2 am

2 am and I’m still awake writing my blog (haha – I just realized how perfect this fits to the tune of Anna Nalick’s song J), but I stay up every night to write because I really do believe that by getting it all down on paper I have closure to my day – the good, the bad, the uplifting, the depressing – the every moment. They say you should live every day as if it is the last, and what better way to do that than to write about it – ensuring even the small details are not lost in time. So that is why I write. Even though it keeps me awake. Even though it takes thought, reflection, and organization. I do it because it actually keeps me sane, creative and purposeful. But mostly I do it because it connects me to you, and even more so because at the end of the day, it connects me back to my self.

So here we go J another day…

Wednesday at the office is usually preparation for the workshop, so as usual, I looked up scripts for the children to work on, typed them up in a word document and got them all sorted. We had two meetings this afternoon - one was an audition with an amazing actor who is currently staring in Eurobeat. He had such an honest and genuine demeanor, and an even more impressive voice and presence. Robert is definitely anxious to sign him, and I loved him, so I hope he chooses us as well. He had one more meeting this afternoon with another agent, but it seemed as though he connected with the agency and he works with and respects a lot of our clients, so it is promising. Also, a childhood friend of Roberts stopped in to chat – she is playing Anita in West Side Story, but recently slipped a disk in her neck so she is out for six weeks – which is an actor’s nightmare. She is incredibly talented and was in amazing spirits considering the situation. Her demeanor may have been due to the pain meds, but either way to be able to smile through such misfortune is admirable. She told us all about the injury and how she went on to do a live television performance even after. Michael Buble was hosting (who she met and said was a huge prick – not surprising, but disappointing because I love my buble) and she was determined to not let her national TV moment slip away. Her performance was flawless (we saw it on youtube), but she said the pain was so intense, looking back she isn’t even sure how she got through it. Amazing how mind can overcome body when pushed to the limit. She is a true example of a dedicated actress – even if she was a bit reckless, you have to take risks to truly live, and she doesn’t regret going on for a minute. Not to mention, it did not worsen the injury at all, so she lucked out J.

 

After meeting her and having a delicious lunch with the boys at Slug and Lettuce (that delicious restaurant with the amazing bread), we headed back to the office. As I mentioned earlier, the credit crunch is slowing down the industry tremendously. We have clients who are out of work calling frantically, tight with money and looking for work that simply is not available at the moment. This puts Robert in a difficult position - of course he wants to make the client feel as if he is being pro-active and doing all he can, but there is only so much he can do - if the market is not moving, the demand decreases significantly. Only shows with real commercial appeal are surviving the crunch. For instance, Hairspray, Grease, Sound of Music, etc. will always have audiences because of its timeless reputation and appeal. But newer productions, such as Eurobeat and Never Forget are being cancelled or moved out of West End to tour because the producers simply cannot fill up the seats. This could be due in large part to marketing - the shows that are new or lesser known do not receive the push they need to get audience attention. But with an economy like the one we are having right now, there comes a time where not even marketing can save a show. It is so sad to see the underdog slip through the cracks, but it happens so often, and not just in this industry. Wal-Mart’s kick out mom and pop stores around the country everyday, and when you have a mom trying to run a restaurant, the reality of this really hits home.

 

Tonight was the workshop and the children read through scripts we told them to memorize last week. They are making great progress and really taking direction well. It is always a joy to take part in helping make the young and hopeful dreams of these children more obtainable through training - which is imperative to their success. There was a bit of tension between Rob and Gordon because their teaching styles are a bit different, and they have only taught one class together so far. Gordon really expects a lot from the kids, and I think sometimes he forgets they are kids – but in the same respect, Rob can sometimes be too lenient. Not to mention, some of the most talented kids are the ones that are cocky and do not take class seriously, which also causes a conflict of interest. There really is no punishing them for not being prepared because in the end, they are the ones that get the castings – but how do you teach them how to be professional when they are rewarded regardless of their effort simply because when they do finally get it together, their raw talent carries them through? There needs to be a happy medium, and I think we will get there in time. 

 

After a long day 10am to 10pm, I made some phones calls to connect with the family before going to ITALY!!!! Tomorrow I will blog the itinerary! Until then, since it is now well beyond 2am, I am going to sleep. And tomorrow (or today as the case may be) I will wake to a new day – a day you will hear all about in just a little while.

 

Love and hugs,

Jenny