First of all, I was cast in one of the very best comedy burlesque troupes in all of the world (and especially Boston) Rogue Burlesque as their host Mama Bang Bang. In the three years since embarking on this ship of riches, I have written or co-written a number of scripted variety shows including several installments of "Talk Nerdy To Me," "Speakeasy Circus" runs number one and two as part of The Boston Circus Guild.....who, in turn, were part of the Artist In Residence program at The Oberon which is, in turn, part of the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard.....and "Your Body And You" all at the Oberon. We also have done a ton of revue shows at The Oberon, Club Cafe and other places.
Working with the Rogues gave me the opportunity to explore Bang Bang and other characters like Prunehead Kugel: Burlesque Queen Of The Boca Raton Retirement Community, Mob Thug Pearlie Dentimacchia* and Health Teacher Joan. Pearlie was actually kicked over to another performer for the third run of "Speakeasy" which is sort of weird but also nice because something I help create evolved on without me. Pearlie got legs and ran off. So there you go.
Also, during this time I was allowed the opportunity to explore my character Linda from "Gayle" a little further, taking her to different theatres in New York and Boston. I always wondered what it was like to work on the Brattle and Soho Rep and now I know. Working with Chris Fleming and Melissa Strype and the whole Gayle gang is always like being in a perfect storm of performers. I always feel so lucky to be sitting in the middle of genius swirling around me. The audience can be off the hook insanely wonderful. For a moment, when I walk out onto the stage, they scream and I feel like a Monkee. Life don't get better than doing a Gayle show.
I also had one of those weird How The Hell Did I Get here experiences being cast in a small role in Jack Black's next movie "The Polka King" which is set to premier in 2017. I made some character choices I may be stuck with forever and I am really curious to see how this looks. The script is really great and the story, based on a true one, is just crazy.
My voice over reel nabbed me the 2015 Best Female In A Voice Over Spot NEABO award which was super cool and encouraging. I was also cast directly out of the New England Actors website by Cramer Productions to do a union in-house educational film voice over gig. Gotta love that site! Right now I am pursing a lot more of that kind of work. I am also setting up the capability to do audiobooks (yes, I really can talk in a lower register!) and have the ability to self submit voice over submissions from home. I'm looking at you, NYC voice over agents.
In writing land, too many details will spoil the surprise. Lots of other blogging and play writing projects coming out of my head. Whatever I grab onto next...
And, as always, stand-up. Because it is the mother ship. Schedule updates to come!
Photo credits: Justin Moore, Hans Wendland
