September 2009

1: I was the first to arrive for Indiana Repertory Theatre's Season Auditions, so I was seen about an hour and a half later.  After my two contrasting, the Associate Artistic Director asked how long the drive was.  I ran into Paul Wallace there, so we headed off to get lunch at a nearby Steak 'n Shake and catch up on things.
2: Watched Incredible Story Studios - Star Struck, which I think was a gift from April that I'd had for a while.  I sat through it and then gave it back to her.
4: Watched The Fountain with Justin & Peter.
6: I auditioned before my appointment for a short film (at that time titled The Truth About Lying) that was supposed to film in Wicker Park not long before I'd be moving north.  I read for the role of Eric 1, a sci-fi nerd; the director asked for something "different" on the 2nd read and liked the end of what I presented.
12: I participated in New World Arts' 24/7 Play Festival - that is to say, 7 short plays completely produced within 24 hours.  So I showed up around 9am and rehearsed most of the day for the 2 showings that night.  We were first in the lineup, which meant breathing easy after finishing and getting to truly enjoy all the other plays.  Our show was called Paging Dr. Love and had some great, comedic moments.
15: I auditioned for a couple musicals at Cardinal Stage Company - The Sound of Music & Little Shop of Horrors - which meant a little different selection of material than usual for me.  I was asked what other songs I had considered, what roles I was interested in and then to sing some of "Suddenly Seymour" (which I then wished I was little more familiar with).
20: Finished reading The Merchant of Venice.
21: On the way up to St. Paul, stopped in Chicago for my scene in (what was still titled then) The Truth About Lying.  I had been cast as Eric 2, a similar but slightly less vocal role.  But they paid a little more than they had said in the audition notice.  Lots of fun in the five-hour shoot.  I then hustled over to try to make Lookingglass Theatre's Season Auditions.  I arrived before the end time listed, but at first the Producing Artistic Director said they were done for the day.  But he relented and even gave me some time to collect myself (I had a rather harried time getting there during rush hour) before launching into the one monologue.  He asked who my character was talking to, suggested a new headshot and chronological resume, then asked where Riverside was and what was my most recent credit.
22: Intro to the full company of Othello and then the read-through.  The leads had already been rehearsing for a week or something, but it was the first day for most of us.  I started the day with 0 lines and had 1 by the end - a sailor delivering a message had not been previously assigned.  Yay!
23: Rehearsal for Othello.  I was barely on time, not being very familiar with parking in the area.  We blocked I.i-II.iii
26: Chris emailed me a draft of Fall of Gotham, which I read immediately and got back to him with the roles I preferred.
27: A few days off before the next rehearsal, where we blocked V.ii, blocked and added fight choreography to V.i and then worked on some odds & ends: II.ii-iii; how to portray a soldier in the period we have set the play in, salutes, etc.  Then an hour off to eat before running the whole show!
29: I had intended to crash Guthrie Theater's Season Generals (as I have crashed countless other Equity auditions in Chicago, and a few in New York).  So I arrived about an hour and half before they began, and not until a half-hour later was notified that no non-union actors would be seen, regardless if there were open slots.  I was able to leave a resume/headshot, and was told that the Associate Artistic Director and Artistic Administration Coordinator would be attending Othello.  Even with my bicycle having broken down en route, this left me plenty of time to get to Othello rehearsal, where we worked more on blocking I.i-II.i.
30: At rehearsal, worked on II.ii-iii.

April 2009

13: Auditioned for Boarshead Theatre's season after a very short wait (I was a walk-in).  The artistic director asked me re Florida Studio Theatre as she knew a former A.D. there, and also wanted to know what Star Trek Versus Batman was (I get that question a lot).  She indicated I might be called back in later on for Bernard in Death of a Salesman.
14: Auditioned for a horror/romcom short - indie rather than student - called Hangers.  Several sides to cold read with other actors, even switching roles at one point, and a monologue.
17: Went to the dollar theatre to see Slumdog Millionaire with a big group: Sarah, Ricky, Justin, Catherine, Allesha, Liz, etc.  I was a little late, so I missed the very beginning.
18: Full day around Indianapolis, first off a double screening in Hamilton of two shorts, Waffles for Virginia (its premiere) and The Fresh Air Will Do You Good - two very different productions: a family film with animated sequences and a scifi buddy comedy.  Then over to Plainfield to audition for another horror flick, Freight.  Waited two hours before being seen, then they took forever, wanting to see everyone read everything and lots of repetition.  Ugh.  Ended barely in time to make it over to the main event, the premiere at the IMAX of A Time for the Heart, followed by Quantum Leap: A Leap to Di for.  A great crowd out for those, and I really enjoyed seeing Heart finally completed.  At the wrap party, had a great time hanging out with all those I had known from the shoots as well as meeting some new folks - who had worked on different scenes - or family of cast and crew.  Another filmmaker (not involved in these two) was also there for some reason, so I chatted some about her upcoming project, Shoki's Bag.  I couldn't stay as long as I might have liked though, as had some more traveling to do before a 10k trail run the following morn.
20: Had a quick headshot session (TFP), which was presumably done to build the photographer's portfolio and/or to try to get me to purchase additional prints or files.  But I got one good, free shot out of it -- and I certainly needed something to replace my college-era headshot.  So it worked out.
22: Not much more than an hour wait for Steppenwolf Theatre's general auditions - which is good.  The casting director wanted to know if I lived in Chicago, and to keep her posted when I do make that transition.
23: Auditioned for a number of Columbia student shorts - I had inquired about possible expense-covering prior, and apparently one of the student-directors thought I needed that to attend the auditions (rather than if cast).  They were in two different rooms, so I did different monologues and a cold reading from One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest; and I let them know about how much pay I would need to recoup travel expenses.
27: A similar wait as Steppenwolf at the next season audition, for Human Race Theatre Company, although they might have been more busy - started seeing walk-ins early, before appointments started.  I ran into a fellow from my university, whom I hadn't known personally, but I guess who knew me through common acquaintances.  And I did a similar thing in the room, as I mentioned my Bridgework director, who had worked for Human Race as well.  Journey down to Bloomington that day to attend auditions for Cardinal Stage Company, with a lot of the same personnel I remembered from previous times.  One asked again where I was from and how far it was, hinted they might call me back again; another wanted to know how long I had practiced capoeira.
28: More traveling, more season auditions, for Tipping Point Theatre (comedies TBA, and for 6-7 people in the room) and then Jewish Ensemble Theatre.  I was quite early for the second, arriving more than half an hour before the monitor, and again saw a friend of the colleague I mentioned at the Human Race audition.  The monitor actually came in to watch my audition.  The artistic director didn't have me sing, as the only singing roles for my age also involved playing piano.  She thought she might call me back in for Ellard in The Foreigner, but thought I seemed too young for the rest of the season (or too much of a contrast with others cast).  She seemed possibly a little hard-of-hearing, which made the exchange a bit surreal.
29-30: One of the Columbia students cast me in his short and we filmed in his hometown of Michigan City, which cut down on the drive time and expense.  I guess he and his friends have been working on low-budget horror for a number of years.  This one was a b&w 16mm silent 5-minute short, a final project for some 2nd year class.  The director later told me it was the top film at their class screening.

March 2009

2-6, 9-13, 16-20: Many performances of The Further Adventures of Louie the Lightning Bug.
20: Finished reading August: Osage County by Tracy Letts.  Fantastic!  After seeing it on Broadway, I'm glad that was a Christmas gift.
20-23: After the last shows, of course, we had to drive (from Ohio) back to Minneapolis, check in our car, set and gear and do some debriefing.  And thus completed our 8000-mile, 10-state tour, with 112 shows at 84 schools in IN, MI & OH.  Then, for me, it was off to L.A. for some visiting and . . .
27: The premeire of Quantum Leap: A Leap to Di for in North Hollywood at The Leap Back 2009 Quantum Leap Convention.  Even with small parts in this film (two for me and one for him), it was great for myself and Peter Gaffney to be able to attend a Hollywood premiere.  There were lots of Leap fans in attendance - I'm pretty sure this is the only Quantum Leap fan film - and they were not disappointed as we had Deborah Pratt to reprise her voice role as Ziggy.  Signed lots of autographs.
30: Finished reading Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh.
31: Among the sites I visited while in California was the Walt Disney Concert Hall/Music Center/Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County.  While checking out the venue, I listened to an audio tour narrated by John Lithgow.

January 2009

6: Drove to audition for Shakespeare Festival St. Louis' The Merry Wives of Windsor.  The artistic director asked how I had heard of the company, and where I was from, then said it was worth the trip.  I got down there early enough to lunch with Mary Woll beforehand.
10-16: Rehearsals for The Further Adventures of Louie the Lightning Bug at The National Theatre for Children, with Vanessa Miller.  Vanessa ended up with laryngitis by the end of the week, so we left town without a school preview, though this was after we got to share a run with the company (and see everyone else's varied takes on same and similar (and one different) shows).
14: Earlier, I left the company picnic midway to catch buses over to St. Paul and audition for Park Square's Othello.  The director/artistic director asked about my favorite Shakespeare experience and also the locations of Riverside & Bridgework.
20-23, 26-30: Many performances of The Further Adventures ... at many schools.  We spent some time near South Bend, so I was able to work on graduate school applications as well as a few other things.
22: Brigid & her kindergarten class saw the show when we were at her school in Elkhart.  That night was the 20th Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival, which included the premiere of Prologue, one of whose directors bought my ticket.  First time seeing the completed film.  Also enjoyed seeing another short by the creators of Through the Window, and one by Joe Gleason with several folks I know.  Mary Claire, two Lauras, Jeremy, and a bunch others were also in attendance.
23: My parents, younger sisters, and my niece Abby (16 months) saw another local performance of The Further Adventures ...  Abby seemed to pay attention well for her age.  Of course, she had already seen one of my Bridgework shows nine months earlier, didn't cry or fuss then either.
29: Being in the area also meant I was able to usher for an Actors from the London Stage production of Much Ado about Nothing at Notre Dame.  I like the format (five actors, no director, little cutting, minimal props/costume) of their shows.
31: I attended the first graduate school audition, for Hilberry Repertory Theatre/Wayne State University.  The panel found my resume "impressive" and interviewed me regarding what I want out of the program.  I did well enough to be invited to the callbacks not a half hour later, which included a lot of snippets of instruction/play in movement, voice, rhythm and improvisation, then a cold read from Waiting for Godot.

Blood, Veggies and Friends in Tennessee

13 July: Watched There Will Be Blood with Aunt Winnie & Uncle Rick. Grasped several subtleties not appreciated on the first viewing.

14 July: Visited Emily Brown (on her birthday) at Dollywood and saw her dance and puppet in two Veggie Tales Live shows: Rack, Shack and Benny and Lyle the Kindly Viking. Sort of funny, not a lot of substance. Also saw a loosely-plotted musical revue, Dreamland Drive-in - sung well, danced passably, acted . . . lightly.
Various shared acquaintances with some of her castmates: Creamery castmates of mine = college friends of theirs.