Giving it away for free…
In the hallowed words of the title character of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, “You’ve gotta give some a** to get some a**.” For those of you who know me (or, if I may flatter myself, know of me), I am often in possession of comped or extremely discounted tickets for everything from Broadway to The Big Apple Circus to openings of art exhibits. In fact, in this past year I have seen more professional theatre than I have in my 23 previous years combined. So in the spirit of our forefather, for my inaugural blog post, I’m letting you in on How to Succeed in Getting Comped Without Really Trying!
Free Tickets
1. Internships: The internships with the best and the most comps are administrative. Press, general management, marketing, artistic director and producing offices are gold mines for papering and personal comps.
2. Become a Judge: If you are somehow connected to an off-off Broadway theatre company, suggest that they throw their hat into the Innovative Theatre Awards ring. The IT Awards are judged by representatives from other companies in the running. Each company picks a representative to be comped into shows and submit their critiques. It’s a sweet gig and I’m sure there are more out there if you put in the research.
3. Flyer: Get connected to the press or marketing offices of the shows you want to see and ask if they have flyering teams, the people who pass out show cards in Times Square. The job is super flexible, you get some pocket change AND you get to see the show for free.
4. Take a class: ESPA at Primary Stages definitely sets the bar for this method. If you’re looking to take an acting, writing, or directing class, go with this school. (Their teachers are all accomplished professionals and they let you pick your pay schedule.) ESPA organizes comp tickets and blasts the offers to the students. I’ve seen shows at Roundabout, Theater Row and more through them.
Discounted Tickets
1. Join Hiptix or TDF: Hiptix is free to join and you get discount ticket offers (as low as $10!) to Roundabout Theater’s shows. TDF is $30 for a year and offers discount tickets (as low as $20) to Broadway, off-Broadway, music and dance performances.
2. Rush/Lottery/Standing Room: This is an oldie but a goodie that most of us know about but it’s worth throwing in for those who don’t. The policy with each show is different (check them all out here!) But all Broadway houses and major companies have one of the three.
Happy hunting, friends!
photo credit, modified by me
“What’s Your Type?”
… Not usually a question posed to anyone not an actor, but an important answer for us to find. Some behind the scenes jobs are similar within their departments, while others couldn’t be more different. One may assume that a fantastic Stage Manager would make an incredible Assistant Stage Manager, though this is far from the case. Not all those with the mental capacity to run a tech or call a show have the quick wit and sometimes “Tetris”-like skills it takes to organize a busy show backstage. This goes vice versa, of course. I once worked with an accomplished Sound Designer who had never learned to operate a sound system or EQ a space (true story – he had the intern Audio Engineer turn on the system because he didn’t know how).
While I pride myself in running a tight ship and having an organized backstage as an ASM, I am much more hesitant when calling a show and have always had a hard time being consistent in the timing between my “LX 37”s and my “GO”s. Though I have served as PSM a number of times, I currently prefer ASMing. While ASMing, I feel like I have more control over the situation should something be amiss. SMs are “trapped” in a booth, and the only means of knowing what’s going wrong backstage is the broken sentences of a frustrated ASM who’s trying to fix the problem before it gets worse, while Actors breathe down their necks “what’s going on”, and the SM sprouts sentences like “Is it fixed?… Standby LX 13… Did you find it?… LX 13… ASM are you there???? GO!… is it fixed? Oh, thank God she’s on stage, shit! Sound K Standby. Thank you, ASM!”
I’ll take sweeping, mopping, splinters from set pieces, and one-on-one contact with diva actors throwing props at my head (again, true story) OVER production reports, following up on everyone who doesn’t read production reports, being trapped in a box with the sometimes smelly board ops (I kid!) and calling a show.
I found my place as ASM with a very busy show backstage, “Tommy.” After two days of tech and backstage falling apart, I voluntarily upgraded myself to 1st ASM (I had been 2nd) and produced clear paperwork (prop tracking; Quick Change Details, etc) to our dressers and crew. The PSM called a meeting, pronounced me Queen of Backstage, and demanded the previous 1st ASM and all other crew to take my direction without hesitation. Opening night, the accomplished Director hugged me, and introduced me to her husband as “this little one saved my show.” For me: the busier the show, the better. I thrive off of prop nightmares, quick-change hell, and the organized, choreographed chaos that is inevitable in a complicated & fast paced show backstage.
So, techies, back to the question posed, “What’s Your Type?” Are you the Lighting Designer who has spent hours on the paperwork, got there for focus and bellows “Love It, Lock It, Leave It, NEXT!” while sitting next to the board op? Or are you the electrician up the scaffold with your C-Wrench, purposely having worn black or white so that you wouldn’t be the one running around onstage to different points getting blinded by each individual instrument? Or are you the programmer/board op who’s spent hours studying the ins and outs of this larger-and-more-expensive-than-necessary light board that the company rented?
What’s your type in your field of Tech, and how did you find your place?
Hi, new friends!
I’m crazy excited to join the team at The Green Room Blog!
A bit about me…
I chose the name “The Rogue Artist” because when people ask me what I do in Theatre, I feel obligated to tell them they should sit down because this will take awhile.
I came to New York as a director and really barreled in full force. I was grabbing up directing and assistant directing jobs like Eliza Doolittle going after chocolates. However, in January of 2010, I started to drift into other areas.
First, I was asked to intern at an incredible press office for Broadway and off-Broadway (a position I honestly didn’t remember applying for; must stop “sleep applying”). I had no idea that one year from then I’d be completely in love with that part of the business. And it is true love.
Second, although it technically came before the press gig, I had been working for a few months on a new musical. I had a short play that I’d starting writing when I was seventeen and decided should be a musical. Since I can barely play scales on a piano, I teamed up with my musical director from when I directed “a-certain-musical-I-didn’t-buy-the-rights-to-put-up-in-college-so-shhhh” and we started on a journey that’s gone on for about a year and half now and has given me endless euphoria and heartache alike. At about the time I was starting at my internship, we started preparing for our first public performance. This endeavor awakened the playwright in me and I have since been busily writing my own plays and am now preparing for the premier reading of my first full length play.
Third, by the time our fourth incarnation of our musical was being performed, I had taken a producing role at Frog & Peach Theatre Co., a position I had never had any interest in but had assumed with the utmost curiosity. It proved to be a gigantic education to say the least.
So, now it has been seventeen months since I moved permanently to this juicy Big Apple. I came here as a director and today I am a director/playwright/lyricist/press intern/producer/costume designer.
Try fitting that on a business card.
I have a unique view of Theatre from many sides and, hopefully, my insights will be able to help you as you find your own way in the Business of Show!
Addressing Tension
Part of being a technically proficient singer and openly, expressive actor is learning how to release tension from the body. Tension gets in the way of the actor’s ability to use their instrument (their body) to express their inner thoughts and feelings. It hides the emotions behind a wall of muscle and, for singers, adversely affects the sound of the voice when tension builds up in the chest and jaw. Tension is something that most humans grapple with, and those that are sensitive and emotional (um, that’s me) are particularly prone to tension. In some cases, tension is good- it allows us sensitive types to co-exist in society without devolving into a blubbering mess.
Yesterday at my rehearsal for Twelfth Night I ran into some issues with tension, or more appropriately, the lack of relaxation. I was working on an intense scene where my character’s emotions were heightened, and no matter what the director asked for I couldn’t seem to relax. Worse than that, though, was the fact that I felt like I WAS relaxed. The frustration mounted, not because I couldn’t relax, but because I could not feel side effects of the tension. To me, tense feels normal. (Weird, I know. Heck, I promised idealistic, not normal.)
Several years ago, I kicked my career to the next, huge level with a feverish pursuit of improvement through training. Throughout this self-exploration and mentoring, I have come to regard myself as “a person who is tense.” I am noticing, more than ever before, just how much tension I’m carrying, and I wear the “I’m a tense person” badge as though it’s a global truth. And my body doesn’t disagree. My back and shoulders hurt all the time, and almost every moment I chase tension from one part of my body to another. Notice tension in my hands? As soon as I shake that off, I notice it in my hips. Tension in the legs? It’s only a matter of time before it’s in my neck. It’s uncomfortable but I’d considered “noticing tension” to be an asset and a signal that I was growing as an artist and human being.
But it occurred to me this morning, as I was in the stylist’s chair getting dye rinsed from my scalp and noticed the tension in my body- maybe I’m going about this thing all wrong. Before these last few years, I never really thought of myself this way- I never noticed tension. What if I am speaking tension into reality by constantly focusing on it? What if, instead, I start noticing relaxation?
For example, I sat there as highlights were being put into my hair, noticing that my shoulders were tight, and I instinctively wanted to relax them. But what if I, instead, thought, “Wow- my toes are totally relaxed now” and meditated on that. Perhaps if I focus on what is relaxed, I will coax my body into response, and I can start getting to know myself in another way. After all, I didn’t start thinking of myself as tense until I started correcting it. Maybe I’ll now start noticing relaxation if I invite it in?
It’s an interesting idea. I long have believed that what you resist, persists (thanks to some amazing training/work I did with Landmark Education.) Perhaps, now that I am tuned into my body so minutely, I can move to another level of self-awareness by looking at things another way. It certainly would be a kinder way to address myself: “Erin, you’re so relaxed in your pinky finger- nice work!”
I’ll keep you posted as I try this new perspective. In the meantime, I’m curious to know- what kind of role does tension and/or relaxation play in your career? Is there anything you do that helps you create relaxation in your life? Inquiring minds (and muscles) want to know!
The Dumb Actress Archetype
I have this distinct memory of sitting in AP Chem class in high school with one of my dearest friends at the time and telling her about my plans to head to New York for college and become a professional actress, which had been my lifelong dream.
She turned to me, in all seriousness, and said something to the effect of, “Kate, you are a really smart person, and I just think it’s a shame that you’re going to waste your intelligence on an acting career, of all things.”
I was crushed to hear someone I cared about belittle my chosen profession that way, and I’m pretty sure I snuck off to the bathroom to cry, because that’s just how you roll in high school.
These days, I understand that people outside of our industry have this misguided idea that actors and actresses are idiots. There’s also this notion that intelligent, ambitious young people are somehow “wasting their lives” if they choose to pursue an acting career, when they could be achieving “so much more” at medical school or in a law practice.
It doesn’t bother me the way it used to when I hear these misconceptions, probably 1. because I’m an adult and I think we just naturally gain confidence in ourselves as we age, and 2. because I can’t help but do anything except laugh at how incredibly off-base people are if they think that.
In the nearly three years that I’ve been working in this industry, I’ve probably crossed paths with hundreds of showbiz professionals. I can confidently say that successful actors and actresses are some of the most intelligent, hard-working, savvy, kind-hearted, thoughtful, and ambitious people I’ve ever met. To underestimate them is to do them and yourself a great disservice.
This business is hard. There is a staggering amount of competition. Every day requires new audition or rehearsal material, presented at a new address, to new people you’ve never met. And you just don’t survive and become successful if you’re an idiot. Or you’d better at least have a Mommy-Manager who knows what’s going on 😉
So do I consider my intelligence “wasted” on this crazy career of mine? Of course not. I love what I do, and I shudder to think how much harder this job would be if I was a few dancers short of a chorus line.
What do you think — have you encountered this stereotype among your family and friends? Do you think it’s fair?
The City That Never Sleeps, Because Then You’d Never Get Seen
Arriving early for an Equity call in NYC is like waiting to meet Hall & Oates after their concert: there’s no real point and you’ll probably end up waiting in a tiny room with a lot of nut jobs. The difference, of course, is that with Hall and Oates, you are the youngest, most attractive person there; whereas at large auditions, you feel like a troll who had to beg her troll friends to vote for her for homecoming queen at Troll High School (It’s actually a magnet school. Really the only difference is that these trolls wear uniforms.)
As I arrived at this undisclosed location, I saw the doors were not yet opened. A line of about 70 actors had formed and was curling around the room. “Like a spiral!” one man said. “Like a deadly viper,” I corrected. Everyone was reading Backstage, applying make-up, sitting on their backpacks, lounging on the floor…it was like we were part of some project to beautify homeless people (Pimp my hobo?)
An older woman in front of me turned:
Woman: Are you here for the Northern Lights?
Me: You mean, Northern Stage?
Woman: Yes, Northern Lights!
Me: Yes, I will be performing for the Aurora Borealis. They’re doing Balto: The musical.
The rest of the day went as expected, lots of shuffling from room to room, listening to a 50 year old man beg a 20 year old man for a role in Jersey Boys…even though he didn’t know what that musical is about. I watched 7 trillion audition dresses going by (one made entirely of blue sequins and sparkle eyelets) , stopping only to tell the girl in the leotard and glitterific eyeshadow that she was probably looking for the Disney dance call…not Steel Magnolias. Another older woman pulled me aside:
Woman: What should I sing?
Me: Well, what show are you going for?
Woman: What are they doing?
Me: Wizard of Oz and Joseph.
Woman: What is Wizard of Oz? I’m not familiar.
Me:…well, you’d probably do better with a classic or standard musical theatre piece, over contemporary.
Woman:…so, like a character piece!
Me:…well…
Woman: How ’bout Gypsy?!
Me: Perfect.
At 4 pm, I was released without being seen. Part of me wanted to shake the teenagers waiting eagerly waiting for their musical theatre class and yell “Run! There’s still time! Save yourselves!” But at the end of the day, there’s no business that I love better. And THAT is why I live in Philadelphia.
Who is “The Idealistic Actor?”
Hi, everyone. I am very excited to be posting my first blog to The Green Room- I think this thing is gonna rock!
I thought I’d start out by telling you a bit about myself, and why I jumped at the chance to be a part of this project. First, let’s talk about this moniker: “The Idealistic Actor.” What does this even mean? As defined by Merriam-Webster:
idealistic (adjective): a theory that the essential nature of reality lies in consciousness or reason, or; the practice of forming ideals or living under their influence
actor (noun): one who represents a character in a dramatic production, or; a theatrical performer
I am an actor who is ever the idealist. I see the world the way it should be, and then I get my butt in gear and make it happen. Some definitions of idealism indicate a belief that goes against all conventional wisdom, and some think that is a bad thing. But if you look at our profession, I’d say most of acting goes against conventional wisdom, so I am all in!
I’ve been blogging about acting for years and years, starting back in 1998 when I created a page on my very first website. The website itself was called, “Erin’s Stress Relief Page;” the blog was called “Erin’s Daily Diary” There was no such thing as blogging at the time, but I had this passion for sharing what it was like to be an actor. I blogged about rehearsal mishaps and show flubs, and encouraged fans to interact via my website’s guestbook. I also talked about my fears about growing up, being on my own, and wondering if I really had what it took to “make it.“
By the way, I really do think I invented the blog… =)
12 years later and I am still blogging, through my personal acting blog, The Erin Cronicals, and my coaching blog, Bite-Size Business for Actors. The blogs pretty accurately reflect how I spend my time – I am either working as a professional actor (SAG/AEA/AFTRA) or I am coaching actors on the “business” of being an actor. It is an amazing, fun-filled adventure, and one that never gets boring.
I am committed to posting blogs that are uplifting, offer inspiration, and hopefully bring some sanity to what is, often, an insane business. I am here to answer your questions on any topic related to acting, so feel free to post a comment here or shoot me an email. My inbox is always open to you!
PS: Some of you might wonder why I say “actor” when I am a female. As I tell others who inquire- you wouldn’t dare walk into a medical office and say, “Excuse me, ma’am- don’t you mean to call yourself a Doctress?” Why the gender distinction here? =)
Today’s Quote: “Man is a creature of hope and invention, both of which belie the idea that things cannot be changed.” – Tom Clancy
Don’t Give Up!!
Showbiz. Even the laymen know that this is a tough business. So what better way to start off this blogging journey, than to talk about the number one reason why actors fail: giving up.
One of the most important things that I think I’ve learned since graduation is that this career is a marathon, not a sprint. As cliche as that sounds, I think it’s really important to remember. Many of the most talented actors never make it because they get burnt out or discouraged early on, while I know some actors who have been really grinding for ten years and are just now starting to find the serious success that we all crave.
Most days/weeks/months, I feel really good about where I’m headed and know that I have what it takes to make this happen for myself. But there are those times inbetween where I get discouraged and the idea of quitting flits through the darkest corners of my mind. When that starts to happen, I have a few things I do that get me back on track and feeling like I can handle this again.
1. See a great Broadway show — I always leave really great Broadway shows feeling inspired by the work I saw, and motivated to get back out there and become a part of it all myself. We get most of our tickets as comps (hallelujah!), but there are really cheap ways to do it, too. If you still have a student ID, so many shows have affordable student rush tickets. Or you can sign up for HipTix and nab $10 ticket offers when they pop up, which is how we recently saw “Brief Encounter” (phenomenal show, by the way, I hope you all caught it!).
2. Have coffee with successful and inspiring actors — I have a few people in my life who inspire me to make things happen just by talking to them. Do you know the kind of people I’m talking about? I think I do that for a few of my actor friends, too. Find these people, and just chit chat about what’s up for a bit. They might have some helpful hints, or at least, a kind word and a pat on the back 🙂
3. Book a seminar or class — And do it now. There’s nothing that makes me less blue than feeling like I’ve taken ahold of the reins of my career again by actively training or networking.
4. Send out a round of postcards — Again, this is something you can do proactively for yourself, and it always makes me feel good to do it. Even if you’re feeling like you haven’t done enough lately, chances are you’ve been up to something you can share with your industry contacts. And you never know what can come from staying in touch with them!
5. Remind yourself of how far you’ve come — When I get really discouraged, it helps me to take a little gander backwards to see how much I’ve accomplished in the past couple of years. I do this by looking at old resumes, reading old blog posts about what I was up to, re-visiting lists of yearly career goals that I’ve totally owned, scoping out the list of industry contacts that I’ve amassed, and often, talking to my husband about what he remembers from our first few weeks here in the city. All of these things help build my confidence in what I’m doing right back up. Find yours.
6. Hone your materials — Take some time to read a few plays to scope out new monologue material, practice a new song, do that resume editing you’ve been putting off, update your website, etc. Whichever one of your tools could use some polishing, take the time to do it now! That way, when the work comes and you’re happily overwhelmed, you’ll be ready for whatever gets thrown at you!
7. Make some work for yourself! — If you really want to work more, make some work for yourself! Do you have a friend with a camera who’s always wanted to start a web series? Get on it! Do you want to produce your own short play? Enter it into a free festival and star in it yourself! There are so many ways to be proactive about creating work when there’s not enough out there for you that’s been created by someone else. Enlist your talented friends and aquaintances to help!
8. Take a day or two off — If all else fails, take a step back from the biz for a day or two. Go do something totally non-acting-related that really brings you joy and resolve to not worry about your career until the end of the weekend. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to take on the world again.
What are your tips and tricks on getting re-inspired when the daily grind takes its toll? Please share!
The Green Room 
