The Alchemy of Sound Design

i've been meaning to put up a post for a while on the process of sound design, and now - while i'm in the middle of one, yet stalled - seems as good a time to do it as any (i'm stalled temporarily because the internet is down at the coffeeshop and i need to download files). Designing sound just might be my favorite thing to do for the theater, altho costuming runs a close second. As i tweeted last night, sound design is like DJ-ing - only different.

The process of putting together the soundscape for a play begins at the very first read-through. Listening to the actors go through the script, even at this early stage, can give you some ideas of where emphasis should fall, and what sort. Usually at this point, the only notes i make are emotional states: 'tense', 'mysterious', 'sexy'. However, if a particular song comes to mind, i'll put that down too, tho perhaps not right in the margins (ProTip: make notes in pencil!).

The next step is finding a cornerstone piece. Maybe this is suggested by a particular line that reminds me of a lyric; maybe it will come from a movie i've recently watched, or a CD i've been rocking lately. Quite possibly the director will have some suggestions, for types of tracks if not particular pieces. Whatever the track, it will sum up the overall mood of the play for me. Once i have this defining piece, the rest of the tracks i use will largely be grouped around it. Its not impossible that my cornerstone piece may not even get used in the play itself, altho if not it probably *will* show up in the pre- or post-show music.

For the play i'm working on now, the cornerstone was a piece by Brian Eno (which hm, come to think of it - i haven't found a place for it yet), 'Lantern Marsh'. Brian Eno leads me naturally to Robert Fripp, and i found a CD at the library i hadn't heard before, "That Which Passes". David Bowie associates with both of them, and Phillip Glass created a symphony based on the album "Low", which Bowie and Eno did together. 'Low' was recorded during Bowie's 'Berlin period', and Berlin suggests one of my favorite movies, "Wings of Desire" - and so on.

Now, this particular play revolves around the idea of instant media celebrities, so the director wanted to incorporate some NPR-style soundscapes. So while my overall mood was being created by the Bowie/Fripp/Eno/Berlin axis, a secondary thematic current has to be built around the notion of documentary soundtracks: lots of ambient soundscapes and sound effects. Often a script will call for particular sounds and even songs - i'm less happy when the playwright includes specific songs in the script, because i seldom agree with their tastes and choices, but you work with it. i found a site that offered free themes for use in podcasts, and was able to grab some things from there for the news aspect; other online sites provide canned audience reactions.

As you might expect, an NPR-type jazz intro theme doesn't in the *least* blend with the Teutonic dark ambient soundscape. This is good. Now, we can heighten the contrast between the fakely-cheerful media gloss on a subject, and the bleak discordance the subject is actually experiencing inside - a discordance that will become increasingly apparent as the flow of the narrative reveals itself.

This brings me back to the similarities with DJing. When i did college radio, i always preferred the late night slots, so that i could stretch out and put together hour-long sets if the mood was right. i would program based on my own mood, of course, but my mood was shaped by the group around me (the strange little tribe that called itself Thee Dark Lodge) - and i would begin to discover during those halcyon nights just how much an overall mood might pervade a scene, a town, a region. i would tap into an emotional state and program pieces that matched that state - which, in turn, would further SHAPE that state for anyone who happened to be tuned in to that night's show.

With sound design, i'm still shaping the flow of emotional reaction in my audience, although i only carry part of the responsibility for that influence. The actors themselves have the bulk of it; the lights, costume, set and actions contribute as well. Ideally, my sound design choices will work with the action onstage, serving functionally as an amplifier to what's being presented. Its a well-known cliche that movie music will clue you in to the action: Uh oh, here comes the scary part! Scoring for a play serves exactly the same function. Music and sound can indicate a mood, but they can also indicate a place – which may be somewhere different from where the action is occurring – a time (likewise) – or a particular character. You probably won’t use a character theme for every entrance, but if you use it a couple times, then that music can ‘refer’ to the character even if they’re offstage.

If you’re curious how this all comes together, “Valparaiso” by Don DeLillo opens Friday, March 18th at convergence-continuum. Doors at 7:30, curtain at 8:00 pm. Want to make a night of it? The Tremont TapHouse is just down the street, and a number of other fine restaurants like Properity, Bac, and Grumpy’s are right around the corner. And sadly, i am not getting kickbacks from any of them, i just like to promote good LOCAL entertainment. If i don’t see you there, i’ll catch you back here sometime real soon!

triple theater thing

Dear blog, i've been bad ("Monster hospital, would you please release me?"). i skipped the new moon update and am late with this one; oh well. i notice how i've been inundated with requests for the latest installment, a-HRM! On the other hand, this means i have an entire month of goings-on to catch you up on this time.

So what have i been up to? Theater benefits, mostly; or so it seems. Guess it's the season for them! The first of these was stage-managing a benefit performance for Cleveland Shakespeare Festival at the lovely old Brooks Theater of the Cleveland Playhouse. If you know anything about theater in this town at *all* you likely have a soft spot for the Brooks; i know i do. That it may become one more monster hospital parking lot Real Soon Now is simply heartbreaking. Some of my first exposure to theater outside a college milieu was at the Brooks; both my children have had pieces read there when they were at Cleveland School of the Arts. Its a quaint little brick box with faux-medieval touches - which happen to include an unheated booth. Did i mention this show was in January? Brr! But getting to wander a wee bit in the basement of the Playhouse - the Playhouse, yo!! - during set strike made it almost worth it. i also came a little too close to breaking my finger during that strike by dropping a door onto it (a framed door, set into a bit of prop wall, with supporting wings). i probably did put a hairline crack in the bone but wtf, its not hurting now.

Next up was Street Beat! the annual benefit for Near West Theater, who i had not worked with before. This is their 30th year, i believe, and they clearly are both established and - by the shoestring standards i'm used to - moneyed. Their benefit was held at Trinity Cathedral downtown; another survival from the days when Cleveland was mentioned in the same breath as New York and Chicago. i happen to have another soft spot for neo-Gothic cathedrals, having spent quite a few happy childhood hours in one (Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Hts - but that's another story). As their theme was a street carnival, they hired me to perform as a statue, reprising my Snow Queen outfit from Yuletide (late-breaking addition: a photo of me at the benefit!). They had really done up the interior, with street lights, scaffolding, recorded construction and traffic noises, and an Emcee dressed as a cop.

i was strategically placed near the entrance so i had a good view of everything. As always seems to happen, when i first get up to perform, i have a few moments when i think, i'm not going to be able to do this. My knees hurt, i'm not standing right, this outfit is way too hot. And as usual in about ten minutes i got into Statue Mode, where i apparently just sort of tune out a certain amount of body awareness; and i was fine. i'm not sure if i'm getting 'better' at it, but this was the first time i've had someone stand so close i was actually poking them with my hand, and they didn't seem to realize it. This happened two or three times that night. i wonder if i had given them an actual poke or pinch, would they have jumped out of their skin?

The best part of the evening for me - well, aside from the to-die-for little tarts filled with almond creme - was getting to speak with one of the directors of the Ingenuity Festival. i'd already pretty well made up my mind to apply as a performer there this year, but talking with him helped me shape a concept a little more clearly. i think i can work something out that i can use there and at the Fairie Festival - oh, did i mention i'll be performing there as a statue this year as well? Yep, got accepted. Awesomesauce with those magnificent tarts on top. You'll be hearing more about that, never you fear. Incidentally, this photo of Spoutwood's own Greenman with my pals Frenchy & The Punk (formerly the Gypsy Nomads) comes from The Painting Queen, coz its WAY better than any of the ones i've taken.

Then finally we had Zombie Prom, the fourth annual Liminis benefit bash. Isn't that logo lovely? Our own Jim Smith did that. It seems there's a musical by the same name; but as a resolutely NON-musical theater, none of us knew anything about that. The space was decorated as, i guess, for prom; since my BFF and i were stoner kids, we opted to buy some more 'lumbos rather than spend the cash on going as Carrie (replete with pigs blood) and her beau, as was our original plan; so i don't actually know what prom looks like. Except i can guess it probably never has body parts dangling from the ceiling like ours did - !

i'm not a big fan of the whole zombie thing; somehow i just don't Get It. Which maybe explains why i waited til not quite a week before to go shopping for a prom dress. Naturally, in that short a time, i wasn't able to find anything remotely suitable (and in my size). i did, however, find a lovely blue satin bedsheet for under three dollars. Well then, i guess i'm making a dress - ! Fortunately, i have a pattern i'd even made before that is simple and quick to assemble. Ah, but the imp of the perverse was not content with quick and simple. As i was finishing basic assembly, there came an imply whispering in my ear. "This dress isn't turning out half bad," it said. "Be a shame to get stage blood all over it".

Well, that imp might be perverse, but it happened to be on my side, this time. It reminded me that at least one kind of zombie is created by voodoo - and who do voodoo but a Creole priestess? Now as it happens, i've done a bit of research into the ways of the Loa and their priests and priestesses; so not only did i know just what to wear, i was able to assemble a costume right from my very own wardrobe. Sadly, however, not too many *other* people there knew much about Voudon; so i got mistaken for a gypsy more than once (but when is a gypsy ever dressed all in white, with dreadlocks? *sigh* These people). Maybe i should have brought cornmeal and drawn veves on the floor; i considered it. Or marked a small bottle as 'rum' and gone around spraying mouthfuls onto things. Somehow, tho, i don't think our director would have appreciated either one, authentic behaviours tho they might have been.

So that, gentle readers, is how i've whiled away the snow-filled hours this past dark month. Which is getting brighter! Here's a lovely picture of my outdoor guardian gnome taking in some sun after a recent crazy snowfall. i'm already busy busy busy with projects for these last few weeks of winter: sound design for the season opener, holding a sustainability salon, an art project for next month's ArtWalk that is totally *me*, and more. But i'll tell you all about that next time, so be sure to stop back when the moon is new!

triple theater threat

Wow. Two weeks already? Well, the moon looked pretty full last night, so i guess its time for - (dun duh DUH) An Update. Rather a happy exercise, as it happens, since it gives me a way of Keeping Track. Ah, and welcome to the blog post of Theater Benefits and Pointless Capitalization, it seems!

Its funny, every time i sit down to write one of these, my first thought is, 'Well, i didn't do much this time'. Then i go look at my calendar. As always, i wind up with a full paragraph of do-ings. This week? No different. So - onward!

Over the course of the past two weeks, i've attended a couple meetings for the upcoming benefit at the Liminis, signed on to stage-manage the benefit for the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival and to do sound design for the first convergence production of the year, re-scheduled my audition for the benefit for Near West Theater, ordered garden catalogs (none of which have yet arrived, grr), had another 'tweet-up' with my new/old friend, took down my tree, went to the Capitol Theater for the first time, and spent a lot of time curled in bed watching DVDs. i've also shifted my work schedule so that, in theory, i will have two days off in a row. It hasn't quite happened yet, as i keep getting called in to do things on a day off; but i'm hopeful.

By the time the next blog goes up, we'll have made a formal announcement about this year's Liminis benefit. Since that hasn't happened yet, all i can say is: BRRAAAIIIINNNNSSZS. i am busy wracking mine in an attempt to secure suitable entertainment. It's tough, because we're going up against both RAMONESMANIA and the Brite Winter Fest; but i'll get it done somehow. As for the Near West benefit, i'll probably be reprising my Snow Queen character; i've never 'auditioned' as a statue before so i'm not quite sure how that will go. i guess what it really means is, i need to put together a promotional packet for myself, pronto.

What i'm really excited about tho, is working the CleveShakes benefit. i'm not sure which is cooler here: that i got to learn how to run two new programs (i run sound AND lights on this one), or that i get to crew a performance at the Brooks Theater! Some of my first theater memories are there. Some of my first exposure to Shakespeare happened there - although i realized this morning that my *first* Shakespeare memory is also my "born in a trunk" moment, struggling to stay awake and watch my dad perform in a student production at Kent State while my mom worked box office.

Curiously, he was playing one of the witches in "Macbeth", a play that theater people can be superstitious about, considering it 'cursed'.. and the play we're doing for the benefit, "Scenery" revolves around the backstage action in a theatrical couple's dressing room on opening night - including the mysterious gift of a copy of "Macbeth". i love it when things come full circle like that.

And that, dear friends, is about all there is to report this time out. i've been pretty spectacularly UNcreative; i got as far as purchasing a new sketchbook but haven't even sharpened the pencils that i bought with it yet. My thought is to drop in on one of the Friday night open life drawing sessions over at the Literary while i still have some Friday evenings open - well, *when* i have one open again, which won't be til February. And sometime in the next couple weeks i've got to create a piece for the spring show at Doubting Thomas; sadly, i as yet have NO idea what that will be.

Finally, i have to start building up my stock for the Fairie Festival in May - assuming i get accepted back, of course; but as this will be my twelfth year vending if i do, i'm gambling on it. Still waiting to hear if they also will accept me as a living statue; if so, i'll have to get busy and start creating a faerie costume for myself, won't that be a burden! But let's not get too far ahead. We're at the coldest point of the year right now, so i am going to go bake some coffeecake for a potluck brunch and then maybe climb back into bed to get warm til its done. See you in two weeks!

End is but a new Begin

Y helo thar, readers. Hop enue yar. Seems like Lady Moon spun thru these past two weeks at double time; but then, i was late on the last post and there was that stretch of holiday craziness to get through, now mercifully over. i think the plan is to sum up what i did, but do i even know? i suppose that i do, and now that i gather my wits, there really *wasn't* very much since the last post. Which should make for quick disposal. Oh dear, that never bodes well, when i think that - !

There was the end of 2010 and the beginning of this year more than anything, of course. New Year's Eve always a juggle of more invitations and obligations than i can possibly keep. There's the dress i decided to make at the last minute, which, once completed, i didn't wear. There was the stop at Ed's, and the party where i ended the night, and a midnight between them spent quietly in pleasant company. There was, at last, family xmas: an overshot roadtrip to pick up younger daughter, dinner at the folks, gifts. There was a serendipituous tweetup with a woman likely to become a regular partner in crime; and a benefit to cover medical expenses for the Perfect Guy. And finally, the con-con holiday hangover party combined with (to my knowledge) first-ever company meeting to kick off our tenth season.

i didn't do much crafting, except for making these silly little Santa candy dishes. These were inspired by an old family photo my brother had put up - can you spot the original behind our fabulous 70s outfits and Mom's groovy pigtails? Hint:Its on top of the piano. It may yet reside in a box at my folks; they haven't broken out the full compliment of xmas goodies in years. i'm not sure my grrlinas Got It, but what the heck, i had fun.

Hopefully they appreciated the legwarmers made from recycled sweaters a bit more. Those, of course, i didn't think to take pictures of cuz i'm smart like that. Not sure if i found the idea on Instructables or, more likely, Burda Style. There WILL be more of these, because legwarmers possess teh awesome, and repurposed clothing automatically doubles that quotient. You can cruise my Etsy shop in about a month, bet you'll find some. Of course you can cruise it right now and find other things - go on, i'll wait.

See, wasn't that fun? =} Oh, speaking of Etsy reminds me i also put in my application to vend at The Fairie Festival in May. OK, somewhere i have a picture of me at my cart last year which i wanted to use, but i can't find it ::gnar:: So here's a pic of the Maypole instead. This is simply The. Coolest. Event. EVAR. Its so cool i put in a dual application this year, as vendor and performer both - hoping i can come do my statue thing, and put an assistant in charge of my cart. And speaking of *that* reminds me i also applied to perform as a statue at a benefit for Near West Theater next month. i have an audition in a couple weeks which will be amusing i think; i'm going to show up, stand there and ignore them.

And oh dear, i did do even more than i thought at first; because i seem to have signed on as Stage Manager for Cleveland Shakespeare's benefit which i will probably be completely immersed in by the time my next update is due. While i ~could~ have said no, i couldn't really, as CleveShakes may not solely be the brainchild of my boss but is pretty damn close; but its also at the Playhouse and yes, thank you, i'll take a resume credit there in exchange for the last two weekends in January.

There's not a lot to say about family xmas except OMG LOOK AT THIS DOLL , shown here posing with Erl the Stuffed Dog. Elder daughter has officially put her Maa's crafting ability to shame. Younger daughter also received a doll; *hers* is a stuffed - and bearded! - version of The Snuggler. i don't know why; young people have ways different from our own. My dollie has yet to tell me what she'd like to weat instead of a scarf - when she does, i'll make it for her.

i suppose NYE gets a paragraph or two as well. i mentioned making a dress - i'll find some excuse to wear it somewhere, don't know where yet tho. When i bought the material, the clerk at JoAnn's warned me i'd have glitter everywhere. My inner drag queen rejoiced, but i'll tell ya what, she wasn't kidding. Its a lovely blue velour w/silver glitter crescents and starbursts, that leaves a shimmering slug trail behind it anywhere i would have or will wear it. And where did i go, in the big blue satin shirt i wore instead - ?

My first stop was at Edison's, of course. Morticia's Chair were already playing when i arrived, so i didn't really get to say hi to the guys in the band. The place looked great, all done up in black and white tinsel rope, and was starting to fill with people, but i couldn't stay. i've spent, i think, the last three or four New Year's Eve's there and that's plenty. i'd accepted an invite to a party with friends from the Clepunk crowd and was headed there; but i made a stop along the way and ushered in the new year there, listening to WCSB and fireworks going off in the neighborhood. Might have stayed if i hadn't promised the hostess, who had made up a sweet little crash space just for me, complete with a ragdoll. That was a lovely time as well, where i also would have stayed longer if the birdies didn't require my presence the next morning.

One last thing i did and then its on to what i will be doing.. i attended a benefit at the Happy Dog for Dave P from the Very Knees, who had to deal with an unpleasant attendee at his own New Years party and wound up with a broken arm for his trouble :-( Jovana from Hot Cha Cha said he's been crowned King of Cleveland and i don't know about that but it could be true. If you've ever wandered downstairs to This Way Out during a show at the Beachland, you've probably talked to Dave. Not sure if the Hot Cha Cha grrls organized the benefit for him but it sure was a crazy turnout.

This leads into what i will be doing nicely, as for a while i've been talking about having an All Grrl's Night Out. i got the bright idea to talk to Jovana about it and now it kinda has to happen. Hoping to make it at the end of February; there will be MUCH more - maybe even a special separate post! - as soon as i get it on its feet. Of course, i will also be organizing the convergence annual benefit event to happen in mid-February, so there is not going to be anything like 'down time' in my life just because the temps are in the teens and no one wants to go out and do anything in this weather. Speaking of this weather, here's a lovely photo i took off my porch during a recent snowfall: .
Seriously, this is right in the city, just a couple miles from the center of downtown Cleveland. Ain't it sumthin'?

Alright kids, time to go stir the soup. See you at the full moon..

wrap'n'roll it..

O i know i should be writing, i'm past due by my own schedule for a post. But the past two weeks have been such exhausting fun all i want to do is sit here. Maybe even watch some movin' pitchers in that funny squawking box in the other room - and if i want *that*, gentle reader, you may know that i am tired indeed, for such things hold but little amusement for me as a rule.

What is it i have done since last i posted, to weary me so? If one can but believe it, i can scarce recall; i know only that it has been the holidays, and there have been many parties, and it seems i attended them all. Thereby at last turning me into one of the Bronte sisters, apparently. Next thing you know i shall take to my bed in the garrett, not to rise til spring or perhaps at all; the consumption having gotten me at the last.

Well a well, then, if that be not it.. then i suppose i spent four nights a week in the most horrendously pink dress i ever sewed (what was i thinking at the time?!), my hair in pigtails, belting out "Sow Took the Measles" in my best bad country drawl. i - oh! - i did two craft shows, my first in months. i attended two friend's holiday parties, another friend's 40th birthday bash, and a gathering of Clepunks/former WCSB jocks at Prosperity Social Club. i sat, freezing, on my porch to watch the lunar eclipse, got my picture taken on Hovaclause's lap, went caroling on Xmas Eve, had an open house (with full turkey dinner) at Chez Wufkitn on the 25th, got wow-ed at the Project "R" DVD release party at the Center for Rock Research, and finally saw the greatest Xmas band in the world, Missile Toe. And it hasn't even *been* Christmas with my family, yet. i guess maybe i have good reason to be tired.

i don't know if i need to break those down much further. i'd like to shift, in the hopefully-near future, to doing one 'wrap-up' post like this, and then giving the details in smaller posts made every other day or so; but that won't really work til i have full, regular internet access again. And honestly, i don't know if i have the time to keep up with that much blogging, although as my tendency is to write one big SPLAT of a post i'm hoping i can still do that then edit it into bite-sized pieces.

i also am likely going to start a second blog. Yes, i know, i was just saying i don't have time enough for this one - what, am i crazy? Well yes, but never mind all that. i feel like i'm beginning to get a focus with this one, something i lacked when i began it. i want the second blog as a place to put my more metaphysical ramblings, which will likely happen much more sporadically; and keep this one as an outlet for my art/craft/theater/performing etc activities.

And so with that, my small but cherished band of faithful readers, i shall take my leave of you, ne'er to be seen again until Father Kronos has once again passed away and been replaced by his newborn child-self - which is to say next year, for the less mythically-minded amongst you. May your days be merry and your toes be warm, and i shall see you in 2011!

wrap'n'roll it..

O i know i should be writing, i'm past due by my own schedule for a post. But the past two weeks have been such exhausting fun all i want to do is sit here. Maybe even watch some movin' pitchers in that funny squawking box in the other room - and if i want *that*, gentle reader, you may know that i am tired indeed, for such things hold but little amusement for me as a rule.

What is it i have done since last i posted, to weary me so? If one can but believe it, i can scarce recall; i know only that it has been the holidays, and there have been many parties, and it seems i attended them all. Thereby at last turning me into one of the Bronte sisters, apparently. Next thing you know i shall take to my bed in the garrett, not to rise til spring or perhaps at all; the consumption having gotten me at the last.

Well a well, then, if that be not it.. then i suppose i spent four nights a week in the most horrendously pink dress i ever sewed (what was i thinking at the time?!), my hair in pigtails, belting out "Sow Took the Measles" in my best bad country drawl. i - oh! - i did two craft shows, my first in months. i attended two friend's holiday parties, another friend's 40th birthday bash, and a gathering of Clepunks/former WCSB jocks at Prosperity Social Club. i sat, freezing, on my porch to watch the lunar eclipse, got my picture taken on Hovaclause's lap, went caroling on Xmas Eve, had an open house (with full turkey dinner) at Chez Wufkitn on the 25th, got wow-ed at the Project "R" DVD release party at the Center for Rock Research, and finally saw the greatest Xmas band in the world, Missile Toe. And it hasn't even *been* Christmas with my family, yet. i guess maybe i have good reason to be tired.

i don't know if i need to break those down much further. i'd like to shift, in the hopefully-near future, to doing one 'wrap-up' post like this, and then giving the details in smaller posts made every other day or so; but that won't really work til i have full, regular internet access again. And honestly, i don't know if i have the time to keep up with that much blogging, although as my tendency is to write one big SPLAT of a post i'm hoping i can still do that then edit it into bite-sized pieces.

i also am likely going to start a second blog. Yes, i know, i was just saying i don't have time enough for this one - what, am i crazy? Well yes, but never mind all that. i feel like i'm beginning to get a focus with this one, something i lacked when i began it. i want the second blog as a place to put my more metaphysical ramblings, which will likely happen much more sporadically; and keep this one as an outlet for my art/craft/theater/performing etc activities.

And so with that, my small but cherished band of faithful readers, i shall take my leave of you, ne'er to be seen again until Father Kronos has once again passed away and been replaced by his newborn child-self - which is to say next year, for the less mythically-minded amongst you. May your days be merry and your toes be warm, and i shall see you in 2011!

warm up winter

Wow. Time for another update already? Well, its a dark moon, or was on Sunday, so i guess it is. As usual, its been a crazy-busy two weeks. Since the last time we talked, i created a fabulous Astarte costume, learned to play the Polish National Anthem on my accordian, got called in to consult on sending on an unquiet ghost, quit smoking, found another of the elf figurines i collect, had a holiday dinner at elder daughter's house, spent a lovely evening catching up with my sister-in-lawless, realized a childhood dream of becoming part of the Xmas display in the window of Higbee's downtown, lost my voice just in time for opening night, and started to decorate the apartment for Yule. That seems like maybe a smaller list than last time but i assure you, i've been plenty busy.

First, Astarte.
She appears as a character in the original play we're producing this holiday season at the Liminis: "Aporkalypse!. Now as it happens, i'm a bit familiar with historical Astarte, who was represented as looking like this:
which wouldn't exactly work for us here. Not that we've any strictures against nudity. If anything, the combination of long skirts and snakes would have made some of her choreography difficult. So i opted for something more bellydancer-ish (a choli top and baggy pants) but in gold lamé. Gold cuz its all middle-eastern yanno *cough*. The result, which i do not yet have a picture of, is rather a drag version of Princess Jasmine, especially since her headpiece is constructed out of cheap glitter xmas ornaments:
Oh, i had fun making that. i really wanted to get a tree-topper spire thing to put up above the star, but she apparently crawls in between one actor's legs at one point, so no spiky headwear. Alas.

This same play is why i learned the Polish National Anthem, as well as a little ditty called "Sow Took the Measles". Aporkalypse was written by local playwright Chris Johnston, with the convergence crew in mind. And the actress who would have originally played the mother figure can pick out a basic tune on accordion, so once again my instrument was cast and not me - how does this keep happening? However, she had to decline the role due to other commitments, and the actress who replaced her does NOT play. No problem: Chris just re-wrote the scene to incorporate two new cameo characters who come carolling - and just like that, in addition to costuming i was suddenly IN the play as well, with lines and everything! (The other caroller is played by my friend Joe, who really *knows* how to play). Sadly, i also caught my mother's cold on Thanksgiving, which became laryngitis the night before we opened. i only have five lines, so i stayed silent right up until we went on and somehow managed to croak them out at an audible level - but the general consensus is i had tranny-man voice.

The ghost is less interesting a tale than it seems, at least from my perspective. A dear friend's neighbor passed away, and he felt the spirit was still wandering their duplex. i wasn't able to sense it in the short time i had, and i've been assured he's since gone on to wherever such spirits go. i've never tried to lay an unquiet ghost and don't really know what i would do or have done had i Sensed him. Circumstances did not allow me the time to tune in and find the spontaneously 'right' course of action i'd hope to have chosen, so whether i can or could have done anything remains unanswered.

The elf figurine was a wonderfully lucky stumble that i probably should not have splurged on, but couldn't resist. i don't know anything about these figures other than they come in several sizes, they're almost always seated, almost always holding or playing an instrument, and they appear to be from the early-mid 60s. There's no markings of any kind to help identify them, and googling 'elf figure' is too vague to be useful. i have half a dozen or so more of them, but its been nearly five years since i ran across the last - which is the rare variant seen in the background here.

Most of the ones i own are in storage with my beloved gnomes, so i'm not quite sure how many i even have - about six small ones, i think, another medium seated one like the one i just found, the unusual standing elf, and the prize of the collection, a large seated elf in luxuriant gold-trimmed red velvet.

And speaking of velvet..
Certainly the high point of the last two weeks was appearing at the lighting ceremony downtown as the Snow Queen. As you may know, i perform as a living statue. A month or so back, i saw an ad for the lighting ceremony and had the brainstorm that i could perform and stay WARM if i had a nice cloak! So in the spare moments i had not costuming the play, i made myself a lined white (ok, panné) velvet cloak. With a thrift-store blanket sandwiched in the middle; the cloak turned out to be as warm as a coat.

The dress was left over from the bridal veil job i did a few weeks back: i had to detach the bodice from the skirt, because while the skirt fit, that tiny bodice was never going around my giant earth-mama bosom. If i do this again, i'll do a better job with the bodice than just pinning it to a blouse, but i only had a little time to get it together. Of course the piece that really drew it all together was the crown:
And you thought i had fun making Astarte's headpiece! i want to try my hand at some more crowns in the future, possibly for the Fairie Festival next spring (*if* i get on the stick and get my application in, eep!) Since part of the time i was performing i was out on Public Square, i did encounter a higher-than-normal volume of street people. One of whom snarked in passing that my outfit must have cost a fortune - well, if i'd bought the dress new he'd be right; but in fact the whole thing was put together for under fifty bucks.

The really cool part, tho, was getting to be in the front window of Positively Cleveland, which occupies the space that was once home to Higbee's Department Store. If that name sounds vaguely familiar to non-Clevelanders, its because that exact same window is the one the kids have their noses pressed to at the start of "A Christmas Story". The Santa scene was shot on the ground floor, when the store fixtures were all still there - sadly, much of its gone now; although the panelling still exists.

That morning, i'd been upstairs in the Silver Grille, a name that conjures magical memories for anyone who grew up here. The Silver Grille was the fine dining restaurant up on the tenth floor. i'm not exactly sure when Higbee's was built, perhaps early-mid 30s? But its a great example of Art Deco design, and the tenth floor is still intact. One rides up the same classic old elevators and there you are.. i didn't walk around the corner only because i wanted to believe that if i had, i would've ALSO found the Twigbee Shoppe, Bruce the Spruce, and whatever magical winter wonderland the display department had put together that year.

The restaurant is closed now, but the room is available to the neighboring Ritz-Carlton for special occassions. My friend at Positively Cleveland had put together a brunch there that morning where people could come up and revisit memories of Christmases past. There was no appearance by Mr. Jingeling - another local tradition - as i believe the character was retired after Earl Keyes, the man who portrayed him longest, passed away. Anyway, i just realized that Mr. Jingeling resided on HALLE'S seventh floor; why, that was blocks away! Instead, those who attended got to listen to live music by Ryann Anderson ("Music that's like ice cream for your ears"!) and see the Snow Queen standing in front of the central fountain.

i could wax on (and on, and on) about my memories of past holidays downtown. My brother's birthday is the 18th, and my family would come in to town every year around then, to spend a weekend in a downtown hotel room, see the displays at all the stores, visit Santa and Mr Jingeling, do our shopping at the Twigbee Shoppe, and ride the miniature train around the base of the twelve-story tree at Sterling Lindner. Sometimes we'd have brunch at the Silver Grille, where kids meals were served in little cardboard stoves (!) but often as not we'd eat at - was it the Minute Chef? - that faced right out on the Square, with the mysteriously forbidden-to-kids Kon-Tiki Room just beyond.

Its hard now to capture how very special this was. Its a standing family joke that the year revolved around two poles for my brother: Cedar Point in the summer, and the visit downtown in winter; and as soon as one high point had been passed, he'd start asking how soon it was to the other. In these days of on-demand everything, there just isn't the same anticipation; and without the investment of energy and wishful thinking, the sense of the numinous isn't there when you do get whatever it is. We knew, if we missed that trip up to town, it would be a WHOLE YEAR before we'd see the little moving figures in the windows, get the key to Santa's castle, walk up and down the marble ramps in the Terminal Tower and experience all the other delights that were *only* to be found at that time of year.

The funny thing is, before he moved to California, my brother did several Christmases downtown - why, here he is as Tinsel the Elf, greeting baby Eldest Daughter:

i'd forgotten that one, to be honest. What i do remember is him as a Tin Soldier - first in the toy department at Halle's and later in the window at the May Co. i learned several of the living statue tricks from him, altho i don't think he called it that when he performed. After he moved to California, the tradition of the Tin Soldier continued, with another local performer in the role at Tower City. Last week, a quarter of a century later (!) i finally got my turn.

And that is MORE than enough blog for tonight. See you in two weeks people!