May 11, 2021
Major Tom to Ground Control
Our Weekly Recap, Resources & Recommendations for Actors, Directors & Creatives
"Get comfortable with uncomfortable emotions!"
Thanks to those of you who joined us yesterday for the Saturday Workshop featuring Master Voice & Speech Coach, Paul D'Agostino!
What's the Saturday Workshop?
Watch a FREE CLASS then join the MEMBERSHIP



The Work
ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION
by John Patrick Shanley
Gaia Visnar and Matthew Mueller




COLD READ AUDITION EXERCISE
Tessie Herrasti, Buddy Delgado, Joanna Wooten and Dash Grundy
"The Sidestep"
from ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’
(The Musical)
Diana Cantrelle
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Here are the latest additions to your video library:
- Coaching Sessions from last Saturday (April 17): Cold Read Exercise "Hard Landing"; "Boy's Life" by Howard Korder;
- Lessons from Tom: from last Saturday (April 17): "Your preparation is only up to you!"; "Imagination and Architecture"; "Act To Seek Your Own Good Opinion"
- Voice and Speech: from last Saturday (April 17): Voice & Speech Warm Up with Mary Lou Rosato
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TAKE A TOUR
Reminder, use the 'search' icon in the upper right to search your dashboard by titles, topics or dates, to quickly find your desired video!
Music This Week
INTRO: "Love Theme From Chinatown" by Jerry Goldsmith ; "I Can't Get Started" by Bunny Berigan and his Orchestra
OUTRO: "I Can" by Nas


Recommended This Week
WATCH
MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON
A 14 minute short film
Cinematic trance-maker Maya Deren and her husband Alexander Hammid launched an underground revolution with this 1943 avant-garde landmark—shot in their Hollywood home, but a world away from the commercial gloss of the dream factory—in which a cascade of uncanny images evoke a woman’s fractured psyche.
Tom worked with the composer of this film, Teiji Ito (who was also Deren's fourth and final husband) four months before his passing. Ito is best known for his scoring of avant-garde films and plays. In 1963, he composed the score for the Broadway production of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"
The link above includes Teiji Ito's music.
In its first decade of release, however, "Meshes of the Afternoon" was left intentionally silent and included three additional shots. The link to this original, silent version of the film is below:
Meshes of the Afternoon (silent version)
WATCH
Victorian London is rocked to its foundations by a supernatural event which gives certain people — mostly women — abnormal abilities, from the wondrous to the disturbing. But no matter their particular "turns," all who belong to this new underclass are in grave danger. It falls to mysterious, quick-fisted widow Amalia True (Laura Donnelly) and brilliant young inventor Penance Adair (Ann Skelly) to protect and shelter these gifted "orphans." To do so, they will have to face the brutal forces determined to annihilate their kind.
WATCH
In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 American mystery drama film directed by Norman Jewison. It is based on John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name and tells the story of Virgil Tibbs, a black police detective from Philadelphia, who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a small town in Mississippi.
Available on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, HULU Premium Subscription
WATCH
The life and career of Barry Goldwater from his start as a hugely influential Arizona Senator to his tumultuous run for president in 1964. This story has many opposites and may surprise you.
Available on HBOMax, HULU, Amazon Prime Video
WATCH
When Los Angeles private eye J.J. "Jake" Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband's activities, he believes it's a routine infidelity case. Jake's investigation soon becomes anything but routine when he meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and realizes he was hired by an imposter. Mr. Mulwray's sudden death sets Gittes on a tangled trail of corruption, deceit and sinister family secrets as Evelyn's father (John Huston) becomes a suspect in the case.
Available on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and other Streaming services
Want to be part of film history?
Study it.
Ongoing Recommendation:
THE CRITERION CHANNEL
We continually recommend this subscription service because it will give you access to an unparalleled library of films, from the the most obscure, unusual independent movies to the great classics of cinema history! Enjoy curated selections based on shared themes, actors or directors. An incredible resource for any cinephile or student of storytelling.
SEE YOU MAY 1ST!


New York Professional Actor Training comes to your home next Saturday!
Our International, Intergalactic Acting Jam continues next Saturday, featuring Master Voice & Speech Instructor, Andrew Wade!
ABOUT ANDREW WADE
Andrew Wade was Head of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1990-2003. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1987 as Assistant Voice Director to Cicely Berry, where he oversaw all of the voice work for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Swan Theatre. In conjunction with Cicely Berry, Mr. Wade recorded WORKING SHAKESPEARE: RSC MEETS USA (a broadcast series) produced and directed by Tom Todoroff, featuring Jeremy Irons, Emily Watson, Lindsay Duncan, Toby Stephens and other members of the Royal Shakespeare Company with US actors: Helen Hunt, Samuel L. Jackson, Claire Danes, Blythe Danner, Robert Sean Leonard, Cherry Jones, Victor Garber, Diane Venora, Tony Goldwyn and others.
Mr. Wade trained at the Rose Bruford College, the Arts Educational School, and served as Head of Voice at East 15. Mr. Wade was Verse Consultant on the film SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE. He also coached Courtney Love for the role of Lady Macbeth, and worked on the musical LORD OF THE RINGS. Since leaving the RSC, Mr. Wade has continued to work all over the world in a freelance capacity. He teaches at The Juilliard School, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and at the Tom Todoroff Conservatory. Mr. Wade also coaches voice & speech extensively for Broadway and West End productions including, most recently, MATHILDA: THE MUSICAL and HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD. Mr. Wade’s West End Credits include: LA TRAVIATA, DONKEYS’ YEAR, and BOEING-BOEING.
And now YOU have the chance to learn from this incredible artist and coach without even leaving home!
Join us on Saturday to study with
Andrew Wade and Tom Todoroff!
Todoroff Technique Flashcard Set
These beautiful cards were created by NYC Studio Director, Mark Guerette. An excellent way to learn and swiftly and joyfully integrate all elements of the Todoroff Technique!