It's 2:26 a.m. and I've just come home from an impromptu joint cast party for the closing night of both "Anatol" (a play I was in) and "The Odd Couple" (a play I was not in, but we had the same producer). I have to be at work in 4 1/2 hours, but you can't not go to closing night festivities. Its just bad form.
Alas, the inevitable pain of the end of something wonderful. I've become accustom to spending hours with charming, beautiful people and living in a fantasy world of our making, or Arthur Schnitzler's making. I believe when my alarm goes off in the morning and I know my day will not end on stage, I will feel a little blue. Each project brings you into a family. Sometimes those families are dysfunctional, but many times you find an immediate connection that grows very deep very quickly.
The cast of "Anatol" overflowed with beauty, both inside and out. With two dashing men and seven sultry, stunning, sexy (trying to find more "s" adjectives) seductive sirens, we put up a darn good show, led by our visionary director and run by our incredible stage manager. Not to mention our awesome volunteer stage hands! I don't think I've yet realized how much I'll miss this particular family, but I know its coming!
Gotta find another project so my days can end with a curtain call again!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Ode to Winter 2012
Dear Mother Nature,
On behalf of all New Yorkers from Staten Island to the Bronx... THANK YOU for the best January we've experienced since Erin moved to the City!
I felt it was necessary to acknowledge that, while we did have a few bitterly cold days including a couple with snow, this has been the most mild January I've ever endured. The high was 58 for crying out loud!
I seriously reevaluated my life in Manhattan last winter and thought maybe the superficial, botox-injected Barbies of Hollywood might be okay if I gave them a fair shot. Luckily, I hate moving and so I stayed. I think this is God's way of telling me I made a right choice! He loves me that much!
Usually, looking ahead to February (aka the month my singleness is reemphasized by a holiday) is a bleak prospect filled with dread, but the high is 60 tomorrow. YES!!!
On behalf of all New Yorkers from Staten Island to the Bronx... THANK YOU for the best January we've experienced since Erin moved to the City!
I felt it was necessary to acknowledge that, while we did have a few bitterly cold days including a couple with snow, this has been the most mild January I've ever endured. The high was 58 for crying out loud!
I seriously reevaluated my life in Manhattan last winter and thought maybe the superficial, botox-injected Barbies of Hollywood might be okay if I gave them a fair shot. Luckily, I hate moving and so I stayed. I think this is God's way of telling me I made a right choice! He loves me that much!
Usually, looking ahead to February (aka the month my singleness is reemphasized by a holiday) is a bleak prospect filled with dread, but the high is 60 tomorrow. YES!!!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
I GOT A CALL!!!
Yes, I received a phone call from a commercial agent yesterday to come in for a meeting! My first meeting in NYC! So grateful! Now let me back up a bit...
For the past couple weeks, I've been taking a workshop organized by commercial casting director, Amy Gossels. She's got quite an extensive resume of projects she's cast, so working with her at all is good exposure. Plus, she's got a very precise, clear way of directing a commercial audition. The class was incredibly helpful and I never felt there was any time wasted! For the final class, she invited two commercial agents to watch our work and receive our headshots/resumes.
The very next day I got a call from one of the agents to set up an appointment to come to their office. We'll have an interview, I'll read a few commercials cold (no rehearsal) and then we'll see. If they like me, I might start free-lancing with them, which could lead to signing with them. Who knows! Either way... its been a good week.
For the past couple weeks, I've been taking a workshop organized by commercial casting director, Amy Gossels. She's got quite an extensive resume of projects she's cast, so working with her at all is good exposure. Plus, she's got a very precise, clear way of directing a commercial audition. The class was incredibly helpful and I never felt there was any time wasted! For the final class, she invited two commercial agents to watch our work and receive our headshots/resumes.
The very next day I got a call from one of the agents to set up an appointment to come to their office. We'll have an interview, I'll read a few commercials cold (no rehearsal) and then we'll see. If they like me, I might start free-lancing with them, which could lead to signing with them. Who knows! Either way... its been a good week.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Nominees
Very pleased with this years list of nominees for the Academy Awards! Certainly a year for women, but just great work all around. I still have a few films to see before the big night, but I'm proud to state I've seen many of the films with a nomination (yep- spending all my tip $$ on the movies).
Loved seeing Melissa McCarthy nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "Bridesmaids"-- hilarious! Also, surprised to read this is Gary Oldman's first nomination. He's such a wonderful actor! Rooney Mara got a nod for "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", which I completely agree with, even though she's up against giants like Meryl and Glenn, but she gets to put on a beautiful dress and go to the biggest event for film!
But let's not get ahead of ourselves, because my favorite award show is coming up Sunday evening, the Screen Actors Guild Awards! My mission is to find someone with cable and invite myself over to their house to watch!
Loved seeing Melissa McCarthy nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "Bridesmaids"-- hilarious! Also, surprised to read this is Gary Oldman's first nomination. He's such a wonderful actor! Rooney Mara got a nod for "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", which I completely agree with, even though she's up against giants like Meryl and Glenn, but she gets to put on a beautiful dress and go to the biggest event for film!
But let's not get ahead of ourselves, because my favorite award show is coming up Sunday evening, the Screen Actors Guild Awards! My mission is to find someone with cable and invite myself over to their house to watch!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Already....?!
January 15th... did this sneak up on anyone else?
I'm blessed with many things to work on and subsequently overflowing my brain. It's an interesting problem to have and the characters I'm working on are battling for my full attention, but its a good exercise. Hopefully I will work on multiple projects throughout my career!
For starters, I'm in the midst of rehearsal for Anatol by Arthur Schnitzle with City Show Productions. I have the pleasure of playing 'Gabrielle' and getting to verbally spar with the title character, playing with years of suppressed emotion and layers of subtext. Delicious!
Also, I've decided to tip-toe into the world of commercials. Working with the busy commercial casting director, Amy Gossels, I've found I have a knack for this type of work. We meet with agents next week, so we'll see where that might be heading!
I'm also continuing to exercise the acting muscles with Wynn Handman and the uber-talented group of actors that attend his bi-weekly class. It's such a safe place to explore, which is what every actor needs!
Not to mention the full-time, pay-the-bills-for-the-time-being job at The Greenwich Hotel. Speaking of which, my bed is calling to me! The alarm is going off at 5:00 a.m.
I'm blessed with many things to work on and subsequently overflowing my brain. It's an interesting problem to have and the characters I'm working on are battling for my full attention, but its a good exercise. Hopefully I will work on multiple projects throughout my career!
For starters, I'm in the midst of rehearsal for Anatol by Arthur Schnitzle with City Show Productions. I have the pleasure of playing 'Gabrielle' and getting to verbally spar with the title character, playing with years of suppressed emotion and layers of subtext. Delicious!
Also, I've decided to tip-toe into the world of commercials. Working with the busy commercial casting director, Amy Gossels, I've found I have a knack for this type of work. We meet with agents next week, so we'll see where that might be heading!
I'm also continuing to exercise the acting muscles with Wynn Handman and the uber-talented group of actors that attend his bi-weekly class. It's such a safe place to explore, which is what every actor needs!
Not to mention the full-time, pay-the-bills-for-the-time-being job at The Greenwich Hotel. Speaking of which, my bed is calling to me! The alarm is going off at 5:00 a.m.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2012
And so it's begun! Our final year (according to the Mayans)! Rumor has it that the world won't end til December, so we've got some time. Phew! Cause I've got plans!
Now, I spent a good portion of my work shift last night brainstorming, in between "ooohhh and ahhh- ing" at guest's fancy attire as they headed out for the evening. I LOVE beginnings. I love the possibilities that exist at the start. I always loved a new school year, new basketball season, new project to rehearse-- because I'm still afforded the opportunity to imagine the result. Then we get a few weeks in and the image inevitably shifts-- good or bad, it shifts.
So here we are at the beginning of a year! This is a pretty big one! I could sit here and spell out a dozen resolutions like: exercise every day, only have candy for dinner once a week, start brewing decaf-- but I'll inevitably fail at some point and feel disappointed in myself. Don't get me wrong, I do have many self-improvement goals in mind that I plan to fail at, but I'm not going to punish myself for them. I'll reward myself when I DO accomplish a little goal. I think positivity will be my theme for the year!
To be frank, I'm not sad to say goodbye to 2011. Learned a lot, laughed a lot, cried a lot-- ready to be challenged by the unexpected opportunities that NYC will present and the miracles the good Lord will show me!
Now, I spent a good portion of my work shift last night brainstorming, in between "ooohhh and ahhh- ing" at guest's fancy attire as they headed out for the evening. I LOVE beginnings. I love the possibilities that exist at the start. I always loved a new school year, new basketball season, new project to rehearse-- because I'm still afforded the opportunity to imagine the result. Then we get a few weeks in and the image inevitably shifts-- good or bad, it shifts.
So here we are at the beginning of a year! This is a pretty big one! I could sit here and spell out a dozen resolutions like: exercise every day, only have candy for dinner once a week, start brewing decaf-- but I'll inevitably fail at some point and feel disappointed in myself. Don't get me wrong, I do have many self-improvement goals in mind that I plan to fail at, but I'm not going to punish myself for them. I'll reward myself when I DO accomplish a little goal. I think positivity will be my theme for the year!
To be frank, I'm not sad to say goodbye to 2011. Learned a lot, laughed a lot, cried a lot-- ready to be challenged by the unexpected opportunities that NYC will present and the miracles the good Lord will show me!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Developments
Ok, many things have been occurring and I've yet to tell you about any of them... apologies!
I'm going to start with the most recent and work my way backwards...
Last night, I participated in an intensive with an associate casting director for ABC through the Actor's Green Room. Now, let me explain that sentence, as many of you may already be lost. An intensive is a couple hours one night that we (paying actors) get one-on-one time with a professional in the industry reading sides (a scene from a script) and then get feedback and critique. The purpose of these intensives is to allow unknowns, like myself, a chance to show my ability cause at this point in my career I'm probably not going to be seen by them otherwise! Ha! Humility is the key to contentment!
Anyway, the Actor's Green Room is one of many networking establishments in the City (and for my money, the best) who bring the unknown actors together with the casting directors and provide the space and opportunity to connect and work together. The ideal outcome would be for the CD last night to think I was so brilliant that she might call me in for a real audition for pilot season coming up! Oh geez, I just introduced a new term, didn't I?
Pilot Season- 20+ new shows are cast and filmed and presented to the networks to possibly get funded and then put on the air and shown in your home on your TV once a week!
SO- all that to say, I prepared a scene provided by AGR from scripts that were either recently developed or are in development and we bring it in to read for the CD. The set-up was unique in that the waiting room had a monitor showing the person in the room being filmed with audio and everything. So we were all kinda listening in on their audition. I actually loved the set-up because when I was in the room it was just me, the reader, the CD and the camera woman, but while I was waiting I could hear how the CD talked to the other actors, how their voice came across, what was missing in their performance and I just enjoy watching other people work. Now, whether or not that affected my performance, I don't know BUT I went in to read, I did my scene and I felt good about it. The CD told me she had no adjustments, I did a great job listening and reacting, she would send that copy straight to the director!
Now, before I went to the workshop I spoke with an independent filmmaker who I recently took a class with that spanned 3 weeks, meeting once a week. It's design was to simulate working on a film set. First, an audition with just the director. Second, first read-thru with the other actor and director. Third, off-book with blocking and filming the scene. Our conversation last night was a follow-up on the class and to answer any questions I'd had. He was extremely encouraging and he had tried to get me in for an audition for his latest project, but my darn schedule didn't allow it. He assured me 2012 will be a busy year, so he'd keep me in mind for projects. I'd absolutely love to work with him. He's so focused and encouraging and I feel confident under his direction, which is such a huge gift for an actor!
Also, I've been involved with a developing play that should be going up on stage maybe early next year, which has earned me a bit of $$. Now, its not a ton, but its so satisfying when you receive a bit of monetary encouragement for your life's pursuit. And I have a possible second project coming my way for the stage very soon! All good things!
The best recent occurrence, I don't actually want to post but please ask me about it sometime because it may be one of the best small world stories I've personally encountered!
Do you ever feel like you're on a path with absolutely no idea where it leads but you're sure you're heading in the right direction?
I'm going to start with the most recent and work my way backwards...
Last night, I participated in an intensive with an associate casting director for ABC through the Actor's Green Room. Now, let me explain that sentence, as many of you may already be lost. An intensive is a couple hours one night that we (paying actors) get one-on-one time with a professional in the industry reading sides (a scene from a script) and then get feedback and critique. The purpose of these intensives is to allow unknowns, like myself, a chance to show my ability cause at this point in my career I'm probably not going to be seen by them otherwise! Ha! Humility is the key to contentment!
Anyway, the Actor's Green Room is one of many networking establishments in the City (and for my money, the best) who bring the unknown actors together with the casting directors and provide the space and opportunity to connect and work together. The ideal outcome would be for the CD last night to think I was so brilliant that she might call me in for a real audition for pilot season coming up! Oh geez, I just introduced a new term, didn't I?
Pilot Season- 20+ new shows are cast and filmed and presented to the networks to possibly get funded and then put on the air and shown in your home on your TV once a week!
SO- all that to say, I prepared a scene provided by AGR from scripts that were either recently developed or are in development and we bring it in to read for the CD. The set-up was unique in that the waiting room had a monitor showing the person in the room being filmed with audio and everything. So we were all kinda listening in on their audition. I actually loved the set-up because when I was in the room it was just me, the reader, the CD and the camera woman, but while I was waiting I could hear how the CD talked to the other actors, how their voice came across, what was missing in their performance and I just enjoy watching other people work. Now, whether or not that affected my performance, I don't know BUT I went in to read, I did my scene and I felt good about it. The CD told me she had no adjustments, I did a great job listening and reacting, she would send that copy straight to the director!
Now, before I went to the workshop I spoke with an independent filmmaker who I recently took a class with that spanned 3 weeks, meeting once a week. It's design was to simulate working on a film set. First, an audition with just the director. Second, first read-thru with the other actor and director. Third, off-book with blocking and filming the scene. Our conversation last night was a follow-up on the class and to answer any questions I'd had. He was extremely encouraging and he had tried to get me in for an audition for his latest project, but my darn schedule didn't allow it. He assured me 2012 will be a busy year, so he'd keep me in mind for projects. I'd absolutely love to work with him. He's so focused and encouraging and I feel confident under his direction, which is such a huge gift for an actor!
Also, I've been involved with a developing play that should be going up on stage maybe early next year, which has earned me a bit of $$. Now, its not a ton, but its so satisfying when you receive a bit of monetary encouragement for your life's pursuit. And I have a possible second project coming my way for the stage very soon! All good things!
The best recent occurrence, I don't actually want to post but please ask me about it sometime because it may be one of the best small world stories I've personally encountered!
Do you ever feel like you're on a path with absolutely no idea where it leads but you're sure you're heading in the right direction?
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