An Actor's Library - TWITTER FOR ACTORS

As a baby boomer, I had been trying to avoid getting caught up in this social media frenzy, but as you know, it has now become a way of life. As an actor, it is crucial to have a strong online presence that stands out from the crowd. Blake Jamieson’s book, TWITTER FOR ACTORS is the blueprint to make that happen. It is so concise, well written and informative, I read it in one sitting pausing only to make adjustments on my twitter page right after learning something new.

 

With his clear graphics and step by step instructions, you’ll have an extreme twitter make-over in minutes! Blake even gives tips on how to use twitter effectively to build relationships in the entertainment industry that will last throughout your entire career.

I was doing just that when a casting director I tweeted led me to finding my birth mother!! As a fellow adoptee, we now have a common bond deeper than any acting job could ever manifest.

No matter who you’re following on twitter, you must absolutely add @TFAcom to the list! And check out my page @CarleaseBurke to see how professional it looks after reading #TwitterForActors!!

Ask A Stage Goddess - WHERE DO I BEGIN?

Ask A Stage Goddess is a Q & A series for anyone pursuing a career in the entertainment industry as an actor, comic, writer or solo show performer.

In this episode, Stage Goddess give advice on how you can set up a meeting with her and encourages a New York performer to re-kindle his dreams!

You can leave your comments or questions below the video on YouTube; here on the blog;
on Facebook at Carlease's Bits n Pieces http://www.facebook.com/carleasesbitsnpieces;
on twitter @CarleaseBurke https://twitter.com/CarleaseBurke
email: askastagegoddess@gmail.com
Enjoy!
www.imdb.me/carleaseburke
www.carleaseburke.com

Director/Editor: Bernie Espinosa 

www.facebook.com/bernie.espinosa?fref=ts

An Actor's Pantry - CREAM DROP BISCUITS

A couple of years ago, I was dating this man who I mistakenly thought was "the one". Although I would love to forget most of the debacle it turned out to be, one event was quite humorous and inspired me to learn how to make biscuits. I put out a post on facebook and my fellow acting buddy, Bernard K. Addison came to the rescue with this recipe.  Not only is this treat soooo easy to prepare, the biscuits actually come out fluffy, just like in this picture:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups chilled heavy cream





Preheat over to 400 degrees F. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add cream, then stir just until a dough forms.

Drop heaping 1/4 cups of batter about 1 inch apart on a ungreased large baking sheet. 
Bake in middle of oven until tops are pale golden and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

The story doesn't end here. I have written a couple of webisodes based on this bizarre relationship but when more significant events took place in my life, I put that project on hold. Now, I'm thinking about just highlighting the "biscuit incident". I have received many signs from the universe lately saying, "Yes, go ahead. Write it. Shoot it."
Maybe that's where the story begins....

Among The Stars - LINDA LAVIN

You remember Alice. The hit TV show from 1976 - 1985? Sure you do. Linda Lavin played the title character.
At that time in my life, a recent college graduate and lover of the show, I could have never predicted that I would ever meet, let alone get to work with such a Hollywood icon. 
Here's a few highlights of my orbit among the stars with Linda Lavin:
I met her on the set of The Back Up Plan where she played Jennifer Lopez's  spunky grandmother. Even though Ms. Lavin and I didn't really have any dialogue together we struck up a friendship. At the time, I was working on my solo show and trying to juggle both projects at the same time. Imagine my surprise when she attended one of my performances! She showed up by herself, sat quietly in the back and clearly didn't want anyone to make a big fuss over her.
We stayed in touch when she went back home to North Carolina where she told me she and her husband had a cabaret show. I told her if I was ever in her neck of the woods, I would love to see her perform.
We spoke a couple of times over the phone and I strongly remember the time she called me while I was driving. She heard me struggling to locate my ear buds and hung up! I know it was because she had the sense to know that that was a dangerous move on my part. Who knows, Linda Lavin may have saved my life. I actually don't do that anymore because of her.

 Currently, she is starring in another TV show called Sean Saves The World and just before the holidays, she did her cabaret show at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood. Of course I was there to support her, re-connect and thank her for her kindness. So many people (cast & crew) of Sean Saves The World were there also. It was an awesome performance and I watched her graciously greet each and every person who wanted an autograph, a picture or even a hug from her.
From Alice to Sean Saves The World, this Diva is still going strong and I admire her longevity. 
 I am grateful for my brief yet very powerful Linda Lavin moments.

An Actor's Library - I'LL CALL IT LIKE I SEE IT (A Lesbian Speaks Out)

I met Sheila Morris and her lovely partner Teresa at a mutual friend’s home in Palm Springs several years ago. I could tell from her accent that she was from the south, and from her conversations about politics, I thought she was a Senator. I’ve been calling her that ever since even though I now I know she has a background in accounting.

Ms. Morris writes the same way she speaks - good naturedly, with humor and with an accent. An accent on truth, family and good old Southern charm.

This book is a collection of essays (sprinkled with Sheila’s daddy's sayings) of things that are important to her: family, sports, social injustice and yes, politics. Being a city girl myself, I enjoyed reading about huge houses, tall trees and lots of land. I could almost smell the plum jelly cooking on the stove.

I particularly enjoyed the interaction with the owner & the waitress who worked at a Texas roadhouse named Holder’s.

The most touching moments for me were The Dementia Dialogues since I am currently caring for my mother who has mild to moderate cognitive impairment and I Have A Son where this lesbian author shares the unconditional love she received from her father.

I have not seen Sheila Morris since the day we met, but we have kept in touch over the years. After reading her book, I see that I was right, she will always be the “Senator” to me.

For more about Sheila Morris, her books and her blog, visit www.writersheilamorris.com.

Ask A Stage Goddess - INTRO

Welcome to Ask A Stage Goddess. This will be a Q & A series for anyone pursuing a career in the entertainment industry as an actor, comic, writer or solo show performer.
You can leave your comments or questions below the video or here on the blog,
on Facebook at Carlease's Bits n Pieces http://www.facebook.com/carleasesbitsnpieces
on twitter @CarleaseBurke https://twitter.com/CarleaseBurke
email: askastagegoddess@gmail.com
Enjoy!
www.imdb.me/carleaseburke
www.carleaseburke.com

Director/Editor: Bernie Espinosa 

www.facebook.com/bernie.espinosa?fref=ts

A Journey of A Thousand Miles......

.....begins with one step.  

In my quest for a healthier lifestyle and increased self-care, I joined a group called Kitchen Divas which is a part of an organization called Black Women for Wellness. I stumbled onto their event page on facebook and discovered  that one of the members, Lula Carter, is an avid walker. She has a ton of photos of many 5Ks and seemed to be the go to person for more info on Kitchen Divas. I decided to go to a meeting and pick her brain!

So far, I've been to four Kitchen Diva demonstrations but it was at the very first one that Lula told me about a woman named Yolanda Holder who is in The Guinness Book of World Records for power walking the most marathons in one year, not once but twice. She broke her own record the second time! I looked up this woman online a day or two later and became quite intrigued with her story. I sent her a message on facebook and to my surprise she responded! This was just days before the Boston Marathon and she was going to be one of the walkers there. She was at mile 20 when the bombs went off. At the same time, her battery went dead on her phone so you can imagine how her fans, friends and family must have felt when they couldn't reach her.

She's back home now, safe and more determined than ever to keep walking. We continued to connect and I told her of my desire to get fit, lose some weight and be healthy. Next thing I knew, she offered to help me reach these goals by training me to walk my first marathon. That's not quite what I had in mind but I immediately accepted. Maybe Yolanda was the angel I'd been praying for.

Yesterday we met for my first day of training. I told her about my knee issues so we walked on a grassy island near my home. I knew she would be wearing a cute little walking outfit, so I went out and bought one for myself. I couldn't wait to meet her and ask her my one burning question, "Why is there a hole in the cuff of this sleeve for my thumb?" Imagine my disappointment when she said, "I have no idea" and kept walking. We chatted, got to know each other a bit better and took a few pictures. Yolanda showed me some power walking moves and 3.8 miles later, we were done.

Now I have an assignment: to walk every single day until we meet again next week. I promised and I will do it. So my take-away is this, it's OK to take a Tylenol after a long walk if your body is hurting and get a cute new outfit by Wednesday.