Lists

Things I started doing this summer:

• Packing my lunch for the next day every night
• Picking out my clothes for the next day every night
• Reading every day
• Driving every day
• Taking my vitamins every day (some of us are slow learners...)

Things I have done this summer:

• Read Comedy of Errors, The Winter's Tale, Richard II, The Merry Wives of Windsor
• Seen Henry IV Pt. 1, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth
• Learned how to use In Design (a work in progress)
• Cooked using pumpkin in 3 different ways: pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes, pumpkin mac 'n cheese, inside out chocolate pumpkin cookies.  Yup.
• Ran for the first time in 3 months!  (yes, this means the boot is OFF)
• Bought a Nook!  In the ongoing effort to read more contemporary literature...

Things I want to do this summer:

• Read all the history plays
• Read a bunch of other Shakespeare my students have read and I haven't
• Write something of significance
• Pick a concept for a play that I actually like
• Get to the gym at least every weekend
• See Peter and the Starcatcher and other assorted plays that could be life-changing
• Read stuff on my Nook
• Get.  To.  The.  Beach.

As always, the goals exceed all else.  But here it is for posterity.  Let's make stuff happen.

After a 15-hour work day...

I want to post something poetic.  I am chin-deep in poetry.  I am completely immersed in Shakespeare.  I am completely in awe of this experience.  But damn.  I'm not sure I have ever been worked so hard.  I can't seem to rewind to the beginning, so here is just a taste of a day in the life of an Education/Dramaturgy intern at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.  My day today:

8:20 AM Alarm goes off
8:30 AM "Mel, are you supposed to be up now?"- Mom
9:10 AM A delicious breakfast consisting of my new go-to oatmeal by Kashi with my new go-to accoutrements, golden raisins and Richard's peanut butter.  Nummmz.
9:25 AM "Bye Mom see ya never!"
9:27 AM Discover old Michelle Branch CD.  WIN.
9:52 AM Roll into STNJ, park my ass at Tilghman, lug all my shit up to the third floor.  Ready for action.
10:00 AM No one is here except for all the interns and we don't have enough chairs.
10:05 AM Lalalala catching up on Shakespeare (WHICH, by the way, I am reading out of my brand spanking new Complete Works of William Shakespeare by Pelican- the edition I finally settled on and am completely thrilled with!)
11:25 AM "Oh shit we have to go to Text Analysis"
11:35 AM Our boss tells us we can sit at the table instead of off to the side.  Things suddenly become less awkward.
12:30 PM We're doing acting exercises.  Things suddenly become more awkward.
1:00 PM "LET'S EAT LUNCH OMG WE'RE STARVING"
1:15 PM Emily (co-intern) finds a fork.
1:20 PM Devour salad (kale, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, goat cheese, sesame ginger dressing- unbelievable combo) and apple.
1:25 PM Decide to devour coffee flavored yogurt.  Pronounce "YOLO."
2:00 PM Lalala I love my Pelican Complete Works.
3:00 PM "Oh shit we have to do all the Play Reading worksheets and folding playbills and things"
3:30 PM Arrive on time for Play Reading.
3:40 PM We move outdoors for Play Reading.
3:45 PM We encounter every kind of bug possible (ants, giant ants, butterflies, bees, spiders) and they are probably all crawling up our skirts.
3:50 PM Oh but Richard II is so wonderful.
5:45 PM "LET'S EAT DINNER OMG WE'RE STARVING"
6:10 PM Thank you, Atlanta Bread, for a decent, lovely meal, and the most social one I've had in Madison thus far--with four other interns!
6:47 PM "Oh shit we have to be at the theater for ushering by 7"
6:58 PM We made it.
7:00 PM Stuff playbills, listen to instructions, wait for people to come.
7:30 PM People are here!  "Welcome!"  "Enjoy the show!"  "Would you like a playbill?"
8:00 PM "Now what do we do?"
9:30 PM Intermission!  "Drinks and chips are $2, candy is $3"
9:45 PM "OMG WE'RE SO TIRED WE NEED STARBUCKS"
10:10 PM Collectively decide Starbucks is the best thing to ever happen.
10:20 PM Sit and breathe and and laugh and drink coffee in the DoYo.
10:30 PM People show up for Late Nite.  I accost them with the sign-in list and shove playbills at them.
11:05 PM Ah.  Show-time.
11:07 PM Wow these witches are TERRIFYING.
11:40 PM Damnit I love Macbeth (excuse me, "the Scottish play")
12:00 AM Rachel (stage management intern, fellow LHS Theatre alum, carpool buddy) turns 19!
12:15 AM "Are we too tired to celebrate?"- Rachel "Yup."- Me
1:00 AM Home.