Natalie Ryan and the Brain Thieves

Yesterday I saw the opening night of this entertaining Sci-Fi comedy! The cast appeared to be having a fun time performing, which provided a light atmosphere and an enjoyable audience experience. The cast was good, and I was especially impressed with Cynthia Kmak whose character choices were very distinguished with successful comedic timing, physicality and intensity. Grace DeWolf and Gwen Zupan were also fantastic as the brain abducting enemy aliens. I really enjoyed watching their unique characterizations!

The show runs through May 14th at The Bay View Lounge and Alchemist Theatre.

Story-sharing

Well that's two rejects in a row... But I can't complain after six successes in a row since last summer (although two role offers I had to turn down due to conflicts with getting married and traveling)... Ahhhh the roller coaster that is acting...

I found out last night that I won't be living Ophelia's story through In My Mind's Eye, a rendition of Hamlet through the mad eyes of the prince, but I'm still very excited for the project and everyone associated with FOOLS FOR TRAGEDY! I'm still happy to assist in making the production a success and be involved behind the scenes in any way I can, and I hope to be right for a future role with them.

I don't get to live this story, but I'll still get to share it with Milwaukee audiences, which is pretty cool too!

I also got turned down last week by HazyDaze Productions for a comedic TV pilot they're producing. But I really respect that they had the courtesy to inform us, whereas plenty of companies just leave you hanging on to false hopes haha.

Rejection is a common theme for artists... And I wouldn't trade the roller coaster ride for any other vocation! I love the adrenaline rush in auditions, especially the release of walking away proud and confident that you did your best.
And there's none other like the adrenaline of performing, and the payoff from all the work behind the rehearsals!
The lows may sometimes come to sweat, blood and even tears from preparing and not being cast. Yet then the hunger for striving for the next role never fails to quickly pick you back up to continue forging ahead!

It's quite a thrilling cycle even with its letdowns. The unpredictability can be stressful, and making a name for yourself can be a tough road to pave. But if you enjoy the effort and detail that goes into rehearsing and shaping your character, it isn't work, it's play!
Actors need very tough skin, endurance and the ability to thrive off of competition. And all for a few audience laughs or applause?... It's fleeting, but every second is worth it!

Filming for Hesperidian Productions

Excited to drive to Madison tomorrow and do what I can to help out my good friend Kyle Thomas Ulatowski and his company, Hesperidian Productions!

Mixed feelings on tonight's audition

Well, I auditioned for In My Mind's Eye (Hamlet) tonight. I have mixed feelings about my performance; I'm a little disappointed but still hopeful. I felt that I portrayed a solid understanding of the language, but I wasn't able to reach the emotional intensity that I had hoped to during the audition.  I think it's something about auditions, I let the pressure get to me and psyche me out.  I feel the need to cry and then this annoying little voice in my head panics about how I'm not tearing up yet.  I shoot myself in the foot it that way, instead of just being in the moment and letting it come naturally, like I can during a performance... Well, it's definitely something to keep in mind for the run of Fool For Love, to not let it psyche me out, but rather feel it organically in the moment!

Missing out...

Well, again... it's about choices...

But, now I have set the bar even higher in my mind for my performance in Fool For Love, now that Matthew's been assigned to Houston, Texas for his second field assignment!!! I was already going to miss being away from him, and now it'll be even worse since I'm jealous that he got a great new interesting city to live in temporarily, instead of TOLEDO when I was of course free to travel with him... But I worked really hard to get the part in Fool For Love and am proud of it, so I'll just let this disappointment and frustration FEED my characterization ;)

Trying to stay positive... and it's really really tough right now...

Too many choices? It could be worse!

I HATE turning down a Shakespeare play, but life is all about making choices... The grass can look greener too often if you choose to see it that way. So I try not to.


Last month I was told by Jimmy Dragolovich, director at Carte Blanche Studios, that I would be cast in his production of Titus Andronicus. I've never been so disappointed in having to turn down a play... He hadn't decided on which role to cast me in yet, but I had to decline before he got to that point because I was cast in another role that I also wanted very much, May in Fool For Love at The Alchemist Theatre in Bay View. Unfortunately the performance dates conflict in June and I had already accepted the role of May.

Still, I continue to look for future opportunities to perform Shakespeare... In fact, I'm currently preparing for an artistic rendering of Hamlet through the new Milwaukee troupe FOOLS FOR TRAGEDY. The project sounds very interesting and I can't wait to audition! In the words of Jordan Gwiazdowski, Milwaukee actor and producer of this project: 

"In My Mind’s Eye tells the story of Hamlet through the mad eyes of Hamlet. A fractured Hamlet – if you will. A breakdown of a breakdown. The full text of the tragedy is a resounding symphony of the perils of the human condition. Our selection of the text takes exclusively from the scenes that involve the titular character and present a stylized representation of Hamlet’s experience."

So the role of Ophelia will be cut down significantly, but I'm still excited to audition because I'd love to be involved with this innovative project. Plus I feel that I can connect with Ophelia in some big ways and would be able to portray what's vital between Ophelia and Hamlet for the In My Mind's Eye production. I can relate to her dependence, neediness, longing, loneliness, and loss. Not to say that my husband Matthew has gone insane or that I'm contemplating suicide, but it's more a matter of taking those occasional feelings and disappointments in life to the extreme! I LOVE the rush of acting!

I still hope to play Lavinia in Titus some day. I think she is such a dramatic symbol, and quite a challenging role... But this time, I chose to take on a different challenge in May's character that will also call for deep, raw, intense emotion, as well as demanding physicality through some stage combat. I'm itching to begin rehearsing Fool because I'm very proud to have earned the role and I am eager to give it my all!

Story-living

I've never been the best at storytelling... or interviews... or talking about myself in general. I really admire improv artists and their creativity, however I prefer to stick to a script, where I can collaborate ideas and contribute my skills through rehearsals... And I felt it was time to create a blog where I can share some of my acting experiences with my friends and family. I feel privileged to share each story that I get to live through theatre, so I hope you enjoy reading my blog!

I love acting and in the words of Oscar Wilde "I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being." Whether the reason is to inspire, create awareness, or just provide a few good laughs for entertainment, theatre is my passion because it has the power to provoke vast ranges of emotions in people.

I love comedies, I love tragedies, I love classical theatre and I love new plays. I love great big full houses and I love intimate little black box theatres. I love it all in its place for what each has to offer, and I enjoy any opportunity to live the story!