Ali Ewoldt Shares Journal Entries with CNN Money

Broadway actress Ali Ewoldt, who starred as the orphaned Cosette in the 2006 Broadway revival of "Les Miserables" and as The Girl (Luisa) in the Off-Broadway production of "The Fantasticks" last year, shared her journal entries, which recount her day at Music Theatre Wichita in Kansas, with CNN Money's Blake Ellis. The article was published July 24.

Ewoldt played the ill-fated lover Maria in Music Theatre Wichita's production of the groundbreaking musical "West Side Story" from June 25 to 29.

"Because of the unpredictable nature of her work, Ewoldt earns more than $100,000 some years and scrapes by on less than $30,000 during others. No matter how much she earns in acting, she tries to live frugally and takes on side jobs like babysitting to tuck away as much money as possible.

"This month [June 2014], she left Manhattan for her latest gig: a 2-week stint in Kansas playing Maria, the female lead in 'West Side Story,'" wrote Ellis.

Read Ewoldt's journal entries HERE.

CNNMoney.com is a financial news and information website, operated by Time Warner's CNN division. It was originally published by the joint venture between CNN and Time Warner's Fortune and Money magazines.

Music Theatre Wichita's production of "West Side Story" was directed by Mark Madama; choreographed by Mark Esposito, based on the original choreography of Jerome Robbins on Broadway; conducted by Thomas W. Douglas; and designed by set designer Robert Andrew Kovach, costume designer Dixon Reynolds, hair and wig designer Alena Sellers, and lighting designer David Neville.

Besides Ewoldt, the production also starred Ryan Vasquez (Tony), Shina Ann Morris (Anita), Kevin Munhall (Riff), and Michael Graceffa (Bernardo).