Tension

I had a lesson in Alexander Technique earlier today, and found myself to be very tense, more so than usual. As many of you probably know, in acting/movement classes they'll do some variation of exercise wherein you try to release as much tension as you can from some part of your body, probably your neck. I'm pretty good at identifying tension and letting it go, when called to do so, but today it was difficult not to keep putting tension into my neck when the teacher would move it. I explained to her part of it had to do with my callback last week and my show this weekend, the question of scheduling if the call back comes to fruition. Another issue being my mother. She just came out of surgery I guess last week, or the week before last. She had both her knee caps operated on, and partially replaced with prosthetics. I've seen her a few times since the surgery, and it's been difficult. She's keeping her spirits up, and at the end of the healing process she'll be much better for it, but it's not easy for anybody.

And about that call back... well, it went really well. Really, really well if I do say so myself. I walked in, slated "hi my name is Mike Handelman and I'm non union" to which the director responded "We'll fix that!" and I did the sides they'd given me, got a few warm laughs from the room, and was let go. There was at least one other guy there for my part. I had a moral quandary on the way out, they'd posted new sides on the website and called to let me know, but they must not have informed this guy or else he didn't get the message or didn't have them, which I did. He asked to see them, I hesitated to give them and he dropped it. I gave him a pat on the back and left. The point is I held on to the advantage I found myself in possession of, rather than sharing it. I felt a little bad afterwards, and I do know as I type this. I'm waiting for a phone call. I spoke to my friend about his experiences with Boston Casting and doing features and stuff, he asked when they were shooting, I said August and he said I could expect not to hear for a while. He gave me a good strategy as to how to write them and find out my status, and told me not to think about it. Clearly, I still am. Knowing would be nice. It might make August complicated, seeing as I have things I'm supposed to be doing but that I would have to drop or rearrange if I'm offered this part. Said part would also probably mean getting my SAG card and then possibly making a bunch of movie. I'm less interested in the money then the step forward this would represent for my career, and the potential experience.

Seriously though, not thinking about it. Thinking instead about The Muse which is going up this weekend in New York. I'm staying at my uncle's place in Manhattan and it's pretty fucking exciting. We're one of forty plays, some number of which will be published and one lucky play write will get a deal for artistic representation, which is pretty huge. The possibilities for us actors are there, but more abstract. I'm just going to act my ass off and do some touristy stuff in between.

In other news, I've started A Song of Ice and Fire AKA A Game of Thrones and I've almost finished the first novel. I thought I might finish it on my way to my Alexander lesson so I bought the second book this morning, but I'm still working on the first and enjoying it greatly.

In the meantime, waiting...