actor & artist
To finish off 2024, I played the character of ‘Vi’ as part of a development process and staged reading of Talia Frank-Stempel’s new untitled play about the Vestal Virgins of Rome with Quick and Dirty Theatre Company. The play is funny and heartfelt and surprising and exciting and the chance to collaborate with such open-hearted artists was a real treat. xo
Production photos by Stepan Liubimov.
In November, I had the great pleasure of working for the second time with my friend and collaborator Talia Feldberg, this time on her Columbia University Directing MFA production of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, in which I played Masha. The production especially focused on exploration of the characters’ relationship to memory, and was a terrific challenge that the ensemble rose to beautifully. I’m very grateful and hope to visit the Prozorov home another time soon. xo
Photos by Melissa Costidis Photography.
This past summer I was so very lucky to return to an artistic home of mine, Maine Media Workshops and College, to be an Actor in Residence for the fourth year. This time around, I worked with Directing Masterclass students under the guidance of Allen Coulter to shoot scenes in the style of iconic film directors. What a treat to play in Ozu and Scorsese land for a couple of weeks! xo
This spring I was very fortunate to be a part of a scene study cohort in Juilliard’s Extension Division. The course was taught by the inimitable Brian McManamon, and my classmates were some of the most fascinating people and exciting actors I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with. To more learning! xo
Earlier this April, I was the luckiest in the world to be a part of Emily Elyse Everett’s Columbia University MFA Playwriting Thesis production of her play sorry sorry okay sorry at Lenfest Center for the Arts. The process was an absolute dream, and I’m very grateful to have worked with everyone involved. It’s a play about grief, friendship, and competitive meditation. It stole a bit of my heart this spring and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!
Below are production photos taken by Jonathan Barbee. xo
For the third summer, I was invited to be an Actor in Residence at Maine Media Workshops. This year the course was Directing Actors, taught by John David Coles. Students directed a cohort of actors in a variety of scenes over the course of five days - it was a whirlwind! Always a pleasure to learn so much about both sides of the camera and be inspired by teachers, classmates, and colleagues alike.
Below is an rehearsal run-through of a scene from Booksmart - appropriate that I happened to wear my one Ivy League sweatshirt that day! xo
This past spring and summer I was lucky enough to have been a part of two staged readings of plays that excite and inspire me. The first, in mid-March at Theatre MITU, was A Bold Stroke for a Husband with Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre.
The second was Karla, Sam & Mel Are Going Straight to Hell, a part of the 8th Annual Women in Theatre Festival at ART/NY.
The two plays were fantastically different - one was a classical romantic comedy written by an unproduced woman playwright, one was a biting contemporary play with a lot of wit and heart about teenage suicide. I’m so glad to have played with them both, and looking forward to seeing where what’s next in the life of these plays. xo
This past October, I had the pleasure of returning to coastal Maine to play the lead in a short film with some wonderful artists I’d met through my time as an actor in residence at Maine Media Workshops. The film is called Stay A Little Longer This Time, written and directed by Arianna Drumond, and follows a young woman named Lo who returns to her family home after 10 years following the death of her father.
It’s a gorgeous family drama, and the work everyone did on set was inspiring. I so look forward to seeing the completed film and sharing more about its festival circuit later this winter. In the meantime, a clip of behind-the-scenes joy: xo
(Dressed for a funeral but dancing nonetheless…)
For the third year, one of my artistic homes, Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre, has released their Expand the Canon List to the world. This list includes 9 incredible, classic plays by women that are under or rarely-produced.
This year, I was a member of their Reading Committee, reading and sifting through potential list making plays since January, as well as an actor in the Expand the Canon Festival, working on staged readings of new work inspired by the plays, filmed scenes from this year’s list, and informal readings throughout Brooklyn in partnership with companies such as The Classical Theatre of Harlem, The Sol Project, Ma-Yi Theater Company, and Repertorio Español.
I look forward to this festival every year, and am so proud of the way it continues to grow. xo
Last month, I spent a joyful and much-needed weekend taking a masterclass with Heidi Marshall Studio where we focused on what it means to be a messy actor. It was a balm for the soul to spend a couple of days collaborating with and supporting each other as we all worked on our craft. (And played quite a lot, as well!)
A bit of one of the scenes I worked on is linked below. xo
How lucky was I to spend a dreamy few weeks over the summer in coastal Maine, working with the students and faculty at Maine Media Workshops as an Actor in Residence? Until next time, here are a couple little clips of some of the movie magic. You can also watch some of the full scenes here. xo
Making new plays together? In person? Can you believe it?!
This fall, I’ve been working on two new plays with my friends at Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre:
The first was a staged reading of Hedgepig’s Legacy Project Commission, War & Mercy by Regina Robbins, directed by Emily Lyon. This reading explored the text of Mercy Otis Warren’s Ladies of Castile, and with a mixture of original verse text and new words by Regina.
The second is When the Light Goes Out, a devised piece directed by Skye Pagon based around themes of hope, fear, and survival, which will be traveling to Brooklyn parks just in time for Halloween. I’m both acting in and directing parts of the piece, and it’s been such an exciting challenge watching it all come together. Hope you can join us there! xo
For a few weeks this late July and August, I’ll be heading up to Maine Media Workshops + College (formerly known as Maine Photographic Workshops) where I’ll be a resident actor for the tail end of their summer Directing Intensive. The intensive will be taught by veteran directors Geary McLeod (Grey’s Anatomy, The Bold Type, Bull) and John David Coles (The Sinner, Law & Order, House of Cards). I’m so looking forward to doing some work alongside these teachers and the professional artists in the class.
In particular, I’ll be playing the Olivia Cooke role from one of my favorite films of the past year, The Sound of Metal. And, of course, enjoying the trees and Maine coastline! Updates to come, and in the meantime, stay cool out there. xo
In early November, I had the sweetest joy of being on my first-ever COVID-safe set back with the team of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre’s Little Women to make The Gift of Giving — a series of filmed scenes from their yearly adaptation, created especially for families and released throughout the month of December to celebrate the holiday season. After understudying the inaugural production last year, I came back to play Meg March and had the most wonderful time.
“Just because my dreams are different from yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant. They’re just as real.” xo
It was a gift in this time of isolation to finally take Heidi Marshall’s Part 2 on-camera class over Zoom. While we worked on many specific skills — finding material, exposition-heavy scenes, big emotions, mapping the beats of a screenplay — my biggest takeaway from the four weeks was the heartening reminder of an actor’s role as an all-around storyteller.
You can see two of my class scenes below, each a challenge in its own way. Looking forward to the day we can all work together in-person again. xo
The list is here! On Monday, September 21st, a dream of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre’s was realized: The inaugural Expand the Canon list. From Hedgepig’s website:
“Expand the Canon is an annual, curated list of excellent and producible classic plays by women and underrepresented genders. Both a celebration and a call to action, Expand the Canon demands space in the classical canon for more diverse playwrights, many of whom were underproduced or utterly un-produced in their lifetimes.”
To celebrate the release of the list, Hedgepig partnered with American Players Theatre, Ma-Yi Theater Company, and The Classical Theatre of Harlem to present virtual readings of four of the titles on this year’s list. I played the absurdly tragic Marcella and snarky servant Inis in the reading of A Bold Stroke for a Husband directed by Emily Lyon on September 22nd. A very silly time was had by all — I can’t wait to see these plays onstage one day, where they belong.
Read press on this year’s Expand the Canon list in The New York Times, American Theatre, Token Theatre Friends, and Playbill. xo
In early February (a lifetime ago!) I helped Bluelaces Theatre Company bring their immersive play with music designed for audiences with developmental differences, SUDS, to Lincoln Center Education. We recently got the production photos, and the memory made me smile — here’s one from my favorite moment in the show. Spray bottles are the best!
I can’t wait until the day when this kind of theatre can be made in-person again. In the meantime, here is a video made by some of my Bluelaces collaborators, designed to bring the joy of the company’s work to folks at home. xo
Great practice for COVID-safe hand washing!
I’ve spent the last 5 months in Richmond, Virginia with my family. In a week, I go back to my home in New York City. I’m looking forward to being home, but am feeling deeply grateful for this time and reflecting on how fortunate I’ve been to pass the past few months in such beauty and safety.
Below are some moments since March. I’m looking forward to the more equitable and open world that comes on the other side of all of this, but in the meantime, stay safe and take care. xo
#BlackLivesMatter, now and always
developed calluses on my left hand
cracked myself up with some socks for Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre’s social media
tried out Zoom-acting
these wise words:
visited Marcus David Peters Circle
raised money for the Food Bank for New York City by doodling flowers
many walks by the James river
played in the woods as a well-meaning Imogen for the #ShakespeareChallenge
dogsat (she’s not allowed on that couch)
joined the team behind Be An #ArtsHero
had a birthday!!!!
read (from Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery)
helped my aunt make things grow
continued studying Linklater technique — in memory of Kristin, now with the ages
often felt like this still from Emma (2020)
Due to the global health crisis of COVID-19, the production of Much Ado About Nothing at The Shakespeare Theatre Company that I had been preparing to travel to D.C. to start rehearsals for next week has been postponed. It is the hope of the theater and creative team that the production will be mounted sometime next season — but before then, everyone’s priority is the wellbeing of the company and community at large.
I am proud to be a part of the theatrical community — one that thrives on bringing people together. In unprecedented times like this one, I am also proud of the theaters taking action to keep their communities safe by keeping them apart for now.
With much love to all, and wishes of health and safety. xo
On March 6th, my college sketch troupe, Jimmy’s Traveling All-Stars, had their 20th Reunion Show in Los Angeles. The Lyric Hyperion was packed full of laughter, community, and overall silliness — it was such a special night.
Love and thanks to all who came! Some photos from the show below. xo
“Woods” by Mollie Bloom
“Twins” by Marty Miller and Jake Prizant
“Raindrops” by Marty Miller
