Sunday, November 16, 2014

The rest was August...

Hello,

I was surprised to see I hadn't posted since July.  It was a very busy summer.

For the first time ever I left during the season to go home to Omaha.  My Mom had been feeling poorly. She went in to the doctor they informed her she needed Bypass surgery.  I flew home at the end of July to help her settle back into her house after her surgery.  The good news is that she's doing great.  She's started a new exercise and diet plan and she's getting healthier everyday.

August was very August.  We had big crowds, it was hot and everyone was just a little on edge.  I went the longest I've ever gone without a day off - I did 52 shows in a row.  It was grueling and I hope to never do it again.  I missed my days off due to a couple of actors changing their schedules late in the season.  Of course, Larrance went from July 4th to August 24th without a day off and covering my work while I was in Omaha.  He is Iron Man.

One of the many things that makes this job delightful is getting to see the some of the same customers year after year.  Every night in August we have returning customers and it was lovely see them and their families; to hear how their year went and what their hopes are for the next.  It reminds me that we are part of peoples' lives and they are part of ours.  I think about regular customers throughout the year and wonder how they are faring.  I'd like to think they do the same in regards to us.

So, what has happened since July?

August happened.  No big events; just busy, busy, busy.

September and October were uneventful.  The schedule eases up considerably by Sept. 1st.  We had many old friends in the cast and it was so lovely to see them all.  At the end of August, Amy Roeder moved to Bangor, ME in August.  Out of our 11 years, Amy has been a cast member for 10 of them.  She moved to Bangor to become the Director of Education at Penobscot Theater in Bangor.  She pulled double duty all Fall as the Director of Education and as an actor at ImprovAcadia.

We closed for the season on October 18th but we hardly slowed down.  We did a show for the Grow Smart Maine Summit in Augusta.
Dennis & Jen at Grow Smart Maine Summit.  We closed the Summit.  Photo by  Faces Maine

Jen singing - Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?  An improvised song about blueberries.
Performed at Cumston Hall in Monmouth, ME with Capital City Improv.

The stage at Monmouth

Larrance in the theater box at Monmouth.  I wanted to do a scene in there but never got a chance.
The ceiling

A ham.

Muses?  Muse babies?


We were a part of the first ever Improv ME Festival in Brewer, ME.  Photos to come.

This week we finish our 10 week course at College of the Atlantic.  Then things slow down for about a month.  During that time we're going to visit LA and work on personal projects.  Larrance is working on his own music, I'm writing and trying to learn how to reupholster some cushions.

In January, Larrance will begin his tenure as a Music Director at Penobscot Theater.  He's MD'ing a show called Guys on Ice.  It's a musical about Ice Fishing and beer.

I'll be teaching at College of the Atlantic again and for Penobscot Theater.  We're going to offer classes through ImprovAcadia too.   

We'll also be performing with Capital City Improv in Augusta at the Governor Hill Mansion.  https://www.facebook.com/capitalcityimprov