Denverino

I've had such a nice day today, especially cause I wasn't vom-ing and I saw a real, true life cowboy strutting (well his horse was strutting) down the street. Coool.

And let me explain and get to the vom-ing.

Friday proved interesting, in that, I got in a grump, and what's more skinned my knees and hands really badly when i attempted to go into town with friends. I didn't really feel like it, I just didn't want to be the one left behind. Anyway, very painful and I had a big wah and then got iced applied to me by an attractive (and when I say attractive I mean hollly moley furlong, damnnn), nice American boy - I know what you're thinking but no, alas, he has girlfriend and I am not a bitch... I realllly wish I was. But I'm not. Anyway, it did make me feel better.

My friends had a fantastic night out, so that was not helping the feel better offers, but I got over myself and was really very thankful I didn't have to sit in a car for 3 1/2 hours to Denver on 2 hours sleep and the world's worst hangover.

So, then the trip to Denver was v nice. Em and I went with the pilot who was gonna take us to Vegas. He was so polite, generous, lovely and shouted us petrol, lunch, organised a v expensive hotel for ridiculously cheap for all of us (Brony, Alex, Tane, Adam as well) and then after one drink turned into a spazmunter. Alcy. Ohhh dear. I spent the first part of the night getting him to stop leching on to me and sometimes Emma, and to get him to stop being obnoxious, homophobic, an asshole to random people. Anyway, Emma and I after some shopping - oh, unfortunately Denver has v cheap and cool fashions, so we couldn't help ourselves, but I must say were very restrained and as we hadn't spent as much during the week, it was justified...

The evening was great (after we ran away from everyone - a bit mean, but entirely necessary)

We caught a human horse (man on bike with buggy) downtown and went under all these fabulous fairy lights in the street.

Denver is beautiful, the architecture just lovely and for a city that is quite young (only a little over 100 years since it was a mining town) it has a rich history to it which is present in it's art and structures.

Emma and I ended up krumping with beautiful, well off black men in a club - coulda been rap stars, who knows! And then finishing off the night with 3am movies in the hotel, Ben and Jerry's ice cream and mustard. Who said this wasn't educational??!

The next day was spent milling around Denver and taking in sights. Loverly, then back to Steamy, and oh dear, the drive was horocious as I had - and here it comes - the beginnings of a tummy bug which everyone then got.

I lay starfished on the floor most of Monday. Was actually quite nice to relax and time away from the fold, bit of sun. Niiice.

Sadness and Madness

I have had another fullon week, for very different reasons. It has gone freakishly fast.

Both plays have grown immeasurably. We had our first run of the Shakespeare yesterday, and it looks pretty good, but interesting to see the character arcs and explore Helena's after working on scenes for two weeks. I think I need to bring more lightness to her, as she is very woebegone at present. Hermia and Helena's friendship is really strong which is nice.

Colonisation has started to get on it's feet and I love exploring all the characters, however we only have 3 weeks, so a lot more homework time is needed in determining physicality and vocal changes. I have to play a Scotswoman, an upper class English broad and a dirty prostitute. It is finally getting me to work with versatility in the most extreme!

We are working fast and hard and I love it!

The madness came into play on Tuesday night, we all went to wings night at the Tap House. A repulsive exercise, slimy, parmesan-garlic chicken wings for 33c a pop. Ugh. Unfortunately, Em and I have some people with us who neglect to pay tax or tip when we go out so we have been footed with the bill a good few times. It happened again, after a conversation about it, and we have decided we are just NOT going out with those people anymore, it's completely inconsiderate and rude.

Anyway, we had been at a $3 mojito bar before dinner, so were a tiny bit tipsy at the restaurant. Now our logic, when we have been full on food is to go and dance it off at the Powder Room, or somewhere else nice in town. Our friend Katie dropped us off, and we were totally just ready to have a boogie and go home.

Here's where we met our demise; Emma and I are summer babes at the moment and attract a bit of attention, so we had hot bartenders and guys from town buying us drinks. I had never had a Long Island Iced Tea before. Neither had Emma. So, all fine, we dance up a storm.

We started the stumble home, and somehow got into a complete deep and meaningful and wept like eejits in the street, I got the giggles because I thought it looked like a scene from a reality TV show... and then we came across a fenced in pool. Now, at the time, we thought GREAT! A swim! Exactly what we need. This is meant to be! And not realising it was part of a hotel, we climbed the fence and threw ourselves in starkers and laughed our heads off for about 10 minutes, until we heard what we think were security guards, I leapt out buttnaked and jumped over the fence - You can imagine how this must've looked if anyone had been watching - and Em hid underneath the pool cover. I have never laughed so hard in my life. Where on earth was our logic! Like, it seemed like a perfectly normal thing to do, but in retrospect, in the morning... Oh grief, what if... Haha!

So the next day was not healthy-summer-babe-time, it was fries, ice cream and water. SHEDLOADS of water. We have reigned ourselves in significantly.

That night we had a birthday cake for Ashlee, the director and for a couple of cast members. But early night and back to the exercising, healthy, delightful ways of Steamboat.

Yesterday, I got a free ticket to see Toy Story 3 with the Boys and got a free t'shirt. Was OK, wasn't as clever the other movies, and creating heaps of meaning at the end totally ruined it for me!! But, went across to the gym afterwards to have a bust out of moves and lots of cardio. Now I was wearing said Toy Story T'shirt - which, by all accounts, is not at all flattering - and hideous men's rugby shorts and my sneaks. I was sweating, bright red, and busting the moves on the stairmaster. This gorgeous, punky guy comes up and starts hitting on me. Completely bamboozled. Talk about the absolute worst timing and confusing - what about this Toy Story 3 T'Shirt did he dig? The fact that it was too tight around the arms and created a slight bulge? Or perhaps it was the bunching of my men's shorts against my cellulite ridden thighs? Or even my sweaty face? Anyway, the moral of this story is, I'm going to address my gym clothes situation. Or maybe I shouldn't? Maybe I've got it right this whole time!!!

Stink news is that Ian, our resident pilot, can't get us to Vegas. The plane's not fixed, not safe at the moment.... We could still go, via normal channels, but we'd have to pay about $250 US. Which is not ideal.

Weather here has been incredible. The only downfall is that my hair has turned into sheeps dags hideousness!

It is Friday here, and I am about to go off for a walk, then to rehearsal. This weekend might be a wee trip to Denver. But writing and relaxing is the plan.

I had some sad news this week in that my Godmum Kathy passed away, which is quite hard, knowing I can't go there for the funeral etc. But I'm trying to get over after NYC, so I can help Molly - Kathy's daughter - out with stuff and be a support for a month or so.

So rest in peace clever lady. Your spirit lives on in your daughter and in us.

More boaty steamy action

Plays and play

Sitting in the sun in a strapless bra, while the Gondola's go overhead up to the mountain/ski field. Music playing from the next room is mildly annoying as it is Sondheim and you have to listen to appreciate and I'm trying to focus.

Every so often a Mexican gardener wanders past and grins at me. Have eaten a bag of carrots today, some grapes and some yoghurt. Weird feeling not being hungry - could this mean my metabolism has changed with my Steamboat lifestyle?

I was remembering in our hungover state on Saturday going down to the river. Just divine. Picturesque. And in the background a bunch of bogans doing rodeo. I cannot wait until the 4th of July. We will all wear white and channel our most huckery, Western American inside each of us. Woo.

Also, a wonderful, wonderful thing happened on Saturday. We were waiting for the bus, and Em and Asa were having a sing. And this skinny 50-something year old woman with a turqoise top on, slaps her on the arm and says - in a heavily Texan accent - "Oh yer bee-yootifool. Yerv gota beeyotifool voiice. Mike-al, mike-al. Listen to that. Keep singin' - please sing for me" and Emma, who is the essence of politeness, obliged. She then says "Arr those yer ree-al eyys? Thems not fake? Yer beeyootifool" And she makes her son, Mike-al (who - and I don't want to be mean - but quite frankly looked like the product of said woman and her cousin or brother) take a photo with Emma. All of us, highly bemused, get on the bus and this woman, says a very strange compliment about each of the party, except me, she took agin me, very funny. Alex got told she appreciated his American voice, Emma already said, Tane handsome, Adam was never to stop having his beautiful smile and Asa was told, when she asked his name, that it was a "gowjus name, where's it from?" He says "Samoa" she leans over and 'whispers' to her son "Mexican"

Then she slaps me on the leg and says "I can't wait to get back to my boyfren in Texas!" And he's awrr-sum! I started goin out with him two weeks ago and we prayed together and I said 'Lord, thank you for my soulmate' - who was my 'usband who died two yers ago - 'Thank you for finding me a nee-u lover interest' And I already got him a Chris-mass present! And we 'ave already talked about getin married. It is going to 'appen and I said to him, I said 'I am wearin' a gown!' but not a whiite one, coz thems are fer the ver-gins. And look at these - aren't they kee-yoot?! I got these from Fuzziwigs candee shop! Aren't they Awrr-sum? Thems are frogs. And did you know that FROG means Forever Rely On God? And I didn't even know that beefer I started collectin' em"

It was just the most bizarre meeting. Her parting words were to Emma, "You keep going girl, because you cood be very talented one dae!" BRILLIANT

Asa, Emma and Trish the Texan

Yesterday, I went out to Perry Mansfield again, this time to see a new play 'Maple and Vine' which, even though a seated play-reading, was really interesting and evocative.

The actors, to start with were fabulous, especially the women - so versatile and funny.

The play in two parts did not sit well as a first and second act. I thought they shoulda made the whole thing 1 and a half hours and no interval! The piece was about an incredibly intelligent, depressed literary agent in NYC and her plastic surgeon husband joining a sort of cult. The cult happened to be living in 1955 - everything made easier and people more ignorant because of lack of technology etc. There were topics around racism, sexism, homophobia... mainly all about escaping something. Very well thought out. However, it is rare that I see a play and think it should be a TV series, but it could be a ridiculous cross between Pleasantville and Desperate Housewives (except not as feckin' stupid as DH)

On the way home, I picked up some courgettes and a $7 cotton skirt from WalMart which has had great success all day, with the purpose of keeping me cool and make me look good. Booyah.

Then at the home front, Em and I made curry... lovely. However, then I averaged maybe two hours sleep. I was so annoyed and had a chat to the gals about being considerate of noise etc.

Off to rehearsal today and I'm trying to strike the balance between Helena's innocence and also her worldliness. i think there are heaps of clues as to her intelligence, including the fact she is very knowledgeable about society and the world and has had sex with Demetrius, where as Hermia is purely love focussed. I don't like Helena played a sap. Our director is v cool, but she is encouraging me to play the victim, and I want to convey innocence but I think only at the climax of the lovers scene does she show any sense of pity me, pity me.

We had breakthroughs with COLONISATION today, Adam and Tane worked on a schema that is very thorough, clear and has made it easier to write, improv and generally be in the thing!!

Ok, so now at home and attempting to write some solo material. I made a list of events that I have to write a page on each as a point of generating. Good plan. Just gotta do it!

In a couple of hours, we are off to a BBQ at Nick's (Puck in MSND and Reginald in COL)

and then hopefully, a good sleep.

I'll get some more photos from last week on here too. Got one of mad Texan woman.

Just quickly

Perry Mansfield is a performing arts camp for youngins to pre college here in Steamboat. It is about 100 years old and is gorgeous. You park down a driveway and then walk up through the trees past old cabins that are reminiscent of the 50s movie The Parent Trap.

Tonight I had the privilege of seeing a dance piece choreographed by Nicholas Villeneuve - a beautiful, camp Jamaican/New Yorker. He is a professional and he brought 3 other professional dancers to perform alongside these young cads.

The first three pieces were nothing to write home about. Especially a piece involving a dancer that looked distinctly like Mowgli off The Jungle Book about a horse. I hated that.

However, the last two pieces were the most astonishingly beautiful works. One, a response to Egyptian art, clever, witty, sexy. And the 2nd about the fear of dying, made after Nicholas' dear friend's mother had passed of a brain tumour. The most moving thing about it was the addressing of all the feelings of grief and fear. The positive and negative lights. And it was the final piece and wonderfully was a superb amalgamation of the ensemble coming together, sharing with the audience, with a strong purpose and playing with form... actually, coincidentally, they used flour, which I am using in my solo....

Anyway, just wanted to respond to the work. Very pleased I saw it.

Some photos from the week

And it's nearly the end of the week

Well, a week has been since my last post. I have been super busy. And not getting a heck of a lot of sleep, but I am pleased to report it is day 4 in the big room. So nice to have my own space to escape to! We've had rehearsal after rehearsal and Em and I both feel we need to rein in the going out next week... We have been party central!

Midsummers is going really well, I want to do a lot more work over the weekend though, in terms of really clearing up beat changes etc. We had a run through yesterday of what we have done so far which felt hammy, but gosh you can achieve so much if you organise! Ashlee's got us doing 15 minute blocks of scenes - at first I was like, 'Are you kidding - That is way too short!' but if you really focus those 15 mins and prepare well for it, it works. Not my ideal way to rehearse but all good eh.

Colonisation - I'm having loads of fun now. Creating in this short time is difficult, but I love creating characters - My bourgeois character Winifred is sooo much fun. We have been conducting improvisations around what we have written and because it is imperative for Winnie to have the moral upper hand all the time, as soon as people stop listening to her, she just repeats the same word over and over in a sort of musical tone. It is horribly annoying but quite brilliant. I also played with switching from Winnie to my Missionary Scotswoman Beatrice to the bawdy Ethel - who the best way I can describe her is to say she is kind of a pirate prostitute.

On Monday night, Em and I had a delightful dinner date at Mambo Italiano, where we shared fabulous pizza, salad and wine. We made bffs with the bar tender and basically, without going into detail, it was a bit nice to pull away from the group for a night. We took heaps of hilarious photos and I am very thankful I have such a good friend here.

Tuesday night was back at the Powder Room, where the girls were bought drinks all night and danced up a storm. The hilarious thing about Steamboat is that the gals are a bit chicken about dancing in public, but because Emma and I don't care, we dance outrageously to fantastic music for half an hour while people stare at us, then little by little they join in and we have a great time, making friends. I managed to acquire a football hat from one of the lads. Poor guy, it is worth quite a bit, but ho-hum, it is a bit better than the gaudy gold and white cap I got from the $2 dollar shop that Mum had a conniption about before I left. I spent $3.50 the whole day and managed to have the best time! We met Alex's friends Curtis and Mikey, who are just the nicest of nice lads. And hot babes too...

Wednesday, everyone was feeling the burn, in fact we had carried Adam home the night before as he tried to swim in the river on the way back to the whare. It was one of those nights! Rehearsal that day was mildly lethargic all round, a little flag to Em and I about trying to keep wild nights out till the weekend!! That night we went to a mixer to hand out PiKnik Theater cards and get a bunch of free stuff, like pomegranate and pear lip balm from the local bank, and a stress ball from a computer company. Food was eaten, no drink was drank - detox time! We spent the rest of the evening beached on the couch watching DVDs (don't see 'The Invention of Lying' it's shite) and eating popcorn and snickers ice cream.

Thursday was very productive, lots of good work done and a fun evening ensued making the Steamboat Tourist Calender...! I think it had a lot to do with the fact we went to Zumba - which is a brilliant workout dancing to hiphop and Latin American music. It was such a freakishly diverse group of people doing it: we had 65 year old men bumping and grinding, a gaggle of hockey mom's, 13 year olds, a woman with one leg, and a larger than life Samoan (who is constantly mistaken for a Mexican,) a chubs New Zealander (me), and Em and Adam.

Last night we went to SunPies, which is a bogan bar, but loads of people insisted we go to experience Hurricanes, a $7 cocktail which was delicious but unfortunately you can't taste the alcohol, so once I had had two, it was dance time... we went home trolleyed.

I did not go to bed till 6am so am operating on 4 hours sleep. I think I might go to the gym - I have been really good about going even when tired or a bit bung. I wear my unattractive adidas rugby shorts and a hideous blue top and pump iron for about 50 minutes. Yay America.

"I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - AS YOU LIKE IT - Will Shakespeare

Editing is so important! Taking the knife to Shakespeare is always terrifying because a lot of his metaphors only are completed after about three paragraphs, and when you have Oberon whittling on for ages, you want to do some cut'n'pasting. But some of my Helena lines have been cut to the point where I don't think they make a lot of sense, they certainly don't follow the iam.

Today, I am taking time out after rehearsals and doing a shite load of writing, as tiredness and annoyance is present in me - thus I am taking a breath and getting it out in a productive way. My solo, based around my French Great Grandmother keeps popping up, but it is mildly infuriating because I am thinking in images and scenes, not in story. I know why I'm making it, but I have no concept of where the story could go. Every time I try and force it, it becomes naff and cheesy... not at all ideal.

I have been thinking about Tectonic Theater Project and how they organised hundreds of interviews, thousands of minutes of material into a two hour long show with strong structure. So, perhaps, I need to settle down and keep collecting material. Like with my solo at drama school. I spent the last week of that process moving chunks around.

I don't have a time limit on this project. I don't have a slot at a theatre. I can make my own rules.

So, that's my next challenge - setting rules for myself. One page of anything a day for 'Aujourd'hui' (working title) that can be a page of writing, doodles, images. And then I will go through with my production team and then... the next step.

It's snowy, rainy here in Steamboat and things are a little tense at the condos. Illness is rife with some others. So, I'm enjoying soup and coffee in my favourite little coffee shop 'Off the Beaten Track' and then off to get more postcards and stamps. The quote in the title is felt.

He he he.

Photos again

This morning I made a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, cooked asparagus, Tomato, capsicum, and garlic mushrooms. Friggin' A!

See mean breakie above

Tane and I being dorks
I'm flying Asa!

Babe-ing
Dancing up a hip hop fury.
The babes: Brony, me, Katie, Emma
Clockwise from Left: Tane, Adam, Brony, Katie, Asa, Em.

Before we went out.

Flirty McMurty

A cold, raining, thunderous day in Steamboat Springs. Yesterday, we got up late, did some homework. I am having a marvellous time writing short, absurd scenes involving my characters in the devised piece. - We are being quite vulgar to start with, will pull back, but here's a snippet about the upper class English family who have just arrived off the boat from New Zealand. I am playing Winifred, my daughter Hortensia has been slapped with an ugly stick and can't get a husband.

Hustle bustle as we see Richard arrive, tired but inspired. We hear Winifred and Hortensia before we see them, overlapping one another….

WINIFRED Mud! Common mud

HORSEY Mummy, my dress is ruined

WINIFRED I tell you, I don’t want to get on another ship as long as I live

HORSEY The French lace is damaged, damaged!

WINIFRED I say, Richard! Riiiiichard! Mr Prrrritchard! Are you quite sure that we are in the right place.

HORSEY Can we go back now? I have a crush on Edward Simmonds-Knewsbrush

WINIFRED Because I dare say, we are not in civilisation!

HORSEY Do you remember Edward Mummy? He was very attractive and

WINIFRED Hortensia Prudence Prrritchard. Stop talking about attractive people at once. You’ll be lucky to marry a sailor at this rate. I told you to settle for Lord Farquar’s son, the paraplegic.

HORSEY (bursting into tears) I am an adult – why did I have to come on this stupid long suffering journey? I feel like damask cloth twisted until it’s beauty is forsworn

WINIFRED Well, quite darling

HORSEY I hate this place. Look at all the stupid….

WINIFRED Natura?

HORSEY Bahhhhhhh!

RICHARD There you are my beautiful women. Woman. Um. Welcome to New Zealand!!!

WINIFRED New Zealand?

RICHARD Yes, darling.

WINIFRED You’ve brought us to… the colonies?

Horsey faints. They ignore her.

RICHARD Now, now Winnie. This is the perfect place for you to distress so we can produce a child or three.

WINIFRED You think this… place will create fertility? How dare you Richard. Really. How dare you. I wish this was

RICHARD - Darling -

WINIFRED - discussed. You have let our family down

RICHARD Do you not at least want to give it a go. There’s a nice hotel over there, we could ‘lie down’ for fifteen minutes or so

WINIFRED How perfectly unromantic (she flounces off, leaving horsey on the ground who wakes up)

HORSEY Where’s Mummy gone Daddy?

RICHARD Having a right conniption ,Hortensia.

HORSEY Daddy, why did you bring us here?

RICHARD Look, about the Daddy thing. I’m becoming increasingly uncomfortable with it. You’re not my biological child. Which is plain to see. How about Uncle Rich?

HORSEY What??

RICHARD Ok, darling, Uncle Richy has to go and see about some housing for your mother and I. Have a look around. Look, Horsey, they’re hiring at the general store!!

THE END OF SCENE

I trailed off into town in the afternoon in my floral raincoat, feeling rather chic. Luckily, the fabulous Katie drove past just as it was starting to shatter rain pellets, so I got a ride to the tiny little boutique cinema where I met Emma and we shared some nachos (eww, movie nachos consist of warm corn chips and hot squeezed, purified cheese with - apparently - jalapenos in it) and saw a Rom-Com called KILLERS, it made no sense but we had a great time looking at Ashton Kutcher being a babe.

On the bus on the way home, a freakishly attractive man who was drunk with his sort of attractive friend got on the bus. They said 'Hi' We said 'Hi' then were distracted by their hotness for about 5 minutes, then, in mid conversation with Em, I felt a jab in my side and 'Boom' comes out of his lips (hot guy) Hot guy had just poked me in the stomach. 'What the f**k?!' I said! Emma starts cracking up. I am too stunned to speak. He says 'I'm sorry, it's just you're so hot.' 'What?!' I say, confused. 'It was only one finger!' says he. 'What did you think you poked?!' Says I. His friend pipes up and says to hot guy 'Not cool dude. Not cool. You can't just grope people on the bus' Then Emma, who's hysterical says 'It's not very charming' He can't understand and says 'Chubby?' And that was the time I got macked onto on the free Steamboat bus.

Back at the ranch, we got gussed up, hysterical from laughing so hard and everyone came to our room and hung out until Katie drove us to 'Rex's' for dinner, where Em and I shared a delicious vegetarian burger and some Oyster Bay Sav (about half the price here may I say... swines!!!)

Then to Bella's where we danced up a storm and here I am now, on Sunday, about to go to Yoga, learning more Shakespeare lines. Too-rah. x

Photo times...

At the Most incredible candy shop in the world. I was very restrained.

Adam and I thinking about getting on the razz

Totally getting the beers

Our night our at The Powder Room

Adam, Michael, Tane and Em
Me and Em
Em, Adam and Tane

We were out in town and I said as we approached this hill I said 'we are going to fall and slip on our asses' Two seconds later, this was the result.

And so it is...

The interesting thing about doing a Shakespeare in America with a New Zealand accent is that the language is already foreign, therefore the challenge is in making it clear to an American Audience.

We are working with people of different backgrounds with very different skills and it is frustrating sometimes to get across knowledge about Shakespeare without patronising - because everyone is in a different boat when it comes to that and we only have 3 weeks of 2hour long rehearsals to put it on! Some people are very relaxed because it is unpaid, community theatre, it is for 'fun' - but I want to put on a show I am proud of. I'm excited to perform Shakespeare to people who might not have seen it before and I want them to like it!! I want to do a great job with Helena - she is challenging. Ensembles always fascinate me.

The COLONISATION piece with Adam, I'm very engaged in. It has the same problem of something foreign trying to transcend to an American audience. And be aware that most people here either don't know where NZ is or think we are part of Australia.

But he's been very clever in saying the people we are really showing are the English and Irish in the context of New Zealand colonisation. So, the aim is to have parallels that the American's can identify with, but that really comes from us.

It is very funny, bawdy and silly but dealing with some huge issues that we are still facing in NZ. I like the humour because it's testing what we are comfortable with. And Adam, Brony, Tane and I all go extreme first, which is great, because then we can pull it back because we've got a largely conservative audience.

So I have been writing and writing and writing which explains why I haven't been writing here.

We have all joined the gym, which is fantastic, I went there yesterday on a hangover but felt instantly better afterward... go figure.

We have spent days walking around, meeting the locals, basking in the summer air.

-Though I gotta say, this morning it is howling wind and there was thunder, lightning and rain last night - anyway. On thursday night, we decided we were all hungry around 10pm and Steamboat is small, so hardly anywhere open. And we'd had a beer or two so we got our gladrags on and traipsed off up the hill to the resort which was like a Ghost town, we carefully made our way around in the dark then just as we were giving up, we heard a faint laughter and clink of glasses in the background. And being New Zealanders, and generally a bit curious/adventurous, we followed it and found a funny little VIP club that had a smallish group of hospo types milling around inside. It looked so nice in there...

In we lurched, thrilled at the possibility of dinner and wine.

The bar tender was so sweet, re opened the kitchen for us and GREAT quality, cheap vege wraps and corn slices came our way and the house wine? None other than Montana (rebranded to something like Breakrock) Special Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. We were well pleased. Not only that, but we became best friends with the owner, Michael, who bought us a shot and wants us to get back there for the DJ and GoGo dancers on Tuesday. I am so there.

We made a dance floor, Beyonce played, and a catwalk ensued. It was divine.

Em rocked up to some locals and started chatting, then we all joined. And the next thing I know, I was left alone with one of them, a nice guy, while the others went outside to hang with the smokers. Now, I was a bit slow, perhaps the wine, perhaps just a bit slow. But they were totally setting me up. Hilarious. And the funny thing was, the guy totally started hitting on me in a naff, cheesy kind of way, which unfortunately put me right off. 'Shall we go outside and look at the stars. You wont see any prettier stars than in Steamboat. Well, maybe...' Looking directly into my eyes. Sweet but um? Are you kidding me?

Ha.

Today we were meant to launch into a hike but the weather is too shite and dangerous. So, a day of line learning and maybe go on the gondolas. By the bye, the only crap thing about the heat here is that my hair has turned into a complete fuzzball, seriously thinking about giving it a massive chop... we shall see.

Finally a note of excitement, Ian, this lovely American dude, is in COLONISATION and we have just found out he is a hardcore commercial pilot with DELTA. Because of the f**kups with the volcano in Iceland and the recession, he is on call but mainly tutoring at the moment... But, he said he could fly us all to Vegas for a weekend!!! We would only have to contribute to petrol!!!

Now, this'd be scary as, because it is one of those freaky deaky 8 seater planes, but we'd fly over the Grand Canyon and into Las Vegas people. Oh my!!

Liking the idea heeeeaaapppsss.

Ok, I'm going to post some pictures separately as the blog is having mild conniptions. xx

Day one on the community theatre plays.

Some thoughts: Over the Beaten Track is the charming bookstore where Skiers and Mountain rangers go and quietly (which is so weird for Americans) read, sip lattes or mostly iced coffees. Hung out with Mark Twain and Abe Lincoln

Food is quite weird. A lot v processed - cheese is a very strange colour. I went for a major walk yesterday around the main drag of downtown. Then came back and hung out at the condo with the frens' and got ready for a bit of community time...

Last night we had the most incredible feast at Stuart Handloff's (director) Special ordered in BBQ meat with massive ribs and pork and beef cutlets with the most tasty sauce... though I am seriously thinking about cutting out red meat from my diet.... We also had a wine or two, which affects us so much more than back home. The altitude here is insane. Walking anywhere makes you feel asthmatic but not in a hideous way, you just have to breathe more.

We met new Bffs - Katie - and a whole bunch of folk from around here, some involved in am-dram, some not. Stuart really has worked so hard to get this whole thing working as a cultural exchange holiday. It's really very cool.

Then back home we stopped off and I can't believe how cheap spirits are here! The whole group bought a bottle of Canadian Club and we had CC and Drys in the spa. I had one on account of wanting to look at lines. Despite intense tiredness. 3 hours sleep. So going to have a siesta shortly...

Em and I went on a glorious walk today. All down through the valley and to some shops where I got a $2.50 chicken salad and Emma splashed out somewhere fancy (I'm all for saving my pennies for NYC, however, we have just found out we can get 2 nights accommodation and flights to Las Vegas for $300... tempting)

I've never been to Queenstown, but I imagine that Steamboat is quite similar.

Today, we had rehearsal for the two shows I'm in. I am so thrilled to be playing Helena in Midsummers. What a delightful challenge.

And Adam Donald is directing a piece called COLONISATION: A GENTLEMAN"S GUIDE which is being devised by us.

So I think I have two major challenges, one with the Shakespeare in making fresh Helena's text as I can imagine how other actors have done it before which is limiting me. So I am about to start a rigorous text methodology block for myself. As - even though this is free theatre and 'fun' - I want to work internationally and want to be able to communicate in a new and ballsy way.

With devising, it's really about fitting in with the style. I didn't enjoy the last production of Adam's so much. I rate him highly, but I want to pose questions to the group without breaking what they have set up already.

I want to make bold offers, strong choices and really bring something into the fold. (They've been working on it for a while)

With this particular piece I am curious as to how we are going to engage our audience in the material. We are performing to American's who are coming up in family groups to have a picnic and to watch a bit of free entertainment. We are dealing with huge NEW ZEALAND issues in a light way. But seeing as people here think NZ and Australia are the same thing and their only concept of colonisation is the movie Australia... we have to create some well thought out parallels.

So that's where I am at now. A siesta, then some text meth, then some reading, then cooking a vege feast.

Mucho love xo

An absolutely GIANT dog we met, owned by a New Zealander. Emma tried to ride it. The owner was not impressed....