a few things I've been up to lately.....
After a 6 month break from New York—taken to work on my play (a one-woman show about visual artist Hilma af Klint, under the tutelage of playwright Jessie Dickey), and breathe in some fresh Catskills air, I’ve hit the ground running back in NYC!
I just returned from several callbacks in my native Chicago, spent the first week of March working on a 29 hour reading at Playwrights Horizons in a room headed up by female powerhouses Julia Jordan and Kate Whoriskey, and sat in on final edits of Michelle Uranowitz and Daniel Jaffe’s newest short THE ULTIMATE (in which I play a cig smoking gal from suburban New Jersey in mourning, stills from the film below). I’ve also baked LOTS of pies for several general stores upstate as well as a few cafes in Brooklyn. Ahhh feels good to be back in the hustle:)
Spending my summer with Santa Cruz Shakespeare has been a delight from the moment I arrived to the gorgeous West Coast. Getting to working on Love's Labor's Lost directed by Paul Mullins (Princess of France) and Romeo and Juliet directed by Laura Gordon (Tybalt) with such a smart, inclusive, exciting company amidst the big beautiful natural California landscape is a dream. A few shots from our LLL preview below! Come see us at Delaveaga Park in Santa Cruz, CA now through the end of August!
I am having a true blast working on Bedlam's SENSE & SENSIBILITY here at the American Repertory Theatre in Boston. We run through January 14th. This project, adapted by Kate Hamill, directed by Eric Tucker, and choreographed by Alexandra Beller, is in its 4th iteration here at the A.R.T., and it feels like magic to get to do every night. I feel so lucky to be telling a story about women, sisters, love--all on wheels!--in this moment in history. Come and sip some imaginary tea with us, won't you?!
Photo by Ashley Garrett
Bedlam's SENSE & SENSIBILITY at A.R.T. is OPEN Y'ALL!
Opening night smiles with the cast.
It feels so wonderful to be back in Brooklyn after our twice-extended, sold-out hit run of SENSE & SENSIBILITY (adapted from Jane Austen's novel by Kate Hamill, directed by Eric Tucker) at the Folger Theatre in DC. It was truly one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life, and I'm also really excited to say that I am now officially a member of Actors' Equity! My new little bright pink card in my wallet got me feeling like
I am having, truly, the time of my life working on Kate Hamill's adaptation of SENSE & SENSIBILITY at the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C., directed by Eric Tucker!!! We opened a week ago, and have just announced an extension until November 6th! I don't think I've ever had such a blast doing a show--we dance, laugh, cry, push alot of furniture on wheels around--it's an actor's dream come true! Below is a little promo video for the show--if anybody happens to be in DC in the next 6 weeks, I'd be happy to try to nab you tickets!!!
Also, I got to do a little shout-out for the show with my co-star Jamie Smithson on NBC's midday news in D.C.! In case you're not a retired person making lunch and playing the news in the background, the link to the clip is below!
Oh my gosh! I've been away for a little while, and am so happy to be back to talk about some really exciting adventures over here.....
So this is crazy ahhhh! I am freaking out with joy and anticipation (and a few nerves DUH). I am so excited to announce that I will be playing Elinor Dashwood in Kate Hamill's recent (and gorgeous) adaptation of Jane Austen's SENSE & SENSIBILITY at the Folger Theatre in D.C. this Fall! Directed by Eric Tucker (theatre rock star of Bedlam fame and general cool fame). More to come weeeeeeeeee!
I am so happy to be back in gorgeous Burlington, VT! I'm currently hard at work on Vermont Shakespeare Festival's JULIUS CAESAR--we start tech in a week ahhhh time flies when you're having a blast and working your bum off! The amazing Jena Necrason--Artistic Director of the company, an amazing teacher and mentor of mine from NYU, and a visionary theatre maker has cast me as Mark Antony--a really exciting and juicy challenge of a role. This play resonates more deeply each passing day with our nation's current social and political upheaval. Trying to learn from the wisdom and warnings of 2,050 years ago. Trying to listen. Trying to think. Trying to speak. Trying to love. Especially these days. (And also trying not screw up that really famous speech). If anybody happens to be in the Vermont area--we open July 28th! A little snapshot of the process so far!
Though I'm a little late, I want to talk about the all-female educational tour of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM that I performed for 2 months in high schools, juvenile detentions, and community libraries all over upstate New York and NYC from March-April with Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. A deeply fulfilling, challenging, joyful, inspiring, exhausting (4 AM calls WHAAAA?!) experience with 5 other women whom I will love and respect for ever and ever. Bringing Shakespeare to schools where many students had never seen a play before, and getting to do talk-backs each day with students about what it means to have a life in the arts was something I will never forget. I felt empowered and (on the good days!) empowering--as a woman and an actor to get to tell this beautiful story to young people. With direction by the inimitable Jason O'Connell, I got to explore the characters Bottom and Demetrius--two roles I'd never dreamed I'd get to try my hand at. Our own tiny little response to the strict NO LADIES ALLOWED policy of the theatre around the turn of the 17th century, all I have to say is--Go girls! Go Shakespeare! Go theatre in schools! Go young minds--keep on dreaming and doing!
I am so lucky to be up in beautiful Vermont to work with a company who is near and dear to me. Vermont Shakespeare Company, headed up by the wonderful and talented husband and wife team John Nagle and Jena Necrason, is moving and shaking all around Vermont, and this Sunday 02/28, we'll be closing down the First Folio Festival at Middlebury College with a bang! (First of all--how COOL is it that Shakespeare's FIRST FOLIO is HERE. In VERMONT. To LOOK AT AND BASK IN.) All week we'll be workshopping a new play, WILL, by John Glascoe, a moving story about Elizabethan England and Shakespeare's young life. A super-reading of sorts, using a condensed version of the play--I am so excited to share this. If you are in the Northeast, come on down--it's free!
Took a class with the lovely Jodi Angstreich of Laura Rosenthal Casting the other evening. Here's a little clip from class!
Who would have ever imagined that I'd get to do some cool choreography in the same building that houses pieces by Chagall, Warhol, and de Kooning?!?! Performance Art at MOMA this morning, created by truly some of my most favorite people--Tim Scott, Nicolas Norena, and Hannah Gross. Thanks for the lovely pics Michelle Uranowitz and Daniel Jaffe!
I got to perform at Joe's Pub on the evening of Feb. 8th. What a hallowed stage on which I got to wear a trashy bikini and chug PBR! Truly honored to have gotten to perform a play by the AMAZING Boo Killebrew, directed by the ONE AND ONLY blue eyed genius Danny Sharron. Pics to come!
Hey COOL! Come on down everybody--this is going to be a blast. Fresh Ground Pepper is truly WHERE IT IS AT. And by IT I mean some writers and directors with really cool important unique voices! I am so honored to be part of the reading of BIG BEND IN THE RED DIRT DESERT. Worked on an earlier version of this play this summer at Williamstwon Theatre Festival, and it's only gotten better. It's written by Molly Beach Murphy and directed by Gabe Vega Weissman--two of my absolute favorite people. Feeling the November chill? Join us for a magical-realism road trip through the West Texas desert this Wednesday December 9th at 7 pm. More info HERE!!!!
To celebrate Turkey Day, I got to perform and drink at the same time! Bravo to Ugly Rhino productions and the fabulous Danny Sharron--so glad to have been a part of the Tiny Rhino series--a romp of a theatrical drinking game--at Littlefield in Brooklyn! Written by the lovely Bailey Williams and directed by the powerhouse Hannah Greene, performing BURT was a blast!
You guys! I had a fantastic summer as a member of the Non-Equity company at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
And now we're doing a showcase here in New York! Check out our IndieGoGo campaign and watch our video!
Want to come cheer us on or recommend us to your amazing agent? Just sent an email to showcase@wtfestival.org with your name and how many seats you'd like to reserve! Monday October 26th at 5 and 7 PM at the Peter J. Sharp @ Playwrights Horizons!
What a delight to have gotten to spend a week with RADY&BLOOM in conjunction with HERE Arts Center developing Alex Borinsky's new play O. (and on Governor's Island! Nothing like old parquet floors, the sound of East River waves crashing, and sprawling green lawns to put me in a magical rehearsal mood!)
