Hello Friends!
First, I forgot to mention that the HOME concert went swimmingly. Our next show is July 27th :)
My week after my staycation started off with a bang. I had three auditions. We'll skip the first for now, but the second was for a short film where I would play a frustrated single mother. The third was a waste of my time. I drove to Burbank to audition for another student film at a school that just really does not produce quality work and I don't know why I keep submitting for their stuff. My friend Brittany gave me a pep talk and told me I'm better than that and I need to bolster my self confidence. Thanks Britt :)
Okay, so this next story is a scary one. And this goes out to all of my LA actresses as a warning and a thank God nothing happened to me. I had an audition for a short film on Tuesday morning and originally I was meeting the director/writer/producer in a park in Echo Park. It's an odd place to have an audition, but it was a public place, so I didn't really think anything of that. Then this person named Robin (so I assumed it was a women) moved it to an address the day before. When I drove up, it was an apartment. I have a hard and fast rule that I do not do apartment auditions especially ones I have submitted myself for and especially in East LA, but I called the number when I was outside. A man answered. This is where I should have said I couldn't make it, but instead I went around to a side gate to be let in. The man who let me in was very creepy. A little shy of 6 feet, long brown hair, scraggly beard and glasses. Not in great shape. And the monologue he sent me to prepare, which he had written, was very odd. I shook his hand and he said, "It's in through that door." Instead of leading me he walked behind me and I was completely on edge. We walked through this back door to a lower level hallway and he said it was the last door on the right. It was not a long hallway, but all the doors were numbered to I thought I was walking past different apartments. I turned into this room, which was a bedroom. No equipment, no crew, no script and it smelled like B.O. He was standing in the doorway and said, "Would you mind undressing for me?" I cannot even imagine what the look on my face was when I turned around. Probably pure terror/fury/shock, but I was ready to fight this guy. My body temperature spiked and I was ready to spray him right in the eyes with my mace. I said "Excuse me?" and he repeated the question. I said, "NO. Is that a part of the role?" As I made my way passed him to get out the back door. He said, "No, but let me show you around." I just said no thanks, I'm going to leave and I walked right out and walk-sprinted to the side gate to get out of the backyard. I didn't hear him follow me out, but he told me to have a safe drive. The sound of his voice scared the shit out of me, so I jumped and turned. He wasn't close to me, so I just went through the door and left. I flagged him on LA Casting first and then I went to the police station. I didn't even know what to call it. Attempted sexual assault? But, the police officer said they couldn't do anything for me. He didn't touch me, or pressure me to do anything. He asked, and I said no. Even if I went under false pretenses. For all my LA ladies; his name is Robin Wyatt Dunn. He often posts short films or feature films on LA Casting. They are no pay gigs that have barely any information. He lives in Echo Park and if want to know his address, if you have an audition there, I know it. Just, seriously, DO NOT GO INTO ANYONE'S APARTMENT. God. I'm so thankful that nothing happened to me and that I'm in good shape to defend myself. Mace is $10 at the Army Surplus Store on Vine and Santa Monica Blvd. Get some.
I'm going to let that story be my LAism of the Week too, because let's face it. A lot of girls out here just want to get famous and they will do that any way they can/ they don't know that "no" is an option. The police officer said to me that I was smart and said no and got out of there, but it's something they call "Couch Casting." It happens all the time. I was shocked because there was no ruse. No money offer, no explanation of a fake project and then asking me to get naked. But he knew exactly what to do not to get in trouble with the law.
Sorry this post wasn't about the glamor of Los Angeles...are any of my posts about that? Next week, I'm sure I will have better news and hopefully some fun stories to tell. I am going to my first California beach front wedding this weekend!! Congrats to Michelle and Ramsey for starting their new life together, in two days!
One last note. My private violin teacher passed away this week from cancer. She was only 63 and the sole caretaker of her elderly mother. Miss Sgro taught me so much. Not just about how to play the violin, but about discipline, setting goals, performance etiquette, etc. She was an amazing violinist, teacher and woman. I miss her.
