kelly/kimmy/kelly/kimmy

sese (remember her from saigon?). me . stage manager mckenzie . fellow cougar denner nina @ sienna miller's "after miss julie" opening night party.

last week i was invited to a very a-list party where i rubbed shoulders with sienna, jude, johnny, claire & hugh, etc... (one of the many perks of being in the roundabout family)

and by far, my favorite part of that party was hanging with this guy:

honestly, he's one of the coolest people i've met in a long time.. and did you know he's half indonesian? he was v.v. highlighted at bayside.

anyhow, after hanging with uncle jesse and zach morris
(all within 2 hrs-my 90's fantasies came true) i felt inspired to gussy up in a costume
(something i NEVER do- hey, i dress up for a LIVING. why would i do that on my off day?)

but now i'm torn... should i go


kimmy gibbler?or kelly kapowski?

all the single ladies.

last week, on a between show trip to my chiropractor, i engaged in a tête-à-tête with a darling man on the subway.
as it was quite chilly, we kept our hands in our pockets as we said our introductions.

he was digging me.
i was digging him.

then all of a sudden, he froze and abruptly turned away.

what had i said?
what had i done?

i reviewed what happened in my head.
conversation: pleasant.
body language: good-but i HAD scratched my nose with my left hand
(wool scarf was irritating me)
breath: excellent (as always)

what?

wait..... what is that on my left ring finger?

oooh no biggie...
just my 4 ct "bye bye birdie" wedding ring.

at that point, what do you do?
say, "did you suddenly go icy because i have a ring on and you think i'm a total adulterer? cause i swear i'm not! i'm just married on stage and i forgot to take off my ring after the show! see my fake lashes? i'm on BROADWAY! "

how crazy does that sound?!

nope.
i put my ring finger back in my pocket and watched the door.
the 72nd street station couldn't come soon enough.

did you see??

sussy FINALLY posted her wedding photos!
start { here } and scroll up
don't worry, it's only been a YEAR... and i've been sworn to secrecy and forbidden to even have them in my own home, but now she's posting on the internet?
jerk.

anyway... happy anniversary on october 24.

thanks for giving me a brother!
i love you both!

the kisssable girls of sweet apple, ohio

major thanks and love to our sponsor, what's your virtue?
for giving our girls perfect pouts for opening night!

they looked amazing and love the glosses!

now all i need to do is keep those boys away!
i'm a very strict mother (my beautiful daughters are the pretties in yellow)!
aren't all my gallerinas the sweetest?

btw... they mostly picked curiosity and wisdom

at this performance.... concert

i had to cancel tonight's "at this performance" appearance
because of a throat-closing allergy attack
(that, as paula l.c. says, almost sent me to my "mormon maker")
during saturday night's show
that left me sans voice all weekend...

but...

the good news:

if you get your tickets for the NOVEMBER 9th concert,
you can see me sing
"rosie" AND "english teacher"
with my darling husband, mr. henkle.

understudy magic.

more details { here }

my fb is foolish.

hcg { giveaway } winner!!!

sorry this took so long to post!
i wanted to have an inspiring pair of gams pick this giveaway.
mrs paula leggett chase (bbb's "gloria rasputin") has 8 broadway shows under her chorus girl g-string and some serious legs to prove it!

congrats, DUBYA!
email me your info!

may the HCG diet give you paula-like stems!

my heart is so full of you.

. my D and me . saturday morning cartoon watching . 1983ish .
"God loves us, so He makes us the gift of suffering.

Through suffering, we release our hold on the toys of this world, and know our true good lies in another world. We're like blocks of stone, out of which the sculptor carves the forms of men. The blows of his chisel, which hurt us so much, are what make us perfect. The suffering in this world is not the failure of God's love for us; it is that love in action. For believe me, this world that seems to us so substantial is no more than the shadowlands. Real life has not begun yet."
("Shadowlands," p. 1)

C. S. Lewis

{ one of my d's very favorite quotes }

my dearest friends,
i have no words.
(i'll see if i can find some...... ok... here are a few)
my heart is so full of gratitude for the kind words and promises of prayer.
i have felt the spirit of the comforter so strongly thoughout this week and i know it's due to your heartfelt prayers, good thoughts, and including us on your temple prayer rolls.
your beautiful comments have reduced me to tears (in some seriously inopportune places... the prescription line @ cvs, the subway, backstage...) and strengthened me in unimaginable ways.
thank you for your wisdom, insight, and encouragement.

my family, especially my dad, is so touched that even though many of you don't know me personally (or him), you have lovingly come to our aid.
through dad's tears upon reading your lovely comments, he said

"THIS is the beauty in the world. love. "

we thank you . we love you . we're grateful for your continued prayers.
my heart is so full of you.

and thank you for understanding my little break.... i promise great posts are on the way...

livin' on a prayer

my blends,
thank you for reading.
your comments really inspire me and the sense of community even via blog
makes me grateful for friends like you.

see, friends....i could really use your help.
as many of you know, my sweet dad has been suffering from non-hodgekins lymphoma for the last year and a half. it has been a rough battle-one that no little girl should have to watch her daddy endure-but he's been brave and upbeat thru it all.
i've alluded to it, but tried to keep that part of my life private.
you come here to get a laugh and escape from YOUR burdens-you don't want to read about mine.... and cancer is not so funny.


dad's cancer is back and rapidly spreading. we're praying that this new chemo will make all the difference and shrink his tumor enough so he can receive a bone marrow transplant from his angel sister, vicki.
this is the first opening night i have ever had without him grinning at me wearing his customary opening night bow-tie. that kills me. he's the reason i'm here. he is the one who piqued my interest in theatre, fostered my dreams, and has supported me completely along this journey. but he is too sick to see my second broadway show.

i'm feeling so far removed from him and what my family is experiencing. i can't be there to support him in person and i really don't know how to help. so i'm hoping that enlisting the spirit and faith of my lovely blends will change things.

what i'm asking:

would you keep him in your prayers?
or...
if you don't pray, would you mind trying? for dad? for me?

because i believe that our loving Heavenly Father hears our prayers.
because i believe in miracles.
because i believe in faith to be healed.
because i believe that heartfelt prayers make a difference.
and
because i believe the prayers of many will move mountains.

please help us move this mountain.

much love and thanks, nat

new york sports club ad

thanks to malia and jane for spotting me on the new york sports club website!

yes. satisfaction IS guaranteed.

gross.

photo by sussy for rubberball

at this performance.... concert

can't wait for this to read:

at this performance
the role of
"rosie alvarez"
will be played by

NATALIE HILL

on monday, october 26th, i'm doing a concert which features understudies in broadway shows!

it's an amazing opportunity to see some of the most talented peeps on bway
(cause if you know anything about bway, you know that the understudies are usually the most talented and hardworking people in the cast)
from MEMPHIS, LION KING & BYE BYE BIRDIE!

i'll be singing something from the show...
what do you think?

"english teacher"
or
"what did i ever see in him?"

AND

something else....
hmmmmm.... maybe a little dolly?

come see it!
tickets are cheap cheap cheap!
more info { here }

illume amber glow candle

pay no attention to this candle flavor....
run out and find the amber glow candle from illume or buy it from
anthro...

it's so delish and non-obnoxious.
...like me....

(ok.... you can laugh now...)

moroccan oil

i'm newly obsessed with moroccan oil.
auntie donna (who is running a paul mitchell: the school hair empire)
pushed it on me... and while i was skeptical
(ew... like i want oily, weighed down hair..my hair is fine, not coarse..
i don't need a smoothing agent )

BUT i've used it for a couple days now (when my hair is wet) and it's genius.
my curls are less frizzy + my blowout looks freshly cut + full of body!

plus it smells amazing.

thanks, auntie d.

welcome HCG Boutique + { giveaway }

welcome, HCG boutique!
my long lost friend, lea + her sweet sister
have opened this special diet boutique and are offering a

Sublingual HCG Drop Starter Kit w/personal coaching
to one lucky mim reader!

after last week with sussy, i should start this diet!

leave a comment here and i'll pick a winner on wednesday!

*note: you should always do ALL your research & consult a doctor before starting a new diet. while i have never done HCG, i have a number of friends and family who have seen amazing results...i subscribe to the old diet plan: eat less and work out more... but sometimes you need a little kick in the butt and this may be for you!

opening night press photos

opening night is always an overwhelming experience.
lots of gifts, celebrities, flowers, & fun with my birdies.
our party was @ the hard rock cafe --and i have to admit, it was definitely the best opening night party i've ever been to... fun food, great dj & everyone got their own tables for their guests.
doing the red carpet is really fun/scary.
people screaming at you, flashes blinding you, all the while you're trying to suck it all in and keep your eyes open!

don't worry, i'm not in love with myself...
i just wanted to have all my pics in one place.

the following photos are from broadway.com courtesy of the very cool bruce glikas

the ladies of the adult female ensemble + bill irwin + husband todd

with husband, todd gearhart

with john treacy egan

the following photos are from broadwayworld.com courtesy of the lovely linda lenzi

the rosie + albert understudies..

squeezing bill

more bill.

the following photos are from sussy

mi familia
so grateful that mom, nic, ali + aunt donna could be here to support me.
since i've had so many questions about what we wore....

mom- dress: tracy rees; shoes: christian louboutin (mine)
nicole- tights: hue; shoes: jessica simpson (mine); sequin skirt: h&m; jacket: diane von furstenberg (mine); necklace: mom's vintage charm on a guenevere rodriguez chain.
me- dress: custom made by shabbyapple.com ; bracelet: borrowed the dark glee glee cuffs from bestie, lindsey + sliver cuff from anthropologie; earrings: banana republic (a few seasons ago) ; ring: banana republic; shoes: christian louboutin
ali- dress: diane von furstenberg (mine)

didn't shabby do an amazing job with the dress?!
hold your horses... you can buy it from them soon.... i'll be sure to let you know...
i would have felt more rockin had sussy and bil not taken me on an eating binge thru the city the week before..... oooh boy! time to detox!

mom + sussy

sussy + johnny (where is he looking? ali?)

nicole + brian

nic's view of us with bill

and at the end of the night, we bunked down (all 5 of us)
in my tiny studio apartment for a sleepover + pillow fight
a-masing.

thanks for coming, gals!
and thanks to everybody for the sweet supportive comments!

deseret news sundee paper

i have MADE it!

the deseret news featured me in their sunday paper!
how cool!
read erica hansen(who was so much fun to chat with...)'s
article { here }

and PUH-LEASE! don't look at that HORRIBLE show pic they submitted... seriously?
an UPSHOT while we're all belting (and shrugging-what?! i don't have a neck!) about our "kids"?

ugh.
NOT erica's fault....

dear joan marcus, don't you have a prettier pic of the adults?
maybe while we're dressed to the 9's in our cupcake dresses? or glammed as nyc reporters?!
no. a no-neck upshot which makes me look GINORMOUS. yeeeahh! that'll sell tickets!

thanks erica!
go utah!

photo by sussy

hi hi birdie!

opening was amazing.
great show.
great people.
great party.

LOTS of pressies.

see sussy's photo re-cap { here }

more deets to come... still playing with mom, al, and auntie donna.

until then.... we've been extended!!!
buy your tickets thru april!!

it's opening night | it's opening night | it's opening NIIIIIIIIIIght!!!!!!

happy opening!!

from the

sissy & don henkel family!

our last show was bananas!!!
so bananas that entertainment weekly already wrote about it { here }!
all i can say is john stamos is truly a star
so quick. such an entertainer.


photo by broadway.com
i think a wild final preview means good luck for our grand opening!

follow all the action on { my twitter }

{ giveaway } winner!

thanks to all who commented!
definitely buy elna's book { here }

thanks to special guest # pickers, sussy and bil.

who, by a very scientific process
(she picked a # btwn 1-9, then he picked, then she picked)

picked #135
our dear shavs!
whose comment had me in stitches!

congrats, s!
email me your info and you'll get your advance copy!

thanks, elna | published writer

did you see?

sussy and bil's apt was featured on design*sponge!
that's like being on the OPRAH of blogs!

they really do have a fab apt... almost as fab as mine ;)

so i've been accused

of being a serial or CEREAL dater....
by none other than, my favorite bird, john treacy egan.

he seems to think cap'n crunch is a player... but suggested that frankenberry is mormon.

last week, jte shoved this cereal box into my dressing room.
the box reads:

to natalie,
i had a great night!
call me,
f.b.

watch out, frankenberry,
i'm gonna eat you for breakfast.

can you find me?

birdie stage door

sussy posted these pix after hitting the stage door post saturday matinee...
for the record:

i am not cupping my boob.
(i'm trying to wrap my sweatshirt closer-it is cold)

and
i don't usually dress like a homeless person...
but between 2 shows, my hair was a fright and
i was honoring my B6'ers with our customary saturday garb. ij.

we take football very very seriously.

college football on 3 screens.

we even piped in the byu / unlv smackdown and projected it onto my sheet covered bookcase.

bil is a mechanical genius.

{ giveaway } the new york regional mormon singles halloween dance

my dear elna baker has been a long time nyc friend of mine
(and i'm currently her visiting teacher for those of you who speak mormon).
her stand up comedy and magazine articles about living and dating as a mormon virgin in the big city (sound familiar ;) are hilarious, real, biting, and incredibly candid.....
well now, my dears, it's time for her big ole BOOK!

how fancy!
my friend, elna... the published writer!!

the big book release (you can buy YOUR copy here ) is
thursday, october 15
(also bye bye birdie's opening night-big night for nyc mormon girls!)
sweet elna is offering a book to one of you lucky readers!

just leave a comment by 8:00 est on tuesday evening.

*i CAN'T WAIT to read this...
but be aware that the content of the book doesn't exactly follow the "for the strength of youth" handbook.