Just Refreshing Myself

I was studying my book case last night and wondering what to read, when I stumbled acorss the answer. I thought it was only sense and reason to pull out a certain book that needed to be refreshed in my mind. That was non other than the legend himself "Mr Stanislavski's" book entitled "An Actor Prepares." It wont hurt me to read through this book again and move on to the final two. I think it only appropriate to im-bed them in my brains to be honest. So this is what I am undergoing at the moment. I am under going the Stanislavski theory and trying to get my head around it the best I can. But the 2nd time you read something you gain a much better understanding of its meaning and importance.

Great books by the way.

Also tonight I am off celebrating, once again. But I'm not just celebrating the gaining of an agent I am also celebrating my Engagement Anniversary to my lovely fiancee Mr V. I cannot wait to be honest. I have been looking forward to our celebrations all day. I just know it is going to be a lovely night. I love going out for food with him and just staring into his eyes across the table. He has really lovely eyes you know, big blue ones. :-) Love a love a you!

HAPPY 1 YEAR ENGAGEMENT ANNIVERSARY!!!

 

It's Official And I Am So Excited!

Wam Bam and thank you my Mam. I now have an Agent and I will be honest I could not be any happier. I am over the moon. All the time and money spent on CV's, photographs and postage finally paid off. I spent most the day down in London, finalising a few things. So let's just say " The world is my oyster" and " I will not let the grass grow underneath my feet." Big smiles on my face right now and they wont seem to go away! But  ... Seriously, I'm thrilled.

After the grusome journey home, that took wayyyy longer than expected we had a little celebration and popped the cork off a bottle of champagne!

More news on the above to come. I just have a lot to sort out myself at the moment. So still stuff to finalise and get done.

Fourties To Noughties, Show Diary

Strange I know, but . . . I am going to write about all the shows in one post. This way you don't miss out on anything :-) No having to go back to older posts or missing anything! This is going to be quite a long post but . . .  One full of fun and it will be great to read I'm sure. :-)

Thursday 25th March (Opening Night)

Ok. So we were all a little nervous. Un-suprisingly, this was partly to do with the style of theatre. Everything is so close at the Arena Theatre. It's almost a studio theatre. You are literally dancing on the front row. Wonderful theatre though. Right . . . Nerves pushed aside, we were all excited to. Opening night is always a thrill. Opening number could have gone better I will be honest. We sort of stammered and stuttered our way into that one, quite noticibly too but, we got through it. after a shakey start things really started to pick up. There was a wonderful energy all through the night with big smiles on stage and big voices off ( We had to sing side of stage you see!) Overall, It was a good opening night. I enjoyed it very much plus my parents were in so it had to be a good show! haha

Rose, Chantelle and I in the Tilstone studio just having a quick re-hearse. Chantelle? Put your face straight!

Friday 26th March

Sometimes you do one show and you get a bit over familiar and don't push yourself as hard the next time. It's sort of because you already think you know what you are doing and that you have got it in the bag. Which is not the case at all. You always need to be on the ball and give 100% it really dosen't pay to be lazy. This is kind of how Fridays show felt. We had a few slip ups that could have easily been avoided, people lost concentration I think. But . . . They were things that the audience wouldn't notice, just more of a personal critique. So it was ok, we got away with it! Mr Karl (My fiancee) watched this show and he thoroughlly enjoyed it. So all good news. And, of course we went out for a few bevvy's after the show to celebrate a brilliant show week!

The dressing room crew. Myself, Rosie, Chantelle, Katie and Jess. Now was this before or after the Champers?!?

Saturday 27th March (Matinee)

Blimey! I did have a bit of a rushed day on Saturday. In the morning as some of you may know, "The Saturday Morning Drama Club" had there show at 11.30 so it was a bit hectic. (This reminds me I will write a post up about that show for you all to catch up on) The matinee started at 2.30 and was a real good fun show. We seemed to pick ourselves back up for this show and I really enjoyed my self. Me and Chantelle nearly wet ourselves in the finale as we thought a lyric that went "Lift your elbows" went "Lick your elbows" Silly I know but we just couldn't control our giggles. We had to pull ourselves together when we got on stage though. I think I had the biggest smile due to this in the finale. Once the show finished we hit nandos, where I indulged in a EXTRA HOT chicken breast in a pitta with chips. Ohhhh Yum!

Now now Jessica, this is no time for fun and games!

Saturday 27th March (Evening show)

The final show! Oh no! It's been too much fun to just come to an end. At least we had the after show party to attend but more about that after. Honestly, this was our best show. The audience just seemed to love it. They were laughing, singing and clapping along to everything. It was a really good night. Had a propur feel good vibe to it. Everything seemed to go to plan and we all had a laugh and a giggle. I managed to squeez a "Sing It Child!" into Little Shop Of Horrors again.

So the show was over it was done and dusted but, that didn't mean the fun had to end there. We had an after show party to attend. And, attend we did. What a brilliant night. I had loads of fun and a bit too much to drink. But it is a party so whats a bit of drunkness between friends! (Blushes) We did boogie on down and sing aloud. I'm sure at one point Kate was wearing a bra over her jumper. Craziness!

I told you the after show party was a crazy one. Apolagies for the strangeling Chantelle.

Overall, I had a fantastic fun filled few days performing "The Fourties To The Noughties" at the Arena Theatre with SSMTC. I am really looking forward to re-hearsal starting for "Boogie Nights" in 2 weeks time. Everyone did so well this week. We really pulled together and delivered a wicked show. Weldone to you all. You should be very proud. You lot made my week super special.

My best bud with her Champagne. Check us out in our posh frocks ;-)

Top Ten Memories from "The Fourites To The Noughties"

1. 2 bottles of champage exploding in our dressing room frightening the life out of us.

2. Discussing the Foriegn body in my ear. Loong story but to cut it short. I had a rubber stuck in my ear when i was little.

3. Rosie constantly being in the wrong costume and having a made rush to get out of it and it to the correct one.

4. "LICK YOUR ELBOWS" The lyrics are actually "Link your elbows!"

5. Rosie getting changed in the shower and getting snapped by the camera in the nudey

6. Re-hearsing "Anything Can Happen" with Chantelle and not having a clue where we were meant to be.

7. The man on the front row, far left loving "Cell Block Tango!"

8. The after show part. Dancing away

9. Katie hairspraying the ladder in her tights especially the one on her bum

10. teaching Chantelle how to special dance

Rose, Me and Chantelle trying to be super models I think. What a bunch of posers!

"Break A Leg" As the Show IS TONIGHT!

Oh Lordy that crept un on me a bit quick. A bit TOO quick for my liking. But it is true and there is no changing it. Tonight, is the "Opening night!" Nervous? Just a bit. I only got my costumes ready and completed yesterday so, that's where my nerves are. Imagine if some dont fit me properly and they fall down oh Lordy this would be bad, terrible infact. Right, wish for the best. That's all I can do.

On a serious note. I am really looking forward to this show. I have a feeling it will be a great big chunk of fun. Hopefully I will have a maseph photograph collection at the end of the week that I can share with you. I will keep you informed on the shows progress daily :-) How exciting!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, BREAK A LEG!

Happy Birthday Sister Of Mine

I told you that March was the month of Birthdays for me. Goodness! All these presents and cards. I can't wait till this mad birthday month dies down a bit. Anyhoo, less of the birthday hating and more of the loving. Today is my sister Rosie's birthday. Happy Birthday matey! It's a super special birthday too. Today she is 16! :-) Woop! 16 and never been kissed. I hope! haha!

sooooo....

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to Rosieeeee,

Happy birthday to you!

I hope you have a super day Rosie and I cannot wait to over indulge in curry tonight for your birthday meal. Yummy! Good choice in party food I say sister. Oh and I hope you like your pressies, especially the "Mean Girls" DVD! For some reason she loves that film. I am unsure as to why, but . . . She does!

10 Things I Love About My Sister Rosie

1. She dosen't get out her pyjamas untill mid afternoon!

2. She sometimes come to the nail parlour with me

3. She likes to eat crisps... alot

4. For some reason, she does not understand anything . . . ever!

5. She makes me laugh

6. When she was little she used to sing songs when she got told off. "No body loves me doo doo!" haha

7. Her ginger hair

8. She has learned to do a back flip over the last few weeks

9. She Black Berry messengers me all the time

10. She is just nice

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSEMARY!!!

Show Week This Week

It is true. This is the week of "The Fourties To The Naughties!" Woop! I am very excited. So this evening I have a dress and technical re-hearsal. Goodness! I am having a bit of a mad rush to try and find costume items that I don't have! Oh my goodness hope I find something to wear soon. How do I know what is an appropriate cocktail dress and what isn't? ahhh!

So how about we get some bums on seats? Yup? ok well get yourself down to the Arena Theatre my friends. Opening night is Thursday. So do come along. It will be wonderful to see you all there! :-)

Show Some Respekt(or)

This lovely lady, is none other than Miss Regina Spektor herself. Regina Spektor is by far on of my favourite solos performers out there. She is just wonderful. Not too long back I went to go and watch her perform at my local Civic Hall and she was out of this world. I think she is one of the only Artistes who voice actually sound better live than it does on a C.D. If you have never heard of Regina spektor I seriosuly advise you get your ears tuned into her sounds. Believe me when I say, "You will not be dissapointed!" No siree. You will not. Her talent is maspeh. Wow

I did a little sketch of Regina. I thought I would post it on here for you all to enjoy. So ....

Also I thought I would leave you with one of my favourite songs from Regina.

The Travel Bug

It is true. Today i have awoken with nothing more than "The Travel Bug!" This time last year, both Karl and I were all over in Vietnam enjoying the sun and the free life. Oh my goodness! Can you believe it was a year ago that we set off on our 4 month expedition around South East Asia. I can't! It has come and gone far far far too quickly. It makes me sad. Although I love being home and so many amazing things have happened to me while I have been back, I am seriosuly longing for the sun on my back and a tan on my feet. The freedom of it all. Wow! When I think back, what we did was just amazing! Just amazing!

I have some photographs below to remind me of our travelling times!

Oh ... How I wish I could take my dog and go back!

Working At The Jonathon Wilkes Academy

Yesterday, I spent the evening working along side David Reynolds, Jonathon Wilkes and Nikki Wheeler at the Jonathon wilkes Academy in Stoke. This academy was opened by Jonathon Wilkes and his wife in 2009. You may recognise Jonathon Wilkes as the Presenter of "Youv'e been framed", "Love On A Saturday Night.", "Celebrity Stars In Your Eyes." Etc. At present he is appearing in the West end Musical "We Will Rock You!" as Kashoggie.  

The Academy offers for one night a week children to  recieve intensive training in the following areas:

-Singing

-Dancing

-Drama

I went along yesterday to help run 3 drama sessions.

- Hour with seniors

- Hour with Juniors

- Hour with primaries

Next week the accademy are doing a show back of everthing the classes have been learning for the past few months. The show back is mainly for parents and guardians to see how their children are getting on. Their main show isn't for a while.

So I went alont to help run the drama sessions and help finalise each classes performance. The evening consisted of finalising monolgues, dualoges. We also had to brush up on some mime and sound pieces.

 I had a super night with very commited children. I wish them all the best for their show back next week. I'm sure they will all be great. Friends and family will love it i'm sure! :-) Weldone gang and best of luck to you all!

Year 8 Boys. Lord Slikin School. Telford

Last Thursday (apolagies for the late blog post) I worked with Urban Voice Limited  as an Arts Worker/ Actress. We were spending the morning at Lord Silkin Secondary school in Telford with a group of year 8 boys. This particular group are working on creating a short film. So looking at camera angles, camera movement and different camera shot. I went along with Urban Voice Limited to :

A) Show the class my showreel and speak as an actor. Allow them to ask me any questions based on my job and experiences.

B) Run the lesson along side the director.

So we started our morning, watching my showreel and allowing them to ask me any questions about acting and what not. Some of the questions I got asked were hillarious. Eg: Jessica. Was the food on set any good? haha! Great stuff. Infact the food was awesome but moving on. . .

We then spoke about different ways in which a camera can be used. Angles, movement, shot etc:

We played the showreel again but this time we were forgetting the acting and focusing more on the camera and crew side of things. So they had to identify all different technical and camera sides of the movie. Eventually, they got the hang of it all and we went away and filmed some scences of our own. We had:

1 lad on clapper board
1 on camera

1 on boom mic

1 on sound control

2 acting.

and we alternated it accordingly.

It was a really great session and the lads appeared to really enjoy it. That was really only the first stage of this particular project. Now they have an understanding of filming, cameras and sound. They are going to be filming, producing, writing and acting in their own film. So best of luck guys. I can't wait too see the final outcome. I believe that you have started writing and it is looking pretty good.

To find out more about Urban Voice Limited follow link:

www.urbanvoice.co.uk

Happy Birthday Karl

It is a weekend full of Birthdays this weekend. As you can see. Infact it's a month full of Birthdays. March is a very busy birthday month for me. So today is Karl's birthday. My fiancee is 31 today! :-) And he has not stopped talking about it for days. It would appear he is super excited and cannot wait to open his presents. I don't blame him mind. He does have a cool batch of pressies to un-wrap. Or in Karls case RIP APART! haha!

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday To You,
Happy Birthday To Karrrrrrl,

Happy Birthday To You!

I just want to say Happy Birthday to you Karl Veltman. Have a super duper day. Also I want to say I love you loads stinky! :-) You make me extremely happy. Very very happy indeed! Big loves for you.

Happy Birthday Sweet Brother Of Mine

Wahey! Today is the birth date of my brother. Mr Louis Harper! Happy Birthday Pal. Have a super duper day! I hope you like your present that we have bought you. It's wicked!

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday To You,
Happy Birthday Dear Louis,

Happy Birthday To You! :-)

10 Things I like About Louis

- He does not mind being called "Scibbs!"

- He always likes the clothes I wear.

- He sprays way too much linx all over himself. He smells like a perfume shop!

- He enjoys meeting up in town

- He is super ticklish. You can tickle him till he wees himself! haha

- Sometimes he helps me clean the chickens out

- Blue goes mad when he sees him

- Sometimes we look Identical

- He gives me nice cuddles

- He is bloomin Crazy 24.7 (But sometimes he can be a little moody) haha!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I Am Featured On A Fashion Blog!

As some of you are aware, I am involved in "It's our Time" competition for United Colours Of Benetton. I have met alot of  people on there. It has been a real way to get to know people. I started talking to a competetor called Kristina and she so happened to have her very own Fashion blog. It's a really great blog you should check it out. So anyway . . . She asked if I would answer a question on her blog for her and I said yes.

This is the blog address: http://kikasfashion.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/its-my-time-interview-with-the-competitors/

Please click to see my question answered.

I managed to steal a little print screen shot below. Cheeky ;-)

A big thank you to Kristina for asking me to get involved with her blog.

Kristinas blog address (once again) - http://kikasfashion.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/its-my-time-interview-with-the-competitors/

Kristinas "It's Our Time" URL - http://casting.benetton.com/users/903329-kristina

Blonde Is The New I!

It is true. I have been changed. My hair colour has undergone a new tone. You guess it! I'm a blonde now my friends, a blonde. But do not worry I still no my roots ;-) Traitors to the fellow red heads I am not. I was just in need of a little change!

And change I did. On friday I went to the Hairdressers and requested they bleach my barnett. It was a long slow process with a slight tingle on the scalp but the results are ones that I like very much, so it all seems worth it! :-)

What do you think?

The night of my new cut was the night I saw...

Pappy's

Pappy's are a comedy company from the West Midlands currently on tour. I went to see them on Saturday and very much enjoyed their show and performance. It was a feel good, great fun kind of night. They had the audience belly laughing and joining in. Plus they weren't afraid to laugh at themselves and they didn't seem to mind laughing at a few of the onlookers either. They made my night an enjoyable night. Plus the chips I had after were also very good and contributing to my night of goodness.

I just want to say a big weldone to Pappy's. You put on a good show guys!

Oh and my dad was chufffed When I made this Bad Boy for him!

Coming To A Theatre Near You ...

If you live near the Theatre that is.

25th March - 27th March. Arena Theatre.

Forties to the Naughties, is a concert that I am doing with SSMTC very soon. Just had the costume list and it would appear, that i have got to get myself up town and get my hands on a few things. Yay! Shopping!

This concert is filled with numbers from musicals from the forties to the (You guessed it) Naughties. 2000's in other words.

So if you fancy coming along to support us and be in the audience. Let me know folks and I shall see what I can do.

Un-fortunatley, you will not be hearing me giving a solo performance as I did not audition this time round. I'm not sure that's a bad thing to be fair. :-) But all the same come along and see us sing our hearts out and strut our stuff round the stage!

Although this concert is only small, get read for Boogie Nights at the Grand Theatre next year! Wooo!

SSMTC website: http://www.southstaffsmtc.co.uk

Finding "Sir Clive" A new home ...

Sir Clive is our 9 month old cockerel shown above at the front and it is with much regret that we are trying to find our man a new home. :-( We hatched him and have cared for him for the past 9 months and really do not want to get rid of him as we have come quite attached the little fella. But, the girls have started laying and he can no longer be kept in the same pen as them. Due to space we can't home him anywhere else in our garden. We also have 6 new girls arriving to move in with our previous tennants and they could really do without sir Clive "loving them" so to speak.

If you feel you could give our cockerel a good home or you know someone who can. Please let me know!

Our Sir Clive Re-home Contender So Far are:

- Dudley Zoo 

- Umberslade Farm

- Essington Farm Shop

- Northecoat Farm

Please Help Getting Sir Clive Re-homed!

Youth Theatre

I have just recieved a phone call off Urban Voice Limited to tell me that they are very much stuck this evening for Arts workers to run tonight session. So, would I mind going along? Answer: "No not at all!" Therefor tonight I will be running a junior and a senior youth theatre.

What Have I Got Planned For You Tonight Then Guys?

Well, I do believe after great success and fantastic ticket saled for the youth theatre last year with their production on "The Snow Queen" you are now doing "Alice In Wonderland." Woo one of my favourites.

I have printed the famous Tweedle Dee and Tweedle scene off to be looked at this evening. Brilliant scene with some wonderful dialogue and great characters. Also I have printed the poem "You are old, Father William." This is a poem that features in the film "Alice In Wonderland" So let's see what you can do with that! Hopefully we will have a fun, energetic and focussed re-hearsal tonight. Come on guys let's give Karl and Nicola something great to watch next week!

And as for the Juniors, you lot are silent movie-ing I believe. What a wicked topic to be getting on with. So this evening we will have a bash at creating our own silent movie style pieces of Theatre. We will spend some time discussing character eg: Vilain, Hero, Heroin etc: We will also discuss our body language and our acting style. You know, because there is no sound, you have to be so over the top with your actions in order to get the message across!
Well on the subject of Silent Movies. I had a crack my self at doing the over the the top side of things. So I have come up with a little collage of silent movie faces! Just a bit of fun. I'm sure it wouldn't pass any film critic. aha!

What do you think? Do you understand what I am trying to say silently through expressions? . . .No!? . . . Oh! haha

Check Urban Voice Limited's website out: www.urbanvoicelimited.co.uk

Today I Celebrate . . .

THE GINGERS!

I proclaim today "Celebrate Ginger Day!" and I celebrate it because I believe that it should be recognised. Some of us fellow Gingers put up with an awful lot of stick and get nothing in return. So just like Mothers get a Mothers Day, Fathers get a Fathers day and lovers get a Valentines day, today we get a Ginger day! If the Blondres, Brunettes and others want their day then they need to go out and get one but today it's our time :-) Why not!!!???

Happy Ginger Day To All!

Lets celebrate guys and have a bit of fun! If your ginger let me know it and if your proud now show it. But you don't have to be ginger to celebrate it with us. You may just be a huge fan of the colour and wish to celebrate with us!

The Saturday Morning Drama Club Returns

Technorati - 3CH5RP7QX6HU

Apolagies for the above mish mash of numbers and letters. Got to make my blog safe so just verifying a code. Anway . . .

Un-fortunatley last Saturday I could not attend the first meeting back since christmas due to my fall from the sky, so I returned this Saturday. And what a wicked bunch of kids we are working. I have a good feeling about the next few sessions, I have a feeling we will do a fun, lively piece which will be great all round.

After a brainstorm and a few warm up games. We have come up with the title of our piece:

What Happened To Maria!?!

What do you think? It has been adapted from a warm up game we use. I am really looking forward to getting to work on this piece. The kids have gone away this week and written a sentanceto answer the above question. What happened to Maria. I wonder what sorts of things they will come up with!

Here I will do my homework and give it a bash now . . . Are you ready? ok...

What happened to Maria? (answer:) Maria at an apple from Marjories apple store down the road. Since eating that apple Maria has dissapeared. Or so we think. But someone told me that Marjorie poisoned the apple with invisibilitise and now Maria is simply invisable trying to be seen again. Poor Maria!

What do you think? Think that's worthy of a little mention in our show in 4 weeks time? hmmm . . . Probably not, probably best to leave it to the kids eh???

If you would like to write a What Happened To Maria? Paragraph. Feel free. Get them coming in.