I will be in Europe May 16-June 6. First stop is Italy for a two week vacation with my wife, Cally, after which I go to Stuttgart Germany where I'll speak on the subject of Acting for Animators at FMX'99, a big animation confab. In connection with that event, I'll also teach Acting for Animators for two days at Filmakademie in Stuttgart. My regular San Francisco classes will resume Monday, June 7th.

HOOKS STUDENTS WORKING
LEE FLORES (comml & s.stdy -- '93-'95) recorded new voice-overs for Taco Cabana, with Cheech Marin of "Nash Bridges" fame. MARY JO MROCHINSKI (s.stdy - '96-'98) has been cast in "The Kathy and Mo Show" at the New Conservatory Theatre in SF. JAXIE BOYD (all classes - '94-'97) is playing Mrs. Bracknell in "The Importance of Being Earnest" at The African-American Shakespeare Company in Oakland, through May 8th. Call (415)333-1918x2 for tickets. DIANE TASCA (s.stdy - current) is producing and acting in a production of "Fanny and Walt" by Jewel Seehaus-Fisher. DEEANN WEIR (f/tv '98) appeared in a modern adaptation of "The Odyssey" last month, at the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center in New York. PHIL SHERIDAN (comml & f/tv - '97) shot an episode of "Nash Bridges" and a commercial for Chevy's Restaurants. TERRY LAMB (f/tv - '98) is performing in a production of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge" at San Jose Stage Company, through May 8th. (For tickets, call (408)283-7142). LEANNE CROOKS (scene study - current) shot a short film entitled "Switch". ANNIESCOTT ROGERS (scene study - '95-'96) shot a multimedia production called "Sound Advice" to be presented at Venue 9 in SF on May 18, 1999. GLORIA CHAVARRIA (comml - '97 - '98) landed her first big commercial, for Toyota. LYN MAHLER (comml - '95) shot an episode of "Nash Bridges", playing a character named Momma Stokes. JODI FUNG's (s.stdy & f/tv - '96-'97) episode of "Nash Bridges" aired April 23rd. I was shopping at Costco the other day and was startled to see STEVE HOM's (f/tv and s.stdy -- '96-'98) smiling face on the box of a Hewlett Packard laser printer. DANIELLE ZEGHBIB (comml - '99) is the announcer voice in a CD-ROM game. She also got the lead in a student film entitled "The Ruff Edge," and will be appearing in "Conception," at the Diego Rivera Theatre at City College next month. ROBERT CAMPBELL (comml & s.stdy -- current) was a contestant on the tv show "Win Ben Stein's Money." His segment airs May 27th.

The Heroes Theatre Company, comprised largely of current and past actors from the San Francisco scene study workshop, has scheduled an ambitious June production of Arthur Miller's "After the Fall". For ticket info, call (415)921-3360. The cast includes LACHLAN OTTLEY, REINA ASPIRAS, MIA PASCHAL, LEANNE CROOKS, RANDY DILLON, RALPH FILICE, JANET JOHNSTON, SUZANNE MARIE ROBAR, WENDY HARGLE, NEAL BISHOP, ROBIN CALVERT, FLORENTION GONZALES AND JEFF DE LUCIO-BROCK.

BOB BANCROFT, a fine actor, LA acting teacher, former student and long-time personal friend portrays Dr. Joseph Cacaci, the neurotic neurosurgeon on the tv show "Chicago Hope", and his success is an inspiration for us all. Bob was originally hired for a single 3-line gig on the show, but he created such a strong impression that the producers wrote him in as a recurring character. So far, he's shot 27 episodes-- all at Guest Star billing. You can watch Bob's work on the upcoming May 12th and19th episodes. (When they give you your own show, Bob, make 'em write ME in!)

CRAFT NOTES
LIVING AS AN ARTIST

Three days after the April 20th Littleton, Colorado school massacre, when the media was once again brimming with why-did-this-happen stories, a young animator posted a message to a news group I frequent, asking if work on violent computer games is necessarily a part of what animators must do in order to have a career. He was concerned that maybe the violence in computer games might be incendiary for teen-agers with guns.

It's difficult, maybe impossible, to identify the cause-and-effect of sudden violence. Probably computer games do play a role in it for some people, as do violent movies, absentee parents and lurid headlines on the evening news. I don't claim to have any answers, but I do have some suggestions for that aspiring animator and for aspiring actors who may be listening.

The art is in you, not in the gig. It is in your voice, your perspective on life, your intent to communicate to an audience what you understand about life. In America, where the government does not subsidize the arts (the city of Paris alone spends more on the arts than the entire U.S. gov't does...), you're probably going to accept jobs from time to time that are boring, stupid or offensive. Do not let that define you! An artist has to survive, has to support a family the same as every other responsible member of society. The thing to remember is that you have a higher calling. A guest star shot on a lame-brained T&A sit com, or a 6-month gig working on an alien blow-'em-up arcade game is just a step along the way. Even Michelangelo had to accept jobs he found abhorrent before he got the opportunity to create his David.

Living as an artist is like being on a religious quest. You wake up one day and realize that you must go out into the world and communicate. All artists are in the tradition of shamans, healers, messengers; it is our lot to lead, not to follow, not to be life-long in-betweeners. And if the society we live in does not value us enough to support our activities, then we must support ourselves. You do what you have to do to survive, to keep your light shining. Keep your eye on the horizon. Especially in view of the Littleton, Colorado tragedy, we can only conclude that the world needs artists -- needs your voice -- now more than ever.

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