FALL 2024
After spending a few weeks resting and recharging in my home state of Texas, I returned to London this fall with several back-to-back projects and a one in a lifetime encounter with a legend.
In August I had the privilege of helping the
great John Lithgow (a fellow LAMDA classical
acting alum) run lines for Giant at the Royal
Court Theatre in Chelsea. He couldn't have been
more kind, humble, and welcoming, and it was
incredible to get a glimpse of his process.
On September 30th, I produced and acted
in a rehearsed reading of a new play,
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Today
by Sofie Berg. We performed to a full house
at The Distillers, Hammersmith and
got some great feedback on the
script and staging. I hope to develop
this into a full production in the new year.
Around this time I also directed a short play called Unfriend Me, You Fiend by Callum Murray as part of Optimise the Interim, a new writing showcase produced by Moya Jane Productions. The evening took place at Baron's Court Theatre and sold out so quickly a second night of performances was added!
At the end of October I performed in CKC Productions' Practical Magic Cabaret at Canal Cafe Theatre. Silly, spooky, Halloween fun was had by all.
In November I performed in a staged reading of Stormhavn, a new play by Paul Sellar. Mark O'Thomas, principal of LAMDA, directed the reading as part of the developing LAMDA Alumni Company, of which I am a founding member.
Needless to say, I am looking forward to another restful trip home for the holidays! I will recharge on tacos, BBQ, and snuggles with my dog Lucy :)
Spring/Summer 2024.
At the beginning of the year, I started meeting with Mark O'Thomas and a few of my former LAMDA classmates to discuss the possibility of a LAMDA Alumni Company. I am very excited to see where this opportunity leads!
In the spring I began teaching LAMDA exam classes and 1:1 audition coaching. I am pleased to say almost all of my students received distinctions this summer with two scoring high merits. I am very proud and looking forward to continuing lessons in the fall!
FALL 2023
It has been a whirlwind couple of months since completing my MA at LAMDA! After a brief stop in Texas to see my parents (and dog/love of my life, Lucy), I travelled to LA and New York with my cohort to showcase for agents and casting directors in each city, mentored along the way by Destiny Lilly, president of the CSA.
I returned in London in early October, just in time for official LAMDA graduation where I got to shake hands with Benedict Cumberbatch and share the stage with David Oyelowo, who both gave inspiring speeches I will remember for the rest of my life. Then our cohort got back to work on our London showcase, which took place mid-November.
In that time I also performed in the Musical Manifest Vol. 2 cabaret, hosted by 13 Months Theatre at The Other Palace. Excited to see what the new year brings!
LAMDA 2022-2023
In my final project at LAMDA, I played Portia in The Merchant of Venice, directed by Ben Thomas. It was so special to end my year at LAMDA with a dream role; I auditioned for the program with a Portia monologue! Love a full-circle moment.
Term 3 at LAMDA was nonstop! So many projects I can hardly keep them straight. I had a blast playing Boniface and Lady Bountiful in The Beaux' Stratagem directed by Nicola Sanderson. I also played Anne in a workshop of A Little Night Music, worked on a scene from The Marriage of Figaro for our French Scenes project directed by Marianne Badrichani, and finally shared my thesis project, a 20 minute one woman show I wrote and performed inspired by the history of women playing Hamlet. It was a very personal piece and a labor of love that I am very proud of and hope to develop further in the future.
We finally completed our massive Margaret of Anjou project on May 13th. The script is Rodney Cottier’s cutting of Shakespeare’s history cycle from Henry VI pt 1 to Richard III featuring our entire cohort of 37 actors. I played Elizabeth Woodville, later Queen Elizabeth, a role I fell in love with and hope to revisit someday. We’ve been working on this project off and on since October, so finally performing the piece with costumes, props, and actual candlelight was incredibly satisfying.
In my second term I played the Duchess in John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi directed by Colin Hurley and Leonor and Flora in The Courage to Right a Woman’s Wrongs by Ana Caro de Mellon, directed by Ollie Birch. I worked with the same ensemble of 13 players on both of these projects, and we found ways to incorporate original music as well as dance and unconventional staging in each production. Two very unique and rewarding experiences!
Last fall I started my LAMDA journey with Globe Theatre director Federay Holmes. We worked on a selection of Shakespeare scenes, not knowing until about five minutes before our sharing which of those scenes we would actually be performing! Talk about leaping into the unknown and trusting your ensemble :)