Antigone

Two years ago, I began a journey as "Antigone."

I selected her death monologue as mine for my final Boards.......wow, if that isn't ironic. Thankfully, I did not actually "die" at that particular Boards, and I am, in fact, still in school, and finishing quite splendidly!

Sitting with a character for two years does odd things to a person though.....especially, when, in the space of that two years, one finally puts "acting" together, gets her act going, plays for intent, and rejoices in the opportunity to act, in general.

After two years of sitting with Antigone, I've finally processed how to become her. And Acting Class, Greek Tragic Styles, could never be better!

Mikayla and I are doing the Antigone/Ismene scene. I'm onstage, open scene. I'm cleaning off dust, cleaning off blood, cleaning off the hours I just spent darting off to the desert plains to bury my brother. In bursts Ismene, all fire and upset. "Where have you been?" She demands, and I avoid. I've been burying my brother. My brother. My favorite brother. His hair is blonde, his eyes are blue, and he has been everything and nothing to me my entire life.

Two years ago, when rehearsing this "death" monologue, I would walk around Ohio depressed and upset for days at a time. I would call my favorite brother and check on him, coo him, love and coddle him. I was mourning his not-really death.

But now, I live. I breathe. I bring fire and sunshine and passion and life. I cannot wait to get into acting class. Every day, I leap at the chance to do any kind of acting (and when I say "leap," I do, in fact, literally, mean LEAP.) If someone needs a guard, I'm the first out of my chair. If some scene needs a reader, I'm already up on stage. I am being selfish. After four years, I am being as selfish as I possibly can to get some more time, some more practice, some more love up on stage. I will act because I choose to. I will work because I want to. I LOVE what I do.