Hello my dear FOD's (Friends/Family of Doug)!
In this time of Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for all of you that raised a margermellon wadderita with me at FODapalooza III! A great time was had by all and I'm looking to set the next one sometime in January. I'm taking an exercise class, getting organized for better career choices, and am in rehearsal for a great show. Also read to the end for the two (by which I mean three) items of interest for FOD's!
On Stage...
Been looking for an excuse to visit Asbury Park in New Jersey in December? Your quest has now been fulfilled! SCROOGE IN ROUGE is going to be hilarious and you can decide for yourself whether or not I make a pretty girl. or matron. or ghost. or excessively perky nephew. Here are the details:
ReVision Theatre
Producing Artistic Directors: David E. Leidholdt, Thomas Morrissey, Stephen Bishop Seely
Scrooge in Rouge
An English Music Hall Christmas Carol
Book & Music by Ricky Graham
Additional Material by Jeffery Roberson
Other Interesting Bits by Yvette Hargis
Original Music Composed by Jefferson Turner
Choreographed by Mimi Quillin
Music Directed by Justin Stoney
Directed by Michael Barakiva
Starring Linda Marie Larson, Katherine Pecevich, & Doug Shapiro
3 actors. 23 characters. A fast-paced new musical so hilarious you'll want to bring your entire family. A Christmas Carol that even your weird Aunt Edna will love!
WHEN: December 4 thru December 28, 2008
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 8:00 pm
Sundays at 7:00 pm
(No show on Christmas Day)
Friday, December 26th at 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 27th at 3:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Sunday, December 28th at 3:00 pm
WHERE: The VFW Hall
701 Lake Avenue
Entrance on Bond Street between Lake and Cookman Avenues
Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712
Click here for the
Google Map
COST: Tickets $35 & $25; Children Under 12 $17.50 & $12.50
Buy tickets online at www.ReVisionTheatre.org or call 732-455-3059
In the Movies...
I will be playing the role of a doctor in the upcoming movie HORIZON, written and directed by Vladan Nikolic. This movie will also be Assistant Directed by FOD Heather Murphy. I would tell you more, but I know I hate it when someone tells me the end of a movie. What I can tell you is that I don't get a cool death scene and I'm totally bummed. (I felt the same way when I was on The Sopranos...and didn't even try to get my hopes up for that time on Sex and the City.)
Voicing the Industrials...
I voiced one more industrial spot for Lexmark at The Audio Department, this time with Doug as the engineer.
Voicing the Dog...
"Tea With Zoey" is a short film project that explores the power of friendship and the search for true identity. Starring Zoey, a Shi Tzu-Yorkie mix (voiced by Marisa Miller Wolfson) and Piper, an overweight terrier (voiced by me), this serious and important film is a paw-in for the Oscar. The movie is written by Kate Cook and will be shown in December as a part of the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective Showcase.
Managing the career...
I have been career coaching with Jodie Bentley and Kevin Urban through The Savvy Actor, a remarkable company that helps actors turn their craft into their business through classes, coaching and seminars. They have been assisting me in defining my goals (and action steps through which I can achieve them) and my "brand." Here's what we came up with and I'd love your input:
I am a bass/baritone (down to a Low C) with the intelligent charm of Kevin Kline, the physical wit of Groucho Marx, and Patrick Dempsey's sensitive soul (and hair).
(For voiceover or commercial work, I'd replace Kevin Kline with Hank Azaria.).
Interested in doing this work for yourself? e-mail them at jk@thesavvyactor.com or call (212) 479-7732. They also coach by phone for those of you outside of NYC and, with the holidays coming up, a career coaching session makes a wonderful gift for that special artist in your life.
Schvitzing in the studio...
I'm taking a fascinating exercise class called "The Actor's Workout" with an incredible intenSati instructor, Erin Stutland. The practice of intenSati offers a training for your body and your life. The greatest power to influence our life, our health and our happiness is our thought power or our spiritual power. So, in class, we simultaneously work through challenging aerobic exercise and spiritual yoga while voicing our goals to cover mind, body, and spirit. Good stuff, but here's a lesson for you: If you got a flu shot AND were up late the night before glued to election results, the intenSati class can be that much more challenging. I'm just saying...
By the way, Erin has an upcoming free class on November 23 in NYC. If you're interested, send her an e-mail at stutsreal@yahoo.com.
Dougbytes
***I finally had that phone call with the excellent web designers at Traverse City Web Design to learn how to update my website myself.
***I will be a guest speaker for the Television and Radio Performance class at SUNY New Paltz. This class, led by voice artist and audio producer Brett Barry, teaches the theory and practice of performance using the technology of radio and television--inculding announcing, interviewing, newscasting and acting.
***DougToons is coming even closer to fruition! Animator/Graphic Designer Ken Truhan has drawn the characters and is now plugging away on the animation.
***Every Wednesday morning I pow-wow with fellow artists Stuart Green (in abstensia while he's on tour), Marisa Miller Wolfson, Faith Sandberg, and Alexandra de Suze! (Surely you've heard of Alexandra de Suze!) Every Friday morning is a conference call with fellow voiceover talents J.J. Myers, Nadette Stasa, Brett Barry and Pete DeMeo.
***I continue to coach with Joan Bogden for voice-overs and Joan Barber for singing.
***I'm still continuing to monitor casting sessions and meet casting directors weekly at The Network. Guess who just got hired there?! Alexandra de Suze! (Surely you've heard of Alexandra de Suze!)
***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 continue to sing 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're 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. Christmas Eve service will be at 5:00 p.m.
Please Don't Panic! I'm as busy as a travel agent seeking Washington DC hotel rooms on Inauguration Day-but for you, I'll find the time. Should you require the voice of your Christmas elf, the guy to sing your Thanksgiving love ballad, or the narrator for your Holiday recipe audiobook, let's create something great together.
And now the monthly Two (by which I mean Three) Items of Interest for FODs...
New Webisode Production company seeking actors...
Brand new FOD (and Assistant Stage Manager for SCROOGE IN ROUGE) Marti Gould Cummings announces the launch of his production company MGC Productions. He is currenly casting for the role of a charactery mid-30's husband for the pilot webisode of Based on a True Story and will be seeking actors for future webisodes as well. Please e-mail your picture and resume to martigouldcummings@yahoo.com with "Based on a True Story" in the subject line and mention that you're a FOD.
Need some help with gift ideas?..
I'm friends with loads of vocal coaches, monologue coaches, graphic designers, songwriters, career coaches, and more. Would you like to commission a holiday song for the one you love? Songwriters I got. Do you want to give someone the gift of their own website? Web Designers I got. Is a rum cake a good idea for a gift? Such a baker of the rum cake I got. And, if you've been reading, you know I got career coaches too. Times are tough, so send me an e-mail. I'd love to employ my loved ones.
Perhaps it's time to talk with my husband...
Time to brag on my man for a moment. After eighteen years as an actuary, Shawn brought his industry savvy to the people side of the business four years ago to be a financial planner. His business has grown wonderfully and he is helping a lot of people start to save money and protect their loved ones. Have you been reading the news lately? Perhaps it's time to talk with him. He knows his stuff, will not try to sell you something you don't need, and is quite easy on the eyes. Send him an e-mail at scowls@mac.com to start the conversation.
Life is good here. A couple of weeks ago, a zillion of us who went to drama camp together at French Woods all descended on the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre to see fellow alum Jason Robert Brown's new musical 13 and had a blast. Then last weekend, Shawn and I went out to my Mom's house on Long Island and MADE mozzarella cheese together. It's true. The stuff doesn't grow on trees in shrink-wrapped packages, you can actually make it.
Take some breathing time for yourself, tell me your birthday, and thanks for being in my life. Please let me know what's going on in yours!
With Deepest Thanks Given,
Doug
Doug Shapiro
Fearless Mensch
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
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