Diary of a TRF Performer... the 2011 Season!

[Blue66669]

Today is my costuming day! I've had my dress for a couple of weeks, and I need to go over the entire thing to see where I need to make repairs/improvements/deletions. Some things are worn, broken, need to be replaced. Some things, while they LOOK great and are awesome pieces, really wind up being more of an inconvenience. Rehearsals starts in 2 weeks and we're already getting our "homework" done. Character sheets, planning and picking fights, practicing dances, picking out camping spots, securing the Saturday night hangout, planning everything for the upcoming 2 months. I'm tired already.

Fortunately enough for us, our rehearsal schedule was cut back, so we have Sundays to ourselves. Our Saturday schedule will be packed full with an early morning dance call, an afternoon of improv and character classes, and evening fight call (yes, I'm fighting again this year). So much to do, I'm probably going to be dragging my filthy behind to the showers every night. I've been working on character ideas and group bits for a little over 6 months now. I'm excited to see how they play out with our group. Will our chemistry make us "the group to beat" this year? I don't know, but I am severely optimistic.

All this work, and I can't WAIT to get into it.

[Blue66669]

This is the final week before rehearsals begins. We're ready to dig in and get things done. People have already been moving trailers and tents into participants camp. Ace can't get my camp set up until NEXT weekend, so I'll be sleeping in a trailer with a friend for the next week and a half or so.

The extreme temperatures have me scared a bit, since I tend to have a severe reaction to heat and cold. I'm praying that I'll be ok.

Wish me luck, everyone. I'll report in again on Monday.

[Bonny Pearl]

You and everyone else please stay hydrated!


pssstttt.... I heard a rumor that The Yellow Retriever is bringing karaoke back for the season. 

[Blue66669]

Yep... they did us a SUPER solid. Saturday nights after dancing and fighting and what not, all we want is hot food and cold beers LOL!

[maeven]

Be safe, WarCat! Keep us posted!

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Go get 'em tiger!  Errr... i mean, WarCat! 


*Stay well watered, woman!* 

[Baron Frederick]

Go get them,WarCat

[Blue66669]

Weekend ONE of rehearsals is complete.

Our schedule ran from 9:30am to 7:30pm with a few breaks and an hour lunch in there somewhere LOL. First dance call was amazing, and I'm lucky that I retained the knowledge that I did. 2.5 hours of dance, then lunch in the trailer with my girls. The afternoon brought a heavy set of classes, including character and improv exercises and lots of other things. We were given our TRF handbooks, chock full of homework assignments and lesson guidelines. YAAAAAY LOLOL! The heat was INTENSE this weekend, but not nearly as bad as it could have been. I am pretty sure that I drank my weight in water and Gatorade during the course of the day. 5:30 brought on our fight call. 2 hours of fighting with some of the finest ladies on cast made me OMG epic sweaty. We made a lot of headway into some of our fights, and were practically eaten alive by mosquitoes. By the time 7:30 rolled around, I was completely exhausted and completely starving to death. I made the mistake of eating on the lean side throughout the day (cheeses and meats, as well as some fruits and crackers). The evening shower was greatly needed and appreciated, and we were blessed with newly painted participants bathrooms and new showerheads. THANK GOD cause those last ones were NASTY. Some friends of mine and I invaded the local Sonic for giant drinks and bacon double cheeseburgers. Later, we went to a couple of places but found ourselves too tired to do much of anything. Some cheap beers and a few cigarettes later, I was back in the trailer falling fast asleep while singing to my iPod with the Barbarian queen LOL!

Up this morning at 8am with the playlist blasting, Drea and I had a nice breakfast of Mediterranean salad and cheeses with crackers. At 10am, we were back on the fighting field to beat the crap out of each other for a few hours. I now have an extra fight call planned midweek so that we can make our fights perfect. Made it home with no blood shed, but a HUGE headache and a horrible soreness down deep in my bones. Everything HURTS.

Everyone will be thoroughly entertained this season, and we're busting our butts and our brains to make it so. This may be a tough job, but I'm giddy for every single day that I get to do it.

[Sir Martin]

Thanks for the update, WarCat!  The TRF Performance Company never fails to enhance the magic in New Market Village with (literally) the blood, sweat and tears expended during practice in the unforgiving Texas heat.  We appreciate you and look forward to the spiritually uplifting escapism that results from your hard work.  Please keep us posted on your future rehearsals.

[PollyPoPo]

Many, many thanks, WarCat, for giving us non-performers a glimpse into what you have to do to give us the show each year. 

Polly PoPo
(aka Grannie)

[maeven]

How exciting!

[Glaodian]

I am so looking forward to seeing you in action this year at TRF Warcat.

[Hospitaller]

Warcat - It's great that you are giving us a background look into all the work you and the rest of the cast puts into making our all-too-short visits so enjoyable. You will always have our most gracious "thanks!" Hats off and a deep bow.

[Blue66669]

Weekend TWO...

It's Tuesday already and I'm STILL in pain. Out to grounds on Friday evening for a fight rehearsal, then a dance rehearsal. Best friend and I decided to go grab some tiny burgers and onion rings for dinner in Magnolia. I LOVE BURGER KING SO HARD!!!!! Made it back to grounds, only to find that our Pirates were in need of some help in building their deck at the campsite. I threw back a few swigs of Jack and grabbed the paint roller. Swabbed the deck until 1am, then had some laughs with some of my close friends before heading to sleep.

Saturday morning was hot and sticky, and I was late to Dance Call. Spent most of that time chatting with other cast members and keeping tabs on when my dance was going to be announced. Lunch was called, and we made our way over to Tango Lima to have lunch with the girls. Awkward TV and a great lunch of tuna salad, pasta salad, and cheeses later, we were on our way to acting and scripting. We were paired with the Barbarians and the Puppeteers for this weekend, and WOW what fun. We used ourselves to recreate classic paintings (I was the clamshell in The Birth of Venus) and worked on getting some of our group things done. By then, it was pushing about 105 and it was INSANELY humid. I started getting a headache during our character and improv class, and was sent back to my trailer to rest up for fight call. Da'Rel, one of the Barbarians, was kind enough to walk me back and get me fed, watered, and rested. Made it out to fight call and reharsed there until 7ish, then invaded the shower. Seriously... it very easily could have been the best shower of my LIFE! We cleaned up and headed into town for BBQ and laughs, then to karaoke at one of the local watering holes. Ended the evening with a cup of sangria and the tunes softly lulling me to sleep.

Sunday brought breakfast and fight call again. Spent most of it getting hit in the head and jumped on by an elf. Someone in my group lost a fight and subsequently got his head shaved (video is on YouTube LOL). Got out of there by about 1:30, sweaty and sticky and dirty and in an overall state of EEEWWWWW! Made it home in time to fall into the bath and then into the bed. Everything was sore and I have some bruises that I don't remember getting. I'm black and blue all over and can't wait to get out there again.

[Queen Bonnie]

 Huzzah to War Cat! Fun to read about what you are going through to entertain us! Hugs! Keep up the good work!