Rehearsal: Day 0

If it's at all imaginable, folks, today was even more amazing than yesterday.

Today in a nutshell: NO SUBWAY HICCUPS!!! I TOOK ALL THE CORRECT TRAINS!!!

Okay, so maybe Craig-a-tron (my brilliant mentor/co-founder/co-artistic director of Fault Line/actor/old man) had me take the subway with him this afternoon to help me out a little bit, but still, I remember everything he said and understand a lot better now! Hehe...

Anyway, speaking of taking the train home today, we got off at Columbus Circle so I could finally see Central Park and Lincoln Center. Holy. Cow. I'm not sure I've ever been more breathtaken. As ridiculous (or typical, for those of you who know me) as this may sound, all I could think of was that episode of Mary Kate and Ashley when they have a ballet party. I was suddenly six years old all over again, so, so excited to be there and feeling very small in a huge crowd of people rushing home from work or to get to the gym (ha! suckers). After Craig and I parted ways, I stood there for a bit, just taking in the home of the NYC Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York Philharmonic. I have never felt more star struck - and it was just a building. I didn't even go up the steps or go inside.

I decided to take a walk through Central Park instead. Good Lord, is it every thing I thought it'd be and more. It was even more beautiful than it appears in all my favorite movies and TV shows. Now what they don't tell you about is the fact that they have to have traffic signals just for all the JOGGERS AND CYCLISTS. I felt pretty lame just walking home from work and casually listening to my iPod, so I decided to cheer myself up and sing along. Out loud. Before I realized what I was doing. Yes, I know, I know - embarrassing you'd think. But no, no one even batted an eye. I walked all the way from the entrance of the Park at Columbus Circle (rougly around 61st St. if I'm not mistaken) to the exit at 81st near the History Museum. It was just unbelievable and I felt so good about my walk!

......and then I realized I had 15 more blocks to go before I got home.

*insert monkey-covering-face emoji here*

But I made it (barely)!

What a day! And I haven't even processed our first rehearsal yet. First I have to say that the PSM on this project is incredible. Elizabeth is just an angel in so many ways. She's super patient with everyone and very diligent in her work. She is also letting me do actual work, which is amazing to me. She doesn't have to be teaching me and she already is. She's also from Canada and loves hockey so we have a ton in common and that's just awesome.

I FINALLY got to meet the cast and Michael Perlman today, as well as hear them read all of Act I. Tomorrow we will be doing design presentations and a full read since we will have the full cast for the first time. I'm so excited!

But back to today (so sorry, ADD, everyone) - I got to meet a bunch of the cast. They were all super welcoming and fun to be around. Not to mention they are all INCREDIBLY talented. Mikey Perlman is an absolute sweetheart and I am in awe of him as a director and as a playwright. As for At The Table itself, I have only heard about half out loud (though I have gotten to read it) and I already think it's going to be great.

Highlight of my day: Aaron (co-founder/co-artistic director/cast member) said something about us being in a war-time today and I followed it up with "People are dying, guys. They're. DYING." And PEOPLE ACTUALLY LAUGED AT MY From White Plains reference, so that was definitely very exciting.

Got to have dinner and a few drinks with Craig-a-tron and Elizabeth at this Scotish (I think?) Pub called Houndstooth. Verdict: beer - cold, chicken fingers - good, fries - not so great. It was a great time though. Made me feel a lot better about making friends here.

I took a bunch of pictures on my walk home today so I will post those here and you can find them at the bottom. I have also discovered that my building posts a quote of the day by the stairs each morning, so I think I'm going to start including those in these blogs, then at least you guys can read a few lines of text that isn't my rambling narrative...if anyone reads this at all I guess. HAHAHA! My "Things I Learned Today" posts are shorter (by a lot, I promise) and I tend to think a little funnier, and you can find those on my tumblr page www.smilechecks.tumblr.com).

Quote of the Day: "You shall be free indeed when your days are not without a care, or your nights without a want and a grief, but rather when these things girdle your life and yet you rise above them naked and unbound." - Kahlil Gibran