Update: I didn't get cast by Lone Star Murder Mysteries. They e-mailed me to say they weren't going to use me but want to keep me on file for future auditions. We'll see if anything comes of that.
I'm sure there will be more shows that I will want to audition for in the future. I'm not committing myself to anything for a while due to upcoming conflicts, but I always have my eyes open for acting opportunities. Something will come along eventually. Thank goodness I only do it for fun and not for a living.
Speaking of working for a living, my manager called me this morning and said that he had submitted me for a substantial raise, and it was approved! That is the best news I have had in quite a while, and more than makes up for not getting the murder mystery job. Now I can start thinking about what to do with the extra money I will be making. That ought to keep me busy for a bit. :-)
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Sunday, March 19, 2006
One door closes, another opens
Back in December, I heard about a new murder-mystery group that was starting up and needed actors. A friend recommended me to the organizers of the group, so I went to a meeting/audition/reading. They were pleased with my reading and asked me to be in the show. I was glad to say "Yes" because I have done several murder-mystery shows in the past and always had fun with them. Plus, I knew a couple of the others in the cast, and it looked like a nice group of people.
We rehearsed several times in January and had our first performance on January 28. It went over very well and I enjoyed myself quite a bit. I got along well with everyone in the company and was looking forward to the next time I could do the show.
Unfortunately, I had to miss the next show to leave town to visit my sick mother-in-law. I was assured that my role would be waiting for me when I got back. However, it never worked out for me to rejoin the production. There wasn't enough rehearsal time to work me back in; there was another cast replacement who would have had to "adjust" to having me back in the role instead of the person who took my place; or whatever. I can only assume that they really did want me back but circumstances prevented them from using me again. I hope that is the case, and that there wasn't something about me that made them decide to cut me from the group.
In the meanwhile, I read about auditions for a different company, Lone Star Murder Mysteries, which performs every weekend at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Hotel right here in Grapevine. I sent them a headshot and resume, and they contacted me to come to their audition in Fort Worth on March 4. Step 1 achieved: they called me in. The audition went very well. I used my experience from the previous murder-mysteries I had done and played everything big and broad, over the top, just as they were directing the other actors at the audition. Some of them seemed to have trouble doing that, while others were quite comfortable with that style. I also brought with me all of the scenes that they had e-mailed to the auditioners, which made it easier to volunteer to read the other roles when the other actors needed someone to read with. At the end of the audition, one of the producers told me I had done a good job and they wanted me to come to callbacks in two weeks. Step 2 achieved: I impressed them enough to get a callback.
The callbacks were yesterday. Once again, things went well. I can't say that I felt like I absolutely nailed everything they asked me to read, but I don't think I fell on my face either. I made them laugh once or twice, and I thought that was a good sign. The producers talked to all of us about the company, the various types of shows they do, their history, their production schedule, etc. It was presented as if those of us who were there were under strong consideration for being cast, if not in fact already in. They said that by this coming Wednesday they would contact everyone who came to the callbacks to let us know if they were going to use us or not; they don't do the "If you don't hear from us, you haven't been cast" bit, which I am glad of. I am hopeful that the call I get will be a positive one. I got a good feeling from the people at the auditions, both the producers and the other actors, and I think I would enjoy working with this group. Also, it is close to home, and they pay their actors $75 per show for the murder-mysteries, which would be nice to get for doing something that I love. This week I should find out if Step 3 is achieved: getting the job.
I feel good about my chances to land this gig, and if I do, I will put my best effort into it so I can get the most out of it. Lately I have felt like I could use something in my life to perk me up; give me an extra reason to look forward to getting up each day. Maybe this serve that purpose.
We rehearsed several times in January and had our first performance on January 28. It went over very well and I enjoyed myself quite a bit. I got along well with everyone in the company and was looking forward to the next time I could do the show.
Unfortunately, I had to miss the next show to leave town to visit my sick mother-in-law. I was assured that my role would be waiting for me when I got back. However, it never worked out for me to rejoin the production. There wasn't enough rehearsal time to work me back in; there was another cast replacement who would have had to "adjust" to having me back in the role instead of the person who took my place; or whatever. I can only assume that they really did want me back but circumstances prevented them from using me again. I hope that is the case, and that there wasn't something about me that made them decide to cut me from the group.
In the meanwhile, I read about auditions for a different company, Lone Star Murder Mysteries, which performs every weekend at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Hotel right here in Grapevine. I sent them a headshot and resume, and they contacted me to come to their audition in Fort Worth on March 4. Step 1 achieved: they called me in. The audition went very well. I used my experience from the previous murder-mysteries I had done and played everything big and broad, over the top, just as they were directing the other actors at the audition. Some of them seemed to have trouble doing that, while others were quite comfortable with that style. I also brought with me all of the scenes that they had e-mailed to the auditioners, which made it easier to volunteer to read the other roles when the other actors needed someone to read with. At the end of the audition, one of the producers told me I had done a good job and they wanted me to come to callbacks in two weeks. Step 2 achieved: I impressed them enough to get a callback.
The callbacks were yesterday. Once again, things went well. I can't say that I felt like I absolutely nailed everything they asked me to read, but I don't think I fell on my face either. I made them laugh once or twice, and I thought that was a good sign. The producers talked to all of us about the company, the various types of shows they do, their history, their production schedule, etc. It was presented as if those of us who were there were under strong consideration for being cast, if not in fact already in. They said that by this coming Wednesday they would contact everyone who came to the callbacks to let us know if they were going to use us or not; they don't do the "If you don't hear from us, you haven't been cast" bit, which I am glad of. I am hopeful that the call I get will be a positive one. I got a good feeling from the people at the auditions, both the producers and the other actors, and I think I would enjoy working with this group. Also, it is close to home, and they pay their actors $75 per show for the murder-mysteries, which would be nice to get for doing something that I love. This week I should find out if Step 3 is achieved: getting the job.
I feel good about my chances to land this gig, and if I do, I will put my best effort into it so I can get the most out of it. Lately I have felt like I could use something in my life to perk me up; give me an extra reason to look forward to getting up each day. Maybe this serve that purpose.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
The Reeve family suffers another loss
On my way home from work today, I heard on the radio that Dana Reeve has died. I don't remember if I had heard previously that she had lung cancer; apparently she was diagnosed with it last summer. In reading a few news stories, it looks like she had been receiving treatment and felt good about her progress in beating the disease, but she lost the battle.
I have no personal connection to the Reeve family. I became a fan of Christopher Reeve, like millions of others, from the Superman films he did. He embodied the characters of Superman and Clark Kent so well, especially in the first movie, that I will always feel like he should have been nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the first film. I always hoped that I would have the opportunity to tell him that personally, but I never did.
When Mr. Reeve had the accident that paralyzed him, I felt great sympathy for him and his family. I saw how he fought to keep going, even when he wondered if it was worth it to do so, and marveled at everything he accomplished after becoming confined to his wheelchair. His untiring efforts to promote research into spinal injuries and help other people who had conditions similar to his were an example to all of us. When he died, I felt that the world had lost one of its heroes.
His wife carried on in his commitment to further the cause of helping people with disabilities, even as she became a victim of a different disabler, lung cancer. I just watched on line an interview with Dana Reeve that Diane Sawyer did in November. In it, Mrs. Reeve said something that sticks with me. Diane Sawyer asked her about all the charitable work she had done, and her reply was, "It's the rent we pay for living on this earth." Now she is gone too, and we are all the poorer for it. I hope that their son, who has lost his parents much, much too soon, will grow up to be as strong and brave and generous as the two fine people who brought him into this world and nurtured him.
I think I will go out and pay some rent very soon, in her memory.
I have no personal connection to the Reeve family. I became a fan of Christopher Reeve, like millions of others, from the Superman films he did. He embodied the characters of Superman and Clark Kent so well, especially in the first movie, that I will always feel like he should have been nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the first film. I always hoped that I would have the opportunity to tell him that personally, but I never did.
When Mr. Reeve had the accident that paralyzed him, I felt great sympathy for him and his family. I saw how he fought to keep going, even when he wondered if it was worth it to do so, and marveled at everything he accomplished after becoming confined to his wheelchair. His untiring efforts to promote research into spinal injuries and help other people who had conditions similar to his were an example to all of us. When he died, I felt that the world had lost one of its heroes.
His wife carried on in his commitment to further the cause of helping people with disabilities, even as she became a victim of a different disabler, lung cancer. I just watched on line an interview with Dana Reeve that Diane Sawyer did in November. In it, Mrs. Reeve said something that sticks with me. Diane Sawyer asked her about all the charitable work she had done, and her reply was, "It's the rent we pay for living on this earth." Now she is gone too, and we are all the poorer for it. I hope that their son, who has lost his parents much, much too soon, will grow up to be as strong and brave and generous as the two fine people who brought him into this world and nurtured him.
I think I will go out and pay some rent very soon, in her memory.
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