Happy Martin Luther King weekend to all y'all. Congratulations on making it through all of the stress-laden holidays and arriving at the one in which you take the day off, perhaps volunteer, and think "Wow. Thanks for this, Doctor King." This month's e-journey will have the usual adventures in the performance and coaching worlds, but with a bit of a "service to others" twist.
So, before you rush out the door to start planting trees or hop that flight to Antartica to offer massages to stressed penguins, pour yourself a saucy beverage and settle in for this monthly e-journey, and when we reach the e-conclusion, oh yes, there will be the usual 2 (by which I actually mean three) items of interest for FODs!
Service to Composers and Lyricists...
Two upcoming gigs for which I'll be working with composers and lyricists as they create new works of music theatre!
SNAP SHOTS
I begin rehearsals this coming week for SNAP SHOTS for Prospect Theater Company with seven "groups" of composers and lyricists. Each group has written a piece based on a character who interacts with and has an effect on the central character (CC), whose life is the subject of the entire show. Each actor (with the exception of the actor playing CC) will play one of these characters and then assorted others. It's all under the direction of Dev Bondarin and stage management of Naomi Anhorn.
Performers: Maria Couch, Jennifer Blood, Greta Lee, Devin Ilaw, Doug Shapiro, Gayton Scott, Tony Holds, and David Andrew Anderson.
Composers and lyricists will include Michele Brourman & Sheilah Rae, Adam Cohen & Patrick Gallagher, Oran Eldor & Marcus Stevens , Brian Feinstein & Amanda Yesnowitz, Timothy Huang, Adam Overett, and Katya Stanislavskaya.
WHEN:
Mon through Wed, February 15-17 at 8:00 pm
Sun thorugh Tue, February 21-23 at 8:00 pm
WHERE:The West End Theatre
263 West 86th Street (entrance on 86th between Broadway and West End Avenue), New York, NY
COST: Tickets to all shows are only $15 and can be purchased at the door, or by calling 212-352-3101
2010 COMPOSER-LIBRETTIST STUDIO (Composers--take note!)
I've been asked back to work on the 2010 Composer-Librettist Studio for New Dramatists.
The New Dramatists Composer-Librettist Studio, presented in cooperation with Nautilus Music-Theater, is an intensive two-week program designed to provide an opportunity for five writers and five composers to work with professional performers (that's me!), exploring the possibilities and basic elements of music-theater. The studio focuses on the process of collaboration through a series of brief exploratory assignments for the writers and composers. The exercises are then sight-read by the performers (that's me!) in brief working sessions. The studio is co-directed by Ben Krywosz (Artistic Director of Nautilus Music-Theater) and music director Roger Ames. This experience was one of the highlights of my professional life and I can't wait to dive back in. Some of the creative sessions can be observed and there is an informal "presentation" of all the works at the end.
All performer and librettist spots are filled, but they are still accepting applications for composers. Applications must be received by February 10, 2010. To download the application, go to The New Dramatists home page and choose "2010 Composer-Librettist Studio Project Description & Application."
By the way, guess who was also a professional performer for the New Dramatists Composer-Librettist Studio? Alexandra de Suze! (Surely you've heard of Alexandra de Suze!)
Service through Benefit Performances...
GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
I sang backup for the opening number of the 21st Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. It was performed in Broadway's Palace Theatre and the participating theatre companies raised $4,630,695 to support AIDS-related causes and other serious illnesses.
UNDERWORLD DUETS
I joined forces with current Broadway Understudies to benefit MTWorks. The incredible Tina Marie Casamento and I shared our best theatre stories and partenered on "It Takes Two" from INTO THE WOODS and a mash-up of two Duke Ellington songs, "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." The evening was hosted by TONY Award nominee Willy Falk with musical direction by Mat Eisenstein.
CHAMBERET FOR EQUALITY!
Last November, Jennifer Wren, Marissa Rosen and I, along with Musical Director Paul Stephan and Director Ilana Becker, brought the work of my FOD composers and lyricists to the masses as a benefit for The Madison Avenue Baptist Church. [Did you miss it? Go to YouTube and enter "The Chamberet" in the search engine or just Click Here for some of the bits a friend was able to get with his video camera.] This was an incredible evening of service--to the audience of our family and friends, to the church and its congregants, and most especially to our featured composers and lyricists. Well, we received several requests to do this again, and we're going to do so within the next few months to benefit Marriage Equality New York. I've been sitting on the sidelines, signing some petitions and writing a few checks, and hoping really hard that all of the other people doing the heavy lifting will get the job done. I love my husband and value the commitment we made before the rabbi and our friends and family, so it's time to take action and raise some dough. Still in the planning stage. More details to come.
Service to my Savvy Clients...
My clients are amazing. I'm approaching my one-year anniversary as an acting career consultant with The Savvy Actor.
Jodie Bentley and Kevin Urban have built a remarkable business helping actors turn their craft into a business through classes, coaching and seminars. (Yes, we coach by phone, too.) Interested in doing this work for yourself? Click this link to set up a free half-hour intro session with me. My clients have been getting their union cards, booking Shakespeare, and starting fulfilling side careers. Let's get your career going too.
And speaking of getting your career going, my next webinar: Mailings - Faster, Smarter, Cheaper! is coming up on Sunday, February 7 at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time and you can be there from your own computer. Click this link to register for this webinar!
Service opportunities for you...
Some other causes that are near and dear to me lately:
READING FOR LIFE RADIO
READING FOR LIFE RADIO is a closed circuit radio reading service. We bring printed matter to life for millions of people throughout the United States with vision or reading disabilities, affording them independence, dignity, and enrichment through the use of innovative technology and dedicated volunteer readers. I have proudly been a reader of the Thursday New York Times for this organization when it was In Touch Networks and we are continuing the mission. For further information, call (718) 360-1956 or e-mail Gail Starkey at starkeyg@readingforliferadio.org.
Donations can be make to "The Radio Reading Project, Inc."
The Radio Reading Project, Inc.
"READING FOR LIFE RADIO"
170 Kinnelon Road, Suite 33
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
KIVA (Specifically, the STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW team)
I am a total geek for podcast "Stuff You Should Know", put out by the HowStuffWorks.com website. In one of last year's podcasts, the hosts Josh and Chuck featured "How Micro-Lending Works." Inspired by what they learned, they decided to make their own lending team, comprised of their listeners, through the organization Kiva. Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. It is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe. I've made a loan to a woman in Rwanda who has purchased a copy machine for her office supply store. Care to get on board? Join our team!
ONE EASY WAY TO HELP THE CITIZENS OF HAITI
Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are partnering to help the Haitian people reclaim their country and rebuild their lives. The website for the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund is http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org and, to make donations incredibly easy, you can text "QUAKE" or "HAITI" to 20-222 on your cell phone to donate $10 to the fund.
Dougbytes
***Animator extraordinaire Ken Truhan has completed the animated storyboard and is now creating the animation for the second installation of DougToons! In this episode, the character Doug is sent on an audition by his agent, only to find out that he is applying to be a henchman to the evil Mr. Mayhem! If you have yet to see the work of animator Ken Truhan, writer Crystal Skillman, producer/engineer Brett Barry and voice actor me, the first installment of DougToons is also on YouTube. Please log on to the YouTube site, give it a rating, and share with your friends!
***The next FODapalooza (the Seventh!) at People will be to commemorate TEN YEARS as a performing artist in New York City and meeting all of you swell people. We'll have the upstairs lounge all to ourselves with the Wall of Rain, meat on a stick, delish-ish margermellon wadderidas, and excellent company. Just got the date right before this sent out! Wednesday March 3 from 6:30 to 10:00 pm. (This is for all of you that begged me to switch from a Tuesday night for once.) You know who I'm pretty sure will be there? Alexandra de Suze! (Surely you've heard of Alexandra de Suze!)
***Holy Potato! I'm being featured in the Alumni Spotlight for the January/February issue of Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts Alumni Newsletter "Momentum." I guess I'll have a link to that one next month.
***I played a spurned Reverend in a reading of the musical RIPPED! (a telling of the Rip Van Winkle story set during the Revolutionary War) for TRU Voices (Theatre Resources Unlimited) through 6 Pound Productions. I got my heart broken, but got a great solo out of it. Music, Book and Lyrics by Dan Furman, music direction by Brian Usifer, and the always wonderful team of director Igor Goldin and stage manager Kathleen Munroe. Fellow cast members included Michael Blackmon, Scott Cote, Mark Emerson, Brandon Espinoza, Amanda Flynn, Stephanie Lynne Mason, Kimberly Stern, Derrick Trumbly, Carey Van Driest, and Chris Vettel.
***In another reading of the musical UNAMERICAN ACTIVITIES (about the Federal Theatre Project production of The Cradle Will Rock) by William Norman, I reprised my role as John Houseman. This show is being developed by the superb La Vie Productions.
***Nicholas Levin wrote a fun and touching song, "Artificial Tree" about an artificial Christmas tree and his concerns regarding the fulfilling of his duties. I performed it at the Big Night Out Holiday Extravaganza, The Salon, and recorded it to be considered for a MAC award.
***I continue to voice several projects for Sue Zizza's students in their Sound/Image projects at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.
***Also at NYU, I will be recording the new musical BRADLEY COLE, music by BoMi Lee and lyrics by Jason Young. I helped to workshop this musical for the NYU program for Graduate Music Theatre Writing.
***I brought holiday cheer with The Yuletide Carolers for my third year. Take a look at this video with Ben Aaron for LX New York!
***Please proceed directly to iTunes and subscribe (free) to "Creative Conversations." Jim Norman and Becky Trenton of The Norman Agency put out the wonderful podcast "Creative Conversations" in which they discuss how to create powerful radio commercial campaigns and I'm a featured VoiceOver talent on their podcast series. Tell your friends in the marketing, advertising, audio, and VoiceOver fields to sign on too!
***I continue to monitor casting sessions, train readers, and meet casting directors weekly at The Network. I said it before and I'll say it again, I cannot recommend this organization highly enough.
***On Mondays at 8:00 a.m. I have a phone gathering with fellow voice actors Brett Barry, Cristina Doikos, Tercio Bretas, Marc Garber, Lucien Dodge, Maggie Phillips, and Jamie Hurley. We have our own demo CD! Let us know if you would like one for your casting needs.
***I continue to sing Sunday mornings at The Madison Avenue Baptist Church with choir director Paul Stephan, singers Helen Lyons, Karen Rich, Christopher Preston Thompson, Brian Long, and Alexandra de Suze! (Surely you've heard of Alexandra de Suze!) The congregation is led by the fabulous Reverend Susan Sparks. The sermons are now podcast! (The choir is not.)
Please Don't Panic! I'm as busy as a one-eyed cat watching nine mouse holes-- but for you, I'll find the time. Should you need me to speak the spot, give face time for the photo, or sing the song, let's create something great together.
And now the monthly Two (by which I mean Three) Items of Interest for FODs...
A shiny helpful computer thing...
And by things, I mean "Things"! Things is a task management program for the Mac that is putting my life in order beautifully. I always have several projects going at any given time, and this program makes it easy to break them down into small, manageable tasks that I can actually complete. "Things" is clean in appearance, able to handle a big complex workflow, and syncs with your iPhone. Here's the review in Macworld.
Are You Between Jobs with No Income?...
Okay, you don't have the funds to take expensive classes or purchase business supply materials? Fine. You've just narrowed down the number of actions you can take, which gives us the gift of specificity. Here are five of the many things you can do that will cost you little to nothing as you search for your next opportunity:
1. Keep up on your chosen industry. Have a list of targeted blogs and websites that you check on a daily basis. Become familiar with the players and trends. Who is creating the work of which you want to be a part? There are also excellent free podcasts on any subject that you can download from iTunes.
2. Join LinkedIn. In the words of my social networking mentor, Paula Cohen, "You never know who the people you know know." Your high school chum Vito just might be related to a board member of the organization into which you've been trying to network for years. LinkedIn is a business networking website specifically designed for exactly these types of relationships. Get on it and send me an invitation to connect!
3. Nurture your current relationships. Now is the time to get together with your friends for coffee (or green tea)--not only to gain their insight on how you can find your next opportunity, but to find out how YOU can be of service to THEM. It's a two-way street. As you're doing your research on the industry, did you see the name of someone you know? Send them an e-mail and celebrate their success--without asking for a thing in return. Did you see the name and website of someone you know or who impressed you in this e-newsletter? Let them know you saw their name here and that you're thinking of them.
4. Volunteer! Not only are your time and talents needed more than ever, it's time to get to know people outside your industry to gain a little perspective. In my field, I usually feel the best actors are the ones who have a life outside of theatre. You'll also be building relationships with people that not only share your priorities, but could provide the connection to your next opportunity.
5. Schedule your day. Set your alarm and get yourself fed, groomed, and ready to work (yes, that includes putting on your shoes--really, it makes you take things more seriously). If you're in the job search, it is a full-time job in itself. Scheduling your day with specific goals and tasks will give you the focus you need as well as good habits to bring to your next opportunity.
There. Thou has been coached.
You need financial guidance. Might as well give my husband a call.
I must brag on my man. After eighteen years as an actuary, Shawn brought his industry savvy to the people side of the business five years ago to be a financial advisor. 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. I got to introduce three FODs who are really doing the ground work to make the world a better place. Karla Mosley, Marissa Miller Wolfson, Michael Sater and I met over a really delicious vegan and (mostly) gluten-free dinner at Gobo and there was a great exchange of ideas. I'm about three points smarter and two points healthier for having been in the room with them. Check out their websites, you will be too.
Take some breathing time for yourself, tell me your birthday, take a moment to reflect on the service and wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and thanks for being in my life. Please let me know what's going on in yours!
Enjoy Yourself!
Doug
