Movers and Shakers

Okay, so I didn't take this picture, but it's pretty much what my living room looks like right now.

Monday, Monday, Monday. We've hired Mambo Movers to take all of our shit to our new apartment.

Our new apartment. It's gorgeous. It's located on Warnock Street, which is a little side street off of Christian Street between 10th and 11th.

Central air, a great landlord, a deck, a huge kitchen... I just can't wait.

Until then I'm in packing purgatory. Stressed beyond imagination, but I know it will be over soon. And then we will be in our nice new apartment.

Just a few more days. Just a few more days.

I need a beer...

My name is Sara May, and I'm here to recruit you!

Dustin Lance Black, the screenwriter of Milk, accepting his Academy Award:



Beautiful, thoughtful, articulate. Brought tears to my eyes.

On boats, rigging and tech

Our tech process for Honor and the River has been amazingly smooth, considering the huge technical requirements of the show. How do you stage a show in a black box theater that calls for a boat, floating on the river, able to be rowed, combined with underwater and dinner scenes?

Well, thanks to the genius of our set designer, Robert Kramer (he also designed the amazing set for 2007's production of The Dishwashers) and the astute eye of our director, Tom Reing, it was an easily obtainable feat.


First the boat:

Rigged from the "grid" (such as it is in Studio 3...) and controlled by moveable hemp lines on pulleys, the boat easily transitions from calm rowboat scenes to dinner scenes to fast-paced racing scenes.

Speaking of those fast-paced racing scenes:

Nick Park and Kevin Duffin, looking sporty in Megan Diehl's costumes.

Our Technical Director, Andrew Thompson, did an amazing job with all of the rigging. Here he shows Kevin a boat move:


The boat also doubles (when turned over) as a dining room table! Here Ellen Tobie serves some yams to Paul Nolan:


Ellen and Nick, as mother and son, have a moment:


Kevin has perfected his angsty look:


Row, boys, row!


And me, in my tech stage manager mode:
The show's lighting was designed by Dom Chacon and the sound designed by Mark Valenzuela.

Don't miss this wonderful piece. This is one of those rare shows in my experience that has been amazing on all levels-- the cast is not only super-talented but also very sweet, the rehearsal process was wonderful, tech was smooth and now we're looking forward to a great run.

Statistically Speaking...

Still no word on our situation, but I should have more news tomorrow. Currently I'm in tech for Honor and the River, and if you live in the area, you must come and see it. It's going to be an amazing show. I'll post some tech pictures soon.

But for now, please to enjoy something that made me laugh out loud today:

From GraphJam via List of the Day, two HILARIOUS blogs. Check them both out!

Anticipa...

We're in a holding pattern here in the May-Holloway household... things are changing pretty rapidly, but nothing's cemented yet. It's frustrating.

I'm sorry to be so cryptic, but things are really up in the air right now. We should know more by the end of the week.

I'll just say that I desperately, desperately need to get out of this neighborhood. Please keep your fingers crossed for us.

St. Valentine

Wow. Did this guy realize (as he was being beaten and stoned by the Emperor Claudius II and finally, when that didn't do him in, beheaded) that a hugely commercial, arguably crass American holiday would spring up around his name?

I'm guessing probably not.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not one of the militant anti-Valentine's Day people. I think it's nice to have a special day assigned to tell your someone that you love and appreciate them.

But the relentless jewelry ads, cheaply wrapped chocolates and generic red-and-pink themed stuffed animals are a little annoying after a while.

Deb and I continued our tradition of trying to pick out the most god-awful, tacky cards for each other. We did not continue our tradition of going out to eat, because we're super-duper poor.

But we have each other, a goofy pooch, a bitchy cat and a lot of people who love us. So no matter what life throws our way, we're going to keep on truckin' through.

Maybe St. Valentine would approve after all. I hope that you took some time today to show someone that you love them.

Put a Ring On It

I really resisted posting a ring picture, because I felt it was a little self-important, but then again, I do blog about the various mundane aspects of my everyday life, so why should this be any different?

Besides, I couldn't take the pressure of all of my long-distance friends harassing me about it.

So here you go:



I was quite adamant that I did not want a diamond. We can't afford it, and I want to avoid any stones that may be from conflict-laden areas of the world.

This is a blue topaz, which is the official gemstone of the state of Texas, and also chosen by Deb because it matches my eyes.

She picked it out all by herself. Didn't she do a good job finding something truly original and very personal? She's the bestest.