Canyon Professional Actor 2 Day Intensive Reel Deal Program

CANYON ACTING ACADEMY Affordable Professional Actors Program In Times Square

2010-02-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

Canyon Professional Actor Programs 2 Day Intensive Reel Deal
Includes:
Acting coach Matthew Corozine Teaching Essential Acting & Theatre Skills
Filmaker Brian Ferraro Teaching On Camera Techniques
Legit Talent Agent Lisa Price From The Price Group L.L.C Teaching Auditioning To Get The Job & Career Development
A Block, Cut, Tape session to finish and we make you a REEL
March 27th & 28th ~ Register Now ~ fee is $249. When you are finished you will a REEL of your final work.

OPEN CALL
The Price Group Talent Agency
Here's a fantastic opportunity to be seen by one of best talent agents in NYC- Lisa Price from The Price Group L.L.C.

I'm Alive

2010-01-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

Ok so its been awhile since I posted and I'm hitting the 5 month mark of living in NYC so lets recap lol. I moved here, got a job. Got an audition for Jersey boys. Got experience. Hated job. Changed jobs. Got an audition for Rent. Got shut down. Felt kinda shitty for awhile. Made a ton of money in December working my ass off. Started taking voice/acting lessons. Making no money in January.

So now I am still working at Pasta Lovers and like every person in the restaurant business this time of the year we are slow. I now have a lot more free time during the week to better myself and what I do so I've been going out a lot more to jazz clubs, cafes, caberets, etc. to get myself into the lifestyle of what I'm shooting for here.

I did an open mic night at this place called The Duplex which was fun. Its a little more intimidating than karaoke 1) because im not drunk and 2) because these people have been dedicated to this stuff for a long time, but they were really supportive and great. And I met some cool people which I have been lacking in this city. The few people I do know here have 9-5's and go out on the weekends when I work doubles for rent money. The guys at work are all older and go to Spanish clubs (by the way I went to one of those with them one night and it was hilarious).

Hopefully along with getting my foot in the door on this industry I might just get a good circle of people to hang out with over time. I am actively searching for any bands or other cabarets which make me feel good. I realized all of these pent up emotion i felt in the previous months was because I wasn't doing anything that I loved. Being a waiter makes cash but it sucks. When I was in architecture school at least I had a creative outlet via my work but here I don't get that.

Now when I'm singing theres not just sound coming off my chest.

I'm close to making it in the green for the month next week which is good. Glad I saved up some extra in December. Cabin fever will hopefully give way soon to some good weather, although this winter hasn't been that bad. I'm looking forward to whatever new opportunities I can create, and ones that the Price Group can provide for me. :) Bye for now.

Chin Up

2009-11-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

Trying to keep my stress level down....I freak out over stuff that doesnt matter. I just try to rationalize feeling better and taking it day by day while other ppl here just....do that haha. I wasn't raised like these people but my skin is getting thicker by the day.

The Agency got me an audition for an off Broadway possibility for Rent at a non union theater which is good for me. I have to call off work but its worth it, anything to put some light on this dark ass month in NY.

Mood: Depressed

2009-11-08T19:17:00.001-08:00

I hate this city and my general situation in life right now.

Ch ch ch changes

2009-11-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

Sooooo I quit Pete's. It was a good job for what it was in the beginning of my NY experience but I really really couldnt do it anymore. I am a traditionalist when it comes to business practices and all but one of the managers at Pete's held to that for the most part. There was one though who decided to take out his personal frustrations with his tenure there out on the employees and I did not need that stress. Not to mention that when one manager cleared me to be a little late to work following an audition, his managing style dictated that I be cut from work for 3 days and he would let me know when I could work after that. Fuck that shit.

So rather than mope in my apartment with no work I did what any driven person would do and hit the streets. Within an hour I had an offer to train the next day and so I'm now training at an upscale Italian restaurant in the theater district right by Radio City Music Hall. The manager is the kind of tough as nails person youd expect to run a NYC restaurant, and I like the professionalism. The whole system is new so I have to learn it fast but I like it there.

That audition that made me late that one day was for Americas Got Talent. Crazyness. Got there at 9am and waiting in line for awhile to get approved paperwork. Then waited for like half a day in some chairs for our numbers to be called. Then sent to a holding room to wait for another hour and do interviews in front of the cameras. Then sent to an audition room...around 4pm to stand in groups of 5 in front of a producer to audition. I feel I did really well but its a massive TV show that bases their judgements on ratings not talent. We'll see how this goes they dont let you know until like January anyway when they start up the production again.

Lots of changes going on for me again and I am quite the nervous wreck these days but I'll be fine. Things will always work themselves out if I'm staying on task.

I'm Alive!

2009-10-26T22:37:00.000-07:00

I just realized I haven't updated this in forever. So I'm saving a good amount of money so it's time that I get those headshots printed (my end of the months are so much less stressful than the time im in the red). I might see one more show or keep saving money. My dad offered to front me money for singing lessons and acting lessons as another pursuit while I'm here. I've been working 7 days a week doing waiting/architecture/performance stuff so I'm definitely trying hard to make it in the city.

Haloween is coming up soon which I hear is nuts in NYC, and luckily I have off that night. I can't go too crazy though because ...I have an audition for Americas Got Talent on Sunday at 9am....that should be fun and stressful haha. We'll see if I have enough stick out power to make it through the ranks. I hear those shows are so random and subjective that talent and experience often gets blurred and lost in the production shuffle. Whatever, its more experience. Well its late I'm off to bed, more work in the morning (of course).

Never a break while I make my name.
~Wendel

Recession Blues

2009-10-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

So I'm like...over 1,000 in the hole this month so far....need to work hardcore at Pete's to pay rent and such....cant afford acting lessons or voice lessons at the moment but I know I need em...

I am NOT a put it all on the line struggling actor type. Thats not how I was raised....dunno how to get out of this funk of a mood

Moving on...

2009-10-07T16:34:00.000-07:00

So I didnt make call backs haha (duh)

1) I had a great time and first experience auditioning for ...anything...if not a broadway show
2) That is some indtimidating shit that most people would never go through...I almost walked out if Lisa hadn't been like 10 feet away in the room haha
3) I got to do something most people dont get to do

4) Time to move forward with my experience and career. Busting ass this week to get my stuff together.

Things move fast in this city!

2009-10-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

So I was just in the grind of work about a week ago. Searching for new side jobs to fill my time, make some extra money, and enjoy myself. Then I met with Lisa. We picked headshots and I played her some of my music from high school of me singing In The Still of the Night (The song I won PSU Idol with actually). I left with an excited sense of things to come but I had no idea how fast things can change around in this town! lol.

I was freakin out at my computer while I paid lots of expensive credit card bills and rent....doing my budget and wanting to work more to cover it! Right as I was getting ready for work Lisa called with some crazy good news. She had set up my first audition ....ever......for possible roles in Jersey Boys! So then i got real excited...and incredibly nervous. I don't know anything about auditioning for shows haha all I know how to do is sing songs well. But I'm a go getter and I'll work hard to be the best there. Even if I dont nail the audition it is good practice and experience...which I need a lot more of. And hey if they like my raw talent enough maybe they'll give me a chance. Listening to Jersey Boys soundtrack right now and then I'm off to see the show at 3pm....10th row center ow ow.

P.S. I went to a house warming party for my friends in Queens who moved here awhile ago. My ex gf was there and it was the first time I'd seen her since she ended things....via aim....so that was awkwardly fun haha but it was good times and I had fun hanging out with everyone. Little bit of a headache this morning though....Queens is weird....all them trees and non gridded streets.....I missed my ghetto. :)

Big Things Are Comin...

2009-09-30T15:40:00.000-07:00

So I met with my agent Lisa today and had a great meeting. We went over my headshots and some possible future options for my career in the performing industry. I was really excited with what was going on and I felt a lot more comfortable going through things this time (I think I'm slowly becoming an unphased New Yorker).

Things are going great at work (I was informed that working at Pete's is pretty cool considering how old school it is there with the way staff works). So far I've waited on Gerard Butler, Hillary Duff, and BATMAN (aka Michael Keaton) :) I make good enough money there to get by and facilitate my obsession for musicals and stuff for my future career in performing.

Oh haha, I had a trying semi promotion story from work. Usually tenured waiters and staff work the upstairs parties at Pete's, but after working 5 doubles in a row they gave me one that was quite challenging. It was a group of adult mentally disabled people who meet every month or so and discuss topics on how to become more self sufficient. Taking brunch orders from 35 people who are completely there mentally is hard enough but this was like 10 times as hard. After lots of confusion and mixups with people ordering from busboys who couldnt speak english and just nodding we finally got everybody everything. I realized that those were some of the best customers I've ever served and while listening to all of their stories about daily struggles with the simplest of things I realized how good I have it.

I think I am going to a karaoke competition tonight and then tomorrow I will start getting together my book, resume, headshots, and possibly some local performance gigs so that I can start on the road to a successful career in the performance industry. Wish me luck. Will update ASAP.

Almost been a month here...

2009-09-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

Almost been a month since I moved to NYC and i'm fitting in well. I'm goin to see Wicked tonight with a girl from work which is good cause I've wanted to see it for a long time. Its been kind of tough getting a hold of the agency with all my work but hopefully we'll get rolling on things soon...

Yayy money

2009-09-17T12:50:00.001-07:00

So I had some rough double 16 hour shifts at work with people not tipping me but I finally leveled out for rent utilities and metro. That means anything else I make this month is savinggs for NYC fun! :) Peace out. Mark

My Music

2009-09-14T09:37:00.001-07:00

For people who dont know I used to record music in high school with 2 other friends. We wrote, composed, and recorded everything in the one kid's basement. Download some of our songs!
www.shiujamstudios.com <--Try downloading Erasing you, My Apology, or Goodbye

Great weather, happy times

2009-09-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Its that perfect weather between summer and fall in NYC right now. So fun to walk around. I sang at a random hole in the wall bar the other nights. Felt so good to sing again, and it's great to know that people think I'm good even here in the big city full of talented people.

I think its time to start singing...

2009-09-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

So I was on the metro home from work today and I realized its been like 3 weeks since I've sang in any real capacity. Even when I was at State College for architecture I still got at least a weekly outlet at karaoke or for the occasional drunken happy birthday at the bars to some unsuspecting girl. I'm sitting here blasting music and singing along and it feels good. I think I'll feel better if I can get in front of a crowd. Ima check out some open mic nights for fun and see if my friends wanna go to a Karaoke bar this weekend. I should be meeting with Lisa soon.

I survived a week!

2009-09-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

Me trying to look classy haha

So It's been a little over a week since I moved in and I'm totally in love with NY. I've been working every day at Pete's Tavern as a server and I'm pretty good at what I do. It's not a matter of being a good waiter as much as it is being driven to succeed and make it on my own which I apply to everything here. I love getting up and taking the metro into the city through the hustle to plant my foot in the door of this crazy rat race.

I got my headshots done by a friend of mine and for a kid who knows nothing of the business, never looks at himself in the mirror for more than 5 seconds, and only has pictures taken of him when he's drunk at a bar I say they turned out pretty good. I photoshopped them a little to balance contrast, color, etc. to try and match the sample images Lisa showed me.

I actually got a chance to go out twice this weekend with an old friend from high school and we hung out at this sick apartment by the financial district. Quite different from good ol bushwick.

Bushwick
vs.
Southside haha

This country wasn't built by men in suits.

2009-08-30T20:22:00.001-07:00

Ok so I'm a new man now haha. I'm all moved in.
Last time I visited Ms. Price I was quite timid (a suburb kid has to have to serious drive to get out of his set for him life). I just finished my training at Pete's Tavern tonight and they start me at 4pm tomorrow for real serving tables....somehow I bs'd that experience enough to convince em I was worthy to hire haha. Must be that emerging actor in me haha.

In any case it should pay the bills and i should be working primarily nights which leaves time for auditions during the day. I've been reading up on the business, and I'm slowly getting the hang of things (architecture and show business are not the same haha). I got my headshots done today from a friend and they turned out pretty good. I will be photoshopping them tonight (got something out of 5 years of design school) and then I'll be on the road to....a start in this crazy new life.

I walked around Bushwick today to pick up some things and ended up spending 2 hours out walkin around bodegas and a puerto rican street festival. I LOVE the culture and activity in this place and I definitely feel at home. Well I'm off to photoshop till I pass out. Night people. Invite your friends to this blog it makes me feel like I have support :-p

I'm In a New York State of Mind

2009-08-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

So I'm all moved into the new apartment in Brooklyn. Woke up today and got my bed delivered and finally have my own setup goin on here. It feels good to be on my own and im ready to try and make my way in the city. I got a job! waiting tables in Gramercy and I start training tomorrow.

I just tried to cook food in the gas oven and there was an old plastic lid like....fallen underneath of the flame. Totally almost burnt down the place but I'm a resourceful quick acting fireman haha. At least its cooking my dinner now minus plastic.

Should be heading the to the agency next week and such. I'll keep people posted.

Tomorrow..

2009-08-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

Movin into Brooklyn tomorrow...

Amidst freaking out and buying me all kinds of crap I dont need (which I have hidden places in the house), my mom has reminded me all week that "the well has run dry."

Leavin early tomorrow to move in and get situated. Then calling Pete's Tavern to make sure I still have a job in Gramercy waiting tables so I can afford to live here. Headshots asap then over to Lisa's office to get this show on the road.

Mood same as the past month. Scared/Excited.

Well apparently its ok for guys to cry...No seriously

2009-08-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

I've always been moved by music. I mean I didnt start singing for real until I was in 8th grade with my 2 friends, but I always had an appreciation for it. When I got into high school music helped take me out of a kind of dark place I was in under the pressure of social/educational life. I joined choir/madrigals/barbershop, anything I could get my hands on. Then I discovered musical theater and solo stage performance and I realized how much emotion and music were linked. I used to fall asleep to songs of interest on repeat, picturing myself singing them on stage.

I performed in the ensemble of one show Junior year of high school and as the lead in my senior musical. After that.....it was time for business as usual via 5 years of architecture school. Like I've said in previous blogs I caught that fire once again when I competed in the Talent Competition.

Ive been in NY this week for a few days looking for wait staff jobs to make the rent and my roommate convinced me to do something a little irregular for me. She convinced me to wake up at 4am....after walking around the city all day and wait in line with the hardcore musical theater kids for the cheap 25 dollar tickets for Next To Normal. So we got there around 6am....and waited for the ticket counter to open up and give those tickets to the first 26 ppl in line....at 10am. We were numbers 19-21. After that I walked ...miles around the city applying for jobs wondering if that was even worth it.

I went to the show at 7.

I have to admit I was kind of dismissive at first. "This isn't rent" "This isn't Wicked" "Wheres the huge cast" Then the emotion emerged. After "You Dont Know" ended I knew I was in for something special. I got more and more engaged and then...it happened. Yeah I cried (although I'm pretty sure I simultaneously got two pieces of dirt in both of my eyes), but I looked around and so was the rest of the theater. I wasn't crying because I'm that kind of person, I'm definitely not. But I was so involved, so...enthusiastic about what these people were doing that I (and everyone else) gave the amazing cast a standing ovation. I rushed downstairs to buy the soundtrack and tonight I will be doing what I did 5 years ago, falling asleep to a dream.

Time to get this stuff movin!

2009-08-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well my moving company turned out to be a bust as far as work at home for extra NYC savings and the previous 2 weeks have been incredibly boring. I was at Lewes beach this weekend with my former roommates celebrating one getting a legitimate job finally in this economy and having one last party until we have to go into real life. We definitely put our PSU stamp on the Dewey beach bar scene but now its time to get my stuff pushing.

Tomorrow morning I'm takin a bus from Bmore to the city so that I can look for jobs in NY to support my rent. I'll be there all week searching and staying at the Brooklyn apt and hopefully visiting the agency/ seeing a musical? After that I'll be home chilling with the ancy parents before the move. My mom is slowly coming to terms with the move, although I'm sure she'll be a nervous wreck for awhile...I lived in Rome for half a year....I can do this, and I'll love it. My dad has given up convincing me to work for the Unemployment office for ok pay haha so that's good.

After THAT the big day comes *drumroll* I'll be moving to Brooklyn on August 27th to start this crazy new chapter in my life. Wish me luck!

Lull

2009-08-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

Well half a decade of familiarity has come to a close. I just got home to Maryland after furiously cleaning my apartment and turning in my keys. It was a sad drive home to leave PSU, friends, and architecture behind.

Luckily though, unlike many of my friends, I wont have to sit around here for long! I should be moving into the apartment in Brooklyn within the month. In the mean time I will be working my good old summer job of moving furniture here to pay the rent and such in NY. At the very least that'll keep me busy and fit.

A big part of this last weekend up at State was my parents' and their old alum friends' 37 year reunion. I realized (after seeing many hilarious pictures) that the bonds and memories are the same no matter what when you are with good people, and they will get you through whatever you need to in good and bad times. Seemingly different people met up there and found lots in common, only to face economic hardships (sounds familiar) and eventually move on to completely different paths than they thought they would when they were in school. I can only hope that we are all destined to such a future. But enough of me trying to sound like a philosopher.

Time to get some rest and start packing for NY! PS i miss U

Where Brooklyn At?!

2009-07-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from NYC this weekend....
Why have I not lived here my whole life haha?

I drove in late Friday night and surprisingly did not get lost on my way into Brooklyn. Wary of what neighborhood my soon to be apartment was in, I pulled up and found the coolest mix of people in the building. A DJ lives on the ground floor and plays music out in the back courtyard while everyone in the building comes out with drinks and hangs out during the night.

I got up bright and early and took the metro into Manhattan, (trying to surpress the urge to be like a tourist/ architecture student and look at all the structures I had studied for 5 years), and went EVERYWHERE (15 miles to be exact) to get familiar with the city and hand out what seemed like a million resumes to restaurants around the city. After a long day of that my future roommate who escorted me about town had to go to work so I was off on my own for 5 hours....no problem. I walked all over the city some more and met up with some friends for dinner and then trained it back to Brooklyn. Same thing Sunday in the village and Alphabet city and then back to State College.

When I lived in Rome Italy for four months I enjoyed/detested the hectic nature of a city but as soon as I got home I found myself more and more frustrated/bored/lonesome for that city atmosphere. Walking through NY last night I felt that feeling again and I know that it's a perfect fit for me. All thats left now is to finish this teaching position, move out of State College, make the first/last months rent in MD moving furniture in August, and THEN the restaurants start hiring and I start moving!

Prepping for NYC

2009-07-21T17:26:00.001-07:00

Things have gone from boring and stable this summer to overdrive. My temporary job in State College has quadrupled in complexity and all the while I'm planning the move to NY. I am happy to say I have an apartment to move into with a friend in Brooklyn and am driving to the city this weekend to apply for jobs in Manhattan to support that! This entire summer has been a whirlwind of changing relationships, expectations for jobs, expectations for places to live after college, and ways of expressing my artistic drive. I'm a crazy mix of nervous, excited, and apprehensive about allllll of this change. I'll keep everyone posted on how this weekends trip goes!

Crazy Weekend Turns Into Amazing Opportunities

2009-07-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody Mark here, it has been a crazy weekend and now I am excited for all the opportunities ahead. My humdrum life here at State College with no job opportunities or prospects seems to have come to an end with the winning of this competition. I have been spending the past week looking for apartment opportunities for a possible move to New York City to follow my dream and boy is that hectic. I've also been pulling up old songs/shows/anything I can find from my high school performance times and realize how much I miss the stage. Hopefully this will be the first of many excited posts about my progress in NY!!! TTYL

Happy Valley's Got Talent Contest Winner Is... MARK WENDEL

2009-07-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

This is the ad Mark viewed just a few months ago while working in architecture as a Penn State Grad from just a few years back...

You think “America’s Got Talent”?

Wait until you see “Happy Valley's Got Talent" an exciting, live, talent competition at The State Theatre in State College, Pa. Patterned after the popular NBC TV show, this event will feature a wide range of performances and the winner will be selected by a panel of three judges including NYC Talent Agent Lisa Price

The event will be held on July 3rd at 6pm & July 11th at 6:30pm with the winner receiving a six month Contract from The Price Group Talent Agency. Auditions will be held on Friday Evenings 6-8pm & Saturdays noon till 2pm in the upstairs theatre at The State.

All forms of entertainment, including musical performances, are welcomed.

Watch the Canyon Casting Web site for additional details, or contact Whitney, Event Specialist, at canyoncasting@gmail.com / 814.571.6256 with any questions about the contest.

Here's how you enter
Fill out the registration form
Buy the Happy Valley's Got Talent Show Ticket from the The State - Its $10
Schedule your audition with Whitney & bring your ticket & registration form to the audition

You have a ticket to the Talent Show July 3rd & July 11th - regardless if you are chosen to perform as a finalist July 3rd or July 11th 2009 at The State Theatre.

Registration Form

...Next thing you know Mark is walking away with the title and 6 month talent agency contract from the The Price Group Talent Agency after wooing the judges with Michael Buble's "Feeling Good"

Follow Mark on His Journey as he gives up his career as an architect and follows his dream to NYC.