You Are Pretty nominated for three Austin Critics Table Awards

These nominations are just perfection:

BEST ENSEMBLE (no doubt!)

LEAD ACTRESS : Lee Eddy (duh)

DIRECTION: Jenny Larson (also for Voices Underwater, also no duh)

Also holding down the sound design nomination for Rainbow Family is Jason Newman. If anyone deserves an award for that show . . . it is without a doubt Newmsie. YAY. I am so excited for everyone!!!

I’m here

Even I am impressed with how well I am transitioning considering all the variable factors of leaving behind so many loved ones, extreme anxiety in regards to my financial situation, et al.

You’ll love to hear that my plane had a “hard and fast landing” because some flap wasn’t flapping. Yeah. For a few minutes there I thought I might actually die. When a pilot says, “Uh . . . I’ve done this . . . before . . .” I start imagining my funeral . . . and I’m not so much worried about losing my life so much as I’m like, “Shit. This would devastate my family and friends . . . all this anticipation for this big trip and then I die before I even get started?” Luckily, the universe didn’t have that planned - - we landed safely, applause all around for the pilot and just as soon as I turned my phone on I had three different text messages from friends checking in to make sure I made it in okay.

Ah friends. What would I do without you? Sigh. Swoon. You welcome me with ice cold Coronas, America’s Next Top Model, a free couch for a month, a night of birthday drinking WITH CAKE AND CHEESE, a part-time job with the most adorable children in all of New York (I’m reconsidering my whole “I’ll never raise children in NY” rant . . . these kids are amazing! So smart and they are exposed to so many different cultures and languages . . . hmmm. Put that one on the biological clock back burner) . . . the list continues on forever.

So no worries about me - - I know that is perhaps the scariest thing about having a friend move away - - you worry they’ll be upset or going through a tough time and you’ll be too far away to do anything more than a few phone calls or emails . . .

Please know I’m doing fine, I’m taken care of and having a great time so far. Don’t believe me? Check my Susan Miller forecast for May:

more miscellany

I keep thinking each blog post is the last for awhile. But then awesome things keep happening that I want to tell you about

* Kazoo. Finally. Kazoo. We shot this in a day all because my wifey Sara was going to be in town, my roommate was learning to play the drums and I had BIG ROCK N ROLL HAIR (rip). This film birthed the band Slutfire, so even though it was my first-ever try at making something on my own . . . you gotta love it for giving the world SLUTFIRE!

* The Mary Trilogy opens May 15th!

It’s a sort of Sarah Lawrence extravaganza all up in this piece(s). Julianne Just who directed the very first full-length play I ever wrote (Jesus Loves Good Christians) is back behind the notebook and click-light pen to direct The Mary Trilogy, a collection of three short plays based on urban legend, Appalachian folk tale, Will Oldham’s music and Greek myth. Liz Fraatz (who played Ms. Harrison in Jesus Loves) will play Mary in Like Meat Love Salt (first time ever that a female actress has played that transgender role!) and Nehemiah Luckett (who also designed sound for Jesus Loves) will be designing sound! Phew.

You should come see this one. I don’t always recommend that you see each and every production I work on but this production marks the first time I wrote music for my own work (I believe my lyrics are still in tact although we do have a composer building songs in between plays and possibly rewriting the music here and there) aaaaannnd it’s the first time I really experimented with different forms of storytelling.

La Madia Cycle was a return to a sort of heightened poetic text that I’d pretty much abandoned since high school’s performance poetry days. It was a good exercise for me to return to that place because some of the themes of that play relate in a big way to feelings stirred up about why I stopped writing poetry.

For Like Meat Love Salt, the game was telling as much story with as little words as possible. It is also my very first play composed as a sort of “fan mail” for Will Oldham. You think I’m joking about this. But I’m not.

Finally, Heart of the Dark Deep is brand-spanking new. I’ve always wondered what would happen if Ariadne had to confront the Minotaur she helped kill. Also I’m playing again with loosening the reins on a sort of straightforward linear narrative.

For the gal who fancies herself a comedic writer, this is about as opposite end of the spectrum as you can get. But I’m very proud of the work, I’m excited to see Julianne’s take on it and would love to see as many Sadie Lou pals there as possible. I’ll be the one hiding out in the back opening night. In a blue dress (yay for opening night parties - - aka excuses to buy new clothes)!

Also the show is reaalllly short - so we can all grab drinks afterwards!

* Jumping Off Bridges will be on TV in NYC!

“Storie Productions’ feature film, jumping off bridges is set to make its television debut on WNET Reel 13 in New York City on Saturday May 3rd at 10:50pm. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker, Kat Candler (cicadas, Roberta Wells), and produced by Stacy Schoolfield and Lorie Marsh, jumping off bridges premiered at the 2006 South by Southwest Film Festival. The film stars, Bryan Chafin (The Patriot, cicadas), Michael Emerson (Saw, Lost), Rhett Wilkins (The Puffy Chair) and Glen Powell Jr (The Great Debaters).

Inspired by invincible friendships, junior high journal entries, heart breaking crushes and the complexities of losing loved ones, jumping off bridges follows a carefree, adventurous group of four best friends deep in the trenches of adolescence.”

Tune in for my funeral scene cameo alongside TV’s evilest villain. Who is not so villainous in real life. In fact we convinced Michael to don the orange polyester jumpsuit as a gag gift (jumpsuit off bridges!) for the director, producer and cinematographer). Anyone who will wear a polyester onesie and pose Martha Graham style for a bunch of giggling girls in the wardrobe department of a teesny weensy indie film can’t be THAT evil.

* Lastly. Whatever my Aunt Sandy finds funny, I do too.

* Love you lots Austin, TX. No matter what, you’ll always be my hometown.

last miscellany

* Sampaio’s baked brie. Does life get any better?! Baked cheese. Christ almighty.

* Saw Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting’s sketch show and was so incredibly inspired and excited for this summer. Look for the Christine Farrell School for Wayward Comediennes . . . we’re going to ROCK IT.

* Uhm. I’m sort of losing my mind a little bit here. The only thing I OWN is a huge suitcase and ukulele. All my errands are done . . . except for some pants I need to hem . . . tomorrow is my last day in Austin until I’m home for Christmas. Mom asks me when I’m applying to graduate school and I have to say, “I don’t know.” I don’t know when I’ll be ready . . . it might be another 2-3 years. It might four years. It might be five. Hopefully it won’t be six. The more time I spend away from the rehearsal room and at the writing desk, wonder of all wonders - - the more I want to write. For myself. Not because I think I’m going to have a career in this. Not because I’m thinking about next BIG steps. Writing for me. Because I actually enjoy it. I’m taking it slow - - very little baby steps, but it’s a ray of hope for me. I thought I might have burnt myself completely out but . . . there’s still a little bit of wick left in the old candle.

* Saying goodbye. I’m not good at it. My status for the past few days has just been - SAD. Sad sad sad sad sad.

Real World Graduation Mixes

When I began my first post-collegiate year (as the 5 year reunion winks from afar in 2009, how lovely to finally feel my quote un-quote post-collegiate stage is over . . . meaning of course that bracket of time when you still refer to your alma mater on a regular basis, relate old college stories, talk to new friends about old friends you haven’t seen or heard from in years) I joked that I was starting my freshman year of the REAL WORLD. This equation served useful during many of my bouts of depressing isolation as I returned to my hometown . . . where I literally knew no one except for my family and a few acquaintances from high school.

Well slowly those acquaintances dragged me out of my hole at the Lemontree/Hyde Park holla! and made me go to parties and meet people. Slowly, very slowly I began to find part-time work (Zach Scott, the horror! Exceptions are a seldom few) which led to more part-time work (UT) which lead to a summer in the wardrobe department (Best Friends for Life POWER UP +3, sort of like how sophomore year of college you really get your shit together, make best friends, etc ) which lead to building a theater company and talent agency internship which finally lead to my soon-to-be former position Resourcing Humans for a large non-profit organization. I’m looking back at the past four years and they are chockful of amazing projects, wonderfully talented and funny friends, just too many good times, great oldies (college joke! holla!).

So now I proudly present to you: My Real World Mixes. These songs got me through the thick and thin and one of these days I’ll make a big project out of actually creating Muxtape mixes so you can actually have a listen.

like royalty

Sweeeeeeet. Nothing like a royalty check to sweeten my day! Oh the joys of the Heritage bus. Thanks for buying me groceries once a year!

In other news, I’ve realized that I am eligible to apply for a Jerome Fellowship . . . which is something new . . . because until about two years ago, I didn’t have a single production that I was paid for.

Hello 2009.

I’m home sick today quite unfortunately . . . the most I’ve been able to do is move from my bed to the couch. I did whoop some ass today at Bejeweled. I also paid my bills and balanced my budget for the summer. It’s looking like I need to either find a free place to stay from June to July or I need to move out to Chicago, sublet for the summer and temp until fall to keep from going into the red. I would really, really love a full summer in NYC but since my part-time job just barely covers things (and I am committed to it until the 23rd) then I will need to couch crash or pray to the temping agency Gods that they can find me something fulltime and with the most amazing entry-level wage around. Which is dicey.

In other news, my state of mind is . . . I can’t even describe it. I train my replacement tomorrow. My last day of work is next week. NEXT WEEK. I’m leaving in fifteen days. It’s crazy. Sometimes it really hits home and other times it just feels like a big vacation . . . I’m sure saying goodbye will leave me leaky but I don’t think the whole “I don’t have a home” thing will really set in until I am living out of suitcases and hoping for the most comfortable couch sleep ever.

Then I’m also so incredibly excited you have no idea. My first weekend in NYC is already booked with a music show, a play at BAM, a birthday party. A warm, warm welcome. I’m going to play ukulele on Dania’s new album. I mean . . . shit. My new play opens the 15th . . . this is all cause for big celebration and excitement . . .

But it’s wobbly place to be emotionally. Excited! And sad. And ANXIOUS.

Again, this is what I’ve asked for. As I’ve had a lot more time to just sit and think (aka waiting for the bus) I had the epiphany the other day relating to my identity as a writer: part of the reason this adventure is so perfect and will be so good for me is . . . I am embarking on a new story. A new chapter of my life. And just like in any writing process . . . all I have to start out with is a rudimentary outline . . . the rest will come to me, the rest is basically out of my hands anyway so why worry about it. In college my playwriting professor used to always say, “GET OUT OF THE WAY!” Which to me meant - get that Editor Bitch out of the office and downtown to the spa so you can actually get some writing accomplished.

I GOTTA GET OUT OF THE WAY. OF MYSELF. Then I get some living life to the fullest accomplished.

So . . . yeah. This is probably the hundredth time I’ve picked this issue to death, how sad I am, how anxious I am for the future and yet how perfect this transition comes in the grand scheme of things . . . but y’know. Working through it.

Now to get over this cold so I can enjoy my last two weeks!

oh lord.

It’s happening. I can smell it. Ch-ch-change.

Today I sold my car. I am Blazer-less. A part of me is excited about the idea of getting super tan, bug-bitten and racing down hills on my bad-ass bike. Ripped, I think. My calves will be riiiiipped.

Oh but this is really starting to hit me. This week is my last sock hop. Next week my replacement at work starts training . . . And the next week? My last day of work. A fun visit to the doctor’s office (gals you know what fun I speak of. THAT kind of fun. And then ride your bike home?! Ughs.) and then one more dentist trip for a pseudo-filling. As in “you don’t have a cavity but one day you will so might as well endure another 30 minutes of my terror for thirty bucks.” Sigh.

My little pity party begins tonight around 9-10pm at my neighborhood “saloon.” Will you smile wistfully and crack bitter jokes with me? I’m having one of those days . . . overwhelmed completely. But I have a nice check in the bank so . . . this time we’ll avoid the Lonestar for a hearty Anchor Steam.

Not helping matters: listening to Nina Simone alone in my empty house.

I don’t feel regret. I don’t feel like I’m making a mistake . . .  all it is . . . an invitation to try something new and different and try to reclaim a part of myself I feel like I’ve let go . . . as someone so very used to my little patterns and habits, what I’m trying to do here - - really I want to be uncomfortable for a little while. Because I’ve been here before and there are some wonderfully admirable bits of my personality that emerge that otherwise get buried or hidden away when I get too comfortable. I want to give myself a good surprise, a good shock to the system. It’s not that I feel I’m dead or asleep . . . it’s just once I get into a pattern it’s hard for me to break out of it. I wanna pry the narrow scope of my perspective wiiiide open. Maybe I want to play bongos in the forest. KIDDING. I definitely DO NOT WANT TO PLAY BONGOS OUTDOORS OR OTHERWISE.

Do you understand even a little bit of this rambling?! Me either. But I have the feeling - - same feeling I had before leaving for college . . . this feeling like “When I come back I’m going to be an awesome person.”

I think when I return from my little adventure, I will be an awesome person. Or I will feeeel awesome. Or I will be awesomely in debt. Either way, you won’t be able to say that I don’t have super human strength, courage and a good sense of humor about it. Bongos in the forest. Golden.

Side bar: I had a co-worker the other day say, “You don’t strike me as a funny person,” when I told him I wanted to train at Second City. I smiled meekly and said, “HR isn’t really a funny place . . . unless COBRAs make you giggle.” No I don’t remember what my comeback was. But for the rest of his new hire appointment I had him laughing. That was a great feeling. Secret powers. I have them. Just wait.

my friends are rockstars to the 2nd power

A double dose of my rock star friends:

• The It’s Me decade - - article by my BFF Nora Fussner ( All you Sadie Lou readers remember him? Also the roommate she references is ME. Check their amazing rendition of what I looked like in college:

• and and and - - 60s Turkish pop meets Czech New Wave filmed in the heart of Texas (or Lex comes to visit):

never whither the mix tape

This weekend I dropped off a load o’ crap at my Dad’s house aka Adrienne’s Storage Unit and found a box of my old cassettes. Seriously there is no greater joy . . . than finding an old mix tape you made from when you were fifteen, sixteen years old.

It’s like a love letter from the subconscious mind, which at fifteen/sixteen is truly heartbreakingly vulnerable and sweet. I have this one mix that is exclusively love songs of every shape and form. And I can hear my own adolescent voice worrying outloud “Hey, will anyone ever like me?”

hair today: new series

In Oh the Joys’ newest series “Hair Today” we’ll track the progression of Adrienne’s mane as she grows it out from her “Summers in Austin are hotter than H- E - double Hockey Stick and I am cutting it all off because I’m not doing dreadlocks again and I don’t give a crap what I look like” phase which produced the famous FERN ‘fro: