My first class came around and I was not sure I would go. I was thinking, I had my own 1 bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, I was driving a new Oldsmobile 442 and I was making pretty good money. Screw it I'll drop the whole idea, who needs the headache. The few friends I told about ,going to acting school, laughed " Gong to acting school learning to be poor" or "Yeah right, another one of your crazy whims". I complained to Doris about the pain in the ass traveling downtown in the evening in Manhattan where the school was. She thought the idea of me gong to acting school was great and she bragged to her friends, my boy friend,the actor , she said "go for the hell of it". She later regretted encouraging me to go when she found out the school was noted for teaching acting basics to models. So I thought, the money was already paid, it turns Doris on, what the heck, I'll check it out.
I went a little early and just sat in my car there watching the entrance.I waited there until the last minute and almost turned around to go back to Queens.I had to call upon every ounce of courage and walk into to this new world. When I got to the entrance another woman was walking in with me and she said Hi, and I said Hi back. She said it was her first time there and was nervous. I reassured her that it would be allright, besides ,what can they do to you.
In the class, I sat in the back and just observed. Picking up on conversations before the class started, I observed that most had some kind of theatrical training either from college or community theater. . When class started, the teacher asked each individual to stand up and state who they were and what acting they had done in the past. I dreaded my turn, I didn't want to tell the class, that not only have never done a play, I never even seen one. When it was my turn, I just said, I don't have much experience but I am glad to be here.
I stayed with this school and had the time of my life.I learned about mooing like a cow and other animal vocals As no one in the class was a professional, I did not feel inadequate. On the contrary, I discovered that I liked it on stage and looked forward to bringing in scenes and monologues for the class. The class put a strain on my relationship with Doris. Previously she had not been jealous of other women,always confidant that no women could compete with her, for me. Sometimes coming out of class, Doris would be waiting for me to see if I was talking to any of the women. This was embarrassing to me but the aspiring actresses thought it was sexy. I tried to reassure Doris that I was all business, and It was.
One day, an instructor mentioned to a couple of us, that we should audition for plays around town. How, I asked. He said to make up a resume of plays that you did scenes from and put down you did them in some obscure theater, pick up the trade papers, backstage and show business, look for open calls that are casting your type and go for it. New York in those days had many non-union theaters so why not. I picked out a couple of auditions, dressed in my Saturday night clothes, packing my professional head shots and fake resume and went into the city for my first audition. My fate was sealed.
I went a little early and just sat in my car there watching the entrance.I waited there until the last minute and almost turned around to go back to Queens.I had to call upon every ounce of courage and walk into to this new world. When I got to the entrance another woman was walking in with me and she said Hi, and I said Hi back. She said it was her first time there and was nervous. I reassured her that it would be allright, besides ,what can they do to you.
In the class, I sat in the back and just observed. Picking up on conversations before the class started, I observed that most had some kind of theatrical training either from college or community theater. . When class started, the teacher asked each individual to stand up and state who they were and what acting they had done in the past. I dreaded my turn, I didn't want to tell the class, that not only have never done a play, I never even seen one. When it was my turn, I just said, I don't have much experience but I am glad to be here.
I stayed with this school and had the time of my life.I learned about mooing like a cow and other animal vocals As no one in the class was a professional, I did not feel inadequate. On the contrary, I discovered that I liked it on stage and looked forward to bringing in scenes and monologues for the class. The class put a strain on my relationship with Doris. Previously she had not been jealous of other women,always confidant that no women could compete with her, for me. Sometimes coming out of class, Doris would be waiting for me to see if I was talking to any of the women. This was embarrassing to me but the aspiring actresses thought it was sexy. I tried to reassure Doris that I was all business, and It was.
One day, an instructor mentioned to a couple of us, that we should audition for plays around town. How, I asked. He said to make up a resume of plays that you did scenes from and put down you did them in some obscure theater, pick up the trade papers, backstage and show business, look for open calls that are casting your type and go for it. New York in those days had many non-union theaters so why not. I picked out a couple of auditions, dressed in my Saturday night clothes, packing my professional head shots and fake resume and went into the city for my first audition. My fate was sealed.
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