I am in LA now working on two videos, one for Rascal called “When Bears Attack” and one for All Worlds called “Depraved.” I have some really great partners - this is the really fun part of my job.
Recently I was invited to read for a part in a new TV show. It’s a spin off of the show “Dante’s Cove” called “Dante’s Lair.” It has the same gay theme as DC, but with much more GAY! It is clearly made to cater to the males and also contains a bit of nudity. Go figure.
The audition was on Tuesday in a swanky penthouse in Westwood. I walked out of the elevator into a marble hallway that led to huge black doors. Inside was a waiting room with a TV show projected on the far wall. It was a classic audition scene; people sitting around reading scripts while clutching thier head shots. Some looked at me with a warm look that seemed to say, “Welcome to the cattle call, good luck!” I received my script from the receptionist and glanced at my lines on the leather sofa. As I reached the second page I was interrupted by a really tall guy offering his hand almost to my face.
“I have seen you around a lot, good to see you, good luck in there” he said. He looked like me, dark featured and sort of ethnic; I knew he had just read for the same part as me. That made me feel good and more at ease. I soon met the casting agent who was accompanied by a PA who offered me a glass of water. When he returned he said “I am such a big fan of your work, good luck, I think you will do great!” I must say it felt pretty good to be acknowledged in front of people in that situation. I felt like a peacock showing his feathers. My last interruption was from the Director of Operations on her way out to a meeting. She put her call on hold, held out her hand and said “So good to meet you, I hope this works out for us” and scurried off. It was getting a little “Outer Limits” for me, but it sure felt better that I had been invited instead of showing up for an open casting call.
When my turn came I found myself standing in front of the agent, director, and one of the producers. I was so nervous that I began to smell. I do not wear deodorant usually and my body temperature had risen so high at this moment that I wish I had. I read my lines and then had to pee, in the worst way. It was very cold in there and it made me so jumpy that my voice cracked on several occasions. They said the infamous line “We’ll call you” and I was on my way.
Right as I got to the lobby my phone rang. It was the casting agent wanting me come back upstairs and read for another part. I had a bit more confidence knowing that I didn’t have to memorize the lines this time, just read them from the page. For some bizarre reason I felt as if I had to memorize them out of habit, after all I have never done a “cold read” before. This time it flowed, I knew now what they were looking for based on reading the prior script and felt much more comfortable with this character. Apparently they felt the same because they were very pleased with this performance. The director clapped his hands and cooed with delight when I finished. Always a good way to end an audition.
Later on I met BW and our gal pal Michelle at a bar called The Falcon in Hollywood. They had just come from a screening of “For Your Consideration” and wanted to take advantage of our mutual availability. I rarely get to see Michelle due to familial obligations and schedule conflicts so it was good to have both BW and Michelle under the same roof in a social setting. Michelle has always been and continues to be a bit of social hub of West Hollywood. Before I lived in CA and was out here from Boston we would go out and she would swing from clique to clique doing the rounds “Hello how are ya, hello how are ya” It was a great evening and a good way to begin my time here in lovely LA LA Land.