Thanks, Sarah

Okay, I did it, too! Turns out I am a "generous artist" on the Personal DNA personality test. Not sure there's a lot I didn't already know, though.

E-mail Problems

Our email is currently being bounced-- It's been out since Friday morning at 1AM. If you need to send me an email, use lanajoy*AT*verizon*DOT*net , or for Andy use awahlquist*AT*verizon*DOT*net.

It is very frustrating. Yesterday morning I got a message from a workshop series that I go to, asking me why my e-mail was suddenly being returned and saying they were going to cancel my membership if they didn't hear from me in a few days! Can you believe that?! Only a couple days without e-mail and suddenly people think I've dropped off the face of the earth. I guess that's how it is in our electronic world.

700 Sundays...take II

We finally saw it! Wow, is this a good show. First of all, let me say it is just impressive to have a full-length (3 hours!) one-man show. Sounds daunting maybe to some, but there was never a dull moment. Billy Crystal tells the story of his upbringing as a Jew in Long Beach, NY, son of a music business bigwig who died an untimely death when Billy Crystal was only 15. Actually he didn't start out as a bigwig-- we also got the story of how a little music shop in Manhattan developed into a major jazz label, carrying legends such as Billie Holiday and others. Some meaningful Billy Crystal trivia: he is the husband of the same woman for 35 years and a grandfather of 2 girls.

Wonderful, wonderful show for anyone considering going. I hear the scalpers have some tickets, still....

Our Nephew

Jeremy (Ben & Stefani's son) is 5 months old now and we just got this really cute picture of him.

"Actors" vs. "Thespians"

So the other day I'm at the gym. The girl who works there, Melissa, starts telling me and another girl a story about her 14-year-old brother. She starts off the story by explaining that he's an "actor" type (with a very specific undertone in her voice, like a so-he's-a-little-wierd-to-begin-with subtext) then she looks at me and remembers... oh yeah, Lana's an actor. So she starts to backpeddle. Her backpeddling was really bad, but I wasn't going to call her on it, so who cares. But then the other girl chimes in and start to help her (now this girl does not know me from Adam). Girl #2 chimes in and starts to explain, "Well, you know, I think there's a real difference between 'actors' and 'thespians'. 'Thespians' are the ones that-- well, see I have this friend who does commercials and stuff and he's totally cool, but it's 'thespians' that are a little..."

Now I've gotta speak up. "Oh, you mean people who do professional theatre, like me?"

Her polite smile drops. "You do professional theatre?"

"Yeah."

I can't remember much what she said after that. I think it must have been a series of even worse backpeddling. But Melissa saved her from my wrath by continuing the story about her brother. Which, as it turned out, had nothing to do with him being an actor at all.
But of course for the rest of the workout I'm stewing and thinking, Why do actors have this stereotype against them? Sure there are a few odd ones, but frankly, I've met just as many odd people in regular jobs as well. And most people in theatre are very normal. I don't think it's fair. When I do a show, everyone at the theatre (actors, staff, crew) is eager to get to know each other and make friends. There is always a spirit of comradery and genuine interest in each other. Everyone is nice to each other, supports each other... even the wierd ones.

Another part of my life, my day job, is substitute teaching. Here's what people talk about in the teacher's lounge:
1.) Sports (quite passionately, I might add. As if it actually mattered)
2.) Television
3.) How the district, state, etc is screwing them of their 1% raise and when they should strike.

Is this the life of a "normal person?" Thank you very much, but I'll stick with the theatre freaks.

End of the Spear & Through the Gates of Splendor

We saw both of these movies... very interesting. Most of you probably know the story of the 5 missionaries who were killed in Ecuador in 1956 by a group of Auca Indians they had previously befriended. This was their story. The story itself is very emotional and moving-- it really affected me the first time I heard it. We were both very dissappointed after seeing End of the Spear. Frankly, it just wasn't written (or directed) very well, and unfortunately that fact cheapened the drama inherent to the story. But some of the acting on the part of the natives was pretty good. Then later we netflixed the documentary it was based on, Through the Gates of Splendor and that was actually really good! We like it a lot better than the movie. It was a lot more informative (most documentaries are, I suppose) and I felt it was much more artfully done. Everything from the music to the structure was just... better.

Latest Acting Update...

I've been taking this commercial workshop with a Casting Director and last week he talked to me after class and said I was too good to be with the agent I'm with (I had expressed some grievances about my agent) and gave me a referral for a different one. Really nice compliment and let's hope it works out. I heard later from another friend who is represented by this other agent that he's not looking for new clients right now. Well, I guess we'll see what happens.

Monday we drove down to San Diego to audition at Old Globe for their Summer Shakespeare Festival. It would be a really cool gig, but there were a ton of people there, so I'm not putting too much stock in it. Fun day, though, and it also gave me the opportunity to brush up a monologue I use a lot and love.