Amphibian Stage Productions

Usually when a famous person dies I feel badly for the families and go about my day just as I would if I heard anyone I didn’t know just died.  While sitting in a Los Angeles court house during jury selection I got a text message from my sister, the words: “Heath Ledger has died”.  I was stunned sitting on that bench.  I looked up at the strangers serving with me and wanted to reach out for comfort.  When there was none there, I had to turn away as tears swelled in my eyes.  I was baffled…why am I reacting so strongly to a person I don’t know?  Maybe it’s because we’re the same age, maybe because I know that stretch of Broome Street where his apartment is and miss it dearly, maybe because Heath and I are actors, maybe it was his beautiful daughter, maybe getting older allows you to feel your own mortality…I’m not sure.  But please bear with me while I get this off my chest. 

I saw “Monster’s Ball” after the academy award was given to Halle Berry and thought…why the hub-bub over Halle?  Heath’s the real genius in this film.  I auditioned for the role of Heath’s daughter in “Broke Back Mountain” (the role went to Kate Mara…lucky gal).  After seeing it I told my husband that I have to find a way to work with Heath Ledger…he’s just…perfection.  Then this past Christmas my husband’s cousin and I watched the preview for “Batman” on his computer and talked for a good while about what an artist and an inspiration Heath is.  We said, “I bet he’ll get an Oscar nod for this and he’ll explode in Hollywood.”   

Whatever the reason, I am immensely saddened over the death of Heath Ledger.  One of the most brilliant performers of our generation is now gone from this world too soon and it’s a damn damn shame.  I didn’t know you but I will miss you.  Rest in peace Heath.  

At the risk of being a huge sap, I just wanted to say how privileged I am to know you all and have worked with many of you.  I miss you all and love you greatly. 

Hey folks!  My sincerest apologies for my poor showing in the blog department…I was fulfilling my civic duty and completing time sitting on a jury.  Afterwards I had to do the day job stuff leaving very little time for much of anything else.  The stink of it was the dude was 100% guilty and it was a total waste of time for the trial to take place.  Just a word of advice to all you out there…if you do something wrong, just fess up and take the heat.  Don’t waste people’s time, energy and tax dollars trying to defend the un-defendable.  PLEA BARGAIN!

I am an actor in Los Angeles.  And when I moved here, I got this advice:  1. get new headshots 2. go to Sam French and get a Ross Reports 3. submit your picture to all the agents (make sure to get the see-through envelopes – you want to take the guess work out of an agent actually opening your submission) 4. get into an acting class 5. do workshops. 

I took this advice and spent too much time wondering why I wasn’t working.  It was bad advice!  Well…almost…

New photos are always good and psychologically make me feel renewed and ready to start battle again.  Sam French is always a good resource for all things industry…but there’s more there than a Ross Report.  Submitting headshots to agents makes you feel like you’re being proactive in your career (I’m about to do it again for what feels like the billionth time).  Acting classes can be really helpful especially to the newbies.  It feels like you’re learning something and keeping the creative juices flowing and workshops can introduce you to some powerful people.  So…what’s the bad advice?  Well…none of this is actual works.  You spend a lot of time and a lot of money not really acting…not creating anything but a big headache for yourself.   

Agents usually don’t open unsolicited submission envelopes, acting classes aren’t always the best (and the good ones will take your life savings for a 6 week course and offer questionable “techniques”– more on this later) and workshops are just a really expensive audition for the casting director’s assistance’s assistant. 

So, after step one, skip the rest of these steps and move on to a secret step…step 6…99 seat theatre.  Sure there are TONS of 99 seat theatres in Los Angeles; but once you wade through all the crappy showcases and ‘plays’ where only industry people are invited, you will witness a bustling community of professionals doing great work.  One of the best parts of this community is that it’s not exclusive to the struggling actor.  On the contrary, the majority of these theatres have working actors (some with bonafide celebrity status) acting in their plays and you get to act right along beside them and benefit from their experience.  They also offer amazing, accomplished and famous directors, designers, writers, etc etc etc.  This community is rather tight, but once you break the bubble, everyone knows everyone and a world of opportunity opens. 

UPDATE:  Auditioned for “9 to 5” here in Los Angeles (totally rocked it out!) – they aren’t calling anyone back until they’ve auditioned in New York (you lucky ducks).  Auditioned for “Beaverquest: The Musical” and got a callback (and no, it’s not about that…).  Auditioned for a Best Buy commercial…no callback. 

Hello Amphibians!  This is my first time blogging on the amphibian wordpress site and I must say that I’m a bit intimidated after the reading all the excitement Carman and Jonathan have been experiencing as of late.  It’s been an absolute pleasure to read and they are exactly where every actor wants to be…working!  I’m so sad I haven’t been able to make it to NYC to see the shows…Erin, Carman, Jonathan…well…everyone!  We have some amazingly talented folks associated with amphibian and I’m so proud to be a member!!

My personal excitement is the airing of a Verizon commercial I shot back in November.  It aired for the first time on January 1st during the Sugar Bowl and I immediately started getting text messages, phone calls, emails…some from folks I haven’t seen since I was 10 years old…CRAZY!  I’m not getting my hopes up too high because Verizon spots are notorious for only running the normal 13 week cycle and then being replaced by another spot.  But if you see it, send good vibes so it will play and play and play!! 

The shoot was super fun.  You can’t really see it in the spot but the Verizon guy (Paul) and I had to match movement…and in the back of a cab, on a flatbed trailer, with a billion cameras in your face, pretending to be in labor is a pretty hilarious task.  The director of the commercial was Craig Guillespie who recently directed “Lars and the Real Girl” (if you haven’t seen it…see it…it’s wonderful).  This was my first national commercial and definitely more than I could have asked for.  Big set (although you can’t see it), big production, 300+ extras (although you can’t see them), funny amazing cast and crew…very supportive.  The day lasted 16 hours and flew by!  Now that it’s airing I’m pumped up and want to do another one immediately! 

In the next coming week I have an audition for the Broadway production of “9 to 5″ (yup…the Dolly Parton movie) and a new musical called “Beaverquest” written by Padraig Duffy (Patrick Duffy’s son…yup the guy from “Dallas”).  Everything is for pop voices so I need to get the belting pipes a-workin’. 

 More later!