(January 2008) I joined a monologue and audition training group in January. We will meet every few weeks and work with each other to improve our skills at auditions.

At the first session, two of the participants brought scripts for us to use. We got into pairs and performed cold reads on two person scripts. We tried different attitudes and characterizations, and changed scene partners.

I brought some Improv games for the group to play between cold reads.

It was fun.

The best part though was giving and getting constructive feedback. We will be meeting again February 4th.

(January 2008) I recently took a class with Charlie Roney of Mike Lemon Casting. The course was Telemprompter and Ear Prompter Training.

I have had voice over training with Charlie Roney in the past, so I knew it would be a very good course.

I was not disappointed.

Charlie gave the class plenty of good pointers. We each had a chance to practice during the class and see ourselves on a video.

I took 8 pages worth of single spaced notes during the 3 hour session.

Not only that, I know how to practice at home. I'll be able to improve even now that the class is over.

(January 2008) I recently portrayed Tex, a wealthy businessman and accomplished chef in a Murder Mystery Players production of "Death So Delicious".

"Death So Delicious" is an interactive murder mystery dinner theater show. I performed it for the first time in the Bethlehem, PA area at a party of about 100 corporate managers and supervisors.

I loved the interaction I had with the guests. While staying in character, I answered all kinds of questions between acts. The guests tried to outwit me into telling them who the murderer is. It was hilarious.

The loud applause at the end of the show was extremely gratifying.

(January 2008) I will be filmed in late January and early February in a short film called "A Sea of Something More". I portray the father of the female lead in this film. I am in three scenes. One scene is outdoors so I am hoping for unseasonably warm weather.

I am also portraying Tex, a wealthy businessman and accomplished chef in a Murder Mystery Players production of "Death So Delicious".

"Death So Delicious" is an interactive murder mystery dinner theater show. I recently performed it in the Bethlehem, PA area at a party of about 100 corporate managers and supervisors.

I love the interaction with the guests. While staying in character, I answer all kinds of questions between acts. The guests try to outwit me into telling them who the murderer is. It's hilarious.

The loud applause at the end of the show was extremely gratifying.

(January 2008) I was filmed on a cold January morning as a priest presiding over a funeral. The film is called Compass. I had a 7 AM call to be at a cemetery. This meant having to wake up at 5:30 AM. If you know me, that is very early for me. I am usually awake until at least 1 AM, before retiring for the night.

Thank heavens I wore lots of thermals. It was freezing. Because of the thermals, I was more comfortable than the others in attendance. Well I was more comfortable until the late morning, when a breeze started across the mostly barren hill. Then shivering became the order of the day.


The director took shots from several different angles. The sound guy had to do the best he could, what with passing sirens and other noises.

Interestingly enough, the funeral was for a character I had played just the day before (I have two roles in this film).

I was the priest at my own funeral!

(January 2008) I had a rewarding and, for me, a memorable experience being Santa Claus at Macys in center city Philadelphia. The costume itself is amazing. The beard, the hair, the body suit to fatten me up, the boots, the eyebrows and the coat.

Despite my looking rather formidable, some children immediately ran up to me and hugged me. Others needed to be coaxed to sit next to me. I was lucky with most children to find a way to make each comfortable. As was the case with all of the other Santas, a few children screamed and never got close to Santa. Most of the children happily sat next to me for two photographs.

Some of the visits by the children stand out.

On my first day as Santa, a four year old girl reluctantly warmed up to me enough to sit next to me for a picture. She left with her parents, walking quietly away. About two minutes later though, she broke away from her parents, ran back into my Santa house, ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug she could give. I had won her over.

A group of 13 inner city five and six year olds with four escorts visited. Each child took turns hugging Santa, and some gave me a high five. Many had questions: How do you get down the chimney? We don't have a chimney. How will you get into our house? What is my brother's name? I apparently had the correct answers for all of their questions. It took several minutes to get all of the 13 in the picture frame. When they were ready to leave, each child gave me another hug and most also stayed for a high five. Instead of the usual 30 seconds with Santa, they were with me for 5 wonderful minutes.

There was the boy who took one look at me and started screaming. I asked him to give me a high five, hoping that would settle him down. He stopped screaming for a moment, gave me the high five, and then went back to screaming as he backpedaled. I got him to high five me two more times and each time, he stopped screaming for a moment, and then went back to screaming after the high five.

There was the five year old boy who did not speak, always leaning against his mother. Each time I asked a question, he would look at me for a moment, and then raise his eyes to his mother for her to answer me. I realized that he would never answer me directly. I started making positive affirmations to him instead of asking questions.

--- I know you have been a good boy this year.
--- You will be getting great presents Christmas morning.
--- Your mom loves you.

Once I started making affirmations, he never looked at his mother again. We had bonded. A small smile creased his face.

There are plenty of other stories. I estimate that at least 1,000 children, and possibly 1,500 had pictures taken with me.

I will be in their photo albums for years, possibly passed down from generation to generation.