It Might As Well Be Spring

So who is into this sunny weather? THANK GOD. So needed after that miserable rain to lift everyones spirits and remind them that summer is just around the corner! So refreshing!!

So I am on spring break, but my friends and I have been joking that we feel like we are working twice as hard this week than when we are on our normal school schedule. Its audition hell week. Almost all open calls for summer/future employment like summer stocks and cruise lines hit hard mid March. It's been nice having a tight little pack from Montclair, rising before the sun and going in together, to help each other survive the audition madness. Thank god for my dear dear friend Katerina Pappacostas (we have worked and lived together 2 summers at the Mac) for offering me a place to stay one of the nights. It is always a joy to be in her presence.

Auditioning and call backs were going well until I started feeling sick. I guess I didn't really give myself a break to transition from the intense show schedule of Side Show to the audition frenzy. My body gave up on me a little, so I have taken a few days rest and have enjoyed pop sickles, Shamrock shakes, my Netty Pot, my steamer- just basically anything that would cool my throat and make it feel better. I have watched chick flicks- the only movies my mind will allow me to watch in between conciousness and naps- as I cuddled with my body pillow Fred in my bed. Its been a lazy past two days, but a two days well deserved. I need my energy for next week and my upcoming senior showcase. Hopefully my voice will come back in full blast- fingers crossed!

As for Side Show, it was an unforgettable week and the highlight of the semester. I cannot even go into how utterly amazed I was by the performance and production caliber. People were just invested in this show- it had a family unity. I lived for the opening- the curtain rising on all of us seated on the benches, frozen in uncomfortable glances. It would send chills up my body to invite the audience into this dark, fascinating world. The adrenaline rush was truly something. I loved my snakes- I had 4 named Ketchup, Pepper, Pickles, and Heintz. All the costumes were sick. I will be sure to get a few pictures up on my website.

So with that all said- Senior Showcase- March 30th! WOOO! I'm excited! Hope to know what I'll be doing soon over the summer. I got into the Rockette Summer Intensive- which I hope to work into my plans! Have a beautiful March!

Come Look at the Freaks

Bon jour!

Well I'm enjoying this fabulous snowy vacation from school- absolutely falling in love with my sweet little apartment. My roommates and I have been dancing to our record player non stop (I was literally sweating when we gave you full out Cassie around the apartment to "The Music and the Mirror" from our ACL vinyl), watching priceless movies (Snow White is actually humming in the background right now, but Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a new favorite- I could not handle the sophisticated style of Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe- its breathtaking), filling our kitchen with delicious smells, sipping wine with Ella Fitzgerald in the background, having make up/dress up parties (I dressed up like a Kit Kat Girl on Ice in honor of the Winter Olympics Figure Skating on TV), trekking to our favorite diner around the corner once again for snow day brunch, and just enjoying life without purpose these past two days. Its nice to sometimes take a time out. But after tonight, I will be owned by Side Show which opens in a week for Monday with its first free preview performance.

Side Show will be playing March 8 (Free Preview) to March 13. Please come see it if you are a free and looking for your eyes to be in awe of a freakishly bedazzled spectacle, inviting you into the darkness of the side show tents then taking you to the glamour of the vaudeville stage as it follows the story of Violet and Daisy Hilton, the famous conjoined twins. Side Show 2 will be about Paris and Nicky Hilton- I'm currently working on it, writing "Thats Hot" as the opening number. Bahaha- I'm foolish.

Anyways, I am extremely proud of my four senior class ladies who are alternating the roles of the full belting twins through out the week as well as the whole principle/ensemble cast. I probably will never wear such a cool costume either in my life (I'm giving you Britney Spears at the VMAs in "I'm a Slave for You").

But please come see it. You can find all the information at this site:

http://www.peakperfs.org/

I will be busy as a bee for the next 2 weeks, prepping for showcase, rehearsing and then performing at the Kasser one last time (tears), and auditioning for summer work. These snow days have been a treat, but its time to put down the pancakes and snowballs and get back to work. Hope everyone else enjoyed the two days of white bliss and spent them cuddling with the people they love too!

Come see Side Show!

February Update

Hello again!

I just felt totally weird typing that- hahaha- does anyone read this? Hahaha, whatever. Fierce- lets go.

Hey there February- I love this month because I always associate it with leg warmers, snow days, Mom's birthday, the beginning of Lent (say good bye to peanut butter and Starbucks Tara), and rehearsals keeping my nights busy and splendid. And also LOST begins tonight and I might pass out after this season premiere. I am rooting for Juliet 100%. I am so proud that I am all caught up. Season Five was my favorite yet.

I am just about finished with my grad school auditions and am now trying to get in shape for my ferocious Snake Lady costume in Side Show- turban fitting tomorrow- CANNOT WAIT. Grad school auditions have been an education. An amazing one. I have learned so much about myself as an auditioner and just as a unique individual. Its been so wonderful seeing how many people want to further their training and are equally as passionate about theatre as I am. It was a draining week- emotionally and physically (schlepping into Manhattan and elsewhere almost every day of the past week with my handy dandy duffle-passing out on trains and buses and bouncing from the extremes of excited to exhausted like I was a see saw), but I felt so proactive and found love and truth in my pieces. I was finally able to strip away the nerves and just live in my monologues- I love exploring new shades of them each time. So far, I have been accepted into one school- The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama- for an MA in Musical Theatre- and I am extremely pumped and pleased to have this as an option. I flew out of my chair when I found out and screamed for joy! Ask my roommate Michael who was watching Angel in our living room minding his own business. I was almost expecting nothing to come from all this, but am honored to have RSAMD as a choice. Oh gosh Scotland! WOW!

I absolutely love my semester so far (my classes are awesome) and also the people that fill my days. I truly have the best friends out there. I'm always laughing and there is something to be said for that. Cannot wait to see my roomies, my ACTF partner Kiki, and my central Jersey love Shannon star in The Spitfire Grill this weekend. I will be crying most likely at all moments.

I'm also starting to take theatre dance once a week in the city at Broadway Dance- totally pumped about that. Thursdays at 12- Meet me there! Don't forget your character shoes! Last week, Ashley T and I took it and strutted it out to Liza. Do I need to say more? Oh and I so just ordered Liza at the Palace and cannot wait to put it in my DVD player and melt. She is the best.

I also auditioned for the Rockette Summer Intensive this weekend- it was so much fun! I was clearly the oldest one there (it didnt help that I wore my bedazzled "What a Feeling" 80s vintage sweatshirt to show my age more), but after that call- I think I can actually handle an open call for Radio City. I was cracking up in the audition. I am pretty sure I am the only person to audition for Yale and the Rockettes in one weekend. Let Christmas SHINE!

Also a quick little ad:

Marcy Jellison, my private acting/vocal coach in the city, is looking for new students. I recommend Marcy with all my heart and soul. She is my angel, my go-to, my mentor, and one of my best friends. She is such a beautiful energy- she gives you all of herself and passions to motivate you and help you succeed. I have had a relationship with Marcy for about 5 years now and it is still going strong. She continually offers me a safe place to try new pieces and has me dig deep into them. Her wonderful spirit is contagious too. Please visit her website if you have interest:

http://www.marcyjellisonmusic.com/

She is just a blessing in my life!

So thats all I got for right now- I'm cooking my best friend dinner now and can't wait to put on my apron.

"If life is too easy, you lose your joy."

Discuss among yourselves.

Welcome 2010

Yey 2010! I cannot believe you are actually here. PUH! It is the year I graduate and it seems surreal.

I know I have been pretty negligent to this blog, but now since my website is up and running, I will try to be a little more committed to posting.

Well a basic sum up of all I've been up to:

My second summer at the Mac-Haydn was heavenly bliss- performing in seven musicals and just having a blast. Chatham, NY really feels like a home away from home. I met more amazing people this summer and just fell in love with musical theatre all over again. I was in one of the most passionate and uniquely talented companies I have ever been in and through their support, I found a new love for singing. I learned so much from all of them and spent my summer days quick changing away in wigs and petticoats and just loving life. I mean I wore a champagne glass on my head in Beauty and the Beast, did loads of wings in Crazy for You, did "Big Spender" while fiercely rotating, did a Julie Andrews spin to board the trolley in Meet Me in St. Louis, wore too much pink lip liner as the over the top Ernestina Money in Hello, Dolly- wow! Who could ask for anything more? Also, theatre in the round (there is simply nothing as intimate and personal as the Mac) makes things so much more exciting and silly. It is such a different wonderful energy!

After I got back from the Mac-Haydn, I began my senior year fall semester. I had really great classes ranging from ballet every day at 8:30 (oooh girl needed lots of coffee) to vocal pedagogy, in which I had to teach my own voice student privately and do a lesson in front of the entire class. I also had one of the most amazing opportunities of my life, performing as Hannah Jarvis in Tom Stoppard's masterpiece Arcadia. I could talk about Arcadia for days and how much I learned from the whole experience. I just simply fell in love with the cast, my character, and the whole atmosphere and ideas of the show- it was such an inspiring and rich acting process. I have never felt so comfortable on stage- completely owe it to my director Susan Kerner and the amazing cast. I could have done a Broadway run of Arcadia- I still miss it.

Graduate school has also been something I have committed to this fall, applying to a handful of schools as a possibility for the future. I just love to learn and want to push myself and explore more as an actress. I always love to challenge myself and am looking forward to confronting my fears with auditioning and monologues. It can only benefit me!

The holidays were wonderful and I got my first true break since last winter. Our musical theatre coordinator Clay James- my dad at school- had us over his apartment for a senior holiday celebration and it ended the semester on the best note possible. I truly love everyone in my class so much and can't wait to see whats in store for everyone after Montclair. Going home was perfect- the snowy scenery helped- and I loved seeing my friends from home. I got my parents with Montclair State University Theatre and Dance department apparel and Seinfeld Scene It- the leg lamp from A Christmas Story to put in our window. It was divine. I got the most beautiful gifts from my parents, family, and friends including Bob Dylan albums, vintage clothing, skull candy headphones (so happy about these), Every Little Step on DVD (have watched this about 6 times already and melt every time), Once on DVD (this is the movie I would watch on Netflix in the morning before Arcadia performances because it put me in the best mood), Ugg slippers that are the best treat for my feet, poetry books, and Mad Men on DVD which is my new obsession. I also finally caught up on Lost so I am totally ready for Feb. 2nd.

I just finished competing in the American College Theatre Festival Region II Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition yesterday, receiving a nomination to attend from Homburg last spring. My partner Kelsey "Kiki" Thompson and I made it all the way to the final round- we were elated- and had a blast with our material. It was such a good experience and I owe so much to that girl for being one of the best people I have ever worked with. Mi amor Carlos Gonzalez won the entire competition, representing Montclair State University and making us all so proud! Yes Montclair!

So now I'm back and ready to kick off my last semester ever. WOW! I can't wait to begin rehearsals for Side Show and senior showcase and to continue learning. Its going to be a wonderful semester.

Hello!

Hello Blogger.com!
Hmm...what to say in my first ever entry? All I can think about is my xanga from high school and all those teen open diaries-woof. Angst every day.
Well it is absolutely gorgeous out-I'm obsessed with this weather- spring has been officially skipped and my lobster complexion is living proof of the sunny days (WARNING: do not touch my back). The semester is winding down and I'm absolutely thrilled to travel back out to the Mac Haydn Theatre in Chatham, NY, performing in their full season of seven musicals from May to September. To kick off the season, I will soon be watching Summer Stock starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly with a bottle of wine. Woo Hoo!
Its scary to think my junior year of college is close to a wrap up- woah momma. I had a fabulously fortunate semester, performing twice on the ravishing stage of the regional Alexander Kasser Theatre located on campus in one of my favorite musicals Crazy for You and the world premiere adaptation of the classic German play Homburg. Both shows turned out to be utterly amazing experiences for me as a performer- I had a blast being sucked into the worlds of both pieces. I also got to perform in The Vagina Monologue with some fierce females at MSU for playwright Eve Ensler's V-Day Campaign and it has become one of the most rewarding projects of my life. I also interned in the spring with Bret Adams Talent Agency, Ltd in the big bad city and learned a bunch about the biz while gossiping daily about Broadway divas with my boss. I joined a showcase company called The Actor's Project in NYC and also did a cabaret at the Luna Stage when not involved with the department shows. I have become a Twilight fan- you can currently find my nose stuck in Eclipse- and Adele is the most played artist on my IPOD. Grey Gardens starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange was indeed an event of the year and Hair on Broadway filled me with love. Britney Spears is back and better than ever. Billy Blanks still kicks my ass everytime in my apartment when I work out to his dvds. I broke my right wrist and tore a ligament in my right ankle all this year, but my battement did not suffer. My parents still prove to be two of the most miraculous people in the world and my friends still remain my backbone. I guess I can say the year was more than successful, despite my time in casts (totally rocked them). I truly feel thankful and so alive!
Please enjoy my wesbite- aaah- I can't believe I have one- and don't hesitate to contact me!
Best of luck to all!
Tara