New Gig in the Works! Greek Myths!

Very please to announce that I'll be joining Attic Salt Theatre Company for some Children's Shows! See the article here.....

http://mountainx.com/arts/attic-salt-extends-family-theater-series-through-december/

Videos of Our Rental Disaster

For those who are interested.... a bit of live footage of our recent rental debacle. 

Post-Surgery Life and beyond.

One week ago today, I was packing my bags and doing last-minute research about having a life-changing surgery. I always Google everything too much :-) but in this case it is really helps me. I really wanted to be more diligent about writing a blog about my experiences, but I've had a really rough time in recovery, so it has been not so easy to write down my thoughts every day. I'll do my best to upload more photos and explain my journey with my LPAO. Bottom line is that I've done quite well. It's been difficult as hell, but no more difficult that expected. Thank you universe, for loving me!

              ...Me and mom at the pre-op waiting room at Charlotte Mercy Hospital.

Oleanna Reviews!

As we approach our final weekend.... just wanted to share some of the lovely press we've had over this run. Thank you all for being so amazing! Love to Kier, Crack, and Connie Bonnie!

Our amazing poster by Rodney Smith and Charles Mills...

 

The ACT Website!

 

The Laurel of Asheville Preview Article

 

Jim Cavener's Review in the Asheville Citizen Times

 

Kai's Review in the Mountain Xpress

 

"... this show is a winner, all around."

 

"The role of Carol is interpreted by Asheville native and Mars Hill College (now University) musical theater grad Chelsea Lee Gaddy, who has performed widely among the area's various theater companies. This is a tour-de-force role for Gaddy, and she gives terrifying life to Mamet's rare leading female role. "

 

~ Cavener

 

 

 

"However, this production belongs to Chelsey Lee Gaddy who plays Carol. In the beginning, she sits before us like a young and meek Toni Collette but is soon chiseled into a towering Tilda Swinton. Gaddy’s icy and bitter portrayal drives nails into the coffin of John’s future. When Carol nearly opens up about a secret, we witness Gaddy’s face flush and we feel the tremors inside her body. This kind of acting is what up-close stages, such as 35below, were meant for. Gaddy’s performance alone is a must-see — her character is a true radical who will stop at nothing to win a battle of wits. Gaddy is sensational and, thankfully, gives the show a much needed electrical surge.

In fact, the utter strength of Gaddy’s character makes this particular production feel one-sided. In this case, that is OK. She’s so spellbinding that we catch ourselves rooting for the relentless Carol — right or wrong. It makes us feel good (and a little dirty) when she uses John like a tool and he becomes defenseless. We side with her malice, which makes us question our own morals when John cracks."

 

~Kai Elijah Hamilton

 

3 months....

 

It's been about 3 months without ya, Gracie.  We have a new friend for your brother Lui now, and he is precious and wonderful, but he's no Grace.  I'm surrounded by boys now. 

 

Groovy and Cooper still sniff around your gravesite.  They miss you I think, as we all do.

 

Please visit me in my dreams.

 

Love you, angel dog.

October Update!

Wow! So many things going on in Chelsey Land!:-)

Finished an exciting production of Company the Musical by Stephen Sondheim at HART. I played April.  What an amazing cast of friends! Literally one of the best experiences of my life!

The Cast of Company

I love HART, and we are SO excited to be getting married there just shy of a month on November 9th. Also looking forward to next year's productions with them. 

Hart's Season Brochure! Chelsey on the far right in Elemenopea.

 

We still have season auditions to participate in for numerous companies, but already have some gigs booked for the coming year before hip (hip-hooray) surgery in March.  First up will be Oleanna at ACT's 35 below, co produced by myself and my friend Kier, and directed by my long time buddy Chris Allison.  I've been wanting to star in this play for years, just because of it's difficulty and the amazing themes surround it that are incredibly close to home right now.  (Google: waking life saga.)

Photo Credit: Tempus Fugit Design

My next project after Oleanna will be back at my favorite theatre, HART in the Studio!  My cousin and I are finally getting to collaborate on a project!  SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!

"MISCAST CABARET will feature Dwight Chiles, Chelsey Lee Gaddy, Kirby Gibson and Jay Jay Ponton performing roles they would never "book" because of race, sex, family relation, voice type etc. MISCAST will be an exciting night to reexamine the characters we think we know and to break the mold of how a performer 'should' look or how a character 'should' be played. Expect surprise solos, duets, quartets from the best Classics, Sondheim showstoppers and everything in between. Nothing is off the table tonight!"                                 

 

Also booked a few modeling gigs in the last few months, and I'm loving my continued work with Rodney Smith of Tempus Fugit Design

 

Pippi From "The Great American Trailer Park Musical"

 

Modeling for #goodgirl Jewelry by CARY NICHOLS

 

Group shot of Tempus Fugit Design's 2015 calendar girls

Calendar to benefit "Our Voice" Charity

 

But for now... the only thing on my mind....

 

NOVEMBER 9TH!!!

 

 

 

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures <3 p="">

Peace, love, and diabetes,

Chelsey 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Latest in Hipster Land...

... So... this is a labral tear.

This is another diagnosis to add to my list as a result of hip dysplasia. Party on, right? The is apparently the same injury that Lady Gaga had recently, and is a surgery that should be pretty easy to recover from.  The only apprehension is that with the hip dysplasia ... it might be a waste of time. Because my actual joint  is screwed up too, even if the repair surgery worked, I'm at a pretty high risk for tearing it again. And today they only analyzed my left hip. Who knows whats going on with the right one.

New compounded diagnosis... Moderate to severe Hip dysplasia in both hips, left labral tear, right labral status unknown at this time.

He kept calling me a "tweener." He said..." if you were 20, I'd fix the labral tear and send you off to have a double PAO. (Periacetabular osteotomy...see previous post.)  If you were 40, I'd fix your labral tear and see you in 5-10 years for a double hip replacement. But because you're 31... you should see some other folks before you make a final decision."

So... still a go for a consultation with Dr. Masonis in Charlotte in September.  And if he thinks I need the invasive scary PAO, I may make the drive to Wake Forest or Durham to meet with surgeons there who have done thousands of these surgeries... not hundreds.  Especially since my case is super special and it seems there's a lot of gray areas.  Dr. Boykin, from today, offered to do the labral tear surgery even though the risk is pretty high that it will fail.  At least he was honest. I really would love for someone to tell me exactly what to do, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen.

Lesson Learned: Stop expecting things. ANYTHING for that matter. I expected to have a black and white answer today.  Not gonna be the case for awhile. I expected for this doc to tell me exactly what to do... and that's also not ever going to be the case. I'm going to have to weigh the options on my own.

I'm in pain a lot, but I'm still walking.  This is not a life or death issue... just a quality of life issue.  Pray for me to continue to have the strength to mentally handle all of the decision making I'm going to have to do.  Glad to have a soon to be hubby to get from this side of it to the other side! Sad that I had to find out more annoying bad news on his birthday, but so glad he was born to be my partner in life!!