Packing For Play: Criminal Hearts

This week I had the pleasure of playing:

Ata Windust

in Criminal Hearts by Jane Martin. This play is set in Chicago …

and I (Ata Windust) live in a luxury apartment. My husband, Wib, robbed me of everything except the mattress. I spend my days eating pizza (letting boxes stack up), drinking Dr. Pepper (leaving cans everywhere), and sharpening pencils with a battery operated pencil sharpener (thrown all over the floor). I’m very precise and walled into my own world. Well, as if I hadn’t been through enough – Bo, broke in at 3am to rob me!

For this play, I decided to pack my bag with fun goodies. Ya know, props to set the stage. I love this kind of stuff!

Check out what I packed in my bag:

I don’t drink Dr. Pepper, but wanted to have some for the play. This past Sunday, I was at the gas station and ran into a neighbor. Guess what he had just finished drinking?

A Dr. Pepper

He knew nothing of my need or this project. It was crumbled up and I was able to take it off his hands. He of course, was curious as to why I wanted his empty Dr. Pepper can. So I gave him the run down. He dropped some of his empty cans to me today – which is so sweet. He brought them to me after the play – so now I’ll have to figure out something to create with these cans. I’m thinking a flower arrangement. We’ll see.

If you watched the video – you’ll see I packed the crushed Dr. Pepper can, battery operated pencil sharpener, unsharpened pencils, sleep masks, a robe, lipstick, and a yellow play gun (perk of being a USCCA member 🙂 ) . Those were for the play. I also packed my “Guard Your Heart” journal (for notes), phone charger, and headphones – for my train ride to the city!

Having these items helped me connect more with the role.

I even got into pencil sharpening, bahahahahaha.

New hobby alert?!?

More to share from this play! It’s fun packing for play even though there is an element of work! I’m excited to get paid to play!!!

I’m learning that acting is a contact sport! I was shouting on top of a bed and on the ground fighting for a gun and going awf!!!

It’s healing, freeing, hilarious, thought provoking, and fun!

I express myself in ways that I don’t in my life.

Make space to play even if you are working a good chunk of hours! Go sign up for a class or pickup a hobby that will help you get into your childlike nature. Yes, adulting is part of life – but it is healthy to take a break and just lock into something else that has nothing to do with those responsibilites!

Make space for your own form of recess! Go run and be wild – like a grown child!

I’m even doing that with my fashion – more and more and more! Each day is a playful invitation.

Come back tomorrow – I’m going to show you a pic of a vintage button up that I picked up today from an antique mall. It goes with the color scheme I wore yesterday (pic below).