2008 has arrived and is pregnant with opportunity. Usually, people don't hear me talk much about serious stuff like my goals. I'm mostly the comic relief. But today I begin the revealing of the things that I want and my journey to achieve them.
Goal #1
Anyone who knows me well enough knows that my biggest dream is to become a star. I've wanted to be an actress since I was 4 years old. My favorite tv show was The Cosby Show. The character who I wanted to be was Rudy (since she was the one closest to my age). I would learn the dialogue and recite them as if I were on the show, as Rudy. Once I got into high school, I joined the Drama Club. We put on 2 plays and annual talent shows. When I graduated, I wanted to make Theatre my major in college. However, the audition crept up on me and I didn't deliver a performance stellar enough to grant me admission into the program. This left me with a decision to make. I could either wait another year and audition again or choose a new major. I didn't want to wait another year and prolong my graduation, so I declared my major as Early Childhood Education. From that moment on, I allowed teaching to take the forefront in my professional life. Upon graduation in 2004, I became an elementary school teacher. My passion for acting never left but my active pursuit did. School consumed hours, days, weeks, months and years of my life. How could I want acting but not do anything to attain it?
In the past 2 years I have performed in 2 major theatrical productions. In 2006, I performed in Spike Lee's School Daze with People's Theatre, Inc. In 2007, I took the stage, in my first lead role, as Sis. Simone Ward in You Better Be Glad I'm Saved with Slaughter House Productions. The latter was a great success and we are planning to take the play on the road, pending a willing investor. Our producer has written a new play, to stem from a storyline in the current play. My character is to play a lead role in that production, as well, and that really excites me!
The truth of the matter is: I can't let it stop here. I need to continue to search out opportunities to reach the star status that I seek. Two things that I have confessed as unfulfilled goals are taking professional pictures and finding an agent. Agents and casting directors want pictures and pictures cost money. Saving money has always been a challenge for me and was the perfect scapegoat to why I have only had 1 photo shoot for my acting portfolio. Once I took those pictures I never even got them developed. Yea, I know. What's that about? Now whats the excuse? Getting headshots printed and making composite cards cost money as well. Money I never seem to have in bulk, after handling my monthly expenses. My problem and barrier had become me. The truth is that if I budgeted better, I could have the money I needed. I eat out a lot instead of cooking. Even if its something as simple as Pollo Tropical 3-4 days a week. Once that adds up over time, I am wasting a lot of money. However, budgeting will be discussed in a seperate blog.Over the past 2 days, I have made some steps in my acting journey. I went back to websites that post auditions and looked through current notices. I applied for about 3 of them. As I browsed, I noticed many that asked for mailings of headshots and resumes. I felt bummed because I didn't have hard copied to send. So, today, I ordered 100 copies of a headshot photo that I can print my resume on the back of! It isn't one of the ones I took in my shoot, though. Those photos are a little old and they aren't the best because the photographer didn't really help me to create various poses. I submitted a photo that I took myself, but it is beautiful and its as good a headshot as any photographer could have taken.
I also went onto IMDB.com and Star Search Casting.com and created my own page! Even though these 3 things costed me some money, I decided that I needed to invest in myself to make myself some profit. When my headshots come in the mail, I am going to send them to local talent agencies in Orlando. Hopefully some of them will call me and I can finally have an agent. I will be taking more pictures and going to more auditions.
I can't be a major professional actress if I don't make big moves.
This year, my motto is "Be the star you are!"
