Survey Thingie

I did this a while back, but I like to do it anew every now and again. It's fun, and hey...maybe you'll learn a little something about me...

LAST SHOW ADDED TO YOUR RESUME: Hamlet (PENDING)

LAST SHOW YOU AUDITIONED FOR: Last audition was UPTA, this last weekend. The last audition I had for a show was for 1:23 at Synchronicity. Man, I wanted that show.

DID YOU GET IT: No... Won't make any excuses, but I still think I woulda been pretty darn good for it.

LAST SONG YOU USED AT AN AUDITION: "Just a Moment in the Woods"(?) from Into the Woods

FAVORITE MUSICAL(s): Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Jesus Christ Superstar

FAVORITE PLAY(s): I'm a big fan of Henry IV Part 1, but only about half of it, really. Contemporary stuff that I like is Sweet Eros and The Pillowman. For that matter, I had such a visceral reaction to Pillowman that I carried it around trying to get other people to read it. I also LOVE Antigone.

LEAST FAVORITE MUSICAL(s) or PLAY(s): Ohh? I don't know. I tend to not have the same visceral response of hatred to theatre as I do to film. Goodbye to the Clown is a play I wouldn't want to do again, but I don't know if it's most hated. Probably something super self-important. Something that has many qualities of Rent, but without the nostalgia factor.

FAVORITE ROLE YOU'VE PLAYED, AND FROM WHAT SHOW? I've got several that I've simply loved. Claudio, Bottom and Tom from Glass Menagerie come to mind immediately. But, I've never had more fun than with John Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet. I just don't know if anything is going to top it for a bit. You know...unless...

A ROLE YOU’RE DYING TO PLAY: There's this Hotspur fellow. I think I've mentioned him once or twice.

Also, I'd love another crack at Tom, and there are several Shakespeare folks (Benedick, The Dauphin from King John, and, secretly...in my heart of hearts...Romeo.) that I'd love to try.

And the Young Man from Sweet Eros. Though Lee did a great job when I directed it. And Roat from Wait Until Dark. And...

SUPERSTITION: I don't have superstitions. I have things I do tend to do before a show, though. I try to listen to music that is similar in theme to the character. I pray right before I go on stage. However, most of these are things I just happen to do. I know the wheels won't fall off if I don't do it. Closest thing I've ever come to a superstition is when I was doing The Lost Colony. My lead in song was "High Barbary" which has a pretty strong beat to it. Every night, since I started it, I would stand at the bottom of the staircase and pound out the beat on the stair railing before I entered. It got me in a very Simon mood.

YOUR GOAL IN SHOW BUSINESS: I mean...support my family, help people, make a living. I don't know. Specifically, in my life, at one point I would like to work with a group of young, professional actors, not unlike an apprenticeship. Laura Cole has the job I want the most.

FAVORITE DIRECTOR YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH: Man, there are so many. I've loved working with Christina Vaccaro (even if it was only in scenes...), Jason Leyva (even if his chaotic nature clashes with my lawful nature...), and Ross Bolen (when he's on, mind you...). But, I've got to say, the one I have to give it to is Robert Valentine. He spoke my language and showed me a passion that I wasn't sure I had in me. For so many reasons, I am where I am today because of Bob Valentine. He's a director that, if he called me today, and KNEW he just HAD to have me for something, I would go...

WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST SHOW?: Oh, Lord...some show when I was in first grade. I played a guitar playing elf for Christmas and went up to my parents saying, "Mom, Dad, I want to be an actor!" Little did they know...

The show that I judge as my first "real" show was The Transferred Ghost my freshman year at MCHS. I played a guy named Cecil Villars. Thank you, Myra Cleaver!

First truly professional show? Anything at Double JJ. I remember marveling at my check. "I'm getting this...because I'm an actor. Wow..."

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A DANCE SOLO?: Maybe? You do a little bit of everything at the Double JJ Ranch and Resort, whether or not you're any good.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SINGING SOLO? Yes. Avram in Fiddler on the Roof and as myself in Double JJ's A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll. I still know all the lyrics to the first verse of "I Like It, I Love It".

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THE LAST PERSON TO TAKE A BOW? Hello Barrymore!

HAVE YOU BEEN TO NEW YORK? I have been in that city, yes.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO LA?: Nope. So very far. We'll see.

WHAT'S THE SCARIEST PART OF AN AUDITION?: Trying to memorize something beforehand, knowing that I'll never be able to get off book. So, basically, wasting my time.

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF AN AUDITION?: Cattle call or regular? Cattle call, it's got to be the moment, in the beginning, when I know I am going to crush all opposition. Regular, just doing the work, man. Getting up there and trying to connect with someone.

NAME A SHOW YOU WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN: You know, there's a caveat to this. I'm still at the point where I'd do just about anything for the right price. But, like I said before, Goodbye to the Clown and (Yes...)Spreading It Around aren't shows that I would want to necessarily revisit.

NAME A SHOW YOU COULD DO FOR YEARS: Something Shakespeare. Let's all do Much Ado and switch up parts every year. It is a show that I could probably do forever.

WHAT ARE YOU AUDITIONING FOR NEXT? It's sort of up in the air right now. I know I'm doing Atlanta Unifieds, but there's a chance I may go in to audition for Kentucky Shakespeare Festival as well. We'll see.

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PAST CAST MEMBERS?: I try to. There are some folks I keep in touch with. Sharon and Ryan Mills are people that I don't talk to for months, but it feels exactly the same as when I left New Jersey six (SIX?!) years ago. I also try to keep up with a couple of folks from Double JJ and some from Lost Colony (SPECTRUM!). So, I dunno...I try.

ON A SCALE OF 1-10, HOW IMPORTANT IS GETTING PAID?: At this point in my career, it's a 9. I'm to the point where getting paid is of the utmost important, because I'm trying to make this my lively hood. I'm not seeking out employment at places that won't pay me. Now, that being said, there are a couple of places that could probably get away with paying me a super low stipend, if they have to be in the right geographic space, with the correct pull to make my resume look awesome.

SOMETHING EMBARRASSING OR UNEXPECTED THAT HAPPENED TO YOU WHILE ON STAGE?: The one that keeps coming back to me is "The Story of Jacob and the Dog". I will probably toss that up as it's own post some day... Outside of that, probably when my mustache came half off during a performance of The Importance of Being Earnest. I went in for a hug, and came back with it half-askew. I stood, listening to the crowd slowly begin to titter, excused myself, went backstage to rip it off, came back out, and enjoyed the reaction from the audience. It's original practice, man. You have to acknowledge when something like that happens. The audience will love you for it.

WHO IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PERSON (ON STAGE OR OFF) THAT YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH? You know, everyone is so lame when it comes to this. "Ohh, I think I'll keep this to myself." Blah, blah, blah. If you don't want to answer it, take it out of the survey! Matt Hatton. He stays on top. He was a terrible stage manager, but a good guy. In college, when I saw that he was the SM for something, I would avoid it. Also, to quote the last time I did a survey like this, "There are no directors that I hate. Just directors that made me hate acting. So I quit working with them. Simple."

EVER BEEN NAKED ONSTAGE?: Nope. But I probably would, for the right part.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN KILLED?: Dogg...I do Shakespeare. Of course I've been killed. I've even been beheaded! I'll have to post a picture of that at some point.

BEEN DRUNK?: The one that stands out is Tom from Glass. As someone who doesn't drink, it's sort of hard to pull off. But, I think I was alright.

PLAYED SOMEONE HALF YOUR AGE?: Maybe? Young George Gibbs was pretty darn young.

PLAYED SOMEONE TWICE YOUR AGE?: Yep. Leonato was pretty darn old.

CRIED?: Rarely. I have a problem getting tears to come, but there have been a (VERY) few occasions that it's happened. The one that sticks out is Our Town. It isn't something that comes naturally, though.

FIRED A GUN? WORD! "This cup is three times the thickness of your skin..."

BEEN DRENCHED? From sweat (gross) and rain, yes. Though Lost Colony was pretty good about not making us work in the rain. I was more drenched from sweat night after night...

BEEN IN A DREAM SEQUENCE? Yep. This seems like an odd question to ask.

BEEN KISSED?: Yes. Of course. Look at how "leading man" I am...

EVER PLAYED A GLB OR T?: Well...maybe. I don't know. I mean, I KNOW my opinion, but it's never expressly said. Tom is, of course, the guy I'm talking about. I don't think that you have time to play "gay" any more than you would play "straight". Just be the person.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN FORCED TO MISS A PERFORMANCE?: Yes...:( Hamlet: Prince of D.C.. I was overbooked and not able to make it from one theatre to another. They had an understudy who went on, but, damn man, I tried so hard to make it. I was so angry when I found out I missed it.

HAVE YOU EVER STEPPED IN FOR SOMEONE ELSE AT THE LAST MINUTE? Nope. I think that'd be a lot of fun, though.

WHAT'S THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCE UNDER WHICH YOU HAVE BLANKED OUT ON STAGE? Perhaps you will think this is funny, but I can't remember. I know I have. Not too recently. The last few shows have been so driven by the fear of, "I HAVE TO SHOW THEM WHY THEY NEED TO HIRE ME AGAIN!" that I don't give myself that opportunity. HOWEVER, I do have a pretty hilarious story about a buddy of mind blanking during The Faustus Project #14. This was a guy that isn't, really, an actor. Just a guy that I got the gig, because I am so very nice. He had this monologue at the top of the show. I'm backstage waiting to enter and hear a few lines, solidly...then silence. The director, who was also working the lights, told me later that he stopped...stared at the audience...and started walking toward him. The director was shaking his head furiously, but my friend just wouldn't stop. Luckily, I came out and picked up his cue. Hilarity. I just remembered I blanked in an audition recently. Even blogged about it. That sucks so much.

WORST COSTUME OR COSTUME MOMENT? Really, I don't know. I mean, costumes are something that just don't enter my logic as a performer. They can only enhance, I find that they very rarely detract. As an actor, that is.

ANY STAGE COMBAT? Yup. A little. On stage, I've got experience with rapier, broadsword, sword and shield, and hand to hand. Some of the stuff that stands out is Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet, Simon in The Lost Colony and just about anything at The Tavern.

WHO'S THE MOST UNLIKEABLE CHARACTER YOU HAVE EVER PLAYED? Larry Drayton. No question. I've played a hubristic guy who sold his soul to the devil, I've played a villain who talks smack to everyone who has a dream of the new world, calling them all idiots, I've played crooked cops (Det. Davenport in Funny Money, bullies (Toby Belch...yes, total bully), and some people who just represent evil at their most pure form (Roat...in high school. I want a real shot at him...) and no one, I repeat NO ONE is more unlikeable than Larry Drayton. Man, I couldn't stand being that guy. "Who knows? Her health could take a turn." YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR MOM, ASSHOLE!

HAVE YOU EVER SPOKEN/SUNG ON STAGE IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH? Nope. Just the English.

EVER FALLEN IN LOVE WITH AN ACTOR IN YOUR SHOW? Sure? Who hasn't?

EVER WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE? Nope...Never for a second.