I got the chance to play a very feisty sick lady in the short film, Benji’s Hour. Laura was fun to create, as you can see from the photos. The film will be out soon, and I wish the filmmaker all the best with getting the feature made.
My production studio, Mania Studio, Inc., started in 2017 with my partner, Ronan Jorah, created the short film, Scratch, as our company calling card. Ronan and I were both in it, and I got to play a simple but very effective character who has a surprising turn at the end of the film. It’s dark, thrilling, and eerily captivating. And it’ll be out in the world soon we hope!
“Defection,” Season 3 Episode 21 of NBC’s Blindspot gave me a chance to spend a day working on a set that runs like clockwork. And the cast and crew were some of the nicest I’ve met so far. Dana Coriano, Head of Security for the UN, made her debut and I got to wear one seriously well-tailored suit. Lookin’ sharp, Dana.
The episode of The Blacklist I shot in the fall, "The Informant," aired January 10th, 2018. It was a great shoot and I got to do something I'd never done before - film on the streets of New York. Or more precisely, WITH the streets of New York. I played a high-powered diva hailing a cab - a stunt cab that was waiting just down the block. But 10th Avenue traffic was full of regular cabs stopping for me while I was desperately trying to wave them away. Turns out New York City is a diva as well. She wanted the spotlight that night.
Happy to report that my turn as Gisele Durand on Madame Secretary got some great feedback. I worked hard to learn French, so I was happy for the opportunity to use the accent. Since Gisele had been recently released from being held captive by terrorists for the last 6 months, they wanted me very 'au naturel' and put zero makeup on me. It was actually freeing to just leave the ego in the trailer and lean into the gaunt, depleted character I got to play. The episode, "Loophole", aired on November 12, 2017 and can be seen streaming on CBS.com.
If you missed it, my episode of Nashville aired July 20th, 2017 and is still watchable on CBS.com, Hulu and iTunes. Look for Episode 19, called "You Can't Lose Me." I play Dr. Nancy Pine, OBGYN and got to be a part of a pivotal plot point. The cast of this show are excellent and it was a GREAT day on set!
SAVE THE.....DATE. Yes, I will be on Homeland this season acting opposite none other than, Claire Danes. It's a small scene, but with the two of us on screen, big things happen. Check it out! SUNDAY, APRIL 2nd @ 9PM on SHOWTIME.
After our successful run in NYC, our production of Much Ado is going on tour to Bryan, TX March 17-24th as part of New York Shakespeare Exchange’s INTERSECTIONS programming. The week will be kicked off with a ShakesBEER pub crawl, followed by a Sonnet Project 48 hour film contest, coaching and discussions in the community and at several educational institutions, and culminating in two performances of Much Ado About Nothing.
I'll be on the next episode of BULL on CBS as "Prosecuting Attorney Roberts". Tuesday, 12/6 at 9pm Eastern / 8pm Central
Tonight is OPENING NIGHT of 'A Child's Christmas in Wales' at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, directed by Joe Discher! I've already had some wonderful friends come to see it and the response is wonderful. Ava Mason, Terence MacSweeny and Larry Bull can weigh in here on their thoughts about the piece, but I will say that it's a perfect, non-saccharine holiday show to come to if you want to take a train out to Madison and join us. Tickets are on sale below!
I recently had the honor of performing in a Nate Eppler play. You guys, if you don't know Nate's writing, please PLEASE do yourself the favor of looking his work up. He's gonna be the next big thing, and I got to originate one of his characters. Such a gift. It'll be popping up again regionally, so if you have a chance to see it, do. You won't be sorry.
Read the reviews by clicking the links below:
And getting some amazing press.... now at PLAYWRIGHTS HORIZONS.
Reviews:
Runs through August 2nd.
Peter Jay Sharp Theatre
418 West 42nd Street
www.ticketcentral.com
A Play by TIM RUDDY
Directed by CHRISTOPHER RANDOLPH
Starring
CAREY VAN DRIEST
TIMOTHY CARTER
TED SCHNEIDER
I'm thrilled to be doing a show at City Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA, directed by Artistic Director Tracy Brigden. City Theatre is known for innovative work, and MIDSUMMER is no exception. David Greig has written a beautiful piece of theatre that's very loosely based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, by Shakespeare and James Joyce's The Odyssey. A play with songs is the description, but I play guitar on about 7 songs, and ukelele on 2, which I've never done in a play before. Randy Redd and I play two hapless thirty-somethings at a cross-roads in their lives who meet randomly one night and go on a wild weekend spree, recapturing the joy they thought they'd lost, and finding in each other a surprising match. It's poignant and funny and with only two actors on stage the whole time, a very intimate play. I hope anyone in the Pittsburgh area will be able to come out and see it. Runs May 9 - 31st at City Theatre. www.citytheatrecompany.org
