So last night I get home around 10:00 after a very long and arduous audition with The Odyssey Theater Company's The Adding Machine, a west-coast premiere of a new musical based on the classic Elmer Rice play, and I've gotten an email from a friend telling me my play, From the East to the West, has been nominated for four Broadway World, SoCal Awards: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Ensemble and Best New Play.
http://broadwayworld.com/article/Voting_Opens_for_2010_Broadway_World_Southern_California_Awards_20101109
There's the link.
How it got nominated and by whom, I have no idea. But there you have it. Now, I have to admit, I've never heard of the Broadway World Awards, but I'm told by another friend that they're a fairly big deal. That the online zine is the largest in the world of professional theater on the web. Hm. Well, okay, then. I'm pleased, of course, just a little confused. It was a short run, and even though we filled the house for the entire engagement, I hardly expected anything from it. It was, however, enormously successful in terms of the positive feedback we and the play received. It took place this past Februrary and mostly it was done to convince the producing director of that theater to consider it for a full run. He didn't like the show, ultimately, however and I assumed that was that. He said, "It would be a grave disservice to you to let anyone see this." At the time I was a little dismayed by the comment for a couple of reasons. First, he'd never actually seen the production, but was repeating what a friend of his had told him and second, because the play was getting standing ovations and incredible feedback from people who HAD, in fact, seen it. Nonetheless, I moved on thinking that was that. I ended up submitting the play to another theater in Chicago and getting the go-ahead for a world premeire production there. And now this.
Needless to say, I'm delighted.
If one goes back and looks at the day to day blogs from that time, it's easy to see how excited I was at that time for the play. Tremendous cast: Nickella Moschetti, Chad Coe, J.R. Mangels, Alex Robert Holmes and Malcome Devine. All young actors that attacked the script and just blew it out of the water. Particularly fine work from Nickella, who just made the role hers.
In any event, the award, apparently, is sort of a 'People's Choice' type thing for the theater. So click on the link and cast your vote! The real honor, as I see it, is from the nomination itself.
I talked to my co-founder of theGathering Theatre Company last night about it, James Barbour, and we both agreed perhaps we should consider mounting From the East to the West in our first full season after these nominations. Not a bad idea.
The Odyssey Theater Company is one of the most highly respected theaters in LA. My agent submitting me for the lead role in their mounting of a new musical called The Adding Machine (yes, based on the Elmer Rice classic piece). So I went there last night and did a little singing and a monologue and they ended up keeping me there for about two hours reading different stuff in the script. They gave me a CD and some sheet music to learn so I can work with the musical director on Saturday. I certainly haven't been cast in the role yet (it's the lead) but things look good. So today, needless to say, is all about learning that music.
Today I'm up for a PSA spot on Alzheimer's. An extremely well-paying print ad type thingee. I told Angie if anyone has a shot at that, it's me. I look addled half the time anyway.
Tomorrow, a read for the Tennessee Williams play, A House Not Meant to Stand at The Fountain Theater. Another critically acclaimed venue here in LA. And again, the lead role of Cornelius in that play.
And as I mentioned before, Monday I'm up for The Norris Theater's production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple. The role of Oscar Madison, a role perfectly suited to me that somehow has escaped me for many years. I love doing Simon's work.
So a fine day yesterday. And a few fine days ahead. Wish they could all be like this.
See you tomorrow.
