New Year's

Wow!
Another year has passed.
I know it's a cliché, but time really does fly (especially as I'm getting older, I find). I remember reading somewhere, or it may have been listening to a podcast, or...whatever, not important where or how I heard this, anyway....it has been discovered that as a person ages, time actually does move faster. Apparently, as we age, our perception of time speeds up. Remember when you were young(er) - bear with me here - and you had to wait an hour for something? Maybe it was an hour before the family was off to leave for the vacation, or the hour before your birthday party was about to start...?
It felt like an eternity, right? Studies have found that a child's perception of time is much, much slower than that of an adult's.

Fun fact.

Anyway, this is a notion that's been on my mind more and more these days...was it just a year ago I returned from a show in Florida looking for a new home?

Was it just a year ago I was nervously prepping for the spring semester containing two Acting classes and a new class, American Contemporary Theater?

Was it 11 months ago I purchased and moved into my new home in Hoboken?

Was it 6 months ago I was performing in The Peddler's Tale in the city?

Was it 4 months ago I began my busiest semester in 2 years?

Was it 3 months ago I booked 2 plays and an episode of Blue Bloods?

Was it 2 months ago I was released from both plays due to my teaching restrictions?

How did Christmas come around again so quickly? How is it all over so soon?

What a year it's been.
Many triumphs, many defeats.


Here's to the best of 2014 being the worst of 2015.

The times they are a-changin'

-Bob Dylan

As this semester concludes, I am in a period of self-evaluation and reflection.

While, in some ways, this semester has been my most successful with regard to my teaching; it also has been my most challenging.
True, the word "challenging" does not mean "bad," but in this case - it might a bit.

On one hand, I was given a class that teachers dream about; it was all about the work.
Among the whole class, there was generosity, openness, willingness to do the work...trust. In a weird way, we were all the teacher and all the student; we all learned from each other, myself included. I cannot possibly expect to have another class like this again. I can hope...

On the other, not as much. That is not to say that the experience was bad; but it was hard work. Mind you, am not afraid of hard work; quite frankly, anything worthwhile is hard work, I believe.
But this is different:
I must be clear that there were some real gems in all my classes, some of the students were just absolute delights. Unfortunately, amongst the "gems" were some students that were challenging, at best.

I have been faced with several forms of resistance; the likes of which I fear I am neither equipped, nor interested in dealing with. I am speaking of the forms of resistance that are based in laziness and/or arrogance; I have no time for it. Moreover, I do have to question if these students are even aware of the kind of work this craft requires. Asked another way - I wonder, do they wish to learn the Art of Acting? or are they merely interested in fame? Trust me - they are two very different things. One requires years of dedication and intense training coupled with an acute sense of self- awareness; the other - the release of a sex-tape released on YouTube.
Take your pick. No judgements.
...but know what you want.

But it's not all on them...what I mean is I do ask the question, "What can I do better?"
...a question I constantly ask myself.
Though I balance my role as an educator.

There was some criticism that found its way back to me: that my class might not have been as "fun" as other classes offered. I hear it, but it confounds me for two reasons:

1) we played a great deal of theater games. Maybe I emphasized the "lessons" too much? maybe I should have just let it be and play the games and let the students draw their own sense of relevance?

2) For me - the work IS the fun. Not only the research and rehearsal, but also the doing of it; the living in the crafted circumstances....I don't know.
My opinion.
I do believe there were some that just weren't interested in doing the work, period. Perhaps I shouldn't admit this - but I do not have time for that type of student. I teach to the top of the class; that is, I give  to those students who put in the work.
Said another way, I'm struggling with my role as teacher here...vs. entertainer.

Add to that - this semester cost more than I would have liked.
Because of my schedule limitations (brought on by my teaching schedule) I was released from two plays that I had booked, and missed two significant auditions. This has caused me to rethink my priorities a bit.

I always maintain that I am an actor, first. I hate missing opportunities; I do not plan to allow that to continue.

2015 will be better, different.

Give and Take...

He giveth and he taketh away.

For the first time in my career - ever, really...I find myself facing the reality of being released from a show.

With regret, I am no longer involved with Love and Intrigue.

Fortunately, the decision was made without malice or ill-feelings; it was merely a matter of logistics. With my booking of an episode of Blue Bloods, coupled with my teaching, added to that a few other scheduling restraints...it was agreed that the timing of this project just wasn't working with us. 

Of course the ego is bruised as this was a challenge (the role of Chancellor) I was looking forward to meeting.  

However, I have to acknowledge that for the sake of the whole, the cast dynamic, and the demands of the type of work that was expected - it was/is the right decision.

My schedule restraints spread me too thin and again, while I was able to do the work, the potential cost to everyone else and their work was too great- I admit, that that would not have been fair.

We all have to face a situation like this at some point. 

Well, now I have.

I write this as I am out the door to shoot:

So, everything comes at a cost to something else.

Seize those moments that seize you...

I didn't coin that.
I recently saw the movie Boyhood; a solid movie that follows the life and literal growth of a young boy as he and his family negotiate their way through questionable choices and the unknown that is life itself. Anyway, that heading is inspired by a line from the film.

As I said, it's a solid film with a fascinating "hook;"we watch this kid grow up before our eyes. I have to confess however, I wasn't crazy about the boy himself. While he wasn't bad, I didn't get the sense that his "whatever" demeanor and attitude wasn't an acting choice, it was just the way this kid was, or grew up to be. It's a risk one takes when casting a 5-6 year old child and plan on filming him/her (he had a sister was was a little more engaging) for 12 years - you get what you get and find a way to make it work, which Mr. Linklater does successfully, by the way.

Anyway...lest this post begins to come off as a film review, I'll get to my point (is there one?).

The 2 "leads" are the estranged mother/father of said boy, portrayed with aplomb by Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke, respectively. Really lovely work from them. Anyway, one of the 2 moments that smacked me in the face was when the mother has the realization, upon her son's departure for college, that this might be "it." Not the end of her life mind you, but that "it" is really the compilation of moments and milestones. In addition, in her self-actualized state she also realizes that she expected "more" by this point in her life.

God, I get that one! I confess, I struggle with that very question more than I'd like:

"Shouldn't there be more?"
And, of course, that one has many cousins to it:
"What am I doing?"
"Is it worthwhile?"
"Am I successful?"

In this business/industry, success can too easily be defined not by the finding/getting work necessarily, but the kind of work, via mainstream industry vehicles (i.e. TV [co-star? guest-star? etc.] or Film [studio? indie?now web-series...blah, blah, blah...])
I could write a dissertation on the previous questions...but I won't. Not right now, anyway.

But back to the film...
The next moment that hit me (my guess- the director's subtle, or not so subtle response to the mother's question) is when the boy is out hiking with some new-found friends upon arriving to college (the circumstance feels a little forced, but file it under Mr. Coleridge's "willing suspension of disbelief"). He is sitting there with this cute-fellow first day of college-girl, looking out at the desert and they are conversing about their cobbled life philosophies. She makes a point about how we are used to being told to seize the moment. She continues to extrapolate that maybe it is, in fact the other way around...?

That too, got me thinking (which is what art is supposed to do, right?)...

How do we know which moments to "seize" and which ones we shouldn't?
My best guess? Perhaps we should merely be open to the moments that happen, or "seize" us, and take them?
That was the best I could come up with...so, I'm going to do my best to give that a shot.

I'm nearing the completion of the first month of the Fall'14 semester.
3 Acting classes between Rutgers and Rider Universities
So far...? it is the best bunch I've had in a long time - throughout all classes
They possess eager, open and willing attitudes.
We are having fun.
I think they are learning...?

Next week, I begin rehearsal for Love and Intrigue, to be directed by Christopher Cartmill; a production going up at Rutgers. Yes, I will be performing in the Levin Theater again; I never expected that. There is a new guard at Mason Gross and they are changing things a bit. One of those changes includes the current classes to work with alumni; providing a secondary benefit of working with working professionals. I am truly flattered and complimented by the invite to participate. I hope to be able to live/work up to their goals.
Naturally, I welcome the opportunity to continue working.

In addition, overtures have been made to me to secure classes to teach in the spring.

Right now, I feel like a success.
I am seizing this moment....

slow burn...

The Peddler's Tale closed.
Too, too brief run.
Great group of people. Beautiful production.
Richard (director) and Liz (writer) complimented each other with the show, I believe.
The show truly deserves a bigger, longer run...we'll see.

Now on to the Fall semester; 1 class at Rutgers (Intermediate Acting 272), 2 classes at Rider (Basic Acting 1).

I feel good about the classes. 272 is comprised of some former students (I taught 271 last semester); I think they're might be a compliment in there somewhere.
And at Rider - I've struggled with Acting classes there. I feel restricted by time (Rutgers is 6 hours a week whereas Rider is only 3), in addition the students there are an interesting mix of majors and non-majors. Whereas at Rutgers, it was all BA's, which allowed for more consistency.
This semester, not only am I readjusting my goals and expectations, I have heard that I will be dealing with mostly majors...so that sounds promising.
The only glitch this semester is a looming strike at Rider.
We'll see.

I have a few possible projects on the horizon:
Some V/O work our of Princeton
a possible play in the coming month
There is an Indie Film from Philly which is expressing interest.

Of course, I count on nothing...not being negative, I've just been on this dance floor before.
Nothing is real until it's happening, or a contract is signed.

Naturally, I'm in PA when I have free time (which is more than I'd like this month),
I think we need to make some big decisions there...

Working....

Ah, to work on something again...! it continues to bring joy to my soul, especially when I have been given the opportunity to work on something significant, meaningful and smart.

The Peddler's Tale

written by 

the brilliant Liz Thaler

directed by 

my friend Richard Aven

We had our 1st read last night, and am loving the way it feels and sounds; truly a solid group of artists with which I get to work.

This show is part of the Fresh Fruit Festival and runs the week of July 15th.

(my only gripe is the run is too short!)

I'll keep you posted...

You can die in the struggle....

or relax into it.

Christ!

Astounded I survived this one....but I did.

No small feat.

Challenges unrelenting from many angles.

One day at a time, slow and steady....




Now what?