Some exciting news, Elegy, The gothic horror short I shot back in the summer 2015, directed by the wonderful Chad Gardella is finally completed and shall be screened on Saturday 18th February, at SVA Theatre at 7:00pm.
It was such a pleasure working with all the cast and crew on this project and I cannot wait to finally see the results. Here is the trailer once more to whet your appetites. If you wish to attend please contact me!
Back in August I had the pleasure of collaborating with artist Liz Magic Lazer on her video installation Primal Speech. Liz has previously exhibited at MOMA PS1, and The Whitney Museum of American Art, who is probably best known for her work The Thought Leader, 2015.
The installation focuses on varying political beliefs and uses primal therapy to tap into potentially why we have such strong emotional reactions to politicians, their policies etc - is that reaction linked to something that you previously have felt or experienced.
Publication Creative Time Report described my performance as follows,
"a woman weeps over her sense of powerlessness as British politicians Nigel Farage and David Cameron merge with her tyrannical, childhood teacher. Here, sweat, tears, and screams of protest flow together to create an intensely personal political present."
Read the full article Here
Politics and engagement in politics is a real passion of mine and I relished the opportunity to engage with people with diametrically opposing opinions in the wake of Brexit and with the looming presidential elections.
The Installation is currently part of The Frieze Art Fair, in London, England then it will go on to show at The Grand Union in Birmingham, England in February 2017 and also CAC Bretigny, France in May 2017
Liz Magic Laser, Primal Speech, 2016. Video Still. Courtesy of the artist and Various Small Fires, Los Angeles.
Publication ArtNet.com said of Primal Speech in their article "Frieze London Dips Its Toes into the Nineties"
"Liz Magic Laser’s Primal Speech engaged with more recent political issues. The booth is conceived as a primal therapy suite, complete with padded walls and screaming jars. In a video, a life coach invites ‘participants’ to share their feelings about Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump, and their own sensations of anger and impotence. That it is hard to tell which answer responds to a political question and which to an emotional one suggests how deeply political affiliation is driven by emotional forces"
Read the full Article here
I am very excited to announce that The Honeymoon a short film that I worked on directed by the fantastic Tommy Davis has been selected for the New York Film Festival and shall have its world premiere screening as part of the festival. Tommy Davis' has previously created award winning films for the likes of HBO, Canal+, and Vice.
Still from The Honeymoon
The Honeymoon will be shown as part of The Shorts Program 4: New York Stories, this program showcases work from some of the most exciting filmmakers living and working in New York today, including established names and ones to watch. There will also be Q&A's with all the film's directors. The Screening will be at:
The Walter Reade Theater, The Bruno Walter Auditorium
Sunday 2nd October at 3:30pm and Tuesday 4th October at 6:15pm
Shooting the Honeymoon on a desolate NJ beach with director Tommy Davis and Co Star Bailey Newman
For tickets and information about the screening please check out NYFF website here
For Further information about the film's creator and director Tommy Davis and watch his work check out his site here.
On the 8th of September I had the pleasure of reading Here Comes The Night A play by Irish playwright Rosemary Jenkinson to a sold out house at the stunning Irish Historical society - a beautifully preserved town house opposite The Metropolitan Museum of Art.The reading was a part of Origin Theatre's 1st Irish festival - The 1st festival celebrating the work of Irish playwriting in the world now in its 9th year.
Here Comes The Night set in 1966 and 2016 is a playful, thrilling and hilarious take on love, family and loyalties, asking important questions about our identity and remembrance. Here Comes The Night tells the story of Vincent and Mary Gallagher living in East Belfast in November 1966. Vincent is trying to finish his short story based on the Easter Rising, but Mary and the local priest want him to stop writing, fearing the reaction to such an explosive story.
I had such a wonderful time working with the incredibly talented cast of Irish actors, and check out all of the other wonderful plays at the festival here
So I shall be spending my summer swashbuckling in not one but two Shakespeare plays with the wonderful Hudson Shakespeare Company. First up I shall be tackling the role of Henry Bolingbroke in Richard II, Then Edward (Ned) The Black Prince in The lesser known Shakespeare Kyd collaboration Edward III. We shall be touring parks and public spaces in NJ, including an historic cemetery, and the shows are all FREE!!! So bring your fine selves a picnic and
"let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings"
Richard II
Wednesday, June 8th @ 7pm,Westfield Memorial Library, Westfield, NJ
Thursday, June 9th @ 7pm,Historic Harismus Cemetary Jersey City, NJ
Friday, June 10th @ 7pm,Van Vorst Park, Jersey City, NJ
Saturday, June 11th @ 2pm, Mahwah Library, Mahwah, NJ
Monday, June 13th @ 7pm,Montclair Library, Montclair, NJ
Tuesday, June 14th @ 7:30pm, Monument Park, Fort Lee, NJ
Wednesday, June 15th @ 7:30pm, Atlantic Street Park, Hackensack, NJ
Thursday, June 16th @ 7pm, Hamilton Park, Jersey City, NJ
Monday, June 20th @ 7pm, Kenilworth Library, Kenilworth, NJ
Tuesday, June 21st @ 7:30pm, Monument Park, Fort Lee, NJ
Wednesday, June 22nd @ 7:30pm, Atlantic Street Park, Hackensack, NJ
Saturday, June 25th @2pm, Stratford Library, Stratford, CT
Edward III
Tuesday, July 12th @ 7pm, Secaucus Library, Secaucus, NJ
Wednesday, July 13th @ 7pm, Summit Library, Summit, NJ
Thursday, July 14th @ 7pm, Westfield Memorial Library, Westfield, NJ
Friday, July 15th @ 7:30pm, Rhino Theatre, Pompoton Lakes, NJ
Monday, July 18th @ 7pm, Kenilworth Library, Kenilworth, NJ
Tuesday, July 19th @ 7:30pm, Monument Park, Fort Lee, NJ
Wednesday, July 20th @ 7:30pm, Atlantic Street Park, Hackensack, NJ
Thursday, July 21st @ 7pm, Hamilton Park, Jersey City, NJ
Tuesday, July 26th @ 7:30pm, Monument Park, Fort Lee, NJ
Wednesday, July 27th @ 7:30pm, Atlantic Street Park, Hackensack, NJ
Thursday, July 28th @ 7pm, Van Vorst Park, Jersey City, NJ
Saturday, July 30th @ 2pm, Stratford Library, Stratford, CT
I am ecstatic to share with you all Orenda. I hope you enjoy. Thank you once again to director Danny Peng for making myself and Isaac Anthony Andrew look great.
So here hot off the press is the Trailer for the film ELEGY (previously called Twilightland). Created and directed by the brilliant C.J Gardella, in his own words Elegy is:
"A short film, in the wilderness gothic tradition, set in a crumbling estate, where strange visions and paranoia afflict its occupants"
The full film should be available some time in November 2016.
Recently I had the opportunity to work with a fantastic team on a commercial for Renaissance Hotels -
"At Renaissance Hotels, Its Business Unusual"
Here is the finished product:
Here is a lil' sneaky peak of the short film Orenda that I have been working on over March. Written, directed and composed by Danny Peng, Orenda promises to be a beautiful examination of the essence of a connection between lovers.
I had such a fantastic experience working not only with the director Danny Peng but the entire crew, and my co-star and fellow AADA Alum Isaac Anthony Andrew. I am incredibly excited to see the finished product.
And now for a change of pace, from the classical to the contemporary, my latest project will be Yazmin Reza's utterly brilliant God of Carnage in which I shall be playing the moralising Veronica.
I shall be performing:
Thursday April 7th at 8pm
Friday April 8th at 8pm
Saturday April 9th at 7pm
Union County Performing Arts Center, Hamilton Stage 360 Hamilton Street, Rahway, NJ 07065
(5mins walking distance from NJ Transit, Rahway station, 40mins from Manhattan)
You can purchase tickets Here
I am all aflutter to share with you my latest project. I shall be playing Titus Andronicus in Martyr'd Signs, an all female adaptation of Shakespeare's blood thirsty Titus Andronicus.
Martyr'd Signs investigates the Titus story from the perspectives of the two women in the play - Tamora, the terrifying Queen of Goths, and Lavinia, Titus' tormented daughter. Martyr'd Signs explores deeper into the cycle of violence.
We shall perform a limited run:
Wednesday, April 27th at 8pm
Thursday, April 28th at 8pm
Friday, April 29th at 8pm
Saturday, April 30th at 8pm
St.Paul's Lutheran Church,334 South 5th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
(Closest subway is the J,M.Z at Marcy Avenue)
Tickets will be available for advance purchase soon.
For more information about the show visit Hudson Shakespeare Company's site by clicking Here
As the cold winter wind brings in January 2016, there is no time to hibernate as I have been cast in The Alpha NYC Theater Company's production of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband as the duplicitous Mrs Cheveley.
Mrs Cheveley, since the day I first discovered An Ideal Husband has been firmly on my bucket list of roles and i'm so excited and ready for some wickedly witty repartee.
I am estatic to announce my latest theatrical escapade shall be the role of Agave in The Bacchae, in a joint production brought to you by What Dreams May Co and Queens Shakespeare. Uniquely this production shall include a one act world premiere prequel to Euripides' The Bacchae - The Sisters of Semele by Chris Rivera. So in one sitting I have the opportunity to not only tackle a beautiful role that has existed for thousands of years but explore all new elements of her story!
The Sisters of Semele, Ino and Agave
Director Christina Sheehan (Director of 2013’s critically acclaimed Macbeth) brings audiences to the land of Thebes. A young king is newly come into his rule and a young demigod has newly come into his power. The conflict between these two cousins pitting man VS Maenad, and force VS faith. When such squabbles occur between gods and kings the stakes become dangerous, the consequences become deadly.
We Perform:
John DeSotelle Studios, 300 West 43rd Street
December 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th,17th and 18th at 7pm
December 5th and 12th at 2pm
You can purchase tickets here
Check out the websites for both WDMC and Queens Shakespeare, and If your able, please support the show's indie-go-go campaign, you shall not be disappointed!
I have been fortunate to work on a couple of very exciting film projects over August and September and although you won't be able to see them for quite some time I just wanted to share my experiences!
Firstly in August I had the pleasure of playing a supporting role on The D Word (working title), an independent film conceived and directed by award-winning filmmaker Andrew Jenks of MTV's "World of Jenks," and HBO's "Room 335" which focused on one man's interactions with friends and love interests as he opens up about his struggle with chronic depression. The film is intended to humanize, or de-stigmatize, depression. The film is semi-improvised, so had a blast improvising my diologue and creating my character Judith.
Check out out his website www.andrewjenksentertainment.com and IMDb for more on his incredible body of work.
Playback and Pizza
Over four days in September I was whisked away to Staten Island, no less, to film the atmospheric, unnerving and beautiful short Twilight Land, conceived and directed by Chad Gardella. Staying in the haunted house with all the crew was a truely immersive experience, which included being painted dead head to toe, picking up crickets and reacting to some incredibly realistic fx make up. Hopefully I'll be able to reveal more come spring time of 2016, till then here are some behind the scenes snaps.
Check out more on the director's blog
Being painted
Alive and well. . . Not for long
I am delighted to announce that I shall be playing Paulina in "For Love and Duty Players" production of The Winters Tale.
Rehearsals are now underway and i'm constantly astounded by Paulina's resourcefulness, and strength. I'm thrilled by the prospect of attempting to portray such a multifaceted woman.
Set in the modern, nomadic world right in the heart of the country's freight hopping culture, this unique take on Shakespeare's romance follows the story of one leader's jealous nature destroys all that he loves and the path of redemption one man must take to get it back. Can such such a man be saved?
We perform:
Thursday 13th, Friday 14th and Saturday 15th August at 8pm
Sunday 16th August at 3pm
Thursday 20th, Friday 21st, and Saturday 22nd at 8pm
Sunday 23rd August at 3pm
WOW Cafe Theatre, 59-61 East 4th Street,
4th Floor, Tickets $15
You can purchase tickets online here
For more information about the production and the Company please visit:
I am excited to announce The Academy Company's last venture together "On Prosperity" an original play by our very own Company member Charly Clive and directed by Jonathan Bolt.
"On Prosperity" Is an exploration of how a senseless tragedy effects not only the victims and their families but the wider community.
Come see the final offering from the Company at:
Tuesday 31st March at 7pm,
Wednesday 1st April at 7pm,
Thursday 2nd April at 7pm,
Friday 3rd April at 7pm
Mary MacArthur Theatre, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, 120 Madison Ave, New York, NY, 10016
For reservations Call: 212-453-5340 or email nyreservations@aada.edu
On Wednesday 25th of February The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is holding an invited industry showcase for The Academy Company - the third year students.
The Showcase will be held at 7pm in the
Mary MacArthur Theatre, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, 120 Madison Ave, New York, NY, 10016
For reservations Call: 212-453-5340 or email nyreservations@aada.edu
There will be a reception afterwards for all our guests.
The Academy Company 2014/2015
If you want to find out more about the company members, visit the Academy's website below:
http://www.aada.edu/academics/ny_company.html
'They don’t say “No” here. Like the sword fights, on Broadway there would just be rounds of discussion. Here there’s nothing they won’t do. It’s all “I’ll do it, sure!”' Douglas Carter Beane
The Company starring in Robin Hood the Musical - a World Premiere
And so Robin Hood has come to an end, after an incredible week of performances to sold-out auditoriums - we even had to add an extra performance.
The positive reaction of our audiences has been overwhelming, including AADA Alumni and two time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole who personally congratulated us on our performances.
Our esteemed writer and director Douglas Carter Beane was interviewed by Playbill.com and OnStage Blog about Robin Hood and his experience working with our company.
I am excited to announce that The Academy Company is embarking on a new adventure, working with the esteemed playwright and coincidentally AADA alumni Douglas Carter Beane writer of The Nance, Cinderella and Sister Act (to name a few) on a brand new musical version of the classic tale of Robin Hood.
With original music from Lewis Flynn, Robin Hood promises to be a high octane romp suitable for one and all.
We perform
Monday 2nd February at 7pm
Tuesday 3rd February at 7pm
Wednesday 4th February at 2pm & 7pm
Thursday 5th February at 7pm
Friday 6th February at 2pm & 7pm
Saturday 7th February at 2pm
The Lester Martin Theatre, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts
120 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016
For reservations Call: 212-453-5340 or emailnyreservations@aada.edu
2014 has truly been an incredible year.
2014
From Graduation of the second year class in April, to starting the Company in August which has taken me on a whirlwind journey from being a southern belle, to chasing the fantastic, to the final Serenade of Louie.
I just want to thank all of the friends and AADA students who have come and supported our shows. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as we have performing them.
2015 has great promise, I'm excited about the opportunities that are lined up and healthily nervous about the unknown.
So here's to the year ahead and whatever it may hold.
