Examining the Showcase Code and Mini Contract
Is it time to reexamine the showcase code? Designed to help protect
actors from exploitation, the showcase code has become a 'catch 22' in
recent years. By limiting the number of performances, writers and
directors contend, the showcase code makes publicizing those productions
extremely difficult, discourages reviewers from attending these shows and prevents
the incubation of new talents. Meanwhile, the lack of exposure and limited
industry recognition of these short runs creates a disincentive for
talented actors to sign on to showcase productions. This month, we'll
examine the showcase code and ideas for establishing a bridge between the
showcase code and the mini contract. We'd like to include your perspective
and experiences in this series of articles. (If you are interested in
being interviewed, please email Chad at: chad@actorsupdate.com; or call
Chad at: 212-486-8039.)
What's Your Approach
We receive a lot of requests from our members asking us to recommend
acting, auditioning and voice teachers among others. Rather than respond
with our own opinions, we thought it would be better to create a section
of our site devoted to teachers and teaching companies, in which the
teachers themselves could describe their teaching technique and/or
background directly to our members. To that end, we are beginning to
solicit contributed articles from individual teachers and coaches as well
as acting companies that offer training and instruction. The goal is to
provide our members with a snapshot of your approach and help them make
the decision themselves about where they should apply for training. (If
you are interested in adding your approach to this section, please email
Chad at: chad@actorsupdate.com )
Downtown Theatre Update
This month we will look into what's happening with downtown theatre
including the formation of DowntownNYC!, an advocacy organization for
downtown businesses, the current situations of Ground Zero theatres three
months after the attacks, and what financial aid, if any, is headed to
downtown theatres. (If you are interested in being interviewed for this
story, please email Chad at: chad@actorsupdate.com)
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Select Stories From November
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Leaders, Artists, Funders Discuss Theatre's Future
On Monday, October 29, and Tuesday, October 30, the worlds of commercial
and non-profit theatre converged as executive directors,
researchers,theatre artists, producers, city officials and journalists
gathered at Columbia UniversityÕs School of Journalism to discuss issues
that confront New York theatre today and ideas that may lead theatre
forward toward a new future.
While the conference placed greater emphasis on commercial theatre, there
were many issues and questions raised that related to all aspects of the
theatre.
http://www.actorsupdate.com/news/index.php3?id=406
Never Let Current Events Get in the Way of Good Theatre
Legend Theater Company takes audiences behind the camera, laying bare the
shattered lives of war correspondents, in this play about murder,
prostitution, free press and war.
http://www.actorsupdate.com/news/index.php3?id=412
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Put Us to Work For You?
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We have assembled some suggestions (below) for how you can put us to work
for you, but we are very much open to your ideas as well.
You can send word of those needs to:
needs@actorsupdate.com
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Update Your Theatre Space Rental Info
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Theatres with spaces for rent are allowed to list information detailing
their rental spaces for free in our resources directory. Our members use
this information to determine where they book their productions, so we
urge you to double check that you are listed and that your information is
correct.
http://www.actorsupdate.com/rsrc_list.php3?GroupID=43
If your venue has openings, let us know so that we can get the word out to
our members.
You can send these notices to:
theatrespace@actorsupdate.com
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Immediate Replacements for Immediate Needs
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When you are casting your next show or need to find a quick replacement,
send the call to us. We'll send it via email to our members--a mix of
union and non-union performers.
You can send your call to:
cc@actorsupdate.com
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Promote Your Show with a Postcard
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You can save money on postage by sending one of our electronic postcards
to your mailing list or membership. It is easy to use and, of course,
completely free. Plus, if you create a postcard and send it to yourself,
then you can email the link to entire mailing list at once.
http://www.actorsupdate.com/postcard/
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Calendar Changes
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Adding your event to our calendar is easy. Email us the details and we
will post it on our site.
Send show info to:
calendar@actorsupdate.com
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Interns/Volunteers
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If you are looking for interns or volunteers and have a basic job
description for what they will be doing, you can send it to us and we will
post it on the site. As with all of our other services for performing
artists, this is free for you to use. You can send these notices to:
news@actorsupdate.com
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Job Openings
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You can also do the same if you have a job opening. Send us the notice and
your company's background, and we will post it.
You can send these notices to:
news@actorsupdate.com
Thanks for your time.
Best regards,
Chad
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Chad Fasca
editor
ActorsUpdate
http://www.actorsupdate.com
18 E. 48th Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Ph: 212 486-8039
chad@actorsupdate.com
(a)(u)
Building Community, one performer at a time.
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"Language is a city to the building of which every human being brought a
stone," Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. We believe that same concept can be
applied to our online performing arts community. That's why our tagline
reads: "Building Community One Performer at a Time."
We'd like to remind you that ActorsUpdate is yours to shape. In lieu of a
stone, we ask you to share your news, thoughts and/or experiences, thereby
enriching the entire community. If we each contribute one experience to
this community, together we can build a city of ideas from the experiences
of individuals.
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