DeMizio's Journal

"And on we blindly stumble!"

Think of the first performance as the dress rehearsal. If we can just get through tonight- doors and sardines. That's what it's all about, doors and sardines. Getting on, getting off. Getting the sardines on, getting the sardines off. That's fast. That's-that's the theatre. That's life. -Noises Off

It seems as though "Art" is going to test my limits - both in terms of workload and getting essential classwork done, but also to what level I'm willing to work for a production.

So far, I've prompted lines for eight hours while simultaneously taking line notes with no problem. I was asked to run for coffee for the cast and crew. No problem - even brought back multiple sweeteners, both artificial and natural, to the approval and acclaim of everyone.

Tonight, I've found that I've been assigned to counting nuts. Cashews, to be exact.

We have this bowl of cashews, see, and they get eaten during one scene by two actors. Now, the bowl has to be empty at the end of the scene. The plot falls apart if it's not. Believe me. (I'm trying to...) So I have to meticulously count out the number of cashews going into the bowl before each performance, and before each rehearsal. Of course, demanding the most of myself in my drive to succeed in this program, I only pick the most handsome, juciest, whole, perfect cashews I can find in the bag.

13. 13 is the number of cashews we worked through the scene with tonight...

It's going to have to be less I've determined. 13 is still too many.

Gosh, I love my practicum

Honestly though, I love it. I just feel like I'm getting put through these practical jokes to see how much the new guy can take...although I know this isn't the case.

--
In other news, I heard La Salle "rioted" tonight in some sort of mass protest in front of North Halls. Although to be fair to the definition of "protest" it should be noted that it was a very La Salle protest: there were no picket signs, no megaphone, the people only came because free pizza was promised, and the slogans were vulgar and kinda dumb. (I at least wanted to see some initiative on the part of the students here, but was sorely disappointed.)

My feelings? I'm kind of sorry I missed it. Any demonstration, no matter how poorly put together, demonstrates that apathy doesn't permeate every dorm and every student to the core as I so often feared. I feel for the people on community development, the student staff of ra's and ca's who have to put up with this and determine where their true allegiances lie. I feel for the residents. And I feel for the administration, who have the student's best interest in mind, but can't always keep control of every situation, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

But yeah, I feel for my friends on CD/RSA most. They're the ones who have to deal with this on a day-to-day basis, who'll take most of the crap for it all, who have to put up with listening to the yelling, the complaining and the anger. And they don't have a voice to speak out, as they're "forbidden" from talking to the press (even to the Collegian, which is a provision I fought last year...one does not lose their first amendment right just because they become an RA.)

I don't know what to say to them other than hang in there. Remember why you're doing this. Remember the good.

And remember that it'll all be over soon enough, and things will probably revert to the normalcy that existed prior to the change.

Posted by Matthew at September 23, 2004 02:09 AM