Day Two - getting around

You can spot me on the streets of NYC as a non-native because of my pace- in LA, nobody walks fast. I usually start off walking quickly here, then get lost in my ADD and realize that I'm strolling, and there are 12 blocks to go, and it's hot!

This morning I went to the Actor's Equity office to change my stage name back to Brooks (from Stewart"). It's really awesome to choose your stage name, you could be ANYTHING; I've been tossing around ideas for more catchy stage names (maybe with alliteration), so "Brooks" is a temporary plan (because I already have the website marcybrooks.com)

(Professional auditioning in NYC is not like California; in L.A., I go down to Equity once a week and get an appointment time for every audition I'm interested in and then show up 15 minutes before the appt.; in NYC, you can only pre-sign-up for chorus auditions. And even then, you still have to show up first thing in the morning to get your appointment time. Principal roles are even worse, they make you come an hour (read: 2 1/2 hours) before the first audition slot to wait in a line and sign up for the day.
I'm not sure how to maneuver when there's more than one audition in a day that aren't in the same place, we'll see on June 30 when I have 2 back-to-back calls...)

Looking at the auditions, I'm really glad that I spent some time before I left working with my coach on monologues; I'll actually get to use them here!!!

After Equity, I walked up to the Kaufman Center by Lincoln Center- they rent piano practice rooms for $7.50 per half hour. Not a bad deal, considering the guy gave me almost an hour at that price. Stopped at Kinko's on the way, met a TV producer from DC. We chatted while I cut up headshots and resumes and he looked at my resume and said "Brooks- that's a great name for an actress." Awesome.

Then I found Gold's Gym in midtown and signed up for a (locals only) free week pass. Herb in member services was really nice when I told him I didn't have a local ID. Lots of performers there, and lots of free dance classes on the schedule. hooray!

Oh yeah, this is very important- I went to a supermarket and bought YELLOW MUSTARD. New Yorkers don't know what this is, so I was very very happy to find it.

I'm (finally) home for the afternoon to cook, then head off to meet the Brighter Side Singers from Temple City High School for dinner. I wanted to see a show tonight, but I have to get up so early to stand in line for my audition, so no-go. Theatre Development Fund (for professionals) is where I'm getting all my tix, BTW, they are like a quarter of the price, and if you sign up online as an out-of-towner, it's only $12 for the annual membership.

It's 5pm, I've taken 6,888 steps so far. Less than I thought. Better go get on it.