What's Alison up to now? | Alison Blanchard

Long time no update!

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 15:38:32 -0700

Gosh it’s been a long time. I’ve done TWO whole plays at Theatre 40 since my last update!

The first was Flare Path, by Terrence Rattigan. Written from the author’s own experiences as a tail-gunner in the RAF in the early years of WWII, it’s a lovely ensemble piece full of humor, heartbreak, and the real terror of war. I played Countess Doris Skriczevinsky, erstwhile barmaid, now married to a Polish Count. She lives with the Squadron and some of their wives at the Falcon Hotel, a run-down little place hard by an airfield in Southern England, just across the Channel from France.

We had a wonderful cast, director, and crew, and everyone agreed it was one of our favorite theatrical experiences ever. I didn’t have the biggest part, but for me it was the BEST part, as Doris had a fabulous character arc and so many colors to play. We got wonderful audience response, and some lovely reviews as well. It’s so gratifying to be part of a really great piece of theater. What a blessing!

The second was Accomplice, a comedy-thriller written by Rupert Holmes, he of “the Piña colada Song”, Escape. Crazy, huh? It has NOTHING if not one twist after another, keeping the audience on their toes all the way up to the VERY end! This play is not as much of a great piece of art as was Flare Path, but it is fabulously entertaining. It has a very small cast (only 4 actors), but here I was the lead again, hardly leaving the stage for a minute. We all had a fabulous time with the lightening-fast repartee, and the cast, crew, and director were all, again, peerless. The audience loved every minute of it, and we just had a ball doing it.

An Audi commercial!

Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:31:14 -0700

The latest and greatest is that you can look for me soon on your TVs in a National Audi commercial! Yes, I'm very excited, too! I don't know when it will start airing, but we shot it already. It's called "Scripted Life", and you can recognize it by ALL the people holding big scripts in their hands while they go about their day.

Here's me at the fitting with the adorable Fallon Heaslip, who played my daughter. We got paired together in the callback, so something must have been right!

No, I didn't get to drive the car. I never even saw the car. It was a lovely experience, though. Everyone on the project was really nice, and the lead actor was also represented by the good folks in the commercial department at Clear Talent Group, my commercial agency. Thanks Allison, Michele, and Samantha. Go, Team CTG! Also a big thanks to Francene Selkirk Casting. They are great people who frequently call me in, for which I'm very grateful. I've booked TWO commercials with them (one was a Cingular spot, years ago).

I'm SOOOOO busy!

Mon, 25 Nov 2013 17:24:15 -0800

So much has happened since the last update! Most important first:

I'm in a play, y'all!

I'm playing Eliza Gant, the matriarch and "…a mother I would not wish on my worst enemy." (-Shari Barrett, Broadway World). It's a production of The Production Company, in residence at the Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood, CA. This PulitzerPrize-winning play was written by Ketti Frings, and is directed by T L Koleman.

We opened November 2nd, and we run Friday-Sunday until December 14th (Fri-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 3pm) Only 5 shows left as of this update! If you're in town, come see me, won't you?

Tickets available HERE

The reviews for my work in particular have been amazing: all I could wish for!

Like this:

"There are great characterizations among members of the cast, with Alison Blanchard embodying the foreboding Eliza with a force of will that commands the stage. Her uptight bearing and strong sense of her own worth is apparent even with the slightest wave of her hand as well as her barking of orders... Blanchard weaves her way through Eliza's emotional breakdown with heartbreaking intensity."

ONLY 5 SHOWS LEFT!

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:14:56 -0800

That's right, after a fabulous run, A Christmas Twist will close on December 16th. If you miss it, you'll be SAD! Don't go through your holiday season without a good dose of parody!

Tickets still available HERE.

A Christmas Twist!

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:58:54 -0700

I've been working on a really fun play at the Victory Theatre in beautiful downtown Burbank California! I think it will be HI-larious. Come see me play three different roles, each goofier than the last! We run November 10th through at least December 16th, with a possible extension through Christmas, if enough of you come and love it and tell your friends!

Use the code twisted1125 for 1/2 off tickets BEFORE November 25th!

Buy tickets here!

Un morceau de Molière

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:53:37 -0700

I'm playing "that crafty matchmaker" L'Espine in Molière's "The Fools"!
LA Weekly says "GO!"

It's at the Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
September 8 - November 18
Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays in September at 6:30 pm
Sundays in October & November at 4:30 pm
(No show November 3 - 4)

Call 1-310-394-9779, x-1 for tickets.
Mention CODE FBC to get $5.50 off each ticket (limit 6 per code use.)
SantaMonicaPlayhouse.com