Day 265 Without Them

Alright. Maybe I am being a little over dramatic, but I actually haven’t had a chance to sit down and talk to them. Since we have been back, it has been bacl to the usual grind of rehearsal/repeating. Give it, it is a great grind to be a part of, but I can’t wait to have a second to breathe.  Caitlyn and Rama are in a show here called Enter a Woman, Pretty Enough by Diana Small...and Hy Hetherington actually was in town and is here to see it tonight. I will be seeing it tomorrow. I hope they break legs. They’re gonna be incredible. 

The Trip is Over

The trip is over. (It needed repeating.)  I miss it. I have been back for almost two days, and I cannot believe how life-changing this trip has been.  I already miss hanging out with them 24/7. Thank you.

Day 7: All Aboard (pt 2.)

After rushing to see Circle Mirror Transformation (the review is still on the way) last night....we decided that we didn’t really get to see enough of the Holocaust Museum. So, we were crazy and decided that 8 am was an appropriate time to get up. We got up, mostly packed, and then headed out to see an super cool exhibit. Unfortunately, the super cool exhibit ran an hour and a half...and we didn’t have that much time to still leave on time for our flight home. So, we still got a chance to enjoy a new exhibit (that we hadn’t seen the days before) called Some Were Neighbor’s. It was all about what happened in communities throughout the country. It was about the neighbors that both tried to help and ratted people out. It was a really interesting perspective that I had never thought about before, and they even had video footage too.  It was breathtaking.  Anyway, we have just returned home and hurriedly packing before having to dart to the Airport. See you on the flip! Best, Austin & Caitlyn

Day 7: All Aboard

Today is it. It’s our last day. I don’t believe it.

Day 6: Dupont Circle Mirror Transformation

Hello again, world! (Yes, there is a pun in the title. I couldn’t resist it. Sorry world.) This morning, Rama left us. She had bought her ticket for a day earlier, because not only was it cheaper, but it gave her a chance to go home. Caitlyn and I miss her, and will continue to miss her a lot over the next few days. As we have explored the Theatre Community a lot, we told ourselves that we could explore more of the actual community. And that day is today! So, we packed our stuff and then headed out onto the town! So over the course of today, as most of our plans had fallen on other days, we took Friday as a day for ourselves. As it began raining today, we decided to run to a store and buy new shoes that were more equipped at handling the rain. Afterward, we headed over to the Smithsonian to see: - Natural History Museum  - Holocaust Memorial Museum There though we were unable to spend a lot of time in either, as we also had to leave to see: Circle Mirror Transformation at the Rep Stage, we did thoroughly enjoy both. As for the show, we liked most of it (with some moments/things that stood out) and will be posting more of a review of it in just a little bit! Thank you to all of our lovely followers, and our parents! (Cause lets be honest, they’re one and the same.) xoxo A & C

SOON's writer/songwriter Nick Blaemire performs "Waiting." March 10 – April 26, 2015 Get your tickets online at , at the Box Office or by calling 803 820 977...

Watch exclusive video of Nick Blaemire’s new musical SOON and listen to the cast sing “When The World Ends” from the show. SOON plays at Signature Theatre no…

A Note from Caitlyn, Rama, and Austin

Tadaa! Here it is! The post that you have very obviously been waiting for! Here is our review of Signature Theatre Co’s production of Soon. So, to start off the show was (honestly) our favorite production that we have seen this entire trip. Not only was the set design gorgeous (and a great use of the entire space) but it was unique and fused (really well) with the lighting design. As you hopefully saw in the last post, this was a musical that was about the end of the world coming. With that said, the musical followed one girl who (due to the approaching apocalypse) wasn’t leaving her apartment. However, as she uses a Favor like app, she starts to fall for this new guy. (Very 21st Century, am I right?) Anyhow, they start dating casually. Yet as most of the story was not chronological, we began to piece the musical together in various bits. On top of all of this, as we watched them fall together, we watched as her relationship with her mother fell apart. And even more on top of that, we watch the year in the life of her Jewish Fish (Hershel) that was bought for her, as a present. So, without spoiling anything....because hopefully you will be able to see it someday. The music was beautiful. The acting was incredibly well done, and from a dramaturgical standpoint (although there were a few questions...like what does setting this at the end of the world really do for the story? Like what about this couldn’t be told if it were set today?). Our only possible thoughts (or problems) were in the opening musical number as it was not very clear, what was going on/the staging wasn’t anything that fit in with the rest of the show. P.S. The guy we had been coordinating (for a few week prior) Matt Gardiner, was not only the director of the piece...but was also sitting about 2 seats away from us with the playwright! Ehh! We talked to them after the show, and congratulated them on their incredible work. In case this has interested you, we will post some links to videos about soon...soon. Anyhow, it’s getting late here, and so we will have to sign off. Good Night, DC. Good Night Rama, Austin, and Caitlyn. 

Day 5: Signature Theatre (pt. 2) and SOON!

Today has been incredible. Honestly, today has been a photo-montage kinda days. Not only are there so many pictures to see from today, but it has been the most exciting day so far. Plus the show that we saw tonight was incredible. But I can’t get too far ahead of myself. (There will be another post tonight, to tell you about it. So, if you want to know that badly, then you can skip ahead. I can’t stop you.) Anyhow. Today we finally got a chance to tour the city! We decided that while in the Capitol of our nation that we should see the White House during the day. (See last post.) Additionally, we got a chance to tour the national mall and see: - Vietnam Veterans Memorial (And even scribble the name of a close friend’s relative) (Pictured Below) - Lincoln Memorial (Pictured Below) - MLK Memorial (Pictured Below) - Washington Monument (Pictured Below. With mimic-ers of the statue) - WWII Memorial (Pictured Below) - An Ice Cream Stand. (Before/After Catastrophe Pictured Below)

As for those of you who stuck around and didn’t just skip onto the next post, thank you. And here is some juicy information about the show that we saw last night! SOON Presented by the Signature Theatre

It is the hottest summer in human history and, in a few short months, all water on earth will evaporate. In response, twenty-something Charlie has taken to her couch with only her beloved possessions: peanut butter, Wolf Blitzer and Herschel, the fish. Her mother, roommate and sometimes-boyfriend all attempt to persuade her to leave her apartment and enjoy life. However, as Charlie’s memories take over, more complicated reasons for her self-inflicted hibernation emerge as she confronts her deferred dreams and considers the possibility of life and love just outside her door. Filled with Blaemire’s (Glory Days) trademark quirky style and reminiscent of past Signature contemporary musicals [title of show] and The Last Five Years, Soon’s youthful humor, energy and wit deliver a searing and sardonic commentary on what to do with the time you have left. P.S. Rama leaves tomorrow morning, and none of us are ready to see her go. Xoxo A, C, R.

Day 4: In the District with Hy

Hy there. (You’re welcome.) It has been a very busy past two days, and so it has been hard to find the time to sit down and post all of our activities, but here is an update on everything. 

On Wednesday, Rama and I headed over to Hy’s office at 8 am in order to see what it’s like being him. Caitlyn, who was still feeling that much better, decided that it would be best to stay at home and rest. Rama and I actually arrived an hour earlier than we had anticipated (traffic/misunderstanding from the email) and had time to sit down and grab breakfast/coffee with Hy. He introduced us to everyone in the office and then we had a chance to sit down in his office to chat for a while. He took us through all of what he does in a day, updates on his business, and updates in all of our lives. After we had finished, we headed home to check on Caitlyn. Later that night, we headed to an incredibly nice dinner with Hy at Joe’s Seafood, Steak, and Stone Crab. Ohmigod. The food was delicious, the conversation was incredible (Hy was just incredible with some advice for all of us), and the night was perfect. Here are some of the pictures:

P.S. Caitlyn was totally cut off from the picture on the far right.

A Note from Rama & Austin

For starters, unfortunately Caitlyn has been feeling sick. Luckily, I had some medicine to help her feel better. She is currently fast asleep snoring the night away. In the meantime, Rama and I just thought we might post our thoughts about Kid Victory.  We thought that the show was filled with excellent singers, they used the ensemble well, some excellent moments of directing, and had a great tap number. The show overall had good intentions but poor execution about a show with child abuse and Stockholm syndrome. The show in itself seemed to try to hard to touch on all of the lives of those affected (the parents, friends, the son, and the whole town) and so they were never able to specifically get at any one single point to take away. The show felt like there was no overall forward progress, or that we didn’t really learn anything new, and so the conclusion of the play was not climatic. As the show progressed, the script did bring up some very interesting scenes (between the dad and the son, the son and a match he had met on matchstick) but they were coming along too late in the story. So, by the time that we had reached the end of our time in the space, we had only reached about what we believed was halfway through the story. Additionally, it was very hard to figure out which lens that I should view it through and when we thought we had figured it out, it was either not completely the story they were telling or something about it just didn’t quite fit. It was an interesting idea, and a great reminder that we will not like every show that we see, just like we can’t please everyone with our shows. So, with that we say good night. P.S. We recorded our conversation with Justin McCarthy (and actually met up with a UT Alum) when interviewing at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and so we will be posting that interview later this week. Sleep Well World,  R. & A.

The DistriCt (Day 3)

Hello again, world! Today marks day three for the three amigos, here in the Capitol. We have some really exciting plans ahead of us. *Cue Music* In particular, today marks a big day for us. We are going to brave the bus for the first time. *End Music* We’re going to go visit the Kennedy Center, the Washington Memorial, and take a stroll down the river. After that, at 2 pm, we’re going to meet Justin McCarthy over at the Woolly Mammoth’s Theatre to ask him some quick questions. 

Here’s some information about WOOLLY (on their website):

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company was founded in Washington, DC in 1980. Now in our 35th season, Woolly is “…the hottest theatre company in town” (The Washington Post, May 2008), “known for its productions of innovative new plays” (The New York Times, November 2007). We’ve garnered this reputation by holding fast to our unique mission:. . . to ignite an explosive engagement between theatre artists and the community by developing, producing, and promoting new plays that explore the edges of theatrical style and human experience, and by implementing new ways to use the artistry of theatre to serve the people of Greater Washington, DC.

To translate all of that, they are a nationally recognized theatre company that is a leader in producing new plays. They give new playwrights a chance, and these shows make up over half of the shows that they produce. They not only produce a lot of new work, they also give back to the community in a variety of ways including: young playwriting programs, or pay-what-you-can shows. This is literally a dream come true, I have heard so much about them, and can’t wait to meet them. We’ll be posting the minutes from the interview later today! (Caitlyn freaked out because DEAD MAN’S CELLPHONE made it’s premiere in Woolly Mammoth’s stage.)

To see more about them, heres the link to their website: http://www.woollymammoth.net/

To conclude our night, we will be seeing Kid Victory at the Signature Theatre. Here is some information about it:

A World Premiere Musical by John Kander & Greg Pierce

The highly anticipated and chilling world premiere musical from legendary composer John Kander and acclaimed playwright Greg Pierce (The Landing).Seventeen-year-old Luke returns home after vanishing a year ago. Profoundly changed, Luke and his parents struggle to adjust to life following his disappearance. Only finding solace with Emily, the quirky proprietor of an offbeat garden shop, Luke grapples with a past undone and a coming of age that came too late to a boy who just wants to fade away.The second collaboration between Kander (Chicago, Cabaret) and Pierce (Slowgirl), Kid Victory is a hauntingly mesmerizing original musical about what it means to disappear.

A Note from Caitlyn and Rama:

If you saw the video from earlier tonight of Austin singing on a ladder... we’re sorry. ;) 

But onto the good stuff: 

Shear Madness was wonderful. Wonderful. It was an interactive, murder-mystery style comedy that had many alternate endings and let the audience decide each suspects’ fate. We discussed how fun it would be to do a show like it at UT.. food for thought.

THE KENNEDY CENTER IS GLORIOUS. We will certainly be returning!

Downsides: About a hundred middle schoolers in matching hoodies going crazy during the performance annnnnnddd $12 salads at The Kennedy Center.

We’ll keep updating as we go! :)

Lets Move to D.C.

And here is the totally real picture of the three of us at the Kennedy Center, when we decided that we wanted to move here! <3

Washington Day 2 (pt 2.)

Hey world! For those of you following at home, it’s Austin (which, if you read the earlier posts, you know I was sick. If you didn’t, well now you do.) With the help of Caitlyn and Rama, I am actually feeling a lot better and have taken most of the day to rest. With that said, I actually ended up going to an emergency clinic nearby (at the recommendation of both of my parents, Caitlyn, and Rama). So the message to learn from this, kids, is to always listen to your parents/doctors. And that just because everything doesn’t go the way that you want it too, doesn’t mean that you have to let it ruin your day. You can’t plan for everything, so do the very best that you can. And staying hydrated is a very important thing to do. (Wow. A lot of lessons, right?)

With that said, while I sit here typing this, Caitlyn and Rama have gone to see Shear Madness at the beautiful Kennedy Center. So for day 2, though I may not have been able to do everything today, my health was more important today.  But I mean, who really had the better night? You decide.

The apartment we're staying in!

The car ride yesterday. The Dowlings were kind enough to give us a ride to the Houston airport!