Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Services
    • Aircheck for Actors
    • Demo Reels
    • Audition Prep/Self-Tape Reader
    • Mailing Labels
    • Contribute
    • Industry Links
    • Advertise
    Daily Actor
    • Acting Tips
      • Actors on Acting
      • Advice Columns
      • Acting Quotes
      • Audition Tapes
      • How To Become An Actor
      • How to Memorize Lines
    • Monologues
      • Monologues from Plays
      • Monologues from Movies
      • Monologues from Musicals
      • Comedic Monologues
      • Dramatic Monologues
      • One Minute Monologues
      • Monologues for Women
      • Monologues for Men
      • Monologues for Teens
      • Monologues for Kids
      • All Monologues
    • Acting Resources
      • Acting Resume
        • Acting Resume Template
      • Acting Classes
        • Los Angeles Acting Classes
        • Las Vegas Acting Classes
        • San Diego Acting Classes
      • Acting Schools and Colleges
        • Los Angeles
        • New York
        • BFA Acting Schools
      • Casting Websites
      • Headshot Photographers
        • Los Angeles
        • New York City
        • Headshot Printing
      • Acting Techniques
        • What is Method Acting?
      • Stage Directions
      • Demo Reels: Everything You Need to Know
    • Interviews
      Featured
      Casting Director Interview - Brett Benner and Debby Romano

      Interview: Casting Directors Brett Benner and Debby Romano Talk ‘Shrinking’, Finding Actors and More

      Recent
      Casting Director Interview - Brett Benner and Debby Romano

      Interview: Casting Directors Brett Benner and Debby Romano Talk ‘Shrinking’, Finding Actors and More

      March 6, 2023
      Jeremy Davis Olaf in Frozen Interview

      Interview: Jeremy Davis on Playing Olaf in ‘Frozen’, Costume Mishaps and Making the Role His Own

      January 19, 2023
      Casting Director Kim Coleman Interview

      Interview: Casting Director Kim Coleman on ‘Five Days at Memorial’, Self-Tape Tips and Portraying Real People

      January 11, 2023
    • Actor Blogs
    • Reviews
      • Movies
      • Theater
      • Books
      • Products
    • Actor Services
      • Airchecks
      • Demo Reels
      • Website Design
      • Mailing Labels
    Daily Actor
    Home » Blogs » Actor Mary Flannigan Reflects on Her Unpredictable Year in New York City
    Blogs

    Actor Mary Flannigan Reflects on Her Unpredictable Year in New York City

    Guest PostBy Guest PostJune 3, 2020Updated:June 4, 2020No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    To Act or to Demonstrate, That Is The Question

    Everyone set on having an acting career in America seems to set their sights for either LA or New York. I had chosen the latter, and was sure I had my year all mapped out, as I was preparing to audition for every project I could. Applying for gigs nonstop through Backstage, and having worked in New York’s top non profit Greek Festival, The Euripides Festival directed by long time Equity member Stephen Diacrussi, and become a member of The Complete Theatre Company which produces new shows every month. But, I was not expectant of the next gig of mine from a job I’d applied to on Backstage labelled as Theatrical Sales. This simple click of an apply button would drastically alter my time in New York as I got the job and was off to working at North America’s biggest toy store, FAO Schwarz.

    The job I got hired for was further classified as being demonstrative, which means you’re more or less acting as a salesperson, but you create a script and a show as a presentation with a product for the day. This range of jobs in demonstrations meant one day you could be conveying to people that you’re an artist, the next an athlete, or even a scientist. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine  becoming a salesperson, or figure sales could turn into a form of entertainment, but when your audience is kids you have to put a spin on the typical. Thus, looking back on my past year in demonstrations I say with complete certainty it was of the most value to my growth as an actress.

    Working in demonstrations I came to develop a specific skillset. I learnt how to work any product into a scene stealer, as other products would compete for an audience less than five feet away. I had to believe in every word I was saying, and tell something amazing (because working with kids, they will always see through you), and lastly as an actor you are always in the product of selling, whether that be the show you are in, yourself in the audition room, or the words you are saying. Thus committing to being excellent at demonstrations I was able to come out with the above skills, as it was some of my most exhausting work, thus testing my true capabilities. Not every day was a good day, sometimes I had weeks of failure, but anyone as an actor knows we’re in the game of rejection, and if unable to face it, most likely it’s the end of the road. So, as the next day would roll around my energy would have to come back to 100 sometimes for 10 hours a day, and I’d have to engage with an audience that didn’t have to watch, so any ego of mine had to go out the window.

    Nor was my job in demonstrations the only surprising thing that happened in my career this year, as like countless others I would suffer the loss of  my job due to the impact of COVID-19. This also put me in a unique position as I am originally from Canada, and my parents remain out there so I made the decision to leave the country, considering the impact of the virus in New York compared to my hometown of Vancouver. So while this wasn’t the year  I imagined, I ended up having one of the most fulfilling experiences in my acting career. Proving that sometimes we have to trust the unpredictable road we surprisingly end up on. As for the future, I am preparing for my return to America when it will make sense financially and career wise, and am staying creative with projects like making my own coasters, drawing, baking, and writing.

    Related

    Previous ArticleKerry Washington on Her ‘Scandal’ Audition and the Importance of Olivia Pope: “I had never seen a network drama with a black woman as the lead”
    Next Article Why Did Mark Ruffalo Try to Talk Marvel Out of Casting Him as The Hulk?

    Related Posts

    Silence Is Death: Revisiting Cassavetes In The Digital Age

    February 1, 2022

    Caitlin Patricia Weiler on Getting into Character for Headshots

    July 9, 2021

    Actor Noel Douglas Orput Shares an Excerpt From His Book, ‘Wait, I’m The A—Hole?’

    July 6, 2021
    Add A Comment

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Daily Actor Facebook Daily Actor Twitter Daily Actor Instagram Daily Actor Pinterest Daily Actor YouTube Page
    Popular Pages
    Become An Actor | Acting Tips | Acting Quotes
    Acting Resume | Resume Template
    Headshot Photographers
    Los Angeles | New York
    Print Your Headshots
    Acting Schools & Colleges
    Los Angeles | New York
    Monologues
    Movies | Plays | Comedic | Dramatic
    Men | Women | Teens | Kids
    • Contact
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Resource Listings
    • Write A Column
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for.

    © 2023 Daily Actor

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.