Life Update...!

Over the course of 2017, I've lived in Iowa, New York City, Virginia, Chicago, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.

First, after many, MANY video auditions from a friend's basement apartment in NYC, I had the chance to step into a bucket list role as Vi Petty for a production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story with a most charming dinner theatre nestled in beautiful Wytheville, Virginia. (This contract was cut short because of a family emergency - in which, I was not forced, encouraged, or asked to leave by anyone - but I made that choice on my own, hard as it was. I had a professor tell me once that he missed his own father's funeral for an off-broadway opening. We all choose our battles, but my head and my heart have a very understanding relationship... where the heart always gets what she wants.)

After seeing my father through to a stable state again, I took a chance on a lil ol' place called Northwestern near my homeland of Chicago and submitted as a freelancer to be on their tech crew for the short run of an American opera - happily getting that phone call to fill the void in my artistic employment before the next jaunt.

After this I was quickly on my way west - well, that's a lie, I visited New Hampshire and New York first! But after that... I challenged myself as a musician at a brand new theatre venue in the Rockies playing trumpet for two shows in repertory at Lake Dillon Theatre Company, while also getting to perform in their cabaret series as an actor/singer.

I knew I needed to keep the ball rolling, and decided to challenge myself again and get my stage managing chops back in action. I applied for two educational tours, was offered both, and ended up choosing PSF - and it has been wonderfully challenging, indeed. So wonderful, that I've decided to steer into the stage managing skid for a while. What does that mean?... Residencies!

I was perusing OffStageJobs.com as I tend to do at least once a week, and I came across not one, but two residencies. One in Omaha, Nebraska (only five hours from family?! Sign me up!) and one in Oceano, California. When I applied to the latter, it was on a whim - as most of my gestures tend to be, because when you see a desire with potential to manifest, you just gotta JUMP. I figured, "California... heh. Why not?"

Now... With that. Where would I have dreamed to travel next, if I had my choice? Ask me in January of 2017 and ask me now, you'll hear the same answer: California. My ultimate goal is to transition into film and work on that end of the spectrum and see what it's all about. By no means do I feel that I have mastered anything with theatre enough to just "move on", but I DO have too many interests in this little life we lead, which is too short. So let me have a taste of everything!

Three days after submitting for the Resident Stage Manager position with The Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville, I heard from them and was contacted for an interview ASAP. Among my crazy-early touring hours combined with evenings of paperwork, I somehow found the time to interview with both the artistic director and the current SM - three times. I had a good feeling, but I didn't have all my eggs in one basket... as I was also in the running for a separate SM job with yet another educational touring company (ArtsPower - they're supposed to be GREAT to work with). So I left it where it lied, and figured if it didn't work out, I'd be contacted by another northeast company soon for not just a regional tour, but a national tour - which was also VERY exciting!

Fast-forward to me arriving home (currently: Bethlehem, PA) after a long day. I've got some groceries to carry in while I'm on the phone with my boyfriend, with whom I'm goofing around and having fun conversation (because when you've been long distance for, oh, NINE MONTHS... you gotta keep things light sometimes between the rare and impromptu visits). I begin to carry my groceries while tucking my phone between my head and my shoulder, and doing some version of an Igor hobble down the pavement to my apartment building... and I hear some shuffling and then a random, "Hello?" I figured it was still Kyle, and that I'd muted myself, so I said, "ah, crap, hold on a second!" and set all my groceries down mid-walk to check my phone -- only to see that I no longer had an active call, but I had a California number in my recent calls.

Did I just accidentally call my potential future boss and yell at him to hold on, and then hang up on him?

Standing there for a moment, embarassed and bewildered and unsure of who called whom, my phone rang from California once again. "Hello... this is... Miranda?" Sure enough, it was the A.D., who had called me on purpose and whom I had accidentally answered without knowing. I said, "Hi! Um... did I just yell and hang up on you?" and he said, "yeah, and I laughed my ass off." We made small talk for a minute about the hilarity of the situation, and then he came forward with his initial proposition.

"I'm calling because I'd like to offer you the position of Residential Stage Manager with our theatre." Cue the blur of the rattling off of contractual agreements, a few stipulations, me throwing out a negotiation or two, and saying that I'd love to accept.

So, in short (...hardly), I'm moving to California to be a stage manager for a lovely theatre. I'll be there for 6 months to start, and then we'll go from there. Less than a mile from the ocean, around three hours north of LA, and similarly south of San Francisco. Sooner or later, you can bet I'll end up in L.A. proper. But for now, this is completely perfect for where I'm at career-wise, and it gets me out west, and lets me SIT STILL for a second. (I know. Me? Sit still? Huh?) There are a lot of things I need right now, especially after months of tour mentality... one of those needs is total separation from the work environment once the day is done, and the other is coming home to the love of my life on the daily.

I don't know why it took a novella to confess my latest adventure, but maybe you enjoyed the story. It's been a long, tough year with a lot of uncertainty, but I certainly have enjoyed it, myself.

After this PSF stint, I'm travling to Maryland for a quick visit, then flying to Chicago to see my family (MUCH NEEDED), and then I'm off to the Pacific Coast time zone. I'm going to miss the hell out of New York (even though I truly haven't lived there all year). It's where, over the last five years, I've made myself a whole family, a network, a support system, a home that I'm always yearning for, to scold and to love... It makes me pine for it, just thinking about it. But I have to keep moving while I have these opportunities. And I HAVE to take my chance to live in California! What's this life for if we don't make it interesting and leave an impression for the next round of folks who traipse through it?

Anyway.

I can't wait to move to the west coast and continue this crazy career. Thanks for reading, and thanks for supporting me. I'm so stoked for this next chapter.