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Good Things Come in Threes (or More)

13 Feb

I was going to write this post about three projects I have in a row, when another amazing opportunity landed in my lap– hence, “good things come in three or more”. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, opportunity breeds opportunity! This is the time that it’s really, really important I stay on my submissions, auditions, marketing, networking, etc. I can’t get lazy now no matter how exhausted I may feel (and I am! I want a vacation so badly…) because now is the time I should be doing even more!

I feel a lot of good energy in the air right now, and for good reason =): completion of the second rendition of my original screenplay with my writing partner (just over a year now we’ve been working on this) and getting ready to have a reading; release of the short I shot last year; the three projects in a row that initially inspired this post (Occupy the Heart, which is happening now; Vagina Monologues, which opens in March; and Central Air, which opens in April); and the latest opportunity that just came my way, a really awesome networking gig happening this Wednesday!

It is no coincidence that all of these things are happening at the same time. When it rains it pours. And when I find myself complaining that I have too many lines to memorize at once or having scheduling conflicts between shows and auditions, I have to stop and think to myself- that is a good problem to have! I can’t let the weeks or months pass, satisfied that I’m busy, and not continue to go after the dream. I admit, I have done that in the past… a lot. I’ll get cast in a show or a short or something, and then stop doing submissions and therefore stop auditioning for a solid month! Not good. You have to keep chugging along. And I’m chugging! I’ve been working hard on my target agency lists, finally signed up for a CD workshop and actually making and meeting my bi-monthly goals from this awesome artist-check-in group I am a part of. And it’s only February! Yessss. This is the year I’m going to squash that fear. This is the year…

Starting off on the Right Foot

17 Jan

Like a lot of people during the month of January, I’ve been doing some reflecting, re-evaluating and looking forward.  I started a running list of what I want my 2012 to be about, some directly related to acting, some not, but all under the same goal of honoring Me. Seems a little selfish, but sometimes you have to be. What I mean is, doing things that I want to do not have to do, doing things that make me happy and feed my soul, fulfilling my passions and dreams, enjoying this journey every step of the way– basically, having an overall positive outlook.

A lot of it has to do with language I use: getting rid of  should’s and shouldnt’s and have to’s and replacing them with like to’s, want to’s and choose to’s. More active, less passive. I also think that a more active, there-are-things-in-my-control, perspective will result in a more proactive year. The less you make projects and activities chores, and the more you make them fun then the more likely you will do them! For instance, I kinda hate submitting. I’d think of it as something I have to do if I want to be an actor. But, throw on a little music, imagine the different roles I now have the chance at playing, and it’s kind of fun!

So, going along with the doing things that make me happy and feed my soul, one of the items on my list is to do more theater I love. In other words, not worrying about pay vs no pay, industry audience vs. family and friends, potential connections vs. none at all, or even theater vs. film. Theater was what got me here to begin with. Anyway, I got what I wanted! I am starting off the year with two wonderful shows. The first, in February at Casa 0101, is called Occupy the Heart, a short play festival exploring the Occupy Wall Street movement. The second, in March at the Lyric Hyperion, is a new rendition of the Vagina Monologues, including an original ensemble-created piece. Not to mention both shows are with very cool people I like. I think I’m off to a good start!

When it Rains it Pours

17 Oct

I mean figuratively of course. This is LA. However, even this figurative rain is seasonal. In fact, I think right around this time last year I had a shit ton on my plate just like I do now. Of course for the past three months I’ve been twiddling my thumbs and then, all of a sudden- down pour. I don’t want to complain- this is all good. Very good! No more dry spell. No more doubts. No more thinking, really. There just isn’t the time. Here’s what I have going on:

1. Spoken Word Poetry – opening 10/21

One of my many day jobs is high school theater teacher/director. This is my second year and I couldn’t be more excited about this production, which we’ve been working on since the start of the semester. The students wrote their own pieces for an evening of Spoken Word Poetry. However, instead of performing the pieces in the style of a poetry slam or an open mic type event, they are all staged theatrically, as if each poem is its own one-act. Anyhoo, I’ve been rehearsing with them practically every day and it opens this Friday!

2. Nothing But Besties Short Film – shooting 10/24-10/26

I’ve been in rehearsals every weekend in preparation for filming this comedic short next week, which all stemmed from a little stage play that I got to be a part of. It’s crazy how everything connects and it’s fun to trace the steps back to the beginning.

3. Life Changes – opening 11/11

This experience is so reminiscent of that fateful audition that changed my life. It’s a new play written by the woman who is also producing it, as the inaugural show of her and her best friend’s production company. They put a call out, I auditioned, got cast and from the start it’s been an incredible fun and positive experience with great people.

4. The Black Eyed – opening 12/9

This play is so cool. So HARD, but so cool. I know I’m not being that articulate, which is funny because neither is my character in the play, but it is a really interesting thought-provoking piece. It’s a contemporary play about four Palestinian women, written in the style of Greek theater- very poetic and lots of chorus work. It will be interesting to memorize (not to mention the other two scripts I have in my brain!) And a funny small-world moment- this play received its world premiere in SF, which was directed by the same woman who directed my friend (who wrote PianoFight’s Forking that I was in, both in LA and SF) Daniel Heath’s latest play. I didn’t think I’d come across a name I know when researching the play.

5. Grad School! – apps due 12/1

Oh yeah, and that. I had the brilliant idea of applying to grad school amidst allll this stuff going on. Well, not really. I mean, I’ve been thinking about grad school for the past two years now. It just so happens that all these projects landed right at the same time. But, I’m up for the challenge!

I went to a theater opening party Saturday night and bumped into an old actor friend. He was having the same down pour, and we were saying how funny it is that one second you can be bored out of our mind wondering if you should just give up on this career altogether and then the next you’re seriously considering turning down projects. But neither of us did. I got offered parts in two plays just 3 days apart. I knew some of it would overlap but I was going to make it work god dammit. Short film in between? Oh well. This is what I came back here for. I’ll take it in whatever way it comes. Even if it’s a god damn hurricane.

Believing Your Way to a Part

3 Oct

The other day I made a horrible realization. Well, horrible at the time. As I was being all down-and-out about the acting thing, it occurred to me that it’s been over a year since a total stranger cast me in something (and I know that most gigs don’t come this way… that’s why you have to exhaust every avenue). I mean, I’ve obviously been doing stuff throughout this past year, but it all came from my theater company or someone who saw me in a show, or a friend of a friend, etc. However, none came from a total random audition off LA Casting or Actors Access that I attended. This scared the shit out of me. All those usual insecure-actor questions started bubbling up… Am I not good enough? Pretty enough? Talented enough? Blah Blah Blah! Granted, this is hard for me to admit but I’m sharing it because I’m sure I’m not the only one with this experience. Afterall, going after your dreams is scary! So much relies on faith. Believing your hard work, drive, and patience will pay off. Believing in yourself.

Fortunately, my minor freak out only lasted the evening and by the next day I was back to my usual resilient, determined, persistent actor self. If I don’t believe in me than who is, right? So I shook that all off, was back to the routine and am happy to say that one of the auditions I attended last week eventually led to… me booking the part! It was off LA Casting. I went in like any other audition. I was called back. I went in again. And I then I landed the role! Finally.

More details to come, but I will be in a new play opening next month and I’m super stoked. I’ve met the cast and producers and creative team and they all seem like such lovely people. It got me even more excited. I have that same feeling about this project that I had about that one fateful audition in San Francisco four years ago. Or maybe this will be nothing more than a cool play with cool people I may never see again, and that aint so bad. But, I dunno, call it a hunch, I got a good vibe about this. Most importantly, for whatever reason, I believe in it and it feel so good to be a part of something I believe in while believing in myself.

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