LA Voice Over Class

For those of you out in sunny LA -- Mandy Kaplan is the real deal. If you want to do voice overs she's the gal to teach you. As always, if you study with someone I recommend please tell them I sent you, it's the highest compliment teachers can give one another. (And let me know what your experience was, so I can keep my recommendations up-to-date and fresh.) Here is Mandy's class invite:

Hello all,

November was a very exciting month for my students.

3 New Bookings including a TV Commercial, Corporate Narration and an Animation Project!

I am such a proud mama bird!

Here's what those students have said:

"I'd had just TWO private coachings with Mandy before I booked a job. If that isn't a testament to her very effective and insightful teaching methods, I don't know what is! I got immediate results and can't wait to "fine tune" with her even more". - Katie Dietz (Commerce Casino TV)

"Mandy took me from wishful thinker to working professional, guiding me through the process with smart, incisive notes and an encouraging approach. After my classes with Mandy, I felt ready to compete in the voiceover world because she taught me the tools I need to really engage with the copy. A whole new, exciting world has opened up for me thanks to Mandy"! - Sandra Payne, (just booked narrator of Glidden Paint Industrial)

Many commercial voice over classes are 6-8 weeks, making a very simple process complicated, expensive and time consuming. In the "Master Your Read" workshop you will gain the skills and confidence to launch your commercial voice over career in one session!

You will learn:

* How to make strong, effective choices when approaching copy
* Basic mic technique and booth etiquette
* The do's and don'ts of demos
* Where and how to market yourself

Class size is limited to 6 students, so that each student will get one-on-one coaching and valuable time in front of the microphone. You will walk away knowing what sets you apart from the rest. You will "Master Your Read."

The next Workshop is Saturday, January 17th at 12pm
@ a studio in Burbank.
Email or Call for details and to reserve you spot:
Mandy
mandykaplan.vo@gmail.com
310-849-1092

Jack Plotnick's Workshop in NYC

Hey folks, Jack is back in town. Here are the details for his workshop. As always, if you attend please tell him I sent you -- and tell me what you think of his class!
-Sheila

Greetings Friends!

Here is the OFFICIAL INVITE to Jack Plotnick's Acting Workshop in Manhattan!
There are only 5 workshops, so they will fill up FAST!


RSVP at acting.workshop1@gmail.com for a performing slot NOW!
Assume you HAVE A SLOT unless you are told otherwise. Thanks!

You will receive a reminder email around 4 days before your workshop.

Please let me know immediately if you need to cancel!
If you cancel without 24 hour notice, you will be responsible for
the fee unless I find someone to take the slot.


THE WORKSHOPS:
Tue. Dec. 2nd from 2-5pm
Wed. Dec. 3rd from 6-9pm
Thu. Dec. 4th from 6-9pm
Fri. Dec. 5th from 2-5pm
Sat. Dec. 6th from 2-5pm


The cost is as follows:
$35 for your first workshop
$30 for all consecutive workshops

Class size is limited to just 11 people per 3 hour workshop.

You may come and watch as many workshops as you'd like for FREE; no
reservation needed - plus if there is a no-show you could take their spot!

Location: NEW DANCE GROUP

305 West 38th Street (at 8th Ave.)

My workshop is designed to help you ACE ANY AUDITION FOR FILM AND TELEVISION.

There's nothing to prepare. Just show up and I'll give you sides to
read, or you can bring anything you're working on.

If you are coming, it is highly suggested that you read my FREE online book:
"New Thoughts for Actors" at: www.JackPlotnick.com


PLEASE feel free to SPREAD THE WORD!

Looking forward!

Jack

Internship At Ars Nova

Hey everybody! The folks at the Nova have been very, very good to me. It's a great space. You need to be willing to work and work and work, have lots of energy, and be a good team player. Totally worth it. Let me know if you apply!
-Sheila



Hello Friends and Colleagues -

Ars Nova's Internship Program has expanded and we are currently searching for three interns! As people who understand the unique style and energy of The Nova, I am hoping some of you will be able to make recommendations or pass this information along.

These are very hands on internships that offer up a chance to be part of a small but mighty team. We need motivated individuals, perhaps with a passion for the arts or the not-for-profit world, who want to join us in supporting this hive of emerging artists and all of the activity they create!

Below you'll find a link to the job posting on Playbill.com as well as the text itself and an attached Word doc that can be forwarded. Interested applicants should follow the guidelines for applying. Do not respond to this email.

Thanks for the continued support,

Jason

http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/24126.html

ARS NOVA INTERNSHIPS

Job Description


Ars Nova seeks Interns in the Artistic, General Management, and Marketing departments to assist with the administration and programming of a vibrant, eclectic theater. These internships offer a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in artistic development, management, promotion, and producing.

Artistic Intern

Responsibilities may include logging and tracking submissions; organizing show coverage; assisting with play readings and developmental workshops; evaluating submissions and attending productions; and general administrative support for the artistic staff.

This is a full-time position.

General Management Intern

Responsibilities may include assisting with day to day Front of House activities; organizational projects; maintaining artist contracts; drafting correspondence; special projects including research for union and individual contract negotiations, as well as legal and copyright issues; assistance in development efforts; and general administrative support.

This is a part-time position.

Marketing Intern

Responsibilities may include updating web content and social networking sites, light photo and video editing, audience and marketing research, proofreading and editorial work, and viral marketing projects. Interests or involvement in web design, blogs, writing, promotion, and/or NYC arts, tech, and social communities preferred.

This is a part-time position.

The ideal candidates must have strong organizational and communication skills; strong writing skills; excellent attention to detail; the ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously; proficiency in Word and Excel. Some evening availability is necessary.

Spring internships begin in January, summer internships begin in early June and fall internships begin in early September. There is some flexibility in start dates. Weekly stipend or college credit available,

As New York’s premier hub for emerging artists and new work, Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing eclectic theater, comedy and music to feed today’s popular culture. To that end, Ars Nova strives to create daring collaborations, meld disciplines and give clear voice to a new generation of artists. Founded on the principle that a professional and safe environment where risk-taking is encouraged will cultivate a community of innovators, our fundamental mission is to reinvigorate the world of live performance by supporting smart, surprising new work from the next wave of emerging artists. Ars Nova was founded in memory of Gabe Wiener. For more information, visit arsnovanyc.com.

Application Deadlines


To be considered for the spring internship please submit a resume, cover letter and a letter of recommendation by December 1.

To be considered for the summer internship, please submit a resume, cover letter and a letter of recommendation by April 18.

To be considered for the fall internship, please submit your resume, cover letter and a letter of recommendation by May 15.

Interviews will be held for all positions in the month following the application deadline. Please email application materials to jobs@arsnovanyc.com

House-Sit in LA?

My friend Mandy is looking for someone nice and responsible to house-sit for her. Before I give you the details I have to encourage you to check out her website. She is a gal who really knows how to use the interweb to market herself. (Yes. I know interweb is not a word.) She rocks seriously hard. Check her out: www.meckystecky.com

OK, here are the details on the house-sittin' gig:

Patrick and I are traveling for Thanksgiving this year (God help us) and we are leaving behind our lovely two bedroom two bath house and our two doggies. Know any animal friendly people looking for a free place to shack up for the holiday?

Monday November 24th-Monday December 1st
Two bedroom house in Silverlake with yard, front porch, big screen TV, high speed internet, piano, guitars, movies, direct TV...a veritable funhouse. Also makes for a great writing retreat.

Two dogs, one small beagle/dachsund, one large german shephard, need to be walked and fed twice a day.

If your guests are from out of town and need a car, we're happy to loan them a car for their visit. Especially if they manage to keep our dogs alive while we're gone.

Let me know if anyone needs a change of scenery and some puppy love for the week. Thanks a bunch!!!

xo
Mandy
323-833-0385

Marla Schaffel Class

Material from Marla Schaffel's E-Mail about her class. As always, if you study with someone I recommend please tell them I sent you -- and let me know what you think of their class!
I hope you're all well,
Sheila

Are you ready to move yourself forward?
Ready to be challenged?
Ready to work toward greatness?
Let's mine your untapped potential together.

Weekly Performance Classes with Marla Schaffel

Marla Schaffel is beginning weekly performance classes for actors/dancers/singers. Work directly with this Tony award nominee and winner of the Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle awards - all for outstanding leading actress in a musical.

Marla’s vast experience, as well as her Juilliard Drama Division training, offers the student a uniquely broad class experience. She will assist you with all technique issues, performance skills and emotional challenges you are bound to encounter on your journey in this unpredictable and exciting business.

The focus of your work will be up to you. Taking risks will be the goal!
"Marla is an inspired and organic actress who brings her compassion, knowledge, and humor to her teaching work. You will blossom with Marla's guidance!"
- Victoria Clark - Tony winning star of "Light in the Piazza"

Marla Schaffel Class Information

* You create your own curriculum! Bring in any material you choose for whatever purpose. Prepare for upcoming auditions or develop your repertoire – songs, sides or monologues. (Scene study class will be offered in the future.)

* To ensure your sense of safety, all activity in the class will be considered strictly confidential.

* The class will be held in six week cycles during which we will gather once a week for three hours.

* The price of the class is $425.

* Classes are held every Tuesday from 2pm - 5pm

* Location : 225 West 106th Street #8E

* No student substitutions at this time.

* For further info, please phone or email Marla at 646 698 2685 or
marlaschaffelclass@earthlink.net

Momma Said There Would Be Days Like This

Last week I went to an on-camera audition for a commercial. I waited one hour and fifteen minutes to go in. The casting director spent 20 minutes "directing" us -- telling us that we should feel free to "play with the script" and not worry about memorizing. She repeated this information about 25 times. I memorized the script anyway, then focused on the talking points so I could make sure I'd hit them when I went in and started improvising for the director.

When I finally got into the room and got to do the take the director immediately stopped me when I said, "Hey, what's up?" instead of "Hey, how's it going?"

"Can we please stick to the script?" he said.
"Sure, sorry. I thought we were supposed to improvise," I said.
"Yes, but let's see the script first," he said, sounding weary. As if he had been saying it to actors all day long, hour after hour. I wondered why the casting director wasn't listening to the director. I think she was focused on jonesing for a cigarette.

So I went back to the script, even though there was no cue card in the room.

The guy I was auditioning with had to jog in place while I spewed info at him about some new cable TV option -- I was also running in place. I had a lot to say. Running and talking, running and talking.

The guy got all the direction, and it was suddenly very clear I was somehow not right for the part. But we did take after take after take anyway. Running and talking, running and talking. When we left the room, I was proud that I wasn't breathing heavily or dripping with sweat. I had maintained composure even though I was pissed off and disappointed in this total waste of time. As we were leaving the actor guy looked at me and complained that he was exhausted. I kicked him in the nuts and went home.

Not really.

But I wanted to. Instead I went out and had a cup of coffee and remembered that it's not usually so stupid out there. Not exactly. Not always. But sometimes it is.

And that's a part of the job. Glamorous, no?

And They're Gone!

So, um, those cabinets? Already taken. Wow. Gotta move quick like a bunny in this town, huh?

Kitchen Cabinets, Anyone?

A friend of mine hates to see these fab cabinets go to waste. If you're interested, tell her I sent you. Here's the info:

I recently moved out of my old apartment/office on 30th Street, and the landlord is going to gut the place. Thousands were spent on renovating my small kitchen, and it's now going to be scrapped. I hate to think of my cabinets just going to waste. They were from Home Depot and are quite nice. Do you know of anyone who could use them? The catch is, you have to physically remove them from the wall and take them away by the end of this weekend.

I've enclosed photos of the 5 cabinets, which are still in great shape. They are light maple, hang individually and can be used in any configuration.
The 2 corner glass cabinets are 18" wide. They're 12" deep at each side and go to 18" deep at the corners.
The middle glass cabinet is 18" wide and 12" deep. The three cabinets side by side (as seen) span about 58" from wall to wall.
The slim wood cabinet is 6" wide and 12" deep. (The photos show flower tile decorations that are no longer there.) These cabinets are all 36" high.
The 2-door wood cabinet is 24" wide by 12" deep by 18" high.

It would be great if I can get $100 for them, but if someone can't afford it, or if it's for charity, I would give them for free.

best,
Patrice

Contact e-mail:
PattiD5@aol.com
patricedonnell@gmail.com

Take It Off

Hey folks. I'm sure by now that all of you who can vote have registered. Just wanted to remind you that you can't wear any political buttons or t-shirts or any of that stuff to the polls. They will turn you away and you could lose your chance to have your voice heard. So take it off. Take it all off. Then go do your civic duty.

Rock on.

Audition Coach

Many of you have e-mailed me about audition coaches. And, amazingly, some folks think they don’t need a coach. Here’s the deal, if you’ve been sent out by an agent on several auditions and you’re not getting callbacks, you need a coach. Don’t skimp, it’s your career.

I highly recommend Jay Russell, he’s got a great acting resume -- having done everything from contemporary, classical and musical theater (B’way, Off-B’way and National tours) to film and television.

You can contact him at 917-664-9708 or e-mail at JARUW113@aol.com

Tell him I sent you!

Call For Short Solo Works

I got this e-mail and thought I'd pass it on to you, I think it sounds kind of cool. Let me know if you apply.
-Sheila

Call for Entries

As part of our development program, Artistic New Directions will host a Works-in-Progress of Solo Short Works at Shetler Studios, Theatre 54. Artistic New Directions is a not-for-profit company that supports, assists and encourages performing artists and their projects.

These solo shows should be polished, off book, ideally with a director attached, and enough along in their development that a public audience viewing will be helpful. Any genre…..comedy, polished sketch, clown work, storytelling, monologues, character pieces, etc. are welcome. Maximum running time for an individual performance is 10 minutes. These pieces can be stand alone or part of a longer version. If part of a longer version, they need to be coherent in their shorter form. In another words, they need to make sense for an audience not seeing the whole play.

Works in Progress is a bare bones presentation, i.e., minimum set pieces and light cues. Theatre 54 is a black box. There is a CD player. There is no storage at the theater and you will be responsible for any props and set pieces.

The dates are as follows: December 1, 2, 3 (Monday – Wednesday), with a possible tech rehearsal on Sunday, November 30.

Each entry will perform twice over the three nights.

There will be a meeting for all participants on Thursday, November 6th.

Please email proposed material to ANDJanice@aol.com along with any specific questions.

Proposals should include:
* a description of the project, including an estimated running time;
* the script (or what serves as the script)

* bios of currently involved artists (performer, writer and/or director)
* history of the project's development;

* contact information including phone number and email

Please include a contact person to serve as "producer/project liaison”. This person will be responsible for communications between your project and AND.

Deadline for submissions is October 10.

The originator of an accepted piece is responsible for delivering the finished piece, of overseeing his/her/their own show. Artistic New Directions will facilitate wherever possible. We cannot provide rehearsal space (though we wish we could).

We do welcome and encourage any performer to take advantage of our regular Anything Goes/open rehearsal on Wednesday nights at the 78th St. Theatre Lab.

Artistic New Directions will provide the performance venue and technical staff.

Visit www.artisticnewdirections.org

Hey There

Hello my wonderful former students.

I’ve been enjoying facebooking, e-mailing and having a cup of coffee with you here and there.

I’m still not back at AMDA yet, and I sure am starting to miss the classroom. On the other hand, I’ve been writing for my character Sandra O’Day and gearing up to do shows again. I hope to pull off a once-a-month type of performance beginning late fall/early winter. (www.sandraoday.com)

And I’ll need your help. So please check this blog weekly if you can. (I can tell from an analytic program I have that I get about one hit on this blog a month. So I know that’s not covering much.)

I’ve found that sending out a group e-mail often leads to mail bouncing back, because my list is too big and many e-mail programs think I’m spamming. And when I break my e-mail into groups it takes much longer, plus mail still gets bounced back.

So do me a favor.

Check in.

Stay in touch.

And if I give you my number call me. Please don’t give me your number and wait for me to call you. That just gives me work to do, know what I mean? The ball is in your court. And I love stopping into a Starbucks between appointments – coffee? Oh, yes. I'll buy you a cup as long as you don't buy that complicated frozen crap. Get an ice cream!

I was thinking back to when I first got out of school. I spent my first four months hiding in my apartment during a heat wave watching CNN. And I was really, really poor. Sad times, but hilarious.

So, for those of you totally freaking out wondering, “Cheese and crackers what do I do NOW?” I can only assure you – you’re on the right path.

Really. Trust me.

I’ll be posting internship notices, class information, news, and other great opportunities as they come in.

All the best.

Web Design

My friend Michael Alan Wells builds a great site. He just built my site for my ex-con motivational speaker character, Sandra O'Day -- www.sandraoday.com -- and he's done many, many others.

He will also be the person to build SheilaHead.com -- I'm compiling the elements right now. His rates are reasonable, and I can forward a rate sheet to you if you're interested. (His most basic design being $300 - $400 bucks. Not bad!) Keep in mind you have to provide your own domain name and host. He can even walk you through that if you need him to.

Check out his site at michaelalanwellls.com

Hope you are all well. As always, feel free to drop a line at teachersheila@aol.com

Spam Blockers

Hello Everybody,

Long time. So much for that "I'm gonna post every week" thing I was shooting for. But after Labor Day, I'll be back in the saddle, posting weekly or at least bi-weekly. For now, I just have to give you a heads-up about some of your e-mail accounts. If you have hotmail or msn or any other microsoft based e-mail application my e-mails from teachersheila@aol.com aren't getting through. So check your spam folders, or check the blog here, or dump hotmail and go g-mail. Or something.

Big things coming up.

More on that later. Wishing all of you a great summer -- what we have left of it. Enjoy it!

John's Book

OK, I like to post every week. I like to observe and write clever things and try to make sense of it all and apply it somehow to being an artist. But a crazy person just spit in my hair.

Spit. In. My. Hair.

You can read all about that event at www.sandraoday.blogspot.com

In the meantime, I'm going to flat-out steal from my brilliant friend John Clancy. This is from his blog, which I really think you should read -- and he posts every week day. EVERY WEEK DAY. Now that's something. His is the "Scrappy Jack ..." link on the right.

Folks, meet John Clancy:

I've been working on an Acting Textbook for awhile now. Thanks to the Riders of Rowan, I had some time in the trenches with young American actors last year.

Most of the training they were getting was the same confused, dishonest horse-shit I got 25 years ago.

Not the fault of their teachers, either. Just the lack of clarity and definition in the field.

Here's a section from the beginning of the book, any and all comment is welcome.


A Simple Test

You need a performance space for this test. So if you’re not in one right now, go find one before you read the rest of this. Ideally it’s an old proscenium space, raised stage, wings, etc. but any space will do.

Stand offstage left. Breathe a little bit with your eyes on the stage. Get a good base and walk to stage center. Stand there. Then walk stage right until you get into the wings.

What happened to you, physically, when you were out there? Did your spine lengthen, did your breath slow down, did you feel a tingle in your palms and on your thighs? Did your vision get sharper? Anything?

If you didn’t have a physical reaction, not a mental or emotional one, (this test isn’t about thoughts or feelings, it’s about what happened to your body when you were in the charged space of the stage), if you didn’t feel the charge, then you’re not an actor. Maybe you’re a director or a writer or a producer or a designer or an agent. We need everyone on this ship. Maybe you’re an architect who will go out and make money and come back and give it to the theater. But if you didn’t feel the clarity and the potential and the current that exists on the stage, then you’re not home. Actors need to be home when they’re standing there in front of folks. It’s the only way they’ll have the courage and humor and strength to do the work out there.

Serious People Doing Serious Jobs

Watch how a scientist moves in the laboratory. Watch the way a soldier patrols a street in Falluja. No wasted movements. No wavering focus. No sighing and flopping about. Now watch most actors on our stages.

You see the problem?

The three cancers of American stage acting are subtlety, informality and lack of courage. The last one is different from fear. Courage is not the opposite of fear, courage is what you wish for when you have fear. Courage isn’t possible without fear. I’m not saying that American stage actors need to get rid of their fear, on the contrary, they need to seek it out and dance with it every night. What they need is more courage.

Again, watch a professional doing a physical job. Watch a paramedic checking someone’s pulse. Watch a cop patting someone down. You’ll see focus, you’ll see efficiency, you’ll see no wasted energy. The important thing is, you’ll see no tension. They are relaxed and engaged. If you’re out there under the lights pretending to be Romeo in front of a bunch of silent strangers and you’re tense or worried or stiff, you need to stop right there and breathe. And then say the lines and listen to them while they come out of your mouth. And then eyeball whoever’s pretending to be Juliet and look at her or him, not at “Juliet”. Human to human, simple, two people doing a job.

Base and Pace

The Audience Already Speaks English (Your Job is Not to Express the Meaning of the Words, Your Job is to Say the Words)

Have you ever heard anyone say something like “this wine is delightful” and their voice gets all weird and high on “delightful”? Or “He was a horrid man.” And again, their voice gets all shuddery and low and weird on “horrid”? What do you think of these people? What’s your first, base reaction?

It’s probably something close to:

What a fucking phony. What a fake.

That’s what the audience feels when you get all emotive on a good play, or a bad play for that matter. Mamet calls it the school of Funny Voices. Stop emoting. You’re already “emoting” whatever that means, as soon as you speak. You’re an emotional being. We all are.

When You're The Piñata, Give 'em Candy

I had a chance to work with a really great guy last week. His name is Todd. We booked a radio spot together, and it was a fairly straightforward script. But there were more than a few people directing us and Todd was taking the brunt of the contradictions. One person would tell him to do it one way, then the second person would tell Todd he missed this or that and would totally redirect him. Then the first person would redirect him again, and it went on and on like that. And it wasn’t as if the “directors” were battling between themselves in the control room, they just didn’t understand that they didn’t want the same thing, and couldn’t figure out why they weren’t getting what they wanted from the actor.

Meanwhile, the actor was trying very hard to please two contradicting directors. Todd was basically being a piñata. They just kept hitting him with more and more contradicting ideas, and he kept giving them candy.

Now, frequently, the actor in the “piñata” position would be rolling his or her eyes, getting snarky and making faces at the other actor, silently screaming, “Can you believe these idiots.” Personally I don’t like working with people like that. They make me feel uncomfortable and I think it makes them look like an ass. True, it’s hard to keep your cool when it’s so obvious that the clients either don’t know what they want, or don’t know how to communicate what they want. But it’s your job to do what you’re told, and if asked, help the client figure out how to define their direction. Usually, the people who do the impatient eye-rolling thing are people who don’t work that much. They have an idea in their head of how it should be, versus how things really tend to work. I often want to say, “Folks, you’re being paid to read. Buck up. It’s not like you’re digging holes during a heat wave.”

But Todd is a pro. He knows how good he has it. He makes fantastic money by talking. He’s been doing it for years, and quite frankly, this kind of thing happens all the time. During our session he was patient, he always did what they wanted, and he never got ruffled. Instead, when we were between takes while they were figuring things out in the control room, we talked about life stuff -- his son who’s in high school, our houses, our spouses -- and we had a great time. And when it was time to do another take, we did it. No attitude, just did our job.

Two days later they called us back to do a rerecord because of a mistake that had nothing to do with us, and we did it all again.

Class act, that Todd.

Inner Circle

Last week, on Wednesday, a member of my inner circle made it to Broadway.

Now, I’ve had friends on the Great White Way before, and certainly some of my colleagues are up there on a regular basis. But this, my friends, is inner circle. Rob is my best friend since I was 12 years old. We survived Texas together. He busted his ass to graduate from Julliard. We lived together in the summers up in Syracuse where I was going to school and we painted houses to try and pay our rent. We were really poor. We ate Army rations a friend had sent me as a joke when we ran out of money and food. We graduated from our glorious institutions and dove right into student loans and the hustle of making things work. Rob applied for and received a Fullbright scholarship (!) and then he went to work and teach in Colombia, South America for almost 10 years. (And when he went there he didn’t speak Spanish, he had to learn when he got there.)

He came home from South America, and many of his friends from school were already working at a very visible level. And he had to work, really, really hard to get back up to speed here in the USA. Very hard. Blood sweat and tears soul-busting hard.

And now he’s going to be on Broadway. He’ll be covering the lead in The 39 Steps, and I hope like hell he gets to go on sometime in July or August. (He’ll have at least 6 months to go on, but I want to see him up there NOW!) I can’t wait. He’s amazing, he’s brilliant and he’s where he’s supposed to be.

My best bud is stepping into the light -- and it feels so good.

Boomerang

I don’t know what’s in the air, but recently I’ve reacquainted with some folks I had worked with in my past. Back then, I found these people to be unbelievable successful. They made a lot of money, they had big, important jobs and fancy apartments and they basically made me wish I were more like them. They seemed somehow more together. More professional. Better than I was.

I was always running around to auditions and scrambling to make money and fighting tooth and nail to make my art. Where they were savvy, I was scrappy. They were smooth, I was rough and always wearing the wrong clothes. They were “there” in the land of “made it” -- and I was always looking in the window wondering what they were eating and if I would ever be that successful.

You might know the feeling I’m talking about.

Fast-forward to today, me meeting these folks again, having a cup of coffee and talking about what’s gone down in the past 15 to 20 years or so. And while I sit there and listen to them I realize how wrong I was to compare myself to them. How being envious of them was a complete and total waste of time.

They had all the stuff that I thought I wanted, sure, but they didn’t know what they were doing any more than I did. And because they were so busy trying to keep what they had, they never stuck their necks out. They just stuck.

A couple of the people I’ve reacquainted with are a friggin’ MESS. Not all of them, certainly, but some of them -- sheesh! They better send up a flair and hope for a life boat.

And here’s my overextended, blown-out metaphor for the entire experience:

When I was in my twenties, those friends of mine seemed like fancy, exotic, ascot-wearing heirs to the universe with perfect bodies who went to all the best parties and crapped money and pissed good luck. And they never understood why I stressed out about paying my bills.

I, on the other hand, was like a feral hillbilly who had to figure out how the hell to get around the jungle of Gotham with just my knife made out of goat bone and a weensie bottle of moonshine. (And a big stupid-looking straw hat.)

I learned the lay of the land from the inside out, a very messy hands-on process, because I had to. They stayed on the glossy outside of things because they could.

And some of them don’t know their way around anymore. And know what? I feel as bad for them now as I did for me then, which is arrogant I know, but it’s true.

I hope they remember what it is they really want to do. All that maintaining the picture seems to have taken away the want and the dream.

Have faith, kids. Those people who make you green with envy only look good on the outside. Do your thing. Follow your heart.

It’s the only thing that really matters.

Check Your E-Mail

OK, for those of you who took my "Business of the Business" class you'll remember how I'm always saying, "check your e-mail, check it -- CHECK IT!" Well, my commercial agents have started sending on camera auditions via e-mail, and I didn't check it until just now -- and boy howdy do I have to do some serious schedule shuffling right now to make tomorrow work. Just sayin' is all!

Monkeys

OK. So yesterday I’m at this on-camera commercial audition, and I’m out in the waiting room and it seems to be moving really, really slowly. Then, when the group that had been auditioning finally comes out, they all look completely freaked out and frazzled. I peek in the audition room, and sure enough, there she is. The casting director. Let’s call her Claudette. I know her, and seeing that she’s running the session explains why it’s running so late and why everyone who comes out of the audition looks shell-shocked.

Claudette is nice enough, she has a certain flair, but she’s also very temperamental. And she really doesn’t care too much about time. At least not yours.

My group goes in. And Claudette is really, really directing us. Not the typical short, quick, “I want more this less of that,” kind of commercial directing -- oh, no. She’s digging in.

We do a take. She talks for about ten minutes, then we do another take. This goes on and on. The voices in my head start screaming all at once. I don’t know which is worse, Claudette talking about Orwell, Beckett and existentialism at an audition for a commercial, or the monkeys screaming in my brain.

Finally, I decide to take action in the only place I can. In my head. I silence the chatty voice in my mind that keeps saying, “Holy cow. Is she serious? Is she drunk? What the heck does she think this is?!” Then I silence the voice that keeps screeching, “There are probably 50 people out there right now wondering what is going on in here!” I even shut up the voice that is picking on me saying, “If you were any good she wouldn’t be directing you so hard.”

I give the monkeys bananas and I shut all those voices up.

And once I shut them up, I really concentrate on what the casting director is saying, and what she is trying to say. And I super-focus and hunker down and do exactly what she’s trying to get me to do. (Which I don’t totally agree with, but I’m the actor and she’s the director so I go with it. That’s my job, after all.)

And, once I stop the monkeys and focus I can tell she’s getting more of what she wants from me and we do take after take after take.

We spent at least 35 minutes on that commercial audition. I don’t know if I’ll get a callback, but at least I got a refresher course in commercial auditioning. And I also learned to quiet the brain monkeys. Now that’s something.

Sand Art

It’s been so good to hear from so many of you lately! It’s great to know that you’re well and finding your own paths in this nutty world.

Some of you wrote about being shy or embarrassed because you didn’t dive immediately into the professional acting thing, or may have found great joy in a different field altogether. Folks, we all have our different roads to what it is we are meant to do. Training as an actor prepares you for ANYTHING. You don’t have to be acting to be an artist. I’d love to hear from you no matter what you’ve found, and I know we can all learn from what you are discovering.

Here’s what I’ve discovered lately acting in the grad student production of NO EXIT:

What we do, as actors or anything really, is a whole lot like being one of those Tibetan monks who make sand art.

We spend a spectacular amount of time crafting a wonderful story, or beautiful work – and then we open the window and let the wind blow it to smithereens.

Each project we accomplish, whether it be a show, a day at the office, or even a well-made cappuccino (yes, I was a barista before it was cool) – each endeavor shimmers in the moment before it passes and is consumed by time.

And then we start over.

Doing the craft is what is important. It’s not what we get from it. It’s doing the thing and staying in the moment while we create.

What do we get out of it? I don’t know. It changes. Sometimes it’s just the satisfaction that we’ve done it and finished it before we let our minds race forward to THE NEXT BIG THING.

For right now, I’m staying in the here and now. (For a change.) Talk to me after Sunday, when we show our work for the first and only time to observers who don’t know the story.

Then I’ll move on to the next thing, whatever that may be. For now – I’m doing my job, and I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.

I hope you are all well.

No Exit Open Rehearsal

We're having an open rehearsal of No Exit at The New School this Thursday evening at 8pm in room 207. (April 10)

The New School is at 151 Bank St, near the old West Beth Theater, which is now the Bank St. Theater.

No lights, no costumes, just wooden blocks. It really is a rehearsal.

Right now run throughs are timing at about 1 hour and 35 minutes, we're hoping to take off 7 to 12 of those minutes.

If you can't make it, that's totally OK. Just wanted to let you know.

Oh, right. Process.

So I’ve been acting in this grad student project down at The New School. I posted about it a few weeks ago. At the time, I was really nervous about cramming all the lines into my head before we had to show it to the director’s class.

Since then I’ve had time to rehearse, study the script outside of rehearsal, and do the imagination work that one needs to do in order to fill out the character.

I’m getting really excited to do the gig, because now I’m enjoying the process. I can see things growing and changing and the picture is becoming clearer.

The first part of any project, writing, acting or otherwise -- the first part is always a mess. A big old chaotic, scary mess. For some reason I always forget this. I just dive in expecting results. But first you have to make a map. And that requires patience, time, and process. Beginning is a sticky process.

Once you get the initial work done, though, it starts to feel better. It might not be easier, but it feels better.

Funny how you learn some things again and again and again.

Be Seen

My question is how do we get in the door? With 400 other young non-equity girls at every audition, its a fight and struggle to be seen!

Yes, it is. But they key is to be seen. So, how do we do that?

1) You have to keep getting out there.

You have to get out there again and again and again. So much of this business is a matter of who can stay in and keep playing -- and we all know how frustrating that can be. But you have to get your butt up in the morning, make your bed, pay your bills, wash your dishes so you don’t get bugs and go out there and follow your dream.

It’s not always easy, often it’s hard. And sometimes it can be downright soul-busting.

But chances are, no one in your family is saying, “YOU HAVE TO BE AN ARTIST!” In fact, if your family is anything like my family they probably told you to pick something more “practical” or “easier.” Or said you should, “at least get a career to fall back on.”

My mother told me I’d make a great secretary. This was the 1980s. Then she asked me, “What are you going to do if you don’t make it as an actor?” At the time, Ronald Regan was president and John Paul the Second was Pope –- and both of them were former actors. So I told my mom if acting didn’t work out I’d be Pope or President.

You made the decision to work as an artist. Get up, get out there and keep doing it. You’ll be amazed at how determination and stick-to-it-ness can pay off.

2) You need to find/make opportunities to audition.

Audition as much as possible. Crack open that Backstage, read the audition boards at training programs, do the online casting sites -- get out there, do your auditions. Do audition seminars, take classes, participate in workshops, all that. Do it. You have to get good at auditioning. It’s all about auditions. A major casting director told me, “90% of actors don’t audition well.” Well, I don’t know about you, but if 90% of actors don’t audition well I’m going to put myself in the 10% range that kicks ass at auditions.

3) You need to perform.

Obviously practicing your auditioning can help you nab a gig. And if you’re lucky, that gig might allow you to ”really do your thing”, or maybe allow you to do something close to “your thing” – or maybe it’s just a job to put on your resume. Hey, a gig’s a gig.

But sometimes, you want people to see you the way you want them to see you. You have to show them what you do on your own terms.

You have to make your own show.

You have to pick material and pay for it, or write material, hire a director, rent rehearsal space, rent performance space, beg, borrow and steal your props and costumes and do a million other things you didn’t even know you had to do -- and then you put on a show! (Oh, and you have to get people to see the show.)

Sounds like a lot of work? It is! Doing your own show, especially if you’re developing your own material, is unbelievably challenging. It’s also immensely rewarding. It’s worth every second of hard work, because in the end you have created it. For better or worse, that show is your baby, your own little brain baby.

4) Maintain an online presence.

So many casting directors really love the computer -- they’ll ask, “are you on Youtube? I’ll check you out there.” I’m not kidding. So, as someone who needs to establish an online presence I say to you, “Uh, establish an online presence.” In all actuality I’m just shopping to get a website made. Oy.

5) Check your e-mail!

Cheese and crackers, check your e-mail every weekday at least once! And if you change your e-mail address you need to let people know! People can't see you if they can't find you.

6) Stay in there

Overall, you just need to stay in there. You won’t get in the door if you’re not knocking on it.

The Mighty Wallkill River

Hey everybody! We had some wacky weather up at the house this past week -- flooding and such. And while the river didn’t come into the house (Nice river! Good river!) it does take a great deal of time to put the contents of your house up on cinder blocks and tie down items in your yard.

That said, I’m catching up on memorizing lines this week and doing my taxes. So, if you write in with questions or comments or observations I’ll be sure to get back to you toot sweet.

Otherwise I won’t be the posting queen, I’m just playing catch-up.

From Superhero to Junkie

How do you prepare for an audition for a role that is so completely the opposite of who you are. I'm auditioning for a film student to come into their class and rehearse scenes from the film "Magnolia." I'm auditioning for Claudia, a disturbed woman who has a serious drug problem and who is completely high and a mess in the scene. How do I even begin to play a junkie? I am reluctant to go back and watch the actual film. Help!? thanks!

Well, I’m going to steal an answer from Jack Plotnick – not verbatim, but what I remember of what he says on his website. (More on Jack in a minute.)

Remember when you were a kid, and you pretended to be a superhero? You didn’t go all method actor, you grabbed a towel and used it as a cape and ran around jumping off furniture and you were a superhero! You know what a superhero is, you know how to play superhero. (www.jackplotnick.com)

So now you get to play junkie! Ah, how times change as we grow up. Look, I figure you’ve been hung over, right? Most likely? I’d start there and go with that. I also happen to know that you smoke, right? Uh-huh, you do. So don’t pretend like you have to research addiction. Any time you’re down to your last cigarette you’re thinking about buying your next pack.

It’s only as hard as we make it. Run out there and play.

Well, I’m back to memorizing lines for my existential hell! Enjoy your day!

The Kind of Problem You Want to Have

This came in from Spencer as a comment on the original post:

I had a rude awakening today. I started a job hosting at Becco on 46th. After about an hour I realized that I need to get out at least three times as much to audition. the "what am I doing?" question is answered for me by saying...not enough. MORE AUDITIONS.
p.s. Thanks Caitlin B. helping me to come to this realization. :)

Yeah, auditioning is important because basically we’re gamblers. Our job is to get out there and audition, even though we don’t get paid to audition. And then, even when we do get the job sometimes we don’t get paid very well -- if at all. But the more we put it out there the better our odds are for getting work. And the more work we get the better our chances are of getting paying work.

In the meantime, you have to make money, so you go to Becco or wherever it is and you do your money gig. And then you’ll find a really kooky new kind of predicament (other than trying to pay your bills.)

It goes like this … you’re at work for the man making dough, and you have to get away for an audition here and there. So the man is cool at first, but as you get more and more auditions the man (and you) get more and more stressed about you not being at work doing your money job.

Now, sooner or later you’re going to have this problem if you don’t already. Believe it or not, this is the kind of problem you want to have. Because, basically, you can hunker down and focus on the coins (and there is NOTHING wrong with that let me assure you) or you can go through the daily upset of “how do I make this kind of life work.”

It usually involves scheduling stress, switching jobs and finding some angel to work for who totally gets it. It’s often chaos. But you didn’t sign up for the arts gig to punch a time clock, did you?

Honestly, I often dream about having a “normal” job. Of having a desk, maybe an office or a cube that I can decorate with photos of kittens, knowing where I’ll be from 9 to 5, and knowing that at the end of the day work is OVER. I dream of a life where even if I don’t make art that makes a difference, at least I know a regular paycheck is coming. And then I see myself being happy at my job for a week or two, then totally setting the entire place on fire.

Wish I could do it, not sure I can. Know what I mean?

I Hear You!

OK, I can't believe how many of you responded so quickly! Great comments -- they're all really pertinent, so let's start with this one and I'll tackle more as soon. Here we go:

My new question that comes up every day is, WHY DON'T CASTING DIRECTORS HAVE ANY IMAGINATION!? The roles that I know I'm right for I'm not even being considered for.. As soon as I walk in the door I'm being put into the "showgirl" category. Which is all fine and dandy.. Just not what I'm good at. And not what I want to be seen as. I consider myself to be an average height, but with heels on I look like a giant. But they WANT to see girls in skirts and heels, right? AAAH! such a dilemna shouldn't be a dilemna.

Um. Yeah. You're thinking, "Boneheads," right? But nice boneheads who are just trying to do their job. Keep in mind you're just starting to get out there and these folks don't know you yet-- so they take one look at a pretty young woman who sings and has great gams and they think "I FOUND A HOT NEW SHOWGIRL!" Well, I know you, I know you're smart and funny and sharp as a tack and probably not a showgirl deep inside. If you can, try and enjoy being pretty and leggy enough to be a showgirl. Have faith that as you get to know these casting directors and they get to know you, they will start to see more of what you do. In the meantime, get good at faking the showgirl thing. Lots of biggies started out as showgirls, lots of my brilliant friends get work ($$$) as showgirls and honey, showgirl doesn't last forever. (Unless you're in Vegas and that's a whole different kind of thing.)

Also, casting directors have a different kind of imagination than we do. Just as we think, "Cheese and crackers why don't they see me the way I want to be seen ..." they are thinking, "Those nutty actors, why do they always want to be someone they're not?!" It takes time for them to see who we really are and what we can really do. They are going off first impressions and stereotypes when they don't know you. The important thing is to stick with it, keep auditioning and keep develop relationships with those casting directors.

Rock on.

Here We Go

Hey everybody! Here it is, finally, a blog just for us. For our questions, comments and observations. Here's a question I'm asking myself a lot lately -- what am I doing?! Not that I'm having a bad time, or that I don't enjoy my job, but do you ever get that feeling?

I've been doing commercials and teaching a little at AMDA, and I'm acting in a New School grad student production of No Exit. All good stuff. But sometimes, when I'm going over my lines trying to get them down and into my heart and let the words work their voodoo, I wonder what the heck I'm doing. Why would I want to play someone condemned to hell? (An existential hell to boot.) It's like I latched onto some idea of how cool the play is and how I've always wanted to play Inez and how she's hopeless and funny and pathetic and predatory all at the same time -- and then at midnight when the words don't stick I find myself thinking I'm a little nuts. Suddenly I'm doing the work and it's not as much fun as the idea. Been there?

OK all of you. I hope you participate here. Send in your questions, comments and observations and get in touch.

Also, when you get a chance check out www.sandraoday.blogspot.com. Sandra is an ex-con, motivational speaker with anger management problems. She's my alter ego, and writing that blog is starting to feel like I'm screaming into a well.

Rock on.