Laura

Laura
2013 was a good year for me. A hard year. A big year. I had my last term of acting school. My last voice lesson. My last acting coaching session. I produced my own show in February. I wrote it. I acted in it. I had to ask for help. A lot. Those were probably some of the hardest things I had to do this year - asking for help. I got really tired of Rosebud. I longed to leave, to be somewhere else, somewhere new. Then, right at the end, I loved it again. And now I get to miss it. Which is nice, sort of.	Laura Wake Surfing!
The poster for my play	I spent 3 1/2 months of my summer in Camrose working a job I felt I was not suited for. I wasn’t bad at it, but it made me uncomfortable - I never felt prepared. I learned that I am a planner and not a reactor. A fact that now seems so blatantly obvious I hope none of you were drinking anything as you read that because you probably snorted it out your nose. Also, I don’t have friends in Camrose anymore. They (we) have all moved away. In most cases, far far away. And my schedule was weird and inconsistent and at odds with everyone else’s so I didn’t even get to see my family much. It was a long summer.
Then I was back in Rosebud for Our Town, living in my parents’ RV for 2 1/2 months. That got pretty cold near the end - especially once I had run out of propane. (Don’t worry. I moved in with a friend when that happened. I’m not an idiot.) The program in Rosebud is a bit funny. Despite classes finishing in April, no one actually “graduates” until the ceremony at the end of September. It was a packed weekend. Family came down to see the play on Saturday and for the celebration on Sunday. It was a wonderful day and I am grateful for everyone who was a part of it.	The "Final Four" graduating... Amy, Jesse, Natalie, & Laura
Laura - in "Bitches & Money"	During the ceremony, my advisor Nathan gave a speech that started “Laura Gillespie, of number 4 Privet Drive, was proud to say that she was perfectly normal, thank-you very much,” which was perfect in so many ways. With November came my first professional acting job. The show was called Bitches & Money 1878 and I think I may have enjoyed telling people the title even more than I enjoyed being able to tell them I had a real job lined up. We rehearsed for 2 1/2 weeks and had 9 performances. (Photo Credit for all BM photos: Ian Peter Jackson for Epic Photography)
I enjoyed every minute of it. The cast and crew were very welcoming. In fact, I liked them all so much I have decided to move to Edmonton for the foreseeable future. There were other factors in my decision, but that was a big one. I have so many more friends and family in and near Calgary that, had I not felt welcomed, I doubt I would have decided to stay in Edmonton.
The plan for the New Year is to move in with an old Camrose friend, Andrea, somewhere in Edmonton (as I type this we are still looking for a place, hopefully, as you read it, we will have found one), find a job to pay the bills and audition wherever and whenever I can. Best wishes to you all. Merry Christmas!	Nothing like a nice day on the water!

Fun with Friends
Snowboard trip to Lake Louise	Laura, Brian, and Andrea
Water Skiing	Water skiing
Enjoying the Boat!	Laura
Treats	Laura and cousin Fallon
Fallon, Taylor, and Laura	Laura is a BIG Dr. Who fan!
Baby it's cold outside!
Acting Coaching....	Fight Class!

Laura the Actress

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Graduation!	Laura and her advisor Nathan


Just Laura...

For extra fun - have a look at our Christmas Past !!!