The Summer Begins

For some reason I couldn't get my fingers to type anything worth posting this last month, though plenty has been happening.

I closed Starcrossed at Annex Theatre, and I've started rehearsals for my upcoming summer production of The Clockwork Professor by the amazing local playwright Maggie Lee. You can see our kickstarter campaign here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1086790052/the-clockwork-professor

It's a steampunk action, love story--so really it doesn't get any better than that. I'll be doing some dancing, some stage combat, and some strange contortion things.  We've blocked the entire show, and we've moved into run thrus! We're right on schedule, and we'll be opening July 12!

In other news I've had two callbacks, and a SAG audition. My callbacks were for a local theatre company doing some great plays, and I've just heard back from the director of one of them--and I got cast! I had such a fun time at the audition. It was the first time in a while that I got to use my British dialect, and I really enjoyed stretching those muscles. I'll be performing during the whole month of November, and I'm really looking forward to rehearsals, which will be starting in October.  More news to come as the show date gets closer!

I went to a SAG short film audition yesterday--my first. I had seen a posting for it online, and they contacted my agent and that was that. The second I showed up it was extremely apparent to me that I was the only non-union actor there (at least at the time I was called), and then I had the pleasure of double checking when I saw that the sign in list was for SAG-only, and everyone else was on it. Needless to say I was a little intimidated, and I had only discovered a couple hours prior to my audition that I might have the wrong sides. I was reading for a 40 year old character. The older women around me were all reading for the younger character, so certainly something was amiss. But no, I was told by the director as she came out to apologize for us being behind schedule that I was in fact reading for the 40 year old, and would I please read with this older woman (who was reading for the younger character--though she couldn't be much older than me at all) who was infinitely more prepared than I (I won't give you my excuses for not being prepared)?

Of course I agreed and went into the room, where luckily my co-actor read first. I say luckily because this film audition was so out of my league compared to the others I've attended in the city, and I truly felt like I was going to embarrass myself. Instead, I got to watch how she interpreted the sides (though we had different sides, at least I got to watch her movement ) and it was really helpful. In the end, I read twice. Once with the other actor, and once on my own. The directors ended up really liking us as a pair, and I was flabbergasted because I felt completely out of my league. I was confident in my audition, but not familiar with the process and so I was out of sorts. It was really nice to hear positive feedback in a situation like that, and it was also so beneficial for me to watch another actor do their audition. I can only cross my fingers that I'll have an opportunity to work on a project like this with some seasoned film actors who can teach me a thing or two.

I have more filming coming up in the next few months on House of Glass, which will be really fun. I also had the opportunity to do a play reading for a local playwright who will be putting her play on later this year. It was a really amazing script, and I can't wait to audition for the show. I would absolutely love to be a part of it. I was also asked to read a script at a fundraiser of a local theatre, and it turned out to be a big hit.

I've had some really wonderful experiences this past month--and I can't wait for the next month. I have a big audition coming up for a local theatre here. I also will be auditioning for a small touring company. I've become a company member at Annex Theatre, and I'm becoming more involved there. And soon I'll be opening The Clockwork Professor!  Good things to come!

This time last year

I've been thinking a lot lately about this time last year.

This time last year I was filming a movie which turned out to be my favorite experience of 2012. This time last year I was an assistant at my job. I was figuring myself out, spreading myself too thin between too many projects, and cramming my life full of all the experiences I wanted to have -- all at the same time.

And it wasn't bad. It was fun and exciting and I learned a lot. I also know now, looking back, that doing so much at once is how I lost inspiration. This year, after giving myself time, finding new hobbies, taking breaks, and spreading my schedule out so things don't collide, I've become so inspired.

I'm inspired to try new things. I'm inspired to let go of things that are holding me back. I'm inspired to start trusting myself again. Really trusting my intuition and my desires. I don't feel as lost as I did my first year in the city (go figure), and I'm so excited for the road ahead.

I have new theatres on my radar and I'm on the radar of new theatres. I have a wonderful group of family and friends surrounding me that I can lean on when I need to. And I'm finally starting to feel like I'm finding myself in this market. I feel better about my skills, my technique, my drive, and my path. It just took me a little while to gain my footing.

This year, I've started working with theatres that I love, who are consistently doing work that I love. I've focused on my health and wellness. I've focused on my frame of mind (and my peace of mind for that matter). I've gotten an agent. I've been promoted. I've gotten raises. I've worked with new teaching companies, and met new people that have offered me great opportunities. I've started reading more and writing again. I think I'm just now beginning to see the benefits of working on me.

It all goes to show that treating people with respect, always being friendly and open, and showing people the genuine kindness they deserve leads you to receive the same. I'm feeling so grateful for all my experiences today, and I can't wait for the new ones that are on their way.

New Website!

I finally made my first actor website! Now, to be fair, it's not completed. I haven't received the CD of my newest headshots to update all my pictures, but it's on it's way. I can officially say I have a website for possible employers to view (and judge me) by. I'm really excited about it.

www.saschastreckel.com


Starcrossed is almost done. We have two more shows left  on Tues/Wed night. I also start rehearsal for my upcoming summer show this week. I guess it won't be 'upcoming' for much longer! I'm ready to get the new script and dig in. It's a new work, so the author has been busy tweaking it for the last couple months. It will be fun to be working with a playwright again.

I wish I had some cool new pictures from this latest production to share with you, but I haven't seen the results of our photocall yet. I'll be sure to post them if I get them. In other news I've joined a new play reading group I'm excited about, and I've been working with my agent on joining all the local casting sites to finally get kickstarted commercially.

I expect this summer will be an adventure in new auditions.

Spring Fever

So I had started some blog posts previously, and hadn't had time to finish them. I just posted one of my previous posts from early April.

It's been so busy I've let time get away from me. My only excuse is I've had a wonderful two months focusing on real life and forgetting to catalog it. Sorry!

Rehearsals for Starcrossed went extremely well, and I've had a great time with the cast and crew. We officially opened on Tuesday night, and can I just say I haven't enjoyed an opening that much in a while. There was so much laughter I had to wait nearly ten to fifteen seconds to say lines sometimes. What a treat!

Tonight I'll be performing in Spin the Bottle at Annex to preview Starcrossed for those who haven't seen it yet. I wrapped all my filming these last two months and I'm just waiting on footage from my commercial. I've taken new headshots and received the results, so you should be seeing those as soon as I have the full resolution images. Next up on my list of things to do is create my website! I can't believe I haven't done it yet.

This week I have three big auditions coming up. I'm very excited to sing and act and do my best to be remembered. Finally having the opportunity to audition for larger theatres here is so exciting for me. I can't wait to be in the room with them!

Rehearsals for my next upcoming show start as soon as Starcrossed closes in a month, so I've got a little bit of down time (which I'll be filling with classes and workshops and auditions). I was talking to a friend yesterday who is struggling with the decision of whether or not she wants to be an actor anymore. Is it worth it? she asked. Am I good enough? Is it what I want to do?  As we were talking and I explained my schedule and the way I live my life around it, I realized how happy I am doing what I'm doing.

I could potentially grab a full time job with a company that will help promote me within, find a better benefits package, have my nights free to myself, focus on a different kind of future. I look at that life, though, and think how unhappy I would be. Right now acting is what makes me happy. I wake up and go to work and look forward to rehearsals and auditions every day. When I get to rehearsals, I'm with friends that I love to spend my time with, and who I'm lucky to have. When I'm on stage I feel like there's no where else I'd rather be. If I could find a job at a theatre here, I'd be a happy camper. As it is, I keep my life free for agents, auditions, rehearsals, and shows. I call out early on the chance of an acting job. I stay up late to work on my characters. I'm more worried about being memorized than I am about planning curriculum. Until the day that changes, I'll never see these choices as a sacrifice. And that is the heart of being an actor--when does it become a sacrifice? When is it time to stop? It's different for everybody.

As for me, I couldn't be more excited for this coming week. There are so many great shows to see in this city, and so many great opportunities to perform. Here's to the beginning of the summer season!

House of Glass Clip

WRITTEN early 4/13

You can watch my 'prequel' episode for House of Glass here: It's been a fast and full couple of weeks since my last update. I had days of filming, hours of rehearsal, nights of performances and reading, as well as multiple auditions. I'm happy to say I've been having a grand old time flying my actor flag, and am excited about the upcoming weeks.

We're finally starting regular rehearsals for my next show at a local theatre here in Seattle. We've been rehearsing about once a week or so, and I'm ready to finally delve in and get to the good stuff. I finished filming a commercial last weekend with a couple friends. It was incredibly silly. I had a southern dialect and got to ride around on a man's back in the middle of a crowded neighborhood. It was refreshing to be working with familiar faces, which is something that hasn't started happening with me in Seattle often since I'm still so new. It was always nice in college to work with people you knew and understood very well, and I'm excited to begin to have the opportunity in this market as well. Sometimes the better you know someone, the better your work can be. Of course, it could also go the other way. I hope to have the link available to watch in the next couple weeks! I'll be sure to post it here so stay tuned.

In other news, I've signed on for another staged reading coming up. I've also had my first read through for my upcoming summer show. It's such a pleasure to get to work with the original playwright on a play, so I'm ready to start this next process coming up shortly.

The Weekend of a Lucky Girl

This weekend has really reminded me how to be truthful, humble, and grateful for every opportunity provided to me.

It began after a great acting lesson on Friday with my acting coach. He extended me an offer I've been hoping for for a long while, and I couldn't be happier to feel like I'm moving in the direction I want to. I believe it was a result of a great TPS audition, and quite a bit of hard work. I'm excited for the future, and can't wait to get started.

I had my first rehearsal on Saturday for my next show. I got to sit down with the cast and director and really delve into the script. It was originally written for the local 14/48 festival, which means it was written in about 10 hours, and then the actors had little to no time to learn it before it was performed once and then forgotten about. So, this is the first time it's seen the light of day since that one festival night about two years ago. We had a great talk about characters and background and all that jazz, so I'm ready to dive right on in to scene work next time we meet. Which is in a month. Crazy rehearsal schedules.

This weekend was ComiCon! Which means House of Glass was there, showing everyone our trailer, making star connections (I heard Felicia Day was involved!), and gathering as much money as we could. I'd like to say it was a pretty successful weekend for us, but I didn't get the chance to make it out since I was crazy busy with other things. I can say that I'm very proud of the work that has been put into the project so far, and I can only hope the public chooses to support the production because it's going to be stellar!

Here is the trailer!

Today was the best day of the weekend. It started out with my three hour auditioning class, bright and early at 9am. I brought in a Shakespeare audition piece to work on with the teacher, since he performs so much Shakespeare regionally and has won a lot of accolades for his interpretations and performances. He only had positive things to say to me, so I feel incredibly prepared to walk into my upcoming Shakes auditions with confidence and a little bit of sass. We worked on needing the words, and what my relationship was with my 'scene partner' to make it a little more dynamic and less simplistic. I'm very happy with where the piece is right now, but I plan to continue working it and I'll probably run it by more people before the big day. You can never be too prepared!

After class I had an audition for a new company here, and I had a blast. I got to do some karate, and I was asked to repeat my monologue as a robot. All in all, it was a fun experience with really sweet auditors. I'm always so grateful to directors who appreciate a calm and friendly audition experience. The three women put me immediately at ease, made conversation, and kept me around afterwards to chat a bit. I even got a chance to read some of the script while I was waiting to go in and audition, which is abnormal for a new work, and I appreciated that as well.

Today I was also offered a role in a staged reading coming up soon, which I gratefully accepted. I'm looking forward to working with some familiar faces, and a new company. It's always exciting to workshop a piece too, and be a part of the process from the ground up. Right after this opportunity, I was invited to audition with a company I've been dying to work with! So basically, this weekend turned into one good thing after another, and I've spent my day feeling lucky and grateful and positive about the year 2013, and everything that has happened so far.

I can't wait for everything to come!

Update on shows I've seen:
5XTenn or so
Undo (again)

House of Glass Promo

Here it is! The kickstarter for my new webseries House of Glass!

Click HERE to go to our kickstarter page and make a donation. You can also watch the promotional video, cast interviews, and other behind the scenes features. New ones will be added every week, and our donors will be getting special sneak peaks and prizes from the director and producers.

I couldn't be more excited! If you're in the area, check us out at Emerald City Comi-Con this weekend as well!

So, that happened

TPS. Arguably the biggest audition day of the year in the Puget Sound happened last week. I had been working on my pieces with my private acting coach for weeks. I recently started an auditioning class at Freehold theatre, and my teacher there helped me prepare as well.

All in all, as compared to last year, this year I chose better pieces that represented the roles I wish to be cast in. I took a risk this year of adding in a dialect to my audition (kind of a no-no in the rule book, but it was necessary). Last year I took no risks and changed my audition piece on behalf of my prescreen auditors. I felt much more in control this year making my own conscious decision to break a rule. In the end I think it paid off. I received positive feedback from a few auditors/theatre companies. I feel good about the way it went. My time slot was right after a break, so the auditors had all gotten coffee and gone to the bathroom. They were bright eyed, and listening so there was a wonderful energy in the room.

I was no where near as nervous this year, probably because I was much more confident about the pieces I chose to perform, and because I knew people in the audience this year. Right after my audition I had a meeting with an artistic director from an outside theatre company. I also received several emails and was able to do one callback.

Overall I'd say I had a very positive experience, and I had fun!

This past weekend I also auditioned for a larger theatre company here. I had a good audition and ended up being called back. It's the second time I've made it to the final callbacks for this theatre, which means I'm doing something right. I don't think I'm as suited to the role as the other women I auditioned with, but only time will tell. There's only one part available to women, so the competition is pretty fierce.

This weekend I also began rehearsals for Starcrossed. I met the casts of the multiple plays, and we read through them. I had the interesting opportunity of reading for roles I wasn't cast in because some actresses weren't able to make it to the rehearsal. It was really fun to play around with characters since the directors weren't really looking at me for those roles since they've already been cast. I also received some positive feedback about the read through, which is always great. I think it's going to be a really exciting process, and I couldn't be happier to be working with this company.

February flew by. Auditions, classes, private lessons, agent business, and work all kept me really busy. Now I get to start auditioning for the upcoming summer season! There's some great opportunities to do some Shakespeare in the park, and I'm working on my pieces for those auditions now.  With rehearsals now begun, March and April are going to go by pretty quickly I'd imagine.

I'm just having a great 2013 so far! Oh, and my favorite news of the month: Fellow susie Erin will be making the move to Seattle this summer! She came to visit for TPS auditions, nailed them, and now she's working to save the money to come be part of the Seattle family. I couldn't be more excited!