I. MIller Shoes Building Restoration

I haven't posted in months. That's bad of me. And I should probably do a full on update for the past 6-7 months.  In brief, I went from a concentration camp inmate, to a pirate, to another concentration camp inmate, to Jesus.  All in all, typical.

But for now, here is this little but of happiness on a cold snowy NY day. 

As actors this building is a pretty typical part of our daily/weekly lives. It's right on the corner of Broadway and 46th. I've always affectionately called it the "Equity Building" because until recently the entrance to Actors Equity was right next to it. Granted it's not the same building, but it's sure close. And it was originally a shoe store supplying shoes for the performing arts and specifically the actors and dancers on Broadway.

The inscription below the Building's actual name is, "the show folks’ shoe shop dedicated to beauty in footwear." Just cluing you in to what they sold there. 

On the 46th street side of the building, half way up you could always see four ladies greeting you as you walk past to audition. They're statues of four of the entertainment industry's greats. Ethel Barrymore (Drama), Marilyn Miller (Musical Comedy), Rosa Ponselle (Opera), and Mary Pickford  (Film).  They're all dressed as their iconic characters that helped cement their stardom.  Sadly through the years the building has deteriorated and those statues have started to erode or have been covered with billboards, etc. In fact, poor Miss Barrymore has had half her face hidden behind a HUGE billboard for T.G.I. Fridays.

Well, welcome to 2014. The Fridays is out. Gone. And in it's place an Express.  But an Express that decided to restore some of the building's former glory. In a HUGE restoration effort, the facade of both the Broadway and the 46th street sides of the building have been restored and repaired. The Statues are back and completely fixed, the store front is clean and looks almost out of place now in a modern Times square.  

But I love it! These are my ladies greeting me on my way to auditions, and this is such a great way to show respect to the business that built Times Square and one I have devoted my life to. 

I managed to snap a picture while rushing to another audition recently. It's not great, but if you've seen the building in the past you know it's MUCH better now. The gentleman selling pretzels and hot dogs across the street from me said it cost about 6 million. But I have no idea where he got those numbers from. He probably thought I was a tourist and was trying to impress me into buying a cold unsalted pretzel...(I didn't)

So here is the best shot I could take at the time. If there is interest, perhaps I'll take more.  But for now, here you are.

Animal Planet's Top Hooker Season 2

So this just popped up in my email and I had to share. It took me several minutes of staring at it before I realized what it was really for. Top Hooker Season 2!
Project Name:	Animal Planet's Top Hooker Season 2 Casting (USA)
Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note Professional, Sport & Recreational Fishermen Lead Male or Female / 21 to 42 / All Ethnicities We are looking for COMPETITIVE, OUTGOING and SKILLED anglers, spear fishermen, game fishermen, fly fishermen, trawlers and trappers from all walks of life. It doesn't matter if your experience is commercial, sport or recreational. As long as you're skilled, adaptable and confident enough to take on anything we throw at you, you could win A BIG GRAND PRIZE and the title of Animal Planet's next Top Hooker.

READINGS! The way to keep busy when you're slow

Readings Galore!

When you're between projects what do you do? How do you fill the spaces between shows and films?

READINGS!  Theater companies have readings ALL the time to try out material for their upcoming seasons, as part of nights where they feature playwrights, or just to hear plays read. Production companies and writers themselves will also organize readings of potential works to be made.  So, that's how I've been filling the empty spaces right now between project.

The first set of readings I did were with the amazing company Theatre East.

A dear friend (Darlene!!!!!!!!) appeared in one of their productions last season, Normalcy, and it was by far one of the best things I've seen on stage in a long time. Smart Smart Darlene has done what all good little actors should do and has cultivated a loving relationship with this company.  (Honestly how could you not. The Husband and Wife duo who run it make you feel more welcomed and a part of the ensemble than many a family gathering.)  So it was with great joy that I jumped at the chance to read a part in Darlene's play, Property, at one of their new works reading nights.  It's like a stress free audition. How can you go wrong with that? Twas a great night of words and beer and making new friends. (And hopefully connections)

That hopefully turned into a...nailed it! Shortly after the reading I was contacted by Judson Jones, the Artistic Director to read a new play by the daughter of Dominic Chianese, the actor who portrayed Uncle Junior in the Soprano's.  Why would any one say no?  In their defense the action centers around an Italian neighborhood and hello...me...need I say more? It was a small part, but another good night of reading. Having people hear my voice say these words.  It was a simple table read so of course it was rough in some places (talking about my own delivery) but who cares. They called me back to read some more!  You can bet a thank you is on the way.

The next reading I was invited to take part in was of Chekov's Cherry Orchard with the American Bard Theater Company.

First of I have to say that I love the idea of going back to American Globe, which is where Amer. Bard is currently residing. There is such a feeling of going home. Of being home. In a space that I've only worked a few times, but fell in love with. Both companies are filled with people who look at you and smile, instantly accept you, and want you to succeed. You'd think that would be the case everywhere, but it's not. So no wonder I feel like I'm home when I'm there. 

With American Bard I was asked to read a part in a very casual round table read of the Cherry Orchard. (Which to me is a ridiculous comedy. The people in it are honestly ridiculous save for one person. But of course no one listens to them.) I'll also say that sometimes reading the classics on your own is a chore. A chore among chores. For one who is a Shakespearephile, it's stilll so difficult to get me to sit down and read some of these older plays.  But to sit in a circle and see and hear the characters come to life? Sign me up. 

Plus it doesn't help that I feel as if I helped with the planning of their upcoming season. (even if I really didn't, it's nice to feel important)

I'd like to say this is how I ALWAYS spend my down time between projects, but that would be a lie. Ideally this is what I would do to keep the creative acting juices flowing. But you can't really plan your life out like that. 

So after all that, who spends their downtime how? How do you fill the spaces between projects?

When Smaller Agents Call You In...

Are people just rude because it gives them some kind of self satisfaction? A misplaced feeling of power?  I really don't get it!


I'm pretty sure we're all in agreement that this business is hard.  Much harder than anyone ever truly is able to convey.  (One thing my professors lacked was the ability to tell us all what we were getting into. Thank you professors for dropping that ball...that energy ball...)
That being said, shouldn't we all be in this together more or less?

I was contacted by an agency in PA recently.  (Those clever few of you who know me better than others can guess who)  I had not reached out to them. As far as I know I hadn't. Like all good actors I keep my log of mail outs and submissions.  So they reached out to me.

First off, PA. It's not my market. It's not too difficult to get there.  And I know plenty of people who do that trek on a regular basis. Hell, I know plenty of people who travel in from Long Island which at times could be just as much of a journey as the train to PA. So it's not unheard of.  Ideally I would rather not go there but it's an option.

So I replied to their email with some simple questions. Mostly logistics.
Do you ever send your clients to auditions in NY (my primary market)?
Is there a sister or affiliated agency in NY you could refer me to if PA isn't too viable an option?
And of course lots of thank-you's.

The reply was 2 lines. Essentially saying they represent people in the tri-state area.  Which I knew, but thanks. And to re-apply when I'm ready to travel to PA.
Thank you but no thank you. There are ways to say things and this was not it. It's a smaller market anyway and will not do much to push my career forward. I looked at it as just a possible something extra to have in my corner, but I feel like they're the kind of agency that just sends people out for whatever, over-saturating auditions until someone books it and they can get their commission.

Don't need em.
Don't want them.

But can't we just be a little nicer to people out there? Anyone else ever have issues with these smaller boutique agencies acting like this? As I write I also think it's an attitude they adopt because they think it's how the big agencies like Abrams operate.

**This is also a lesson in 'Trust your Gut. Nearly all of the comments online about this agency are negative. The only positive ones are THEY THEMSELVES defending their reputation. Red flag anyone? Way to help that reputation.

SNL: Again! An Interesting Start To 2013

Happy New year!

I realize it's been a while since I last posted. I have to say my picture a day exercise from last year was quite a challenge. I had anticipated posting every day. But thanks to the suggestion of a friend I started doing weekly recaps. And eventually much longer posts with pictures from a few weeks.

While taking the pictures is easy, posting about them took a little more vigilance than I had anticipated. I think I'll get a nice slideshow up here somewhere. It's amazing to look back at a year in pictures.  But all that made me really need a little break. Hence my absence for almost 2 months. But now I'm back!

Headshot under a bridge. Like a Troll

A lot has happened in the past 2 months. Some good. Some not so good. Some sad. Let's focus on the good...and perhaps the not so good.  I've gone back and forth about whether or not I should write about this. We try to sell ourselves as artists. To make us look better than we are.  Which I HATE. There are far too many people who puff themselves up with talk but it's backed up by nothing.  So here is the down and dirty of this world.


My manager dropped me.

There I said it. We've parted ways. We've parted amicably. The thing is, I can't blame her. I don't think I'm a type she gets much work for. And I'm mostly a stage actor slowly working at getting into film. She focuses mainly on film. While she's been a great asset and has truly operated as a manager, it just didn't work out. It happens. All the time. Am I sad? Sure. Who wouldn't be. But you know what? Onward and upward.  Her company merged with another and she could only take so many of her former clients.  That's how things go sometimes.  So I spent a few days scouring the web to try to take her off all my profiles because, well, that's what you do. Reformatted my resume a little. Made some adjustments to my website. Little things.

Now begins the push for 2013. A few little setbacks did occur which I'll go into in another post. For now let's keep this one a little more light-hearted.

So. Manager gone. That's ok.
I think as she was literally hitting send on the goodbye email I was filming a digital short with SNL.
So there's that.

Now I've railed against background work. It's horrible. I hate it. You're treated like cattle because let's face it. In a film you're just glorified scenery. I hate all those pseudo-actors who do background work and then add it to their IMDB profile as "uncredited." You're not credited because you were background. It's a personal pet peeve. But what can you do.

That being said, there are a few shows I WILL do BG work on because I love them. And the working conditions are fantastic. They treat you like gold. Saturday Night Live is one of those shows. The other being 30 Rock (R.I.P.).

So yes, I did BG on SNL. But, and I know everyone says this, (those people trying to talk themselves up) I actually had a few bits. Which in the end got cut. I had several moments with Bobby Moynihan. One with beakers in a chemistry class, another in the lunch room. But it all comes down to editing and while I'm there, I'm not THERE.  You know?

The skit?  Possibly one of the funniest and smartest I've seen in a while. The "Soprano's Diaries."  Have you seen the Carrie Diaries?  It's just itching to be made fun of. No. It's screaming to be made fun of. It's up there with Smash (which I think makes fun of itself not to need a parody. Oh Smash...)

So sure I lost a manager, but I was on SNL again. And the best thing was the commute to the location was just around the block.  Here is the skit...until NBC pulls it from youtube.  Enjoy!

Photo A Day 352-366

Here we go, the home stretch to the end of the year!

352. Many a mixtape died that day.

353. Dropping off a thank-you gift to my agent and was pleasantly surprised to find a pianist tickling out holiday tunes. 

354. I pass this a lot walking around the Union Square area. I love this old drinking fountain from the zoo. I wish they would set it up as a real fountain outside this antique store. Let people get some use out of it.

355. One of my last submissions before the new year. Fly my little friend. Fly fast and true and hope I get a call.

356. Andre is always there. Always watching. Always Obey.

357. Take off for the holidays with the family...

358.   Pretty much sums up this day!

359.  Grandpa...Miss you...

360. Sucker for Italian cookies on Christmas. Mine...mine...mine...

361. I'm sure this is somewhere in this photo blog, but Jeff this will always remind me of you. on top of it. a king of the springs.

362. Home again home again. Goodbye sun and hello NY Winter.

363. The ever elusive Lily. Cat-sitting.

364. Early morning snow/rain storm fire truck scare. Still no clue what was going on. But we had fun playing with the pencils...(name that reference)

365. Possibly the greatest socks ever. And I mean...ever.

366.  Starting the evening off with eggnogg and Hennessy, which I do not suggest anyone in their right mind ever does. But Happy New Year. And here's to 2013!

Thus ends this wonderful experiment. My Photo a day in the year of 2012. It's be a long eventful year. And looking back, these are some amazing glimpses into that journey. Hoping 2013 is an even greater adventure! And thank you all for coming along for the ride. See you in the new year.

Photo A Day 296 - 351

A MAJOR update to my picture a day experiment. Here are the last few months.
Getting down to the end!


296.  Travelling the the freakin' Mac store in order to get the recalled hard drive replaced. Hindsight: Did you know that Apple Care will come to your apartment? Huh.

297.  Hooray Public Art! Sometimes I miss it cause I'm rushing by so fast.

298.  Go on, Laugh. I don't care. Halloween costume! Tony Stark! With my custom-made arc reactor chest piece.

299. Here is another of my projects that's slowly being finished. The Millenium Falcon. Fired up the lights and added a few little details to the hull. (Bonus points: Unicycle tire in the background)

300. APPLE! Ugh. That's all I have to say. The freakin Cube on 5th Ave is like a zoo. Always.

301. Halloween is fast approaching and the first sighting for the weekend is a Fairy Football player. I'm told it's from a commercial. (I should watch more t.v.)

302. The beautiful and evil HellGate Bridge through Astoria Park.

303. Aftermath of Sandy in our neighborhood.

304. We slowly ventured out. Since there was nothing else to do for a week with the subways down. This massive tree crushed 2 cars, a house, and knocked out power to a street.

305. Halloween! Robin Hood being stopped by the Police. What can ya do? (Or is he Peter Pan? Either way, damn the man!)

306. Just my birth date on a NY Plate. No big.

307. Possibly the greatest thing to come out of college. Don Hertzfeld. You MUST check this filmmaker out.

308. Just stocking up on essentials after the power was turned back on.

309. The dreaded gas lines everyone has been talking about. This one was over a 2 hour wait for those people in cars.

310.  I love my neighborhood.

311. Despite being somewhat handicapped as a city...we still turned out to vote!

312. And if a Hurricane wasn't bad enough, snow. Yup. First real snow. 

313. And the next morning? More than a dusting. A lot more stuck than I thought it would have.

Happy White...not a holiday.

314.  This is the block where the giant tree crushed two cars and a house.  A lot of repairs still going on. Con Ed has been there non stop.

315. Quite possibly the world's most adorable wife and amazing Standee!!!!

316. Somedays you just have to take a pic of your cat with laser eyes. You  just have to.

317. This world runs on Dunkin'. And oh look, a holiday cup that doesn't cost twice as much.

318. Love Union Square all throughout the year and especially love the people trying to figure this out. I know it's secret, do you?

319. Spending a few days in Union Square shopping for gifts from all of the amazing vendors. Sun Set over the Square!

320. Here is the market from above. Looking over from the Buildings on USqu, South.

321. Sword! To add to my arsenal. Here is a rapier that just needs a little cleaning.

322. The stantions are out and the city is gearing up the the Thanksgiving Day Parade!

(no I will not be there, you crazy?)

323. How is it that a BANK with 3 ATM machines only has one working. You'd think of all places the BANK!!! would keep their machines running? TD I'm looking at you.

324. Look WHO arrived. Finally. You're jealous, I know.

325. This is specifically for Lauren. Lean something from these forward thinking people.

326. Now I Vigo can rule the earth!

327. Sidling Hill on the way to Kentucky!

328. Wine..turkey...wine...zzzzzzzzz

329. The Natural Bridge we hiked up to...

330. Welcoming us home on the GW.  I love home.

331. And the Christmas Season has officially started for me. The Trees are here...

332. I think this sums up the day quite nicely:

333. New little side project. I'll be pulling this apart and painting the details on it in order to make a Hotwheels...hotter.

334. I love you NY.

335. Doin' it classy, Astoria.

336. You just don't know. Rolf's in the city is pure amazing. It's like eating inside of a Christmas tree all year round.

337. I want a Vespa. I do, really. And I think were I to have one it would be yellow in honor of it's older sister, my VW.

338. First official house on my block with all the trimmin's

339. Bryan Park

340. You know, the things you find lying around.

341. Dad's Christmas present. Well part of it. Almost done.

342. NY Apartment "Fireplace"

343. Misty Mountain hop. I love it when the buildings reach the clouds.

344. Roamin' around Ft. Greene. And these popped up.

345.  Talk about out of shape. Or maybe it's cause I find running SO boring.

346. So sad to see Colony go. It's windows are empty and they're taking down all the signs.

347. I watched. Did you? I kinda waited all day, then all night for Sir. Paul.

348. The Beer Garden may have lost some of it's charm thanks to the douche crowd who piles in, but it's still the freakin Beer Garden.

349. Professional gifts ready and on the way out the door. Merry Holidays everyone. (book me)

350. The extent of our decorations this year. Enjoy. We go all out. I know. Baller.

351. I'm trying to get more and more organized. Do I smell a resolution? Here are these AWESOME folders I found that are the perfect size for headshots and sides down around Union Square. I've got to look up the name. But if you're curious, ping me I'll get the name asap.