Webster Hall?

So I just got back home from seeing my co-star, Concepta, perform at Webster Hall, a club downtown on East 11th street. She sang some of her songs from her new album. She was wonderful. Really has a strong voice. She plays Joanna in the TV show I’m in called “Tempting Joanna”, I play her Guardian Angel Carnice and her evil twin sister Carmen the Dark Angel. I can’t actually make her do anything bad or good I make suggestions and try to encourage her toward right or wrong, depending on whether I’m Carnice or Carmen, respectively. Its fun playing archetypes, mythical creatures there are no boundaries or specific ways I have to be. I enjoy it.

What I did not enjoy, outside of the performance, was Webster Hall. I had never been before because I had long suspected that it was not my kind of place or scene. Lo and behold it was not. I have confirmed that and I feel my life is now complete. I really prefer to be around a different caliber of people and that’s that. I really love to dance and enjoy good music and company. It’s very important that the DJ be good and that the crowd is fun, upscale and not outwardly trolling for this evening’s bed partner. The vibe of desperation is so very yucky in a club. I am under the impression that I’m not much of a club girl anymore. I like lounges and some clubs, but I got to have good music otherwise I can’t justify killing my feet. I only went tonight see my colleague, I firmly believe in supporting my fellow artists. Also I believe my Gucci shoes needed a night out on the town. I feel they would have liked another venue but it was good to let them out.

So I don't have anymore witticisms or other interesting things to talk about so I will sign off. Here's to hoping more fun will be had tomorrow. I am going to see my friends band Heekin play tomorrow in Brooklyn. I am getting my passport together and preparing for my voyage as I seek to briefly leave the isle of Manhattan for a visit to one of the outer borough's. Ciao.

Wonderland Festival

Our show went up today, twice. Once at 4pm and then again at 8pm ok not really it was more like 8:45 but that’s not quite the point. So it was interesting having two shows in one day. I feel it gave me insight to the Broadway matinée days that are in my future. Having that energy surge twice in one day was… well it was exhausting. Truth be told, exhausting but wonderful. I think us actors are a sick lot. The fear, butterflies, energy surge whatever you want to call it I love it, I truly love it. I don’t want to say I never feel more alive because I love the other aspects of my life. But there is nothing else like it. To put yourself out there I guess it’s a version of a roller coaster. And I did not intend this pun but the first round of the Wonderland Festival is called the Roller coaster. Damn now I’m not sure if that metaphor just came to me or was lurking in there because of the title of the round. Dang it. Oh well I’ll assume it was both and call it a day.

We’re hoping to move to the next round called the Ferris wheel, so if you catch me using that as a metaphor for acting I will have to concede it was not my creativity before and simply subliminally embedded. So it went well. I felt good and it would be great to continue. The first show was a little sparsely attended but the evening was sold out which was great! I was very happy to act all day. Of course I trained clients in the morning but then spending the day getting ready to go on and then eating lunch/dinner or linner, or dunch you choose, with the cast was nice. We went to the Hudson River parkway and relaxed until our evening call time. I love the Hudson Parkway, it’s my new favorite place to walk, write etc. It’s a far cry from the way it used to look a few years ago.

We went out afterward, it was nice to hang out but I bailed early I have to train early tomorrow, are you noticing a theme? I had to write to you, wonderful you. I also have a late night planned tomorrow. The lead, Concepta and executive producer of this TV show called “Tempting Joanna” I’m co-starring in as a Good Angel and a Dark Angel (I’m not sure why I had to capitalize it but there it is) is singing tomorrow night. So…One has got to pace themselves. I also have a premier to go on Monday for a Director I worked on a film with back in September? I am not knowing. Yes I meant to write it like that I don’t care what word perfect says! I think I have to acknowledge all that delicious adrenaline; wonderful life force that was coursing through my veins for the shows earlier has truly left my body. Till next time Ciao.

P.S. I was re-reading my blog to see how poor my editing skills are (I love to chastise myself on this shortcoming apparently) make some changes so as to not render it unreadable ( ah yes and let's throw in a double negative?) I feel I am butchering the English language and seem helpless to stop. All I can say is I can tell I am really tired. There seems to be non sequitors littered all over this blog. I am known for my tangents but I'd like to think they tie up in the end. Oh well C'est la vie. Ah yes I have now a tri-lingual post. awesome. I'm going to bed.

Hogwash

My own blog yesterday bored me to tears. Wow I was having a Pollyanna moment huh? Not that it’s a bad thing it’s just that not what’s going on today. I had a good day trained my clients had tech today. I just gotta focus on the fact that I’m happy to be acting because otherwise I get annoyed. I mean some people just got attitudes and a false sense of importance. That’s all I want to say about that. Because otherwise it’s gonna turn into a bloodbath and I’m not trying to go there.

Ok now I see why I tried to focus on the positive yesterday. Because I got that New York anger thing where everything is just boiling under the surface and then someone from Arkansas knocks into you by accident, you freak out on them and they go home saying all New Yorkers are rude? Know what I’m talking about? It’s New York’s walking version of road rage. I live midtown and its matinées Wednesday and I have to tell you it started there trying to navigate through the throngs of people who are overtaking the sidewalk. Now don’t get me wrong I’m sure when I’m on Broadway I’ll want sidewalks full of people wanting to see my show but when you’re just trying to get through? Not so much. Oh that’s a lie that’s not where it started it started on the way to our tech rehearsal which was at Theatre Row. It was 11am and the classic “it just became summer I haven’t seen flesh since autumn bull@#$*” began. Here’s the thing, shockingly I’m not looking to pick up anyone on my way to rehearsal or anywhere on the street and for some reason this information is not privy to the oh so eligible “gentlemen” out there trying to do the picking up.

Now a, you look beautiful or pretty or Good morning will almost always get you a thank you or a Morning back. I very rarely say Good morning because…I think we covered that on my previous blog. But the lascivious comments and hollering?! I honestly cannot even go further into it because I’m sitting here frowning and sneering at computer and I’m not interested in getting all riled up right now. I’m sure as the summer progresses or even begins (!) I will have more to say on that particular matter. So back to the original thought it fueled my rage and then I had to traverse across Times Square to get to Best buy and ran into multitudes of Theatre goers. Ah New York it truly is a love affair complete with frustration, deep love, anger, admiration. I was loving New York later in the day when I went to train a client and walked through Central Park. I bought a pedometer the other day to see if it’s helpful etc and now I’m obsessed, I’m a pretty competitive person and this absolutely gets me going. So it’s like a game the word on the street is that you’re supposed to walk 10,000 steps a day so… I’m trying to walk 20,000 steps. Why? Because I’m competitive, even with myself. I’m not going to even try to dissect that right now. I’m sure I could analyze the heck out of that one but I do believe competition is healthy and if it’s pushing me to walk around the city, 10 miles today, 25,000+ steps FYI, then it’s a good thing. Darn I guess I’m ending this on a positive note after all that ranting! Ciao.

Joy!!

I’m really having a joyous day. It’s had its ups and downs. I mean I went to sleep last night at 2:30 or something like that. I last remember 2 something and then I was up at 5:45…because I have clients early in the morning. I love them and they’re great but I am never happy to wake up that early. It’s just not for me unless of course I’m going to a film set and then I’m really grateful that I’m used to waking up that early. Of course the lack of sleep makes it worse but still I’m not really a morning person. Actually I never was, when I was a little girl I would stay up reading by the sliver of light from my door (and now we know why I wear contacts). I woke up every morning standing up because my mom would grab my feet and swing me up into a standing position. Poor lady, I laugh thinking about what it was like having a houseful of late sleepers. If she left the room I would crawl right back into bed or rather fall back into bed and sleep. So, let’s get back to this particular day.

So the day started a little too early for me and for some reason I decided to start my opening day jitters two days in advance. So I walked through the park to our final rehearsal and walked through the queasiness. Yes queasiness! But then we proceeded to have a great rehearsal and as they say in the biz we got a show kids! So we go up on Thursday at 4pm and then 8pm at Theatre Row. So far we are only guaranteed those two shows and then if we make it to the next rounds we go up again. The Wonderland One-Act Festival has four rounds and I’m hoping we make it to the end! I am highly competitive, but I’m happy no matter what …because it came together! Yahoo!

It seems to be like that with plays and films I guess, but with a play you don’t have the editing room to fix the things that may have gone wrong. With a play you have to make sure you know the cues, where you’re supposed to be i.e. marks, the lines/scenes before yours etc…And if any of that goes awry you better know what your characters intentions are and hope your fellow actor is game because here goes the rollercoaster whee! So it feels like its come together and I’m really joyous about it. So come what may but two of the roles we hadn’t cast until a week and a half ago. Let me tell you from a producing standpoint that is harrowing! On top of that I’m in it so you know sometimes I just want to focus on learning my lines and not whether we’re going to hell in a handbasket. But let me just say one more time I’m really joyous! I love acting, I love producing and I love writing so …Heck yeah JOY!!! Is word of the day.

Hot and Humid!!

It’s HOT. That’s really all I have to say. Lies. I have ton to say but I’m censoring myself, partially in the interest of propriety and also because I am trying desperately not to bad mouth anyone. Perhaps that is the same thing? Hmmm…you know blame, etc you know the adage you point one finger and there are three pointing back at you. So I will hold my tongue and merely say it’s been an interesting couple of days.

As I said it's HOT!! Not so much outside but in my apartment if you don’t have the air conditioner on and I don’t because I haven’t put it in yet! There’s no air circulation. So I’ve had rehearsal the last two days. It’s been in the director’s apartment in Queens, several of us in an apartment near the 7 train ( actually practically under it) and again no air conditioner or fan, are you noticing a pattern here? We’re saving a few hundred dollars doing it that way and for that I’m grateful but whew. I gotta tell you I am ready to move to the next level. I know its coming and I have confidence in that. The truth of it is right now I’m just really happy to be doing good work. When you’re hot (again as in humid) and working under interesting conditions it’s just really important to stay grateful. It’s wonderful to know what your passion is and be in the pursuit of your dreams. I have to say that is the saving grace of some days, weeks, entire projects. The fact that I rather be “unhappy” doing what I’m doing than anything else is key. There’s an underlying joy, deep joy underneath even the bad days. I feel the need to point out I'm not unhappy per se...just having moments.

So anyway that’s been my weekend in the city, that and training my clients. I’m also a personal trainer; I don’t think I’ve shared that yet. So I trained clients, rehearsed, learned lines and perspired. That was my Memorial Day Weekend. I have to say if this is how it’s gonna go for the summer. I gotta get outta here. Yes all that must be said like a New Yawker. I actually do not speak that way but it’s fun to sometimes. I am very seriously considering moving to LA this summer. I feel it’s time and like I said earlier I’m ready to take it to the next level. Ok the truth is I am moving to LA but my mother is not keen on it (you know apron strings etc) so I am pretending that there is a possibility that I won’t. And yes I know that she’ll probably read this Damn it!! But I’m hoping she’ll be mildly amused… and convince herself that I’m not going. The former does not presuppose the latter. Anyhoo I know it gets hot out there in LA it’s just different than New York summer heat. Its mean, New York summer heat that is, real mean and uncomfortable and dirty. Subways ooh that another blog topic and we haven’t gotten there in temperature yet so we’ll save that rant for later.

One very interesting note (to me at least) is that everyone in the cast is suffering from insomnia. I know I am. I didn’t write/post last night because I got into bed around 9pm. I was exhausted but did not go to sleep until after 4:30am! Good times huh? I want to say it's the heat and I suppose it is but I know there’s something else lurking beneath the surface. Hmmm…I wonder what it is. Well I’m gonna pretend to go to sleep now. Oh yeah my show goes up on Thursday! I’ll keep you tuned in as the jitters start up or whatever I’ll be feeling as it draws near. Ciao.