So I’ve been compiling my theatre resume for when I’m able to start auditioning again and I thought I’d share. These are in order of appearance starting all the way back when I was 14. I’ll say now that Wikipedia is not the best source for my links but what can I say? I’m LAZY.
Onward, friend and know that this is lengthy!
Cheaper by the Dozen “Anne” the eldest daughter, known for causing a stir by wearing silk stockings and having a BOY over to chat. Such the scandal it was in the late 1920s.
Into the Woods “Snow White” and book holder which became show u/s lol With such a huge cast invariably there was always someone missing. Finally Barb, the director, just had me on stage filling whatever role was empty that particular night. Because of my mad memorization skillz (okay the video helped) I pretty much knew the entire show. Thank god because our second dress rehearsal both Ginger (“The WItch”) and Lauren (“Rapunzel”) were out with a NASTY bug that almost took both their voices. Little old me bounced back and forth between the two costumes and all (Well Ginger’s costumes. I wasn’t as tiny as Lauren. I think I wore the wig though.) I was 99% off book. No one had a clue I knew the show as well as I did and after I did “The WItches Rap” sans book “The Baker” and his wife broke into applause and she turned to the audience and said, “This is the UNDERSTUDY.” Wow did I feel awesome. 
) I should note I did NOT sing their songs. SO not my range lol Actually I have never even attempted to be a soloist. I’m just fine singing in the background. The thought of a solo quite frankly terrifies me!
Sweeney Todd Chorus OMG this show was SO fun. It was the middle of summer. We were sweating out balls off but it was great. The cast was about 90% college kids (I on the other hand was in like 9th grade.) My uncle was in the show and one night her brought homemade wine (Spiked with vodka to up the alcohol content of course!) that we put in our flasks during “Go That’s Good”. (Is that the name of the song? I don’t remember. They cut it out of the movie. FAIL.) I had never had alcohol before so I only took a teeny tiny bit. It was foul. It was hysterical though because Anne, the gal playing the beggar woman, didn’t know we had filled the bottles. She grabbed my uncle’s flask to take a swig , as always, and nearly had to run off stage she was so shocked. She was expecting an empty bottle!
A Chorus Line “Peggy” the made up secretary. The decided to use me as an onstage book holder so they stole the secretary position from the movie and stuck me in it. Sure I could do the dances but the massive knee brace I had to wear to keep my knee from dislocating would have made it rather un-realistic. They did speculate that I could have played “Paul” (as “Paula”) because of his knee issue but it would have been stretching things too far.
Ducktails and Bobbysox Ducktails girl (Think Pink Ladies) This was a horrible Grease rip-off. I was in the middle of The Music Man AND Summer and Smoke at the same time (Yes, THREE shows at once) so I was pretty much just a filler voice, dancer.
The Music Man “Pick-a-little lady” This was an all county musical that my show choir directors produced. It was funny because I when I went in for my costume fitting a few weeks into rehearsal, they had me down as one of the younger girls (the ones who have the Shipoopi dance break among other things). They laughed and asked which I would rather do and I decided to stick with the Pick-a-little lady position because that’s what I had been rehearsing.
Summer and Smoke A fantastic Tennessee Williams show from which I learned SO MUCH. Once again I was a very bit part (I was only 16 at this point but thankfully had a mature face so it worked) with no actual lines. Still I had a modicum of stage time with a small group of people. (It was a meeting of some sort.) The director was so thorough, even with those of us in the bit parts. We all knew our motivations and at any given time could tell him what they were. That particular spring I know now was so integral in my growth as an artist. Not only did I learn how to balance my time (I also had school at this point, of course!) I really came into my own in regards to developing characters.
Arsenic and Old Lace “Police Officer” Another somewhat lame high school production. (The next time I was in this show I had waaaay more fun.) I actually shared this role with someone else. (I don’t remember who!) We both had other commitments (Another spring of doing three shows) so I played the character one or two nights and they did the remainder. Only in one of the final scenes to arrest the bad guys.
Romeo and Juliet “Prince(ss) of Verona” Ah this was quite the scandal. I was on the programming committee when we decided to do this show. The rampant rumor was that I had been pre-cast as “Juliet”. It might have happened but didn’t primarily because I BOMBED my audition. Ginger, the director (of Into The Woods witch fame), told me later that I had been on her short list but when I destroyed said audition there was no way she could give me the role and not be blamed for blatant pre-casting. She cast me as a random girl but then two weeks before we were to open when Elizabeth (the first “Prince(ss) of Verona”) didn’t show up for the millionth time, Ginger kicked her out and installed me. I scrambled to learn the role and was mediocre and then opening night arrived. I remember my heart pounding, thinking about my subjects fighting *again*. I stormed out onto my balcony and let loose. I swear half the jaws of the cast dropped. We walked off and they all stood there shocked. “You were scary.” Ahthankya.(curtsy) I do believe Ginger squealed.
Heritage “Martha Ewers” This show celebrated to bi-centennial of Warren, PA. A dramatization of actual events in Warren during the Civil War. 90% of the characters were based on actual people. Letters, diaries and other first hand accounts of that time. I visited Martha’s grave (as well as that of her infant daughter) several times before we opened (including opening night) and after that would usually return around Memorial Day. Sadly that has fallen by the way-side since I’ve moved. I really need to try and get back there. On an interesting note of course a pro shot of this was made. It was then distributed to the local high schools and the library. You can rent a video of me. How weird is that?
Measure for Measure “Escalus” This was my first role in college. We had a guest costumer who designed everything to look as though it was from a Versace ad. Most of the costumes were handmade. I still have mine. I had a pair of shiny black Nine West heels and some fantastic sunglasses. I was one of the few secondary characters who recieved kudos in the various reviews we had. They called me a sycophant. I had to look it up. lol In case you’re interested, here’s how Wikipedia describes it, “A sycophant (Gr. (συκοφάντης)) is a servile person who, acting in their own self interest, attempts to win favor by flattering one or more influential person, with an undertone that this is at the cost of their own personal pride, principles, and peer respect”
First of two shows whose names I can’t remember Politician’s wife This was a huge show that parodied the Whitewater investigation. I was the wife ofthe first politician who testified. No lines at all yet the reviewer who came (she was somehow related to Alpha Psi Omega) actually pointed out something I did in my short time on stage. Throughout the scene I repeatedly flirted with the bailiff and at the end I walked up to him and very non-surreptitiously handed him a key on a large green #1 keychain. She pointed out to the cast how I made the moment mine and made me memorable to the audience. On a side note during this show I first started to fall in love with one of my scene partners. I idolized her. I was enamored with her. My “love” for her would be my downfall.
Second show whose name I can’t remember Prostitute I don’t remember much about this. It was a fast production. We only rehearsed for a few days and then had two performances at First Night Erie. For the first time EVER I forgot my lines. I was only in the first scene so it should have been easy but my scene partner got off track and just as I figured out how to get him back on track he said my cue and I had NO CLUE what my line was. I actually *said*, “Line!” I don’t remember how but we did.
Translations Swing In this show I was a true understudy. The director settled on four of us and in the end decided I was the only one who could take on any of the three roles. He also utilized me as an extra during the town party scene (Irish step dancing and accents for the win!) What the cast didn’t know was that all along he planned to have me actually perform one of the roles ona pre-chosen night. He decided on the character of “Sarah” as she had the fewest lines being that I would have ONE put in a few hours before curtain. The other gal playing “Sarah” had a few extra days disclosure; everyone else found out after the show opening night. It was phenomenal to play that role. A mute until the very end of the show, “Sarah” spent almost the entire time on stage. When the time came for “Sarah” to speak and beg “Manus” her love to stay, you could hear a pin drop. I sobbed through the scene, completely lost in the character. We got off stage and I felt like it was opening night of R&J again. People just stared and “Manus” said, “You made me cry.” I asked the director later if he had any notesand he said the only thing he would change about my performance was at one point when the character shyly laughs and I did a bit too much emoting. (When I giggled I covered my mouth with my hand.)
A Mountain Tale “Washer Woman” An adaptation (by some of my college professors) of Frederico Garcia Lorca’s Yerma. This show holds many sad memories that predominantly start and end with the aforementioned first love. There was bulimia, mental breakdowns and a half a cancelled show. My heart still clenches when I remember our tech rehearsal. She stood in front of me, her hand on my false baby belly and we looked into each others eyes. It hurts to this day that we didn’t have a chance.
A Tuna Christmas “Jody”, “Charlene”, “Stanley”, “RR”, “Pearl” & “Inita” Oh my god this show was fun. It was great to really stretch my comedy muscles. (This was when I started gain my chameleon reputation. Six characters that are completely different? BRING IT ON.) I LOVE quick changes and quick character changes. It’s perfect for my ADD. ;o) Also had the pleasure of taking this beast on the road to a neighboring outdoor summer theatre. Our last dress, the end of Act I the bats decided to dive bomb the stage. Good times. Oh and I just remembered the first production of this the second week I was as sick as a dog. Fever and everything. I was chugging cold medicine like it was my job.
Arsenic and Old Lace “Dr.Einstein” Yet another chance to make the folks laugh but this time with some slapstick! I must post pictures of this sometime. I bleached out my hair to an orange-ish color and had it short and spikey. I kept my shoulders hunched and my eyes kind of squinty. I often associate an animal to my character and in this case it was a rat… well a kind of radioactive rat. lol There were some serious ego clashes during this show, mine included. I may have diva-ed out once or twice but I had reason! ;oD
You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown “Pig-Pen” Once again a role that was added for me. The director decided she wanted to flesh out the cast a bit more so she added me and “The Little Red-Headed Girl”. So. Much. Fun. Funny story for this one? We used kazoos in the opening song and I always kept mine in my pocket so I knew where it was. During the baseball song I went to slide into third and I landed on my hip which landed on my kazoo. ouch. I had a kazoo shaped bruise for weeks! lol I giggle now because I had no clue who Cheno was at that point.
The Dining Room Various roles Yet another show that I played a handful of characters. Three favorite scenes: “The Repairman” in which my gay friend Chris portrayed a table repairman (?) who conned my character under the table and hit on her. It was weird. We often almost laughed and one night the little bastard almost kissed me! “The Birthday Party scene during which all the “kids” had cupcakes and we did our fair share of upstaging. Sorry guys! In our defense the upstaged folks were often nearly laughing too. “The Admission” My absolute fave angsty scene where my character admits to her father that she’s cheating on her husband with a woman. I love making the audience cry )
And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank “Eva” The story of Anne Frank’s post-mortem step-sister and “Hello” the little boyfriend that she left behind. I was SO honored to play this role. It was intense to say the least. The entire cast was very devoted and when even all traveled together to the US Holocaust Museum before we opened. I hope to one day direct this with a high school cast. This show was also revisited at the neighboring summer theatre. One thing we did differently in the summer production is I wore a wig during the first half of the show. Then during the arrival at the camp scene one of the guards usually just mimed cutting my hair and then I would put on a kerchief. In that run the guard removed my wig while she mimed to reveal close cropped hair. Often you could hear people in the audience gasp. It was really powerful.
Oddly enough we did have one comical moments during the summer production: During one particularly subdued scene, Eva and Anne gave a narrative of what they were experiencing in the camps in the dead of winter. Lynn, my friend playing Anne, and I were both in concentration camp garb and also happened to be shoe-less. It’s here that I should mention that Lynn had a rather unfortunate accident with a lawn mower when we were younger. So we enter the stage in semi-darkness. Just before the lights came up we hear someone whisper in the front row, “She’s missing a TOE!” So, uh yeah.
Fools “Lenya” Dr.Zubritsky’s wife Ah Neil Simon, you rock. A fantastic tale about a town that is cursed with stupidity. More physical comedy plus some great lines. The first scene was my favorite. Dr Zubritsky tells his wife to lower her voice at which time I crouched down but was still on my feet. The stage direction never said when to stand back up so I stayed like that. Then Dr. Zubritsky asked for “The Book”, which told the story of their curse, at which point I waddled over to the couch in front of the bookshelf. I then crawled on to the couch, got the book and crawled back off the couch. Then I stood up. Most nights, the audience roared.
Deathtrap “Myra” I was originally cast as the zany-psychic but the woman cast as Myra diva-ed out and the director asked if I would switch. She gave me the option to say no but I figured I have been blessed with some amazing comedic roles and that Myra would be a new extension for me. And it was. Ahem, now there was one unfortunate incident involving some friends and some alcohol before the show. It was a major oopsie that won’t happen again ) Oddly enough I was told that it was one of my best performances. 8o7 I don’t really know how I feel about that lol
If you made it this far, I’m impressed! I sincerely hope you’re not bored to tears )
The one snafu? She’s from the middle of Canada!
This saddens me but I need to get this out.
September
November, so far
