Jacob York, "Professional" Actor

Quiet Time

2009-12-18T17:23:00.001-08:00

It's been pretty quiet in my life, folks, which is why it's been pretty quiet on this blog. Now, I'll try and figure out some things to talk about.

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Auditions have been pretty few and far between recently. I'm hustling to find as much work as I can, and I have had a couple of moments I'm proud of, including on ALMOST general audition at The Shakespeare Theatre in DC, but there just isn't much going on right now.

I do have a couple of auditions scheduled for January, at least. That's nice. And at places that I've never worked before, one in Atlanta. Keep your fingers crossed for me, though, for there are still so very many places I haven't auditioned for, and even more than I simply haven't worked for yet. Hi, Theatres That Haven't Seen Me Audition Yet. My name is Jacob. I'm sure you'll just love me.

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I've done two readings in the last month, after having not done one since that baseball play I did a reading for out at Market House Theatre. One was called Behind Closed Doors and was written by good friend and fellow Middle Schooler, Bernard Jones.

Secondly, but first chronologically, was Spoon Lake Blues by Josh Tobiessen. It's a play that The Alliance is looking to do next year. Here's hoping I acquitted myself well. All the bigwigs were there. That was intimidating.

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They're cutting the Kidstuf landing pages (those hilarious videos featuring me that you'll see when you log onto kidstuf.com and click on the Buckhead button. If you're only now finding out about them, I do feel sorry for you, because we've had some pretty hilarious shoots. Some of my favorites have featured me singing songs about love to my co-host, dressing up as a superhero and, of course, chewing on a grotesque cud of candy corn.

Complain to anyone who will listen. This was, truly, one of my favorite parts of Kidstuf. I'm sad it is going away.

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Christmas is just around the corner. My proud return home, a mere three days away. It's going to be a hard holiday.

After that, New Years! I'm sure I will have something to say about it.

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Hey...we're coming to the close of the first full year of me having a blog. I'll throw a party. We'll eat cake. That's how I get down.

The Cusp

2009-11-10T06:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, but it has been a busy couple of weeks. Let me catch you up.

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Middle School: The Musical at The Alliance was a rousing success. Everyone involved was just lovely, and I looked forward to spitting my rhyme at the end of the show every day. I'm sad that it was such a short run, but maybe we'll be back...

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Also, having done a show at The Alliance, I have found an odd connection. I've found that I'm more invested in Atlanta theatre, for some reason. I mean, this is my second theatre in Atlanta proper, and I made such great contacts that I can't help but feel like something good is coming. Diany, one of my fellow actors in MSM said that she feels like I'm on the cusp of something. Now, I don't know about that, but I DO think that it isn't ridiculous to hope that this little, fun show is the beginnings of a snowball that will hopefully turn my career into, at least, the bottom of a snowman...

Of course, I could be wrong and this could all blow up in my face, so who knows?

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Speaking of Diany, she has been my theatre companion over the last four weeks or so, and I have seen a lot of theatre. Right off the top of my head, I've got Bunnicula at Synchronicity, Richard III and Macbeth at the Tavern, Julius Caesar at Georgia Shakespeare, and A Life in the Theatre and Second City: Peach Drop, Stop and Roll at The Alliance. It's been wonderful! Some of the standouts were Tiffany Porter (obviously...) in MacB, Amber Nash (Of Dad's Garage fame...) in Second City, and, it sorta goes without saying, Andre DeShields in A Life. Many people were very good, but these guys just get a bonus pat on the back from me.

And, I gotta say, this month has given me the itch to do Shakespeare again. Hard. It has also given me the itch to work all over town. Man, I would love to work with GA Shakes and Synchro. Man, I would love to do more stuff with The Alliance and the Tavern. Man, I want to work! I'm hungry...

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Maybe there's more. Maybe there's not. Personal life is going very well, thanks for asking.

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Also, I would be insane if I didn't give a shout out to Veronika Duerr. She turned in one of the best performances I saw last year in Tradin' Paint. Well, apparently, the Atlanta theatre illuminati agreed with me, because she won the Suzi Bass Award for Best Actress. I'm bursting at the seams with joy for her.

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Maybe there's more. Maybe there's not. You'll know if you need to.

When the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake...

2009-10-31T11:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! This is one of my favorite months of the year, especially in the south. I've already been to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween and Universal's Halloween Horror Nights. A few days ago I went to Six Flags to have some Fright Nights fun. Plus, all the Halloween programming and theming around makes me smile. It's a great time of year and I'm always a little sad when its over.

SO, I'm going to be pretty busy next year, hopefully. I've signed on to play the part of Young Ed in Georgia Ensemble's And Then They Came for Me, Remembering the World of Anne Frank. That is a mouthful. It is not that long on my resume. This will be the first time I've worked with Georgia Ensemble, and also the first time I've worked with Peter Hardy, so I'm pretty excited. It runs through parts of February, March and April, so it's a long stint.

ALSO, I've heard that a certain musical I was in this year might be coming back next year. As is my habit, I won't say anything until I've received assurance, but it is seeming more and more like a sure thing. Which should be pretty darn exciting.

Not to mention maybe trying to film something in Louisville. Not to mention all the auditions I've gone on outside of Atlanta. And UPTA. And Kidstuf and reThink. And (HOPEFULLY) some other stuff in Atlanta that I don't even know about yet. I'm loving this town more and more, so all things being equal, I would like to stay here. I just don't know that all things stay equal...

So, that's about caught you up, blogfriend. Week after next, I'm heading to Washington DC. I'm sure I'll have all sorts of adventures.

All Play and No Work

2009-10-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

Man, it's amazing what being at the day job less and having my computer die does to my blog output... Don't have a ton of time, so here are some updates.

- Middle School: The Musical has been going beautifully. I'm ecstatic I've been able to be a part of it.

- I may have more information on my next project soon. We'll wait until it's assured to talk about it...

- Also, there may be some interesting things in the works from my buddy Brandon Howell.

There's a lot of stuff going on right now. Here's hoping I'll have a sec to calm down and catch my breath in a bit. I'll let you know how that goes...

King of the Road

2009-09-28T06:15:00.001-07:00

So, remember when I said I'm sure I would post another blog last week? Well, that was before the power supply on my computer went kaput thanks to the storm. Oh well...here's a bunch of random notes.

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I'm on the road again this week. It seems like I'm always in my car. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that I'd like to slow down a bit. I know, though, that I've got AT LEAST one thing taking me out of town through December, and maybe through February... We got American Shakespeare Center, DC trip, Christmas and UPTA. Lots of miles...

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We're about to being rehearsals for Middle School Musical at The Alliance, which is exciting. I think this is going to be a good show already. We're all bringing a lot of stuff to the table.

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BUT, you know me well, blogfriend... Just because I currently have a job, doesn't mean that I've stopped freaking out about future employment. I've got nothing in November and December, which is...ok. I would have liked to have gotten It's a Wonderful Life out at ART Station, but losing out to any of those folks isn't a diss to me. There are more opportunities coming up in January, which is good, but not exactly something I can fall back on... I'm just hoping I can get in for a few auditions at some places I haven't been before (Actor's Express, Dad's Garage) and maybe get a solid part in Lear or Shrew at The Tavern. Eh, I'm just thinking out loud at this point. I try to plan so meticulously, but it rarely works out...

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There are some people in my life that I really miss right now... Hope I get to see 'em soon.

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The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which a Youth Players show at The Alliance that I'm assistant directing with KG Morton, is going beautifully. There are a lot of really talented, really great kids in it. It makes me wish I had done stuff like that when I was young...

More info on that when we get closer to performance time.

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I'm a man of means, by no means king of the road.

Bookends

2009-09-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Back in the halcyon days of 07, I shot a little movie called Bookends. It was directed by Matt Riddlehoover, who was a friend at one point, but he hit it big with Watch Out and I haven't heard from him in some time since then. As is life, I reckon.

Anyhow, I JUST found out that the film has gotten a release and is available for you to purchase right here. It even stars my good friends Brandon Eaves, Tia Shearer and more!

I've got to be honest with you, I don't know that it's the best work, but I DO think that Tia is fantastic in it, and for something shot over two weekends, you really can't ask for anything more. It was a good experience and, hey, it got me on IMDb, which is awesome.

Check out the trailer. Please note the great deal of weight I have lost since this movie was shot. Here's the first one where I figure in really prominently.

And then, here's a second one that focuses more on people who have actually been in films before. Whatever, suck it, I got Bane of Matthias coming up, yo!

BOOKENDS Trailer from Matt Riddlehoover on Vimeo.

Retrospective

2009-09-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

The end of the year is generally my time for retrospection, but I think this is a special cause. Let me break it down for you. This is going to get a bit personal.

26 has not been a good year.

I mean, sure, one or two good things have happened in it, but, by and large, it will be remembered for the following things.

- The year Clair (my girlfriend of ALMOST 3 years. Almost.) and I broke up.
- The year ALL the dogs in my family died.
- The year I fell off a bit in regards to work. Granted, maybe this is just my opinion, but it seems like I've worked less this year. I was so very busy last year...
- The year my Granny died.

It's been a hard one, but, as I've said to other people, this is the year that everything shows. The work that I have put in this year is going to pay dividends starting now. I've got some good stuff going into my 27th year of life. My gig at The Alliance is coming up, along with the TYA show I'm co-directing for them, which has been great fun. I've got two out of state auditions coming up with places I would really love to work for. I've gotten more confident singing at auditions, which was a big stumbling block in the past. All this, and I started off the year in one of my favorite places in the world with one of my favorite people in the world.

26 was balls, folks. Let's be honest. 27...now that's the year for me...

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Needless to say, Florida was fun. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween was WONDERFUL! I strongly advise anyone go... it was the best.

Also got to ride the new coaster at Universal, the Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. You've never ridden a coaster until you've ridden one with Daft Punk blaring in your ears, that's all I'm saying.

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That's all for now, but I'm POSITIVE that I'll have something more this week, in spite of how busy I am. High five.

Kentucky Kisses

2009-09-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

I've had an up and down couple of days. More up than down. Let's vent, blogfriends.

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Dennis wrote a country song about me. Yeah, I'd listen to it.

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Had an audition with Nashville Shakes the other day. Feel pretty certain nothing will come of it, but the audition felt GREAT. It was one of those monologues where you feel more powerful at the end than the beginning.

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Also went home for a bit. That was good. It was good to see everyone before my birthday.

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I don't know...I truly don't have much to talk about here. I feel that there's a big, comprehensive "Passing of the year" post coming, but I'm not quite there yet. The big day is this Wednesday (9:16 AM on 9/16) and I'll be in EPCOT that day, so don't expect a post then. We shall see.

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Had my Synchro audition. I'm not good at memorizing things. It's a failing I have as an actor that I work, and work, and work at. But, I buckled down and really worked on one of the sides for Dead Man's Cell Phone that I KNEW I needed my hands free for. So, I worked my tail off and got really off book for the audition...and we didn't even touch that side. We only did the other side. The one that I didn't prepare nearly as much for.

THAT is sorta how my year has gone.

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Also had my Alliance audition. Eh, I dunno. I mostly leave auditions in a state of indifference. Jody Feldman called me a "smart guy." I'm not sure what that means.

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My phone is BROKEN! Let's see if Apple can do something for me today...

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Heading out of town on Monday. Send all gifts beforehand, please.

On to the next one...

2009-09-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

So, what's going on in my life?

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I've been listening to Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3" all day. Good stuff.

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I've got another audition at The Alliance tomorrow. This time for the Kendeda winner, Tennis in Nablus. Devotees may remember that I went in last year for Smart Cookie, last year's Kendeda winner. As always, it is very nice to be thought of and here's hoping this (and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe AND Middle School Musical) is the beginning of the flowering of a lovely friendship between The Alliance and myself.

But, until then, gotta tweak that Irish accent.

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Still haven't had my Dead Man's Cell Phone audition yet. Swine flu scare. Yes, I'm serious. It's something I've been looking forward to so much, I just might burst when I actually get to do it. Yes, I'm serious.

Truly, I want this show very badly. But you know this.

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I've got friends coming into town on Friday! Friends that love me unconditionally. It should be a heck of a time. We're going to Dragon*Con.

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It looks to be a heavy month for driving. I may head home after an audition for Nashville Shakespeare, and then to Orlando a couple of days after that. Busy, busy, busy.

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And it's on to the next one...

Day 7 - Sunday - It's Alright to Be Little Bitty

2009-08-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

This was the one I had the most fun doing and also the longest. In fact, I may start this one a day early. It's sure to get me into a good mood... Also, did YOU do a music detox? Are ya gonna? Anything you got to say about mine? Am I ranting to the darkness? Let me know!

Day 7 - Sunday - It's Alright to Be Little Bitty

1 - Alan Jackson - Gone Country
2 - Alan Jackson - Little Bitty
3 - Big and Rich - Six Foot Town
4 - Big and Rich - Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
5 - Brooks & Dunn - Boot Scootin Boogie
6 - Brooks & Dunn - My Maria
7 - Charlie Robison - John O'Reilly
8 - Charlie Robison - My Hometown
9 - Garth Brooks - Ain't Goin Down Till the Sun Comes Up
10 - Garth Brooks - Callin Baton Rouge
11 - George Strait - Adelida
12 - Hank Williams Jr - Family Tradition
13 - Hank Williams Jr - A Country Boy Can Survive
14 - Hank Williams Jr - Hog Wild
15 - Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue
16 - Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues
17 - Kenny Chesney - When the Sun Goes Down (Feat. Uncle Kracker)
18 - Kenny Chesney - I Go Back
19 - Kenny Chesney - Keg in the Closet
20 - The Soggy Bottom Boys - I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow
21 - Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss - I'll Fly Away
22 - Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel
23 - Ryan Adams - To Be Young (is to be sad, is to be high)
24 - Steve Earle - Copperhead Road
25 - Tim McGraw - Indian Outlaw
26 - Tim McGraw - I Like it, I Love it
27 - Toby Keith - Beer For My Horses (Feat. Willie Nelson)
28 - Toby Keith - I Love This Bar

Double JJ, here I come...

Day 6 - Nerdcore Risen

2009-08-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

Ah, you thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Nope, no such luck. Here's day six! I'll go ahead and post day seven immediately after...

Day 6 - Saturday - Nerdcore Risen

(All songs from video games or inspired by nerd culture. Yes, there is a lot of MC Frontalot.)

1 - Suikoden - Gregminister
2 - Team Genius - Illegal Donkey Kong Remix
3 - Bust a Groove - Happy House (Shorty's Theme Japanese)
4 - Bust a Groove - Let the Music Take Control (Hiro's Theme)
5 - The Advantage - Ducktales, Moon
6 - The Advantage - Megaman II - Stage Select and Metal Man
7 - The Black Mages - Maybe I'm a Lion (Final Fantasy VIII)
8 - The Black Mages - Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII)
9 - Gitaroo Man - Born to be Bone
10 - Gitaroo Man - Flyin to Your Heart
11 - Roo' Ra - Summer of Love
12 - Banya - Beethoven Virus
13 - Banya - Oh Rosa
14 - Epaksa - Space Fantasy
15 - Portal - Still Alive
16 - Guilty Gear X - Holy Orders
17 - Mos Def & High and Mighty - B-Boy Document (Baddd Spellah Remix)
18 - MC Chris - Tractor Beam
19 - MC Chris - Evergreen
20 - MC Chris - The Tussin
21 - MC Frontalot - Hassle: The Dorkening
22 - MC Frontalot - I Hate Your Blog
23 - MC Frontalot - Bizarro Genius Baby
24 - MC Frontalot - Floating Bridge
25 - MC Frontalot - Gonna Be Your Man
26 - MC Frontalot - Good Old Clyde
27 - MC Frontalot - Mountain Kind
28 - MC Frontalot - My Sister
29 - Turbo - Gigaton Punch
30 - The Protomen - The Will of One

Day 5 - Indie Loves POP

2009-08-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

Another day, another playlist... One of the reasons I'm glad I'm doing this is because, now, I'll always have a playlist for a few, very specific moods I get into.

Also, this is the point where I pretty much gave up on order, since I always listen on shuffle anyhow...

Day 5 - Indie Loves POP

1 - Matt And Kim - Daylight
2 - Phoenix - Lisztomania
3 - Passion Pit - Little Secrets
4 - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Everything with You
5 - Architecture In Helsinki - It'5!
6 - Black Kids - Hit The Heartbrakes
7 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth
8 - Dartz! - Once, Twice, Again!
9 - The Format - She Doesn't Get It
10 - The Go! Team - The Wrath Of Marcie
11 - The Go! Team - Get It Together
12 - Hal - Play The Hits
13 - Jens Lekman - A Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill
14 - Les Savy Fav - The Year Before The Year 2000
15 - MGMT - Kids
16 - The Oranges Band - Ride the Nuclear Wave
17 - Ratatat - Lex
18 - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone
19 - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Me and Mia Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
20 - Jack Penate - Second, Minute or Hour
21 - Sondre Lerche - the Tape
22 - The Wedding Present - Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)

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Also, speaking of happy music, how have I not heard of Alphabeat yet?

Day 4 - Rock and Roll Friends

2009-08-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

Alright, today is totally a cheat day. I found it was too difficult to make an entire CD full of varied comic artists singing. SO, I'm tossing in a bunch of my favorite comedy CDs (Anything Patton Oswalt or Henry Rollins, etc...) along with some songs as well. Some of the particular standout are...

Liam Lynch (Feat. Jack Black) - Rock and Roll Whore
Sifl and Olly - She's a Carrot - Delores - Prostitute Laundry - Performance Art - Rock and Roll Friends
The Lonely Island - A random smattering of their hits.
Flights of the Conchords - Boom - Bowie - Inner City Pressure - Ladies of the World - Mutha'uckas
Tenacious D - Beezleboss

Tomorrow, we'll return with your regularly scheduled and strictly compiled playlist!

Day 3 - Revenge of High School Jacob

2009-08-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

Hey folks. Before we get into your regularly scheduled musical post, I do have a short bit of news.

I was so worried I wasn't going to be acting this fall. Looks like I'm going to be singing in Middle School Musical, a Theatre for Young audiences offering from (dramatic pause) The Alliance. I'm ridiculously psyched. This couldn't have worked out better on multiple levels. I'll still get to go to Orlando on my birthday, I'm going to be able to work out my other trips out of town, I get to branch out and get a musical and a new theatre on my resume, I get to work with the amazing Rosemary Newcott, and, on top of it, it's the Alliance. I mean, come on! What isn't to like?

I really lucked out here, guys. I don't know how it happened, but I'm pleased it did.

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All of this came from a pretty hectic and stressful day yesterday.

8:00 - Wake up. Iron clothes. Shower. Get ready. Drive.
9:30 - Shoot a video for reThink. Wear cowboy boots. Eat one chicken biscuit.
3:00 - Head from reThink straight to The Alliance for my Middle School Musical callback.
5:00 - Head STRAIGHT from the callback to work.
9:00 - Head STRAIGHT from work to my audition for Grease at Georgia Ensemble Theatre. It doesn't shame me to say that I don't consider myself a "singer", but I am always proud of myself when I overcome the fears I have and really commit to it. Thanks to Bethany Irby for being the one playing the piano. She calmed me down quite a bit...

If I have time to prepare, I'm a servicable singer... It's still nerve wracking. But a little pat on the back to me for doing it twice in one day. Watch out, folks. Musical theatre royalty coming through. (/irony)
10:00 - Go home. Collapse. Sleep like a baby.

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Now, why you really came... You want to know what the next mix is.

Day 3 - Revenge of High School Jacob

1 - House of Pain - Jump Around
2 - Lit - My Own Worst Enemy
3 - Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way
4 - Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
5 - Dave Matthews Band - Lie in Our Graves
6 - Fun Lovin' Criminals - Fun Lovin' Criminals
7 - Live - All Over You
8 - Pearl Jam - Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
9 - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Soul to Squeeze
10 - Sevendust - Black
11 - Spin Doctors - Jimmy Olsen's Blues
12 - Fastball - Out of My Head
13 - Green Day - 2000 Light Years Away
14 - Rufio - Above Me
15 - Rx Bandits - Analog Boy
16 - Goldfinger - Superman
17 - The K.G.B. - I'm a Player
18 - Less Than Jake - Last Hour on the Last Day of Work
19 - Suicide Machines - New Girl
20 - D'Angelo - Send It On
22 - The Fugees - Fu-Gee-La
23 - Wyclef Jean - To All The Girls
24 - Beastie Boys - Sure Shot

Day 2 - Electuesday

2009-08-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

Day 1 was a rousing success. Then again, I needed Outkast to get me through all of the auditions I had. Before I pass out, I'm gonna toss up the tracklist for Electuesday. Feel free to play along!

1 - Soulwax - NY Excuse (Justice Remix)
2 - Lo-Fi-Fnk - Steppin' Out
3 - Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity of Huge (Feat. Chris Keating)
4 - Röyksopp - The Girl And The Robot
5 - Cut Copy - Lights And Music
6 - Simian Mobile Disco - Off The Map (Feat. Jamie Lidell)
7 - Hercules & Love Affair - Blind
8 - Emil & Friends - Sleepyhead (Passion Pit Cover)
9 - Midnight Juggernauts - Road To Recovery
10 - Daft Punk - One More Time
11 - Discovery - So Insane
12 - Röyksopp - Happy Up Here
13 - Hot Chip - One Pure Thought
14 - Emil & Friends - Electric Feel (MGMT Cover)
15 - The Avalanches - Two Hearts in 3-4 Time
16 - Daft Punk - Digital Love
17 - Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
18 - Justice - DVNO
19 - Muscles - Jerk
20 - The Toxic Avenger - Superheroes 2007
21 - Justice - Phantom pt. II
22 - United States of Electronica - Emerald City
23 - Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

My Music Detox - Day 1 - Monday - Stay on the Grind

2009-08-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

So, I was listening to the new album by The Antlers today and thought, "MAN, I've been listening to a LOT of Sad Bastard Music lately." For the record, I don't think I need to explain Sad Bastard Music...but if you've ever heard Bon Iver, you know what I'm talking about.

Anyhow, over this week, I'm embarking on a musical journey to crank the joy notch in my life up. Each day will have a theme. Join me, won't you? I'll try to keep it to about the length of a CD, in case you want to burn your very own copy. But, if that's true, you should really just get an mp3 player.

I'll post tracklists for each playlist daily, hopefully.

Yay for blog content!

1 - Jay-Z - Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
2 - Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
3 - R. Kelly - Hair Braider
4 - Clipse (Feat. Kanye West) - Kinda Like a Big Deal
5 - TI (Feat. Kanye West, Jay Z & Lil' Wayne) - Swagger Like Us
6 - 50 Cent (Feat. G-Unit)- Hate It Or Love It Remix
7 - Lil' Kim (Feat. Sisqo) - How Many Licks (Ed's Note: I was providing links to all of these songs, until I got to this one...and I just thought, "There's NO way that's a good idea." Look these songs up at your own risk, folks...)
8 - Lil Wayne (Feat. Young Money)- Filet Mignone
9 - T-Pain (Feat. J Lyriq) - 69
10 - Mos Def - Life In Marvelous Times
11 - DMX (Feat. Swizz Beatz) - Get It On The Floor
12 - Joe Budden (Feat. Busta Rhymes) - Fire
13 - Lil Wayne (Feat. Jay-Z) - Mr. Carter
14 - Ol' Dirty Bastard (Feat. Kelis) - Got Your Money
15 - Outkast - So Fresh So Clean
16 - Sean Paul - Like Glue
17 - Lil Wayne - Let The Beat Build
18 - T-Pain - Backseat Action
19 - R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix)

Back in the day...

2009-08-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

So, I've got a call to come into The Alliance for a play called "Middle School Musical". It's, essentially, sort of a "Second City for Kids" vibe, so improv is going to be a big part of it. One of the points was that I had to make up a song about my middle school experience.

THUSLY, our sprang the following paen, which I have entitled "A Hip Hop Tribute To A Girl From My Past As Told By A White Kid From Western Kentucky."

Sung to the tune of "Excursions" by A Tribe Called Quest.

Back in the days before I was a teenager
I was such a nerd, still am, but then MAJOR.

Just couldn't get a girl to look at me twice
Even though I showered regularly and smelled nice

My main crush in the group was one Joni Walker.
She didn't even notice when I stumbled past her locker.

There's more to the story, than her walking right past me
But if you need more than four lines, you'll have to cast me.

THE END!

Yes, I'm rapping at an audition again.

Ah, Joni Walker. My first real crush. *sigh*

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Nothin' doin' with the It's a Wonderful Life audition. That's alright. I'm not going to act like that wasn't an intimidating room. Every single person in that room, I had seen perform before. Especially the guys reading for George... I mean, guys like Brik Berkes and Googie Uterhardt have been at this for years in this town, so there's no shame in losing out a part to them. No shame at all.

Friends have been saying, "Hey, that's awesome that you were in there. You're in that class of actor!" But, I mean, I'm not. I'm a non-eq who is still, really, just getting his start. It doesn't help me to have the cred. Forget the cred, give me a part, you know? Though, who knows, maybe there is no cred? Maybe just friends making a friend feel better. But it was flattering and very nice to be called in twice for such a big part.

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There was one part during the audition where I felt like I gambled big. The big scene where George is about to leave for college and confronts Potter was great fun to do, simply because there's really something in that scene. Beforehand, I keep reading it over and over, thinking about how this guy was just heartsick over his father's death, how he felt the responsibility as the new man of the house weighing on him, his desire to escape the trap of Bedford Falls and his hatred of Potter and all that he represents, and how I would react in a situation like that. It just all came out. Who knows, maybe nothing I did was what they were looking for, but that moment felt good. It felt true to me.

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His nature is not remorseless, but to escape a trap, he must act without pity. Tom from Glass Menagerie and George are the flip sides of the same coin in that respect.

---

Two more auditions coming up fairly soon. Grease for Georgia Ensemble. Dead Man's Cell Phone for Synchro. We'll see. You know I haven't booked a part that I've actually auditioned for since Spreading It Around? Time for a change of career?

---

Back in the days when I was a teenager / before I had status and before I had a pager / you could find The Abstract listening to hip-hop / my pops used to say it reminded him of bebop.

You want the moon?

2009-08-14T06:52:00.001-07:00

I actually have some stuff to cover! How exciting.

I saw one of the last performances of Pippin at Stage Door Players. I don't know what it is, but I've come into the two shows I've seen at SDP expecting to not like them. Don't Dress For Dinner? Eh, it's a farce. Don't care for farces. Pippin? Eh, it's a musical. I'm not a musical person. BUT, both times, I've really enjoyed myself.

Seriously, y'all. I'm NOT a musical person, but Pippin was pretty great, in parts. Josh and Courtney Donahue (Fellow Kidstuf'ers) were faboo. Craig Waldrep was great as Charlemagne. Will Bradley as Pippin was exactly what I imagine Pippin to be, mercurial without seeming too annoying. All in all, I truly enjoyed it.

Speaking of SDP, I'll be heading out there next Friday for my very first Woodie Awards. Don't hold out hope for me in my category, y'all. It ain't happening. But, it should be a fun night. Robert Egizio is a beacon of energy and I'm going with Abby Parker, so there's no question it'll be a good time.

I've got a couple of auditions coming up. One is my second callback for It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at ART Station, the other is an audition for Dead Man's Cell Phone at Synchronicity. I only mention this, because I want them both quite a bit. Send good vibes my way. I'll update you if there's anything worth updating.

There's another thing I'll be doing (not acting) at a pretty big theatre in town, but I'm still not talking about it until I'm involved in my first rehearsal...or whatever. So I'll cover that later as well.

Birthday is in about a month. I can say, in all honesty, it's going to be awesome.

Thoughts on talent mandate by J. Brent Morrison

2009-08-06T06:45:00.001-07:00

In response to Dennis Frymire's thoughts on the subject.

In the Acting field specifically.

When we say someone is a talented actor, we are actually giving credit to a plethora of skills. Speech, memory, muscle control, imitation, interpretation, determination, creativity, empathy, etc. These talents do not exclusively belong to actors and can be used in a variety of fields. So the argument would go, you have a mandate to use your talents, but not necessarily as an actor.

Generally.

People are self-motivated to use their talents (qualities, not jobs). If you are an eloquent speaker, you tend to talk more. If you have a good memory, you tend to remember things. People generally avoid things (jobs, not qualities) that they knowingly suck at. This can be hard to see at first, like that William Hung guy who was a terrible singer but tried out anyway for American Idol. Turned out he actually had a talent for entertaining, and he pursued that to record deals and talk show appearances. To call that a mandate misses the point. People are not morally obligated to do jobs at which they are good. They just do.

J. Brent Morrison is a former colleague of Jacob York. His opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this blog.

Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy, or are you gonna bite?

2009-07-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

So, this last weekend I went to Florida for an audition at Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando. It was an enjoyable trip, but I do sorta get the vibe that the folks in the audition were sorta like, "Alright...you live in Decatur, GA. Are you planning on moving down here? No? Ok, you can go ahead and do your monologues, since you drove all this way." Now, I could be completely wrong, and maybe they'll want me for The Lion in Winter or Mackers or something, but, as with all auditions, I'm not holding my breath.

The main reason I'm doing a post about it, though, is because I saw a play when I was in Orlando that I have...mixed feelings about. The show was Reservoir Dogs, as produced by Greater Orlando Actors Theatre. Full disclosure...I didn't know anyone in this show, but the person I went with knew Mr. Blonde and Mr. Brown. Also, full disclosure, the first thing I thought of when she mentioned this to me was the section in "Waiting for Guffman" where they talk about staging "Backdraft." There were a lot of people who really enjoyed it, I think. I'm sure you can find some really solid reviews online. This isn't so much a review of the play itself, but...

Now, on a sheer performance level, the show had highlights and lowlights. It was neither good enough to praise, nor bad enough to enjoyably eviscerate, so why am I commenting on it? Because, to my mind, it committed a cardinal sin of theatre. It was completely and utterly pointless. Everyone in that room has seen that movie. The group of actors that performed it for us would have been well served in another show where they wouldn't have had to do impressions of other actors. Not everyone did this, (Steve Hurst as Mr. Blonde was pretty solid, to my mind.) but there were some performances that were ripped right out of the film. No naming names, but they were pretty significant parts...

I just don't see the reasoning behind it. I mean, you have to strive to bring in a different demographic to stay relevant. I get that. But, if you ARE going to do Reservoir Dogs, don't be so dogmatic to the script. There are tricks that movies can get away with that theatre can't, and vice versa. So, for all of Mr. Orange's speech where he's telling the story about the drug bust that almost was, don't take it to a full blackout between parts of his story. Part of the joy is watching him grow in one, seamless stream. Also, just an idea, DO NOT USE FOOTAGE FROM THE MOVIE UNLESS YOUR GOAL IS TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH! I really can't stress that enough. I'm more than happy to watch a stage version of Reservoir Dogs, but give me something different... Give me a reason to come out to your theatre and watch it, as opposed to popping in the DVD. Cut it down, streamline it, make the audience a part of it, and I don't mean by spattering blood on them, pull every trick you've got in your bag to remind the people who are paying ticket price that this ISN'T a movie.

Don't just bark. Have a little bite.

Too much for a tweet, too little for a real post...let's just call it what it is...

2009-07-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is me emptying my brain, which I haven't been able to do in quite some time. I STILL won't be able to do it to it's fullest extent, because this is a public forum. There's more, but, chances are, if I felt like talking about it to you, I've probably already talked to you about it. But, you never know. Ask me what's going on in my life once or twice and I may eventually give you an answer.

There's a Bible verse that has ran through my mind a lot recently. Romans 8:28. It's enough to keep going sometimes.

Because I've had a lot going on in the last few months. A lot to persevere through. Not only in the theatre world, but just in life. And it's been rough, I'm not going to lie.

And I look at the future...specifically, the next five months where there are, to my knowledge, four plays going on in the Atlanta area that I could be in. Four. That's it. All at places I've never worked before. All at places I'm desperate to get in to. I have an audition for one, and I'm doing work (tm Kobe) trying to get as prepared as possible for it, but I can only impress people if I can get into the room... Which is what I'm working on for those other three.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. If I don't get into one of these, we're looking at at least an eight month stretch without theatre work. Intimidating? Yes. Intimidated? No. Won't allow it.

I need a vacation. I'm going to Florida four times in the next few months. Two for auditions (Looks like I spoke too soon about that whole, "Done driving to far off auditions," thing, eh?) and two for plans I previously had. Those will be good for me.

Then, planning. Taking a good, hard look at this next year, finding out where the fat is, and cutting it. Adding more out of town auditions, and truly considering them. Going to Washington DC's generals. Going to Cincinnati's generals. I may not be as good as you, but I will out-hustle you any day of the week.

And there's the personal life, where sometimes, I just need to slow it down, sit in the dark, watch the rain and listen to Royksopp. Let the bass thump in my chest and breathe in the night air. And there's nothing wrong with having a moment of recalibration. I've just had a bit too many in the last few months.

So, here it is...my final moment of recalibration for a bit. I'm going to take a deep breath, close my eyes and step out there.

I want to know that, in life, I'm working for His purpose. Sometimes, it's quiet on that front. But that's the joy of it, you know? Knowing that I'm taken care of, even if I see no tangible proof of it. That's what faith is all about.

Does talent come with a mandate to aspire to greatness?

2009-07-08T07:32:00.001-07:00

I posted this on my Twitter not long ago, but it's a question that I am truly curious about and would love to hear opinions on.

This is a question that initially occured to me in the context of Rasheed Wallace signing with the Celtics. Or, rather, it didn't occur to me. It occured to Joey over at FreeDarko in this article. You won't mind if I quote for context, will you?

"We already know that history is likely to speak ill of Roscoe. It will harp upon his volatility. It will almost jeer as it calls him an underachiever. And it surely will subsume his contribution to Detroit's recent championship, bundling it with "however" and "if only" while emphasizing the technicals and the meltdowns. Rasheed will go out as grousing, mercurial, unreliable. His enormous talents will only damn him, as the critics, whose voices appear to ring loudest, cite his gifts as evidence of the disappointment he's authored.

Our sports culture so thoroughly disdains "wasting" talent that Rasheed Wallace's career is almost wholly anathema. (...) Rasheed bears some blame, of course. His flare-ups have been counterproductive, and shameful moments like Game 6 against Cleveland three seasons ago strike at whatever sympathy his personality, history, and style encourage. Be moody. Reject that talent carries with it a mandate to aspire for greatness. But don't flout obligations, or punk out in such explosive, consuming fashion."

So, the question is...does it? This doesn't just go for sports. It can easily be transposed to anything, but our discussing will naturally lean toward acting.

If one is talented, what is it to "waste" those talents? And why does it gall us so to see it?

I don't expect much discussion, but I do think it's a topic that warrants it.

Emerging...like a pupa.

2009-07-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

Have we ever talked about what I want to do with my life?

You know who I think has the perfect job? Laura Cole. The idea of working with a group of dedicated young professionals is something that's been appealing to me since my apprenticeship at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. I saw what those folks did to me, and what they did to others. I saw how working with Christina Vaccaro and Brian B. Crowe (I think he might be surprised at how much he effected me...) changed my perspective, and opened my eyes. All I could think of was how I wanted some of that.

I find that actors are always talking about wanting to change people's lives on a grand scale. That's a pretty sweeping declarations. Regimes fall and rise, seasons change, entirely based on their performance in something. I'm not going to lie and say it wouldn't be nice to have that kind of adulation, but it isn't what I want, really. I want to work on a small level. I want to change lives, but just one or two people is fine with me. I want to rearrange horizons and see successes and be a part of crafting a well rounded actor. Two of my proudest moments in theatre didn't happen in typical settings, but they did both involve Juliet. I don't know if I'll have time to get into the second one (Casey Northcutt, I love you...), but I'll at least be able to talk about Ashley Boehne.

While in college, we did a 24 hour play festival. I didn't really want to do anything too ambitious, but I did think it would be interested to see technicians acting. While in college, I've always been a big believer that technicians ought to act, if actors are expected to do tech work. There's no reason I should be expected to take lighting design (which I will never use...believe me. I respect the art and have no facility at it...), if a technician isn't expected to take Acting in Shakespeare.

Anyhow, I got together three techies of varying acting experience and tossed up "Technicians Do Shakespeare" where I would have them each doing a monologue from Shakespeare. Pretty self explanatory, huh? Sarina Richardson, who had the most experience, picked her own monologue, but I recall clearly that Nathan Daly did Hal's "Do not think so you shall not find it so" and Ashley Boehne did "Gallop apace". I worked a bit with Nathan, but spent most of my time with Boehne, who had never acted before.

When it finally came time for her to perform, with less than 24 hours preparation, she was incredibly nervous. But as she sat in the midst of all those pillows laid on a bare stage, she settled into it, giving over to her nervousness. The moment I will always remember was a the "Come, night. Come Romeo." She took such a brief pause and everyone in the audience (EVERYONE!) leaned in slightly, their mouths open. They wanted more of what she had. To this day, one of the most true and beautiful pieces of acting I've ever seen.

So...THAT is why I want to work with actors. I want others to fly, so that I can feel like I had some small part of it.

But anything worth doing is worth doing badly...

2009-06-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

So, how many out of town auditions have I been on?

Just wrapped up SC Rep. There is also Springer Opera House (If you want to count them...), Orlando Shakespeare, Tennessee Shakespeare, Tennessee Rep, UPTA... That's all for this year, though I did go to Staunton fairly late last year.

Is that really it? It just doesn't seem like much, when you put it like that. Although, there is some solace in knowing that, outside of Springer, they are all at least a four hour drive...

Also sent out headshots to Cincinnati Shakespeare, NC Shakespeare, and Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, along with some other spots.

I think I'm probably done doing the out of town thing for a bit. Most places are ratcheting down their audition season, so I guess I can look forward to a new slate of places to audition for in a couple months.

***

I jammed my finger pretty well yesterday playing basketball. It's grown a bit and is a cute purple shade. Yay!

***

I have two reThink shoots this week, as well as a Kidstuf shoot at the beginning of next week. Other than that, no performance opportunities. I'm trying to stay on people's radars as much as possible, but there just isn't much coming up until...really, January. There are spots here and there, but chances are slim (But not impossible) that I would move from something in September, to Buy My House...Please at the Aurora to Fair Use at Actor's Express. That's how tight it's looking, folks. Seriously. January opens up because there are no less than 8 places I'd love to work during that month.

Keep your fingers crossed, man. I can use all the luck I can get.

***

Maybe I'll do my Atlanta Theatre Life post in the next couple of days. Or maybe I'll have something to talk about so I won't have to scrounge for content. We'll see...

Disappointment Part 2

2009-06-16T14:04:00.001-07:00

So, just an update.

I went to Relay for Life this weekend. They didn't read my Granny's name when talking about those who this weekend was honoring. I feel alright about never going to another one.

Now, let it be known, my Granny wasn't your typical cancer survivor. She read the keynote speech for the survivors a few years ago. She went every year, even when she didn't feel like it. And, frankly, she had three luminaries, so there's really no excuse for them to NOT have her name on a list to be read somewhere.

No excuse. None.

---

I'm not Hal in Proof. I'm not Orlando in As You Like It. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. Now, mind you, I'm thrilled with who DID get Orlando, and am positive that they will knock it out of the park, especially with Tiffany Porter as Rosalind. But, still...it's discouraging.

---

When I was home, I went to my home church. While there, I was able to see a really great sermon by this guy Steven Furtick. The thing that I needed to hear was the idea of remembering God's past faithfulness. The idea that He has brought me through hard times before, and He will bring me through again.

It's been of great comfort these last few days, but today, when I found out I didn't get Orlando, it suddenly got very hard. Very, very hard. However, I'm trying to take a step back, see the big picture, and know that I will be placed where I need to be.

But, man, it's just hard sometimes.