Theatre Freaking

The Life and Times Of A Theatre Freak in Chicago

Friday, February 25, 2005

Blast From The Past


girls on the beach
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
SO I am writing a book about my life and people I have met along the way. I started going through photo albums trying to decide what to put in it. I cam across this photo from High School. It is me and Julie my best friend who lives in Alaska and is a nurse. She is 17 and I am 18 in this photo. We look soooooo young, but I feel the same. So much life has happened to us, and yet we are still just two girls being silly on the beach deep down. I am hoping that with the help of my journals and photos I will be able to prove just that . That even though I am a grown up, it's still ok to be a silly teenager on the inside....I'm just a way wiser teenager now days! But there is something to be said for the carefree days of youth.

blast from the past (cont.)


high school(circa 1992)
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
By my senior year in high school I knew I was ready for college. I needed to escape to a world where I could figure out who the hell I was. I needed to stop making poor choices in attire as well as dates. This young man was a blind date that Heather hooked me up with so she could go to the dance with his cousin...this is a photo of me shooting my evil "we will never be even for this" look to Heather behind the camera. This guy growled at me when I didn't want to kiss him goodnight...high school boys are stupid!

blast from the past (cont.)


jose vallina
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
When you get to college you meet people who change your lives, from the way you think to the way you let the world treat you. These are some shots of Joe- who did just that. He taught me that you didn't have to sit silent when the world around you was shitting on you. He taught me that the good fight should always be fought....and this particular year he taught me that polyester can infact make a comback....at certain parties! Joe is now married to a wonderful woman and is expecting his first child in a few months...glad to see I am not the only one getting older.

blast from the past (cont.)


band
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
college proved to be way too much fun for me...full of parties and non-sense but along the way I am sure I learned something..like here for instance- is me singing comfortably numb with a band at a toga party in the Delta Chi house...I also sang 2 janes addiction tunes that night. I miss those days.

Blast from the past concluded..


i'm30
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
Then one day you wake up and you are 30 and still acting like a high school girl with grown up responsibilities......but i love it! I hope I am still this freaky when I am 40!! :)

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

My new toy!!


My new toy!!
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
My boyfriend Rocks!! Last night on the L home after leaving the Next Theatre where I saw a play he did the lights for,he gave me my Valentines Gift!! AN IPOD RANDOM!! How cute is it!! It holds 120 songs..(there is another model that holds 240-but it was more expensive) and it is very awsome! I can just plug it into our ibook, and put my songs from itunes on it. Then when I am sick of them I dump them off and put new ones on. The battery recharges from the computer and lasts for 4 hours. Today for the first time on I made it all the way to work and not one of my songs skipped!! No more clunky cd player in my pocket-the sound quality was amazing and I could still hear the call for every stop. All I got Chris for Valentines Day was a water bottle and Arrested Development- the first season on DVD. I think my gift was was cooler! I hope you all had a cool V-Day!

Friday, February 11, 2005

Former Voice Student on American Idol

So I thought this was pretty cool. A former voice student of mine is on American Idol. Her name is Sarah Mather. She is from Wilmington. I worked with her for what seems like just a min. way back in 2003 or it might have been 2002- at Cape Fear School of the Arts. She sang in a band I used to go and see around town a lot. I asked her if she ever had training- she was like no- and I gave her my card. We only worked for about 6 or 7 weeks because the school was closing for the summer and her schedule didn't have room for me in the fall. But we did breath training and some tonal stuff- but admittedly- she had a GREAT voice to begin with. The most I probably did for her was give her a good vocal workout routine and some breath strength excersizes. She has made it to hollywood, and I have to watch next week and see if she's going on to the finals. If she wins I am going back into the voice lessons buisness!

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Mardi Gras King and Queen

So it was night of the SUPERSTARS last night at Scot's a great little place under the brown line. I sang Some Diana Ross, Jamiroquai and Nancy Sinatra then me and my friend Jason (he's the ghost in Hamlet and lives on my street) sang Elephant Love Medly from Mulan Rouge and brought down the house! There was a Mardi Gras king and queen award of $50 dollars each and Jason was sure if we had done another duet we could have nabbed the prize money- but it was midnight and we both had to work in the morning so we were good and took a cab home. But it was oodles of fun. I showed my belly button and got lots of beads (it was a gay bar so they weren't interested in seeing much else and I wasn't interested in showing much else!)Chris was ill so he stayed at home. It felt good to go out with my brother and some friends of mine (Bobby who plays Hamlet came out too)made me feel a little less homesick for my fiends in Wilmington.(sorry guys I still love ya thought) Now I am in the middle of my long day here at Gymboree, just trying to keep my eyes open. Might have to take a power nap during my two hour break at 2pm! MMMMMmmmmmm...nap.....

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

FAT TUESDAY

Well Fat Tuesday is upon us again. That day before Ash Wednesday where you are soposed to indulge yourself and get it all out before you give up something and begin fasting for Lent. I myself am not really deep in my Catholic practices, but I do plan to go out tonight and indulge in a little drink and merryment. I am going to a cool little place called SCOTT's to sing some Karaoke, with my brother and some of the Hamlet Cast. It should prove to be very fun.Gonna sing some Diana Ross, and maybe some Nacy Sinatra if I feel so moved, perhaps some Fiona Apple...who knows....I hope your Tuesday ends up as fat as mine!

Sunday, February 06, 2005

In Memorium -Seagate Colony: 1974-2005


Seagate colony
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
This is My Grandmother's Condo in Va Beach. She bought it when the building was being built in 1974 for $75,000. (I won't tell you what she just sold it for-but she got her money back, several times) She lived here with my Grandfather till he passed away. Then she was here when I moved to Va Beach in 1987 to start high school. I have spend countless hours here with my friends, by myself, with my family. It was a two bedroom two bath condo- that could sleep 13 comfortably- between pull out sofa's(2) recliners (2) ches lounges on the balcony (2)floor space with patio cusions (6+). It was a common ground that everyone could find, and that brought you peace when you were there. She is moving to Annapolis to be closer to family, and this place is no longer ours...I will miss it very much as will many of my friends and all of my family I am sure. But we can all agree that it has been a wonderful place to come and see my grandmother and spend time together with our loved ones. It will be missed.

(cont.)


Chillin' at Grandma V's
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
This was always a spot of retreat for me and my friends- a place to get away and unwind, and play cards or Rummy Tiles with my Grandmother, and go swimming, chill on the balcony till 4am, or go lay on the beach all night..(member July 4th 1999? the Alien Fog in the sky?) ...or hang in the game room playin' pool and ping pong....I know the security guards will never forget me or my friends..(stairwell tag!!)...I won't forget them...(busting my friends who shall remain nameless-skinny dipping in the WELL LIT pool after 10pm during a certain friend of ours' 25th Birthday Gathering while I was babysitting Simon upstairs)..It was a very chill spot of earth on the corner of the Chesapeak Bay.

(cont.)


Chillin'
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
These are some shots of us chillin at Grandma's place. Thats my godson Simon munchin' a pop tart in the den on a tray I used to use when I was his age. (he was 5 then in 1999) Below him is Danielle and Rob at our 10 yr Reunion. We spent a lot of time at Gma's back in high school. Then of course ther is yours truely in my fav pose- on the phone! And Doing the windows- do you know there are 18 big pannels of windows surrounding the whole apartmenrt...18!!!!!

I Love Grandma's....


I Love Grandma's....
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
There will never be a way for me to forget all the joy and fun I have had there on that spot of earth in Va. Beach....and this pic's says it all really..I love Grandma very much and I thank her so much for opening up her home to me and all my friends for so many years! We will all surely miss seeing her and hanging out in her home. We will all have to come visit in Annapolis now!! : )

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

God is an American?


God is an American?
Originally uploaded by puppet man.
all I can say is I found this today on Flickr and I am very afraid...very very afraid...I used to live in that state. Many of my close friends still do!! Run Jerry, Dave, Amy, Rad, Jeremy,Tish..they are comming!!

I miss summer soooo much....


me mom and lawton
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.
It really just isn't fair that they say the warm weather does not arrive up here till like May!! MAY PEOPLE!! In Wilmington the good 70 degree days set in around mid to late MARCH!! I miss warm days. Odd how the body adapts really- it was like 35 yesturday- and I was sweating in my jacket- because my blood had gotten used to 19 degree days. My friend Jason (who lives on my block) says that it once snowed here in May. Granted he was like 7 but he said it did happen. I found this picture on my computer and it made me long for the warm days of summer. This shot was from August 2004. Just after my 31st birthday..oh God- did I say that out loud? I meant after my 29th Birthday..yah thats it. This is my Mom and My Brother Lawton.SUMMER WHERE ARE YOU???I'M STUCK IN A FROZEN CITY!