Brea's Life as an Actress

DESERT RAIN World Premiere at The Cinequest International Film Festival!

2011-02-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

February 2, 2011

So, DESERT RAIN, the film I shot in New Mexico in which I play the role of Lucky, a manipulative music producer, will be premiering at the Cinequest International Film Festival in March!

I'll be traveling to San Jose, CA on Saturday, March 5, 2011 for the world premiere screening of our film at 930PM. It will also be screened the following day at 4PM and on March 8th at 2PM. For more info about the film and the festival, go to: www.cinequest.org

I've seen some clips of the film and I'm looking forward to seeing it in its entirety. If you're at the festival or in the neighborhood, I'd love to see you there!

Love.
Brea

Just filmed role of Dr. Imani Phelps on CASTLE!

2010-09-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

September 3, 2010

Just filmed the role of Dr. Imani Phelps on the awesome ABC show "Castle." The cast and crew were great to work with! Details about the airdate to follow...

Love.
Brea

PRINCE OF BROADWAY opens at the Angelika in NYC on Sep. 3rd!

2010-09-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

If you're in NYC on Sept. 3rd, check out the 7:25 showing of "Prince of Broadway." We had a dream run on the festival circuit which allowed the film to travel the world and now after two years, we have the opportunity to release the film in theaters. LEE DANIELS, director of the 6 time Academy Award Nominated "PRECIOUS, based on the novel Push, by Sapphire" has generously come on board to officially present the film to audiences and he'll also stay for q&a. He said "the film was executed so well, I want to do everything I can to get people to see it."

There are other showtimes, so if you can't make it 7:25p, please try and see sometime during opening weekend because those numbers mean so much.

Feel free to spread the word, or post to facebook. Every mouth that spreads the word is a generous, giving mouth!

Hope you can make it!

Love.
Brea

MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED!

2010-04-06T10:29:00.001-07:00

April 4, 2010

Happy Spring to you!!! I've been traveling some so didn't get to this immediately but wanted to share some good news...

Last week, I worked on the FOX/Imagine Entertainment pilot MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED. It's a multi-camera comedy written by David Walpert and directed by Michael Patrick Jann and the whole experience was a blast!

Malcolm Barrett (The Hurt Locker, Better Off Ted) was my scene partner and I'm laughing right now just thinking about the comedic choices he made. :D!

This year has gotten off to a great start and I'm looking forward to what else is in store. I hope you enjoy the rest of your week!

Love.
Brea

Happy St. Patty's Day and HIMYM!

2010-03-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

March 17, 2010

Shoot, I'm not wearing green. Luckily there's no one around to pinch me ;). That said, Happy St. Patty's Day to you! I hope a whole heapful of that good 'ole Irish luck is poured out all over you until you're practically swimming in gooey goodness!

Speaking of good fortune - I just worked on the wonderful show HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. The episode airs on CBS in May but I will say this - it was so great to watch the series and guest cast do their thing! I play a Hannah, a guest at a high-society New York party, who may or may not talk to Barney;). I feel so "lucky" to be a part of it and I look forward to telling you more about it as the air date approaches, but until then... here's wishing you all the best!

Love.
Brea

MELROSE PLACE Episode Airs Tomorrow!

2010-03-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

March 15, 2010

So, I'll tell you a little secret - I used to want to be a doctor, specifically a pediatric oncologist that finds the cure to cancer. My future didn't quite play out the way I'd imagined it would at the ripe old age of thirteen... (maybe because I didn't have the stomach for cutting up cadavers or the desire to study advanced chemistry...hmmm.) But there's some good news that has come out of this sad, sad confession... guess what?!

I am playing a doctor (actually, a resident;) on MELROSE PLACE tomorrow on the CW! I may not be working on finding the cure to cancer - yet - but I will be working in the ER opposite Lauren Jung (played by the lovely and talented Stephanie Jacobsen) on the episode entitled "Stoner Canyon." Tune in to find out more! And thanks again Brett, Collin and Sherie Jane of Greenstein/Daniel Casting!

Love.
Brea

Three National Commercials Airing!

2010-03-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

March 11th, 2010

I feel so blessed. The sun is shining in the Southern California sky, the birds are chirping, happy to be alive, and I have THREE national commercials running. Yay!!! Lots to be thankful for.

So, if you see a girl in a KELLER SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, WELLS FARGO and/or US ARMY commercial that looks eerily like me - it is me! :D

If you'd like, you can view the Devry Keller School of Management spot here!

Love.
Brea

WINNER! Best Actress in a Supporting Role!

2010-01-25T14:13:00.001-08:00

January 18, 2010

Wowsers!! My very own laurel!

Just won this award from the Los Angeles Reel Film Festival for my work in "BRONX PARADISE." So very excited about this award and I'm so thankful to Wayne Gurman for casting me as his wife and for being so amazing to act alongside of! And to Billy Lappe for directing me! And to Terry Knickerbocker for telling me "I could do it" even when I thought I couldn't! And to my friends, and to my family, and to GOD and to... Lol! Gotta relish the moment when you have it, right?
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Love.
Brea

DESERT RAIN Website Up and Skipping

2010-01-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2010

DESERT RAIN, the upcoming feature film I took part in, now has a website!

Check it out HERE!

And here's a photo that was taken in between takes (I'd been crying a bit ;):

Kudos to Sophie Dupin, Steve Loff and Angelica Morrow for making it happen!

Love.
Brea

Just Shot DEVRY UNIVERSITY National Commercial!

2010-01-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

January 8, 2010

Gotta love those national commercials. I just had the good fortune of booking and shooting a spot for the DeVry University's KELLER GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, in the role of a grad student. Big thanks to my agent, Larry Weidemann at CESD for submitting me.

The client, ad agency and crew were a joy to work with. And, what's more, I had the great pleasure of working alongside the lovely Laura Leyva, who played the role of a professor. The cool thing is that not only is Laura an experienced actress, but she's also a teacher at Stella Adler School for Acting in Los Angeles. So, true to form, she taught me some things about Stella's philosophy that really hit home. Did I use what I learned in the commercial? Not really. Will I implement what I learned in the future? Definitely!

Hope you're having a beautiful day!!

Love.
Brea

Named One of the Top 75 Hottest...

2010-01-25T13:27:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2010

Women of the New Everyday Media 2009!!

Not a bad way to start out the New Year! Recently found out I was ranked #34 on the list, just below Scarlett Johansson.

Others on the list include Ashley Judd, Angelina Jolie, Tina Fey, Michelle Obama, Lucy Liu and Emily Deschanel.

Uh, thank you John Alan Conte of www.mystrawhat.com. I am honored to be among such amazing women!!

THE LIST

Everyone, I hope your year has gotten off to a great start!

Love.
Brea

Just filmed national WELLS FARGO commercial!

2009-12-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

December 18, 2009

Just had a great day on set filming a national Wells Fargo spot directed by the talented Phil Morrison who also directed the lovely film Junebug and directs the ingenious "I'm a Mac " campaign.

I play a Wells Fargo banker and after doing some research on the company's illustrious history and their commitment to diversity, I'm so proud to now be a little part of the Wells Fargo story.

I hope you're enjoying the last days of this decade - spending it with loved ones and enjoying some well-deserved R&R.

See you in 2010!

Love.
Brea

Just booked a doctor role on MELROSE PLACE!

2009-11-17T02:08:00.000-08:00

November 2, 2009

Happy birthday to me!!

Just got a call that I booked a role of a doctor on MELROSE PLACE...and I shoot tomorrow! And what's even cooler-- I got the call while spending the day at Disneyland, where I got in for free because it's my birthday. Oh happy day! This year is going to be ggreeatt!!

Love.
Brea

"DESERT RAIN" Shoot in NM

2009-11-17T02:02:00.000-08:00

Sep. 1, 2009

This week, I'm headed to Albuquerque (one the hardest words to spell!) to shoot a supporting role in the film DESERT RAIN. I'm super excited because I'll be working with one of my close friends from NYC, Angelica Morrow.

More details to come!

Love.
Brea

NOMINEE! Best Actress in a Supporting Role!

2009-06-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

June 17, 2009

So... I recently found out I was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in the Tenerife International Film Festival for my work in Bronx Paradise. Yay!

I'm excited for two reasons:

1.) This marks my first acting nomination and...

2.) Tenerife is one of the Spanish Canary Islands (that's the Spanish flag above;) and I always wanted to go there when I lived in Sevilla. Even when Sevilla was wintry and chilly, the sun was always shining in Tenerife. I guess they're just returning el amor!

Oh, and the Broken and Bronx Paradise screenings both went great, a big thanks to all of you that came out. Talk soon!

Love.
Brea

"COURAGE is not the absence of fear..."

2009-06-12T06:40:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2009

"...but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear."

I stumbled upon this quote this morning and was reminded of its veracity. For an actor (or for any person for that matter), fear can debilitate, immobilize, derail. And because of its singularily destructive power, we push it away, pummel it, or simply bury it when it rears its sizeable head. But to what end?

As a child, I remember seeing cool surfer/skater types wear shirts that screamed, "No fear!"

Even though I felt equally cool in my high-top pink Converse, the tagline seduced me with its directness and confidence. So, I did what any other American girl would do: I inhaled the message, word by word, until it rested inside of me..."no fear no fear no fear no fear."

Fast forward several years. I'm now an actress pursuing my dreams, routinely setting goals to work hard to achieve. Among the financial, the personal, the professional, was the goal to be "fearless", "bold" and "courageous." Sounded good to me...

But rather than appreciating the nuances of those words, I grouped them together as if they all meant the same thing. Lucky for us, as the quotation expresses, they do not.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. --Ambrose Redmoon

Because the truth is, sometimes I am afraid. Sometimes I am fearful. Sometimes I feel more timid than bold. But I keep going...

Despite myself, despite discomfort, despite what's reasonable, I keep going. I keep going because I have deemed this journey valuable, worthy, inspired and much, much more important than fear.

"No fear?" Maybe not. But courageous? Definitely.

'BRONX PARADISE' and 'BROKEN' Screening Info!

2009-05-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

May 25, 2009

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

The lovely and talented Josie of Jozaphoenix Designs helped me design these promo cards and I love 'em. I hope to see you at one or both films!

BRONX PARADISE
Official Selection, Hollywood Black Film Festival
Wednesday, June, 3rd, 2009, 8:45p
Fine Arts Theatre
8556 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, 90211
Tix: $12

BROKEN
World Premiere with MC, Musical Guests and After Party
Thursday, June 11th, 2009, 8:00p
424 N. Beverly Dr.
Beverly Hills, 90210
Tix: $10

Love.
Brea

'BROKEN' World Premiere- Thursday, June 11th at 8p in Beverly Hills!

2009-05-20T00:34:00.000-07:00

May 19, 2009

So the film in which I play Nikki, the female lead, premieres on June 11th. All the info is below...
Hope you can make it!

Love.
Brea

Just Took Part in Video in Jes Hudak's NO ONE IN THE WORLD Video

2009-05-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

May 12, 2009

So this is from an email from my good friend, talented songstress/songwriter, Jes Hudak:

"As some of you know, I'm shooting a video for 'No One in the World' this weekend. The concept that director Kurt Nishimura has come up with involves getting a lot of other people to do their own homemade lip-synced version of the song..."

So that's what I did and it was so much fun! In the video, Jes is going to be hanging up pieces of paper all over the room, and on those pieces of paper are going to be the videos of other people lip-syncing to "No One in the World." The video will be shown on VH1, E! News, MTV2, mtv.com & some other major music sites. I'll let you know as soon as it's released...

For more info about Jes, check her out HERE.

Love.
Brea

'BRONX PARADISE' Screening in the HBFF on June 3rd!

2009-05-05T10:52:00.001-07:00

May 6, 2009

(I cut and pasted the following from an email from Wayne Gurman...)

I hope you all can join me at the Hollywood Black Film Festival for the next screening of the award winning film "Bronx Paradise". Please tell all your friends to come. Bronx Paradise is rated "R" for foul language and brief nudity and sexual situations."Bronx Paradise" is an amazing film that has played in 16 festivals to date and has won 11 awards.

Go HERE for more details about the film.

Wednesday June 3rd at 8:45 PM
Fine Arts Theatre
8556 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Festival website HERE.
Hope to see you there!

Love.
Brea

Pics from Photo Shoot with KOURY ANGELO...

2009-04-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

April 23, 2009

So I just shot with the wildly talented Koury Angelo yesterday and the pics turned out great! Elfee Duquette did a great job styling and Alisa Sherrod did an amazing job on my makeup... thanks to Matthieu and Michael for your help as well:) I'll be adding the "best of" to my website shortly but in the meantime, check out a few of the pics below...

Just booked lead role in short film 'BROKEN'

2009-04-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

April 13, 2009

So I just got word that I booked the lead role of Nikki in the short film, "Broken." The script is awesome and the cast and crew seems great, so I'm super excited. We shoot this weekend... yay!

Happy Monday to you! Hope you have a fantastic week :)

Love.
Brea

LIE TO ME Episode Airs Wednesday!

2009-04-13T00:18:00.000-07:00

April 7, 2009

The "Lie to Me" episode I filmed a few months ago airs this Wednesday on FOX, right after American Idol. I play, Sandra Kisker, the wife of a construction worker who is trapped in a building. The show is really smart and interesting, so check it out if you have the time.

Clark Johnson of the "The Wire" directed this episode and he was a joy to work with. He seriously is one of the "coolest cats" in Hollywood... and of course, Tim Roth is pretty awesome too. I feel so blessed to be getting work during these tough times... but even when it seems really bad, there's so much to be thankful for!

I'll be back with more updates soon!

Love.
Brea

New HEADSHOTS!!

2009-04-07T21:28:00.000-07:00

April 1, 2009

So just took some new headshots and I love them! Check one out below (and another one over to the right ;)...

They'll be added to breacola.com soon, but in the meantime, you can check them out HERE!

Love.
Brea

JOHNNY B. HOMELESS, An Upcoming Webseries

2009-04-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

March 22, 2009

So I just finished filming my scenes for "Johnny B. Homeless", a webseries created by and starring the multitalented Al Thompson.

It is so freakin' hilarious, and I'm SO excited to be a part of it. I haven't done much comedy but Al is a pro and made me feel at ease. He plays Johnny B. and I play Ariel Deerborn, a French artist with a quirky side ;).

I'll let you know when you can see it online... I can't wait! But until then, check out the promo for the show (btw, that's not me below)...

"BRONX PARADISE" is in the Festival Circuit!

2009-04-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

February 17, 2009

So, the feature film in which I play my first lead role, "Bronx Paradise", is now making its rounds in the festivals!

So far it's gotten into The British Film Fest, The NY Independent Int'l Festival, The Egypt Int'l Festival, Burbank Int'l, Action on Film Int'l, New Filmmakers NY and Riverside Int'l, just to name a few.

It's based on the true life story of Wayne Gurman, and it chronicles his criminal lifestyle from 1984-1999. I play Kim Gurman, Wayne's wife.

"Bronx Paradise" was written by Wayne Gurman and directed by ex-NY cop, Billy Lappe, both of whom I had a great time working with. It also stars Arthur Nascarella, John Palumbo and Thomas Jefferson Byrd.

I recently saw the finished product and I'm really excited about the future of this film!!

You can view the trailer here, and find updated news about the film HERE!

... or check the You Tube version below:

Thanks for your continued support!!!

US ARMY commercial starts airing!

2009-04-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

December 12th, 2008

So, the US Army commercial that I'm in started airing on Veteran's Day but I just got my hands on the You Tube version. Check it out! I'm the girl climbing the rope...

"PRINCE OF BROADWAY" Nominated for Spirit Award!

2009-03-07T18:54:00.000-08:00

December 10, 2008

The nominees for the 2009 Film Independent Spirit Awards were just announced and Prince of Broadway was honored with a nomination! Actually our director, Sean Baker, has TWO films nominated in the same category! Both Prince of B'way and Takeout were nominated for the John Cassavetes Award for best feature made for under $500,000. Yay!

I was also thrilled to learn that Alex Holdridge--with whom I worked with on a film in Austin back in 2003-- was nominated for his awesome film In Search of a Midnight Kiss... in the very same category! It's all very exciting so keep a look out for award announcements in March.

Hope you're well! Happy Holidays!

Just booked role of "Sandra Kisker" on FOX series LIE TO ME

2008-12-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

December 3, 2008

Last week I got a call that I booked a co-star role on the new FOX show "Lie to Me." I'm booked for eight days so I started working on it last Wednesday and I'll finish up this Friday. I play Sandra Kisker, the wife of a construction worker. More details to follow...

Just booked role of "Kristie" on the NBC series LIFE

2008-09-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2008

I just got a call from my manager (the lovely Melanie Sharp) that I booked 6 days on the NBC series LIFE as Kristie, a fun-loving badge bunny. What is a badge bunny, you ask? Well you'll just to have to tune in and find out.

Or you can just email me and I'll tell you :)

Oh, and I had SO much fun filming the US ARMY spot last week. I was wearing a business suit while doing a ropes course. Seriously. I was scared at first but it turned out to be such an adrenaline rush! I'll let you (or you let me) know when it's starts airing. Thanks!!

New DEMO REELS are Up!

2008-09-13T02:05:00.000-07:00

September 14, 2008

So, with the help of Justin at Speedreels, and my wonderful acting coach Stephen Snyder, my demo reels are now updated! Click on the links below to view my full-length reel or if you're in a rush, the speed reel, which is only a minute long! Oh, and for higher quality version of the reels, just go to www.speedreels.com/talent/bcola

Thanks for watching...

SpeedReel:

Full-Length Reel:

"BRONX PARADISE" Website is Now Online!

2008-09-13T01:53:00.000-07:00

September 13, 2008

The website for "Bronx Paradise," a movie in which I played the female lead, is now live! I had an amazing time filming this movie. The lead actor, Wayne Gurman, is such a talented actor and a joy to work with, as was the director Billy Lappe and the other cast and crew. Check out the website HERE!

There, you can find out more information about this awesome film including press, photos and details about the cast and crew. And, to view the trailer, check out the website or just view below!

Just Booked A National Commercial for the US ARMY!!

2008-09-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2008

My excitement about this booking is tempered because my older brother Jarad is currently in the Army...in Iraq. I look forward to appearing in this commercial and making him proud. But, honestly, I just want him to come home, safely, and as soon as possible. Please keep him in your prayers.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Online and in Full Effect!

2008-08-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

August 15, 2008

So, if you missed my "Days of Our Lives" appearance, no worries, I've got you covered ;-). Just click the link below to view my scenes, or for an even clearer version, click HERE!

Merci beaucoup!

"The Day the Earth Shook"

2008-07-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

July 29, 2008

So if you haven't already heard, Los Angeles experienced an earthquake today. It was crazy, I was lying on my bed looking up at the the top of my dresser, chatting away with a friend that had just watched my "Days" episode which had already aired on the East Coast. Then my bed started shaking and I thought for sure that I'd forgotten to lock the door and that some rabid dog had gotten into my apartment and was now going crazy under my bed.

Then I noticed that my dresser and the knick-knacks on top of it were shaking as well.

"Ohmagoodness, ohmagoodness, ohmagoodness!" I said to my friend. "There's a earthquake!!!!"

"Whoa, this is weird!" I said, mostly to myself, still lying in bed with Blackberry in hand. I leapt out of bed to look outside to make sure no cars were crashing but before I'd made it to the window, the Earth stood still yet again.

Craziness. My first earthquake happened to occur on the same day as my "Days" debut. And not only that, the earthquake preempted my L.A. debut because "Breaking News" continued for several hours after the initial quake, replacing scheduled programming for the day. Shows how little control we truly have in life, doesn't? I'm so thankful that noone was hurt and that very little damage, if any, was caused by the earthquake. And you know what else I'm thankful for?

SoapNet!!!!

Thanks to SoapNet, and barring any further earthquakes, hurricanes, power outages, etc., I'll be able to watch it (and so will you if you missed it;-) tomorrow (Wednesday) morning on SOAPNET.

Thanks to all those who tuned in everywhere else! Love y'all!

DAYS OF OUR LIVES Episode Airs Tomorrow and New Headshots are up!

2008-07-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2008

Hola!

Just wanted to let you know that I'll be appearing on "Days of Our Lives" tomorrow, so tune in to NBC if you're around!

Also, my new headshots are up on my agency's site. Here's one, but to see more just cut and paste the link below.

Resume w/ Photos

Look for video clips of my scenes from the upcoming feature films "Bronx Paradise", "Jake Gets Paid" and "Get Faamous" in the very near future.

Thanks for your continued support!!

And the WINNER is....

2008-07-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

June 28, 2008

..."Prince of Broadway"! WE WON, WE WON!!

Prince of Broadway was named the "Best Narrative Feature" in Film Independent's Los Angeles International Film Festival!! Our illustrious director, Sean Baker, was awarded the Target Filmmaker Award -- a cash prize of a whopping $50,000. For the man who co-wrote, directed, edited and shot this beautiful film, he most surely deserves it!

Here's a snapshot of all of us at the Q&A session the night of the premiere, but for more photos, just cut and paste the link below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29283409@N00/sets/72157605923048447/
show/with/2627723303/

Check back for more "Prince of Broadway" updates in the near future! It truly is a special film and I feel so blessed to be a part of it.

Like the Sands through the Hourglass....

2008-06-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2008

...so are the "Days of Our Lives." Even if you don't watch the show, I'm sure you've heard that famous opening to the long-running daytime serial. And (drumroll please...) I'll be appearing on the show Tuesday July 29th as Daphne, the sexy French journalist!!!

These last couple of weeks have been quite amazing. It started off with two great photo shoots, first with the gifted Greg Crowder and then with the wonderfully talented Koury Angelo. Actually, I'll be updating my website so check back in the next couple of weeks for some updated shots. Exciting! The photo shoots were followed by the "Spirit of a Woman" event, then the "Prince of B'way" world premiere as part of the LA Film Fest and now the "Days of Our Lives" booking! I feel so blessed!!

I had a wonderful time today on the Days set... Darin Brooks, who was my partner for all my scenes, is awesome and made me feel immediately at home. When I didn't know what a "50/50" shot was, he schooled me, when I couldn't find my dressing room, he showed me the way. Thank you Darin. For an Emmy nominated actor, you're so grounded and cool. :-) Albert, our director, Ed, the executive producer and the whole crew was a joy to work with. Actually, here's a photo I took in my dressing room with my Blackberry. They did a great job with my make-up!

So, to wrap it up, tune in, Tivo or DVR "Days of our Lives" on NBC, Tuesday, July 29th. I'm not sure exactly when it comes on in all the time zones but I'll let you know when I find out! Love to you all!

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

2008-06-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

June 14, 2008

So the "Spirit of a Woman" event was last night and I'm still reeling from the excitement of it. It was amazing to be a part of a cast of such beautiful and talented women, and what's more is that we all fully supported each other with positivity and genuine respect. Shelli Boone did a fantastic job putting the show together, and we've already talked about making it an annual event. I feel so blessed to have met a network of positive, gifted women, especially when I'd been told that the L.A. acting community was just the opposite. Here's a photo taken by the lovely Vanoy Burnough, of me and Kim Chillous getting ready for the show:

Now, I'm looking forward to next week's world premiere of "Prince of Broadway." If you're around this Sunday night, June 22nd, you can buy your tickets online at www.lafilmfest.com

Thanks!

And, I had to post this because this is the first review ever written about my "Beauty Queen" monologue, which I performed last night. Take a look!

In the movie, The Shawshank Redemption, there’s a scene in the library where the prisoners are opening a large shipment of book cartons. The books were ordered by lead character Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), in his effort to improve the literacy of the men. One character, Heywood (William Sadler), stares quizzically at the cover of one of the new books, The Three Musketeers. “Hey Andy,” he asks innocently, “who’s Alexander Dumbass?”

The line is so typical (stereotypical) of what we would expect a backwoods inmate to say that we laugh uproariously—and miss the point of what’s going on: Andy, who realizes these men are no dumb-asses, is trying to help them realize it, too.

Last night, I was privileged to watch Brea Cola present a monologue which she had written entitled, “The Beauty Queen.” The setting is a job interview, and she is asked what she believes to be her greatest weakness. The question takes her by surprise for a moment, as her answer does us, for a minute or so: “my smile.” The answer is puzzling and seems totally off-the-wall until we realize she is wrestling with the irony of her own realization that she has given so much attention to what she once thought to be her greatest asset. Her sudden, frustrated statement of her own “dumb-assity” (“dumb-assedness” ?) is right on. It reflects the realization that she had fallen into what many (most?) people in “civilized” culture pursue: reliance on an external, rather than internal, beauty.

One of the most beautiful aspects of this whole performance is the fact that Brea wrote it. When she first stands on stage and begins to answer the “human resource” person’s question, you wonder where this is going. The girl seems like a clueless idiot, sort of like your first impression of Elle Wood (Reese Witherspoon), in the film Legally Blond, as she applies for Harvard. You’re frankly not sure, at first, if this is great character portrayal or amateurish acting. However, as you track with Brea’s character, you realize that it’s the former, and you not only realize that you are witnessing, not simply great character portrayal, but great character writing based on great character insight and great awareness of a massive flaw in human society that has come to rely on the power of appearance and confused same with the power of inner beauty. What’s more (could there be more to praise? yes!) she chose to articulate the point, not in some blunt statement that one may hear, acknowledge, and discard, but in a manner that forces one to think along with her, and, more importantly, even after she has left the stage.

Unfortunately, most people never come to that realization. Fortunately for us, Brea is a young woman who can articulate the problem through her own art and in such a beautiful way that may provoke others to realize the bankruptcy, the foolishness of a true dumb-ass.

--Walt Bertelsen

You can view the NYC performance of the monologue at: www.youtube.com/breacola

"THE SPIRIT OF A WOMAN"

2008-06-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

June 4, 2008

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to let you that on June 13th, 2008, I'll be performing a monologue as part of the one night only event entitled: "The Spirit of a Woman."

I will performing along with the organizer Shelli Boone and several other beautiful and talented ladies, so it's sure to be a fun-filled night! I've attached the flyer, but if you have trouble viewing it, see the details below.

Friday, June 13th at 8PM
KSLG Playhouse Theatre
600 MOULTON AVE (corner of 1900 N. Main & Moulton)
DOWNTOWN LA 90240
Tickets: $15
Call: 323.227.5410 for Reservations

"PRINCE OF BROADWAY" in the LA Film Fest!

2008-05-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

May 21st, 2008

"Prince of Broadway", a feature I took part in while in New York, will be premiering at the L.A. Film festival on Sunday, June 22nd. I had the pleasure of working with the very talented writer/director Sean Baker and writer/producer Darren Dean, as well as my good friend and fellow actress Victoria Tate, who plays the role of Nadia. Check back soon for the trailer and more specific screening info. Exciting!

Just Booked a Dayplayer Role on GENERAL HOSPITAL!

2008-03-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

March 21, 2008

I will be filming the role of "Nina" on GENERAL HOSPITAL next Wednesday!

A big thanks to the lovely Gwen Hillier in the Casting Department for booking me in my first role in Los Angeles!

The $301 Play

2008-01-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

Time: January 5, 2008

So, I've been in California for a couple of months now minus the two weeks I spent in Texas for the holidays. I'm still adjusting to the new way of life here -- the slower vibe, the bigger apartment, the LA acting scene, the traffic, et cetera et cetera. It's very different here and although there are several things I miss about New York, I'm enjoying the adventure and I definitely see myself staying here for a long, long, time. That said, I wanted to destroy something earlier today. Break, slam, kick, shatter, and utterly demolish something, to release my frustration. But, I didn't, I just cried a little and then laughed about the situation an hour later. Then I found something that made the situation even more unbelievable...

I'll stop being vague and get to the actual story.

I get an audition notice for a Arthur Miller play that I'm not familiar with. It's called "After the Fall" and I'm to read for the role of Felice. Felice means happy. Smile. Anyways, I have two choices: 1.) Just read my sides and be OK with the fact that I don't know the play or 2.) Buy the play and read it to get an idea of the tone of the play and of my character's role in the play.

I choose the latter. Besides, Samuel French isn't too far away. I mean, it isn't across the street like it was in NYC, but it's one of the few places I can get to without the help of my GPS enabled Blackberry. Having made my decision, I get to my car and notice it's sprinkling outside. Oh, you know that song "It Never Rains in Southern California?" It's a lie. Because it's been raining for a couple of days now and the weatherman says it will be raining on and off til Sunday. Anyways, for the time being it's not raining too much and I'll just be in and out so there's no need to bring an umbrella. A few raindrops never killed anybody.

Fast forward 20 minutes which equals about 4.5 miles without too much traffic. I've made it to Samuel French and I guess the Los Angelenos have decided to stay indoors because there are more empty parking spaces than usual. Yay. I don't want to get a ticket so I put a couple of dimes in the meter which buys me 20 minutes. That'll be plenty of time. I'll be in and out, and back in my warm, dry car before I know it.

Fast forward nine minutes. With play in hand, I happily leave the store. I'm really glad I decided to do this but now I'm ready to get out of this rainy weather, and curl up in my warm bed for a good read. Hmmm. Yes, that sounds nice. I just need to find my car and I'll be on my merry way.

It's just right across the street. Right. Umm... I'm bad with directions so maybe I went the wrong way out the store. Lemme look over here. No, I'm sure it was right there. I remember passing that ivy-covered building as I jaywalked, no jayran, across the street. It was definitely there but now, it's not!

Moments later, I find my parking place and proof that I had in fact parked my car at that very spot -- : 0 9. Nine minutes left on the meter, but no car... I'd been away from my car 11 minutes and in that short period of time, my little car had been taken against her will towards an evil towing lot, somewhere in Los Angeles County. I say "towards" because not enough time had elasped for the driver to make it to the lot. He was down the street.

To make a long story short, I'd unknowingly parked in an anti-gridlock zone and had to pay the towing "service" $140 to release my car. My tears had intermingled with the rain and I was left feeling frustrated, silly and $140 poorer. Woe is me! The things we do , the sacrifices we make, the...

Hold up. A plastic covered envelope underneath my wiper catches my eye...

Un-believable. Incroyable. Increíble. Inside the plastic is a ticket, written by a parking cop, for an additional $150 dollars!

Thus ends the unfortunate yet true tale of the $301 play.

Ya down with CESD? Yeah you know me!

2007-11-30T16:47:00.001-08:00

Time: November 16, 2007

So, I just signed an exclusive contract with Cunningham, Escott,Slevin and Doherty or CESD. I've been meeting with several of the top commercial agencies over the past couple of weeks, and although it was a tough decision, I truly feel that CESD is the agency for me. The on-camera agents, Adrienne, Dedra and David are professional, fun and friendly, and it's obvious that they know the business. CESD has a strong presence on both coasts, so when I'm in NYC working on a film or a play, I can keep on auditioning.

I started my acting career doing TV commercials, and I've always enjoyed them. I can still remember the first acting class I took in Houston, Texas. I was 10 years old and Lee Duran, my acting teacher, handed me a piece of paper. On it were the words to the Oscar Mayer jingle we all now know and love. The song that taught kids and adults around the country the proper spelling of that funny smelling circular piece of meat often found slapped between two pieces of white bread and slathered with mayo and mustard:

"Myyyy bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R.
My bologna has a second name, it's M-A-Y-E-R.
Oooooohh I love to eat it every day
And if you ask me why I'll saaaaaaaaaaaaay
Cuz...
Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A!"

(Applause)

I remember how much fun I had in that class. Acting should always be that fun.

I worked on several commercials as a teenager and in college, but while in Paris and NYC, I decided to take a break from actively auditioning for them. I needed time to be fully immersed in my process work and that required me to back away from the smiley, lighthearted acting many commercials call for. Over the years I've learned that although commercial acting, film acting and acting for the stage each call for a very different set of of skills, all them, ideally, are based in truth.

It's kind of like speaking different languages... When in France, you speak French. When in Spain, you speak Spanish. But in either country, you still have to listen to what the other person is saying to respond truthfully. You still have to speak clearly to be understood.

Right after signing my contract, I got my L.A. Casting account up and running by going to the office and scanning in my headshot. Much to my surprise I received an email two days later notifying me of first L.A. audition the following day. Nice! I know that commercial auditions are a numbers game, so I hope to be going out very often. I'll keep you posted!

I Gotta Write about the STRIKE

2007-11-30T16:43:00.001-08:00

Time: November 11th, 2007

So I'd planned to continue to go back in time and write about my past experiences as an actor in NYC but I'm taking a detour today. A detour to the present day, that is. You see, I just moved to Los Angeles last week and I've been settling into my new home in the Los Feliz/Silverlake area. I love, love, love the neighborhood -- The Trader Joe's on the corner, La Parilla Mexican restaurant down the road, and the Spaceland music bar a mile away. And to have Griffith Park mere seconds away, equipped with tennis courts, a merry-go-round, a golf course and even a little roller coaster is really more than a girl can ask for! The vibe reminds me of the oh-so-great Austin, where I grew up, and I can definitely see myself staying in my awesome, spacious, rent controlled apartment for a long, long time.

So, let's get down to it. As you've probably already heard, there's a strike going on. The Writer's Guild of America (WGA) began to strike on November 5, 2007 and who knows how long it'll last. Many say that it could last months which would then lead to a SAG strike in the Spring. Yep. Not surprisingly, the first thing many people say to me, a spanking new Los Angeleno actor, is: "What a terrible time to move to the city."

Well, that's one way to look at it. But I choose to look at it differently. I see this time as an opportunity. An opportunity to get acclimated to the city before I start driving to several auditions a day. An opportunity to find a great scene study class where I can keep my skills honed and meet fellow actors. An opportunity to support my fellow artists that are standing on the pickets lines, peaceably fighting for better, fairer wages. Because that's really the long and short of it (or maybe just the short of it.)

The WGA is just fighting for their piece of the "new media" pie. They're standing up for themselves, their families, and every writer,actor, and artist that will come after them, and I applaud and support their efforts wholeheartedly. It takes a lot of guts to have courage in your convictions. Some of the showrunners (people that double as writers and producers) are even being threatened with lawsuits unless they get back to work, but they're standing next to their brethren fighting the good fight. For the sake of all parties involved, I'm hoping that the writers and producers can come to an equitable agreement in the very near future.

That said, so what if I won't be going out much, if at all, this pilot season. I'm here for the marathon, not the sprint, and I know that this is just part of the journey.

So I'd like to dedicate this blog entry to the WGA members on strike. Keep the faith!! I'm rooting for you!

I'm a Little Superstitious: PART DEUX

2007-11-30T16:40:00.000-08:00

Time: August 25, 2007

So about that superstitiousness... I just got cast in a feature that will remain nameless. It will remain nameless because I've learned that nothing in this business is ever certain. Just because you're cast in film doesn't mean the film will ever be made. Just because you film a role in a movie, it doesn't mean you won't end up on the cutting room floor. Just because you're told a movie/commercial/TV show will air on a certain date, doesn't mean it will, even if you've told all your family members, friends and family members' friends to tune in at such and such time. You just never know.

On the flip side, movies you thought would never see the light of day might be seen by millions. Commercials you thought would air for a season might air for years. A role that starts out small might be expanded. There are so many factors out of our control that it would be crazy to try to forsee the future. So, I figure, the only thing I can do is bring my most positive, professional, prepared, generous self to each project and after it's completed, move on and let the chips fall where they may.

To be honest, I'm really excited about this "Film That Shall Not Be Named." I love the story, I love my role and I very much hope that we'll start filming in October or November as planned. All I can do, however, is keep moving forward, keep planning the move to L.A. and keep opening myself up to other opportunities. Because, you just never know.

I'm a Little Superstitious: PART UN

2007-11-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

Time: August 2007

I was just cast in a SAG feature film today. It's a great role really, and it's strange, how it all came about. You see, I'm moving to Los Angeles in a mere 9 weeks, so since finishing Esper and wrapping "Bronx Paradise" in June, I've been focusing my energies on making some cold hard cash. I'm going to need a lot of it to:

A. Move all my stuff from one end of the country to the other
B. Pay for my comfy pad (Ist month's rent/deposit/etc.) in a great neighborhood, preferably Silverlake or Los Feliz
C. Invest in some new marketing materials (i.e. headshots, postcards, business cards, etc.)
D. Finance the wheels that will get me, safely, from one destination to another in said city
E. Pay for an acting class and/or private coach soon after getting settled
F. Eat three square meals a day

That said, when an audition comes along, I gladly take it. And this summer, a couple of nice auditions have definitely come along. It's all been very Zen in the Art of Archery-like. When you're not focused on something, consciously... it happens. You know, like when you're trying to remember the last name of the guy you went to homecoming with, and try as you might, you just can't seem to think of it, even after using the "Alphabet Method" where you slowly go through every letter of the alphabet hoping it will jog your memory.

But only when you're chillin' out, completely absorbed in the new "Pushing Daisies," episode guest starring Paul Reubens in the role of a sewer dwelling smell-o-maniac, does it comes to you, like a bee to honey, causing you to exclaim, victoriously, "Blackshear!!!"... which of course causes the person with whom you are watching the said show to look at you with momentary surprise, only to return their attention back to the more entertaining story unfolding on the TV.

But I digress.

The first, most memorable audition, comes when I'm called in to read for Bob Lambert, a casting director for "All My Children." I get a call from him on Tuesday, which is followed up by an email with a four page scene attached that I will then use for my audition the following day. Pretty fast turnaround. But hey, I figured, this IS a soap opera audition and soap actors are expected to be able to memorize dozens of pages per episode. So in comparison, this is a piece of cake, so of course I'll be off-book by manana por la manana. (Tommorow morning, sans the squiggly things over the "N"s)

So, I walk to the ABC building on 66th Street near the Westside Highway, and I'm feeling pretty good. I feel confident in my preparation, rested, and relaxed. I'm not obsessing about the outcome, I'm just thinking "Hey, it's pretty cool I got called in from a self-submission. Let me go in there and do my thing, and just have fun with it."

I don't spend much time thinking about what it would be like if I got the role, but rather, I choose to focus on the present moment. So instead of feeling anxious and fearful, I just feel calm and energized. I listen to the what Bob has to say about my character, and adjust my choices based on the new information I've been given. Bob's a great partner, so it's easy to work off what he's giving me, while staying grounded in my character.

The audition was a ball, in and of itself. I'd come and done what I'd set out to do, which was to have fun, while being open, truthful and present. Fortunately, as it turns out, that positive audition experience led to my 7 episode stint as Nurse Margie on "All My Children." Over my seven summer days on the AMC set, I was fortunate enough to work with Cameron Mathison, Alicia Minishew (an Esper grad, I discovered) and Susan Lucci. Actually it was my first foray into American TV, and it's been real. And, I'd like to thank Bob for giving me the opportunity and the cast for helping make my experience a positive and memorable one. Thank you.

Next stop: prime time.

It's funny how things work out sometimes...

2007-11-29T20:39:00.000-08:00

Time: July 2007

So, remember when I told you about "The Interview." That one-woman show I wrote and entered into the NY International Fringe Festival, also known as the Fringe Fest? I didn't get in.

Actually I got waitlisted and after the wait was over, they sent me a lovely letter stuffed with a list of Fringe Fest plays and ten free tickets to the shows of my choice. I thought that was pretty cool, a classy gesture. And hey, I figured, the free tickets more than pay for my registration fee.

I was pretty bummed that I didn't get in, because I'd really envisioned myself up on a stage, performing the monologues. I could see it, as if my 'World Premiere' at the NY International Fringe Fest' had already happened. But, as it turns out, this particular festival wasn't going to happen, so I moved on.

Anyways, I'm going on about my business, enjoying New York City in the summer. You just can't beat New York on a breezy summer day. There's an energy in the streets that can't be matched and unlike in other, milder climates, New Yorkers don't take a beautiful day for granted. We eat lunch outside, we walk rather than taking the subway, we splurge on a five dollar black and white shake from Shake Shack because we're so freaking happy that the weather's so nice that we feel the need to celebrate.

So, I'm enjoying one of those days when I get a phone call. It's Robert Galinsky and he's asking if I'd like to perform in the next month's Manhattan Monologue Slam.

I hesitate for a moment because it's always kind of scary to put yourself out there. Ultimately, however, my love to perform won over my fear of failure.

'Sure!," I chirp, like the birds around me.

The MM Slam, organized by Robert and Philip Galinsky and produced by one of "Spring Awakening's" producers, always draws a crowd. It was even voted 'Best Open Mic Night in NYC' by Backstage Magazine even though it's not really an Open Mic Night.

Anyhoo, on the first Monday of every month, people crowd into the Bowery Poetry Club in Manhattan's Lower East Side, prepared to be entertained.

The show is composed of two sets. The first set stars eight actors, each performing a three minute monologue of their choice. Some of the material is original, some not, some comedy, others drama. It's a a great way for we as actors, to get on stage and perform in front of a live audience. And for me, it held an even greater significance. It would be the World Premiere of one of my monologues from "The Interview." I would be performing my material on stage for the first time, and to make it even scarier, a industry panel would be judging me.

Eek.

I can't say I wasn't nervous. I can't say I wasn't thinking -- "What if they hate my writing? What if they hate my acting." Because I was. But I knew I that I had to put myself out there regardless of the results. Before I went out on stage, I prayed the prayer I always pray before auditioning or performing. "Please God, help me be free and open, and help me honor the truth of the moment and of the character." And with that, I walked out as Candice, "The Beauty Queen" and began my monologue.

It was so liberating to write and perform my own work. Even before I got the comments and scores from the judges, I felt like a success. I had overcome fear, rejection and self-doubt to get to that stage, and I knew that with each of these little victories, I was becoming stronger and more resilient. And, as it turns out, the judges and the audience enjoyed the monologue. It felt great to hear that the piece spoke to different people in different ways based upon their varied experiences. I'd created something that would hopefully have a life of its own, and now I feel motivated to create more.

'The Interview' will be performed someday, in its entirety. I don't know when, I don't know where, but when I find out, you'll be the first to know.

And,now that you know the story, I'd thought I'd share with you the video from that night's performance.

Take care!

I Resolve to...

2007-11-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

Time: January 1, 2007

It's that time of the year again. Time to assess the highs and lows of the past year and make plans for the new one. I love new beginnings. I always have. A new school year, a new week, a new day, a new class. The blank page is so exciting, my imagination and dreams cover it with words and images.

It's the New Year and I've got a feeling this year's going to great. Hanging out with my family in Austin, Galveston and Temple has been a blast. Mom's home cooking, I sure have missed you. I feel safe and secure, and buoyed by the fact that I've created something that I'm proud of. A few weeks ago, I penned "The Interview", a series of nine monologues in which nine New Yorkers are asked the common questions of an interview process. Their answers, however, are anything but common. Each respond, in truth, their truth. Initially, I'd envisioned each monologue being performed by different people. Five women, four men of various ethnicities, backgrounds and experiences. But as I perform it for my family, in the comfort of warm living rooms and supportive eyes, I begin to open myself up to other possibilities. That said, when my dad suggests that I perform all the monologues together, as a one-woman show, I don't balk at the idea. I embrace it, tentatively at first, then more confidently. "Yes!" I say to the proposition. Why not?

I've always enjoyed writing but I've never considered myself a writer. I've always been the type to write when I HAD to. When my emotions are struggling to burst free and the only way I can express myself is to take pen to paper. But unlike acting, where the playwright/screenwriter decides your parameters, writing gives me freedom to set my own. To scream on paper, to whisper, to rant. I'm an actor, yes. But I've discovered that I don't have to be one thing, I can be many. An artist, an actor, an actress, a writer, a poet, and God knows what else... Why limit yourself by staying confined to your self-made playpen when there's more out there for you than you can ever imagine.

Writing "The Interview" was a liberating experience in many ways. Now that I've learned what type of actor I am, I also know what kind of material speaks to me. Complex, raw, human, truthful writing where the soul is exposed even if you try to hide behind a mask. I wrote and will continue to write material I want to perform, and I've decided to enter the series into The NY International Fringe Festival. The deadline's February 15th, 2007. I've already downloaded and printed out my application, copywrighted my piece with the Library of Congress and started on revisions. Who knows what this year has in store for me, but one things for sure, I'm going take risks and "go forth confidently towards my dreams."

The Exorcism

2007-11-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

Time: December 2006

So I've been living with this woman named Vera for the past month and a half. She's really amazing and all and I'm really happy to have gotten to know her so well, but, well, the truth is, I'm ready for her to move out. I just want my "me" time again, and this apartment is way too small for the both of us.

You see, she just saw her first love Floyd for the first time in two years after he'd left her for a woman my Mom would describe as "fast." She's all bent outta shape over seeing him again, and although she's tried to cover her feelings and act all thick-skined and stuff, it's obvious that that man wripped her heart right in two. It's hard living with her, though, because, honestly, her drama is stirring up all sorts of old feelings in me. Feelings about the past that I thought I'd left behind, that I guess just lay sleeping in a place deep, deep inside me. But living with Vera has made the past come to the present, anxious to get out and be dealt with once and for all.

As part of my second year Meisner class, I was cast as "Vera" in a scene from the play Seven Guitars by August Wilson. I feel so blessed to have been introduced to this character and I've done my best to honor her and Mr. Wilson by breathing my breath into her and inhabiting the role as best as I know how. But, I'm not going to lie. It's been hard. My heart breaks every time I read the scene, every time I rehearse with my partner Jerry "Floyd" Baxtron Jr., every time I perform. It hurts like heartbreak hurts and I'm been carrying around Vera's sadness and my own for the past six weeks, so much so that it's hard to distinguish the two. So, Vera, we've performed together for the last time, and now it's time to let you go. It's been real. I'll always remember you, I'll always carry a piece of you with me, 'cause you reawakened in me that which I didn't know dwelt deep inside. But now it's time to go. One last cry, one last wail, one last time, so I can just be...

(Deep sigh...) I lay my head on the pillow, I close my eyes. Not to sleep, just to be. And in the stillness, it comes to me. An idea, like a butterfly on the tip of my nose that will fly away unless I cup it in my hands. I cup it in my hands. I take pen to paper and I write. One monologue. Two. Three. Nine. "The Interview" I call it. Nine people. Nine truths. Pen down. Head down. Sleep comes.

The Debut that Never Was

2007-10-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

Time: January 2006

So I did it! I've been cast in my very first New York, Off-Off Broadway play! To tell you the truth, I was surprised I even got called in to audition. I only had one more day of filming "LE MAITRE DU ZODIAQUE" at the end of December so even though I didn't think I had enough theater experience to read for a Shepard play, I submitted my headshot and resume anyway. I always say, "Don't reject yourself for roles, because you never know."

At the first audition, I performed a 3-minute dramatic narrative monologue from the movie "Eve's Bayou." Of course, I didn't say it was from a film, and I don't know if it would even have mattered if I did, but I felt it was great monologue for me and I enjoyed working on it. The first time I did the piece, I felt good about it but the director called for more volume, more vocal strength. This, of course, was a theater audition, while I was used to film auditions.

Note to self: Research voice classes when I get home.

The second time was better, vocally, and good enough to get me a spot at the callbacks the following day.

This time, I read directly from the play for the roles of Sally and Beth, the two young female leads in "A Lie of the Mind." The callback was interesting because, unlike in most auditions, we got to see other people audition. Thankfully, at my particular time slot, no one was reading for the roles I was reading for. So I read for Beth, I read for Sally and I go home really wanting the Beth role. Beth's the delicate brain-damaged young woman whose condition was caused by being beaten by her jealous husband. As an actor, it was a role I could sink my teeth into, and the role of Sally seemed less challenging in comparison.
Fast forward two days. Phone rings. It's the Casting Director/Artistic Director of the black box theater where the play will be performed. I'm invited to a second callback. For what role?

Sally.

OK, that's cool. (Snapping fingers in disappointment.) But, I'm still excited. Immediately after I get off the phone, I pick up my copy of the play that I'd purchased at The Drama Book Shop, and read it again, this time focusing on the role of Sally.

Oh wow. This could be really fun. After the second read I realize I'd underestimated the role of Sally, and that it could be just as rewarding, if not more so, than Beth's character.

The second callback goes great and I feel very right for the role, but I wonder how the rest of the family looks. I understand that this is a play about families and that in casting, how realistic a family looks/sounds together is very important to the process. I figured all I could do is my best, and leave the choosing to the powers that be.

So...let's cut to the chase.

I was offered the part of Sally, accepted the role and was scheduled to do a table read the following week. After the holidays we jumped into an intensive rehearsal schedule and I began to work with actors that had a lot more experience in the theatre than I'd had. I wish I could say the same thing about everyone's level of commitment.

Sadly, soon after rehearsals began, things started falling apart. The girl that was cast as Beth wasn't showing up for rehearsals. The guy who played Frankie was notoriously late. The Equity papers hadn't been properly filed. Our rehearsals in the theatre were cut short due to scheduling issues. And the final straw -- The guy who played Jake dropped out a week before the show was scheduled to open. (Shaking my head.) After this unfortunate chain of events, the show was cancelled a few days before opening night.

Needless to say, it was quite an experience, and my well-worn copy of "A Lie of the Mind" still sits on my bookshelf. I don't know if I'll ever get to perform the role of Sally again, but through my hours of rehearsal, through the good and bad, I learned a lot of important lessons:

1. Be on time.
2. Be prepared.
3. Be a team player.
4. Communicate with your fellow castmates.
5. Nothing's ever certain.

Although I was disappointed at the outcome, I can walk away with no regrets because I know that I gave my all to the project. And hey, I guess it wasn't meant to be... there are better things in store for me. You see, I've just started my acting program at Esper Studio and now I can devote all my energy to my training.

Hanging with the Ghosts of Sandy Meisner

2007-10-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Time: Winter 2005/Fall 2006

So I've made my decision. Out of all the wonderful acting studios in NY, I've decided upon, and been accepted to the William Esper Accelerated Two-Year Program. It worked out perfectly, actually. While working on the miniseries, I toyed with the idea of applying to grad schools... I'd looked into Juilliard, NYU and Yale's programs, and had visions of me sporting a navy blue Yale sweatshirt and doing amazing plays with the Yale Rep. But, I kept hearing about this one studio, this Esper studio. About how actors there were challenged to be their best, most authentic selves. About how the whole program was based on Meisner's teachings. Meisner being the man who prized "in-the-moment", organic responses to situations and whose technique translated well on both the stage and the screen. I was drawn to the studio, interviewed by Terry Knickerbocker, and offered a place in his First Year Class that started in January.

My last day of filming the miniseries was on December 28th, so I could wrap that project, spend a week in Texas and jump into class after the New Year. Perfect. Boy was I excited, but I had no idea what a journey I was going to make over the next 17 months.

From the very beginning, I could tell that Terry Knickerbocker was a gifted teacher and that I was blessed to be in his class. His standard of excellence, his passion for the craft both inspired and motivated my peers and me to bring our whole, most present selves to the room each and every class. To shave away the artifice and only leave the truth behind.

As time went on, my "appropriate" self started to take a back seat and I began to feel free to just be, to be me, with all of my fears and dreams and ideas and pain and desires and heartaches, however inappropriate. We were in a safe place, different from the "real world" where we could flex artistic muscles that might not be appreciated at say, The Whole Foods down the street.

Terry demanded honesty, hard work, creativity, timeliness, professionalism and growth, and if you didn't give him what he asked for, well, it sucks to be you. But even through the "suckiness", we learned. We learned our strengths and weaknesses and by watching our peers' work, we learned as well. Apart from all the gems of acting knowledge I collected each day, I learned that true friendships can blossom even when you're not looking for them. I learned how beautiful it is to support your fellow artists as you fight your way through a sometimes resistant industry. I learned that life is so, so beautiful, through laughter, love, grief and heartache, and that we actors have a responsibility to represent it as truthfully as we can. I learned oh-so-much in my 17 glorious months at the William Esper Studio, and as I walk away to continue my journey, I am a better actor and a better person because of it.

Uh.. Parlez vous anglais?

2007-10-17T01:18:00.000-07:00

Time: Fall 2005

I asked for it, I got it. I'm in the midst of a whirldwind, traveling from NYC to Paris, from Paris to Lausanne and then back again. I've become a familiar face at both La Guardia and Charles de Gaulle airports and I have mastered the art of rolling my clothes to take up the least space possible.

Traveling is exhausting! Once I get to my destination, I always need a couple days to get centered. Luckily, a comfy room has been arranged for me in a 4-star Swiss hotel. Lausanne is beautiful, picturesque with its rolling vineyards and snow-capped mountains on the horizon. I have a lot of down time and a fairly generous per diem so I treat myself to a nice dinner at a different restaurant each night. I'm still feeling a little shy as I'm the only American among a Swiss and French cast and crew, so I spend most of my meals sipping wine, and gobbling up my latest book. (Not literally of course.) I am content. I have my scripts in my room, my phone cards to call home daily and access to the hotel's DVD library a floor below. There are moments, though, that I get lonely. I think to myself:

'It'd be pretty cool if my friends/fam could be here enjoying this with me. Hey, they wouldn't even have to pay for a hotel room.'

But the loneliness passes and I happily plan my itinerary for the days I'm not shooting.

My first day on set is pretty easy. Not much dialogue, beautiful weather, my call time's at 8am and my driver gets me back to the hotel by 2pm. The second day, however, is definitely... interesting. First all, I'm wearing a bikini whose top happens to be two sizes too small. But aside from an imminent wardrobe malfunction, a few memorable things happen:

1. I almost faint due to the fact that I'd forgotten to eat that morning.

2. I almost drown while shooting a scene that takes place in the pool. After five minutes of swimming laps, I listen desperately for the word 'CUT,' but instead hear 'Une minute de plus.'
Note to self: Become a stronger swimmer.

3. I fall flat on my derriere while running into a shot, wearing flip-flops.

4. I have to ask my 8 year old co-star (who doesn't speak English) to explain the nuances of Claude-Michel's piece of direction to me, which he does so, masterfully.

You see, no one on set spoke English, so not only is this my first TV experience, all my direction and lines are in French. And, I just happen to be surrounded by a slew of veteran French actors, among them the respected Francis Huster. I feel like a fish out of water, but I know that this experience, although challenging, is making me stronger.

So, I brush my towel off after the fall, munch on some food, take a few deep breaths after the near death experience and finish my scenes for the day. As I stand under the hot shower near the hotel pool, a photographer shoots publicity photos nearby and fans of the series wait patiently for autographs from the cast. I step out into the Swiss sunshine, put on some comfy clothes and head to my catered meal of quiche, fresh baguettes, brie, gruyere cheese and red wine. Mishaps aside, nothing can erase the fact that this whole experience with its ups and downs and all arounds is no short of amazing, and I'm lucky to be living it.

Here comes NY! There goes NY!

2007-10-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

Time: June 5, 2005

Wowsers. I've only been in NY for two minutes and I can already feel it. That electricity in the air, that feeling that anything can and will happen if only you can dream it and work hard to achieve it. The feeling that this city is not for the weary, and that it will require you to give your best and nothing less. I just arrived to NYC from Paris, France, where I've been living for the past year. Funny thing happened a few days before I left town. My agent, Cindy Brace, called me with my first audition since I signed with her 6 months before. I had a feeling that was going to happen... right when I leave, I'm going to get an audition. And, it did. Unfortunately, the audition is scheduled for 2 days from now and there was no way I was going to postpone my entire move back to the U.S. for the preread.

Me: "Cindy, can I send them a tape when I get to NY?"
Cindy: "No, they're going to want to see you in person."

Well, that's the breaks, I guess. I'm not terribly disappointed because my schedule's already pretty full for my first week in NY. I'd signed up on Actor's Access while I was still in Paris, so I've already got an audition scheduled. Also, I'll be going by T. Schreiber Studios for an info session because I want to start training as soon as possible. That's the main reason why I'm here so I don't want to waste any time.

So, I'm taking care of business, getting set up in NY, and lo and behold, I get an email from my agent. It turns out, the director still wants to consider me for the role of "Cindy" in the five-part miniseries "Le Maitre du Zodiaque." Little did I know, this series was the second installation of last summer's most successful miniseries. The casting director requested that I send an audition tape of the two scenes she's provided in the next 2 days. I did, and soon after they received it, they requested that I return to Paris asap to meet with the director. As luck would have it, I flew the NYC to London to Paris route the same day that London suffered the terrorist bombings in the subways. Luckily I managed to arrive in Paris safe and sound and on time for my meeting with the director, Claude-Michel Rome. It was a great meeting and when I left Paris, I had a signed contract in hand and plans to return to Paris a month and a half later to begin shooting.

Wow, wow, wow. As I sat in awe in my seat on the long plane ride home I was reminded of something that had happened two years before. I was completing the oral portion of my French exam, and my French teacher asked me what I saw myself doing in 5 years. I thought for a moment and then responded in French:

"Je vais etre une actrice internationelle. Je vais tourner des filmes en anglais, francais et espagnol."

"I'm going to be an international actresss. I'm going to make films in English, French and Spanish."

My French teacher laughed then. And I'm laughing now and shaking my head at the wonder of it all. I'm on my way back to NYC and I'm on my way to realizing my dreams.

The Beginning

2007-10-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Time: Present Day, October 2007

Gosh. I never knew this whole "writing of a blog" thing would be so difficult to just, well, start. I mean, I've been meaning to start writing for months now, but I just kept putting it off, putting it off until... I just got tired of looking at a blank blog page. I wanted to wait until I had something great to say, interesting, clever... but I've decided to just begin at well, this moment.

At this moment, I'm in NYC. Specifically, I'm in my tiny studio on 25th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue. It's a great apartment really, even though it doesn't get as much sunlight as I would like. My view is of an abandoned building but my lofted bed is extremely cozy and warm at night. Boxes are stacked in the corner and the movers are already scheduled to come. You see, I'm leaving for Los Angeles in a mere two weeks (sigh.)

I'm very excited about the next chapter but also a bit sad that I'll be leaving the richness of New York behind. The subway rides, the long walks, the days in Madison Square Park, the pizza... I'm going to miss living with you, NYC. So in honor of our parting I'm going to devote the next several posts to the acting experiences I've had while living in NYC. I'll begin 2 years and four months ago (on June 5th, 2005) and proceed from there....