​Barry Anderson is an actor, singer, dancer and client of The Price Group Talent Agency.  Some of his credits include the Broadway productions of Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde, and 30 Rock on NBC. Here we have The Price Group’s interview with Barry where he chats with us about his first big performance, when he decided to become an actor, and his biggest obstacles. 
​

• When did you decide you wanted to be an actor (and/or singer, dancer, etc.)?

​
I've always known that acting was something that fueled me beyond belief, even as a kid doing community theatre. During my college years, I began to focus more on the specific career aspects of acting, and I decided to dive in fully as soon as I graduated. 

• What has been your favorite show to do? Why?

As cheesy as it sounds, I think it's important to make each project I'm doing at the present time my favorite one. It's really difficult for me to pick an overall favorite, since I've enjoyed and learned different things from each experience. I just finished a 6-year run in Jersey Boys playing Bob Crewe. It was amazing on so many levels. On the other end of the spectrum, I once got to do an original show playing George Gershwin in Charleston, South Carolina. That was a unique and incredible experience in an entirely different way. Likewise, when I get to do on-camera work that suddenly feels like my favorite. There's good in all of it. 

• How did your first performance go? Were you nervous?

My first performance in a "big" show was when I was 12 and I got to do a summer stock production of Peter Pan. The entire experience for me was thrilling. The rehearsals, the work, the play... I am sure I was nervous on opening night. But overall, what I remember is the excitement.

• What is your pre-show ritual?

It tends to change a bit depending on the role and what I need to do to warm-up. No matter what the performance, I always try to grab a little time just by myself right before the curtain goes up. I like to focus and quiet my mind a bit before letting the floodgates open and hitting stage with castmates to create that awesome stuff called organized chaos!

• What inspires you?

Veteran performers doing what they love inspire me. I love seeing actors who have been around a long time and are still in the business, still creating, still working, still playing. 

• What has been your biggest obstacle or challenge in your career thus far?

The instability of an acting career is one of the aspects that's hardest to deal with. There are dry spells after shows close, or projects that take you out of town and away from home and loved ones. It's a huge sacrifice. But keeping busy is always an option, whether that means creating one's own work or taking a class or doing research for the next role. In the end, I really believe that obstacles are as big as we let them become. It all depends on our state of mind. 

• How has The Price Group Talent Agency been helpful to you in your career thus far?

It's been greatly helpful to have Lisa on my side when it comes to negotiations. It's so nice (and necessary) to have a team behind you when looking at the trajectory of your career. I like how accessible TPG is to me and I value our long relationship. 
​

• Any words of advice to people who would like to pursue a career in the performing arts?

Know that it is hard work. More often than not, it is not glamorous work. Know your type. Know that you have qualities that NO ONE ELSE has. And know what those qualities are. The sky really can be the limit, but it all depends on your mindset and approach to the business. Take risks, say yes, and get as much experience as possible. We learn by doing. And hopefully, we never stop DOING. and 30 Rock on NBC. Here we have The Price Group’s interview Barry where he chats with us about his first big performance, when he decided to become an actor, and his biggest obstacles. 
​

• When did you decide you wanted to be an actor (and/or singer, dancer, etc.)?

​
I've always known that acting was something that fueled me beyond belief, even as a kid doing community theatre. During my college years, I began to focus more on the specific career aspects of acting, and I decided to dive in fully as soon as I graduated. 

• What has been your favorite show to do? Why?

As cheesy as it sounds, I think it's important to make each project I'm doing at the present time my favorite one. It's really difficult for me to pick an overall favorite, since I've enjoyed and learned different things from each experience. I just finished a 6-year run in Jersey Boys playing Bob Crewe. It was amazing on so many levels. On the other end of the spectrum, I once got to do an original show playing George Gershwin in Charleston, South Carolina. That was a unique and incredible experience in an entirely different way. Likewise, when I get to do on-camera work that suddenly feels like my favorite. There's good in all of it. 

• How did your first performance go? Were you nervous?

My first performance in a "big" show was when I was 12 and I got to do a summer stock production of Peter Pan. The entire experience for me was thrilling. The rehearsals, the work, the play... I am sure I was nervous on opening night. But overall, what I remember is the excitement.

• What is your pre-show ritual?

It tends to change a bit depending on the role and what I need to do to warm-up. No matter what the performance, I always try to grab a little time just by myself right before the curtain goes up. I like to focus and quiet my mind a bit before letting the floodgates open and hitting stage with castmates to create that awesome stuff called organized chaos!

• What inspires you?

Veteran performers doing what they love inspire me. I love seeing actors who have been around a long time and are still in the business, still creating, still working, still playing. 

• What has been your biggest obstacle or challenge in your career thus far?

The instability of an acting career is one of the aspects that's hardest to deal with. There are dry spells after shows close, or projects that take you out of town and away from home and loved ones. It's a huge sacrifice. But keeping busy is always an option, whether that means creating one's own work or taking a class or doing research for the next role. In the end, I really believe that obstacles are as big as we let them become. It all depends on our state of mind. 

• How has The Price Group Talent Agency been helpful to you in your career thus far?

It's been greatly helpful to have Lisa on my side when it comes to negotiations. It's so nice (and necessary) to have a team behind you when looking at the trajectory of your career. I like how accessible TPG is to me and I value our long relationship. 
​

• Any words of advice to people who would like to pursue a career in the performing arts?

 
Know that it is hard work. More often than not, it is not glamorous work. Know your type. Know that you have qualities that NO ONE ELSE has. And know what those qualities are. The sky really can be the limit, but it all depends on your mindset and approach to the business. Take risks, say yes, and get as much experience as possible. We learn by doing. And hopefully, we never stop DOING. 

Name: Lisa Price
Hometown: Lower East Side of NYC
Education: Grades K-12 at the United Nations International School. International Baccalaureate degrees in Art and French. BA in Literature and Theatre from SUNY Purchase. Groundlings in L.A. HB Studios in NYC.
Favorite Credits:
Every credit is an amazing one. When I get to deliver the news that our client booked Broadway, TV, Film or any other project they are passionate about, it is my favorite moment.
How did you become an agent?
I studied acting and directing early on, but after college I began as a casting director at the San Diego Repertory Theatre. Then I moved to Los Angeles and started working in production on movies of the week and other television series. When I had to move back to New York because my mother was sick with pancreatic cancer, I thought to myself: I’ve been an actor, I’ve directed, I’ve been a casting director…what could the next step be? I responded to an ad for an agent’s assistant at the infamous Beverly Anderson Agency, and when we met, it was kismet. Beverly said she saw things in me that she’d seen in herself years ago, and she took me under her wing and groomed me to be a talent agent. When she passed away, I took it hard, and rather than going to work for someone else, I opened The Price Group. That was late 2007. It seems I found my calling in life: the perfect mix of entertainment and sales. Selling those cookies door to door when I was 14 really paid off!
What’s your favorite part about being an agent?
My favorite part about being an agent is twofold. There’s nothing quite like conducting a negotiation: really looking after a client and helping them get compensated for the hard work that they do. The other element that brings me great joy in being an agent is delivering the news to a client that they booked the job: whether it’s a Broadway debut or recurring role on a TV series, or even a commercial booking, there is nothing quite like passing along an offer.
You teach master classes, is that correct?
Yes, I teach master classes and I coach actors at universities across the United States. I have a lot of information to offer after all.
What is your teaching philosophy? What do you do with (or tell) students?
Plain and simple: be truly and honestly committed to your craft. I know from personal experience that hard work pays off!
Any shows you’re dying to see? If so, why?
I was was lucky enough to see Hamilton very early on and it really made a massive impact on me. Watching Hamilton was like seeing something brand new being invented. It was like going from a Sony Walkman to an iPod if you know what I mean. I recently saw Fool For Love, which is one of my favorite Sam Shepard plays. The last time I saw one of his plays was True West starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C Reilly in which they alternated roles. That had to be more than 15 years ago. I’d like to see Fun Home. I’ve yet to see that.
What’s one misconception you think actors have about agents?
There’s a couple of misconceptions that actors have about agents. The one at the top of my list is the idea that they (the talent) can sit back and simply wait while their agents work hard on their behalf to secure auditions for them. Nobody sits back and does nothing. The actor has to be president of their own corporation, and it’s their responsibility to sell themselves by getting out to networking events and casting director seminars, circulating their head shots, and taking control of their own career. Only then are they in the position to secure a competent agent who will work as a partner in their team. A team can be far more powerful and get much further than just a single individual. The other misconception I think is that if the actor isn’t getting any auditions, the agent must not be working hard enough. I hear this from actors that request meetings with me. They complain about their current agent, saying that they’re not getting them any appointments. The truth of the matter is that agent could be submitting them regularly, and even pushing, but just not securing auditions. You can’t blame the agent completely for that. An actor and their representative must work in conjunction with one another as a machine.
What’s the best way for an actor to get noticed by you­­—open calls via Equity, meet and greets, self­ submissions, referrals, etc?
Referrals are probably the number one way to get in front of me and The Price Group. Second to that would be agent seminars through any of the numerous companies in New York, like Actors Connection. We are looking for performers who love what they do and are really skilled at it. If you do get in front of me, show me you can sing or act or dance. Don’t waste time with long letters or emails. Send us links to your work and let your art speak for itself. We also look at every submission that comes in by mail. I am a fan of the old fashioned system of mailing your picture and resume out. I don’t mind taking the time to look up your website if I like your headshot and resume.
If you could give one piece of advice to an actor auditioning for you, what would it be?
I guess the one piece of advice I would give an actor who is auditioning for me is to remember that this is an opportunity to perform and share with me what they love to do. Don’t put on a show, don’t try too hard, just try to be private in public and show me the sincere joy that you find in performing. Actors have to remember that agents and casting directors are all on their side, we are hoping that they are going to be something special. Our job is to discover and nurture outstanding talent, so don’t let nerves get the better of you. When you audition for an agent, you’re walking in without a job and you’re walking out without a job, so you might as well just put your best foot forward.
If you could give a client of yours one piece of advice for auditions in general, what would it be?
Don’t kiss ass. Don’t look desperate. Take every audition opportunity seriously and enjoy your moments to perform. Sometimes the material seems silly but keep in mind that it may not be intended that way so find the truth in it and work with that. Once, I passed along sides from a science fiction project and my client laughed through her lines the first time through. I told her that if she didn’t take the material seriously, I would give it to an actor that would.
How about advice for actors auditioning for various mediums—­­Theater, TV, Film, Commercial, Print and New Media?
Have an understanding of the specific medium you are auditioning for. An on-camera audition is very different from a theatre audition. There are different techniques for each medium. Understand them and put them into practice appropriately.
What qualities do you look for when seeking new clients?
I’m looking for magic and goose­bumps.
What’s the best way for an actor to follow up with you?
Be persistent but follow our instructions. If we ask you to follow up then let us know by email or post card when you have booked a new job but if we say, “no­ thank ­you” then respect our words and ease up.
Any exciting projects your clients have booked recently?
Our client Karina Ortiz is making waves over at Orange Is The New Black playing the recurring role of Margarita. It’s been a joy ride to help guide her career over the last two years and we have enjoyed all of her bookings from Old Navy to Royal Pains and now she is doing a reading of a new play with Austin Pendleton called City Girls and Desperadoes. Our client Benny Elledge went from the face of Sweetbay Supermarkets to Blue Bloods and both regional productions of Nerds. NERDS will open on Broadway in 2016 at the Longacre Theatre.
Truth is, every project The Price Group clients book, is an “exciting” one!
What TV shows/films are on your Netflix (or imaginary Netflix) cue?
House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Grace and Frankie, Arrested Development…Degrassi: The Next Generation.
What are your favorite activities outside of ‘the industry’?
I LIVE for this industry. There is nothing else.
What’s the meaning of life?
Theatre, food, love and shoes. In that order.
Where can actors learn more about you or about what you currently have going on?
Our website is www.thepricegrouptalentagency.com
Our Facebook Fan Page is: https://www.facebook.com/thepricegrouptalent
Instagram: @tpgagency

"There are seasons in the entertainment industry when things slow down or even shut down, and without having particular jobs to pursue, an actor is well served if they can make the best use of this down time. Overall, unless pursuing an academic, theatrical degree or attending a particularly structured private acting class, an actor who is not currently working has no external expectation for themselves and must, on their own, determine ways to further improve themselves and manifest the discipline to do these things. 
Leaving aside this later issue of self-motivation, here are some of the ways you might put your time to good use (and keep from going stir-crazy) until the i industry picks up and that next audition comes through.
1. Research.  Study successful TV shows (current and old) and catch up on important movies. Researching the kind of material that you’re ultimately going to be auditioning for can give you a huge leg up in knowing what and how to prepare for work on these types of projects. Catching up on shows in the zeitgeist also educates you about the people currently working (writers, directors, producers, casting directors, etc.) and will give you a better understanding of with who you will be working. 
2. Network. Increase your sphere of influence through your social media presence, reestablishing old contacts (going to lunches, dropping by offices), and generally putting yourself out there. When nothing else is going on, sow some seeds.
3. Get in shape. Apply yourself to that meal plan or go after an exercise regimen. Get serious about acquiring that skill appropriate for your type. Every actor should be constantly working on their speech and voice. Do you practice the Alexander Technique? Why not?
4. Sharpen your marketing tools. Whether it’s good headshots or an impressive demo reel, you improve your odds and your representation will thank you (and take you all the more seriously). You can use the services of a professional or learn how to make reels yourself using the many devices and computer programs now readily available and make additional demos that are even more type-specific.

5. Get good. Keep working the muscle. A top-notch acting class with a strong reputation is probably best, but if not you can at least be getting together with friends and doing play readings or you could be working on a monologue. If you want to create a little performance incentive, shoot something and give yourself a deadline to post it on YouTube. 
These are just five ways you can keep busy when things slow down in the industry. However, whether it's busy or slow, you can always sharpen your plan of action to feel yourself moving forward.

Exciting news! Two of our clients, the incredibly talented Coleen Sexton and Heather Patterson King, will soon be starting rehearsals for Mamma Mia aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship, the Allure of the Seas! 

Let me give you a little bit of background on these two talented women: 

Coleen Sexton made her Broadway debut at age 20 in Jekyll & Hyde  as "Lucy Harris" opposite David Hasselhoff. She toured as "Elphaba" with the first National Tour of Wicked and in the Broadway National touring company of Chicago. She also starred as "Brooke Wyndam in the 2008 National Tour of Legally Blonde. She participated in a concert reading of Caliqula  as the character "Caesonia", and played the role of "Mindy Chinchilla" in the New York Musical Theatre Festival Production of Go-Go Beach. In 2012, Coleen played the roles of "Becky Brixton" and "Gini" in the Off-Broadway musical Forever Dusty.


Heather Patterson King has been seen on the stages of Westchester Broadway Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Theare Raleigh, Beef and Boards, Derby Dinner, and Showpalace dinner theaters, as well as done reading with the Goodspeed Opera House. At the North Carolina Theatre, she played "Nancy" in Oliver with Kevin Gray, "Fruma Sarah" in Fiddler on the Roof with Paul Sorvino,and "Glinda" in The Wizard of Oz, directed by Casey Hushion and understudied Lauren Kennedy as "Eva" in Evita. She has also brought such roles to the stage as "Lady Macbeth" in Macbeth, "Eliza" in My Fair Lady, "Maria" in The Sound of Music, "Lady Capulet" in Romeo and Juliet, "Mrs. Banks" in Mary Poppins, "Vi" in Footloose, and performed in the operas Tosca, Suzanna, and Don Giovanni.  

Heather and Coleen will be a part of something special when, for the first time ever, The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line brings Mamma Mia to the seas! 


This is an incredible opportunity, and we at The Price Group could not be more excited for Heather and Coleen! 

---More updates on this amazing adventure at sea to come!