Graveyard
11-02-2001, 02:59 AM
Being Jo Polniaczek
May 2001
Hi, my name is Katelyn Kindell, one day I was walking home across a field and I found a time- machine, yup a time-machine. It looks like an old root beer can. I picked it up, it felt strangely cool in my hand, despite the hot summer day. I rubbed it back and forth between my hands and it grew warm and then vibrated. Before I knew what was happening, I was transported right into the middle of the Civil War, yikes! I quickly thought of the year 2001 and was back in the field once again.
Cool, I thought to myself. I tried to think of a time I would love to go and visit. I'd become a fan again of the series 'The Facts of Life' and I thought it would be really cool if I could go to a taping of the show, I'd always wanted to see all my favorite characters live while in their prime. So I rubbed the can and thought...oh shoot, what year should I go to? I knew the show took place in the 80's, but I wasn't sure the exact year I wanted to travel to. I mean I wanted to go when Nancy McKeon was on the show, but I couldn't remember exactly when. Oh heck, I'll just go to 1981, why not? I thought.
Woosh, a little tingling sensation and I was standing in...where was I? I looked around, palm trees, hot sun shining...I must be in Burbank! I looked at the can in my hand, wow this thing is amazing! It sent me right to the same city that the show was taped. I looked around at the buildings...if I don't miss my guess I bet I'm right outside...yep there it is the studio. I walked up to the guard outside the building. He eyed me warily, I looked down at my clothes, I guess my 'new millenium' style of clothing looked as much out of place as all the 80's styles around me.
"Hi," I said a little too brightly to the guard, "Is this where the 'Facts of Life' is taped?" He looked at me and grunted a reply.
"They're on a break," came the grunt "They're changing the cast around, looking for a new girl."
It clicked in my head, they must be casting for Jo.
"Is it an open audition?" I asked?
"Yeah, it is" he narrowed his eyes at me "why you thinkin' of auditioning?"
I smiled, "Maybe" I got the rest of the information from him and left to find a hotel. My audition was tomorrow. I smiled again, I knew I didn't have a prayer of getting the part, but what a blast to be able to audition for the part of Jo! I was grateful that I had just cashed my paycheck coming home from work before I found the can. And boy, things were a lot cheaper in this time. I bought some clothes that I thought Jo would wear, and I checked in to a really run down hotel. Hey it was cheap, but I still slept with one eye open. Needless to say I was a little grumpy the next day for the audition. I slept in and threw on the clothes I bought yesterday, and hurriedly put my hair in a ponytail and ran. During the audition, I called on the acting experience I had had in high school, I was a little impatient by the constant questioning. When I walked out of the audition I almost ran into another girl, we were about the same height and weight, same brown hair, but where her eyes were green, my are a deep blue.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I said to her "I didn't get much sleep last night"
"It's okay," she replied "I know, I've been a little nervous about this audition too." she spoke with a slight New York accent
"Have you done much acting?" I asked her.
"I've had a few guest spots on some shows and some commercials." she shrugged "Nothing major." she looked at me "How about you?"
"Nah, just some high school plays," I grinned at her "I just thought it would be fun."
She grinned back at me "I know what you mean, well good luck." she headed toward the door I had just come out of.
"You too, nice meeting you." I replied. Just then a woman came out of the room.
"Nancy?" she said to the girl I was just talking to. The girl nodded, nervously "You're next." Nancy turned and gave a little smile to me before the door closed behind her.
Holy Cow! I thought to myself. That was Nancy McKeon! I smiled. This trip was turning out better than I ever imagined. I was so tired that I went back to my hotel and promptly fell asleep.
When the phone rang, I woke with a start, I noticed that it was dark outside.
"Hullo?" I answered croakily. No way, I couldn't believe my ears. They liked me! I got the part! Wow! Who would've thought? Me, I was now Jo Polniaczek.
The next few weeks just flew by, we started rehersals shortly after I recieved the news. I really enjoyed working with Mindy,Kim, and Lisa. Also Charlotte Rae became a second mother figure to me. The directors were so impressed with my acting abilities (considering how much experience I didn't have). What they didn't know was that I'd seen all of these episodes all growing up, and I just copied what I'd seen Nancy do.
The biggest surprise was probably being a celebrity. It was so shocking to walk outside the studio after rehersals and have people waiting by the door for one of us. Oh and the fan mail, it was crazy! But it was really cool to see all the girls whose lives were affected because of the show. I spent many nights trying to answer as much mail as I could.
The years flew by. I loved being on the show. Lisa, Mindy and Kim became as close as my sisters. We just loved being together. Then before I knew it, it was the final episode. That was it, it was over.
I was still pretty well known. During the run of Facts I had been in some made-for-TV movies. I kind of took some time off to just rest. It's hard work being on a sitcom. The years went by and I did some more TV movies, tried to get some other sitcoms going, but nothing worked until I signed on with a new show called 'The Division'. That's where I'm at right now. I love being on the show. It is a lot of fun. I often wonder what happened to Nancy McKeon...
Hi, my name is Nancy McKeon and one day I was walking home across a field and I found a time-machine...
May 2001
Hi, my name is Katelyn Kindell, one day I was walking home across a field and I found a time- machine, yup a time-machine. It looks like an old root beer can. I picked it up, it felt strangely cool in my hand, despite the hot summer day. I rubbed it back and forth between my hands and it grew warm and then vibrated. Before I knew what was happening, I was transported right into the middle of the Civil War, yikes! I quickly thought of the year 2001 and was back in the field once again.
Cool, I thought to myself. I tried to think of a time I would love to go and visit. I'd become a fan again of the series 'The Facts of Life' and I thought it would be really cool if I could go to a taping of the show, I'd always wanted to see all my favorite characters live while in their prime. So I rubbed the can and thought...oh shoot, what year should I go to? I knew the show took place in the 80's, but I wasn't sure the exact year I wanted to travel to. I mean I wanted to go when Nancy McKeon was on the show, but I couldn't remember exactly when. Oh heck, I'll just go to 1981, why not? I thought.
Woosh, a little tingling sensation and I was standing in...where was I? I looked around, palm trees, hot sun shining...I must be in Burbank! I looked at the can in my hand, wow this thing is amazing! It sent me right to the same city that the show was taped. I looked around at the buildings...if I don't miss my guess I bet I'm right outside...yep there it is the studio. I walked up to the guard outside the building. He eyed me warily, I looked down at my clothes, I guess my 'new millenium' style of clothing looked as much out of place as all the 80's styles around me.
"Hi," I said a little too brightly to the guard, "Is this where the 'Facts of Life' is taped?" He looked at me and grunted a reply.
"They're on a break," came the grunt "They're changing the cast around, looking for a new girl."
It clicked in my head, they must be casting for Jo.
"Is it an open audition?" I asked?
"Yeah, it is" he narrowed his eyes at me "why you thinkin' of auditioning?"
I smiled, "Maybe" I got the rest of the information from him and left to find a hotel. My audition was tomorrow. I smiled again, I knew I didn't have a prayer of getting the part, but what a blast to be able to audition for the part of Jo! I was grateful that I had just cashed my paycheck coming home from work before I found the can. And boy, things were a lot cheaper in this time. I bought some clothes that I thought Jo would wear, and I checked in to a really run down hotel. Hey it was cheap, but I still slept with one eye open. Needless to say I was a little grumpy the next day for the audition. I slept in and threw on the clothes I bought yesterday, and hurriedly put my hair in a ponytail and ran. During the audition, I called on the acting experience I had had in high school, I was a little impatient by the constant questioning. When I walked out of the audition I almost ran into another girl, we were about the same height and weight, same brown hair, but where her eyes were green, my are a deep blue.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I said to her "I didn't get much sleep last night"
"It's okay," she replied "I know, I've been a little nervous about this audition too." she spoke with a slight New York accent
"Have you done much acting?" I asked her.
"I've had a few guest spots on some shows and some commercials." she shrugged "Nothing major." she looked at me "How about you?"
"Nah, just some high school plays," I grinned at her "I just thought it would be fun."
She grinned back at me "I know what you mean, well good luck." she headed toward the door I had just come out of.
"You too, nice meeting you." I replied. Just then a woman came out of the room.
"Nancy?" she said to the girl I was just talking to. The girl nodded, nervously "You're next." Nancy turned and gave a little smile to me before the door closed behind her.
Holy Cow! I thought to myself. That was Nancy McKeon! I smiled. This trip was turning out better than I ever imagined. I was so tired that I went back to my hotel and promptly fell asleep.
When the phone rang, I woke with a start, I noticed that it was dark outside.
"Hullo?" I answered croakily. No way, I couldn't believe my ears. They liked me! I got the part! Wow! Who would've thought? Me, I was now Jo Polniaczek.
The next few weeks just flew by, we started rehersals shortly after I recieved the news. I really enjoyed working with Mindy,Kim, and Lisa. Also Charlotte Rae became a second mother figure to me. The directors were so impressed with my acting abilities (considering how much experience I didn't have). What they didn't know was that I'd seen all of these episodes all growing up, and I just copied what I'd seen Nancy do.
The biggest surprise was probably being a celebrity. It was so shocking to walk outside the studio after rehersals and have people waiting by the door for one of us. Oh and the fan mail, it was crazy! But it was really cool to see all the girls whose lives were affected because of the show. I spent many nights trying to answer as much mail as I could.
The years flew by. I loved being on the show. Lisa, Mindy and Kim became as close as my sisters. We just loved being together. Then before I knew it, it was the final episode. That was it, it was over.
I was still pretty well known. During the run of Facts I had been in some made-for-TV movies. I kind of took some time off to just rest. It's hard work being on a sitcom. The years went by and I did some more TV movies, tried to get some other sitcoms going, but nothing worked until I signed on with a new show called 'The Division'. That's where I'm at right now. I love being on the show. It is a lot of fun. I often wonder what happened to Nancy McKeon...
Hi, my name is Nancy McKeon and one day I was walking home across a field and I found a time-machine...