alacartoona

Erin McGrane (Theatre '90) is a singer. She's an unashamed, aggressive cougar. She's a one-time love interest of George Clooney.

OK, so McGrane (center, in photo above) only plays these roles (though she actually sings), but she is having the time of her life.

Up in the Air

How many people can say they've spent a few days with Clooney? McGrane appears in Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air," starring the Hollywood hunk. Reitmen, the son of Ivan Reitman ("Ghost Busters"/"Stripes"), is relatively new to directing, but he's already posted such hits as "Juno" and "Thank You for Smoking."

"Up in the Air" tells the story of Ryan Bingham, a corporate hatchet man who loves his life on the road. But, he's forced to fight for his job when his company downsizes its travel budget.

"I was fortunate to spend about 16 hours total with George, and he is truly delightful in person," said McGrane.

"He is funny, engaging and warm ... and ladies – yes – really that handsome!" said McGrane of Clooney, who on film becomes an ex-love interest. "George was also encouraging to me and insightful in regards to the craft of acting. We discussed our scene together at length afterwards and he gave me some terrific feedback. George was very open about his long career as an actor and shared with me lessons he learned along the way and offered advice."

"Some of my favorite moments with him were when he was goofing around," she added. "George does wicked-funny impressions of famous stars and tells lots of stories about his friends. He really got me laughing on set with his spot-on impression of Sammy Davis Jr. He is the practical joker that people say he is, and he loves to get everyone laughing."

McGrane said she made sure that she memorized all of her lines, but still felt nervous acting with Clooney and for Reitman. "It was surreal to be acting with George Clooney and be directed by Jason Reitman, but a wonderful opportunity and experience."

UMKC Theatre Training

"My theater training at UMKC has served me well over the years in all of my professional performances – theater, film, music and the commercial industry," she said. "Auditioning for film is a different process than auditioning for theater and requires different skills. I have been fortunate to have received additional training in film and the commercial industry from professionals like Heather Laird in KC and David O’Connor in Chicago."

Nerves? Nah.

"I believe that in many ways the actor’s most important job is to audition," she said. "If you don’t land the role, it doesn’t matter if you’re the best actor in the world! I audition on camera often in both KC and Chicago, so the first round of auditions for 'Up In The Air' wasn’t that scary. But each round of auditions raised the stakes as I got closer to being cast, so the pressure intensified.

"By the time I was asked to travel to St. Louis and audition in person, I was feeling anxious because I knew that I was close to being cast, and I really wanted the opportunity to be in the movie," she added. "However, I didn’t know that the scene I was auditioning for was with George Clooney himself.

"I also didn’t know that I was going to be auditioning for (director) Jason Reitman himself," she said, until part-way through the audition, when Reitman emerged from behind the camera, directing the audition.

"I think not knowing those things helped me in the audition to focus on the scene and just do my best."

Demi Fitzpatrick, Cougar

McGrane also has been spotted on campus lately, though not as Erin McGrane. She recently prowled UMKC as Demi Fitzpatrick, a boozing, cougarish woman who attends college (UMKC) as a freshman following her recent divorce.

Her role as Fitzpatrick can be found in "Unreal Housewives of Kansas City," an Emmy award-winning (Mid-America Emmy - Arts/Entertainment) online sitcom found at www.unrealhousewivesofkc.com and on YouTube.

Erin McGrane as Demi Fitzpatrick

In Episode 2, she enrolls at UMKC so that she can become more viable in the workforce. But within her first few minutes on campus, while strolling along in heels, evening gown and backpack, she gets distracted with a younger student playing football with friends. Following his rejection, she befriends an easier prey -- a naive, overly educated, unsavvy fellow freshman.

"Unreal Housewives" comprises short segments that follow the lives of five Kansas City women burdened with such pressing issues as relationships, periodic cosmetic treatments, clubbing, glamor, exercise -- or aversity to -- and refreshments (anything that pours into a martini glass).

Click here to view episodes of "Unreal Housewives of Kansas City."

"'Unreal Housewives of KC' has been a wonderfully fun project," said McGrane. "It is new media – meaning that it is online only. The ladies on the show are some of the most funny, talented people I know, and the entire cast and crew are a delight. The scripts are written by the producers, Meagen Flynn, Jen Plas and Michelle Davidson, who are also three of the five housewives. The other housewife is played by the lovely KC actress Tasha Smith, who keeps us in stitches, on the set and off."

Other Roles

She also has been cast as one of the lead roles in an independent film, “Nailbiter,” (above) which will be released this year. This role marks her "biggest film role I’ve had in terms of lines and screen time."

She also appears in Bruce Branit’s, “World Builder,” a computer generated film that went viral this year and may be made into a feature.

And She Sings

McGrane also performs in Alacartoona, a modern cabaret act that "blurs the line between music and theater." Alacartoona was formed in 2003, she said, and performs all original music.

"We have been honing our concept and our sound over the years, and in 2009 we applied for, and were awarded, an Inspiration Grant from the ArtsKC fund of the Metropolitan Arts Council. With the award as seed money, we raised thousands of dollars and made a full-length film, 'Night is the Mirror,'" said McGrane, whose band persona is Ruby Falls. "The feature is a stylized concert film and received three stars from the Kansas City Star."

Members of Alacartoona (McGrane, Christian Hankel, Kyle Dahlquist and Gregg Jackson) also wrote and staged a new performance piece, “Bought & Souled,” which played at the Off-Center Theatre in 2009.

"We are developing a performance form we call 'theatrical music,'” she said. "We have defined characters and stories that are presented within the framework of a cabaret band. We are writing on a new stage piece based on the brilliance and decadence of the German Weimar Republic from the 1920s which will be staged at the Off-Center Theatre in July."

The Future

"I will continue to audition for film and make myself open to new opportunities to create and act on camera," she said. "Kansas City is rich with talented people and offers an unusually cooperative artistic community.

"I’m setting new goals for myself and my career right now. In my dreams, I hope to be traveling and working with other artists all over the world. I would love to continue to grow and develop as a multi-discipline artist, working in film, theater and music equally."

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link to article:

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