It is cold and rainy in New York City which means the snow is on it's way. I have made a bad habit of sleeping in. Partially because January is slow for my job. Partially because since Jan is slow for my job I have been filling the calender with other projects which make me tired. Partially because maybe I am getting sick. Partially because this time of year is so Goddamn depressing.
The other day-which was nicer by the way-I was walking along and saw RC Smith who used to open for Rachael Ray. I remember how kind he was to me when I was a fledgling with no clue. I am no longer a fledgling, but I still have no clue. It's amazing how very little changes. After that I saw my piano player Paul from my Strasberg days. I liked singing with Jan Douglas and the studio itself because I felt so safe in my acting classes. Everyone was so cool and my teachers were wonderful. For the first time in a long time I found myself wanting to go back to acting class.
After graduating NYU and taking a large number of acting classes I sort of felt burned out. I am not the type of person who lives in theory well at all. More or less, I learn by actually being Daniel in the Lion's den or baptized by fire. That's why I took to comedy the way I did. Plus I knew despite all my Checkov and Shakespeare and all the other things in my bag of tricks my claim to fame would be April being April. I knew my puppets would be my ticket as well as my ability to make people laugh and my ability to be myself and create my own work would open the door.
As well as writing self-important blogs where I have my dreams and you don't like a Peter Pan with run on sentences. They said something to that effect about me on Gawker.
I tried going back to acting class a few years ago with a private teacher who had trained with Lee Strasberg and didnt like the guy. But the guy was just an old bitter actor and a dirty old man who wanted to talk about sex more than he wanted me to read my pieces. Needless to say I stopped going after he asked me if I wanted to be photographed naked. It was no problem. Comedy was more my thing and I was on the road every weekend there was anyway, and part of a weekly show at an A-List club. There was no Shakespeare in the Park in my future.
I find myself wanting to act again. I made a movie a year and a half ago where I was a lead and one where I was supporting and I find myself wanting to do that more. I am also writing a Broadway musical. I also find myself missing acting, and the structure and freedom technique gave me. There are acting classes everywhere and some are pretty pricey. Not to mention I am very protective of the Strasberg Method and the teachers who know it and teach it. The rest of the world wants to rip it up. Part of it is because they don't understand it, and part of it is because they are jealous that it works.
Life has been going full circle lately. I booked my first out of town club date in a long time. They are letting me sell my books. I havent done as much standup since being on reality tele and being fired from the club I was so good to. You know the story-I got a job on an internet tele network and made a bunch of videos and blah blah blah. Now it seems I have no choice but to get back onstage.
These days I am writing a musical as well. Which means writing stage directions so I know how to talk to actors.
I am also recording an audio book and go mad ass fast-ask Archie Ekong. So I have been reduced to my vocal production exercises. Erick Buckley, Scott Flaherty, Jan Douglas, Kohli Hessler, Todd Ferreri and the rest of the crew are probably having a gas with John Van Wyden leading the way. I detested those exercises in college but going back to the fundies has saved my ass on this project.
These past two years I have been given exposure and some fame. I now have some followers. My work on film is going to festivals.
However, sometimes you are being called home-to go back to basics. To go back to class and to keep learning. One of my favorite Broadway leading ladies still goes to acting class. There is always more knowledge to be acquired.
Love
April
I Came, I Saw, I Sang: Memoirs of a Singing Telegram Delivery Girl
877-Buy-Book
www.buybooksontheweb.com
Available as an ebook on Amazon
Available as an ebook on Nook
Portions of the Proceeds go to RAINN
The other day-which was nicer by the way-I was walking along and saw RC Smith who used to open for Rachael Ray. I remember how kind he was to me when I was a fledgling with no clue. I am no longer a fledgling, but I still have no clue. It's amazing how very little changes. After that I saw my piano player Paul from my Strasberg days. I liked singing with Jan Douglas and the studio itself because I felt so safe in my acting classes. Everyone was so cool and my teachers were wonderful. For the first time in a long time I found myself wanting to go back to acting class.
After graduating NYU and taking a large number of acting classes I sort of felt burned out. I am not the type of person who lives in theory well at all. More or less, I learn by actually being Daniel in the Lion's den or baptized by fire. That's why I took to comedy the way I did. Plus I knew despite all my Checkov and Shakespeare and all the other things in my bag of tricks my claim to fame would be April being April. I knew my puppets would be my ticket as well as my ability to make people laugh and my ability to be myself and create my own work would open the door.
As well as writing self-important blogs where I have my dreams and you don't like a Peter Pan with run on sentences. They said something to that effect about me on Gawker.
I tried going back to acting class a few years ago with a private teacher who had trained with Lee Strasberg and didnt like the guy. But the guy was just an old bitter actor and a dirty old man who wanted to talk about sex more than he wanted me to read my pieces. Needless to say I stopped going after he asked me if I wanted to be photographed naked. It was no problem. Comedy was more my thing and I was on the road every weekend there was anyway, and part of a weekly show at an A-List club. There was no Shakespeare in the Park in my future.
I find myself wanting to act again. I made a movie a year and a half ago where I was a lead and one where I was supporting and I find myself wanting to do that more. I am also writing a Broadway musical. I also find myself missing acting, and the structure and freedom technique gave me. There are acting classes everywhere and some are pretty pricey. Not to mention I am very protective of the Strasberg Method and the teachers who know it and teach it. The rest of the world wants to rip it up. Part of it is because they don't understand it, and part of it is because they are jealous that it works.
Life has been going full circle lately. I booked my first out of town club date in a long time. They are letting me sell my books. I havent done as much standup since being on reality tele and being fired from the club I was so good to. You know the story-I got a job on an internet tele network and made a bunch of videos and blah blah blah. Now it seems I have no choice but to get back onstage.
These days I am writing a musical as well. Which means writing stage directions so I know how to talk to actors.
I am also recording an audio book and go mad ass fast-ask Archie Ekong. So I have been reduced to my vocal production exercises. Erick Buckley, Scott Flaherty, Jan Douglas, Kohli Hessler, Todd Ferreri and the rest of the crew are probably having a gas with John Van Wyden leading the way. I detested those exercises in college but going back to the fundies has saved my ass on this project.
These past two years I have been given exposure and some fame. I now have some followers. My work on film is going to festivals.
However, sometimes you are being called home-to go back to basics. To go back to class and to keep learning. One of my favorite Broadway leading ladies still goes to acting class. There is always more knowledge to be acquired.
Love
April
I Came, I Saw, I Sang: Memoirs of a Singing Telegram Delivery Girl
877-Buy-Book
www.buybooksontheweb.com
Available as an ebook on Amazon
Available as an ebook on Nook
Portions of the Proceeds go to RAINN
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