Hello to all!!! My goodness, it's been AGES since I last posted something to this blog! I could come up with a wide range of excuses (ie: my recent foray into intense political activism, hectic work schedule, etc.), but most of it comes down to good old-fashioned laziness. Laziness and an admitted lack of free time.
I've been inspired to break my silence by the overall sense of irritation I felt earlier this evening as regards a certain television program. I, like the vast majority of the television-viewing audience, was at one point a regular viewer of the Fox program "American Idol." Admittedly, I haven't followed the show since Season 3 when a pre-fame Jennifer Hudson was eliminated in a complete sham of a vote. It just hasn't held any appeal for me since that day.
That being said, I still admit to occasionally dreaming of trying out for the show; I don't think there's a spotlight-loving Theater Dork who doesn't. Although AI has never come close enough to Wichita for me to find it worthwhile to audition (Kansas City being the closest), I was fortunate enough to get a chance to live out the AI dreams of my high school self during a visit to Walt Disney World this past September.
In the Hollywood Studios park, there is a recently added attraction called "American Idol Experience." The name is painfully self-explanatory, so I won't elaborate. Needless to say, you can find out more information on the "ride" by visiting the official website. You might want to turn down the speakers on your computer before clicking; that AI theme music is fairly obnoxious.
So without further ado, here is the tale of my brush with glory, my Moment Like This, if you will.
We arrived at Hollywood Studios fairly early in the morning and, of course, the first thing I wanted to do was audition for AI. My mother, being the lovely and gracious woman that she is, went along with it. I arrived at the building which houses the "ride" and was presented with a number and a button which indicated my status as an auditioner (I was also told that I would be allowed to keep both as souvenirs). I entered a small room which housed a man behind a desk. I was then asked to sing a short a Capella selection. Being the Broadway Baby that I am, I belted out (in full Diva!Liza fashion) the bridge of "Maybe This Time." After being asked if I was professional (I'm not) and whether I was actually 18 (sadly, this wasn't the last time I was asked that during the day...must have been because my mom was with me), I was provided with a song list and told to do one of the songs from the list a Capella. I chose "Reflection" from Mulan (as recorded by Christina Aguilera). Apparently this was the right choice, because after some very kind words from the auditioner, I was told that I had made it to the next round of auditions.
I was then sent back into the waiting area and provided with a song list and an iPod, which was loaded with karaoke tracks from the list. I was told to pick out 2 songs (with the caveat that I couldn't pick the songs on the monitor of the room, which were already being used) and told to let them know when I was ready. As I settled in with the iPod, I was soon approached by a lady who would reveal herself to be a total nutjob over the course of the day. She asked if I minded if she sang (I didn't) and told me how this was her 5th time auditioning for AI Experience. She had made it to the Preliminary Show each time, but was still trying to make it to the Final Show. She then proceeded to belt out her selection at the top of her lungs, which caused a fair bit of consternation for my mother.
Finally, I picked my songs ("Reflection" again and "Ever Ever After" from Enchanted) and was told to enter the next audition room. I sang my songs and again, received from very kind words from the man running the room. I was then told to watch the monitor. At this point, a pre-recorded video of Ryan Seacrest came on. I was not, Pre-crest told me, going to Hollywood...but I was going to the Preliminary Show! I was given an official waiver to sign and was then escorted back into the waiting area to rounds of applause and cheering (much like you see on TV). At this point I was given a lanyard which proclaimed "Vote For Me!" in bright neon letters and was encouraged to wear it around the park that day. I was then instructed that I would be performing in the 11:00 show and that I needed to be at the stage door in 15 minutes. Seeing as the audition building was right next to the stage door, we just went on over ;)
The Preliminary Show. There were three of us who made it to this round of the competition--myself, a teenage girl, and a guy in his early-to-mid 30s. Each of us was given time with a vocal coach and a consultation with a hair/make-up artist. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it was pretty freaking sweet. At this point, we were given a tour of the stage and underwent a walk-thru of the show.
Did I mention that the stage was a TO SCALE EXACT REPLICA of the actual AI stage?? Lights, chairs, music, and all. It was really freaking sweet and DEFINITELY surreal. Each of us were given a chance to practice our song and then we were taken backstage while the audience filed in.
Showtime was pretty much a 30 minute version of what you see on TV. We had a Fake!Ryan host and fake judges who all responded to their basic prototypes--Simon, Randy, and Paula. When my turn came up, I was fighting some pretty serious butterflies but I felt that I did a good job. The concrit from the judges was extremely sweet and generally complementary, with the expected caveat that my style is "too Broadway" and not pop enough for AI. Since I've always joked around that they would tell me that if I auditioned for AI, I was hardly surprised.
The moment of truth. The teenager was OK (she sang some Taylor Swift song) and the guy was really good (he sang "What a Wonderful World"), so I really wasn't sure what would happen. The audience were given a chance to vote and we were shuffled onto the stage so Fake!Ryan could read the results. Would you believe that I won??? It was a crazy feeling--I could have floated on air. I was given a special pass and told to come back to the studio later that evening so that I could perform in the final show with the winners from all the other prelims during the day.
As a result of doing so well at AI Experience, my mom and I missed our lunch reservations. However, after explaining the situation to the folks at the restaurant, they were more than happy to accommodate us and get us in. After lunch, we explored the park before returning to our hotel room so that I could shower/change and get in a very brief nap. After that...it was back to Hollywood Studios and my date with American Idol destiny.
The Finale Show was pretty much an expanded version of the Preliminary Show. There were 5 of us competing (there were 6 prelims but the family of one of the finalists didn't want to wait around for the Final Show). Once again, we all got time with a vocal coach as well as hair and make-up. The other competitors were lots of fun and really helped break the tension. One girl in particular had us all in stitches with her impression of Stewart's Mom from MadTV.
My performance in the Finale was even better than the first time around. I got some AMAZING feedback from the judges. Randy told me that he was really proud because I actually took the criticism from before about being "too Broadway" and altered my sound to be more pop. He was really impressed with me for that and said it's not at all an easy thing to do (which it isn't; it makes everything feel more technical than organic which I HATE). Paula told me that my voice was like baby angels and that I was cute and bubbly like a cappuccino. I guess she was imitating the real Paula's drug use as well. Simon told me that I should go ahead and leave to pick my aunt up from the airport now because I wasn't going to win. The audience booed, but I really didn't care. When you're in the situation, you become hyper aware that the negative critiques Simon gives are just an act--a part of the show--and it keeps them from being hurtful.
After hearing the other competitors, I knew I didn't have a shot in hell. There were some AMAZING singers and I was just happy that my feedback from the judges was so positive. Imagine my shock when I came in THIRD!!! I couldn't have been happier, and being able to see the pride on my mom's face in the audience made it all worthwhile. Plus she had been texting my dad and my aunts all day, so I felt their pride as well.
I suppose I forgot to mention the scope of the Finale Show. While the Preliminary Show I did earlier probably had 200-300 people in the audience, the Finale had 700 or so. Plus the fact that it was being broadcast on the jumbotron in front of the studios so that people all over the park could watch. I didn't really realize the scope of that until my mom and I were leaving and walking out to the parking lot. I kept having people calling out to me, telling me that I was their favorite and that they had voted for me. It's really easy to see how fame can go to somebody's heads--it was this crazy intense thrill. I especially loved seeing little kids point at me and whisper to their parents.
One final story about my supposed "fame." As we were riding the tram out to the parking lot, I noticed a Hispanic family next to us pointing and whispering. After hearing one of them say "Congratulations," I made the mistake of turning around and saying, "Gracias." They took this to mean that I speak Spanish and then began talking veeeeeeeeery quickly en espanol. I apologized in my horrifying Spanglish and they realized their mistake.
So there you have it; my brush with fame. Even if I never do anything more than that, I'll always have the memory of a super fun day spent with my mom and living out my childhood fantasies of being a pop star.
PS--I forgot to mention this before, but the nutjob lady from earlier in the day didn't make it to the Finale. I won't pretend that I wasn't filled with a deep sense of schadenfreude ;)
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, June 8, 2009
2009 Tony Award Ballot Results/General Musings
And so another Tony Awards ceremony has come and gone. Although it was not the most exciting show of all time (there were no truly MAJOR upsets), it was still genuinely entertaining. Neil Patrick Harris has cemented his place as one of my favorite people thanks to his fantastic ending song and overall air of snarky adorableness. The musical performances were very hit and miss--loved the numbers from Hair, Billy Elliot, and Next to normal--but I continue to be astounded by the shear commercialism of the Tony Awards. I know that CBS needs ratings, but did we really need yet ANOTHER performance from Mamma Mia! or Jersey Boys? This marks the 3rd ceremony that each show has presented a number...whatever happened to just showing performances from the shows up for Best Musical and Best Revival?
The real head-scratcher was the inclusion of Legally Blonde. Despite the best efforts of MTV and thousands of teenage girls, the show was a flop. It did not make back its investment and only lasted a year and a half on Broadway. While I applaud the idea of showing touring companies on the Tonys, it seems like this was a missed opportunity all around. The fact they were rushing Alice Ripley off the stage so they could show us 5 Frankie Valli's singing the same. damn. song. AGAIN was ridiculous. I miss the years when they would do scenes from the nominated plays; surely that would be a better way of filling the air time? 8 years later I still get chills thinking of Gary Sinese's performance from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the real highlight of the evening...Brett Michaels vs. the Set. Maybe it's my healthy sense of schadenfreude, but there is something deeply hilarious about watching a washed-up reality TV star walk face first into a flat while Stockard Channing is singing "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" in a stunning evening gown. While I missed his faux-pas on my first viewing, the wonders of DVR ensured that my friend and I were able to rewind and watch his wipe out ad-nauseum. I'm glad to hear that apparently he was not seriously injured...I just can't help but wonder if this is the Universe's way of getting back at him for Rock of Love Bus.
Before I go any farther, let's take a look at my final tally on my pre-awards ballot. As always, it was the technical awards that messed me up. In the end, I went 23/27; the only categories I missed were Direction of a Play, Costume Design of a Play, Scenic Design of a Play, and Lighting Design of a Play. Technically I didn't guess that there would be a tie for Best Orchestrations, but I did list "Next to Normal" which ended up sharing the award with "Billy Elliot."
Aside from the fact that my parent's house got struck by lightening while my friend and I were re-watching the musical performances on DVR, it was a pretty uneventful evening. Congratulations to all the winners/nominees from last night! On behalf of the kids living in Kansas who use the Tony Awards as a way to dream of the lights of New York, thank you for sharing your craft with us for another year. I can't wait to see what the 2009-2010 season holds in store!
~Katie Doornbos
The real head-scratcher was the inclusion of Legally Blonde. Despite the best efforts of MTV and thousands of teenage girls, the show was a flop. It did not make back its investment and only lasted a year and a half on Broadway. While I applaud the idea of showing touring companies on the Tonys, it seems like this was a missed opportunity all around. The fact they were rushing Alice Ripley off the stage so they could show us 5 Frankie Valli's singing the same. damn. song. AGAIN was ridiculous. I miss the years when they would do scenes from the nominated plays; surely that would be a better way of filling the air time? 8 years later I still get chills thinking of Gary Sinese's performance from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the real highlight of the evening...Brett Michaels vs. the Set. Maybe it's my healthy sense of schadenfreude, but there is something deeply hilarious about watching a washed-up reality TV star walk face first into a flat while Stockard Channing is singing "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" in a stunning evening gown. While I missed his faux-pas on my first viewing, the wonders of DVR ensured that my friend and I were able to rewind and watch his wipe out ad-nauseum. I'm glad to hear that apparently he was not seriously injured...I just can't help but wonder if this is the Universe's way of getting back at him for Rock of Love Bus.
Before I go any farther, let's take a look at my final tally on my pre-awards ballot. As always, it was the technical awards that messed me up. In the end, I went 23/27; the only categories I missed were Direction of a Play, Costume Design of a Play, Scenic Design of a Play, and Lighting Design of a Play. Technically I didn't guess that there would be a tie for Best Orchestrations, but I did list "Next to Normal" which ended up sharing the award with "Billy Elliot."
Aside from the fact that my parent's house got struck by lightening while my friend and I were re-watching the musical performances on DVR, it was a pretty uneventful evening. Congratulations to all the winners/nominees from last night! On behalf of the kids living in Kansas who use the Tony Awards as a way to dream of the lights of New York, thank you for sharing your craft with us for another year. I can't wait to see what the 2009-2010 season holds in store!
~Katie Doornbos
Thursday, May 28, 2009
NYC Trip, Tonys, and Summer Plans
Well, well, well...long time no write! As you could probably guess, the end of the semester/beginning of the summer semester is a very busy time when one works in a Financial Aid office. Add in my star turn as Nancy in "Oliver!" *cue shameless plug* and you can probably understand why I haven't had much time to write. Oh, did I mention that I just got back from my first trip to New York City in 6 years? Because I did. And yes, darlings, it was simply fabulous.
Obviously, I spent my 4 days in the Big Apple wisely and took full advantage of the Great White Way. I saw five spectacular shows and will be posting my reviews as soon as I have the opportunity. I hope to write at least 2 reviews this weekend; we'll see how ambitious I get. I may even get in all five! Not to mention that I still have my notes from the production of "The Tempest" that I saw at Wichita Center for the Arts last month. Long story short, this blog will stop being a holding place and start becoming quite prolific in the upcoming weeks and months. In addition to the 6 shows I have already seen, there is also the entire 5 show season for Music Theatre of Wichita beginning next month as well as the production of "You Can't Take It With You" being co-directed by my best friend at Wichita Community Theatre in July.
Enough of the previews; anyone who knows me will probably know exactly what takes place next Sunday. It is the glorious evening known as the Tony Awards and I fully intend to be glued to my television. Well, probably not my television. Seeing as my parents have a wide screen high-definition television with surround sound and a kegarator, it's a good bet that I will commandeer their basement for the evening festivities. And who would blame me?
I have many fond memories of the Tony Awards through the years; how else is a girl growing up in Kansas going to see performances from her favorite shows? There was the year that I threw my hairbrush at the television and stormed down the hall after "Ragtime" lost the Best Musical award to "The Lion King." The year that The Producers won every Tony Award under the sun. The year that I spent the ceremony in a chat room commiserating when "Sweeney Todd" lost Best Revival to "The Pajama Game." And then last year when I was moved to tears by the ferocity of Patti LuPone...yes, many memories indeed.
With Neil Patrick Harris acting as host, this year promises to be a good time if nothing else. Plus there is the added benefit that I have actually seen 5 of the nominated shows this year with their original Tony-nominated casts. If that doesn't engender at least some level of excitement, I don't know what does. Being an award show junkie, I would be remiss if I didn't already have my ballot filled out and ready to gloat over. I am coming off a very successful year with my Oscar ballot (I won 4 movie passes, a $100 gift card to Target, and a subscription to Marie Claire from the Wichita Eagle for getting 11 out of 12 categories right) and I have a reputation to uphold.
So here, for all the interweb to behold, are Katie's Official Tony Award Predictions. For each category I have listed who I want to see win and who I feel will win. All things are subjective...I will check back in Sunday night and we will see how my winning streak is holding up.
Best Play
Will Win: God of Carnage
Should Win: reasons to be pretty
Best Musical
Will and Should Win: Billy Elliot
Best Book of a Musical
Will Win: Billy Elliot
Should Win: [title of show]
Best Score
Will and Should Win: Next to Normal
Best Play Revival
Will and Should Win: The Norman Conquests
Best Musical Revival
Will and Should Win: Hair
Best Special Theatrical Event
Will and Should Win: Liza's at The Palace
Best Actor (Play)
Will and Should Win: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
Best Actress (Play)
Will Win: Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Should Win: Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
Best Actor (Musical)
Will and Should Win: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish; Billy Elliot
Best Actress (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Best Featured Actor (Play)
Will Win: Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Should Win: John Glover, Waiting for Godot
Best Featured Actress (Play)
Will Win: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Should Win: Marin Ireland, reasons to be pretty
Best Featured Actor (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot
Best Featured Actress (Musical)
Will Win: Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Should Win: Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Best Scenic Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Best Scenic Design (Musical)
Will Win: Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot
Should Win: Mark Wendland, Next to Normal
Best Costume Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Best Costume Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Tim Hatley, Shrek the Musical
Best Lighting Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: David Hersey, Equus
Best Lighting Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Kevin Adams, Next to Normal
Best Sound Design (Play)
Will Win: Gregory Clarke, Equus
Should Win: Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King
Best Sound Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot
Best Direction (Play)
Will and Should Win: Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests
Best Direction (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot
Best Choreography
Will and Should Win: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot
Best Orchestrations
Will and Should Win: Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
So there you have it! And for anyone wondering how I make my predictions, I can promise you that it is far from scientific. It's a combination of reviews/predictions from The New York Times, BroadwayWorld.com, Entertainment Weekly, talking to friends in the theatre, and a dash of good old fashioned gut instinct and prejudice.
Well darlings, the students are waiting and I must away. Stay glued to your monitors for my forthcoming reviews! First up: "Exit the King."
~Katie
Obviously, I spent my 4 days in the Big Apple wisely and took full advantage of the Great White Way. I saw five spectacular shows and will be posting my reviews as soon as I have the opportunity. I hope to write at least 2 reviews this weekend; we'll see how ambitious I get. I may even get in all five! Not to mention that I still have my notes from the production of "The Tempest" that I saw at Wichita Center for the Arts last month. Long story short, this blog will stop being a holding place and start becoming quite prolific in the upcoming weeks and months. In addition to the 6 shows I have already seen, there is also the entire 5 show season for Music Theatre of Wichita beginning next month as well as the production of "You Can't Take It With You" being co-directed by my best friend at Wichita Community Theatre in July.
Enough of the previews; anyone who knows me will probably know exactly what takes place next Sunday. It is the glorious evening known as the Tony Awards and I fully intend to be glued to my television. Well, probably not my television. Seeing as my parents have a wide screen high-definition television with surround sound and a kegarator, it's a good bet that I will commandeer their basement for the evening festivities. And who would blame me?
I have many fond memories of the Tony Awards through the years; how else is a girl growing up in Kansas going to see performances from her favorite shows? There was the year that I threw my hairbrush at the television and stormed down the hall after "Ragtime" lost the Best Musical award to "The Lion King." The year that The Producers won every Tony Award under the sun. The year that I spent the ceremony in a chat room commiserating when "Sweeney Todd" lost Best Revival to "The Pajama Game." And then last year when I was moved to tears by the ferocity of Patti LuPone...yes, many memories indeed.
With Neil Patrick Harris acting as host, this year promises to be a good time if nothing else. Plus there is the added benefit that I have actually seen 5 of the nominated shows this year with their original Tony-nominated casts. If that doesn't engender at least some level of excitement, I don't know what does. Being an award show junkie, I would be remiss if I didn't already have my ballot filled out and ready to gloat over. I am coming off a very successful year with my Oscar ballot (I won 4 movie passes, a $100 gift card to Target, and a subscription to Marie Claire from the Wichita Eagle for getting 11 out of 12 categories right) and I have a reputation to uphold.
So here, for all the interweb to behold, are Katie's Official Tony Award Predictions. For each category I have listed who I want to see win and who I feel will win. All things are subjective...I will check back in Sunday night and we will see how my winning streak is holding up.
Best Play
Will Win: God of Carnage
Should Win: reasons to be pretty
Best Musical
Will and Should Win: Billy Elliot
Best Book of a Musical
Will Win: Billy Elliot
Should Win: [title of show]
Best Score
Will and Should Win: Next to Normal
Best Play Revival
Will and Should Win: The Norman Conquests
Best Musical Revival
Will and Should Win: Hair
Best Special Theatrical Event
Will and Should Win: Liza's at The Palace
Best Actor (Play)
Will and Should Win: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
Best Actress (Play)
Will Win: Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Should Win: Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
Best Actor (Musical)
Will and Should Win: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish; Billy Elliot
Best Actress (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Best Featured Actor (Play)
Will Win: Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Should Win: John Glover, Waiting for Godot
Best Featured Actress (Play)
Will Win: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Should Win: Marin Ireland, reasons to be pretty
Best Featured Actor (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot
Best Featured Actress (Musical)
Will Win: Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Should Win: Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Best Scenic Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Best Scenic Design (Musical)
Will Win: Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot
Should Win: Mark Wendland, Next to Normal
Best Costume Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Best Costume Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Tim Hatley, Shrek the Musical
Best Lighting Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: David Hersey, Equus
Best Lighting Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Kevin Adams, Next to Normal
Best Sound Design (Play)
Will Win: Gregory Clarke, Equus
Should Win: Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King
Best Sound Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot
Best Direction (Play)
Will and Should Win: Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests
Best Direction (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot
Best Choreography
Will and Should Win: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot
Best Orchestrations
Will and Should Win: Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
So there you have it! And for anyone wondering how I make my predictions, I can promise you that it is far from scientific. It's a combination of reviews/predictions from The New York Times, BroadwayWorld.com, Entertainment Weekly, talking to friends in the theatre, and a dash of good old fashioned gut instinct and prejudice.
Well darlings, the students are waiting and I must away. Stay glued to your monitors for my forthcoming reviews! First up: "Exit the King."
~Katie
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Slightly Non-Sequitorial Update
Well, things are a little bit crazy right now. Work is really picking up and on top of that we start tech week for "Oliver!" on Monday. Suffice it to say, I have had little free-time for writing reviews. I hope to get something done this weekend as I will be seeing "The Tempest" at Wichita Center for the Arts on Sunday.
Since I feel bad for letting this blog fester away until my schedule clears up long enough for me to actually fulfill its purpose, I thought I would post one of my recent assignments from my Writing for Mass Audiences class. We had to interview a fellow classmate and then write a feature news piece on them for a print publication. I ended up with a 100% on my article and I'm very pleased with how it came out.
~Katie Doornbos
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Imagine a beautiful beachside sunset, the waning rays of light sparkling on the surface of the ocean. A woman is sitting on the porch of an ocean-adjacent home, typing furiously on her laptop.
While the setting may be a fantasy, the woman is Jennifer Grant, and she loves to write. She is majoring in strategic communications, but Grant has been writing for years.
"As a kid, I would put together mini-stories and give them to friends and family as gifts," Grant said.
Grant often turned to reading and writing to escape difficult situations at home. Grant's mother was married twice and struggled financially. Although times were tough, Grant was able to find solace in simple pleasures.
"My grandma would give me books to read and I would read them by candlelight," she said. "It was a way of coping with all the bad things that were going on at the time."
Although writing is important to her, Grant's desire for a family inspired her current goal of working in either human resources or public relations. She says that her own childhood has made her family oriented.
"I can manage, market, write, or do all of it within the confines of a 9 to 5 job," said Grant. "I want to have children and focus on being a great mom, which is something I didn't really have growing up."
Although Grant may never have her beach-side house and idyllic fantasy lifestyle, she remains proud of what she has achieved and hopes she can inspire others to do the same.
"Here I am. I worked my way through school, I'm the first person in my family to go to college, and I own a home and live a pretty good life. Anyone can do that, anyone can overcome anything."
Since I feel bad for letting this blog fester away until my schedule clears up long enough for me to actually fulfill its purpose, I thought I would post one of my recent assignments from my Writing for Mass Audiences class. We had to interview a fellow classmate and then write a feature news piece on them for a print publication. I ended up with a 100% on my article and I'm very pleased with how it came out.
~Katie Doornbos
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Imagine a beautiful beachside sunset, the waning rays of light sparkling on the surface of the ocean. A woman is sitting on the porch of an ocean-adjacent home, typing furiously on her laptop.
While the setting may be a fantasy, the woman is Jennifer Grant, and she loves to write. She is majoring in strategic communications, but Grant has been writing for years.
"As a kid, I would put together mini-stories and give them to friends and family as gifts," Grant said.
Grant often turned to reading and writing to escape difficult situations at home. Grant's mother was married twice and struggled financially. Although times were tough, Grant was able to find solace in simple pleasures.
"My grandma would give me books to read and I would read them by candlelight," she said. "It was a way of coping with all the bad things that were going on at the time."
Although writing is important to her, Grant's desire for a family inspired her current goal of working in either human resources or public relations. She says that her own childhood has made her family oriented.
"I can manage, market, write, or do all of it within the confines of a 9 to 5 job," said Grant. "I want to have children and focus on being a great mom, which is something I didn't really have growing up."
Although Grant may never have her beach-side house and idyllic fantasy lifestyle, she remains proud of what she has achieved and hopes she can inspire others to do the same.
"Here I am. I worked my way through school, I'm the first person in my family to go to college, and I own a home and live a pretty good life. Anyone can do that, anyone can overcome anything."
Monday, April 6, 2009
Katie's Theatre Resume
As promised (semi-egotistically) in the note before, here is a brief rundown of my current list of theatre credits. No, it is not my actual resume; that's saved somewhere on my home computer. I just thought it might be helpful to list my prior experience as a way of showing my qualifications in this subject area. Although, to be honest, much of my Insane Fount of Broadway Trivia comes from other means. They didn't used to call me Miss Broadway.com for nothing ;)
Notable Roles
Notable Roles
- Nancy, "Oliver!" (Encompass, 2009)
- Ghost of Christmas Past, "Scrooge!" (Encompass, 2008)
- Mollie Ralston, "The Mousetrap" (Encompass, 2008)
- Little Red Ridinghood, "Into the Woods" (Friends University, 2008)
- Mrs. Stephenson, "Sorry, Wrong Number" (Friends University, 2007)
- Lucy Van Pelt, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" (Wichita Children's Theatre and Dance Center, 2006)
- Lowbutt, "Honk!" (Friends University, 2006)
- Jane Cratchitt/Young Belle, "A Marley County Christmas" (Stage One, 2005)
- Lenya Zubritsky, "Fools" (Friends University, 2005)
- Robin, "Godspell" (Wichita Children's Theatre and Dance Center, 2005)
- Featured Soloist ("Storybook"), MTW Teen Choir (Music Theatre of Wichita, 2003)
- Featured Soloist ("On My Own"), Words and Music: 2003 Tony Awards (Stage One, 2003)
- Whore 1, "Les Miserables" (Music Theatre for Young People, 2003)
- Bickle, "Footloose" (East High School, 2002)
I have done additional shows at Music Theatre of Wichita, Stage One, Music Theatre for Young People, and while in school at both Friends University and East High. I've also been in choirs since I was "knee-high to a pig's eye." Notable choral groups include Singing Quaker Alumni Choir, Singing Quakers, 2003 KMEA State Honor Choir, District 6 Honor Choir (2001-2003), All City Honor Choir (2002), and Wichita Children's Community Choir.
So there you have it...not the most impressive resume in the world, but it at least shows that I have at least a little bit of first-hand knowledge about how the theatre scene in Wichita works.
~Katie Doornbos
Welcome to My Blog
Well, it's been months of throwing out hypothetical ideas combined with weeks of whining to my friends and digging through my brain to come up with a suitable title, but I'm finally here! Finally in my own little corner of the blogosphere, ready to dazzle the masses with my sparkling wit and thoughtfully obsessive analysis. Or something like that.
Honestly though, I couldn't be more thrilled. Since everyone and their dog (and/or cat) has a blog these days, I thought I would take this opportunity to explain just why I started mine and what I hope to achieve through it. And maybe to offer up a little bit of insight into the crazy girl whose posts you will soon (hopefully) be turning to for information.
As most of you (being my friends and/or family) probably already know, my name is Katie Doornbos and I am a complete theatre nut. An amazing accomplishment being located in Wichita, KS and approximately24 hours away from Broadway (as the car via Google Maps drives). I graduated this past May from Friends University with a Bachelor of Arts in English/Drama (English Emphasis) and am currently working as a Senior Administrative Assistant in the Financial Aid Office at Wichita State University. My goal is to (hopefully) apply to the Master of Arts in Theatre Studies program at KU within the next few years (once the economy dies down, of course). Why KU? Because aside from being a Jayhawk fan (RockChalk!), they also provide a Masters program that offers emphasis in criticism instead of just performance/stage work. And that is the ultimate point of this blog: I, Kathryn Elizabeth Doornbos, want to be a theatre critic.
Hence, the blog. Living in Wichita, I obviously have limited opportunities for career advancement in this field (especially given the recent economic impact on newspapers). So what better way to get practice and get my name out there than by starting my very own blog? I plan to use this site as a forum to express my ideas/feelings about theatre in general as well as to post reviews of local productions that I see. In writing, the best way to find your voice is to practice and this blog is a perfect opportunity to do just that.
Being a performer myself (and yes, I do plan to post my theatre resume shortly), I understand the politics that go on backstage and also how hurtful a mean spirited review can be. Negative reviews can also be hurtful, but I personally believe that artistic integrity is the name of the game. In the interest of not stepping on toes, I will only be posting reviews for professional or semi-professional productions in the area. Although I do see a number of shows at Friends University, Wichita State, and area high schools, it is unfair to post reviews of these shows for a number of reasons. For one, these are students who are just learning how to explore their craft. On a more personal level, I tend to have a large number of friends in these productions and I would really like to avoid the drama that would be caused if I were to write a negative review.
I promise that my actual reviews will be far less verbose than this initial post, but they will hopefully be every bit as reasoned and articulated. PLEASE feel free to leave comments for me critiquing my...critiques. The whole reason behind my drive to be a critic is my firm belief that it is only by exploring our mistakes and making the necessary corrections that we can grow, both as performers and people. Being new at this, I know that a number of mistakes on my part will be inevitable.
One last thing--you're probably wondering about the name of the blog. "I Am Not Dorothy" was an idea submitted to me by my friend Clay. Although he originally read the quote in an article "slamming a show by Dorothy Parker," he pointed out (and I agree) that it is also a great way to address the stereotypes inherent in being a woman from Kansas. As any of my fellow Kansas will know, it is BEYOND irritating to have people ask you about Toto any time you are own vacation. So the title is my tongue-in-cheek way of pointing out that not all Kansas worship the Wizard of Oz while also having "the great benefit of actually being an insiderish theatre thing." All quotes are attributable to Clay, btw.
So there you have it folks. The blog is up and running, I will hopefully start cranking out some reviews shortly, and I am thrilled to be dipping my toes into the waters of my future. I leave you with the words of the incomparable Stephen Sondheim:
Here she is boys! Here she is world! Here's Katie!
Or something like that.
~Katie Doornbos
Honestly though, I couldn't be more thrilled. Since everyone and their dog (and/or cat) has a blog these days, I thought I would take this opportunity to explain just why I started mine and what I hope to achieve through it. And maybe to offer up a little bit of insight into the crazy girl whose posts you will soon (hopefully) be turning to for information.
As most of you (being my friends and/or family) probably already know, my name is Katie Doornbos and I am a complete theatre nut. An amazing accomplishment being located in Wichita, KS and approximately24 hours away from Broadway (as the car via Google Maps drives). I graduated this past May from Friends University with a Bachelor of Arts in English/Drama (English Emphasis) and am currently working as a Senior Administrative Assistant in the Financial Aid Office at Wichita State University. My goal is to (hopefully) apply to the Master of Arts in Theatre Studies program at KU within the next few years (once the economy dies down, of course). Why KU? Because aside from being a Jayhawk fan (RockChalk!), they also provide a Masters program that offers emphasis in criticism instead of just performance/stage work. And that is the ultimate point of this blog: I, Kathryn Elizabeth Doornbos, want to be a theatre critic.
Hence, the blog. Living in Wichita, I obviously have limited opportunities for career advancement in this field (especially given the recent economic impact on newspapers). So what better way to get practice and get my name out there than by starting my very own blog? I plan to use this site as a forum to express my ideas/feelings about theatre in general as well as to post reviews of local productions that I see. In writing, the best way to find your voice is to practice and this blog is a perfect opportunity to do just that.
Being a performer myself (and yes, I do plan to post my theatre resume shortly), I understand the politics that go on backstage and also how hurtful a mean spirited review can be. Negative reviews can also be hurtful, but I personally believe that artistic integrity is the name of the game. In the interest of not stepping on toes, I will only be posting reviews for professional or semi-professional productions in the area. Although I do see a number of shows at Friends University, Wichita State, and area high schools, it is unfair to post reviews of these shows for a number of reasons. For one, these are students who are just learning how to explore their craft. On a more personal level, I tend to have a large number of friends in these productions and I would really like to avoid the drama that would be caused if I were to write a negative review.
I promise that my actual reviews will be far less verbose than this initial post, but they will hopefully be every bit as reasoned and articulated. PLEASE feel free to leave comments for me critiquing my...critiques. The whole reason behind my drive to be a critic is my firm belief that it is only by exploring our mistakes and making the necessary corrections that we can grow, both as performers and people. Being new at this, I know that a number of mistakes on my part will be inevitable.
One last thing--you're probably wondering about the name of the blog. "I Am Not Dorothy" was an idea submitted to me by my friend Clay. Although he originally read the quote in an article "slamming a show by Dorothy Parker," he pointed out (and I agree) that it is also a great way to address the stereotypes inherent in being a woman from Kansas. As any of my fellow Kansas will know, it is BEYOND irritating to have people ask you about Toto any time you are own vacation. So the title is my tongue-in-cheek way of pointing out that not all Kansas worship the Wizard of Oz while also having "the great benefit of actually being an insiderish theatre thing." All quotes are attributable to Clay, btw.
So there you have it folks. The blog is up and running, I will hopefully start cranking out some reviews shortly, and I am thrilled to be dipping my toes into the waters of my future. I leave you with the words of the incomparable Stephen Sondheim:
Here she is boys! Here she is world! Here's Katie!
Or something like that.
~Katie Doornbos
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