Sunday, April 24, 2011

Idiot

Tonight is American Idiot's closing night on Broadway. You may not care, and perhaps you think that a Green Day musical would be stupid. Let me tell you, it's not. Granted, it's right up my alley-rock musical? Hell fuckin yes. But it's really a crazy good show. And even though it's closing, it's going to go on tour, so definitely try seeing it if it comes to a town near you.

I've been listening to the entire cast album today. "21 Guns" is my favoooooriiiiite. I'm in love with it. The entire album is fantastic, though, and I've never been a huge Green Day fan. A song here and there, ya know? You can find a lot of bootlegs (naughty, naughty) on youtube, so you should try to check some out. :)

Now, I'm going back to my grant writing.

Peace,
Bree

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Procrastination is also an art I'm really good at.

Have I told you how excited I am for the cabaret? haha.
I applied for a $1000 grant today. Really for reals did it. Even if we don't get it, I did it. I impress myself sometimes. Taking initiative. That's what's up. However, it wasn't set up like a regular grant application, so I still have to write one of those for the project. Procrastinating because I don't know where to start. Woot Woot. Google's gonna tell me how to though.

Then I'll start bull-shitting a paper on Grotowski, while using his ideas on a certain play of my choosing through an actor's lens. Makes sense? Yeah. Me either. hahaha. I have to read up on the dude, because, I'm going to be completely honest here, I do bare minimum reading for my classes. For instance, we have certain things to read for my Theatre Theory class each day, but I read one part and write my one-page paper on that. For my Collaborating In and Beyond Music class, I get the set of questions for the quizzes (a usually mythical thing at Lang), and skim the readings to find the answers. That's how I do yo. I have an attention span of a two-year old when I'm supposed to read school-texty stuff. And two-year olds can't read. Unless they're utter geniuses. I'll give that to you. School is stupid. That's what I think. hahaha. I shouldn't be complaining. At least I don't have final tests or any of that shit. Again, most of Lang doesn't believe in those nasty things. I love my school. hahaha. And yes, I'm procrastinating it all by writing this blog.

Now, on Easter Eve, I will continue to persevere on these final projects. Hopefully. Perhaps I'll be more motivated tomorrow? Weekends are too short. And I have 3 day weekends. Sheesh. I'm telling you. I have the attention span of a two-year-old. I suck at this game. On more year, that's it! :)

Peace,
Bree

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

An Artist

Most artists feel alone in the world, and desperately seek connection.

My Theatre Theory professor said that this morning, and goddamn is it true. People may think that "connection" would be switched with "attention," but I don't believe that's the case. I don't do things to make people pay attention to me, but rather to listen to me, and to connect with me. I want them to understand where I am coming from, and who I am. Very few people actually know who I am. They know my name, but they don't know what I'm about. Artists get this connections by the going through rehearsal processes, and working together. Collaboration. That's why your artists seem to stay in their little cliques. It's who they connect with the easiest. I mean, most of my friends are involved in theatre or music. I met them through doing those things. It's extremely difficult for me to connect to people without the art. I'm just so invested in what I do that it's hard to step out of that world.

I think that's what makes someone want to be an artist-a need to escape loneliness, but that can backfire too. They spend all their time trying to connect through their art that they find themselves too busy for an actual relationship. Platonic relationships are usually fine, but a relationship with a lover takes more energy. I am guilty of this. I'd rather focus on what I'm doing with my life as an artist, rather than get involved with someone. But I will admit that it does get lonely, but I just stifle those feelings with comatosing myself with music and theatre. I have faith though that one day I will chill the fuck out, and actually start giving my love life a chance. I am, like, the world's most guarded person though, so it's going to take a little work. haha. But I'm not too worried yet.

I'm starting to like this term "artist" more and more lately. At first I was hesitant to use it to describe myself, but you know what? That is what I am. If someone has this much passion for something, and actually has the fire in them to go after that, you can't take that title away from them. This is what I'm going to do it, and everything else can suck it!

:D

Peace,
Bree

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Head Bangin'

Well. I went crazy today. And by "crazy," I mean I'm stressed. It wouldn't be so stressful if this cabaret was hypothetical, but, Bitch, it is not.

People can joke, and not act serious about it, but somebody has to do something, and that someone is me. You may say "Oh well, it's not til January," but I'm going to bet you don't know what all one has to do to get events up and running. Not to mention I'm going to be in New York for four months in between! AKA. Shit's got to get done this summer! I take everything I do theatre and music-wise VERY seriously. So if you're not as dedicated as I believe you need to be, and if you don't take it seriously (being late, FLAKY) I will seriously kick you in the fucking throat. I'm a perfectionist, and if I'm running this joint, I am going to make damn sure it turns out perfect. But it will be fun too. I mean, I've worked my ass off for productions, and I still had the time of my life. If you love something, you can take it seriously and have fun at the same time.

So my plan this week is to talk to everyone who said they're interested, and see what they think about auditions-or if they have any suggestions for guys interested in joining us. Then I'm going to call on some spaces to put on the show for two nights-January 5th and 6th. Those are tentative, but I believe those are the best dates. I AM IN SEARCH OF REHEARSAL SPACES FOR THE SUMMER. IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME. Thanks. :)

I'm also hashing out the budget. I think that's been scaring me the most. Right now it's at $6,000, but I feel like maybe I'm jipping people because I don't know what I'm supposed to pay them...if I can. (If anybody wants to work "in kind" that'd be awfully sweet of you...) hahaha. So I have got to get rolling on these grants (wooo wooo) because you've got to do those way ahead of time. It may be pushing it right now. Also, I'm hoping we can do a Kickstarter, which is where a lot of you can help out, by donating to our cause for incentives! I'm going to talk to Rebecca about what else we'll need to do. But it's gonna kick my ass for sure.

So I currently feel like I'm banging my head against a wall. I wish that I could get someone to rally with me, and help me out, but it takes a certain passion to give it your all. I'm working on all of my final project shit right now, but this is my greater focus. I'm going to make this happen, and when it does, I am going to feel incredible, and I'll be proud of my work, and everyone's who will be involved. I love this project so much, and I know nothing's going to happen unless YOU create it. I believe everyone needs to go out and start creating. Start doing your own art. Knock down the boundaries, and the restraints. Theatre kids don't only have to do the show the school or the big theatres are presenting, and music kids don't need to stick to concerts and events that they audition for or are invited to participate in. Create your own events. Your own spaces. Music and theatre can be done anywhere. You're only stopping yourself. Break the restraints. I feel like I'm starting up a revolution. hahaha. No, but that's what Lang and New York has taught me. And it may be one of the most important things I've ever learned in school.

I must apologize for my bitchiness today though. It's partly stress, but the other part was the fact that I had to listen to this dumb girl talk for ever and a day about boys and shit. Go back to high school. Over it. hahahaha. People drive me crazy.

Now off to research.

Peace,
Bree

Monday, April 18, 2011

Success

You know that song, "Gives You Hell?" I love that song. Whenever somebody tries to knock me down, or at least gives me the impression that they think I could never make it as an "artist," I just play that song over and over again. Bitchy? Maybe. But they'll never know about it...until I cover it when I'm famous. Hahahahaha.
But seriously, people talk to me like I don't know it's hard to make it in the theatre or music business. Trust. I KNOW. It's not going to be easy, but I never expected it to be. Ever. I'm doing this because I love it, and I honest to God cannot think of anything else I would rather do. I'm not doing any of this to be famous. I'm going to do it because it's all I want to do, and if I'm really successful by doing so, great! People are lying if they say that they don't want that. It gets them PAID. But if people are doing it solely for the recognition, they're going to be sorely disappointed. Everybody's idea of success is different, so it may be having a steady paycheck and being able to only do your art to get it, and for others it's performing for humongous crowds in Madison Square Garden, or something. None of it's wrong, but a real artist does it for the right reasons. It's about paying your dues, and doing your time. You've got to earn your spot in the business, and I don't want to do it any other way. I don't want it to be easy for me. I want people to respect me. Plus, don't songwriters need to struggle to become the best? Yep. hahahaha. So I know it's not easy. I'm gonna work my ass off. You've got to decide, though, how long you're going to work for it. Some people do it for ten years before they want to settle down and start a family, while others do it their entire lives. I don't know for myself yet, but I'm 21, and I've barely started! Right now I could care less about getting married, and having kids, but that could change. I'm not going to set a specific date. I'm going to feel it out, and work my ass off until I decide I'm done, if I ever do. WHO KNOWS? So yeah. Rant for the day. :)

Peace,
Bree

Friday, April 8, 2011

Salt and Vinegar

Look at me! Only two days, and I'm doing another post! Aren't you proud of this little girl growing up?

So, I could bore you with my strange new desire to snack on salt and vinegar chips (Deep River Snacks brand) or delight myself with Diet Coke, but I don't think you'd necessarily care about any of that, so I'm just going to expand on my little cabaret...

So I don't remember what all I told you last time, but I guess I can just tell you my basic plan. I want a small, intimate stage with 10 stools, all the same height, because I'm hoping there will be 10 of us, and I'm very anal and want the same damn stools for everyone. So add that to the budget (stools, check.) I also think it would be incredibly awesome for each of us to have our own mics. This may be asking a lot though, but we're going to be shooting big here. You gotta have your dream budget, and your practical budget. What could be even more awesome? Wireless mics. Or even half and half. (Add a large budget for mics...) So each of the performers get the choice to do their own solo number, and then the rest of the time will be composed of whole group numbers, duets, trios, quintets, etc. It'll be a wide range of showtunes, some old as musical theatre itself (probably not, but we're not cutting them off), and some brand new. I'd love to do a number from a brand new musical that I just saw in previews about two weeks ago. It would be fantastic. I am a rock-musical enthusiast, so to ensure that that's not all we'll be doing, I am looking to the others to throw out some ideas. We all know that if I had my way, we'd be doing a lot of Spring Awakening, Rent, Hair, etc. Haha. I'm trying to keep it so we only do one song from any certain show. That may prove hard to do, especially with solo numbers, but we'll see. I'm really excited to get this going and settling in the numbers. It's going to be uberly awesome. Promise.

Also, if anybody knows someone (or if you are that someone) who could help me out with some design stuff, like on a website, or anything I'd need as a professional person (haha) then hit me up. I'll owe you when I become famous! :)

Peace,
Bree

P.S.
I'd also like to know what all y'all think of this font. I like it because it's similar to my handwriting, but I wanna know if everyone can read it.

P.P.S.
This (link below) is like my online business card-all the ways you could ever want to get a hold of me on, minus Facebook, because I'm keeping that private, and sometime in the near future I'll create a fan page for me...once I get fans besides my mom (love you, Madre!). I'm just kidding. My friends are huge fans of me too. :)

http://about.me/edit/bree_danielle

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

CABARET!

I have to say that I've intentionally been neglecting this blog, because I have been fearing it.

Sounds ridiculous, I'm aware, but here's the dealio...

In my Practical Side of Performance class, we had this chick come in who explained that if you're going to have a blog, that you need to post at least three times a week. Now, I intend on actually doing this, but I've needed some self-preparation. I mean, I can be a really boring person, so what can I say three times a week that will make people keep flocking to this page?...I meeeaaan, I'm a terribly interesting person, and everyone in the entire world needs to read my blog religiously, or else their lives will never be complete. Yep that's what I meant. *shifty eyes*

But I will try to entertain you, and I think it'll get easier, because I'm actually going to do something. *blow the horns, stomp your feet, cheer for non-slacker Bree!*

So I bet you're shivering with anticipation (can I be sued by Rocky Horror Picture Show for saying that? I should look into that...) to learn what it is that I'm actually doing. Well, I'm pulling together a cabaret. And by "pull together," I mean meticulously plan out a ridiculously awesome cabaret to the point that it will be pulled off seamlessly. At least, that's the goal. The basic goal, but a goal nonetheless. I'm planning it for a project for my class I mentioned above, and I'm going to stage it in early January in Kalispell! I've rounded up a good set of some of my extremely talented friends, but I'm still looking for a few more to fill out our group. I'd like a real alto, but I think we'd survive without one, and I need men, preferably two basses and a tenor. But I'd take any great sounding men. :) So if you know any in the Kalispell area, hit me up.

So this cabaret is really important to me. I'd go as far to say that it's my current baby. Considering I don't have children, nor a liking towards them, we can go with this idea. I'm very protective of it, and I feel vulnerable putting it out here for all you lovers to read, but I just have to remember not to give everything away. Guess you'll have to see the show to find out what songs we're performing, and how incredibly awesome all of us are. Well, you can tell that right now, so you get one check off the list. Woohoo! You're all winners. Probably more so than Charlie Sheen, but he may beg to differ, as he's apparently "bi-winning." (Is it just me, or did you think that he was saying he was a winner because he liked both men and women? Just me? Ok, cool.)

So the cabaret...we're doing showtunes because I didn't want us to go too broad, plus we're mostly all theatre-people, or at least theatre-appreciators. I'm going to take you on my journey...it'll be like you're in the front row of a rollercoaster, which I've heard is the best seat, but I wouldn't know since I've never ridden a rollercoaster. I don't want to give too much away right now, because if I'm going to post at least 3x a week, I'm going to need to keep some juicy stuff for later. I just wanted to prepare you for this, so you can have time to steady yourselves.

But for now, I'm very hungry...possibly Bear Hungry (that's really, really hungry), so I had better go deal with that.

Peace,
Bree