Thursday, March 27, 2014

It's Time to Ignite The Air

So...I feel like a super hip kid...this is my first blog from (drum roll it babe) my PHONE! Technology is b-a-n-a-n-a-s! Anywho...today is the first day of closing weekend and I've been "oddly emotion" (I quoted myself). But that is a story for later. 

So in between weekends I've been resting my voice on Sunday and Monday then jumping back on it on Tuesday. This week was no different except I added a little extra credit HIV/AIDS research. This is gonna sound lame but...all the while I was looking thing up, I was listening to the cast album. So damn melodramatic. As I was listening and looking I felt that damn lump rising in my throat. I think for once I was starting to realize the gravity of this opportunity. I'm Tom Collins in mutha-fludpuckin' RENT! AHHHHHHHH!!! But not only that, my attitude towards life has transformed into Collins' Act II philosophy. Not to mention we get to join the ranks of so many actors that have assumed these roles. We are a part of musical theater HISORY! (...and we kinda sold out every show too)

I was talkin to a fellow castmate and I told her realistically speaking, because of our age, this would probably be our only chance to play these characters...Revelation much?

All of these damn words or just to say that this is it. This is our last chance to effect people the way we have in past weekends as this group of actors. We owe it to ourselves, the audience and Jonathan to leave EVERYTHING on the stage this weekend. 

Let's ignite the air,
Thanks Jonathan 

Saturday, March 8, 2014

The Rediscovery of Life Through Death



(sigh) So life and death are two incredibly complex human conditions. Friends die, children die, parents die, long time pets die all for reasons we may be aware of or for reasons we may never know. For me the "not knowing" piece is the most difficult part to accept. I'm a person who NEEDS answers and many times I can't accept "there's no answer" as an answer. This is going to get brighter, I promise...just not right away. 

I found out last Friday evening that my godmother had past away. Her funeral was today. She had been fighting cancer for the last few years and this last year seemed to be the most aggressive battle. She had been on my mind really heavy lately so I called her last Monday. Her voice was so frail. I could hear how weak she was and yet she was still asking about me and how my life was going. That really broken my heart, but I kept it together for her as best as I could. I was still optimistic about her condition until she asked me to sing at her funeral. With her trembling voice she asked me to sing You Are So Beautiful. I think she knew she was already on borrowed time. We exchanged I love yous and that was the last time I would ever talk to her.

The last time I saw her was from the stage of Parade. She came and suffered that cold ass theater just to see me. And those of you who've seen Parade before...IT'S LONG. But she was there just for me. She and my godfather, her husband, are without flinching my biggest fans. They've been my biggest fans since even before my first high school show (Once on This Island). I knew she loved me, but now I'm starting to find out just how much. 

Random tangent: I remember one time my godparents took me out to dinner, my godfather dropped something and yell out damnit! Mind you these two are really model christians mind, body, soul and in practice. She looked at him like did you really just cuss in front of Marshall? And I looked at him like you really just cussed. I couldn't wait to get home and tell my mama. They had been together for over fifty years. Talk about seeing a partner at their worst and best...they had done and seen it all. They were truly, completely, hopelessly in love. 

You might be asking Marshall, when does this get brighter? And what does this have to do with anything. Well here you go. She will never get a chance to see who I really am. I'll never get a chance to tell her. I never told her, but she knew and I know she accepted me. It's so unfortunate that death has to encourage me to fully accept myself so that I can always be transparent and genuine. I've learned that I have to be vulnerable, accepting the possibility of love, laughter, and even hurt and pain. The words there's only now, there's only here...give in to love or live in fear have never made more sense than they do today. I've rediscovered life through death. Godmama...tonight's show is for you.

No other path...no other way
No day but today