Arizona Lady

Tonight was our first rehearsal of Arizona Lady!  It's going to be a great show.  A fun plot, catchy music, and dancing cow girls!

Chicago Folks Operetta is proud to present the American premiere of Emmerich Kálmán’s western operetta, Arizona Lady. Directed by Bill Walters and choreographed by August Tye, this romantic operetta will carry you back to the rough-and-tumble, happy-go-lucky wild west of singing cowboys Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. This was Kálmán’s last operetta, published posthumously in 1953. Featuring a new English translation by Hersh Glagov and Gerald Frantzen, this will not only be the American premiere but the first performance of the show worldwide in over 50 years.

Can't wait for our first staging rehearsals.  It's great to be back with such a fabulous company, Arizona Lady marks my thrid show with the Chicago Folks Operetta.  The show will be preformed at The Theatre Building Chicago July 17th - August 1st.  Purchase tickets here.

Kassi Fest III

Photos from my latest show, The Size of Furniture by Benjamin Adair Murphy.  The piece had its Chicago debut among other ten minute plays at Kassi Fest III.  Photos courtesy of the Rubicon Theatre Project. See the photos from the other plays here.

 

Kassi Fest

The Kassi Festival is quickly approaching!  My one act, "The Size of Furniture," is a short piece about a husband and wife shopping for that last piece to complete their home with a nod to absurdism.  Two shows only, May 16th & 17th at Studio BE.  See the side bar for a link to ticket information.  Here are the promotional book mark postcards.  Super cute. 

Closing Night & Compliments

After Pride & Prejudice closed to a solid run of almost sold out houses, I received the greatest compliment from one of the writers.  She said they loved my interpertation of Anne de Bourgh so much that they were going to incorporate it into future productions.  I was so flattered and humbled that my small character choice could impress someone who had written the scene!  Playing Anne reminded me that it's not about the amount of time you spend on stage, but what you do with it that counts.

Pride & Prejudice's Opening Review

Here's a bit from a lovely review of Pride & Prejudice from Steadstyle Chicago.

"Steven Daigle's energetic production mostly plays the piece for laughs, but there is no lack of drama in the work itself."

"One of the virtues of the show is that this is a real ensemble piece. True, the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy remains central, but almost every character has a moment or an entire number to shine."

"The first weekend's performances were packed at the Athenaeum Theatre, but tickets are still available for the second weekend. Austen lovers will find this is an exciting opportunity to experience the work anew."

Want to read the whole review, click here.  Want to see the show?  There are two performances left, Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 and Sunday, March 7 at 3:00 at Athenaeum Theatre.  Purchase tickets here.

Pride & Prejudice Character Research

I always find it fascinating to play characters based on literature, especially the lesser known ones.  Here is a little inspiration board I created to help me with playing Anne de Bourgh. 

I found this blog, Mending My Own Pen, to be particularly interesting.  A great character comparision of Anne and Georgiana Darcy, and proof that just because one character is telling the story doesn't mean they are always right.

Pride & Prejudice opens this Saturday. 

Find out more at the Chamber Opera Chicago Website.

Bridal Modeling

In January I had the pleasure of modeling for Aniko Salon & Spa at a local bridal event.  Here's my favorite photo of the gorgeous look they gave me.   

The ingredients that made me so beautiful...

Hair styling by Patrick Daniels

Makeup by Billie Luckett

Jewelry courtesy of The Left Bank Jewelry

Photo by Kasia Bogucka