9 Days till 30- 1998

This was an all around fabulous year. I auditioned for Cabaret and I was chosen to be Sally Bowles. It was such an honor because I was only a sophomore and I had to carry the show (along with Kevin Rees who played the Emcee). We were the only two undergraduates in lead roles. He was fabulous to work with and so very talented. It was tough for me, but I think that I came out on top. I had a teacher in the dance department who was not very supportive of me and I think even though I tried to not let what she said hurt me, it's still with me today. During a warm up in modern class (which I had never taken before college) Darwin was working with us to engage our abdominals while breathing through the exercise. She often walked around the room giving corrections and this day was no different. But what she said to me that day was forever burned into my memory. She stopped and looked at my body (which of course was in a leotard and tights) and said, "You're playing the lead in the musical, right? I can't believe you are going to get on that stage with a body like that." Harsh, right? I tried to stay composed and pushed back the tears that were burning my eyes. She would not have the power to make me cry! I suppose that it's a dancer's way of turning girls into anorexics. She even offered to help me with a diet plan. I didn't take her up on it, I couldn't imagine sitting in a room alone with her talking to her about not only my eating habits, but those of my family (she always said that it was important to understand where your eating habits come from) I worked really hard and did the best job that I could and I think I looked fabulous (as a side note, I was not overweight, I was just not built like a dancer). Sally Bowles is one of those roles that I have been trying to get again. Because I loved it so much, I really feel that the time that I've had away from the piece could really allow me to do so much more with it. Plus, I'm a much better actress now and I have a better idea of what I need to do onstage. It was thrilling to be a part of this show.

That spring my mom and I came to NYC for spring break. We had caught the NYC bug after our previous trip and so we had to come back. I had never been anywhere on spring break, so this was quite a treat. Mom had bought me tickets to see Ragtime for Christmas and when we got here Cabaret had opened. Getting tickets for that is a fabulous story that I wrote about in a previous post. We had such a great time! Coming to NYC with my mom was a much better spring break than those fools who go to the beach and get drunk! Guess that proves that I truly am a nerd...