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Great news, folks – I was informed last night that I’ve been accepted into the Second City’s Conservatory Program!   Huzzah!  My audition went super well last week, despite my being fully stuffed of delicious prime rib because I’d left directly from our office Christmas luncheon (…if ever there was a first world problem…)

Then, I found I was way too sweaty to perform well in an audition so I ran to MEC to purchase a new sweater, which I did not wear at the audition because I thought it fit funny.

But it’s warm and cozy and I’ve been wearing it ever since immediately after the audition.

Anyway.  I begin classes in January so stay tuned to find out more! 🙂

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For more information about the Conservatory program, (Mom!,)  click on the image below:

 

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For anyone who’s ever been like: “Brie’s a smarty”…

I give you… Tuesday:

I missed work today because I have pink eye, which I probably got from choking on a piece of fudge the other day in my boss’ car.  It “went down the wrong” tube, as they saying goes, and I coughed and sniffled to regain composure.  Afterwards, I felt I may have put some strain on my sinuses, and yes, maybe even my eye. It’s all connected up there, anyway.

I ignored it at first, and realized when I got to my improv class that evening that the problem wasn’t going away.  I attributed the redness to the fact that I was wearing a sheddy sweater all day or that I’d been decorating my office (both true) and that I must have got something in my eye. It was my last improv class for this term, and I’d already agreed to celebrate with my classmates at the local watering hole.

They said: “Go wash your eye out and let’s go!”

I obliged.   And still I thought nothing of it.

The next morning at 4am, I woke up and my eye was swollen and leaking puss. I realized then the problem might be a bit more severe than initially assessed.  Yet, I didn’t think it worthy of skipping work.

Eventually, I’d had enough of my colleagues asking me what was wrong with my eye and telling me that I should go see a doctor and looking at me like I was a wounded puppy.

I went to the local walk-in clinic, right as they were off for lunch and got shoo’d away by one of the workers there.  Literally, shoo’d.  By someone.  Who works in a medical clinic.  A human being.

Disheartened, and itchy and eye-rubby as all hell, I returned to the office and decided I couldn’t stay anymore.  I drove home.  Traffic on the DVP has never been better. I was able to get an appointment with my actual doctor/nurse practitioner, who diagnosed me with pink eye.

Then she gave me flu shot.  I’ve already had the flu this year.

Afterwards, I lay on the cold hard floor of the community health centre bathroom to avoid passing out, given my irrational fear of needles.  Immediately after that,  a nutritionist informed me how to eat breakfast and lunch.

So, smart?

It’s funny how good some girls are at faking it.

It’s not funny how much I love maple fudge.

The Stratford edition of Comedy Before the Frost is now history and marks the first out-of-town comedy show I’ve produced (well, co-produced.)

I think I would qualify it as a success in that people we do not know were in attendance and paid money to listen to us tell jokes.  Not thousands of people, but people.  One of whom had reserved in advance for a group – as a birthday celebration.  We were part of someone’s major life event!  (If you consider a birthday a major life event, which I do.)

I was especially touched when I noticed my good pals from Sarnia in the crowd; friends I’ve known since high school (actually, I think I knew Josée before high school, she can correct me if I’m wrong,) who’d made the trek down specifically to see me perform.  That’s dedication, folks. That’s friendship.  They traveled further than I did to get to that venue.  These two are the best kind of people there is.  Afterwards, they treated us comics to drinks and billiards, which is like…gold for comics.  Sweet liquid, billiard-y gold.

Jerry Shaefer, our host, performed some really funny, interesting and unique stuff – which I was really excited to see because it didn’t fit in with the regular run-of-the-mill host.  He took some time to look into work we’d all done in the past, which was really nice and considerate – and he told stories, played characters and was just damn delightful to watch perform.  The birthday-boy was especially excited when he found out Jerry used to be on the Red Green show.  Apparently he was a huge fan.

We also made connections that will hopefully lead to more shows in Stratford, a lovely town in which to perform.  A town you KNOW values live entertainment.

If thy beist thou boyfriend

But first, time to get our sights set on Ottawa and Montreal.   I’m hoping for a bigger crowd for both these shows, and to recognize a few friendly familiar faces.

Also, more liquid billiard-y gold would be nice.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve managed to:

  • secure a full-time job (albeit non-comedy-related);
  • get an agent;
  • organize an 3-city tour;
  • secure a Conservatory audition;
  • perform a couple sets;
  • survive a brutal cold;
  • survive Thanksgiving.

It feels like time is just flying and sometimes it all seems a bit overwhelming.

But it’s progress.

I read this article in shedoesthecity.com about JokeBox lounge producer (and good friend)  Deanna Palazzo and couldn’t help but give it a re-post. It feels good to read great things about ladies who work freakin’ hard in this business and to hear about the good things they’ve got coming up.

Click on Dee’s face to read on…

 

“Jokebox Comedy Lounge brings an inclusive night of laughs to Comedy Bar on Mondays. Producer Deanna Palazzo tells us what it’s all about…”