The End of An Era...

3 months after I promised to update my blog post-Showcase, here I am. I seem to have lost my superstar blogger status and relinquished the title to Mimi & Philip. I'm OK with it, it's time...

Well, October 3rd saw the East 15 MA Acting Showcase at the Criterion in the West End come and go (Picadilly Circus to be exact). It was an early morning for all of us and an exciting afternoon! It was amazing to be able to stand, let alone act, on a West End stage. It is an experience that I will never forget. Everyone did so well and it was a proud time for all of us. Here's a look at the Criterion from the audience and from the stage. And here are Miranda & I treading those boards! So thrilling!



So, after shmoozing my little tush off with the agents, directors, etc after the Showcase finished, I was approached by 3 agents. It was an incredible and nerve-destroying all at once! So, that was finished and a few days later we had a little graduation ceremony in the Corbett Theatre at East 15. It was a lovely little celebration to mark the end of an incredible year.

I've made it through this insane program and ended up the other side of it a better and more confident actor and a person who understands who she is once and for all. I feel like it's taken me nearly 30 years to get here and I have loved the journey. I have learned so much about acting and about people from my year at East 15, some good, some bad, but all useful. I will walk away from this program with my head held high, proud of what I accomplished and focused on my life as an actor. Before I left for London, my friend Erika gave me a card with a quote from Thoreau - "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." I will...

This picture sums up my time at East 15 with my best gal pals (L-R: Jenni, Niki, Miranda, Olivia & Moi) - genuine smiles and a true joy of being together at the end of it.


I then flew back to Odessa, Texas and the Globe Theatre once again to rehearse for All My Sons. I was there for one more month and it was a wonderful experience! The show turned out beautifully and I was so honored to take on the role of Ann Deever and thank Cynthia for yet another amazing opportunity. The cast deserves a special nod, they were stellar to work with and made me smile every day. Ophelia and Ann back to back was a dream!

Now, I am back in London...I've moved into a lovely flat in North London with Olivia, signed with an agent, recorded my voiceover demo CD, been temping and auditioning. That's my life now. At least for the next year it will be. I'm applying for my year-long work visa and will give this crazy business a shot in this country until then. If I am soaring and I find a sponsor, I will stay, but if I don't have a sponsor, I can't stay, even if I want to, and it's back to the States to pursue this career of mine. We shall see. It's an exciting and unsettling time but I will give it my all with gusto and heart like always.

I want to thank you for staying on this long and winding road with me. I know it was insane at times, and it was, but your support and good thoughts out there in the world helped me through. I love you all and hope that wherever your adventures take you in life, you'll carry a little bit of me with you...

Signing off.

xoxo
Eli :)