Character-Driven Week

It's been a fabulously fun, artistically fulfilling week!

On Monday, I revisited my character, Pat the Park Ranger, from Sasquatched the Musical.

The creators of the show, Phil Darg and Julie Ana Rayne (below left and right), wanted to capture my work since I originated the character, so we grooved on over to PPI Recording to lay down some tracks with Chip (behind me).

I had done a live version at 54 Below, so it was delicious to go in the studio to make a professional recording of this passionate song:

On Tuesday, I was contacted to tape an audition for the new web series, Human Telegraphs. I went in for them a few weeks ago and they called me back for a different character. All I can say is, these characters are off the chain! So much FUN!

Wednesday, I was working on scripts.

On Thursday, I went into rehearsals for The Pound, also by Darg and Rayne, performing May 29th at the Signature Theatre. I'm delighted because this reteams me with Chad Anthony Miller, who was one of our producers and marketing gurus for Steel Magnolias at Stomping Ground Theatre Company NYC.

On Friday I got to audition for a new musical about a Broadway producer who's obsessed with the young woman she made a star. The character reminded me a little of Madeline Lich from Trending, a powerful woman who could lose everything.

It was great to sing an old standard and then get meaty with the script.

So I went from being a Park Ranger to a sleazy real estate agent to an upscale lady looking for a dog, and then a Broadway producer. What a great week!

I love my job. #BeingAnActor

Southern Women

Sally Field, Academy Award winner and Tony nominee for "The Glass Menagerie," was recently asked, "What is it with you and Southern women?"

I laughed at this, because, like Sally, I'm from Southern CA, and I've played my share of Southern belles. "The perniciously determined" Barbara in "Johnny On a Spot" Off Broadway was a particularly fun firecracker!

And like Sally, I grew up with "Southern women" on both sides of my family. The Daniels were Scottish but settled in Alabama, and then eventually made their way to Texas. I still remember hearing my great-aunt Willie's deep Southern accent. It was the salt of the earth!

And my Grandma Goddard, my mom's mom (below left with me as a wee tyke and my gorgeous mom on the right), looked just like Ann Richards, perfectly coiffed, and had a Texas twang to boot!

So when I played Truvy in Steel Magnolias, I couldn't help but think of these tremendously tenacious women. My Grandma Goddard, especially, would've gotten a kick out of me playing the owner of a beauty salon since she was all about looking as spectacular as possible. She would've approved of Truvy's saying, "There's no such thing as natural beauty."

Coming Up: SoundsBites 4.0 at Signature Theatre

When I was doing Steel Magnolias at Stomping Ground, I'd walk by Signature Theatre, which is an awesome Off Broadway center, and I'd say, "One day I'm going to perform here!"

And that day is three weeks from today!

I'm joining the cast of The Pound, written by Phil Darg and Julie Ana Rayne, whom I worked with in Sasquatched the Musical at NYMF.

We're premiering a 10 minute version of The Pound as part of SoundBites 4.0 on May 29 at 7 PM. Hosted by Theatre Now New York, there will be a total of ten 10-minute musicals, so it should be a lot of lusciousness to hear!

Tickets range from $25-45 at www.tnny.org

See ya there!