Sept, 30 Sleepy Time

Good day. Good food. Good times. That's all.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Let's all fall in love."

Sept, 29 Music Makes the World Go Round

I got blisters on my fingers I was having so much fun! Highlights include getting to take a glorious nap after the show today and getting to dance with some good friends at a beautiful park listening to good music. The band is called Great Big Sea. Check them out.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Living the dream, one day at a time."

Sept, 28 Flash Mob and Piano?

Not too much to report today. The show went very well. We rehearsed a dance for a Flash Mob several of us are doing tomorrow to help advertise Dracula. I'm just sleepy and tired. Highlights include getting to make music and getting to dance.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Most people fail to realize their dreams because they don't dream big enough."

Sept, 27 Rest Rest Rest

Today was just a splendid day. I got to work up on the Light Grid for the next production here at ATL. I forgot how much I love hanging and working with the lights. I had a delicious dinner. The only down side today was this: I finally got all the numbers transfered from my old phone to my new phone, however, when the numbers came through they deleted all the numbers that I had saved on the new phone. Baby steps here.
Peace be with you
~Will
"If God had meant technology to work He wouldn't have invented pencils."

Sept, 26 Long as Day

Two shows, one potluck and a stiff right knee later and I am home again ready for bed. It has finally cooled off for what seems like good this time. I think we may actually be on our way into Fall. Today was a good day. Started off with a bang as I over slept and only gave myself 13 minutes to get dressed and downtown to the theater. But I did make it with a minute to spare. Growing up a Steele prepared me well for that. Highlights include: cheese puffs and delicious French Bread at the potluck.
Time now for bed.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Life is like an oven, the more you stuff in it, the more time you need and the less stuff gets done."

Sept, 25 Another One for the Books

Not too much to report. Had another Double Header today. Nothing all that special happened. Highlights include: the second performance of the Apprentice Solo Shows. They were all still excellent. And I got to take quite a long and refreshing nap. I do love me some good hard earned sleep.
Tomorrow is a pot luck lunch for the Dracula cast and crew. I have decided I am bringing Orange Juice.
Peace be with you
~Will

"You can take the boy out of Oregon but you can't take Oregon out of the boy."

Sept, 24 Blues Blues Blues

Another double header today. It was also the last performance of Scott and the return of Joe. Crazy day!!!
Highlights include getting to see seven of the apprentices perform solo pieces. They were all wonderful. Blues danced my butt off to a live band which played until 3am!!! I have had one heck of a day. YEAH!!!
Peace be with you
~Will

"This little light of mine, yup you guessed it, I got to let it shine."

Sept, 23 Red River Gorge

So, it's official. The Apprentice/Intern company is going to the Red River Gorge and staying in a cabin for Columbus day weekend. It really only works out that we get to spend one night and all of one day but even so I am very excited.
Highlights of today were a delicious fried chicken sandwich and getting to dance in the hallway with my roommate Ryan. ALSO I MADE CORNED BEEF!!! It's gonna be great!

Peace be with you
~Will

"Love is."

Sept, 22 Dance Dance Dance

Just got back from a crazy bar that plays great dance mixes of some really fun music.
Highlight of the day was talking with Remi, one of the actors in Kite runner who spent six years at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. I had forgotten how much I love Shakespeare. (Love you Mom and Dad)

 Today I set into motion the planning of a trip to an area in Kentucky called Red River Gorge. From the Google Image photos it's stunning. Although we will only get to spend one night there, I think it will be magical. If I can't have the Columbia Gorge this will just have to do for now. I miss the PNW, but Kentucky is growing on me.

I try once more for the elusive Prince's Chicken tomorrow! I have been severely buffeted by doubts and unexpected closures, but one day, soon, (let's hope tomorrow) I will walk into Prince's HOT Chicken Shack and leave with my sinuses cleared, tears in my eyes and a big Oregon boy smile on my face.
Peace be with you
~Will
"With the short time we have on this earth, why do so many people hate like they are trying to make up for eternity?"

Sept, 21 Understudy...Yup.

The highlight and low point of today was this: the lead in Dracula, Joe, who plays Johnathan Harker sprained his ankle in the last moments of the final fight scene. What this means is my dear friend and fellow house mate, Scott, who was the Harker understudy, will be performing the role of Harker tomorrow on until Joe gets better. I am so excited for  Scott. He is going to rock it.
Please everyone say a prayer for Joe's quick recovery. Although Scott will be awesome Joe will be very much missed.
Peace be with you
~Will

"The full moon is no time to joke about losing your mind!"

Sept, 20 A Day of Rest, kind of...

Today was our last day with the play writes until December. Mostly today was a lot of fun. They wrote more stuff for us to read today. I had a really great scene. I got to rant and rave about all kinds of things involving the end of the world.
Highlights include: a great nap, buying a brisket for making corned beef, and watching a horror movie with some of my fellow apprentices and interns.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Rest assured that with arms full of groceries, out of a 50/50 shot at picking the correct key to unlock the door, 100% of the time you will pick the wrong one."

Sept, 19 Double Headed Dragon

We had a double show today. One show at 2pm and then another at 7:30. They both went very well. Much to our surprise we had a fabulous matinée audience. We are finally starting to get into a groove with the show and things are starting to really go well.
Highlights include getting to be a zombie in one of the short plays our anthology authors scribbled up for us last night and getting to hear and see performed some works written specifically for the Apprentice company. It is very flattering to have professionals writing just for me.
Peace be with you
~Will

"If this is the end at least I have a smile on my face."

Sept, 18 Well on our way.

Dracula opened last night to a great house and a wonderful performance. There was much reveling after. Some of us were out until 4 in the morning, drinking, dancing and just have an all around good time. We have two performances down and 56 to go!!!
We also met the authors for our Humana Anthology project today. We each shared something. Some of us sang, some danced. I talked about the House Boat. It was so much fun to recount the story. I had forgotten how much I miss the DCTMAY.
Peace be with you
~Will

PS: "It's ok to have a good time listening to the blues."

Sept, 16 the Clash of the Titans

Just finished a staged reading of one of the most fun plays I have ever been a part of. Due to legal reasons I cannot reveal the name of the play yet. But man oh man did I have one hell of a time!!! I hope I get to be in a real production of the show some day. It would be a winner at CoHo I'm sure of it.
Tomorrow I audition for a role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. I have done the best I can with the work. I just hope it pays off with a role. If not, I still get to show another brilliant director what I can do and that's good too.
Highlight of today: Long talk with Mindi Logan my former drama prof.
I miss home, but I'm loving where I am at.

Peace be with you
~Will

"What if for one night, the stars shined only for you?"

Sept, 15. We Had a Crowd

What a thrill to hear that shrill scream of a middle school girl. It was great. Once they start screaming they just don't quit. Everything made them scream. Dracula was a lot of fun today and a pretty good performance considering it started at 10am!!! We do it all again tomorrow. And I think we have another preview on Friday and then, Friday night, the games really begin. I can't wait.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Every chance you get run the risk of getting someone you love well deserved positive attention."

sept, 14 Gimmy That Line Again...

Dracula will have its first audience tomorrow. A group of wild and crazy school kids. The rumor is that sometimes the younger kids are so scared they wet their pants. I hope no child is forced to endure that, but at the same time, that's not a reaction many get from their performance. Although I will only be behind the scenes I can send scary vibes. So very excited. Highlights include being told by the book store clerk she sold her first, "real" books of the day to me. I bought Dracula and Frankenstein. I am excited to read them.
Peace be with you
~Will
"Good buddies, the Good Book, and good whiskey, what more does a man need."

Sept, 13 We Must Keep Abreast of the Times

The Sept 12 Post should have been today. I didn't post on the 12th. But to keep my records straight I have written a little something about yesterday today.

Had a ball at the 10X12. It's where we tech for 10 out of 12 hours. It was a great day. After the tech we went to a bar called Freddie's and drank until the moon started to sing and the stars were more than multitudinous.
Peace be with you
~Will

"To sing with a merry heart is to smile with a full stomach."

Sept, 12 Pot Luck Love

I was just thrilled to get to sleep like a mushroom today. I just lay there in my bed until the afternoon and recharged. I went down to Bardstown Rd. today. For the Portland folks its a lot like Hawthorne or Belmont. Had a delicious burger that couldn't be beat. Then went to a record store and bought an LP of a blues harmonica player. The problem is I don't have a turn table. But I think I found a store that might sell one of those portable turn tables with built in speakers for about $100. We'll see. After Bardstown, I went to a Pot Luck for my friend Rachel's birthday. We had a wonderful conversation about the word love and how it is such a diverse, by necessity, word in English. Highlights include getting to preview a Koko Taylor record. WHAT A VOICE!!!
Peace be with you
~Will

"Try to say, "I love you" at least ten times a day. It's good for you."

Sept, 11 Uno Mas!

Today is the nine year remembrance of the Pentagon and World Trade Center terrorist attacks. Although, a blog signifies incessant babble, as best I can, I would like to inspire at least a short moment of silence.
...

Just teched my ass off today. 9am to 11:30 pm. Dracula is going to be fun. I got to hand it to the actors today. Many of them were in crazy costumes and makeup for the whole time we were there. We do it all again tomorrow.
BRING IT ON!!!
Peace be with you
~Will

"I can't stress enough the importance of dental hygiene to a vampire."

Sept, 10 One for the road!

Today consisted of working on a monologue from the back of a Backwoods pouch. I was a little apprehensive at first to do the monologue again, but after getting to work with Zan, (our casting director) I got a whole new look at the piece and discovered some nuance to the work I didn't think was there before. It was also a blast getting to work with one of my fellow apprentices, Dinah, for about 45 minutes on Mask work. I am learning a lot from sharing my passions. Other highlights include, getting to sleep all afternoon and randomly meeting some of my friends at a bar called Freddie's as I went for a walk this evening.
Peace be with you
~Will

"You know you're only in lust when you can bare to watch your idol fall down a man hole."

Sept, 9 Just a Peach of a Hand

I GOT TO GO BLUES DANCING TONIGHT!!! What a great day. First I got to deliver a monologue from the back of a pack of cigars to the whole group. Then the run of Dracula went so well, all the techies get tomorrow off!!! After that I got to read a part for a new play where I am a drummer in a band called broadsword. I have some wonderfully great lines. It has just been a splendid day. Also, this Dracula thing has inspired me to attempt to write a non-musical retelling of Frankenstein.
Peace be with you
~Will

"...to drink is human, to dance is divine."

Sept, 8 Sleep So Welcome

Not too much to report today. Michael gave us a great talk about how to approach becoming a Union Actor and how to update our Resume and Headshots so that they best represent us. After that I went to Dracula rehearsal. I finally got to play with the rats. It was a lot of fun. Highlights for today include fried rice for dinner and a big glass of Orange Tang. I am going to try and get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow seems to hold the promise of even more adventure.
Peace be with you
~Will
"No matter the rush, there is always time to make sure you turned off the stove!"

Sept, 7 Get Down With Your Bad Self

This was a most strange day. I awoke. I made coffee and breakfast. I showered. I spent most of today limping due to three quarter sized blood blisters on the bottoms of both feet from my attempts at impersonating Pele. I went to a workshop where I felt as though my legs were about to run away with the milk maid and leave me stranded in my seat with a stunned look of furious incredulity. After my jittery morning, was the beginnings of what is sure to be a very long and arduous tech process before the opening of Dracula. Highlights: I got to meet the rats I will be in charge of wrangling  today. They are very sweet. And I got to do some wonderful Commedia  work with Ryan this evening.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Although lifetimes have been spent trying to take off the social mask, is it not strange we seem to communicate more truthfully with them on?"

Sept, 6 Four Roses

It was a glorious day. There was a pick nick in our honor at a beautiful fountain. Lots of good food and good fun. Played my ass of in a great game of soccer which ended in a draw at 10 to 10. I did the newest installment if Tres Huevos and it was wonderful. I think this whole Commedia thing could really go some place. I love it.
Peace be with you
~Will

"The road my be long and winding, but anyone can handle for 24 hours what they feel for a lifetime would kill them."

Sept, 5 Caves will crumble.

We all took down our caves today. It was a sad day but a good day, very cathartic. I went to my first meeting for the crew of Dracula. It is a massive show with a 58 performance run! I get to do all kinds of fun stuff so I know I will be busy for the shows. Highlights include getting to play with the rats we have in the show. There are three live rats, Alice, Spot and Jackie. I am very excited to have my first experience in a professional setting.
I also went to my first Louisville Bats baseball game. The Bats lost but I still had a good time.
Who knows what adventures tomorrow holds, but I can't wait for them.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Learn to seize the rare times life lets you truly be fearless."

Sept, 4 SEE YOU REAL SOON

Today was bitter sweet. Like my favorite type of chocolate, dark but oh so rich and flavorful I can't help but savor it as I devour as fast as I can stand. This was our last day with Annie. I couldn't say good bye. I will miss her terribly. But, I vow to work with her again as soon as I can. The Incomparable Annie.
The piece I have been working on for the last few days came together beautifully. I performed with both my African and European neutral masks. The ripples of the plunge into the waters of this solo piece are still deep and fast. I hope I don't drown. I have many life guards here. I am safe. I have my next installment of Tres Huevos on Monday night at 9:17. Introducing Louisville to a new character!
Peace be with you
~Will

"Mothers kiss like the ocean."

Sept, 3 To nice a jump to rush!!!

Sorry about no post yesterday. To much was happening. The first official show of the season opened last night, Kite Runner, it was fantastic, and there was a huge opening party after. So, most of us were out into the wee hours of the morning, celebrating and I was no exception. One other thing to note, I did write the beginnings of a ten minute one person show.
As for today. I have been working on what I would call a religious solo piece. Exactly which religion it focuses on is a bit of a mystery. I will be performing it in rough tomorrow for the group. I am very excited and very nervous. It should be a good conversation starter. To briefly sum up, it is based on the idea that in the before time, 'man' (the language I want is tough to achieve here) was asked to birth 'his' own mother Earth. The repercussion of such a gift is 'he' can never again give birth. I'll let you know how is goes tomorrow.
Peace be with you
~Will

"Thank God the Earth stays turning like it does, for if it stopped, all at once, we'd go crashing East at 1,000 miles per hour!"

Sept, 1 SUCCESS!!!

WOW!!! What a rush. I can't believe it's over. I performed my first site specific solo piece. It was a five minute Commedia piece about the different reactions of three characters discovering that the church was closed. The title was Tres Huevos. It was performed in front of the three beautiful red doors of a church in down town Louisville. There was an audience of about twenty people in room 820 of the hotel across the street to watch the show. I could not hear them or see where they were but I knew they were there. When I came into the room after the show I was greeted with a heroes welcome of applause. I think I am no longer the only person here at ATL who is transfixed by Commedia dell'Arte. I'm hooked. I can't wait to do another one.
Peace be with you
~Will

"We may not always be able to hear it or feel it, but never doubt, we are all loved."