Burbanker wins $92,000 in prizes

Joyce Rudolph

Alana Antolak said she would have been happy winning $1,000 as a

contestant on the game show “Hollywood Squares.” She never dreamed

she’d walk away with $92,000 in cash and prizes, including a 2003

Porsche Boxster convertible .

“I was extremely surprised,” said the 24-year-old Burbank

resident. She brought a change of clothes to tape up to five episodes

in front of a live audience at CBS’s Television City in Hollywood and

was amazed to make it through all five.

“I just kept winning. It was very surreal,” she said.

Her shows are being aired every day this week beginning at 7:30

p.m. on KCAL-TV Channel 9. As a five-day winner, Antolak will compete

in special tournaments starting in February, she said.

“I’m pumped,” she said. “The prizes for the tournaments are even

more sweet. It’s very exciting.”

Antolak is an administrative assistant at AON Insurance. She came

to Burbank from St. Clairsville, Ohio, a year ago to pursue a career

in acting. She is a graduate from Franciscan University of

Steubenville in Ohio, where she majored in theater.

In addition to the Porsche, she also won a cruise to Tahiti. With

the cash, she will pay off her student loans and the loan on her Ford

Focus. The extra cash will allow her to take days off from work to go

on auditions.

She plans to sell the Porsche because she can’t afford the

insurance, but will buy a small convertible that is more reasonably

priced.

“One at $25,000, instead of $50,000,” she said.