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.