The Essence of Family

This has been a funky week because my father-in-law, lovingly dubbed "Big Bob," went into the hospital on Father's Day. It turned out he has staph infection from a recent hip surgery, and it just sucks to know he is in distress, but he seems to be plugging along and the doctors believe he's going to be ok.

This life stuff happens every day and we must move through it. It shapes us, just like the people in our lives shape us. And I want to pay tribute to this mighty giant of a man whom I've known almost half my life. He's always been a big supporter of the arts and comes to the city every time I'm doing a show. It's not easy for him because he can't handle stairs or walking for too long, but he loves coming to the city to see all the different folks running about. Whether its going to Central Park to watch a local baseball game or catching a show on Broadway, he definitely gets a kick out of this town. He even drove Rob (his son, my sweetheart) and me by the big Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center this year, because it was the easiest way for him to see it.

Someone once said they admired my tenacity in show business, and I feel like I owe a lot of that to my family and friends like Big Bob who inspire me with their own tenacious spirits

Tony, Tony, Tony

Last night I had the rare treat of watching the Tony Awards with my honeypie. He's not always up to the task because he's a former performer who has really high standards of what he finds entertaining, but last night he gave it a go, and we enjoyed pretty much everything.

It seemed like an extra special Tony year because 3 performers I've worked with recently have all made their Broadway debuts in Tony nominated (and award-winning) shows. Janet Dacal (left pic) who performed in last night's piece from In the Heights took VP Boyle's Musical Theatre Forum with me. Kristine Zbornik, who played my Mother Superior in The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, is sharing the laughs and the love in A Catered Affair. And Alicia Sable, who rocked out with me (pictured right) in Hell's Belles this winter, is playing one of the Hollywood Blondes in Gypsy. I am so thrilled for all of these talented ladies! Congratulations!

Also, I felt a special connection to In The Heights because I had seen the composer/performer/writer (and now Tony Award Winner) Lin-Manuel Miranda perform a song from the show at NYMF Awards Gala 2 years ago. I was at the gala to receive a NYMF Award for The Singing Nun, and in the midst of the ceremony (just like the Tonys) there were performances from other shows in-the-works. Lin-Maunel Miranda's performance brought the house down! I don't think I'd ever seen anything so innovation and ground-breaking in musical theatre. It was so cool!

I still look back on that Gala with a sense of awe. I mean, there I was right next to Chris Fitzgerald (now playing Igor in Young Frankenstein) and Christian Campbell, getting recognized for my work too! Being surrounded by so many incredible artists, writers, directors, producers. It was thrilling!

And I am greatly encouraged by last night's Tonys, seeing people recognized for years of hard work. Even Patti Lupone winning her 2nd Tony 28 years after winning for Evita! That's still hard work and dedication and putting yourself out there, growing as an artist.

I especially loved Deanna Dunagan, who won for the pill-popping matriarch in the play August Oasage County. When she won the Tony last night, she brought such grace to the stage with her honesty and gratitude, saying, "After 34 years in regional theatre, I never even... dreamed we'd be here... Ever since I was a little girl, all I wanted to do was to get people together and put on plays and now I get to do it on Broadway. Thank you so much."

There was so much joy last night and I am so happy for all of the artists who received accolades last night. Bravo!

Battlecry!!!

I know, I already posted today, but I had to share this link with my fellow artists:

http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/index.html

It's Bonnie Gillespie's Actors Access article, and if you're an actor and you haven't signed up on this free website, get on it! Bonnie's weekly column and Mark Sike's Casting Corner are just some of the bonuses on this website. But I digress...

Bonnie's article this week about "Power" made me absolutely want to roar with pride! "Be A Lion" indeed!

It just made me all the more aware of something I discovered this week about being proud of my work and my own uniqueness and not allowing myself to get head-tripped by what I think "they" want. It's about sharing our gifts as artists, doing work that satisfies us (and that includes auditions, kids!), standing up for ourselves, taking the time we need to do what we have to do for ourselves. Not getting hung up on the desperation of trying to get a gig. Getting OUT of that feeling altogether and taking joy in my work, knowing I'm doing my best daily, and that I am enough! :)

Have an awesome weekend!

In a New York Minute

I love New York! Even in the summer when the city can smell like an old shoe on trash day, there still is something so remarkable about this Big Apple I call home. I've been here since I was out of high school and I still find myself charmed by this tantalizing town.

Yesterday I saw this little girl in a sparkly white gown walking with her mom. My guess was that she was going to an elementary graduation or wedding or who knows what? But she looked like a princess, and I thought, "How cool! There is magic every where!" It's all perspective.

Because I'm usually always in motion, going from auditions to my supplemental job to meetings with friends and classes and the like, the place I get to really enjoy my reading is on the subway. I've been reading Noel Coward's Private Lives which is full of sophisticated humor and old-fashioned things like "tub chairs." And I get such a kick out of reading about these wildly wicked but "classy" people running around Europe while I'm traveling on the dark tunnels of Manhattan. It's just.... ironic. But I love it!

And how awesome is the subway? Watch any tourist get on the train and they're liable to fall down. But people reach for each other to keep each other from falling. And that is very cool.

I've been taking some risks in my auditions this week, just trying new material and singing music that delights me, and I've noticed a definite positive vibe because of it. It's nice to get those encouraging nods and wow-words. Making good strides.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Such an interesting time! I just don't even know where to begin....

Thinking about world issues, changes happening in America, in art, in my family and friends and in myself. It seems like such a time of transformation, and I love it!

I was thinking today as I walked out of the subway, How cool is it that I'm in NY, cultivating my dreams? Having opportunites to audition for incredible new pieces, being in this great Big bountiful Apple where works of art are absolutely everywhere! Being able to do prime research at great facilities like Lincoln Center's New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Being part of the Actors Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild, knowing my unions are looking out for my rights as a performer. Knowing there are incredible teachers all over this city. Getting the chance to see all this great theatre on Broadway! And getting to perform new pieces in lovely little theatres in the city, working my way towards performing on Broadway.

I saw Cry-Baby on Wednesday night with my sweetheart and some of his co-workers from Godiva were there, and we all had a great time! The musical is based on John Waters' film with Johnny Depp, and I had heard such mixed things about that show, but I am happy to report it's a LOT of fun. Any show that has a song titled, "Can I Kiss You (With Tongue)?" is gonna be funny. I laughed and laughed and really enjoyed myself. And it's been a while since I've been that tickled by a Broadway show, so I was greatly encouraged.

A fellow Californian was in the show, Alli Mauzey, and she was an absolute scene-stealer. VERY funny. And I thought.... Yeah! :)

She said in an interview that "Whenever I'm thinking of new things to try, I go, What would John (Waters) do?" And I get such a kick out of that because I've always enjoyed his irreverent sense of humor in his films. I was a fan of the movie "Hairspray" before it was a musical then movie musical. And as an artist myself, seeking to burst out, I love that sense of abandon and non-censorship. Yeah! Let it out!

I'm also reading this really yummy book on The Monologue Audition by Karen Kohlhaas and right off she focuses on what you can and cannot control in an audition and it makes me think so much about life. What can we control and what do we need to let go of? It's awesome to take a look at that stuff! And I love diving into some of my favorite writers, working on new material and old and making marvelous discoveries.

"Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
For the times they are a-changin'."
- Bob Dylan

Between the Swells

When a show is done and that high of performing has subsided, it's time to create anew, to get out to auditions and classes, work on your own pieces, reflect on what you have done and what you want to do. It's what my friend Tina calls "being between the swells."

This reminds me of those old sayings of "getting back on the horse" or being "back in the saddle again." I'm from the West so I dig the horse-riding metaphor. Brings out the cowgirl in me.

But I especially love the idea that tackling show business is a lot like surfing. You grab your surfboard and run from the hot sand into the cresting waves, swimming against the current to get out to a real sweet spot. Then you navigate the waters as best you can and look around to see which wave you can catch for an absolutely fantastic ride. Sometimes you miss it. Sometimes you wipe out. But more often than not, you can catch even a smaller wave and have an exhilirating ride, something that tickles, thrills and delights you to no end. I love that!

But sometimes there is this moment "in between" where you simply sit out there, in the midst of the ocean, riding the swells. And I used to buck it, feeling impatient for the next big wave, but I really dig it now, having this time to assess and survey and take stock. It's very cool.

And we all deserve a chance to catch our breath, to be in that fantastic sway of the rhythm of life. Ebb and flow. And then..... before you know it, it's time to go! :)

The Journey

My brother and I often talk about making sure to enjoy the journey of being an artist. He's a drummer and he rocks out with some very cool bands like Hippie Cream and SMUG. I also have a feeling something big is about to happen for him, and it just jazzes me, thrills me to no end.

A bunch of people in my world seem to be making their dreams come true this year, and I just have to salute them. There's Kristine Zbornik who's making her Broadway debut in A Catered Affair. I remember watching her incredible cabaret last year where she cried to the heavens, "When's it gonna happen?" And heck man! She'd already done a Broadway tour and created some awesome musical art! And her cabaret was FIERCE!

I actually met Kristine during The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun when she played my Mother Superior. She was one hot mama and her Mother Helen was a mix of Peggy Lee, Ethel Merman and Godzilla (as one reviewer said). At that time she was still aiming for her big break. Well, she sure got it! And I know she's gonna take the world by storm! Rock on, Kristine! Rock on!

Then there's my PA soul sister, Tina Sams, who just released her book, Under the Sun, The First 5 Years of her experience working on and creating the awesome magazine, The Essential Herbal. I've had the pleasure of knowing Tina back when we were both working at the PA Renaisance Faire. I was in the Shakespearean acting troupe (and actually got my Equity eligibilty from it) and Tina was a vendor with her sister, Maryanne, where they nurtured an herb shop filled with handmade soaps, essential oils and other natural delights! The cast and crew would often retreat to The Herb Sisters' shop where it was always warm and welcoming and laughter could be found in great abundance.

With everyone finally going green, I can't think of a better time for Under the Sun to make a splash, guiding folks with all sorts of recipes, remedies, and delicious tales of the PA woods.

Then there's me. As Tina would say, "Look back and see your progress." I think it's her way of saying, "Stop and smell the roses." Well, there have been a lot of roses this past year and a half! Getting paid for my acting, working with incredible people who have inspired me like crazy and who have been generous enough to request me for other projects.

Looking back, it's almost like looking at a map and it all seemed to start with VP Boyle's Musical Theatre Forum. From there I created my one woman show, "Love in 35 Minutes." Right after that, I booked The Singing Nun, won the NYMF Award, rocked out with VP's Pop/Rock Workshop, booked Lucky Stiff at Mason Street Warehouse, sang some songs for the new musical The Kid, reprised The Singing Nun at the Times' Center's Bound for Broadway concert, met the marvelous John Znidarsic who brought me in for Hell's Belles... Irene Stockton who saw Hell's Belles called me in for the new play, SIN, and my lovely Hell's Belles' stage manager, DC Rosenberg, recommended me for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which I just performed last week with Emily Skinner and Stephen R. Buntrock!

What happens next?

Stay tuned!

And enjoy the ride! :)

Love is the Reason for it All

We had our first performance of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn yesterday at the Theatre at St. Clements, and the audience was very responsive to the revised script for this beautiful old show.

The music is so gorgeous! You can't help but be swept away on a tide of memories that hearken back to another age.

My father-in-law is going to love this show if it gets to Broadway. It's rife with rich harmonies and barbershop quartets and trios. Even the women get to mix it up a bit! And it's so well-balanced with luscious ballads and rowdy uptempo tunes laced throughout.

One of my friends who saw the show yesterday and is involved in A Catered Affair on Broadway said how much she loved the heartfelt intimacy of Tree's characters and how touching their relationships were.

This show is definitely all about family, and you can't help but think of your own as you take the ride with Katie and Johnny and their daughter Francie.

Who doesn't have a crazy aunt or uncle that makes you laugh? Or a parent you don't understand but would like to? It's all about people trying to "break through the concrete" like a mighty tree that won't stop growing, to reach out and connect, to live and laugh and love and make dreams come true... And it takes place in the early 1900s! Just goes to show how little has changed.

This show is all about love, really, and it really is an incredible pleasure to be involved with it!

A Tree Grows on 46th Street

On Monday I bounced into rehearsals for the next phase of production for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The script was revised by Elinor Renfield with further revisions by Susan DiLallo to reflect the story from Betty Smith's original novel, which had been tweaked in the 1951 musical to suit Shirley Booth's comedic talents. Emily Skinner is playing the role of Aunt Cissy for our reading and Stephen R. Buntrock stars as Johnny, and they are incredible performers!

I play Jill, a brothel girl who makes a pass at Johnny though he's married to Cissy's sister, Katie, played by the beautiful Pamela Brumley. What a gorgeous soprano! The sensational Sara Wordsworth plays Meg, a fellow brothel girl, and Diane J. Findlay is our fesity madame, Nellie. Mick Bleyer, Jeff Brooks, Kathy Calahan, Kenneth Cavett, Tom Flagg, Andy Gale, Susan Jeffries, J. Maxwell Miller, Deborah Radloff, Tom Alan Robbins, Ashley Robinson, the lovely Emma Rowley (currently Baby Louise in GYPSY and our "tree," Francie), Steve Sterner, Kevin Vortmann and Darcy Yellin complete the cast.

I can't say enough about the entire cast except how brilliant they are. Everyone is immensely talented.

We had music rehearsals on Monday with music director, Mark Janas, and boy, is this music gorgeous!!! Arthur Schwartz's music immediately transports the listener back to the early 1900s and Dorothy Fields' lyrics are lovely! It is such an incredible pleasure to be singing this material.

Tomorrow our director Dan Wackerman will be guiding us through the show with blocking. We also have rehearsals on Friday and then we perform this staged reading on Monday. Wow!

It is so cool to be performing at the Theatre at St. Clement's again. I had played The Singing Nun there a year and a half ago, and this little theatre is such a welcoming space.

In Good Company

It has been such a glorious Spring! I just absolutely marvel at this time of year.

Coming from the dry desert town of Hemet, CA, where we actually have "tumbleweed season" in the Winter with tumbleweeds almost as big as cars (see the pic I took on my visit last winter for proof), the seasonal changes on the East Coast have always been a source of inspirational delight to me.

So last week I brought out my camera to snap some shots of the gorgeous blooms springing up all over Manhattan.

Last week I also took part in the reading of the new play, Sin, based on Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story, adapted by Mark Altman, and it was one of the most amazing readings I've ever done. Some readings consist of actors with their scripts, sitting at a table, or with scripts in hand, just reading out loud for the audience. This is done for many reasons, one of which is that it gives the playwright a chance to hear the script performed for a live audience and to see how the material is received. Well, this reading for Sin was very well received.

It took place at the 78th Street Lab Theatre, which is such a neat place! You definitely have to be cool with climbing stairs because the mainstage is 2 flights up, but once you get into the theatre, the whole place just exudes creativity. Bare brick walls enclosed us, and with the theme of this play being all about people being torn apart by sin and the hell that follows, it was very fitting.

Surprisingly, the play had a great balance of humor and pathos, and our director Robert Z. Kalfin kept us on our feet for the reading, creating a natural sense of movement for these characters that was very engaging for all of us as well as the audience.

The cast was FANTASTIC, led by the lovely Lee Beltzer, the radiant Marilyn Chris, our delicious devil Ronald Guttman, the hilarious Larry Hankin, my Hell's Belles buddy Deborah Radloff, and me. Casting director Irene Stockton brought us all together, and it was such a privilege to work with these amazing people! Just... WOW!

And next week I'm jumping into rehearsals for the next phase of production of the revised script for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn with the Peccadillo Theatre Company, another incredible company of players, so the wow-factor continues. It is such a blessing to be growing and blooming with such amazing artists. AND I get to run around through the blooms of Manhattan as I make my way to and from the theatre. So cool!

Signs

I love the universal language of signs. From danger red to cautionary yellow to greenlight go! With so much going on in our lives, it's good to pay attention to the signs.

This week one of my favorite column writers, LA casting director Bonnie Gillespie, addressed the importance of being a smart artist with the new business model of self-publishing. I find this especially well timed because one of my dear friends, Tina Sams from The Essential Herbal, is about to self-publish a gorgeous book detailing the first 5 years of her self-published herbal magazine, and it looks awesome!

Adding to this realm, I've been taking classes in html and Dreamweaver so I can take over the maintenance and promotion of my website (created by my guy Rob at whatsyoursigndesign.biz who is focusing his efforts on being the visual planner for Godiva chocolates - yum!), and I absolutely LOVE the creative expression that accompanies this! Digging into the code, troubleshooting, playing with text and images and linking it all together... it's a blast!

Even further, I'm taking a film class via One on One Productions with casting director Ellen Parks, and I must say what everyone says: Whenever you can, take classes! By seeing what others go through in a class environment and experiencing it yourself, you cannot help but grow!

Lastly, twice this week it's come to my attention how important it is to do your research! Whether its for a class or an audition (and especially once I've booked a gig), I've always been a big research nut when it comes to figuring out the "world" within the script. From the playwright's style to the influences of the time period and how the characters relate to each other (and especially digging deep to see what your character wants and how they go about trying to achieve that), it never ceases to amaze me how much more can be discovered! The more tools you have in your toolbox the better!

So keep your head up, your eyes open and enjoy the ride! :)

Birthday blessings

It's my birthday week and I've been inundated with blessings and love from friends and family. My sweetheart has kept me smiling with his unending rendition of "Happy Birthday," which was inspired by my nephew's 2nd birthday party. My nephew is also an Aries and he loved being sung to so much that he kept asking us to light his big "2" candle and sing to him again: "Light! Again!" And I just totally got where he was coming from. Who wouldn't want to be serenaded over and over?

Maybe it's an Aries thing. :)

I've greatly enjoyed all the serenades that have come my way this week, and I'm so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life. As I make my way through each day, it's the friends and loved ones who make the journey that much more enjoyable.

In other news, I booked a role in Mark Altman's adaptation of Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story, The Unseen. The play is called Sin, and we're doing a reading of it next Wednesday 4/23 at 2 PM at the 78th Street Lab. It's an interesting morality tale and should be a nice stretch for my acting muscles. I play a demon "cursed with a sensitve soul."

It's funny - it just hit me that last year around this time, I had auditioned at the same theatre for a role in Arlene Hutton's beautiful Nibroc Trilogy, Gulf View Drive. The playwright herself was at the audition and she was so gracious. The play of course was already cast with actors who had been with the show almost from the beginning, so Ms. Hutton invited me as her guest to see a performance. What an honor and privilege! And such a good piece of theatre! Haunting and humorous at the same time. Quite a feat!

And here I'll be performing at the Lab in a darkly humorous piece next week. What a trip!

Got the gig!

Yesterday was GORGEOUS! I got to run around the theatre district in the luscious sunshine, delighting in the blossoming trees and beautiful blue sky. What a great day to be out and about!

I made it through the final callbacks for the revival of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, again getting to "tread the boards" of the Theatre at St. Clements where I played the Singing Nun 2 years ago. The audition went beautifully. It was a pleasure to sing and read for the production team, including director Dan Wackerman. We ended my session by reminiscing about Jean Harlow since I seemed to remind them of this glamorous gal. Dan said to check out her film Dinner at Eight. You know I will!

And later that day, I got the offer to join the cast for Tree. I'm so excited to be a part of this! It's a beautiful show with great music.

Very cool stuff.

Callback!!!!

Got a callback for the next phase of production for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn!!!! Reading scenes for the production team today. I'm SO EXCITED!!!

Play on!

So much good stuff happening!

My original short story, Fairy Parade, compiled in the book The Fairy Home Companion, an Essential Herbal publication, has been reprinted for the 3rd year. Woo! I love being able to cultivate my writing with other fabulous writers via this amazing compilation.

I've also in the midst of writing a 2 person show with my Hell's Belles partner in crime, Deborah Radloff, so that's been cooking in my head.

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of singing for director Dan Wackerman and his crew at the Theatre at St. Clement's. I was called in to sing for the next phase of production for the new script of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and it was such a delight to be at St. Clement's again. It was like coming home in a way, because I had played the Singing Nun in the same theatre and it was so nice to be in the space again.

I'm also bouncing into classes! Tonight I'm taking a Dreamweaver class because in this day and age of do-it-yourself-ism, I LOVE learning how to expand my horizons via the web. Speaking of which, I finally had a chance to edit my song clips, so you'll find shorter versions of most of my vocal work, specifically the Janis Joplin piece, "Sex Drugs Booze and Rock n Roll." :)

And next week I'm taking a film class with renowned casting director Ellen Parks. I'm really excited to meet her because I LOVE her style of casting and I particularly enjoy the films she has worked on. So.... stay tuned! :)

Spring Showers

I LOVE this time of year! Everything's in bloom and daffodils seem to have popped up in Manhattan overnight! They're everywhere! Near the Laura Pels Theatre on the way to the Actors' Equity building... planted near trees on the sidewalks... and of course, they're flourishing in the parks throughout the city. I'm in heaven! Love these cheery little flowers!

I feel like I'm in bloom too! :) I've been receiving really wonderful responses from people at my auditions. One production team visibly relaxed and opened up to the ride I was inviting them on, and at the end of the song, everyone was quiet but intensely involved...holding onto that last moment of my song. And the director finally broke the silence, saying, "What IS this moment in theatre called?" And I said (after a beat), "...a lovely moment?" And he said, "YES! A truly lovely moment!"

So I feel greatly encouraged.

I also got a call to come audition for the next presentation of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I had participated in the reading of the new script in February, where the script was performed by actors while the songs were sung separately by contracted singers. At this next stage of the building-a-show process, they will now need actors who can sing for the producers. And I am so thrilled to be brought in for this next step, to be recognized as an actress and a singer. :)

I've also been reading a bunch of plays and listening to all sorts of musicals, just opening myself to new stuff, and I am in love! Theresa Rebeck and Douglas Carter Beane have absolutely charmed the pants off me with their incredible plays! A few years ago, I'd read Mr. Beane's Country Club and As Bees in Honey Drown, but I just finished The Little Dog Laughed and was absolutely blown away by the characters, comedy, tone, and passionate pathos behind all of it. Likewise with Ms. Rebeck's Mauritius, it was an absolute headtrip of great characters and rich drama. Mmm! A feast for any artist!

So I am certainly enjoying this Spring, even though its raining today. April showers tend to make the city cleaner and fresher, and certainly make the flowers bloom.

In the works

I had two auditions the past two days that just had that magic feel to them, and regardless of what happens, I wanted to blog about them, because there's something special about these two shows.

The first is the new musical Angels, slated to hit Broadway this year, and the show looks and sounds INCREDIBLE. Download the video preview to get a glimpse of the angels and demons in flight. So cool!

The entire creative team was at this audition, which was an astounding experience! At an Equity Principal (AEA) call, usually just the casting director is there, but Angels had the producer, director, composer, music director, music superviser, associate producer and assistant directors there, and they were a lovely bunch! It was such a pleasure to get to sing my song for them, to share in that connection that music provides.

Before going into the audition, I'd read about the 2 students from Sydney who wrote this "little show that could." And since I had also performed in the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival with The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, where Angels got its NY start, I couldn't help but feel an affinity for this beautiful show. I wish them great success!

Then today I went into the chorus call for the new musical of Little House on the Prairie, a story I grew up and always loved as a girl, and I just had a blast, doing my thing, singing what I needed to sing today.

Glenn Close once said that "you bring your day with you (onto the stage)," which I believe is from Harold Guskin's guidance on How to Stop Acting, and I feel like I've been doing that lately. Going from where I am, bringing what I have to the table, trying to stay out of my way, and letting the energy flow. It doesn't always happen. As actors our heads often get in the way and we get overly-critical of ourselves or feel we have to put on some sort of air. But I am learning I am enough. And when I let go and go with the flow.... it is a blast! :)

Hey Buds!

I have this song in my head from On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, sung by the character Daisy, as she encourages the flowers to bloom:

"Hey buds below ...
up is where to grow...
Up with which below can't compare with.... Hurry! It's lovely up here!"
(lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Burton Lane)

There is something so thrilling about this time of year. Yes, it seems like Winter is still trying to chill us all here in New York, but as my sweetheart and I walked about the city this weekend, I was delighted to see almost all of the trees dotted with these little green leaf-buds. And I felt this kinship those little leaf-lings, for we are all growing each day, stretching, reaching out to the blue sky and turning towards the sun. It's exhilirating!

I'm working on a bunch of new music for a cabaret with my partner in crime from Hell's Belles, Deb Radloff. And the incredible Robby Stamper, my music director from The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, is guiding us through tunes. Man, he is amazing! And so is Deb! It's a pleasure working with them both.

I'm also reading new plays, gearing up for auditions and classes in the next few days/months. I'm particularly excited to be diving into my artistry, getting a boost that comes with this rush of Spring, this energy to take to new and old tasks with unbridled joy.

"Wake up, bestir yourself,

It's time that you disinter yourself

You've got a spot to fill - a pot to fill

And what a gift package of shower, sun and love

You'll be met above everywhere with...

Come up and see the hoot we're giving!

Come up and see the grounds for living!

Come poke your head out!

Open up and spread out!
Hurry it's lovely here!"

(Alan Jay Lerner)

Hark! Hear the Belles!

A few weeks ago I did a recording for the devilish new musical that pays tribute to many famous and infamous ladies, Hell's Belles. It was such a blast being in the recording studio with our music director Elaina Cope and writer Bryan D. Leys, singing along with my cohorts, Omri Schein and Deborah Radloff. We sang a few group numbers and then did the solo numbers. Here are some of mine:

That's Lady Godiva!

Let's Sing 'em All (Judy Garland)

Sex Drugs Booze and Rock n Roll

These songs are also up on my website: www.lauradaniel.net/audio_new.htm

These are the complete songs, which I'm in the process of editing down to smaller previews. Godiva is fine because it's a 30 second song, but Judy and Janis' songs are all about 3 minutes. So if you have time, please groove along. :)

The Kid

My good friend, Andy Monroe, has been working with the lovely lyricist and producer Jack Lechner on a new musical based on Dan Savage's book, The Kid. I was fortunate to sing one of the songs from the show at BMI's Smoker, and it looks like the show is definitely on its way!

Andy and Jack did a podcast on Friday at Four, talking about the show, and Cheyenne Jackson sang the title number.

Check it out! http://fridayatfour.blogspot.com/

Bravo, guys! :)

Friday and Finding Freedom

I know I've been blog-happy this week. It's just been a wild and wooly ride, but as my sweetheart and all of my friends and family have been saying, "It's about the ride and enjoying it."

Ok, I hear ya loud and clear. :) And usually I'm right on track with that, but every once and a while we stumble and fall and get in our own way.

Then I saw this article by Bonnie Gillespie and it all just clicked: The Power of "Eh."

Letting go and going with the flow, finding ways to free myself up and let my art/song out... enjoying the ride.

I had two auditions today and almost all the actors who went in before me were screaming their lungs out. It was bizarre, and I thought, "The casting people must be deaf after a day of this." But there were some absolute standouts and people who inspired me as well, and I realized the "screamers" were just desperate to be heard.

One of my coaches, VP Boyle, is a master at helping an artist remember and find dynamics, and I LOVE doing that in my songs. And hey! I got to audition for a Broadway show today. How many people can say that?

I LOVE that I get to do that, that I get to put myself out there and learn from the whole process and connect with people in such a fascinating way. And then getting to share it all with my friends and family and my honeypie, delighting in that home base and enjoying their stories and adventures just as much I enjoy getting to share mine.

"Energy is currency. How do you wish to spend it?"

Broadway Home Movies

Oh my gosh! I just had to share this link with you:

http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com/index.html

There are clips to all sorts of old and current musicals! This is nothing short of an absolute treasure! To see young and "old" stars in their heyday... what a gift!

Just select the musical you want to see, and you can view a clip of that production. I was just trippin' on Barbara Harris' "Apple Tree" performance right alongside Kristin Chenoweth's recent revival. WOW!

If the shoe fits

It's been such an interesting few weeks. I've had quite a few auditions lately - even callbacks - where I've received great response from the casting people and directors, but it just hasn't been "a fit." For one show, the writer wanted a Carol Burnett type, and I'm more Judy Holliday. For another show, the casting director liked my voice and how I could really rock, but the production team wanted a heavier woman, so... there wasn't much I could do about that. Even if they opted to "pad" me, as I looked at the women at the callback, I knew it just wasn't "a fit."

But the cool thing that came out of the one circumstance was that the director and casting director both called me to say how much they loved my audition and that they would definitely keep me in mind for future work, so that's excellent. And I know I'm making strides just by getting a callback or by having a casting director talk with me after an audition. All good stuff!

Of course, there can be a bit of that frustration factor because you want to book the gig, but it hit me today that it's like trying to fit into a shoe that's too small or too big. Either way it'll be painful or very difficult to navigate. But when the shoe fits - when the show fits - it feels GREAT! And this whole experience has been so useful in helping me embrace my type. So whether you're a hightop sneaker or a stiletto high heel (or a stiletto hightop), embrace who you are and what you have to bring to the table, and work to enchance those skills that make you even better. And most importantly, enjoy the ride! :)

The beauty of language

When I was a kid, growing up in the suburban desert of Hemet, CA, one of my greatest joys was to "go adventuring" into books and plays. Thus I started acting at age 5, playing the Big Bad Wolf in my first school play. I still remember hurtling into the pigs' houses, which were made of cardboard, throwing myself fully into these constructs to emphasize blowing them down. What a little whirlwind I was!

This brings me to today's blog about Helen Keller. Some new photos of her and her teacher, Annie Sullivan were recently discovered. AOL is showcasing this rare find, and it brought back all sorts of memories for me.

I had always been fascinated with Miss Keller since my friend Kara Herold gave me a book on this phenomenal woman while we were in elementary school. Helen had been locked in a world of silent darkness when she fell ill at the age of 2 and lost both her sight and hearing. Thus she became a wild child until she was 6 and a half. Then Annie Sullivan, who also suffered poor vision, became Helen's governess and teacher and worked tirelessly with Helen for over a month, finally breaking through the walls of silent darkness by finger-spelling the deaf alphabet into Helen's hand. Helen later recounted this:

“We walked down the path to the well-house, attracted by the fragrance of the honey-suckle with which it was covered. Someone was drawing water and my teacher placed my hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over one hand she spelled into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly. I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten, a thrill of returning thought, and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me.”

Can you imagine? Only a month and Annie was able to get through to Helen! What a break-through!

In high school, I was fortunate to play Helen in "The Miracle Worker" and it was such an intense experience. I will never forget it! Got a lot of bruises in the famous "breakfast scene," and I still remember that feeling of just.... throwing myself out there... imaginging what it must be like to move through a soundless darkness, relying only on touch, taste and feelings. Then finding the breakthrough, that sense of insight and understanding found through human contact.

To find ways of reaching out to each other.... to connect... that is such a gift.

A Good Script

I've been so fortunate lately to be working on really good scripts. Praise the writers!

Last week I was juggling 3 scripts actually! In between takes for the short film, Everyday, a nod to Hitchcock, I was working on the farce A Cable to Gibraltar. Then I got to dive into the revision of the old musical A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And today I read sides in the audition for a new Off Broadway play, Substitution, a beautifully poetic piece about life and death.

As I've been watching my script pile grow at home, I just feel so fortunate to be on the receiving end of these pieces, getting to read these incredible scripts and bring them to life with voice, body and (e)motion. Very cool stuff!

Wonderfully busy!

Just had to celebrate! Every day has been filled with something artistic this week, with me making strides in my craft. And best of all, I'm getting paid for my work, which is such a milestone! Truly, any actor will tell you that to get paid for your acting is an absolute achievement - especially in NY where there is so much theatre and so many actors that most have to start out doing work for free. Since I'm part of the union, I've been compensated for showcases with travel fare, etc, but since last summer, I've been getting nice paychecks for all of my acting work and that just feels so good!

Monday I played Hildy in the reading for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and the music is still swimming about in my head! So beautiful! Tuesday I was called in for the new play, A Cable to Gibraltar. The casting director had seen me in Hell's Belles and was very sweet, saying she was glad to see more of what else I could do, regarding my work for Gibraltar. Two very different shows since Hell's Belles is a musical romp and Gibraltar is a British/French farce. Both very fun! On Wednesday, I had an audition for The Big Show and got a callback. Woo! Wednesday I also went into the recording studio to lay down tracks for a CD for Hell's Belles. It was a blast getting to play Janis Joplin, Judy Garland, and my lovely little Lady Godiva once again. Thursday was the callback for The Big Show, and though that just wasn't a fit (I have a huge voice but not the large physique they were looking for), it was still nice to get the callback. Then Friday was a chance to relax and get ready for my next postcard mailing, because I haven't had time til now to do it! And when I got home, another bit of my work showed up in the new issue of The Essential Herbal. My friend, Tina, who runs the magazine, has been encouraging me to write articles for it, to give an urban view of the herb world, and as I've always loved to write and I love what the magazine stands for, that has been a very satisfying experience. To do quality work in my craft and to work with such wonderful people... what a blessing!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Last night I had the immense pleasure to take part in a reading of the updated script for the musical, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The Peccadillo Theatre Company produced the reading at The Bank Street Theatre in the West Village, and it was so cool to head down there. The Village just oozes this artsy vibe, and I always love going down there.

When I arrived at the theatre, most of the cast was just getting there as well. Our stage manager, DC Rosenberg, whom I worked with on Hell's Belles , had everything set up for us. Since this was a "table read," there were 3 long tables set up with chairs facing the audience. The main idea of a reading is to simply hear the script brought to life. It is still acted but the actors are seated (in most cases) and are "on book," referring to the script.

I was cast as Hildy, a brassy dame character who starts out as the leading lady's best friend, but quickly becomes her enemy when Hildy's boyfriend (the lead fellow) goes after the best friend, Katie. It was fun to be one of the first voices heard in the show, setting the tone with brass and sass, making way for the bittersweet love story that ensues, and keeping the sparks flying. I also had a juicy scene at the end, showing this "dame" had a heart as well.

The delightful Dan Wackerman directed the reading and also narrated. He welcomed the audience when they arrived and gave them some background on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, saying how the original musical had veered from the novel, focusing on the talents of Shirley Booth, who played the supporting character of Aunt Cissy. If you listen to the original cast recording, you can see how Ms. Booth stole the show. Very funny lady!

Susan DiLallo revised the script to get back to the core story of Katie and Johnny, a young couple trying to get by during hard times, and it seems most effective. I teared up twice during the reading - it is such heart-breaking stuff! And there's still plenty of humor with Cissy, so it's well-balanced. A really beautiful piece.

I was very honored to take part in this production and hope to move forward with the piece as they enter their next phase.

In the meantime, the Hell's Belles cast are getting ready to record some songs for a promotional CD, and I'm looking forward to jumping back into my characters, especially Janis Joplin and Judy Garland. It's gonna be fun to see the whole crew again! Although last night's reading of "Tree" was almost like a Hell's Belles reunion with Omri Schein, Deb Radloff, DC Rosenberg and costume designer Gail Cooper-Hecht there to help make it all happen.

Good stuff!

No Time to Lose Steam

As the Northeast gets hit with a snow storm, I'm girding up for a filmshoot this weekend, praying we make it through the snow and that I get over this flubug that's gripped everyone. Luckily my friend, Tina, at The Essential Herbal has been guiding me with all sorts of natural remedies, and of course, my friends in the biz have turned me onto old standys like Wellness pills and ginger root tea. But enough of that! I leave in a few hours for the filming of Everyday, a short thriller. I promise to take lots of pics! Should be great fun!

When I get back, I'm doing a reading of the new script for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn at The Bank Street Theatre. My lovely stage manager from Hell's Belles, D.C. Rosenberg, recommended me and I'm ever so grateful! Tuesday I have an audition for a casting director who saw me in Hell's Belles and called me in to read a new script for an upcoming farce. Whipping out my British and French accents for the roles. Wednesday I got called in for the new musical The Big Show and later that day we go into the studio to lay down some tracks for the Hell's Belles CD.

Full speed ahead!

Whee!

I'm glad I had a few weeks off after Hell's Belles, because I'm back in high gear! Woo!

I just booked a yummy role in a short film called, Everyday. The director and some of the crew are from CA and we were all digging it that we've got CA roots. We're shooting in an old Victorian home at the crossroads of NY, NY, DE, and PA. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? I play an overly sweet Southern real estate agent who pushes her luck too far in a Hitchcockian battle of wills. We started rehearsals this morning.

Then I zoomed to a music rehearsal with Robby Stamper, my music director from Singing Nun. He's helping me put together a cabaret piece. We had a great jam session then I had to boogie for another appointment.

I hit the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts on my way home to check out more tunes. In the meantime, I was also sent a script for a new play and am prepping on that audition. I'm also hoping to hit a Born Yesterday audition for the Cape Playhouse mid-week.

Zoom!

Brilliant Blue Coyotes

Every once in a while you come across an ensemble of actors so enchanting they bring to mind great groups like the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Blue Coyote is such a group.

I was first introduced to them via Tracey Gilbert, my co-star in The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun. We rehearsed in the spacious Access Theatre's Gallery which also has a delightful black box theatre where Blue Coyote does many of their productions.

Tracey and I were fortunate to reprise our roles as childhood sweethearts, Jeanine and Annie, in the Bound for Broadway concert of The Singing Nun this past December. Then I bounced into Hell's Belles, which Tracey came to see, and she started work on Blue Coyote's Happy Endings.

I saw Happy Endings last night and it's AMAZING! Hysterically funny to tremendously touching, it's seriously some of the best written and best performed work in downtown theatre. I brought some theatre friends with me to see the show and we all agreed: Blue Coyote is the kind of theatre group that absolutely INSPIRES!!! The production values, the direction, lighting and scenic design combined with a killer cast and delectable writing make Blue Coyote a group to keep your eyes on. Catch them while you can because this little Coyote's howl is certain to grow to an incredible roar!

Hearts and Rainbows

I love this time of year. Even though it's chilly outside, our hearts are warm with love and friendship.

I'd like to share one of my favorite songs with you: "Be A Lion" from The Wiz. I sang it last Summer in between performances of Lucky Stiff at Mason Street Warehouse and was able to get the MP3. Hope you dig it!

Happy Valentine's Day! May your hearts be full of love, laughter, radiant health, and boundless joy.

A Whole Lotta Shakin Going On!

Gosh, it's been a busy time! Lots of ups and downs in the weather, as we all know. Hope you kids in the colder parts are keeping warm!

It's been wild and woolly in NY! I was out in the snow yesterday, running around between auditions at Actors' Equity and Telsey's office. It was so white and beautiful! I loved it! By the time I got home, there were still snowflakes clinging to my coat! :)

Got a callback today for the short film, Everyday, and I received lovely feedback yesterday on my audition for the Ellis Island piece, Taking a Chance on America. It's cool when you get a tasty script. Speaking of which, thank the gods the writer's strike is over! Woo!

"I have a little list"

Since my family lives in southern CA, I've been putting together a small packet of Hell's Belles stuff for them, and I realized the programs did not list the songs or who played whom, so for anyone else who was interested in that info, here it is:

Cast in order of Appearance:
Delilah (Music Director) – Elaina Cope
Lester – Omri Schein
Pop Star / Medea / Guenevere / Eva Peron / Calamity Jane – Alicia Sable
Eleanor Roosevelt / Ma Barker / Eva Braun / Gertrude Stein / Lizzie Borden / Bette Davis – Deborah Radloff
Lady Godiva / Salome / Janis Joplin / Alice B. Toklas / Princess Diana / Joan Crawford / Judy Garland – Laura Daniel

Songs:
Hell’s Belles Revue…………………...................Lester and the Devilettes
Poor Little Pop Star………………………………............……….Pop Star
That’s Lady Godiva………………………............……...……Lady Godiva
Hootchie Cootchie…………………..........…...……..Salome and Eleanor
Someone………………………………………...………………......Medea
Godiva #2…………….……………………....…………..........Lady Godiva
Mother…………….……………………....……..........…......……Ma Barker
Sex Drugs Booze and Rock n Roll...…….........Janis Joplin and Pop Star
I Saved Hitler’s Brain……………...……….....……..………......Eva Braun
I-N-F-I-D-E-L-I-T-Y………...………..............…Guenevere, Lester, Delilah
As Long as I Have You……............…Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas
Godiva #3……………………………...………………………Lady Godiva
All The Best People are Here...………………………...…Princess Diana
I Had a Good Lawyer…..............Lizzie Borden, Lester, Pop Star, Godiva
Godiva #4…………….…………..……………………………Lady Godiva
My Little Black Book………...…..…………………………………....Lester
Andrew Lloyd Webber…………………………………………...Eva Peron
I’m Twice as Camp as You………….......Joan Crawford and Bette Davis
Those Bad Little Girls…………........…Lester, Eleanor, Godiva, Pop Star
Let’s Sing ‘Em All……………………………………..………Judy Garland
That’s Lady Godiva……………………………………….…..Lady Godiva
Come On Down……………………....Eleanor, Lester, Godiva, Pop Star

Groovy pics

Ah the wonders of Photoshop and Dreamweaver!

My graphic guy, Rob, helped me update my website and added some groovy touches to my Hell's Belles pics:

http://www.lauradaniel.net/stage.htm

Hope you dig em! :)

Rockin it!

It's been a busy time, coming off of the red velvet heels of Hell's Belles. I've been called in for a new show by Theatreworks, a musical SNL/Forbidden Broadway sort of thing, and I just got a call for a short film about a southern realtor in NY. Looks to be a dark comedy which is cool. I'm also bouncing around between EPAs (Equity Principal auditions) for Broadway, Off Broadway and regional theatres, and enjoying time with my mate.

Most importantly, today I hit the polls and voted. I feel especially passionate about this because women have had to fight for the right to vote: http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/suffrage.htm

So rock the vote, people! Make it happen!

An Early Spring?

This morning, with the rain drizzling throughout Manhattan, it felt so much like Spring! Of course, once the rain subsided, a cool breeze swept in to remind us all its still Winter in the Big Apple! And this leads me to today's post: yummy reading to tide us all over until Spring! :)

My friend, Tina, an awesome soul sister from PA, created this groovy magazine called The Essential Herbal. In these times of going green, Tina was ahead of it all with focusing on natural soaps, herb gardens, essential oils, etc. Her upcoming mag focuses on the importance of home-grown goods, and to get a taste of it all, she's offering a free download of last Spring's magazine:

http://www.essentialherbal.com/March%20April%202007.pdf

It's an awesome magazine, and I actually started writing for it a few months ago. My article is called "Deep Within the Core." Hope you dig it!

For whom the Belles toll...

Ah, it's always sad when a show ends. You've poured your heart and soul into a project for however long it lasts and then it's over and you're onto the next project!

Hell's Belles went out with a blast! The last set of shows were full of surprises. On Thursday about 10 of my office-mates from my supplemental job came to see the show, and that was so cool. It's great when people get to see what you really do, ya know? Then on Friday, the audience went absolutely WILD for my portrayal of Judy Garland. They just kept breaking into applause in the middle of the song or after a speech, and it felt so transcendent. Just me in the spotlight, warmly embraced by the audience and the music... It was amazing!

Saturday matinee had us on the edge of our seats! The music director, the lovely Elaina Cope, was trapped on a train in Brooklyn. And our light operator, Barb, was delayed as well. The cast was afraid the audience would be restless or disappointed, but when we finally were able to go on, they were such a joy! Every song was greeted with great applause and joyous laughter.

Saturday night we sold out. My friend, Babs, suprised me and came to the show. I actually was very blessed with support from friends and must give shout-outs to Rob, Michael, Carl, Ataman, Jayne, Richard, George, Andy, Tracey, Lani, Bob & Carol, Steve, Dimitri, Lindsay, Tina, and to all the friends and family who wanted to come but couldn't make the trip from afar: THANK YOU ALL!

Sunday afternoon was our last show and it ended sweetly. Such a great crowd and such a fun show.

I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to perform in a new musical and to play such amazing women like Judy Garland and Janis Joplin. Just the research alone was worth it, getting to see them do their thing, captured on film, availble to the masses thanks to YouTube, and then getting to bring them to life in my own way. Wow! What an incredible opportunity!

Thanks to Tweiss Productions, our marvelous director John Znidarsic, and our tremendously talented cast: (left to right): Elaina Cope (our amazing musical director), Deb Radloff, Omri Schein, Alicia Sable, John Znidarsic, and me. :)

Happy Trails!

Week 2 of Hell's Belles

Finally! I got the chance to get some pics backstage during the midst of our fast and furious 85 minute run of Hell's Belles. I tell you, it's like running a marathon! But it's wonderfully fun. :)

The West End Theatre is a lovely little theatre in the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew on the Upper West Side. It's on the 2nd floor and has red velvet seats, curtains, even a little chandelier!

This "infernal musical revue" starts with the devil of musical theatre (Omri Schein) and his 3 showghouls (pictured in an earlier post).

We 3 girls turn into all sorts of characters throughout the show. I go right from Lady Godiva to the temptress Salome. Eleanor Roosevelt, played by the incredibly talented Deborah Radloff (below left) busts in on my song and we end up trying to get ahead of each other (pun intended):

A miscellaneous pop star (Alicia Sable) gets stuck in Hell but she gets to groove with Janis Joplin:



Left: Alicia Sable and me as Janis Joplin

Right: Me with our delightful wardrobe mistress, Kat Martin.

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford bust out of their dressing rooms and battle it out (Deb Radloff as Bette and me as Joan):
Fortunately, Judy Garland shows up to save the day. I get the 11 o'clock number as Judy Garland, and it is a thrill to look out at the audience and see these huge smiles of delight on their faces:

Then we close the show with a rousing gospel number, so there's something for everyone! :)

(Left: me, our incredible musical director Elaina Cope, Omri Schein, Deborah Radloff, and Alicia Sable)

Growing and Growing

Our opening weekend for Hell's Belles feels like a nice start. We had delightful audiences with a different vibe each night. Saturday's matinee was a very intellectual crowd - they got all the literary and highbrow jokes - while the Friday and Saturday evening shows were wonderfully raucous. Some audiences have cheered for us Belles the moment we take the stage, and that always sets such a cool tone. We come out as "showghouls" and then transform into various historical "wicked women" throughout the evening. Each character has a story to tell and a song to sing. It's a lot of fun.

The crowds have also been lovely after the show, and I've had definite shout-outs for me and my alter egos, "Janis" and "Judy." Everyone asks how hard is it to make my quick changes (especially my many changes into Lady Godiva), and I tell them it's like running a marathon: fast and fun and exhilirating!

We have one more week of performances - Wednesday through Sunday - and it'll be fun to see how this journey continues to roll along. Hope you can join the fun!

There's a great line....

In the movie Tootsie Bill Murray's character is a budding playwright who says that he doesn't want "a full house at the Winter Garden (theatre)." He wants a few people "who've just come out of the worst rainstorm in history.... These are people who are alive on the planet... until they dry off."

That's the audience we had last night.... and they were wonderful!