When we first decided to perform Ragtime at Duke, I spent a lot of time reading the reviews and criticisms of the professional Broadway performances that preceded us. They were never entirely good or entirely bad, but usually reflected the complex nature of the show itself. They found it problematic. When I was later cast […]
I really hate strike. Like really. More than most people, I would imagine. However, it’s not because I didn’t like the work, and I have love electric power tools (e.g., going to town on planks of wood like there’s no tomorrow). No, I hate strike because it signals the end in the most tangible way […]
I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the fact that Ragtime is over. Luckily I’ve been keeping busy – I’m currently directing a show for the musical theater class (shameless plug: next Monday in Reynolds), so I haven’t had much free time to do any super-serious reflection. Normally at this point after a show […]
I feel truly lucky to have been a part of this show. It is by all means and measures the largest production I have ever been part of. I also felt honored to work with and perform alongside so many talented people. Each time I walked into Reynolds, I would take an extra minute to […]
Ragtime Rage Time. Someone wise once told me that after every show you should kill the character you’ve played. Forget their habits, their storyline and their influence on you as a person while going through the process. This hasn’t been a problem this time around – Brigit and I never really bonded, our sole interaction […]
We can say all we want about how great Ragtime was, how big it was, how many people it reached, and on and on. I think we can all also say that Ragtime truly lived up to its hype and potential. However, there is one stark feeling I got after the show that really made […]
Something that surprised me over the course of my time onstage for Ragtime was how my character morphed during each performance. During rehearsals, and in my previous blog entry, I intentionally made my character a fierce Asian woman. She spent a lot of time frowning sternly, and she was money/success-driven. However, I found that persona […]
Well it’s over now. How crazy is it that I auditioned for this thing about a year ago? Possibly exactly a year ago…I’m pretty sure it was right before finals. Regardless it has been quite the experience. Tempting though it may be to sentimentalize and glorify the process in the relief of its conclusion, I’m not going […]
The rehearsal process of Ragtime was as frustrating at times, but was also incredibly rewarding. Being a member of the ensemble, I was not kept too busy onstage during the rehearsal process of this show. For this reason I experienced frustration resulting from the slow-moving nature of the process. Because I was not involved that […]
After an entire semester of reading character backgrounds, learning music, listening to lectures, stage combat, memorizing lines, re-learning music, rehearsing, dancing, eating free food, and performing, Ragtime at Duke is finally over. People ask me, “Do you miss it?” “Not at all,” I tell them. (Aw, don’t look at me like that). We gave it […]
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