Music Theatre/ Acting notes 2010

V-O-T-E: Victory, Obstacle, Tactic, Expectation
Soliloquy: scene between 2 parts of yourself, eye line is at or above- to be to self
3 ways to sing a song:

1. specific person= spot on the wall (have to see a face)
2. narration= the table
3. to yourself= all over

Weight in your heals= wisdom

The more period the piece, the more 5th position stance

Start with your hands in front of you then see where they go

Don't shy away from touching yourself

Ask yourself "Why did they make this a song?"

Incident has already happened, within the song you discover how does it make you feel

Choose the words

Watch how you sing repeated lyrics and the title

Mix up where the character is in the room each time to keep you free

Cold reads:

• when they ask if you have any questions say "no, but do you have anything you would like to tell me?"
• with a partner, criss-cross countering each other as you come forward
• you CAN ask the reader to stand

"Christmas bells are ringing..."

“Christmas bells are ringing”… and I’m gonna blow some whistles!

Firstly, I launched my new website www.heatherrefvem.com, so you are in the right place to find all of my “goings-on” and see my new headshots, courtesy of Dirty Sugar Photography.

This fall, I completed Improv 101 with Ryan Karels at the Upright Citizens Brigade. And, I just finished a music theatre workshop class with Bob Cline at The Actor’s Loft. We had a great agent night last week, and I am feeling very optimistic about 2011!!!

I’ve had some great callbacks this fall, including Rocky Horror Picture Show at Revision Theatre, Annie at Tarrytown Music Hall, and [title of show] at Lake Dillon Theatre Company. I participated in a reading for the Playwrights Lab at Pulse Ensemble Theatre as well as a reading of new play called Myopia by Dylan Marks, directed by Bronwen Carson at The Neighborhood Playhouse.

I started modeling… I was selected to represent Washington State for a project called “United States of NYC” by photographer Geo Rittenmyer. Hopefully it will be picked up for a magazine or an art gallery this coming year.

And with all this hard work I have gone out for some fun too. You can experience my adventures on my new blog http://big-apple-barrel-list.blogspot.com/

That’s all for now. I wish you a Happy Holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Love,

Heather

the cell at make yourself at home

My Quarter Centennial Celebration of Achievement

The first quarter of my life has come to a close and I am looking forward to the next quarter. I am really proud of all I have accomplished so far this year. Here's a little recap of what I've been up to:

"Let My People Come" closed the run at The Ritz Bar and Lounge on May 1st. It was such an honor to be involved with the show, and it was without a doubt the most fun I have ever had on stage!

On May 8th, I was featured in the New York Sheet Music Society's 9th Annual Songwriters Showcase in two pieces as the title character in "Dialing for Donna" by Stacy Tibbetts. To hear an audio recording of the song "Waste of Time" cut and paste this link: http://www.stacyglen.com/Waste%20of%20Time%20(Rehearsal%20Take).mp3

June 7th, I performed with The Cell in an original piece called "Nirvana and the State of Chelsea". It was performed at 7eleven Gallery in the exhibit "Make Yourself at Home". See the youtube feature of the show above.

CURRENTLY...

I am rehearsing two shows for the International Cringe Festival. Both shows are directed by fellow College of Santa Fe alumnus Kenny Wade Marshall.



"The six year old CringeFest opens Monday, July 19, and closes Sunday, August 8, in the Grand Theatre at the Producers' Club, 358 W. 44 St. These are BRILLIANT & HILARIOUS works that are irreverent, politically incorrect, politically satirical, naughty, and utterly zany – what could be bad?! The schedule is M-F @ 8 pm, Sat. @ 5, 8 & 10:30 pm, Sun. @ 4 & 7 pm. Plays are arranged in theme evenings and given quirky titles by artistic director Melba LaRose. Themes rotate, so check the definitive schedule: www.NYartists.org or www.Theatermania.com. The audience goes for the night and gets to vote at the end for winners of the Golden Pineapple, Silver Tomato, and Bronze Banana… and Jack Lemons for the actors. For one ticket, you get to see a number of wild ‘n crazy works (and sometimes a surprise 5-minute entr’acte) within a 2-hour timespan, including intermission. The Producers' Club has a charming, inexpensive bar & lounge for before the show, at intermission, and at the end where you can mingle with performers."

INTERNATIONAL CRINGEFEST ‘10: IS THAT A CORNCOB IN YOUR POCKET?

July 20, July 28, August 2 (8pm), August 7 (5pm & 8pm)

· "The Great Pig Robbery" (musical), Book & lyrics by Blake Hackler, composer Michael Kooman
(dir. Kenny Wade Marshall)
· "Sweet Talk" by Jim Inman · "Red Dirt, White Trash" by Jean Hart
· "Whittlin' Dixie" (musical) by Bud Twang
· "The Clothing Line" by Eve Crusto
(dirs. Sharon Einhorn & Mark Falconer)

INTERNATIONAL CRINGEFEST ‘10: NO HOLES BARRED (late-night Saturday)

July 24, July 31, August 7 (10:30pm), Sun., August 8 (4pm)

· "Oh my Josh!" by Doron Braunshtein aka Apollo Braun · "The Queen's Privy" (musical) by Michael Paul Girard · "The Ass Scent of Man" – a docurectomy by Zurbon Gish (dir. Kenny Wade Marshall) · "It Came from Uranus" (musical) by Lance Theo Carpenter (dir. Aaron Arbiter)

To purchase tickets cut and paste this link: http://www.theatermania.com/new-york/shows/international-cringefest-10_168700/

Hope to see you there!

With a smile,

Heather Refvem

Wisdom

"When you get the opportunity to do something that seems above and beyond, or way off center of what you think you should be doing, if you feel you can bring something to the project and do it well, it will often lead you to the thing you really want to do" (Angela Lansbury).

"SPOTLIGHT ON NEW YORK ACTING MARKETS" (BACKSTAGE)

Some notes about my areas of future interest, but not present expertise.

COMMERCIALS:

• Take an on-camera workshop before you start auditioning
• Work in a casting office or at a commercial production company

INDUSTRIALS:

• Industrials come in many shapes and forms: a live performance at a corporate gathering, a video or audio presentation designed to educate a company's employees, an event connected with a product launch or promotion.
• teleprompter experience
• being comfortable with interacting with a number of different people is really helpful
• improv with the product you have

VOICE OVERS:

• killer demo reel
• "Secrets of Voice-Over Success" (Joan Baker)
• developing a relationship with a coach who actually works in the field can be a plus... what that does is it creates a demo reel that reflects what's happening now in voiceover on television
• Natural sound, unaffected read

PRINT/ MODELING:

• Depict relationships or attitudes toward a product
• real-looking people... delicious-looking people, but not so beautiful to be off-putting.
• Effective lighting, how to be comfortable in front of a camera, and what her best angles are.
• "go see": where dozens of similar types are interviewed and photos are taken that simulate the job or campaign.
• special skills jump start a conversation
• want to know the directors they've worked with and who has cast them

CABARET:

• Tara Rubin Casting... "We do attend new-songwriter showcases"
• four or five people putting together a showcase often has more appeal for "casting directors, who are always very busy." and CD's are "far more accessible than agents"

Hello from Heather!

Spring is here, and 2010 is coming along splendidly! In January, I was cast in a short play called Caroline Too by David Potashnik, produced as part of “8x10 Glossy Shorts: Plays from the Left Hip.” My performance caught the eye of Turtle Shell Productions Producer/ Artistic Director John Cooper, who invited me to join the Troupe. Right off the bat, I am cast in the 2010 “8 Minute Madness Playwrights Festival” in a short play called People Like Us by Chris Shaw Swanson. Performances begin April 1st at The Turtle's Shell Theatre in the Times Square Arts Center. Use this link for tickets: https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/721675

On top of that, the sun has started shining in New York City and my tours with Foods of New York are shining as well, we are currently voted #3 Attraction in New York City on TripAdvisor. I am taking a fabulous class with Alaine Aldaffer (casting director for Playwrights Horizons) and performance coach Kimberly Vaughn through the Kimberly Vaughn Performance Studio.

AND...

I am rehearsing a second show! This one a musical, called Let My People Come, a sexual liberation musical that premiered at The Village Gate in Greenwich Village in 1974. It became an international hit from 1974 to 1987, broke attendance records all around the world and was a Grammy nominated cast album. Performances begin April 17th at The Ritz Bar and Lounge on 46th Street in Manhattan. We started rehearsals this past Friday, and I am so honored and excited to be part of this project! If you are interested in “coming,” please let me know, and I will be happy to give you more details.

With a smile,
Heather

Declaration

I, Heather Refvem, believe in the power I hold to create the world I desire for myself. I am beautiful, creative, smart and spontaneous. And I am a wonderful person who brightens up every room. I stand out! I owe it to myself to be surrounded with love and support, from my environment, as well as brilliant individuals who make me a priority. I am an extraordinarily talented actor, singer and dancer, and I trust my talent wholeheartedly. I am cast-able and have so much to offer just being me, yet am committed to constantly learning and growing, always striving to be the best version of myself. I am calm and confident, free and at ease, passionate and committed in auditions and in life. The world is ready for me and I am ready for the world. I am talented and tenacious. I have what it takes!

I will be a STAR! A Tony Award winning, Broadway leading lady in music theatre as well as plays. I will have the honor of playing the great leading lady roles of the past, as well as being instrumental in bringing new works to the stage, helping theatre grow into a new era. I am versatile and transformative. I will have a place in film, television, voiceovers and commercials. All of this work, combined with my well-managed private investments, will allow me to support myself my family and the family I one day build. I will lead a rich life in wealth and spirit. I will be the humanitarian I wish to be, and support a wide range of causes. I will support arts advancement organizations ranging from youth programs, inspiring new artists as I was once inspired, to programs working to keep live theatre alive and well in the United States.

Finding Your Inner Stockard- by: Doug Shapiro, Savvy Career Coach

"When you value yourself as an artist, you begin to accept that your time is yours to command. You don’t have to accept just any job to get your name out there. I often share with my clients the example of Stockard Channing on Inside The Actors Studio. Don’t even get me started on how much I love and respect Stockard Channing. When asked how she determines the roles she accepts, she said that she must be able to answer “Yes” to TWO of the following three questions:

1. Does it pay?
2. Is it a good business move? (“This theatre company is a step up from the ones at which I’ve been working.” “I should definitely be working with this director.” “This role would round out the ol’ resume and reflect my brand.”)
3. Is it a role I’m burning to do?

If my Stockard can not answer “Yes” to two out of three, my Stockard says “No.” Guess what, Savvy Actors? It’s okay to respectfully decline an offer when it doesn’t meet the standards of what you are looking to do as an artist! By the way, when you let go of a potential unsatisfying gig, you’ve just created the space for the the gig that does meet your professional needs to enter in its place. O Savvy Actors, embrace your inner Stockard!"

(Shapiro, Doug. "Finding Your Inner Stockard." The Savvy Actor. 5 Feb. 2010).

The Acting Advice Blog - by: Jenna Fischer from The Office

"I've received tons of letters from people asking advice about the entertainment industry and, in particular, pursuing a life as an actor. People have also asked how I got to be on The Office. This blog, I hope, will address some of those questions.

I grew up in St. Louis Missouri. I always wanted to be an actor but when you grow up in a place like St. Louis that is sort of like saying, "I want to be a superhero when I grow up". It hardly seems real. The world of Hollywood is mysterious. You hear stories of girls being discovered at ball games. Success is about having "it" or being pretty or some other intangible magic. You have no model for how to succeed. Everyone's story is different. One person does stand-up for 15 years and then gets a TV show, someone else finances their own movie and it takes off at a festival and suddenly they are the hottest thing. But for each of those people there are thousands of stand-up comics and filmmakers who never got their break. How do you know what to do?

I thought being an actor meant being famous. But, most actors aren't recognizable. It's funny. I watch TV in a whole new way now. Like, I watch a show and I see the person who has 3 lines on Law and Order and I think, "Their family is gathered around the TV flipping out right now. I bet that was a huge deal for that person!" There are so many actors that make a living by doing support work on shows. I was that person for many years. For me to stay in this business, it had to be okay if I was never recognized. I learned that I loved the craft of acting more than the idea of being famous.

My first piece of advice to someone who is serious about being a professional television or film actor is: move to Los Angeles. Moving to Los Angeles can be difficult but it is the only city that doesn't put a ceiling on where you can go with your career. New York is the place to go if you want to do theater. But if you want to be in film and television, move to LA.

I had a teacher once who said, "If you can think of anything else you are passionate about besides acting, do that. Your life will be better for it." I actually think that might be good advice. I couldn't come up with anything so I moved to LA.

I fully expected to be working in movies within a year of moving to LA. That was not my reality and it is not the reality of most people who move to LA to pursue acting. It can take a very, very, very long time to succeed in this business and my best piece of advice is to not give up. You have to motivate yourself and just keep going. Create projects for yourself. Don't whine. The first year is the hardest followed by every anniversary up to about year 5 when you're so beaten down you don't notice the years passing anymore. I have a friend who is so incredibly talented it is a crime that after 10 years in LA he still has to wait tables to make a living. He gets acting work here and there but he can't hold down an agent. This business is not fair. It is not like other businesses where if you show up, and work above and beyond everyones expectations, you are pretty much guaranteed to move up the ladder. I don't know why it works out for some and not for others. And when you move here you have no idea which camp you are going to fall into.

It isn't who you know. It just doesn't work that way. I didn't know anyone when I moved to LA. Most people don't. I shared an apartment with an old college buddy. He had a commercial agent and I was sure that by knowing him, this agent would take me on. She didn't.

Here is how I got "discovered". I had been living in LA for about 2 years. A friend wrote a TV script and wanted to do a live stage version as a way of attracting TV producers. He asked me to play a small role. It meant lots of rehearsal for very little stage time and no pay. Along the way I questioned why I had agreed to do it. But, it was very funny and he was a friend, so I agreed. After our 3rd performance, his manager approached me and asked if I had representation. I said, no. She offered to represent me saying she thought I had a real future in television comedy. Naomi is still my manager today.

A month later, I was doing a very strange play - a musical adaptation of the movie Nosferatu - at a small theater in Los Angeles. I was doing it because I loved the Commedia dell'arte style of the show and the people involved. I worked all day as a temp doing mind-numbing data entry for a medical company and then went to rehearsals for 5 hours a night, often getting home past midnight. One night an agent came to see the play and left his card at the box office asking to meet me. He became my first agent.

Now, that sounds easy right? Well, that was all after 2 years of working as a temp, doing every acting gig I could find - usually for no pay, borrowing money to buy a new engine for my car and wearing a pair of shoes with a hole in them because I couldn't afford anything else. Did I mention my living room curtain was made from a torn bed sheet? It was another 3 years before I got my first speaking part on a TV show. That show was Spin City. (I played a waitress in a scene where the girl playing Charlie Sheens crazy date threw bread at me.)

Every year I did a little more than the year before. My first 5 years I probably earned between $100 - $2,000 a year from acting. Year 6 brought me some of my biggest success and I only made $8,000 from acting. But, I put a lot more money into my career than that. Headshots are expensive. The photo session and getting prints can run anywhere from $500-$800. Classes range from $150-500 a month. It costs $1,200 to join SAG once you are eligible. And apartments are crazy expensive. $700 - $1,000 for a crappy apartment that you share with at least one roommate. Its no wonder my living room curtain was a bed sheet.

So, how did I get The Office? Spin City was cast by Allison Jones. She also casts The Office. She became a fan of mine through a series of auditions. I kept going into her office year after year auditioning for different things. I got some and not others but she kept bringing me back. I developed a relationship with her - not because I met her at a party and we schmoozed - but because I had proven to her over the course of many years that I was a reliable and serious actor capable of providing a consistent body of work. That is what this business is all about - from a real working actors perspective. Allison remembered me when it was time to cast The Office. She called me to audition and I finally got the part.

Most actors think their first priority after moving to LA is to get an agent. I disagree. I think the first priority should be to build a body of work. Become a pro so that you are valuable to an agent. No agent wants to sign a non-union newbie. It's not their job to get you ready. Join NowCasting.com or LACasting.com and submit yourself for non-union work. Get experience. These websites require you to pay a monthly fee for their service. I would normally warn you about places that charge you a fee, but NowCasting and LACasting are legit businesses. You post your photo and resume. They post casting notices for student films, short films, non-union work and some commercials. You are able to submit yourself for work and hope you get a request to audition. I have friends who work all the time doing this. It is a great way to get commercial work. I think the website LACasting.com submits their non-union members to commercial agents as part of their service. (You need to live in LA to participate.)

Work as an extra. If you are new in town this is a very good way to learn how a movie or television set operates. I did this my first year and I'm glad I did. No one gets treated worse than an extra (or as they are called now, background artists) but since I went through it myself I know how to be gracious now that I'm more successful. It's a great boot camp. You learn the set terminology and etiquette from a safe distance. That way, when you book your first acting gig you will know what it means to "hit your mark" or how to clear for "second team". The top extras casting agency is Central Casting. If you work enough you can earn your SAG card. That's how I did it.

You need your SAG card to be taken seriously by an agent. You cannot work on a TV show or a studio movie without belonging to the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Union. You can do some extra work if you are not in the union but you cannot have a speaking role in a major production. There are non-union productions that hire non-union actors (like student films and low-budget features) and that is a great way to get practice in front of a camera.

When you are ready to get an agent you should know a few things. Legitimate agents only take 10 percent and they should NEVER charge you a monthly fee or startup fee. They should not force you to use a certain photographer to take your headshots. If they do, they are probably just signing you up so that you'll hire the photographer and they'll get a kick-back. Agents should only make money if you make money. An agent may ask you to sign a contract - this is normal. A standard contract is for 1-2 years. I would not sign a contract for more than 3 years. And, READ THE CONTRACT. A friend of mine met with an agent who tried to write a clause into the contract that made it so that, at the agent's discretion, the contract never ended. If you are unsure, contact SAG and ask them for a standard Agent/Client agreement. Ask if the agent you are thinking of going with is SAG certified.

If you are good at comedy, take classes from the Groundlings or I.O. (formerly known as Improv Olympic). Second City in Chicago is also great. These are the most recognized improv comedy places. They look good on a resume. It's a great place to meet people when you are new to town. Classes are expensive so that can be hard when you are just starting out. I didn't do this but I wish I had. Almost every actor on The Office has studied with one of these 3 places.

There is a book you can get at the LA bookstore Samuel French called "The Actor's Guide to LA". It is a spiral bound book that is updated every year. It lists all the extras casting agencies, casting directors, agents, photographers...etc. This is a great resource for the new actor. I also suggest reading Backstage West. It has casting notices and articles for actors.

Finally, there is an amazing book you can do called The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. I highly recommend it. It is a 12-week self-lead creativity seminar in the form of a book. It's brilliant. You don't have to move to LA to do it. In fact, it would be a good thing to do if you are thinking of moving to LA. It might give you the answers you need. It was through doing The Artists Way that I was inspired to make my movie LolliLove. I completely credit this book with giving me the tools and courage I needed to complete that project (a project that took over 4 years to finish.) And I credit LolliLove with giving me the confidence and practice with the mockumentary style that lead me to landing my job on The Office.

Yes, you will meet some scumbags if you move to LA. People that prey on newcomers. I can tell you with absolute certainty that those people have NO POWER in the grand scheme of things.

For example, it was my first year in town and I was part of a theater group. At a party for a new play opening the playwright came up to me and asked me if I was an actress. I said yes. He asked if I was interested in doing a part in his new movie. I was kind of floored. How did he know I was any good? I said, "What is it about?" And he said, "Well, you'd have to do a raunchy sex scene with nudity. Would that bother you?" I laughed and said, "I wouldn't do anything I wouldn't be proud to show my parents." He then said, "That was a test. You aren't a real actress. A real actress would never say that. A real actress would piss herself onstage if the part called for it. You aren't going to make it in this town. You should just go home." And then he walked away. I went back to my apartment and cried. Why was Shem Bitterman (that is his real name) such a dick? I have no idea. Stuff like that will happen to you if you decide to become an actor. People will roll their eyes when you tell them what you do. You have to develop a thick skin - without becoming jaded, guarded or cynical. That's a tall order. I'll say now what I wish I had said then, "Shem, sir, with all due respect, you are a fuckface and you can kiss my ass."

I have a great acting coach who says that success in Hollywood is based on one thing Opportunity meets Readiness. You cannot always control the opportunities, but you can control the readiness. So, study your craft, take it seriously. Do every play, every showcase, every short film, every student film you can get. Swallow your pride. Be willing to work for nothing in things you think are stupid. Make work for yourself. Make your own luck. Don't complain. Hopefully, the work will find you if you are ready.

I know how hard it can be when you first get out here. Go out and meet as many people as you can. Create a family for yourself of creative, supportive people. AND, don't stop your personal life for your career. I know a lot of people that wait to do things - visit family, friends, have relationships, get married - because they are waiting until they "make it". Or, they don't go to a friend's wedding because they might "miss something". Life is too short and it's not worth it in the end. I always took off and did that stuff and it turned out fine. I was often anxious and worried in the process but I did it. I believe that in order for my professional life to move forward, I have to keep my personal life moving forward as well.

I wouldn't be where I am today if not for my husband James. He is the one who convinced me to quit my job as a secretary (ironically) and focus full time on acting. I didn't totally believe I could make it but he did. He supported us financially and supported me emotionally. He ran lines with me and coached me before countless auditions. He put up with my highs and lows. He was, and still is, my biggest cheerleader. And, you need that out here.

It will be hard to explain your first milestones to friends and family back home. They are waiting to see you on TV or on the big screen. It is hard to explain how a 2nd callback for a job you didn't land was the highlight of your month and a very valid reason to celebrate. I remember one year my proudest moment was at an audition for a really slutty bar maid on a new TV show. It was written for a Pam Anderson type. I thought, "I can never pull this off. I just don't have the sex appeal. I feel stupid. No one is going to take me seriously." But, I committed to the role and gave the best audition I could. I didn't get the job. I didn't get a callback. But I conquered my rambling, fear-driven brain and went balls out on the audition anyway. That was a huge milestone for me - but hard to explain at Christmas. A year later I booked the role of a trashy prostitute in a little indie movie called Employee of the Month. In the past I would have turned down the audition thinking that I would embarrass myself. But after that earlier breakthrough I felt confident. The success is not always in getting the part but in the seed that is planted.

If you live in LA and are serious about acting, I'll send you the name of my favorite acting teacher in town. He teaches a class on How to Audition. Being a great actor isn't enough. You have to master the art of the audition - showing people you are a great actor. His class is both inexpensive and amazing.

This Spring marked my 10 year anniversary in Los Angeles. I'm hardly an overnight success. Likewise, Rainn Wilson toured the country doing theater and was one of those working but unrecognized actors for over 10 years. Steve Carell has been kicking around for close to 20 years. Most of us on The Office have a story like that. I think that is one of the reasons why we are all so very, very grateful to have landed such a wonderful job. Slow and steady wins the race.

I hope that answered your questions about the biz. Good luck!"

(Fischer, Jenna. "The Acting Advice Blog- by: Jenna Fischer from The Office." Myspace. 17 June 2008).