The LA acting community prepares to say "goodbye" to Hollywood legend Samuel French ...

Samuel French Bookshop, in Hollywood, has served as the community center for actors in LA for decades. The people there have also been incredible supporters of mine over the years. I am proud to say that we have sold lots of copies of all three of my books at SF over the years, along with an in-store event or two along the way. 

Very sad to learn that this Hollywood legend, on Sunset Boulevard, is closing at the end of March. Online sales, particularly of books, has forever changed the landscape. One of the things I love best to do is to stroll the aisles of real, actual bookstores and discover titles along the way. My bookshelves at home are packed with evidence of these excursions. As these gems leave us, we are less connected as a community as a result.

Might Lin-Manuel Miranda and "friends," who recently stepped in to save NYC's Drama Book Shop, do the same for LA's Samuel French? Mr. Miranda ... the Powerhouse would like a chat with you ... and to the people who have led and worked at SF over the years, thank you so much for your knowledge, your support and your service to the business of acting.

BL

NYC's Beloved Drama Book Shop Gets an Extended Run ... Thankfully ...

Bravo and appreciation to Lin-Manuel Miranda and two colleagues on the news today that they have purchased the famed and much-loved Drama Book Shop, in New York City.

This little gem of a resource has been around since 1917; it has even won a special Tony Award. The store was due to close later this month after a rather hefty rent increase from the owners of their building on West 40th Street.

Since the early 2000s, the store and its staff have been great supporters of my work and have featured all three of my books for actors on their shelves since then. My last visit there in October for an event for "The Next Edition" was a wonderful and tender reminder of the importance DBS has for all of us in the business of acting.

Long may it thrive!

BL

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/theater/lin-manuel-miranda-hamilton-drama-book-shop.html

"The Business of Acting Career Clinic" Launches in 2019!

I am very excited about a new workshop that I am launching in the new year ... "The Business of Acting Career Clinic." 

It is a two-hour, interactive experience that will address and resolve why you might be feeling stuck and how to get moving again ... or if things are running smoothly in your business of acting life … all the better! We’ll also explore how to stay focused and keep moving ahead. 

Casting Frontier is presenting this new workshop for the first time on Saturday morning, January 19th, at the Broadway Theatre Complex, in Hollywood. I hope you will join us for the kick-off!

It's a limited-seating, ticketed event ... so register for it as soon as you can!

BL

Helping to spread the word ...

Thank you more than I can express to Lisa Ellen Niver for her support of the new book and, in particular, for the incredible story about "The Next Edition" in today's Jewish Journal. 

Lisa, much, much appreciation ...

B.

Heading home for the holidays? Take the non-disclosure route to curb enquiring minds!

The Christmas break is just around the corner and I want to repost an item I first wrote just before the Thanksgiving break. It seems appropriate to suggest a second look (or a first if you missed the previous post) about heading home for the holiday and how to handle that barrage of inquiries about why you’re not a star yet. It can add to the often-normal stress that these family-and-friend reunions can stir. 

In my recent “Backstage Experts” column, I offer up my list of survival tips to pack with you for a happy holidays visit home. I hope all of my actor friends and students with find this helpful! 

Seasons greetings to all ... with much appreciation for another challenging-and-rewarding year in the business of acting.

https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/how-to-handle-awkward-family-holiday-questions-about-your-acting-66055/

BL

How to manage the "home for the holidays" inquiries about your career ...

Actors going home for the holidays often face a barrage of questions from the people who love them about why they're not famous yet. How frustrating and annoying that can be! 

Last month I became a new "Backstage Experts"columnist for Backstage.com. My newest columnhas just been published and offers some valuable tips on how to manage those inquiries. 

Happy managing! :)

BL

NYC? LA? Why bother? These professional actors are thriving in Albuquerque ...

My thanks and appreciation to the Chris, Ron, Tiffany and their team at Sol Acting Acting, in Albuquerque, for everything they did to make last week's day-long, "master class" in the business of acting a great experience! 


I have taught a lot of workshops and seminars around the country over the years. But I can't recall a group that was more supportive of each other's process in the journey than this group.

They also brought with them into class their great passion, great attitudes and some keen insights about the industry. As I write in The Next Edition and talk about in my classes, you do not have to be in New York or L.A. to have a professional acting career ... and this incredible group is A+ evidence of that. 

Bravo, much appreciation and many thanks to all of them.

BL