Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Beware the Ides of March!

Yes, I know we're in April now, and my negelction of this blog is way too evident. BUT many, many exciting things have been happening in my life, along with some recent sad things. But for now we'll focus on the positives.

As I have been gloating about all over the place: I've been hired on by the Shakespeare Theatre Co. in Washington, D.C. as an understudy for Julius Caesar!!!! This is possibly the most exciting job I've recieved in my career so far! While seeing Tamburlaine in their Marlowe Rep in October, I decided that this was a company I wanted to work for - to see if I have the stamina to even do one of their epic productions. And now I am! Only five months later too! And my friends who have worked with them say that understudying with Shakes is a great way to connect for future jobs! So I'm very pleased and thankful for their offering and cannot wait to start working with them. I've already recieved my script and have been working on my understudy role. I begin working with them on the 27th now, which is their first preview. The show runs into July, so be sure to come and see it! Lots of fun betrayal and performed by one of the nations best theatre companies!

The Helen Hayes Awards, D.C.'s annual theatre awards and incarnation of the Tony's, are quickly approaching. And guess who's attending this year? ME! Not only am I attending, but I'm IN it! I'm on the trophy crew and will be assisting with awards, winners, and anything else. So I've ordered my tuxedo and am crazy excited about going! I will be nextworking my butt off at the Ovation Gala that takes place after the ceremony. Dan Wagner, the department chair for Theatre at UMD, is producing the awards this year. Mr. Wagner is a great guy, I worked for him as a spot operator on Roundhouse Theatre's Summer of '42 last summer. And on top of the Jerry Whiddon is directing (who I worked with on Filthy Rich) and Shari Moxley is the stage manager (who I also worked with on Summer of '42). So it's a whole gang of great people that I really respect and look forward to working with! There really are only eight people in this industry...

So, MORE really exciting news. Lebensraum, the play that I was in last semester at UMD, will be transferring to the 2008 Capital Fringe Festival this summer!!!!!!!! So immediately after my commitment with Julius Caesar ends, I will begin this project again! It was such a great experience last semester working with the cast and director, Cory Ryan Frank. I'm elated to be able to take more time and go deeper with this piece in an even freer setting. The cast will retain two of the same actors, David Olson and myself, but replacing the female due to scheduling conflicts. Betsy Rosen will now be playing Actor #3. No venue or dates have been set - yet. I believe Fringe announces those in a few weeks. But you'll get that info as soon as it is legal for me to post right here on my blog! Be sure to come and see it!

Finally, in the last bit of news to catch you up on where I am, I was just cast in Scot Reese's prodction of To Be Young, Gifted and Black which will be at the University of Maryland next semester (in October I believe). It will be a great production with an amazing cast and terriffic director. Besides having him as a teacher, I worked with Scot on Urinetown last semester which he directed. I like his style and the way he treats his actors and cannot wait to start a new project with him. So be sure to come and see that too! Again, I'll post details as they become available!

So that rounds out the major performance commitments in my life right now. I'm fully booked through November now with shows. I'm working! And it feels good to have constant work! I hope it lasts. Constancy is something so fleeting for an actor. Oh! By-the-way, I'm performing in a couple of cabarets soon too: one at UMD and one at the Kennedy Center. I'll post more info on that soon as well. But for now, I need to sleep so I can stay awake in class tomorrow. Til next time!

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