I'm turning pro! Beans for everybody!
Oct. 22nd, 2008 08:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
albadgerI haven't been here much lately, no. Too busy! There was the trip up to Ashland, of course, and this was framed by an interesting development.
On Friday, while I was hurriedly getting the last of work done, so I could take off & drive north with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bigredpaul, I got a call from a phone number I didn't know. Usually these are pitches for money or votes, so I let them go to voicemail. But I answered this for some reason.
"Hi, is this Al?" said a vaguely familiar voice. "My name is Clive Worseley, and I'm calling from..."
I should explain at this point that Clive Worseley is one of my personal gods. He's a splendid actor here in the Bay Area, and I try to get to see everything he does. He's recently taken the artistic directorship of an area theater, so I'm still expecting this to be a pitch for money, as pleased as I am to get a call from him.
"That's okay, I know who you are, Clive," I interrupt.
"Oh," he stops, and I worry for a moment that I offered offense rather than the intended flattery. "So you know I'm now artistic director for Town Hall Theater in Lafayette?"
I do. He's calling for a contribution, isn't he.
"We're doing a stage version of Miracle on 34th Street for our holiday show, and we've had two actors who have had to drop out, and rehearsals start Monday night, and I know this is short notice, but Jessica recommended you..."
Another pause here -- Jessica is the casting director for the California Shakespeare Theater, the one who got me to come in for my most exciting audition ever. And I'm like, wow, she remembered me.
Yes, yes, yes, cried my soul. Even if the part is a fire hydrant -- heck, I've played lobotomy patients and cups of coffee, I can do anything. Just no heavy lifting, because I'm still healing from my operation.
So, what do they need? Santa Claus #4, Doctor #1 and Reporter #1. It's tiny, I get 6 lines. And that's perfect.
But still they wanted me to come in and read for them. I suppose somebody could be too crappy an actor to play Santa #4. Fortunately, they feel I'm up to it. And the best part of all?
After saying "welcome aboard," and giving a handshake, Clive started the speech I've heard many times. "We're a small theater, and we don't have much money..." it begins. Yeah, I know, I'm not getting paid. I don't expect to be.
"...so we can't offer you any more than a $250 stipend. I know that will barely cover your gas money but..."
Oh, I'm sure he kept talking, but what was I thinking? "Ha, ha, joke's on you, I woulda done it for FREE! SUCKERS!" I didn't say that out loud of course.
So now I'm a Pro, a Paid Actor. Actually, I was paid for a gig once before, in 1994. Dinner theater, I played Edgar Allen Poe and introduced dramatizations of Poe stories. I got $100 for the run, plus whatever was left over in the kitchen after the diners had gone home.
On Friday, while I was hurriedly getting the last of work done, so I could take off & drive north with
bigredpaul, I got a call from a phone number I didn't know. Usually these are pitches for money or votes, so I let them go to voicemail. But I answered this for some reason."Hi, is this Al?" said a vaguely familiar voice. "My name is Clive Worseley, and I'm calling from..."
I should explain at this point that Clive Worseley is one of my personal gods. He's a splendid actor here in the Bay Area, and I try to get to see everything he does. He's recently taken the artistic directorship of an area theater, so I'm still expecting this to be a pitch for money, as pleased as I am to get a call from him.
"That's okay, I know who you are, Clive," I interrupt.
"Oh," he stops, and I worry for a moment that I offered offense rather than the intended flattery. "So you know I'm now artistic director for Town Hall Theater in Lafayette?"
I do. He's calling for a contribution, isn't he.
"We're doing a stage version of Miracle on 34th Street for our holiday show, and we've had two actors who have had to drop out, and rehearsals start Monday night, and I know this is short notice, but Jessica recommended you..."
Another pause here -- Jessica is the casting director for the California Shakespeare Theater, the one who got me to come in for my most exciting audition ever. And I'm like, wow, she remembered me.
Yes, yes, yes, cried my soul. Even if the part is a fire hydrant -- heck, I've played lobotomy patients and cups of coffee, I can do anything. Just no heavy lifting, because I'm still healing from my operation.
So, what do they need? Santa Claus #4, Doctor #1 and Reporter #1. It's tiny, I get 6 lines. And that's perfect.
But still they wanted me to come in and read for them. I suppose somebody could be too crappy an actor to play Santa #4. Fortunately, they feel I'm up to it. And the best part of all?
After saying "welcome aboard," and giving a handshake, Clive started the speech I've heard many times. "We're a small theater, and we don't have much money..." it begins. Yeah, I know, I'm not getting paid. I don't expect to be.
"...so we can't offer you any more than a $250 stipend. I know that will barely cover your gas money but..."
Oh, I'm sure he kept talking, but what was I thinking? "Ha, ha, joke's on you, I woulda done it for FREE! SUCKERS!" I didn't say that out loud of course.
So now I'm a Pro, a Paid Actor. Actually, I was paid for a gig once before, in 1994. Dinner theater, I played Edgar Allen Poe and introduced dramatizations of Poe stories. I got $100 for the run, plus whatever was left over in the kitchen after the diners had gone home.
