Recommended Reading

In honor of my striking brethren in Local One, I am recommending the book Making It on Broadway: Actors' Tales of Climbing to the Top by David Wiener and Jodie Langel. An easy read, it divides the actors' experience into pertinent sections (survival jobs, landlords, first gigs, etc.) and compiles a short anecdotal quote from a Broadway actor relating to the topic at hand. At times truly hilarious and utterly depressing, it puts a microscope to the world of big-time commercial Broadway theatre.

Although I have never worked under the Production Contract (Broadway and most Broadway tours), the attitudes and situations featured are all too familiar to me. I myself have been guilty of "long-run-itis" described in detail in one section. Of course, I'd like to blame most of these instances as the insecurities of a neophyte actor and I hope I've outgrown those impulses and attained a more professional demeanor (I'm sure there are many who would refute that). Though admittedly unprofessional, I do have fond memories of extreme upstaging and focus stealing, moving mole matinees, uncontrollable fits of laughter forcing me to turn upstage exposing quivering shoulders to the audience, and competitions to see who could sing the highest, most outrageous harmonies on the offstage mics during the show because we were simply "bored." In retrospect, totally inappropriate - but I can't deny that I enjoyed myself at the time.

I've probably come full circle and am now a professionalism Nazi. I'm always scolding my students for not taking their stage responsibilities more seriously. Oh well, I guess there is a middle ground somewhere. Until I find it, I'll just continue abusing my young charges and glow in the memories of past indiscretion.

So please feel free to let me know if you'd like to borrow my copy - and by borrow I mean get your cheap lazy ass up from your computer and buy your own copy because whenever I loan out a book (or CD or DVD for that matter) I never get it back!