Search

The article presents information on several choreography competitions in the U.S. It states that the competitions serve as audition experience while increasing a choreographer's visibility. According to Janek Schergen, artistic director of the Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, their focus is on people who are finding their first jobs as choreographers. Information is also provided on the Genesis International Choreographic Competition and the Princess Grace Awards Choreography Fellowship.

The article reports on the application of the newly developed software iSession by Casting Frontier, a casting studio in Los Angeles, California. According to the said company, the software reduces actor's bulky headshots, size cards and resumes to a bar code that once scanned at auditions. On the other hand, Joey Rubenstein, founder and CEO of Casting Frontier stressed that the company receives criticisms from entertainers who are not in favor to the application of the software.

The article presents a profile of John Mahoney, a theater and film actor. It is stated that critical acclaim for the play "Orphans," brought Mahoney to New York in 1985. He has played supporting roles in films by several directors. In Roundabout Theatre Co.'s revival of Craig Lucas' play "Prelude to a Kiss," Mahoney portrays a character that has been listed as Old Man. It is stated that "Prelude to a Kiss," is the actor's return to Broadway after 20 years.

The article presents several comedy actors in the arts festival in the U.S. Kirk Fox is a former tennis professional who taught the sports for 10 years to Hollywood prominent people, and dabbled in film acting and finally signed with 3 Arts Entertainment. John Ramsey started his career in a comedy competition in his law school and continue to be in the entertainment industry and a lawyer as well. Ian Bagg loves interacting with the crowd wherever he may be.

The article discusses issues about the musical comedy "Jerry Springer: The Opera," in which after failed attempts to launch on Broadway, will finally make its U.S. debut on March 17 and 18, 2007. Christian Institute and Christian Voice were cited to be the two Great Britain-based organizations that spearheaded the anti-Springer campaigns beginning January 2005. It is said that producers are waiting to see if the show's groups of protesters will follow it to the U.S.

The article examines the issue concerning the collective bargaining agreement between the members of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) to establish a new Independent Production Agreement for the entertainment industry in Canada. It is accounted that the battle between ACTRA and CFTPA is being influenced by the Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The article profiles Joshua Huff, an actor who moved to New York to launch his musical theater career. He gave up his job as a cater-waiter to work as piano dancer. He had a renewed interest in learning and tried to focus on progressing as an actor. He even took a job as an advertising agency receptionist and became a part-time nanny. He has enrolled in an eight-week television class, focusing on the acting techniques for soap operas, commercials, and television dramas and comedies.

The article features the Actors' Fund of America's Lillian Booth Actor's Home in Englewood, New Jersey. Most of the residents of the assisted-living facility are former working members of entertainment industry. Among them are vaudevillians, theater actors, and musicians whose age range from 70s to 80s. Seventy percent of the residents are women while 30 percent are men, and most of them are singled. The institution is operated with a $7.5 million budget.

The article discusses the author's experience of singing on cruise ships. The author says that he has participated in nearly 20 shows on 10 different ships over the past 12 years. He says that he has worked with many talented singers, dancers and choreographers. He says that he was the lead singer on board an old ship called the Westerdam.

The article presents information on the theater company called Our Time Theatre Company, formed in 2001, by Taro Alexander. The group seeks to aid young stutterers and to give them a safe harbor where they can find their artistic voices at their own pace. Members of the company, who range in age from 8 to 18, study acting, singing, playwriting, drumming, and dance alongside professional artists, completely free of charge.

The article presents an interview with several cast members of the television program "The Office," including Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker and Kate Flannery, about how they landed their roles and how much of the show is improvised. Kinsey recalls her audition for the role of Pam which went to Jenna Fisher.

The article focuses on role played by agents and managers in building up the clients career. In California and in New York, talent agents are responsible for sending clients on auditions and managers are responsible for shaping an actor's career. Collectively having free communication is helpful in building up the clients career and maintaining the harmony.

The article discusses the influence of the theatrical production "Visions," on addicts. Bob L., playwright of "Visions" penned the play on addiction and recovery during his early stages of recovery from alcoholism. Jane M., a recovering alcoholic, has performed in the play since it began in 1992. She comments that after watching the play, people come up to her and admit that the play gives them hope. "Visions" has been performed in hospitals, clinics, schools and churches, and prisons.

The article presents the author's views on three dance performances of different dance troupes. The dance troupes are "New Ballet Choreographers," "Back to the Present," and an evening of modern pieces by "Elisa Monte Dance Co." According to the author, the most satisfying performance was given by "New Ballet Choreographers," in one of its shows named "Masada." The other performance by "Back to the Present," was directed by Constanza Macras but was not up to the mark.

This article presents the author's views on the persona of Patrick Quinn, president of the Actors' Equity Association, who died on September 24, 2006. Patrick was a dedicated personality who was very much devoted to his job as president of the association for six years. He was well aware of the needs of a working actor and had a passion to be an effective leader.

The article presents information about New York-based dance company Dance New Amsterdam (DNA). According to co-founder and executive director of DNA, Charles Wright, the new facility serves as a full-service organization for dancers. Dancers can train in ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop alongwith performing at its 135-seat theatre.

This article presents information on the presentations of non-American theatrical productions in New York City by foreign artists from countries like Argentina, Morocco, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Germany. The non-American plays are presenting a challenge before the local audiences and actors. The plays "Buenos Aires in Translation" and "The Conspirators" can be named as important ones in this context.

The article focuses on the efforts of Katherine Vockins who founded Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), a prison based theater and then its affiliated nonprofit organization, Prison Communities International Inc. Vockins got the idea for RTA after her husband volunteered as an instructor at a privately funded master's degree program at Sing Sing. She started raising funds from private sources and enlisting theatre professionals to teach and direct. Since then, 15 productions have been staged inside the prison, 11 of them written by inmates. Initially there was hesitation by prison officials to fully embrace RTA.

The article discusses issues related to product placement in mass media in the U.S. Last month, while the television networks were staging their upfront presentations for advertisers, the Writers Guild of America held a press conference to reiterate its objections to product placement--the practice of positioning name-brand items in a scene and weaving them into dialogue. Like actors and writers, marketers and studio executives are wary of branded entertainment, because excessive commercialism can have a negative impact on the products being sold and the shows serving as a platform.

The article presents information on the first-ever Emmy poll by the journal "Back Stage East," asking the readers to vote for the favorite theatrical performers in the top categories. According to the readers "Lost" is one of the best shows on TV that won the Golden Globe for drama series. They voted for actress Kristen Bell in the outstanding lead actress category for her performance in the drama series "Veronica Mars." Actor, Matthew Fox is the outstanding lead actor; he has voted for his performance in the play "Lost."

The article reflects on the possible winners for 2005-2006 Tony Awards for theater. The trend shows that more than one show will dominate the contest. The drama "The Drowsy Chaperone" has 13 nominations, which is the largest number. "The Color Purple" is just behind with 11 nominations. Another theatrical production "Jersey Boys," which is one of the season's surprise hits, could take as many as four nominations. "Sweeney Todd" and "The History Boys" could have at least three nominations.

The article presents information on ways in which actors can prepare to perform on unmiked outdoor stage. Heat, cold, wind, humidity, stages without walls, large arenas, and ambient noise all present challenges for the voice. There are several important things to know, dialect coach Domenique Lozano informs: Using the voice outdoors is all about breath support, shaping words, and focusing. She observes that the acoustics of many outdoor venues favor slightly higher-pitched male voices and lower-pitched female voices. Lozano instructs her students to take the minimal amount of breath needed rather than unnecessarily huge gulps of air.

The article presents information on the life and career of Charles Busch, who has made his reputation by writing and playing larger-than-life female characters in plays. Save for his writing, he'd been found on the far side of the footlights for his entire career when Showtime offered the non-director the chance to helm a five-minute short for its series Quick Flicks in 2002. The result, "Personal Assistant," starring Kathie Lee Gifford, so impressed Daryl Roth, who had produced the Broadway transfer of Busch's play "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife," that she told him to come to her if he ever wanted to direct a feature.

The article reviews the theatrical production "A Safe Harbor for Elizabeth Bishop," directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and starring Amy Irving, performed at the 59 E58 Theaters in New York City.

The article presents information on the comeback of theater personality, Amy Irving with the solo play "A Safe Harbor for Elizabeth Bishop," by Maria Góes. She has performed in several other plays including "The Guys," "The Exonerated," and "The Vagina Monologues." The solo play holds importance for Irving as it offers her the kind of character she loves to play, with an elusive surface that she doggedly accesses through research and by forging personal bonds with the material. The play reveals the complexity of Bishop's work.

The article focuses on the efforts provided by the writer and director, James Gunn, in the making of the horror film, Slither, and also provides an insight into his career growth. Set in a small American town where an alien force unleashes zombies, sluglike creatures, and a bizarre man-squid monster, Slither is a hybrid of horror, comedy, and nonstop action that manages to blend all the genres without compromising any of them. The film "The Specials" helped put Gunn's career in motion, and soon he was hired to write the big-budget adaptations.

The article presents information on panel discussions at the Actors Center's first Congress of Actors and Acting Teachers, held on January 7-8 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center in New York City. Assembled by J. Michael Miller, founder and president of New York City's Actors Center, the gathering was designed to explore what he called the actor's marginalization as an artist in society. Joining him at various panels and symposia were such high-profile performers as Audra McDonald, Billy Crudup, and Olympia Dukakis, along with the newspaper "The New York Times"'s theatre critic Charles Isherwood.

The article presents several tips for getting good photographs. It refers certain submitted photographs and comments about that. It suggests that one should talk to several photographers regarding style and quality before choosing one. For a headshot one has to choose with comfortable, relaxed poses without hands on anywhere near the face. A healthy but not heavy makeup should help to look good. It would be better to try out poses in the mirror beforehand. Keeping the chin down helps to open the eyes and focus the gaze.

The article presents information on fiscal sponsorship for performing artists. Fiscal sponsorship often provides a bridge for individuals who either take on all the costs themselves or who go full-force toward creating a company and having overhead. It provides a way for some foundations and others to support artists' work. Furthermore, sponsorship programs have different eligibility requirements. Many directors use the theatre where their work will be presented as the fiscal conduit for their fundraising.

The article reports on vocal musician Sam Chawt concerning his views on erasing and acquiring of accents in theatrical plays. Chwat discusses how social changes in England have led to multiple changes in indigenous accents. Chawt remarks on the greater command that English actors have attained over accents compared to American actors. Chawt lists Marcia Gay Harden's Brooklyn Jewish accent for Pollock, Robert De Niro's Cape Fear Appalachian accent and Willem Dafoe's Transylvanian accent for the Shadow of the Vampire among the award winning performances.

The article presents information on the month of January as the dawning of pilot season for TV industry. It has been noted that during pilot season, television studios produce a number of pilots for the various television networks. These pilots are usually prototypes or sample first episodes of possible series for the next TV season. But to survive in the competition, one must have the right representatives on screen to tell people what he has to offer in the next episode. One of the main challenge one faces in the pilot season is of auditions.

The article focuses on the threat posed by the New York City's real estate market to the Broadway. The Broadway Dance Center is mired in a legal battle with its landlord, the Extell Development Co., to keep its space at 221 West 57th Street. Allison Ellner, the center's chief executive officer and director, said Extell offered her $1 million to leave but she declined, with relocation costs estimated at $3.4 million. Broadway Dance Center, on September 9, 2005 received a notice from Extell that they were in default of their lease for not having a public-assembly permit and that if the problem was not addressed within five days, their lease would be canceled.

The article looks at Broadway's interest in films as source material for stage musicals. There is considerable optimism that Broadway-to-cinema adaptations might once again flourish. These led by the theatrical releases of Mel Brooks' "The Producers," in December 2005, the rock musical "Rent", writer-director Bill Condon's "Dreamgirls" in 2006 and the Broadway blockbuster "Hairspray" in 2006. A brief description of the screen musical in the early decades is provided.

This article focuses on the acting prowess of Isaiah Washington, an African-American actor. This 42-year-old Houston, Texas, native has appeared in nearly 40 films, including the soon-to-be-released comedy "The Moguls," co-starring Jeff Bridges. Other credits include Steven Soderbergh's "Out of Sight," Clint Eastwood's "True Crime," and a number of Spike Lee flicks, with which he is most identified, including "Crooklyn," "Girl 6," "Get on the Bus," and "Clockers." On the small screen, Washington has guest-starred on such programs as "NYPD Blue," "Law & Order," "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "Ally McBeal."

The article focuses on the features of voice recorders from different companies, and also presents a correction to an article published in a previous issue. With SpeakEasy software installed on iPhone from Apple Inc., one can pause and then resume recording. It is stated that a recorder from Treo Corp. offers excellent voice-recording options. The Blackberry device can also be used for recording. A correction to the article "Tempest Tossed," in the September 18, 2008 issue is also presented.

The article presents the views of performing arts experts on how they find an acting teacher in the U.S. One of the aspects looked by Doug Warhit of Los Angeles, California in an acting teacher is the suitability of the level of the class work to the individual's needs. Maggie Flanigan of New York prefers to seek a few referrals when looking for an acting teacher. Michael Howard Studios teacher Gabrielle Berberich says that the relationship between actor and teacher is very personal.

The article offers advice on how to deal with talent manager. Checking the background of the manager must come first, including what he has done that qualifies him to manage one's career. Asking about the number of actors he has managed is an important question. Knowing the agencies the manager work with is also important.

The article offers information on the life and works of actress Susan Sullivan. It describes the different characters played by Sullivan in television programs, including a do-gooder wife, Maggie Gioberti in CBS's primetime soap opera "Falcon Crest." It mentions that Sullivan's professional success has come after 20 years of hard work and informs about the early roles she played in television and theater. It also discusses Sullivan's reasons for becoming an actor.

The article presents information on orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett. After formal training in Paris, Bennett moved to New York City, where he worked as a copyist and created dance band arrangements for the composers of the day. He also composed symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and operas. He has composed music for musicals like "Rose Marie," "Show Boat," and "Girl Crazy."

The article presents the reasons why actors should accept a particular role or project. It is stated that there are only three reasons when an actor should ever go on an audition or accept an acting job. The first reason stated is monetary cause and the second reason mentioned is career advancement. The third reason stated is artistic challenge.

The article presents information on the life and works of Hugh Leon, actor and head of the commercial department at Coast to Coast Talent Agency. Leon began as a child actor and grew up in New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of California in Los Angeles, California, as a drama major and later switched to communications. The agent values meeting every actor who comes to him, even if he is not ultimately going to represent him or her.

The article presents information on the life and works of actor Tanna Frederick. Frederick attended the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, on a theatre scholarship, double-majoring in theatre arts and political science. In Henry Jaglom's critically acclaimed film "Hollywood Dreams," Frederick plays a mishap-prone aspiring actor navigating the industry. She starred in Jaglom's play "A Safe Place," which led him to offer her the role in "Hollywood Dreams."

The article presents information on the impact of inflation and economic downturn on actors. Across the U.S., inflation and the ailing economy has hit actors more profoundly because many of them live hand-to-mouth under normal circumstances. New York actor Alex Hayes has become too broke to take acting classes and buy new headshots. Even established actors are being forced to downsize.

The article presents an interview with several actors and artists who are trying to establish themselves in television and motion picture industry including Nadia Owusu, Deborah Lynn Anderson and Scott Winters. Owusu says that she has got a part in the short film "Camera." Anderson says that on the sets of the film "Notorious," she learned that networking gets one inside, and talent keeps one there. Winters says that he felt pride in doing background work for a film.

The author reflects on image perception of an actor in the commercials. The author considers commercials as a platform to reflect the talent of an actor and the related people like director. The author gives views on teachings by actors' image consultant Sam Christensen. The author thinks that knowing who one is isn't the same as knowing how one is perceived. An overview of two experiments to analyze how one is perceived including asking every known person to describe you in one word is offered.

The article offers information on the mask theater and the techniques of performing in the mask. It presents views of mask and movement coach Dana Wieluns on the use of masks in acting training programs, the styles of physical theater, and her interests in those styles. It also mentions the necessity of examining the sculptural characteristics of the mask and maintaining whole-body coordination with it. Also mentioned are the uses of mask studies in theatrical performances.

The article presents information on the shaping of the theatrical production "Passing Strange," by singer and songwriter Stew. It is stated that creative collaborator of the play, Heidi Rodewald and Stew had been working on the play for more than 4 years. It is mentioned that Stew wanted to create a cabaret piece instead of a theater due to his lack of experience about it. Writer Annie Dorsen helped Stew shape his real life experiences as a member of the band Negro Problem into a play.

The article provides information regarding the drama and films with blind lead characters in the U.S. The author stresses that companies, such as the Theatre by the Blind, wishes there were more blind lead characters, and urge for blind actors to be casted in such roles. The author also notes that disabled characters are commonly portrayed by able-bodied actors, with some notable exceptions.