Poe Show Sneeze

[Accidental Mistress]

Well to start things off... I haven't posted on the forum in AGES and I'd like to say how nice it is to be back. I think this is my first time posting on the Obs board, so here's my little story to share:

I've been interested in theater for a few years now. I was in some plays in high school so naturally I auditioned for them when I got to college last year. I wasn't cast in any. I was disappointed of course, but I didn't give up hope.

This year, finally, I was cast in a great production that one of our theater professors wrote and is now directing called Poe on Poe. It's about Edgar Allen Poe commenting on, you guessed it, himself. Boy is that man full of himself.

At any rate, one of the pieces in the show is based on a story of Poe's called Lionizing. It's a weird story about a young man (played by a young woman in our production) named Thomas Jones who has a very long nose. He spends his childhood becoming an expert in the subject of "Nosology" and it makes him an instant celebrity when he finally goes out into the world. Eventually a Duchess invites him to a ball, and this is where things go downhill for poor Thomas. The Duchess kisses him on the nose, and he sneezes all over her, much to the horror of her other guests. One of these guests challenges Thomas to a duel, which Thomas wins. Unfortunately he wins by shooting the other man's nose off. The noseless man becomes instantly more fashionable than Thomas, and Thomas is rejected by the group.

What are the chances that this is one of the pieces that I am cast for? No one in the cast and crew except my boyfriend knows that I'm a sneeze fetishist, and I kind of wonder if things would have been different if the director had known. I don't play Thomas or the Duchess that kisses him and gets sneezed on, and I don't think I would have wanted to be, but I do play various other roles in the piece, including Thomas' mother and a scholar named Ferdinand Fitz Fossilus Feltspar (try saying that really fast). As a guest at the ball I'm supposed to look horrified as the actress playing Thomas builds up and sneezes on the Duchess, but it's so hard not to smile! I usually cover my mouth with my hand and try to make the rest of my face look horrified. I can do it! I know I can!

This play is soooooo much fun. The rehearsals are eating my life now that the show is less than a week away. Ah, but I love it! The theater! Yes, it's taking up most of my free time. Yes, I can't really do much of my homework. But I don't care! I'm back in the theater groove and I love every minute of it!

~Analex

P.S. If anyone is interested in seeing the show it's at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania on October 13-16. The show starts at 7:30pm on each night and tickets cost only $5! Shameless plug!

[Hypnos]

Sadly Pennsylvania is a bit of a swim for me, but I wouldn't mind seeing this show at all (especially if Thomas is played by an actress!!!). Aside from the obvious perk, it seems like quite a fascinating piece of theatre, but I would imagine most productions would use an actor in Thomas' role and therefore turn the perk into (for me) something to be avoided.

You know, if someone by any chance records the performance, or even just that scene, maybe with a camcorder or just a mic, there's one British, 23 year old male I just happen to know who would be very interested in talking further.

Ummm... please?

[Accidental Mistress]

Well, a lot of my family members are going to come see the show on opening night, so I'm betting someone will tape it. Even if they just tape the bits I'm in, I'll be in that part. If I do manage to get a hold of some video or audio, I'll let you know!

~Analex

[Accidental Mistress]

Okay, just to update... Well, we did our final show tonight, and I'm rather sad to see it go. I loved doing this production, and the cast was so wonderful. I feel like tomorrow night I should be going back and practicing 'The Bells' and putting on my green dress for the opening... but alas, Ursinus College's production of Poe on Poe is no more... My parents came opening night, and my dad was able to tape the first hour or so, but I think he ran out of tape just before we finished off the night with "The Cask of the Amontillado." He did manage to get Lionizing, however, and apparently the sound quality isn't half bad, so I requested a copy. If I can figure out how to rip that particular sneeze scene from the DVD he burns, I'll be sure to make it available. *sigh* I really hope our director puts on another play next semester!

~Analex