Come all ye Citizens ... I'm playing Roman ...

No that's not playing with a Roman (I've done that a few times before-blush) ... I'm playing one ... I'm doing another play and it's another LA Premiere (opening next Friday at one of LA's top theatres). This time I play Agerinus a slave/messenger to one of world's most evil female mass murders - AGRIPPINA. It's a lurid tale of a mother's "love" versus the power of her son's lust. There's sex, drugs and rock-n-roll ... well ... Roman style of course. Yes I'm in Roman garb and looking quite fetching if I do say so myself (if you like that pale-pasty-furry-bear-cub thing I've got going on) - that's me in the center with all the make-up; I've lost a lot of weight, eh? No, look closer and you'll find me somewhere in there.


I'm wearing two hats or should I say two togas in this one: playing Agerinus and Stage Managing, so I'm keeping myself a tad bit busy (it's a hell of a lotta fun though). Come join in, cause if you don't AGRIPPINA will sic me on you ... Grrrrrrrr!

Ahhh it's so nice to be doing a period piece in Roma - about 15 months ago I was actually in Roma playing w/ Romans and taking in all the beauty wonderful Italy has to offer. Amazing! Wouldn't want to be there right now - too damn hot, so the fake roman set and cranked airco will have to suffice.

TEN FORWARD, LLC Proudly Presents THE LA PREMIERE OF AGRIPPINA
By A. Giovanni Affinito

THE STORY OF NERO'S MOTHER , THE DOWAGER
Directed By Tony Torrisi

Show Dates: Aug 22-24, Sep 5-7, 12-14 and 19-21
Evening Shows @ 8 pm, Sunday Matinees @ 2pm
Hudson Mainstage Theatre - 
6539 Santa Monica Blvd. - Hollywood, CA  90038
$25: For Reservations Call: 323-960-7612 or go to WWW.PLAYS411.COM
50% OF ALL PROCEEDS DONATED TO THE ROAR FOUNDATION - A Big Cat Sanctuary founded by conservationist Tippi Hedren

Produced by Richard Sabine through special arrangement with Heuer Publishing LLC of Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Life's Circles

Life’s funny in how it runs you in circles and circles: people come back into your life after years of missing in action; you are all excited to go somewhere new only to realize you’ve been there before with an ex; you pass “go” and when you get to “finish” you realize it was “go” all the time.

I'm sittin' in my old original office (Ground Works Cafe) like I was 1 year ago – jobless. I was a La La Land Newbie (all virginal and such – thank Buddha my virginity is still … um … in tact); eager for adventure and tales to tell; wide eyed and bushy tailed (baby’s got a lotta back – Lumberjack back as it’s been referred to recently). Now I am no longer a newbie, virginity lost that fateful night in dem Insel Hotel (I still remember crying while telling my parents the next day) and boy do I have tales and tales to tell (my blog bars none) … here’s my most recent one:

I didn't get either job at the WGA even after an arduous interview process that involved 3 for Membership and 2 for Residuals (the job I was temping for 2.5 months). The 2nd interview for Residuals consisted of all 12 people in the department asking me 25 psychological questions: What kind of people does you hate and if you had to work with them how would you handle them. Management said it was a tough decision, but they decided to go w/ the 2 ladies I was up against (guess I wasn't girly enough for them, imagine that, maybe I should have worn a push up bra – the hairy cleavage would have clinched it). The job in membership wasn’t really my cup of tea, but the other one would have been nice cause of the benefits (health insurance would sure be great about now - I feel too American w/o it and we all know I'm soooo Euro!) and some of the people working there were very cool. All the mangers said they liked me, they really liked me, I could use them as a reference any time I liked and if it were a customer service job I would have had it in a heartbeat. “We love you, but we went with her and today is your last day.” I was too slow – they needed someone that could churn out 600-800 checks a day, while I churned out about 400 on average. Funny that my last phone call would be with a writer for Married with Children – we started chatting about this and that: about how I used to watch the show in German; how astonished she was at it’s popularity when she was teaching a writing seminar there; she asked me why did I leave Europe and I said to seek my fame and fortune to which she replied, “Well I hope you’re not there [WGA] too long and you follow your dreams.” An hour later I was surprised, or was I, to find out that I had 6 hours to clean out my desk and leave the building.

Circles … It’s about the journey … it’s about the people you help and meet … it’s about the knowledge you gain kicking and screaming along the way … I wouldn’t have it any other way.

One Year - Today!

Yes! Tis true! ... last year on 03 August 07 I boarded the plane from Amsterdam to La La Land ... I survived ...

one year in America;
one year surrounded by Americans;
one year working with Americans;
one year of sex w/ Americans;
one year in Bush-land;
one year of capitalism;
one year away from socialism;
one year w/o health care,
one year of broken bones,
one year of tripping again and again (literately);
one year surviving my first major earthquake (5.4);
one year w/o hay fever;
one year of Eurovision from afar & not being able to vote;
one year of auditions;
one year of student films (I did one Schindler's List - I played a Nazi);
one year of TV commercials: did one for Garnier Fructis;
one year of Extra-ing (Background Acting): Boston Legal, Nip/Tuck and He's Not That Into You;
one year of plays: 12 Angry Men, MLM, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, The Foreigner, Orange Lemon Egg Canary, Fat Pig, Late Night Gong Show, Agrippina;
one year of Stage Managing;
one year of Hollywood Fight Club;
one year of Celebration Theatre;
one year of 2 apartments: Cahuanga/Santa Monica (on Theatre Row) & Gardner/Sunset (near D.G.A. - Director's Guild of America);
one year of many jobs: coverage (reading scripts) for Here! Network, Bodyfactory, Nick&Stef's Steak Restaurant (was fired), NASH Entertainment, Temping for W.G.A. (Writer's Guild of America);
one year of getting fatter;
one year of getting balder;
one year away from friends;
one year of making new ones;
one year of leaving my French lover behind in Amsterdam;
one year of getting to know forgotten friends again;
one year of getting to or trying to understand Hollyweird;
one year attending my 1st gay wedding;
one year of figuring out WHY WHY WHY did I move here;
one year of skipping down that yellow brick road to my dreams;
one year of knowing I'm on the right path ...

One Year - TODAY!