So many ups and downs this week. 


I just sent in my contract for Follies. Stay tuned for details on the 2010 Chicago Humanities Festival. I'll be singing in the concert version of Sondheim's Follies directed by Rob Lindley and Doug Peck. The cast is filled with Chicago's finest! So far I know that Kevin Gudahl, Peggy Roeder, Hollis Resnik, and Barbara Robertson are all involved. How did I get in there? 


I had an audition with the Chicago Children's Theatre for the remount of The Hundred Dresses. (Thanks Peggy for helping me with my Polish accent.) Meeting Sean Graney was a trip. 


I also finished my last day in my 5 week Shakespeare class. I'm now starting a new 5 week session with the fabulous Susan Hart and the amazing Jeffrey Carlson. Jeffrey sat in on our class today and brought such an energy to the room. I can't wait to learn from him over the next course. Google him. He is pretty fantastic. I wish I would have been in a better state of mind in class today. I had some walls up, but next week will better, I hope.


But now onto what has really been the focus of this week... This past weekend the world lost a really good man. Brian Wood, a person that was a huge part of my life in my college years, was killed in a senseless car accident. Brian was a great singer and a funny guy. He was kind-hearted and he loved life. (He was also a damn good Sweeney Todd. I was just talking about Sweeney last week and remembering what a great show we put on. The memories even made me consider getting over my stubbornness and dropping him a note to say hi, but alas, I left things be. We both moved into different circles and I didn't want to awkwardly overstep any boundaries.) We parted ways after college, but I had always hoped that one day we would be able to reconnect as friends. I'm thankful that our last words to each other were positive, even if that was many years ago. I've been struggling to express my feelings on Brian's passing. I've struggled because I feel as if I don't have the right feel such a loss, since I have not been a part of his life for so long, but I can't help but feel it. I wish I would have reached out to make an effort to stay connected in the recent years. It has been hard to concentrate on auditions, work, and classes this week. My thoughts have been with Brian's family and friends, especially his wife and soon-to-be-born baby. There will be many people grieving his loss. I hope his friends and family find strength. My deepest condolences to those who knew and loved him.  

It is almost fall! Huzzah for a new season! Fall is my favorite time of year and I can feel it approaching. Scarves and boots and pumpkins and apple-picking, here I come! Sorry Summer, but Fall and I are in love.