The director Rebecca Coffee, who also directed A Christmas Story, admitted that she has already additions “some” people already who could not make it to the two scheduled audition times. And she may already have someone she wants for BOOLIE.

And there is still Thursday’s audition.

Still, if there is no one else, I got a pretty good shot at having the role. There is never a guarantee until you receive the call. Rebecca could actually not want me at all.

After the audition, I had a discussion with one of the actresses about character development. Her thought is to “steal from the best” and by that she meant, look at what has already been done and use it. I have only seen bits-and-pieces of the movie but after watching this actress for a few moments, I realized she was, I believe, doing exactly what Jessica Tandy did in the movie. Her thought was that it is still her doing the acting and herself will be part of the role to make it unique.

I try to avoid watching some movies for this very reason. I want to be Jay Croft as BOOLIE, not Jay Croft as Dan Aykroyd as BOOLIE. I want to find my own character, feel the character for who he is. That does not mean that I won’t add little things from what other actors have done, little mannerisms etc, as it feels right.

I am not saying ether way is right or wrong, just that it is not what I want to do. Besides NO ONE can do themselves as Jimmy Stewart as GEORGE BAILEY in It’s a Wonderful Life and be taken seriously.

Tonight will be one of two things: Ether voice over for on the short film I did in August (The Interview). And/Or rehearsal for Bright Flames TV. Let’s talk about The Interview. My understanding is that this is nearly complete in post-production. Matt McGahren is hopping to submit this for the Atlanta Film Festival. Deadline is this Friday. I assume the voice over is for my part. I guess the sound is not what they wanted when originally shot. If not tonight, then tomorrow evening.

On the Bright Flames TV front, apparently Robert Howell has found a crew with equipment so we are not dependent on the local community TV studio. The local community studio never could get their act together, so this will be good. Robert wants me (and I assume the rest of the cast) to do a voice over for a trailer. And the new shooting location is at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Looks like a very nice place. If The Interview voice over is tonight and early enough, I can make tonight’s Bright Flames rehearsal.

Tomorrow AM is a stress test with the cardiologist to see if I can exercise without killing myself. I have been on medication for high blood pressure now for 6 days. Not fun. I have to drink plenty of fluids so my pressure does not drop too low. It did Saturday night, not enough intake during the day. So light-headednes kept me from going to the Gladiators game that night. Last night I did not sleep very well. Due to fluid intake/output, I believe I am short on Potassium. My back of my legs really ached. Very painful.

Tomorrow PM. Depending on if I do not have to do The Interview voice over tomorrow night, I plan on auditioning for BOOLIE WERTHAN in Driving Miss Daisy at Act1 Theater. BOOLIE is the son of DAISY WERTHAN. But if the voice over is tomorrow night, then I will audition on Thursday night, missing another Gladiators game.

Wednesday PM is an audition for Sabrina Fair at Kudzu Playhouse. I think I would make a good DAVID LARRABEE. DAVID is the younger brother of LINUS LARRABEE JR.

Thursday PM will hopefully be a Gladiators’ game, but that depends on … well, see above.

Friday PM is supposed to be another Bright Flames rehearsal.

So everynight this week is something. <sigh>

Powered by Twitter Tools.

Breaking Legs at Kudzu Playhouse
Best Major Supporting Actor in a Play – Chris Arapoglou –  “Mike Francisco”
Best Minor Supporting Actor in a Play – Jay Croft –  “Frankie Salvucci”
Best Set Design in a Play – Wally Hinds

A Christmas Story at ACT1 Theater
Best Minor Supporting Actress in a Play – Martha Kennedy –  “Miss Shields”
Youth Award in a Play – Bobby Cookson –  “Ralphie Parker”
Youth Award in a Play – Andrew Hudson –  “Randy Parker”
Best Costume Design in a Play – Anne Voller
Best Set Design in a Play – Rich Vandever & Gayley Crockett
Best Lighting Design in a Play – Murray Mann
Best Sound Design in a Play – Murray Mann

ACT1 actors in Alpharetta relive holiday memories with ‘A Christmas Story’
November 28, 2007

(SPECIAL/www.northfulton.com)Jay Croft, the narrator and adult Ralphie, holds the famous genuine Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle, the object of young Ralph’s (portrayed by Bobby Cookson) dreams in ‘A Christmas Story.’

Actors Mark Olsen and Jay Croft, who perform respectively as “the Old Man” and as the Adult Ralph in ACT1 Theater’s production of “A Christmas Story,” have discovered their own forgotten Christmas memories embedded in the Philip Grecian play.

Based on the popular movie and the memoirs of Jean Shepherd, “A Christmas Story” follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker’s quest for a genuine Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle for Christmas in the early 1940s.

Veteran actor Mark Olsen who performs as Ralphie’s “Old Man” could not resist the audition call.

Since his move to Atlanta two years ago to work at the Georgia Aquarium, the marine biologist has not auditioned once. Most of the shows on his resume from his home city of Medford, Mass. are musicals such as “South Pacific,” “Music Man,” “Oklahoma” and “Anything Goes.” He both tap-danced and sang in “A Chorus Line,” and in “Forty Second Street.”

Olsen earned his degree in Marine Biology from Northeastern University in Boston and worked at the aquarium in Connecticut before taking the job in Atlanta.

In the pecking order of his own family, Olsen was the little brother in a family of four. His real life boyhood memory of Christmas was the adventure of the whole family going together to a snow covered lot to select his very first live Christmas tree when he was 5 and his brother was 8.

“We can all relate to the story of wanting that one special Christmas gift. For me it was a Big Wheel, which, incidentally, I didn’t get,” he said. “The real message of ‘A Christmas Story’ is neither the gift nor the turkey dinner. It is the family.”

Georgia native Jay Croft takes on the introspective role of story-teller and narrator as the adult Ralph. He is on stage for most of the play.

“It is not a traditional role. There is no verbal interaction with other cast members. In fact I am invisible to the other actors as I tell the story of my younger self,” he said.

Croft was born in Macon and is a life long Georgian. He earned his undergraduate degree in anthropology and archeology from Georgia Southern, as well as a graduate degree in recreational administration. During a brief stint as an anthropologist, he helped excavate some historic cemeteries dating back to the 1700s. Croft now works for Northup Grumman in Data Quality Assurance.

Croft’s first show was in 2004 in “Sunshine Boys,” followed by “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” “Beau Geste[SIC],” and numerous shows at Kudzu in Roswell.

“I never had the desire for a Red Ryder BB gun, but when I was 12 years old my grandfather bought me a brand new 22 rifle for Christmas,” remembers Croft. “The sad thing is that while we were on our way to spend Christmas Day with my grandparents, he died. I still have that gun today.”

- www.northfulton.com

Ramona Quimby opened in Kudzu Playhouse’s old location but moved to Kudzu’s Stage 2 on September 22nd. I spent every night, and all of Friday the week before and around Saturday’s two shows building out the set and dressing room. I was exhausted after that week and skipped acting class that Monday night, more on that in a minute.

I also picked up another role in Ramona Quimby, that of MR FROST. Paul Komorner who was MR FROST always had a conflict on Sundays and Saturday nights. He was also in Bermuda Avenue Triangle on Kudzu’s Stage 1. MR FROST was being played by Jerry Harlow in the old theatre where he could escape from the tech booth for just long to do the 30 second part.

I purchased from a Halloween shop, a hat, Elvis glasses and beard to alter my appearance. With an overcoat I look completely different. One cast member said I looked like Hank Williams, Jr. I also use a Texas twang for a voice.

I started taking an acting class again with Chris Cole Harris. She called and said she was trying to get a class together and at the time I was not doing anything other than Ramona Quimby, so I said why not. The class started on September 17th and after a very long week, decided to skip the night of the 24th.

I also started a new job on September 4th.

Every year, Kudzu does A Christmas Carol for the Holiday Season. Last year, I was light and sound tech and had such fun with the 120+ light and sound queues that I wanted to do it again this year. I went as far as telling Wally and Jenny that I wanted to be tech again.

Well, it turns out that Act 1 Theatre in Alpharetta did not fill the roles of RALPH (Narrator) or THE OLD MAN (RALPHIE/RALPH’s dad) in A Christmas Story. I was recommended by several people to Rebecca Coffee who is directing the show. Working with Rebecca I scheduled an audition on Thursday, September 26th for ether role. Rebecca decided to cast me as RALPH.

If you remember from the movie by the same name, there is a narration all throughout the movie. The Narrator is the grown up RALPHIE. For the play, the narrator (RALPH) is on stage for most of the play.

I have finally landed a lead and I am very excited about the play. And a little nervous, there are a bunch of lines. Oh and this play is also being reviewed for the Metro Atlanta Theatre Awards.