Back to the Burgh

Remember in my last post how I shared about how wonderful RWS and Associates is?

Well, they're at it again!

Thanks to this incredible office of people, I had the absolute pleasure to drive down to my college town of Pittsburgh, PA for a performance and a visit!

I hadn't been back to Pittsburgh since I graduated, so I was truly jumping out of my skin to see this beautiful city I lived in for four years of my life.

In true RWS fashion, they teamed me up with two of the most wonderful people I have ever worked with! We learned our show in two short days, drove to Pittsburgh on the third, and performed on the fourth! Talk about a whirlwind experience. However, I made sure to get in all of my favorite, albeit touristy, spots on my Pittsburgh checklist.

As soon as we arrived in the burgh, we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and drove through the Liberty Tunnel (You know that scene in Perks of Being A Wallflower?) to "dahntahn Pixburgh" for Primanti's sandwiches.

My Primanti's sandwich was comprised of freshly baked Italian bread, french fries, tomato, coleslaw, provolone, and sirloin steak! The classic!

Michael and Brittany were as in love as I first was with this sandwich! If you're ever in the Pittsburgh area, I recommend it wholeheartedly.

We went to bed early, however, because we had a show the next day! As much as it can be joked about, I love doing children's theatre. It's so magical to have children looking at you, so enthralled by your every word and movement. 

After the show we did some shopping, and I headed to meet one of my favorite dance teachers from college, Miss Maria Slutiak. This woman is a force to be reckoned with! She has four beautiful children and can teach anyone how to land a double pirouette. She's tiny, she's loud, and she has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen.




Eating my way through Pittsburgh! Primanti's, Pamela's, and Razzy!





Next stop, meeting up with one of my favorite people from college, Bucci! (Apparently he goes by Jonathan now, but I don't buy it!) We walked around one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill, and then we headed to our old college stomping grounds in Oakland for the best frozen yogurt I've ever had: RazzyFresh. I actually can't talk about it for too long because truly, nothing compares!










My last morning in the burgh was the cherry on top of a perfect weekend. I met up with Bucci again, but this time the one and only Ian Sulkowski met us too! We pulled up some chairs at Pamela's, ordered big breakfasts, and got caught up on everything we've missed. (We took some jogs down memory lane, too!)

Then I headed back on the road with my country music Pandora station and my windows down. I hope you all had beautiful weekends!
Meghan

Country music, Crinolins, and Coffee

These past two weeks I had the extreme pleasure of workshopping a brand new show with RWS and Associates headed for Hershey Park!

Workshopping a show is a great experience. You get the opportunity to be a part of something constantly changing and growing, create something brand new, and it's all put together in a very short time!

The show is called Rollin' Down The River and features three couples on a riverboat. It's chock full of great country songs (Wagon Wheel, Tortured Tangled Hearts, Homegrown Honey, Walkin' In Memphis...) and I love the opportunity to sing some country hits!

Whenever I work with RWS and Associates, I'm surrounded by the greatest people. I don't know how they seem to find incredible talent with such kind hearts, but I'm honored to be a part of it! This time around, I got to work with my dear friend Nicole, and meet some new wonderful people as well!

In under two weeks, this team of people were lead fearlessly under John Charron, Jens Kramer, Robbie Eicher, and Molly Tynes. Despite all kinds of changes (like a cast member halfway through our process!) we pushed through and created a product I was proud to be a part of.

Look how much fun we had!

Have a great week!
Meghan

Some Early Christmas Spirit

Tonight I had an absolutely classic New York experience.

I went with my roommates, Kevin and Connor, to see the window unveiling at Bergdorf Goodman.

The event was magical. Children sang Christmas carols, Broadway's Nikki M. James performed, White Christmas was honored, and the snowflake was lit on 57 and 5th.

Then, the magic moment! A year's worth of planning goes into this one moment, and it was well worth all the work! Check out these windows!



It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! (and Thanksgiving hasn't even come!)
Meghan

The Na Pali Coast

One of the best things about working onboard the Pride of America is the wonderful people you get to meet who work onboard with you. I have made friends in many departments... That includes the Captain!

Captain Kjell calls me Dorothy because I sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow in our show
Lights, Camera, Music!

We have two Captains that alternate on the Pride of America. Captain Kjell Nesheim, however, has become very close with Production Cast as he makes a special effort to see our shows every week!

Every Friday onboard the Pride of America, we cruise past the Na Pali Coast. The coast stretches 17 beautiful miles on the North shore of Kauai. Many movies, including Jurassic Park, has been shot here and when you see it, you know why. I cannot describe it in any other words but breathtaking and otherworldly. It is definitely a highlight of our cruise.

Fortunately for myself and my fellow castmates, after our afternoon performance, Captain Kjell invited all of us to the Bridge of the Pride of America to see the Na Pali Coast Line.

The valley in this picture is the Kalalau Valley, only accessible by hiking or boat. There are no roads to access the Na Pali Coast.

















We even caught a rainbow on this cruise... Perfect!

Seeing Na Pali every week never gets old and having a new vantage point was a true treat. Captain Kjell is a gem, and I can't wait to see him when he gets back from vacation!

The singers with our Captain!

I hope the pictures I took captured some of this beauty, but there is truly nothing like seeing it in person. Definitely something to add to your bucket list!
Meghan

A Day in the Life

On our first day pulling into port, we were delayed by a tropical storm, but we would never let that stop us! A rainy day is choice weather for the Manahan's, even in Hawaii!

So we rented a car and headed off to explore the Road to Hana. As expected, the Road to Hana was much different in the rain than what I experienced in a couple weeks previous. (You can read about that adventure HERE.) But with rain came gushing waterfalls everywhere we turned!

It was positively gorgeous, and because of the rain the roads were pretty empty as well!

Although this wasn't my first trip on the Road to Hana, it was the first time my parents had experienced it, and that was just as fun!

My absolute favorite part of the trip this time around was the blowhole at the black sand beach, Pa'iloa Beach. The water was high, so the blowhole splashed even more water and created a spectacular effect which my father, of course, caught on his camera!

Needless to say, I was pretty soaked after that one! But it was totally worth it! Believe it or not, as soon as we finished our drive along the Road to Hana, I had to perform that night! I had two jazz sets to perform in the gorgeous Skyline restaurant. Luckily for me, my father didn't miss taking pictures of that either!

My wonderful duet partner, Vincent Teschel, and myself

There truly is never a dull day when you perform on the Pride of America!
Always more to come,
Meghan

Surprises Around Every Corner part 1

It doesn’t matter how many times you get the call or the email, getting a job always feels like someone planned an extravagant surprise birthday party just for you.

Your phone is ringing, it’s a number you don’t recognize, do I pick up? Is it that weird product survey company again? I have to get on that updated do not call list!

Then you think, Oh My God, what if it’s Broadway? What if Broadway is calling? Not that I have auditioned for a Broadway show recently, or that this is a New York area code, but, what if?

Finally, and probably with a total of two seconds to voicemail, you clear your throat and answer, “Hello?”

Then, they offer you a job. They offer you a job and as they are giving you necessary details like pay and time, all you can think is, “I have to call my parents! I wonder if I know anyone else that got this offer? I have to text my best friend! How much time do I have to pack?”

You end the phone call, do all of the above, and get ready for the next big adventure.

Yes, I’m off again. I am headed to Florida to begin rehearsals as a swing for two Norwegian Cruise Line ships!

All of those 4am mornings paid off, what an amazing feeling.

Meghan

Bagels for Breakfast

So, let’s talk a little bit about being a Non-Equity member in Manhattan during audition season.

The absolute hardest part of your job is waking up. It’s the worst! You probably just crawled into bed at midnight (or later!) coming home from work, and here you are again. You alarm is going off and it is only 4am.

I’m not joking. My alarm goes off on audition days at 4am.

Now, you might say, this is the girl I hate. This girl is “that girl” that wakes up to go to an audition at 4am! To that I say, which came first? The chicken or the egg? Someone else is always there before me, so am I truly crazy? Yes, but that is not the point. I didn’t start the Non-Equity madness, so I can only say that I am doing what I can to do my job: audition.

If you haven’t ever done so, you should read Audition Update. It’s the great, albeit insane, account of what auditions are happening where, what time the list is up, how many are on the list, what they need, if the gig is good or not, and everything else you could want to know... Run completely by actors. 

So when my alarm goes off at 4am, I open my iPhone to Safari, check Audition Update, pull on sweatpants, put on a coat, and walk to the train. I wait for the train, get off in midtown, and sign my name on every “Unofficial List” for the auditions I want to attend that day. (An Unofficial List is a list started by actors who want to start an order earlier than the time the audition starts. Most casting directors and theaters will take this list, but they aren’t required to!)

After I sign my name, I hop back on the train to my apartment, sleep for a little longer, and get ready for my auditions. I walk my subway stop, get my conveniently placed Starbucks, and get back on the train headed to midtown.

Usually when you arrive at an audition during audition season, it’s a madhouse. People are warming up, both vocally and physically in the hall. Some are furiously trying to cut and staple headshots and resumes, while some are changing into their audition clothes. (Audition clothes: A brightly colored, probably blue, dress and nude heels of varying heights.)

My favorite part of auditioning is running into my friends that I haven’t seen in a while. So yes, I am “that girl” too. The one who runs and jumps on her gay best friend that she hasn’t seen in a year, or like, since last weekend.

This morning I had the pleasure of auditioning for the Beauty and the Beast National Tour. The tour is Non-Equity, so as long as you get up early enough, you are pretty much guaranteed to be seen. However, this is a popular audition to attend, so when 8am rolled around, there were over 500 girls signed up for this audition. Being the awesome Point Park University graduates that we are, my friends and and I signed up really early, so we were in the first twenty people to be seen.

We got ourselves lined up against the wall and found out we were only allotted 8 bars of music to sing. (In laymen’s terms, about a sentence.) In and out we went! It was fantastic and all five of us were done singing by 10:30am. We collectively decided that it was time to leave and reward ourselves... Bagels for breakfast! (But not before we snapped a picture.)

Left to Right: Audra, Myself, Arielle, Nicole, and Kevin, being Kevin.

What could have been an absolutely insane morning was calm and wonderful because of the people in this picture. I love having a group of friends who all have the same amount of passion, dedication, and work ethic, but are all different types. We can all be so supportive of each other at every audition, and it truly makes all the difference. 

All Good Things Must End

The Mississippi River
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

With this post, I bid the Quad Cities and Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse adieu. I truly cannot believe that my time in this area has ended. I have had such an amazing time getting to know my cast and the midwest!

For now, I am off to drive cross country to my next destination... New York, NY!

Until next time, Rock Island.
Meghan

It's Getting Close to Christmas!

My parents are officially in the Quad Cities! I am so excited to have them see my shows and to celebrate Christmas in Chicago!

You know my dad is around when I have amazing pictures like this for the blog:

Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

A Christmas Story at Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

More adventures with my parents to come!
Meghan

The Next Adventure

Life here in Rock Island is off to a very busy start!

Photo credit: Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse

I arrived in Illinois on the 23rd and began rehearsals with the cast right away! This cast is wonderful already. Everyone is older so there's no drama and the dishes are always done. The show has an audience on November 6th (that's nine days away!) and we've actually made quite a lot of progress in the short time we've been here!

Photo credit: Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse

Above are pictures from the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse Facebook page taken on the first day of rehearsal! There are ten kids in the show and they are so sweet and talented, albeit rambunctious!

The adults, including myself, all live in the Actor's House together, which is basically a gateway to practical jokes, late night laughs, and quick friendships. It's been a blast so far! I'm looking forward to more pictures of costumes and adventures to come!

More to come,
Meghan

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!

It's finally official! On my birthday, September 20th, I received an email from Denny at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse in Rock Island, Illinois offering me ensemble in their production of A Christmas Story!

It was probably the best birthday present ever, because it means I will have a performing job again until January 5th. 

I am so excited to be a part of this production for two reasons. 

One, I love the movie A Christmas Story. It is a family favorite that has played at my house every year during the holidays ever since I can remember. We have a leg lamp, wrapping paper, the trivia game, and too many ornaments of Ralphie in his pink bunny pajamas to count. My family quotes this movie all the time. (Yes, even when it isn't the holiday season.) A Christmas Story is also the last thing we watch on Christmas in my house. It usually runs 24 hours straight on AMC on Christmas Day, and as soon as we have finished dinner, on comes A Christmas Story. (It is also regularly seen in the background of my family's famous "Wrapping Paper Picture." We basically cover ourselves in the wrapping paper from the presents we open as if it were our blanket.) We really just love this movie.

Second, I will be working with Tony Parise, a director I have worked with twice as a child. He was my director for Bravo! On With The Show on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre in 2004 as well as the director for the opening number of the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!   Both programs were done with Camp Broadway, a really awesome camp in New York City for kids interested in Musical Theatre. I knew he was the director when I auditioned for the show, but I didn't realize he would be at the auditions in New York when I went. I am so thrilled to be working with him as an adult after all of these years, it is sure to be a wonderful experience.

The best part about all of this is that I didn't even think I would be able to audition for this show. I had gone to an audition for a different show the day before, and had been called back the next day for an all day callback. On a lunch break, I took a chance and ran to the audition. Luckily, they had gone through most of the people they had in the morning and allowed me to walk right in. I cannot repeat it enough, but everything happens for a reason.

I'm so excited to be able to keep working, but even more, I'm excited to have more adventures to share with you.

This is only the beginning.
Meghan