May Update

May is officially here! I spent most of April in New York City busy with auditions and workshops/seminars with Actors Connection (since I enjoyed showcase so much) and The Network. I took a terrific theatre intensive with Camille Hickman, the associate casting director for Lincoln Center Theatre, working on a scene from Saturn Returns and as a reader for the other actors. In my showcase class, we were lucky to have casting directors Brette Goldstein and Paul Russell (also author of one of my most favorite actor self-marketing books Acting: Make It Your Business) travel out to Montclair to provide valuable information we can apply to our audition/interview skills along with their perspectives on the business. I also was accepted into the American Conservatory Theatre Summer Training Congress, which was another exciting surprise!

I opened this sunny month with a workshop entitled Empowerment Weekend for Actors, hosted at Playwright Horizons and lead by their casting director Alaine Alldaffer and William Esper Studio acting teacher Deb Jackel. I wish I could kick start every month on such an uplifting note. Day 1 consisted of discussions on spiritual and psychological approaches to auditioning, centering yoga and meditation practice, and visualizing successful performances in exercises. On Day 2, I performed a mock audition of a scene from Indoor/Outdoor and observed the other actors' auditions. I truly hit some new heights in this workshop by letting down guards and am in the process of adapting a more positive mentality for auditions. It was exactly what the doctor ordered and I am very grateful to have been invited to participate in something geared at an actors healthy survival in the business.

Even though I'm graduating in a few short weeks, I know my education is just going to get richer and fuller out in the real world. Its comforting to know that there are all these actors out there who encounter the same basket of emotions as I do that sometimes beat me up. But the best is that there are also people, like Alaine and Deb, who want to build us back up and care so deeply about actors. That is what I love most. Alaine starts all her workshops with this exercise entitled "attitude/gratitude," which is a sweet way for people to introduce themselves and share with everyone what they are most grateful for. I truly am grateful for an unknown future and all its twists and turns and the fact that my day could be shared so comfortably with previous strangers at a workshop and concluded with my parents and I walking hand in hand around the gorgeous neighborhoods of Montclair celebrating their anniversary. So much can be felt and happen in one day-its incredible.

The senior class little cabaret that could is officially happening on May 7th in the Fox Studio at 7:30! I begin to cry in rehearsals when we are all singing together- I'm so happy we are doing this- it wouldn't feel right to go out any other way.

Upcoming Events: Theatre and Dance Department Gala, Clay Miz: The Senior MT Farewell Cabaret, May 15th Graduation, Senior Week at School, Rhode Island Shore Trip, and Phile Trip to audition for the Walnut Street Theatre. Official summer plans coming soon!