Starting to heat up

Things are starting to heat up here in The Kitchen. We are in the last stretch of rehearsals for ALOHA SAY THE PRETTY GIRLS and we open up NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT! So I'm basically up to my eyeballs in rehearsals and performances until July 18th when I finally get a free day. The show is starting to take its shape which is great to see, but we have SO much work to do before we are even close to being ready for opening night. Good news: Opening night is sold out.Its been a few days since i posted anything here so I've got quite a few notes.

July 4th was great. I went out to Ridgewood, New Jersey with Jessica and my friend's Bill (buddy from college) and Mandy (His wife). Ridgewood is a small suburban town in Bergen County. Although I am originally from NC, and my entire family tree rises from roots deep in Carolina soil, I spent most of my childhood years growing up in Ridgewood. And to make a long story short, they have a really nice fireworks show every year and THIS year it was AWESOME. Seriously, it was the best grand finale I have ever seen. SO good, in fact that for a second there, the pyrotechnics got so intense that I actually thought there had been some sort of malfunction and that we were all going to have to get up and run for cover. It was F---in COOL!

OK, holiday's over and its back to business. Some bad news, I received an email from the director of THE PARTED, a film I had auditioned for last week. Last weeks audition was actually a THIRD callback, which I felt went well:

I apologize for the delay in getting back to you, as the decision was a long and difficult one - as you brought a lot to the character - but ultimately we decided to go a different route for this project. John and I wanted to thank you for the time and effort you put into our auditions and project. You brought in a lot of heart and talent. We certainly will keep you mind for future projects. Keep up the good work.

Oh well, I guess it works out for the best. They would have started shooting immediately after my show ends its run and I will probably be in need of a rest. No worries.So Tuesday night I went to a workshop with Tori Visgilio, Associate Casting Director for ABC's ONE LIFE TO LIVE. I auditioned for here, performing my monologue from Rebecca Gilman's BLUE SURGE. I felt really disconnected and that I delivered a lackluster performance, but she whispered to me to call her in the morning and that she may have something for me next week. So I did. I am now offically booked for an UNDER-FIVE on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, next Wednesday as Batrender #2. That's awesome. That will aso complete the cycle. I will have appeared in U5 roles on every NY soap. My only concern here is that I have dress rehearsal for ALOHA on Wed night. If I get as late call time for OLTL, I might have a problem. I can only hope and pray that I get an early call time so I can get out of there and get to rehearsal on time.

Yesterday I auditioned for a PAPA JOHN'S commercial at HERMAN & LIPSON CASTING. It was a really funny casting because they brought 5 actors in at a time, 2 guys and 3 girls, and we had to pretend that we were at a party and eating pizza, and we then all break out and take turns doing the "Chicken Dance." It was fun, but it really separates the men from the boys when it come to auditioning. Here's the thing: We are ACTORS. This sort of thing really should come quite naturally. If there are any types of people in this world hat can walk into a room and do a "Chicken Dance" in front of a camera...its 5-year-olds...and ACTORS. There were so many people there whining about it and half-assing it because they felt like it was beneath them. You know what? SCREW you! Hang up your gloves and go get a job on Wall Street, ya whining babies. You're in the wrong business. GET OUT OF THE WAY and GO HOME.