McCaela Joins the Blogging Ranks

Hey, it's Nik. May I present...a guest blogger! McCaela Donovan, playing Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, is here to share a bit of her mind with us. And it was her birthday on Wednesday, so she's really cool now.

Hey. It's McCaela.

When Nik first asked me to write a blog, my first thought (to quote Sarah Jane Moore in "Gun Song") was “…Shit!” Rather than give you some boring overview, however, I would like to take this time to give you a brief synopsis of why I love this cast:

-Nik (The Balladeer) - is the glue. There has not been one day where Nik has not been smiling, laughing, and talking to each and every member of this cast. He is genuinely thankful and happy to be there each day and you can tell he loves this show. His spirit and energy are both beautiful and palpable.

-Liz (Sarah Jane Moore)- is a character. Insane, bubbly, a clumsiness oddly reminiscent of the role that she plays. Liz is all of these things but she also has a quiet thoughtfulness to her who takes her work seriously, and then knows when to let it go and have a great time. If I were trapped on a desert island I would want Liz there to entertain me.

-Blake (Giuseppe Zangara)- is my little muffin. It is unfair because I’ve known Blake for two years prior to this experience, but I’m so thankful to be in a show with him. His raw sense of humor, solid commitment, and his ambition are just a few things I admire about him. Plus, he makes me loosen up and laugh my ass off, which is just a pure gift in itself.

-Ed (Leon Czolgosz)- is a working man, born in the middle of Michigan. Or he’s just Ed. Intimidating at first until you hear his infectious laugh, and then you just want to hug him and put him in your pocket. Although out of touch with today’s world, as in the facebook generation, we forgive him because Ed knows when it is time to work and when it’s time to crack the group up with a joke or comment. And we forgive him even though he cannot remember when to come in with his lines for Scene 16.

-David (John Wilkes Booth)- as Aretha once sang, the only word for David is R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Although I still have yet to know David as well as some others I know that he takes his craft very seriously. His commitment to this show and his dedication to this character make me want to work harder, if only to bring my work to his level. I know many among us feel the same. We could not have found a better leader.

-Jeff (Charles Guiteau)- drives a truck. Which is perfect. I don’t know why, I just love it. I have said this before, but I did not think that someone could impress me as much as Dennis O’Hare did when he played this role, but Jeff has done just that. His comedic timing and loveable spirit engulf the stage, not to mention the crazy twinkle in his eye that tells us that something is a little…off. Always professional, always positive and joyful, Jeff is a wonderful piece of the puzzle that completes this cast.

-Chris (The Proprietor)- is a badass. And he’s loving it. It has been wonderful watching Chris’ interpretation of the Proprietor grow. He keeps finding small but crucial moments to seduce us and the audience with his intentions. And if Chris’ voice could be described as a food, it would be Velveeta shells and cheese….delicious. He is quiet at first but there’s a lot to him and I look forward to getting to know him more.

-Mason (Sam Byck)- is not an asshole. His character is, but he’s not. He is a bit disconcerting when onstage, because he swears at everyone, but he has a lot of commitment to this role. His monologue work is genuine, funny, and twisted all at the same time. He’s the only person that could say ‘fuck you’ to Jeff and still be likeable.

-Penny (Billy Moore)- is a coin, but also a beautiful person. Our bonding began over a giant bowl of JP Licks ice cream and I hope it continues. A gorgeous and powerful voice, great stage presence is overshadowed by her genuine sweetness and fun personality. Don’t let her fool you, she may look sweet but there’s a wild child in there somewhere!

-Danny (David Herold)- cracks me up. He has that kind of ‘huck finn’ boyish face that I just want to squeeze. Adorable and funny, he is a no nonsense talent that I am excited to get to know when we finally have more than one rehearsal together! Plus his face in the ‘Roosevelt’ song could not be more perfect. Love it.

-Meredith (Emma Goldman)- eminates strength and beauty. Her scenes are full of power, touching moments, and clear glimpses of spot on humor that make her such a complicated character. I believe that Meredith is all of these as a person as well, and more, I’m sure. I’m excited to get to know her better as this process goes on. In the short time I’ve been around her, I feel that she has a maternal presence that makes you feel like everything is going to be ok, and maybe a little crazy sassy lady in there as well…we will see…

-Jon (Lee Harvey Oswald)- is like a ken doll except with a lot of substance. Adorable and sweet, Jon views his character with a positive hopefulness that only Jon could. Most people wouldn’t want to dig into Oswald’s motivations. Jon is not only willing to go there, but is willing to view him in a sympathetic light instead of pinpointing him as the villain. I think this speaks to Jon as a person and it will be interesting for the audience to see this side of his character as well.

-Nathanael (John Hinckley)- is my favorite duet partner. We bonded way back when we auditioned together. Nathaniel has a quiet exterior at first, but once you crack through the shell he has a ridiculous sense of humor and is just an all around great guy that you can count on. He has put so much research into his character and has made you want to root for Hinckley, even if he is a loser. And it’s nice to be around a person who you know will always make you smile.

Sorry if that was a bit indulgent and long winded, but all these people have made this a wonderful experience so far. Although I didn’t describe them, Shawn (the director), Emily (the stage manager), Jackie (the choreographer), Greg (asst. to the director), Jess and Ellyn (the asst stage managers), Jo (the musical director) and Sarah (the production manager), and everyone else with Company One have been amazing to work with, and continue to challenge me and all of us everyday. Thank you to them and everyone! (And Emily…I will try to be early to rehearsal from now on!!)

-McCaela