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.