New Acting Class

Last Saturday I attended a "sample class" from an acting teacher to see if I liked his style and find out if I wanted to study with him. It's been a couple of years since I've taken classes. I didn't mean to stay away so long, but my "day job" and other "life commitments" (obstacles?) kept me away. Now that I've left my "day job" (as Professor of Communication Studies at Antelope Valley College) and I'm re-organizing my life commitments, I decided to quit thinking about going back to acting class and actually do it!

Several years ago, I studied with Fran Montano at the Actor's Workout Studio and I highly recommend him. In fact, I hope to study with him again in the future. It wasn't until I studied with Fran that I really knew anything about the Meisner Technique. I'd been trained in Stanislavski and didn't realize how much was to be gained from Meisner. Both my acting and my storytelling were enormously impacted for the better. Fran's class was directly responsible for my being cast in starring roles in The Glass Menagerie (Amanda) and in my first independent feature film, Halfway (Miss V).

Then life got in the way . . .

But now, finally, I'm ready to return, especially after writing and performing my first solo show, Raising My Voice. I know how important it is to flex my creativity by consistently using it. And I wanted more Meisner. So last Saturday I screwed up my courage and went to the sample class.

Yes, it takes courage to go to an acting class, at least for me it does! First of all, as in any class in Los Angeles, most acting students are in their twenties or early thirties. I'm not. Most women in those classes are very thin. I'm not. And beyond those (and other) facts that feed my insecurities, is the way that acting class tends to show everyone there who you really are, warts and all. No, acting class is not for sissies!

So, I screwed up my courage and attended a sample class at the Robert Mello Studio last Saturday. And just as I had suspected, all of the others in attendance were much younger and thinner than I. And, if they were paying attention, they got at least a glimpse into who I really am. And, most important of all, I was in heaven! I knew I'd missed being in an acting class, but I didn't know how much.

So, I plunked down payment for an entire 8-week session, and I start next week! Yippee!

Raising my Voice

Finally! I'd been writing and rewriting . . . and rehearsing and rehearsing . . . and finally the day arrived.

Last night was the premiere of my solo show, "Raising my Voice."

What a wonderful experience! The Found Theatre and host Laura Bosworth were amazing. I arrived to find Laura putting the title of my show on the marquee. Then I noticed the large posters advertising my show displayed in four places on the building! I felt like a star!

The show was well received I got many lovely comments from audience members. I was especially touched by the comments from those who came because the show sounded interesting, not because they already knew me or my work.

I can't wait to do this show again! I'd really love to perform this for women's groups or retreats. I'd also love to do a several weekend run at a small theatre. Guess I'd better get out there and do some marketing!

Technology

Well, I've spent the last week or so trying to get up to speed on how to use the internet to network and become more efficient. Wow! There's so much to learn, so much to do, and so much I don't know.

I updated my address books in gmail and Plaxo. Updated my website and my page at storyteller.net, too. I joined Professional Storyteller and connected to storytellers I already know in the flesh, and some I only know on line. I learned about Twitter, joined it, and sent out some tweets. Then I heard about Ping and signed up so that I could post to both Plaxo and Twitter with only one update. Today I saw Remember the Milk mentioned on Twitter and signed up for that to try to keep myself on task!

Ta-Da!

Finally! A new headshot!

Making Progress

Finally. I'd been saying I was going to do it for months, well actually, for years. I've needed a new headshot for ages. And today I drove to Santa Monica and met my friend Carrie and she took nearly 600 shots of me! The wonders of digital photography! I've spent the last few hours looking and looking and looking through those shots trying to settle on one or two. I'm sick of looking at myself. Soon I'll post a new photo on this blog and on my website . . . progress toward my leap into the world of full-time storytelling and acting.

The best-laid plans . . .

Well, I had such big plans way back last summer. I was going to write at least once a week. Hah! Life showed me! But what's eight months?

So many changes in my life. The biggest is that I'm leaving my job as a college professor as of the end of May. I'll likely be poor (only monetarily) but at least I'll finally be able to follow my heart.

I keep focusing on two of my favorite quotes: "Follow your bliss" and "Leap, and the net will appear."

Getting Started on Stories

I spent the weekend working on a new story. It's one I've been planning to work on for a long time. I circled around it over and over again. I made notes, I thought. But it wasn't until I had a deadline of sorts that I finally really started it. I'm meeting with a storytelling friend today to work on our work, so I wanted more than just the idea for the story rattling around in my head.

I know the circling around, the notes, the thinking are all important parts of the process (at least my process), but I know I'd be more productive if I could cut to the chase, as they say, and just get to it! You see, the circling around includes cleaning my desk and dusting the living room, the note writing includes making out grocery lists, and the thinking includes daydreaming about visiting Tuscany one day.

I once read an article by a writer who said that her house was never as clean as when she had an article due for a magazine. Guess I'm not alone!