Alyrenee's Copious Spare Time

Another week down. I had a root canal last week followed by the flu...so yeah...so little got done in way of exercising. Then we had two snow days and folks round here (NC) cannot drive on a good day let alone in ice and snow. So I had cabin fever like crazy combined with a lack of motivation/energy. I did manage to get two script proposals submitted to a theatre AND started an outline for another play.  I also sold some more dolls, deboxed some that were still in boxes, and changed the outfits on a few more. Go me. Still no new clothing purchases! Well no human clothing. I did finally hunt down the stripe Barbie fashionista fashion pack so I can chill for awhile on the obsessive toy aisle patrols.  This coming week I am getting the crown on the root canal tooth (BOOO). I am hoping it won't keep me down for long. I have a ton of shopping to get done for The Wiz this week and research to compile for Neverwhere at Lifeline. Weeee.

So about two years ago, i worked on adapting "Thumbnail Lotharios" by Ben Hecht into a radio play...which was then paired with original jazz compositions.  My husband also acted in the piece.  The CD is finally coming out next week and there is a snazzy party to boot.  Check it out... 1,001 Afternoons in Chicago CD Release Party View this email in your browser 1,001 Afternoons in Chicago CD Release Party! The sights, sounds and people who inhabited Roaring '20's Chicago inspired the now-legendary writer Ben  Hecht  to write a series of short stories one a day every day for a year to be published in the Chicago Daily News. The best of them have been collected as 1,001 Afternoons in Chicago and six of the best of those are the inspiration for a  new radio play , perhaps the perfect medium for these colorful stories, made in a collaboration between Access Contemporary Music and Strawdog Theater. We recorded the music, we reco...

This show kicked my ass...lots of work and in a historical period I rarely have worked in but definitely enjoyed. Stage and Cinema  

Woot.  I got nominated for a Wilde Award in Costume Design for Cymbeline .  And also a honorable mention for She Stoops to Conquer .  Nice.  These are the awards for professional theatre in Michigan.

You should come...it should be a really fun time.

So every year these need to be made...some get left behind but others linger the whole year.  My thinking is that if I manage to stick with these even part of the time then there is a benefit. Finish a script. Get a script produced. Finish custom Action figures that have been back burnered. Ethical clothing challenge. Stash diet...nothing new and work it down. Knit four sweaters. Keep house respectable. Reduce clutter. Eat better. Exercise more. Write more. Create more. Waste less time. Be less fearful.

Dear Friends, blog readers, weird stalkers (you know who you are)... I am writing today to ask you to donate to Strawdog Theatre Company's annual appeal, $25,000 for our 25th Season.  As you know, I have been an ensemble member at Strawdog for over eight years and working here has helped me grow as an costume and makeup designer as well as a writer. Like many arts organizations of our size, we have hit a few bumps in the road but we are determined to finish our 25th season with bang. And to do that we need your support. Ticket sales only cover about one third of Strawdog's operating costs and we depend on individual donors to create shows at Strawdog with the high standards for design and world-building that our audience has come to expect. Even though times are tight, we continue to produce top-notch theatre with our current show, Improbable Frequency, which the Chicago Tribune gave 3 stars and called “…a welcome blast of gooniness to kill the winter blahs.”    ...

Shameless self-promotion.... Read about me and Lifeline Theatre! Photo...costumes from Watership Down!

Come see it....

Chicago Suntimes Chicago Theatre Beat

Read all about it!   Then go see it.  This weekend use the code MISERY at the door to get two for one tickets!

Woot!  I made it to Round Two for the 2011 Honor Awards .  Please show some love to me and my fellow compadres as Lifeline Theatre and vot for Watership Down and Monte Cristo when ya sees it on the poll.

Ugh.  November has been ruthless and brutal.  Two straight weeks of tech/dress rehearsals and four show closings...which translates into about 80 hours of over time...ten days of 13 hour workdays, the sewing of seven romantic length tutus, the making of a robotic dragon tail and head (you heard me), 13 joker inspired dance costumes (sewing 13 green corduroy vests and hunting down 13 duplicate pairs of purple pants and blouses in the world), about 10 loads of laundry, at least a billion trips up and down the shop stairs, and more stops at walmart, joann, target, and the wig store than a girl can take.  Plus my work computer got a virus two and a half weeks ago while I was doing research on Gieshas for Janaury's Madame Butterfly and still has not returned from IT yet.  And did I mention I am cooking Thankgiving dinner for the first time next week.  And I have designs for Wildclaw's Kill Me and Strawdog's  Petrified Forest to do....and the foley work for Wildc...

I love this website for research...the photos of the criminals from the 1930s are AMAZING and I use them all of the time.  While researching costumes for Strawdog's next production of The Petrified Forest ...i found this gem ...

'Old Times' are sexy and new at Strawdog

Exhaustion! *pant pant pant* What a weekend!  I will be updating the blog with some photos shortly. I have to get through a play opening and a HUGE BENEFIT for Wildclaw on monday night...then it's dolly time. I will be posting the outfits and my doll hats for sale in my etsy store on thursday.  Those of you who were not lucky enough to snag the lime green hats that I had presciently made to match that gorgeous Anja Business Class doll....fear not, I am furiously making more to accommodate you all!  If you would like to reserve one, please shoot me an email and I will let you know when they become available and you will have first dibs before they hit etsy/ebay/pink parlor. And a big thanks to everyone who bought a hat or outfit from me this weekend!  I may not have mentioned it to you, but I am happy to make any repairs in the life of your fashion or hat should it encounter any battle damage along in the course of play (or say a feline menace).  No char...

You should see this play.  It is dead sexy and awesome. here's the review...

Enjoy... http://triblocal.com/glen-ellyn/community/stories/2011/05/cod-costume-makeup-coordinator-nominated-for-jeff-award/

I live for this kind of thing.  Photographs of real people are fairly difficult to come by and these are amazing.