Walking in a Western Illinois wonderland

My first semester of graduate school is finished. As I stay with my brother, take care of my nephew, and make shopping lists for Christmas gifts, I find myself missing school. I miss my friends, I miss the rush to finish a play, write a paper, or complete a project, but thinking of next semester brings anxiety. I succeeded in meeting my goals my first semester, but I’m worried that as the demands increase, so will my weaknesses. I suppose I’ll just remember the Beetles song and get by with a little help from my friends. I’m glad I am in such a supportive environment. There was a moment in my evaluation meeting that I looked around the conference room full of professors and almost cried. I’ve never felt so much honest support. They had so much to say to encourage me in my growth, and I’m eternally grateful. So I’ll continue to watch TV and read The Taker and hold my nephew and relax. I know that next semester will go by just as quickly as this one did, so I’ll embrace every moment. Thanks for reading.

October 7 and 8

7:30pm

Simpkins Theatre

Come see this wonderful comedy about courage, love, routines, and cups.

Directed by first year grad MFA Kristin Katsu. Featuring the talent of Maggie Ellsworth, JJ Gatesman, Chester Shepherd, Barbara Charlene, and Lauren Miller. Free for WIU students and faculty, $2 for community members.

“Beane is an exile from life – an oddball. His well-meaning sister, Joan, and brother-in-law, Harry, try and make time for him in their busy lives, but no one can get through. Following the burglary of [Beane's] apartment, Joan is baffled to find her brother blissfully happy. [She] tries to unravel the story behind Beane’s mysterious new love, Molly.”

Cheese factor on the title, yes, I know. The image above shows Tommy Iafrate (on the right) hanging the cast list for SHE LOVES ME (by Joe Masteroff, Sheldon Harnick, and Jerry Bock), the musical I am stage managing. Be sure to check it out November 9-12 in Hainline Theatre at Western Illinois University.

The image below shows me (on the left) hanging the cast list for LOVE SONG (hence the title’s “One” love). Both SHE LOVES ME and LOVE SONG present a similar theme about the power love holds on us. We’ve started rehearsals for LOVE SONG, and I must say I chose a fantastic cast. They keep me on my toes, for sure! I’m having more fun because of it! More images and stories to come The show is written by John Kolvenbach and runs October 7 and 8 at 7:30pm in Simpkins Theatre at WIU.

This photo represents the fun and excitement coupled with hard work and concentration of my first days of Grad School here at Western Illinois University. You’ll notice the bear stamps are back, but this time they are joined by Japanese Samurai, all representing the cast of Oedipus Rex, as you can see by my Doodling notes.

I am feeling normal, believe it or not. Perhaps I’ve just been anticipating for so long or perhaps I’m just supposed to be here for sure, but whatever it is, this transition feels smooth so far. The bear stamps help.

Do you remember the scene change in Comedy of Errors this summer when Ronn distracted the audience from watching the actors set the door on stage? I asked him to play Egeon and peddle, but he added the line, “Pay no attention to the scene change behind me.” Sometimes we have those moments in life when we need a distraction from a major change AS WELL AS someone to remind us it’s actually just a distraction. My friends and my family did that for me. Thank you. Now the lights are back up and it’s my cue to go onstage.

Back to Oedipus. Does the picture of the text reveal how far I am? Or rather how far I have to go…

One of the few years I participated in giving up something for Lent, I decided to give up COMPLAINING instead of something more simple like eating Laffy Taffy. It was very difficult to say the least. When giving up something that seems so routine, complaining is part of it! “Oh, I can’t drink Coke for 40 days. How much does that stink? Am I right?” And then everyone around you talks about how awful it must be to live without Pepsi and Dr.Pepper and Sprite. And then after 40 days without carbonated beverages, you realize you actually felt better without it.

Hell week in the theatre is very similar. I complain all day about how I wish someone else would set up and tear down so I didn’t have to. Then while I’m actually setting up and tearing down, I want to punch someone. Then when someone asks if he can help, I snap at him, “Yeah! Just look around and do something! That’s what I do every day!” And at last when the production is over, I go through what I like to call Post Production Depression. I actually miss the hellish torture of setting up and tearing down.

So, with this production I gave myself a little pep talk. It went something like this:

“Kristin, you are about to make theatre a very large portion of your life. You made a decision to put theatre at the top of your to do list. Why? Because you love it! You enjoy creating theatre, meeting theatre people, and watching theatre. So quit complaining and enjoy it! What other profession involves creative people willingly going through a week of HELL for a few hours of fun and applause? It’s not just the actual few hours of performances that you love, it’s the process! Especially as a director, you enjoy the process. So quit your little show of complaining and smile.” And then I gave myself a high five.

So this production has been the most fun I’ve ever had! I’ve delegated a lot of the work so if I die, the show will go on, but I’m still in charge and doing most of the work, and that’s okay. Not many people get to have fun with fun people and get paid for it.

I’ll end with something Ronn Johnstone said the other day after complaining about something, “I shouldn’t have said that. Not many people get to live this long, so I’ll enjoy what I’m given.”

It’s been a few years since I’ve reenergized my theatre batteries. I attended workshops about improv games applied anywhere, characters with vitality, conflits that don’t make the audience want to punch their dates, and burlesque dancing that doesn’t make the audience want to punch anything! AND I breathed in the improv aroma from other states… and countries! I experienced 16 hours of comedy performances, 7 hours of dining and chatting about improv or natural foods, and at least 5 hours of schmoozing (that’s theatre-speak for partying).

The recharge is important for all theatre people because we need the confidence boost. I often doubt my value in the theatre. Is this worth it? And conferences or tournaments or festivals remind me that I’m a part of something bigger than myself, I have a support system and a network and a family all in one, and it IS worth it. The confidence is the backbone of performing improv (and living life). If life had a dissertation, guess what mine would cover?

This tournament was at a crazy time for me because of tech week for Shakespeare in the Park and packing to move to grad school, but it also was at a perfect time because I gathered that confidence I needed to keep on keepin’ on. This next month is going to punch me in my theatre face, and I need to have the confidence to punch back. Got it.

Extra credit: After reading this post, comment with your favorite metaphor OR comment with the exact number of metaphors used OR comment with a metaphor you would like to see used in a future post.

The eve of my first rehearsal for Shakespeare in the Park creates suspense and anxiety, and yet when I take a step back and watch myself from another angle, I see that I’m having fun. “It’s a play.” Name that movie ! (It includes Dustin Hoffman and Johnny Depp if you need a clue.)

Seeing my own blocking rehearsal with bear-shaped rubber stamps and sticky notes not only reminds me that I’m a spatial learner (and when I can pay a set designer more money, I’ll ask for a fun, tiny model of the set), but also that theatre is theatrical. It’s fun. It’s a play. So we’ll definitely work hard tomorrow, but I’ll remind my actors to let loose and play. Their intuition will come in handy – these rubber stamps just aren’t giving me enough.

Thursday, June 2 was my last day as an English and Speech teacher at Noblesville High School. I will definitely miss the friends I have made there: teachers, students, custodians, and administration. I think I learned more from the students than I actually taught to them. I feel prepared to venture back to being a student.

I’ve signed my lease, sent in my deposite, and registered for classes. Now I just need to find a pet who will keep me company.

Originally from Forest Hill, Maryland, Kristin has made her way from playing Fritzi in M*A*S*H at Fallston High School to acting and directing in the Indianapolis theatre community.

She is currently directing an excerpt of The Fighting Frogs vs. Victoria Vanderbilt by Valerie Work for the semi-finalist performances at the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Bonderman Symposium.

Kristin started as a problem-solver and actor in Hickory Elementary’s Odyssey of the Mind team in the 90s. From that early, powerful start as a tree in the story of Smokey the Bear, Kristin propelled into high school theatre, and then stared in multiple performances at Anderson University. She helped start and continue Anderson’s own improv troupe, Randomonium, and now she performs regularly at Comedy Sportz Indianapolis. In her directing future, she will be directing the Noblesville Arts Commission‘s production of The Comedy of Errors for Noblesville’s Shakespeare in the Park.

Someday this blog will look more like a website, but today is not that day. Browse  my resume, comment on this bio, or try to find some blogs from my previous posts as a high school English teacher!

Thanks for visiting my site!