Back to "normal"...

After a month away from the blog, "The River" by Richard Montoya and directed by Sean San Jose with Campo Santo for Intersection For The Arts, is up and running and I couldn't be more happier. (insert happy face emoji here.) I'm proud of my work in this particular production and I'm proud of my cast, crew and the production as a whole.

I am, however, having a challenging time getting back to "normal" life after this production.

In the 10 years I have been working in theatre, I have to say that this particular project has stood out from all of the rest in a very good way. Not to say that other productions I have worked on have not been great, because there have been some real gems.

I don't know what or who you believe in, however, I believe God or the universe had a truly instrumental hand in this production. I say all of this because as I've told a few close friends, this process and the production of this play is the closest thing I've come to church or a spiritual experience working in theatre. I say this because every time I stepped in on a reading, a rehearsal, a tech day, whether it be to watch or do a fitting, I felt an energy that something bigger was at work in the room then what we were doing, that there was a bigger reason for this production, then just putting on a play.  I found myself looking forward to going to work on this project and I had a hard time leaving after my job was done. I still find myself popping in to check on costumes, but also to see the show again, even though I've seen it more times than I can count. I can't get it enough and some of the lines are even stuck in my head and in my heart. "The River" is a powerful, crazy, ride of play, that touches on so many topics and themes, its jam packed with everything!

I do truly believe the cast and crew as well as the script were all meant to be joined together with everyone involved. I also feel like it shows in each performance that occurs each time that cast gets on the stage and performs. I feel this is a production made out of love by everyone involved. It's made from love from people we have lost and from places we have lost along the way, just like some of the themes touched upon in the play itself.

So, coming down off of this natural high of working on an awesome production is a little disorienting.  It took me a week, but I think I'm finally getting things together, clearing the mess off my desk left in the wake of this production.  I am hitting the mediation even more to center and focus myself.  I also am mentally preparing myself for another Richard Montoya production, as I find myself in the position of Wardrobe Lead for "American Night" at California Shakespeare Theatre in a few months time.  I'm getting back on the thesis train and also anticipating the new Luis Alfaro play I will be working on, "Alleluia, The Road", with Triangle Lab in the Fall.  I even have a few smaller projects in the works to keep me busy, so I will surely not be bored this summer.

In other words, things are back in motion!

I highly encourage all of you to go see "The River "playing right now at the A.C.T. Costume Shop until May 4! Tickets are selling out quite fast since their is very limited seating in the space, which makes you feel right in the production itself. Who knows, you might see me there peeking my head out of the curtains one night.

Tickets for "The River": http://theriver2013.eventbrite.com

To get a glimpse of what you're in for, here are some beautiful pictures taken by photographer, Pak Han.

Go Time...

"Well it's Facebook official." That means it's official right?!  Just kidding.

The River is now out and about on the internet and it gets me excited!  According to my iPhone countdown app, there is 23 days till the show opens, April 11, 2013 to be exact.

What am I doing as of now at this stage in the production? Shopping, pulling, renting and building is what I am currently doing. 

Today I have a list of stores that I'm going to check out to see if I can find what I designed...because "if you draw it, you will find it," as I was once told in grad school. Let's see if this happens...

Here is a little sneak peek of one of my sketches for THE RIVER...

If you would like to read more on what this show is all about here you go:

THE RIVER by Richard Montoya and directed by Sean San Jose runs April 11, 2013- May 4, 2013.

I would also invite you to check out the project that The Triangle Lab is doing in concert with this production, called: CALIFAS: STORIES OF OUR JOURNEYS HOME, GATHERED, SHARED AND PERFORMED.

THE RIVER is the first play kicking off the CALIFAS project, followed by AMERICAN NIGHT at California Shakespeare Theatre and then ALLELUIA, THE ROAD at Intersection for The Arts.

If you're interested in attending the show, tickets are now available, here. Hope you all can make it!!!

Finding yourself as an artist...

It has been a month exactly since my last post and for the most part things have been somewhat normal, which means, nothing really exciting to write about....until this past week and a half. Business with The River is going really well and I'm excited for the process and what will become of the end result of this play. I have a really good feeling about it. It's a great script and a great cast that I think was brought together for a reason and purpose. What that reason and purpose is?  We will soon find out.

As well as my play, I'm in the middle of trying my best to finish my thesis for my MFA. Amongst this creative, organized chaos I've also been going through a lot of personal growth that is extremely positive and astounding in both the artistic form and as a person.  The results of this growth and its benefits are taking me by surprise and knocking me off my feet, but in a very awesome way!

One particular incident that happened was when I was researching for my thesis. I am doing a paper project of designing "The Birds" by Aristophanes, which is an ancient Greek comedy. My concept is to have it set in a contemporary world instead of Ancient Greece.

Now mind you, I started this project in Spring 2010 and I've been freshening up some of the work I did almost 3 years ago. (Yikes! It's been that long?!) One of my design concepts for some of the characters revolve around high fashion or the fashion world and I have a few designers whose collections have served as my research, which is very fun!  One designer in particular that I have been inspired by is English designer, Gareth Pugh. Mr. Pugh has become one of my favorite designers that I admire along with Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Recently, I was looking to see what he had been doing recently to see if it could help inspire me and pertain to my research for my thesis and what I found just knocked me down. So, I can safely say that his Spring/Summer 2013 collection will be part of my research.

Between the mixture of the collection of the clothes, how it was styled and of course the music of Rebekah del Rio singing "Llorando", the whole experience of seeing this fashion show just blew me away on so many levels. I loved everything about seeing this whole show.
Who says fashion can't have an influence as a piece of art?

After watching a video of fashion reviewers and their reviews and descriptions of Gareth's show, I had one of Oprah's "A-ha" moments for myself where everything clicked for me. In seeing both videos I discovered and realized who I was as an artist, what kind of work am I drawn to and my own aesthetic, which is something I had been searching for, profusely for years. Its been a long journey, I can tell you that for sure.

I discovered and realized, I like balance and maybe that's the Libra in me, if you believe in horoscopes, but I truly believe that is something I am attracted to in life in general and is a part of me and how I see the world.

I'm attracted to art and theatre that portrays balance in masculinity vs. femininity, light vs. dark, good vs. evil, strength vs. weakness and etc...

It's pretty evident, now that I think about it, that the pieces of theatre that I have participated in that meant a lot to me and have stayed with me, identified with one of these struggles in balance.

It is an amazing thing that I feel I finally "figured myself out" as an artist and as a person.  I feel very focused now...more so than ever. This is good...this is very good.

On that note, I will keep on working and keep creating...

Enjoy...

Gareth Pugh Spring/Summer 2013 Ready to Wear Collection.

Distractions Turning Into Inspiration.

When working on projects I get distracted at times, I think its because its loss of inspirational steam. It happens, but I usually get back on track or not, depends on the day. I usually listen to music to keep my steam going and tonight wasn't any different.

I was working on drawings for a project tonight and I got distracted into drawing something for myself for fun. Then I had a distraction from my distraction.

This video.





It is fortunate that my distraction from my distraction, inspired me on another aspect of the project I was previously working on tonight that I was distracted from. Interesting. Full Circle.

I think my current obsession with Oh Land, paid off tonight in more ways than good music.

The River starts flowing...

Yesterday around 11a.m. I was driving to my job and listening to my Spotify playlist with "Soul Rebel" by Bob Marley & The Wailers ending and "Hurt So Good" by Susan Cadogan beginning (shameless song drop), when BAM an idea hit me. Ideas for costume designs for characters in the new play I'm working on. My ideas often happen like that, either in the shower getting ready for the day or when I'm driving somewhere listening to music. I revel in those idea moments hitting me like running into a brick wall, they put a huge smile on my face and I want to jump, but circumstances prevent me. (I can't jump in the shower or I'll hurt myself and in the car I'm strapped down by a seat belt.)

Anyway, the research and idea process are probably my favorite parts of the design process. For the past month I've read and re-read THE RIVER by Richard Montoya (several times), which is the new play I'm designing for Campo Santo with Intersection For The Arts, directed by Sean San Jose, that opens in April (78 days to be exact).

I've let the characters and their conversations speak to me and imagined this new world. I usually start to get images in my head and for this one it was a lot of color. The picture below is one of the many pictures I am using in my research and a smidgen of taste of what the show might be like. However, you will have to come see it for yourself.

I always seem to get a photo, a painting or some sort of art piece that becomes my starting point, where then I can springboard off and dive into creating the world of the play and the characters. This is when I start researching different types of clothing and people according to what I'm reading and who the characters are, what they do, how they behave, their personality. I think that's what I love best about designing costumes, figuring out a characters personality because each one is different and exciting.

So, this past Monday, we had our first production meeting and it was delightful, helpful and exciting talking about this world that Richard Montoya has made for us in his writing to put forth in real life. It's awesome hearing all the designers ideas of what they imagine for sets, lights and sound combined with my costume designs coming together in this pot to make this delicious dish of a play. This is one of the reasons I love working in theatre...

And of course, this meeting helped me to get ideas for a few characters that I had not fully fleshed out, which was my idea spark at the beginning of this post. A beautiful thing production meetings are.  

So...what next? Now comes another fun part...sketching these costumes out.  

I'll do it tomorrow...

It's going to stop...really.  Tech is over, time to return to normal habits and normal life. Let me go make my list.

Buzzing.

Another season working wardrobe at California Shakespeare Theatre came to a close last month. I'm glad to be back and starting tech, working wardrobe for The White Snake at Berkeley Rep tomorrow.  The White Snake looks to be an exciting and beautiful show.

Apart from wardrobe work, I am back in the design pool and it seems my world is abuzz with exciting projects for the new year. I will be designing costumes for two new plays, but I will hold off on the details for a wee little bit longer, just so that I can soak it in and enjoy the moment. :) 

Along, with all this theater buzz, this election is making me nervous and anxious.  Here we go again. I will be voting bright and early, before tech tomorrow. I bet it's going to be a restless day.  I'm hoping you go and vote too!