Michelle Keffer's Blog http://michellekeffer.com/blog The Life of an Artist Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:17:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2010/07/76/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2010/07/76/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:17:48 +0000 Michelle http://michellekeffer.com/blog/?p=76 Hello readers!  Here I am several months later, still pushing forward.  Cinderella and the Beanstalk came and went.  It was a very interesting experience wearing a checkerboard shoe, climbing a beanstalk and then running around on top of a 12 foot tall platform, all while tied to another actor.  Luckily I survived, save for a couple broken toes and a bruised ankle.  All for the kids, people.  The next Pollyanna Theatre show, Just Bee, is going to be a lot of fun!  It runs August 12th-16th at The Long Center.

Still going strong at Fort Hood.  Three shows every Tuesday and consistantly recieving positive feedback.

This past weekend I was busy with the filming of the final scenes of In the Shadow.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get to go back to Puerto Rico, but had a beautiful set built right here in Austin.  These scenes were starring Danny Trejo and it was very exciting to have him on set.  The film is in the home stretch now!

Next week I start working on a short film entitled Lorne and Lorna.  I am on camera for only a moment as a waitress, but I also narrate the entire film.  It’s a quirky romantic comedy and I think it will prove to be fun times for all!

And now for something completely new!  Stand-up comedy.  Yep.  I’m doing it.  It’s only been about two months, but it is going quite well.  There is a huge community  here and they are all very supportive.  I am trying to obtain video proof of my newest endeavor, and when I do it’s going to be posted on YouTube.  So look out for it.  Also, check out ProjectRant.com for my rant about mosquitos.  It’s #080.

“Acting is half shame, half glory.  Shame at exhibiting yourself, glory when you can forget yourself.”

~John Gielqud

Be good,

Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2010/07/76/feed/ Odds and Ends…or Beginnings http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2010/03/odds-and-endsor-beginnings/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2010/03/odds-and-endsor-beginnings/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:37:21 +0000 Michelle http://michellekeffer.com/blog/?p=72 It’s a new year and some things never change…

I still have many “odd” jobs, but the good thing is that I do, in fact, have jobs.

First to recap my 2010 so far.  I have continued to work with the wonderful Dan Winters and am rumored to be in his portfolio book which I am very excited about.  I just added the page from the NY Times Magazine to my photos, so check it out!  I also just finished a workshop production of Symphony of the Clouds, which was a collaboration between Pollyanna Theatre and Ballet Austin.  That is set to go into production in 2011.

My newest endeavor has been The Sherwood Forest Faire.  Sherwood is a medieval festival just outside of Elgin, TX.  I never thought that I’d be doing a faire, but here I am!  And it’s actually quite fun!  The faire runs Saturdays and Sundays through April 4th.

Next month I will be back out at Fort Hood.  I wasn’t sure if the show was going to be picked up again, but it has been!  I will be again doing my part to prevent suicide for our soldiers and I am proud of that.

Soon I will be starting rehearsals for Cinderella and the Beanstock with Pollyanna Theatre.  I will post the show details as it gets closer to.

Sandwiched between all of my projects, I have continued to do a lot of figure modeling and I have recently joined a band.  Can’t be too busy!

I am honestly going to try to post more blogs…really!
It’s one of the tragic ironies of the theatre that only one man in it can count on steady work - the night watchman.
Tallulah Bankhead

I bid you adieu,

Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2010/03/odds-and-endsor-beginnings/feed/ Coocoocachoo. http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/11/coocoocachoo/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/11/coocoocachoo/#comments Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:27:33 +0000 Michelle http://michellekeffer.com/blog/?p=69 Friday night was the opening of Vestige Group’s “Lonestar, TX: A Popcorn Throwing, Rock-Country Musical”.  I play Beth Anne, a conniving cowgirl.  This show is more fun than I ever imagined it would be!  Audiences are raving and so will you!  Come and see the show if you are in town.  It runs Wednesday - Saturday, 8pm at The United States Art Authority through November 21st.

The tour of Pollyanna’s  “Patternation” is in full force and going strong.  We will be touring through January.

Unfortunately, the Fort Hood gig is no longer.  There is a possibility of the show being reinstated, but nothing is set in stone.  On the same token, my thoughts are with the men and women there who were affected by the recent tragedy.  That is incredibly heart breaking.

Recently, I’ve begun working with Dan Winters.  I modeled for a piece that he is doing for the New York Times which will run every Sunday for the next year and last week I modeled for a bodies in motion piece for Real Simple Magazine.  I feel incredibly privileged to be working with such an accomplished and wonderful photographer.  Check out his work at  DanWintersPhoto.com.

Away from the stage and the camera, I have also been periodically recruiting casts for CMT’s “The World’s Strictest Parents”.  If you catch an episode that takes place in Texas, it was probably a family that I recruited!

“Talent is as common as horseshit in a stable.  The cultivation of it is extremely rare.” ~ Eric Morris

Coocoocachoo.  So there it is.

Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/11/coocoocachoo/feed/ Of Odd Jobs and New Ventures! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/09/of-odd-jobs-and-new-ventures/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/09/of-odd-jobs-and-new-ventures/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:26:17 +0000 Michelle http://michellekeffer.com/blog/?p=62 Welcome to my beautiful chaos!

My main gig right now is for the United States Army. Yes, you read that correctly, and no, I did not enlist. I am doing a suicide prevention show every Tuesday at Fort Hood. Not only is it keeping me gainfully employed, it is giving me a sense of peace knowing I am helping thousands of men and women who are out there fighting for our country.

On the flip-side, I just got cast in Lonestar, TX: A Popcorn Throwing Cowboy Punk Rock Musical. It should prove to be a lot of fun. The show opens late October at The United States Art Authority.

I am currently rehearsing for The Sherwood Forest Faire. It is a new renaissance festival that will be open in February and March. I am playing Alice de Beauforest. This is completely new territory for me and it’s proving to be quite challenging, actually.

Next month also begins Pollyanna Theatre’s tour of Patternation. We will be traveling to area schools throughout the fall and winter teaching and entertaining the leaders of tomorrow. When you think about it that way, it adds a little pressure.

Finally, my newest endeavor…modeling. I’ve never considered myself to be a “model”, but a friend convinced me to start  Model Mayhem and One Model Place profiles and I thought I’d try it out. As it turns out, I am enjoying it and getting quite a bit of work from it. Who knew?

Check out my new demo reel. The wonderful Tag Simler put it together.

“I love acting. It’s so much more real than life.” -Oscar Wilde

‘Till we meet again,

Michelle Keffer

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/09/of-odd-jobs-and-new-ventures/feed/ Sci-fi, Vampires and Patterns, Oh My! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/06/sci-fi-vampires-and-patterns-oh-my/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/06/sci-fi-vampires-and-patterns-oh-my/#comments Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:22:16 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=54

Bonjour mon amies!

I’ve been a busy little bee lately. I am currently in rehearsals for two shows. The first is an original sci-fi musical entitled Faster than the Speed of Light. We open this Thursday, May 28th at Salvage Vanguard Theatre and run through June 13th. This is a show you don’t want to miss. We have a live band, video projections, singing and dancing!

The second is Pollyanna Children’s Theatre’s Patternation. We shot the DVD version of it and now we’re preparing the stage version. As well as acting in the show, I recorded the songs and voice-over. We open Friday, June 19th and run through Saturday the 27th.

Last week I flew to LA and met with the producer and directed of the upcoming independent feature Tears of the Vampire. I am being considered for the lead. The film will be shot in and around Los Angeles in September and October.

I just had a shoot with Nils Juul-Hansen for the perfect headshot. I uploaded a few of them to my site if you’d like to take a gander. He’s an amazing photographer and I am very happy with the different looks and the quality of the pictures.

Be prepared for frequent updates as I continue to climb, climb, climb!

“Without wonder and insight, acting is just a trade. With it, it becomes creation.”

-Bette Davis

Until next time,

Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/06/sci-fi-vampires-and-patterns-oh-my/feed/ What’s Next? http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/03/whats-next-2/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/03/whats-next-2/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:04:40 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=51 Hello all!  What’s next is a little piece of advice that I got from a great friend and acting coach, Van Brooks.  I find myself constantly asking this question.  When I don’t get a role, etc., what’s next?

What’s next for me is TIME STEPS, the 11th annual Out of Ink Festival.  Out of Ink is a celebration of new works from local playwrites and I am fortunate enough to be cast in three of them.  We rehearse through the month and open on March 26th.  The shows are at 8pm and run through April 4th at the Blue Theatre.  Come support local playwrites!

At the end of March I begin rehearsals for Pollyanna’s Patternation.  We will be shooting a DVD in the middle of April.  The live performances won’t be until this summer.

I’m still auditioning, networking and trying to make things happen.

“Life’s like a play; it’s not the length, but the excellence of the acting that matters” -Seneca

A beintot!

Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2009/03/whats-next-2/feed/ A long, long overdue update. http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2008/12/a-long-long-overdue-update/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2008/12/a-long-long-overdue-update/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:28:40 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=49 It’s been almost a year since I last blogged, but it’s not for lack of information! I’ve just returned from Puerto Rico where I was shooting the Nicole Elmer film. We were staying in Culebra, an island off the coast of PR, for about six weeks. The crew was great, the island beautiful, and the experience was one for the books. I loved my character and the story line is complicated, dramatic and fascinating. I will update as I know more about the post production. The B. Iden Payne awards were last month and Dog Sees God, a production I did with Hyde Park Theatre, won Best Comedy and Best Director of a Comedy! Next week I begin rehearsals for Wonderdog, a Pollyanna Children’s Theatre production. I play a very mean little girl and a stuck-up poodle. Love children’s theatre! This weekend I will be acting in a short film that will be rotoscoped, which is animation on top of film. I can’t wait to be cartoonized! I just auditioned for The Drowned World, which Ken Webster is directing for Frontera Fest long fringe. The play is fantastic and I’m really hoping to be cast in it. Wish me luck! There are many other projects and possibilities on the horizon. I am continuing to reach for the stars and grab everything on my way up there. Dream big! Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2008/12/a-long-long-overdue-update/feed/ What’s happening in my world http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2008/01/whats-happening-in-my-world/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2008/01/whats-happening-in-my-world/#comments Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:24:41 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=47 What a crazy start of 2008! Firstly, I have three shows in Frontera Fest short fringe. The first, Kelli Bland’s “A Genuine Plea to My Insides” was performed last week and went on to Best of the Week. “Larius Likler” by Amie Gonzales was performed on Wednesday and was a huge hit, so keep your fingers crossed for Best of the Week this week. Rocky Hopson wrote another episode of “Cowgirl Mary’s Old West Puppet Theatre” and we perform that on February 7th. How fabulous if they all went to Best of the Fest, huh! “Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Pollyanna opened today and we have shows through January 30th. I’m having a ton of fun playing Mustardseed and Quince. Check out www.pollytheatre.org for ticket information if you are interested. I also have been cast in “Humans” at Hyde Park Theatre. It’s a fabulous cast of five amazing women. The show runs March 3rd - the 26th, Monday- Wednesday. In film news, I’ve been contacted by Nicole Elmer, the director of “Lessons of the Tongue”, about working on the feature of the same film. I am very excited to be working with her again and I think this film is going to be successful in festivals and the like. I was also contacted by the producer of the pilot I did, “The Times”, about a film that he is working on. I’m really enjoying this not having to audition thing. Be on the lookout for Caught in the Act Magazine next month. It is bigger and better than before. We still need advertisers, though, so if you or anyone you know is interested, contact me and we’ll work it out! Until next time, Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2008/01/whats-happening-in-my-world/feed/ Holiday Greetings! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/12/holiday-greetings/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/12/holiday-greetings/#comments Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:14:57 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=45 It’s the time of the year when we reflect on what has happened the past 12 months and have faith that the new year brings new beginnings. That’s my thinking, anyway. Subtext was cancelled a couple of weeks ago for reasons that are not exactly known. There’s a possibility that we might be back on air in some form, but I have no details as of yet. I started rehearsal for A Midsummer Night’s Dream last week with Pollyanna Children’s Theatre. The tour for Patterns was great, so I’m excited to be working with them again. There are public performances of Midsummer at City Theatre in Austin, January 25th-30th. It will be touring in the fall. Watch for me at Frontera Fest this year as I will be doing three short fringe pieces. I will write again with the exact dates. Caught in the Act is definately back in the game. Pick up a copy with a new attitude in early February. I believe that’s all the news I have at this time. I’m trying to work on overhauling my career and taking it up a notch. It’s time to move the dial to 11! Have a marvelous holiday season, Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/12/holiday-greetings/feed/ ME Television’s Next Veejay!! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/10/me-televisions-next-veejay/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/10/me-televisions-next-veejay/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2007 17:08:01 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=43 I am in the running to be the next veejay on ME!  The only way I can get the job is with tons of votes.  That’s where you come in.  Just go to metelevision.com, click “The Next Veejay” and then click on Michelle Keffer.  It’s very simple, takes about 20 seconds and you can vote as many times as you like (vote over and over and over again).  I appreciate your support!!!

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/10/me-televisions-next-veejay/feed/ As promised! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/07/as-promised/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/07/as-promised/#comments Fri, 06 Jul 2007 17:02:27 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=41 July News time!! Well, THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT opens this Thursday the 12th and runs Thursday - Sunday until August 5th! So come on over to the City Theatre and check it out! Also, I start rehearsals for Pollyanna Children’s Theatre’s MORE PATTERNS next week, and for Hyde Park Theatre’s FEATURING LORETTA. Filming for THE TIMES went very well and I can’t wait for it to get picked up and start filming the episodes! I just got cast in a radio play of DR. JEKELL AND MR. HYDE, so I’ve been workin’ on me cokney accent. That’s certainly going to be a good time! I’ll also be going into the studio soon to record harmonies on Graham Weber’s cd DOOR TO THE MORNING, I’ll let you all know when the release is. The album is going to be amazing!

I have a few auditions coming up in the coming weeks, so keep your fingers crossed and hopefully I’ll be bringing you some more news soon!

~Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/07/as-promised/feed/ More June Info! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/06/more-june-info/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/06/more-june-info/#comments Wed, 27 Jun 2007 07:12:37 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=39 Well, I am in the process of finishing up filming on Relentless Film’s REVELATIONS DEUX, which is an improv based short film that is going to be halarious! Also, THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT has been extended until August 5th, so you have plenty of chances to see it! Finally, SUBTEXT will be airing from midnight until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays starting this week, so if your bedtime is a little too early for the regular hours, watch it on the weekends! Stay tuned for July news!

TTFN!

~Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/06/more-june-info/feed/ What’s Next? http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/05/whats-next/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/05/whats-next/#comments Thu, 31 May 2007 17:03:00 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=37 It’s time for June news ladies and gentlemen! First of all, the 3rd issue of Caught in the Act Magazine came out last week and if you live in Austin, you all need to go and grab a copy, read it, and tell all your friends. This is a great magazine, people, and it’s really great for the Austin Film and Theatre scene, but we can’t keep it going if we don’t have advertisers. SO, ADVERTISE WITH US!!

Also, I will be filming “The Times” this month, which is very exciting! Cross your fingers that it will go places!

In theatre news, I’ll be starting rehearsals for “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” at The City Theatre in the next couple of days. It runs the last three weeks of July, so come and see it!

Is that all for now? Yes, I believe it is.

Ciao!

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/05/whats-next/feed/ May News! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/05/may-news/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/05/may-news/#comments Thu, 03 May 2007 02:37:41 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=34 May is starting out quite busy! The new issue of Caught in the Act comes out very soon, we’re doing more and more at Subtext, and I just got cast in a TV pilot entitled The Times.

Lessons of the Tongue is already screening! May 9th @ Arbor Theater, 7pm and May 11th @ UT, 7pm. I think this film is going to be really beautiful and I can’t wait to see it!

It’s true what they say: April showers do indeed bring May flowers! And I hope this month continues to bloom!

~Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/05/may-news/feed/ Subtext Olympics Photos http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/04/subtext-olympics-photos/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/04/subtext-olympics-photos/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2007 04:58:26 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=22 ]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/04/subtext-olympics-photos/feed/ News! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/04/news/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/04/news/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:00:52 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=20 Well, I am rehearsing right now for our special new dating segment of Subtext. Check it out every Friday night at 2am on the CW!

Also, I just got cast in Pollyanna Children’s Theatre’s production of Patterns. We will have summer performances in August and then tour to Texas schools, educating and entertaining as we go along! Tangents opens tonight and is going to be a great experience. I got to see one of the other acts tech last night and they were very fun! If you’re around this weekend, check it out. It runs through Saturday at 8pm. It’s in a big house across the street from Clementine’s on Manor. I’m plugging away. More work, more work, more work. It’s always worth it.

~Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/04/news/feed/ Lessons of the Tongue Stills from 3/25 http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/lessons-of-the-tongue-stills-from-325/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/lessons-of-the-tongue-stills-from-325/#comments Sat, 31 Mar 2007 04:44:56 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=14 ]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/lessons-of-the-tongue-stills-from-325/feed/ The Life of an Artist http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/the-life-of-an-artist/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/the-life-of-an-artist/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2007 20:12:35 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=12 It’s the ups and downs, as much as I hate to admit it, that keep my life interesting. I go from thinking I’ll never get another job to being incredibly busy in a week, or even a couple days time. The life of an artist. We all go through it. It takes years, I’m sure to get used to it, if one ever can.

Here’s what I’m involved in right now:

  • Subtext is back on air and I am back to hosting every couple of nights.
  • Week 19 of 365 Plays/365 Days is happening on Saturday, the 24th at 1pm in front of the Capitol building (11th and Congress).
  • Tagents a new short play event is set for April 5th, 6th, and 7th at 8pm. I’m in a piece entitled “A Genuine Plea to my Insides”, written by Kelli Bland.
  • I’m shooting a short film, Lessons of the Tongue, on Sunday evening.
  • I think that’s it for now, but I will be posting more as more work comes my way.

~Michelle

]]> http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/the-life-of-an-artist/feed/ Welcome! http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/welcome/ http://michellekeffer.com/blog/2007/03/welcome/#comments Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:05:09 +0000 Michelle http://mk.dev.dereknicol.com/blog/?p=7 Hello everyone! Welcome to my brand new website!!!

To kick things off I just want to tell you all a little about me. I am extremely passionate and dedicated to my career. I’ve been working on it my entire life. When I’m not acting, I’m writing theatre and film articles for Caught in the Act Magazine, taking classes, hosting Subtext on the CW Austin, and going to audition after audition. It’s what I do and all I ever want to do.

Now I have a website and that’s definately a step in the right direction. I’m glad you came to visit and check back as I will be updating my pictures, resume and blog regularly!

I’ve adopted a new phrase to help me to constantly move forward: “What’s Next?”  And that’s what I’m looking for right now and always, the next thing!

~Michelle

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