Hey Folks!
Welcome to my webpage! For almost half a year, my schedule has been filled with classes and workshops. I've been working hard at honing my skills as well as acquiring a few new ones.
I've continued to take lessons on the trapeze with Camille Swift. We have been focusing on strength conditioning, various beats, and a beginner trick sequence. Below is a picture of a trick I learned in October, just in time for Halloween. It's called The Coffin.
Welcome to my webpage! For almost half a year, my schedule has been filled with classes and workshops. I've been working hard at honing my skills as well as acquiring a few new ones.
I've continued to take lessons on the trapeze with Camille Swift. We have been focusing on strength conditioning, various beats, and a beginner trick sequence. Below is a picture of a trick I learned in October, just in time for Halloween. It's called The Coffin.
I also have my second trapeze blog; it was themed for the holiday season! It features where I am in the trick sequence.
A couple of months back, I took several private lessons in whip cracking with Alexander M. Knapp. The first lesson or two, I whipped myself more than anything else. However, I very quickly started to get the hang of it. The video below demonstrates a few of the different cracks I've been working on.
In October, I finished the Susan Hart and Jeffrey Carlson one play focus class on Romeo and Juliet. Fantastic work came out of that class from everyone involved. For my Juliet scene, I had the privilege to work on Juliet's soliloquy "The Clock Struck Nine," Act II - Scene V. I've used this monologue at several auditions and have gotten some great feedback. I hope to take another class with them soon!
After avoiding many musical auditions, I decided that it was time to get the voice lessons I had been hoping to do for a couple of years. I've been training with a lovely vocal coach, Sarah Gerloff. She teaches through InVoice Chicago. It has been extremely helpful towards my technique development and giving me the confidence I've been lacking in my singing voice. I am also teaching myself how to play the ukulele to expand my abilities in music!
Recently, I finished my SPT in Unarmed with Chuck Coyl. The class was wonderful and I can't wait to use the skills I learned in a production. For our final, Stephen Dale and I performed the final scene from Noel Coward's Private Lives as Sybil and Victor. We both received the Recommended Pass from our adjudicator Scot Mann! This is my second stage combat certification. See the video of our final below:
In October and November, I performed at the Art Institute of Chicago's After Dark through Collaboraction Theatre. After Dark is a spectacular party and gallery showing that happens every month. It is an event that features either an artist, architect, or genre of art and Collaboraction provides entertainment to fit the theme. In October, they featured the architect David Adjaye and our theme was Let's Build Something Together! The guests at the event helped build the final masterpiece, but Collaboraction folks had the fun task of destroying it!
In November, Krishna art was featured. For this event, we got to learn an Indian dance!
I also performed at Collaboraction's fundraiser/ anniversary. They are a lovely company that does so much for the community and I hope I get to perform with them again soon.
I also performed at Collaboraction's fundraiser/ anniversary. They are a lovely company that does so much for the community and I hope I get to perform with them again soon.
Around Thanksgiving I got to bust out my voice over chops. I am now a regular performer with a new live radio podcast performance group called Starlight Radio Dreams. During my first performance, I was their special guest and played multiple characters including a former youtube sensation (Cherry Dinkles), a spaceship captain, and the co - leader of a mob. To hear an episode featuring my reoccurring character from Mob Daughters, Hildred, click here. There will be another posting from Starlight Radio Dreams soon! I also performed voice work for the group Laarsen's Podcast. I play the role of Themma. To hear my part of the episode, listen below (I come in around the 6 minute mark).
This fall, I took part in my first commercial for Yup Milk. This commercial was put together by The Onion. I will post the video when it is up and finished. My marching feet might be featured in this piece!
In the realm of circus, I have also been practicing clown. I've put together two pieces - Flopples the Clown Doll and The Bag Lady. I performed them at Fa La La Limelight Variety Show and they were well received! I got some great feedback and I am looking to step both of them up to the next level of skill with the help of an instructor at Aloft Circus School. To view the pieces as they are now, go to my Specialty Training section and look for Clown Work.
Right now, my reels remain the big unfinished project. My crew ran into a few snags, unfortunately. The scenes I did with my partner Kent Nusbaum back in August, might have to be re filmed. On a positive note, the scenes I have been working on with Joseph Orgel are in the filming process! We have filmed two of our three scenes and we are working with a new, brilliant cameraman Harry Warnaar. Shifra Werch is once again our talented director and the last scene is ready to shoot as soon as we find the right location.
I'm very excited to say that a film I had a small role in a couple of years ago has been completed! The film is called Lost Signals and it was written, directed and acted in by Coleman Patrick Ranahan. This film also stars my scene partner Kent Nusbaum. To see the scene in which I took part, check out my Reels and Demos page. To view the trailer, see the video below.
In the realm of circus, I have also been practicing clown. I've put together two pieces - Flopples the Clown Doll and The Bag Lady. I performed them at Fa La La Limelight Variety Show and they were well received! I got some great feedback and I am looking to step both of them up to the next level of skill with the help of an instructor at Aloft Circus School. To view the pieces as they are now, go to my Specialty Training section and look for Clown Work.
Right now, my reels remain the big unfinished project. My crew ran into a few snags, unfortunately. The scenes I did with my partner Kent Nusbaum back in August, might have to be re filmed. On a positive note, the scenes I have been working on with Joseph Orgel are in the filming process! We have filmed two of our three scenes and we are working with a new, brilliant cameraman Harry Warnaar. Shifra Werch is once again our talented director and the last scene is ready to shoot as soon as we find the right location.
I'm very excited to say that a film I had a small role in a couple of years ago has been completed! The film is called Lost Signals and it was written, directed and acted in by Coleman Patrick Ranahan. This film also stars my scene partner Kent Nusbaum. To see the scene in which I took part, check out my Reels and Demos page. To view the trailer, see the video below.
Other than the above mentioned, I've been involved in a script read through/ development process with Strangeloop Theatre, performed in a dinner theatre production, had a stilt walking gig around Halloween, got stunning, new Head Shots from Bourelle Photography, and printed off new cards and brochures for my freelance character business EllEntertainment (If you would like one mailed to you, please request one through my Contact Info page). I'm currently cast in a ten minute play (a dark circus themed loved story) for Strangeloop Theatre's big Gala French with Me (Feb 13th, 2016 - get your tickets!) and I'm also cast in the upcoming play festival being produced by Switchboard Theatre. More on those later...
Recently, my life has been hit by some major changes and 2016 is already going to prove interesting. I'm excited to see what the new year will bring and how I will face the upcoming challenges.
Best,
Ellen
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