Tool + Expectation = Results

My acting life doesn’t consist of waiting at EPA calls, hoping an Equity member gets grazed by a pedicab on the way to her audition, enduring a slight injury (nothing she can’t bounce back from), but enough to put her out for the next few hours so that I can snag her audition slot which I will then proceed to flub up due to the fact that my warm up consisted of me sitting on a freezing floor for the past five hours, wearing shoes that I don’t like, overhearing conversations that don’t help and suffering from the psychological illusion that I am some sort of under dog, when in reality, that isn’t true at all.

I want to fill my time with enriching experiences that inspire and fill me.  Therefore, I’ve been having a blast traipsing around the terrain of what it is to be an artist in New York City.  This is how I’ve been doing it ….

TOOL:  Goal Setting
EXPECTATION:  To shoot for something tangible so that I use my time purposefully and effectively.
RESULT:

• In September, I aimed to be cast in three shows by April 22^nd (my birthday). I’ve been in five so far  (count the webisode I shot, and that’s six), and there’s still time for a possible seventh.

TOOL: Twitter
EXPECTATION: To become a part of the Twitter conversation.
RESULT:

• I’ve been recognized at events before I’ve even introduced myself
• I’ve gotten wind of auditions
• I’ve won free tickets to Freud’s Last Session
• I’m about to be involved in a play reading book club, and have found out about tons of networking events/shows/etc
• I became a Green Room Blogger
• I obnoxiously use hashtags in normal spoken conversation

TOOL: Networking Events
EXPECTATION: To meet the next person who will cast me.
RESULT:

• I’ve developed relationships with On The Square Productions
• The Seeing Place Theatre knows me by name
• I ravenously have my sights set on the Flux Theatre Ensemble and have made being cast with them one of my next goals
• I’ve enhanced my relationship with Full Stop Theatre Collective
• I’ve grazed the surface with At Hand Theatre Company.

TOOL: Workshops
EXPECTATION: To find people who share my passion of the true meaning of theatre.
RESULT:

• I’m in love with Shelter Sundays and feel more alive every Sunday night than any other time of the week.

TOOL: Maintaining Industry Relationships
EXPECTATION: To work with the people I’ve meshed with again.
RESULT:

• Andrew Squier of FullStop Theatre Collective and I are currently creating a movement piece
• Jeremy Williams, director of the children’s theatre show I did, asked me to take over the role of Miss Julie when Convergences Theatre Collective takes Refracting Miss Julie on the road.
• Of the six projects I worked on since September, I only auditioned for three.  The rest, I was asked to be in because they knew and trusted my work.

As “non traditional” as these “industry tools” are, they seem to be working.  For me at least – and that’s what’s important.  Decide what’s going to make you and your career happy and fulfilled, draw our your own map, and construct its own compass.

Onwards and Upwards,