Two interviews with Victoria Libertore were recently published online.

“I just had one of the most amazing spiritual experiences of my life… in a burlesque workshop.” [ more ]

– Ashley Harness, Velvetparkmedia.com

“ I am looking for the humanity in the character…for the woman underneath the legend…“ [ more ]

– Victoria Libertore, interviewed by the Community of Báthory Scholars & Enthusiasts, Infamouslady.com

Hi, Marya & Fernando and anyone else out there that is reading this blog.  Well, last night was the first round of “GIRL MEAT”.  I had a great time.  I think.  It’s so weird to be on stage as this character.  I love ‘playing’ with and off the audience and making people laugh.  The Countess doesn’t really care about any of those things.  So, I’m reconciling me doing that as the performer, but not compromising the character.  My main goal last night was just to remember all my lines!  Anything else was icing on the cake.  It’s interesting how about 50 percent of the people I talk to feel so strongly about me using modern-day colloquialisms.  They feel that it really detracts from the piece and takes the power away from what it could be.  Others really like it.  It is my style to have a certain kind of irreverence.  It is a gift I got from my beautiful and hilarious mother.  But, there is something tempting about not doing it and seeing what comes.  I could always try it in rehearsal for the April show.  Feels like such a BIG endeavor to write another half hour of material for then!!!  Hmm, almost tempted to blog through till the April show.  I don’t know. I don’t want to be a blog hog.  But, there is something strangely soothing about this blogging daily as I do the work.  Hmm.  Well, if I didn’t see you at the show last night, I hope to see you there Saturday!

Wow.  I am tired to my bones.  I think it’s the weight of this material and processing so much.  Plus my brain hurts from just getting off book TODAY for the OPENING TOMORROW.  11:11 (as I write this).  Make a wish.  You know what mine is.  I’ve got to go edit the script again so Emma has a new, clean copy with all my cuts.  Costume moved beautifully today.  Still need to map out the last song.  I know where I start with it and where I end.  It’s just the technical details of getting there.  Must remember to keep eating well as I’ve learned all too often that my performance takes a drastic dip if I haven’t ate well the day of.  For some reason this week, I’m really missing Mom.  Maybe it’s all the lost Elizabeth Bathory experienced and caused.  Oh, my.  Intense.  By the way, I hope to see you at the show!

Photo by Angela Jimenez  |  manipulated by Victoria Libertore

I was so busy memorizing that I almost forgot to blog.  I now see why non actors are always so impressed with memorization.  It truly is hard.  What a lovely day of rehearsing and teching.  So nice to have this team of amazing people around me.  I was joking as The Countess today:  “Not only did I donate to the poor.  I brought some artists in Brooklyn together.”  Imagine that in a Hungarian accent.  The blocking played itself out today with some beautiful insights from Rosalie.  Emma did a wonderful job with the lighting.  Especially considering we are turning the space around.  Our versatile set piece is being worked into our production.  The costume arrived and I do feel like royalty.  And insane (in a good way).  Nice to also feel the support of our dramaturg, Jen-Scott Mobley, and her excitement around the script.  She gave me a lovely compliment that this script could be done by somebody else too.  Now, I retire to bed and have six hours of rehearsal tomorrow.  The last song basically needs choreography.  But, it is one of the first ideas that ever came to me when I started this piece.  So, I think it, too, will play itself out.  My jaw hurts from moving it in a different way than normal.  Three and a half pages memorized; three and a half to go.  My eyes are closing.  End scene.

Soooooooooooo tired.  A hard day’s work:  accent coach, meeting with Rosalie, costume fitting, memorizing.  The costume is coming together beautifully and will partner wonderfully with our set piece that is a work of art!  This is good considering that I never gave the costume and set designer a chance to meet.  Whoops!  But, they both ‘get it’ on a visceral and literal level.  I feel very lucky when I get to have days like today.  Never mind getting a full day of being an artist.  But, to have water come out of my faucets and food in my fridge and a warm bed.  The Countess asks in Girl Meat where was their (the alleged 600 girls’) God when I was killing them?  I consider myself very spiritual.  But, with all my affirmations and visualization of this life for myself (that seem to be working, mind you), why do I get this and why don’t the people of Haiti get their basic needs met?  I know I’m not the first person to ask this.  It is a childish question in a way:  why aren’t things fair?  But, the child in me wants to know.  I want to know why The Countess killed.  Less of why she got away with it.  That part seems obvious.  She was powerful and rich.  But, why did she have this need to kill?  And if she was born with it, can we fault her for it?