Zen and the Art of Being a Professional Actor (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780615982298)

JOHN WALCUTT is currently the Producing Artistic Director of Shakespeare Orange County, and the Founding Director of The Acting Conservatory at OCSA-The Orange County School of The Arts- both in Southern California. He has built a wonderful career as an onscreen actor, a stage actor, a director, writer and producer, based in Los Angeles. His many fond theatre memories include dozens of shows at South Coast Repertory, The Odyssey Theatre, The Old Globe in San Diego, The La Jolla Playhouse, and The Mark Taper Forum; and various Regional Theatres across America. His favorite roles have ranged from classics such as the title roles in HAMLET, HENRY V, RICHARD II, RICHARD III, MACBETH and other Shakespeare turns as both Prince Hals, Mercutio, Cassius and Andrew Aguecheek; to leads in all the major Chekov plays, Shaw, Beckett, and Feydeau. His contemporary stage work has included the premieres of THE DIVINERS, Stephen Metcalf's musical WHITE LINEN, Beth Henley's ABUNDANCE, and the title role in THE COLLECTED WORKS OF BILLY THE KID. His favorite directors have included Craig Noel, Jack O'Brien, Michael Greif, Des Mc Anuff, Michael Kahn, Andrew Traister, Dakin Matthews, and Molly Smith. In L.A., he is a founding member of the critically-acclaimed Antaeus Theatre Company (classical) and The Matrix Theatre Company (contemporary); and he has Guest-Starred in nearly 200 TV shows and films, including TITANIC, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, SEABISCUIT, LOST, GREY'S ANATOMY, THE NEWSROOM, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY, CRIMINAL MINDS, MAD MEN, and many, many more. His favorite TV roles include recurring turns as Dennis Hopper's whacked-out doctor on CRASH, Jennifer Love Hewitt's evil nemesis "Wide Brim" on GHOST WHISPERER, and the struggling alcoholic father "Tom Johnson" on JAG. John received The Golden Ace Award at The Las Vegas Film Festival for Comedy Feature Director (THE ALPHA GEEK); wrote the screenplay for the film MAKING CONTACT (BRI/BET TV), produced SEX AND A GIRL starring Robert Hays, Alison Lohman, and Ellen Green for Lifetime Television; and just received an INDIE FEST AWARD for BEST DIRECTOR for the new, scary feature TERMITE: THE WALLS HAVE EYES, which played at The Berlin, Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals. John is very proud to have received a SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARD for OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE ACTING in the film LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, as well as Best Actor Prizes at The Houston, Sitges and 2012's Sunset International Film Festivals for 3 different film performances.