The Full Monty Opening Night Photos

This gig's an echo...

Good Old Jeanette. She was a hoot.

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Update Coming Soon,

Meanwhile....

Singin' in the Rain Opening Night Photos

Loving life as Lina Lamont. Huge thanks to Miss Loriann Freda, the entire cast and crew (especially her costume girls), and LIVE RAIN for making this show such a treasure and a ball to perform.

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What a Glorious Feeling

From Anne of Green Gables:

Diana Barry: I wish I were rich, and I could spend the whole summer at a hotel, eating ice cream and chicken salad.
Anne Shirley: You know something, Diana? We are rich. We have sixteen years to our credit, and we both have wonderful imaginations. We should be as happy as queens.

(Gestures to Sun)

Look at that. You couldn't enjoy its loveliness more if you had ropes of diamonds.

UPDATE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE:

EEEGODS! I bid farewell to River City last night and it was actually quite sad! The Music Man 'twas the fabulous kick off to our season at the Mt. Wash in all its old fashioned Americana fabulousness. Being a fan of the Robert Preston/Shirley Jones film version and adoring the music as a kid, I was happy to get the chance to sing this iconic score for very excited audiences who were ready to hum along. From collecting silly bands (they are all the middle school rage) with our children cast members, to the women's dressing room raps and reality TV show "The Real Housewives of River City," and to having a blast marching through the house during "76 Trombones" and dancing the "Shipoopi"- we kept it fresh and fun every night on stage and off and it was a wonderful show to dive back into after our rehearsals during the day. So I am really glad I gave Iowa a try. And...BALZAC.

I have been exploring the VHS collection of the ski lodge I am living in-its pretty fierce- and found all the "Anne of Green Gables" movies, which I use to watch countless times in my childhood and haven't seen since. It has been beautiful reliving those films on my meal breaks, being taken to stunning Prince Edward Island and into Anne with an e's wild imagination. I cried my eyes out! I opened this blog with a beautiful scene in the first film between Anne and her best friend Diana that I think of when I stare at the sky in NH. I have never seen such illustrious sunsets and skies nor so many stars at night.

I also have been reading David Mamet's True and False-something I recommend all actors to read- and this used book I bought off the sidewalk in the city near the Met published in the 1930s called Listen Little Girl: Before You Come to New York by Munro Leaf, which is this brilliant manual that resembles How to Succeed..., but only for women. There is this amazing chapter on theater and this opening passage is just the bee's knees:

"Any one who thinks of the theater and the people of the theater in terms of mere practicality is a fool. Like patriotism, religion, and mother love, acting has an unexplainable factor that makes mince-meat of drab reality and logic. You have had at least a clue to this if you have ever taken part in any sort of performance at anytime in your life. It doesn't matter whether it was the Sunday School Christmas play when you were one of the Three Wise Men at the age of five or the Tuesday Ladies' Club's rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream; there was, I guarantee, a fine flush of frenzy about it that made the show's "going on" the most important thing in the world."

--I just love that statement. Thanks Mr. Leaf.--

Other happenings include my parents making their first visit up for 4th of July to NH, securing an amazing brownstone apartment in Philly for next year that makes me smile from ear to ear, organizing a MSU 2010 newsletter with fellow classmate and current roommate Shannon Connolly, filming the silent picture and talkies my character Lina Lamont stars in in Singin in the Rain, and just getting ready to open this crazy beast of a musical. I'm in love with this character and am happy to be doing another musical I grew up with amongst an extremely hardworking cast and creative team. I can't wait to get pied in the face every night and to be a blonde!

My summer really has been amazing thus far and I am grateful for each day. More to come soon!!!

My Day on Set on the CONWAY- For Mom

Singin in the Rain Silent Film/Talkie Shots

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Update coming soon...

The Music Man: The Real Housewives of River City

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SHIPOOPI!

Ski Lodges, General Stores, and Mountains- OHH MY!

HELLO FROM THE WHITE MOUNTAINS!

My life in New Hampshire, only about a week in, has been utterly blissful. From sharing an adorably fashioned ski lodge with wonderful roommates (Shout out to the bottom level-Shannon Connolly, Joe Byrne, and Meg Buzzard- where we do things like dance to the Match.com song and sip our morning coffees)- to swinging from a tree like Huckleberry Finn into a lazy river- to roasting smores in my house's lovely fireplace- to strolling through an old fashioned general store complete with a soda shop and way too many brands of maple syrup- to runs up and down rolling hills beneath the shade of endless trees- to playing kick ball in my rehearsal skirt-to end of the evening star gazing on the edge of a cliff-to Conway Bears, our very own version of Broadway Bares- to celebrating two 21st birthdays of company members- to loving life in River City as Mrs. Squires in The Music Man- I am having such a ball rehearsing in this incredible atmosphere while enjoying the beauty of nature. I feel so outdoorsy that I even purchased my first pair of overalls (shown in picture) that I call my "Judy's" after Miss Garland in Summer Stock. I honestly cannot stop laughing and enjoying myself. I am in for a summer to remember. I feel so very grateful and blessed to be in such good company, doing what I love, and being introduced to such a charming town. My dear friend Bonnie Kelly, a school chum and my dance captain for the summer, is keeping a blog about her North Conway adventures: kellyb4.blog.com!

In other news, I am going to be working at the Walnut Street Theatre for their 2010-2011 season as one of their professional acting apprentices from September to May! I am truly honored to have been offered this incredible apprenticeship and cannot wait to tour to schools in the Philadelphia area with their educational outreach program and gain EMC points through working on productions in the Walnut's main stage season. Back in the day, I use to work for a theatre camp at the Villagers Theatre- an awesome community theatre in Central Jersey where I performed through out high school- and I also conducted a camp through Surflight Theatre's Art Resource School, so I am excited to work and interact with children again and share with them my love and energy for this art! I am also looking forward to living in Philly and to just continue learning and opening my eyes to new things! What an opportunity...it makes my toes tingle with anticipation!

Book recommendation: Edith Bouvier Beale: A Life in Pictures, which is the best coffee table book I own. Edie Beale is one of my favorite people to research and one hell of an inspiring individual. I have been fascinated with Grey Gardens ever since I saw the incomparable Christine Ebersole light up the stage in the musical version, which hooked me right into the documentary. Check it out!

In random news, my website was hacked into recently- BOOOO, which is why it was not operating the past few weeks. Peter Nilsen, my web designer and good friend, is helping me get it back on track with my new updates and the recent updates I made, which were lost. Also, my reel from school shows is underway! WOW!

Before I left, I had a wonderful time visiting as many friends as I could. So much love to my home girlfriends who I love catching up with! One highlight was my visit to the Jersey Shore to see my college classmate Angelo Palma at The Music Man Ice Cream Shoppe! It was hilarious and delicious.

The Music Man- the Meredith Wilson musical that I'm in that is- opens June 30th- Cannot wait! Hope all your summers are going well too!

Summertime Plans!

On June 14th, I will be heading up to North Conway, New Hampshire to join the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company for their 4oth anniversary summer season! I will be playing "Lina Lamont" in Singin' in the Rain, "Jeanette" in The Full Monty, and also will be cast in The Music Man and Hair. I am beyond thrilled to join this company and to take on such deliciously funny roles! Please click this link for more info: MWV Theatre Company Official Website.

In other news, one of my best friends Nadia Vynnytsky just landed "Serena" in the Legally Blonde National Tour and the entire MSU Class of 2010 is jumping for joy! I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS!!!!!! YESSS NADIA!!

I'll be spending this upcoming week packing, seeing a few shows, spending time with family and friends, taking class, and hitting a few auditions before I head out until the very end of August. I very much enjoyed my short trip to the Mac-Haydn Theatre and wish the 2010 company all the luck with the rest of their season!

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER!