I am so happy to announce that I have been cast in my first official New York theater production! This April, I will be joining Spicy Witch Productions in their #DreamSeason playing Princess Estella in Life is But a Dream, written by Shawn Morgenlander, an adaptation of Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s La Vida es Sueño. It is silly, romantic, magical, dangerous, beautiful, and I am having so much fun getting to do what I love.
The Spicy Witches are an all-female production company, who got together to make plays written, directed, and produced by women. This is their sixth season of producing two shows in repertory, the other being an original work called Merrily, Merrily by Iris Dauterman, a modern adaptation of my show. There are men in the cast, but everything is run by FEMALES -- and it is flawless!
If you happen to be in New York City between April 7-15, you can check out the show (or get a pass to see both) by purchasing tickets here.
This gift comes at a good time. The end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 have been particularly trying with multiple projects, travel, and audition season in New York.
I have been working extensively with AMIOS, as per usual. Since my last entry I performed in their November Shotz show, wrote for the December one, acted AND produced January Shotz, a sports-themed show called Shotz: A True Underdog Story, and I also performed in their February Shotz show which included eight people as a Greek Chorus in ALL six short plays. I was in that chorus, and thus in ALL six short plays. Whew!
Since I did such a fine job of producing January’s show, the Artistic Director of AMIOS asked me to be Production Manager for their full-length production of The Loneliest Number, a world premiere play by Lizzie Vieh. This show started as a Shotz piece in 2015, was developed into a full-length for a reading in 2016, and was now being produced over a three-week run. I have never been a Production Manager, so I was hesitant to take the job, but I ultimately said yes since I have so much free time... It certainly had its challenges, and though it completely exhausted me, I learned a lot throughout the process. Still, Lizzie’s play is incredible, and was very well-received, so I look forward to seeing it produced again and again, but probably by someone else! But hey -- I was a kick-ass PM, and they were lucky to have me! :)
Co-Producer Mario and I at January Shotz show.
On a snowmobile in Suncadia, WA.
My whole dang family.
A Mom and Sister visit to NYC for Valentine’s Day
On the travel front, I took three round-trip flights to the West Coast between December and January. The first was a two-week trip home for the holidays. I was so looking forward being home for Christmas, but two days before my flight, I received word that my Nonni had passed away. She had been plagued with multiple maladies for the last ten years, and finally succumbed to them, to our sad relief.
I returned to New York the day before the “bomb cyclone” and was here for five days, produced January Shotz, and then boarded a plane to Seattle, WA the next day for my office job work retreat. It was at a beautiful winter resort and gave me a chance to get to know my co-workers at our Seattle headquarters. And drive a snow mobile! I also got to hang with my newly-engaged friends Chris and Justine in Seattle, so that was a nice time.
Back to New York for another five days, when I received word that my other Gramma had passed away. I was already scheduled to go home for my Nonni’s memorial, and now I would be attending two services in one trip. Gramma Lu took ill while I was home for Christmas, but I assumed that my 95-year-old heroine would bounce back. She was a tough lady, and invincible in my eyes. So yeah, it was a tough month... And though I was not planning to return home so soon, I was so glad to be able to celebrate the lives of my two grandmothers with my entire family.
And then back to it. Audition Season in NYC occurs in the first few months of the year. I have attended 39 auditions thus far. And I booked one. And I’m stoked.
This is the first of more to come. And I have two more angels looking out for me.
To end on a fun note, my Love, Will Springhorn Jr. (aka “Buttface,” “The Pants,” etc.) got me new headshots for Christmas with the same woman who took his. Cynthia Smalley is a delight, and Will came along to observe and hang with this awesome lady. She insisted on taking some of us. We kinda like each other:
I’m so lucky to be living the dream.