The 37-Year-Old Theater Virgin
“You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?”
My wife and I adopted “Once In A Lifetime” by the Talking Heads as “our song” ages ago due to the unlikeliness of our relationship. But it could also be the theme song of my new and unexpected theatrical career.
Until five years ago, I had never performed — never. I did not do elementary school plays nor did I act in high school (even though I ran with the artsy crowd in my senior year). I had this strange belief that it just wasn’t for me — that I could write (which I did well) or play music (which I do poorly) but that my feet were not meant to trod boards. I do not know where this conviction came from — certainly not from my ever-supportive parents. I just never considered acting.
But after school was done and I’d settled into a comfortable adult life, I became a serial dabbler, taking classes in arts as varied as photography and bookbinding. I even took a tap dancing class. I was by far the worst in the class, which was liberating, since I could just be free and express myself without fear.
And then, one day five years ago, I was at an arts festival with my twin sons, toddlers at the time, and I picked up a course catalog for a local acting school. I figured I’d give it a try. And the curtain opened on an entirely new part of my life.
I could tell immediately that this was different from my past avocations. Though I was not particularly good at performing initially, it touched something inside me that the other exercises had not, and I took class after class. I discovered improv, and that suited my comfort level and odd work schedule (I work nights and weekends), so I moved in that direction and have been performing occasionally for about two years.
But it was not until just about six months ago that I got up the nerve to take on my fear of auditioning. I am not a strong memorizer — though now that I’m acting I find that skill, like any other, strengthens with time and work — and I was concerned about being judged. But a series of incidents in my personal life, positive and negative, convinced me it was time.
If I auditioned and did not succeed, I reasoned, I would not be in plays. That would leave me no worse than where I was if I continued to fear auditioning — not in plays. I gathered up my courage, telling myself that there was probably little risk of my actually being cast in anything in the near future, so I would at least not have to confront that next challenge immediately.
About that, happily, I was wrong. Since that first audition, I have been cast in five productions, and I have made acting a central part of my life, rivaled only by my family and my paying job in terms of importance. My first audition and first show were at age 37, but I anticipate decades of performances to come.
(In my next post, I’ll write more about those first auditions and roles.)
Like the Mayor of Feminist Theatre or Something…
RYAN: So, how was the audition?
RYAN: (disappointed in PTM’s lame work ethic) What does that mean, “I guess?” I guess you really didn’t want the role that bad then?
AT&T* service fades out. There is a moment where PTM is talking but RYAN can’t hear her. We get the last word of her sentence.
PTM: … for a tea. Can you hear me? … Hey… Ryan? … Are you there? (singsong voice) Can.You.Hear.Meeeee ?
PTM slips into the Starbucks on 36th Street and 8th Avenue.
RYAN: I can hear you now.
PTM orders a small tea. A short conversation with the barista ensues. AT&T service fades out again. Ryan is saying something about what it means to be an actor and doing your homework but we can’t make out his wise words due to lack of cell phone service.
RYAN: It seems weren’t acting like an actor… you were acting like a.. a mayor.
PTM: Oh. A mayor? … Like Mayor Mike**?
RYAN: No. Like… like the mayor of feminist theatre or something…
***
* Did you know SAG/AFTRA members can receive a substantial discount off of their AT&T phone bill each month by going to your local AT&T store and providing them with the FAN number: 3508840? I didn’t believe it either until I saw my bill magically go from over $100 to $75. Be sure to bring a valid photo ID and your SAG/AFTRA card to your local AT&T store and make this happen.
** This is in reference to Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City.
Why Educational Theatre
When I was 17, I was conflicted as to whether I wanted to teach or do theatre for the rest of my life. A year later when someone said I could teach theatre, that day changed my life. Now I’m M.A. candidate in Educational Theatre at NYU, and ironically enough, I no longer am interested in teaching in a school setting.
Before you think I’m crazy (which I am, but that’s not the point), I’ve learned in my past few months in the program how there’s so many different types of Educational Theatre, that teaching is only the start of it all! There’s working with kids in theatres, or Theatre for Young Audiences, which is doing theatre for kids, after-school settings, people of all ages in community settings like retirement homes or outreach centers, even working at a correctional institute. The options end only when the imagination does.
Throughout the year thus far (I mean 2012 not the school year), I’ve really figured out that for me, I love activist theatre. Theatre of the Oppressed and Theatre in Education is by far the techniques that work best for me. Nothing makes my heart flutter more when the theatre is utilized to educate, inspire, and empowering people (both part of the show and in the audience) to do what is right for them and the world. The theatre can be the single greatest asset to inform people of what’s going on all over the world. Which shows how magical the theatre can be.
A good example for this, I’m currently assistant directing and stage managing a production of “Waiting for Lefty” by Clifford Odets. The play was written in 1934 and is loosely based off of the taxi cab strike that went on in the early 30’s. The whole point of the amazing life-changing drama, is that you need to stand up and do what’s right for you and your loved ones. It’s meant to be very active in rallying up the audience and making people think. To me, even inspiring one person from this production means it’s a success.
This is also one of my favorite plays of all time, so I love the fact I get to be apart of this production.
Educational Theatre can vary from an entire spectrum of opportunities. Although I’d like to be a teaching artist in theatre’s when I graduate in May, and one day teach at the college level, my heart lies with utilizing theatre to make the world a better place. And I’m in the perfect graduate program to make that happen.
The Secret to My Success
There is one thing on my resume that has gotten me jobs, roles, gotten me continually noticed in auditions and at least can be used to strike up a conversation. Can you guess what it is?
If you guessed my degree, name of my school, past director/show, vocal range or name of reference, you are wrong.
Consistently now, the one thing on my resume that gets people’s attentions are my Special Skills.
Every actor should list them on their resume: “can speak Spanish”, “owns a driver’s license”, “can juggle while riding a unicycle”. The more unique, the better (and don’t lie. I’ve known directors to call an actor out mid-audition to test their accents or juggling ability).
On my resume, I have listed:
- Muggle Quidditch
- Tarot and Dream Readings
- Good with Children and Animals
- Blogging (The Green Room Blog).
Muggle Quidditch? Is that real? How do you fly? Yes and not unless someone runs into me and knocks me off my broom. I actually played Muggle Quidditch on my college team for two years and I won’t lie, it was pretty bad-ass. I was a decent Chaser too. But more important than my team taking 7th in our division at the World Cup, was that I got a job because of it. Yes, my job last summer—my interviewer/future House Manager noticed it on my resume and was a huge Harry Potter fan. He actually asked about it in my interview, wanting to know if this was a legitimate thing, my playing Quidditch. Theatre-related? No. But it certainly gave me an advantage and then got me the job!
Tarot and dream readings are another “Are you serious?” moments. I’ve been reading Tarot cards and doing dream interpretations for other people for quite a few years now. I had an audition for a show that’s set up like a circus—my special skills were noticed and got me cast. I’m really excited to begin rehearsals for that; I’m thinking I’ll make myself be a fortune teller of sorts.
So, special skills. Not only are they useful, but they can give people a sense for what you are like, if you love to crochet and do yoga or if you professionally rock-climb. By the end of the year, I hope to add another special skill to my set: Unarmed Stage Combat skills, maybe even a recommended pass by the S.A.F.D (Society of American Fight Directors)?
Keep on growing and learning and then doing!
My Experience As A Haunt Actor
When I am not acting in a project, like most actors – I have a “survival job”. It pays the bills, but it’s not very creatively stimulating. At times I have found myself just “going through the motions”. It’s hard to stay motivated as an actor when you aren’t actually in a current project. Then last year, I found a seasonal job working at a haunted house! I had a great time, and I am going to be returning to work there again this year. What I love about this job is the fact that it doesn’t feel like a survival job. It’s very similar to working as an actor, and most of the people who work in the haunted house are actors! It’s based on improv, because you are constantly interacting with the “guests” (people who enter the haunted house), and you have to be ready for anything. You never know what may happen – each night is different!
I have learned a lot since working as a haunt actor, and I thought it might be interesting to share some of the tips I keep in mind while doing my job. Note, if you are working in a haunted house – you should always listen to the owner or whoever is in charge. If anything I suggest differs from what they say, listen to them. They may have specific instructions for you.
1.) Come up with a backstory for your character.
Even if you don’t think you will need it, it’s a good exercise to get into character. Also, you never know when someone may spring a question on you – and you need to stay in character.
2.) Be prepared for people trying to scare you!
It may seem surprising, but I often have guests trying to scare me back. I have developed a high tolerance to loud noises, haha!
3.) Always be aware when someone has had enough.
Most people coming to a haunted house are in the mood for a good scare, but you will get those people who react badly to being scared. Some people forget that under all the makeup and creepy costumes, we are just normal people. You do not want to get hurt – so, take note of those people and just stay away. Also, due to the hours we work, we often have guests who are intoxicated. It’s just best to avoid them if possible. You’re better safe than sorry!
4.) The best way to remove all the makeup, stage blood, and/or latex?
Makeup remover/baby wipes, water, and lots of scrubbing! A hot shower is really the best solution. I always think of this as going to the spa and getting a nice exfoliation treatment. 🙂 Of course, you should always ask the makeup artists what they recommend for removing your makeup. They may have specific instructions for you to follow, depending on your makeup.
5.) Take care of yourself.
We work very late hours. Most of the time, we work anywhere from 7pm to 2-3 in the morning. We come in contact with a lot of people on a daily basis, plus most of us have a day job as well – so we’re not getting a lot of sleep. That’s a lot to ask of your body. Always drink lots of water, eat a healthy diet, and if your role requires you to do a lot of screaming (most do)- drink plenty of tea with honey, and suck on lozenges. Build your immune system up with vitamins and nutrients. Working in a haunted house is a lot like being a show, because there is a large cast of actors, and once one actor gets sick…. Everyone gets sick. So take care!
6.) Most actors probably know this rule already from being in shows, but…. If you are given any props and/or costumes to use – take care of them and DO NOT take them home (unless otherwise instructed).
7.) If you are inside the house, do not touch anything in the rooms, unless you have been instructed to do so.
I am so lucky to be working with such an awesome cast and crew, and I can’t wait for the season to start!
Sunday Summary — September 30, 2012
Did you miss any of our posts this week? Or our two brand, new bloggers? Catch up here!
On Monday, we introduced The Passionate Performer!
The Political Theatre Maker pondered whether or not we all participate in the destruction of our own industry.
The College Theatre Dork summarized her summer experience with interning at a summer stock theatre company.
We also introduced The Growing Artist!
The Enterprising Actor asks the tough question — do we as artists always demand to be paid what we’re worth?
Please leave a comment if any of these posts inspired you or made you think! Bloggers love comments 🙂
Demanding to Be -gulp- Paid What You’re Worth
Sometimes a project comes across my transom that I’m interested in and appropriate for but the pay rate is shockingly low. In film/TV/commercial work, my agency generally has already negotiated the rate and to increase it substantially isn’t really an option. Everything can be negotiated, though, so recently I responded to my agent that I would be interested in a project, but that the pay was simply too low to justify the time I would be investing in the project.
It has taken me more time than I’d care to admit to get to the point where I can say, “If you want me, you need to come up with more money.” Nick Wyman, the current president of Actors Equity Association, wrote a great article about how he decides whether or not to take a job; I recommend reading that article for an idea of how to create your own checklist to determine whether or not to pursue an opportunity.
What puzzles me is how stingy companies can be with the cash while being so demanding of what they want out of their talent. Let me explain.
Company A is a pharmaceutical company and is creating a new marketing campaign. Understandably, they want to use talent who are not featured in another pharmaceutical marketing campaign for a competitor’s product. Consequently, when you commit to doing the commercial for Company A, you agree that you have not appeared in another pharma commercial, and that you will not appear in a pharma commercial for a given time. Standard practices can range from one year to “in perpetuity.” So, here’s my deal: if you want me never to appear in a commercial for any other pharmaceutical product, ever in my entire life, then you need to pony up some serious usage rates that include royalties. Especially in my market. (Where I am based, the bulk of the work comes out of the health care field.) If I agree to let you use my image, likeness, and good name for your product, I am cutting myself out of a potentially lucrative project further down the line. Therefore you need to pay me for my time and my future time.
Here’s my algebra for determining if the pay rate for a given job will work:
r(h) – (l+t) > $0
My Minimum Per Hour Rate (r)– factored by the rate at which I am turning a profit from being on set as opposed to being at home.
Number of Hours for the Shoot (h) – usually put forth in the casting notice.
Location of the Shoot (l) – if I have to take drive two hours each way, I need more per hour to break even, because I am paying for an additional four hours of childcare just to get to the set; conversely, if the shoot is in town, much less of my time is invested in just getting to and from work.
Travel Pay (t) – again, if I have to travel, then my per hour rate is going to increase or you will need to provide some sort of stipend to cover the cost of traveling to the set.
Sometimes I will agree to do a job for a rate that doesn’t meet the standards I’ve outlined above, but that occurrence is rare – mostly because I’m not likely to get giddy about doing an insurance commercial “just for the exposure.”
We only have so many hours in a day, and certainly taking some losses for networking opportunities and good karma is good business practice. The key is to make sure the ledger is in the black at the end of the year. You are an actor, your talent and expertise are worth something. Believe that!
An Actor’s Life For Me!
I can definitely blame my older brother for passing on the acting bug! 🙂 He is seven years older than me, and I always looked up to him. He is the reason I am an actress, have pierced ears, and have a fond memory of the Nintendo 64. He started acting when he was 8, and I loved watching him and the other kids act in local productions. My favorite production was “Gypsy”. I used to watch the girl who played Baby June in the production my brother was in, and I tried to be like her. I sang “Let Me Entertain You” constantly, and sometimes I would even be a bit more daring and sing the burlesque version of the song…. even though my Mom told me not to! 🙂 I was constantly singing. My Mom says she always knew when I was either very sick or doing something naughty – because I would stop singing. If I was sick, she always knew when I was beginning to feel well again, because the singing would start again! We have so many home videos of me when I was little – making up skits, singing, dancing, etc. I was constantly making my Dad film me on our old video camera. At the age of 3, I began begging my Mom to let me start acting. My Mom has always been extremely supportive of my dreams and ambitions – but at the time, she was concerned I only wanted to act because my older brother was doing it. She wanted me to be old enough to make my own decision to act, rather than just copying my brother. So, I suppose when I turned 4, I felt I was old enough, because I snuck into an audition at a local theater. We were there because my brother was auditioning for a show. When my Mom wasn’t looking, I snuck into the audition room, and asked the director if I could audition for him. He said I could, but I would have to sing for him. I sang “Let Me Entertain You” and got the part (with my Mom’s permission, of course). I played Carrie Ingalls in an adaptation of “Little House on the Prairie”. Nothing could stop me after that.
My Mom soon put me in dance classes to help me follow my dream. She knew I would need to know how to dance if I wanted to be in musical theater. So I took the usual tap, ballet, and jazz.
When I was 8 years old, I auditioned for my first professional theatrical production. I was cast as Susan Walker in an adaptation of “Miracle On 34th Street”. Around that time, we started traveling to New York for auditions. My Mom and I went to so many Equity open calls. I definitely paid my dues as a non-union actor. When I was 10, I was cast in my first New York play. I still remember dancing around the house after hearing the exciting news!
It soon became too problematic for me to take off of school to act. My Mom gave me the choice. She said I could either quit acting and stay in school, or she would homeschool me (I am so blessed to have such a supportive Mom!), and I could continue my acting career. I think it’s pretty obvious which one I chose. 🙂 I was homeschooled from halfway through 4th grade until I graduated high school. I enjoyed being homeschooled. I was able to learn about a lot of topics that really interested me, along with the usual curriculum laid out by the school district.
I always dreamt of being on Broadway. I specifically remember being at a street fair in NY. I wanted to have my fortune told by a fortune teller at the fair. I asked her if I would ever make it to Broadway. She said I would in a few years. Maybe it was a coincidence, or maybe it was fate, whatever you believe – I was cast in my first Broadway show a few years later at the age of 13. I turned 14 during the show. It was an amazing experience. Very different from how I ever imagined it! I became an Equity member during that production.
I am now 19 years old. I’m still working in the biz. I have grown up in this industry – literally! I don’t regret a single day of it! I loved being a child actor, and I have such fond memories of my Mom picking me up early from elementary school and grabbing a bite to eat before rehearsal! I love the fact that I was able to experience life as a child actor – tutoring on set or backstage, having a child wrangler, meeting wonderful and inspirational adult actors – who were major role models for me… It has been a journey!
I have since been transitioning from a child actor into an adult actor. I considered going to college for musical theater, but decided I wanted to follow a different path. I did, however, take courses with the New York Film Academy (digital filmmaking) and the School of Visual Arts (cartooning). Aside from acting, I am also a vocalist in a jazz band, and I am working on my own mini comic series.
I am so glad that I stuck with it all these years, and I look forward to many more years to come!
The Green Room 