El Cantante

Recently, a friend auditioned for the film "El cantante" starring Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony, the Salsa singer. He was generous enough to tell me who was casting. Fortunately, it was the Orpheus group. I had done "Maria full of grace" for them, so I thought I might have a chance to, at the very least, audition. I was sadly mistaken. I didn't get an audition. The wonderful ladies at Orpheus group, Maria and Ellyn, informed my agent that the director was looking for someone who was skinny and edgy. The edgy I got. Actually, everything else about the discription of the character, I have. The skinny can be worked on. After all, I only weight 145 lbs. so I'm already 90% there. They were nice enough to give the director my headshot and resume, anyway. Thank you ladies for that. Unfortunately, the director was to hung up on the skinny look of the character to see beyond it. Which leads me to the point I'm trying to make. The majority of people in the film industry lack IMAGINATION! They are so consumed with image, that they forget about the possibility of giving a good actor the opportunity. You would think that they would want the best actor for the job and then worry about getting that actor to the desired look. Acting first image second. A great example, Christian Bale in The Machinist. Saddly, The people who brought us The Machinist are the exception, not the rule.

New Headshot!

Maybe this will get me the agent. God, knows the credits are good!

Meeting the ladies!

Yesterday there was ageneral audition for 5 of the most important theaters in the west coast, South Coast Rep, Center Theater Group, Berkeley Rep, The Old Globe, and ACT. 4 casting directors in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, I arrived at the audition just to find out that all time slots were already taken and there were 70 actors on the alternate list! Luckily for me, I had just done shows for both SCR and CTG. When the casting directors came out for lunch, I saw Joanne Denaut from SCR and I told her the situation and she passed my headshots to the rest of the group. When they returned from lunch, one of the casting directors, Samantha Barrie from Old Globe approached me and I realized it was the same Samantha I had worked with when I was at The Public Theater in NYC. So without even auditioning, 3 out of the 4 casting directors knew me! The one that didn't get to see my work was Meryl Shaw from Berkeley Rep and ACT. She was the one person I wanted to meet and for her to know my work. I want to work so badly in San Fran so that I can be closer to Cristal. Oh, Well. That's Life! I hope the other three casting directors spoke enough about me to peek her interest.

Chilling with Sal! Lopez that is.

Well the reading at the Ford Ampitheater went pretty good. Sal Lopez was one of the actors in the reading. It was pretty cool to get to act with Mr. Lopez. I have heard a lot about him through my friend Winston Rocha.

Another one bites the dust!

Once again, another relationship has bid the dust because of this profession. The worst thing is that I really thought this one was the one. After almost a year and a half, she moves to San Francisco because she hates LA. Good for her horrible for me.

Next up, Ford Ampitheater!

So, I'm done with Vesuvius. But, today I received a phone call for a play reading at the Ford Ampitheater directed by Diane Rodriguez. I first met Diane in Connecticut at Hartford Stage. She directed a play reading of my buddy, Nilo Cruz's play, Hortensia and the museum of dreams. Now I can send letters to agents and see if they become interested. Can't wait for residual checks from Maria Full of Grace. After all, it has grossed over 100 million bucks already!

In Vesuvius

I've been acting in this show at South Coast Rep for a couple of weeks now. It's a great play by the english playwright, Lucinda Coxon. Come next week, I'll be once again unemployed! Oh, the life of an Actor.