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Rae C. Wright , my good friend and a fabulous actress, opens tomorrow night as Hannah Pitt in Angels in America at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, Connecticut.  You can read the write-up in the New York Times here. I first saw Rae three years ago in Juliet Lashinsky-Revene's deeply moving short film Keys. Wallet. Phone.  When the lights came up in the theatre, I couldn't move. Rae's performance had been so gut-wrenching. She has a face like the great Lesley Manville . It shows every emotion. Directed by Sean Harris, #AngelsinAmerica runs through October 19. See it if you get the chance. Rae C. Wright as Hannah Pitt and Jim Shankman as Roy Cohn rehearsing Angels in America, which opens tomorrow night at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, CT.

Actors often disagree over the direction a career should take. Some feel that an actor should take any job offered, as long as it pays and it’s not pornography, because you never know where a job might lead. Others set rules about the kinds of roles they will accept, especially if the job has a potentially negative impact on their career long-term.  Stephanie Courtney TV commercials can be a lucrative specialty area; just ask Stephanie Courtney , who had a series of small parts in film and television before landing the role of “Flo,” the spokesperson for Progressive Insurance.  She’s making a fortune with that gig and she’s everywhere! But acting in commercials is very different from acting in film. Because they don’t roll credits at the end, commercials present the audience with a kind of reality that blurs the line between actor and role. It isn’t an actress playing a soccer mom there on the screen, it’s a soccer mom telling you that she uses the sponsor’s product and you s...

It's easy to feel too busy to think, but Monday mornings set the stage for the week ahead and give you a chance to regroup and consider the big picture. Monday is the day to get pumped up about acting and your decision to make this your career. Here are things to do on Monday mornings (and some you can do every morning) to keep your acting career on track. 1. Wake up early and exercise. Not a morning person? Sleep/awake cycles are not genetic, they are set by you. Partying a lot or staying up to watch late night talk shows have to be weighed in terms of the benefit to your career. If you’re not awake until noon, you won’t be prepared.   2. Eat a healthy breakfast. If you skip breakfast, your growling stomach will soon become a distraction. If you eat a sugary/starchy breakfast, you’ll be nodding off by 10 a.m. You want your brain to be alert and running on all cylinders, so go high protein and save the carbs for lunch. 3. E stablish a routine and get started early. Review your...

Photo by Firooz Zahedi Icon Actress/Dancer Julie Newmar  turned 81 on August 16th, a fact I'm sure she doesn't mind revealing as she still looks absolutely fabulous. She often gives public lectures on "How to Be a Great Beauty...Even When You're Not." Here is a sample. You'll find more on her Facebook Page. (And yes, I'm getting a 3-way mirror!) IMAGE: By seeing the inherent beauty, intelligence, mastery in others they will see it in you. This is the MIRROR you want. VOICE: Where does your sound come from? You can't be beautiful, if you don't sound beautiful. BODY: Tall or short, there is one element that defines the spirit that becomes your body and that is your spine. Lift it, give your head something to balance on, then breathe and smile. LIGHT: All the great stars know where their light is coming from, no matter where they are. We call it the key light. MAKE-UP TRICKS: One trick is - unless your eyes are the size of saucers, never, never pu...

Finding actor representation can be tough, especially if you're looking to break into a new market.   You need an agency that has an established presence and a network of relationships so they can actively market you, not just submit you for roles. Life Coach Dallas Travers has some tips that I think address the difficulties in a very pro-active way.   In a nutshell, here is her 7-Step Plan (See her original post here .): Step 1: Send an email.   This email should be no more than three sentences, and should be structured as so: Introduction. Credibility. Invitation. Links. So, an example would be, “Hi, my name is …(introduction), and I recently graduated from ….. (credibility). I’m new to the LA (NY, whatever) market and would love to meet to discuss working together (invitation). Please click the link below to see my demo reel (links).” Sign your name, and hit send ! Step 2: Send a mailing.   Five days after your initial email, mail a postcard or one-sheet, whate...

This turned up on Facebook and, as an actress, rang a bell....

As I've often said in this journal, I'm a thinking actress, not a feeling actress, and I'm always looking for shortcuts to developing a character. Brits are known for an outside in approach, for example: get the walk and the talk first and then to let the character develop from there. Actor Michael Chekhov, nephew of playwright Anton Chekhov, developed a system that can help in capturing the walk and the talk. Chekhov said all characters fell into one of three archetypes, which he called Head-, Heart-, and Groin-centered. “Head” characters seem to draw their emotional energy from the head and all of their gestures seem to come from there. They slap or tap their head, scratch their head, make sweeping farewell gestures from the head. They also sit forward in chairs and walk forward on the balls of their feet. Head characters are perceptive. Consider Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, who frequently tips his hat, touches his moustache, and nods his...