SXSW Day #1

Sooooooo. we waited on line for an hour and a half and did not get into THE CHEF at the Paramount.  But have no fear with our film passes we ran right next door to the Stateside and saw a delightful comedy TAKE CARE written and directed by a first time filmmaker Liz Tuccilo. A truthful narrative about life in NYC when you live in a 4 story walk-up and are incapacitated following a car accident.  Where you were hit by a car!  The Q&A with crew and Thomas Sadoski (NEWSROOM), Nadia Dajani, et al was delightful.  We then ran over to The Convention Center where we finally got our wristbands, ran into Laura Galt Snavely, and saw a documentary about the infamous drug lord El Chapo. LEGEND OF SHORTY is living proof of the risks documentarian filmmakers take when they select to tell the truth about scary subjects.  An informative and humbling Q&A followed reminding us of the courage of these filmmakers.
As always running into filmmakers, film lovers and actors I've worked with at UT is a wonderful part of this film festival for me.

Tomorrow in the evening I bow to my husband's love of vampire and the supernatural.
In the a.m. of course we'll be on line for NO NO: A DOCKUMENTARY.  Supporting Austin filmmakers.

Leaving MOMMY

I inhabited a woman who brought me to the dark side for 6 weeks.  It was painful and uncomfortable.  I forced myself to feel her pain, desperation, and anger.  It's taking me some time to shed her skin.  Was it fun?  No.  Was it rewarding? Yes.  Did I help people  further understand how complex the human condition is?  I hope so.  Did I help people understand that motherhood can be very complex and dark?  Did I help people see that you can really screw up as a mother?  This is what I wanted to achieve.

If you spend your life living with dark characters who regularly bring you to your pain and wounds then heroin may be a choice of relief.  I get that.  I will miss you Philip Seymour Hoffman, terribly.

ARVIND/MOMMY #2

When I walked into the UT Lab theater last night for rehearsal there was something new.  Electrifying energy with lots of crew, cameras, staging. Arvind in command on stage directing people, consulting, and a complete cast!  We ran the play twice learning blocking, transition, rhythm and rhyme, how to be with one another, and I came away feeling so good about this production.  The chemistry between this ensemble of actors felt so right, so authentic.  Everyone took direction from Arvind with serious thought and reflection, changing what he asked.  If I had questions I always asked and never ever felt like I was bothersome.  I loved giving back story to new actors who weren't quite sure about the facts. This is truly one of the most exciting and interesting collaborative efforts I have been involved in since beginning to work with actors at UT.  I am so grateful that 3 of the lead actors are students of Laurel Vouvray.  The  actors who have been trained not to act bring this production the authenticity that it deserves.  I will always remember my experience with a 16y.o. writer/director as one of the most important experiences in my journey to becoming an actor.

ARVIND/MOMMY

I attended an unusual audition some time ago at UT.  I signed a waiver informing me my audition would be taped.  And then I auditioned for a theater performance written by a 16 y.o. And present at my audition was a bunch of teenagers while an award winning documentary filmmaker was far away filming the entire event.  I came prepared for the part of the grandmother but the playwright/director asked me to read for the mother...his mother.  He told me to throw away the script and say the lines as I remembered.  How refreshing!
I loved the audition, was busy with other projects and figured I'd show up in the doc as an actor auditioning.  But that was not the case.  Weeks later I was cast by Arvind Hathaway to play the role of Susan, his mother, in his play MOMMY.  Little did I know how extraordinary this project would become.  Evan Roberts is a wonderfully warm, talented and intelligent filmmaker.  He cares deeply about the issues and conflicts young people face. He just helps people become.  That's the best way I can put it.  And Arvind???  When you can get over the challenges of his adolescence he is one creative, intelligent and sensitive director.  I just love love love working on this project.  It has allowed me to explore the human condition broadly, empathetically, deeply.  It has changed me.  How grateful I am.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Scorsese needs to find a new editor.  This film is waaaaaaaay too long.  But...and this is a real big but, you have to see this film for the performances by Leonardo Di Caprio and Jonah Hill.  OMG!!!  Absolutely breath taking work.  If you love seeing films as much as I do at this time of year (to keep it real) then run don't walk to see this film.  Just be prepared for shaking your head about some redundancy.
I really enjoyed being with my kids and Abe today.  Hooter's was a hoot as well!

NEBRASKA/AMERICAN HUSTLE

See these both.  They deliver truthful narratives and incredible performances by fine actors.  Now when I go to the movies I know just how difficult it is to deliver the truth.  Both of these films tell the truth.  If you love film go to the movies and see these films in an audience with other humans

CHARACTER PARTY 2013/In The Moment Acting Studio

All month Laurel Vouvray's students have assumed identities of historical figures representing Good and Evil in the world.  We researched, developed back stories, studied accents and walked in shoes of people who many of us knew little about.  The great finale is the coming together of all of these characters at a party where the first two hours we ate the most delicious Senagalese  food prepared by Iba, discussed among ourselves how to fix the world, plotted and schemed how to overthrow the monarchies, get rid of Hitler, and drank!  All this at Scoot Inn.

Dressed as Queen Victoria, wearing a tiara, a fur lined cloak, and walking with a staff I enter C Note and ask where the party is.  No one in the restaurant looked up from their laptops, the servers didn't laugh and told me it wasn't there.  Thank goodness Stefania Bellini answered my text because David Lee Hess was too busy being Thomas Payne ranting, raving and eating!

At Scoot Inn I walk into a room filled with the most unusually attired characters, beautiful women and men, talking, discussing in character and being so free to make reaches, laugh at ourselves, educate each other about who we are and provide support, affection and warmth.  Laurel keeps her students from different classes so connected and it was lovely to meet people who knew my name. Others I had met at auditions or a birthday party for another classmate.

The partying  began after two hours with Trent providing the most incredibly good dancing music.  He played some strings with his tongue!  For real!  And his teenage son was his drummer!  The best treat for me was being in a room of actors who love love love to dance. Unabashedly, rhythmically, fearlessly. Watching Michael Joplin as Sigmund Freud dance is a visual joy!!!

To quote my daughter  Liz who met many of my classmates the evening before :"Mama, you've found your community."  Yes I have.