10 things I am thankful for

Even though it's a bit after Thanksgiving. I would like to make a list of 10 things I am Thankful for.

1. I am thankful for my family. This has been a tough year  for my family and I have realized it has really brought us closer together. Recently I have been overwhelmed with so much love and support from my family.

2.  I am thankful for my best friends. I am so blessed to have incredibly amazing friends who are always there for me. They are smart, beautiful, funny people and I would not be able to function without them.

3. I am thankful for my cast. It is an honor to get to perform onstage with these people. Every show is a wonderful experience and I feel so lucky to get to be a part of this fabulous show.

4. I am thankful for my job. Everyday I wake up on this tour is a new adventure. I am learning so much about myself through this experience. I am becoming a better performer and person.

5. I am thankful for my students, all the kids I have taught over the years in Cortland and Syracuse. You all mean so much to me.  I hope all of you achieve everything you want in life.

6. I am thankful for stuffing. It's almost the perfect food... really

7. I am thankful for sunshine. Isn't it amazing? I feels so good, everything seems prettier in the sunlight. And how amazing is it to think of how sunshine gives so much life to the world.

8. I am thankful for great writers. These amazing people can transport me from my bus to wonderful places like Hogwarts, Rome, Westeros.... the list goes on. I can't even imagine what I would do if books didn't exist.

9. I am thankful for my boy. God knows, why he picked me, but I am so happy with him in my life.

10. I am thankful for my grandfather. My Grandpa was an amazing man. He taught me how to tell a good story, how to give the best hugs, and how to build a model train track. He was one of the smartest men alive and was never afraid to share his opinion. He has given me so much love and support throughout my whole life. One of my last conversations with him was right after I booked A Chorus Line. He had always told me "Now Aisling, I know you love this acting thing, but make sure you have a balance in life, you're so smart you could do so many different things." Well after I told him about this job he said "I am so proud of you, ya know what? I was wrong. I guess you don't need a lot of balance, you were meant to do this with your life." I have never felt so accomplished. I dedicate every A Chorus Line show to him.  Thanks Grandpa. I love and miss you so much.

Life on Tour episode 1

Look how big my boobs are! DD

Me in my costume! Hair not curled yet though!

Baayork and I at the opening party!

Cast photo at opening party !

We started off the tour in Tacoma Washington! It was rainy all week but that was ok cause I spent most of it inside the Pantages Theatre teching the show!

It was a really tough week but we really came together as a company because of it.

Our hotel was so beautiful and fancy (our company manager said to not get used to it hahahahaha) and we had a little party after our first preview.

And now we are off and on the road!

One Singular Senational Week!

Well, I have finished my first week of rehearsals and  it has already been such an amazing experience!

Let me walk you through a typical day!

9:45am: everyone is milling in, starbucks or whatever in hand. We are all chatting, laughing, stretching... and setting up our mats...

10:00am: Here we go... probably one of the most intense work outs ever created. And it goes on for a solid 45 min to an hour. I would estimate around 200 crunches are done...words can not describe how sore my abs and quads were all week.

11am: choreo time! Of course we started with the Opening Jazz combo! Every time I do it, I still get that "wow I'm doing the Chorus Line combo" feeling. It is such an iconic part of musical theatre history!

1:30 pm: lunch... but not for our fierce Cassie! She still has a whole hour dedicated to Music and the Mirror rehearsal...EVERY DAY! She's fierce! like,... REALLY fierce!

2:30 mp: back at it! The first few days were just music in the afternoon, but now that all the music has been learned... it's more choreo! one would think this was a dance show or something?

6:00pm: released for the day... home to ice, tiger balm, food, and passing out!


This has been one of the most exhausting weeks of my life! But I feel so blessed. Not only am I doing this show...and this role.... everyone I am working is incredibly talented and hard working and fun! The atmosphere in the room has always been supportive. And let me tell you, it's not an easy show....not just physically tiring, but mentally as well. And we all have each other's backs.

Baayork Lee is an amazing woman, she has more energy than all of us 20seomethings. She is so passionate about the material (i mean she's been with it for over 30 years) and no one knows it beter than her. She is tough, but not mean. She knows what she wants and she demands 100% always! I respect her so much. Hopefully I remember my numbers though, cause she could beat me up.... she's very strong for such a small woman!

Memorable quotes:
chanting "Cellulite Away"
"Oh my Quads Oh my Quads you guys"
"None Son, my cousin, he doesn't have his papers yet"
"oo, sigh, my other cousins"
"we're going to Tacoma people"

A Chorus Line Tour Dates!

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Here are the dates and cities for the A Chorus Line National Tour! I am honored to be playing the role of Val!

Come see me! it will be fun!

A chorus Line Tour dates/ locations!

Dates                                                City                                                Venue

Oct. 26-27                                    Tacoma  WA                                    Pantages

Oct. 28                                                Portland, OR                               Schnizter

Oct. 30                                                Abbotsford, BC                        Arena

Nov. 3                                                Chico, CA                                    Laxson Auditorium

Nov. 4                                                Arcata, CA                                    Van Duzer

Nov. 5                                                Medford, OR                                    Craterian Theatre

Nov. 8-10                                    Ft. Collins, CO                                    Lincoln Theatre

Nov. 12-13                                    Logan, UT                                    Eccles Center

Nov. 15                                    Queen Creek, AZ                        Queen Creek PAC

Nov. 16-17                                    Riverside, CA                                    Fox PAC

Nov. 19                                    El Paso, TX                                    Plaza Theatre

Nov. 20-21                                    Alto, NM                                    Spencer Theatre

Nov. 23-24                                    Galveston, TX                                    Grand Opera House

Nov. 26                                    Orange, TX                                    Lutcher Theatre

Nov. 30                                    Peoria, IL                                    Peoria Civic Center

Dec. 2                                                Naples, FL                                    Philharmonic Cntr

Dec. 3                                                West Palm, FL                        Kravis Center

Dec. 5                                                Morgantown, WV                        Creative Arts Center

*Dec. 6                                                Asheville, NC                                    Thomas Wolfe PAC

Dec. 7-8                                    Knoxville, TN                                    Tennessee Theatre

Dec. 9                                                Newberry, SC                                    Opera House

Dec. 12                                    Keene, NH                                    Colonial Theatre

Dec. 14-16                                    Schenectady, NY                        Proctors

*Dec. 31                                    Battlecreek, MI

Jan. 4-5                                    Milkwaukee, WI                        Wisconsin Center

Jan. 6                                                Merrillville, IN                        Star Plaza Theatre

Jan. 8-9                                    Utica, NY                                    Stanley Theatre

Jan. 10                                                Ogdensburg, NY                        George Hall Aud

Jan. 11                                                Wilkes Barre, PA                        Kirby Center

Jan. 12                                                Bethlehem, PA                        Zoellner

Jan. 15                                                Bismarck, ND                                    Civic Center Arena

Jan. 16                                                Fargo, ND                                    Fargo Dome

Jan. 17                                                Sioux Falls, SD                        Washington Pavilion

Jan. 18                                                Green Bay, WI                        Weidner Center

Jan. 20                                                Thunder Bay, ON                        Community Aud

Jan. 22                                                Davenport, IA                                    Adler Theater

*Jan. 24                                    Monroe, LA                                    Civic Center

Jan. 25                                                Conway, AR                                    Reynolds Aud

Jan. 26                                                Texarkana, TX                        Perot Theater

Jan. 28                                                Cape Girardeau, MO                        Bedell

Jan, 29                                                Manhattan, KS                        McCain Auditorium

Jan. 30                                                Mason City, IA                        North Iowa Com Aud

Jan. 31                                                Whitewater, WI                        Young Auditorium

Feb. 1                                                Springfield, OH                        Kuss Auditorium

Feb. 2                                                Toledo, OH                                    Valentine Aud

Feb. 5                                                Athens, OH                                    Memorial Aud

Feb. 6                                                Wheeling, WV                        Capitol Music Hall

Feb. 7                                                Williamsport, PA                        Community Arts Cntr

Feb. 8                                                Concord, NH                                    Capitol Theater

Feb. 9                                                Bronx, NY                                    Lehman Center

Feb. 10                                    Springfield, MA                        Symphony Hall

Feb. 11                                    Orono, ME                                    Hutchins Concert Hall

Feb. 12-13                                    New London, CT                        Garde Arts Center

Feb. 15                                    Roanoke, VA                                    Civic Center

Feb 16-17                                    Newport News, VA                        Ferguson Center

Feb. 19                                    Richmond, KY                                    EKU Center

Feb. 21                                    Bowling Green, KY                        Southern Kentucky PAC

Feb. 22-23                                    Paducah, KY                                    Carson Center

Feb. 25                                    Sarasota, FL                                    Van Wezel

Feb. 26-27                                    Clearwater, FL                        Ruth Eckerd Hall

Mar. 1-2                                    Greenvale, NY                                    Tilles Center

Mar. 3                                                West Point, NY                        Eisenhower Hall

Mar. 5                                                New Wilmington, PA                        ORR Auditorium

Mar. 6                                                New Philadelphia, OH            Kent State Auditorium

Mar. 7                                                Portsmouth, OH                        Ven Riffe Auditorium

Mar. 8-9                                    Clinton Township, MI                   Mac Comb Center

*Mar. 11                                    Valdosta, GA                                    Mathis Aud

Mar. 12                                    Lakeland, FL                                    Youkey Theater

Mar. 13                                    Jacksonville, FL                        FCCJ Artist Series

Mar. 14                                    Anniston, AL                                    Knox Concert Series

Mar. 16                                    Key West, FL                                    Tennessee Williams

Mar. 17                                    Cutler Bay, FL                                    Miami Dade Cultural Center

*Mar. 19                                    Ft. Pierce , FL                                    Sunrise Theatre

Mar. 21-23                                    St. Louis, MO                                    BAA

10 cool things I've learned since graduating

1. You can in fact meet nice people at auditions. I met one of my newest, closest friends at an audition!

2. I am able to pick up a full moustrap without crying/vomiting/screaming.

3. Phantom of the Opera is a really beautiful musical.

4. Yum Yum Bankok Queens DELIVERS!!!!!!!

5. Long distance relationships can work

6. I'm a stronger person than I ever have given myself credit for

7. It is possible to walk around for 12 hours with a bag that weighs 30 LBS.

8. What I love to do is incredibly rewarding and I'm so happy that I chose this profession

9. I am incredibly to lucky to have such a fantastic support system cause a lot of people don't have them.

10. Sephora is addicting.

Dance Diary Entry #1

I have found my favorite class in NYC

And it is Jeff Shades Int. Theatre Dance Tues/Thurs 7:45 class at Steps.

Lately I have been feeling Wah Wah as a dancer.... not bad... just wah wah.
It's like when you watch So You Think You Can Dance and get depressed cause you're just not as good as those bitches on the show.... or Dance Moms

I'm not a contemporary dancer.... this I know. I was never trained to be a contemporary dancer. Every now and then I took a modern class which was fun and all but my training has always been Ballet and Theatre Dance... I mean, look at  my parents.

I am very proud of who I am as a dancer but last week I took my first contemporary class and realized I still have so many other styles to learn. And being the crazy person that I am I tell myself if I'm not amazing at these other styles in a week I'm a failure....

Yes, I am aware how annoying and crazy I am.

My friend always talked to me how amazing Jeff Shade's class is. So I was excited when I signed up for it. Going to a new class at Steps can be every intimidating though... Most of the dancers in these classes (esp. Theatre Dance) take this class regularly, are really fierce, probably dance on Broadway, and kinda assume that short blonde shy girl is probably a high school kid visiting on break.

But anyway I get over my awkwardness and get to class.

I was thoroughly enjoying class from the second it started. Jeff is such a positive person but still demands excellence. And everyone taking it was having a blast! It was a great energy that can't help but be contagious.

There was a moment when I was watching the boy's group do the combo we had learned when it hit me "I love being a Musical Theatre dancer!" I guess I had kind of forgotten. The combo was so classic and clean and fun. *Hit one* *turn two three* Jack cole runs, X poses... it was exciting to watch and see the other dancers so into the character and the moment of the dance.

And then dancing it was just even better. It was a great reminder to me about why I am doing what I am doing.

So ya know, Yeah i'll keep working on contemporary (especially cause i wanna dance in Wicked), and yeah I'll keep drooling over Mia Micheals Choreo and Maddie on Dance Moms, but then I'll remember how I feel when I am dancing in a show.... and I'll smile.

Only in New York

Ok So i was waiting for some crazy thing to happen to write about....

so far, my life in NYC has been pretty uneventful.....auditions, job interviews, hanging with people, not much to really blog about...

UNTIL TODAY!

Crazy thing happened today.
So i had just finished a job interview for a babysitting job in Chelsea and I hop on the C to port authority so I could head back to my apt. Because of construction the 7 train (the one i usually take) is closed on the weekends so I take the N then transfer at Queensborough plaza (trust me this is all important).
Soo I'm standing waiting for the N and I notice this woman taking pics of the subway on her cell phone.... I kinda watch for a minute then turn away cause like whatever right? THEN, this woman starts talking to me.... of course we are in the subway station and other trains are coming by and i can't really hear what she is saying. She says something about not to judge her cause she has to post these photos to Facebook cause the losers will comment on them and only losers have time for facebook etc etc.... I actually had no idea what was going on... so I was like "oooh yeah totally haha" then i try to go about my business....
this woman then continues to tell me her whole life drama.... she goes "you know how you have those ppl who's goal is to just make you unhappy and can't just be happy for you and they have to sabotage your life.... " she goes on and on and I can't really hear her cause trains keep going by.... and i'm thinking "come on where the hell is the N!!!!!!!"  so I just say "yeah totally for some people that's their goal.... i get you.... so sorry."

that's when she decides we are best friends........ she continues on and on about her life.... giving me her life story..... she's a single mom.... two kids (one at NYU one at Columbia) she's visiting them now. She comes from a "total white trash family" (her words not mine) and apparently one of them started this rumor that she selpt with the admissions officer to get her daughter into NYU.....

I do not need to know all this.....

of course she gets on the N as well..... grrrreattt. and she sits next to me....... she continues on.... she starts telling me she wanted to talk to me about it cause I looked so pretty and she loved my coat and my shoes.... now, it's my new Betsey Johnson coat.... so yeah that's super cute.... but my 3 year old Van sneakers that I wore for babysitting?!?!?! I'm thinking "thank god I have to transfer soon...then i can leave this uncomfortable situation....."

............ she has to transfer to the 7 as well....... perrrrrrrrfect -____-

that's when she starts talking about how people who lived in sunnyside 20 years ago are all gang members and murderers and how lucky I am to live her now...... I did not mention how my parents lived in sunnyside 20 years ago.....

She had to get off one stop before me I'm sorry to say........ darn it........



AMAZING!!!!!

xoxo Aisling