This year has come full circle for me as I am ending 2022 where it started. This time last year, I got my dream role of “Sandy” in Grease with MNM Theater Company at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center. Fast forward to 2023, I am in the middle of rehearsals for The Full Monty at Lauderhill Performing Arts Center. Same venue… different show… different year… still doing what I love!
I thought it would be fun to look back at all of my theater achievements in 2022 and write down my hopes for the new year.
December 1, 2021 – January 1, 2022: The Polar Express Train Ride
The Polar Express was a crazy ride! They did a nation-wide casting call for their five locations, one of them being in Miami and I thought to myself, “why not?” Later to find out, I had been cast by Warner Brothers Productions to be a performer on The Polar Express Train Ride! This show was based on the movie “Polar Express” and it had all of your favorites… The Hot Chocolate Song… The Golden Ticket… Elves… and Santa himself! To say this was a memorable experience would be an understatement. The show took place on an actual moving train, the Brightline! As a performer, this was the coolest set ever. You really felt like you were on a train going to the North Pole. Being able to bring the magic of Christmas to children and families every night was magical.
January 21-30, 2022: Grease!
Being cast as “Sandy” for MNM’s production of Grease is still one of my proudest achievements for many reasons. First, it was the first professional show I had ever been cast for as an actress. Second, I landed my DREAM role as “Sandy,” and yes… she was brunette. Third, I gained beautiful friendships from this cast that are still strong today. Our venue was at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center and it was beautiful. I remember walking through the “backstage door” and the little girl inside of me thought to herself, “we made it!” This was the happiest I had been in a very long time. If any of my old cast-mates are reading this, thank you for making this experience so wonderful.
February – May, 2022: The Victory Dolls
The Victory Dolls is a WWII Andrews Sisters inspired singing group in South Florida that I have had the honor to be a part of. With over 20 songs from the 1940’s, it has been the most challenging but most rewarding music I have had to learn thus far. Songs like, “I’ll Be Seeing You”, “Hit The Road Jack”, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, and many more! We perform at many venues throughout the year and it has been so rewarding singing and honoring WWII veterans around the state. It’s hard not to cry singing these songs for veterans that risked so much for our country. Not to mention, our outfits are an added bonus to an already fabulous show!
June – July, 2022: The Little Mermaid Jr.
This past summer I directed The Little Mermaid Jr. at Delray Beach Playhouse. This was my first show I had ever directed so I was very excited. Even though directing can be overwhelming at times, especially on your first go-around, my kids made it worthwhile. I consider myself very lucky to have had the most talented and sweetest kids in the world. Not to mention, my amazing cast and crew that made our show go the next level. I am very proud to say that our production of The Little Mermaid Jr. was nominated for the 2022 Regional Awards for Best Youth Performance in South Florida! I really enjoyed directing and having the creative freedom to make my ideas come to life. Being able to sit back and enjoy watching a show I directed was very heartwarming. It was one of my most proudest moments.
January, 2023: The Full Monty
Here we are in 2023 and I’m back at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in the middle of rehearsals for The Full Monty. It truly has been a full circle moment for me being back at the same venue I started back in 2022. The Full Monty is very different than my “typical” show but I am very excited for the change of pace. Michael Ursua is our director and he has made the rehearsal process as stress-free as possible, which is hard to find these days. I’m falling in love with this show more and more each day. Our show opens January 12-29 at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center. If you’re looking for a good laugh, you won’t want to miss this show! Click here for tickets!
My hopes for 2023!
This past year I have learned a lot about myself and the theater industry. I am very proud of the year that I have had and I think this is just the beginning for me. I honestly can’t believe that I accomplished so much this year. It feels good! I’m going into 2023 with very high hopes and expectations. The biggest lesson 2022 taught me is the power of no! Knowing when you are overwhelming yourself is so important for your mental health. As someone who likes to say yes to everything, especially when it comes to shows, I finally learned that it’s okay to take breaks. This year, I am not going to pressure myself to audition for every show. I’m only going to audition for productions that I am super excited about because even though I love being on stage, I REALLY DO, I also enjoy the simplicity of a peaceful evening at home.
Here are my goals for this year:
Be in 2-3 productions this year
Direct a summer show
Health, Happiness, Wealth
Continue to grow in my career
Live in the present!
Happy New Year!
