To Join the Circus

I have a bit of an adventuresome wanderlust spirit in me, along with a love of the arts and performing... I think some interests and talents and things are passed down through ancestors in a way...

Well, one of my ancestors really did run away and join the circus and traveled around the U.S. in his teens and twenties, doing a ventriloquist act. Seriously! I've been involved in theatre for many years and I love performing, but I also love going to traveling performances like festivals and circuses. And I think maybe that's one of those things that I have in common with my ancestor.

I was lucky enough to go to a Cirque du Soleil performance recently. But, in addition to seeing the show, I was part of a group who had a backstage tour, who watched two rehearsals, and who got a taste of the circus life for a day.

And, though I like having a home and staying in one place and am usually pretty sensible... Something about the circus lifestyle and the traveling the world performing for thousands of people appeals to me. I think it would be fascinating to be a part of an international company like that with people from many countries involved in it, and travel around and see new cities. And to get to entertain audiences every night. In addition to that, the people in that company are so talented. It was just an amazing thing to see and to be a part of for a day.

So, though I doubt I will ever run away and join the circus, I can relate to the circus performers and to their love of the circus lifestyle.

The Masque Theatre's Final Curtain Closes- A Past Student's View

"Welcome to the final showing of Alphabet Soup," Sylvia Langworthy said, standing in the middle of the stage in the black box theatre at the Masque Youth Theatre and School, Inc. in Rochester, Minn. Sylvia was retiring after being the artistic director for the past 23 years. The Masque was closing its doors after being unable to raise enough funds to pay for all necessary annual expenses. This show was not only the last showing of "Alphabet Soup;" it was the final stage show at the Masque Theatre.

"And will all the alumni please stand?" About 50 of us, a small sampling in the hundreds of people who have been influenced and affected by Sylvia and the Masque over the last 23 years, stood... All of us there to celebrate and bid adieu to the theatre of our youth, the Masque. Most of us spent countless hours there during our school years, 4-6:30 pm on most weekdays (later if the rehearsal was going badly or people were forgetting lines) and many hours in classes on Saturday mornings. The alumni included people in many careers: communications, media, professional performing, academic, medical, and more. We all had the common ground of being strongly influenced in our lives by our years spent learning, performing, rehearsing and teaching at the Masque and working with Sylvia. Ok, focus...

The play, excellent as usual, had been rehearsed by the small ensemble of young actors for the past six weeks. I've seen professional theatre with actors less focused than these young actors. Each actor was on cue every time, not one of them ever broke their character, each gave over 110% of their energy, and each entertained the audience. The acting quality and focus of the actors has always impressed me at the Masque. Perhaps I am a little biased... After all, 19 years ago, I was a young actor on stage, in my first show at the Masque.

I began taking classes at the Masque after noticing ads for upcoming plays in the season that I was interested in participating in as an actor. My mom called for more information about the auditions, and the Masque receptionist suggested I sign up for a creative movement and mime classes in preparation for auditions. After taking several creative dramatics, movement and mime classes, I knew I loved everything about the theatre.

A woman named Sylvia led the first audition I participated in. It was so much fun that I forgot I was trying out and forgot to be nervous. Sylvia had almost-white hair, a huge smile, a purple sweatshirt (her favorite color) and a loud voice which I could hear across the huge auditorium. Meeting her after the audition, she was very encouraging and suggested I keep taking theatre classes and trying out for plays...

I tried out for every play that season. My mom would drive me to the theatre the day the cast list would be posted, and I'd anxiously look for my name on the list... I didn't get in the cast of the first few plays I auditioned for, but I did attend a peformance of each play. I tried out for "The Nightingale," my fourth audition, and the next day I rushed to the theatre to look at the cast list. I scanned the posted cast list quickly- and there it was- my name! After the first run-through of the script at the first rehearsal, I felt like I was part of the ensemble. I had a servant part and a couple lines in the play, but still many responsibilities during the show such as prop and scene changes and understudy roles.

"The Nightingale" was the first of over a dozen plays I participated in at the Masque in roles including cast member, assistant director and stage manager. I eventually joined a smaller ensemble of students in performing troupes at the Masque, and we'd perform each year at the Renaissance Festival and various community events. I went on to teach many classes at the Masque in high school, to study theatre as my minor in college, to travel to southeast Asia performing drama for an interim college course, and to watch professional theatre in places including London and Stratford in England. I have continued to keep theatre a part of my life after that first audition at the Masque.

Sylvia continued to be friendly, encouraging and positive during that first play and in other plays and experiences. She cared about each student and she'd give the biggest hugs. But she was also tough, and she pushed and challenged me and every student she worked with to do our best, to do whatever it was we loved to do, to keep learning and to set high goals for ourselves. She pushed me because she could see my potential, just like she could see the potential in every person's life. I learned responsibility and self-discipline through learning lines by a set date and by being on time to rehearsals. I grew in confidence each time I got on stage in front of a hundred people or more, after hours of hard work and rehearsals.

The cast worked together as a team in every aspect of the production, from working specific scenes and helping each other in memorizing lines, to having specific cleaning responsibilities assigned after each peformance, to tearing down the set at the end of a production's run. Every person in each cast was made to feel like a valuable member of the team. We were all actors, all working together to create an excellent production. It took time, perseverance, energy, and hard work. But in the end, we were all proud of the work we had completed and the final production.

Nineteen years later, Sylvia and other guest directors still direct each production at the Masque with a positive and encouraging attitude, while coaching each actor to grow towards their full potential. A few quotes I will always remember from the Masque, spoken by Sylvia and other teachers: "Focus!... Accentuate the postive, eliminate the negative... Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art... Focus!... Leave whatever's going on in your life that's distracting you, outside the theatre... Don't tell me, show me... Energize! Risk! Trust! Focus!"

Thank you to the Masque Theatre and especially to Sylvia, for making a lasting impact in my life, for encouraging me to do whatever it is I love to do, to do my best in everything I do, to always be positive, and to always focus. The Masque Theatre stage lights may have been switched off for the last time, and the last set has been cleared, but the life lessons I have learned and memories I have will always stay with me.

The Masque's final ensemble production took place on June 30, to a full house. The actors and Sylvia were given a well-deserved standing ovation and many hugs. Sylvia's retirement party will be at the Masque on Aug. 1, to celebrate her 23 years as artistic director at the Masque Theatre.

A busy spring

I just realized I haven't posted on here in ages... So let me sum up this spring... I'm still enjoying my job and am so glad to have the opportunity to write for a living...

I'm still dreaming of my next travels, which may include Romania and Sweden in the near future... Well Missouri may be the next place actually! I was reminscing with my brother about past road trips to Montana to visit our family, and now I want to go there again, maybe go to Glacier Park. But I would need to find someone to talk into going with me if I do that. Road trips just are meant to do with friends, making stops along the way at random rest areas and little towns with little cafes, eating junk food, watching the miles, checking out the scenery. I still remember stopping at a rest area in the Badlands in North Dakota once and seeing a few bison (buffal0) wandering on one side of the parking lot- so you never know what you'll see!

My weekends have been busy hanging out with friends, hitting our favorite places in Rochester. I've met many people from other countries lately, mostly countries in Europe. I always find that fascinating, learning about other cultures and learning some words in other languages.

And I've been working out at the gym a lot lately- or trying to a lot- weight training, some dance classes, etc. It's been fun and I've been able to lose a little weight too! Yay!

And winter in Minnesota is finally over! I love seeing my tulips popping up. I'm planning what flowers I'll get at the greenhouse this year- impatiens and roses and some hanging plants. I'm also planning some major deep cleaning on my house this spring. I am always thinking of goals and stuff I want to accomplish! I'm sure I won't get it all finished this spring and summer but I will sure try!

Hope you are all having a great spring!

February Birthdays

I am amazed at how so many of my family members and some of my friends have birthdays in January and February.

I always get people cards and/or little gifts for I had a card-shopping day at Target the other day, where I spent a good half hour picking out cards that were "just right" for the friend or family member. It's so hard to decide whether to get a musical card or a serious card or a funny card or whatever.... So then I spend a half hour in the card aisle at Target deciding what to get...

So it's currently Birthday season apparently! I guess Valentine's day just happened too, but I don't really count that as a holiday. Instead, I celebrated it by hanging out with some of my friends (girls), having an ethnic Vietnamese dinner, some popcorn and cider and live music, and later a really good chocolate drink...

But now I'm tired from all the busy-ness! It was all fun events though!

The Classic Cold After the Holidays

I've been so busy the past few weeks, going to so many get-togethers. It was all fun but tiring! So I got the classic cold a few days after Christmas. But, thankfully, my cold hasn't been as bad as my colds normally are. I'm just really tired!

I enjoyed times with family and friends- some of the highlights were my birthday celebrations with friends and family. I think they were some of my favorite birthday parties ever- lots of fun! Lots of good food, nice gifts, good conversation.

New Year's Even was here before we knew it! And suddenly it's 2009!

I'm not doing too well at my goals for the new year yet, but maybe tomorrow or next week I'll be better!

Hope you all have a great new year in 2009!

Almost Christmas

I like Christmas. I like the Christmas lights, Christmas trees with ornaments, snow (except for the shoveling), cookies, treats, parties, etc. It is all fun, but it goes by so quickly and can be so exhausting sometimes!

I had a little Christmas gathering this weekend, making my Swedish rice pudding, BBQ meatballs, Christmas cookies, and having mini-cheesecakes, veggies, fruit, and more out to eat. It all tasted good!

I think the most fun part of the party was watching 4 little boys run back and forth through my house, playing with cat toys and fire trucks and Christmas trains and my dog. My dog Thai is really good with kids, except for when they try to grab his tail!

It was a fun time. I really enjoy hosting parties like this, and celebrating the season. And now I'll go be a guest at a few more parties over the next week or so!!

I think I'll go back to my healthy eating and exercising plan after January 1st - sounds like a good plan, doesn't it? And I'll come up with New Year's resolutions soon- I actually am very focused on my goals and make a point of working towards them the whole year.

Enjoy the Christmas season! Have a great time with family and friends! Stay warm!

It's Almost Christmas - Shopping, Cookies, and Fun!

As we rapidly approach Christmas, I am purposefully trying to focus on each day and the fun Christmas season, while avoiding the craziness and stress that seems all too easy to fall into at this time of year. Instead, I'm busy planning my shopping, making cookies, and planning on fun events!

I drove past the mall on Friday (Black Friday), took one look at the 3-block line to turn into the insanely full mall parking lot, and kept driving, despite being tempted by some of the ads in Thursday's paper. I figure there's plenty of time to go shopping. And I'll continue to make use of online shopping too!

I always enjoy Christmas. I've got my Christmas tree, lights, and decorations up in my house. There's even a gift for me under the tree already! I've got the outside lights brightening the outside of the house. And I've got my entire month planned out, to avoid being overly busy. The month is filled with parties and gatherings, which I intend to fully enjoy and appreciate.

I'll make cookies one day- I love making rosettes, krumkake, peanut butter blossoms, Chex mix, and more. What's your favorite Christmas cookie?

Every year, I make Christmas cookies to give to family and friends and share at parties. I make mostly Scandinavian cookies, since I grew up making many Scandinavian desserts and dishes with my mom. While I'm only part Swedish and Norwegian, I've always enjoyed this tradition.


Making Lefse- A traditional Scandinavian treat

I used to make lefse every year on a November weekend for many years with my mom, aunt, and cousin. It took us all day, even with many hands helping. The Christmas music would be playing, the snow was sometimes falling, and we would work diligently all day.

My mom and aunt would prepare the potato and flour mixture into balls, adding flour as necessary.

My cousin and I would roll the balls of dough very thin, turning them over regularly with a long stick. We would each try to make our round piece of lefse round as large as possible, without the dough breaking apart. When they broke apart, we'd take all the loose pieces, make a ball again, spread more flour on the bread roller and the cutting board, and start again.

After we had the largest lefse round possible, we'd carefully hand it over to my mom or aunt at the large round lefse grill (looks like a round pancake griddle). The lefse would brown, and they'd turn it over with a long stick to brown on the other side.

Then we'd fold the lefse and let it cool. We'd sample it to make sure it tasted good. We'd put butter and a little bit of brown sugar on a piece of lefse, roll it up, and eat it. Mmm, good.

We'd make as many as we could with the batch of potatoes and flour mixture. After several hours of work, we'd have enough lefse for my aunt to take home, and for my family, and for us to freeze some for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

So next time you see the lefse in the refridgerated section of the grocery store (if you live in Minnesota), pick some up to bring home, put some butter and brown sugar on it, roll it up, warm it up for a few seconds, and enjoy!