Busy Little Bee

Sorry it has been a million years since I updated. The end of the semester is a rough time! But, I got five A's, one A-, and one B so I'm am so happy!

We get into the theatre next week to start blocking. We have been doing read throughs at my house and it is sounding really good and they are working towards being off book for next week. This is an amazing cast.

I have started my internship at Solutions Bridal and I really like it. I got to try on wedding dresses yesterday! I think I am getting some good experience and will have a lot to add to my resume after this.

Saturday is a giant family reunion at the Kanapaha Planatation so that will be my first time working there. This should be really interesting and exciting.

I have started to think about my graduation party. Something really informal and inexpensive which isn't that easy in this town. 7 more months...

I will possibly be doing a show after "Chapter Two" at the Acrosstown with a friend of mine. We are meeting tomorrow to work out the details. It is a two person show, "Breaking Up" and I think it would be a lot of fun.

Picture of the Day!

I know I have been behind, sorry! Here is a new one: This is from one of my two film experiences. I was pretty intense.

Website Launch and Auditions

I published my website on the "Make a New Chapter in Your Life: Go Green" and it is online! I did it in honor of Earth Day and I hope to get some good tips from readers.
I auditioned for "You Can't Take it With You" at UF yesterday and I felt really good about it. I find out today if I get called back. I did Jennie's monologue in "Chapter Two" and then the director asked me to say part of it while ballet dancing! I would never have pegged me to play the want to be ballerina. We shall see.

Updates

• I just need to edit my theatre paper and then I can send it off! one step closer to the end of the semester.
• First read thru of "Chapert Two" was last night and it went so weel. I am very excited to work with this group. I think we are going to have a lot of fun together.
• I am starting a PR campaign for the show since I am going as paperless as possible called "Make a New Chapter in Your Life: Go Green". I will be launching a website on Earth Day filled with tips on going green in theatre and in life.

SitS presents 'The Tempest' (part 3)

Picture of the Day!

This is from "It's a Wonderful Life" which was one of the best shows I have worked on. Everyone got along and it was such a smooth process. This was my big scene, the run on the bank, where I wanted my $242 dollars!

Graduation Approaches

I graduate in December. I am beyond excited for this but at the same time I am so scared because I have no idea what is going to happen next.
I have a five year plan but of course, I am open to changes. I want to end up working in England at some point in the near future. As to what I do before then, that is unknown. Luckily, I have several options:
Option 1: Boyfriend proposes, I stay in Gainesville til he graduates and start my own event planning business or try to get a theatre job in Gainesville. After that, we move to Orlando or Atlanta while he prepares to work overseas.
Option 2: Boyfriend proposes, I get another Disney College Program internship in costuming or a regular job at Disney and he joins me in Orlando when he graduates then prepares to go overseas.
Option 3: Boyfriend does not propose, I start looking for jobs in London, Orlando, and Atlanta.
Option 4: Boyfriend does not propose, I take the job at Disney's new Hawaiian resort in costuming if it is still open.
I know it looks like I am waiting on my boyfriend and I sort of am. He knows I expect a ring in December because sometimes you just have to lo0k out for yourself. If he isn't ready, fine. I just won't be able to wait for him. We have gone over everything and so far so good but 8 months is a long time away.
Yes, I want to find a job in my field but right now, they are few and far between. I love Atlanta and I love Disney so either of those places would be great but I want to at least try England. Even if we fail miserably and have to beg a plane ticket home, I won't look back with regret.
Too many unknown variables to make a decision!

Busy Bees

Yesterday was the final day of docent training so I am officially a docent for the Kanapaha Plantation! I will need to shadow for a few weeks and then I can start leading tours. I am very excited to get some good experience working in a museum, especially a "living" museum. It was an actually house in the 1850s so there is a ton of history in the house.
It is finals week so I have been gearing up for that. I have a make-up final tomorrow and I am going full on zombie (pics to follow). I have also been chipping away at my final paper for my Diversity in Theatre class on the subject of "otherness" presented in the plays we have read this semester. It is shaping up to be a pretty good paper.
Tomorrow is the first read through for "Chapter Two" is tomorrow! I am so ready to get started with this great group. I plan on making sweet tea and popcorn for the evening (gotta love entertaining on a budget) and my AD is bringing mini cupcakes. Stoked!

Picture of the Day!

Sorry I didn't have one yesterday, I was super busy (read all about it in the blog post) so here is one for today. Saturday I had a pic from "1776". I was two characters in that and here is me as Roger Sherman!

Picture of the Day!

This was from my first lead role in a musical where I played Martha Jefferson in 1776.

Picture of the Day!

This is me as Grace Poole in "Jane Eyre, one of my favorite musicals that I was blessed to be able to get into.

I ought be in Pictures

We had a board meeting for Shakespeare in the Swamp last night and we have decided to make a film version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" where I will be Helena! This will be the third time I have done Midsummer and I can't wait! It will also be fun to do it with two actors I directed the last time around. I will also be the script supervisor for the show. This is going to be so much fun since I haven't done a ton of film work and never a full length piece. We are doing it modern day in our glorious city using lots of local places.

Picture of the Day!

This is from the second year I worked in the Medieval Faire. I was the Emperor's sister and we would just sit and eat all day in front of everyone and they loved it!

Picture of the Day!

This is from one of my favorite productions, "Waiting for the Parade" where I performed the role of Janet. I got to sing, play the piano, and yell at my unfaithful husband all at the same time! What a role.

Casting Completed!

Last night we had another small but talented group come to the auditions for my show. In the end, we got a great group that I couldn't be happier with. We have our first read through on Tuesday and the character discovery begins. I am taking an all new approach with directing this time around to get a more organic performance from my actors. I plan to let the actors decide what set dressing their characters would have to what Jennie's wedding dress would look like. I am very excited about expanding my own experience in working with a small group instead of a cast of 15 like I am used to. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful opportunity to grow as an artist.
I did get a bit of a bomb dropped on my from the tech director from the theatre last night. They want to have a rental in on the weekend I was planning to put my set up. I do not support this but I understand that the theatre needs the extra finances this show would provide. This is just a difficult position for myself because I want the theatre to have that but it will be in the expense of my show. Hopefully, it will all work out in the end.

Picture of the Day

This is the first in a little series that I am going to have on my blog. I will post my favorite picture from a show I have worked on.
Today is from my last project, "The Madwoman of Chaillot" of the lovely leading lady who I had the pleasure to dress.

Updates

• The second day of auditions is tonight so look for a new blog post about casting tomorrow or Thursday.
• A friend approached me today about doing a show in July at the ART. It is a two person show that we would put together for a special two weekend run. I have emailed the president at the ART and she will be bringing it up at her board meeting tonight.
• Two pages into my senior project! I am making good head way and there is so much more  to add that I should have no problem with the 10 page minimum.
• I have an interview for a summer internship at Solutions Bridal on Friday and I just submitted another application for a summer internship today.
• The first day of training for the Kanapaha Plantation was on Sunday and we finish this Sunday. I will a docent leading tours on the weekends. I am trying to get more experience working in museums and this one has Victorian dress up nights in December. I am also in talks to be the on-site wedding coordinator.

Great first half!

The first day of auditions for "Chapter Two" were last night and I had a small but great group. I feel so good already about who I have to choose from. Hopefully, next Tuesday will give me another good crop of people.
My artistic team is going to be amazing! My AD is so excited and full of ideas. I have a lighting designer and a stage manager so things are really coming together.

Updates

• I got my head shots done on Wednesday. They turned out really nice and you can see them on my Facebook fan page. 
• Auditions are this Sunday and Tuesday. The paper got my dates wrong but hopefully it will all work out.
• I have training this Sunday afternoon to be a docent at the Kanapaha Plantation. I am hoping to get some experience working in museums.
• I have created a visual resume using blurb books. People can now see pictures from my different productions instead of just words on a page. 
• I am thinking about doing another internship at Disney in Costuming. There is a job open right now at their resort in Hawaii but sadly, I have two more semesters of school
• On that note, I have two more semesters of school! I am all registered, both my senior project and my honors thesis topic have been approved, and I am wrapping up this semester with great grades. 

Let's Dance

I finally watched "Black Swan" last night. While the film didn't blow me away, I now have a great desire to take a dance class. My goal is to get in good enough shape this summer so a two hour ballet class in the fall won't kick my butt. Every dancer should take an acting class so every actor should take a dance class. I am not very coordinated but hopefully, this will help.
I have the American Ballet Company's Workout video and that is quite a workout, let me tell you. I did it for awhile a few summers ago and I was so worn out, I fell asleep on the floor after one workout. I plan to use that as well as other aerobics to look good in those leotards. I do not expect to break out en pointe on my second day but hopefully I will find it rewarding.

Auditions and academics

I am gearing up for auditions next Sunday and Tuesday. I have no idea who is going to come out but I'm very excited. I am so glad I went with a small cast show. That is going to make my life easy considering we can't get into the theatre until a month before we open. I have a good assistant and a stage manager who I trust. All I need is a great cast and that is going to be the final piece.

My honors thesis project was approved! I will be submitting a marketing plan for Shakespeare in the Swamp. I need 10 pages but if I write a little a day until Thanksgiving, I will be fine.

I have no idea what to do for my senior project. I think I might go out of the box and do costume design. I know the teachers now and I liked the work I did on my project for costume class. We had to do "Taming of the Shrew" and I did Bianca and Kate as steampunk, clockwork dolls. I think I will have to talk to my teacher about that one.

The Little Things

Yesterday, as I was getting everything downstairs to get ready for one of the last shows of Madwoman, the wonderful lead presented me with a gift. She said "I only see you in black, but I thought this would be your style". It was a shell choker. While I may not have picked it up myself, the gesture was so wonderful. She has made my experience amazing and I am so glad that I made hers just as good. It was so sweet of her to think of me and it made me feel awesome. It is funny to think of how such a little gift can make someone's day.

Transformation

This is my ode to the South Beach Diet or how I went from this:

To This:

Along with South Beach, I aslo work out (when I find the time). I love South Beach. It is easy if you can make it past the first two carb-free weeks and I eat everything I want, I just eat better. I have bread and ice cream pretty much everyday and I have had no trouble maintaining my weight.
I have had people tell me that low carb diets aren't safe. No car diets are unsafe, this is about eating Good carbs like whole grains and natural sugars. If you are still worried, please pick up a copy of the book, written by a heart doctor.
While I am 6'1 and will probabaly nt be first on the list to play romantic leads, losing weight has certainly helped my career by making me more confident.
The last step I need to get the body I want is to tone up and that will only come from hitting the gym. My summer goal is to be in good shape. I will probably be giving little updates throughout my posts.

The Madwoman

Last night, the University of Florida Theatre Department opened "Madwoman of Challiot" in the Nadine McGuire Black Box to a full house. I am the wardrobe crew head for the show and on my end everything went smoothly. From the sound of the audience's laughter, everything went well on the actor's end, too. I got to watch a rehearsal of the show a few weeks ago and while the script is a little lacking (it is absurdism), the production is wonderful. The set is amazing, the costumes are fantastic and the performers make the weird script hilarious. They best part about it, for myself and my crew anyway, it is only an hour and a half. You get a great night of theatre as well as not having to miss your bedtime.
If you are in the Gainesville area, I suggest checking it out but get your tickets soon because we are already selling out.

Rejection

This past Monday, I attended the auditions for "A Moon for the Misbegotten" at the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre. I was going for the part of Josie who is described as freakishly tall for a woman and very Irish. I am 6'1 and my last name is Fraser. I had high hopes of getting this role.
Sadly, I was not cast. The part went to my dear friend Cindy who will do a wonderful job. I called my mom to tell her and of course she was ready to march down from Tallahassee to scold the director about not casting the most talented woman ever to grace the stage. Moms always make you feel better about not being cast. My boyfriend also offered his condolences as sweetly as boys know how to.
I was, I admit a little bummed about not being cast. Cindy did a great reading but I was counting on my physicality getting me the part. It is amazing that there are many roles that I will not get because of my size and then one finally comes along and it goes to someone too short.
Luckily, this show was not my only iron in the fire. I will be directing at the ART this summer and I am excited about bringing Neil Simon's "Chapter Two" to life.

Wrap of my last Project

"The Tempest", the first Shakespeare in the Swamp production, ended its three week run last month. We had a very successful show with great audiences sizes including a 58 head count for our last Saturday. We had a good deal of money on concessions which will pay for the upcoming production of "Much Ado About Nothing" starting in May.

This is one of the easiest casts I have ever worked with. While we may not have become best friends after the show, we all got along and there was no drama. I was very proud of everyone's professionalism. It isn't that easy to go out there dressed as a giant doll. For those that missed the show, our version took centered around two kids playing with their dolls on a beach. They used the dolls like Merlin, Barbie, and the Queen of Hearts to act out the plot. I played Alonza who was portrayed as the Queen of Hearts.

I had a blast working on this show and I am so glad it made people aware of Shakespeare in the Swamp!

Welcome to my Theatre Wonderland

I am Amanda L. Fraser and I am in theatre. I will be graduating from the University of Florida with a BA in Theatre in December. This blog is all about trying to live and work in theatre.

Currently, I work with several nonprofit theatres like The Acrosstown Repertory theatre where I will be directing this summer's "Chapter Two" by Neil Simon. I am also the Marketing chair of the new Shakespeare company, Shakespeare in the Swamp.

I will update as much as possible which means when there is something to talk about! I hope you enjoy this blog and feel free to contact me with any questions at afraser157@gmail.com.