Since being faced with the dry spell I am currently in, I have been trying to focus my acting goals by asking myself what I actually want from my artistic career. I was never too concerned with what my specific goal was before throwing myself into post-college theater.
In retrospect that was probably fuck-all stupid.
I knew I wanted to act. In theater. That was all. Since moving to Chicago, I have felt like a total theater traditionalist and prude. I have realized how little interest I have in edgy new works or divised theater pieces. It is mainly because when I see or read new plays they have often been shit.
Which is a horrid generalization I know, but out of all the plays I have seen in Chicago they have all been new works. Only 3 of the 10 I've seen have been good.
Not fun odds for an audience member or actor. (And we wont mention the ones I've auditioned for and, thus, read. It's too painful.)
So anyway, I am trying to decide what I particularly want from my acting career to see if I am heading in the right direction. Due to my classic predilections when it comes to theater I've been reconsidering my attitude towards returning to school for a more intensive and, honestly, non-American acting eduction.
Schools across the pond seem, from the outsider's perspective, to be more firmly grounded in the classics and aware of their importance to present day creativity. Besides the fact that there are more hoops to jump through when applying to Irish and British schools, I have other reasons for hesitating.
I should not go back to school if it is merely in hopes of getting connections and creating a better environment after finishing the program.
I should go to school for the training. Pure and simple.
Too many people focus on schools/studios that have the biggest names in the business or have this connection to that theater company. But that isn't a good enough reason to spend a small fortune.
Being prestigious does not guarantee quality classes or that you will connect with their method of teaching.
Therefore, I am going to take a hard look at the programs across the pond and maybe try out a shorter 10 week course before committing to years of my life.
If anyone out there has any tips on acting & programs in the Anglo-Celtic Isles, I'd love to hear whatever you've got! Or anything acting related for that matter!
-B
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Birds in Hands vs Bushes
"A bird in the hand is worth two in a bush"
This old maxim has been in my brain a lot since starting my acting career. In this ever changing world of the arts, this saying is particularly applicable. You can rarely trust that what you presently have will be around much longer. Even if you're cast in a "big break" kind of show, you can't just sit back and wait for the future work to pour in. You have to always be pursuing it.
This is not the situation I am presently in, but this is only a certain circumstance on a spectrum of related issues.
A few months ago, I auditioned and was cast in a production of The Man Who Came to Dinner. Why didn't I post about this great achievement? Because I didn't accept the role. I chose to put my money on better future projects coming along as opposed to spending months rehearsing in the suburbs for a minuscule part.
I know as well as any actor that famous quote about there being no such thing as a small part, but only small actors. Well this part was literally 3 lines and the lines were merely to serve as exposition for the audience. Not only this, but the company was about 40 mins by car away from my locale and was not a theater company that could be taken seriously.
All these details added up to me throwing that bird in my hand out the window and making my way to the nearby bushes.
But now I have looked through many bushes in Chicago for those birds I bet on months ago and there's no sign of them. Everytime I make one out, a different hand grabs them before I can.
So do I kick myself about snubbing that little part for this little actress? Eh. A bit. Not really.
But I am seeing that this isn't going to be the first time I will be gambling with my career. I had the same decision to make when I was cast in a Renaissance Fair in WI (which, by the way, happened). It's a long time commitment for the summer and with no pay and another long commute I was wondering where to place my bets.
I, ultimately, clung to this bird in my hand fiercely. As I realized that not only was this a life-long dream of mine, but also that the training I would be receiving for free was an invaluable opportunity I had to experience.
That, and the summer is notoriously dead for theater.
So, art is a gambling game. We need to be able to put up with the shit projects we do for "exposure", but also need to know when the shit is too shitty to handle.
This old maxim has been in my brain a lot since starting my acting career. In this ever changing world of the arts, this saying is particularly applicable. You can rarely trust that what you presently have will be around much longer. Even if you're cast in a "big break" kind of show, you can't just sit back and wait for the future work to pour in. You have to always be pursuing it.
This is not the situation I am presently in, but this is only a certain circumstance on a spectrum of related issues.
A few months ago, I auditioned and was cast in a production of The Man Who Came to Dinner. Why didn't I post about this great achievement? Because I didn't accept the role. I chose to put my money on better future projects coming along as opposed to spending months rehearsing in the suburbs for a minuscule part.
I know as well as any actor that famous quote about there being no such thing as a small part, but only small actors. Well this part was literally 3 lines and the lines were merely to serve as exposition for the audience. Not only this, but the company was about 40 mins by car away from my locale and was not a theater company that could be taken seriously.
All these details added up to me throwing that bird in my hand out the window and making my way to the nearby bushes.
But now I have looked through many bushes in Chicago for those birds I bet on months ago and there's no sign of them. Everytime I make one out, a different hand grabs them before I can.
So do I kick myself about snubbing that little part for this little actress? Eh. A bit. Not really.
But I am seeing that this isn't going to be the first time I will be gambling with my career. I had the same decision to make when I was cast in a Renaissance Fair in WI (which, by the way, happened). It's a long time commitment for the summer and with no pay and another long commute I was wondering where to place my bets.
I, ultimately, clung to this bird in my hand fiercely. As I realized that not only was this a life-long dream of mine, but also that the training I would be receiving for free was an invaluable opportunity I had to experience.
That, and the summer is notoriously dead for theater.
So, art is a gambling game. We need to be able to put up with the shit projects we do for "exposure", but also need to know when the shit is too shitty to handle.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Into The Land of Student Films...
So I recently got a subscription to ActorsAccess and am submitting left and right for student films. I auditioned for one role and then on Friday a director from a different student film that I had submitted for contacted me. He asked to see my reel (I only have a very homespun video right now of my final from On-Camera acting class). After having viewed it, he cast me in his film sans audition and we filmed most of Sunday!
It was great to finally be working again (and to continue doing so since we still have to finish the film). The timing was odd on Friday, because while this director was gambling on me after being impressed by my video, I received 2 other emails from productions I had auditioned for telling me they did not share his belief. I definitely had to ward off those voices that said "I could only be cast if I didn't have competition or an audition".
So I said "Fuck off" to those voices.
I was so happy to just have another Chicago credit to add to my resume and I was lucky enough that the script was good. I can't wait to continue shooting "The St. Patrick's Day Massacre" and I will update you all when it's done and viewable!
I think we all needed a bit of good news, don't you?
-B
P.S. I figured out my type regardless of the project. It's Irish. Who'd a thunk it?
It was great to finally be working again (and to continue doing so since we still have to finish the film). The timing was odd on Friday, because while this director was gambling on me after being impressed by my video, I received 2 other emails from productions I had auditioned for telling me they did not share his belief. I definitely had to ward off those voices that said "I could only be cast if I didn't have competition or an audition".
So I said "Fuck off" to those voices.
I was so happy to just have another Chicago credit to add to my resume and I was lucky enough that the script was good. I can't wait to continue shooting "The St. Patrick's Day Massacre" and I will update you all when it's done and viewable!
I think we all needed a bit of good news, don't you?
-B
P.S. I figured out my type regardless of the project. It's Irish. Who'd a thunk it?
Monday, March 2, 2015
A Post! Finally!
I'm a horrible blogger. Lately I think I am a horrible anything, but that's beside the point. I'm not good at consistently posting my thoughts on acting (or anything really).
That being said, not much has been happening for me acting wise in the past few months. I've auditioned to multiple shows with a callback here and there but ultimately I haven't been cast in anything. I am still waiting to hear about a few shows, so we shall see. My main trouble has been to even get audition slots. I guess there isn't much room in Chicago's theater world for young, white girls with limited experience. What a shocker! It seems a lot of the male actors I talk to don't have this trouble. As one friend said, "It's a totally different world for female actors." Amen to that.
Being a white, little girl in theater is probably the most generic type you can be. I am lucky enough to not have a more average hair color, but I am still a sugar cookie in an artisanal world of baking! When I go through auditions, if they aren't looking for men then it's African American females or older women. Or it's a fucking musical that also happens to be in the goddamn suburbs! Or or or or....
As much as I'm aware that there is a huge pool of talent that I am swimming in right now, I can't help but think that I'm doing something wrong. That my resume isn't good. (Which is true due to my lack of experience which I can't do anything about yet!)
I feel that I must suck as an actor or that my monologues don't show my potential. The latter I don't really think is true, but who knows about the former. As many Backstage articles I may read about auditioning and as many quotes I see from famous actors about "making it", it's still me who has to go into that audition and put it all into practice.
I haven't taken any classes since my last one because none have seemed right for me. The last one I think was a stupid mistake since it was on something I wasn't all that interested in and I had chose it basically to please the people who had suggested Acting Studio Chicago to me. Obviously, I didn't enjoy the class much. Another shocker! I also don't want to spend another $400+ on a class that may or may not help me. Until I find one that I am excited for and not just doing because everybody else tells me to, I will cynically hoard my $400 in my cigar box.
So maybe I'm fucking myself over and maybe I just have yet to find shows that need what I can offer. In the mean time, I will try to write my blog more often in anticipation for that lovely show that will once again take up all of my time. Oh the dreams I have!
-B
That being said, not much has been happening for me acting wise in the past few months. I've auditioned to multiple shows with a callback here and there but ultimately I haven't been cast in anything. I am still waiting to hear about a few shows, so we shall see. My main trouble has been to even get audition slots. I guess there isn't much room in Chicago's theater world for young, white girls with limited experience. What a shocker! It seems a lot of the male actors I talk to don't have this trouble. As one friend said, "It's a totally different world for female actors." Amen to that.
Being a white, little girl in theater is probably the most generic type you can be. I am lucky enough to not have a more average hair color, but I am still a sugar cookie in an artisanal world of baking! When I go through auditions, if they aren't looking for men then it's African American females or older women. Or it's a fucking musical that also happens to be in the goddamn suburbs! Or or or or....
As much as I'm aware that there is a huge pool of talent that I am swimming in right now, I can't help but think that I'm doing something wrong. That my resume isn't good. (Which is true due to my lack of experience which I can't do anything about yet!)
I feel that I must suck as an actor or that my monologues don't show my potential. The latter I don't really think is true, but who knows about the former. As many Backstage articles I may read about auditioning and as many quotes I see from famous actors about "making it", it's still me who has to go into that audition and put it all into practice.
I haven't taken any classes since my last one because none have seemed right for me. The last one I think was a stupid mistake since it was on something I wasn't all that interested in and I had chose it basically to please the people who had suggested Acting Studio Chicago to me. Obviously, I didn't enjoy the class much. Another shocker! I also don't want to spend another $400+ on a class that may or may not help me. Until I find one that I am excited for and not just doing because everybody else tells me to, I will cynically hoard my $400 in my cigar box.
So maybe I'm fucking myself over and maybe I just have yet to find shows that need what I can offer. In the mean time, I will try to write my blog more often in anticipation for that lovely show that will once again take up all of my time. Oh the dreams I have!
-B
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