GetTheProgram.com is proud to present our spotlight member...

Jagger Kaye

(The audio will play automatically but may take a minute to load.)

Actor ("ED", "The Knights Of Prosperity")

Acting Teacher (AffordableActingClasses.com)

Community Leader (ActorsFirstNY.com - Free Casting Email Group)

Writer, Director, Producer, Coach, FORMER HOODLUM...

Jagger Kaye is a working Actor ("ED", "THE KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY" National Commercials, Dozens of films), Writer & Director (over 40 stage shows & 2 short films). He is one of the most respected sources for outing acting/model scams and owns/operates the NYC areas most respected & largest FREE casting group -ActorsFirstNY@yahoogroups.com - www.ACTORSFIRSTNY.com.

Jagger is also an Independent Casting Director & a Career Consultant (over 8 dozen clients) as well as acting teacher (www.AffordableActingClasses.com)

ActorsFirstNY.com is celebrating its fourth anniversary on Sunday, March 30th and invites you to party and take part in AFNY's Career Fair with over a dozen industry related business showcasing their work to you.
There will be raffles, drink specials & no admission ... go to www.ActorsFirstNY.com for info!

JAGGER KAYE - Born & raised in NYC's Hell's Kitchen. Jagger is an Actor, Writer, Director, Producer, Coach, Acting Teacher, Independent Casting Director, Rock And Roll Jeopardy Winner and Former Hoodlum who figured the stage/screen might be better than prison.

The Interview

GetTheProgram: How did you get started in the industry?

Jagger Kaye: I began when I decided to have a "life change" & wanted to get away from a lot of negatives in my life. I walked around Hell's Kitchen, picked up a Backstage & decided to give this "acting thing" a try. I had no money but a great blue-collar work ethic & a go for it attitude and went to places offering acting classes & asked if I could take one for no cost and help out in exchange. Most laughed but one studio asked if I had experience running camera (it was an on-camera class) & I lied & said yes & wound up becoming head tech in a few weeks & taking classes for free. I also saw the incredible value in just ÒwatchingÓ others work. I eventually fell in love with the journey of telling a story as unique characters and never looked back. I also realized craft service is much better than prison food!

GTP: Did you have any formal training? Where? Who?

JK: I'm a lower-class street punk from Hell's Kitchen, nothing remotely formal about me. I took individual classes (best teacher I had was Peter Miner) and learned to bring my vast life experience into everything I did. The best teacher is life itself. Look at things & learn. Watch people & learn. Listen & learn. Most of all be honest with yourself and learn. Most people are shocked how much of a better actor they become once learning about themselves more and being honest with their negatives as well as positives.

GTP: What accomplishments are you most proud of?

JK: Staying out of trouble (to an extent), my guest role on the finale of NBC's Ed, making my Mom proud & a believer in me again, the trust and support of my students (www.AffordableActingClasses.com) & peers (www.ActorsFirstNY.com) & recently getting asked personally by a 100 million box office grossing director to read for a major role in an Adam Sandler produced film.

GTP: What advice would you give to someone starting out in the business?

JK: - Have fun. If you do not have fun early on you never will because it only gets harder.
- Prepare for rejection.
- Build a support group & a network of other actors
- Work twice as hard as others (if possible)
- Visit www.ActorsFirstNY.com & www.AffordableActingClasses.com because we cater to the beginner & intermediate actors.

GTP: How did you become involved in multiple facets of the business - teaching, producing, casting, etc.?

JK: I was sick of being involved in projects that could have been better than they were. I did a student film & an indy with the same actress & she told me I should start writing, directing on my own. I wound up putting on a 65 character, 12 actor showcase as my first project (actor, writer, director, producer) and it sold-out (200 seats) in advance & was a huge success. I began directing & casting more and slowly but surely actors began to ask me for coaching. During this time I was helping cast a lot of projects for myself & others and I was asked by an online casting entity to help them with their casting group, which I did. I wound up branching into my own casting entity - www.ActorsFirstNY.com - the largest FREE casting email group in NYC & eventually started classes through www.AffordableActingClasses.com & love it!

GTP: What is ActorsFirstNY?

JK: AFNY is a casting group I started almost 4 years ago (go to www.ActorsFirstNY.com for info on our huge party/career fair on 3/30) & it is a free email group for NYC area castings. In Jan & Feb alone we sent out over 800 FREE notices directly into area actors inboxes. We currently have over 8,400 members and have become quite a great community. If I miss a day because of family, personal or business matters I get dozens of emails asking if I'm ok & if there is anything I need help with. It's incredible to get that support & relationship from people I never met & sometimes it's a much needed pick me up. I never expected AFNY to grow this fast & continue growing and now my goal is to try & stay out of my own entity's way (lol).

GTP: What is affordableactingclasses.com?

JK: The best value in teaching in NYC baby! We teach Beginner, Scene, Commercial, On-Camera Audition, Intro To Shakespeare, Monologue & Comedic Acting Classes as well as Coach & have Industry Nights. I suggest visiting the site and seeing our accolades and reviewing our FAQ's & if you think we might be a fit contact us. Hopefully it's a fit and you can see how our approach of "having fun but still working hard" adds to the learning experience & remember the true art is "never let them see you act!"

GTP: What's with the leather jacket? :-)

JK: Its cold in NYC ... J
What can I say, I'm decade impaired. I wish I would have been born in the 40's so I could have been a teenager in the 50's ... the greatest era ever IMO.

GTP: Seriously, though, you've really found a way to "brand" yourself with the leather jacket/prison idea - how important is that style of marketing for an actor?

JK: It's actually not an "idea" as much as a past reality. During my beginning stages I tried to be someone I wasn't. It was not until I realized its best just to be who I was and be truthful with it that I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. I now teach "Acting is about taking risk while being truthful" & I feel the marketing of an actor should be the same. You are what you are - be the best YOU not the second best someone else.

Highlights:

ED!


Click to Visit ActorsFirstNY
and learn about their 4th anniversary!


Click to Visit Affordable Acting Classes

Photos:

Click to visit JaggerKaye.com

Visit Online:

Official Website: www.JaggerKaye.com

Actors First NY Website: www.ActorsFirstNY.com

Join ActorsFirstNY: Click Here

Learn about Affordable Acting Classes:

Visit GetTheProgram.com

Actors Click Here