FRUSTRATED W/ SCHEDULING

Can't life like me? I mean it can't be that hard for everything to work out perfectly. Not all the time, of course, but every once in a while. Okay, I don't mean any of that, but life can be quite frustrating for me.

My life is theatre, but for the past two years, that has changed to mean the dance theatre. I could not bear to quit my job because it is perfect. I have so many friends, I gain a lot of experience, and I am able to tour. A roadie is what I love and I can do it with the dance department. Also, I have gotten use to working quick paced and having only a few days to put on a production. It's what I like. Keep moving . . . keep moving . . .

However, I am graduating as a Theatre Arts Major, so it would be important to actually work with the Theatre Department (which I haven't done yet). Therefore, I need to restrict my hours with dance to work with theatre. The main downside is that theatre is at least a month's worth of work while dance is a week. Therefore, I am missing four dance performances while I work on one theatre production. I not only lose out on working with dance, but I lose all those hours. It is work that makes it possible for me to get money for tuition. Taking off that many hours will not help any.

So, I do need to work with the theatre department because I want to graduate in April of 2009. So, I talked with Michael Handley about possible assistant design projects and he was able to give me a rough schedule of next years shows. It will be an amazing season!!! I'm excited for it and hope to be more willing to attend the performances.

Anyways, the ones I would love to work the most conflict with Ballroom performances. I still need to talk to Benjamin because I don't know if I will be working with Ballroom next year, but it is my life. If I can't work with them, I don't know what I'd do . . . okay, I'd get over it and work with another company, but I have come to really love Ballroom. With the schedule they have so far, the tours and events either overlap or come right before a main production. Some I don't mind not being able to work, but there is one performance that I am dying to work. I won't be a designer, but I'd like to work on the crew - but there is a St George performance on the last two nights!!! It makes me want to cry (on the inside of course). Then, I have to take in account the fact that theatre is not just the production week, but also the tech week before, the focusing before that, and any other required rehearsals and meetings an assistant lighting designer needs to attend. I don't think I can find a production that does not conflict.

I also feel really guilty being one of three technicians and not being able to help with some important dance concerts. I don't know what to do!! I am going to meet with a theatre advisor today and hopefully she can help me sort a lot of it out, but it may appear that I'll have to wait for graduation until December of 2009. Of course . . . my weakness is being able to tour with the dance department, so I would wait til April of 2010 so I could go on a few more tours. Awful I know, but it's my love!

We will see . . . I have some huge decisions to make this summer. Hopefully I can find a good solution - preferable one that will allow me to graduate April of '09. Sigh . . .