The contracts are re-signed! I'll be heading to Hilton Head to FINALLY get to do this dream show (which were supposed to do practically TWO years ago) which such a lovely gaggle of geese, playing Pat this fall. 

Profound thanks for The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina for creating a safe and Equity-approved work place, and can't wait to hug and squeeze everybody. 

In desperate need of some Cyndi Lauper in my life again, and can't wait to test the theory that sex is in the heel... 

Feeling refreshed and ready to take on this new chapter! JShoots and Zac Makeup Artist (Justin Schuman and Zac Hart) updated the ol' 8x10 to now this late twenties version of myself! 

Editing of the leather jacket headshot courtesy of Retouching by Fyzal

I've desperately needed to PLAY again, and Heidi's class provided such a safe and creative space to do so! I fell in love with her teaching methods a few years ago when I took her Acting on Film I class.
 
We focused on different genres each week, and over the course of a month, I explored Action Spy (Atomic Blonde), HBO Drama (Big Little Lies), Sex Comedy/Raunchy Comedy (Broad City) and Historical/Period Piece (Emma - 2020 version). 

And we were even surprised on our last class by switching genres, so my Emma scene went from a historical/period piece to a psychological thriller, to a sitcom! 

I so love working with Heidi, and am looking forward to taking more classes with her, and exploring more TV/Film. 

We start rehearsals next week for a new musical, Dora! All about a sideshow fortune teller, Victoria, in an English circus during WWI.

I'll be playing the Ringmaster, who is the narrator of the piece, weaving in and out of songs and dialogue. We're going to have a showing at The Jerry Orbach Theatre at the end of the month!

I always love mew musicals, and getting to work with new materials, so this will be such a fun and great challenge. 

​This is my favorite.
The quiet before the storm.
Or the quiet AFTER the storm.
The feeling something magical is about to happen.
Or JUST happened...
What occurred here was nothing short of miraculous, unexpected, exhausting, stressful, and thrilling.
I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t re-learning to walk before I could run again.
There were large portions of this contract where I felt I wasn’t my true self, and it wasn’t until the very end I felt like I had returned again.
The authentic version of myself I mean.
My depression, guilt, and need to be liked ebbed and flowed, and there were times I could feel myself trying too hard, or not hard enough.
I offer this bit of transparency because it’s easy for social media to mask true happenings, and just because I was fortunate enough to have a creative opportunity during a time in which NO creatives are working, in no way means it was perfect. The idea of perfection itself is farcical.
A gentle reminder.
To anyone reading this, and also my future self.
The biggest surprise (and delight) was realizing that theatre didn’t lose its luster, even after all this time away. It’s still as thrilling as it ever was, if anything, more so, and tackling this BUCKET LIST of ALL bucket list shows was a lovely reminder why I love this field to an indescribable degree. And I’ll always look back on this experience and remember that.
Each person who had a hand in making this dream a reality was instrumental: backstage, onstage, and beyond the wings.
So fortunate to return to my theatre home away from home (amongst some of the kindest individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with)
I hope those who followed us along on this journey saw this as a beacon of HOPE - hope that theatre will be back, better than ever.
And I’m a firm believer it will be.
I don’t know the next time I’ll have the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience, but I do know I won’t take it for granted ever again.
Till next time, Pops.
I hope you got your version of a happy ending...
...I sure did <3

​COVID tested, Equity approved.

I’ve felt conflicted about sharing this exciting news out of respect for other creatives (and knowing how fortunate I am to be given such an opportunity whilst our industry is at a standstill) but I also don’t want any feeling of guilt or the possibility of upsetting anyone take away from the pure unmitigated JOY as well.

I’m about to tackle a BUCKET LIST show, at my favorite theatre I’ve worked at thus far, with what I’m positive will be a superb creative team and company.

I’ll also say I would have never taken this job had it not been approved by Equity; my beloved Arts Center has gone above and beyond to ensure every workers’ livelihood and safety is in no way compromised, and as an EMC member, it is so comforting to know that I’m being protected by the Union, and that the theatre I’ll be working at has OUR best interest in mind as a company, team, and hired individuals. No job is ever worth your health or safety, no matter HOW good it is, and our 45 page safety protocol requirements as well as being COVID tested three times a week is necessary and relieving.

Grateful? Absolutely. Excited? Definitely.

But also, very much looking forward to celebrating OTHERS’ joys when more theatres get approved and offer safe creative spaces for their company, workers, and audiences.

Don’t worry, be Poppy 👩🏻‍🦰

IG: @kaylaryanwalsh

I'll be producing an online staged reading of Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists as well as I'll be playing Marie Antoinette! I've been doing online readings throughout quarantine, and I re-fell in love with Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists a few months ago, and wanted to assemble a badass team to bring this show to life. I asked my dear friend Billie Aken-Tyers to direct, because I know she could elevate this piece to incredible heights even through a screen, and asked my dear friend (and previous roommate at Theatre Aspen!) Domino Mannheim to Stage Manage! I'm also playing opposite one of my FAVORITE performers, Kuhoo Verma (whose performance in Octet has been one of my favorite of all time!) All ticket proceeds will be donated to The ACLU, and the reason why we're performing the show on August 18th is because it's the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Just seemed fitting, no? Can't wait to jump in! Check out more info below: 

​The Revolutionists 
By Lauren Gunderson
August 18th, 8pm EST, Online 
​All proceeds will be donated

Director: Billie Aken-Tyers (She/Her)
Stage Manager: Domino Mannheim (She/Her)
Olympe De Gouges: Kuhoo Verma (She/They)
Marianne Angelle: Imani Youngblood (She/Her) 
Charlotte Corday: McKenzie Custin (She/Her)
Marie Antoinette: Kayla Ryan Walsh (She/Her)

Update: We raised over $1000 for The ACLU in our one night performance!

Revisiting Much Ado About Nothing, this time, playing our favorite ENFP heroine, Beatrice! Tomorrow we have our first performance online via Zoom, as well as Saturday. It's been a joy to have something artistically fulfilling during this pandemic to look forward to, and I'm so glad I got to explore a dream role for a slice of time.