Friday morning...almost noon...for cryin out loud...I slept til 10:30 today...unbeleiveable...I am getting SO lazy...I used to get up everyday at 7A...have my tea...get on with my day..but now since I Kane is gone and i dont have to get up and walk him and feed him...I have less of a reason to get up so early...that and the fact that I dont have a job right now...I miss Kane...I catch myself looking down to the other end of the apartment and expecting to see him there sitting where he always sat...watching everything I do...and/or sleeping...he did alot of that in his old age...
Anway, I have to stop sleeping so late...its a bad habit to get into...
So Christine Henry, the dedicated and diligent, brilliant director of FISH BOWL has been Assistant Directing on a new off-Broadway play called RED LIGHT WINTER, written by Adam Rapp, acclaimed NYC playwright and brother of Anthony Rapp, who plays the role of Mark in the original Broadway production as well as the film version of RENT. She was able to get free tickets for myself a few other of my FISH BOWL cast mates on Wednesday night. RED LIGHT WINTER is playing at The Barrow Street Theater in the West Village. It features Christopher Denham as MATT, Gary Wilmes as DAVIS, Lisa Joyce as CHRISTINA and it is fantastic. Its hilarious. It's tragic. It's well-directed (The assistant direction is FLAWLESS). It left us talking and debating late into the night (As well as drinking and smoking cigarettes). As an actor it was so inspiring because the performances were so thorough and grounded. It was espacially nice to watch after being a show that is so OVER THE TOP and exaggerated (I'm talking about Fish Bowl..again..."Let it go").
As of yesterday morning, I still had not heard from the people from THE PALOOKA. I had a callback with them on Sunday. Its pretty safe to assume that if I havnt heard , I probably wasnt cast, but I was a little annoyed that they didnt have the decency to at least send me an email letting me know one way or another. So, I sent THEM an email...simply asking if they had made a decision yet. About an hour later, I received a phone call and a voicemail message explaining that they DID already cast the show, that they were excited by my audition and they'll keep me in mind for upcoming projects.
Fine... thank you....movin on.
I had a few auditions this week...a handful of commercial castings...nothing to write home about...or...BLOG...about...whatever...
I received an email a few days ago from THE BARROW GROUP about an event they are putting together which is a 3 night benefit show at TBG Mainstage. They are seeking 5-10 minute plays that celebrate/illustrate why we love NY. I have a few short plays that I'm currently working on so I'm thinking of getting to it this week and submitting one for this event. The Feb 6th deadline may be just what I need to get off my ass and finish one of these scripts.
Last night I walked over to Actors Connection to see if I could sneak into a seminar on stan-by...meaning...if someone who is already signed up doenst show or cancels last minute...I can take their spot..and I lucked out...I got in. The seminar was with Ross Meyerson, Associate Casting Director for JULIE TUCKER CASTING. Ross is a former producer who has been casting for two new NEW YORK based TV shows, BOOK OF DANIEL (Which has since been cancelled) and LOVE MONKEY. He also just completed casting a pilot for Showtime called DEXTER. So this guy is pretty high demand right now...working on a hot new TV show based here in NYC...which is hard to come by...and the word on the street is that he calls people in directly...agent or no agent...as a result of seminars like this one.
So I got matched up with this kid to do a scene from LOVE MONKEY. This kid was extremely green...his resume was filled with background gig after background gig ( A BIG no-no)..he was all nervous...trying to memorize his lines...freaking out..asking me a million rookie questions...the one thing he did have going for him was he extremely pretty...he couldnt act worth a damn but he was like a little porcelain soap opera doll. Here I am the jaded older actor trying to whip him into shape for the sole reason of protecting my own reputation. We got through it ok. Our scene went well...thanks to MY emergency coaching session.
So we did our scene...quite welll I'd like to think. He asked the pretty kid a million questions. he asked me one...and we were done...not sure what might come of that meeting...but I did walk out of there inspired...with anew idea for a short play...the short play that I'm writing for the TBG "I Love NY" project.
So...I"VE GOT WORK TO DO....
Friday, January 27, 2006
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Still Waiting
Tuesday morning...I'm down at AS THE WORLD TURNS...it's way too early in the morning for this shit...they got me down at 7:30AM..which means I have to get on the subway at Times Square at 6:30AM...so I can get all the way out to Brooklyn...deeeep in Brooklyn...so I can sit around and wait for scene to come up...and today, my scene is last..right before lunch...sometimes I get lucky and they set up my scene first or second and I'm done by 10:30...not today...I'm trapped...stuck here watching DL HUGHLEY fill in for REGIS...fun stuff...
Saturday I auditioned for a new play called THE PALOOKA. I read for the part of Lloyd, a boxer in the late 1950's who gets involved with some bad people. My audition went well, but I wasnt sure if I competely fit the character's phyical description...a HULKING man with boyish features. They called me Saturday night and asked me to come back on Sunday for a callback. I told them I had a performance...my last FISH BOWL performance...in the same building, and I would come down once the show was over...
SO we had our last show Sunday afternoon....we were sold out once again...we had a super-responsive, laughing-from-the belly audience and aside from the fact that we had to STOP THE SHOW mid-stream due to technical difficulties...we went out on a positive note...and FISH BOWL is over.
Immediately after the bow at the end of the show...instead of meeting all my fans and singing autographs and taking pictures with babies...I hustled down to my callback for THE PALOOKA. What I didnt realize is that they had narrowed down the role of Lloyd to two guys...me...and...this other guy..
They had each of us read with four different girls auditioning for the part of RENEE, the gangsters girlfriend...and four older guys auditioning for the part of ERNIE, longtime friend and trainer of Lloyd. I felt like the audition went well...I'm still not sure about the physical part of it though. The other guy...my competition, was not drastically different from me...about the same height...maybe a little heavier but not much. Well, that was Sunday and I have yet to hear from them. Keep your fingers crossed...I'll let you know.
Has anyone watched LETTERMAN lately? If have you might have noticed that Dave has recently added a handful of bits that incorporate local actors. He has written in several little characters that just pop in and out of the show. GOD BLESS David Letterman. I guess if you are an actor in New York, you realize that those types of gigs dont come around that often...CONAN is known for hiring the locals for bit parts on his show..which is MUCH appreciated...but now that Dave is joining in..well, it just means more work for us...it's not going make anyone rich and famous...but every little bit counts...and for Letterman to make the conscious decision to create bit parts for hard working actors...THANK YOU DAVE!
OK, still waiting for the stage manager to call a20 minute warning for the JAVA LOUNGE, whihc is the imaginary coffee shop in the land of AS THE WORLD TURNS...still waiting....still.....waiting.....zzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzz....zzzzzzz
Saturday I auditioned for a new play called THE PALOOKA. I read for the part of Lloyd, a boxer in the late 1950's who gets involved with some bad people. My audition went well, but I wasnt sure if I competely fit the character's phyical description...a HULKING man with boyish features. They called me Saturday night and asked me to come back on Sunday for a callback. I told them I had a performance...my last FISH BOWL performance...in the same building, and I would come down once the show was over...
SO we had our last show Sunday afternoon....we were sold out once again...we had a super-responsive, laughing-from-the belly audience and aside from the fact that we had to STOP THE SHOW mid-stream due to technical difficulties...we went out on a positive note...and FISH BOWL is over.
Immediately after the bow at the end of the show...instead of meeting all my fans and singing autographs and taking pictures with babies...I hustled down to my callback for THE PALOOKA. What I didnt realize is that they had narrowed down the role of Lloyd to two guys...me...and...this other guy..
They had each of us read with four different girls auditioning for the part of RENEE, the gangsters girlfriend...and four older guys auditioning for the part of ERNIE, longtime friend and trainer of Lloyd. I felt like the audition went well...I'm still not sure about the physical part of it though. The other guy...my competition, was not drastically different from me...about the same height...maybe a little heavier but not much. Well, that was Sunday and I have yet to hear from them. Keep your fingers crossed...I'll let you know.
Has anyone watched LETTERMAN lately? If have you might have noticed that Dave has recently added a handful of bits that incorporate local actors. He has written in several little characters that just pop in and out of the show. GOD BLESS David Letterman. I guess if you are an actor in New York, you realize that those types of gigs dont come around that often...CONAN is known for hiring the locals for bit parts on his show..which is MUCH appreciated...but now that Dave is joining in..well, it just means more work for us...it's not going make anyone rich and famous...but every little bit counts...and for Letterman to make the conscious decision to create bit parts for hard working actors...THANK YOU DAVE!
OK, still waiting for the stage manager to call a20 minute warning for the JAVA LOUNGE, whihc is the imaginary coffee shop in the land of AS THE WORLD TURNS...still waiting....still.....waiting.....zzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzz....zzzzzzz
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Citizen Kane, RIP, 1993-2006
Yesterday was a very dark day....
I had to put Kane to sleep. Kane is my beloved German Shepherd. He's been by my side for 12 years. He's blessed my life in so many ways. I'm heartbroken and hurting, but relieved that he rests in peace.
Citizen Kane Von Bonsrel, was his full name, he was a stunning 110 lb White German Shepherd. He was gorgeous and proud, charming and kind. He had such a sweet spirit that people were always drawn to him.
This is so hard for me to write, but I need to...
My favorite Kane story, and there are many, is about the day he showed me his skills as a swimmer. I was performing in the Catskills a few summers ago, and one of my castmates had a big beautiful house up there with a humongous lake...or pond I guess, in the backyard. We barbequed and enjoyed the view while Kane and their little St Bernard puppy (Who did anything he could to impress Kane, getting snipped and snapped at along the way) had the run of the land. Later we decided to get into the canoes and paddle around on the pond. As we headed ouit to the center of the pond, Kane stood on the edge of the water, ears perked high and tight, with a look of disdain that he had not been included on this little venture. We got about 200 yards out and Kane decided he would NOT be left behind. He walked out deeper and deeper and then just started swimming. he swam out and met us in the middle of the lake. I was concerned because I wasnt sure he was aware how far out he was or how deep the water was. So I paddled back to shore and led him back in...ordering him out of the water and to sit at the shore. I paddled back out to the far aside of the lake and a few minutes later, I turned around and "I'll be damned." There he was. He had come probably twice the initial distance and was determined to follow the boat. I was SURE I was going to have jump in at some point and help him back to shore, but I paddled back..again...to shore...leading him in and ordering him AGAIN to sit and the shore and stay. This went on all afternoon. He must have traveled 5 miles in the water that day. I was more exhausted paddling him back to shore over and over. He eventually tired out and sat in the water, chest deep intently watching me paddle the lake, waiting for me to come back. Man, I loved that dog.
Ok, I am supposed to be at AS THE WORLD TURNS at 12:30 and I'm sure to be late. I'll make it eventually. No worries.
We had another good FISH BOWL performance last night...and Monday as well. We have been selling out every night, which is tremendous. We have also had GREAT audiences, lots of great energy and loud laughter. Makes it all worth it.
I had to put Kane to sleep. Kane is my beloved German Shepherd. He's been by my side for 12 years. He's blessed my life in so many ways. I'm heartbroken and hurting, but relieved that he rests in peace.
Citizen Kane Von Bonsrel, was his full name, he was a stunning 110 lb White German Shepherd. He was gorgeous and proud, charming and kind. He had such a sweet spirit that people were always drawn to him.
This is so hard for me to write, but I need to...
My favorite Kane story, and there are many, is about the day he showed me his skills as a swimmer. I was performing in the Catskills a few summers ago, and one of my castmates had a big beautiful house up there with a humongous lake...or pond I guess, in the backyard. We barbequed and enjoyed the view while Kane and their little St Bernard puppy (Who did anything he could to impress Kane, getting snipped and snapped at along the way) had the run of the land. Later we decided to get into the canoes and paddle around on the pond. As we headed ouit to the center of the pond, Kane stood on the edge of the water, ears perked high and tight, with a look of disdain that he had not been included on this little venture. We got about 200 yards out and Kane decided he would NOT be left behind. He walked out deeper and deeper and then just started swimming. he swam out and met us in the middle of the lake. I was concerned because I wasnt sure he was aware how far out he was or how deep the water was. So I paddled back to shore and led him back in...ordering him out of the water and to sit at the shore. I paddled back out to the far aside of the lake and a few minutes later, I turned around and "I'll be damned." There he was. He had come probably twice the initial distance and was determined to follow the boat. I was SURE I was going to have jump in at some point and help him back to shore, but I paddled back..again...to shore...leading him in and ordering him AGAIN to sit and the shore and stay. This went on all afternoon. He must have traveled 5 miles in the water that day. I was more exhausted paddling him back to shore over and over. He eventually tired out and sat in the water, chest deep intently watching me paddle the lake, waiting for me to come back. Man, I loved that dog.
Ok, I am supposed to be at AS THE WORLD TURNS at 12:30 and I'm sure to be late. I'll make it eventually. No worries.
We had another good FISH BOWL performance last night...and Monday as well. We have been selling out every night, which is tremendous. We have also had GREAT audiences, lots of great energy and loud laughter. Makes it all worth it.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Morning Notes
Bbbbbbblip bloop blip
"Ouch, my head hurts. What is that sound?
Bbbbbbblip bloop blip
"Ugh, somebody make it stop"
Bbbbbbblip bloop blip
"Okay, okay...fine....HELLO"
I was awakened this morning (Quite hungover I might add) to the annoying sound of a phone call on my cell phone from CHRISTINE HENRY...my beautifully brilliant, diligent director whose also extremely annoying with early morning phone calls to give me notes based on last night's performance.
"Jim-MEE, good morning, I have notes for you. Are you awake?"
"Ummmm....yeah?"
"No you're not. Have your cereal and call me back."
"Uh....ok"
Cereal? Anyway, I got up, had my morning cup of green tea and ginger tea and called her back. Notes were not so bad. We actually had a great show last night. We had ANOTHER sold out house and the audience was amazing. They took everything in with reckless abandon. They drank us like a glass of water. No, better than that, last night's audience turned us upside down and chugged us like a gallon of milk.
All that being said...Chris has got notes....Well WUP-DEE-DOO..
"Ouch, my head hurts. What is that sound?
Bbbbbbblip bloop blip
"Ugh, somebody make it stop"
Bbbbbbblip bloop blip
"Okay, okay...fine....HELLO"
I was awakened this morning (Quite hungover I might add) to the annoying sound of a phone call on my cell phone from CHRISTINE HENRY...my beautifully brilliant, diligent director whose also extremely annoying with early morning phone calls to give me notes based on last night's performance.
"Jim-MEE, good morning, I have notes for you. Are you awake?"
"Ummmm....yeah?"
"No you're not. Have your cereal and call me back."
"Uh....ok"
Cereal? Anyway, I got up, had my morning cup of green tea and ginger tea and called her back. Notes were not so bad. We actually had a great show last night. We had ANOTHER sold out house and the audience was amazing. They took everything in with reckless abandon. They drank us like a glass of water. No, better than that, last night's audience turned us upside down and chugged us like a gallon of milk.
All that being said...Chris has got notes....Well WUP-DEE-DOO..
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Blogger's High
Today I did the hustle, boy...I hit the ground running and didnt stop til...just now...then I sat down and started BLOGGIN!
I hit my first audition which was for some PSA at a small office on 8th Ave called The center for New Media. The folks that were running the casting were really really nice and they had me read a few different parts in a few different ways. We all had a few good laughs and then I was off to a VO audition at HOUSE CASTING...WAY down on 15th Street and ALL the way over near 10th Ave...I hate going to HOUSE CASTING because its SO far West that if your running late once you get off the subway at 8th Ave all you can do is POWER WALK to 10th...and MAN...do I power walk...big, LONG strides...arms swinging SWIFT and STURDY...
I sat..and waited..and waited at HOUSE...it wasnt THAT long it just felt long because I only had 20 minutes to spend there until I had to bail and head back up to my 12:50 meeting with Breanna Benjamin of CREATIVE TALENT. So I sat, read my copy, which was a whopping 4 lines...I read it again...and again...checked the time on my cell phone...read the text again...checked my cell phone again...read the text....WAIT...my phone rings....its Christopher from AS THE WORLD TURNS...He wants to know if I can work next week on the show...Well, considering I'm jobless...Hell YEAH...I go back to reading my text and just as I'm about to tell the monitor that I have to leave...she calls my name...I hop into the sound booth like a bunny rabbit...read my 4 lines with pride...and I'm OFF again...I get lucky and catch the 10th Ave uptown bus as I exit the building and I make t to my 12:50 meeting RIGHT ON TIME...ok...2 minutes late...but that's DAMN good considering...
I received an email today from Michael Hein, up and coming film producer, who produced DEAD SERIOUS, one of my more recent film projects:
Regards,
Michael J. Hein
Moodude Films
www.Moodudefilms.com
www.NYCHorrorfest.com
I may try and get to the screening, I was at the last one, but I had a terrible ear infection and could not hear what anyone was saying to me. So I didnt stick around for much of the shmoozing afterward.
So whats the buzz on FISH BOWL you ask? Well, we had a terrible audience last night...OH OKAY...thats not fair...The audience was small and not very responsive..maybe they were laughing hysterically INSIDE...maybe not laighing at all...they were small.... and quiet.
Funny how I mentioned yesterday that I love to engage each new audience and pretend as if I encountering a new being every show...well last night's "Being"...blew..Buffaloes....we all ended up working really really hard to try and connect and came up with nothing...So I left the theater with a very disappointed and dismal feeling...very discontent..
Well today, Simona Berman...Our co-producer-slash-co-writer-slash-cameo-actress-extraordinaire...God Bless her...sent out an email to the cast that helped put it all into perspective:
Now, it's no easy task keeping the cast and crew for a show like this together let alone keeping everybody connected and motivated and happy...so a quick sentiment like that makes all the difference in the world.
Ouch..I've got BLOGGERS CRAMP
Like I used to get at BLOGGERS CAMP
Nothing worse than hearing BLOGGERS CRY
If you BLOG just right you get a nice BLOGGERS HIGH
I can't seem to stop writing and I dont know why
Good BYE, Good BYE, Here's BLOG in your EYE
I hit my first audition which was for some PSA at a small office on 8th Ave called The center for New Media. The folks that were running the casting were really really nice and they had me read a few different parts in a few different ways. We all had a few good laughs and then I was off to a VO audition at HOUSE CASTING...WAY down on 15th Street and ALL the way over near 10th Ave...I hate going to HOUSE CASTING because its SO far West that if your running late once you get off the subway at 8th Ave all you can do is POWER WALK to 10th...and MAN...do I power walk...big, LONG strides...arms swinging SWIFT and STURDY...
I sat..and waited..and waited at HOUSE...it wasnt THAT long it just felt long because I only had 20 minutes to spend there until I had to bail and head back up to my 12:50 meeting with Breanna Benjamin of CREATIVE TALENT. So I sat, read my copy, which was a whopping 4 lines...I read it again...and again...checked the time on my cell phone...read the text again...checked my cell phone again...read the text....WAIT...my phone rings....its Christopher from AS THE WORLD TURNS...He wants to know if I can work next week on the show...Well, considering I'm jobless...Hell YEAH...I go back to reading my text and just as I'm about to tell the monitor that I have to leave...she calls my name...I hop into the sound booth like a bunny rabbit...read my 4 lines with pride...and I'm OFF again...I get lucky and catch the 10th Ave uptown bus as I exit the building and I make t to my 12:50 meeting RIGHT ON TIME...ok...2 minutes late...but that's DAMN good considering...
I received an email today from Michael Hein, up and coming film producer, who produced DEAD SERIOUS, one of my more recent film projects:
Hello Cast & Crew!
Happy New Year. Well, Dead Serious continues to gain momentum this month with our European premiere, another invited New York City Screening and the opening of our official web site. (see press release attached)
If you haven't had a chance to see the film in a theater yet, come on out and we'll do cocktails afterward. If you have seen it already, come out again! (You know you want to)
If you can make it to the screening on Monday night the 23rd, please let me know and I'll announce you as a special guest. (I'll send out another reminder next week)
Regards,
Michael J. Hein
Moodude Films
www.Moodudefilms.com
www.NYCHorrorfest.com
I may try and get to the screening, I was at the last one, but I had a terrible ear infection and could not hear what anyone was saying to me. So I didnt stick around for much of the shmoozing afterward.
So whats the buzz on FISH BOWL you ask? Well, we had a terrible audience last night...OH OKAY...thats not fair...The audience was small and not very responsive..maybe they were laughing hysterically INSIDE...maybe not laighing at all...they were small.... and quiet.
Funny how I mentioned yesterday that I love to engage each new audience and pretend as if I encountering a new being every show...well last night's "Being"...blew..Buffaloes....we all ended up working really really hard to try and connect and came up with nothing...So I left the theater with a very disappointed and dismal feeling...very discontent..
Well today, Simona Berman...Our co-producer-slash-co-writer-slash-cameo-actress-extraordinaire...God Bless her...sent out an email to the cast that helped put it all into perspective:
Hello beautiful people
I hope you enjoy your day off. Last night was a tough show, we had a small crowd and it was mostly people from my office. Needless to say, they really did enjoy themselves, their just not the laugh out loud kind of crowd and they are uncertain of thweir laughter at times as well. That's probably the worst thing for comedy, small crowd, but worst of all peopel that don't laugh out loud. I know the energy and morale went down last night, but you must believe me when I say that you are an amazing group fo performers. Our PR person was VERY impressed with your talent. You are all doing a wondeful job. Monday night shows are not usually done for a reason, but we are taking a chance with this show and really trying to push it, giving producers and casting directors every opportunity to get here. So take some time to rest and come back fresh and make this baby rock like I know you can! Kepp the energy up and the pace up. And don't give up, you are truly amazing!
simona
Now, it's no easy task keeping the cast and crew for a show like this together let alone keeping everybody connected and motivated and happy...so a quick sentiment like that makes all the difference in the world.
Ouch..I've got BLOGGERS CRAMP
Like I used to get at BLOGGERS CAMP
Nothing worse than hearing BLOGGERS CRY
If you BLOG just right you get a nice BLOGGERS HIGH
I can't seem to stop writing and I dont know why
Good BYE, Good BYE, Here's BLOG in your EYE
Monday, January 09, 2006
Fish Bowl off to a good start
Yo..monday afternoon...I'm getting ready to get over to the theater for our Monday night show.
We opened Saturday night to a sold out house! The show did not go without a few technical diificulties. We had a few glitches in our audio and video segments, but all in all and damn good show. Sunday afternoon, I had to pull myself away from the TV to get to the theater for our 3PM show. I was watching the GIANTS get slaughtered by the PANTHERS and ciouldnt seem to turn away from the horror.
Anyway, Sunday's show was not quite sold out...BUT, we had a decent sized crowd and even though Sundays audience was smaller than Saturday's audience...Sundays house was MUCH louder and MUCH more responsive. It's always fascinating to me how each audience as a whole embodies its own "personality" as a group. They laugh in different places, respond to different moments...it's great...for me...its what keeps each performance fresh, imagining every new audience as a single being, with its own likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. We as a cast are meeting a new "Creature" every night. We develop a relationship with that "Being" and travel this fascinating road of discovery.
So, Fish Bowl is currentlly listed in NEW YORK MAGAZINE as a "Critic's Pick" for New York theater. We are also have a basic listing in TIME OUT NY in the Off-Off Broadway section.
Auditions in the New yer have started to pick up a bit. I had an audition last Thuirsday for an ESPN/WENDY'S commercial. All of ESPN'S promos are produced by a company called THE CONCEPT FARM. They have there own in-house casting dircetor who is the same guy that cast me in an ESPN/HOME DEPOT spot two years ago. He's a really nice guy who loves actors and does everything he can to help people along with their careers. Its good to have him on your side. He calls me in whenever he can if he's got a good project to cast. When I ran into him on Thursdy he told me he saw my AVACOR spot on cable one night and he was totally psyched. He likes seeing actors he's worked with before booking other gigs.
Well...gotta go...I've got show tonight, which is supposedly a big press nite, and tomorrow I actually have a day full of auditions and meetings and such.
Later...
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