The craft of acting is to be taken seriously for those who can only dream of one thorough role a year, or every couple years - it is the difference, for example, between the original Millennium Series in Swedish and the Hollywood re-make.
It is talent and stamina. Mind and body - putting one's energy into an exhausting role for that one "take" versus putting yourself into that one role over and over for weeks and months (even years) on end.
A "starlet" on Broadway is like reality television - except we don't often spend an ungodly amount to watch those train wrecks.
Imagine for a (very) brief, unrealistic moment that Kim Khardashian decided to call herself an actor and found herself thrust upon a stage to do whatever it is that she does. Ticket sales would likely be through the roof if not sold out - but for how long before she and the audience wanted out. I don't mean to diminish the actual work of Hollywood actors who have attempted to make a way for themselves among the greats of Broadway, but it might seem as ill a match as the above mentioned Ms.(...er Mrs... er...) Khardashian on the stage.
Hollywood doesn't fit well in a place as honest as New York - where you can see imperfection on the stage - we like flaws here. New York also likes perfection... over and over again, something you only have to do in Hollywood once.
Elaine Stritch said it well on her "retirement", “I’m just sick of the competition in New York, the feeling that I always have to rehearse to keep up my performance. [...]" (Patrick Healey).
The starlets who flock here are maybe looking for a notch in their belt. The runs are usually limited because neither their stamina nor their persona could handle it for more than a few weeks. That "perfection" that Ms. Stritch spoke of achieving and being expected to achieve on a more than regular basis.
Unfortunately, Broadway is often about making money - New Yorker's know that. While it may often be the tourists' playground, as the box offices from many of the shows Isherwood mentioned demonstrated, even they tire of the letdown of seeing their favorite movie heroine up close and personal in a play they only came to see because he or she was in it.
I think casting Starlets or Hollywood actors is common because of the money the theatre community hopes to make. Plays are only so popular these days when everyone's attention span is less than a macro-second. The theatre is not what it was and stars bring a boost. If we see a boost in "big names", it might signal that the "money people" are looking to make a few more dollars or are low in the first place. Either way, it's a money problem.
On the other hand, what Isherwood (and many of the comments) have shown is that this boost is only temporary because no one is really fooled and the shows close (even before originally being scheduled to end).
So Hollywood - Back to The Hill and "The Method" you go!
_________________________
In Response to Theater Talkback: The Season of the Sputtering Starlet ~Charles Isherwood~ NYTimes Theatre Arts Beat - March 21, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
The American Navel
I can't believe it's been over a week since I've posted!
The past few weeks I have been hard at work on my photography business and website! It has certainly "taken over", in addition to my other familial duties...PLUS we've all been ill. With that said, I have been writing this blog post for over a week in between figuring out my packaging and pricing and all the exciting things I will be offering my photography clients!
So the week before last, while I was figuring out how I will conduct my business, I looked at many photography websites, especially those catering to newborns, babies and young children.
When it came to my bio, I debated whether or not to include a photograph of myself. When I looked around, I found only a handful of photographers without photos of themselves and thought I might as well, even though my initial inclination was not to display one on the site. I felt that I was advertising my work as a photographer - did it really matter what I looked like....?
When I showed the site to my husband, his first comment was, "I don't think you need your photo"...
I stopped.... annoyed (not at him), that it ALWAYS seemed that when I thought something and did the opposite, maybe I should have done what I was initially going to do. I went on to explain to him that almost all the photography websites I checked out included photos of the photographers and added that it did make sense to me, that a parent would want to see who was photographing their children.... Wouldn't I??
Maybe a note about my husband would be helpful... He grew up in France, and is for the most part, French... Culturally European (and West African... But the focus here is the European). He then made a comment about Americans...always thinking about their own navel....as if they are the center of their own Universe.... Now.. he's not the only one who said this - I showed the site to a neighbor of mine - also European and she also asked about my photo. I chuckled! Now I'm really beginning to think it's a crazy American thing... (side note: I am in no way bashing Americans - I am only pointing out and interested in discussing cultural differences...)
So after some thought I went with my gut... and took my photo down... for now... until I have one that I'm happier with..
But what they were saying complimented each other - my husband was talking about his noticing this culture where we don't debate topics that stray far from ourselves. Instead of talking about "Malcolm" (his example), we focus on our lives... I mean... could my blog be in that category... probably...uh yes... even though I try hard not to..
My neighbor's comment was particularly concerning if one thought what the had to say was so interesting that we had to share with other people.
Now, I know many people NOT on Facebook and many not concerned with letting others know about their daily ins and outs in what others think, but I don't know if it's a purely American thing... It could be an artist thing... I mean when you work for yourself and write or act or dance or promote yourself, it's hard to stray from that because YOU are your "brand" - YOU are your own bread. It could also be a product of our society... "iPhone" "mobile ME".... "iPod" "iPad"... our everyday products focus on ourselves...
There's a fine line between just enough me and too much me... but it can be annoying or frustrating maybe to meet people who are constantly thinking about me, myself and I. We require so much attention these days. What would be do if we shut off the twitter and Facebook... it seems so rare to have a telephone conversation these days... so much is done by text and I'm not excluding myself (although I'm working hard NOT to make this about me).
I would really like to hear what people think... Are you a perpetrator of constant navel-gazing?... be honest... OR do you avoid it like the plague and attempt to participate in discussions about things other than yourself?
The past few weeks I have been hard at work on my photography business and website! It has certainly "taken over", in addition to my other familial duties...PLUS we've all been ill. With that said, I have been writing this blog post for over a week in between figuring out my packaging and pricing and all the exciting things I will be offering my photography clients!
So the week before last, while I was figuring out how I will conduct my business, I looked at many photography websites, especially those catering to newborns, babies and young children.
When it came to my bio, I debated whether or not to include a photograph of myself. When I looked around, I found only a handful of photographers without photos of themselves and thought I might as well, even though my initial inclination was not to display one on the site. I felt that I was advertising my work as a photographer - did it really matter what I looked like....?
When I showed the site to my husband, his first comment was, "I don't think you need your photo"...
I stopped.... annoyed (not at him), that it ALWAYS seemed that when I thought something and did the opposite, maybe I should have done what I was initially going to do. I went on to explain to him that almost all the photography websites I checked out included photos of the photographers and added that it did make sense to me, that a parent would want to see who was photographing their children.... Wouldn't I??
Maybe a note about my husband would be helpful... He grew up in France, and is for the most part, French... Culturally European (and West African... But the focus here is the European). He then made a comment about Americans...always thinking about their own navel....as if they are the center of their own Universe.... Now.. he's not the only one who said this - I showed the site to a neighbor of mine - also European and she also asked about my photo. I chuckled! Now I'm really beginning to think it's a crazy American thing... (side note: I am in no way bashing Americans - I am only pointing out and interested in discussing cultural differences...)
So after some thought I went with my gut... and took my photo down... for now... until I have one that I'm happier with..
But what they were saying complimented each other - my husband was talking about his noticing this culture where we don't debate topics that stray far from ourselves. Instead of talking about "Malcolm" (his example), we focus on our lives... I mean... could my blog be in that category... probably...uh yes... even though I try hard not to..
My neighbor's comment was particularly concerning if one thought what the had to say was so interesting that we had to share with other people.
Now, I know many people NOT on Facebook and many not concerned with letting others know about their daily ins and outs in what others think, but I don't know if it's a purely American thing... It could be an artist thing... I mean when you work for yourself and write or act or dance or promote yourself, it's hard to stray from that because YOU are your "brand" - YOU are your own bread. It could also be a product of our society... "iPhone" "mobile ME".... "iPod" "iPad"... our everyday products focus on ourselves...
There's a fine line between just enough me and too much me... but it can be annoying or frustrating maybe to meet people who are constantly thinking about me, myself and I. We require so much attention these days. What would be do if we shut off the twitter and Facebook... it seems so rare to have a telephone conversation these days... so much is done by text and I'm not excluding myself (although I'm working hard NOT to make this about me).
I would really like to hear what people think... Are you a perpetrator of constant navel-gazing?... be honest... OR do you avoid it like the plague and attempt to participate in discussions about things other than yourself?
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Artist-Parent-Parent-Artist Balance...
In a January blog for The Public Theatre, J.Julian Christopher touched on his experience as an artist making ends meet through freelance work and then balancing his creative life once attaining a position in Academia (a wish for many artists not wanting a "9 to 5").He wrote about his regimen for maintaining that "work-creative life" balance that so many artists struggle with. At the end of his post, he stated that a relationship would only make that more difficult... I chuckled when I read that as it rang more than true! (especially as I sit here in the dark finishing this blog on my phone).
Where does your creativity come in when one's life is both parent and artist.... wait ... did I just say that? Being a parent is one of the most creative things to happen to a person - if you are already an artist, it only adds to your creativity...in my opinion. BUT - Where does one find TIME to be creative as a parent balancing "life" when your livelihood cannot always be determined by your art.
The Washington Post published an article last week about work-life balance for single people - and feeling guilty for having to find pet care vs. childcare, for example. Balance affects everyone. It's real.
Personally, I often feel like my mind is going to explode from thinking before being able to accomplish anything (Procrastination / Over-thought). I lie awake lost in the minutia of motherhood and wife-dom, writing bits of dialogue / monologues on my iPhone. I am habitually nocturnal (... perhaps genes have something to do with it as well) and struggle between going to bed and getting up early or staying up late... (and still getting up early-ish).
Long gone are the days of wallowing in one's own problems before others...my own little family puts things in perspective. When someone is tugging at your trousers /skirt while your cooking, it's hard to think about the lunch date I should make with friends.
My husband's more structured IT background has led him to marvel at the often inconsistent manner in which I behave. There are days I know exactly what to do first and other days ... Not so much. Being a mother and wife is my first priority and it only helps my creativity, but knowing where creativity comes in is the challenge.
I tend to do some of my best thinking in the middle of the night! I have wild dreams of red carpets and magazine articles (I can't even believe I'm telling you this). I've finished multiple plays and am writing in Paris (I would elaborate on Paris - but that is an entirely different blog post / novel... but let's just say... no... I can't... LATER). By now, you've probably come to the conclusion that I'm either scattered, unorganized, or just plain ol'messy. I would venture to say that I'm a little scattered - but that it aids in my creativity...
Getting back on track and away from my tangent...
- I work in the middle of the night because everyone is asleep. The house is silent and I can focus.
- The iPhone has some great apps that I purchased early on because I knew in the beginning I wouldn't be able to sit at my computer a lot (especially while nursing). I use "Write2" and things upload to my dropbox, so it make is very easy. I also have, for example, the wordpress app for my blogs (yes - I have two others...).
- I do the shopping I can on-line... Soap.com / Diapers.com have apps that are more than helpful and they ship the next day.
With that said, I would definitely recommend using the technology around you to aid in your creative / parent life. I know there are more apps out there and if I discover them, I will share!
So has any of this helped me...yes, a little... I produce with a group - Harlem9 - we have an annual 48 Hour Play festival in Harlem, I still run my reading series for Black Playwrights "Blackboard Reading Series" at the cell, where I worked before having my daughter and am now still involved through the series and as a resident artist...., I had a short play in a play festival in November "The Decision Fest" and was part of an online film festival encouraging people to vote (and I won one of the prizes).
ok... so maybe I'm being a little hard on myself... but since I have this image of where I want to be and where I am, I still work hard on the balance. I can't JUST write or work all day... there's a baby to take care of, a husband, a house... I'm balancing, I am... the artist in me wants to sit, do yoga and write; the mother in me want to go to every mom and me-class available; the wife in me, wants to make the best french cuisine possible in a dress, apron and full make-up... they're all extremes... so the thing about balance is doing a little bit of each extreme in order to fulfill those parts of one's life.
And then one day, you're kids will have all grown up and you'll have this other life to figure out... :)
But I can't even think about that now!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The Stuttering Photographer and Elizabeth Halford
Starting a business is hard. You have to think about the ins and outs of how it will function. In the beginning it's just you - so there is much more to think about and you write lists and there's advertising and marketing to think about. Maybe even investors! THEN - if you're a SAHM, you have to figure out your business plus your family life!
It's enough to drive a person mad!
All this before you've even thought about how you're going to actually approach people, because let's face it - it's so much easier to just sit behind a screen and type / edit away (I mean I am a playwright) - but there is something about person-to-person interactions... (they're rare in this day and age).
With that said, I was really happy when I came across Elizabeth Halford, an American photographer living in Great Britain. Her blog has been quite helpful as I think and create the intricacies of my new baby photography business (Like us on Facebook / GarBaby's Photos - Shameless plug...). Elizabeth has ptosis and does "Vlogs" on YouTube. After "Vlogging" for a while, she received a lot of questions about her left eye (video below).
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG0wgHXubFE]
After watching Elizabeth's video, I mentioned her in a tweet! I understood absolutely everything that she was saying!
You see - I stutter - I have since I was 5 and well, it's just a part of my everyday life. Living as a person who stutters has had an absolute effect on the way I think about things and interact with people. It is so innate, that some of my behaviors might seem unorthodox to others, even though they make complete sense to me.
Here are a few examples:
If you watched Elizabeth's video - she talked about not letting your "thing" (ptosis, impediment, etc...) stop you from sharing your gifts with the world. She spoke about how God made you who you are and that is a wonderful gift to share with the world.
Her words meant a lot to me. And while I have never let my speech get in the way of doing what I need to do, maybe it was a boost for me. It certainly is a wonderful message that I thought was important to share.
It's enough to drive a person mad!
All this before you've even thought about how you're going to actually approach people, because let's face it - it's so much easier to just sit behind a screen and type / edit away (I mean I am a playwright) - but there is something about person-to-person interactions... (they're rare in this day and age).
With that said, I was really happy when I came across Elizabeth Halford, an American photographer living in Great Britain. Her blog has been quite helpful as I think and create the intricacies of my new baby photography business (Like us on Facebook / GarBaby's Photos - Shameless plug...). Elizabeth has ptosis and does "Vlogs" on YouTube. After "Vlogging" for a while, she received a lot of questions about her left eye (video below).
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG0wgHXubFE]
After watching Elizabeth's video, I mentioned her in a tweet! I understood absolutely everything that she was saying!
You see - I stutter - I have since I was 5 and well, it's just a part of my everyday life. Living as a person who stutters has had an absolute effect on the way I think about things and interact with people. It is so innate, that some of my behaviors might seem unorthodox to others, even though they make complete sense to me.
Here are a few examples:
- I rarely introduce myself and if I am in a groups of people, I will wait for someone else to say my name.
- This may give the impression that I view myself in such high regard that I need to be introduced, and while I do have pretty good self-esteem, I certainly do not think I am above telling another person my own name, I'd just rather not take 25 minutes to do it.
- I switch words in the middle of sentence if necessary.
- If I can think of something that is easier to say, I'll say it. For example, I prefer "spectacles" over "glasses" - the Glottal "g" is not one of my better sounds (and with a name like "G"arlia - you wonder why I don't introduce myself often...).
- I prefer not to argue.
- Any sort of confrontation is hard and I avoid it like the plague ... WHY? Because arguments are quick and people say things sharply that sting... but I normally come out of them more frustrated because I never actually said what I wanted because maybe I word-switched or just gave up. The more stress / Frustration, the more I stutter... the more anyone who stutters will stutter.
- I have witnessed James Earl Jones not argue... and he stutters.. that is his way to keep everything under control...
- Any sort of confrontation is hard and I avoid it like the plague ... WHY? Because arguments are quick and people say things sharply that sting... but I normally come out of them more frustrated because I never actually said what I wanted because maybe I word-switched or just gave up. The more stress / Frustration, the more I stutter... the more anyone who stutters will stutter.
If you watched Elizabeth's video - she talked about not letting your "thing" (ptosis, impediment, etc...) stop you from sharing your gifts with the world. She spoke about how God made you who you are and that is a wonderful gift to share with the world.
Her words meant a lot to me. And while I have never let my speech get in the way of doing what I need to do, maybe it was a boost for me. It certainly is a wonderful message that I thought was important to share.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Harlem WHA!... 21st Century Blackface
All this talk of Yahoo and Mommy-life, I completely missed the "Harlem Shake" business over the last few weeks.
I actually ignored a suggestion from YouTube that I watch a Harlem Shake Video... It looked pretty silly to me.
But after running across a Melissa Harris-Perry link, I checked it out...
(beat)
Seriously...
(clearing throat)
My guess is that I'm not supposed to be offended by this and that it's all in "good fun"... right?
Shouldn't I just lighten up?
That's what one side of my brain is telling me - while the other side is ... appalled - offended - maybe even horrified.
I'm apologizing for being on a soap-box (Catholic Guilt again....), I don't want to be the person who rants all the time.... on the other hand, this "Harlem Shake" business looks absolutely ridiculous.
I'm just going to pretend that the Producers of the "Today Show" and every other news channel and show that spent airtime promoting this nonsensical display of 21st Century Blackface were the ones who forced their anchors to behave in such a manner.
To the college students on the airplane that made it on ABC news... I might have to just brush it off as college student behavior...
But to watch professional adults shake their bodies in a manner that seems to be mocking the real dancers of Harlem / Urban areas, I just can't watch. It's too much...
Looks like Blackface to me...
Even if there are white dancers in Harlem doing this dance, they surely embody it's spirit, whereas the non-urban and predominantly white versions (except for the Miami Heat version YouTube promoted) seemed like jerky versions of the original. It was awkward and as bad as when I let people call me an OREO...
I can't dignify this with more space on my blog... time to go read a board-book!
I actually ignored a suggestion from YouTube that I watch a Harlem Shake Video... It looked pretty silly to me.
But after running across a Melissa Harris-Perry link, I checked it out...
(beat)
Seriously...
(clearing throat)
My guess is that I'm not supposed to be offended by this and that it's all in "good fun"... right?
Shouldn't I just lighten up?
That's what one side of my brain is telling me - while the other side is ... appalled - offended - maybe even horrified.
I'm apologizing for being on a soap-box (Catholic Guilt again....), I don't want to be the person who rants all the time.... on the other hand, this "Harlem Shake" business looks absolutely ridiculous.
I'm just going to pretend that the Producers of the "Today Show" and every other news channel and show that spent airtime promoting this nonsensical display of 21st Century Blackface were the ones who forced their anchors to behave in such a manner.
To the college students on the airplane that made it on ABC news... I might have to just brush it off as college student behavior...
But to watch professional adults shake their bodies in a manner that seems to be mocking the real dancers of Harlem / Urban areas, I just can't watch. It's too much...
Looks like Blackface to me...
Even if there are white dancers in Harlem doing this dance, they surely embody it's spirit, whereas the non-urban and predominantly white versions (except for the Miami Heat version YouTube promoted) seemed like jerky versions of the original. It was awkward and as bad as when I let people call me an OREO...
I can't dignify this with more space on my blog... time to go read a board-book!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Dear Ms. YAHOO, Can I get a Nursery too?
I have spent the last year transitioning from Working woman to SAHM and fluctuating between that and a WAHM.As I work towards my desired occupation as writer, I have searched for positions eager to have the flexibility to work from home and spend time with my daughter and husband. I know they exist and I know many women who choose to have a job with such flexibility.
So with that said, I was struck by Marissa Mayer's decision earlier this week - it may not be big news to everyone with more important things happening in Rome and at the White House even, but it directly affects women like me, looking to be at home and even at work, simultaneously.
I would like to take this discussion a step further however, because I don't completely disagree with Ms. Mayer - she should actually be commended for wanting to spend time with her baby instead of only having a nanny for her son. She had the means to build a nursery next to her office - so more power to her! Television Writer and Producer, Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, SCANDAL) has rooms for both of her daughters at her offices and also had the means to bring them to work with her. But no one is chastising her... (Is it because Ms. Rhimes is an writer, which is considered a more artistic occupation and Ms. Mayer is a business woman and we love to hate business women... )
Wouldn't we all (if it is our desire), like to bring our babies to work with us so that we can continue to make money alongside our spouse (if we are are a two-parent household), so that our households have two incomes instead of one, so that we can begin saving for the costly pre-K, Kindergarten, elementary school, high school and / or college tuitions we will have to pay in the coming years... Wouldn't we all like to raise our children under our own watchful eyes, and have them see us at work, so that they see from a young age, the value of working everyday in your chosen occupation.
It seems that parents these days are making decisions under much scrutiny, but there is so much we have to think about. With things like Newton, Conneticut happening at what seems a daily rate, might some of us be filled with a daily paranoia... On the other hand, these choices are just part of being parents. They are not always easy, but we make them out of what we feel is in the best interest of our child / children... and someone - somewhere will likely disagree or have something to say.
As usual, I digress... So my only "complaint" of Ms. YAHOO is that other mother's in her situation (with young children / babies) will now have to go through the sometimes lengthy process of securing a nanny / governess / caretaker for their children instead of working from home like they have been. If YAHOO were in New York, these parents would have to account for the $8 Monthly MetroCard fare hike to $112 that goes into effect tomorrow (Sunday, March 3, 2013); gasoline is still sky high (remember when we freaked that it hit $1.00), and now our federal budget is being cut...
Since other women at YAHOO are most likely not in the financial position to build a nursery adjacent to their cubicle, is there a solution for them? It has not been publicized yet - so my only hope is that YAHOO is still discussing how this affects the 1-2% of employees who worked from home. Maybe there could be a proposal for daycare, so other women could bring their children to work and have them at least in the same building. Lauren Ashburn of The Daily Beast said on Hardball with Chris Matthews that she would quit if she were one of those women at YAHOO. My husband said it was a personal decision since she used her own money to build the nursery, and we should stay out of her business.
But for someone as public as she is, personal decisions are not so personal...especially when they are "out of the ordinary".
Like I said, I love that Marissa Mayer is empowered enough to have a nursery built next to her office and if I had the means and the good fortune to have a television show, I am sure my children would know my office as well as home.
Because I notoriously play both sides. (I can't help it. I don't want to really hurt anyone's feelings... Catholic Guilt?) , I wonder what Ms. YAHOO is thinking (aside from trying to get her company back on its feet). Where is she is in all of this? Is she even listening?
If she is...
...Can I get a nursery too?...