Nice guy, a tough habit?

So I am currently in tach week for a show called the Marriage of Heaven and Hell. To be concise, it combines the elements of William Blake's Proverbs of Hell (all 70 of them), Live music, improvised movement (and choice of proverbs), live lights and camera operators, clutter filler Purgatory (including 12 TV's running), a wedding, factions from Heaven and Hell, and nine actors. Oh and there's a Slinky. That last part is really not very important, just stuck me as a nice button to the list. So, all this is being blended to one hour long late night show, here in Movie Town. I oddly am enjoying it though. Everyone on stage and behind it seems oblivious to the staggering odds against this and consequently are pouring their hearts into it. That is awsome! I co-directed a show back in Chicago a few years ago that had EVERY element of success going for it, yet it lacked that commitment by so many involved that it barely sustained its run. The best truly was when we flew fast and loose my friend! (inside joke)

This brings me to my point, at least the one that made me want to write. Over the last few years I have sought to challenge myself by playing more sweet, humble, and vulnerable characters when I can. As I more often play scum, it's been nice trying the meeker guys. I did this through most of Second City and brought it out here, apparently. I received a similar note after rehearsal a week or so ago, one I've heard frequently since trying my challenge. That note usually resmbles, "what would happen if that (character) finally lost it?"
I decided, perhaps it might be time to let the nice guy finish last again. Lo and behold, my personal Mr. Hyde was waiting at the door. It took no time to change my persona on stage from victim to alpha dog, when I want it. I certinly did not get pushed (perverbially) anymore. I know I can take control on stage, in improv, or just with physical movement. I am enjoying the strength again in that confidence and am looking to hone it further.

A brief side note here though. By this sort of bravado, I am still adhering to the principles I was taught in improv and simple etiquitte on stage. I still strive to make others look good and never try to overpower someone without them having a say in things. That's just shitty. It's fun to take the fall, but not because you were sucker punched.

Now, the question raised in this confidence, swagger renaissance is how far has this gone in my life beyond the stage? I know I have Jeckyl and Hyde at all times. That is essentially a drunk's story. I know I have worked hard to improve my life and become responsible and trustworthy. Believe me, I needed it. Boxing cops used to sound like a good idea. I wonder though if I have declawed the cat too much though? Am I in need of a little more aggression again? I am referring towards my carreer as an actor mostly. It takes a lot to keep trying and I don't feel tappped at all, but would that cockiness help me some? i spek of course in a moderation perspective. Where else has my life lacked some of this element? Is being a nice guy actually a tough habbit to break? Or just a lousey cliche?

Tiff recently wrote, " LA is as brutal as it comes. New York, for all it's grit and height and compaction--rises above the detorioration of LA's best."

I feel the burning of opinion here...

I couldn't agree more with your synopsis of LA. As for its "art" that supposedly exsists, why would anyone want to try to find it? If the plastic coating is so thick and self-sustaining in its BS justification and pomp, who gives a damn that real art and inspiration have created a fall-out shelter deep beneath the surface of Tinsle Town? True, there is real art and artists here. True great work is being done here. Honestly though, what is the point of waiting to find it? For some this is a dream. I do not fault anyone their dream or where they chose to find it. To me though, art should not have to survive in a bunker and those chosing to pursue it should not constantly have remind themselves why? It should be evident all around them, inspiring them and guiding them.

Is New York such a place? I don't know for certain. What I know is that I have not tried to live there. I do not know what it is like to survive on Rammen until my body just rejects it like one artist I know there. None the less, I do know having lived no closer than 1000 miles to the Big Apple thus far that there is great art being done and readily available for all to see.

My resume to date includes Denver, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and now LA. Three of the four biggest cities in our country. Lately I have joked with people that all I need is NY to finish my punch card. They tell me I will win a trip to London then. I haven't got it in me to tell them I tried that too.

My big commercial debut!

http://www.greendotfilms.com

Here's the link to my big commercial debut! Go to Greendotfilms.com, select directors, select Richard Sears, and then pick the middle picture on the top row! Ta-da!

Baby Vicious

So here it is at long last, the promised picture of my new niece, Sydney Marie Coleman! I know I am an ubber dork about this, but I frankly don't care. This little girl was the highlight of my difficult trip back to Colorado.

After finisjing a 70hr week PA'ing, I hopped on a flight to Denver and just managed to miss the blizzard. There were still several make-shift camp sites when I arrived at DIA. In my state of sleep deprivation I bemused at the odd similarity I witnessed over the last 24 hours. The last night of the shoot was in and over the LA River. There were virtual cities of tarps, shopping carts, and trashbags down there. DIA was similar if bums all used Northface jackets and Tumi luggage. Ok, so not similar, but I was tired!

Once in Colorado, the snow never stopped. While I was there I saw another 18 inches fall on the city that gave me one stinking snow day while in school. It was so beautiful. LA has made me ache for winter and I definitely got some. Plus, it was nice winter. Not like Chicago that will inevitably make you hate your life while waiting for an Express bus downtown. I even got stuck a couple extra days due to the mere threat of a new bad storm coming in.

Returning to LA has been a rollercoaster thus far. I have had a couple PA days come through, a couple auditions, and began rehearsals for a stage show in February. Life has been busy. I still feel like I am catching up from last month. If I don't look too far ahead, LA can be tollerable. That means I am not even thinking about tonight yet...

December stretch

Ah, the days are short and the sights and smells of the holidays are in the air... Well, the days are short at least out here. I am trying to find my best course of action with the upcoming situations and changes. There is a strike occuring in the production field out here. It does not include PA's but it happens to include our bosses. Now here is the difficulty for me. The people I work for that look out for me are on strike. I am not being asked not to work in the least, but at the same time it is hard to accept that I am going to try to do my job well and thus counter their efforts to disrupt our work. Honestly, I wish I could just forget about work for a spell and join them, but this is December and I have Christmas and Jan's rent on my mind. So, I go to work. Today has been a maelstrom of calls from the folks taking over this job. Slowly but surely they are starting to see me as their go-to guy as I know the director's quirks. This is gratifying as one that enjoys acknowledgement for his efforts, but difficult for the reasons already listed. On top of all this, it's a week or so before Christmas. When we begin shooting here in LA, I will be consumed with work till I leave. This is a lot to take in.

I also just had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with a close college friend, Tanya. She came out to visit for a few days and it was so damn good. Having been out here for five months now, I have forgotten how great it is to spend time with a friend that knows you so well. I am tired and homesick and well. Here's to that holiday cheer, where ever you are!

Holiday spirit in LA

Ah, the air is crisp and the lights of the season are up. It's nice around here. Nothing makes you feel so festive as when the temperature dips down to the upper 70's! For those not completely clear on the sarcasm here, I LIKE SNOW! It does not bother me. Ergo, I am as unhappy in LA as most are with actual winter. Ever spend too much time in a grocery store? The perpetual florescent lighting kinda messes with you. Well, constant, unchanging sun and heat do the same. I wonder if the locals I see wandering about, unable to speak quickly or be on time to anything, are just over exposed?

In order to try to capture a little of the holiday spirit, Tiff and I went out and got a tree yesterday. Now with our friend staying over and a tree, our shoebox called home is a shade tighter. Still, we love having the both of them to be sure!

In final and most exciting news. I am soon to become an uncle! I got the call this morning from my brother and they are on the way to the hospital to induce labor. I am excited and a bit stunned to be honest. I want to be there but cannot figure out how to fly out to Colorado just 3 weeks before I am flying out to Colorado. Stay tuned, I will be that guy posting pictures ad-naseum when she has arrived!

A classic weekend

So the minor dry spell of auditions is starting to crack. I have 4 coming up this weekend. The odd thing is that they are all for plays. In LA, plays or live theatre seem to always be a surprise. Just not what you expect here. Seriously though, why would you? You don't go to Vegas for the libraries. You don't go to Hawaii for the museums. You don't come to LA hoping to do live theatre. I was in an audition a couple weeks back and chatting with another guy there to audition. He asked what I did mostly and I told him I had just moved here from Chicago, that I mostly did live shows and improv. He seemed genuinely impressed and said, "oh that's real acting, I could never do that." I didn't bother to inquire how he was planning on walking into the next room to audition. Conference call?

OK, so I got derailed there. The strange part about the upcoming auditions is less that they are for live theatre and more that all 4 are classical monologue requirements. I kid you not, I have 2 auditions for Romeo and Juliet tomorrow alone. My Shakespeare monologues are sort of the accessory of my audition tools. I know there backward and forwards, but it seems rare I need them. I tried polishing off a new "classical monologue," or at least period a while back. I chose a great passage from Pride and Prejudice . Of course, I was in a rebellion phase of auditions at the time and would occasionally show up to audition for a doctor role in garage shirts. Long story short, the Austin monologue failed utterly and I never went back.

So here's to a great weekend for one and all. Me and the Bard will be tight.