The 2010-2011 Professional Acting Apprentices (Me, Carlos Aviles Ruiz, Evan Faram, and Leslie Nevon Holden at Invited Preview of No Easy...)
The other day in rehearsal, as I was playing with slide whistles, kazoos, an xylophone, and other kiddie musical props at my place in the wacky instrument pit of Emperor's New Clothes rehearsal, it totally donned on me that it is fall outside and for the first time since pre-K, I am not in school. Last year, I completely fell in love with learning and breaking down walls in the classroom setting that I couldn't imagine life any other way, especially away from Montclair. But here I am, standing on my own two feet in the city of Philadelphia, and falling in love with my acting apprenticeship at the Walnut St. Theatre!!
What I've been up to at the Walnut...
It feels almost impossible to condense the past month's happenings into a nutshell since it has been a whirlwind of events and hard work, but I will gosh darn try! My time with the three other acting apprentices has been spent:
The Ladies of the Touring Outreach Company (Me and Leslie Nevon Holden)
*Staging our four outreach tours in 5 day rehearsal processes for each over the past month
Our 2010-2011 Season includes Emperor's New Clothes, Mean Girlz R Bullies 2: The Musical (I'm obsessed with this title being text message friendly and also the fact that its a musical), The Boy Who Cried Bully, and No Easy Road to Freedom- SEE "ON REHEARSALS" FOR MORE ABOUT THE TOURS
*Learning the ropes of this battleship of regional theatres that is the Walnut through meetings with our home base in the Education Program office and amazing seminars with all the different department/program directors
I can get lost wandering the Walnut and diving into all its historical pictures of past performances and old show posters displayed on the walls from the lobby to the offices. There is one of Audrey Hepburn performing on the Walnut stage that always makes me smile and strut with a little more oomph when I pass it ;-)
*Assistant Teaching at the Walnut Theatre School Two Acting Classes for Kids
I am already having a ball with the kids and we've just begun! I feel like a kid again myself and love playing the theatre games with them and hearing them bust out in laughter. I was told on the first day by kids in my second class that I look exactly like Dory in Finding Nemo and totally took it as a compliment. Kids rock.
On Rehearsals...
My main job as an acting apprentice is making up the Touring Outreach Company with my fellow three acting apprentices that goes to schools all over the PA, NJ, and DE area. We are just now on the final stretch of rehearsals, performing our preview of the last staged show Emperor's New Clothes this Tuesday at a Philadelphia school, with previews of Mean Girlz... and The Boy Who... already performed with warm welcome for kids at the current Walnut Adopt-a-School in Philly. We officially kick off the tour on October 7th, performing through May up to three possible shows a day, traveling in a van packed tight of all our costumes, sets, and props. We are our own stage managers on the road and are also in charge in hosting talkbacks with the kids after every show and may also conduct possible acting workshops within their classrooms under another program called Team Walnut that compliments the tour shows.
Mean Girlz Rehearsal- Morgan (Me) and the New Girl Ellen (Leslie Nevon Holden)
With all this said, this has been one heck of a month, learning four shows in less than a week's time each with all the lesson plans and technicalities of the tour to boot. There were times where I thought my brain would explode due to all the lines and information being piled in! I play over 10 characters amongst the four shows and have been working hard on developing each of them. My mind and focus feel like they've been through actor bootcamp, getting the workout of their life as they jump from show to show, as well as my confidence in making big choices and trusting myself. Working with four different directors this month has also been extremely challenging and rewarding- all of them pushing me in different ways and having me define my characters further.
I must say, I do have the most fun with Mean Girlz... playing Morgan, the queen bee of Nicodemus Middle School, in jeggings and a blonde wig, as well as voicing and manipulating her posse of puppets, Mary-Kate and Ashley. It is so Mean Girls Regina-George inspired and I have to say it- so fetch. I have a scene with myself between Morgan, Mary-Kate, and Ashley that sometimes I feel crazy in, essentially talking to myself, but I do enjoy hopping from voice to voice with sass!
Ashley, Morgan, and Mary Kate are so FI-ERCE at Nic Mid.
I am really enjoying getting to know my fellow acting apprentices as we develop relationships on stage and off as well as the rest of the professional apprentices at the Walnut serving the different departments. I really respect my fellow actors, each of them with their own amazing backgrounds of how they fell into theatre, and feel inspired by them and excited to spend the year in their company. I also really love how passionate and artistically accomplished the directors of the different departments are at the Walnut, lighting up when they share their stories with us in our seminars. It totally gets my motor running and reminds me of the power behind hard work. I am beyond grateful to be working at such a tremendous theatre that really cares about the development of young professionals and producing theatre that serves a large community. The Walnut has the largest amount of subscribers out of any regional theatre in the whole world, so what I am learning from this place and how it operates is an education in itself.
I also am completely inspired by the children I am beginning to meet on the tour and in my classes. It's pretty funny to be back walking the tiny hallways of schools decorated in adorable art projects and whimsical murals, hearing bells go off (we have already been involved in a fire drill), and hearing the kids' audible reactions as we perform (we already had a kid run on stage to dance with us!). I don't think one show will ever be like another! Also remembering my own childhood and how magical theatre alway seemed to me, I love knowing that I can spark something inside these kids that may make them want to perform someday. This feeling makes every show important to me as well as knowing how important the messages of our shows are, especially the ones dealing with the seriousness of bullying, which a lot of kids are facing today. I can't wait to share on-the-road tales and look forward to beginning the tour this week! For more information on Touring Outreach, click away right here!
What I've Been Up to in Philly...
*Exploring my darling neighborhood from hipster and artsy South Street to the mouthwatering smells of deliciousness that wrap around the Italian Market- Its dangerous for a girl who loves anything vintage and used as well as pizza and gelato like me!
*First Friday in Olde City- I got to visit art galleries for free!
*Curtains at the Walnut Opening Night and After Party
*Pig Iron Theatre Company's Cankerblossom in the Philly Fringe Festival- It was one of the wackiest, yet enjoyable pieces of theatre I have ever seen and I really respect the seemingly limitless aspirations of this theatre company
*Philadelphia's Magical Gardens- I felt like I fell down the well to Wonderland. This gem is literally a minute from my apartment!
*Theatre Horizon's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee featuring my fellow MSU MT graduate Rachel Camp and my hilarious Mean Girlz... director Jennie Eisenhower- This show is just a treat and I sobbed during the "I Love You Song" due to those two wonderful stars of ladies.
*Classes at the 12th St. Gym (Free Membership with my Walnut contract :-) ) and Koresh Dance School- I am now obsessed with Zumba.
Coming Soon...
I will be playing Belle/Fred's Wife/Others on the mainstage in the Walnut Street Theatre for Kids musical production of A Christmas Carol! Click this link for more information and contact me if you are interested in attending- I can get you a half-price ticket!
*Auditions for Understudy Opportunities for the Mainstage/Independence Studio Productions- Very excited!
*Jennifer Burrini,the WST Public Relations Apprentice, interviewed Leslie Nevon and I for the popular Walnut Street Theatre Facebook Page on our backgrounds and more detail to our specific apprenticeship. There are interviews already posted with the education and casting/literary apprentices to check out and ours will be coming soon! I will post the link as soon as its available and had a great time chatting with Jenn and Les!
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WOW! So I just blogged my face off, but hope everyone is having a wonderful fall with the weather FINALLY changing over and scarves and mittens coming out of hiding! I have been eating/drinking anything made of pumpkin and encourage you all to do the same.
CHEERS!
