My coach has always told us that successful actors must hustle. I experienced the pure truth of this just yesterday. I’m a year and a month into this great passionate journey of mine, and this past year has had its ups and downs. There have been plenty of struggles amidst a few breakthroughs that never seemed to take hold. As the title of this blog puts forth I have endured with much grit.
Even still I could not be happier and more excited for entering into my second year of this journey. Looking forward was simply the acceptance that many years would come with just purely enhancing my knowledge and application of this beautiful craft. I had become ‘ok’ with the simple idea that I might never leave the confines of our sacred red room and that my work may never progress outward into the world. I was happy with that because for me the focus had purely become about the dedicated devotion to the craft of acting.
While that is still very much the case this journey does not lend one to simple straightforward paths. I was contacted for an audition opportunity for a local theatre play production A Few Good Men. This would be my first audition, and I had no idea where to even begin. I went over my sides for the 2 parts I was auditioning for. The part that my friend had suggested me for I felt comfortable with and didn’t put much work into it. The other role I struggled with for 2 long nights. I never landed on a rehearsal that I ever liked; we can be such dejected directors at times. Yet, I probably played more in this role and side than anything I had done before.
The next morning I went to my audition and did the part I was recommended for first. It was forgettable to say the least. I volunteered to go up with the next role, and well all I can really say on that is that afterwards I was asked to stay and was immediately given the part. It was a rush and blur that I had never quite experienced; an exhilarating and catatonic euphoria. It took awhile to fully hit me. It makes sense though, the work was in there as I struggled with it the most. Now I’m in my first humble play, in a role I wasn’t supposed to be considered for, and it’s becoming my favorite role at the moment.
Now this was a couple weeks ago. While there was extra work and time devoted to getting into this play and will be future time devoted to the production of this play it was only the beginning of the chaos and hustle. Just yesterday I was again approached and inquired on, for creating an audition tape for a tv show/film pilot that will be filming in 2 weeks. I had just that night to put together a video audition for a scene side and go over the pilot script. Last night was a late night, to say the least. For I also have Shakespeare tonight that I have to have a piece from Othello memorized and all ready to go for rehearsal. And just the mere thought that if I got this pilot role I would be out for a week, in 2 weeks out.
All of a sudden my little planned world of acting came to an explosion of hustling. I’ve literally been thrown opportunities when personally trying to skirt by them. While one might be stroking their smallest violin at my most unfortunate fortune, it was an interesting experience for me all the more. For I probably won’t get this pilot role and after this play who knows when I might work in public again. Such is the ebb and flow of the actor’s professional journey, that has always been recounted to me. But to experience just the beginning taste of what it truly is like in the chaotic hustle of being a professional actor was so enlightening and motivating. Now more than ever I cannot wait to get out there and hustle to be an actor and pursue my dream. That healthy hunger for the acting craft has grown.