A tiny tidbit through the eyes of the Nurse

"Nurse!!!!!"

It's only 5 o'clock in the morning.She summons me so early!  I've only been awake shy half an hour.

"I'm coming, madam.  Be right there!" I say as I tidy my bed.

"What can I do for you, Lady?"

"Make me something to eat and hurry!  My head aches!"

"Yes, madam.  Shall I wake Juliet?"

"Did I say 'wake her', wretch?!? Bring me food, a Martini, and my pills!"

"Yes, ma'am." I say as I leave to do my daily grind.

I need not wake the cherub anyhow just to see you wasting your life away on medications not your own.  Then, there's the vile liquid which takes your breath and morals too.

I see you with all your men, flaunting your body in promiscuous ways. You may have high status, but you're no Lady.  In fact, you're no better than the putrid scum which grows in the darkest of places.

Juliet is far too young and impressionable to see you, her so-called mother under false influences.

"Nurse!!!"

"Almost ready!  I'll be right there!" I say.

I would love to tell her "You treat me like a piece of rancid waste found on the streets of Havana."

But if I did, I'd be discharged and there'd be no one to watch over the child.  And I can't leave Juliet with her.

Oh, if only there were somewhere else we could go.  I'd take her away from that filth of a progenitor.

I am glad, however, to say Lady C has not a clue.  For I know all of her secrets and my lips will remain sealed.  Her veiled truths shall never leave me unless harm comes to my precious Juliet, an angel sent forth from God himself.  Only then will I make known to everyone what an evil creature you truly are.

Oh, Juliet...poor thing.  She's a lovely girl soon to be grown.  I hope all my years of love and wisdom do me proud when she marries some day. If only she knew.

I shall only utter the verity of it all if Lady C harms her in any way, I swear it on my life.

"Here you are, madam.  Here's your breakfast and drink." I say.

"Where are my pills?" She slurs, obviously having not fully recovered from last night's slew of naughty behavior.

Oh yes, how could I forget your pills?

"Oh, my apologies, ma'am.  Here they are."

"Leave me!!!" She screams as she snatches them from my hand.

"Oh, and Nurse!  Make sure everything looks immaculate.  We have guests coming this evening for a masked party."

"Yes, Lady."

Hurriedly I leave, hoping she drinks her spirits and takes her meds never to wake from a eternal slumber.  She has been the bane of my existence, I only stay for Juliet's sake.

Q&A with Eduardo Aguilar: From Dora & Diego to Romeo & Juliet Opens Friday!

Today we spend a few minutes with Eduardo Aguilar who plays Sampson in Romeo & Juliet at Artes de la Rosa that opens this weekend! Make sure to visit www.ArtesDeLaRosa.org to get your tickets! Opening night is this Friday!

Production Name: Romeo & Juliet

Name:   Eduardo Aguilar
Character Name:  Sampson

• Born & Raised:   Born in a small town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Raised in this funky town I suppose.
• Education:  Like where I went to school? Hubbard Heights Elementary, Rosemont Middle , Trimble Tech, and Texas Wesleyan University.
• Degree: B.A in Theatre Arts.
• Audition Song:  for happy song I usually go with All I Need is a Girl from Gypsy, and ballad Bring Him Home
• Audition Monologue: Edgar from King Lear  
• First Play/Musical You Ever Saw: First play like ever, ever? Blithe Spirit at Trimble Tech. And I think Grease was actually the first musical I saw, I think….wait…yeah it was. Weird.
• Something you’re REALLY bad at: Well, lately I’ve noticed that I’m really slow at finishing things. I have been keeping count and it’s something that I need to fix. Painting or drawing projects, omg, SO slow. Laundry, I finish it a day later. Starting books and never finishing them, yeah, super guilty. Drawing and painting projects too.
• Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? Artistically, and from the point of view of a boy that loved watching telenovelas, I think the idea of entertaining became an inspiration, has been, an inspiration.  It has led me to discover talents that connect me with other cool people that share the same talents.  My family too, they continue to be an amazing support.
• Must See TV Show:  Wait how about Top 3?  No top 4 because I don’t like odd numbers. They are:  Friends, True Blood,  Greys Anatomy and Modern Family.
• First Role:  Ha ha, um Guard 2 in Jean Anouilh.  Fun memories of that show :)
• Favorite Play: Shakespeare: The Scottish Play, and probably Betrayal by Pinter.
• Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure: Lady Gaga duh lol
• Favorite sport/team/player: Since the World Culp is coming up I say that after Mexico, probably Brazil, and I adore Ricardo Kaká.
• First Stage Kiss:  Pavel in I Never Saw Another Butterfly with my lovely friend Camille Suttles
• Pre Show Rituals: Listen to my iPod and stretch .
• Special Skills: I can say the ABC’s backwards really fast.
  
• "I'll never understand why…" : people weren’t born with wings.
• Worst Costume Ever: I found a gig a month ago at the Taste of Dallas event, where I had to wear this stupid, ugly hat with dog ears. Omg, if I had a time machine I would save myself from that embarrassment.  The sad thing about that is that I didn’t get paid because I didn’t go the next day. I to Austin, TX instead.
• Favorite Post Show Meal:  Anything with a decent amount of carbs.
• Biggest On Stage Mishap:  Haha, I broke a little stool on opening night  of Annie. Oops.
• Last Good Movie You Saw: Ha, I think The Heat with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy was pretty hilarious.
• Something you are incredibly proud of: I have a pretty good memory.
• Words of advice for aspiring performers: Don’t lose yourself, and have fun.
• Career you would want if not a performer:  I think right now I’m pretty fascinated with medicine.
• Three things you can't live without:  My ipod. Food. My hair products.
• Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side:  I think the people are pretty cool.
• Why people will love Romeo & Juliet: It’s sensual and glamorous.

INSIDE ADLR with Romeo & Juliet's Nurse, Kristi Taylor

Today you meet the fantastic Kristi Taylor, Texas Wesleyan Theatre student and playing The Nurse in Artes de la Rosa's Romeo & Juliet!

• Born & Raised:   in Cleburne, TX but I’ve been all over Hell and Half of Georgia
• Education:  finishing up my BA in Theatre at Texas Wesleyan University
• Zodiac Sign: Aries
• Any Siblings: 1 sister named Kali
• Audition Monologue:   “Call you me fair?” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• First Play/Musical You Ever Saw: The Elephant Man/Into the Woods
• Something you’re REALLY bad at: I apologize for EVERYTHING…I'm sorry about that.
• Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? My best friend, Jeremy Jackson.  He inspired me to come to school for theatre.  Thanks, J.
• Must See TV Show:  3^rd Rock from the Sun/ Drunken History
• Why you work in theatre:  It is a constantly changing and exciting field…never a dull moment!
• First Role:  Anastasia Fyodorovna Mertchutkin in Anton Chekhov’s,  The Anniversary
• Favorite Play/Musical: The Laramie Project / Next To Normal
• Favorite sport/team/player: I like baseball, but don’t have a favorite.
• First Stage Kiss:  I’ve never been kissed on stage…I know…pathetic and sweet…
• Pre Show Rituals: Jumping around to get the energy up…but really I look like an addict needing a fix.
• MAC or PC: PC for now, but I may convert shortly
• "I'll never understand why…" : How can people audition for a show if they’ve never read the play?!? I guess they don’t realize how awful they look when they misinterpret a line.
• Worst Costume Ever:  Dolly Tate ballroom gown in Annie Get Your Gun…it had literally 100 eye hooks that I had to undo for a super quick change…but it was super pretty!
• Favorite Post Show Meal:  Anything…no preference except I usually want a beer.
• Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Bloody Mary and Dr. Pepper…not combined.
• Favorite ice cream : Chocolate Garcia-Ben & Jerry’s
• Biggest On Stage Mishap:  I was playing Mrs. Hawkins in Treasure Island and out of nowhere my British accent disappeared and I sounded like a redneck hillbilly from Tennessee…I don’t know what happened.
• Worst job you ever had: Delivery driver for an unnamed pizza company…
• How I was Introduced to Shakespeare: I had to memorize the Hamlet “To be, or not to be…” monologue for a creative writing class in 7^th grade.
• Something you are incredibly proud of: My book that is currently in the process of being published!
  
• Words of advice for aspiring performers: This is one of the hardest jobs out there.  But, I honestly believe it is one of the most rewarding.  So, stick with it, you can never dream too big.
• Career you would want if not a performer: Forensic Pathologist ( I went to school for this before Theatre)
• Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : duh…stay indoors or become a vampire and only go out after dark.
• Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side:  It’s big but feels so small.  Everyone knows you and there is an awesome thriving theatre community.
• Why people will love Romeo & Juliet: There’s so much passion, laughter, and the desire to tell a great story! The cast is great and so full of life!