puppet

*edit: Pictures from Running into walls!!!

Anyone who knows me well enough to know my name, probably knows that I have three main interests:

1) puppets

2) sign-language

3) trapeze

Since arriving in Portland I have found a sign-language conversation partner via craigslist, and taken 

trapeze at DoJump (a Christmas gift from my mother that I was sad to see run out. I'm currently calculating how long it would take me to blow through my savings if I were to start spending it on trapeze...) But, alas my puppet longings were unsatisfied. 

Then I met the good folks at the Nomadic Theater Company, and by meet I mean I sent them an email saying I would lick stamps and build sets and sweep floors and do whatever they needed done. They were happy about this email, and welcomed me heartily. I've been helping them with their current production, Running into Walls, a clown show. I helped build sets, attended rehearsals, etc. 

Then one day I got an email from Sarah asking me to build puppets for their show! There's one short s

cene where their characters are climbing up the empire state building. Since it's a rather low-budge production, they thought it would be rad to have puppet versions of themselves climb the sides of the flat with the empire state building painted on it. Now, I love puppets but I'm pretty new to this interest. Case in point: I'd never built a puppet before. I take that back, I built a really cool puppet in the 4th grade with wire glasses... but that's beside the point. So, anyway I built the puppets (cut out of cardboard, covered in paper mache, and painted). And you want to know the amazing thing? They turned out great! Michael, Heather, and Sarah all loved them and I was pretty excited about it myself. 

And if that weren't enough, through these fine folks, I met the artistic director of the local puppetry theater Tears of Joy, and after sending her my resume on Friday, she emailed back yesterday, and I now have an interview/audition with them on May 7th! Other than the fact that I'm pretty out of practice in the audition department, I am COMPLETELY STOKED about this, especially the possibility that I may be able to pay my rent by playing with puppets instead of paper clips. 

In other news, I am ready for the rain to go away. And, I really don't like to wake up to the house swaying because my room mates are having sex with each other. But that, is an entirely different post altogether.

Hope y'all had a great earth day!