Titus Andronicus Casting!

I am thrilled to announce that I will be playing Saturninus in the Spring production of Titus Andronicus at the Shakespeare Institute! Jon Harvery will be directing this cross gendered production for the Shakespeare Institute Players, in which most the characters will be played by women (all except Titus). This allows me the opportunity to play a character that I would not normally be considered for. Our first read-through will take place after the holiday season, which gives me plenty of time to prepare for the role. I am looking forward to getting started!

The Changeling Closes!

For the last few weeks I have been working relentlessly on the Shakespeare Institute Player's production of The Changeling. Playing Beatrice-Joanna has been a challenging and rewarding experience for me. With a short rehearsal process and only 4 performances, I have hardly had time to know my role as deeply as I would like. This production has been filled with many trials, tragedy and frustration - Yet through it all, we were able to collectively deliver what has been hailed as "the best Players production in the last decade". Bravo cast! Let's keep the good work on the rise with our spring production of Titus Andronicus!

I am thrilled to announce that I will be playing Saturninus in the Spring production of Titus Andronicus at the Shakespeare Institute! Jon Harvery will be directing this cross gendered production for the Shakespeare Institute Players, in which most the characters will be played by women (all except Titus). This allows me the opportunity to play a character that I would not normally be considered for. Our first read-through will take place after the holiday season, which gives me plenty of time to prepare for the role. I am looking forward to getting started!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I give thanks to all of my new friends at the Shakespeare Institute. Thank you for celebrating with me when I am so far from home. I feel truly loved.



The Changeling Opens Nov. 25th!

Good news! The Changeling opens this weekend at the Shakespeare Institute presented by the Shakespeare Institute Players. Betrayal, adultery, murder, inescapable passions, alchemical lore and
bed tricks - A fantastic combination for a rarely revived masterpiece of Renaissance drama. I will be playing Beatrice-Joanna. I invite all my UK friends to come along for an evening at the Institute. For all of my US friends, we are filming the show and there should be a chance for you to see it at some point should you so chose. Let the festivities begin!

The Changeling by Thomas Middleton & William Rowley will be directed by alumna Joy Leslie Gibson. Performances will be in the Lecture Hall, Mason Croft (home of The Shakespeare Institute). Dates & Times: Friday, 25th & Saturday 26th November at 7.30 p.m. with matinees on Saturday, 26th and Sunday, 27th November at 2.30 p.m. Tickets are £8 (£7 concessions - students, OAPs, UB40s).

Changeling Transformation

The Shakespeare Institute Players production of Middleton & Rowley's The Changeling is starting to take shape. With only 4 rehearsals left, all I can say is: It's about time! All the players have been juggling busy schedule, doing research, studying, working and attending university classes and events. We are finally at the point where the scripts are out of our hands and we are able to truly PLAY. Wish my luck, everyone! This is my first full length production in the UK and I am excited to show my fellows what I really have to offer!

Written on the Heart

The Royal Shakespeare Company honors the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible with their new production, Written on the Heart. The play examines how the King James Bible was written and ultimately came into being.

The playwright, David Edgar, brings both historical events and the power of the faith and the heart into the forefont of his play. Though difficult to follow at times, there is no deneying the talented actors of the RSC. This is probably one of the best acted plays so far this season.

Stephen Boxer as William Tyndale and Oliver Ford Davies as Bishop Andrews give astounding performances in voice, body and emotion. It is the ultimate pleasure to hear and watch the two of them on the stage together, in a production that cannot be missed!

Midsummer at the RSC

An intriguing production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream closed last night at the Royal Shakespeare Company. The play began in a mod warehouse, with a cleverly laid out a plan for Hippolyta and Theseus to transform into Oberon and Titania. Jo Stone-Fewings and Pippa Nixon work beautifully together. The mechanicals appeared as maintenance workers in a dismal world of the 60's underground.

Bottom the Weaver, played by Marc Wootton, had his comic moments of inspiration - Although not always straying far from the typical nonsense of the mechanicals. This proved a little bit of a let-down in the final play-within-a-play, which proved funny but incessant.

The faeries were a bit tedious, and Hermia not-so-lovable. But, all was saved by Lucy Briggs-Owen as Helena, rightfully making her RSC debut. Her Helena appeared beautiful, yet somewhat ill-witted. Her clever and original depiction proved most comical and heartfelt. Although she worked against the verse at times, her Helena seemed more truly felt then any other character in the play.

Visit to Salisbury and Stonehenge

Day 2 of my road trip with Tanya and Laura - We have just returned from a picturesque trip to Salisbury and Stonehenge.

Today we visited the medieval cathedral in Salisbury, cleverly named Salisbury Cathedral. In addition to being England's tallest spire, the Cathedral is also home to the finest of only 4 original surviving copies of the Magna Carta (1215). Plus the cathedral gave us some relief from the rain, which seemed to be coming down in buckets today.

(Above:  The world's oldest working clock, built in 1386 - it has no face and only strikes the hours.)

(Above: Site of the Shrine Tomb of Bishop Osmund - 1099 - Osmund was made a saint in 1457).

After we had investigated every corner of the cathedral, we jumped back in the car and continued our road trip. Soon we found ourselves at Stonehenge.

Archaeologists believe the iconic stone monument was constructed anywhere from 3000 B.C. to 2000 B.C. Now what can be greater than standing before a prehistoric monument? You tell me.

A Lovely Visit to Bath

My new friends Tanya & Laura invited me on a two day road trip to Bath, Salisbury & Stonehenge. Compliments of Laura's old “reliable” car, we made the 2.5 hour trek to Bath today. On arrival we quickly met up with a free walking tour to get our bearings and hear the history of the city.

Bath is a beautiful city as many of the building are made a limestone. It was first established as a spa with the Latin name, Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis") by the Romans in A.D. 43. However there is evidence that Bath may have been known before that time.

After a quick walk around the city we decided to visit the Bath Abbey. The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganized in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries; major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s.

We paid for a tower tour, which included a 212 step climb to the bell tower. On the way up, we visited the ringing chamber and bell chamber. This is where the bell ringers ring the bells on Sundays. We then stood on top of the Abbey’s vaulted ceiling, peering down through a tiny hole in the floor to the chapel below. We were even able sit behind the clock face. At last we made it to the top of the abbey roof where we had the best vantage point in Bath to enjoy the spectacular view of the city.

Bath is so called because it is home to the Roman Bath House. The Romans built baths and a temple on the surrounding hills in the valley of the River Avon around the natural hot springs. The baths are stunningly beautiful. I have been wanted to visit them for many years and am glad I finally had the opportunity to do so.

At last we ended our visit with the Thermae Bath Spa. A modern spa, where we enjoyed swimming in the warm water of their rooftop pool, scented steam rooms and luxury pampering. It is the original and only natural thermal Spa in Britain.