Homeopathy

(Confused? Look it up.) Countdown to the opening show for The Memory of Water is posted to the right, just below the Google Search box. You can view the show poster here (warning: PDF).

Carol's rehearsal schedule is picking up as the opening date approaches. Those of you following Carol's acting career know that this is her first true featured performance, which has her both excited and a little nervous! I've already heard much of the show, as Carol rehearses her lines constantly-- in the car, at dinner, in the bathroom... I even got to read some of the other characters' lines so Carol could record them for practice.

This should be a great show! It has something for everyone: death, sex, drugs, booze, romance, comedy, drama. Don't miss it! I am planning to attend the opening night show (2/9), as well as closing night (2/18). If anyone would like to join, just let me know!

Oh-- and a brief Fred Claus update. I also updated the post below (Fred Claus II). They canceled the shoot that was scheduled for 1/22, but have rescheduled it for this Saturday, 1/27. If you are available, and would like to give it a try (Carol will be there), be sure to contact Joan Philo ahead of time, so they can get your registration information. I just filled out the Registration Form on their web site (warning: PDF), and sent it in with a 4x6, and they called me within a couple days. Good luck!

Today's The Day!

Greetings Fans,
Today is the day, some indeterminate number of years ago, that our starlet entered the world. Let's take a few moments to review Carol's stage life...

Carol started her acting career at a young age, with the roles of Tigger, and a key part in the marching band ensemble in The Music Man in grade school. Some time later, she was cast in the role of Peg Knuckles in a New Year's Eve Murder Mystery Drama. We have managed to acquire this rare casting photo from that performance.

Happy New Year! (circa 1992) Peg Knuckles

Sadly, this was to be Carol's last theatrical performance for some time. After spending too many years as a corporate drone, Carol's passion for performing was forgotten. Her creative spark was all but extinguished by the numbing boredom of courseware maintenance and project management. Years of cubicle dwelling had withered Carol's spirit... but not crushed it completely. Near the end of her corporate career, Carol got a taste of performing once again. Facilitating and Training started to awaken those long dormant feelings; the thrill of the stage, the energy of the audience. Something started to stir in Carol's soul.

In the Fall of 2004, the shackles were broken, when Carol was relieved of her job of 19 years. Free at last! Not knowing where to start, Carol took some acting classes to explore her options. That spark which had been smoldering deep in Carol's soul, sprang to life! This is what she needed to be doing! The tinder was added to the fire, and her passion was re-ignited!

From there, we know the story. Seven episodes of Prison Break, Chow's Chinese, The Strip, Movin' Right Along, The Wizard of Oz, two episodes of ER, Fred Claus, The Memory of Water, and in the coming months, the children's show The Mystery of the Missing Moon.

After an indeterminate number of years in the making, Carol's acting career has been jump-started, and her creative fire is burning once again. Here's looking forward to many more years of entertainment and passion. Happy Birthday, Babe!
-- Love, your biggest fan.

Fred Claus II -- UPDATED

No, not the sequel, already. Joan Philo Casting contacted me again to see if I could work another upcoming shoot for Fred Claus. I can't justify taking off from work, but Carol will be making the trek downtown again.

The shoot is on Monday, 1/22 (the day after Carol's Birthday!), on Michigan Ave., and is likely an all day affair (see my recounting of our two-day Fred Claus appearance below). If you are interested, available, and are in the Chicago area, they are looking for more people. Give them a call at: (773)626-7915.

UPDATE: The Monday, 1/22 shot has been canceled, but they have rescheduled to Saturday, 1/27.

ER Alert!

Greetings Fans! Just a quick note to let you know that the next new episode of ER should be the one with Carol's remaining appearance. But, according to the Episode Guide, it won't be aired until 2/11. The scene we're waiting for is: "Luka receives an emergency summons, and finds himself in the middle of a tense confrontation." I will be sure to post a reminder when we get closer to air time. Check your local listings...

Fred Claus

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! Christmas may be over, but there were Santas and Carolers in Chicago on Michigan Avenue this weekend. I mentioned several posts ago that Carol had been asked to work as an extra (or, as many prefer: background actor) for the upcoming Christmas movie, Fred Claus. Since I had such a great time in my last (or first) film appearance ("The Strip", back in August), I decided to give it another try.

I sent my picture to Joan Philo Casting, and what do you know... they called me! In fact, they wanted me quite badly for a scene with a bunch of "nicely dressed businessmen", but unfortunately, I wouldn't have been able to work with Carol if I had taken that job-- plus, I don't have a business suit that actually fits me any more (maybe time to lose a few holiday pounds!), and they were looking for men in suits. Thus, I had to decline the special project. Instead, I got to work the same days that Carol was scheduled for, and we spent two days downtown, doing our best imitations of upscale Michigan Avenue shoppers.

Day 1: We started the first day in front of the Historic Water Tower, walking back and forth as the camera across the street shot establishing shots. Then we were unceremoniously moved to a corner even farther away in front of Water Tower Place, where we had to stand in the biting wind, and are quite likely not visible at all-- not fun! Our next assignment was a bit better, in that we moved to the opposite corner where Vince (we're on a first name basis now) was shooting a scene with several Santas. (Oddly enough, you can see a number of pictures of this scene being shot on this Polish News Site.) We spent an hour or so walking back and forth around Vince, as he worked the crowd of busy shoppers for Christmas donations. We just might be visible in this scene, as we passed back and forth behind Vince and in front of the camera a number of times. After lunch, we ended that day in another grunt scene, where we basically stood across the street from where Vince was shooting, and acted as a human barrier to keep passerby from crossing the street. Twelve hours total, end of Day 1.

Day 2: Our call time was 5am (as was Day 1). They had to finish part of a scene that they started filming the day before, so we got to sit inside while they took some of the group to finish that scene. Long story short, we sat around for over six hours! (But, at least we were inside, and could catch up on our sleep.) Just as they brought lunch in, they told us we could grab lunch, and then they would use us-- but, things change quickly, and because the sun was right, they needed us right now. Hurry up and wait-- that is the life of a background actor. We dropped our sandwiches, hurried down to the Wrigley Building where this scene was being shot, got positioned and received our instructions (Carol and I were to just stand and "mingle"). And then-- the sun wasn't right. So, they had to reposition the cameras, and shoot from the opposite angle (now facing away from us-- so we're now BEHIND the cameras). So, we got to stand around for another two hours while they shot various parts of this scene. Finally, at about 2:00, they turned the cameras around to shoot back in our direction, and we got to reprise our roles as "upscale Michigan Avenue shoppers". So, after 11.5 hours and no lunch, our second day came to an end.

Two very long days standing around in the Chicago cold is enough for me! I certainly would not want to do this all the time-- but it is quite interesting to see, and gives you a new appreciation for what goes into making a movie!

You can view the Fred Claus trailer on the official movie site here.

The Memory of Water

Rehearsals for the Memory of Water have begun, and the Grove Players site has been updated with Cast information.

The Cast

Vi	Marilyn Weiher
Mary	Carol Townsend
Mike	Bob Plowman
Frank	Tony Shannon
Teresa	Lanie Brown
Catherine	Kathryn Meiners

Wizard of Oz Final Week

This is the last week for Wizard of Oz at Wheaton Drama. Only three shows remain. If you haven't seen it yet, here are some more pictures of our favorite Ozian/Jitterbug/Winkie, in case you still need justification to get a last minute ticket (click pictures for larger view):

Carol (right) buffing the Tinman



Carol in the Merry Old Land of Oz

Carol (right side, facing rear) reacting to the Wicked Witch's demand to Surrender Dorothy

Carol as one of the faceless Jitterbugs

Carol as the menacing Winkie (on left, behind Scarecrow)

Taking a bow (Carol is 2nd from left, the Ozian in green dress with white hat)

All these pictures are courtesy of Trish Robb. You can view her entire Shutterfly collection here.

In other news, it appears that Carol's remaining scene in ER will not be for a while, or is on the cutting room floor. The storyline is still developing, so we'll keep watch and update the blog if there is any further development.

Carol has already started rehearsals for her upcoming show, The Memory of Water. TMOW is an English "dramedy", revolving around three dysfunctional sisters who come together to arrange their mother's funeral. Carol will once again make use of her Mary Poppins/Julie Andrews-inspired British accent, not seen since its brief use during "The Mouse" in Movin' Right Along. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

and so it begins...

It has been a very busy week for our intrepid performer! Aside from The Wizard of Oz and ER, Carol has also been auditioning for various other upcoming shows. Her hard work (and head shots) appear to have paid off, as Carol has just been cast as Mary in an upcoming show in Downer's Grove called The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson! The show dates are: Fridays and Saturdays, February 9, 10, 16 and 17, 2007, at 8PM; and Sundays, February 11 and 18, 2007, at 2PM. More details later...

And if that is not enough, Carol also received a call from Joan Philo Casting to be an extra in the upcoming Christmas movie Fred Claus, which is shooting in Chicago in January. Looks like this film has an all-star cast: Vince Vaughn, Rachel Weisz (maybe I will have to volunteer so I can hang out with Rachel), Kevin Spacey, Kathy Bates, Paul Giamatti, Ludacris... They are looking for additional people, so if you have been living vicariously through Carol's screen appearances, now is your chance to make it a reality! Check the Joan Philo site for details.

And finally, Carol has also been offered to be a performer for The Mystery Shop. She auditioned for this group several months ago, and finally got called back and offered to be part of the Children's Shows. Finally-- a paying gig!

All this action seriously limits Carol's opportunities for finding a real full time job. As you might imagine, she is heartbroken about that. Congratulations, sweetie!

The Lady in Red

Last night marked Carol's triumphant return to television with her debut on ER! 38:27 into the episode, Carol makes her appearance as Neela and Gates are walking up the stairs to the L platform. She is walking down the stairs towards them, so we only see her back (distinguishable by her red earmuffs). In case you missed it, here is a close-up.

Screen time is only 8 seconds, but on network TV, that's an eternity! You can view the whole scene below.


There is another scene which we thought would be in this episode, with Carol's Blazer. That scene is in the Kovac/Ames storyline, so it must be in an upcoming episode. Stay tuned!

Nice Head

... shots. Carol finally decided on which photos to use for her official head shots. (Thanks to all who sent feedback and helped her decide!) For your viewing pleasure, I present them here. Be sure to look for them on a theater playbill near you!

ER Reminder

Just a reminder for all Carol fans to set your Tivo for ER this week (9:00 pm CST on NBC, for those that don't watch ER regularly). Looking at the "Next week, on ER..." previews after last week's episode, it was clear that the scene at the L platform with Neela and Gates is this week. Based on the story line, it looks like the helicopter scene with Carol's Blazer will also be this week.

In other news... Happy Thanksgiving!

New Pics from Wiz

The Wheaton Drama site has posted some production photos here (scroll to the bottom of the page). There is one shot of Carol's memorable Tin Man buffing. Also, note the rolling cast and crew pictures on the right side. Carol's head shot appears in the second block from the top (adult ensemble).

To The Wizard!

"A fabulously entertaining rendition of the Wizard of Oz!", said one anonymous reviewer. Craig Gustafson as the Cowardly Lion was channeling Bert Lahr, and Emma Pauer was too cute for words as Toto. Special effects were quite good for this community theater production.

Carol Townsend was a standout performer as Jitterbug, Winkie and Ozian. Carol's Ozian #15 was energetic and compelling. Her enthusiastic buffing of Tin Man was like no other! When the Wicked Witch appeared over Oz demanding Dorothy's surrender, Carol's switch from euphoric to distressed Ozian culminated in her delivery of the line "To the Wizard!"

Carol's Jitterbug #14 was chilling, thrilling, and full of energy. Spirit fingers and jazz hands, and just a hint of The Thriller were evidenced during this spooky dance number, which was inexplicably cut from the original movie production.

Not to be overlooked was Carol's memorable performance as Winkie #6. Menacing and malevolent, Carol's portrayal of the tortured Witch's guard was provocative and moving.

The costumes were gorgeous, and Carol's quick costume changes were executed with expeditious precision. After the show, two of Carol's biggest fans were lucky enough to corner her for a quick picture.

So far, shows have been nearly sold-out. Don't miss your chance to see this family classic before it disappears! A special children's matinee has been added on December 2nd at 3pm. Check the Wheaton Drama site for details.

Helicopters, Firetrucks, and Ambulances... oh my!

Carol has had a busy week-- starting with another scene for ER last weekend. It was a night time scene in a west-side neighborhood, with helicopters, firetrucks, and... well, you get it. Watch for Carol's Blazer (vehicle, not clothing), as it may have a more prominent role than Carol in this scene.

The Wizard opened last night to a nearly full house. Unfortunately, I was unable to see the opening show, but I'll be sure to give an update after I see it on Sunday. More press coverage on the Suburban Life site.

I'm still working through our Hawaii pictures. In the meantime, I'll leave you with this picture from Mama's Fish House.

Aren't we just sickeningly cute in our matching Hilo Hattie wear? And SH, as a tribute to you, I also offer this picture. It was delicious!

Prepare for a trip to the ER

Hello fans! We've returned from our trip to Hawaii (as promised, more pictures will be forthcoming as I get some time to go through them). In the meantime, Carol has returned to her busy rehearsal schedule for Wizard, which open this Friday, 11/17 at Wheaton Drama.

In addition to all that, Carol had to make an unexpected trip to the ER this weekend. Appendicitis? (No-- true Carol fans will know that she is already sans appendix). Broken leg? Fever? Uncontrollable rash? Nope. Fortunately, this trip to the ER just involved some very long nights in the cold Chicago streets. Carol received a call from EXTRAordinary Casting to see if she could be available for some scenes for an episode of ER which is shooting this weekend downtown. Not one to pass up an opportunity to potentially bump into John Stamos, Carol accepted.

Last night Carol worked on a scene at an L station. As Neela and Gates (Stamos) are walking up the L platform stairs, Carol is coming down. Good conditions for Carol-sighting (look for her long gray coat with red earmuffs).

We suspect that this could be the episode that will air on November 30 (Tell Me No Secrets), based on circumstantial evidence. (Laura Innes appeared to be directing, and she is credited as Director, per the episode guide; Forest Whitaker was on set, and he is credited as a guest star in this episode; some people had heard it was episode 10, and the episode guide shows the production code to be 13010. We suspect this phrase of the episode synopsis is where Carol's appearance might fall: "Gates pours on the charm, but Neela’s not impressed".)

Carol is downtown tonight shooting a second scene. More details will be posted as I get them. Set your Tivo/DVR now! (you're not still using a VCR, are you?!)

Aloha, Munchkins!

Aloha, from sunny Hawaii! Carol has taken a break from her busy rehearsal schedule for a few days of rest and rejuvenation. More pictures to come... But don't fret, we'll be back in time for opening night, on November 17th!

Movin' Right Along... photo recap

If you missed out on Movin' Right Along, there is an updated slideshow on Shutterfly, with some new pictures.

Put On Your Ruby Slippers...

... and follow the yellow brick road to the Wheaton Drama web site to order your tickets now. Apparently, tickets are selling out fast, so act now or you may miss this chance to see Carol polishing the tin man!

Weeeee're off to see the Wizard!

Exciting news, Oz fans! Carol has been cast as part of the ensemble in the Wheaton Drama production of The Wizard of Oz! This is breaking news, so no word yet on what part(s) Carol will be playing in the ensemble. But I am sure whether it is a dancing/talking tree, or a flying monkey, or a palace guard, Carol will be the best damn tree/monkey/guard ever!

Show dates are November 17 - December 10. You can pre-order tickets here. Keep watching this blog for further details as they become available.
Congratulations, babe!
xx oo

My Friend Flickr

Hi all! It has been some time since my last post, I know. Movin' Right Along has wrapped, and Carol is looking for her next performance opportunity. In preparation, Carol had some professional photos taken, and is now looking for the perfect headshot. You can help!

The photos are viewable on Flickr (click here). Pick out your favorite three headshots and three 3/4 shots (or, as I like to call them, body shots), and let Carol know (babestownsend@yahoo.com) which are your favorites. Feel free to post Flickr comments as well.