The Scene Partner – Starting Off on the Right Foot
PianoFighter Nina Harada chronicles her journey of pursuing a career as an actor in Los Angeles. Follow her journey on her blog The Scene Partner.
Like a lot of people during the month of January, I’ve been doing some reflecting, re-evaluating and looking forward. I started a running list of what I want my 2012 to be about, some directly related to acting, some not, but all under the same goal of honoring Me. Seems a little selfish, but sometimes you have to be. What I mean is, doing things that I want to do not have to do, doing things that make me happy and feed my soul, fulfilling my passions and dreams, enjoying this journey every step of the way– basically, having an overall positive outlook.
A lot of it has to do with language I use: getting rid of should’s and shouldnt’s and have to’s and replacing them with like to’s, want to’s and choose to’s. More active, less passive. I also think that a more active, there-are-things-in-my-control, perspective will result in a more proactive year. The less you make projects and activities chores, and the more you make them fun then the more likely you will do them! For instance, I kinda hate submitting. I’d think of it as something I have to do if I want to be an actor. But, throw on a little music, imagine the different roles I now have the chance at playing, and it’s kind of fun!
So, going along with the doing things that make me happy and feed my soul, one of the items on my list is to do more theater I love. In other words, not worrying about pay vs no pay, industry audience vs. family and friends, potential connections vs. none at all, or even theater vs. film. Theater was what got me here to begin with. Anyway, I got what I wanted! I am starting off the year with two wonderful shows. The first, in February at Casa 0101, is called Occupy the Heart, a short play festival exploring the Occupy Wall Street movement. The second, in March at the Lyric Hyperion, is a new rendition of the Vagina Monologues, including an original ensemble-created piece. Not to mention both shows are with very cool people I like. I think I’m off to a good start!
-Nina
Posted January 18, 2012 at 11:55 am


I decided to write about the present and future responsibility of the human race to preserve Earth. I believe that it is our responsibility to react to the excessive trash problem that has reared its Gorgon-like head into our society. Sad as it may seem, I do not believe that we have what it takes to salvage our tattered and torn land. That is why we will have to set a worldwide control fire that will dispose of all the trash. I’m sure all the smoke and pollutants in it will ruin our ozone layer, leaving us susceptible to the harmful UV rays of the sun, but by the time our “super fire” is done burning I will have put together a team of the finest scientists, physicists, mathematicians, and mechanical engineers in their fields to begin construction of the largest super spaceship known to man. It will be called “THOR 2,” symbolically named after the Norse God of thunder and lightning. You may be asking yourself, “Why is there a 2 in the name?” Good question. It’s to make it sound more powerful and because we had tried but failed before (it’s just to excite those nerds who work at Time magazine). We will then start to load people into “T2″ by process of elimination. If you were ever obnoxiously rude and or an asshole to me then you will have to stay on Earth and deal with the underworld Trolls that have been living in underground hives. They’re not the kind to be taken lightly. 






