Author: theactorvist

I love the Theatre. It's my church. It's my joy. I have been performing in plays and musicals for over half of my life, and I would be lost without it. Now more than ever, people are cutting back on everything that is too expensive or unimportant to their lives. As an actor, heck as a person, I don't know of anything that is more important than the arts. Art reflects history. It shows humanity at its worst but also its best. Every day some artistic program is getting cut from a school or a great show goes unseen. Maybe a talented singer isn't able to audition for American Idol. There are a ton of people who live in the South Bay Area of California, who go unseen or unheard. There are many production companies that are just bursting with talent, but people don't see the shows. I will do my best to bring you interviews with local artists of every kind, send out the call for local companies looking to cast people in productions, and much more. Stay tuned because this is only the beginning.

Days of Reflection: Day Three

Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.

Hrmm…I don’t know if there are eight ways! I hate this one the most. This one is a toughy. If I had to take a guess on how I would break it down, I would have to go something like this…

8. Struggle – There’s something about overcoming personal struggles that build a kind of humility I find incredibly fascinating. When you work in retail, you can tell who has and who hasn’t.

7. Food – It’s okay to NOT obsess about eating this or that because it’s got sugar or fats. Don’t be afraid of the food. In moderation, everything is fine.

6. Interesting – I believe that I suffer from a mild form of ADD, so if a person can remain interesting, well then you are 95% of the way there.

5. Manners – That gets high marks. It doesn’t take much longer than being rude, so why foul the atmosphere?

4. Compassion – When you can, you donate to people who are less fortunate than you are.

3. Emotionally Secure – You aren’t afraid to let your emotions take you for a ride.

2. Playful – You can’t take yourself too seriously.

THE NEXT TWO GO HAND IN HAND

Humor – Laughter is wonderful. While the occasional fart joke is okay, I prefer well thought out humor which ties to…

Intelligence – I love people that I can learn from.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Getting my Titanic on with Melissa Jones (now Jones-Chamness)

Here I am on the Tahoe Queen. We were celebrating Perry’s mom’s birthday on a little cruise around Tahoe. It was a good dinner, great music, and a lot of nutty pictures of his mom! That particular moment in time was so freeing. As though there were no worries. It’s fun to get swept up in someone else’s energy and have fun without restraint. It’s from people like her that I remind myself you have to keep trying stuff that you don’t normally do. Because were I not with her, I doubt this moment would have even happened.

Days of reflection: Day Two

Day Two: Nine things about yourself.

Yowzers!! Nine things. I don’t know what to say that I haven’t already told you. Okay, well here are some things that you might not know about me.

9. I can’t believe that it’s possible to get a crush on people when you are in a great relationship already. I kinda hate that this happens. It hurts a little to feel like you are betraying the one you love the most AND to know that nothing will ever become of your crush. But it’s uncontrollable. Like the song says: “It’s just, a little crush…”

8. I once read a poem that actually made me cry while I was eating lunch. I didn’t even realized how much I was moved until I had turned the page and finally exhaled. Luckily, there was no one in the break room at the time.

7. As much as I love theatre and would love to live in it’s world, I am too afraid to truly try.

6. I wish I was a superhero. Complete with super powers/abilities to make the world better. Better in as many ways as possible.

5. I worry that I have some sort of disease or illness, all the time. I think that’s one of the things that keeps my heart racing at night and prevents me from sleeping.

4. I do regret not moving to New York. I don’t care if I didn’t work in theatre. There’s something about that city that makes me feel like I belong there.

3. In an effort to be “normal,” I had 3 “girlfriends.” Hahaha, I couldn’t even type that with a “straight” face. I have always known that I was “different” or “emotional.” At least that’s what my aunts had called me as a child. Nothing EVER happened with the girls, and it never lasted longer than a week.

2. I would love to be a pop/rock star. I think it would be fun even with all the crazy traveling and only making money from touring.

1. I get angry that women always commandeer men’s stuff and it’s okay with society. For example, boy-cut underwear. Yet there is nothing that’s acceptable for men without society or religious freaks flipping out, or “normal” people acting like a$$holes about it.

Back in 1997, I was a chorus boy in “Hello Dolly!”

Why aren’t you smiling and showing your pearly whites? Why aren’t you bearing your teeth in the always expected happy face that people give to pictures? Did you have to ruin this picture by leaving Mark to carry the load of happiness alone because you were caught off guard? You couldn’t even fake a smile for your friend taking the picture? Sorry Emily. I think it was a bad day. I couldn’t get my tie on properly.

Days of Reflection: Day One

This is pretty straight forward. A friend of mine posted a list of things that really got me thinking. So I wanted to take a shot at writing about that list. It’s 10 items long so my plan is to post for the next ten days regarding that list and things that are tied to it.

Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.

10. Not everyone sees “faith” the same way. One way isn’t better or “right” let alone “wrong”. All the religions are in essence the same. So why is there such a big gap between people.

9. I keep hoping against hope that your insane intellect will somehow rub off on me or that I will get it via osmosis. Alas, such hopes have not come to pass.

8. Dude, I don’t understand why you are so afraid of me.

7. So when your bird dies, does your Grandma finally “die” too? You were always too much drama. Oh, and your feet STANK!!

6. Please don’t make the same mistakes your parents did! You are way too smart to do something foolish.

5. Even in your old age, can you stop with the racism, you big hypocrite?

4. Why can’t we be friends?

3. Will you please sit down, stop worrying about everyone else and just watch the movie? Tell everyone to shut up or get out of the room so that you can have some peace and quiet in your own home!

2. You should never even entertain the idea that you have failed at anything! I have known you for a while now and have seen you accomplish more things than most other people. Your drive to learn and grow is inspiring not just to me but to so many others as well. You are such a wonderful influence to have and I am grateful everyday that your my buddy!

1. You already know I love you. And you are gonna marry me one day. I can always forgive you, and just hope that you will do me that courtesy as well. We will one day have a house and a dog.

No picture on this post. Turns out my scanner is on the fritz! NOOOoooo….!!!

Barbra WHY?

Wow!!

Big news coming from the mouth of Barbra Streisand that she would love to play the role of Mama Rose in a feature film.

She has been in talks with several people and there are backers like Warner Bros. and Joel Silver for the idea so I think it may actually happen.

While I do love me some Babs, I have to wonder: What the hell are you thinking, gurl? Yes, you have performed some amazing roles, but does the world really need another remake of Gypsy? It’s just been on Broadway for the umpteenth time in recent years, and it already has two versions, one starring Roslyn Russell and the other while it was a TV movie was still a well produced piece starring the Divine Miss M, Bette Midler. There have been many incredible women who have played this iconic role, what would you bring to it that hasn’t already been done?

I love you to death Babs, but please don’t do it. Although I would still go and watch it. There are rumors that Tom Hanks may be asked to play Herbie, which has Barbra even more stoked for this project. So I will ask for not another remake, but won’t deny that I won’t have my behind in a darkened theatre on opening day!

Just for kicks, check out the current diva who played Mama Rose.

No wonder she won the Tony!! Work it, Patti.

Speaking of just for kicks. Every diva has her moments, but I totally agree!!

Shut your face!!!

That is my equivalent of the “Get outta here” disbelief type shout! In my readings of the webz, I have found a nifty little piece of news that made me squeal with glee like a precious piggy.

That bit of squeal inducing news was that Judy Craymer, producer for Mama Mia!, is currently working on a new show titled “Viva Forever.”

Does that title remind anyone of a particular song or album? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? If this doesn’t sound familiar, then you must be unfamiliar with a little known girl group called THE SPICE GIRLS!! Now before you roll your eyeballs back into their sockets, take heart that this isn’t a tribute show to the UK quintet. Think of it along the same lines as Mamma Mia. A show that focused a story around the songs of Abba. This will be essentially the same thing. The hope is for the show to premiere in the West End (of course!) in the next two or three years. The story, at least what’s known so far, will focus on a group of women who exemplify the things that the Spice Girls stood for. Things like being true to oneself, cultivating your friendships, and creating your own identity. And don’t worry, you won’t be seeing an appearance from neither Posh, Sporty, Baby, Scary, nor Ginger Spice as the show will steer clear of the 90′ pop sensations. According to Craymer, ‘We live in a world dominated by people wanting to be famous. What the Spice Girls did was before those shows became really what they are, and before the world become slightly obsessed by such shows. It has a glimpse of the underbelly of TV talent shows, an invented show, and a little bit of comedy romance.’ I am waiting on pins and needles to see the end result.

I am an unapologetic fan of pop music. I have to admit that I love all kinds of music, except for hard core rap. I just can’t identify with lyrics that have rely so much on profanity. You can turn up your nose or whatever you do when you want to be a snob, please feel free. It doesn’t bother me. I understand that not everyone likes the same thing that I do, and I am fine with that. What I love about pop is that it’s catchy. And when it’s a really good song it will stick with you even when you don’t want it to be there. In a time when I hear some people saying that some of the more modern musicals like Legally Blonde and Spring Awakening aren’t that good because the songs aren’t catchy, I am looking forward to seeing what happens with this show, because the Spice Girls never had a problem with getting songs stuck in people’s heads.