Brisket, kugel, and apples with honey

For a while now I've had a very clear opinion about religion and where I stand on it. The religious aspect and belief in God doesn't do anything special for me but the cultural and traditional aspect of celebrating the Jewish holidays has always been something I enjoy. I like the food, I like the yearly tradition of gathering together with family and friends and spending a meal together. Sometimes, I even like to reflect on what the holidays are about and what they are celebrating. But never before have I ever felt like I would be lost without it. The past few days have been interestingly emotional for me. I didn't go home for Rosh Hashana dinner. I didn't go home last year either and I never thought anything of it. But suddenly this year it seemed like all my Jewish friends at school were going home or going to a friend's house and I found myself alone when everyone else was celebrating. Now of course I could have gone home if I had thought ahead and made the plans with my parents to come get me but I didn't want to miss my ballet class and at the time it just didn't even cross my mind. I felt weird and awfully conflicted. I really wanted my Mom's brisket and chicken noodle soup and kugel. I never experienced any kind of homesickness before and as a Sophomore in college I felt pathetic that I wanted to go home so badly. I'm going home next weekend and my mom said she'll make me a real, good home cooked meal. I can't wait. And I guess I have a new respect for what home means to me. Ever since I went off to school I never wanted to go home, I loved being here and whenever I was home I couldn't wait to get back. Not that I'm enjoying my time at school any less than I did last year, I can just appreciate how special it is to have a home to go back to.

So what did I do on one of the most holy days of the Jewish year? I went to ballet class, watched Jerome Robbins Something to Dance About, which was fabulous, had a really interesting practice session in the practice rooms, and ate some apples with honey.

My new favorite musical

Lately I've found myself listening to Broadway's The Lion King whenever I'm in my room. I've found a new love for this beautiful piece of art. While all theater is considered art, this particular show is special. The design of the show makes it look like one giant, 3-D, moving painting that I could sit in front of for two hours and be utterly transfixed. I saw it on Broadway when I was younger and last weekend during a musical theater workshop we watched a clip from their Tony performance, inspiring my new obsession with it. First of all the music is fabulous: the melodies, the harmonies, the blending of African and English to tell the classic story. Even listening to the songs in my dorm room in Staten Island, I am transported to another place. A more exotic place, a hotter climate, and a more wild surrounding. The costumes and giant puppet concept transports the audience to a magical land where the African dessert and animal survival meet Disney morals and childhood stories. And the dancing... let's just say that I had the opportunity to learn the choreography for "The Lioness Hunt" a few years ago and it was one of the most freeing and fun pieces of choreography I've ever learned. I want to see it again, now that I'm older and have a more sophisticated appreciation of live theater.

Getting back into it

Today I had a near-breakthrough moment in my musical theater performance class. And it's not like I was learning an entirely new concept either. I was reminded of something that I discovered last year in acting two; when I'm stuck in my head and I'm having a hard time connecting to the text viscerally I need to "do" something. What I mean is to physicalize the text, use my body to connect to the words instead of intellectualizing it. After doing my song ("A Call from the Vatican" from Nine) as a monologue, the fabulous Michele Pawk had me do it again pushing against a desk trying to get to Doug (one of my classmates) who was standing on the other side of the desk. When I did this task, which might seem ridiculous to those non-actor folk, I was extremely focused on the task at hand: reaching him (Doug AKA Guido for purposes of my character).

Tonight, in my practicing, I rolled around on the floor, danced, kicked my legs into the air, and threw a tantrum. It helped me get out of my head. I wasn't self-conscious about what I was doing. And the desire came through in my voice. As Uta Hagen says (and this isn't the exact quote but it goes something like this) ... acting isn't polite, it's primal and athletic!

WORK IT!

Inspire

This semester is filled with inspirational people, quotes, and speeches.

The thing that I love about Wagner is the nurturing environment that the theater professors create for their students. We are not expected to compare ourselves to our classmates. The only person I can or should compete against is myself.

I feel so lucky not only to be studying what I love but also to be doing it in a place like Wagner. Wagner students are dedicated, understanding, and ready to learn. We aren't snobbish or conceited. Talking to some of my friends, we're all inspired to be here, honored to be here, and feel lucky to be here.

One of my professors tells us that if we go to class and work hard we will get 1% better each and every day. I agree with him only some of the time because most of the time I feel like I'm improving much more than 1% each class.

Wagner mainstage debut

Today I was cast in my first main stage show at Wagner. I will be in the dance ensemble of "My Fair Lady" next semester. Besides being extremely excited to be making my Wagner main stage debut, I also felt honored and proud of myself. When I called my Mom and Dad they both started crying because they were so proud of me.

One thing I've learned this past year is how well I deal with rejection. I was not cast in any departmental productions for my freshman year (although I did get two callbacks) and I auditioned for a lot of summer stock companies (again getting many callbacks) but no job offers. Not once though did I question if this is really what I want to be doing. I continued to have confidence in myself and I continued to love what I do and I continued to be so thankful that I am able to study and train and learn about my craft at school. I focused on my classes and have come so far these past two semesters. I am proud of my work, my dedication, and my focus. And that has lead me to this opportunity of getting to work on a beautiful musical and dance the original Broadway choreography (which I am so excited to learn next fall).

If you want to be in this business you have to have a craving for it. You have to be in love with the work and you have to want it. And I mean really want it. "My Fair Lady" will open in November and run through until the beginning of December and I just cannot wait to start rehearsals for it. Well I know what I'm doing this summer: research, research, research about the time period, the place, and getting to know the show like the back of my hand.

365 days later

Today I finished my 365. This was something I started last year as a senior in high school as part of a project for STAC. I remember thinking how long it would take me to complete an entire 365. But here it is. 365 days later and I've completed the task. It wasn't always easy and I'll be honest - I did miss a few days here and there (which set me back a little bit - I still took 365 days worth of pictures) - but it still feels good to have completed it.

Looking back at my blog (http://beckygrace365.blogspot.com) I read what I wrote the very first day I started my 365. I mentioned how this was the perfect time for me to start a 365 because of how much my life was about to change in the coming year. Not only did I not realize how much it really would change, I think I also forgot about this "change" thing as I was going through this year. Change isn't easy to take and certain changes were hard for me to deal with. But overall, this year was an amazing year. And I'm excited to see where this next year takes me...

Which is why I've decided not to give up on my 365 thing. Tomorrow I will start 365 take 2: Another year of photos. Here at school a lot of people know me by my 365. It has become a part of who I am. I can't just abandon it because I've completed one year. My goal for this second round of 365 is to not skip a day at all. If that means taking a picture as soon as I wake up in the morning so that I don't miss it, that is how it will be.

Here's to another year and even more changes... CHEERS!

Home?

My changing perception of home confuses me. Before going off to college I believed that the house I lived in for 18 years would always hold the title of "home." I thought that school and my dorm in Harborview would never be anything other than a college dorm to me. But now I often refer to both my house and HBV 1123 as my home. Is it possible to have more than one home? And has school become more of a home for me than my own house?

My Mom, Dad, and little sister live in my house back on Long Island. I love my family. We get along and have fun together. I was one of those rare teenagers who didn't want to kill their parents during the "rough years." Sure, we had arguments but I never stopped loving them, never hated them, never wanted to move out and get my own apartment. I enjoyed spending time with them and I still do whenever I get the chance. I'm lucky in that respect.

But each time I go back to Long Island, I'm overwhelmed with thoughts that reel through my head. Driving around that neighborhood, going into stores, restaurants, walking through the halls of my high school triggers something deep down in the pit of my stomach. I'm forced to deal with issues that I wish I was over by now. Issues that, for the most part, don't bother me when I'm at school.

At school, I'm working my ass off and having the time of my life. I'm learning an immeasurable amount and meeting great people. I have a solid group of fun, trustworthy friends and an extremely caring, sweet, boyfriend who makes me happy. Nothing here reminds me of things I don't want to be reminded of. Here, it's easy, even with all the school work and such.

So which one is my home? Or are they both my home in different ways?