Goodbye, Evita. I Am Obsessed With You.

I was supposed to put this up weeks ago, since Evita close on Jan. 26th.  Oh well....
 

Evita, I will miss you.  We have come to know each other well, I think.  I have had awkward/amazing nights in your T-shirts, eaten myself silly in between your shows, made new friends, people-watched to my heart's content, run by myself in terror through the sketchy underground garage where your storage room is, 


and hung out on the steps of the Marriott Marquis more than any freaky fan.

At least I was getting paid for it. 

 Until next time, Evita.  Until next time.

Fun Happenings! Oh, And We Had a Blizzard.

Tuesday a friend called me and told me he had free tickets to go see the New York City Ballet, and did I want to go?  Um, YES.  This is what I love about NYC.  Sometimes you run into really cheap or even free tickets to cultural events.  And not just some rinky dink event.  This is the NYC Ballet.  It was fantastic!  We sat in the second row, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening. 

 

I totally got in trouble for taking this picture of the hall.  Whoops.

Then the next night was a fun date to the Mumford and Sons concert in Brooklyn.  Again, what a great opportunity!  I am not even an avid fan, so to speak, but after the concert, I am now.  They were amazing live. 

And by the way, we had a blizzard on Friday.  His name was Nemo.  I kind of have a feeling that at least for us in NYC it wasn't too much worse than a snow storm in Mapletopia.  But being in a walking city where most people don't have cars, and the city in general isn't really prepared for this kind of thing, it was a big deal.  All it meant for me was a vegging out with my friends night.  With a lot of food, as usual. 

The aftermath on Saturday morning.  A snow-covered Harlem.

Check out these awesome pics I took on Saturday in Central Park.  Not bad, iPhone 5, not bad. :-)

A Day In My LIfe

Today I did three auditions.  That is actually a lot in one day.  But in case you were wondering what days like this look like, here we go:

I left my house this morning at 7:45, with my backpack loaded with audition clothes, my audition binder with music and head shots, make up, some fruit and other necessities.  I wish I could say I don't have to walk around with a backpack all that often.  It is actually all the time.  Anyway, I arrived at NOLA studio at about 8:15 to get in line for a 9am audition sign up.

**Being a member of Actors' Equity Association has some serious advantages.  Like auditions where I can sign up in the morning for an appointment time later in the day.  Amazing.  But you still have to get in line to do it. ***

So yeah, I show up, and the building is clearly not open because there is a line along the sidewalk and around the corner.  Not having planned for that possibility, I was freezing without a hat or gloves.  Rough.  And the line was so looong. 

(By the way, I totally love the dude on the left side of the frame who saw me and decided to make my shot interesting.  Thanks, Big Guy on the Left.  You are great.)

So I got my time (12:50pm) and rushed off to another studio (Theatre Row Studio) to sign up for a different audition (4:10pm).  Then I killed a little bit of time at a coffee shop I found (NOT Starbucks, oddly enough), and went to a totally different studio (Ripley-Grier) to rent a studio to work/warm up in for a half hour.

At 11:30 I headed back up to NOLA for my audition.  Got ready, chatted for a bit with my old friend Erin Wilson, and had my audition. It was fine.  The man behind the table and I were both wearing lavender button down shirts, so I made a comment to him in order to have a little bit of conversation.  I am getting better at ice breakers.  So important.

I immediately changed and headed back down to Ripley-Grier for a chorus call started at 1:30.  I waited and finished a book and started to get nervous as the clock eased past 3:15 and I have not gone in yet.  I have to check in at Theatre Row by 4pm.  Yikes.

I finally sing at 3:50, not the best audition, but oh well.  I run back to my stuff, change my shoes, not bothering to change out of my skirt, throw my stuff together and take off.  Out on the street, I actually run.  I wish I could show you a picture.  Woman running like a crazy person in a black pencil skirt, black tights and brown boots, with a huge backpack, weaving in between of everyone in her path.  Have you ever done the stiff-arm run when you have a huge backpack on?  I don't know why, but I do.  It doesn't even really make sense.  But when I have a backpack on, I run with these stiff arms and kind of stiff legs, even.  I totally threw all dignity out the window.  I had an audition to make!

I got to Theatre Row and checked in at 3:58.  Amazing.  Thank you, Lord.

But, it provided a GREAT ice breaker story for the people behind the table.  I think my audition went well, I have to say.

Seriously long day.  So I needed Thai food.  Totally logical, in my mind.

That's what happens when you run like a crazy person up 8th Avenue in a pencil skirt.  And that is a day in  my life as an actor. :-)

You're welcome.

Today.

My church building in Harlem.  I love going to church here!

Today is a really good day.  It is one of those days where I just have a profound sense of well-being.  If I am being honest, I have had it for a little while.  Lately I have just had a lot of peace of mind, and for those who know me and my history with obsessive anxiety, you know I do not take peace of mind for granted.  Some things I am so grateful for today:

1.  Sleep.  I am sleeping so much better!  Aah..
2. I am so grateful to be here, doing what I am doing.  It is hard, messy, clumsy, crazy, emotional, uncertain, complicated, simple, exhilarating, fun, fulfulling, and everything in between.  If there was anything else I would rather be doing, I would be doing it.  But there isn't, so here I am, auditioning my bootie off, not loving every minute of it, but realizing how lucky I am, just the same.
3.  Peace of mind.  When I am seeing my world through faith and gratitude, and not fear, it is so much better.  Fear comes for so many reasons, and sometimes I can't control my environment, things happen, and I react in fear, then comes the anxiety, and so on.  My anxiety is fear.  That's all it is.  Like I said, I don't take peace of mind for granted.  I can think and respond better in life, and I am more open to days like this, when I can just be and love it.
4.  My family.  I love them, and am so glad I get to keep them forever.  They will never leave.  After going through a divorce, I have a deep understanding and gratitude for what that means.
5.  My belief system.  I love the Gospel.  I am so bad at living it sometimes, but that is the beauty of God.  He loves me anyway.
6.  A working, healthy body.  My body is not perfect, according to my standards.  There are things I wish I could do with it that I can't.  Some days I wish I was skinner, and didn't have to deal with this imperfection or that one.  Not fishing, just being honest.  But my body can move, and walk, and dance (kind of), and make beautiful music, and hold a baby, and sit, and lay down, and speak, and laugh, and eat, and see, and hear, and smell, and hug my mom, and love, and cry, and heal itself, and procreate (still waiting for that one), and a multitude of other things. 
7. Second chances.  At Thanksgiving I got a card from my brother Dave, and his family.  They send Thanksgiving cards instead of Christmas cards.  On the back, Dave had written, "God is a God of second chances."  I melted into tears.  I am a living witness of that.  I am living my second chance right now.  God IS a God of second chances, and third, and fourth....

My life is so good, I am so lucky, and so grateful.

Because I don't feel like ending on such a serious note, I also have to share that I am grateful for  down-on-their-luck drag queens who decide to work it in the train station. (Or werk, as the case may be).

 

Shout Out.

Happy Birthday, Dad.  You are my favorite.  I adore you and couldn't ask for a better Poppy.

This Week in Paradise

This week went like this:


A few auditions, and a little shopping at the fancy Macy's on 34th Street, thanks to a gift card my sister Cyndi and her family gave me for Christmas.  I have been looking for some good rain boots, and lo and behold, I found some!  Because, let me tell you, living in a walking city when it is raining is not fun.  Mama needs some boots.  And some gloves with the little mitton tops that come off so I can text and stuff. :-)

Sign in an elevator in my friend's apartment building.  Di-sgusting.  I am pretty open about spitting being one of my top human habits that I find completely abhorrent.  NYC, I love ya, but you got a lot of spitters.  Nasty.

Debra on the subway in her new coat, strapping herself in.  Safety first.  Those train drivers can get a little crazy....

I went to dance class!  It was so fun!  I need to go more often, but time and money hamper the frequency with which I attend.  But it was a great class, and I felt very proactive in developing my craft on Wednesday.  Don't judge me that it was beginning theater dance.  I have been out of dancing for a long time; give me a break.  But I did feel some nostalgia for the days of walking around BYU campus in tons of layers of clothing, going from one dance class to the next, then to an English class, Science, what have you, in the same nasty 10 layers of clothing I had on all day, with no makeup.  Those were the days.  I owned that look all over again the other day.

My other Yay Me occasion of the week was a workshop I did to work on my audition material.  My friend Rance Wright puts them together.  He is a coach himself, and he brings in casting directors to also coach and give feedback.  It is a great chance to be exposed to some influential people in my industry, and to have them all help me improve my audition technique.  I have taken the class before, and had a great experience, so I took it again.  I loved it again.  I met great people, hopefully made some good connections, and really worked hard. 

After all my hard work, I deserved a treat, right?  Yes.  Yes I did.  And that treat was sweet potato fries and cheesecake from Houndstooth Pub.  And thank you.


I love Rance as a coach because we kind of speak the same language, so the way he goes about coaching really resonates with me.   It is all about trusting yourself, loving yourself, and communication.  It is funny; the last time I took the class I made the connection between my craft and my life.  I struggle with trusting myself; of course I am going to struggle with it in my work.  If I can love myself and accept that I am enough, all the time, that will have a great effect on my craft.  See the connection?  It was quite the epiphany for me.  I still struggle with all of those things, but it is a great journey, and I am so lucky to get to do what I am passionate about every day.  It was a wonderful class.  And Rance is a great friend.  I adore him.  We have known each other since our BYU days and we have both LIVED since then, so we really do understand each other.  I am glad to have him in my corner. 

And then there is always work.  Selllin' the merchandise.  This is what we do on a two-show Saturday to make the fact that we are working all day on a Saturday not quite so painful.  Dinner (Edison Cafe yesterday, the ultimate in comfort food) and a treat during the second show.  Yesterday it was Schmakery's, a gourmet cookie shop.  Let's be honest.  Most days it is Schmackery's.  I believe these cookies are, from left to right, maple bacon (not mine), s'mores, cookies and cream, caramel apple crisp, and chocolate chip.  Amazing.  

Next week brings more auditions, Evita's closing, a baby shower, and just more living the dream.  Happy Sabbath, all.

Christmas

Now that I have gotten that awkward/amazing adventure off my chest, here is a little Christmas update for you. 

Being at home was amazing!  The weather was yummy and snowy, and we had a beautiful white Christmas.  I think my favorite day was Christmas Eve.  By that time, Teresa and her family were in Mapleton, and we just had a relaxing cozy day at home.  Layne and I were both in the kitchen a whole bunch; I made granola and cookies, and Layne made soup and bread.  The evening finished off with the annual Nativity, and of course, the Dansel story.  Traditional brilliance, complete with my mom getting down on the floor by the tree to listen with the boys.  You can't really see her in the picture, but oh, she is there.  Sweet Mom.

Christmas was great.  Presents, food, Christmas caroling to a rest home, more food, and good times.
Just needed to throw in my Christmas stocking.  Mom made all of these for us when we were born.  She now makes stockings for everyone who comes into our family, whether by marriage or the birth of grandchildren.  I love this. 

Mom turned 75! She is beautiful, brilliant, kind, good, smart, spunky, and a great mom.  I sure love her.  Gary and Melissa sent 75 flowers for the day, and I got on Facebook and enlisted my friends to send her at least 75 birthday wishes.  We topped out at 109!  Some people she knew, some she didn't, but it was really fun.

We hit St. George for little Stella's blessing.   Mom made the dress, of course, and it was so cute.  What a beauty she is, and how I love Mike and Sarah and their family.  They are growing up so fast, and I miss them!  Lincoln, Sam, and James sure adore their baby sister. 






 


We also stopped by and saw my Aunt Alice, in rehab after a bad fall off her roof while re-roofing with my uncle.  Those crazy kids.

I spent my last night with Teresa, Layne, and these little ones so T could get up in the middle of the night and drop me off at the airport.  What a champ.  And I love these here kids.  Jake, Jonny, Megan, Rachel.  Yep.  I will keep them.  That's for sure.

Around all the family time, I squeezed in time with friends like the Littles, Amanda Crabb, Katie Hill, and other really important people in my life.  It was a crazy, busy two weeks, and I loved being home.  So much.

Right now, as it is 46 degrees here and 11 degrees in Utah, I don't miss home so much.  I will stay here and feel great about it.  But Happy New Year anyway.