Final Thoughts...

Hello All,
I realize that I never actually wrote any final thoughts. I think this had something to do with the shock of coming back to NYC and actually staying in one place for more than a few days. Like anything, travel can be addictive, and having the opportunity to meet new and wonderful people every day was too exciting to give up easily. What I gained from the tour was not only a bunch of connections to follow up on, but also a view of theater outside the confines of New York. The communities we came across were varied and vibrant, and I hope I have the opportunity to work in all of them some day.
I write now because I have received a job offer that is a direct result of our tour! This is the first job offer from the tour, although it should be noted that Bret is currently performing in The Goat with The Bay Theatre in Annapolis, MD. The offer actually came from a connection that we made on the tour that led to a NYC based audition last February. It is so amazing how these things can work. For instance, Bret auditioned for The Goat before we left for our tour (in September) and was unable to make the callbacks...and the subsequent callbacks...and so on, until he was finally offered the part in April. Though my journey didn't take nearly so long, I heard nothing from the theatre until last week. These are the surprises we cherish. When my phone came up with a Milwaukee number I thought, "What old friend of mine is trying to bother me?" (I am, as you may remember, from Milwaukee). When I listened to the message it was the artistic director of Milwaukee Shakespeare calling to offer me a role. I was thrilled about this offer for many reasons. First of all, I have always wanted to get into the Shakespeare world. In grad school we spent an intensive semester studying Shakespeare in every discipline, but until this summer (I am performing Beatrice in a production of Much Ado About Nothing) I had never had the opportunity to perform a full length production! Secondly, it is my first salaried production with an Equity house. This means working with real professionals, and earning some EMC points. I was cast as Katherine in Love's Labours Lost, and I will also understudy the Princess. This is one of the few plays of Shakespeare that I know absolutely nothing about. As soon as the offer was made I gave the play a quick read (partially because I had to choose between this and another offer), but until that moment I knew nothing of it.
And so it begins. We have both made great strides since graduating almost a year ago. Not only have we both officially begun our professional careers, but we have explored the theater community in a way that few people have. What we have gained is not only confidence in auditions, friends across the country, and opportunities to come, but also we have gained perspective. And that is something we had to do on our own. I will be sure to keep you posted as the rehearsal process begins. Until then, thank you for following our journey, and please remember to check in once in a while.