This is a clipping from my colleges newspaper from when I was in the main stage production, Belle's Stratagem. Corsets, petty coats, wigs... oh my! Belle's was a tedious production in which we were directed to face out to the audience standing dead center in squares that were painted on the racked stage for the first Act. Second Act was a free for all.
These are also from a main stage production in college of Macbeth. I played one of the witches, but clearly we are not the hags the Bard envisioned. 'Macbeth's' was actually a night club where most of the action took place including sword fighting. Night two of the production, Macduff's wrist was actually cut during one of the fights causing blood to run down his arm and all around him on the stage floor as he continued the scene. The audience didn't have a clue. The ETM's came in to patch him up in the green room before the next scene. The show went on.
The first photo there is with our director and professor, Dr. Herman.
And no, I have never dressed like that in public.
Now we skip some time and some shows because A. I have a photo of at least one show from this time I don't love and B. I graduated college and moved to Los Angeles... to become a ah-hem, movie star. I do, however, have a photo of myself somewhere dressed in my hippy garb from the set of 'Semi-Pro'. I was an extra in the stands. I met Woody Harrelson. He's short.
Anyway, the above photo is from a rehearsal of my first show at a theatre that I have now performed at over ten times. This was fall 2008 in the show "Lying in State". I played 40 something Edna (age makeup was applied) whose ex husband, a State Senator, had just passed away. It was a comedy, I assure you. "Hello? Yes, I need to hire a bugler. No, not a burglar. Are you telling me I can actually hire a burglar??" Um, yes, I remember many of my lines from many of my shows.
And here I am in Footloose the Musical where my mid-twenty something self plays a 16 year old high school cheerleader. I have to give myself props - that in fact is a high school cheerleaders uniform that I am in.
Putting on lotion backstage because who wants flaky dry skinned legs in a full length gown on stage? Not I!
I was pretty much "drinking" through this entire show. Chris Gorman of Neil Simon's Rumors was a fun character to play. We performed this in a black box theatre setting so our set looks a little unconventional.
The final moment of Act I, aka the moment my grandmother passes out in the audience during the second night of performances. Long story short, they really don't know what happened, but our 15 minute intermission became 45 minutes long as my grandmother was taken out by ambulance and taken to the hospital to eventually have a pace maker put in. Again, the show must go on and that it did.
Then I fulfilled a bucket list wish of playing Shelby in Steel Magnolias. Remember when I mentioned remembering lines from shows I had been in? I could do this show tonight.
"I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."
"It looks like a stuck pig bled all over my hands."
"You know what Daddy always says, 'An ounce of pretension is worth a pound of manure'."
Children's Theatre Playwright's Festival Summer 2010. I was in two of the skits, one that played throughout. These photos are from 'Escapade'. Check me out in those rainbow suspenders! There was a mix of adult and children actors in each of these skits and we just had a blast.
Olympia from 'A Flea in Her Ear' - Oct. 2010
During a dress rehearsal when coming down the stairs that were not visible to the audience, I slipped and landed on the stairs causing several cuts and bruises including one of each across my shoulder blades. My fellow actors helped me up so that I could run on stage and finish the scene. After that someone was always at the foot of the stairs to help me down. Aww.
Woman in Black - Oct. 2010
This photo was a reenactment of the moment I was crossing the stage during a blackout at a dress rehearsal and the light board operator pulled up the lights on my cross... so I struck a pose. My costar here wanted in the photo to appear he was being attacked.
The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of A Christmas Carol - Dec. 2010
That is a mouth full. Here I portrayed many characters as Felicity (pictured with 'outlandish prop'), a young woman in the Guild, playing the parts of Fred (pictured), a snowman, Ghost of Christmas Present, Fran, Old Joe and possibly some others, who knows.
These last three shows were my overlapping shows at the end of 2010. I did not have a life outside of the theatre for at least three months. I took a Christmas break, but not before auditioning for my next role (below).
Premiere! - Feb 2011 - Rebecca Fryman
That dress apparently caused a stir... I'm not sure why...
The Dixie Swim Club - Spring 2011 - Jeri Neal
Hopefully I will look nothing like this when I am actually pregnant.
Hallelujah Girls - 2011 - Sugar Lee Thompkins
"Spa Dee Da"
This is the first time I ever lost my sh*t on stage in front of an audience. My costar and I were backstage when someone on stage referred to me as "Bunny Lee". My characters name was Sugar Lee and my arch enemies name was Bunny. I clapped my hands together creating a much louder sound than I intended causing the two of us to begin laughing when our cue to come on stage came up. The laughter continued as I nearly dropped a tool box on his foot. We were in complete hysterics, but as it turned out so was the audience! Before he could deliver his line about my getting him some coffee, I abruptly shouted, "I'll go get you some coffee" just so I could get off stage. My Mom who was in the audience that night said it was very much like watching the Carol Burnett show where they were constantly cracking each other up and the audience loved it.
Bus Stop - 2012 - Cheri
This was the first show for my hometown's local theatre group. They had been out of commission for many years and I was honored to be a part of their opening season. This show was actually performed as a dinner theatre in the cafe that you see in the photo. Small quarters. In this show Cheri sings 'That Old Black Magic' with Virgil strumming his guitar in the background.
Doubt - 2012 - Sister James
"I like Frosty the Snowman!" - my quote from this show written on the wall backstage.
Odd Couple (Female Version) - 2013 - Olive Madison (Oscar if you're more familiar with the original)
It was fun to play the sloppy 'who gives a damn' character. "You leave little notes on my pillow. 'We're all out of Corn Flakes F.U.' It took my three hours to figure out F.U. was for Florence Ungar!!"
See the birdie?
Annie Get Your Gun - Summer 2013 - Dolly Tate
Me with some of my younger fans.
Me with some of my younger fans.
Moon Over Buffalo - Fall 2013 - Rosalind
I like the first photo here just because you can literally see me saying "You Are!"
In this role I had a great comedic monologue that I may store in my head for future auditions.
That is it, I believe, for the photos I have of most of theatre productions I have done in the past 7 - 8 years. Looking back and also though modeling shoots, runway shows and film endeavors I have to say I have done quite a bit. Who else can say they have photos of themselves with their hair decorated like that of a bulls horns? Yeah, we'll get to the runway/shoots later.
I have auditions in January for a show that was written by a local. Other than that, for now, I will enjoy the holiday season hoping Santa will bring me what I asked for. ;)
I like the first photo here just because you can literally see me saying "You Are!"
In this role I had a great comedic monologue that I may store in my head for future auditions.
That is it, I believe, for the photos I have of most of theatre productions I have done in the past 7 - 8 years. Looking back and also though modeling shoots, runway shows and film endeavors I have to say I have done quite a bit. Who else can say they have photos of themselves with their hair decorated like that of a bulls horns? Yeah, we'll get to the runway/shoots later.
I have auditions in January for a show that was written by a local. Other than that, for now, I will enjoy the holiday season hoping Santa will bring me what I asked for. ;)
