The Business Actor

One year. One year out of school. One year away from New York. One full year of Adulthood. Where do I begin? It has gone by too fast. It has been an adventure, and it is just the beginning. I have been in three full fantastic productions, a living room concert, a staged reading and have made it through countless callbacks and auditions. I have made lifelong friends and found a supportive church family. I have found a home in Dallas. This city has surprised me in so many ways. It is more metropolitan than it is given credit for. It has a thriving community of theatre and actors that impress me more everyday. It has jobs for actors of all stages of life. Some more experienced than others. It's perfect to become more experienced and learn from amazing directors in this business. But it hasn't been easy all the time. I've moved on from a city that I truly loved and still hope someday to go back to. I moved on from friendships that were toxic, which was th...

The hardest thing about an audition is entering the room itself. It is hard work to get to an audition. First you have to find an audition you are qualified for. You have to search through the database of auditions, find a show that fits your type, look, or just a show that you would like to do. Then you must fill out all the papers that have to be submitted electronically, see what is required to prepare, and then find an audition slot that will fit your schedule. If you don't have your headshots and resume printed, you have to get that done ASAP, staple or print it perfectly and put it in the front of your audition book. Day of the audition: Wake up, warm up, run through your song/monologue. If it's a dance call you have to go through that barre class. Then it's hair and make up and an outfit that would look subtly like the character you would go for with a balance of not trying too hard. Hour of the Audition: Then it's finding the random building, the rand...

The DFW theatre industry is growing larger and more diverse. Growth can mean change and excitement but it can also mean big changes that force theatres to take risks. Ashley H. White and Joe Messina's new theater company, Imprint Theatreworks takes big and exciting risks as it emerges in a growing and competitive industry. If any of you saw their first performance of Glengarry Glen Ross you know that this is a company to be reckoned with. Ashley H. White's direction was daring, thoughtful and accurate to David Mamet's incredibly difficult style, yet she executed it with confidence as only a seasoned professional could. I couldn't wait to sit down with her and share her story with you. If any of you know Ashley H. White you know that she is confident. The kind of confidence that makes you sit up a little straighter. But Ashley is also extremely humble. She credits her team and support system around her and she also is open about her struggles i...

  Hey amazing artists!   Over the course of a few years I have been asked several times how I remain financially stable while getting through school and now rehearsals with a full time job. I'm not going to lie, my parents have given me a very privileged lifestyle but after I graduated high school I did try to cover most tuition and expenses on my own. So throughout my high school, college and (very short) adulting life, I have always been really frugal with my money. Sometimes I do go a little overboard on some things but for the most part I don't spend as much as my millennial counterparts. I am going to go through my budget with you today to give you just an idea of what I personally am spending, and give you a good idea of what my finance professor would probably tell you to spend. This is going to be really accurate thanks to my Mint App that automatically tracks, and categorizes my spending (and also scolds me if I spend too much). For some of these...

Okay you now have your headshots taken, now what? Who else has been completely overwhelmed by the decision process of choosing which headshot is best for you? How important is it to print professionally versus your average Walgreens print (not hating on Walgreens by any means!) Let's find out more in our final installment from our favorite photographer, Jonathan! In terms of printing, JM: You can ask your printer if they calibrate their printers and software for accurate colors. You're doing a disservice to yourself to just go to a commercial consumer print shop and print it on the kiosk, which more than likely, has never been calibrated before. Printing is an art form in itself. You might have super contrasting photos with a green tint and you print out looking like an ogre. When your photographer and editor take the time to produce accurate skin tones, you're doing them, and yourself, a disservice by printing them on non-calibrated equipment. Is i...

So you have your session booked! You found the right photographer, you have set the date, now... What do you wear??? Thank goodness Jonathan can answer this question for us! Girls, you know how people are always giving us a hard time for over-packing? This is one time no one can complain. JM: I tell my clients it's better to bring more outfits than necessary because it may surprise you what photographs best! It's one of my favorite things when a client brings their whole wardrobe in the back of their car. Bring many outfits that you feel the best and super comfortable in. When you feel incredible and confident, that shows! I'll tell people to bring in darker, neutral colors, because those photograph best and don't take away from the actor. Patterns and bright, vivid colors can become very distracting. Sometimes there can be exceptions to this rule, but as long as you have those darker, neutral colors to fall back on, you'll be all set! Now for...

From the Editor: So many people struggle finding a quality headshot photographer. It's the bane of an actor's existence. Maybe it's the quality, the photo is bland, or they are way too expensive for you. This is why I am blessed to know headshot photographers like Jonathan McInnis. To say his work is stunning would be an understatement. He has a genuine affect on every client he works with that allows them to open up and be their true selves. This is what a headshot is about. I know how important headshots are to all of you, so here is Part I of a three installment series devoted to headshots. Keep updated the next three weeks! Where to start? We have all been there googling for headshot photographers. It is daunting. What are things to look for when researching for a photographer? JM: Look for a website and blog that is actively updated. That is such a good sign. I'm working to find more time to be able to steadily update my blog. T...