MIND CANDY 010: THANKFUL

MUSIC:  "Dance In the Dark" by Lady GaGa
TIME:  10:14 PM

I've figured that since Thanksgiving is a few days away, I should open my heart a little here and say a quickie THANK YOU to everyone who has made 2009 a fantastic year for me, BOTH professionally and personally!  I think my friends in Jersey who read this know who they are! =)  But to those who have been great to me on a professional level, this entry's for you!  Shall I purpose a toast to you? *lol*

This year has been about change.  LOTS of changes for me both personally and professionally.  Never in my life have I taken on such a huge challenge, taken so many risks, or even faced my fears the way I have this year.  The fact that I was dared to push myself further than I have is what makes me happy!  People ask me why I am always saying "I love my life" in my Facebook statuses or why I am so happy.  The truth is - to answer that question - I am happy, because I am living the life I want to and always wanted to.  I am going after the dreams I want to go after, but not without a little ounce of fear - however with a little more confidence than I have before in the beginning of the New York journey.  Despite the fact that I am doing what aspire to do, have the website up, got my headshots up, looking into monologues, Cristina Cho is actually still a work in progress.

Still, I am trying to find myself more as a performer, a business person, and even a human being.  I feel this year, I was finally able to see that more assertive, bolder, and intelligent side of me, and honestly, I never thought I did have that side to me at all.  Not when you're a very shy, awkward, timid kid from Jersey who always had trouble speaking her mind or even being confident in the big decisions she has made. *lol*  But I think there comes a time when we all have to push ourselves to do that.  We all need to change at some point in our lives, to throw out the old, bring in the new, shed the old skin like a snake, you get my point!  When you finally do see that side to you after being on the other side of the tug-of-war rope for the LONGEST time, it's really the coolest thing in the world!  So, change can be pretty damn cool!

This is one of the reasons why I tell people to challenge themselves, but to remember to take it slow and to be patient with themselves.  Not everybody follows my suggestion, because let's face it, it's not easy to be patient, especially when you're in this industry and you want this so baddly you can scream, but....it's really all you can do.

Anywho, going to the people who have been supportive all this year, I just want to quickly say that this year couldn't have been great without them.  I have two really awesome coaches, Alan and Erin, who've always been there to help me when I needed it and steer me in the right direction while looking out for my best interests at heart, too.  I also am glad to have worked with Matthew and Alexa with my headshots.  I'm also glad to have met some really great industry folks this year - actors (both new and seasoned), photographers, producers, playwrights, directors, etc. - whom I learned a little thing or two about the industry.

But really, I am thankful for everyone since my college days in Tom's River down in Jersey who have been apart of my career's evolution.  I am thankful for those who've been supportive...and even those who haven't been supportive.  Never in my life did I think the day I stepped into my very FIRST acting class that it'd unfold to what it has become so far.  So, you see...these types of things DO come true!  You just have to make it happen, because wishing and fantasizing don't get you nowhere.

Overall, I'm thankful for this year - for both the good and the bad, the times when things were smooth and the times when things were rough.  This year will always be a memorable one.  I am soooo looking forward to 2010!  I plan on making it a great one - even better than this year! =)

Okay, before I go, one last thing - going back to my little Anna May Wong fascination:

I am currently reading Perpetually Cool: The Many Lives of Anna May Wong by Anthony B. Chan.  So far, it's pretty informative, enjoyable, and you know what else is pretty cool?!  It injects a little bit of Chinese-American history AND the Hollywood film industry!  It don't get better than that!  I will discuss it more once I finish it.

One thing you might notice about me is I like to read a lot of biographies and memoirs.  I will every now and then read a fictional novel, but truth is, I enjoy reading plays more than I enjoy reading fictional novels with a few exceptions of course.  So, if I do take a trip to the ten million Barnes and Noble or Boarders stores in the city or any place that sells books...even the library...you'll find my Korean butt in the biography/memoir section! *nods*

Maybe I'll do that BOOK LIST blog I've talked about before the next time I hand out some mind candy! =)

In closing to this, everybody who is reading this, have a really good Thanksgiving!  Always be thankful for what is you have in this lifetime and for those who make it memorable for you! =)

That's enough candy for now!

Seriously, though, I should do that book list blog next time, should I?


Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/

MIND CANDY 009: FOR THE LOVE OF BLOGGING

MUSIC:  "The Look of Love (Madison Park vs Lenny B Remix)" by Nina Simone
TIME:  4:25 PM 

Last Sunday, I was at a seminar held by Nance L. Schick, this cool lady who is a lawyer in New York City, and she actually works with actors, producers, models, just to name a few who apart of the entertainment industry as well as construction workers and yoga/fitness instructors.  The seminar took place at the Ripley-Grier Studios in mid-town Manhattan, and when I got to the studio, not only was I pretty excited about being there, but I realized that I was in the actual place where I had my last audition years ago for that indie film, so I'm walking into this place, "Wait a minute...I've been here before!"

I met Nance through my business coach, who actually was sponsoring the seminar, I think, but she wasn't there, because she had rehearsals for a musical she has been doing for the past few weeks called "Subways Are For Sleeping".  However, to my surprise, Nance actually remembered me from the day I met her at the Bite Size Business Soiree back in June.  It was really cool, too!  The only thing is, Nance remembered me when I went by my real name, "Kristine", because before I decided on calling myself "Cristina", I was going by my real name.  Little did I know, someone else there knew me other than Nance.....or I think at least she heard about me.

Enter New York actor and dance teacher, Christine Cox.  I heard about Christine originally on the TAE Yahoo! group, because she's associated with my business coach.  And me being a former tap dancer when I was a little kid in Jersey and kind of wanting to see what other skills I can put into my pocket for my resume, I contact Christine for some information about her dance classes.  My main question for her was if she taught bellydancing.  She doesn't, but she closed the email I sent her saying if I ever wanted to put my tap shoes back on, I should contact her! =)

Christine recognized me from my email, but she also knew me or heard of me through my acting coach, Alan Gordon, who she is interested in taking acting classes with.  Besides the fact that she has met with him and talked to him, she wanted to get a word from his students, which is understandable and very smart, too.  Everybody knows I always put in a good word about my acting coach. Actually, I put in a good word with almost everybody I've worked with so far in the industry.

Anywho, other than that, we discussed our goals as actors, our experiences by far.  I was curious to know more about her Princess Party business, and I was very eager to get to know a little more about her in general.  One of the things we were discussing was blogging.  She wanted to know what inspired me to do my blog, and basically, my answer was just good ol' plain excitement.

If you do kind of think about it, I only blog really when I feel excited about something going on career-wise, whether if it's about a new lesson I learn, a business decision I make, or some up-coming event that is going on in my professional life and whatnot.  I forgot to tell Christine this (and believe me, I wish I did - maybe she'll read it through here), but one of the biggest piece of advice I was given in the very wee-beginning (we're talking about way before I came to New York and was studying at the college) by a friend of mine who is a seasoned actor out in Los Angeles was that you have to love this industry - not just the performance part, but the entire package that comes with being an actor or whatever it may be. 

I'm sure that's VERY hard to do.  I can understand that is can be hard to find joy in working hard, studying, making sacrifices with time and money, being tenacious, learning to be thick-skinned, finding the perfect monologue or way to market yourself, and so many other things that I cannot list them all at this moment.  This industry puts your patience, confidence, hopes, dedication, intellgence, and sometimes, your sanity to the test.  I'm also fully aware that this industry makes no promises to anyone, but in all seriousness, I'd be pretty upset each and every single day if I didn't give it a shot.  If I allowed myself to miss out on opprotunities or chances or whatnot, I'd really be kicking myself.

You know how people say that when opportunity knocks on the door, you need to open it?  I don't believe in that not one bit.  Not from my experience.  I don't believe opportunity knocks on your door, because it never comes to you.  I think it's the opposite way around.  I believe WE are the ones who goes to it and it's up to us to grasp a hold of it.  I see it this way:  we are always standing the the doors of opportunity that could change our lives for the better, but it's up to us to open those doors and to see what it may be.  I believe we are the ones who create our chances, decide our fate, and whatnot. 

Most newbie actors such as myself probably wouldn't blog about the joys of searching for a monologue or researching a classic actor from the olden days or even half of the things I've talked about in my previous blogs by far.  However, the reason why I do blog about them is because I find excitement in the research, the chance to read new material I've never heard of in college, and to be able to touch, go, and see things that most people only wind up dreaming or fantasizing about.....how could I NOT find excitement in that?!

Small-town girl....remember?

Now, speaking of blogging, I must say that I do enjoy blogging very much about my "excitement", not for the purpose of showing-off or anything or to even inspire anyone or to even brag.  I do it, because....well, let's just say it's hard to hide excitement! =)  When you enjoy life, it's not easy to hide your love for it, and you know what...why should you?  I enjoy life like a kid enjoys a big ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles.

So, that's what really inspires me to blog. =)  In the meantime, I'm also thinking of starting a secondary blog with the working title, "CRISTINA CONFESSIONS".  Not telling you what it's about, though, but don't worry, it's nothing dirty!  It's career-related.  However, I'm debating on it, and you can bet, yeah, I am excited about the idea!

On a quick sidenote:  It's also actually essential and important for actors to blog about what's going on in their careers and where they are at in their professional lives, because someone's always watching you.  You never want to disappoint your supporters and they want to know what you're up to, which is pretty cool!

In closing - it was a great day overall!  It was great to see Nance again and it was really awesome meeting and talking with Christine!  I definately do hope to work with her someday. 

So, Miss Christine, if you're reading this, YOU ROCK!  It was great meeting you!  Keep up the great work with your blog and career!  I will be in touch! =)

That's enough candy for now!

Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/

MIND CANDY 008: ASIAN-AMERICAN AND THE NYC ACTING INDUSTRY

MUSIC: "Control" by BoA
TIME: 10:26 AM

When I started studying acting at the college back in the day, one of my biggest concerns was the lack of multicultural plays and performers in the area in the theatre scene in my little hometown, and I remember the plays that were being produced at the college weren't multicultural, either, with all due respect to Shakespeare and the modern-day classics like "A View From a Bridge" by Arthur Miller, "The Dinner Party" by Neil Simon, just to name a few.  The truth is, I like Shakespeare and I enjoy the modern-day classic stuff, however (and I'm not going to lie), it brought me back to that whole "Where do I belong?" mind of frame.

My little hometown of Brick, New Jersey isn't a theatrical area, and as a actor-in-training of ethnicity, it seemed to me that my aspirations weren't really welcomed here despite the fact that I wound up doing on play and that would be Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues", which does call for some ethnic diversity amongst it's all-female cast.  Brick, for the most part, isn't a melting pot of color nor culture or even religious diversity.  Growing up, I was always one of the very few children who were minorities at school.  And when I did the college acting courses, I was the only one in the class of ethnicity.  Believe it or not, when I was doing the improvisation classes at the Player's Theatre, that was probably the first and only classroom I've been in - overall - where I was amongst a group of multicultural students.

When I started going to New York, my concerns still stuck with me, however, I knew somewhere along the line, I was going to find a better chance for my dreams to be more accepted and not overlooked, because of my nationality.  I knew I had a better chance at finding roles that didn't call for the a blue-eyed American-pie type of girl, but instead asked for an Asian girl such as myself or didn't ask for anything, but to be young and female. 

During my extensive research on the "Hello, this is me" monologue and other monologues, generally speaking, I found out that it'd probably be a good idea if I learned to develop a Korean or Japanese or Chinese or Vietnamese accent -- or even all four of them if I could.  But I also learned that it'd probably be a good idea if I had at least one monologue or two that was attached to my culture.  I find it kind of stereotypical, to be honest, but if that's what needs to be done, so be it.  I think it's kind of fun, too, because it gives me an opprotunity to learn about my Korean culture as well as Japanese and Chinese. 

Being a curious person all my life, I do enjoy reading and I very much do enjoy researching things.  So, it's no biggie for me.  There's not a day that goes by where I am not on Wikipedia. XD

Another thing I had to take into great consideration as an Asian-American actor-in-training is finding one that is the same ethnicity as I in non-cultural sense.  The Asian-American girl as oppose to the traditional Asian girl.  The girl who shies away or rebels from the traditions of her Asian parents sort of speak (see the movie or read the book, "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan,  or read or see the play, "Songs of the Dragons Fly to Heaven" by Young Jean Lee - even though Young Jean Lee's is more satirical and comedic).  But being that most of my education from college when it came to theatre exposed me to the works of Arthur Miller, Anton Chekov, Neil Simon, and things like that, I was not even sure or even hopeful to find an Asian playwright or even a play with Asian characters in it.

Fast forward to now, after asking for advice from my acting coach on finding monologues, he said to read lots and lots of plays, spend time at the Drama Bookshop and the Library of Performing Arts at the Lincoln Center.  I also found out about Doollee.com, saw that there are A LOT of Asian playwrights. I also made it a mini-mission to find that missing link and to put my lack of hope to rest for good.  Enter playwrights Young Jean Lee, David Henry Hwang, and Julia Cho (no relation by the way), whom I discovered with the help of one of the workers at the Drama Bookshop. I haven't gottena chance to read much of David Henry Hwang, but I did read a few pages to his plays, "M. Butterfly", and "Yellow Face", which really got my excited, because it's kind of political, and I like political!  I even ranted and kind of raved about it on Facebook, too.  I've read "Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven" by Young Jean Lee, which I really enjoyed!  Most of the play is packed with monologues between a Korean-American girl and traditional Korean women and then there are scenes from a random couple called White Person One and White Person Two, but it's all comedic.

The one play that REALLY got me excited and I absolutely fell in love with was "99 Histories" by Julia Cho, and there were a few themes in this play that got me kind of choked up a little.  It's about a young Korean-American girl named Eunice, who is a former musical prodigy, who returns home to her old-fashioned Korean mother, Sah-Jin.  Eunice is pregnant, isn't sure what she wants to do with her baby, but is thinking heavily on giving it up for adoption, and along the lines of that, she discovers secrets about her past and her mother's past that changes both of their lives. There are storytelling monologues in the play, but are they for me?  I'll have to re-read it again to see.  But whether I find it or not in that one, I do highly recommend this play!

Another thing that I really put my lack of hope to rest is The National Asian American Theatre Company.  This is so cool, because what these people do is that they present American and European classic plays with all-Asian actors.  They also present plays written by Asian-American playwrights, and even produce new stuff.  Auditions are announced on the website or they're in Backstage, so speaking of opprotunities and taking chances, I for sure will be keeping my eyes peeled the entire time for this. 

HOWEVER, at the same time, I am not going to put all of my eggs into one basket here.  Opprotunity is everywhere, it's just the matter of finding that door that'll lead to it....

....but can't you just feel the excitement?????!!!!!! XD

Has my lack of hope gone out the window?  Most of it has in this subject!  I feel pretty lucky! *whoo-hoo*

That's enough candy for now!


Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/