Dude!

Please save all the "Where's my Car!" references to high school students. In my current show I say "Dude" a total of 27 times according to the script. And I am sure that I have added a few extras here and there. It is one of the easiest roles I have had. And the hardest. The other day my scene partner went up on his lines and since he carries the actual plot in his half of the dialogue we froze. Those of you that are actors know how horrifying this can be. There we were with a paying audience, facing each other, with horror written all over our faces. "Dude" doesn't exactly jar any memories when it is said as much as I do. Our only hope was for me to pick a place in the script to jump to that he would be able to find me. Luckily one of those places was just a few lines down from where we were. I told him during rehearsals that he can't screw up since I can't really help him. This was our first big test. Did the audience know that we had screwed up? Maybe, but we kept moving and hoped that they would just assume it was part of the plot.

The next night we ran our entire scene before the show just to make sure we had it under control again. One of the great, and frustrating, things about our theater company is that the show is watched every night by the director and we get notes on how to change things. Blocking is being revised, delivery, characterization, everything is molded until we have a "perfect" show. My scene partner and I try to run our "notes" into our scene before the show each night so that we don't have to worry about them in front of the audience. Trust me it is hard to run a new set of blocking in front of an audience without rehearsing it.

I am rambling but I wanted to get something posted. More on the show later.

When it rains, it pours.

What happened to your car?

Yes, I am yet again without a vehicle. Yay me... On my drive to the theater last week my hood flew open and crashed my windshield. Needless to say, all the funds I had been saving for my big move will now be used to pay for car repairs.

Where are you working?

Oh, no where. That's right, I'm unemployed yet again.

What are you going to do?

Same thing we do every night Pinky; try to take over the world!

Okay maybe that last statement isn't 100% correct. But close. I am going to keep on going. I start job hunting on Friday. Not to worry, you can still see me at the theater doing my thing. That wasn't the job that I lost. Currently I am at my future home. I say future because I don't actually live here yet... I have to find a job and then I can move. My good friend, David Bowie, and I are going to be living together. As soon as I find a job. Did I mention I was looking for a job?

Auditions are coming up rather quickly for Spelling Bee... whatever shall I sing?!?!? If I don't get Spelling Bee then I will be taking a short break from acting. However, I will be producing/tech directing Cemetery Club in January. I have spent the day working on budgets and reports from the last show. I will keep you all up to date as I move along the process.

For tickets to my show visit: www.gcplayers.com/2ndspace.html

Two hours before Call, suppose I should find foodage and head to the theater. Chat at you all later.

My Parents say that my future is on the horizon.

"Tell them the horizon is an imaginary line that recedes as you approach it. "

Thank you Mona Lisa Smile for that great quote! And for squashing my dreams! Just kidding. During my commute to and from the theater each day I have an hour and a half to think about anything and everything.

My drive has become routine and fairly monotonous. The worst part of my drive just happens to be the last 5 miles of my trip home. It is a beautiful sight to be sure, but still that part of the drive takes the most out of me. Let me paint you a picture, as round the last few turns in the foothills coming into town you can see the entire city lit up at night. You can see the city from edge to edge in our little valley and it is a fantastic sight. It looks so beautiful and inviting. But then you get closer and you start to see the "flaws", the "imperfections", the "bad". I have lived here most of my life, sure I went away for school (if you call that away) but this has always been my home. So I started thinking how true that quote from Mona Lisa Smile is: "The horizon is an imaginary line that recedes as you approach it."

I have lost count to how many times people have told me that my career or future was on the horizon... and each time I get closer it slips away. Every time I feel like it is just within reach I blink and it is out there again and I have to begin the journey again. We make plans, we build, we organize, we strategize but at the end of the day things do not always work out the way we wanted. Which can be a real shocker to an actor. I began to ponder why we do it to ourselves; not only as actors but as humans beings, what makes us keep pounding our head on the wall hoping that the wall will fall instead of giving us a splitting headache? I couldn't come up with an answer.

Where did those plans for that show I was writing go? Why am I not a full time actor? Why am I still living in this small town? What happened to my so called "vocal career"?

Oh, how those thoughts have hounded me for the past couple of days! Then the other night, as I was driving home, it came to me. Even though the horizon is an imaginary line that recedes as you approach it the objects don't! CAMP ALERT!!! The goals that we set for ourselves may be "out there" and sometimes you may not be able to see them. Perhaps from lack of trying or maybe because there are new adventures that have loomed on the horizon before you reach your destination. Or maybe they are no longer there because you have gotten there and just haven't looked down at your feet. Or maybe you got there and you were too blinded by the flaws and imperfections that you kept on driving, too afraid to stop.

I do it all the time. I am too afraid to stop. Too afraid to see what would happen if I took a leap. Heck, even too afraid to take a baby step. The great thing about dreams is you can almost always turn the car around and go back...as long as you catch it in time.

So, here is to staying positive and driving towards those dreams...

Who handled the Gabor Sisters?

Well, who didn't.

Oh what it would have been to be the one that gets to deliver that line every night. One day! Sorry, let me explain. I had auditioned for Hairspray and was called back for Edna but alas was denied the role (or any role in the show for that matter) and instead wound up getting cast in Charity. What an experience that was! But I am a little bit bummed not to be playing Mrs. Edna Turnblad... I am, however, excited that the part went to my new friend Rich. What excitement he brings to the part. Getting to run lines with him upstairs during offstage time was a blast. Last night was opening and he was a hit! Oh my, I couldn't stop laughing, screaming, crying, cycling through every emotion... you get the point. The cast was phenomenal. Truly a legit production with a talented cast. The ensemble rocked! Maybe I can get some pictures and put them up... I'll write later.

Sharing Time

Wow... cannot believe how incredibly long it has been since I posted last. A lot has been happening in my life the past couple of months. Been working my two regular jobs, rehearsing "Sweet Charity" with GCP, opened "Sweet Charity", ran it and finally closed. With running back and forth to Fresno every day I didn't have time enough to blog.

What is next for me? I auditioned for another GCP production, "Babes in Toyland, Barnaby's Story", a play with music, at 2nd Space and was cast as "Grumio", the equivalent to Le Fou in Beauty and the Beast, except I actually "do" bad things. I initially did not audition for that part but had so much fun at the Call Back for it that I changed my mind about it...the role called for "The Surfer Dude Type"; which we all know is not me. If you come and see the show be prepared for a lot of "dude"-ing from me. At last count I have 27 dudes in a 40 page script. In fact, at the initial auditions one of the readers lost their place and the director called out: "When in doubt, say dude!" Classic. Really looking forward to this production. Same director as "Charity" and a few of the same cast members including Frenchy and Monty. Even "Aunt Tami"! Going to be such a fun experience to get to develop a character and play it for an entire show. Which is different from ensemble work where you play multiple characters in a production.

Talk of the Avenal Center is beginning to become more promising and cannot wait for plans to become finalized. Once they do I will be moving to the City to be closer to the theater and to friends. I will post a few production pics as soon as I get them uploaded.

Cannot wait to see "Hairspray" on opening night!!! The production looks legit.

Follow

Hey guys!! Just a quick word for those of you with twitter accounts. Follow @RogerRockas for fun trivia and updates about the goings on at Roger Rockas Dinner Theater and Good Company Players.

Quote of the Day

"These pants should really come with directions."

What! Our director said this during notes last week. As sort of a back handed comment. But the more I thought about it the more I thought that pants should come with instructions. Who says that we should wear them with the zipper in front? We are taught that from an early age but what if we wanted to wear them backwards? Who would be there to stop us? NO ONE! But if we had instructions then it would be impossible to screw up. Wait, then you have the few people that don't read or follow directions. What then?!?! Oh, the world may end...