Category Archives: acting

March 4, 2013 · 9:48 pm

March Madness! No, not that one.

After a long absence, Nick McGee and I played in the March Madness Tournament for Improv Shmimprov.

March Madness, for those who may not know, is an internal Shmimprov competition where valiant two person teams of Shmimprovers battle each other to see who will be deemed funniest this season. We do it in March and want to ride on the coattails of the basketball thing, so it’s called March Madness.

It is customary for each team to come up with an extravagant introduction to open each show. Usually it comes in the form of a video. Last year Enrique and I did this one:

This year Nick and I had about a week to be able to put something together. Unfortunately this was, quite possibly, the worst week to try and do anything. Between Rene and my show schedule and Nick and my work schedules we came up with a cool idea, but no time to execute. So, in true improviser fashion, we improvised a scene on stage and utilized the wonderful Action Movie FX app on my phone!

Originally it was intended that if we won the first round this video would play as the intro for next week – and then we’d do another one, but we didn’t so I’m posting the video.

See you next time!

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Filed under acting, actor stuff, Improv Shmimprov, videos, YouTube

January 25, 2013 · 7:00 pm

More Actor Advice – This Time From Stephen Tobolowsky

Rene and I had the pleasure of meeting Stephen Tobolowsky once at a meet-up for /Film and The Tobolowsky Files, the latter of which is his own storytelling podcast that is, in my opinion, some of the best audio you are likely to find. Heartfelt honest stories about his life and career that can bring you to tears as quickly as they can have you rolling with laughter. Follow the links to experience it – although the audio may not be up for long. He is starting to be syndicated on the radio and so they may have to take down many of the recordings.

In addition to being an actor, author and podcaster; Mr. Tobolowsky is also a an acting teacher and has written this article that I found at BackStageWest.com. In it he talks about how to build a character and, since I’m not too proud to steal a link, I thought you might like to read it too.’

See you next time!

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Filed under acting, education, podcasts, teaching

January 21, 2013 · 1:17 am

Actor Advice: This is Good Stuff

I am posting this link from ReadySetAct.net because it talks about something that every actor needs to hear. It’s something that I discuss with my young actors, but really all actors should read this, no matter how old. Danielle Eskinazi did a similar article that I wanted to post to, but I haven’t been able to find it. This one came along and covers almost the exact same thing  – which just goes to show how universal this information is. So read it and enjoy and if you have any thoughts don’t hesitate to mention them in the comments.

This post is by Joan Sittenfield and she wrote the book “Ready?… Set?… Act!” You can check her resume as a casting director HERE. Her IMDb hasn’t been updated for a while, but the information in the article is still 100% accurate. Here’s the post: http://readysetact.net/why-does-one-actor-get-cast-while-another-one-doesnt/

Thanks to Jenna Leigh Green for posting this on her Facebook feed.

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Filed under acting, actor 101, actor stuff

January 9, 2013 · 10:32 pm

Curtis Is Consulting? Yes, I am.

Having over 27 years in a business teaches you a little something. Seeing that industry grow and change gives you clues to how it might continue to evolve. Once you’ve done something long enough you gain knowledge enough and confidence enough to start sharing that information with people. As many of you probably know I’ve been coaching actors privately and at different studios for over a decade and, more recently, I have started consulting about New Media and marketing. For the last few months I have been building the skeleton of a new website to be able to support these efforts, but I was recently turned on to a site that, at least for now, offers a lot of the functionality that I was looking for in a community where people can find the kind of consultants that they need. It’s called Maven.

I’ve only just started using this and, so far, it looks pretty good. They do a certain amount of confirmation of the people on the site and, from what I’ve seen, have a wide variety of industries represented. So, while I have been consulting for a few years, you now have a direct link to where I can be reached.

Here is my Maven site.

I look forward to your business.

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Filed under acting, business, consulting, new projects

November 13, 2012 · 6:23 pm

Updates & Some Updates

Shows and shoots and comic books and phones…

It’s been busy and it isn’t really going to slow down until Thanksgiving when I’m hoping to catch up on a good number of Project: Iron Man posts. I just bought the last issue of Iron Man before Marvel Now begins and it felt like the end of an era… which is by design, I suppose, since Marvel Now is supposed to be an update to the universe. I may do a separate post about that (when I have some spare time *lulz #sarcasm) but I’m losing my “fire” for comics right now since there is so much other stuff to do.

We’ve had some changes to the performance schedules for November and you’ll be able to see both Rene and I in “Jeepers, Nancy clue, It’s a Mystery!” on the following dates:

  • November 15 – Redlands Old Spaghetti Factory
  • November 21 – Redlands Old Spaghetti Factory
  • November 29 – Redlands Old Spaghetti Factory
  • November 30 – Fullerton Old Spaghetti Factory
Tickets are available here: Clever Productions, Inc.
The shows are a lot of fun and we keep having repeat guests. Come see have some fun and eat some pasta!
Last bit, go over to the Wiggy website for more updates on The Pom Pom Massacre, including what this might be…

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Filed under acting, movies, projects

June 5, 2012 · 6:00 pm

How About A Schedule? OK!

There’s been a lot of Iron Man on the blog and it has been some of the most popular work I’ve ever done here – which I really happy about and grateful for! But I know that there are some of you who just don’t care about that. Maybe you’re more interested in the movie stuff or my up coming performing schedule?

Well if it’s performing schedule you’re looking for then here you go!

These are the dates that I will be performing with Improv Shmimprov at The Maverick Theater 110 E. Walnut Ave. Fullerton, CA 92831.

All shows are at 11pm, unless otherwise stated, and cost $5 at the door.

  • June 8th
  • June 9th
  • June 16th – At The Brea Improv  120 South Brea Blvd. Brea, CA 92821  
  • June 22nd
  • July 14th
  • July 28th
You can get reserve seat tickets for shows at The Maverick Theater for only $11 by visiting ImprovShmimprov.com.
I’ll have another blog soon with all the production updates, but in the mean while come see some shows!
My Shmimprov Roast looks like it will be in early August – if you’ve ever wanted to see a whole bunch of people tease me mercilessly that’s the show you want to come to!
Also, in the interest of shameless self-promotion, I wanted to share my social networking links just in case…
  • Facebook Page
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr – I’m still new to Tumblr and not quite sure what I’m going to use it for, but come check it out!
See you tomorrow!

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Filed under acting, Improv Shmimprov, shameless self promotion

February 28, 2012 · 7:00 pm

Diet Mountain Dew + Curtis = Commercial

So last month I mentioned that I was shooting a commercial with fellow Sabrina the Teenage Witch alum Jenna Leigh Green thanks to our friend Joel Michaely (also from Sabrina). We weren’t really allowed to talk details before, but now the commercial is out and ready for the world!

See you tomorrow!

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Filed under acting, blatant plug, sabrina, shameless self promotion

February 17, 2012 · 10:54 pm

Where have we been?!!?!? What have we been doing?!?!?!?

To say that I have been a poor blogger of late would be an understatement and more than deserved.

Excuses aside, here are some of the things that have been taking up my time:

  • The new Wiggy VonSchtick website
  • My Entertainment 101 class – more on that later…
  • Producing a sizzle reel for a new young adult book series.
  • The Embedded Project.
  • The Cheerleader Project.
  • A new TV pilot called “AcceptSHUNS.”
  • Oh, and some acting stuff too.
So, what’s this all mean?
First off go check out the new Wiggy Web Site! We have a whole new interface and, even though there are still some features and pages being built, this is our new home and the interactive functionality is very exciting! The Wiggy Twitter Feed will be announce new updates and features.
For those of you new to the entertainment business, especially parents of child actors out there, I am doing a seminar aimed right at you! The Entertainment 101 class covers all the material you need to know to help navigate the business of show. We cover vocabulary, what to expect from auditions, how auditions work and how to get both auditions and agents! It’s held the last Sunday of every month and our next class is going to be Sunday February 26th at 6pm being held at the IC Academy building in Lake Forest. The 2 hour class costs $100.00 and you can reserve your spot here: 949-273-8800. Also YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A PARENT OF AN IC STUDENT TO ATTEND! This class is open to everyone! Here’s a video that explains a little bit more:
On the producing front we’ve been REALLY busy! We’ve been making all the stuff listed up top, and I’ll have links to all of it in later blogs.
Also, my Diet Mt. Dew commercial comes out at the end of the month. Probably next week! When I have a link I’ll pass it on.
Now I need to go scan some more documents and mail some other documents.
See you tomorrow!

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Filed under acting, cheerleaders must die, new projects, producing, projects, Wiggy VonSchtick

November 8, 2011 · 8:39 pm

What’s kept me busy.

I said in the last post that I would mention in a separate post what I’ve been doing that has taken up all my time.

This is that post.

First off, “Earthlings Beware!” is a play that Rene and I are doing together at The Costa Mesa Playhouse. It plays Fridays through Sundays until November 20th. It is family friendly, funny and fun! It’s a send-up of 50’s Sci-Fi movies and does a great job of recreating that kitchy magic on a single stage. Rene and I made a video:

In video news Wiggy Webs has been posting regularly! Here are the videos you may have missed:

Also, movie stuff has been going forward at a hurried pace. Cheerleaders is casting and we are setting up meetings with talent. There’s also a pretty significant change coming to the film that I can’t technically announce yet, but I’ll give you a hint – there’s a reason we’ve only been referring to it by nicknames and as “Cheerleaders” for a while. There’s a new website on it’s way and some other new stuff. In the meantime go “Like” us on Facebook.

The documentary is wrapping up and with the workload growing on that it is very possible that there may be another drought of posts for a while – but I’m trying to manage that.

This may all seem like shameless self-promotion, and it kind of is, but this is truly all that I have been doing for the last few weeks.

Oh, and the cat needed surgery. Hurt his foot. Got worked on. He wears a cone now. The nightmare and hilarity that has been our cat in his cone of shame is documented better on Rene’s Twitter Feed

OK, I think that it.

See you tomorrow!

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Filed under acting, cheerleaders must die, Make Up with The Wolf, pets, shameless self promotion, Wiggy VonSchtick, wiggy webs

October 10, 2011 · 11:38 pm

Beard Watch 2011: First shave Edition

This is the first shave.

Can you even see the growth?

I have to be careful, if Charlie licks my face to hard it might come off.

Also, a little sneak peak at the ad for “Earthlings Beware” that will be running in papers soon!

See you tomorrow!

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Filed under acting