Who Needs Stanislavsky?

By cwdjohn | March 28, 2014 |

Originally appeared in Backstage Jan. 23, 2014. I always went to acting classes with a mixture of reverence and confusion. Everything sounded logical and simple—even holy. How can you argue…

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It’s a Brave New (Media) World

By cwdjohn | March 12, 2014

Originally appeared in Backstage Jan. 9, 2014. I recently finished my first experiences acting in “new media.” “New media” means shooting a project that usually airs on a computer—like a…

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Persistance

By cwdjohn | March 3, 2014 |

Originally posted Dec. 19, 2013 backstage.com I was in Richmond, Va., making a stop on my book tour for The Dangerous Animals Club. A sweet woman came up to the book…

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Harold Ramis

By cwdjohn | February 25, 2014 |

Photo-illustration by Slate. Photo by Matt Carmichael/Getty Images I was greatly saddened to hear of the passing of great director Harold Ramis this week.  I felt especially honored that Slate…

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Why Acting Is So Horrible

By cwdjohn | January 30, 2014 |

Originally posted Dec. 5, 2013 backstage.com I had a revelation a couple of months ago. It wasn’t a big revelation. I had suspected it for some time: Something awful always…

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My Greatest Performance

By cwdjohn | January 18, 2014 |

Originally published backstage.com Nov. 21, 2013. Photo Source: Clay Rodery It is always interesting to talk to actors to see why they pursued this strange career of legally pretending to be…

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The Birth of Comedy

By cwdjohn | December 18, 2013

Originally posted November 7, 2013 at backstage.com. Photo Source: Clay Rodery I’m not sure who invented comedy, but it is safe to say someone slipped on a banana peel at…

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Golfing Tips for Actors

By cwdjohn | November 18, 2013

Originally posted October 24, 2013 at backstage.com. I was watching the British Open on television. It is notable in that it is the only six-hour television show I know that…

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