After a two-year absence from the stage, I was cast in a show at one of my favorite theaters here in San Diego. Scripps Ranch Theatre. I played Rose, the aging neighbor in a Brooklyn apartment near Sunset Park (also the name of the show).

Marley Sims, one of the writers was able to come to the Preview and Opening Night. She hadn’t seen the show in 10 years since it premiered in Los Angeles and seemed to be pleased with our interpretation. And for me as an actor, it was fun to have her in the audience.

It wasn’t a huge part, so I was able to enjoy the process without the stress of being in every scene. A perfect way to get back on the boards.

That meant a lot of time backstage with the three other actors with minor roles and the stage manager. The interaction has changed a bit. I spent a lot of time drawing dark lines in my crows feet and nasal folds in order to age myself about 20 years, but there was time to spend with our scripts and running lines. But a lot of time was occupied with YouTube, Facebook, Words with Friends and Solitaire. (Navigating around the power cords was a challenge at times!)

But no one missed a cue and at the end of the run, there was the usual post-play blues. “What am I going to do now!”

I started getting back to the gym, picked up my marketing a bit, re-worked my website and thought about picking up the blog again.

As an actor, I just love the feeling of having an audience reacting – even the anticipation of a reaction is motivation.  As a voice actor, having a producer – an “audience” – on the line means fewer mistakes and general a more inspired delivery. Even better? Those rare occasions when I get to go to a local studio and see the producer and engineer face-to-face.

I am keeping my eyes open for the next audition. Got the bug again! This time though I’m looking for a role for a women closer to my own age so I don’t have to spend so much time at the makeup mirror drawing lines on my lines.

Sunset Park