Well, I said I'd give more news if things developed. So I get a phone call this morning from Reka at Talent Shop. Remember the tiny little blurb I had at the end of one of my posts about having a fun audition involving boxer shorts?
well ....
.... I GOT IT!!!!
Who knew my gut was actually worth something? This is ironic as I was at a rehearsal for a performance of Tony and Tina's Wedding, which I am performing in this evening. A very good friend of mine (you wouldn't think it from the upcoming comment, but she is) looked at my belly (it had been about a month since I'd seen her ... maybe a month and a half) and said something like, "OH! Where'd THAT come from? Looks like you've let yourself go." All said in a joking way.
Well, now I can use the excuse that I've been working on it for the audition!
More details on the shoot after April 1st!
Hmmmm ... April 1st .... Could this be an elaborate April Fools Joke by Talent Shop?!?!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Holidays
Happy Easter, everyone! It was a regular reunion at Casa de DuFord. Nice to see everyone, and the kids were .... relatively well behaved. It was great to catch up. But now I'm rather bushed, and looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the evening.
OH!
My sister brought a DVD of a performance my niece, Alicia, had of her synchronized skating team. I believe they placed 3rd at a synchro skating championship competition in Nashville, TN.
Here's a video of their routine.
OH!
My sister brought a DVD of a performance my niece, Alicia, had of her synchronized skating team. I believe they placed 3rd at a synchro skating championship competition in Nashville, TN.
Here's a video of their routine.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
First Foray!
Okay, so I taught a class (of sorts) this evening for the very first time.
I had my work cut out for me, as the class was for 5-12-year-old kids.
But I think I did pretty well. They were rambunctious, and hyper-energetic, as kids their age would be, but there were real moments of discovery (at least on my part, ... time will have to tell whether they retained anything.)
I think there could be some future in this kind of thing.
I had my work cut out for me, as the class was for 5-12-year-old kids.
But I think I did pretty well. They were rambunctious, and hyper-energetic, as kids their age would be, but there were real moments of discovery (at least on my part, ... time will have to tell whether they retained anything.)
I think there could be some future in this kind of thing.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Actor's Life! (sigh)
So ... I've just had a good round of auditioning in the Michigan area, and while I have a great feeling of 'a job well done,' I still cannot escape the feeling that it is all for naught. When you're waiting around for someone to offer you something (or even to call with a rejection ... which, while it seems like something you WOULDN'T look forward to, actually means a lot if a producer takes the time to actually call you up and give you one,) and you're still looking for work, you've entered the 'soul-sucking' portion of the job.
I've already come to terms with the fact that I am merely one of hundreds/thousands/hundreds of thousands of actors who are going through the same thing, but it doesn't make it ANY easier. I've gone through most of the rationalizations. Usually the first thing out of my mouth after being asked the obligatory 'How'd the audition go?' is an obligatory 'It went great!' (Which fortunately has actually been the case the past few weeks.) This is then followed by the obligatory 'But it could probably mean absolutely nothing,' or something to that effect, which is to calm the excitement of both the asker and myself. This way, if something comes from it, it will be a blessing, and if nothing comes from it, then the disappointment won't be as bad.
... which is almost always NEVER the case. You ALWAYS want to get that job!
I love my job, but sometimes it sucks ... even after a great audition.
P.S. You can see on my 'shelfy' thing what plays and books I am currently reading. If you're curious.
I've already come to terms with the fact that I am merely one of hundreds/thousands/hundreds of thousands of actors who are going through the same thing, but it doesn't make it ANY easier. I've gone through most of the rationalizations. Usually the first thing out of my mouth after being asked the obligatory 'How'd the audition go?' is an obligatory 'It went great!' (Which fortunately has actually been the case the past few weeks.) This is then followed by the obligatory 'But it could probably mean absolutely nothing,' or something to that effect, which is to calm the excitement of both the asker and myself. This way, if something comes from it, it will be a blessing, and if nothing comes from it, then the disappointment won't be as bad.
... which is almost always NEVER the case. You ALWAYS want to get that job!
I love my job, but sometimes it sucks ... even after a great audition.
P.S. You can see on my 'shelfy' thing what plays and books I am currently reading. If you're curious.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Neat Little Plays!
I happened to have a little energy so I thought I'd check out a theatre where I have been auditioning for the past couple of months. It's the Williamston Theatre
http://williamstontheatre.com
Their current offering is a great little play. It's a two-hander called Hate Mail, and it's really quite good. I was in the running to be in it, but the two person cast was excellent, and there are parts of it that ... well ... hit close to home. It takes place over the course of the period of a relationship between a man and woman, but they only speak through their correspondence (I know, I know ... sounds like THAT play ... but it isn't ) and it's really quite funny, lovely, abrasive ... you know ... ALL those things.
Click on the link above and check it out!
P.S. had a fun audition today for a print ad. Stripped down to boxers, looking forlorn as I step on a scale. Sometimes I was just born to play some parts!!!!
More news if I get it!
Cheers
http://williamstontheatre.com
Their current offering is a great little play. It's a two-hander called Hate Mail, and it's really quite good. I was in the running to be in it, but the two person cast was excellent, and there are parts of it that ... well ... hit close to home. It takes place over the course of the period of a relationship between a man and woman, but they only speak through their correspondence (I know, I know ... sounds like THAT play ... but it isn't ) and it's really quite funny, lovely, abrasive ... you know ... ALL those things.
Click on the link above and check it out!
P.S. had a fun audition today for a print ad. Stripped down to boxers, looking forlorn as I step on a scale. Sometimes I was just born to play some parts!!!!
More news if I get it!
Cheers
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Unmotivated! :P
Oh boy! It's days like today that make being unemployed really HARD! You expect the phone to ring, and because you are in between interviews/auditions during the week, sometimes you just feel like you're not moving at all!!!!
Spent a majority of the day answering emails, and updating things, paying bills, but at the end of the day not a lot was accomplished. I did get an audition appointment today. It's for tomorrow. So ... I have something active to do tomorrow. Well ... sort've ... it's for a print ad. So I imagine I'll be told to hold still more than move. More on that tomorrow.
I did manage to drag myself out of the room and move some of my father's coinage upstairs for my mother. Then as the afternoon wore on, I realized that I have an audition for Mason Street Warehouse on Saturday. That wasn't so bad until I realized that today is THURSDAY!!! TWO DAYS! and I have a song on the guitar to prepare. So I spent 2-3 hours working on 'Back In The Saddle Again." I'm pretty sure it'll be good by Saturday morning.
Had dinner with my friend, Rusty this evening. Indian food. There's something I have always found ever so slightly lacking about Indian food. I've simply never felt completely satisfied after eating it.
All for now!
Spent a majority of the day answering emails, and updating things, paying bills, but at the end of the day not a lot was accomplished. I did get an audition appointment today. It's for tomorrow. So ... I have something active to do tomorrow. Well ... sort've ... it's for a print ad. So I imagine I'll be told to hold still more than move. More on that tomorrow.
I did manage to drag myself out of the room and move some of my father's coinage upstairs for my mother. Then as the afternoon wore on, I realized that I have an audition for Mason Street Warehouse on Saturday. That wasn't so bad until I realized that today is THURSDAY!!! TWO DAYS! and I have a song on the guitar to prepare. So I spent 2-3 hours working on 'Back In The Saddle Again." I'm pretty sure it'll be good by Saturday morning.
Had dinner with my friend, Rusty this evening. Indian food. There's something I have always found ever so slightly lacking about Indian food. I've simply never felt completely satisfied after eating it.
All for now!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
March Trip to New York City!
So as I mentioned, I am currently searching for work.
Did I mention that?!!?!? ...
Since the options in the midwest are pretty slim at the moment, and since there was a theatre that was interested in seeing me in New York City for a theatre production in the fall, I decided to spend a little dough and head to the big apple for a week.
I drove 700 miles last Sunday (March 2nd,) parked Gwendolyn (my new used 1999 Oldsmobile 88 - she did quite well, BTW, managing 31 miles to the gallon on one tank of gas - YAY!!!) at Tom's River, NJ for a week and bussed the rest of the way in via New Jersey Transit.
Special thanks to Quincy, Jeff and Kara for providing a roof over my head for the week.
Highlights: The Barter Theatre audition seemed to go pretty well. I went a little risky, doing a song that was prepared, but had never been performed before a group before. I also took my tenor guitar and played a little Carter family music, for consideration for possible appalachian musicals in future seasons.
On the last day, Cornell University was holding open auditions for their RPTA program (Resident Actor/Teacher) and I was CALLED BACK! This, even though, even at the last second I was simply thinking about wrapping the week up, I was tired, and thought about bowing out, but they did remember me from 2 years before, when I got called back by them. This is a great year round acting opportunity, as well as teaching experience!
Saw a couple of shows while in New York:
I might add that I got these from the TKTS booth, and if you look at the upper left corner area, these are half off!!! and still $50 ... OUT OF CONTROL!!!
Loved The Seafarer! Conleth Hill is a comedic GENIUS! (and I have NEVER used that word lightly.)
Not such a big fan of Rock 'N' Roll. It's a bohemoth production, but seems like a smaller play than it was produced as. It did make me go out and get the script, so that I could see what I missed. Had difficulty hearing some of the actor, in particular Rufus Sewell (Sorry, Jill!) I did think that Brian Cox and Sinead Cusack were wonderful though, but the production sure seemed like it needed to be more intimate. Lots of talking going on, but I felt a lot of times like, "Who cares!," which I didn't enjoy feeling, since the crux of the play involves the breaking away of Czechlosovokia from Communism, and freedom of speech, all of which are very important issues, but I couldn't figure out why THESE particular characters were bringing the subjects up.
If the playbill involves a 2-4 page pamphlet which talks about the issues, I knew I was in trouble.
Glad I have the script, so I can read it on my own time and at my own speed.
Here is one of my favorite places to eat in New York:
And here is the reason why ... slices of the Nonna Maria pizza ... soooo good
Other highlights: hanging out with old friends. Such as my friend, Wayne Pyle, who worked with me many many many moons ago at the Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival.
Did I mention that?!!?!? ...
Since the options in the midwest are pretty slim at the moment, and since there was a theatre that was interested in seeing me in New York City for a theatre production in the fall, I decided to spend a little dough and head to the big apple for a week.
I drove 700 miles last Sunday (March 2nd,) parked Gwendolyn (my new used 1999 Oldsmobile 88 - she did quite well, BTW, managing 31 miles to the gallon on one tank of gas - YAY!!!) at Tom's River, NJ for a week and bussed the rest of the way in via New Jersey Transit.
Special thanks to Quincy, Jeff and Kara for providing a roof over my head for the week.
Highlights: The Barter Theatre audition seemed to go pretty well. I went a little risky, doing a song that was prepared, but had never been performed before a group before. I also took my tenor guitar and played a little Carter family music, for consideration for possible appalachian musicals in future seasons.
On the last day, Cornell University was holding open auditions for their RPTA program (Resident Actor/Teacher) and I was CALLED BACK! This, even though, even at the last second I was simply thinking about wrapping the week up, I was tired, and thought about bowing out, but they did remember me from 2 years before, when I got called back by them. This is a great year round acting opportunity, as well as teaching experience!
Saw a couple of shows while in New York:
I might add that I got these from the TKTS booth, and if you look at the upper left corner area, these are half off!!! and still $50 ... OUT OF CONTROL!!!
Loved The Seafarer! Conleth Hill is a comedic GENIUS! (and I have NEVER used that word lightly.)
Not such a big fan of Rock 'N' Roll. It's a bohemoth production, but seems like a smaller play than it was produced as. It did make me go out and get the script, so that I could see what I missed. Had difficulty hearing some of the actor, in particular Rufus Sewell (Sorry, Jill!) I did think that Brian Cox and Sinead Cusack were wonderful though, but the production sure seemed like it needed to be more intimate. Lots of talking going on, but I felt a lot of times like, "Who cares!," which I didn't enjoy feeling, since the crux of the play involves the breaking away of Czechlosovokia from Communism, and freedom of speech, all of which are very important issues, but I couldn't figure out why THESE particular characters were bringing the subjects up.
If the playbill involves a 2-4 page pamphlet which talks about the issues, I knew I was in trouble.
Glad I have the script, so I can read it on my own time and at my own speed.
Here is one of my favorite places to eat in New York:
And here is the reason why ... slices of the Nonna Maria pizza ... soooo good
Other highlights: hanging out with old friends. Such as my friend, Wayne Pyle, who worked with me many many many moons ago at the Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
