So Many People

Polly McKie as Gertrude Stein 
with Penny Lynn White as Alice B Toklas
"McKie and White anchor the play with fairly 
miraculous specificity as the odd (lifelong) 
couple at its center"

I said the man for me must have a castle
A man of means he'd be, a man of fame
And then I met a man who hadn't any
Without a penny to his name.*

I dreamed of the West End or Broadway.  I still do.  But I am so thrilled to have been part of this brilliant new play and I was not paid a cent.  

Yes, I scoff and am frustrated with many of the Actors' Access casting notices (must be over 5' 6" and willing to do nudity...no pay!) I do not encourage anyone in this business to be foolish about what you have to offer. Of course, we deserve to be paid BUT, there are certain projects worth working for. For the project and for yourself as an actor.  

with Dorothy Weems as Dorothy Parker
"Plays like this do not come around often; a well written,
well organized piece for seven strong female actresses."

I had to go and fall
For so much less than
What I had planned from
All the magazines
I should be good and sore
What am I happy for
I guess the man means more than the means.*









Recently, I met a couple of particularly jaded and bitter actors who scoffed my working for low pay.  I started to doubt my choices. Of course, I want a better salary but when I examined their lives versus mine, I started to realize how lucky I am.  I have chosen art over money.  Of course, it is not easy but, quite frankly, if you put your survival bar job above a possible low paid acting gig, you are not helping yourself.  

Of course, we all need to survive, but your survival job HAS to be flexible if you want to be serious about your acting career.

"Special kudos to Polly McKie who seems to embody Gertrude Stein;"

So many people in the world
And what can they do?
They'll never know love
Like my love for you.*

My love is for acting. For the work.  Not for fame. Of course, I am ambitious and want to work with brilliant directors on brilliant plays, but that does not always mean Broadway.   

"...commendable acting with special notice to McKie's
nuances of depth and emotion to Gertrude"

So many people laugh
At what they don't know
But that's their concern
If just a few say
Half a million or so
Could see us
They'd learn*








And the most important thing is that work breeds work.  Word of mouth in this business is more powerful than anything else. I met the brilliant young playwright, Steven Carl McCasland through Polly's Follies (a weekly musical theatre open mic I host at Room 53) and he invited me to audition for "Little Wars". I read the script and loved it. And this play was full of wonderful female roles. Something hard to find! 

As actors in this current climate, we often pay to be seen by casting directors and it is always better to be able to talk about what you are working on. And gives you an opportunity to invite people to see your work.

I am not saying that you should take any old unpaid acting work. Of course, you must have respect for your craft and yourself. But, once in a while, a great project crosses your path and there can often be so many reasons to say YES.

with Samantha Hoefer as Bernadette
"...the raucous Gertrude Stein
expertly played by actress Polly McKie."

So many people in the world
Don't know what they've missed
They'd never believe
Such joy could exist
And if they tell us
Its a thing without growth
They're jealous as they can be
That with so many people
In the world
You love me.*

*So Many People from "Saturday Night"
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

www.pollymckie.com

www.theactorsfriend.com

Together Wherever We Go!

Wherever we go, whatever we do,
we're gonna go through it together.
We may not go far, but sure as a star,
wherever we are, it's together.*

This business is tough! There are days when we want to give up and there are times when we get in our own way.

• Do you have a list of things you need to do but somehow always manage to put them off?
• Are you waiting for that certain piece of footage before you finish your reel?
• Do you skip auditions because you are waiting for that perfect monologue?
• Do your friends seem to be having more success than you?
• Are you stuck in a rut?

Sometimes things come in threes when one thing is not enough to get through to us! Monday was that day for me.

Ah, Facebook is my first port of call in the morning.  And I saw the wonderful Heidi Marshall's blog about how we cope with these difficult times. I admire Heidi so much and she always seems so positive so it was comforting to read about her struggling too. In tough times, she uses crayons! 

And then this leapt out at me too. On Facebook, of course! Maybe I'll read a book again one day soon but I'm so busy reading all these online gems and playing Candy Crush.

"People's lives are a direct reflection of the expectations of their peer group. If your peer group doesn't expect much, it's just a matter of time before you lower your expectations of yourself." Anthony Robbins

And then, best of all, I left my tiny apartment and met my good friend and fellow actress, Fiona Graham. We ate a diner breakfast and talked and talked and laughed and put the world to rights. Obviously, we talk about acting and the business because we have that (amongst other things) in common. We were commiserating on how tough it can be and something really struck me about what Fiona said: "We have to be fierce warriors. We have to be so strong and able to take blow after blow. But we are also so sensitive and vulnerable."

YES, that's it. And, for my two cents, the actors who are not sensitive and vulnerable, are not the ones I like to watch!

Through thick and through thin,
all out or all in.
And whether it's win, place or show.
With you for me and me for you,
we'll muddle through whatever we do.
Together, wherever we go.
Wherever we go, whatever we do,
we're gonna go through it together.*

Obviously, we cannot physically go everywhere together (although at some of these EPAs it is great to have a friend to sit and laugh with during the interminable waiting and deal with all the other girls in the same teal dress and nude pumps).

We need a support network, though. I have good friends and a brilliant family but that is not always enough. Talking to people who are going through what you are going through is what matters. A friend recently told me that she loved seeing me because it was so much FUN but it was also PRODUCTIVE. 

I have started accountability groups with The Actor's Friend.  A safe place where I can be kind and supportive but am also known for giving you the kick that you might need! 

Wherever I go I know he goes.
Wherever I go I know she goes.
No fits, no fights, no feuds
and no egos, Amigos, together!

Though business is lousy and slow.
With Herbie's vim, Louise's verve,
Now all we need is someone with nerve.Together, wherever,
Together, wherever we go!*

I may not have people called Herbie and Louise in my classes yet, but I can hope.  And I think you ALL have NERVE!  All we need is a little support to use it in the right way.

Join a supportive group of like-minded actors and be a super trouper!



*"Together Wherever We Go" from "Gypsy"
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

www.theactorsfriend.com

You could drive a person crazy.

You could drive a person crazy,
You could drive a person mad.
First you make a person hazy
So a person could be had,
Then you leave a person dangling sadly
Outside your door,
Which it only makes a person gladly
Want you even more.*

Do NOT shake hands, unless the C.D. initiates it. In most cases, you have a very short time in the room. Go in and DO YOUR JOB. If a C.D. gets up to shake your hand, fine. But it is rare and NEVER go over to do that to them behind the table.  

This is a two way street. We think that C.D.s drive us crazy and we, as actors, drive them crazy. So what can we do to make it the beautiful relationship that it can be?

Have you had that moment in the room at one of those meet and greets you have paid for to be seen by a Casting Director and (s)he says (s)he loves you and will call you in?  At the E.P.A. where they tell you you're brilliant (okay, that one never really happens), or the time you get a callback from the same C.D. who gave you a callback 6 months ago and 3 months before that?

How do you deal with it?  How do you deal with them? Well first of all, let's stop thinking of it as being US and THEM. We are all human beings. Be a REAL person.

I hear SO many actors bitch and complain. If we want them to call us in after a bad audition and not hold it against us, we should do the same for them.  We all have off days. It is a RELATIONSHIP. And how do you make it a good one? So please stop judging and complaining. It does not help. 

What can YOU do to help YOUR career?

Casting Directors are the gate keepers and, even with a brilliant agent or manager, the real key is to have a good relationship with casting people.  So many friends I know are trying to get an agent and the first thing a potential agent asks is: "What C.D.s know you?"

They are the gatekeepers
We need the keys, the passwords

Knock-knock! Is anybody there?
Knock-knock! It really isn't fair.
Knock-knock! I'm workin' all my charms.
Knock-knock! A zombie's in my arms.*

How long? Well, that depends!

Here are a couple of my stories:

• Met a C.D. at The Network. She seemed to like me. NOTHING. ZIP. Fast forward two years and I was called in for "Louie" for a C.D. I did not know. Turns out I had been recommended by that C.D. from 2 years before.
• Built a relationship with another C.D. (E.P.A.s, meet and greet) who then called me in for a job I did not submit for because he remembered me and my work.
• Met a C.D. and kept in touch via postcard and have been called in three times for HBO show.

Trust me, I have the same problems as you. I am investigating and learning.  But I have had made mistakes and had some triumphs so come and learn from someone who is living what you're living.

As brilliant C.D. Brette Goldstein says, it's like dating. And you have to go with your gut. I have casting directors who hug me now when I go in to audition. That is lovely but not to be expected. Even with my brilliant manager, a major broadway C.D. got in touch with me directly because she had met me and had my email address.  You never know!

KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU:

How to get to know C.D.s and how to get them to know YOU!

• where/when/how to meet casting directors

• how to keep in touch

• how to target specifically

• FREE ways to meet C.D.s

• how to keep good records of your meetings

• postcards/emails/social media: (when to and when not to).

• how not to waste time and $$

• how to show YOU

​

All that sweet affection!
What is wrong?
Where's the loose connection?
How long, O Lord, how long?

How long is a very important question. But we might as well ask, how long is a piece of string? A good C.D. remembers good actors. Austin Pendleton had auditioned for Ron Howard for a project he did not book. NINE years later, he was offered "A Beautiful Mind". Sure, we do not want to wait nine years, but trust yourself and trust good casting directors. Do your homework and do your work. 

Exclusive you!
Elusive you!*

They may seem exclusive and elusive, but really, they are just like us!

*You Could Drive a Person Crazy from "Company"
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

www.theactorsfriend.com
www.pollymckie.com

Something's Coming

Could be! 
Who knows? 
There's something due any day; 
I will know right away, 
Soon as it shows. 
It may come cannonballing down through the sky, 
Gleam in its eye, 
Bright as a rose! *

So much of this business is "Who knows?" and there is so much negativity.  I have heard so many actors sound defeated. Especially my non-union friends. And I am among them! I am still non-union. My immigration status has prevented me from joining and I have had to turn down Equity gigs but I am not ready to give up. In many ways, my struggles have made me work harder and I get so frustrated with American friends who have such a negative attitude about it all. Do any of these sound familiar?

No point in going to an EPA  -  I won't be seen.
I cannot get seen for that audition: it's Equity.
They only want submissions from SAG members.
Audition notice says AEA only.
I can't even book at a non union call so what chance do I have with Union gigs?

Sunday October 19th

1p.m to 3p.m

Who knows? 
It's only just out of reach, 
Down the block, on a beach, 
Under a tree. 
I got a feeling there's a miracle due, 
Gonna come true, 
Coming to me! 
Could it be? Yes, it could. 
Something's coming, something good, 
If I can wait! 
Something's coming, I don't know what it is, 
But it is 
Gonna be great! *

With a click, with a shock, 
Phone'll jingle, door'll knock, 
Open the latch! 
Something's coming, don't know when, but it's soon; 
Catch the moon, 
One-handed catch!*

Bottom line is that if you are sitting in your apartment complaining, that is not going to get you seen or get you working. It is true that often EPAs can be a waste of time, but I have so many good experiences amongst the bad and booked an Equity gig when I was last person seen at an EPA at 5.50p.m.  If I had been defeatist, I would not have been there. 

Around the corner, 
Or whistling down the river, 
Come on, deliver 
To me! 
Will it be? Yes, it will. 
Maybe just by holding still, 
It'll be there! 

How can The Actor's Friend help you?

I am going through the same problems so I understand. I blog about it! I have been seen at EPAs and seen for AEA appointments that specify AEA only. I can give you insights about when it is worth showing up and when it's a waste of time.  Tools to help you understand breakdowns. Tips about getting seen by C.D.s for Union only jobs.  Much as I love the video above, I can tell you that "Wicked" EPAs take place at Telsey. From the basics of how to sign up at an EPA to the more complicated submissions for AEA jobs, I can help you with practical strategies.

Take a Chance on Me:

How to be seen for Union projects as a non-union actor: 

 

• ​how to submit for union jobs

• how to choose the best EPAs to go to

• beginner's guide to EPAs

• when to skip it and when to show up

• Submissions from A.E.A. only? Really?

  
  
  
  

  Special 2 hour workshop

  
  

  ONLY $60

  
  

  LIMITED SPACE
  

  Sunday October 19th

  1p.m to 3p.m

​

Come on, something, come on in, don't be shy, 
Meet a guy, 
Pull up a chair! 
The air is humming, 
And something great is coming! 
Who knows? 
It's only just out of reach, 
Down the block, on a beach, 
Maybe tonight . . .*

*Something's Coming from West Side Story

Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

www.pollymckie.com

www.theactorsfriend.com

Putting it Together

Helen Gallagher said to me recently "I wish you'd been around in the good old days.  You'd be working non stop!"

Times have certainly changed and I would love to be living in a different era in so many ways. I am old fashioned. But, in some ways, I am not. I was born in 1975 and I came to New York in 2008. My apartment may have a murphy bed from the 1930s but that is as close to I get to the old New York lifestyle. We are not living in a Gene Kelly movie and we are not going to be discovered sipping a milkshake in a diner.

It is expected now for us to have an online presence. I recently met a broadway actress for a drink. We had been in touch via email and were meeting to discuss a new project. She said "Oh, I know you're an actress: I googled you."  Online presence is a given now (especially if you're starting out). Facebook, twitter, IMDB, YouTube, Actors Access, Backstage, etc.: these places are your friends and part of the puzzle to help you get in that room. That said, you cannot just post willy nilly everywhere and expect that to make you a star.

You can't divide art today
Into categories neatly

What matters is the means, not the ends
That is the state of the art, my dear,
That is the state of the art.*

You need to be smart online and make Smarter Online Submissions: 

S.O.S. Smarter Online Submissions. Workshops available this September: very limited space 

It's not enough knowing good from rotten
You're telling me-
When something new pops up every day
You're telling me-
It's only new, though, for now-

Nouveau

But yesterday's forgotten
And tomorrow is already as passé

That is the state of the art, my friend,
That is the state of the art. *

We might not like it, but if we want to audition, we have to accept the changing times.  Of course, there are people who do not tweet, do not use facebook, have not accepted the ice bucket challenge and do not submit on Actors' Access. And, yes, some of them work all the time. But they are not the norm. We can wonder how fellow actors might get a lucky break and then we have a choice: be bitter or be pro-active. Agents and managers can help, of course, but we are our own best advocates. Yes, there is luck involved, but we cannot rely on that in either the good or the bad sense. Do everything you can for yourself so that when the luck comes your way, you're ready.

No matter how good your representation, if casting directors do not know you, there is not much they can do for you. 

Knowing Me, Knowing You: How to get to know Casting Directors and how to get them to know YOU!

It's all promotion, but then-
It's just impersonal, but-
That is the state of the art,
Isn't it? Well...*

And it does not have to be impersonal. You need to be professional, of course, but Casting Directors want to see a real person. And, even actors who have done Broadway shows and been on T.V. are finding new struggle with the business because it is always changing.

Art isn't easy -
Even when you're hot.*

So what can we do? I am an actress. I have the same successes and struggles you do. Most of all, I try to practise what I preach. I submit regularly.  Sometimes that can be several submissions in one day, sometimes just one or two in a week. You have to learn about what to submit for and when. What is right for YOU? I sent in 2 submissions this week on Actors' Access and received 2 cmails. 


2 for 2. Pretty good odds. Why? Because I know how the system works. I have spoken to so many casting directors and the great people at Actors' Access. I can give you strategies to help you stand out from the thousands of other submissions. I'm not saying I can book you a Broadway show tomorrow. I am not saying I work all the time, but I think that is what makes my class work. I am real person with the same issues you face. I have faced them and continue to face them but I have set in place practical tools that can help actors submit successfully and with confidence. I started teaching these classes because I saw a need for them among my circle of friends alone. As I talk about in "Here's to us..." And now it has grown and grown and I am thrilled to share. Everybody needs a friend out there.  

Bit by bit,
Putting it together...
Piece by piece -
Only way to make a work of art.
Every moment makes a contribution,
Every little detail plays a part.
Having justa  vision's no solution,
Everything depends on execution:
Putting it together -
That's what counts! *

You have training and you have talent. What piece of the puzzle is missing?

Learn from someone walking in your footsteps every day.

For workshop information click here.

Art isn't easy -

Any way you look at it.*

Your friend,

Polly.

www.theactorsfriend.com

*Putting it Together from "Sunday in the Park with George"

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim