My Twitter #BraveBirthday Bonanza!

On Friday, I turn 30. And MAN am I psyched. My 20s have been great, but this is is the decade of bravely asking for what I want, refusing to be limited by fear-based beliefs, and demanding the best from myself and those around me. I'm calling this Friday #BraveBirthday.

More than anything, I wake up day after day wanting to work with my dream director, Paul Feig. Whether he's working in TV or film, he's making stories with funny women that are silly, touching, empowering and damn funny. I know that's where I belong, I can feel it in my bones! (Not to mention that I'm basically Melissa McCarthy's kid sister.) So I'm owning my power--I've created a Twitter Birthday Party to ensure that my message reaches him as easily as possible. :)

I'll be tweeting to him a few times throughout the week, with a bunch of them then spaced out over Friday, so there are oodles of chances to party hard with me. Would you like to join my party? It's super easy--you can participate by retweeting, favoriting, or even a separate tweets to build the buzz! Click below:

• Tweet 
  "My funny actress friend @JenPonton 's birthday wish is to work with you, @PaulFeig: http://tinyurl.com/PaulFeig"
• Tweet
  "Happy Birthday, @JenPonton--I hope you get to connect with your dream director @PaulFeig! http://tinyurl.com/PaulFeig"
• Tweet
  Or share your experience with me!

Of course, if you have a closer connection to Paul than Twitter and would be open to helping us connect, I would be so incredibly grateful. :)

I am so excited to celebrate and usher in this big, bold decade with a BIG, bold call to action!

xo
Birthday Girl Jen

A Year of Quantum Leaps

Hey friends!

Last we touched base (yikes. I know.), I was in the middle of an epic tech for Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre. The show was *wonderful*--here are some of my favorite reviews:

We had a MARVELOUS run with a wonderful audience response! After doing my first play in over 3 years, I jumped back into TV with both feet. I had a super-fun guest star opposite Victor Garber on The Good Wife in the new year, a positively KICK. ASS. Pilot season, and then finished up the spring with my very first top-of-show guest star on CBS' Blue Bloods season finale!

Whew--is that a good enough catch up? I've been a busy gal--AND in the middle of lots of life changes. Some are amazing, some are leading me to spend more time with my loved ones than ever before. But the most exciting one? Well, I'm hoping I can share that one with you soon. :)

<3 p="">Jen

My Off- Broadway Debut!

I'm currently on my break from giant tech day #1 for Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's new play, HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND THEN KILL THEM! We've been in rehearsal for the last 3 weeks and, though the news was top secret for a while, we're now just days before opening and sooooo excited!

I'm working with absolutely incredible and fierce people; our playwright, Halley Feiffer, recently wrote and starred in the film HE'S WAY MORE FAMOUS THAN YOU, and just appeared in Ethan Coen's play WOMEN OR NOTHING. She's hilarious with a really quirky, dark, sharp voice, and I love doing her work!

We begin previews on 10/23--come check us out!

What I Did On My Summer Vacation, By Jen Ponton

Ah, a summer relatively-disconnected from social media! It was serene, but trying to get back on the blogging horse once you fall off? WOOF. You guys, please pardon my absence.

Let's catch up--because soon enough, it'll be time to keep you current with some SUPER DUPER EXCITING STUFF THAT I CANNOT WAIT TO TELL YOU. :D

Since we last convened:
-I worked on JJ Abrams' new show, BELIEVE! It'll be a midseason premiere on NBC this winter. :)
-I beat feet and got out of town for a few days, and even took my husband horseback riding for the first time. We had a BLAST, and it provided me with the oomph I needed to get through a busy season!
-I worked on Deborah Kampmeier's new film, SPLIT, a really powerful, earthy and mythic story about feminine power.
-I worked on my dear Horror Hottie Kelsey's new film, ENCHANTMENTS! Here we are on location at the Enchantments shop in the East Village:


-My film KING KELLY is now streamable on Netflix! Fair warning: it's dark dark dark, and super gritty. But it's damn funny and we're amazing. So check it out!

-And...the super-exciting upcoming news...I'm making my off-Broadway premiere in a major theater this fall! Can't wait to share details with you--it's gonna be BOSS. :)

<3 p="">Jen

An Agent (and much more!)

What's up, my friends? Yeah, it's been a chunk of time again--I'll get back in the groove, eventually!

So last news you got was that I'd completed a tremendous workshop of agents and CDs--and from it, I ended up finding the most WONDERFUL agent, and we signed just last month! We have such a great rapport and I'm just over-the-moon about our partnership.

While she and my manager have been taking good care of me, pilot season has been BUSY! Three pilot auditions, interspersed with lots of episodics and films. I have been feeling so blessed and it's just been non-stop! The most exciting bit of this is that one of the films is with my dream team, a studio director and producer who make work that resonates SO much with me, and every time I see their work, I see myself in it. So fingers are crossed that they loved what I sent them! If not this one, planting the seeds for later on down the line. :)

Amongst all these auditions, I've had the big win of booking my first pilot ever--and it's with one of the hottest show runners in TV! We just filmed last week, and I'm returning to another set later this month and working with one of my favorite comedic actresses!

Stay tuned on more news coming atcha! :)

<3
Jen

Heeeere's Jenny!

What a nice blog hibernation! Now that all the craziness of THE DRUNKEN CITY, the holidays and my newest venture has cleared, I'm SO ready to share again with y'all. :)

THE DRUNKEN CITY opened immediately after my last blog post and ran for 3 successful weeks. What an awesome starter project to produce! Sam (EP) and I were able to hustle in ways I've certainly never been able to before--we were calling press, inviting industry and doing our darnedest to get buzz just through our work alone (when a publicist bails on you, you get to test your efficiency). We even got Backstage to come and give us a review--thanks, Jonathan! :) And thank YOU to all the friends and loved ones who donated to the production and/or attended--this was a huge success because of you! Below are 2 of my favorite shots from the run:





The holidays provided a nice respite, complete with babysitting a Golden Retriever puppy and watching the entire series of GIRLS and GAME OF THRONES. :)

And finally, 2013 has been electric, having just completed a HUUUUUGE acting and networking workshop/class/intensive wherein I met with and auditioned for 16 casting directors and agents. It's right on time, too--getting some more face time before pilot season, as well as meeting some great agents now that my manager and I are looking to expand our team!

More fun news to come, my friends--I'm back!

<3>Jen

"The Drunken City" Stumbles In!

My friends, what a jam-packed Fall this has been! From working on GIRLRILLAZ to starring in and co-producing this awesome play to my film KING KELLY premiering, there's been so much buzz!

This Friday, "The Drunken City" (my play) finally opens at the WorkShop Main Stage Theater! We have had an EXTREMELY eventful production already, all the way from when producer/star Sam and I began talks about the show. We've weathered oodles of cast and creative swaps, budget surprises, and a freaking HURRICANE, and here we finally are, our show about to be on its feet!

This has been my first time producing, and I'm SO glad that I wanted to--I have learned SO much!

• I might panic every other time ever, but not while producing. Nnnnnnope. Cool as a cucumber, and each obstacle has just been that--an obstacle, something to be moved around or jumped over. Without any effort! This has been an exercise in continuously thinking outside the box.
  
• My career coach has conditioned me perfectly for this moment. Since working with her, I have learned over and over to think outside the box, to eliminate my limiting beliefs, and to believe that there's a way to achieve nearly anything (even by myself). With a foundation that has been undulating for months, Sam and I (both Dallas-ites) continue to engage endless 'Plan B's, making things happen all by ourselves OR by unorthodox means.
  
• Producing is hard, but so worth it! I can't tell you how many text/mental/verbal high-fives Sam and I have throughout our day as we plow through and around the obstacles that come up. This has been so affirming for our show, but also for us and how dynamic we've learned to be!

We open FRIDAY and run for 3 weeks--won't you come on our and see our baby? :)
http://drunkencity.brownpapertickets.com

<3 p="p">Jen

Post-Sandy Spookiness!

Y'all, it has been an INSANE few weeks. I'm grateful to report that I am fine and well and safe after the hurricane, and I hope very much that you all were, too--at most, we were inconvenienced with a week of no power. (Though our freezer has really seen better days.)

Thanks to this natural disaster, Halloween was pretty much canceled here in the tri-state area. So how about a smile to lighten the mood, as well as a nod to our poor, creepy holiday that was left behind?

Myself and fellow actress (and horror geek) Kelsey O'Brien have started the web series HORROR HOTTIES, which is a micro-talk show about horror movies and the quirky parts of the genre. Come have a giggle on us!

<3 p="p">Jen

The Glamour of the Movies (or, Filming in an Abandoned Pool)

I am in the middle of my newest movie, GIRLRILLAZ! I'm having such a blast on set (especially because half the crew was my rock star crew from FRANNY), and one of the coolest parts has been our amazing location.

We've been filming in the lower levels of a Manhattan hotel that are super funky-artsy-indie, but even BETTER, this hotel has a long-abandoned pool from the days when it was a subterranean YMCA!


Yes, it looks this creepy when it's well-lit.

Let alone when we dress it up for creepitude with no flourescent lights.

(Thanks to my amazing make-up artist, Morgan Gates, for taking the picture!)

We're having an absolute blast! One of the other coolest parts is that it's very much a girl-power film, and in that vein, almost every single person working on it is a gal. A gal who's really freakin' good at her job, at that.  Female director, producers, DP, crew, actresses, production team. :) I can get behind that!

Here's to another 2 weeks of me on set with such amazing people!

<3 p="p">Jen

H-B-Oh yes!

Friends!

I'm happy to announce that this upcoming Sunday (10/14, 9pm EST) will be my premiere on HBO!

Where? Why, on the hit series BOARDWALK EMPIRE, of course!

I can't say exactly what I'm doing, but suffice it to say--it's scandalous! I work in a couple of scenes opposite Margaret (Kelly MacDonald). :) This was a really fun shoot! I met so many wonderful new people, it was my first time really working in period film (AND they actually USE film on this show--that was fascinating!), and we were on location in this well-preserved '20s building. With the perfect set and all the actors in period garb, it was easy to believe we'd been transported to a different 'when'!

Don't get HBO? Don't sweat it--neither do I. Though it's *super* adorable that my parents took out a subscription expressly to see me! 

See you on the premium channels! :)

<3 p="p">

Jen

My LUSH Palace

I'll have so much ACTUAL news soon that I figured I could post something fun and helpful! :)

For most people, if they're strolling down the street and a stranger says, "You smell real purty," it's a red alarm. For a Lushie, it's just another day.

What's a Lushie? Most people who know me personally know--Lushies are people who have an unending love for LUSH, a quite natural, handmade body stuff company. I've been using it for 6 years without fail, and I've got squirrel-like stores of goodies in every drawer, on every shelf, in every closet. I've found that not only has my long-standing devotion kept me smelling nice, but also helps *big time* in my daily grind. :)

Here are my must-haves:

BIG Shampoo

As an actress--with fine hair, no less--any bump to volume helps, as well as a clarifying shampoo to get out constant product. Big is made with sea salt, lemon & seaweed--getting the gunk out of the hair, adding shine and softness. Loves!

Ocean Salt

If you aren't exfoliating, why in the world not? Make it a tremendously rewarding experience with Ocean Salt--this stuff is chock full of sea salt, limes & coconut, to buff, brighten and soften. Also works wonders on tired hands and feet!

Ultrabland

*Nothing* will remove cakes of make-up like this sweet, gentle balm! This soothing blend of rose, honey & beeswax softens, moisturizes and very gently removes every trace of liner and mascara, so you can avoid the normal scouring-pad-like process. Also a fab cleanser for sensitive or dry skin. I can't recommend this enough!

Grease Lightning

Audition with a breakout? Not a worry--this stuff is my secret to staying clear. A gentle gel of witch hazel, rosemary and tea tree, this gets rid of blemishes lightning-fast! AND it won't dry your skin out!

Ultralight

There's something BIG to be said about using a good moisturizer--and LUSH's are top-notch. My personal favorite has been Ultralight--full of seaweed and St. John's Wort and myrrh--but they've discontinued it. I'm also a big fan of Gorgeous!

Honey Trap

I used to be a compulsive lip-balm-addict. I would apply, reapply, and slather it on every 20 minutes or so. Those petrolatum-based lacquers weren't actually moisturizing. Honey Trap is! I only have to reapply this honey, vanilla and shea butter goodness a few times a day...good for when you're on set for long hours!

It Started With a Kiss

Need make-up in a pinch? This is my jam! This cherry lip tint can easily handle lips and cheeks for a dash of color. I wear cherry very well, but there's also a more neutral color if you're not into red. :) So handy for quick, rushed make-up, which happens a lot.

Jackie Oates

I don't really wear foundation, but to just even out the complexion and spot-conceal, this is my go-to. It's the palest of the pale, so if you're a little darker or yellower or pinker, there are more!

Buffy

I am a moisture nut--I love having my skin feel lotion-y soft, and one of my favorite products for that is Buffy. Buffy is a cocoa/shea butter bar that you use in the shower, and oodles of crushed almonds and adzuki beans polish you--the softness lasts all day, no need to reapply lotion. FOR REAL.

Aromaco

Can't really tell if this is TMI, but oh well--I haven't used standard antiperspirant in 6 years. I've been using Aromaco deodorant ever since, and it's amazing. (The switch to deodorant is to avoid aluminum.) Aromaco's based in witch hazel, patchouli and baking soda, and it protects me even on the longest days, in the hottest temperatures--this stuff is the real deal!

Hope these were helpful! Have YOU ever used LUSH? What product(s) do you like the most? 

<3 p="p">Jen

Back to the Thea-tah!

Ahh, as per my post a couple of weeks ago, theatre has come back to claim me--I've got an audition for a wonderful play in CT, AND I'm going to be doing a production of Adam Bock's DRUNKEN CITY with some amazing actor friends! :)

All the details will be coming soon--along with some other great news down the pike! Keep your eyes peeled for news on theatrical releases of KING KELLY and JACK & DIANE, as well as the Sundance submission of FRANNY (fingers crossed ever-so-tightly!), AND an episode of BOARDWALK EMPIRE in October!

<3

Jen

The Power of Gratitude

I think I've already posted a lot about gratitude, but it kind of never gets old. Why? Because gratitude is a foolproof font of joy and happiness--fear and gratitude cannot coexist.

When you're feeling truly grateful for life and its gifts...fear, anxiety, sadness, apathy--all these emotions that keep us down and limit our potential--fade away, and you're left with a glowing warmth inside you. THAT's why gratitude is so important. :)

So, all that said, how do you maximize its cultivation? I'm on a quest to find that out. This is my challenge:

[Not gonna lie, there was definitely some resistance here--I would sit at my desk and my mind would go blank. So I made a shortlist last night, and I now have no excuse to not write one out.]

These daily extensions to loved ones will be coupled with writing in my gratitude journal every day. I'm so excited! How do YOU celebrate gratitude?

<3

Jen

The 2-Year Itch

It's NEVER been this long since I've done a theatrical production, but here we are--it's been 2 whole years since my last full-length play. How is that possible!?

My itch has been acting up something terrible! I've been seeing some WONDERFUL shows ("Danny and the Deep Blue Sea", "Tender Napalm", "One Man, Two Guvnors"), and it makes me long to completely throw myself into the messy practice of rehearsal and character creation. I've had the best time working in so much film and TV--and doing a really solid show would be like actor yoga. :)

No sooner had I wished such a thing, when my dear friend tells me she's planning on producing a *killer* show in midtown this fall, and would I be interested?

How am I surrounded by all the right people?! <3

<3

Jen

Medium Fish, Slightly Smaller Pond

Boy, that old adage holds true, even when the 'little pond' is NY!

In the *5* weeks I was in LA (which has certainly over double the work that NY does), I was called in for 1 audition. Even having met people, having established relationships beforehand, and seeing a lot of work that was a GREAT match for me--1 audition in 5 weeks!

I get home, and what happens? Within 24 hours, I'm called in for a new primetime episodic. Then, in only 2 weeks of being home, I'm called in for yet another, AND a lead in a studio film. In a place with half the work--3 auditions in 2 weeks.

NY, you might be the smaller pond, but you sure show me love like a big fish. <3

<3

Jen

Back Home in a NY Minute

I've now been home for just over a week! Boy, is it good to be back, and just in time--I wasn't on East coast soil for 24 hours when I got an audition for a new episodic. :)

I learned SO much while I was there, but moreover, I think I now have a bigger appreciation for NY--and how to take advantage of all the wonderful things we have here. :) I mean, aside from hikes and jogging around canyons. Look at how many fabulous film festivals and screenings and red carpet events we have here--time to tap those for what they're worth!

Coming home also made me SO grateful for all the wonderful things and people that I missed here--my wonderful husband, my best friend, my bunny, the GREENERY, the summer thunderstorms (I missed some of the best ones while I was away!), my entire closet of Lush--and, hey, even the humidity.

See all that green?! I really need that in my life--I can't get behind desert shrubbery. Just not my jam.

LA, you taught me so much, and I really liked you. Thanks for letting me visit, thanks for treating me well, and thanks for showing me how fun you could be. I promise I'll be back--even if I'm not a permanent resident!

(That said, exactly 1 week from my return, I went to Seaside Heights. My Jersey-o-Meter is once again full!)

<3

Jen

California, So Much to Plunder!

Hello, friends! :D

As of tomorrow, I will have been in LA for *4 weeks.*

What has a month done for me? I know how to get around (it helps that I'm a human GPS). I know where neighborhoods are, generally, and what they're like! I know where all my contacts are--and I've visited their offices! I've met with NEARLY everyone I'd pledged to see while I was here, and I am so much darker than my idling shade of porcelain that it's alarming. AND I'm getting the creeping utz that I'd be much more comfortable out here than I'd previously imagined. ;)

I've done some REALLY fun LA things, too--my favorite movie in the history of time and space is THE BIG LEBOWSKI, and they do outdoor screenings of films at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Last weekend they screened the light of my life (read: Big Lebowski), and the lawn was FILLED with Little Lebowski Urban Achievers, Dude costumes and buckets of White Russians.

Me & Babster, Urban Achievers.

AAAAAAAAAAND: Since TBL is based upon a real Dude, guess who showed up?!

Jeff Dowd, the actual Dude.

I also took a pole dancing class here. It was A*W*E*S*O*M*E. Admittedly, I was reminded that I get motion sick very easily--but otherwise? Epically amazing, and it won't be the last of that in my life!

And I'm seeing movies that I've wanted to see--there are also plenty of opportunities to do that in NY, so I'm gonna get on some mailing lists--but here was a screening of Fat Kid Rules the World, Matthew Lillard's film which took SXSW by storm this year!

Ya herrrrrrd.


So that's all the fun stuff that I've been digging into! And there's much more to do--but I have a feeling that this is far from the last time I'll be out here in La-La-Land. :) After all--it's FRANNY's turn, soon!

What else do I need to see and do while I'm here?

<3
Jen

Hitting my West-Coast Stride!

I've now been in LA for 2 weeks--YAHOO!

What's happened since my last post?

5 workshops, my first LA premiere (PETUNIA, OutFest), catching up with a fair amount of my LA friends, LOTS of traveling and discovery and--as of yesterday--my very first audition out here! :D

Pelicans on a rock in Malibu!

I've been SO well-received out here, I'm really really pleased. I'm doing good work in front of people that I want to meet; I made my very first LA friend all by myself; I'm driving around enough to get familiar with the layout of the town, and I'm getting out and meeting people and seeing good work! It's clearer to me every single day that this was the EXACT right time to come out. :)

Cars like this are EVERYWHERE. I want one with wood paneling SO BADLY.

So what am I in love with? The cool night breezes, the flora--oh lord, the flora!, the Alice-in-Wonderland-eque trees everywhere, the integration of celebrities virtually everywhere you go (I've met a ton already), driving everywhere--yes, I know, I am a terrible New Yorker. But I really REALLY love to drive. And--of course--the PLETHORA of work. There's just so MUCH here, how can you not love it?

What do I not love? For one thing, these flowers.
They are super-gross and I squinch up my face every time I smell them.
(I do, however, love that there are purple and magenta flowers everywhere.)

I'm not sure I can see myself out here permanently, but it DOES make me ready to figure out the best way to be bicoastal--and I already have a bunch of great ideas and plans brewin'!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

I'm honestly so grateful to be out here with dear friends, doing good work and having fun--oh, and sunscreen. Very very grateful for sunscreen.

Director Ash Christian and his cast of PETUNIA at OutFest!

Here's hoping I have a great excuse to have an extended stay!

<3
Jen

Living it Up in La-La-Land

So excited to be writing this from a 3-hour time difference! :D

Let's go over the most important things I've learned during my stay thus far.

1. People aren't crazier here, they're just less afraid. Yeah, the crazies here are a LOT louder and prouder than they are in NY. In Manhattan, the lunatics are quiet--they keep to themselves and most of their mutterings are on a private level. Why? Probably because they don't want to get themselves killed. But here? Oh, Los Angeles loonies are WAY more comfortable being completely batshit. They will gladly share with you that they think the aliens are landing RIGHT NOW, MAN. And while it's really uncomfortable being around the raving, I guess the overall message is soothing--it's safe enough here that you're allowed to be crazy. ;)

2. LA works for YOU. In NY, you're either a city-dweller or you're not. Here, you don't like the urban metropolis? You need somewhere more peaceful and rural? Heck, they've got that. They've got LOTS of that. You can customize your LA living experience to basically live your dream life. Which is simultaneously amazing and terrifying.

3. Learning this city is like learning a state. It's SO big and spread-out that, to get the lay of the land, it requires loads of repeat trips to all corners. On the plus side, it always keeps things interesting, and it means road trips without ever really leaving home!

4. As a New Yorker, be prepared to sloooooow dowwwwwwn. They WEREN'T KIDDING. Egads! Not even the fast food is fast. :/ 5 minutes easily means 30 minutes; deadlines aren't that pressing, and people just aren't working that hard, in general. (Comparatively.) I was also told that, here, weekend and vacation boundaries were more respected than back in NY, where we workaholics are constantly on-call. It's totally maddening to expect speediness and efficiency here, and then 'get around to things.'

That said, I AM finding it beautiful and fascinating and enjoyable, and I'm starting to fall in love with this city little by little. Maybe bicoastal love. I do have an inkling that I'm on the right path, here. :)


Yup. That was actually my fortune on my first full day here. WINNING!

<3
Jen

Well?!

As I was poring over whether or not to write a blog, I realized that I last left at a sort-of cliffhanger...did I get the role in NY, or am I going to LA?

My callback was great, but they decided to go a different way with the role. That said, I suppose I can now spill the beans that it was such a BIG audition because it was for The Public Theatre's production of Into The Woods for Shakespeare in the Park--and the role was for Little Red Ridinghood, one of my most cherished roles in musical theatre! *I* just love that I had a callback, and the gal who got the role is a BIG Broadway veteran--she's gonna kill it. :)

After I got that news, I decided to cement my plans there and then. I bought my ticket (yes, ticket--one-way) and started the preparations for leaving!

I have a half-packed bag on the floor, I need to mail myself a box of marketing/business products that will be too heavy for my luggage, I thiiiink I have notified all the appropriate people that I will be in town...it's a lot of work!

And I just realized that, taking my time writing, I'm avoiding that entirely. ;) HOORAY! Next blog will be from La-La-Land!

<3

Jen