puppetmaker | Cut by Elmo then met Frodo

For those of you who have never auditioned here it a short version of the process when you have a lot of people auditioning for something like dance or puppetry. You bring them in a group and have them run through a short exercise then you keep those people you want to see more of and let the rest go. This is called the cut.

I arrived in the city about 8:30 AM and got over to the audition by 9. I was given the paperwork they wanted me to fill out and sent into the waiting room. I ran into a bunch of people I had met at John Tartagila's class so we took over a corner of the room and caught up on news. I have to say that this was a very smooth running audition. They kept us informed as to what was happening and where we were.

At 10:15 we were brought in as a group and given how the audition was going to run. We were introduced to the people who were auditioning us including Kevin Clash who is the puppeteer for Elmo. We were sent out and came back in groups of 10. I was in the first group. We went in and performed with ping-pong eyeballs to "The Candy Man" sung by Sammie Davis Jr. After we had run through it Kevin called out the numbers of the people they wanted for the next part of the audition. My number was not called. I was cut by Elmo.

Now there are a million reasons why I didn't get picked. They are looking for something which apparently I didn't have. Most of the characters they were audition for were male and out of the list I didn't perform most of the voices. Most of the characters were characters that Frank did either on Sesame Street or the Muppet Show. I don't do Frank's characters on a good day. Most of the people who went on were the young set with some experience. Those of us who were older and had a resume crowded with work seem to get passed on.

I have no regrets doing it. I am glad that I did. It gave me a chance to reconnect with some great people I hadn't seen in a couple of months. Auditioning is part of life in the entertainment industry. I know that every group is not going to like me so I look at auditions as a chance and an education. This time it was no but next time it could be yes. As it stands I might be doing a performance later this year but more on that later.

Green Street Hooligans

So I was out by 11:00 and decided to go home rather than hang in the city until 7pm. At 4:30 Peter, Ariel and I were on the road back to New York. Peter knows a bunch of people in a production company called Dee Gee Entertainment including the ladies who are the producers. He was invited to a premiere of the new Elijah Wood film called "Green Street Hooligans" and the after party. He asked if he could bring both Ariel and me and they agreed.

Now there are very few movies that I would say are a must see and this is one of them. It is brilliant on so many levels. I have seen a lot of movies this summer but this is the first this year to engage my intellect and emotions. It is about an American named Matt, played by Elijah Wood, who through circumstance ends up in England hanging with a Football (Soccer) gang. The head of the group is Pete played by Charlie Hunnam (brilliant actor with a great career ahead of him). The rest of the gang is played to perfection by the cast but especially Leo Gregory who is amazing. The writing is tight and the pace is great. It is very violent and the language is colorful but that is the way that these people are. I use to go to a pub in England that had this very class and sort of people and the portrayal is accurate as is the passion for football (soccer).

This film is in very limited distribution so if you are in a city where it is showing go see it. The website is www.greenstreethooligans.com or you can click on the link above. This is going to be like the Full Monty. Word of mouth is going to make this film and I want this film to make it. It is the best film of the year. I would compare it to "The Full Monty" or "Trainspotting". Go see it and support it.

And yes we did meet Elijah Wood.
Ariel and Elijah II.jpg

Ariel and Elijah at the American Premire of Green Street Hooligans

He is a really sweetie. When he was talking to Ariel, he was paying full attention to her and nothing else around him. We met Terrance Jay and were introduced to Charlie Hunnam both were very nice too. Over all a great evening and one I am glad I didn't miss.

I am going to have a quiet 42nd birthday since I am now the ultimate age. So far I have gotten some really cool gifts and cards.

I am grateful to all that happened to me yesterday