Thou wouldst make a good fool.

For two people who share an addiction to the theatre, the Evanses really don't get out to see many plays. It's mostly a financial dilemma - in fact, we don't get out to do much of anything that requires the opening of a pocketbook these days. But we did indulge ourselves last week and saw a preview production of King Lear at Antaeus Theatre. And it felt pretty darn good to do so.

I love this play. For me, it's one of good ol' Bill's best, and yet I'd never seen a live production of it - just snippets from the BBC version with Sir Ian McKellan and what portions of the play they include in the third season of Slings and Arrows. I think what I love most about Lear IS Lear, the man himself and the journey he takes. A powerful king and once-loving father, raging himself into madness and despair, eventually finding his way to redemption and forgiveness where he least expects it. Only to have it all violently, unjustly taken away (it is a tragedy, afterall.)

So I thank my lucky stars this Lear had a good Lear - Harry Groener, who was one of my favorite actors from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series (which I openly admit was one of my favorite tv shows circa 1998). Groener was wonderfully creepy as the demonic mayor in Buffy, but his Lear absolutely broke my heart - particularly in the final acts of the play as he scrambles out of his madness and reunites with his estranged daughter, Cordelia. I get goosebumps thinking about it.


For the most part, the rest of the cast was good, not amazing. But Groener was well worth it, and honestly I was just thrilled to be out enjoying a night of theatre! I hope we continue to get out and experience what LA has to offer in the world of live performance, 'cause there's some good stuff out there.

One down, nine to go...

Congratulations to me! I survived my first week of full-time day job drudgery! Time to celebrate like a Lakers fan!

Full-time life was not too bad in the end, though I admit I've been struggling to stay conscious today due to a couple late nights and busy days this week. But TGIF, am I right?!

One of those late nights was for a dramatic short film I was cast in - yay! Aside from location problems (we were guerilla shooting and got the boot whilst filming by some railroad tracks) it was a fairly easy shoot, and the director, etc were all fantastic to work with. I'm looking forward to seeing the final product and of course will share it here!

I also had a callback this week for a short feature, and felt pretty good about it... I always feel far more at ease after a callback than after a first audition... I think because I know there is nothing more I can to help my chances - it's all up to them! And as Chad likes to say, 'it's just between me and the other guy'. Or, as I like to say, I've got a 50/50 chance. :) BUT I really like this script/story, and the director/creative team have been ridiculously nice and very easy to work with, so I'd be ecstatic to book this one. Fingers crossed!

Echo Mountain Hike

Please forgive the second hiking post in a week - I guess I need to expand my horizons a little.

But speaking of horizons - holy atmospheric refraction!

This has officially become my new favorite hike - I can see myself climbing this sucker every weekend. It's 5 miles (round trip) of perfectly sloped switchbacks, shady and rugged, with pockets of wildflowers and wild herbs all the way, and views like this:

Once you reach the top, you find yourself at the ruins of an old Victorian-style hotel called Echo Mountain House, and the remnants of an abandoned railroad. The hotel burned down in the early 1900's, and the railway was decommissioned 1938. It's pretty interesting to walk around imagining what it would all have looked like back then...

From this point you can actually continue on with several other hikes to higher summits, which we didn't attempt today but really hope to some other time (when we can get an earlier start and avoid some of the heat - and crowds. This baby is popular!)

I'll try to write about something a little more interesting than hiking this week, which could be difficult since tomorrow I begin my 10-week-long foray into full-time-working-stiff-dom. Yep, I'm a 9-to-5-er for the summer, hoping to come out on the other side with all my sanity, affability, and pluck intact! Serenity now...

10 on 10 :: June

Join the 10 on 10 fun here!

Wildwood Canyon (AKA the Heroes March [AKA The Death March])

Chad and I joined Erika and Tyler on a fantastic, difficult hike this weekend at Wildwood Canyon in Burbank. With a name like "The Death March" I was expecting, to... you know.... die. But it was really not so bad, just the right amount of tough, and plenty of gorgeous views as a reward for all our hard work.

Above the clouds...

Erika and I know that when you pose with your hands on your hips, that means you are hard core.

Chad took this picture of me pretending to run back down. Looks convincing.

I love hiking! I don't know why we don't do this every weekend.

A Demo Reel At Last

Check out my new (albeit rudimentary) demo reel! :) I'm pretty proud of it for a first go...

A Visit from my Mum

My mum flew in on Sunday for a quick visit to see my show and just get some time with her long absent daughter and son-in-law! We had a really nice time - went to a Dodgers game (where we witnessed a ridiculous 'balk-off' win by the Dodgers), strolled through Descanso Gardens (gorgeous!), enjoyed the sunshine and some good food, and just all around relaxed and caught up.

Now she's flown her way back north to the rain, and we're stuck here enjoying 75 degrees and sunny. HA! Sorry mom. :)