insanity cometh

[chelidon]

Production week snuck up on me. Tomorrow and Friday nights are dedicated to parts 1 and 2 of my Ravishing Partner's Birthday Celebration -- one night in, one night out, with friends, flowers, goodies, pampering, spiffy loot, and much very very good food and many other yummy feasts for the senses. And then I will disappear from sight for nine days, as every night and most days for the next nine days starting Saturday will be spent in rehearsals, walkthroughs, tech, and then a short but intense run (6 shows in 4 days). Every year I say I'm going to take some leave time during this period, and every year I go ahead and try to juggle full-time work and the show. But this is the first year of a Winter show run that I'm not primarily self-employed, so my schedule isn't nearly as flexible as it used to be, and I will have to fit a regular work week in there as well. Ah, well, hmm, we'll see how it goes...

In the meantime, I'll share some pics taken after the first snowstorm of the season, this past Sunday/Monday. I do love Winter up nawth...and I'll get to really enjoy it again after the show's over!

Comments

Missing Snow

[lasirena23.livejournal.com]

The snow photos are beautiful. I always begin to miss winter around now. We just don't get real winter out here. Thanks for posting.

What's the show you do?

Oh and thanks for the reminder about your Ravishing Partner's bday. I'll have to send her a note.

Re: Missing Snow

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

You're quite welcome! This show is Revels North (http://www.revelsnorth.org/), one of the oldest of the Revels Companies (http://www.revels.org/) originally started by John Langstaff in 1971. It lets me keep my hand (and voice) in, without having to commit to an extended run. The production company, 20-some-odd years old, is a real family environment, moreso than any other company I've seen -- literally, in a few cases, there are two or three generations from the same family involved. One of my Lovely Housemates is also in the show, and our Once and Future Housemate (former housemate and coven sister back in Maryland, who moved up and now lives about 5 min away) is props-mistress, so we're clearly infiltrating the company... ;>

And I'm sure she'd love to get a b-day note, but I won't mention it to her, will keep it a surprise! :)

Re: Missing Snow

[lasirena23.livejournal.com]

I'm helping with selling merchandise and ushering for the Revels here this weekend! I sung in the show two years ago. There is something Very special about Revels family, I entirely agree. I sometimes think that's what real pagan traditions are aiming for. You're performing? With that short a rehearsal period? The chorus here rehearses for 3 months!

Re: Missing Snow

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

Oh, how wicked nifty -- a Revels connection, too!

One of the things I admire about John Langstaff's vision was his observation that one of the things missing from modern Western culture was good ritual, and the creation of the Revels format out of that vision. It's been so interesting from a magickal perspective being involved in this, well, egregore, that manages to do good, effective guerilla ritual for/with tens of thousands of people, who come from backgrounds of almost any religion (or none). Inspiring! C and my Beamish Boy did Summer Revels this year, so we'll see, it may well become a family affair...

We started rehearsing weekly in late September, but are just gearing up for production week starting on Saturday (run is the following Thurs-Sun).

At some point once all the seasonal craziness has subsided, you and C and then perhaps the three of us should chat about the ritual theatre workshop possibility here next Fall. It would be lovely to have an excuse to see you up here, and that's such a gorgeous time of year in the woods! (you can get a bit of a view from this past year here (http://gallery.mac.com/chelidon#100024&bgcolor=black)...

Re: Missing Snow

[lasirena23.livejournal.com]

I agree with all you said above. I sometimes think we work too hard in pagan context when I see how easily people enjoy the Revels ritual. It's so welcoming and simple. It still amazes me how people of different beliefs just get it and enjoy it.

We don't have summer revels. I've been trying to encourage them to do something, but since our visionary leader here (Elizabeth L. Mayer) passed away in '05, new leadership and vision and fundraising has been more of a focus than another project.

Does your group send posters to the other Revels groups around the country? I love that tradition. I'll look backstage to see if there's one there from your area. Our theme this year is 19th century England. I just looked up Revels North and found your theme. I bet that's some interesting music.

Yes, absolutely we should all gab some time about the weekend workshop. I'm very excited to do it. I told C. that I'd like to gab after the holidays. Actually, I'll be in Providence for Christmas, so maybe I'll call you folks then, just cause I'll be closer. Not that it matters with cell phones nowadays, but somehow it feels different being in a closer location!

Have a great weekend singing!

[ravenedgewalker.livejournal.com]

have fun :)

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

I'm figuring I will, but also figuring I'll need to sleep for about a week afterwards ;>

[ravenedgewalker.livejournal.com]

yes...unlike you are now....

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Okay, it's a fair cop.

But. Well...

Pot. Kettle. Black.

Ah-yup... ;-p

[ravenedgewalker.livejournal.com]

I know....I know....

[mglamb.livejournal.com]

Nice pics of the snow, gotta love it! I was in Bristol for most of it, had about a foot when I came back up to Barre on Tues, AM. It's finally stopped falling (if only for a day) but it's currently 7 deg. and my old house is a bit chilly. Lucky for me a stranded customer I helped out a few weeks ago is a bigwig at Greem Mtn. Coffee Roasters, so I am now the happy owner of a brand new coffee maker and a whole bunch of beans...

One of these weekends I'll remember to bring the camera up here and take some pics. The driveway is steep to a degree that would give your tractor pause, but I just put on some killer studded snow tires that get me up there with just a bit of luck and finesse. Do you have your snowblower yet?

Good luck with the show, break a leg (just kidding), and give C a special birthday hug from me. I have commitments the weekend of the show, but maybe we can hook up the weekend after. And I'm off for New Year's (natch!) so call dibs on one of the house beds!

[kitten-goddess.livejournal.com]

I'm actually enjoying the beauty of the storm down here, too! Now that I have long johns, I realize that winter is really beautiful! Before, I was too busy freezing and suffering from the cold to see the white and blue spectacular winter view.

[humidcityloki.livejournal.com]

Don't tell C but we are calling tonight with BDay wishes. We are also going to be shuffle a package in your general direction as soon as the last of its contents come together.

If tomorrow evening is better for a phone call let me know. And BTW, you can keep you "beautiful snow." The low today is 65 and tonight is 58! Nyah!

[mglamb.livejournal.com]

7 deg. F, 12" of snow, NO DRIVEBY SHOOTINGS. Neener Neener Neener.

[humidcityloki.livejournal.com]

7 deg. F is as deadly as a drive by to a native New Orleanian.

And BTW, that's CA you're thinking of. Most of the shooters here are on foot....

[mglamb.livejournal.com]

My bad! I thought I remembered you posting something about some maggots getting out of a car with an AK-47 sometime back. Although I guess that wouldn't technically qualify as a drive-by...

Our sporadic violence up here primarily consists of chucklenuts taking themselves out of the gene pool by driving too fast on the interstate in icy conditions. Frequently their vehicles are found off the roadway in the weeds with their wheels pointed skyward. The great majority seem to have MA or NY plates... given enough rope the Bostonian Pestilence is at least partially self-correcting.

[humidcityloki.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately ours is homegrown. Amazing what centuries of socio-economic disparity can achieve in a an uneducated, agrarian setting. Then again, compared to the rest of the Deep South we are WAY ahead of the curve.

The incident you are thinking of was probably when Dinerral Shavers of the Hot 8 Brass Band was shot in his car by a kid with and AK.....

[mglamb.livejournal.com]

That's prolly it - damn shame that. It's amazing how far we Hairless Apes have evolved...