Lauralandblog

When It Rains...

2012-01-27T11:09:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how good news tends to arrive in two's and three's?

Yesterday I got word that the musical Hell's Belles will be doing a round of backer's auditions (readings for producers) at the end of February or first week of March. I'm so psyched to play Judy Garland and Janis Joplin again!

I also got a call to take on a yummy role in a new short play for a festival, so that's exciting!

And I had a great audition this week for Playwright's Horizons. I tell you, the connection of being in the moment and supporting the playwrights words with my voice and action... felt fabulous!

When it rains, it pours!

Meryl Streep's compassion for characters

2012-01-11T05:34:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling like a rose in bloom - in the Winter no less!

So much good stuff going on. Good growth.

After working consistently on stage through Dec. 2011, I'm now back to game-planning, taking my next steps: researching classes, teachers, audition material, nurturing ideas for solo shows and web shows.

Always open and receptive to inspiration.

Which leads me to the great Meryl Streep.

There's a delicious interview with her in the December issue of Vogue. She's a big history buff, supporting the National Women's History Museum, and a Force of Nature in all she does. I was interested to learn she is a shareholder in Community Support Agriculture, "proselytizing for safe, organic, ecologically sustainable food." I love the pic of her above that Annie Liebovitz took in the broccoli field at Sol Flower Farm.

And there's food for thought for actors. Meryl says, “With any character I play, where she is me is where I meet her. It’s very easy to set people at arm’s length and judge them....but to live inside that body is another thing entirely. And it’s humbling on a certain level and infuriating, just like it is to live in your own body. Because you recognize your own failings..."

At 62, she joked that she was probably the oldest person ever to be on the cover of Vogue.”

But I LOVE that! What a great testament to beauty - inside and out! And it makes me think of all the women in my life like my Mom, my grandmother, even dear friends who've hit 60 and have kept on blazing trails.

(Mom and me)

I like what Meryl says about growing older: "I have always liked and been intrigued by older people, and the idea that behind them lives every human trauma, drama, glory, jokes, love.”

So keep on living out loud, no matter what age you are. Blaze your trail! ;)

Breakthroughs in 2012

2012-01-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

3 days into 2012, and a consistent message has appeared. 3 times, no less!

It's about perceived barriers, and how people will often put up roadblocks before beginning to pursue a goal.

They'll say, "I'd really like to have that, but I can't because...______ (fill in the blank)."

Look around that roadblock. What's on the other side?

A barrier only has the power to stop us if we let it. And more often than not, what we perceive as a barrier is just a small hurdle or a speed-bump.

So look at perceived barriers in your life, and empower yourself to go around, jump over, walk through or push past them.

Like one of my favorite songs from The Doors says, Break on through to the other side!

(Photo credit)

2011: A Great Year of Gigs!

2011-12-30T16:08:00.000-08:00

It's been a really great year. I went from auditioning steadily to performing steadily. And I got to work in all these great spaces like the Jerry Orbach Theatre at the Snapple Center, The Mint Theater, the June Havoc Theatre at Abingdon, the gorgeous theatre at 80 St. Marks, and the Midtown Theatre at HA Comedy Club. I also performed in staged readings and mini concerts at Ripley Grier and Pearl Studios. And I wrote a sketch for and performed at The People's Improv Theatre.

These are all places where I've auditioned for gigs since my arrival in NY, so it was an accomplishment to be hired to perform in these theatres, to completely claim the space and fill it with such wonderful characters.

And the characters! Wow! I feel so fortunate to have played Judy Garland and Janis Joplin in "Hell's Bells," a Bette Midler impersonator in "Maybe This Time," the patient, upbeat wife in "Steve Cohen and the Sweet Spot," and a punk rock mom in the musical, "How to Marry a Divorced Man."

I also had the pleasure of revisiting "The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun" in Andy Monroe's birthday concert for The Trevor Project, and got to sing one of his other songs from "Garbo Talks."

I had 2 films come out this year. One was a short I made a few years ago, playing a New York laundress in "Laundry." It was shown in various "Women in Film" festivals throughout New York, thanks to director Julia Suo.

I also played Marty's Dream Mom in Hippie Cream's independent feature film musical, "Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dreamathon."

Thank you to all the great directors, writers, casting directors and producers for inviting me on these wonderfully wild and creatively fulfilling rides!

In the midst of it all, I've shared great adventures with my husband and partner of countless years, Rob. We went to Vegas last year for his job and are looking forward to visiting again this year.

I have also learned a lot from my support job in the business world. It's funny because my Committed Impulse teacher, Josh Pais, had recommended a few years ago to treat each job we do as if preparing for a role, to be completely present in each circumstance. My brother, who's a drummer for Hippie Cream, has also recommended this. And you know what's happened? I've found I'm able to apply the business skills I'm learning from my day job into my acting gigs, and I'm able to apply my acting skills to my business gig. I'll even be teaching improv and role-play workshops there in 2012!

It's really fascinating how opportunities present themselves when we're open to them.

So what have I learned this year? A sense of focus and trust, of being driven and putting my foot on the gas coupled with being open and letting go.

It's a wild ride, this life, and I can't wait to see what's around the next corner!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

Tale of a Tribute Artist: "Maybe This Time"

2011-12-21T05:49:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy! I haven't had a chance to write about the staged reading of the screenplay for "Maybe This Time." It was a few weeks ago, and it was such a blast!

Written by Marco Kujovic and Richard DeFonzo, it's a lovely romantic comedy about a Liza Minnelli impersonator and his quest to find true love.

I was going to say this was my first show working with a tribute artist, but looking at the shows I've done, that's not entirely true!

In The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, I played Jeanine, the Singing Nun, and the story was told by Sister Coco, a drag queen nun. As wild as that sounds, Sister Coco was a great fictitious voice to shed light on the Singing Nun's true story.

In Hell's Belles, I worked with 2 ladies who were marvelous impersonators of everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Ma Barker with shades of Ethel Merman. :) It was my incredible pleasure to take on Judy Garland, Janis Joplin, and a host of other iconic women.

For "Maybe This Time," I played a Bette Midler impersonator and the best friend of the lead character.

We didn't wear any costumes for the reading, but it was incredible to watch the men transform with their voices and bodies, "becoming" Liza, Cher, Joan Rivers. And I felt the same way as Bette.What a blast to play such a larger than life lady!

It was such a privilege to work with such talented folks!

Ooh! I must amend the costume comment! There was one costume piece that Richard brought: a white hat he wears when he plays Liza in his solo show. In the screenplay, there's a moment in the movie where the lead character goes to great pains to prepare for his entrance onstage as Liza, and the final moment is donning that fabulous white hat.

When Richard put that hat on.... I got chills.

It was magnificent, and I wish these gentlemen the very best as they work to get their film made. It was a pleasure to be part of the process of having it seen and heard.

Cheers!

Next Up: Playing Bette

2011-12-04T18:29:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Dec. 5th, I'm playing a Bette Midler impersonator in the staged reading of the independent feature film, "Maybe This Time."

It's a delicious romantic comedy about a Liza Minnelli impersonator named Robert who's looking for love "in all the wrong places."

The film chronicles his adventures in and out of love, and I play his best friend, Mona, who's also a bit of a matchmaker. I have some really fun scenes, and am having a blast with the cast.

The reading is Dec. 5 at 7 PM at Ripley Grier Studio "L" on 520 Eighth Ave.

Hope to see you there!

Tickled Pink

2011-12-03T17:49:00.000-08:00

I recently played a punk rock mom in the staged reading of the new musical, "How To Marry a Divorced Man," and I have to tell you, Pink is my new favorite color.

When you're doing a reading, it's often a bare bones production. No set. The actors read from the script for an audience of industry people. And costuming is incredibly minimal.

But for Glenda, the character I played in "How To..." the writers said, "Go for it!"

For the first reading, I sprayed pieces of my hair pink, pulled out my black leather motor cycle jacket and chained belt that I had first bought when I moved to New York, put on some hot red pumps, and went to town!

For this second reading at the Mint Theatre, I decided to go even further. Since I had more time, I was able to explore what kind of punk rocker Glenda would be. I had recently read about Mara Rooney's transformation into Lisbeth Salander for David Fincher's upcoming film of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," and it was helpful to hear about the process.

Lisbeth is an incredibly edgy punk, so costume designer, Trish Summerville focused on her dark porcupine aspect. As David Fincher said, Lisbeth is not a "look at me" kind of punk, which that made realize that Glenda (for "How To....") IS, so I went even more colorful with her.

I put my hair up into a faux Mohawk, sprayed it pink, pulled out a red plaid skirt and piled on the spangles and bangles. I felt like a peacock, which was perfect for Glenda!

I also let loose with her vocally, finding more of a raspy speaking voice coupled with a rockin screech for her song when she tries to make a comeback in a punk rock club.

Interestingly enough, I also got to sing this delicious love ballad in the first act, which you wouldn't think would come out of this rough-n-tumble character, but I love that the writers took her there, to a deeper place of lost love. It was a great moment.

The reading seemed to go well. It's fun to be part of a show in its early stages, rolling with the script changes and finding more nuances every time it's done.

I had a blast! And I'm looking forward to the next colorful character I'll be pulling out of myself and my closet. ;)

Rehearsal, Rehearsal, Rehearsal and Part 2 of "How To Marry a Divorced Man"

2011-11-29T04:19:00.000-08:00

It's been a really busy time with lots of rehearsals and performing in a new gig every other week or so.

I feel fortunate to have been working consistently since August. It's a rarity in NY, and I'm jazzed and thankful to have reached that level of consistency.

Today I perform in the staged reading of the pop rock musical "How to Marry a Divorced Man" at the Mint Theatre. Presented by The Show Goes On and Tweiss Productions, it's a modern musical about a woman looking for love. Composed by Clare Cooper, who worked on Memphis and The Toxic Avenger, the music is so fun to sing, and it stays with you. It's hard to get Clare's songs out of my head! :)

Christine Marie Heath and me

Based on the book by Leslie Fram, adapted by Bryan D. Leys, I play the ex-wife of the title character, and she's a hoot. Her name's Glenda, and she's an ex-punk rocker who gave up her career to be a wife and mother, and now she's trying to revive it. My 2nd act number, "Work" is a "punk ballad" which is more like a rollercoaster ride. Love love LOVE it!

The show today is an industry reading, but if you're interested it's at 4:30 at The Mint Theatre Company 311 West 43rd on the 3rd floor. Here's the link to RSVP:
http://www.theshowgoeson.org/homepage#!__homepage/rock-musical-reading-series

Rock n roll!!!!

Maybe This Time

2011-11-20T06:54:00.000-08:00

I start rehearsals this week for a staged reading of new play called, Maybe This Time. It's a romantic comedy about a Liza Minnelli impersonator on a quest to find true love. I play his best friend, Mona, who's a Bette Midler impersonator, and she is full of sass - just like the real Miss M!

One of the favorite pix of Bette

I'm so excited to take on the role! Ever since I got the job, I've been watching YouTube clips of the Divine Miss M's work, and now I'm gonna gauge her on the big screen. I've downloaded a bunch of her movies on Netflix, and I'll catch the HBO presentation again of her fabulous show, "The Showgirl Must Go On."

I'd love to see her live! My friend, Michael, and I often talk about going to Vegas to see her, because she puts on an incredible show!

In the meantime, thank goodness for technology! It definitely makes my homework of watching her work much easier. :)

So while I get Miss M's vocal and physical charms down, I'm also working on the script which is really fun! A lot of humor and heart, and the characters are so well drawn.

I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of the cast. It should be a blast!

The staged reading of Maybe This Time will be held Dec. 5th at 7 PM at a TBD theatre in midtown. Details to come!

The Next Adventure

2011-11-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

I had such a great time, performing in the musical, "Hell's Belles" at the Abingdon Theatre this past weekend. What a great space!

Since our show was a one night benefit, we performed on a set that was built for another show, and it definitely increased my admiration for set designers, because this set was built with levels of all depths and heights, and completely added an extra sense of dimension. It felt like a whole new show!

When I moved from a 3 foot tall platform on one side of the stage to a 5 foot tall platform on the other side of the stage, I felt like I was "flying" as Judy Garland, which was appropriate since she's supposed to be visiting from Heaven. :)

It was so fun!

Now, I'm going into rehearsals for the staged reading of "Maybe This Time," a play about a Liza Minnelli impersonator who's looking for love. I play his best friend and Bette Midler impersonator, so I definitely have my homework cut out for me, but what great homework!

I feel so honored to play these larger than life ladies. They're so inspiring! And I feel like they're saying, "Come on out and play!"

I really get to let loose, and yet I feel more grounded in my work than ever, because I'm constantly working, utilizing my acting and singing skills, honing my craft.

It's so incredibly cool, and I'm thoroughly enjoying this time of my life.

Hell's Belles at the Abingdon Theatre Sunday Nov. 13 at 7 PM

2011-11-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to be performing at the Abingdon Theatre this Sunday night, Nov. 13th, at 7 PM.

I'm a big fan of the theatre company and have auditioned for quite a few shows there, so it's a dream come true to be doing the musical Hell's Belles there as part of their Sunday Series.

Hell's Belles is a musical about a nightclub in hell where famous women from history and pop culture perform. I have the honor of playing Judy Garland, Janis Joplin, Lady Godiva, Salome, Guenevere, Joan Crawford, and Alice. B Toklas.

I'm joined onstage by a tremendously talented cast: Omri Schein as Lester, the master of ceremonies; the awesome Oakley Boycott as Marilyn Monroe, Evita, Calamity Jane, Princess Di, and a pop star ala Lady Gaga; and the hilarious Kristen Menglekoch as Eleanor Roosevelt, Ma Barker, Eva Braun, Bette Davis, Gertrude Stein, and Lizzie Borden.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased through the Abingdon website:

It's gonna be a fun night! Hope to see you there!

Adventures in The Room

2011-11-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a post on an actorsite about auditioning, called Adventures in the Room, and I love the notion of treating an audition like an adventure! Why not? It's far more fun that way!

Actually I've been so busy with gigs for the past few months that I haven't had time to attend an open audition for anything since August. All of my work has been coming from folks I've worked with in the past, and that's such a great feeling.

This week I go into rehearsals to revisit the musical, "Hell's Belles," performing next Sunday Nov. 13th at the Abingdon Theatre at 7 PM, and later this month I get to punk out again for "How To Marry a Divorced Man," a staged reading at The Mint Theatre Nov. 29th. Both of these shows are fun playgrounds, filled with wonderfully diverse characters.

(as Glenda in "How to Marry...")

It's funny how small the theatre world is - even in New York, which brings me to last week's theatrical adventure:

I was requested to audition for a new play called "Maybe This Time," playing a Bette Midler-type: the brassy, fun, big-hearted best friend of the male lead, a Liza Minelli impersonator.

I love playing these larger than life ladies!

When I arrived at the audition, I was the only woman there. All of the other characters are men, so there were a lot of fellas! ;) And one I had met before at the reading of "How To Marry a Divorced Man." He's a friend of the author and had approached me afterward to compliment me on my work. It was cool to see him at this audition.

And the other guys in line were just as lovely. I ended up chatting with a young man who's studying character work with Charles Busch, and I love that! I'm a big fan of Mr. Busch's work, and so it was cool to talk with one of his students.

We talked about "going to the source," reviewing actors before us who've paved the way, especially in comedy. And it's not just parodying these performers, it's finding your own way through the foundation they've set.

That made me think of Billy Crystal and Steve Martin, two of my faves, who talk about learning other comedians' routines when they were little kids, so they could repeat it word for word, getting the rhythm of it all. And of course this informed their work as adults.

I feel like I'm getting the chance to study with the greats, learning from Judy Garland and Janis Joplin and all the iconic women for for "Hell's Belles..."

...studying Deborah Harry and other punk rock ladies for "How To Marry a Divorced Man," and now, getting to play a Bette Midler impersonator for "Maybe This Time."

Yup, I got the job! ;)

And of course, I'm onto the next Adventure! ;)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've always loved Halloween. It's one of my favorite holidays.

You can be anything! A princess, a witch, a black cat, a gypsy!

Growing up in the 'burbs of Southern CA, trick or treating was always a funfest. My parents took me out when I was little and always accompanied my brother and me and our friends when we went out.

There's something so magical about this night. There's excitement in the air! Makes me want to fly!

My husband and I have always enjoyed Halloween. We were often performing on this night in the Edgar Allan Poe festival at Mount Hope Theatre. And when we moved to NY, we'd still dress up.

He's my favorite matey. ;)

As I get older, I still feel like a big kid on this holiday. The air is full of magic and there's a sense of great potential, that crisp Fall feel of transformation. The year hasn't wound down yet. In fact, there's a great sense of celebration.

Performing tonight at Theater 80 St. Marks Place

2011-10-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to be performing tonight at the historic Theater 80 St. Marks Place.

This East Village theatre was once a speakeasy. Then it became an Off Broadway theatre in the 60s. "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" premiered there. It was turned into a movie theatre for a while, then it was the residence of The Pearl Theatre Company.

Now, it's hosting HOWLfest, a major arts project, which is where "Steve Cohen and the Sweet Spot" comes in.

It's a new one act play by Michael Small, and it's a very fun ride! I'm the only woman in this all-male cast, and I play the lead character's wife as well as his friends and neighbors and therapist. It's a lot of fun!

The show starts at 7 PM and Tickets at $10. Proceeds go to the Actors Fund.

Hope to see you there!

Coming Up: a staged reading of the new comedy, "Steve Cohen and The Sweet Spot"

2011-10-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

I've been so fortunate to be working steadily as an actress this summer and now into the Fall. Every week seems to hold a new adventure, and best yet, I'm getting paid for every gig! Woo hoo!

Last week's staged reading of the new pop musical, "How To Marry a Divorced Man" went very well. We received great feedback, and there are plans to do the reading again for pop-rock festival in November.

This week, I'm in rehearsals for a staged reading of the new play by Michael Small called "Steve Cohen and The Sweet Spot." It's a really fun piece about one man's quest to find the perfect stereo speakers. I play the lead character's wife and all the other women in his life. I'm actually the only woman in the piece, and it's neat to be surrounded by such fascinating men!

Chris Harbur plays the lead character, my husband; Zak Risinger is the titular Steve Cohen, and Jeremy Ellison-Gladstone, whom I worked with in Michael Small's other play, Got You, plays everyone else! :)

(Jeremy Ellison-Gladstone and I in Got You)

Stephen Nachamie is directing us, and we're having such fun! Did I mention it's a comedy? ;)

The playwright, Michael Small, tends to write big comedies that have a message tucked into the midst of the humor, and this piece has a particular poignancy. I'm so thankful to have met Michael a few years ago when I auditioned for his play, Kaboom, which we then performed at Cherry Lane. This is our third collaboration, and it's such a delight to bring his characters to life! :)

Steve Cohen and The Sweet Spot performs Wednesday Oct. 26 at 7 PM at Theatre 80 St. Marks

Leading Musical Mondays 2011-2012 Season with "How to Marry a Divorced Man" - Thursday at 6:30

2011-10-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

It might sound a bit comical, performing in a theatre lab called "Musical Mondays" on a Thursday, but anyone who's mounting a new musical knows that you work on whatever day and time you can!

I've long heard of Musical Mondays, and I'm incredibly thrilled to be performing in the staged reading of the new pop musical "How To Marry a Divorced Man," which leads their 2011-2012 season.

We perform at 6:30 tomorrow, and I'm really excited to be performing in the Jerry Orbach Theater at the Snapple Theater Center across from "Wicked."

It's been a real treat to be a part of a show as it grows. I performed in the table read of "How To Marry a Divorced Man" last year and had a blast with the talented cast and crew.

My character of Glenda is an ex-punk-rocker who gave it all up to be a mom. I play the "ex" of the titular Divorced Man, played by Richard Binder. Babs Winn (top left) plays a fabulous soap opera actress, who is also the mom of the lead character, and she doubles as my daughter! Christine Marie Heath,who starred as Evita in the international and national tours (above center) plays our leading lady, Layla Diamond. Michael Kirk Lane rounds out the cast as various key people, including my son and a romantic possibility for Layla and Glenda.

(L-to-R: me, Babs Winn, Christine Marie Heath, Richard Binder, Michael Kirk Lane)

It's fun stuff and such a thrill to work with these talented people.

Eric James is our music director and absolutely ROCKS!

Clare Cooper, who also worked on Toxic Avenger, wrote the groovy tunes, and they're so wonderfully "sticky," meaning you can't get them out of your head!

It's delicious to be part of something that has such a contemporary R&B feel. And the script, adapted by Bryan D. Leys, based on Leslie Fram's novel, is great fun.

We rehearse tonight and then perform the staged reading (kind of like a concert version of the show where the actors hold scripts) at 6:30 PM tomorrow.

Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at http://musicalmondays.org/pb/wp_aef346ed/wp_aef346ed.html?0.5086544762013583

Hope to see you there!

In Honor of the Lady Lorraine Sussex

2011-10-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Lorraine Sullo, known to thousands at the PA Renaissance Faire as The Duchess of Sussex, or simply "Sussex," to those who dared be "familiar" with her.

I first met Lorraine over 20 years ago when I was cast in the professional Shakespearean troupe for the Faire. Behind the scenes she was the Art Director for the Faire and was responsible for every visual tool used to promote the Faire, inside and out. She also designed some of the costumes and always had a stunning gown to wear every year. She was the Queen's "right hand," and never ceased to amuse with her wickedly razor-sharp wit. She was also a phenomenal archer.

I first met her as a peasant rogue, which I think she liked. Maybe it was because I would grovel at her feet or do some of her sly errands.

The next year, I became part of the Queen's Court as the historical Lady Penelope Devereaux, and I'm sure I gave Sussex a run for her money, because she didn't know what to do with me! I was also a fae-touched grave digger named Ophelia, and ended my run at the Faire as the inn keeper, Frida Synne. I also played Queen Elizabeth for a corporate event, and Lorraine attended upon me, always in character as the quintessential Queen's lady.

We shared so many laughs - on and off the fairgrounds - and she was a dear friend of my husband, Rob, and myself.

(Lorraine and Robbie as Sussex and Cardinal Synne)

She was one of a kind, and definitely had a hand in shaping my world in those early days.

I can't believe she's gone. She seemed like such a constant, but her passing has taught me you can't take life for granted, that you must live each day to the fullest and share it with those you love.

The knights at the Faire said, "She died with her boots on," because she had had a wonderful day performing and then went home, passing away in her sleep. I hope her spirit is at peace and knows how much we all loved her.

Farewell, my friend.

What's Next?

2011-10-05T05:43:00.000-07:00

Even before Hell's Belles closed, people were asking me, "What's Next?"

On Oct. 13, I'm performing in a staged reading of the new pop musical, "How To Marry a Divorced Man." I play Glenda, the ex-wife of said Divorced Man, and she' a real hoot! A former punk rocker who gave it all up to be a mom, she runs a rock n roll boutique.

Musical Mondays Theatre Lab is producing the project with Tweiss Productions, and it's the first show in their season.

The stellar cast includes Christine Marie Heath (top right), who played Evita in the North American and International tour; Richard Binder (bottom left), who's played my husband in various shows including Vienna (we were Dr. and Mrs. Freud) and the opera La Ribalta; Babs Winn, whom I got to croon with in a quirky country western episode of "The Onion"; and Michael Kirk Lane, whom I worked with in last year's table-read of the show.

Based on the novel by Leslie Fram, adapted by Bryan D. Leys and composed by Clare Cooper (Toxic Avenger), it's a charming piece with some great pop-rock tunes.

The staged reading will be on Oct. 13 at 6:30 PM at the Jerry Orbach Theatre in the Snapple Center (across from Wicked): 210 West 50th

Tickets are $18. For reservations, call 212 989-6706 or email musicalmondays@aol.com.

Closing Night

2011-10-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

The final show of any run tends to have some extra magic about it. People let loose or their performances hold a mysterious level of something special.

(me with Kristen Mengelkoch and Oakley Boycott)

This past weekend was the closing run of "Hell's Belles" at HA Comedy Club, and the audiences were fully with us, laughing at every joke, breaking out into spontaneous applause in the midst of songs. They were just there to have fun,and perhaps, because it was the final weekend, we all knew to seize the moment and have fun too!

Some friends who'd come opening night had to come back for a second viewing and they loved it even more.

(Jayne and Ataman - all smiles after the show)

We had some fans who did the same thing, and you could definitely feel the love.

My husband, Rob, came a third time, along with his sister, and I felt so lucky to have so much love and support out in the audience.

On the final night, we had some fun mishaps. One of my Joan Crawford eyebrows wilted off my forehead, and the audience went wild with laughter.

And they loved Judy, applauding in the midst of my song. Playing Judy Garland was such a rewarding experience! I learned so much from playing her and all of the characters actually!

It was a great ride. I was so fortunate to work with such wonderful people. I'll miss them, but I know I'll see them again soon.

Now... onto the next adventure!

Kudos to our crew

2011-09-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

This is closing weekend for Hell's Belles at HA Comedy Club, and I want to pay tribute to your awesome crew.

Paul Bourgeois is our wonderful stage manager.

He took over for the excellent Ernie Fimbres who guided us through rehearsals before leaving for a tour with Seussical the musical.

Debbi Hobson is our calm, cool and collected wardrobe assistant (to costume designer Gail Cooper-Hecht), and she has been able to make quick costume adjustments on the fly. Before I went on the other night, she tightened up my loose tuxedo vest which I wear for Alice B. Toklas. Seriously, Debbi is amazing with a pair of scissors, needle and thread! :)

Molly Cohen is the production assistant and my fabulous dresser. She helps me make the tough transition from Lady Godiva to every other character I play.

Literally, there are seconds in which I have to go from one character to another, and I would be lost without Molly. She does all these great "finishing touches," like making me new Joan Crawford eyebrows every night and helping keep Godiva's wig straight. She also puts on my Judy wings. :)

David Flora is our Box Office Manager - wonderful guy! Lindi Dunn is our divine Head Devilette Usher, and Lauren Kairalla is the technical director (on staff at HA!).

Thanks to all these wonderful people, and to our creative team: John Znisdarsic (top left), our delightful director; Mary Feinsinger (right), our fabulous musical director and accompanist; producers, Eileen (below with Omri Schein) and Sharon Weiss; Bryan D. Leys, who wrote the book and lyrics; and Steve Liebman who composed the show.

Thanks to everyone, for a fun ride! 2 more shows to go! Let's raise the roof!

2 more performances ofHell's Belles

2011-09-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

2 more performances for Hell's Belles the musical: next weekend Oct. 1-2 at 5 PM at HA Comedy Club's Midtown Theatre 163 West 46th St. near Times Square.

It's a very fun show about a nightclub in hell where famous women from history and pop culture perform (some of my incarnations are in the postcard above). It's a joy to share the stage with 3 talented performers who transform nightly as well.

Oakley Boycott is energy incarnate as a pop star who finds herself in hell.

Her portrayals of Medea, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Di and Evita are electric! I am constantly inspired by her.

Kristen Mengelkoch also rocks my world as Eleanor Roosevelt, Ma Barker, Eva Braun, Gertrude Stein, Lizzie Borden and Bette Davis.

Omri Schein is our marvelous Master of Ceremonies, aka Lester. He is such a wonderfully witty performer, and I love hearing him bring down the house with his song, "My Little Black Book."

Mary Feinsinger keeps us all grooving along as Delilah, our fabulous musical director and accompanist.

It's a great cast, a great crew, and I am so honored to be working with them all.

Hope to see you there! Friends and Family DISCOUNT for final weekend: $30 - USE CODE: FAF
https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/32835

More info at http://www.hellsbellesthemusical.com/

Secret Identity

2011-09-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like a superhero? I hope so!

Most of us juggle more than one job, and definitely play more than one role 
in our day-to-day lives.

I've felt a little bit like a superhero lately. By day, I work at an online advertising 
agency which is very flexible with my acting schedule. Its a great company 
and I am very aware of the particular role I play there.

Then at night (and most days too), I fling off my glasses and become 
Actor Laura. This is a fulltime job too, made up of performances and 
all the work that goes into getting onstage including auditions, classes, 
homework, research, and constant practice, or rehearsal. Its a great gig 
and I love it!

Sometimes I feel like Diana Prince, sneaking off to a hidden spot to twirl and become Wonder Woman. :) Both roles serve their purpose, and I enjoy the transformation. That's why I'm an actor in the first place.



Every weekend, through Oct. 2, I transform into 7 famous women from history 
and pop culture for the musical "Hell's Belles." Its a very fulfilling gig at HA
Comedy Club's Midtown Theatre, and I love the people I work with. 

I am constantly refining my characterizations. Judy Garland in particular has 
been fascinating to research, and I'm so thankful for all the great YouTube 
clips of her work. There's a ton of great stuff online!  

But back to superheroes.

My husband is definitely one. All my friends and family are amazing, 
and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by so much love and support. 

Hope you're feeling "super" today too. :)

Life is a Cabaret, Old Chum

2011-09-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the pleasure of performing in Dana Lorge's Wednesday Night Cabaret at The Iguana. I sang "Let's Sing 'em All," the Judy Garland song from Hell's Belles, the show I'm doing every Saturday and Sunday night at HA! Comedy Club. One of my producers, Eileen Weiss, captured this clip.

Dana Lorge hosted the evening and she was a delight! Such a funny lady!

There was a fabulous woman named Rita who sang "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby?" She was phenomenal! And then there was Cassie Hohn, who previewed some of the songs from her show, Bathing in Bette. She pays tribute to Bette Midler and her early material, but does it with her own sense of style and sass. Cassie absolutely rocked the joint!

She's performing 9/30 at Don't Tell Mama's, and I wish I could catch her, but I'll be in rehearsals for another gig. My plate is filling up! :)

And it makes me realize that you have to sing and dance and play while you can. "Life is a cabaret, old chum. Come to the cabaret! Come taste the wine, come hear the band! Come blow your horn, start celebrating! Right this way! Your table's waiting." :)

Judy at The Iguana

2011-09-14T05:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we opened Hell's Belles the musical at HA Comedy Club's Midtown Theatre, and we were packed with fabulous audiences!

The show is about a nightclub in hell, run by a devilish master of ceremonies, and famous women from history and pop culture take the stage. I have the honor of playing Judy Garland, Janis Joplin, Lady Godiva and countless others!

It is a thrill to play these iconic women, especially Judy, because people have such a personal response to her. It's absolutely awe-inspiring, and I am so grateful that people have embraced my performance as her.

Tonight, I'll be performing as Judy in a cabaret at The Iguana which is on 240 West 54th Street. There are a ton of incredible acts, and I'm delighted to be a part of it.

It's called Wednesday Night at The Dana Lorge, listed under Special Events.

Reservations are a must! Call 212-765-5454. Doors open at 7:30 PM and the show starts at 8. Hope to see you there!

Fearlessly Funny

2011-09-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, September 10, is opening night for the musical Hell's Belles. This is the third time I've performed in an incarnation of this show, and I'm having a blast! It's wonderful to be part of a show's growth, to see and hear changes in music, musicality, and story-telling. John Znidarsic is our fearless director, and the hilariously talented Mary Feinsinger is our musical director. Both have been angels in guiding us through this musical.

I love going to work on this show each day, because I've fallen in love with my castmates, who are off-the-charts talented, fearless and funny! They have all brought something unique to the table, and its a joy to work with them.

(Me, Omri Schein, Oakley Boycott, Kristen Mengelkoch - all photos by Mark Krieger)

The show is about a nightclub in hell, run by a devilish master of ceremonies named Lester, played with great comic heart by Omri Schein.

Infamous women from history and pop culture command the stage, and I'm honored to play Janis Joplin, Judy Garland, Lady Godiva, Salome, Guenevere, Alice B. Toklas, and Joan Crawford.

Oakley Boycott plays a pop star akin to Lady Gaga, and she also takes on such legends as Marilyn Monroe, Medea, Evita and Princess Di, who's visiting from heaven. :)

Each time Oakley takes the stage, she has such high voltage energy! It is a pleasure to watch her, and a thrill to share the stage with her. We get to rock out a few times, and it such a blast! Boom, baby!

Last but not least is the uber-talented Kristen Mengelkoch, who plays Eleanor Roosevelt, Ma Barker, Eva Braun, Gertrude Stein, Lizzie Borden and Bette Davis.

I love watching Kristen's face, because her faces are so distinctive per character and she is outlandishly funny. Her voice is HUGE! It's no surprise to me that she's wowed audiences in Forbidden Broadway.

We have dress and tech rehearsals this week, and then we're LIVE at HA Comedy Club this Saturday and Sunday at 5 PM.

The show runs every weekend from September 10 - October 2nd. Click Here for Tickets. If you'd like a discount code, send me a ping. :) Hope to see you there!

On a Serious Note

2011-08-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

I was shocked to learn that the NYPD, NYFD and EMTs who first responded to the 9/11 attacks have been asked to not attend the 10th Anniversary Ceremony next month. How is this possible?

I remember when it all happened. I live by The Met and was walking cross-town to go to work. Firetrucks and police cars were zooming by, heading downtown. This was before we knew what was really happening, and I thought, "Our guys will take care of this."

And they did what they could. My gosh, they did so much! They deserve to attend this 10th Anniversary Ceremony. They are the true heroes!

Please show your support and sign the petition to reverse this horrible decision:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/allow-911-first-responders-to-attend-10th-anniversary-ceremony/

Thank you.
Laura

The First Day of School

2011-08-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

My friend and fellow actress, Gina Milo, often refers to the first day of rehearsals as "the first day of school," and it's so fitting! You show up with your book (music and script), pencils and pens. Your desk is either a music stand or a table for the "table read" of the script. Your classmates might be new or people you've worked with before. And there's always that thrill of excitement in the air!

(me on the first day of school - age 10)

Last night was the first full company rehearsal for Hell's Belles, so my husband, Rob, asked, "How was your first day of school?" ;)

It was GREAT! The cast is marvelous! I worked with Omri Schein in the last 2 incarnations of the show, and he is such a doll! Very funny! Oakley Boycott is a tall blonde drink of water, and her take on Marilyn Monroe had us all breathless! Last but not least is the marvelous Kristen Mengelkoch who had me rolling every time she opened her mouth.

We three ladies play about 20 characters - everything from Eva Peron to Eleanor Roosevelt to Janis Joplin - and it was a delight to watch everyone "transform" last night. The bodies, the faces, the voices! And with Omri as the master of ceremonies, we make a very full-fledged ensemble.

A talented, funny cast, and a wonderful crew, including Ernie Fimbres as our Stage Manager and Gail Cooper-Hecht as our daring costume designer. It's a lovely group, and I'm so thrilled to work and play with them all!

Special thanks to Tweiss Productions for inviting me along! ;)

Hell's Belles Ride Again!

2011-08-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I performed in a concert called "Bound for Broadway." I sang a few songs from The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, and the director of the concert, John Znidarsic, asked if I'd audition for a new show he was working on called Hell's Belles.

The show is a musical comedy about a cabaret in hell. The cast consists of one devilish MC and 3 actresses who play some of the most infamous women in history and pop culture. We play about 20 characters total, and it's an absolute blast! Crazy costumes, quick changes, social satire, and some lovely tunes!

I play Lady Godiva (above), Salome, Janis Joplin, Joan Crawford, Alice B. Toklas, Guenevere, and Judy Garland, to name a few.

Janis and Judy are my favorites by far, though I truly love all the characters I get to play.They're all unique!

I've been with this show through a few incarnations. The first presentation was at the West End Theatre on 86th Street. And last year, we did an informal presentation at HA! Comedy Club, which is where we'll be performing again this year.

Tonight is the first music rehearsal, and I'm looking forward to diving into the music again. The first rehearsal for any show always feels magical. :)

Hell's Belles will be running in The Midtown Theatr e at HA! Comedy Club on Saturdays and Sundays at 5 PM, starting September 10th.

Hope to see you there! :)

Superheroes and Sketches

2011-08-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed all of the superhero "nods" lately? There are all the summer films, which I'm enjoying, and HBO recently premiered a documentary about real-life caped crusaders, which was just fascinating!

Ironically, I recently wrote a sketch comedy piece about a superhero manicurist named Manny. It was performed last week at The PIT (The People's Improv Theatre) and received great response. I was surprised by the uproarious laughter my sketch generated and was greatly encouraged to keep writing.

The class itself was my first experience in "round table" writing, though our tables formed more of a square, and I couldn't help but think of us as "knights of comedy" in one way shape or form. Or perhaps we were more like squires. :)

Each week our fearless leader and teacher Alex Zalben, provided us with a sketch format, which we'd write and then read to the class. We'd listen to each other and provide constructive criticism, saying what we liked about the sketches as well as addressing "room for improvement."

It was such a positive environment, and last week's class performance was such a treat, because every writer had tweaked their pieces, following the teacher's guidance, and it made for a really fun evening of sketch comedy.

So what does this have to do with superheroes? Well, one of our projects was to write a superhero sketch, taking a mundane task and finding the funny (and the fantastic) in it. That was my favorite sketch, hence the reason I worked on it for the class performance.

And this makes me think of the Superhero documentary, about ordinary people trying to make a difference in their own unique way. There are a lot of superheroes in my life. I think we all can have an incredibly positive impact on each other. And this gives me hope.

The First Harvest

2011-08-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year. There's something so magical about August. It's often the hottest time of the year, and yet heralds the harvest to come. It is a reminder to play and enjoy the lazy summer days before the hard work of Autumn is upon us.

It is a time of Summer fruit and sweet corn.

A time to release fear and take heart, to recognize the star of hope within us.

It is also the time of sunflowers. I don't remember seeing these flowers in the desert where I grew up. But here on the East Coast, the fields are full of them - these tall, radiant flowers that turn to the light.

"I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life that the sunflower. For me that's because of the reason behind its name. Not because it looks like the sun but because it follows the sun. During the course of the day, the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky. A satellite dish for sunshine. Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life." - Calendar Girls (written by Julia Towhidi and Tim Firth)

Comedy Tonight!

2011-07-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I had a penchant for drama. No wonder I became an actress! :)

But I also loved to write stories! In elementary school, I didn't wait for the latest class play to surface. I wrote my own plays for my classmates and I to perform. I even got my brother in on the act!

Small wonder I've felt the call the write lately.

After college, I mostly wrote dramatic fare. I consolidated the novel, "The Phantom of the Opera," into a 30 minute playlet for The Edgar Allan Poe festival in PA. In NY, I penned a 10 minute piece called CHEER which ran with The Vagina Monologues for V-Day NY, and my last piece was a one woman show called "Love in 35 Minutes," which was wrapped around love and musical theatre.

Lately, since I've found myself consistently cast in comic roles, I've been taking sketch comedy classes at The PIT to strengthen my funny bone. My latest class has been on the basics of writing sketches. Some of my favorite actors are also writers - like Christopher Lloyd, Emma Thomspon, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Steve Carrell - so I keep thinking of something my husband says: "Learning one skill can strengthen another."

From an acting perspective, I've found that by exploring the formula of a comic scene, I'm clearer on my own work as an actor. But writing it is definitely different! It's made me open my ears and hear how people talk to each other, hearing the patter and patterns, "finding the funny."

The biggest lesson I've learned is that comedy has to be honest. You can't push a joke at people, or... you can try, but then it's not as funny. Stand-up might be different, but for comic acting, I've learned it has to come from an honest place.

The thing I'm digging about comedy writing is the sense of colloboration. I also love how the halls between the studios simply echo with laughter. That is such a gift, and it makes going to class an absolute blast!

So I'm off to join my fellow artists in revelry and comic learning. :) Happy Trails!

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

2011-07-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever picked up a book that just enchanted you?

I'm currently in the midst of The Girl Who Chased The Moon, and it is such a delightful read! I don't want to put it down! It actually makes me look forward to riding the subway, because that's when I have time to dive into this beautiful book!

It's the story of Emily, a 17-year-old girl who goes to live with her giant grandfather in the fictional small town of Mullaby, North Carolina. And when I say giant, I mean her grandfather is 8 feet tall!

It's a whimsical element that makes me think of the movie Big Fish, and like that fanciful tale, The Girl Who Chased the Moon is full of magic and the uniqueness of perspective.

There's a mysterious wealthy family who can't come out at night. There's a charming baker, Julia, who hides a piece of pink hair behind her ear (from her youth as a punk rocker). She also runs her father's BBQ and has her own story she's trying to piece together. Her refuge is in the cakes she bake that fill the book with such sweet scents. Truly, I swear I could smell Julia's Milky Way cake, or her Hummingbird Cake:

"It was made with bananas and pineapples and pecans and had a cream cheese frosting... She would make it light enough to float away."

I actually bought the book because of the Amazon interview the author gave regarding the giant of her novel:

"I remember when I first wrote elderly Vance Shelby into The Girl Who Chased the Moon. He walked into a room and had to duck under the doorframe. I knew then that this was no ordinary man. This was a giant. But how tall was too tall? When would real become unreal? It’s a fine line. I began to research gigantism and discovered the tallest man in history for whom there is irrefutable medical proof: Robert Pershing Wadlow, the Giant of Illinois. At the time of his death at the young age of 22, Wadlow was almost nine feet tall. It’s a stunning number, isn’t it? Nine feet tall. I pored over old film and audio interviews from the 1930s, trying to get a feel for what his life was like, so I could present with veracity this magically tall man in my story. What I discovered was a soft-spoken gentle giant whose legs were so long he walked like he was on stilts, whose body listed to the side like a skyscraper made of soft wood instead of concrete. But he was always smiling, accepting the stares and the requests for photos good-naturedly as he toured with Ringling Brothers and the International Shoe Company. He never hid himself away. He mingled among regular-sized people like he knew he had to savor every moment. And maybe he did know. Maybe he was tall enough to see into tomorrow.

In honor of Wadlow, I took all that I thought a young giant might wish for--a long life, a wife, a family, a place that accepted him as he was, where he was just another town oddity--and I gave it to elderly Vance Shelby in The Girl Who Chased the Moon. And as an old giant, Vance looks back on a life he always wanted to be extraordinarily small, and finds that it was exactly the size it needed to be. Which I think might be truth for us all."
--Sarah Addison Allen

If you're looking for a lovely book with small-town charm and whiffs of magic, check out this novel.

The author also has an interactive website which details parts of the fictional town of Mullaby and offers Julia's cake recipes! :)

Enjoy!

Benefit Concert for The Trevor Project

2011-07-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the immense pleasure of performing in a concert of original music by composer-lyricist, Andy Monroe. This concert was a benefit for The Trevor Project (preventing suicide among LGBTQ youth) and was a catalogue of Andy's music, some of it performed by Andy himself.

Andy and I worked together a few years ago on the musical, The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun. I played the title character and won the NYMF Award of Excellence.

I sang a song from The Singing Nun and from one of Andy's other works, "Chasing Garbo," based on the 1980s film, Garbo Talks. It was an incredible treat to perform this material, simply because Andy's music is so much fun!

And I was in great company! My co-star from The Singing Nun, Tracey Gilbert, sang a song from the show, and it made me nostalgic to play these characters again. They're such sweetheart heroines!

Jeannine Frumness performed a song from the award-winning Off Broadway show, The Kid, and Matt Hardy sang the title song. Jeannine then joined Jon-Michael Reese and Raissa Katona Bennett in Andy's latest project, Drive.

Raissa had played Christine in Phantom, and I got such a thrill out of that because it was the first musical I saw when I moved to Manhattan.

Marc Beja and Kate O'Boyle Anderson sang a song from Sally Peaches, and Kate joined Tracey, Jon-Michael, Matt Hardy and Kevin Dozier for Andy's 15 minute musical The Life and Times of Joe Jefferson Blow.

Zach Berger (above right with Jon-Michael Reese) played the title role in this charming musical about the birth, life and death of a simple man who wanted to do great things. Zach was also my partner in Chasing Garbo, and it was such a delight to work with him.

The entire evening was hosted by Andy's partner, George DeMarco (far right with Kevin Dozier, David Gerard and his partner), and we ended the night by singing "Happy Birthday" to Andy. It was a gift to share so much love and music with such talented artists.

Happy Birthday, Andy! :)

The Joy of Doing What You Love

2011-07-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

I had an audition for a Broadway show today, and it felt fabulous! It was one of those auditions where nervousness is replaced by sublime joy and the excitement of simply doing what you love.

I could hear the pianist, creating beautiful music for the girls in front of me, and that thrilled me. There's something so delicious about the combination of a voice and a piano.

Across the hall there were male singers auditioning for "Camelot." Potential Lancelots and Mordreds were singing their hearts out.

Then it was my turn. I went in on a wave of joy, delighted to be there and to be singing a song I love (thanks, Chas Elliot)! The accompanist grooved right along with me and it felt like we were playing together, making music and having a grand ol' time.

Ya gotta love auditions like that where you're making music with someone so talented. It makes the room feel like a painter's canvas, and I get to paint the room with my song.

I love to sing, and I've been doing a lot of it lately in preparation for Wednesday's Benefit Concert. I feel so fortunate to be working and playing with such talented artists.

Every day feels lush with opportunity to keep doing that! :)

Music by Andy Monroe - for The Trevor Porject

2011-07-10T17:20:00.000-07:00

This week I'll be performing in a concert of music written by Andy Monroe, who recently won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Musical Off Broadway for The Kid.

Andy and I worked together a few years ago on the musical The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, which also won various awards, including the NYMF Award for Outstanding Individual Performance, of which I was the lucky recipient.

Andy's music is wonderfully contemporary, and I feel so incredibly honored to be performing in this concert with such talented performers, including Andy himself.

I'll be singing songs from The Singing Nun as well as another show Andy wrote called Chasing Garbo, based on the 1980s film Garbo Talks.

Other performers include my Singing Nun co-star, Tracey Gilbert; cast mates from The Kid, Jeannine Frumess and Zach Berger (my partner in Chasing Garbo), Marc Beja, Kate O'Boyle Anderson, Matt Hardy, Raissa Katona Bennett, Kevin Dozier, and Jon-Michael Reese.

This sold out concert is a benefit for The Trevor Project.

Central Park on the 4th of July

2011-07-04T19:31:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous day in Central Park today. Everyone seemed so uplifted, enjoying this fun summer day.

There were musicians everywhere! As I walked towards the famed Bethesda Fountain, I heard the sounds of Vivaldi, played beautifully on the violin. Lo and behold, there was an older woman with silver hair playing the instrument with pure passion.

I love that a statue of Shakespeare was behind her, taking in the scene.

Further down the path, there was a Peruvian pipe band, a solo saxophone player, and then a fun jazz band, which was surrounded by a very big group.

These were some sweet sounds, I tell ya! And I was heartily inspired by all the music. I went home and practiced my songs for an upcoming benefit concert July 13th. But first I continued my walk through the park.

I came upon a turtle laying her eggs near the famous lake where rowboats abound. It was so incredible to see her so close! She was protected by a low wire fence, but I definitely could have touched her if I wanted to. She was practically at my feet!

I was amazed that Turtle was crossing my path yet again... laying her eggs no less! It was truly an amazing sight!

Then I headed home, walking with a horse and carriage on my way out of the park. It was a such a lovely Independence Day. Hope yours was just as sweet.

Turtles and Travels

2011-07-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my husband and I flew out to CA to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday, and it was such a fun trip. It started with an early flight that was delayed because of a turtle crossing. I kid you not.

Over 100 turtles were making their way across the tarmac to lay their eggs on the sandy shores of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. And you know what was neat? No one on the plane complained about the delay. Everyone thought it was cool! Mother Nature at work.

I'm a descendent of the Cherokee tribe and have always felt an affinity for totem animals, so the appearance of turtles seemed like such a cool omen. Turtle "is the personification of Mother Earth." She teaches us to "honor the creative source within you, be grounded to the Earth, and observe your situation with Motherly compassion."

With this spirit in mind, we flew to CA and had a great time. It was a really quick trip - we only had a few days - but I wanted to be out there to celebrate my mom's special birthday.

(my husband, Rob, me, Mom, my brother, Sean, and his lady, Meri)

As I watch my parents age, I am so mindful of how precious each day is. My mom was a little unnerved about turning 60, but my husband was telling her what an accomplishment it is to have had 60 years of adventures! And there's more to come! Plus my mom looks 50 anyway. She is still so beautiful, and I'm glad she is my mother and my friend.

Concluding our trip, my honey and I headed back home to NY. There weren't any turtles on the tarmac this time, but there were turtles on TV, and I had to smile at that.

The Miracle is You

2011-06-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

One of my friends recently went in for a very rough surgery, so I've been thinking of her and all the special people in my life. We were texting a great deal before her surgery - about life and really living each day to the fullest - and one of her texts struck such a chord. She said, "The miracle is YOU."

(photo by Paul Bates)

It makes me realize how precious life is, how each moment is so entirely unique and new unto itself. What happened yesterday will never happen the same way it did. It was what it was. Now we're onto a new moment.

"The gift is the present."

It makes me appreciate those folks who have shared this life ride with me all the more.

My friend, Tina, and I often talk about being surfers on the cosmic waves of life. And I feel like that with all my friends.

Sometimes we share an incredible wave together. Sometimes one of us wipes out, so we're there to support each other and help each other get back on our boards. Sometimes only one of us catches an incredible wave and the rest of us watch them surf the heck out of it. But no matter what, we're there for each other, sharing it in one way or another, and that is such a gift!

This Week in Liffe Lessons

2011-06-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have a week chock-full of life lessons?

When something comes my way, especially if the message is repeated more than once, I realize it's a sign to pay attention to the lesson. It's like the fortune in the cookie. :)

So what were the big lessons for me this week?

1) Practice. When you practice something - any kind of activity from sports to the arts - you improve your skills and your game.

This week I performed in a small staged reading of a new musical, and it was wonderful to be immersed in the material for a full 2 days. The music was very complicated with lots of different time signatures and harmonies, and it could have seemed daunting. But by practicing my part, I went into the performance feeling strong and had a great time! :)

I also started a writing class this week. I've written dramatic pieces over the years, so I wanted to try my hand at comedy, and so I enrolled in a class at The PIT. The teacher is great, and he also affirmed the lesson of practice. The more you write - again, the more you practice anything - the better you get at it.

2) Find the positive and cheer each other on.
This lesson was also gleaned from my new writing class, and I thought it was a great philosophy.

Too often, in art especially, people will rip each other apart. There's a great scene in Mel Brooks' "History of the World Part 1" where a caveman artist is born, promptly followed by the birth of the critic.

But if we can find at least one positive and expound on that, who knows what other treasures we might find?

Next week we're going to get into constructive criticism, but this also reminds me of a lesson from one of my first musical theatre classes at AMDA. We had this great teacher named Karen, who was quite old... "as old as the hills," you might say. She reminded me of a combo of Ethel Merman and Aunt Clara from "Bewitched."

She was wonderful and would encourage the class to give feedback after each in-class performance. But we were not allowed to say a performance was "good" or "bad." We were encouraged to say what was "effective" or "ineffective" about a performance, and this language created a healthy playground for us all.

This takes me to...

3) Love your self.

As a petite woman and actress, I've always been aware of caloric inntake. In high school and college, I used to skip meals and even went on the Atkins diet to rapidly lose weight for an audition for "Days of Our Lives." This worked for a brief while until my body rejected this way of living. My blood pressure plummated during an audition and I passed out, literally falling flat on my face and breaking a tooth. It scared the heck out of me, and so I've made sure to eat healthily ever since.

I'm really into juicing right now and simply love it. I'm still working on losing the pounds. I hit the gym and power-walk everywhere, but I'm not a stick-thin actress - never have been. I'm curvy and I like to dress in sexy attire, so I wore a dress for this week's performance, and one of the gals in the cast complimented me on my figure. That made me feel great, and I told her how great she looked.

"Well, I can't dress like you," she said. "You have such beautiful arms, but mine... I need to cover them up."

I was astounded because A) I didn't see myself that way, and B) she was GORGEOUS! I mean, seriously, I hope I have this woman's figure when I get older.

So this made me realize that we don't see each ourselves as others do. Yeah, there are many harsh critics out there, but often, we're our own worst critics.

(artwork by Rita Lloyd)

We really need to love and appreciate ourselves as we are RIGHT NOW. Sure, there are pounds to lose. Yes, there are things we may not like about ourselves, but can you imagine how good we would feel if we really loved, supported, appreciated and took care of ourselves right now? To really love every part of ourselves.

Some good things to think about.

Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dream-a-Thon

2011-06-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

About a year ago, I hopped on a plane to my hometown of Hemet, CA and spent a weekend filming a scene for the independent feature film musical, Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dream-a-Thon.

The film is built around the concept album by the psychadelic folk rock band, Hippie Cream. It's about a young man who seeks to find the cure for his grandfather's illness by undertaking risky dream therapy.

My brother, Sean, is the drummer for the band, and I have long been a fan of their work. When he told me they were doing a feature film musical in the style of a science fiction B movie influenced by The Ramones' "Rock n Roll High School," I knew I had to be a part of it.

The director Daniel Philip Maggio cast me in the cameo of Marty's Dream-Mom, and it was a pleasure to play such a role.

The cast and crew for Marty were simply stellar. Everyone asked about the New York scene, and it was fun to bring my experience to their party, so to speak.

The young man who plays Marty, Wesley Houdyshell, is a natural! And director Dan Maggio is really one of the most professional, patient, encouraging directors I've ever worked with.

I feel very lucky. All of my film experiences have been really great with top-notch casts and crews. I've played leading roles in NYU shorts and won the Craft Award for the 1/2 hour film Sincerely Yours. I've done big-budget stuff, worked as a stand-in on The Sopranos, played an extra in Spiderman, and walked by Sarah Jessica Parker on Sex in the City.

The cast and crew of Marty were just as professional as any of these cinematic teams. Everyone put their hearts and souls into the film. Plus it was SO MUCH FUN!

Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dream-a-Thon premieres tomorrow June 17 at 7 PM at the Historic Hemet Theatre. If you're in town and feel like taking a walk on the wild side (artistically), check it out! I have no doubt it's going to be a blast!

Power-walking to an Audition

2011-06-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today I power-walked to an audition at the York Theatre Company. This lovely little theatre is on the east side of town, so it provides an artist like myself the opportunity to take in the sights of Manhattan whenever I boogie over there.

I come from the West Side, so I get to pass all these landmarks and beautiful buildings like the MoMA.

I had met Kara Herold and her folks there when she came to show her film, Bachelorette 34.

That's when I was rockin a platinum blonde look. :)

I also passed the Irish pub across from the MoMA where I had met The Twisted Sisters, Tina and Maryanne, for lunch with their college kids, Rob and Molly.

Obviously a fun group! :)

Then I passed HA! Comedy Club where The Sisters came to see me in the musical Hell's Belles last year. I usually give the club a smile as I dash by, but today I was seriously power-walking, so I zoomed by and suddenly found myself at Rockefeller Center.

It was a particularly beautiful day at 30 Rock. The flags were flying, the sun was shining, and a nice breeze was moving through the trees. Just gorgeous!

Then I zoomed by the south side of St. Patrick's Cathedral. The grass smelled freshly cut, and it was such a heavenly scent. The city doesn't usually smell so nice - in the summertime especially.

Then I boogied over to St. Peter's Church where The York Theatre abides. It was such a lovely walk, and I had a blast at my audition. What a great way to spend the day! :)

SciFi Girl

2011-06-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'm coming out.... I'm a scifi fantasy girl. :)

I have been loving HBO's miniseries, "Game of Thrones," based on the novel by George R. R. Martin (my husband's reading the book now, and then I'm stealing it). And apparently I'm not the only one! :) There are a ton of awesome blogs about the series - and the books - all over the world! Just Google "Game of Thrones," and you'll see.

For those who need a quick overview, it's a tale of one throne, seven kingdoms, and a bunch of families vying for power. It reminds me very much of the War of the Roses, the Medieval civil war in England, which I studied in preparation for my characters in the acting company at Penn Ren (we covered A LOT of history in rehearsals).

I think that's why "Game of Thrones" works. It hearkens to a time we're familiar with, drawing upon tales of old like Ivanhoe, but it's definitely an original tale that has the fantastical inclusion of dragons and the undead.

The characters are also very rich. My favorite is Tyrion, a dwarf, played by the marvelous actor, Peter Dinklage, who proves his wit is sharper than than the swords most men carry. He is the son of a rich and terrible family, and his sister, Cersei, is a cut-throat queen with a "win or die" attitude. Her cold, cold smile speaks volumes.

Actress Lena Headey is obviously doing her job with this character, because... she scares me.

Then there's the rightful heir to the throne, a young girl named Daenerys, who is sold in marriage by her brat of a brother to a horse warlord named Drogo. But instead of withering under the strength of her warrior husband, Daenerys blooms and becomes a very strong woman of her own. I love that she's finding her power!

This theme of empowered women actually correlates to a book I'm reading called "A Discovery of Witches," by Deborah E. Harkness. The heroine is a brilliant Yale historian named Diana, who is a reluctant witch from a very powerful magical family. She's actually afraid to use her power, but the more she denies it, the more it becomes imperative that she must accept her supernatural talents and learn how to use her power.

There's also a delicious vampire and several daemons, and of course, lots of witches! It's a fun world that Ms. Harkness has built, combining fact with fiction, chemistry with alchemy. Think Bones meets Charmed (or more like the movie, Practical Magic) with a lot of classical references and wonderfully smart, sensual story-telling.

Of course, it's not lost on me that the theme of women finding their power is very prevalent in my life right now. And I'm excited to turn the page of my own adventures. :)

Stay tuned!

Broadcast Music, Inc.

2011-06-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

For a few years now, I've been privileged to work with emerging composers and lyricists, "the musical theatre writers of tomorrow," at Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI).

Andy Monroe introduced me to the group when he asked me to sing a song from his new musical "The Kid," which has since gone on to win countless awards, including The Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Off Broadway Musical.

I've also worked with Robby Stamper, who was the musical director for The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, and has had recent success with the musical, "Helen on 86th Street."

Next week, I'm performing in the final presentation of a new musical by Glenn Bassett and Adam Cohen, and it's incredibly exciting to be part of something so new. I've done some song presentations for this duo in the past few weeks, so I know their musical groove, and it's cool to be on the ride.

More Faire Days

2011-06-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

I blogged yesterday about a friend I met at one of my first professional acting gigs: The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. And actually, many of my life-long friendships have come out of that amazing experience. I still keep in touch with many of the performers, stage managers, directors, producers, and shop-keepers.

The Twisted Sisters, or "The Herb Sisters," Tina and Maryanne are particular favorites. We tend to cackle like witches when we get together, and my husband often says that he expects us to fly around when he's not looking.

I met my husband, Rob, at the Faire 21 years ago. We were both cast in the professional acting troupe and became fast friends. He was the wickedly funny Cardinal Synne, and I was the thief, Polly Pickalittle. We shared lotsa laughs and fell very much in love.

I feel so blessed that we're still so in love and are still best friends!

It's an incredible journey, and I am so thankful for the people in my life and the opportunities that keep coming my way. We keep learning and loving and growing every day.

Blessed be! :)

When Good Things Happen to Good People and Good Actors

2011-05-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

One of my first professional gigs after going to The American and Musical Dramatic Academy was in the Shakespearean improv troupe for The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. You heard me right: Shakespearean Improv.

It was seriously one of the best gigs for a young actor. Tons of Shakespeare, coupled with customs and manners of the 16th Century, and TONS of improv.

Best of all... getting paid for it! :)

When I left the desert of CA for the lush countryside of PA, I had no idea what I was getting into. I'd never seen any place so green! And I was quite overwhelmed. My entire family was back in CA, and I had just made quite a leap: a 5 month contract, rehearsing 6 days a week, and performing 8 hours a day.

I felt like a fish out of water until I got to the conservatory where the actors were being housed. It was an old church with bats in the bellfry. No lie! And the first person to greet me was Kacey Camp, who was going to play Queen Elizabeth herself!

Kacey was so gracious and instantly welcomed me with a hug. She was like the Rock of Gibraltar, and we formed a fast friendship. We're both Aries, we're diehards for Shakespeare, and we're both very passionate about the acting profession.

When my husband, Rob, and I moved to NY, Kacey was here too! Her home was a safe haven for us, a place to try audition pieces and watch classic films.

Over the years, we've all traveled about the country. Rob and I went back to the Faire in PA and got our Actors' Eligibility to be part of the stage actors union, and Kacey went to Atlanta to do some stagework there. Then Rob and I returned to Manhattan, and Kacey went to LA.

We've both made strides in both cities, and have always cheered each other on, in good times and bad.

Right now is a GREAT time, because Kacey just had a juicy role on Season 2 of the FX series: Justified. Her part comes right in the middle of episode 12, Reckoning - just like the meat of a sandwich. :)

I'm so proud of her! And inspired. Kacey has been plugging away, just like I have, for many years, and it's a great lesson of persistence, patience, and professionalism.

You never know when your moment is going to come, but if you give up, if you quit trying, you lose the opportunity to be there when it happens. So keep at it!

Comedy tonight!

2011-05-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

Performing with Jen Curran's sketch class from The PIT. I play a secretary on "The Crystal Meth Diet" by The Kids in the Hall, perform in an SNL sketch called "Surprise Party," and more!

He's My Brother

2011-05-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

When I was 5 years old, I asked my parents for a sibling. I was tired of being an only child. I was very imaginative and very good at entertaining myself, but I wanted a playmate, someone to share adventures with!

My parents promptly told me that I was "Enough," which was said with an exhausted, sardonic weariness.

Luckily, 5 years later, they changed their minds and gave birth to my brother, Sean. He was the most incredible being I'd ever encountered, and I adored him instantly! He could have wrapped me around his little finger, but luckily (again, notice all the good fortune here?) he was such a cool kid that he just seemed happy to snooze in his blankie or gaze at me and smile.

He was, and still is, my best bud. :)

Within a year, he was already dancing to Kenny Rogers, who was my mom's favorite singer at the time, but I made sure to dig out my parents old Beatles records and give him some real tunes to groove to!

Little did I know that, a few decades later, he'd bring The Beatles back to me, as well as remind me of other great musicians like Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, and countless other rock n rollers.

See, my brother, Sean, is a drummer. He's a major music delver, always searching for something to tickle his brain, heart, and soul.

I remember the first time I watched him on drumset. It was like watching Jackson Pollock paint. It was that magical.

And it's still a delight to watch him play, to hear him make music. He's played with a few different LA bands like Smug, The Wild Complete, and various others, but my all-time favorite is Hippie Cream.

Most of the members reside in our hometown of Hemet, but they've played all over southern CA, and they have a feature film coming out in June based on the concept album, Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dreamathon. I play Marty's dream-mom, and it was a thrill to be a part of it.

So why am I telling you about my brother today? It's his birthday! And as I always tell him: he was the gift to me the day he was born.

I love you, little bro! Happy Birthday!

Support Your Local Artists

2011-05-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night, after rehearsing for my sketch comedy show, I'm going to see a friend and fellow artist, Tracey Gilbert perform her first one woman show, Little Known Facts, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Having worked with Tracey on The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, I know what an exceptional performer she is, and I'm so proud of the work she's done on this solo show. It's going to be a blast!

It makes me think of all the wonderful artists all over the world who are brave enough to put their work out there - like my friend, Chas, who's pursuing an opera career in Berlin, or every cast and crew member I've ever worked with who are making their careers happen... wonderful filmmakers from NYU and PA and CA... incredible musicians... I feel so fortunate to have worked with so many talented people!

There's Andy Monroe and Jack Lechner, who won the Outer Critics Circle Award for the new Off Broadway musical, The Kid, of which I got to perform a few of their early demos.

There's my brother Sean, in Hemet, CA, who's getting ready for the premier of the independent feature film, Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dreamathon, of which I was delighted to play Marty's dream-mom.

The film will be shown in the historic Hemet theatre on June 17.

And of course, there's the sketch comedy show I'm doing on May 26 with 10 talented performers at The People's Improv Theatre.

It's a graduation performance of famous sketches from SNL, Kids in the Hall, Mr. Show, and more, and one of the things I loved about this class is thate very time I entered the studio, the halls were filled with laughter.

Everyone I've invited to the show have been so enthusiastic about it, which makes me smile. But then again, everyone loves to laugh. :)

Hope something fun has tickled you today.

The Fighter

2011-05-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

Finally got a chance to see "The Fighter," and - WOW! - what a great movie!

Based on the true story of boxer, Micky Ward, the film received countless nominations including Best Picture. I can see why! The cinematic story-telling was gorgeous, and who wouldn't be interested in a story about an underdog finding his strength?

Academy Awards and countless other honors went to supporting actors, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, who absolutely transformed themselves for the roles of Micky's brother and mother. It was astounding work!

But I was also impressed by Mark Wahlberg's performance as the "quiet lion" Micky Ward, a man fighting not only for his career but to bring the volcanic people in his life together. It was great stuff.

And the supporting cast was incredible! A delicious ensemble of characters! The sisters! My god! They were a tornado of estrogen at its fiercest! And Jack McGee as Micky Ward's father, George, was so grounded and real. I wished he was my dad! :)

Amy Adams was also incredible as the tough-girl bartender who becomes Micky's sweetheart and "rock." Her versatility as an actress just keeps growing and growing. I can't wait to see what she's going to do next! She is full of surprises!

Lastly, I have to commend director David O.Russell for his vision of this film. There were so many incredible moments. And the cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema was just beautiful! Kudos to the entire production team, cast and crew!

I wish I would've caught this movie in the theatre, because I bet it was great on the big screen. But I will say the DVD extras are awesome! This film is a keeper!

Practice, Practice, Practice

2011-05-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

One of my friends is getting ready to do her first cabaret / one woman show next week, and it's been delightful to share the growth process with her. We were talking about practicing the other day, and how some things get easier with practice - like how singing constantly and healthily strengthens the voice and expands possibilities. Sometimes you discover you can hit higher notes, etc.

It makes me think of that old joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.

I had a musical showcase last night, and I have a sketch comedy show next week, so I've been afforded quite a playground to practice in. It's interesting to note different strengths and weaknesses, how things that are easy require a different kind of practice from the things that are challenging. No matter what, it whets my appetite to put in the time to train and enjoy the process.

Bonnie Gillespie wrote a cool article, paralleling The Super Bowl to acting, doing everything you can to train and be at the top of your game, "showing up, suiting up, being ready, and staying in the game."

My teacher, Jen Curran, at The People's Improv Theatre (The PIT), has prepped our sketch group about being aware of what you can and cannot control as a performer, and practice is one of the things you can control.

The last thing I'll add about practice is to enjoy the process. Some of the material I've been working on has been made famous by phenomenal performers, and it could be tempting to be challenged by that. I was telling my brother it's like being afraid to play Hamlet because Laurence Olivier, Kenneth Branagh, or Sarah Bernhardt have played the role before.

We all have a voice, we all have a unique interpretation of the character.

It's been really exciting to find my voice, to discover different facets and explore it further.

Going boldly forth! :)

How Much Can You Memorize?

2011-05-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm on a game show lately called How Much Can You Memorize?

I've been so wonderfully busy with classes and rehearsals for upcoming showcases. And in the midst of all that, I'm getting called in for auditions, as well as hitting EPA (Equity Principal Audition) casting calls.

I received a script yesterday for an audition tomorrow, so I'm working on that tonight. Plus I have a scene from Les Liaisons Dangereuses that I'm performing on Monday in a showcase for Scott Frankel, so I'm rehearsing for that.

One of my classes is a sketch comedy class at The PIT (People's Improv Theatre), and our awesome teacher gave me 2 more scenes to add to the sketch I'm doing on May 26th at 7 PM the theatre, so I'm definitely juggling a lot of memorization.

But it makes me think of Tina Fey's book Bossypants where she writes about working on sketches for Saturday Night Live, and how, no matter what, the show goes on whether you're ready or not.

I've been in many shows from theatre to film that have definitely had last minute script changes. Never have I juggled so many scripts before at once, but I am absolutely LOVING IT! :)

Bring it on!

Everything's Coming Up Roses

2011-05-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

It's a little after Mother's Day, but as I always tell my Mom, Every day is Mother's Day!

My mom has never been a Mama Rose type, although she did ask the director of The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, upon being introduced, "How do we get this show to Broadway?"

This is the woman who told me at the age of 5: "Live Out Loud!"

She was so young when she had me. I don't know if she ever got to make her dreams come true. But she gave my brother and me a great love of music, literature, film and art, so it makes sense that we both turned out to be artists.

I don't think she and my dad knew what to do with me when, again at the age of 5, I proclaimed I was going to be an actress. They came to every school play, enrolled me in dance, gymnastics and music classes, asked their mothers to help finance voice lessons (thanks to both my grandmothers), and drove me to my first professional gig in San Bernadino where I played an orphan in "Annie."

As I've grown, I've been compared to her a great deal. I have a picture on my desk at my day-job, and one of the guys at work said, "Woah! I thought that was YOU!" And I take that as a compliment.

She's a beautiful woman - inside and out - and I'm proud to call her my mother and my friend. We are still learning a lot from each other.

The Power of a Good Book

2011-04-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

With the invention of Kindle and other electronic book-keepers, I must stand out in the crowd, toting around the hard-cover book, Bossypants by Tina Fey. Not only is the cover an eye-grabber, but it's so different from the electronic devices most people are hunched over in the subway.

I was tempted to call this blog, "The Power of Tina Fey," because I've had more strangers ask me about this book, and it's neat because there's been no limit of age, race, or gender regarding the people who've expressed interest in this book. I feel like this book creates a sense of harmony and unity through humor.

Two gals on the subway made my ride home very entertaining, asking me about the book and talking about the movie "Date Night." They couldn't remember the leading man in that movie, so I happily told them it was Steve Carell, who is a favorite of mine.

One gal said she wanted to read Bossypants while the other said she was more into thrillers. I should've said, "Well, Tina Fey's exploits at summer camp were definitely thrilling! Lots of teen angst!...Or the story of her getting Oprah on 30 Rock while juggling her Sarah Palin impersonation was a rollercoaster ride!" But I had to get off the train.

Still, I have to tell you, it's a very fun read! The stories from her childhood, stories of her parents, it's easy to relate to. And as a performer myself, it was inspiring to read of her growth as an improv performer with Second City to a writer/performer for SNL, and of course, her adventures at 30 Rock.

There are also some wonderful gems like "The Rules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Bellyfat." Since I'm working on sketch comedy with The People's Improv Theatre (the PIT), it has special meaning to me:

1) AGREE and "respect what your partner has created." Can you imagine what an awesome world it would be it we all agreed to help each other instead of saying, "No, we can't do that."
2) Say "YES, AND," which means, "Don't be afraid to contribute. Your initiations are worthwhile."
3) MAKE STATEMENTS instead of apologetic questions. No one wants to go to a surgeon who says, "I'm going to be your surgeon?"
4) THERE ARE NO MISTAKES, only opportunities. "In improv, there are no mistakes, only happy accidents."
And I'm going to add this one:
5) NO LIMITS! Everyone has something to contribute. Everyone has ideas. There are enough roles and enough shows for everyone. And the cool thing is, you can make your own show! So don't be afraid to play and put your work out there.

It's like climbing the ladder to jump off the high dive. Don't be afraid to jump in!

Come on in! The water's fine! :)

Spring Sings!

2011-04-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

And so do I! :)

I really love this time of year. Everything is in bloom - the trees, the flowers - it's all so radiant!

This year my husband and I can hear the birds from our apartment on the 19th floor, and that's really a treat. There's nothing like birdsong to lift the spirits.

In fact, everything seems to be singing, so it makes perfect sense that I have some musical showcases coming up.

Tomorrow I'm singing in a presentation of new musicals at BMI's Theatre program. I've done a few performances there before, working with Andy Monroe and Jack Lechner on early songs for The Kid, and it's always a blast to hear new musicals in progress. I'm delighted to be singing a very fun piece tomorrow by Glenn Basset and Adam Cohen.

In May, I'm singing for composer Scott Frankel in a performance helmed by Alaine Alldaffer of Playwright's Horizons.

And on May 26 I'm performing at The People's Improv Theatre. I'm doing a sketch written by The Kids in the Hall. It's not a musical show, but it's comedy, and it's VERY fun! And who knows? Music might just happen there too! ;)

The Beauty of Broadway's "War Horse"

2011-04-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

I've seen a lot of shows in the Big Apple. I saw Michael Crawford as The Phantom, Sutton Foster as Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jane Fonda in 33 Variations, Edie Falco in This Wide Night, and Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel in Wicked.

I've also been fortunate to perform and share the stage with some Broadway A-listers as well, which is beyond surreal.

The thing I love about theatre is its ability to transport an audience, to create a communal experience: a live experience that becomes emblazoned on the hearts and minds of the people who share it.

Tonight I had the privilege of sharing in Lincoln Center's production of War Horse. It was probably the best thing I have ever seen! Absolutely magical! Everything a Broadway show should be. Larger than life and moving beyond words. At least this audience member was moved!

The artistry was amazing! The horses were brought to life by 3 puppeteers per horse, and they all were exceptional. The puppets and puppeteers were truly "one." The fellow who controlled the head of the horse, for example, his face mirrored the horse's emotions. And all 3 puppeteers breathed and moved as the horse. It was astounding!

As one reviewer said, "They weren't puppets. They were horses!"

I can see why Steven Spielberg is making a film of this play based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo. The story is epic and excellently crafted. Plus it's so cinematic!

As directed by Tom Morris and Marianne Elliott, the story was brought to life onstage with an incredible cast and crew. At times the stage seemed bare, but there was this marvelous backdrop that looked like a torn page (from history, perhaps) and video pieces would play on this backdrop, adding to the depth of perception already at work.

The music was GORGEOUS! Two singers created that old English sound with a touch of Celtic flavor that was rousing to the spirit and mind.

Adapted by Nick Stafford, the play is about the First World War as told through the eyes of a horse named Joey. Joey starts out free and unfettered but becomes a draft horse and develops a bond with a farm boy named Albert. When Albert's father sells Joey to the British army, Albert goes on a heroic journey to bring his horse home. That may sound sentimental, but it was beautiful and very effective. At one point, one of the soldiers says to Albert, "we're all fighting for something." And indeed, we are!

This production of War Horse is not to be missed! It is truly one of the best pieces on Broadway!

Do Cartwheels

2011-04-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

while you still can :)

A Tale of Two Wolves

2011-04-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

(From Jack Plotnick's site, New Thoughts for Actors: The Power of Thought: "Focus on the Positive.")

One day, a grandfather was talking to his grandson. "There are two wolves living inside my head," he told the boy.

Naturally, the boy was alarmed to hear this.

The grandfather explained that, "One wolf is angry, vicious and full of fear, while the other one is loving, sweet and playful. And they are at war."

Fearfully, the boy asked, "Which one will win?"

To which the wise grandfather replied, "The one I feed."

"We all have two wolves in our head. We all have an ego/vulture and our true (loving) voice. The negative or the positive; which one will you feed?"
- Jack Plotnick

If you haven't visited Jack's site yet, do yourself a favor and GO! It's a treasure trove!

I love this parable, because for me it has double-meaning. Wolves are considered to be "the pathfinder, the forerunner of new ideas" in the American Indian culture. "Wolf medicine empowers the teacher within us to come forth and share knowledge." Also, Wolf teaches us to "see your teacher within (yourself)... Look for teachings no matter where you are."
- Jamie Sams and David Carson

This is ironic because I'm starting 2 new classes next week: a comedy class at The Pit and a musical theatre class with Alaine Alldaffer (Playwright's Horizons). I'm excited about both, and I feel that message, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

I also feel the yen to get my own work out there in the form of a one woman show and short films for YouTube. I also have a webseries I'd like to film for some friends, which will be a learning process unto itself. :)

So.... I 'm ready!

Endless thanks to Jack Plotnick for sharing so many wonderful lessons and discoveries!

Lessons in Las Vegas

2011-04-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went to Vegas last week. He had business, and I had the pleasure of accompanying him there.

I haven't been to Vegas since I was a kid and my folks would take us to Circus Circus. Boy, has the place changed! It was absolute decadence!

We stayed at The Palazzo, which was connected to The Venetian, and right next door to The Wynn. I'd recommend all 3 hotels, because they are GORGEOUS! Talk about living large!

We were wined and dined, and amidst all of it, I had these really cool epiphanies:

1) Live the life you want NOW.

By behaving as if you have what you want, you draw it to you. When you get hooked into longing for something, you can fall into the trap of keeping everything at arm's length. But if you imagine having what you want right now, notice how good that feels. When you play with that feeling, you are living the life you want, and inviting that deliciousness in!

2) A tale's success depends on how you spin it. A story can either be a comedy or a tagedy, depending on how you spin it. How do you want to tell your stories?

3) Celebrate Each Victory! Each step is important as you climb the ladder of success, and you can either celebrate each step or be dismissive of your progress. Why not celebrate it? EVERY step forward, towards your goal, is a victory and can be celebrated!

4) Take time to rest, relax, and recharge your batteries. Both my guy and I were working so hard in NY that we weren't taking time to stop to smell the roses. Ironically, at The Palazzo, there were butterflies made from roses! They adorned the fountains and indoor waterfalls.

I loved strolling the canals from The Palazzo to The Venetian. There was something so calm and luxurious about it all.

And THE SPA! Oh my gosh! Now I understand why people have full spa days! My husband and I discovered the joys of the Canyon Ranch Spa, and it was sheer heaven! There were all sorts of unique "suites" called Aquavana. These rooms ranged from saunas to steam rooms, jacuzzi, lounges and a Wave Room, which I adored! It was a cool blue room with chairs that lounged back, making you feel weightless.

My husband loved the Experiential Rains (above), and we both loved the Herbal Laconium, a tiled room that was so wonderfully heated. I also lounged in the Salt Grotto, which was made of smooth reclining "rocks," had a gentle, bubbling fountain and was filled with "sea air." Luscious!

It simply replenished our bodies, minds and spirits.

Viva Las Vegas! ;)

How to Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

2011-04-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

My brother sent this link to me today, and I had to share it:

http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/30/how-to-steal-like-an-artist-and-9-other-things-nobody-told-me/

"All the world’s a stage. You need a stage and you need a costume and you need a script. The stage is your workspace. It can be a studio, a desk, or a sketchbook. The costume is your outfit, your painting pants, or your writing slippers, or your funny hat that gives you ideas. The script is just plain old time. An hour here, or an hour there. A script for a play is just time measured out for things to happen.

"Fake it ’til you make it."

And have fun! ;)

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

2011-04-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong
man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is
marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who
comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and
shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows
great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy
cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that
his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know
victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

(with thanks to Gwyn from The Actor's Market)

Elizabeth Taylor tribute by Paul Newman

2011-03-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

Women in the Arts

2011-03-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

My first foray into film was with a young director from NYU named Ann Reilly. She had cast me as the lead in her thesis project, a great love story that took place in WWII, and it was a delicious experience, very professional. Ann handled the scenes with great style and delicacy, the cast and crew were exceptional, and the final result was a gorgeous half hour film called "Sincerely Yours."

Then, a few years later, coming off the success of my first Off Off Broadway musical, Lucky Stiff, I was fortunate to work with a young filmmaker named Julia Suo. She had the idea to do an improvisational film about colorful characters who frequent an East Village laundromat in the wee hours of the morning. I played the owner of said laundromat, and the film was called Laundry. :)

It was incredibly fun, not only to improv a film, but also to play with wild styles. Julia had a great artist for my hair and makeup, and she took my hair to new heights. :)

The film was first screened in Tribeca a few years ago, and it was well received. I'm delighted that it's making the rounds again. It's a quirky piece, and I'm glad to have been a part of it.

If you'd like to catch the most recent screening, it's March 19 at 2:30 PM at the Queens Museum of Art.

Work It Out!

2011-02-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

Being an actor is like going to the gym. Not only does it help to go to the gym to keep your body in shape, but you have to keep your audition repertoire in shape, and that means Working it Out!

I've been keeping my voice in shape for musical auditions. I had to belt a lot of high E's this week, but I can belt high G's so an E is a piece of cake. Still, I gotta be in voice for that.

I've also been monologuing songs to be up to snuff with my acting of musical works, and I've been rehearsing my usual monologues for all the non-musical auditions.

I love "re-hearing" the character through trying different stuff (thanks, Carol Fox Prescott, for teaching that rehearsals are just for that purpose). Even in auditions, I feel like I can really "hear" the characters through the playwright's words, and I am so grateful to all my acting teachers, particularly Karen Kohlhaas and Josh Pais, for giving me the tools to do this.

While rehearsing my usual pieces, I've also been expanding my repertoire by reading, reading, reading! I'm currently in the midst of "The Fifth of July" by Lanford Wilson and "August Osage County" by Tracy Letts.

I've also been reading The Intent to Live by acting teacher Larry Moss, and it is INCREDIBLE! If you're an actor, do yourself a favor and get this book. He has some awesome acting exercises in it, and explains things from such a accessible point of view.

Most importantly... I'm enjoying the ride. I love being immersed in this work, learning and growing every day. It's a blast!

Don't Cheat Yourself

2011-02-22T07:20:00.000-08:00

I hear this a lot at New York auditions: "Oh the show's already cast. Why go?"

I've fallen prey to this mentality myself, particularly with an upcoming EPA (Equity Principal Audition) this week for "Evita." I love the show, I can sing the heck out of the role, but it's already cast with the amazing Elena Roger who did the role in London.

But you know what turned it around for me? Besides the endless encouragement from my friends (whom I am so grateful for), I was reading an article about Elena, and it started with, "Five years ago, you'd have had generous odds on the career of Elena Roger panning out the way it has."

She's tiny... and so am I! ;) "I don't have a complex," she says. "I have a big nose also. Another girl would be cutting her nose to be an actress. I was always very sure about myself."

You've got to check her out on YouTube. Her portrayal of Edith Piaf is astounding!

She was discovered performing in her native Argentina when the producers for Evita went looking for "the real thing." Even though she barely spoke English and she had to pay for her airfare to get to London to audition, she did it! Talk about odds, right?

It is ridiculous to me how we often head-trip ourselves out of going after what we really want. After all, I've been cast from EPAs, and it is such a rich reward every time I go.

I'm growing from the work I'm doing just from preparation for this audition. I had a great musical rehearsal on the weekend - still high from really hearing the music after all these years, letting it soar through me and inform me - and I've been doing my acting homework on the piece as well. I LOVE IT!

And as I've realized time and time again, it's not about trying to please "them." It's about doing the work I love, and showing up to the audition to put my work out there. It's a wild thing auditioning. I feel like a sculptor, putting my piece together LIVE, moment by moment in front of someone. It makes me think of Sondheim's brilliant song, "Finishing the Hat."

We are "living, evolving, flawed organisms, still being shaped."

Don't cheat yourself out of what you can discover when you commit yourself to a creative endeavor.

The Play's The Thing

2011-02-17T07:21:00.000-08:00

This has been a fun week. I've had 2 auditions for 2 Off Broadway shows. On Monday I played a feisty bookkeeper who survived the holocaust, and yesterday I played a hysterical sleep-deprived mother. Both characters relied on their sense of humor to get through the day - or scenes, as it were - as was apparent in the text, so it was great fun to take them on.

Next up: I'm prepping for an audition for "August Osage County," and I'm working on music for musical auditions next week.

I love my job. I love the research that goes into getting ready for a role, I love the rehearsal and prep work. Even if it's just for 2 minutes a day at an audition, it's still a great chance to do what I love to do. And I know from past experience that auditions lead to gigs, so it's all part of nurturing my career.

Outside the Audition Room

2011-02-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine recently blogged about "living the dream," and I thought, "That's what I'm doing!"

Every time I go to an audition, I get to act and sing and meet the creative team for some regional theatre or Off Broadway play or Broadway musical. I get to do what I love!

And sometimes I get the gig! :)

In the meantime, I'm auditioning.

Now, there are some actors who will say, "Oh, why show up? (Rumor is) the show's already cast!" But as Woody Allen once said, "80 percent of success is showing up."

So what about the other 20%?

As Rick Liebling says, "The answer... is creating content with a unique voice," which ironically, my friend Monica recently blogged about as well.

I'm lucky to be surrounded by inspirational people. :)

And speaking of inspiration, Melissa Leo, the actress who's been winning award after award for her portrayal of Alice Ward in The Fighter says, "For many many years, auditioning was just a chance to get to go and act."

And that's where I feel like I am lately. But you know what? I love it! I love getting to walk into the audition room and perform! I'm taking the lessons I've learned from great coaches like Josh Pais and Karen Kohlhaas and applying it! I feel such good growth with my work, and I swear, I can feel the energy in the audition room.... bloom!

Sometimes just getting into the room can be a bit of a challenge, and I forget that some actors will try to sabotage each other. I haven't run into this in a long time, because I've been fortunate to be around people who are focused on their work.

At today's audition, I ran into a friend, a fabulous actor who's a really nice person, and I was buoyed by his presence. But then right before I was about to go in, one actor began kvetching to the actor in front of me, because this other guy couldn't get into the audition. And 2 girls in line for a different audition that hadn't even started yet decided to make snide comments about the prep I was doing to go into the audition room. I was simply breathing and doing some shoulder rolls to let the energy run through my body, but they had to comment on it.

I was astounded that these 2 different groups of actors had no respect for their fellow artists. But I realized that it was their insecurity, not mine, and that I had to focus more than ever on the work I was about to do.

So I went in and did my best, and I feel good about it. I learn every time I go.

It's like Melissa Leo said, "I still do audition. I audition all the time. I find it more and more of an arcane ritual....to expect an actor to do their best in the worst of circumstances!"

You have to have a good outlook, a respect for yourself, your craft, and your fellow actor.

Ars Nova and The Colbert Report

2011-02-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

I'm auditioning for a new play by Bekah Brunstetter at Ars Nova today, and I get such a kick out of the fact that the theatre is right next door to The Colbert Report.

I've enjoyed Stephen Colbert's work since his days on The Daily Show and Strangers with Candy. And to think that I'll be in his 'hood, auditioning for a playwright whose work I adore... well, I'm hoping some of that Colbert luck rubs off!

If he had a buddha belly, I'd rub it! ;)

Cheers!

2011-02-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

I've noticed a cool trend with this new year. Almost every gathering I've been a part of has had a toast to good friends and to the future.

The holidays tend to be relegated to family, so my husband and I celebrate with our friends after the New Year. This year has held so many lovely gatherings - either at our friends' fireside (gotta love a Manhattan apartment with a fireplace!) or dining out at our favorite restaurants.

There's been such a comforting sense of camaraderie and hopefulness as we all forge ahead, making our dreams come true.

Cheers to you! :)

Defying Gravity with Tina and Maryanne

2011-02-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

Today I had the immense pleasure of escorting two of my dearest friends to their first Broadway show: Wicked.

(Maryanne and Tina outside of the Gershwin Theatre)

Tina joked that they'd already seen a show off Broadway, because they saw me perform as Judy Garland and Janis Joplin in the musical, Hell's Belles at HA! Comedy Club in Times Square this summer.

"Wait til you see Wicked!" I said.

My husband and I saw the show when it first opened with Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, so I was curious to see the current cast. They all did well: good strong voices with lots of energy.

Some of the supporting characters like Kathy Fitzgerald 's "Madame Morrible" were especially good at commanding the large stage.

Katie Rose Clarke, who played Glinda, captured the character's heart and desire to "do good." And Teal Wicks definitely had the pipes and passion to play Elphaba, the green girl who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

It was still a thrill to see her "fly" at the end of Act One. A great moment and great song: Defying Gravity.

Tina and Maryanne were completely delighted with the show, and it was very special to share their first Broadway experience with them.

They've been champions of my work onstage for a long time, and Tina said, "Now we're ready to see you on Broadway!"

So mote it be!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2011-01-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

Growing up in sunny CA, you wouldn't think I'd be a fan of New York's snowy winters, but I love them!

It presents 2 calls to action: either to hibernate or to take on the season!

So far this year, I've done both. But lately, I've been feeling the need to be more active, and I'd like to get to the gym on a daily basis, so today I threw on my snow-gear and hiked through the winter wonderland with purpose.

I can't help but be charmed by the beauty of the snowflakes as they land on everything. I especially love when the snow covers the trees. It looks so magical!

Then there's the pleasure of going inside where it's warm and cozy, and watching the snowflakes drift past the window.

I grabbed an elliptical machine near a large window today and worked on some plays as I worked out, and it was neat to look out the window and see other people moving through the winter wilderness that is currently Manhattan.

"In the lane.... snow is glistening."

The Benefits of Manhattan

2011-01-25T08:01:00.000-08:00

One of the things that's so cool about living in NY is how accessible everything is. I've been working on my nutrition with Monica McCarthy whose website Morning Do is such an uplifting tool, and this morning I'm starting with a delicious juice of beets, spinach, apple, carrots and parsley.

Never thought I'd go there, but I've noticed a need to get more veggies into my life, and juicing is such an easy way to do it. In Manhattan, many corner markets offer juicing options, and today's juice is brought to you by Equinox Gym, which has lots of delicious options.

Another thing I love is how art is everywhere here! When I walk to auditions at any of the studios in town, I get to walk by rows of gorgeous Broadway Theatres. Even going to the gym, I pass these charming Off Broadway theatres or I'm right by Lincoln Center. Talk about inspirational!

Lincoln Center has always been one of my favorite places. When I first moved here to go to AMDA, I'd sit near the fountain on my breaks, just drinking the whole city in.

I still visit about once a week, usually to go to the Library of the Performing Arts. Oftentimes, I'm just walking briskly by, but I still love it, and I get a kick out of any time a film uses the place - like some of the exterior shots used for Black Swan where Natalie Portman is walking to the door of the ballet. It's neat because this is my stomping ground. :)

Another favorite place to go is the Time Warner Center. I walk by it every day, and it always thrills me.

Right now they have this really neat art dsiplay of Salvador Dali's work called The Visions of a Genius. There's a giant (and I mean GIANT) statue of his famous melting clock:

(Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

But my favorite is this little sculpture of a woman on a horse, surrounded by butterflies:

Triumphant and beautiful.

The pieces are on loan from Dali's private secretary and confidante, Enrique Sabatar y Bonany, and represent "examples of Dali's creative development at the height of his Surrealistic powers."

The display is available until April 30, 2011. Don't miss it!

Going with The Flow

2011-01-19T09:25:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, my family would go camping with my aunt, uncle and 3 cousins. They had a truck with a camper-shell, and we had a bubble-top van. I was probably around 11 or 12, and it was such an adventurous time of life.

I'm thinking of it today because I have this wonderful "go with the flow" kind of feeling, and it makes me think of the time we went inner tubing down the Colorado River.

We all had our own black rubber inner tubes, and we'd carry them on our shoulders, hiking up the shore of the river to find a good spot to jump in.

The water was kind of green and it moved with a speed you couldn't see right away. But once you got into it... zoom! You're off!

We'd all keep close to each other even though the tubes weren't tied together. There was something so lovely about sitting in the tube, cruising down the river with speed and grace, and that's how I feel today. Like I'm moving along with (and towards) something incredible.

I have an audition later today and I'd like to keep enjoying the ride, you know? Just let go and say, "Whee!!!" :)

An Evaluation

2011-01-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

Almost every actor, while trying to "make it," aka succeed as a working actor, has to have some kind of support job. It can also be referred to as a "survival" job, but I prefer to call it a support job, because it is part of the support I need while nurturing my acting career. To survive is another thing.

I have been very fortunate to have long-term acting jobs that span from months to years, and I am also fortunate to have a support job that works around my true career.

Something I've noticed with the corporate world is that most companies have 6 month evaluations where employees are asked to look back at what they've accomplished and then look ahead to what they'd like to achieve. This can easily be applied to the acting profession as well.

In the past 6 months I've been fortunate to do acting work in almost every field: film, comedy, drama, musicals. I am also blessed to have an abundance of artists around me, people who understand the desire to create.

My brother is a drummer and a great "explorer" of the arts. Besides music, he is passionate about films, paintings, poetry... almost any kind of art there is. He and I often talk about "the business of show" as well as the artistry of it. We share stories and life lessons, and I am always so thankful to hear his point of view.

He recently asked me what I want to focus on moving forward. I have a tendency to want to do it all. But he offered me this life lesson of something he gleaned from an old jazz musician: "Specialize." And Collaborate.

I still want to do it all, but I am trying to narrow my focus, to follow my gut impulses, and this leads me to the desire to nurture some very personal projects which includes writing and producing a short film and working on a possible web series with some friends. When I think about these projects, I get very excited about them, and I believe that is something very special unto itself. It's the fire that keeps the furnace burning, ya know?

So.... my next step is to create a schedule of sorts, so I can be focused on these projects and nurture them into being. To take time to write every day and also keep my acting tools sharp, because it is indeed audition season. There's a lot to do, but I'm excited to do it! Just got to keep things in perspective and keep disciplined and focused while enjoying the ride.

Off to the next adventure! :)

Seeking Peace

2011-01-12T23:33:00.000-08:00

Honoring those who were killed in the Arizona shooting on Saturday, and sending good wishes to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords who is fighting for her life.

"...It’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.” - President Barack Obama

(with thanks to my friend, Tina, for the Peace sign)

Black Swan

2011-01-09T21:48:00.000-08:00

I saw Black Swan today, and it was a fascinating film. Director Darren Aronofsky doesn't shy away from the brutal discipline required for ballet, and I love his use of Swan Lake for this "play within a play." Natalie Portman's character, Nina, has to go from being a precise perfectionist, people-pleasing dancer to an artist who can abandon precision for that true perfect state of transcendent freedom. She has a total meltdown, trying to bring out the Black Swan within herself, and it's thrilling to watch.

It's also an interesting notion: What do we have to destroy or bring out in ourselves to achieve a higher art?

Obviously, you don't have to go mad to achieve great art. The director and actors in Black Swan aren't mad. In fact, they're brilliant. And I think that's the thing we're all trying to achieve as artists: To take our technical lessons, the work we've done, and then let it go, let it flow.

As actors, we're often told to "let go," and "get out of your own way," to transcend technique to allow the real art to flow.

I know when I've been onstage and have been so utterly in the moment, flowing with the playwright's words, or the music of a song, something magical happens, and there's this connection of artists, artistry and audience. Everything is flowing and alive, and it's magical!

So I came out of this movie, thinking, How can we build ourselves up instead of tearing ourselves down? What is beautiful? And what makes you feel beautiful?

I'd be interested to know.

Make a Happy List

2011-01-04T14:18:00.000-08:00

Before the old year retired and the New Year began, I was already hearing this message from several good friends:

Make a list.

Make a list of short-term goals, make a list of long-term goals. And this was my favorite suggestion: Make a Happy List.

What we focus on each day impacts our life experience. There are always options. So what choices do you want to make to make your world a better place?

I especially like this piece from Wayne Dyer: "...set up day-to-day goals for yourself, and then resolve to begin living with present moment awareness for the rest of your life."

Readings, Recordings, and Reel - Oh my!

2010-12-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

At the end of each year, I send out a Year in Review or Progress Report postcard to agents and casting directors, and this year has had the recurring theme of working on new and old projects with talented people from my past.

I was involved in some pretty big recordings, which was just thrilling. A delightful director whom I worked with eons ago hired me to do a voice over for an OnStar promo. He paid me a very high compliment by saying I sounded like a video game voice. Very cool! :)

The fantastic composer Andy Monroe, who wrote the music for this year's Off Broadway hit, The Kid, asked me to record a demo from his new musical Sally Peaches, and we also recorded a song from The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, which we had worked on at NYMF a few years ago.

And Larry Moore, who orchestrated "Nun," hired me to sing for the upcoming CD series, "Unrecorded Victor Herbert Gems," which gave me the opportunity to work with some amazingly talented Broadway and opera stars. Simply mind-blowing!

We recorded in the concert hall at The Academy of Arts and Letters, and it was just thrilling the way the sound bounced off the walls!

I was also involved in some readings of new musicals. This summer, I reprised the roles of Judy Garland and Janis Joplin for the industry reading of Hell's Belles at HA! Comedy Club. I had played these characters (and about 10 others) in a production at the West End Theatre 2 years ago, and it was a blast to revisit the show with the same cast no less!

The producers and writer of Hell's Belles asked me to take part in another reading of a new musical, How To Marry A Divorced Man, based on the novel by Leslie Fram. The music was written by Clare Cooper, who had worked on Memphis and Toxic Avenger, and her style was just delicious! Great pop sensibility and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet!

I also reteamed with the wonderful Richard Binder, who played my husband Sigmund Freud a few years ago in the reading of the musical Vienna. We got to duke it out in a reading of an operatic scene for La Ribalta. Our fisticuffs ended with him sweeping me off my feet and taking me offstage in a very torrid manner. It was incredibly fun and a break away from my usual musical comedy.

Last but not least, I filmed a scene for the independent feature film, Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dreamathon, a wild rock musical created by Hippie Cream and directed by Daniel Maggio. I played the lead character's mother in a flashback, and had some juicy scenes which I hope make the final cut. If anything, I should be able to showcase the work in my reel.

So this year has been very fulfilling artistically and financially too. It is so important for an artist to get paid for her work!

I've been very fortunate to work with amazingly talented and good-hearted people, to share in the creative process and nurture each other along the way. This includes family and friends, teachers and classmates, casts and crews. We're all on this ride together! :)

Thanks to everyone who helped make this world bright and beautiful. I look forward to celebrating each day with you!

Happy New Year!

Christmas Stories

2010-12-21T18:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I was chatting with one of my best friends about the hecticness of the holidays, and we both began reminiscing about how magical the holidays are when you're a kid. Everything seems spectacular, and your hopes and expectations are beyond the moon.

I would ask Santa every year for a pony, because I loved horses and I was sure I could keep one in the back yard!

My parents tried to accommodate these wild wishes and would get me all sorts of horse figurines, so my dresser was filled with prancing ponies. They were never ones to squash my dreams.

So now that I'm a big kid, turning my dreams into realities, I was interested to hear my friend say, "We all dream of a Currier and Ives Christmas, but it usually ends up like (the chaos) of A Christmas Story."

This made me laugh and think of all my Christmas stories... Many wonderful years of waking up early to see what Santa had placed under the tree... Or the year I found out I'd be performing in my first professional gig as an orphan in "Annie"... Playing with my high school band at The Aloha Bowl, walking on Waikiki beach with my best friends and carrying my bassoon... Performing on Christmas Eve as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Fred's wife in various versions of "A Christmas Carol," and singing and acting in "A Charles Dickens Christmas" with my sweetheart, Rob.

Last year was my very favorite Christmas, because I married my sweetheart, and my family flew out from CA to join us for our winter wedding. It was just perfect. We were surrounded by friends and family, and there was so much love! That was the greatest gift of all.

I hope your holidays are very merry and that you're full of happy memories and hope for the future. Merry Christmas!

No Limits

2010-12-17T05:23:00.000-08:00

Last night, I completed Josh Pais' Committed Impulse class, and I really loved it because it made me stretch.

That's been the theme for me this year - good growth - and I love it because it informs all of my paid acting work.

It's funny how we can get stuck in a niche, ya know? And there's nothing like a good class - in any subject - to shake things up.

This past year I've been fortunate to study with teachers who are professional actors / directors and casting directors whose scope includes everything from Broadway to Hollywood. And again, they've all encouraged me to stretch by casting me in roles that I never thought I would play.

Like La Marquise de Merteuil in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses."

Or Mrs. Cheveley in Oscar Wilde's "An Ideal Husband."

Last night I played Christina in Adam Rapp's "Red Light Winter," and I never thought I would be "right" for that character, but it turns out... I was!

The work that's evolved in classes, doing these delicious scenes and exploring these marvelous characters, has opened me up in such an unexpected way.

And that's the thing that blows me away. There are no limits but the ones we place on ourselves.

No limits!!!

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

I have always loved time of year. The city is extra bright with colorful displays in the windows.

The sidewalks are "dressed in holiday style."

Even the fountains are extra jolly....

"With mistletoe and holly..."

".... and other things ending in 'olly."

(with thanks to Terry Pratchett's "Hogfather" for that line)

My husband and I always make it to the Rockefeller Center Tree, which is about a 20 minute walk from our apartment.

Another favorite place is Lincoln Center, which is always so beautiful and magical.

May your holidays be very merry and may your New Year be especially bright!

The Divine Sister

2010-12-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

I recently saw this delightful play Off Broadway, and I just had to sing its praises.

The Divine Sister is written by Charles Busch, who also stars as the Mother Superior.

I first became acquainted with Busch's work via the film Psycho Beach Party, and I was instantly hooked by his humor and great style.

There's also an awesome documentary about him called The Lady in Question. I caught pieces of it on TV and it's so inspirational. Any kid with a dream about working in the theatre would benefit from it. I know I did! :)

My friend, Wayne Henry, from Johnny On A Spot, saw The Divine Sister with me, and we, along with the entire audience, were in stitches! It's a fun story, complete with music and special affects... What's a miracle without special effects? ;)

The cast and crew are stellar, and the direction is handled with great ease by Carl Andress.

It reminded me of the musical I did a few years ago, The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun. I played Sister Smile with the wonderful Tracey Gilbert as my companion, Annie.

Seeing Busch's Divine Sister was like watching a bunch of talented friends get together to just put on a show - Off Broadway no less! I was reminded of how fun theatre can be, and that we really can make our dreams can come true.

The miracle is you!

The Onion

2010-12-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

If you don't know about The Onion, it's a satirical newspaper that's been in circulation since its creation in 1988. My friends, Carl and Michael, first alerted me to it sometime around 2002-3, and then I had the good fortune to be called in for one of their videos in 2007. I didn't book the lead, but they asked me to do some featured background work, and I got to do a lot of improv, which was fun.

That's also where I first met Babs Winn, the fabulous gal who runs the Kickin' Boogie Band.

Babs and I have run into each other over the years at auditions, and this Fall we performed together in the staged reading of the new musical, How To Marry A Divorced Man. She is a multi-talented lady and just delightful!

But back to The Onion! I've been called in for different roles over the years, and today I was called in again! I don't want to spill the beans about this piece they're working on, but it was incredibly fun to read the sides, and I left feeling high as a kite. There's just something about comedy that'll do that for you, ya know?

The thing I love is that I've been able to see their New York office grow over the years. It's got such a great vibe. And it's a delight to be called in to read for whatever new episodes they're working on.

They're making the leap to TV, and I wish them all the best. Go Onion! ;)

Still so thankful

2010-12-01T07:37:00.000-08:00

I feel so much love and so many blessings in my life today, and I just had to say... Thanks! :)

Thankful

2010-11-26T19:13:00.000-08:00

This year, Gratitude has been such a front and center state of mind, and I am so very thankful for the people in my life who make the world so beautiful.

My husband wakes me up every day with laughter and love. It is truly the best way to start the day. I don't know what I'd do without him. He shares my highs and lows every day, and I am so thankful for him!

I'm also incredibly blessed in my friends and family. My brother, Sean, is one of my very best friends. He's a drummer in CA, and gets the business aspect of show business as well as the artistry, and helps me keep both in balance. I've always said that watching him play the drums is like watching a great painter paint.

Then I have my "soul siblings": Carl, Michael, Lisa, Lani, Ataman, Jayne, Maryanne, and Tina, whom I chat with almost every day. Tina keeps me plugging away when I have my challenging days and reminds me to celebrate each step of the journey.

I feel so fortunate to have performed with and formed friendships with artists like Tracey Gilbert, Omri Schein, Deb Radloff, Billy Hicks, Michelle Liu, Wayne Henry, John Haggerty, Martin Sola, Gina Milo, Billy Konsoer, Prescott Seymour, Richard Binder, Monica McCarthy and so many other incredible casts and crews.

Thanks to the terrifically talented people who hired me to sing their music this year like Andy Monroe, Clare Cooper and Larry Moore. My musical world is so much richer because of you!

I'm thankful for my teachers - Josh Pais, Alaine Alldaffer, Karen Kohlhaas, Chas Elliot, VP Boyle, Carl Danielsen, Seth Weinstein, Marcia Cloyd, Winnie Hammond and coaches from my distant past - whose lessons continue to inform my work as an actress and singer.

I am thankful to my parents were my first teachers and made it so I could pursue all my artistic studies as a kid.

They are still so supportive with my acting and have made a few trips out to NY to see my shows. I love that!

I am thankful to have worked with amazing directors like BT McNicholl, Jonathon Robinson, Kurt Stamm, Michael Schiralli, Dan Wackerman, Daniel Maggio, Brian Swasey, Dennis Anderson, to name a few... musical directors like Jeffrey Campos, Robby Stamper, Matthew Ward... writers like Michael Small, Blair Fell, Bryan D. Leys; and producers like George DeMarco and David Gerard and Eileen and Sharon of Tweiss Productions.

Thanks to Facebook for connecting me to people from grade school to high school and the casts and crews I've worked with throughout the years. I am thankful for you all.

And thanks to everyone who's inspired me and encouraged me to shine my light and keep on making my dreams come true. Much love and many blessings to you all!
Laura

Marvelous night for a Moondance

2010-11-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love about living in Manhattan is watching the moon rise between the buildings!

Looks like a giant spotlight, doesn't it?

Gorgeous!

City Sights

2010-11-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

Last week, I had the honor of recording some songs for the upcoming CD collection, Unrecorded Victor Herbert Gems, orchestrated by Larry Moore. The recording was done in a sumptuous concert hall at the Academy of Arts and Letters, and the journey there was such a delight!

I loved the cobblestone road on the way to the Academy.

Last month, when I recorded another song there for this project, it poured rain, so I was thrilled with the sunshine and blue skies of this day.

I could see Jersey across the way. And directly across from the Academy is this fantastic old graveyard.

I wanted to climb up there and explore, but I had to go into the building to start work on the recording.

The Academy is so incredibly gorgeous, and this sculpted doorway made me think of my friend, Tina, who's a writer, growing leaps and bounds with her Essential Herbal magazin e and her new book, By The Hearth.

This is dedicated to the Women Writers of America.

The trip down to the theatre held such neat images of shadow and light.

There were all sorts of twists and turns on the way to the stage, and once we were inside the concert hall, the stage was set with a Steinway grand piano, music stands and mics. And when we sang, the music bounced off the walls.

It was me, Sara Jean Ford, Elizabeth Inghram, and Maeve Hoglund with Zachary Stains singing lead, all of us breathing in concert, voices lifted in glorious song, and then the incredible vibration of stillness when we finished. My heart was racing, blood pounding in my ears, and the energy was absolutely electric. It was such a thrill!

Today's Soundtrack

2010-11-16T09:59:00.000-08:00

Listening to the Broadway recording of Little Women. An absolute delight for the ears and imagination! Great songs!

My favorite direction for the day

2010-11-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a 15 minute peformance of a new opera tomorrow called La Ribalta, and the scene is quite passionate, so the writer/director said to me, "Think Tony Soprano..."

"... and Gina Lollobrigida."

That made me laugh, because I'm often cast in characters like this: sexy powerhouses who have a sense of drive and tenacity like that of a freight train! Unstoppable!

It reminds me of Rita, the mafia mistress whom I played in the musical Lucky Stiff.

Granted, Elena in La Ribalta is the long-suffering wife of an actor, akin to the wife in NINE, but she's also got the fire of the mistress in that same musical film, so it's an incredible combination to play with. So much fun!

Unrecorded Victor Herbert Gems

2010-11-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

I'm recording more songs today for the upcoming "Unrecorded Victor Herbert Gems" project. Larry Moore, whom I worked with on The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, orchestrated the works, and I'm singing with incredible Broadway folks like Zacahry Stains, Sara Jean Ford, and a recent classmate from Alaine Alldaffer's scene study class, Elizabeth Inghram. Aaron Lazar and the gifted Rebecca Luker also star on the album.

Such a pleasure to work with these talented people! Looking forward to today's recording at the Academy of Arts and Letters.

Movember

2010-11-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

So proud of my friends, Stephen and Mike, who are "rocking the 'stache" for Movember, Men's Health Awareness month, raising funds and awareness regarding prostate cancer.

These guys make me think of one my favorite movies, Anchorman: "You stay classy," gentlemen! :)

Busy Week

2010-11-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Meeting a writer/director this week to discuss a potential play for next year.

Recording more music for The Victor Herbert Project orchestrated by Larry Moore for The Academy of Arts and Letters.

I had a blast singing with the Broadway folks from last session. The music was bouncing off the walls in the concert hall! Looking forward to singing more tracks for this very fun project!

And I'm performing a comic "torrid scene" with Richard Binder from the new musical "La Ribalta," at Studio 353 on Sunday November 14th at 8 PM.

Presented by Golden Fleece Productions, there will be scenes from 5 other musical theatre works-in-progress, as part of Sunday Nights at Square One. Reservations / tickets / general information: 212-691-6105

Should be a fun week!

Make Your Vote Count

2010-11-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

This morning, my husband and I voted before the sun was even up. Polls open in Manhattan at 6 AM, and it's become a tradition for us to get our vote in early.

I'm so thankful my honey's an early riser, so we could get to the polls before they're crowded.

And I'm thankful to the folks who were there to assist us in the voting process.

It hasn't been a full 100 years yet since the 19th Amendment was passed and women were granted the right to vote. I am very thankful to the women who fought to make this happen.

Make Your Vote Count!

Great Gratitude

2010-11-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

I recently took a scene study class with the lovely casting director, Alaine Alldaffer, and I loved her class immediately because it included a Gratitude Circle, where we introduced ourselves and expressed our gratitude for something.

This gracious gesture is something that I've noticed seems to increase abundance in our lives. It's like opening a funnel for more goodness to flow.

Another friend of mine, Monica McCarthy, whom I met in VP Boyle's Musical Theatre Forum, recently started a Happiness Project where she takes pictures of something every day that makes her happy. By doing this, she increases her scope or vision by focusing on good stuff.

I love that!

My friend, Tina Sams, also wrote about this in the latest issue of The Essential Herbal magazine. She works with her sister, Maryanne Schwartz, and my husband and I first met these two ladies at the PA Renaissance Faire when we were hired for the Shakespearean improv acting troupe.

I remember it clear as day, Rob asking me if I'd met The Herb Sisters, because they were so incredibly fun. I went over to their lovely herb shoppe, and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Since leaving the Faire, The Sisters have both stayed wonderfully involved in herbs, soaps, and Maryanne makes gorgeous glass jewelry via her Torchsong Studios. Very artsy ladies indeed!

Tina is celebrating the 10th year of publication for The Essential Herbal magazine, and she gives kudos to her sister, who handles the layout for the magazine.

These two women share laughter with them wherever they go, and Tina says, "For us, it's pretty much all about having fun," and she always encourages me to "keep it fun" in my acting career.

"Do it in such a way that it brings joy and wonder to your life... focus on what you really enjoy."

This makes me think of Monica's Happiness Project and Alaine's Gratitude Circle. By focusing on something every day that gives you happiness, and expressing gratitude for it, you cannot help but expand the happy factor!

Thanks to these ladies for shining their lights on the world. Thanks to my husband, my friends and family for sharing the ride with me and shining their lights as well.

Love you all!

Halloween

2010-10-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite time of year. Truly, Halloween has always been right up there with Christmas. I think it's because I'm a big kid at heart!

No wonder I'm an actress! :)

My folks have always encouraged my creativity, and Halloween was just part it. They would safely escort my brother and I and several of our friends on trick-or-treating expeditions.

My mom was great with costumes. I'd raid her closet or hit the thrift store, and we'd come up with all sorts of wonderful ideas. I've been several cats, witches, gypsies, princesses, including Princess Leia, Cleopatra, Wonder Woman, a punk rocker, and I've continued the tradition as I've "grown up."

Luckily, my husband loves this holiday too.

Last weekend we went to a pumpkin patch in PA and carved pumpkins with our niece and nephews.

Seeing the delight these kids have for this time of year reminds me of when I was a kid, and I'm so thrilled to be sharing this life-ride with them.

Hope your Halloween is very happy indeed!

Two for two

2010-10-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

Last night, as I was cabbing it past Radio City, I was thinking, What a cool week it's been already!

On Sunday, I performed in a reading of a new musical based on the book, How to Marry a Divorced Man, and it was an absolute blast! The reading was for TRU, or Theatre Resources Unlimited, and it was held at The Players Theatre in The Village.

I've auditioned for productions there before, and so it was a real treat to perform there. There's just something so artst about The Village. It just oozes art! ;)

For this show, I played Glenda, an ex-punk-rocker known as Betty Black, and her "ex" is the Divorced Man of the show's title. Glenda is a wonderful second banana type character, and I had a blast playing her. The "punk rock ballad dedicated to my ex" in the 2nd Act was particularly thrilling because it was like a mini rock concert. FUN!

The cast was also phenomenal with (L-R) Babs Winn, me, Christine Marie Heath, Jacob Liberman, Richard Rice Alan, and Michael Kirk Lane.

Clare Cooper (far left) composed the delicious pop-rock tunes that I still can't get out of my head! Bryan D. Leys adapted the novel, and Leslie Fram, the author of the novel, made a surprise appearance at the reading. It was a great pleasure to meet her, and a true delight to work with Bryan, Clare, and the sisters of Tweiss Productions once again.

And then last night, I got to perform a scene from the one-woman show Bad Dates for the playwright, Theresa Rebeck. I've been taking a scene study class with Alaine Alldaffer at One on One Productions, and that was the cherry on the cake. I love Ms. Rebeck's plays, and it was a thrill to perform her work! I also loved supporting my fellow actors and classmates who did scenes from Ms. Rebeck's other plays. It was a really great night of theatre all around!

Make that TWO great nights of theatre in 2 days! :)

Musical Merry Go Round

2010-10-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a reading of a new musical tomorrow. It's called "How to Marry a Divorced Man," and it's by the same writer and producers of the musical Hell's Belles, in which I played Judy Garland and Janis Joplin at HA! Comedy Club this past May.

The reading tomorrow is for potential producers, and it's at The Players Theatre in the West Village. I'm excited to be a part of it. I play an ex-punk-rocker named Glenda, who's now a mother, trying to revive her punk-rock career. Hilarity ensues, of course, and I'm ready to unleash that wild side! ;)

Sweet Sounds

2010-10-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

Last week started so beautifully. Yes, it rained. And rained. But in the midst of the rain, I was recording some beautiful music for The Victor Herbert Project at the Academy of Arts and Letters.

I'd never been to the Academy before, and it's in an older part of northern Manhattan. So there I was, dressed in a pencil skirt, blouse and heels, trekking through the pouring rain to sing a beautiful song with some lovely ladies in a gorgeous concert hall.

I had to laugh at my choice of attire as I turned onto the semi-cobblestone walkway that led to the side door of the theatre. But somehow I managed to make it through the rain without getting my stillettos stuck in the old stone walkway.

Once inside the Academy, it was dry and warm, and I was delighted to see my friend, Larry Moore, whom I worked with on The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun. Larry was the orchestrator for "Nun," and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

I've done quite a few demo recordings since Nun, playing everything from a mouse who wants to be a flower-girl (Lilly's Big Day) to a hard-core Janis Joplin rocker and Judy Garland herself (in Hell's Belles).

Most recently, I worked with Andy Monroe on a song from The Singing Nun as well as a delightful duet from his new musical, Sally Peaches. It's about a girl who tries online dating to meet a guy, but she uses her best friend's picture instead of her own. It's a very cute piece, and I had a blast recording it with Zach Berger. The song and scene are on my website. It's called My Best Friend. Hope you dig it!

All of these recordings have been in studios, so it was a neat surprise to record the Victor Herbert song in the Academy's gorgeous concert hall. The sound was stupendous! There were 4 women, including me, and the lead soprano who's currently playing Christine in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.

That was one of the first shows I saw when I came to New York, so I found it wonderfully ironic that there I was, singing with the actress who plays Christine, working with all these incredibly talented people, our voices bouncing off the walls, and getting paid to do it!

It was an absolute delight!

Really exciting stuff

2010-10-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

Recording a song tomorrow for what I have dubbed, "The Victor Herbert Project," and I'm working with some out of this world amazingly talented people. I'm talking people whom I've admired for years! Just blown away by this opportunity to join them in song!

Then I dive into Theresa Rebeck's play, "Bad Dates." It's a fave of mine, and I'm so thrilled to get to immerse myself in it again, to "hear" this character and bring her to life.

I'm doing a scene from this one woman show for a showcase of Ms. Rebeck's work, and it's a tad challenging to choose just one section, because the whole play is such a delicious treat! But I realize that choosing any section of it is like cutting a piece of pie. It's ALL good!

Can't wait to dive in! :)