Feast or Famine

Some months slog by with not a lot of movement and you have to remind yourself to see the forest through the trees. Then some months propel you forward and motivate you to press on with enthusiasm and remind you why do this. May has been and continues to be one of those months for me. Remember that movie, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles?" Well, this month has been "TV, Film, Theater and Audio Books!" I have gotten to work in each genre and I feel really, truly blessed.

The month started out with two offers....I was finally, finally offered Gertrude in Hamlet! Gertrude has been on my wish list for years and while I have been in two previous productions of Hamlet (an all female version with Footsteps Theatre and a co-production with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble/Powertap Productions, both in Chicago) I have never gotten to work on Gertrude. I get my first opportunity with her in the ArtFarm production this summer. Rehearsals begin soon and I am ecstatic.

I was also offered a supporting role in Michael Formanski's short film, The Iron Wall. Evelyn is a strong, loving Italian-American mother and I have to give a shout out to Eugene Celico from the Stage Door Theatre Company for helping me fine tune the nuances! Shooting begins May 18 and I will have three days on set.

My biggest smile of the month, however, came when I was offered the opportunity to photo double one of my favorite comediennes in an original show produced for Hulu . While I have to respect confidentiality, l will say that being on set with her...watching her work....being able to work with her...was one of the greatest gifts I have been given as an actress in a really long time. Her energy on set was so positive that you could feel it in everyone. It was an excellent example of how one persons energy can influence many. Personal energy is extremely powerful and I have begun to realize that it can affect everything! It's hard sometimes, we all know that...but "Living Up" really will make the world a better place.

This month has been a wonderful month for narrating as well. I was able to record the newest installment in Julie Mulhern's Country Club Murder series, Watching the Detectives and it felt like visiting with good old friends! I also received a really nice review from AudioFile Magazine for the fantastic Eve O. Schaub memoir, Year with No Clutter. A book I had a ball recording both for its humor and poignancy.

Finally, on a personal note, I unexpectedly lost someone very important to the fabric of my life this month, her influence on who I am as a person in this world can not be understated. Her passing reminds me that our lives are constantly full of highs and lows and we need to appreciate each extreme for what they are and what they teach us.

Live up, people and remember, "Everything you want is worth fighting for. so fight even if it kills you, for nothing beautiful ever reveals itself without a little pain." r.m. drake