Browbeating, Lies, Exaggeration, Misinforming...The Union's scare tactics.

This has been on my mind for a while now and I've been going back and forth on whether or not to post it.  I probably should have stood up that night and grabbed the microphone and spoke up, but I felt I was in a room of witch hunters and any thought to the contrary would be ignited.

I recently went to one of the entertainment Unions' membership meetings.  (If you're quick, you can figure out which one, but I wont name it here.)  It was long.  Boring.  Full of information that did not pertain to me and uninformed people asking questions like..."I heard from a friend that such and such.."  Which were all shot down as untuths.  I mean, we all know that rumors are usually not true.  And in this case none of them were.  Mostly rumors pertaining the the merging of two of the biggest entertainment unions in the country.

Oh we had some laughs though.  A Mr. Calamari...that's his real name, rambled on for quite some time unintelligibly until the moderator smiled and said, "thank you."  Because what else can you do when a crazy person drones on for a while without a real question or ending in site.  And old, from what I can tell..Willie Nelson impersonator, would yell from time to time, "Speak into the mic!" To which one time he got the reply, "If I was any closer it would be down my throat."  Thanks for the mental image old guy.  Thanks.

One of the major topics was online piracy.  Oh online piracy. I don't think I've ever been more ashamed of intelligent adults in my life.  At least in the month of November.

The person leading the meeting, the vice president apparently, shouted at all of us a slew of distorted facts and just flat out lies.  We were told that our work, as film and tv actors, is being downloaded by people all over the world.  And when we go online and download movies, tv shows, the sites make money off of this, can capture our information and sell it on the black market. What the hell is wrong with you buddy.  No offense, but the mean age of the population of the meeting was over 60.  If not then some people my age have not aged well.  So an older population who probably don't spend as much time online as the rest of us, nor are as savvy as the rest of us with the onlining and the interwebs and the facebooking.  So you've just scared your first group of people into believing what you say.  First of all, no one bit torrents anymore.  (what he was alluding to about the downloading.)  Almost all media is streamed right to your lap top or whatever device you have.  So no.  You're not downloading anything.  No one is getting your information.  You're watching something on a pirated site.  Ok, so, that's bad.  But you're safe from attackers.

(Talking to my grandparents, it seams that most of the older generation is afraid of the internet because of identity theft and hacking accounts.  Basically privacy and security.  So of course this guy hit home with his fer mongering.)

Next, said sites make money. Sure.  Adsense by Google is amazing.  It's on this blog as a matter of fact.  I've made....nothing with it, but who really visits this blog? The VP made it out that Adsense is an evil company.  Well...It's Google. So take that as you will.  (He made it seam like they were 2 different companies)  He then proceeded to vilify Google for placing adds on these pirate sites.  Well.  No. You can't do that.  Google doesn't care what's on your site so much.  There is an agreement you sign, but they're hands off.  Ads are just put up by the site owner.  Not google.  So now a whole room full of people hate Google and think that people in Russia have their SS#'s and bank accounts.  True story.

Then he lays into Netflix.  Saying how it's also doing the same thing and people are downloading (again...wrong) our work as actors and we're not seeing money for it.  Well.  I hate to tell you this, but those contracts you negotiate for us? Yeah, we sign away our work to the studio, producer, who ever owns the piece.  So they can do whatever they want with it.  And if they want Netflix to stream it to the world well then there it is.  You've already been compensated.  Stop whining.

People were complaining about Netflix and you tube and hulu.  How their work, shows and films they've been in are online for people to see and they don't see any money.  Of course not.  You've already seen that money.  The people who own the films are displaying it just like they're allowed according to the contracts. Be happy people are watching your work.

So to sum it up.  A room full of approx 250 people hate Google, hate adsense (that weird ad company that they don't know is Google), hate Netflix and youtube and hulu, and think Russion computer geniuses are going to sell their info on the black market.  You know, in the booth next to where they sell babies.


On top of that...yes it gets worse..his ranting had a positive side.  He made almost a room full of people FOR  the PROTECT IP Act in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House of Representatives.  He said how good thes legislature are.  THESE ARE BAD pieces of legislature.  The best explanation I've found is here down below.  Watch it.  be educated and spread the word.

Going Off The Grid

The title pretty much says it all.  For the upcoming holiday I'll be jetting out of town.  But I can't tell you how guilty I feel being away from yhe casting notices and my agents reach for a day.

Anxiety!

But I'll leave you with this...

Psychic Interior Designers!

Sometimes a notice goes across my screen and I have to stop and just take it all in.
This one isn't too out there,
but come on reality Tv.  So now we're psychically designing for ghosts?

I'm also no ghost expert, I mean I've seen Ghostbusters more times
than I can count, but doesn't messing with a haunted house just make it worse?

Have we learned nothing from poltergeist?

CONCEPT: A DESIGNER WILL WORK IN TANDEM WITH A RENOWNED PSYCHIC
TO RENOVATE, REMODEL, AND REDECORATE HOUSES THAT ARE BELIEVED TO BE
POSSESSED BY A PARANORMAL ENTITY, TRANSFORMING
THEM FROM "HAUNTED" TO "HARMONIOUS." THINK "DIVINE DESIGN" MEETS "GHOST HUNTERS."

SEEKING:
[ INTERIOR DESIGNER ]
FEMALE, 30s, BRITISH (REAL ACCENT), EXPERT IN THE FIELD OF INTERIOR DESIGN,
PREFERABLY WITH KNOWLEDGE OF ARCHITECTURE, FENG SHUI, POWER
TOOLS OR RELATED EXPERTISE. SHE IS CHARISMATIC, SASSY, ATTRACTIVE,
PERSONABLE, COSMOPOLITAN, HAS LOTS OF ENERGY AND CAN CARRY
A SHOW. ACTS AS THE VOICE OF REASON. ISN’T AFRAID TO PICK UP A
HAMMER AND GET HER HANDS DIRTY. SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED ONLY
FROM NY/LA/CHICAGO. Must submit reels or links to the talents website or YouTube video


But I mean, submit if you're an interior designer, who's a woman, and with a
British accent...and all the other requirements.

Beware of prat falls in auditions

It's been a busy week/week and a half starting sometime...

Last week

I had a call back for Pericles with the American Bard Theater Company.  I'm very excited about the prospect of working with this company.  I've gotten to know a few members...as well as you can when communicating about castings and they really are a company I'd like to work with for no other reason than they are nice people!  Anyway, we were given a few scenes worth of sides to prepare prior to the audition.  And I did my homework as much as I could.  And we just dove in. It was very relaxed and fun.

At one point during the one of the scenes Pericles comes in and surprises? startles? the fishermen (who we were reading as).  During one of the runs through the scene I happened to be sitting in one of the rehearsal space's chairs.  So what do you do?  Fall out of the chair. That's right.  It got a laugh.  But then again, the three of us who were reading the sides all reacted in some huge way, so I think it was a laugh at the general commotion of the moment.  So there is me, on the chair, on the floor, on my feet...the scene moves on.  Well...the best laid plans, right?  And the best impulsed ideas...I fell off the chair wrong.  Some how my lower back collided with the corner of the chair.  I didn't slide off completely.  And it hurt.  There is a huge black and blue mark on my back.  I carry it as a badge of honor.  A war wound?  It's just now going away and starting to fade.  It was my lower right side.  I'm fairly indestructible I like to think.  And I don't bruise too easily.  So clearly I blame the chair.  It was made of sturdier stuff than I thought.  But the call back went fairly well.  I can't quite judge this one.  I mean I haven't heard back so I'm probably not cast.  But then again, they're not really starting any work until January.  So they could take their time with casting. Who knows.  The only part I felt a little iffy about was the SURPRISE side they threw at us at the end.  Not a big deal, I just didn't have too much time to play with it and think about it.  So it was rough.  But, that's also understood.  It's a definite....who knows type thing.

While focusing on the ABT call back, I was also working on sides for the commercial night with the Actor's Green Room.  OH AGR.  They're amazing people.  Truly.  They hold contests almost daily for spots in their classes and joy of joys I managed to win a spot in their commercial night.  What's a commercial night?  Well I'll tell you!

Basically it's where you get to meet with a set number of agents or casting directors, perform a pre worked on piece of copy and go on your merry way.

Usually I hate these things.  The industry members behind the tables usually look like they're not happy to be there and you get little to no feed back.  Well the Actor's Green Room is doing something very right compared to all those other places.  I got amazing feedback and a lot of it too. I re-met some people I've met recently and have been wanting to connect with.  So it was nice that they saw me in a different light and saw that I'm making an effort with my career.  I'm going out there trying to better myself. So now I've been going through the list of industry professionals I met, or re-met and have been sending out my thank-you's/hello's.  Let's hope someone calls me in.  Both rooms, the agents and the casting directors were VERY nice and had wonderful things to say, so here's hoping, no?  There was a room of 5 agents with whom I like to think I had a very nice rapport mostly surrounding my last night.  Take that Grandpa! See, it was a good idea NOT changing my name.  They took their time and wrote out feedback for all the actors they saw that night.  Even if it was just a few words, it was and is valuable stuff.  And the other room had 5 casting directors who were wonderful to meet with and perform for.  I was given positive notes on my reading and asked to do it again, but a different take on it.  Some how it came out very threatening.  Which is fine because I clearly took the note.  So go me!

Pickin' up the pieces and getting back out there.

It's raining.  I love it.  I love fall.  And we might get snow this weekend.  Insane! Just had to share.

So about two weeks ago I auditions for the Beautiful Soup Collective's upcoming production of Nora! in rep. They're doing A Doll's House and the musical A Doll's Life (which was a broadway flop apparently and the sequel to A Doll's House).  I'm in! I was cast as Torvald which was not a part I thought I'd actually be considered for.  So I went in with a classic-y monologue.  Something from The Importance of Being Earnest.  Most of my monologues, no who am I kidding, ALL of my classic monologues are Shakespeare. They specifically asked for a "modern classic." Something from Wilde, Shaw, Ibsen, Chekov.  I worked up a piece the weekend before and I went in prepared.  I honestly was this time. Bu,t you know what threw me? The freaking warbling opera singer in the room next to me. Not to mention the guy out in the lobby sitting there trilling his lips every 5 seconds and asking me questions about the audition.

I'm in the same boat as you buddy. I'm sitting, quietly waiting.  It's cool to ask a question or two, but I kinda wanna concentrate right now than you very much. Just let me do my thing and leave. Cause usually I have to jet afterwards for something else. And stop the damn trilling!

Anyway, they gave me some adjustments and I like to think I executed them well enough.  I guess I did cause I was cast.  And in BOTH shows. Yup a musical too.  But funny enough, that's the one non-singing part. Here is the PLAYBILL announcement.

After that was meeting at Equity.  The meeting was one of those, so you're on your way to becoming Equity, here are some speakers to listen to who's journeys will not inform yours in any way and here are some things you should know about. All good stuff.  Free food.  I felt like I was in Equity's secret headquarters on the 14th floor.  I mean it was just a big meeting room, but it had all these cool old pictures including a tintype of Edwin Booth (founder of the Players club, note, that's players not playas).  I actually knew several people in the meeting which happens. The theater world is small.  But I met one of the women who will be playing Nora. And me with my non-filtered mouth brings up a company she has worked with and immediately trashes it. Good first impression Patrick.

Way to go.

In truth, it's one of the worst companies in the city.  Working with them me taught me self worth and that I have value.  Because they place NO value on their actors.  Still...not the best move to start off a working relationship.  We'll get over that I'm sure.  Oops. I did get an AEA pencil, pen, and button.  So you know, I'll sport that swag.

Then this Monday I had a fairly good audition for the American Bard Theater company.  I am still trying to get my confidence back after shattering it.  But over all I did fairly well. They are a very friendly welcoming company and I already had a good rapport going on with one of the company members.  My piece I chose to do is when Macduff finds out that his family, servants, dogs, cats, chickens, literally eveyone at home has been slaughtered by Macbeth.  There are some things I do differently then what would be expected. I take some things down as opposed to blowing up the room.  It's a sad moment. He's grieving. And he only gives himself that moment to grieve. Then he moves on to revenge.  So I grieve.  I feel it went well.  This is the second time I've used this piece in an audition and the second time I was met with a genuine, 'Thank you.'  I like to think it was genuine.  And it was nice to get in front of them.  The artistic director said she's been wanting to get me in for something for a while, so lets hope that was for real and that they were pleased.  They also asked for a joke.  Mine was lame.  I wont tell it here for fear we're at a dinner party someday and over the cheese plate I tell you this joke.  I'd rather it be a surprise.  It was met with a chuckle from one of the auditors and a gafaw from the artistic director.  So I did something right. I hope.

Also....I know some of you out there send post card thank you's.  What do you do with one of those small companies that doesn't have a mailing address? Email? Is that ok?

Last two bits of news!  25 Cents for love is going to be premiering and screening at the Asheville Cinema Festival on November 5th!  It's the first festival for us and our first screening, so that's exciting!  If you're in Asheville...come on down.

And also the Poster for A World of her PWN is done and online on the IMDB page.  Check it out.  I'm damn proud of it.

How to bomb an audition

Some days nothing goes right. Things you think you're good at and have a fair amount of confidence in just fall apart.  Today was one of those days.  One of the auditions I've been looking forward to for months was today.  And boy was it an experience.  Possibly the only good thing was that AEA was EMPTY today.  completely empty. Save for ASC of course.

If you want to completely and utterly bomb an audition, just do the exact opposite of what I did and you're sure to knock it out of the park.

I had the privilege of auditioning for ASC, the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton Virginia.

Nice lookin' logo for sure.  Makes you want to work there right?  I know, me too.  So let's see.  What exactly happened.  I'll break it down.

I submitted to the theater.  twice.

Once last fall post auditions because I just wanted my information out there and then again this summer when I saw the notice go out in backstage like a good little classical actor.

I waited...

And received the phone call and email!  Woohoo they were inviting me in.  Most Excellent.  I looked over the information and was very pleased with the way they handle auditions.  They hold group auditions. Everyone in the room together.  You get up, do your monologue in front of everyone, then they hand out sides to quickly poor over and then perform, and then if you have any musical talent..play on.  Some people abhor group auditions like this.  But I feel like I flourish in them.  I much prefer to have people there to play off of rather than you and an auditor scribbling notes while you stare at a spot on the wall.

I have several pieces ready to go, but upon reading the information they provided it seems they would prefer you used a speech from one of the plays in the season.  So I spent time memorizing something that spoke to me. 

LESSON 1:

ALWAYS TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS

My instincts were to use one of the pieces I already have in my actor utility belt.  I felt it would be better to use a piece from one of the season's shows like they preferred, but turns out that didn't matter.  Many people used pieces from other shows.  And my piece was weak.  Not to mention I had to restart once and did that awkward pause dramatically while you search for the word you lost and hope no one notices but everyone notices and it's painful.  You know what I'm talking about.

The next part of the audition went pretty good. At least I feel it did.  I'm fairly good with cold readings and I'm also fairly familiar with Two Gents, so when I was given a side from Two Gents and asked to read the servant Speed I was delighted.  We got laughs.  My audition partner was excellent (also he got a call back so I like to feel like I had some hand in that.  You're welcome friend.  You're welcome.)  They gave us a ton of sides to look over prior to the auditions and this might be the one place where I truly was prepared and went over all of them.

LESSON 2:

ALWAYS PREPARE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

The sides were extensive. They covered all the plays from the season and you can bet I read them over multiple times.  (secretly hoping I'd get a comic side as I read them)  It's the one aspect of the audition I felt confident in.  That and when I handed in my headshot.  I did a pretty good job with that too.

The last part of the audition is the music section.  Not required, but  if you can play an instrument and or sing then they encourage it.  If you can't play or sing well, don't.  Now I don't sing that great, but I do play guitar well.  So I figured I'd do a fun little song and show off my strummin' and to a song that I could sing effectively.  The theme song from the big bang theory. It's perfect.  Short and sweet, fun chords and picking and fun lyrics.  Well first off, there were 5 guitars in the room.  Skill wise I was on the higher end.  So that made me feel good.  Oh and a flute. A friend of mine brought in her flute and she was amazing.  Actors have so many skills you just never know about. (Heather you played beautifully!)  I however had to freakin restart my song. multiple times.  In fact I never got through it all the way without messing up.

LESSON 3:

DON'T SIKE YOURSELF OUT

I practiced the song.  I watch the show.  I know it.  Music is easy to memorize. (as is verse, but I'm just lame).  But first I couldn't remember the lyrics.."Our whole universe was just big hot mess?" No wait.  That's me in this audition right now.  Let me start over.  Still not getting it.  So I polled my fellow auditioners...what the hell is that line? GOT IT. I tried again..screeched out something.  I kept screwing up and finally just ended the verse with..'Big Bang' and let the G chord ring true.  So that was not fun. Or a good representation of what I can do.

It was just a sad sad mess. For something I've been waiting a while to attend and hopefully land the job, I blew it.  Unless they play the..he's got moxie, did great with the sides, and made everyone laugh and kept going card...I will not be working at ASC this season.  In the end I did it to myself.  I cannot blame anyone else for my craptastic display of skill and talent with verse and lyrics.  

I'm just trying to make myself remember that there will always be another audition.  Sure wasn't the end of my career or anything.  It just sucks when you know you're not going to be getting something you really wanted (like the ASC gig, or any other gig).  When I don't get cast I usually don't care as long as I did well. I was just so incredibly embarrassed today.  I'll get over it and move on.  If anything, when I crash and burn like this it inspires me to work even harder.  Bring on even more early morning calls at AEA!  And now to watch some videos of the muppets to make me laugh....Movin' right along indeed.

A Month! It's been a month!

What the hell?  It's been well over a month since I last posted.  Surely I haven't been that busy?  Truth is, I haven't been too busy to write.  I should have been.  But I get so caught up in projects that some things tend to slip to the way side.  No, not slip, not fall...plummet.

So a month, what has been going on?  Well auditions.  Lots of auditions.  Some I didn't even submit for so it's a good thing to be called in by a company that's seen your work right?  (Yes I'm completely patting myself on my back) Lots of Shakespeare.  He's big I hear.  And yesterday I auditioned for Beautiful Soup theater company.  I haven't heard of them before but their organization in setting up the auditions was amazing.  So based on that of course I'd audition.  I love auditioning.  It's a small performance unto itself and it's usually really quick in and out.  The thing I hate about auditioning?  The people trilling their lips next to me as they "warm up" and the opera singers warbling in the rooms around me.  Oh Shetler Studios, you need to invest in some sound proofing.  Great audition though.  I took some adjustments they gave me to a perhaps over-used Wilde monologue and executed them to laughter.  Then was giving sides to read.....which I know not everyone was given.  So woohoo.  Now I was called in for Torvald in A Doll's House.  It certainly depends on how they cast Nora.  I think I may be in the running, but it will all come down to casting.

In other news 25 Cents for Love has been occupying most of my time.  For starters we're on IMDB! Clearly we're legit!  I've been spending the last month fully researching film festivals and submitting like crazy.  It's a lot more work than I thought it would be.  But every time those discs leave my hand and head out to the post office I get such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.  Something we made is headed out to potentially wow audiences (fingers crossed).  So in all honesty this month has been insanely busy between auditions and film festivals.  And lastly:

I've been working on this funding campaign through kickstarter to help raise funds.  Apparently film festivals are expensive.  The link to the campaign is HERE.  We are in the last hours of it.  So far we've raised $100 OVER our goal, but every little bit counts.  So if you're reading this today...check it out and pass it on.

Anyone who donates now gets one of these nifty Buttons!  Just sayin...

What would your ultimate Role be?

I've been asked this question several times now.  A few times at auditions, and a few interviews.  I'm not sure how I would have answered this 10 years ago, or even 5, but the more I sit down with it the stronger my answer becomes.  So basically:

What would your ideal role be, how would you like to ideally see your career unfolding?

So for me?  I would love to have a career on a scifi show, or film.  Or series of films.  I grew up a big fan of scifi. Yes yes, I was that little trekker who remembers standing in line for Star Trek IV.  And in fact I think that show had a stronger impact on my youth than Star Wars.  Which I came to after my discovery of Kirk's ship.  So I'm a fan.  Big deal.  Why would I want a career in this genre?  Because its such a small world.  A very tight knit family.  How many times do you watch a show within the genre and think...woa, that's so-and-so from that other show?  Let's look at one of my favorite SciFi Actors...Jewel Staite.  Personally I think she is one of the most adorable people out there.  And a huge fan of food.  Yeah.  Food.  Just food.  I love food too.  So bam..something in common.  But with Jewel I feel like every time I turn around she's in another show I love and watch.

HER!  

So let me see how this played out.  I may have "discovered" her on Flash Forward.  You remember?  Zaney kids show from the mid 90's.  It was one of those shows I watched because I kept thinking...I can do that.  That's me!  But alas, I wasn't cast.  We're also close in age, so I've kinda grown up with her. (which also makes me mad cause look where she is being 3 years younger than me.  grr)  This is becoming an article about the life and times of Miss Staite and not an answer to the question.  I'll continue.  So Firefly of course.  And in tern Serenity.  Then she popped up in Stargate Atlantis.  And I love me some Stargate.  (of which I thank and curse my best friend for.  She opened my eyes to it) Then I backtracked a bit and started watching Dead Like Me..thank you hulu and bam..Jewel Staite.  Poppin' in to say hello.  Then it was an ep of Warehouse 13, and then the film Call Me Mrs. Miracle.  My point being with all this...look at all the work shes done and most of it within this genre.  I could list more.  Like her Stargate compatriots Ben Broweder and Claudia Black who prior to that were in Farscape together.  Or honestly anyone. Anywhere that has ever done SciFi.  

The community just embraces these actors. And the studios, and the casting directors.  I think they start to see them as SciFi actors and so of course head in that direction.  And without sounding like a douche (much like an actor on the subway earlier today who will be the subject of an entire blog post possibly tomorrow) I think the fan support is amazing.  To have that many people behind you?  Amazing.  Look at all the Star Trek fans that rallied to name the first Space Shuttle the Enterprise.

So that's my answer and a brief-ish why.  I'd love to be a part of that community and that world.  And I would love to give back to that world that fed so many of my childhood dreams.  

So now dear readers I pose the same question to you?  What Role would be your ideal role, or how would you like your career to unfold?

FringeNYC 2011 Reviews, Welcome to Eternity

So we're down to 1 performance.  That's it.  Then this whole crazy theater festival of awesomeness comes to a close. At least for my crew and I. There are still some shows I need to see and friends I need to support.  I did see the big namer..Yeast Nation, brought to you by the same folks that are responsible for Urine Town.  It was good.  Really good.  I was entertained throughout the entire 2.5 hours.  That's a lot for me.  I'm not huge on the musicals, so if one can entertain me for so long then they're doing something right.


I wanted to throw this up there.  It's our shining faces from the home page of Nytheatre.com when they posted our review...

So with Fringe truckin' along I thought I'd share some of the reviews that have come out.  The first one, and the main one for the fringe is through NYtheatre.com.  The are the only publication that I know of that aims to and succeeds at reviewing all shows in the Fringe Fest. every year.  They do this by hiring a gaggle of freelance writers and set the loose upon the city.  Now these could be peers, actual critics, freelance writers, or just anyone with a pen.  Luckily for the most part all are in the Theater world in some way so can objectively write about a show they've seen.  Our reviewer wrote an excellent article, loved our show, and loved the work Mary and I did.  This season I have been a little out of it with reviews and tickets and all that.  I've had way more to worry about with all these freakin lines!  It's a 2 person show that runs about an hour 20.  A lot of work has gone into this and a lot of spit has flown out of my mouth.  So it's with great pride that I present the nytheatre review.  Well...a snippet....

Saldarelli's dialogue is sharp, snappy, and fun and flows perfectly out of the mouths of Mary Schneider and Patrick Pizzolorusso. Schneider and Pizzolorusso share a nice rhythm and chemistry on stage and are on point with Saldarelli's quick, witty script. Pizzolorusso is hilariously neurotic and quirky as Patrick—he shines when he takes us through his plans for his graphic novel. Schneider is adorably charming and intelligent as Amanda: you can see the moments where she deftly switches from being lovingly supportive of Patrick's ideas, when she's being obligatorily patronizing, and when she truly has no clue what he's talking about. Schneider is wonderful in her "interrogation scene" as she tries desperately to stay on task of how she's read an interrogation is supposed to go, but is constantly derailed by her own sweetness and Patrick's disarming quality. Laura Konsin Shortt's staging makes great use of space and distance, creating great tension between the bride- and groom-to-be. If Welcome to Eternity lacks anything, it's earlier physical establishment of their love and intimacy for each other. It took awhile before I really felt these two loved each other deeply and had a connection (though perhaps this was part of the point), which perhaps could have been helped with a few small moments of physical contact early on or a little bit more intimacy in the opening dialogue.


Click here to read the full review


 Another review came from Linda at PataphysicalScience...the blog.  She had wonderful things to say about both the show and my acting last year and so I was delighted to hear she was attempting to see our show this year.  Which she liked!  It's of course a very different farce, but she was entertained.  And I'm thrilled to have been able to meet her face to face as opposed to virtually knowing each other. So hooray for new friends. And supportive new friends.  Her article is an overview review (sure I just made that up) about the play as a whole.  I could put excerpts but they wouldn't make sense out of context.  So here is a link to her blog.
Give her a follow if you're a blogger, or add her to your reader.  Something.  She's a pretty strong voice in the theater world here in NYC.  You know, she gets around.

Click here to read the full article

Alright.  So one more show to go and then we're done.  Unless we get Encores like last year.  But two years in a row?  We couldn't be that lucky.  And I think there are far more musicals this year.  So our little engagement play might be eeked out.

Who knows

Indiana Jones Work out

I HATE RUNNING!  HATE IT.  But gotta do something to keep in some kinda shape.  Right? It's supposed to be one of the best exercises for you, save for swimming.  But where am I going to swim in NYC.  Granted it's raining right now, but that's not the same. And this past week I've been soaked enough by the rain that I don't feel like running in it.  So I've been trying to find ways to keep myself entertained on the treadmill.

Sure they have t.v.'s attached to them, but I have yet to figure out how to change the channel.  Every time I attempt it it just goes to static.  Which isn't fun.  And then of course I can't get it back to a broadcast.  I've started bringing my ipod in. These fancy schmancy treadmills allow you to plug in your ipod and listen to your own music.  Sure you can do that without plugging in, but this way the ipod controls are past of the treadmill screen.  No fumbling with a sexy ipod to change songs or whatever.  So anyway, I tried doing the whole music thing and it's still unbearably boring to freakin run!  I can't do it. I get so distracted by everything.  People walking into the gym, playing with the incline (which is kinda fun for a few seconds but then you realize you're running up a mountain practically and people around you are staring) So..I discovered that you can play your videos on the screen on the treadmill.  Win!

So I tried to a few tv shows.  The problem with it is there is music being played at the gym itself.  So it's in the background.  Which makes watching shows difficult.  But then I thought.  What if I put on a movie I'm extremely familiar with. I tried Stargate, but it's too quiet dialogue wise and while there is action to keep me motivated, it's not all through out.  Then it dawned on me...Indiana Jones.  He runs and fights and jumps and get's the girl, and fights some more...this could be perfect!

I tried Raiders first but there is an aweful lot of down time in the middle of the movie action wise.  It you want a short work out.  It's great.  If you want a longer one I recommend Temple.

So here are the rules.  Whenever Indy is running, fighting, pretty much moving fast?  you kick it up and run your freakin heart out.  When he takes a breather, you know to kiss the girl, figure out a map..whatever?  slow it down to a walk.

So here is a break down.
Raiders of the Lost Ark:
Start out with a nice brisk walk as Indy is headed to the Jungle Temple In Peru.
Keep this pace until he recovers the fertility Idol.  Once you hear the rumbling? Start a runnin'
It's a good little wake me up until he dives out of the temple and crashes into Belloq.
You get a breather here.
Take off again until you take off in the plane and keep running until the movie pics back up at the college.
This is why this work out is a little light.  There isn't much until The Cantina scene in Nepal where we find Marion. (whiskey...)
This is a break until the chase scene in the market.  I stretch it out too and go until Indy is pulled away from Belloq by Sallah's children. ALL of his freakin kids.
Then we have a nice break really until the Well of the Souls.  And this then begins a long run.  Starting from the moment the Well is sealed to the fight with the bald German all the way to the end of the chase scene where Indy takes a moment to address his bullet wound.
Honestly that's about it unless you want to run some more at the opening of the ark.

Temple of Doom
This one I feel starts off a bit more energetic.  So it's probably a matter of how fast you want to start off.
So we start off fairly quickly with running at the openning.  You can slowly build speed, but the whole openning scene with Willy's dance number going into the fight at the club and ending on the plane is a nice brisk run.
You can slow down here while they leisurely fly away from Lao Che.
Once the pilots bail out, time to increase your speed again until that life saving yellow raft runs ashore.
I'm tellin ya, this one is more consistent with being more physical.  Now we break though for some much needed exposition and then head to Pankot Palace.  (you can jog this route if you like but I'm lazy, so walk it I do)
There is a fair amount of a break here until after dinner.
Beginning with Indy being attacked in his room and going all the way to them being captured after the Thuggee union meeting is a great run.
Slow it down a bit and walk or jog if you prefer until Short Round begins his escape from the mines.
This can be done at your speed, it's basically one long action sequence going all the way through to the mine cart chase and then slowing down on the bridge.
This is why I say this one is a bit more rigorous. Indy really gets the crap beat out of him and so will you.
Then of course the fight on the broken rope bridge with Mola Ram falling to his death.

And there you have it. The Indiana Jones work out.

What's this have to do with my acting journey?  Well exercise is a big part of it, right?  Being in shape?  Being healthy.  This is my attempt to trick myself into having fun while doing something I find menial and boring and for the most part, a chore.

I can say so far it's working out just fine for me.  I'm also the person who can't get enough of Indiana Jones, so I'll happily watch them over and over again.  And who cares that I can't really hear all the dialogue...I have most of it memorized anyway from years of viewings.

Continuing my streak of meeting horrid people and Rehearsing!

Dustin' off some cobwebs here.  I feel like I've been on the go non stop for the past week or two.  Which is true.    I feel like my schedule is slowly drowning me.

Rehearsals have been hot and heavy as we head up to opening night...FRIDAY! I really feel like the Fringe festival is one of the things NYC has over other cities in the world of theater.  This year I believe there are 191 shows going on simultaneously over the next two weeks.  There is so much theater in this city year round, but during these 2 weeks It's a crazy roller coaster ride of new and experimental works.  I love being a part of that energy.  And being a part of the festival just automatically puts you in touch with artists from all over creating work from so many varied points of view.  It's like a big theater convention.  It also means marathon days.

Like today.  Today was tech day which was scheduled from 12:45 to 4.  But it started earlier getting all the props and costumes and minor set pieces to the theater. Tech is...tech.  Long, boring.  With Fringe it's often times the first time a show is run in the space.  And usually the only time with lights and sound before the opening.  Gotta love a festival. Then we had a short break and went over notes and did a line through on book.  Yes, on book.  Both of us reading.  It's amazing what you think is the line and what it actually is.  After a month of rehearsing you memorize things slightly off. Oops. So now tomorrow is about going over line by line and getting perfect to the letter.  Another run tomorrow night then We open.

Some how, tomorrow while I'm going over those lines, I'm also supposed to be filming the rest of the Lavazza Coffee commercial. We were rained out.  Torrential down pour in Manhattan this past Tuesday.  We managed to film half and, well...act of the gods and all that.  So..we finish tomorrow.  Always on the go.  I will say this..holy hell the Greenwich Village Bistro is a HORRIBLE place.  A film crew, actors and actresses, equipment, costumes..slowly getting soaked in the rain come in.  We ask if we can sit and wait it out.  The "owner" (I'm sure the little troll who was there isn't the owner) was the most evil, vile, hate spitting creature I've ever come across.  I had to leave after her negative words got to be too much.  Basically talking under her breath how horrible we all were for sitting in there and getting her floor wet.  Yes she actually complained that were were ruining her hard wood floor that was...old and falling apart.  Water will only help the filth I think.  At one point she counted everyone and said loudly.."13 people and only 4 ordered food.  Ridiculous."

It's freakin raining you toad.  I will never eat there.  Nor will I suggest it to anyone I know.  What is wrong with people.  Heat, rain, doesn't matter.  They're all evil.

Now I'm off to bed.  Or slowly going to fade off.  8 am call time.  I'm using Star Trek Enterprise to put me to sleep.  Why is this show so BAD!!!!!!

The 12 year old Trekker inside me is slowly dying with each episode.

No MTA you cannot keep me down..for too long

The past week has been insanely busy.  But in that good "i'm getting called in for things" kinda way.

Lot's of good stuff though.  First a question.  Why does the subway always smell like poop?  Oh, cause there is a t-shirt covered in it just outside the entrance.  Ah..summer in the city.

Speaking of the subway, we'll start with yesterday.  Now, it normally takes me about 20 minutes to get to Shetler on 54th or the Ripley Grier between 55th and 56th.  20 minutes.  So lets see...I had an audition yesterday afternoon and the trains were running at their usual woa-woa-lets-not-be-too-hasty-with-our-speed-here.  You learn to compensate.  Made it to the audition ok then back home to relax.  (which is where I discovered the poop shirt at Times Square)  So my evening.  Audition at 5, meeting my scene partner (co-star? can you say co-star for a 2 person show) at 6, rehearsal at 7.  Soo...I leave and get on the Subway at 4:30.  To give myself enough time to get to Shetler and read the sides and go in.  Well the MTS vomitted all over my plans.  The train stopped..between stops...for over 30 minutes.  Had to transfer to another train that took me to times square. And of course the entire population of Manhattan Island is now trying to catch a train to somewhere, anywhere.  So I leave the station and hoof it to meet Mary..Co-Star.  6:15. From 4:30-6:15 i'm on a train.  Missed my audition and was seriously shoulder checked by this steroid-filled gorilla who I of course call out and yell at in front of the Starlight Diner.  Busy ass city, it's hot, clearly people are pissed...you're going to be an asshole?  So I called him that.  Over and over and over.  Sometimes I'm either an idiot or fearless.  I prefer fearless.  He turned around and I said, "Be Nice! What's wrong with you? A city this big in rush hour and you have to be a dick?  Just be nice!" and i was off to meet Mary.

The good news is I'm alive and last night's run went really well.  I assume it was all that crazy energy of trying to maneuver the subway.

Then we get to today.  My agent sent me on a microsoft commercial.  The only info I get is that the character is stuck in the 70's.  I assume 1970's and not the age.  Now 70's to me immediately brings up images of bell bottoms, something militaristic, fade graphic tee's.  Something ala That 70's show

So I get there and apparently their idea of "70's" is more like Larry from Three's Company or Quagmire from Family Guy.  oops.  I still feel I nailed the audition.  I was given a few adjustments and I did them to the best of my ability...I hope.  And then on to the next. Which was for Lavazza Coffee and guess who is filming this Sunday possible filming not just 1, but 2 commercials for the coffee Lavazza!  I met with the production team today and it was a perfect match.  So it's been a good few days of adventure and tomorrow is venue prep day for the fringe followed by a showing of our show at Columbia.
...I need sleep.

A busy week and I'm not complainin'

This heat is deadly!  It started last week and has just continued to bake Manhattan.  Hooray sweat.  Nothing like showing up to an audition or rehearsal as if you've already been rehearsing for a few hours. I've thought about bringing a change of clothes but I think carrying them around would just make me hotter, no?  Maybe they should have free showers where Charmin has those free bathrooms in Times Square.  I mean as long as they clean them.  Often.  thoroughly.

So last week, in this heat, my agent set me up with a "Go-See" for a Microsoft spot.  Ooooooh a vocabulary word!  So for those of you curious, a 'go-see', is pretty much exactly what it sound like. You GO to a casting office and they SEE you.  (more like they see if they like you.)  Take a few pictures in different poses, angles.  You're done.  So my agent had confirmed this at the beginning of the week.  As I was getting ready to go my manager emailed me with the same information.  What did we do before the days of instant communication?  Anyway, I was on my way and really curious what this would mean.  Both had technically informed me of this and sent me on it.  I spoke to a few friends.  The general consensus is that both the agent and manager would have to be paid if I booked the gig.

IF.

Of course I'm counting those chickens before the eggs are even laid. But whatever.  That's interesting though and I'm curious what others think about that. If you are sent on an audition by multiple freelance accounts, who would get the credit?  I emailed my manager saying I was already on my way and asked him directly what I was to do since both had submitted me. He said to always go with whoever sent you first.  (You have to usually sign in and say what agency your with, if any.  So I wanted to know going in, not just for the potential pay off $$-wise.)

The Go-See.  I get there, look around.  Now I'm not a super short, but I'm also no giant.  I'll never play superman, that's for sure.  Or Andre the Giant in his biopic. (But man!  Where is that movie?  I'd go watch that! OBEY!)  Anyway, all the guys are taller than me.  And older looking.  Like late 30's/40's with way shorter hair and much more clean cut.  Of course I'm thinking...am I even right for this?  But both the agent and manager sent me so I'm there.  They take some pictures from different angles and that's it. Back out into the heat in a button down.  blech.  Pretty sure I would have heard by now.  They're shooting this coming Monday.  but I know they had an alternate day last Friday.  So who knows.

I've also been in and out of rehearsals for this next fringe piece which is just two characters.  For 90 minutes. My mouth hurts from talking so much.  So many lines.  Remember that first play you got into as a kid and you counted the lines you had?  Yeah..this is killer.  Off book by Thursday?  I'm on it.  Sure!  It's a collection of 7 small plays.  One of them is essentially a monologue.  For 10 pages. Welcome to Eternity!

And recently I filmed a trailer for a screenplay that the writer and producer are looking to use as a tool to pitch the idea to potential backers.  It's a weird thing to film in such a broken way.  But the cast and crew was great.  I feel like from the moment I met the director something just clicked.  Which happens, but not often enough.  So I'm of course looking forward to the final product.  We had a 3 day marathon filming adventure around NYC and I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to work with and befriend.  I play a guy who joins a cult for a girl.  Yeah.  It's such an old story, right? I've heard it a thousand times.  Boy meets girl.  Girl is in a cult. Boy joins cult.....magic.

And now off to learn more lines at 1 am.  woohoo.

Giselle in 3D at the Mariinsky

So an email came through my indox the other day.  I read it.  Read it again.  laughed.  Then I read it a third time to make sure I was reading it correctly.  I sent it to my dear friend Samantha who laughed and confirmed.  This is not a joke.  But too too funny and I think the whole 3-D craze may have just jumped the shark.

So here is the basic content of said email:

Approaching two centuries old, Giselle is a Romantic ballet whose beauty has proven ageless, and its evolution continues this summer. NCM Fathom and More2Screen will bring Giselle in 3D to movie theater audiences nationwide from the historic Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. The exclusive event is the world’s first ballet shown in 3D. On July 12 at12:00pm or 7:30pm (local time), attendees can experience the tale of love and heartbreak in a way the art form has never before been shared.

Giselle is the story of a prince, played by Leonis Sarafanov, who disguises himself as a peasant, gaining the love of a simple village girl, played by Natalia Osipova. What first appears as granite love eventually morphs into betrayal and Giselle joins the vengeful Wilis to bring revenge upon her beloved prince. Through each graceful step, however, love transcends even death and forgiveness is granted.

We are asking you to support the in-theater ballet by sharing information about Giselle in 3D with your readers. We hope it will inspire group outings to watch the graceful cast—as though you’re right in front of the stage.

For more information about Giselle in 3D, visit www.fathomevents.com. There you can also find participating theaters and purchase tickets.

I am a full on supporter of the arts, all arts.  Gotta support your kind, you know?  Dance, despite horrible shows like SYTYCD and America's best dance crew and whatever else is being shoved down our throats, can be amazing!  There are some truly brilliant companies and dancers here in the city that I've grown to love and learn from.  While watching a ballet from the Majiinsky would be fairly entertaining and a beautiful experiences, 3-D? Really?  Are they going to toss the dancers at the camera so we have to duck? Arms and legs swinging wildly into our field of vision? Pies flying at us?

Do we really need everything in 3-D now?

If you are interested in at least seeing this productions here is some more info :Ticket and Theater Info but remember it's all gimmicky and pointlessly being presented in 3-D

You Give a little Love

Compliments!  Sure actors are sometimes thought to be needy self absorbed people from time to time.  We're not all like that.  Trust me.  But a true honest genuine compliment is actually needed once in a while. Not just by actors, but by everybody.  (all of you reading this are wonderful) Working as an actor, you're putting yourself out there for everyone to see and judge and laugh at and occasionally poke with sticks to make sure we're still breathing.  Anyway...This past week random compliments left and right.  It's like the Universe looking down saying, "Yes Patrick, you're doing just fine and trust those instincts".

So for starters I finished the Website for the amazing Sarah Jacobs who you can read all about here at Acting Like Sarah.  Go on. Do it.  She's a hoot.  (I'm working on her mobile version of her site as we speak.  Yes Sarah..it is on it's way.)  Well...people apparently like it.  I mean I like it, but I made it.  So I'm biased.  Compliments from Sarah..most important I think.  But also from some friends in the design world, THANK YOU, and from a few directors I've pimped her out to.  I kinda dig the look.  Might steal it for my own revamping. Cause mine's been a bit neglected lately.

I auditioned over a week ago...this blog is a bit late cause I was cast and began filming....for a trailer for a feature.  You know, they make the trailer, pitch it to backers and producers, bam!  I'm famous.  At least I think that's how it works.  The director complimented me on my reel.  Which is something I'm always going to feel a little iffy about.  Because, like I said earlier, it's totally putting ME out there.  Reels are a tricky thing.  It's like standing out there naked and people saying, "you work out? Really? huh."  This was a total genuine and unsolicited compliment.  And I got cast.  We filmed this past week and that will be the subject of another blog...I'm playing catch up...always.  Maybe tomorrow I'll typey type some more.

Now this isn't really a compliment.  But it's still a happy little pick me up.  Before the callback last Monday for my fringe show..Welcome To Eternity, I decided on a nice healthy dinner of Wendy's.  Don't judge me.  Of all the places in NYC I decide on Wendy's.  Whatever.  Sometimes you gotta feed that inner fast foodie.  They gave me a free frosty! That's like fast food gold.  It was apparently a mistake and do I want it? Of course.  Who would turn down a Frosty.

So basically compliments and pick me ups are amazing and everyone needs them.  I'm not saying I need a whole lot of love and attention right now.  But i do suggest you compliment your friendly neighborhood artist.  Or anyone really.  I mean, if you wanna say something nice about me..by all means.  fire away.  But this is a time of year where most projects are cast/wrapped/or already filming.  So there are a pile of out of work actors who are looking for work.  Spread some love.  Anything.  Pass it along.  Pay it forward.  Whatever you want to call it.  Buy someone a Frosty.  All I know is this past week was one of the best for me and It all started with a simple compliment and snow balled from there.

As as a parting thought.  I think this sums it up.  Just Give a little love and it all comes back..

Must...keep...writing

I grew up in a very creative household and we were encouraged to explore and tell stories and just be kids.  I may have taken the idea of telling stories a bit too seriously.  I remember my parents hated when I would tell them things because a very simple story or recount of events would take much longer than it should have.  I liked to talk.  What can I say.  I also grew up in an Italian family, we're loud and opinionated.  So once I had the talking stick, I didn't want to let go.  I'm sure that's informed my career and my desire to tell stories.

So I'm writing.  Or at least forcing myself to write. I have a small leather journal given to me by G which I use to jot down any and all ideas.  Something I need to really get in the habit of doing.  My mentor used to tell me that no idea or impulse no matter how small or insignificant sounding is wrong.  You have to explore everything that pops into your brain....within reason.  Please don't start exploring murder or you know, something along those lines.  But on stage, explore ever impulse.  And with ideas, write them ALL down.  flesh them out later, but get the initial kernel of the idea on paper for later.

That's what I've begun doing.  forcing myself to write.  What will come of these ideas?  I have no clue.  But it's a start.  I've enlisted the help of a few talented and like minded friends to help steer these ideas into something filmable, recordable, whatever.  And I want to be able to incorporate my amazing net of talented friends in whatever comes of these.

Some of my best friends live in L.A.  Sadly.  And we don't get the chance to work together.  Who knows when and if that will ever happen.  So I'm trying to devise a way to write here on the East coast but keep them in mind on the West.  I would love to have a project filmed bi-coastally and just pieced together here by my amazing editor.

If anyone out there is reading this.  Thoughts?  Logistics?  Is this something others have thought about or done and found it worked?  What did you do?  Clearly the director would not be travelling across country.  And there will be issues of camera quality and things along those lines. I just feel that in such a techno-world that we live in, surely we can use the interwebs to create something using people from all over.  Hell...skype-directing/dp-ing.  Is that even possible?

Look out L.A.  I've got you in my sights and I want to give you amazing friends work!

Oh yeah, and now this site is optimized for a mobile device.  go me.  go blogger.  woohoo!
simple, but easier to read.  You know, for those times when you just can't get enough of me?....anyway.

Represent!!

So it's been a little bit since I last posted. I'm trying, I really am.  I blame the heat for slowing me down.  Somehow we skipped over Spring and Landed in Hell. Don't know how that happened, but at least the world didn't end like the 'crazy' predicted it would.

In fact, the world did quite the opposite for me. Thanks to the magic of...well..friendship? Desperation? Reaching out to people you care about?  I had a meeting with an agent last week and wouldn't you know...I'm a freelancer.  It couldn't have gone any better.  Well, it could have.  But I was contacted today about a possible upcoming project.  So fingers crossed on that.  The only bad thing I did was...well, 2 bad things.  1, I don't speak Italian which with my look and last name I guess people assume.  When I said no, there was a communal..."aaawwee" from the room.  Oh well.  And number 2, I'm apparently too theatrical.  Which I suppose makes sense since I am literally just coming off of Macbeth, and I'm a classic stage actor.  I have had a few oncamera classes throughout the years.  But we all know what acting classes are like.  Lot's of money and hardly any real benefit.  There are good ones out there, but there is a lot you have to wade through *cough TVI cough*.  They did suggest I could benefit from some commercial classes.  Which i agree with and am in the process of working on that now.  I have a workshop with Liz Lewis Casting and am highly considering one-on-one because of its more intimate setting and...$$.  So thats what's coming up for me education wise.  But the moral of the story?  I'm working with About Face Talent.  I'm excited, really.  They're extremely nice and personable and were fairly genuinely interested in me.  At least I hope.  So thank you all for your wonderful well wishes. The Universe heard and has delivered.  Now...let's start booking, eh?  A nice little perc from this is that my NY casting account is now free.  I know, it's $5.  But come on, every little bit helps, right?  And my Actor's Access profile has their name attached to it.  Looks nice up there i think.

Actor's Access

  And in related news, I also interviewed another manager this past Wednesday and they too liked me.  Even more so.  Probably because the gentleman and I have a similar sense of humor and my little quips that sometimes slip out landed on like minded ears.  Not to mention they like my look. So there are good things coming this summer.  I hope.

  In fact a good thing about both...neither really have anyone of my look or type on their roster.  So..this could be very good.

Or no one casts my look.  I'll let you know.

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!