Email from the sound designer of my show…

I’m not sure what it is about the show that I’m in, but it’s been really special.  It’s fun, I love the team we’ve assembled, we’re always having a good time.  The people who are part of it are affected in a positive way. I just had to share this email I got from D, one of our tech guys:

“Hey I just wanted to thank you again for the experience and i hope all is going well. I’ve been running the soundboard for an off off broadway production of the Who’s Tommy at the Gallery Players theater and I’m about to interview for another board op job with the KNF Co in midtown and its all thanks to the experience I got working with you guys. So thank you again that theater bug has got me good now!”

Finances for Artsy Fartsy Me

I’ve started tracking everything I’ve been spending on the show and wanted to get a nice ledger to record things.  Doing it in excel makes it less easy to access.  I’ve had rinky dink notebooks that I’ve misplaced or lost.  Before our rehearsal today I went to Staples and picked up a ledger.

This ledger is from B.F. Keith’s Theatre in Indianapolis.

This show consisted of Bob Hope, and it was a two man dancing team doing sometimes SIX performances per day.  Jigga WHAT?  Wow.  I love this site because it dispells the myth that actors (or artists for that matter) are genuises who are suddenly and randomnly inspired.  He worked his tail off and from these ledgers it shows he was more than a performer, but was business savvy.

Perhaps one day someone will put my ledger into a museum.  I can hear the tour now:  “This is an exhibition of Hottie Actress Momma, her wardrobe, videos of her performances, her writings and… her ledger.  Look!  If we browse in this ledger, we see back in 2009, renting a rehearsal space in New York City was only $15 per hour!!”

The city makes me feel good…

This bag would be gone in .5 seconds in NYC

Had an audition for a theatre production.  I did two pieces and the folks were really kind about it.  We’ll see if anything happens.

(It was a challenge to get there, I had my friend roll Baby M around in the carriage.  Also carry her up and down the subway stairs.  It was worth it.  I needed to see if I had the pieces in my head and they are there.)

FOUND: A babysitter!!!!  I’m so excited!!  I have great hopes for this girl.  She is temporary till she goes to law school in August.

Had coffee with a woman, D, I met at the opthomologist’s office.  She is so funny and  cracks me up so bad.  She has a baby the same age as Baby M AND SHE IS PREGNANT AGAIN.   When she told me that, my face expressed shock and she choked on her cookie laughing.

Another day in the burbs…

Today I ran errands:  Pick up vitamins, mailed stuff out, took Baby M to the park.  I forced myself out of the house and called people.  It seemed to help ward off any wonky episodes.

While I walked around I my ‘hood I tried to make it my mission to find beauty in the area.  Camera in tow I looked…and looked…and looked…I really did.

I had a talk with my partner from our show and it’s very exciting.  We’re talking with someone who might be able to get the word out.  We settled some administrative business and feel we’re in a good place.  Since we’ve performed the show a bunch of times, we feel pretty good about our upcoming performances.

I have an audition tomorrow…

Reality TV Ya’ll- Shakespeare Style

PHOTO BY WILLIAM MARSH

I happened to catch a program about the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival.  It was fascinating HIGH CLASS reality TV in that it showed the audition and rehearsal process of putting up Shakespeare in six weeks.

The auditioners talked about how the actors auditioning spent hours upon hours auditioning and then how they had to show all of their work in two minutes.  One actor said after an audition he would go back to his one bedroom apartment and eat ramen wondering what the hell he was doing with his life.

I’m at that crossroads everyday and especially right now.  I’ve been VERY heavily leaning towards saying “to HECK with you, Acting!”

Play Reading

I vowed not to do free acting work UNLESS there were tangible things that made the work worth while.  A playwright, who I adore, asked me to do a reading today, along with some pretty kick butt actresses.  Internally I hemmed and hawed, I had no idea how I could get a babysitter for rehearsal AND the performance.  I came very close to saying :  “Forget it”.  My very good friend who is an opera singer with an 8 month old told me to do it.   Guilt free…

UPDATE:  Hubby was late to get out of work and my mom was a bit stuck at our house (STRESSFUL).  I was exhausted, hungry and perpetually thirsty…but it was TOTALLY WORTH IT.  The script is very good and fun, the actors were kind, giving and talented.  The audience was appreciative and it was such a fun time.  The co-artistic director of a pretty kick ass theatre company came up to me and simply said:  “Really nice work”  It’s moments like these that make me feel really happy abut being an actress.

5 Reasons To Do a Solo Show

Here’s the scenario:  4 weeks to workshop and write a solo show.  2 weeks to rehearse and be offbook and perform at a KICK BUTT off-Broadway venue.  Impossible, you say?  We did it!

I teamed up with another kick butt actress and we did two of our pieces to a super enthusiastic audience.  Many of my friends (actors and not) came up to me and said: “I want to do that too!”.  And they should!  Here’s why:

1.  Everyone has a story to tell. And I mean everyone.  Your Aunt Biddy, the mailman, your next door neighbor.  Sharing a story doesn’t have to be done solely by actors.  By sharing where you come from, expressing what you have on your mind, you make the world a better place.  It’s important to follow a story structure, having a consistent persona, overcoming obstacles AND having the lesson learned.  For more info on that, check out Matt Hoverman. He is one of the most underrated, talented teachers in New York City.  If you are thinking of doing a solo show, he’s the go to guy.

2.  It’s fun! When people are laughing with you and captivated by your story, it’s exhilerating.

3.  It’s Challenging It is not easy to write a show.  If you write a historical piece or an autobiographical piece, it can be challenging.  You hit road blocks.  If you set out to perform your piece, it’s REALLY challenging.  Your mind tells you that you’re crazy, that you shouldn’t be doing it.  It threatens to go out on you while you’re on stage.  When you successfully read your stuff or perform on stage, you trancend your negative thoughts.  It’s very empowering.

4.  It can be good for your career If you are an actor or thinking of pursuing an acting career, it CAN be good for your career.  The actors that I’ve admired have been writers themselves (John Leguizamo, Hugh Laurie, Liz Lemon…uh Tina Fey).  Most recently I learned that Aasif Mandvi, corespondent on The Daily Show had his big break after he performed  his solo show.  And why not?  It seperates him from all others in his “type” and puts him in the spotlight.  There are many actors who complain that their agents suck, that they are not getting the opportunities to be seen.  As an actor, you must make your own opportunities and “products”.  This is how you get seen, by putting yourself out there.

5.  Your show can make people happy After my show, I had one friend call me and tell me saw me face my fears about a certain topic and she had the courage to overcome an issue she was facing.  Another friend said that the show made him think about life and his son.   People’s eyes and faces were shining with smiles.  Yea, they had been touched by the story, but most of all (and most important to me) they had been ENTERTAINED.  With all the doom and gloom in the news, it feels fantastic to make other people feel good.  Yea, we’re all in this together

Entrepreneur Mindset

Today I realized that I get bummed when I don’t have much going on and want to get a day job.  What stops me is realizing that getting a dayjob is exactly opposite of what I need to be doing to have an acting career.

One of the most challenging aspects for me is the irregular schedule and isolation. I realized that this is what small business owners or entrepreneurs face all the time. Pursuing something outside of a big cubicle is not an easy path.  There are no deadlines, there are no set goals.  It’s freeing and maddening at the same time.  I’m envious of friends who are at jobs and who have a lot of income to spend.

Sure I’m broke, I’m embarressed by the amount of money in my bank account right now.  But it is a time where I have the freedom to go on auditions without a dayjob.  And HONESTLY, being a mom is a fulltime job.  So, that said, I realize this is not an easy venture and if everyone could do it, then everyone would.

In other news, today I had my solo-show workshop.  I wrote about five pages.  I have a lot of work to do before our February performance.

I also am MAKING myself go to practice auditioning tomorrow with the group of actors I met from class.  I really wanted to audition more and meet up with these guys because they’re a good group of people.

Wonky Monday

I noticed that due to lack of sleep I feel a bit wonky.  When Baby M takes naps it’s easier to just hold her.  When she’s up ALL DAY it requires a whole heck of a lot of effort.  Today I felt worn down, sleep deprived and a little bit weepy.

Last week a friend had asked to do a reading tonight and I jumped at the opportunuity.  I’ll admit I REALLY questioned myself as I was running out the door while the baby was fussing to be fed.  On the train there I kept looking at pictures of my daughter thinking I was a big jerk for leaving her at home with my husband.

However, the reading was really what the doctor ordered.  People were very funny and drinking a lot of wine.  (Oh my god I can drink wine!!)  It felt really great to read and laugh hysterically at all the silliness.  I loved reading and realized it was totally worth it.  I realize there will be plenty more times like this and it will be really challenging for sure…

On the  cab ride to Penn Station and SUV driver dangerously began playing chicken with my driver. The old me would have definitely either flicked the driver off or rolled the window down and hurl a few choiced words.   I felt like pleading:  “I have a kid, dude!!  Chill out!!”  Instead I double checked my seatbelt, sighed and prayed I’d make it home.

August 30, 2008

Today I went to New Jersey for a theater audition. It went well though I realized I could use a new monologue. I’ve used it for a very very long time. It’s like Marge Simpson when she buys the expensive Chanel suit and keeps re-purposing it over and over until she has nothing left but a Chanel bikini. I’ll work on one that my acting coach had suggested.

On the way back to New York I rode back with two other actors who also took NJ Transit. What could have been long, awkward ride turned into a really delightful time. We chatted about television shows, movies, plays and musicals (Note to self: must see Passing Strange) and acting. These guys work pretty consistently, have good heads on their shoulders and just nice good folks. If I have the opportunity to give people work, I’d definitely call them in.

Tomorrow I set up an appointment to do my first edit of my short comedy, SUPER psyched about that. Can’t believe it’s happening because the editing was the thing that was an obstacle.

On a personal note, I hadn’t realized that my friend lives so close to my neighborhood. We had dinner this past weekend and tonight we are going to walk her ultra smart and adorable dog. I don’t live near many of my friends (in Manhattan) so I tend to feel a bit isolated.

Next week, I’ll start working part-time at a music store which sells high end guitars and gives music lessons. I’m excited about that because it will introduce some sort of regularity and I have a feeling the people will be nice.