Lydia's Journey BEYOND Hollywood

Jada Pinkett Smith, star of Hawthorne . It's been kind of busy lately for me, which is good. The bad part of that is juggling my schedule and trying to find a way to go to my auditions while I'm still subbing! I have one more week left in this class and the committment is over! :) But they gave been a really great class - the best actually - so I can't complain... So I had an audition yesterday for The Closer , playing a neighbor in a neighborhood meeting. It was a one line role and I was thinking of ways to cancel. I didn't, and I showed up on time for the audition, and I saw Carla Jimenez there. She is the woman I was up against for the pilot last fall. You know, the one who got my role in the Wilmer Valderamma pilot for FOX? Yeah - her. She's very sweet and we communicate from time to time on myspace/facebook/email/etc. Well, it was surprising to see her there, but it did solidify my decision to start auditioning again for co-star roles. Times are s...

Friday I had my audition for the feature film WWJD . I saw Jack Deveraux from Days of Our Lives , Matthew Ashford , auditioning as well. Can you believe I kept it together and didn't approach him? haha If you knew what a DAYS fan I was for many years, you would be very surprised! I felt like my audition went well. I was auditioning for a maid named Maria, with an accent, so how bad could I have done, really? Afterwards, I headed to Santa Ana to see a friend perform in the play When Nature Calls with the Breath of Fire Latina Theater Company. It was a series of monologues written by Josefina Lopez . Afterwards I spent the night with my friend Shayla in Long Beach. I really like heading down there because its so pretty! I really want to live closer to the beach! So we went condo hunting and found some really great deals! I just don't know if Long Beach would be too long of a commute when I have auditions. Sunday I had my audition for the play Anna in the Tropics at the...

Last night I attended the Cricket Feet Showcase at The Colony Theater in Burbank held by Bonnie Gillespie . There were lots of people there! It was packed! We had a good night of 24 scenes, drinks, food, red carpet, and mingling. It was a fun night! :) Today I have an audition for an independent film called WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) and tonight I am heading to Santa Ana to see my friend in her play When Nature Calls . I also have a play audition on Sunday for Anna in the Tropics at the Frida Khalo Theater. Trying to stay as busy as I can!

Last night I audited another acting coach. I was invited through email to check out Lynette McNeill's class that she has on Monday and Thursday nights. I have audited a few coaches in my quest to find a new home to study with. I've seen Ivanna Chubbuck , Howard Fine , John Kirby , and I've taken a comedy intensive with Scott Sedita , and I have Larry Moss on the list. So far, I'm pretty set on Howard Fine. But since I can't enroll until August (when the new cycle of classes begin), I decided to see what else was out there to consider, just in case I find someone even more suitable for me. Lynette's class was small, 16 students. And she had only one class, unlike the different levels that other schools offered: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master Class, which I prefer. Her class began with an hour of improv, then onto prepared scenes. The students seemed to have fun and Lynette really seemed involved in their progression. I just didn't feel...

I just got a call for a last minute audition for a commercial in Santa Monica, right after work! I have to zoom right over and hopefully make it in time. I'm pretty excited because it's a strong comedic role, so hopefully I can step up to the plate! :) The wedding I stood in this weekend was beautiful! And so much fun :)

Well, I had another audition today! Today I went in for a feature film called Fred & Vinnie . Two auditions in one week! WhoooHooo!!! I saw a lot of familiar faces. Luckily I was able to run in and out to make it back to work on time. The audition went well, and the casting director, Brad Gilmore, was very sweet. Still trying to figure out a way to take Howard Fine's class any earlier than August - don't think there is one. :( I'm auditing a class on Monday, so we'll see how that goes. Also, I was asked to make an appearance at a red carpet arrival for an actor's showcase next week. Me? I don't know why, but since a good friend asked so nicely, I plan to be there.... :) I'm very flattered though. I am in a wedding this weekend so I will be very busy starting tonight with the wedding festivities! :) Busy busy busy

YAY! So happy just to have an audition today! That could lead to a possible BOOKING, which equals WORK, which means something for me to DO! So happy! Even though it is "only a co-star" role, it's actually a decent role. I'm auditioning for The Bill Engvall Show on TBS. Should be fun... :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! I didn't get to spend easter with my family this year - I rarely do now that I've been living here in LA for the past 8 years! I spent it with a friend of mine in Bakersfield California. Had a great time and even help fly her dad's Cessna airplane for about 2 seconds while I screamed the entire time! haha Sorry I didn't know ahead of time, but last night my episode of Desperate Housewives reaired on ABC. But I did check to see if anything else is coming up and I saw that The Holiday is reairing this weekend on TBS - so check your local listings! :) Kind of slow right now. Waiting for something to bite - a play, a commercial, a movie, anything! Just want to work! I keep getting these invites to audit these acting classes, so I plan to do that sometime next week. And of course, gotta start keeping busy with workshops or something...

YAY! Just got the call that I have a last minute audition today for a guest star role on the new Amy Poehler series on NBC: Parks and Recreation . I'm subbing today and the role calls for business-like and professional. So here I am, rushing home during lunch to change into my suit, then rushing back! Then, the bell rings today at 2:30pm and I have to make it into Hollywood by 3pm! Yikes! Very hectic! But I'm so excited that it's a nice guest star role and it would start work tomorrow! :)

This economic crisis has affected both my jobs. First off, LAUSD handed out 6,000 pink slips to permanent and non permanent teachers, which means that lots of them will be out of a job next school year if they don't get placed somewhere else (Thanks Gov. Arnold!). Which means many would probably go into the subbing cycle, which means I could get called for work much less. Great. Then, the entertainment industry is feeling it also. Aside from the fact that SAG still hasn't finalized a new thearical contract for us, studios are making less and less films right now. Which means that big stars who normally do films are doing television just to get work. Which trickles down to me, because they are taking those guest star spots on shows that I need to work on. So I've been doing some thinking, and I figured this is not the time to stand my ground on the whole "guest star/series regular only" jobs. I really can't even say "no more maid roles" or no ...

Well, I was gone for almost two weeks to Dallas, which means I had to turn down a couple of audition opportunities (The Closer and a commercial). :( But, I was gone for a great reason, I was witnessing the birth of my neice's baby girl: Ava Rose! Wow, let me just say I commend you mothers out there! I dont know how you did it and survived that whole ordeal of giving birth! It was crazy! Just like the movie Alien! haha Well, I was anxious to get back home and get back to work! I had planned to sign up and begin to take Howard Fine's acting class next week for the next 3 months but they had cancelled the one I wanted...so now I have to wait until August!! I'm so bummed about that! I did see my small clip on Dollhouse . I looked puffy. Hitting the gym today. :)