Mom Hits Manhattan

Rehearsal was so fun again today. These women do not hold back. They make bold choices every time they open their mouths. There is not one moment where they are not completely in the moment and delivering as if it was opening night. I know I am being redundant, but I am learning so much from them as to what it means to be a professional actor. Minutes are treated with great respect; and the work is revered.

Today as I watched them work, I got thinking about casting agents. These women were sent by their agents or called on by casting agents. Each is perfectly physically, vocally and temperamentally cast. I have always prided myself on casting well, but I can't imagine casting this acurately when you only have a written resume and 10-20 minutes of reading. Amazing.

My mom got to the Women's Project about 3:45. She snagged her luggage and cab just fine; I knew she could and would. She had a cup of coffee and bagel while I finished up rehearsal at 4:30. Everyone was so nice in introducing themselves to my mom. It was like she was meeting people that all the women in my village.

We hailed a cab to go home. Quickly, we dropped off luggage and my rehearsal materials before taking the subway to Times Square to watch the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. We ate Indian food on 47th before we thought that we would leisurely stroll over to 49th for the lighting...what were we thinking?

Along with another million people, we were not even allowed to cross 6th Avenue, let alone get into Rockefeller Center. After I struck out with three different cops to let us pass with those that had "golden tickets," (so much for my SD charm), I moved on to Plan B. We went down the subway, rode up one stop so that we could cross the street and then take the subway back as to exit on the other side. However, I came up with Plan C once we got on the street. We hailed a bike cab...I am brilliant! Gilbert from West Africa dropped us 1 block away from RC. We were able to move about another 1/2 block, but we never did get to see the actual tree. We had to watch Carrie Underwood, Josh Groban, Tony Bennett and Celine Dion on a huge big screen, but we could hear their actual voices.

We finished the day, sharing apple cider and a blanket in my livingroom watching Law and Order. With my mantel decorated for Christmas, the candles lit and my mom beside me on the couch, it is warm, comfy and homey.