MarniWatch

My final traveling shows: HAMLET & ALL'S WELL in Orlando!‏

2010-01-22T01:43:00.003-05:00

My dearest friends and family -

Happy 2010! I hope all is well with all of you - if we haven't spoken in a while, please drop me a line to let me know how you're doing!

Okay, so I know this may come as a shock to most of you, but I'm retiring from the traveling life. THAT'S RIGHT! I'm ready to hang up my wandering shoes, getting married, and nesting in Washington, DC!

So, if you've ever had the urge to travel to any place other than DC to see me in a show, now's your last chance. HAMLET (in which I'm playing Ophelia) opens next Wednesday, January 27, at Orlando Shakespeare Theater (in Orlando, FL), and will run in rep with ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL (in which I'm playing the lead, Helena) through March 14. I can't think of two better productions with which to tie up the vagabond portion of my career.

More info is here at http://www.orlandoshakes.org.

And yes, I slipped it in there that I'm getting married! My wonderful fiancé's name is John Coleman - he's the wine & cheese buyer for Balducci's - and we're having the ceremony on October 23 of this year in a remote location of the Outer Banks, NC. I'm blissfully happy and can't wait for the big day.

I hope 2010 is treating you all just as well!
Big hugs and lots of love to all of you,
Marni

Where the heck am I? In DC!

2009-10-19T12:54:00.003-04:00

Hey there, my marvelous friends and family!

Me as Jessica and Bruce Nelson as Salvador Dali in HYSTERIA at Rep Stage. http://www.repstage.org
Photo by Stan Barouh: http://www.stanbarouh.com

I was trying to remember how long it’s been since my last MarniWatch, and a quick check of the blog shows it’s been FIVE MONTHS! My life has completely turned upside-down and backside-up since then, and the upshot is that I’m doing great and busier than ever.

I toured around Europe in August with my dear friend Brittney Rentschler, visiting friends and family in England, Ireland, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy… Now I’m back with a vengeance, and relocated back down to DC, potentially permanently… it’s made me very happy! (My parents are certainly thrilled.) ;)

I’ve just opened Terry Johnson’s fabulously hilarious play HYSTERIA with Rep Stage in Columbia, MD. It’s an historical fantasy-comedy about Sigmund Freud’s last few hours; a young student (me) breaks into his garden to discuss an old case, then Salvador Dali shows up, and things go berserk!

The amazing cast includes Bruce Nelson as Dali and Jeff Baker as Freud, along with the fabulous talents of Conrad Feininger and Elizabeth Simmons. Heads-up that the show includes nudity (some of it mine…) but it’s smart and funny and audiences and reviewers are loving it. (From the Baltimore CityPaper: “[Penning] is riveting.”) :) Hope you can make it there to see it!

HYSTERIA by Terry Johnson, directed by Steven Carpenter
http://www.repstage.org
now playing through November 1, 2009
Wed, Thurs, Sun at 7pm
Fri-Sat at 8pm
Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2pm

And next up: I’ll be back in New York on November 19 (Telephone Bar) & December 10 (Cornelia Street Café) to do Shakespeare, Anyone? again - then it’s back down to Orlando Shakespeare Theatre from 12/21/09-3/14/10 to play Ophelia in HAMLET and Helena in ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL in rep! More to come on that later…

I miss and love you all - please drop me a line to let me know how you’re doing - and if you’re in DC, we should definitely grab a cup of coffee soon!

Big hugs,
Marni

Time Clarification: Marni's performing at 6:30 TONIGHT - doors open at 6!‏

2009-05-14T02:16:00.003-04:00

Hi there my NY friends!

Several of you have told me you're coming to the show this evening (Thursday 5/14)! Hooray!

There was some confusion about the time: my original email was incorrect. Doors open tonight at 6pm, and the show starts promptly at 6:30. It's only 50 minutes long, and we're expecting a great crowd, so get there early for the best seats!

I'll be doing Portia, Mistress Page, Alice, and Malvolio (how often does that get to happen?) Hope to see you tonight at the Cornelia Street Cafe!

Hugs to all,
Marni :)

Shakespeare Anyone?
TONIGHT at Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street
$7 at the door includes a free house drink
Doors open at 6, show starts at 6:30
http://corneliastreetcafe.com/index_performances.asp

Back in NYC and performing May 14!

2009-05-02T14:16:00.004-04:00

My dearest friends and family:

I can't believe it's been three months since I set out for Florida - I had the most amazing time there and my life has changed immeasurably.

Firstly, if you're interested in reading our glowing reviews from Orlando Shakespeare Theater, links and clips are at the bottom of this email, and I've attached some pics for your enjoyment. :)

Secondly, even if you didn't get to see the shows, you can still see me do some Shakespeare on May 14 if you're in NYC!

Now that I'm back in the city: it's SHAKESPEARE, ANYONE? time again... one hours' worth of expertly-performed Shakespeare scenes, this time on the theme of "For Love or Money." Come see us at Cornelia Street Cafe, Thursday, May 14, 7pm!

$7 gets you in and a free house drink. For more info and directions:
http://corneliastreetcafe.com/index_performances.asp (click on May 14)

Thirdly, I've moved into a new apartment back in Manhattan (Washington Heights area) - let me know if you're around this Spring/Summer, and let's grab some coffee!!! I've missed you all so much!

Lastly, I'm headed to Europe for the month of August with my friend Brittney to couch-hop our way around the continent - if we might be able to stay with you during that time, or if you have recommendations, please let me know! (Some of you have already offered - yippee!!! Can't wait to finalize plans!)

Let me know what's going on in your lives!
Hugs and love to all,
Marni :)

MUCH ADO REVIEWS:

"the entire cast is as close to perfect as any I have seen of late. Much Ado’s dramatic and romantic tensions largely depend upon the actions and motivations of its main pair of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice. So the success of the play naturally falls upon the shoulders of the performers who inhabit these two pivotal roles, and it is safe to say that in Darren Bridgett and Marni Penning, director Delaney has found two generals capable of leading their troops to a well-deserved triumph. Both actors have a way of making dialogue eminently understandable, their inner desires succinct and revealing, and their conflicts both personal and universal. And while Bridgett can utilize his entire rubbery body to convey his emotional turmoil, Penning can do the same with a tilt of her head or the widening of an eye." - Orlando Weekly: http://orlandoweekly.com/artsculture/story.asp?id=13034

"Marni Penning’s Beatrice and Darren Bridgett’s Benedick freeze when the other steps into view: These are two people who really believe they detest each other, and it takes all the manipulations of the entire Sicilian town of Messina to set the lovers straight. Meanwhile, you get to know the two of them from the way they interact with others — Penning’s Beatrice a bright, warm-hearted, stubborn woman, Bridgett’s Benedick a hapless but loyal and capable man. Penning makes a wonderfully vivid Beatrice." - Orlando Sentinel: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/2009/03/theater-review-much-ado-about-nothing-at-orlando-shakes.html#more

"'Much Ado' is terrific theater... The top notch cast keeps you engaged throughout.
Marni Penning delivers a rapturously hot-headed Beatrice who likewise finds romance and slapstick compatible. This production is fun, fun, fun." - Florida Today: http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/extremeculture/2009/03/osts-much-ado-is-terrific-theater.shtml

MERCHANT OF VENICE REVIEWS:

"Marni Penning brings the same down-to-earth spirit to Portia that she does to Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing: Her Portia may be self-pitying, but she’s also smart, and she leaps to action more quickly than any man." - Orlando Sentinel: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/2009/03/theater-review-orlando-shakespeares-the-merchant-of-venice.html

"...Marni Penning (as Portia, a rich heiress who later doubles as the young lawyer who confronts the vengeful Shylock in court), is free to sport more diaphanous garments. Beautiful, giddy and love-struck, her character charms and connives, giving Merchant most of its lighthearted and enjoyable moments." - Orlando Weekly: http://www.orlandoweekly.com/features/story.asp?id=13056

MUCH ADO opens TONIGHT in Orlando!

2009-03-13T02:15:00.003-04:00

Hello there, my fabulous family and friends!

It's been WAY too long since I sent a MarniWatch (since early December?), as evidenced by the number of "Where are you?" emails I've been getting!

The answer... I'm in sunny Florida for three months!

I got down here at the beginning of February and am playing Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Portia in The Merchant of Venice in rotating rep at Orlando Shakespeare Theater. We open Much Ado TONIGHT, and the shows run through April 26; if you'll be down here vacationing, come and see me!

There are pics, video clips of me, and more info at http://www.orlandoshakes.org, plus an article on me and two others involved here.

I'm also in pics 2, 6, and 7 on this page.

I hadn't told anyone I was coming down here because of the tenuous nature of the economy, but OST is, thankfully, very responsibly managed, the contracts are intact, and the shows are fantastic! (Cast list below in case you guys know someone here with me...)

I've also cut off all my hair and gone blonde for Portia (pics in My Photos - you'll notice I'm being wigged for Much Ado) - Don't worry, it's going back to brown when this is done and I'm back in NY in May.

If you can't travel, you can always see me for free on iget2work.com - my new character, Fannie Mae Feelgood, has 12 episodes up and gives weekly "Feelgood Tips" on surviving in this hard economy (eating ramen, doing your own laundry, noticing a gigantic park in the middle of Manhattan, etc.)

I love and miss you all!
Sending some sunshine your way -
Marni

Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Dennis Delaney
and Merchant of Venice, directed by Jim Helsinger
at Orlando Shakespeare Theater in partnership with UCF now through April 26, 2009
More info at http://www.orlandoshakes.org

Cast: Desiree Bacala, Michael Beaman, Kyle Crowder, Darren Bridgett, Bob Dolan, Nathan Gregory, Anne Hering, Armistead Johnson, Andrew Knight, Bob Lipka, Ingrid Marable, Chris Mixon, Steven Patterson, Marni Penning, Brittney Rentschler, Brad Roller, Isreal McKinney Scott, Joe Vincent, Amanda Wansa (I hope I didn't forget anyone!) ;)

Photo at top is the opening sequence of Much Ado with me as Beatrice, Brittney Rentschler as Hero in background. Photo by Rob Jones.

Final two pre-election Sarah Palin videos‏

2008-11-02T22:18:00.001-05:00

Hi once more to my incredible support network of friends and family!

I can't tell you how much your great comments have meant to me over the last couple of months. What a ride. I especially want to say a little thank you to my Republican friends on this list, who have enjoyed my impersonations, content notwithstanding! ;)

So here are my final two pre-election videos: one is Sarah, one is just me singing about her.

This one I've been working on for weeks - it was an editing nightmare, but worth it in the end! And you get to hear me sing!
Special thanks to Dorothy Doyle for giving me the suggestion that the "maverick winking her eye" could be a parody of "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma:

Sarah Palin Song: A Voter's Prayer (Oh What a Beautiful Palin)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bYTTpMhr1k

And the other one is the final in the Sarah Palin pre-election series: Sarah Palin Endorses Barack Obama for President! >:D
Turns out she's upset with her treatment, and will be running in 2012...
(Special thanks to Adrienne and Lam Nguyen for the use of their dining room)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKHImzafZ6I

My videos have received nearly 15,000 VIEWS on YouTube, which is amazing to me. That's largely from you guys. Please send these around, too. YOU ROCK!! After Tuesday, I'll go back to normal MarniWatch mode, but I have a feeling I'll be doing more videos. I've had SO much fun. If you want to see them as they come out, you can hit the "subscribe" button on my YouTube channel page here: http://www.youtube.com/theladyhamlet.

Also up on http://www.FunnyOrDie.com/theladyhamlet. Again, please rate them "Funny," or... Ya know. ;)

And once again, this goes without saying, but make your voice heard, and PLEASE VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4TH!!!! :)

All my best love to you all,
Marni

Sarah Palin Shops for a Halloween Costume...‏

2008-10-28T01:30:00.000-04:00

Hi again, my amazing friends and family... I was just interviewed as Sarah Palin (with GW Bush impersonator John Simmons of GNP) by ABC Australia!!! So fun!!!!

The election is right around the corner!

Here's the latest: Sarah Palin Shops for a Halloween Costume in Real America -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kpPBoOD1A0

I had SUCH a blast making this one. Special thanks to the aforementioned John Simmons as guest cameraman, and everyone at the Halloween Adventure Superstore. ;)

Newest count: My videos now have over 13,000 VIEWS on YouTube (You guys are amazing. Thank you!!! Please continue to pass them around, and rate them if you can!)

Also up on http://www.FunnyOrDie.com/theladyhamlet. Again, please rate them "Funny," or... Ya know. ;)

I can't wait to send you a NON-election-based MarniWatch after the 4th with all the incredible career news I have linked to all this stuff... suffice to say, it's keeping me busy! Next live Palin is in Boston on Saturday...

And this goes without saying: PLEASE VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4TH!!!! :)

XOXO to everyone - I can't begin to thank you enough for your support!
Marni

Sarah Palin at the White House‏

2008-10-28T01:25:00.001-04:00

Hey there, everyone!!!

We're in the home stretch of the campaign, so only a few more videos to go...

Live Palin went great on Saturday, and now... my eighth Sarah Palin video is available online... Sarah Palin at the White House!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fTKCQZSf_Y

This one was a coup - it was quite a trick to find a solid two minutes where no one was bothering me or talking loudly near me. There was even a guy who started taking my picture paparazzi-style! Weird!

And a REALLY bizarre thing... when I first arrived (dressed in black, holding a tripod and skulking around the perimeter of the White House) I saw the rooftop sniper train his rifle on me! Talk about scary! I just put on my Palin glasses and stared at him until he realized I wasn't going to be an immediate danger to others and took his sights down. YIKES!

Newest count: My videos now have over 11,000 VIEWS on YouTube (Thank you so much!!! Please continue to pass them around, and rate them if you can!)

Also up on http://www.FunnyOrDie.com/theladyhamlet. Again, please rate them "Funny," or they die. That's the premise. ;)

I'm also in a series of five "Sarah Palin's Road to the White House" videos on YouTube, written and directed by San Francisco filmmaker Ken Edwards, and a new character, "Fannie Mae Feelgood" can be found on YouTube and at http://www.iget2work.com.

I'm having such a blast - I hope you're enjoying them, everyone!!
(Good things are coming from this... more info soon!) :)

Love and big hugs to you all,
Marni

Sarah Palin Talkin' Dirty in a Hot Tub

2008-10-12T17:49:00.001-04:00

Hello, my marvelous friends and family!

My seventh Sarah Palin video is now available online! Special thanks to my sister Rebecca (http://www.rebeccaplants.com) for the use of her Hot Tub. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHUb9bnyyUM

It's Sarah discussing the current mudslingin' while she relaxes in between appearances, hence the real title: "Sarah Palin Talkin' Dirty in a Hot Tub."

And you won't believe it: My videos now have over 9000 VIEWS on YouTube (Thank you so much!!! Please continue to pass them around, and rate them if you can!)

Also up on http://www.FunnyOrDie.com/theladyhamlet. Again, please rate them "Funny," or they... well, you can guess what will happen! Don't let them perish! :)

I have two more videos on YouTube in which I appear, but in one, the language is a little racy (definitely not playable at work) so if you want to know more about those, email me back and I'll hook you up.

Enjoy!

Hugs and love to all of you,
Marni

Sarah Palin After the VP Debate

2008-10-04T04:54:00.001-04:00

Hey, everyone!

I couldn't wait. Here is Sarah assessing her performance after the Vice Presidential Debate with Joe Biden... >:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6YVM4HOgiA

My videos now have over 7000 views on YouTube so far (YIPPEE! Thank you!!! Please continue to pass them around, and rate them if you can!)

And they are also now on http://www.FunnyOrDie.com/theladyhamlet. Please rate them "Funny," or they... well, you can guess what will happen! Yikes! :)

Enjoy!

Hugs to you all,
Marni

Sarah Palin Preps for the VP Debate

2008-10-02T12:02:00.003-04:00

Hey there, my amazing friends and family!!! My fifth video is up!

I did this one last night at 3am. Many thanks to my parents for use of their kitchen. ;)

Sarah Palin Preps for the VP Debate (2 minutes):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw_7rVE6XxU

With your assistance, my videos now have a combined 6000 views and growing!!! I'm in the process of putting them up on FunnyOrDie.com, so you should be able to search my name within a day or so to find them there, too.

Thank you all so much for your overwhelming support of my Sarah Palin venture. Even the Republicans are wishing me well! ;)

Carpe election!
Hugs to you all,
Marni

Sarah Palin Goes To Washington

2008-09-28T00:39:00.001-04:00

Hey there, my fellow Americans!!!! ;)

Here's what Sarah Palin did yesterday while John was in bailout talks and the debate...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5MuWsHqXSo

I'll be appearing as Palin with GNP in Albuquerque next weekend (NM friends - around on Sat?), then in Green Bay, WI on the 10th, Louisville, KY on the 16th, DC on the 18th, and for private parties in Great Falls, VA on the 25th, and maybe Greenwich, CT on Halloween!!! :)

Doing my part to help the Dems. ;)
Carpe election!
Hugs to you all,
Marni

Third Palin video is up!

2008-09-24T00:12:00.000-04:00

Hey there, my wonderful friends and family!

Okay, this next video's a bit controversial, so I hope you're not too offended. But it's all in the spirit of political satire in the ramp-up to the election. And getting me more work. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD7WahAQgXw

If you find it amusing, please feel free to pass it on! The first video's up over 2200 views, and the second one's at 800 - a lot of it thanks to you all, I'm sure!!!

My first live Palin gig with GNP was GREAT! (pic attached...) I'll be doing it again in Albuquerque on Sat. Oct. 4, and then as a walk-around character at a private function on the 25th and maybe Halloween. Though, personally, my affections lay with the Dems, I'm reaping the benefits of this resemblance until Nov. 4th.

Thank you so much for your love and support. I couldn't ask for a better group of friends and relations!

I love you all,

Marni

Marni's Second Palin video is up!

2008-09-16T15:30:00.000-04:00

Hey there, my fabulous friends and family!

Thank you so much for all of the positive responses and support you've given me over the last week and making my first video such a success - almost 1900 views in 6 days!

Here's my second Palin video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhKPPA9PCME

Please pass it along to anyone you think might find it funny! :)

Heard last week from Late Night with Conan O'Brien that they had already cast a Palin, but they loved my video, and will look for other ways to use me. Yippee!

I'll be out of town tomorrow & Thursday doing a comedy show as Palin with Gross National Product (gnpcomedy.com) in DC, then in DC again from Sept 22-Oct 3 doing an industrial video, and then onto a resort in New Mexico with GNP as Palin again. WHOO!!!! :)

Thank you, again, for all your love and support. You keep me going!
Big hugs to all,
Marni

Marni as Sarah Palin on YouTube

2008-09-11T23:00:00.001-04:00

Hi everybody!

I did this for fun two nights ago. See what you think.

Hopefully, no matter which side of the political fence you fall on, you will see this video in the spirit of fun and satire. And as a great work opportunity for me. ;)

And remember, I'm engaged to a hockey-playing Republican. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDEYNCWUQRw

If you know anyone who needs an impersonator, please let me know! :)

Best wishes and love to all of you,

Marni

Wed Eve. Sept 3 - Marni performs in Shakespeare Anyone?

2008-09-02T00:22:00.000-04:00

Hello, my NYC friends!

I hope you can make it this Wednesday night, 9/3 - I'm performing in NYC!!! (A rarity) ;)

It's what I do best - 4 actors, 45 mins of Shakespearean monologues and scenes, interacting with you, the audience, in a busy cafe.

Details below - I love you all!

Hugs, Marni

----------------

One night only!!!

Marni performs in "Shakespeare Anyone?", Wednesday September 3rd!!

at The Cornelia St. Cafe

29 Cornelia St.between West 4th & Bleeker in the West Village, NYC.

Take an A,C,E,D,B,F, or V to the West 4th Street stop, one block west of 6th Ave.

Doors open at 6:00pm, performance begins at 7pm.

$7 gets you in the door and includes a house drink!

Theme: Hellos and Goodbyes

'Good morrow, good sir' and 'Fare thee well, my lord'; meetings, greetings and farewells are what the Shakespeare Anyone? players will be presenting.

They'll explore the bawdy hello from the Porter as well as Rosalinds's sexy epilogue from As You Like It, the hilarious who's who of Twelfth Night, Jacques and the Seven Ages of Man and Chorus's introduction to the Battle of Agincourt. They will also be sharing Falstaff's farewell, The siblings', Claudio and Isabella's, poignant parting, as well as the ever-present SURPRISE!

So come and Join the Shakespeare Anyone? players; Carey Van Driest, Shad Ramsey, Marni Penning, and your host P.J. Escobio for a night of celebrating the Bard and his wonderful words!!

For more information, visit http://www.generouscompany.org/.

TOMORROW 8/6/08 - I think I'm on All My Children!!!

2008-08-05T22:55:00.000-04:00

Okay, I think I may have messed up my timing - I remember seeing on my script that my air date was "Wednesday, 8/8/08". Well, as I'm sure you're aware, the 8th is Friday. So that's what I thought was my air date.

But I just looked at the synopsis for Friday - and it doesn't look like my episode.

TOMORROW looks like my episode. "JR and Babe convince Colby she needs help." In my episode, JR takes Colby to an AA meeting, where I am receiving my 90-day sobriety chip. ;)

So if you get this in time - set your TiVos! I should be right around the middle of the episode - the AA meeting is in the hospital.

Write yourself a Post-it: MARNI ON ALL MY CHILDREN: ABC (check local listings for times at http://www.tvguide.com/Listings/, but in NY, it's on at 1pm.)

And if it's not tomorrow - then *definitely* Friday! ;)

The other stuff that's up with me: I'm shooting two independent shorts next week: a comedy where I'm a Klingon drummer in a sort-of Star-Trek-themed White Stripes (you read that right) and a drama where I'm a Bronx middle school teacher/love interest.

And I just got cast in a show at Orlando Shakespeare in January/February of '09! More details to come...

Love you all! Set those TiVos!
Hugs,
Marni

Celiac substitutions

2008-07-05T16:44:00.006-04:00

Hey there!

Most of you know that I have Celiac Disease, an intolerance to gluten in wheat, barley, oats, malt, etc. that makes me very sick. My body treats these foods, even in miniscule amounts, as a poison.

Unfortunately, gluten is hidden everywhere. Some of the worst offenders contain distilled white vinegar, which is actually distilled using wheat. The distilled white vinegar retains the wheat's gluten, which means foods made with distilled white vinegar, like mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, salad dressings, salsas, worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce - the list goes on - also contain gluten. (Some sites debate this, but trust me, it makes me VERY sick.)

There are also foods that are made with a hidden component of wheat that you'd never suspect - soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, even Twizzlers, believe it or not!

Cross-contamination is also a big issue. If I eat a tomato that was sliced on the same cutting board as a piece of bread, for example, or have plain lettuce from a salad bar where someone was sloppy with the dressing, and got it into the lettuce bin, I'll get violently ill. It's not pretty, I assure you.

The result is that can't usually eat most complex foods in restaurants, delis (forget buffets), and fast food is out almost altogether (which is not necessarily a bad thing.) For example, everything in McDonald's is poisonous to me. (The FRIES even contain gluten!) :(

So if you know someone who has Celiac (1 in about 130 people do) or a sensitivity to gluten, here are a few easy brand substitutions that I've tried and that are pretty yummy. ALWAYS check the labels if you are buying food for a Celiac friend - different brands may actually contain gluten, even though they look nearly exactly the same on the outside!

Happy shopping!

Marni
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the most common offenders for Celiacs, and some substitutions:

-Bread crumbs/croutons:
I've made my own using the breads below, but you can look for gluten-free bread crumbs or croutons Whole Foods or a natural foods supermarket

-Bread:
There are a lot of gluten-free options out there, and you'll find them all in the freezer section (make sure what you have is "gluten-free", not just "wheat-free"!) but my favorite is Food for Life's China Black Rice Bread. It's dark like pumpernickel, but sweet, not savory. This, toasted, with butter, tastes like chocolate cake to me. NUMMY!

-All-Purpose Flour, wheat or wheat flour, and gluten:
This seems pretty obvious that we couldn't have it... For tasty substitutions, check out Bob's Red Mill brand Gluten-Free baking mixes and flours. Their brownie mix is out of this world!

-Soy Sauce:
Wheat is a main ingredient in soy sauce, but you can find Wheat-free Tamari at Whole Foods and most natural foods supermarkets. Take it with you to your favorite Japanese Sushi place... ;)

-Worcestershire Sauce:
Pickapeppa Sauce is very similar to Worcestershire, but it's made with cane vinegar (which is okay for Celiacs) instead of distilled white vinegar (which is not).

-Oats:
No hope for this one yet. :( I understand someone somewhere is working on gluten-free oats and oatmeal, but nothing is available yet, to my knowledge. Instead of oatmeal in the mornings, Cream of Rice with butter and a little salt is tasty. I also like Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal.

-Barley or Malt:
Again, no substitutions yet. Go without. :(

A note about condiments in general: ALWAYS read the labels on condiments! Even "organic" labelled brands sometimes have distilled white vinegar in them!

-Mustard:
Whole Kids Organic Mustard at Whole Foods is a great yellow mustard substitute, made with apple cider vinegar. They also have and organic brown mustard and an organic german mustard. Eden Organic brands look good, too. Annie's Naturals also makes gluten-free Honey mustard and Horseradish mustard (although their other mustards contain distilled white vinegar).

-Ketchup:

Heinz ketchup is gluten-free!!!! Other than that, I have to say I haven't found a tasty one yet to eat on it's own... but if it's for a sauce or meatloaf, you can also use Muir Glen Organic Ketchup.

-Mayonnaise:
Hellmann's Mayo is Gluten-Free!!!! Other than that, there's only one other brand I've found that I can use - Follow Your Heart Vegenaise. Fortunately, it's pretty tasty!

-Salad Dressing:

Only a few are gluten-free, and my favorite is definitely Annie's Naturals Balsamic Vinaigrette. Some of the other Annie's are good, too - but make sure they say they're Gluten Free!

-Barbecue Sauce:

My absolute favorite is Bone Suckin' Sauce, made with Apple Cider Vinegar. SO GOOD!

-Distilled White Vinegar:

It's just the act of the distillation with wheat that makes distilled white vinegar bad. (Again, some "experts" will dispute this, but it makes me VERY ill.) Other vinegars are okay: balsamic, rice, apple cider, cane, and wine vinegars.

-Beer:

Because most beers contain wheat, barley, or malt, they're no good. There are four gluten-free brands, however, of which I'm aware (and they're great!): New Grist, Bards Tale Ale (their website was down today, but it's usually bardsbeer.com), Ramapo Valley HB (also kosher), and Redbridge, which is new and made by Anheuser-Busch (so it's less expensive!)

-Whiskey:

Can't have it. Some people have told me Maker's Mark is Gluten-Free, but I just checked their website, and they use winter wheat, barley and malt in their recipe, so I'm gonna leave that one alone for now.

Also check out The Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet list of substitutions for more ideas... I'll keep adding products as I discover them. Happy Gluten-free eating! :)

Totem Pole SHERLOCK HOLMES opens tomorrow!

2008-05-31T02:07:00.000-04:00

Hello, my fabulous friends and family!

Would you believe it's time for another opening?

If you happen to be near Totem Pole Playhouse (about 90 mins from DC), come out and join us tomorrow night at 8pm for the opening of Steven Dietz's SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE!

If you can make it here tomorrow night, I can get you a free ticket to opening. Bring along a sleeping bag and you've got a floor to crash on!

It's a really fun show (and SHORT - 90 mins) with an extremely talented cast, including Robert Boardman (Sherlock), Paris Peet (Watson), Sean Fri (Moriarty), Richert Easley, Ray Ficca, Alex Webb, Shirleyann Kaladjian, and yours truly as opera diva Irene Adler!

This is a quick run; Tuesdays-Sundays through June 15. The theatre is nestled in Caledonia State Forest, 1/2 hour away from historic Gettysburg, so if you feel like taking in a great show and some beautiful country this summer, come see me!For more info, visit http://www.totempoleplayhouse.org/

No word yet on those internet commercials - I'll keep you posted!

Hugs and love to all of you,

Marni

PS: Happy 40th Anniversary on June 6 to my Mom & Dad!!!! :)

PPS: If you're a gardner, check out my sister Rebecca's website at http://www.rebeccaplants.com/ to see her new bloom calendar... hope it helps!

Law & Order SVU & Totem Pole!

2008-05-13T00:07:00.000-04:00

Hey there, marvelous friends and family!

A super-quick update:

Okay, so I just saw the preview and I am clearly not *the* main victim on Law & Order: SVU's season finale tomorrow night (Tues 5/13), but I have been led to believe that photos of me as a cold case will show up on this episode. I'm "The Smiling Woman" seen in pics - first smiling, then dead. ;) It was really fun!

Then I leave Monday to spend four weeks with the fine folks at Totem Pole Playhouse in Pennsylvania again (the theatre Jean Stapleton's husband used to run) to play opera diva Irene Adler in Steven Dietz's Sherlock Holmes - The Final Adventure. Show runs May 31-June 15.

The theatre is nestled in Caledonia State Forest, 1/2 hour away from historic Gettysburg,
so if you feel like taking in a great show and some beautiful country this summer, come see me! For more info, visit http://www.totempoleplayhouse.org/

I'll be showing up on a series of internet commercials sometime soon -
when they're out, you'll be the first to know!

Enjoy the warm weather - I love you all!
Marni

Marni on Guiding Light!

2008-03-23T01:54:00.000-04:00

And I figured out how to get this off my TiVo!!! Here's my Guiding Light episode, in case you missed that, too... That social worker is so fired... ;)

In case you missed it, here's me on All My Children!

2008-03-14T00:32:00.000-04:00

I'm so rude! :)

The link to my ALL MY CHILDREN episode

2008-03-08T01:39:00.002-05:00

Somebody put it up already! I'm at 6:26. Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MDOUSfwruxc&feature=related

Marni (aka "Rude Woman")

All My Children is TOMORROW: Wed, March 5!

2008-03-04T22:50:00.005-05:00

Hey there, my lovely bunch!

Set those Tivos, DVRs and VCRs: I'm on All My Children as a "Rude Woman" TOMORROW, March 5!

The episode should be on ABC at 1pm Eastern/12pm Central - check local listings to be sure, however.

I'm wearing a bright red coat, near the very end of the episode: when Susan Lucci (Erica Kane) and Thorsten Kaye (Zach) walk out towards the water and he goes back in to get her cell phone, get ready... I'm there, ready to be "rude," the next time you see them!

I'll be Tivoing it as well, so if you miss it... I'll figure out a way to get it out there. You know I will. ;)

Hugs and love to you all!
Marni

All My Children & More!

2008-02-17T20:35:00.001-05:00

WOW. What a week it's been!

I know it's been a while since I sent out a MarniWatch; let me preface this by saying I hadn't felt like there was anything to report, since my last stage show ended September 30, but I realize now that SO MUCH has been happening, that I haven't had time to think about it!

1. I just taped a role on ALL MY CHILDREN this past Wednesday!!!

I had a sweet little scene with Thorsten Kaye (Zach) and Susan Lucci (who, incidentally, is the only celebrity of note that has the same birthday as me) which will air March 5. (I am happy to report that both of them couldn't be nicer - they were so supportive!) That's the pic of me in my costume, above. Set those DVRs!!!

2. Just shot a featured scene in CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC last week!

This movie (produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Disney, I think) stars Isla Fisher; in my scene, she's changing in a bathroom stall, reaching for her fancy shoe, which has escaped her. I come out of my stall (as the store manager), notice the wayward shoe, give her friend a dirty look, wash my hands, and get out. Oscar time, I tell ya. ;)

3. In the same week, I had dinner at the Harvard Club with people from the Globe Theatre in London…

The thrill of my young life, to be sure. Who knows what this will lead to, but they were all very nice!

You all know about the reading of my play, Carol's Christmas, in LA, and how well that went; I'm now trying to concentrate on getting a public reading in New York, so I'll let you know when that happens. Again, if you know any theatres stuck for a Christmas show, let me know! I'm also working on two new scripts, but at my rate, it'll be 2010 before you see anything on those… :)

Most of my January was taken up with a trip to Atlanta for a trade show for the Belgians; I loved catching up with all my friends down there!

And the other big news is that I've had some great auditions and callbacks recently, and things are starting to happen through my new freelance agent, Harden-Curtis, so keep your fingers crossed there! It's a weird feeling trying to stay in the New York area after so many years spent hither and yon, but I'm LOVING fixing up my apartment with Jack and Nicole, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I have a real home.

I love you all! I hope your lives are wonderful; please update me with your goings-on when you get a chance!

Thank you again and again for all of your support and encouragement in this crazy business, and I'm glad to know that you guys actually read this! :)

Love and hugs to all of you,
Marni

My reel!!!

2008-01-21T23:38:00.000-05:00

As edited by the amazingly talented Scott Faris (scottfaris@gmail.com), here is my newly completed demo reel. Enjoy! :) Hugs, Marni

In NYC for 2008!

2007-12-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

Hey there, my wonderful friends and family!

I know it's been a long time since I sent an update, because the first thing everyone asks that sees me is, "Where are you now?"

So here's the response: I'm back in NYC, and here I will stay for the foreseeable future!

As you all know, I've been running and running around all over the country for the last five years, so I'm taking some time to be with my fiance, Jack, and his daughter, Nicole for a while, which means staying in NYC!

I'm auditioning andsubmitting my play everywhere, so if you know of anyone who wants to direct, produce, or be in a Christmas show in 2008, please let me know!

Two VERY exciting things:

- After a great meeting with Michael Kirsten, I'm now freelancing with the amazing agents at Harden-Curtis Associates! This is incredibly exciting news, as the Harden-Curtis name alone opens many more doors than I've had access to previously; meaning, I have a REALLY GOOD agent now... look out world! :)

- My reading of Carol's Christmas in Los Angeles (November 12) was TERRIFIC! Though it was the night of the Ovation Awards (LA's equivalent of the Helen Hayes), we still had a full house, and lots of laughs.

Also in attendance was Sam Anderson (see pic at left), who plays Bernard (the dentist, married to the African-American woman, Rose) on LOST! He's a company member at the Road Theatre (where my play was read) so he even made the pre-show speech. The thrill of my young life. :)

My cast was incredible (Alexis Chamow, Eileen O'Connell, Joanna Parson, Seth Cooperman, Marc Ewing, and Meg Bartholomay), and the lovely and talented Che'Rae Adams directed. I'm so indebted to you guys!

My birthday (the 23rd) and Christmas were wonderful; filled with love, family, and friends. I hope your holiday season has been equally terrific, and I wish you all the best for a fabulous 2008! I can't wait!

Much love and hugs,

Marni

CAROL'S CHRISTMAS reading in LA Nov. 12th!‏

2007-11-04T23:40:00.000-05:00

Hey there, my wonderful friends and family!

I'm so excited! I'm heading to LA next week for a reading of my play, CAROL'S CHRISTMAS, on Monday, November 12 at The Road Theatre!!! The invite is below. I hope any of you in the area can make it!

I'd love to see any of you who are out there while I'm in town (Wed-Wed, November 7-14), and if you know anyone in LA, especially people who make decisions about plays or writers (or even screenwriting!), PLEASE bring them with you or forward this invite below to them.

Wish me luck! I love you all!
Hugs,
Marni

--------------------------------------------
You are invited to a reading of a new play

CAROL'S CHRISTMAS
by Marni Penning

Directed by Che'Rae Adams

With
Alexis Chamow
Eileen O'Connell
Joanna Parson
and more!

Carol's been through a horrible breakup and refuses to leave her house. Her best friend Lauren can't get her to budge, so her sister Marley borrows from Dickens and summons the ghosts of her Ex-Boyfriend Past, her Ex-Husband Present, and the ghost of her Partner-Yet-To-Be. A holiday comedy for mature audiences that is sure to leave you guessing!

Monday, November 12th
@ 8:00pm

The Road Theatre Company
5180 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood

Ample street parking

Reception immediately following the reading

One more UNMENTIONABLE week!

2007-09-22T01:10:00.000-04:00

Hey, amazing and supportive friends and family!

Since we got extended, there's one more week left to catch me in Bruce Norris' incredibly funny and biting play, THE UNMENTIONABLES, at Woolly Mammoth down here in DC (directed by the incomparable Pam Mackinnon).

CHEAPEST OPTIONS, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT COST: I can get half price tix, so e-mail me if you'd like to come & I'll take care of that, or come to the box office an hour and a half before showtime for $15 rush seats! If you're 25 & under, tix are always $15.

Click below to see our unbelievable reviews & get show info:
http://woollymammoth.net/performances/show_unmentionables.php

And here's the Washington Post article, if you didn't get to see it:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/06/AR2007090602624.html?tid=informbox

We're all so, so proud of this show, so if you can make it, please come! (And thanks to those of you who've already been!) :)

Which also means I'm only in DC through the 30th! If you're down here and I haven't seen you yet, I would LOVE to do so before I leave town. I'll be at Tunnicliff's Wed. night after the show (about 11pm), if you're so inclined to join me there. Otherwise, I need excuses to get me out of the house. E-mail me, and let's have some java...

As of October 1st, I'm back in the Big Bad Apple! I can't wait to catch up with all my NYC friends, too.

Miss you and love you all!

XOXO,
Marni

UNMENTIONABLES opens Aug. 27!

2007-08-20T16:12:00.000-04:00

Hey there, amazing friends & family!

Okay, yes, I've been in DC since July 30 and no one's heard from me. But there's a good reason, I promise! Check out the full "Why I was in the hospital" story below. No reason to freak out anymore, thank god; I'm doing MUCH better. For those of you who have known, thank you for all your good wishes!

I have also decided NOT to move to California (which some of you knew I was considering). If you want more details, email me, but suffice it to say that my health & family are coming first. :)

So now that I'm all better, my new show, THE UNMENTIONABLES by Bruce Norris, is going up at Woolly Mammoth Aug. 27-Sept. 23. I play a do-gooder stuck in a crazy situation in Africa; it's very funny and very biting!

Synopsis from Woolly's website:
Bruce Norris’s explosive satire launches the Woolly season after startling audiences during its world premiere last fall at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre. Thanks to their missionary zeal, a motley collection of do-gooder Americans stirs up tension and trouble in an isolated African village. A wealthy entrepreneur, a pair of Christian charity workers and a flamboyant government official get caught in a web of good intentions and bad judgments in this scathingly funny and provocative new work.

Pay-what-you-can previews are:
next Mon & Tues, Aug 27 & 28 at 8pm
(VERY popular - try to come early!)
and for the exact Wed-Sat at 8, Sun at 2 & 7 schedule thereafter,
visit http://www.woollymammoth.net/.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE SHOW FOR FREE:
Our final dress will be this Saturday, Aug. 25, at 8pm.
Please do show up; we'd love to have some audience response before we head into preview week!

It's a truly amazing show with a fabulous director (Pam MacKinnon); incredible cast includes Naomi Jacobson, Tim Getman, Dawn Ursula, Charles Hyman, Kofi Owusu, John Livingston Rolle, James J. Johnson, and James Foster, Jr.; and should anything happen to me again, the lovely and talented Tonya Beckman Ross will step into my hiking boots.

Hope to see you there!

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
7th & D Sts. NW, Washington, DC
Closest metros are Gallery Place/Chinatown and Archives/Navy Memorial.

Hope your summer's been fabulous...
I love you all!
Hugs,
Marni

When being in bed all day sucks...

2007-08-07T00:58:00.001-04:00

And so this wonderful internal bleeding now comes with accompanying pleurisy! Oh, joy!

I've been bedridden all day because breathing deeply is too painful.
Bleh. :(

Thank god for Tylenol with Codeine!

Marn

Why I was in the hospital

2007-08-03T00:14:00.000-04:00

Everybody has been asking, so I finally wrote it down. I already emailed this to a couple of you... :)

Monday night (7/30) I had pains in my stomach, so I took a couple of Tylenol before I drove back from NYC to DC. I drove for two hours and stopped at a rest area, and my stomach felt worse (I thought it was from suspect spaghetti sauce, and if I went to the bathroom, I'd feel much better, but no-go.)

I got back in the car and drove two more hours, but as I'd slow down for tolls & stoplights, any engagement of my stomach muscles was painful. By the time I got to my parents' house at 1:30am, I couldn't stand up at all. I felt like I'd either pass out or puke or both.

After 20 minutes on my hands and knees in the street outside my parents' house, I finally called and woke them up; it took us another 20 minutes to get me inside the house from the car. I had to stop every two feet and rest on all fours. I was crawling part of the way. After I went to the bathroom I felt a little better, but still like I was going to pass out/puke. We called an ambulance, and the EMTs poked around my belly, then tried to get me out to the stretcher; I still couldn't stand beyond 90 degrees.

I got down three of the front steps before I had to stop again, then finally puked, thank god, and they carried me the rest of the way to the ambulance. I got to the hospital about 3am Tuesday morning (7/31). Apparently I'd had an ovarian cyst that ruptured and didn't stop bleeding, because I was on anti-coagulants. I had about a liter and a half of blood in my abdominal cavity. They couldn't even see my internal organs on an ultrasound because of the fluid. At one point my blood pressure dropped to 60/30. Yipes!

After about 40 bedridden hours in the hospital, I finally got to come home last night, no surgery necessary. Yay!!! I still feel kinda weak and my belly's a little distended, but much MUCH better than I was. I've had to miss the first three days of rehearsal for my new play at Woolly, but they've been very understanding, and I'm looking forward to being there tomorrow, taking it easy at first.

How's that for a story? :)

Uninvited Premiere and DC!

2007-07-19T02:56:00.000-04:00

Hey there from Aspen, amazing friends and family!

I've had a wonderful three days here as part of a TheatreMasters talk called Theatre and War, given by Richard Digby Day, and organized by the incomparable Julia Hansen. I've made some new friends, seen contemporary ballet set to live music, been to some outstanding parties, and heard Al Gore speak! What could be better?

Tomorrow (Thursday 7/19) I head back to NYC, just in time for the premiere tomorrow night of Uninvited, a short film I'm starring in, by Jonathan Betzler of Myriad Arts fame! Also starring Andrea Grano, Brendan O'Malley, David Lamb, and Jeff Puccillo. Here's the YouTube link for the Uninvited trailer (also available on my website):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B1e1N88EtU

In case you want to come, the screening is free, only lasts one hour, includes four short films (listed below), and will be at 7:30pm at the Tribeca Screening Room located at 375 Greenwich Street, 2nd Floor. Send an email to info@myriadarts.net to reserve seats.

The program is as follows:

HOTBOX
Directed by Paul Wrider
Written by Jefferson Arca
Starring Gabe Silva and Jo Benincasa

THE COBBLER
Directed by Minnie Tran
Written by Bernie Schallehn
Starring Randall Duk Kim and Marcus Powell

STAND UP
Written and Directed by Gary Giudice
Starring Robin Goldsmith and Aimee Erika Mehiel

UNINVITED
Directed by Jonathan Betzler
Written by Matthew Aarontoe
Starring Andrea Grano and Marni Penning

Other cool things: my mom was selected for the Teacher at Sea program, and she's in the middle of the Atlantic right now, studying scallops! Check her out at http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/2007/penning/index.html. You can also go to her ship's (the Albatross IV) home page: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/albatross4/ and click on 'cruise notes' to get those.

Then, I'm on the move again on July 31... I go to DC to start rehearsals for The Unmentionables at Woolly Mammoth, which will run August 27-September 23.
If you're in DC, come check it out!

I miss you all and hope your summers are going very well!!!!
Please email me your big news; I'd love to hear it!
XOXO,
Marni

Playing in PA July 3-15!

2007-06-26T10:58:00.000-04:00

Hello there, my fantastic friends and family!

I'm loving life over here in the forests of Caledonia State Park, just 15 minutes from Gettysburg, PA. Always wanted to see the battlefields? Come out and see some history and mystery at the same time!

I'm playing the female lead in Frederick Knott's thriller Write Me a Murder at Totem Pole Playhouse in PA. Same author as Dial M for Murder and Wait Until Dark; it's full of surprises. We open Tuesday (yipes) for a two week run... time's flying!

It's beautiful country, and the show is great. If you're anywhere near, come on over and see me!

Details:

Write Me a Murder by Frederick Knott

Tues, July 3 - Sunday, July 15

Opening Tuesday (7/3) at 8pm

Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm

Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2:30pm

Sunday matinees at 3:00pm

Special second Tuesday matinee (7/10) at 1:30pm

Get tickets online at http://totempoleplayhouse.org/tickets.asp

Directed by Wil Love. Cast also includes Kyle Prue and Ray Ficca (pictured with me above), as well as Catherine Blaine, Matt Walker, and Bob Crawford. I hope you can make it!

After this, I head to Aspen, CO for a couple of days, then back to NYC for a week and a half to be with Jack, and then back down to DC to start The Unmentionables at Woolly Mammoth on July 31. No rest for the weary! :)

I hope all of you are well. I miss you all!

Big hugs,

Marni

Performing in NYC May 8-10!

2007-04-26T15:06:00.000-04:00

Hey there, amazing friends and family!

TWO Chances to see me in the next 10 days!!! Whooppee!!! Once onstage, once off. Read on.

1) Those of you in NYC have been asking me, "When are you going to perform in New York???" Well, this one came up fast... I'll be performing in two 10-minute plays as part of the National MFA Playwrights' Festival at the Atlantic Theatre Company's Stage Two May 8-10!

As there are only four performances, and they're midweek, it may preclude people from coming, but here's the info:

Tue-Wed, May 8-9, @ 7:30pm
Thurs, May 10 @ 4pm and 8pm
at Atlantic Theatre Company, Stage Two
330 W. 16th St. (between 8th/9th Aves.)

It's an Equity Showcase, so Equity members are free if there's space, all others are $18.
No credit card needed; reserve tix at theatermasters@gmail.com or by calling (970) 948-9484 , then pay cash at the door. That's it! Hope you can make it (esp. at the matinee, it's for industry)!
In its inaugural year, the festival will feature nine ten-minute plays; one playwright was selected from each of the top University MFA playwriting programs: Brown, Columbia, NYU, Carnegie-Mellon, Northwestern, Iowa, UCLA, UCSD, and the University of Texas at Austin.

My shows are called PLANS by Rachael Brogan (where I drink wine, eat hummus, and discuss killing my husband with former CSFer Deb Heinig), and DUMB LUCK by Joshua Tobieson (where I've won $27 million in the lottery and try to duck greedy relatives). Should be lots of fun!

2) Also: COME OUT WITH ME & JACK tomorrow, Wed. May 2 to see my friend Katy Pfaffl playing at JOE'S PUB! Doors open at 11pm; $10 cover. More info at http://www.katypfaffl.com.

This is a very important show for Katy; come with me! I promise you'll have a blast. Apparently, tickets are selling FAST, so if you want to order in advance, Joe's Pub's # is: 212-967-7555 or go to http://www.joespub.com.

Almost all of you have heard me mention Katy at some point; she's an INCREDIBLE singer/songwriter poised on the knife-edge of superstardom... several of her songs are up on YouTube, but this is my favorite, called "Dirty Little Secret." http://youtube.com/watch?v=MkLhV1UjPJ4

I will definitely be there; hope you can make it, too! And I hope you can come catch my show, brief though it may be. I'd love to see each of you!

Lastly, I can't be there, unfortunately, but if you're free tonight, there's a fundraiser for the Australian/American theatre company I work with (The Production Company) and three other companies at chashama - 217 East 42nd St, NYC, from 6:30-9:30. $25 at the door... great networking opportunity! More info at http://www.productioncompany.org.

I miss you all!

Hope all is well in your necks of your respective woods...
Let me know how things are going!

Big hugs,
Marni

Back in NYC Again!

2007-04-09T10:50:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter/Passover/Spring Break, my fabulous friends and family! Long time, no mention of me, I know.

Enough people have said, "Where the heck are you?" that I realized it's been a while since my last MarniWatch.

So I'll update details:

I'm back in NYC right now!
(Catch me while you can...) :) I just got finished with an AMAZING run of Pinter's THE LOVER at RepStage in MD, and am hangin' with Jack and Nicole, working when I can, and updating my website (finally!) I'd love to see as many of you as I can, so email me for coffee while I'm home! Let's get together!

Coaching again: 10% discount through June 15!
Since I'm only home through June, and enough people have said they want to work out some monologues with me, there's no time like the present. My usual fee is $50/hr, but for the next two months, you can get me for only $45! Call me at 212-802-8557 and we'll work something out. I have a midtown location, or I can come to you. Your choice. See you soon!

New film trailer and print photos on my website!!!
Check it out: the short film UNINVITED by Jonathan Betzler is coming out soon, and it's a great showcase for me! The whole trailer is about two minutes, and features four different looks for yours truly... it will be very exciting. For the print photos... read on!

Just finished shooting the NYU short film CHECKOUT
...by the very talented young filmmaker Nardeep Khurmi. I play a mom who takes her 12-year-old to the supermarket at midnight to try to decide whether to leave her abusive husband. Very cool. Will let you know where this goes!

Theatre work: I'm booked June through September...
Which I'm very excited about! Come see me this summer! I've got leading roles in:

WRITE ME A MURDER by Frederick Knott
at Totem Pole Playhouse in Pennsylvania (July 3-15)
and THE UNMENTIONABLES by Bruce Norris
at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in DC (Aug. 27-Sept. 23)

and some very exciting stuff in the hopper... I'll keep you posted!

So that's what's up with me; check out stuff by my sisters & friends, too:

-My sisters' websites are up & running:

Lisa's jewelry is absolutely stunning, and she just got FOUR pieces of her artwork accepted to a show in Madison, WI that will travel to Chicago! Yay, Lisa! Check her stuff out at: http://www.lisapenning.com/
Rebecca's garden is beautiful, and she's started a website with a blooming calendar so that people around the world can share their gardens with each other; if you've got a green thumb, you definitely have to check her out: http://realgardensbyzone.com

-Two friends have shows on Discovery Networks; check them out...

Nathan Lyon went to high school and college with me, and now has his own cooking show A Lyon in the Kitchen now showing on Thursday nights at 10pm on Discovery Health; he's an incredible cook! His philosophy is that you should buy local produce for the freshest meals. Need recipes? Go here.
and Victoria Stilwell is the SuperNanny of the canine crowd. Having problems with your pooch? You have to check out her show It's Me or the Dog on Animal Planet, starting April 16. It's being shown in 20 countries worldwide, and has finally come to the US! Go, Vikki!!!!!

-Alex Borghi, who took these pics of me, is new to NYC, and is therefore having a headshot special: $200 gets you an all-digital session with three changes and two prints! He was really fun to work with. Check him out at http://www.alexborghiphoto.com/

-and my friend Joanna Parson is doing a "Create Your Own Work" fundraiser to benefit New Orleans kids on April 14; go to http://www.joannaparson.com/ to find out more.

There's exciting stuff for me in store for the rest of 2007... I'll keep you informed, I promise!

Much love and happiness of the season to all of you,
Marni

This is how small the world is.

2007-04-07T22:44:00.000-04:00

So I was about an hour early for an audition at The Onion (so excited about that) on Tuesday, so I picked up the script and went to a nearby Starbucks in Soho to study it. The place was mobbed, no seats to be had. I walked around for a minute and finally asked a guy if I could share his table. We sat in silence for about five minutes while we consumed our beverages, me waiting for him to leave before I pulled out my script, when his phone rang. Afterwards, he made a small-talk comment about cell phones, something about picking up his daughter and going to Grand Central.

He observed that no one seemed to be working that day, and asked if I was (because I was wearing a suit), to which I laughed, "No, I'm an actress," and told him I was auditioning for a web-thing nearby. When he asked if I did that a lot, I told him I was primarily a stage actress, and that this was a rarity. I told him the reason no one appeared to be working because of Spring Break, and that Grand Central would be mobbed as well; we commiserated about having to wade through tourists to get to our trains, as both of us live in Westchester County, and have to take the Metro North home.

He said he had just moved to Ossining, but that for the last 17 years he lived in Cincinnati.

When I told him, "Oh, really? I was a co-founder of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival!" He said, "Wait a minute. We've met. I photographed you!"

It was Craig Ruttle, who took the picture above for Jackie Demaline's feature article back in 2003...

Small, small world indeed.

And to think that if I'd gone to the other Starbucks down the street, we never would have seen each other...

Welcome to New York, Craig!
Big hugs,
Marni

My Oscar...

2007-03-12T03:33:00.000-04:00

And the award for biggest cheeseball goes to... :)

Two more weeks of PINTER!

2007-02-14T12:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day,
lovely people!

For those of us in the Northeast, I hope you're enjoying our ice storm. BRRR! It certainly is beautiful, though... :)
Stay safe!

Great quotes below from the reviews of TWO BY PINTER at RepStage! (photo by Stan Barouh)

"Actors Nigel Reed and Marni Penning are expert at the role playing of a twisted marriage... Penning runs the gamut as the wife who thrives on the game and grows desperate to maintain the kinky status quo." -Nelson Pressley, The Washington Post

"One impressive show at Rep Stage... Marni Penning, who plays Sarah, vaguely resembles Tracey Ullman and has a similar gift for transforming herself from a mousy housewife into a terrorizing vamp--for either dramatic or comic purposes. When Sarah shifts from squealing, hand-fluttering victim to slit-eyed, serpent-hissing seductress, the sudden change not only makes us wary of her intentions but also makes us laugh at her pretenses."
-Geoffrey Himes, Baltimore City Paper

"The actors in these two plays give such tightly synchronized performances that you're along for the existential ride in this smoothly staged production. For that matter, you may find yourself wondering about your connection to the person you're riding home with afterwards." -Mike Guiliano, The Columbia Flier

"Nigel Reed and Marni Penning, as Richard and Sarah, deal brilliantly with the play's heavy emotional dialogue and action."
-William Hyder, The Baltimore Sun

Only two more weekends... closes Feb. 25!
If you'll be in the DC/Baltimore area and you'd like to see it,
here are the particulars:

Fridays at 8pm
Saturdays at 2:30 & 8pm
Sundays at 2:30 & 7:30pm

For tickets ($16-$24) and directions,
visit http://www.repstage.org.

I love all of you!
XO,
Marni

Playwriting Finalist and Free Tix Thursday!

2007-01-23T22:08:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody!

I know it's a little soon for the next MarniWatch, but I just found out today that my play, CAROL'S CHRISTMAS, was a finalist for the "Robert J. Pickering Award for Playwriting Excellence"! Out of 120 submissions, there were three top prizes and five runners up, of which I was one. Yippee! I'm submitting it around the country, so if you know of an Artistic Director or a theatre that might be interested, let me know!

Also, next Thursday, February 1st, at 8:00pm, there's a FREE invited Dress Rehearsal of the show I'm in: TWO BY PINTER at Rep Stage in Columbia, MD. First act is THE COLLECTION with Bill Largess, Bolton Marsh, Tim Pabon, & Peggy Yates, and the second act is me, Nigel Reed & Bill Largess in THE LOVER. Should be two hours total. If you want to come, email me and I'll give your name to the box office. For directions and more info, go to http://www.repstage.org/.

I hope you guys are all well. Thanks so much for all of your support; I couldn't do this without you. I love you all!
Big hugs,
Marni

Very Glam for a Social Worker

2007-01-16T04:21:00.000-05:00

My Mobile Blog

Back in the DC Area!

2007-01-15T00:19:00.000-05:00

Happy 2007, everyone!

Life is good, and I'm back in the DC area. (Again... I know; I can't even keep up with me!) :) I'm rehearsing Harold Pinter's The Lover with Rep Stage in Columbia, MD as part of their show Two by Pinter, which will open on Feb. 2! For tix and more info, go to http://www.repstage.org/current.html.

It's a very cool show; hopefully very funny and very bizarre. It's a two-hander, just me & Mr. Nigel Reed (with a brief cameo by Mr. Bill Largess!) The other play, The Collection, features Bill, Tim Pabon, Bolton Marsh, and Peggy Yates, and promises to be wonderful, as well. The whole evening is about two hours and runs weekends through the month of February. I hope you can make it!

For those of you who missed the reading of my new play Carol's Christmas in December, it was absolutely amazing! We had about 65 people there (!), and the response was overwhelmingly positive; I'm still getting feedback forms... everyone loved it! My cast (pictured above) was incredible (L to R): Barbara Pinolini, Lee Mikeska Gardner, Rachel Fowler, (me), Lise Bruneau, Christopher Scheeren, and Tom Stephens. Now I'm sending it around the country, entering it in contests and contacting potential producers... if you know anyone who might be interested (or if you'd like to read it), let me know!

I'm still really busy, coaching in NYC on Sundays and Mondays; I'll be in NYC during the weekdays in February (while performing in MD on the weekends), so if your New Year's resolution was to dust off some monologues and you want to work, let me know!

My other big news, if I haven't told you yet, is that Jack and I got engaged at the end of 2006! No date yet, but I'll keep you informed.

AND... to all my DC friends, I'd love to see you while I'm down here! Email me at marni@marnipenning.com or call my cell if you've got that number... I'm free weekday nights until the end of January.

As a side note/non-sequitur, if you're into gardening, my sister Rebecca is looking for gardeners who want to show off their handiwork on a new blog she's setting up. Email me and I'll put you in touch with her!

I hope you all are recovering from your holidays and are enjoying our freakishly warm January; health and happiness to all in 2007! Let's all make our dreams come true this year!!!
Love to you all,
Marni

PS: If you're looking for a writing class in NYC, I highly recommend my friend Joanna Parson's "Writing for Performance" workshop which is just about to start; her feedback has been invaluable! jtparson@yahoo.com

I was on Guiding Light Friday, Dec. 8!

2006-12-21T10:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays, my incredible family and friends!

First, business:
1) My Guiding Light episode airs FRIDAY, 12/8 at 10am on CBS!
Set those Tivos, DVRs, and VCRs! I play a Social Worker with an abandoned baby on her hands; two scenes, four lines (the most I've had yet on television...) :) Should be towards the middle of the episode; I'm in a purple coat with a green scarf and looking very glam for a social worker. Enjoy!

2) Reminder if you're in DC: My reading is Tuesday, 12/19 at 7pm...I'm getting tons of RSVPs and can't wait to see you all!! The play I wrote, Carol's Christmas , is having a FREE public reading at Woolly Mammoth Theatre at 7th & D Streets NW, downtown DC. Invite anyone you like! Come prepared to laugh, but there's mature themes and language, so leave the kids at home. Details below:

Synopsis: A woman goes through a bad breakup and refuses to leave her house, only to be visited by the ghosts of her Ex-boyfriend Past, Ex-Husband Present, and the ghost of her Partner-Yet-To-Be.

CAROL'S CHRISTMAS
by Marni Penning
Staged reading (wine & cheese reception to follow)
Tuesday, December 19th at 7pm (should be about 90 minutes long)
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company - Rehearsal Hall
7th & D Streets, Downtown Washington, DC
Closest Metros:
Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter (Yellow & Green lines) — 1 block away
Gallery Place (Red, Yellow & Green lines) — 2 blocks away, use Verizon Center exit to 7th & F. Directions/Parking Info:http://woollymammoth.net/productions/directionstowoolly.html

Now to personal stuff:
If you need my updated snail-mail address, it's just changed! Email me and I'll send it!

And in January and February, I'll be doing Harold Pinter's The Lover at Rep Stage in Columbia, MD. I can't wait to be back in the DC area for a spell! I've missed you all...

I hope everyone's holidays are merry and bright. Thanks again for being such an amazing support group to me!

Love and hugs for an even better 2007,
Marni

Soap, LA, & New apartment!

2006-10-26T13:01:00.000-04:00

Hey there, my wonderful circle of friends and family!

I've had so many people asking me where MarniWatch has gone! You guys know me well enough to know that I rarely take breaks, so this has been a very welcome one. Now I'm kicking into high gear again! :) So here's the big news:

1. GUIDING LIGHT
I finally got a soap! I'm taping the role of a "Social Worker" on Guiding Light on Monday! I'll be in 2 scenes with 4 lines total. Yippee!! So set your VCRs... the air date for this episode is Friday, December 8. Wish me luck!

2. NEW APARTMENT!
November 1st, believe it or not, I'm moving... AGAIN! But this time (I hope) you can use ink in your address books. Jack, Nicole, and I are moving into an amazing new 2BR/2BA in White Plains; it has a gym, a pool, concierge service... it's the nicest place I've ever lived. There's also a shuttle to the MetroNorth, from which an express train takes only 30 minutes into Grand Central. (Faster than living in Upper Manhattan some days!) If you need my snail-mail address, email me and I'll send it along.

3. GOING TO LA FOR TWO WEEKS!
From November 4-18, I'm headed out to sunny California! I'll be in classes with agents and casting directors from Nov. 6-12, and the rest of the time is to get to know LA, see my friends, and hopefully make some contacts for pilot seasons down the road. If you have somebody you want me to meet out there, or a contact you think could help me (for film, television, or voiceover work), please pass it along via email; I could use all the help I can get!

So that keeps me busy until Thanksgiving, pretty much. :)

Also, watch your inboxes when I return for a reading of my new play (one I wrote!) sometime in the holiday season!

I want to hear how you guys are doing, too; and if you are in LA from November 4-18, let's hook up!

Hugs and love to all of you. I'm so lucky to have you in my lives!
XOXO,
Marni

RSVP for Pancakes

2006-10-08T12:09:00.000-04:00

I forgot to mention...
If you're planning on joining us for the pancake breakfast social on the 21st,
please email me an RSVP so we know how many pancakes to make!
If you need vegan or gluten-free, let me know that, too. :)
If you want to bring kids, under 12 will be $10 each.
Info on the Pancake Social is repeated below.
Love you all!
XOXO,
Marni

Three things for my NY friends...

2006-10-06T02:19:00.000-04:00

Hey there, all you amazing New York friends!

Wondering where MarniWatch has gotten to? I've been laying low for a while, taking a much-needed BREAK, because you all know how much I've been going, going, going... So, more things about my acting career to come soon, but in the meantime, my schedule's filling up, and I wanted to let you know a couple of ways we could get together at some point!!

1. PANCAKES, ANYONE?
On Saturday, October 21st, from 10:30am to 3pm, The Production Company (the Australian theatre company I've been working with: http://www.productioncompany.org/) is having a Pancake Social fundraiser! $25 gets you all the pancakes you can eat (there will be special ones for vegans and us wheat-free peeps, too), plus fruit, coffee, OJ (potentially some mimosas and/or wine), and some socialization with the company that's producing Stephen Belber's next play! Come on out and meet some people, donate to a wonderful up and coming theatre, and see me!

What: The Production Company's Pancake Social Fundraiser
Where: Judson Memorial Church, 239 Thompson St. in the Village
(between the South edge of Washington Square Park & 3rd Street)
When: Saturday, October 21st from 10:30am-3pm - come anytime in there...
Cost: $25 (To a good cause... we're trying to raise $15,000 this year, and this is the beginning)
How to get there: A, C, E, B, D, F, V to W. 4th
Go East on W. 3rd or W. 4th two blocks to Thompson
The entrance is between W. 3rd and Washington Square Park
You can also take the R to 8th Street, walk South to W. 4th,
then West a few blocks to Thompson.
I'm organizing this, so come out in droves and make me look good! ;)

2. I'M COACHING AGAIN!
My students are starting to keep me busy, and I'm loving it. Need to work on a monologue or two? Know someone who does? You know Shakespeare's my specialty, but any audition or performance material is fair game.
I can be reached at 917-653-6924 (cell),
or 212-802-8557 (service)
or via email at theladyhamlet@hotmail.com or classicalcoaching@hotmail.com.
Reasonable rates, midtown location at 55th & 7th. Call me and I'll help you out!

3. FYI: BELGIAN LINENS SAMPLE SALE
I've been helping out at Libeco-Lagae, a 150-year-old Belgian Linens company, and they're having a HUGE sample sale in their offices. (They do all the bedlinens for the royal family... the last Pope slept on their sheets. This is the real deal.) It'll go until the goods are gone, so stop by anytime M-F, 8:30-5:30. I've already bought a bunch of stuff. Cash only... Beautiful linen tablecloths for $30, napkins for $2.50, table runners for $10, bedlinens (mostly for twin) and tons of pillow shams and aprons and clothing... it's gorgeous stuff on the cheap! (Know anyone getting married soon? Birthdays? Stock up for Christmas...) :)
Libeco-Lagae (http://www.libecohomestores.com/)
230 Fifth Avenue (at 27th St.), Suite 1907
NY, NY 10001

I miss all of you! Let me know what you're up to; I'd love to come see your shows, or just your smiling faces.
Love to you all!
XOXO,
Marni

Living in NYC again!

2006-07-22T23:04:00.000-04:00

Hey there, my amazing friends and family!

Well, after all my whirlwind travels, it's so nice to be back in the BIG CITY again!!! I found a place in Washington Heights (courtesy of my friend Doug Rees - thanks to everyone who sent me leads!) and am settled back in NYC permanently.

SO... that means I'm coaching again! Need work on your monologues? Know someone who does? Give me a call! 212-802-8557. Reasonable rates, midtown studio location, Shakespeare a specialty, yadda yadda yadda.

My new headshot is above (yay! Dave Cross rocks!) and I'm just auditioning and loving being in the city. There's a few irons in the fire... I'll let you know what happens.

In the meantime, my schedule is WIDE open for coffee, lunch, drinks, movies, shows, what have you, and I would love to see all of my New York friends again... I've missed you so! Call me or email me, and let's catch up!

Love and hugs to you all,
Marni

My NYC show this weekend!

2006-06-28T12:29:00.000-04:00

Hey there, my NYC friends!!!

I'm FINALLY back in NY, and I'm going straight into a show this weekend... no rest for the weary. :)

It's a great, funny little short play (10 mins long!) called NOT OUR LAST HURRAH by Courtney Baron. Details below. It's part of "The Australia Project" put together by The Production Company, the Australian/American theatre company of which I am a member.

This promises to be a fun, SHORT evening of theatre! There are five plays in our bill, and ours is the last, so the entire evening should take about an hour. I hope you can make it! I'd love to see all of you, now that I'm back!!!

XOXO,
Marni
NOT OUR LAST HURRAH
by Courtney Baron
Performances at the Kraine Theatre, 85 E. 4th St. (between 2nd/3rd Aves), NYC
8pm Thurs-Sat, 2pm Sunday
June 29-July 2, 2006 (THIS weekend!)

For more info, go to http://www.productioncompany.org
(Tickets $18, but this is an Equity Showcase; Equity members can show their cards for a free seat. In the event of a sold out house, you'll be SOL, but I think you should be okay... this is the final week of the Project, though... whatever. I hope to see you there, by hook or by crook!) :)

PS (the next day): When we did the dress last night, the evening (all five plays) actually runs about 90 minutes without intermission. Our show is the last 12 minutes of the evening. We're worth it, I promise! (Pee first!)

I know a lot of you are in shows or out of town this weekend. Have a great 4th of July, everyone!
Hugs,
Marni

One week left in Pittsburgh!

2006-06-20T01:17:00.000-04:00

Hey there, my wonderful friends and family!

Well, six weeks have flown by, and I'm nearly done here in Pittsburgh. Which means there's only one week left to catch The School for Scandal at Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre!

Check out this pic of me in costume! I think it's one of the most beautiful I've ever had the pleasure of wearing! (Thanks to the fabulously talented Joan Markert...) Here's a few of the things they're saying about me in the show:

"Good as [the] men are, it's the ladies who hold the upper hand and carry the day here. As Mrs. Candour, Sheila McKenna bustles industriously with her endless supply of cheery slanders, false concerns and over-embellished tidbits as does Marni Penning's self-composed and designing Lady Sneerwell." -- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

"There's solid support on every hand... Marni Penning has Lady Sneerwell's bitchy comedy down pat..." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"...this powerhouse of a cast does very well indeed, including Marni Penning, Matt Gaydos, Roger Jerome, Douglas Rees and Vanessa Mandeville Morosco." -- Pittsburgh City Paper

Five shows left! For tickets and info, go to http://www.picttheatre.org/tickets.html.

THEN: I head back to NYC this Sunday! And for those of you who have been wanting to see my work in New York, my next show, Not Our Last Hurrah as part of The Australia Project, goes into rehearsal that day!

Our performances are:
Thursday-Saturday, June 29-30 and July 1 at 8pm
and Sunday, July 2 at 3pm
at: The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th Street (between 2nd & 3rd), NYC 10003
Closest subway is the F train to 2nd Avenue.
For tickets and more info, go to
http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/121296

We're part of "Program Three". I hope you can make it!

I've missed you all, and can't wait to get back to NY to see you. And... I've made a commitment to stick around for a while, as well.
Thanks for all of your support while I've been gone!
Love and hugs,
Marni

The Sum Total of My Time on The Sopranos

2006-05-29T21:54:00.000-04:00

And that's about it.

Oh, well.

2006-05-21T23:04:00.000-04:00

So, I was in The Sopranos this week, but my line got cut. Boo. No matter. I had a full-sized credit at the end! I'm listed as "Shopper." Yippee! Here's the pic of me with the guys to prove I was actually there.

I'm a little under the weather this week, but I'm really enjoying Pittsburgh. Have explored as much around the Walnut Street area as I can on foot, and my friends the McCunes took me down to the Strip District this Saturday; very cool. Not as risqué as it sounds. It's a neighborhood with a lot of warehouse food places and neat shops.

School for Scandal is going well; we open June 8! I just saw PICT's production of The Pillowman, which was amazing. If you're in Pittsburgh, definitely try to see it before it closes on the 28th.

Hugs to you all,
Marni

HH Update, Sopranos, Pittsburgh, and more!

2006-05-10T17:02:00.000-04:00

Hey there, marvelous friends and family!

Well, I'm trying something new. MarniWatch now includes over 700 people that receive my news and info, and I'm finding it hard to keep updating my website to match old posts. So I'm trying out Blogspot. Starting next month, when I update my MarniWatch, you'll get a bulleted list of my subject lines, with a link to Blogspot, where you can choose to read the whole shebang, or not! This will keep huge amounts of text out of your email system, while still allowing you to keep up with my theatrical exploits. Also, if you'd like to go back and read previous MarniWatches, you can do that without having to keep them in your email inbox for months! Sound exciting? I hope so!

So... without further ado... here's the latest and greatest from me!

FIRST: Helen Hayes Update!
Helen Hayes (April 17th) was wonderful. I didn't win, but Jack and I looked GREAT, and it was wonderful to see all of my DC friends and play dress up for the night! If you want to see the recipients list, go to http://www.helenhayes.org/sub/nr.cfm. Congratulations to everyone on this list who was nominated!

SECOND: My SOPRANOS episode airs Sunday, May 21st!
It's less than two weeks away! If I didn't end up on the cutting room floor, I'll be wandering the aisles at Costco with a three year old in this episode, entitled "Cold Stones"; James Gandolfini, Frank Vincent, John Bianco, and Steve Van Zandt help me reach the Swiffers, which are stored over my head. This is the life. :)

THIRD: My sister (the jeweler) is graduating this weekend!
Most of you know the stunning jewelry I wear is made by my extremely talented sister, Lisa. After many years of hard work, she is graduating from the University of Wisconsin at Madison this weekend, and we couldn't be prouder! Her website will be up soon: http://www.lisapenning.com, but for now, you can see a few examples of her work on my site: http://www.marnipenning.com/marni/LisaPenning.htm. Congratulations, Lisa!

FOURTH: I'm headed to Pittsburgh on Monday!
I know, I know; didn't I just get back to New York? This is just for six weeks (a short jaunt for me), but should be very exciting; I'm playing Lady Sneerwell in The School for Scandal at Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre from June 8-24. For more info and tickets, check out http://www.picttheatre.org/current.html.

AND FINALLY: Save the date: I'm performing in NYC!
The Production Company (the Australian/American theatre company I'm working with) is producing The Australia Project in June, with new short plays from Trista Baldwin, Courtney Baron, Frank Basloe, Stephen Belber, Michael John Garces, Brett C. Leonard, Elizabeth Meriwether, Brett Neveu, Kate Moira Ryan, Betty Shamieh, Ken Urban, Kathryn Walat and Beau Willimon, all centered on Australia as a theme. I'll be performing in the final week of June if all goes well, just after my return from Pittsburgh. I'll send an update next month, but in the meantime, check out more info at http://www.productioncompany.org/.

So this is the last verbose MarniWatch you'll get in your email inbox. Look for the new format next month, which will lead you to http://marniwatch.blogspot.com!

I love you all. Thank you so much for all of your support!!!
Many hugs,
Marni

MarniWatch

My final traveling shows: HAMLET & ALL'S WELL in Orlando!‏

Where the heck am I? In DC!

Time Clarification: Marni's performing at 6:30 TONIGHT - doors open at 6!‏

Back in NYC and performing May 14!

MUCH ADO opens TONIGHT in Orlando!

Final two pre-election Sarah Palin videos‏

Sarah Palin Shops for a Halloween Costume...‏

Sarah Palin at the White House‏

Sarah Palin Talkin' Dirty in a Hot Tub

Sarah Palin After the VP Debate

Sarah Palin Preps for the VP Debate

Sarah Palin Goes To Washington

Third Palin video is up!

Marni's Second Palin video is up!

Marni as Sarah Palin on YouTube

Wed Eve. Sept 3 - Marni performs in Shakespeare Anyone?

*TOMORROW* 8/6/08 - I think I'm on All My Children!!!

Celiac substitutions

Totem Pole SHERLOCK HOLMES opens tomorrow!

Law & Order SVU & Totem Pole!

Marni on Guiding Light!

In case you missed it, here's me on All My Children!

The link to my ALL MY CHILDREN episode

All My Children is TOMORROW: Wed, March 5!

All My Children & More!

My reel!!!

In NYC for 2008!

CAROL'S CHRISTMAS reading in LA Nov. 12th!‏

One more UNMENTIONABLE week!

UNMENTIONABLES opens Aug. 27!

When being in bed all day sucks...

Why I was in the hospital

Uninvited Premiere and DC!

Playing in PA July 3-15!

Performing in NYC May 8-10!

Back in NYC Again!

This is how small the world is.

My Oscar...

Two more weeks of PINTER!

Playwriting Finalist and Free Tix Thursday!

Very Glam for a Social Worker

Back in the DC Area!

I was on Guiding Light Friday, Dec. 8!

Soap, LA, & New apartment!

RSVP for Pancakes

Three things for my NY friends...

Living in NYC again!

My NYC show this weekend!

One week left in Pittsburgh!

The Sum Total of My Time on The Sopranos

Oh, well.

HH Update, Sopranos, Pittsburgh, and more!

TOMORROW 8/6/08 - I think I'm on All My Children!!!