I got the part!

So im not sure how many of you knew this but I auditioned for High School Musical (not the movie... the play.... at the draper Historic Theatre) and it was my first audition ever so I wasn't expecting anything at all... I just wanted an ensemble role or something buuutttt... I got the part of Taylor! Which is the main character (Gabriella's) best friend! Im soooo happy you have no idea! My first audition and I got a part... I'm stunned!I was about ready to cry walking up to the cast list because I was sure I hadn't gotten anything! I think this part is perfect because there aren't any solos and not a whole lot of lines and such. Now lets hope I dont freeze up on stage :P So the performances are in August... and I'm way excited... as you can tell from my broken train of thought and terrible use of grammer :P

The Spelling Bee!!!

As requested by Maddie, here are the clay people we made!




Alright so Lyndsey, Brendan, Jackie and I drove like 12 hours from Utah to go see "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" on Saturday in LA... and yeah... those very cramped 12 hours were so worth it! I completely love this show! I had only seen clips of it before but I've always loved the music and stuff. So yeah here's my review of the day. We got to the theatre about 40 minutes before it started. Jackie and I made the cast little clay people (which I'm sure sounds creepy and stalkerish of us but we just really like clay people and the Bee.. so put two and two together and there you go). Jackie did most of the work because I'm creatively impaired... but I did help her! So yeah we got there early to give them to the cast then realized they probably wouldn't let us go see them so we opted to give them to the stage manager. So we went back to the car and who should be walking through the parking lot but Jay (Panch) and Dan (Barfee) so me... being the eloquent person I am yelled "Hey"... and naturally they looked at me but had no idea who I was and so I sat there with my mouth hanging open like an idiot... couldn't think of anything to say. So they kind of smiled and politely made their way to the theatre and of course just to add to the embarassment I yelled "We made you guys presents" after them... which completely destroyed any pride I had left :) Luckily I recovered from my little outburst and we went in and gave the box of gifts to the stage manager.

Alright so I kept telling everyone that when I went to see the Bee I would go right up to the sign up people and ask to be in it (they let 4 audience members come up and spell) and guess what... a lady came up to me and asked if I wanted to sign up to be in the Bee and what do I do? The same thing I did when I so gracefully yelled 'hey' at Dan Fogler...I stood there with my mouth open for a moment before saying "no.... but um... I'm sure my friend would like to".... stupid stupid stupid! But knowing me if they did let me on stage I would get the word "Cow" and completely forget how to spell. Alright so they show was amazing! The cast was just so good and Coneybear as Logainne's dad just kills me :) This little kid was one of the guest spellers, Ben Cooper I think was his name... and they called him mini cooper... seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen. Pandemonium was awesome to watch! There was just so much going on during that song but it was so well done. 'Woe is Me' (my favorite song, surprise surprise) was so good! I love love love Jesse as Logainne's dad. He and Derrick are hilarious. I love when he says "Daddy conference now". Classic line :) The part where Chip gets out is so funny. I love being in an audience with people who aren't familiar with the show. This row of girls in front of me all gasped and started giggling when Chip stood up and pulled down his sign. It was great sitting behind those girls just to see their reactions! Oh and when Coneybear and Logainne got out I think everyone in the audience wanted to cry... Right when they hit the bell for Coneybear everyone around me went "awwwwww". 'I Speak Six Languages' was just awesome... it looks exhausting though so kudos to Deborah for doing it. Celia, Derrick and Lisa totally nailed "The I Love You Song". It was amazing and depressing all at the same time. And Jay (who plays Panch and I sadly didn't get to meet) was awesome! I love when he freaks out on the spellers or just gets really annoyed at them... definately makes the show! The whole interaction between him and Coneybear is awesome. So the play itself was amazing.

After the play we ran to the stage door... which it turned out we didn't have to do because they don't bolt from the theatre like we thought. So I met Celia first and luckily I didn't sit there speechless like I thought I might... I did, however, act very fangirlish with all of them... it was pretty embarassing. I was like "I love the Bee you guys are so great!" I'm sure they thought I was crazy. Then I met Sarah... which just about made my life! Sarah is seriously so funny and way nice... plus Logainne is my favorite character in the show so it was amazing that I got to meet her. I did say embarassing stuff to her too (Like admitting I made a Logainne fan club on facebook... wow... that's just something you should never admit) but still.. she was so nice about everything. The entire cast really was so great! I'm sure they were all in a hurry and didn't have time to be bothered by us but they all still talked and took pictures and signed stuff.

Sadly though they didn't get the clay things Jackie and I made before we met them... I'm hoping the stage manager gave them to them before or after the night show... but yeah... I felt kind of dumb saying "Hey my roommate and I made you guys clay figures of your characters but you don't have them yet"... totally makes us sound weird... but they turned out cool so who cares if it comes off as obsessive right?

So all in all this was the BEST trip ever! I love the spelling bee and I'm just soooooo happy I got to see the OBC before they never work together again! So yeah... amazing trip.

Prepare yourself for 239018032 pictures!

Update on life

Well lets see. This is just gonna have to be a choppy post because there's lots to say and no eloquent way to say it. So I've finally decided on a major. I'll major in English teaching and minor in Art History and Documentary film making. That way I'll be a high school English teacher (as my day job) and a famous author/actor/filmmaker/Broadway star/everything else at night and during the summer. Perfect plan? I like to think so.
Alright next. I love my political science class! It really makes me appreciate living in America. I mean... people always complain about corruption and stuff but just try living in Russia where they treat their politicians like waitresses... Don't need to pay them well because they're expected to get tips (aka bribes). This class has really made me want to travel so I can see all of these different political systems in action. And also when I'm a famous author I'm going to build 348437842 schools in the Chinese urban areas for the migrant children from rural ares to attend because it's just not fair that these bright children can't go to good schools just because they're from the rural part of China.
So anyways, on to less serious matters. Wicked is now officially in LA and I couldn't be happier... which sadly is a line from one of the songs... I didn't even mean to do that... odd. So I've found out that you can get tickets for as cheap as $32... I'm sure the seats are terrible but who cares? It's Wicked! So my roommates and I will hopefully be going right after finals and I may get the chance to go again over the summer.
So I just need to quickly suggest that everyone read "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" because it's just so beautifully written that I can now die happy after reading it. True it's pretty dark but I like dark stories... which reminds me...
Johnny Depp is going to be in Sweeny Todd directed by none other then my favorite director Tim Burton! Sweeny Tood is a creepy story in and of itself but get Tim Burton in on the action... should be good.
Also, Hairspray the movie is set to come out in July... It's full of famous people plus seeing John Travolta dressed up as a fat woman should just about make my life.
Well I think that's about it... I'm in love with the Office... and yeah... that's all. Oh wait no it's not... I love my tap class =) Now I'm done
<3 Shannen

PS... I went to Mars

Bad things happen when one is bored

It's true... I've dyed my hair again... I seem to do that a lot. Well I don't have much to say so here it is... along with my other hair dye addictions over the years =)

Major Problems and Solla Sollew... and Good News... and halloween pictures just for fun

Like the title? Gee I'm clever. So... I'm currently majorless (again) but I think i may have actually narrowed it down. At the moment it's between Theatre, Film, and Psychology... all equally unemployable. Thats ok... I don't mind being poor as long as I'm happy right? Plus that's what parents are for... just kidding Dad. So next semester I'll be taking a bunch of intro classes to see which field I like best, to which Jared said "So is that why you went to college? To take intro classes ever semester?" To which I replied "At least I'm in college." We really do love each other don't worry.

Jackie and I

Alright two the second segment of news... I saw "Seussical the Musical" for my birthday at the Draper Historic Theatre. It was so amazingly good! which I didn't really expect it to be since it's just a community theatre. But they were all amazing and the music is so fun. Oh and I'm no addicted to "The Wild Party" which... how could i not be when Julia Murney, Idina Menzel, and Taye Diggs are all in it.

The Whole Gang...Minus the Lion... because we didn't have one

And lastly, Wicked is going to have a sit-down in LA! Meaning they'll stay there till tickets stop selling... just to give you an idea of how amazingly awesome that is, Wicked started a sit down in Chicago about two-ish years ago... yeah... I'm very happy! So that's where all of my money will be going for the next five years. Anyone wanna come? Plus the starting cast is going to be Megan Hilty and Eden Espinosa (Who were on broadway in Wicked together) Kristoffer Cusick (Who was in the Chicago production of Wicked) and Jenna Lee Green (Who was in the touring cast of Wicked... and also in sabrina the teenage witch... which i find amusing). So yeah... I'm happy!

[IMG]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/Justjumpalready/blog2.jpg[/IMG]

We Switched Wigs =)

Oh sorry one more thing. Lyndsey (my best friend and roommate) is a convicted fellon... or at least she's wanted in California. Click below for the full story =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8lwRdwgDoY

[IMG]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/Justjumpalready/GlendaandTin.jpg[/IMG]

Jared and

I Defied Gravity 8-3-06

Julia Murney and me
All right so basically I’ve been grinning like an idiot for hours now =) I went to see Wicked and it was amazing! Though I must admit it was a bit disheartening when I was the only one who clapped when Fiyero came on. Sad stuff. Anyways. We started off the evening by buying everything we could carry away from the frightened merchandise ladies, though we did hold back a little… I got a tank top, bracelets, and a poster that they apparently didn’t give me… meh… I’ll get it off the Internet later I suppose, though the $15 down the drain doesn’t seem to think that’s fair compensation. I made scarves for Julia and Kendra… pink and green, and made in quite a panicked state (I didn’t think I would finish Kendra’s in time so I knitted like a mad woman, holed up in my hotel room, looming needle in hand, pink yarn flying everywhere) it was lovely. They were so soft I didn’t want to part with them but I did, with the aid of a card and gift bag picked out by my mom. I gave them to the stage manager who mom so cleverly wooed into taking them back to the girls for me. After we inhaled a quick hot dog we went into the theatre and took our seats, which had a surprisingly good view. I bounced around in my chair for a while, scheming up ways to get videos of defying gravity without getting kicked out… sadly I came up quite empty handed. Then the show started and I smiled… for a long long long time. Needless to say, my face is in a great deal of pain. Everything was amazing! Julia has an incredible voice and Kendra is so cute! During intermission I read my grimmerie while mom scoped out the bathroom situation. I yelled at her to hurry back since the “Thank Goodness” costume is the best one in the whole play. Yet again… I wore a stupid grin on my face the whole time though I must admit; they didn’t even get through the first note of “For Good” before I started crying. It was amazing and the finale gave me chills. Right when the curtain calls started I bolted… didn’t even wait for Julia and Kendra to take their bows, just leapt down the stairs, five at a time, so that I could get to the stage door before Kendra made a run for it. Once I got there I met two very nice people. A woman and her daughter Molly. Molly was so cute. She’s like who I wish I was at her age (She’s 11 I believe). She was definitely the stage door queen. We schemed for a while about how to get back stage while we waited for Kendra. After a while Kendra came out with her little dog and I asked her if she had gotten my scarf. She said she had and that she and Julia had been modeling them backstage. I got a picture with her and had her sign my Grimmerie, then she went off to be attacked by other ravenous fans. After her came Jennifer, who played Nessa. She seemed a bit preoccupied but she signed my Grimmerie and was very polite.

Sebastian and me
After her came Sebastian… wow… beautiful man, and sadly my moms camera didn’t work the first time so I had to get my picture taken with him twice… pity… or not. He was so funny and he and Molly talked like they were old friends, it was cute. After that we waited for a while, Julia takes longer then the rest because she has to wash her green paint off but she did come out eventually. She had a scarf around her head, probably to hide some stubborn green paint. I asked her if she got the scarf I made her and she was so cute… this is basically our conversation:
Me: Did you get the scarf I made you?
Julia: You made that? I loved it! It was so soft. (Yells to her friends) This is the girl who made the scarf.
Her friends: Oh that scarf was beautiful. It’s good to be Elphaba huh?They were all so nice and it made me happy she liked my scarf. She said once its cold again she would be done with wicked so she could finally wear green again. While Julia signed other autographs I asked her friends if Victoria Matlock (Julia’s understudy) had left but they said she had… I was pretty sad but at least I met everyone else! All in all I’d say it was pretty amazing. I’ve never been happier and I now have a Grimmerie full of signatures to prove it. =)
Kendra and me

The four days of wilderness and Vault

So we had no internet for four days... FOUR DAYS! How spoiled do I sound that I couldn't go without internet for four days? Meh... I don't care. It was four days of pure torture. A construction worker hit a cable line or something and so everyone in our neighborhood who uses Qwest had no internet... I actually got so desperate that I drove around with my laptop trying to find wireless internet... I almost resorted to camping in the starbucks parking lot to use their internet but luckily it was fixed before I got to that all time low. It felt like the part in "fun with Dick and Jane" when he stole people's lawns... that was me... only I was trying to find internet :P Anyways... now that that dark chapter of my life is over... back to serious matters. I was exhausted at work today... just drained... thats what comes of eating left over mexican food for breakfast but luckily... we just got Vault... it's like mountain dew with more caffiene... so lets just say that after four cups of that I was happy for all 8 hours of work. So thats my life for now. Bye loves =)


PS
I am soooo coming to california to see wicked, denny, and dad and maddie in like... two weeks!

Farewell to Megan

Well Megan Hilty officially did her last show for Wicked in New York. Sad stuff... she was brilliant as glinda... She may be unofficially doing the tour though so lets keep our fingers crossed that she goes to San diego! because I would die of happiness. Ok well... this is the most pointless entry Ive made but I had to pay my respects to Megan... and now for your enjoyment... megan =)


Annnnnnd enjoy Megan hilty and Shoshana Bean singing "For Good"... they're so cute =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H89lZsM-8NM

Great Big Stuff

Ok so tomorrow I start my new job.. by the way I got a job at the movie theatre. I don’t know which is scarier, knowing that I’m completely incompetent or knowing that by the time I show up, ill be so scared that I wont be coherent enough to string two sentences together… and that… I will need to be able to do. “Hi what can I get you? Thank you have a nice day.” ß- that is two sentences right there. So I didn’t get applications at food places because I’m too dumb to work with food… so I got the job at the movies and they say they know I have usher experience but I have an outgoing personality so their putting me in concessions… and outgoing personality? Where in the world did she get that? Goodness. What’s the world coming to? A year ago I couldn’t order my own food at restaurants and now I’m an outgoing person? Eh… I get $7 an hour and free movies… and I love the movies so as long at I don’t burn down the place I guess Ill be ok. So in other news Dad and Maddie visited… umm… a while ago (Sorry guys I don’t know dates not because I don’t love you but because I don’t even know what day it is today). It was way fun! We went to Antelope Island… and hit a buffalo with our car… ok so we didn’t hit it but the pictures would suggest otherwise. Also we went to Bridal veil Falls and saw the tragic survivors of the avalanche that destroyed a thousand lives and crushed the world’s dreams of having a steep aerial lift… I’m sorry… I’m in a dramatic mood =). Ok so about a week after Dad and Maddie visited Darcy, Scott and Jessie came. Darcy and Scott looked at houses and Jessie and I went to see RV because its an amazing movie =) and Jessie and I went swimming like a thousand times at their hotel… and we went to Sizzler… which was soooo good. Ohhhh and we went to The Mayan restaurant and I saw my future husband… he was a diver in the show. And I think that’s it for now. Bye. Ill post pictures later…it’s almost 1.

......

Alright.... I'm updating, not because i have something interesting to say, but because It's been a while. So I had a health midterm this week and I got a 98%... which is the only good grade (apart from art history) that I've gotten this semester... Eh I'll take what I can get. Anyways it was wonderfully sunny yesterday and today it was raining and thundering and stuff... wierd weather. During my american heritage class I thought the building was going to collapse... ive decided thunder is entirely too loud. I only have two weeks left of school then I'm officially a sophomore! Yay! Ok. well i guess I'll leave you with some pictures because thats what I do. PS: I learned how to loom... So I'm making scarfs and stuff.. I feel so domestic... it's all Utah's fault!
This is my friend and I holding an alligator hostage.
This is me getting ready to go to an interview for an indie film
And this is my roommate and her sister at a play her sister was in

musicals... you knew it was coming.

Alright so I blame my new found nerdy obsession with musicals on Utah... If I was in Lancaster and liked musicals it would be punk rock because its different but since Im in utah where everyone likes them i just feel like a conformist =)... Eh doesn't matter... I like them because they rock not because of some subconscious need to fit in and become a Utard... or something... K just to make myself feel better... I liked Phantom of the Opera and Rent and Chicago before I came here.... anyways I just wanted to show everyone the musicals I love... oh by the way if you can i would suggest listening to "The Last Five Years"... they like to randomly drop the F-bomb but it's still amazingly good... Its about a husband and wife... the husband tells the story starting 5 years before they get married and goes forward... the wife tells the story from 5 years after their marriage and goes backward towards their wedding day... the only time the two characters are actually on stage together is during their wedding in the middle of the play.... Anyways it sounds confusing but its amazing (well... I havent seen it... =( of course... but the music rocks). Ok so done with my rambling... here's my currently growing list of musicals everyone needs to listen to.. K? kbye.

PS in the process of writing this blog I found out IM GOING TO SEE WICKED IN SAN DIEGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IN AUGUST...
k now Im done.

AIDA

YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

RENT

WICKED
THE LAST FIVE YEARS

CHICAGO

ROCKY HORROR SHOW

Update on life

Alright so right now i think im ok... i know... shocking isnt it? I mean there will always be turmoil in my life because I stress way more then I need to but for now I'm fine. I've had a very relaxing weekend and I got to see Kirby Heyborne and lyndsey's bishop in concert and i got to go to a forgotten charity concert... fun stuff.. It made my night to see all the kids from junior high there with their parents... reminds me of the first time I went to warped tour and my mom insisted on going.
So I haven't found my Yero yet but I'm not really in a big hurry to do so. I know my Yero will wait so i'm pretty content. When i do though... it's gonna be awesome =).
K so I found out that i have video editing software that comes with windows XP... I'm basically the happiest person ever right now lol. I'm trying to put all of the videos ive taken this year and last year and make a sort of "from high school to college" documentary... unfortunately it will probably just be put to music... no speaking. But when i finish it I'll post it.
I slept until 1pm yesterday then rolled out of bed and went with some friends to cafe rio... We were still in our pj's and I hadent even brished my hair. It was wonderful. I'm just so content right now... it's great =). I really should probably do some homework and be a little more concerned with school but it doesn't really matter right now... i need some me time =)
Oh and i bought rent yesterday at like 11:59! Jackie and i were like "Oh no it's almost sunday run run run! we have to get it before to be good people" it was funny. then we watched it at midnight and I stayed up till 5am working on my film.
I'm broken out, my hair is probably at its ugliest ever, I look like I havent slept in forever... but Im happy. I don't really care what I look like because of my new found revelation: My Yero won't care wherever my Yero may be
Well this has been Shannen. I'll write another blog probably tomorrow when im all depressed and dramatic again.
Signing off

Midterms

Ahhh! going crazy over here! Everyone is. Last semester midterms were nice and spread out... this year??? Pure chaos! I have religion, biology, and american heritage all within a two day time span... what's happened to the world? Oh and I have an art history midterm tomorrow... My printer broke (Dad I need you!) so i have to draw all of the sculptures out by hand... it's been providing us with hours of entertainment. I tried to draw Venus of Willendorf... drawing has never really been my strong point. Other then that not much has been happening... there is, of course, the really big news but I can't say it... that's Jared's job... Anything else? I think my appendix may burst... possibly from lack of good nutrition... and I gave a presentation on Physician assisted suicide today... nice happy topic. I'm trying to figure out where Im going to live next year but I need to get my contract in soon so wish me luck... Well that's about it... No... wait... one more thing. i saw Aida yesterday at the Arts center... It was awesome! K now Im done.
PS: I dyed my hair... you can see it better in the second pic.

FIYERO!

Ok... i have yet another obsession... no... scratch that... i have a new passion (my roommates informed me that I'm not overly obsessive Im just passionate... i like that word better anyway). Ok so here it is... drumroll please ******* WICKED! Oh it's simply amazing although i must admit the book and the musical might as well be two completely different stories with borrowed characters... still they are both amazing! Unfortunately enough for me I came into it about a year too late. The original cast did it on Broadway for three years and just finished up recently. I haven't seen it live yet but that day will come. Here's a link to a performance of one of the more... popular... songs http://www.youtube.com/?v=Qltr8ssg6bI
So here's some background info on the musical/book. It's the story of the Wicked witch of the West and Galinda (or Glinda... depending on what part of the story you're at) the good witch. It's their story before Dorthy came into Oz. They were roommates (and friends) before "The Wizard of Oz" story. It gives an interesting view on the wicked witch... i've ended up despising Dorothy and loving Elphaba (the wicked witch). I suggest you all see it if you ever get the chance. The music is absolutely amazing! Oh and idina Menzel (who plays elphaba) is the coolest person ever. she has an amazing voice... so is Kristin chenoweth (who plays Glinda)... she's 4'11" and has the cutest voice ever! Alright well there's what my life is currently consumed by.
<3 Shannen

Rent

Alright so here's my tragedy. I've wanted to see Rent since the preview came out. I bought the soundtrack with my christmas money and I love it... been listening to it ever since I bought it. When it finally came out it was finals week so i waited until after school was out, then i was going to see it with Kelsey and Lyndsey so i waited some more... Then Kelsey saw it so I went to go see it. Couldnt find a paper and Im not sure what theatres are in utah so i just drove around with my friend... we went to three different theaters and couldnt find it. I decided Id wait till I went to Arkansas to see it with shawna... Nope... no theaters there were playing it. So when I went to California for my Grandmother's funeral I looked around there... no luck... again. So Kelsey and i spent all day here trying to find a theater in utah that was playing it. Only one... in Salt Lake City... an hour away. So after classes we went to the theater and found out you have to be 21 to get in because it's in a bar... what kind of establishment puts a movie theater in a bar? I guess the "pub" in the name should have given it away but I was blinded by hope... I'm quite sad! I really want to see it... it's hopeless. I suggest everyone listens to the soundtrack though, it's wonderful. My favorite song is take me or leave me =) I want to learn it on piano. Here are some pictures from Rent:

acting?

Huh, I wish. I've decided that it would be very very nice to be a Disney channel actress... impossible you say? oh I think not my friend. i don't care how old I am or that i havent acted before... totally doesn't matter. Just you wait, one day I'll be an actress ;) Ok now that Im off of my soap box, I'll get down to the... other stuff... I finally finished finals week... wow that's a lot of f's (not grades by the way... i meant the previous sentence... you know what never mind, if you dont get it ask me later). I don't think I flunked out of college but I didnt exactly get straight A's either... Oh well...
Well, I guess I'll leave you with a picture or two... the first is Kelsey and I on the way to the airport at 5 AM (it was about -399999 degrees) the second is Alyson Machalka, a very pretty disney channel actress who... well i just feel like posting a pic of so there you go =) Merry Christmas Eve!
<3 Shannen

We lit the dorm on fire! =)

Alright so my roommates and our friends are innocently sitting in the kitchen and I see sparks in the oven so I get up and start yelling "fire fire!!!" and i run out of the kitchen in case the oven explodes... then I go back in because... well I felt really dumb. Ok so then we open the oven and the sparks are flying everywhere... I guess the coil caught on fire. So I grabbed the fire extinguisher off of the wall and pulled the tag out (I felt pretty cool) and I start spraying in the oven. White crap is flying everywhere and I start to think I may get in trouble for this so i give the fire extinguisher to scott (briana's boyfriend) and he finishes it... The fire still wont go out and at this point we're all screaming for the RA. so she comes us and the fire finally just goes out. She calls maintenence and ... umm they still havent called back. Anyways... none of us can breath now since our eyes and throats got burned to crap. It was fun though =) second fire we've had in the dorm... the first time I lit my roommates lunch on fire and broke her plate... long story.

It's snowing!

Well I'm pretty excited. It's snowing outside... it's just so odd... I left California yesterday and it was hot! Now I'm strapping on the snow gear and trudging to class in ankle deep snow. It's kinda fun =)

Hmmmm

Ok well I just signed up so Im still trying to figure this stuff out. I'll post more once I get this all sorted out =)