I own my own business....The Business of ME!

Tis the season....

2011-12-22T13:26:00.007-05:00

Hey there folks! I'm so excited about the holidays this year. Last year, I was away performing (which don't get me wrong was AWESOME) but I wasn't home with my loved ones and couldn't travel to holiday parties and didn't decorate. Anyone who knows me knows I love putting up the trees (yes we have 2) and love filling the stockings and love baking (even though I'm a semi-homemade baker). So, I'm thrilled this year I'm home. I got to bake, decorate, party, shop, send out cards, and be with those I love. And from today til the end of 2011 I will continue to be inspired and give love back to those that mean so much to me.

I've mentioned many times that 2011 was a very trying year. As I reflect on the past year and try not to focus on the negative parts of the year, I can highlight that which is great. Out of twelve months, I worked as a professional actress 7 of those 12 months. In the months I was not under contract, I filmed 2 movies, sang in countless cabarets, and wrote and workshopped my first original children's musical (with the musical help of Greta Kleckner) and oh I started my own company. I was hugely inspired this year by those I love and those who love me.

On top of all the performing opportunities I've been fortunate enough to have I've also opened a private studio, taught a very successful professional theater workshop series, taught at Civic Theatre School and just learned I will be taking on yet another class with Civic Theatre School and I'm thrilled. I'm THE Cat in the Hat that tours the local school to teach reading literacy through drama AND my new business Star of the Day Event Productions acquired Lehigh Valley's premier Cabaret and Open Mic Piano bar.

So looking back on the year I think I had a good year. It's hard to forget the loss of my best friend or the loss of Mike's Dad, my dear friend's husband, or a friend's Mom. But going forward, instead of focusing on their losses I will focus on continuing to spread the love and goodness they spread while here on earth. It's all any of us can do.

COMING UP....
January 5th - TWISTED CABARET - Spotlight Cabaret, Allentown Brew Works 8pm $5
January 4th - March 2nd - Cat in the Hat School Tour. PRIVATE TOUR
February 2-4 - Hot n' Cole - Ridge Light Opera Company - Basking Ridge, NJ $25/$20

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "To be honest with you, I don't have the words to make you feel better, but I do have the arms to give you a hug, ears to listen to whatever you want to talk about, and I have a heart; a heart that's aching to see you smile again." ~unknown

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Thanks to my bestie Mim Paquin Robinette for this. AWESOME!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Super easy cookies.

Ingredients:
Premade Pillsbury Choc Chip Cookies.
package Reese's PB Cups.

spray mini muffin pans with Pam. Place a cookie square in each mini muffin cup. Bake just under the recommended time. 12 minutes. Remove immediately and push PB cups in the center and let the cookies set. ENJOY!

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She is currently performing for the Pines Dinner Theatre 2011 season as Sister Hubert in 'Nunsense' and Mrs. C in 'Happy Days The Musical.' She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

In film/tv, Kirsten just wrapped up filming on two short films: 'Stabilized' by Grete Miller, a B&W silent film where her solo performance received highest accolades during screenings from Shimon Dotan, award-winning filmmaker with 13 feature films to his credit; recipient of Jury Prize for Best World Documentary at Sundance (Hot House); Silver Bear at the Berlin FF (The Smile of the Lamb); Best Film at the Newport Beach Film Festival (You Can Thank Me Later); numerous Israeli Academy Awards, including Best Film and Best Director (Repeat Dive; The Smile of the Lamb); films presented on HBO, PBS, CBS, ARTE; has taught filmmaking at Tel Aviv U., Concordia U. in Montreal and is teaching political cinema at NYU and 'Threshold'. She appears in the upcoming comedy 'Big Guns' which has received numerous awards on the film festival circuit in 2011. She was also in 'Three Chris'' and the independent short 'Westfield' with Clocktower Productions. She has also appeared in two episodes of 'The World's Most Astonishing News'.

Kirsten has appeared as a guest artist with the Newark Boys Chorus and Triad Ensemble and the Spotlight Cabaret with Allentown Public Theater. She was a founding member of the Boonton Parks & Recreation Theatre Company for young performers where she not only directed and choreographed the shows for the company but also acted as lead fundraiser, costumer, lighting designer, marketing director as well as scenic and props designer. Kirsten also taught dance for the recreation department to children ages 7-12. Kirsten has also dabbled in play writing for children's theater. Her twisted version of "The Three Little Pigs" (a musical from the Big Bad Wolf's perspective) was produced at Playhouse 22 in East Brunswick, NJ.

Kirsten teaches drama classes at the Civic Theater in Allentown, PA to grades Pre-K through 4. She also is the Program Coordinator/Facilitator for the "Reading with Cat in the Hat" literacy promotion program where she tours to at-risk communities and performs as the Cat in the Hat. Kirsten also offers an audition class to high school students which helps students audition confidently. Her effective teaching style is requested by groups in PA and NJ and NY.

She is also the Founder and CEO of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions'. A one-of-a-kind full service entertainment experience. Educate * Encourage * Entertain. Star of the Day operates the monthly Spotlight Cabaret at Allentown Brew Works.

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Sometimes I feel so uninspired.....

2011-11-15T16:47:00.007-05:00

As a professional singer/actress and a private coach to aspiring singers and actors, it is my job to be inspired by life and to inspire those I teach. It's not always easy to be inspired by life when life can so easily get in the way which, in turn, makes it difficult to keep my students inspired. What do you do when life DOES get in the way? How do you make it right?

The past few months have been difficult for me because I live to perform and I haven't had a full contract since August. Now don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to have been a part of an amazing opportunity in New York City in late October titled 'Songs of the Civil War' with Park & Bark Opera and my talented friends Mim Paquin Robinette and Jason Robinette. And I get the opportunity to share my talents the first Thursday of every month at the Spotlight Cabaret in Allentown, PA. I also have an ongoing gig where I play the Cat in the Hat in the Lehigh Valley.
I also had the opportunity to film two movies this fall in between all the auditioning.

After Happy Days ended in August I put together a plan to audition twice a week in NYC whole maintaining my teaching jobs and kitchen job in Allentown, PA to make ends meet. I never intended any of this to be permanent fixtures in my life. I am, first and foremost, an actress. It's what I love and it's all I want to do.

It got frustrating very fast when I would go to auditions and not get seen....or pay the bus fare from PA only to get to the city to receive a text message that the audition was cancelled...or I'd have an appointment for an audition and leave my friends house in Queens with more than enough time to get to the audition and have the buses in Queens not cooperate and completely miss the appointment. This kept happening. This was NOT part of my plan. I quickly became frustrated and discouraged. How does one get over this?

I woke up one day and said I can't let this get me down. I tell my students all the time part of being in this business is being able to handle rejection and disappointment. So I decided to just do everything with love and purpose. If I missed an audition I wouldn't dwell but I'd work twice as hard to find even more auditions to get to. I'd have a coaching with my acting career coach, Doug Shapiro, to help me figure out a plan of action to make things right...to set my feet firmly on the ground. No more trip ups. It's so hard sometimes to stay positive all the time but I try.

Let's see...in 2011 I lost my best friend, Bethany L. Pacheco-Brum to the nasty 'C' word. From the day I spoke with her about her diagnosis to the day she passed it was only one week. ONE WEEK. It has been just over nine months and everyday I cry...everyday I close my eyes and see her there...everyday I miss her. I can't believe when I go home to visit my parents in my hometown I will not be having our special breakfast gathering. But...I cannot bring her back. I can, however, feel my heart grow with the love I have for her and be thankful for knowing her and having her as my very oldest and closest friend...28 years of memories. And that is positive! I take it day by day and have an amazing support system when I feel myself start to crumble.

Financially, it has been a tough year. So what did I do? I started my own business. Some people think I'm crazy. I say I'm crazy! Haha. Look, I know I don't want to sit at a desk. I don't want to work in retail. I already work in a kitchen which I don't love but at least it's in a theater...(that's what I keep telling myself.) I started Star of the Day Event Productions to be creative, stay in the business, help other actors and artists, offer workshops, and help increase the amount of quality entertainment in my neck of the woods. So I went from scared and penniless to penniless and positive...positive that this idea would start to take off and make money. Guess what? IT DID!

We all have the power in us to choose good...to choose love...to choose positivity and happiness. We all suffer loss and we all endure bad luck. We don't have to let this define who we are and what we are to become. If we fall victim to this negativity then we become a breeding ground for excuses to not succeed at anything. I knew starting a new business in this economy was laughable but I'm an idealist...I'm not a millionaire (yet) but I'm slowly building up and I'm proud. So what if opportunity for contracts hasn't been knocking my door down...I'm going to put on my shoes and go out and make opportunities happen. I'm going to network, send out my headshot to casting directors I want to work with, I will work on my website, I will create a New Year plan for my acting career, I will do .... I will love....I will be happy.

Happiness happens when you choose it. So join me. Choose happiness!

www.KirstenAlmeida.com
www.StaroftheDay.org

To thine own self be true...

2011-11-01T17:18:00.010-04:00

"To thine own self be true" ~ Polonius (Hamlet) - Shakespeare

In this crazy entertainment world so many newbies think they have to invent someone they're not in order to live and thrive within the business. This is a subject matter I know all too well.

Back in 2008 when I was let go from my job I made the hardest and easiest decision I ever had to make: to be an actress. Hard because it's a risky business (and I'm not talking Tom Cruise in his BVDs). Easy because it's been my lifelong dream to be a professional actress. The idea of 'going for it' was like DUH! So I set out on my journey.

In early 2009, with the help of Mim Paquin and her connection with The Savvy Actor I was introduced to my now lifelong friend and career coach, Doug Shapiro. Doug helped me develop a branding statement to represent who I am as a performer. My branding descriptors were: sassy, classy, focused, determined, blunt, and comedic. That was then! Over the years, I received some interest from submissions based on this branding statement but nothing ever really clicked. I never believed the statement fully and therefore it was reflected in my lack of callbacks and inquiries from my online submissions. At an open call audition - in person - I always show my true colors and who I truly am. I'm funny, loving, sassy, outgoing, bubbly, and definitely focused. After 2 years of the old branding statement and trying to 'fit' that person drawn on paper I approached my career coach and said "Look, this isn't working. I need to rebrand. I need to work." And that's exactly what we did.

Doug and I sat on the phone for an hour session and threw ideas around and new descriptors and played with wording. Now, I have a branding statement that is truly 100% me! I love it. I believe it. And since I am the product I'm trying to sell every day I know that I can sell it. And in just one short week after creating this new statement...I have sold it! And I feel good!

**I can sing my face off like Stephanie J. Block, can sass like a pint-sized Kristen Johnston, and get acting kudos without even saying a word.**

In a nutshell...that is me. I have grown up so much since entering this thrilling business in 2008 and I have learned so much. All that I learn I pass on to you through this blog...and I'm happy to do so. With every experience I've had since I started this adventure three years ago, I take bits and pieces away with me. I use those bits and pieces to continue growing as an actor, teacher, friend, and wife...I put the pieces together through song, tears, words, and whatever else I can find to fill out the person I've become. I truly believe all of this is a gift. Finding out who I am and realizing I'm a pretty darn good human being is a blessing. I make mistakes...I curse like a truck driver...I love with all my heart and soul...I care (apparently too much sometimes)...I feel...I encourage...I teach...I laugh...I cry...I am who I am and ain't nobody gonna change that!

I spent years pretending to love everything others loved so I could 'relate' to them...have something in common...in recent years I've learned so much about me and my likes and dislikes that it's almost scary. But then I realized there is nothing scary about being true to who you are. So, I don't like that movie or TV show...I don't like the smell of strong coffee - it smells like stinky feet to me :) In the same respect, I've learned about the hundreds of things I do love. Foreign films, chai tea, avocados, feta cheese, beer (well, ok...only certain ones), running, being (trying to be) a vegetarian, the list goes on and on and on!

Don't get me wrong. I'm the most self conscious person I know. I second guess myself all the time. Up until now I did two things every morning: 1) I thank God I'm alive 2) I have a cup of coffee and recently a friend shared some wise words with me right before I entered an audition room and now this will be the third thing I do everyday - 3) I remind myself that I am enough.

My advice to you as you continue on your own journey...whether it be in the performing arts or anything else...you are who you are for a reason. Figure out your strengths and fall in love with them so that others can fully fall in love with you. And I'm not talking romantically. Just be who you are. Shine the way you were meant to shine. Smile more. People want to know YOU...they want to hire YOU...they want real people with real thoughts and feelings...they want YOU not the someone you thing they want. Trust me on this! YOU ARE ENOUGH!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Spotlight Cabaret & Piano Bar - THROWBACK Music from the Great American Songbook (1900-1950)

Thursday, November 3, 2011 8 PM $5

Allentown Brew Works , 812 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101, 610-433-7777

Spotlight Cabaret & Piano Bar - A Wacky Holiday Extravaganza

Thursday, December 1, 2011 8 PM $5

Allentown Brew Works ,812 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101, 610-433-7777

Don’t Tell Mama

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 7 PM $12 (plus 2 drink minimum)

343 West 46th Street (Restaurant Row) New York City, 212-757-0788

Spotlight Cabaret & Piano Bar - They Say You Want a Resolution

Thursday, January 5, 2011 8 PM $5

Allentown Brew Works,812 W. Hamilton Street,Allentown, PA 18101,610-433-7777

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"If you're able to be yourself, then you have no competition. All you have to do is get closer and closer to that essence."~Barbara Cook VIDEO OF THE WEEK: My Old Kentucky Home performed Oct 23 2011 for Park & Bark Opera's "Songs of the Civil War"

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cauliflower
1/2 c. shredded white cheddar cheese
1/4 c. red wine
1/2 c. finely chopped baby bella mushrooms
2 T butter
1 T garlic
pinch of paprika
S&P to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
2 Large green peppers

Prep:
First clean out the peppers and set aside.
Next, clean the cauliflower and cut into smaller pieces that will fit in the food processor. Use the grater attachment and send through the processor to make 'rice' size pieces. Set aside.

Filling:
In a skillet on medium flame melt butter and with crushed red pepper and mushrooms. When the mushrooms reduce add the garlic. Constantly stir to prevent burning the garlic. Add S&P and red wine. reduce the wine to about half and add the 'rice'. One the rice has cooked for about 2 minutes add the cheese. Stir in but do not let it melt too much. Spoon into peppers and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Cook on 350 for 30 minutes. I top mine with 'spaghetti cheese' and garlic powder.

Each pepper is under 250 calories. That's a pretty healthy meal!

Kirsten Alm eida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She is currently performing for the Pines Dinner Theatre 2011 season as Sister Hubert in 'Nunsense' and Mrs. C in 'Happy Days The Musical.' She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

I said 'No'

2011-10-19T23:06:00.010-04:00

PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK and VOTE FOR ME & help me be the new Dunkin' Donuts gal!

Sometimes saying NO is saying YES. Oh wait, that doesn't make sense. Oh wait, yea it does. Look, by saying no to a subpar contract this Christmas season, I am saying YES to the many opportunities out there left for the taking. If I would have said YES to a contract that I truly believe is insulting to my time and talent I'd be stuck and obligated to turn down something better that WILL come along.

This is really big for me. The people pleaser in me isn't completely dead but she is realizing sometimes it's ok to say no. And I did just that. And I think it's great I did that because I already have auditions lined up and my first gig in NYC.

This Sunday, October 23, 2011 I'll be joining Park & Bark Opera's recital of Jason Robinette in a spectacular concert event: SONGS OF THE CIVIL WAR at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church in Forest Hills, Queens, NY. This concert features some of Forest Hills’ well-loved local performers: tenor, Jason Robinette, and soprano, Mim Paquin, with guest performers bass baritone, Martin Fisher, singer/actress Kirsten Almeida, singer/actress, Terri Bonica-Matassov, and musician & U.S. military veteran, Kenneth Horgan. James Lubrano returns to Park & Bark for his second year as music director and accompanist, with the familiar face and voice of Jim Chamberlain as the narrator.

I'm so excited about this event. I have been challenged to learn songs from an era I am not familiar with yet after rehearsing the last few days I'm in love. My solo:My Old Kentucky Home is absolutely beautiful. I'm enjoying working with my dear friends Mim, Jay, and James and looking forward to the performance this Sunday.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Sunday, October 23, 2o11 3 PM - SONGS OF THE CIVIL WAR - Forest Hills, Queens, NY

Thursday, November 3, 2011 8 PM - SPOTLIGHT CABARET 'THROWBACK' - Allentown Brew Works, Allentown, PA

Thursday, December 1, 2011 8 PM - SPOTLIGHT CABARET 'WACKY HOLIDAY' - Allentown Brew Works, Allentown, PA

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 (Time to be listed at a later date) - Don't Tell Mama's NYC

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Love me and be not angry if I belong to another"~Asklepiades (I saw this quote on the restroom door at Cafe Reggio in NYC)

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: AWESOMENESS!!!!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: VANILLA CHAI SCONES - perfect for the Fall weather!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (on the baking aisle with the spices)
1 tsp salt
6 individual bags of spiced chai tea
1 cup cold butter
1.5 cups white chocolate chips
1 cold egg
2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line a large baking sheet with parchement paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl mix together flour, white sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut tea bags and empty ingredients into mixture. Cut in butter until flour resembles course meal.

*This can be done by pulsing flour mixture and butter in a food processor, squeezing butter and flour mixture with your hands, by using a pastry cutter or two knives. Food processor or hands work the best!*

4. Stir in white chocolate chips.

5. Mix egg and vanilla into sour cream. Pour and stir in flour mixture.

6. Turn dough onto a heavily floured surface. Knead briefly. Either: Form into two mounds and cut into triangles OR roll out dough to appx .75inch thickness and cut using a cookie cutter.

7. Bake 12-15 minutes until bottom is golden brown

Times they are a changing!

2011-10-10T09:38:00.017-04:00

Photo courtesy of APL Photography LLC

This photo was taken at a Breast Cancer benefit produced by my company Star of the Day Event Productions on Thursday, October 6th at the Allentown Brew Works. Also in the photo is the amazing Christine Hunt-Hjorth.

Robert Frost is one of my all-time favorite poets ever since I saw the movie 'The Outsiders" back in the 80s. I used to rush home from school to catch the 3pm HBO showing of the movie and just scream and hoot for the star-studded (and I do mean STUDS) cast of Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruie, C. Thomas Howell, Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Leif Garrett, and so many others. There is a point in the movie where Ponyboy Curtis played by C. Thomas Howell recites 'Nothing Gold Can Stay' by Robert Frost. I loved it. I loved it so much I did an English assignment later on in life using that poem. When researching the poem I became a huge fan of Frost. His work spoke to me. I came across this poem in my research and was very excited because in high school the Concert Chorale I sang with performed the musical version of this poem. I recognized instantly and many times in my life I have thought of this poem. This is something we all encounter at least once in life, if not more.

As a professional performer, I find myself at a crossroads several times a year.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

~Robert Frost

As I continue my journey as a professional performer, I'm faced with hard decisions all the time. My passion for what I do is strong and it fills my heart with such joy. But then I find myself thinking about my non-artistic life and remember the responsibilities that come along with being married, being responsible for two cute kitteh catties, having a home, cars, bills, etc. When gigs aren't line up and I'm left to my part-time work as a prep chef at a dinner theatre and a part-time theater educator and barely making ends meet, my mind retreats to the 'old me' that made a really great steady paycheck and the bills were always paid on time and I never worried about money at all. I'm human, what can I say...I feel like whenever I don't have a gig I'm letting everyone in my life down.

One reason I started 'Star of the Day Event Productions' was to help alleviate some of that financial burden and lift some stress off of me so I can remain healthy in my quest for artistic domination. But, the confident, sassy person I am falls victim to societal pressures that I'm not being responsible and maybe after almost 4 years, it's time to get a 'real' job. There it is again, folks. The argument that the path I've chosen, the hard one, is not a 'REAL' career path. Granted, it's hard and it's not for the weak...but in the past year, I'm beginning to realize that I'm good at what I do. Onstage, offstage, teaching, etc....I'm good at it. I receive emails from parents and students about how I changed their lives, helped their child's shyness or how my work with them on an audition got them a callback...I've shared tears with my students while coaching them one on one with monologues....I've seen my work improve...I was praised by an award-winning international filmmaker regarding my acting in a student film. The short was picked out of a screening as the 'Judges Pick' for both acting and content. So why do I continue to feel like I don't belong in this business? I think I'm beginning to finally see the light.....and it shines like the top of the Chrysler Building folks....I'm here in PA for another 8 months and then I'm getting out of here. I've made some really wonderful friends here but I have to get into NYC. I have to be surrounded by people who are just as serious about this business as I am...who will support my choices to stay the course and who will be willing to throw me a life jacket should my boat spring a leak. Here in PA...I can count on one hand the amount of people who truly want me to succeed at my dreams....everyone else, and I realize this now (Although I've had friends try and convince me of this for months, years), wants to hold me back for their own selfish reasons because if they lose me what the hell will they do? God gave me a voice and a heart and the passion for the arts to share those gifts with the world...and it's about time I get back on that road and follow it to the end. No more detours...no more excuses. I can't share with the world all that I love if I'm stuck in a kitchen chopping tomatoes and scooping ice cream. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking prep chefs at all....it's just not where God intended me to be. I think all you have to do is look at the first picture in this blog to see the love and passion I have for what I do. A picture is worth a thousand words!

Eh~maybe I'm over sensitive...but no matter what, I've wanted to move to NYC or closer to it for over a year now. So I think it's time to go! And I think I'll take the advice I've been getting about surrounding myself with only positive people. This business is hard enough. I can't surround myself with wishy-washy people, weak-minded people, or jealous people who are set on seeing me fail.

For the wishy-washy: "Choose your friends with caution; plan your future with purpose, and frame your life with faith. " ~Thomas S. Monson

For the weak-minded: “Oh, you weak, beautiful people who give up with such grace. What you need is someone to take hold of you -- gently, with love, and hand your life back to you.”~Tennessee Williams

For the jealous: "The jealous know nothing, suspect much, and fear everything." ~ Curt Goetz

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: (courtesy of Grete Miller)

Gotta Get a Gimmick

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Zero Point "Pumpkin Pie"

1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin - 0 pts
Splenda(2 or 3 T) - 0 pts
Pumpkin Pie Spice - 0 pts
2 T Cool Whip Free - 0 pts

Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl, microwave about a minute, top with Cool Whip!

Addiction

2011-10-03T23:45:00.005-04:00

The past few weeks have been absolutely amazing...and terrible all at the same time.

On September 19th, Mike's Dad passed away. We spent the week on the Jersey Shore with his family. I headed back after the funeral in order to teach back at Civic Theatre on Saturday morning. It was a terrible time but like Mike and his Mom say, his Dad didn't suffer and his passing was quick and peaceful.

After returning from NJ I filmed a movie short. 3 minute B&W silent film. It follows a woman through her last moments before suicide. It was a place I've never gone to in my acting and it was a place that took much 'getting to.' The shoot was about 5 hours long (FOR A 3 MINUTE FILM) and I can tell you I learned more in those 5 hours of shooting than I did in most of my previous acting classes. The movie STABILIZED won top honors in content and acting. And the kicker was the award winning international filmmaker who screened the shorts would not allow comments during my final scene. He liked my 'realness' and he liked me. I've always wanted to try film. I've done a few smaller projects but have never been the lead in one. Since STABILIZED went so well, I was asked to act in another short for the same director. This time, I played opposite the great Marcie Schlener. My Rachel to Marci's Angie were lovers at an impasse. Rachel makes Angie choose between her or Angie's addiction to coke. The movie is being submitted to Manhattan Short Festival and we'll see what happens. 7 hours of shooting and I was exhausted - both mentally and physically. Working with the director Grete Miller and actress Marcie Schlener in a role I never saw myself playing until I was playing it is a testament to both Grete's direction and Marcie's ability to give her all for me. I spent a lot of time in tears and said the word 'FUCK' many many MANY times. The short was super intense but one thing I am certain of....I'm addicted to film. I love it! And I want to do more.

Now, a few weeks ago the director was talking about my silent performance in STABILIZED to a mutual acquaintance and the person said 'I'm sorry, I can't see Kirsten playing anything but musical comedy.' Well according to an award-winning international filmmaker...I am BETTER than just musical comedy.

Now, don't get me wrong. Please! I love musical theater. My roots are there. I love it! I have such passion for it...and I'm good at it. But, as an actress I want to try it all to really know if I can be good at film. And I think I can be. Playing a lesbian was challenging. And although the story is not about the lesbian relationship, I did have to be open to kissing another woman and making myself vulnerable within the relationship. It was a true test for me. What it all boils down to is professionalism. Everyone on set was professional and caring and compassionate and non judgemental.

Since March 6th 2011, so much has changed in my life. Every day I wake up and remind myself to just go for it. If I don't, I don't know if I'll get another day to try. I've stopped saying 'I'll do it tomorrow.' Even if I'm up for hours in the middle of the night getting things done, I just do it. Because I have to. I don't want to wake up when I'm 80 and say 'What the fuck did I do for 80 years and where am I now?' Instead I want to wake up when I'm 80, have a mimosa, and look back at my life like some cheestastic 80s montage and know that I made a difference for someone through my art. And that will be enough.

I can't wait for my next film project. Until then enjoy some wrap party photos from 'THRESHOLD

'

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Not loving you was never the problem" ~Rachel (from 'THRESHOLD' by Grete Miller)

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: MIMOSAS
Ingredients:

Champagne (1 bottle)
Orange Juice (1 carton)

Preparation:

Fill half of a champagne flute with chilled champagne (about 2 ounces) and top off with chilled orange juice (again about 2 ounces), gently stir. For added flare, slice up a strawberry to decorate the rim of each flute. Enjoy! * Also delightful over ice.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Stabilized

COMING UP....

PHENOMENAL WOMEN - OCTOBER 6, 2011 8PM Allentown Brew Works (Benefit for Breast Cancer Research) $10

CIVIL WAR CONCERT - OCTOBER 23, 2011 3PM Forest Hills Queens, NYC

THROWBACK - NOVEMBER 3, 2011 8PM Allentown Brew Works $5

What if.....?

2011-08-27T21:09:00.008-04:00

Do you want to play a game (said in the voice from 'War Games' starring Matthew Broderick.)

It's called What if? A friend recently sent me this list of questions and I guess I got so worked up over some I wanted to share my answers.

What if there was an actual money tree? There is a reason why there is no money tree. I know I'm supposed to answer it as if there WAS one but come on. We destroy our lakes and rivers.....our forests....people get pissed because they dent their fender because they hit a deer.....a deer that wouldn't be in the road if we didn't have to chop every friggan tree (that makes up their forest home) down to build another useless housing development that is built like crap and overpriced. Money trees would also end up gone....every last one. Every read the Lorax. Greed is the worst kind of pollution out there. The very worst!

What if bee's produced butter? mmmm...sweet butter. Would it be honey butter? That would be AWESOME! I'd probably eat it with a frakken spoon, dude. Craziness.

What if the walls could talk? Seriously? Ok....I'd love that. Do you know how often I feel like I'm talking to walls? If they answered me I finally would feel like someone was listening!

What if Christians didn't hate homosexuals? I resent this question. But depending on who you chat with Roman Catholics aren't real christians and we're all going to hell anyway....so it's no wonder I would resent this question. Some of dearest and closest friends are homosexual. I love them. That is the opposite of hate. Wanna know why I love them? Because my God is a loving God and I was taught to love. Not hate. I choose love over everything. The love I have in me is bigger than any kind of hate. I believe HATE is a product of the devil. I believe Christ died because of the love he had for his people. LOVE....not hate. Oh this question really got my blood boiling!

What if you were rich? This question I love. Because I wouldn't have a house in every continent...I wouldn't go out and have a shopping spree for Jimmy Choo shoes (Although 1 pair would be nice) and I wouldn't gamble it for more or spend it on worthless shit....I'd build a school, I'd donate it to charity, I'd take my family on vacation, and I'd set up a trust fund for my nieces and nephews. I'd get lasik surgery on my eyes, get my teeth fixed and whitened, have a professional color my hair for once....and I'd eat a lobster dinner. I'd live my life the same because I happen to like my life.

What if sweat smelled like cotton candy? Well that would be awesome.

What if your memory was wiped and you could start all over again? Holy cucka balls this is a crazy question. Hmmmmm.....let's see. OK. I guess since I wouldn't know what I would be missing I'd start with an education. I'd go to school to be a veterinarian. I love animals. But wait, if my memory is wiped do I still love animals. Damn! I guess I would just search for love and light and try to live my life the best way I knew how. I'd work and hopefully have a family. I'd volunteer...I hope the new me is also a philanthropic soul. No matter what I believe what is inherently good about me would remain intact and I could just build on that. Goodness and faith isn't something you remember, it's something you just are. Right? Soooooo.......................
This question is giving me a migraine. bye now

What if? Is there where I ask the questions? Or am I supposed to get all philosophical? Or am I supposed to use this open-ended What If? as a way to vent? I supposed with everything going on in my life...all the emotions surfacing over the course of the last six months and everything that has happened in between, I supposed I could ask What If God chose someone other than Beth? What if Mike had more time with his Dad? What if my sister had courage six years ago? What if people weren't sick in the head? What if people could be accountable for their actions? What if people weren't in denial? What if people could just truly learn to love one another? What if I were taller? Thinner? Prettier? Richer? Smarter? WHAT IF WHAT IF WHAT IF?
Look, it's always fun, in theory, to wonder WHAT IF? BUT....we are who we are for a reason. My question is....What if you could embrace the beauty within you? What if you could trust in the love in your heart? What if could have your cake and eat it to? I have cake in the fridge...I'm going to have a piece with a nice tall glass of cold milk.

Now it's your turn! What if?

Putting it together....bit by bit

2011-06-19T21:41:00.009-04:00

Hi there folk! I'm back with an all-new blog and soooo much going on it's crazy.

HAPPY DAYS at the Pines Dinner Theatre has opened. We have some really wonderful audiences and will continue to have them. The show, based on the popular television show, has been selling like hot cakes. So, if you want to come see me in the show (which is playing through the end of August) you better hop to and make your reservations now because I can't guarantee you'll be able to get them come July.

The review was recently posted. It got mixed reviews but I got a nice little nod from the reviewer. After second guessing my playing Mrs. C it was nice to see the reviewer thought I did an honest job with the role.

This coming week (June 20-24) I've been asked by the Allentown Arts Community to teach an acting camp to Allentown, PA elementary students. I'm honored that I was thought of for this position. It's only 1 week but I'm hoping it attracts future private students and acting students at Civic this summer.

Starting July 11th I have a TON of stuff going on. I start my series of professional theater workshops in Bethlehem, PA.

Also on July 11th I start my 4 week acting class at the Civic Theatre of Allentown. I teach both acting and dance to grades 1 & 2.

Starting July 19th I'll be teaching a 4 week musical theater intensive in Chester, NJ for only $125. This intensive is for ages 10-18. We will cover everything related to musical theater and host a 1/2 hour showcase on the last day for the parents.

My company, Star of the Day Event Productions, is working tirelessly on presenting a reading of 'Poppy and the Magic Tutu' in NJ and PA. We are rescheduling our NJ reading to late July. We are still seeking a venue for our reading of Poppy in PA also scheduled for late July. The music is just about done and I'm looking forward to introducing it to the world. We are all very excited.

Star of the Day is also launching its birthday party program. We offer a large selection of birthday party themes complete with dramatic fun and play, favors, and gifts all at affordable prices.

I'll be performing on July 7th at the Allentown Public Theatre SPotlight Cabaret. The Cabarets perform at Allentown Brew Works on Hamilton Street in Allentown, PA. It's $5 plus 2 drinks! Come one, come all!

This next project isn't yet a confirmed project but I'm hoping to get it. I have had a phone interview and submitted all my materials for it. Just as I was starting rehearsals for Happy Days I was contacted by the ACTeen program at Weist Barron in NYC to teach an 8 week musical theater intensive class there. Well, I'm very close to making that happen. I would teach the class twice a week in NYC. I'm very excited about it and I really hope it works out. Musical Theater is my thang!!! So, any positive vibes you want to send my way, please do!

I have promised to include a VLOG and it's coming just not this week. Sorry! I'm super excited to get all the footage together and edited so I can share it all with you.

The other thing I wanted to mention is my voice studio is officially OPEN! I am accepting new voice students ages 12 +. I'm extremely affordable and have a very gentle approach to teaching voice to new and experienced singers. If you would like voice coaching or know someone looking for a vocal coach, please send them my way! THANKS!!

Also please check out these performers' websites.

Mim Paquin-Robinette
Jason Robinette
Sean Patrick Gibbons
Marshall Gunter

Thanks for reading this week! Stay tuned.....

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs. ~ Vance Havne"

VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: GREEN BEANS WITH APRICOTS AND SERRANO HAM

In film/tv, Kirsten has appeared in the upcoming comedy 'Big Guns', 'Three Chris'', and filmed the independent short 'Westfield' with Clocktower Productions. She has also appeared in two episodes of 'The World's Most Astonishing News'.

She has also appeared as a guest artist with the Newark Boys Chorus and Triad Ensemble and the Spotlight Cabaret with Allentown Public Theater. She was a founding member of the Boonton Parks & Recreation Theatre Company for young performers where she not only directed and choreographed the shows for the company but also acted as lead fundraiser, costumer, lighting designer, marketing director as well as scenic and props designer. Kirsten also taught dance for the recreation department to children ages 7-12. Kirsten has also dabbled in play writing for children's theater. Her twisted version of "The Three Little Pigs" (a musical from the Big Bad Wolf's perspective) was produced at Playhouse 22 in East Brunswick, NJ.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service entertainment experience.

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My Happy Days!

2011-06-04T19:40:00.010-04:00

Hey everyone! I'm Mrs. C in the Pines Dinner Theatre production of Happy Days this summer. It opens this Friday, June 10th. The cast is awesome. I can't wait for you all to come out and see it. Don't forget there are show only tickets for those of you on a budget. You can even make a day of it. Come hang at Dorney Park int he morning and head over for some fun at the Pines at night. See you there!

Goodbye gray skies, hello blue! Happy days are here again with Richie, Potsie, Ralph Malph and the unforgettable "king of cool" Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli. Based on the hit Paramount Pictures television series, Happy Days, A New Musical reintroduces one of America's best loved families, the Cunninghams, and the days of 1959 Milwaukee complete with varsity sweaters, hula hoops, and jukebox sock-hoppin'. The famed drive-in malt shop and number one hang-out, Arnold's, is in danger of demolition, so the gang teams up to save it with a dance contest and tv-worthy wrestling match. This perfectly family-friendly musical will have you rockin' and rollin' all week long!

HAPPY DAYS

plays from June 10 through August 21.

Matinee performances

Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Sunday

Evening performances

Friday
Saturday

I also have some exciting things going on outside of Happy Days!

I'll be teaching a workshop series in Bethlehem, PA through my new company Star of the Day Event Productions. The series in PA will touch on subjects like picking great audition songs, how to master a monologue, cold readings, how to audition properly, and more. The workshop staff consists of me, a professional in the entertainment industry, and other professional artists from PA and NYC. To check out the full details check out our workshop page on our website.
I've been asked to teach a four-week musical theater intensive in Chester, NJ at Wings Conservatory. It will be a collaboration between Star of the Day and Ballet Forte at Wings Conservatory. This four week intensive is for students age 10-18 and will cover many topics related to musical theater and we will be learning original Broadway choreography, songs from current Broadway shows, and even visits from Broadway performers. To learn more about this intensive and sign up online click here.
I'm teaching a super acting intensive for Accents Model and Talent Center starting Saturday, June 18th and going every other Saturday from 10-4:30pm. The class is $795 for 50 hours of class PLUS a 2 day intensive with two SAG/AFTRA actors from NYC. If you are interested in learning more about this program check out Accents Model and Talent Center.
My new company Star of the Day Event Productions will be doing a FREE reading of our new children's musical 'Poppy and the Magic Tutu' on Thursday, June 30th at 7:15PM in Chester, NJ at Wings Conservatory. If you'd like to reserve your spot you do so by filling out a RSVP form on our website.

In other news....

My Godson, Zephyr, is ONE! I can't believe the little muffin is one. He's celebrating in California with Mom, Mim, and Dad, Jason, at Jason's sister's wedding. I can't wait to see them when they return. I hope they are having a great time and that they have safe travels on their way back to the east coast.

Congrats to Ericka Osswald and all her dancers at their recital. And I'd like to personally thank her for raising $250 for Relay for Life at the recital in loving memory of Beth Pacheco Brum, my dear friend who lost her life to melanoma three months ago. Beth was also a dancer and instructor at Ericka's dance studio, Center Stage in New Bedford, MA. Ericka also shared a story about the lights acting wonky all week during their rehearsals for the recital and she asked Beth before the actual performance to give her a sign that the recital would run smoothly. Right in the beginning of the show the lights dimmer and flickered for about 10 seconds and then everything was perfect for the rest of the show. I guess that was the sign Ericka was looking for...and Beth was there getting her dance on. After all, Ericka and her dancers dedicated the finale of the show to Beth.

Michael and I celebrated our three year wedding anniversary. We headed to Barnegat,NJ to spend time with his parents and they treated us to a very lovely anniversary dinner at a great restaurant Octopus's Garden. If you happen to be in that area, check the place out. It's absolutely delightful!

Well, folks...after being in rehearsals all day every day for the past week, not much else has been going on. So, enjoy the blog this week and I'll have more to report in the coming weeks.

As always, thanks for following.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."" ~Erma Bombeck

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service entertainment experience.

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The Business that Keeps Getting Busier!

2011-05-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

Welcome back!

Have you ever woke up and almost three months has passed? No, really, have you? Because that's pretty much what I'm going through right now. It's an odd feeling, but I kind of like it!

In this issue of I Own My Own Business...The Business of Me I'll be talking with a few industry professionals about how they manage to stay busy and sane at the same time.

First up is one of my best friends and one of the most talented people you'll ever meet!

Mim Paquin. To learn more about Mim, please check out her website www.mimpaquin.com

Q: When did you make the decision to concentrate fully on a classical and opera career?

Growing up in a home with an audiophile classical music audio-engineer father meant that I was constantly being exposed to classical orchestral music. Both of my parents are trained vocalists and actors. After getting in to the Boston Conservatory on a full-scholarship and listening and hearing the classical vocal performance majors, I made a promise to myself: If I hadn't succeeded in being an original singer/songwriter by age 30, I'd make the transition to classical voice. 30 came and went. I realized I was successful as a singer/songwriter, so I kept working at that. Then I literally woke up one day and had the desire to sing in church again. I made this known to a few friends and a couple of months later found myself music director of a youth rock mass at a local Long Island Catholic Church. While there, I joined National Pastoral Musicians and went to a Liturgy Institute. I think God had something to do with this decision. Did as much as I was going to do vocally in all other styles of music. I ultimately made the decision to focus on opera because I wanted to challenge myself. Best part about it is, UNLIKE singing other styles of music - I don't have to give up singing other styles of music, since most of opera is healthy singing. It was a win/win! I made that decision a very long time ago, but followed through with it in 2005 upon returning from the Liturgy Institute.

Q: What changes did you have to make to your lifestyle to make these dreams a reality?

I needed to bring myself back vocally to my classical voice. If that was possible, all plans were a go! It was possible, so go we went. I didn't make any changes to my lifestyle since as a musician and singer from a very young age I would practice anywhere from 2 to 4 hours a day singing and playing piano. -In this case I just had to budget my time between translating arias, learning the scenes and characters and ultimately learning the actual music. Nothing has changed except the sounds coming from my apartment are no longer only r&b, Broadway, jazz and gospel or crazy character voices.

Q: How does the opera world differ from, say, musical theater and what are some of the extra steps you have to take to build up a career in classical music and opera?

That's a loaded question and the answer you get, really depends on the person you ask. Those at the top of the game will tell you that the process to get to perform opera is no different from musical theater. The main difference is the singing, the vocal development that goes on beyond just singing through and rehearsing rep. My life experience has taught me that the more artistic singers typically heard in a rehearsal studio will produce snippets of arias, scales and hitting the area of their voice that is the weakest part in relation to which ever role for which is being prepared. In musical theater, one relies predominantly on coaches and music directors and singing through the rep. In opera, one relies on multiple coaches, a primary teacher or two - the conductor for the production and singing through the rep and repeating weak phrases over and over again. -Everyone wants and expects something different and because the expectations are so incredibly high, this constant constructive criticism is necessary. I've worked and trained in musical theater, aside from doing more physically demanding choreography, musical theater, for me, is easier. Then again, a colleague of mine currently assistant conducting at the MET said, that there is no longer a difference between musical theater and opera, because opera has been bringing in Broadway theater directors and choreographers. So not only do we have to sing at the top of the game - we have to package ourselves with the same amount of deliberate intensity musical theater singer/dancer/actors actor/singer/dancer dancer/singer/actors do! All of the steps are the same.

Q: Now you own your own business, Silver Voice NYC. On average, how many hours do you dedicate to your business?

It varies from week to week. In reality, truly running a service business without a storefront is actually not time consuming until I record and do post-production for a client. To quantify the hours dedicated would be misleading. Truly.

Q: When you are preparing for a concert, recital, or other performance, how many hours do you practice?

I practice every day - even when I am not preparing for a performance. I think the difference between me and many in my field, is that I do not require an instant gratification of presenting my hard work to an audience in order for the work to have meaning the same amount of time still applies to this: 1 to 4 hours a day, more when production rehearsals are involved. There is a reason why singing r&b, jazz and character voices are simple for me, even though I "sing opera" I never stopped practicing, ever.

Q: Ok. With all those hours put into your voice and business, I am curious about something. I know there has been an addition to your family. Has the added responsibility of being a Mom made you better at time management?

I was always crap with time management, but one thing I have always had is a great sense of humor and extremely easy going attitude. I do not think everyone can do what I do. I thank my temperament and technical mind that enables me to focus on what is ultimately important: my health and the health of my family. If I fret and worry about time - I'm stealing away the happiness from my time with them. So no, I suck at time management, but I'm never late for anything, get projects done well before deadline, memorize arias in foreign languages in a matter of hours (even with a baby requiring attention - which most people can't even learn one in English in a quiet room alone!!) -I really think it all depends on the person. I make singing a fun goofy activity for my son, so he watches and learns and reminds me to smile even when the aria I am singing is from a scene where my character is about to die. The message from my comedic mind is: Time management is a load of crap. Forget about labeling yourself and the amount of time you demand of yourself to be deemed worthy of those labels. Instead, spend time enjoying what you are doing, find the fun in the PROCESS of doing whatever it is that needs to be done and leave the labels and requirements to acquire those labels alone. I call myself Mim Paquin. That is sufficient enough. Mim Paquin, mother, soprano, audio-engineer... -that's all perception. To demystify it further, we stop putting expectations on ourselves is when we can finally bring into focus who we really are.

Q: How has motherhood impacted you as a performer?

Yes. I no longer put so much emphasis on the business of what I'm doing. I place the emphasis on people and relationships. The lesson my son will hopefully learn is that whatever he decides to do, he'd better enjoy what he does and like his colleagues and peer-group. I spend time with friends who care about love and life and who respect me as an artist. Everyone else, I've placed at a distance. That is how my son's presence in my life has impacted me as a "performer." I've created my own set of guidelines as far as the kinds of projects I involve myself in that I do not think everyone could or would agree to follow. He will learn integrity and honor outweigh financial gain, multiple vacations and residences. He will be taught the true road to having a presence of mind is to live in the present.

Q: What advice would you offer to individuals who think they have to give up their lives as performers when they have children?

Each person is different. Decide what you feel is right for you. But if you are going to be a parent and performer, lower your expectations and learn to laugh at the high-strung non-parents out there who place energy and emphasis in the wrong areas of life. You can do it, if you really want to, if you don't want to perform anymore. I wouldn't judge you. Just remember, you want to have a well-rounded life for you so that your child(ren) can watch and learn about life through your example. If you are going to be miserable without performing, then do your family a favor, and don't give up. No one likes a wet blanket whining about should have, would have, could have - your child(ren) is/are not any different. Give them the lesson of what it means to follow your dream and finding your happiness. That lesson is lost on so many and sadly, doesn't see the light of day in most homes in this world. Just by being a light of positive energy and love can be a worthy existence, a legacy in itself and one worth lifting up long after you are gone. Truly live your legacy so you can leave something of true value behind for your child(ren).

Now I'd like you to meet Seth Bisen-Hersh. My first interaction with Seth was on Twitter. He started following me and after looking him up and making sure he wasn't some kind of psychotic malcontent I started following him back. Then I auditioned for his weekly showcase at Don't Tell Mama's in NYC and I had a blast working with him. He's hysterically funny and extremely talented. After the first showcase, Seth invited me back to sing in a showcase for his 150th Showcase Celebration where I would sing an original tune by Seth. Turns out Seth chose the perfect song for me to sing.

SETH BISEN-HERSH (Composer/ Lyricist): is a prolific, versatile composer/lyricist and performer. His musicals include What If...?, Love Quirks, Stanley's Party (Manhattan Children's Theatre), More to Love, The Spickner Spin (FringeNYC Audience Favorite Award) and Meaningless Sex (FringeNYC Audience Favorite Award). He also produces two annual charity concerts of his work featuring Broadway performers: Broadway Meows and Broadway Can!, and writes/ stars in the web series Every Day a Little Seth. He has two Bachelors from MIT and a Masters from NYU. Visit: www.sethbh.com;

Q: I know you are always busy with your showcase at Don't Tell Mama's and writing original music. What other projects are you working on to keep you busy?

At the moment besides the weekly showcases, audition playing and private coaching, I have 7 musicals I am juggling, plus the web series. We are doing a presentation of Love Quirks on Monday, June 27^th, so most of my energy is going there, but also this summer Season 2 of Every Day a Little Seth premieres on Sunday, June 19^th. Episodes will be uploaded 6 weeks in a row, Sundays at 11:59PM. And if that wasn’t enough we are doing the 3^rd Annual Broadway Meows charity concert for the Humane Society of NY on Monday, July 18^th.

Q: Do you take time for yourself to let your brain unwind? Like taking yoga or spending time at museums?

I haven’t the flexibility for yoga, nor the attention span for museums. I try to read, but lately I’ve been having trouble focusing, so the only way I can really unwind is by turning the brain to mush… ie watching TV. I follow a lot of TV shows, which leads to esoteric references in my series, so it’s sort of productive… in a way.

Q: Can you give me an example of a week in the life of Seth?

Yes.

Oh, you wanted an actual example?

I usually arise around noon, and I catch up on correspondence and my daily webpages I read for the first 2 hours of the day, if I don’t have a gig. There are definitely weeks where I have a lot of coaching clients and audition gigs, especially in the spring, but as summer arrives, that’s waning. If I have no gigs at all, then I dedicate the time to showcase maintenance, website maintenance, email correspondence, and, most prominently, writing. I always need a zillion stimuli at once, however, so I usually have an awful lot open on my desktop and on my desk while rotating through the day’s to do list until everything gets complete.

Q: I have two cats and I know when I am out and about day in and day out they can certainly hold a grudge. I know you have a cat, do you get the silent treatment when you can't spend as much time as you'd like?

Smee never gives me the silent treatment. It’s the opposite. He is constantly whining for food because he’s on a very strict diet with specific portions after almost dying from a bladder blockage. He ALWAYS wants food, and if I’ve been gone, he’s more adamant. However, I spend an awful lot of time at home, and living in midtown I can pop back in short breaks, so at least he doesn’t have to feel lonely too often.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do when you do get some time just for YOU?

Cryptic (and regular) crossword puzzles and playing chess and Scrabble.

Q: What advice would you like to share with performers out there that are in need of a little balance in their life?

I wouldn’t know a thing about balance. I work most of the hours of the day, and the hours I’m not working I’m usually still mulling things over in the back of my head. Plus, occasionally I write songs in my sleep. I think if one chooses this kind of career, it is essential to go whole hog, with everything you’re doing aimed towards the ultimate goal because a good portion of it is timing and luck. So while you’re waiting for timing and luck, all you can do is persist and improve your craft tirelessly!

UPCOMING FOR SETH:

Love Quirks Presentation: Monday, June 27^th lovequirks.com

Every Day a Little Seth Season 2 Premiere: Sunday, June 19^th – catch up on Season 1: youtube.com/EveryDayaLittleSeth

Start with the first episode!

3^rd Annual Broadway Meows: Monday, July 18^th sethbh.com/broadwaymeows

Last but certainly not least is my friend KATHY DEITCH.

Q: Kathy I know your career started right out of college and has pretty much soared since then. Was there ever a time that you didn't think you'd be able to handle the demands of being a professional actress and keeping up with your personal day-to-day business? Well, my first job after graduation was directing at Shakespeare in the Park in Hoboken. In the middle of that, I saw the audition for the European Tour of HAIR and thought, "I can do this!" and I got it. Touring in Europe was a dream come true but after 11 months, I was ready to head back to the States. I put in my notice even though they wanted me to extend my contract (people always did HAIR for yeeears). But I knew it wasn’t the path I wanted to be on forever and I knew being back in NYC was where I needed to be. When I returned, I worked 5 part-time jobs to make ends meet. Coat checker, catering, and 3 others including a retail chain…but I did that on purpose. I had so many jobs because I wanted to be able to walk away from any of them at any time if theater work became available. And that’s exactly what happened. I walked away from a retail job because I was offered a chance to sing on the demo for Frank Wildhorn’s ‘Civil War.’ The retail job told me I couldn’t take the time to do the project and I said yes I can and I left. But that’s ok. Things worked out. You do what you have to do.

Q: Do you have a relaxation technique you use when you feel the stress building? Uh no. I wouldn't call it a technique. I tend to think too much and always have things swimming around in my head, getting overwhelmed by the future. In my head I think about all these future projects and plans and that gets overwhelming. I like the idea of 'stepping into my greatness' and doing what I am called to do on this crazy planet but its always a challenge. I try to stay in the process and answer the questions: ‘Where are you right now?’ 'What exactly are you doing?’ and ‘Why are you doing this?’ After being brutally honest with myself, if Ego or Fear are big reasons, I check myself before I wreck myself.

Q: I know you have lived in NYC and now you are in Los Angeles, two very fast-paced cities. What do you do when you get a moment to relax? In NYC, I would use the fast pace as a drug. I would feed off of it and make my life as crazy as possible. I would thrive in it. Here in LA, there is a ton of time. You have oodles and oodles of time on your hands. I was sort of like a lion pacing the cage a bit for the first three months. Then my friend Rosa told me ‘Kathy, there is Grace in the slower pace. You will have time and space to investigate yourself. It’s amazing.’ And when I embraced that idea it changed everything. When I need a pick-me-up, I go to NY to get plugged in (I'll be there the first week in June-can't wait!) and then I come back charged.

Q: What's a day in the life of Kathy like? Nothing is typical. I do wake up earlier out here (in L.A.). I'm a 12 Stepper, so I hit up meetings 3-4 times a week. Once a week I have hypnotherapy which has changed my life. My full, 5 week Audition Boot Camp hasn't caught on out here. Seems to be more of a trend toward instant gratification: "I have and audition, so let me coach for it once." I have an entire family that I give voice lessons to. It started out with the son who is 16, then the Mom and now the 13 year old daughter (I kinda want to make her a Disney star). A couple days a week, I work on Rosa’s food truck, Rosa’s Bella Cucina. It’s interesting and totally fun. It’s me and my two roommates, who went to school w Rosa & we've all been in hit Bway shows working on the food truck. There's lots of singing & dancing. It’s so nuts! It’s been like this happy random thing. And then I do get to audition. It’s funny because when I moved out here I was so willing to say goodbye to my acting career. My first month here I had some crazy shit happen: went to network and tested for the TV show Mike and Molly for Molly. Its a very big deal apparently *shrug* I was just thrilled there was a character I understood and seemed a lot like ME. And then, that same week, I booked ‘RENT’ at the Hollywood Bowl. Soon I had a manager and a commercial agent on top of my legit agents. I go in about once a week for stuff. Sometimes more and sometimes less. I don’t have to choose. I can be a slash…actor/producer, actor/director, etc. It’s been really good. I also squeeze in SKYPE coachings and I can't believe it works. All of my high school seniors did brilliantly at their college auditions. And sometime, like today, I have the time to sit and brainstorm the new script I'm thinking of or just journal or update my blog in a coffee place.

Q: How do you handle friends who feel neglected when your career has you super busy? There are people on a daily basis from NY that are always telling me to move back. Its hard. I think there's a fear of success changing the relationship forever.

Truth is, it won't be the same. But I gotta trust that my friendships will be what they're supposed to be. We all grow. But other people’s feelings are not my feelings. In the end, I need to be surrounded by people who want me to be successful and vice versa. Other people’s happiness about me staying where I'm at isn’t going to make me happy. You have to be most concerned with what YOU'RE doing. You have to find your ‘happy.’

Q: For performers who strive to have a packed calendar, what is one piece of advice you'd share about how to balance a busy life and career? A lot of the time people think they have to say YES to everything, especially in the begining; it does help to build up to build up their network. So you start an endless cycle of filling your calendar with so much work that you don’t necessarily care about because you are trying to get yourself out there and it seems harmless since you always make friends when you’re on the job. But there comes a time when you have to get real about what you truly want. Doing readings that are not good is not ok because you are afraid nothing else is out there. It IS ok to say NO. We end up tying ourselves up with jobs where you are treated poorly and auditions you have no interest booking. That is wasted energy. Know what you want and don’t just go to go. It’s a waste of time to fill your day with needless crap. I don’t want just any job. That’s not the artist I want to be. I’d rather have a part time job and coach. You have to be really honest with yourself about who you want to be and what you want to say to the world through your work. When I find myself working for the sake of work and stay way too ong in something because of fear that the next won't come, I check in with my motives as an artist. Work because it’s good and it feels right.

Kathy offers an amazing Audition Bootcamp when she's in NYC and you should definitely follow her Audition Bootcamp Group on Facebook! I took Kathy's Bootcamp back in June 2009 and it was the best thing for me. I was still pretty new to the audition circuit and I got frustrated really fast. I thought I knew myself and what I should be singing. I didn't. Kathy really opened my eyes. I started with one song but after the first class I switched after Kathy spoke about picking songs that reflected who you are and allows you to truly connect. And boy was she right!! It wasn't just a class that teaches you proper audition etiquette...but it was an acting class, a therapy session, a self-help class....and much more. I know you are reading this thinking what the whaaaaaa? But I'm not lying. Each class someone cried. Not because they were emotionally touched by someone's audition performance (Althought that DID happen) but because we let down emotional walls within ourselves in order to connect to our music and lyrics and truly shine as who we really are. And there is nothing more freeing than that. And YES, Kathy's class can really do all that. SO if you are around when she's back in NYC the first week of June her class is a MUST!!!! You won't be sorry! She's also available for private coachings via SKYPE! I'm actually setting one up for myself this summer right before I get back into the audition rat race. She's awesome...and I'm NOT just saying that. You can find her blog at www.coolgirlisdead.blogspot.com .

Side note: Kathy gave me my first callback at Wagner College for 'Godspell.' I didn't get it but it was the first time at Wagner that someone saw and believed in my talent. So, THANKS, Kathy!

I want to thank Mim, Seth, and Kathy for participating in my interviews. I am grateful to them for their help and insight and I know I my readers will be thankful too!

I can certainly attest to the difficult task of maintaining balance in life. As a professional actress I work almost seven days a week and sometimes at very odd hours. I still have to dedicate quality time to my husband and me, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and take care of day to day errands. Now, I have the added stress of starting my own entertainment company. How do I do it? Easy. I have an amazing husband, incredible parents, extremely supportive and understanding friends, and a great sense of humor. I have chosen this busy life...I know it's part of what I must do in order to achieve my dreams and goals. I do, contrary to popular belief, take time for myself and relax. Even if I get an hour to myself a week, I make the most of it. It's easy to become consumed by everything else around you and lose sight of the important things in life, but if you create priorities and remind yourself of those priorities everything works itself out. Now if there were 8 days in a week...that would be wonderful!

Now if you do have people in your life that are constantly interrupting your path to success, you honestly need to question why these people are still in your life. To echo what Kathy said, you have to find your 'happy' and your friends should be a part of that journey. Anyone who sets our to sabotage your happiness has no place in your life. None of us like to be the person to end a relationship but in all honesty is it better to have peace of mind or to always have to defend your dreams and goals to people who clearly don't want you to achieve them. I know there are people reading this that know exactly what I'm talking about. I've had conversations with you about this. Just remember...in life YOU have to take care of YOU. In the words of the great RuPaul "If you can't love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else?"

Thanks for reading this week!

COMING UP....

Check out my company's new website. STAR OF THE DAY EVENT PRODUCTIONS
June 10-Aug 21 - Happy Days! The Musical - Pines Dinner Theatre, Allentown, PA
June 30 - Reading of 'Poppy and the Magic Tutu' - Wings Conservatory, Chester, NJ
May 23 & 31 - Cat in the Hat - The Caring Place, Muhlenberg School, Allentown, PA
June 6 & 13 - Cat in the Hat - The Caring Place, Allentown, PA
June 18 - Sept 3 - Acting Intensive, Accents Model and Talent Center, Bethlehem, PA
July 11 - Aug 29 - Theater Arts Workshop Series, Star of the Day Event Productions, Hellertown, PA
I'm also working on getting those VLOG's going...so hopefully I'll have it ready to go next month.
and more....STAY TUNED!

Quote of the Week: An artist is a creature driven by demons. He doesn't know why they choose him and he's usually too busy to wonder why." ~William Faulkner

Video of the Week: This video is really important to me. It's 5 minutes long and you should watch every second of it. If you've ever lost someone you love you should watch this.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service entertainment experience.

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Sometimes happiness comes in the form of a big purple hippo....with a tutu!

2011-05-01T09:08:00.001-04:00

In the summer of 2010 I was holding my beautiful Godson, Zephyr, while Mommy (BFF Mim) was getting some well needed rest. He was only a few months old and I started telling him this silly story I created for my 1st and 2nd grade theater school students. It was about a bunch of animals that perform in a circus. And the lead character was a ballerina....a hippo ballerina. To my surprise Mim had woken up but stayed in bed in the other room and listened to my silly little story. When I was done she came out and urged me to write it down. I didn't.

Months had gone by and I continued to teach at the theater school, audition in NYC, perform and try to make ends meet. I went away in Nov/December to do a show in Westchester, NY and when I returned I had no paycheck, work, nothing....the bills piled up. I quickly got an Off-Off Broadway show in NYC where I was lucky enough to stay with Mim and Jay in Queens during the rehearsal/shows. Mim and I got to talking about my students who I was still teaching on Saturday mornings. I would tell her stories about my kids and the stuff they came up with in the story-telling portion of my class. Again, Mim urged me to write down my hippo story. Again...I didn't do it. I'm lazy! :)

Well, my show in NYC ended and I immediately started rehearsals for Nunsense - the show I'm currently performing. Then, my best friend, Beth, passed away and my world was turned upside down. I wasn't able to go home for her services, which still haunts me, but Mim and I traveled to our hometown of New Bedford, MA for a much needed family visit right after Nunsense opened. In the car ride up to Massachusetts I kept questioning whether or not I was supposed to be performing. But I always question why I would be given the gifts I've been given if I wasn't supposed to use them. Then, Mim asked God to send us a sign as well as asked Beth for her guidance to show us both if we were on the correct paths in life. I can't tell you the amount of signs we both received while home in New Bedford, on the car ride back to NY and since then. It's been 2 months since Beth's passing and I still receive signs that she is here with me still cheering me on. I am reminded through these signs that I'm supposed to be where I am today. And that ALL things have a way of working themselves out.

Oh and I FINALLY sat down and wrote my hippo story. POPPY AND THE MAGIC TUTU It has gone through three rewrites, and I've recruited a new friend, Greta Kleckner, who I met at the dinner theater I'm performing at. Greta and I have the same energy for performing and both believe we were put here on earth and graced with gifts that only God can grant and to use those gifts for good.

This had my brain working double time. And so the small birthday party business I started after Christmas - STAR OF THE DAY EVENT PRODUCTIONS - has now blown up to be a full scale entertainment company that will specialize in providing entertainment for special events, theater arts workshops, and original children's musical with fun music, colorful characters and wonderful moral lessons.

The script is receiving a lot of interest and we are hoping to have the show finished and ready to go for a fall tour around PA, NY,NJ and my hometown of New Bedford, MA. Ever since I was a little girl and I was introduced to the arts I wished I could go to a school like FAME. Well, I didn't get to go to FAME, but even better I attended New Bedford High School. Approximately 5,000 students and a theater and music program that would make any Performing Arts High blush! The sad thing is that my hometown, like most big cities, has taken a hit in the arts within the education system. The once booming marching band is finally starting to rebuild but has a mere 40 members. The music teachers and drama instructors are doing what they can to make sure these city kids get a great arts education but I feel its not enough. I was blessed to have received the arts education I did in a public school system which led me to the successful career I currently have. I want to give back. It is my goal to receive a grant to do a New Bedford Elementary School tour. To provide our show to more than 1,000 pre-K - 2nd graders at no cost to the schools. It takes money...and lots of it. But, it WILL happen. Mark my words!

I want to create a company where the employees as well as the audience have fun. That they are treated with honesty and integrity. That the performers will keep coming back over and over and over again! That we can continue to create original shows that will keep actors working and that our company can continue to educate and enlighten.

I will also be looking for sponsorships for the show. I'm talking to Carters, Toys R Us, Gap, Hasbro, and many others. Their partnership will allow Star of the Day Event Productions to perform nationwide and maybe allow a child to see their first live performance. I never want to take for granted what I've been given and I want to encourage our youth to strive to be more, take risks, and to follow their dreams. If I didn't do any of that I'd probably be sitting at a desk complaining about hating my job, single with 50 cats, and watching others do what I am meant to do.

IN OTHER NEWS....

May 7, 2011 - OPEN HOUSE Accents Modeling and Talent Agency - Bethlehem, PA
May 9, 2011 - Cat in the Hat - Allentown, PA
May 13, 2011 - I will speak at Nazareth High School's Career Day about being a professional performing artist - Nazareth, PA
May 29, 2011 - NUNSENSE CLOSES; HAPPY DAYS rehearsals begin
May 30, 2011 - Cat in the Hat - Allentown, PA
June 3-9, 2011 - The movie I was in last fall will be showing at the Hoboken Film Festival - Hoboken, NJ
June 10, 2011 - HAPPY DAYS OPENS at the Pines Dinner Theatre - Allentown, PA
Sometime in June 2011 - Table Reads for Poppy and the Magic Tutu.

Quote of the Week: "By striving to do the impossible, man has always achieved what is possible. Those who have cautiously done no more than they believed possible have never taken a single step forward." Mikhail Bakunin

Video of the Week: There is something about this commercial that just touches me deeply. I saw it for the first time during the airing of American Idol on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 and I just was so deeply moved by it. Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: Lime Cilantro Saffron RiceOne box of yellow spanish rice
one bunch of fresh cilantro
1 lime

Make the rice according to the directions. Chop cilantro finely and add to the rice WHEN IT IS DONE!!! Zest the lime and add with cilantro and juice of 1/2 lime. ENJOY! It's soooo yummy. Chipotle grill makes a white sticky rice like this but I like using the spanish saffron rice. Knock yourselves out!

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service entertainment experience.
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Acting is Intense!

2011-04-20T17:35:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!

I have such wonderful news! Today I met with Donna Coccodrilli of Accents Modeling and Talent Agency in Bethlehem, PA. Donna contacted me on Tuesday, April 19, on my way into NYC for my showcase at Don't Tell Mama's to tell me I came highly recommended by Rebecca Tropeano Pieper-Bohun of Musik Makers. Sweet!

Donna explained to me that she is looking to expand her modeling school with the addition of an acting program. So we set up a meeting. Within the first half hour I knew I wanted to work with this woman and build an acting program one can only dream about.

Donna has access to agents and NYC professionals (which I happen to fall under that category since I do my fair share of performing in NYC.) The program will be very structured and curriculum driven. It will offer students and opportunity to explore theater, film, TV, and commercials. It will build their public speaking skills. It will offer dance and movement, monologue work, scene work, group skits, and a big showcase at the end of the eight weeks.

Now, I urge you all to come and check the school out on May 7th 1-3PM. All the instructors will be showcasing their own talent to show students they are going to get nothing but the best as their instructors.

If you attend the open house your name will be entered into a drawing for a scholarship for the inaugural acting program. All you have to do is show up!

The first acting program will run May 18 - August 6. Every other Saturday from 10:30am - 4:30pm.
Nunsense is still running at Pines Dinner Theatre in Allentown, PA where I am playing the role of Sister Hubert. Here is an excerpt from the show: We run Wed, Thu, Sun matinees and Fri & Sat evenings. There are dinner/show packages AND show only tickets. So come on out and have some fun with a bunch of nuns!

Also, on Tuesday, April 19th I sang at Don't Tell Mama's in NYC for Seth Bisen-Hersh's 150th Showcase Celebration featuring all original pieces by Seth. I was blessed to have my husband with me that night to support me and also in attendance were Mim Paquin-Robinette and Samantha Morris, two of my biggest fans! Sam also brought her beau, Rich. I was so lucky to have 4 people cheering me on. I was smack dab in the middle of a great line-up of songs. My song that Seth chose for me is titled 'Love Me For Me' and here is the video from that night.

I can't tell you how much I love this song. Seth has an entire store of sheet music of his original tunes. You can check them out on his website.Check out some pics of Mim, Sam, and I at Bamboo 52 in NYC for post-show sushi! Yummers.

Now, the business of me came across this article by co-founder of The Savvy Actor, Kevin Urban. Kevin is a great guy running a very successful business in NYC for actors AND acting himself. Enjoy the article. It's great.

Getting paid what you deserve [savvy actor]

As actors, we need to believe in our worth and price ourselves accordingly by asking for what we want. I was reminded of just that when my agent sent my check for a print job that I booked. The check was nice, but it could have been a lot nicer…if you know what I mean. At the time, I decided that I was not going to discount my services.

This particular shoot was in Philly and the actual client was not there, but a rep from the advertising agency was. While waiting for hair and makeup, the client called and said that he’d like my head to be shaved for the shoot.

At first, I was like no way. I’m not shaving my head. They should’ve specifically cast a bald actor or at least let me know at the casting call. While I was thinking it over, the photographer came up to me and said “Ask for what you want and make it worth your while.” HUH! I started to seriously consider it. It was a print job so my agent would get 20% commission. I was already making $3,000 for the job. My agent was going to get $600 and figure 28% would also go toward taxes.

As I started to think about my price, I also started to think about how long I would be bald and how being bald would affect my business. I’ve been bald before and I know that it would take at least two and a half months for my hair to grow back. In that time, I wouldn’t be able to audition for commercials because I wouldn’t look like my headshot. $10,000 was the number that jumped in my head. I figured that I would need at least $10,000 to change my look because taxes and my agent’s commission would eat up a significant portion of the money. I also wanted to cover my expenses for the two and a half months that I wouldn’t be auditioning.

Once I settled on my price, I called my agent, told her the situation, and that I would do it for $10,000 plus the $3,000 I was already getting. My agent was so supportive and agreed – $10,000 was the “absolute minimum” because she couldn’t send me out until my hair grew back. My agent called the ad executive and told them my number. They got back to their client and he countered with $7,000. I said no. I did the shoot anyway – with a hat on.

At $7,000 I would have had to pay my agent $1,400 making my cut $5,600 before taxes. Financially, the money would have been nice, but all in all, I would’ve had to have taken 3 months off from auditioning or get new headshots. Neither option really made sense. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard to turn down the money, but it was the right decision. More importantly, I really didn’t want to shave my head. I knew that it would grow back, but I wouldn’t have been happy for two months while waiting for my hair to grow back and not auditioning. I put a number on what I was willing to accept and stuck with it even though the money they offered was nothing to sneeze at. I was willing to walk away rather than take the lesser amount and devalue myself.

In an industry where there is a need to please others in order to work, it’s easy to discount our services because we want that work! I’d like you to consider “Asking for What You Want and Need”. You may ask for it and not get it, but you’ve got to value yourself. Hey, I didn’t get the money I asked for, but I’ve got my hair. Overall that makes me happier than if I’d taken their offer.

Kevin Urban is a professional actor/singer and career coach with The Savvy Actor who aims to share his entrepreneurial vision by empowering clients to achieve their dreams. While in college, Kevin in love with the syllabus. The syllabus allowed Kevin, A graduate of Elizabethtown College with a BA in Communications focusing on PR, Marketing and Theatre, to stay on top of grades, perform and swim competitively. As an actor, Kevin has performed since the age of five, working in Theatre, TV, Film and Commercials. www.kevinurban.com

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Now, this article is one of many I've read on this subject and it's not the first time this subject has come up in my life. I have conversations with many close friends about knowing my worth. My friend Kelly and I would have hour long conversations about knowing how to put a price on my worth. She is a tutor and as her tutoring business grew, so did her worth. She was able to put a minimum price on her tutoring and she doesn't back down. Another dear friend, Mim, and I have gone back and forth about me accepting things for free or on verbal agreement. Now, being new in the business I accepted things for no pay to get my name out there and network. I'm still relatively new but I'm also becoming more and more established. Recently I have had the opportunity to set a price to my worth and not back down. And it's rolling along. And it feels good. So, never devalue your worth.

Now for the biggest announcement of all! My company Star of the Day Event Productions is officially on the map. I have started to put together a staff, board, FB page, and so on. The creative team has already met to go over the first full-scale children's musical and work on rewrites and talk about the music. We have already posted auditions for the table reads in June. We are getting all the paperwork together to file to be a non-profit organization. We are also organizing the materials needed to get the birthday business up and running for the summer! We are looking to book a series of performance workshops both in PA and NYC. We are looking for investors for our children's musical so we can tour with the show around the east coast. We are hoping to set sail come the fall! It's all so exciting. We are looking for a logo and soon a website. I have teamed up with Greta Kleckner, another professional actress living in PA. She is helping with the music arrangements for the shows as well as a full-time member of the staff when all the paperwork is in and accepted. Star of the Day Event Productions will also provide professional musical entertainment for corporate parties, fairs, festivals, weddings, etc. We are full scale entertainment company ready to make you all the Star of the Day. Upcoming.....

April 30th - Teaching a 1 hour Speech and Diction class at Accents Modeling and Talent agency
May 7th - OPEN HOUSE for my new acting intensive at Accents Modeling and Talent Agency from 1-3PM. Bethlehem, PA
May 13th - Career Day presentation at Nazareth Area High School
Now - May 29th - NUNSENSE!
June 10 - August 21 - HAPPY DAYS! The Musical!

Thanks for stopping by folks! Stay tuned....

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer." ~Marcia Wieder

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service entertainment experience.
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Giving Back and not Giving Up

2011-04-14T23:40:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone for an amazing benefit on Monday April 11th. Please check out the article about the event. I had no idea the event was even being covered. All of a sudden I'm being interviewed. It was crazy. The event made $1,000. It was slightly less than I had hoped for but it still raised more than some people expected. The overall feeling of the evening was that not enough is being done for these families and many of the guests hope to see more fundraisers continue to pop up. As a matter of fact, my husband's new boss at STAPLES is looking for a local community charity to support and Michael suggested the Allentown Family Fund. So, now I am trying to think of new and creative ways for my husbands store to raise money.

At Monday night's event, there was a lot going on. In one room there was a Tricky Tray set up with 20 prizes. We made over $200 on the Tricky Tray. We had great prizes like 6 course dinner for 2 with wine pairing, tickets to 2 different theaters, salon and spa gifts, jewelry, and all sorts of amazing stuff. Many people went home happy! Some not so much but it was all in good fun and for a great cause.

In another room there was entertainment with local singers and musicians from the Lehigh Valley. There were local celebrity bartenders selling their own cocktail creations and donating all their tips back to charity. There was some amazing foods like oysters on the half shell, scallop ceviche, pork pate, tabouli, sushi, and lots more. We had a collection for the Second Harvest food bank as well. All in all it was a successful event!

Check out one of my songs: Dance Ten, Looks Three

IN OTHER NEWS....

I will be playing Mrs. C in Happy Days The Musical at Pines Dinner Theatre from June 10 - August 21.
I am working on my next children's musical and will hopefully touring this new children's musical in the Lehigh Valley area in the late summer early fall and then hopefully along the eastern seaboard. And who knows..maybe nationally!
I will be forming my own non-profit theater company. Recent events have proved that I need to form my own company. Too many issues have been coming up that disrupt my ability to live my life. Poor business practices have been getting under my skin and it's now time that I set my feet firmly on the ground and put my non-profit experience and performance experience to the test. I have so many supportive friends that have already agreed to lend their expertise and advice to help me to get this going. I'm so excited!
Don't forget to check out my new website.
I'll be starting a new cooking VLOG on YouTube. There is no title right now, but a lot of people ask me for my recipes and how I get a month's worth of groceries for hardly any money and so I'm going to start a VLOG. My first blog will come out in May and I hope you'll all check it out!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.” ~ Lucille Ball

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: This is some insanity that Mim and Jay introduced me to a couple of years ago. INSANITY!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo with Grilled Chicken over Pasta.

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken tenderloins
1 lb pasta ( I use penne or tricolor rotini)
1 jar Alfredo sauce
3-4 sun-dried tomatoes
Olive Oil
salt and pepper
Garlic
crushed red pepper

First boil water for the pasta. Next, salt & pepper the chicken and grill. In a saute pan add the alfredo sauce and heat. In a blender add sun-dried tomatoes and about 1/4 c. olive oil. When full blended add to alfredo sauce. Add 1 t garlic, s&p to taste, crushed red pepper to taste. When it comes to temp, add the grilled chicken to the sauce. Finish cooking the pasta. Drain well and pile the pasta in a bowl and top with the sauce and chicken. I sometimes top it with parmesan cheese. Enjoy! It's yummy!

Kirsten Alm eida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service birthday experience.

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Sometimes Music is the Best Medicine

2011-04-10T23:22:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I will join a dozen other musicians from the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania to give back.

Back in February a natural gas explosion took the lives of five people and displaced many others. I was sitting in the living room of my friends apartment in Queens when I first read about it. The article I read said the Red Cross was collecting bedding and clothes for the more than 70 people displaced by this explosion. I turned to my friend, Mim, and said "Ooh, when I go home I have to go through my closet and donate some stuff" to which she replied "You should have a benefit."

Now, I haven't lived in the area for very long. Under 4 years. I had been spending a lot of my time in NYC or gallivanting across the country on tour or doing other theater-related jobs. I didn't consider my roots or ties here very strong. UNTIL!

I posted a Facebook status wondering if there was any interest for local singers/musicians to help out with a benefit to raise money for the victims of the explosion. Almost immediately, I had a dozen people write to me saying "YES", "Absolutely", "Count me in!", "What do you need me to do?" I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support.

Now, I have many years of special event planning experience...with budgets...big ones. But, by the grace of God, this event is going to be a success with a budget of $0 and all due to the gigantic hearts of the owners of the Starfish Brasserie and the local musicians.

When I sent out a general Tweet on Twitter asking if there were any local restaurants or venues willing to host the event, Starfish stepped up to the plate. Not only did the owner offer his restaurant free of charge but he is also providing hors d'ouevres for the guests AND donated an amazing 6 course dinner for 2 with wine pairing as a Tricky Tray prize. I use Facebook and Twitter a lot to network and get the word out about shows I am performing in. I didn't realize how many people were seeing my tweet or FB statuses and spreading the word. Mr. Donald Flad, Jr. a local to the Bethlehem/Allentown area and a member of the Lehigh Valley Tweet-up group I belong to jumped up and started the buzz about the event to all the local chambers and bars and restaurants and through his Twitter account. The United Way caught wind and said they'd like to help since they established a fund for the victims: Allentown Family Fund.

So here we are...almost 3 months after the fact but the need is still great. The event went from this small idea into this big amazing event with 13 vocalists, a country bluegrass band, local celebrity bartenders, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, a radio station, local events bloggers, Tweeters, Facebookers, and so on...all caring about what happens in their community. And I had something to do with that. I've always had a big heart and a soft spot for the less fortunate. And whenever I find myself complaining about not being able to go on that vacation, or buy that pretty dress, or having to clip coupons - I always stop and remind myself of the roof over my head, the shoes on my feet, and the food in my refrigerator. I remind myself of the loving husband I get to hold hands with, the cats I get to cuddle with, and the car I get to drive (albeit old and beaten). I am reminded of the friends and acquaintances who care about me and the things I care about and go to great lengths to help me do this for those who cannot help themselves.

I may not have millions to donate to the Allentown Family Fund myself but I do have something that can help. My God given talent. My voice. My heart. And I am finding out how lucky I am to have met all these amazingly talented singers and musicians who didn't think twice about donating their time and talent for others.

I was having a conversation with one of the singers at the rehearsal for the event about what life is like without the outlet to sing and perform. Empty. Lost. So by using what God has given us to create an event that will help more than 70 victims of the explosion it also fills a void as a performer. That need to get up there and do what we were put on earth to do. So what better than to combine our passion for what we do with the need to help these families so desperately trying to rebuild their lives.

Now come on out to event!! You will not be disappointed.

PERFORMERS:
Cindi Greatsinger
Courtney Haines
Allie Wertheim
Allison Saba
Carol Broughton
Ryan Kelly
Janis Greim
Michael Pilgermayer
Wendy Borst
Bob Cohen
Christine Hjorth
Rebecca Pieper-Bohun
Kirsten Almeida
Wooden Nickel

EMCEE: Oliver Blatt

Celebrity Bartender: Donald Flad, Jr.

Tricky Tray donations from: Starfish Brasserie, Pines Dinner Theatre, Civic Theatre of Allentown, Shine Salon, Biltmore Inspirations, Mary Kay, Avon, Premier Designs Jewelry, Hava Java, Intuitions Spa, After 9 Designs, Tastefully Simple, Scentsy, Willow House, Bamboo Pink, Lia Sophia, Pampered Chef, iTunes, SoulDoll, and more...

Restaurant and Hors D'ouevres donated by: Starfish Brasserie

Sound donated by Michael Pilgermayer

Accompanist: Lucille Kincaid

Promotional Support: United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Donald Flad, Jr. LehighValleyLive, B104, Laini's Little Pocket Guide, Starfish Brasserie

LEHIGH VALLEY MUSICIANS PERFORM TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE ALLENTOWN FAMILY FUND

Monday, April 11, 2011
7 -9 PM
Starfish Brasserie
51 West Broad Street
Bethlehem, PA

$15 Cash
Tricky Tray Tickets: 1 - $1 ; 10 - $5 ; Arms length - $10
Cash Bar

http://www.starfishbrasserie.com/events/monday-april-11th

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." ~William James

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: I am not posting a video in this blog. I will be taking video footage of tomorrow night's benefit and posting it in the next blog. Stay tuned!

Angels all around us

2011-03-09T11:42:00.000-05:00

In loving memory of

BETHANY L. PACHECO BRUM
9/29/1976 - 3/6/2011

Beth lost her battle with Melanoma in only one short week. It has not been easy. I am trying to do what I know Beth would want me to - keep on keepin' on.

If I didn't believe that people's spirits stayed with us in some way, shape, or form before Beth's passing, I certainly do now.

The day of Beth's wake, which I could not attend due to contractual obligations for a production I'm currently in, I kept receiving signs she was near me.

The first sign I got was inside a book Beth gave me for my high school graduation. It was a coffee table book: 125 Years of Broadway. I remember the book and even used it in college as a reference for research papers. What I never realized is Beth wrote a message to me in that book. Blue ink on blue paper.

Seeing this reminded me of how much Beth believed in me and how she was always one of my biggest cheerleaders. Now, 2003 has come and gone and I can tell you I was NOT on the cover of any book, but I didn't become a professional actress until 2008 so I have until 2018 to get myself on the cover of a book. :) I'm working on it, Beth!

Every day I think of her and I miss her so much.

On June 24-25 I will be part of a Relay for Life team in my hometown of New Bedford, MA walking in Beth's memory. Please consider making a donation to Relay for Life and sponsor my walk. Just click the logo below. Any amount helps! Thank you in advance.

Upcoming events:

Thursday, April 7, 2011 8 PM $5

Allentown Brew Works

Nunsense!

Pines Dinner Theatre

Now through May 29, 2011

Don't Tell Mama

150th Showcase Celebration featuring Seth Bisen-Hersh's original music

Tuesday, April 19, 2011 7pm

$12 cash PLUS 2 drink minimum

Don't forget to check out my website! Mim at SilverVoiceNYC has been working hard to make my site great.

There are so many things happening in my life right now that I it's hard to keep it all straight.

Benefit for the victims of the Allentown Natural Gas Explosion on Monday, April 11, 2011 7-9 PM $15. Star Fish Brasserie, Broad Street, Bethlehem, PA
ONGOING - New Program Coordinator/Performer for Civic Theatre's 'Reading with Cat in the Hat'. I'll be portraying the Cat in the Hat while also promoting literacy to at-risk youth.
Invited to be a program educator for the Allentown Cultural Arts Camp. I'll be teaching students age 8-12 acting, storytelling, theater, voice, etc.
ONGOING: Filming health industrials at the Lehigh Valley Health Network Teaching Hospital. Currently I'm preparing to shoot Patient Care for Depressed and Suicidal patients and I'm also training to give birth. I'll do the acting from the waist up while a simulator does the actual birthing because I don't know nothing about birthing no babies!

Quote of the Week: "Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. And lo, no one was there."~ Author Unknown

Video of the Week:

NO RECIPE OF THE WEEK :(

Kirsten Rani Alm eida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

Kirsten teaches drama classes at the Civic Theater in Allentown, PA to grades Pre-K through 4. Kirsten also offers an audition class to high school students which helps students audition confidently. Her effective teaching style is requested by groups in PA and NJ and NY.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service birthday experience.

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NYC...what is it about you?

2011-02-22T20:04:00.000-05:00

Hello!!!

Well, I'm excited to announce my website www.KirstenAlmeida.com has received a face lift. I love everything about it. It represents me to a 'T'. Please check it out!!

I'm so excited to be back to my regularly scheduled blogs! So much has happened this past month that I hope I can fill you in without rambling on...but then again, it wouldn't be ME if I wasn't rambling, right?

So first and foremost, I just completed a very successful run of the new rock musical 'The Legend of Johnny 15' at the Parkside Lounge in downtown NYC with the Serious Theatre Collective. I worked with this group in 2009 on 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings' and had a blast.

When I was first approached by STC I was reluctant to take a role in a show about fetishes because, well, it's just not me and I live in PA. I wasn't sure if it would be possible for me to handle the schedule and commute but like I always say if it's meant to be it'll take care of itself.

Well, it certainly took care of itself. I got a chance to rock it out and get some R&B singin' in. As an artist, I love being challenged (even if it means a freak out and lack of confidence in the beginning, right, Mim?) Now, I'm so proud of this show. It is quite clever and really needs the attention of industry professionals to help it go further. I can see this show becoming a late night cult classic. It's fun and quirky but intelligently written. I'm honored I was sought out for this role.

Here I am with the band: Ari, Ricardo, and Andrew

The cast of The Legend of Johnny 15

I met up with this spectacular group of people for our cast party after my showcase at DON'T TELL MAMA'S in NYC. I'm very excited to have worked with the talented Seth Bisen-Hersh. I've already been asked by Seth to return in April to sing some of Seth's original compositions in celebration of his 150th Showcase. How exciting is that? I'll keep you updated on the date for that! I hope you all can make it.

Now to get to work on Nunsense. I'm so happy it's finally here. I've been looking forward to this gig for months now. I've already started learning my lines and I have the first act memorized. I'm hoping to be 90% off book once rehearsals start so I can concentrate on the music and dance. I've always played Sister Leo in the Nunsense productions I've done. Now, I have to learn new music for Sister Hubert. I'm excited about it but I figured getting off book will be the smart thing to do so I don't have to tackle too much during a 2 week rehearsal process.

Theater school also starts back up this weekend. I'm starting a musical theater component with my classes since I know how talented they are. With my grades 1-4 I'm teaching them an entire scene from Stuart Little: The Musical. I have actually played the small little mouse four or five times in my life. I just love the show. It's cute and has great scenes for this age group.

Now, for my high school class I have no idea what to do with them. They all want to do American Idiot, Rent, In The Heights, etc....I wish I could convince them that musical theater existed before 10 years ago. Now, don't get me wrong, I like all of these shows...they are high energy and fun but I want them to appreciate ALL musical theater. And maybe I'm asking too much of myself since I only have 3 more classes with them, but in the end I know that the musical theater component for all my students will be a success.

I have some news that is exciting that isn't theater related...I have recently been asked by a few local christian music artists to join forces. I haven't made any concrete plans to work with these folks exclusively since it's all so new to me, but I will be meeting with them once Nunsense opens. I'm excited to finally get some of my music I've been working on with my vocal coach and dear friend, Khy, heard by people in the christian music industry. For those of you who don't know, the vibe I'm going for is a cross between rock gospel and Kelly Clarkson. LOL! Sounds weird but I'll tell you, some of the stuff Khy and I have come up with is great! I can't wait to finally share it with all of you. Stay tuned for that....

The other big news I have is this:

LEHIGH VALLEY PERFORMERS UNITE TO RAISE MONEY FOR VICTIMS OF A NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION in ALLENTOWN.

I read about this devastating event while staying with Mim & Jay in NYC. I said "I'll have to go through my closet and donate some stuff" and Mim said "You should do a concert" SO that's what I'm doing. I've reached out to a ton of Lehigh Valley social networks to help me get the word out and have had a great response when asking professional performers to donate their talents to raise money. Also, the biggest shock I got was one of Bethlehem's finest restaurants The Starfish Brasserie offered to open his restaurant and provide Hors D'oeuvres for the event. How amazing is that? I spent almost 12 years as a fundraiser including special event fundraising so this comes quite naturally to me. If you are interested in attending the event here are the details:

Benefit for Allentown Explosion Victims
Monday, March 28, 2011
7pm
The Starfish Brasserie
Broad Street
Bethlehem, PA

$15 cash donation at the door (all proceeds to go to United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley)
Bar will be run by the restaurant.

Performers include: Bob Cohen, Kirsten Rani Almeida, Ryan Kelly, John Monahan, Allie G. Wertheim, Christine Hjorth, Brian McKay, and many many others. All in all, we have about twenty local professional singer, musicians, and comedians. We hope you will all come out and support this very worthy cause. For more information about the blast CLICK HERE.

On the horizon.....

more music writing
a new children's musical in the works...written by ME!
waiting to hear about a few gigs (fingers crossed)
a trip to Richmond to meet my Abby
MY THIRD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!!

Quote of the week: Where hope grows, miracles blossom. ~Elna Rae

Recipe of the Week:

Mickey's Spicy Broccoli

Ingredients:
One package frozen broccoli florets
crushed red pepper
minced garlic
S&P
Olive Oil

First rinse the frozen broccoli and let it drain completely. Meanwhile, heat a saute pan on medium and coat the bottom with EVOO and toss in the garlic. As the garlic starts to brown toss in the broccoli. Be careful for splatter. Coat the broccoli in the oil and garlic and add a couple shakes of the crushed red pepper. Reduce the heat and let the broccoli start to soften. When it gets to your preferred softness remove from heat. Add S&P to taste. Serve.

No picture available. It's really simple and SUPER tasty. You can also adjust the crushed red pepper according to your tolerance for spicy food. My husband usually adds a little and serves mine and then adds more before he serves himself. :)

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service birthday experience.

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I was lost but now I'm found...

2011-02-17T18:22:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! It's been about a month since my last blog and I can explain....

I have been very busy getting ready for my current show 'The Legend of Johnny 15' produced by the Serious Theatre Collective in New York City. I'm quite proud of this project, but it didn't start out that way.

When I was first approached by STC I was reluctant to take a role in a show about fetishes because, well, it's just not me and I live in PA. I wasn't sure if it would be possible for me to handle the schedule and commute but like I always say if it's meant to be it'll take care of itself.

Last Friday, the show opened to open-minded audiences and great reviews. People are loving the show. We had large audiences all weekend. Now, there are only two more chances for you to see the show at the Parkside Lounge in NYC this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18 & 19. The show starts at 8pm and is $20 (cash only). I recommend you get there by 7:30pm if you want to get in. The venue is on the small side and we are expecting big numbers this weekend.

I'm getting a chance to kind of rock it out and get some R&B singin' in. As an artist, I love being challenged (even if it means a freak out and lack of confidence in the beginning, right, Mim?) Now, I'm proud to say the show is quite clever and really needs the attention of industry professionals to help it go further. I can see this show becoming a late night cult classic. It's fun and quirky but intelligently written. I'm honored I was sought out for this role.

If you are in NYC this weekend, PLEASE check it out.

THE LEGEND OF JOHNNY 15

Parkside Lounge

317 East Houston Street
New York, NY 10002-1103
(212) 673-6270

Take the F train to 2nd Avenue and walk down to Parkside Lounge locate on E. Houston and Attorney.

Serious Theatre Collective also just chose me as their current actor to profile on their site. So check out MY INTERVIEW on their site. We were asked some questions related to the show. We had the choice to answer as ourselves or as our characters. I chose me. I also chose to not seriously answer every question. Can you guess which ones are a load of crap?

Also, don't forget to check out my new website. It is still being worked on by Mim at SilverVoiceNYC and her ideas are going to have my site looking amazing. If you need to mp3s of you singing for upcoming auditions or need a website, please contact her.

Coming up....

Friday & Saturday Feb 18 & 19 Final 2 performances of 'The Legend of Johnny 15'

Friday, February 25th - Showcase at Don't Tell Mama's on 46th Street in NYC

February 26-March 11 - Rehearsals for my next project, Nunsense at Pines Dinner Theatre. Rehearsals are long so if I lose touch with you guys during this rehearsal period, please be understanding. For some reason, I keep taking projects that have less than 2 weeks to get a show up. I think I've lost my mind.

Quote of the week: Life is like a litter box. When shit happens just cover it up and walk away. ~ Kirsten Rani Almeida

Video of the week:

Recipe of the week: Brown Rice Salad

Ingredients:
1 bag of Minute Brown Rice
1 can chick peas
1 can corn
1 can black beans
olive oil
chives
dill
lemon juice
rice wine vinegar
onion powder
garlic powder
S & P

drain and rinse the corn, beans, and chick peas and add to mixing bowl.
cook the rice according to package.

In a small bowl, add 2T rice wine vinegar, 1T lemon juice, 1T Olive Oil, 1/2 t each of dill, chives, and garlic powder. 1/4 t of onion powder s & p.

mix well and add to canned ingredients. When rice is done drain thoroughly and mix into all the other ingredients. Great hot or cold. Makes a ton of servings and lasts for an entire week.

ENJOY!

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service birthday experience.

The story of Bob

2011-01-23T14:53:00.000-05:00

Hey there. Welcome back!

I had such an amazing week last week and just had to share all the exciting stuff going on.

On Monday, I got to spend an entire day with one of my favorite people. Kelly Brandt is one of those people everyone should have in their life. Over the past few years we have become extremely good friends. She is the type of friend that would drive you to the airport right after a storm in 20 below weather at 5am....yup, she did that for me. She's also the type of friend that would go out of her way to see to it that you have employment options in your life. :) We had a discussion about me needing to subsidize my income in between gigs and she took it as a personal challenge. We have had numerous conversations about that topic and she never ceases to amaze me with her dedication to me and her other friends. So, I digress. I spent the day at her house on MLK day and she made some amazing chicken soup for me...and it was awesome. Definitely hit the spot on such a cold day and I will be making it for me and the hubster in the near future. As always, I enjoyed the conversation. I want to thank her for just being awesome and being a true friend.

Throughout the rest of the week I was put to work gathering information for my website to Mim Paquin-Robinette and SilverVoiceNYC. Please check out www.KirstenAlmeida.com. Color scheme and layout are still being worked out along with some of the content. But it up and running and I can cross yet another thing off my 2011 goals list.

Speaking of Mim...I got to spend Wednesday - Friday with Mim, Jason, and my beautiful Godson, Zephyr. I was so happy to be there and overwhelmed at how much he's grown that I didn't take a single picture. ME? Can you believe it? I practically walk around with a camera sewn to my hand. But there will be many next times...and I will take pictures. Now, I don't know if you noticed that this week's blog is titled 'The Story of Bob'...well that's because I learned so much about Bob from Zephyr. WHO IS BOB????? Why, to Zephyr, he's a confidant, a friend, a teacher, a playmate...he's everything. I mean every time I turned around Zephyr was speaking of this Bob. Bobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobob...... bobobobobobobobobobobob. I mean he must be very important for Zephyr to talk about him so often. Right? It was too cute not to mention...and since I love him and his parents I thought it quite apropos to title the blog in his honor.

I also had an audition in NYC this past week. First one in a long time. It was for NYC's Seth Bisen-Hersh. I was asked to sing in his showcase at 'Don't Tell Mama's' on Friday, February 25th @ 7pm. There is limited space so RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW. You can reserve now and pay at the door. It is cash only. $12 plus a 2 drink minimum. If you reserve please show because I'm responsible to pay for you if you don't show up. :( But, I'm quite excited to have this opportunity to get heard and seen in NYC by professionals in the industry. And it's two days before rehearsals begin for Nunsense so it'll be my last performance in NYC until June.

Up next for me is The Legend of Johnny 15. I'll be playing the Narrator and voice of the scanner. It's a rock/R&B style musical written and produced by the Serious Theatre Collective of NYC. Performances are Fri & Sat February 11, 12, 18, 19 and Monday February 14th (VALENTINE'S DAY). I'm extremely excited to be working with this creative group again after working with them in Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings in the Fall of 2009.

I have auditions scheduled almost every day for the next month and I'm super excited about that.

On the teaching side of things, I'm back into the swing of things at Civic Theatre of Allentown teaching grades 1-4 and 9-12. Yesterday (Saturday, January 22nd) I sat in on the auditions for grades 1-4 for Civic's upcoming junior musical 'Seussical'. These kids are crazy talented and I'm beyond proud of them. They had to stand on the stage, 8 at a time, and audition both singing and reading from a side in front of EVERYONE (minus parents...they were not allowed. THANK GOD!) They were so good, guys! Having had the opportunity to see them audition and see more than what I get to see in class, I now know how much more I can push them in class and it is ON! After the auditions I headed to my high school class. I thought they weren't caring or listening when I would ask them questions about their characters back stories last week. I got a lot of 'I don't knows' or 'I think' or 'I'm guessing' and I would say YES you do know...you don't think YOU KNOW...you're not guessing YOU KNOW. This week when they got up there I could tell they spent time over the past week looking at their monologues asking important questions about their character and really defining their place and who and why and moments before, etc....several times in class I got teary-eyed and had to take a moment. These 'kids' are amazing creative creatures. They challenge me as their teacher but also as an actress. One of my kids wasn't getting it...I just walked up and started some improv as his 'to' and I saw the light bulb go off and he got it. And I just smiled and walked away so he could finish. It was a beautiful class yesterday and I can't wait to explore more with them. Bravo!

So this weekend I've been able to spend some much needed QT with the hubster. We saw a matinee of True Grit yesterday and it was awesome. We came home and I made grilled tuna with grilled pineapple and it was awesome. We watched a few back episodes of Parks & Recreation...all hail Ron Swanson....he's awesome! And then Mike suggested La Vie en Rose starring Marion Cotillard. I said yes! I was speechless. It was magnificent. Makes me want to smack myself for not working on my french more. Oops! Maybe I'll add that to my 2011 goals. Anyway, one of my new passions is foreign films. I've been watching a lot of them lately. And there are many more to see. I still want Mike to see Cinema Paradiso...still my all time favorite foreign film. If you haven't seen it, I urge you to pick it up. Such a simple story with beautiful music and cinematography.

I'm still working hard on my new business Star of the Day Productions. I have spent countless hours writing a business plan and researching online...I'm not quite done yet but I can see the finish line. I am trying to work on the logo. In my last blog entry, I put together something really quick to include in the blog. The logo is still a work in progress but my latest attempts are cleaner and simpler, as suggested by Mim who works with this stuff all the time. Here are some examples:

I think I'm leaning toward the one in the middle. It's colorful like me but simple. Let me know what you think. Drop me a line at kra@kirstenalmeida.com

Quote of the Day: " Singing is a way of escaping. It's another world. I'm no longer on earth. " ~ Edith Piaf

Video of the Week: This clip is from a season 2 episode that was guest starring Megan Mullally who is married to Nick Offerman in real life. I think Ron Swanson is so ridiculous that of course I heart him!

Recipes of the Week: Grilled Lime Cilantro Tuna w/Lime Cilantro Rice

Grilled Lime Cilantro Tuna

Ingredients

Tuna

Directions Combine ingredients for marinade, put in plastic bag with fish. Marinate the tuna for 30-60 minutes. Remove from marinade and place on grill. Grill to desired doneness. We prefer medium rare and it is delicious. It is easy to overcook tuna. You can always cook it a little more. A thick steak should take no more than 8 minutes for medium rare.

1-1/2 lbs tuna usually serves 4. You eat a much smaller piece than you would a steak. Leftovers are good the next day on a sandwich or salad.

Number of Servings: 4

Lime Cilantro Rice

1 teaspoon vegetable oil or butter
2 tsp. fresh cilantro
2/3 cup white basmati rice
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Lime

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Add rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute. Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil. At boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service birthday experience.

Visit my website.

2011...The Year of Fearlessness!

2011-01-14T10:41:00.000-05:00

How often do you keep yourself from trying something new or slightly uncomfortable because you are afraid you'll fail? Have you ever looked on the flip side of that coin? What happens if try and you succeed? Think about it!

I read an article lately that talks about making 2011 the year of FEARLESSNESS. Check it out!
I read the article twice and I thought how true is that. We need to put ourselves out there or else we'll never see our goals come to fruition. We'll never see our dreams come true. What's the point of dreaming if you are afraid of your own dreams?

Well, my New Year's blog was a promise to myself and everyone else that I'm taking more risks this year because my goals and dreams not only mean the world to me but they shape and affect other people's lives as well.

In the few short weeks of 2011 I have already accomplished so much and not only have I accomplished so much but I have close friends that are just going for gold. My friend, Mim, has started an amazing company that every performer in the NYC area should consider using. Her new business SILVER VOICE NYC. It's a full service recording service for vocalist and musicians in the NYC area. Check her site out because I have recorded with Mim in the past and I know I'll be working with her again in the near future.

Another friend of mine needed to find a way to help contribute to her family income after being laid off over nine months ago. Recently, she has joined the Scentsy company. If you don't know what Scentsy is...YOU MUS CHECK IT OUT. It's flameless candles using amazingly scented parafin heated by a small lightbulb. Heidi Leigh started Scentsy right before the holidays and has already grown her Scentsy company by leaps and bounds. Please visit her page: Heidi's Scentsy Page.

My friend Tracy took a huge risk by leaving a job that was causing her to be unhappy and strapped and she didn't have another job lined up. This is commendable. She moved back to PA after many years of living in North Carolina and Tennessee to reconnect to what it is she loves to do and to be closer to her family. I know it's very hard to leave a job that leaves you with anxiety issues and stomach aches because you hate it so much. So I am proud that Tracy just made the leap. I am happy to report it took Tracy less than a month to find a job here in PA. So congrats, Tracy!

For me, my 2011 accomplishments have been small but very powerful. I have met my first weight loss goal of 2011. 15lbs GONE and it ain't coming back!!!! I'm on week 5 of my C25K after having to take a six week break due to my involvement with 'A Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol.' I'm already planning my first 5K in the Spring. My next goal is another 10lbs. I am finding it easier to stick to my healthy living plan when my goals aren't so overwhelming. I have been dedicated to creating healthy meals 4 to 5 times a day for my husband and me. We have enjoyed several under 500 calorie meals with super high flavor and really satisfying. We were laughing one day when I presented the plate to my husband who saw very little on the plate. He was thinking I'm going to have to make a 2nd meal because there is no food on this plate. But my healthy meal proved him wrong. When we finished the meal he was surprised at how full he was. Controlling the portions with the right foods makes a world of difference. Because of these new low calorie filling meals we even can treat ourselves to a dessert every now and then. And if you are anything like me...chocolate is just heaven. I enjoy eating the appropriate portion of chocolate cake and 1/2 cup of cold skim milk to end my night. And I should add...I'm still left most night with extra calories. I don't feel the need to use them and therefore I see the results on the scale and in the clothes that are now falling off me. Yahooey!

I have a friend from my high school days that is on this new Vegan cleanse. Now, I'm not sure I can ever go vegan but some of the recipes she has posted look and sound so delish! There is one I'm gearing up to make for myself. It has sweet potatoes, green apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and agave. Yuummmmm-O! Magda and another high school friend, Marjorie are two of the people that inspired me to start running and with the running the healthy eating. The two of them have accomplished so many of their own fitness and health goals and it just snowballs.

Now, I've met challenges in 2011 already, too. Our cat, Max, became really ill on the 9th. His appetite wasn't there, he was vomiting, his stool had blood, and he was just not the crazy Max we knew. For my Mom friends out there you know what it's like to watch your babies go through an illness. Well, I don't have children (yet) so my kitties are my kids. And I know Moms would do anything to make sure their kids felt better. Well, that's how it is for pet owners too. They can't talk or point to where it hurts. For four days it was heart wrenching to watch Max go through that. We made three visits to the vet in two days. I prayed and kept my positive thinking going. Our vet, Dr. Kara Ballek is AMAZING! She was so good with Max and delivered the good news I've been praying for yesterday. All of Max's test were normal/negative. What does that mean? He had a case of the stomach ickies probably due to his constipation. I'm proud to report that Max is bounding down the stairs again, eating up a storm, bullying his furry sister, Samara, and pooping again! What a relief. After losing our Tita in the spring of 2009, we just found a way to make sure Max was taken care of. Sometimes you just have to make it work. Finances may be tight but if you are going to be a pet owner I urge you to make sure you have the resources to take care of your pets when they are sick. Mike and I may not be able to go out for date nights the next month but we know Max is ok and that is well worth it!

Another amazing thing that has happened it I'll be workshopping a new musical in NYC in February. The Legend of Johnny 15 is a crazy rock/R&B musical written by the Serious Theater Collective. I'll be playing to Narrator and the voice of the scanner. What does that mean? Well, I'm not sure but I'll let you all know after my first rehearsal January 31st.

I think the most amazing thing that has happened is my new business. I've been working really hard on the logistics and services this business would cover. So I'd like to introduce to everyone:

It's a birthday service PERFECT for me. My services include going to the home to provide entertainment, fun, and games for children. Why Star of the Day? Well, part of the unique experience is it's not me putting on the play by myself for the kids at the party but the birthday boy/girl will be the STAR of the show! I'll offer theater games, basic movement and song, and then it'll finish with a short play based on the interest of and starring the birthday boy/girl. How cool is that? I know as a kid, I would have had this as my birthday every year! If you want more information just drop me a line! I guarantee fun for all and an unforgettable one-of-a-kind experience for the birthday boy/girl. I'm still working on a website but if you want more information regarding pricing and services I do have that ready to go! I'm so excited!

So, three weeks into the New Year I've already conquered so much and I can't wait to see how much greater this year will be. Join me and the many others in being fearless.

Quote of the week: "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face...You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Video of the week:

Recipes of the week : That's right! TWO RECIPES THIS WEEK!!!

Garlic Terryaki Salmon and Warm Green Bean Salad (entire meal under 500 calories)

The Fish

You can really use any red fish like trout, salmon, snapper, etc.

Prep your oven at 350F

lightly salt and pepper each filet. In an oven-safe pan, pan sear the fish skin side up for 2 minutes. Make sure you spray the pan so it doesn't stick. Flip it to the skin side.

In a small bowl combine 1T honey, 2T terryaki sauce, 1t garlic (I buy the jars of minced garlic) Mix it all together and pour it over the fish.

Stick in the oven for 7 minutes. Take it out and pop a cover on it and let it rest for 1 minute or so. If you like your fish more rare, cook it in the oven for only 5 minutes with 1 minute to rest.

Warm Green Bean Salad

Frozen whole green beans I use 1 handful per person
1 baby red potato per person
1 shallot or 1/4 onion
1t minced garlic
1/2 slice turkey bacon per person.
1T soy sauce

Cut the bacon into minuscule pieces and crisp up. Set aside. Put potatoes in a Bowl and cover with water. Fork holes in them & microwave for 5 mins on high. When they are done dice into small cubes.

In the same pan u crisped the bacon in add just a tad of olive oil w/ garlic and shallots. Once they start to sweat add the bacon back with the potatoes. Toss them with everything and add s& p. Add the soy sauce, beans, and 1/4c water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

She is also the owner and operator of 'Star of the Day' Event Productions. A one-of-a-kind full service birthday experience.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-01-03T11:08:00.000-05:00

I sat around on December 31st trying to to think of something witty and wise to say as the last day of 2010 but nothing came to me.

Too many times in our lives we try to finesse our lives to be something they are not supposed to be. At some point in the last 12 years I lost a part of me trying to be someone I am not. If I cannot be true to myself I cannot be an effective human, wife, friend, daughter, sister, neighbor, etc.

I started thinking late in the day on January 1, 2011 about all the things I want to do and in the same thought I could easily come up with 100 reasons why I can't really do all the things I want to do. I kept telling myself 2011 is going to be a great year. One hour later I would worry about things and how 2011 is going to suck.

Yesterday, it all changed! I sat in church with my hubby and the priest's homily talked about 'It's a Wonderful Life' and how the path we set for ourselves may not always be the path God has set us on. Well, last night I saw two friends post on their FB pages that they made lists of their 2010 accomplishments and wrote down their 2011 goals. So, I took just a few seconds to just think about my accomplishments in 2010 and in the blink of an eye I had an arms length of accomplishments that made me smile. And I thought about my goals and dreams for 2011 and it, too, made me smile. Why???? Well, unlike the guy in the movie, my accomplishments and my goals are road signs...really BIG ones....confirming in my heart that I am on the right path. And I consider myself lucky. If God didn't want me to live my life in the arts he would not have let me accomplish all I did in 2010. Here they are:

National Tour with the renowned children's theater Omaha Theatre Company.
Sang the national anthem twice at the World Series of Cycling
Performed in NYC in a new play 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson which WON the 2010 Samuel French New Play Festival.
Started working on a one-woman show
Filmed a movie
Cast as Mrs. Mops/Mrs. Fezziwig in an original Christmas Carol at The Westchester Broadway Theatre.
DOUBLED the amount of callbacks I had than 2009.
Started coaching children and adults
Started this blog.
Celebrated TWO YEARS of marriage with my husband
Started running/training for a 5K
Lost weight
Decluttered my home
HAVE A NEW GODSON!!! (He's 7 months and apparently rolling all over the house. My prediction he skips the crawling and rolls right up onto those feet and starts walking!)
Was in two episodes of a television show
Took a acting for sitcoms class
Started looking for an agent
Paid down 1/2 credit card debt
Got a china cabinet
Hosted my first Thanksgiving dinner for my in-laws
Had my first audition via Skype
Visited with my Befri and her husband at the national zoo where she told me she was expecting outside the reptile house :)
Enjoyed two visits with my parents here in PA
Reconnected with many amazing friends
Had 2 successful jewelry shows
Made it through another year!

And as I actually started to list them it makes me realize how amazing 2010 was. It makes me forget about the little things that brought me down. Now I have a list of things to look back on and be grateful for.

For 2011 my hopes and dreams are:

To get an agent
To get my Equity card
To get in shape
Go on a vacation with my husband
Visit my hometown
Pay down debt
Take 1 class a month in NYC
Get new headshots
Film at least 1 more movie
Film another television show
Film my first commercial
Keep up with my hair trims (haha)
Get the 'Business of Me' more organized
Keep my house decluttered and clean
go to double the amount of auditions
Complain less
Pray more
Smile alot
Make sure the people I love know I love them
Get more clients for my coaching business
Take more dance classes
Continue to cook and eat healthy
Move to NYC
Write more music
More dates with my husband
Have my niece for July
Expand my networking
Spend more time with those friends in my life that have a positive influence on me.

That's alot but I'm up for the challenge. As Barney says on 'How I Met Your Mother' - "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!"

And now, anyone reading this can hold me accountable. I am quite motivated. I know I have a lot of work to do but I'm not afraid of it...actually IT should be afraid of me! :)

Here's to an awesome 2011, folks! Now, go and make your lists!

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-23T11:27:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Thank you for taking the time out of your very busy holiday schedules to check out my latest blog.

I'm so excited to be home for a few days to celebrate Christmas with my husband, Michael. We got to spend a few days together last week when he came to NYC to see my show 'A Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol' (which plays its final two performances on December 26th). He took the bus in from PA a few hours early so we could do Christmas in New York in a New York minute. We managed to cram in all the popular attractions in a very short amount of time. We did it all (I think): Rockerfeller Plaza, St. Patrick's Cathedral, FAO Schwartz, Herald Square, and the craziness that is Times Square. Here is a photo story of our day together!

This is what you see when you come up from the PATH train in Herald Square. This is Macy's theme this year. And it's beautiful and I couldn't agree with it more. In a year where so many people are going through such trying times, Macy's reminds us to believe. I do. Do you?

From Herald Square we walked a few blocks to Times Square. We definitely had our priorities straight too...first stop in Times Square? Why, the Charmin restrooms, of course!

I'm telling you, you will never have more fun going to the bathroom. They pride themselves on offering the public clean restrooms all the time. It's a promotion Charmin has been doing for the past few years. Last year, Mike and I enjoyed the go with our friends, Mim and Jason. It was so much fun we just had to return this year.

Each bathroom stall, this year, was decorated to represent different U.S. landmarks. I 'enjoyed the go' in the Grand Canyon. LOL! After 'going' you can even snap a holiday picture while sitting on Charmin's golden throne. We are big goofballs so of course we took the pic! They also have a dance video to an original Charmin pop song this year. Thankfully, I do not remember it. I'm pretty sure I don't want a song about going to the bathroom stuck in my head. There is also a stage to get up and dance, too. They'll record you dancing to the Charmin song and email it to you. If you've never been to the Charmin restrooms at Christmastime, make sure you add it to your list next year. I'm pretty sure it's going to keep getting bigger and better!

After 'taking care of business' at Charmin we headed to the top of the TKTS steps to check out the madness in Times Square. This is the part I enjoyed the least. There were just so many people that you resort to becoming physical to get through the crowds. I know it's the holidays and all but at some point you do need to cross the street or get into that one store and well....dropping a shoulder and pushing through the crowd becomes a part of your very survival. Michael did remind me that I am only 5'1 and could easily end up with 2 black eyes if someone decides to raise their elbows to stop me. So true!

In just a matter of minutes you can see the crowd multiply. It was insane! While in Times Square we also checked out the new HUGE Disney store. Ummm, we also waited online to get in. It's not a ride people...just a store. But that should paint a picture of just how many people are in NYC this time of year. Here is a picture of Mike and I in front of the castle in the store. It was like our honeymoon all over again. Yay!

And of course, I couldn't leave the Disney Store without giving Tnker Bell a hug. Ever since I was a little girl, I just LOVED Tinker Bell. I had this little plastic purse that had Tinker Bell lotion, spray, and bubble bath. I carried it everywhere until of course I dropped it and perfume broke and leaked all over everything. It was a devastating moment in my life. But, I still have a special place in my heart for Tinker Bell.

Now, leaving the Disney Store took longer than waiting in the line to get in. Why, you ask? Well, because we couldn't get through the wall of people between us and the street. It took us a good 10 minutes to get through the crowd and cross the street to the Roxy. All we wanted was lunch. Haha. Michael had never had Pastrami before so we split a Pastrami on rye and he loved it. Here's the proof! ---->
He wasn't sure he'd like it but I was sure he would. I was right... as usual. :) It was delish!

What would Christmas in NYC be if we didn't hit up Rockefeller Plaza? That's where we headed next. Here are a few pics of our time there. Enjoy!

We found a nice couple to snap out pic in front of the famous Christmas tree. Because we went during the day, there were less people crowding the railings that overlook the skating rink so I was finally able to get a nice picture of the rink. I also made Mike take a picture in front of the rink as well.

I've always loved the angels that line the path to the skating rink. So, naturally, I took a picture of them. And then I had Michael take a pic of me in front of a pile of red balls modeling my beautiful Purty Girl bag.

After grabbing a quick truffle at Godiva we headed up a few more blocks to unleash our inner child at F.A.O. Schwartz.

Michael wouldn't take his picture with the toy soldier outside the store so It's just me. Look how excited I am...HAHA! This man was so tall, too. He's bending down a good foot.

I haven't been to this amazing toy store in about eight years. But we had a lot of fun. There is an entire section set up like diagon alley from Harry Potter. So, naturally, I tried on a quiddich cap...because I'm a total dork. We also tried to play the big piano that was featured in the movie 'Big' but they no longer let the public play it. It's roped off and they now hire actors/dancers to put on a show. I was bummed because I was looking forward to playing on it. So was Michael. We were both a little disappointed but we got over it really quickly since there was so much stuff to be excited about. Like NEON FROGS!!! :)

While on 5th Avenue we checked out some of the window displays in the uber high end stores like Saks 5th Avenue, Cartier, Tiffany's, DeBeers, Bergdorf's, and Harry Winston. It's amazing in this economy that anyone can afford to shop in these places. But God bless them if they can. We also stopped into St. Patrick's Cathedral to light a candle for a dear friend's mom who passed just last week and to offer up some thanks and praise for my family and friends. Again, it was during the day and not quite peak time for tourists so we were able to find a seat, say a few prayers, and sit in astonishment at the beauty of that cathedral. They just don't make them like they used to.

After our whirlwind tour, we headed to catch the shuttle that transports all the actors in my show between NYC and Westchester. Michael had the honor of experiencing that ride. He watched the show and seemed to like it. He's my #1 fan and I love him. Here is a pic of us backstage after the show. He's so tall!

Like I said earlier in this blog, 'A Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol' closes December 26th. We have two performances that day. If you are feeling adventurous and want to come see the show click here.

UPCOMING....

new website (coming soon)
Educational video filming
Theater classes at Civic Theatre of Allentown
Nunsense (Tickets)
Allentown Public Theatre's Spotlight Cabaret
One Woman Show
AUDITIONS AUDITIONS AUDITIONS

As you can see, 2011 is going to be a busy year. After all, a working actress is a happy actress.

I wanted to share the trailer for the movie I filmed this fall. I don't appear in the video but I'm still proud of the project. So check the trailer out!

I know 2011 will be a good year. There will be a lot of changes happening - all good- and I will embrace them. They will all help me build a stronger 'business of me.'

During my short break I'll be organizing a mailing to agents. The mailing was started back in the summer of 2010 through Send Out Cards. I hit a brick wall when my unemployment ran out and I couldn't find a job. But, it's all good. So far 2011 looks amazing and I'll be able to pick up where I left off and I have good feelings about it. By the end of the mailing process I'm confident I will be interviewing with several agents. I'm very excited about this.

I have already started loading my calendar with auditions. In January alone, I already have a few dozen auditions on the books. I'm very excited about it and it's not even January.

I've been submitting through Actors Access alot too. I have received a few bites through that service but not having a demo reel definitely hurts. That is one of my goals for 2011. Once I have a demo reel up on Actors Access it will definitely enhance my submissions.

I have also started to pencil in workshops and seminars I would like to take in the city. It's all part of the networking I must do in this business. It'll also help me with on camera work since I don't have a ton of experience there.

I'm also learning how to be my own cheerleader. I've never been good at it. The more networking I do and seminars and workshops I take with leaders in the industry, the better I will get at it. There is no harm to giving yourself credit for you hard work.

So that's what I've been doing and what I'm looking forward to in the coming year. Thanks for stopping by to read my blog each week. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season.

With sass and class,

Kirsten Rani Almeida

Quote of the Week: "I'm learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma." ~Eartha Kitt

Video of the Week: Meet Fiyero! Fiyero is an adorable black German Shepherd that I've been staying with the past month during my stay in Jersey City. His Mom, Amy Bladen showed me a trick Fiyero does. HE SINGS!!!!! Here is a short video of Fiyero singing along with me. Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week:

Caramel Marshmallow Treats Recipe

Ingredients

5 cups crisp rice cereal, coarsely crushed
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
1 cup butter, cubed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Spice Island® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 package (16 ounces) large marshmallows

Directions

Line two baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside. Place cereal in a shallow bowl. In a large saucepan, cook and stir the milk, caramels and butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the cinnamon and vanilla.
With a toothpick, dip each marshmallow into warm caramel mixture; turn to coat. Press marshmallow bottoms in cereal; place on prepared pans. Let stand until set. Yield: 5 dozen.

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

Audio Samples

Musical Theater Demo

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

2010-12-17T10:26:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Thanks for checking out my blog!

I'm in my third week of 'A Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol' and everything is going great. I love my small, yet amazing cast. They are a great bunch of people.

The remaining show dates are: Dec 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, & 26. For tickets click here.

The show will break for the holidays on December 24th and 25th. I'm looking forward to spending time with my husband and cats. I'll get to spend some QT with my furr-balls on the afternoon of Christmas Eve when Mike is at work and hopefully get my Christmas Shopping done. Then, we'll head to the Jersey Shore for Christmas Eve and Christmas with my in-laws.

When the show does officially close, I'll be working hard on my lesson plans for the next semester of Civic Theatre School. I'm really excited to be picking up the high school class. I hope I can energize the class and get them excited about the world of theater. I'll also return to my part-time gig at the Pines Dinner Theater.

With everything going on in my life, I'm already starting to think about my New Year's resolutions. This year, I'm approaching this differently. I'm not giving anything up and I'm not going to try and lose weight. Instead, I'm focusing on my business, the business of ME, as my New Year's resolution. Getting back on track is my #1 priority. I WILL get an agent. I WILL get my equity card. These two components are key factors in the success of my business in 2011. I will dust off the tools I already have to do a full-scale agent mailing. I may not be able to use the convenient send-out cards method for this massive mailing, but I will get this mailing done, including all the follow-up mailings. There is NO EXCUSE!

I'm hoping to increase vocal coachings as well. Being involved in 'Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol' I've received some great advice about ME! So, because I already possess the vocal range I'm going to start focusing on my legit voice again. I know I can belt so I want to really fine-tune my legit sound so when I go into an audition I can really show the casting directors exactly what I can do as a character actress. This is very exciting to me.

Other thins on my 2011 'To Do' list is: to see 1 show a month. Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional, Community. I don't care just as long as I get out and support the arts. And when I have a gig, I encourage my fellow artists to do the same. There are so many resources out there that have affordable options to see great shows! I'm also hoping to take some classes and seminars but mostly I WILL double the amount of auditions I attend each week. I've never been more serious about my business than I am right now. I'm reminded that this business is where I belong when I get to sing and dance and act onstage 7 shows a week. How lucky am I to be making money doing what I truly love? It's a blessing and I am truly grateful.

I'm ready for you 2011. Put 'em up...but I know I'm going to win!

Quote of the week: "I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday." ~Author Unknown

Video of the week: My friend, Amy Bladen, introduced me to the music from 'Notre Dame de Paris' and I'm just in love!

Recipe of the week:

PEPPERMINT BARK - One my favorite things to munch on during the holidays!

Ingredients

8 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided
8 ounces high-quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
25 peppermint candies, crushed

Directions

Lightly grease a 9x9 inch pan and line with waxed paper, smoothing out wrinkles; set aside.
Place the semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of the canola oil in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is melted, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the peppermint extract. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan, and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the crushed peppermints over the chocolate layer. Refrigerate until completely hardened, about 1 hour.
Place the white chocolate and the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour the white chocolate directly over the semisweet chocolate layer; spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining crushed candy over the top and gently press in. Refrigerate until completely hardened. Remove from pan; break into small pieces to serve.

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

Audio Samples

Musical Theater Demo

'Tis the season....

2010-12-11T14:04:00.000-05:00

This week has been a whirlwind. I had 2 days in PA with my husband which was great! I miss him.

While there I auditioned for a health network to portray a patient in medical training videos. I got the gig. Over the next six months, I'll be reenacting certain medical cases to help doctors-in-residence at the Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Up until now, they have used programmable dummies. I was able to get a tour of their current facility where they 'brought to life' one of those dummies. It can breathe, talk, cough, vomit, and more...and the doctor trainees can practice drawing blood and administering meds. It was very VERY cool. Now, they are expanding their teaching hospital and are in need of an entire corps of actors to help with that.

The winter/spring of 2011 will be jam-packed for me. And I am happy about that!

January 8th I start back teaching at the Civic Theatre of Allentown for grades 1-4 and 9-12. I'm very excited about that. I'll continue working in the kitchen over at the Pines Dinner Theatre and will be Sister Hubert in their upcoming spring production of 'Nunsense.' On top of all of that I'll be working on the videos for Lehigh Valley Health Network, performing in the Spotlight Cabaret for Allentown Public Theatre, AND searching for a new place to live.

Mike and I have thrown around possibilities of where to live and I think we've both decided that we are New York City bound. I'm looking forward to that. If we don't move into the city, we'll be darn close. Possibly back in the North Jersey area near where we once lived. It's a 10 minute trip into the city and that is absolutely fine by me.

I'm still accepting new clients for my coaching business and with college auditions coming up I'm sure my calendar will start to fill. If you know anyone who is looking to audition for a college musical theater program, send them my way. I can assist them in choosing vocal selection suited for their voice type as well as help them choose and coach them on their monologues. Email me for pricing.

In other news....

'Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol' continues its run at the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford, NY until December 26th. We have many sold out shows and audiences are loving it! There are several different pricing tiers. There are $20 Student Rush tickets available with a valid student ID. You can only purchase them on the day of the show at the theater. My suggestion to you is to call ahead of time on the day you wish to see the show to see how full it is. Since Elmsford is a bit of a hike for most people, I'd hate for someone to come all that way and it be sold out. There are show only tickets as well but the pricing varies. I believe those are also available on the day of.

Congratulations to Greta and Scott Francy on the arrival of their first child, a daughter, Abigail Erin. I can't wait to meet her. I saw a picture posted on Facebook and she is just adorable.

THANK YOU to Amy Bladen for allowing me to stay with her during my run of 'Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol'.

Mike and I will not be sending Christmas Cards out this year but we want everyone to know how much we love them and we are sending heartfelt wished for a happy and safe holiday season.

Quote of the week: "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent ." ~Victor Hugo

Video of the week:

Recipe of the week:

Mommy's Magic Cookie Bars - This recipe is one of my all-time favorites that my Mom has been making since I was a little girl. They are a huge crowd pleaser and the recipe makes a lot.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk(for less fat use Fat Free)
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (I like a mix of hazelnuts and walnuts)

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

Audio Samples

Musical Theater Demo

Giving thanks...

2010-11-08T13:27:00.001-05:00

Hi folks! Welcome back...

I know it's been a few weeks since my last blog but I've been a very VERY busy bee. But I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Since November 21st I've been living in Jersey City with my friend Amy as I rehearse and perform in 'Sleep Hollow Christmas Carol' up at the Westchester Broadway Theatre. I'm playing the roles of Mrs. Mops (Scrooge's ornery housekeeper) and the effervescent Mrs. Fezziwig.

The cast and crew are great. I'm having a wonderful time. For ticket info you can go to broadwaytheatre.com

*********************************************************
I am so blessed to have amazing people in my life. I was reminded of that this past month.

Mike and I headed into Queens on November 7th for my godson, Zephyr's, baptism. He was too precious for words. I've never met another baby so attentive and contemplative. He's so calm and peaceful and also brings peace to anyone around him. He's a special boy and I LOVE HIM! I was so honored to be asked to be one of his Godmothers. I can't wait to witness his life as he continues to grow. He has great role models in his life including his loving parents. He's one lucky kid.

(Zeph and Me at St. Lukes in Forest Hills, Queens. He was sporting a sophisticated winter white outfit and a handmade sweater and hat for his big day.)

He was a perfect angel. When it was time for us to take the oath as godparents the priest would ask us a question and Zeph looked at the priest and then when we answered, he'd whip his head back and look at us while we spoke. Before the service, Jason (the proud papa) had his on his lap at the piano and Zephyr was just playing the piano and was so happy. It was just a great day!

***********************************************************

I have had some major adventures while staying in Jersey City...like almost being homeless for a night due to a cross in communications. All is well. I was saved by Mim and Jay in the middle of the night. Mim DROVE to Herald Square to get me. And I was overjoyed!! It was cold, I was tired, and I had to be up at the butt-crack of dawn to head back to Westchester. I also got to see Beth too. That was a nice surprise. I owe Mim a coffee still...who knows when I'll just pop up in Queens bearing caffeinated 'prizes'!

One morning getting off the A/C/E train at 42nd Street I got up and the punk next to me got up but he was holding onto my bag strap. Little did he realize that I had the long strap across my body so I tugged to the right he tugged to the left and my favorite kitty bag is now ripped. Jerkface! I'm fine. I was just surprised with a subway full of people no one seemed to care. I did punch the guy in the shoulder and called him a not so nice name...but I think he deserved it.

On opening morning I missed the shuttle from Amy's building by a few minutes so I walked to the PATH train. It's only a 10 minute walk. It was drizzling out so I opened my umbrella. Then all of a sudden I was Mary Poppins. The wind picked up and I could no longer keep my umbrella open because the wind was turning it inside out. So I shut it, thinking 'it's only drizzling.' I was about 100 feet from the entrance to the PATH when it happened...the sky opened up and just poured. Aaah! I was soaked from head to toe, inside and out. Grrrr.... Well since I got into the city a little early I stopped in KMart, H&M, and Old Navy looking for dry clothes off a clearance rack. No luck :( BUT I was fortunate to have use of the dryer at the theater. What a day that was.

All of that happened in 10 days. :)

Coming up...

Audition for an Educational video for the Lehigh Valley Health Network on Dec 6th.
Audition for Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, PA
A brief visit with my parents and niece on Dec. 12th when they come to see 'Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol'

Quote of the Week/Month: Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
-- Marcel Proust

Video of the Week/Month:

Recipe of the Week/Month:

Grilled Chicken and Pesto Farfalle Salad (For large party)

Ingredients:
2 packages Purdue shortcuts (Italian)
1 can artichokes packed in water
1 jar kalamata olives
1 lb farfalle pasta, cooked
1 jar premade quality pesto
1 lb of mini fresh mozzarella balls
1 jar roasted red pepper, sliced thin
1 large package of romaine lettuce
1 package of grape or cherry tomatoes
Olive Oil

To assemble, place all the romaine lettuce on a large platter. The next layer is the Farfalle pasta mixed with the pesto sauce( reserve just a little pesto for the dressing). Over the pasta starting on the outer edge place the mozzarella balls (slice in half) and the tomatoes, the next ring in is the artichokes, then the olives, then the roasted red peppers and top entire salad with the chicken. Mix the reserved pesto with some olive oil and top the salad.

Serve on the platter with serving utensils. Makes an amazing centerpiece at a holiday party! Enjoy!!!

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

Audio Samples

Musical Theater Demo

Fezziwig'n it up!

2010-11-02T10:47:00.001-04:00

For weeks I've been typing stay tuned.....at the end of every blog. Well now, I get to share some super exciting news.

I will be playing Mrs. Fezziwig/Mrs. Mops in Westchester Broadway Theatre's upcoming production of 'Sleepy Hollow Christmas Carol'.

A SLEEPY HOLLOW CHRISTMAS CAROL
December 1 - 26

A SLEEPY HOLLOW CHRISTMAS CAROL is the enchanting musical where Charles Dickens meets Washington Irving. It weaves the magic of the Dickens classic with the delightful characters from Irving’s vivid imagination and tells the tale of a Sleepy Hollow businessman, Ebezner Scrooge, who had no love in his heart for his fellow man, especially at Christmastime. Scrooge meets Washington Irving who takes him on a redemptive adventure to his past, present and future where he meets his boyhood self and such characters as Icabod Crane, Katrina Von Tassel, Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and several other surprising encounters. A SLEEPY HOLLOW CHRISTMAS CAROL is brimming with joyous music that will fill audiences with the holiday spirit and leave them with Dickens’s reflective message…”It’s never too late to change!”

So I know I'm going backwards, but I had to announce my next gig or else I would burst! Sooooo......Halloween was a blast! Mike and I went as Ned and the late Maude Flanders. We went to a party in Denville, NJ where Mike's best friend Bob and wifey, Suzanne live. We never see any of Mike's friends so we were happy to go. It's always fun hanging with 'The McCarthy's'. Suzanne went all out. Halloween themed everything...wine glasses, soda cups, plates, napkins, faux spider webs everywhere...and all the costumes were great. Thanks again to Bob and Sue for having us.

Coming up...

I'll be going to my godson's baptism this Sunday in Queens. He's the cutest lil guy ever! With his parents permission, I'll post some baptism photos in my next blog.
This Thursday I'm heading to NJ to see my Biz (Kelly) in Working at Mystic Vision Players. I'm going to a private performance of sorts since I have to work all weekend. I'm looking forward to it.
I start working again today after having way too long off while they rehearsed for the new show that opens tonight.
My final showcase with my students is Saturday the 6th. They have been working hard all semester and the showcase will be great. I have also just learned that I will be teaching an additional class next semester which is sooo exciting. I'm thrilled to death about it. I'm going to take on the high school class.
I have some jewelry show opportunities coming up in the next few weeks not to mention a few book shows out there.
On the 14th, in addition to my kitchen duties, I'll be heading over to the Allentown Art Museum to teach a 2 hour class to youngsters. I'll be working on movement for actors as well as theatrical mask making and some basic theater games. It's a 2 hour gig but so worth it.
My hubby is leaving me this weekend for his annual trip to North Carolina to visit his best friends. He is traveling with Bob who is the last of his buddies still up north. So they will head out on Thursday for a few days. I'm jealous! Not only do I want to get the flock out of here for a few days but he'll get to me Gracie, Thom's new daughter.
I'm still battling major post-nasal drip and would like a miracle to stop it. So if anyone knows how to clear it up, please share.

As always I love you all. Thanks for always believing in me even when I find it hard to believe in myself.

XO
Kirsten

Quote of the week: "It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not." ~Author Unknown

Recipe of the week: Portabello Parmesan w/ penne pasta

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the grill pan
4 to 6 portabello mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (to make this vegan, use daiya vegan cheese)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces (for vegan recipe, use a vegan alternative)
1 lb pasta
(for smaller portions cut recipe in half)

Directions

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms. Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil on the grill to prevent the mushrooms from sticking.

g. Grill until the mushrooms are heated through and tender, about 5 minutes per side.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Place the grilled mushrooms on top of the marinara sauce and top with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with the cheeses and top with the butter pieces. Bake until the cheese melts and the top is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve.

Video of the week:

Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' by Mary Lynn Dobson (Fringe Festival winner 2009) which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.

Audio Samples

Musical Theater Demo