Catwoman for a 'SuperSHEro Show' and Party!

This past Sunday I got to be Catwoman for Creating Arts Company.  It was Lielle's 7th Birthday so Shannon wrote a show just for her, including all the characters she wanted, songs and more!  A SuperSHEro is a female Superhero and we were all very excited to celebrate with Lielle and her friends!

With the beautiful gold mask!

The SuperSHEroes were Batgirl, Bumblebee, Wonder Woman, Super Girl, and Hawk Girl, while the Villian's were myself as Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn!  We got the kids up and dancing like we usually do and I sang 'Stressed Out' by 21 Pilots for my entrance into the party.  Of course, by the time we get to the end of the show, it's all about the dancing, so we sang 'Celebration,' 'Uptown Funk' and 'Happy.'

After we finished the show we played games with the party guests.  Then it was time for the real party so the parents had a Pizza Party going for Lielle and her friends upstairs.  We all sang Happy Birthday (got to partake in the yummy food as well) and then said Goodbye to Lielle and her friends.  

One little girl told me a joke and said I was 'Cat-Tastic' and that is probably my favorite part of these shows.  It's the interaction with the kids after and getting to talk to them that's so awesome  Some of the kids are far more talkative than others but it's the ones you bring out of their shells that make my heart melt.  Especially when you make them change their mind about you!  As a villain, it's easy to scare off the kids, so when you can bring them back to your side, you've won them over :)

Catwoman for a day...meow!

As always, I look forward to my next Children's Show with Creating Arts and hopefully it'll be soon!

Topsy Turvy Children's Show

I was so excited to be a part of Creating Arts Company's 'Topsy Turvy' Mini-Musical a few weeks ago!  Basically, things got turned upside down and all the characters were singing different songs while telling a story; so there were Princesses, Superhero's and Villains and it was a blast of a show!

I was playing Belle from 'Beauty and the Beast,' (this was my first time playing her character) and singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."  There were songs from 'Wicked,' The Black-Eyed Peas, 'The Brady Bunch' and more.  I even got serenaded by The Beast as he sang 'Your Song' and whisked me around on the dance floor.  I knew the songs from 'Wicked' but I guess I hadn't listened to them all that closely because as we were singing and harmonizing, I got chills.  All of our voices blended so well together, it was really beautiful.  This cast was stellar!

Right before Show-Time with some of the Princesses, Superhero's and Villains!

After both of our shows that weekend we got to take pictures, give autographs, get hugs and hang out with the kids which is one of my favorite parts.  That's what I missed about doing Children's Shows the most.  The kids are so innocent, smart and the way they look up to us is inspiring to each of us.  I had done our Adult Theater for the past year so this was getting me back in the swing of things with the kids.  It's basically play-time for us!  I was so in love with that dress, I felt like a Princess the instant I put it on.  Although, I may not go the ball-gown route when I'm picking out Wedding dresses in the future ;)

'Beauty & The Beast''

I always look forward to the Children's Shows because it's such a different environment and vibe! Unfortunately, I caught that Summer cold so I wasn't able to do a Princess Party the following weekend but there's always more and I can't wait to do another one soon!

The Summer Freeze Princess Show :)

After a busy week of rehearsals for 'Thenardier's,' 'Project Mayhem' (which I'll be writing a blog about soon), and Improv, I was also rehearsing for our 'Summer Freeze Princess Show & Sing-Along!'  A couple weeks ago we had two shows on a Sunday with a bunch of Princesses joining in on the fun!

We had two very sold-out shows with tons of boys and girls singing along and creating magic with us.  Pocahontas led us on the adventure this time and was joined by plenty of Princesses from Rapunzel, to Anna & Elsa, Belle, Tiana, and more, including Jasmine, whom I was playing that weekend.  We had just gotten a new dress for Jasmine and it was absolutely beautiful and perfect for my character.

Princess Jasmine with Rapunzel, Elsa, and Pocahontas!

As soon as I got on-stage I was mobbed by children who wanted to tell me I was their favorite Princess, they had just watched my movie, or could they sit with me.  I'm sure they say that to all the Princesses but I always feel so special as soon as I start talking to them.  So while we got the kids up and dancing for a bunch of the songs, we also had them sit down so the Princesses could move about and tell our story that day.  When I was sitting, without fail, a little girl would come to sit in my lap, and another would try to fit in as well, and then one would hold my hand.  Best feeling in the world!

Princesses for the Summer Freeze Sing-Along :)

At the end of the show, we taught the kids 'The Princess Song' which is our original Princess Song written by Dan, our Musical Director at CAC.  It's so magical to hear the kids singing along with us on a song that is all our own.  At our second show, a bunch of the guys who normally play our Princes and Pirates came to the see the show and support us Princesses; that was so nice of them to show their enthusiasm for the Summer Freeze!

The Princess Shows are always a blast and revitalize my feelings on how much I love children.  One eight month old baby got her first photo with a Princess, with me!  All those dreams as a little girl of being a Princess one day and they're all coming true <3

The Princess Friendship Show!

Last weekend was filled with shows!  Creating Arts Studios was doing our closing weekend of Thenardier's Inn which included a Thursday night show in addition to our Friday and Saturday night shows but then Creating Arts Company also put on a Princess Friendship Show on Sunday at 11 am and 1 pm.  I went from being a Lovely Lady to Princess Jasmine in less than 24 hours!

A Heart Full of Love

This Princess Show had all the Princesses getting ready for Belle's Ball as well as some Prince's.  It was almost an hour long show with lots of music including 'Be Our Guest,' 'Let It Go,' and 'We Go Together' from "Grease," but it really moved along quickly and the children loved it.  Our first show was packed and a little crazy but the second show ran a little smoother because the kids were a little older and understood when to sing and play with us and when it was time to listen.  That's always nice!  I got to sing 'A Whole New World' with Aladdin as the kids sat on the "magic carpet" with us; it was sincerely magical!  Aladdin had written an original Princess Song for the previous Princess Show and so we all sang it for this show as well.  It's so catchy and fun and we did a little sing-along so the kids were able to sing with us and they loved it so much.

We always do a meet and greet after the show that includes taking pictures, signing autographs, and giving hugs.  There must have been a ton of love in the air because the kids were extra adorable this past weekend, saying they loved me, and one little girl even made all of the Princesses personalized Valentine's.  I could not even handle how sweet and thoughtful that was!  My heart was over-flowing with love.

Creating Arts Company's Princess Friendship Show Cast!

Creating Arts only does Princess Shows a few times a year and I love to be a part of them!  Plus, it was an extra special treat this time as I got to wear Cinderella's ball gown for Belle's Ball :)  I'm already looking forward to the next one!

CAC's 'Retro Holiday Show'

We are two weeks into our 'Retro Holiday Show' for Creating Arts Company and we also just got back from a mini-tour to Twenty Nine Palms Military Base to perform for the troops and their families this past weekend!

My Rudolph Deer Make-Up

I'm playing Rudolph in the show and it's basically a bunch of your favorite Holiday characters including, Frosty, Heat Miser, the Winter Warlock, Kris Kringle, The Grinch, and of course, Elsa!  We sing your favorite Christmas songs and it's really a sing-a-long for the kids and their parents.  In fact, I think the parents get more out of this show because all these stories are classics that even some of the kids haven't seen yet.  There's a line from "The Christmas Story" that always gets a laugh from the adults, 'You'll shoot your eye out, Kid!'

Last weekend we made our way to the military base on Friday afternoon and then we performed two shows in a 1500 person capacity theater!  It was huge!  The kids really loved the show and enjoyed meeting us after and it's really nice to have kids not be afraid of me for once ;)  They're actually excited to meet me and all the other characters and we took tons of photos.  Plus, the kids were so polite and well-behaved.  I know we'd love to go back to perform more shows for them in the future!

When we had our show this past Sunday all of us had so much energy because I think we were all still high off of the Saturday shows.  It literally felt easy to entertain in the smaller more intimate space at the Miles after the huge theater.  There are perks to both of the venues but it's easier to get the kids involved when they're sitting floor level than having to run up and down a giant auditorium (and the altitude change definitely wears you out easier) but we all had such a blast.  

Some of our 'Retro Holiday Show' Cast before Show-Time!

I have my last show next Sunday since I'll be leaving for Wisconsin the following weekend so make sure to get your tickets to any of our Holiday shows at http://www.creatingarts.org/

Thenardier's Inn - A Les Miserables Cabaret

I've been doing Theater here in LA for the past year and working with Creating Arts Company that produces Children's Theater year-round as well as Princess Shows, parties and events, and TV appearances.  We just started a new division, Creating Arts Studios, where we do Adult Shows and we just finished our three-week run of "Thenardier's Inn - A Les Miserables Cabaret" last weekend and it was absolutely spectacular!

Originally we were doing one weekend but got extended for another two weeks since we had sold-out our first show so quickly and the buzz around it was so big with the LA Critic's and Times among other outlets showing major interest.  Before our last weekend (we literally sold-out every show) we all found out that we are getting a four-week extension starting Friday January 23rd through Saturday February 14th!  I'm so proud of the hard-work that everyone has put in through this journey and the product is just incredible.

Opening night of 'Thenardier's Inn' with the Lovely Ladies & Mistress of the House

The content is classic yet original, basically everything you're thinking during 'Les Mis' we're saying during the show.  So there's dramatic-sweeping music and moments, emotional heart-felt songs and quotes, and pure comedy as well.  Did I mention that we serve alcohol throughout the show?  That includes complimentary wine from the Mistress of the House or from the Lovely Ladies during 'Master of the House' as well as a free cocktail for those dressed in French Revolutionary costumes.  I've seen the show numerous times now and I still get teary-eyed during certain songs, and laugh out-loud thanks to the writing and directing of Nick Rubando, who also plays Enjolras, and director Lee Marshall, who plays Javert.  Along with the fabulous improv of our entire cast bringing all the characters to life in this immersive theater experience.

Javert and I sneaking around...

I'm playing a Lovely Lady, and all the Lovely Ladies basically spend the entire show on-stage, flirting with patrons, serving cocktails and drinking with the guests.  Our cast packs a punch, tells a saucy tale, and the group numbers are sure to impress with our small 15 member talented cast.  One of my favorite parts of being a Lovely Lady is the costuming, hair and make-up involved.  It's wild, crazy, and totally different than anything I could wear in my daily life so it's fun to play and get dressed up for the show!

Everyone I've invited has been so happy and impressed by the show.  I can try to explain it to people but it just doesn't do the show justice, you have to see it, to really be a part of it!  There's no disappointment, only laughter, love and tears, for how awesome the show is.  Thank you to Bob, Cathleen, Joe & Kevin from Gabe's, John and Tatjana from Irish Times, Jamie & Spark, Ben, Kalissa & Chelsea, my Mom for coming all the way from Wisconsin to see me close "Sleeping Beauty" and open this show, and all of our super duper CAC members who've come to support and check out this life-changing show!  I'm so grateful and happy to be a part of something that makes me realize each and every performance that this is what I'm meant to be doing and exactly where I need to be.  I'm so proud of our talented cast and crew, Shannon and Todd, who keep our spirits alive and growing, and those that support us in this crazy career.  Every show is magic and as I said during intermission of our first show, I want to do this every day for the rest of my life.

Successful show now let's celebrate!!

To get tickets to this amazing show check out: http://www.cacstudios.com/lesmis/  I look forward to serving you a drink and a kiss on your cheek ;)

Mom's Visit to LA in November!

My Mom wanted to be able to see me in 'Thénardiers Inn - A Les Misérables Cabaret,' and the weekend it opened was the same weekend than 'Sleeping Beauty' closed.  So she decided to come for a few days to catch my performances in both and spend a little time with me before I go home for Christmas in December!

Mom with her 'Lovely Lady'

I picked her up from the airport on Saturday after 'Sleeping Beauty' finished and after grabbing a bite to eat it was time to get ready for 'Les Mis.'  I play a Lovely Lady and Mom ended up loving it!  I was worried because it's a little risque but she really enjoyed it.  She had made a joke a week before saying "as long as I wasn't swearing, playing a butch lesbian or giving birth on-stage again," like I did in 'The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told' she could handle it.  She was happy to see some of our other CAC members in the show and meet some of my new friends.  After the show we stopped by Gabe's to see Aimee and sing a little Karaoke.  She had wanted to hear me sing 'On My Own' and 'Just Like Jesse James' :)

On Sunday I was playing Maleficent in 'Sleeping Beauty' and the kids that day were quite rambunctious.  In fact, at one point after hearing nearly every cast mate tell the kids to quiet down so they could tell the rest of the story, I came on-stage to say my lines, and this boy who was a non-stop talker continued to talk over me.  I literally turned and 'shushed' him and gave him an evil Maleficent look.  I could hear my Mom laugh out-loud along with all the other parents and some of the kids.  Later on, I mentioned how talkative he was and asked what he thought of my dress, and he stared blankly at me.  I think it might have been the first time someone told him no; guess I taught him a little lesson...oops!  It certainly didn't stop any of the other kids from coming up to me at the end of the show to hug me and ask for pictures.  Thankfully, I'm Maleficent, so I can play on that scary side a little bit!  Once again, Mom enjoyed the children's show and commented on how different both shows were and how I had changed my look so drastically between the two.  I love being able to adapt to new characters as an actress!

I was able to get Mom to work-out with me for a couple of days and we took our normal walks around the neighborhood, one day having a glass of Sparking Moscato to celebrate because, it's 5 o'clock somewhere!  It was awesome to watch the Packer Game together on Sunday and on Monday we made Dinner together and watched 'Maleficent.'  She liked the movie and even got teary-eyed at the end.  I loved being able to see the movie again and only wish I could have seen it right before I started 'Sleeping Beauty' because it was great research for the role since Angelina Jolie did such an incredible job.  Mom also made this Texas Caviar Salsa that was awesome; it's so good I'm surprised I still have some left over from the giant bowl it made!

On our last night together I took Mom to the Culver Hotel for some Happy Hour cocktails and Dinner.  I've been there before but never got to try the food aside from the the Chocolate Lava Cake so this time it was a must to check out the menu.  The live Jazz started at 7:30 pm so we were able to get in some great music, yummy cocktails, and food as well.  I had Afterbuzz that night for the 200th episode of 'Supernatural' so she came to watch us film the show and see me Host.

Celebrating the 200th Episode "Fan Fiction" of 'Supernatural' at Afterbuzz TV with Bacon Cheeseburgers & Cupcakes!

Once again the few days we had together went way too fast but now it's only just over a month until I head home for Christmas for a nice extended vacation!  Thank you for coming out to spend time with me Mom, see all my shows, and just get some quality time together.  Miss you already and see you soon <3

Princess Jasmine for Creating Arts!

On Halloween a few of our amazing Creating Arts Members got together for a quick rehearsal as we put together a Children's Outreach Show we were performing in just hours later at the UCLA Housing in West LA.  There were over 100 people who brought their kids to see our show and meet us before going out Trick or Treating!

With some Pirates...arrrrgh!

I was playing Princess Jasmine as it's been dream to play her since I joined the Company.  My friend from High School, Sean Sagal, used to always call me Jasmine from "Aladdin" because I reminded him of the Disney Princess.  He was one of the few boys I went to school with that was nice to me, never made fun of me, or made me feel bad about myself.  I didn't have a date for my Junior Prom so I went with a group of girls but he asked me to dance, and we danced to 'Wonderful Tonight.'  After coming back from College he said he was so impressed with how out-going I had become, but I had to joke with him that I was always like that, people just never gave me a chance to be me.  Sean survived from cancer after High School but unfortunately took his own life my Senior Year in College.  He was a wonderful person with such a bright and compassionate personality.  Getting to be Jasmine for this show literally made my heart soar and I gladly dedicated my performance to him and his memory.

The show itself was crazy; there were so many people and I think most of the kids were just overwhelmed by all the Princesses, Princes, and Pirates.  This was their first time seeing any sort of live theater and it felt so wonderful to bring our talents to their Halloween celebration.  We had a short script filled with plenty of songs and I even got to sing 'A Whole New World' with our Aladdin who was moon-lighting as Willa Wonka for the day ;)

Princesses Ariel, Elsa, Anna, and Jasmine for Creating Arts Company

It was a great way to start my Halloween, doing something fun and exciting for these families, not to mention our CAC Members got to make magic for these kids and that's just fulfilling in itself!  I'll definitely look forward to playing Princess Jasmine again in the future and just want to thank Shannon for giving me the opportunity to play one of my dream roles!

Maleficent & Co.

One of my favorite parts of working with Creating Arts is getting to do the Meet & Greet after the show is over.  We always take our bows and then go outside to take pictures with the kids, sign autographs, and just chat with the families (in character of course).  It's so heart-warming and I love talking with the kids and hearing what's on their minds.

Stages of emotion in meeting the kids, so excited to take
pictures and hear their stories, and then they hug you
and I just melt.  Best feeling in the world!

Since "Maleficent" came out in theaters it's really shed a new light on my fairy character, thankfully.  The little girls have told me they loved MY movie, and that I'm one of their favorite characters.  Some are even dressing up like me for Halloween!  Yet again, even better than all of that, seeing the children overcome their fears.  Like this one little girl, who came up and got into my arms, we shared a little moment, and after setting her down another little one had come over to say hi and I asked if she wanted a hug.  She gave me one of those scared half/barely-touching hug and the first little girl heard me ask the other one that, and flung her arms around my neck so tightly, all I could do in that moment, was appreciate the love.  I was so overcome with emotion and started to tear up right there!  Even the little boys get excited to meet the villain, and I love playing along with them.  I learned how to 'hi-five' this weekend and what 'Halloween' actually was.  I mean, did Halloween even exist in the 14th century?  It does now, because they're be a bunch of little mini-me's, meaning Maleficent's running around in a week or so.  Plus, it's great to see them protective of their sisters and try to coax them into meeting everyone.  All of them are so adorable I can barely handle it :)

Our 'Sleeping Beauty' Cast and some fans!

This past weekend, we signed so many autographs, you do start to feel like a 'mini celebrity.'  In these kids eyes, we are famous, and I can remember thinking the same thing about the actors when I saw shows as a child.  I loved hearing a little girl talk to me about the show and then ask if I could come to her house.  I laughed and said, that could probably be arranged.  We have to remember that the pictures we take with these kids will be forever remembered by them and in digital format.  They may look back on them when they take their own children to see theater.  How cool is that?!

Maleficent in 'Sleeping Beauty'

We've got three more weekends of "Sleeping Beauty" and so much more fun to be had!  Come and check out the show, and see my amazing wings that always bring gasps from the audience...pictures can't even do them justice :D

*Tickets can be found on www.creatingarts.org or for a discounted price on www.goldstar.com*

Playing Maleficent in 'Sleeping Beauty'

"Sleeping Beauty" is at the top of my list of Disney movies and it's always been my favorite!  Aurora has been my all-time favorite Princess, too!  She's the only Princess to have violet eyes and I always thought she was just classical beautiful.  So I was very excited when Creating Arts decided to do this as our Pint-Sized Play during the Fall Season.

My Maleficent Costume!

For this production of "Sleeping Beauty," I'm playing Maleficent, the evil fairy who has magical powers and can turn into a winged dragon.  After seeing "Maleficent" in theaters this past Summer, I fell in love with the story even more.  I won't give away the storyline of "Maleficent" but I like the hybrid character I created to play the role with a mix of evil from the original Disney movie, and that air of confidence, an edginess, and a little humor from Angelina Jolie's role.  Plus, I've got my Guard to make me look more sinister and mean, and she gets to play it off more goofy.  As much as I'd love to play one of the Princesses for a show and not be the villain, this gives me more room to grow as an Actress and a better opportunity to delve deep into character work by doing some research and analysis.  And obviously, I'm not an evil person so this is truly acting...muah ha ha ;)

All the Fairies in "Sleeping Beauty"

We put this show together in just two weeks and it's got a six week run (with one weekend off, which was this weekend).  Right now, we've already had two weekends of shows at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica where we do most of the Children's Shows.  I think one of my favorite things about the show is how different each audience reacts.  The first week I made a lot of kids cry, I heard them wailing after my first entrance and exit (and that seriously tugs at my heart) but then the following day, the kids were more brave.  When King Stephan asks what he should do now that I've cursed Aurora some little boy yelled, 'kill her!'  We've had children with Birthday's in the audience so our next show we could barely get through our lines because all the kids were talking the entire time.  And our last show we did was probably the hi-light so far because when the Prince asks if the audience wants to forgive me for trying to hurt Aurora after they banish me from the kingdom, all the kids said yes, and as soon as I got on-stage they mobbed me, about 15 kids, hugging me, saying they forgave me, told me 'You're beautiful, you're evil, but you're beautiful.'  So cute!

The costume for the show is just incredible!  It's this long sequined one-shoulder dress with a wing on the one side, and I'm wearing the green glitter shoes from "Wizard of Oz" and of course the Maleficent horns, and later on, get a ginormous set of wings!  They are literally magical.  I came up with a make-up plan doing shades of purple, with winged liner, glitter, and then lots of contouring, plus no CAC show is complete without glitter lips!  As the villain I really do get some of the best and most beautiful costumes.

We've got four more weeks of shows lined up for "Sleeping Beauty" and a lot more fun to be had!  Each week brings a new challenge of scaring the kids but winning them over in the end, and finding myself in my character to bring out something new and different for every show.  I always look forward to those challenges!

Princesses in 4D!

Last weekend I was in Creating Art's 'Princess, Prince, & Pirate's in 4D' show.  Our director, Shannon, had written it to be a Choose Your Own Adventure show so the kids would actually decide what was happening throughout the show.  It was based strongly on improv and allowing the children to get involved and no show was going to be exactly the same.

Flynn & Rapunzel

To make the show 4D there were scents that were sprayed throughout the theater depending on where we were; there was a beach/sea scent, a clean scent for the library, and woodsy/musk scent for the forest.  We also had snow during our scenes with Anna and Elsa, and other little touches to create all the senses.  The kids really loved deciding how we would react or what we would do and were very vocal about it.  What Princess did they want to see first?  Did we want to find Elsa or build a snowman?  They were creating magic!  Of course, there were songs involved in every step of the way!

For this show most of us had to play two different Princesses, and the guys had to play multiple roles as well from Princes throughout history.  I started off the show as Rapunzel and the kids were so excited to see me.  During both shows I had little girls run up and hug me or tell me they just watched my movie.  They don't care that there's a show that's going on, they just want to talk to you because it means so much to them.  It was so adorable!  I also got to sing 'I See The Light' with Flynn during our opening scenes.  I had a quick change to Pocahontas, whom I played for the rest of the show.  Lucky for me, I had two extremely long wigs and got to play the best of both worlds, a blond and a brunette.  The story-line led us to find our Fairy Godmother's magic wand that was found by Robin Hood, stolen by Blackbeard, and with the help of Capt. Jack Sparrow, Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Prince Charmping, Aladdin, Jasmine, and more we were able to get the magic wand back to it's rightful home safe and sound, making it an adventure.  Along the way, I lead everyone 'Just Around The Riverbend' as we later on had to 'Build A Snowman' with the help of Christophe, Anna & Elsa, and more.

Just some of our Princesses before the show...Belle, Rapunzel, Tinkerbell, Aurora, Cinderella, and Snow White!

It was crazy how excited all the kids were to tell us what was happening or what we missed while we were off-stage.  Our first show went almost 90 minutes because the kids were so talkative with us.  Luckily, we planned for that during our second show and were able to keep things moving more quickly for our Sunday show.  Either way, the children loved it, and the parents did too!  We always get the kids up and dancing with us and there's plenty of time after the show for pictures as we get mobbed on the Promenade after our final bows.  

It's not always kids wanting to take pictures with Snow White & Pocahontas ;)

This was definitely my favorite Princess Show because of all the characters involved and also having the Prince's and Pirate's join us too.  It made it exciting for the little boys as well to have someone to look up to.  For putting the show together in just a week I'm so proud of all of our new members as well as our veterans.  I only wish that the show would have run for another week or two!

*Thanks to Kristina, Alex, & Finley, Neil and Spark, and others who came to see our Princess Show!*

Playing Esmerelda for 'The Princess Luau'

Creating Arts Company presented 'The Princess Luau' at the end of July at The Miles Playhouse.  It was a quick rehearsal period and I was working on most of our rehearsal nights so I just had one day with the entire cast until our dress rehearsal the night before the show.  Thankfully, there was a lot we could do on our own and we had learned our blocking and most of the choreography on our first rehearsal and a lot of the show could be improv and interacting with the children.

My Esmerelda Costume :)

This was my second 'Princess Show' with Creating Arts and it was a smaller cast but bigger venue.  I was playing Esmerelda from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' and even though I wasn't as recognizable as the other Princesses, as soon as I talked to the children, they had said they'd go home and watch the movie, or that I became their favorite.  Even if that wasn't true, I did appreciate their honesty and little girls (and some little boys) just love the Princesses no matter what!

Most of the songs were Tropical themed, like 'Surfing Safari,' 'Tiki Tiki Tiki Room,' 'Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,' 'Aloha Oe,' and we all had solos throughout the show.  We had 10 songs to learn plus some Hawaiian so it was definitely a quick turn-around to be prepped and ready in less than a week!  Since there were only six of us we really needed to bring the energy and by the time we were done I know we had made the kids' day.  Because we interact with the children throughout the show, entering from the house, or getting up into the seats when we're singing and encouraging the kids to come down and dance and sing with us, the energy is through the roof!  I'm sure they nap really well when they get home too...nice idea Mom's & Dad's!  As soon as we give them free reign to come down and dance, they all take advantage of it, hugging all of us, talking to us, and singing along.  It's amazing to see them so excited to just be a part of the show.  Of course, as soon as the show is over it's literally a mad house of kids wanting to talk about our characters, what we like to do, (Esmerelda loves to dance, and enjoys eating in cafe's all over Paris), and I actually got to sing a bunch of autographs!

It's amazing how quickly that hour goes by while we're performing and before we know it, we're done.  We had two shows, just one each on Saturday and Sunday.  I've definitely started to recognize children and parents who are repeat guests of Creating Arts and I really love that.  There's still one girl out there who recognizes me from when I was The Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz.  It blows my mind how smart these little ones are and how special they make you feel!  I've said it before and I'm going to continue saying it, when a child runs up to hug you and just grabs you with everything they have, it literally takes my breath away and there is no possible way to stop smiling after that happens!

Aloha from Elsa, Rapunzel, Esmerelda, Belle, Anna, and Jasmine!

I'm really looking forward to our next Princess Show which will be at the end of August, this time with the Princes, and hopefully I'll get to play a different character!  Now, I couldn't end this blog without saying Aloha...buh bye ;)

Playing Abu in 'Aladdin'

Last weekend 'Aladdin' opened at The Promenade Playhouse for two encore performances by our Creating Arts Company members.  I joined the cast that week as Abu, Aladdin's best friend and monkey.  I was excited for another different role in just three weeks and to challenge myself in a more active way with a lot of non-verbal action.

Our 'Aladdin' Cast and one of our biggest fans!

I went to my first rehearsal on Thursday and we did a sing-through of all the songs.  On Friday we ran through the show and got our costumes in order.  Then, on Saturday morning we had our tech rehearsal with full run-through, and then quickly ran over the music and a few scenes one last time before our 3 pm show!  As Abu I didn't have that many lines but I am with Aladdin in most of his scenes and do a lot of physical activity as well.  Most of my communication is non-verbal so I figured out a voice that would fit a monkey for my monkey chatter and got my hop on.

The show was an absolute blast!  We were so over-sold on Saturday that we couldn't even use the audience to stage entrances and exits because people were seated in them.  In fact, the kids were so far onto the stage at one point when I was exiting a little boy grabbed a hold of me and wouldn't let go.  On Sunday I felt even more into the character, bouncing around the stage even though my legs were so sore from doing that all day on Saturday.  It was really physical and the kids as well as the parents seemed to be enjoying my humor and fun with the character.  I would definitely play that role all over again!

We get the kids involved throughout the show but at the end of the show after we did curtain call we got the kids back on-stage to dance with us to 'Jai Ho' a traditional Indian song.  I was dancing with this little girl and she was just laughing the entire time so after the show she came and gave me the biggest hug.  Then her Dad thanked me because he got a beautiful picture of us dancing and wanted me to know how special it was to his family that I had danced with his daughter to such an important song in their culture.  It made my day.

Iago & Abu...we just get each other ;)

I honestly felt like I was playing the entire time.  It was just fun and easy.  This was totally different than anything I've played in the last few weeks with this theater company.  I don't think I've formulated that type of character in a long time and I felt like I brought it to life and made magic.  What we get to do is so important as we impact so many children's lives.  It's never work; it's just what I love to do :)

The Princess Extravaganza :)

Right after we finished up Wizard of Oz for Creating Arts we were already prepping for The Princess Extravaganza the following weekend at The Promenade Playhouse.  I had no idea how inspiring it would be seeing all the Princesses in one place at one time and I can't even imagine how the children felt when all the ladies were on-stage together!

Pocahontas Make-Up & Costume :)

I was playing Pocahontas that weekend and we had a total of four shows, two per day, and each show was packed with parents and children, friends and family.  I was greeting and ushering guests into the theater.  It was so much fun to have kids run up to me, excited to talk about their favorite princesses, and of course, the best part were the hugs!  I don't think there is anything better than a hug from a little girl or boy.  I loved that they recognized me right away and would just chatter away about the princesses or that they come to all the Creating Arts shows.  One little girl even recognized me from when I played the Wicked Witch.  I was amazed because I even changed my voice for this too!  I can't believe how smart these kids are :)

After the show started I was able to watch and to see all the Princesses on the stage together.  It blew me away.  Even when you're in Disneyland you may run into a Princess or two but it's very rare to have a few you see throughout the day, let alone 14 all in one place at one time.  If I was excited, I can't imagine the kids not being in total complete awe.  I did get to sing the last number with them and then I gave an announcement at the end for the raffle winners who would win a Princess Party.  Once we were outside we were swarmed by children and people on the Promenade asking for pictures, hugs, autographs, and stories.  Thankfully, I remembered enough about Pocahontas that I was able to talk about Flit and Meeko, and who could forget, John Smith.  It was a total blast!

Our Princess Extravaganza Cast!

We do these Princess Shows every few months and right now the favorites are Elsa and Anna from Frozen.  I'm looking forward to playing another Princess and getting to entertain these incredible kids again soon!

'Wizard of Oz' Weekends!

We're four shows into our 10 show run of Wizard of Oz at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica and it's been an absolute blast!  I've gotten to play the Wicked Witch for three of the shows and have three more to go.  I can't believe how quickly the time is flying and how much fun I'm having playing such a crazy character!

From Wicked Witch to Oz Debutante!

The cast and crew of our show really enjoy bringing happiness and joy to those attending our mini-musical and it's incredible to hear stories from families that come to all of our shows, and how we impact their children's lives.  This is why we do this, this is why I love what I do!  On top of it all, I'm getting to do my own make-up and play such an iconic character.  It's been a challenge to change my voice and be this mean and horrible person but I've been excited about it every step of the way.  My make-up takes me about 45 minutes to do and I usually wait till the last minute to get into costume since there are so many layers and it gets hot.  The costume is one of the most beautiful costumes I've ever gotten to wear; I feel like it's a couture piece!  In fact, pictures don't even do it justice.  It's amazing how incredible our team really is!  And if Dorothy gets to wear red glittered shoes than the Wicked Witch should get to wear green glittered shoes.  When I'm not playing the Wicked Witch, I play a Munchkin or Citizen of Oz which is also fun just to do something different and be a cheerful and colorful little character.

Scaring Dorothy without my gloves ;)

Our rehearsals went by just as quickly as we had three weeks including our tech rehearsal before we opened two weeks ago.  Since it is Children's Theater, the show was supposed to be around 60 minutes but it's currently running around 70-75.  The kids really seem to be enjoying it and even though I was warned that I'm going to make kids cry and then I'll know I've done my job, I haven't seen any tears just yet.  Although, on Sunday I heard one little boy whimper and repeat a couple times throughout the show, 'I hope that Wicked Witch doesn't come back.  I don't like her.'  I almost have to laugh because if they knew the real me, they'd be begging their parents for me to be their new babysitter.  (I used to bring Kid Kits that I learned about from "The Babysitter's Club" books, and my little ones always loved playing with them and I baby-sat some families for years!)  The Wicked Witch really isn't that bad, I think anyone would get cranky if they had buckets of water thrown on them out of nowhere.

In fact, after the shows, most of the kids want to come up and talk to me.  Some are proud to admit I didn't scare them, while others tell me they're going to throw more water on me, and then I'll get the one adorable little nugget that will ask, 'Why are you so mean to Dorothy?'  I do have to talk and answer any and all questions in character which can be difficult when kids are a little nervous.  So I flash a big smile, get down to their level, and wave them over; hopefully they're not too afraid of me.  That has probably been my favorite part of this whole experience!  Well, that and getting to die on-stage.  'I'm melting, I'm melting, oh what a world!'

To purchase tickets or find out more information about our show or Creating Arts Company check out their website at www.creatingarts.org.  You can get discounted tickets on www.goldstar.com but make sure to hurry because they are selling out fast!  I'm so thankful to all my friends who've gotten to see the show so far: Neil, Sam, and Danny, thanks for coming!  Hope to see y'all in the audience soon :) 

*I play the Wicked Witch on Saturday's at 2 pm and the show runs under 75 minutes at Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica!*

'Wizard of Oz' Promo Video

The Cast & Crew of Wizard of Oz has been fortunate enough to sell out our past four shows!  We've got three more weeks of shows coming up and it's been such an awesome experience playing the Wicked Witch and getting to perform and talk to the children and parents after the show.

You can see a Promo Video for Wizard of Oz right here!

I can't believe we put this show together in three weeks and we're all having a blast playing and entertaining families and attendees.  You can find out information and details about how to get tickets on our Creating Arts Company website at www.creatingarts.org or find half-off tickets on www.goldstar.com.  Come and see the magic :)

'The Wizard of Oz'

I'm happy to announce that I will be playing the Wicked Witch of the West in Wizard of Oz.  Once again I will be working with the wonderful and talented Creating Arts Company!  It opens on April 12th at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica and I will be performing on Saturday's at 2 pm as well as one Sunday in April at 3 pm.  It's running for six weeks and I can't wait for this exciting challenge :)

Playing the Wicked Witch will definitely be a fun experience for me since I'm used to playing the good girl but as I've been doing some research on witches, I've found some really awesome traits to use for this role.  Hansel & Gretel with Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner was really beneficial for me to watch as they're witch hunters and Famke Janssen plays the main evil witch.  She was a great strong character and her demeanor was interesting.

I've also been trying to find the perfect make-up for the role.  In typical Wizard of Oz fashion the Wicked Witch was an ugly evil witch but Mystic (we're sharing the role, she's incredible and performing on most of the Sunday's) said she brings out the fun and sexy side of her.  Since Wicked has come out there's been a whole new idea that the Wicked Witch is just misunderstood and really not some horrible person.  So I plan on using qualities from that musical and the movies I've seen to create an intriguing but really sassy and wicked character with stylish make-up more like the movie Oz: The Great and Powerful.

Rehearsals are under-way, I'm almost completely memorized and we open in two weeks.  We've got an amazing cast and crew and I can't wait for this acting adventure!

One week into 2014...

Already a week into 2014 and so much has happened.  I've been sick with a cold/sore throat for most of it but stayed true to my new song at Karaoke and finished out a great run of Babes In Toyland with an awesome cast and crew!

Last Saturday was my last week playing Mary Contrary in Babes In Toyland.  It ran for six weeks at The Miles Playhouse and we had our original cast together for the final performance.  I felt it was my strongest week singing (even with the laryngitis I had earlier in the week) and we all had so much fun in our roles and bringing magic to the room!  At the end of the show we take photos and talk to the kids and their parents.  One girl came up to me, and after we took pictures together she said that I was her favorite actress and she wanted to go grow up and be just like me.  Those are the moments I live for and the reason I do what I do.  I want to inspire people and here I was 25 years later, performing in Children's Theater, doing exactly what I watched other actors do, and knowing at that time I wanted to do the same thing.  It's one of my favorite acting moments to date!

Meeting my favorite fan ;)

I'm also so glad I got to see a bunch of my cast mates in Rapunzel which was playing at 1 pm on Saturday as well.  I felt like a little kid watching and booing for the villains and cheering for the prince and princess.  It was so neat to watch the children's faces throughout the room taking the show in.  When we were performing for Babes In Toyland I wasn't able to see how much the kids really enjoyed us as I did watching this other show.  It's literally magic :)

The Babes In Toyland cast after a performance in December!

By Wednesday I had a full-on sore throat so I'm surprised I was even able to sing for my first night back hosting Karaoke in 2014.  I opened the night with 'Here Without You' by Three Doors Down and joined Marty on a couple songs throughout the night including 'Careless Whisper' and 'Lucky' by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait.  My new song of the night was 'Bathwater' by No Doubt and since I had some friends visiting I also sang Tracy Chapman's 'Give Me One Reason To Stay Here' which was great for my low turtle voice.  It's all about song choice and I think I chose right considering I was under the weather.

 Creating Arts is gearing up for another great season and they're casting a bunch of their upcoming shows in the next week or two and I can't wait to get involved with another show.  This cold better scram pretty soon so I can be all prepped and ready for Princess Time!

'Babes' Opening Show!

This Saturday was the opening of the show I'm in, 'Babes In Toyland' at the Miles Playhouse in Santa Monica.  It is a Children's Play for ages 11 months to 6 years and families, and we sing, dance, and act, getting the children involved in the fun.  It's running for the next 5 weeks on Saturday's and starts at 11 am and lasts just a little over a half hour.  You can find all the information on the Creating Arts website at: Babes In Toyland

Our cast is small with just 5 people but I really felt like we all lit up the stage once the show started and we heard the kids yelling out answers to what time of year it is and how one would get through snow.  After that, the rest of the show is a blur for me because I felt like my adrenaline went through the roof and the amount of energy I exerted took over and I just remember seeing the happy smiles on the kids faces, and smiling proud parents as their children were dancing and singing along with us.

Showtime for Little Bo Peep, The Toymaker, Mother Goose, Tom Piper and Mary Contrary!

We sing some Christmas songs as well as children's favorites, and a few songs from Nursery Rhymes and I have a couple solo's as well.  Maya was our director, choreographer, and singing coach and she pulled all of us together to bring an amazing show that will continue to improve week after week!  It was almost a let down after the show was over and I went back home and went about my day but thankfully I have 5 more weeks of performances to get my acting fix.

This is definitely a great company to be a part of and I can't wait for what else I can get involved with in the future :)

'Babes In Toyland'

I got it!  I auditioned for the role of Mary Contrary in 'Babes In Toyland' a week and a half ago and found out a couple days later that I booked the role!  When I first saw they were holding auditions I was super excited because I used to watch the movie with Drew Barrymore, Keanu Reeves, and Eileen Brennan all through the Christmas season (and Summer, guilty pleasure) and now I was getting to audition for it.

The audition consisted of a cold-read and song.  When I got to the audition and saw it was a scene from 'Music Man' I got a little nostalgic remembering I had played the role of Amaryllis when I was 14, and sure enough, the cold-read scene was one I did in that exact play, except this time I would be reading as Marian Paroo.  Since the play was a musical, we all had to sing so I chose 'Baby Love.'  I felt great about the audition and knew that it was a waiting game but I was really hoping to be cast.  I sent out a thank you for having me in to audition on Monday and by Tuesday I had confirmed the role of 'Mary Contrary' and was sent the rehearsal schedule, script, and music.

 

My hardly can contain myself smirk...
and this headshot reminds me of Christmas!

'Babes In Toyland' opens in a week and a half, as they have a very quick turn-around and prep for this show especially since it's for The Twinkle Theater.  This show is recommended for children 11 months to 5 years old accompanied by their family's as an introduction to theater.  As soon as I found out the show was for babies, I was totally in!  Of course, I would love for all of my friends in LA to come and see it as well because it is a Christmas/Holiday Show; there's singing, dancing, and acting, and will just be a fun experience, plus I might nuzzle you with a Teddy Bear :)

We've had a couple rehearsals already, meeting the rest of the cast, whom are mostly from the Midwest, ran through the script a handful of times, along with the music, figured out the blocking and this weekend we will probably be running through the entire show considering the following Saturday, November 30th, will be our first performance for the public.  The show runs on Saturdays at 11 am at the Miles Playhouse in Santa Monica on Lincoln & Wilshire Blvd and goes until January 4th.  So we will be performing 6 shows (one of which I will be in Wisconsin for, so someone will be filling my role that week) put on by the Creating Arts Company who will also have other shows running in the same weeks just on different days.

I'm so excited to be a part of a theater show again as it's been 8 years since the last time I did theater.  Singing to each other in rehearsals makes my ears smile, that's how happy I am, to be doing exactly what I love!  I can't wait for our first show in just 10 days!!

You can find out more information about the show and get tickets here:
Babes In Toyland Tickets