The blog MUSINGS OF A FUTURE TALENT AGENT has found a permanent home!
Everything from top New York coaches, to FAQs, to the blog can now be found at http://www.zacharydurandfta.com I look forward to continuing our artistic journeys together in a more professional setting.
Sincerely,
Zachary Durand, FTA
As I’ve stated before, commercial theatre is changing. Musicals like Spring Awakening, Spider-Man, American Idiot, and Rock Of Ages are transforming the way we hear the Broadway musical. It’s not uncommon to now find scores that were once written for the legit singer to be tailored to appeal to a modern audience and fit the needs of a pop vocalist. So, if you’re thinking that your legit chops can take a break, I’m sorry to tell you that you are FAR from wrong. As an artist, one should strive to be as versatile – to be as castable – as possible. Opera, pop, rock, blues, jazz, R&B, country – you should try do it all.
I recently had the pleasure of hearing from Larry Owens (Fat Camp The Musical), Matthew Kacergis (Ford Theatre’s The Civil War), and Raye Lederman (Penn State Music Theatre, ’12) and their thoughts on the use of vibrato.
• L.O. “Vocal choices should be informed by character, musical style, and of course the input of the composer/music director. Take Betty Buckley’s version of “Eve is Weak” for instance. It is propelled by her vibrato, which helps her convey the fire and brimstone fervor musically, as well as textually. All vibrato and a great performance, nonetheless.”
• R.L.“I happen to feel like the pop trend is becoming more and more linked with new works and even some older (yet still contemporary) shows, and of course everyone in this field should have the ability to modulate their voice in that style. However, a lot of the work available to actors currently is outside of the realm of Broadway/new works, and more in regional theaters and tours where many “classic musical theatre” pieces are still being performed. In the case of a Rogers and Hammerstein classic, some period pieces, even some current revivals and more, singing straight tone into vibrato other than on an occasional end note would feel out of place, and would most likely be inappropriate for the character and world of the play. It’s a great technique to be able to do, but just because it is more prevalent in the Broadway circuit does not mean it works for every scenario. Just as an extra example, Audra may be a goddess, but she has made a career for herself singing only and specifically in a classical style…she doesn’t even belt! Now, I wouldn’t recommend trying to get by with Audra’s career to anyone, because you HAVE to know how to belt nowadays, but she is still a testament to the effectiveness of a performance without pop influence. And Porgy and Bess, for that matter, was written to be sung as an opera. Norm Lewis may add the occasional straight tone, but for the most part, the singers are not using pop technique.”
• M.K. “The fact of the matter is, every singer needs to be able to sing with full-out vibrato, straight tone and everything in between. The key to being versatile and cast-able is to have full control and command of your vocal instrument. I’ve heard it said that some people avoid vocal training because they want to sound “unique.” This is misguided. A Steinway piano is a Steinway piano whether Jason Robert Brown is playing it or whether a six year old is playing it. Who would you rather trust with your instrument? Furthermore, any voice teacher that is worth their salt is going to train you to sing healthfully and sustainably while maintaining your voices own unique sound. The key is to remain flexible. Some music directors want straight tone into vibrato, some will kick you out of the room. Study music, become intimately familiar with every style you will be asked to sing. And then, once you become a technical wizard, trust your technique, forget about the singing, and tell us a story.”
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment area below!
Last week I was at a pretty popular coffee shop in the heart of the theatre district catching up on emails and the news when a woman sitting behind me caught my ear as she was chatting on her cell phone. Normally, I would’ve just ignored her and went on with my reading until I realized she was venting about an audition she just got out of. This uneasy actress was spewing comments such as, “I don’t think I was what they were looking for,” “They asked the girl that went before me to sing two songs,” “The accompanist played my song so fast I didn’t have a chance to connect to the words,” and this was my personal favorite, “The people running the auditions seemed like assholes anyway.” Trust me, I wish I were making this up!
I was floored as I listened to this woman beat herself as well as the creative team to oblivion. Before I had the chance to say something to this young woman, she bolted out of the café as if running from the police. After she left, I sat there pondering, “Are there really actors that let themselves get that flustered over an audition?” I’d like to think that she is one in a million who suffer from post-audition anxiety, but I could be wrong. Nonetheless, she inspired me to share my two-cents with you on how to leave the audition at the audition.
First off, you’ve got to learn to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE auditioning. Sometimes it’s easier said then done, but the more you get out there the less nerve-racking it is. Why not think of auditions as the moments when all is right in the world. It’s only you, the material, and the infinite possibilities of what your character will create. That audition is your moment in your world. Plus, hello, you get to perform; the very thing you’re in this business to do. Hey, isn’t a bad audition any day of the week better than sitting at your temp desk not auditioning at all?
That’s what I thought.
Yes, sometimes you’ll bomb an audition, it happens. What you cannot do is be the actor mentioned above. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself leaving this business very quickly.
A great way to alleviate angst is to journal about it. I’m sure most of you do and already know how cathartic it can be. In one fell swoop you can reflect on the work you just did, who was in the room, what you performed, what you wore, and what you learned for the next time around. Even still, journaling may not be enough to really put your mind at ease. In that case, here are a few post-audition ideas:
I always use this example of an actor who’s in a great state of mind: When an audition is over, Broadway’s Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story and more) tears up his sides and throws them out. The audition is over and he lets it go. On to the next one!
There will always be another audition waiting for you within days if not hours. Hell, just today alone, 28 breakdowns were posted on Actors Access.com.
Rex Lee, who played the loyal assistant, Lloyd, to smart-ass agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) in the HBO series Entourage was quoted in an interview saying, “I was told they didn’t quite know what they wanted until I walked through the door and showed them what they wanted.” That’s all you’ve got to do. You know you can. I know you can.
These were just some ideas on how to end a day of auditions. Only you can know what will work best for you. Perhaps an early evening yoga class? A night at the theatre? A trip to the pet store to play with the puppies? Just do something to put your mind at ease. It’s so important to your well being as an artist, and more importantly, as a human being. The last thing you want to become is the actor who waits by the phone all night while second guessing everything that went on in the audition room. Where’s the fun in that? I can wager pretty high that when you decided to become a performer, thinking you would be spending your nights praying for the phone to ring wasn’t in your agenda. So don’t start know. Stay committed to the ART and to yourself, as the ARTIST and things will begin to happen. Trust the universe and most importantly, trust yourself.
“If you keep your goal in sight, you can climb to any height.” – Stephen Sondheim
What do you do to clear your head after an audition? Comment below!
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This post can also be seen on the website THE GREEN ROOM. Check out their great site http://greenroomblog.com/2012/07/27/guest-post-2-by-zachary-on-leaving-your-auditions-at-the-audition/
Follow them on Twitter: @GreenRoomBlog
*Disclaimer - this article is intended for those who do not have representation*
A few weeks ago, I published an article on the questions to ask a show’s representative when they called with a job offer. Recently, I sat down with Chicago-based actor, Jake Emmerling to discuss some of the questions he asked when dealing with a representative for a BIG and exciting union project that he is about to be a part of. Jake brought up some great points that should also be added to your list of “things to ask” when you’re faced with the ever exciting “you got the job” phone call.
ZD: Jake, so good to sit down with you. Thank you for wanting to share your recent experience with me.
JE: No problem. Awesome article you just posted, by the way. What you spoke about was so true and a ton of phenomenal points were pointed out and definitely ones that I just wrote down for myself.
ZD: Thank you. I really appreciate it. Alright, fire away!
JE: Sure. So, I’m literally going through the process right now. The casting director called me and left a message telling me to call back – of course – and they offered me the part. The CD knew I would ‘freak out’ or what have you, so she just quickly gave me when the rehearsal period would start, where to report, opening night date, and that the production company would be contacting me in the coming weeks.
Once they contacted me, they gave me as many of the concrete details as they could. With a complex rehearsal schedule, not all has been sorted out as of yet. But, to go along with your recent article, I discovered a couple questions of my own that are great to ask when dealing with show reps:
They’ve been very detailed, so far, about what is in the contract – as of late. They’ve been spelling it out for me, which is awesome. Since it’s a League contract, they have a lot of details within it and since this is my first one, they’ve been super helpful and answered a lot of my questions without me having to ask.
ZD: Wonderful news, Jake! Thank you for taking the time to share this information. Break a leg with the new project!
As I mentioned earlier, this article was written for those without representation. All this negotiating and detail work becomes the responsibility of your agent once an offer and acceptance have been made. (Who says they don’t work for their 10%?) In the meantime, until representation is found, I HIGHLY recommend recruiting a family lawyer to review any and all production contracts before signing.
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For part one , “God, I Think I’ve Got It. I Think I’ve Got It!” – Tips On Handling The Job Offer Phone Call, visit http://musingsofafuturetalentagent.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/god-i-think-ive-got-it-i-think-ive-got-it-tips-on-handling-the-job-offer-phone-call/
For more on Jake Emmerling, please visit http://www.jakeemmerling.com/
Recently, I had the privilege of being a guest writer for theatre blog THE GREEN ROOM. It is a website with a plethora of theatrical information and commentary from writers in every aspect of show business. Articles are posted on a daily basis and are always great reads. Check them it today. Below is the copy of my article, “Becoming A Talent Agent” – Enjoy!
As much as I hate to admit it, there is not one concrete way to become a talent agent. Sometimes, you’re an actor working for an agency as a day job and you fall in love with it. Maybe, you’re working as a casting director or casting assistant and want a change of scenery. Or, you could be like myself and start as a performer and realize that performing isn’t the area of theatre you wish to concentrate in and you end up as a talent agent or an aspiring one.
As a rising Junior in a competitive conservatory program, making the transition from actor to (aspiring) talent agent has been quite an interesting one. Since there isn’t a degree offered to become a talent agent, I have had to – in a way – create my own major consisting of assistant directing several of my programs straight-plays and musicals, being a part of the casting process of those shows, being the monitor for “mock auditions,” and shadowing almost all of the senior class’ Senior Showcase preparation.
Yes, it sounds like I’m training to be a casting director versus an agent but, in a way, agents wear the hat of the CD when they are deciding which clients to submit when an audition arises. They have to use all their knowledge of the casting process to select the best talent available for the job at hand. Also, you have to remember, an agent’s top priority is to look out for their client’s best interest. They do this by becoming an advisor on all things show biz, ranging from the best headshots to choose from, to wardrobe choice, and even interview demeanor.
Hands on experience is, by far, the best training for anyone in any field. But for me, a student who has chosen an occupation not taught in school, being an intern for one of New York’s finest talent agencies has been graduate school. You really are “learning the ropes” each and every day. On that note, when speaking with a variety of New York based agents and casting directors it seems that one of the most common ways to succeed “behind the curtain” is to begin as an intern, move up to front desk, then from there become an assistant to an agent or CD – respectively, and then get promoted from there. Like anything in life, timing is everything and, of course, how strong of a candidate you are.
For me personally, the drive of wanting to fight for the clients I believe in and make the strongest positive impact in their lives, negotiating their contracts, submitting them for auditions, and being their personal fan-club is what I know I am meant to do. Plus, I love talking and – if the occasion calls for it – arguing on the phone. Representing artists who love what they do is what I will be doing in the years to come. That is something you can count on.
For more information on THE GREEN ROOM, please visit http://greenroomblog.com/
To view my article in it’s published form, please go to http://greenroomblog.com/2012/05/24/guest-post-by-zachary-on-becoming-a-talent-agent/
Don’t forget to tune into the 66th annual TONY AWARDS hosted by NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, tomorrow night starting at 8pm on CBS. For those local, you can watch the telecast in real-time in the heart of Times Square hosted by Lucy The Slut and Rod of AVENUE Q.
We’re only 2 days away from the 66th annual TONY AWARDS!
Do you know who is nominated? Can you identify the nominees by face and name?
You’ve got to know who’s who in this BUSINESS. Take a moment to learn the creative players as well as the actors nominated. You never know who you’re going to walk into / work with / or audition for.
Visit BroadwayWorld.com to view the official Nominee portraits.
http://broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Exclusive-2012-Tony-Nominees-Photo-Booth-Portraits-20120503
