Hell's Belles Ride Again

It's really cool to be part of a show that goes through some kind of evolution.  Live theatre tends to be that way anyway. Every show has the potential to be slightly different.

After winning the NYMF Award for The Singing Nun, I was offered work on a new musical called Hell's Belles. It's about infamous women performing in a nightclub in hell, and I play Janis Joplin, Joan Crawford, Queen Guenevere and Judy Garland (to name a few).

Next week, we'll be presenting an hour long concert version of the show at the Manhattan Theatre Club's Creative Center. I am SO psyched about this, because MTC has such a great rep! I can't wait to play in the space!

Plus we have a new "belle," Danielle Erin Rhodes, and it's always fun to see what someone brings to the piece. Danielle is a fun bubbly blonde, and we've had a blast in rehearsals.

 

 (Danielle Rhodes, Kristen Mengelkoch, Omri Schein, and me)

We have 2 presentations next week:June 26 & 28 at 6:30 PM. Tickets are free, so if you'd like to come, RSVP hellsbellesny@gmail.com  or call 212-932-3737. Please indicate number of people and date attending.

JAWS and More!

My friend, Tina, asked me yesterday if I've had a chance to kick up my feet lately, and I had to laugh. If anything, I've accelerated!

I'm doing industry readings of Hell's Belles, in which I play Judy Garland and Janis Joplin. I'm working with the fabulous Paul Russell, doing an agent showcase on Monday. And I'm in getting ready to perform JAWS the Musical at the Broadway Comedy Club.

(JAWS cast: Clare Cooper, Jason Salmon, Suzanne Stein, John Flynn,
Laura Daniel, Brett Douglas, and Wayne Henry)

JAWS the Musical is 40 minute pop rock funfest that seems to have a following. It ran a few years ago at the Strawberry One Act Festival, and won Best Show. It's loosely based on the film/novel about the famous shark who terrorizes Amity Island and the 3 men who try to catch him. I play the girl the shark falls in love with.

Our first show in NJ was a hit! We sold out and won lotsa laughs. The crowd went wild during my power ballad in which I sing some Patti Labelle-like riffs. VERY fun!

Now we take Manhattan! We're playing in NY at The Broadway Comedy Club Fridays July 6 and 13 at 6:30 PM, Saturday July 7 at 6 PM, and Sunday July 15 at 3 PM.

Tickets are $10 and reservations can be made via JawsTickets@gmail.com.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe

I love this tagline. Not only is it used for JAWS, but it makes me think of comedy, which, like any art, is not safe. It's throwing yourself out there, taking a leap.

Tonight I'm diving into JAWS the Musical with an incredible group of performers, most of which are UCB/PIT alums.

Brett Douglas, John Flynn, Wayne Henry, Jason Salmon and Suzanne Stein are the incredibly hilarious folks I get to play with tonight. Catch these characters below in the order just mentioned. I'm the redhead. :)

They're all so darned funny! Every rehearsal has been filled with laughter!

Clare Cooper (Toxic Avenger, Memphis) is our marvelous music director and Steven McElroy is our fearless director.

Wayne Henry wrote the book, music and lyrics and it is such a joy to sing the songs! It makes me think of so many genres - everything from an Avenue Q vibe to a bit of Phantom and Les Miz with a delicious pop rock groove.

It's wholly its own show. It starts with the premise of JAWS, the book and movie, and then, like any sketch comedy, goes off in an entirely different direction.

I'd like to think Peter Benchley would have approved since we give his great white shark a new life, no matter how humorous.

Hope audiences will "Get hooked" on our show.

We're playing in NY at The Broadway Comedy Club Fridays July 6 and 13 at 6:30 PM, Saturday July 7 at 6 PM, and Sunday July 15 at 3 PM. Tickets are $10 and reservations can be made via JawsTickets@gmail.com.

On July 15, there is an 8 PM performance in Montclair,NJ at Tierney's Tavern. Tix are $15. Call 973-731-2967 to reserve a seat.

Hope to see you there!

Keep Up with Your Studies!

Have you ever noticed the potential to learn something else every day? I've been acting professionally since I was 14, and I love that I'm learning more about this craft, more about myself and what I can bring to the table of any project every day.

This past month has been full of good growth! I took some workshops with casting directors from CBS and NBC, and both workshops gave me the opportunity to strengthen my cold reading skills. I also realized this is something I can do even when I'm not in class. Just grab a script and go! 

Working with Tim Phillips' technique of "Sherlock Holmsing the Text," helped me take this up a notch. Tim teaches in NY every month, and I had the pleasure of working with him last month. He teaches in LA regularly, so if you can study with him, Go! Go! Go! His book is incredibly helpful.

Lastly, I've been in rehearsals for JAWS the Musical, which has been such a gift! The writer and cast are all UCB / PIT alumni, and so the funny factor is constantly going. Talk about getting a workout!

(L-R Wayne Henry, Jason Salmon, me, Suzanne Stein and John Flynn)

It is such a pleasure to play with this talented bunch and to sing such great songs! I've got a gorgeous power ballad in the last half of the show, and I just love it!

It's so clear to me the more you do something, the stronger you get. And the more open you are to learning something new, the more joyous the experience.

Every working actor I know keeps up their studies, whether they're in or out of a show, and I admire them all! I'm in good company! :)

Actors Access

I've got to sing the praises of Actors Access. It's an online casting service that allows actors to check out some of the Breakdown Services, which are usually granted to agents and managers only.

Actors Access gives performers the ability to check out some casting calls for film, TV, and Theatre. It's a great service! You can post 2 pics and a resume for free, and if you want to submit for a project, it costs $2, or it's much more cost-effective to pay the annual fee, which also provides access to Showfax.com, which is really handy when you need sides.

I've been a member of this site for a few years, and it never ceases to amaze me how often I've gotten a gig or audition from it.

In fact, tomorrow I have an audition for a show I submitted for months ago! They had a reading and are revisiting the lead role, so they came back to me. Very cool!

Actors Access also has incredibly helpful columns by casting directors, Bonnie Gillespie and Mark Sikes. MAJOR words of wisdom!

Check it out! ;)

Jaws the Musical

It's been a while since I've blogged! Just been too busy with classes and life and starting rehearsals for "Jaws the Musical." You heard me right: Jaws the Musical. It's a half hour sketch comedy pop-rock musical that has the zaniness of SNL combined with heart-felt humor like Avenue Q.

The writer, Wayne Henry and I worked on a show together a few years ago called "Johnny on a Spot." It was a very fun play from the '40s, and our characters were the comic relief. We never shared a scene together, though, so every time we'd meet backstage we'd say, "We have to do a show together - where we're onstage at the same time!"

Along came JAWS the Musical.

Wayne wrote the show for the Strawberry One Act Festival a few years ago, and it was very well-received, so he's putting it back "out there" (just when you thought it was safe) to see how other theatre-goers respond.

We've had a lot of great response so far. The title alone seems to get people excited! And it's a really fun show. We start performances next month, running in theatres and comedy clubs throughout NY and NJ. I'll keep ya posted on dates and places.

For Love of the Game

It's opening day for the Yankees, and the city is abuzz with excitement! I'm a little torn because I'm from CA, and I have a fondness for the Angels as well, but I'm a New Yorker at heart.

When I was a kid, my Grandpa Bowder would listen to the Dodgers on the radio. They'd moved from Brooklyn to CA, which my Grandpa had also done, and so maybe that's where I get my bicoastal tendencies. :)

                           (my Grandpa Bowder, his daughter, Eleanor, and my Grandpa Daniel)

In any case, I'm excited for both teams, really, because it's all for the love of the game!

It makes me think of acting. Any professional has to keep in practice to stay in the game. I've been on some recent callbacks and it's been a thrill to work on new scripts, songs, and monologues. I love being in the midst of all that, and I'm thankful to have been called back for these projects.

It can get frustrating when you don't get the gig. For me, there's that brief moment of being down, but more than not, it stokes my fire to keep going.

And the cool thing is that I learn from every artistic adventure. For a recent callback, I learned a new monologue that I now have in my toolkit for future auditions. I also learned that I can go darker with my material. There's a common thread of advice that actors receive about "not going too dark," because casting directors sit through hours of auditions, and who wants to see 8 hours of depressing material? But in the case of a callback for a new play, the director specifically asked me to go darker, and so I did. It made me realize I CAN have a dark piece in my back pocket, and I'm excited to dive into some delicious drama.

I'd still go with Karen Kohlhaas' monologue guidance to start with a "Hello, this is me" monologue. But I'm also working on her 20 monologue challenge, which definitely lets me play in many realms!

So what does this have to do with baseball?

Gwyn from The Actors Market sent this email today, and it made me think of how important it is to stay in the game, especially because I love it!

"How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball...The harder you grip the bat, the more you can swing it through the ball, and the farther the ball will go. I swing big, with everything I've got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can." - Babe Ruth

Producer Readings - Part Deux

Last week, I had the privilege of performing highlights from the musical, Hell's Belles for producers.

Tonight is our 2nd round of reading for producers.

Here are some song snippets from the show:

Let's Sing 'em All 
(me as Judy Garland)

Sex Drugs Booze and Rock n Roll 
(me as Janis Joplin)

Every time I play these iconic women, I discover something new. I also play Guenevere and Joan Crawford.

It's a very fun show, and I love sharing the stage with Oakley Boycott, who plays a Lady Gaga-esque pop star, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Di, and Evita; Kristen Menglekoch, who plays Ma Barker, Eva Braun, Lizzie Borden and Bette Davis; and Kevin B. McGlynn, who plays the master of ceremonies, Lester.

Mary Feinsinger is our musical director. John Znidarsic has been directing various incarnations of the show, written by Bryan D. Leys with music by Steve Liebman. Molly Cohen is our lovely stage manager. And Sharon and Eileen Weiss of Tweiss Productions have been working to get this show to the next stage.

Reading for Producers

Tonight I'm doing a staged reading of Hell's Belles for producers. We're highlighting pieces of the show so potential investors can get a taste of it.

(Kristen Mengelkoch, Oakley Boycott, and me)

It's like a mini concert, because we have music stands and use our scripts to refer to the new script changes.

It's such a delight to be doing this high energy show again. I have such a great fondness for the cast and crew, and it's a thrill to play such iconic women as Janis Joplin and Judy Garland.

We're doing the reading again on Monday March 26th at 6:30, so if you're interested, please let me know!

The Secret Garden

I got a callback for the role of Martha in the musical, "The Secret Garden" at the Astoria Performing Arts Center, and I'm so excited to go in and read for this role for the creative team working on this show.

It's such a beautiful musical, and if anything, I'm thankful that this experience has taken me back to the original novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

I'm in the midst of it, and it's so fitting with the awakening of Spring in the city. The birds are singing. "In th' flower gardens... things will be stirrin' down below in th' dark. Th' sun's warmin' 'em. You'll see bits o' green spikes stickin' out o' th' black earth... They'll poke up a bit higher here... and uncurl a leaf this day..."

 

I feel a bit like these spring flowers, growing strong, soon to blossom.

The Voice

When I got home last night, I worked on my music for today's audition for "The Secret Garden."

I've always wanted to sing one of the big numbers from that show, "Hold On," and lo and behold, it's one of the required audition pieces for the character I've been called in for.

Such a great song!

I've also been experiencing music in a whole new way by applying acting techniques from Tim Phillips' book, "Audition for Your Career" and  Harold Guskin's "How To Stop Acting." I'm experiencing the music and the words in a whole new way!

And then I tuned into The Voice.

I've heard the hype. I've seen the magazine covers. And usually hype will turn me off. So I'm not sure what led me to The Voice last night, but I loved it. And I was impressed by the coaches and the advice they offered.

Like Lionel Richie's advice to not push, to just let the sound and energy come out. Christina Aguilera's advice to sing from the heart. And Jewel's assertion that the words have to mean something to you.


My friend, Tina, says its like free advice for singers. :) You can really tell when someone is "in" the song.

Beyond the horizon

I feel this great sense of expansion today, like I'm waking up, really able to see things and breathe deep, opening my arms to take in all this good stuff!

I had an audition last night, playing a charming ogre of a woman. The character is actually unsightly, and the writer and director talked about the makeup and body padding they want to do for this character. It was a blast to try her on, like trying on an outfit.

I've always been a character actor, or rather my journey has gone from being perpetually seen as a child to suddenly being a versatile adult, a woman with curves and character.

This time of my life feels incredibly exciting because I get to take on these feisty characters of all shapes and sizes.

My next audition is next week for the musical The Secret Garden. I was called in for Martha, the fiery maid who has the great song, "Hold On."

And there's something in the message of that song which calls to me and makes me feel excited about being tenacious.

Each character has something to teach me, even if it's just for the moment I "meet" them at an audition. I feel this sense of expansion and ascension, getting to explore so many possibilities.

It's such a great ride.

Feeling Decadent

Today feels so decadent. I don't know if it's because it's Fat Tuesday, or what.

I've never been to Mardi Gras, though I've had friends who've been, and they've said it's wild! I love the  costumes, sense of decadence and celebration. I guess that's why I'm in theatre, and I'm in NY! :)

The biggest decadence for me today is TIME, taking time to get to the gym, work on music and scripts, getting a massage, thinking ahead. Even blog! ;)

It makes me think of the old saying, "Stop and smell the roses," to take time to breathe in the beauty of life.

My friend, Michael, stops to smell the roses. :)

When It Rains...

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

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

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!

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!

Tale of a Tribute Artist: "Maybe This Time"

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

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

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. ;)