Tuesday 29 November 2011

Pictures of Moses

So, I wrote out this blog, and then I read it over and realized that it sounded more like a 'come see my show' than a reminiscent of awesome. Good. Don't worry, I'll get this blog thing down... someday. Anyway, basically, hope it's a 'picture' into the life of the Moses production? Or at least of the performances. 

So, I've found some pictures of Moses, and man, they look epic! Unfortunately, they're smaller than I'd like and I wish there were more of them. As I look through them, I wonder at how the show looked to someone not watching from backstage. I hope it was good...


This is our poster! One of the actresses in the play designed it with the help of another student from the show. Most of the backstage work - including set painting and construction was at least helped out by the students who were acting in the show. Basically everything else was organized by our drama director, Richard Klassen and his assistant, Ruth. Actually, a lot of the props and costumes were re-used from a production of Moses that Richard did in Southern Manitoba last summer. I was a part of that show too, though I wasn't there for the performances. 

 That's me! Right there! I'm the one standing behind my six sisters - my goodness. Insanity on stage. The man seated there was Jethro, and the actor playing him is my fiance! This is one of the scenes in Midian and the colours, patterns, and jewelry really added to the scenes. 
 As you can see here, this is a scene from Egypt: the costume designer, Ruth, was incredible at making hugely different scenes just based on the differences in costuming. For a college production, I have to say it was done well: probably the best production since I arrived at this school. 
Here is our Moses confronting Pharaoh; the three guys (Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh) are all on the school's drama team with me, and they're excellent. Aaron, Moses, and I  had lots of fun backstage making ridiculous jokes while we were waiting for our scenes. You can see in the background the Hebrew people.

Monday 28 November 2011

The End of Moses

Well, this is a first for me, but since I'm finding the internet is becoming more and more a community, perhaps it's time for me to join it? Right now, I'm supposed to be doing homework - writing an essay about the big bang theory (really? who came up with that as an essay topic? ...oh right, I did... *sigh) - but of course, I'm not!

Now, it's not that I don't think that doing homework is important. I am trying to graduate from college with a BA, but... I can't help be distracted? You see, I suffer from something almost unavoidable but terrible: post-production blues. I like the label post-production blues. It sounds better than something like post-production depression or the-play-is-finished-and-now-I'm-sad. Post-production blues makes me think of old music like Ray Charles or Etta James. It makes me think that this silly depression I've sunk into is almost poetic. Doesn't it sound poetic?

To describe the blues: it's like a wet blanket draped over your entire life. I read something that said that post-production blues smell like decaying flowers. I like that imagery. Perhaps it's best described as a temporary depression; it doesn't quite reach "I hate my life" but it definitely hits "I don't want to do anything but lie in bed or talk about the play". I'm sure it lasts different times for everyone, but for me... it will probably stick with me for the rest of this week... or maybe until my next play starts... *sigh. Did I mention I hate it when plays end?

I think that post-production blues hit lots of people involved in the arts: not just in theatre. When a show, or a tour, or an event finishes (especially one that you pour yourself into and that turns out awesome!) this state of 'bleh' hits.

Most people around here don't really get what I'm experiencing right now. I'm going to a tiny college in the middle of Manitoba and for the most part drama isn't really the major focus. But we just finished our annual production; this year it was Moses. I was Zipporah. The show was amazing and spectacular and exciting and performances were awesome fun. And I went to McDonalds more times in the last week than I have in the past year... and of course all my homework from my other classes didn't even get looked at... oops. All the backstage jokes that no one except for play people find funny...

So, because I've realized that I'm not about to slip out of this by sheer will-power, I might as well reminisce somewhere!