Actor-Preneur

How did veteran Broadway Actress and actorpreneur
Betty Buckley get the role of odd recluse Mrs. Jones in M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Happening”?

A video camera and bubble wrap!

New York casting director, Doug Aibel contacted Buckley’s agent, Tim Stone of Stone Manners Agency, about a possible part in “The Happening” and e-mailed her some scenes to her ranch in Fort Worth, Texas.

Doug Aibel asked Betty to record herself performing the scenes and overnight the DVD to him in New York. After purchasing a video camera, as she did not own one, she shot the scenes only to find out that her video camera was not compatible with her Macintosh computer! What did she do then? Buckley took the camera to the store in order to burn the footage to a DVD. When that did not work either, Betty decided to wrap the camera in bubble wrap and overnight it to Aibel.

Maybe it was her outstanding audition or perhaps just the unusual way she presented it, but she impressed M. Night Shyamalan and Doug Aibel enough to win the role of Mrs. Jones.

Actorpreneur Betty has had an astonishing record on Broadway, in films and on television. Her Broadway credits include starring roles in 1976, Pippin, Cats, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Song and Dance, Carrie - The Musical, Sunset Boulevard and Triumph of Love. She won a Tony award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1983 for Cats.

She also has a long list of Film and TV credits. In addition, she has recently been signed to Playbill Records, which released two of her recordings; one was made when Buckley was 19 and has been issued both on CD and vinyl.

A new album with Quintessence was released on February 14, 2008.

DramaBiz Magazine is a publication you should add to your reading list if you are running a theatre. The publication I have been receiving for almost a year now always has excellent articles that are current and useful. This month an article on how Theatre professionals are enriching the curriculum of college theatre departments.

Ranking the popular college theater productions of 2006, Princeton Review ranks them here.

I have been meaning to post about an article I read during my last months trip to Sydney in the Sydney Morning Herald about the STC’s (Sydney Theatre Company) decision to designate Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton as co-artistic directors of the STC, starting next month. Cate will direct David Harrower’s play “Blackbird” while her husband Andrew Upton has written “Riflemind”, which will be directed by American Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman.

While the STC’s decision is certainly a good strategic move, many recognized Aussie actors that I know are rather disgruntled that there was no discussion among the board members or people in the community. They were anointed as opposed to appointed, without any discussion. And with such a high profile public company and recognized member of the arts community, it sets a bad precedence that money and celebrity prevails.

I ran across an blog written by actorpreneur Jonathan Nail, “A Trained Actor”. What an excellent way for him to promote himself without even trying. Besides making money with reruns of “Malcolm in the Middle”, I see is also auditioning for one of my favorite shows, “Man of La Mancha” at A Noise Within out in Glendale, California….the music which I play frequently on my ipod.

Manager of TVI/Chicago Taryn Fisher and I went to see "Valentine Victorious," The House Theatre Company production last Thursday. Take Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil and Neil Simon, mix it up and you get "The House Theatre Company". An innovative and creative group of actors that originated at SMU. For a review of the show, see Hedy Weiss article in the Chicago Sun Times. I would not know where to start.

Just in! Not to be missed, if you are in Southern California. Opening weekend of "Real Romance", the show Tracey Rooney has directed. The work all written by women about sex, love and Nina Simone. The show is opening at Art Share in Los Angeles, the community arts incubator.

Yapima Digg Productions and The Unspoken Theatre Group
Present

REAL ROMANCE

an evening of short plays

By Ernessa T. Carter & Libby Flores

Directed by Tracey Rooney

Design: Delia Hauser
Sound Design: Sara Huddleston

Starring:  Natalie Avital, Kalimba Bennett, Danielle Bisutti, Joy
DeMichelle, Ernie Foote, Douglas Howington, Jamie Iglehart, Juliana Moreno,
Dave Peryam, Evan Sandman, Ashely Schoff, Lee Sherman, Rob Thain, & Meredith Thomas

Dates:  May 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th, 20th, & 21st
Time:  8pm
Place: ARTSHARE Los Angeles
801 E. 4th Place (at Hewitt @ 4th Sts. Downtown, around the corner from
Cornerstone Theatre Company)

Tickets:  $10 at the door, $8 opening weekend for TVI Actors Studio Members
For Reservations and Industry Comps please call 818.720.6663

Last night, went to see a funny play about yellow journalism, British style, titled, “Pravda”. Produced by Timeline Theatre Company, a company that consistently produces excellent work.  While Chicago actors do not have the opportunities to audition as often as Los Angeles and New York based actors for film and television roles, Chicago actors have access to working with brilliant companies such at Timeline.  In addition, many that garner national attention and transition their work to the Broadway stage.  There is a nice review of the show on ChicagoCritic.com. Timeline is located at 615 West Wellington Avenue, in Chicago. (the Lincoln Park area)

In related news, I received an email from Carrie Kauffman, publisher of Chicago’s Theatre publication, “Performink“, that the League’s President and CEO, Marj Halperin will be stepping down this Summer.  The League has done an excellent job in promoting, and supporting the Chicago industry locally, nationally and internationally.