Back-Story - The Rest of Myrtle's Story (Part 2 of 2)

Okay, so as promised - here's the rest of Myrtle's story ... well a "Reader's Digest" version, this is afterall a blog AND you all know how long winded I can get! :-)

Myrtle Hughes was born in Carthage, Missouri in January 24, 1860.  Her father (Nathan) was a blacksmith for John Shirley and her mother (Lizzie) worked in his tavern, as a cook.  After the Union attacked Carthage and the Shirleys left Carthage for Texas, Myrtle and her family also moved to Texas hoping for a better life. 

It was in Texas that Myrtle grew up with her role model being John and Eliza Shirley's daughter - Belle Shirley Starr.  The Shirleys and Hughes being Southern sympathizers often gave notable outlaws such as the James and Younger brothers, former Confederates, providing them a hiding place. This is where Myrtle and Slim became well acquainted with how to get around the law and make a living .. outside of farming.

After a bit Myrtle met Justin Bishop, got married and had her only child, a daughter, Vivian ... and continued the life of "less than legal" endeavors.  Justin decided to branch out into larger endeavors and was shot and killed during a bank robbery. 

Things became difficult with the law always watching Mrytle and Slim, so she convinced Slim that they need to move up to the Indian Territory and live/hide out with Belle on the Starr's ranch, which they did.

Then Belle was shot and killed February 3, 1889 and when Myrtle and Slim were trying to figure out what to do next ... they heard of the Oklahoma Territory Land Rush set for April ... so they decided this was the perfect opportunity to hide out until the day of the land rush and be ready to stake out some land and start a new life, well sort of!  Being a "Sooner" was not easy with the Federals always on the prowl, but Myrtle and Slim had become good at skirting the law and managed to not get chased out of the territory, so they got the land they wanted on the day of the Rush.

They settled in around Bushy Head and set up shop :-) farming just enough to hold appearances and not theiving any more than would start to raise eyebrows.

They are attending the social for really only one reason, as they are running low on cash and are checking out to see who has money -- pretty easy since they are being really open during the bidding on the lunch baskets.  But, also this is not to say they don't mix business with pleasure and manage to have pretty good time at the social.

Now let me tell you that Myrtle has her eye on that hard-working - not so legal himself - Jud Fry and she absolutely doesn't understand why he is so interested in that stick of a blonde girl -- so she takes the opportunity to "dig" Laurey when Curly leaves with Gertie ... "Looks like Curlys' took up with that Cummin's girl."  Her hopes are really "dashed" when Jud keeps bidding on Laurey's basket and then he bids everything he has and lost it anyway!  This ticks Myrtle off and just a bit later Jud comes up missing his hard-earned cash, but he never finds out about it since he gets in the fight and falls on his own knife -- a pity, but Myrtle thinks a well-deserved "pity" :-)

By the way Myrtle doesn't cook -- that's why Slim always is trying to bid on and get a basket, so we can get some good eats ... but we always loose because thieving needs to be done and at the moment we only have 2 bits.

As far as Will Parker goes, Myrtle had her eyes on him for Vivian BUT Will only has eyes for Ado .. and she thinks ... what's with these men anyway?  But Vivian likes Joe and he is a cowboy and has potential (at least for having his pockets picked a little later!)

****** So, now you know - mostly - the rest of Myrtle's story (and the majority of my back-story for Oklahoma) ******* this is what happens when an ensemble member has too much time to think!

I hope you've enjoyed Myrtle's little story -- go forth and be great my Buddies!

Back-Story, a Theatrical Tool (Part 1 of 2)

Before I start ... thank you - goes to Preston Willis, who took the fabulous photo included in this blog - YOU ROCK!!

Do you ever wonder about an actor in an ensemble of a musical? Who are they - why are they - where'd they come from ... I don't mean as an individual "today" person ... I mean as the person they are in the musical.  WAIT, you say, they don't have a story in the musical they are only there to sing and dance and lend support to the leading actors.

Well, "nay" I say - every actor (even leads) - in my humble opinion - need a back-story in order to know what motivates them to do certain things they do within the musical - not just because the play says they do this or that ... or even not just because the Director says to do this or that -- even though that is the best reason to do something! :-)  This, I believe, also should take place within a non-musical ... but once again, only my humble opinion!

As in literary back-stories where you learn about the character throughout the writing, for an ensemble member their theatrical back-story does not reveal itself within the context of the musical, but only through the acting of the ensemble member.  I personally use this tool in every musical I'm in (and if I ever branch out and try those "things" without music :-) I will probably use it there too!  The back-story only exists if the actor prepares one and not all actors do.

I also rarely share my back-stories, but I've let bit out in my dressing room - so I've decided for Oklahoma, why the heck not share - so here goes:

To start - in an early rehearsal Tim Jebsen (the Executive Director of Midland Community Theatre ... and director for Oklahoma ... for those of you who do not know who he is) paired us and asked us to make up a quick story of who we were and then the couples had a short "meeting" and then tried to figure out who everyone was by the actions they took ... it was a fun exercise by-the-way!

My partner had a name within the play "Slim" and I had no name (that developed later though), we decided that we were in the Oklahoma Territory because we were thieves looking for the "less than legal" opportunities.  I made the suggestion that we were siblings and later throughout the rehearsal process I gained a daughter, when her beau begged with her "Please don't make me dance with your mother again!" :-) LOVED IT, kept it!  Also, by this time - I decided that Myrtle was a good hearty name for my character - I had a Grand Aunt with this name who died at the age of 20 in 1904, making it an age appropriate name for this show - so thus it was.  Once again when Tim divided the ensemble into cowboys and farmers ... Slim and I made the farmer cut - so we are "sort of" farmers and proud of it! 

Family Portrait (L-R):  Vivian, my daughter; Tom, "he who is watched!"

Myrtle :-); Slim, my bro; Laurey, my adversary; Ellen, my adversary's friend

and on the porch Aunt Eller, who Myrtle envys because everyone loves and listens to Aunt Eller!

So, what do you know about my Oklahoma ensemble character so far?  We are siblings, thieves and part-time farmers.  My daughter does not know what her Mom and Uncle Slim really do for living - as an actor she is aware of it - and her beau really doesn't like dancing with "me" :-) AND I watch him like that hawk "making lazy circles in the sky" -- so he better be good to my daughter -- ROFL !!!

Soooo, there's the start - no, it isn't all of it and I will share the rest in the next blog -- because let's face it, I ramble on and on and on ... and this first part is getting long! 

So have a great day Buddies -- and stay tuned "for the rest of the story!"

Book-Ending a Career Hobby?

Okay, I admitted this outloud last evening and it really made an impression in my brain, which I now ponder. What you may ask? :-)

I have auditioned (yes, once again) for Theatre Midland’s 2011 season opener Oklahoma and yes, I’m currently in White Christmas ... yes, I got cast in Oklahoma and, although I will do “back-to-back” shows on occasion - I try not to.

So, now to the saying “outloud” part - in a congratulations received backstage last evening I made the statement that disregarding the fact that I love musicals - I auditioned for Oklahoma for an “additional” reason and that being Oklahoma was the first show I ever did at Theatre Midland.

Two responses now spring to mind:

(1) “How long ago was that?”

• 35 years -- I mean really, I admitted this outloud?! (I’ve done theater at MCT that long? Of course, excepting a short 6-7 year hiatus that I allowed myself, at the point I refused to “take” ... any longer ... a “past” director’s snide remarks. Okay, I’ll also admit I had no intention of returning to theatre when I left ... guess I “got the bug”.)

(2) “As long as you don’t make it your last show.”

• Well, before this statement came up, I had discussed that thought with my husband, I mean at some point you need to give it up - before you start embarrassing yourself (yes, even as an actor - I mean you all know how “we” are). It would be fitting to “bookend” a “career hobby” with the same show - sort of adds that note of “just right.”

Anyway, I doubt I put an end to my embarrassing myself any time soon - I mean there are some great shows on the 2011 season - so maybe I’ll branch out and away from musicals and REALLY get into the embarrassment stage of auditioning for non-musicals ... those for which I am truly untalented!

Have a great day (and weekend) my Buddies!

Auditions - My Weird

Sunday, September 19, found me on the way to auditions for White Christmas, my first audition since Hubby’s little problem. Now, let me make this statement - I love to audition, really-really, so I always totally look forward to getting dressed, showing up, filling out the cards, getting your pic taken (well, okay, I don’t really like that part - I always look like a dork in the pics!) talking with everyone, dancing, singing, reading ... well you get what I’m saying AND I love the show White Christmas.

Sooooooo, my weird? It was almost like I was sent someone else to auditions - getting dressed, I got nervous - not excited; driving to the theatre I didn’t break out in song, I thought to myself “why are you doing this”; filling out the cards and standing in line, I know I chattered probably waaaayyyy too much (well, okay - I always do that!) but I actually found the palms of my hands sweating a bit.

Settling into the auditions I danced fine - or I think I did, I could be very wrong in this perception! Then came along singing auditions and I decided to sing in the alto section for a change (usually sing 1st or 2nd soprano) -- first mistake, out of the ordinary for an audition, we wound up singing in pairs ... the soprano and alto parts together ... which I blew, because in a few minutes of going over the song, I found it difficult to change a “lifetime” of singing the song’s soprano part :-) and the alto part wasn’t really that difficult “arrrrrgggg” and “oh well” STRIKE ONE? (I now even wonder if I sang out with any kind of confidence, I really just don’t remember.) Then came the read -- well, that too was interesting and I tanked it big time STRIKE TWO?

My question is/was where the HECTOR did the nerves come from? That is just ridiculous, nervous is not my style - all I can think of while sitting here writing this is I’m still not all that secure about leaving the house in the evenings for rehearsals and leaving Hubby there - alone, even though he is now coming along nicely from his little problem, or is it that I now simply feel like I’m a million years old -- probably where the “why are you doing this” question came from.

So did my subconscious try to sabotage my very own self? Did I do as crappy a job as I thought I did? Will I get back my “joy,” “happy” and “more youthful than I really am” feelings - that just seemed to be missing in this audition (or so I think it was, maybe I “acted” my way through the audition?) Will I be “back to normal” for the next auditions - I surely hope so ... this one was simply just too weird for words -- well, obviously not since I’m blogging about it!

****** Was holding off on posting this until cast list was posted ****** it has been AND I MADE IT (wooohooo) in spite of all my weirdness!

I can say that I really cannot wait for the first rehearsal -- let the joy begin and may we all have a WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!