I think I'm going to follow my roommate's lead and just focus on the highlights of the past year, since I don't like to focus on the negative.
No more school!
2010 began with being a free woman. That is, I was blessed with being able to graduate from college a semester early, so I was finished with school when everyone else was returning for the Spring semester. It was kind of weird, but it gave me time to focus on planning for the future.
ITA Chicago Theatre auditions
Kaitlin and I traveled to wonderful Chicago to attend the Illinois Theatre Auditions, a big audition for a lot of theatres in Chicago, since Chicago was one of the places we were looking at moving once Kaitlin graduated.
Even though it was cold, I loved it. We explored, had fun auditions, and ate some really good food (I'm so sad I don't have any of my photos of Fado's. Alas).
White House Black Market
I got a job at White House Black Market, a women's clothing store at the mall in Oklahoma. Since I didn't have classes anymore, I was able to work there a couple of days a week. While it could be tiring being on my feet all day, it was fun and I met some really cool people.
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| Ouch. Work shoes. |
Twelfth Night
This production was so much fun to be a part of! I got to play a badass Pirate captain, fight with a huge Chinese Broadsword and show off some of my bullwhip skills. I also received one of my favorite reviews ever, in which the reporter called me "adorable and badass". Plus, I got to hang out with the majority of my favorite acting friends in OK before having to leave in May AND be in a show with Kaitlin (though we always somehow end up getting cast in shows where our characters NEVER talk to each other. Alas).
So much fun.
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| Badass Pirate Captain |
King Lear
As Twelfth Night was finishing up its run, I was cast as Cordelia in a production of King Lear at another theatre in town. Right after Twelfth Night was over I started rehearsals, a few of my other castmates from Twelfth Night were in this show as well. Even though I love tragedies, I've actually performed in more comedies, so it was really fun to get to finally be in such a famous tragedy AND get to play one of my Shakespearean dream roles. The cast was wonderful and I feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of it.
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| Cordelia |
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| "When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools." |
Hamlet Scene
For Kaitlin's directing final she decided to direct a scene from Hamlet, and asked me to play Ophelia. It was really fun. The scene was the madness of Ophelia scene, so I got to challenge myself in new ways, sing creepily, and got to work with some people from school that I've never acted with before. One of the guys from King Lear was also nice enough to step in and play Laertes, so that was fun too (since our characters in King Lear never talked to each other). Plus, Kaitlin is a very good director, so it was cool getting to see that side of her, as well as being able to see a bunch of people at school that I hadn't really seen since winter graduation.
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| Ready to go be Ophelia |
Los Angeles Trip: Spring Break 2010
Over Spring Break Kaitlin and I traveled with my mom and Kaitlin's dad to Los Angeles, which was the other city we were considering moving to. I will admit that while Kaitlin fell in love instantly, it took me a long time to become completely comfortable with the thought of moving there. I had planned on Chicago for a long time, but when we were visiting LA we found our current apartment by a miracle and were able to put down money for our lease then and there. It seemed like fate. Nevertheless, it took some getting used to, for me.
Movement Showcase
Kaitlin and our friend Erin had specialized in movement at our school with the movement teacher, Tonia, and had created a movement showcase to be performed the week before graduation (I think). I got to be in two of Kaitlin's pieces and I really enjoyed it. Both Kaitlin and Erin's work was very touching and interesting and I'm glad that I got to be a part of it. It was a nice finishing touch to the Spring Semester, especially for the seniors who were graduating.
Advanced Stage Combat
Even though I had graduated, the stage combat teacher let me come in on Fridays and observe the advanced stage combat class that was being offered. I learned more about Escrima, Capoeira, Quarterstaff, Broadsword, Smallsword, Bullwhip and Akido.
Moving to LA
May rolled around, Kaitlin graduated, and we packed up our lives and drove across the country with our parents to LA. We had some adventures with the moving van and eventually got all of our stuff delivered and set up in our new apartment. We explored, decorated, hung out with our families and began to settle into our new home.
LA Film Fest
Kaitlin and I attended some exciting film events at the LA Film Fest over the summer. We got to see a live Q&A with Edgar Wright (with questions asked by J.J. Abrams) which was amazing. Later on we went to a screening of The Last Exorcism at a very impressive outdoor theatre. Even though I'm not a huge horror fan, I liked the movie and it was a very fun and unique experience.
Scott Pilgrim Video Game Party & Reza
We decided to go to a late night launch party for a video game of Scott Pilgrim VS The World (though we were way overdressed compared to everyone else). We stood in line in front of a group of guys who were talking about video games and dungeons and dragons. We started talking to them and hung out when them later on in the evening. This was how I met Reza.
Reza and I started dating shortly after that. He was still in school studying to be a video game designer and writer. He's a big nerd like me and we bonded quickly in our nerdiness. We dated for about 6 months and while the relationship eventually came to an end, I'm not sorry that it happened. He helped to bring out a new side of me that I didn't know I had and we had some good times. I definitely consider him a good thing. We've started talking a little more, every now and then since we broke up and I'm hoping that we'll stay friends.
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| Sushi we split on our 2nd date |
Scott Pilgrim
We also attended one of the very first screenings of Scott Pilgrim VS The World, with a Q&A afterwords with Edgar Wright. This was also where we met BK and Jonathan (they stood behind us in line and were wearing the shirts like the one pictured above that we received from the Scott Pilgrim video game party). Yay new friends!
New Car
My old silver car that I'd had since I turned 16 finally decided to break for good. After long talks with the parents on the phone and a trip to a few Ford dealers, I bought a pretty Orange Ford Edge, only a year old. I dubbed him Saxon because he's Orange and I'm obsessed with Doctor Who.
Disney World and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
I met up with my family for the first since the move, in Florida, to go to Disney World and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It was a blast. Disney World will always be my favorite (Disney Land is too small) and I loved getting to see all of the cool things in Harry Potter come to life in the theme park (plus getting to finally taste Butterbeer).
Also, as a plus, I found frakking Jaffa Cakes at a store in the England section of Epcot.
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| I've got some frakking Jaffa Cakes in my coat pocket! |
Macbeth
One of the first projects I became involved with in LA was a production of Macbeth with a newer theatre company called Warrior Poet. This was definitely a big help in getting me comfortable in LA, since I had planned for so long to focus on Theatrical acting and then had decided to move to the film capitol of the world. I felt very glad to find such a dedicated group of artists and to be able to make my LA theatre debut performing Shakespeare, which will always be my number one love. Theatre is always an adventure, as we experienced, it was a fun time and I was very happy to have been a part of it.
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| Backstage |
Acting Adventures
I had a good number of interesting experiences in film during those first months in LA. Some of them were fun, some of them were simply...unique. I met some cool people though, took some classes, and began to get more interested in singing again and voice over work, as well as film and theatre. I was an extra in some things, played a role in a music video, and got to use my stage combat skills in a few projects.
Hair
Near the end of the year, I decided to cut my hair and even (gasp) put some color in it. I found a great hairstylist and got my hair cut and shaped (especially since it had grown long from Macbeth) with subtle reddish brown streaks put in (the first time I've ever put any kind of color in my hair). I'm planning on getting my hair cut even shorter soon, hopefully next month. I'm ready for something new and different.
Headshots
After I got my hair cut I got new headshots taken from the wonderful Emily Sandifer just before heading home for Christmas. She was wonderful and the shots turned out fantastically. Daniel (my hairstylist) was also kind enough to come to the session and do my hair for the photos. Fun times!
Christmas
I went home to spend Christmas with my family in Nebraska. I longed to see snow (it's really weird being in CA in December and having it be 80 degrees and sunny). However, when I got home, it didn't snow until the day before New Years. But at least it snowed sometime while I was there!
I got to go the annual Christmas party that a few of my theatre friends from high school and I throw every year. There's a theme, we all dress up according to that theme, bring snacks, and do a gift exchange. So much fun! This year the theme was different countries, so I went choosing to represent Great Britain and my gifts were different mugs, full of tea/hot cocca, each with a Shakespearean insult attached to them. I love seeing old friends!
My family decided to stay home for Christmas, instead of visiting my grandparents in Kansas, so I got to open gifts under our own tree at home. It was so much fun just hanging out with my family, goofing around with my brother and playing with the puppy.
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| Creepy Christmas Cookie |
Roommate Advendtures
Through it all, I have been blessed with a great friend in my amazing roommate, Kaitlin. Seriously, there have been some hard times (that I have chosen not to list on this post) where she has helped to calm me down or make me laugh.
Yes, we often end up wearing similar outfits way too often (not on purpose I swear) and we've had our moments, but she's seriously one of my very best friends. I'm so happy I'm not alone out here and that we have each other.
Plus, who else would make a crazy laundry spy video during a blizzard in OK or exchange awesome themed gifts with me?
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| Zombie basket! |
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I can't wait to see what adventures 2011 has in store in for me.
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