As you can see, I haven't been posting here as much lately. I've had the best of intentions but have been quite busy with the plays, auditions, classes, submissions, graphic design work (my "day-job"), and family stuff as well. Yesterday was an interesting example.

We had a special performance last night of the two one acts so I got to bed rather late and was extra tired. As a result, I had to skip my planned run to the gym. I hate missing workouts but there's only so much you can do. After showering, eating breakfast and kissing my wife and daughter adieu, I spent some time working and then putting together some submissions.

I usually have a session with my acting coach on Friday mornings but had to cancel this week because I had a couple of auditions. The first one was for an infomercial for a piece of exercise equipment that focuses on your abs. If I got it, this would involve driving to Santa Monica a couple times a week for some ab intensive workouts. I'm pretty happy with my body but have never gotten my abs in the shape (six-pack) that I'd like. The schedule would be tough but the benefits would be worth it.

Getting to Venice for the audition took longer than I expected and the 405 freeway was already in Friday (disaster) mode. As a result, I had the opportunity to try out our new Magellan GPS. I'd been considering GPS systems for awhile but, because my wife and I are doing so much driving in the LA area, one became a necessity. The GPS worked great and routed me to the audition location via surface streets -- sadly, the fastest way to get there.

Once I arrived, the audition/interview went fine but took quite awhile. I have a good feeling about my chances but am also well aware that it makes a better "story" to start with someone who's overweight and then show a startling transformation. My transformation wouldn't be all that severe. We shall see.

Knowing that the highways were still a mess, I had the GPS route me to my next audition via surface streets. That ride seemed to take forever so I'm not sure I saved all that much time. I finally got to the casting office in Hollywood. I usually like to arrive 20-30 minutes prior to my scheduled time but walked through the door five minutes late (yuck). Luckily I had downloaded the commercial storyboards the day before, so I wasn't walking in cold. There was a small backlog of people so I also knew they hadn't been waiting for me.

I was auditioning for a commercial for a casino in Arizona (out of three spots they were shooting). The character was a huge TV remote-control who tries (unsuccessfully) to keep a coach potato glued to his set. A "Carlos Mencia-type." Fun stuff. I wasn't familiar with Carlos so I did some Google research the day before. He's a short, squatty, somewhat bombastic, Latino comedian. Hmmm. Not quite me. Sure enough, most of the other people in the waiting room looked like "Carlos Mencia-types." Still, I figured the casting folks must have seen something in my headshot that they liked.

The CD running the auditions told us that it was really an improv audition and we didn't need to follow the script at all. Cool. I like improv and love television (though I don't actually watch a lot of it). As I waited, I came up with some schtick to try.

The agency folks really seemed to like the guy that went in just before me. I could hear them all laughing and he was asked to stay and then go back in after the CD gave him a few adjustments. The actor left after his second reading and the CD immediately went across the hall to ask someone to call his agent to put him "on avail" (to ask that he keep his availability open for the shoot dates until they make their final decision). Wow. That was really fast. The guy was barely in his car. His agent probably called him before he got to the stop sign.

Hmmm. My chances weren't looking as good all of a sudden. Still, I decided to give it my all and to have as much fun as I could. Pretending to be a giant remote control, how could you not have fun? I'm not a "Carlos Menicia-type" so I decided to bring one of my own characters to the audition; more of a silly, geeky guy.

The CD accidentally brought me in the room a bit too soon. The agency guys asked me to step out for a moment as they needed to discuss the guy they'd just put on avail. After awhile, they asked me back into the room and we made small talk before getting to the actually audition. I got a pretty good reaction and they gave me a few adjustments. I did the spot again and, after a moment of discussion, they agreed I'd be better suited for the next spot. They asked the CD to partner me up with someone and for me to come back in to audition for the other commercial. As I left, I noticed two headshots on the bulletin board. One was the actor that had just been put on avail.

I now had an advantage over the other actors. I had been in the room twice. I knew the set-up, the atmosphere and the demeanor of the auditioners -- three things that can throw actors off when they enter an audition situation. You can get distracted by something in the new surroundings so you don't do your best.

The CD partnered me up with a nice young lady and we discussed the spot. We were auditioning to play a pair of giant pots and pans who try to keep a woman glued to her kitchen. She eventually revolts and heads to the fun of the Arizona casino.

My partner and I worked out some schtick but it felt pretty obvious that we weren't a good match. I was gung-ho about rehearsing through it a bit and she wasn't interested. She was psyched about doing a little song and dance that she'd created prior to arriving. I decided to make the best of it, to make it work as best as I could once we got into the room.

When it was our turn, we were asked to come into the audition room. The agency folks explained that they had intended that I be partnered up with a guy, not a girl. We were quickly ushered out and I was partnered with a guy who had been rehearsing with a female partner of his own. We had no time to discuss or rehearse anything before we were brought back in. Yikes.

It was actually a good thing (especially considering my lack of connection with my former partner) and my new partner and I worked really well together. My partner was a bit bigger than I was and he said his first line in a deep voice. I immediately chimed in with another line but in a squirrelly voice. That made him respond as more of a tough thug and then I responded back even more squirrelly like a "Squiggy-type" (from the Laverne & Shirley TV series). And we were off. The agency guys gave us four different scenarios/relationships and we jumped in each time. It was a lot of fun and I felt like we made a really good impression. The agency guys joked that they might use the audition tape and CGI us into pots and pans. A nice way to end the audition.

I drove home through the Friday afternoon heavy traffic and called my Mom on the East Coast. Our conversations can be quite long so sitting in thick traffic is a perfect time to chat. I ended up having a nice hour-long conversation with my niece Sarah instead.

By the time I got home, it was almost 6pm and time for dinner. After quickly checking my email, I had a nice relaxing meal with my two lovely ladies (wife and daughter). I was really hungry as I hadn't eaten much all day. My wife asked me about when I thought I might hear on the second audition. Considering the fast "on avail" action I'd witnessed, I said that it's a pretty good chance they've already made their calls. Five minutes later, I got a call that they wanted to put me "on avail." Cool! Two "on avails" in about a month's time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and should know the outcome in a few days.

It was time to head to the theatre for the plays so I quickly washed up, gathered my stuff and hopped in the car. The shows went really well for the most part. The audience was a little sluggish towards the end of the show -- but that's common considering it's late on a Friday night. Personally, I was very awake -- especially after one particular incident.

There's a part towards the end of Black Comedy when I hop onto a table and put my hand over a talented actress named Nicole's mouth. Because the characters are supposed to be fumbling around in the dark, you can really only use your peripheral vision to see what you're doing. I never had this happen before but I slightly missed the table and, on the way down, smashed my mouth on the back of her head. It was very surreal. I don't think anyone in the audience really noticed but it sure shocked me. I went on with the scene in full view of the audience (downstage center), all the while glancing to make sure Nicole was okay and trying to figure out if I had blood on my mouth or face. After tasting the saliva in my mouth to see if I was bleeding (gross, I know) I figured that I was just really sore but not distracting to the audience. Thankfully Nicole was okay as well.

After the show, I went home and chatted with my wife who had waited up for me. Soonafter, I fell asleep. A very tiring, and certainly eventful, day. Though I didn't get booked for anything, I'm pursuing my dream one step at a time and making progress. Any day like that is a good one . . . though I guess I could lived without the sore mouth. AD AGENCY AUDITION ACTING ACTOR AGENT CLIENT HOLLYWOOD LOS ANGELES CALLBACK ON AVAIL COMMERCIAL DESERT DIAMOND CASINO

Yep...very busy!!!