In Which Our Hero Begins His Tale...

Welcome to Burghingham, a state of mind existing somewhere between the borders of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.

I'm Eric Mathews: Chief Citizen of Burghingham...

Earlier this year, languishing in the disjointed void wherein so many post-graduate liberal arts students find themselves, I was resolved  to go to New York...not in any "bright-eyed, 'Look out, world. Here I come!', That Girl" capacity. Rather, I intended to participate in the University/Resident Theatre Association auditions, as well as a few open calls, in the hopes of getting into grad school for Theater. I was content to test my theatrical mettle and see where my abilities could land me.

After a somewhat less than encouraging audition with one of the New York schools, my friend Rachel informed me of an open-call audition being held by Birmingham City University. At first, my bruised ego was compelling me to stay in the hotel room, drowning my sorrows in hallway-vending-machine Coca-Cola and daytime television. Eventually, perhaps through Rachel's encouragement, perhaps through the steadily increasing claustrophobia being induced by my disturbingly small hotel room. I put my coat on, marched through a snowy Midtown and signed in for the audition...

A few months later, having returned to Pittsburgh and basically forgotten about the auditions entirely, a snowy white owl flew through my window and handed me a piece of parchment, informing me that I had been offered a place in the School of Acting at Birmingham City University. Thus, the impetus for this blog emerges.

Admittedly, after hearing the news of my acceptance, I remember hearing myself say "I'm going to Birmingham! That's awesome!... Wait, What do I actually know about Birmingham???" Despite my shameful ignorance of Brum, the more and more I read about it, the more and more excited I became. As a Pittsburgher, I discovered that Pittsburgh and Birmingham share a great number of things in common, including a strong industrial tradition, a desire to create a new identity for the 21st century, near indecipherable accents, and an affinity for the use of the word "pop" when describing carbonated beverages.

Two cities, often framed by outdated, 19th century perceptions by their own countrymen, both on their way to a new identity in the new century. What that means and how it will happen have yet to be seen, but I do know that it makes for a hell of a backdrop as the curtain goes up on my year of grad school at BSA.

The purpose of this blog is to serve as an account of my journey through the city of Birmingham and points beyond over the course of the next year. This year, I hope to share with you my triumphs, failures, love, heartache, rapture, pain, apprehension, minutia, and everything in between.

Well, I'd say that's quite enough exposition for now. Stay tuned this week as the journey begins.

Cheerio, n'at!