Well, my goodness. Time is just flying by! I’m in rehearsals for two plays now, but I’m happy to report that the folks at Asolo Repertory Theatre make sure that all of us out-of-towners feel included when they take time out for holiday festivities.
Last week there was a very entertaining Alice in Wonderland-themed holiday party in the lobby of the Mertz Theatre; I was impressed at the creativity on display–and by all the tasty foods and beverages, appropriately labeled “Eat Me” and “Drink Me,” respectively. And given that I’m a major Lewis Carroll fan, it was all kind of perfect.
There was also an extremely silly and fun high-tech “photo booth” where we all took turns lining up for random group photographs, and then all the people in the photograph had to agree on a suitable background to be applied to the image.
Here’s one of me with Michael Donald Edwards (Producing Artistic Director and also Director of our upcoming The Grapes of Wrath), Peter Amster (Director of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike), and Jefferson McDonald (Spike in the aforementioned comedy). We went for a superhero intergalactic feel:
And here’s another of Peter, Jefferson, and me with Anne-Marie Cusson (Masha in the aforesaid comedy) in a more play-appropriate pastoral setting:
And here is a photo of me with Tyla Abercrumbie, who plays Cassandra (in that certain afore-noted comedy!). We found a traditional red curtain backdrop that suited us both:
Missing from our Vanya “family photos” were Peggy Roeder (Sonia) who was upstairs at a wig fitting, and Tori Grace Hines (Nina), who was hard at work in another part of the building!
I was also one of the actors interviewed for a sweet article by journalist Carrie Seidman in this past Sunday’s Sarasota Herald Tribune about what it’s like for performers to spend the holidays away from their loved ones. Unsurprisingly my focus was on the fact that my husband Tim will arrive on 12/26 for a visit. That’s what will make my holidays truly complete. But in the meantime, we had another unofficial (and very fun) holiday party last night, and Christmas day I may well spend on Lido beach with some of my new friends.
I wish you all the happiest of holidays. If you’re not with your loved ones, be in touch with them, and seize the opportunity to make new friends and “family” wherever you are. Enjoy.