Happy Place

Exciting stuff! I am making my plays available through Amazon.com. Most of them are available in print, and The Worst Play Ever  and  My Zombie Romeo are now also available for e-readers.

I've got a few projects right now. I've been working on two new short stories that I will be sharing soon. I've also started a new book, and I'm excited about it. It's been a while since I took on a big project. It's completely different from writing short plays or fiction.

Write, write, write. I'm in my happy place.

I Can't Do It All

This is the beginning of a stressful time of year. I have lots of projects going on in November. Some are ending, others beginning. This year I feel like I have too many things on my plate, and I have had to reevaluate my priorities. A couple of projects are struggling or don't have everything needed for things to go smoothly. They are things that would increase my stress greatly, and I think I'm only holding onto them because of my pride.

I have to weigh the reality of stress vs. my ego. I want to be able to do everything. However, I know myself, and I know that I am better with a couple of projects that I am able to give my full attention. I don't handle stress well. This is the time of year when it is the worst, and I am actively trying to reduce my stress with yoga and meditation. I have to accept that I can't do everything. It will be better for me and everyone else around me.

It will definitely be better for my family. This is the time of year when we burn the candle at both ends, and the kids come along with me. This year I've been very focused on cutting back on the number of things we do in the evenings, so the kids can have a calmer bed time routine. It's been great for all of us. My family is absolutely my number one priority, and it makes it a little easier to let go of projects that my ego wishes I could do.

I've been thinking about my focus. It's writing and studying right now. I have a lot of other things going on, but that is what I am thinking about the most. I have to have time to do both of those things. I need to be relaxed enough to give myself the time to work on them daily.

I have an incredibly difficult time accepting that I can't (and do not have to) do everything, but I'm working on it. I'm starting to see what's more important.

A Day of Writing

Yesterday was a fabulous day. It was cold, raining, and windy. I did have any clients, and my day was free from 9am-3pm. I spent the time writing. It was fabulous. I rarely have more than an hour or two to dedicate to writing. Yesterday felt indulgent.

It's a good thing I had the time. I've been working on a Christmas play for my students, and it has been a struggle. I wrote before about how difficult it is to create a holiday show. This one has been hard. I had it almost complete but couldn't find a way to end it. I wasn't feeling good about it. I know when something isn't working, and this script was not working.

On Monday during some brief down time between classes, I had an idea. I decided the story would be better if it focused more on the antagonist than the protagonist. The protagonist was boring and not moving the show along. The rewrites would have been extensive, and I wasn't thrilled with the plot I had. I decided to just start over.

I was excited to start over. It can be a frustrating process, but this time I knew what the story would be. I knew it would be better than the previous script. Six hours later I am one scene away from finishing the script, I know how I'm going to end it, and it's a lot better than the first draft.

Such a great, productive, creative day. It was just what I needed.

A New Script

This is a good time for me, creatively. I'm finishing up a new one-act. I started writing it for my middle schoolers, but it didn't seem like a good fit for them. So, I dusted off Don't Eat the Fish Sticks, and it is working very well for my students. It was a good decision, but I didn't want to abandon the other script. It's an idea I've been working on for a while, and I want to finish it.

The first draft is almost done. I spent a few hours working on it yesterday and added a little more today. I like it. It definitely needs some revision - and an ending (the hardest part), but I like where it's going. Once I have a complete first draft, I'll do my first revision, which always involves making sure that there is a comedic bit in every scene. Audiences love to laugh, and I make it my goal to entertain with each script.

Revisions don't take a lot of time. There is not a lot of depth or intrigue to my scripts. They're made to entertain middle schoolers and their families. Make it funny. Make it over the top. Those are my goals.

I really love writing plays. Realism is not my style. I like it when impossible things happen. Theater is a perfect match.

Fish Sticks Is Cast!

The challenge: turning a script for 11 females and 2 males into a show using 6 females.

I think I have a cast list for my middle school show. Casting is the hardest part. I'd like to say that I have a process that I use every time, but I don't. I like to cast based on my gut reaction. Of course the limited number of students contributes to the casting as well. Parts are doubled, sometimes tripled. There is nothing easy about middle school theater - especially in a small school.

Casting is also affected by my whims. Sometimes I want to challenge a student and give them something that is just a little bit out of their comfort zone. Part of me definitely enjoys teaching theater. I know some people think it's just an after school program, but I like to think the kids learn something from the experience.

I'm pretty happy with the way I cast this show. I changed a couple parts to accommodate my all-female cast, and I think it's going to be good. I'm feeling a lot more relaxed now that the hardest part is over. I have my cast. Now it's time to rehearse. This part I do have a process for, though it is loosely structured and changes based on the show and the students.

The show, Don't Eat The Fish Sticks, is pretty funny. I think the students will like it. I'm excited for the read-through tomorrow. I always feel a little nervous when I start a new show. The students have to like a script, or it will not be fun. And, fun is the most important part of this whole process.

Have I mentioned I love my job?

Forced Creativity Strikes Again

I love being a theater director for middle and high school students. I love watching the kids grow more confident with each performance. I like seeing them as excited about theater as I always have been, and I like knowing that the stage provides them with a safe space to try new things. The stage was always my favorite place growing up, and it's fun to watch a new generation discover it.

As I've mentioned before, it also helps me with my writing.

Yesterday was auditions for the middle school fall show. Normally I have about 12-15 kids show up, so I choose my scripts based on those numbers. I wasn't sure what I would get this year. I lost a few of my students to high school, and I'm never sure how many 5th graders I will get. It usually works out.

This one might not.

I had 4 kids show up for auditions, and they told me of two more that want to join. Six kids. For a show with 12 parts. Oh, boy...

One thing I enjoy about theater (and have gotten pretty good at) is making things work. This script is a challenge. I've tried to double up as many parts as possible, but even then I need three more kids - and did I mention that I currently have no boys? It's not impossible, but I started trying to come up with other solutions.

Remember when I wrote about forced creativity? This job requires me to write a certain amount each year, and some of my best work has stemmed from working with my students. Hopefully, this will be one of them.

I started thinking - what if I wrote a script for my six actors for the fall and saved the bigger show for the spring (when I won't be competing with soccer)? Once I came up with this solution, things started to fall into place.

I've been working on an idea for a one act play since the spring. By working on it I mean that I had a title and a very loose idea of what I wanted it to be about. I wasn't worried because I had all year to write it.

Well, my timetable has moved up a bit.

Yesterday after auditions I used my half hour before teaching a class to start the first draft of a script currently titled The Room of Peace. So far, I really like it, and I have a pretty good idea of where it is going. The limitations of the number of actors and an all female cast actually made it easier to figure out the plot. I'm still figuring a few things out, but I think it could be really funny.

I'm still not sure what show I'll be directing this fall. I'm going to wait and see if any more students show up tomorrow. If not, I'll be spending my weekend frantically writing and hoping to avoid writer's block. But, at least I have a backup plan.

Transitions

Transitions. Difficult in writing and in life.

I'm definitely in a transition right now. The kids are both in school this year, and I haven't known what to do with myself. I have a lot of projects to work on, and I need to get ready for the shows I'm doing with the after school program. I should be studying. I should be doing a lot of things.

I'm having a hard time focusing on anything right now. The fact that I have time to myself every day is kind of overwhelming. I've been enjoying my time, but I have not been productive. This needs to change.

I need to get back to my plan of doing something every day that gets me a little bit closer to the bigger goals. Daily mini goals. I'm taking one more day off. Plus the weekend. I needed a break, and now I've had one. Monday I'm going to start being more productive.

Time for this transition to end and for things to get back to normal.