ON LOCATION

This week was certainly an intense one. Not only did I have to juggle 2 different shows rehearsing, work and the tv episode shoot but I also had to travel a lot to Oakland to take care of my friend's cats while they were away. Busy, busy indeed.

Here's the scoop on the shoot:

I went in for costume fittings on Tuesday to their costume department in Treasure Island. The ladies were very nice and I tried on several different outfits. Because there is food involved in the scene, they had to make sure that I had multiples of the same outfit. The fitting didn't take long and I waited to hear instructions about the shoot. Thank goodness my pal Colin Thomson filled me on what to expect before and during the shoot. His advice was right on the money. I got a call from one of the Assistant Directors on Wednesday evening and I was told to report to Golden Gate Park at 8:15. Naturally I arrived with plenty of time to spare and I noticed how incredibly organized all of this is - coordinating which streets are closed with police included. I hardly slept the night before from nerves and it was a chilly morning in San Francisco. Everyone was incredibly nice - the ENTIRE CREW WAS INCREDIBLY NICE. It was a wonderful sight and feeling and now I see how all this wonderful treatment can get to people's heads. I was there only for a few hours and felt like a star. I was taken to my trailer and waited to sign my contract. I was taken to hair and make-up which is were I met Cliff Curtis who plays Rabbit on the show (my scene is with Rabbit and his partner Marisa.) and who was very nice. The scene we were about to shoot was not a nice scene in any way of form - the scene is about humiliation. After hair & make-up I went back to my trailer to get changed and then at 9:15 we got in a van that took us to the location: Ocean Beach.

The sight was out of this world: a helicopter, huge fans, crew, cameras - it was all so surreal. I shook hands with our director Norberto Barba who couldn't have been nicer. He asked me if I was Cuban and I told him Peruvian and we chatted about the wonderful restaurant La Mar in SF. We rehearsed the scene and started the shoot. It was cold, very cold and Cliff had to dump a large diet coke on top of my head several times. The shoot lasted about 3 hours and in that time I got to meet and work with Aimee Garcia who plays Marisa. She was so lovely and had wonderful compliments for my performance. I am very proud of the work I did, as it was not an easy scene to shoot emotionally or physically. I am so blessed and incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. I couldn't have asked for a better scene to make my national television debut. I hope that Trauma is a big hit and that someday they'll ask me back =+)

This week doesn't get any easier as Company opens, although I feel confident about my performance. The cast is really, really good and so much fun to work with. I think the show is going to be quite good so I hope people come to see it.

It's 2:30 AM so I better get some rest.

Have a great week y'all

M.

Watch the premiere episode of Trauma tonight at 9 PM on NBC!

P.S. I will not be at Max's until October 11th!!