- Me, 2006, 20 lbs heavier (another story for another day:)
Wow! I can't believe that 2009 is over. Honestly, folks, most years go by fast, but this year was on crack! The last four months have been kinda tough for me. Coming off that artistic high from School at Steppenwolf, getting cast in a commercial and signing with an agent made me feel like I was on top of the world. What came after, however, was lots of auditioning without lots of casting. I started to get anxious, depressed, and discouraged. I began the dangerous route of comparing myself to my peers and downing myself. Well, in 2010, that way of thinking and life will CHANGE! I have begun a fabulous program called "The Artist's Way" that allows a person to recconnect with thier inner artist, a spritual path to higher creativity. I have only been doing it for a few days but I reccomend it to anyone. I'll share more about that in another blog.
What motivated me to write at 6:30 in the morning was that I caught myself falling into some of the same patterns this morning. When I was discouraged about not being cast, I would google all the female actors my age and imdb them and look at what they have done to succeed. I would also facebook my more direct peers to see what shows they are working on and projects they are doing just to feel bad that I wasn't doing what they are doing. How unhealthy! This morning I caught myself doing the same thing. I know BETTER. Everyone's journey is different, I can't compare where I am in my artistic journey to another person's. It's not fair to me, or my inner artist. I need to do the things that will nurture my inner artist instead. The first of these steps today is to look at how far I've come.
In 2002, I realized I missed the artist in me, and I decided to audition for plays. I auditioned quite a bit, but was not cast for much. Three-and-a-half years ago, I moved back to Chicago after pursuing my Master's degree. In January of that year I decided I would begin going back to my passion after a two-year hiatus during grad school. With minimal training (two college level acting courses) , I began getting cast in small community theater projects.
Wow! I can't believe that 2009 is over. Honestly, folks, most years go by fast, but this year was on crack! The last four months have been kinda tough for me. Coming off that artistic high from School at Steppenwolf, getting cast in a commercial and signing with an agent made me feel like I was on top of the world. What came after, however, was lots of auditioning without lots of casting. I started to get anxious, depressed, and discouraged. I began the dangerous route of comparing myself to my peers and downing myself. Well, in 2010, that way of thinking and life will CHANGE! I have begun a fabulous program called "The Artist's Way" that allows a person to recconnect with thier inner artist, a spritual path to higher creativity. I have only been doing it for a few days but I reccomend it to anyone. I'll share more about that in another blog.
What motivated me to write at 6:30 in the morning was that I caught myself falling into some of the same patterns this morning. When I was discouraged about not being cast, I would google all the female actors my age and imdb them and look at what they have done to succeed. I would also facebook my more direct peers to see what shows they are working on and projects they are doing just to feel bad that I wasn't doing what they are doing. How unhealthy! This morning I caught myself doing the same thing. I know BETTER. Everyone's journey is different, I can't compare where I am in my artistic journey to another person's. It's not fair to me, or my inner artist. I need to do the things that will nurture my inner artist instead. The first of these steps today is to look at how far I've come.
In 2002, I realized I missed the artist in me, and I decided to audition for plays. I auditioned quite a bit, but was not cast for much. Three-and-a-half years ago, I moved back to Chicago after pursuing my Master's degree. In January of that year I decided I would begin going back to my passion after a two-year hiatus during grad school. With minimal training (two college level acting courses) , I began getting cast in small community theater projects.
When I moved back I began to get cast in shows, scoring my first professional show at 
ETA, then another, then auditioning for some of the biggest theatres in Chicago, then understudying at an Equity Theater, then another ETA show, then a play festival, then School at Steppenwolf, a commercial...(if you've been following you know the resume:) Through writing this, I realized...HEY! This is quite a nice list of accomplishments for that shy "only child" full of imagination but too afraid to share it. I have come so far! Ten years ago, when I was in Dreamgirls in high chool, I never would have imagined that I would be able to do all of the work that I am doing now. That I would do Shakespeare and Chekhov. That the casting directors of the top theatres in Chicago would know my NAME. That I will soon be seen on 
national television! This summer was very humbling in that it allowed me to realize where I am in my process, and I still have a long way to go. But knowing that should not take away from how far I've come. It reminds me of what I am capable of, and although some would say I'm just beginning, I've already made an amazing start.
R. Marie
ETA, then another, then auditioning for some of the biggest theatres in Chicago, then understudying at an Equity Theater, then another ETA show, then a play festival, then School at Steppenwolf, a commercial...(if you've been following you know the resume:) Through writing this, I realized...HEY! This is quite a nice list of accomplishments for that shy "only child" full of imagination but too afraid to share it. I have come so far! Ten years ago, when I was in Dreamgirls in high chool, I never would have imagined that I would be able to do all of the work that I am doing now. That I would do Shakespeare and Chekhov. That the casting directors of the top theatres in Chicago would know my NAME. That I will soon be seen on 
national television! This summer was very humbling in that it allowed me to realize where I am in my process, and I still have a long way to go. But knowing that should not take away from how far I've come. It reminds me of what I am capable of, and although some would say I'm just beginning, I've already made an amazing start.R. Marie
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