Jacquelyn's Space

Tuesday October 4

Wahoo! This is going to be the week of performance. Yesterday I did a scene from Richard III in my Shakespeare class. It was Act I Scene ii where Richard is trying to seduce Lady Anne. He had killed her husband and father in law so in the scene Lady Anne is pretty angry. It was fun to do the scene and I think I did a pretty good job of it. Me and my scene partner (he is a theater major) met outside of class a couple of times to practice and so we were prepared. I tried to say the lines naturally, with the appropriate emotions, not wooden-ly or grandly like some pompous caricature of a Shakespearean actor. The professor told me it was awesome then I saw some classmates after class throughout the day and they were so nice and complimented my performance.

I love Shakespeare, I love his writing and this class is fun because I am getting more into his work. It can be difficult but I think once you get what the character’s are saying it is worth it. We are working on Richard III (which I did not know) now but the first play we read this semester was Titus Andronicus which is great because I knew that play. I was in the Flint City Theatre’s production of it in 2008 so even though I didn’t have a speaking part I knew the story and remembered a lot of the lines.

I miss acting. I was in plays and drama in high school and that is originally what I wanted to do with my life. I didn’t pursue it because of my issues (depression, obesity) but now it is good to have a second chance to perform. I wish I had pursued it, I wish I would have just said “F— it!” and went for it or even when I returned to school a few years ago. I was silly to let stuff stop me but that is done and over. I get more nervous about acting now than I used to. Maybe I am more afraid of making a fool of myself – but I still push myself because I don’t want to slide back into letting my ‘issues’ keep me from doing  things I enjoy. Maybe once I graduate I can still pursue acting – take some classes, get involved in the numerous theatres that are in Flint.

Thursday October 6

Still in the week of performance, yesterday was Musicollage the annual music department concert at UM-Flint. I play trombone in the Wind Symphony. Musicollage gets the symphony and jazz bands, plus the choirs and individual students together to put on a nonstop show of music. No applause in between acts, just music. It is pretty cool and the music was lovely last night. Wind symphony played three pieces.  I wish we could have done more but it is a lot to prepare with only 4 or 5 weeks of class (2, 1 hour 50 minute classes a week).

I am an okay trombone player. I decided it would be fun to be in band after 20 years of not playing. Ha ha. It is fun at times but it is a challenge. I used to be a better player. I don’t have the chops for it anymore. That and I don’t have time for much practice outside of class. Every semester that I play I get slightly better but I am nowhere near where I should be. I forget too much – like how the notes are supposed to sound and how to count complicated rhythms and time. I was never really the best at reading music, usually having to listen to the rhythm first before playing. Luckily they let anyone in wind symphony – no auditions – ha. We actually have a large band this year and 5 trombone players! In the past it has only been 3 of us, which means one person per part. I really get frightened (I freeze up or get really nervous and shake when I have to play by myself, don’t know why music does that too me) to play a part by myself but I try. For the most part it is a fun challenge.

One of the trombone players is really awesome. He is a music major of course. I am so envious of his playing. I want to play like that but he has worked hard to be the player that he is – he plays whole pieces by himself, on his own, no qualms and it sounds beautiful. I am not that dedicated of a player. He is in jazz band too. I would love to be in jazz band but I need more practice, more confidence and more skills. Ha, more time too.

Well anyway the music was beautiful. I wish I had time to be in choir too. I loved the jazz band performance; some talented kid played a Rachmaninoff piano concerto – loved it! There was also a flute solo – another ultra talented musician. I loved his piece too. There was a marimba solo that was lovely too. Lots and lots of stuff. My parents and my husband went to the concert and I guess they enjoyed it. I was glad my parents went. They had not been to one of my concerts since I started playing again. After the concert we went out to dinner. Then I had to go home and stay up half the night to get my homework done.