A lighter load.

So I decided that i am not going to do Cannibal! The Musical.
And I feel a large load lifted off my shoulders. Like Larry said- I have the rest of my life to act. I really need to focus on my classes because they are demanding- especially directing! There's no way I would do good in that class while doing Cannibal, also I need to focus on my career, and my GTC auditions which could land me a summer theatre job.
Regardless, it's not like I had a big role in Cannibal anyway. As much as I wanted to do it anyways, looking at my schedule theres no way I could really enjoy it as much as I enjoyed doing Rocky, and I may even have time for a small job now. So that is good.

Sometimes you have to suck it up and just not do things that you may WANT to do....and I need to learn when to say no! So there you have it. Life may not be as stressful as it once was. I will survive. I will stay focused and positive and get through this semester with ease, while still staying involved in theatre, of course!

After all, the Springer may call me for Peter Pan, which is a much much better time frame for me, and there are freestages as well.

C'est la vie!

=[

So I already feel it starting. The crushing weight of stress from everything that I will be embarking on this semester.

After going through my planner and actually deciding what days everything falls on, I'm at a state where I don't know how I will make it through.

Take this day, for example: Oct. 29th. I have my second scene for directing class due, a performance of Cannibal! The musical, then General auditions for the spring semester. UGH.

Also, I love how my second scene directing analysis is due the same day as Cannibal's opening night- making tech week the week before my analysis is due... Kill me? Anyone? =[

It's official: I am going to HATE October. The next following months, actually, will not be THAT bad..well September is a little prickly too actually...but October....*sigh*

Hopefully it won't be as bad as it seems right now. Grr.

Schoolhouse Rock memories.

So as you probably or may not know, I was in the children's show, Schoolhouse Rock Live, Too! My freshman year. As I was digging through old stuff and finding new things to put on our theatre wall in our apt., I found these letters written to me by some of the kids we performed to. Anytime I feel down or not good enough, I just need to read through these and they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I just thought I would share some with exact punctuation and spelling; They warm my heart and some are pretty amusing :)

Dear Janice DeMichele,
you're my favorite character. I am a student from Marion Middle School. You have alot of talent and skills. You should sing with Beyonce. Your voice is like my choir's voice. And the songs you sing are wonderful. I love Schoolhouse Rock.
Sincerely, Sabrea Elayne Wimbush

Dear Mrs. Ito,
That was the coolest show ever. I would like to say thank you for your hard work. I like the math because the stuff turns into numbers. And the singing because they sing butifull. We apreciate your talent. I liked the way you daned too. That was the best day of my life!
Your friend Yazmin

Dear Mrs. Ito g
I loved you're show. You were right the shcool do'es Rock! I was so intertane with the Musical play. I used to think how to Makeleaning much fun now I made up my minedcause of you! My brain just burst when I saw the play. I loved the singing and dancing. It the best super duper play in the world I have ever seen in my life.
Your friends Brittany Joseph

Dear Janine DeMichele,
In School House Rock you were my favorite character. I really enjoyed your performance here at Marion Middle School. The thing that I liked best about you was your hair, your pink dress, your headband, and your earrings. The song I liked the best was the song about emotions. I really would like School House Rock to come back to Marion Middle School soon.
Sincerealy, Kailah Benford

Dear Janine Demichele,
You did a great job as Nina! Lots of people liked you. They liked everyone else, too of course. I really enjoyed the perofrmance here at Marion Middle School. Schoolhouse Rock was great! I think that all of you sure can act, sing, and dance. Everyone must have worked hard. I have never acted in a play before, but it looks like fun! My cousin does a lot of acting, so I can pick up bits of acting tips from her, but not enough to do what you have done. Keep acting, because you are great.
Sincerely, Elizabeth J. Brown

Dear friend Nina,
I liked how you played School House Rock. I loved how you danced and how you sang your songs. I liked when all of you all sung the preamble. I go to school at the Marion Middle School. You are cute and pretty. I liked your pink dress. When you sang I just wanted to go up there and sing with you. When I get grown I'm going to be just like you.
Love your friend Demetria Anglic Ellington

Dear Janine,
You were my favorite character. I liked you because you were very fashionable you are an excellent actor, and you had a great voice. My favorite song was Electricity, but I loved all of your songs, too. My favorite part was when you were holding the fake kitten, I totally thought it made a perfect picture. I can't wait to see you next year.
Sincerely, Aisha

So summer is almost over. =[
I'm kind of sad! I think it's because I feel like this summer has basically been a lightened-up version of my normal school year (I was in 2 shows, and took a 4 credit hour class) and I haven't gotten to really have a large chunk of time to relax. Sure there have been days here and there where I have been able to just lay out by the pool all day and those were wonderful, but it would have been nice to just not worry about studying, rehearsals, etc. But I still am glad I got alot of accomplishments in over the summer such as :

• Being in Into The Woods! Such a great show with great people and a great experience. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to do it at the last minute. :)
• Making an A (it's not official, but I'm 99% sure that I did) in my Biology with a lab, and just getting that out of the way because it's impossible to schedule in during the school year!
• Committing myself to a healthy lifestyle. I have become vegetarian and no, it is not just a kick, it is a commitment to myself to not ingest dead animal carcasses when I can eat earth's bounty of fresh, yummy vegetables, grains, and fruit. Coupled with working out at the gym and taking fun classes like kickboxing/step/yoga I've lost upwards of 7 lbs. or so, and I am finally able to start loving my body again. I feel so strong and just great and ready to take on the world!
• Doing the Rocky Horror Show. I've had a blast working with everyone!
• Getting new headshots taken to send to agencies!
• Buying/reading plays for auditions/directing class.
  

So yeah, not bad for a summer, I'd say. Beats being in Augusta and working at Express and basically not accomplishing ANYTHING!

By the way, the Rocky Horror Show is still going on, visit www.chattshakes.com for details!