Why am I an Actor?

If you ever wonder why people act, simply put, it's because they have to.  That's my excuse at least.  I can't imagine ever doing anything else but acting.  I don't plan to be rich and famous.  If you get into this business with that in mind, you quickly realize that that's not what it's all about or you won't last long.  One of my main goals are to continue to work as an actor and to never stop training.  Another is to make the whole world smile (this one might be a little tough, so wish me luck).

In the Maryland/Washington, D.C. area, I took three years of acting & improv training at The Ensemble School and an Advanced Comedy Workshop, Acting Shakespeare I, and Stage Combat at The Shakespeare Theatre.  In Chicago, I completed the Conservatory Program at The Second City Training Center, the three levels at The Annoyance Theatre, and the program at ImprovOlympic.

Below is a recent poem of mine.  I've written some poetry before, but only when something moves me.  I'm not sure if other people would call it poetry, but I kinda call it that.  Hope you like it.  I think part of the trick in life is figuring out why we breathe and that's where this poem came from.

Why I breathe

I breathe because I wake up each day.

        I breathe because I have things to say.

I breathe because some people are sad.

        And I breathe to try to make them glad.

I breath because I’ve gotta go that extra mile.

        Because I’ve gotta make others smile.

Sometimes it seems hard to breathe.

        At times like this, I take an extra breath.

And remember why I breathe.

Here's a little something hanging on my old roommates wall.  I thought it was pretty appropriate for a look inside an actor's life.

Among the many people one would wish to single
out for their extraordinary contributions, the actors
must hold the place of honor.  There is so much
which is misunderstood about actors by people who
have never observed them closely and speculate
only on the motives which would make one an
actor, and the temperamental tenacity which keeps
one an actor.  Theirs is a precarious, lonely, nomadic
life, in which the strains are considerable.  This
makes the commitment, toil, dedication, sensitivity
and generosity which they bring to their work all the
more remarkable, all the more moving.  They are
idealists dedicated to getting it right, realists about
their own abilities, and wonderful, intuitive dreamers.
Like us all, they are also tall and short, fat and thin,
old and young, black and white, male and female,
blue-eyed and brown, and left-handed and right.
Like us all, they come with husbands, wives,
mothers and fathers, children, domestic pets and
friends.  But unlike us all, they have chosen to make
their living on a small platform, a bright light in their
eyes, make-up on their faces, and another man's
words in their mouths.  All this in front of a huge
roomful of strangers, some of whose profession it is
to judge them publicly.