Speaking of dropping that ball...

Happy New Year! Well, Kristi wasn't the only one. I dropped the ball too--off a steep cliff--into a mile deep canyon. But as a New Year's resolution I promise to be better (or atleast try) at keeping this blog afloat.

I left you hanging after that last audition-I got it! I performed my Cow monologue again, and this time with more confidence and success. I do believe KK would be proud (I did my KK homework after all). I also sang...did you guess it?..."Keys" from Passing Strange by STEW. If you haven't listened to this autobiographical, small cast rock musical, you have an assignment. Listen. Look it up on PBS (they filmed a performance). Just brilliant.

So the audition yielded a part in another rock musical. One about a bat who's half boy, or is it the other way around? Who knows. But I get bitten. Then I die. But not before singing and dancing my little heart out and dressing in drag.  I'm excited. The cast and creative crew are awesome, and we start in February.

But on to those pesky monologues. Playwrights-seriously. All of you blossoming young Ionescos, Becketts, Parks, etc. send us your stuff! What about this: we won't video tape our rehearsals--we'll SKYPE WITH YOU!! Live feedback!!

Come on-you know you want to. :)

Also-look for some KK worksheets in the future. Kristi and I are hard at work making some "cheat-sheets" for you "auditionees" that we think might help.

A Quick Update

Hi all!

I've been slightly absent from the blog recently, but I'm taking a break amidst the Thanksgiving festivities to pop in and say hello! Rehearsal is keeping me super busy, but our show open next Saturday and I'll have much more time to shift my focus back to the blog.

I've recently been given some suggestions for new monologues, so I'm really excited to look them up and tackle them when I get back to Chicago. That said, I echo Whitney's post below...

We want YOU, playwrights!

Don't hide behind that computer screen because I know you're out there! We went to college with some talented folks AND I've met some talented folks since moving to Chicago, so...send us your stuff!

Speaking from the heart, new material is my favorite material to perform. One of the monologues I've been doing since I moved to Chicago was something I wrote and it's always gotten a good reception. Casting directors get tired of hearing the same monologues over and over and I get tired of doing them. It's great to have some "standards" in your repertoire, but the new work or the in-development work is the work that gets an actor remembered. And more than once I've had a casting director ask me what the monologue was from and write down the title and author. So they're not just paying attention to the actors. They are paying attention to the material too!

Okay. Enough begging. Time for some coffee, some breakfast and a shower. My family and I have a busy day of museum going and I've got Christmas gifts to finish later.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend and make sure not to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the next 4 weeks. Take some time to enjoy a warm cup of cocoa by the light of the Christmas tree. (Or the lights decorating your windows if you live in an studio and have no room for Christmas tree, like me. :) )

With gratitude,
Kristi

We want YOU!

All right, playwrights. I know you're out there. I might just start naming names...maybe. Maybe I'll just tag you on the book of face. We still need your submissions here at Monologue Mania! We will TAPE our rehearsals! We will put a voice to your story! Submit at monologuemania@gmail.com. Do it. :)

Anyhoo-I've got an audition tonight. I'm using the Cow poem again in a more edited and concise version (because that's the process my friends: find, edit, perform, tweak, edit again, and test), and I'm singing (because this audition is for a musical!). I'm not going to reveal what I'm singing quite yet, but I'll give you hints: Its a newer rock musical, its by a man with only one name (because he is as cool, if not cooler, than other one-name wonders-ie. Prince), and the musical is about his life. Can you guess the musical?

I'll tell you the answer in my audition update, but otherwise, get thee to an iTunes store and download this music (if you've guessed what it is yet). IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. Well, I loved it anyway.

Happy Monday!

The Results Are In!!

Alright, I want to send a hearty thank you to the 10 or so people who voted.

There was a definite winner for our poll-An Awesome New Play.

Alas, if only I knew some playwrights that could submit some awesome new works for us to play with...WAIT A MINUTE! I know many of you write (and write well) so don't be shy.

Playwrights are the most important people in theatre-without them, there would be no story. And without a story--there'd be no point to doing theatre. Who wants to stare at a blank stage with actors staring blankly back at you. Not me, no sir.

So come one, come all. CALLING ALL PLAYWRIGHTS!!
If you'd like for us to use your work in an upcoming audition, or just to workshop it, please email us a PDF document to monologuemania@gmail.com. We can give you feedback on our experiences with your work, we'll even video our rehearsal readings. Isn't that just what you're looking for? A way to hear your beautiful new work??!!?!

Happy Writing!