"You take the good. You take the bad. You take them both..."

 

 

Thanksgiving is over and thus begins the Christmas season, the busiest time of year. I have a full work schedule, rehearsals for a Backer’s Audition, the actual Backer’s Audition, classes and lessons, auditions to prepare for, auditions to go to and holidays to celebrate. Being busy is a good thing. But with being busy comes a challenge...making decisions as to what to accomplish and what to leave by the wayside. Each and every choice you make has the potential to change your Life. It doesn’t matter how large or small the choice. It can still have a major long lasting impact.

This “challenge of choices” is more prevalent for performers than peope in any other profession. We make more choices everyday that affect the outcome of our immediate and future lives. Within our profession we must inevitably choose between work, career or art. The three can be the same but more often than not they can be mutually exclusive and elusive. Art fills your soul. A career fills your need for success and work fills your pockets.

During the times between making Art and a career, you work. Some are lucky enough to work within the profession doing what they have been taught to do, perform. You should be well aware by now that not all performing gigs are career milestones and making “art” is usually not profitable. Most actors aren’t fortunate to have a performing job to make money. They have to rely on some other means of income...the “day job”.

No matter how much money you’ve socked away for your move and for the pursuit of Art, you will eventually have to get some sort of job. The possibilities are endless from dog walking to babysitting to cater-waiter to concierge to personal assistant. And the list goes on. But you’ll have to choose. The one thing they all have in common is their continued eating of your time and diverting you from achieving your career goals.

Now the choices really start. Should you take a permanent position in a corporation in order to make a steady income? If you make that decision, auditioning becomes secondary. Your time is pretty much governed for you. You spend 8 hours a day working, an hour and half in total commute time, 8 hours sleeping, a half an hour getting ready in the morning and in total an hour eating during one day. That leaves you five hours per work day and maybe two days off. In that time, you also have to run your life...laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, socializing and relaxing. You can hire people to do most of that for you, but that means more hours must be worked in order to pay for it.

An performer moves to New York / Chicago / L. A. to make a career. How much time will be left for that?

There’s always the traditional route. You could become a waiter. This seems to be a much better choice. You have the potential to make more money, because of tips. But because that relies on other people’s generosity, you have the potential to make a lot less as well. Not to mention at first you have to take the shifts no one wants to work. The other waiters don’t want to work these shifts because there is less money to be made during them. Budgeting becomes a concern.

After gaining a little bit of seniority in your waiting job, your schedule becomes much more flexible and you can start to get the shifts with better tips. This is wonderful. However some shifts can be as long as 10-12 hours a day, on your feet. That takes a toll on your body. Going to a dance call after waiting tables is no small feat. Singing at an audition after having to practically yell over the ambient noise in a restaurant is also a challenge.

All waiters are feed a staff meal and free food is good. Some places with bar service even allow you an after shift drink. You’re saving some money on food and entertainment. That means fewer hours to work. Unfortunately there are plenty of other things to eat up some of those “left-over” hours.

I’ve been performing and working on my career since I was 15 years old. And the one thing I know is this: The amount of things I don’t know could make an entirely new world. One of these "new world" ideas for many performers is that working on thier craft and career is a lifelong process. Everyone needs to take classes and lessons and seminars. Even if you don’t feel you have something to learn, there is still the element of networking. Networking is socializing combined with making professional contacts. And it’s a major time commitment... just ask any L. A. based actor.

Every performer you meet has the potential to assist you in your endeavor to pursue Art, career and work. I’ve performed with three casting directors and a major agent, performed with not for, prior to their becoming casting directors and an agent. Their lives changed based on their choices. Where did I meet them? In classes, doing shows and working the same day job, in short networking. Networking is a 24/7 kind of thing. Sometimes it’s a byproduct of other activities and sometimes it’s the activity itself.

Through all of this a performer still has to make it to auditions in order to get the opportunity to perform.

In the height of the audition season, getting in line at 6am in hopes to get an audition time is common practice. If you’re Equity you only have to wait a couple of hours before choosing a time to audition. If your non-equity you may have to sit around and wait all day to be seen. Either way, getting in line at 6am is no easy task if you've finished work at 2am. Even a bartender, who finishes work at 5am, has challenges. How well can you perform if you’ve been awake for fifteen hours straight; nine of the hours you were working, four of those hours you were standing in line and two of those hours you were getting ready and commuting?

It all comes down to choosing. You choose to work over going to class. You choose to go to an audition over going to work. You choose to have clean laundry, to eat, to sleep to live. Every choice you make has an impact on the outcome of your career. Believe or not a time will come when you’ll have to choose whether to take a performing job or not. It’s happened to me and with totally unforeseen outcomes.

I’ve only thought of turning down three performing jobs in my career. One I actually did turn down and two I didn’t.

I turned down that one job because I was young and naive. And stupid. It was for a theatre company that no longer exists, that virtually everyone at the time had worked for. My roommate got hired as well, but for the show prior to the one I was supposed to do.

Neither of us had cell phones at the time, so we were using the same land line as our buisness contact. Once during my roommate’s negotiations he wasn’t home so I answered the phone. It was the same casting person that had offered me a job in the subsequent show. The casting person acted as if I was “Joe Schmoe”. He gave no acknowledgement of who I was and the fact that he had just offered me a job. It pissed me off and hurt my pride. I later turned down the job. However the company continued to call me in for every show they did. I never booked another one before they shut their doors. There are some major up and coming directors and choreographers who have worked there. Little did I know that I chose to miss a prime networking opportunity.

In defense of my childish actions, I did have to get my life in order. I had just come back from Europe performing five years straight. I needed to find an apartment, a job and buckle down for New York City life.

Oddly enough, this job in Europe was one of the two jobs I almost turned down but didn’t. It was the hardest five years of my life and a virtual living hell. But wrapped up in all the turmoil and drama were wonderful experiences and amazing people (More on that in another blog).  If I had the chance to choose again, I would be just as torn as I was back then. I had two friends who convinced me to take the contract. In the end, however, the decision was mine and mine alone.

Taking this contract helped me to be put on file for the replacement of a lead role in a long running Broadway production.

The other job I almost turned down was prior to all of this. It was performing on a cruise ship. I was beside myself with the offer. Again I had just come off of another long stint of work and was rooming with another friend of mine (A major decision that comes from working out of town is whether to keep your apartment or give it up). He wasn’t going to classes or auditions or doing anything. He was stuck and deciding what he wanted out of life. Even though he wasn’t in a good place, I asked him his opinion about the cruise ship job. He told me to turn it down. Again the decision was mine to make and I did. I took the job.

He was right. The cruise ship life was not for me. There are some performers who make their entire careers from working on ships. That’s great for them. I hold nothing against them for it. They are just as talented and wonderful as any other type of performer. I did my one contract and came back to New York, back to living with my friend.

When I returned, my friend informed me of all that had happened since my high seas adventure. He was going to leave the stage and go into choreography, which by the way he is still successfully doing to this day. But more importantly he told me how grateful he was that I had made my own decision and took the contract.

Late one night, while I was on the ship, my friend heard a loud noise followed by a huge booming thud. Then silence. As he investigated, he found that an enormous section of ceiling over the head of my bed had collapsed. Had I not taken the cruise ship job I would have been in bed when it happened. My skull would have been crushed from the weight of fallen debris.

Not all decisions are as profound. One time I had to decide between going to a temp job or going to pick up a paycheck. I only had enough money for one subway fare...and I had to take the quarters out of my loafers to get it! I decided to pick up the paycheck, hoping to make up for lost work time with another temp job.

I am an adult. I make my own decisions and pay my own way. Sometimes it’s good and right and easy. Sometimes it’s not. And I can never know what the long term ramifications will be...

I’ve decided to forgo a few days of work to be able to be a part of the Backer’s Audition. Without the income, I will have to miss a few dance classes. I’ll also not be able to go through with the voice lessons I had planned on taking. Instead I will have to squeeze in time for the gym to get some physical exercise and simply sing through my audition material on my own. I’ll have to rely on the technique and songs I already have in my arsenal to get me through.

There are two auditions scheduled for one day. In the height of the audition seasons this is quite common, and decisions have to be made as to which to focus on. This time of year it’s a bit rare, so I’ve decided to go to both. I’ve planned ahead. I have no prior commitments. I’m not going into the “day job”. I have no rehearsals to attend. It’s all worked it out squared away. I chose.

Sometimes you choose and Life has a way of intervening and forcing you to face your decision.

On Thanksgiving Day, the Director of the Theatre program at my university passed away. He is an accomplished man, having worked with and been friends with some of the great legends of theatre. He was an amazing teacher. I’m convinced he’s taught some of the next generation of theatre legends.  Funeral services are scheduled on the day of these two auditions.

Choices.

Each and every day is filled with choices: some good, some bad, some obvious and some obtuse. And each and every choice is a direction, a road to travel down. There is no map. There is no right or wrong. The choices you make will have an impact on the direction your life takes and sometimes on your very existence.

 

Whether you work, audition, socialize, take a job, refuse a job, take classes, take lessons or skip the whole damn thing, it’s your choice. And that choice leads to another choice, which leads to another road. If you find the journey you’re taking never seems to be living up to your dreams, choose again.

For a performer birthing a career, having to constantly choose is simply The Facts of Life...

 

 

 

 

 

He did the monster mash...

Boo!

Did I scare you? Probably not. You’ve most likely outgrown all those childish fears of things that go bump in the night. I know I outgrew my fear of Dracula and vampires...I think. Midnight every Halloween I start to have my doubts though.

In keeping with the season I’ve decided to write about the one thing that can send shivers down even the most seasoned actor’s spine...Headshots.

Everyone has seen at least one scary movie. There’s a simple formula and it’s always the same. I’m going to use that formula to make a new feature film, a movie about a monster that has the power to suck the life out of any actor’s career. The movie is called “Pict-ula”.

[Cue scary music: Dun dun duuuun!]

Hopefully all actors will come out “alive” (with great headshots).

The first rule...

 

STICK TOGETHER

In any horror movie the monster lurks in the darkness and the first victim is the first person to be alone.

When you’re at auditions ask to see other people’s headshots. We’re actors. We like the attention. And if we like our headshots we’ll tell you. We’ll also tell you who took them, whether we liked the photographer and how much they cost.

While looking at headshots try and discern if and why it grabs your attention and if it looks like the actor holding it. If the headshot doesn’t look like the person holding it politely excuse yourself. And RUN. The actor is under the spell of “Pict-ula”. [Dun dun duuuun!]

Remember our monster has no reflection. So if the actor isn’t reflected in his picture, the  career life has been sucked out of him. And besides if you look like your headshot there will always be two heroes and you’ll never have to fight monsters alone.

Next...

 

KNOW THE LORE

You can’t effectively kill a monster when you have no idea what that monster is. “Pict-ula” [Dun dun duuuun!] has many incarnations based on geographic location. There are however some basic rules you must know in order to slay the beast:

1.      Headshots must be in color

2.      Headshots must be taken digitally

3.      Headshots must be sized 8” x 10”

4.      Headshots must be in a matte finish

5.      Headshots must have the actors name on the front

My film takes place in New York City, where lithographs and copies of headshots are powerless against “Pict-ula”. [Dun dun duuuun!]  In other regions these may be perfectly acceptable forms.

Also studio backgrounds (the colored sheets pulled down behind you), while not frowned upon, aren’t generally in use.

Now that you have friends to back you up and know what you’re dealing with, you must...

 

RESEARCH

This is the part of the movie where the intrepid adventures seek out people well versed in monster information. You know, the doddering old professor of antiquities who has studied the legend and secretly believes it to be true. He or she has the key to finding and slaying the monster.

In New York there is a bevy of classes and seminars an actor can take where they meet casting directors and agents. People commonly refer to such services as “Pay to Play”. An actor is paying for the privilege of meeting industry professionals who can help further their career in some way. During these sessions there is usually a question and answer period. Use it to gather knowledge. For example instead of asking an agent how many clients they have (which some agents consider to be rude and none of the actor’s business), ask what makes a headshot stand out and grab their attention. In fact ask anyone who has any connection to casting what-so-ever. They probably have had several encounters with “Pict-ula” [Dun dun duuuun!]

Compile your data. You’ll come out with a few consistent answers, one of the most popular being “it’s all in the eyes”.

At this point in the movie there is always some hot-headed hot shot who wants to immediately run off and kill the monster. No matter what you do or what you say he is going to go it alone and unarmed. So let him. We need to keep the audiences on the edge of their seats. No one has succumbed to the monster in our movie for awhile and better him than you.

What the rest of the monster hunters should do is...

 

GATHER RESOURCES

This is the hardest and lengthiest section of the movie. Many films will only have a montage, a quick moving splicing of events as the heroes prepare. Our feature film will play some details.

Your first resource is you. Who are you? And remember one of the most important through lines of the entire blog site: what is your product?  

If you are an actor still in school or recently graduated this can be a bit more challenging. In educational settings roles are given out on a need basis. A production needs a 65 year old grandmother. Someone has to play her, so the role goes to a nineteen year old sophomore. Is that her product? Not yet. An actor needs to see what type of roles that they are consistently cast in, that are close to the age he or she appears to be. This is what the people behind the table will buy. This will almost undoubtedly be the actor’s “product”.

Once your product is determined, you need to get clothes that fit that type. Find “you” in commercials, sit-coms and stage shows. These people are your “product models”. There is a tendency for each character type to dress similarly. It makes for quick recognition on part of the casting people. I’ve recently been checking out ethnic Dads and there is indeed a kind of “uniform”. Wear something similar to your product models in your photos. It’s your garlic to ward off “Pict-ula”. [Dun dun duuuun!]

I assisted Thurston, my bestie, on a photo shoot. A young college kid, a really nice guy, needed new headshots. He had brought with him a leather jacket and a couple different t-shirts. Even though I didn’t know what his talent was like, I was skeptical. He’s a good looking nice kid; I didn’t expect a leather jacket which is generally quite passé in terms of headshots. I asked him what types of characters he usually gets cast as. His reply was bad guys, like young mafia types, hoods and gang members.

His new headshots are great. They look like him. His individual genuine quality came through. You also see that “bad boy on the other side of the law” quality. His headshots will serve him well. He faced the monster and came out alive.

This young actor knew exactly what he wanted. His school advisor helped him choose a photographer, Thurston, who’s portfolio best represented their goals. Our young adventurer had specific instructions on the looks of his photos and communicated those things to his photographer. The ideas you bring to the session, regardless of where they come from, will help guide the photographer to creating your vision of a photo. Think of the ideas as your holy water. It won’t kill the monster but it will keep him in line.

The last resource you need is money. When all is said and done, a modest session with retouching and reproductions will run about $1000. There are headshot sittings that can cost upwards of $1300 before retouching and reproduction. Yes, bargains are out there to be found. Some photographers offer specials. Those specials do come with limitations however. These limitations can include how long the sitting is, how many changes of clothes you can have, and how many photos are taken,  to name a few. The old adage is true “you get what you pay for”. Do you really want to face our monster wielding a plastic stake?

Women will have the additional cost of hair and makeup. Most photographers have a makeup artist with whom they work. Their fee is set in stone and can run anywhere from $100-$300. Men should not wear makeup, other than maybe powder to lessen shine. A word of warning: you must be able to daily recreate the look the stylist does for you during the headshot session. Otherwise you will look like the walking dead as you enter the audition room.

It all adds up to a lot of money, yes. But done well they can serve you until your physicality changes. Besides it’s that time of year and headshots make the perfect holiday gift. My first headshots were a gift from my parents. In fact that’s the only gift I got from them for an entire year. And bonus: your family will love getting a framed headshot from their “big time New York actor relative” as their holiday gift!

Et viola! You’ve got your stakes, your garlic and your holy water. Now you’re ready to...

 

STORM THE CASTLE

To gain entrance to the demon’s lair you’ll need to battle the minions who guard it.

Use the list of qualified photographers you gathered from other actors, casting directors and agents and make appointments to meet all of them. For most actors it’s imperative to connect and feel at ease with their photographer. If the photos are to be taken in a studio make sure the meeting happens there. It will help you be more comfortable at the actual shoot.

Outdoor shoots with natural lighting are all the rage now. I think both will soon be added to the “Lore” section of subsequent movies. If it’s going to be outside, ask to see what locations the photographer uses. Some locations are over done. So it’s okay to bring a list of places you’d like to use. Remember your ideas are holy water. Through them at everyone you meet and watch who recoils. You want a photographer who will work with what you want as opposed to running the shoot how they want.

While meeting with a photographer you must look through his book.  It’s imperative that you search for other actors who are your physical type. Remember, if you stay in a group you won’t become another victim of “Pict-ula”. [Dun dun duuuun!]  If you’re dark skinned, how does the photographs of people with similar skin tones appear? If you’re blonde, do the pictures of blondes have true to life hair color? Does the photographer excel at taking a man’s photos and a not woman’s, and vice versa? Pick well and remember to always go with your gut.

In horror movies, if someone has a bad feeling about a situation the others usually ignore him or her and journey forward. It’s then that people become victims of the monster. It’s the same in our movie. If you have a bad or uneasy feeling about a photographer or a studio, even if you can’t quite put your finger on what that feeling is, run. This is not the photographer or studio to use. Get out. Save yourself...and your money.

Once you have found photographer, and thus the entrance to the lair, it’s time for...

 

THE BATTLE

You must do two things in preparation for the fight:

Several weeks before your actual headshot session, the only liquid you should consume is water. It’ll flush your system of toxins and give your skin a natural glow.

You need to get as much sleep as possible in those weeks leading up to your appointment. You can’t have a productive session if you’re tired, yawning and have sleepy eyes the whole time.

Your full concentration needs to be on the task at hand. Try and free up your entire schedule the day of the shoot. Few things can crush a headshot session faster than running late from work or being worried about getting to work after the session is finished. In horror films this is where monster hunters succumb to their own demons, even before reaching “Pict-ula”. [Dun dun duuuun!]

You need to feel at ease, comfortable and relaxed during your shoot. Then your headshots will look relaxed and you’ll appear approachable and friendly. I recommend bringing a friend along to your session, especially for the women. Every hero needs a side kick and there is safety in numbers

...unless of course you’re the African American man in the movie who up until now has only had two lines. No matter what he does, he and his girlfriend are toast!

There are photographers who attempt to loosen you up with alcohol. DON’T DO IT. It’s a trap. This minion has used its stealth capabilities to slip under your detection. Even one sip will leave you powerless and your photos lackluster. And don’t let your side kick succumb either. He or she will become a minion under a spell and have no free will to help against you-know-who.

During the shoot is where we lose the most victims to the monster. It’s because each individual session plays out completely randomly. Every good fight scene in every good horror flick has unexpected obstacles. Most monster hunters will succumb to the unexpected...otherwise the audience will get bored and the box office receipts will suffer. You're the hero. You've got your side kick with you. You’ve prepared and trained for this for the first hour of the movie. You’ve only got like 20 more minutes of screen time left. Don’t be ridged. Go with the unexpected. Match blow for blow. But keep your wits about you. Make sure it stays professional, safe and doesn’t compromise your personal integrity.

After the shoot is over, you will feel if you’ve been victorious or not. It’s palpable, the sense of accomplishment and relief, the confidence that your best was given, and the demise of the monster. There are only two of you left standing now. As you and your trusty side kick walk back through the monster’s lair, spent and longing for a good night’s rest, or a glass of wine, from the shadows he appears...

 

THE RESSURECTION

Yes my friends, what horror film worth its salt doesn’t have the monster come back from certain death? Just when you think it’s “safe to go back in the water” your contact sheets arrive.

This is by far the scariest part of our film. It’s where our heroes square off with the demon and its many forms. The monster is at the height of its power, using its mind twisting games to confuse you and hypnotize you. Garlic, stakes and holy water are useless. It’s a battle of sheer will between you and “Pict-ula” [Dun dun duuuun!]

Look at it methodically. Get rid of the shots you know will not work, the ones with half closed eyes, crocked smiles, bad clothing choices and the like. If you’re lucky you’ll have a clear choice if not a myriad of choices.

The demon is stronger than expected. Our two hunters curse the doddering old professor of antiquities, whom they believe have given them incorrect information.

We turn to our friends and family (especially family if they paid for the headshots) for their opinions. “Of these few pictures which do you like best?” “Which picture looks most like me?” If you have actor friends on facebook you've undoubtedly seen the posts requesting help.

Your side kick chooses a photo. You hesitate for a split second. You’re not sure. At that moment the monster jumps out from behind and then BAM. Your side kick jumps in front of the monster and sacrifices him or herself to save you.

It’s your headshot. No one can make the decision for you. You ultimately have to be the one who chooses.

You raise your voice in a primal scream “I can’t look at another photo! They all look the same!” Your side kick, while professing their secret love for you, slides lifeless to the ground. You’re blind with rage. You start hacking at the monster, picking any photo or worse; you toss them aside letting the monster regain its power, draining you of your sanity as you contemplate the dreaded task at hand.

Just when you think all is lost and the monster’s victory is imminent, the doddering professor enters the lair. He translated a word incorrectly from the ancient text. Now he offers you the final piece of information on how to slay “Pict-ula” [Dun dun duuuun!]

The best overall judges of headshots are the people who wade through hundreds of them every day for work. Consult the casting directors and agents with whom you have a relationship with about which of your pared down headshot choices they think will work.

Again I stress that it’s your headshot. You ultimately have to be the one who chooses. However you can choose with the help of well regarded working industry professionals. They are the ones who will be looking at them anyway. It’s just a subjective guess as to which photo represents an actor’s individual product best. And it’s a bigger guess as to which photo will help obtain an audition from a submission, be it email or snail mail. Better to make it an educated guess than a blind one.

Our intrepid hero, bloodied and bruised finally realizes the only way to kill the monster is to confront it head one. With the knowledge the old professor has given him, our hero attacks with a new fervor.  They fight...on the stairs, in the hallways, through dining rooms, on tables...until the final blow and the monster has been vanquished.

[Cheers]

 

IN THE MORNING SUN

Our hero walks victorious, with new headshot in hand out into the light of auditions. Little does he realize the fight is not over. It’s a never ending battle; one that needs to be fought each and every time he has or makes a major discernible physical change. Aging is the biggest factor in needing new headshots. But something as simple as a hair style change can cause our intrepid hunter to once again come face to face with “Pict-ula”.

[Cue evil laughter]

With a bit of a mind flip you're into the time slip...

 

 

If you’ve wondered about the strange occurances around New York City I can explain. Unusual things tend to happen when my best friend and I are together. Yes Thurston’s in town. He’s made the pilgrimage from Orlando to see if his career was a fluke, some sort of cosmic disturbance in the time space continuum...like water spouts and tornados and  in New York City. He’s allotted 6 months to audition, get a job and start performing, preferably on Broadway.

6 months.

Let me clarify a thing or two about Thurston. He and his husband Noah left New York a few years ago to make a life in Orlando, a life that includes a house, a backyard, two cars and year round Equity performing employment. In fact Thurston has been consistently employed since the day we met each other at our first professional summer stock gig. He’s worked in theme parks, cruise ships, regional theatres, national tours, international tours, foreign countries versions of Broadway and on the actual Broadway. He’s had like 9 production contracts and only one non-performing job in his whole life.

“Fluke career” my a...anyway...Thurston believes his success was based on being an acrobat. Like the strippers in Gypsy say “Ya gotta get a gimmick if you want to get ahead” and acro was his. Since tumbling is no longer his forte, he’s questioning whether he has any talent at all. This, coupled with the voices of all the evil jealous people he’s encountered, makes fertile ground for growing self-doubt.

I keep trying to tell him that getting a performing job has nothing to do with talent. Talent is subjective. If there are four people behind the table there could be five opinions on the level of talent and whether it’s good or not. Getting a performing job these days takes navigating a sea of variables.

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, you already know some of the important variables in the “getting hired equation”: the material presented at an audition and the actor’s product.

I had the privilege of being a Casting Director for a Director and Choreographer, both of whom are or were performers. In most cases they’re very forgiving about what material an actor initially presents. They’ll either ask for something different or work with the actor to get something relevant out of the less than optimal choice. This is an exception. I think it’s because they’re performers themselves. They understand the challenges of finding perfect audition material, especially for new shows and the importance of being able to act and take direction. Most people behind other tables would probably quickly move on: “Thanks for coming in today”.

This can lead to actors believing some people behind some tables are uncreative when it comes to envisioning them in the roles they're auditioning for.

Let me explain what’s actually happening...

The current trend in the performing arts is hiring people who are “real”.  This means an actor’s product is so closely aligned with who the theatrical character is that telling the difference between the two is a challenge, if there’s a difference at all. The savvy actor knows his or her own product and presents that product in the best possible light. He or she auditions for shows that are specifically looking for his or her product. These performers don’t have to “act” because they “are”. They walk into the room just as the people behind the table envision the character in question to look, sound, and interact with others.

Knowing his or her product and targeting auditions for said product will help get an actor called back and maybe even hired.

 Maybe...

A lot of talented product savvy actors don’t get hired because of the lack of available contracts in their union status. The recent financial downturn has either closed some regional theatres all together or caused them to limit how many union contracts they offer. With limited contracts, casting becomes a game of chess.

There is one Equity contract. If union actor A gets hired for role A, then union actor B can’t be hired for role B. However there is only one viable choice for role C so actor C has to be hired. And guess what? Actor C is union.  Even though none of the actors were up for the same part, Union actor A and Union actor B completely lose the chance for employment because Union actor C is cast. It doesn’t matter about look or talent or product.

Another variable in getting a job is how under some union contracts certain roles have to be offered to the actor who last played that role. Montego Glover, a colleague and friend of mine, was involved with the hit Broadway show Memphis from its start in 2003. The show opened on Broadway in 2009. Any actress coming to New York in 2009 for a limited 6 month audition stint to see if her career was a “fluke, some sort of cosmic disturbance in the time space continuum” had virtually no chance of being cast in the role of “Felicia” in Memphis on Broadway. This role was already Montego’s...from 6 years ago.

A new 6 month relationship cannot compete with a tried and true 6 years.

Now add personal alliances into the fray...

Recently I applied to be a director for a new up and coming non-union theatre group here in New York City. I became aware of the company when I went to see my friend Teagan in the company’s first production. The talent was good and the effort was fantastic. It was impressive to see what the company had done in only a short while with severely limited funds. The founder of the company was actually in the show in a smaller role. Teagan introduced me to him and I used the opportunity to mention my interest in working with the company, specifically directing the third show.

After Teagan’s show closed, I kept communication going with the founder. During this time I had mentioned that I wanted to use Teagan in the third show. The founder told me that he wanted to expand the company and the company’s contacts so he would rather not reuse former cast members.

In the mean time, I spoke to a colleague about being my Musical Director/accompanist. Both of us went to see the second production, which was quite ambitious. The show itself was more mature and refined. I was surprised how well it actually came off, again with limited time and budget. There were some casting choices I wondered about though. There was one actress who was at best “phoning in” her performance. Both the musical director and I didn’t care for her.

After the show I introduced the musical director to the founder. We spoke briefly about the show we had just watched and the upcoming third production. The founder told us that a lot of actors were already interested in auditioning. The founder also said he wanted to use someone from the show we had just seen for the third production. Guess what? It was the very same lack luster, unenergetic actress that we didn’t appreciate.

The founder and I continued to communicate via email regarding the third show. In one email, he wrote:

 

...I chose [the third show] primarily based around myself and [actress]. I know that we were both going to play [part] and [part]. I also have ideas to utilize only one more [company alumnus] and that's that.

 

Auditions hadn’t even been announced or planned for that matter. The show had been picked for certain people. This happens all the time. You don’t really think Gypsy gets revived again and again on a whim? When a show has a very demanding role like Gypsy, like Evita, like Music Man, there is coupled with the idea of doing that show with an idea of who’s going to play that role. At times, the idea of doing the show in question was a star performer’s idea in the first place. In some regional theatres, actors have even been known to produce a particular show themselves just so they can star in it.

I was taken aback because the founder had told me in no uncertain terms that alumnae were not going to be used for the third production. Yet he continued to cast the show completely with alumnae. My reply to this revelation was:

 

When I spoke to you about doing the show I said I had wanted to cast [Teagan]. You told me that you didn't want to use [company alumnae] for the show. The company needed to expand and incorporate more people. I totally understand. However at this point you have assembled virtually an entire cast of [company alumnae] which includes [actress]...

I saw [actress] in [the first production] where she was fine. In the performance of [the second show] she was flat, boring and completely uninteresting. She was the weakest performer on the stage and the only person both myself and the musical director did not like. When not doing a main part, this is the type of performance I expect to see from her. [the third show] can not afford the luxury of an inconsistent and uninteresting actor.

[actress] is welcome to come in and audition, as is anyone else you think would be good for the show. Whether she is used for the show or not is dependant on the quality of her audition and subsequent callbacks and the input of the creative team.

 

His retort was:

 

How you feel about [actress] is how I feel about [Teagan]. How the reviewers, producers, directors and how the general public feel about [actress] is the complete opposite from your opinion. [actress] has worked on broadway the past three years, she's talented, generates great ticket sales, and has a big support team - which includes me.

             I told you in the previous emails [actress] is IN the show. She's not invited to
            audition. She has a spot. As the OWNER and PRODUCER - it's my job to TELL
            you these things. Not ask.

 

It was at this point that several things came into light for me. The first was his duplicity. Had he simply said he’s not a fan of Teagan’s work in the beginning, all would have been fine. To concoct a less than truthful answer was unwarranted. When he continued to cast the show himself before auditions, he should have known there would be questions.

The second issue was that the founder was deluded. In our meeting after seeing the second show, he admitted that it was a financial flop. This was painfully evident since I sat watching the second show with 9 other people, one of whom I had invited. The fact that he was singing the praises of this actress who “generates ticket sales” was preposterous.

The third and biggest issue was his lack of professionalism and decorum. As a director I gave him my honest assessment of [actress]. His reply to that assessment was:

 

Evan, be careful about what you say and how you say it. You completely insulted me. You completely insulted a friend and a colleague. My interests in you has plummeted.

 

When I informed him that as a proud member of Actors Equity, that is was my duty to report an actor “scabbing” (working in a non-union capacity while being a member of the union), as was the case with [actress] who had spent the last three years on Broadway, he proceeded:

 

[actress] doesn't have her card so your threats are empty.

            Your lack of tact and your ability to stay composed are on a level of that of a

six year old.

...watch your mouth and your threats as I have more power than you think I do, SIR.

            Good luck with your dying career.

 

You may be thinking “What does this have to do with persaonal alliances and time limits?” Everything. If this scenario happens in a brand new, non-equity, non-professional, non-paying theatre company with a couple grand invested in a show, it is possible that it happens with a show budgeted at 20 million dollars, albeit much more subtle, nuanced and eloquent. The basic premise is this...regardless of an actor's talent or product, the ones who control the money control who gets cast.

Rebecca, a new show slated for Broadway, has its marquee up. Investors are allegedly dying or receiving emails convincing them to jump ship, and the entire production is stalled. Again. You can bet your life that if someone came up with the budget and insisted that his sister’s husband’s cousin’s niece star in the show, the current lead actress would be bought out of her contract and sent packing. Rebecca would open as planned.

Show business is a business. The point of being in business is to make money. Everyone likes a sure thing. So producers hire casting directors, choreographers and directors they know and or trust. These people have delivered top notch performers and or shows in the past for the producers, or they have a reputation for such. And most of these people hire actors they know and trust and like. It’s the reason so many jobs go to a relatively small circle of people. The investors are literally banking on familiarity and dependability.

When new actors come to New York, they’re taught to go to every audition possible. The people behind most of the tables need to get very familiar with a performer before they’re willing to take a chance. It’s why a “household name” can virtually do any project he or she wants. The actor is familiar, so the producers believe their investment will pay off.

An unknown actor, an actor without a reputation for success, can be viewed as a real monetary risk. If the unknown actor is hired and is unable to handle the requirements of the show, word of mouth will travel quickly. Attendance will suffer. No audience means no income. No income means no investment recoup. And no investment recoup means no show.

Breaking into the circle of dependability takes time and patience. It takes time, and effort, to build relationships with various directors, choreographers and casting directors...and other performers. It takes time to convince people behind tables that you, as an actor, are able to handle the rigors of rehearsal and performance. It’s the consistent positive reinforcement of auditioning, over time, which convinces the people behind any table that an actor is dependable and capable.

A colleague of mine developing relationship with a major casting office once asked what he could do to better his chances of getting cast. He was literally told “we need to see your face more at auditions”. And that takes time.

There is a seemingly never ending string of variables that can hinder an actor from getting employment. The vast majority of those variables are out of an actor’s control. Time is one of the variables an actor can control. Wield it like a weapon. Take a jump to the left and then a step to the right and set up camp. Put your hands on your hips and with a pelvic thrust charge into the time space continuum and fight for your career.

The trouble with the world today it seems to me...

 

The warm weather, the sun and the promise of getting away to perform makes me think of the summers I spent during high school touring. A smile always comes to my face as I remember the adventures my friends and I had. I’ve reconnected with a lot of these friends, all of them successful, both professionally and personally.

One of them, Rachel just had a birthday. I haven’t “seen” her in quite some time. Nowadays we laugh and have fun through cyber space. She’s doing incredibly well turning her personal goals into a beautiful reality. When wishing Rachel a happy birthday I had to mention our favorite show memory.

We were in high school. Rachel and I were sent by our drama club advisor, who was also the summer tour director, to do something. I have no idea what it was, but while attempting the task we ended up in the prop room eating sugar cubes...and getting really hyper and silly. We tried to keep quiet but to no avail. It’s nearly impossible to keep two musical theatre kids, who are flying high on sugar, in a prop room, quiet. And it was me and Rachel, not exactly the quietest people on earth to begin with.

Finally something sent us over the edge. We burst out laughing really loudly. Over our din we heard it: the booming baritone voice of our drama club advisor Mr. Eiklor. His room was right across the hall from the stage left wing...and the prop room.

“You two better not be in the prop room screwing around again!” He bellowed.

It turned into a scene from a Three Stooges film. Rachel and I were bumping into each other and tripping over ourselves while racing for an escape. Still laughing, we scampered to try and find a place to hide. Hiding from Mr. Eiklor was easy. He was 6’1” and weighed at least 600 pounds. He had a slight mobility issue. I say slight because I do remember him chasing us once. But that’s another story...

Since Mr. E (as we called him) had mobility issues, while directing the shows he would squeeze into a theatre seat and yell blocking and acting notes up to those on stage. All the while he would chain smoke cigarettes and drink coffee. He would yell if things got out of hand. Once every show he did.

When Mr. E believed things were spiraling out of control or he thought a student/performer was being particularly dumb he’d get flustered.  Mr. E’s face would turn beet red, he’d cuss like a sailor and his fat hands would start searching. When that happened everyone knew what was coming next; his ceramic coffee mug flying through the air at the offending party.

And once every show it did.

Mr. E. had impeccable aim. He never hit anyone. He was also very considerate. Usually the thrown cup was void of hot coffee. Usually.

Ah memories.

As summer started this year I hadn’t booked a gig so I decided to work on some career goals. I was going to review and strengthen my technique and work up new audition pieces. Most importantly, I was going to get my product ready for the onslaught of fall auditions. In essence, I had planned on getting back to basics. The Universe had the same plan, with a very different way of achieving it.

I ended up booking a show as an actor. I also booked a show as a casting director/assistant director. I ended up doing both shows simultaneously. In working with two different companies on two different shows the Universe sent me all the way back to the basic of all actor things, the one thing that can and is so easily over looked...performer etiquette.

“Performer etiquette” is the professional way a person behaves while employed as an actor. And it all starts at home.

Warm up prior to getting to rehearsal. Some theatre companies like to have group warm ups to help build a cohesive ensemble. A group warm up will hardly touch all the personal body or vocal issues an individual performer needs to address. An actor still must do his own private personal warm ups.

When you’re rehearsing a show, whether it’s a new work or a tried and try classic (I did one of each this summer), the actor should always be dressed appropriately.

Proper foot wear is essential. Flip flops are never appropriate for rehearsal. If the actor has been given flip flops as a footwear choice by the costumer that’s an entirely different story. Then the actor should wear flip flops for some rehearsals. Normal sneakers, the kind purchased at department stores and the like, are rarely appropriate for rehearsals especially dance rehearsals. Again there are exceptions; the first that pops into mind is West Side Story.

A pair of split sole “dance sneakers” is a perfect footwear choice for men. Many times the older character actors wear “character shoes”, hard soled, heeled dance shoes. This is also an excellent choice for younger actors doing period pieces. For women, depending on the show, either dance sneakers or character heels. Older actresses tend to always wear character heels. In my career I have yet to meet an older actress who has opted for flats. These ladies know that their legs look better when wearing heels. It’s possible they may have trouble remembering blocking, dialogue and or steps, but they look damn good while forgetting.

An actor may choose to look good during rehearsal, but it’s not a fashion show. Since you can never be sure what will be done at any given time, dress for getting sweaty and rolling around on the floor. If you can’t get dirty you can’t rehearse. Any article of clothing that does not stay up or in place on its own, or any article that constricts your movement in any way except one that mimics the costumes in the show, should not be worn.

If you are required to wear a dress or skirt during the show, wear a “rehearsal skirt” during rehearsal. Wearing a skirt changes how an actress (or actor) moves on stage: everything from walking to sitting. In some cases physical reaction time to on stage stimuli can be adversely affected. A performer earns major brownie points with the director and choreographer for having her (or his) own rehearsal skirt.

Take off the jewelry. It’s not only dangerous to you but to your co-workers. Long earrings, watches, rings and necklaces can become virtual weapons during rehearsal. Trust is an essential component during the process, especially when doing any type of close proximity or dance partnering work. How can actors trust each other when being poked prodded and scratched by unnecessary adornment?

Something else for the list of things to do before leaving the house... bathe, put on deodorant, and brush your teeth. Your fellow actors need not be assaulted by your bodily scents. There is no religion on earth that says “Thou must stink”...in rehearsals or in life for that matter. If you choose to forgo wearing commercial deodorant or using commercial toothpaste please know there are natural, homeopathic solutions to alleviate the funk. Find them. Use them. Everyday.

Please eat before coming to rehearsal. An actor needs fuel to maintain a high level of mental and physical energy. There will be times when your personal schedule doesn’t allow for eating prior to rehearsal. No one wants you to faint from hunger while doing your job. Unobtrusively snacking during rehearsal is fine. Standing on stage in the middle of a dance rehearsal eating a jumbo burrito is not an option...well not a professional one anyway.

Sign in. Signing in five minutes early means you’re right on time. Signing in right on time, and of course after call time, means you’re late. A lot of theatre companies rent rehearsal space. Generally getting into that space happens right at call time. So instead of signing in, say hello to the Stage manager so he or she has at least seen you. Then use those five minutes to change into your rehearsal clothes and shoes. When the rehearsal space becomes available then you sign in.

As you sign in, turn your phone off. Don’t put it on vibrate. Actually turn it off. With it on vibrate the temptation is too great to check your voice mail and send texts. There are people who are too vital to the world to turn their phones off. A president of a country is one of them. An actor in rehearsal is generally not one of them.

Using a cell during a rehearsal is rude. It’s disrespectful to the other actors who are working. It’s disrespectful to the members of the creative team who are working. It’s disrespectful to you...you should be working. There are things to be learned from other actors doing scene and song work. There are things to learn from directors, choreographers and musical directors, most importantly their work processes. Keying into how the creative team works and going with that flow will get you labeled as easy to work with and a quick study, resulting in future recommendations and jobs. There will be adequate time during breaks to check messages, return calls and compose emails.

Speaking of which, when notes, schedule updates or changes are emailed to you, it is imperative you respond. It lets the production team know that you’ve received the information and will act accordingly. A simple reply of “Thx. Got it” takes 30 seconds to complete. What kind of message does it send to the production team when they see an actor using a cell during rehearsals, yet that actor doesn’t response to their business calls/texts/emails?

During rehearsals be present both physically and mentally. This is especially true during the Sitzprobe and technical rehearsals. During these types of rehearsals there are other people being added to the world of the show. Everyone is an integral and essential part of the production. All of these people deserve your attention and respect, from the dresser, to the sound guy, to the person who cleans the toilets in the dressing rooms.

Oh and by the way, not singing or speaking full out at a Sitzprobe or a sound check is just unprofessional. Period.

When rehearsals have concluded and the show is up and running the same rules apply plus more.

Signing in five minutes early means you are right on time.

A performer has a journey to take prior to getting on stage to make the journey the playwright has plotted. He or she needs time to stop thinking of the world outside the theatre and start building the world inside the theatre. Five minutes to sit down and breathe, to say hello to the other actors, to drink your Starbucks or whatever you need to do to decompress from the trials and tribulations of being a working actor in this crazy world.

If an actor signs in directly at call time he’s late. Decompression time is lost not only for him but for a lot of other artists. The stage manager, who has been keeping tabs on who has signed in, has already been asking around if anyone has seen or spoken to that actor today. A pseudo amber alert is unofficially sounded. The dance captain gets wind of it and puts the swings on alert. The Dance Captain now has these tiny mental ideas growing about what’s going to happen when an understudy goes on or how to re-space the entire show with one less person.

At half hour everything stops; the noise, the music, the fooling around, the singing in the dressing room, the fights with sword apps on cell phones. Whether being paid or working for free an actor has a job to do. Like top class athletes, mental and physical focus will improve your performance, cut down the risk of injury and lengthen your overall career.

How long it takes an actor to get ready for the show and how they use that time to focus on the show depends on the production itself and the role that actor is playing. When I was doing La Cage aux Folles it took a full two hours to get ready for the show. Make up was a lengthy process. So was getting into the mindset of a beautiful drag queen cabaret performer. The “girls'” dressing rooms were one big kitty litter box, complete with playful catfights, make up tips and lots of romantic gossip.

In Miss Saigon we would see which G.I. could wait the longest before getting into mic and costume and then race to make it on stage. In the opening of that show the G.I.’s are trying to win the prostitutes at the bar. They’re rowdy, highly energetic and competitive.

Both ways of these ways of getting ready are valid as long as the performer has warmed up, eaten, turned his cell phone off, has signed in 5 minutes early and has respect for the different processes of the other actors involved in the production.

As the performance itself gets underway:

          Check your costumes and props and any presets. In larger

          budgeted shows this will be done for you, but it’s always a

          good idea to double check.

Make all of your entrances, even if you’re “spear carrier number 7

second from the left”.

Say all of your lines. If it wasn’t important the line wouldn’t be

there to begin with.

Do the choreography as it was given to you, regardless of your

personal feelings about it.

Don’t lip-sync another character’s dialogue or lyrics or act out another character’s part with him or her while both of you are on stage.

Don’t ask another performer to change his or her show to suit your fancy.

Never give notes to another actor. Ever.

While doing two shows simultaneously this summer, I had two different and widly extreme experiences. Both shows were mixed with Equity and Non-Equity actors. Both Shows employed old-timers and young whipper snappers. Both shows had budget constraints. Both shows were in unconventional spaces. Both shows were completely equal...on paper.

The bold colored text throughout the blog represents some points of performer etiquette. That text also gives a glimpse into some of the things that happened during these two shows. The positive and positive aspects of the text can be attributed to Show A, the negative and negative aspects to Show Z.

Show A was full of actors who were the epitome of professionalism. These actors know their jobs both on and off stage.  I would love to work with them again and would recommend them for any job, knowing if they were hired my reputation would stay intact. Show Z, not so much. In fact this experience reminded me of being a senior in high school and doing shows with freshmen newbies who went to "play practice" and had no clue about theatre or performer etiquette.

I’m fully aware I was once one of those freshmen newbies. Everyone is at one time. Mr. Eiklor, my high school drama club advisor changed all of that though.  

Mr. E.  ruled his theatre and theatre students with an iron fist, sometimes literally. His performers were clean cut all-American and wholesome.  He made sure we stayed that way. He loved his students and used any means necessary to communicate and instill values within us. Those values were based in “performer etiquette” (the bold colored text) yet they translate to Life in general: courtesy, humility, dignity, hard work and respect. That’s why Rachel and many others, whom you know of but have yet to meet, are so successful.

Rachel and I didn’t get a coffee cup thrown at us for screwing around that day in the prop room. We merely got summoned to Mr. E.’s room and given a stern lecture...while he twisted our ears. We were his children and he treated us as such. Only the best-behaved of his kids were allowed to perform during the breaks from school and that was what we all wanted. I learned quickly and was privileged to have toured and performed for four summers.

With all I’ve experienced traveling the world and doing theatre, there isn’t any one person, anywhere I have ever met who has taught me more about “performer etiquette” and Life than Mr. Eiklor. Who knew having a coffee swilling, chain smoking, cup throwing, expletive spewing, ear twisting, fat lump of a high school drama club advisor would have such a profound effect. Even with all the hiding and ducking, I was truly blessed to have had a teacher who cared so much about my well being and growth as a performer and a person.

Everything I needed to know Mr. E. taught me in high school. Now I've passed it on to you...sans coffee cup.


 

The spark of creation...

I recently had the amazing opportunity to act as Casting Director for a theatre here in the city. What an eye opening experience it was! How it measures up to the experiences of actual Casting Directors remains to be seen. I’m going to take a leap of faith that it’s quite similar though.

As a Casting Director, my focus was on trying to get the best possible candidates in the room to showcase their product, in the hope that that product would be used for the show…oh yeah and make me look good in the eyes of the creative team as well. (For a little background on “product” check out my blog entitled Baby you can drive my car) This in itself was a task.

The audition was by invitation only, meaning an actor could either submit from an online site that lists auditions or be invited by someone associated with the project.  The show has some extremely specific needs in terms of casting, more so than most. I was very selective about who I personally invited to the audition. I went through all of my colleagues to see who would fit the needs of the show, who would flourish in the situations present in the show and who had the talent, experience and or drive to work well in a collaborative environment. A handful of personal invitations were extended by me.

There were of course the “professional courtesy” invitations. A “courtesy invite” simply means an actor has worked well with a company or someone connected to a show, in a prior audition or production. The actor is considered to be talented and personable and the connection extending the invitation is hoping to work with this actor. The invitation can also be completely politically motivated, trying to appease someone connected to the show, like the producers for instance. If the casting choice is between an unknown actor (“unknown” as in new to the company or production team) or someone invited by the production team whether political or not, the job will most likely go to the invited person.

After the personal and courtesy invitations are taken care of, the next process is one of the most daunting jobs of a Casting Director: wading through the myriad of submissions. Luckily this was only online and we didn’t have to deal with snail mail, chorus calls or EPAs. It’s here were the real work of a casting director begins. Coincidentally, it’s here were actors begin sabotaging themselves.

The internet has been the single biggest game changer in professional theatre. As a professional actor it’s necessary to have an online presence. And maintaining your online presence takes work. (Check out my blog called Look out for yourself). I was amazed and stunned at how many actors, who submitted for this project, who had no more than a name and a picture online. There was nothing to asses if the actor would be able to handle the demands of the production.

Those actors who listed no credits or schooling or training were immediately rejected. If an actor takes the time to submit online for a project, he or she should first take the time to list appropriate and accurate information about the product they would like to showcase at said audition.

When filling out online resumes many sites will do most of the work for you. They’ll provide a preset layout. In some cases the online site will give you options where, instead of having to write out the information, you can just check a box and it automatically adds it to the resume. This is generally the case for the “special skills” section of a resume.

There seems to be a prevailing train of thought that an actor, when filing out the online resume, should check every box that is listed under the special skills section.

I have no idea who gives this advice but it’s wrong. One has to question the integrity and professionalism of an actor whose list of special skills include “water polo, gymnastics, scuba diving, harness race jockey, ice skating, licensed CPA, Bachelor of Fine Arts, basketball, accomplished Chef, dancer (hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet, theatre, East Indian wedding) and voice (coloratura soprano, mezzo-alto with a high C belt and tenor)”, to name a few. Did I mention the actor in question appears to be in her mid-twenties?

The production I was the Casting Director for required a specific set of skills. It was my job to find candidates with those skills. At a certain point my frustration level with reading the laundry list of special skills, most of them irrelevant, grew too high to continue. I can only image how an actual Casting Director feels having to do this every day for hours on end. When I could bear it no longer I switched to reading actual resumes if they were available online. If the actual resume wasn’t available and the online special skills section was ostentatiously large, the actor was put into a “maybe pile” for later consideration. Once the appointment times were filled with potential candidates with easy to read resumes that had the skill set the production demanded, the “maybe pile” was no longer consulted.

Check out my blog  Who am I anyway for some information on resumes.

Also not considered were actors whose headshots were in black and white. Black and white photos haven’t been used for over a decade. If an actor has a black and white head shot, the logical assumption is that the picture was taken ten years ago and is not an adequate representation of what the actor looks like now. In this, the digital age, getting a current pictorial representation is quite easy and can be as expensive as you can afford and as cheap as a self portrait on your cell phone. A cell phone photo is not the best choice but at least the people casting can be confident of what you actually look like.

I have a friend, Peter, who hasn’t had actual headshots for years. He does mostly film and TV work. He simply sends out a current picture taken by himself or a friend. He walks into the audition room and looks exactly like his picture. Peter works a lot.

As a side note for the newer people to the Business of Show, it's rarely appropriate to use body shots of yourself taken on the beach in a bathing suit…especially if you are not the current societal proportions of “beautiful”.

My best friend Thurston is coming to visit soon. Look out New York City! On top of everything else, he’s now a photographer. You can bet a blog about headshots is coming after summer!

When you submit for a project, submit for only one role. The role you believe your talent and look best fit is the only role you should target. If the people behind the table see something in your picture or resume that makes you an ideal candidate for different role they’ll make that known to you, hopefully. The higher you go on the Theatrical food chain, the less likely it is that the people behind the table will take the time to find a role for you. At a certain career level it’s assumed the actor is well aware of what product he or she is selling.

Playing to your strengths is always the best advice. If the role description lists specifics that are physically outside of your product parameters but all else lines up, take a chance.

A actor submitted himself for a role in my show that he believed he was right for even though the listed physicality of the role was different than his actual physicality. What was listed in the breakdown was the writers vision of the physicality of the actor who would play the role. In his submission the actor attached a note that said “while I may not be this, or I may not be that, I am perfect for this role because…”

He was given an audition. And he was right. He knew what his product was and despite the difference in physicality, the role was well suited to him. He played to his strengths and took a chance.

He got callbacks because the writers were open to the fact that the physicality of the show was something that had no real bearing on the production. It was just how they had imagined the role being cast. This isn’t always the case, but what does it cost you to virtually submit? As long as you know your product and can play to its strengths you just might open someone’s eyes to other possibilities. (Take a look at the blog  Colour my world about Creative Casting)

Once all the submissions were read, appointment times were assigned and invitations sent. This next point maybe a personal pet peeve of mine, but I’m sure there are some people behind tables who concur so I’m going to share it.

There are actors who never acknowledged their audition invitations. Some of them I know personally. When questioned about why they didn't show up to their appointment, all of them said the same thing: “I never confirmed”.

A time was sent aside for a particular actor at the expense of not giving that time to another actor. Choosing which actors to give appointments to is quite subjective, as is most of the performance side of the Business of Show. If not interested in pursuing a project, or there is a time constraint or unavailability, the actor awarded the appointment time needs to inform the people behind the table. This allows the opportunity to be given to another actor.

Not responding is not a response.

If you are professionally invited to attend something, be it an audition or even a party, and a confirmation is requested, ignoring it is not the same as turning down the invitation. In this age of accessibility and communication it literally takes 30 seconds to hit reply and type “I’m no longer available for the project. Best of luck on this endeavor. I hope to work with you soon”.

Ignoring an invitation is unprofessional. Ignoring it is selfish. Ignoring it tells the people connected to the production that you don’t care about your craft, your reputation, or the time and effort already put into the project.

Though I knew some of these actors personally and professionally, they were on someone else’s invitation list or a self-submission. Had they been on my personal invitation list, my reputation and professionalism could be questioned. After all why would I personally invite someone who was unreliable, unprofessional, inconsiderate and just plain rude, to potentially join a production?

Be very careful who you associate your “name” with, who you recommend for projects, even outside of Theatre. Their work ethic and professionalism will be intertwined with your own.

On the audition days I watched actor after actor come in and do their thing. I watched actor after actor be brilliant or fall flat. I watched actor after actor come in with style and grace or attempt to overcompensate for their nervousness or lack of preparation. I watched actor after actor come through the door, but what I really saw was every misstep that I had ever taken during my own auditions. What I saw was how those things can actually contribute to an actor not booking a job.

Some of the most common missteps:

·         resumes clogged with useless information (see Who am I anyway for resume help)

·         no resume or improperly sized resume

·         no picture or improperly sized picture

·         pictures that looked nothing like the person in front of the table

·         wearing inappropriate clothing (check out Just a little touch of star quality for info on outfits)

·         inability to communicate to the accompanist (who in this case is the musical director and composer of the show)

·         lack of preparation, either not having the requested style or not knowing the material presented (Read my blogs You begin with Do Re Mi and La! A note to follow So)

·         unfocused presentation of material

·         starting and stopping the presentation repeatedly 

·         contorting the face to produce sound

·         having a less than positive attitude

The majority of the things that can make or break your audition start well before you walk into the room (take a look at my blog The winner takes it all)

In New York City everyone is talented. So what is going to set you apart from the massive hordes? The people who stood out for us who were behind this table were the ones who:

·         carried themselves like seasoned professionals, even when lacking the actual credits to be “considered” as such (Check out To pee or not to pee)

·         had an online picture that looked like the person who walked into the room

·         had resumes that were simple and easy to read

·         were dressed appropriately for their product and body type

·         were well prepared and executed the material as flawlessly as a live art form permits

·         were pleasant

·         made adjustments easily

·         had something they wanted to communicate through their song, dance or reading

·         were real people

and most importantly:

·         had a positive can do attitude, regardless of whether the task at hand was outside their individual skill set

The positive attitude should be extended to everyone an actor comes in contact with. The security man at the studio’s front desk deserves a positive attitude; the people in the elevator deserve a positive attitude; certainly the monitor handling outlandish requests and questions at the audition deserves a positive attitude. Your colleagues waiting to audition not only deserve a positive attitude, they deserve quiet as they prepare for their moment in front of the table. The accompanist deserves a positive attitude. After all the accompanist is your best friend and can help or hinder your product demo.

A positive attitude must be extended to the most important person in the room: You.

You’re human. In the definition of being human there is no mention of the word “perfection”. Learn and understand that what happens after walking into an audition room is your best…for that day…at that moment. It doesn’t represent the sum totally of your professional existence or viability. And it certainly doesn’t deem whether you are worthy enough to walk the earth.

We act. We sing. We dance.  Relish the fact that every time you step onto a stage or into an audition room, you breathe life into something that wasn’t there before. Bring that joy into the room with you and you cannot fail. Live in the knowledge and happiness that you achieve something that few people have the passion, the drive and the fortitude to do: You create.