https://julieballantynebrown-68872.medium.com/another-mass-shooting-cf74f7b0ab7f
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Reflect, recharge, renew.
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Click here for the original article on Medium:
In the fun part of my life, I’m an actor in community theatre. I have been for ten years now, returning to acting after many years of working multiple jobs, going to school, and (happily) raising small boys. It’s been a source of comfort to me, as well as being a challenge that I eagerly accept.
Theatre has gotten me through some dark times, providing an outlet where I can safely get out of my comfort zone and push my boundaries. Magic happens on stage when you can engage an audience and I’m there for it. I’m used to working on as many shows as I can in some capacity during our regular September — May season. When Covid hit, it was devastating, not only to our theatre, but to theatres all around the world.
We had just had a successful opening weekend of The Glass Menagerie in March 2020. I was playing Amada Wingfield, a bucket list role for me, very intense. We were gearing up for the next weekend when everything shut down. We thought, like many others, that we would be back up and running in a few weeks. When it became clear that this virus wasn’t going away, many theatres, including ours, produced some virtual plays and events, hoping to raise money to stay afloat and also keep our creativity going and our spirits up.
Virtual events weren’t a perfect substitute for being on stage, but they got us through. Last year, after vaccines became available, we actually put on two productions that were filmed in the theatre by vaccinated actors and then livestreamed to audiences. Rehearsals were masked until final tech rehearsals, and then only unmasked on stage. It was great to be on the actual stage again, with other people, unmasked, but we missed that energy that a live audience provides.
I should also mention that we have a very active member who is a nurse-practitioner and who has been battling Covid in the trenches since it began. With her expert guidance and a dedicated committee of members to navigate us through, we have been fortunate to keep doing what we love to do
Finally, beginning last fall, we were able to put on live productions in front of audiences again. The audiences were vaccinated, masked, and socially distanced for safety’s sake. We took a break when Covid numbers exploded again last November, but were able to finish out our season almost exactly how we had planned it. I helped with the production of those shows, I do hair and makeup, but hadn’t been back on stage yet.
Until last night.
It was wonderful.
We decided to open our 95th season with something called Encore, a collection of songs from many of the musicals we’ve put on over the last twenty years. In most cases, the production team brought back the original actors to perform their pieces with the entire cast of us performing some ensemble numbers. It’s a great show. I felt, and still feel, incredibly honored and humbled to be a part of this endeavor, especially since I’m not as strong a singer as many of my castmates. Seriously, I’m convinced that there are several who could have gone professional if they wanted to. To be in such a company is gratifying and terrifying all at the same time. I’ve loved every minute of listening to everyone rehearse and last night, we were finally able to perform for a live audience. (In case you’re wondering, we monitor the Covid levels in our county to determine if masks are required or not. They’re optional at the moment and we don’t require vaccines for patrons anymore. We adjust with the science and the CDC.)
As we were waiting in the wings for the show to begin, one of my fellow actors began asking everyone when their last Opening Nights were. For some, it had been a long time: fourteen years, ten years. For some who had performed last season, only a few months back. It spurred conversation about what those shows were, who else had been in the shows, and how nervous, but excited, we all were to do this again.
It made me think about things that are so much different now than the way they were the last time I stepped onto a stage in front of an audience, March 8, 2020. It was two and a half years ago now, but it feels like a lifetime. We didn’t concern ourselves with masks or vaccinations. When someone in the cast was sick, we usually all got sick and just went on with the show. I think every actor has probably gone on stage with a fever or a full litany of antibiotics coursing through their system, but a virus that kills indiscriminately changed all of that for us.
While we were able to open last night, a few of our castmates tested positive for Covid, despite being vaxxed, (we test every performance day) and are at home resting, prompting Team Understudy to fill in where needed. Luckily, nobody has life-threatening symptoms but it’s still no fun for them, feeling sick and staying home when they really want to be with us. Luckily, we run for two more weekends, so they’ll be back with us soon, but more of us could test positive at anytime. We just have to be ready and flexible.
As I write this, call time for tonight is only two hours away. The nerves are kicking in a bit, but I’m ready for that rush again, even as Covid continues to shadow it all and making us more cautious than we were before. This is our new normal. Bring it on.
Posted in life, theatre | Tagged COVID-19, theatre | Leave a Comment »
The change is happening.
Summer is growing old, Autumn is softly creeping in.
While the air is still hot, there’s an undercurrent of change. The promise of coolness under the heat, whispered by the wind. Summer is losing its bite.
The leaves are feeling it, a sudden blush emerging from their edges, spreading inward, a beautiful progression to a slow, but spectacular, death.
The waters grow cooler in night temperatures even as Summer makes a last, mighty, futile, effort to hold on with warm days. The ice bides its time.
The veil thins between worlds. The unknown presses in whether you believe or not, reminding us of our mortality, an inevitable end, and what lies beyond.
Autumn is sobering beauty. Nature’s reminder to make it meaningful.
Welcome.
Posted in General, life, spirituality | Tagged autumn, circle, death, fall, life, seasons, witchy | Leave a Comment »
My husband and I recently returned from two weeks in London and the Veneto region of Italy, which was wonderful. Let’s just say I’m not that happy to be home. I’m struggling a bit, actually, and counting down the days until we can return. In the meantime, I’m trying to stay positive with these takeaways:
- Walking across Tower Bridge almost every day was spectacular.
- Stonehenge was a spiritual experience.
- I was really floored by the Tudor wing of Hampton Court.
- Mudlarking in the Thames.
- London transportation is so convenient, if mostly not air conditioned.
- Walking from Westminster to Tower Bridge…
- Tesco has everything you need. Biscuits, wine, Johnny Walker… That’s everything, right?
- Omg, that spot in the Tower???
- Ravens are awesome.
- So many ridiculously cool Roman sites.
- Okay, so while walking the Jack the Ripper walk…
- Westminster Abbey is everything.
- What is the exchange rate between the pound and the dollar?
- 40 degrees Celsius is what in Fahrenheit???
- West End Theatre. (SIX!)
- “Would you like a bag for 50p?”
- When we were having a pint in that old pub in Greenwich…
- The National Gallery is air conditioned. Buses are not.
- Party boats.
- I’m bringing a bolero in case I need one in the Basilica or other cathedrals.
- Prosecco grapes = Baby wine
- Rialto Bridge selfies.
- Venice is better at night when everyone goes home.
- DETROOIIIIITTT! (inside joke)
- Whiskey
This is by no means a complete list, just what I’m thinking of at the moment. Do you have a place that feels like you belong there? What’s your takeaway?
Posted in life, mental health, spirituality, theatre, travel | Tagged depression, London, Tesco, theatre, Tower of London, travel, Veneto, Venice, West End, Westminster Abbey | Leave a Comment »
I typically don’t make New Year resolutions. It’s a nice idea, but they’re generally self-defeating after a week or two. I have better luck with positive changes when I’m really feeling it, no matter what time of the year it is.
This year, though, I am making a resolution. Two, actually.
- I am going to actively, consistently seek representation from a literary agent until it happens.
- I am going to connect more actively in the Writing Community.
Not that I haven’t done those things before, but I tend to drift off to other things after a spurt of writing or queries, usually my day job because that’s where my energy goes.
But this year, I’m going to query every damn day if I have to. Or at least every week. That’s probably more realistic.
I want to be a professional writer. I want to write for a living. It’s time to get after that in a real way.
To all of my readers, have a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Thank you for the views, the reads, and the likes. If you like me here, check me out on Medium.com as well, at Julie Ballantyne Brown.
Posted in General, writing | Tagged author, literary agents, new year resolutions, resolutions, writing, writingcommunity | Leave a Comment »
Here is the link to my latest article on Medium.
https://julieballantynebrown-68872.medium.com/an-ode-to-the-unnamed-women-ad551b2ab38f
Posted in family, history, life, spirituality | Tagged ancestry, family, family history, genealogy, grandmother, Medium | Leave a Comment »
A Place of My Own 