I had two things I could have done this morning. I had originally planned to go see a movie with LA People Connection. I ended up canceling those plans when I found out that Creative Actors Alliance was having a casting director speak at their monthly luncheon. But I am without a tooth right in the front due to yesterday's mis-hap at lunch. Besides I needed to do grocery shopping. And Cinnamon the cat needed a bath -which is always a big production. So me and my missing tooth did not meet another casting director today. I really didn't want to meet a casting director with a big gap in my mouth anyway ...... |
Teeth and Tacos
Cats Are Funny
It must be the season for Casting Directors ... because tonight I started a 3 week Commercial Acting Class with another Top-Notch Casting Director, Chris Game of Chris and Jed Casting . |
Casting Directors & Spritzers
This evening, LA Casting hosted a Mixer with Commercial Casting Director , Ross Lacy . He is one of the most important Commercial Casting Directors in Los Angeles.
It was held at The Sunset Trocadero on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood.
Right after work, I headed straight west on Sunset, stopping off at the Ralphs in Hollywood to buy some gum and get cash back.
The lot across the street from the Sunset Trocadero had a sign out that said "$5 Parking". Well, thats how they get you.
I drive up, and the guy says "Its $10, but if you get validated, then we give you $5 back". Ok, fine - they are right across the street from the place.
I tell the guy "When you drive the car, be very careful. My breaks are bad. I need to get them done next week. So go slow".
Yeah, right.
I go into the Sunset Trocadero and an LA Casting Staff person stamps my hand. They tell me that the Casting Director is running late.
For the first hour, the drinks are complimentary. Anything you want. I get in the really long line of people getting their free drinks.
I start chatting with a guy. He seems nervous. He is saying "Oh, I will tell them I am with you if they ask".
I'm saying "But your hand is stamped, you'll get a free drink". He still seems nervous.
Light-weight that I am, I get a White Wine Spritzer. And whatever wine the bartender used, he chose well. It was a sweet wine, and the it had to be one of
the best spritzers I've had.
The guy I was chatting with asked for a Heineken , but even as we were approaching the bar, he was saying "Oh, maybe they won't let me have an imported beer." I don't know why he is so worried. They gave him his imported Heineken - no problem.
I start to move around, finding people to chat with. And I am not a smoozer. Thats one of my problems as an Actress. A big part of the entertainment business is who you know, and who knows you. I really need to learn to smooze and circulate. But I don't like it. I don't do it well. I'd rather sit in a corner and sip my drink. But somehow I manage to chat with about 3 people. Its a Mixer, so I mixed.
I finally decide to go see if the Casting Director has arrived. They tell me that Ross Lacy is right behind me.
I go up to him, and a 20-something young lady is chatting away. Its kind of hard to hear what she is saying over all the chatter of other people.
I try to be polite and wait until she is finished. During their conversation Ross Lacy looks over at me once, and smiles, to let me know that he knows I am waiting. Very polite.
While I am waiting, a LA Casting Staff person walks another woman over, to introduce her to the him. But somehow, it all gets arranged so that this other woman doesn't jump ahead of me. And she and I end up talking to Mr. Lacy together.
After introducing myself, I start to tell him how I was acting in my 20s, and took about a 10 year break. And now that I am in my 40s, I am trying to get back into it.
He mentions that can be a good thing, because more and more Commercials use 'Real" people.
I tell him I feel good about starting back up again so late because I did find an Agent. And he asks "Who's Your Agent?" I tell him "Mademoiselle Talent".
And he says that he just booked one of their Actors in a commercial just today, and he gives me the name and description of the actor.
Wow - this conversation is getting off to a really good start !
I ask him about his agency. They Cast over 500 commercials per year. But unfortunately, he doesn't teach classes any more due to lack of time.
But I become aware that there is a line of people behind me waiting to talk to him. So I make a polite exit.
As good as it is to Chat - it also makes a good impression to know when to stop talking.
I try to find the guy I was chatting with earlier. I don't see him anywhere near the casting director. I do find him way over on the other side of the room.
And he is with a person I know via volunteering at the Egyptian Theatre. The three of us stand around and chat for a bit. But I point him in the direction of
the casting director. And I realize that I really did Point. With my finger and arm... And maybe the White Wine Spritzer is going to my head.
Plus we are all packed in, and can barely move. For an place with large opened-air windows, there is very little Air. I chat alittle longer with my acquaintance, but I decide it is time to leave.
I ask on my way out "Can I get validated". The LA Casting staff person tells me "Only if you buy something, like a drink or some food".
Well, the drink or food will cost me more than the 5 bucks I will save on the
parking. Okay, never mind.
Memo to self: Don't park in the lot across the street. Next time, find street parking.
Once I get outside, the Air hits me, and even though its warm out, its alittle invigorating. The effects of the White-Wine Spritzer disappears.
The music company that I work for, has a location in West Hollywood. I have a Comp card where I have a certain amount that I can get on Food and Clothes. Its a few blocks down, but I decide a walk would be good.
There is a Punk-Rock band playing on stage. I get a chicken dinner and a rib dinner to go. Then I stop in their store for two t-shirts. I love my Comp card. All I had to pay was for the Tip for the Take-out person.
I walk back the parking lot. I hand the guy my ticket. And I say again "Please be careful. Go slow. I have bad breaks. They're getting fixed next week".
They laugh as they go to get my car. I walk half-way down the lot to meet them half-way because I really don't want them to drive my car in the condition that it is in.
West Hollywood has alot of steep hills. My car has bad breaks. I need to go East. But I can only make a right out of the lot, going West.
So I go West, and I need to turn left and go around the block to turn around in the direction I want to go. But all the streets are steep hills.
So I drive all the way to the Beverly Hills section of Sunset Blvd - until I get to flat land.
Thats when I can make a left into a residential area and turn around to go east. But it was a nice drive.
When I got home, I felt really happy. I felt my evening really accomplished something. I met a top-notch Casting Director, introduced myself and now he even knows who my Agent is. In a few days, I will mail him my picture and resume with a nice note.
Only one thing - I forgot to get a receipt from the parking attendant for my $10 parking for when I do my taxes. Ok, well, I will just consider it $10 well spent.
And once I get home... I leave a message for my Agent and tell them I got a chance to talk to Ross Lacy at the LA Casting Mixer, and what I good experience the entire evening was.
Added to BlogRoll
Just a few new Blogs that I added to my BlogRoll this morning.. whoops, its afternoon already ...
LA Observed
5th and Spring
1947 Project
Chef Blog
Celebrity Scum
Real Reality TV in Church
I overslept for Church this morning . It starts at 10:45, I got there at 11:15. (I was up surfing Blogs until 3 in the morning - bad girl, she slaps her hand.)
I got there right in the middle of the sermon. And darn it, the one assistant pastor that I really like was speaking. Oh, fudge .....
And the music was particularly rock and roll this morning. Oh, double fudge ....
No more late night Saturday blogging for me.
As the service was ending, the person in charge made a few last minute announcements. Then, "Oh, as you are leaving there are a few camera people
filming. Don't worry, it really nothing. They are just doing a "this is your life" special about me - ha, ha, ha. Actually, its Hug-A-Camera-Man Day, so give a camera man a hug on your way out. ha, ha, ha".
I turn to my right, and there is a camera man right behind me filming towards the stage. I'm thinking, this is really weird. Whats going on ?
The lady's room closest to me was completely full. So I head in the other direction towards the other bathrooms. As I do, I cross paths with Danny Bonaduce , who is walking into church and putting out a cigarette at the same time.
Oh, right away, I know this might be interesting.
So I hurry up, head back downstairs and look around. No Danny Bonaduce anywhere.
As I leave, there he is on the left side of the parking lot. With about 5 camera men and/or other technical people with him.
They are gathered in a circle, and he's talking up a storm. I can't tell if they are filming or not. In trying to look and act natural, I forget where I parked my car. I finally locate it.
I sit in the car for a few minutes. Trying to see whats going on. I see Danny's wife with his kid, heading over to the camera people.
I am wondering if they got permission to film. I mean, don't you usually have to sign a waiver for filming ?
At this point, I think - you know, I have things to get done this afternoon. My laundry and my grocery shopping are more important. So I drive off.
But I know whats going on. I sometimes catch the Jamie and Danny show on Star 98.7 . Its actually the station that the alarm clock is set to.
I do know that Danny Bonaduce is currently filming a Reality Show about his daily life. For what TV network, I do not know.
I put two and two together and I get : filming Church Service for The Reality Show.
Oh, dear Lord .....
This is about the third time I have seen Danny Bonaduce in church. We do have a few celebrities that go there. My general thought is that church is a private place, and attending church should be treated with respect - so I generally don't blog about whos there and whats happening, other than maybe the sermon or general innocuous "church" stuff. A celebrity has the right to go to church for their spiritual growth and not be bothered, just as much as the average joe does.
But here is Danny Bonaduce, filming his Reality Show during the Church Service. Okay, I guess that means he doesn't care if people know that he attends the services there. And the more publicity the better. So there, I blogged it ....
08/26/1990 - 09/02/1990 12/07/2003 - 12/14/2003 12/14/2003 - 12/21/2003 12/21/2003 - 12/28/2003 12/28/2003 - 01/04/2004 01/11/2004 - 01/18/2004 01/25/2004 - 02/01/2004 02/01/2004 - 02/08/2004 02/08/2004 - 02/15/2004 03/07/2004 - 03/14/2004 04/18/2004 - 04/25/2004 05/23/2004 - 05/30/2004 05/30/2004 - 06/06/2004 06/06/2004 - 06/13/2004 06/27/2004 - 07/04/2004 08/22/2004 - 08/29/2004 09/05/2004 - 09/12/2004 09/26/2004 - 10/03/2004 10/10/2004 - 10/17/2004 11/14/2004 - 11/21/2004 12/26/2004 - 01/02/2005 01/02/2005 - 01/09/2005 01/23/2005 - 01/30/2005 01/30/2005 - 02/06/2005 02/06/2005 - 02/13/2005 02/13/2005 - 02/20/2005 02/20/2005 - 02/27/2005 02/27/2005 - 03/06/2005 03/06/2005 - 03/13/2005 03/13/2005 - 03/20/2005 03/20/2005 - 03/27/2005 03/27/2005 - 04/03/2005 04/03/2005 - 04/10/2005 04/10/2005 - 04/17/2005 04/17/2005 - 04/24/2005 04/24/2005 - 05/01/2005 05/01/2005 - 05/08/2005 05/08/2005 - 05/15/2005 05/15/2005 - 05/22/2005 05/22/2005 - 05/29/2005 05/29/2005 - 06/05/2005 06/05/2005 - 06/12/2005 06/12/2005 - 06/19/2005 06/19/2005 - 06/26/2005 06/26/2005 - 07/03/2005 07/03/2005 - 07/10/2005 07/10/2005 - 07/17/2005 07/17/2005 - 07/24/2005 07/24/2005 - 07/31/2005 07/31/2005 - 08/07/2005 08/07/2005 - 08/14/2005 08/14/2005 - 08/21/2005 08/21/2005 - 08/28/2005 08/28/2005 - 09/04/2005 09/04/2005 - 09/11/2005 09/11/2005 - 09/18/2005 09/18/2005 - 09/25/2005 09/25/2005 - 10/02/2005 10/02/2005 - 10/09/2005 10/09/2005 - 10/16/2005 10/16/2005 - 10/23/2005 10/23/2005 - 10/30/2005 10/30/2005 - 11/06/2005 11/06/2005 - 11/13/2005 11/13/2005 - 11/20/2005 11/20/2005 - 11/27/2005 11/27/2005 - 12/04/2005 12/04/2005 - 12/11/2005 12/11/2005 - 12/18/2005 12/18/2005 - 12/25/2005 12/25/2005 - 01/01/2006 01/01/2006 - 01/08/2006 01/08/2006 - 01/15/2006 01/15/2006 - 01/22/2006 01/22/2006 - 01/29/2006 01/29/2006 - 02/05/2006 02/05/2006 - 02/12/2006 02/12/2006 - 02/19/2006 02/19/2006 - 02/26/2006 02/26/2006 - 03/05/2006 03/05/2006 - 03/12/2006 03/12/2006 - 03/19/2006 03/19/2006 - 03/26/2006 03/26/2006 - 04/02/2006 04/02/2006 - 04/09/2006 04/09/2006 - 04/16/2006 04/16/2006 - 04/23/2006 04/23/2006 - 04/30/2006 04/30/2006 - 05/07/2006 05/07/2006 - 05/14/2006 05/14/2006 - 05/21/2006 05/21/2006 - 05/28/2006 05/28/2006 - 06/04/2006 06/04/2006 - 06/11/2006 06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006 06/18/2006 - 06/25/2006 06/25/2006 - 07/02/2006 07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006 07/09/2006 - 07/16/2006 07/16/2006 - 07/23/2006 07/23/2006 - 07/30/2006 07/30/2006 - 08/06/2006 08/06/2006 - 08/13/2006 08/13/2006 - 08/20/2006 08/20/2006 - 08/27/2006 08/27/2006 - 09/03/2006 09/03/2006 - 09/10/2006 09/10/2006 - 09/17/2006 09/17/2006 - 09/24/2006 09/24/2006 - 10/01/2006 10/01/2006 - 10/08/2006 10/08/2006 - 10/15/2006 10/15/2006 - 10/22/2006 10/22/2006 - 10/29/2006 10/29/2006 - 11/05/2006 11/05/2006 - 11/12/2006 11/12/2006 - 11/19/2006 11/19/2006 - 11/26/2006 11/26/2006 - 12/03/2006 12/03/2006 - 12/10/2006 12/10/2006 - 12/17/2006 12/17/2006 - 12/24/2006 12/24/2006 - 12/31/2006 12/31/2006 - 01/07/2007 01/07/2007 - 01/14/2007 01/14/2007 - 01/21/2007 01/21/2007 - 01/28/2007 01/28/2007 - 02/04/2007 02/04/2007 - 02/11/2007 02/11/2007 - 02/18/2007 02/18/2007 - 02/25/2007 02/25/2007 - 03/04/2007 03/04/2007 - 03/11/2007 03/11/2007 - 03/18/2007 03/18/2007 - 03/25/2007 03/25/2007 - 04/01/2007 04/01/2007 - 04/08/2007 04/08/2007 - 04/15/2007 04/15/2007 - 04/22/2007 04/22/2007 - 04/29/2007 04/29/2007 - 05/06/2007 05/06/2007 - 05/13/2007 05/13/2007 - 05/20/2007 05/20/2007 - 05/27/2007 05/27/2007 - 06/03/2007 06/03/2007 - 06/10/2007 06/10/2007 - 06/17/2007 06/17/2007 - 06/24/2007 06/24/2007 - 07/01/2007 07/01/2007 - 07/08/2007 07/08/2007 - 07/15/2007 07/15/2007 - 07/22/2007 07/22/2007 - 07/29/2007 07/29/2007 - 08/05/2007 08/05/2007 - 08/12/2007 08/12/2007 - 08/19/2007 08/19/2007 - 08/26/2007 08/26/2007 - 09/02/2007 09/02/2007 - 09/09/2007 09/09/2007 - 09/16/2007 09/16/2007 - 09/23/2007 09/23/2007 - 09/30/2007 09/30/2007 - 10/07/2007 10/07/2007 - 10/14/2007 10/14/2007 - 10/21/2007 10/21/2007 - 10/28/2007 10/28/2007 - 11/04/2007 11/04/2007 - 11/11/2007 11/11/2007 - 11/18/2007 11/18/2007 - 11/25/2007 11/25/2007 - 12/02/2007 12/02/2007 - 12/09/2007 12/09/2007 - 12/16/2007 12/16/2007 - 12/23/2007 12/23/2007 - 12/30/2007 12/30/2007 - 01/06/2008 01/06/2008 - 01/13/2008 01/13/2008 - 01/20/2008 01/20/2008 - 01/27/2008 01/27/2008 - 02/03/2008 02/03/2008 - 02/10/2008 02/10/2008 - 02/17/2008 02/17/2008 - 02/24/2008 02/24/2008 - 03/02/2008 03/02/2008 - 03/09/2008 03/09/2008 - 03/16/2008 03/16/2008 - 03/23/2008 03/23/2008 - 03/30/2008 03/30/2008 - 04/06/2008 04/06/2008 - 04/13/2008 04/13/2008 - 04/20/2008 04/20/2008 - 04/27/2008 04/27/2008 - 05/04/2008 05/04/2008 - 05/11/2008 05/11/2008 - 05/18/2008 05/18/2008 - 05/25/2008 05/25/2008 - 06/01/2008 06/01/2008 - 06/08/2008 07/27/2008 - 08/03/2008 08/03/2008 - 08/10/2008 08/17/2008 - 08/24/2008 08/24/2008 - 08/31/2008 08/31/2008 - 09/07/2008 09/07/2008 - 09/14/2008 09/21/2008 - 09/28/2008 09/28/2008 - 10/05/2008 11/09/2008 - 11/16/2008 11/16/2008 - 11/23/2008 11/23/2008 - 11/30/2008 12/14/2008 - 12/21/2008 12/21/2008 - 12/28/2008 12/28/2008 - 01/04/2009 01/04/2009 - 01/11/2009 01/11/2009 - 01/18/2009 02/15/2009 - 02/22/2009 02/22/2009 - 03/01/2009 03/01/2009 - 03/08/2009 03/08/2009 - 03/15/2009 03/15/2009 - 03/22/2009 03/22/2009 - 03/29/2009 03/29/2009 - 04/05/2009 04/05/2009 - 04/12/2009 04/12/2009 - 04/19/2009 04/19/2009 - 04/26/2009 04/26/2009 - 05/03/2009 05/03/2009 - 05/10/2009 05/10/2009 - 05/17/2009 05/17/2009 - 05/24/2009 05/24/2009 - 05/31/2009 05/31/2009 - 06/07/2009 06/14/2009 - 06/21/2009 06/21/2009 - 06/28/2009 06/28/2009 - 07/05/2009 07/05/2009 - 07/12/2009 07/12/2009 - 07/19/2009 07/19/2009 - 07/26/2009 07/26/2009 - 08/02/2009 08/02/2009 - 08/09/2009 08/09/2009 - 08/16/2009 08/16/2009 - 08/23/2009 08/23/2009 - 08/30/2009 08/30/2009 - 09/06/2009 09/06/2009 - 09/13/2009 09/13/2009 - 09/20/2009 09/20/2009 - 09/27/2009 09/27/2009 - 10/04/2009 10/04/2009 - 10/11/2009 11/22/2009 - 11/29/2009 11/29/2009 - 12/06/2009
DonnaGrayson.com Main Page
Donna's Music, Poetry, Acting Resume, and More ...