I said 'No'

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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

Kirsten 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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Times they are a changing!

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!

Kirsten 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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Addiction

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