The Herndon Herald: March 2011

One Act Play: The Pizza From Mars

This year I co-directed the comedy Pizza From Mars...otherwise known as Ten Actors in Search of a Cell Phone. We received three superior ratings from all three judges for the third time, but this time our scores were better than ever. We received a 99/100, a 98/100 and a 92/100 from the three judges who were professional actors from the Virginia Stage Company. Those in attendance said it was our funniest show yet. I was so proud of our cast. The show came together beautifully even through some challenging circumstances from changed parts and lost cast members to rewriting a male part into a female part. Every year the one act play season comes to an end I am reminded just how much I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the theater!

Here are some highlights from our play, The Pizza from Mars. I wish you could all have seen it!

The play begins...Brandy has lost her phone and asks..."Excuse me, has anyone seen a cell phone? Could you check around your seats?"

The stage manager tries to get things moving along so the play can "actually start"...little does the audience know yet that THIS IS THE ACTUAL PLAY!

Katie: "Are we starting this or what?"

Stage Manager: "We're listening."

Katie: "Well obviously not to me!:

Katie comforting Brandy: "Oh, I lost mine once."

Katie: "My ring tone goes...Baby Baby Baby AHHH!"

Katie and Brandy: Gerald's message "BLAH!"

Brandy continuing to go on and on about finding her lost cell phone.

The stage manager losing patience for the lost cell phone search that is holding up the play.

Brandy's boyfriend Kevin: "Read and copy, Brandy."

Tony (with a Y): "Are you sure it's okay to come out in costume?"

Katie: "Do it." Brandy and Tony: "What!?!"

Katie: "Re-act the phone call."

Tony and his mind attach moment.

Tony: "Can I go back stage and practice my mind attack moment now?"

Kevin, explaining Brandy's nickname "Kevlar": "She calls me Kevlar because I'm BULLETPROOF!"

Brandy: "I found my phone!"

Everyone celebrating until the stage manager reminds Brandy that "No you found my phone!"

Brandy: "Right, no pictures."

Christine joins the search.

Katie to Brandy and Christine: "You do your part. She'll do her part and we'll find the phone."

Katie wouldn't steal Brandy's boyfriend? or would she?!

Tasia upset that Brandy has told people about Nikki and Trey...oh boy the gossip!

The stage manager getting more and more nervous about starting the play and what is ensuing on stage.

Katie: "Spread gossip and rumors?! This is Saint Brandy you're talking about!"

Stage Manager: "Places everyone, PLACES!"

Nikki upset that Brandy has told everyone about her and Trey!

Uh oh...confusion between who's spreading the gossip...Tony or Toni...watch out Tony!

Toni comes on the scene to defend herself.

Yet another secret revealed...Toni: "Celia (the stage manager) wanted to date Trey." Stage Manager: "Way to keep a secret!"

Toni: "Oops, I forgot that was a secret."

Stage Manager: "Well since you're still dating Danny, maybe Trey's like to go out with me sometime?"

Kevin, upon entering and seeing Brandy hugging the Pizza Boy: "You've crushed my baby chicken!"

Kevin: "I'm getting a slice of love right here." UH OH!

Tony: "Hankering to scratch in someone else's yard?!" in reference to Kevin's baby chicken.

This is one of my favorite shots...it would have been a perfect program cover!

Watch out Katie...Saint Brandy's calling you out for trying to steal her boyfriend.

Brandy uses Christine's line from the "actual" play when she gets publicly dumped...Christine gets mad.

Christine: "And remember my name...Klaxlurd!"

Stage manager: "Don't do the baby chicken thing again."

Everyone arguing over who started this mess.

Brandy finally remembers where she left her phone...she used it to call the "actual" pizza boy...not Tony who was playing a Pizza Boy. She tells him the money is in her dressing room and goes on to gossip some more.

Guess she didn't learn her lesson.

Can the play get started now?!

Want to see pictures from the last season's plays...check out Too Many Doctors and This is a Test.

A visit to the windy city

I headed out to the windy city to spend the weekend with Thais while Adam and Nima were in Chicago for a youth pastor's conference.

The weekend started out with a fun behind the scenes viewing of the filming of Thais's new brainchild, DPR Friday. Check it out at their magazine's site...she's famous within the dental industry on the web now! What a natural!!!

That night we met up with the guys for dinner followed by donuts at a local spot...this was kind of an inside joke because Adam and Nima are somewhat obsessed with donuts, so when I asked what they were in the mood for that night for dinner...Adam answered "DONUTS". We wound up getting some great Mexican food, but we surprised the guys with GREAT donuts as well.

Check out that excitement!

Three of us ready to enjoy a donut...That's right...Thais is EXPECTING!

The donuts were the size of a plate...Now that's some donut!

The guys got theirs complete with all the toppings. Delicious times!

The rest of the weekend was spent enjoying brunch (my one request-good brunch at Nana's and Orange), touring the Carter's newest home, hanging out, catching up and shopping around town. (Thais got some cute new maternity wear for her trip to London and I found the perfect dress for Shelby's rehearsal dinner in Texas to wear with my red cowboy boots).

Their new place is SO cute with that always present Carter flare!

The living room

Their newest home

My roomie and I (in our coordinating hats...a steal of a deal) before heading out for a day in the windy city. Every visit is a new adventure and this visit was no different...I love your newest place and I can't wait for our next rendez-vous in the windy city because that probably will mean Baby Carter has arrived! Thanks for having me and I can't wait for the next time. XOXO