Back In Session

Now into the fourth day of the first week of school, I have to say I'm more pleased at being back than I though I would be. Right now I'm sitting in CSPAC, having just eaten at Applause - something I promised myself I would not do this semester and thought I would be able to avoid. However, my Thursday schedule allows generous time and opportunity for this to occur, so I'm sure it will happen very often. I just have to bring stuff to work on. I hate doing this because of the negativity and stagnant energy that arises out of it. The more I sit here in CSPAC the more I hate working with some of these people with their cliquey attitudes and ridiculous ideas. It just gets to me and makes me hate this business a little. So, for my sake, I MUST stay out of here any chance I get. And I have so far. I've also been making friends elsewhere on campus. Anything to keep me grounded in the real world and out of this superficial theatre enclave that can consume so many people so quickly. I will do my own thing and I will be successful on my own. I always have an will continue to do so. It's when I fall in the crevass of the latter - relying on others for growth in the career, etc - do I become stale. And to me staleness is death. And in an industry where so much is inherently dependant on what others think, it's immensley difficult not to fall into that trap. But I think I'm so far succeeding and am a much happier person because of it. Let's see how long I can stay that way...

NFL Training Video

So I had a shoot with Will Interactive yesterday for an industrial. I had no idea what exactly I'd be working on, but had researched the company and found it to be an easy way to make some money - nothing of any great value, but it paid. I got up early and headed out to Old Town Alexandria, which is my favorite place in the DC Metro Area - on the Virginia side and absolutely beautiful. I like it better than Georgetown even! The shoot was taking place at Bugsy's, a sportsbar at the end of King Street by the waterfront. When I got there I signed in and found out that we were shooting a training video for the NFL, so that was pretty exciting. We spent the day filming scenes based around scenarios where players can make good or bad decisions. Players, once hired by the NFL, will watch this video and interact by choosing an outcome to the given scenarios. So it was kind of interesting to film the same scenes over and over with slightly different endings. All in all, I had a good time, met some nice people, had a free lunch and made some money. Not bad.

After the shoot I was exhausted. But, being stupid, I agreed to work at GAP when my manager had called and asked the previous day. I should have declined, but they're always nice about my schedule and facilitating it there, so I agreed. I mean, what was another 5 hours on my feet, right? Ugh, so much standing. Anyway, I got through the night and slept in til 1:30 today. Luckily I didn't have to be at Filthy Rich rehearsal and was able to relax today. Tonight I'm seeing Glory Days at Signature Theatre. I was supposed to go last week for the pay-what-you-can, but some of my friends decided not to go and I did other things instead. However, I got free tickets for tonight's show, which is always better than pay-what-you-can, so there's no way I could refuse. Anyway, I need to get ready for the night now. I'll post about the show later.

JMU and El Orfanata

What a weekend! I spent the past 3 and 1/2 days at James Madison University visitng friends. It was a nice break from the bustle that's beginning to consume my life again. I saw so many high school friends (Ryan Cury, Claudia Kiss and Kelly Abott) and made lots of new ones. So many cool, nice people go to JMU. And what a different air exists there than that of Maryland! So much more relaxed, less pressure and more open. I really like going there to visit and play, but do prefer where I am at now. However, I must say that if it would not wreck my career, I would transfer to JMU in a heartbeat. In a paralell world, perhaps I am something other than a theatre major and attend that school. But the slowness of a small town does not appeal to me in the least, so I'll stay content with my D.C. abode.

Tonight I saw Guillermo Del Toro's presentation of The Orphanage. What an amazing movie. Anyone who has the opportunity must see this brilliant piece. There's something about Spanish film currently - they are capturing a beauty and fantasy in life that completely evades American movies. This movie was so beautifully haunting! I can't even begin to describe it, but the director - Juan Antonio Bayona - took so many risks when making this film that his sheer valor deserves commendation! His direction was fearless - with staging and filmography that American producers would never touch for fear of it looking stupid. And, yes, in the wrong edit it would look ridiculous. But this movie doesn't fail in the least, it soars! I cannot express how well mad it was. So I say bravo to this enslaught of Spanish filmmaking, we can learn alot from their daring.

This week is going to be pretty busy for me, and I am dreading it. Tomorrow I have rehearsal for Filthy Rich from noon to five. A run thru, I believe. So I should go rest for that now. I'll post again soon.

Beautiful Snow

One of the things that I absolutely love about living high in a highrise is the view when it begins to snow. Peering out onto the whitening plaza below and watching the flakes make their hourney. It creates somekind of calm energy in the world. Some people fear snow, others love it. I am the latter. However, I do hesitate because I am to make a trek down to JMU today to visit friends for the weekend. Pray for my safe travels!

Last night I had the privellege of seeing Argonautika at the Shakespeare Theatre, directed by my hero Mary Zimmerman. And let me just say that it was indescribably beautiful at times. Zimmerman's ability to take simple staging with only a few suggestive props and make something huge and monumental from it is one that I envy. A great evening spent! I won't review it on here because it is only in previews, but I would bet that after opening reviews will be mixed to positive about the piece. However, I highly reccomend it to everyone. GO!

Other than that, not much new is happening. I'm working on getting a reading of a play set up with some friends. That should be interesting and fun. But since class was cancelled today, I've sort of been jettisoned into a new direction. Whereas before my morning was to be crammed and hurried, it is now much more relaxed and easy. I now don't have anything to look forward to but my trip to Harrisonburg today. Interesting. Well I must go get ready, I have delivery coming soon. I'll be sure to post from JMU!

No More January Lulls

I remember, during my high school days, loathing the month of January. During this time Barter was dark, Theatre Bristol was dark and there was ultimately nothing going on except for class. Very boring and much dreaded. My how the times have changed! Now living in an actual theatre market I see that January is not at all boring and that business is rather brisk. True, I've been occupied with my winter course as well, but I have been seeing quite a few shows as well as rehearsing Filthy Rich. Scheduling issues - which are not my fault - are even arising! Oy vey!
Today I booked a film gig for the 22nd in Alexandria! Very exciting stuff. It's some small film company based in Potomac, MD. I submitted to their project through Carlyn Davis Casting about three weeks ago and was very glad to hear back. Just a day shoot, but the pay is good and it's only 8 hours. At my point ANY work is good welcome. Unfortunately, I was previously attending a workshop with Mary Zimmerman at Maryland, but will no longer be able to do that. I LOVE Mary Zimmerman's work and would have loved to work with her. But I need the money and experience right now more than I could use a four hour intensive with a genius, so the work won out. It was seriously a hard decision, though.
I will be seeing Mary Zimmerman's new play Argonautika at the Shakespeare Theatre this week sometime though - during previews so I can get cheap tickets. I would be seeing it tomorrow on its first preview, but I'm seeing James Gardiner's new work Glory Days at Signature Theatre. James graduated from Maryland a year ago and was in The Distance From Here which I worked on as well. He's so talented I want to smack him! So I'm very excited about seeing his writing. And at a theatre like Signature, impressive!
So that's where I am right now, plus dealing with crazy amounts of logistics and such. The semester is coming upon me so quickly! Winter term is almost gone. I'm auditioning for Olney Theatre on the first day of classes as well, an opportunity that's part of a class I'm taking. I hear they're auditioning for Big River. Even though it looks like I'll be in NYC for the summer and unable to accept any role there, I'm still going to audition for the exposure. Gotta get those new headshots out there somehow! Also, my website, www.chasehelton.com , will be launching sometime tonight at a very basic level. VISIT IT and tell me what you think!

A Very Busy January

It has been ages since my last post! Maybe not ages, more like a semester. A semester in which I never felt like sharing. It was definitely my "off" semester. Overly crammed with commitments and negative people. But that is past and I'm looking forward to a much better, more eventful year. And so far it's definitely shaping up to be much more fulfilling. So, I won't write about what has passed but rather what is to come.

We're technically still in winter break here at Maryland, but I'm taking a winter course, so I've been in classes since January 2nd. I'm taking a business of acting course with the wonderful Karalee Dawn, a woman who has had immeasureable experience in the NYC industry. I'm learning some new things and getting great reinforcement on others. It's definitely inspiring me to stay busy with my career and not become lazy. Ruthless, tireless self promotion is what it's all about. And on that front, I had my headshots taken last Sunday! I went to Bryan Bowden who is part of Peter Hurley Studios in NYC. It was such a great experience, I could really write a blog entry on that by itself. But, suffice it to say that I had a lot of fun and came out with a couple of great pictures. I was very pleased and totally reccomend Bryan to anyone looking for a photog. It's worth the (inexpensive) price.

Besides getting my headshots taken, prints and business cards ordered, I've also secured my domain name and am in the process of joining AFTRA! It's kind of crazy at the moment! But I'm enjoying it. So I will soon be launching www.chasehelton.com instead of the free www.chasehelton.bravehost.com . My new website will be much classier, more modern and clean, and a signature domain! And with AFTRA! Woah! I had kind of been mulling the idea over since I worked on National Treasure 2 last January. It's a roundabout way to be able to join SAG and/or Equity after one year of membership and work. This way, by the time I graduate, I'll be able to go Equity if I so choose. This will make getting an agent easier and work (when I get it) more lucrative. Just looking at the paths some of my non union friends have taken, I'm pretty sure that I want to do this. It will keep me from doing some work, but would I really want to do that work to begin with? I'm not sure at this point. Anyway, I have another year as AFTRA and being non-equity to see what fate brings my way.

Other than these career moves, I've really just been enjoying DC and doing stuff with friends. I saw Blood, Sweat and Fears last night at the 1409 Playbill Cafe. It was a Grand Guignol-esque show that I had auditioned for last summer. They did a great job with it, some really great talent and a very brave small company to be forming. I'll have to audition for them again in the future... They do have tow shows coming up the spring...

I have to run to a costume fitting now though. I forgot to mention! I'm playing a bit part in UMD's Filthy Rich this spring! Come and see! It's going to be great - directed by the famous Jerry Whiddon - with lots of fim noire-ey stuff. So much fun with a great script and cast. Anyway, til next time! And I promise to keep this blog updated on a more regular basis now!