The Real Deal

Today’s schedule provided a special Master Class with visiting actor, Tim McGeever. Tim is currently one of two actors in BTF’s production of K2 (a play about two men struggling to survive on the side of a mountain.) As a pretty successful working actor living out of NYC, he was able to share some invaluable information for those of us pursuing a life in theatre. We talked agents, auditions, Equity vs. Non-Equity, and lots of other various topics exciting to us aspiring professionals. We quizzed him about his Broadway work, how he got there, and what he does to make money when he’s not doing theatre. I found it very affirming to hear him say a lot of what I’ve already been told, either by professors or other industry professionals. Every time I hear about “the business” in NYC, it helps me feel a little less intimidated by it. It was fascinating to hear his personal story, and to glean tidbits of wisdom from someone who’s actually out there “doing it.”

Probably the most helpful information I got personally from his time with us was concerning his experience as an Audition Reader. An Audition Reader is the person in the audition room who sits with his/her back to the casting directors, and reads the script with the actor who is auditioning. I never even knew that job existed, but his advice was to land it if at all possible simply for the exposure. Being a Reader gets you IN the audition room, meeting all sorts of big-wigs, and then they get to hear YOU read over and over again for hours. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig to me!

Tim also encouraged us to give 100% to our Suzuki training. He’s also done some Suzuki work, and could relate to the rigorous demands of the discipline. His advice was to go toward the daily difficulty even when we didn’t feel like it because it will help us to go toward life’s difficulties later. If we train ourselves now to go when the going gets tough, we’re that much more likely to overcome future obstacles.

The more I’m around it, the more I realize that this business is all about relationships. In fact, Tim even said that today. The casting agents, directors, producers, working actors, and wish-we-were-working actors are real people like you and me. They have families, bills, health problems, etc. just like anybody else. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that when you have to work so hard to get their attention. In a world where “it’s all about me,” a selfless act can be difficult to surrender. So when a busy, Broadway, Juliard-trained actor comes to share two hours of his life with a bunch of eager acting apprentices, it means a lot.