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.

Ever have that nagging, restless, unsatisfied feeling where you’re just sitting in your living room by yourself, having just closed your lap top, tapping your fingers on the sidetable (not coffee table, cuz you still can’t afford one) not knowing what to do with yourself? Well, I did, just last week.

I was up-to-date with all my submissions (submitting by the hour, sometimes even more often!), I designed my postcard, I followed up on networking emails, I signed up for all applicable upcoming CD workshops (within my budget- again, poor), updated my CD target list with all pertinent info, researched new TV shows that might be right for my type, worked on memorizing my script for an upcoming play I’m in, did some character work for the play, met with my writing partner for a final round of edits on our screenplay, read some actor blogs… and… and… what else? What else can I do???

Of course I know an actor’s work is never done. That’s the cool/annoying thing about this career, there is always something you can be doing. But, what? I found myself at a standstill, not being able to think of anything, not knowing what to do with myself. The real reason I was feeling so unsatisfied, as my boyfriend thoughtfully pointed out, is I was unrealistically waiting to see the fruits of my labor– right then and there! Silly, I know, but he was right! It was this feeling of, “Okay, I’ve put all this work in, now let’s see what I get!” But I know that’s not how it works. I know that! And yet, there I was, sitting alone in my living room (subconsciously) waiting, hoping for something to happen. Read more »

They say art imitates life. Nowhere is that more true than the heroic story of a bat with a broken wing, clinging to the side of space shuttle Discovery for one last glorious flight.

Today marks the three year anniversary of that launch. And while it is the anniversary of his death, we at Mission CTRL prefer to celebrate Space Bat’s life, and his brief but undeniable impact on all of us.

More info here.

We at Mission CTRL salute you. R.I.P. Space Bat

-Chief Memorial Officer Wold (of Mission CTRL)

At the end of last year, PianoFight’s all-male sometimes-nude revue/sketch comedy crew, Mission CTRL, teamed up with SideReel.com to make a slew of one-off video sketches based around popular TV shows from the site. The partnership is now moving toward more consistent, episodic content in the form of a news/talk style show. Unlike most talk shows though, ours features a two-headed host in a single purple sweatshirt. The idea is to bring Mission CTRL’s “bizarre” and “brainy” humor to an audience that is more used to watching Pretty Little Liars (read: 13-to-21-year-old girls). Yup, time to crank the snark. Welcome to TV a la Modem, our way of bridging the gap. Here’s the first episode:

If you liked it, ‘Like’ it, and watch out for more of our stuff both on SideReel.com and, of course, right here at PianoFight.com.

- Jed

PianoFight is executive-producing a short narrative film called Low Shoulders. Find out more at www.lowshoulders.com.

Low Shoulders crew recently illustrated, splashed with blood, photographed  and filmed this map of California.

UPDATE: We finished ADR work, a rough cut, and are re-shooting one scene at the end of this month. Footage looks dope.

-Evan

Every two weeks, PianoFighter and West Oakland DIY’er Anne Jones reports on the latest developments regarding the biweekly pickle.

This presumptuous pickle is not afraid to make a statement; pungent, tart, hot, umami.

–ingredients: napa cabbage, daikon raddish, green onion, jalapeno, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, salt

–fermented 1.5 weeks in an open container covered in cloth

–contains vitamin C, carotene, calcium, iron, many lactic acid bacteria

–fermentation breaks down phytates, which block iron absorption

- Anne

Read more »

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.

Last Thursday was International Women’s Day, March is Women’s History Month, I’m currently in a production of the Vagina Monologues as part of a women’s theater festival… Needless to say, I’m feeling love for the ladies right now. Going along with this theme, I’ve compiled a list of 10 awesome women in entertainment I’d be honored to work with one day.

1. Parker Posey (duh)

All-time favorite actress. Long-standing “indie queen.” Powerful on-screen personality and distinct style: makes every character her own. The original “quirky girl.” Killer at comedy. Scene stealer. My dream is to one day get to work with her.

2. Amy Pohler

Funny, of course. Amazing in Parks & Rec. I absolutely adore Lesley Knope. But beyond comedic talents, this woman stands for something. Smart Girls At The Party, a smart, entertaining and clever show, Amy’s original webseries, is geared towards young girls but is entertaining for all.

3. Meryl Streep

How can you NOT love this woman. She is insanely talented. Has had a long career that is still going strong. Plays kick ass parts and embodies her characters flawlessly. Never plays into the media hoopla. Goes for big budget or low budget, just wants to act in good projects with good roles.

4. Mila Kunis

So underrated. First off, she’s a working actor- doing TV, voiceover and film. Natalie Portman got all the attention, but, personally, I think Mila stole the show in Black Swan. She is a fearless actor but displays vulnerability beautifully. Would love to work opposite her one day.

5. Geena Davis

Not only a talented lady, she is incredibly thoughtful, sensitive and driven. By making use of her position in the entertainment world, she has done extensive media research through her own Institute on Gender in Media, trying to change female portrayals and gender stereotypes in children’s media.

6. Miranda July

Performance artist extrordinaire. She does it all- narrative film, short stories, installations, sculpture, video, voice over, you name it! And across all mediums, she maintains her very distinct voice making our ordinary every-day lives extraordinary, revealing the nostalgia and bittersweetness of it all.

Read more »

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“Scott Herman’s play Octopus’s Garden might not seem like typical PianoFight fare. It’s not sketch comedy, it’s not an interactive choose-your-own-adventure, and it does not invite audiences to throw vegetables at the actors. But for artistic director Rob Ready, this world-premiere drama is every bit as vital as the company’s comedic projects.”
- SF Weekly

“PianoFight, best known for interactive theater and sketch comedy, strikes a different chord in its latest production.”
- Bay Area Reporter

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A look at the top five PianoFight happenings for the month of February 2012 from resident PianoFighter Devin McNulty.

Octopus’s Garden

PianoFight began rehearsals for Octopus’s Garden, it’s first major production of 2012.  A full-length dramatic piece by Scott Herman, Octopus’s Garden is a marked departure from our wheelhouse of interactive theater and sketch comedy.  From the press release:

Lilly and Claire’s family is unconventional — they are a lesbian couple with an eight-year-old daughter, Anna, living in Boulder, Colorado — but their lives are very conventional.  They take their daughter to school, they argue over money, they tickle fight and they support and love each other.  This version of domestic tranquility is put in jeopardy with the unexpected arrival of Grant, a gay music teacher from New York who is Anna’s biological father.  The story unfolds backwards revealing that Grant has never met his daughter, and that he is the former best friend of Lilly, Anna’s biological mother.  Act I chronicles the evening of Grant’s arrival, and Act II, jumps to nine years earlier and the events that lead to Anna’s conception.

Cast members Gabi Patacsil, Andy Strong, Leah Shesky and just-turned-12-year-old Nandi Drayton (who was just nominated for Best Female Lead in a Musical by the SF Bay Area Critics Circle) have been hard at work in rehearsals with their director Devin McNulty (who just happens to be writing this). Octopus’s Garden is showing Saturday nights at 8pm from March 17 to April 28th. For more info go here.

  Super Nova Desert Eagle

PianoFight loves Jamie DeWolf and his show Tourette’s Without Regrets so much that we unveiled the world premiere of our new improv dance group, Super Nova Desert Eagle, at the show’s February 2nd Valentine’s Day edition. Audience members read their most embarrassing sex stories, and founding members Gabi Patacsil and Rob Ready danced interpretative dances. The dances were a cathartic release for the storytellers, and were very dramatic, very serious, and definitely not meant to be funny at all. Here’s a clip:

  Das Haus Band Plays the Stork Club
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