Wise Guy

As I profile my actors I am thinking a lot about my time in pre-production and especially the casting calls. That was probably my favorite part of pre-pro, even though I had to make a lot of difficult decisions, torture some people with the lingering unknown until I made up my mind, and sometimes disappoint people that I really would like to work with. Though I have done a few things to put myself in the actor's shoes, I have not gone so far as going for an audition. I want to, and I think I will before the year is out. I figure then I will know what it is like to be rejected, because I am quite certain that I would be! But even going in knowing that, I still think it will be a nerve-wracking experience. Being alone, onstage, and fully aware that you are being judged and measured against a whole bunch of other people based on your looks as well as your talent... how could it not be? It seems a little masochistic to me when I think about it.

At the first round of auditions at Baltimore Theater Project back in April, one of the first people to be in front of me was one Ms. Regina Guy. She did a great job but unfortunately was not quite young enough to play Gracie or Mel, and quite a bit younger than I had envisioned the part of the wealthy widow. But her enthusiasm was striking, and I could tell she really wanted it. At the end of her audition, she said, for the record, that if she wasn't right for one of the parts that she would be happy to be an extra or help out in any way she could. I thought that was pretty cool of her to say, and made a mental note to self.

When it was time to contact all of the actors who came to the first round (and I contacted every single one of them personally to tell them yes or no, almost 100 people altogether), I let Regina know she didn't fit one of the roles but I would love to have her on board as a Production Assistant. She was a bit disappointed (and voiced that) but still willing to be a part of the project. She came in to help me facilitate the second round of auditions and ran the holding room with a gloved iron fist. She showed up early, helped me haul ice and finish setting up the craft services tables, and when the actors arrived she expedited dispatching them to me for their scenes, as well as making sure they were fed and comfortable and had anything they needed. And she honestly seemed to be having a blast!

Her first day a rousing success, I definitely wanted Regina on for the whole shoot, and she obliged. The next gathering was the table read of the script with all the actors present. This was everyone's first introduction to Joyce Scott (Mrs. Talford). I knew Regina would be crazy about her and I asked her to pick Joyce up. That was all it took, and Regina appointed herself as Personal Assistant to Ms. Scott for the entire production.

Though I had hired someone specifically for meal times, actors and crew (if you want to keep them happy) graze the Craft Services table from call time to wrap. Regina loves to feed people and keep them happy, so these tasks fell naturally to her, as well as a lot of the additional responsibilities of meal times. I'm not sure I ever even put her in charge of it, she just took charge, making my life easier, so I was all good with it. When the other members of my Production Interns "A-Team", Corey Dillon and David Sarmiento, would get to set, she would put them to work helping her to get all the mis en place for the day before she would let Corey could get to his wardrobe duties and David go to help the crew.

I know she'd rather be in front of the camera (and she does appear several times in "Smalltimore", so look for her), but this kept her in the thick of things with both cast and crew and she did an amazing job. So amazing that Michelle and I both recommended her to do the entire catering gig on the project we worked on next, "Juju". Regina got (and rocked) the job, and a new career was launched!

More importantly, we became friends, and it makes the day go a lot faster when you are working with hard-working people that you like. Favorite days were those that Regina made her famous chili. The first time, I was a little concerned that the cast and crew might feel this was a cheap lunch, because it was the only thing on the menu. But we were filming at my friend Greg's house, and using the whole interior, so Regina had to set up shop on the front porch. Space being limited, we couldn't have done much more anyway. But in addition to the VAT of chili, she brought all the fixings and rigged an entire chili BAR with onions, sour cream, shredded cheese, and salad, and it was a smash hit. She even brought some vegetarian chili for a few of the crew with special diets. Everyone had seconds and thirds, and no one complained when we served it again within a week.

The chili appeared several times on the "Juju" set, and Regina always made a little extra for me to take home. We have remained friends, and in touch, and just this morning she texted me to say she is whipping up a batch, would I like her to bring some by tomorrow? Possibly the most rhetorical question that has ever been posed to me.

Moral of the story, stay open to possibilities. Regina didn't get exactly what she came to that audition for, but it ended up opening a lot of doors for her because she was positive and flexible. She has worked on several productions since "Juju" and has entrenched herself in the local indie production scene. And I made out like a bandit because I spotted a valuable asset and made sure to find a place for her. Everybody wins!