vol 16 no.02 question of the month new york views much...

February 28, 2012 © 2012 All Rights Reserved

Vol 16 No.02

Question of the Month New York Views

In This Issue

Much AdoThe Twice Monthly Access Newsletter’s Blogby Richard Hart

Much Ado con’t on page 8

SUCCESS STORIES

Success Stories con’t on page 7

Sites Express

Much Ado Page 1New York Views Page 1Question of the Month Page 1Success Stories Page 1Sites Express Page 1

Quick Notes Page 2NY Production Notes Page 2 Exploring the Web Page 3Casting Corner Page 4

CHRISTMAS IN LONDON - Part II

The continuing chronicles of my adventures in London over the Christmas holidays. Enjoy!

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 281PM - Man alive, my dogs are barking! I feel like I haven’t stopped walking since I landed at Heathrow. Still, it’s worth it. Just got back from spending the morning at the British Museum with my friend Patricia. She’s spent a great deal of time there on her many trips to London and so I was treated to a lovely tour from a personal guide. What a beautiful museum! The most spectacular grand entrance room I think I’ve ever seen, with a magnificent ceiling, all glass and wrought iron. I can’t imagine, given its breadth, how it was ever constructed. The exhibit areas are very tastefully done, very much like the Met in NYC, although no

OFF BROADWAY SEASON: SPRING 2012

THE MORINI STRADPrimary Stages at 59E59Previews start: March 20Opening: April 3Director: Casey ChildsPlaywright: Willy Holtzman► Inspired by the true New York story of concert violinist Erica Morini and her legendary Stradivarius violin, Mr. Holtzman’s play focuses on the delicate relationship between Erica, a former child prodigy, and Brian, a stubborn violin maker she hires to restore and sell her beloved Strad.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAMClassic Stage CompanyPreviews start: March 28Opening: TBADirector: Tony SpecialePlaywright: William Shakespeare► Tony Award-winner Bebe Neuwirth plays Titania, the queen of the fairies, in Shakespeare’s immortal comic romp that continues to enchant audiences of all ages. Also stars Christina Ricci.

JUDITH OF BETHULIATheater for the New CityPreviews start: March 30

Here is another segment of Success Stories , the column devoted to the triumphs of our hardworking actors. This month we have chosen the accomplished artist, Adria Tennor. Tennor is an actress, writer and restaurateur. The grand daughter of Sam Tennor, a song plugger for Irving Berlin, Tennor made her film debut playing a twelve-year old school boy in Hal Hartey’s “Amateur” which premiered in the Directors Fortnight at Cannes. She works regularly on television, and is most known for her recurring roles on ABC Family’s late but great “Greek” as the kooky Professor Clarissa Hawn and Betty Draper’s frank-talking friend Joyce Darling on AMC’s “Mad Men.” This winter she appeared in

Question of the month con’t on page 6

New York Views con’t on page 5

Q: I am a NY client and I would like to get the LA Breakdowns. Is it possible to subscribe to the LA Breakdowns for a limited time only?

A: Yes. A Breakdown Services client who currently receives NY service can subscribe to the LA Breakdowns for as short a time period as a month. Many of our NY clients subscribe to the LA Breakdowns during pilot season. It allows them to take advantage of the castings during that time without having to make a long-term commitment. You can subscribe for just a month or take full advantage of the service during pilot season and subscribe from January through April. You may even decide to make the LA Breakdowns a permanent addition to your service.

Of course, you don’t have to wait until pilot season to sample the LA Breakdowns. If you are a NY client who currently receives the NY Breakdowns and you are considering expanding your business, you may want to considering receiving the LA Breakdowns for a short period to see how they work for you. Whatever you decide, Breakdown Services

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/08/watch-which-social-innova_n_1136891.html - top 11 social innovators saving the world In 2011.http://www.fullhousereviewed.com - for “Full House” fans only, reviews of every single episode in chronological order.http://reason.com/archives/2008/05/30/the-top-ten-solutions-to-the-w - from the 2008 Copenhagen Consensus Conference, the top ten solutions to the world’s biggest problems.http://www.good.is - the main goal of this site is to elevate the consciousness of the world.http://usahitman.com/mars-images - check out these new images of the planet Mars.http://www.freewillastrology.com/beauty/beauty.main270.shtml - find out how your year will shape up, courtesy of Rob Brezsny’s Free Will Astrology.


Vol 16 No.02

NY PRODUCTION NOTES

Ny Production Notes con’t on page 8

CBS has placed a pilot order for comedy “Super Fun Night” from Conan O’Brien and the untitled pilot from Louis C.K. and Spike Feresten.

Fox has picked up the untitled comedy pilot from Mindy Kaling and canceled “House” after eight seasons.

Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, and Bill Hader have signed on as the voice cast for the animated feature “Me & My Shadow”.

Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Alan Arkin will star in “Stand Up Guys” which shoots in April.

Gary Oldman is in talks to join Dominic Cooper and Amber Heard for “Motor City” which plans to shoot in Berlin in April.

Kate Hudson will star in “Everly” which shoots in May.

ABC has placed pilot orders for comedies “Malibu Country”, “Prairie Dogs”, “American Judy”, and “The Manzanis”.

Octavia Spencer has joined Chris Evans, John Hurt, and Tilda Swinton for “Snow Piercer” which shoots in April.

Michael Sheen has replaced Paul Bettany and Lizzy Caplan has joined the cast for the Showtime drama pilot, “Masters of Sex” which begins shooting in March in New York.

Shawnee Smith and Selma Blair have joined Charlie Sheen for the pilot of “Anger Management” which shoots in March.

Amy Adams will star in “Object of Beauty”.

Denzel Washington has joined Mark Wahlberg for “2 Guns”, shooting June 1st in New Mexico and Louisiana.

NBC has made a 13-episode order for “Hannibal” and picked up a pilot for “Notorious”.

novel, “Sophie’s Choice,” has been cancelled. Problems center on the script, which Long Wharf a.d. Gordon Edelstein, who was to direct, felt was not in good enough shape. Given the expense in mounting such an expansive production, Mr. Edelstein chose to replace the show with Toby Zinman’s stage adaptation of Aaron Posner’s “My Name is Asher Lev,” which will be directed by Mr. Edelstein and will run May 1-27.

Julie Andrews takes another turn at directing when she tackles “The Great American Mousical,” based on the 2006 children’s book the actress wrote with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamliton. The musical will receive a workshop production Nov. 8-Dec. 2 at Goodspeed Musical’s Norma Terris Theater. Tony Walton - father to Emma and ex-husband of Julie - will design sets and costumes. Hunter Bell will write the book, with music by Zina Goodrich and lyrics by Marcy Heisler. Christopher Gatelli will choreograph. The story centers around a troupe of musical-making mice living in a theater threatened by demolition.

Richard Greenberg is set to pen the book for a musical adaptation of Todd Haynes’ 2002 feature film, “Far From Heaven,” while composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie will handle the score. Michael Greif will direct the production which will premiere at the Williamstown Theater Festival. Story centers on a 1950s couple and the tensions and passions the emerge from beneath the surface of their marriage. Also on tap at Williamstown this summer is a production of Lucy Boyle’s “The Blue Deep,” starring Blythe Danner, to be directed by Bob Balaban, about a young woman and her mother who try to reconnect after the daughter is forced to return to the family’s Hamptons home. “Far From Heaven” is set of Main Stage run July 19-29, while “The Blue Deep” will play the smaller Nikos stage July 11-22.

If you missed Charles Busch last year in “Divine Sister,” you will have another chance to catch the cross-dressing comedian in his new play, “Judith of Bethulia,” set to open at Theater for the New City this month. The show,

Quick Notes

Quick Notes con’t on page 8

Looks like the Hugh Jack “Houdini” musical is going to happen after all. Following the recent success of Jackman’s Broadway show, “Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway,” the show’s producers decided to move ahead with an announcement that the show, with a score by Stephen Schwartz and book by Aaron Sorkin, will be ready to go sometime during the 2013-14 season. Jack O’Brien is set to direct. The story follows the conflict between master illusionist Harry Houdini and three women who gained renowned as spiritualists. Not dates, theater or additional cast has been announced.

Rising Hollywood star Jessica Chastain has been tapped to headline the upcoming Broadway revival of Ruth and Augustus Goetz’s 1947 play, “The Heiress.” The actress will be making her Broadway debut. Production will be helmed by Moises Kaufman. The familiar story centers on a shy heiress and the conflict that arises between her and her father when she falls in love with a suitor with questionable motives. No dates, theater or additional cast has been announced.

The updated version of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical, “Cinderella,” has found a director. Mark Brokaw will helm the musical, which will feature a retooled book by Douglas Carter Beane. The idea behind the new book is to give the fairy-tale story a more modern, girl-power twist. Along with the original score, the show will also incorporate tunes from other Rogers and Hammerstein shows. Producers are aiming for a spot in the 2012-13 Broadway season.

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s 1994 musical, “Passion,” about a sickly woman in 1860s Italy and the soldier who falls deeply in love with her, will return to the NY stage next February in a production to be directed by John Doyle at Classic Stage Company. “Passion” will be the first musical staged at the 45-year old company that specializes in classic drama. Exact dates and casting are TBA.

Long Wharf Theater’s production of David W. Rintel’s stage adaptation of William Styron’s


Vol 16 No.02

EXPLORING THE WEBWHAT A WASTE!Courtesy of The Huffington Post, here are some websites you should be wasting your time on right now:

1. Downton Pawnee (http://downtonpawnee.tumblr.com) - this tumblr blog is a clever mash-up of pictures from Public Television hit “Downton Abbey” and NBC’s Amy Poeler starrer “Parks and Recreation.” Basically, this blog combines screencaps from the former and pairs them with quotes from the latter, and the results are pretty funny.

2. Kid Casting (http://kidcasting.tumblr.com) - another tumblr site, this time one that matches pictures of child actors used in back stories or flashbacks, paired with their onscreen adult counterparts. See the nine-year old version of Chris Colfer from “Glee,” a young Liz Lemon from 20 Rock” and the “Prince of Persia’s” Jake Gyllenhaal as a young scaliwag, among many others.

3. Bey Bey Name (http://beybeyname.com) - a total time-waster, this simple little site allows you to survey contemporary baby name possibilities that will rival Jay-Z and Beyonce’s Blue Ivy Carter.

4. iFakeText (http://ifaketext.com) - here’s an ingenious little site that could land you in hot water if you’re not careful. If you’ve ever seen those websites that rely on screenshots of funny text from people’s phones and wondered how many of them were actually real, this site will allow you to generate images that look like they’re from an iPhone, but are actually your own little pieces of fiction.

5. Now! That’s What I Call Startups (http://nowthatswhaticallstartups.com) - been thinking about starting that great online business, but just can’t come up with that million-dollar idea? This site will crank out an endless stream of product ideas paired with other unlikely product ideas to give you the product idea of the century. Just click, and watch the money roll in!

6. Hey Girl Obama (http://heygirlobama.tumblr.com) - this tumblr site has gotten a lot of attention lately, due mainly to the presence of Ryan Gosling. The site takes Obama 2012 email subject lines, pairs them with Ryan Gosling photos, and then provides observations and commentary, mostly of a political nature.

7. Guess the Google (http://grant.robinson.name/projects/guess-the-google) - Guess-the-google is an addictive guessing game based on Google’s image search. It turns the mental activity of searching into a fun, visual and engaging game where people can enjoy the challenge of being the fastest and most efficient at making that connection between search terms and their results.

8. Unicorns on Computer Paper (http://unicornsoncomputerpaper.tumblr.com) - When comedian Shawn Hollenbach was about ten years old, he was really into unicorns. It’s a slightly embarrassing fact he would probably be able to gloss over now that he’s an adult, except his sister recently unearthed a huge collection of drawings that he did - all on computer paper. Shawn has decided to own the magic and has created a blog where he’s uploading the unicorns one by one for posterity, and it’s called Unicorns on Computer Paper. Personal fave? Oprah Wincorn.

9. TypeRacer (http://play.typeracer.com) - Curious how fast you type in words per minute? Want to feel fiercely competitive while you find out? TypeRacer gives you famous movie and literary quotes to type in a race against not only the clock, but other users around the world.

10. Taaz (http://www.taaz.com) - Now this is a great site, especially for actors. Tired of your eyebrows? Always wondered what you’d look like if you had green hair? Taaz lets you upload a photo and give yourself a full makeover without the risk of having to experiment in real life.


Vol 16 No.02

Mark Sikes articles on “D.I.Y Auditions” was originally published at www.showfax.com under the Casting Corner. For articles written by Bonnie Gillespie, go to www.showfax.com under the Actors Voice. Both Casting Directors contribute weekly exclusive columns to Showfax. Views expressed in Actors Voice and Casting Corner do not necessarily reflect the views of Breakdown Services.

The Actors Voice con’t on page 6

D.I.Y. Auditions

Does it make sense to “do-it-yourself” for taped auditions or is it a waste of time? Depends. Did the casting office request it? This week we talk about how best to do it and when you should probably not do it at all.

“Solicited Tapes”

If a casting office asks you to put yourself on tape then you need to be able to do it or have someone do it for you. If a television series is shooting in New Mexico and is open to actors from out of that area you may need to put yourself on tape for them.

You want to be ready for these scenarios now, not when they pop up because there may be serious time constraints. You don’t want to be asked for a taped audition and then have to scramble to figure out how to make it look professional. You can go broke paying people to tape them for you so you are much better off doing them yourself. Some agencies even have the ability to do this for their clients now, just make sure that they are not charging you for this service.

Select an area in your house or apartment for taping auditions. You want a plain wall away from cluttered bookcases or paintings so it does not take away from the work. Curtains of a solid color can even work as a back drop. I would recommend against ever shooting an audition outdoors. Remember we are not asking you to create the environment of the scene as much as our office. So, a black wall or a curtain of any neutral, solid color is perfect.

Sound is very important but this doesn’t mean that you need to spend a fortune on gear. Most cameras come with a simple microphone or a better one can be purchased at a reasonable price online or at your local camera shop. Practice so you know where you get the best sound and the least interference. I don’t want to hear street traffic in the background of your audition tape.

Lighting is also a concern. If we can’t see you we can’t hire you. I’ve received taped auditions from actors where they were in so much shadow that I couldn’t make out their facial expressions. This doesn’t require any special lighting equipment just good lighting. I’ve shot student’s auditions in a room with average lighting and some additional sunlight and been fine.

Avoid the temptation of trying to perfect it. You’d only get one or two takes in my office so don’t shoot it a dozen times because you will drive yourself crazy looking for that elusive perfect “take.” You have to treat it like an audition and be able to do it the first time. What will you do on the set? Ask for a bunch of warm-up “takes?” We hire actors who can do it the first time, the second time and every time after that.

“Unsolicited Tapes”

And then there is the other kind of taped audition, the one you have not been asked for but feel you are right for anyway. Actors should generally resist the urge to self-submit based on nothing else than their “feeling” that they were born to play the part. In most cases you haven’t read the script so you really don’t know if you are right for a part and let’s not forget that some actors think they were born to play every part.

I’m sure there are a couple actors out there who sent in their unsolicited tapes and landed an audition and even a job. For every rule there will always be exceptions. But the truth of the matter is that actors will be wasting lots of time and money throwing these tapes together and casting personnel aren’t ever looking at them in the majority of cases.

Another concern I have is that there will

inevitably be offices out there who don’t mind letting hundreds of actors put themselves on tape while they may never watch them. It benefits everyone for the actor to wait for the request from casting. Normally actors hate the idea of cattle calls but this new technology opens us up to a new kind of cattle call.

You have the ability to submit your demo reel with your electronic submissions. If a casting office isn’t willing to take the time to read you in their office or officially request a taped audition, they aren’t seriously interested in you so you should focus your attention on other projects.

This also brings up the idea of keeping your power as an actor. I don’t think it makes an actor come across particularly powerful to send out an audition tape for a film no one has asked for. You don’t create demand by making us think you have the time for unsolicited auditions. It’s a little like crashing an audition; you wouldn’t have time to do it if you had any of your own auditions.

Actors want to have the capabilities to shoot their auditions for projects outside their immediate market. Otherwise, don’t waste time and money on unsolicited audition tapes when you have no idea whether or not anyone is even viewing them.

Industry SpeakersOne of the best things about living in Southern California is that there are endless opportunities to hear top members of the entertainment industry speak at live events. This week we look at the fine art of industry speaking. Should you listen? And who is worth listening to?

Some actors say that they hear lots of different opinions and never know who to listen to. Probably wise to stop listening to that actor sitting next to you in class and attend more events where you can hear actual industry members speak.

No matter where you live, there can be a lot learned at a great industry panel or lecture. Not long ago I attended a WGA Emmy panel of nominated television writers. Imagine a


Vol 16 No.02New York Views con’t from page 1

Opening: TBADirector: Carl AndressPlaywright: Charles Busch► The world premiere of Charles Busch’s new comedy based on the 1914 silent Hollywood Biblical epic.

NOW. HERE. THIS.Vineyard TheatrePreviews start: March 2012Opening: TBADirector: Michael BerresseBook: Hunter Bell and Susan BlackwellMusic and Lyrics: Jeff Bowen ► Based on a collaboration by Hunter Bell, Michael Berresse, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, Jeff Bowen and Larry Pressgrove, “Now. Here. This.,” a musical celebration of living in the present, returns with a full production of the “theatri-concert” that was last year’s sold-out hit at the Vineyard’s Developmental Lab.

MASSACRE (SING TO THE CHILDREN)Rattlestick Playwrights Theater TheatrePreviews start: April 3Opening: April 12Director: Brian MertesPlaywright: José Rivera► A world premiere from Obie Award-winning playwright José Rivera centers around seven friends living in a small New Hampshire town who conspire to murder their mysterious neighbor as they confront the meanings behind their crime.

AN EARLY HISTORY OF FIREThe New Group at The Acorn TheatrePreviews start: April 2012Opening: TBADirector: Jo BonneyPlaywright: David Rabe► Lily Rabe stars in the world premiere of her father’s play, set in a Midwestern town in the early 1960s, about a young man caught between the grip of his immigrant father, who mourns a vanished world of lost prestige, and a young woman back from college in the east.

MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA!Signature Theatre - The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre

Previews start: May 1Opening: TBADirector: Ruben Santiago-HudsonPlaywright: Athol Fugard► Written in 1989 shortly before the end of apartheid, Mr. Fugard’s play, about a teacher in South Africa who forms a debate team with a spirited student, presents an honest and unflinching portrait of a country on the brink of revolution in this testament to the power and potential of youth, hope, and ideas.

THE COMMON PURSUITRoundabout Theatre Company Laura Pels TheatrePreviews start: May 4Opening: May 24Director: Moises KaufmanPlaywright: Simon Gray►A revival of Simon Gray’s sharply comedic tale about the promises of youth and the compromises of adulthood, chronicling twenty years in the lives of six college friends.

TITLE AND DEEDSignature Theatre - The Alice Griffin Jewel Box TheatrePreviews start: May 8Opening: TBADirector: Judy Hegarty LovettPlaywright: Will Eno► A provocative new work from Horton Foote Prize-winner Will Eno about a nameless traveler from a far-off place who searches for connection and solace in an unknown country.

FEBRUARY HOUSEThe Public TheaterPreviews start: May 8Opening: TBADirector: Davis McCallumBook: Seth BockleyMusic and Lyrics: Gabriel Kahane ► A world premiere musical set in a 1940s boardinghouse in Brooklyn with residents including Carson McCullers, Benjamin Britten, W.H. Auden and Gypsy Rose Lee.

RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURNPlaywrights Horizons Mainstage TheaterPreviews start: May 11Opening: TBADirector: Peter DuBois

Playwright: Gina Gionfriddo► The world premiere of Obie Award-winning playwright Gina Gionfriddo’s comedy about two friends who took opposite paths after grad school and now covet each other’s lives. An unflinching look at gender politics in the wake of 20th century feminist ideals.

A NEW PLAY BY KENNETH LONERGANSignature Theatre - The End Stage TheatrePreviews start: May 15Opening: TBADirector: TBAPlaywright: Kenneth Lonergan► The world premiere of a new play by Kenneth Lonergan.

FOOD AND FADWANOOR Theater/New York Theater WorkshopPreviews start: May 18Opening: TBADirector: Shana GoldPlaywright: Lameece Issaq and Jacob Kader► The play centers around a 30-something Palestinian woman living in the West Bank who insists on continuing the preparations for the wedding of her younger sister, despite her politically volatile surroundings.


Vol 16 No.02Question of the month con’t from page 1 The Actors Voice con’t from page 4

is more than willing to accommodate your request. And if you decide that your new service does not suit your needs after all, you are free to cancel at any time.

To add service to an existing account, just fax your request to Breakdown Services on your company letterhead, indicating the service you want to add and the date you’d like the service to start. Your billing will start from the day your service begins. To discontinue service, simply let us know by fax the date you’d like your service to stop.

As usual, if you have any questions or would like further information regarding the above, please feel free to contact us at Breakdown Services. 212-869-2003 (NY) or 310-276-9166 (LA). We’ll be more than happy to help.

panel with Ryan Murphy, Mindy Kaling, Steve Levitan and Andy Richter. It was a very entertaining and informative evening.

I enjoyed Phil Rosenthal's book on producing "Everybody Loves Raymond" so when I saw him listed as the moderator of a screening at the Los Angeles Film Festival I signed up immediately. It was $12.00. He and Paul Reubens introduced a screening of Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" and spoke about how this film influences both of their careers. It was a great price for an amazing evening and there are opportunities like this all the time in Los Angeles.

Each year in March we have the "PaleyFest" right here in Beverly Hills featuring a dozen evenings of panels with some of the top shows on the air. This year it features shows like "Modern Family," "The Office," "Castle" and a bunch of others. These evenings are perfect opportunities to listen to some of your favorite working actors talk about their shows, their craft and how they got there. The event is open to the public and tickets are around twenty dollars.

As with just about anything else in this business you don't want to rush to sign up for things because they land in your inbox. It's always best to come up with a "hit list" of people you'd like to hear and find out how to make that happen.

I prefer to speak at events where the actors pay nothing. I like to speak at SAG or "ActorFest" because actors can attend the events at no charge. I also speak at five or six colleges each year in Southern California. You will find that if you are patient you can hear the folks you want to hear at no charge at some point during the year.

You are going to want to walk in with some excellent questions because many times there's a "Q & A" period and there's no better way to be remembered than to ask an informed, specific question. Research is the key to this. Ask the guest a question that you formed by doing some research into their background or credits.

Another great reason to go hear an industry speaker is to get a little injection of inspiration. Whether you want to be a working actor, writer or director it never hurts to hear someone you respect talk about their profession. It keeps things in perspective to listen to their stories of their struggles and how they finally broke through. While no two people will get there exactly the same way it is still to your advantage to hear how successful people actually did it.

Of course, you want to be selective about how you spend your time and who you listen to.

When I first moved to L.A., I was taken in by a few slick scams that I would warn actors about because the old scams are the ones that keep working so they are still in play to this day. The one that involves industry speakers is a bit of a bait and switch. You are lured in by a famous speaker but really the event is about something else entirely.

Maybe they are selling a product or looking for you to sell their product. Maybe it is a cover to get you to join their organization. One great way to avoid scams or wasted time is to see who is sponsoring the event. Someone is paying for the evening. Is it a legitimate group like SAG, the WGA and Film Independent or is it someone with their own agenda? Not that a hidden agenda is criminal, but you want to know who is running the function so you don't end up listening to a sales pitch for a school or a pyramid scheme.

There are hundreds of great seminars and panels held every year in Los Angeles with legitimate industry members who have a lot to share. I would try to hit one a month if possible. As actors it is helpful to hear working actors, directors, writers and producers speak of their experiences.


Vol 16 No.02

Michel Hazanavicius’s much celebrated film, “The Artist,” released by Harvey Weinstein in which she plays John Goodman’s dutiful if not impish secretary. Her one-woman show, “StripSearch,” based on her studies in pole dancing with Sheila Kelley at her SFactor Studio played to rave reviews in Los Angeles for over a year and a half and will soon be published as a memoir. Tennor also owns and operates two restaurants in Los Angeles with her husband; Claudio Blotta – barbrix – named one of LA’s top ten best new restaurants as well as Best Wine Bar by Los Angeles Magazine, and the freshly opened Cooks County which is already receiving rave reviews.

Breakdown: How long have you been on Actors Access (AA) and how did you find out about the service?Adria: Geeesh! I’ve been on for as long as I can remember! My agents told me that I should put my pictures and reel up there so they could submit me electronically. And then I started to realize that if there was a play or a lower budget film that appealed to me that I could probably submit myself with Actors Access. I still do that if there’s a project that I don’t think my reps will bother submitting me for because of low or no budget - a labor of love - a project that will mean something to me and stretch my range. Projects like those are like free acting classes. I’ll seek those out on Actors Access.Breakdown: What success have you had with AA and what do you think the most helpful feature is?Adria: I really wanted to do a play. I haven’t done one since I moved to Los Angeles, and I got to audition for Blackbird at the Rogue Machine, directed by Robin Larsen. I guess Deborah Barylski was helping them cast and she saw that I had submitted myself on Actors Access so she recommended that they see me. I didn’t end up booking the role, but I made a good impression and am now working on another play called Sarah’s War, running at the Hudson, and a lot of the same people are involved with this production. I’m glad to be able to submit myself for things that are important to me.I also just started working with two new agents - Brenda Netzbeger in Baton Rouge - she

covers me in Louisiana and Linda McAlister is covering me here in Los Angeles. Before Actors Access, I would have had to get them pics & res and video of my reel and shipping that to LA would have taken days. Now, I literally hung up the phone with Brenda and phoned Actors Access from my car and within minutes Brenda was able to start submitting me. Linda, my LA agent actually lives in Texas, but she is able to cover me here in LA just fine, and same thing - I left my meeting with her associate Jesse, called Actors Access and within minutes Jesse was able to start submitting me!Breakdown: What was your favorite part of working on “The Artist?”Adria: The crew. They were amazing. Everyone was top notch. Julie Hewett who did the make up has her own make up line, has two Emmy noms and designed a lipstick for every girl in “Pearl Harbor.” Cydney Cornell who did our hair is incredible, also nominated for some Emmys, she somehow made it possible for me to keep my long straight locks and she sculpted my hair into three different late 20s looks using an actual period curling iron which was the size of a pencil, oh, and a LOT of bobby pins. Mark Bridges found the most gorgeous costume pieces, all authentic vintage. They were so delicate some of them had to be actually sewn onto my body. And then my favorite, Kim Richey, prop mistress extraordinaire...she would come to us before each scene and show us four or five different pieces so we could choose which notebook fit our character best or which fountain pen felt the most correct. So much attention to fine, fine details....But I also loved working with Michel, Berenice, Jean and John Goodman was an absolute dear.Breakdown: What was the process of getting the part on “Mad Men?”Adria: Well, I was waitressing several years ago, and I waited on a man who I could tell was a tv director - he was chatting about some pilot I’d read for and so I told him I was an actress. His name was Jonathan Pontell; he was really sweet and gave me his card. He was a producer/director on “Boston Public” which Laura Schiff was casting. He recommended me to her and she started bringing me in to read. I never got a part on “Boston Public,” but I stayed in touch with Laura and when she was casting Mad Men she brought me straight to producers and I booked the role. It was the

third episode so it hadn’t aired yet and no one had any idea it was going to be such a huge hit. Coincidentally, I finally just worked with Jonathan on “Harry’s Law.” He’s been trying to cast me all this time!Breakdown: What advice would you give to your fellow actors?Adria: Go on every audition and follow your heart. Be proactive but not annoying! And trust that you are right where you’re supposed to be. I have a lot of friends who complain that they have to do some other day job that they believe prevents them from being an actor. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Ninety percent of my work has come from people I’ve met in the restaurant. And my husband (who I also met at the restaurant) and I now own two restaurants which are still a source of networking for me.Breakdown: How long have you been acting and what made you go into the field?

Adria: I’ve wanted to be an actress since I was six and my grandmother took me to see “Annie” at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. My parent’s were against me doing it as a kid and so I did not begin auditioning until after college and have been doing it ever since. I wanted to be an actress because I feel that moving people emotionally in the most powerful way to communicate. My teacher Larry Moss says actors are politicians. We are here to tell stories to move the world to progress. I love movies like “Fair Game” or “The Ides of March” or even television like “Mad Men” because it sheds light on the truth and makes us reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we need to go. I am so grateful for my role in “Sarah’s War” because it feels so special and important and relevant. I feel like I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing. I’m contributing in the very best way I can.

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Japanese garden, which is my favorite part of the Met. Still and all, the Met does not have the Rosetta Stone, which is something to see (if you can get past all the tourists trying to take pictures of it). After the museum, Patricia and I parted ways at Long Acre Street. She was going back to her hotel to meet her husband Kevin for lunch and I went to the Arts, the Donmar and the Adelphi to pick up the rest of my theater tix. Love that area around the Donmar Warehouse. Super quaint and charming, with all these cool little shops and pubs. Looking forward to going back up there on New Year’s Eve. Now, after a quick bite, I’m off to see Mr. Callow perform his magic. After yesterday’s “theater of death and suicide,” I’m looking forward to a little gentle storytelling and, later tonight, tons and tons of laughs with “Noises Off.” I’ll have some time between Mr. Callow and the folks at Noises Off, so I might dash off a quick note then. Otherwise, I’ll speak to you later tonight when I get back from the Old Vic.

5:15PM - Hello, mates! Just popping up to the room for a quick report before I pop back out for a little supper. Just this moment back from seeing Mr. Callow do his thing up at the Arts Theater and boy, did that hit the spot! It was like sitting in Simon Callow’s living room after a delicious Christmas dinner, a warm fire in the fireplace, a mug of spiced wine in my hand, with Simon, casually dressed for an evening at home (complete with linen scarf ‘round his neck) settling in to tell me an old story I’d heard a million times before, yet never with quite the same simplicity, charm and absolute ease and clarity. There he was, on an empty stage (except for a few chairs which he used throughout the show to represent various locales - Scrooge’s bedroom, the Cratchit’s living room, the schoolhouse where Scrooge was a boy), with nothing else but that glorious voice of his, bringing that lovely story of Dickens’ to life. It was just what I had hoped it would be and I’m glad to say, I was not disappointed. After yesterday’s theatrical gloom and doom, it was a welcome relief. The Arts Theater, by the way, is a very sweet little theater. About 300 seats I should guess, although it’s hard to tell because I could not see how many the balcony seated. But compared to the Theatre Royal in Stratford and the Haymarket, it is actually quite plain - black painted walls, simply-upholstered seats,

no frou frou or chintz at all. Almost like it had once been a lecture hall or something and had been transformed or restored. Despite that, it was very cozy and perfectly in keeping with the tone of the show. Again, I was fortunate enough to have an old man and his family seated right next to me (that’s the third show I’ve seen where I’ve sat next to a grandpa and his family) and he was a chatty old bird who went on and on both before and after the show about how brilliant Simon Callow is. Also spoke to two theatrical types before the show who were sitting in front of me, a young man and woman, who were discussing “Great Expectations” with Gillian Anderson, which they had both seen over the holiday. “Just brilliant,” said the young woman. “You’ve got a treat waiting for you when you get home. I think it’s probably the most moving Miss Havisham I’ve ever seen.” Wow! Can’t wait! All right, that’s it for now. Must get some food before I dash across Waterloo Bridge to the Old Vic. My NYC street training is really starting to come in handy when it comes to dealing with the other tourists on the street. I’ve been up and around the Covent Garden area so much now that going up the Arts this afternoon, I was able to dash through the now-familiar byways and covered lanes which the other tourists won’t venture into for fear, I suppose, of being attacked by Jack the Ripper. Ah, London! Now, if the Universe would only do me one more favor and grant me a little SUNSHINE (please!) before I leave this marvelous place.

12 MIDNIGHT - Hello, everyone! Can you believe it? I’m actually up past eleven, all thanks to the lagging of my jet lag. I’m finally starting to feel like my old self again, in terms of my energy level, that is. I certainly have done my best to enjoy myself despite dealing with the jet lag, and it has been hard at times, mainly because I’ve never dealt with it before, but Kevin told me that the body usually adjusts after about three days and that’s exactly what happened. I even met Kevin and Patricia for a drink after “Noises Off,” the first alcohol I’ve had since I’ve been in London! Man, was it cold tonight walking across Waterloo Bridge. I only had my cap on (rather than my knit hat) and it almost blew off my head into the Thames, both coming and going. I could have taken a cab, of course, which wouldn’t

a spoof of Hollywood biblical epics, is inspired by the 1914 silent film of the same name about a Jewish widow who poses as a concubine to infiltrate an army of invading Assyrians. Mr. Busch will play the title role while Carl Andress directs. A limited run begins March 20 and ends April 28.

Louise Pitre, original star of Broadway’s “Mamma Mia!”, will play Mame in the Goodspeed’s revival of the Jerry Herman musical this sprint. Ray Roderick will direct and Vince Pesce will choreograph. The show will run April 20-July, with no plans at the moment for a New York production. No other casting has been announced.

Jonny Lee Miller has been cast in CBS’s drama pilot “Elementary”.

“The Seventh Son”, starring Julianne Moore and Jeff Bridges, will shoot this month in Vancouver.

FX has ordered a fourth season of “Archer.” Antonio Banderas will star in “33 Days.” Pic will shoot this summer in Paris and Guernica. Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson will star in Michael Bay’s ‘Pain and Gain.” The Paramount pic starts shooting in early spring. Mark Feuerstein will star in “In Your Eyes.” Feature starts shooting soon in L.A. and New Hampshire.

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have cost very much (the Old Vic is about a fifteen minute walk from my hotel), but I didn’t want to fly past that glorious view. Funny thing about that walk from the Strand across Waterloo Bridge and down Waterloo St. to the Old Vic. After you get over the bridge, about a hundred yards or so down Waterloo St., there’s a roundabout (a circular roadway that intersects the street, like Columbus Circle in NY or Dupont Circle in DC). In the center of this particular roundabout is a comparatively large circular building that looks a bit like a small version of Madison Square Garden. I didn’t pay that much attention to it as I approached it, because I was trying to figure out the underground walkway which would get me to the other side. Once I got under the circle, however, I discovered that the building was actually an IMAX theater! From the bridge, it looked like a small power plant or perhaps a municipal building of some sort, but while I was walking underneath it, I saw the theater box office and realized that it was a multiplex showing “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and a bunch of other movies. They even had a cafe and bar and passageways leading off to the Waterloo Tube station. It would be like walking downstairs to the 7 line in Times Square and discovering a movie theater down there. Very surprising!

Anyway, found my way over to the Old Vic eventually and saw their absolutely hysterical production of “Noises Off.” Such a wonderful, beautifully-constructed play. Takes such stamina on the part of the actors to perform it. And they all did a wonderful job. By the time they got to the third act, tears were rolling down my cheeks, I was laughing so hard. I will say this, though. As good as this production was, it would have to rank behind the original New York production, at least in my opinion. Dorothy Loudon’s unfortunate cockney accent aside, I think overall the choices made by the American actors in that production were just the tiniest bit funnier, especially when it came to the character business. I still have a vivid memory of Deborah Rush lying upside down on the stairs to relieve her character’s anxiety, or the way she repeated everything in the play-within-a-play verbatim, including her blocking, regardless of the madness erupting around her. And Victor Garber, really capturing

Garry Lejeune’s vanity, and then losing all of his composure when Dottie ties his shoe laces together, forcing him to hop around like a kangaroo, and then the brilliant fall down the stairs he did towards the end of the play. Not to mention Amy Wright’s Poppy and the always-fantastic Brian Murray as Frederick, with his fainting spells and his fear of blood. I remember each of those performances as vividly now as if I saw them yesterday. As you can tell, as enjoyable as this production was tonight, and as marvelous as the actors were, it did bring back very fond memories of that original NY production as well. Now, if only I could have seen Patricia Routledge as Dottie. Oh well, you can’t have everything. Still, I don’t want to take anything away from this production or all the hard work the actors put in. Very, very funny indeed, and a wonderful way to spend an evening in the theater. Oh, did I mention the Old Vic itself? What a beautiful theater! Not quite as ornate or fancy as the Haymarket, but quaint in the extreme, with very spacious seating, the most spacious I’ve encountered so far in any London theater, (I could stretch my long legs all the way out under the seat in front of me.) And the seats are staggered, so you’re looking ahead at the space between the audience members in front of you, as opposed to the back of some giant’s head. Terrific idea! And then there was the lobby, with all these wonderful photos from productions past - Edith Evans in “Taming of the Shrew,” Ralph Richardson as Bottom, Vivien Leigh as Titania, and many more too numerous to mention. All that, and the cutest, coziest little bar downstairs for before-the-theater drinks, with even more marvelous photos from the theater’s history. All in all, I found just what I was looking for at the Old Vic - a highly entertaining evening surrounded by the long history of that fine English theater. I was in heaven!

Now I’m really tired. One more thing before I toddle off to bed- what’s with the ice cream they sell at intermission in the London theater? At every show I’ve seen so far, they’ve sold ice cream at intermission. I’ve asked several Brits now and no one really seems to know why, although everyone agrees that it’s a tradition that goes back a long way. I find it so funny, but of course, for them, it’s perfectly natural, everyone sitting around at intermission eating ice cream from those little paper cups, with the

wooden spoons, just like the Hershey cups we used to have as kids. One older woman told me that, back before the war, they used to serve tea at your seat! You would order it before the show and an usher would bring it to you on a tray, complete with little cakes and such. Can you imagine? She seemed a bit disappointed that nowadays, all they could manage was ice cream.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2911AM - Had a nice leisurely lie-in this morning, a bit of breakfast in the room, and now I’m off to stroll about. No theater today or tonight at all. Actually, I’m glad I scheduled at least one day where I could just go out and explore without any major plans. I will be heading over to Piccadilly to start and then there’s an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery I want to see that covers the early history of actresses on the London stage. The rest we’ll leave to fate.

4:30PM - Greetings all! I know that I’m starting to sound a bit like a broken record, but MAN AM I POOPED! Just spent the last four hours trotting my little butt around a few of London’s fashionable districts and though I’m tired, I really had a glorious time. Started by trouping over to Piccadilly, which for some reason, I thought was going to be much larger. Some of the guide books had described it as London’s version of Times Square, and while there are some neon lights there, it’s not really anything like Times Square, except for the number of people milling about. There are certainly a lot of tourist traps in and around, however, including an enormous Ripley’s Believe It or Not. I stopped for awhile and watched a young, muscular guy lie down between two slabs festooned with six-inch nails while a googley-eyed tourist (a guy who must have weighed 190 lbs) stood on the top slab for ten seconds. It was the kind of thing you might have seen in Piccadilly a hundred years ago, so it’s nice to see that the old traditions are still being carried on. Speaking of which, coming through Trafalgar, I finally saw some buskers (sort of) hanging about - one guy dressed like Shrek (!), another like Charlie Chaplin, and still another, a silver-painted robot man (this guy must have been about eighty years old). Their purpose seemed solely to be to make themselves available for tourists to take pictures with. The


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Shrek guy had a line of about twenty tourists standing waiting. There was one genuine performer, but I happened upon him just as he was about to start his act, and he just went on and on and on with his intro (“Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome. Welcome. Hello. Before I begin, let me just say how marvelous it is...”). I eventually gave up. I think he was going to do a dance or something.

Leaving Piccadilly, I walked up Regent Street. Very ritzy, very posh, but also very familiar. Just like being in NYC on Fifth Avenue. Still, very nice and pleasant. Walked up Regent and then turned down Oxford St. Still posh, but with a little bit more of an edge. Younger people along Oxford St. and totally, totally mobbed with tourists. Just like Times Square after the shows let out. At some points, I just had to stop because I couldn’t move forward. Fortunately, the great thing about London is that you can turn down a little muse or lane and all of a sudden, quiet, no people, very peaceful and serene. So eventually, that’s what I did. Cut down into Soho and just meandered through the little cobblestone streets, popping into the little shops. I think of all the neighborhoods I’ve visited so far, Soho is my favorite. Imagine Greenwich Village in NYC and you have a start. The epitome of charm and quiet elegance. Even though it’s not a huge, huge area, I could have walked around Soho all day and not seen a tenth of it. I think I may have to go back over there at some point before I leave. For those of you with your maps open, I eventually found my way to Soho Square (another glorious feature of London - all the tiny parks everywhere you go) and sat my butt down to rest my bones and look at my map. Since I was pretty close to the National Portrait Gallery (my next stop), I proceeded down Charing Cross Road to Leicester Square. Unfortunately for me, Leicester Square is undergoing a major renovation in time for the Olympics (lots of that kind of sprucing up going on all over town), so I missed the full effect, but it’s still a very cool place, with lots and lots of knock-off half-priced ticket booths. The real TKTS is there as well, of course, but at 1PM, I was surprised it wasn’t mobbed. I take it people line up closer to show times than they do in NYC.

The National Portrait Gallery is right there, so with my Rick Steve’s walking tour book in hand, I went inside. Love, love, love the National Portrait Gallery (thanks to my friend Cathy for suggesting it). Just my kind of place. Not too many tourists (although there were some families with toddlers milling about, which I just can’t understand. “Simon! Get away from that! Mummy told you those paintings are very, very old. Older than granny!”) Other than that (and the loud, chatty school girls who thought the portrait of a young Elizabeth I a laugh riot - “Omigod! Look at ‘er face. It’s all white. And where’s ‘er bosom supposed to be?”), it was very pleasant and peaceful and filled with all the folks I know and love, starting with the Tudors, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, of course, Shakespeare, up through Charles II, bang on through to George III, then on to Victoria and Albert, Dickens, then on and on up to Mr. Wilde and Shaw and Virginia Woolf and Noel Coward. I spent two hours with them all, just soaking them all in. Museums are not generally my thing (I start to fade after about an hour), but the National Portrait Gallery (along with the British Museum) I would certainly return to.

I was getting pretty weary at this point, so I headed over to Covent Garden and tried to sneak into St. Paul’s Church (the actor’s church) which is right there off Covent Garden, but the doors were locked. Even went around to the Bedford St. entrance, but still no luck, until someone told me they were closed for the afternoon. (“Sorry. Come back tomorrow. Maybe we’ll be open then. I don’t know.”) Oh, well. Tonight I meet up with Steffen Wild for dinner. Steffen used to work for Breakdown Services years ago. He lives and works in London now and he promises to take me some place special (meaning non-touristy) for dinner.

11:3OPM - Just got back from a pretty marvelous evening with Steffen. First, we had a drink in the lobby bar, which was very nice. I’ve been here five days already, but I had not been in the lobby bar. So we ordered drinks and started chatting about the film industry. Steffen is a film producer who works for a company called Fourth Culture, which packages and produces films. We talked about all kinds of things - the current state of cinema, U.S. vs. U.K. films, the difficulty of finding financing,

the complexity of combining different foreign sources for distribution, the importance of tax incentives. It was all pretty interesting and, if you know Steffen at all, fairly lively and even a bit intense. But very enjoyable. After drinks, Steffen suggested we go get something to eat. “How do you feel about Mediterranean?” he asked. “Depends on what you mean by ‘Mediterranean’,” I said. “Turkish,” he replied. “Ah, so you mean meat and yogurt?” I asked. “Uh, yes, basically,” he said. “Well,” I said, “that would be okay,” assuming he knew some fantastic Turkish restaurant that I would be talking about for the rest of my days. “Fine,” he said. “I know a very nice French bistro that I think you will like.” (If you know Steffen, that logic makes perfect sense.) So off we went. “It’s very close by,” he said. “Basically right around the corner.” We then proceeded to walk up to and through Covent Garden, after which I got pretty lost, relying on Steffen to guide us. Next thing I knew, we’re passing the Arts Theater, which is where I saw Simon Callow and which is not at all around the corner from my hotel. “How the hell did we get up here all of a sudden?” I asked. “The bistro is in Soho,” he replied. What do you know. Steffen’s goofy logic aside, I thought how funny it was that I had just been wishing I could return to Soho before I left London, and here I was again, very close to where I had spent the afternoon. We ended up at the nicest, prettiest little place on Warbour St. in Soho called Cote Brasserie, with a dark and cozy atmosphere and certainly the best food I’ve had in London up to this point. Most of what I’ve eaten so far has been food I can get quickly, usually on the run. Like I said, this place was on Warbour St. (I have since found out that there are several of these restaurants peppered around the city) and it really took me back to my college days, this little French restaurant, when we would all head to this chic French bistro in Georgetown when the discos closed (yes, I said discos). We would usually end up at the Bistro (that was the actual name of the place) about 3:30AM after a long night of dancing and I would always order the minute steak with the skinny pommes frites and the garlic butter melting on top of the steak. And that’s exactly what I had tonight. Can I say merveilleux without sounding too pretentious?

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We ordered a bottle of very tasty Merlot and sat and ate and talked and talked and talked. It was really great. After a couple of hours of eating and talking, Steffen suggested we go get dessert some place else. So after paying the bill (Steffen’s treat!), we left and started walking through the most amazing maze of twisting, turning streets, dimly-lit cobblestone lanes and covered muses. At one point we went into a small hotel, walked through its super-chic, ground-floor dining room with all the diners staring at us, and then out the back entrance and down yet another cobblestone lane. “What are we doing?” I asked. “I thought that was the place you wanted to go.” “Shortcut,” Steffen replied, and on we went. Eventually, we reached a very cute Italian pastry shop, the kind you find all over Little Italy, and settled in for tiramisu and espresso (for Steffen), pecan pie for me, and more conversation, this time mostly about travelling, which Steffen thinks I should do more of, encouraging me to consider “popping over” to Paris on Saturday for the day just to look around and test the waters before I head for home. Uh, yes, well, uh, maybe next visit. After that, Steffen walked me back to my hotel and we said goodnight. The end to a very, very nice evening!

PART III CONTINUES NEXT TIME WITH: THE TOWER, “ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS” AT THE ADELPHI, THE DONMAR WAREHOUSE PRODUCTION OF “RICHARD II” STARRING EDDIE REDMAYNE, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

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