Nokomis Nouveau Notions: The dog ate my homework...

I am sorry Father for I have sinned and it's been almost 5 months since my last blog.

After a summer of craziness, which I adored despite all of the road blocks, I am back. During my stint designing the sets for Learning Stages, an Educational Summer Theater Program, I played with wood, foam, plastics and so many other items. I am always trying to find ways to recycle. The two shows and program happened in a 5 week program. That's a tight schedule. In the meantime, Christie and I are riding the MS 150 Bike Ride together. Due to the tight schedule I was keeping, I did not ride my bike the whole time. The MS 150 is a 150 mile bike ride in two days and three weeks from now. It's not a suggested to ignore training... Oye!

Any how, the production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory gave me an opportunity to use recycled products along with new items. We made lollipops with recycled plastic from water and soda bottles, along with fizzy lifting drink bubbles. All of the kids in the show made their own sun catcher that was used for the Lick-able wallpaper. The lollipops were made with badminton rackets cut down with floral wire to attach them. There were Edible and Drinkable Flower Candies that used the shuttlecock from the rackets and flower plates and the flowers cut out from the melted down plastic. I am big on the environment, but sometimes the art over rules my need to save the ozone. When I am designing, I think of many aspects... how much time, what's my budget, and what I may have to do to my body to create what's in my mind based on the before mentioned issues! LOL!!! Let's just say the last three weeks I clocked 225 (maybe more) of hours.

Here is what they looked like after putting them together.

Here are some of the larger props for the show...

Here is what the set looked like.

The second show was Songs for a New World. The entire show was designed around the theme of time. I have a great love of the older Indiana Jones flicks and The Adventures of the Young Indians Jones (a 90's thing). I gave it a look that is presently called Steam Punk. I had the help of many people, the students (Casie, Haley and yes even Thomas LOL!!!), the Shining Stars teacher (Lauren) along with interns and stage managers (Stacie and Matt- I love you guys), Tom (TD- carpenter, lights, rigging and sound and GREAT friend! He gave me the rope I needed, although I felt like hanging myself a few times. ;-D) They are the people that kept me sane or a little insane... The cast was astonishing! The director's (Chic) vision was both unexpected and wonderful! The lighting (Harry) was terrific!

The staff of Learning Stages are talented, quirky (myself included), friendly, honorable and as professional as one can be in circumstances sometimes beyond their control. We were moved from Tohill Theater (450 seat theater) to Pfleeger Hall (1000 seat theater) three days before the program started. I had designed the set, built the model (with Stacie), and then painted it 2 weeks prior. Stacie and I were actually laying out the grid for the floor we were going to paint when they gave us the news. I was disappointed because the new stage wouldn't have a visible floor worth painting and changed the complete design. We had the lighting designer from Hell- she was an angry squirrel! In the long run, I was happy with the way it turned out!!!

In between the Theater Program, Christie and I participated in the Babes Burning Rubber Fundraiser at the Thunderbolt Raceway in Milleville, NJ. We had spent a lot of time creating pieces to be prepared. We, also brought our kids, Elise, RJ, Damara, and a friend of Damara's (Jacqueline). They helped us with face painting. Let's just say the day was scorching! (and the people- they did not come) They were at the other track watching Grand Am... We sucked it up and hung in there and made some lemonade out of lemons... I would have love some vodka with it, though! LOL!

This was RJ after his face was painted by one of the girls.

Two days after, my family and I left to the Poconos for some much needed R&R.We had four days together and then two other couples came up with their kids to join us. It was a perfect vacation!We went to Resica Falls and it is one of the prettiest places to visit. I wanted to hitch a tent!