Fixin' To Rain

Summer Job Here I Come!

So I went for it.

I committed to a summer job last week.

I will be performing in a professional theater setting in Pigeon Forge, TN, in a show called “Fixin’ to Rain” at the Governor’s Palace Theater!
We start rehearsals 2 days after graduation.
It’s gonna be a doozy.

So week of finals will go something like this:
Monday-1 final
Tuesday and Wednesday-No finals
Thursday-2 finals and drive alllll the way to Nashville (500 miles)
Friday-Morning fly to Orlando, go to wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
Saturday-My friend Heather’s wedding where I’m singing an original song (I’ve still yet to write it,but don't worry heather :-)
Sunday-Fly back to Nashville from Orlando, drive 3 hours to Pigeon Forge, watch a performance of Fixin’ to Rain
Monday-Start rehearsals at 9 AM
10 Days Later…Start performing the show!!

Sound crazy?
Sure.
Sound exciting?
Definitely.

This summer is gonna be great. I have about 7 or 8 friends from here at Liberty that will be at the theater all summer with me. I’ll be working from May 14th-July 31st. Then I’ll have about 3 weeks before we get back to school. I’m so excited!! This summer is gonna be a great test drive for professional theater. I’m gonna find out if I still love doing shows after I’ve done the same one about 50 times. I’ll keep you posted… So for the next month my goal is to finish well in classes. 1 week from tomorrow our show “Smoke On the Mountain” opens. Things are crazy right now but I love it!

21...And Becoming Seasoned...or something...

So the birthday festivities went smashing-ly.
Who knew that turning 21 would really affect how old I felt?
It certainly has. I do feel older.
Makes me really wish my boyfriend's birthday would hurry up and get here...
19+21 is just awkward.
Well it is for me.
Anyways, if you're reading this and have a chance to say a quick prayer on behalf of my summer plans I'd really appreciate it!
I am in the process of choosing between a carefree summer at home or a musical theater filled summer in Pigeon Forge.
What to do...what to do...
Last night I went to T-Road to hear Dr. Caner speak about why he is not a "hyper-calivinist." It was a great sermon. I think I'm really starting to understand the difference between calvinism and armenianism and I think I understand and agree with aspects of both. But here's what I have come to believe as truth: God has all foreknowledge (He knows what's gonna happen, and what I'm gonna choose, simply because He knows ME) and yet He has given me all the free will and choice in the world; so i have the final say on whether I will commit my life to Him and believe what He says is true. (btw I've done that)
So there ya have it...Hil's theological thought of the day. :-)
Only one more month and then its summa time...and that sounds great to me.

Currently Reading:
"Patriarchs" by Beth Moore
The Bible
"An Actor Prepares" by Stanislavski
My Smoke On the Mountain script (show opens 2 weeks from Friday)
Also Currently Enjoying:
My new be-a-u-tiful leather bound journal. I love it I love it I love it.

I think I'm going to get a subscription to Writer's Digest.
I read it the other day and it had some amazing good advice and some inspiring quotes.
And we all know how I feel about quotes...
(i love them)
Angela Hunt spoke in my magazine class on Friday. She talked about how she first got into freelance writing b/c she wanted a job she could do while her kids napped in the afternoon. I mean, that sure does sound convenient...
Not that I have kids, but at some point I would love to...so sign me up.

If you called me on my birthday THANK YOU! (Especially you Shaunna, I do love you. I do I do.)

The Show Is On! (apparently)

Over a month ago I got cast in a new show at Liberty, "Smoke On the Mountain." I was excited from the get go, because I have a cute role (I play Denise, one of the twins if you're familiar) and I get to play guitar. But as time passed...and by time, I mean a MONTH of time, I wasn't totally positive this show would actually materialize...
But as of today....
IT'S ON.
We have 3 music rehearsals next week and then go straight into blocking and rehearsing more.
The show opens three weeks from this Thursday.
So we'll be rehearsing for 2.5 weeks.
CRAZY.
but
EXCITING!

And this Thursday is my birthday. 21. Whoot.

Updates...

Alright friends, I know it's been awhile--and I mean aWHILE since I've written. March has been one unique month, since I've flown to various cities each of the 4 weekends in the month. It is now March 31, noon, and I am sitting on my bed, cup of starbucks on the table next to me, snowflake pajamas on, with a little vh1 in the background, reveling in the fact that I don't have to go anywhere or even see anyone today if I don't want to. So a little review of what I've been up to? I'm glad you asked. :)
March 1-5 I traveled down to Orlando, Florida to the Southeastern Theater Conference. Hundreds of college students from the southeast go to SETC every year to audition for professional theater jobs, whether they be only for summer commitments or year-long contracts. The exciting thing about SETC is that you have to be passed through a state screening to even get to go. So last fall we went to the Virginia Theater Association to audition to even GET to audition at SETC. Thankfully I got passed through so I got to go audition at SETC. SETC was a total learning experience for me. One big thing that I really clued in to is the fact that casting directors are on your side and want to see you at your best. There's no need to be intimidated or nervous at an audition because these people are dying for you to be their next Jean Val Jean or Belle! Noone is hoping you do not succeed. Secondly, I learned how important it is to really be a triple threat. (That's a singer/dancer/actor for those not familiar with the term :-) And if that's absolutely impossible for you, you need to have atleast 2 competing strengths. Be a singer/dancer. Or a singer/actor. But never just be a singer. or an actor. or a dancer. Not if you want to do musical theater. It's just not an option. I mean, not if you want to get jobs anyway...
So, I auditioned on March 2nd. I certainly wasn't at my best but at least 8 companies seemed to think I had something that they might want. So I got callbacks from theaters in Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Montana. It was exciting. Exciting to think that they might want to pay me to do what I love.
So as for this summer, none of these jobs will work out b/c in order to graduate in May '07 I have to complete an internship for communications this summer. Which means, I'm 95% sure I couldn't commit to one of these theaters. But for next year, WHO KNOWS. I'm excited to see where the Lord might want me next after college. Because I certainly have no idea.
Ok, then a week after I got back to Lynchburg from SETC 3 of my friends and I (see pictures below) trecked down to Nashville to catch a flight to Chicago. What a fuuuuuuunnn week. I count myself so blessed to have godly, fun friends. These are people that I can do nothing with and still feel like I've had the best time of my life. And they're all people that I'm excited to see God use in the future. Justin is a psychology major and feels totally called to go into counseling. I can't wait to see how God will bless those efforts and his passion for people. Leslie has already interned in the office of Kentucky Senator McConnell and she's headed back there this summer. She's graduating next May and is totally committed to the idea of committing herself to causes in Washington. She, for one, is a person who is not scared to peace out from the comfortable, often lazy, college life. She knows that there is life to be lived outside of college. And that's just cool. And as for Josh, he's bound to either stumble into stardom on Broadway or be a brilliant communications officer for some big company...either way I'm certain he's going to be a successful, dependable father and husband. He totally looks forward to the opportunity to be a dad one day. I thought i was the only one who got excited about parenting at an unnaturally early age...but alas no. But don't get worried...no rash decisions aaaannnyyyy time soon. :-)
This past weekend we flew home (Ashli, Matt, Josh, Me) to help celebrate my dad's 20th anniversary at Two Rivers (see link "church where i grew up in"). Friday night there was a really nice dinner at the Springhouse golf club (not sure what its called now) and dad's friend, Jay Strack, mc'd it. There were videos from all kinds of accomplished men that my dad is friends with. It was pretty neat. Among others, Paige Patterson, Chris Matthews, and Senate Majority Leader Frist all sent their congratulations. Saturday, Josh and I ventured down to the Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville to watch a matinee of the musical, the Fantasticks. It wasn't a stellar performance by any means...but it was fun to see the stage version of the show. Sunday there was more celebrating and Sunday night Dr. Falwell preached. The fun/exciting/slightly ridiculous part is that after the service was over the 4 of us got to fly back with him and his boys in his jet. Like, private jet. It was sooo fun and silly feeling. We made it all the way back to Lynchburg in 50 minutes. The longest its taken me to get back here was about 10 hours. The shortest to date? Was 3 hours (due to layovers and such). This was definitely a record and sooo fun and glamorous feeling. I think we giggled the whole way.
In addition to all my globe-trotting I've also signed up for classes for next year and been trying to secure an internship this summer. The classes are: Jane Austen Seminar (sooo exciting), News Writing, Musical Theater, Playwrighting, Economics, Voice, Newspaper Practicum. It looks like the one that is most likely to work out is a marketing internship with Fee Hedrick Entertainment in Pigeon Forge, TN. I'm also gonna be editing transcripts of two of my dad's sermon series and turning them into books to be published. In addition to that I'm going to be taking an online Biology course so that I can complete my 3 minors upon graduation. A little over-achievingish? Nah. A little indecisive? Definitely.
Sidenote, my job is going great for libertyu.com and it's so fun. Its great b/c it totally works within my schedule and time constraints, and I get to do what I enjoy. I wouldn't be shocked if I end up working for the Residential Marketing office for a bit after I graduate. It'd be a greeaat way to pay for grad school. Ok, ok. We'll see.
5 weeks left in the semester. Crazy...

One of My Favorite Night's Of My Life

I won the Wicked lottery last week when we were in Chicago for spring break, so Josh and I got to sit on the front row of last Wednesday's matinee. I sat on the edge of my seat, mouth gaped open, laughing, crying, and thorougly enjoying those 3 hours. It felt like a dream :-) 

We were excited to be in Chicago... 

Spring Break

My sister's wedding shower was at the Cartee's house...Amy and Vince live across the street. :-) 

Possibilities Every Morning

Right now I'm supposed to be working on my profile of Linda Cooper, for my magazine writing and editing class. But I just came across a great quote that I wanted to put on here...if for no other reason then that I might remember it. There's a lot of catching up for me to do in the next couple days...what with my random vacation to Orlando. There's something great about getting a way to warm weather and no thought of classes...helps to rejuvinate and re-inspire me to get back to the grindstone. So anyway....here's that lovely quote.


"The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours. No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there."
--Monica Baldwin

*Sidenote: I would love to do professional, non-cheesy, Christian theater.

Inspiration Comes Randomly

"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."

-C.S. Lewis

I had an amazing conversation with my director last night. A conversation that surprised me, inspired me, and spurred me on to think about things more deeply.

I got cast in a show! Smoke On the Mountain. I am resolving to not 'care twopence' how people have played my character in the past. Maybe I'll make it an original. :-)

One thing Mrs. Cooper told me was that her parents raised her in a deeply spiritual, Christian home, but it was also a home where she had all the freedom in the world to be creative and expressive. "Bohemian" is what she called it. I think I want to have a home like that one day...

Life is never perfect is it? So many aspects of life can be going so well...but there's always some aspect of reality thrown in there. I'm thankful for that though...reality is what we learn from...not perfection...

Snow!

It snowed today. :-) And because it's the Saturday after coffeehouse, we didn't make it out until nightfall. Virginia is for lovers. Saturdays are for rockstars. And snow? Well, it's for great pics. 

Stuff I'm Learning (about acting, and a little about life too)

So tonight I went to a rehearsal of "into the woods," that show that I'm not in. I've been going the past couple nights, just to watch, soak in the direction, and learn a bit about acting. Tonight I helped with stage managing, because the head stage manager, chad kennedy, my great friend, was tied up elsewhere.
I'm learning more and more that acting has so much to do with expression. You may believe you're in the story 100% but if the audience doesn't see it on your face, it doesn't communicate. And 99% of the time, when we think we're being really expressive, we're not being as expressive as we assume we are. I also observed tonight the importance of always believing in your character and what's going on with them, 100% of the time. There were moments where there were 19 people on stage, and I guarantee you that the random girl in the back didn't really think about anyone watching her...but I sure was. And you know what else? When there are a handful of people going all the way in their commitment to a character, when they're thinking about every lyric they're singing and every movement they're making...and the rest of the cast is simply singing the words and thinking about the blocking that is coming up, it shows. The few SHINE. And you know what else I'm learning? That you can never do excellent musical theater, without experience in acting, without studying it. There are a million beautiful voices out there. But out of those voices, who can act? Who can become a character? Not many people. In order to do excellent musical theater, you have to be able to act. And the idea of growing in that art, that craft, sounds exciting to me. I'm up for the challenge.
Oh, why have I figured out so late what I would have loved to major in? If I could go back today I would double major in English and Theater. Easily. Oh well. I guess not many people do what they majored in anyway.
To be honest, I just want to do what will really bless the Lord. And He gave me certain passions and talents for some reason...what a humble blessing it would be to be able to use them in the future...

musing on friendship...

So I just got back from eating lunch with one of my dearest friends, Lindsay. Lindsay and I met the second day I experienced life at Liberty. Her home happened to be located just on the other side of a concrete wall in our ghetto dorm our first semester. (Dorm 28…I can’t believe I lived there for 3 months…)
I knew I liked her when I first met her. I was mildly intimidated by her because she seemed so poised and well-adjusted to this whole college thing…but I also knew she was one of the few people on that weirdo hall that I actually saw that I might have something in common with.

And did I.

Lindsay has been one of those rare finds of a friend that I can talk to about anything. She’s transparent, vulnerable, and real with me, no matter what’s going on. We’ve made some stupid decisions together, cried together, had a million analytical conversations, and laughed together more times than I could count.
These days our daily routines don’t really include one another. She lives in a house with 3 other girls, is a family and consumer science major, and works all the time waitressing. And me, well I live with a girl that she doesn’t even really know, I’m a communications major, and I’m involved in things like music and theater at Liberty. It’s sort of weird, because we used to have allll the same friends, hang out 24/7, and be ridiculously socially involved with one another.
But today it was really cool. We verbally acknowledged the fact that our lives have changed. We have different friends, are headed in different directions…But, our friendship, our appreciation for one another, our understanding…hasn’t changed one bit.
She even took a moment and thanked me for being a “constant” in her life. A friendship that never changes as far as depth and appreciation…even though time together has become more scarce.
The older I get, and the more life I experience, I’m starting to recognize and embrace the fact that situations and relationships are ever changing and evolving. And rather than hang on to the past, or be depressed about life changing…it’s better to simply smile on that time of life, and be thankful for it. Recognize the fact that someone has walked through your life, and changed you for the better…or contributed to memories that you’ll treasure for life. Life changes. I’m thankful for the blessings of memories and real moments. I’ll not soon forget even one of them.

Why I'm Happy Today

by Hilary Sutton

• God is teaching me an old(er) lesson in a new way. I never really thought that all of a sudden in the Spring of my junior year of college I would not get cast in a musical. But the Lord is really using it to give Himself more glory. What sometimes feels like sorrow just strengthens my affection and dependence on Him.

• I just finished my first voice lesson of the semester. I haven't taken voice since last Spring, and I have a renewed focus and passion. Singing is a beautiful treasure that the Lord blesses some with. I need (and want) to make the most of it. What if I practiced consistently? What if I actually put effort into this fun thing?

• As I was casually strolling through Barnes today, I happenned upon a book that I instantly knew I needed. It's called "Letters to a Young Artist" by Anna Deavere Smith. Ms. Smith has won Tony's for playwrighting and acting. She actually has done a series of 1-woman shows where she plays up to 50 characters in one evening. Enchanting, no? The book is a series of letters to "BZ". "If youare an artist of any age, if you are learning the ropes of your art form, and if you want to learn more about the rules of the road in the business of making and selling art, BZ is you.

Therefore, I am BZ. I guess.

• In addition, I bought a membership to the Writer's Market website today. This is a website that has the inside scoop on marketing and selling writing.

I still haven't narrowed down what I want to do in life...but the longer time passes...the more I feel like I don't have to. :-)

That's all for now...

Democracy's Literary Method...

"If you're a supremely talented artist and you hit a very lucky day, then maybe you can write a poem or story or chapter or a novel that needs no revision. If you're a regular writer with your appointed portion of esthetic luck, you'll need to come at the piece again and again. I like to think of revision as a form of self-forgiveness: you can allow yourself mistakes and shortcomings in your writing because you know you're coming back later to improve it. Revision is the way you cope with the bad luck that made your writing less than brilliant this morning. Revision is the hope you hold out for yourself to make something beautiful tomorrow though you didn't quite manage it today. Revision is democracy's literary method, the tool that allows an ordinary person to aspire to extraordinary achievement."
--David Huddle New York Times Book Review

Huddle was quoted in my textbook for my feature writing class. Call his take on editing idealistic...but I like it...I wish that theater and vocal performances could be revised like writing can...but I guess once you put it out there, you can't take it back...

My New Apartment!!!

Josh, me, Leslie, and Kristin my roommate! This is from when we hung out on my inaugural night in the new place. :-)

View of my room from the doorway... 

My fabulously big closet!!! 

This is my room!! I still need to put some more pictures on the wall, but I'm doing moving in, other than that. I'm not sure what is going on with the tv... 

The Bathroom! (enough counter space for us to both be in there doing makeup...perfect) 

The Living Room...those couches are amazing...