My Journey As A Child Actor
I was chatting with a childhood friend from elementary school yesterday, and it really took me down memory lane. It made me think about growing up as a child actor.
My brother got into acting when he was 8. He was always someone I looked up to when I was little. My parents were never actors, but they supported my brother and me in whatever endeavors we got into. I grew up listening to all the classics on cassettes- “Into The Woods”, “Annie”, “Fiddler On The Roof”, “Carousel”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat”, “Les Miserables”, “Gypsy”, etc. I really didn’t discover any other kind of music beyond “show tunes” until I was about 15 or 16. I wanted to start acting when I was 3, but my Mom felt I was too young, and she worried I was just trying to copy my brother. She told me I could when I was older. As soon as I turned 4, I snuck into an audition at a local theater. We were there because my brother was auditioning. I was cast in my first role as Carrie Ingalls in an adaption of the story “Little House on the Prairie”. I continued to do community theater. I was cast in my first professional role at 8. I have such fond memories of doing community theater. In total, I did around 20 regional theater shows from the age of 4 to 10.
Producing: The Variety Show, Part 1
This past weekend marked the very special debut show for my new theatre company – The Radium Girls, called “A Prelude to the Morning After,” a variety show to kick off our 2013 fundraising effort. I wanted to share the process with you, as it is a very doable, cheap, and fun way to get your feet wet with producing.
A variety show is great for New York – it’s “low pressure” for performers, and you can showcase yourself and your friends! I mean, you’re producing it and putting all that work in, after all. If you have an agent or casting director that’s been asking to see your next show, this is an easy and cheap way to do it – with endless possibilities on what the show could involve. Even better, you can probably find a venue that will give you a discount on or even free space if you’re going to bring in a big group. And, that bigger group is easier to get with more performers, because they’ll all bring a few friends.
Credits: To Squeeze or Not to Squeeze?
As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m proud to be a member of British Actors’ Equity and want to be able to bring you news from our union across the pond from time to time.
The latest British Equity magazine featured a major victory that the union secured in the UK and I wonder if you think it’s something we should be fighting for more in the US?
In short, the union has secured agreements from several major broadcasters, including Sky, Channel 4, and BBC to stop squeezing the credits that run after TV shows into a tiny box, in unreadable print that scrolls faster than the human eye can process it! You know what I mean if you watch… well just about any network TV show these days. I guess broadcast executives feel that TV space is better used to promote upcoming shows then to tell viewers who they just watched. This practice was very common in the UK too.
The Internship Experience
At this point in my early career life, I’ve had a few internships. Some were awesome, some were helpful, and others just awful. An internship should be an experience that helps you further your career, not just coffee and office work (unless of course the internship is office related). But how do you know if your future internships is helpful for you? Here’s a few ideas that may help:
1. Experience. Whether an internship is right for you shouldn’t be based on the money but the experience it provides. If it’s not paid, are you getting out of it something that will help you? Are you getting some other type of benefit? Such as free tickets to shows or the opportunity to work on a production(s) in a way you are interested in doing so? If it’s in NYC do they supply for travel (aka a monthly metrocard for the subway and buses for those who aren’t from here), or if it’s summer stock do they supply free housing? The key thing to think about is how will doing this work benefit you in the long haul (especially if you aren’t getting paid)?
Flashback Friday: Microphone Mishaps
Because of a recent “oops!” moment in my current show, I was relieved to read about these mic mistakes that The Practical Artist had to deal with. And no, you don’t get to hear about what I did! Although if anyone ever writes an anonymous Green Room Blog about microphones you can assume it was probably me…
“Okay, imagine this scenario: you’re doing a musical.
This means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Audio Engineers will think “dear god, how many mics?”; Actors either “I didn’t even audition, I can’t sing/dance!” or “I belted my heart out and that damned audience better appreciate it!”; Lighting Designers: “well, that adds about 70 more cues…”; set designers “will the dancing ruin my set?”; Directors “I hope I get along with the choreographer!”; Choreographers: “I hope I get along with the director!”; and Stage Managers “Please, Dionysus, do not let anything go wrong with the mics!”
But, inevitably, there is a time in almost every musical I’ve heard of that something goes wrong with the mics…” Click here to keep reading!
Introducing – The Mothering Actor
Hi! I’m thrilled to be the newest addition to the Green Room Blog.
I’m an actor and mom to an awesome 2-year-old! Balancing motherhood and acting has definitely been a huge shift!
At first it was easy. When my son was tiny Nothing Happened, the short film that I produced and starred in, was on the festival circuit. I’m proud to say he attended his first film festival at 7 weeks!
Then there was a difficult period of adjustment – both logistically and financially. It was a struggle to find time to focus on my career and also give my son some stability. With the addition of a toddler, I found managing the unpredictable life of an actor very tough. There were so many things I couldn’t do anymore – all I saw were limitations.
KCACTF Region 1: Everyday Another Door… Part 2!
Last time I wrote about my Irene Ryan experience at KCACTF, and this time I want to share my last day of festival with you. I had the amazing opportunity to attend a double workshop with Broadway producer, director, and lyricist, Richard Maltby Jr. He was a guest at festival for the first time because the Musical Theatre Initiative Showcase was renamed for him last year. (I had the honor of competing for this award in 2011 and 2012. This year I got to attend as an audience member, and watch the insane talent of Region 1.) Anyway, back to the workshop. The first half was basically Richard giving us the skinny about what it’s really like bringing a show to Broadway from the very birth of the piece. He told us all about Yale, his time “paying his dues” as he called it, and everything in between. Even his time working with Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil on Miss Saigon. It was truly fascinating to hear about his AMAZING career. To be honest it was a little shocking at first how candid and sassy he was about other big Broadway names, but I realized they are his colleagues, so I suppose it would be the same as if I were to tell a funny story about a co-worker, his just happen to be famous, Tony Award Winners. NBD…
Returning to the Vagina
Vagina Monologues cast during rehearsal on the staircase in the main lobby of my building. (Photo by Patrick J. Paglen)
I spent four years of college with the Vagina.
Enjoyed every minute of it.
Looked forward to the next time I would be part of the Vagina.
Left the Vagina behind at graduation.
(or so I thought…)
This weekend I returned to the Vagina.
The Vagina Monologues.
The Green Room 