NYC...what is it about you?

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.

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.

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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