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Upfront and Center Part 2

6/5/2012

I'm back with more Fall Television excitement!! Can you stand it? This week's installment will focus on The CW and Fox.

The CW

Oh, CW. I do love you so. I have a special attachment to the CW. First it began as my love for The WB. Remember the WB? I was the perfect age for The WB. I hit it just as they were courting the teenage viewers: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson's Creek, Felicity- they were made for me and My People (and by My People I mean teens).

Then there was UPN. I didn't know much about UPN except for this little cult gem of a TV show called Veronica Mars. Now, if you've been following my blog (or have ever met me. ever.), you know my feelings on this show. When it was about to begin it's 3rd season (or face cancellation), the two networks merged and formed what is now The CW. Somehow my friends and I were magically able to attend (crash) their upfront party in Bryant Park that year and got to feel all fancy. It was then that my love of television programming/ratings/etc began. This was the moment I started looking at TV beyond nightly entertainment, and more as a genuine career path.

So yes, the CW has a special place in my heart. <3

Arrow

Alan Kistler is a good friend of mine. For those of you who don't know him, he is an author and comic book historian who genuinely LOVES to help people understand/get into comics. Thanks to him, I know the basics of many super heroes, including Green Arrow. Of course I was psyched for the CWs attempt to fill the hole Smallville left behind. Then...I saw this clip.

Not gonna lie, any idea of what this show is about left my brain. Why? Because Stephen Amell does shirtless pull ups.

Let me say that again.

STEPHEN AMELL DOES SHIRTLESS PULL UPS.

And if that isn't enough reason to be excited about this show, I don't know what is.

FOX

Remember how I said I was the right age for the WB? Well, they were not the first geniuses to come up with the idea of wooing teens. Fox was. Oh and watch I did. The ORIGINAL 90210. To this day, I have no idea why my parents allowed me to, but they did and I am grateful. If not, how could I have ever fallen in love with Dylan McKay? My very first Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold.

Times changed and Fox has moved on, but they still have some things that get me as excited as Donna Martin meeting Color Me Badd.

Such as this gem right here:

The Mindy Project. Mindy Kaling! In what will basically be a season-long Rom Com!! In NYC!!! I think of all the shows premiering this fall, this is my favorite so far. It looks adorable and quirky and wish-fulfillmenty and I'm hooked already.

The Mob Doctor is a show that wouldn't normally be on my radar. I'm not a big procedural fan. That being said, oh Zach Gilford I will watch anything you're in. MATT SERACIN!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 Plus, for a procedural, I'm somewhat intrigued!

So, there ya have it folks. Join us next time when we discuss NBC's new shows and more!

Do you find any of these shows appealing?

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Upfront and Center Part 1

5/21/2012

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I love TV. LOVE it. Some might say I'm mildly obsessed. Others may say I"m wildly obsessed. Currently I have 51 episodes of shows in my hulu queue that I WILL get to. However, instead of focusing on that like a normal person (well, a normal person that would have 51 shows in their Hulu queue, that is), I'm looking forward to even MORE TV!! YAYHOORAY!!

Yes, folks. It's that time of year. THE UPFRONTS!!! For those not in the know, Upfronts are the times when networks announce their new seasons to perspective advertisers and try to get some cash monies out of them. It's when you find out which of your favorite shows were canceled, which are staying, but most importantly which brand new pilots are making it on your screen.

It can be overwhelming, but don't worry. I've done my homework and checked out all of the major networks and I'm here to share the shows I'm most looking forward to, just for YOU, dear reader! Disclaimer: I do not watch reality TV, but I love me some guilty pleasure scripted shows. So go ahead. Judge me. The next couple blog posts will focus on 2 different networks (in alphabetical order!). Today, we're looking at ABC and CBS.

ABC

Oh, ABC. First of all, bless you. Thank you for providing me with Revenge, my favorite show this season. You already have a special place in my heart. When it comes to next fall, it looks like you may be providing me with some brand new wonderful guilty pleasure shows to go along with it!

Nashville

It has been described as County Strong: the TV Series. Now, I haven't seen Country Strong so I can't really speak for that, but what I HAVE seen and CAN speak for is Mrs. Tami Taylor. Oh Connie Britton, how I love thee. I kind of want to be you when I grow up. I will watch any and everything you are in. The plot around this show revolves around an beyond-her-prime Country singer, Rayna James (Britton), and an up-and-coming autotuned nightmare, Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere). There's also some politics thrown in involving a mayoral race and I am SURE lots of cheating and backstabbing and soapy goodness. I'm not the biggest country music fan, so I may have to fast forward through some of the numbers, but I have a feeling I'm still gonna dig it.

Last Resort

Now this one isn't my typical type of show. It's all action adventure on a submarine. I mean, I like the occasional action movie as much as the next nerdy chick, but I'm not 100% sold on an entire season of it. It looks like they're trying once more to capture the excitement and goodness of Lost, minus the supernatural elements. That being said, It's starring Scott Speedman (from Felicity!), Andre Braugher (from Homicide!), Jessy Shram (from Veronica Mars!), Dichen Lachman (from Dollhouse!), and Autumn Reeser (from The OC!). With a cast like that, and a fun looking trailer, how could you go wrong?? (well, many ways, but we're staying positive here)

666 Park Avenue

Speaking of Lost and supernatural elements, how about this attempt starring John Locke (Terry O'Quinn for those of you who don't think people are who they play on TV) and Vanessa Williams. I'm not 100% sure what it's about (did the couple sell their souls to live in this luxury building on Park Avenue?), but I don't really care. I'm a sucker for these types of things. And considering that it's going to be on Sunday nights after my lover, Revenge combined with the fact that Dave Annable is pretty to look at? I'm sold.

CBS

Oh, CBS. I think for the most part I'm just not in your target demographic. To be honest, the only show I currently watch on CBS is The Good Wife (which I love!). I only saw 4 previews of upcoming shows, but my reaction was the exact same for each one: "I didn't hate it..." None of them were particularly must see TV for me. In fact, I'm not going to even bother posting previews, just some quick thoughts.

Partners, their new comedy offering, has a fun cast with the creators of Will and Grace. I didn't hate Elementary as much as I thought I would (it will NEVER replace Sherlock in my heart!! NEVER!!! BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AND MARTIN FREEMAN FOR EVAHHH!!!). I've heard good things about Vegas, but it's not for me. And Made in Jersey could have the potential for goodness like The Good Wife so we'll see. Perhaps I'll be a convert by seasons end!

So there you have it, folks! I'll be back soon with thoughts on CW and Fox. Till then, what shows are you excited for?

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Dance like EVERYBODY is watching!

5/8/2012

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Confession time: I've been watching a lot of this adorable Australian TV show called Dance Academy lately. It's as if Center Stage and Degrassi had a baby in Australia. It pretty much hits every single one of my guilty pleasures. Also? The character of Kat is so freaking awesome.

Ahh Kat. Kat is made of everything good and awesome and wonderful in the world. Kat is bold and brave and fun. She takes risks. She is loyal as all hell. She is talented. She fights for what she believes in. She has awesome hair.

She's not perfect by any means. She makes a LOT of mistakes. She can be a bit rash. She doesn't always think before she acts. But there are often consequences to her poor decisions. She deals with them, picks herself up, and moves on to the next big adventure.

She has such confidence in herself and her beliefs. She is the embodiment of "What would you do if you knew you couldn't lose?"

Recently I began taking this course called The Actor's Business Breakthrough with Dallas Travers. It's all about making a Quantum Leap- taking not just your career, but your life to the very next level. And how does one do that? By being fearless. By doing the things that frighten you. By making strong choices and acting on it. By not being afraid to fail. By picking yourself back up after you make mistakes and carry on and try try trying again. By trusting yourself and your choices. Basically? By being Kat.

So for the next 8 weeks, that's what I'm sworn to do. I'm going to be an audacious, courageous, adventurous Australian chick with long blonde curly/wavy hair and neon clothes. Well, ok, maybe not the clothes. My NY sensibilities prevent me from wearing anything other than black, grey, and purple. But I may get highlights in my hair. And I will definitely be pushing myself far out of my comfort zone and taking risks.

Anyone else up for some adventures with me?

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Falling Slowly

4/22/2012

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I cry every time I see a good Broadway show, usually within the first five minutes. I get this ginormous smile on my face and the tears start flowing. Wednesday was no different.

I'd been wanting to see Once the Musical since it was Off Broadway, but I just could never see it. Finally it made the move to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre....and I still couldn't get to see it. It was just one of those things: when I had the money, i didn't have the time. When I had the time, I didn't have the money. After hearing so many people say again and again how good it was, I said enough is enough and dragged my bum out to finally see it.

Now, I have never seen the movie it's based on. I honestly never had any desire to despite the fact that I've had the soundtrack ever since the day it came out (side note: I will never ever feel cool enough to say that an album "dropped". Never). I just assumed it was a love story with beautiful music.

The show began before the lights even went down with the cast all jamming out on stage with their various musical instruments. You could just see the passion and joy pouring out of each and every one of them. They truly are living their dreams. That's what gets me each and every time. It's a quality I fall in love with over and over and over again whether it's in a person or a show or a performance or anything really. That passion, that pure LIFE exuding from every pore. When Steve Kazee took the stage for his first heart-wrenching number, he took everything up a step further. Technically it wasn't a joyful song, but the passion and life were all there. The tears, they came. As soon as I left the theatre, I bought the cast recording so I could remember that feeling.

This is exactly what life is. This is how it should be. Far too often I intellectualize moments and feelings to save my heart. My God, I am so very guilty of that. But what exactly am I saving myself from? I need to start living my life like I do in the first five minutes of a Broadway show. I need to feel that passion and joy and life in everything around me and feed it back into others. I'll try not to let myself cry TOO much (I have blonde eyelashes. Mascara is very important), but I will not keep that ginormous smile off my face.

Thank God for music, for its healing powers. And thank you, Once. Thank you for reminding me to be brave.

Thank you for letting me fall in love again.

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Gratitude

4/8/2012

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As you may have guessed by now, I, Rebecca Kopec, am an Actor. "WHAT!?!" you may exclaim in shock and horror. "Yes," I will calmly answer. I know it's quite a shock. Who would have ever guessed that this girl who has an entire website devoted to having an acting career would, in fact, be an actor? How strange indeed.

Let me tell you something. It's not the easiest thing in the world. I do it because I love it. It's who I am. If I haven't already, I could go on and on and on about why I am an actor and what it means to me and why I chose this profession and blah blah blah blah blah, but that's a different story for a different day. The thing is, it's a pretty darn tough industry. And the stakes are incredibly high because it means so much to me (heh I originally typed steaks. Maybe it's time for lunch....). When stakes run high, emotions run high. And when emotions are running high, well, the lows can be pretty far down there. I have learned one secret to getting through it, however. Well, ok, it's not THAT big a secret, but it DOES make that big of a difference:

Gratitude.

I've always been a pretty grateful person in general, but recently I've taken the next step up and began a Gratitude/Success journal. Yup. I AM that cheesy and nerdy. Every night before I go to sleep, I try to write something in it, even if it's just one sentence. A lot of the time, I'll write a full entry (What!? Me?? Being Verbose??), but sometimes I'll just simply list the things I'm grateful for.

Even if I'm having an absolutely horrible day with nothing going right whatsoever, I'll find one thing to write down. Then another. Then another. And soon, I can't stop and I can not take the giant smile spread across my face.

There's a lot in my life that could potentially knock me down. Maybe I didn't book a job. Maybe I blew an audition. Maybe my career isn't as far along as I'd like. And those are just the acting-related things! But no matter what may be wrong, there are an infinite number of things that are going right. I have A LOT to be grateful for. I have a pretty damn good life. I won't begin listing all of those things now because I've already written another essay. Plus, I have them all written down in my bright pink journal with a Jane Austen quote on the front ("Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery"- How perfect is that?!!?).

Try it. When you finish reading this (if you finish reading it, I just keep writing more and more words. I promise I'm almost done), think about what you're grateful for. Write it down. And just try to not smile while you do so. I'm pretty sure it's impossible.

But, if for some reason that doesn't work for you, check out this site from BuzzFeed: 13 Simple Steps To Get You Through a Rough Day. And if THAT doesn't work...perhaps it's time to seek professional help. 'Cause that site is made of everything good on the planet.

So how 'bout it? What are you grateful for?

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I go walkin'...after midnight....

3/26/2012

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....and now that song is stuck in my head. And yours! ha!

The weather here in New York has been absolutely insanely gorgeous this past week. 70 degrees in March! HEAVENLY! (shhh don't bring me down with talk of global warming. Let me stay in my happy bubble). Nice weather in the city always makes me want to walk everywhere and I have the giant blisters on my feet to prove it. Trust me, as a girl who walks everywhere she can to begin with, it takes a LOT to actually form blisters. I even had to buy a new pair a shoes since I was about 3 blocks from walking holes in my favorite pair of black flats.

My walking tour begin late Thursday night after seeing the midnight showing of The Hunger Games (Mini review: Loved it!). It was about 3am and I walked home from 68th and Broadway and it couldn't have been more perfect. There's just something breathtaking about walking around the city at that hour. There aren't many people on the street and I am in no rush so I can actually relax and take everything in. I'm about to write myself into cliche-land here, but during those moments, I really feel like the city is MINE. It makes me so grateful that I am able to live here. When I was a little girl, I always dreamed I would be here. Like Mary Anne from The Babysitters Club (minus the crippling shyness and social anxiety), I was always drawn to this place. Maybe it was my desire to be like Stacy, but there was no doubt in my mind that I would call this city Home. No matter how many years I've been here, it still amazes me that that dream is my current reality. Ok, so I'm not nearly as fashion savy as Stacy, but I do have curly blonde hair (side note: thankfully I do not have diabetes).

Another place I got to wander about is probably my favorite place in the city. The High Line. No, it's not some big secret that only cool in-the-know city dwellers can find. In fact, it may be a bit touristy at this point, I'm not quite sure. Do tourists wander that far west? I don't know, and at this point, I don't really care. I love it. So. Much. Again, take a trip with me to cliche-land (I kind of love living there as much as I love living in NY sometimes), but it's everything I love about the city in one place. I love the juxtaposition between old and new, the fact that they took something completely decrepit and falling apart and made this haven out of it. There's art everywhere and flowers and happiness and goodness and joy. I'm actually kicking myself for not taking pictures, but it was pretty overcast by the time we got there. Now that the weather is warming up a bit, I can't wait to spend more time there! There's even rumors of it getting wifi this summer so maybe I'll actually go there and get WORK done! SO MUCH JOY!!! I think Stacy would totally be psyched to hang out there with her laptop while crunching on carrot sticks.

You know, now that i think about it...I think my new life motto should be "What Would Stacy McGill Do?"

How about you? who was your favorite Babysitter and why?

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Finding the Joy in Auditioning

3/12/2012

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Auditioning. Bleah. The bane of every actor’s existence. You get all of 2 minutes to prove that you’re the best one for the role. Sometimes you have to do a monologue that you’ve done and done and done 100 million times and yet somehow have to manage to keep it fresh and new and find new moments and discoveries. Other times, you read from sides you received 5 minutes prior and are trying not to stumble over the words while your shaking hands become quite obvious as the paper in them starts making rustling noises.

Last year I was really lucky. I didn’t have to audition much at all. Every show I did was through references. I felt so powerful because I was constantly working. However, I was also incredibly LAZY. Yes, I was doing shows. But they were all on the same level. I didn’t challenge myself. I didn’t try anything new. Sure, there were a few surprises/exceptions, but even those seemed to fall into my lap. I didn’t work for anything.   While this may sound pretty freaking awesome…I felt cheap. I know what I want, and I know I’m not going to get it just waiting for things to miraculously come to me.

Since it had been so long since I last really auditioned, I was definitely out of my element. My brain wasn’t in it. It was time to seek help.   A producer I had recently worked with along with a woman I had taken a class with once upon a time both independently recommended an upcoming class to me. It was called Audition Psych 101 taught by Michael Kostroff. Now, Mr. Kostroff has quite a few credits to his name, many of them well known. I, however, knew him from Veronica Mars. If you know anything about me, you will know that I was (am) mildly (wildly) obsessed with that show. And Logan Echolls (note: Mr. Kostroff did not play Logan Echolls. Logan was played by the deliciously talented Jason Dohring who will someday fall madly in love with me after he is no longer married. I am no home wrecker). Plus, the class was Pay What You Can, so I figured what the hell?

Man, this class…it really helped put me in the proper mindset. It lasted about 4 hours, but the time flew. I took so many ideas with me and ways to really get in the proper head space for an audition. The most important lesson I took from it, however, was the idea that those 2 minutes in the room may be your only shot to play that particular role that you’re reading for- so perform the hell out of it. Make it count. You may never get the opportunity again.

Last week, I was given the chance to audition for an incredible character. I prepared those sides like nobody’s business. I went into that room ready to read that scene like I was up for a Tony. And you know what? It worked. I got the call back. The next day, I went in and again and made sure I was doing it for me. I was in the moment. I was connecting with my partner. I was feeling all sorts of emotions coming out of nowhere. It was as if it was only my scene partner and I in that room; everyone else fell away. It felt so AMAZING. It was so FREEING. At that moment, I didn’t care if I booked the show or not. For those 2 minutes, I got to be Kris. I got to be disgusted and upset and hurt and angry. And when I finished reading the scene?   I was still shaking and holding back tears. I was truly an actor, not just an insecure girl begging to be cast. I was reminded of why I do this, any of it.

Sadly, I did not get the role. I’d like to say it doesn’t matter, but, well, unfortunately that feeling was so good I wanted to get the chance to perform the other scenes that character is in. As easier as auditioning is becoming, I’m still finding it hard to leave the audition in the room and not take it with me after. The better the audition, the harder it is for me to leave behind. If any fellow actors are reading this and have advice on how to do this, please share! I do know, however, that while I may not have booked the show, I booked the room. If I don’t get this role, it’s not because I wasn’t good enough, it’s because it wasn’t the right fit. Some days it’s easier than others. With this all in mind, I know I’m on the right path. When even auditioning becomes a joy, you know you’ve found the thing you were meant to do your entire life.

Thanks, Michael Kostroff.

Call me, Jason Dohring.

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Tina Fey! Mindy Kaling! Me?

2/28/2012

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Once upon a time (and by that I mean last year), I started working with this super awesome amazing wonderful fantastic <insert superlative here> theatre/sketch comedy group called Our Bar because ya know what? I’m damn funny. Not to toot my own horn, but, Oh eff that. I’m tooting away. In fact, I’ll say it again. I’m damn funny. Not only can and do I appreciate comedy, but I understand it. I get what is funny, and more than that, I get WHY it’s funny. I’ve got great timing too! When it comes to being funny in real life, I’m alright. I’ll never be that hilarious center-of-attention class-clown type funny, but I’ve got some wit to me. Mostly, though, I’m pretty damn weird and don’t mind sharing my weirdness, which is usually pretty good for a laugh or two.

The way Our Bar works is there is a theme every month and anyone can contribute a scene. After the first month I participated, I thought, dude. I can TOTALLY write a 3 minute scene. C’mon! I’m damn funny! Let’s do this! So I sat down in front of my computer…..and stared at Microsoft Word. Not a single word was typed. Then I watched a ton of Community. Because, hey, if I couldn’t be funny, I could at least watch people that were (P.S. How awesome is it that the show is coming back March 15??? EEEEE! Happiness!!).

So that was the beginning and end of my NYC writing career. UNTIL! A friend I worked with asked me to join in a different sketch comedy show that he and his friends were putting on through his production company. I had a freaking blast and I ended up making friends with a few of the guys involved. I thought they were hilarious. They thought I was...not horrible. They asked me to join in writing a web series with them. And since I’d had quite a few adult beverages that evening, I said yes.

I read Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? I read Tina Fey’s Bossypants. Yes, I said, YES! I am just like them! I am a funny chick making my own work! I just took a class with Jessica Daniels, the assistant casting director on 30 Rock! I’m gonna rule the comedy world! I AM WOMAN HEAR ME (MAKE OTHERS) ROAR (WITH LAUGHTER)!!!!!

So back I came to the computer. And I opened up Microsoft Word. And I said, that’s it! Today is the day I write a webisode! And it will be funny! And both Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling will see it and fight over whether they’ll put me in 30 Rock or The Office (and Tina would win since 30 Rock films in NY, but don’t worry Mindy, I’d totally fly out to LA to be on The Office. Plus, I think Mindy and I would be awesome friends. Call me!)! And then….I totally watched Revenge on Hulu because it’s the best guilty pleasure ever. And then some Downton Abbey because Matthew Crawley is the dreamiest dreamboat whoever dared exist. And now I have to mop the drool off my keyboard. Awkward. (Remember that part in the beginning of the post when I said I was weird and wasn’t afraid of my weirdness showing?)

Ok, so. That attempt at writing didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. But you know what? I showed up to the writers meetings. And while mostly I sat there and laughed hysterically at the other incredibly hilarious writers, I contributed a thing or two. Surprisingly, they all still respect me and my opinion (man, have I got them fooled!). Later this week, I’m meeting with one of the guys to write a webisode together and I think I’ll fare better. I’ve got some great ideas (and by “great ideas” I simply mean “ideas”) and at the very least, with someone else there I won’t fall into a Sherlock/Benedict Cumberbatch-induced Netflix K-hole.

Hopefully it’ll be funny, but hey, if not? We’ll just take it to the writers meeting where the others can punch it up with some really good jokes of their own. I’m not above taking the credit for other people’s hilarity. Who knows? With that behind me, perhaps I’ll then grow the balls the write a scene for Our Bar. Or…maybe I’ll just watch some more episodes of The Vampire Diaries. The last one ended with such a cliffhanger!

SHAMELESS PLUG: Come see me in Our Bar the first Wednesday of every month (MARCH 7th!!!) at Failte Irish Whiskey Bar on 2nd Ave between 20th and 30th! Two shows- 7pm and 9pm.

$10 at the door AND you get a free bud light!! Who doesn’t like bud light (besides people who have actual good taste in beer. AKA- not me! Bring on the budlight!!)???? Also, don’t worry. I spent entirely too much time watching TV online this month to attempt to write a scene so I promise it will be hilarious.

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Rebecca Recommends!

2/12/2012

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I had a tough time coming up with a blog post this week. I've had so much going on in life lately, but yet nothing that I really wanted to sit down and write about. So instead of telling a tale or two, I figured I'd share with you all some things I'm very much a fan of! Perhaps I'll make this an ongoing thing. Mostly because I love the alliteration of Rebecca Recommends ...and the fact that recommends has 2 m's in it. I just love that for some reason. Anyway, onto the recommendations!

First of all, I seem to have a lot of fellow Aquarius friends as I have been celebrating a lot of birthdays lately. And with birthdays, comes delicious food, particularly dessert. One place in particular I went to for the lovely birthday of miss Katie Bland was ChikaLicious Dessert Bar. For $16, you can get a pre fixe beginning with an amuse, a dessert of your choice, and an assortment of petits fours. For an additional $8, they have a wine pairing. It's described as American Desserts, French Presentation, and Japanese tasting portions. The menu changes daily, but I highly recommend the warm chocolate tart with pink peppercorn ice cream and red wine sauce, not to mention the delicious Churchill Graham Reserve Port that goes with it. I hear the Fromage Blanc Island "Cheese cake" is also quite delicious. In fact, our waiter described it as "spooning into a cloud". Yes, please.

Honorable mention in the dessert world goes to Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar. Great place for a lovely romantic date, or a great girls night out! My personal favorites were the roasted French Brie Crouton and the warm chocolate molten cake. Then again, I've never been one able to resist any kind of warm chocolate cake topped with ice cream.

I've also been listening to a lot of new tunes lately, particularly the latest album by Ingrid Michaelson, Human Again. I've never been a huge Ingrid Michaelson fan. She's fine, pleasant enough to listen to. It's nice background music. But for some reason, this new album has gotten under my skin and I can't seem to stop listening to it! I'm no music critic and I couldn't tell you what exactly it is about this particular album that has grabbed me, but I do highly recommend checking it out, especially if you dig singer/songwriters.

Finally, my favorite recommendation of all. If you've spent any time at all with me in person this week, you've probably heard me raving about the book I was reading, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I saw Julie Plec, the fantastically talented writer producer of The Vampire Diaries (which I also love and is another recommendation for another day) tweeting about it and so I had to check it out. You guys. This book. Wow. From the moment I started the book, I wanted to do absolutely nothing except read it. But at the same time, I didn't want to read it too quickly because then it would be over. It's been a long time since a book has made me fall in love with it as hard as this book has. The description on Amazon does not do it justice. This book made me laugh out loud with it's dark and twisted humor (my favorite kind!) one moment, then left me sobbing the next. The book goes from being incredibly cerebral, completely up in your head and then BOOM. The author will write one line that's pure heart that just smacks you in the gut because you're not expecting it at all. The language is absolutely breathtaking at times and while it's listed as a Young Adult novel, adults can find just as much (if not more) pleasure in it. I can not recommend this book enough. In fact, I may have to go and reread it now.

So there you have it! A few of my current favorites. What about you? What favorites do you all have at the moment?

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Happiest of Birthdays!

1/26/2012

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I love birthdays. I really, truly do. It’s a great way to say to someone, “you know what? I’m glad you’re alive.” I also particularly love my birthday because (surprise, surprise) I like to be the center of attention from time to time. In fact, I love them so much, I now celebrate full Birthweeks.

My official birthday was Friday, Saturday was my party, and then it continued into Sunday at my day job’s holiday party (which technically wasn’t for my birthday, but I pretended it was :)) All of these celebrations were absolutely wonderful, but nothing can top the best unexpected present I recieved the Wednesday prior. That’s when the real celebration began.

It started with seeing Follies on Broadway. Once upon a time, I did that show in community theatre when I was in high school and played Young Sally. I have been in love with it ever since. The story, the score, it’s all brilliant and heart breaking, yet life affirming at the same time. It’s one of my life goals to play adult Sally (gimme 30 years. I’ll be there). The production was stunning and left my friend and I needing to sing our hearts out. So off we go to my favorite show tune piano bar.

I wasn’t planning on staying late, but that place always sucks me in. Next thing I know, it’s almost 2am and I’m about to finish up my drink, sing one last tune, and head out….then in walks Alan Cumming and Darren Criss. Both wearing adorable hipster glasses and striped shirts. Yes. The Scottish Elf himself and the adorably talented Blaine from Glee. They’re friends. There’s no way I was leaving. In fact, we may have closed down the bar. And the other bar we went to afterwards.

We sang our faces off together. Alan Cumming sang “Suddenly Seymour” directly to me while I sang the Audrey part right back to him. At one point, my friend leaned over and said “Alan Cumming really loves you!” I KNOW!!! Through the rest of the night, I kept connecting with both of them. They even sang a couple solos/duets themselves. There were maybe 15 people in the bar altogether at this point, so basically we had our own very private concert (not to mention the second bar we went to where Alan sang Adele's "Someone Like You" and Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful". Not even kidding). The thing I loved the most was that they were there for the same reason I was: they loved to sing show tunes. That’s it. They were out on the town doing something they loved. You could see it on their faces just how happy they were to be there and be goofy and nerdy and just have a good time.

Afterwards, I went up to them individually. I did not want to bother them while they were enjoying their evening, but I had to at least say hello. I went up to Darren first and said how lovely it was singing with him and congratulated him on How to Succeed. He couldn’t have been sweeter. He complimented me on my singing, saying how good I was and how he was afraid to sing as to not mess me up. Apparently he comes to this bar a lot on a different night of the week and told me to stop by. Next time I see that he’s in NY, I might just have to take him up on that!

Alan was very much the same. He complimented me as well, was very sweet and kind, and even introduced himself to me. So yeah, I’m on a first name basis with Alan Cumming. NBD. :)!!!

It all just left me thinking. At first I was very confused. I made the decision this year to stop doing musical theatre. It’s something I love, but it’s not something I truly want to pursue as a full-time career. What I really want more than anything is to work in television. I LOVE television. It’s my favorite medium of all. But here I was, first watching an incredibly gorgeous Sondheim show, wanting desperately to be up there on that stage, then being complimented on my singing by Broadway actors, one of whom even won the TONY! Did I make the wrong choice? But then finally it hit me. And I could not believe how stupid I was not to realize this. Yes, one of them is a TONY award winner, yes one of them is (was) starring in a Broadway show, but what are they doing right now? THE GOOD WIFE and GLEE. What are those things? TELEVISION SHOWS. Just because I’m not pursuing musical theatre right this very second does not mean I never will. I don’t have to choose one over the other, I can have them both. Just not right this very second. This year my goal is to book a role on a TV show and that’s OK. I still have a place where I can go and belt my heart out if I need to. And maybe one day I’ll be that actress that walks into that bar and everyone wants to talk to because Oh My God It’s Rebecca Kopec she’s so awesome and famous and wow she can sing and man she’s so super nice and sweet too! And I’ll bring along my two friends, Alan and Darren.

Best. Birthday Present. Ever.

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