Holidays are here again

Wow the year flew by, again, and it's already Christmas Eve. I am visiting the family in Indiana. I have been reflecting on the year a bit tonight and decided to jump on here since I probably won't again until 2008.
I am thankful for the blessings I have had. I have enjoyed the people I have encountered, friends made, work opportunities and experiences. It's been a fun year.
I am excited that American Pie Presents: Beta House came out this week. I found out tonight that a release date in Feb is set for Killer Pad. I am looking forward to the cars.com ad to be up soon. Oh and Made of Honor coming 2008 starring Patrick Dempsey, one of the nicest and according to the tabloids the #2 sexiest men alive.
I'm on the edge of my seat to see what next year holds in store for me in this adventure of life.

Back again

So I went back to Canada for the Toronto International Film Festival. It was an interesting and fun 10 days. The films were wonderful. I especially enjoyed THE TAKE, THE BABYSITTERS and THE SAVAGES.

I am no longer in the Friday evening improv troupe. I moved to So Funny It Squirts on Saturdays at 10:30pm. The members of the troupe are very funny and a great group of talented people.

ON THE LOT

So I was "pinned" by On The Lot and ended up booking it. I had a blast working two days with the up and coming director Sam Friedlander on his short "Dress for Success". It was a very quick and interesting process because of the nature of the competition. I look forward to hearing much more of Sam's and his films in the near future.

I am also currently working with a new improv troupe. They are great fun. The show is at the LAConnection theatre at 8pm on Fridays. We are currently called 8 Ball.

American Pie Wrapped

Sorry it's been ages since I've written. I got back last Friday from Toronto working on American Pie Presents: Beta House. It was an amazing and fun experience. I worked out of locations and the studio in Toronto. I had the pleasure of working with many talented people. Andrew Waller, the director, was a creative joy. I loved watching the writer and producer Eric Lindsey work on set with us daily. Any time something needed to be changed or a joke added Eric was right there. One of my favorite people on set was Keith Border (producer). He is such a hard worker and great guy. All of the actors were a blast both on and off set. we spent much of our off time together too. It was a bit like being back in college since several of us lived in the same hotel and hung out after work. It was a overall wonderful experience.

Since being back I shot a day on The Perez Hilton Show. (Glenn Gaylord is another joy to work with.) I also did a live ventriloquist performance. I haven't done that in a while. Other than that it's back to auditioning.

I was pinned today for the first time. I think that's the new lingo for being put on hold for a project. Well, all I know is that I'd love to work on it.

Beta House going well

I have been having a blast working on American Pie Presents: Beta House. The cast is talented and fun. We hang out after work and all get along really well. The feature is going well. We have been working on getting a TV version as well as the DVD version.

Table Read

We did our table read today. It was great to see everybody in one room...or at least a lot of us...we were missing the roles that work 1-2 days and a couple others. I am excited about my first rehearsal tomorrow at 10:45am. Gotta go get in bed now so I can be bright eyed and bushy tailed.

In Canada

I landed in Canada last night and arrived at the hotel a little after midnight. I immediately went out to the meet up with the American Pie producers, writer, director and cast at a hoppin' Toronto club. We had a blast! Everyone is a lot of fun and seemed to click well. Nic Nac is playing Bobby (my character's boyfriend). He's super cool, too.

This morning I had to do paperwork, a wardrobe fitting, and hair extensions trial. I am very excited about my hair and wardrobe. Tomorrow I have the day off, so I plan to go exploring Canada.

Junk and the Meeting

JUNK: A Rock Opera was a hit! We got a GO review from the LAWeekly. We have had a blast. I love everyone in the cast and staff. It's been a life changing experience on a personal level. I am so thankful to be a part of it.
The meeting that I mentioned in my March 30th blog...I got a call that I booked the role. I still don't have the deal memo, but I have verbal confirmation that I am leaving for Canada next week and returning mid/late July. I am excited.

auditions and rehearsals and ants

Last week was great fun. I went out on a few fun commercial auditions. The most fun improv audition was for Mailman on Friday. It's the upcoming Master P movie. I took Darlene Hollywood (my little wooden friend) and walked in the room. Master P ran the interview. Darlene and I did a short bit from our stand-up routine and then started improvising with Balyndah Bumpus, the casting director and Master P. Sometimes Darlene surprises me with the stuff that comes out of her mouth (so to speak). Anyway, it was fun. Then Saturday I went to auditions of Dead Girls Club and Frogtown. Both projects appear to be interesting and wonderful. I seemed to be the edgiest girl at both auditions, but I felt really good about my choices. I'd love to work on both of them.

Tonight I had an improv show at LA Connection. It was a good time, as always. My favorite compliment after the show was from an audience member that thought I was a totally different person at one point when I was onstage doing my "Jade" goth poetry character. I think it's wonderful that she thought I was someone else...that's a large part of my job as an actor.

Tomorrow I have a ranting improv audition at 9:45am...EARLY!!! Especially to be funny and witty. Hmmm. And then at noon I am going to be on a panel for a new game show. That will be a blast. I love game shows.

Tuesday I am finally getting my reel put together..and getting rid of our ANTS (they are taking over the condo) and rehearsal.

I was looking over my blog and I mention FUN a lot. I think it's amazing to have the opportunities to have fun so often...I am very thankful.

Good night.

Catching up

Wow...busy is an understatement. So rehearsals for JUNK are going amazingly well. I am picking up the music much quicker than I thought I would. Everyone is really fun to work with. My meeting with Monika Mikkelsen and the Director and Producer for the feature went well. I was very excited about the project, so I'm sure I spoke 100 miles per minute. That happens when I am excited about something. I dropped a thank you card off the following day after my meeting with Glenn Gaylord (to prep for singing the LEZ BE FRIENDS pilot theme song). I was bummed that Monika was out of the office...I really wanted to thank her personally. She's a wonderful casting director, very easy going and nice. I always have fun when seeing her. Gene, her associate, is really great also. The improv showcase on Sunday went well. Everyone in the Sunday Funny group worked well together sharing moments and giving gifts...all very funny, as well. I had a blast at my birthday party on Saturday also.

Movie Meeting

I can't write much tonight. I have to read a script. I have a meeting on Tuesday for a supporting role in a sequel to a very popular comedy series of movies. So I want to be able to read it through a couple of times, as well as prepare for my first rehearsal for JUNK and watch the previous movie in the series. I've seen the first 3, but not 4 and 5 yet. And my birthday party is tomorrow.

I am exhausted though...the smoke from the Hollywood Hills brush fire got to me...not to mention living on the same hill stressed me out. All day I kept thinking our condo would burn down. Thank goodness for the fire department. They are amazing.

So goodnight...I probably won't write tomorrow (I'll be out playing billiards and hanging with friends).

actorsite

I met a bunch of cool people tonight at a place called actorsite. I used to regularly attend workshops and such there, but faded out for a while due to schedule. I went back tonight for the first time in a while. I met some really great people. It's funny too, because there is a great forum for members to use to write each other. Many of the folk had been writing to me on the forum without ever meeting me....giving feedback on my new headshot, etc. So I am thrilled to be inviting them out to celebrate yet another year marker close to OLD.

My workshop went well. Directly before I spoke with Glenn Gaylord, an amazing director. He's really easy to work with and I especially love him because we communicate well with each other. He is trying to schedule me for something to do with the pilot. I don't know if I can talk about it yet, but I will once the show is public knowledge. Anyway, we are trying to work my schedule around JUNK: A Rock Opera. I am so excited for my first rehearsal. I'm frightened that if I learn the songs before I get there, that I will have a harder time learning harmony if that's what I am expected to sing.

I am rambling on...sorry I am exhausted. Type more tomorrow.

Getting older

I am watching a program on the television about how 50 isn't old anymore...my parents generation is changing how we look at retirement and making it more of an active lifestyle rather than sitting around watching tv. I'm glad because the thought of sitting in front of the tv for 30 years doing nothing is pretty frightening. Although living beyond our means and getting in massive credit debt started with that generation too according to the show. Not sure that's so good.
Well, anyway... I am having another birthday this Saturday and in a panic that I am getting old. Yes, I still play a teenager, but no I am not a teen any longer. I do this every year on March 31st...evaluate my goals and dreams and get down on myself about not being where I pictured myself being at this point in my life. I suppose that is pretty normal for actors because the process takes time. I think there is some saying about how overnight success in the biz takes years. Come April Fool's day I'm sure to feel better about everything...or at least have a hang over that prevents me from thinking about it. :)

So I have decided to move from the Saturday morning group to the Sunday night group at LA Connection Improv Theatre. I am excited because I think I can still fit both improv groups performances and rehearsals into my crazy (JUNK) rock opera rehearsal schedule. I need to send postcards to all the casting directors in town about JUNK. I always try to send out postcards when I book a gig. I should start working on that. I have to type in all of my addresses onto the new site I am using to send postcards. It's gonna take days!

:)

Overcoming my fear of musical theatre auditions

Well so much for EVERY DAY thoughts. Wow I have been busy, but that's no excuse.

I was freaking out about this audition for Junk: A Rock Opera. I couldn't choose my auditions songs and then had to change my audition time. Then I thought I blew it....But I got a callback. At callbacks I watched everyone dancing and singing and thought, "WOW these girls are really dancers, I don't really dance...at least not anymore." What a SHOCK when they called and offered me a spot in the ensemble. I think I squealed so load the walls shook. I would've jumped up and down, but I was too sore from the dancing at the callback. So that's the big exciting news of the day. I think I've finally overcome my fear of musical auditions.

It's strange to me because so many times I hear that I appear so comfortable in auditions. I usually feel pretty relaxed, EXCEPT for musicals. Something about being judged on my singing and dancing used to really scare me. I'm perfectly fine with doing the performance, it's just the AUDITION that gives me butterflies. Like anything else, I think I overcame it by doing it a few times. So you are witnessing a stepping stone in my career.

Be sure to check out the website too: http://www.junkrockopera.com

My first blog

I'm Christine Barger and this is my first blog. I moved to Los Angeles a few years ago after booking my first acting job in Along Came Polly. I got an agent, but only one audition....so I did background work. Well, that was fun for a week or so, but after several months of getting hand cramps from hitting redial trying to get through to Central Casting to check for my next gig... I took a break. I worked in an office for the real estate company Douglas Emmett for a little over a year. However, I was never fullfilled in my office job and constantly longed to be back in the "biz" so I quit my job and got a part time gig as a dancing monkey at a theme park. I got a new agent and started going on auditions. I have been auditioning and working as an actor pretty regularly for over a year. I plan to use this blog to talk about my daily thoughts and adventures in my journey to becoming an established working actor.

So what's going on right now you ask?

I was on USA Network's Character Road Trip last week. You can see the episode on thier website. I did ventriloquism with my "friend" Darlene Hollywood.

http://video.usanetwork.com/player/?id=81347

I shot the lead in the pilot Lez Be Friends a few weeks ago. That was an amazing experience. I am so excited to see it. I talked to the amazing director, Glenn Gaylord, today. He said it will be a while until we get to see it. I have a good feeling that it's going to be a big hit. It's very funny and that's about all I can say about it for now. More info on it later.

I am a member of Scriptease improv. We had rehearsal tonight. The concept of Scriptease is strip poker meets who's line is it anyway. We play short form improv games and have rules that if we break them, we strip one article of clothing at a time. It's a blast.

Well, it's really late and I am exhausted. So...I hope my first blog hasn't put you to sleep, but that's what I'm gonna do now. Night Night