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Easter on a Bus

HAPPY EASTER!!

I'm writing on this fine Easter Sunday from the megabus, traveling from Cohoes to NYC. I was lucky enough to have my parents and Aunt come up from Baltimore (7 hour drive!!) to see the show yesterday. And my MOM, made 40 (!) of these little Easter candy treats (pictured above) for the whole cast and crew of the show. I couldn't believe it. She is the sweetest, most thoughtful person I know. NOT an exaggeration. After the show, we went back to my apartment and had a little toast. Mom brought up some Malbec (my favorite red!), and a nice Moscato, AND Easter sugar cookies (because I gave up chocolate and technically it wasn't Easter yet) from my hometown bakery. Like I said, most thoughtful. The original plan was to get up early today, have breakfast with them at the hotel and then go with them to Baltimore, hang out at home for a Monday, then grab an early bus on Tuesday back to NYC to look at some apartments. But then we kind of realized, it would just be easier to go back to NYC today, take back a bunch of my stuff from Cohoes, and get started asap on the apartment search. Sad to be missing home this Easter, but at least home came to visit me for a bit. I think the Dad took some pics, so I'll make sure to post some. 

Until next time, here's a pic from the "My Adventures in Cohoes" Archive: some background- as mentioned before, one of the girls in the cast, Ruthie, does silks and trapeze. She hung up her silks in an old unused warehouse and offered to teach me a bit. She had been practicing with just the cement floor under her, but for me, we needed a bit more safety up in therr. So what else could we do besides grab an extra mattress, enlist the help of our friend Joshua, and carry it across town with our bare hands in the drizzly rain, and plop in down in a dark and dirty warehouse in order to dangle above it on this giant piece of silk?

Needless to say, I remain proud of these life decisions.

Opening Night thoughts for Sunset Boulevard!

It finally happened! Opening night for Sunset Boulevard was yesterday and the audience response was great! We had just a few wardrobe malfunctions- mainly Norma's halter dress coming undone....- and some gun issues, but other than that, everything was smooth sailing.

I tried to take some costume pics backstage, but I get so in the zone during a performance, it's hard for me to multi-task. Managed to snag a few though:

Betty's business attire for Schwab's Drugstore

Party Dress for New Year's Eve (or as it's come to be known at Cohoes, "Ahtie's Pahty")

I'm filled with gratitude over this phenomenal experience. Not a day went by during this whole process when I wasn't struck by how lucky I am to be here. I've met some truly amazing, inspiring people and we've come together to make a beautiful piece of theater that I'm just so proud to be a part of. So much love and thanks to Jim, Joshua, Thomas, Jim H, Tony, Michael, this beautiful cast, AND my roommate, Catherine Fries Vaughn, our very own Norma Desmond, who's talent, poise, voice, and genuineness I am in constant awe of.

Photo by  Theresa Thibodeau

One last thing to share before heading out. Snagged this on my way to the theater the other day:

 Made me think of my showcase song from months ago: 

"See that cloud, I just might, jump right up, take a bite."- Carnival!, Bob Merril

Here we are again, again

Day off tomorrow, so once again a group of us trekked back to the city to catch a few auditions. Plan for tomorrow is Gateway open call, voice lesson, perhaps a little shopping:), as much yoga as I can throw in (haven't taken the hot is too too long), and then close with Episode 3 of Mad Men.

...so basically an exact repeat of last Monday.

We're getting the orchestra in on Tuesday, which is exciting, but also a bit daunting as we won't be miked. I haven't been told to worry about it, so I'm not gonna for now. Just gonna breath deep and "ping" it out.:)

The set looks absolutely gorgeous. I feel humbled to get the chance to perform on it. And I'm in constant awe of the other actors onstage. Particularly our Norma, who is brilliant. We still have two weeks left of show, but I'm already getting depressed about the inevitable closing. Leaving a show is always bitter sweet. Just need to soak up these last few weeks and enjoy each moment.

NYC and Back Again

Yesterday cast had the day off, so a group of us drove into the city Sunday night and I came back this morning to start rehearsals right again. I'm glad I made it to the city. I spent my day off getting up eaarly early for an open call, then did some shoppingggg, a much needed voice lesson, much MUCH needed YttP yoga class, and closed the evening with the season premiere of Mad Men which was unbelievably amazing. Knew it wouldn't disappoint. Megan is becoming more of a character, which is good, but I'm still not exactly happy about her and Don marrying. I just am not a fan of Don. Peggy, on the other hand.. I mean, it's really her show. Can't wait to see what's coming up for her this season.

Better be off to review my material for our run tonight. Tech starts tomorrow!!

Cohoes, baby

I've been quite lax about updating the past couple weeks. Much has happened and I believe it's time for a check in:

I'm now officially in Cohoes, NY, performing the role of Betty in Sunset Boulevard. Rehearsals have been going well and the town is actually quite lovely I think. Some of architecture is very cool looking.

The theater we're performing is in the show boat style, with sort of a curvy balcony/orchestra set up, and it's so old, its not rigged for mics. So the whole show we'll be singing with just our voices over the orchestra. People have affectionately nicknamed the theater "Park and Bark" which seems very apt. The voices of the other principles are gooooorgeous and the score, which I didn't know at all before my audition(!), is so, so good. I feel so lucky to be here. And especially with the weather being so gorgeous, I literally feel like I'm on vacation.

Yesterday I got some of the cast together and I taught a yoga class. Two of the girls had been to YttP, so they knew what was going on, but it was one of the guy's first time ever doing yoga , so that was really helpful for me as a new teacher in being specific with my dialogue. Also, because the class was so little, I got to be very hands on, which I never am in my huge (i.e. up to 68 people) YttP classes. Everyone was really appreciative afterward, which was nice, and we agreed to meet again next week. One of the girls does silks, so she said she would teach me some stuff if I liked, which is going to be amaaazinggg. I've always wanted to try out silks.

Today was very Cohoes action packed: Gym in morning, then rehearsal, much needed grocery shopping with the cast, then saw The Hunger Games, which I was super stoked about. I read the books ages ago, so I kind of wish I had done a reread before seeing the movie, but as soon as it started it all came to me. I liked it a lot. The pacing was very slow, which I thought was good and added suspense. Jennifer Lawrence who played Katniss was wonderful. She had some very good eye acting going on, which I appreciated. And the gentlemen who played Gale and Peeta were both very handsome and lovely, so that was a plus.

Afterwards, we all went for sushi at the crazy place called Sushi X. We joked around about it being some sort of sushi strip club, but then it turned out that it very well could have been, as the the decor was quite night club-esque, lit by these multcolored, bright chandeliers. It was very pretty, but a bit harsh on the eyes. The sushi was delicious though.

Off to study the Boulevard!

Spriiiiiing is heeere

Today was a glorious 61 degrees. It was absolutely gorgeous outside. Though I got a little over excited and opted for my flats, ankle leggings and light jacket, which made me a bit chilly come nighttime, BUT it was worth it just to break out mine London Carey Mulligan flats.

Coming home today in such a good mood made me realize how much weather affects my mood. I think that's why spring is my absolute favorite season: it literally smells and feels like new beginnings, like possibilities. Yes, I'm aware it sounds hokey, but it's true! Spring makes it feel like anything is possible. I can't wait for the trees to come back alive.

Alright, done with the hokey.

This week has been quite slow for auditions, so it's been kind of chill. Luckily I'm scheduled to teach a LOT this week, so that plus work means I'm still keeping busy. Yesterday I took Traditional Hot yoga with my good friend, Emily. It was her first time going, so I wanted to tag along and support. When we walked in, to our surprise, Mr. Greg Gumucio aka founder of Yoga to the People, was teaching. He's in town this week, so I suppose he wanted to grab a few classes. The whole first row was taken up by teachers (they all knew he was teaching of course). It was quite amazing. The hot is a very interesting experience. It's sooo so hot (obviously, yes, but really...hot). 105 degrees, maybe more (in fact, I'm sure it was more yesterday). You start with a breathing excercise and then you go to town. 26 poses, same sequences every time, but alllways different. I usually feel claustrophobic and even nauseous during class, and you do the while class standing in front of a mirror so the whole point is you LOOK at yourself (or rather look THROUGH yourself). A lot of times it's hard for me to look in the mirror. My ego gets in the way. I have to remind myself its not about looking at the body, its..finding the calm within....I'm still figuring it out. I'm quite new to the practice, so I don't know exactly my opinion. But I do like it. It's taken a while, but I'm at the point now where I look forward to class. The hot room is the place where you can sweat out all your stuff, laugh, cry (like really cry. Everything can just sort of erupt and you start sobbing, and that get's someone else to sob, and soon half the room is crying, same thing with laughter. The hot room is the place to let. it. out. and leave it out.)

After class, Em and I went to Panera for lunch- the first Panera in NYC. My greatest sadness moving to the city was that there was no Panera here, but NOW it has arrives and still sooo delicious.

Today I took a jazz class at Broadway Dance Center. I went with my friend, Molly. It was both of our's first time at the studio. The teacher was hilarious and had tons of energy. Her warm up was very intense and fast paced, so it was challenging to pick up. But her combo was very lyrical contemporary like, so picking it up was a bit easier. Dancing lyrical feels sooo delicous. One of my goals this year is take. more. dance. I want to rock the movers calls because I know I can, I just gotta get myself in gear. Two classes a week. That's the goal. 

After a wonderful Grey Dog lunch with Molly, I went off to update my audition journal. My goal this year is to systematically keep track  of all my auditions, working up to 100. I've got to get better and updating right after each one. The holes that I've found are documenting who is in the room. I have no one's name written down and that's a very important detail. Good thing to realize I suppose. 

One thing that I found myself writing is that I'm too chill in the room. I've got to show off my personality BUT I do not want to be fake in any way. How the heck do I stay true to my self, be energized, but not false??? Hmmmm...I made a list of people I need to get coffee with, people who inspire me, because I need to pick their brains....

So after a long night of taking and teaching yoga and then cleaning the studio and getting home at 12mid, I think its time for bed. Tomorrow bodes full of yoga, dance, and people. A happy Friday indeed.:)