Week 15: Edmonton, AB, Canada

This was a lazy daisy week! The continued lack of cellphone service has made me something of a recluse, and I've been catching up on my workouts and entertainment this week. I saw "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "War Horse",  finished Tim Kellor's "The Reason for God", read "Sarah's Key" start to finish, and started another book ALL this week....obviously have plenty of time on my hands. The lack of rehearsal helped there too. So lazy in fact, I have very few pictures, except for Sunday....

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book series is brilliant and I am always a little nervous about the film version of my favorite reads, but this was a truly stunning film. Everything from the acting to the cinematography, even the changes to the story were well suited and appropriate. I can't wait to see what they do with the next two books...I may even have to reread I was so excited!

Wonderful, fast read. Just found out there is a film version as well, starring Kristin Scott Thomas, a fabulous actress I like to keep track of.

Beautiful movie!! We were all just sobbing the entire end. Steven Spielberg really is a genius. Now I just need to see the play on Broadway!

And, the big day finally came on our last day here: I got the opportunity to go on for Belle!! Emily had been feeling bad for a few days and really needed a day to rest her voice, so she called out and I was up! It was truly a magical day, finally living that dream of playing one of my childhood heroes. I felt this peace come over me, that I did what I came to do. Playing a dream role has this whole other level of fulfillment, and at curtain call I was completely overwhelmed with what I'd done. Then I got to do it again! Everyone says your first show is just a blur and very hard to remember. I count myself as blessed for having that evening show to really have fun and play with my fellow actors. What a day!

It was my sweet friend Nick's last day when I played Belle, so he got to see it!! We will miss him so much, but he's back in New York now, and I can't wait to see where he goes next!

Getting ready for the first show, I was smiling so hard it hurt! I love her costumes so much, add the wig and the locket, I was just on cloud nine.

Me and my Gaston, Logan. All the principals were such a joy to work with, I was glad to have so much rehearsal beforehand to try and match their high standards. I'm probably the tallest Belle...potentially ever...but Logan and Dane (the Beast) both wear lifts in their shoes, so I still looked a little smaller :)

And, if you haven't already seen in all over Facebook, the Belle-allels (as my witty friend Ariel so aptly put it). I think I was Belle a few times for Halloween, but here is my four year old self and my 23 year old self, in the gold princess dress. Someone said to me that as a child I must have imagined I looked like my grown up self. What a wonderful realization of a dream!

After a relaxing week and an epic end to it, we got back on a plane heading further North and West to Anchorage, Alaska for the next two weeks! Several well deserved days off coming up!