Edoardo Ballerini

The late Boston Celtics announcer Johnny Most was the undisputed master.  If an opposing player so much as breathed within five feet of Larry Bird, he would get apoplectic  that no foul was called.  If Kevin McHale broke a guy’s nose and a stretcher was needed, he would be disgusted that a foul was called.

I left an audition the other day feeling like I should start writing my acceptance speech immediately.  The room, rather full, was hanging on my every word, I made a couple of nice choices, and the director hopped out from behind his desk to shake my hand when the scene was complete, a rarity in these events, I assure you.  This was a done deal.  I should pencil in, nay, I should ink in the rehearsal schedule, go have a beer and think about costume ideas. Read more…

My teacher told me the other day of one of the unexpected discoveries of the biosphere.  The trees inside, without the benefit of wind to push them back and forth, developed weak roots and would fall over quite easily.  The metaphor should be painfully obvious: it’s when confronted with challenges, with forces pushes and pulling at us, that we become strong.

My profession is marked by an ungodly “failure” rate.  The number of projects that get made is a scant sliver of those that are dreamed.  For every role we see on screen and stage, there are countless performers who were not cast. Read more…