As one door closes...another one opens.

Hello my friends!

Happy August! Cannot believe how fast time keeps flying by. Here we are, the last week of Legally Blonde… night before closing. And it’s really cool that we are ending it in Vienna, VA… the place where I was doing High School Musical when auditioning for the show AND when I started this blog. Kinda neat to do a full circle. Makes me want to read this whole thing over from the beginning... but I probably won't. haha. Maybe someday. : )

Toronto brought us Legally Blonders lots of excitement and fun! Had some great audiences, visitors, day trips, saw Toronto cast of Jersey Boys, saw Toronto cast of Rock of Ages, and had some good good times with each other. My good friend Heather came and visited!! And my other good friend, Quinn, is in Jersey Boys there... so both of them got to come see me go on as Elle during our first week there!! Then Heather and I got to see Quinn shine as Bob Gaudio!!




I got really lucky because my dad had a business trip during our final week, so he and my brother came to visit to see me on as Elle and Margot. Then while dad worked all day, Spencer (my bro) and I got to play! We went to Niagara Falls, Toronto Islands, and then got to meet up with dad to go out at night. So so happy to have had them there!




As mentioned before, I got to play Elle again!!! Unless someone calls out tomorrow (highly unlikely)... I was honored to go on as Elle for my very last show ever. Absolutely surreal and a dream come true. My amazing dresser, Claire, helped me take some pictures of the Elle costumes before the show and during intermission since we don;t have time to take them during the quick changes (that would be a little rough haha).






And I made my Margot debut!





The ladies of LB enjoyed a lovely High Tea (here's all of us dressed all fancy...good looking group!)

AND a bunch of us went and saw the Lady Gaga concert. Kyle, Sara, and Sara were FULL OUT!



In other big news… right when I move into my new apartment in New York and think I am finally settling down… I find out I’m going on the road again. This time I only have to learn 2 tracks (instead of the 9 in Legally Blonde)!! I am thrilled to announce that I have been cast as an Ensemble member/ Judy understudy in the First National Tour of 9 to 5 the Musical!! Original Cast!!

Although I was looking forward to living in the city, I am thrilled to be a part of this show. Check the 9 to 5 website for details on tickets and tour dates!

That’s the update for now. Stay tuned for a heart felt Legally Blonde goodbye : (

Shine on!
-Ashmo

Life really is like a box of chocolates...

Hey everybody from Canada!!

Blonde is camped in Toronto for 5 weeks!! Longest sit down so far! Woohoo (atleast since I have been on tour). Week one is over and done. And what an amazing week it has been! Not only did I have the chance to go on for Elle on the Thursday matinee and Sunday evening show… I had some visitors!! My good friend, Quinn Vanantwerp, is Bob Gaudio in the Jersey Boys Toronto Cast. Soooo my dear friend, Heather White, scheduled a trip to see his show and just happened I was Elle the same week she came! What luck!! So… Heather and I got in on Monday, went out with Quinn that night, then Tuesday night she and I got to go see him kill it as Bob Gaudio. If you are in Toronto, and have not yet seen the show, THEY CLOSE IN AUGUST….. RUN TO SEE IT… don’t walk…RUN!! He’s so good and we couldn’t have been prouder. We cried the whole time. Haha. Wednesday night we had a mixer with the Rock of Ages cast, Jersey Boys cast, Miss Saigon cast, and us!! Great shows here in Toronto!! And it was so fun to see friends and meet new ones!! Then Thursday matinee was Elle show #1 of the week. I felt so lucky to have Quinn and Heather out there in the audience. It was kind of a whirlwind show since I hadn’t done Elle in 2 months and hadn’t done the show at all in 3 weeks. But… it went well and I had a blast. My grandparents (aka Vava and Vavoo aka “the Vavs”) came into town on Friday and we got dinner and catch up time on Saturday between shows. Then Sunday evening was Elle Show #2 where the Vavs came, most of the Jersey Boys cast (including Quinn a second time…what a nice friend), and some of the Miss Saigon cast. By far my favorite show so far. It was so thrilling to have so many people out in the audience, I finally felt comfortable in the role, and just had a blast with my cast members. I love these people! Such a blessing to have such a supportive family, friends, and colleagues. happy happy : )

Forrest Gump was right… life really is a box of chocolates. You never know watya gonna get or what to expect. Things here in blonde world has changed quite a bit over our 3 week break an first week here in Toronto. In some sad news… blonde tour is coming to an end. With that… we are losing some of our family members left and right. Our company manager and head of wardrobe left on Saturday for other gigs. So happy for them…but sad to lose them. And then we came back from layoff to hear that the beautiful, talented, and funny Kathleen Monteleone had decided to leave the show early. So happy for her and the exciting things that are happening in her life… but selfishly we all miss her like crazy. All 3 of our lost members brought lots of joy and laughter to tour and they will be missed. Love you guys!! But with losing members, we gain some more!! We welcomed our new company manager: Doug, assist wardrobe: Val, and our new stenographer (who was our vacation swing): Casey with open arms!! Welcome to the family!!

Another little show update: I am now a Margot cover! Looks like I may have the opportunity to go on in the 3rd or 4th week we are here in Toronto!! Stay tuned if dates are announced. ☺
Also… more Elle dates here in Toronto:
Wed July 14 matinee at 2pm
Sun July 18 matinee at 2pm
Wed August 4 matinee at 2pm
Sun August 8 matinee at 2pm

Hope everyone is staying cool and enjoying the summer!
XOXOXOXO

Track counter:
Stenographer: approx. 60 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: 7 times
Just Jump Rope: 2 times
ELLE: 4 times

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

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

: )

Hey ya’ll!! Happy Happy Sunday! Hope your weather (wherever you are) is better than it is here in Appleton. I almost flew away this morning from the wind and rain! And that was after my $4 umbrella from Forever 21 turned inside out and broke into a couple pieces. Awwww farewell my cute rose petal frilly umbrella… I used you once…and then you died. Rest in Peace.

Legally Blonde Land is a happy land. The fabulous Cortney Wolfson came back to play Mom this week while Sara Shepherd was on for Vivienne. Looking forward to having Megan Lewis back this week after a 3 week leave. We miss her very much!! But it was fun to have Cort out. She brought her sweet puppy, Tiffany, out and Brady fell in L.O.V.E. LOVE!! Every night he cries by the door until I let him out to play with her in the hall. His little tag wags and his tongue sticks out and they chase each other around. Every once in awhile he stops, sits, looks at me with a big goofy grin… it looks like he is saying “Oh mom… isn’t she wonderful!?!” I’m convinced he would have a little lisp if he were speaking English.

In personal life… things are really really going well. Brady is adjusting pretty well to tour life and I just love the little guy. We have so much fun! And having a little pup fall in asleep in your lap aint so bad either

I am starting the Happiness Project (by Gretchen Rubin) this month. Not because I am not happy, but life is a constant learning adventure! Why not add a little MORE happiness in the mix while I learn some stuff about myself and others? ☺ In a nut shell, the Happiness Project is where you have a set of goals for the month and then you add new goals each month. The first month is Vitality: Boost Energy, exercise more, eat healthier, sleep, organize are some of the key points to hit. I’ll keep ya posted on my tracking ☺

More LB news: Becky and her hubby Tyler (who does merch on tour with us) are on vacay to Korea!!! They are very missed already!! But with Elle away… the understudies get to be in the play. So the big day is a week away. Weird. It’s been a long time coming… people have asked me why it took so long for me to go on. There’s a lot behind the question. Had to learn all 7 tracks before tackling Elle, there were some costume issues that needed to be sorted out, and I had to wait for Becky’s vacay. BUT the day is FINALLY almost here. Looking forward to my mom, dad, and sister coming out!! I feel so blessed to have them making the long trip. And I am so grateful that the creative team and management have allowed me to have a full tech put in on Thursday! So I get to go through the costume changes and get a sense of Elle’s show with props and scenery. Thank you!! Thank you!! I am just so grateful for this opportunity. I have learned SOOO much and I look forward to the lessons learned while playing Elle.

Track counter:
Stenographer: approx. 49 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

Count Down to Elle debut: 1 week!!!
Count down until closing (weird): 112 days!

Current Obsession: My Clarisonic… it’s a skincare brush that you can get from Sephora (and a few other places)… I have been on so much lately and my skin loves to soak up stage make up. The Clarisonic has completely changed my skin and saved me from some damage. It’s quite the purchase…but well worth it!
Current Food Obsession: Jimmy Johns Unwich!! It’s a sandwich without the bread…. Basically lived off of them in Milwaukee and Appleton!
Current Book for the treadmill: Book #3 in the Sookie Stackhouse Series
Current Book for life: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Current Goal of the Week: Pray Pray Pray and Trust Trust Trust

So much love to you all!!!
Have a blessed week!
Over and out,
Ashley

Home is Where Your Pup is...

Hello from Milwaukee!!

Back on track from my vacation! The past 2 weeks have reminded me that there is life outside of tour… something that is very important to know while on the road. I feel so blessed to have been able to visit with so many friends and family. I had been looking forward to San Diego since the moment I signed my contract. And now it has come and gone… crazy how time jus flies on by.
A Big thank you to all who came to see the show in SD. It was so great to see so many familiar faces. And the weather was stunning too (for the most part).

My vacation was so nice and relaxing. Stayed at home, went to my little sisters’ show choir competition, ate well, drank wine, had Coffee Bean almost every day, caught up with high school friends, saw movies, lived a normal life. Haha. Just hung out with the family before hitting the Eastern next leg of the tour. As of now, I won’t be back on the west coast until the tour is over. ☹ BUT lots to look forward to as we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

In other big news… I have a little partner in crime joining me on tour. I mentioned briefly that I was on the puppy prowl in the last blog. Little did I know, that very day I found him! Little Brady is a 11 week old Chihuahua and Cockapoo Mix. His foster mom called him and his siblings chickapoos haha. Basically he is the cutest mutt ever. ☺ His mom was rescued (Cuddly Canine Rescue) from a high kill shelter when she was pregnant. A foster family took her in and she had the babies. He is sweet as can be and so well behaved. He spent the first week in San Diego with me (his first hotel) and then came home with me. Today was his first official flying travel day. We are going to drive to most cities on the remaining tour, BUT he travels so well. Sound asleep or playing with his toys. I am so excited to be a mommy!!





Track counter:
Stenographer: approx. 46 times
Judge: 13 times
Mom: approx. 13 times
DA: 6 times
Kate/Chutney: approx. 8.5 times
Combo Track Kate and DA: 2 times
Combo Track Judge and Stenographer: 1 time
Enid: 4 times

Count down until Elle debut: 19 days!!

Current Obsession: Brady!!
Current Book: Got a Kindle for my birthday!! So I have 2 books that I am reading at the same time: Dead in Dallas (the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse Series) and How to Raise the Perfect Dog (of course)
Current Netflix: BIG LOVE Season 2 Disc 4
Current Goal of the Week: Try to help the pup be adjusted to its new crazy lifestyle

That's all for now...
Lots of love
-Ashley Mo

Blog I forgot to post...Oopsies

So I haven’t had very good access to internet in the past couple weeks… so I forgot to post this blog… I wrote it on Monday, March 29th.

There’s something about flying into your home turf. I noticed it when I made my move to New York March 13th of last year. Whenever I flew into Southern California, I felt a little more at ease—like I could breathe a little better. So I am happy to say that I am breathing a little better this week! Can’t believe San Diego week is here!! I am really looking forward to catching up with family, college friends, high school friends, even elementary school friends! It’s also my 23rd birthday on Friday!! Talk about perfect timing! I’m sure by the end of the week, I’ll have some fun stories to tell ☺

The past 2 weeks have been pretty busy. We are back to the one weekers (as in sit down in a city for only one week) for quite some time. And by quite some time I mean we have one weekers until we are in Cincinnati on May 10th.

San Jose was such a beautiful and busy week! The weather was absolutely PERFECT! SO nice ☺ I am so grateful to all of those who were able to come out and see the show! I have to send an apology to those people I wasn’t able to connect with or only see for a split second. But I cannot thank you enough for your support and for taking the time/money to come see the show. I feel truly blessed and humbled.

Besides being able to see so many AMAZING friends, some other highlights of the week included my family. My cousin Lauren went to school in San Jose so it was so nice to connect with her over coffee and movie dates. To top it off, my Aunt Karen (her mom flew up from LA to see the show and spend some girl time. She brought her bag of hair tricks and did our hair (see my new obsession section below) then we had a fabulous time going out to lunch and shopping. I also had a wonderful visit with my Vava, Vavoo, Aunt Suzy, Aunt Tracey, Great Grandma Ginny, and cousins: Kailee, Makena, and Bryley! I am so so grateful to you all.

Salt Lake was pretty mellow. Highlights of the week: doing Elle in understudy rehearsal, Rhiannon went on as Elle for her hometown, we celebrated 3 birthdays, and we had a very very fun Sunday night playing Celebrity. If you have never played Celebrity before… GET ON IT! I don’t think I have laughed that hard in such a long time.

I know I said it before, but I am constantly reminded of all you wonderful people in my life. You are all such blessings. Thank you for your support and encouragement. I am so grateful for my cast mates… you make this job such a wonderful adventure. And my friends and family… no words. So much gratitude and love is being sent from me to you. : )
Love you guys!!
-Ash

Current obsession: The Brazilian Blowout: a treatment my aunt did in my hair in San Jose and back in December. I literally just blow dry my hair and it is straight and I am ready for the day. For all you wavy hair people out there: check it out!
Current Book: The Puppy Whisperer… yep I am currently on the puppy prowl (I’ll get into it in a later blog update).
Quote of the week: “The past is history, the future is a mystery, but this moment is a gift which is why it’s called the PRESENT.”
Current Goal: Accept that gift aka Live in the present moment.
Song of the Week: “Vanilla Twilight” by Owl City.