An actor in New York

Where have I been?

2008-05-22T23:55:00.002-04:00

It's been a difficult few weeks, and thus my absence. However, I'm now in rehearsals for BRIGADOON at the historic Fulton Opera House and will be blogging about the process on their website for the next 6 weeks. Look here to follow along!

http://www.thefulton.org/pages/index.php?pID=249

Pics from my Day on a Film

2008-04-30T13:31:00.003-04:00

From my day of work on JULIE &JULIA. Photos of my luxurious "honey wagon" or trailer. A great day...

That time of year.

2008-04-16T11:22:00.002-04:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Depending on your perspective. Nope, it's not Christmas, it's time for seasonal auditions in New York. In essence, an actor could fill every day with going to auditions for upcoming summer stock and regional jobs. (go to www.actorsequity.org and click on "casting call" to get a glimpse of what it's like).
I tend to be choosier in the auditions I attend. My philosophy is to select shows and jobs that I think are a) well suited for me specifically and b) attainable. Other actors adopt a "more is better" strategy. It's a personal choice, no right or wrong.
To date, the culmination of my auditions was a Thursday past when I had three call backs. Two regional jobs and a summer stock job. I spent the better part of a day hustling from on to the next, although lag time between them meant that a portion of the day was spent sitting in hallways and waiting.
I've been fortunate. Two of those auditions resulted in jobs. One regional job (BRIGADOON at the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, PA) and LES MISERABLES at the Maine State Music Theatre later in the summer. Both are good jobs and I'm happy to have the offers. As always, I'm hopeful for some larger prospects out there that could alter my schedule, but that will wait for another day.
For that one Thursday, I hit 2 for 3. A good day for a baseball player. An even better day for an actor. I'm very grateful.

Easy come , easy go.

2008-04-01T13:20:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was to have been my first day of rehearsal for a new show. The creative team consists of mostly people I've worked with and respect. As a workshop production, I would have been vested in all future profits of the show(if there had been any). It came at a very good time as I feel a bit adrift right now.

Three days before rehearsals began, one of the producers pulled out. I have no idea why and probably never will. It may be rescheduled for June. You know. on the best of days New York is tough. But it always offers hope. For later. Ah. Showbiz.

You Never Know.

2008-03-23T15:13:00.003-04:00

A few days ago, I went to an audition for a play being produced by a theatre for whom I've worked. The script was emailed to me the night before the audition, but as it was for a Sherlock Holmes piece, I felt comfortable with the characters and the play's needs. I decided to read the script quickly the morning of the audition to familiarize myself with some of the secondary characters. Whoops. All of the characters were listed as significantly older than I'd been thinking. By now, it was too late to cancel the audition. I'd requested it in the first place and know and like the people at the theatre. I left the apartment with a vague sense of unease.
Upon arriving, my worst fears were confirmed. Every actor there was significantly older than me. When the director popped out of the audition room at one point, she didn't think I was auditioning for her, I seemed so unlike the other auditionees. I discussed the situation with the theatre's artistic director, who is one of the nicest people in the business I've met. At one point, I even offered to forego my audition in order to save them time. She kindly insisted I audition and they handed me a new set of sides (pages of the script chosen to audition for a particular role).
In I went and auditioned. I had a great time and enjoyed my interaction with the director, the one person in the room I had not previously known. Still, I was fairly certain that I was too young for the role of the Scotland Yard inspector and left with what little dignity I could muster.
Much to my surprise, a few days later I received a call and an offer of the role. I was delighted to have the chance to go back to a beautiful part of New York state to work with people I know and respect on a play, which is much appreciated as musicals are where I normally work on stage. You have to show up to get the job. Once you're in the room...anything can happen.

That photo up top is where I'll be headed. Westport , New York. Elementary!

What a difference a day makes.

2008-03-17T19:03:00.002-04:00

Last Thursday, I awoke to head out to an Equity Chorus Call. It was my last planned audition for the week. Before you think that I was looking forward to a long weekend, remember: I'm unemployed at the moment.
At any rate, the phone began ringing, emails arrived, and before it was mid-afternoon, I had three auditions scheduled for the following day. One involved learning music that I wouldn't see until late Thursday night. Amusingly, none of them were very good "fits" for me. Let me explain:

Audition one was for a project that began two days later. They were, to put it mildly, having difficulty filling two roles. I was to audition to play an Orthodox Jew. I'm as Irish as they come.

Audition two was for a project that involved harmony singing. Sounds promising. I read further and discovered that the roles were for ages 20 through 25. Now, I've been told I look young, but...I haven't seen 25 in a while. At least three or seven years.

Audition three was for a workshop of a new show with a team of creators I have worked with in the past. I auditioned for the role of an angel. (No comments.) This one holds the most promise, but the fact that they've called the day before isn't a great sign. Possibly, they were doing a favor for me because they know me and my agent "convinced" them to bring me to the audition.

By now you can see how many variables go into the audition process and how impromptu they can be. We pretty much have to be ready for anything. It's a long slog to Broadway.

I'll most likely never have another day where I audition as a Jew, an adolescent and an angel. Sounds like the set-up for a punch line. Oy, my life.

True Story.

2008-03-15T13:30:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I ran into my friend, Ken, at an audition. Ken's a theatre veteran, having survived quite a long time in "the biz" and made a name for himself in some notable productions. He's always good for a story or two...or more. One of my fondest memories of him took place during a cast warm-up prior to a performance. As we all stood in a circle getting ready for the coming curtain, Ken leaped into the center and began a mad jig. In short order his shirt was off on the jig had reached levels of madness never seen before. Ken is all of five feet three inches tall and sometimes crazy as a loon. Needless to say, it was a lively performance that day.
At any rate, I ran into Ken and he shared another of his stories with me. Early in his career, Ken had performed with George C. Scott on stage. This happened at the height of Scott's PATTON success. After the show had closed, Ken found himself in line for one of the Actors' Equity required auditions, meaning he was lined up in a hallway with dozens of other actors. Out of one of the studios comes...George C. Scott, there to direct another project. He spies Ken in line and greets him, then offers to "put in a good word" for him and promptly joins the line. After a few minutes, he turns to Ken and asks if he has to stay in this line until called and Ken replies "yes". Scott apologizes and says he has to get back to his rehearsal and can't wait any longer. Ken said as soon as he left a collective sigh went up from the others in line. For ten minutes, they had wondered why George C. Scott was in line to audition and were sure they could never compete with him. True story. I have no idea if Ken got the job.

Some good news and some hope.

2008-02-27T13:55:00.003-05:00

First, the good news: I did indeed get cast in the upcoming movie with Meryl Streep. Granted, it's a small role, but it's a nice little job and has pleased the head of my agency. Both important factors. So...yay.

In addition, I've had a number (three....that's a number) of positive auditions in the last week. In addition to the the audition mentioned in my last post, I've gone to two more union calls (the ones I don't get through my agent). Both times the response was positive and I wouldn't be surprised to hear back from any of them regarding being seen again. Of course, I won't be too surprised if I don't hear anything, either. I've already thought it through, though, and all of them could come together for a trifecta of great jobs fitting nicely into my schedule. However, that's highly unlikey to happen and it got me to think...

Actors are an interesting breed. We simply have to be optimists. A natural pessimist would abandon this life very quickly. Simply put, you have to live in the hope that something good will come along soon. That's not to say we don't grumble and complain. We're great at it. The old saying, "The only thing that complains more than an out of work actor is a working actor" is pretty accurate. However, when hope goes, so does the fortitude to get up each morning and start all over again on your own. So-- optimists. But we have to be pragmatists, too. If you don't have an accurate picture of yourself and where you fit in the industry, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. So...pragmatic optimists. We're a curious bunch.

Today I have a nice job around the corner and some good possibilities. Life is good. Maybe there's room for a pale red head around here after all.

An Excercise in Humiliation.

2008-02-23T13:30:00.003-05:00

Sometimes a system conspires against every one's best intentions. A few days ago I went to an audition for a production of CAMELOT with the New York Philharmonic. It was a chorus call, which means that you sign up in advance for a slot to sing 16 bars of music in front of someone from the show. The audition was held in a studio off the beaten audition track, downtown, and I was hopeful that there would be a light turnout. I was wrong. The fact that some NYC theatre heavy hitters are involved convinced over two hundred Equity actors to attend the audition which was held in a small, hot, old building. Temperatures, literally and figuratively, rose quickly.

Matters became worse as it soon became apparent that there was simply no time-- only four hours between 3 and 7 P.M.-- to see all the men. The schedule of the creative team allowed only this one day, so the only alternative was to "type" actors. The process is: the actors file into the room in groups of ten, stand in front of a table where the music director and associate casting director are seated, and they decide who can audition based on their appearance. Obviously, this is a dehumanizing experience for the actors and eliminates any element of talent winning you a job. It's simply a function of how many actors are looking for work in New York. Even the team holding the audition apologized for the need to use this system.

I want to stress that I'm not blaming anyone for the situation. The creative team used the only option available to them under the union rules in that situation. Many actors left disappointed and unseen. If I knew of a better system, I would suggest it. Vigorously. However, when large numbers of actors meet the limited schedules of creative teams, there is never a great solution.

The end result in this situation was that somewhere over half of the actors were "typed" out and sent home. I was lucky enough to be kept and had a good audition experience, although at the time of writing I have no idea if anything will come from it. I simply thought this was a good episode to relate to people to give them some insight into the day-to-day life of actors. I watched some of my friends sent home and had some shadow of "survivor's guilt" even though it was beyond my control.

Think of these stories the next time you see a show. Often, the actors in the corner have traveled just as bumpy a path to get there as the stars. Sometimes more so.

Pigeons and Mussels, Alive, Alive-oh

2008-02-14T17:31:00.005-05:00

My walk to the subway takes me behind a local grocery store. Every day someone, a person I have never seen in over 7 years, puts food out on the sidewalk for the pigeons. Usually it consists of stale bread, sometimes rice, occasionally something like old Chinese food. Often I have to pass directly through the hordes of pigeons as I pass. This anonymous donor obviously has good intentions even if it does mean the sidewalk is not often the equivalent of an Irish "tidy town".

A few days ago I passed and alongside the rice someone had put out mussels. Now, mussels are pretty pricey here in NYC and not exactly what I normally consider pigeon food. Maybe someone was trying to make points with the few stray seagulls that loiter near the parking lot. In any event, it seemed and odd choice to me, one of those random NYC oddities that grabs your attention.

A few hours later I returned and those mussels were picked clean. Amazing. Pigeons. Call them what you will: rats with wings, flying cockroaches. Above all, they are survivors, opportunists. And you know what? So are most actors. Pigeons and actors. We both find ways to manage and hang on despite significant odds. In fact, actors are famous for eating anything that's free. Now, I've never seen one eating off of that sidewalk, but I did recently eat some of that calamari with the tentacles, something that anyone who knows me was unlikely to happen. Why? It was free.

I have a new perspective on pigeons. A kinship. I'm still not putting food on that sidewalk, though. It's disgusting.

High and Lows.

2008-02-05T15:12:00.000-05:00

For the last two weeks I've been neck deep in rehearsals and performances for RAGTIME at the White Plains Performing Arts Center ( www.wppac.com ). It was a frantic frustrating ultimately very rewarding experience. We "opened " on Friday with the authors in attendance and a very generous party for the cast and friends afterwards. The show only ran for the weekend as it was billed as a concert. We sold well, only losing audience Sunday night to the Super Bowl (don't talk to me about it). The theatre is charming. Just under 500 seats and located in a mall but somehow maintaining the feel of a live venue. We received very positive reviews and murmurs of moving us to a larger space followed. I was complimented on my work nicely. I played a racist of the extreme degree, a role I'd not normally be cast to play. It ended up being a very positive, empowering experience.
Monday I awoke, unemployed, and headed out to an open call for a show I'm very appropriate to perform (remember my ground rule about only attending auditions that are viable). 650 people signed up for the audition and probably 250 or more showed up. The theatre is most likely looking for no more than 20, probably less. The accompanist made too many mistakes in my audition and was almost impossible to follow. I won't get that job, although the people waiting in the hallway were complimentary about how I sounded.
High to low in less than 24 hours. Almost enough to make you wonder why we do it. All it takes is remembering how it felt to tell a story like RAGTIME. For now, at least, that's still more than enough.

Quintissential New York Day.

2008-01-25T19:55:00.000-05:00

Neck deep in rehearsals for RAGTIME at a new theatre in White Plains, today became one of those days that you can only imagine having in New York City. With a fair amount of down time during rehearsals, much of our cast lounged in the hallway to avoid disrupting the ongoing work. I watched as Harvey Keitel walked back and forth to his rehearsals for "Jerry Springer the Opera". Each time he wandered past, an assistant followed carrying a wooden dowel used as a prop microphone. Oddly surreal.
I left rehearsal early to go to a call back for a film that Nora Ephron is directing which will star Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Amy Adams. On my way to the upper East Side, I found myself walking through a sea of news trucks observing Heath Ledger's memorial service. I'm not sure why, but his death has bothered me more than I would expect. It was disheartening to see bystanders armed with camcorders lurking outside the funeral home. Mourning as spectator sport. I though about an interesting quote I read from Leonard Maltin about the nature of mortality and the immortality that film bestows upon people. I also recalled an article I'd read about Heath Ledger's potential to become an icon along the lines of James Dean and the marketing dollars that could follow. Death as big business.
On I walked and soon found myself in Nora Ephron's apartment (or more likely apartment-sized office) where I auditioned and was told that I was "perfect". If this all sounds exciting, bear in mind that it was a very small role and many others have been seen for it. Still, it was nice to be in the same room with someone with the career of Ms. Ephron and to feel encouraged, no matter the outcome. Today's brush with immortality, both hers and the chance of a small piece for myself. A bit of what Mr. Maltin spoke to in his interview.
I left and walked downtown through the departing news vans, all moving on to their next assignment. Good and bad. Hope and finality. And a day that I could only imagine having in NYC.

Without Horton, the who doesn't get heard. Unless he yells louder.

2008-01-16T11:51:00.000-05:00

It was an opportunity for which I'd been waiting. A major revival of a show that seemed so right for me. Irish themed. Needing my type. Music directed by someone I know. I went to the union call, not willing to risk the casting director not calling me for an appointment through my agent. However, even the casting director knew me and had used me in the past. All was well, especially when the casting office called later for a call back. Slight problem: I was out of town. Not to worry, they said, more auditions would be held in a week. Great. A week passed. No call. I checked in with my agent who was told auditions had been pushed to after the year. OK. January is half through. I call back. Suddenly, the story is different. Turns out auditions were held and the show is cast. It all happened in December when I was told they were postponed. Nothing to be done.
Now was it intentional or an oversight? An office snafu? It matters little in the long run. I didn't get to audition for a show I had a legitimate chance of booking. It would have been a Broadway debut for me. Not to be. I was frustrated. I complained to my agent (not at her...to her). Got it off my chest. Sometimes, if you 're not a star or a "name", you get overlooked. Horton doesn't hear your who-cries of "we are here". The light at the end of the tunnel is atrain and there's not superman to stop the runaway truck.

The only thing to do is pick yourself up and go on. I leave for New England today to do some work on the television project and start rehearsals for RAGTIME on Tuesday. If they won't help you out, make your own luck. Sometimes it's the only way.

Fighting the down time.

2008-01-12T11:44:00.000-05:00

Acting is a constant struggle with yourself. To motivate, compete, learn, extend, refresh. It's not always easy and the ebb and flow can take a toll. Imagine being in the photo above, but without the super powers. So...for the last few days I've looked elsewhere for inspiration and you can see it in the posts here: graffiti that amuses, a political hot dog stand, anything to spark me out of a damp, gray, not-yet-wintry winter. These are the dark days of January, when auditions are scarce and it's easy to close the door and stay in your hole. The gremlins move in-- why didn't I get that job? Maybe they'll still call...There are no auditions. I probably won't get anything anyway...Maybe I'm not good anymore.

However, the importance of being alert and prepared came home to me a few days ago. Out of the blue, a television producer contacted myself and my partners about a project we've been shopping. It's a travel/history/pub culture show and he thought the timing was right to begin a push toward selling. No more wallowing in confusion or inertia for me, it was time to mobilize.

Now, a week before I begin rehearsals for the production of RAGTIME in CT, I find myself heading to Maine for a family trip, but now to catch some video of an historic/local/haunted tavern. It's exciting and intimidating and exactly what I'd like to be doing. I've noticed that as actors...ahem...age, many of us try to find new outlets for creativity and for giving air to their own voices. This is, in part, something like that for me. I'm just fortunate that it also is attracting some attention on a business level, also.

The next few weeks will see an enormous increase in activity. Hang on. Here we go.

Hot dogs and Politicians. Another NY Seen.

2008-01-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

In light of the N.H. primary results and the continuing rumors about Mike Bloomberg joining the race for the White House, I found this sight on Manhattan's upper west side amusing. Why listen to a hot dog stand? Why not? They couldn't be farther off than the CNN pundits were in N.H. Besides, obviously these aren't your ordinary hot dogs...If Hillary is photographed with one, will they consider switching their endorsement or will she only pick up the endorsement of Gourmet Magazine? So many questions... (By the way, to tie this back to acting, Gray's Papaya is a favorite of under-employed actors. A meal for less than $3. In NY!)

Actors and Health Insurance. Huh?

2007-12-30T14:12:00.000-05:00

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.

2007-12-30T14:08:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-23T13:29:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-18T10:47:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-07T13:52:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-12-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

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.

A Friday in November and chasing the next job

2007-11-30T14:01:00.000-05:00

First, a word on auditions: If you are lucky enough to have an agent, he/she will submit you for auditions. The Producer or casting director or director will look at all of the headshots and resumes submitted and decide who they would like to invite for an audition appointment. If you don't get an appointment, you can usually go to the union hosted auditions which are called Equity Principal Auditions. For these, you arrive early in the morning (they are first come, first served) to sign up for a time later in the day. These lines can begin forming as early as 5 or 6 in the morning and often attract hundreds of actors, depending on the project. Obviously, it's preferable to get an appointment through your agent rather than burn an entire day getting up early, signing up, returning for audition, etc. Keep in mind, not all actors have agents. Not all agents get their clients every audition. Sound complicated? It is. And we haven't even discussed chorus auditions or non-union auditions. We'll save those for another time.

Today, I emailed my agent to find out if I would be getting an appointment for an upcoming show. I have an excellent agent. I'm one of very few actors who don't complain about their agents. Unfortunately, this time she wasn't able to get me an appointment. This doesn't happen often, especially given that the audition in question is a decent job, but not exactly the highest of profile. End result: I'll be going to the Equity audition on Monday. Things like this are happening to me and my friends more often right now. Why? Well, it's a fairly quiet time right now for auditions so competition is more fierce. However, I think there's another force at work here: the Writers' Guild Strike. Television and film production has virtually stopped and that means a lot of tv and film actors looking for work. Where do they head? Many head back to the theatre leaving the rest of us with a larger pool of competition. Competition with face recognition from the screen. I'm not blaming the writers at all. I'm in full sympathy with their strike, actually. Reality however means that some of us will be left scrambling for jobs.

So I began this blog to take back some control during an uncontrolled period in the workplace. And to share the actor experience with anyone who is interested.

This weekend I'll be seeing a show. Good shows excite me and motivate me. Bad shows can make me angry or sad. They almost always make me frustrated at the waste of money creating "art" that is too often controlled by corporate entities. We'll see how the show makes me feel...
Enjoy your weekend!

A beginning

2007-11-30T12:52:00.000-05:00

It seemed like an auspicious time to begin this new blog. Broadway resumed last night after a 19 day strike by the stagehands union. The year is coming to a close and hope for the future is in the air. So here I am.
And who am I? My name is Mark Aldrich and I've been a working professional actor for well over a decade. I'm far from famous, but have made my living pursuing one of the most difficult and unpredictable careers around. It can also be one of the most rewarding, full of interesting people and travel and creativity. Those come hand in hand with the rejection, self-doubt and instability. Actors are misunderstood in many places. Most of us are neither rich and spoiled nor starving in a garret tortured by creative demons. We simply want to raise a family, have a home, pay our bills and be actors. True, some seek fame. Some seek wealth. Most that I know simply want to work.
So here we go. Follow along as I blog about what it really is to pursue this in that supposedly harshest of cities, New York. I guarantee you're in for some surprises.

Some words about myself: I've appeared on LAW&ORDER and LAW&ORDER:SVU. I was (briefly) in the film GODS AND GENERALS. However, I mostly appear on the stage, often singing. I've been seen in numerous Off-Broadway shows, some have won awards, some have passed unnoticed. I've performed in nearly all the 50 states. I can be heard on a few cast albums. There are two shows I'm a part of that are looking to be on Broadway within the next year or so. I belong to the three major acing unions: Actors' Equity, SAG, and AFTRA. I'm an actor. I live in New York.