Matt spends another three hours brooding about cash flow vs. creative fullfillment. Bonus casting coach details.

Nothing in N.Y. comes easy. That’s why when you achieve something you feel like you own the world. At this point in my career though, it doesn’t always take me long to realize I don’t. I’m sitting in Starbucks waiting for my very first rehearsal with Cherub Improv, a group that performs improv comedy at hospital, correctional facilities, nursing homes, etc… It should be an exciting moment. Instead, I’m haunted by my lack of income.

I shouldn’t be worrying about this. I should be in performing RENT. I got cast to do a regional production. But, sadly, I got uncast suspiciously close to my rejection of the producer’s offer to let him be “a bad influence” during the production. “I’m looking forward to being friends, but I meant that in the plutonic sense”, I said shortly after he tried to kiss me. “That’s too bad because I’m not looking for plutonic friends,” he replied. The next day I received a call stating that I was too young to play opposite their Roger.
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Matt works hard for the money but the ideas don’t always pay off. Today he hatches yet another scheme.

So, the idea solution to this problem is to just book a show that pays more than most of the shows I book. But I have no way of knowing if that will happen. And aside from my regular bills I need to send out postcards to tell everyone about the parts I’ve booked, I need money to print off my new headshots, I need money for my classes and to be able to meet casting people (oh yes, that’s a whole other can of worms — we’ll discuss later). It’s expensive to be an actor.

Lately I’ve been paying the bills flyering in Times Sq. Sometimes I teach computer lessons or build websites. I had a temp agency. I’ve waited tables. I’ve written magazine articles. I’ve setup video games for corporate parties. I do bus tours… yes I do. So yesterday my roommate asked me to take a look at his computer. It was speaking and crashing. Crazy right? Well, it just so happens I’m very good at fixing things like that. So while I was sitting there, going through the system registry. I thought, I’m going to make a Craigslist ad. Maybe I can get people to pay me to fix their laptops. Anything to keep money in my pocket and a flexible schedule.

In all the places where man may find riches, he will never find what his heart truly wishes until he finds the tapestry that was woven of the lives of others who’ve chosen to share theirs with him.

Sure, in reality it’s just a Madison Avenue marketing ploy thought up to create buzz and customers for banking giant HSBC. It’s easy to dismiss it as a gimmicky and void of humanity. I’m walking down Seventh Avenue trying to decide whether or not I’ll be able to handle the lowering temperature or if I really belong back in California. Then I see it – a taxi cab – a a restored vintage Checker taxi cab. Upon closer examination though I discover it’s got the HSBC logo plastered all over it. Ever the license plate says HSBC – another guerrilla advertising stunt. I turn away and continue down the avenue. Just ahead there is some guy wearing jeans and a florescent t shirt handling out to-go menus. At least the HSBC cab had some character to it. I turn around and see people gathering around the car to talk to the bank cabbie. Something about the humanity of it made me turn around again and start walking to towards the cab. I had to speak to the driver as well.

New York tends to be a very impersonal place. You become used to ignoring people who look as if they’re about to collapse in front of you Read the rest of this entry »