Unscripted - A Blog for Actors - Backstage

Why are Holding Rooms So Quiet?

I had a lovely audition this morning for a new musical world premier. On Friday I auditioned for two shows to run at incredibly well respected theaters. Those auditions went well too. The interesting thing is how empty all of these great opportunities were. Where did all of the actors go?

I've noticed this happening a lot lately with auditions. No one is showing up. Usually things are slower during the summer months, but come fall the audition studios are hopping! New college grads just moved here, or just got their Equity Cards at a summer stock or tour. They are jazzed about getting start and audition for everything. Audition veterans are making up for the lost time in the summer when they decided to take that extra week of vacation. But this year things are different. What's going on?

LA Conversations To Avoid

I love lots of things about living in LA.... but there are a few that I could do without. Topping that list is the near-constant conversations that people in this town have about "the industry." Everyone seems to think they have the inside information on how this whole business works... more often than not people who have absolutely no qualifications to back this information up. 

Avoiding these conversations at all costs is extremely beneficial to your mental stability, in my humble opinion. Sometimes you get stuck, though, as I did a few months ago.

Red Stilettos, Vintage Pumps and Combat Boots

Shoe Fetish.

I have one.

I can do without that dress, I don't really need another white blouse right now, I won't buy those jeans unless they majorly go on sale and I'll just keep wearing that same coat I've had since I was in high school, but the shoes...

It's a well known fact that shoe shopping is therapuetic.  Who needs a shrink when you can go to DSW?  In that sense, perhaps I have saved myself a lot of money.  When I am sad, or feeling unusually anxious, or have somehow misplaced my self esteem, a really impractical pair of heels can turn everything around. 

Of course, four inch platforms, studded clogs and patent leather boots might seem like truly ridiculous and unneccessary purchases.  I live in New York.  I walk everywhere.  I do not work at a desk so there is very little sitting involved in my life.  I can just imagine my mother saying, "they're awesome, but when are you going to wear them?"

Just Say...

 

 

"So for the next few hours, whatever I ask you to do, just say 'YES!' and do it."

This is an unsettling phrase, especially if spoken by someone other than an improv instructor.  But in the right scenario, these words can be a gateway.

I just completed my first improv course in a rather long time, and while I went into it with much trepidation, (I referenced it in an earlier post here) it quickly became a pleasurable outlet that I look forward to.  

But at first I had to rev myself up for it each week.  What if I just wasn't in the mood?  What if I made a fool out of myself or did something completely stupid?  (Even though that's kind of the point, sometimes I felt a little less than available in that realm.)

Back In The Saddle

For those of you who follow my blogs regularly, you've seen a lot of changes since I moved to LA. My blogs have become less frequent, languid, and at times outright morose. It's indicative of how moving here has affected me.

It's been difficult to say the least, and although I knew it would be, I still couldn't have prepared myself for it. 

To be honest, I have censored quite a bit of my struggles since getting here, partially because many of them are personal (i.e. not acting related) and partially because I am a private person. That said, I've also shared a lot more than I was comfortable with so that you could see behind the curtain, even when things aren't rosy and fun.

When To Say No

Ever been so paralyzed by exhaustion that you didn't move from one place for a long period of time?

Ever cried for so many days in a row that your eyes looked permanently puffy?

Ever had dreams about your day job?

Ever needed to take a personal day off from a commitment because you were at your ropes end?

I am at this point now. It sucks.

Every few months or so I take on too many projects, too many hours at work, and I end up burning myself out. I stop calling my family, I let my emails pile up, and I become testy. 

This is not a good place to be. I tend to have a hard time saying no.

"No I can't pick up your shift." "No I can't meet you there." "No I can't rehearsal 3 hours a day, 4 days a week, for a month - unpaid."

Extra Special

A couple of weeks ago, I had my first chance to be a television extra!

I was never briefed as to how much I am allowed to divulge about the process before the episode airs, so I will have to be tragically vague. The photo here is of an outfit that I was never on screen in, so it will have to serve as your hint as to what show it is. (Guess in the comments!)

What I can say about the experience is that I learned a ton!

A Store for Hiring Actors

Funny story:

I met a young man last week who, upon hearing I am an actress, said this:

"I want to be an actor! How do I do I get that job?"

"Well, you go down to the ACTORS FOR HIRE store front and turn in an application..." I answered smoothly.

"Excellent! Do they have a Portland branch?"

If only he had been joking, his delivery was spot-on. Unfortunately, he was sincere. He wanted to know where he could go sign up to be an actor.

Oh, don't we all wish it were that easy?

A Great Tool for Actors: Inspiration Boards

Inspiration boards (or mood boards) are essentially a collage of images or text put together to help inspire you creatively. They are really useful when you are feeling static and need to be reinvigorated in some way. I personally use them to aid in building the character of the roles I play.

I am currently deep in rehearsals on my latest endeavor "Learn to Be Latina" in which I am playing the lead role. My character, Hanan, is a budding pop star who doesn't quite know who she is as she enters that maniacal world of the recording industry.

As actors, it's our job to bring the writer's text to life. I created the inspiration board above to reflect the feeling, mood, style and whimsy that Hanan encompasses through my eyes. She has so many layers and goes through so much during the course of the play that I felt the need to harness all of her qualities in a tangible way. I look at the board before I go to rehearsals and refer to it frequently as I delve deeper into developing her psyche.

Web Series Recommendations

I found out that one of my web series, Hillaree the Hillbilly, was being listed on IMDB this week... very exciting news!

I know I've mentioned some of my other favorite online series here before, and I wanted to ask you guys for suggestions on new web projects that I should check out. What are your favorite web series?

A few of mine, in no particular order:

- Emma Caulfield's Bandwagon
- Jane Espenson's Husbands
- Very Mary Kate

More updates after the link...!

Negotiations

 

Quick piece today. I'm just curious about the reaction to a conversation I had a few weeks ago that flies in the face of many things I've heard from professional actors.

I was talking to someone who has been pretty successful in the San Francisco acting market and he told me something I haven't heard many people say before: Don't accept a part immediately, always negotiate for more money.

Life Lessons I Learned My First Week of Working In A Restaurant

As I've said before, being a server is going to make me into a fabulous actress. I'm sure of it! Here's stuff I encountered and learned from this week.

1) Have strong intentions. Often I found myself second guessing myself. "Should I get the ketchup now or later?" "Should I drop dessert menus now or in a few minutes." Make a choice and DO IT.

2) Don't make empty promises. This is in the same family as the last one. If someone orders a drink, go to the computer to put it in, and then go straight to the bar to pick up the drink. Most likely, if you don't get that beverage right away, you will forget about it. Don't promise them a diet coke and then bring it 10 minutes later. 

Under the Catwalk

This Tuesday October 25th, Last Man Standing, starring Tim Allen, will air it’s fourth episode on ABC, and yes, I’m on it!

Check out the make-up and  hair!

Having done a wee bit of stand up comedy, I get it.

A sit-com is a twenty something minute teleplay composed of killer jokes, that are played throughout a situation driven plot line, by an array of archetypal characters, seen through a multi-camera perspective.

I grew up on sit-coms; The Cosby Show, Night Court, Cheers, Growing Pains and ironically, Home Improvement.

I still want a taste of that white frosted strawberry cake Doctor Huxtable gave Claire on her 49th birthday.

The American sit-com was one of the ways my parents spent time with us. It also helped them understand the social culture of a country they did not experience in their teenage years.

I know, it sounds very Leave it to the Boob Tube, but it will be satisfying to see another great sit-com bring today’s post-modern families, who are insatiably distracted by multi-media, together. Face to face, breathing the same air at the same time.

I’m excited. I’m scared. I hope...I wonder...I think...I feel, so many things. And I learned so many things, under the catwalk.

How to Punch a Wall

I am going to talk about something very important.

Wall Punching.

Even the best of us find ourselves overcome with the sudden furious and immature urge to beat the crap out of something.  To avoid getting hit back, we turn to inanimate objects.  Pillows, stuffed animals and couch cushions are the frequent and obvious victims of these erratic bursts of outrage - not only are they void of any offensive skills, they are weak on the defense as well.  Being completely soft and plush, the hitter suffers no repercussions. 

There are times, however, when a person becomes consumed with a mighty rage he or she needs to release in the form of sucker punching, but finds his or herself out of range of anything cushy.  What happens next might seem like an act of pure idiocy, but it is, in fact, a deep expression of frustration, excess testosterone and/or inebriation.  

Why does a person hit a wall, you may ask?

Help Me Find My Dance Home

I’m on the path to being a dancer again, but I need your help!

Even before getting injured, I was never a big fan of ballet. Tap, jazz and theater dance were much more up my alley. But my lack of ballet training was always evident in my dancing. I’m convinced that lack of technique was a big contributing factor to my injury.

Since I was starting over again anyway, I decided why not do it the right way this time? I have been going to 2-3 ballet classes a week for almost 3 months now. At first, I forced myself through the ballet with constant reminders of how important it is for me. But as I started to gain back some dancer confidence, and just allow my body to take it all in, it became less of a struggle and more enjoyable.

That part of my brain is starting to defrost a bit, and my dancer muscles are slowly but surely re-engaging. Thankfully, I am starting to feel less like a beginner and more like dance and I are getting reacquainted. 

But even though ballet and I are friendly now, I’m still left wanting more. At this level, ballet class is almost all technique work. I’ve had few opportunities to completely let go. To just be on the dance floor. I guess that’s why I am feeling a constant pull to get back into tap and jazz classes. 

Castable Demographics

Where did all the theater parts for my demographic go?

Lots of things about the business of acting is hard, but this is not usually one of them. I am listed on Actors Access and Breakdown Cervices as a caucasian male able to play 18-39ish. For movies, obviously that range shrinks a bit, but for stage, I could probably pull off even older or younger.

Now, have you ever heard a young white man with a wide age range complain that there aren't enough parts for his type written? No. You haven't. And if you have, that young white man deserves a nice whack upside the back of his young white skull. There are more parts written in film and theater for my demographic than just about any other. It aint fair, and if and when it changes, I'll be happy for society. But on a disgustingly selfish level, this should be good for me, right?

Lez-Be-Honest

I have a big challenge ahead of me. I've booked the lead role in "Learn To Be Latina", a play that will open at San Diego's Diversionary Theatre on November 19th. To say that I'm a bundle of nerves and excitement is an understatement. The dialogue is wordy, the momentum of the comedy is very quick-paced and I'm on the stage for 99% of the full-length play. Phew.

The play itself is laden with farcical, sardonic humor as well as 80's references that make my inner child nostalgic. Within the farce is a strong social commentary which is smart and honest. The icing on the cake: I'm playing a pop star! A pop star on a meteoric rise to fame and fortune. A pop star who happens to be Lebanese. A pop star who also happens to be...a lesbian.

Distractions

Not that this isn't true of any large city, but Los Angeles seems to have so many more distractions than other cities I've lived in or visited. Is it the people? Is it the weather? Is it the film industry?

I think it's all of the above.

Don't get me wrong - I do love distractions. The problem is that distractions zap my focus from my career and channel my energies elsewhere. Obviously there's an important balance to be struck between career and taking time for yourself, but right now that balance is skewed away from my career.

Here are a few of the things currently pulling my attention away from focusing on acting:

- Basketball: I'm currently playing in a basketball game on Wednesday nights organized by a bunch of screenwriters here. These guys actually move the ball around, passing, setting screens, and playing organized ball even though it's not a league game. For those of you who play recreationally, you know how hard it is to find a game where people do more than just shoot the ball every time they touch it. It makes for a much more interesting and enjoyable game. While I only play Wednesdays, I've been going to the outdoor courts near me more frequently to shoot around in prep for Wednesday nights.

The Actor-vist

A big rumble has been going on all over the world! I'm watching videos on YouTube of people in New York being arrested just because they are trying to close their bank accounts.

People are rallying in Taiwan, Italy, France, the UK, New York, DC, Chicago! It's wild!

And I certainly don't think any of the world leaders today are going to be able to quiet this rumble by walking over to their balconies and shouting out, "Let them eat cake!"

The irony is, if the unemployment rate wasn't so high, would people even have the time off to be protesting at all? Actors make a living from protesting, in a way.

We give a voice and a physical manifestation to those who otherwise would not be heard. If I was living full-time in New York today, my ass would be on Wall Street right now.

But I'm not.

However that doesn't mean I can't be a part of the voice that started in New York and has spread worldwide.

On set, I was handed this list in a hard copy email form, from one actor-vist to another. Please note that I did not create this list. I don't know who did, but I found it very alarming. And felt the need to share.

It starts below and ends with a quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes. Jr.

" So You Hate to Pay Taxes? Well, since you do not like taxes or government, please kindly do the following.

Make Your Own Magic

I have a strongly held belief that every actor should, at some point,  produce their own projects. The education you get from "doing it all"- the casting, the writing, the hiring of crew, the promoting, the fundraising, on and on, is invaluable. I should know...

Since December of last year I have been producer (and co-star) on a webseries that has yet to make me a dime.

And I wouldn't change a thing.

I mean, don't get me wrong: I would LOVE to make money on this project. And I know it is very close to making a profit. But with the exception of this one tiny details, I have loved every single moment.

Haunted Sunshine Girl is basically Paranormal Activity meets Gilmore Girls. I laid out all the details of how the series came to be in a recent blog post for Showfax. The point of this blog isn't what the show is or isn't...just that I love doing my own projects! And you might too...