Theatre Thursdays

It is #theatrethursday or Theatre Thursday. If you twitter you should try and twitter about your favorite show or theatre on Thursdays.

Here is one of my favorites.

Ask My Friends - Living in NYC

Today we meet yet another fellow Nixian, Jessica Palmer. Jessica and I not only went to the same high school but we also both went to Webster University. She is such a sweet person and her talent and passion make her rise above many others. I asked Jessica to talk about living in NYC and what its like when you are just getting started.

“A few things I have learned since moving to NYC (2 years ago).

Time is of the essence, it reveals itself to you as an enemy or a best friend. Through prosperous and difficult times in the city I have learned that for myself I have to create my own every day STRUCTURE. Structure may come from a day job, a writing group you participate in, or a yoga class you take a few nights a week.You must create a life for yourself in the city in which you feel connected to the community that includes not only the theatre community but also communities such as those bozo yuppie types perusing used bookstores on the Upper West Side. There's plenty of room for you and your 5 roommates to join their book clubs!

Someone once spoke to my college acting class and said, "Be a TONKA truck." I interpreted that as "Do not limit yourself and your talent to any 'agreements.' “Yes, you have to absorb what you've read in college theatre textbooks, in books you've read about getting agents and so forth. However, absorb it, then stuff that information in the back of your closet with your poncho and break the rules, run people over. Who says you have to work "there" before working "here"?

Meet new people (then record their contact information in a database!), read lots of plays by getting a FREE library card, and go ahead... splurge on an AC unit for your apt. Augusts in NYC are brutal!

You may go through times where you lose a sense of your purpose, forget why you moved to the city in the first place. You have to put yourself first and take the time to regain your passion and ravenous need to be in the theatre. It's a holy place. But, it does not need tender loving care. It needs to have the door busted open by some hungry, crazed artist demanding to take it to the heavy side layer.”

Goals

I have been at my new job at the Harman Center for 7 months now.

When I came into the job I set 3 month, 6 month and long term goals. I did that after being employed here for a week. It is now time to review my goals. I know I have checked off most of them but some I still haven’t reached. Now that I have been here for over 6 months I need to go threw and look at the goals I set and revise and add to them.

I challenge you all to set goals. Even if you think they might be too far out there. Set them and reach for the stars.

Monday Blues

Mondays seem to be tough on us all. After the weekend who would want to go back to work. Here are a couple of things I do to get through the Monday.

1 – Don’t go out on Sunday night. I leave my Sunday evening free to unwind and watch a movie or TV. Something easy to relax.

2 – Eat a good breakfast. You should do this everyday but especially on Monday to get you going.

3 – Don’t over schedule your day. I try and schedule emails and calendar time in the morning so I have enough time to get caught up on the happenings over the weekend. It helps me not fill rushed.

4 – Have something to look forward to on Monday evening. Something to focus on to help you push through the day.

Best of luck and Happy Monday!

A Clean Desk

Okay, I have been busy with all the October events this week and my desk is MESS. I have been saying I would clean it for days. Now I have too. As you can see by the picture it is a mess. I will post a picture of a clean desk once I have cleaned. I hope to do it right after lunch.

A clean desk is important for several reasons.

First, it makes you look very organized to others. So people trust that when they give you information it won’t get lost in the piles on your desk and never get accomplished.

Second, it gives you a larger work area. With a clean desk you can have more desk space for your current project.

Lastly, it makes you feel more at peace. Laugh if you will but it makes a difference in your attitude. For me I feel like I am never getting enough done and that the piles are haunting me.

Clean up your work space today!

A New Conversation on the Arts

Rocco Landesman was recently appointed as the Chairman of the NEA. Mr. Landesman spoke at my graduation of the 14 week Commercial Theatre Institute. He was impressive and I was grateful he was chosen to speak. He was different than most of the speakers at CTI because he didn’t tell stories about producing or give advice about getting into the business, but spoke about the Arts and how important they are. I think we are lucky to have Rocco in DC and I look forward to seeing what changes he can bring to the NEA. I posted his statement to America from the NEA website below.

“Hello, I am Rocco Landesman. I am honored to serve the country in my new role as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Arts Endowment is dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.

We’re at an exciting time in our nation’s history. Now, more than ever, the arts matter in America. The arts are central to our nation’s civic, economic, and cultural vitality. The arts reflect who we are and what we stand for – freedom of expression, imagination, and vision.

Arts education is indispensible to raising America’s next generation of creative, innovative thinkers. We will continue to work with our partners to help bring quality arts programs to neighborhoods and communities across the country.

I look forward to a new conversation on the arts in America.

Thank you.”

Ask My Friends – Theatre and Opera from a Stage Manager

My temporary assistant Kat Slagell leaves me this week to continue to pursue her career as an opera stage manager. I thought this would be a great opportunity to write about the differences in Opera and Theatre from a Stage Manager. Kat is a great stage manager that works all over the nation stage managing operas. When I studied Stage Management at Webster University, I always thought it was interesting that the Stage Managers actually tell the performers when to go on stage. Here is what Kat had to say.

“Greetings, fellow Jared Neff fans. You’d think the world of opera and theatre are similar enough, and they are, but stage managing is completely the same, yet totally different between the two performance genres.

The first difference is lifestyle. Unlike theatre, where most regional companies have a large enough season to fill your whole year with maybe one different place in the summer, opera requires you to move around much more. Sure, there are big houses like Chicago or The Met that operate in the same manner, but most companies either have an intense (often rep) season spread out over a few months, or they have single shows spaced throughout the year. Either those shows are spread out enough that you can fit other productions between them, or the company hires different people for each show. The result is a vagabond lifestyle filled with airports, freeways covered in snow storms, hotels, and getting lost in the Target because you thought you were at the one in St. Louis, but really you’re at the one in Nashville. Not for everybody, but I, personally, love it. I enjoy getting to go to different places for as little as three and as many as nine weeks. Unlike a tour, you are actually living in that city for the time you’re there, so, if you’re lucky, you can acquire a number of second homes. I drive to literally all of my jobs, so I visit friends and family on the way that I would normally never or rarely see.

The second difference is practical functionality of the two genres. Opera is fast and almost always big, and I love that too. It’s common for opera rehearsals to be three weeks long, that’s including tech. There is really no table work since it is expected that the singers come to rehearsal with their entire parts memorized and characterized. As far as size goes, even smaller operas typically have larger casts because there is usually a chorus of at least twenty to thirty people and any number of supers (non-singing roles). The last play I saw had a large cast for a play, 29 total. Once you start adding all those people, they need costumes, props, and the scenery to perform on, so managing all those elements is exciting and challenging.

When it comes to the running of performances and rehearsals, as an ASM you’re much more involved in all of the entrances and exits. Literally every time that anyone goes onstage, whether it’s principal singers, chorus, dancers, supers, or zoo animals, one of the ASMs cue them, as well as check that they have all of the correct props and costumes. In the same vein, if you’re the stage manager, you page everyone to the stage every time they have an entrance. When you’ve got a big cast and a lot of other pages and cues to call, this can really keep you on your toes.

Finally, one of the biggest differences for me is the music. Opera has been around for so long for a reason, it’s good music. This is not to say that some plays like Shakespeare haven’t stood the test of time or that today’s musicals won’t be around in hundreds of years, but so much of theatre is based on seeing the actors to get the full experience. Opera is about the orchestration and the singing, which can be experienced anywhere you can hear it. It never fails to happen that I’ll be very involved with the running of an orchestra dress rehearsal or a performance, and then I’ll be able to stop for a second and just listen. There is nothing that compares to a live opera, and I’ll think how lucky I am that I get paid to listen to the same thing every performance that people pay hundreds of dollars to see once.

Is one genre better than the other? Absolutely not, but they are different, something I didn’t know until I started working opera. Hopefully this posting has let you in on some of those differences.”

Twitter Making Headlines – Part 2

The other headline I mentioned yesterday was about a Casting Director tweeting about actors during their auditions. It was not very smart on her part and while I found some of the tweets humorous she got in trouble with the Actors Union and the Casting Society of America’s President.

I have said it before and I will say it again. We are in a world where everyone is watching and we should all be mindful that the things we post could come back to haunt us later.

Here is the link to the New York Times article.

Twitter Making Headlines

There were recently two New York Times articles that revolved around the social media device called Twitter.

The first involved Next to Normal, a new Broadway Musical, that was nominated this year for 11 Tony nominations. I mocked their Twitter efforts saying it was “too much for me to follow” because they told the whole play through different character’s thoughts for a month. Well, I guess I was wrong @n2nbroadway (the Next to Normal twitter account name) now has over 566,000 followers and while you may ask if that turns into sales. It does. They have found through twitter that people have bought tickets because of twitter. Some people were unsure about the issues Next to Normal raised. When they heard the story told through Twitter they were sold. Even if they just sold tickets to .5 percent of their follows that would mean over 2,000 tickets. Not bad for free marketing.

When you think about it Twitter is not free. The site is but the time it takes to write the thoughts of the characters and strategically market this took hours upon hours of people’s time. And how do we measure the success of a Twitter marketing campaign?

Either the numbers are way off or Next to Normal is a brilliant marketer with Twitter. When I looked at other Broadway Twitter accounts no one even comes close to the number of followers. Hair has less than 5,000 and Rock of Ages has just over 5,000. Hmmm. How could Next to Normal have so many. I went through the first couple of pages to see if they were bots maybe? Nope. They all seem to be legit accounts. In fact since I have started writing this posting they have gained 30 more followers.

What will they do next to keep their followers?

To read the New York Times article click here.

DC Regional 09-10 Season

I was looking through several local companies’ seasons, and I thought now would be a good time to highlight the shows I really want to see in the D.C. area.

First is The Musical of Musicals, the Musical at Metro Stage in Arlington. I love this soundtrack but have never actually seen the show. If you like musicals, this is a great show that makes fun of Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, Webber, and more. It is fast and witty.

There are two shows I really want to see at Arena Stage. First is The Light In the Piazza by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel. It was a big hit among my NY friends, but again, I have never seen it. It will be a scaled down version of the Broadway production, but I still look forward to hearing the songs in context and look forward to see what Molly Smith, Arena’s A.D., does with this musical.

The second show I really want to see at Arena is Sophisticated Ladies. I have actually seen this show before, but this time it will star Maurice Hines, whom I love. I worked with him at Arena’s announcement of the Mead Center, and he was so charming and talented I can’t wait to see what he does with this role.

Speaking of roles, did someone say Helen Mirren? Yes, she will be at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in September, and I cannot wait to see this. Tickets were sold out so fast that I will be one of few who get to see her in the only U.S. engagement, and I can’t wait. Yes, that is me looking forward to seeing a play.

Just when you couldn’t believe I was looking forward to seeing a play...I am also looking forward to another play, and a Shakespearean play at that. As You Like It at the Shakespeare Theatre Company will happen in November / December. I worked on this show in college, and I really do enjoy it...and this production in particular will take an interesting twist and will be a pretty large scale production. I have always been impressed with the technical work at STC as it is often as good, if not better, than shows I have seen on Broadway.

Another play. The Picture of Dorian Gray at Round House Theatre in Bethesda. I want to make this book into a modern musical, so I want to see how Roundhouse has adapted it and see it on stage for the first time.

I am also excited about The Last Cargo Cult at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. It is a one man show by Mike Daisey, and I just think the concept is interesting. This is taken from the website: “…Worshipers of cargo left behind by American GI’s, these islanders build meticulous bamboo replicas of Western engineering, re-enact scenes from internet broadcasts, and summon American power through sympathetic magic. What does our economic crisis mean to them, and what can they teach us about wealth and wishful thinking?” Interesting right? We will see.

Ford's Theatre is doing Little Shop of Horrors in the spring, and this is another show that I adore. I have seen it on stage 4 times and look forward to see how Ford’s takes on this giant plant. It is one of those musicals that is just fun to see.

I saved Signature Theatre for last. Why? Because I want to see everything in their season. I love the work they do and love musicals, so I will try and see everything. They have one play this year, I Am My Own Wife, and it will be directed by the very talented Alan Paul. I have never seen a show directed by Paul before, nor have I seen this Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Other shows in their season are Dirty Blonde, Show Boat, Sweeny Todd, Title of Show, and a new musical titled Sycamore Trees.

So, there you have it. My DC play list for this year. Which shows are you looking forward to?

Catch Up WithThese People

Recently my favorite Director / Choreographer team joined up for a new production, Catch Me If You Can. It is a musical adaption of the movie that started Tom Hanks.

Who is that team? Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell. I was thinking back to why they are my favorite, and when I first started to follow them. I actually learned about them from a report I had to write about them in college. Yes, it was just a one-page summary on each of them, but it made me learn who they are and taught me a lesson about how important it is to know people before you “know” them.


Peter Sargent made us write those one-page reports in Lighting Design class. We were assigned people in whom I assumed we might have interest one day. Well, I can’t tell you how many times Jack and Jerry (I say that like we are friends0 have come up in conversations over the years.


Knowing people in the business is so important. I always ask how many students know who Cameron Mackintosh is when I teach at the Missouri State Thespian Conference. I have learned to not be shocked when no one raises a hand.


I encourage you all to poke around the Internet Broadway Database and learn the names of the greats and see what they have worked on. It will make you a better student of our business.

Ask My Friends – Headshots

Today I chose Nick Coleman to give his advice about headshots. Nick and I went to High School together at Nixa. Nick was also the one to haze me into the local Thespian Troupe, back before they stopped the hazing part of that. He is very smart and has gone on to do many great things...one of them is starting a photographry business. If you are in New York and need headshots, check him out. You can also see a lot of useful tips on his blog. Here is what Nick wrote when I asked him for the Do’s and Don’ts of getting headshots done.

"Headshot Shmedshot, or Why Your Headshot Might Matter More Than Your College Degree

Guest post by New York Headshot photographer Nick Coleman - NYC Headshots for Actors that Work!

Greetings and salutations theater fans! When Jared asked me to write a guest post for his blog, I was first flattered, then honored, then I did a little dance in my photo studio to celebrate. What an opportunity to reach out to a whole new sea of readers!

Once I got over myself, I got to thinking... Jared had asked that I share some information on the do's and don'ts of getting your headshot taken, and how to ensure you'll get a great headshot during your session. That's a tall order for a quick blog post!

So let's get cracking...

As An Actor, I Feel Your Pain

When I was an actor first getting started in New York City, I was driven, hungry, talented (at least my teachers thought so), and READY for my big break. I arrived in the city with my black and white 8x10 photograph, taken by a friend from college, and I started looking for opportunity.

It's New York City! Opportunity is everywhere!

What I quickly found is that opportunities for actors come with an especially annoying caveat--they are mostly hidden behind closed doors. Want to audition for that great regional theater you've heard so much about in American Theater? First you have to get the audition. Want to be in that amazing television show that won all the Emmy awards? First you have to get called in by the casting director for a meeting.

And the sad truth is that no matter how much training you have, and how many accolades you've received, you can almost never get that audition or that meeting unless you have a great picture. Humans are visual beings... we trust what we can see, more than what we hear or read. "I gotta see it to believe it... Show me the money... Just you wait, I'll show you!... I'm from Missouri, you've got to Show Me."

Every project in theater, tv, film, and even commercials starts with an idea... someone thought of how the script would play out, and saw it in their imagination. And every person along the path of the project saw that same idea play out in their imagination too. So when it comes time to pick the actors, the first step in the process is "does that actor match the picture in my imagination?"

Your Headshot Is Your Mirror Image

If you want to be successful as an actor, your headshot must look like you. Nuff said. It can't look like you "on your best day" or "under the right circumstances" or with more makeup than you ever wear. It needs to look exactly like you do in the mirror. Why? Because when the production staff of that great project sees your photo, and call you in based off of it, they are saying "that picture of that actor looks exactly like the character in my imagination". If you show up looking even slightly different from that photo, you've just disappointed the imagination of the casting director, the director, and maybe the producer. You're an imagination killer! And they don't like that much.

Relax! It's Just a Picture!

Many actors make the mistake of not giving their headshot enough importance. But once you've been converted to the business-savvy headshot school, you might make the reverse mistake. Freaking out.

Don't!

Remember, the headshot should be your mirror image... which means the best shots are going to happen when you are relaxed, comfortable, and feeling most like yourself. If you're getting caught up in the feeling of taking a great headshot, you're on the track to a nervous, anxiety ridden hell-ride. Okay... that might be an exageration, but I have witnessed someone who got so worried about the way she looked she hyperventilated.

I'm Shooting Headshots Tomorrow--Help!

Okay... so here's my advice, distilled into some helpful bullet points. Whether you are in New York, Chicago, DC, Florida or beyond, these tips are all the same... how to make sure you have a great headshot session, with great results.

Know your type--what roles can you play?
Knowledge is power. If you know how casting people see you, you can make sure your pictures match the package.

Dress the part--do your clothes fit the bill?
If you are a leading man, dress like one in your headshot. If you are a nerdy, bookish type, dress like one.

Practice smiling--have you seen yourself smile lately?
Set aside some quality time with a mirror, and get to know your face. You might discover you look different than you used to.

Bring music you love--is there a song that makes you happy? Sad? Empowered?
Music makes us feel, andemotions show on camera. Bring a variety of music so you can play something appropriate to what you're trying to accomplish in a particular setup.

Take risks--do you always make the same face?
Variety is good. It give you range. Take risks in your headshot session. Be silly. Be goofy. Be angry. Be sad. Take lots of pictures. Give yourself choices. Deny nothing, and try everything. Exploring your range will lead to great shots.

Listen to your photographer--are you taking direction?
Your photographer is your guide through the shoot. He or she isn't telling you what to do but giving suggestions, and seeing what you do with them. Go along for the ride.

Know what you want--do you know when you got "the shot"?
The session is a success when you say it is. If you know what you want in advance, you'll feel good when you leave the session.

There are a lot more tips for getting great headshots, but follow these basics (and shoot with a great photographer) and you are well on your way to a headshot that will get you results."

Calendar

Today I was going through my calendar, and I was reminded of how important Calendar Maintenance is. If you are an actor, executive, or stage manager, managing your calendar is one of the most important parts of your job.

We only have so much time in a day, and making the most of your days is important. Every two weeks I take a look at the next month and try to schedule as much of my days as possible. By planning my schedule minute by minute, I never hit an open patch of time and wonder what I should do next. Schedule time for your to do list. Schedule “holds” for meetings you think will happen. I also suggest you schedule a leave time, when possible. By staying an extra hour will you really get that much more done? Taking time for yourself is just as important. In this business we could all stay late every day, and the mountains of work wouldn’t move down a bit because there is always more work.

Schedule your personal time in as much as you schedule your work. Remember, I am a big believer in Work / Life Balance.

“Keep the Drama on the Stage”

That is a quote from Angie, an old co-worker at Arena Stage. She used to always say that about the backstage drama, and it always made me laugh. I chose it as the title because today I am going to write about something in the news.

In case you have not been following the news about the upcoming shows, Broadway is about to get its largest (in capitalization) Broadway show. The price tag, estimated at 40 million; the show, Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark, a new musical about none other than Spider-Man.

The industry has been talking about this musical for years. With giants like U-2 and Julie Taymor attached, how could you not?

Well, maybe non-profits are not alone in the economic crisis. A publicist for one of the producers said in a statement that the work had stopped due to an unexpected cash flow problem. The statement also said they have a plan to get things rolling again soon and don’t think this will have an impact on the plans of the production. Previews are scheduled for February.

This will be a show to keep your eye on.

Traveling and Seeing Friends

Yesterday I talked about seeing other theatres and setting up meetings. Today I also encourage you to see friends you wouldn’t normally see when you travel. Go through your Facebook and find that friend you never have time to see when you are in their city and make time and see them.

I have had two such meetings and it is not only great to see old friends but help keep your network expanded. You never know what great things could come from meeting up with old friends.

Learn While Away

I am traveling around Missouri this week and part of my trip will be checking out other theatres and trying to meet with other theatre managers to compare notes about the business and economy.

You never know what a meeting might lead to. I try and make at least one meeting per trip. When I was in Denver last year I met with the Production Manager of the Denver Center Theatre and got a tour. It was a great so se other operations and spaces.

When you are traveling take time to set up one meeting and see how it goes. Who knows what might come from it.

Ask My Friends - How To Keep Working

Today our guest blogger is Jenni Bowman. One of my best friends from Webster University. She is a freelance stage manager in New York and seems to always be working, so her question is, "What are some tips you would give anyone wanting to freelance in New York?"

"There are 3 main ways I find work and stay employed:

1) Maintain Contacts
You meet loads of amazing, talented, lovely people in this industry, and a great way to continue to work for and with such people is to stay in touch with them. If you don't know them well enough to go out a grab a drink or coffee, you can always pass along an updated resume every few months. Also, keep an ear out for exciting projects these people may have coming up, drop them notes saying you'd love to be considered cause you lovvvveeeee working with them!

2) Search Online Theatre/Production Job Sites.
These sites include, but are not limited to, Playbill, Actors' Equity, Mandy, and Craigslist. Sometimes you stumble across an amazing gig that you're perfect for, and you'll totally nail the job. Many times you'll drag through dozens of listing for projects that don't pay anything. It can be a little frustrating because you may only find one good listing a day. Don't sweat it- write them an enthusiastic cover letter, send them your resume, and call all your friends who have ever worked for them or know them and tell them to put in a good word for you.

3) Stay Creative and Flexible
Sometimes....many times....you may find yourself UNemployed. THIS HAPPENS TO EVERYONE IN THIS INDUSTRY! The best thing you can do for yourself (and your friends who have to put up with you) is stay creative and flexible. Perhaps all you've ever wanted to be is a Broadway Stage Manager. This isn't my personal fantasy, but you get my point- You move all your thespian trophies and yourself to NYC only to realize you don't know a single Broadway Stage Manager who can get you in the door. OMG! What ARE you going to do? You can't sling coffee forever waiting for Broadway to call. Take Theo Roosevelt's advice, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." You're in New York with the most talented people. If you see a posting for a gig that you think you can do- apply for it! If someone calls and wants to know if you can be a production assistant for some crazy big MTV event- do it! If you wanna see theatre but can't afford the ticket- usher! There are so many opportunities in this city, you just have to maintain an open mind! Then, as my Grandma says, "The world is your oyster," or stage, or however it applies to you!"

Actions Speak Louder

The other day I was talking with someone in the industry about an up and coming theatre producer. I said I thought he was smart and consistently improving. My colleague said he thought he was too much of a self promoter and wanted to see the results of his work. He went on to talk about how great leaders let their work speak for them.

As I was driving today I heard “Louder Than Words” from “Tick, Tick… Boom.” It reminded me about that conversation. When you are working remember that people are watching and noticing what you do. Even if you are not rewarded for it every time know that people are taking notice and that you should consistently be improving. People focused on climbing the ladder lose focus of their work and can get side tracked.

Focus on the work in front of you and do it the best you can. People will take note.

Constantly Improving

Yesterday, I went to Silver Dollar City in Branson and ran into my High School Drama Teacher. He was working as an actor in one of the shows. Not to brag but Nixa High School is one of the best theatre departments in the state and I think it was impart to our teachers passion to continue working in the summer.

In college at Webster University our professors worked professionally as well as taught. I think this was another reason that program was set apart by others. They were constantly out in the field learning and improving there craft then sharing with students.

I think we can all do something to improve. Read a book, take a class or if you’re a student, get a summer job in your field. Those that work to improve will set them selves apart from the rest.