Jessica on Tour in Kazakhstan

Losing my wallet, getting sick, and a few other unpleasant troubles have made it even more difficult to keep up with everything I need to do. But I am managing. I am REALLY enjoying my cast and entering into the play with them. They have been impressing me every night at rehearsals. I am so proud how they have just been throwing themselves into the work and going to places that they aren’t used to.  It’s exciting. 

 This week is probably going to be the busiest for me since I have been here. KELT has been asked to perform a scene for a theater class (who knew there were theater classes at KIMEP!?!) on two days, and we are also participating in the KIMEP Anniversary next weekend. I need to get all the details worked out for those things, I need to start blocking the show this week, begin doing some major thinking about the budget, and I  need to decide what I am going to do for the Christmas drama programs at KIS. I am saying “I” because this stuff is my responsibility, but I am definitely getting help from many people and I am so grateful for that.

I have decided to change the performance space for the play from the Great Hall (seating app. 400 pp) to the Fun Club (seating at the most, 80). This decision was made at the suggestion of Jessie and I completely was for it. Even though the Great Hall seats more, the play is going to be more effective and moving in the smaller space. I was sitting in the Fun Club today (while the babushka lady was mopping the floor with a blackened cloth wrapped around a stick and singing Russian songs) just looking at the space imagining where and how to stage things and I was getting really excited at the possibilities that we can do in the space. There are so many more creative things that we can do in the Fun Club– using the balcony, the staircase, all the diff. entrances and exits and even the strobe light effect when David gets hit by the car (it would make it look like it was happening in slow motion- I think it would be cool!).  We also won’t have to worry as much about actors not being heard or spending hundreds on lights and sound for the Great Hall.

This week I was also told that my soon-to-be roommates and I cannot move into our new apartment on Oct. 3. Now it’s Oct. 15th. Ugh. Poor Jessie! She has been SO generous with allowing me to live with her this long. I hate inconveniencing her like this, but she took the news really well.  I have been really enjoying living with Jessie- she’s got a great place, we’ve been having really nice conversations, and she’s nice and close to KIMEP, but I am anxious to feel settled here and to not have to live out of my suitcase-s anymore.

My best friend is getting married next Saturday. Her wedding is one that I have been sure I would never miss. And here I am, missing her wedding.  With this wedding, it is more than just being there to celebrate. It goes much deeper than that.  Thankfully, I am still able to give her the toast (hopefully I’ll be able to send in a video).  I will call her the morning of…I will be praying for her. 

Despite the fact that I can’t attend my best friend’s wedding and that I haven’t had any access to my bank account in weeks and had some little “friends” i don’t wish to talk more about…………… I am not discouraged, I am still completely at peace and happy that I am here. I still have no doubt that I am in the exact place where HE wants me.  Therefore, I am staying “up”!

Auditions are over and rehearsals have begun. I am so excited about my cast.  There was a record number to audition for the play this fall– altogether, almost 80!!!!! I was expecting like 20, so you can imagine that I was in awe at the amount that showed up. I ended up casting many more people than I had originally planned. There were so many talented people who auditioned that I wanted to provide as many roles as possible. It’s just so cool to see that KELT is growing and becoming more popular. And it’s also wonderful to see that KELT is attracting more students than X-Pats currently. It seems a definitive shift is happening.

Rehearsals have been going well. Everyone’s been showing up so far! Obtaining a rehearsal space is a PAIN IN THE BUTT! Ugh Nathan, how did you put up with the insanity for 5 years?!? Actually I think we’re managing quite well compared to what I’ve heard from other years. We haven’t had to rehearse at someone’s home….yet.  Tonight I spent a good amount of time in Sholpan’s office with 2 other organization Presidents. We were to negotiate the sharing of the Great Hall together….except they were speaking Russian the whole time.  But, we’ve got it Mondays and Fridays for 2 hours. Once Miss KIMEP is over, well have it more often. 

Assel is retiring from Stage Manager and Sholpan is taking over. Assel, however, is not separated from the play- she’s doing all the “pain-in-the-butt-but-necessary” tasks like the budget, getting the lights, reserving the Great Hall, etc, etc, etc,!!!! I am really happy that Sholpan is taking over stage manager though, so that someone else can learn Assel’s job:)

And I am so happy Tammy Murden is helping out! She’s doing odds and ends- whatever is needed.  And soon Jessie will start getting things together for the pre-performance before David’s Heart, so that the night is a FULL night of theater and festivities. It is going to come so fast!

I am going to enjoy every moment of this process and will try to help the cast do the same. They seem like great people. I’m really looking forward to getting to know every one of them.