New Site/Blog is Live

Big news: my brand new website is now live.  Please switch your RSS feed, as this wordpress site will no longer be active. Come by and say hello.  xoJMJ

www.austinactress.com

New work by local playwrights – Showcase at the Vortex Sunday August 8th

In a simple yet smart move, a talented group of Austin’s playwrights have banded together to present small samples of their work to local theatre companies and directors in the hopes of making some new connections. The desired effect is that some writers and directors will find new people whose work and ideas they respond to. For actors,  it’s a great way to get in front of a lot of directors and writers. I am excited to be doing a selection from Sarah Saltwick’s play, “She Creatures.”  I feel very lucky actually in that the scene I am doing is entirely self-contained, and not a sliver of a larger work. The other playwrights involved are Aimee Gonzalez, Jason Tremblay, Cyndi Williams, Trey Deason, and Meg Haley.
The event will take place on August 8, 8pm at the Vortex Theatre. If you have a theatre company or are just interested in the work of Austin’s playwrights, come and check it out.  The whole event was conceived by Elizabeth Cobbe.  Contact her for more information.

Coming Soon: A Headshot by Daniel Brock

If you would like to help me choose, I’d love your imput..  I never pick the one everyone else likes.  They say actors are actually terrible at picking their own headshot. So yes, help please all you director types that actually know me.  Contact me and I’ll give you the login info.

Project Rant 084: I hate iPhones

Another rant for the angry masses!!  I know a lot of people can relate to this one, well, maybe not the myspace reference.  I’m shooting one more on August 8th and its a doozy.

What You Touch Is Gold

This weekend I was asked to take part in a play reading at Hyde Park Theatre for a new work by local playwright Amory Casto.  What You Touch is Gold is the story of Charlotte (Erica Heidepriem),  a small town cashier at Craft Nation caught in the emotional tide of two men (Jimmy Gonzales and Joey Hood), one of them having a particularly dark undertow.  I played her very pregnant sister, Hope, who with her husband provides Charlotte’s touchstone and much of the levity in the story.  I really hope this deserving play gets a full production.  In the meantime, I’ll have to content myself with my first experience being onstage at Hyde Park with Ken Webster (who directed and played supporting characters) and Joey Hood.  How did that feel?  Oh you know, AWESOME.

Working Hard

Photo from the set of Austin High by Ryan Green Photography

Hello my babies.  Just want to let you know something exciting is in the works.  Exciting to me at least.  There has been radio silence from this blog, and my JMJ site has been redirected to point here.  What could it all mean?  Developments are on the horizon.  Big, shiny ones that blind your eyes.  Stay tuned.

Austin High

The Haulin' Ass Pedicab crew

We’s tough

I’m two days into shooting Austin High and all I can say is that this movie is gonna be pretty effing funny.  There’s an entire blog devoted to it that you should not only bookmark, but potentially sign up as an extra or even add to the the kickstarter fund.  I’ll have lots more Austin High stuff to follow, but just wanted to wet your whistle with these shots of us ladies shooting on 6th and San Jacinto.  We bad.  keepaustinhigh.com

“I got your back” 69ers

That’s something improv performers say to each other before  a performance.  A tradition where you actually touch each other’s back when you say the words.  You don’t stare meaningfully into each other’s eyes or anything, it can be casual, but that’s the kind of thing I totally nerd out on and secretly love.  I’m in the secret club of improv performers!  I think that means you make a lot of “Yes, and..” jokes.  If you don’t get that, it means you’re not in the club. Like I am. I am in the club.

This show was scripted, who am I kidding?  But seriously, I want to write a love letter to everyone involved in it.  I learned so much about letting go and being bold from these people.  I was also never bored. Britney in the booth and Adam Hilton and the band were solid gold.  I feel guilty for being so afraid of performing with so little rehearsal.  I just didn’t know who had my back.

The Encore Where Your Heart Should Be

Kerri Lendo, our tireless director, won't get to see the encore because she'll be in LA probably doing something hilarious.

Tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday nights we’ll be performing a disc a night to finish out the workshop.  I am back from the beach and am really excited to get to perform each show one more time.  I’ll be in the audience on Saturday, if you want to watch Disc 3 with me, the One You Really Love.

8pm, Salvage Vanguard Theatre

Also, check out our very own Avimaan Syam’s interview with Austin Creative Alliance and a review of Disc One on the Austinist.

69 Love Scenes Photos – Disc 2

Love Is Like Jazz

Holy blue obscenity-mooing cow!  (Grand Canyon reference) – Photographer Roy Moore captures the essence of the show in the faces of our lovely ensemble.  These are my faves but there is genius in the entire set here. I miss these amazing psychopaths already.