It feels like we just spoke...
And yet time tells a different story. Sooo here we are on the second frozen Friday of 2015, and I hope your year is going even better than you had planned!
Last week I had a blog topic all planned out and then I got a little too tired to write it so here goes...
JK I'm not going to write about that. Not because I don't want to, believe me I do... which is exactly why I can't do it right now. It is an important topic and once again I let the time slip away from me and now I simply don't have the gusto left in me. But on the bright side it was time pretty well spent catching some inspiration. With this full season of shows coming up I just can't stop the creativity beat, so naturally I've navigated here to blogger after about twelve other tabs I had up filled with costume ideas, beading tutorials, cool old movie scenes, pinterest, etc. all in the ever growing effort to wow our audiences again and again with our costuming ideas.
I'm grateful for this time now, because when we get down to the nitty gritty there isn't a spare moment to spend "catching inspiration." Because of this little bit of extra time, earlier tonight we were able to go to this prayer meeting thing we had never been to before, and along with the inspiration;p, caught some Spirit, caught some friendships, caught some love, and caught some smiles. And now I'm catching some butterflies and a tear as I listen to The Wanted...*sigh* they'll come back together someday, I know they will. Oh and in case you were wondering, yes, my 2013 calendar is still hanging on my wall on April or October, both gorgeous pictures of Nathan. Anyway where were we? Oh yes, so if we don't devote the time now, even though it sometimes feels like we're wasting time, we'll be left forced to live by the light of a sad flashlight because it's too late to go looking for the moon now, and the map to get out of the tunnel was never finished being created. So don't be afraid to get lost in your computer screen once in a while, that way you'll be able to make your way to the moon.
night:)
Teara
P.S. I owe you that blog next week...
P.P.S. I apologize if none of that made any sense. You see last night Taryn and I were up into all hours of the night altering a dress for a friend so I'm just really tired.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Thursday, January 8, 2015
The will to do it
Hey all you people, I hope you all had
a great Christmas and New Years holidays but now its back to
business. My day today will consist of a whole bunch of company
related tasks. Which to some would be a drag, but not to this guy. I
have a goal and anything I need to do to reach that goal is fun,
because I know that every hour I work I get a few steps closer to the
final prize. So today I will be doing things like designing our
classes for the upcoming season, set designs for our spring show ect.
Today we also have a concert performance which is always the icing
on the cake of my day. You know a lot of times its not easy to just
keep pushing through, to never stop, to have a want for something
that you almost cant have. Then you stop and think and realize its
these moments that make you strong that give you the iron will to win
the day. Its one thing just to be given greatness but its a whole
different story when you earn greatness. Personally I never want it
to be given to me I want to earn it because when I get it the
feelings I will have will send me into a tizzy of joy. Knowing that
all I did ,all the time I put in was worth it, hard work is worth the
prize in the end. Some say when you have big dreams your living in a
fantasy, I say no matter how big your dream if you want it bad enough
you will get it. I truly believe that anything you dream of you can
make a reality. Well that's all for swag bag Thursday because my
fingers are getting to numb to type in this minus 4 temperature.
Dream Big, Stay Warm and Never Quit.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Wait, It's Not 2014?
January: Babes in Toyland had just ended and we started to see the big picture for SFAP. The friendships made in that show were strong, most of the cast was keeping in touch and seeing each other regularly. That made the show so special. We planned multiple reunions.
Our very first workshop was going underway and the group was learning and growing a lot. We were also learning what techniques were going to work for us and which ones weren't.
February: It was time to think about the Summer show, we had decided on Tarzan and I was so excited. At this time Jorne and I were getting into the more intense Scarlet Pimpernel rehearsals. Boy, I wrote a book on this blog about that experience! We were skiing and scheming as we had decided to write and original musical , which turned into 'The End'.
March: Scarlet Pimpernel came and went and it really had a lasting effect on my life and the course of SFA. through it we gained the Adebayo family as members of the SFAP family. I remember after the cast party driving to Desales for Mass and as always on college campuses the info was wrong(Irrelevant, just felt like adding it). As soon as pimpernel ended focus shifted squarely on the class, Tarzan , and College applications ahhhhh.
April: Easter and the time leading up to it, Lent, are a key part of our year. A time of devotion and cleansing, refocusing on the most important part of our lives. This was the last month before Tarzan rehearsals started and also the first time we watched the show as we drove all the way out to Wyalusing High School to see it. Promoting Auditions was an important part of the month along with planning and brainstorming. The venue search was turning lemons but we remained positive.
May: Auditions!!!! I remember walking out of the room yelling "This is going to be the funnest show EVER". We had an all-star cast and I couldn't wait to employ all of the new ideas we had for rehearsals.
Lax got really serious and left an indelible mark on me which will affect the rest of my life. We made it to the League championship game and the District. We lost both but it was incredible to have just picked up a lax stick and be playing at that level and being counted on. Jorne and I shared the game ball for the game we beat our rivals in, that got us in the championship which we blew a 6-1 lead and had our last chance taken away by a technicality. It meant so much to me to be on that team and where the E for Easton as my father did before me. It softened the blow of never getting to where that P ( Pius the 10 Royals-football) again, if only a little.
The cast was fresh and worked hard for bootcamp, the energy was spot on we were so excited. My first show as director was shaping up to be a thrill.
June: We were stuck using Northeast Middle School for our venue but it was a beautiful brand new auditorium. Along with this we finalized other parts of the tech and it was time to advertise. We were pushing the 48 person cast to talk the show up and sell tickets to people who may not normally come. I was wearing the director/set builder/marketer/producer/PR/actor hat. It's a nice hat.
The cast started to lose some gusto. I searched for a solution to fire them up again. We went to the drive -in and other fun things though the cast was really bonded.
July: Tarzan, I learned more than I could of imagined, was let down by many people and impressed by more.
Vacation in Georgia was sweet, a time to recharge but I immediately looked for ways to advance the company. We talked business often on the trip. We loved it though
August: It turned out the best option for me was to suspend enrollment until spring for football. This redefined this time to be focused on growing SFA. We planned our next class, 17 people signed up. We had high hopes billing this class as personal training working on improving the overall performer.
Time to plan for the Christmas show.
September: My first fall without school. I started working out at Corexcell,and set goals for football after talking to the head coach, Coach Donelly.
The class was going well, we were pushing them and getting a feel for their limits.
October: The show was decided! A Little Princess, we thought it would be easy but it turned out to be a HUGE undertaking, rivaling the difficulty of a Summer show. Auditions took place and we got a very talented Sara along with all the other little girls. Such a strong group of talented people.
The show was to be performed at Scottish Rite Cathedral, a true theatre. The administration was the most initially positive response we have had for leasing. This was an energizing beginning.
November: Turned 20! It's Crunch time! The class was coming to a close and although they had a hard time during the 12 weeks they really improved drastically!
The rehearsals were a new experience since most of the cast was under 4 ft. They were......fun. The little girls were having a great time. Each show is a new game and what is fun is figuring out how to beat it!
Set design was hard to visualize but I had a big idea.
December: A Little Princess was fantastic. The move-in was great. Our lighting designer was awesome, a 77 year old named Ed. We learned soooooo much. Hanging a false proscenium, building interior design, etc., so many new experiences.
Christmas and New Years were a wonderful time. Looking back at the year it is always quite nostalgic at this time. This was a powerful year and set us up to become a force in 2015!
The 2015 preview I coming next week!
Monday, January 5, 2015
TAKE THIS SURVEY!!!! EXCITING THINGS COMING!!!!
Visit:
Www.SingforAmerica.Com
Email responses to:
SFAProductions@SingForAmerica.Com
Friday, January 2, 2015
new years resolutions... yes or no?
So... let's just pretend I never even left;)
Tonight, in light of this wonderful new year, I want to bring up something some people love to discuss and make, and others hate to even hear the word when they accidentally think it inside their own heads: resolutions. Now I've never been one to make a New Year's resolution, (save for the annual "I WILL do a back handspring with no fear" one... which I WILL do this year for sure), but I have a little proposal for you. The idea of a new resolution for a new year and a new you is not a bad one altogether, but it does have its quirks. You see from where I'm standing a year is a loooonnnggggg time. In other words a whole year to reach a goal makes for a whole lot of time to think about said goal, which could lead to much wasted time, very much procrastination, over excessive worrying once time starts running out, mild anxiety attacks once you realize you cannot get that time back, disgust for those who look happy cuz you bet they reached their NYR goals and that's why they're happy, disgust in yourself for allowing yourself to be angry with others' success, anger when you wake up somewhere around November and grasp the fact that you let everything else slip because of this one stupid goal that's not even all that important anyway and that you haven't even been working all that hard to meet, and ultimately disappointment when the next year rolls around and you feel so terrible about yourself you decide not to make a resolution at all ever again and become one of those bitter angry nay-saying party poopers who no one really wants around but is always around anyway. I guess deep down it's always the fear of failing that stops us from trying in the first place. The problem is that much closer to the surface are many many many excuses which are our own defense mechanisms to block us from knowing ourselves. But the danger in never learning is so much greater.
So here's my proposal: this year let's make our yearly resolution to make a daily resolution. And let's make that daily resolution to be a better human being than we were yesterday. It sounds simple and hippie, fru fru, mumbo jumbo, whatever adjective you want to fill in there is fine with me, but think about it. Here in the year 2015 it is harder than ever to be a human being. Between the technology and desensitization we are slowly but surely becoming more like animals, or better yet robots. It's an exciting year for SFA for so many reasons that I cannot wait to share with all of you as the days and months go by. And I'm sure all of you have thrilling new adventures on the horizon as well. We will grow and learn and teach and prosper and stumble and fight and smile and yell and with this amount of determination there's no doubt we will come out as more successful people, but if we can't look at our reflection and truly believe that we came out as better people, than what was the point of it all?
So every morning of 2015 I will look this bright beautiful year in the face and resolve...
To always look at the glass half full... not most of the time, always
To prioritize
To never let the ideas of political correctness corrupt my mind and heart
To learn something new
To be a better friend
To be more reliable
To love more, harder, better
To not place so much importance on materials, looks, social status, superficiality, etc.
To try to make new friends every single day
To not take anything anyone has to say for granted
To see past what is "right" to what matters
To not let the mention of Taylor Swift ruin my afternoon
To give less credence to social media
To not let anyone determine what I do or do not think
To not gossip
To refuse to become desensitized in every sense: happiness, sadness, fear, lust, anger, etc.
To appreciate everything... everything
To not let anyone control my emotions
To put my phone down... (if I ever find it)
To be more understanding
To blog every Friday
To never let society define my standards
To get more instagram followers... Jk, not really
To not worry
To make more time for people
To not let the world get me down
To give more freely
To sing more
To laugh so much more
To live out loud
Make your own list if you'd like, I know I'll be adding to mine every day, but I think all around this is a pretty decent start. So everyone...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
It's gonna be a great one.
Tonight, in light of this wonderful new year, I want to bring up something some people love to discuss and make, and others hate to even hear the word when they accidentally think it inside their own heads: resolutions. Now I've never been one to make a New Year's resolution, (save for the annual "I WILL do a back handspring with no fear" one... which I WILL do this year for sure), but I have a little proposal for you. The idea of a new resolution for a new year and a new you is not a bad one altogether, but it does have its quirks. You see from where I'm standing a year is a loooonnnggggg time. In other words a whole year to reach a goal makes for a whole lot of time to think about said goal, which could lead to much wasted time, very much procrastination, over excessive worrying once time starts running out, mild anxiety attacks once you realize you cannot get that time back, disgust for those who look happy cuz you bet they reached their NYR goals and that's why they're happy, disgust in yourself for allowing yourself to be angry with others' success, anger when you wake up somewhere around November and grasp the fact that you let everything else slip because of this one stupid goal that's not even all that important anyway and that you haven't even been working all that hard to meet, and ultimately disappointment when the next year rolls around and you feel so terrible about yourself you decide not to make a resolution at all ever again and become one of those bitter angry nay-saying party poopers who no one really wants around but is always around anyway. I guess deep down it's always the fear of failing that stops us from trying in the first place. The problem is that much closer to the surface are many many many excuses which are our own defense mechanisms to block us from knowing ourselves. But the danger in never learning is so much greater.
So here's my proposal: this year let's make our yearly resolution to make a daily resolution. And let's make that daily resolution to be a better human being than we were yesterday. It sounds simple and hippie, fru fru, mumbo jumbo, whatever adjective you want to fill in there is fine with me, but think about it. Here in the year 2015 it is harder than ever to be a human being. Between the technology and desensitization we are slowly but surely becoming more like animals, or better yet robots. It's an exciting year for SFA for so many reasons that I cannot wait to share with all of you as the days and months go by. And I'm sure all of you have thrilling new adventures on the horizon as well. We will grow and learn and teach and prosper and stumble and fight and smile and yell and with this amount of determination there's no doubt we will come out as more successful people, but if we can't look at our reflection and truly believe that we came out as better people, than what was the point of it all?
So every morning of 2015 I will look this bright beautiful year in the face and resolve...
To always look at the glass half full... not most of the time, always
To prioritize
To never let the ideas of political correctness corrupt my mind and heart
To learn something new
To be a better friend
To be more reliable
To love more, harder, better
To not place so much importance on materials, looks, social status, superficiality, etc.
To try to make new friends every single day
To not take anything anyone has to say for granted
To see past what is "right" to what matters
To not let the mention of Taylor Swift ruin my afternoon
To give less credence to social media
To not let anyone determine what I do or do not think
To not gossip
To refuse to become desensitized in every sense: happiness, sadness, fear, lust, anger, etc.
To appreciate everything... everything
To not let anyone control my emotions
To put my phone down... (if I ever find it)
To be more understanding
To blog every Friday
To never let society define my standards
To get more instagram followers... Jk, not really
To not worry
To make more time for people
To not let the world get me down
To give more freely
To sing more
To laugh so much more
To live out loud
Make your own list if you'd like, I know I'll be adding to mine every day, but I think all around this is a pretty decent start. So everyone...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
It's gonna be a great one.
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