Chris Chirdon
Quick side note from Peter: A British man stormed into a reading I did, some 8-odd years ago, and won my heart with his acting ability, charisma, and thoughtfulness. Later I asked the person who had cast him in the reading where she met the British fellow, “Oh, he’s not British. He was just doing that for the part.” Chris was that committed and intelligent actor.
Two years ago, we found him on one of our favorite TV shows. And then, luckily enough, I ran into Chris this past year at an audition. He’s still as kind, caring, heartfelt, and wonderful as I remember- just sans the British accent. How cool to hear from an old friend who has a unique experience with a wife in the medical field. We hope you enjoy as much as we did!
From Chris:
“I have really enjoyed the work you all have been doing at the obvious path. It's such a humanizing effort in an often dehumanizing industry. I am sure you probably have far more big deal artists responding but I would be open to talking about how our modern day plague has effected me.
I have an interesting one foot in, one foot out thing going on. My wife, Carissa, is a clinical psychologist at New York Presbyterian so she not only has a job but she has been totally and completely slammed with work. She is essentially bearing the communal psychic weight of this catastrophe from the comforts of our home office. Meanwhile... I have been sleeping until noon and learning the guitar. Financially, we will feel a squeeze due to my lost income but we will be fine.
Before this happened, my teaching career had really started to take off. Between the dough I was making recurring on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and new teaching positions I was lucky enough to move full time into teaching acting. After 7 years at my ridiculous day job, I was able to transition out last August. I was getting to teach the Meisner technique- sharing my love for the craft for semi- regular income and audition and pursue work that I was passionate about. Covid-19 brought this to a halt. I was in the middle of teaching a conservatory to people from all over the world and it was ravaged. First the Italians left in the middle of the night, then the Irishman, then the Norwegian, and finally Zayle from Pennsylvania had to leave. Then everything closed up shop- no more classes. Anyway, I guess I am on the path to becoming a teaching artist. A crotchety Meisner teacher who gets to do his own work on TV and the stage where possible...or what I like to call a "New York Actor." The virus has certainly put this on hold. On the bright side- I now know the C, D, and G chords- so that's pretty sweet.”