2nd Week at the Opera

So I am in my second week at the Washington National Opera an boy is there nothing like get your but whipped to motivate you to be better at your job. I mean I knew it'd been a few years since I walked into a serious costume shop like this but holy crap I was not ready. Also, re-acquainting myself with an industrial machine has been stressful. I now refer to it as Walter the Beast.





He didn't play nice today. I have built a few costumes though and made a bunch of new friends so everything over all is great.

One year later....

So it has been almost one year exactly from the last time I blogged. Blogging is such a fickle mistress. Maybe with this iPhone I'll be able to keep up more. A lot ha happened in the one year so instead of over doing it with words.... You get pictures.
















The biggest thing that happened this year is that I got married to Marley! It was amazing and emotional and the best day in my entire life. We live in Northeast DC now and we've both been busy working at theaters around town. I've been busy working both in costume shops during the day and running shows at night.

Tonight I close Dreamgirls at Signature Theatre, and it looks like I won't be running a show for at least a month. I'm looking forward to the schedule change and the change pace I'll be getting as a stitcher at the Washington National Opera. That's all for now....promise to be better in 2013.

Location:Campbell Ave,Arlington,United States

Why do I always think to do this during Tech

It's been a while and I have been super busy. Hairspray just had its funder's opening tonight to which I attended briefly. I love working on this show. I love my cast, my fellow crew members, it's just been a really good experience. 

 

Soooo I wrote that about 2 months ago and walked away from it and forgot about it. I also just typed a whole paragraph of in depth stuff about my job and being a normal person at the same time. But the app crashed and now I'm back at square one. So cliff notes. I've reached a point in my life, my career, that I am able to both balance my commitment to my job and having friends, a fiancé, and a life. It's cool. Right now I'm in tech for a show called Really, Really. Margo has given me a key, a computer login, and the reigns to this show. It's a lot of responsibility and right now I don't think I'm letting her down. 93 days until the wedding!! Life with Marley has been amazing, I'm so glad I made the decision over a year ago to move down to DC. I think that's it for now. I'm gonna leave you with a quote from my friend, Matty Connor, that I found very truthful in the moment.

 

"We as theatre artists are diplomats for change when we are working, but at the end of the day we're normal people. We go home after our jobs, we sleep, we eat, we go to the bathroom."

Birthdays

So, my birthday happened. It was awesome. Better than last year, and last year Christopher Lloyd sang Happy Birthday to me. I'm so thankful for my fiancee Marley and the friends I finally feel I've made. Previews are going awesome for both shows in the rep. Margo, Karman, and I are starting to find our groove in running the two shows. There's a lot of trust that's starting to build between Margo and I; making me both happy and anxious. With more of her trust, comes more responsibility and I just want to live up to it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid I'll mess up entirely and get myself fired, I just don't ever like to disappoint. All of my actors seem to like me and that, by far, is the most significant sign of doing my job well. With a lot of technician jobs, actors don't even know what you do for them except for the moments you hand them a prop or shine a spot light on them; but with wardrobe, we tend to work very intimately with actors and usually form a bond or relationship with that person. That's why Sutton Foster was in tears because her personal dresser is leaving. He's more than just the man who was her underwear and steams her dress. We take care of you when you're sick, we are there for you when it's not your day; our job is to make sure the actor has everything they could want or need, within reason (sometimes not), to perform onstage. As I turn 26 and go into my fifth year of doing this professionally, I am thankful for all the people I have learned from along the way and all the people who support me, like my mother and father, Marley, the Monks, and Denise Warner, who taught me patience, humility, and that even during a horrible show, you can still have fun. Peace.

Tech Week Anyone?

Sooooooooo been a while since I last blogged. I finished up at the Heritage Theatre Festival over a week ago and I am now in full swing at the Signature Theatre again. Currently in tech for The Hollow and by Thursday will be starting The Boy Detective Who Fails. Both shows are brand new works and world premieres that we'll be running in rep through October. I'm really excited to be back here working, it's a pretty awesome feeling to be asked back, and they've asked me to come back for the whole season. After these shows, we'll be doing Hairspray through Christmas. Also some exciting news, Marley and I have found an apartment and I will be moving in, in September. It's in Alexandria, so I'll officially becoming a Virginian (sort of). It's really exciting to be finally settling down and making myself permanent somewhere, and to be doing it with someone. I miss the friends I made in Charlottesville but I know I'll be seeing a few down the road so that's cool. All right, I guess I should get back to the show.... I should have more jazz things to talk bout down the road, I'm currently reading this really cool book about Miles Davis's second quartet and their recordings that should bring me some new insight that I'll love to share. So see ya guys later!

Summer Summer Summer Time

So here I am 3 weeks into my summer stock job and I still haven't blogged. Since Marley and I moved in, its's been a mad dash to what is now our preview night tonight of My Fair Lady. I've done this show before, on a much smaller scale, but I still wasn't all that worried about it. These last two dress rehearsals have shown me the meaning of something creeping up on you. There are 30 actors in this production and just the immensity of the amount of costumes and people I'm trying keep track of and make sure everyone is happy is crazy. I fucking love it. I love the surge of adrenaline and the chances of making an actor happy and the designer happy....best feeling in the world. I've also gotten to do something that I've been dreaming of doing since I decided on wardrobe as a career. There was a giant tool box/workstation left in one of the dressing rooms and it was completely empty and abandoned. I have taken and filled it with wardrobe supplies and labeled it and completely turned it into The Wardrobe Station. It's so pretty and shiny and I'll be taking pictures soon but I am soooooo excited!!!! After this first show there are 3 more shows we'll be inning in rep. Boeing, Boeing, The 39 Steps, and She Loves Me. I have run 39 steps before, last summer in Vermont, so I am coming heavily prepared for that show it's quick bonanza. Well thats all for now, more to come later as the summer develops!

I want that glib and oily art to speak and purpose not; since what I well intend, I'll do't before I speak.

So I am currently working on a version of Shakespeare's King Lear at the Synetic Theater in Arlington, VA; right outside of DC. It's the extension of the show from it's run at the Landsburgh Theatre which is a part of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. I am in love with this company and it's short but strong history in the DC theatre community. I also love how kind and friendly everyone has been even though I'm only coming in at the tail end of their journey on this show. I'm having a lot of fun and I'm sad too see my time with it end so soon. Come see King Lear in Crystal City. Performances run through Sunday May 8th!

DC So Far

I moved to DC in late November 2010. I started a job as wardrobe overhire at The Signature Theatre working on Sunset Boulevard. It was a long three month run into February, and I got meet and work with a lot of good people. While I was at Signature, my fiancee Marley has worked at the Studio Theatre and a smaller local theatre called First Stage at Tyson's Corner. Working with someone as my direct superior has been an interesting experience. Usually I am my own boss or I have hire ups who understand that my job is vital but not necessarily are there for the whole process. This is only my second experience working under another wardrobe supervisor professionally and it has been an eye opening experience. We've found that we have a lot in common as far as the way things should be done or what things are priority, but it has been the little things, (isn't it always), the little differences in our work processes that have led to frustrate us at times. It worked out well though because as sunset neared it's close, my boss asked me to stay on for their next show; a workshop called And the Curtain Rises. This was a smaller run since it was billed as a workshop so as of last Sunday, I have not been working on a show, but there have been talks about starting back up with them in the fall. Coming up on the horizon, hopefully, (I say hopefully because an offer has been made and accepted but no contract has been sent out yet), is the extension of a popular show in DC right now. I don't want to name the show or company on the internets because I feel that will make it not come to fruition. Today, I attended the annual DC technicians cattle call for the second time. There were some slight differences this year. Last year I went very uptight and professional in a full suit with sweater vest and tie. This year, I went with nice jeans, chucks, tie with tie tack, open vest, and my "phill" hat. I also knew some people in the room this year. The assistant PM from Signature was there with the prop mistress, and Marley's PM from Studio was there as well. Jokes were had and I made most of the room laugh so I'm really hopeful for some positive feedback from this. Last year I only got one call from this, but that's one more than I would have gotten if I hadn't participated, so this year I'm hoping for two calls. Well this is Phill, signing off from the Smithsonian sculpture gardens.

I'm Back

So I love the tumbler but I like using it more as a media share and I like using a blog to share my thoughts and ideas. So to update those of you reading this still, I live in Washington DC now and I work freelance at multiple theaters in the area. I've also taken to watching a lot of Doctor Who and listening to tons and tons of jazz. I've been flooding my iTunes with it and just slowly increasing my knowledge and grasp on it. OH YEAH, Marley and I are engaged! Marriage is set for April 28th 2012. Well here's to future adventures in writing.

End of an Era

So I"m moving over to Tumblr. I'll leave a link up on here. Follow me to a new fantastic place of media integration.

http://costumegiggey.tumblr.com/

Boy of Summer

So I've been away from the blog. I've been trying to come up with some bloggerific way to say goodbye to Orlando, express my fountain of emotions from my visit with Marley, and throw in some nerdy/artsy thing. I'm failing, so this is what everyone gets...

Orlando. 2 years of hard work, fun, and Disney. I met some amazing people and made some awesome friends. I could spout off a million reasons why I couldn't stay, but I could also spout off a million why I should. I'm just ready to move forward with my life and career. Orlando Shakes is an amazing theatre company full of good hard working people. It's just time for a change for me.

Visit with Marley. Best 31/2 weeks of my life. I'm ready to make us being in the same city permanent. I love her with ever fiber of my being. We went on a day trip to Elon, had a cattle call in DC, saw shows, and she graduated from college! Yay Marley!

So now some artsy/nerdy for ya. Some of you may not appreciate this part of the post, but this is what I got. Glee. I know, I know. But Phill, I thought you had taste, I thought you had intelligence. I do(mostly) and the thing about Glee that I like is certainly not the in depth characterization of shallow characters. Its the music. It hit me on the Lady Gaga episode. The arrangements for the music are sometimes brilliant. While the duet of Poker Face was pretty much crap, the group number, Bad Romance, was expertly put together with harmonies. I love the use of the stereotypical gay boy as the roll call for the piece, then the switch of solos and and group harmonizing until the stereotypical slut does an auto-tuned belt. Although the show itself is not overly inventive in its plot and writing, the music at times can be interesting and arranged in a way that provokes a new or different meaning to a song.

P.S.- Red head in Glee gets the show a 2 thumbs up.

Modern Jazz Trumpet

If you asked me or any other educated jazz listener their top 5 albums via trumpet/flugelhorn, most, if not all, would have been recorded 20+ years ago. Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" almost always is mentioned, but the album was recorded in 1959. I loves Jazz, especially on trumpet, but there has got to be something new out there. Now I know Arturo Sandoval is still making recordings and Chris Botti is out there selling his soul to get big names to sing with him, but it's not the same. It's original composition I crave. An evolution from what has been the standard to a new one. I've been listening to this new cat, Christian Scott, and I'm impressed. New Orleans born, he composes new music about pain and heartbreak, while still continuing a long standing tradition of great Jazz performance from that city. He plays with a haunting tonality with spurts of anger. A cover of Radiohead's "Eraser", translated the alternative rock flow into a bluesy jazz riff without losing sight of the message. He brings a new voice to a scene of heavy hitters like Wynton Marsalis and makes a bold statement. Stop the rehashing. How many ways is "My Funny Valentine" or "Salt Peanuts" going to be played. Everyone knows Dizzy played Bebop best, why are you going to bring your "new" approach to it and play nothing more than an hommage to him?Also, a new thing is taking classical music and applying Jazz concepts. Wynton Marsalis is the forefront of this, having taken over "Jazz at Lincoln Center", and tirelessly replays Mozart and Beethoven. I want new music, not a new sound. No wonder people think jazz is dead. Jazz is not dead; as long as there are musicians like Christian Scott out there. Composing instead of reciting. Knowing your history is important, but so is creating your future.

Work Ethic in Theatre

Now I'm a bit crazy when it comes to work ethic. I'll work myself beyond the point of exhaustion and usually end up injured or sprained and whatnot. What I don't understand are the people who literally don't care. We have an intern here at OST who has had writ problems since the 2nd week she got here and has done nothing but complain and try to get the company to pay for her medical bills. When she got onto my service as my assistant, I knew her acting routine going in. I showed no sympathy, but was kind and clear in stating that this was her contract and this is what was expected of her. She has continually disappointed me and continually complained. She is now being let go by the end of the week and we are in the process of training her replacement, another intern, and instead of being grateful(it's her desire to go home), she is being a bigger bitch and making it more difficult to let things go nicely and one good terms. I am trying my best to understand her but she doesn't want to do theatre for a living, so why did she take this job from someone else who does? I know once me and Kelly get into our respective "grooves" things will be great, I just wish I had found a better way to work with this girl for future reference, for I am bound to run into this situation again.

Maybe I was Meant to Hold You in These Arms

I know, I know. Irish folk music about love and life. My name all over it. I know, I know. Marley is right now making fun of me because at first I said no. These guys though....good. I haven't connected to new music in a long time and these guys just. It's insightful and being in a long distance relationship, the lyrics are able to vocalize the feelings and words I have trouble to do so. I think everyone should at least give a listen, at least once.

It's a New Day

So earlier today I tried to move my blog to another web service and it failed to feel as good as this one does, So I've decided to stay here. I want more for this blog beyond angry rants. I want to share my growth and my further understanding of my own existence. Share my experiences in an unlikely career and with a love thats full of passion that has yet to temper or fade. So here's to blogging and letting people in. I'll still have a few rants, I am who I am, but hopefully more insightful things to say as well.

Phill

Don't Sink the Boat, You Built to Keep A Float

So Hamlet is open. All's Well first dress is Sunday. My wrists hurt. My knee aches and is stiff. My whole cast is getting or is sick. I need sleep like I need oxygen. I'm actually loving my job. I'm in love with my girl. I"m seeing Flogging Molly in little over a week. Their song "Float" is more poignant right now to me than ever. I keep working for a light at the end of a tunnel, but I'm starting to realize that my particular career isn't about a light at the end of a tunnel. It's a juggling act to keep everything up in the air and keep everything going. Float if you will. You can use the end of a show's run as a goal but right after that show ends, the next one starts so its more of a continuous work ethic and constant vigilance. Batman without the cool super-villains. Well Hamlet School Show calls.

Phill

Friends and Business...sometimes AWESOME...sometimes lame

So being friends with stage managers as a wardrobe supervisor has many benefits including being in the know. The problem comes when your friend/co-worker does not leave their proverbial "shit" at the door and just do their job. I don't really care if you like an actor or not. I don't care that you don't like the pace our tech is going at. You're the Stage Manager. It's your job to fix it, not mine. Nor am I an in between person between you and your ASM's or your actors. Man up, Suit up, whatever you want to call it to get a backbone and talk to them yourself. I hate when people abuse friendship at the workplace. It's annoying, frustrating, and down right insulting. Also, I am not your stand in bf who will listen to all your complaints, how hard your day was, hug you, and tell you it will all be okay. I have a gf, and I like her a hell of a lot more than I like you. I love her. She's fucking awesome as a gf, and does your job twice if not thrice as good.

....Right so First day of tech not so good. Pissed. Exhausted. Desperately missing Marley.

So Rewind

I totally forgot about Christmas with my parents! It was the best time we've all spent together in a really long time! We talked and I cooked breakfast Christmas morning and we all helped cooked dinner and it was really nice. I'm starting to feel like an actual adult around of them. They are fully supportive of what I do and they love Marley which is an awesome bonus. It's taken a long road with a lot of speed bumps and fuckin flat tires but I'm starting to feel happy about my life.

Animal Doesn't Just Play the Drums...

So this video combines 2 things. My long time favorite theatrical endeavor (muppets) and my most recent favorite theatrical endeavor (opera). I just wanted to share. Also, my favorite muppets make an appearance at the end!

I Talk About her All the Time!

So I figured I'd only talk a little bit about the trip and her visit down here in Orlando and then I'd switch gears to something else like my job or comic books or something I saw on TV. Eh? Who knows? All in all, best 2 weeks we've ever had since the end of August back in 2008. DC, Disney, Road Trips, Double Dates, New Year's Eve, Birthday, Family, Friends. We did it all. Most importantly (as stated in previous post) I got to hold her. I love this woman and I am supremely lucky and honored to have her in my life. On another note, here at OST, or Orlando Shakes, or as the official title goes, The Orlando Shakespeare Theatre in Partnership with UCF; We are working overtime, 6 days a week, to be ready to open Hamlet and All's Well That End's Well in Rotating Repertory. What that means is that we will be doing 2 shows in the same theatre with the same cast in a rotating schedule. Which means the actors are rehearsing all day for 2 shows, the scene shop is building 2 sets, and the costume shop (where I work) we are building two complete sets of costumes for each show. A lot of work is going into this and I've been given the duty of being the Milliner for both shows. I love hats! I wear them all the time. I've also made some pants and few vests.

These are the Posters for the shows. Kinda cool eh? On a final note I have one more thing to say before signing off.

WATCH BETTER OFF TED!!!!

*Drops the Mic*