[Perform-Talk] Introduction

[Leslie Hamric]

Hello. My name is Leslie and before I start off, I want to say that I had been through negative experiences myself when trying to audition for an orchestra. I am a professional cellist and it took me three times before I found a Director who is willing to see past the fact that I was blind. So I hear you. You have been given great advice so far and yes, definitely check out access acting Academy. They are great! Also, I just want to say don't give up. There is someone out there who will work with you, you just haven't found them yet. And once you do, it'll be worth it. i've been playing in the Elmhurst symphony since 2015 and the rest is history. good luck and keep on keeping on. You can do this!
Leslie Hamric
Cello and Braille Music Teacher

> On Jul 6, 2024, at 9:50 AM, Camryn Gattuso via Perform-Talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello.
> My name is Camryn Gattuso, and I am twenty-two years old. I am interested
> in acting, but I have not had good experiences with taking acting lessons.
> Both of the acting coaches I have had think that what I tell them I am
> interested in is the only thing I want to work on. For instance, I told my
> last acting coach that I liked The Hobbit, and he only worked on The Hobbit
> with me at every single lesson, even after I told him that I wanted to work
> on new materials every week instead of doing the same thing over and over.
> He also never responded to any of the emails I sent. He thought all I liked
> was The Hobbit, and he misunderstood everything I said. When I was trying
> to tell him why I think it is a double standard to let actors do the Gollum
> voice from the movie while telling me to make up my own voice for a
> character, he did not listen. He also tried reading to me even after I
> proved to him I could read by bringing my BrailleNote Touch Plus to one of
> the lessons and reading an excerpt from a script I was working on at the
> time. Everybody is always negative toward me when it comes to acting. Both
> acting coaches thought I took forever to connect to the Internet or pull up
> a book or a script to read. I was unable to find any free scripts online,
> even after going through pages of search results. The last acting coach
> asked me to find a script, but all of the scripts I found required payment.
> I spent 2 years of my life wanting to play Audrey in a production of Little
> Shop Of Horrors; I went out and bought a blond wig and heeled shoes, and I
> listened to Ellen Greene in preparation for the day when a local theater
> would decide to perform the show. When one of the theaters did decide to do
> the show, I asked the director the wrong question. I had downloaded the
> script excerpt, which was attached to the audition form. I could read it
> just fine, but I ended up asking the director how I could do a cold reading
> from the script when I meant to ask if I could bring my BrailleNote Touch
> Plus in so I could read like everybody else. She sent me a monologue, so I
> pulled out of the audition. I now have a blond wig and heeled shoes that I
> do not know what to do with. I also wrote my own script, which is a
> reader's theater adaptation of The Hobbit. I cannot find anybody who would
> want to perform it for educational purposes. I have been searching for
> another acting coach, but I am unable to find one. All I want is to take
> lessons with someone who will be positive with me instead of being
> constantly negative. I want to work on new things instead of working on the
> same thing over and over again.
> Please help me.
> _______________________________________________
> Perform-Talk mailing list
> Perform-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/perform-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Perform-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/perform-talk_nfbnet.org/lhamric930%40comcast.net