Happy New Year!
A few months have passed since my last entry, and while 2016 finished leaving some people downtrodden, hopeless, and afraid, I’m choosing to stay positive, remain hopeful, and keep the fight! What other choice do I have? This is MY life, and I want to live it the best I can! Bring it on, 2017!
Honestly, I have been so very fortunate, even though I do let fear and self-doubt creep in at times. So I’d like to highlight some of what I accomplished between October-December, and in the last year. Here they are in random order:
ONE YEAR IN NEW YORK! On December 2, 2016, I have officially lived in New York for ONE YEAR. (I know; where does the time go?) I celebrated by seeing my roommate Anna make her Off-Broadway debut as the female swing in “PUFFS,” Or “Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic!” It’s a spoof of the Hufflepuffs from the Harry Potter Series, and she and it are amazing! I’m so glad she got to go on and that I was able to see it. I then had reunion drinks with my friend Rami (aka the amazing “Moll Flanders”) who recently moved here! I also got myself some gelato, because it was my anniversary, and there must be ice cream.
Hatchimals! The toy I voiced over the past year was the #1 holiday toy this season, and was completely sold out across the country! My mom purchased one early when they launched in October, and many of my friends were able to find them and give them to their kids. I’m so humbled for the support and am glad to bring joy to kids everywhere! They are re-stocking in Target, Toys ‘R Us, and Walmart, and my sister was able to score one for her kids post-Christmas. It’s pretty cool. There are plans for a “second generation” of Hatchimals in the future, so I’ll keep you posted!
My San Francisco Giants made the playoffs, beat the Mets in the Wildcard Game, and an unlikely hero (Connor Gillaspie) emerged. Although they followed with a heartbreaking loss to the Cubs (congrats, Chicago Fans!) I’m still proud of my boys and I think we’ll have to start an “odd” tradition...
To cheer me up from that loss, I luckily had a quick trip home in mid October. I got to see friends, family, and my Pac Rep Theatre family in a show in Carmel. But I had to get back to...
Teaching! I completed my first semester as a Beginning Suzuki teacher at Long Island University - Post. I truly enjoyed every bit of it! (except maybe the commute). The tenured professors are under-loaded for the Spring, so I won’t be returning next semester, but I hope to get back to it soon!
I started a new part-time Office Manager job. And they love me! :)
I was called in by a major casting office to audition for an Off-Broadway play. (I didn’t get it, but they know who I am!)
I celebrated a birthday with an audition in New Jersey and a party in New York. (One birthday, two states!)
I was called back for a regional theater in Florida and for two theaters in the Bay Area (via video submissions!)
I ran the Rock ‘n Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon (my 13th half!)
I voted for the first FEMALE U.S. Presidential Candidate! (Despite the results, still awesome to be able to say that.)
I was called in for a meeting with a potential agent.
I took another short theater scene class, and two on-camera scene classes with major NY Casting Directors. (I needed to remind myself how to act on film; I can still do it!)
I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with my sister, Patty, and her family in Maryland. (It is SO good to have family close by!)
I celebrated New Year’s with my college friend Michelle over an awesome dinner and fireworks in Prospect Park. Cheers!
And just for fun, (and to remind myself how hard I’ve been working) here is my 2016, by the numbers (because, yes, I do keep a list!):
115 - number of plays I read this year (thank you Brooklyn and NY Public Libraries!)
6 - number of books/novels I read this year (see ‘thank you’ above)
62 - number of plays/live performances I attended (this includes Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, Local, Experimental, and Student Productions, Staged Readings, Dance, and Music!)
6 - classes taken with One-on-One (two 1-week, one 2-week, one 5-week theater scene classes, and one 2-week, and one 3-week on-camera scene classes with casting directors)
156 - number of in-person auditions I attended (plus 5 video submissions) for a whopping total of 161! (I submitted about three times that number via email, website, and mail for projects, too...)
19 - number of voice over auditions I recorded from home
5 - number of voice over projects booked and recorded
4 - NY audition callbacks
2 - number of Shotz short play series I performed in (but read on for more!)
2 - number of live staged readings for which I read stage directions
1 - booking of a sales training video
Whew!
So what’s next...?
Another Shotz! On Monday, Jan 2 I will be performing in my third Shotz short play series. The theme this month is called “Hail to the Shotz: Inauguration!” I’m so glad to be a part of the Shotz NY and AMIOS Community!
and...
A voice over workshop! I will be going back to One-on-One in late January for a four-week voice over class that culminates in a panel of agents. Fingers crossed they hear something they like and I get more people on my side!
and...
Whatever else I meet along the path! I feel like my momentum is building and I must continue full steam ahead. I still want this career, and I’m working hard to make it happen. I am making it happen...
Thank you for all of the support and encouragement. Onward!