The Great Blizzard of Aught Five
In the morning, the Chicagoland area was still feeling the effects of the great blizzard of '05. My family decided to go to IHOP for breakfast and see if the weather might get good enough to spend some time together in town. Alas, it did not, and we even had thoughts of dropping me off at the Metra station in Glenview and having me take the train into the city. I would have been more than willing to do that, it wasn't a big deal... but I think my dad preferred the actual time with me over the danger of braving the roads again. We then drove into the city... and the driving was not as bad as the night before, but my dad decided it was going to be a little too tricky to see a 10:30 show and then try to find his way back to the hotel in the dark with the snow. In short (too late), my family did NOT end up making it to see Mockupations, even though they were in the area.

My dad dropped me off in Chicago with just enough time for me to check my email, eat some dinner, shower, dress, and head to the Second City. Week two of Mockupations was unlike any other show I've ever been a part of. I like to call Mockupations week 2: The Katy Show! Only about twenty people braved the cold and snow to come see the show... and at least 75% of them (not 15 people, 75% of everyone there) came to see Katy. She's from Dallas, Texas and her family flew up to see the show and spend some time with her. So of course THEY weren't going to miss the show. Which was good for ticket sales... bad for the rest of the actors. For, you see, for the first time in my acting career, the audience had a strong feeling towards just one person in the cast (and that one person wasn't me). It was weird because everything that Katy said was HILARIOUS!, but everyone else in the cast got only chuckles (including me). Granted, by the end of the show, I felt like I was getting the second most laughs (I feel like audiences eventually like me, even if they don't like me right away). Regardless, I left this performance as unsatisfied as I left the last one. Hopefully next week I'll figure out what I need to do to get the reaction I want from the crowd, and things will fall into place for me. Hopefully.

#4 Best of 2004 - Level 5 Show... Maybe This Isn't The Right Forum For This, But Please Stop Making Your Dogs Wear Hats Yes... the writing five show that I was in over the summer was one of the best experiences I've had so far at the Second City. Not only did that show give me experience (finally!) at the Second City on one of it's stages, but it also gave me a confidence that I had been lacking previously. I was intimidated by the training center and the talent within... but there I was, the only actor not in the Conservatory, keeping up with the rest of them. And I did have to keep up... everyone else in the cast was very talented, and I had to do everything I could to keep up with them. So I got better, just by being in the show. In addition, not only was this show the one show, but acting in it led to my inclusion in The Assistant Director's Cut and Mockupations. Let's call this show my own personal gateway drug.