On the New Year

Well, it's a new year.

I'm sure I'm by no means the first doofus whose reflective ramblings you've had to read about, but I'm gonna go ahead a vibe for awhile anyway, kay?

January tends to be the most optimistic part of every actor's year. It's the time where everybody starts trumpeting "Yeah! This is the year where I work hard and turn everything around!" And I include myself here.

But then again, not to sound too pessimistic, isn't that what I said last year? And the year before that?

One of the many things that make the life of the actor difficult is that there's always somebody that you know who seems to be better/more successful than you are. Therefore, it can make your own successes seem smaller or more insignificant by comparison. I'd like to posit that my New Year problem doesn't come from the fact that I'm not working hard enough, but that my own flawed perspective is telling me that the art I've made this year still isn't "good enough."

Sure, there is more work I could be doing, more avenues to explore that could potentially lead to more artistic success, but that's part of the joy. There's always room to explore and learn.

Let's work hard and dream big, but let's also celebrate what we have accomplished too, alright? Even if it's a small part in a short film or a play that Spielberg never sees, you're still out here doing what you love.

So don't forget to love it.

It's a Hit!

Well, looks like we did something right.

The past two performances sold out with a vengeance. Tonight we packed that sucker to full capacity and then some, seemed like. This chivalrous playwright actually gave his seat up and watched from the booth.

People linger after the show to discuss the play and shake my hand until Note kicks us out. Everybody keeps telling me how smart/mature/talented I am.

It's all pretty overwhelming stuff for a scrawny kid who always got picked last in dodgeball. (Their loss. I can dodge those suckers like a spider monkey.)

I guess the only thing I'm really trying to convey in this little post is "Wow." And "Thank you." So grateful and humbled by everybody who's come out and made this thing a success so far, and I can't wait to see the last half of the run.

Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't include a huge thank you to Michael Nankin, without whom this play never would've been the same.

Trying to get audiences to find Ryan is Lost

RYAN IS LOST!

JUNE 14/29 @ 9:50!

JUNE 21/28 @ 7:30!

THEATRE OF NOTE!

$10!

I've been screaming that mantra all over the internet for the past two months and I'm still not sure if anybody knows my play is happening. I have this chronic fear that I'm going to dump all this time and energy (not to mention money) into this work of art that I've spent three years perfecting, only to have opening night come around and be the only dude in the theater. I've been there. No fun.

I always feel like I'm just clicking my heels together and thinking happy thoughts every time I do any kind of marketing. How do I know anybody sees it? Especially in the Los Angeles corner of Facebook, where literally everyone's wall is filled with "COME SEE MY SHOW COME SEE MY SHOW PLEASE COME SEE MY SHOW."

Which, I guess, is what any kind of marketing really amounts to. But it must be working alright! We've already sold more than 1/4th of our seats for the whole run! (The theater being pretty tiny kinda helps.) 

Even with those pretty encouraging numbers though, it's easy to stare at the ceiling at night and think "WHAT HAVE I DONE." This thing's so much bigger than me now, with at least a dozen different artists pouring their skill and creativity into it. It's sink or swim now, baby. No backing out now.

So now we get to the point of the blog where you realize that me moaning about the trials and tribulations of marketing a show is, in fact, just another marketing ploy.

RYAN IS LOST!

JUNE 14/29 @ 9:50!

JUNE 21/28 @ 7:30!

THEATRE OF NOTE!

$10!

GET TICKETS HERE BEFORE THEY RUN OUT!

http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1280

(OH GOD, I HOPE THEY RUN OUT!)

52 Sketches in 52 Weeks: Will Somebody Please Date Me?

Will Somebody Please Date Me? (#42)

Pleeeeeaaaaaaaase?

52 Sketches in 52 Weeks: Scary Guy

Scary Guy (#41)

I was kind of inspired by all those Slender videos on Youtube that are big with all the horror kids. Here's the progression of events for this sketch.

SATURDAY EVENING
5:30pm  - Write sketch and print it out.
6pm - Pick up my brother from LAX. I throw a script at him as soon as he gets in the car. He's not an actor.
7pm - Arrive at Sacred Fools. We have one hour before our three hour show starts. There will be no time to shoot anything afterwards.
7:10pm - Grab Erik Engman from a nearby bar. Promise him riches and fame we don't have access to.
7:20pm - Shoot a few takes. This is only the sixth or seventh time I've looked at the script.
7:40pm - "Edit" it. Compress it.
7:50pm - Upload to Youtube.
8pm - Enjoy our show. (Neverwhere! Amazing!)

52 Sketches in 52 Weeks: Giggle Fits

Giggle Fits (#40)

Another one that was pretty tough to memorize. Felt good to pop one out that was just Zach and I again. There's an unassuming simplicity to this sketch that I find pretty appealing, sound issues notwithstanding. 

52 Sketches in 52 Weeks: Nick's Great Idea

Nick's Great Idea (#39)

Ah, the straight man vs. the funny guy. The oldest double act in comedy,and explored in detail this week. Anthony Backman's deadpan is so perfect in this. Dang near steals the whole sketch despite the way I loudly carry on, not to mention Douglas Gabrielle's hilarious cameo. And look at that picture quality/editing job! We're spoiled this week, folks.

I think the closest friendships stem from people who enthusiastically participate in each other's terrible ideas. There's a bonding quality to finding yourselves neck deep in trouble from all sides. My high school pals and I used to have at least one terrible idea every day, and those friendships have lasted for years. (Though we did spend most of our teenage years horribly grounded.)

That seems to be the relationship ol' Nick and Jerry have. I was kinda surprised at how epic in scope this little three minute video wound up feeling. You get a pretty clear picture of the past, present, and future of the entire relationship. Too much fun, I tells ya.

Also: I wasn't joking about seducing Beyonce. It's gonna happen.