Christmas Rappings!

My first off-broadway New York show! Hip Hip hooray : )

it's official . . . just call me swami claire

Hehe. I just completed my 200-hr. yoga certification and am officially a yoga teacher! yippee! This is a picture of my new business card (designed by me)

My certification program at YogaWorks, manhattan, was probably one of the best things I've ever done. Sure it sounds cliche and trite, but it truly and significantly changed my life. I love yoga and my practice has been and will be forever an integral part of my daily life. I am so impassioned and eager to share this love and wealth of information with as many students as I am able! Bring it on!

Mikado Schmikado . . . hmm

Well, I just completed my first stage-managing gig. I guess there has to be a first time for everything. And truth be known, I have NEVER stage managed ANYTHING. My vocal mentor just called one day and at the end of our conversation said, "oh by the way do you want to stage manage for me next week?" My response was, naturally, an unhesitating "sure!" As soon as I hung up the phone I knew I was in for it.

I'm not exactly the stage-manager type, and Mr. Tibbs (my mentor) hired me to be the bitch, so to speak. You see, he has to deal with these kids tomorrow, the next day, and perhaps for the next few years. They need to like him. Me, on the other hand, they may never see again. . . thus, I was paid to be a big ole bitch.

I wasn't too bad at it. I confess that it certainly doesn't come naturally. First of all, I don't particularly enjoy giving orders. Then there's the whole "linear thinking" issue (i don't really do that) I prefer leaving most things up to artistic interpretation! (and that isn't generally suited to stage managers!)

I didn't enjoy it.

BUT, I made more money, for doing considerably less work, than I ever have acting. That's certainly something to consider.

BUT THEN AGAIN, I think there comes a time, and I think the sooner the better, when loving life and loving what you do is to be valued far and above the number(s) on your paycheck.

So here I sit, ready to starve again : )

Mega-Madness

Well, we did it. We're doing it. We will be doing it for one more month! MegaHeros opened today at the Birmingham Childrens' Theatre. The piece was written by Raphael Crystal, an amazing composer, lyriscist, and playwright. I feel honored to help make his creation come to life! I play "Stephanie," who transforms into a "MegaHero" after solving the "Ancient Chinese Infinity Puzzle". I LOVE my character. She's so free. My costars (the other two megaheros) are Stephen Tyler Davis and David Page (who was also Prince Charming) We have so much fun together. They're like brothers, and we laugh hard and long and yell at each other and fight and play and dance and then laugh some more. Life as a MagaHero is pretty neat.

For Wendell.

Hello, friend. This post is dedicated to you. Because I forgot that I had a blog. But you reminded me! And now I have exciting things to share. Much love to wk, my inspirator, conspirator . . . i like to make words. and put pizza in my wallet. And i read magazines from back to front.

If the shoe fits . . .

So I have been working . . . and actually quite hard! Cinderella returned from a month of regional tour and we've been doing 2 (and sometimes 3) shows per day in house since March. In the midst of said perfomance schedule, I've also managed to appear as "Betty" in Guys and Dolls, and am about to open another show on Thursday!! Hooray!

Anyway, back to the issue at hand . . . Cinderella. Let me say, that I have LOVED being Cinderella. I mean, isn't it every little girl's dream to actually be THE Cinderella??

That said, I'm SO over it.

I'm tired of being so damn nice!

It's time to get my wacky bitch on again. I can't wait for you to see my MegaHeros pictures. (They should be out soon!!) I get to play this crazy, out-there, wacky, nerdy, obnoxious teenager with a penchant for math problems and saving the world. . . not to mention a spandex unitard (think 1940s supergirl). Flippin sweet.