It's the Chicago Monthaversary celebration!

Happy monthaversary, Chicago! I've officially been a Chicago-er for one month this weekend, and it's been swell. I can't say it enough, I absolutely love it here. I feel like this month has been a full year with the amount of work I've done, people I've met, places I've been, etc.

So, what I thought I would do is make a list of what I've learned thus far, theatre wise and just normal life wise. Some of it may be common sense, but sometimes I have quite a few brain fart moments. Just bear with me. And hey, maybe you will learn something.

Christina's Monthaversary List of Chicagoy Things She's Learned Thus Far!

1. Google maps is like a teenaged girl in this city, especially downtown. Either that, or Google enjoys fucking with you and saying you're downtown, when really you're in Harlem. Not cool, Google. Not. Cool.
2. I know everyone knows headshots and resumes are important, but seriously guys, they are your everything. It's like your handshake. They start judging you even before you walk in to audition when you e-mail them to even ask permission to audition. And you will spend countless hours printing, cutting, pasting, and flirting with the guy at Walgreens to give you a discount.
3. You know how in Texas it's so gotdamn hot all the time, so you'll wear short shorts and tank tops and short dresses to stay cool? It's the Texas way! Well, apparently in Chicago, wearing short shorts/dresses/tops makes you a hooker. But a cute looking hooker.
4. Don't talk to the homeless people. Just don't. I feel for them, I really do, but talking to them or encouraging them just causes problems. Random things homeless people have said to me range from "I wanna be yo baby daddy" to "White devil bitch".
5. But, for the most part, people in Chicago are super nice. Seriously, I've met so many new and interesting people who are willing to lend you a hand without any questions.
6. If you're a drinker, find you a small/cheap/awesome bar like McClaren's in How I Met Your Mother as fast as you can. Especially one with a kickass bartender. Because there will be days when you just need a cheap beer and a Helen Keller joke.
7. The Chicago theatre world isn't as big as you may think. I met a guy at one of my callbacks who knew a fellow actor in Lubbock. It's super crazy yet amazing!
8. Looking on Craigslist for acting gigs is like buying 1/2 price milk on the day that it expired. It could be perfectly fine (like the time I found a free acting class with professional working actors) or it could be expired and smelly and chunky (like the yoga instructor story...ask me about it later).
9. No matter what time of day, you never ever ever ever ever talk or be happy or even look pleased on the bus/train. You find your corner seat, put your headphones in, and don't make eye contact with anyone. It is the most miserable place in all of Chicago.
10. Chicago sells liquor on Sundays, which makes it eleventy bajillion times cooler than Lubbock.

And, there you have it. My list of things I have learned thus far. It's been an experience, but I've gained a shitton of experience, especially within the past month. I hoped you learned something from reading this, as well.

Holy Castlist Batman!

Back by popular demand....





....that may be a demand of 2 people, but it's more than zero....





...the story to top all stories....





....a tale of courage, valor, and heaps of dry humping....




Let me set the scene:

My friend lil bit (name change to protect the semi-innocent) and I were out exploring Chicago with the plan of stopping by her work and finding a dance studio to sign up for classes. In the process of completing those two tasks, we got to explore the city and find even more reasons why we love living here. We found a restaurant called "Killer Margaritas" with the largest single serving of margarita I have ever seen. We also randomly ran into a farmers market and bought some organic berries and one gotdamn good chocolate muffin.

During our adventures on one beautifully perfect day outside, we started talking about how lucky we were to finally be here. How after all we put up with and how hard we worked, we finally made it. And we keep finding little things about the city that no one tells you about but are absolutely brilliant.

We then found out that Improv Olympic had a free performance of "The Herald" at 8pm, so we stopped by a diner that is right next to it to grab some drinks. Lil bit went to the restroom, and I just checked my phone with the texting, and the facespace, and the e-mails.

And then I happened to come across the e-mail. The e-mail I wasn't expecting. The e-mail from the show that I did well on, but never thought it would happen. The e-mail I've been working my ass off for for the past 4 weeks.

I was offered a role for a show for February-March. 21 performances. With pay.

I know it's a very cliche moment when something major happens in your life and then "time just stops". It's cheesy and corny and all that shit, but it's so damn true. I just stared at my phone while everything around me just froze. It could have been that I was so focused on the e-mail that I just zoned out, or that I was trying to hard not to start bawling in the middle of this diner, so I don't know. But my heart just stopped. I just stopped.

And then lil bit came back to me hunched over the table. I looked up and told her the news. It felt like I was in 4th grade again getting cast in my first show. I didn't know what it meant, but it felt like I won something. The words just came out of my mouth, "I was cast in my first Chicago show", words that I never knew when I would say or if I ever would say. Then of course I just started bawling, and lil bit started bawling. Here we are, sitting in Wrigleyville, surrounded by drunken Cubs fans and girls with their cooters falling out, and we are just crying. It was a snapshot worthy moment.

So, after the crying stopped, I of course had to call my mother. To hear her happy dance as she heard the news made me start crying again. You get the idea. I was a hot mess. And we still had a show to see!

So, lil bit and I ended our great Chicago adventure day watching The Herald at Io for free. We were sitting in the theatre, waiting for the show to start, and I had one of those JD from Scrubs moments. I sat there and just took in that moment with my random thoughts: The day had been absolutely brilliant. I am so thankful for the kind words from my friends and family; the random calls and texts throughout the night were so nice. And of course, my family here are amazing and helped me celebrate as well. And my final thought: I can now say that I am a working, paid actor. And after all the time and hard work I put in, I accomplished that within a month. Damn, if I can do it, anyone can do it!

Thus was my first time being cast in a Chicago show. I can check that off my list of firsts. I can't wait to start rehearsing and meeting everyone! But, until then, I have to keep working, hitting the grind, pounding the meat, that sort of thing. It's a never ending job, but I love it with all my heart and soul and vagina.

That time I didn't suck donkey balls at an audition...

NowIjustwanttogetthisoutofthewaybeforeithappensandmyfeelingsmightchangeorberuinedbysaidexperienceandidon'tthinkthatwillhappenbutitcouldandit'ssoawesomethatidon'twantittohappensoi'llwriteaboutitanyway...

*breathe*

Oh, hello there. Guess what Interneter?

I gotsa callback!

True story...#whoops lol

This came completely out of left field. I had missed the date to sign up for submissions, and didn't even realize it. So I walk in, expecting a 7-10 open call, but it's submissions only. I felt mortified, but I pinched myself and asked if there just happened to be an open spot. By the grace of Hugh Jackman, there was. So I went in, did my 4 min contemp bullshit bullshit bullshit, they asked me about just moving there, I explained where Lubbock was in the grand scheme of Texas, and they told me my face was weird (or really, that I had a crazy expressive face, potato/tomato). That happened almost a week ago, and I didn't hear back from them the next day, so I thought it was done.

Flash (ahh ahh!) forward to 5 days later, I get the e-mail and the sides. While I was riding the bus to go eat some deep dish. I literally yelped and scared the homeless lady selling shampoo in the back. And, of course, immediately called my mother.

Honestly, in the grand scheme of things ie. being an actor, this really isn't that big of a deal. It doesn't mean you have the part, and sometimes it doesn't necessarily mean you're being considered for the show at all. It just means you were ok enough for the director to want another chance to see if you can rise from your mediocre monologue to perform a decent cold reading. That's basically what the first callback boils down to.

But, honestly, to me, it means so much more.

I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but it's only my third audition, and I was non-sucky enough to get calledback. It means I'm here for a reason. It means I have something that one director may like. It means I learned something from my 4+ years of college classes...? (urm?)

It's just reassuring more than anything. It's something tangiable (not physically, but the in your head, gooey kind of result) that I can call home about and tell my mom. Something worthy to brag about, even if it's really not worth bragging about. And it feels like a baby step toward my goals. You only get one first time, and I totally sucked donkey balls at my first Chicago audition. BUT, I survived to get my first Chicago callback. And before it even happens, I am just proud of myself for making it this far.

Now I just have to conjure up some voodoo Meisner bullshit to get me through my callback, which may be easier said than done.