YAAAAAAAAAY for work.

So, as i'm about to finish up working at my day job, (boo!!! I like the steadiness of income) I'm about to start a new job. My friend and old classmate, Nick Maccarone, and playwrighting mfa Kelley Girod and I are putting up a little show! The tentative date is Dec. 12th so mark it in your calendars! It's going to be a storytelling performance on E. 4th street in a photography gallery owned by Alex Harsley. (At least this is the tentative location). We are hoping to make this a monthly thing so please come out and support us! It will be the most laid back, intimate performance you will ever go to. I'm extremely looking forward to creating my own work. I haven't really had the opportunity to do this since my undergraduate days and it is extremely refreshing.
This performance will ride the coattails of the play i'm currently rehearsing for called Stormy Weather. Two cute short one act plays. However after last nights rehearsal, it seems like it is going to be pretty "artistic", which is really cool and surprising. The cast and director are awesome. Just a ton of people who are getting together to create, and have a fun time doing it. Such positive, fun people to be around!
Then, in an hour I have to leave for an audition for the touring production of Freedom Train the musical about Harriet Tubman. They called me in to audition for the tough bad guy! Wow, i'll be the least physically threatening "heavy" ever!!! This is the same company I had a call back for last week, so even though it doesn't look like I got that role, it seems like they must enjoy the work I put into my auditions, which is always a nice feeling.
That's it for now.
Peace.

Update: Despite major mush mouth and barely being able to say the first 3 or so lines of my audition, I was called back for two parts...both of whom happen to be racists...mixed emotions about this one! It's nice to be on a little call-back roll though!

What Happens at Auditions

So, i had my two auditions today.
I had my very first voiceover audition today. I had no idea what to expect because I never asked my teachers what happens at auditions. I was planning on doing that when i have my follow up consultation this Saturday. So i get to the audition about an hour early. It was walking distance from my first audition, so I thought I'd get there early, get the voiceover copy, practice for awhile, and peek in the room to see how one is set up for a voiceover audition. So i got there an hour early, sign in, pick up the copy, and out walks the casting director, "Scott, please come in." Oh boy. Dead cold read! I only trained in commercials for voiceover, like the voice you hear on commercials on tv and radio. This was for an online website. Basically, I had to read instructions on how you sign up, so the target audience of 7-8 year old boys can figure it out. I did it. My voice sounded good, and I tried to make it seem hip. Then the casting director was like, give it some more attitude. How the heck do you say, "Enter an eight letter password," with a cool, sarcastic attitude...but not with so much attitude it is going to upset the kids parents. Difficult!!!! I gave it my best shot, which i thought was pretty good, but in retrospect, I think I played ita little too safe. Also, I didn't know I was supposed to say my name before each take, so i got chided for that as well. Oh well, I was pleased with my attempt for my first v.o. audition. It was a good learning experience.
My first audition of the day went extremely well. I got there about a half hour early, picked up the side, and was nearly off-book by the time I was called in. I sat down to start the scene between lawyers, Thurgood Marshall (the reader) and Jack Greenberg (me). I started a little rough, but got better by the end. Then they said to immediately read for Tommy, an eight year old boy, whom if cast, i'd also be playing. What? I wasn't told that before. I hadn't even looked at the scene of Tommy. Luckily I'm an energy actor. I always just want to run around the room when I'm onstage. So even though I had no idea what the scene was about, i just used tons of energy and they seemed to like it. They briefly discussed and called me back on the spot! Amazing! but then said, "Next time we see you, your lawyer needs more gravitas. He was pretty wimpy." Ouch! Talk about going from high to low in seconds. But then right back to high again, because I remembered, hey, I just got called back! And it is a good note to work on. The call back is Friday and I'm excited! Can't wait!

Happy, Happy, Happy

So, there is only one thing that can make The Happy Actor even happier...jobs and auditions! and recently I've had both.
A few weeks ago, I auditioned for a little play called Stormy Weather. My friend and producer Alona Fogel told me to audition. I had doubts, but hesitantly went to the audition and found out a day or so later that I was cast!!! The play goes up Mid-November in NYC. If you actually read this, you will definitely be getting a notification in the near future.
For the past two months, I've been taking private voiceover coaching at Marla Kirban Studios with Bruce Kronenberg. This has been the greatest thing I have ever done. I have sooooooooo much fun working on voiceovers, for whatever reason. I just made my demo and it is pretty amazing, if you ask my humble self. I just got the demo today, and have already been called in for an audition!!!!
Also, tomorrow i have an audition for a touring play called The Color of Justice, based off the Board vs. Brown hearings on integrating schools. I'm called in for Jack Greenberg. He is the lawyer that Thurgood Marshall recruited for the case straight out of Columbia University Law School when he was 28 years old. Crazy...the similarities. The audition is a cold read from the script. That should be intersting. I prefer to have the script in hand a few days before, so i can prepare a bit, but oh well. The show tours for 6 months. Pays well. And I would become Equity!!!
Between the auditions, i'm sure i'll have something crazy to post about the experiences.

Rachel Getting Married

So, now after the mediocre spell occurred, I'm gushing like crazy.
I just saw the movie Rachel Getting Married on Friday evening. The first great thing was it was cast by Bernard Telsey, a casting director of many Broadway shows. Therefore, there were many Broadway and Off-Broadway actors cast in the show, from large roles down to roles with one or two lines! Go New York actors!!!!!!!
I'm not going to give a synopsis because you can read that everywhere; I'm just going to talk about reactions. The movie is not a personal favorite of mine, however, it is one of the best films I have ever seen. Terribly emotional film. Lauren cried through almost the whole thing, and was still crying hours after seeing it. Wow, talk about a catharsis! In my humble opinion, there has to be 3 acadamy award nominations just for acting. Anne Hathaway should win for her honest portrayal of someone in the midst of going through rehab, and dealing with family and judgements. The great clown, Bill Irwin, needs to be nominated for his amazing job of playing the overprotective father. And Rosemarie DeWitt should be nominated for playing the bride to be, Rachel. Debra Winger also did a fine job, Anna Deavere Smith was great in a very nuanced performance despite not having many lines, newcomer Anisa George was just evil in a very not-evillaly (is that a word?) "acted" performance, and Tunde Adibimpe from the band TV on the Radio was endearing as the husband.
My favorite part of the movie was the Ted Demme's (Silence of the Lambs) direction, and Declan Quinn's cinematography. They filmed the movie as if it was coming from guests hand held camcorders. Thus, as the ceremony and reception were occurring, the audience also felt like we were guests at the party, and observing what all the other guests were. It never felt voyeouristic at all watching the film, we were actually a part of it! So cool!
They also had a nice touch with the score of the film. When ever a song was accompanying the film, it was being played in real time by the wedding band, and string ensemble who were always practicing or jamming together, kinding of acting as wandering minstrels!
All I can say is go see this film! It is simply a must see!!!

I Rescind My Statement

So, in my last post I said something along the lines of: All theater should be creative, imaginative, etc. I still somewhat believe that, but I take back the "all" part. When a show, imaginative or not, is good, it's good. Simple as that.

Last night I saw the First Breeze of Summer at the Signature Theatre Company. The Sig always does a season based off of one playwright. This year they decided to do a season based off of the plays the historical Negro Ensemble Company has produced. And First Breeze...was the first show of the season. The show was interesting in that there was very little plot involved. It revolved around a grandmother's family and life. It sounds simple and fun, and that is how it does start out. At intermission I told my friend Courtney, "This is enjoyable, but I have no idea where it will go, because there has been no through line so far." And boy I could not have been any more right on about not knowing where the play will go. Act 2 has a whole different tone, and the play became brutal to watch. Brutal in every positive, and amazing way that can come out out of the word "brutal." By the end, Courtney's and my mouths were agape in awe, and we were fighting back the tears. I think most of the audience felt the same way. Ruben Santiago Hudson's direction was amazing. His transitions were so smooth that during scenes that shifted in time, I had no idea how the actors got off stage. The acting was amazing. One actress annoyed me a bit, but the people she played opposite of were so good, it didn't bother me. And when there is 10 or so amazing actors on stage, I will forgive the one I'm not too keen on. Also that one actor was very bold and confident in all of her choices, and even though it wasn't my favorite performance, it is soooo much better to watch someone like that than someone who feels uncomfortable and timid on stage. So again, forgivable, it is just me nitpicking a show that I think is great. The script is very much like a slice of life, think A Hatful of Rain. To make it work, the acting had to be spot on real. And they were. It was the most brutally honest acting I've seen along with August: Osage County. Nobody cared to hide flaws, nobody cared to hide anything. Everything just was. Also, the way they dealt with enviornment, namely the abundence of heat...and wind, was right on. They showed it to us, then dropped it, then showed it, then dropped it, just like one would in real life. They were so believable, you could feel the heat in the audience. Brilliant.

I also mentioned my first acting teacher, Brandon Dirden, was in the production. This is the third show I've seen him in, and the first since I originally saw him when he was in the Univ. of Illinois' MFA acting program back in the day. Like always he was amazing. I will never forget when I orignially saw him act in a 2 hander, called Medal of Honor Rag. It was one of my first exposures to modern, straight plays, and I was blown away. Again he is unbelievable, and so were his actual wife who played his girlfriend in The First Breeze... and his actual brother, who played his younger brother in The First Breeze... What an amazing acting family. Watch out for the Dirdens in the future!

I believe the play closes within the next week...so run to get tickets. It will be worth every penny you spend.

This is as "commercial" of a production there could be. So again, I rescind my statement from my last blog, I've just seen so much mediocre "commercial" stuff lately, I seemed to have gotten a little jaded. My new belief is, when you got a show where the team has put in the effort to work out every little nuiance, you'll have a great show. Be it "commercial", be it "avant garde", be it a radio play...If you have a damn good show, no matter what it is, it is a damn good show!

The State of Theatre

So, over the last few weeks myself and Lauren have been on a playgoing marathon. We have seen 4 shows in a matter of weeks, which is actually more than we've seen for the past four months combined! And we've seen all of these recent 4 shows for free (or near free)! It's not that I'm cheap, Lauren actually says I have pretty high-maitenance tendencies, but when tickets for an Off-Bdwy show go for $70, there is no way any young professional with lots of loans to pay off can afford that.
It was great to be back in the theatre going mode again, however, the shows seen were quite a dissapointment.
First we saw Three Changes by Nicky Silver at Playwrights Horizons. Lo and I have a joint subscription there because you can get student tickets for only $10 a pop. Unbeatable subscription offer in the city. This play was a dark, dark, dark play whose sleaze seeps its way off the stage and slimes itself all over your body, so as you exit at the end of the play you feel as if you are covered with all that pinkish goopy stuff in Ghost Busters 2. The three changes refer to a new character intruding the lives of the main couple played by the excellent Dylan McDermott (He should be on the NY stage much more often...plus Lauren has a huge celebrity crush on him[I hope it is just a "celebrity" crush], so she would love to see him much more as well) and Maura Tierney (Who should probably not be on the NY stage much more often...I'll get to that later) After the third character enters their life, there is a suicide and a new family is formed. The play was very Entertaining Mr. Sloane-esque. The production got ripped by almost every professional reviewer, but Lauren and I both kind of enjoyed it. I think Lauren just liked staring at McDermott and as she pointed out, his terrible hair dye job. I just liked the dark, off-beat comedy in the play, and I loved that PWHorizons took a risk in producing something that isn't terribly commercial. Despite enjoying the show, I thought it was good, but nothing special at all...if that makes any sense. I do have a problem that PWHorizons is often using movie and tv stars in shows. It is hard to disassociate the actual star from their on-stage persona, especially when they don't do a terribly great job on stage, ie Tierney and Sigourney Weaver in a production from 2 years ago. I understand it's about getting butts in the seat, but come on, if you have an amazing acted play, it won't matter who is in it, and you will still get the butts in the seat. Quality should always come first!
Then we saw a new play Off-Bdwy called Wig Out! This was a good play but it didn't blow me away. It centers around a competition between two rival drag houses...yes as in drag queens! It was one of the most interesting topics I've ever seen put on stage. And the parts where they performed the actual drag shows were amazing!!!!!!! I thought the acting and casting were magnificent, especially Andre Holland who I can't wait to see more of in NY! Again, i disagreed with reviewers because they said the playwright is a new force to be reckoned with. However, i found the big fault of the production was in a script with giant holes in it, and for being extremely choppy. I feel if things were livened up in the script and made a lot more smooth, as in transitions from stories between the characters, to the actual drag routines, this play could have been the next big downtown phenomenon. It still may be, but i was disappointed that it didn't meet my expectations.
The same night we saw Wig Out! we headed out to see The Seagull on Broadway. This show has received some of the best reviews I have ever seen written before. I, however, thought it was terrible. I used to say I could always sit through a bad production of The Seagull just to see the ending which always gives me chills. Well, I take that back. All i wanted to do at the end of this production was to get the hell out of the theatre. Just yesterday, I finally read a review (Martin Denton's) of the show that agreed with me. I feel validated. I sent him an email commending his review and not being afraid to go against the grain of the rest of the critic world. He enjoyed my response and posted it on his blog. Yay, I've been published!!! Read my scathing response and click the link in his blog to read Denton's original review here:
http://www.nytheatre-i.com/2008/10/about-seagull.html
Last, Lauren and I saw a show called Ugo's Last Dance which our friend and my classmate Sing was in. What has become of theatre that the show with absolutely no budget was the only one that Lauren and I thoroughly enjoyed in our marathon! I didn't even completely understand the story, (To me it seemed like a Waiting For Godot, except the characters were clowns and they were waiting to go...or not go to Hell) but what they did with physical movement and song and puppetry was far more interesting than any of the other shows. If this show had the money and a little script re-working, it would be phenomenal!
Imagination people!!!!!! Creativity people!!!!! Isn't that what art is about? Isn't that why we have theatre? Isn't that how we in the profession want to entertain people? I hope, in the future, that people get sick of the same old that is produced all the time in Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Regional theatres and we can start funding more "artistic", imaginative shows that can be just as entertaining and a lot more fun to sit through!


P.S. Tomorrow I'm seeing The First Breeze of Summer Off-Bdwy at The Signature. Brandon Dirden, my very first acting teacher ever (he was in grad school, when I was a disgruntled undergrad music student exploring other art forms) is in the show. It will be the first time I have seen him act in 7 years!!!!!