After finishing up my Imago Theatre tour in April, I enter May prepped to do ALL THE ARTING. I’m both super stoked, a wee bit anxious about getting it all done. Today is May Day after all, a time to celebrate the beauty and rebirth of Spring and also, by a trick of language, a cry for help in a crisis. I’m doing both, and it’s giving me a good chuckle. Here’s a little update on what’s causing my current duality of feelings:

The biggest project of the month is diving full on into the production/creation of my installation/performance/artscape ‘Millennial Turns 30,’ which will go up on June 22nd at the PortFringe Theatre Festival. It is a vulnerable thing to share how I actually feel about my life at 30. To admit that I can’t get out of anything adult anymore, embrace what life actually is vs. my dreams, and also celebrate the great stuff that comes with having completed the turbulent 20’s. I’ve wanted to create an installation for a while now, and I’m thrilled that my number was drawn in the PortFringe lottery- it is such a supportive and curious audience for a debut. I’m spending many hours a week collecting information/ideas, creating artworks and performance pieces, and also hashing out all of the production jobs. If you’re interested in helping out with this project (especially if you’re 28-35 years old!) PM me- it’s easy stuff! And be sure to check out the Facebook event page too.

Next week, I’m going to be in full tech mode for ‘Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus Goes to Another Dimension’! Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus is the most inclusive theatre/circus that I’ve ever experienced. It is always inspiring and humbling to work with this wildly talented cast and crew. This year, Robot SM will be a video part and I’ll be sneakily showing up in the Queer Circus ensemble and backstage during the show. The costumes will be FABULOUS. The acts will DEFY GRAVITY. This will sell out, get your tickets ASAP. Saturday & Sunday, May 11-12 at Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, OR.

Also this month, I’m stepping back into my 'Creatives’ mode as the Props Designer for ‘Down in Flames’ a clown play about a clown who gets dementia. It is based on the life of Joan Mankin- clown, woman’s rights activist, and all around badass. It features a host of Dell’Arte famiglia, Joan Schirle, Michael O’Neil, and Jeff Desautels on stage, directed by Angela Van Epps, Christopher Kehoe as stage manager, and myself and Summer Olsen on the design team. So happy to be a part of this all-star project celebrating an outstanding artist. Also, clown show props are the most fun- there will be a rubber chicken.

I’ve just returned the masks from a series of workshops through Imago at Portland Public Schools. Sharing my love of physical theatre with kids who’ve often never experienced it before always leaves me feeling good. My two classes at PHAME Academy, are also flowing along, we’re halfway through term next week. Commedia is an hour and a half of laughs, my students come up with the silliest bits. This is my first term teaching Scene Study and I’m testing out all sorts of lesson plans. Bringing out the creative/imaginative side of analysis is an interesting challenge, every week I think we have more fun with it. If you need a theatre workshop, PM me, I teach a range of classes for different ages/abilities.

So, besides a few auditions, that’s what I’ll be up to, wish me luck on this ARTastic month. I can also be found playing with Grover and reveling in spring!