What's Next

Well, I'm preparing for my aunts and mom to visit and the twins' 3rd birthday. We're doing a Barbie theme party, with Barbie's face on the plates, decorations, cups, etc. from Party City. I also have to worry about showing my family a good time while they're here. I have a few plans, like the classic stuff: The Hollywood Sign, Grauman's Chinese Theater, Walk of Fame, etc. But, my mom has a cast on her leg, so I can't park blocks away and drag her around Hollywood, so it'll probably be me and Auntie Carol doing these things. Hollywood Blvd. scares the twins. There are always these people dressed up as Spongebob and Superman and Darth Vader. These scare my soon to be 3 year olds. I understand! It is a little scary, I guess, when you're that young.

Also, I had a really cool business meeting with Ms. Lisa Shows, who's in the play "Reservoir Bitches" with me. We met up at Intelligentsia in Silverlake and talked about doing a web series or a podcast. We decided we'll do the Podcast sooner than later, now we're just trying to figure out where we can record it where there isn't a bunch of noise. Where we'll be uninterrupted. I'm thinking this over right now...

In the meantime, we only have two shows left of the play and I'm thinking I want to do another play. I'm sending out my headshots and resumes to other theaters, and I'll ask my current director if any shows are coming up at that theater. We'll see what happens!

Toodles!

Dwell

I've been sitting here watching movies all week. During the girls "naptime", and I put that in quotation marks because they rarely ever go to sleep, I've been sitting here and just watching films. Mostly on Netflix, sometimes on the DVR and On Demand, but I've just been bored and trying not to think too much. I'm still hurt over that friend thing, which I won't speak of. I rarely speak of it to family and friends. I mean, it's a little traumatic, and I'm not trying to hide that I have feelings, but I just don't understand the situation and I can't just pretend, so I'll just try not to think about it non-stop. Because I know damn well she's not thinking about me.

And I'm not trying to be one of this people who are like "Fuck it, Next!" and get all ghetto and be all like "Fuck that bitch she blah blah blah to me", because that's not who I am. I think this was a learning experience. First of all, if your instincts are telling you that something is wrong, listen to your instincts. Don't just tell yourself that you have to do this and that and it's all in your head. Listen to your heart. I've been listening to my heart a lot lately.

But I really can't just dwell, can I? I have 2 more shows left of "Reservoir Bitches" and I'm going to start working on projects with my cast mate/friend Lisa. She's this talented actor/comedian who has been really kind to me. We have great conversations in between waiting to go back out on stage. She's given me some perspective too. I'm really going to miss these girls once the show ends. And yes, I can see them outside of the show, but it's not going to be the same like when we're all together with a common goal every Thursday night. I had a great conversation with Tina and walked down Hollywood Blvd. with other Lisa last Thursday looking for a shop that sells rubber ears. Yes, you read that right. I miss Carmen, who was in a car accident and had to drop out of the show because her doctor said so. She was always encouraging me to go out and do stand-up, as she's been out here playing the comedy club circuit for a while. Felicia and I have recently been talking a lot too. She's really sweet and talented. She's given me a lot of advice also. She's even giving me workout advice. Aliss has been a sweetheart too. We're in the heist scene together. She always seems perfectly calm before each show. She calms me down! And then the more I talk to Arae, the more I realize that her and I have too much in common! We can quote "Empire Records" and sing old Degrassi songs together. Remember the Zits? "Everybody wants something, and never give up!" We were singing that backstage this past Thursday night. lol

Oh well. I guess I'll have to get everybody together in a few weeks, cause I'm gonna miss them way too hard. 

Laters.

You Better Be a Comedian!

I had a great show last night! We had a pretty big crowd and I think I just vibed off of that and went for it. My lines came out more naturally I think. I loved getting laughs off of the ridiculousness I have to say! I mean, it sticks to the script of "Reservoir Dogs", and I play the Quentin Tarantino role. I start off the play. As soon as the lights go up, I start talking. Now, if you've seen the play, you know what Quentin, as Mr. Brown, says. It's pretty funny. It always gets laughs from the crowd. And then the girls, my castmates, chuckle and adlib and it makes it even funnier!

The problem is, I think I'm really going to miss doing this every Thursday once the show ends. We only have 2 more shows left! Once the show ends, I think I'm going to just concentrate on getting this screenplay made. I need a literary agent! Like, stat!

So today, I'm just spending the day with the girls, watching them play with their Barbie pools my aunt bought them. Oh, and watching "Alvin and the Chipmunks". And stealing kisses. I say to them "Are you mommy's Mia?" and Mia goes "No!", smiling. So I do sad face and then she goes "Yes!", laughing! I do that to all three of them. Each one of them always says no first, then says yes once I do sad face. What funny kids. I tell them they'd better be stand-up comedians! LOL

So Much Reading and Writing

I have an important meeting tomorrow. Too soon for details, just cross your fingers. I'm trying to get this screenplay made and it's consuming me. But in a good way! I think about seeing it on the big screen. I dream about being on the set during the filming. I didn't write a part for myself in this film, but I see the actors I want for the film. I just want the check from selling the screenplay! And, I want producing credit. But whatever, what will be will be. I'll get it made, I'm sure. I'm just hoping I can get the director I want and the actors I want will be just as enthralled. I'm working on it, man!

So I've realized I haven't been updating this thing as much as I used to. Don't fret, I haven't given up my beloved blog. I've just been writing so many other things. I was editing my screenplay "Hello Again", and I've been doing research to make the film better. The film is about dreams and past-lives, so I've been reading a lot. I just finished this book by Brian Weiss called "Only Love is Real". It's about this woman who is going through a tough time and so she goes to him, a psychiatrist, to find out why is she so grief-stricken and sad and can't maintain a good romantic relationship. So she starts going through past-life regression therapy and goes under hypnosis and starts remembering all of these lives where she lost someone close to her, but she doesn't recognize this person in this current life. So meanwhile, this guy comes to therapy for similar reasons and starts having the same past-life memories that the woman is having, though they've never met, never crossed paths! So Dr. Weiss tries to decide if he should tell the other one "Hey, this person is having the same past-life memories that you're having! You were together in all of those past lives!". It's really riveting. And yes, it's a true story!

It's just brought up a lot of new ideas to me, like if I really believe in reincarnation and when your fears have no bearing on your current life. Like, if you're afraid of things for no real reason in this life, it might be a repressed memory from a past life. Either way, the book kept me in suspense. I got it for mother's day from Bry on Sunday and I finished it yesterday, on Tuesday. Yeah, I couldn't put it down!

So that's why I've been neglecting you, dear readers. On top of the wonderful play I'm in, the script that I wrote, the one-woman show I'm writing entitled "Fabulous Audacities" (coming soon!) and taking care of the hubby and kids...I've been away, I'm aware! I'll try to update more often! So much reading and writing...you would think that I'm in school! (which I promise to finish someday for the sake of my kids...that's another blog, though, lol)

Smoochilies!
(say that outloud..go ahead, I'll wait....)

Plotting the next steps...

So I've been in Los Angeles almost 2 months and I've done more than I thought I would, but still, I feel like there is more left to do soon. I did get out here close to the end of pilot season, true, so I'm not going to be starring in some  hit show in the fall. Besides, I have no agent, no manager and know close to nobody in town. That's okay though. I'm just sitting here thinking about what I need to be doing between now and next pilot season. I need to go do some stand-up at the The Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory. I need to do some short films or student films to get more experience and pad my resume. I need to do more theater, no matter how scary it is. I need to do a commercial or two! Commercials pay really well usually, and L.A. rent is way more than Chicago Ridge rent! Lol

What I'm trying to say is, I always feel the need to push myself. If I think I'm doing well for 5 minutes, I develop new standards of what "well" is defined as. For example, I moved here, auditioned for one play and now I'm in a 8-week run at a theater in Hollywood. Yeah, that's a big friggin' deal! But I want more! I want more plays! I want to be busy nonstop. Sitting still is not good for me. Sitting still allows me time to think, and for an over-thinker like myself, that's just too much not good!

So in the meanwhile, while I save up for more acting classes and register Ani for Kindgergarten and the twins for Preschool, I'll be sitting here, writing, and concentrating on the play I'm currently in. Oh, and plotting the next steps! I think I might have the whole rest of my year figured out! This plan includes acting, directing and pilates! Mama needs to lose the rest of this baby weight! This is just getting ridiculous now. I'm going to start lying to people and tell them I just had the twins just so they feel sorry for me! LOL

Later.

(Yes, I realize I didn't put the 's' on laters. I'm trying something new!)

The Excitement of Live Theater!

Still promoting "Reservoir Bitches"! Did I mention that this was my first play? The excitement of live theater is incomparable! I mean, I've done my own web series, I've done other people's films, but seriously, this is just indescribable! There is no second take! And you either got it down or you don't...or you wing it! And the adrenaline...I'm really looking forward to our second show tomorrow night! I don't need to jump out of a plane, I do live theater!

Come see us do our thing!

"Reservoir Bitches"
Trestage Theatre
1523 N. La Brea Ave
Hollywood, CA
Thursday thru May 31st @ 8PM
Admission: $20

And don't forget to like my new Facebook page!!! www.facebook.com/angelinagraceactress

and my twitter:

www.twitter.com/angelinascene

Later Bitches!

(lol...see what I did there? Cause the play is called "Reservoir Bitches"?? It's a joke! Get it? It's a play on words...bitches...you got it?? Nevermind. Geez)

Promoting the Shit Out of It!

Me and Carmen Barton backstage at "Reservoir Bitches", opening night April 12th, 2012.

So as of right now, I'm promoting the shit out of this show! I'm like "I'm doing this show at the TreStage Theatre, Hollywood, 1523 N. La Brea, every Thursday through May, blah blah bloop" and hoping we get a huge crowd! I think all of us were just so jittery about opening night, we didn't advertise it as much as we should have. Our bad. I'm really big on Twitter...I mean, seriously, I'm in love with Twitter. Keegan-Michael Key said the play title was hilarious, but he's out of town until May. So I tweeted back at him to tell him the play runs until May 31st. I haven't heard anything back, but I'll remind him in May. How exciting. I've loved that man since I saw him on MadTV in the Taco Bell sketch and this fool, playing a Mexican immigrant, called a Chalupa a "little boat" and called the menu the "Raping Menu". I died. Love that guy. And of course, I watch the fuck out of his show "Key and Peele".

It's really friggin' awesome though that Saj Golde from "The Real L Word" said she'll come check it out this Thursday! I love that show so friggin' much. I recorded it every Sunday night, and really looked forward to it. And yes, I developed a crush on Kelsey (don't tell my husband I was crushing on a girl...oh wait...he knew! LOL) But I really, really liked Saj. She was so real and so down to Earth. She seemed like somebody I'd like to know in real life. And then, I found her Twitter, started tweeting at her, and she would tweet back! Kelsey would tweet back too, but Saj seemed to be always on Twitter, so she would tweet me right back, usually. Once I told her "Damn, you tweet as much as I do" and she went "What, should I not tweet so much...would that make you happy?" just joking around with me. That was hilare. What cool peeps. I spoke to a few other of the girls from the show on Twitter also. Made me love the show more!

I'm happy she's going to come, and hopefully Kelsey will too. I invited her also. And a few casting directors, including one who retweeted me! And of course, my kids' manager Michele Large' of Epic Talent Management, who I hope to impress the fuck out of!  LOL

Oh, did I mention I wrote "Local Couple Wins Lottery" as a full-length stage play?? I'm thinking about putting it on at the TreStage Theater...yep.

Opening Night!!!

Last night was the opening of "Reservoir Bitches", an all-female version of "Reservoir Dogs" that I'm in. I play Ms. Brown, Quentin Tarantino's character. I was super nervous last night before going on stage. I knew my lines, but I was afraid I was going to get out there, freak out and freeze up. Okay, that didn't happen. We all prayed together before going out there, and then I threw up an extra prayer like "God, please help me remember my lines so I don't screw everybody else up".

Obviously, I went out there, and I did well. I remembered my lines, everyone else did, and the entire play was really good our director said. I don't get to see the entire thing because I'm only in the first half. After that, I was backstage texting and Facebooking and helping out the occasional girl who needed something between scenes. I was mostly a bottle of nerves because the play starts with ME saying the first lines! That was nerve wrecking. And then I had so many lines right out the box. Oh, and did I mention and I hadn't even had the script a week?! I guess I did pretty good considering. And I came into this like "A play full of chicks?? Is this going to be beauty school all over again??" But these girls were amazing. They were sweet and supportive to me also. They kept telling me "you'll be okay, you'll do great!". I'm so glad I got cast in this particular play. And I'm glad I got to meet the girls. Some of them are stand-up comedians, which is cool and might make me suck up my fear and do it once and for all.

Also, I was really happy Jontynise was there for me. I saw her before the play began and she gave me a big hug and got me to calm down. I was like "dude, nerves!" and she was all "Dude, woo-sahhhhh"! Then she really got into the play! I heard her from time to time either laugh and make a comment. She was rolling during my scene. It really helps to have the audience react to what you're saying, especially when you're being funny and people are laughing their asses off! Then her and I drove to Burbank and got some fries!

So for those of you in the L.A. area, my play, "Reservoir Bitches" runs through April and May for the next 7 weeks at the TreStage Theatre, 1523 N. La Brea in Hollywood. I tried inviting famousy people, like Thomas Dekker from Secret Circle, that show on The CW. He didn't show. I'll invite him again. Wouldn't that be cool if he came?! Or Josh Hutcherson! He's always hanging out in West Hollywood, he could show. Maybe. Perhaps?!

Chicks With Guns

I've been uber busy, so I haven't posted on Angelina's Scene in a few days. My bad. My bizz-nad. My bizzad. Okay, I'm through with that. I really don't even have time to be posting on this shizznit! Truthfully, I'm supposed to be learning my lines! Remember that audition I went on Friday?? Yeah, I ended up getting a part in another play, that actually opens tomorrow night! What?! I'm in a play in Hollywood! Right off of Sunset! It's at Trestage Theatre! Every Thursday night, I'll be playing Ms. Brown in "Reservoir Bitches", an all-female cast version of "Reservoir Dogs"! I know, cool right? And it's my first play, and yes, I have the butterflies! All of the butterflies!

It's okay though, because I joined the cast late, exactly the same week as the opening, but I die halfway through the play. But get this, I start the play! The first lines are from me! And I play Quentin Tarantino's character, so everyone who's seen the film knows I get killed. I have like 4 scenes, but the first scene, I have a decent amount of dialogue, so I'm brushing up on it. I haven't had that much rehearsal. I rehearsed Monday, today, and then tomorrow right before we open. And I'm doing mad promotion for it too. The guy who casted me, Michael, has been really nice and understanding over the fact that I hadn't learned all my lines yet because I just got the script Saturday, but tomorrow, no excuses! Oh, and "Like" my Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/angelinagraceactress

Now the kids are in bed, so I'm going to go learn my lines!

Toodles!

And if you're in L.A., come see my fucking play! "Reservoir Bitches", Trestage Studio Theatre, 1523 N. LaBrea in Hollywood. It's $20, and I promise you, it's really cool to see a bunch of chicks with guns!

Wish Me Luck

I have an audition today, an audition tomorrow. I'm super nervous. I'm not totally sure why. I mean, I always get nervous right before an audition, but hours before? Maybe it's because it's an L.A. audition, not a Chicago audition. Maybe because it's in Hollywood. Obviously, I'm not going to let fear or anything get in the way of what I need to be doing, but I probably won't be able to eat for the rest of the day. I mean, at least until after the audition!

It's for a play at a theater in Hollywood. Pretty exciting stuff. I really hope I get it! Wish me luck!