Thursday, December 3, 2009

Selah Gospel Chior Concert Saturday December 5, 2009

Selah Gospel Chior concert coming this Saturday December 5, 2009 Altadena 7:30pm - 10:00pm
Location: 943 East Altadena Drive, Altadena, California 91001


Multi-Cultural, Multi-Denominational voices coming together to sing a joyful noise since 2007!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Actors Vow by: Elia Kazan


I WILL TAKE MY RIGHTFUL PLACE ON STAGE
AND I WILL BE MYSELF
I AM NOT A COSMIC ORPHAN
I HAVE NO REASON TO BE TIMID
I WILL RESPOND AS I FEEL; AWKWARDLY, VULGARLY
BUT RESPOND
I WILL HAVE MY THROAT OPEN
I WILL HAVE MY HEART OPEN
I WILL BE VULNERABLE
I MAY HAVE EVERYTHING & ANYTHING
THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER
BUT THE THING I NEED MOST
AND WANT MOST, IS TO BE MYSELF
I WILL ADMIT REJECTION, ADMIT PAIN, ADMIT SHAME
ADMIT OUTRAGE, ADMIT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO ME
THE BEST AND MOST HUMAN PARTS OF ME ARE
THOSE I HAVE INHABITED AND HIDDEN FROM THE WORLD
I WILL WORK ON IT
I WILL RAISE MY VOICE
I WILL BE HEARD

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

My advice to an actor just starting out!


Stay Focused. Do something related to your career everyday even if its just reading an interview from your favorite director or actor. Keep living, and have a life, dont live and breathe the business have other things that interest you as well. Dont take rejection personally half the time its not about you its about who they already hired to play the mother that you dont look like, or you remind them of thier ex or whatever crazy things happen lol. Casting directors want you to be good they are rooting for you, so relax make a strong choice and deliver. At least when you leave that audition and if you dont get it you know you did your best and maybe they will remember you for the next project. Stay up to date with what is going on in the industry (Union issues, the trend with directors and actors, learn the vocabulary). Dont say no to indies and student films if the project is good its good and you will learn something from the experience and form relationships with the possible next steven speilberg he was only 26 when he did Jaws :)

Monday, November 23, 2009

Just wrapped film "Women in Hats"



Working on the film "Women in Hats" directed by: Brandi Brown has been one of the most wonderful acting experiences to date. The script was rich the characters were colorful and the cast and crew were oozing with talent and positivity. Every now and then you come across a project that is a diamond in the ruff. Every now and then a project finds you and you know that it is bigger than you. Women in Hats is one of those projects. The film is set in 1947 (which I was super excited about doing a period piece) and follows the life of Maybelle who owns a juke joint and has stemmed away from the church, the only way she will return is for the Pastor Harper to agree to let a Liturgical Dance Ministry develop to bring in new energy and young folks into the church. With the help of Betty, Maybelles best friend and Olivia, Pastors wife the three ladies show strength in believing in dreams and doing something active to help them come into existence.

Coming soon in April of 2010! Be looking out for a trailer in the near future!

New Webisode Im Hosting called "Conversations With...."

Conversations with...Jimetta Rose from Arias Williams on Vimeo.

Monday, August 24, 2009

How to Deal With Stage Anxiety


NiketaCalame says when dealing with stage anxiety:


I would suggest getting to the theater earlier than the call time if you can. Bring your ipod and listen to a calm song that is one of your favorites or your characters favorities do a relaxation exercise. Lay on your back (if its clear do this right on stage). Tense and release your muscles one at a time from your toes to your legs to your abs to your arms to your face. Do this a couple of times. Then do this again in your chair in the dressing room or green room when house opens.


You also have to remember its not about you its about the story and the character. If all else fails use it. Think to yourself "might the character be nervous or have anxiety" about an event in the play and see how that can inform your behavior as you play on stage.


Good Luck,

Niketa Calame

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Remembering The Icon Michael Jackson

"We've been, Together, For Such A Long Time, The Music, Music and Me...Don't Care, Whether, Our Songs Rhyme... The Music, Music, and Me" ...Michael Jackson

I don't think I can remember any part of my youth without thinking about the music of Michael Jackson. My earliest memory of his music and me was my first ballad which was BEN well that and Lets Wait Awhile from Janet Jackson. I remember performing numerous Michael Jackson hits in my living room for my mothers VHS camcorder. Learning the whole Thriller Dance and performing it in front of whoever whenever the song came on. Watching every new premiere of a Michael Jackson video cause back then it premiered on regular television for all to see at 8:00pm every single new Michael Jackson video.

Then there was MOONWALKER the movie, I played that movie so much the sound goes up and down in certain areas of the VHS tape. Note to self maybe its time to transfer it to DVD and yes I still have a VHS player, at least I didn't say beta lol. Awe MOONWALKER what a genius making a mini movie that included music videos to the whole album BAD not to mention video clips from earlier Jackson moments. I cryed with MAN IN THE MIRROR and grooved with SMOOTH CRIMINAL (shot out to Brandon Adams who "taught him everything he knows" lol)and was introduced to the Beatles through Mike's COME TOGETHER version of the Beatles classic rock song. I think that was the first artist who had done such a thing make a whole movie out of his album that is. Anyway Michael's music videos told stories they were actually related to what the song was about imagine that. They were mini movies that could be watched over and over again.

The Dangerous Album reminds me of my dancing days at Regina's School Of Performing Arts that was on Labrea near Wilshire. Awe the days where teaching hip hop in a dance studio was unheard of in LA. But Regina fostered that out here in LA and that one dance floor studio with the two dressing rooms in the back two bathrooms midway on the dance floor and the info desk and office in the front was home to some of today's great hip hop Choreographers. I remember taking Fatima's hip hop class when I was a little girl who went on to choreograph the REMEMBER THE TIME video and the rest just went up from there for her. I even remember some of the Jackson's stopping through as so many artist of the 90's did back then.

Oh and when Michael lost his video virginity and got all down in the dirt with Naomi Campbell in KEEP IT IN THE CLOSET. We all rooted for Mike when he kissed Iman in Remember the Time even though I saw that light and space in between their lips, not so smooth Mike, but at least their lips did actually touch. You cant forget the Dangerous tour who can pop on stage with a gold g string suit over some shiny black flooding pants and stand still for like 30 minutes before starting the concert and still remain a G "Michael Jackson" thats who lol.

Not only was he an ICON, one of the Greatest Performers of all times and the King of Pop but he was a craftsman. Held his music integrity and was always pushing boundaries with sounds and visions of how it would be presented. I wish more artist who call themselves artist would care a little more about thier art, their voice, their sound, their music. Maybe their music would transend through the decades and become timeless classics like every single one of Michaels songs. But there can only be one Michael Jackson and he will be missed by all. But The Music will always and forever be with me!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009




Working with Infiniti Productions in a week. So excited theme: 40's classic hollywood. Pics coming soon for viewing.

Friday, June 12, 2009

VOICE OVER WORK

SOME OF MY EARLY WORK AS THE VOICE OF "YOUNG NALA" IN DISNEY'S 32nd ANIMATED FEATURE FILM "THE LION KING"

MY DEMO REEL

CHECK OUT MY DEMO REEL. UPDATED REEL COMING SOON!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

"All The World's A Stage"




What is my purpose? What do I love more than anything else in the world? What makes my soul sing? Performance! To jump into the mind of a juicy character, to figure her out. Her story, her song, her family, her talent, her weakness her faith. What makes her tick? To understand her in relation to the other characters in the story, in relation to the overall theme. What is author trying to convey? To dance that waltz closely with the audience and take them for a dynamic tango for 30 min or an hour or two hours. Then go home and do it again the next day with a whole new group of eager minds.


There is nothing like the theater! I love the smell of the dust backstage in an old theater house. Feeling the old wood, old furniture, old costumes and old props. Looking at the ropes that draw that heavy curtain from the wings. Looking at the old yellow bulbs that illuminate the dressing rooms. To feel the heat they give off from being on for hours and hours. Little mirrors with designated trinkets claiming space by cast members. Carved names of past shows in chairs and dressing tables from cast members. Old untouched green room with little to no style but home for cast & crew before & after rehearsal, during intermission. Old cracked cabnits filled with coffee mugs & tea cups. There are vending machines, old tables & chairs and dusty couches. Black marble floors or old carpets. Florescent bright lights.


Then there is center stage. The hottest spot on the theater. Many a cast will pray around this special area before a show. Many a soloist will be spotlighted there for some dynamic moment in a piece. I like to go there in every theater I work in. When everyone else is in their own world. I visit center stage and look out to the seats, look up to the lighting riggs, look to the back booth where all the cues for the show are called, look to the wings where dancers, cast members, scene changers, stage managers, prop tables all wait for their moments to add to what is going on onstage. I look down to the pit where the empty music stands hold the portable lights that illuminate the scores that the musicians play from. I look to the exit signs where ushers in black with flashlights and programs will stand to usher people to their seats, bathrooms & concession stands. I look up to the shut off spotlight that will follow a many dancer or character or zoom in on a moment like a close up in a film, making the audience realize that they need to focus in on this part because it is the whole point of the piece.


Yes there is nothing like taking my spot on an empty stage in an empty theater. Closing my eyes to realize I'M LUCKY TO BE LIVING MY DESTINY. I am fulfilling my purpose, my passion. Shakespeare reminds us that all the world's and empty stage and we are are mere characters playing our parts. What a juicy part I've landed. I plan to play it with elegance, grace and class till the lights of my world and curtain draw close for my finale. Even then ill get to reprise my role and play along side all the greats for all eternity.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Checkmate Studios LLC.

Checkmate Studios LLC.

A few clips from director Denton Adams! A director I have worked on many projects with for the last four years!