Theatre Thursday- The Second Conservatory Year

I knew that the Conservatory would offer me an opportunity to dust my talents off and reuse them again.  I was scared but knew that I was in good hands with the faculty. I felt safer there than just plunging headlong into auditioning for shows after such a long break.

They had changed the format a bit and decided that instead of just doing scenes for the final performance that we would do a full blown production. So, despite not having to audition to get into the conservatory I did have to audition for a part in Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale.


It was intimidating once again to be surrounded by my friends as instructors and strangers as classmates.  I couldn't help but feel that I had betrayed my friends in some way by running away to join the Army. I mean who does that?  I tried desperately to win their support once again and put my heart into my audition.  I performed Ophelia's "Affrighted" monologue in front of everyone.  Mr. G (who was once an upperclassmen of mine in HS) said that he never wanted to see that monologue again.  I think he meant it as a compliment, in that it disturbed him somehow.

And did I forget to mention,  my Hamlet was directing this show.  Gah! I was so nervous.  To round out our instructors, I had the amazing TH as the director of the whole conservatory program (who played Gertrude in Hamlet).  Her marvelous brother MH who was also in Hamlet.  DG also in Hamlet. CW who was in Hamlet and H on T.  The director of Hamlet came back to teach Restoration Comedy to the Track Two students and there was one instructor that I did not know who came from California, Mr. E who taught Comedy. Also, the unforgettable LW who helped me find my singing voice.

As I said, friends as my instructors.  I was so blessed.  All the roles were double/triple cast to accommodate everyone.  I got cast as Hermione, Time.  I was the second Hermione when Leontes first accuses her, and at the end when they are reunited.  Time is a narrator of sorts that comes in the middle of the play to say that time has passed and they are in a different place.  We did a dance with sand.  DH still likes to tease me about the sand dance. It was done with a bit of an Oriental twist.  We also had half masks.  We all wore black with fabric that draped over us in various ways depending on our character. I also ended up sewing the edges of all that fabric with my serger.

Leontes and me as older Hermione.

It was a great summer. I met some wonderful people whom I still consider friends, even if I only "see" them on FB.  We also remounted the show in the Fall for the college, with a slightly different cast and I got to play my same roles with a bit more in the beginning for Hermione and I also played Old Shepard but as Old Shepardess instead.

Amazingly tired cast. Try to find me.

Once again, a great experience for me. It was my first time on a thrust stage.  We also had a white scrim behind us where there were sometimes shadows of the action happening behind it such as the famous "Exit, pursued by a bear" scene. It was the most artistic show that I have ever been involved with but it was a blast.

JK with Bear that kills him. Audience only saw the bear in profile.
I'm  in the back putting on my makeup

After this, I was asked to come back to the conservatory the next summer to help assist Mr. E in teaching.  This was in order for me to learn more by teaching and hopefully help some people on the way.  It was a generous offer and I gladly accepted.

I can't begin to tell you how these wonderful people affected my life.  They helped bring me out of the pit of my despair and accepted me even though I had abandoned the theatre for several years.  They were a second family to me and I still love them and appreciate all that I learned about myself and the theatre.  I will never forget them.