Happy New Year!

For me, the new year starts at the end of August and the beginning of September. I'm sure it has something to do with my August to August calendar (the best organizer ever!) and the fact that the school year starts, the season starts, and the weather starts to turn. There is nothing like the changing of season. I went to school in northern California for two years and didn't understand why it was 80 degrees in October. This is not how it's supposed to be. There need to be leaves in my Fall.
This year seems to be full of new adventures; I have a new apartment, I have a new puppy, and my boyfriend of two years is off to graduate school leaving me to fend for myself. I was pretty sad at first, like really sad, but now I've realized it's going to be o.k. and I have some work to do! I tend to be a HUGE nerd. And since he's been gone, I've taken an opportunity to read and relax and clean my apartment. Sounds pretty boring, but when you have lived at breakneck speed for two years, it's nice to go at a snails pace. I have this huge need to know more more more. So sitting a'top my tower reading is just fine by me.
Also, now is the time to start making the To-Do list...DUTCHMAN was a success so now what's next. I need to find money to produce my next project, I need to find money to travel. Basically my days now consist of hunting for buried treasure.

So in the end this year is all about me! ME ME ME!

But first off to the PICA TBA Festival. Yippeee!

Addictions

Below are some addictions that I refuse to give up for Lent. Sadly I had to be reminded that Lent was even happening.

I am in love with Guitar Hero. Yes Yes it's true. Even my boyfriend has a hard time pulling me away. I get so into it I can't stop. I swear at the T.V. and of course blame them for my mistakes. I turn into a three year old child who hasn't learned to share and hates being forced to by others. Most mornings I wake up with a Guitar Hero song stuck in my head. If you have yet to get hip to this groove train I definitely suggest it. But be careful. You've been warned.

Project Runway. I may not have cable but I am able to follow the fierceness via the BravoTV website and talking to co-workers about what I missed. I'm so excited to find out who wins and judging along with the judges about which outfits are the best.

Buying trashy magazines. I'm sorry but if it says Britney and Crazy I'm buying. Nothing makes me feel better about my life then seeing the terrible decline of the princess of pop. And I feel bad for her. I bet if she had known this was going to happen she might not have signed up for the Mickey Mouse Club.

Oregon Humane Society Website. My apartment doesn't allow me to have pets. But I want a dog so bad, so I go to the Oregon Humane Society website and shop dogs that I can't have. It only makes me sad, but I love imaging that I could have one.

Sleeping. Can't get enough of this. Seriously it's almost frightening how much I love it. And as a result...Viso the Portland owned energy drink that is full of vitamins and other goodies. I can't make it through a day without my Viso Vigor. It's packed with 300mg of caffeine. Yes folks, that's approx. 3 cups of coffee. They should contact me to be there spokesperson. My desk at work is littered with them.

Oops! I Did It Again...

I am so sorry to you my devoted readers (KXS and Dr. Phun) that I have not written a blog posting in forEVER...omg I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Work (which is also bleeding into my social life, but so it goes in theater) has been busy busy and of course I'm not one to slow down.

NOW HEAR THIS
I totally missed the opportunity to blog about MEASURE FOR PLEASURE by David Grimm, which took place last month on the main stage. The play fit in nicely with our current main stage shows: THE BEARD OF AVON by Amy Freed and TWELFTH NIGHT by William Shakespeare, because it was also a contemporary restoration piece and it was a huge hit. People laughed hard and loud. Even though it lasted longer than we anticipated people were loving it.

February 23rd we will be reading ALL HAIL HURRICANE GORDO by Carly Mensch. It will premiering at the Humana Festival March 13-30th. I'm really excited to read this play because I think it will be a change of pace from our other readings. It is a beautifully intimate piece. Carly is someone who I have just discovered and I look forward to finding out more.

HOLY OPENINGS BATMAN!!
We had three opening nights right on top of each other...THE BEARD OF AVON by Amy Freed, directed by Chris Coleman and then the following weekend we had TWELFTH NIGHT by William Shakespeare, directed by Jane Jones. Both had wonderful openings and are very popular. I would recommend however, seeing BEARD before TWELFTH NIGHT because I think when you see BEARD first it illuminates things you might not have paid attention to before in TWELFTH NIGHT...but this might just be me. Both are strong solid productions.

Then we had our FADE TO BLACK night, geared at getting younger audiences to the theater, the Tuesday after opening for TWELFTH NIGHT. It was amazing because we played Guitar Hero all night. I'm pretty much obsessed with the game. It's a sick sick addiction and I love it.

A few weeks later we had A FEMININE ENDING opening. This production was a part of co-production with South Coast Rep. I am proud that the production is returning home. As you may or may not know, A FEMININE ENDING by Sarah Treem was part of JAW 2006. It certainly captured the hearts of the audience then and it continues to do so now. I highly recommend seeing this show. And check out more of Sarah's writing on HBO's new night series IN TREATMENT. She writes the script for the character Sophie.

COMMUNITY ARTISTS LABS
Sarah Treem and Amy Freed both came to PCS. During their time here they were able to host playwriting workshops. I attended both of them and even though I am not a playwright. They were very inspiring and both had different things to say. Sarah's workshop was about finding inspiration and your voice as a playwright. Amy's was more about how to "unstuck" or "unblock" yourself when you get blocked. My respect for playwrights grew immensely after attending these workshops.

MEANWHILE ON PLANET MEGAN...
I spend my weekends reading JAW scripts, scripts for the reading series, catching up on sleep, seeing shows and grocery shopping for the week. It's pretty pathetic but it's also so me and what I enjoy. Don't worry about me though, because I get my movie and guitar hero time in and keep up on my project runway and Britney gossip. I hope my friends forgive me for the lack of time I spend with them...I do worry about my room...does anyone want to come and clean if for me?

thanks kxs!

Snakes and Monkeys Oh my!

The following is a story written by my father about his experience on set in Morocco.

"On December 9, 2007 my fellow co-actor Bob McKeehen, (cast as General Godweiler) & I arrived after 16 long hours in the air from Portland, Oregon to Marrakech arriving at 12 noon their time & 4 am Portland time. To say the least I was exhausted. Instead of going to the Ryad Omar (hotel) & sleeping we decided to tour the Medina (the main shopping & site seeing plaza) where I tried to take a picture of some cobras when the snake handler said, "I will take picture ...FREE NO Money". Ok I said, and after five pictures of me holding snakes I asked for my camera back, as he returned the camera I heard his broken English chant of "pay me, pay me". So much for free.

Feeling threatened, now surrounded by three more of his associates all poking, and getting too close for comfort, I reached into my pocket & took out the newly exchanged $300 American dollars to local currency (2100 dirhams) a $7 to 1 dirham ratio, (a value that escaped me at this time due to exhaustion, and the desire to rid myself of these aggressive snake handlers), all in 200 dirham denominations. As I peeled off my 1st 200 dirham note and gave it to the snake charmer (not realizing it represents $30) I heard the phrase "more" & then another 200, then "more," another 200, on and on till I peeled off 1000 dirham or $150.

Walking away dazed, confused, and truly hustled, I turned around and the monkey handlers now waiting their turn, grabbing my camera as they placed two smelly, large hairy beasts on each shoulder, proceeded to take two pictures before I could retrieve my camera and stop the madness. Another 400 dirham later and I am into the whole experience for $210, or 1400 dirham.

To say the least I took grief all week long during the filming, from not only the cast and crew, but now the hotel staff joined in and would smile and point at me as I came and went.

Fast forward to the following Friday, as the crew and actors are filming on location four hours outside of Marrakech, I decide I've had enough and take a walk back to the Medina looking for snakes. I spot a police car close to the plaza and decide to tell my story to the local police, hoping they don't arrest me for stupidity. Between my limited french and their limited english, one of the three officers leads me into the center of the plaza pointing at any and all snake charmers we encounter saying, "this one", this one" asking me to identify the snake hustler, who I'm sure at this time had retired with my money to the nearest beach community. Now every merchant, snake, and monkey handler, are looking at me as I walk back to the police car. After more discussion the police officer asks me to retrieve my camera with the pictures of the incident from my hotel and return to him with the evidence, in five mega pixels of digital photos.

As I head back from the hotel, camera in tow, I am approached by four men dressed in robes with hoods, but thank God or Allah, no snakes, instead they are here to solve my problem. The youngest of the four says, "Mister... please no police we will take care of this ourselves". Speaking flawless English the young man, Karman, (twenty-ish) asks to see the pictures, apologizes for my encounter, and explains that the elders will give me back my money if I don't involve the police. Upon review of the pictures he tells me they know of this snake handler, and one of the elders peels off 1000 dirham and places it in my hand. Also Karman tells me that they will return my 400 dirham from the monkey fiasco later in the day. A man of his word later that afternoon as I walked through the plaza with gifts for the family with my new found money, Karman approaches me with the three elders at his side and gives me the 400 dirham from the monkey people as he had promised earlier. My faith in mankind restored, faith in the good people of Marrakech to do the right thing prevailed.

The moral of this story is when visiting other countries sleep first, then take in the sites.

Terry Ward (cast as U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan)

Domesticity sets in

For those of you that know me, know that I can't cook or bake. Being in a kitchen too long stresses me out and if I can't make a meal in 30mins or less I rather go out. However, something has been happening lately. I'm making an effort in the kitchen. I started looking up recipes on Williams-Sonoma and then my boyfriend sent me a link to a blog that teaches you how to make bread from scratch. Now I am crazy in the kitchen.
Making bread from scratch really is easier than you think, but it does take a long time. But seriously check out my skills...and if I can do this, than so can you!

It's All about ME!

Yes. Yes it is. And if you are not hip to that than me and my fabulous bag are going to knock you over. OMG...look at my FABULOUS bag. You could have one like this (only not as fabulous because it's not me...) if you get Gwenn Seemel to make you one. Go to her website (www.gwennseemel.com) and buy one. NOW. Because it doesn't get more designer than this...

Child Wrangling

Yes. This is a real term. All LORT theaters are required to have a "young actor monitor" or a "child wrangler" present whenever children are in a show. I was the child wrangler for PILLOWMAN, FENCES and in JAW last year. Each time it was for one or two children, but now for CHRISTMAS CAROL there are five kids. All the kids are wonderful and professional, but there are still more of them than there is of me.
My responsibilities include but are not limited to: helping with homework, taking them to get lunch, meeting them when they arrive at the theater and staying with them until their parents pick them up, taking notes, playing hide and go seek, making everyone happy, getting them to their costume fittings, and most importantly making sure they know what they are being asked to by the director.
Because I am also the Artistic/Literary Assistant, taking on child wrangling means working seven days a week and when the show goes into tech and performance my days get long, long, long. So another woman will be taking over for me starting this week. Although, this should make me happy, I am sad that I will not be seeing the kids everyday. I know so much about them and really care about them. It can be really tiring running after five children, but it is always a joy to see them and hang out with them. They make me laugh. I will miss them, but I'm sure I'll see them around real soon.