DIFFA DALLAS

I am still reeling from the extravaganza that is DIFFA Dallas. 

This over the top haute couture event thrown by my bestie Jim DiMarino (the "Will" to my "Grace") was just spectacular to say the least. I may have to do two or three posts because it was all very overwhelming. I was a part of the opening number, singing Lascia Ch'io Pianga with rap artist Jordan Frescher. I think we came up with a new genre called...wait for it...wait for it...

OpeRap.

In all seriousness I am actually really inspired at the idea of mixing modes to create new fresh ways of hearing old tunes. Purists may cringe, but I think a younger generation might be turned on to Opera if it was presented in a new and exciting way. The wheels are turning....

This not for profit organization is truly a special one. I was very honored to open the event and floored at the massive scale of it all!

About to take the stage

Behind the scenes. Photos by Kristi and Scot Redman, see more at StyleSheet.

On the runway....photos by Randy Anderson.

Absolutely phenomenal right? I mean, it's too bad how unattractive they are....how sad. 

;)

More to come!

1940's Vintage Make-Up and Photography

Whoa whoa! Long time no bloggy bloggy! Sorry about that. Such a awesomely busy month. Wanted to quickly take a moment to show you what I have been up to. We have been wanting to experiment with vintage make up and lighting in the studio and this week we had a lovely actress, Kimberly Sherbach to help us capture this very thing. I would LOVE to have a division in our company for the very popular boudoir type of shoot, but tempered with a classy vintage setting. But in the meantime we will keep close up and clothing on. This is what I could see our boudoir portraits looking like:

Those a pictures of real Ziegfeld Follies girls! Aren't they divine?

Well here is what else is divine.... darling Kim. She was so patient and is just a doll in every way. Now doesn't she look like one too?

What do you think? Oh and by the way, I used all Arbonne skincare and make up. 

Beautiful right? Radiant. I am very inspired. :)

Creative friends Creating - The Gawky Author

 OMG I'm a star. Wait let me rephrase that. My friend is a star and therefore has made me a star. 

Best friend, sister from another mister, comedienne, actress, and writer 

Margot Leitman  

has written and published her first book,

GAWKY, Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase.

A phase that I seem to be barely coming out of myself.

I was thrilled and honored to be a part of the books final chapter...no really that's me! 

Hi, Margot. I'm Adriana. The beginning of a beautiful friendship.

She didn't even change my name! That means we're still friends.

Here is a picture of Margot and me at Ithaca College where we met and where her story ends. This proves just how strange, awkward and plain weird we were. 

I am telling you right now this was NOT Halloween. Just an average get together. We were VERY committed to boas and wide brimmed hats.

At the time I was a total musical theater opera NERD.  At the TIME!!  (I have to hurry up and write this so I can go watch the Tony Awards) No really, my bedding had musical notes and a LOT of G Clefs and I'm pretty sure  I had a poster of a cat on a piano holding a flute on my dorm room wall.

But I think both of us celebrate "gawky".  We love and embrace that we have these quirky girls living inside of career driven, successful ladies who finally know how to accessorize and handle ourselves in public. ish.

Margot's wedding with our other sisters. See? We are sooo much more sensible now.

Wait...

On Thursday I was able to attend her book release at the Upright Citizens Brigade and sit in awe of her incredible storytelling talents again.

I am so cool. I am in a book. She is way cooler. She wrote it. My friends are brilliant. I can't take it.

Buy Gawky on Amazon here!

Actors Equity Turns 100

Another centennial today with the Actors Equity Association!

I became a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA thorough my work on All My Children, and As the World Turns. I have always been so thankful for the great working conditions these Actor's Unions have given us over many many years and for being a part of this fabulous actor's community in New York City.

Happy birthday AEA!!

My sassy centennial gold card and commemorative pin

Creative Friends Creating-The Choreographer

My very talented friend Dylan has created a work of art with his piece "GO TO" that he is submitting to Dance Media Magazine for the ACE Award in choreography. I met Dylan doing this show (I have so many creative friends) and we had a spectacular seven days bonding over Phillip Phillips, minutiae and caramel vodka. Don't ask. Just know it was a good time and this guy is quality. (He's the one photo-bombing my Gypsy picture. See? Quality.) I had the pleasure of helping him with an extra camera to create his submission and when you click on the link below you can see he is bound for So You Think You Can Dance. ;) Watching it live was of course even better and I can't wait to see where this leads him!

Dancers awaiting instruction.

This piece is so beautiful so please take a moment to view his work and vote

HERE!

Thank you and enjoy!

Tip for Actors

Recently I have been exploring the world of casting more, and the joys (sometimes pains ;)) of viewing the industry from the other side of the table.  I cannot tell you what an eye-opening experience this has always been for me.  Every time I help a casting agent I learn so much that I could never learn from a class or audition. I receive weekly tips from this wonderful studio and I thought this weeks article summed up my experiences perfectly.  Check out the studio at:

www.scottpowers.com

WEEKLY TIP FOR 2.22.13

AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED APPROACH TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

It is vital that performers know not only how to act and market themselves, but how the business works from all sides.  Nothing is more distressing than meeting someone for the first time, have an initial interest and then discover that they are clueless about the industry.

One of the approaches that we have recommended with great results to abolish this situation is - ready? - go for an internship or be a reader.  At a talent agency, casting company, or a personal manager.  Internships are basically unpaid or low-paid or transportation/meal stipend paid positions.  They can be a few hours a week, on a daily basis or for a specified period of time.  Interns open the morning mail and email, field phone calls, assist in castings, file headshots, watch the actors/models coming in and out of the office, interface with the industry, discover what problems the business has to grapple with day in and day out, maybe even sit in on the decision making process.  You will have a great first-hand to generally/specifically observe how the industry - the "other side" - REALLY works.  What a great opportunity you created for yourself!  And if you know THAT, your pursuits of your acting career will absolutely benefit.

Being a reader for auditions at a casting company gives an actor first-hand experience on how the casting process works.  What works and what doesn't.  Talk about an eye-opening experience!

The old excuse that being an intern or reader will make "them" look down on you or that you're not an actor anymore doesn't hold true.  You will be respected for being enterprising and your seriousness and maturity in setting up a situation for you to gain a full understanding of the industry.

Are interns all really young?  No.  If you're, say, over 30++, don't worry about it.  You bring to the position certain life experiences and approaches that someone younger hasn't had yet.

Be pro-active.  You contact them.  Most offices have a continuous need for interns.  You can approach a company in general or target a specific person.  Want to get in good with an agent?  Offer to intern for them.  Want to get in good with a casting director?  Offer to intern; be a reader for them.  Send them your headshot via email or snail mail and on the outside, mark "INTERN APPLICATION" or "READER APPLICATION" (or on the Subject line if email) and inside have a brief cover note. Tell them what qualities you can bring to an internship or being a reader.  Tell them what times/days of the week you are available and how long you can be available.  Follow up in a few days with a phone call - stating you sent your headshot because you're interested in interning with them.  Your call WILL be welcomed.

Your internship or being a reader will change your outlook forever.  Not only will you have a much better understanding of the business, but you will have a much better appreciation of it as well (and there would be a lot less moaning and groaning out there!)

Of course, if we could only get the agents and casting directors out on a few auditions and go-sees to see what the actor/model goes through, we might have a nearly perfect world....

Scott Powers
Scott Powers Studios
www.scottpowers.com

The Lean to Light Movement

As you can see my blog has gone though another transformation, but I think we have a winner with it's new title:

  

Lean to Light

I have new pages above to navigate and guide you though the site, and if you want to read more about the new concept click HERE.
Basically most things will fall into the categories of

Lightroom, Spotlight, Eating Light, 
Beauty Highlights, and my new favorite...
Giveaways!

I wanted to have more of a bloggy purpose but still have the entries come from a journalistic approach. Light will have many meanings, but overall it will be a metaphor for a lovely light movement towards a lovely light concept of good. Sound good?

Ok moving forward.

I mean, Leaning to light....

The Oscars 2013

Well we all know how I feel about 

The Oscars.

So I don't really need to repeat my over the top, dramatic, exclamations again over the most glamorous night of the year (right behind cinco de mayo, naturally) but I DO have to post some of my favorite pictures from the best annual night celebrating film.

This has always been one of my faves...wouldn't you like to be a fly on that wall listening in on two of the most glamorous legends of all time? (have I used the word glamorous enough yet?)

A compilation of backstage pictures from celebrity photographer Art Streiber:

 Miss Scarlett herself - Vivien Leigh

 Jimmy Stewart and Ginger Rogers

The glamorous Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood making their arrival

The nominated films I saw this year were Les Miserables, Argo,  Life of Pi and Silver Linings Playbook.  They were all outstanding, but Silver Linings was the most surprising to me. I really really enjoyed it, but Jason seems to think it was because we got to hear a talkback with Bradley Cooper after the movie.

I have no idea what he is talking about.

Cooper, DiNiro, and moderator.

I am not sure how I feel about Seth MacFarlane hosting, as is the rest of Hollywood apparently, but hopefully we will see some entertaining moments and lots and lots of...you guessed it....GLAMOUR!

Who were your favorite hosts of the Oscars?

Downton Abbey goes Downtown New York City

Oh my gosh I found this pic online and it just makes me so happy! I am quite impressed that they weren't so above themselves to take public transportation. I pictured myself running into them on the platform and going into total shock. The girls look so adorable out of their rags. And are Mr. and Mrs. Bates really an item?

Capturing Kyle Harris

I wanted to give Kyle Harris a shout out this weekend because he is making his prime-time television debut on
The Carrie Diaries 
which premieres Monday Jan 14th at 8pm on the CW.

We had the pleasure of taking this talented young gentleman's photos a few years back and it is so nice to see his career continue to take off! Set your DVR's for the prequel to Sex and the City where Kyle plays one of the "it" boys in Carrie's circle of friends. I was a huge fan of the series, and even though Carrie Diaries is geared towards a younger demographic (ahem ahem) I am intrigued to see what Carrie was up to in her early days.

Suggestions

This "suggestion" blog post will be divided into two sections. NYC and...the world.

NYC

Rock of Ages!! LOVED this show. LOVED IT. I reverted back to my youth...but this "youth" being the time that was post Muppets, but pre Vanilla Ice and Paula Abdul.

It was perfect going with Miles so we could see his friend Dan play the leading role in his last week with the production. And drink wine coolers. WICKED. (as in the 80's slang terminology for "fabulous". Not a reference to that other musical playing down the street.)


We went out with the whole cast after the show and we got to chill with Constantine Maroulis who was a finalist in American Idol. He is one uber talented dude. Rock and roll.

Silence the Musical!

Crazy hilarious parody of Silence of the Lambs playing in an old run down elementary school in the East village. Only in New York...

Chelsea Market. Forgot how fabulous this place was until I had yet another five hour date with my girl Jen here the other day! Love my long conversations with her.

The World

This super, Super salad.


I am on a superfoods kick and this salad kicks a skinny rear.

Spinach, raspberries, feta, almonds, cucumbers, dill, mozerella cheese, baked chicken, and no calorie raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
Other Superfoods to suggest: kiwi, sweet potatoes, greek yogurt and blueberries. Just put them in your grocery shopping thoughts and you will not be disappointed you did.

Hunger games.

Oh my gosh. So good!!!! Read the first book in two days and the only good thing about it being over is that the movie is out! Can't wait!

The Muppet Show!!!

oh my gosh muppet movie, oh my gosh.

Isn't this promo amazing?? See the cupcakes the robot is holding? I want one.

I cried about 20 times and that was only when I wasn't laughing. Sometimes I was doing both and it was very confusing yet satisfying. What a flash back to my childhood! I have vivid memories being in a stroller taking my stuffed Kermit and Ernie (poor Bert, always being upstaged) to the playground. Every Sunday night was The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock. Jason Segal is of my generation and has written an ingenious script that has given our furry friends (who are clearly real) a huge comeback. It was directed by James Bobin who helped co-create Borat and Flight of the Conchords. This movie should have been called Adriana's Muppet Movie. If you were born between 1965-1985 you HAVE to see this movie. If you weren't, it doesn't matter, you have to go too. Bring a kid along and introduce them to some of the best characters... I mean people... I mean Muppets, in the world. Oh and one of my favorite moments was the song "Am I am man, or am I a Muppet?" I know now exactly why Bret McKenzie won the Oscar-this song is brilliant!

Sophisticated Sunday at the Oscars

I love the Oscars.  I don't care that they are probably fixed, under-rehearsed, and as political as a presidential campaign, I love them for this.

and this:

and this!

You got it. The most sophisticated, stunning designers and dresses in the world come out this night. I really don't think I would have to win an Oscar to be happily in heaven with Badgley Mischka, Alexander McQueen and Louis Vuitton teams fussing over me. Well, maybe the statue would be a nice accessory in the end.

That, and Cirque du Soleil! WHAT WAS THAT?!?! I need to book my trip to Vegas NOW. Amazing amazing amazing.

A bit shocked as to how fast this week went by. I feel like I don't even know what happened. Ok it's coming back to me. I re-did my webpage a little bit...www.adrianalomysh.com...still needs a total overhaul reno but I simplified (sensing a theme here?), switched out new pictures and changed my recording clips. Got my new business cards, new thank you cards and new headshots printed...

Which leads me to my quote of the week. As actors we focus on business business business, but in the meantime we also must focus on making art and connecting with our maker to connect with our audiences. After watching the Oscars tonight one can see where that is a fairly clear distinction. Art juxtaposed with big publicity stunt. So I end with a quote from the legendary actress to win two Oscars and was first actress to be nominated for ten Academy Awards.

Without wonder and insight, acting is just a business. With it, it becomes creation.
~ Bette Davis

Christmas Movies

Watched Love Actually last night with the cast in the theater. LOVE this film! I think next week will be Elf, 

and the week after that will be a It's a Wonderful Life. 

We will have to fit in Christmas Story at some point too. I pretty much cry at all of these movies and love every moment. Bring on the sentimental Christmas tears!