Archive for January, 2011
Oh, the things I’ve learned!
Saturday, January 22nd, 2011First, some news: Doomsday Lover turned out awesome! I’ll have some photos soon. I’m so proud of everyone that was involved. In the aftermath, I have a radio appearance this Monday on The state of Affairs, a show on NPR affiliate 89.3 WFPL. I’ll be discussing burlesque and chatting with author Karen Abbott about her new book “American Rose”, which is about Gypsy Rose Lee. The show will be on at 1 pm and you can listen live through their web site.
Then, starting February 5, I’ll be making a short appearance in the burlesque Va Va Valentine. The Va Va Vixens are moving into their second year of performance, and I’m honored to be able to work with such a fun group of talented and creative people. Visit Art Sanctuary and Alley Theater web site for details. Following shortly after that, I’m throwing a Rocky Horror Picture Show party with Howl at the Moon on February 9th. Come dressed to win the prize package for best outfit and be prepared to win all kinds of fun stuff with the easter egg hunt. (Or win for stumping the pianists with this round of “You can’t do that on Piano”. My guests need a ticket from me to get in and eat for free, drink for half price.
Sub Rosa: The Gypsie COurtyard, our anything goes variety show, has been going extremely well lately. We continue to see a wonderful array of talent show up. We always have the featured acts, but we have seen some great new open mic talent lately as well. It is still on Mondays at Zazoos in St. Matthews. We get started at about 7, although sometimes it’s closer to 7:30.
Since Doomsday Lover pulled off as such a success, I’ve been spending some downtime in the woods. I’ve finally had a moment to sit and reflect over how much I’ve changed and learned in the last year. There’s nothing like warp speed to leave you with a lot to reflect over when you finally get a chance to kick it to a lower gear. I like to occasionally check in and share progress with my dear friend Truth B. Told as we both follow our dreams. He shared some of his lessons in a newsletter and inspired me to share some of my lessons from the last year or so in creating my dreams. I know that many of you are out there plugging away following your own dreams, and I hope some of these help.
I want to be beautiful on the inside. What we are at our core is what flows into our lives. Our core is made of what we fill ourselves with. Therefore, it is important to fill myself with beautiful things, people and ideas. Remaining true to myself is always the way to go, and standing up for what I believe in. I will inspire others more by being myself and living/creating my dream rather than trying to give everyone else theirs.
Keeping what is important is a top priority – Family and real friends who inspire, encourage, challenge me and hold me accountable. My goals and accomplishments and those of my closest circle. I know a lot of people. I should do everything I can to make sure the people who are important to me know that they are. My goals:My goals are my focus. It’s easy as can be to get distracted with other people’s dreams and projects – especially in the arts/entertainment world where a lot of our dreams overlap and things happen with the power of prayer and trading favors.
Don’t give your power away – There is always another way – if you are not completely happy with what someone is offering you or wants from you or is trying to make you believe you have to go for..don’t fall for the illusion that you have to do things their way – there is always another way…
Balance – Without balancing downtime and fun for the sake of it, I become a stressed out mess who can’t enjoy the fact that I’m creating my dream. Since I’m living my passion..it’s sometimes hard to step away from it and remember that there is more to life.
Make wiser and more sustainable investments – Pour money, energy, attention into wise “investments” whether it’s business, people, projects – pay attention to ones that are “worth” it. When it comes to people, pour your attention and time into people who are doing it on their own and will take your contribution and build on it, flowering into something awesome or people I will continue to get enjoyment from or learn from. When it comes to project and business, which ones can I continue to build on or benefit from with royalties, continual promotion or other ongoing benefits? If I pour energy, time, money into people and projects that lead no where, I might as well be pouring myself into a whole in the ground and burying it.
Gossip and rumors are hurtful. I’ve been on both sides of this ugly thorn. People will always talk..there will always be rumors, untruths, haters, misconceptions, misunderstandings – but keep acting right and your actions will follow you. The ones who run their mouths behind your back will sing your praises again once you do something that benefits them. If you’ve messed up, make sure to say when you’ve been wrong and to do what you can to make it right, but sometimes it takes time to repair something that fissured. I’ve also learned that most people will not be direct or honest with you when they have a problem. It’s easier to talk to everyone else in the world. You have to try to address it, move on and keep shining. I want to use my words to build others up. It’s why I got into this business in the first place.
Most people want someone else to make things happen for them and if you let them down, they have nothing good to say about you. These are people you will only continue to let down – you will never be enough because they don’t have themselves.
I am a speck on a speck. No matter how much love I have for it, the city I live and work in is a speck. There is much more out there than anything I’ve created, and the world is much bigger than any moment I happen to find myself in. This too shall pass. Don’t let anything suck you in and worry you for long. It is easy to get caught up in seriousness, but you can turn around and do something new in any moment. I am where I am because it is where I choose to be, and I can move away at any time
Let people handle their own business – I genuinely care about pretty much everyone who comes into my sphere – I guess it’s just in my nature. However, I found myself remaining in unhealthy environments or relationships out of “love”. I have had to learn to let people deal with their own anger, their own fears or “issues”. I don’t have to sit around and let their toxicity be hurtful to me. I have had to walk away from a few people over the last couple years to protect myself or my son from words and behavior that are not healthy and do not match what I truly love and hold true.
People are just people – I’ve learned to accept people where they are with the amount of love they are capable of giving instead of trying to make everyone into what I want them to be or into the person I want to be a friend with…I do not have to be everybody’s best friend – only mine…If I spend more time loving myself, it will naturally flow into others. If I keep the focus on loving others, I will just keep pouring it out and find myself drained.
To be proud of my accomplishments and know when to say “I deserve this” – for good or bad
Ask for help when needed, and reward myself for hitting my marks.
Sometimes people just want a hug: Just because people bring their problems to me does not mean they actually want any advice. Sometimes, people just want a hug and to hear it will be okay.
When something is not working, accept it and try something new.
The need for control is a ball and chain: The desire to serve is empowering.
Keep ideas/etc quiet until they are ready to be born: talking about them only releases some of the steam/energy that could be applied to making them happen.
Know how to say NO.
These are a few of the things I’ve learned along the way. What about you? What are some of the revelations that have shaped you over the last year?
Countdown to Doomsday
Friday, January 7th, 2011…as we approach 2012 (OMG, EVERYONE, RUN, PANIC, Fire, RIOT in the STREETS)…we countdown to doomsday…but I mean tomorrow – just a mere 31 hours until we commence with the debut of Divinity Rose as a Doomsday Lover…it’s a sneak preview of a show still in development for tour.
Everyone has worked so hard on it, and we only had a month to put together this full length show – one month to put together the script, the act, the costumes, and the choreography..Prepare to be astounded <3
Check out the staff pick the Louisville Eccentric Observer gave us
We also got to do a fun spot on WFPK with Laura Shine. I had to rush straight from where I was doing costume to the radio station, and then to dress rehearsal, so it was tremendous walking down 4th st live! in the cold wearing an outfit that was barely there from the waist down….All the fellas said hello to me on the way, though. ha! Mike Nusser was wearing his fedora for the show with skulls across the front, so he looked like some kind of pimp. Al Holbrook and Mike got to each play a song on the air, and all I could do was think about how awesome it is to have such talent in this show.
(Speaking of the costume…I am so proud of myself! I do not sew, and I made it myself with the supervision of beautiful Miss Christiane Nicoulin! – Photo below)
This year is only a week old and already it has been fantastic and beautiful, stressful and terrifying, keeping me up nights with it’s desire to feed and grow. I think we’re going to get along rather well, and this year is going to grow up to change the world as we know it <3
I hope to see you at the show tomorrow! Tickets are $20 ..if you can’t make it, I hope to see you at our official cast party at Howl at the Moon! I have tickets for you to get in free, eat for free, and enjoy half price drinks 
Also, I just found out that I will be on the radio show The state of Affairs on WFPL with author Karen Abbott to discuss her book “American Rose” and burlesque.
Amidst all this Doomsday Lover buzz, don’t forget to come enjoy magical nights of variety and recharge your batteries at Sub Rosa: The Gypsie Courtyard on Mondays at zazoos in St. Matthews of Louisville, Ky. We start between 7 and 8 pm and it’s all ages until 10 pm (tho rated pg -13 regularly).
Here’s the official information on Doomsday Lover
Buy tickets ahead of time at http://thealleytheater.org/site/?p=990
Even in the End Times, The show must go on!
…When a love affair leads to the end times, Divinity Rose as a Doomsday Lover….to seek out other magical people before leaving the dead behind to seek out more life.
This highly interactive and hilarious post-apocalyptic burlesque stars zombies, showgirls, a reporter and YOU.
Don’t miss the chance to see Divinity Rose and an all star cast of Louisville talents perform like you’ve never seen them before, including a zombie fashion show by Rachel French of Venomiss Designs.
(Darshwood the Conjuror, Jaime Duvall, Jorena Faulkner, Dennis Bell, Dusty June, Mike Nusser, Cyndi Snow, Katie Durham, Ed Black, Va Va Vixens, Cirque Airotic, and others fill out the cast and help keep the dead under control)
Rising starlet Divinity Rose has performed theater, comedy, spoken word, and song in over 15 cities nationally and is best known locally for hosting “Sub Rosa: The Gypsie Courtyard” in many different Louisville venues and “You Can’t Do That on Piano” at Howl at the Moon on Fourth Street Live!. Recently, she stole the hearts of hundreds of audience members as emcee of “Va Va Vintage,” a burlesque show she helped to write at Art Sanctuary and the Alley Theater, and in the show BlackJack that she co-produced with Cirque Airotic.
In March 2010, she released the first of her graphic novels—”Diaries of a Godling: The Promise”— which introduced a storyline that will continue to unfold on stage, page, and the Internet.
The next step in the journey (originally presented in the book) will be taken on Jan. 8, 2011 at Art Sanctuary and the Alley Theater with Divinity Rose as a “Doomsday Lover”— a highly interactive, hilarious, and sexy burlesque variety show/concert set in a post- apocalyptic world. For this show, she will be releasing new original songs with Ohio musician Al Holbrook.
Calling all the Magical People…Buy your tickets today! Don’t be left behind!
Come in costume as zombie or survivor night of show to receive $2 coupon to the bar.
Tables up front in the high action area may be purchased/reserved for up to four people for $100.
Ads may be purchased in program by contacting divinityrose@gmail.com (some levels of advertising include a reserved table).
The upcoming event will also feature an online contest. By joining the street team for Divinity Rose on ReverbNation.com, members will receive instructions on how to win $50, a T-shirt and a copy of her graphic novel.
“People can win by helping to collect magical people for the end times,” Divinity said. “We want no one left behind!”
To enter, please visit http://www.reverbnation.com/divinityrose and click “Street Team Missions” for more information.
This immersive and interactive show starts Jan. 8, 2011 at 8 pm at Art Sanctuary and the Alley Theater at “The Pointe”—located at 1205 E. Washington Street in Louisville. Tickets are $20; however, patrons who come in costume (as zombies, showgirls or survivors) will receive a $2 coupon to the bar. Front row VIP table s
eating can be reserved in advance for up to four people for $100. Tickets can be purchased in advance at http://www.art-sanctuary.com/.
Even in the end times, the show must go on!