Brief Yourself

In today’s age of the internet, it surprises me how little we know about people and companies, and even the day’s events, before we go into a meeting or social setting. You no longer need an assistant to debrief you of everything, although I love the thought of that. You can do it yourself. I am probably giving something away here and making myself seem less smart by admitting this, but I think it is better than not doing it all.

Before I meet with someone I “google” him and see what I can find out about him first. I do that for everyone who I know will be present whom I don’t know. If nothing else, I will at least be able to put a face with the name. This is really helpful for people who are as bad at remembering names as I am. Then I will “google” the company, project or related projects and read up on them. This will save you time and make them feel like you know enough about them to care. How impressive does it make them feel when you know the last show they did or the last project they worked on? It makes everyone feel good, and only takes a little bit of effort.

If you know me, you know I often get lost in classical plays. So before I go, I read a synopsis, and now that we have Wikipedia, I can not only read the synopsis, but I can also get background about performances, learn the origin of the play and read what scholars thought about the show. In 5 minutes of reading, I have enough information to talk to anyone about the play that I might have gotten from just watching.

Take the time and brief yourself before you go see these shows or go into these meetings. It will make a marginal difference in how your evening or day plays out.

FELA

Remember The Color Purple on Broadway? It wasn’t the great reviews that kept that show alive but the lead producer behind it. Oprah. Need I say more? She has so much power and capital behind her that the reviews, which were good, didn’t really matter. The show was actually selling because her name was above the title. There were other producers, and I am sure she didn’t have a huge hands-on producing role, but her name was the only producer's name that was printed every time the title was printed. Stars can bring a lot to a show just by attaching their names.

Yesterday it happened again. The New York Times and Playbill both reported that Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have all joined the producing team of Fela! Now the show opens next week, so I would take a guess that their roles will be more in marketing and capital. When tourists who don’t normally go to theatre see Jay-Z and the Smiths' names on that poster, they may be inclined to attend.

I personally think this is a great way to get a new audience into the theatre. Maybe if they like the show they will become repeat costumers and start to build a new audience in a time when our core audience is maybe trying to save more money and see less theatre. My hat is off to the person that made that deal happen. Watch for all the publicity Broadway will get in other markets as we lead up to and after opening night of Fela!

People to Know - Joseph Papp

Here is a producer after my own heart. Joseph Papp was born in 1921 in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants. He went on to be one of the most well known and respected producers in history. Papp had a true passion for Shakespeare and tried promoting his idea that there should be free Shakespeare in New York for years when he finally produced and directed Taming of the Shew on the Lower East Side in 1956. He was praised by Brooks Atkinson with a great review in the New York Times, and then his idea took off. And so the New York Shakespeare Festival began. He later moved the festival to Central Park at the Delacorte Theatre, where they still perform today.

After his success with the Shakespeare Festival he wanted to find a home where he could produce year round. In 1967 he created the Public Theatre to produce new and lesser know plays. His first big Broadway transfer was Hair, and because he did stay on as producer of Hair he received no financial benefits. This lesson learned, he went on to produce A Chorus Line and used the money to help fund his other theatres and even help start and run some Off-Broadway Theatres. He also helped produce The Pirates of Penzance, which I discovered has been produced on Broadway 26 times.

He also lead the way in non-traditional casting by using people of all colors in his plays and got involved in gay rights when Congress imposed conservative provisions on the National Endowment for the Arts and produced The Normal Heart, which discussed homophobia and the neglect of the AIDS crisis.

As a producer he brought so much talent, both directorial and in casting, that the lists could go on and on. I wish more producers would take interest in non-profits they way he did. He was able to accomplish so much with the funds from his few Broadway hits, it makes me wonder who will be the next producer to not only produce hits on Broadway, but get really involved in producing lots of theatre and lots of affordable theatre. Someone said Merrick was probably my hero, but I think so far I would have to say Joseph Papp is my hero.

Ask My Friends – Directing

Edward Coffield was one of the first people at Webster I really looked up to. He was funny, nice and very smart. He was a professor of mine at Webster University and the Production Manager at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. At the time I knew little about his ambitions to direct, although he had been directing around town a fair amount. Since then he has gone on to direct many more shows in St. Louis and even nominated for a Kevin Kline Award for his outstanding direction of Door to Door. He has worked as the La Jolla Playhouse, the Alley Theatre and many other theatres across the country. It is an honor for me to have someone I respect so much writing a guest posting. I asked Edward to write about directing and how he got into it.

“But what I really want to do is direct.”

This expression has of course taken on a slight wink with people who work in the theatre, but I never intended to direct, I swear I didn’t.

I always wanted to produce. Like many of us in the theatre I have a small, delicate, fragile ego, so when at the age of seven I suddenly understood billing and realized the producer’s name goes at the top of the marquee – well, my sights were set on producing.

Over the years, I have done a lot of things in the biz. I was a stage manger for a long time and then moved into production management. Along the way I have produced various things. Most recently I had the great pleasure of producing The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. I have loved all these jobs, and they have served me well.

So how did I become a director?

Originally, I started out getting hired to re-mount shows that I had been the PSM for. Technically, I suppose, that was not directing, but it was a foot in the door. At some point someone hired me to direct a show that I had not been attached to before. I cannot say I didn’t know what I was doing -- but I will say that I have learned a great deal since then. I was lucky enough to direct in theatres with big hearts but low profiles, where I could fall on my face and the theatre world at large would never know.

At this point, I have been fortunate to direct many shows for numerous theatre companies. With no formal training as a director, I have learned a great deal by absorption – learning by doing. I also have spent thousands of hours in rehearsal watching some amazing director’s work. That has been a wonderful gift.

My successes have been great, and the failures have provided even greater lessons. I used to panic about the fact that I simply don’t understand how actors do their craft. I admire them, I adore them and I am in awe of them, but I cannot make them better actors. I am honest about that and recommend that if they need help with acting, they go get a coach. My job is to tell the story.

I seem to have a good sense for casting, and that is another gift I do not take for granted. Like many of us, I had a brief stint in front of the footlights. As I recall, I was on stage in a bunny costume, and even at the age of six, I knew the other bunny was a better actor!

I have spent a great deal of my directing career helming musicals and comedies, two genres I adore. I have already discovered that directors can be pigeon-holed, just like actors. If a producer knows you understand comedy, you are not going to get an offer to direct The Normal Heart. I seem to intellectually and emotionally understand comedy. I don’t take that skill for granted -- ever. I am a funny person, but I am not convinced that makes me able to direct comedies.

As for musicals, I was raised on them, and I believe -- as Mr. Laurents espouses -- it has to be in your bones. When most children were playing cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians, I was playing Hello, Dolly and South Pacific!

Last summer, I directed my first drama for a wonderful theatre company in St. Louis called The Orange Girls. They had invited me to direct Donald Margulies’ play Collected Stories, an intense two-hander with great roles for two actresses. I found it challenging in a totally different way. There are about three laughs in the script, and I knew how to handle those. But riding to “the dark side” was tremendous and scary and gratifying. I found that all those comedies I had directed had taught me a lot about drama -- drama is about timing in the same way that comedy is.

I have learned so much from other directors (thank you to Mr. Woolf, Mr. Barnes, Ms. Gregg, Mr. Mason), but the utmost surprise is what I have learned from the directing students who have assisted me (Shelley, Nick, Kaitlyn et al). They have been superior guides. I was always a very good storyteller, and as my friends and colleagues will tell you, I am not afraid to embellish. But I have learned from these student directors how to be a student of directing.

Now I have learned how to read a play. More importantly, I have learned how to research a play. I also have learned at what point to set all the research aside and tell the story. The director’s job is simply to tell the story with gusto, heart and tempo.

In the last year, directing for me has clicked, and I have become comfortable with it. This of course has made me understand that I have only just begun. Directing is a skill that builds over time and a craft that always offers new lessons. I am very lucky.”

My 23 Hour Day

I have done many exciting shows in my life. The most exciting are actually not theatre but more in the concert or speaking category. I have worked on concerts like Maria Carey, Pearl Jam, and even David Copperfield (oh, the stories there). Last week I worked on my biggest event here at the Harman Center with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I worked for two jam-packed days to get ready for their speech on Global Health. If you have the time you should watch the speech.

The first day I ended up working 23 hours in a day. I had many questions about why, and I thought I would share the insight to why I made that decision. Looking back I don’t know that there is anything that I would have done differently.

The day was scheduled to start at 3:30am with the arrival of catering. At about 4:30am the Technical Director for the event company arrived. I felt that it was extremely important that I be there in the beginning of the day to meet the senior staff from the Gates Foundation and make sure things were off to a good start. Luckily for me, they were. The plan was that my assistant would come in to work part of the day with me and then go and run the other event in our second theatre. We would both be ending about the same time (midnight), and he would take the morning shift the second day so I could be well rested for the actual event, which we would both work. Then I could stay for the strike, as I was coming in at noon. Sounded like a great plan, right? Well it was, but no one counted on the video not being ready. With 6 high powered projectors, overlapping the alignment of the projectors was crucial. The projection team had to stay to get everything ready so that we did not cut into the tech / rehearsal time of day two. So I decided to stay with them, knowing I could sleep in the second day.

Would I have done anything different to not work a 23 hour day? Maybe not booked the second event at the other theatre so my assistant could have been in my place. The show must go on, as they say, and the projectors had to get aligned to not take up the second day tech time. There's not much that could have been done. When you are managing things, you sometimes have to work extra to get the project done. All good managers will work until the job is done. And to balance my work life schedule, I will be taking this Friday off to make up for all the extra hours.

Be Proud

Yesterday I had an great dinner with one of the smartest people I know. She was a professor of mine at Webster University. In such a ego driven and competitive business it is often that we as students fill like failures if we don’t win the Tony or if we God-forbid get out of theatre and do something else with our lives.

Even I am guilty of constantly worrying about what people think of me. I have gotten better but it still plays a role in my life. When I was laid off last year I felt like a huge failure. It took me a week to get the nerve to call my mentor and tell him what had happened. I don’t why but I thought he would be disappointed or whatever but instead he was encouraging and supportive. We often build up these things in our heads that simply are not true.

At dinner last night Dottie said we just want you to be healthy and happy. We don’t care if you stay in theatre as long as you’re happy and a productive citizen. I just wanted to share that nugget of wisdom to everyone who worries as much as I do. Be proud of who you are and what you are doing.

Ask My Friends - Organizing Your Tax Portfolio

It is Ask My Friends again, and today is a great post. Something we should ALL pay attention too. I am the worst about this, and I think I could be missing out on saving money. Gary Castaneda and I worked together at Cedar Point several years ago, and he is one of the sweetest guys I know. He was asked back to teach workshops at Cedar Point, and one of his workshops when I was there was about Taxes. Gary has performed on cruise lines and toured the country with several productions (one of them Miss Saigon). With the year coming to an end soon, it is almost tax time and I thought it would be great to get tips on taxes so we as artist could save money. So I simply asked Gary to give us some tax tips.

"Doing taxes every year is about as much fun as having a colonoscopy. You can put it off as long as you can - but in the end you just have suck it up and get it where the sun doesn’t shine and move on to bigger and better things. Procrastination is a serious disease that can lead to the destruction of your economic health. I encourage you to face these tax fears & phobias head-on and get organized little by little. This is the key to make your April 15th Tax Day Deadline less painful so you can get out there and have more fun (or actually get a colonoscopy).

1. Invest in an Accordion File: This is a Tax-Time office supply staple. You can make fun decorative tabs where you can separate your receipts by category and include: Travel, Food, Make-up/Hair, Promotional Materials, Classes/Lessons, Equipment, Office Supplies, and Postage to name a few tab headings. Don’t go super-detailed or crazy. At the end of the year, add up the total, write it on an envelope and throw the receipts inside. This will prepare your line-item deductions for your tax preparer and they won’t kill you for handing them a shoebox full of random receipts.

2. Keep a Date Book/Journal: This is where you can list auditions attended, meetings with agents, casting directors, etc. You should be able to recall the circumstances for all your appointments to justify why you spent $40.00 to take out your vocal coach for drinks to get the inside scoop on an upcoming audition. You can also keep track of your mileage, out-of-town auditions & miscellaneous business expenses in this space as well. Furthermore, this “mini-scrapbook” is a great way to look back on your year to see your progress within your craft or to find out where you need more work.

3. Keep a File of Pay Stubs & Tax Forms from Employers: Most performers have several jobs within a year and keeping track of them is a task in itself. Hold on to all your Pay Stubs and use this as a checklist to ensure you have every tax form (W-2, 1099, etc.) from all your employers at the end of the year.

4. Find a Tax Preparer Experienced with the Arts: Theatre performers have special needs and it is essential to have a tax preparer you can trust and who can answer your questions in plain English. Asking friends for referrals or inquiring whom they employ to process their taxes is a great way to find a good candidate.

5. Safeguard your Information: Keep filed tax returns in a safe place for several years. It will help to have your last year’s tax return on hand to help with filing the following year’s paperwork (why invent the wheel twice). However, when you do decide to purge your mountain of paperwork (after the tax people say its okay) you should opt to shred the materials utilizing a paper shredder to safeguard your identity. It would really suck to find an identity bandit living it up in Mexico City on your dime.

Money is the easiest way to obtain the essential things in life: like food, shelter and tickets to see Patty Lupone in concert. Keeping it all straight and organized is one way to continue on the path of making it in a business where skins are tough, competition is high and the odds are never in your favor. However, keeping your eyes on some of the business essentials of money and finances will help extend your long and healthy performing arts careers. I wish you many “broken-legs” in your future!"

The More You Know

I am always looking to learn more about theatre and there are many ways to do so. The American Theatre Wing presents the Tony Awards every year but they do more than present the Tony Awards. They actually have one of, if not the best educational materials about theatre and Broadway. They have videos, podcast and more. If you are bored at work or at home take a look at what they have to offer. And if you are as busy as I am then just book mark it and come back. There are some really great video here. Happy Friday!

Musicals of Movies

I get asked all the time about what I think about movies that get made into musicals...often with comments about how bad they are. So here is my two cents about movies being turned into Broadway musicals.

We all love the original musical, and recently there have been some great ones, like In the Heights and Next to Normal. But I also have some favorites that came from movies. In fact, I think one of the most imaginative productions I have ever seen came from the movie The Lion King, and look how long it has run. And now it has over 15 companies worldwide, grossing over 4 billion dollars. I mean, really, can all movies be that bad? Even the best musical of this year, Billy Elliot, was a movie first. In fact, 7 out of the last 11 Best Musical winners were movies turned into musicals.

So while we have a lot of flops from musicals, we have a lot of successes too. I think people probably used to say the same about turning books into musicals, but now our storytelling comes more from movies to the masses. Plus, there is that secure feeling of having a known title to comfort you as you pour several million dollars into your project.

What are your thoughts about movie musicals? Think about your recent favorites and see how many came from movies.

Ask My Frends - Production Photos

Today we have a dear friend of mine from Arena Stage who is studying photography. Christina Rojas is one of the more fun and caring people I have ever worked with. Her topic was productions photos. I asked her to give us her thoughts on production photos.

"Given the right photographer, a picture can be worth a thousand words. But, in the arts world, a production picture can be worth a thousand audience members. And let’s be serious; producers aren’t weighing a show on how many words it’s going to return!

After much deliberation on how to best illustrate this point without using actual photos (The arts world is small; I’m not here to step on toes!), I’ve come to a decision. One I feel really good about! So, put on your “ready to think outside the box” caps and go with me here:

PRODUCTION PHOTOS ARE LIKE HAIR CUTS!

But, before we go any further, let’s come to an understanding. I am not for one second judging where you get your hair cut. I’ve had everything from a bargain bin poodle-perm to a day’s pay sleek angled asymmetrical bob and all kinds of disasters in between, so I, my friend, am not judging.

And away we go…

HAIR CUTTERY

You walk in. You talk to a hostess who quickly runs his/her finger through the appointment book, finds the employee who has been sitting idle the longest, and thus appoints your “specialized” stylist. You chat briefly about your future coiffure, rush to the shampoo/condition stall, return to your hydraulic chair. The magic is about to happen.

But, in the end, the magic consists mostly of those Ball-Under-Bowl or Is This The Right Card deals—your hair is in fact clean and shorter than when you walked in, and if you paid the additional $5, it is dry. So Hair Cuttery has held up its end of the bargain. Their work here is done.

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We’ve seen those production photos; hell, we may have even TAKEN those production photos. They are the ones that show us that yes, there is a stage. And yes, there are some people on that stage. And perhaps yes, there are some costumes and props and maybe even a focused light or two. But that’s all—they are a documentation that this production happened once.

AVEDA

You look online, ooh and aah at all the luxurious options you have, chat with an expert (seriously, it’s an option!), fine tune every detail of exactly what your visit will consist of, and finalize your appointment. Stir with excitement until the big day arrives.

A very pleasant someone meets you at the front, takes your coat/bag/trepidation, leads you to a waiting room with beverage options and a bubbling, stone-lined fountain. An impeccably dressed stylist sets you on your road to recovery, one which includes no less than three decadently thick towels wrapped around your organic lavender shampooed hair. Every single snip of those scissors is predetermined and perfectly pointed at what your stylist has crafted as your haircut. YOURS. And, well, you look fabulous. Obviously. But really, you FEEL fabulous. More than your hair being clean and shorter, your hair is now a Hairdo, and you are ready to work it.

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Those are the production photos that impart the story, capture that story in such a way that you immediately are drawn in and find it impossible to look away without wanting to know more. Maybe you want to know what happens in the following scene. Maybe you want to see what those sequins look like in the next dance number. These production photos are full-bodied and capture an experience.

TLC’S “WHAT NOT TO WEAR”

(Don’t pretend you haven’t seen it. You have. We know you have. And it’s okay. There are marathons running all the time and you probably were sucked in while flipping through channels. Seriously, we aren’t judging.)

But, those Converts walk through the Pearly Gates of Hair-ven a pre-Fairy Godmother Cinderella, are pampered and primped until the point of absolute indulgence, and emerge as Demi Moore—I mean, a WHOLE. NEW. PERSON, folks. That little man works wonders the world hasn’t seen since the Pyramids!

The Convert doesn’t just feel different, they ARE different. Their change is not solely topical but lies internally, in what they want for themselves, what they expect of themselves, what they expect of others.

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Sometimes, a photographer uses her lens to unearth a tiny and beautiful moment that was never scripted, never rehearsed, never intended. That glimpse transforms, re-envisions even, the initial body of work and thus becomes its own art.

So, what does all this mean? Great question.

Photographers, in the arts world it is imperative to really connect with your subject. Find a new vantage point. Find a story. Find a new story. Engage your audience. Shoot until the story speaks to you. Don’t be afraid to shoot outside your comfort zone.

These are the production photos that do their art and your creativity justice.

(Thanks for reading, y’all. And for hanging in there with the extended metaphor! Grab your camera and hit the open road!)"

Results

I have talked about building your brand a lot and not enough about results. If you are going to make it in this business you have to have results. You have to work hard and do it well. You can have all the Facebook friends in the world, but if you are not good at what you do, it won’t matter.

You need to always be improving in your job and pushing for more and better results. That is what will get you truly noticed. Yes, you want to have a network to reach out to, but then you want key people in that network to be your champions. You want to be able to sell yourself, but how much better is it when people do that for you?

I am running into some huge challenges in my position. I have goals that are unreachable and not enough to split my focus as is required. I am currently looking at my time very carefully and making sure I am putting the time to best possible use and looking at my resources to see where I can pass some things off. I also am looking at my goals and trying to come up with out of the box ideas to help get me closer to the goals. It is kind of a running joke that my co-worker Gen and I are always think way out of the box. I have to say that some of those “way out of the box” ideas have really helped.

I am happy to be known as an out of the box thinker. (Don’t forget the monkeys.) I will keep pushing to build my network and expand this blog, but I know my real focus is results. That is what will make you stand out above the rest. Having a great network, personal brand, and, most importantly, getting results.

The Show Must Go On

That was the title of a NY Times article that discussed the seasons of many theatres in New Jersey, but they also cited the budget problems many theatres are facing. In the article, the first three theatres said they had made staff reductions.

Yes, the show must go on, and many theatres are doing what they can. Each theatre is trying to find a way to make it through. We, as was reported by the Washington Post, took a week furlough (a temporary leave of absence from employment without pay). Which was not so bad, but I am feeling the effects now. But at least there was not a staff reduction. I have been there and seen the affects it has on the staff.

Budgets are so tight it makes you forget the wonderful times when you had the money. I remember a couple of years ago, before things were tight and our office went to have a Christmas lunch, and we made a little field trip out of it by taking the bus across the city. It was a nice meal, which the theatre picked up. Just that little act made a huge difference on our office. I remember thinking to myself, “When you are the boss, don’t forget to treat your employees,” because I saw how much the mood and productivity picked up.

Now we are in tough times, and I think we forget to have fun. I always thought Arena Stage tried to make sure there were fun things to do throughout the year. It was usually headed up by Alison in the executive office, but even when they didn’t have money they were doing something fun to keep the “kids” happy. I write this because I want you to think of something special you can do for your staff, even if it's for free. Maybe let them take a half day on Friday because they have worked so hard through this summer. Whatever it is doesn’t have to cost money, but never forget the importance of your staff's morale.

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.

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.

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.

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.