August Update with Doug!

Hello my dear FOD's (Friends/Family of Doug)!
I'm back from parts north and singing my face off all over the place. Should anyone find my face, please send it back to me because audiences get a little uncomfortable when you don't have a face...unless it's the Bodies exhibit, but I digress. Also, save the date and prepare thyselves for FODapalooza III (Tuesday October 21, 2008) at People Lounge! Read on for details and then read to the end for a great on-camera commercial class and an audition opportunity!

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FODapalooza III:
Join me for the third FODapalooza!

WHEN: Tuesday, October 21, 2008
6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
WHERE: People, in the Loft upstairs
163 Allen Street, New York, NY
See below for directions or go to the Google Map
COST: No cover, cash bar
RSVP: Requested, but not required.
RSVP for FODapalooza! here

Gather, ye FODs (Friends/Family of Doug), and meet your brethren at the third FODapalooza! Yes, we're near Halloween, but we're not in costume...unless you still have the High Holy Days spirit and want to come as "Baby Jewish New Year." In FODapaloozas past, accountants have bonded with singer folk, lyricists have found composers, and actresses have met men who actually want to kiss them. We'll have the upstairs lounge all to ourselves with the Wall of Rain and de-lishish Margermellon Wadderitas. (Translation: delicious Watermellon Margaritas, should the watermellons still be in season.)

Directions
People is just a block and a half below the intersection of First Avenue and Houston (the east end of the F and V train).

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Dougbytes
***Thanks to a recommendation from FOD David Abeles, I will be joining the 16-person choir for High Holy Days with The Park Avenue Synagogue. Come join us!

***I made my debut at the Algonquin Salon, in the Oak Room of The Algonquin Hotel, guest hosted by Jennifer Wren and William Zeffiro (usually hosted by Mark Janas). The theme was "Noel, Cole, and Rock & Roll." I sang "Natural Woman" and there were other wonderful performances by FODs Helene Feldman, Johanna Weller-Fahy, Sierra Rein, and Alexandra de Suze! (Surely you've heard of Alexandra de Suze!). As always, Peter Napolitano was there to provide love, support, and organization.

***I'm back coaching privately with anyone named JOAN who will teach me. JOAN Barber for voice and JOAN Bogden for voice-overs. (By the way, JOAN Katz is an amazing life coach and JOAN Jubett is one of the best actors I know.) May we all be properly JOANed in everything we try to do in our lives.

***I'm starting the four-week class "A Taste of Telsey" with casting director Tiffany Little Canfield at Actors Connection. The class will cover all the areas that Telsey + Company casts: from monologues to on-camera technique for film, TV, and commercials.

***I'm still continuing to monitor casting sessions and meet casting directors weekly at The Network.

***Every Thursday at 7:00 a.m. Jill Burk and I continue to be the voices of New York Times for InTouch Radio reading news and periodicals for the visually impaired over the air. By the way, one can hear the broadcast by registering at intouchnetworks.org, but then must be able to verify that they are visually impaired. Tell your visually impaired loved ones to sign up, and then bring the pizza and beer over at 7:00 am to listen to us!

***I'm back for Sunday mornings at The Madison Avenue Baptist Church with choir director Paul Stephan, singers Renee Jarvis, Christopher Preston Thompson, and Alexandra de Suze! (Surely you've heard of Alexandra de Suze!) We'll be led by the fabulous Reverend Susan Sparks. The sermons are now podcast! (The choir is not.) I'm still compiling a list of potential subs, so let me know if you're interested.

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Please Don't Panic! I'm as busy as an ant at a Labor Day picnic, but for you, I'll find the time. Should you require the voice of your Labor Day sale, a singer of your September song, or the harried dad in your back-to-school ad, let's create something great together.

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And now the monthly Two Items of Interest for FODs...

On-Camera Commercial Class with Casting Director Nadette Stasa
I was taking Nadette's class in Boston when I booked my first national commercial and I'm fortunate enough to have access to her wisdom and energy every Friday morning in our voice-over support call.

ON-CAMERA COMMERCIAL CLASS
WHEN: September 4, 11, 18, 2008
7-10 PM
WHERE: THE STUDIO AT STRICKMAN-RIPPS CASTING
66 WEST BROADWAY (bet. Murray & Warren)
One block south of Chambers
1, 2, 3 A or C to Chambers Street
FEE: $299
REGISTRATION: e-mail nstasa@aol.com) or call 212-971-1989 to reserve your space and she will follow up with payment information.
This class is suitable for seasoned professionals who want a refresher, commercial actors who are not familiar with my approach to commercial work, actors seeking a basic commercial class and non-actors who are interested in doing commercials. The workshop is designed to take you from wherever you are and bring you to the next level. She is committed to leaving you with an understanding of what you need in order to succeed in the field of commercial acting.

Nadette Stasa is a freelance casting director who works with New York's top commercial casting offices including Strickman-Ripps Casting, Martine Casting, Toni Roberts Casting, Donald Case Casting, Foreground, Inc. and more. She has also run New York sessions (primarily voice casting) for Maura Tighe Casting. Nadette has more than 15 years of experience as a casting director, and 12 years of experience coaching and teaching commercial acting. In addition to her casting work, Nadette is an experienced on-camera commercial and voice-over actor. She was recently seen in network spots for Jenny Craig and Kleenex and currently can be heard as the voice of HBO Family Jam.

Join Doug, the Yuletide Jew!
I've signed up for season three with The Yuletide Carolers. Hey, if Hallmark can start thinking about the winter holidays, so can we. If you're interested in Caroling, Caroling Through the Town, contact Susan at susan@theyuletidecarolers.com and she'll send you the audition information when it's all set. Not to worry if you live elsewhere. There are teams of Yuletide warriors in New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

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Life is good here. Shawn and I spent some quality time on Fire Island and we're gearing up for the Bat Mitzvah in Florida of my niece, Valerie, (who is currently blow-drying the Torah after Tropical Storm Fay).

I'd also like to send out best wishes to FOD Ron Zacchi and Marriage Equality New York for The Wedding March on September 14, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Click on the link and see the great work they're doing.

Take some breathing time for yourself, tell me your birthday, meet an old friend in person rather than on Facebook, and thanks for being in my life. Please let me know what's going on in yours!

As Always,

Doug