This is it.

The final party at Joe's Garage was a lot of fun. Everyone talks about it, but the Minnesota Fringe has an amazing sense of community that isn't to be found at any other Fringe Festival in the world. We're all out to support each other here, not compete. I mean, everyone hopes that their show will be the best-selling, runaway hit that they know it deserves to be, but most of us are ok with being the Best of the Fringe That Nobody Saw. Well, not Nobody. A lot of really smart Somebodies saw our show and I can't thank them enough for all the honest feedback they've given us.

So the party was fun. I talked with people I knew, I talked with people I just met for the first time. I had mashed potatoes. I shivered in the cool wind until Kiseung gave me his sweater (so chivalrous). I hugged lots of people. I was hugged by lots of people. I tried to remain nonchalant when I saw Fringe photographers out of the corner of my eyes. I saw Shundreya!

And now it's over. I'm too busy to really miss it, but I think I do, just a little, way down deep. And I can see why people try to be a part of it every year: it's addictive, that working for free and creating art. Highly addictive.

And now I really must sleep, something I didn't do a lot of during the Fringe. I have another shoot in the morning at 8 am. Also working for free creating art. Yes!

(This may very well be my last 'Jordan' entry for some time, if ever. I'm hoping this project does grow, but until then, au revior. Read my other blog if you absolutely must have more of me. :))

Some kind of summary...

Well, we're done. Our last show was last night. Both of my last shows were last night, as a matter of fact. I can't help but feel a sense of relief that it's over. It's not that I won't miss performing the shows, but I always felt like I was going to throw up in the hours before we went on for "Jordan." And I won't miss that anxiety.

I will miss seeing my girls every single day. I think there's been one or two days in the last 90 when I haven't seen Corissa, and on those days, I called her. We'll all see each other tonight at the closing party, but after today... I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm sure I'll go through Christiana/Corissa withdrawal, but maybe shooting the film will help dissipate some of that loneliness.

I feel like I should do one of those blog memes with the numbers and whatnot. Lessee...

9: number of Fringe shows seen (much less than I thought it would be)
5: number of pounds gained
5: number of selfless parents who sacrificed time with their daughters to the Fringe
8: gallons of water that ended up on the stage during tech
5: consecutive nights with less than 4 hours sleep
????: money spent on this production
4000: number of postcards not given away (they shall have a purpose! I refuse to waste them!)
2: friendships strengthened for the long haul

My coffee's getting cold...

Jordan, Live at the Minnesota Fringe Festival!

Jordan
at Red Eye Collaboration Theatre
Friday, August 4 @ 8:30 pm
Saturday, August 5 @ 4:00 pm
Tuesday, August 8 @ 5:30 pm
Thursday, August 10 @ 10:00 pm
Saturday, August 12 @ 8:30 pm

I'm all choked up.

My heart is full of love for Chris Kidder, and for all of our reviewers, really. Thank you to all of you for taking the time to tell us what you thought of our work. We really appreciate it. It's heartening to know that someone out there is thinking and chewing on what we created.

Thank you.

Some Photos

Neither of these is from our show, Jordan, however, I figured they're still great pictures, so why not link 'em?

Christiana in "Tape"

Me in "At Arms' Length"(I'm on the right side of the frame)

Any press is good press.

Our show screams "Theatre Grad Students!" Maybe we should add that in somewhere. Maybe in my poem.

In all seriousness, thanks for the mention, Carolyn!

Pioneer Press Fringeville Blogs

We open tomorrow! Come see us!

We opted not to fully rehearse tomorrow. It was a good decision. It would be like trying to make bread without yeast: there's no action because the yeast is the catalyst. An audience will be the catalyst for the next phase of our show.

I'm excited for people to see it. I'm nervous because I'm not objective about the process yet. We (the cast) discussed how, previously, if we were in a show and people didn't like it we could say, "Hey, I don't care. I didn't write it. As long as they thought I did a good job." Now we have to contend with the insecurity of both of those positions: we did write it, and we still hope people think we as actors are doing a good job. I think I'm the most nervous, but my castmates have been rocks and assure me that what we have is great and people should see it.

So now it's just a waiting game. Yeah...waiting. I've never really been good at that.

Don't forget to listen to me on KFAI tomorrow morning at 11:00!

Sleepy

We rehearsed on a deck outside today. Fortunately it was cool and comfortable. My feet are green now, though. Man, the things you do for art.