Sunday, May 23, 2010

Closing is Just Around the Riverbeeennnd...

It's Layoff Time here in Blonde land!!

We had a great 2 week run in Cinci!! Great shows, great food, great hotel, not so great weather (boots), and a fun themed Benefit Cabaret. Broadway Loves the 80s!! I was in absolute awe of my cast mates! Everyone was SO creative and FULL OUT. IT was such a fun night!! If you think we had Madonna look-a-likes, Paula Abdul's Opposites Attract (WITH THE CAT), and a guy impersonating Donna Summer...you'd be right. I sang "Holding Out For a Hero" and am sooo grateful for my "Greek Chorus" aka doo doo girls aka Becky Gulsvig (Elle), Candice Woods (Pilar), and Liberty Cogen (Kate/Chutney). They sang back up for me and were incredible. We had so much fun! Videos will be posted soon but for now... check out some pictures!
http://cincinnati.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/photogallery/broadway-loves-the-80s/1960014/content

For you New York/ New Jersey Friends: I am in the show on Saturday (both mat and evening) as the Stenographer. Talk to me about tickets before you buy them!! : )

And BIG NEWS: MORE ELLE DATES!!! I am so excited to tell all ya bloggers that I get to play Elle again! Thurs July 8th matinee and Sunday July 11th matinee in Toronto! If ya decide to make the trip (or are already there)... you should hit up the Toronto cast of Jersey Boys too. My friend Quinn VanAntwerp is playing Bob Gaudio... so two great shows... what else could be a better reason to go to Toronto? : )

So weird... the closing date is just around the riverbend. Only 8 more weeks of shows: 1 in Newark, 1 in Louisville, 5 in Toronto, and 1 in Vienna. We have a layoff this week and a 3 week layoff between Louisville and Toronto. Wow. Wowweee. wow. wow. wow. wow. What an amazing ride this has been. So much emotion and amazing memories... won't even go there yet. My emotional tour recap will come after closing. : )

Until the next city update...
Shine On!
XOXO
-Ashmo

Track counter:
Stenographer: approx. 54 times
Judge: 13 times
Mom: approx. 16 times
DA: 10 times
Kate/Chutney: approx. 9.5 times
Combo Track Kate and DA: 5 times
Combo Track Judge and Stenographer: 1 time
Enid: 5 times
Just Jump Rope: 2 times
ELLE: 2 times

Friday, May 7, 2010

An Elle of a Week!!

Are we really already in Indianapolis!?!?! Weird to think I was here 2 years ago with High School Musical… but it was snowing. Nice to see it with the sun out and to be able to go outside! Brady and I have been enjoying time with Megan Lewis and her pup Matilda. We are roommates for the next 3 weeks!! He finally got his last round of shots and is a walking pup. He cracks me up whenever we walk on grass. He pounces/runs with his mouth open and tongue sticking out. I had four people stop me during one walk saying “he looks like he is such a happy puppy!” He has a happy mommy too. : ) Life is so much fun with him! I love the little guy!

Last week was a dream come true! Elle was soooo much fun… and very surreal. One, it was weird looking in the mirror and seeing a blonde. Second...well it was weird that the day ACTUALLY came! I had been waiting for so long and it was finally here!! And then it was surreal looking into the eyes and doing scenes with the incredible actors who play their principle roles every night. I feel so fortunate to have been able to have the experience. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I learned in those two shows from just working with such talented people. And I could not have gotten through it if it wasn’t for the support of my cast mates, my dresser Claire, and my incredible family in the audience! I also got some really sweet messages, emails, FB comments, text messages, tweets, etc etc etc of encouragement. Thank you all for your support. I am truly grateful. Here’s some pics of me as a Blondie : )







Like I said I was going to do… I started the “Happiness Project” this month!! First month is all about having more energy: going to sleep earlier, exercise better, organize, tacking nagging tasks, and acting the way you want to feel. Because of the Elle craziness… I have to be honest… I did not really get to start until a couple days into the month. BUT I already have crossed off some of those “nagging tasks” this past week like doctor appointments, organizing my suitcase and trunk, flossing more, and unfortunately wearing my retainer more (oooo it hurts haha). But it is interesting how knocking off some of those “to dos” and “should dos” makes me feel a lot more accomplished…which makes me more happy! Yay happiness!! : )

Current Obsession: Sriracha Sauce… I put it on everything!!! Eggs, Veggies, You Name it!
Favorite new purchase: My bedazzled and clear jelly flats from Aldo! They are kind of amazing! I feel like Cinderella… except they aren’t glass slippers…they’re jelly. Brings me back to the 5th grade but new and improved 5th grade. : )
Current Book for the treadmill: Book #4 in the Sookie Stackhouse Series
Current Goal of the Week: Finish writing those thank you cards that I owe to a ton of people and get on those agent submissions!!!

Count down until layoff aka NYC: 16 days
Count down to end of tour: 100 days

Track counter:
Stenographer: approx. 52 times
Judge: 13 times
Mom: approx. 16 times
DA: 6 times
Kate/Chutney: approx. 8.5 times
Combo Track Kate and DA: 5 times
Combo Track Judge and Stenographer: 1 time
Enid: 5 times
Just Jump Rope: 2 times
ELLE: 2 times

Have a fabulous weekend!!
XOXOXO
-Ashley