U is for Unending Pandemic

Wow, has it been a full year since my last post? …and a year of continued pandemic? wow.

Actually, a lot has happened. Career-wise, I actually did a few things when things opened up for a bit before the Delta/Omicron surge – I booked another episode of the big TV show that will be airing soon (making my role a “recurring”), a nice supporting role in a big movie that’s supposed to come out soon, a commercial, some print ads… and theatrically I did a ton of virtual readings and such, and a big concert that was even televised! Oh and of course I started to try my hand at voiceover work and I booked an audiobook!

On the personal front, since I (we) wasn’t spending any money I (we) were able to save up and we ended up buying an apartment in Manhattan! I wasn’t expecting this to happen any time soon, but somehow we did it.

We also went more plant-based over pandemic, and combined with daily walks (even though I couldn’t go to the gym) I ended up actually losing weight and finally making (and maintaining) my goal weight!

Budget memo: $5,500. Hey hey! Still #adulting!

T is for Taking Time

So, wow, this pandemic. Things have been pretty much shut down in NYC and the entertainment industry for almost an entire year now. I was in the middle of a new musical theater workshop when NYC shut down. Fortunately I was able to claim unemployment pretty quickly and got the full amount, which pays the bills. For the first many months, I did a lot of Zoom readings and concerts, and was fortunate to be in a couple of them that turned out to be pretty high-profile! High-profile enough to get written up and mentioned in major newspapers!

…and a project I worked on before pandemic got nominated for a Grammy Award, and me along with it!

So that’s been pretty cool. My profile has suddenly jumped exponentially during a year of not really even working… I did do a couple of commercials and one little TV gig (which may turn out to be pretty high profile also…)

Relationship-wise, still holding strong. We upgraded to a King-size bed (go Helix!) which was been a blessing for getting better sleep. Also staying sane by doing lots of regular Zoom parties with family and friends. Funnily (?) enough, I didn’t really stay in touch with my immediate family that much before pandemic, but now we Zoom every weekend and it’s been good.

Diet-wise, I was doing really good for the first 8 months of pandemic with diet and walking every day, in fact I lost a couple of pounds, but visiting family in the suburbs for Thanksgiving and Christmas (masked and quarantined) did take its toll and I’m now just back over my goal weight. Slowly working back down – it’s been a couple weeks since I’ve been home and I weighed in today at just 0.5 lbs over my target.

Budget memo: +$1,152. But that’s a little misleading because I’ve also been able to put a lot into my newly-opened Roth IRA and emergency fund that I’m not counting. Major #adulting!

S is for Social Distancing

So we’ve been stay-at-home for 3 months (maybe the title of this post should be Stay at Home?). It’s been kind of weird to not really have any work while the entertainment industry is shut down because of the global pandemic. As actors a lot of us are used to periods of unemployment between gigs, but at least usually there are auditions to keep us occupied and focused on getting the next gig! This time, there have not been too many — at first there were just a few auditions for voiceovers and self-tape commercials, but the industry is slowly adapting and planning so auditions are starting to come back slowly. In the meantime, fortunately I had a previous unemployment claim that just needed to be reopened, so I was able to continue having income with little interruption. AND I had just qualified for another year of health care coverage through the actors’ union so I don’t have to worry about that for a little while either.

Looking back on my previous post, I just have to remember to carry forward that performing confidence that I had built up just before pandemic started, where I was having some good momentum and playing some really big parts. My reps are still working remotely, and even though the auditions are not very frequent right now, there have been some pretty good ones so I’m excited for when things do start to pick up again. I’ve also been fortunate to be involved in a couple of high-profile streaming concerts during quarantine, so the time hasn’t felt completely empty.

Diet-wise, I haven’t been able to go to the gym, but I am going on daily walks and doing little short home workouts. And also mostly cooking healthy at home. I’m still able to be hovering just at my goal weight, and when I start to tip over I just watch what I eat for a couple of days and it goes back under.

Relationship-wise, things are good. Wedding planning is on hold because of the pandemic but aiming for next summer. Also talking going in on buying a NYC apartment. Crazy adulting, right?!

Budget memo: +$5,617, plus more in my newly-opened Roth IRA — I’m doing good at saving money during quarantine — I’ve realized just how much money I normally spend going out to eat and seeing shows!

R is for Respite

Well, the COVID-19 novel coronavirus has put everything on break in the entertainment industry, from theater to TV and film. I was in the middle of a new musical workshop when one of my fellow lead actors fell sick (but could not get a coronavirus test due to being young). As a preventative health measure we paused on our workshop, as we could not have the sick actor come back if infectious, and then a couple of days later NYC declared its shelter at home so we had to cancel altogether.

It was cool though, since my last post I was the lead in a new musical workshop/concert that went over very well, and that was a big responsibility to be carrying a show. I now have a new confidence in my ability, and also a new appreciation of what it means to be a real lead — being professional and setting an example for the entire cast. I do look forward to when things start up again because I feel like I have that new confidence to bring to my work.

We are sheltering at home, luckily we live in a neighborhood with lots of grocery and convenience stores around… Oh, did I mention we got engaged over the holidays? It’s a little much to be quarantined with someone 24/7 for weeks, but we are doing ok. Watching a lot of TV and trying to catch up on some projects and busywork. I lazed around for the first few days, but now I’m slowly starting to come around to catching up on things like updating websites (like this one), with other busywork in mind like doing my taxes, uploading photos, organizing, reading, etc.

Physical activity is tough because the gyms are closed, we try to go out for a walk around the neighborhood every other day or so. Cooking a lot and trying to keep eating somewhat healthfully so that I don’t gain too much weight in lockdown. So far I’m keeping just under goal weight.

Budget memo: +$1750, yay! Also, I went to a (free) financial planning seminar, and after that opened a Roth IRA. #adulting.

Q is for Quiet (Before the Storm?)

So, it’s been a while since my last post. Things suddenly got busy, with a big summer stock show and then we went into rehearsals for a new Off-Broadway new musical. That played this past Fall, and we got a lot of great write-ups (and I even got a couple shout-outs myself). Hoping the show will transfer to Broadway this year (there’s some talk, but it all comes down to $$) – really want to get the Broadway credit on my resume.

Was kind of frustrated because a number of big things auditioned recently that I got close to but didn’t get (and saw friends end up getting), but I suppose it all turned out for the best in the end. I booked a small recurring role on a new TV show, which has been paying the bills, and the LEAD role in a new musical workshop coming up.

The holidays were nice and relaxed, the title on the post comes as auditions have been picking up again and I have the feeling the recent quiet time, which I’ve been using to catch up on a lot of good busywork and cleaning, will soon be over!

Boyfriend update: we got engaged. 🙂

Fitness update: been consistently under my goal weight for the past several months. Yay! 🙂

Budget tracker: +$472 yay!

P is for Patience…

So, I’ve got big theater work lined up for the summer and the fall, but nothing steady for next couple of months until then. Nor in the past few months since my last big theater gig. Lots of readings and small things, but not steady income. It’s a bit emotionally confusing, because I know I’m good for the rest of the year, yet I’m stir-crazy for the now. Especially because I am ethnic and gay, I feel like the majority of my time is spent waiting for the right roles to come along, and I start to wonder whether I should get into writing (the answer is of course yes, but it’s just a matter of time and money and motivation). The majority of my work these days comes from direct offers and referrals, which is a nice place to be at because I get offered a variety of roles not just strictly “of my type”, which is more than I would probably just book from auditions (where you are immediately judged based on look and type). It is frustrating though to be not booking from auditions, which is the story for the past few months.

Anyway, I’m occupying my time with catching up on TV and movies (AMC A-List is great!), and friends’ theatre shows, and also catching up on busywork such as spreadsheeting all of my auditions and past show contact lists etc — which has also led to some good catching up with fellow actors and creatives that I haven’t seen in a while. Oh and making the gym a daily habit. Hovering steadily at my goal weight so that’s been good.

Relationship is good too, we’ve had our rocky moments but things seem to be settling down, and it’s been a few years so possibly marriage is on the horizon? He said he’s ready, and now just waiting for me to do the asking LOL.

Budget $-600 oops. But that’s because I owed for NY State taxes, and haven’t gotten my Federal refund yet (which will put me back in the black!).

O is for Opulence… You Own Everything!

Just kidding — that’s a line from RuPaul’s Drag Race, which is a show we’ve been watching every week. One of a few routines we’ve settled into, including watching SVU and Will & Grace every Thursday night, and getting a bi-weekly produce delivery box. Oh, and we have a bi-weekly game night with some friends, alternating with another bi-weekly supper club with our neighbors. Ah, domestic life.

Work-wise, I’m looking forward to our Off-Broadway show this Fall, and I also booked a big summer stock gig that is coincidentally near my hometown (and family)! And am pretty much continuously doing readings and workshops for theater… On the on-camera front, I’ve been having a lot of big big auditions for lead roles in TV pilots and feature films, but haven’t booked any of them. And my potentially recurring TV role was changed to a girl for this season. 😦 Just gotta keep on truckin’ I guess…

Weight-wise, hovering around my goal weight, and keeping pretty regular in doing moderate gym-ming so that’s been a good solid routine.

Budget memo: $+360 … Hanging in there!

N is for New Year!

Happy New Year!

The holidays were great, visited family, had a little spontaneous vacation with my boo using frequent flier points…

On the positive side, the new show I’ve been touring with is officially coming to Off-Broadway in the Fall at the most respected Off-Broadway theater in NYC, and I got my offer!

But… what to do between now and then? Been having a lot of really cool auditions–more Broadway auditions and callbacks in the past couple of months than I probably had the whole rest of the almost ten years I’ve been in NYC. So that’s exciting; this is what it’s like to be playing in the big leagues, huh? Now I think it becomes a numbers game, I’m giving good auditions and it’s just a matter of time before one of them matches up with the role and show.

Also fingers crossed for a little TV/film action this winter/spring–hopefully at least a producer callback or even test for a TV pilot? Most hopefully a Guest Star this spring? Oh, speaking of which, there might still be a chance for my recurring guest star role in the episodic to come back after all.

Gained a couple pounds over the holidays, but was able to lose them again in the past month.

Budget memo: $+683. Still hanging in there!

M is for Make It Work…

Alright, I’m hanging in there. I haven’t booked anything big since my recent tour ended 6 months ago. I’m paying the bills with little gigs here and there – some sporadic readings and modeling, as well as some side odd jobs such as promo work and even coaching other actor friends. But on the plus side I’ve had a string of big auditions through my fancy new agency, including several lead Broadway roles — gotten some callbacks and even a final callback, but didn’t book them. Things are definitely picking up with the new agency, and hopefully some more big TV/film things will come in too for a great pilot season and coming year… A Broadway debut would be nice too. 🙂

On the minus side, I have the feeling that the potentially recurring TV role I had booked isn’t going to happen after all, as I hear the recurring guest actor (whose assistant I would have played) booked a different show and I have the feeling he isn’t coming back. Boo. 😦

Back on the plus side, as I mentioned in my last post, the new musical I recently toured with is supposed to be coming to NYC next year for a big Off-Broadway production at a very reputable theater, so fingers crossed that all works out which will be at least one big gig in the coming months… And that some other stuff on TV/film/Bway works out around it to fill out the rest of next year.

I feel like next year is going to be a good one… All the pieces are there — finally have a complete team of great agents and manager, I’ve been giving consistently good auditions, been consistently at my goal weight (so gotta watch out for these holidays!), personal life is good… Now for the right projects to come along… 🙂

Budget memo: +$528. Hanging in there…

L is for Let It Go!

So things have picked up with the new agency since my last blog post, have booked a couple of readings and such, and been getting some pretty good auditions – including an upcoming one for a lead role in a certain really cool Broadway musical… 🙂  Fingers crossed for this upcoming big one to come through, or something else big soon!

In any case, fingers still crossed for my recurring role on the TV show to come back in the Winter, and otherwise a good TV pilot season (with my new bi-coastal agency). One good thing I do know is that the new show I did earlier this year out of town is on track to transfer to NYC next year so that will be pretty cool (and as far as we know it will be the same team and cast – fingers crossed again!).

In other news, I’m at my goal weight and holding steady which is good. Things are otherwise well in my personal and professional life.

Budget memo: +$1,420. Yay!