▁march ▁at ▁the ▁sp ur ▁of ▁the ▁moment ▁as ▁a ▁life - ch anging ▁experience ▁that ▁convinced ▁her ▁to ▁quit ▁school ▁and ▁remain ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁She ▁soon ▁won ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Shakespeare ▁Conserv atory , ▁where ▁she ▁studied ▁classical ▁Shakespeare an ▁acting . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁jug g ling ▁in ▁Washington ▁Square ▁Park ▁one ▁day ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁the ater ▁school , ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁sp otted ▁by ▁a ▁talent ▁sc out ▁for ▁a ▁c low ning ▁program ▁being ▁developed ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁Car ib bean ▁Cru ise ▁Line . ▁ ▁She ▁spent ▁the ▁next ▁year ▁studying ▁and ▁performing ▁c low ning , ▁jug g ling , ▁and ▁st ilt - walk ing ▁on ▁cru ise ▁ships , ▁after ▁her ▁friend ▁convinced ▁her ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁job . ▁ ▁Mat lock ▁worked ▁on - and - off ▁as ▁a ▁c low n ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁five ▁years ▁with ▁the ▁Bind l est iff ▁Family ▁C irk us , ▁the ▁D are dev il ▁Opera ▁Company , ▁the ▁que er ▁social ▁justice ▁circ us ▁tr oupe ▁Circ us ▁Am ok ' s ▁" Circ us ▁In fer no " ▁project , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Big ▁Apple ▁Circ us , ▁in ▁a ▁program ▁performing ▁for ▁hosp it als . ▁ ▁As ▁an ▁actress ▁Mat lock ▁worked ▁for ▁several ▁small ▁regional ▁the ater ▁companies . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁she ▁developed ▁a ▁solo ▁show , ▁The ▁Mam my ▁Project . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁show ▁was ▁picked