A company member . . .

YEP! That's what I am! An official South Coast Repertory company member - even if it is in the capacity of an intern. I spent yesterday afternoon at the theatre getting a tour and meeting people that were around. The theatre is currently in rehearsals for Pride and Prejudice and workshopping The Borrowers (the second is a "theatre for young audiences" show I will work on in the spring.) I arrived at the theatre and asked for directions to the "co-lab" - a rehearsal space that is also known as the "collaboration laboratory"and down a staircase I went into the basement of the theater. As I reached the bottom of the stairs I was met with a rack of costumes probably on their way to or from fittings and a long hallway that led to a black faux-leather couch and a bench. Upon the couch was a sleeping man, hat pulled over his eyes and a slight snore escaping his worn baseball cap - I couldn't help but feeling like I was in the presence of greatness. I took my place on the bench and pulled out a book. A few moments later we were joined by a lovely woman who spoke in a British accent - at first I wasn't sure if she was just practicing her dialect for the show of if she actually was British. She said hello and I introduced my self "Sara - one of this seasons stage management interns" to which she replied "ah yes! very well done." At this the man on the couch awoke and engaged the woman in conversation and I sat half reading half listening to two actors, whose names I never learned, talk about all of the crazy things they had learned to do for their art: riding horses and iceskating embodied two of the more entertaining stories they had to tell. At 3:15 the company broke for lunch and a line of actors ambled up the stairs and outside to enjoy the sunshine and eat their lunches. I was met by Jamie who took me on a tour of the theatre(s). This place (SCR) is ENORMOUS! So many hallways, staircases and doors to go through-and don't forget the Tony Award in the main lobby! I was struck at the end of my tour by the humanity of everyone we met along the way - each person paused what they were doing and acknowledge that I was there some even making a bigger effort to shake my hand or ask me something about where I came from - everyone was also "so glad to meet" me. It feels very good to come into a place with such a history and reputation of good theatre to now know that it is from the work of good people. Once my tour was over I headed back across the walking bridge to my car and home to Long Beach.
This evening I received a phone call from the stage manager I will be working with on my first show (How the World Began) and have plans to go in Friday to meet her and help with prep - my first official contracted day will be Tuesday and from there it looks to be 6 days a week 8ish hours a day. I am so ready to get started! It is even more exciting now that I have been to the theatre. I forgot to bring my camera otherwise I would post a picture of the front of the theatre or something - you can see pictures at the theatre website: www.scr.org
I could see the mountains yesterday through a slight haze of who knows what and they reminded me of home though not as grandiose and much further away. Maybe someday they will be photo worthy - the yellow spider that shares my porch definitely was photo worthy but she had retreated back to who knows where by the time I retrieved my camera. I also spent some time at the pool today - it is nice to be able to read a book in the sun and then jump in a pool when it gets to hot - the two kids swimming while I was down there swam 20! laps - were impressed with themselves - the pool is roughly 1/3 the size of the 25 yd pool at the summit, they were having fun though and I was enjoying thinking about my new place as a Company Member :)