The Gift of Friendship

Something I've always found to be a fantastic bonus about being an actor is that the friends you make during a show are often friends for life.

One of my first gigs out of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy was for the Shakespearean improv troupe for the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.

I was in CA playing Rita in Educating Rita when I heard about the auditions for the Faire, and I was intrigued. Two of the directors were from LA, and it sounded like great fun, so I went and performed my Shakespeare monologue for them. Then I did a cartwheel, which I think landed me the job since one of the East Coast directors, Benny Reehl, was creating a comedy tumbling show for the Faire.

When I arrived in PA, I was greeted by a lovely actress named Kacey Camp, who would be playing Queen Elizabeth herself!

Kacey was from New York, and she was an exceptionally lovely person and talented actress. She embodied the Queen completely!

She even took me under her wing and gave my character, the lowly thief, some lady-in-waiting lessons. Talk about a Renaissance Reform Program!

When the Faire season ended, I stayed on for the other shows, Poe Evermore and a Dickens' Christmas. Kacey returned to NY, and my husband and I moved there a year later.

Over the years, our friendship has definitely been a buoy for both of us. Kacey moved to LA and has been doing acting work there, and I'm making strides in the NY theatre scene.

Kacey came back to Manhattan for a visit last week, and I tell ya, it was like no time had passed at all. We picked up right where we left off.

It's lovely how some friendships continue to grow no matter what!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I love you! Thank you for sharing so many adventures with me, and thank you for always encouraging me to Live Out Loud each day! Here's to making our dreams come true!

Masters of the Craft

Today's audition was brought to you by....


Columbia University's MFA program.

I really love auditioning at Dodge Hall. I've been called back for a few short films for the MFA program, and I also performed a scene for John Erman's master directing class. Today's audition was for a meaty role in a meaty short film.

It's just such a neat space and is always humming with artists seeking growth.

This Wide Night

Last week, I got to see the amazing Edie Falco take the stage in This Wide Night. I so completely love her work in Nurse Jackie on Showtime, and when I heard she was doing this play, I had to see her work onstage - especially since she started as a stage actress.


Plus I had auditioned for the understudy position of the younger character (this is a play about 2 women who've been in prison together) so I really wanted to see it.

When I picked up my ticket at the box office, I discovered the theatre was on the 4th floor. The door to the stairwell was locked, so I joined the crowd waiting for the elevator. It was funny because each audience member attempted to open the door, hoping to walk the 4 flights up to the theatre, but the door wouldn't budge. It was as if the locked door was Excalibur, and we hoped someone would be strong enough to pull it forth.

Suddenly a beautiful woman breezed in behind me. She was tall and wearing this gorgeous violet-colored blouse.

"Did anyone try the door?" she asked politely.

"Yeah," we all sighed. "We have to wait for the elevator."

When I took a second glance at this lovely lady, I realized she was Cherry Jones, the actress who originated the role of Sister Aloysius in the Broadway production of Doubt.

I wanted to say, "Oh my gosh! You are the reason I'm here! My best friends, Carl and Michael, saw you in Doubt and I always regretted missing your performance. That's why I'm here! To catch another tour de force!" But before I could say anything to her, someone else jumped in and gushed about how much they enjoyed her work.

Still, I thought it was a pretty cool sign.

When we finally got upstairs and into the theatre, I took my seat, which was front row center. It was a small Off Broadway theatre, but wonderfully deluxe, and I was about 5 feet away from the stage. When the play started, I felt like I was actually onstage with these women. It was so intimate - I could see tears spilling down their cheeks!

Edie Falco was lovely. I could feel her character's pain, masked behind her humor. And Alison Pill blew me away! It was like she was channeling her character. She WAS this broken prostitute! There was no artifice. It was a master class on acting, watching these two women work.

And I have a massive new respect for Naked Angels, who produced this play. I also love that actors like Cherry Jones and Victor Garber were there in the audience. It reminded me of when a 2-time-Tony-Award Winning actress came to see a staged reading I was in at Bleecker Street Theatre, and told me how much she liked my work. I was absolutely blown away by her generous praise, and incredibly inspired and delighted by these great artists who come to the theatre to support new artists, plays and musicals.

I feel so fortunate to be a part of it.

Blog Away!

This week I've been running into some yummy blogs.

Bekah Brunstetter's Blog is a delightful look into the daily doings of one of today's up-and-coming playwrights. I recently read her play, OOHRAH! and stumbled upon her blog quite by accident. Well, what a happy accident!


Then I found VP Boyle's blog on Broadway World, and was thrilled to see my musical theatre coach sharing his insights with the public at large. :)

VP had coached me prior to my bookings of The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun and Lucky Stiff, so coming upon his blog was like another happy accident, because I wasn't even looking for it.

So of course, I'm reminded of Kung Fu Panda's wise turtle, Oogway, beautifully voiced by Randall Duk Kim, who says, "There are no accidents!"

Ha!

Everyday Pleasures

My friend, Tina, is always sharing gorgeous pics on her blog, The Essential Herbal, and it is a sweet sweet taste of the country.

Here in Manhattan, I am always dazzled by something. My auditions and performances take me all over the city, and it feels like one delightful adventure after another. Last week, it was Times Square. There was just something delicious about walking around the city in the morning after signing up for an audition. It was remarkably peaceful and quiet, which is unusual for Times Square.

Today, I was at an audition downtown on Bleecker Street, and I just love going down there.

It's a street that connects the East and West Village, and I just love how artsy and edgy it is.

I've auditioned at the Bleecker Street Theater a few times, and performed Got You on the mainstage there last Fall.

Today I was auditioning in the smaller theatre, which was still an awesome space!

It's always interesting to audition in the theatre itself. Since most auditions are in a brightly lit rehearsal studio, there's something so lovely about walking into a dark, intimate theatre and going onstage into the blinding spotlight, doing a scene, and then leaving the theatre, going back into the "real world."

That little infusion from Bleecker Street must've opened my eyes to the other beauties of the city. On my way back to my support job, I saw this charming little garden outside of a brownstone, and I just marveled at all the work someone had put into it.

It's lovely, isn't it?

There are so many delights to be found everywhere every day. We just have to be open to seeing them, and take time to nurture them within our ourselves.

In the thick of it

Whenever I'm having a challenging day, my friend, Tina, always reminds me that I'm in the thick of making my dreams come true. I'm living it every day!

And I feel that way now more than ever.

Coming off of the Hell's Belles staged reading at HA! Comedy Club, I went right into Committed Impulse Actor Training with Josh Pais, and I feel like I haven't stopped moving. I'm in this... pace! And it's exciting!

You know when you take a class that just turns your head around? It's fabulous! It's also scary and uncertain, but hey, that's life!

And I feel like this wild culmination of all of my studies are coming together: Karen Kohlhaas' classes at The Atlantic (I swear, I walk taller because of her), Carol Fox Prescott's "On the Breath / Joy of Acting," Chas Elliott's vocal coaching, VP Boyle's musical theatre classes, working with my Musical Mondays workshop buddies... everything feels like it's coming together inside of me!

And I LOVE going to auditions! I love riding that wave of energy, going into a room, feeling all that nervous stuff, but also feeling excited about doing my work, bringing a character to life, reading a new script!

Yesterday I went in for Mrs. Warren's Profession, coming to Broadway with Cherry Jones, and I'd never been exposed to the play before, so when I finally got to read it, I was like WOW! SHAW! I mean, all these treasures! Old playwrights! New playwrights! There is so much art on the page of a play!

So of course, I'm always reading. On the subway, my favorite thing to do is to read a scene from a play. I just finished reading Adam Bock's The Receptionist, and it was MIND-BLOWING! I wish I would've seen it when it was playing Off Broadway. And I'll never forget reading Private Lives on the train, reading about these lush tempestuous characters while shuttling under the streets of Manhattan. It's just wild!

And I'm IN it! Walking out of the Actors Equity building where so many auditions are held, right into the heart of Times Square, being surround by all these wonderful Broadway theatres.

I am here and I LOVE it!

And I am making it happen. :)

The Next Big Thing

There are 2 questions actors are frequently asked: "What have you been up to?" and "What are you doing next?"

This latter question never ceases to amuse me, because we're often asked this while on the brink of getting one project on its feet. It can be opening night for a show you've spent your blood-sweat-and-tears on, and people still ask, "So.... what's next?"

I especially love when Academy Award Winners are asked this, immediately upon receiving the Oscar, because you can see the shock on their faces. They're so dizzy from the whirlwind of it all.

My favorite answer (often by my favorite actors) is "simply savoring the moment."

Ironically, I'm taking an acting class on this very thing: Committed Impulse with Josh Pais. It's all about being in the moment, embracing uncertainty and riding that wave. It's an AWESOME class!

Now, granted, I know why people want to know "what's next?" It's human nature, looking out there into the unknown, wondering about... everything! And as artists, we have so many projects and ideas bouncing around in our heads. Of course we're always in the midst of building, creating something new.I'm especially excited about this current "What's Next" phase of my life, because I'm working with people who are near and dear to me. Doing the Hell's Belles reading last week seems to have sparked this, because most of the cast and crew (with the addition of the lovely Clare Cooper) returned for the mini presentation at Ha! Comedy Club, and it was a thrill to work with them all again.

Now I'm focused on the Committed Impulse class, really digging it. And I'm working with this great group of actors/singers who have Broadway/National touring credits and we get together every Monday to help each other with auditions and new songs. The talent is just mind-blowing, and we've all talked about putting together some sort of showcase this summer. I think a summer sing-thing would ROCK! :)

I'm also developing a solo performance show called The 20 monologue Challenge, inspired by Karen Kohlhaas' challenge for her students at the Atlantic Acting School. And I have an idea for an original solo show that keeps tugging at my mind. I just need to write it out.

Lastly, I'm playing Marty's Mom in the independent feature film, Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dreamathon.

It's based on the concept album by Hippie Cream, and it's about a young man who tries to save his grandfather via his dreams. I'm really jazzed to be a part of this project, because I adore everyone involved, and I love the style of director Daniel Philip Maggio, who directed the Life is Long video and the underground cult film, Brosis.

So yeah, there's a lot of groovy stuff in the works, and I'm savoring it all! :)

A great day

We had a great show last night for the staged reading of the new script for Hell's Belles. The crowd was lovely and enthusiastic despite the heat. But hey, it's supposed to be a nightclub in hell, so we were sizzling!

Today's show should be cooler. It's a 2 PM reading at Ha! Comedy Club, and I have friends from PA coming to see it: the fabulous Twisted Sisters, Tina and Maryanne, from The Essential Herbal Magazine and Torchsong Studio jewelry.

I've known The Sisters since my days at the PA Renaissance Faire where my husband, Rob, and I met. He and I were cast in the professional acting troupe, doing Shakespeare and madrigals, and Rob actually introduced me to the girls. They ran a cozy little herb shoppe, and were fondly known as "The Twisted Sisters," because they had such a wickedly wonderful sense of humor. They still do as a matter of fact! ;)

As Bogart said, it was "the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

We've kept in touch over the years, and have cheered each other on from afar. They're still going strong in PA with their own home businesses while Rob and I are making our dreams come true in the Big Apple.

Maryanne and Tina were both saying they haven't seen me perform since the Faire, so I'm especially jazzed to share this show with them since I get to rock out as Janis Joplin and then sing my heart out as Judy Garland.

My husband even took the afternoon off to catch the show again!

He was there last night with some of our NY friends, and it was such a blast to see so many smiling faces in the crowd. Hopefully we had some industry folks attend as well since that's what the reading is for. In any case, this has been a great chance to do my thing! :)

Right now, I'm off to an audition. I was called in to read for the lead in a new play, and then I have to jet from there to make the 1:30 call for Hell's Belles. After the show, I get to relax a bit with my husband and friends, then I'm off to an acting class tonight.

It's a full, artistic day, and I can't stop thinking, What a great way to spend the day! :)

Reprising a Role

It is such a rare treat to reprise a role. I've done it once before. When I first arrived in the city, I was cast as Rita LaPorta in the Off Off Broadway revival of the Ahrens and Flaherty musical, Lucky Stiff.

A few years later I was offered the same role in a stellar production at Mason Street Warehouse.

Now, I'm getting ready to reprise the roles of Judy Garland and Janis Joplin in a staged reading of the musical, Hell's Belles.

The show is about a nightclub in Hell, and the entertainers are some of history's most infamous women, including Salome, Ma Barker, Eva Peron, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and more!

(Deb Radloff as Bette Davis and me as Joan Crawford)

Most of the cast is back from the last production, including myself, Deborah Radloff, and Alicia Sable.

Omri Schein (above with Alicia Sable) plays the devilish master of ceremonies, and Clare Cooper absolutely rocks out on the keyboard.

It has been such a pleasure to dive back into these larger than life characters, and I'm certainly glad I kept all my research notes, because it's definitely helped me slip back into their shoes!

I've enjoyed re-watching old interviews on Janis Joplin, Judy Garland and Joan Crawford, making new discoveries about these women I thought I knew. There's always more to discover!

By far, Janis and Judy are my favorites, and ironically, Janis was called "The Judy Garland of Rock." There are so many interesting parallels!

If you're in NY, the show is being done as a free 45 minute presentation at Ha! Comedy Club this Wednesday May 26 at 6 PM and Thursday May 27th at 2 PM.

Contact HellsBellesNY@gmail.com for more info.

Ready... aim....

I'm not a gunslinger, though I've played one onstage. :)

I'm sure my family had some cowboys somewhere in the ancestry. We were definitely pioneers! And both sides of the family married Cherokee women. I'm very proud to be connected to that tribe.

For some reason, my Mom, who is a tiny woman like me, wanted to make sure I was trained in firearms, because she thought I should know how to handle a gun "just in case." In case of what? "I don't know," Mom said, "it's just good to be prepared."

I have to tip my hat to her. Being prepared is definitely one of my jobs as an actor. And ironically, my brief training in firearms has come in handy when I've played gun-toting characters like Rita in Lucky Stiff.

I remember trying out a rifle in firearms training, and it knocked me flat on my butt. I had to laugh.

With auditions and (heck!) with life in general, you can feel a little knocked around, ya know? But lately I feel like I'm "back in the saddle again."

I've entered this neat phase where all I'm focused on is going into an audition room to do good work. That's all I want to do.

Yes, a callback would be great. Yes, a job offer would be awesome! But if I go into an audition with that attitude, it's like going to a banquet hungry. You're starving, you're not thinking straight. And I'd rather be like Annie Oakley right now: Little Sure Shot.

I want to be clear about what I need to do for each audition, doing as much research beforehand, and going in with material that shows what I can do in the best way possible.

I feel like I'm there. I'm discovering that when I go in and just do my job, I am free from all the head-trips and can just enjoy the process.

I had an audition yesterday, reading "cold" from the script, and I was so thankful for the classes I've taken on cold-reading. It really is a skill. And each skill requires practice. The more we practice something, the more we can get out of our own way and let our artistry flow.

Ready... aim... fire!

And ironically, I got some amazing feedback from the casting director about my reading, which was unexpected, but wonderfully welcome.

I'd like to tip my hat and say, "Just doing my job, ma'am. Just doing my job." ;)

A Work in Progress

My brother, the drummer, recently told me about the "unfinished artists" he was studying in Art History class. Apparently some painters would purposely leave pieces of their canvas exposed.

Georges Braque kept "parts of his canvases purposely unpainted... as a textural effect adding to the artistic composition as a whole."

This makes me think of acting, how my work as an actor is a work in progress. I strive to do the best I can always, and as I look back on my career, I see good growth. But I often would like to do something... "more."

I've heard some playwrights mention that each play feels unfinished, that there is always more to tell, and perhaps that's what propels them onto the next play.

We are constantly learning and growing, choosing which "paints" we want to use on the "canvas" of our art.

Mother's Day

I love you, Mama, and celebrate you every day!

Magic Shoes

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was to dive into my mother's closet. She had all these great clothes from the 70s, and it was like walking into an enchanted land whenever I ventured into her closet.

Most of her clothes were long flowery dresses, and she had these amazing shoes! My favorite pair were flashy silver sandals with a high heel. When I put my little feet into them, I felt like a combination of Cinderella and a Greek goddess. They were simply Magic Shoes!

When I hit high school, surfer shorts and high-top sneakers were more my style until senior year when I was cast as Dorothy in The Wiz. Then I became known as the "white girl with soul."

As meticulously as I listened to Stephanie Mills' riffs, I also took charge of Dorothy's magic slippers, which were interestingly enough, silver, as per L. Frank Baum's book. I spent many hours reapplying glitter after a show, so those shoes could sparkle for the next time I eased on down the road. :)

Fast forward to my birthday last month. My mom always sends me something fun from CA, and this year she sent me some shiny silvery sandals. I immediately cried, "My magic shoes!"

I wore them to an audition last week and couldn't help but feel sparkly and effervescent. :)

(Me and Mom above - here I'm wearing some fun platform shoes).

The whole thing has made me think about what makes us feel magical.

In Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, Harry tricks Ron into thinking he's taken some luck potion, and so Ron thinks he's lucky and can't lose the big Quidditch match, which he wins successfully.

Or even back to The Wizard of Oz... Glinda tells Dorothy she had the power all along to get where she wanted to go!

I feel like these magical components - magic shoes or luck potion - are simply the magical, lucky parts of ourselves. We need to embrace that every day, nurture that every day! And enjoy the ride! :)

Looking for Inspiration

I don't have to look far. Inspiration seems to be everywhere.

An actress I worked with years ago, Jennifer Christa Palmer, inspires me with her consistent sense of forging ahead.

The band, Hippie Cream, whom my brother, Sean, drums for, inspires me with their wild and whacky songs. I particularly love their sense of fun-loving reverence for their elders.

Hippie Cream is actually prepping to do a feature length musical film called Marty's Magnificent Day-Glo Dream-a-Thon about a young man trying to save his grandpa via a dream-a thon. If schedules work out, I may play Marty's mom when he dreams about his childhood. Wouldn't that be cool?

I also saw A Behanding in Spokane with my friend Wayne Henry, from Johnny on a Spot, and that show was such a trip! The writing, the symbolism, the easy unique acting of Christopher Walken, and the dynamic presence of Sam Rockwell. Zoe Kazan and Anthony Mackie were also great, and my jaw was on the floor for most of the show. Such a wild piece of theatre!

Yet still I feel like I'm searching...

I guess that's what art is all about, finding our voice, ourselves in it.

Luckily, inspiration keeps coming! :)

I'm on Josh Pais' email list because I'm going to take his Committed Impulse class, and he sent this inspirational blast today about Patsy Rodenberg's speech about "Why I do Theater."

And that of course took me to Anna Deavere Smith's American Character(s).


She's one of my favorite characters/actresses on Nurse Jackie. And this! WOW!

These ladies take me back to something my husband often asks me with my art: "What do you want to say? What story do you want to tell?"

Man, that's powerful stuff!

And I get to choose that with the material I choose for auditions: the songs, the monologues, even scenes/scripts that are sent to me. I get to choose what story I'm going to tell.

I think we just have to be open to it.

It makes me want to write again. Guess I'm getting a nudge in that direction, eh? ;)

Now I'm off to an audition, and I feel so fortunate to be in NY, auditioning in the heart of Broadway, getting the chance to make some magic. :)

Darkest before the Dawn

I am known for my positive attitude. It's where I prefer to keep my head, ya know? But every once in a while, I'll get a challenging day or week, and it feels like moving through a muddy river. Yuck!

Luckily, I had an epiphany this morning about how "negative" experiences can shine the light on what we want to change in our lives. When we know what we don't want, we can then identify what we do want, and that's an important head-spin. You need that guiding light, that focus of what to move towards, of embracing what makes you happy.

It makes me think of that old phrase, "It's always darkest before the dawn."

I've been in those dark places, but now all I can see are the gorgeous colors of the pink and golden dawn.

When we let go, when we try new things and take a chance, we are able to get out of our own way and enjoy the ride. I see this in acting class all the time, and it's magic! When we are open to it, wonderful things happen.

People who've paved the way

When I was working on my audition for "Another Part of the Forest," my research of Lillian Hellman's play took me of course to her major hit, The Little Foxes. After reading the play, I started watching the film, and all I can say is.... Bette Davis.

I loved her in All About Eve and she's awesome in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Her own quotes are priceless. Like, "Old age is no place for sissies!" What a tough cookie!

When I was studying with Karen Kohlhaas, we talked about artists who inspire us, researching them and learning from their progress as they went from young actor to major artist.

I've been delighted to find all sorts of folks who fan the flame of developing my craft.

There are classics like Ms. Davis, and then there are actors of this generation like Peter Facinelli, who has been delighting me as "Coop" on Nurse Jackie.

Something I dig about Peter Facinelli (and all of the actors on "Nurse Jackie" are just sublime!) is that he pursues work that interests him and that he continues to study his craft. That's something I've really been discovering - how important it is to keep taking classes. It creates a sense of discipline and inspires growth.

So grow, baby, grow! And as we look to folks who inspire us, we pave our own way.

The Community of Theatre

I wrote about this a few weeks ago, inspired by seeing a production of Rocky Horror in Hemet, CA, and also inspired by the artists who strive to make art happen wherever they are.

Living in the Big Apple, I am so wonderfully surrounded by art. It's literally everywhere! And every time I walk through Times Square to get to an audition, I breathe Broadway in.

As my friend Tina always tells me, I am there! I am making my dreams come true, working as an actor. I've done Off-Off Broadway all over town, and I got to work at two of the most notable Off Broadway theatres in history: Cherry Lane and the Theatre at St. Clement's. I just have to keep on doing my work, making it happen.

Part of this New York experience includes seeing the theatre that's happening here. As I was doing my taxes for last year, I realized I started a great trend in seeing a theatrical piece about once a month. It's something I'm trying to do this year as well, and I feel fortunate to be able be supportive of my fellow artists. We need to support each other, you know?

This was really hammered home to me when a 2-time-Tony Award winning actress came to see a reading I did last Fall and was kind enough to seek me out afterwards to tell me how much she liked my work. That was mind-blowing and inspiring and absolutely thrilling!

Now I have this desire to support art everywhere - from Hemet, CA to the Great White Way.

My friend and fellow actress, Kami Martin (below as the blonde bombshell, Lily St. Regis), recently wrote a post about supporting Community Theatre, and I asked her if I could re-post it here. She gave her thumb's up, so here is part of it. Enjoy!

"As artists we should encourage each other. Because acting is a calling. Some may think that is an odd statement, but its true. Look it up, it was considered sacred. Not any different than a judge on a bench, or a priest at an altar...

Every community theatre in my area is doing relevant work. It is as diverse as it can be. But it is all deserving of recognition... My thought is, let's respect the art in this valley. Let's celebrate and support local theatre. We may be diverse, but we have the same goal. To bring the arts to the valley." - Kami Martin

Rock on, Kami! Shine that light, sister!

And to all you artists out there, wherever you are: Shine your light!

Springtime!!!

I LOVE this time of year! Manhattan comes alive with nature's colors.

I don't know if it's because I'm an April baby, but man, there is something so rejuvenating about the Spring. Particularly after these cold gray rainy days we've been having!

I love seeing the daffodils planted throughout the city, lifting their heads to the sun.

They were struggling yesterday, but today, they were starting to stand proud.

This morning, I saw a truck full of tulips being unloaded, and I thrilled at the thought of where they'd be planted in the city.


Yup, it's spring! LOVE IT!!!