February 10, 2009
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All Shook Up!
I was just cast in the role of Sheriff Earl in All Shook Up at Media Theatre. I'm very excited. It's a small role; I'm on stage a lot but fundamentally mute and miming, except at the end of the show but it's a return to professional theater after...40 years! (Oh, and I understudy the only other "adult" male in the cast, the role of Jim) I've been trying to go legit for some time but just have not been able to get cast...now I have. In order to pull this off and not lose my practice and my wife, I will need to be spry but I'm feeling up to it: rehearse all day, work at night then work all day, perform all night...simple actually. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say in coming weeks but, the show goes into rehearsal February 23rd and opens March 11th! Promises to be exciting. The run is from 3/11 - 4/5. Go to http://www.mediatheatre.org for info.
Meanwhile, 40 years you say? What was that? Well, in a little known anecdote, my first job as an actor was as, what was then called, an "apprentice actor," for an equity company performing children's theater in the then extant Theater in the Round circuit ranging from Contact down to Washington in a bi-weekly cycle. As an apprentice I pretty much did what all community theater folks do routinely: built the sets, set up and tore down, acted in the shows, ran lights and sound (the only thing unionized apparently was the actors). I did all this during the summers for a princely sum of $60 a week. Eventually, when a friend of mine was hired, just to act, because she was equity, and was paid $150 for the week, I laid down the ultimatum; give me a raise or at least get me into equity, or I QUIT! They told me not to let the door hit me in the ass on my way out. Well, I showed them! I stayed off the professional stage pretty much completely for the next 40 years! Don't screw with me!
So I'm giving it another go. The pay still sucks being non-union but at least there is now a point system in place which was lacking back then. I know that when I finally earn my card I will largely have to give up community theater but that looks like it's not going to be for a while. Meanwhile, I'm going to do what I love to do; perform. Whether it's pro or community, I love the theater, I love the people (mostly), and I'm so glad to be back.
