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 lo
se 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.
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.
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.
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