Business & Marketing Strategy for the Proactive Performer by Headline Books / Zoom Into Books

BUSINESS & MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE

“One of the most comprehensive books on the acting business I have ever read. Looking forward to putting Kimberly’s advice into practice in my own performing career and sharing her advice with my students.” —KIMBERLY LARKIN, NYC-based performer and educator,

faculty at Long Island High School for the Arts

“Kim’s book is a fantastic launch pad for just-getting-started actors. It’s an honest-yet-positive look at the performing industry, with a road-map on where to start. A must-read for those saying, ‘I’m an actor. Now what?’” —DARYL EISENBERG, CSA, Casting Director and Managing Partner at Eisenberg/Beans Casting

KIMBERLY FAYE GREENBERG

KIMBERLY FAYE GREENBERG is one of the TOP 10 Performing Arts Coaches in the world, as well as known as The Broadway Expert providing expert advice and inspiration in the form of personal coaching, workshops, webinars, blog features, interviews, masterclasses and content creation. Her work has been featured across a variety outlets, including Backstage, Theatre Nerds, Broadway Blogspot, TheatreMania, Ken Davenport’s TheatreMakers Studio, Schools.com, Music Theatre International, Westfield International Film Festival, BroadwayCon, the documentary “Secrets of Broadway” and more! Kimberly loves to inspire, educate, and work with proactive performing artists to help conquer their career goals.

BUSINESS & MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE PROACTIVE PERFORMER

PROACTIVE PERFORMER

BUSINESS & MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE

PROACTIVE PERFORMER

Actionable Tips, Tricks, and Templates Including...How To Get Representation, Approach Casting, Auditioning, Creating Your Own Work, and Working Smarter and Not Harder To Achieve Career Success!

KIMBERLY FAYE GREENBERG

“Actors only work in this business when they’re fully informed. Buy this book. Read it twice. Kimberly has insight I don’t see anywhere else.” —Robert McCaskill, Professional acting coach since 1991

“I love the way Kimberly Faye Greenberg divides the world of performing arts into wonderfully entertaining and delicious morsels and carefully explains tremendously important concepts to the reader in a way that is relatable, honest, and clearly understandable. This book will truly help actors.” —Naomi Kolstein, Manager at Bohemia Group

“Kimberly’s book is a fantastic launch pad for just-gettingstarted actors. It’s an honest, yet positive, look at the performing industry, with a roadmap on where to start. Kim provides optimism and encouragement as performers gain traction in their careers. A must-read for those saying ‘I’m an actor. Now what?’” —Daryl Eisenberg, CSA, Casting Director and Managing Partner at Eisenberg/Beans Casting

“In the past when people would ask me for advice on how to break into, and stay in, show business, I never knew what to say. I would panic and make odd bellowing sounds while flapping my arms frantically. This was unsatisfying for everyone. But now I can tell them to just read Kimberly’s book - a smart book for smart actors written by a smart person!” —Dave Konig - A three-time EMMY Award winning Comedian/ Actor / Writer / Artist

“Kimberly is the best actor strategy coach in ‘the biz’ and now she has created this incredible companion for the ‘proactive performer’ so you can take action in your own career with stepby-step guidance! The first of its kind, this is the new go-to book for how to create the best materials for being a working performer with strategic encouragement for how to navigate and take charge in your own career!” —Ashley Kate Adams (Broadway Performer, Producer & Best-Selling Author of #BYOP: Be Your Own Producer) “One of the most comprehensive books on the acting business I have ever read - and I have read many of them. This book is a one-stop-shop for any artist starting out in the business, getting back to the business or just looking for some inspiration. Everything in the book is practical, clearly laid out, and I really enjoyed reading all the author’s personal antidotes. Looking forward to putting Kimberly’s advice into practice in my own performing career and sharing her advice with my students.” —Kimberly Larkin, NYC based performer and educator, faculty at Long Island High School for the Arts “Wow! This book is so good! Consider it the ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ for actors. In her book, Kimberly delves into why an actor should be proactive for their career, shares lessons from her own 20+ year experience on how she does this, and provides action steps for other actors to implement right away. She doesn’t miss a detail, and her heart for actors finding their own version of success jumped off of every page. Whether you’re an actor just starting out, an actor who’s been in the business for some time and needs a boost of encouragement, or an actor somewhere in between, this book is for you!” —Rance Nix, Actor/Host/Comedian, Dana King on The Kings of Napa (OWN Network)

“In the ever-changing world of the entertainment industry, performers find themselves facing new expectations on a daily basis. Many of these new areas involve marketing and technology - both of which can be daunting to people who only ever wanted to perform! Kimberly Faye Greenberg has created a wonderful guide, helping actors navigate this challenging terrain and breaking down the overwhelming unknowns into actionable steps. With easy-to-understand building blocks, she offers a clear approach as to how actors can use 21st century tools to both advance their careers and achieve their goals.” —Michael Cassara, CSA NY-based Theatrical Casting Director

“Kimberly Faye Greenberg pushes herself and others forward with the hope and energy of a rookie with stars in her eyes, but has the experience to offer specific and actionable pieces of advice, along with sage wisdom to care for the artist’s soul so they can thrive in the long run. Kimberly’s book is the balance between hustle and grace, which, in my mind, is the recipe for a long and fruitful career.” —Rebecca Larkin, Actress/Singer (including Broadway Revival of “South Pacific”), Vocal Coach and former Education Director for the Timber Lake Playhouse, IL

“This book is an essential tool for the performing artist who is serious about a career in the industry. Kimberly draws from her experience as a performer herself as well as her 10+ years as a successful coach to provide a step-by-step, intricate guide to surviving and thriving in the entertainment industry today! As a Producer/Artist Manager/Booking Agent with almost 20 years experience in NYC, I can attest that the skills Kimberly teaches will vastly improve your exposure to the industry representatives you need to know to succeed.” —Kristen Ernst, Producer/Booking Agent, Artist Manager with KMEntertainment

“Kimberly Faye Greenberg’s book is a must-read for artists who want more agency over their creative futures. This book provides a powerful context for navigating the unpredictable, fickle nature of the entertainment industry. Any performing artist who wants to be taken seriously must take themselves seriously, and this book is a rock solid blueprint for doing so. Kimberly’s down-to-earth style and industry know-how will help anyone cut through their own internal BS and disempowering stories, making it clear what to take personally (hint: nothing) and where to take initiative and empower yourself fully (hint: everywhere). Every artist deserves this vulnerable, straightforward map to keep them successful, healthy, happy, and passionate.” —Laura Westman, PCC, Coach for Creatives

“I’ve seen Kimberly Greenberg in action, and she is a beast. Not only is she a huge talent, but it is backed with perspective, drive, and strategy, which keeps her afloat and relevant in this industry. There’s so much to take away here—things that will make the business side of your artistry less complicated, more specific, and much more effective.” —Michael Kushner, Award Winning Theatre, TV, and Film Multi-Hyphenate; Author of How to Be a Multi-Hyphenate in the Theatre Business

“Kimberly Faye Greenberg provides an essential ‘how to guide’ for beginners and established artists alike. Her easy-tounderstand, and more importantly, easy-to-put into action book shares hard-won insights into not just one way but multiple ways to establish oneself as a working artist. I found myself reviewing my own practices with each chapter and found nugget after nugget of truly actionable advice that had me updating materials and my mindset about everyday challenges we all face. If you want to learn the everyday nitty-gritty requirements of being a successful, working actor, buy this book. It’s an essential tool for any artist in the pursuit of their dreams as a working professional. I’ll be revisiting it often when I need inspiration, and you will too.” —Broadway’s Jerome Vivona, Writer/Producer/Director/ Choreographer/Performer/Master Teacher and Co-Artistic Director/Co-Owner of American Theater Dance Workshop

KIMBERLY FAYE GREENBERG Headline Books Terra Alta, WV

Business & Marketing Strategy For The Proactive Performer by Kimberly Faye Greenberg copyright ©2024 Kimberly Faye Greenberg All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books, Inc. Disclaimer: This book is written for information purposes only. Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and accurate as possible. This book should be used as a guide - not as the ultimate source. The purpose of this book is to educate. The author and the publisher do not warrant that the information contained in this book is fully complete and shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the advice in this book.

To order additional copies of this book or for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Books, Inc. P.O. Box 52 Terra Alta, WV 26764 www.HeadlineBooks.com mybook@headlinebooks.com ISBN 13: Library of Congress Control Number:

P R I N T E D I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A

To my family, friends and teachers who have surrounded me throughout my journey and for which this book would not have been possible. Thank you!

CONTENTS Preface.................................................................................................. i

SECTION 1: Laying The Foundation........................................... 1 Chapter 1—Why Become A Proactive Actor............................. 3 Chapter 2—Building Blocks Of Success...................................... 9 Chapter 3—Life As An Artist..................................................... 21 Chapter 4—Five Things A Day................................................... 23 Chapter 5—Mindset.................................................................... 26 Chapter 6—Rejection.................................................................. 27 Chapter 7—Frustration............................................................... 30 Chapter 8—Support Systems...................................................... 33 Chapter 9—Booking It Beyond Broadway............................... 34 Chapter 10—Goals....................................................................... 37

SECTION 2: LET’S TAKE SOME ACTION!....................................... 41 Chapter 11—Headshots.............................................................. 43 Chapter 12—Resumes................................................................. 48 Chapter 13—Websites................................................................. 54 Chapter 14—Get Branded!......................................................... 58 Chapter 15—Branding As A Pitch............................................. 62 Chapter 16—Creating Your Own Work.................................... 64 Chapter 17—Material For Auditions......................................... 69 Chapter 18—Assigned Audition Material................................ 72 Chapter 19—How To Dress For An Audition.......................... 74

SECTION 3: GETTING AUDITIONS FROM CASTING NOTICES...... 75 Chapter 20—Submitting To Casting Notices........................... 77 Chapter 21—Casting Websites................................................... 79 Chapter 22—Cover Letters & Standout Submissions.............. 81 Chapter 23—Pitching On The Casting Websites..................... 93

SECTION 4: THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA!................................ 95 Chapter 24—Social Media Importance..................................... 97 Chapter 25—Social Media Do’s And Don’ts............................. 99 Chapter 26—How To Build Your Following........................... 101 Chapter 27—What Kind Of Social Media Posts?.................. 104

SECTION 5: THE AGENT AND MANAGER.................................... 107 Chapter 28—Do I Need An Agent Or A Manager?............... 109 Chapter 29—Honest Truth About Working With Rep......... 111 Chapter 30—Differences Between An Agent & Manager.... 114 Chapter 31—Finding Agents And Managers To Target........ 119 Chapter 32—How To Pitch An Agent Or Manager............... 123 Chapter 33—Agent/Manager Follow-Up................................ 129 Chapter 34—Other Ways To Get Rep..................................... 131 Chapter 35—Got Rep? How To Help Your Agent Help You!.................................................. 133

SECTION 6: UNIONS....................................................................... 137 Chapter 36—Unions Available To The Performer................. 139 Chapter 37—When To Join The Union.................................. 140

SECTION 7: NETWORKING & MORE............................................. 145 Chapter 38—Networking.......................................................... 147 Chapter 39—Day Jobs............................................................... 151 Chapter 40—Inspiration/Action List....................................... 154

Give Me a Shout Out on Social Media!...................................... 157 Image Credits................................................................................. 158 About the Author.......................................................................... 160

Preface Thanks for picking this up! And I’m thrilled to introduce myself, your sassy brassy NY broad and working professional proactive performer of 25 years, known for being the first and only actress to play leading roles in two Off-Broadway Musicals at the same time and as the Fanny Brice go-to gal receiving critical acclaim from the New York Times, Associated Press, Huffington Post, and more for my portrayals of America’s first female comedian in four different shows and on two CDs, including my acclaimed streaming/touring solo show, “Fabulous Fanny: The Songs and Stories of Fanny Brice.” In addition, I’m a Broadway wardrobe swing dresser with 20 shows under my belt, and more importantly to YOU, I am The Broadway Expert, a Top 10 Performing Arts Business Coach/Content Creator and Expert helping performing artists of all levels pursue work onstage and behind-thescenes on Broadway and beyond. And if you didn’t glean it already, I am also an admitted workaholic! Ha! Throughout my journey, performers, just like you, approached me with so many questions. “How was I creating such a successful niche for myself as an actress (i.e., your “sassy brassy NY broad”) that was getting my phone to ring with so many opportunities for auditions, jobs, and creative collaborations?” “How and why was I balancing life in multiple lanes, including working behind-the-scenes (gasp!) and seeing success in my performing career because of it?” “How in the world did I create my successful touring/streaming solo show ‘Fabulous Fanny: The Songs and Stories of Fanny Brice’ that i

is literally creating its own buzz and successful niche in the Broadway/ touring community and even better creating lucrative income as well?” “How have I been able to surround myself with a team of supportive agents and managers in multiple markets and get them to work for me on my behalf? Not to mention, how did I even get my reps to begin with?” Cut to me sitting down with many performers at the local Starbucks, where we would meet for coffee so they could “pick my brain” on all the answers to these elusive questions, and consequently, my coaching business was born. And now, ten years later, I have worked with beginners through Broadway/TV/film pros, not only in answering all the questions above but on marketing materials and business strategy, branding, how to traverse and stand out in saturated markets like New York City and Los Angeles and embracing your unique you to get direct calls and offers because of it. I have helped artists with the steps to create their own work that could get their talents seen when it seemed like nothing else was working. I created templates and “how-to’s” to ease the stress for my clients when they were applying for jobs and auditions and even helped them create winning cover letters and pitches. I encouraged everyone I worked with to embrace all their skill sets to not only help them become more well-rounded artists and expand their networks but also create income to support their performing endeavors. Clients immediately started seeing success! They signed with agents and managers. They gleaned those elusive high-level auditions for big network shows, national tours, and Broadway. They created web series and solo shows and content that were winning awards and gaining them acclaim and even more potential opportunities all over the world! All in all, everyone started working smarter and not harder in ways that showcased their own best selves that proved fruitful time and time again, and, more importantly, their careers got moving! And now, I’m thrilled to bring this work to you with my tips, tricks, and templates, along with tangible and step-by-step processes with which to create career momentum and real honest-to-goodness outcomes. Let’s get to work so that you can meet your goals and potentially bring you performing gigs beyond your imagination as well! ii

I can’t wait for you to dive in. I mean it! I love this stuff. I love to help actors knock down doors, open windows, AND create their own unique niche in the business that we call show, so that you stand out and be seen. Helping fellow artists and seeing them become successful is one of my deepest passions. So whether you are new and just starting out, whether you have established yourself in one of the many markets, or whether you are coming back to it after a hiatus, I’m thrilled to be on the journey with you. Let’s dive in! —Kimberly

iii

SECTION 1

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Chapter 1

Why become a proactive actor Proactive—definition—creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened. There is truth in “if you build it, they will come.” There is also truth in the universe aligning for the things you want, but this isn’t a “woo woo book” of metaphysical origin. This is a book about powerful proactive tips, tricks, tools, and templates for performers that, when put into play, will lay a solid foundation and build your performing career in ways that can create tangible success. As a performer, sitting idly by will not make the phone ring, and while you may have a stroke of luck for amazing job opportunities with what “seems” like no previous actions, there is power in being proactive to create momentum to continue those strokes of luck, as well as to ensure longevity in your career. Also, food for thought, you are your biggest advocate as a performing artist. Why would you not be proactive and advocate and work for your career? Why would you rely on the heavens to rain down opportunity, that agent to call, the casting person to hire you, or your friend to write you your starring role? Instead, why wouldn’t you be proactive and do it for yourself or work to set the wheels in motion (i.e., put the marketing and strategy in this book into play) that cause events to unfold where your phone does start ringing because you took steps to make it so. Check out some of what proactive steps have led to my success. 3

STORYTIME! Two years after graduating and traveling the United States in shows for Theatre For Young Audiences I made the move to the place I had been dreaming of, New York City. I had only a couple hundred dollars in my pocket and two suitcases to my name. And, with that teeny budget and HUGE dreams, I knew I had to advocate for myself in very powerful ways to get work as quickly as possible because I wasn’t going to last very long in the Big Apple without making that so. That meant finessing my actor business materials to stand out amongst everyone else’s, doing everything I could to gain opportunities to get auditions, and, subsequently, to be as prepared as I could be when the opportunities to wow casting and creatives came along. It worked! My very first audition in NYC, only a few weeks later, was for the understudy of the leading female role in the first national tour of “Parade” that had recently ended its Broadway run. I got that audition from literally mailing the casting office my headshot, resume, and a pitch note asking to be seen. Now, while I didn’t book that job, it showed me that putting myself out there worked! The ripple effects were out of this world! Just from me having mailed that one headshot/resume and request to audition for that first national tour, and subsequently doing a great audition, that string of events then got me a direct to callback for an audition for one of the understudy tracks in a Broadway play that was opening at the time called “Hollywood Arms” and even more auditions down the road. I kept up with my mailings to casting directors when I heard big projects that I could be in were auditioning. Due to my strong pitch notes and competitive marketing materials, more auditions came rolling in… the national tour of “The Full Monty,” the Broadway revival of “Fiddler On the Roof,” and more! At the same time, I was attending open calls, networking in workshops, and trying to meet and get to know as many people as possible. In turn, I was getting offers for regional work and Off-Off Broadway shows. The moral of this story is being proactive works. It did for me, and it can for you too!

Still don’t believe me? Well, here are even more reasons why it’s important and, not to worry, I will explore more of these ideas with you in-depth in actionable steps and examples in upcoming chapters.

REASON 1 Opportunities that arise don’t pass you by for things within your control. How many of you have had an audition as an artist that you completely bombed? Insert me raising my hand here! We’ve all been there and done that. But bombing (for the most part) WAS in your control. Yes, this is a big TRUTH BOMB. Were you prepared? Did you truthfully spend the time you had with the material learning it? Did you Google the creatives and find their likes and dislikes? Did you ask for help to learn the material from a coach or trusted friend? More than likely, proper preparation (i.e., being proactive) would have set you up to be so prepared that bombing an audition wasn’t even an option. Listen, I know you can’t control getting a job in our industry. Having a degree or license, in any other field, like a doctor or even a hairdresser, would consequently lead them to work at a medical practice or a hospital or a beauty salon etc. But the same doesn’t apply to your theatre career. It’s not linear; a degree doesn’t beget opportunity, and being overly prepared may not get your dream job in the end. However, what we can all control is preparing and doing a great audition regardless of whether or not we book the job. This will bring other rewards down the line. Creatives, and this includes casting, notice proactive, prepared performers in an audition because the preparedness causes that nervous audition energy to be scaled back. This creates a positive audition experience in the room for both you and those behind the table, and in turn, it will get you called in for a different job or audition in the future! I have done some fabulous auditions where I knew I had no chance of booking the job but then saw great rewards regardless. The audition pianist called me to collaborate on his music/production, the casting person behind the table called me for another more applicable opportunity, and so on.

So readers, be the powerful performers that you are and always set yourself up for success in any way you can for those auditions, especially when it comes to preparing for one.

REASON 2 There is never any saying “What if?” Now, with the above being said, if you are indeed proactively preparing for every audition, the ripple effect lies in the fact that there will never be any regrets about not getting a job due to your own mistakes in the audition room because they will never happen. Your nerves could be at a ten, but because you did the work in advance, the chances of you screwing up anything that’s in your control won’t happen. Trust me when I say you never want to look back at the most important audition of your life and say to yourself, “I should have studied that audition scene and learned that song more, and if I would have, maybe I would have possibly booked that dream job.” I’ve had many of those “what if ” moments from early on in my career, and it makes me sick to my stomach to think what could have happened if I had been more prepared and learned this lesson early on, or, better yet, had someone like myself to tell me to buckle down and get to work. Don’t believe me? Let’s talk about one of my auditions. It will, for me at least, feel good to get this stomach-churning memory off my chest, even if only for a moment, and serve you as the forewarning of don’t do as I did, do as I say. I had an audition for an extremely high-profile cruise ship job. It was early on when Broadway shows were starting to be done on some of the biggest luxury liners, and boy, I wanted to be one of the first to perform in one. I had already had at least three callbacks and was well on my way to what I thought was booking the gig. On the last and final audition, I was given music to learn. Now, keep in mind, I didn’t have much time to familiarize myself with what was given to me (unfortunately, we never are actually given that much time), but instead of taking the time I did have to learn the music, I rushed and had all the rhythms wrong. It may not sound so bad, but they were so wrong that in that final callback, one of the creatives who very much wanted me to book the job had to get up from the table and try to conduct me as I was singing to get it right. Let’s just say it was massively 6

embarrassing, and I didn’t book that job. I found out later that the artistic director hated that my rhythms were off so much that he not only refused to hire me but also refused to bring me in for any future auditions. I was devastated considering I had been going in for those jobs quite often and my family had started planning the vacation they would take once I booked one. I still think often on that one audition and wonder if I would have taken the time to learn the music more accurately would I have indeed booked the job. I will never know. But you can bet I pore over every rhythm for all my music for all my auditions to this very day. I was young, and I learned by experience, but I could have prevented this regret that still haunts me had I put in the work to what was in my control. I’ll sum it up to say that it’s empowering to not have the “what if ’s” as a performer if you can help it. Those “what if ’s” will cause those negative voices (i.e., your insecurities) in your head to come out and play and play often. We truly don’t need our own insecurities interfering with our work when there are already so many unknowns and things out of our control in this business. Being prepared and not having any regrets means we can stay focused on the important stuff and that’s never an iffy situation.

REASON 3 You will make your own opportunities. We are in a creative art form. To succeed we must also create, not just characters as assigned to us from auditions that lead to jobs, but even our own opportunities. Why? We can then proactively build the foundation to control how others see our talents and art on display which could open the door and lead the way for more lucrative work. I have a touring solo show called “Fabulous Fanny: The Songs and Stories of Fanny Brice,” which I created because theatre and organizations were asking me to come to their venues to play this historical theatrical broad after having played her successfully in an Off-Broadway show with which I was not able to travel. My show has led to so many things beyond my goals. I have had opportunities I can’t guarantee would have happened without it. I was called in to audition to play Fanny Brice in a revival of “Funny Girl” on Broadway. I have been invited to audition numerous times to play Fanny Brice in several 7

television shows. Producers, directors, and creators learned about me and reached out to be part of their projects in other similar roles. Now, let me bring a fantastic client of mine named Dillon to the table. Dillon wanted to expand from theatre into television. I encouraged her to make some reel footage to both help her get an agent or a manager and to help her future representative submit her for jobs on television and film. Dillon created a very short scene that she put on tape with the help of trusted friends. Not only did it help her get a manager, but it has since led to a ton of auditions. In addition people loved this short scene so much that it became a web series. This web series went on to shoot several seasons, win some amazing awards at some of the most prestigious festivals in the world, and this proactiveness of creating her own opportunity continues to bring Dillion other opportunities to perform.

REASON 4 You will work smarter not harder! Why would you want to work harder than you need to when you don’t have a guaranteed outcome? You would basically be throwing spaghetti at the wall until something sticks. Now, unless you are really making spaghetti and end up with a nice bowl of hearty carbohydrates for dinner, why not instead take the proactive performer approach and follow steps already proven to bring opportunities your way. Again take Dillon; instead of just submitting blindly to every agent and manager to get representation or casting notices to get auditions with just a headshot and resume, Dillon created a short “reel” video to showcase her talents in the best light and then both things, getting representation and getting auditions, came to fruition very quickly. Dillon worked smarter. She had footage made to submit for work and representation, and that easily separated her from the actors around her by showcasing her unique self and talents and immediately provided results. Be like Dillon. Be the performer who is the one who is proactively setting up the dominoes that will fall to create a ripple effect that will allow all opportunities in their path to come directly to you!

Chapter 2

BUILDING BLOCKS OF SUCCESS Marketing and business strategy can be a game. And if you are willing to play and play smart, you can create momentum in your performing career. But, to be able to play the game, you need the building blocks. Let’s look at this analogy. You can’t play Monopoly without the board and the money. But, once you have the foundation you can move along the board buying and selling however you would like once you roll that dice and know how many steps you have to take forward. That’s what we will do. You know where you want to go. I will provide you with those building blocks that will help you make smart decisions and take risks and create buzz and opportunities. Just what are building blocks? In our sense of the word, they are steps to create a foundation for your success. In terms of this book, they are the marketing and business strategy ideas with tips, tricks, and templates you can use to create or expand your reach as a performing artist. When you take the blocks you find in this book and build/stack them in a way that supports your unique you, you will build a tower of achievement that will hold its own and last your lifetime. Let’s start with the basics of building blocks for any performing artist: tidbits to keep in mind as you go through your career. And we will continue to expand on these ideas as you continue on in the book!

BUILDING BLOCK #1 Have your hands in as many pots as possible. Why? I like to use a garden analogy: Plant many seeds so at least one will grow. Things in this business NEVER go as planned. The more you do, the more likely one of those seeds will grow. And one of those projects will plant the seed for another more lucrative project in the future. For me, planting a seed whenever I could has always led to a huge garden of opportunity. For example, about five years into my career in NYC I had gotten a job to play one of the daughters in a dinner theatre production of “Fiddler On The Roof.” Sounds crazy, no? (For all of you Fiddler fans, I just couldn’t resist that reference. Cheesy, I know.) While the production itself is but a blip on the outskirts of my mind, a potential offering that came from it refocused my path. I had been asked by the artistic director of this theatre to learn the role of Fanny Brice for the possibility of playing this icon in their production of “Funny Girl” the following season. Now, for those who may not know, this role is a beast. Fanny practically never leaves the stage. She has tons of songs and scenes and not only are you playing legendary first funny girl, Fanny Brice, you are also living in the shadows of the role that made Barbra Streisand a star. But I didn’t get deterred, and I took this challenge with the utmost seriousness and planted this seed. I dove right in and spent an entire year learning the material. This meant hours and hours memorizing the script and songs and that every weekly lesson and acting class was focused on music and scene work from the show. I literally must have driven my teachers crazy at the time. I also gobbled up all the history and facts I could find on this legend with many hours spent combing the internet, researching in the closed stacks of the New York Public Library and reading all her biographies. Now, if you think this story ends happily, you are very, very wrong. Despite all that work, time, energy, and not to mention money, I didn’t

even end up booking the role a year later. I was devastated. But again, the seed had been sown, and little did I know the garden was growing. Not long after, I saw a casting notice looking to fill a role for a Jewish woman in a new musical that seemed to match the Fanny Brice role I had been studying. Well, I thought, “maybe all that work wasn’t for naught.” The show was called “The Kid From Brooklyn, The Danny Kaye Musical.” My marketing brain kicked right in. I sent a letter to the casting office asking for consideration. I then followed up consistently every few months with another letter. I kept watering that garden and planting the seeds in the casting directors’ minds to call me in. Then, probably about six months later, it happened. I got a call asking if I would audition. They had been receiving my letters and had filed them away for this moment. Bam! I attended the audition, got an immediate callback, and, lo and behold, I booked it. I flew off to Florida to tour in this show as the wife of Danny Kaye, Ms. Sylvia Fine, for more than a year. Performing in this show subsequently led me to the most wonderful human, my co-star Brian Childers who played my husband, Danny Kaye. And this relationship led us to star together in yet another musical about the life of Danny Kaye. This time not in Florida but OFF-BROADWAY. A two-person musical called “Danny & Sylvia, The Danny Kaye Musical.” It ran for three years. Think the story ends there? Think again. Early on in that run of “Danny & Sylvia,” a writer saw me and offered me the opportunity to workshop his one-woman show called “One Night With Fanny Brice” about the real-life gal. Yep. You heard that right! The role of Fanny Brice had just come back full circle, and now I was ACTUALLY playing the role. “One Night With Fanny Brice” opened Off-Broadway while I was still performing in “Danny & Sylvia,” which made me the first and only actress to play leading roles in two Off-Broadway musicals at the same time. Wowsa! That one little seed of studying to play Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” at a dinner theatre (and a job I didn’t book) turned into something bigger and better and is still flourishing into more opportunities today!

BUILDING BLOCK #2 Never say no to opportunities. Let’s be honest; in this business, enough people will do that for you! How many times have I not booked a job of my dreams or even ones I thought I had in my back pocket? Too many to even count. And, shall I remind you of that dinner theatre that asked me to learn Fanny Brice for “Funny Girl”? You would think after a year of preparation, I’d have that in the bag, but nope. Be that as it may, take every opportunity you are offered unless it violates your “moral” code and/or is in complete conflict with your long-term goals (i.e., you are offered a cooking job from someone seeing you play a chef in a movie. I know that’s a silly example, but one never knows. Crazier things have happened.) Saying “yes” when things come your way is helpful to grow your career even if it may not look like the opportunity you had been pining for because it could lead to something else down the line (remember the plant seeds analogy in the last building block). For me, saying yes to the less lucrative new works that have come my way from people seeing me perform has let other seeds grow. I met a wonderful playwright named Steven McCasland when he saw me play Fanny Brice Off-Broadway. He has subsequently had me collaborate on many of his new works as he continues to rise in his own career. Not only have I been able to originate the roles in his plays, but I’m now listed amongst the original cast members in his scripts that are being published and produced across the world.

BUILDING BLOCK #3 Take the mindset that auditions are a “snippet” of your best work/talents on display. Auditions are crazy and very unrealistic as to what we are actually hired to do. So, instead of letting them get to your nerves and stress you out, try to look at them as your time to shine, perform, and do what makes you different from everyone else. You have, at most, only a few minutes (if you are lucky) so make them count to let the world know who YOU are in terms of the roles and characters you are auditioning to play! And with the reality of booking the job slim, if you give them 12

the best of you, they will think of you for more projects that come down the line. Here is my reality. Most of the things I get called in for as I get older and more established in my career are usually cast with star names. I am that “other” option if the star doesn’t work out. So, by giving the best of me, no matter this reality, I have had other auditions come my way time and again for just doing a fantastic audition in the room. Remember when I spoke of my first audition in New York City for the national touring company of “Parade” leading me to be called in for the Broadway play “Hollywood Arms”? Literally just because I put my best talent on display, that casting director called me in again and again. The same goes for my TV/film career. Several casting offices, despite me not always booking a job, continue to call me in because I do a great audition and showcase my best me. They continue to throw me in the mix for their upcoming projects.

BUILDING BLOCK #4 Keep up your audition skills! Auditions happen all year long, and everyone’s audition seasons can differ. I speak in “seasons” meaning the time when a person tends to be auditioning a lot versus when they aren’t. Everyone’s season can be different. For me, fall (September and October) and spring (AprilJune) tend to be busy. This, however, isn’t the same for all my friends. And funny enough, I can gauge how many auditions I’m about to get by what’s happening to my friends around me. I’ve noticed a trend that if my friends are auditioning a lot, that’s usually when it’s slow for me and vice versa. So what does this mean? First, it means never compare anyone else’s audition seasons to your career, but, even more so, always prepare and practice the art of auditioning when you aren’t actually doing it. Yes! I am encouraging practicing auditions before they are even on your radar! For instance, I like to get in my self-tape studio and practice TV/ film sides with my coach. I practice, practice, practice, so I am ready for auditions to come rolling in. 13

For musical theatre, in my downtime, I learn roles I can play now for shows that seem to be happening across the country or on Broadway. This way, I already know the material when I get an audition for one of these shows, and I can knock it out of the park and move on to the next audition fairly quickly. Listen, when I was a kid in school, I was never good at cramming for a test. I always had to be proactive and anticipate the next one to come and study for it in advance. This same idea serves me to this day when I get myself ready for auditions that are not yet on my radar. Ask yourself what you can work on now to prepare for future auditions.

BUILDING BLOCK #5 Keep track of auditions, callbacks, and appointments and use it to gauge your success. A huge part of determining your marketing and business strategy as a performing artist is to figure out where you are succeeding and where you are not. Being that auditions are our main avenue of getting work, the best way to do that is to log them as they happen, whether it’s getting an appointment, attending an open call, getting a callback, getting a job, or being called in by the same casting director time and again. What does this determine? Well, this tells you who and what you are being called in for and succeeding, or not, at booking so that you can keep track of trends. Why? These stats can show you where you need to improve if you aren’t booking, certain types of jobs or roles you are being called in for on a regular basis, which casting directors or creatives are rooting for you to succeed by consistently calling you in or calling you back, as well as what is working that you need to do more! One of my big logging successes was figuring out that I was being called in for historical Jewish women. I had so many callbacks for “Fiddler On The Roof,” immigrant roles, musicals, and plays about history, etc. early on in my career that it led me to hone my presentation in audition material by choosing songs and monologues that fit into these worlds. I also examined how I dressed and how I wore my hair to make sure I fit even more so into the types of roles I was being called in 14

for so that I could up my chances of booking the job. It even helped me make sure I kept a clear focus on making sure I was submitting myself for these types of projects and roles every time they came on my radar. This, of course, had a massive ripple effect, leading me to the “Fiddler on the Roof ” gig mentioned previously that led to learning Fanny Brice and set so many other dominoes falling that led me to you today. And even today I continue to fulfill this niche, including playing Kathleen Kennedy, Lillian Hellman, and more! Truly, momentum came because I was keeping track of where I was gaining traction and then figuring out ways to expand on that so that it would continue to lead to more work. Now how do you keep track? Well, create a list. Use whatever works best for you. That could mean an Excel spreadsheet, Google sheets, or even just a journal. It doesn’t need to be fancy. At this point, I keep all my tracking on the notes section of my phone. You want to be sure to note the date of your audition, what you wore, what the part was, who you auditioned for, what you performed, the comments and reactions from the people in the room, and any of your thoughts on your own presentation or process. Once you have established a running list, start to see if you notice any themes or patterns emerging and adjust for things that are or aren’t working as you continue your business and marketing strategy as a performer.

BUILDING BLOCK #6 Consistently train and level up your work as an actor. Depending on your preference, privately work with or take group classes with a respected coach/teacher in the business who is also working and/or has clients working in the field/areas you want to be working in. You want to work with teachers who have great track records in your market and can help you align your work with the projects currently happening so that you cannot just improve your artistry but also book work. Also, be mindful of teachers/coaches who only praise you all the time or on the opposite side of the spectrum, only criticize. Look for teachers and coaches who will push and challenge you as an artist and also praise you when great things happen.

It’s also important to find a teacher/coach who understands your way of working, meaning your idiosyncrasies and how you think as an artist, and can speak your language. It won’t do you any good to work with someone with whom you can’t seem to understand or translate the feedback you are being given. Take note that no one teacher is right for everyone. Make sure to do your homework and try teachers on for size to see if they will work for you. Don’t feel bad about having multiple teachers/coaches. I think many actors are of the impression that having more than one teacher or coach is cheating, much in the same vein that my go-to hairstylist calls me out when she recognizes that someone else cut or styled my hair very differently than she normally would. In our business, all teachers and coaches have strengths and weaknesses, and everyone’s personality and way of working are very different from one another. Look for those who will grow your strengths, turn your weaknesses into assets, support you in a healthy way, and not make the work about them. And that may mean having more than one. I have several acting coaches. One for TV/film, several for theatre, several who I call when the others aren’t available. I also have a life coach to get me out of my head for my auditions, a mentor to coach me on auditions and go back and forth on business things, and several teachers with specialty niches. Anyone who is a good teacher will understand that you may have many preferences depending on what you need. And truthfully, it’s your career. Do what you need to do to improve and get your work done.

BUILDING BLOCK #7 Your journey is unique, just like you! Just like actors’ audition seasons differ from person to person, know that no other’s journey is the same as yours, EVER. Your friend may make it in a Broadway show once they move to New York or get that series regular once they move to LA, and you may not make it for years. That’s okay!!! Everyone’s journey is different. Broadway or getting a series regular job is not the end-all-be-all of a career, or maybe it’s not even 16

your goal at all. A career as a performing artist is filled with a huge range of possibilities to showcase your performer prowess and earn income. (We will talk about other opportunities you can glean later in this book.) Don’t believe me? Take me as a prime example. My overarching goal for many years was to get my Broadway production contract. I moved to NYC in 2000. It’s now 2021 as of writing this book, and it hasn’t happened for me as an actor in the “traditional” sense of the word. I mean I’ve performed on Broadway, just not under what is considered the gold standard, a production contract (i.e., the highest paying of all the contracts in NYC). And while I’ve come extremely close to booking those jobs, I can’t negate the other amazing things that have happened. From playing Fanny Brice, I have two albums, a review in The New York Times, and a nationally recognized touring and streaming show. I’ve been the only actress to perform leading roles in two Off-Broadway shows at the same time. I’m also one of only a handful of women who have appeared in solo shows in New York City in the Broadway/Off-Broadway scene. And the list goes on. When I say my journey is unique, I mean it. Never would I have ever imagined these things way back in 2000. And never would I have ever given them up and taken them back if I could for that Broadway production contract show. Your journey is your journey. Own it. Live it. Know all will come to you if you keep being proactive and pushing towards your goals.

BUILDING BLOCK #8 Make the most out of every opportunity. For everyone, disappointment and rejection are around every corner—especially where auditions are concerned. And unfortunately as performers, it’s our jobs as actors to audition. So, when you book a job, make the most of it. I’m not going to regurgitate yet again my journey with Fanny Brice; by now you’ve heard it several times over. But it’s a prime example of making the most out of an opportunity or seizing a circumstance that has come my way.

Any time you receive a performing project, job, collaboration, or possibility, then make the most out of it. Again, make that garden grow and watch how things expand in the best way.

BUILDING BLOCK #9 Find a “day” job within your performing niche. Why? It makes your network grow and keeps you almost doing what you love. And, more importantly, other opportunities you didn’t even imagine in your performing niche can reveal themselves to you. I am also a wardrobe dresser swing on Broadway. I have dressed over twenty Broadway shows and have worked with a lot of people who now know me not just as a dresser but as a performer as well. And being “in the Broadway circle” and networking backstage has also helped me in my performing career. I literally booked my first Broadway workshop (meaning a show is doing performances for Broadway producers to get money to open on Broadway) as a performer because I met one of the creative team members as a Broadway wardrobe dresser! It has also opened me up to learning the business side of things. This allows me to see why things happen the way they do. I’m exposed and “in the thick” of the workings of Broadway from the vantage points of both on-stage and behind the scenes. I approach auditions much more realistically because I know how the Broadway machine functions. Take my client Dillon about whom I’ve already spoken. She loves social media. She loves to create content where she can act and be oncamera. Dillon decided to try her hand at becoming an influencer, and now this is her day job alongside acting. In addition, she now gets auditions because of this, specifically for commercials and other projects that could use this on-camera skill set. Another client named Mary, who is an accomplished musical theatre performer, has a passion teaching theatre to kids. She, alongside her acting career, opened her own theatre company. Now Mary can not only perform and keep her chops ready for bigger jobs but inspire and educate the next generation of artists. Don’t discount working in another realm within your niche. Pay your bills, earn income and, in turn, create relationships and opportunities that can also benefit your performing career long term. 18

BUILDING BLOCK #10 Find what makes you unique and create new projects of your own. Shall we look at the massive amount of big names stars who create their own work…Angelina Jolie and Reese Witherspoon to name a few. Start to read the credits of some of your favorite television shows and movies and you will see that many big names do more than just act in their projects. They were actually the one to take the impetus to get the project off the ground to begin with and/or collaborated with a team of people to get the project made. In essence, their success keeps coming because they know what they do well and they created their own projects by producing/writing and directing television shows and movies to showcase it!

BUILDING BLOCK #11 Don’t be one of many; be one of a few. This is a hard one, especially in today’s world where we want to fit in and be liked, whether to be picked for a project or to get tons of likes and praise on social media. But, you have to remember that YOU are unique and you will stand out and become someone to remember if you just embrace it. This is truthfully the only way to stand out from those around you in the saturated performing markets we live in. Yes, it’s easier said than done. Don’t worry; we will dive deeper into more tangible “how to” as this book progresses. Meanwhile, I want you to start thinking about qualities in yourself you can use in all of your work and business and marketing strategy to advertise yourself as a performer. What will make that person behind the table remember you amongst the other 1000 faces that come across their desk? I, due to the fact I played Fanny Brice and Sylvia Fine to some acclaim, have also created this niche of playing Historical Jewish Broads. Having found this unique path for myself and combining that with my essence of being a Sassy Brassy Broad brings both my unique personal qualities and niche to the forefront. So, when a casting director needs 19

someone like this to answer their casting need, I get the call. I become one of a few and am not blending into the abyss of 1000s of others of brunette Caucasian women who look like me in my market.

BUILDING BLOCK #12 Rest, my friends! Rest is important to recharge your battery. Creativity can’t commence and you can’t really calculate your strategies when you are tired and can barely keep your eyes open or have run yourself ragged working five day jobs to pay bills. You need to plan rest (with no guilt) in order to be in this career for the long haul or you will burn out fast. Even this is something I still have to remind myself daily and weekly. I’m a workaholic and am admittedly always seeking or striving towards that next thing, but if I don’t take a break and rest when I’m tired, I literally can’t accomplish anything. Refuel yourself by resting. It will do you good! You are not the Energizer Bunny, refill your creative cup through some much-needed rest! Your body, performing prowess, and business and marketing strategy will all benefit.

Chapter 3

Life as an artist This is ultra-important! Make sure you create a life for yourself. Let me say this again!! CREATE a well-rounded life for yourself! This is one of the biggest pieces of advice I first received from one of my most integral acting coaches in the beginning of my New York career. This person saw I was so overly focused on my work that my work as a performing artist was actually being hindered. How? I couldn’t relate to some of the work because I hadn’t taken the time to experience the real-life events I was portraying. And the stress and need to get the job and get the work right (when I had nothing to relate it to) showed in my work and became a negative. It turned people off. I took this lesson to heart very very quickly and actively started to incorporate other things into my life: joy, relationships, hobbies, and more. Those experiences continue to inform my work as an artist. Plus, creating a life is so important because this business is tough, and other outlets can give you the sense of accomplishment and joy you may be craving after a series of failed auditions. In addition, creating a well-rounded life for yourself allows you to get to know your strengths and weaknesses as a human. This is essential in order to be able to advertise yourself clearly as an artist and use your attributes in your business and marketing strategy. You will also be able to find help for your weaknesses, whether it’s in how you implement the business of your career or in other realms of your life that, if improved, could impact your performing career as a whole.

Think about it, we are essentially selling ourselves as humans in this business. You are the product, and if you don’t go out and live life and know the ingredients that make you YOU, then you can’t achieve optimal sales. The more you expand in any way that is enlightening you as a wellrounded human being, the more it WILL open up acting jobs for you. Make a list of what you can do to help yourself make a well-rounded artist life, and I promise it will help to create that momentum you have been seeking.

Chapter 4

Five things a day Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it. —Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe Tangible momentum in your career. Can you actually achieve this? Yes, by doing FIVE THINGS A DAY TOWARDS YOUR CAREER GOALS. Let’s face it. As we are moving along in our career as a performing artist it can be hard to figure out if we are actually moving forward and progressing towards our goals or whether we are flailing and flouting our talents, literally, until something hits. And, the reality is, in our business, auditions go unanswered. Selftapes go into a void. Calls and emails go unreturned. Feedback isn’t given. However, with this said, if you can embrace and honor the do five things a day idea (not counting a day or two off a week to REST, of course) you will be able to see tangible momentum. When you are taking proactive actions daily for your goals, reactions will occur and momentum will be made. In addition, over time, you can also reevaluate and reassess which of those steps are working and which aren’t to achieve optimal momentum as an artist. So, my fellow proactive superstars, I challenge you to do five actions a day that pertain to your career.

Now some of you may be screaming at this page. “How in the world is doing only 5 things a day going to get me anywhere? I don’t believe you!” Well, think again! Five things a day adds up fast! Figuratively speaking, it’s like the power of compound interest. Your actions, like money earning interest, start to add up! If you are doing five actions a day, at least five days per week, that’s 25 actions to your goal! At the end of the month you will have done at bare minimum 100 “proactive” actions to achieve your career goals. That’s HUGE! For example, let’s look at some business and marketing tactics you can take and how these seemingly small “daily” actions can create reactions and momentum towards your goals.

YOUR ACTION You send an email to a theatre company for consideration for their spring show when you see the press announcement of the upcoming season and know there is a role that is right for you.

POSSIBLE “REACTIONS” from your action to the above: a. Garners you a request to make a video audition submission for consideration for the role; b. A job offer could come if they know you already or are in a pinch to fill the role, or perhaps the video submission you make (see “a”) wows them; c. Your email is sent to someone else the theatre company knows for a different project and consequently consideration for another project they are working on; d. Sparked an introduction/connection with the person/theatre you reached out to so that you can reach out to them for other opportunities in the future; and, e. Who knows what else! The possibilities are endless!

Now the next big question you are clamoring to ask... “But there is so much I want to do and accomplish! I have so many big dreams or career goals, so how do I know what to do and where to start?” Well as Goethe states so eloquently, “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it.” The optimum words in this quote are “action” and “begin”! I’m not joking, literally pick something and start!!! No one gets anything done by debating what should be done for days upon end. For now, pick something you have wanted to achieve in your performing career and start taking actions to achieve it. You may surprise yourself. It may come faster and not be as hard to achieve as you thought. C’mon, the world is your oyster! So Proactive Performer, seize your power! The curtain is rising! Take your actions! And, just BEGIN!!! If you are still screaming at me that in the scheme of your fully well-rounded life (which I also am saying is extremely important), the thought of five things a day seem overwhelming. That’s okay. Why not try to work every day on one short-term goal, one one-year goal, and one five-year goal. That’s only three things a day and it’s very specific for what you want to accomplish. Again, by the power of compound interest, it will set you up for success.

TIP! Keep a journal or lists (I love lists) of ongoing projects. You can even separate them into quick tasks, one-hour tasks etc. This way, if you don’t have the brainpower or time to do long tasks on a particular day, consult the list and do a few quick tasks. Again, you will be surprised by what begins to unfold. I will say this as inspiration to you. I have read casting notices and press releases of shows being announced for seasons a year or more in advance and have sent a submission inquiry (i.e., my action) and caused a huge ripple effect from networking to job offers! Just do it! Just take an action.

Chapter 5

MINDSET MINDSET is integral to a successful career as a performing artist and in how you approach your business and marketing strategies. First, you want to be a positive force for all who see and hear you or look at anything you have to offer. People want to be surrounded by those who emulate positivity. Positivity breeds power. I’m not saying you have to be the person that looks like they have taken a happy pill, unless of course that is truthfully your personality, but doing your best to stay positive in whatever way is true to you will help your business strategy and career as a whole. I myself am not the gal who always wears a smiley face. I don’t proclaim to be shouting from the heavens how great life is all the time. However, I do remain positive in a quiet way. I do my best not to spread negativity, and I try to keep my mind on positive thoughts. Why? In this profession, getting caught in a negative mindset can cause a ripple that starts to affect your work as well. Our bodies and minds are our vessels. A negative mindset will stifle your motivation, bring negative energy into your work in the audition room and spread to others around you. I don’t proclaim staying positive is easy. I work with a life coach to battle the vampires that float through my mind. I encourage you to do the same. There is no shame in it. Work with a therapist, life coach, support group, or surround yourself with those with whom you can work through negative thoughts in a constructive way.

Chapter 6

REJECTION This leads us to something we as performers experience every day in various forms: REJECTION. Whether it’s not getting any feedback from your audition, not knowing if someone even watched your audition video, not getting the callback, getting the callback then not getting the job, getting told you were getting the job and then not getting the job, and the list goes on and on! And to say I have experienced every point of rejection above and MORE is an understatement. Let me share with you some of my major ones! First, I have been told I had a job and all was finalized. A few days later I went on vacation and then lo and behold while I was relaxing on the lido deck on my dream CRUISE SHIP getaway, in the MIDDLE OF AN OCEAN mind you, a press announcement came out that someone else had been cast in the role. Yeah, say what? That happened! Here is another biggie. I’ve been flown across the country for a job under the agreement that I would be playing the lead role in a production, only to arrive at the theatre to find out that I am not the lead, but am understudying the producer’s wife! Lesson: take anything that anyone tells you with a grain of salt, but I digress; back to the subject at hand. As you can see, I can personally admit that rejection has been a daily (possibly many times a day) occurrence for me. Yet, despite the rejections, I am still here doing the thing after 25+ years in the business! How is that possible you say? How do I deal with it and keep on keeping on? 27

Well, I figured out some tactics to work through the rejection and you MUST too if indeed you are in this career for the long haul. So, the question remains. How do you deal with it? First, here’s a big one! Accept the hard truth that the life of a performer is basically rejection. Let me say it again. You MUST ACCEPT THE TRUTH that rejection is the NORM! If you can work on accepting this as just part of a performer lifestyle, just like you accept the fact you MUST brush your teeth twice or three times a day to not get cavities and you MUST put clothes on to your body to go out of the house every day, then it can become more and more so, as you embrace this norm, a non-stressful, non-traumatic and more or less necessary but unimportant reality. The less mind and importance you can pay it, the better off you will probably be. Now I know, I know, you are saying but isn’t it human nature to feel the rejection! Yes it is! We are feeling humans. And truthfully more so than most. As a performer we are definitely empaths and feel everything!! So, if you need to take 24 hours to “feel” it, do! That’s healthy. Emotionally stewing, however, is not! And if that taking 24 hours to “feel” it is what works for you more so than making it a “norm” just do it! But then I beg of you to please do try your best to let it go. Otherwise, you risk these feelings building up and exploding like a volcano ready to kill anything in its path. It will not be a good look for you I promise. People can smell the rejection anger and animosity from a mile away, especially in the audition room, and that will indeed lead to a very quick rejection out of that room as well. Also, why not take an honest and unemotional look at the reason for the rejection, and then use it as a learning tool for change to prevent that kind of rejection in the future. For instance, I’ve been rejected from a job because in a callback I literally freaked out about singing a song that sat in a certain section of my voice. Meaning I sang and due to my own emotional stress about the song, my voice didn’t come with me on the journey. Envision me singing and the notes cracking and exploding from my mouth in the worst way. This could have been avoided! I chose to use this song, and I know how my body and voice reacts in situations where my nerves are being pushed to the limit. Truthfully, I should have picked another tune that I could sing more comfortably when being under a massive amount of pressure to nail an important audition. Lesson learned. 28

Needless to say, I didn’t choose that song again for a callback when I knew my stress level would be too high. But this idea of learning from our rejections also comes with a HUGE caveat. Much of the time, in your career, you will be rejected for things completely out of your control. For instance, I have been rejected for being “too tall,” “too short,” “too heavy,” “too skinny,” “too brunette,” “too not brunette,” and the “too” list goes on and on and on! I am not going to go change these things about myself. These are the things I like about myself that make me unique and they are a part of who I am. If you go around losing weight because you didn’t get the part as someone told you were too heavy, I can almost guarantee that once you lose the weight someone else will tell you that you aren’t heavy enough. Please don’t change who you are to fit a fickle business. It won’t help you to stifle the rejection.

Chapter 7

FRUSTRATION Now that we have covered mindset and rejection, let’s delve into frustration. This too can run rampant. This is practically the only career where you have absolutely no control of gleaning work, unless you make it yourself, and that in and of itself can automatically put us on the frustration train speeding down the career track as the frustration gains momentum every time something else occurs that can negatively impact your brain space. The secret to combating the frustration train is to use strategies to slow it down or turn it on its head so that you can go down a more positive track. When you are feeling frustrated about not getting a job or an audition, or about getting through this book, or about accomplishing your five actions a day mentioned earlier, here is what I want you to come back and remember to combat it. YOU HAVE WILLINGLY CHOSEN THIS CAREER. There are many other things in the world and choices you can make to create a life and a career. With the power of realizing that in choosing this career path, you have no choice but to accept the truth that frustration is just going to be the norm. It’s another truth bomb. But if you can accept this, you can reframe this frustration by allowing it to work for your career as a performing artist. How? Let me give you some examples of how I do it so that you can create your own paths to turn the frustration train onto a new more positive track. 30

Let’s say I’m frustrated about the lack of time I had to learn some material for an audition, and let’s face it, this happens ALL THE TIME. What do I do? I ignore the negative voices in my head saying, “Why is this happening to me for the most important audition of my life” or “Doesn’t the casting director know I could do a better job with just a bit more time” because my frustrated thoughts could continue to spin out of control. Instead of stewing in those thoughts and making myself crazy and possibly bombing my audition, I reframe my thoughts to embrace a positive mindset. I remember that this time and place is to show future employers my talents in the best way I know how with the tools I have and the cards that have been dealt. I sit back and look at the truth. The casting director behind the table knows they have given me very little time to learn the material and knows I’m not super human to learn 30 pages of sides in one night, and if they are in any way a feeling compassionate human (most are), they will consider that. And with the reframing of my thoughts, the audition gets easier, and I have successfully turned frustrated thoughts into proactive, positive ones that will allow me to do a great audition. TAKE STOCK OF YOUR FRUSTRATION AND USE IT AS A LEARNING TOOL. This way, in the next occurrence, you can approach a situation or event differently, and the frustrations may not even rear their ugly heads again. Not convinced? Here is another example from my own performer life. I, like many other artists, work many jobs to support my performing life. Money stresses me out and my lack of it can become very frustrating very quickly. As my life coach can attest to, sometimes I can literally spiral out of control about how frustrated I can be with my money situation. I know that I will immediately get frustrated if I put myself in a predicament of not knowing where my next check will come from, and that can affect my entire life as a performer. And I’m getting really honest with you here. If I let this frustration happen, I can’t focus and consequently my auditions suffer. I walk into auditions like a needy kid needing the job, and that can become a huge turn-off to those behind 31

the table because the frustration is just beaming off of me like rays of poisoned sunshine. What do I do? Instead, as I’m super aware that this frustration affects me in such a profound way, I worked with a life coach to turn it on its head. First, I take my own advice and remember that I chose this career, and sometimes jobs don’t come as quickly or as often as I like. Second, I then take a proactive approach, and due to the fact that I keep records of my auditions and know when my “seasons” of auditions are, I think ahead, and I immediately start to budget for my needs and hustle for side gigs to get me through the slow time so the frustration can disappear. How about when someone has told you, “No, you can’t do that”? I know you have been there! I have been there many, many times. Well, the frustration from this comment always rears its ugly head and runs into you like a freight train. How could it not? When you work so hard for something in life or in a career and then someone says, “You can’t do that,” of course, it can cause the voices in your head to blow their gaskets. Can you guess my response to turn this frustration on its head? “WHY HELL YES, THEN I’LL SHOW YOU I CAN!” (Imagine me standing over you right now in a spotlight on a huge stage, emoting as if my life depended on it!) Many people scoffed at me opening a one-woman Fanny Brice show Off-Broadway. I mean, think of my competition…Barbra Streisand! I think I even scoffed at myself, only for a moment though, because then I told myself, “then I’ll show you I can.” And you know the rest of the story. I did it and did it so well that I have become the Fanny Brice go-to gal. Frustration didn’t get the best of me; instead, it brought my passion to perform to the surface. Anytime you are feeling frustration, it’s because you care about the said event, person, thing, or career that is frustrating you in the first place. USE FRUSTRATION AS A CATALYST TO BRING YOUR PASSION BACK TO THE SURFACE! Let it become your PASSION INDICATOR. Let frustration work to re-inspire, motivate, and help steer your course to your personal success and let it lead to positive action to create the career you have always imagined. 32

Chapter 8

SUPPORT SYSTEMS One way to quickly turn frustration into positivity is to create a support system. Find like-minded individuals or create groups to help you deal with career frustration. This is the basis of support groups, coaches, consultants and more! Heck, create a group to work not just to deal with frustration but to work through the tactical strategies you will be learning in this book in order to stay accountable and move positively and proactively over the life of your career. I’ve been part of many support groups for my actor life, as well as my financial life, personal life, etc. The support groups and go-to individuals I am involved with help to get me through hard times of my career, but also function to help me level up as well. Sometimes it’s as simple as helping me ease my mindset (as I mentioned earlier) and other times it’s to stay accountable to take steps to gain traction in my career and work towards my goals. Don’t think you have to go at it alone. I give you permission to reach out and get help! Seriously, friends, find your support system, your tribe, whatever it is you need to overcome the mental challenges and hurdles this career can give you and encourage you to stay the path towards your goals and dreams. Where to look for support systems: • • • • •

Unions Therapists/Life Coaches/Career Coaches The Actors Fund Facebook Groups Create your own 33

Chapter 9

BOOKING IT BEYOND BROADWAY While Broadway may be the goal or the big series regular or lead of a feature film or a television show, there is so much other work out there beyond that for a working performer. And it may also include work that lies in the smaller markets/cities that are outside the major hubs of NYC, LA, Atlanta, etc. Here are just some!

THEATRE-BASED OPPORTUNITIES •

• •

•

OFF-BROADWAY: NYC based theatre that takes place in theaters between 100-499 seats. The shows are usually smaller and can be union or non-union. It can range from plays and musicals to a bevy of other works. OFF-OFF BROADWAY: NYC theatre under 99 seats and, just like Off-Broadway, can span a wide variety of work. SHOWCASES: Shows where performers show their talents in a revue form or in a “set” of a few minutes of material that showcases their performing prowess. Usually, showcases are done with many artists coming together to entice agents or managers or casting people to attend. READINGS: Informal readings of new or established works done with scripts in hand. There is no blocking, but this is still a chance to perform. Readings are done for a variety of reasons,

•

• • •

•

from showing off performer talents to trying to get money to produce a larger-scale version of the reading and/or a full-scale production (sets, costumes, blocking, etc.) and more! WORKSHOPS: These are usually for new shows and done with bare-bones sets or even in a rehearsal hall to experiment with how the show itself is working as a piece of art. Actors are hired to help test the script, choreography, music and more. REGIONAL THEATRE: Theatre that is done in the “Regions,” meaning outside of the major market of NYC where the actors are paid to perform. DINNER THEATRE: Theatre that takes place in a venue that also serves food. Usually, the actors are contracted and paid to perform. Sometimes they are even paid to be the servers. SUMMER STOCK: Theatre that happens during the summer months. Usually there are multiple productions either in repertory or changing over in a weekly or a few weeks basis. Many times, performers are hired to perform in some or all of the shows during the season. Summer stock theatre can be bare bones or extremely elaborate depending on the venue and money the company has available. It varies in range from nonunion to union and has a wide range of salaries. INTERNATIONAL: Performance work done outside the United States at theaters and venues across the globe. This can even include “international tours” where a musical or play can travel from location to location outside the country on a “tour.” This work isn’t regulated by any union, and pay can vary. CRUISE SHIP: Performing shows on a cruise ship. Shows on ships can be pretty elaborate, and many now have Broadwaystyle shows or musicals. Many times performers do many shows over the course of a cruise contract. Sometimes they are part of the cruise staff and have to do other more integral ship duties as well that usually involve some sort of guest experience like meet and greets, running game nights, etc. TOURING: Musicals or plays or shows in some form that hire actors to go on the road in the United States traveling from city to city. Examples are Broadway shows that tour, children’s theatre shows that tour, concerts, etc.

And the list goes on. There is a bevy of other theatre work opportunities not even listed here.

FILM/TELEVISION-BASED OPPORTUNITIES •

• • •

VIRTUAL: Gigs that appear either via live streams on the web or in some sort of other web-based platform. Shows can be recorded or broadcast live. These events usually include sketch shows, plays, readings, concerts, and more! WEB SERIES: Usually short-formed “television” like series made for the internet or a streaming platform. Much of these are created by proactive actors like you! INDEPENDENT FILM: Films being produced under smaller budgets and not under a big production house. These jobs can be union or non-union. SHORTS: Mini-movies. And when I say “mini,” I mean it. Shorts can range from a minute or two minutes up to about 10 to 15 minutes long.

This list doesn’t even include anything you can create yourself to give you the opportunities to perform when someone else isn’t hiring you. And the journey itself can take you in many lanes doing many different types of performing opportunities beyond what is mentioned above. If you love any of these ideas or want to learn more, just do a Google search and see where those types of work are being produced near you and how you can find work there.

Chapter 10

GOALS Got goals? Of course, you do! Ask yourself what it is that you desire, want to accomplish or do as a performing artist. It could be a job (a role on Broadway), it could be a creative endeavor (creating a solo show, recording a CD of favorite songs), or it could even be a collaboration of some sort (produce a show and cast my friends), etc. Now, think of three goals and write them down. Let’s say you choose one that seems tangible now, one that seems like it could happen in the next few years, and one of which dreams are made. Now, look at these goals. How specific are you? Not sure?... Well, take note…SPECIFICITY IS KEY to success! For instance, you want to do a Broadway show. Well, what kind of show? Is it new or a revival? A play or a musical? Would the shows be of a certain theme or have a specific style of music? Do you want to be in the ensemble, a leading lady/man, a comic relief, the “star”? If you want to record a CD, what is it you specifically want to do/ say/sing? Who do you want to buy it? You want to produce a show and hire your friends. Well, what kind of show? New versus old? Where, when, etc.? Don’t be afraid to think big, but again, be specific. The more specific you are, the more you can work towards your goals in the quickest, smartest, and most efficient way possible. Here is my personal example. My generalized goal when I first moved to NYC was to perform on Broadway. Now you may think this is specific. It’s not! 37

Why? Because I pounded the pavement trying to do EVERYTHING to accomplish it. I was working really hard, spreading myself too thin, and not accomplishing anything. For instance, I auditioned for things I wasn’t right for just because it was going to be a show on Broadway. Consequently, wasting many hours of my time getting up at the crack of dawn to wait in line to sing/act for a show I would never be considered for. And, not just that, I was expending tons of energy AND possibly looking like an idiot to a casting director because I didn’t know where I fit business-wise and was, consequently, wasting their precious time too! In my pursuit of all things Broadway, I tried to learn and do everything, but, let’s be honest, if any of you know me, there are some things I can’t do. My voice literally can’t riff. I wasn’t born that way, and I can’t even fake it till I make it. Trust me, I’ve tried. Honestly, do you realize how many shows require that “American Idol” sensibility now? Tons!!! So, why on Earth was I wasting my time singing for these shows when I could have been perfecting what it is I already do well, ie., Kim blowing the roof off like a trumpet a la Ethel Merman. Because of trying to do all things and not being super specific, I probably lost out on several Broadway opportunities I was completely right for only because I wasn’t prepared as I was too EXHAUSTED trying to do everything! I put so much effort into any opportunity that showed itself where I could “maybe” get a chance to work on Broadway that those auditions for the shows I was actually right for were fine, maybe even great, but they weren’t awesome. I had spread myself to thin. I admit I still have regrets about not giving my absolute best in those auditions if only I were to have been more specific and truthful in what my goals were as far as what kind of shows I wanted to be in and that fit my talents. This brings me to another point beyond specificity. BE HONEST IN YOUR GOALS! Learn from my mistakes! Be honest with yourself in creating your goals by basing them on what you already excel at. If I would have been even a little bit more specific about my Broadway goal when I first started, of not going out for shows that require “riffs,” think of all the 38

time I could have spent perfecting things for the more brassy shows that I’m actually right for! If you know, from your type or brand (which we will delve into later) or your talents that you literally bring down the house singing a rock song, and traditional musical theatre isn’t your forte, then why on Earth are you wasting your time with learning or singing traditional musical theatre? Not to say you can’t continue to learn it until you are a rock star at it, but if you want more momentum in your goals and want to be on Broadway now, why not learn songs that fit those shows (or songs of the roles you envision yourself playing)? If you are a rock singer, keep an eye on the new rock musicals being written so you are prepared for auditions when they come around, and then you will be ready to wow people when the opportunity presents itself. There is a saying, “If you build it, they will come.” Think of that with your goals. Now I know some of you are saying… BUT KIM… I can and/or want to do it all! Or perhaps you are screaming… I don’t need to be that specific! Well, let’s look at this a different way. Let’s say you want to make an album. GREAT! And yes, I know you can probably sing every style of music…and more power to you! However, are you now going to learn the entire music catalog, millions of songs, by the way, and/or research the entire catalog to find the music you want to record? That could take…um…forever!!!!! Before you know it, you will be old and grey and heading into the recording booth at who knows what age when albums are extinct. You will never achieve your goal. You will have been too busy stuck in step one of just looking at music. Okay. So I’m being a little dramatic and albums are basically extinct (but coming back, by the way—who is reading this who has a record player?), but come on, as much as I’d like to be Wonder Woman and do it all or perhaps you want to be Superman or any other superhero that floats your boat you need to also remember… THE DOER OF ALL IS ALSO THE MASTER OF NONE! So…be specific about your goals and the steps to achieve them! Before you move to the next section in this book, get proactive and make some goals!! And plot out five steps a day to achieve them. 39

SECTION 2

LET’S TAKE SOME ACTION!

Chapter 11

HEADSHOTS I monitored a crazy crowded audition for a workshop of a new musical heading to Broadway in NYC. The audition was an open call where anyone and everyone could show up to audition, and attendees spanned from those who had just started pursuing the business to those with Broadway credits. I was absolutely completely and utterly shocked by how many unprepared actors there were at the audition (regardless of their credits). Over 50% of those wanting to be seriously considered for this project, many of whom had been auditioning for years in the city, were eliminated because they were unprepared for the easiest things an actor can control. What were those things? Well, inappropriate business tools. For one, headshots! Can I say blown-up selfie? Yep! And sloppy resumes too! Literally, some brought them written out on loose-leaf paper! Folks, if you are seriously pursuing theatre, in any market, take the time to get your actor essential business stuff together, because, if you don’t, you will almost always be eliminated, despite waiting for hours at open calls and/or submitting yourself to projects you may be perfect for! While it may seem simple, I wouldn’t be here writing this chapter if it didn’t bear repeating. If you can’t take the time to take care of your business essentials, why would any professional be interested in working with you?! With 43

your unprofessional presentation, the casting person’s impression may end up being, if this “actor” can’t get their professional self together, how will they be able to learn the show and conduct themselves and present the role in the best light?! They will not take the time to get to know you if that is the case. And you will be cut! So, let’s get down to business and talk about these basic actor essentials right now:

Do’s and Don’ts of HEADSHOTS A headshot is NOT: • • • • • • • •

A blown-up selfie; A photo of you from 10 years ago; A glammed-up photo that looks nothing like you; A blown-up yearbook photo; A photo that is any size other than 8 by 10; A photo in black and white (with only a few exceptions); A photo taken by your mom or your friend in your backyard; and A photo where you cropped out and/or photo shopped out your friends, your fabulous pet, etc. and just left you!

A headshot IS: In its simplest form… An 8 x 10 COLOR headshot of you taken by a professional. A headshot can be just shoulders and head (it’s a literal photo of your entire head) or a 3/4 body shot (mid-waist to the top of your head) with the main focus being on your face. And the headshot should look like the best version of you (that you can create yourself) on a daily basis before you head to an audition. The quality of the photo needs to be on par with those of working actors who are on your level. Not sure what that means? Look at the headshots of your friends who are working and Google actors whose careers you are aspiring to, and make sure yours can compare. Also, and this is important to note, stylistically, every market has a bit of a different look of what is needed in a headshot due to the fact that each market differs depending on what projects are auditioning/ 44

casting in the market. It’s good to keep in mind that if you move from New York City to Los Angeles, you may need different headshots. Or, if you work in a smaller market, the vibe and look of your headshots may be extremely different from those in the major markets. You must do your research! Again, look at those who are actually working in your market and see what their headshots are like. Let me give you an example. In New York, if you are a TV/film actor, you may need a grittier headshot because you are auditioning in a market with a lot of procedural shows like “Law and Order” (and all its spinoffs) where the tone of the show is real and down to earth. An upbeat, smiling photo with a colored background isn’t necessarily going to serve you very well if you are a dramatic actor with a niche of going in for these types of shows. However, in New York, as a musical theatre performer, if you get cast in happy-go-lucky musicals full of spontaneous songs and dancing, you may very well need that smiling headshot and a colored background because it fits the vibe of those types of projects. In Los Angeles, where there is a ton of work for comedic sitcom actors, you may need a headshot that pops with lots of color and has a ton of personality. But in New York, those shows are few and far between, so this type of photo may not be something you need in your arsenal. As a New York actor with ties to Los Angeles, meaning I can go there and work as well, who does both serious dramas and musical comedy, I have several different types of headshots in my arsenal so that I have enough available for myself, and my agent and manager to use for the different types of projects that might pop up. Check out some below:

NY Drama

Dramedy/Sitcom

Comedic Musicals

Serious Film/TV & Theatre

CLOTHING IN A HEADSHOT Let’s also chat about what to wear in a headshot. Take the time to figure out the right clothing for your headshot looks. You definitely don’t want to dress in any sort of costume as it can seem contrived and a bit amateurish. However, besides having solid “looks” that represent your best you, you may also want to think about the types of parts you might play and insinuate that in your clothing for additional headshot options. With television/film submissions, this can be helpful as many times those casting directors are looking for actors who give off the “look” right away of an occupation and profession. This is because usually an actor in a smaller role in a television or film is sometimes being used to help establish the world and/or location of a show, and casting would immediately be able to see that you fit. For example, if you are a TV actor who would make a great nurse and there are a ton of opportunities to do so in your market in the projects that are shooting, you aren’t going to take a photo in scrubs. However, you should think about something that gives off scrub vibes like a blue T-shirt and maybe, for a woman, a cardigan. In a headshot, this can read nurse, but it could also serve other functions like “mom,” “teacher,” etc. See what I’ve done for my headshot options that could work for different types of roles/professions I might play in the television/film world:

Detective/Cop

Lawyer/Corporate

Historical Woman

Mom

Ask yourself what in your wardrobe works to imply a role. Also, do not hesitate to go buy a wardrobe for your headshots or hire a stylist with a niche for actor headshots (there are many) to help you create your looks! You are going to be spending a good chunk of change for these photos, so make sure to invest in the proper wardrobe for you to get those rock star photos and then get those auditions!

EXPRESSIONS IN A HEADSHOT As far as your expressions in headshots, just make sure that your unique self is coming through while still thinking about the types of roles you play. For myself, I play brassy and sassy, ballsy comedic broads. Thus my expressions are according to that. Just look at all my expressions in the photos I just showed you. A good photographer can help you capture your best expressions for the roles you play. Don’t be afraid to talk with your photographer about the vibes, personality, and essence you want your finalized headshots to give off so they can help guide you in the proper direction. Any photographer not willing to discuss these things with you will probably not give you the best results.

NOT YOUR PRETTIEST PHOTOS Also, you must keep in mind that your best headshots aren’t necessarily your prettiest photos. Have a professional pick out your final photos. This may include your representative (an agent or manager), a casting director, a director, etc. Basically, someone working in the business who also knows and understands your talents and can give an honest and objective opinion. Posting your headshots on social media for your friends’ opinions or asking your parents isn’t the best idea. They aren’t coming at it necessarily from a professional standpoint of knowing what photos will pop and will actually get you in the room for the auditions you want.

Chapter 12

RESUMES Do’s and Don’ts of RESUMES: A resume is NOT: • • • • • •

Your credits handwritten on loose-leaf paper; On paper larger than 8 x 10; A list of roles you hope to play or are studying to play; A list of those you have taken classes with or met in passing; More than one page; and, Anything that is nothing other than the TRUTH!!

A resume IS: In its simplest form… A one-page columnized, typed list of your stage credits, education, training, and special skills. PLUS your name, contact information (telephone number, website, email), stats (height, voice type/range, union status), and representation information (i.e., agent and/or manager) if applicable. Your resume also must be CLEAR, CONCISE, COLUMNIZED and ORGANIZED INTO CATEGORIES. An easy way to get a good idea of what an amazingly clear and well-formatted actor resume looks like that you can base your resume on is to do a Google search of “ACTOR RESUMES.” Many will pop up. Look at the ones that pop off the page, are clear, formatted correctly in 48

columns, organized into categories relevant to their work experience, and are showcasing the performer in the best light. In the “old” days, well, not even five years ago, the computer programs didn’t exist that could make fun graphics, add color, and level up a resume to look like a finely tuned gorgeous document without a professional’s help. However, now programs like Canva and highly advanced Microsoft Word, Pages and Google docs can! So, it is not enough anymore to have three columns and your name at the top of a resume. Now, you can add graphics and cool fonts (as long as they are easily readable), color backgrounds and snazzy borders, etc., to level up your resume, and showcase some personality and credits in the best light! And YOU SHOULD! Please spend time creating the document. The resume is literally your calling card in the business (besides your headshot). Make the resume look like you spent more than a quick hour typing your credits into a word processing program. Give it some thought and care as to how you organize your projects to best display your talents so that it’s quickly readable by a casting director. Remember casting, or any creative whose desk your resume crosses, probably has only ten seconds to look at it to glean whether or not what you have to offer fits their project. Also, don’t be afraid to create various resumes. When you are just starting in the business, you will barely even have enough credits for one resume. But, as you grow in your career, so will your credits and experience and the categories of work you can list on your resume. For me, I have a musical theatre resume (with categories like Broadway, Off-Broadway, NY Theatre, Regional Theatre), a straight play resume (organized into categories much like my musical theatre resume), a TV/film resume (with categories like film, TV, web series, etc.) and a Hosting resume (with categories like TV Hosting, Web Series Hosting, Corporate Hosting, Red Carpet Correspondent, etc.). I also have a resume that incorporates a little bit of all these things for jobs that can go in many different directions. And depending on the job, I may even tweak a resume by taking out or adding a credit that didn’t originally appear. Since I’ve been in this business for more than 20 years, I definitely don’t have all my credits on my resumes, as that would be too many to list on one page. Consequently, I switch them out if necessary for a given job. Use your own judgment and do what works best for you and your performer biz! 49

HOW TO LIST YOUR CREDITS ON RESUMES •

•

For THEATRE: Have 3 or 4 columns (Show, Role, Theatre Company) organized into categories (i.e. Regional Theatre, Dinner Theatre, Educational Theatre, etc.) For TELEVISION/FILM: Have 3 or 4 columns (Name of the Project, Role, Producing Organization or the channel and/or the director) organized into categories* (Co-Star, Recurring, Guest Star, Series Regular, Lead, Supporting etc.)

*Not certain what these category TV/film terms mean? You can find all those definitions online. A handy Google search can be your guide.

WHAT ELSE TO LIST ON YOUR RESUME •

•

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: In addition to having categories that contain your credits, you will also want to include a category or several different categories that list your Education and Training. This would include schools you have gone to get performance training, degrees you have earned in performance or current places and teachers you study/train with on the art of performing. SPECIAL SKILLS: You would also want to have a special skills category where you can list all the fun things you do that could help you get a performing job. These may include accents, speaking several languages, impressions, types of dance training and ability, improvisation, and circus skills. There is no limit to what you could list and every performer’s resume will have a multitude of different special skills. There is no need to list everything, but do be mindful to include skills that would make someone take notice and say, “Wow, I could cast you in this project.”

FINAL WORD ON RESUME CATEGORIES Categories are to help organize your resume so that the eye knows where to look to glean the information that the casting person needs. Below, you will see a template and an example of one of my more recent resumes that also contains multiple different categories. You will note, too, that being that I have something very unique to my own journey, a solo Fanny Brice show, I also have a category called “Touring Solo Show.” I did this so the reader could easily figure out what that credit on my resume is. As you grow your credits, don’t be afraid to add new categories to your resume not listed here. Sometimes our credits don’t always fit neatly into one and need a separate category of their own. Do what works best for you while remaining clear, concise, and columnized!

TEMPLATE

RECENT RESUME

SNEAKY TIP FUN WAY TO USE YOUR HEADSHOT ON YOUR RESUME TO HELP GET YOU AN AUDITION You will notice in my resumes, I added a headshot thumbnail. I suggest you do the same. However, make sure it’s different from the larger 8-by-10 one you are also submitting for the audition. Also, try to use one if you have it, that is more specific for the project you are auditioning for. This way, not only does your resume give an even more well-rounded view of you by showcasing a second photo but it may also help convince the person looking at your resume how much more perfect you could be for the role itself. Another way to use this to your advantage is if you wear glasses or have facial hair and your main headshot doesn’t show this. Again, it’s another way for casting to see a different side of you that may even be more right for a specific role or even just introduce them to another unique look you can offer.

Chapter 13

WEBSITES Don’t have an actor website? GET ONE! It’s the one place where you can compile all your work, news, photos and video, and more for people to see. And it’s the one place where you can continue to add to it for the longevity of your career in order for people to find you and scope out your talents. Plus, it also gives a great well-rounded view of you as a performer! People who want to get to know you can hop on over to your site and dive right in! Now, of course, you can design one yourself or get a pro to do it, and there are tons of website builder programs that are easily accessible online and very user-friendly. I will leave that up to you, proactive performer, to research and figure out what works best for you. Meanwhile, I want to offer you some practical and proactive tips to remember when creating and designing your website.

PHOTO OF YOU ON THE HOMEPAGE! Make sure to have your gorgeous face on your homepage since it’s the first thing visitors see. Make sure it looks like you and is welcoming — first impressions are everything. This could be a headshot or any other type of professional photo you have had taken for your performing career or brand. Not sure which to use? Well, think about which photo, or photos, will allow you to pop off your homepage and wow your viewers, inspiring them to peek through the rest of your website. 54

ACCESSIBLE RESUME Make sure your resume is on your site and viewable and also potentially even downloadable as a PDF. Casting directors or creatives may want to download it right from your site to keep in their casting file for the future.

CONTACT INFORMATION Your website does no good if no one can reach out to you after they look at it. Make sure you have a direct email listed, preferably one you check regularly. Don’t put your personal phone number on your website since you don’t want any strangers having your digits. Anyone who wants to contact you for work will reach out via email if they need to get in touch. Also, make sure your contact email on your website is your name. For example, someone named Joe Smith would want to use JoeSmith@gmail.com versus iamagreatperformer@gmail.com. This way, when someone in the business reaches out to you with your email and when you excitedly reply, they will immediately know who you are! If a creative sees “iamagreatperformer@gmail.com” in their inbox, they will have no clue who that person is, but they WILL know who Joe Smith is. Be a smart business person and use your name in your email. Being clever will get you nowhere. Don’t want anyone to have your email? That’s okay. Give visitors the option to fill out a form to contact you.

DOMAIN NAME Much like I just mentioned in the “Contact Information” section, you don’t want a domain name like “IAMAGREATPERFORMER. com.” No one will ever be able to find you, and you are in the business of YOU. You want people to be able to locate you. Use your name for your domain. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, make sure you spend the extra money to purchase a domain name. Many website builder sites offer 55

FREE domains, but it comes with a caveat. They must then have their name in with your name! For example for Joe Smith it might look like “JoeSmith.websitebuilder.com”. Don’t be like Joe. Spend the extra $10 a year to buy a domain that doesn’t have any other words in it. Again, it helps to find you online and it ensures you look like a professional. A professional invests in his or her career, and buying this domain is part of it.

PERFORMANCE VIDEOS Show off your talents by including on your website performance videos, MP3s, and anything else that demonstrates your performing talents and can get you hired. Recording devices are at your fingertips if you don’t have performance footage. There is no excuse not to make your own. Just make sure you take the time to put up solid material that the world can see. You never know who is watching.

BIO Let viewers know who you are by including a bio that tells people about yourself and shows off some of your personality and accolades. Think of this part of your website as a way to give personal insight into you and your talents that may not be obvious through your resume. Don’t feel the need to write a long bio — short and sweet works just as well— especially when you’re just starting. Also, remember, this is a professional bio. Give them a sense of who you are and your personality and your background, but telling them your favorite food and color (unless your goal is to be on the Food Network) is not essential. Don’t waste people’s time giving them unnecessary information that doesn’t inform them of your personality that will help them fulfill their casting and creative needs.

NEWSFEED OR NEWS PAGE

Make sure your viewers know all your latest goings-on by creating a newsfeed or news page on your website. Keep it up-to-date since you never know who may be looking and who may want to venture out to see you in your latest show. Make sure each post contains all the information about your latest venture, such as where to purchase tickets, show times, location, and links to other applicable sites.

ESTABLISHED PERFORMER STUFF If you’ve got it, flaunt it! If you’ve been in the business for a while, you are bound to have positive reviews, accolades, an agent/manager, production photos, union membership, and more. These all should be added to your website in an organized fashion. You can create separate pages for most of the above, then add your union status onto your homepage and then your agent/manager onto your contact information page. Your website is always a work in progress, so expect to continue to add to it as you pursue your life in the business.

REFLECTION OF YOU Lastly, when people visit your website, it should be a reflection of you while still remaining professional, clean, and well-organized. This could mean you choose styles or fonts, layouts, colors, or even graphics that give more insight into your personality and talents. Feel free to have some fun with it as far as the design is concerned.

TIP! Now that you have read this chapter, take a moment to go on your device or computer and check out my actor website (www.kimberlyfayegreenberg.com) or other performer websites to get ideas and see what others have done! Then get started building your own.

Chapter 14

GET BRANDED! As a performer, you are your greatest advocate. It is up to you to paint a clear, concise picture of what you do. You are in the business of selling you, and if you can’t sell yourself in a way people with very little time can see, hear, read about, and understand in a matter of 15-30 seconds or less, you are not adequately marketing yourself. Not convinced? Well, then think about it this way. A radio or TV commercial spot is 15-30 seconds long, and these ads in this same short time can entice you to buy the latest product, gadget, song, trip, ticket to a new Broadway show, the newest blockbuster movie, or download the latest app. And, in our business, where time is of the essence and casting is sorting through thousands of headshots, cover letters, emails, and phone pitches don’t you want to make sure they know exactly what you are selling in the short time they have so they can choose to grant you an audition appointment? Of course, you do! And the trick is to do this so specifically that it separates your unique you from every other actor. It says I’m different from the 1000s of other girls-next-door or “handsome leading men” and so on. Now you are reading this wondering how in the world can I do this? You may be even screaming at me that this is impossible! Trust me. It’s more than possible. It’s within your reach RIGHT NOW. FIRST, you are going to make a BRANDING STATEMENT. A branding statement is the use of descriptive adjectives to describe your essence (i.e., an easy-to-read catchphrase that states the unique 58

personality traits that you bring into the audition room and to the characters you play). I’ll give you an example. For me, “I’m a Sassy Brassy NY Broad with a Biting Sarcastic Wit and Quirky Charm.” Not only does it bring to mind how I spin roles, but it also gives you a well-rounded view of my essence. It also comes trippingly off the tongue as a quick pitch (more on the pitch in the next chapter) and separates me from all the other women who may just present themselves as the “comedic girlnext-door or best friend.” When coming at it with more specificity you will be one of maybe 5/10/20 people maximum out of thousands of submissions! Don’t you want to be one of five very specific choices for a comedic girl- nextdoor role? Where a casting director clearly knows what you have to offer and whether or not YOU fit into the mold that has been written? Not convinced? Let’s look at it from the viewpoint of the casting director or any theatre professional who may hire you. The casting director releases a specific breakdown for a comedic best friend role that lists adjectives that this character must possess. Now, while one playwright or TV sitcom writer might write a comedic girl-next-door in the vein of “Clueless,” another may do it in the vein of Amy Schumer (and let’s just say it…this girl ain’t clueless…). Where do you fit? If you AGAIN say I can do both...think again! First and foremost, this is a business. Time is money and vice versa. If you really think that most of the casting directors are going to take the time if they don’t already know you or your talents to invest their hard-earned time (i.e., money) to examine the many facets of your generic marketing saying that I can play any comedic girl-next-door role they may cast... the answer is NO! Again, they get 1000s of submissions for every role. They could audition maybe 8-20 people if there is very limited time to cast a role. Don’t you want them to know what it is you specifically do the best out of everyone so that if it matches what they actually need, you get to be one of the eight people with an audition appointment?! Of course, you do! Now there are 1000s of adjective lists online that you can use to help you do this work. I’m providing you below with a four-step process that I do with my clients that works wonderfully well to glean you a very strong Branding Statement. 59

However, there is no right or wrong way to create a Branding Statement if you prefer to figure it out on your own. Regardless, take the time to adequately give it some thought and effort to come up with something that works great for you.

BRANDING STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS 1. Create a list of adjectives you use to describe yourself; 2. Then, create a list of roles you can play right now and then list alongside those roles the qualities of those roles that also ring true in you; 3. Then, create a list of actors/actresses who are working who have similar essences as you and who play similar roles. Then list alongside those performers qualities that ring true in them that also ring true in you; and, lastly, 4. Combine the strongest adjectives in those lists or use ones that tend to repeat themselves often into a SHORT sentence that shouts to the world (like a commercial) THIS is what I do!! Think this may not work? Well, think again! Let me share with you a few examples of how this branding technique worked for some of my own proactive performing clients in putting their unique selves and talents into the world to get those auditions. Let’s talk about Emy, an amazing talented performer full of energy and life. You could really… Fall in love with this Ridiculous Ginger! A positively radiant gal full of quirky charm! See what I did there? If you didn’t realize it, the above in BOLD is Emy’s branding! Emy had recently graduated from school and had come to me not knowing where to begin in order to seek work. She knew she had to submit for auditions and pound the pavement and had great things to offer. But she was seemingly a bit lost in how to be smart about standing out from the pack of the 1000s of performers who rushed

into the NY audition scene right after graduating as well. So the first thing we worked on was her branding. It was a game changer. This ridiculous ginger became a force. She used it in cover letters and pitches to casting and got those auditions. I remember getting a message from her not long after our branding work session. Emy had just finished a successful audition for a feature film. She told me that the people behind the table during the audition said that they “Called her in specifically because her branding was so on point for the role and such a wonderful description of her energy and essence that they had to give her the audition.” The creatives then went on to say that “they would never ever forget her because of her branding, and they would definitely think of her for more projects.” Emy consequently used her branding in her cover letters to glean representation with numerous agencies quite quickly and has since used it to continue to get those auditions in several different markets in addition to NY and book work! Now, don’t fret; we will get to how to use branding in cover letters and pitches, so you can do what Emy did to get those audition appointments, representation, and so much more. But first, I say to you: EMBRACE IMPERFECTION, AND EMBRACE YOU IN THIS BRANDING WORK! If YOU can’t embrace and know who you are and how to elaborate that in your branding statement, how can anyone in the field know you and what you do? GO FOR IT! Get Proactive and Start BRANDING! I recommend pausing here until you have your Branding Statement, as it serves as the building block for more work in this book. Then come back here when you are ready to move forward with more action steps to create momentum.

Chapter 15

BRANDING AS A PITCH Now you have your branding statement. Let’s talk about how to use it in a pitch. While you may not be a ridiculous ginger like Emy, your unique qualities all wrapped up in that statement will also get you your perfect audition opportunity. How? Well, it’s as easy as an opening statement in a cover letter to introduce yourself and help your personality pop off the page. We will map this out soon. Stay tuned. Or, you will use it in a seminar, class, or interview when someone asks you what you do to give a clear and concise, well-rounded picture of yourself. I mean, the age-old question in an interview is always “TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOURSELF.” Well, it’s now as easy as pie. All you have to do is answer with your branding! Imagine this conversation with our actress, Emy: CASTING DIRECTOR:

Emy, thanks for the monologue. Can you tell me more about yourself?

EMY:

Well, I’m your ridiculous ginger. I play positively radiant gals full of quirky charm.

Bam! How great is that? It’s so easy, and you will always know what to say. This succinct sentence makes it so clear for anyone to know what you offer the world with your uniqueness. And, it gives a great kick-off to start a more in-depth conversation. 62

What about some other uses of branding to pitch? Well, you will also give it to your agent or manager to use to pitch, you will place it on your website or marketing materials to give a more well-rounded view of what you do and your personality, and you will make sure to add it as a note in your online submissions via Backstage and other casting sites (more on this soon).

Chapter 16

CREATING YOUR OWN WORK The act of creating gives you power, especially in the performing arts field where we can’t control where and when we get hired. Creating can help you to control your destiny. You literally can create anything, and if there is a certain career goal in mind, you can focus those creations on where you want to go. Before you know it, when you put things that you have created into the universe, it usually helps to open doors and create jobs for you (and not to mention some form of income) that were once out of the realm of possibility. For example, do you want to host your own TV series? Why not create short videos or interviews that you host about a subject you love. Another example: Want to level up as a performer? Why not create a showcase for your talents that can help those who might hire you to see your work, much like what I did with my critically acclaimed “Fabulous Fanny: The Songs & Stories of Fanny Brice” solo show. And, things move so fast as well in our industry. Stars today aren’t the stars of tomorrow. By creating your own work, you can help yourself stay relevant and in the forefront of people’s minds in addition to staying creative and inspired as you create your own work. Also, it should be mentioned that creating the things you want to see or be in has a funny way of also bringing it back to you tenfold. Truly, the universe has a funny way of bringing you more of what you put out in the world. Don’t ever shy away from creating in whichever way and area that move you. 64

Proactive Performer Quick Reference Guide

Headshot Examples (Page 45)

NY Drama

Dramedy/Sitcom

Comedic Musicals

Serious Film/TV & Theatre

Headshot Examples (Page 46)

Detective/Cop

Lawyer/Corporate

Historical Woman

Mom

Resume Template (Page 51)

My Resume Example (Page 52)

What’s on your website (Chapter 13)

Photo of You On The Homepage! Accessible Resume Contact Information Performance Videos Bio Newsfeed Or News Page Established Performer Stuff

HOW TO BRAND (Chapter 14)

LIST adjectives that describe you;

LIST adjectives that describe characters that you can play;

LIST adjectives that describe actors who are similar to you; and,

COMPARE your lists. Many will repeat. Pick the strongest words and form a quick pitch sentence.

CREATING YOUR OWN WORK TIPS (Chapter 16)

FULFILL A NEED AND NOT AN EGO TELL STORIES CREATE SOMETHING THAT APPEALS TO AN ALREADY DEVOUT FANBASE COLLABORATE TELL PEOPLE STUDY THE WORK OF OTHER CREATIVES

CHOOSING AUDITION MATERIAL (Chapter 17)

STEP 1

Choose material from shows you love written in the same medium that you are auditioning for;

STEP 2

Choose material that fits your brand and skill set; and,

STEP 3

Choose material that makes you STEP 3 feel like a star.

COVER LETTER TEMPLATE (Chapter 22)

PARAGRAPH 1

Introduce yourself with your branding and say why you are writing;

PARAGRAPH 2

Delve deeper and answer their need;

PARAGRAPH 3

This is the nitty-gritty business stuff: • Headshot/resume attached • Self-tapes/video links attached • Website mentioned or linked • Any other things needed

PARAGRAPH 4

A note of thanks and/or call to action.

COVER LETTER EXAMPLES (Chapter 22)

Jane Doe

John Doe

PITCHING ON THE CASTING WEBSITES THE FORMULA (Chapter 23)

Union status (if applicable);

Branding statement or a portion thereof;

At least one specific reason why you are right for the role; and,

Your performer website.

CASTING WEBSITE PITCH EXAMPLES (Chapter 23)

JANE DOE

AEA, pixie-like demeanor, bouncy attitude, and warmhearted sweetheart. Experience playing many fictional cartoon characters. JaneDoe.com

JOHN DOE

6’1”, booming voice, open-hearted & charming gentle giant, experience playing domineering characters with grounded honesty. Avid watcher of Joe Simon’s work and understands tone. JohnDoe.com

HOW TO PITCH AN AGENT OR MANAGER COVER LETTER TEMPLATE (Chapter 32)

PARAGRAPH 1

Introduce yourself with your branding and state what type of representation you are seeking;

PARAGRAPH 2

Delve deeper and answer their need;

PARAGRAPH 3

This is the nitty-gritty business stuff: • Headshot/resume attached • Self-tapes/video links attached • Website mentioned or linked • Any other things needed

PARAGRAPH 4

This is where you will reference that you are a proactive performer (doing 90% of the work) and indicate some of your current industry connections, as well as roles/projects you are appropriate for in your current market; and,

PARAGRAPH 5

A note of thanks and a call to action.

COVER LETTER EXAMPLES (Chapter 32)

Jane Doe

John Doe

Postcard Fronts (Page 150)

Postcard Backs (Page 150)

Here are things to consider when starting a creative endeavor that can help to enhance your performing career:

FULFILL A NEED AND NOT AN EGO Choose to create something that fulfills a need. It can be something that is historical in nature (personifying a person or event); focuses on a special skill that would interest a large group of people (like magic, ventriloquism, puppets); recreates iconic ideas of the past with a modern twist (take a look at the viral sensation Postmodern Jukebox); or creates something new that no one has ever seen before. These are all great examples of a way to fulfill a need and find an audience base that will grow as your artistic endeavor does.

TELL STORIES Humans love storytelling. It’s how we relate to those around us. Even a ten-second commercial tells a story. Ask yourself how you can uniquely tell a story with your creation.

CREATE SOMETHING THAT APPEALS TO AN ALREADY DEVOUT FANBASE Are you a huge Broadway lover? What can you create that sheds light on Broadway and showcases you or what you love about it. And it doesn’t even have to be about Broadway. Think about how many different topics have a built-in fan base. Choose one that appeals to you, let your creativity take hold, and get to work to showcase your performing talents.

COLLABORATE More collaborative minds will help to make something great. Once you have your idea, get people to help you bring it to fruition. Collaboration also makes things way more affordable since any cost can be split among those participating. So, get together with your friends and start making performing magic! 65

Also, collaborate and ask for help to account for skills you may be lacking and to accomplish your project’s creation. Remember, creating an artistic endeavor of your own doesn’t always mean doing it alone. The creative arts is a collaborative one. There is no shame if it takes a village.

TELL PEOPLE Isn’t that the whole point of creating? You want people to see it! Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. You can tweak it as you go along. I’ll bring up my Fanny Brice show again. It took me about five years with my team of collaborators (no, I didn’t create my Fanny Brice show alone) to tweak it to what it is today. I needed an audience and feedback from people seeing it over a period of years to see what worked and what didn’t before the show became the fully fleshed out version it is now. And know there is no shame in publicizing your artistic endeavor, even when not perfect, when it could meet the need of many interested individuals. This publicity will help you to gain interest in your creative endeavor, and then those people will do the talking for you.

STUDY THE WORK OF OTHER CREATORS Not to copy theirs but to be inspired!! Hundreds, if not thousands, of performers and creative artists have been successful at creating their own artistic opportunities. Find those similar to what you want to be doing/creating and study their work. Then, don’t be afraid even to reach out to those creators and ask for help and advice. The one thing we don’t ever have in this business is a clear, proven path to get to where we need to go. Consequently, this is why it is imperative to ask for help in order to glean whatever information you can from where others have tread. Save time and energy and even money by learning from their mistakes. Let their previous path help guide you on yours. Before creating my Fanny Brice show, I had meetings with others who had solo shows to see what I could glean from them in creating a show. I had never created my own show before, and while I could figure it out as I went along, having their insight made my process a bit easier and less overwhelming. 66

In the act of even creating this book, I asked for the help from those I know who have published their own books. It is not wrong to ask for help. Just do it! Now, you may be a bit overwhelmed with the idea of creating your own work and are not quite “all in.” Here are some more reasons why you must do so. Maybe this will whet your appetite to get proactive and get to work:

SO MANY REASONS TO CREATE! • • • • • • •

Lasts for the long haul of your career; Keeps you going when opportunities are slow; Potentially be an income source well into the future; Meet people in the business through sharing your work; Showcases your strengths as an artist on your own terms; Can potentially get you hired for other jobs; and, You can create your niche as a performer.

My Journey To Creating If you had asked me years ago if I’d ever thought of making my own Fanny Brice solo show, I would have said you were crazy. Truly, I wasn’t sure if I could also create, write, star, and do everything else involved, BUT since I was being asked for one by people who willing to pay me for it, I saw an opening for a HUGE opportunity not just for more work for me in what was becoming my niche. I also saw potential income and an artistic endeavor that I was in charge of (in a business where it’s so rare we are in charge of any outcome) that I could have with me until I died. It could keep me artistically fulfilled and working during slow periods and could potentially create even bigger opportunities that I had never imagined. And so I jumped in Fanny first, literally and figuratively. Cut to today. Since 2013 “Fabulous Fanny: The Songs and Stories of Fanny Brice” has toured around the United States, brings in significant income when I perform it, and allows me to collaborate with so

many amazing individuals. What’s more, with a pandemic pivot, it is streaming online on one of the biggest streaming platforms for theatre. Consequently, it has been named Best To Stream by a massive amount of large theatrical publications including Time Out NY, American Theatre Magazine, and more! You can do the same! It may or may not look like my journey or even be a solo show, BUT it will allow you to reap rewards and gain momentum in ways you never predicted. It could quite possibly bring opportunities so large in scope that you have never imagined. How exciting is that?!

Chapter 17

Material for Auditions Whether you are a stage actor or are more on-screen, you are sometimes given the option to bring in pieces of your own choosing to audition for a project. Other times, you are assigned material for a specific role. Regardless of your preference, I thought it important to offer some tips for when you have the choice (or only option) to do audition material of your own choosing. As performers, we can get in our heads about this and what those watching our auditions might think. Instead, let’s take a different approach to get out of our head and come at it from the viewpoint of how our material best advertises and showcases our best proactive performer selves that may also be right for a specific role. Just like with your marketing material, which we will get into later, having a clear list with which to weigh your choices based on your branding and strengths can make the process so much easier. It will help you put your best foot forward to showcase yourself for the audition at hand and also get the creatives watching you to remember you for future projects. Here is my three-step process to choose your BEST audition material that showcases your talents and aligns with your branding as well.

STEP ONE Choose material from shows you love written in the same medium that you are auditioning for. For example, if you are auditioning for a big musical, consider which big musicals you love that also complement the world of the musical you are auditioning for or was perhaps written during a similar time period. Then, ask yourself which of these musicals truly make your soul excited and the artist in you emotionally charged. Zero in on your favorites and listen closely to all the songs in these musicals. From there, make a list of the specific songs you may want to add to your audition repertoire. Note that you can work the same way if you’re auditioning for a play, a television show, or a film.

STEP TWO Choose what fits your brand and skill set. Now, look at the list you just made and ask yourself which fits your brand and skill set. You must be honest with yourself here, so make sure your choices align with your strengths. I’ll use myself as an example. As I have said in our BRANDING Chapter (skipped that? Go back and read it; it’s the foundation of so much more that we will get into later in this book on your business and marketing strategy), I’m your Sassy Brassy Broad and tend to audition for a lot of comedy. Therefore, if I was auditioning for a musical with my own chosen material after I had my list of songs from shows I love, I’d then look at the songs that are specifically from roles that are Sassy and Brassy or can be done with a sassy, brassy bent, as well as are comedic. Then I’d narrow my list. Same goes for me in the television realm. In many casting director workshops (and others), you are sometimes asked to bring your own scene to do with a reader. You can bet I have a few scenes as part of my auditioning arsenal. I have one in the more comic and dramedy vein and one of a more serious bent, but both roles showcase me and my 70

strengths as a Sassy Broad. I chose scenes from movies and television shows I love with roles that lean in that direction. Still stuck because you think nothing on your list accomplishes this? Well, this is the time to do more “watching” or “listening.” And as artists this is some of the most fun work, where we can be the audience. Delve in deep to works you are not familiar with to find more options. And, be willing to be proactive and do the work long before the thought of an audition is in your mind. This process sometimes isn’t a quick one, BUT once you do the work and the research, you can use this material for months or even years. And as you see or hear other works, you can add them to your arsenal as well. I have my audition musical theatre songbook ready at all times. It took me years to compile, but now I have a vast array of material to choose from depending on the kinds of auditions. You can do the same with your monologues or scene work. I keep mine in a folder on my laptop and reference them or use them whenever I need them.

STEP THREE Choose material that makes you feel like a star. Maybe this sounds a bit cliché, but it’s an important step. Your audition is your time to command the room and strut your stuff. If you are picking material that doesn’t do that for you in your own unique way, then no one will remember it. And, I’m absolutely not saying go make big, bold choices just for the sake of being remembered. Instead, pick material that allows you as an actor to command the material and own the room in any audition at any time, in sickness or in health, on a good day or a bad day. That almost sounds like a marriage vow, but it’s true. Your materials you use for auditions should stand by you anytime you need them in order to showcase you in your best light to get the job! Now go back to the list you created in step one and whittled down in step two, and find those songs or scenes or monologues that will accomplish this feeling for you! And there you have it. A ton of audition material at the ready for when the time comes to display all your talents for your dream job.

Chapter 18

ASSIGNED AUDITION MATERIAL A lot of times in today’s environment, with the quick turnaround times that casting has to make sure a role is filled you will receive material to learn instead of performing your own chosen material. This can be a good thing because it puts you on an even playing field with the rest of the actors being considered for the role. Sides (aka portions of “the script”) used to audition can range from a few pages or songs to even entire packets of material. I’ve actually had to learn 30 pages of sides in one night. Which brings about the question I get asked most.

TO MEMORIZE OR NOT TO MEMORIZE? Memorize and work those sides and songs (whatever you are given) as much as you can before your auditions in the limited time you have, and work them preferably with a coach or a trusted friend who can bounce ideas and provide feedback. Do this to ensure you are always auditioning at a high level. For my own personal process, I know that fully memorized and coached auditions always ensure I can nail it no matter what is thrown at me. Now some argue about whether you should hold your sides and sheet music after you memorize them. I usually do. BUT I STILL MEMORIZE them. The paper is in my hands in case I lose my place or have a brain fart (let’s face it, that happens) and to let casting know I am still ready for any changes they want to throw my way. 72

An audition is a job interview. Showcase that you can do the job. Also, remember to have other material ready to go from your own repertoire in case they ask for more! Often enough they will.

ACTOR BONUS TIP! Auditioning is like studying for a test that you want to ace but for which you never actually get a grade. Keep an audition journal. You are the most critical of your talents. Start rating yourself. Treat yourself when you get an “A” or a “B.” It’s a way to keep ensuring you are auditioning at a high level no matter if you get the job or not. And take notes of where you didn’t nail it. Think about how you can fix the mistakes for the next time. Happy auditioning!

Chapter 19

HOW TO DRESS FOR AN AUDITION Actresses used to wear jewel-tone dresses and nude pumps to musical theatre auditions. Actors auditioning for straight plays or theatre used to wear all black. Now, thankfully, these trends have passed. The best way to showcase your unique you and branding is to emulate both in your clothing choices and never forget that an audition is a job interview. Please do not look like you just rolled out of bed. Also, try not to wear a costume unless it is asked for. If you want to hint to the time period of the character that’s fine, but again making sure you are showing off the best of your unique you is what is most important. Also, make sure to look at your color choices (or work with a stylist or a friend who is good with creating looks for you if you aren’t). For example, for me for on-camera auditions, I wear tons of reds, pinks, and blues. That is the color that looks best on me on-camera and makes me pop. Seriously, research what your color palette is and what style of clothes look good on you so that you can have a variety of wardrobe that serves you well for various auditions that might come your way. Also, think in terms of your branding as well. For me, as a Sassy Brassy NY Broad, I’m never going to go into an audition in a more prim and proper pastel color or flower pattern that can imply a more sweet and sensitive vibe. Instead, I wear big bold colors and clean silhouettes that go with my branding. I make sure my entire package makes sense, from the headshot/resume and how it looks, to the song I’m singing or the scene/monologue I’m performing, all the way to how I dress. 74

SECTION 3

GETTING AUDITIONS FROM CASTING NOTICES

Chapter 20

Submitting to casting notices Much of your career will be spent submitting for job opportunities. Whether it’s through a casting website, a union website, a trade magazine, or via your agent or manager. There are several things you need to have in place in order to be successful in submitting for projects/roles in oversaturated markets to get auditions. First, you need applicable materials up on all relevant casting websites in your market so they are readily available for you to submit to auditions. These materials include a variety of headshots, a resume, and a video of your talents that showcase the roles you can play and/ or your previous work. These same materials should also be passed along to your agent or manager so they too can use them on casting websites to submit you for opportunities. Even more importantly, these materials should always be at your fingertips on your own computer and devices in an easily accessible folder so that when you see a casting notice (even if you are at the supermarket) you can jump right on it and submit for the project. I store my headshots and resumes in a Google Drive folder so that if I receive a notice in my email while I am on my phone and I am working my day job or out running an errand, I can quickly email off the appropriate things to the casting notice directly from my phone. If you are thinking, “wow that is hardcore.” Well, not really! This book is called “Business and Marketing for the Proactive Performer,” and I am nothing but proactive. I practice all that I preach. And in 77

all honesty, there is so much truth in this business behind the saying “the early bird gets the worm.” With 1000s of submissions coming in for every role, being one of the first to submit to a casting notice can help your odds to ensure it gets seen before it’s buried in the pile of headshots or in the pages and pages of electronic submissions.

Chapter 21

Casting WEBSITES Now I realize some of you may already be familiar with the casting websites available to you and some of you may not. Let’s quickly delve into those as well. As of this publishing, here are some of the legitimate major nationwide casting websites to make sure you are listed on so you and your representation, if you have an agent or manager, can submit for performing projects: • • •

Backstage Actors Access (Breakdown Services) Casting Networks

For the casting websites above you must pay to both upload your headshots/resumes/videos as well as pay to submit for the opportunities themselves. This is an unfortunate but necessary part of the job hunt. Just like you splurged to buy this book as an investment in your career, so you should on the casting websites. I promise when you book that big-money job because it cost you $30 to upload one minute of video to a casting website, you will not regret doing so. And, as a performing artist you are your own business, and this is part of how you invest in it. These are tools you need to succeed. (And your agent and/or manager need them too as they will be actively using your profile as well)! Your reps may ask you to join sites besides the ones listed above. 79

These may include: • • •

IMDb NY Castings Cast It Talent

When you are looking into other casting websites not listed here in this book, just make sure to research the sites to ensure they are legit. There are plenty of scam websites out there for actors asking for money from you in exchange for those “big auditions.” Be careful with those, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Finally, here are some other sites where you can find auditions to submit to as well. These sites provide job listings and then usually give you an address to submit for projects or you submit directly on their site: • • •

Playbill Broadwayworld Mandy

Now, you may be looking at a lot of these sites and the casting notices they offer and wondering, “Where are all the TV shows or other high-profile projects I love.” This information for actors is very hard to come by. Unfortunately, it is rare for those jobs to be made open and public to the general actor population. These casting notices are, for the most part, only available for agents and managers. And it is why, if you don’t have one already, in the future when you are ready and are able to compete at the level necessary to get a job of that caliber you too will end up gaining representation (which we will talk about soon)!

Chapter 22

COVER LETTERS & STANDOUT SUBMISSIONS I spoke in the last chapter of the things you need in order to submit to casting notices to glean auditions. But you also need a cover letter or note to go along with these submissions to both showcase your personality, state why you are the one who should be cast for a certain role, and mention anything you have to offer such as special skills, talents, or otherwise that makes you stand out among everyone else who submitted for a role. It’s imperative. If, for instance, I submit myself (a brunette Caucasian girl) for a role where there may be a 1,000 other gals who look like me who are also in the same age range and with a similar amount of credits, what I write in a cover letter will make me stand out from the others so that I, hopefully, am the one who gets the coveted audition slot. What might I point out that makes me stand out from the rest? Well, speaking for my own unique talents it may be that I sound like an actress/singer who played the role on Broadway (if it’s a musical theatre audition) or perhaps I point out that I have penchant for playing historical women (if it’s for a television show set in a previous era) or maybe that I know one of the creatives, like the director, and that we have a strong relationship. Being ultra-specific in a cover letter or note to showcase why I am different and/or more appropriate or more experienced or even just a great fit for the role being sought gives casting something to latch onto that says, “Call this girl in. She could absolutely fit my needs for the role.” 81

You need to do the same in every cover letter whether it’s mailed or emailed or a note you put into one of those little casting submission boxes on the casting websites like Actors Access or Backstage. And every cover letter needs to be tweaked so that it specifically answers the need of the casting director or creative team for the specific role or project you are submitting for. In addition, a cover letter is an important part of your submission package because it gives casting and creatives a quick insight into your personality, which may not be apparent by just looking at your headshot and resume. A headshot and resume are very two-dimensional. We can’t get a well-rounded view of who you are. So to help those seeing your materials get more of a sense of your unique you, it’s also helpful to infuse your cover letter or notes with some of your unique personality or essence. Why? We are in a business that’s about working with people on a more personal level. Your cover letter should not only say why you are right for a role but also give some insight into what your personality is like when you are actually in a room and making art with those around you. You want your cover letters to give people a sense of who you are as a whole. There is no hard and fast rule of what a cover letter needs to look like. It could be: • • • • •

A traditional cover letter with a letterhead; An email; A note on a notecard; A note on a Post-it; and/or A few short sentences in a casting submission box on a website.

So let’s talk about the format of a more traditional cover letter and break it down paragraph by paragraph. I will provide a template first and then examples as we examine each paragraph from two fictional actors I’ve made up to help showcase how to compose your cover letter. Then, at the end of the chapter, I’ll give you insight into my own performer marketing by providing a cover letter that I still use to pitch myself for projects. You will then be able to take what I give you here and make it your own and/or switch up the formatting in whichever way that it serves you. 82

First, here is the cover letter template we will work from. Bookmark it so that anytime you need a cover letter for a submission, you can come back to it to reference.

TEMPLATE FOR YOUR COVER LETTER PARAGRAPH 1 Introduce yourself with your branding and say why you are writing. PARAGRAPH 2 Delve deeper and answer their need. PARAGRAPH 3 This is the nitty-gritty business stuff: • • • •

Headshot/resume attached Self-tapes/video links attached Website mentioned or linked Any other things needed

PARAGRAPH 4 A note of thanks and call to action. I mentioned that I would introduce you to two fictional actors to demonstrate how to use the template above to serve you. These two characters are: JANE DOE: This musical theatre actress is hard core. She has plenty of credits playing many fictional storybook and cartoon characters in musicals. She also has a very retro style and sophistication and looks similar to the well-loved character Snow White. She considers herself a “fun-loving sweetheart.” For our use, she is currently composing a letter to submit for an audition to play the title role of Snow White in a new rock musical called “SNOW WHITE SLEEPS.” 83

JOHN DOE: This film actor has a very special niche. Due to his height and robustness, he tends to play monster roles in varying films and projects. He considers himself “an open-hearted and charming gentle giant” aka a loveable villain and is vying for a part in a new horror film called “MONSTERS REVISITED” (written and directed by Joe Simon, whose movies he has watched since he could walk). John feels that this part is a great fit because it requires him to be a bit of a monster but one that is both charming and lovable. Here’s how these actors will write cover letters for their dream roles. PARAGRAPH 1 Introduce yourself with your branding and why you are writing. THE FIRST PARAGRAPH of your cover letter is one or two sentences with which you introduce yourself with your branding and state why you are writing. As we discussed earlier, including your branding will give a bit of insight into your personality and essence while still giving succinct language as to why you may also be right for the role being cast. PARAGRAPH 1 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE Hi there! I’m your fun-loving sweetheart, and I’d appreciate being considered for the role of Snow White in SNOW WHITE SLEEPS! “Fun-loving sweetheart” is Jane’s branding. “Being considered for the role of Snow White” is why Jane is writing. PARAGRAPH 1 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE Hello! I’m writing for consideration for the role of Pete in THE MONSTERS REVISITED. I’m your open-hearted and charming gentle giant. “Pete in THE MONSTERS REVISITED” is the project and role and is why John is writing. 84

“Open-hearted and charming gentle giant” is John’s branding statement. PARAGRAPH 2 Delve deeper and answer their need. THE SECOND PARAGRAPH (which again should only be a few sentences) is to delve deeper into why you are perfect for the project or role you are submitting for. This paragraph needs to be more specific than your resume and it also shouldn’t just repeat the credits on your resume either (expect that people will look at your resume as that is their job to do so). Think about this paragraph like you are answering a casting director’s or creative team’s needs. Solve their casting problem. This may mean you need to do a little more homework about the project or person you are submitting to/for to ensure you can pitch yourself appropriately and succinctly. PARAGRAPH 2 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE My jet-black hair, pixie-like demeanor, bouncy attitude, and lighthearted whimsical voice, plus my experience playing other animated-type characters like Belle (three times, I might add), ensure that I understand the world of the show. Plus, I have a big high belt perfect for the music written by the composer of this musical. As you can see by the specificity of Jane Doe’s second paragraph she understands her physical traits match the character. She points out, versus repeating her entire resume, that she has played many other characters in this genre. And she has done her research and knows what the music sounds like for this musical and that her voice matches its style and needs.. PARAGRAPH 2 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE My height, booming voice, and experience playing domineering characters with grounded honesty make me a great fit for the role. I am also an avid watcher of Joe Simon’s previous movies and understand his 85

tone and the structure of the characters and how they function in the story. Again, like Jane Doe, John is answering the needs of casting. He points out his characteristics appropriate for playing the role he is submitting for that may not be noticeable in his headshots or resume. He knows the director/writer’s previous movies and his tone and that what he does fits well into this casting puzzle and points that out in his letter. PARAGRAPH 3 This is the nitty-gritty business stuff: • • • •

Headshot/resume attached Self-tapes/video links attached Website mentioned or linked Any other things needed

THE THIRD PARAGRAPH is where we get into the nitty-gritty but necessary business stuff that should be included in your submission. For instance, depending on what you are submitting for, this paragraph may be about referencing that you have attached your headshot and resume. This is also where you can include links to your website or IMDb or, depending on what casting has asked for, links to your audition self-tape or any additional material that is needed by casting. You can write this paragraph in paragraph form, or you can use bullet points. Remember, there are no rules, so use whatever works best for you while keeping it clear, concise, and easy to read. SIDE NOTE: Including any and all links or materials and information relevant to be considered for the role you are submitting for is appropriate and is never bragging. Don’t hesitate to include all relevant information. You are again answering their need and solving a casting problem. If you leave it out, they may never know of the special qualities, assets, accomplishments, or skills that you uniquely bring to the role that could solve their casting need!

PARAGRAPH 3 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE My headshot and resume are attached. My website is janedoe. com, and please check out my JaneDoeYouTube.com for videos of my previous works as many other fictional characters. You may also be interested in my song performance by the composers of this musical at the JaneDoeSong.com. Jane Doe is writing in paragraph form the needed websites (and including links) to where the casting team can see her work that is appropriate for this role. In addition, Jane lets casting know that her headshot and resume is attached. PARAGRAPH 3 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE Attached please find my headshot and resume. Please visit and view the following links to see my work: • • •

JohnDoe.com IMDb Selftapelink.com

Just like Jane, John is also providing the links and references to his applicable work for the submission for this role. John references these via bullet points instead. PARAGRAPH 4 A note of thanks and call to action. THE FOURTH PARAGRAPH is essentially your note of thanks and also where you may include one or two calls to action for yourself or the reader. A thank you is always a considerate thing to add to any cover letter. Make it sincere and short. Don’t make it apologetic in any way. For example, don’t say “I know you are very busy so thank you in advance for taking the time out of your precious day to read this letter.” Why? It is their job to read 87

submissions and emails—no need to apologize for being a smart and proactive actor by writing to them. Also, anything infused with any neediness or implied apology can be off-putting and read like you don’t think your letter or submission deserve to be read. It’s all very much in the subconscious. Just don’t be that actor. Own the fact you want to be considered and never apologize. A call to action is something you can also include in this paragraph. Here you are asking yourself or the reader to do something or to be on the lookout for something. Here are some examples: • • • • •

I’m happy to put myself on tape. Let me know if I should; I would love to schedule a meeting, so please reach out; Let me know if you need anything else; Reach out if you have any questions; or I’ll follow up in a few weeks to discuss.

The follow-up call to action for yourself is my favorite. So much of this business and being a proactive performer isn’t in the initial submission, it’s in the follow-up. Use this last paragraph to let the person know you will follow up so that you don’t feel bad about doing it. Alluding to a follow-up isn’t always appropriate (in the case of submitting to an open call casting notice or a blind submission where you are only making someone aware of your talents). But it can be the difference between getting the meeting or not with a casting person who said they wanted to see more of your talents or keeping your name in circulation for a specific job that has been mentioned to you several times and you have yet to hear back from casting or an entity about the opportunity. This is especially important as well when reaching out to reps (agent or manager), which we will get into in an upcoming chapter. PARAGRAPH 4 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE Thanks so much for the consideration. Please reach out if you would like me to put any of the material from the show on a self-tape or if you need anything else.

PARAGRAPH 4 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE Let me know if you need anything else! I’d love to schedule a meeting to read for you in person. Thanks so much!

OTHER RELEVANT COVER LETTER INFORMATION! Both in your opening “greeting” and your “closing” of your cover letter remain true to your personality. Remember, and I am repeating myself here, you aren’t applying to a job at a law firm. Showcase your personality. Whether that means in your opening greeting you say “Dear” or “Hi” or “Hello” or as I would say “Hiya!” remain true to yourself and how you would greet someone you are just getting to know in person. Also, in the closing the same applies. Whether you say “Best” or “Regards” or “Signing Off ” is up to you! Remain true to who you are.

WHAT IF YOU ARE EMAILING YOUR LETTER? Make sure that your cover letter is in the body of the email and that you have clickable links to all things included in Paragraph 3. In addition, be wary of attachments to emails. Not everyone wants to download documents (unless the recipient has asked for them). Instead think about including a link to a Google Drive folder where someone can download a headshot or resume. You could also direct link to the resume page on your website. Also, a great plus about an email is that under your signature line, you can include other links that aren’t as necessarily relevant to the reason you’re reaching out to the person reading your email, BUT it gives them an option to click on other intel if they feel inclined to learn more about you or your work. Some links you can include below your signature line in an email: • • •

More contact information like your phone number; Union status; Representation information;

• •

Links to your other social media or YouTube; and, Links to other websites that showcase your creative and performance work/endeavors.

WHAT IF YOU ARE SENDING YOUR LETTER VIA HARD COPY MAIL? If you are sending your letter via mail, make sure it is stapled to your headshot/resume or whatever other material you are sending. Use a letterhead that expresses your personality and also maybe even add a thumbnail of another headshot to the design (choose something different then the larger 8 by 10, or one on your resume that you have attached). Adding yet another photo continues to give a more well-rounded view of your look and how it applies the role you are submitting for. On your letterhead or under your signature line you can include: • • •

Contact info; Union status; and, Representation information.

COVER LETTER EXAMPLE This cover letter is direct from my own arsenal. This is an example of what I would use if I find out a theatre is doing a production of “Funny Girl” and I want to ensure I get seen to play Fanny Brice! Check it out. Hiya! I’m your Sassy Brassy NY Comedic Jewish Broad with grounded honesty and a huge big belt, and I’d appreciate being considered for the role of Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl.” I have a great wealth of knowledge on Fanny Brice, having played the role in four shows, including my own acclaimed touring show for the past 10 years. The Huffington Post said that “I’m the closest that anyone will ever come to seeing Fanny Brice in person.” I know the entire script and score of the musical and would love to finally get the opportunity to be a part of this amazing musical that first introduced me to this legend. 90

My headshots and resume are attached. Learn more about me at KimberlyFayeGreenberg.com or at FabulousFannyBriceShow.com. And, make sure to watch me sing material from “Funny Girl” over on my YouTube page. Thanks for the consideration, and please reach out if you need anything. Kimberly Faye Greenberg

STORYTIME! One day I was sitting on my couch reading Broadwayworld and doing my daily research on what was happening in the NY Broadway community. I came upon an announcement of an upcoming musical premiere for a show called “Ghostlight,” which was to run at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF), a now-defunct but then hugely popular theatre festival usually filled with Broadway stars in leading roles. Many shows that were featured in the festival had gone on to Broadway and Off-Broadway runs. And, there, glittering like gold, in the summary of this new musical were two big words that by now you all know would catch my eye…FANNY BRICE! You see, “Ghostlight” was a musical that revolved around the “true” story of Olive Thomas, a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl, who became a movie star, died by accidental poison very young, and is now rumored to haunt the New Amsterdam Theatre in NYC. Very interesting story! Look it up if you ever feel inclined! And, if you are not familiar with her story or Broadway lore, it made perfect sense that the persona of Fanny Brice would appear as a leading role, as Fanny Brice was the biggest star of the Zeigfeld Follies and would have known Olive Thomas personally. This announcement I read wasn’t a casting notice; it was a press release. It had no mention of if and when casting was happening or if the roles had already been offered out. But, I also knew that you never know what could happen if you proactively put yourself out there to the members of this creative team as a possibility and plant a seed! And, being that I already had been playing Fanny Brice in other shows I didn’t see why it couldn’t be a possibility for me to answer their need as well. 91

So, I wasted no time, and that very afternoon, I sent, via email, a very snazzy cover letter (much like the example I just gave) to mention my interest in playing the role. Huzzah! I get an immediate response from the creative team. They had already heard of my renditions of Fanny Brice and actually had me on their short list of possibilities to play the role in their show and had tickets to see me performing in my Off-Broadway show to get a sense of whether or not my rendition matched their needs. The creative team came to see me in “One Night With Fanny Brice,” and a few days later, I was subsequently offered the role in their show. I have been with it ever since as it continues on the road to Broadway. All of this because of a strong cover letter and of course, planting a seed and watching it grow! Bam!

Chapter 23

PITCHING ON THE CASTING WEBSITES Now that we have covered the template for cover letters, we can now take that and pare it down to help you pitch yourself on the casting websites. If you are an experienced actor, then you know what I’m talking about. If not, once you submit yourself to the casting notices listed on the websites found in this book, you will discover the little boxes to “tell casting more about you” that appear on Backstage, Actors Access, etc., that just stare blankly at you from your computer screen right before you hit submit. I am here to give you a strategy to make it easy, clear, and concise to fill in these boxes and ultimately help separate you from the pack of 1000s of electronic submissions. What’s more, you will have a formula so that you don’t have to think too hard about what to write. What is this magic formula? TADA!

THE FORMULA

(use these in any particular order that serves you best) 1. Put your union status if applicable (depending on the website, it doesn’t always appear front and center on your profile when the casting director is looking at it on their end); 2. Put your branding statement or a portion thereof that applies to the role you are submitting for; 3. Write at least one short reason why you are perfect for the role (again, answer their need); and, 93

4. Add a link to your website if it’s not already connected to your account so that they may look up other information about you! Now that you have the formula, I’ll give you two examples from our lovely actors who modeled for us in the last chapter based on my initial descriptions of them and what roles they were submitting for. PITCH FOR A CASTING WEBSITE FROM OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE AEA*, pixie-like demeanor, bouncy attitude, and warm-hearted sweetheart. Experience playing many fictional cartoon characters. JaneDoe.com *For those reading this book that may not be familiar with AEA. This stands for Actors’ Equity Association, the union for theatre actors. Here Jane Doe is implying that she is a member of the union. More on unions in an upcoming chapter. PITCH FOR A CASTING WEBSITE FROM OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE 6’1” booming voice, open-hearted & charming gentle-giant, experience playing domineering characters with grounded honesty. Avid watcher of Joe Simon’s work and understands tone. JohnDoe.com Keep in mind with these pitches, there is no need to write in complete sentences. You can use commas or semi-colons to separate each point. Why? No one has time. This needs to be quick to read as they are sorting through tons of submissions. Also, on certain sites, you have a limited number of characters to use to pitch, so don’t waste letters using words you don’t need. Get to the point and get to it FAST!

SECTION 4

THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA!

Chapter 24

SOCIAL MEDIA IMPORTANCE Social media is an integral part of a performing career. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., are not just modes of fun to pass the time and keep up with the Kardashians but a very important part of your business as a performer. Why? 1. So people can find you! And wow, there are so many ways people can find you if you just put your talents out there to be discovered! It may be a casting or creative person in the business randomly scrolling through friends’ feeds or curated pages. Someone who can hire you may find you via a popular hashtag that alerts them to one of your amazingly talented posts. Your video may go viral and someone of importance sees it. Social media is an asset in all these instances and more. 2. As a performer, your job is to be seen. So be seen. Don’t be shy! Promote yourself. There is no better way to get your news out to many people at once. And it’s FREE! 3. Those who want to hire you can see who you know. A big part of working in this business is networking and connections; you need to ensure that people can find that information at their fingertips. The simple fact that they can see you have 100 friends in common might entice them to consider you more strongly…one never knows. Maybe even they will reach out to one of your 100 mutual friends to see how you are to work 97

with, and he or she will vouch for your good work, moving you one step closer to a hire! Social media allows you as a proactive artist to cruise through your list of followers and friends on your social media sites to glean more info about their artistic projects. It also lets you easily contact and connect with them to pick their brains on their experiences and offer your support or even your talent to them, thus expanding your possibilities of projects in which you can perform. It connects you to other working professionals to ask for referrals and recommendations and enables you to build personal relationships concurrently with those you want to work with on a professional level. Those interested in employing you can get a keen sense of your personality and how you present yourself to the world. Potential employers can then glean from your posts if you share a similar outlook. You build a FREE and active audience for yourself and the companies that hire you. FREE makes this venture one you can’t afford to pass up! The broader your reach, the more valuable you are as a commodity in the industry. Strive to build your audience, and its engagement will consequently entice those who want to hire you because your social media is another way they can advertise their project.

Here is a fun story about my client Chermaine that truly showcases the power of social media. Chermaine worked with me on finding an agent, which she did, via the same steps used in the next chapters of this book. Subsequently, she wanted to extend her talents into another market and saw that there was an agency she loved (after doing her research) that posted and was active on Instagram. She began to develop a relationship with them through social media by commenting and interacting with their posts. Because she is an extremely proactive performer and curated content on her feed that showcased her talents, the agency took notice of her and reached out to represent her! Bam! She added another member to her team! Get social! It’s worth it!

Chapter 25

Social media do’s and Don’ts What should you DO on social media? DO post things pertaining to your brand/performing prowess. It helps people to get to know you and works like a commercial for yourself. People browsing can see how they might be able to use your “services” (i.e., talents). The more you show them your brand and talents, the more they remember what it is that you do and will call you to do it. DO post both personal AND professional updates/posts. The beauty of social media is that people gravitate towards it because they get to know you on a personal level without actually seeing you in person. So while it’s great to post all your performing videos from YouTube and recent positive feedback from behind the audition table, make sure you also show you are human as well. So, I implore you to also post your pet photos, food photos, and hobbies. In addition to all the performing stuff, use it to be social and connect with people through your own enjoyments. You are more than your career! Let that well-rounded view of you shine. DO keep your audience engaged and responsive and coming back by posting things that can help them in their own careers/social spheres. Posts may include quotes of inspiration, words of advice, links for business connections, and social giveaways. Be a connector by posting friends’ links to engage introductions between other people. All these things create an atmosphere of community where your social page can become a social and professional hub. 99

MOST IMPORTANTLY, try to keep your social media positive! A good rule of thumb is to always ask yourself if the thing you are posting is something that you’d feel comfortable shouting from the top of a mountain to an entire town below and hear it echo back across a hillside. If that kind of loud echo idea makes you uncomfortable, then don’t post it. Another way to decide whether your post is appropriate is to consider if you are comfortable sharing that particular information in an open conversation at a dinner table with family and friends, coworkers, AND your WORST ENEMY. If you don’t like the idea of your worst enemy and your relative reading the information in the post, then you probably shouldn’t post it to social media.

What should you NOT DO on social media? Post things that are negative for the sake of negativity only. Your latest rejection, the unhappy response you got in the audition room, the nonsense you dealt with in the audition line, the insecurities you may currently be battling that day or in that particular audition experience. JUST DON’T DO IT. Your social media feed is not a place to emote like you would with your therapist. Your social media posts are a reflection of you. Those kinds of posts, while not seeming “negative” to you in the moment, can backfire on you. Meaning you may not get hired from them. No one wants to work with a negative Nellie or someone who is creating drama just for the sake of it. Restrain yourself. Truly! Tell your shrink, tell your bestie, tell your diary, but DON’T talk about it on social media.

100

Chapter 26

HOW TO BUILD YOUR FOLLOWING Want the truth about how to grow a following? Well, there is none. With constantly changing algorithms and the additions of new features and new platforms, it’s like feeding a machine without any knowledge of its inner workings, and the only thing it wants you to do is to keep feeding it. So here are my tips to keep in mind to grow your following in a way that ensures you are putting yourself out there in a positive light and in a way that can influence positive growth. FIRST, slow and steady growth is a good thing. You will attract those who are interested in what you have to offer, and they will continue to follow you forever. The quick-growing tricks of follow/ unfollow games aren’t great for this. The social sites’ algorithms hate this tactic and can smell it a mile away. They will block you or ban your account for several days. (Trust me, I tried it several times, and it’s no fun—lesson learned). Plus, while you may gain some followers quickly, these people won’t stick around. If you get followers just for the sake of a growth number, you can’t count on them to become your fans or actually socialize with you, which indeed is the purpose of a social media feed anyway. It is called “social” for a reason. SECOND, post content that can inspire, educate, or inform others that also ties into your performing prowess. If you look at my social page (find me by just typing in my name), I provide a lot of actionable actor tips on my feed, and then I compare them to my own actor journey. You can do the same! It will grow your following, and these 101

same people will engage with you long-term and potentially even tell others, creating more growth for you. THIRD, make sure you use your real name or stage name so that people can find you! Look how easy it was for me to just tell you in the last paragraph to type my name into social to find me. You want your fans to find you there via your NAME! Please make yourself easily discoverable. Take the time to research and create lists of relevant hashtags that your audience will look for to find you and use those hashtags often in your posts. FOURTH, make sure to interact. Again it’s called “social” media for a reason. Be social. Take the time to get to know people.

BONUS: SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING TIP! Many of us do a lot of things. I am not only your actor business coach, but under my THE BROADWAY EXPERT brand, I create and post content about working onstage and backstage on Broadway. And as you know by now, I am the Fanny Brice go-to gal and have a solo show that travels the country and streams. I also am an actor across-the-board in theatre, film, and television. I also work backstage on Broadway as a wardrobe dresser, and I’d like to think I have a fun personal life as well. So, how do I incorporate all these into a social media feed successfully? Well, you can have separate pages for all of them. But that is A LOT OF WORK and you may not be ready for that. Or, you can have one page and let your audience get to know you on both a professional and personal level in all the things you do! That is what I do on my main @kfgreenberg Instagram page and on my other personal social media feeds like Twitter and Facebook. How do I cover it all and still remain interesting to my following and grow my audience? For this, I like to recommend posts in a rotation. Unless I am focused on one part of my life for a certain amount of time or I am building to a big announcement or a performance where I may post a lot about it to ensure people remember, I usually publish posts in a rotation of 5 categories that looks like this: MONDAY:

102

I post something related to my coaching or my THE BROADWAY EXPERT business;

TUESDAY: WEDNESDAY: THURSDAY: FRIDAY: SATURDAY:

A post about my Fanny Brice show; A post about my acting career; A post about my personal life; A post to inspire; and I rotate back to the beginning and so on.

This rotation helps me ensure on social media I am always letting the world know of all my endeavors, but I can also use some of these posts to educate, entertain, inspire, and grow my audience and fans who will be with me over the long haul! Did you find me via social? Make sure to give me a shout out and I will be sure to share it and follow you in return! Let me help support you on all the social media sites and in return we can help grow each other’s followings as well.

103

Chapter 27

WHAT KIND OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS? Well, you are a performer, right? Or you wouldn’t be reading this book. One of the most proactive things you can do on social is to show off your talents! Truly! It’s a fact that working consistently in this business usually requires not only talent but a great effort to get seen. Overnight sensations are a rare occurrence. So, in those rotations of posts I spoke about above, tip the scale of success in your favor by showing off your talents. You never know who will be watching. Here are some ideas of the kinds of content you can create… 1. Create Video Content The following are some examples of performance-related content you can create and post to your social media, YouTube, etc.: • • • • • • • • 104

Writing and performing your own music; Doing dance pieces; Performing poetry; Debuting theatre work; Showcasing original standup material; Creating fun and wacky characters; Teaching others a performance skill that you excel at; and, Video blogging your performer journey.

Really there is no end to the possibilities, and your creativity is key. Wherever your heart and best talents lie, get creating and post away. Not only will your talents quickly go global, but you truly never know who in your audience could get you hired or share your content to create buzz for you. 2. Be Involved in Other’s Content Volunteer to be part of friends’ content or collaborate with other like-minded individuals to make some. Not only does this get your talents into the world, but it increases the chances more people will see it since the others involved will also share across their social media platforms. Web series, music videos, and dance routines are all great examples of how groups of people can work together to create online content. Again, remember the options and ideas are limitless, so get collaborating, then get sharing! 3. Recreate Content Reinventing (not copying, mind you) others’ popular content that already has a good following can create an immediate and excited audience for your social media posts. Musically speaking, this can include mashups, remixes, covers, and acoustic versions of well-known material. You can also add your spin on well-known characters and public figures. Note, if you do decide to go this route, be sure to be aware of copyright. You may need to get permission or the rights to recreate someone else’s work. Do your research before you post. 4. Share Websites & Links Not all your created content or performance-related material can be placed on every social media site due to time constraints or specifically what that particular social media site is focused on. For instance, TikTok is all short-form videos. Instagram has video and photo aspects. Consequently, when you create content but can’t post it on a certain site for one reason or another, make sure to share a link to it or a photo, depending on the site, and then link it to the post on the other social site where you shared your created content. Don’t be afraid to let the social media sites fuel each other. When I post a video to TikTok, I subsequently post it to all my other social sites in various ways: through links, through 105

the video itself, through photos, and then I link it back to the TikTok video. It helps both the growth of the original video AND helps fuel my other social sites as well. Also, in this fast-paced world, most go to social media first to get a quick, all-encompassing view of you and your talents. Remember to also share website links featuring your talents on your social media feeds. For instance, I’m always sharing links to my reviews of my Fanny Brice show, links to articles I’ve written as a coach, links to websites featuring my latest performance in another show, and the list goes on. This way, your social media will serve as a gateway to entice friends, family, fans, and followers on your feeds to click on those links or look elsewhere on the web for more insight into your performing prowess. 5. Go Live Many of the social media sites now offer the opportunity to go live. You can stream whatever content you want in real time just by using the lens on your phone with the ease of pressing a button. Whether you go live in your daily routine, rehearsal sessions, or stage performances, your viewers will love the inside look at your performing life and keep tuning in for more. An added benefit is that many of these live feeds allow you immediate interaction with your followers, creating a positive buzz. You certainly can’t go wrong as long as you keep your livestream positive and performance-related.

106

SECTION 5

THE AGENT AND MANAGER DISCLAIMER: These chapters are not only for those looking for representation but also for those who have them as well! Proactive performers, don’t skip them!

107

108

Chapter 28

DO I NEED AN AGENT OR A MANAGER? As performers, we are in the only profession where where we don’t know the full scope of job opportunities available to us (i.e., we don’t know what kinds of roles are being cast in the bigger more lucrative jobs.) Why? The market is saturated. There are thousands of performers vying for a small amount of high-paying “prestigious work,” and the producers, writers, and directors don’t have enough time to sift through 1000s of actors applying for jobs. So, instead of the actors being privy to what is casting, we have a middle person called an “agent” or potentially a “manager” who acts as someone to collect the casting notices and submit only the clientele they see fit. It cuts down on the time that casting has to sift through 1000s of submissions and hopefully puts only a certain amount of performers in the mix for the high-powered jobs. If you want to have access to those jobs, then you need representation, and you will rely on them to be in the know to get you those coveted auditions. A variety of factors should influence your decision to add an agent or manager to your team. The factors depend on… Your Market— Are you working in a market where you absolutely need an agent or manager to get auditions in your realm of expertise and at your current auditioning level. For instance, if you are a theatre actor who just moved to New York City and you are just beginning your career, you will have access to submit or audition for open calls for non-union theatre work that 109

will help you to gain experience and resume credits as long as you are diligent in reading the trades and casting websites listed in this book. However, if you are a NYC union actor and have tons of credits and experience, you may need an agent or a manager as, at this level, actors may not be privy to the higher-level job openings, like an immediate Broadway replacement performer, that are currently casting in this market. Another example, for those of you who live in a smaller market and want to do commercials, you may need to obtain representation from an agent or manager in your location, as these types of auditions wouldn’t necessarily be publicized in any sort of trade magazine or website available to the public at large. Do your research and be honest about where you can work right now at your skill level and with the credits you currently have. This should help you decide whether or not now is a good time to get an agent or manager. If now is not the time, you can continue to reexamine this as you grow in your career. There is no right or wrong answer to this. It’s only what is right for you.

110

Chapter 29

HONEST TRUTH ABOUT WORKING WITH REP Regardless of what level you are at in your career or whether you currently have representation, here are some truths about working with an agent or a manager. 1. If you have a rep, you will still be doing 90% of the work for your career! There is a misguided notion that once you have representation, auditions will just magically appear and all you will have to do is sit back and wait for the phone to ring. This thought sounds too good to be true and that’s because it is. You will always be doing 90% of the work for your career, no matter what level you are at. Consequently, this is the reason an agent takes 10% of your salary. They only do 10% of the work towards getting you jobs! If you are working with an agent or manager and wondering why you don’t get auditions, then ask yourself if you are putting in your 90 percent of the work to help your representation help you. 2. Agents and managers actually work for you! They are part of your team and they only make money if you make money. This doesn’t mean you go around saying, “Hey, I’m the boss; do what I say.” This is a team relationship. And they make up 10% of your team. 111

With that said, if you are a performer who has an agent or a manager who doesn’t answer emails or phone calls, doesn’t take your opinions to heart, is on a completely different page than you, or isn’t doing what is in their power to help you get auditions, then having them as a member of your team may not be beneficial. Teamwork makes the dream work, as the saying goes. In addition, because an agent or a manager works for you, there needs to be open communication between you and your rep. You have the ability to say no to audition appointments and other related opportunities that aren’t towards your goals or wants or needs. You have the right to have an open discussion when you both are not on the same page for your career goals. If you are a performer who has representation right now that is functioning as your boss, or if you are afraid to communicate with your agent or manager, the arrangement may also be worth a second look. Please remember these words. They work for you. Is this rep actually serving you? 3. Agents and managers are only as powerful as the tools you give them. What does this mean? It means they need to have all the business tools possible to sell your performing prowess. We can break it down to some of these things: • • • • • • •

112

Headshots are up to date; Resumes are up to date; Your profiles on the casting sites are up to date; Applicable video material is accessible for them to use for submissions; You are networking and meeting industry folks, so when they submit you, the industry will recognize you and your talents; You know where you fit in your market and can elaborate that to your Reps; and, You can give them your branding statement and other applicable marketing materials to pitch you for jobs.

The above are the main ways you, as a proactive performer, do 90% of the work to help your agent or manager help and serve you! Ask yourself which of these things you are missing if your agent or manager aren’t getting you auditions or if you want to look for representation. Get them all in order before you reach out, or get these tools to your reps ASAP if you are feeling frustrated with their lack of getting you those coveted audition appointments. 4. As a performer, you must be ready to give up some control and trust the partnership you will create with your representation (or soon-to-be rep). You must be willing to STAY IN YOUR LANE and allow them to do their job. What does this mean? You can absolutely help them along the way when you hear of projects that are casting that you might be right for. But please do not be the actor who goes to them and says, “Hey, my friend got this audition, how come I didn’t” or “how come I’m not getting any auditions?” It’s rude, and it tells them you don’t trust them. If you don’t trust them to do their job, they aren’t the rep for you. If you aren’t willing to give up 10% of control to let them do the job you hired them to do, then maybe now isn’t the time to have representation. 5. Lastly, getting representation can be a slow process. Agents and managers are ultra-focused on their current clients and getting them work because that is how they make money. Expect that getting an agent or a manager will be a journey and may require follow-up to get a response. They may not get back to you right away and may not be looking to add new clients to their roster.

113

Chapter 30

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AN AGENT & MANAGER Agents and managers serve two completely different purposes, even though some of their duties may overlap. Keep these differences in mind when you begin to seek representation so you choose the best partnership for you and your goals.

A PERFORMING ARTIST AGENT I find that the easiest way to explain the duties of a performing artist AGENT is to compare them in terms to a real estate agent. What does a real estate agent do? They list your property, they advertise it, they show it and coordinate it to/with buyers/renters (and their real estate agents) who are interested, and then they negotiate your sale. THAT’S IT!!!! And, much like a performing artist agent, they make only a very small commission when they sell or rent a property. This too, relatively speaking, is what a performing artist agent does. An agent lists you on their “roster” of clients and on applicable websites where job opportunities are located. They then submit you to these potential job opportunities and advertise you via pitches to the people associated with these opportunities. They become the gobetween for you and those affiliated with the opportunity, gathering all the audition appointment information. When you book the job, they negotiate the contract. That’s it! 114

While you may work with an agent for many years, he or she is interested in making money with you right now, so you must be an applicable commodity to the job opportunities available in your current market. This means if the only jobs currently available for performers in your market are in procedural dramas in the vein of “Law and Order” and you do only sitcoms, more than likely an Agent wouldn’t be interested in adding you to their roster. You wouldn’t be right for any of the job opportunities they are currently submitting clients to. Much like a real estate agent, they are working with a lot of clients to earn enough commissions to afford to live. If you aren’t a commodity to them at the moment for the job market and won’t be able to potentially add to their income in any way, they may, at the moment, not be interested in representing you. Don’t let this discourage you if you are looking for an agent and aren’t right for anything currently in your market. Things are constantly shifting. While now may not be the right time, things could change very quickly. Do your research and keep up with trends of the projects happening in your market. That will greatly inform you of when might be the right time to reach out to an agent. Lastly, agents who represent clients in the unions SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association are also signed to an agreement with those unions that adhere them to a set of rules they must follow. These include limiting commissions to 10% from each client and covers other things to add a level of protection for the performer. For every job you book via your agent, if you are a union member, you will give them 10% of everything you make during a work day. This also may include, depending on the contract, any residuals, overages, and any extra income the job opportunity brings to you once you finish the actual work itself. Because a non-union agent doesn’t have to follow any union agreement, it is not out of the norm for a non-union agent to charge anywhere between 10%-20% BUT make sure that is something you agree to. You may be able to negotiate this percentage. Also, make sure you have done your due diligence confirming the agent is a legitimate member of the business as there are a lot of scammers out there ready to take full advantage of actors who don’t know any better.

115

Take note! You should never pay any agent any fees upfront EVER. THEY ONLY MAKE MONEY WHEN YOU BOOK WORK via auditions they get you.

A PERFORMING ARTIST MANAGER A manager serves a different purpose from an acting agent. I like to compare them to a building manager of an apartment building. If you don’t live in apartment building or have never experienced having a Management Company within your living situation, let me explain. A building manager or management firm manages all aspects of a building. This includes, but is not limited to, renting out the units, repairing the building, paying the utilities on behalf of the owners, troubleshooting and fixing building issues, and lastly, overseeing the health and welfare of the building for the long term. This is, in essence, what a manager for a performing artist does, except it’s all geared towards a performing artist’s career. A manager would help you manage your entire career. Now what could that mean? That may mean working with an agent to coordinate schedules for auditions and being part of the negotiations for a project. They may keep your calendar regarding all your opportunities. They will advise you on whether taking a project is beneficial for your career and goals. They will potentially introduce you to people in the business who can help grow your career. They “may” submit you for job opportunities (if you don’t have an agent to do it for you). They will pitch your talents for projects. They will help you get an agent and more! Overall, a manager is heavily involved and invested in your career at all levels and over the entirety of your career and even in all realms of your performing arts business (if you do more than acting). Unlike agents, managers do not have an agreement with the unions. However, they are regulated in some states by laws governing what they can and can’t do. It’s set up this way so that managers can’t take advantage of a performer. (If these regulations interest you, please research them on your own.) 116

With this in mind, managers typically take anywhere between 10%-20%. They charge more than agents because they are technically more involved in helping you manage your career versus just being the go-between for getting you jobs. It’s also good to remember that managers aren’t just taking commissions from jobs you book via the appointments or contacts they may get you BUT also from anything related to your career as a whole. Can you have both an agent and a manager? YES! You can. I do. My agent submits me for jobs and negotiates contracts. My manager also in some cases submits and pitches me for jobs (in many cases they tag-team it to help ensure I get in the pile to be considered for opportunities.) My manager also helps me with lots of career advice/trajectory, negotiates contracts for my other performing artist endeavors, and does so much more! Whether you need an agent or a manager or both is very much an individual decision. Take into consideration all of the things I have mentioned above when doing your research.

BONUS! How do you determine whether or not an agent or manager is going to scam you: 1. As I said earlier, no one should take any money upfront EVER! You may have to pay some fees to list yourself on reputable casting sites they use to submit you for projects, but you can also research if the sites they ask you to list yourself on are actual legit audition sites for paid projects and not just them making you pay a fee to be listed in a database no one ever is going to look at. 2. Agents or managers should not require you to go to “their” headshot photographer, acting coach, or other collaborators to spend money before working with them. Agents and managers will recommend you to people to help you level up your work, but under no circumstances should you ever feel obligated to spend money and work with the people they refer you to

117

before or even after they add you to their roster. If there is any requirement of this nature, this is probably a scheme to fill their pockets with income and they quite possibly will drop you once you pay. 3. Look up the company that is affiliated with the agent or manager on the Better Business Bureau website and make sure there are no complaints. 4. Make sure they have clients who are working! This is easy to find out using social media. Much of the time, agents and managers like to promote their clients successes on their social media platforms. Do a deep dive and see if someone is reputable and gets their clients work. 5. Reach out to some of their clients via their websites or social media and ask them if they enjoy working with the rep and if they are getting auditions. I’ve been contacted numerous times about how my experiences have been working with my representatives and am always happy to give honest feedback. Don’t be shy to get feedback from your peers who are already repped by the agents and managers you are interested in working with.

118

Chapter 31

FINDING AGENTS AND MANAGERS TO TARGET You are ready to reach out to an agent or a manager, but how do you find one that is right for you? Let’s dive in! The first big thing that you must know is there can be a lot of differences in the types of clients’ agents or managers represent.

Let me give you some examples. Some agents work with only a small number of clients (known as boutique agencies), and some agents have a huge roster (they are usually top-tier agents). And then there is really anything in between. You can tell how many clients an agent represents by Googling, looking at their websites, visiting IMDb, and even asking the performing unions for the listings of their clients. Some agents and managers specialize in working with varying types or ages of people. For example, some may be focused only on working with children. Others may represent only models. Some may work with the more mature crowd. Or another may work with only those who speak more than one language. Doing your research via a Google search, visiting social media pages, looking at their clients’ websites, etc., will tell you if an agent or a manager is focused on a specific clientele. Some agents or managers may work only with non-union actors. This may be very enticing for those of you looking for a starter agency 119

if you are just entering the market and are not a member of any union. Again, do your research in the methods mentioned in the previous paragraphs to make sure they are legit. Some agents or managers work only with actors in a specific genre. For instance, an agent may represent only actors in television and film. Another agent or manager may represent only performers for commercials. And there are other agents and managers who represent clients across-the-board, which means they represent clients in all areas. Some agencies employ agents who represent TV/film actors and others for commercial actors. Depending on your needs, you may need to reach out to more than one agent within an agency or a management company. Some agents and managers only work with performers in their market where they are located and others may work with performers based in other areas. Again, some deep diving in your research will help to show you which ones do. Lastly, some agents or managers will take newly graduated clients or newer performers to the business. Others only want performers with some roles and decent credits under their belt. What do you need to take from this? Doing your research is key! There are literally hundreds of agents and managers out there. Take the time to research to see if they are a good fit for you, your talents, where you are in your career right now, the market you live in, and more. The more you research the better you will able to pitch yourself to the appropriate reps and be successful in making them want to work with you. Now the question remains, what is the best way to research them? First do an internet search for performing arts/acting agents and managers in your city or the major performing arts hub closest to you. Make sure to also add key words to your search that can help narrow it down, such as the genre in which you work and your union status. Do several searches trying different keywords to make sure you have covered your bases and make a list of your findings.

120

Search examples for an actor located in NYC could look like this: • • • •

“NYC Theatrical Representation” “NYC Acting Agents” “NYC TV & Film Agents” “NYC SAG AGENTS”

That said, there is possibly an easier way to start your search. Online you can find lists, books, PDFs, and even websites that have all-encompassing and searchable agent/manager listings pre-made for you. You may have to buy a subscription to access them, but they might be great places to start narrowing your options. My caveats with this method is that you will want to make sure the list is fairly current (updated within the past 6 months to a year) and that whatever you find, you take all the information with a grain of salt. This list is not the be-all and end-all of your search. You will still need to research those names and companies and ensure the information is still correct. Now, what do you do? Start to narrow down the list you compiled in what I call the FIRST ELIMINATION ROUND. You will want to go through the list and eliminate agents or managers who don’t apply to you. Put your focus where you can glean actual results. DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME, ENERGY, AND MONEY REACHING OUT TO AGENTS OR MANAGERS THAT DON’T APPLY TO YOUR SKILL SET, TALENTS, AND LEVEL YOU ARE AT RIGHT NOW! Not sure how to figure this out. Again, Google each agent or manager on your list and see what pops up. That usually tells you who they represent. A great place for additional information is to go to their websites and their social media. Like I stated in the last chapter, most agents and managers have taken to sharing their client wins on social media, and this can immediately help you to know whether or not it’s the right fit for you. For example, let’s say you are just entering the market after graduating school and you want to work in TV/film but you have very few credits to your name. You wouldn’t want to waste your time and energy contacting an agent or manager who has clients booking series regular roles (which tend to require more experienced performers) 121

and no clients booking the more beginner co-star level roles (which would be more realistic to where you are at right now in your career). You would probably be more successful finding a rep who has clients with actors booking the more entry-level acting jobs. Besides the obvious internet search, you can also research agents by asking the performer unions for lists of agents and their clients. That will give you great insight on the types of actors they want to work with and the level those actors are at in their career. In addition, IMDbPro is a great tool for this as well. You can type the representative’s name into IMDb and a list of their clients will pop up ranked in order of their STAR meter, which tracks that actor’s level of public exposure. As you research, make note of why a certain representative appeals to you. Remember, this business is all about building relationships and being personal and relatable. If you take good notes while you do your research, you will have ample information to use in your cover letter pitches as well. (We will get to this in the next chapter.) Soon you will have generated a list of representatives that match your needs.

122

Chapter 32

HOW TO PITCH AN AGENT OR MANAGER Pitching makes use of the branding you thought about in Chapter 14. Skipped it or need a refresher? Now is the time to read it or refresh your familiarity with branding. Your branding statement is just as integral to pitching an agent or a manager as it is to submitting yourself to casting notices for auditions.

COVER LETTER Let’s first talk about the cover letter. In an earlier chapter, we discussed writing cover letters to casting professionals to get auditions. Now let’s look at how to tweak it to pitch an agent or manager. We will use the same prototype actors from earlier, Jane Doe and John Doe. PARAGRAPH 1 Introduce yourself with your branding and state what type of representation you are seeking. THE FIRST PARAGRAPH of your cover letter is one or two sentences in which you introduce yourself using your branding and state what kind of representation you are seeking. 123

PARAGRAPH 1 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE Hi there! I’m your fun-loving sweetheart, and I’d appreciate being considered for theatre representation! PARAGRAPH 1 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE Hello! I’m your open-hearted and charming gentle giant and would appreciate being considered for representation across-the-board. PARAGRAPH 2 Delve deeper and answer their need. THE SECOND PARAGRAPH delves deeper into why this particular agent or manager appeals to you. Think about this paragraph as not only sharing with them why you chose to reach out to this specific person for consideration but also to help them to know that you are a very marketable actor who can make them money. Here you can also add any specific details you find online about them that might apply to you to help open up a conversation and show you have done your research, and may also help you appeal to them on a more personal level. PARAGRAPH 2 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE I noticed your agency handles actors who play live-action animated characters on Broadway and beyond, and I thought that my history playing these types of parts would make me an excellent addition to your roster. As you can see by the specificity of Jane Doe’s second paragraph, she has done her research and knows her history of playing animated characters would appeal to this rep. PARAGRAPH 2 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE My affinity for playing lovable bad guys and your penchant for repping actors who seem to play the bad boy, or villains in the independent 124

films, would perhaps make me an excellent addition to your roster. I noticed from the client list on your website you don’t yet have anyone of my stature and someone who has a penchant for playing more monstertype roles. In addition, I read you went to the University of Kingston. I, too, graduated from that University and am always happy to meet fellow alumni. Again, like Jane Doe, John has done his research. He has seen this particular agent represents those who play villains but also has noticed that he can fill a niche as there is no one of his stature on his client list. In addition, in his research, he has seen that this particular agent has gone to the same school as him and points it out in the paragraph to show he has not only done his research, but they both have something in common. PARAGRAPH 3 This is the nitty-gritty business stuff: • • • •

Headshot/resume attached; Self-tapes/video links attached; Website mentioned or linked; and, Any other things needed.

THE THIRD PARAGRAPH, much like that in our casting letter earlier, is where we get into the nitty-gritty but necessary business stuff that should be included in your submission. This includes but isn’t limited to your headshot/resume, links to your work, places they can see you perform right now, your IMDb, or other appropriate links. Once again, you can write this in paragraph form, or you can do it using bullet points. Just be clear and concise and make it easy and quick to read. PARAGRAPH 3 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE My headshot and resume are attached. My website is janedoe.com, and please check out my JaneDoeYouTube.com for videos of my previous work as many other fictional characters. 125

PARAGRAPH 3 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE Attached is my headshot/resume. Please visit the following to see my work: • JohnDoe.com • IMDb PARAGRAPH 4 This is where you will reference that you are a proactive performer (doing 90% of the work) and indicate some of your current industry connections, as well as roles/projects you are appropriate for in your current market. THE FOURTH PARAGRAPH is an additional paragraph specifically for agents and managers that is not included in the casting letters discussed in a previous chapter. In this paragraph, you will either want to provide in a few sentences or attach in a short list form a networking and castability “list,” to showcase that you are doing 90% of the work towards your career goals. A networking list names important people in the business who know you. A castability list names roles or projects you are right for right now in your market. These lists aren’t all-encompassing, and I’m not asking you to provide a book. But it should be a “highlight reel” to showcase how much of a proactive performer you are and that you are indeed doing 90% of the work for your career, as well as showcase that you are a commodity and can currently make them money! Here are a few examples of how to include this in your cover letter. PARAGRAPH 4 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE As it applies to our potential partnership, I have been a proactive actress in our market for the past 5 years. Many casting directors, including Jim Doe, Johnson Doe, and Janice Doe, are all familiar with my work. In addition, there seems to be an onslaught of classic animated films moving to staged musicals. I’d be great for any of these leading ladies. 126

PARAGRAPH 4 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE My networking savvy is strong, and I know most of the TV/film casting directors who cast films that include monster roles. In addition, I see that Joe Simon and his producing partners are currently making a dozen or so films to which I’d be a great addition. Please see the attached list for more info! (John Doe would then attach a list that looks something like this:) Casting directors who know my work: Janice Doe Johnson Doe Jeff Doe

Called me in to audition for “MONSTERS ALWAYS” Brought me in to audition for the producers of “MONSTERS IN THE PARK” Had me audition via several self-tapes for various independent film projects

Projects I’m currently right for: • • •

“MONSTERS ARE LOVED” (TV Series) “MONSTERS UNDER THE BED” on the MONSTER network “MONSTERS IN THE BACKYARD” (currently filming)

For those of you who are confused about whom to include in a networking list/paragraph, here are some suggestions. 1. Casting directors and theatres that have called you in for appointments or called you back (and then also list the projects they were for); 2. Casting directors/creatives you have met in workshops and showcases who said great things about your talents; 3. Other important industry professionals who know your work or you have worked with that aren’t on your resume (Examples: choreographers, musical directors, directors, producers, theatre owners, etc.) This way, if an agent sees a casting notice listing any of the people on your networking list, they know they can send a push that says you know them, and it will work in your favor to get you the audition appointment. 127

If you are just starting out in the business, you may not have a huge networking list. That’s okay! An agent considering you for representation wouldn’t expect a large list of names. What they are looking for, however, is proof you have taken steps to begin meeting industry professionals. And, perhaps if you are just starting out and you don’t have any networking contacts yet, it may be worth waiting until you build a base of people who know you and your work before contacting an agent or manager. Either way, ensuring that the agent or manager knows you are being proactive and working towards your own career success is key. PARAGRAPH 5 A note of thanks and call to action. THE FIFTH PARAGRAPH is essentially your note of thanks and also the time when you say you will follow up in a few weeks if you haven’t heard from them. PARAGRAPH 5 FOR OUR ACTRESS: JANE DOE Thanks so much for the consideration. I’d appreciate a meeting to discuss a potential partnership, and I’ll follow up in a few weeks if I don’t hear from you. PARAGRAPH 5 FOR OUR ACTOR: JOHN DOE Let me know if you need anything else! I’d love to schedule a meeting to chat. If I don’t hear from you in two weeks, I’ll make sure to follow up! Thanks so much! Now you have your cover letter! Of course, it should be tweaked for your unique talents and personality and even tailored for each agent or manager when you send it out. Make sure to make the above template your own regardless of whether it’s a hard copy, email, or even in a note form.

128

Chapter 33

AGENT/MANAGER FOLLOW-UP As mentioned earlier, agents and managers may take quite a bit of time to respond (if they do at all), so you need to decide how you are going to follow up. Consider following up with a phone call. Sometimes emails end up in spam or mail gets lost! Now some of you may be yelling a PHONE CALL? Ack! Everyone always says not to call. Well, are you sure about that? Make sure to read the details you find online or in doing your research about preferred ways of communication. Remember there are no rules but preferences and they are different for everyone. And, yes, even I will say that it is not a great idea to call an agent or a manager to make a first inquiry about representation because they have no clue who you are yet. However, a follow-up phone call, after reaching out with a cover letter/email, is savvier and more appropriate because you have already made the introduction and have stated that you will follow up! If you already told them you would be calling, then this is not an unsolicited phone call but a means of communicating with them about a potential collaboration. If you are still not convinced, let me share with you the awesome story of how my client Dillon got her rep! Dillon and I met in an acting class, and she became my client when she started looking for representation. Dillon wanted to approach the process from a business savvy perspective in the hopes it would pay off quickly to glean rep! Well, it worked. First, she reached out via emails to numerous agents and managers she had found via her online search who matched her 129

talents and her current level in the business. And then, a few weeks later, just as I instructed, she followed up with a phone call. No one yelled at her; no one told her she shouldn’t have called. Instead, quite the opposite happened. Several of those reps went to their email and found hers, opened it, and chatted with her. One even called her in for a meeting. Her initial email had gone into spam, and the rep was actually glad she had called so they could chat and set up an in-person appointment to talk about working together. Guess who got a rep after the phone call follow-ups! Dillon did! Woo-hoo! I hope this inspires you to take this scary follow-up action as well. Other ways to follow up would be to take a workshop with an agent or a manager or to send a postcard if you are in a show. You could also send via hard copy mail or email some more intel about you as a performer (perhaps letting them know you are following up because you just updated your website or you got new photos or you booked a job). I suggest making a follow-up schedule for every two to four weeks after you initially meet or reach out to a rep. This not only keeps you on track but ensures you keep tabs on who is responsive and who is not.

130

Chapter 34

OTHER WAYS TO GET REP While the most traditional way of reaching out to an agent or a manager is via a mailed cover letter submission or an email, both with all applicable material attached, there are other ways to get representation. Remember, as I said in the beginning of this book, there are no rules. So here are a few more ways to get an agent or a manager: • • • •

Workshops and pay-to-plays (we will discuss soon); Networking events; Referrals from friends and colleagues; and, They see you perform and seek you out.

Whichever way you choose to contact (or through circumstance meet) an agent or manager, they can all lead to success in adding a member to your team. Let me give you the BEST example that there is no one-size-fits-all formula to getting rep! ME! This will also demonstrate to you to keep in mind that a lot of relationships don’t last forever, and you may have to look for representation again (and possibly multiple times). I have had five agents in my almost 25-year career and one manager for almost the entirety of those years. My agents changed because some retired or left the business. In one case, an agent had a disagreement with another member of my team about another client entirely. They in turn dropped all the clients, including me, that they represented 131

that were in collaboration with the other member of my team! Yikes! So, again, you never know what might happen, but here is how I got representation. My first agent I got through a mailing. It was not a relationship that I saw going anywhere, so I subsequently sought new rep. This second rep I got via a seminar (a “pay-to-play”). It took some following up on my part for him to sign me, but it happened. He subsequently left the business. I was on the hunt again and did another mailing. I got the most wonderful agent who several years later, due to a series of events, became my manager and is one of the BIGGEST SUPPORTERS of my career…thank you, Naomi! (Who is still with me by the way and I can’t do anything without!) I was subsequently left agentless, and this time around, an agent FOUND ME! I was performing in two shows at once Off-Broadway. A client of this agent saw me play Fanny Brice (and I didn’t even know them by the way, and still have no idea who this client was), BUT they told their agent they needed to represent me. This agent called me and eventually signed me, and WE were together for several years. However, that relationship came to an abrupt end when he dropped a bunch of clients from his roster. Needless to say, that was unexpected and left me on the hunt for yet another agent. This time, my manager connected me to my current agent. The moral of this story is there is no single way to get representation. But making sure the tools I have given you here are ready will ensure you are well-prepared when the opportunity arrives.

132

Chapter 35

GOT REP? HELP YOUR AGENT HELP YOU! You have the agent and are ready for the audition appointments to pour in. Before you wait for the phone to ring, let’s look at even more proactive ways to help your agent help you. Remember, the work doesn’t EVER stop, even when you have an agent or a manager!

Prepare for auditions before you get them! First, ensure you have the appropriate audition material ready for any foreseeable audition appointment that could come. In a previous chapter, I spoke about having footage available on the casting websites showcasing your talents. Once you have representation (and honestly even if you don’t), you want to have additional ultra-specific material ready to perform for the projects that you are currently right for that could be used in an actual audition setting or self-tape situation. For you theatre folks reading this, this process may even include learning the actual material for the roles you are currently appropriate for if those possibilities could come your way. Why take this proactive approach? Well, let’s look at the theatre first. In order to save time and money, casting directors give auditioners a packet of material from the show/role. You never perform your own material. And, more often than not, actors have very little time to learn the material before the audition. 133

In my own experience, I’ve gotten auditions with tons of material to learn with less than 24 hours’ notice. Take it from me. It helps if you can prepare long before the audition even comes your way. Save yourself heartache, headache, and let’s face it, a ton of stress learning material and getting it performance-ready in a short window of time. If you have access to scripts and scores of shows currently being produced, learn the material NOW! Even if you don’t book the job, you have spent time learning the role, and you will at least showcase your best talents in the audition room (having not had to cram for the audition). You will leave them with a solid view of you and your talents that could get you another job or prepare you for another shot at the same role if the show comes around again! Theatre folks, do these above ideas whet your appetite to get to work, but you are not sure what jobs could be coming up that you could prepare for in advance? Well, read Backstage and other trades to see what shows theaters are doing when they announce their seasons, and start working on the material from these shows as soon as you see the announcements. If you are an on-screen actor and know there are certain series you match, then there are things you can do as well! Take time to find scenes and monologues that mirror the shows you can be in (or glean the actual scripts of the shows online via a Google search or type them out yourself) and then practice, practice, practice. Basically, while you may not have actual scripts of future episodes that you could audition for, you can work on getting the tone and pacing into your body so that when an audition comes along for a specific show, it will not take you long to learn the audition material and have it performance-ready quickly. Like theatre, television and film auditions tend to come with very little lead time to learn the material, so anything you can do to give yourself a leg up is helpful. I have found this to be my saving grace when auditioning for shows that require tons of jargon (i.e., legal or medical terms) because those types of scripts can be challenging for me.

134

Always be auditioning Be diligent about attending open calls, and taking classes from casting directors and creatives (directors, choreographers, writers, etc.) where there are roles or potential opportunities that could come along that you are right for! Not only does any of the above nurture your relationships with casting and anyone else behind the table, which in turn helps your agent or manager help you, but it guarantees no opportunity goes unturned. Keep in mind too that most agents and managers get only one or two appointments for every role, so hedge your bets by getting seen at the open calls if they are offered. It will help you possibly be in the front of a casting director’s mind when your rep submits you for a project so you could potentially get one of the two appointments to audition.

Continue keeping that industry networking list. We spoke about a networking list in the HOW TO GET AN AGENT chapter of the book. This networking list continues to expand as your career progresses. From a business standpoint, keep a running list of industry types you have met and worked with in classes, as well as those that have called you back and those with which you have a more personal relationship. Keep the list in an accessible Google document link or give an updated list of names to your agent or manager as needed, so they are always “in the know” about who you know!

Keep your casting profiles up to date. Make sure all submission accounts are up-to-date with current credits, photos, and, most importantly, video! Also, have a performer website as well as videos online that are easily findable so that your agent can send people there for additional information on your talents. Check in with all your profiles online every quarter or every other quarter to ensure nothing needs to be added or changed for the current climate. 135

Odds and Ends Answer emails and phone calls in a timely manner. Don’t be that performer that takes a long time to reply. Your rep has a job to do. Don’t keep them waiting. Book out (meaning let your reps know) all your days you will be unavailable to audition or work so that they won’t have set appointments for when you are gone and then have to disappoint casting by canceling them. We are all human. No one will hold it against you for taking a vacation and/or living your life. Just be honest with them when you can’t work.

Share the Victories! Share with your agent or manager via email career victories that you got on your own. Show your reps that you are pushing for your career to take flight, whether it be callbacks, requested second songs, singing in a benefit, producing a play, etc.

Appointment follow-up Always reach out to your agent or a manager after an audition appointment to tell them how it went. Be honest whether it was good, bad, or if you think something will come of it or if it bodes well for another appointment in the future.

136

SECTION 6

UNIONS

137

138

Chapter 36

UNIONS AVAILABLE TO THE PERFORMER There are numerous unions for actors. In the United States, they consist of AEA (Actors’ Equity Association), SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild & American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, and AGVA (American Guild of Variety Artists). I’m not going to delve into how to join or how they represent actors. This information is readily found on their websites. As a proactive performer reading this book, if you aren’t already a member, take the time to go to the union websites and become familiar with them so that you can educate yourself on what they do and how they serve to protect performers. With that said, a topic that I often discuss with clients is, “When should I join?” Let’s dive in.

139

Chapter 37

WHEN TO JOIN THE UNION As an actor, if you want to be working the high-level jobs (the roles in major motion pictures, on network/streaming television, on Broadway, and large-scale production shows in big venues), with a few exceptions, most of these jobs require membership in one of the three performer unions. These unions serve you to create workplace regulations and livable wages. They protect the performer by laying out strict regulations to producers and give you some semblance of being treated professionally, not just with your wages and a safe work environment but with contributions to your health insurance and pension. The big question then becomes when is the right time to join the union once you become eligible. Joining the unions is a definite stepping stone when, depending on your market, there could be plenty of non-union jobs that could keep you potentially performing if you so choose. And, with that in mind, joining a union potentially closes the door to those non-union opportunities. However, if you want to achieve bigger dreams and goals and work on those higher-level projects, union membership may just be what you need to do. Here are things I recommend considering when you are weighing the possibility of joining. FIRST, ask yourself if you are ready to compete in a union market. As a potential new member of any of union, you have to remember that there will always be other actors already in the union who are more established than you, potentially even stars who do what you do 140

and are of the same age and similar type who are already working that would absolutely be competing for the jobs you would be auditioning for. SECOND, ask yourself honestly, can you compete with them? Are you ready to be in the waiting room beside them for an audition and know you can walk into the audition room after their audition and knock it out of the park so much so that despite the other actor’s street cred you book the job. If you are now thinking, “I’m not so sure,” don’t be discouraged. Maybe before spending the money to join a union, you invest money into a class or two or four (however many you need) to get to the competitive audition level before you jump headfirst into becoming a union member. Or, maybe this means leveling up your marketing materials, demo reels, etc., before making the transition. Perhaps you don’t even have an agent or a manager yet to submit you for the possibility of the bigger auditions. Maybe you should consider getting an agent or manager first. On the opposite side of the spectrum, if you have been going in for union jobs regardless of union membership, or maybe you have been working in your market for years and know all the casting directors, and they call you in regularly, or perhaps you have an agent or a manager wanting you to join for more opportunities they see you may be missing, then taking the leap and joining may be what you need to do. The above scenarios are a few things you can weigh. There is no right or wrong time to join. Every actor has their own unique journey of when, how, and why they joined. And it should also be said that I am an avid supporter of joining the unions, and none of the above is said to deter you or influence you either way. I only mention the above because investing several thousand dollars into union memberships (probably more if you are joining more than one union) only benefits you from union work that you book. To book that work, you need to be sure you are ready to compete at that level; otherwise, you are just throwing money away that could be used to help your acting career in other ways until you are ready to book the work.

141

MY UNION JOINING STORY I said everyone’s joining story is unique, so I think it is important to share with you my journey joining AEA and SAG-AFTRA to showcase that once again your journey in and of itself will be unique to you. Many moons ago (the early 2000s), I had worked in NYC for seven-plus years as a non-union actor (more if you add in the extra six years or so of professional work I did before moving to the city). I did all kinds of non-union jobs. Tours, dinner theatre, regional jobs, Actors Equity theatre as a non-union member, television, film, and more. I had been offered my Actors’ Equity union card first through earning points (a system that has since gone away as of the writing of this book) right out of high school and once again during college performing summer stock gigs. All these times, I chose not to take the points because I knew I wasn’t ready to compete at a union level. Then, once I was working in the market and had subsequently gone to Los Angeles for about six months post 9/11 shutdown, I earned three SAG waivers shooting the television show “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” It was glorified featured background work, and I had to do it under a SAG waiver because it was so featured. (Side note: If you enjoy watching the show, you can see me in the fourth season as one of her silent college friends.) While shooting “Buffy,” I still chose not to become a full SAG member because I wasn’t going in for the larger SAG speaking roles. I still needed to build my resume and I knew non-union work was how I was going to do that in the TV/film world. Upon returning to New York City, as the city reopened after 9-11, I started working in soap operas. There was barely any non-union work in soaps, and it had fallen into my lap. So I had to join AFTRA to work (this was before SAG and AFTRA merged into one union). A few years later, SAG merged with AFTRA, and I automatically was grandfathered into that union. Luckily the timing was perfect, as by this time, it was several years later, and I was ready to become a full-fledged member. I had actively been meeting and auditioning for some bigger projects and casting directors, and, by this point, I also had representation and had built up a solid resume of work.

142

Upon becoming a SAG-AFTRA member, because I was now ready, I started booking independent films and auditioning for big network shows. It took about eight years before I booked my first significant co-star role that turned recurring on the HBO series “The Plot Against America.” (Another side note: If you watched the show, you are probably wondering where did I go? Well, my big scene ended up on the cutting room floor, and I was only featured for a moment in another episode. Don’t feel too bad for me. This role has opened many other doors to more Series Regular and Recurring Guest Star roles and was a highlight in showing me how far I had come in my actor journey. Also, it’s good for you to know if you are less experienced in the TV/ film landscape, that this kind of thing happens all the time to everyone in this business, so be prepared.) Now, how did I get my Actors’ Equity card? I was still doing nonunion theatre work, and I was at a dinner theatre job in a small Amish town in Pennsylvania. It was fun at first but very quickly turned sour. Our paychecks stopped coming. And the treatment of the performers as professionals was waning. Little did we know then that the theatre was going bankrupt and on the verge of shutting down. I had to get a lawyer to get my paychecks, and that’s when I knew I was done with being a non-union actor. I wanted protection from a union. Had I been on a union theatre job, the theatre would have been required to put a contingency of money down first with the union before I would have started the contract that would of been paid to me and/or the union would have stepped in and helped me to seek the money owed from the theatre if something went awry. After this dinner theatre job ended, I walked myself into Actors’ Equity and joined. I was eligible, having worked principal work in SAG. I knew I was ready and at a competitive level because by that time, I had the experience of working on AEA jobs (as a non-union member) and seven previous years to nurture my relationships with casting directors on that side of the business. I was happy to have trusted my instincts because six months after joining I booked the job “The Kid From Brooklyn, The Danny Kaye Musical” that, as you read in an earlier chapter, would change the trajectory of my career and directly align me to performing in two Off-Broadway musicals at the same time and start what has now been a ten-plus year journey playing Fanny Brice. 143

So, as you can see, my journey to joining the unions is quite unique, and I hope this inspires you to make your own decisions about when the time is right for you to join. There is no wrong answer. It is just when the time is right for YOU.

144

SECTION 7

NETWORKING

145

146

Chapter 38

NETWORKING Networking is a huge part of the biz. Networking means meeting and nurturing casting and creative relationships that could potentially bring work your way in years to come. Much of the time, getting work can be more about who you know and who knows you than your talent. I mean, wouldn’t you want to work with your best friend versus a total stranger? Due to this, we have to find ways to meet the people and get to know and develop positive relationships over the long term with those who can hire us.

NETWORKING VIA YOUR CIRCLE The first way to network is through your circle of friends and people you already work with, whether it’s networking at parties or in gigs you are hired on, or even in a “day job” sort of situation. Over time you nurture these relationships via social media or being in contact when it’s warranted for a possible collaboration in the future.

NETWORKING VIA WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS (aka “Pay-To-Play”)

The second way to network is through workshops and seminars, also known as “pay-to-play.” Workshops exist all over the country, and many are now available virtually, for which you pay to meet casting directors, agents, and other creatives either in a class or “one-on-one” interview setting. 147

These types of workshops have been controversial because you are, in essence, paying to meet those that can hire you. Therefore, I recommend keeping it kosher (status quo). As I like to say, don’t look at them as job interviews; instead, take a more realistic and proactive positive approach. Treat these classes as a wonderful and intimate way to introduce your talents and begin a dialogue that you can then grow over the course of your career. In these workshops and seminars, you might get to perform material of your own choosing, or you may be assigned material. You might perform it with a reader, or you may be partnered with someone in class. You may even read with the creatives themselves. Then, more often than not, you will get some constructive criticism on how to improve your work. You may also have a one-on-one discussion about your acting career and potentially get a chance to ask your own questions about the business. In my own experiences, I have enjoyed taking these workshops. It has led me to several opportunities as a performer over the long term as I have gotten to know the casting person or creative. But more importantly, these workshops have allowed me to get to know those in the business I might not otherwise get to meet personally. It has also helped me to get clear on the roles I’m right for in my market (as indicated by the work being assigned to me in these classes).They are opportunities to practice my audition skills and of course, show off my talents. Here are some things I recommend considering when you are deciding which classes to take so that you work smarter and not harder and hopefully don’t break the bank as well.

Pro Tips For Pay-To-Play 1. Use the classes as a way to open the door to start a relationship that can then be nurtured for years to come. 2. Do your homework! Research who the casting or creative is and what they do/cast. 3. Consider meeting those with whom a collaboration would be mutually beneficial (meaning someone looking for an actor with your skill set for their current projects).

148

4. Shop around to get the best deal. Many creatives teach at different studios. 5. Present your best self by looking like you do when you go to an audition. 6. Have a professional self-tape set up for the class if you are doing virtual workshops. 7. If you bring your own material, make sure it shows you off in the best way in roles you can be cast in now. There’s no sense in spending money if you can’t come into class ready to show yourself off in the best light, which will allow the casting director or whoever is watching you to not only see you at your best but then work with you to take your performance to a whole new level!

NETWORKING VIA EMAIL & MAIL You can also network with casting directors and creatives via email and hard-copy mail. Personally, I’ve always found this works best as a way to continue the conversation with those I’ve met over the years. I tend to reach out quarterly via postcard or email (depending on the types of methods of communication they prefer and the addresses with which I’ve been given to connect with them) to let them know any applicable updates in my career, like when I have new headshots or a new reel, or have booked an amazing job! I also reach out once I’ve met someone if I find out they are casting something I am right for and want to let them know I would like to be considered. I love email because communication is fast and easy. But for hardcopy mail, I love to use postcards. I can create them fast and easy on a bevy of different websites including my favorite, Canva, and then print them using another service called VistaPrint. The cost is minimal, and I can create postcards that not only showcase my personality and branding but also provide all the information I want to impart in a way that is not very time-consuming. This packs a big punch for someone on a tight budget.

149

Check out some of the postcards I’ve created over time!

Fronts

Backs

PERFORMING Get into a show if you can. Then, if this show becomes something you can be proud of, networking with those you have met or want to work with can be as simple as sending them an invitation to your performance. And, remember, if a performing opportunity isn’t presenting itself, then create your own. Even if it’s as small as something performancerelated going viral on TikTok, it can open a dialogue between you and a casting director, agent, or another member of a creative team.

IT’S A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT The last piece to networking is remembering that it’s a long game. It’s about consistency in cultivating your relationships however you choose to network that will prove fruitful as your career progresses. From networking, I’ve gotten auditions, and jobs, and I have cultivated relationships on a more personal level with many creative and casting directors that I know will help my performing career for years to come. Fellow proactive performers! Get networking! It’s never too late to begin! 150

Chapter 39

DAY JOBS The reality is every performer will need a day job at some point in their career to “support” their performing endeavors in order to help those dreams and goals come to fruition. And, let’s be honest, finding that perfect day job can be tough. Before you rush into taking any old money-making offer that comes your way, consider these four tips that not only keep the paychecks coming in but can also positively enhance, complement, and potentially bring more performing endeavors your way.

ENHANCE YOUR NETWORK We’ve already spoken in this book about how important networking is. Why not try to find a day job where you can develop relationships with others within the niche of work where you want to also focus your performing career? These jobs could include working backstage, in a casting or producer’s office, in a restaurant that caters to the industry where you also work alongside many other performers and creatives, or even starting an entrepreneurial endeavor that works with other artists. Earlier in the book, I spoke of my work as a Broadway wardrobe dresser swing. It’s been an integral networking tool. Working backstage has introduced me to hundreds of people that I could work with in my performing realm. And for which I have ended up collaborating with

151

as a performer. This included being cast in the ensemble of a Broadway workshop as well as principal performer opportunities in numerous Broadway benefits.

KEEP YOU CREATIVE A day job can suck the soul right out of you if you aren’t careful, so it’s important to find a job that can also feed your creative soul as well. This ensures that your creativity never disappears from your daily life, which will help to inform and keep your spirits positive and welcoming to others as auditions and performing opportunities come your way. Don’t work at day jobs that can leave you glassy-eyed, tired, and completely disconnected from yourself in a way that hurts your performance in the audition room. Instead, look for day jobs that incorporate thinking on your feet, using your imagination, problem-solving, and creating character and stories. Choose jobs that embrace your creative spirit and bring your unique talents and personality to the forefront. Great jobs to consider could include being a teacher, party planner, or even working with kids.

OFFER FLEXIBILITY This one is huge! You must have a day job that will allow you time off for auditions (or gives you the ability to swap shifts or find substitutes) because you can’t be a working actor unless you actually audition for jobs. There are many jobs that can fit this bill, like being a waiter/waitress or working for a temp agency. You can think a bit more outside-the-box of stereotypical actor jobs like babysitter/nanny, working with companies that cater to artistic types, background work on TV/film, or even in-person or virtual assistant jobs.

ENHANCE A PERFORMING SKILL Finding a day job that can also help you grow your skills as a performer can be an excellent way to earn income. It could be a gig assisting at one of the many acting schools where you can learn and 152

work at the same time. You can be a product demonstrator at corporate events or at your local department store, where you are quite literally performing at your day job to “sell” a product. You can be a personal assistant to someone whose career you admire and can learn from what they are doing. Think about what performing skills you would like to enhance, and then find day jobs that could help you hone those skills while earning income at the same time!

BONUS EXAMPLES OF DAY JOBS! BE A HOST for an event company or a guide for city landmarks. Meet people and perform all at the same time. Plus, the power of improv will greatly increase your skills in that area as well. BE A CONSULTANT (COACH) like me! Do you have a special skill that not many have, or do you have a great way to teach people things that you do well? Do you have people asking you to “meet for coffee” to pick your brain or asking “how did you do that”? Then you probably have something to teach and can subsequently get paid for your knowledge. OPEN A SMALL BUSINESS that uses your strengths and that has a current demand like being a social media marketer or a website designer. Both of these businesses allow you to work from home, create your own work hours, and most importantly, allow flexibility to go to an audition appointment or callback since you make your own schedule. PERSONAL TRAINER! Love to work out? Well, not only would you get to work out, but you can get paid at the same time as you teach your clients your amazing workout routines. In addition, I would bet it would also garner you a great network of artists with whom you can collaborate in other ways.

153

Chapter 40

INSPIRATION/ACTION LIST My career has always been an interesting ride, full of ups and downs and everything in between, but it’s always been made better by surrounding myself with some really awesome people who have been helping me (whether it’s as a mentor, collaborator, teacher or friend). This career is not an easy road, but truly nothing worth doing is easy. I’m glad that I can be here to help you along in this crazy career we call show business. For some final thoughts, I want to share with you some more actions I continue to take in my everyday artistic life. You can use them for inspiration to forge ahead or to renew your artist’s path and passions, or perhaps, to invigorate you with a good old-fashioned, scary in the best way, kick in the proverbial pants.

NUMBER 1 Never stop evolving! Surprising people and yourself with what you’re capable of is one of the most rewarding things in this business. Don’t let the chance of failure stop you! In my experience, those are the risks that pay off the most! Need I remind you again about my entire journey playing Fanny Brice?! Had I followed my fear or not reached out to those opportunities, who knows where I’d be right now. So evolve! Take risks! And if you fail, get up and try again. I promise people are so busy thinking about their own lives and careers that they aren’t analyzing yours. Forge ahead, my brave proactive performing 154

artists! Make it a daily challenge for yourself to see what scary thing you can do next to create momentum. It will be so worth the ride.

NUMBER 2 You are on your own unique journey as a performer. There is a place for you in this industry. It’s a stepladder and a marathon. Most people don’t achieve high-profile jobs overnight. Even many stars you think came from nowhere to become overnight superstars have been quietly working their way up the success ladder for years or even since they were five years old. Own where you are in the business right now and stay true to yourself. Then focus on what you can control and what future credits you are gunning for and take steps towards that. And then only look forward, never look back.

NUMBER 3 Surround yourself in all ways possible with people who are doing what you want to be doing, and then ASK FOR HELP. Specifically call on those who are also your cheerleader, who can mentor you, who can be an ear, a voice, a helper, and a teacher for you in creating momentum towards your goals and challenging you to become even better at what you do! It takes a village to make a career. Think about it. Even the greatest athletes have help every day. There is no limit to how many people you can ask for help! Just make sure when you ask for help that you are honoring the person or group by giving back to them as well, whether it’s paying for their time, passing their services along to others, and/or supporting their projects. There is a give and take involved.

NUMBER 4 Again this is said earlier but bears repeating as it’s an ongoing process: Don’t forget to enjoy your life and be a bearer of positivity and joy, and know every day you have a choice to do what you do. If

155

it doesn’t bring you enjoyment and happiness while knowing that we may have a bad day every now and then, make a new choice!

NUMBER 5 Build others up as you rise as well. We are in a collaborative art form. Help each other and watch your success and that of those surrounding you grow. You will achieve more success together than at odds with one another. Onward my passionate, proactive performer friends! Here is to your success! I can’t wait to see how you implement the tips, tricks, and templates you have learned in this book! Make sure to reach out and tell me how you are doing so that I can support you on your fabulous artistic journey!

156

GIVE ME A SHOUT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Instagram: @kfgreenberg @thebroadwayexpert @fabulous_fanny_brice Twitter:

@kimfaygreenberg

Facebook:

@TheBroadwayExpert

TikTok:

@kimfayegreenberg

LOVE THIS BOOK? Want to WORK WITH ME? Find my coaching and classes/workshops here: www.thebroadwayexpert.com

LOOK UP MORE about me AT: www.kimberlyfayegreenberg.com www.fabulousfannybriceshow.com GOOGLE ME!

157

IMAGE CREDITS Cover Photos from Left to Right: Kimberly Faye Greenberg, “Danny And Sylvia, The Danny Kaye Musical,” 2009. Julie Jacobs, “Fabulous Fanny:The Songs & Stories of Fanny Brice” 2021 Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Page 45 and Quick Reference Guide Page 2 (Photos from left to right) Jeffrey Mosier Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2021. Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Page 46 and Quick Reference Guide Page 3 (Photos from left to right) Chappetto Square Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2019. Chappetto Square Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2019. Chappetto Square Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2019. Jeffrey Mosier Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2021. Page 81 and Quick Reference Guide Page 4 Michael Kushner Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2022. Page 82 and Quick Reference Guide Page 5 Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Page 150 and Quick Reference Guide Page 15 (Postcard fronts left to right) Postcard 1 Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Chappetto Square Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2019. Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Postcard 2 Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Lyssa Everett Photographer, Kimberly Faye Greenberg as Sylvia Fine, 2012. Jessica Fallon Gordon Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg as Fanny Brice, 2013.

158

Postcard 3 Travis Kelly Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2010. “28 Marchant Avenue” Poster, Beautiful Soup Theatre, 2015. “Little Wars” Poster, Beautiful Soup Theatre, 2015. “What Was Lost” Poster, Beautiful Soup Theatre, 2015. “Lost in Yonkers” Poster, Villa E Nova Restaurant, 2015. Page 150 and Quick Reference Guide Page 16 (Postcard backs left to right) Postcard 1 Chappetto Square Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2019. Factorious Poster, Endeavor Audio, 2021. Postcard 2 Sub/Urban Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2017. Photo Collage Left to Right: “Charmed,” Ep: Saving Private Leo, 2002. “Fabulous Fanny: The Songs & Stories of Fanny Brice,” 2015. Theatre Nerds, 2017. Big Dreams & Silver Screens Film Festival, Kimberly Faye Greenberg interviews Ferne Pearlstein, 2017. Postcard 3 Travis Kelly Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2010. “Lost in Yonkers” Poster, Villa E Nova Restaurant, 2015. “What Was Lost” Poster, Beautiful Soup Theatre, 2015. “Little Wars” Poster, Beautiful Soup Theatre, 2015. “28 Marchant Avenue” Poster, Beautiful Soup Theatre, 2015. “Fabulous Fanny:The Songs & Stories of Fanny Brice” Album Cover, Robbie Rozelle Designs, 2015. Page 160 Chappetto Square Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2019. Back Cover Michael Kushner Photography, Kimberly Faye Greenberg Headshot, 2022. Quick Reference Guide Design: Julia Marie Black

159

About the Author

Kimberly Faye Greenberg is one of the TOP 10 Performing Arts Coaches in the world. Thanks Google! (And, no she didn’t pay for the ranking.) She is also known as The Broadway Expert, providing advice and inspiration in the form of personal coaching, workshops, webinars, blog features, interviews, masterclasses and content creation for onstage, backstage and creative artists. Kimberly has been featured across a variety of outlets, including Backstage, Theatre Nerds, Broadway Blogspot, TheatreMania, Ken Davenport’s TheatreMakers Studio, Schools. com, Music Theatre International, Westfield International Film Festival, BroadwayCon, the documentary “Secrets of Broadway” and more! Kimberly loves to inspire, educate, and work with proactive performing artists to help conquer their career goals. As a Performer… Kimberly Faye Greenberg is known as the first-and-only actress to play leading roles in two Off-Broadway musicals at the same time: “One Night With Fanny Brice” and “Danny & Sylvia: The Danny Kaye Musical” at St. Luke’s Theatre, NYC. In addition, Kimberly’s numerous portrayals of Fanny Brice (four shows/two CDs) have been critically acclaimed by the New York Times, Huffington Post, and Associated Press. Her solo show, “Fabulous Fanny: The Songs and Stories of Fanny Brice,” has been traveling the country since 2014 and is now streaming on STELLAR where it has also been named one of the BEST TO STREAM by Time Out New York, American Theatre Magazine, Filmed Live Musicals podcast, Times Square Chronicles, Theatre Development Fund (TDF), Goldstar, and more. Kimberly also portrayed Fanny Brice in “Speakeasy Dollhouse: Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic” at the Liberty Theatre, Broadway’s Only Hidden Theatre, and as part of the Broadway-bound musical “Ghostlight” by Matthew Martin and Tim Realbuto. A graduate of University of California, Irvine, Kimberly has been working across the board in theatre, film, and television for over 25 years. Highlights include: “The Kid From Brooklyn: The Danny Kaye Musical” (tour); “Christmas Rappings” (Off-Broadway); the Off-Broadway musical concerts of “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Mr. President” (both for the Actors Fund), Rachel Michelson on “The Plot Against America” (HBO); and Nurse Wilkinson on The WB’s “Charmed”. A woman of many talents, Kimberly has also worked backstage as a Broadway wardrobe swing dresser on over 20 Broadway shows, including “Mean Girls”, “Something Rotten”, “Cinderella”, “Cabaret” and “The Lion King”.

160

BUSINESS & MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE

faculty at Long Island High School for the Arts

KIMBERLY FAYE GREENBERG

BUSINESS & MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE PROACTIVE PERFORMER

PROACTIVE PERFORMER

BUSINESS & MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE

PROACTIVE PERFORMER

Actionable Tips, Tricks, and Templates Including...How To Get Representation, Approach Casting, Auditioning, Creating Your Own Work, and Working Smarter and Not Harder To Achieve Career Success!

KIMBERLY FAYE GREENBERG