I made lots of Valentines today. It was very creative of me. Sparkly puffy paint and everything.

I've been seeing a good amount of theatre lately, mainly with my friend Sean. We try to make it a point to go see lots of shows and Sean knows people and gets us free tickets to CTG shows so that is awesome.

It's a terrible misconception that there isn't any good theatre in L.A. There is lots of good theatre it's just difficult to find. Other than the big famous ones like CTG, The Pantageus, etc, you really have to dig around and make an effort to find things. I really only know about the theatres because of friends who have performed at them. Since it's mainly 99-seat theatres anyone can book a performance space and sometimes the shows are just straight up heinous. I'm starting to develop a pretty good idea of what shows are worth my time and which aren't. Or so i think.

The problem with auditioning for theatres in L.A. is that since anyone can book a space it's difficult to know whether you are auditioning for a legitimate or quality show. I get called all the time to audition for shows that are held in "co-op" theatres and I haven't really figured out how I feel about the whole idea of paying dues to be in a performance. It is bad enough that non-equity actors don't get a dime but then to have to pay for it? Granted today I did submit myself for a co-op theatre doing Little Women but the 13 year old girl in me couldn't resist the opportunity. I guess if I get an audition I will just scope it out and see if it looks legit.

I could also ask around more. I think I need to get more people's opinions on how to navigate the theatre scene. It seems more untamed than the film industry and while it's awesome and there are lots more opportunities, it gets confusing as to how to maneuver even getting an audition or who to submit to, or what theatres are the correct ones to audition for.

Anylifeisconfusing, last weekend Sean and I went to go see a staged reading of a new musical called Bermuda at the Broad Theatre in Santa Monica. My friend David Largman Murray wrote the book and lyrics and Bobby Halvorson composed the music. Emily Wiesberg was the director, she was my AD for an awesome show I did in Santa Barbara called bobrauschenbergamerica, more about that later. Bermuda was awesome. As is any show written by David, it was hilarious, and strange and smart and just transported you to this insane world that was so kooky and yet the audience just totally accepts it and goes with it. I had such a good time, it's so important for me to see theatre that really speaks to me and that reminds me why I put up with all the crap that goes on with the daily grind of it all so that maybe one day I can be a part of something new and fresh and awesome. It's also so nice to see my friends doing well and really creating beautiful stuffs.



Ty Foster played guitar. It was kind of amazing.

The week before that Sean and I went to the Kirk Douglas Theatre which I had never been to before and absolutely loved! It is a 99-seat so it was small and intimate but it was in a beautiful building with a really nice lobby. I was mainly excited because we got there so early that we found good parking and had time to drink some wine before the show started(that was my favorite part). This is rare for Sean and myself as we are usually sitting in traffic, cursing everyone and just barely making it to our shows. The show was called Taking Over and was a one man show about the gentrification of Brooklyn. Interesting and well done, he was a fantastic character actor, which must be so much fun - but at the end of the show, the actor broke character and tried to justify his play! It was so bizarre and completely took me out of the moment. I did not heart that at all. It seemed so self aggrandizing and obnoxious. Just let the audience decide! If they don't like it - oh well! It's nice to see people make mistakes and see what kind of things I wouldn't want to incorporate in my own work and what works and what does not. The audience definitely did not seem receptive to this.





Need to make an effort to keep seeing more good theatre. And to audition for more. I've been looking for some new monologues and reworking the old ones so that should be good motivation. Sometimes I feel like I probably have 80 different monologues and lines from plays just rotting in my brain.


I really don't know why my posts have been so long. That wasn't my intention. Editing. That's a problem I have on stage and in life. Le sigh. I will work on it. Though is this too long? I do not know.

Oh, hello!

I'm finding myself having to justify starting a blog. I have always completely rejected the internet in every capacity, so much so that I am the last of my peers to have gotten a Facebook. I got it last month. My mother has had a Facebook account for a year now.

For the most part, my belief has been that people who have blogs/myspace/facebook/etc. are fulfilling a narcissistic and voyeuristic need to know everything that everyone is doing at every possible minute, and of course, that everyone is just DYING to know your every move. I generally believe that if you have to justify something, you probably shouldn't do it. And yet here I am. Justifying.

First of all, I think it is kind of going to be nice to have someplace to express my thoughts on the insanity that is trying to build some kind of legitimate acting career. Granted, I could write in a personal journal and hide it under my pillow like I used to, circa 1998, but that seems almost more emo than just having a blog and my handwriting is painfully atrocious. I've always loved writing, and knowing that I have an audience (even if it is just my mother) may force me to follow the rules of grammar and practice writing in a way that is hopefully articulate and entertaining.

It really seems like everyone has a blog right now, and few are relevant or even remotely intelligent so I don't expect to have any kind of impact on anyone by doing this except possibly myself. Focusing my thoughts will hopefully keep me motivated and thinking creatively.

People who have blogs who shouldn't:
Mischa Barton
Kim Kardashian
Kanye West
Paris Hilton

The aforementioned people use their blogs solely to discuss themselves in a capacity that is purely narcissistic. They gain no artistic value from it, nor does their audience really learn anything in the way of their personal philosophy, work ethic, or level of intelligence. They use the internet for all the reasons that I hate the internet.

People who have blogs and definitely should:
Margaret Cho is hilarious. enough said. But she surrounds herself with intelligent people, is herself intelligent, and therefore, can express intelligent, reasonable thoughts. When you read about her experiences in comedy, film, or in her personal life you can not only relate to her, but there is a sense that she is an individual who is striving for personal growth. She is also the only woman on the list and I didn't want to seem sexist since almost all of the people who shouldn't have a blog are women.

Kanye West I know what you are thinking - "but Lourdes, he is on the list of people who should NOT have blogs!" But seriously, as insane and narcissistic as Kanye West is, he also delivers some of the most brilliant gems that internet blogging has to offer. (is the phrase internet blogging redundant?) Let's not lie, his music is rad. He has great taste in clothes. And he writes ALL IN CAPS. If you can make it through a Kanye blog without having your brain explode from trying to read the electric blue writing and being screamed at in CAPS, you are rewarded with the verbal carnage that Kanye spews while trying to express himself. Maybe his brilliance just doesn't translate well to blog? WHY CAN'T WE JUST LET HIM BE GREAT?

Ricky Gervais is the reason that I have decided to embrace the blog whole-heartedly. His blog makes babies laugh and unicorns jump over rainbows. If someone as hilarious and intelligent and awesome as Ricky Gervais can have a blog, then I can too. He makes everything in the world better.



I could probably think of more but i am tired.

I don't think that all of my posts will be this long, I am just justifying for my own benefit.



Oh, yeah, acting. hmmm. Well the week is almost over and I haven't gotten any auditions. It's been fluctuating so much lately I don't even know what to expect. Some weeks I have up to four auditions and then I can go weeks without even hearing from my Manager. Sometimes I think she forgets about me and then accidentally sees my contact info laying on the floor and decides to submit me for something to assuage her own contractually obligated guilt. Usually a Subway commercial. I rule at auditioning for Subway commercials.

Today I saw a Subway commercial that I auditioned for about a month ago. It was actually pretty cute, there were people jumping around and dancing because they really wanted a footlong sandwich. I auditioned for the girl who was the "sandwich artist". I got a callback but no avail. C'est la vie.

I worked alot on my website as well today, another new and strange facet of acting that is apparently now required of all actors. It seems everywhere I go the internet is looming close behind. But I'll talk more about that at a later date. I need to finish watching the Colbert Report and go to sleep. Babies await me tomorrow.