Open a New Window
I had no idea I would ever be performing live theater. Even though so many people said I would be perfect for Broadway, I never pictured it. More »

From the Studio to 'Wall Street 2'
Funny how a phone call or chance meeting can seemingly change your life, right? Isn't that what we all dream about? More »

Lost: White Notebook
What did this notebook have in it that was so important? Oh, I don't know—nothing expensive but also nothing easily replaceable. There were many pages of extensive to-do lists. More »

A Not-So-Perfect 10
When Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Sid Ganis announced last June that there would be 10 Oscar nominees for best picture, the general reaction was one of confusion. More »

Double Act
My work is about the live moment. I tell stories, but the heart of my work cannot be recorded, or written down, or transferred to TV. More »

You'd Better Watch Out
Two recent controversies prove that if you use a beloved icon to make a political point, you'd better expect pushback from the forces of intolerance. More »

London, and the World, Calling
What are the odds that a California boy will grow up to play Charles Dickens characters at the London Palladium? It wasn't something I planned. More »

Beat Them to the Punch
Since I was a child, all I ever dreamed about was being an actor. And like all actors, my dream has always been to do a film that I can be proud of for the rest of my life. More »

Icelandic Villain, Anyone?
In Iceland I had made a name for myself as an actor, but out here I was nobody—and rightfully so. There was, frankly, less than no demand in Hollywood for an Icelandic actor. More »

Dream Works
I knew deep down when I left that position to move to California and pursue my passion, it truly would be an arduous road. I just didn't realize how bumpy it would be. More »

'Brighton Beach' Bombs
Broadway is still reeling from the abrupt closing Sunday of the revival of "Brighton Beach Memoirs" after only nine performances. More »

Talk Back: What Actors Must Do!
Inspiration is when you can't stop working because an actor has crossed your path and shown you something that you have never seen before, that you never even knew existed. More »

You, Too, Can Prepare for the Agent Interview
Although it is impossible to predict which direction the conversation in an initial meeting with an agent will take, there are a few common areas that require preparation. More »

A Time for Peace
And now the healing can begin. The days of SAG leaders lobbing grenades at the other unions are, at least for the moment, over. More »

In Appreciation of the Actor
"When writing a play, I find it helpful to imagine specific actors in the roles." More »

Finding the Recess in Recession
Americans are now experiencing the ups and downs of a boom-bust economy that have always been the actors' lot, including the need to take part-time jobs outside their chosen profession. More »

My Agent Is a Bad Boyfriend
Agents. The bipolar living roller coasters of our delightful industry, who we love to love and love, love, love to hate. More »

Compassion: What's in It for Me?
If you're reading this, there's a good chance your career isn't exactly where you want it to be. What if I told you I had a surefire way for you to get the most extraordinary career possible? More »

Cast Off
In April, I tested for a series regular role on NBC's "100 Questions."  It was a small role with little interaction with the rest of the cast. More »

'Herm' Changed My Life
Every school has one. You know, that one unbearably cool teacher who managed to be accessible at the same time? Ert Jones-Hermerding was the coolest of all of them. More »

Reading Into It
I think you really hit upon several salient points regarding acting and the acting-career process—and in an easy-to-read, no-nonsense format. I would like to add one of my own insights. More »

Sickle at Heart
As a professional (union) actor, as well as a longtime reader of Back Stage (ever since it was Drama-Logue), I was so bothered by your July 16 essay, "Bukowski and Popsicles," that I was compelled to send this reply. More »

Letter from the Editor
Back Stage's staff is always trying to come up with fresh editorial concepts and, above all, present helpful, actionable information for actors and other performing artists. With that in mind, we present our first-ever List Issue, which, as the title suggests, is all things lists. More »

Tonys Nix Crix
Last week, the Tony Awards Management Committee announced that it had revoked the voting privileges of critics and journalists, including Back Stage's first-string critic, David Sheward. More »

Not Godot, Not Anyone!
Here I sit in an airplane waiting to leave Denver. All day I have been waiting. Waiting to leave LAX after a canceled morning flight. Waiting to leave Denver after a four-hour delay. More »