help.com!! from a 17 yr old floridian!!

[imperfect star]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 8:30pm

Hey, my name is ashley... and I JUST HAVe this feeling that if i go to new york and audtion for somehting I COULD posb get it... im not a cocky person or and im quite humble... but the only prob. is that I DONT Know how the hell Im going to start.. like, whats my first step... im well invloved with theatre at my school and community theatre and i have my head shots and resume... but do i need to get a new york agent... DUDE help... Im so lost....
Ash
aim:imp3rf3ct star

[BWIDB Charlie]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 8:37pm

I will offer a few suggestions in a few moments (I'll update this post.)

Charlie

Edit: - read the below post. Thanks! Updated On: 11/6/04 at 08:37 PM

[Westopher]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 8:41pm

Orlando is basicly the bastard version of New York. There are a ton of options available, maybe you should look there first.

[imperfect star]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 8:42pm

yeah thats very tru ...

[Today4U83]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 8:45pm

i think your first step would to be get an agent and let him or her find some jobs for you :)

[Ruth Sherwood]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 9:23pm

I don't think you need an agent. You can find the auditions yourself by looking on playbill.com or subscribing to backstage.

[BWIDB Charlie]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 9:29pm

Well, I'm not the best voice to speak, but I will try to offer a few suggestions. 95% of the time, an NYC agent or manager will not even consider investing their time or money into you if you're not in the NYC area. Actually, here's some info that could provide useful (it’s not always, true, and I’m sure other people can voice their opinions better than I can in this situation.)

All Managers and Agents gamble on talent. Gambling, to them, means spending a considerable amount of time promoting, introducing, guiding and a considerable amount of money promoting and introducing. Unfortunately, in NYC unless the high school is one of the two schools for the performing arts, then high school just doesn't count.

- See if you can get into Julliard’s undergrad program in NYC. It will open every door into the profession, if you play your cards correctly.

- Being in Florida is lovely, but in order for it to benefit your career; you must get roles in some of your state's major theatres. Like other people have mentioned above, look into various locations in Orlando, et al. These, nowadays, are the best way to get your chops up to professional (NYC) level. Also, you get to hone your craft without being under the NYC microscope. Remember, New York isn’t the center of the world when it comes to theatre. Many professionals reside in various parts of the country, doing exemplary work and love it.

- Get your singing and dancing up to Broadway-competitive level. Musicals are the most popular, hence provide the most opportunity for auditioning/booking.

- Get some film and TV training or experience. Therein lies the money and also enables you to get the larger roles in theatre. Broadway and even off-Broadway these days are laden with TV and film names.

- Don’t try to proceed if you don’t have the ability to go lengthy amounts of time without amenities, or have the ability to sell yourself (figuratively speaking) in the business. Remember, through it all, Broadway/theatre is a business. You have to be able to provide something that will result in a better product. If you can’t, you’re better left to the amateur ranks. Note: “Amateur” does not mean “not good” – it means the stakes aren’t as high, and money isn’t (usually) on the line.

There is of course nothing a New York manager/agent can do for a Florida-based actor. They cannot help anyone who lives further than about a half-hour commute from midtown Manhattan. If you do look into Agents or Managers - watch out for frauds who promise the moon. And NEVER pay a manager or an agent a cent until you have booked a job and have been paid for that job.

Okay, so that’s my schpiel! I probably have more in my head that I could say, but it’s not projecting outwardly at the moment. Hopefully, this will prove at least somewhat useful. In the end it’s all about you… you make yourself successful. Good luck! And if anyone has anything they would like to add to this, go right ahead! And if you disagree, I’d like to hear your thoughts – I’m always learning as well!

Take care,

Charlie
[e-mail]

[etoile]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 9:29pm

I vote for staying in school and getting an education, Dude.

[Westopher]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 9:42pm

For film, Fullsail in Orlando does a TON of student films and they are almost always holding auditions for something.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 9:52pm

The first thing you gotta go do before you even consider anything is get formal training for your singing/dancing/acting. Most good agents won't even look at you, much less put you on their roster and send you out on auditions if you haven't had *formal* training. (No, high school isn't formal training. )

THEN...you need to do what everyone else has already said and score more big regional stuff before NYC agents will consider you.

It's a cold hard business. Be cool - stay in school! (Couldn't resist.)

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 2:32am

You have a feeling that if you go to NY and audition you can get a role?

Funny. That's what the other 2,576 non Equity performers also said.

Updated On: 11/7/04 at 02:32 AM

[fae]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 2:47am

ashley.... your avatar cracks me up. i have a friend (who coincidentally is also named ashley) who wears a t-shirt that says "jesus is my homeboy." she would love your thumbs up christ.

[BlueEyedKate]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 11:13am

OK - here's my take on your situation...

First, I agree with what other people have mentioned on this thread. Right now, you seem to have some experience in HS and community, and people have probably walked up to you after your performance and told you what a wonderful job you did, how talented you are, so on and so forth. Effectively, big fish, small pond situation.

I wasn't entirely involved in theatre during my HS years, but the big fish, small pond kids I knew have tried since we graduated to get parts in plays beyond community theatre, stating the same thing that you did...and each one of them has failed. The acting business, especially in NYC, is extraordinarily cuthroat.

I wouldn't start with an agent right away. I've been acting and getting parts in productions without an agent; and furthermore, if you're not in NYC and don't have plans to relocate there immediately upon graduation from HS, then I seriously doubt anyone would want to sign you. Auditions and casting calls can come up within a week's time, and no agent would want to sign someone who couldn't hop on a train and get to NYC in three days notice.

If you really, really want to start out in NYC - then by all means, do it. But please don't be disillusioned by what to expect - an easier route would be to stick regionally for a while (Orlando is close, and I did a show at Disney World for awhile...), and get formal training. Whether it be getting your BA in acting (in which case, I would recommend Juillard or NYU), taking acting classes...whatever, just keep on developing as an actress. The more you learn, the more you will improve on your skills as an actress.

Don't just focus on acting classes, take dance classes, take voice lessons...just take everything that you can get your hands on. Even if you have no intention on acting in musicals, then you still will learn valuable lessons in movement, voice projection, etc., etc.

I tend to disagree with film/TV training - primarily because I am an acting purist, and I fall under a 'stage only' type of actress. But film/TV in my opinion, is even more competitive than stage because so much is predicated on how you look as opposed to your talent; so unless going into film/TV is your ultimate goal, I wouldn't focus too much attention on that area immediately.

As for me, I got my start from taking a class at my college, where my professor told me he saw talent in me. I pursued it more, completely lucked out on my first audition and got into an Equity play at a large regional theatre, and since then, had a mixed bag of results as of late. I'm still in college, and will be graduating shortly, and I will be moving to NYC to pursue acting full time...but it definitely comes with sacrifices. All I can really say to you, or anyone else that wants to pursue acting is that while you're still young, keep all your options open. From the time that I was 17 to now, my life directions and ambitions have changed so many times...and I'm glad that I will always have a non-acting education to fall back on.

Best of luck to you!

[N0tThatGirl213]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 11:17am

Umm, guys? From someone who lives in Orlando, there most definitely are *not* tons of opportunities. To do community theatre, maybe. To do regional, there's some. But there's hardly any musical theatre here, and certainly nothing like the opportunities in NY.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 11:24am

If you're 17 and interested in a career in theatre, you should be researching college drama programs and focussing your efforts on getting the best possible training and education in the field that you can afford. These days, if you don't have excellent training, the chances of you being successful are almost none. I'm not saying that it's a guarantee when you have a BFA from a good school but it sure does help set the foundation for a career. Most casting directors are looking for actors who are well trained AND well educated. Going to the city and just auditioning with hopes of being cast is really a pipedream. Most open calls see only equity members and if they do see non-eq, it's last and often just a waste of time. Even with the current abundance of non-eq tours, if you look at the bios of those actors, you will see that most are BFA graduates and have been trained well.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 2:05pm

Well said, BlueEyedKate.