I was at a Zoom Town Hall meeting for "Navigating the Business as a Mixed Heritage Actor" earlier this week. Yes, it was as solid-gold-depressing as it sounds.
Suffice it to say, the "professionals" who were "helping" us only narrowed the already minuscule mixed-heritage-box to nano-particles. But what I took away from it was this: I can keep creating my own box, and wait for the slowpokes to catch up.
RANT OVER.
What's been weird, but also pretty awesome, is that our YouTube "Channel" box is turning out to be a positive outlet for us. I put "channel" in quotes because, as an actor, I find it equal parts amusing and absurd that everyone can have a "channel" now. But I likes it! I LIKE OUR CHANNEL!
After years of living in the channels of industry-created boxes, it's heartening to be able to build our own box, with the lid left WIDE OPEN. And we're both floored that, in the three months since we started creating our little corner-of-happy in earnest, we've gotten over 14,000 members in our Technicolor Troop. People who couldn't care one stitch about any box.
Today's video is one of the happiest moments of my onstage life. Beautiful humans, Director Chase Brock, and Music Director Rob Berman, who both constantly strive to smash boxes to bits, wanted me for what I was as a whole. I wasn't confined to songs that "fit me" racially. I was released into whatever role fit...me. At one point, I was Mary Tyler Moore.
Here, I'm Barbra Streisand to Ana Gasteyer's (another beautiful human whose hands I was thrilled to squeeze every night) Judy Garland, in a recreation of their iconic duet. We learned this at a rollercoaster pace, and it was the best thrill ride ever. I hope it brings you some happy this week...because whatever the outcome, we're gonna need it.
Get your happy here, and leave that lid wide open, my friends. The better to let the technicolor in 💕
It sounds like an interesting night AND you got a beautiful picture of yourself! Love the halo in your hair.
ReplyDeleteKudos to the spot ops and photographer!
Delete"Keep creating your own box, and wait for the slowpokes to catch up" WELL SAID✨✨✨
ReplyDeleteThank you! Not all of us can be fast learners after all 😉
DeleteThank you for exploding all boxes with your energy and pizazz. I hope to be able to see you on stage in the future when all of this is past. I'm sure you shine there just as much as in your sewing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. Fingers crossed you get to test out that theory soon!
DeleteJust watched your duet on your channel, so so good, so much great energy from both of you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was truly joyful to sing this with Ana. We only had a handful of performances and I feel like it made every one count even more ❤️
DeleteSo glad to see this post! Loved the duet. It gave me a much needed smile on this day before ...... Reminds us to hope!
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a year ago now!! But I’m glad to hear it gave you a smile!
DeleteOf Oona & Ana,
ReplyDeleteWe're never the same.
Your belting spirit's Nana,
for her, Ila's the name.
Strong women you've known,
or a branch of their tree,
lend credence to own,
a common journey.
All together, none alone,
the slog becomes delight,
a couple of stools sit idly by,
at long end of this night.
Run the numbers on the cost,
forgetting exceeds what's due.
We've found our happy in voices raised,
with stark ugliness now in view.
So, on this cusp, of the other side,
maintain some trepidation.
Woodwork fills as many hide,
their lesser motivation.
The crescendo - tables turned,
inflection point duly noted.
Strong feelings of what we learned,
contained in how we voted.
I’ve read this over and over. Just...beautiful. 💗
Deletelove it 100,000,000 times!
ReplyDeletex
(both the dress and the number)
❤️❤️❤️thank you Adri!
DeleteYour posts always make my day a whole lot brighter. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne, you are so welcome, and thank you right back. That’s what we aim for ❤️
DeleteLove love love! Plus I saw you in a commercial, shouted "I know her," so you are a celebrity far and wide. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about those kinda shouts 😁😁!
DeleteThank you. As a professional musical theatre spot op, this made me so happy. I miss live theatre tremendously. What a great video, and another fabulous dress.
ReplyDeleteWe miss you right back. I always try to wave in the direction of the spot ops to thank y’all for following us all during tech! Being in the theater on 12/12s is hard enough without being up in the rafters ;)
DeleteBy far, the happiest thing I have seen since… the last video I watched of your's! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your song is going to come true once this election is over!
ReplyDeleteI’m still keeping those fingers crossed juuuuuuust in case 💗
DeleteKeep on keep'in on girl. Knowing you as a sewist for so many years and finding your 'real' life is so awesome is so cool. Never let others put their peg on you, make your own. I like yours. Also, saw your commercial the other day. What a great thing. The best to you and Rob during these challenging times. Karen in Illinois
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen! We’re really enjoying making our own “peg” right now. And we’ve got a lot of fancy, very loud garments to hang on that peg 😁 Love from both of us to you!
DeleteJust watched the video....FAN.TAST.IC.Just what was needed right now, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Samantha!
DeleteEvery time the advert with you and Bill Belichick comes up when we're watching NFL, I bounce up and down excitedly, shouting 'It's Oona!' It always makes me so happy to see you. You keep going in your not-box, why should you be penned in anywhere?!
ReplyDeleteNot-box! I love it! Coach was genuinely a delight, and I bet he’d love knowing sewists are jumping up and down across America 😁💗💗
DeleteYour performance was so beautiful I got goosebumps all over! You have such a vibrant, gorgeous smile and your dress is lovely Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! It was really a thrill to sing this!
DeleteBoxes are for things
ReplyDeletenot people!