Posted By David Lion Rattiner
I decided to see how I’d fair at an open casting call at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. The casting call on Saturday was for actors, actresses and singers interested in performing for shows that will be held at the Sag Harbor theater for the summer season. I got wind of this info from my fellow acting friend, Joe Winchell, who works for his families marina in Sag Harbor. Joe and I are friends from doing community theater together last year at the John Drew Theater at Guild Hall in East Hampton, and Joe has been in plays in Los Angeles and in commercials as well.
“Oh yeah,” Joe said to me, “Just about anybody can go to the call it’s a lot of fun.”
“Really? It sounds so exciting,” I said, “Bay Street is the real deal.”
I had caught the acting bug, you all know what I’m talking about right? I quickly headed down to Bay Street for the casting call, and was greeted by a wonderful woman who asked me to fill out a form. She was a very serious woman, so I presented myself as a serious actor. I figured if I’m going to act, I might as well start acting like it.
“Okay Mr. Rattiner, can you tell me if you’re Sag?”
“Am I Sag? No, I grew up in East Hampton but I have a place in Montauk now.”
“No I mean the union. Are you with the union?”
What is she talking about? The boating union? Did she just ask me if I was from Sag Harbor? Does she think I’m a fisherman?
“No, I don’t think I’m with a union. Should I be?”
“Right this way sir.”
Of course, I later learned that she was talking about the Screen Actors Guild. I have a feeling this might have ruined my chances of being a Bay Street actor.
They brought me back stage of Bay Street which was really cool and I met the casting directors who told me to do my monologue. Needless to say, I didn’t have one of those. But I did have a song memorized, so I belted out “Namely You” from the hit Broadway show “Li’l Abner” (which by the way is being put up this weekend at Pierson School in Sag Harbor with the Springs Community Theater. I play the role of Li’l Abner).
Who knows if they were impressed or not. Maybe I’ll stick with going to shows at Bay Street and leave the singing for the car.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:47
I had the chance to see Li’l Abner last night and let me tell you, Baystreet would be silly to not sign you up…
You could be the next Deniro, the next frankie-brown-eyes, hell, even the next Ryan Seacrest ( except we would call you David (aka, Dune) Hamptoncrest.
The whole SAG interaction is pretty damn funny. I am sure you will never forget that for the years to come in your acting career.
You know what they say David, a star is born every second so keep those car windows down.
But really, go see Li’l Abner, it’s soooo great.
May 5th, 2007 at 9:55
I went to the dress on Wednesday and then to the premiere on Thursday and I’ve been humming the songs ever since. Sunday is all that\’s left now. Go see it. It ran on Broadway for 650 performances some years ago. And they didn’t have David Rattiner as L’il Abner. He was great!!!