It's A Magical World I Live In

So last night I went to see Love, Loss, and What I Wore off Broadway at the Westside Theatre. Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, who was the managing director when I was interning at The Westport Playhouse last summer, is now the associate managing director of the Daryl Roth theatre who put on the show. Also Amy Claussen, who interned with me, is currently the directing intern there. Jodi and I have been trying to get together since I moved to NYC and she had sent out an e-mail saying that she could get a few of us people whom she loved tickets to see the show. Which is a big deal considering it’s a cast full of famous people – Tyne Daly, Rosie O’Donnell, Natasha Lyonne, Samantha Bee (whom you might know from The Daily Show), and Katie Finneran (who has a slew of Broadway credits, as well as TV shows – and I must have seen her on one of them because she seems awfully familiar to me. It could also be because she bears an uncanny resemblance to Mary Kathryn Walston).

So I went. And can I just say what a wonderful night it was. Not just because the show was great – which it was. I mean I laughed, teared up a little bit, and laughed some more. Beyond that – I was absolutely charmed. The show is vaguely Vagina Monologue-esque but has a little bit more of a – charming quality to it. Charming is the best word I can come up for. Just leaves you grinning. And wanting to hug all the women around you. And all of the women on that stage.

However it was also a wonderful night because I went by myself. This might seem odd, but I live in an apartment with 3 other people, until recently 4 other people. And most of the stuff I did out and about was either at work or hanging out with some of those same people (or occasionally with Adam). So it was nice, no it was wonderful, to go out into my new city on my own and find my way on my own and enjoy a night on my own. I was able to think my own thoughts, form my own opinions, without any one else putting their two cents in. Don’t get me wrong – I love Matthew Ryan – but I am remembering why it was nice to be able to get away from him and now I can’t. That still sounds bad. MRL has a strong personality that I admire him for. But in any relationship with two people of strong personalities it’s nice (not to mention good for the relationship) to spend time apart.

Also I got to explore a part of NYC that I hadn’t yet since moving here. This sounds crazy since the Westside Theatre is only a few blocks and avenues away from where I work, but honestly – I never go to 42nd street. Ever. Rock of Ages is on 47th and Wicked is b/t 50th and 51st. I never go down there. 42nd street is awesome! It’s full of glitz and glamour, even the subway stops are all glitzed up with neon and color. It was a lovely walk down the four and half avenues from the 42nd street subway station to the Westside Theatre. Not just that – but apparently last night was the opening at the Met so when I got out at the subway station and walked over Times Square all of the big screens were playing the opera and the music was coming through the big loud speakers. The whole of time square was filled with opera music. Everyone was stopped and staring up at the screens. Absolutely magical! Where else does that happen? This is the city I live in, and it’s wonderful. And it’s huge. And it’s filled with people and moments and happenings and magic. All you have to do is look for it. Not even that, all you have to do is go out your front door and be open to it happening. All you have to do is walk out your front door and be there. All you have to do is show up.

I’ve been here for a month and a half now. If I compare that to my three months in Westport and what I had accomplished in the same amount of time, not to mention what I had written, I get a little sad. I haven’t written much. It is my intention to take this blog and make it into some sort of informative guide for all of the young women who come after me who have no idea what they are doing. So that they might then have some idea what to do. But I haven’t written the things that I’ve learned, and I’ve become a bit blasé about learning them. A slump is bound to happen after this big of a change – a lethargy if you will. I’ve got Kat and Adam telling me not to feel pressured or rush into the audition scene to make sure I don’t get overwhelmed while still adjusting to my new life. On the other hand I have my Mom, Adam (on a different night) and this fabulous guy at work Chris C. saying what the hell am I waiting for? Or as Chris says – you didn’t move all the way up here to sell t-shirts. Which is true. I didn’t. But it took everything I had in me just to get here. The next step is going to take a whole lot of inspiration. And last night I think I got it. Being around Jodi and Amy and seeing people doing this thing that I love to do away from the influence of the people I am usually around inspired me. I want more. I want to know what’s going on. I want to know what I’m doing. I want to love my life. I want to live that life with no regrets. One of the reasons I moved here is so I would never have to wonder. Well I’m going to keep on wondering if all I did was move here and not really try anything.

That being said – not getting too overwhelmed is good advice. It will do me no good to go to auditions overwhelmed, and I don’t make good impressions when making contacts if I am overwhelmed. So starting yes – but still taking it slow. I’m not going anywhere. I live here now. Opportunities don’t stop next week. But they start all the time!

So here we are – Laura’s tips for those planning to hop on board the NYC theatrical dream –

· In NYC there is no such thing as separate checks. I learned this the night my mom left, when out with Adam and Holly. Asking your server for separate checks at a bar or restaurant is taboo. If you all have cards – what you do is take the bill and write on the back of it how much money you want to put on each card and then give your server all of the cards. Basically – do it for them and tip them well.

· While you’re at it, make sure that the bar, restaurant, bodega you are at takes cards. Some of them only take cash.

· At all of your local bodega’s there is the visitor price (or as Amy calls it – the rich white girl price) and the local price. If you plan on frequenting a bodega – pick one, go to it often (everyday – buy a $1.00 coke – with cash!) be nice, flash a smile. Within a week or two you will get the local price, as well as a friendly relationship with your local bodega owner who can give you the skinny on the best deals around. And if you’re lucky you will get the bodega’s business card and they will then deliver directly to your apartment anything you want anytime you want for no delivery charge. I haven’t actually used this magical delivery number (mostly because I never have cash) but I have the card on the fridge like a badge of honor. Matthew Ryan and Ray have been here for over a year and had no clue that these guys delivered. Hehehehehehe – it pays to be cute (which is what Salah the bodega guy calls me when I come in – Hi, Cute!)

· If you happen to know someone who is an assistant for someone relatively famous and they invite you to that relatively famous person’s birthday party and say dress up – make sure you ask what kind of place you are going to, what kind of dressed up you should be, and what the best time to get there is. That way you don’t end up like me in front of a posh club that only lets in the hot girls (yes, these places actually exist – the doormen will say “let me see the girls” and the girls will line up and the ones most scantily clad or the ones that get in) dressed in jeans, tennis shoes, and a nice pink cardigan. The thinking behind this outfit being when you were told to dress nice that meant the kind of nice you could go out with your parents in. Not the kind of nice you could get picked up on the corner in. Also – if this is something you are interested in (which I’m not really, but it would have been an interesting experience) make sure you come with clothes you could get into a posh club wearing. As I stood in line for an hour and a half repeatedly telling them who I was with and that my friends were inside it occurred to me not only that I was not dressed for this type of place but that I don’t actually own any clothing that would be appropriate for this type of place.

· Dishwashers do not exist. Private washing machines and dryers do not exist.

· Roaches do exist. They are a part of life. If you live in NY you live with roaches. However if you do your dishes as soon as you are done with them, wipe the counters down and take the trash out before you go to sleep and keep all of your food stuffs in some sort of plastic container or large sandwich bags the roaches will not be tempted to come out of the walls at night. Their numbers might be overwhelming, but if you put in just a little bit of time and effort and use a Raid type spray, roach traps, boric acid, and a homemade remedy of sugar and baking soda, they will lessen to almost a point of disappearing.

· Having stuff from home and pictures of the people you love helps.

· Skype helps.

· Snail mail helps.

· Take everything you hear about the industry with a grain of salt.

· When entering a new situation, keep your mouth shut till you learn the politics.

· Yes, there are plenty of straight play auditions as well as musical auditions.

· That’s all for now – but believe me there is more. Stay tuned for more videos and several interrupted thoughts that I got half written in the past month and a half.