28 December 2004

I APOLOGIZED LAST TIME, TOO, DIDN'T I?

Wow, no excuses for disappearing for as long as I did...

Oliver! ended on a high note, and I enjoyed being a dancer again so much that I've started to put some funds aside to continue dance lessons. With the close of Oliver!, I jumped into Romeo and Juliet straight away. The show went up on schedule with a pretty satisfying 2-day run. Thank you to everyone who came out to support me; this was a huge step, and it means a lot that those friends were out there for me. I've learned a great deal from this experience because I had to take on a significant amount of responsibility other than directing, including co-producing, stage manager, lights, sound, and props; some of which I've done before, others I haven't. In all fairness, the lights and sound were simplistic, but the time that it took to organize the details...whew. I couldn't have done it without Michael, who helped take some of the load of my shoulders and was an absolute god-send. Not only did he help take some of the workload, but he was a great person to bounce ideas off of, and I never had to worry about his abilities. To have that faith in someone's abilities to do their job is such a tremendous relief. He knew what he was doing, and he's good at what he does. Props also to Adam for his choreography work. We had some great fight sequences between Tybalt and Mercutio and Tybalt and Romeo.

The Christmas concert with St. Dominic Academy's Womens Choir went very well. Rehearsals begin again in February for the Spring concert, and we'll be preparing for our May performance at Carnegie Hall. I'm still a little sketchy on the details, but I'm sure once rehearsals begin, I'll have more information to post (promise).

TDE will continue shooting once the New Year rings in. We're scheduled for a one-day shoot in Conneticut on January 9th, with the rest of the schedule still to be confirmed, hopefully to be wrapped by April.

...You'd think that after disappearing for over a month, I'd have a bit more to say, huh? Romeo and Juliet took up nearly every waking moment, and in truth, there isquite a lot to say, but much of it is still being sorted in the private recesses of my mind. I'm still absorbing the directing experience, dissecting aspects that I liked and didn't like. I know that I would want to direct again at some point, though my true focus is as a performer. As I said, this experience has taught me quite a bit, and I'd like to see if I can translate lessons learned to the stage.

And of course, the hunt begins again for my next project. Hopefully auditions will pick up once we've gotten past the holiday season. Happy Holidays!

P.S. Did you know that they make baked Cheetos now??? Mmmmm...

4 November 2004

APOLOGIES FOR THE LACK OF UPDATES, BUT PERHAPS YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU READ ON...

Where to start? My head is positively spinning. I just got off the phone with Theatre-Studio, Inc in New York, and my proposal has been approved! I'm going to be directing my first show! In New York! And it's Shakespeare! Ok...perhaps I should back up...It's really quite simple...I had originally submitted as a performer for TSI's Playtime series Seven Deadly Sins. Instead, they contacted me about possibly directing a show for the series. After an interview and some paperwork, I was told that the Artistic Director of the theatre company had approved my application. The next step was to submit a proposal regarding which play in particular I would be directing. I chose Romeo and Juliet, seeing as how this is my directorial debut (and Shakespeare, no less), so I wanted to start with something that many people were familiar with. I can't believe I got the job. Show dates are Friday and Saturday, December 17-18th. I will definitely be posting updates on this project later. Good grief. I need to sit down. I need to breathe...

Oliver! is entering tech week and on Monday, we move into the theatre space itself where we will see the set and don our costumes for the first time. I have been attending rehearsals, but not able to actively participate in anything other than singing because I am still healing from minor surgery on my leg. I should be good to go by this Sunday, which leaves me 1 week to perfect the dances that I've been visually absorbing at rehearsals. For tickets and information, call (973) 992-6570 or (973) 992-5996.

I finally finished the voice recording for King's Quest IX. What an experience! I had such a great time with it that I have been looking for other opportunities to do cartoon or computer game voice overs. Wow. Can't wait to see the final product. I got a chance to see some of the artwork that these people are doing and it was amazing.

I've still been working on TDE shoots as AC. We had a Sunday shoot the week before Halloween, this time in NYC. No news yet on when the next shoot will be.

My fight reels have been completed happy dance; so after things settle into some semblance of organized chaos, I will figure out how to put my reels on my site.

The Paramus cast of The Vagina Monologues was invited to attend a live taping of a special PrimeTime Live! in NYC on America and sex. It was great to reunite with the cast for a night - we had dinner and then attended the taping in the heart of Times Square.

Oh, and by the way, everyone: Happy Belated Halloween! I went to a Halloween party and everything was so well-planned! The hosts went all out on the decorations, the spookiness, the set up. I even won one of the costume prizes that night, much to my surprise. Once I strong-arm...er...ask my friends for copies of the pictures (they have digital cameras...ahh, instant gratification), I may put up a picture of my costume. Great time, truly. Some of the costumes were really impressive.

I still can't believe I have a show to put up in December. I really do think I need to go decompress now...

8 October 8 2004

LAST UPDATE FOR THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES:

Unfortunately, there will be no encore performance of the show. From what we've been told, the director and theatre were unable to find a mutually agreeable date for another 3-day run of the show. Also, I believe some business concerns factored into the decision. Thank you to everyone who supported us; I know many people contacted me personally about attending the show, and I'm sorry to disappoint all of you.

"CONSIDER YOURSELF"...

...invited to my next show, Oliver! performing at the Mt. Pleasant Middle School in Livingston, NJ. I've been cast as a featured dancer, and it'll feel great to dance again. The last time I worked with children in the cast was as a featured dancer in Mame, and the adults outnumbered the children by quite a bit. In Oliver, though, we're raw meat for these kids. I think the ratio of kids to adults is close to 8 to 1. Eeeeeek. LOL It'll be good to work with Patrick again - he was my choreographer in Mame, and he is director/choreographer for this show. Show dates are November 13-14 and 20-21; show times are 7:30pm on Saturdays, 2:00pm on Sundays, with two performances on November 20th (2pm &7:30pm). Tickets are $16 (children/students/seniors) and $20 (adults). For tickets and information, call (973) 992-6570 or (973) 992-5996.

MEDIA UPDATE:

Check back here again soon.

I will (hopefully) be updating my pics area soon with photos from The Vagina Monologues and Oliver!, once we get our costumes. I say "hopefully" because I have 5 rolls of film sitting here, waiting to be developed, so as you can see, there's a slight, very slim chance, that I might once again get sidetracked. Yes, I know. Pretty sad, huh? I also should be getting a copy of one of my fight scenes soon, so I will be adding that to the site as well. Also, check the TDE site from time to time, as they are always adding to their media gallery. I'll be on location again for them this Sunday and Monday.

Speaking of TDE...I have been assigned as assistant cameraman. How cool is that?!

Aaaaaaargh...Ever feel like you're forgetting something REALLY important??

28 September 2004

THE PLEASANTLY ROUND, CHEERFULLY ROTUND LADY HAS SUNG...OR HAS SHE?

Good news - the Paramus Picture Show is definitely interested in having us back to perform again to make up for the holidays. The director and the theatre are meeting soon to discuss possible dates. I will post the 'encore' dates as soon as I know, so check back often!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support The Vagina Monologues this past Friday and Saturday. Despite the holidays, we had a great turn out and an amazing audience for each of our performances. After all was said and done, we raised $725 for Shelter Our Sisters, the domestic violence shelter that this show had set out to help.

CONGRATULATIONS...

...to all the Spotlight On award winners!! I was able to attend, and all around, it was a night to remember. Avenge! won several awards that night, the company was wonderful, I had a chance to reunite with some cast members, and I ran into other friends there, some of whom won that night, too.

20 September 2004

A quick note of an update: if you are interested in seeing The Vagina Monologues, but cannot attend because of Yom Kippur, please let the director know of your interest. As it stands right now, they don't feel that there is sufficient expressed interest in an October date, and both the theatre and director are hesitant about booking another show. If, however, there are enough people who would attend, that might sway them to go ahead with the October performance. You can reach Case at the same email address as for all other show information: webmaster@caseonstage.com. Please let him know!

That aside, we are only a few days from opening night, and it promises to be both an entertaining as well as enlightening show. Reserve tickets now! $13 in advance, $15 at the door.

10 September 2004

Buckle yourselves in, keep your hands and arms inside the...ok, that was funnier in my head. What I'm really trying to say is that I have lots of updates, so pay attention!

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES UPDATE:

Ah, it seems that everyone is starting to pick up their calendars and noticing that yes, our performance dates do indeed fall on Yom Kippur. There has apparently been a wonderful response to our show and many people who observe the holiday would still like to attend, so the director and the theatre are currently discussing an additional performance date in October so that we can accommodate all those who could not attend because of the holiday. I'll be posting updates on that development as soon as I learn anything.

Tickets are still on sale for the September performance dates, so if you would like to attend one of those shows, please buy your tickets! Show dates: September 24th @ 8pm, September 25th @ 2pm and 8pm. Tickets are $13 (advance) and $15 (door). Tickets can be purchased via Case Gaines' website.

THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES

Through different eyes, indeed. I got the chance to see the workings of film in a wide variety of aspects. This was different from my work on the martial arts reel, where there were no lights to set up, no script to memorize, no wires to grip, no microphone to be conscious of. The film, which is being shot at an Ivy league college, is called "Through Different Eyes" and this is the first time I've mentioned this project, only because my involvement with it was very ambiguous until I actually got there. Over Labor Day weekend, I had the opportunity to work as a script supervisor, and it was a fantastic experience because my job didn't end there. I had the opportunity to work as grip, continuity, slate, boom microphone, and I even got to do a walk-through, so unless it winds up on the cutting room floor, I'll be in this film for about 5 seconds. Don't blink!

I was a little nervous while I was racking focus for the film because I'd hate to be the reason why an otherwise brilliant shot was ruined, but hopefully I got better as the hours clicked away. Working 12-13 hour days with very little time to stop and breathe is enough to make me sleep like a rock, but surprisingly enough, I found I didn't want to sleep. It's amazing how 5 days felt like 5 weeks, and even after spending every waking moment with these people, living under the same roof, sharing every meal with them, I wanted more. I'm looking forward to getting the next shoot schedule.

SPOTLIGHT ON AWARDS

Ok, so this isn't so much of an update as an interesting piece of news. The very first show that I did in New York, Avenge!, was nominated for the Spotlight On awards. The awards ceremony is going to be on Sunday, September 26th, and I'm really hoping to go...we'll see...This is the show I did with Genesis Repertory, and I believe, among others, the categories we were nominated for were "Best Ensemble" and "Best Director". I know we were nominated for something technical, but it escapes me at the moment. Check out the complete list of nominees.

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated!

28 August 2004

SHADES OF PURPLE...

My martial arts reel has been completed and I'm looking forward to getting a copy of the finished product. Oh, the bruises.

But of course, I'll continue practicing all the skills I've learned over the past 2 months. I'm sure I'll be working with Eddie again in the future - he has some great ideas and was wonderful to work with. I'm working on the pictures that I promised - they will be available on my new website...and in a considerably more agreeable size and format so that when you load the page, you're not greeted with a gigantic view of my eyeball...

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!

Though the show is still a month away, tickets for Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues are on sale now. This is truly for a good cause, so please buy your tickets!! To purchase advanced tickets, go to the Paramus Picture Show theatre or Case Gaines' websites.

9 August 2004

As opposed to early July, the rest of the month has been a whirlwind of activity, for which I am very grateful. I've been working with director/choreographer/photographer Eddie Fernandez every week to train in the basics of JKD, Filipino stick fighting, and swordplay. All of this will be shot for Eddie's portfolio, and the actors involved will receive a copy of their respective fight scenes. I've got some pictures from both the rehearsal and the shoot - I'll be putting them up on my site soon.

HAVEN'T WE DEJA'D THIS VU BEFORE?

I'm also going to be performing in The Vagina Monologues again; this time, I'll be doing the monologue "Reclaiming Cunt". This production is being put together by Case Gaines and will be performing at the 300-seat Paramus Picture Show theatre. Show dates are Friday, September 24th at 8pm and Saturday, September 25th at 2pm and 8pm. For more information, or to purchase tickets online, you can go to either the theatre or Case's website.

As with The Vagina Monologues with _gaia studios that I did several months ago, this production will be donating a large portion of the proceeds to a domestic violence shelter in Hackensack, NJ. Our first read-through will be tonight, and I'm looking forward to that.

Voice recording for KQ9 is finally happening! At this point, we are just trying to coordinate our schedules, and we are aiming to record my characters in mid/late august.

5 July 2004

Happy Belated 4th of July!

It's been a pretty quiet time lately, unfortunately, but the good news is that some of my projects are just about ready to take off (most notably, the King's Quest voice-over project). I'm really looking forward to it. I'll post updates on my site as we get closer to the completion of that project.

28 April 2004

Feels like I've taken a much longer break than just one month. Actually, I've kept busy, not just looking for my next job, but I've been working on getting my vocal chords back in performance mode. It's been a bumpy re-start, but I could hardly expect a stellar come back after focusing solely on my acting and other acting skills for the past year. Anyhow, I hope to have a new project before too long. I spent a week standing in for a show in NY when one of their performers had to be away for a little over a week. It was fun to be there, to work with a new group of people. I'm definitely going to try and make it to the show when it opens, just to see how it turns out. A good friend is also in that production, so I'll of course be there to show my support as well.

Unfortunately, no new news at the moment. Check back soon!

22 March 2004

BITTERSWEET ENDING...

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to support us! The Vagina Monologues performance on Sunday was a sell-out! We had a great performance, a great crowd, and overall, it was an enlightening experience all around. I am not a campaigner, an activist, but this was for a good cause, and I'm glad to have been a part of it. As a performer, I appreciate the opportunity to work on this project because it gave me a chance to take on some intense roles.

I was a little disappointed, though, that some people walked away from the show feeling that the message was about men being evil, that it's women vs. men. It was never about that. I understand that some of the monologues were difficult to stomach - I had the same reaction myself to some of them - so I can sympathize with that. But, the show had been touted as raising awareness and stopping violence, providing the counseling and support for those who are in need...and yes, to instill a sense of comradeship by sharing experiences that women can relate to on some level...but not about finger pointing. At the end of the performance, the women who shared their personal abuse stories were not bitter; their message was full of strength, hope, and optimism. In the back of the room, a man shouted out his support as the last woman summed up her experiences.

It makes me sad that some people walked away with the wrong message, but I hope that they were able to take away something good from this, and that our performance was able to effect many others in a more positive light. Because of the topic, this was not an easy production to put up, nor was it an easy one to listen to, so again...thank you.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE...

Rain Delay also opened this weekend and will run for another 4 performances next weekend. We've had some good responses to that as well, so if you are interested in watching some original one-acts, let me know. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door.

I'm slowly recovering from the pressure I've been putting my body through while working on two shows simultaneously. My body's just waiting for the green light to finally shut down for a few days and sleep!

10 March 2004

NEARING THE HOME STRETCH...

The Vagina Monologues are just around the corner! If you are interested in this event, I would suggest reserving tickets now as we were told that over 50 tickets have already been sold, and the place only holds about 100 or so people. It is standing room only, as they are trying to accommodate as many people as possible. I'm very excited about this performance. Feel free to contact me about the show, or you can find all the information about the production, cast, crew, and ticket information at _gaia studio's website.

Rain Delay is also gearing up for opening night. It will be interesting, hitting tech week for 2 shows at the same time. If you're interested in seeing some original one-act pieces performed, please contact me for more information.

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Stayed up until 4:00am last night (and yes, I did have work today) with friends...but zero regrets. It was great. I even got to work out some energy on punching pads (what are they really called??) after rehearsal last night. Wonderful inventions, they are. Love them! You don't need gloves or shoes (is it just me, or do the gloves make your hands itch?), but the only drawback is you need a sparring partner. Well, technically you could hang the pad from a wall, but it's not the same. A little tired today, but I'd do it again. It was good to laugh like that.

26 February 26 2004

I received a call from one of the directors for The Vagina Monologues and it looks like things are starting to pick up. Rehearsals have officially begun and rehearsal schedules are being finalized. I was also asked to perform an additional piece, so in addition to "My Angry Vagina", I will also be performing the Juarez segment of "Memory of Her Face". It is a very dark and touching piece, and I look forward to immersing myself in both of these pieces. The benefit performance is less than a month away! If you're interested in seeing the show, contact me or go to the V-Day site. Our performance location (Maxwell's) has a venue capacity of 100 people, so call ahead for tickets!

I had dinner with friends last night and saw my first American Idol episode. It was interesting, if you fast-forward through all the chatter, but nothing that spectacular...until the very last singer. There were several other good performers, but Latoya London positively floored me with her performance of All By Myself. Absolutely amazing.

The night ended with a movie...the company was great, as always, but the movie, ah, the movie. All I will say is bless their hearts, those that did finish watching it.

23 February 2004

AND THE AWARD GOES TO...

The results of the Screen Actors Guild awards are in!! The Best Actor was awarded to one of my absolute favorite actors, one I respect and admire, my boy, Johnny Depp. (Oh yeah! Oh yeah!) I didn't actually watch the awards, but I did get to read about it in the Washington Post.

On a very random, Monday-worthy side note...My hockey team plays tonight, airing on ESPN2, so hopefully I'll have some time to plunk myself down to watch that. Detroit vs. Edmonton, puck drops at 9pm EST. Go Wings!

And now, back to Johnny winning the SAG award and my happy dance...

17 February 2004

A MUCH NEEDED BREAK...

This long weekend turned into a miniature get-away; I didn't realize how badly I needed to get away from the every day until now. After learning how to play poker until 4:30am on Friday, I think I'm getting the hang of it...as long as I can still have the sheet of paper that tells me in what order poker hands out-trumps the other! On our self-designated un-Valentine's Day, I had a wonderful time spending it with friends, cookies, pasta, garlic bread, and batatas. Oh yes, and a ridiculously large TV with an amazing surround-sound system and a couch that eats you up alive. We watched the extended edition of The Two Towers and I swear, the fighting sounded like it was right behind me! The next day, I saw another friend and her boyfriend who are house-sitting for a friend of theirs. Another nice relaxing day of movies and ordering in, and I got to spend the night in a house that I could never afford. The house just goes on and on and ON! We even had to play an impromptu game of Marco Polo just to find each other in that place. I used their downstairs gym, played pool in the upstairs living room...they even had their own recording studio, but of course, we didn't touch that! It's all a little too much for me, but it is a beautiful place.

4 February 2004

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END...

We recently closed our show (Rashomon) on January 31st, and while I'm focusing on my next projects, there are some serious post-show blues to deal with! It was a fantastic show with a great crew, and I was truly sorry to have the run end when it did. I wouldn't have objected to extending the run for another week or so!

Unbeknownst to us at the time, there was a theatre critic in the audience on opening night. Click here to see her review of Rashomon.

LOOKING AHEAD...

I am currently working on a 1-act festival in Montclair, NJ with Apricot Sky Productions. It will be an evening of original one-act plays, written by Eric Alter and produced at the Deron School of NJ, 130 Grove Street, Montclair, NJ 07042. I'll be participating in Rain Delay, the last play of the evening. The festival is set to open in mid-March: March 19-21 and March 26-28. Friday and Saturday night shows @ 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees @ 2pm. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for students and seniors and matinees.

I'll also be performing one of the Vagina Monologues by Eva Ensler on Sunday, March 21st at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ. Please come out and support V-Day! The Monologues begin at 7pm.

I am also participating in an unofficial release of King's Quest IX, where I will be providing the voice for 4 characters in the game (Yandara, Atrellia, Harriet L'too, and Fairy). A group of fans got together to put together this game in order to have closure to the series, and once completed, the game will be available as a free download from the internet.