new headshots

Ok, brace yourself...you're about to see a lot of my mug.  Any and all helpful comments are welcome!! (**Note, none of the photos have been retouched yet!)

Photographer (to the stars and the cutest boy in North Hollywood): Cory Jones

some information, if you will...

As actors we often get asked a lot of (oh how do I say....) bold questions by the general public.  Here are some answers to the more frequently asked questions.

q.  Is this your job...I mean, do you get paid?
a.  Ahem, yes we get paid.  Weekly in fact, and we are on salary.  I have a company who contributes to my 401k, I pay taxes (lots of taxes), we receive vacations and sick days like any other job.  This is a job, not a hobby.

q.  How much do you get paid?
a.  How much do you get paid?  See...not a tactful question.  We are compensated for the many hours and demands we put into our work.

q.  How old are you?
a.  This question is usually asked to the ensemble group of girls when the questioner assumes we are silly girls right out of college living a silly girls dream.  {Thank you for thinking we are so young :)}  I am a young professional and have been working and seeking work in the business for many years. 

q. Did you go to college?
a.  Yes, I went to college at Brigham Young University and received my BFA.  I would say that almost 100% of the women's ensemble in my show went to college to receive a Bachelor's degree, or went to an accredited training school for performing. 

q. Did you have to "try-out" for this show?
a.  Ha!  Um, yes.  We all had our own individual experience with auditioning for the show.  Imagine, if you will, that there is a large city of talented people all vying for just a few positions.  Needless to say, It is a very competitive field. 

q.  What will you do when your time with the show ends?
a.  I wish I knew more specifically, but for now I will go back to NYC and keep auditioning for more work.

q.  Do you have to travel your costumes?
a.  No, we are a very large touring company with 17 semi trucks which move our very large set, wardrobe, make-up, hair, props, sound, and management departments stuff around the country.  The costumes, designed by Tony Award Winner Susan Hilferty are taken care of by the wardrobe department and are constantly being maintained in order for them to look as brilliant as they do the first day as the last.  As you can imagine they are VERY expensive and need to be treated with ultimate care in order to last for about 416 shows a year. 

Yes, it can be difficult to take some of the questions on occasion, but for the most part I know they are asked in sincerity, just trying to understand this life.  It is different, but in many cases it is the same as any other job.  I have bosses, upper management, co-workers, schedules, meetings, etc. as you probably do in your job.  Fortunately for me, I get to be dress-up, play pretend and receive applause at the end of my work day :)

Any other questions?  Ask me on Formspring! 

little interview

Did a little interview over at The Scottish Play.  Fun questions! 

this girl can sing

If you missed dear friend Natalie Weiss' show at Birdland perfectly titled "Offline" you can ironically catch the entire thing on YouTube.  She.Can.SING.


PS I love her rendition of Alanis Morrisette's Ironic.
{if you are reading this in reader click over to the blog to see the video}

one singular sensation

I recently watched the documentary Every Little Step and can't stop talking about it in the dressing room. It is quite possibly the best example I have seen of what my career life is all about. I want my fam to see it for sure....and every musical theater actor's family as well! I actually started to get anxious watching it! Ha.....haven't auditioned in a year!!! Plus, its nice to see some friends on screen :)

in the heights

Click to see larger....so you can read :)

Visit the show website!

i'm here

I've been thinking about this song and particularly this Fantasia performance from the Color Purple at the Tony's. So passionate and vulnerable. I love it :)

tony awards 2009

The Tony Awards are on Sunday!!! I am a big Neil Patrick Harris fan, so I am thrilled he is hosting. I wish I had the chance to see everything nominated this year, but alas....I am on the road. Last years Tony's were awesome {being a seat filler and all--and getting on live national television!} and I am sad to say that I will miss most of it this year as I will be working. Congrats to all my friends and nominees!!!

broadway connection

While on the road I have been teaching for Broadway Connection--an awesome company that sets up workshops and classes with Broadway performers all over the country.  I have been teaching since on tour and love it!  I was recently featured in their May newsletter {read it here} with some feedback from some University of Jacksonville students.  Thanks BC!!!

If Wicked is coming to your city, call Broadway Connection and set up a class/workshop with me!

just dance

My friend Kat Hennessy posted this on her twitter and I thought it was pretty funny.  Check it out...

the incomparable....

Miss Natalie Weiss.....

I literally sat here for 5 minutes trying to find some inspiration on what I wanted to post today and I couldn't come up with anything that I felt was worth beans.  So as I sat here listening to a track my friend Natalie sent me of her singing "Quiet" written by Jonathan Reid Gealt, it dawned on me to share it with you.  Her voice is ridiculous and the lyrics are gorgeous.

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you.....my friend.....the you tube sensation.....NATALIE WEISS!!!!

wicked second costume fitting

Here's some shots from my second fitting for Wicked. I'm so bummed I didn't get shots of me in the ball gown because it is so gorgeous. This costume is for "One Short Day" in Emerald City! This is just a mock-up, obviously the top will be green and it has all sorts of ruffle embellishments! You can see it better in a show photo below--it's the girl on the far right.

Here's an interview showcasing costumes from Emerald City {Australia Cast}


And here's an interview with the AMAZING Susan Hilferty, costume designer for Wicked. She showcases lots of costumes here too!

voila! the video is finally here!

Here's the finished product of "Colliding" by, Petal. I did the choreography as well as some styling and a few other things! Emily has done a great job of promoting it on every news channel and even the Good Day Utah show. Do let us know what you think by going to youtube.com and giving us some hits!

wicked costume fitting

Here are the pics I have from my costume fitting day for Wicked. It was AWESOME. Here's how it went down:

1. Met my handler and was taken to a fantastic costume design house. I was basically measured in every way imaginable!
2. Went to another costume design house and was measured in every way imaginable again! Because of the vast number of intricate and ornate costumes I will be wearing (between my character and Madame Morrible) I was told that many different places are used to build the costumes.
3. Went to an all out, classic Broadway shoe maker. {SEE PICTURE BELOW} It smelled like leather and polish and was filled with shoe molds. The owner of the shop took measurements of both feet and sketches because every shoe I wear in the show will be custom made to my feet! We discovered that my left foot is slightly longer than my right :)
4. Went to another (swankier) shoe maker and we did all of the same measurements. This is where I began to tire of taking off my boots and socks....
5. Went to the Wicked Costume offices and was measured some more...this time more intricate measurements--head, hands, feet (again), etc. Saw all of my sketches and started to get REALLY excited! My costumes are beyond gorgeous....one of my gowns is worth over $10,000!
6. Was taken to yet another shoe maker....LaDuca (they are the reason I have a huge scar on my left leg--long story). They took lots of measurements and marked up the back of my legs (they will be making some boots I wear, among other heels). I noticed yesterday in the shower the marks were still kind of there! I'll scrub a little harder next time :)
7. Lastly we went to the wig designer. {SEE PICTURE BELOW} This was so cool, because they took a mold (made of plastic and tape) of my head, sketched my hairline and will make all of my wigs according to my head! The wigs are beautiful, and very designed. My wigs have a "round" theme to them, and the Morrible wigs are incredible. They showed me as the show goes on and her wickedness starts to show, the hairline goes back farther and farther resulting in a more severe look by the end. Great concept!

All in all it was a FANTASTIC experience and was everything I thought costumes for a Broadway show would be like!

stills from the video shoot

Here are some pics from the shoot. We have lots of professional photographers there taking stills that I'll be able to share later. For now, here are some pics from my rinky dink camera!

1. Scene 1, Take 1...Action!
2. Our incredible ballroom (location 1)--3 stories high!
3. The beautiful ceiling (we'll be shooting from below on Wednesday to capture this)
4. KUTV Newswoman Jennifer Stagg interviews Emily
5. Emily in make-up with artist Paula
6. Me and Peter (our "love interest")

colliding

Yesterday was the first day of shooting on a collaboration project I have been working on for the past few weeks. My dear friend Emily Tyndall co-wrote a song entitled "Colliding" with classical pianist, Andrew Braithwaite that is inspired by the Twilight books and upcoming film. She and director Nyk Fry set out to make a music video of the song and thats where I enter in. Emily and I have collaborated on many projects before, and since I was in town she asked me to choreograph the video.

Last nights shoot was awesome and KUTV Channel 2 News came out to cover a story about our little music video. She calls me a Broadway choreographer which is far from the truth, I think she heard I was in a Broadway show and I was the choreographer and put them together. Oh well! See the video HERE for our coverage on Channel 2 News! Click on story heading, "Twilight Inspired Music Video Shot in Utah." Also, you can read the story by Jennifer Stagg HERE.

swing your razor high!

I'm pouring through e-mails and blogs today and getting in the spooky spirit while watching Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd. I always turn away during the gory parts...yuk, but I love this dang show. One of my favorite performing memories is doing Sweeney Todd at Halloween with friends at an outdoor amphitheater in Provo during my first year at BYU. The amphitheater is near a psychiatric hospital {we of course called it the asylum} which added to the spookiness of the evening. Get in the spooky spirit and do something Halloween-y today!

good news.......she's cast!!!!!

I recieved some THRILLIFYING news yesterday! I have been cast in the Wicked National Tour! I will be in the ensemble and I will understudy Madame Morrible. I am over the moon with the fantastic news {as is my family} and can't wait to begin rehearsals! We will start rehearsing in NY sometime in January and then will take off to Florida to rehearse a bit more and begin performances March 7th.

As always thanks are in order to my ever supportive family and dear friends who continually boost me up and tell me to stick with it. I owe it all to each and every one of you!

saw it

[title of show]. It could have been called [An Evening with Erin and Jacob] and probably would have been more funny. Sorry, but it should have stayed off-Broadway. Heidi Blickenstaff has such a gorgeous voice...I am now a big fan!



















A Tale of Two Cities. It was neither the best of shows, nor the worst of shows. I am glad there is something like this back on Broadway though, even if it did seem like a less spectacular version of Les Mis. James Barbour's voice is gorgeous, and loved Brandi Burkhardts performance as well.

















Gypsy. I cried through the final song (Rose's Turn) and through the entire curtain call....super embarrassing. Patti laid it all out and then some. I really enjoyed it! I also enjoyed seeing friends, Nancy, Steve, and Sara on a Broadway stage :)

















A Man For All Seasons. Fantastic. Frank Langella was just fantastic.

wipeout

Ok, so I had ANOTHER really close call to getting Wicked on Broadway today. I was for sure this was it, but alas it came down to myself and another girl and as the old story goes...she got it. But, the casting director was kind enough to call me and express his approval for my job well done and to tell me that I am on "the list" for the future. Oh, "the list." How many lists have I achieved a place on that ends up sitting in a manila folder collecting dust? No, I won't complain, I can't....I am too blessed! I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had and am really humbled by the fact that I know there was some serious divine inspiration during my audition today. Shout out to Craig Burns from Telsey + Co. You are seriously classy.

I like to go shopping after a hard audition so I traveled down to Trader Joe's and racked up quite the grocery bill. Later I watched WIPEOUT which made me laugh so hard I thought I might pass out. I loved watching MXC on the Spike Network and Wipeout is the new ABC primetime clone-- its sure to please.