Actors and Health Insurance. Huh?

Contrary to most popular opinions, actors in general do not fall into the celebrity or starving artist categories. Most of us are hoping simply to be working actors who can pay their bills, take care of their families, and work. It's no secret that health care is an issue in America. Who gets it? Who can afford it? I'll attempt to let you in on how Union stage actors qualify and how it affects them. Trust me. It's fascinating stuff if you're interested in how an actor's life takes shape.

For years, achieving health insurance through union stage work was fairly simple and straight forward: If we worked 10 weeks on a union contract with health and pension in 12 months, we received 12 months of health coverage. A very good deal, especially when considered now in hindsight. Simple, right? It's also sadly a thing of the past.

Through a series of changes brought on by economic necessity, the rules have evolved into this:

If in 12 months you work 20 weeks of union covered work, you get 12 months of health coverage.

If in 12 months you work 12 weeks of union covered work, you achieve 6 months of health coverage. Any weeks between 12 and 19 weeks that are not used towards eligibility can be "banked" and used at the next review period to acquire another 6 months or step up to 12 months of coverage if 20 weeks are achieved.

Sadly, the vast majority of actors do not work enough weeks to achieve even the 6 months option. Because of the episodic nature of our employment, from job to job with unemployment in between, actors who do receive some insurance often find themselves yo-yo-ing between 6 months on and 6 months off. The actors who most consistently see health coverage are those in long running shows.

With health insurance becoming such a hot button topic and so difficult to achieve, many actors now find themselves deciding which jobs to take based on the number of insurance weeks available rather than salary or artistic elements.

Confused? So are most actors. If we didn't love what we do, we'd long ago have turned to a more stable and secure existence. But we soldier on and live in optimism. Mostly.

My opinion: It's a sad comment on our society that the care of our citizens is governed more by dollars than by a desire to help people. Illness is big business. Hey, there's got to be a reason all the new condos in my neighborhood have medical offices on the ground floor, right?

Unexpected Smiles.

Sometimes in New York, or wherever I travel, certain things jump out and make me smile. This is one. I'm fairly certain this isn't the cheeseburger that Jimmy Buffet sang about.

What would make someone write this on a wall? What kind of graffiti message is this? I have no idea, but today it made me smile.

Looking backward, thankfully

Another year comes to a close. My agent is on a well-deserved vacation and the auditions have all but stopped. Not much happens in the way of pursuing theatre work from now through the end of the year, so I think this is the right time to look back at the year and see the many things for which I can be grateful.
I was lucky enough to be part of a new musical called THE MOLLY MAGUIRES. I have no idea what the future holds for this piece but the experience allowed me to reconnect my love of all things Irish with my belief in theatre. I met wonderful people and felt inspired and hopeful. I consider it lucky to leave each show with one person who will remain a friend. We meet so many people that it's impossible to stay connected to them all. However, this show left me with a number of friends that will be around a while.
I was fortunate to be able to say the same about the other two major shows I worked on this year: LES MISERABLES (which I'd always wanted to perform) and a new version of THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Wonderful people, interesting places, and exciting work.
I also learned some difficult lessons about ego and business and promises. Some were hard lessons, but I'm grateful for the learning and the chance to carry that knowledge forward with me. Disappointments can often be as informative as successes.
I've rediscovered a desire to write, both here and on my other website www.happyhourmobile.com. Both allow me to explore in different ways and claim my own voice which actors can so often lose track of in the constant search for work and approval.
I'm still happy to live in New York. A city that constantly surprises and offers endless adventure.
I'll look forward as a New Year approaches. Today, I look backward with thanks. I hope you can do the same. Go ahead. Give yourself a hug. They're free.

The Audition Road Goes Ever On

In my last post on auditions, I had taken it upon myself to go to an open Equity audition because agent appointments had been hard to come by. That audition began a string of roughly a week of auditioning. The second audition my agent called about and one more Equity open call followed. The audition my agent got for me was interesting, a well paying job at a relatively unknown theatre on a project I knew very little about. A light romantic comedy/musical. Not normally something I gravitate towards, but things have been slim and there were elements that intrigued me. And did I mention it paid well? The other open audition was for a concert version of a large musical I've always wanted to perform at a new and emerging theatre. Again, appointments were hard to come by , but I knew it was the type of show that suited me and was determined to attend (see: Actor Know Thyself).
In a stroke of good fortune, all three auditions led to call backs. I've often heard it said that if you get a call back, you should feel you've done your job. To some extent, that's true. Once into the call back process, any number of factors beyond your control could affect the outcome. Height. Weight. A resemblance to a director's ex- boyfriend or girlfriend (seriously). A role being cast in advance. A star expressing interest. A limited number of union contracts. You get the idea. However, while it's a personal victory to get a call back, the bottom line is that actors need jobs and until one is offered you've only got your personal accomplishment with which to eat and pay the bills. In any event, I hunkered down and dove into the next round of auditions.
In every case, the people holding the auditions were very kind and helpful. That's often, but not always, the case. When that does not happen, a tense and stressful process is magnified. This time, though, they were all great. To give some idea of what the call back entailed: call back one consisted of me singing a short piece and performing a monologue in both an Irish and a Scottish dialect, audition two consisted of learning 11 pages of music and three scened overnight to perform for the creative staff the next morning, and audition three consisted of a short song and a scene read two different ways with two different dialects. That is all just to give some perspective on what was required throughout the 8 days from initial audition through final call back. ( My personal opinion on giving actors a lot of material to learn for an audition is this: it most often prevents the actor from doing his/her best as they are more focused on not making mistakes and remembering the notes and music they learned rather than giving the best audition they can with material they are comfortable performing. To hire the right actor I think all actors should be given every chance to succeed. Just my two cents and the people who "assigned" the material were gracious and professional throughout the process.)
As of now, I've booked the concert job. It's the shortest contract and least money but arguably the most prestigious. I have yet to hear about the other jobs which is usually not a good sign. There is an informal network among a few of us to let the others know if any of us received an offer. To this point, no one I know has heard anything. Most likely offers have been made, but we just don't know. Remember: No one calls to tell you that you don't have the job.
So, on we go. Entering the holidays and with a short job coming up in January while maintaining a faint hope that one of the others will call. But not holding my breath. Isn't it all glamorous?
P.S. I don't at all mean to make this seem completely grim. The process of getting a job is grueling and often lonely and deflating. However, the friendship and spirit shared with the other actors is rewarding. And when you make it onto the stage, in something you respect, with people you appreciate, there is nothing quite so magical.

Actor: Know Thyself

One of the most common issues I see getting in the way of actors achieving the success they desire is simply not seeing themselves accurately. My picture is here on the blog. I like to think I have a realistic handle on which roles are most likely to come my way. I won't be competing with Hugh Jackman for roles. I'm no longer 19 years old (which is a shame because apparently that's the only age people want to see anymore). I've always been more in the best friend/guy next door vein. The normal guy. And you know what? That's ok! There are plenty of roles in that category. Interesting roles.
I wish I had a dollar for every 30 year old actor I've heard proclaim that they are "right" for a role in its teens or early twenties. Very, very few are. Self-awareness. You would think it would be commonplace in people who use themselves to explore the human condition. That's not the case. Truly seeing yourself and being able to adapt that vision as you age and (yes!) mature and grow is vital to longevity for an actor.
Can I play roles that don't necessarily on paper appear to be me? Of course. But if I constantly pester my agent to be seen for roles that the industry sees otherwise, I'll be needing a new agent soon and I'll be unemployed a lot. Choose carefully. Pick your battles. My agent will listen much more to me if I demonstrate that I know my strengths. That way, the day I do call about a project that didn't seem tailor made for me, I'll get a much better response. And if you're going to open calls, go only to the ones that have something for you. It's such a drain of time and energy. Why waste a day to antagonize a casting director by taking the slot of someone who may be right for the role? Use your judgment. I won't be going to auditions for 60 year old Peruvian men. I may go to one for a 32 year old Alabaman. I'm neither of those things, but I could conceivably be hired to play one of them. Confidence is attractive. Delusion or arrogance is not.
We can't all be Hugh Jackman. That would be boring. Know yourself. Be yourself. There's room for all of us.

Anatomy of an Audition

When last I wrote, I was preparing to go to an audition. The audition is now complete and I will give a rundown of what this one particular audition entailed.

As it was a chorus call (even though it wasn't just for chorus roles...there will be a separate entry just to explain audition procedures and terminology. It will be very long and most likely leave you more confused than when you began reading.) What this means is that one week before the audition a sign-up sheet appears at the Actors' Equity audition center. Interested actors sign the sheet and on the day of the audition the names are read out (you must be an Equity member in good standing) and you are assigned to groups of twenty for the audition. Often the lists contain upwards of 200 names. Not everyone will decide to attend the audition, which is fine. On this day I was number 36 on the list but, because of no shows, received number 11 for the audition. That meant I was in the first group. If you have a high number you can spend a good portion of the day waiting to audition. The flip side to that is that I had to sing loudly and very high at 10 in the A.M. Frankly, singers just aren't normally built to do that.

OK, so I wait my turn and after number 10 auditions, I enter as he exits the room and sing 16 bars, or measures , of a song appropriate to the show (this was for a show with pirates so the standard jokes about "16 baaaaarrrrrss" were flying). After singing, they asked me to recite a monologue which I did. In an Irish accent as that's what the show called for in this case. They saw something they thought might work in the show, so they asked me to return for a call-back three days later. I was also told that they would be teaching us a stage combat combination at the call back. I'm not trained in stage combat. I've done it on stage, but I'm not trained. I smile, say thank you, and leave.

The stage combat portion of my call back is canceled. I choose to take this as a positive, seeing it as meaning that I'm being considered for roles that will involve more acting and that I won't be passed over because of a lack of stage combat training. I could be wrong but my actor defense mechanisms have kicked in. Be positive. Do your best.

The morning of the call back arrives. This time I have an appointment time, which is easier than waiting in lines. Sadly, my time is 10 A.M. which is, once again, early to sing high notes. However, I enter the room, say hello, sing my entire song this time, and am asked to do a monologue from the show. I do it, once more in an Irish accent. After that, they ask me to do it again in a Scottish accent. Mental switch of gears and another reading. They are very nice, make note of someone on my resume that they know, and I'm out the door.

Everything about the audition went well. I'm right for the project; it has Irish and Scottish characters and I'm often cast in shows with that demographic. The musical style is right for me. They seemed genuinely pleased with me. However, they also saw hundreds of people for the project. So, now I do my best to forget about it (while hoping they call). If I don't get the job, I won't hear a thing so it's best not to dwell on it.

No security. Often no resolution. Just moving on. That's the life of an actor. That's my life.
I better go. My agent just called and I have another audition on Monday. Seriously.

What can my pizza teach me?

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have long believed that pizza is the perfect food. Hey, it has all the major food groups, right? It stands to reason that I would end up in New York arguable the pizza center of the universe (settle down in Chicago. I said arguably.) But something sinister is seeping into the pizza landscape. When I first moved in I noticed, and read articles to the fact, that most of the major pizza chains had chosen to avoid New York. It was a conscious choice made in light of all the fantastic corner pizza places throughout the city, most of which deliver.
So, why have I noticed more and more of the franchises throughout the boroughs and around my neighborhood? Why are the familiar pizza chains becoming a common sight here? There was a time no self-respecting New Yorker would be seen ordering from them. What is it that pushes people to turn to the familiar choice, even if it's not the better one? It's a mystery to me why the McDonald's in Times Square is always busy when there are unique, inexpensive quality options only a block or two away. This "strip-malling" of the city, and ultimately the nation, is something I've written about with my partners in another website, www.happyhourmobile.com, where we've seen our local pubs and taverns disappearing only to be replaced by more corporate, less original establishments (oh, to have McHale's and the Collins Bar back again...).
And why is this appearing in a blog about being an actor? Sadly, the same "play it safe" attitude has seeped into the theatre. Familiar faces, often from the world of TV and film, appear repeatedly. Artistic experimentation has almost ceased to exist on Broadway as large companies move in and look at the finances first and the material second. Not all of them are bad. Some are good. It's the variety, the risk, the thrill that's missing. The willingness to sample something unknown.
Well, they can't take my pubs. And they can't take my theatre. And they can't take my pizza. I choose to spend my time and money elsewhere. And I hope you'll stop and think about that before you order your next number four double-sized to go. Why have Wonder bread when you can have an everything bagel? Go on, be a Pizza hero.
I'm going down the street to get a slice at Brother's.