The AC in the theatre is working overtime right now because there are approximately 150 people in the lobby. Maybe more. This is probably illegal, actually. I am pretty sure that a fire code is being violated. Our lobby should NOT hold this many people. It comfortably holds, like, 50. They are all waiting to go in to see the young company theatre camp shows which start at noon (introductions start at 11:30?). Some of the people have been here almost an hour already. One guy apparently STOLE a chair for the hotel next door and was sitting in it in front of the theatre. He, of course, didn't put it back when he was done so it was just sitting out there. One of the people who work in the main office came over here at some point and was like, "Why is there a chair from the Stonewall Jackson hotel out front?" I could give her no answer. I'm not allowed to leave my little station without someone guarding it (not like I could have physically left anyway--- there were too many people in here) so that chair would have stayed there for quite a while if she wouldn't have moved it.

Ok, everyone was finally let in. WHEW. It's going to be 100 degrees today and I was sitting here shivering because I'm right next to the AC vents. Since I am obviously working this event I can't watch the shows which is actually bumming me out a little bit. For the last 3 seasons I have been almost forced to watch them. I want to support the program but the event is really, really long. Sometimes 4 hours long. And, sometimes when you're in a troupe, it's your only morning off. And you might want to do something else during that morning. Like... anything. But you always go and you always enjoy it. But today I have to sit at the gift shop. They're doing Merchant this year and since, you know, I like that play a lot (and our friend Tyler directed it), I watched a dress rehearsal on Friday night. That play is so good. I think it's my favorite play. This was the first time I've seen it since we did it. The kids did a great job. It also made me realize that our show was really, really good. Maybe some don't agree with every single choice that was directed, but it was great. And every single person knew exactly what they were saying during every single word. I am so lucky to have gotten to WATCH that show every time we performed it (we sat on stage during the whole thing).

We are dog sitting for the next couple of days for Christina. She has a little schnauzer. Last time we did this they brought the dog over at night and she went CRAZY until about 4am. She just ran back and forth between the living room and the the door that they exited through, apparently looking for them. When we were trying to sleep this was really annoying and horrible. Today they brought her over at 9am. Hopefully she will not still be running back and forth (which is what she was doing when I left) 15 hours later.

So, the rent in downtown Staunton is, from what I understand, going up. WAY up. This one weird card/novelty store is having to move out of downtown to the OTHER part of the city... they might as well be closing. Well, I'm sure they WILL be closing because no one is going to go to it anymore. There is an apartment located above the soon-to-be-former store that is $1200 a month. I'm sorry, WTF? $1200 a MONTH? In STAUNTON, VA?!?!?!?!?!?! This is not an amazingly elegant apartment. It's a 1 bedroom. I can get a 2 bedroom apartment on 119th street in New York City for $1200 a month. And in New York, there are... THINGS! And restaurants that stay open past 5pm and are open on Mondays! I was amazed when I heard this. People and their greedy, rent raising ways are going to destroy this town. No one will be able to afford to live or work here.

Today is my sister's birthday! She's 24. Can you believe that? I had my 24th birthday 2.5 years ago. Yolanda Board made me a super special crown with a "24" on it and I wore it in theatre history. Dr. Bank was probably not happy. Theatre history is the only class I ever miss. Well, it and that earth history class I took my last semester, that was great. However, it is much better to not be in school than to be in school. "Back to school" time is kind of fun when you don't have to worry about actually going TO school. Remember that feeling of dread? When I was in elementary school and high school it was excitement, but in college it was just dread. Just, "Oh my God, there's only 3 weeks of summer left.... " I feel like I probably cried about it, once. I've been reading a ton of plays recently, even without theatre history. Last night I read Baby With the Bathwater and the nights before I read Oleanna and Betrayal. Although I did like both Oleanna (although "liked" is... the wrong word) and Betrayal, I liked Baby With the Bath Water much more. Christopher Durang is so effed up. It's hilarious. I hope someday there is an American Durang Center. Or Festival. I'd like to be a part of that.

It's AUGUST! Every day gets closer to me moving away. Yay.