You have family traditions. I have family traditions. One of my family’s traditions is that at our Denny gatherings, we watch Mythbusters. You know, the TV show where they take a popular myth and test it out to either prove or disprove. Since the holidays are about honoring family traditions, I would like to honor the Denny Mythbusting fascination by sharing a few myths I believed about Seattle/interning at the Rep that were busted:
“It Will Be So So So So So Hard to Live a Healthy Life on $200 a week.”
BUSTED! Ok, I’m no financial planner, but I do admit that it helped that last year I saved up some money to spend this year. So I did have a little cushion, but I was not rolling around in excess money. Still though, I find the rents in Seattle to be slightly cheaper than NY, DC, etc. And the generous Rep staff and volunteers constantly provide us with free (healthy!) food, living supplies, and entertainment... so the $200/week is quite doable (there are also paid front-of-house opportunities at the Rep).
“I Will Be So Busy at the Rep That I’ll Have No Time for Outside Theatre Projects/Meeting Other Seattle Artists.”
BUSTED! Life is super busy, but once you establish your routine it’s easy to find time for your own artistic projects. My wonderful supervisors in artistic land encourage me to do this, and give me the Holy Grail of young artists: Free Space. I directed a short play for the fabulous Northwest Playwrights Alliance, a talented group that performs monthly at the Rep, and then I led a month-long workshop in which I worked on one play with two casts: one in a rehearsal room, and one in an environmental “found space.” In 2010, I’ll direct another short for NPA, a full-length reading for Seattle Playwrights Collective, and I coerced my co-interns into creating a docu-theatre piece with me that we’re going to audition for a performance in an evening of experimental theatre. I love being able to assistant direct at the Rep, and then be able to put things I learn into practice.
“After I Move to Seattle, It Will Rain Hard Every. Day. Of. My. Life.”
BUSTED! I admit, I was expecting a daily downpour—and basically everyone I know on the East Coast seems to think the same thing. But not true. Yes, November – February tend to be gray…but unless you’re from a warm weather area, you’re probably dealing with darker conditions in winter also. And the winter rain in Seattle isn’t typically hard, it just kind of spits at you. But the rest of the year is pretty normal weather—there’s actually less total rainfall here than in NY or DC. When the sun is out, Seattle is GORGEOUS. Lakes, snow capped mountains, Evergreens, my new friend Mt. Rainier… Seattle is a hilly city, and the views from the top are amazing. So you can gawk at gorgeousness and build fierce leg muscles for free.
“I Must Drink Coffee In Order to Live in Seattle.”
BUSTED! What was it Mr. Ian Chant claimed in a previous blog? That Seattle will force you into coffee-drinking? Never fear. To those of you reading this who don’t drink coffee, I assure you that neither do I. I love tea, and Seattle has plenty of that also. So you can still go with people over to Café Zingaro, but instead you’ll enjoy a cup of Blue Eyes tea rather than some mocha frappa espresso half-and-half thing with skim and no whip.
Wait. Someone reading this doesn’t drink coffee, right?
… right?…Bueller….?
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