"I WAS SPEECHLESS"!!

Turn your SPEECHLESS experiences into SPEECHES to help others….

Yesterday I received some news that took me COMPLETELY by surprise – I WAS… SPEECHLESS!!

I really was not prepared for what was being said to me on the phone and it came from an unlikely source. I will not reveal the contents of the discussion just yet as it is just TOO personal and TOO painful at this time. AND I decided that I would refrain from really stating how I feel to the person delivering the news... at least for now…because I am not really sure what my plan of action is yet “I AM STILL SPEECHLESS”…

Have you ever become speechless when news was delivered to you that you were not expecting, not ready to hear, and more importantly from a least unlikely source?

I have but it is not the first time…it reminded me of the time my hair stylist informed that clumps of my hair were coming out while she was washing it at the sink. She then asked me if I had been eating. WOW…I was caught by my hair stylist...a most unlikely source I thought but she informed me that a good diet shows in both your fingernail and your hair growth. As a joke I said, “EATING IS AN AGGRESSIVE SPORT IN MY FAMILY!”. But I wasn’t fooling her. The truth is I haven’t been eating lately. I have been skipping many meals and I was caught by an unlikely source, my hairstylist and I WAS SPEECHLESS on that day.

I have a close family member who has struggled with BOTH Anorexic and Bulimia for many years – her teeth that were once white are now stained from the acid reflect from vomiting eleven (11) times a day.

What do you do when you are speechless when you hear news that you were not ready for? For me I am writing about it – maybe I can incorporate these SPEECHLESS experiences into some of my SPEECHES that will help others who are going through the same things. You two can Turn your SPEECHLESS experiences into SPEECHES to help others….

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WORDS OF THE DAY

BULIMIA NERVOSA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulimia_nervosa


Bulimia nervosa, commonly known as bulimia, is an eating disorder and psychological condition in which the subject engages in recurrent binge eating followed by feelings of guilt, depression, and self-condemnation and intentional purging to compensate for the excessive eating, usually to prevent weight gain (see anorexia nervosa). Purging can take the form of vomiting, fasting, inappropriate use of laxatives, enemas, diuretics or other medication, or excessive physical exercise. The cycle damages bodily organs. Bulimia is common especially among young women of normal or nearly normal weight.[1]


ANOREXIA NERVOSA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anorexia_nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes an eating disorder characterized by low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Individuals with anorexia often control body weight by voluntary starvation, purging, vomiting, excessive exercise, or other weight control measures, such as diet pills or diuretic drugs. It primarily affects adolescent females all over the world, however approximately 10% of all afflicted are male. Anorexia nervosa is a complex condition, involving psychological, neurobiological, and sociological components.[1]

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"SHE MAKES ME LAUGH"!

“SHE MAKES ME LAUGH”!!

“Comedy Is Acting Out Optimism.” Robin Williams – Actor/Comedian

I went to the Kowloon Restaurant http://www.kowloonrestaurant.com/ on Route One North, Saugus, Massachusetts for dinner and then upstairs to the "Comedy Connection" Club for some laughs Friday night. The performers were OK - I did laugh but kept thinking to myself how much I wish I could be doing that!! Stand-up is something I did try in the late 80’s early 90’s when I went to Emerson College and just after graduating. Some places I did open mic nights in Boston were Dad’s Dinner (now closed), Nick’s Comedy Stop, Stitches (now closed), and Dick Doherty’s Comedy Vault downstairs at Remington’s. For my last semester at Emerson College I attended the Emerson’s Los Angeles Program http://www.emerson.edu/la_center/ and worked as an intern at Entertainment Tonight. I stayed at the Oakwood Apartments http://emerson.oakwood.com/ where many entertainers also stayed. I along with the other students/friends hung hung out with the now well know actor, Jeremy Priven when he was just beginnin his acting career (I have a pix with him somewhere!). It was there that I joined a comedy support group and would perform my routines in front of other comics starting out then we would hit the dive clubs in LA.

I also took an improv comedy class at the Groundling Theatre in Hollywood, California where many famous comedians began. http://www.groundlings.com/start.htm
http://www.seeing-stars.com/OnStage/GroundlingTheater.shtml In fact, my instructor at the time was Comedian/Actress Kathy Griffin. http://www.kathygriffin.net/ A few constructive feedback comments that Kathy gave me were “DON’T STEAL THE SCENE!” and “DON’T DENY!”. Now to say to someone like me “DON’T STEAL THE SCENE!” is pretty comical in itself!!! But the reason you “DON’T DENY!” is because it cuts the action off and stops the scene from moving forward. If someone says something outrageous then you respond with a “yes I did and”… then add something else on.

In 2006, I took a stand-up comedy class at the Boston Center for Adult Education
http://www.bcae.org/ with for Stand-up Comic/Instructor, Dana Bean http://www.danajaybein.com/ I really would like to start getting back out there and do more open mic nights. A dream of mine is to audition for AMERICA’S FUNNIEST MOMS”…

But to be honest it is really my soon-to-be ten-year-old (November 14th) daughter Sabrina who “MAKES ME LAUGH!” which is great for me because I am usually the one who makes everyone else laugh! I love how Sabrina imitates other people’s walks, talks, voices, looks, outfits by using various ways to convey their personalities. She is definitely an entertainer…hmmm I wonder where she gets that from – those of you who know me - already know!

One funny visual that Sabrina made-up one day was taking her long brown hair behind her back then dividing it in half, sticking it out from under each arm. Since her hair is soo long it protrudes out about two inches in the air. She will top this off with a wide smile and jokingly say; “I need to shave under my arm pits”. … “SHE MAKES ME LAUGH!” Another visual is when Sabrina imitates my sister, her Aunty Mary who is a smoker. Mary even smokes while she cooks (An aside - YUK – Sorry to you smokers but I am a non-smoker and the smoke irritates my eyes and my lungs). Sabrina puts her index and pointing fingers together and brings them up to her mouth very slowly – emulating she has a cigarette – then she’ll say “We’re having smoked turkey for dinner” as she pretends to take the cigarette from her mouth and then blows smoke onto the turkey” – hence “Smoked Turkey”. … “SHE MAKES ME LAUGH”!!



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DO YOU LOVE COMEDY? EVER WANTED TO TRY IT?

Here are some of my suggestions -

Try taking an Improve or Stand-Up Comedy Class (or both) at a local college or local theatre, go to an open mic nite and watch other newbies or even perform a five minute spot, join a comedy troupe, read some books by comedians that give great humor advice - like Judy Carter's The Comedy Bible/The Book, The New Comedy Writing - Step by Step by Gene Perret.

"Guest Critic" for the North Shore Music Theatre!!

"FROM EVALUATOR TO GUEST CRITIC" !!

I always love attending productions of the North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT)

I just have to share that for me - being a Toastmaster is very useful in learning how to write evaluations for other people's speeches and presentations. AND in this case, it helped me to become a "Guest Critic" for one of the largest non-profit theatres in New England !!

Perhaps YOU too can learn to listen, speak, evaluate and even write a review for your local theatre company. I encourage you to join a Toastmasters Club near you!


http:///www.nsmt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=643&Itemid=1745

BIO FOR GUEST CRITIC SHERRI RAFTERY

Sherri Raftery turned 41 on January 9th and is a PTO mom at St. Pius V. School in Lynn, where her nine-year-old daughter Sabrina attends third grade. Sherri is also a soccer mom and team parent for the Saugus "Dynamites", a performer with the Theatre Co. of Saugus and currently serves on several boards in Saugus including the Saugus Cultural Council. Sherri graduated from Emerson College with a Bachelor's Degree in Performing Arts and Communications and completed her Master's Degree in Education with a Concentration in Arts and Learning from Endicott College in 2004. Sherri is the Toastmasters District 31 A-2 Area Governor and the newly elected Lt. Governor of Marketing. Sherri writes poetry and has been published locally.

NSMT's GUEST CRITIC SHERRI RAFTERY'S REVEIW

"SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS" WAS "SEP'TUP'ULAR"!!

On Thursday May 31st the newly renovated North Shore Music Theatre located in the wooded area of Beverly, MA in collaboration with many talented artists and guest artists was well received when the house opened with Seven Brides For Seven Brothers to a large, eager and welcoming audience.

This little hidden gem know as the "theatre-in-the-round" had me on a non-stop, merry-go-round ride where the action, singing, dancing and tumbling were exciting and rhythmic to watch, and hear. It was a bouquet of heartwarming numbers and some sexy surprises, especially "Bless Their Beautiful Hides"!! The costumes were "Wonderful Wonderful" colorful prisms and especially complimented the lights.

If "it takes a village to raise a child" then hats and boots off to tall, blond, handsome, burly, big brother Adam, performed by Edward Watts, for raising his brothers out in the Oregon lumberjack woods on his own. When along comes his strong willed, hard working, beautiful new bride Millie, performed by Michelle Dawson, to strip ALL the brothers of their old scruffy headed, scrappy bearded, tattered clothes, rough and "tumbled" mountain man ways.

What better way to shape up a man or even seven men than by bak'n em some homemade muffins and teach 'em some proper manners on how to treat the pretty little lady folk especially when they are "Goin' Courtin'".

Imagine having two sets of suitors? The brothers may have lassoed, and kidnapped their woman who "were spoken for" and "promised to" at first, but it didn't take these ladies long to warm up to the brothers charms and marry them.

The set changes were intricately and smoothly woven into each scene by the entire cast as they set up, removed, or replaced props. The set pieces were also gracefully transitioned as the bunk bed rolled down from one of the house aisles, or the table as it rose up from the stage floor and the trees as they were quickly hoisted down and retracted back up to the ceiling rafters.

BRAVO!! Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was SEP'TUP'ULAR the only regret I have is that there was not a longer curtain call! Applause Applause Applause!!

Respectfully Submitted
Sherri Raftery, M.Ed.
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For more information about the North Shore Music Theatre Contact

Stacy Whalen-Kelley, Public Relations Associate,
North Shore Music Theatre
swhalen@nsmt.org
978) 232-7290
www.nsmt.org

North Shore Music Theatre - Operating since 1955, NSMT has evolved into the largest non-profit producing theater in New England, with approximately 350,000 patrons annually. NSMT has gained a national and regional reputation for artistic achievement, specifically in the areas of developing new works and providing outstanding theater arts and education programs. NSMT has received numerous industry awards including IRNE Awards, the Elliot Norton Award, the Rosetta Le Noire Award from Actors' Equity, and the Moss Hart Award. NSMT annually produces a six musical subscription series, a production of A Christmas Carol and an acclaimed concert series. With its celebrated Theater for Young Audiences program, a school touring program, and year-round classes for children, NSMT has become one of the region's leading providers of theater arts and education.
http://www.nsmt.org