First Workshop of "HPAG" a big success!

Today was the first official workshop for the "Hollywood Players Actor's Group". It was a great first workshop.  I talked about my background in the business for a while and what my goal for this group is. Then everyone had a chance to talk about their backgrounds and experiences with acting.

It was so refreshing that some of these folks chose professional careers to make money, but never forgot their dream of wanting to be on stage and performing in front of others. Some people really shined today. No matter how old you are or what you've been doing in your career, it's never too late to go for your dreams! You just have to decide that life is too short to wait another day and go for it.

After the introductions, we did a short relaxation exercise to clear our minds and get centered, followed by some positive affirmations.

Next was improvisational exercises.  We'd give the actors on stage an occupation, a situation, and an emotion. Both actors had the same emotion. For the improv (pictured) below, Carl Rolle played a therapist and LarJayne Blackwell played a Dog Groomer who hates people, but LOVES dogs. Their emotion was happiness at first and then halfway through the improv, I switched the emotion to anger and boy did things get funny after that!

Julie Johnson played an interior designer and James Etue played a plumber and the emotion was 'confused'.  That was hilarious!

I played an Airline Pilot and Roger Conley played a TSA guy and our emotion was "suspicious". He accused me of being drunk and tries to stop me from getting to my plane and endangering people. I am suspicious of him, that he can't tell the difference between a bomb and a sex toy.

Curtis Han plays a NYC police officer with James Etue playing a hotdog vendor. Curtis Han accuses James of selling drugs out of his hotdog vending cart. It got really funny. The emotion was frustration.  Curtis was trying to literally take the cart from James and it was very humorous.

James: "Hey now, you're really over reacting here, this is how I make my living! That's not my pot!"

Curtis: "Oh really, you're holding a bloody knife over a body. Oh, that's not my knife! Oh really!?"

After the improvisations, everyone performed their monologues.  LarJayne performed a comedic one that she wrote. It was very funny.  Roger Conley performed the Christopher Walken Monologue in "Pulp Fiction" about the watch. It was very good.  I performed my monologue from "Girl in a Cafe" where I did an Irish Accent and everyone seemed to like it. Carl Rolle performed a very funny monologue about being a disgruntled employee at a company were he is the only employee.

Julie Johnson, Curtis Han, and James Etua did a cold reading from "Hawaii Five 0" where they question Julie's character about a friend who was found murdered. They all did great. Julie got emotional the first time. I directed them all to be more cold hearted and mean.  The second time was a huge improvement. It was electrifying. Such a great scene. 

And the last scene of the workshop was a piece brought in by Curtis Han for an audition he has this week. It's a college recreation of a scene from "Friends".  Curtis was trying to impersonate Ross. He did the scene with James Etue. James was hilarious as Joey.  After everyone left, I worked with Curtis on his audition piece some more.  I needed to get him out of his shell.  I gave him a quick tutorial on Sitcom Acting!  Gotta make it big! Timing is everything.  I think it got better the more we did it! Like night and day!

So that's basically how the first workshop went. Everyone had fun.
I'm really excited about the possibilities of this workshop! Each week will be different and we'll have different people checking it out and bringing their talents and wonderful energy! I know we'll get a nice group of actors and magic will be made!!!  I couldn't be more excited!
You really need to check out this workshop!

See you on the Stage!
Best,
Kelly Mullis, Artistic Director of HPAG

Hollywood Players Actor's Group Promo Spot

Check out the Promo Spot for HPAG and a sneak preview of the stage and theatre space! It's fantastic.  The perfect place to create magic and incredible performances from actors.

Come on down.
First workshop is Sunday, Oct. 28th 3-6 PM.
Bring a prepared Monologue and let's see what you've got!

Good luck.

Kelly Mullis, Artistic Director of HPAG

Plans for Workshop #1. MONOLOGUES!

I'm having everyone do a 2-3 minute MONOLOGUE for the first workshop!

I know, no one likes doing monologues, but you know what? Sometimes they are in the script!
Sometimes for theatre auditions, you have to do a monologue. It's just a fact of life.
You shouldn't be afraid of monologues.  They are a chance to shine! Make it your own.
Tell us a story!  Let us feel what you are feeling about what you're talking about! Make us care.
That's the challenge!

I'm super excited to hear all the monologues. I'm even doing on myself. I'm doing a monologue from a 2005 film called "GIRL IN A CAFE" starring Kelly Macdonald. She's a wonderful Scottish actress. I'm doing a British Accent for this monologue where my character is at a very important dinner with the British Prime Minister and she starts talking about the children who are starving in Africa! It's very powerful.  I can't wait to do it!

We'll also be doing some relaxation exercises, affirmations, and some improvisation during the first workshop as well.  It's going to be a really fun day!

See you on the STAGE!

Best,
Kelly

What is HPAG??

My name is Kelly Mullis and I have created my very own Actor's Workshop called the "HOLLYWOOD PLAYERS ACTORS GROUP" or HPAG! It's basically a place where you can work on anything you want to work on.  It's a work out space for actors, directors, & writers!

I am the Artistic Director of the group and we will be doing cold readings, scene study, writing labs, improvisational exercises, sense memory, emotional work, creating memorable characters, and so much more.  I'll be having guest speakers coming in to talk to the workshop as well. It's going to super inspirational!

I want this workshop to inspire actors to create there own projects, ie: webseries, short films, one person shows. Anything that will get them confident and stand out so that they can get DISCOVERED in a town that has a MILLION actors in it!!!

So come check us out! It's only $80 a month or $20 a workshop! I'll see you there.

This blog will be full of the adventures of the workshop.  So visit often and see what I write and post on here! I'll post videos too.  :)

See you on the STAGE!!!

Kelly Mullis