When i reflect on my work and my life, what it was like, what happened and what its like now, i realize that some things never change. years make you older, life makes you wiser, work makes you richer and a strong spirit and sense of self, makes you happy to get older, to be wiser and to live richer. now and then.

first job in the industry

then…

friendship cottage cheese print ad – the day of the modeling job, I accidentally knocked out my front tooth – leaving a gaping hole in the front of my smile. When I booked that job my mouth was full of pearly whites and so in a panic we ran down to Chinatown to see Dr. Toothy – who was well known at the time (in the world of a NYC child actor) as the man that saved jobs when things like this happened. He could create a flipper in a jiff – which was a retainer that had the single tooth on it – the one that fell out – the smile that the producer chose over all the other faces on the audition – that was the smile that appeared on the day of the shoot. And no one was wiser for it. Until an unruly and very tired child started having a little fun by popping it in any out between takes. Guilty. Anyhow, I digress, my first job, without Dr. Toothy, could very well have been my last job.

Now…

On the job disasters still occur and usually there is a “mister fix-it” floating around somewhere.

 

skill sets

then…

singing, tap, jazz, ballet, guitar and recorder (two instruments that I had to learn how to play so that my fake alter ego could look real playing them.) smiling, memorizing, very creative with acting a different age – depending on what age the casting director was looking for, I knew exactly what year I should have been born when asked what age I was. I was really good at that one. Really, you are only ten? Yup I was born on such and such a date. It was the good acting they were looking for anyhow, wasn’t that the idea?
never fell asleep before the curtain call, never missed an early morning call, could change out of a school uniform and into a shorts set or a denim outfit in the back seat before the light turned green anywhere, anytime.
Now…
karaoke, the stanky leg, piano, have also mastered the quick change quite a bit, now I can black tie a hot number on the floor of the passenger seat. That one still comes pretty easily.

 

career advice

then…

be perky, cheery, happy, well dressed, on time, prepared, determined, teachable, interesting, nice, smart, informative, funny, engaging. Always ask if you could be seen first by the casting director as you have a conflict with another audition, a sure psych out for those that don’t, they didn’t show up for the career advice seminar, perhaps. Everyone wants to work with the ones that everyone wants to work with. Guess who booked those jobs? Could it be the one who didn’t want to wait to get the job done? Go back to the list, read, repeat. You are what they think you are.

Now…

Well, a job well done is usually done well.

 

mentors

then…

bette midler, stephen sondheim, charles strouse, hal prince, michael bennett, jule styne. All my theatrics start here.

Now…

I still hang around with the winners, those with the talent, experience and imagination, those who create the most original and beautiful pieces of work. My theatrics continue to blossom around them.

 

biggest challenge at work

then…

competition. better actors. its wasn’t 9 to 5. Memorizing the times tables in the fourth grade at 11 pm with the over head light on in the car on the way home from a night on the stage or learning the Beattitudes and a script at the very same time. those were challenges.

Now…

It certainly is not 9 to 5 now, just ask the other actors at work – if you are not doing your best – the competition is just waiting for you at the door.

 

who i’d like to work for

then…

the nederlanders, the shuberts, nbc, abc, cbs, hbo. i hustled and I did. on stage and on screen. perhaps some of those three letter logos precipitated my adoration for monograms.

Now…

I still get to work with the nederlanders, the shuberts, nbc, abc,cbs, hbo – i just hustle less. and now, if it doesn’t move, its usually has my initials on it.

 

balancing work and life

then…

do your homework, play, run, but don’t hide. catch the worm, smell the roses, mind your manners, try not to make any mistakes on cue. For example, don’t decide to open the wrong end of a huge prop department magic marker just before you are about to enter a scene for a closeup. Don’t forget your lines and always make an entrance. Don’t act entitled.

Now…

enjoy the moment. wherever it takes you, and you will work a pretty good life. you’ll get the title.

 

how to recover from a long day at work

then…

go swimming at a swim meet – without accidentally forgetting to take off the stage makeup that made you look like you were in the car accident which you were in earlier in the day, only it wan’t real, sleep. read. sew. go for McDonalds, run around, watch tv, call friends.

Now…

baths. falling asleep before makeup removal (it happens). Sew, no. tailor stops. eat at Jean Georges or The River Cafe, run marathons, watch Netflix or Amazon, textback, I mean its been a long day.

 

career advice

then…

be as happy now as you were born to be.

Now…

what’s a little hard work then? there’s still, plenty of time to be happy now!

 

 

 

 

sweater | pants | shoes | glasses

photographs then by John Hart
photographs now by Viva Violeta Photography