Last night I went to go see The Tempest with Lovelle, Erwin and other AYLI friends at Independent Shakespeare, which is Erwin's other company that he works with. I know that sentence is grammatically incorrect but I don't feel like exerting the effort to find another way in which to say it and it's the weekend so I think you all know what I mean and we can deal with it.
Let me preface by saying that The Tempest is pretty much my all time favorite Shakespeare play, tied with Julius Caesar and slightly ahead of Midsummer and Richard III. I had very high hopes and for the most part they were realized with a great supporting cast and obviously, it's such a great play it's hard to go wrong. But shit, Miranda was bad. All I've ever wanted to do is play Miranda and this trick last night just assaulted her on every front. She yelled every line. It hurt my soul. Prospero was alright I guess but not as commanding as I'd hoped. Ferdinand, my most favorite male romantic part, was a good actor, but let's just say he was no Zach Appelman or French Fred. He definitely didn't do the log carrying scene shirtless, which is kind of the best part of the play. Le sigh. Definitely worth seeing though, can't wait to see Erwin in Henry V in a couple of weeks.
Start rehearsals on Monday for bobrauschenbergamerica. Still too afraid to try on the skates, though I knowwww I'm going to have to give them a whirl before Monday night. I really am concerned about breaking a wrist this time. It was cute every time I ate shit while practicing the first time around, but I could do some seriously damage this time around.
Case in point, when I finished writing that last sentence I got up to get a water bottle and when I sat down I fell out of the chair and banged my knee on the desk. I will now limp the rest of the day. Le sigh.
I leave you with a touching tribute from the inmates at Ceba Prison in the Phillipines. If you don't know about them, basically it's a prison that teaches their inmates dances to popular music in order to give them exercise and keep them motivated. It's a great idea actually. Famous on youtube now, and their first dance ever was Thriller. When they found out about MJ's death on Thursday they jumped on it to make a tribute dance. It's worth watching the whole thing. It brought a tear to my eye around the 5:50 mark. Don't judge. I'm weepy.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
What a devastating week for artists everywhere.
I hope Ed, Farrah, and Michael are at peace.
I will remember Farrah for her unbelieveable strength and kindness, as well as the contributions she made to protect women against violence.
Michael Jackson was one of the first cassette tapes my siblings and I ever bought. The Jackson 5 Anthology, and then History. I spent years trying to learn to moonwalk.
I hope he is remembered for his amazing contributions to the creative community.
I hope Ed, Farrah, and Michael are at peace.
I will remember Farrah for her unbelieveable strength and kindness, as well as the contributions she made to protect women against violence.
Michael Jackson was one of the first cassette tapes my siblings and I ever bought. The Jackson 5 Anthology, and then History. I spent years trying to learn to moonwalk.
I hope he is remembered for his amazing contributions to the creative community.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
ugghhh
I was waiting to be seen at my audition for an hour and a half today. This casting office is the only one I have ever encountered that makes actors wait for longer than 20 minutes. I have been there about 6 times and I am rarely out of there under 2 hours. It drives me up the wall. I am totally serious when I say that no other office makes people wait that long. It's obnoxious and by the time the actual audition rolls around, I could give a fuck if I get a non-union commercial for stupid Boost Mobile. Sigh. Not my best today.
This Week and Last Week
have been quite difficult.
As most people already know, we lost our sweet Butterscotch last Wednesday so most of the week revolved around making it through that terrible ordeal.
But I got back to work the next day and I think it helped, I don't know.
Friday night I went to the Grizzly Bear show at the Wiltern and it was just mindblowingly awesome. They are so incredible live it's almost unbelieveable. It was a really beautiful experience that I think made me feel better about things. It definitely inspires creativity. I went with my siblings and my sweet friend Ty Foster was also there and I ran into a few other people I knew including adorable Davy Franco. I don't know if he remembered Mariana and I or not but he chatted with us for a while which leads me to believe that he did.
Saturday I auditioned for The Theatricians production of bobrauschenbergamerica by Charles Mee and am very happy that I did get cast. I am really excited to work with my wonderful friends who are also incredibly talented artists across the board. bob is probably my favorite play in the world, I just adore Charles Mee and think he is a brilliant poet.
Somehow I never recieved an email telling me that the audition location had been changed so when I arrived at a studio in Santa Monica and no one was there, I called the director, Tracy Woodward. He then informed me that the audition had been moved to NORTHRIDGE because the studio had mold or something. So I had to book it over to Northridge which is basically 20 minutes from my house after I had driven almost an hour to Santa Monica. But everyone waited for me to begin which was very lovely of them and then it was all fine.
The audition was very fun because it was done workshop style, so we sat outside amongst the trees (and spiders) and basically did a read through of the play but getting up and working scenes and doing a few of them over and over. It was fun and hilarious. Until the spiders got me. Now I have these giant, grotesque and painful bites all over my legs and one on my arm. I don't know why insects flock to me when I hate them so. They just went to town on my legs and I have really painful welts on them and have been icing them all day. I'm trying to not scratch but I am terrible about that.
After the audition I had to book it over to the theatre for my closing night of As You Like It. We had a full house and it was a great audience. Had a great show I believe. Though at one point a pot was dropped onstage and it shattered but most people thought it was part of the show since everyone handled it quite will until it was able to be cleaned up at intermission. I was definitely looking forward to having a break because I feel like I have been going nonstop for weeks now. It's just so draining but wonderful and fun and I am so happy to be jumping right into the next project with my first rehearsal for bob being this Thursday. It's not the readthrough though so I don't know what we will be doing. I need to relearn how to rollerskate again. Le sigh. I'm really concerned I'm gonna break some bones this time.
Audition in the morning for BoostMobile. I think in Spanish. Then work work work. Maeby needs some new toys.
This post was brought to you by the greatest dog in the world who is running around for the first time in years in doggie heaven:
As most people already know, we lost our sweet Butterscotch last Wednesday so most of the week revolved around making it through that terrible ordeal.
But I got back to work the next day and I think it helped, I don't know.
Friday night I went to the Grizzly Bear show at the Wiltern and it was just mindblowingly awesome. They are so incredible live it's almost unbelieveable. It was a really beautiful experience that I think made me feel better about things. It definitely inspires creativity. I went with my siblings and my sweet friend Ty Foster was also there and I ran into a few other people I knew including adorable Davy Franco. I don't know if he remembered Mariana and I or not but he chatted with us for a while which leads me to believe that he did.
Saturday I auditioned for The Theatricians production of bobrauschenbergamerica by Charles Mee and am very happy that I did get cast. I am really excited to work with my wonderful friends who are also incredibly talented artists across the board. bob is probably my favorite play in the world, I just adore Charles Mee and think he is a brilliant poet.
Somehow I never recieved an email telling me that the audition location had been changed so when I arrived at a studio in Santa Monica and no one was there, I called the director, Tracy Woodward. He then informed me that the audition had been moved to NORTHRIDGE because the studio had mold or something. So I had to book it over to Northridge which is basically 20 minutes from my house after I had driven almost an hour to Santa Monica. But everyone waited for me to begin which was very lovely of them and then it was all fine.
The audition was very fun because it was done workshop style, so we sat outside amongst the trees (and spiders) and basically did a read through of the play but getting up and working scenes and doing a few of them over and over. It was fun and hilarious. Until the spiders got me. Now I have these giant, grotesque and painful bites all over my legs and one on my arm. I don't know why insects flock to me when I hate them so. They just went to town on my legs and I have really painful welts on them and have been icing them all day. I'm trying to not scratch but I am terrible about that.
After the audition I had to book it over to the theatre for my closing night of As You Like It. We had a full house and it was a great audience. Had a great show I believe. Though at one point a pot was dropped onstage and it shattered but most people thought it was part of the show since everyone handled it quite will until it was able to be cleaned up at intermission. I was definitely looking forward to having a break because I feel like I have been going nonstop for weeks now. It's just so draining but wonderful and fun and I am so happy to be jumping right into the next project with my first rehearsal for bob being this Thursday. It's not the readthrough though so I don't know what we will be doing. I need to relearn how to rollerskate again. Le sigh. I'm really concerned I'm gonna break some bones this time.
Audition in the morning for BoostMobile. I think in Spanish. Then work work work. Maeby needs some new toys.
This post was brought to you by the greatest dog in the world who is running around for the first time in years in doggie heaven:
Monday, June 15, 2009
Well Shit
Today was weird. I had two auditions one at 11 am and the other aroud 2 45 pm and I had planned to just mill around downtown and run lines for the next audition in between. You'd think that it'd be a relatively easy day but it was exhausting.
On the way to the first audition I got rear-ended on the freeway while sitting in traffic so I had to deal with all of that mess. Poor kid who hit me was so upset. Luckily there is very little damage to my car so I'm not really worried about it. It did make me about 30 minutes late to my audition though, so I had Sheila call and warn the casting directors, but they didn't even seem to notice thank goodness. First was the audition for IHOP commercial. It was fine. Easy. Sat there and reacted to someone getting knocked over. It's amazing how many people they see for a 15 second spot that literally requires turning your head and perhaps smiling. It is so counterproductive.
Then I grabbed a quick bite to eat and went and sat in front of the studios in Culver City and waited for my audition time. Kind of boring but there was a nice breeze and I went over my copy before the audition. Was pretty cool to meet Sharon Lawrence, she is just beautiful and so nice and sweet and she gave me fantastic feedback and I think I have a good/fair shot. I am glad I got the chance to audition because it was fun and I felt really good about it after. Even though I was super nerve wracked beforehand. As always, whatever happens happens. I have let it go.
I'm so drained. It was a rollercoastery day. Butterscotch is very sick. I think this is his last week on earth. I'm very sad about it. Trying to stay positive and celebrate his life.
On the way to the first audition I got rear-ended on the freeway while sitting in traffic so I had to deal with all of that mess. Poor kid who hit me was so upset. Luckily there is very little damage to my car so I'm not really worried about it. It did make me about 30 minutes late to my audition though, so I had Sheila call and warn the casting directors, but they didn't even seem to notice thank goodness. First was the audition for IHOP commercial. It was fine. Easy. Sat there and reacted to someone getting knocked over. It's amazing how many people they see for a 15 second spot that literally requires turning your head and perhaps smiling. It is so counterproductive.
Then I grabbed a quick bite to eat and went and sat in front of the studios in Culver City and waited for my audition time. Kind of boring but there was a nice breeze and I went over my copy before the audition. Was pretty cool to meet Sharon Lawrence, she is just beautiful and so nice and sweet and she gave me fantastic feedback and I think I have a good/fair shot. I am glad I got the chance to audition because it was fun and I felt really good about it after. Even though I was super nerve wracked beforehand. As always, whatever happens happens. I have let it go.
I'm so drained. It was a rollercoastery day. Butterscotch is very sick. I think this is his last week on earth. I'm very sad about it. Trying to stay positive and celebrate his life.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Finally
Not even the weekend and I already have three auditions lined up for next week. That's what I like to see.
Sheila remarkably remembered my existence and is sending me on a call for an IHOP commercial on Monday morning and then after that I have the reading for the Sharon Lawrence webisode that I have diligently been studying for. As with all auditions, I would LOVE to get the job, but I go in with reasonable expectations so that I don't cry a freaking river when I don't get it. It's all part of building that armor to help me get through this seemingly impenetrable wall of rejection. Then later on in the week I am so glad to be auditioning for my friend Josh Heisler and Tracy Woodward's production of bobrauschenbergamerica for their company called The Theatricians. They are really quite wonderful and regardless of the outcome it should be a fun day of workshopping the play. Everyone who knows me knows that Charles Mee is my favorite writer and bob is my favorite play so it would just be lovely to be able to perform in it again.
Second to last performance tomorrow of AYLI and we have been sold out since Monday which is so fantastic. It's just wonderful energy when you have a full house. If only the strippers weren't there. le sigh.
I'm off to Candyland!
FRENCH PEOPLE I LOVE FRIDAY:
la magnifique Marion Cotillard
Sheila remarkably remembered my existence and is sending me on a call for an IHOP commercial on Monday morning and then after that I have the reading for the Sharon Lawrence webisode that I have diligently been studying for. As with all auditions, I would LOVE to get the job, but I go in with reasonable expectations so that I don't cry a freaking river when I don't get it. It's all part of building that armor to help me get through this seemingly impenetrable wall of rejection. Then later on in the week I am so glad to be auditioning for my friend Josh Heisler and Tracy Woodward's production of bobrauschenbergamerica for their company called The Theatricians. They are really quite wonderful and regardless of the outcome it should be a fun day of workshopping the play. Everyone who knows me knows that Charles Mee is my favorite writer and bob is my favorite play so it would just be lovely to be able to perform in it again.
Second to last performance tomorrow of AYLI and we have been sold out since Monday which is so fantastic. It's just wonderful energy when you have a full house. If only the strippers weren't there. le sigh.
I'm off to Candyland!
FRENCH PEOPLE I LOVE FRIDAY:
la magnifique Marion Cotillard
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Luckily
I am feeling much better today. Nothing like puking out everything inside of your body to make you reevaluate what you eat. Though I think it was a 24 hour flu thing and not poisoning. But I didn't get a fever so who knows. At least I got out of work for two days. Need the money but probably need the days off as well. I was getting run down.
I think this past Saturday was my best performance to date of the show, I felt comfortable and was kind of happy that I didn't have anyone in the audience. Well technically my friend Rob was there but I did not know until after, thank you Rob. I think I heard the other actors saying there were some problems in their scenes but there was nothing crazy going on while I was onstage. The situation with the burlesque dancers is just too bizarre. We clearly all hate each other and they seem to have no concept of how loud their music is. They have a teeny tiny theatre and their music blares so loud you can hear it on our stage. It's just ridiculous. Maybe they are trying to distract their own audience from the horribleness that is their show by making them deaf. It's really just ridiculous. I wish we had more performances in a weekend though, because it would be so much nicer to have more time to hang out with the cast. If I choose to audition for their next show, Julius Caesar and get cast then that show will be running 3 nights a week for 3 weeks, which is pretty awesome. (At the Powerhouse Theatre). We shall see.
My friend Lovelle Liquigan who is in the cast with me has her own theater company which I actually was unaware of but is so awesome and I hope she and her friends develop some work soon because she has fantastic vision and style and wants to do some really different new work which i think is fantastic. I'd love to work with them more. She sent me a few pages of an adaptation she is writing and it looks really great and I am super excited for her.
On monday I went up to Santa Barbara with Ty, Leigh, Brennan, Jessie, and Josh to speak to the BFA Junior class about our experiences in Los Angeles since we graduated. I didn't think I would have anything of great importance to contribute but actually it ended up being a really great reminder of what we have accomplished and learned in a short amount of time. I think we all contributed really great things and opinions about how to handle not only the transition from school to working but also how to navigate our careers and such. The class was really lovely and receptive and I think we all had a splendid time. It was also really great to see my one true love Zach Appelman who was in town from Yale and spend a lovely day with him and fellow Yale student Shannon Sullivan. We spent the rest of the day eating at Giovanni's in Isla Vista and I did get some Freebirds because I hadn't had any in a year. Though I am really hoping that isnt what made me sick. It can't be right? I would have felt sick way sooner.
Sage Parker Lang, who teaches the class we went up to speak to actually got me an audition with her friend Sharon Lawrence who is creating a pilot for a series of webisodes about college journalists. I am reading for them on Monday, should be a great experience regardless of the outcome. I guess she saw my website that is linked on Sage's and she emailed me with the sides.
The most bizarre thing ever, this lovely girl from the junior class told me she had seen my website and that from my headshots she thought i would be super tall and was totally weirded out when she saw my midget ass walk into the classroom. How weird is that? No one has ever thought I looked tall in any capacity so I guess that's pretty funny.
Ok I'm gonna go lay around some more. How great were the Tonys on Sunday? I just love NPH. and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cast of HAIR. But what is Rock of Ages? It looks weird and I can't get on board with anything involving Constantine Maroulis. Though anything that makes Bret Michaels get beheaded by a giant piece of set is well worth it.
For real i go now. I can hear my brother torturing my dog.
I think this past Saturday was my best performance to date of the show, I felt comfortable and was kind of happy that I didn't have anyone in the audience. Well technically my friend Rob was there but I did not know until after, thank you Rob. I think I heard the other actors saying there were some problems in their scenes but there was nothing crazy going on while I was onstage. The situation with the burlesque dancers is just too bizarre. We clearly all hate each other and they seem to have no concept of how loud their music is. They have a teeny tiny theatre and their music blares so loud you can hear it on our stage. It's just ridiculous. Maybe they are trying to distract their own audience from the horribleness that is their show by making them deaf. It's really just ridiculous. I wish we had more performances in a weekend though, because it would be so much nicer to have more time to hang out with the cast. If I choose to audition for their next show, Julius Caesar and get cast then that show will be running 3 nights a week for 3 weeks, which is pretty awesome. (At the Powerhouse Theatre). We shall see.
My friend Lovelle Liquigan who is in the cast with me has her own theater company which I actually was unaware of but is so awesome and I hope she and her friends develop some work soon because she has fantastic vision and style and wants to do some really different new work which i think is fantastic. I'd love to work with them more. She sent me a few pages of an adaptation she is writing and it looks really great and I am super excited for her.
On monday I went up to Santa Barbara with Ty, Leigh, Brennan, Jessie, and Josh to speak to the BFA Junior class about our experiences in Los Angeles since we graduated. I didn't think I would have anything of great importance to contribute but actually it ended up being a really great reminder of what we have accomplished and learned in a short amount of time. I think we all contributed really great things and opinions about how to handle not only the transition from school to working but also how to navigate our careers and such. The class was really lovely and receptive and I think we all had a splendid time. It was also really great to see my one true love Zach Appelman who was in town from Yale and spend a lovely day with him and fellow Yale student Shannon Sullivan. We spent the rest of the day eating at Giovanni's in Isla Vista and I did get some Freebirds because I hadn't had any in a year. Though I am really hoping that isnt what made me sick. It can't be right? I would have felt sick way sooner.
Sage Parker Lang, who teaches the class we went up to speak to actually got me an audition with her friend Sharon Lawrence who is creating a pilot for a series of webisodes about college journalists. I am reading for them on Monday, should be a great experience regardless of the outcome. I guess she saw my website that is linked on Sage's and she emailed me with the sides.
The most bizarre thing ever, this lovely girl from the junior class told me she had seen my website and that from my headshots she thought i would be super tall and was totally weirded out when she saw my midget ass walk into the classroom. How weird is that? No one has ever thought I looked tall in any capacity so I guess that's pretty funny.
Ok I'm gonna go lay around some more. How great were the Tonys on Sunday? I just love NPH. and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cast of HAIR. But what is Rock of Ages? It looks weird and I can't get on board with anything involving Constantine Maroulis. Though anything that makes Bret Michaels get beheaded by a giant piece of set is well worth it.
For real i go now. I can hear my brother torturing my dog.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
well
i really wanted to update today about my show/awesome trip to SB last night but I have been puking my brains out all day and am losing the will to live. I haven't been this sick (legitimately, not drunkenly) since the IN N OUT poisoning incident.
gonna go die now.
gonna go die now.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
oops
Every day I think of things I should write here but I have not had a chance to sit and write it and now that I actually have a minute I am drawn blank. I am probably being distracted by the manliness that is Bear Grylls.
Had a good performance on Saturday. I felt a bit better than the first one, though we are sharing a dressing room now with a Burlesque show that is performing on the stage next door. It's a nightmare as you can imagine. There is no room and everyone is perpetually shushing each other and it's hard to keep focus. Luckily I don't have a part that particularly requires an intense amount of focus. If we were doing Hamlet, you better believe I'd be losing my shit on those skanks. They aren't even a classy Burlesque show, because I actually really like burlesque if it's done well, I adore Dita Von Tees but this is just pathetic and trashy. Speaking of which, Catherine Hardwicke is directing the new concept Hamlet on screen starring Emile Hirsche and I would eat a baby for a chance to audition. Lord knows I have reservations about Hardwicke as a director but who cares. It'd be rad. But I think that would require my manager to remember I exist. FAIL. As soon as I get new headshots I am shopping for someone new.
I'm feeling so overwhelmed with the many stages of getting out into the world and how it seems like every time I pass some kind of hurdle, another seemingly insurmountable one rears it's head at me. Usually I take this in stride but the past few weeks I've just felt the weight of it.
On Monday Alexa set up a meeting with a woman who wants to start an acting class that I would be really interested in taking. She wants to tailor it to people who are already professionals and are trained but want to fine tune their work and do some scene study, which I think is great. A huge part of why I haven't found a class I like out here yet is because so many seem to have people of different abilities and goals and that leads to alot of time wasting and is not helpful to me at this point I think. So I really hope it works out and that I can afford it when the times comes.
I hate this weather.
excuse my crankiness.
Had a good performance on Saturday. I felt a bit better than the first one, though we are sharing a dressing room now with a Burlesque show that is performing on the stage next door. It's a nightmare as you can imagine. There is no room and everyone is perpetually shushing each other and it's hard to keep focus. Luckily I don't have a part that particularly requires an intense amount of focus. If we were doing Hamlet, you better believe I'd be losing my shit on those skanks. They aren't even a classy Burlesque show, because I actually really like burlesque if it's done well, I adore Dita Von Tees but this is just pathetic and trashy. Speaking of which, Catherine Hardwicke is directing the new concept Hamlet on screen starring Emile Hirsche and I would eat a baby for a chance to audition. Lord knows I have reservations about Hardwicke as a director but who cares. It'd be rad. But I think that would require my manager to remember I exist. FAIL. As soon as I get new headshots I am shopping for someone new.
I'm feeling so overwhelmed with the many stages of getting out into the world and how it seems like every time I pass some kind of hurdle, another seemingly insurmountable one rears it's head at me. Usually I take this in stride but the past few weeks I've just felt the weight of it.
On Monday Alexa set up a meeting with a woman who wants to start an acting class that I would be really interested in taking. She wants to tailor it to people who are already professionals and are trained but want to fine tune their work and do some scene study, which I think is great. A huge part of why I haven't found a class I like out here yet is because so many seem to have people of different abilities and goals and that leads to alot of time wasting and is not helpful to me at this point I think. So I really hope it works out and that I can afford it when the times comes.
I hate this weather.
excuse my crankiness.
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