The Big New York Writer Author Dude



Timothy McDonald (courtesy of Google)

     So today the cast of The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley cast had three performances. We had been looking forward to today for a couple months because of our special guest. Our director, Jacob, invited founder of iTheatrics and Music Theatre International (MTI), Timothy McDonald to come check us out.
     Our director made sure everything was perfect. The night before we had a rehearsal (we hadn't had one in a while because we had been performing already for weeks) and we went over our harmonies. This morning my whole Twitter feed was filled with tweets about Mr. McDonald coming ( #RockHisSocks ), and motivational stuff like that. Like we needed motivation! Him coming was motivation alone.
    So he flew in from New York that morning and caught our early show. We saw him as we did our meet and greet with the elementary school kids. He was pretty nice, from what I saw at least. I didn't talk to him but he talked to parts of the cast. He also wore cool Tom's. I'm pretty sure a guy with Tom's like that couldn't possibly be that bad.
     So soon we went back into our dressing rooms and began to prepare for the next show. Belle, our stage manager, came into ours and asked what we thought of the "Big New York Writer Author Dude". The younger girls giggled at Belle's new nickname for the usually respected writer.
     We did the next show, our meet and greet, and then, while still in costume mind you, went to go sit in the first two rows of the empty house. Mr. McDonald stood on the stage and commended us on our performances. We all wore smiles too big for our faces and Jacob shined with pride. I sat in the front row near the center (and in perfect view of those Tom's). I was seated next to Cris when McDonald complimented him and let me tell you, I thought I was bad when Taylor Lautner rips his shirt off in the Twilight Saga but Cris was ten times that. He (and I could tell) tried hard to hide it, but on the inside he was freaking out.
     McDonald also mentioned half a line of music from the show and the whole cast finished it for him. He responded with "I wrote it. I don't have to remember it." and we all laughed. The real funny part was when he complemented Belle on her stage managing skills. Belle blushed and we all looked at her thinking "Mhhhmmm...Is he still the Big New York Writer Author Dude, Belle?". After he mentioned working on James and the Giant Peach and we all ooooh-ed and ahhhh-ed at the mere idea. Needless to say we were all bummed to see him go.
     Belle ushered (more like herded) us into the dressing room and we asked her, "So did you like the Big New York Writer Author Dude?" and she responded with "Yes, Mr. McDonald was a very pleasant man." Okay, I see how it is Belle, a little sweet talk and suddenly he's a "very pleasant man".    

Growing Up South Texas

driving downtown during spring break

     I was born in San Antonio, Texas because my father was in the army and he got stationed there. I was even born on an air force base. But when I turned three my mother and I moved two hours south to Corpus Christi. Both of my parents were originally from here so they thought it was best.
     So I have lived here most of my life. When most people who don't live here think of Corpus Christi they think of summer. We are a city right on the beach and a tourist hot spot. During spring break, it is a fact that more people come vacation here than live in Rhode Island. So we have lots of surfers, beach goes and most people are perfectly tanned.
     We are also in south Texas so we have a large Hispanic population. I am of Mexican descent and my family speaks Spanish, cooks traditional dishes, some even take ballet folklorico lessons.
     Of course being in Texas. we also have those stereotypical western cowboys. They wear jeans, boots, cowboy hats and go to rodeos. Now, I'm not going to lie. I do have multiple pairs of Wranglers, I own Justin's, have worn a Stetson or two and yes have been to a rodeo. My own cousins were competing in those rodeos in fact. To be honest my favorite genre of music is country.
   Then of course we have the typical mainstream American stuff. Your average Joe's.
     Corpus Christi has some cool things about it like:

• declared the nations "birdiest city" for nine consecutive years, I guess we have a lot of birds 
• has the fifth largest port
• hosts the U.S. Open Windsurfing and Kiteboarding Regatta
• home to late Tejano singing star and legend, Selena
• Actress Farrah Fawcett was born in Corpus Christi and graduated from W.B. Ray High School
• The average high temperature in July and August is 93 degrees (it's Texas after all..)

     So as you can see where I live is a really fun and unique place to live. I'm glad I get to grow up where I am. Sure there are some bad sides like:

• being dubbed the fattest city in the nation
• we barely get any rain
• it's snows only 5 inches every 20 years
• it is windy every single day so good luck having nice hair
• some sides are so ghetto I refuse to even attempt to describe it because there is enough for a whole other post

     But these these things I deal with have taught me something or another. Growing up South Texas is a nice life.

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley pt. 5

   I've been so consumed with performances I haven't posted in a while.
     I have always been good about having my energy up but some days it really kills me. Some days I go in tired so I leave really exhausted. For example some days we have PLAYtime (Performing Live Art for Youth) all day and then we also have another evening performance. So I get to the theater at 8:00 in the morning and leave at 9:30 at night.
     I'm not complaining. I love every minute! I am with friends, doing what I love, and all with an amazing audience. The kids we perform for are in elementary school. One school bussed kids from an hour away just to see us. For them we are amazing and they think every song it beautiful, every dance is artistic, and every scene is hilarious.
     Unlike normal audiences we don't get the usual applause. They all jump up, clapping as loudly as possible and yell. They make us feel like rockstars. We also go out for meet and greets and they all tell you "You were my favorite part!" You know they are probably telling that to everyone but it still makes you feel like a million bucks.
     For a lot of those kids it's their first taste of theatre. It's important to rock their socks. This way, they think it's the coolest thing in the world like we do.
     I've also gotten three bouquets of flowers so far. I have them all in my room and everyday when I wake up, I look at them and smile. I look at them and remember the feeling of being onstage. Looking out to see the faces of the audience as they giggle at the funny scene. I feel the heat of stage lights on my face. I hear the soft chatter of the dressing room. I see the dark shadows that are the tech crew moving set pieces almost invisibly. It's a great feeling trust me.

Trashion Show

    Today was my school's second annual Trashion Show. Our theatre department makes clothes out of trash (newspaper, plastic bags, duct tape, foil, etc.) and then holds a fashion show after school to showcase our work.
     This year's theme was works of art and we had to base our outfit on whatever work of art we happened to choose out of a hat.
     My group had gotten Girl With A Pearl Earring by Vermeer and it didn't (in my opinion at least) turn out so bad.
     In fifth period however my teacher asked me to model for another group because their model couldn't make the show and the dress didn't fit anyone else. I agreed not knowing what the dress looked like or who designed it. So that afternoon as all the models were getting ready I finally saw it. The outfit was fairly simple, it was painted newspaper with glitter and a map covering a slit on the side. It also had a black (and kind of ugly) belt holding it together accompanied with a foil headband with an over sized bow.
     As all the models lined up they talked about how nervous they were. "Seriously?!" I thought, "I've done way stupider stuff than this onstage." But I let them be nervous and I ended up being dead last to go down the catwalk. All of the other models let their nerves show. They walked quickly up and down the catwalk without looking up or even smiling!
     Not me! I got halfway down the catwalk and the music suddenly changed. It was now this funky and quirky tune. So I did what felt logical at the time. The Charleston. From that point on I half danced, half strutted down the catwalk. In front of the judges I posed revealing the map acting as a slit up to my knee.
     After the show the designers and the model are supposed to go up to the judges for critique and when I was called I walked alone. The designers hadn't shown up. They didn't have faith in the dress!!! Even after I did the Charleston!?!? So I explained how I didn't know anything about this dress and the judges understood.
     As I waited with the other models onstage to see who had won I made conversation and caught up with friends. I meant to lean to my right but suddenly I was falling face first.
I.
Fell.
Off.
Of.
The.
Stage.
     In front of parents, teachers, friends, and complete strangers I fell off the stage. First there were gasps and concerned looks. Then, as soon as they knew I was okay, the audience broke out into laughter. I don't blame them. I laughed too.

     Cutting off their laughter my teacher called everyone to attention. She was announcing the five winning outfits. The first one she called was Map by Johns. We all clapped but no one went up to claim their prize. We all looked around but no one went onstage. Then I noticed the judges pointing at me. Me! I had gotten one of the top five! I hadn't even thought to ask what piece of art my outfit represented but it won! According to some people, it was too simple to win and the judges just gave it to me because of how I went down the catwalk.

     I don't care! I had fun. I was unprepared, I danced my way to the top with a dress I had nothing to do with. But I did it while doing the Charleston.

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley pt.4

    Tonight was opening night down at the Harbor Playhouse for the Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley Jr. We had quite a crowd show up too. Our show started at 7:30 in the evening but we all got there at 3:00 to do a last minute rehearsal.
     By the time we were saying "Thank you 20!" (non thespian translation (NTT): the show opens in 20 minutes so stop screwing around!) we all felt the adrenaline.
     All the girls had on stage makeup, and for those of you that have never seen anybody with stage makeup on up close,  let's just say Snooki doesn't have anything on us! The stage lights make your face look like a white circle so you need lots of makeup just to have a face at all.
     Our director has a nice tradition going on at the playhouse. During our magic circle (NTT: when all of the actors huddle up for a pre-show pep talk) he leads us in a prayer as we all hold hands. His prayer was so nice and inspiring that most people's eyes began to water. He said in the time he has been working with us (for the past three months) we have surpassed his expectations. When he said that each and every one of us are stars I squeezed Rebecca's hand and she squeezed mine back.
     When Belle, our stage manager, called for places (NTT: get your butt to where you start the show) I got onto the top wagon (NTT: tower with wheels) with Brant (Napoleon) and Adri (O'Jay D'Art). We just looked at each other and engulfed each other in a huge group hug.
     As the majestic grand (NTT: big red curtain that hides the stage) began to rise and our opening song began to play I could taste the excitement. Needless to say we all killed it. The whole performance was excellent and the whole cast had so much fun.
     For the meet and greet we go into the lobby but this time there was a surprise for us. The walls were decorated with little paper Flat Stanley's, there was a snack buffet, and pictures of the cast we on the wall with their Flat Stanley.
     Our show runs weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) until April 1. Come and feel some of the magic that this show is all about.

***Click here to buy tickets to come see us!***

Curly Hair Problems

     Society is so stupid. Why is straight hair pretty? Why is is nice to have hair that just lies dead and flat at your shoulders? Straight hair is just...there.
     Yeah right. I can't even hate on girls with straight hair. I have naturally curly hair and the picture to the left is of me holding up one of my curls. It takes me almost two hours to get it straight without any waves or creases. Every morning I get on the school bus at eight. It would take me another hour to get ready for school. Another hour to eat breakfast and finsh up homework. That would mean I have to wake up at FOUR IN THE MORNING! No thank you!
     So I wear my hair curly everyday and just have to live with it. You would be suprised how many times a day I hear dumb things like the following phrases :

• "Can I touch your hair?"
• "Do you curl your hair"
• "Oh, look you hair bounces"
• "How long would it take you to straighen your hair."
• "I wish I had curly hair."
• "I bet you would look pretty with straight hair."

     These are all very dumb because:

• If one person touches my hair everyone wants to
• Why would I curl my hair?
• I've lived with my hair my whole life, I'm well aware that if you pull a curl it will spring back into place.
• It takes too long.
• No you don't.
• Does that mean I look ugly without straight hair? Gee thanks.

Another bad side of having curly hair is that when you do decide to straighten it you have plan it like you are planning to invade a foreign country with lots of big scary missiles. Water being the metaphorical missiles. If it rains, you go in the pool, or even if it's just really humid your time straightening your hair will go to waste because your hair begins to curl. It sucks and just writing this gets me all flustered and angry.
I always get compared to Taylor Swift too. She's one of the only big celebrities that actually embrace their curly hair. That takes guts.
So girls out there with curly hair. Embrace the curls!

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley pt. 3

     Last night was our first rehearsal with our costumes and we all look amazing. The picture to the left is of me in my Mona Lisa costume. Personally I think I can pull it off, but then again I'm super biased.
   All of our costumes are over the top and epic. Stanley's flat suit looks absolutely hilarious. I will post pictures after the show is over because it is supposed to be a big reveal.
     Will, who plays Stanley, went in front of a green screen last night to make animations for when Stanley gets flown like a kite.
     Our Lambchop family was also on the news...at 5:45 in the morning. IT'S SPRING BREAK PEOPLE! I would've watched it but that's really early and I am a teenager after all. It's a good thing Eli (Mr. Lambchop) got us a link for it. It will go at the bottom of this post. In the video the Lambchop family (Will, Lucas, Eli and Katie) all just woke up to find Stanley flat. This song, Our Child Is Flat, is their initial reaction. Take Stanley to the doctor to get checked out? No. Ask Stanley if he feels okay? Nah. Give the poor boy an aspirin or something? Nope. Not, the Lambchop family. They just burst out into song.
     So anyway if you just happen to live in South Texas, and you also just happen to be reading this...if you just happen to get an urge to go to the Harbor Playhouse for some family fun...perhaps starting Friday night...well, I wouldn't stop you.

Flat Stanley on the news way too early in the morning

^^^click that up there to see some Lamchop action!^^^

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley pt. 2

Katie "acting casual" as Belle comes and checks up on us
in the dressing room before rehearsal.

     Some call it Spring Break, we (the cast of Flat Stanley) call it Tech Week.
     As mentioned in my earlier post Belle, our stage manager, stepped up her game even more and now lurks in the shadows ready to pounce on any actor that steps out of line. Nothing big yet but all of us are being very careful. It's a running joke when Belle comes into the dressing room, where we all chill out before rehearsal starts, to say "BELLE IS HERE! ACT CASUAL!", pose and smile huge smiles. Of course Belle just laughs.
    Our show opens on Friday and everything is coming together swimmingly. Our set pieces should be done today, everyone has their lines, dances are staring to look polished and we even have custom animations and a green screen projected behind us onstage.
     We spend three to five hours a day there at the Harbor Playhouse and it's starting to pay off.

Our six year old Sneak Thief waiting for her cue

     Our version of Flat Stanley has no adult actors. Our youngest is six years old and she plays the sneak theif. Our oldest is seventeen and she plays Nurse Betty. You would think all these kids would mess it up and be unprofessional, but they all know exactly what they are doing. The six year old has been in more plays than I have. Yes, I'm being completely serious.

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stnaley pt. 1

Adri (left) and Rebecca (right) backstage at boot camp

     At my local theater we are doing The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley. The play, Flat Stanley is based on the book by Jeff Brown and Stanley Lambchop thinks his life is too boring. So one night Stanley wishes on a falling star and the next morning wakes up completely two dimensional. So Stanley gets mailed all over the world and has fantastic adventures. I play Mona Lisa and Stanley meets me in Paris and saves me from the Sneak Thief.
Saturday was Flat Stanley Boot Camp which lasted for almost eight hours. It involved dancing, running scenes, getting fitted for costumes, pizza and lots of laughs.
     Our morning consisted mostly of dancing and we ran the actual show a couple times. At around one we took a pizza break and when looking for a place to sit and eat in the lobby I saw my friend Adri siting in silence with our stage manager, Belle. Now, I only knew of Belle because she is so good at what she does and is awfully intimidating when she comes backstage to check on us. It's like some of these kids have no off switch but she comes over and they practically shut down. So I figured that she and Adri (who is a wild loose cannon and doesn't care what anyone thinks) might make lunch....entertaining.
     So as I sat down I noticed that there was absolutely no conversation. I looked at Adri, who I have known for a while and she said nothing. I looked at Belle but the silence didn't seem to bother her. So it was all up to little ol' me to strike up conversation.
     "What's it like being a stage manager, Belle?" I asked. Suddenly it was hard to believe that just a few minutes ago this girl was being quiet. Belle told us funny stories about all eleven shows she has teched for. She has the ability to listen in on your mic even when it's "off" ( WE DIDN'T KNOW  THIS!!!) and she has caught people singing, talking to themselves, flushing the toilet and even play "Never Have I Ever". Belle said one guy playing that game had licked the stage floor. Ummm what? This girl who was always serious, reserved, and quiet actually had a great sense of humor.
     Once the conversation came to a lull I could tell Belle had warmed up to us because she asked us "Are you guys excited for Tech Week?". For all you non thespians; Tech Week is the week before a show opens and it is when you either really shine or seriously fail. It's when the director is at his wits end and if you piss him off he will kick you out and recast in a second. Adri and I were both very excited and nervous, so we asked Belle what she thought.
     This is when I really got surprised. Belle said "Yeah I can't wait to yell at the actors." We both looked at her as if she had just said she lived on the moon and her hair was purple. Belle explained that Tech Week is when her stage manager abilities really kick in. The director cannot be backstage taking care of drama between actors, missing props, or anything that doesn't directly affect the show. That's Belle's job. So she asked us if any conflict between actors was going on. Of course Adri and I both just shook our heads.
     After lunch, costume fittings and some more run throughs, I was backstage waiting for my cue with Rebecca. That day people were working in the shop on set pieces for Flat Stanley. Rebecca and I both spotted this cute guy working on a set piece. As we were being fangirls our friend Brant came and asked what was up. We pointed out the boy and Brant said "You know he's probably here doing community service, right? Because he committed a crime..." Of course we ignored him.
     We went to go talk to to Shop-Guy, got his real name (that I won't put on here) and asked him if he was going to tech for Flat Stanley. His exact response was:
     "Actually I'm just here for community service."
     Rebecca and I froze.
     "Well, what happened?" I asked after a beat.
     "Oh you know. One thing lead to another..."
     After that incredibly vague response, Rebecca and I practically ran screaming back to Brant. Brant said that obviously Shop-Guy was a rapist. Rebecca concluded that maybe, just maybe, she has a thing for bad boys.




Brant and I continued to slap her.
  

One Act Festival 2012 pt. 2

     The morning of the festival our bus got to our school about an hour late. You know what that means? We missed Grant perform. You know what that means? I missed Drake (see earlier post) perform. As soon as I got there however, I found all of my theatre friends from other schools. Over the past few years being involved in theatre competitions, showcases, and festivals will make you quite popular. I got to see a friend I hadn't seen in a long time. Her name is Alyssa and she goes to Cullen. She is incredibly pretty and talented. She absolutely killed it onstage at this festival too. I saw Cris, who goes to Grant but is a good friend of mine from the playhouse. I missed his performance but I bet he killed it too.
    So on the way to the Harbor Playhouse I promised myself that I would do my best to ignore Drake. The last thing I needed was to fall for him again. But that was easier said than done. When I got there he texted me "Where are you?" and of course I spotted him but hid away. I could see him but he couldn't see me. For the first half of the day I went out of my way to stay hidden but he kept looking for me. He sat in the second row and without thinking I crossed the first row to get back to the Baker section. I didn't see him until he jumped over the first row of seats and snatched my arm.
     "Hey, you aren't going to say hi to me?"That was the first time I actually had a good look at him. I immediately remembered why I fell for him in the first place. Wow, he was extraordinary. He wasn't a cookie-cutter, good looking boy. He had imperfections; some of my friends didn't think he is good looking at all. But to me those imperfections make him irresistible. He is just so adorable.
     "Are you not going to hug me either?" he asked with his arms open. Of course my earlier promise evaporated into thin air and I hugged him. Damn, he even smelled good. After a little small talk he came to meet the rest of my cast. Some of them had already met him but some had only heard of him and his reputation.
     "This is the guy we have to kill?" muttered one of the younger kids.
     True, it was really hard having to say goodbye to Drake but I knew I had to. I can't be his friend, it's just not possible for me. So he went to go sit with the rest of the cudas and they swarmed him; asking who I was. I wonder what he told them? The truth or "just a friend"?
    The schools are supposed to stay in the auditorium and watch the other schools perform but Baker is a special school. We are more awesome than them. We (our teacher included) went to the watergardens and just had a party. We ran around, took pictures and played in the water. Holden, he plays Neptune in our play, decided to Tebow for a picture in the middle of the water but soon faceplanted. So the guy that plays the god of the sea had to walk around dripping wet. Fail!
     Once we actually went back to the playhouse Cris and Alyssa ended up ditching their schools and hanging out with me and the rest of my Baker cast. That says something about us and how well we get along. Each one act cast is a new and very different generation of talented kids. Last year we made lasting friendships and this year I believe we have too. All we could hope to do is pass on our theatre spirit, Red Tide. Red Tide has a mascot unlike any other. Our mascot is a rubber fish named Aids Diabetes Hopkins. We take it everywhere with us because it is our good luck charm. It's a good luck charm because it can calm anyone down right before a performance. How does it calm you down? Well, when you hold it; you have Aids. Hehe.
     So after the festival a couple of friends (I won't name names) told me just to take Aids with me for good. I just couldn't though. I know next year when those kids are competing they are going to need Aids and Aids needs to be there for them. I know for a fact now that the next generation will carry on Red Tide.

One Act Festival 2012 pt.1

Sunny, Doug and I backstage about to perform at the One Act Festival 2011

Last year my favorite memories from school came from the annual one act festival. The picture to the left is from that day. It was my first time ever performing on the main stage of my local theater. It was a huge deal for me. It doesn't sound like much, but trust me it was. So the cast was about ten people and 2 of which were from lower grades and I was one of them. Our one act was The Butler Did It (a suspense/comedy about a murder on an isolated island). So in it I was one of the main characters and at the end was revealed to be the murderer. It was an awesome introduction into (what I thought was) "big" theatre. I made friends with all of those older students and as I type this I am backstage at rehearsal watching one of those older kids perform. His name is Brant and we are still friends to this day. Heck, this is our third show together!
At the festival all the schools in the district go and perform. It's called a festival because it's "not a competition" but there are always winners and losers. Our performance went without a hitch and was a major confidence boost.
Last fall was the annual speech tournament and my school always does well. What we didn't expect was the Grant Barracudas. The cudas are known for their sports. They dominate and everyone knows it, no one cares, but everyone knows. When they beat us at the speech tournament we took extra offense because they are our rival school. Adding insult to injury there was a boy involved (but that's a later post).
So this year we needed our one act to cream theirs like it did last year. This year we are doing Gallathea and it's a hot mess. Our leads just got replaced, some people barely know their lines, our costumes are basically just bed sheets with safety pins, it's just a train wreck. Don't get me wrong, our talent is great. It's just that we have all sort of just given up on the whole show. It's kinda sad actually.
Our festival is in two days. We aren't ready. I have to see the boy again. I have to try and give it my all.
The festival was so much fun last year so it should be fun this year. Right?......

Creeper Pictures

The best thing about my iPhone 4S is not any of it's fancy features. It's the great camera it has. I am always snapping pictures and putting them on Instagram. At first most of the pictures I took were of still life. Now my stream is filled with people. I take pictures of people when they aren't looking; these pictures are called "creeper pictures". I take these pictures when I think someone is feeling a strong emotion. The picture attached to this post is of my friend, Eli. Eli is our pianist for our play at the Harbor Playhouse. When I took this picture, the altos were all gathered around him and he was teaching us our harmonies. I could tell he enjoyed this very much. Eli is really talented and he really got into the part he was playing. So when our director asked us to record Eli playing I couldn't help but snap a picture. He doesn't know I took it, but it's a good picture of him.
 This is why I like creeper pictures. They show what the world misses. Here lately I've been taking a lot of these pictures. I've had my phone out everywhere and now have pictures of friends, strangers, even a substitute teacher. It's really addicting to see what you can find if you look really closely. You have to ignore the person who is the center of attention. We all see that guy. We're all tired of that guy too. Find the person who is often ignored, or thinks they aren't being watched and watch them. Try to figure out what they are thinking. Are they thoughtful? Are they shallow? Are they graceful? Are they clumsy? Are they who you thought they were?

This Whole Writing Stuff...

Hi world. I'm Mireya. I have always been a writer. People just don't know that I write. I write about friends, family, me, whatever comes to mind. I have a big stack of notebooks that eyes besides mine have never seen. They are partial journals, diaries, thought processes and worksof fiction. I've told only my closest friends about these notebooks. I come across as a very normal girl at school. I'm fairly popular, not necessarily ugly or pretty, I make straight A's and am always involved in whatever our theatre department is doing. If you ask someone what my most unique characteristic I posses, they would probably say my confidence. I credit my time spent onstage. I really don't care what people really think about me. I'm not afraid of boys. I can go up and give a speech in front of all America in my pajamas. This is because I know myself very well. Most teens can't say that but I can. I know myself because I write down what I think. It makes everything so clear to have it down in balck and white. So one of my closest friends has read some of my work and liked it very much. I decided to make a blogger so that someone (anyone) can read what I write and maybe be entertained, provoked, or even inspired. Just a thought. I haven't told anyone about this. I plan on keeping it a secret but if someone I know finds it, I won't be mad. So here's to hoping this isn't an absolutely terrible idea.