Recently in Great ARt!sts Friday Category

My day job is as a NYC Firefighter, which allows me the flexibility within my schedule to pursue this craft. I have studied the martial art of Taekwon-Do for 20 yrs, which enables me the discipline, strength, integrity and perseverance to continuously work hard at my career as an Actor.

Rejection doesn't prevent me from moving forward; it only strengthens me to work harder and smarter. I am passionate and dedicated about my craft and career. I don't believe in waiting for my BIG break, I believe in creating it! I have a responsibility in telling a good story. Having an audience connect, relate, feel various emotions as I take them on my journey, are very gratifying for me.

To me, that is success. If I accomplish that, then I have done my job.

In addition to being a Firefighter & Actor, I am a Father, Husband & caretaker for my disabled mother who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. People always ask me how have I accomplished so much in being an Actor for only 4 years and having so much on my plate. I tell them it's about having a balance, staying focused, dedicated and very hungry towards becoming a TRUE Actor.

I am a firm believer in doing something productive everyday towards my career, shaking as many hands as possible, always maintain a professional positive attitude and understand that this is a business. I am the CEO of my own business and should always showcase myself in the best possible light.

I have been meeting as many CD's, Agents & Managers as possible to show them my work, personality & build as well as maintain relationships via career updates. I understand this business and my type/product well & focus my time, energy & money in areas that I am best suited. Also, I have have registered the treatement for my full-length screenplay entitled, "FORBIDDEN", which is based on a true story. It's compelling subject matter is relevant to today's world & will provoke thought worldwide. Soon, I will be writing, producing, directing and starring in a documentary style short that I will look to pitch to various networks, especially HBO.

Lastly, I not only enjoy being a part of projects that have great messages that need to create awareness to the public but also feel a need to get involved as a human being. I believe it is my duty as a person to help anyone I can that maybe can't help themselves, do not know where to go for help or simply do not have the ability for their voice to be heard for reasons beyond their control.

Some of the many topics that intrigue me:

Godspell (1970) is a powerful musical, though it is somewhat overshadowed, I think, by the more controversial (but excellent) Jesus Christ Superstar which opened in New York City the year before.

It started as a college project performed by students at Carnegie Mellon University and moved to La Mama in Greenwich Village. It was then re-scored for an off-Broadway production that open in the Cherry Lane Theatre (New York City's oldest, continuously running off-Broadway theater). Godspell moved from the Cherry Lane Theater to the larger Promenade Theater on August 10, 1971, where it became one of the longest-running off-Broadway musicals, before moving to Broadway in June 1976, where it ended its run in September 1977 after an additional 527 performances, for a total of more than 2,600.

Starting a sequence of powerful and moving scenes that continue until the end of the film, Katie Hanley (who, simply, does a wonderful job throughout the film), in this scene comes to "Jesus" with love and strength at the start of his darkest hour, when he understands what's going to happen to him:

Below, you can see a clip from a film by Ric Burns (American Experience: New York: The Center of the World), a clip that I’ve been looking hi and low online for -- and I finally found it.

Watch the clip and think about acting, or any art you do. Ask: Why do we do it, really? What draws us? What is “it” -- what’s its value? Answer: It is everything -- it is priceless.

Shakespeare was right -- life is a stage, and a stage is life, our life, our larger life, and we rise to meet its possibilities. The heightened words and text take us there:

Each Friday (more or less -- mostly less), I like to post what I call either "Fired! Up Fridays" or "Great ARt!sts Friday." Today it's -- "Great ARt!sts Friday!"

Today, Courtney Love and I became myspace friends -- yes, she does have 53,000 other friends, and counting, but I know our's is special.

On March 7, 2008, Jeff Buckley’s version of Cohen's “Hallelujah”, went to number 1 on the iTunes chart after being performed by Jason Castro on the seventh season of the television series American Idol.

A few days later, Cohen was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in recognition of his status among the highest and most influential echelon of songwriters:

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

There was a time you let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah