An agent meeting, Modern Family, and Derek Jakobi all rolled into one..post

So I just realized It's been over two weeks since I last said hello to you all.  It's been a crazy few weeks.  I know that doesn't mean I can't write.  I could have easily just posted a few pics or a quick..you'll never know who I just listened to talk..but I didn't.  So you get it all in one big post.  

You're welcome.

To start things off..say hello to Sir Derek Jacobi:

Thanks to the amazing Samantha and the Ron Destro at the OSC I was able to sit in on a Q&A with Sir Derek Jacobi while he's in town doing Lear.  It was an honor to listen to him speak about his life in the theater and film. wefully spry for his age at 70 plus years.  He had some amazing stories which I will not try to capture here.  I will throw out these two ideas he offered up.

"If you're playing a King, play the man inside the King.  If you're playing a man, play the King inside the man."

I really like this quote of his.  After all a King is still a person.  Play that and the character shines through.  It's the same as if you're a villain.  A villain doesn't know they're the bad guy.  To them they're the good guy.

I wont quote this one because I'm sure I'll get the wording wrong, but he stated that a healthy disregard for the text and punctuation is key for Shakespeare. I couldn't agree more.  The text is there to be played with.  Molded into something you can work with.  Those reverent Shakespeare nuts make me want to cringe!  To me Shakespeare is so much fun to perform because the possibilities are limitless.  If you give yourself rules and feel it can only be performed one way you've just trapped yourself inside a very sad little box.

What else happened in these two weeks you ask?  Who else did I hear speak?  Well thanks to another dear friend..Sarah, I got to go to a taping of Inside the Actor's Studio.

 Yeah, that's the set.  And who was there?  not 1 or 2 people, but 6.  The main cast of Modern Family.  And they were of course hilarious.  But we got to see just how much of a family they truly are.  They look out for eachother and play off eachother constantly.  It made me want to be in a sit com just for that closeness and knowledge that the rest of my cast is always there for me....So any casting directors reading, sit com? This guy.  Because there were so many of them, each was limited in time.  But we got a nice summary of who they are as people and how they fell into the business.  The most important to me of any talk with a successful actor is HOW??  How did you get from where I am now..because what you're talking about is pretty much me..to Modern Family.  From what they all said, it just takes time.  A lot of time.  Sure there is some luck.  But still...time.  And even when you start to garner a small amount of success, you're probably just barely hanging on and still struggling with that survival job.  But it looks like for those who stick with it...and of course are talented..things do happen.  So I shall continue to plug away.

Lastly here is a plug for a blog I read.  The Actor's Voice.  Why plug it?  Because it's full of amazing advice.  Practical and from people actually working in the industry.  I've been feeling a little annoyed with my lack of representation and after reading a recent article I decided to take things to a more aggressive level.  So what's that mean?  This Wednesday I have a meeting with an agent.  Don't freakin blow it Patrick.

I got the call, celebrated the call.  Then spent the following week gathering all my promotional material for ME together and working on my contemporary monologue.  Funny thing about being a classical actor..contemporary monologues just fly out of the brain. But wish me luck.  This Wednesday could be the beginning of the next chapter in my career.  Or I'm laughed out of there.  We'll see.

Just send good energy out there for me..all 10 of you readers

Music Video, Auditions, A dog bite and a festival

The past few weeks have flown by.  I've kinda been off the grid for a bit.  I spent some much needed vacation time with friends.  Yes actors, even poor ones, vacation.  So there was a whole week away sunning, crisping, drinking. It was a grand ole time.  And upon our return, jumped right back in.

Macbeth is almost finished.  Down to 2 weeks and then no more.  Which is sad.  I love the show and I love playing Macduff.  Even if it's a cut version, I'm still the freakin' hero thank you very much.  After that week and a half off it was a little scary going back in.  But you know what?  We're all professionals.  A quick line through in the van ride to the school and bam.  In the bag.  The fights were there too.  Not that I was afraid I'd forget everything, but there is that nervousness of not having spoken those words and gone through that choreography in a while.  I will miss this cast once it's all over.  But we still have 2 more weeks of adventures so no need to dwell on that just yet.

But it has been a busy 2 weeks or so.  Upon landing at LGA it all comes rushing back to you.  So much to do and no time.  Last weekend I performed in a short piece called "Missionary Sundays,"  by Matt Saldarelli which was part of the American Globe Short Play Festival.  (I just can't get enough of those I guys I guess)  It went well.  Which doesn't mean it went bad.  5 rehearsals, just 2 actors. We were golden.  However it's not everyone's cup of tea.  It's a section of a longer piece which was submitted to fringe and....We're in!  So the same people that brought you Getting Even With Shakespeare are back again!  And this festival was a great way to try out the material.  Get it on it's feet.  There were laughs and that's all we can really ask for.  People got it.  So onward and upward.  It just astounds me though how some people (none in my group) can be so mean when it comes to these little festivals. I was witness to some very nasty attitudes.  It's a short play festival people.  Lighten up!  We didn't win, we weren't audience favorite, but who cares.  We made a few people laugh and now we move on.

I did have a lovely dinner after one of the rehearsals for "Missionary Sundays," with Sarah  who is always good for a laugh.  And it was nice to catch up.  Sarah is one of those actresses who is ALWAYS working.  And recently received the best actress award for her role in a new webseries "Big Country Blues."  I can't wait to see more of this.  I'm so proud of Sarah.  Which is something we as actors need to have in eachother. Pride.  I'm proud to be her friend and of her work.  (And I secretly hope whatever luck sauce she's bathing in will rub off on me)

With the weekend behind me I started my week of more Macbeth and some auditions and a fitting.

The fitting was up first. It's for a music video where I'm playing a priest and what I can only assume based on the costume is a hippie.  Or an Italian.  It's hard to tell.  The fitting went great once I finally found the place. I swear I'm not stupid but on occasion my brain goes on holiday and I have no clue how to read directions let alone addresses.  But I made it to this amazing Bleeker street apartment.  It was amazing and huge right in the village and I wanted to move in right then and there.  I'm sure the other roommates would have protested.  I'll post pics of Priestly me this weekend.  Sunday actually is the shoot.  I have no idea what to expect.  I just went to the audition because I had nothing else to do.

And then on the walk home I was bit by a dog.  Yup. My neighbors.  Not the little tiny Maltese, no, this big shaggy mutt.  Stupid me for assuming she knows me and knows my smell.  I reached down, not to pet, but to let her smell me a little.  CLIP!  I wasn't truly bitten, but she snapped at me and scraped my knuckles. Bad dog.  She totally knew she did something wrong, but did she apologize?  Oh no.  My neighbors were very apologetic and thankfully she's had all her shots.  But come on puppy.  What did I ever do to you?

Castle Braid.  It's an artists community/residence in Brooklyn.  It's kinda in the middle of nowhere Brooklyn too.  You walk up to is and all of a sudden it just pops up out of the dilapidated buildings around it.  It was beautiful inside and was where I auditioned for am Indy film for the summer.  If i get it..hooray, work for the summer.  I feel like I did well with my limited time going over the sides and not knowing what the film is about.  I still have NO idea what it's about.  An email went out to a list i'm a part of from a theater company and I figured, why not.  I know the work of the person in charge, even if I don't know her.  I'm hoping to get cast though.  I am confident with what I did and how I performed despite...some random guy coming into the room while I was reading.  There was no monitor so common sense would say..if you hear voices don't enter.  not this guy.  The best...my first line on one of the sides was the ever exciting "Hey."  He replied to me with a "hello."  ALMOST almost laughed right then and there.  But I kept on. Poor guy was embarrassed.  Ah NY.  SO many characters.  So I guess we shall see.

Lastly, I'm headed off to do some much loathed BG work on delocated this afternoon.  never seen the show.  But I could use a little extra cash.  Ha!  "Extra" cash...anyway.  Please anyone...entertain me! I forsee weirdos and lots of sitting around in my Friday afternoon/evening.  Joy. I'm off to assemble my "hipster" clothing of which I own none.  This will be interested.

It was just one of those days..

This past week has turned out to be one of those where you're running from moment to moment, exhausted, but some how fueled by all this crazy energy.  Yes, I'm a working actor and damn it feels good.  But I sure feel like those amazing Punch Drunk folk.  Sleep no more!Go check it out.  for real.  go now, come back when you're done.

Anyway.  Being that I've been running from place to place, some accidents were bound to happen.  A wrench or two have flown into the works.  Who throws these wrenches is something I'm currently researching. Seriously, what a horrible job.  Gremlins probably.  Which of course all happened on one day.  Yay.  I could deal with hiccups spaced throughout a busy week, but not all in one day.  So here we go.

I'm touring with American Globe's Macbeth.  It's great.  Truly.  I'm enjoying every moment of it, even waking up so freakishly early in the morning to get to where I need to go.  Which happens.  Most shows are at 9.  which means being out the door by 7 to make it to call time which is 8.  Inspect the space, make adjustments due to the different lay outs and of course run the fights.  Not to mention we're lugging all of out costumes and weaponry and few props that we have along with us.  We each are equipped with a big travel dufflebag..thankfully with wheels..to navigate the city's turnstyles.

So all that can slow you down a bit and make it harder to get to places in a normal amount of time.  I usually leave 15 minutes earlier than I need to because I know.  MTA (raising fist to the sky) So Wednesday we're to be at a school at 10:30 for an 11:30 call.  Where is this school?  Deep Brooklyn.  Second to last stop before Coney Island. I'm up..early. I leave early and this was the day that it was like walking through cold soup.  I sware the rain just stopped in mid air and hovered. So the trains are of course delayed. Figured.  Anytime it rains they run slow.

So i'm travelling along, listening to some Beatles on repeat.  And I transfer to the D.  Which is apparently not going where I need to go.  Normally changes are scheduled.  This one? not so much.  So I go as close as I can....I'm late btw.  At this point about 15 minutes late.  I race above ground, grab a livery cab and driver who barely speaks English and along the way he tries to drop me off at every school we pass. We finally get there....sort of.  In NY, a lot of schools are actually Elm, Middle, and High all in one big compound.  So I get out and end up having to walk around the block to the highschool. Late Late Late.  I'm freakin out and calling my contact person.  Turns out..we're all a little late.  3 of us are already there, and as I'm entering the building, two more of our cast are right behind me.  The MTA did a number on all of us coming from all over.  1 of our number was insanely late due to even more screwy train craziness.  It sounds like such a horrible lame excuse but the trains really are the most unreliable.  Sometimes no matter how early you leave...you're late.

So our missing cast member shows up finally at 11:50.  20 minutes AFTER we're supposed to start.  We compensated as best we could.  Talked to the kids before the show.  Whatever.  We did the show, tried to speed up where we could so we weren't insanely late.  But there is only so fast you can speak Shakespeare before it's just poetic noise.  So we finish.  Pack up, leave.  Make the long trek back home to drop off this bag, shower and prepare for rehearsal in the evening.

This would be the second rehearsal of a section of a larger play by the same creative crew that brought Getting Even With Shakespeare to the Fringe this past summer.  When given the opportunity to work with them again, I jumped at the chance.

whew this is getting long...

So i get home, shower assemble what i need for rehearsal and head back out unto the breech.  Headed to Shetler this time, SO much easier to get to so It shouldn't be too bad.  And it wasn't.  But I want to point out I saw the oddest thing.  A generic "Made in the USA" jacket.  Really?  How do I know it was? The flag patch had 9 stripes and 10 stars.  seriously?  I tried to take a pic, but I looked like a whack-a-do staring at this guy's arm.

this has also taken me an hour to type up so far.  I'm easily distracted.

So I get to 57th without a hitch and duck into the Starbucks on 54th for some caffeine and much needed line work.  Some how I agreed to be off book by Thursday.  So Wednesday needed to be 50%-ish.  There I sit, burnt coffee in hand and i'm writing out my lines.  (one of my many memorization techniques)  The couple next to me are going on and on about $$ and a new job offer and I kid you not, the girl says.."I studied water boarding in College." What? Excuse me?  Maybe she meant wake boarding?  no no no. She says it again.  Which of course is my cue to leave, while laughing.  Because I have no filter when it comes to ridiculousness.

So I head to rehearsal for..Missionary Sundays.  Let your imagination do with that what you will.  We had a very productive rehearsal.  Not completely off book, but getting there.  It helps to be on your feet going through the blocking.  So memorization is coming.  And it's a short piece with 2 actors. So we can fly through it several times.  Of course by this time, I'm exhausted.  I race home..and by race I mean..wait for a train and ride it as it crawls to my stop.

I get home and then answer a slew of emails that during the day I just can't give enough attention to on my phone.  Several auditions coming up, yay.  And then Thursday got up and did it all again.

I'm pretty sure the dread of being late to the show added to my franticness.  Then I suppose add to that the coffee...jitters man, jitters!

Tourin' the Schools and still time to audition

Hello everyone!  It's cold out.  Too cold for this time of year..or so I would like to believe.  But it's spring and sometimes it snows in the early spring time. I suppose that's acceptable.  Save for when I have to be up at 6:30 headed to a school to perform Shakespeare.  But I'm glad to report, even this cold weather can't get me down right now.

This tour has been amazing so far and more fun than I thought.  I realized why a little earlier today talking to Sarah.  I'm not doing children's theater which tends to be overly pedantic and more often than not talks down to kids.  No.  I'm doing Shakespeare for audiences who just happen to be younger.  We're not pulling any punches, we're not converting the language to something easier for them to understand.  We're doing Mother F^*#(&' Macbeth, bloody daggers and severed head and all.

And on top of that, this is a true tour.  We're going to schools all throughout the 5 burroughs.  It's not just one performance in one location..that my friends is not a tour. (I've seen people call it that. It's not.  For real)  And Its, dare I say it, easy.  I mean we've already done the work.  We know the fight choreography, we know the show.  It's just a matter of adjusting it for each space.  I know there are some actors out there who fear any kind of change or wrench thrown into their worlds, but to me it's an adventure to see how we're going to deal with less-then-adequate spaces.  So far there have only been minor issues.  No front light, no back stage crosses.  The curtains wont close all the way.  I know soon we're going to have shows that are not even in a proper performance space.  That will be the true test.  But so far, so good.  And tomorrow we start back up again after a few days off.  Am I excited?  You bet.  This is my job right now and I'm more than pleased.  Talking to another friend who runs Shakespeare Anywhere earlier today I realized, I'm doing what we all are trying to do.  I'm getting paid to do something I love and you better believe I know how lucky I am.

One of the best things about this gig is that I'm usually home by 11 in the afternoon.  Which leaves me so much time to continue working on acting.  I've gotten more accomplished this past week than I feel I have in the past few months.  Maybe it's the energy carrying over from the performances.  I've managed to get my reel together:

This was put together by the amazingly talented Pamela Ralat who is a close friend and I like to consider my personal editor.  She is starting to offer her services as a Reel editor to fellow actors when she's not working as an...you guessed it...editor.  She's allowed me to share with my readers who might be looking for something affordable and of amazing quality.  So if you are looking for a reel, let me know and I'll make sure she knows you found her through me.

I've also managed to secure several auditions this past week, one for a music video..yes, you may laugh.  But it could be fun, no?  And another for Connecticut Free Shakespeare.  Which I'm VERY eagerly awaiting word back.  That was one of those auditions when I felt I nailed it but wasn't expecting to.  Does that make any sense at all?  I went it with a monologue of Trinculo's because I figured they're doing the Three Musketeers.  Comedy.  And a comedy of words more than actions.  My gamble worked and they gave me a few sides, the King and ...D'artagnen.  And than another for D'artagnen.  I'm optimistic.  I know it's a long shot, but who knows.  This is a dream play of mine.  And how much longer could I play the youngest of the four musketeers?  Please anyone reading, fingers crossed!

On top of all this, I've been working on several websites...to be live soonish.  But I feel like that saying, "work begets work" is true.  More so, "creative work begets creative work."  Or at least gets those creative juices rolling.  So that's my week.  And now entering week two of the American Globe tour with great anticipation.  Tomorrow there is a van taking us to our destination school.  I'm excited to sleep on the way there.  

Road Trip!

Memorization and things of that nature

So I'm sitting here in a starbucks with ai  living example of birth control running around causing headaches and tempers and headaches to rise.  I'm here asking for this punishment because there are just too many distractions at home.  I wony focus as hard surrounded by all my toys and such.  So I'm  here....distractes by this child who desperately needs to be restained and wondering..

What do you do to memorize lines? What are you tricks, tips, habits?  What works for you?

For me personally, I write my lines over and over killing many a tree in the process.  Something about being forced to go at a slower pace with every word and every line helps to cement it in my brain.  And with Shakespeare, where every syllable counts, its become very useful.

Also blocking rehearsals.  Moving through the space while saying my lines is just as powerful of a memory charm. Perhaps its part of muscle memory. 

So those are my main two memorization tools.  Of course I love the help of a friend running lines with me.  But these I can do on my own.

Yours?

1918 The radio show is live!

It's been some time since I've last posted.  It happens.  I went away for some much needed sun and relaxing.  Be jealous all of NY, very jealous.  The day of departure it snowed...again.  Landed in sun.  It was a nice respite from work and swords and cold.  But now I'm back and have jumped right back into the thick of it.  Which for some reason is thicker than before.

So I'm back in rehearsals which are going really well.  We've started full runs and we still have a week and a half of rehearsals before opening.  Someone is in a good place.  Although last night's rehearsal was a bit of a..where am I? kinda rehearsal.  I'm pretty sure I said all my lines, perhaps not in the right order.  But they were there.  intention?  See that open window? Right out.  Even the Macbeth/Macduff fight, which I've felt really confident in, last night was a bit off.  But again we are in a good place. We are in a good place.  Tonight is another combat rehearsal and then I have some major line work to do.

In other news, and perhaps more timely, episode 1 of 1918 is out there live for you all to hear!!!

And here is the Link!

I'm quite proud of ep 1.  next week, episode 2.  So hurry up and listen and get ready.  If you all like...free download on ITUNES.  Just saying.

We've also already got our first review of the piece which you can read right here.

I quite like this quote "her brainy Allied scientist sidekick, Henry Isotope rendered with hilarious aplomb by classical thespian Patrick Pizzolorouso" 


Thank you Captain Radio.  Thank you. Depending on how we're received and feed back and all that great stuff, we will get to continue making more seasons.  So please, share.  Tell the world.  Enjoy!  And thank you for the support!

In a completely different direction I had a very productive yet frustrating workshop with Mark Gindick...Amazing Clown and friend.  I'm trying to set a piece to the Hungarian Rhapsody.  I've got the kernel of the idea but it needs a ton of fleshing out.  I always find it intimidating working with him because I'll say something and then he'll do it.  Flawlessly.  But much headway was made.  It's not the type of clowning you're thinking of.  I had a guest sitting in the rehearsal space with me who is not a fan of clowns, but soon realized this was red nose, not white face circusy "IT" clowns.  They calmed down and kinda enjoyed it.  A lot.
So I think I have good ideas, it's a matter of turning the ideas into a full fledged story.  And cutting down my music.  It's WAY too long.  But thank you garage band.

So it's been a long week and soon to be another.  But today is a full free day of...well..learning lines.  But at least it's not a tempest like last night here in NYC.  Right?

And lastly...this is turning into to a list of things.  But I met with the ever busy Sarah to finally get the ball rolling on her website.  She is one of the most consistently working actresses I know.  And just working in general.  But she has no online presence, save for her blog.  That will change.  Oh yes.  We both managed to meet up for an hour between clowns and swords and rehearsals and talked about some basics behind what she is looking for.  So hopefully that will be up and running within the next month or so.

And now off to run lines.  Lines Lines Lines

Macbeth rehearsals, 1918 the radio show, and just a nice little update.

So much has been going on, It's hard to know where to start. This year started with a bang, then a pop, but now we're up and running again.
Real quick..survival job laid me off.  But don't worry.  I'm elated.  My time is my own again.  And I have a few things in the works/on the horizon that could garner me some funds.  It's not all terrible.  And I'll pimp myself out as back ground for an easy day's worth of work.  I hate it...but I'll do it.

So in the land of Patrick the actor, this is the first full week of rehearsals with American Globe.  I cannot tell you how much fun I am having.  I've railed on this before and I will again I'm sure, but its sad that being treated as a professional is such a rare thing in this artistic world.  I hate having to point out those few times when I'm appreciated and not treated like second class.  American Globe is amazing to its actors.  The small staff that runs it can not be anymore amazing.  I hope hope hope that I do not screw this up in some way.  I want a nice long loving relationship with this company.  I walk into rehearsal and instantly feel..."ah, my people."  So yes, rehearsals have been going really well.  And the combat rehearsals....hello thighs on fire.  But it's a good pain.  Stage combat, and maybe more specifically, weilding a sword really does come back to you after a few minutes.  I can hear my mentor's voice in my head yelling obscenities when I make juvenile mistakes.

also..I like that my internal combat voice is that of my mentor.

But it's a good sign that I know when I'm wrong.  I didn't forget this stuff, and it wasn't tainted by some crazy outdoor fighting styles.

So we dove right in learning the final fight between Macbeth and Macduff.  There is a bit i'm rusty on, but it's coming up.  Some things just feel natural, you know?  I just have to get these moves into my body.  That, and learn how to handle the hilt of the freakin claymore.  It's more sword than you need.  But then again, Macduff defeats Macbeth...I should have a badass sword, no?  I should name it.....anyway.  The first fight rehearsal I left soaking wet.  Drenched with sweat.  And I loved it!  I hate the gym.  I've tried.  but I just can't go.  Put me in a studio and work on fight choreography and I'm your man.  I'll take fighting over gyming any day.  So far the fight is a rough skeleton that will be filled in with so much good stuff I can't freakin wait.  There are some great moves to show that these two guys are seasoned combatants.  They're just hacking away at eachother.  Good time.s

And scene work has also been going really well.  It's mainly been some basic blocking rehearsals, but we've been able to delve into character fodder as we're looking at traffic patterns and going over the text in these.  I know the real work hasn't come yet, and I'm both scared and excited.  Macbeth is so well known and people think it's so easy.  Um..Macduff's children and wife are brutally murdered.  He also is the first to see the king in all his dead gorey goodness.  There is this horribly sad rage behind his eyes.  I'll find it.  Along with getting my mouth around the line "Oh Horror Horror horror."  Yeah, good luck with that.

In other news, the trailer for the radio show I'm in dropped this week.  You can download it for free here...ITUNES!!!!  or you can go watch the video version of the trailer at the website for 1918.   Just click on the "episodes" link.  This is the amazing project that elevated me to AFTRA status.  So thank you!

The episodes themselves will come out on March first...we're getting so close to the deadline and I cannot wait to hear the finished product. I believe our director and producers are working on some final edits this weekend.  Support radio theater people!
At least check out the website.  There is some great content on there and hopefully will be more soon.  Like the episodes themselves.  Exciting times, I told you.  In case I never mentioned what it's about fully, here is the blurb about the show:

It’s 1918 and aliens have crash landed on the planet.  At the climax of World War I, Axis and Allied scientist are racing to find uses for alien technology.  Triplanes and Sopwith camels are rigged with laser systems.  Believed dead after being shot down, Manfred Von Richtofen, the infamous Red Baron is restored to health as a cybornetic robot and enlisted to aid Germany in it’s quest to fight the return of the aliens.  But the key to their quest lies in the hands – or rather the voice – of a talented, capable and tenacious vocalist, Evelyn Ceriwyn, and the bumbling, but charming scientist, Dr.Henry Isotope. 


Guess who I am....The bumbling but charming scientist, Dr. Henry Isotope. I like it.  It's a good name.


Also this week I've been working on my first website commissioned by dancer/choreographer Seth Miner.  I really do love working for my fellow artists.  Dancers, actors, anyone in our field.  I've never worked on a dance site though so I'm doing my best to try to instill a sense of movement.  Because after all dancers move.  Right?  So you'll be seeing a link to the finished product shortly.  I hope to have it finished by the end of the month as long as we can get all the information in on time.  The only problem with artists is that we're all so busy.  So deadlines sometimes come and go and are replaced with projects.  It's all good.  The interwebs aren't going anywhere.


Ah, yes.  And I also picked up some more headshots.  I went with my alternate look this time.  Something new for a while.  Thank you reproductions.  They really are the best when it comes to printing.  I tried to go to my corner copy place....don't ever do that for headshots.  ever.  I'm not sure what they printed out, but it sure didn't look like me.  So yay reproductions and thank you for all you do.  The photos look awesome and i'm looking to trying them out for the first time physically tomorrow at an audition for an Independent.  We'll see how that goes.


And now I must be off to memorize some more lines.  Our script is cut.  A lot.  But that doesn't make memorization any easier. 


longest blog post ever..methinks.  you're welcome.