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Thatcher's Complete (i.e. Extra Long) Bio

Omaha
A native of Omaha, NE, I went off to Boston College to get a degree in economics/marketing.  As I hadn't really made a career plan for after school, I got a job waiting tables and met a few actors.  Although I had done some acting in high school, the world of the theatre seemed like a very foreign place to me.  But as a huge fan of the movies (especially the classics), I was very intrigued by the idea of becoming an actor.  So I started taking some classes.  Even though I am sure I had no idea what I was doing, I was definitely bit by the proverbial bug.  I was hooked, and decided acting was it for me.  So after nervously informing my parents of my new career path, they helped me secure my very first acting gig as an intern at the Emmy Gifford Children's Theatre back in Omaha.  In addition to acting (and learning about such strange concepts as "stage right" and "hitting your mark" and "the green room"), I was also required to help out in every department:  stage management, costuming, makeup, administration, fundraising, set building, lighting and sound, etc).  It was hard work and very, very, very little pay...but also fun and invaluable training.  Plus it was my first real chance to experience the rush of being on stage (ok, so most of the audience members were 8 year olds, but it was still a rush!).  I was also able to help teach acting to kids...and realized they are the best people to learn from in this business.  They truly understand the concept of "play".  So after that year was over, I started to audition in Omaha.  I did a few musicals, I was the Godfather's pizza boy in some commercials, and I also interned for a casting director (Mr. John Jackson) so I could learn a bit more about the business part of show biz.  But one of my proudest achievements was being a founding member of SNAP! Productions, which stands for Support Nebraska AIDS Project.  I appeared in their very first show, Bent, which felt very risky at the time (this was the early 90s).  But the reactions to the play were so strong and moving, I really felt like we were making a difference.  I also appeared in The Normal Heart that first season, and I am happy to see that they are still going strong.  SNAP! is one of the main organizations in Omaha to educate the public about, raise money for, and give support to AIDS/HIV issues and charities.

Hollywood
So after my stint in the "Big O", I was ready for the big time.  I packed up my Honda Civic and headed for Hollywood with stars in my eyes.  Looking back, I am sometimes shocked by my bravery (or is it naivete?) in moving to Los Angeles, where I didn't know a soul.  But I was ready to be discovered, dammit!  Naturally, the reality was much different.  Although I made some good friends, loved the weather, and did appear as a featured extra on 90210 (Shannon Dougherty's final episode, no less...and people actually still recognize me to this day from that little stint, I kid you not), I quickly realized that I was not ready for LA.  I needed to learn how to be an actor!

Boston
So back to Boston, a bigger town than Omaha, smaller than NYC or LA, and familiar and full of friends.  I started to audition, and I actually started to get hired.  I did a fair amount of theatre in Bean Town, and continued to take classes here and there.  I also did some more extra work...not really acting, but a good way to get on a film set and learn.  And a big thrill was meeting Arthur Miller on the set of The Crucible, and actually inadvertantly having some private conversation with him.  Not only was he one of the greatest living playwrights, but he was also the former husband to one of my life-long obsessions (guess who?).  He told me, "The thing that will keep you going in this business is being true to yourself, and persistance, persistance, persistance."  From Mr. Miller to me...

Miami
Then after a brief summer of theatre on Cape Cod, I was ready for a change.  I wanted to do more on-camera work, and I missed the warm weather.  So it was off to the Sunshine State.  I lived in Miami for five years, and that's where I really kick-started my career.  I quickly signed with an agent, then another and another (that's ok in FL), and started to audition (and sometimes book) commercials and small films.  And I did a ton of theatre...Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, musicals, comedies, dramas, good plays, bad plays, and everything in between.  I then landed a part on a soap opera being produced for European markets, Ocean Avenue.  I actually played two characters on the show.  I played a paramedic in the very first episode (I think one of my three lines was actually "stat").  It was a one day gig and I finally got my union card.  But that one day gig almost lost me the part of Vincent, a series regular.  Because I had already appeared in the show, I almost lost the part to another guy.  But being the savvy (desperate?) actor that I was, my agent and I convinced them that a change in appearance would solve the problem.  So with a platinum blond faux-hawk, some crazy outfits, and a big ol' attitude, I got to play a bitchy, funny, smartass, scheming modeling agent booker for over a year.  Talk about fun, and I was able to work with some real soap veterans.  So another amazing learning opportunity.

New York
Once that show was over, I finally felt ready for the big time.  I had a few friends in Miami that were looking to move, so we decided to do it together.  The problem was that we couldn't decide between LA and New York.  We went back and forth, until we finally decided on LA.  However, at the last minute, we weren't sure it was the right choice...so we did the sensible thing and tossed a coin.  It came up LA.  Naturally, we decided to move to NYC.

Once getting to New York, I decided to take a year off from the biz and explore my new home.  I had visited many times, but living here is very different.  It has really felt more like home than anywhere else, and it truly is the greatest city in the world.  But after my hiatus, it was time to jump back into acting.  I started attending open calls, going through Backstage, sending cold submissions, etc.  Nothing.  I had friends here, but didn't really know anyone in the business.  I felt like I was floundering, going nowhere, and my creative soul was starving.  Then it dawned on me.  Even after all these years of working (the very best training in my mind), I still had never had any formal acting training.  And being in NYC, the very best training was here to be had.  So I shopped around, did some research, and ended up at the Atlantic Theatre Co. School, affiliated with one of the top Off-Broadway companies in the city.  Their approach, known as "practical aesthetics" seemed to gel the best with my own experience.  Plus it was such a comprehensive program:  scene study, voice, speech, movement, Shakespeare, on-camera, improv, monologues, business class, showcases, and on and on.  So with a lot of help from my parents, I was able to attend the two-year program...very intense, very educational, and I met and made friends with so many wonderful people.  So I finally felt like I was connected artistically to the big bad city.

Which brings me to the present.  School was finished, so now what?  Some friends approached me about doing a play.  Sounds fun, sure.  As long as we are at it, why not start a theatre company.  So we did.  And more friends jumped on board.  And more.  And soon we were rehearsing, and I found myself in the position of Producer (that econ/marketing degree finally came in handy), as well as actor.  So Cheap&Easy Theatre Co. was founded, and we are soon putting up our first production of Lee Blessing's Down the Road.  And speaking of roads, it's been a long one so far, but I don't see the end in sight just yet...