Paid Actor

Paid Actor interviews Extras Casting Director Lee Henry Jordan about extras casing, type and diversity in the industry. Tune in Monday, July 30th for the relaunch of our show and the launch of our fourth season. Lee Henry Jordan, Owner and Operator of Jordan Extras Casting, has worked in the industry well over 18 years. Previously, he worked as an actor and model. He works diligently to help advance projects and continues to help educate actors on ways they can advance in their acting careers.

Actor and Host, Trena Bolden Fields, interviews the talented Tonia Jackson who talks more about your journey as an actor and how actors can move beyond obstacles in their own careers. Tune in on Monday, July 11th at 2:30 pm CST to listen in.

After ten years playing the bumbling Bart Biederbicke in the long-running NBC soap opera Days Of Our Lives, Steve Blackwood resided in Michigan for six years.  Now he lives in Newburyport, MA — teaching acting classes, performing in concerts and creating a new acting company called the MASTERCLASS COMPANY. He has appeared in many other television shows and films including Judging Amy, Ed Gein, the Michigan-based Cedar Rapids, Machine Gun Preacher and Mooz-lum. Onstage, Mr. Blackwood appeared in the Meadow Brook Theatre hit Boeing Boeing while living in Michigan. He also appeared in the sequel Ding Dong, which opened at Meadow Brook in March of 2011 and was nominated for two Wilde Awards, in the categories of Best Ensemble and Best Comedy. An accomplished jazz singer with two national releases  out, Steve has sung in nightclubs across the country, on network television, and has even performed the National Anthem for the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.

Trena Bolden Fields is an actor, writer, life coach, speaker and radio show host who utilizes her creative abilities, knowledge of theatre and career counseling background to help people learn life skills and create personal success. Trena has a strong passion for the arts and believes in encouragement, empowerment and transformation. Her performance career includes Cheryl in A Time to Kill at Arena Stage, Ruby inSeven Guitars at Penumbra Theatre, Blonde Buppie in No Distance Between Usat Illusion Theater, Cordelia in King Lear at Cromulent Shakespeare Company, Jennifer in The Rats at Lyric Arts, and Ole Rit in Dreaming Harriet Tubman at Stages Theatre Company. She has also performed in commercials, industrials, feature and independent film.  Trena Bolden Fields is currently touring a one woman show Daring to Think, Move and Speak which features key leaders and supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. This one hour show continues to help educate people about individuals who gave themselves to help create

Paid Actor welcomes Shelli Place to the show! Shelli Place returned to acting after a decade of producing/directing Business Theater, corporate awards/fashion shows and red carpet events.  She made her Minnesota debut in the 2013 Fringe Festival encore show A Certain Age. A long time member of AEA/SAG/AFTRA, her theater credits include King Lear (Regan), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Mae), Mary Stuart (Mary), Twelfth Night (Viola), The Importance of Being Earnest (Gwendolyn) and musicals How to Succeed… (Rosemary) Fiorello (Dora) Company (Kathy) and Gerogette in Golddiggers of 1633 (a musical of Moliere’s School for Wives.) Tours include Closer than Ever, A My Name is Alice (Asia Tours), Man of La Mancha, Play it again Sam, George M, and Room Service. TV and film credits include 3rd Rock from the Sun, Miyasaki’s Animated Classic – The Crimson Pig (English Version) and the cult horror film Party Line. Shelli has just completed the MN produced film Carrot Cake, now playing in various film festivals in the US.

Paid Actor Radio host, Trena Bolden Fields, talks with Zach Curtis about his career and working within two mediums. Zach Curtis is a professional actor and director in the Twin Cities, with close to 200 productions to his credit.  He is currently entering his ninth season as Artistic Director of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse (Bemidji, MN), Minnesota's longest running summer stock theater.  He has performed with the Guthrie Theater, Park Square, Mixed Blood, Illusion, Ten Thousand Things, Theatre Latte Da, Torch, Theatre Pro Rata, and numerous other companies.  He is currently appearing as Charlie in the Walking Shadow area premiere of The Whale.  He is a proud 14-year member of Actors Equity Association.

Paul Barry is a Los Angeles-based Australian actor, director, writer, and acting teacher. Clients of his have secured representation with WME, CAA, UTA, Abrams, Gersh, ICM, Paradigm, and management by United Management, Principal Entertainment, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Untitled Management, having worked at: MGM, CBS, NBC, 20th Century Fox, Disney, Starz, MTV, ABC, and many more. Barry runs regular on-camera classes at the Actors Key West.

Paid Actor and host, Trena Bolden Fields, welcomes Kristoffer Diaz to the show.  Kristoffer Diaz is a playwright and educator living and working in Brooklyn. Full-length titles include The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Welcome to Arroyo’s, The Upstairs Concierge, and The Unfortunates. Awards: 2011 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award; finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; winner, 2011 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play; winner, 2011 OBIE Award, Best New American Play; and the inaugural Gail Merrifield Papp Fellowship from The Public Theater (2011). His work has been produced, commissioned, and developed at The Public Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Geffen Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, The Goodman, Second Stage, Victory Gardens, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Theater Company, The Atlantic, InterAct, Mixed Blood, The Orchard Project, Hip-Hop Theater Festival, The Lark, Summer Play Festival, Donmar Warehouse, and South Coast Repertory, among ma

Host Trena Bolden Fields shares a story of a friend who took action and ways one can begin to build an international career. Trena Bolden Fields is an actor, writer, life coach, speaker and radio show host who utilizes her creative abilities, knowledge of theatre and career counseling to help artists learn life skills and create personal success. Trena has a strong passion for the arts and believes in encouragement, empowerment and transformation. Her performance career includes Cheryl in A Time to Kill at Arena Stage, Ruby in Seven Guitars at Penumbra Theatre, Blonde Buppie in No Distance Between Us at Illusion Theater, Cordelia in King Lear at Cromulent Shakespeare Company, and Ole Rit in Dreaming Harriet Tubman at Stages Theatre Company. She has also performed in commercials, industrials, feature and independent film. To learn more about Trena's work coaching actors visit www.paidactor.com.    

Trena Bolden Fields interiews Tracey Birdsall Tracey Birdsall is an American actress who has appeared in several TV series, TV movies and films. She co-wrote, produced, and starred in the movie short Tick Tock. She appeared in the soap opera Loving, hosted Million Dollar Showcase of Homes and was a special news reported for CNBC. Her latest movie Dawn of the Crescent Moon won many awards at the recent Action on Film Festival.

Paid Actor welcomes massage therapist and yoga instructor, Teresa Porter. Teresa will discuss her new online program and how developing and maintaining a yoga practice can help actors stay fit and healthy. Teresa Porter is the founder and instructor of Sirrine Yoga, an online yoga video series. She created easy, short online yoga videos for every lifestyle, and every level.  Teresa received her Iyengar and Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Certification in 2004. Teresa is also a certified pilates instructor and a licensed and practicing massage therapist in Arizona.

Host, Trena Bolden Fields interviews Blair Bowers about her acting career. Blair Bowers is an LA-based actor, who started her career in Washington, D.C.  She most recently produced and starred in the short film, The Drive, which is currently being submitted for festivals.  She can also be seen in Geographically Desirable, which will be shown at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, NYC Independent Film Festival, as well as the DC Reel Independent Film Extravaganza.

Host Trena Bolden Fields interviews dialect coach, Foster Johns on accents. Join us for a fun show today! Foster Johns holds a B.A. in Theater and English from Boston College.  He was born and raised just down river in New Orleans, LA and has performed in numerous productions there in addition to the Boston area.  Since moving to the twin cities on 2009, he has performed with truly amazing companies such as Swandive Theatre, Theatre Pro Rata, Theatre in the Round Players, Workhouse Theater, The Flowershop Project, Night Path Theatre, Brazen Theatre, Dovetail Productions, Classical Actor's Ensemble, and Jon Ferguson's theater company.  In addition to performing, he has had the privilege to serve as dialect coach to companies such as Park Square, Bloomington Civic Theater, Minnesota Jewish Theater, Chain Reaction Theater Project, Theater Latte Da, as well as a private coach to a variety of talented performers in the Twin Cities.  He aims to pursue an MFA in voice and dialect studies in the near future with the

Host Trena Bolden Fields and actor and voice coach Foster Johns discusses acting and terminology!

Host Trena Bolden Fields interviews vocal coach and performer Orgena Rose on maintaining vocal health. Orgena Rose is a dynamic and inspirational singer, songwriter, producer and award winning coach. A powerful and transformational energy, Orgena has appeared on Oprah, the Today Show, the Tony Awards, PBS, Broadway, Carnegie Hall, and Conan in Tyler Perry’s Row 11. She has also performed in numerous commercials, industrials and movies where her original music is featured and has produced one of the first online entertainment shows. She has toured internationally and sung with artists such as Patti Labelle, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald and Lea Michele of GLEE.  To give back, Orgena founded the Global Artists Alliance and Sacred Rose Music where she offers workshops and programs in her mission to heal, empower and transform through the arts.

Trena Bolden Fields talks with Billie Jo Konze about acting and her recent article on www.minnesotaplaylist.com, Acting without pay: A one woman debate. Billie Jo Konze is a stage and on-camera actor living in Minneapolis. Billie acts frequently, writes occasionally, works doing marketing for local theater companies including Off-Leash Area, and hopes to someday finish and publish the children's books she's begun writing. In July, Billie Jo will be playing a Pulcinella in Shadow Horse Theatre's production of the seldom-performed Clive Barker play Crazyface. 

Host, Trena Bolden Fields discusses what's coming up next week with Paid Actor.

Trena Bolden Fields talks with Sheana Ochoa about her book Stella! The Mother of Modern Acting.

Trena discusses whats happening next with Paid Actor.

Trena Bolden Fields interviews, film actor, producer and director, Manny Hernandez on his journey and his upcoming film Pure Love. Manny Hernandez was born in Tijuana Mexico and came to the US at four and didn't start acting until about thirteen years ago."  He has four major films due for release in 2014, including Pure Love with Charlene Amoia, The Vanished (which he also produced), and Students Like Us.