Tag Archives: comedy

Industry:Vegas

mixin' up the 60s and 70s
mixin’ up the 60s and 70s

Las Vegas, you beautiful beast, your welcome has been warm!!!

So I arrived in Vegas about two months ago and let me tell ya, there is SO MUCH work here for entertainers and models!!! The city has been keeping me very busy.

Official TV Business!
Official TV Business!

First off, I got to work for a TV network (cough*NBC*cough) for pilot season. I made some fantastic new friends (!!!) and learned a LOT about how pilots are tested after they are filmed so they can be picked up or rejected by the networks that are considering them. It’s actually really interesting – once a pilot is written and someone decides to produce it, they cast it, shoot and edit it. Then they give it to the Preview Center (that’s where I was!), who grabs a specific number of people off the street (in every demographic the network is targeting) and has them each sit down in front of their own private flat screen and watch the new pilot before it’s released! Then they do a touch-screen survey at the end where they can tell the TV network what they liked and didn’t like about the episode (or double-episode pilot, if that’s the case). The network uses this information to decide if they need to write out a character no one liked, or re-cast an actor who was unpopular in the test group, or go ahead and green light the show as it is. Then, the network then PAYS THE VIEWERS CASH (or a casino buffet and show tickets, if they preferred) for their time and for helping them decide how popular the show would be. This way they lessen the chance that they spend a BUNCH more money to produce a show that will bomb (which, I guess, doesn’t always work out, haha). This season they paid people anywhere form $15 to $50 just to watch a sneak peek of the new shows.
Um, this is how they test TV pilots every year, every season… WHY has no one ever asked ME to do this?! I mean, right? That’s one of those things you WISH someone would walk up and ask you to do. Watch an episode of a brand-new TV show for cash.
This may shock and surprise you… but a ton of people actually said NO to this!! They thought it was a scam or a timeshare, haha! This is what it’s come to, people. This is what it’s come to.

Louise and Tina Belcher make an appearance!!
Louise and Tina Belcher make an appearance!!

So once pilot season ended, my schedule opened back up. I have been able to go out and discover some of the lesser-known facts about how Vegas works. I’m not a pro “local” yet, I still need to figure out where to get cheap show tickets and the like, but I did learn about the organized, efficient system that Fremont Street has come up with for its sidewalk performers. Hollywood Boulevard could learn a thing or two!! It’s actually a LOT like Dublin’s system at the City Centre…
There’s a little booth just off the center of Fremont Street where new and old performers can check in and get/update their badge, which has a QR code and performer number on it. The badge must be displayed while they are performing. Then, they are assigned a poker chip number – All along Fremont Street there are giant, numbered poker chips designs on the concrete, specially-measured to be a reasonable distance from vendors and casino entrances so as not to distract from their business. The performer can stand on any coin/chip they want if it isn’t busy, but during the rush hours they have their assigned spot. Every three hours, they have to rotate to another coin or go home, giving another performer a chance. The booth knows when you check in if any spots are available. It’s really organized, and very cool. The best part? The performers on Fremont are some of the NICEST people I have met here!! They’re a tight community, everyone really supports each other and no one fights over a spot…. except for one (“pirate,” maybe? It’s hard to say what she’s supposed to be) chick, who everyone seems to know is rude, rude, rude. I guess every group has that one person, right?
There’s a guy who wears one of those Borat, over-the-shoulders g-strings. NO ONE walks by this guy without taking a picture of him. You can’t help it! It’s just not something you see every day (if you don’t live here). But this guy? The most CHARMING dude ever. Very cool to talk to, super nice to people. He is charming enough that even uptight-seeming people end up taking the most risque photos with him. It’s really a sight to see.

My biggest fan (for a night), Hannah <3
My beautiful “groupie” (for a night), Hannah <3

I’ve done a few comedy shows since I got here in Vegas, but will hopefully do them more often now that my schedule is more open. I’ll update this blog with my next shows!

I’ve been working behind-the-scenes on creating a traveling variety show I’ll be producing soon, too. It’ll be once a month in four different venues, one show every week, featuring something for everyone – comedy, celebrity impersonators, magic and music! And since it’s my show, you’ll of course be able to meet and take pictures with the performers afterward. And expect some exciting names 😉 As SOON as I get the details set in stone I’ll be posting about it here and everywhere else I can think of. If you’re planning a trip to Vegas soon, be sure to keep an eye out for it!!

"Marilyn" gets a kiss from the LV Arts District
“Marilyn” gets a kiss from the LV Arts District

Stay tuned for other updates, too, as you seriously never know what Vegas will send me to next!! And if you’re not following me on Instagram yet, that’s where I update the most often, followed by my facebook Fan Page, and twitter is where I post all my new one-liners as I think them up! And you can always contact me through the website here to hire me for gigs and appearances, princess parties and trade shows!

*NEW FEATURE!!*
Not sure when to check back on this site?
Not getting updates when I post on my facebook Fan Page?
Well, you can always subscribe for updates on facebook, but NOW you can subscribe to get emails from *this site* every time I post a blog! Just use the form below this paragraph. You may have noticed, I only post blogs once every two months or so, so you don’t have to worry about getting tons of emails from me. They’ll likely go straight to your spam folder though, so be sure to add the sender address to your Contact list.

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


An email was just sent to confirm your subscription. Please check your email and click confirm to activate your subscription.

And as always, your support is what keeps me going <3 Thank you so much for believing in me and helping me stay focused!!

Fall Into Change!

London, UK
London, UK

The stand-up comedy tour of England and Ireland was phenomenally exciting!
I am so grateful for the welcoming spirit of the Irish and English comedy networks. I met some very good people, and I hope to nurture lots of new wonderful friendships! John and I were able to do a bunch of shows that were spread out enough that we could visit some incredible and historic places! I took tons of pictures and got loads of new material as an outsider to the native cultures. There are a few new pins on my map of things yet to do in this life…! You never really know what you’re missing if you don’t take a peek!

Liverpool Sunset
Liverpool Sunset

Looking ahead, I’ve been noticing that everything – not just the season – is in a state of great change. Nearly everyone I know is experiencing some kind of turbulence or turmoil, whether they are adjusting to a sudden launch of success or mourning the loss of a job or a loved one. I asked my dad what he thought of all of these life-altering shifts, and he told me this:
“I go outside and Iook around at the birds and the ground squirrels and the other animals… If they’re not packing up their feathers and booking it out of here, I know I’m good.”
It put things well-enough into perspective for me that I wanted to share this reassuring thought! The world isn’t coming to an end. We just need to accept and embrace these differences and make the best we can of them.
So I’m doing just that!

BBC Me
BBC Me

You may hear my voice on some tutorial videos that will be released regularly very soon! One is already in the can… More on that is yet to come!

Central Park, Dublin
Central Park, Dublin

I have been booking a TON of character work, so that’s on an upswing!
Even in Europe I was photographed in professional Marilyn Monroe replica clothing for Costumes By Christine, and Marilyn also got to come out and play for Dublin’s Culture Night event!
Here at home, I was thrilled to play Lucille Ball at a Ribbon-Cutting celebration in San Diego last weekend, and every upcoming weekend is filling up fast with Ice Queen parties! ‘Tis the season for Frozen-themed events, and with my newfound portability I am available almost anywhere! If you’re looking for an Elsa performer this fall or winter, you’ve found her! I also take requests for any new characters, so if you don’t see the one you’re looking for on my roster yet, just ask!
For any comedy or character appearance, I am willing to travel as far as you need, whether that is New York, Texas, California, you name it! If you’ll cover travel/lodging, I’d even love to appear internationally! I’d love to see new places like Dubai or France or Sweden, or even familiar places like Canada or Hawaii! Have costumes will travel 🙂 Wanderlust or Bust!

Guess which one is me :p
Guess which one is me :p

I’m starting to work out the kinks for a major show I’ll be producing soon, so if you’re a large venue looking for big acts, I might just have what you’re looking for! Depending on what city you’re in, there may even be surprise celebrity appearances and cameos! Stay tuned for updates! I can’t even wait to tell you more! But I will.

The first place The Beatles ever played!
The first place The Beatles ever played!

If you’re a fun, high-energy rockabilly band (or if you know someone who is)… I have a great idea! We should talk!

Thames on a rainy afternoon
Thames on a rainy afternoon

I’m deeming this the Solstice of Reality, where I get all of my best ideas off the paper and into the world. Join me! If you do something creative or have a project I can offer any help on, let’s create!

Until next time, kiddos!

What’s New?

My website has gotten revamped (it needed more pink), so it must be time for an update!

Lots of comedy shows and character events have come and gone since the last update, and I apologize for not keeping you up on those… Every time I logged on to write a new Blog, I would see where I left off and be swept away all over again with mourning the loss of my little soul cat. But this… is not really a blog, right? New site, new start.

MOVING FORWARD!

as “Rooster”

(…Because sometimes a tiny actor gets an audition and you have to step in and play a character named Rooster with a bunch of kids.)

Starting July 13th, kids can take acting-themed summer camps with John and me at Forte Music Studios in Fredericksburg, VA!
Here are the camps available this summer:

*ANNIE Musical Theatre Camp*
July 13th – 17th, with a live performance Saturday, July 18th!
*IMPROV Comedy Camp*
July 27th – 31st, with a showcase at the end of the final day!

(NEW!) Elsa’s Ettiquette and High Tea Party! Saturday, August 15th from 10am – noon, when we’ll invite parents back for the Coronation & Knighting Ceremony!

See The Acting Camps Facebook Page for more info!

If you’re a grown-up and you’re looking to catch a comedy show, you can see me Feature at Liberty Laughs in Fredericksburg, VA on Saturday, August 15th!
I’ll have my bumper stickers with me if you want to save the shipping time!

COMING TO IRELAND & the UK!

This is pretty big news! This month brought me my very first Washington DC experience, and I can’t even believe that Europe is coming up next!

(American friends, don’t worry, we’ll be back in early October… I mean, probably…)

As always, if I’m in a city near you and you’d like to book your OWN engagement, just email ashley@castinga.wwwnl1-sr3.supercp.com to schedule a character appearance, comedy show, speaking event, photo shoot, or film/tv project!