I'm a need ya to calm down!

Please stop forwarding my blog to people across the NOLA theatrical world.
If they want to read it.
They will.

Otherwise, it's just annoying spam mail.
And no one wants that.

I'm asking just this one time, nicely.
Otherwise. It's going to have to become private.

And I don't want to have to do that.
So, the person doing it.
Please please please STOP!

You've already forced Trina to become completely private.
Which is unnecessary.
So let's all be adults about this, and cut it out.

Thanks.


On a much happier note.
I got new glasses!
They are big, and dorky.
And I love them!
I think I'm hip enough to pull off the fact that they are so geek-tastic.
When you see me, let me know what you think!

"You're on a spiral, and I think I want to be a part of it."

I'm not even going to explain the debauchery that occurred this weekend.
I'll just say we all had an exceptionally good time.


More importantly....

Halloween is on Saturday!
Yay!

Lisa's dinosaur costume is fantastical.
And Katie as a dragon/dino is just as wonderful.
I have to finish my Lex costume.
And by finish I mean find high waisted 90's jeans and a stupid purple tank top.
And a backpack.
Which will come in handy for holding the Halloween necessities: booze, cigarettes, money, cell phone, and camera. And my hands will be completely free to use all of the listed items.

I cannot believe we are then going to have to do a matinee of Damn Yankees on Sunday.
Rough one, my friends. Rough indeed.
Although, I will say, our past two matinee audiences have been absolutely stellar.
They are just hooting and hollering, and standing ovations. They must just be a bunch of day drinkers that wander in after brunch.
It's been great though. I've never had so much fun doing a play in the daylight.

I'm sad and happy that the show will be closing this weekend.
The entire cast genuinely enjoys each other. We all get along really well.
And everyone is just so funny and entertaining.
I will miss the ladies dressing room sing-a-longs and the ridiculously over the top arguments Picone and I have just to make everyone else laugh.
Ahh...memories.

I'm happy that the show will be closing because then that means...three days later...I'll be in Disney World!
Hooray!
It's going to be such a blasty! I cannot even wait.
Lot's of ride riding, picture taking, and around the world drinking and eating in Epcot.
I hope I actually see some characters this time around.
Last year when I was there, nothing.
I didn't seeing an effing Mouse one time!
It was quite disenchanting.
Because they don't just walk around and take photos anymore.
They have designated times and locations that they go to.
Nothing like when we were little and they would just magically appear in a crowd.

My mom always tells me the story of the first time I saw Minnie Mouse.
I saw her walking up to me and I just stood there with my mouth wide open smiling. And then I whispered "It's Minnie!" And then basically I lost my shit I was so happy and I ran up to her and hugged her.
Apparently it was the most adorable thing I've ever done.

I want that again! I want that magic of character just appearing!
Not standing in line waiting for them to appear in their kiosk.
Dammit Disney!

Whatevs....I'm sure it's going to be awesome....

Almost as awesome as the Saints/Dolphins game this weekend.
Holy hell was that amazing, or what?!?!?!
I watched the second half of the game with Yeargain, Suzannah, and Keith after the show.
Keith said they must've played so poorly in the first half because "they were out the night before getting wasted and singing karaoke at Gennero's....oh wait...that was us."
And Reggie Bush walked through the air for that touchdown.
He finally earned his paycheck for the season with that move.
Such a good game.



I'm in a big, successful, highly praised show (It's true watch our Steppin' Out review, or read the Times.), I'm going to MICKEY LAND next week, and my boys are the only undefeated team in their division....did I sell my soul to Jamie Wax, too?

"Down in Chevy Chase, staying at the Belushi Heights..."

Well, hello everyone.

What a long, effing week this has all been.

Damn Yankees previews, and eventual opening weekend went quite well, if I do say so myself.

Everyone's reactions to the show have been genuine surprise, and delight.
No one really expects to seriously enjoy a 1950's musical comedy.
But A.J. is just so damn clever, and stupid creative that he makes this show fresh, and funny, and sharp. He sees potential in things that not many other people see.
He's a really stellar director. And I'm very happy about all the good things being said about him and the show.
On a personal note, I think it's pretty hysterical how many compliments I've been given for my little part.
I timed it.
I'm onstage for less than 20 minutes, and I've gotten more nice things said to me about this sad, pathetic character, than I have any business getting.
I guess when you've got something small to work with, you can really make it specific. I had a lot of time to layer on things. Not to mention, I look ridiculous, and next to Lisa's bombastic performance, my "pathetic virgin" (as A.J. so eloquently put it) version of Doris is pretty damn funny.

(Sister & Doris on the balcony)

A lot of going out and staying up way to late occurred this weekend to celebrate a successful opening.
In a more adult move, on my part, I chose to not go out Thursday night.


But resumed my unnecessary amount of having a good time on Friday night at Boondock and Yo Mama's. After drinking about 5 glasses of free champagne at the theatre.
My parents came to the opening night soiree (mainly for the free booze).
But it was kind of adorable when my mom was like, "You're like an actual actor. You were nothing like you were in Mr.Marmalade. You can even play an old lady. You're good at this."

Amazing how it only took 18 years of doing this to prove my point.
Better late, than never!


Saturday night was a rousing evening of turning Boondock into our own private karaoke bar. Jamie Wax and I played so much Journey and Queen it was starting to become embarrassing.
But we all just sang along, at the top of our lungs till about 3:30 in the morning.
That's when we all looked around and realized we had a matinee the next morning, and yelling Freddy Mercury style all night was probably a silly decision.

(The Lovely Lauren Elens. A lady after my own heart.)

(Why is Keith's beer so gianormous compared to my whiskey? Not fair.)

I don't even remember the matinee because I was so intent on listening to the Saint-Giants game where we almost made Eli Manning cry.
Amazing.
Of course it was the best game of the year, and I'm not able to watch.
We just had to listen to the radio in the dressing rooms, and we all had our phones backstage so we could obsessively check ESPN.
Best matinee I've ever been apart of.

Monday night Trina, Chris and I went to the sneak preview of Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, starring our lovely friend Michael Cerveris. Who was kind enough to invite us to the special screening.
The movie was a campy delight. I loved that Michael was the total bad guy, and Wilem Defoe looked as though he accidentally wandered into City Park while they were filming, and the director just went, "Hey! Wilem! Wanna be in a movie and wear this creeper John Water's style pencil thin mustache? It'll be great!"
And he did.

I enjoyed it thoroughly.

What I did NOT enjoy was stupid Paranormal Activity.
Let me rephrase that.
I love love love scary movies.
But I don't know why I love them because the entire time I am watching them, I am on the verge of tears, and I have to hide behind my giant hoodie, or if it's really bad, just take my glasses off all together so I can't see a damn thing.
Unfortunately, I can still hear everything.
Ugh that movie was disturbing.
If I didn't believe in ghosts that would be one thing, but I totally do.
So , now I get to wonder if I'm being possessed in my sleep and doing terrible things to other people.
The movie was really entertaining and pretty original.
If I wouldn't have taken my glasses off, and covered my face for 80% of the movie I would have more to say about it.
But from what I heard.
It was scary!



And....on the Fetus Fever front, Drew Battles and his lovely wife are expecting a little theatre baby! Also, oddly enough, due in April.

It's starting to get weird, people.



*Oh! My brother is going to Belize this holiday season to teach Mayan children how to read and do math and arts & crafts.
Things of that nature.
Because he is the far superior child.
So if anyone wants to donate to his trip.
Lemme know, and I'll send you the info.
He would greatly appreciate it!
Anything would help!*

Fetus Fever

The time has finally come.

The time I've looked forward to, slash dreaded for a while now.

All my friends are slowly starting to become real grown ups.
It's a sad, but wonderful thing.

Almost all my best lady friends are married or have live in boyfriends.
Now, slowly, they're all becoming knocked up.
(Meredith had her baby earlier this year. The roundest, most adorable thing ever.)
And a lot of them have the same due date.
It's really quite strange.
The real fun part is going to see all the names they pick out. My friends are quite creative, so I'm really looking forward to that.
Although, I'm not sure anyone will be able to compete with my little bundles of joy: Penelope Faye, Phinnaeus James, and Elliot Ellery*.

*I know some ladies freak out over secrecy of names, luckily, no one else would ever want to name their children any of these, so I have no problem posting them for you.

Normally, this sort of information doesn't make me too worried about the state my own life is in, but it does when my parents start bothering me about it!
And how dare they?!?!
My mother didn't get married till she was 27, and then didn't have me till she was 31!
Woman needs to calm down.
And my dad is no different. But, he has a better hand to play, seeing as though he was 22 when they got married, and 25 when they had me.

I do also enjoy how my father always asks me, "Why aren't you married yet? Or at least living with someone?"

Oh, I don't know dad. It must be because from the line of spectacular men waiting to sweep me off my feet, I just decide....thanks, but no thanks fellas. I'd rather be alone.

What the hell kind of a question is that?
I guess I wouldn't mind the "getting married" part sooner, rather than later.
But, I like beer. And whiskey. And I hear that kind of stuff is bad for a baby.




Then again, my baby will probably pop out with Diet Coke addiction, and a high tolerance for Jameson.

"In Fourteen Hundred Ninety-Two, Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue"

The worst day of Tech rehearsal for a gianormous musical, is immediately followed by the most fun day.

Saturday was our cue to cue for Damn Yankees.
It was miserable and terrible. And then the run we did after C2C was long and bad. The whole day was about 10 hours worth of not good.

And the AJ basically told all of us to get our shit together and get funny, and better. He did do it in the nicest way he possibly could, though.
"I love you all as my children" was how he started the speech. Which eventually turned into..."learn these fucking lines."
Which has been a slight problem this entire show.

And on top of it all LSU lost to stupid Florida.
Bad day, to (quite honestly) finish off a not so good week.

Sunday. New day. New week.
We had sitzprobe in the morning. The band is amazing. They rock out on all this music. The show sounds incredible.
As I was telling my pal, Mark McLoughlin (who has never been in a musical), this is my absolute favorite part of the entire rehearsal process.
The sound of that orchestra for the first time is just so wonderful and exciting. It makes the day before always worth the bullshit.
It totally reminds me why I love to do musicals. And how I need to be in more of them!

Side note: I think it's so funny that I used to only do musicals, and for the past two years have really only done plays. This summer doing Leader of the Pack, Will Bryant came up to me and said, "I had no idea you even did musicals. I had no idea you could sing like that! I thought you were just an actor." Lovely compliment. Just very funny, since I used to only be associated with singing. It's a nice change of pace. I used to say I had to do one non musical a year so I could keep my street cred. Now, I need to make sure I do one musical a year so I can keep my geek cred.

After sitz we had a run, and it was much more productive than the night before.
Things are shaping up, we just need to be faster and more energetic and this show will be smoking.

And Jamie Wax is just the best thing ever. He is a tiny little man that I adore, and I just want to carry around in my pocket. He is so damn talented it's stupid. Plus, he is so wonderful and lovely to me. He's like my own little personified anti-depressant.

I've also been having a splendid time with Keithy. We haven't done a show together since high school, and it's amazing how badly we still behave in rehearsals together. It's like we never left Rummel. Mr.G would be throwing Diet Coke cans and scripts at us, no doubt.

We have a preview on Thursday, we open Friday, and then run Thursdays-Sunday till November 1st. If you order your tickets online and enter the code DYFAMILY you get a 20% discount.

ALSO, go see NOLA Project's production of Finer Noble Gases in the Marigny. Two shows for the price of one. After the play a live band performs! How exciting!

And more exciting and important than all of the above information...Kristin Witterschein moved to NOLA this weekend!!!!!! Some of you may remember her as the epic role of SUNFLOWER in Mr.Marmalade.
She's the best.
And now she lives here.
Makes my heart very happy!
And my liver very nervous.



PS. What the F, Mad Men?!?!?!?! That was the meanest thing ever! Why would you do that to that man? Why?

Luck Be a Lady Tonight

Over the past month, I have unknowingly decided to start enjoying my weekends as though I was an 18 year old, with unending amounts of energy and unlimited funds to spend.

None of this is true, so I should probably stop living this way. About every four months or so, I figure that I've earned the right to live this hard.
I haven't.
And I'm rather tired.
So. Just stop encouraging me, please.

(All my older friends get offended when I say I'm not young anymore, but I'm not as young as I used to be. And things are starting to catch up with me! I'm MID TWENTIES NOW PEOPLE! Let me grieve!)

Friday was our friend Caroline's 21st Birthday.
Naturally, she wanted to spend it in the casino.
She sat down at a PENNY slot machine. Spun once. Nothing. Spun a second time. Ding Ding Ding We Have A Winner!! $500.00 on her second spin ever.
She's going to have a very lucky year, I feel.
The night proceeded on to Pat O's, so Caroline could enjoy her first Hurricane, then we went over to Boondock where shots could be had. By that time it was about 3AM, and like any good drunk, we got hungry. So we WALKED back to the casino. And thoroughly enjoyed us some Harrah's Breakfast Buffet.
My favorite buffet in the whole city. Yum!

Saturday I got to enjoy a LSU victory while watching the game in a house full of UGA fans. Priceless.
Then continued the evening at Southern Rep for Beatles Rock Band playing.
Ah. So, so, so much fun.
I made a new friend, and singing partner in Mr. Drew Battles. He was impressed with my singing while drumming skills. After that we basically duo-ed on every song till we ran out of things to sing. He's got some pipes, I must say. He can wail in that falsetto of his.
And, again, with the staying out till 3AM.
Not needed.

Which takes me to Sunday, where I'm exhausted, from lack of sleep and too much cheering of the Saints! 4-0! SUPERBOWL! Whoo!

Just so tired at Damn Yankees the other night. The only thing that kept me awake was the constant laughing at the fact that AJ has directed the one Asian boy in our cast to speak in a completely ridiculous, slightly offensive, stereotypical Asian accent. And they ran the scene about 20 times because everyone couldn't stop laughing. It was amazing.

Ah, racism. It's even funnier when you're singing.

"Envy is the ulcer of the soul." --Socrates

So.
I've got this problem.
(It's that I start every post with the word "so".)

No, seriously, I do.

Well, it's not really a problem, so much as a challenge.
There is a person, a girl. Who is an actress in the city. And I use the term "actress" very loosely.
She hasn't been in the city long, but somehow, has managed to cause a tremendous amount of stress for myself, and a few of my dearest.

It's not like she has done anything seriously heinous, just her entire being is seriously heinous.
I just don't understand her, and her crazy, delusional dream world that she lives in.
Where she is the almighty talent, and can be taught nothing, and is too good for most theatre here.
It must be so nice to live there.
I would like to visit sometimes, see how it feels to consider myself perfection.

I would normally just laugh about people this coocoo, but recently, some new shit has come to light (to quote Big Lebowski, if I may).
And if you're going to cry, and moan, and complain because you didn't get a part, that is one thing.
But, if you're going to threaten to go to others, and start demanding that certain people (ME!) don't get roles because it's not fair?
Then you're just a little bitch, and you don't deserve the role.
Fucking act like a grown up. A professional, maybe? Since that's what you consider yourself to be.


I've never done anything but out audition this girl.
I can't help that. I'm doing what I love, and do moderately well.
Some people are just better for certain roles.
Sorry.

And if said person is also going to go around to their current fellow cast mates, and talk about how miscast a certain person (ME!) was in a past show, and how she could have done it better.
Shut the fuck up.
If you would have been better, you would have been cast.

And more importantly, if you have such a problem with me, my abilities, and the fact that I will always get cast over you, come talk to ME!
Don't go complaining to everyone else in the city.

No one wants to hear it, or you.


Sorry. I just needed to get all of that out so I don't accidentally destroy her with words next time I see her.


Clearly, I'm speaking about Trina Beck....my theatrical rival/nemesis.





(And clearly, that last remark was sarcasm. I don't want the rumors to start....at least not those rumors.)