The Highs and Lows

Yesterday stands out as unusual. Within the same 24-hour period, I received both some very good news (artistically) and some very sad news (personally).

First the good -- I landed the plum role of Mistress Quickly in Merry Wives. This is one of Shakespeare's best low-comedy leads, in the ranks with such great clown roles as Touchstone and Nick Bottom. I can't wait to sink my hands into it and start creating the role. She's a total fruit bat of the highest order and I intend to really radiate the funniness of her. Interestingly, this female role is frequently cast with a male actor in drag, and I pushed a number of men to go for it. But they preferred to stay on the boys' side of the wardrobe rack, so only women read for the role. Now I'm glad. :-)

As I was saying to someone last night, when I was a younger actress I often had a tough time getting major roles because although I was of ingenue age, I was never ingenue type. I played a lot of quirky supporting roles like prostitutes, southern loud-mouths, hugely pregnant women, teenage sluts, and goofy roles in musicals. But now I'm at the age where a lot more meatier roles are opening up to me. I think this is going to be a good decade for me and acting. And it's starting right now.

( And every silver lining has a dark cloud )

So, life brings the bad and the good, sometimes all at once. It was a day of huge highs and lows, and I'm grateful for the many good friends I do have. Time to concentrate on the happy things, and get ready for a great Shakespeare experience.

Groovy Wives of Windsor

Click here and scroll down to the photo to see what a nearby local theatre group did to Merry Wives last summer.

Just look, you're gonna die. Aw lillibet, why can't I wear that costume? Why, why, why???