In the forge of literary creation. . . .

Dear Theatre Colleague, Theatre Patron,

     As an actor whose roots are in the live theatre I am always tickled for the opportunity to play a well established character in a well loved piece of dramatic literature.  I know actors who have wish lists of roles they would love to play on stage.  But there is another thrill which is to play a role in a brand new piece of work -- to be the first actor to bring a character to life for an audience.  In the forge of literary creation is play development.  Theatres everywhere from your local community theatre to the world class resident professional theatres to Off Broadway can be involved in new play development.  We all know that the road to getting a show on Broadway starts with the show being tried out on the road.  It takes courage for a theatre with a subscription audience to devote a slot in their season to a brand new play.

     Since my arrival in Los Angeles and my work with L. A. Theatre Works in the '80's I have been involved in new play readings as an actor, producer and director.  These opportunities are generally not paid gigs but I welcome them for the excitement of bringing a work to life, maybe for the first time, for an audience, sometimes in the presence of the playwright.

     In February, March and July 2012 I was given the opportunity to be in the cast for  readings in the Second Sundays at Seven program of new work sponsored by the Elite Theatre Company in Ventura Country.  Here is a link to that program:

http://www.elitetheatre.org/SRcalendar.html

     In the intimate space of the Petit Playhouse, with cookies and coffee available at intermission, Michael Perlmutter is co-ordinating this series of readings of new work.  For what you are willing to drop in the passed basket you can hear a new work and join in the feedback discussion after the reading.  You can participate in the forge of literary creation.

   

Looking at 2011

     As 2011 began I was still volunteering "backstage" for:

Conejo Players Community Theatre in Thousand Oaks, 

the West Valley Playhouse in Canoga Park, 

HALO Performing Arts Academy and Spotlight the Arts Foundation in Calabasas.

     At the top of 2011, I was cast in and shot scenes for SLANTED MONICA, a single camera, original comedy pilot produced on spec.  This production is still shooting at locations in and around Santa Monica and I am told I will be continuing with the production in 2012.

     My talent agent, Sharon Morris of Actors L A, sent me out about a dozen times for different commercial auditions during 2011.  No bookings in 2011.  Better luck in 2012.

     I shot two short films for a USC filmmaker and a zombie horror feature for a  small indie production company.  I got paid in pizza for my work in all. 

     I was a featured character in YOU WILL SEE, a presentation of Family Theater Productions, Hollywood, which premiered at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress Film Showcase, 2011 and which is now available on DVD.  http://www.familytheater.org/en/About/News/NewsDetails.aspx?pr=%7B8B7B35ED-4ABB-4680-9E69-C38106E95B6E%7D

     I had the pleasure of attending a World Premiere Screening of the short comedy, CHAKRA LOVE, which I had shot in 2009, at the Ventura Film Festival, in July, 2011.  I participated in the cast and filmmaker Q&A after the program and I felt like a movie star.  http://chakralove.blogspot.com/

     My work with CarMind, a production company which creates training films for auto dealership employees, in the style of THE OFFICE, continued in 2011.  I worked on two episodes/lessons and I appear in a behind the scenes video on the CarMind website and in their current print advertising in auto sales trade publications.  http://www.carmind.com/

     During the summer I had the pleasure of participating with the Los Robles Master Chorale in two summer scratch choir concerts of songs from Broadway musicals.  The experience has improved my singing in the shower.

     I re-united with indie filmmaker, Beth Dewey, to be a background actor in a scene for her third feature film, DUMPED, about a woman who wakes up in a sanitary landfill and must find her way home, currently in production.

a contest entry

Recently I had the pleasure of working with filmmaker, Alyssa Litman and her talented cast and crew on her entry video to the

Bridgestone Americas Fifth Annual Safety Scholars Video Contest.

http://www.safetyscholarsvideo.com/?/site/media

Alyssa was kind enough to share a link to her finished entry with me and I share it with you:

http://vimeo.com/26294198

Keepin' Busy!

 World Premiere Screening! Ventura Film Festival

July 18^th, 2011, Narrative Shorts Program

2 PM

Ventura Beach Marriott

2055 E. Harbor Blvd, Ventura, CA 93001

Cast and filmmaker Q&A after the program.

 

                                                          http://venturafilmfestival.org/

*
Had the pleasure of participating with
the Los Robles Master Chorale, in two summer scratch choir events

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/jun/20/los-robles-master-chorale-invites-singers-to/ 

*

     I am assisting author, Tom Puckett, with screenplay development of his novel,
http://thebigblur.com/thebook/
     I am also doing volunteer work with:
The Conejo Players, http://www.conejoplayers.org/
Spotlight the Arts Foundation, http://www.spotlightthearts.org/
and the Agoura Hills Calabasas Community Center
http://www.ahccc.org/                                                      

CHAKRA LOVE WINS IN SAN FRAN!

Jeff Bonilla, director of the short film, CHAKRA LOVE, in which I have a featured role,  just won the Best Director award at a film festival in San Francisco.  Congrats to Jeff!


Here is a link to the film festival web page:

http://www.thebestactors.com/Welcome.html

Here is the CHAKRA LOVE web page:

http://chakralovethemovie.com/

Buy stuff!

"Merchandizing!  Merchandizing! Where the real money from the movie is made!"
Yogurt, SPACEBALLS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvmZ9SPcTzU

     OK, I've not yet been required to go on a press tour to promote any screen work I've done.  There is no action figure of any of the characters I've played or T-Shirts, that I know of, for any of the screen projects I've worked on.  Most of my screen work remains on youtube or went direct to DVD.  Only one independent film producer has offered me profit sharing if I help sell DVD's and one stage producer I've worked for offered the cast cash prizes each week of the show's run for putting the most butts in seats.

     However, I believe in promotion.  At the current level of my acting career I feel that promotion should be an effort of not only the producer but of all the cast and crew.  Promoting the project can be a promotion for anyone and everyone involved.

     So, please, buy, rent or add to the number of "views" of the following (in no particular order):

 http://www.GeraldTheMovie.com/mickey.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Trees-Grow-Tall-Then-They/dp/B000W43W0O/ref=pd_vodsm_B000W43W0O

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/workaholics/index.jhtml

www.killhousemovie.com

http://www.hcfmstore.com/main/item_detail.php?productId=4821&from=%2Fmain%2Findex.php%3Fstart%3D13

http://www.hulu.com/watch/203072/one-too-many-mornings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PfDfKi3vRM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKQpG7EjXsg 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lNT4wJ5fFo 

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/affe138d64/my-space 

http://www.funnyordie.com/search/a?q=longwinded&x=0&y=0

     Thanks, and if or when there would be an action figure of me 

or a t-shirt, poster etc. would you please buy that too? 

P.S.

     When I was very young, back in the 70's I felt very fortunate to

have a "walk-on" role in the Hartford Stage Company's production of 

Edward Albee's play, ALL OVER.  This production was also televised 

for the PBS program, "Theater in America", and I was invited to be a 

background extra for that production.  The program is available on

DVD,video and NETFLIX.

WARNING

This is a very heavy play.  It's real long.  It will leave you feeling

sad and empty. 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=all+over+edward+albee+&x=16&y=15

http://video.tvguide.com/All+Over/All+Over/10060874?autoplay=true

Viewer discretion advised!

     My colleague, actor Tom Puckett, tried background work for one summer.  He turned his experiences into a book, The Big Blur,
http://thebigblur.com/thebook/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ4zkmZaQIk


     Usually, an actor might not choose to acknowledge that they have done background work.  Usually, once an actor has an agent, doing background work is not encouraged.  Well, I, for one, have no shame and I am proud of my background work.  I have enjoyed doing background work and even if I am not seen in the final product, if I enjoy viewing the final product then I like to boast about the piece of work.

     Last year I did background work on WORKAHOLICS, a pilot for Comedy Central.  WORKAHOLICS premiered on Comedy Central on April 6, 2011.  The show may not be everyone's cup of tea but my hard working husband sat and watched the premier episode and was entertained as was I.  You won't see me if you watch it.   Here is the link.  Remember, viewer discretion advised!

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/workaholics/index.jhtml