. Me? Really a full length play? I said yes and started on a whirlwind journey that led us to tonight. While directing Torrid Affaire the voices of Jake, Andrew, Carlos and Jeff all great directors I've stage managed for were constantly in the back of my head. The four of them along with several others are truly responsible for the words, "director, Erin Scott." I hope you have as much fun watching Torrid Affaire as I had directing. Thank you for coming and enjoy the show!"