Hi folks! Some exciting news. I have been cast in and accepted a role in the Actor’s Co-Op Theatre production of Pride and Prejudice.
The role is Collins, a pompous suitor to the protagonist, Elizabeth. Collins is mostly concerned with status and wants to marry Elizabeth for all the wrong reasons. The role is an outright comedic lead which I haven’t often done for a full-length stage production. It should be a lot of fun.
I was a little hesitant about accepting the role. I’ve spent a lot of time treading the boards of the Los Angeles AEA 99-Seat Theatre scene. (Little known fact, Los Angeles has MORE theatres than New York. It makes sense because Los Angeles has more actors than New York. That also means more actors between television and film jobs looking to use their talents). The theatre scene in LA has allowed me to have a lot of professional acting experience and to play a lot of diverse roles, everything from Romeo in R&J to characters from SNL sketches. But the trade-off has been that I’ve also spent large amounts of time and money missing paying day job work, traveling in the car, and rehearsing to perform in such shows. Theatre in Los Angeles is a labor of love, and unlike New York, theatre isn’t the game in town so at the worst it is maligned by Agents and Casting Directors, and at best largely ignored. I’ve never performed in a 99-seat show in LA and had someone wanting to cast me in anything other than another 99-seat show. In other words you don’t do these plays to get “discovered”. It doesn’t happen.
A few years ago I decided that I needed to curb my hunger and desire to act in everything, in favor of an actual career in the entertainment industry. To that end I’ve eschewed performing in 99-seat plays in favor of doing Casting Director workshops or only auditioning for higher paying equity jobs. It has cost me about the same financially to meet these Casting Directors (unfortunately now an inherent evil of the structure of Hollywood as paying workshops are the only way for newer actors to be seen by casting Directors). Occasionally I will take the time to accept a part in something like Richard in The Lion in Winter, a piece and role I truly was passionate about doing. Generally, the decision has paid off. I have had more more opportunity for a real career where I make money acting by doing a workshop with a Casting Associate from a TV show than spending 12 weeks rehearsing and performing in a show I’ve worked very hard on. (I’ve made infinitely more Money for my few minutes of screen time on Scandal than I made for the hours upon hours I’ve spent doing plays in LA). Kind of sad, but true.
But after a year of not being involved in any project, however, I’ve felt that it was time to exercise my skills again. Theatre for me is social and energizes me. In college it felt like it was the only place I fit in (though I’m sure if you ask some of my college cohorts they’d say I didn’t fit in much there either!) I enjoy being on stage and I am good at it. It’s unfortunate when it sometimes feels like that skill and passion isn’t reflected by the esteem of the outside world. Hey, I’m just as guilty of not wanting to see my own friends’ 99-seat shows (though I try to support as much as I can). Regardless, actors act. And ultimately it’s not about any recognition, other than the self-recognition that it feeds the soul. So I am happy to be a part of this project and will do my utmost to make it outstanding. Check out the LATEST NEWS section of my site for all the information!
Musings of Adam Burch 