The show was deep into it's run and I had to keep working on the character to keep it fresh. There is a tendency, I think, for actors in a long run to go on automatic pilot. They may have done the scenes hundreds of times and may feel tired or depressed sometimes and not concentrate on playing moment to moment but, "phone it in".
I was determined not to fall into that trap because there was a different audience every night and I didn't want anyone to think," this guy stinks." I would change my "moment before" occasionally which slightly colored my performance. Of coarse there are certain parameters that you have to honor such as the pacing and blocking but within that area I was able to be spontaneous every night.
I did 195 performances of "Sorrows of Stephen" at The New York Shakespeare Festival and every one had my full concentration, even when I was sick. There were a few and I mean few performances when the show fell flat. But even with the new cast members coming and going, audiences mostly responded positively toward the show.
About 5 months into the run I decided to move back to the City, Manhattan. I had grown up in the City on 28 St. and Second Avenue but because of the slow moving gentrification of the City, my family moved to Astoria, Queens when I was 16 and now I would return at 35 as a working actor.
I found a small studio apartment on 48 St between 8th and 9th avenue that I could afford just 2 blocks from Jimmy Rays. I would party to the wee hours of the morning, sleep most of the day and do the show at night. This was my routine and I was loving it, until a notice was put up on the call board that "Sorrows of Stephen" would be closing in 2 weeks.
After 6 months of acting heaven, was I destined to go back to cab driving? I had not secured an agent and no promising projects on the horizon. I would have to swallow my pride and go out and look for work like every other actor. I had hoped during the run that I would be offered another job. I was sure it would happen, everybody I talked to about my performance said I was great and one of the main reasons the show was successful. But it didn't happen and now I am to be just another unemployed actor.
I was offered a couple of OFF-Off Broadway shows for no money but I couldn't bring myself to commit . I heard that a well known film producer and CD were beginning casting for a comedy TV show to be shot in New York. I knew this producer and CD had seen Sorrows Of Stephen so they had to have seen me.
I decided to do what is considered forbidden, I would call the CD myself. I called and asked for LD the CD. The person on the phone asked ,"who is calling" and I said John Del Regno. The voice said to hold and the CD got on the phone. I was surprised as I expected to leave a message which probably would never be returned.
I told the CD that he saw me in Sorrows Of Stephen at the Public and could I audition for the CBS pilot he was casting. The CD said he didn't remember me but he gave me an appointment to come in a read for him.
I immediately went and picked up the sides and poured over them . The character was a pickpocket and the dialogue was simple and easy for me. Whether I got the part or not, I would use this opportunity to show these TV people who I was.
I was determined not to fall into that trap because there was a different audience every night and I didn't want anyone to think," this guy stinks." I would change my "moment before" occasionally which slightly colored my performance. Of coarse there are certain parameters that you have to honor such as the pacing and blocking but within that area I was able to be spontaneous every night.
I did 195 performances of "Sorrows of Stephen" at The New York Shakespeare Festival and every one had my full concentration, even when I was sick. There were a few and I mean few performances when the show fell flat. But even with the new cast members coming and going, audiences mostly responded positively toward the show.
About 5 months into the run I decided to move back to the City, Manhattan. I had grown up in the City on 28 St. and Second Avenue but because of the slow moving gentrification of the City, my family moved to Astoria, Queens when I was 16 and now I would return at 35 as a working actor.
I found a small studio apartment on 48 St between 8th and 9th avenue that I could afford just 2 blocks from Jimmy Rays. I would party to the wee hours of the morning, sleep most of the day and do the show at night. This was my routine and I was loving it, until a notice was put up on the call board that "Sorrows of Stephen" would be closing in 2 weeks.
After 6 months of acting heaven, was I destined to go back to cab driving? I had not secured an agent and no promising projects on the horizon. I would have to swallow my pride and go out and look for work like every other actor. I had hoped during the run that I would be offered another job. I was sure it would happen, everybody I talked to about my performance said I was great and one of the main reasons the show was successful. But it didn't happen and now I am to be just another unemployed actor.
I was offered a couple of OFF-Off Broadway shows for no money but I couldn't bring myself to commit . I heard that a well known film producer and CD were beginning casting for a comedy TV show to be shot in New York. I knew this producer and CD had seen Sorrows Of Stephen so they had to have seen me.
I decided to do what is considered forbidden, I would call the CD myself. I called and asked for LD the CD. The person on the phone asked ,"who is calling" and I said John Del Regno. The voice said to hold and the CD got on the phone. I was surprised as I expected to leave a message which probably would never be returned.
I told the CD that he saw me in Sorrows Of Stephen at the Public and could I audition for the CBS pilot he was casting. The CD said he didn't remember me but he gave me an appointment to come in a read for him.
I immediately went and picked up the sides and poured over them . The character was a pickpocket and the dialogue was simple and easy for me. Whether I got the part or not, I would use this opportunity to show these TV people who I was.
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