726%

According to my IMDb page, my popularity is up 726% this week. I never knew a jump like that was even possible, but let's not question math. It's practically science.

I did do a really fun show called Radio Happy Hour this weekend with the lovely Ms. Norah Jones... maybe statisticians at the IMDb got word of my elbow-rubbing... ??? (see photos here)

The Funniest Phone Call I've Ever Received

I got a call from one of my commercial agents today. It was certainly unique.

Me: Hello?

Phone: Hey, Robin. It's Tony from Atlas.

Me: Hey, Tony! What's going on?

Tony: I'm just working out this breakdown here for a Yoplait commercial. I'm looking through your skills and you've listed yourself as an "expert" at yoga.

Me: I can do some yoga, yes.

Tony: Ok. Can you put both of your legs behind your head?

Me: Uh... actually, Tony, yes I can. Is this the strangest day you've ever had at work?

Tony: Yep. It gets especially awkward when I call women who have children my age.

We'll see if this saga continues...

Age: To Lie or Not to Lie

I just got an email from my agent asking me to update my profile at nycasting.com, a site that casting directors and agents use to communicate about submissions, and where actors can go to submit themselves for projects.

The first thing I came across as I filled out my info was this:


An "appearing date of birth". That is the first time I've heard "lying about your age" put that way. Crazy business!

Do I lie about my age? Not really, though I should own stock in Oil of Olay and their ever-increasing line of creams. I've always thought it would be smart to lie up, to say you're older than you actually are so you always look younger. Because isn't it always about how you look?

Ups and Downs and Ups!

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for me, which may explain my lack of posting. Here's the highlight reel:

Ups:

• After four months of recording demos and waiting, I officially booked the Campbell's Soup spots two weeks ago. I believe they are already airing, so keep an ear out for a soothing voice selling you soup.
• I joined SAG.
• I finished (well, my friend Mark, the super-genius editor actually finished) my film Thursday. I picked up the final cut today and will turn it over to the Mister Sinister himself, Bryan Enk, tomorrow! It will first screen on 10/30 and Halloween-- more info to come.
  
• I booked a couple of spots for Bounty Paper Towels, an industrial for Captain Morgan, a promo for the new Duffy album and some pick-ups on the Prime Outlets commercials I did earlier this year. I just found out this afternoon, too, that I also booked another industrial that records tomorrow.
• I started another round of ass-kicking Fight Studio with Qui and the Vampire Cowboys -- this, mixed with 4x/week of Boot Camp has left me near-hobbled, but I feel great.

There have been a few downers, including riding my bike over my own glasses (really- CRUNCH!) and my good friend Katie Brack packing it up and moving to LA.

But all in all, things feel very much like they're coming together. It's been a long time coming and a lot of hard work, but... it's all very exciting!

Big Weekend!

At the gym the other day, someone mentioned something about the upcoming long weekend. I paused, figured it out and said

Oh, that's right! It's Labor Day weekend!

My friend looked at me with a mixture of bafflement and near-disdain and replied

You obviously don't work 9 to 5 because everyone who does is acutely aware that it is Labor Day Weekend!

It's true. I don't work 9 to 5. I never really have, save for the odd temp job/nanny gig here and there. I keep odd hours, and I'm coming, finally, into a position where I feel it's paying off*.

But instead of having an end-of-summer BBQ or taking that one last trip to the country/beach, I'm working all weekend.

I'm shooting a film. It's the first time I've written (with loads of help from dear, creative friends) and will act and direct a film. And after an excruciating development process filled with lots of ideas and excitement and the scrapping of said ideas and excitement and starting over, I am happy to say I think we've got something pretty great.

The film is called Thursday and my good friend Jennifer O'Donnell will assist me in the behind-the-camera dealings, whilst the mightily talented Katie Brack and Ian MacRae will join me on-camera. We're using the same DP and Gaffer as we did for the Benchcoach videos, and my good friend Mark Nickelsburg will take charge of editing. Will's aunt Deborah and Uncle Proctor have generously lent us their home, conveniently located just a few blocks from our apt, to shoot in, which, as I hope you'll come see, is the ideal setting in which to tell this story.


Thursday will screen on October 30 at the Anthology Film Archives and on Halloween at the Millennium Film Workshop as part of the Bride of Sinister 6 festival, curated and produced by my good friend Bryan Enk, featuring 6 short films by 6 lady directors.

So enjoy your BBQ/Beach/Country home time, and mark your calendars for the end of October!


*More on the pay-off later.

Triangularity

You may remember back at the end of March that I became a member of the Triangle Lover's Club on Sesame Street.

Many of you have asked when it will be on-- did you not trust I was telling the truth, or are you just SO excited to see me immersed in bright primary colors and shapes?

Well either way, wait no longer because the show is about to air! I got this email from my friend Carrie, the casting director:

Airdates!!!!!!!!

Your fabulous Triangular Debut will be Wednesday August 20th. Also September 17th and November 28th. We don't have dates yet for 09.

Just to let you know....some stations air a day off so you might want to watch the day before of and after or just check with your local PBS station for show # 4167.

So figure out what channel that is for you and tune in!

Kung Foolery

Contrary to what it might seem like, there is more to my life than my workout regime. Take, for example, this little play I directed (and had a small part in) last night.

It was part of a festival of One-Acts put on by the Algonquin Theater. I believe we were one of five shows last night, and at the end of each night, one play is selected for publication and will be performed again on Sunday.

When I got home, I was delighted to find an email titled "Tuesday Night Selection", which read:

Tonight the judge's selection was "Kung Foolery" by Brett Hursey, directed by Robin Reed.

It feels good to have been chosen, and it will be fun to do this little play again. The story is simple and funny: a man, Barry (played by the hilarious Matt Hanley) is married to a woman, Karly (the incredibly talented Libby Winters), and when Karly's Mom Lois (me, in a wig that makes me look frighteningly like my own mother, highlights and all!) comes to visit, hilarity ensues.

If you want to check it out, we'll perform again this Sunday, July 13th at 1pm. The Algonquin is located at 123 East 24th St between Park Ave South and Lexington. For ticket info, call (212) 730-4664.

The Final Scene

We just wrapped shooting on the Benchcoach videos. I think we've made some really great little movies over the past 2 days. I'll alert you when they are posted online.

For now, enjoy a couple more photos from today:

Adam Swiderski and Katie Brack

and me

What Would You Do To Win?

We started shooting today for a series of marketing videos for Will and Sang's company, Benchcoach.com. Here's a sneak peek at some still footage.

It was a great day with a great bunch of people. Day 2 tomorrow. More photos to come, then, eventually, the videos.

Come and Play, Everything's A-Ok!

As I'm sure you could have imagined, Sesame Street is just about the Funnest Place on Earth. Here are some photos from my day on the Street!




The day begins where the real magic happens-- in hair and makeup!











My scene partners, the Triangle Lover's Club!

(l to r: Isaac, me, Jaelyn, muppet Phyllis McCrackin and Triangle Man himself, Mike Haugh)






No wonder Oscar is a Grouch-- that can is not exactly roomy!











Taking five in-- where else?-- Big Bird's nest!













All in all, a great day at the office!

The episode should air sometime in August or September. I'll keep you posted!

Busy. Mind-blowingly So.

My to-do list as of late has gotten out of control. So much so that yesterday I cancelled my debit card, convinced that I had lost it.

This morning I turned my chair 90˚ to the left from my desk and there it was, in all its Citibank-y glory.

Luckily my new card comes tomorrow.* And not a moment too soon. Operating strictly on cash makes me uneasy for some reason.

Anyway, what's keeping me busy is all good. I have a bunch of performances coming up, including my improv class show this Thursday at 7pm at the Magnet Theater.

Also, be on the lookout for Babylon, Babylon, coming in April to the Brick.

Until then, I may seem like a distant memory, but rest assured, I'm alive.

*The Customer Service Lady said that it would take a week, but if I needed it sooner she could get it to me by Wednesday. Who doesn't "need it sooner"??

Today's Post is Brought to You by the Letter S

I may have just gotten some of the greatest news ever: I'm going to be on Sesame Street!!

My dear friend from college and beyond, the wacky and wonderful Carrie Haugh, is the casting director for the show. This normally means that she works almost exclusively with children between the ages of <1 and 5. And the occasional muppet.

But, lucky for me, there is a Very Special Episode coming up involving a Very Special character from last year, Triangle Man (played by the inimitable and very tall Mike Haugh of Boston fame-- he also happens to be Carrie's Dad-- nepotism rocks!!). Apparently, they're bringing him back for another round of triangular fun and he needs a few older buddies. And one of them is ME!

My inner 3-year-old is shrieking with glee. God, I have the greatest friends in the world.

Accents

I grew up outside of Boston (Lowell, MA, to be exact). Until around junior year of high school when I became heavily immersed in theater and acting, I had the thickest of Boston Accents* and sounded frighteningly like a mini (and female) Ted Kennedy.

At the tender age of 16, upon hearing my own voice caught on tape, I decided I needed to eliminate my accent (or at least learn to control it). I voraciously watched the news and over-enunciated every 'R' I could get my teeth on. I had an inkling that I wanted to go to school for theater and wondered just what I would get cast as if I didn't change my Bostonian sound.

Today, most people I know are shocked to learn that I once had an accent. I'm occasionally asked to "do it", like "it" is some sort of party trick. It's not an easy one to do properly, so I'm grateful I've got it in my back pocket should I ever need it.

Yesterday I got a Voiceover audition that called for a Mid-Atlantic accent. In researching an audio clip for that, I came across this quiz (and you know I love a quiz!):

What American accent do you have? (Best version so far) Northeast New England The kind of accent they have in Boston. There is more to it than just r's. Like, you say "don" and "dawn" the same while the people down in NYC don`t.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Who knew? Apparently you can take the girl out of the accent, but never the accent out of the girl. "Don" and "Dawn". Those sound the same, no?

Click on the link above to find out for yourself.

Will found this video accent research. She does the Mid-Atlantic and the very end, in case you're dying for an example. (think Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant)

*this could quite possibly be the best thing I've ever linked to on the Internet.

Getting into Voiceovers

I've been asked by a handful of people over the last few months just how I got into doing voiceovers.

I'm always happy to tell my story, with a couple of caveats:

• I can only tell you what I did. Other people did it different ways that may have been easier/faster/better/cheaper/kinkier. I did it this way. (James Urbaniak, for example, did it this way.)
• I most likely can't get you an agent. That's one of the hardest things to do, and it's a hurdle every actor faces. If it was easier to find work, it probably wouldn't pay as much. Or I'd be writing from my own private island already.
• There's a joke in the business that all the work is done by 8 people. This is not far from the truth.
  

That being said, here's what I did.

I had a friend who was doing well in Voiceovers. I asked her how she got into it. She referred me to her coach, Peter Rofé. I met him and liked him. I worked with Peter for about 4-6 coaching sessions before I recorded my commercial reel.

Peter invites selected students to workshops he holds with agents and casting directors. This is how I met my agent.

I was with my agency for about a year when one of the agents urged me to make a promo reel. She referred me to another coach, the saucy Marla Kirban. I worked with Marla for four sessions and then recorded my promo reel. This was a good idea. I currently have a handful of promos running on cable.

Unless you're already doing it, I believe working with a coach is a crucial part of starting out. Even if you're a trained actor, commercial copy is tricky. It's not a straightforward read. And it's not the same as doing it for the camera.

I highly recommend both Peter and Marla. I worked with a guy back in 2001 who I feel scammed me-- six months of weekly coaching sessions (at $85/hour) and I never got a reel out of it. I won't post his name here. Instead, I'll say if you're looking for a coach, be sure to do your research and get more than one referral from people you trust. There are gads of people who are more than willing to take your money and tell you you're headed for the big time. Don't believe the hype. The hype is pricey and a waste of time.

The other big issue that comes into play when getting into this business is money. There is a lot of it to be made. It's great work-- a lot of fun with creative people. But as in most cases, you've got to spend money to make money. I spent a good chunk of it getting myself. And I didn't make it back right away. I bet I went out on over 100 auditions before I booked my first job.*

It takes time, perseverance and a sprinkle of luck. But mostly perseverance. Voiceovers, like any field in the arts, is 10% "talent", 30% who you know and about 600% persistence.

Last summer I fulfilled my childhood dream when I recorded my first cartoon voice. That job came from a friend from high school, who is a writer and producer on the show.

Ok, maybe it's 40% who you know...

*Update March 2009: I have estimated that I probably had 600-800 auditions before booking the Campbell's Campaign which paid me more than waiting on tables.

Mr. Movie Trailer, Stricken

You definitely know his voice. Not a lot of people know his name or what he looks like. But Don LaFontaine is the Voiceover Actor that all other Voiceover Actors aspire to (read: he's got the steadiest of gigs and makes more loot than anyone in the business).

Well, put your trailer recording on hold for a bit, because it seems that Don had something of an odd thing happen that left him (hopefully only temporarily), as he puts it, sounding like "a demented Munchkin" :

Last Wednesday, November 18th, I went to Cedars Sinai Hospital for a minor surgery, an outpatient procedure, which meant that I was to be discharged from the hospital after a couple of hours in recovery.

It didn't quite work out that way.

When I was wheeled down to the recovery area, my wife immediately noticed that my face was swollen. Very quickly thereafter, I blew up like the Stay Puft marshmallow man.

What had happened was this-- (and here the causes differ, depending on if you're talking to my surgeon or to me)--

My version: During the procedure, my left lung was nicked.

My surgeon's version; After the procedure, while in recovery, I must have coughed, and coughed hard enough to blow a small hole in my lung.

Whichever is true, the end result was the same--Pneumothorax, the presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity, the result of a collapsed lung.

Read the rest of the article here.

If anyone is recording a movie trailer and just can't wait for the Big Guy to get better, might I suggest the smooth vocals of a certain lady dear to you and me? I'm just sayin'...

Upcoming-- Tuesday, 18 Dec 07, 8pm

A reminder, friends and lovers of truly experimental theater and text:

Julia Lee Barclay is coming to town next week to present a reading of a new work, Besides, you lose your soul or the History of Western Civilization. Julia wrote Word to Your Mama, which I performed in London and New York back in 2003. Nearly everyone from that show, plus a couple of others who worked on the early stages of Julia's work will be involved in the reading.

I'm excited to get back together with everyone. And if Julia's work in London has continued down the same path, I imagine that Tuesday will offer a lot of surprises. Please join us if you can-- 8pm at The Brick. Here's the official invite:

You are cordially invited to attend a
performative-response to

Besides, you lose your soul or the History of Western Civilization
a new stage text
written and directed by
Julia Lee Barclay

performed by:
Bill Aitchison, Fred Backus, Maggie Cino, Nicole Higgins, Daniel O'Brien, Robin Reed, Julie Shavers and Eva van Dok.

December 18, 2007 at 8:00pm at The Brick 575 Metropolitan Ave. in Williamsburg
(between Union Ave and Lorimer St.) – take the L to Lorimer Street or G to Metropolitan.
For detailed directions, go to The Brick’s website www.bricktheater.com.

This event, the first manifestation of this new text and the first time Barclay has shown her work in New York since 2003, features an extremely talented veteran cast who have worked with Barclay over the years in NYC and London. They have experience with her style of working improvisationally with text, gesture and theatrical space, so this event will be more a performative response to Barclay's new text than a traditional reading - more jazz jam than chamber recital.

“Besides, you lose your soul” is the last line of an interview of a U.S. Army officer from a New Yorker article about the inefficiencies of the use of torture for gathering accurate information. Besides, you lose your soul attempts (with the humor that results from certain failure) to search through the remnants of Western Civilization in order to find out who's to blame for the creation of the individual soul (that can apparently be lost or recovered) which can lead to those we do not recognize being branded soul-less. It's a bumbling cut-up detective story searching for clues as to how to get out of this mess. ‘This mess’ meaning the use of God v. Godless (soul v. soul-less) to justify the ruthless realpolitik of all the unholy Holy Wars (on Terror, on the Godless Infidels, on the Axis of Evil, on women’s bodies, etc.). We will fail of course, but perhaps we will stumble onto something in the course of our struggling that can open up a door to...not sure where really.

Julia Lee Barclay is a self-exiled New Yorker living in London in full flight from the Bush administration. She accidentally started a theatre company in 2004 from a month-long lab, which has been called Apocryphal Theatre (www.flyingoutofsequence.org). Apocryphal (meaning "of dubious authorship or authenticity") has since produced plays and experimental lab showings in theatres, art galleries and music venues internationally. Work created in collaboration with Bill Aitchison under the name AB has been commissioned and produced in Finland, Germany and Portugal. Before fleeing to London in 2003, she lived in NYC where her work was awarded, published (Plays and Playwrights 2001) and produced in many venues and festivals, such as The Present Company, HERE (American Living Room), Mabou Mines, Ohio Theatre (Soho Think Tank) and FringeNYC.

After the performance, we would be happy if you stayed to give us your feedback.

Because Why Not Start the Week Off Goofy?

I don't watch Saturday Night Live much at all anymore, but their Digital Shorts seem to get passed on by a link in an email, and the ones I've seen (ie Dick in a Box) have been pretty funny.

I just started perusing the beta version of a new online TV thingie (I think) called Hulu, and found this one, cleverly titled "People Punched Before Eating".

Happy Monday! I'm off to audition for a gum commercial (and maybe punch a few hungry suckers!)

Not Checking Your Calendar May Lead to Stand Up Comedy

This fall I decided to throw myself back into taking classes in the hopes of opening any and every channel of inspiration toward The Project (I'll explain more about The Project in the coming weeks).

I have been taking an ass-whomping Fight Choreography/stage combat class with Qui Nguyen and the Vampire Cowboys. I rejoined my on-going acting class with Kelly Kimball just in time for Bootcamp Month. And I have dipped my toe back in the pool of improv comedy-- I'm taking class with Armando Diaz at the Magnet.

I had studied improv at the UCB what seems now like a hundred years ago, and though I never pursued performing at the theater, what I learned in my classes has been invaluable to me as an actor. It can be such a terrifying form of performance, flying without the net of a script, but doing it puts you just a millimeter closer to feeling invincible, at least on stage.

Taking class at the Magnet makes you eligible to perform in The Magnet Mixer, a Thursday night show that forms improv "teams" based on who shows up. Newbies can perform with pros. It's very socialist.

After an inspiring class at Kimball Studio last night, I was ready to head up there and get my improv on. I wanted to go last week, but a combination of shyness and going out for a drink with people from class kept me off the stage. Mixers also happen at midnight on Saturdays, but I was long asleep by that time this weekend.

So I trudged up to 29th and 8th last night, raring to go, only to find out that the Thursday Mixer only happens ever other week! This week was a stand-up show, which I stayed to watch. The comics (Sean Crespo, Larry Murphy, Greg and Lou, and Joe Derosa) were pretty funny, so it wasn't all for nothing.

Even though I basically ended up with the performance equivalent of blue-balls. I did have a five minute fantasy of throwing all caution to the wind and improv-ing a stand-up routine. Luckily (?) that was not an option.