Ok mom, don't panic, I didn't join a group that's flashing innocent bystanders.  I took part in a really cool, "spur of the moment" performance in Union Square on August 16th (HEY, I'm blogging, don't complain that this is old news...if it's new to you, it's NEWS).  I say "Spur of the moment," because while the random people in Union Square that day had no clue we were coming, we (a group of very talented and diverse people either a part of Ray of Light Theatre or friends of or randomly through the grapevine heard of this) practiced the dance routine for hours.  But let me back up and explain some key points.

1) What the heck is a FlashMob??
A) Example A:  You can also click HERE if the video doesn't show up below.



It could also be something simple like this:  Example B




2) How the heck do you get to be a part of this really cool thing??

Well, sometimes you have to know the right people.  Theater audition sites, Craigslist, or just being friends with weirdos like him, her, him and of course him.  Usually calls are vaguely announced via facebook, myspace (is anyone still using that?) and text message blasts.

3)  Was it fun??

Doooooood, so ridiculously fun.  Totally worth giving up a whole Sunday for.  I spent all day with friends being silly and then performing in front of stunned and confused people.  It was a great rush.  Also, the rehearsal took place at the old SF Mint over on 5th and Mission.  We got full access to the whole building. We peeked in vaults, ran through the hallways and danced in the court yard for hours.  OK, so that last part was a little hard and not as much fun as the peeking and running (ok, that sounds odd, but you know what I mean).

    

  


4) What's the point of all this?? 
Besides getting to do something new and cool.  It was tri-fold.  1) Publicity for Ray of Light's newest production, TOMMY the Musical to be performed at the Victoria Theatre in SF through Oct and part of Nov.  Go to www.ROLTheatre.com for more info.  B) Promotion for Wolfgang's Vault.  and Tres) To coincide with the 40th anniversary of Woodstock celebration that was happening in Union Square on Aug 16th.


5)  Well, what did you perform? Can I see it???

Geez, don't you ever say, "please?" 

HERE



Hope you enjoyed it - I sure did.

I know today (well, it's after midnight, so yesterday) was the country's birthday and it's always one of my favorite holidays to celebrate because I'm a nut for fireworks (the professional kind, not the kind that the idiots down the block blow up), but LAST weekend was a whole other kind of celebration that brings the city of San Francisco to a virtual standstill with revelers.

PRIDE!  Beautiful, fun, zany, awesome and PRIDEFUL.





This was the very first time I got to watch or join in on the Pride Parade. I'd always been out of town or off doing other things that conflicted with the parade.  So, why not volunteer to be a contingent monitor with the Ray of Light float this year and not only march down Market Street but help lead the ROLT float?  Sooooo cool.

 

This was the ROLT float and our lead for our next show, Zach. We were promoting our new show, TOMMY, which will be at the Victoria Theatre in SF starting a month-long run the second weekend in October.  SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT:  Check out our Website, www.tommysf.com for more info on the show and the company.



Isn't Zach so cute?  He sang through the whole parade and got the crowd really into his performances.  I can't wait to see him onstage as Tommy.



Here are two more cuties...Carol and Joey.  They joined the company a couple of shows ago and I can't possibly express what a great addition they both have been in talent and spirit and just all-around awesomeness.  People like them are the main reason why I don't think I'll ever quit this company.  It's a commute to come into the city on the weekends for shows and it's a draining experience to do month-long runs (even when I'm not onstage), but as soon as the run is over we all can't wait to do it all over again.

And we dance around like this all the time, not just for Pride.



Me with Linda and Nick S.  Go Crew!!



Me and the handsome boys - Micah and Justin.  Go producers!

        


 

 

It was a fun, colorful, wonderful day with great, open-minded people.  That's my kind of town.



Great job guys!

So I totally forgot this weekend was Palm Sunday.  My dates seem to be all whacked out as I focus solely on April 20th when Boomie and I leave for our two week adventure in Europe.  So I had plans to spend the entire day at A's Fan Appreciation Day and then head into the City for a fundraiser show put on by some past ROLTers for breast cancer research called B.O.O.B.S.  It was a really fantastic day and I'm so exhausted I just don't have the energy to give the play by play, but I will tell you that around 1pm, my friend Keith turned to me as we watched the Oakland A's work out on the field and said, "Hey, isn't today Palm Sunday?" and as a good, non-swearing Catholic girl, I said, "Oh Crap!"  Oh well, no palms for me this year; instead I got a much needed day with friends and fun.




We really have the best kept field considering they play football here as well.



Nicole and me hanging out watching all the cute players warm up.  Forgive my blindingly bright arm.  It's been a long winter.




Mr. Giambi back in green!




Matt Holliday, Ryan Sweeney and Jason Giambi field interview.



Nicole trying to get Ryan's attention.  I told her to hold the shirt up higher.



Click on the photo to see it larger - Keith is the weirdo in the background between the reporter and the gentleman talking into the mic.  What a nerd!  haha

Now...onto B.O.O.B.S...



Otherwise known as Busty, Outrageous, Over-the-top, Brawds Singing!



Not only was there amazing, fantastic music by the talented trio of Soila, LeAnne and Jessica, but there was also a PSA portion of the show.




Using bigger than life boob costumes, PAs, Joey and Carol helped the audience members learn how to give a breast self-examination.  It's very important to do this standing up...



....as well as while lying down.



Look at how happy those healthy boobies are!  :-)

Great, great day...

Because I'm tired.
Exhausted, actually.  Can someone please tell me why I can't seem to get enough sleep lately??

I have many, many things I need to get done today and so far I've just had breakfast, answered some emails and thrown in a load of laundry.  Need to go by the dry cleaners/alterations before they close at 5pm.  Need to go by Target, swing by the grocery store and I was hoping to hit up the GAP today because I have a friends & family coupon burning a hole in my purse.  I need to call people back, but really don't feel like talking to anyone; this could possibly be that I had to talk to so many people yesterday and will have to do it again tonight.  At least tonight is the finally night for Rocky Horror Show and then I'll have my weekends back.  Oh yeah, so I need to get up so I can get to the show.  Sigh.

And CAL isn't winning. They aren't doing well at all.

"...thank you so much for auditioning for Ray of Light Theatre's 'I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.' We expect to have to have some casting decisions early next week."

Sigh.

You know how sometimes you'll do something or say something and then you rehash that moment again and again in your head for the rest of the day?   Maybe it was a great moment and you replay how you said JUST the right thing, only each time you replay it, the memory gets slightly better and you build yourself up and it becomes a great little memory that you can go back to again and again.

I'm not really having that feeling about the callbacks for "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change."  I'm not saying I did horribly, but I keep replaying my scene and my song in my head over and over and over.  Each time I think of something I could have done better.  I could have gestured there instead of there or sung out here or made more eye contact or had more energy or a million other little things throughout all of the 10 minutes I might have been in front of the directors.  I know there's nothing I can do now but wait and see, but it's torture to replay tonight in my head.  I just need to know either way.  This whole thing was a crapshoot, but after getting through the initial audition, I felt like I had a real chance at possibly landing a part.

Erg...I'd forgotten how much torture auditioning can be.  But all is forgotten once you get cast because the experience and thrill of being on stage completely takes over and reminds you why it's okay to be a bit crazy.

 

Waiting to go in for the singing portion of the callback. Looking around at the others that are hear and it looks like they brought in some ringers. Damnit.

Girls from Rocky and Songs for a New World and other past shows. Damnit, damnit. More and more people keep showing up. Eek.

I took a chance tonight and went out for an audition for Ray of Light's next production, Joe Dipietro's "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change."

I was shaking but felt really good belting out my little audition piece that Eli and I worked on well over a year ago, but apparently that was enough practice because I got a callback.  Sooo excited!!!

I've got a lot of competition, and although I've never stopped singing since college, it's been a good five years since I've done any acting.  I feel rusty, but really excited.  And also concerned that I'll be able to do it all...but I know I love being on stage and it's been way too long, so I can't help but want to try and make this happen.

I just have to find some sort inspiration during the readings at the callback.  :-p

Artistic Director: "Wow, our show inspires people to get drunk."

Producer: "And then puke in the lobby."

Me: "This isn't the first time."

My friends Shane and Chris are getting married. On Halloween. After the Rocky performance. It's not exactly spur of the moment, but they wanted to do it before the election for fear that Prop 8 will pass. We hope it doesn't. We hope Californians will choose equality for all. We hope people will vote for compassion, love, respect, commitment, open minds and open hearts, and most importantly, fundamental rights. We should all be so lucky to find what these two men have and be able to celebrate and share it with those closest to us, including their son.

www.noonprop8.com

I wasn't sure how this month's 12 of 12 would turn out.  It's a Sunday and I, for once, had nothing planned and that's how I wanted to keep it.  Laura and I did as much wedding stuff as we could yesterday and I called my mom to make sure she didn't need me to do anything today.  I was off the hook and thus what you see below is what today turned into.  And I loved it.

Thanks to CHAD for starting this whole project - check him out as well as other twelvers HERE.



8:10am - waking up to my alarm clock that i forgot to turn off.  I figured I'd sleep just a few minutes more and then get up to go to the early mass at 9am instead of the 10:30am mass.  I fell asleep and didn't wake up again until 10:15am.  Figured it was God's way of telling me that I needed to sleep and that I could catch up with him again next week.




10:46am - A little Soup with my breakfast.  I love Joel McHale.



11:10am - Shelby Roo is SOOO over the E! network and would like to watch Animal Planet.



11:20am - Working on Ray of Light volunteer coordinating stuff.  By the way - anyone want to see the Musical version of Rocky Horror Show for free??  All you have to do is help me out by ushering (taking ticket stubs, passing out programs) prior to the curtain.  Anyone??  Hello?




12:16pm - Lunch.  Goldfish, water, bberry, and a little marathon on SoapNet called "General Hospital: The NIGHT SHIFT."



12:17pm:  Shelby is sick of my bad TV choices and goes to take a sun bath nap.  I avoid the urge to go join her.




2:36pm: My first jaunt outside.  I needed pot pies from Safeway.




2:57pm: Saw this car as I was leaving Safeway.  Love the witch legs sticking out of the back.



5:41pm: Lyndsey is making a Persian meal for Dan, his parents and me.  Gotta love the Betty Boop on a Harley apron.  Lyn is a bit badass.



6:10pm: Still waiting for the food, Dan's mom and I crack open a bottle of Je'Taime from Westover Winery that I bought this summer during Keith's birthday celebration.




7:12pm: Finally time to eat!!



10:10pm: Ready to post and do a bit more ROLT work.  Seriously - who's available to usher???

The last song was sung, the last dance number danced, the last 'Go Wildcats!'cheered, and the curtain has officially closed on Ray of Light's biggest and most successful show in our six years of producing quality, community musical theatre in San Francisco. The final numbers aren't quite in, but we're very hopeful that we've made enough money to keep the company running for another season. !!!!
I'm very glad the show has closed, but I have to admit that standing in the back of the house clapping and singing along with the cast as they sang the finale was a little bittersweet. These kids were absolutely amazing - so talented but they were also sweet and helpful and we all became a little family. I sincerely hope they will all come back and audition for more productions; or at least come help as an usher for me for the next show! Haha

...And fade to black.

Ray of Light's production of High School Musical kicked off tonight at the school of the arts in San Francisco. I forgot to plug it earlier, so for more info go to roltheatre.com.
It runs for this weekend and next and the next, and somehow I got talked into house managing for every show. Four shows a weekend. Ugh, I'm tired. And I need ushers, so if you know anyone who wants to see a great musical for free and have a lot of fun with cool people then shoot me an email or comment here.
I'm off to fold more programs...

That's right, Ray of Light Theatre is bringing Seussical, The Musical to San Francisco! I'm very excited about this production and hope all my readers in the SF bay area can attend. As usual, I'm in need of some help with ushering and concessions - Even just ONE performance would be a HUGE help!!

See details below - and PLEASE forward to your friends!

Seussical, The Musical
Show dates:
Preview - Thur, July 6 - 8pm curtain
Opening Night - Friday, July 7 - 8pm Curtain
Saturday, July 8 - 8pm Curtain
Sunday, July 9 - 2pm Curtain

Thursday, July 13 - 8pm Curtain
Friday, July 14 - 8pm Curtain
Saturday, July 15 - 8pm Curtain
Sunday, July 16 - 8pm Curtain

Where?:
Presentation Theatre on the University of San Francisco campus
Turk Street (btw Masonic Ave & Roselyn Terrace)

Ushering/Front of House duties will gain you free admission into the show. Feel free to invite a friend to help you work.
Typically you'll be needed 1 - 1.5 hours prior to curtain.

Do you already have plans for Valentine's Day? How about that week? Here's the perfect thing to add to your list!

Ray of Light is producing a cabaret style show that will play in Union Square during the
week of Valentine's Day.

Begin or end your Valentine's Day week with a romantic evening of the some of the greatest love songs from your favorite Broadway shows.

A LITTLE BIT IN LOVE will feature twelve of Ray of Light Theatre's most talented performers. Conveniently located in Union Square at the Phoenix Theatre, the show will serve as a wonderful treat to enjoy with someone you love ... or someone you'd like to love! You're sure to leave humming some of the greatest love songs to hit the Broadway Stage!

TICKETS ARE ALREADY SELLING FAST. It's a VERY small theatre so get your tickets soon!

Tickets/more info available at:
ONLINE: http://www.roltheatre.com
or
BY PHONE: 1-800-838-3006 (open 24 hours)
Feb. 14-19

Lots of Love!

I am house managing for Ray of Light Theatre's Production of HONK (the story of the Ugly Duckling)
I know some of you are big fans of plays and musicals and if you've never seen a ROLT production before, you're in for a big treat!

I'm looking for people to be volunteer ushers (stand "guard" at the entrances to the theatre and possibly help with concessions/raffle or box office)
All performances are at the Presentation Theatre on the USF campus:
Friday Jan 14 & 21 @ 8pm
Saturday Jan 15 & 22 @ 8pm
Sunday Jan 16 & 23 @ 2pm

Please contact me at stephanie@roltheatre.com or message me back here if you are interested in helping out and I can fill you in on further details. Hope to hear from you! :-)