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Invading Nirvana: a Chicagoan in the City of Angels
Chicago theater veteran Kevin Theis, co-author of the cult classic "Confessions of a a Story of Sex, Drugs and Rocky Horror," "Invading a Chicagoan in the City of Angels" the story of one actor's quixotic odyssey into the heart of the entertainment Hollywood, California.
From the early preparations for his trip to La La Land to his search for representation, his encounters with the famous (and soon-to-be famous) as well as his deep-dive exploration of this unique and fascinating city, "Invading Nirvana" is a must-read for anyone considering moving to L.A. to pursue a dream of breaking into show business.
The author is both candid and unsparing in his description of the industry, the city of Los Angeles and the challenges of being a performer in Hollywood looking for work. Casting agents, pay-to-meet workshops, the comedy club scene, film and TV auditions as well as a peek inside the audiobook world; every aspect of the entertainment industry is thoroughly examined in this hilarious and comprehensive look at life as a professional actor in Hollywood.
From the early preparations for his trip to La La Land to his search for representation, his encounters with the famous (and soon-to-be famous) as well as his deep-dive exploration of this unique and fascinating city, "Invading Nirvana" is a must-read for anyone considering moving to L.A. to pursue a dream of breaking into show business.
The author is both candid and unsparing in his description of the industry, the city of Los Angeles and the challenges of being a performer in Hollywood looking for work. Casting agents, pay-to-meet workshops, the comedy club scene, film and TV auditions as well as a peek inside the audiobook world; every aspect of the entertainment industry is thoroughly examined in this hilarious and comprehensive look at life as a professional actor in Hollywood.
- GenresAudiobook
437 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 11, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 29, 2017
This is one of those books I had to look at in my Audible account and wonder how I ended up with it. I mean, I know I won it through a Dab of Darkness blog giveaway. But what was I thinking to even enter? I have almost debilitating stage fright. The thought of becoming an actor is tantamount to hell for me. So, how did I end up listening to the story of a 50-year-old veteran actor's move to Los Angelous to pursue his acting career? Honestly, I'm not even sure.
But surprisingly enough, I found it interesting. Interesting in a detached, 'I have NO INTEREST in doing that' sort of way. But interesting all the same; kind of a 'how the other half lives' experience. The other half being people who don't pee themselves at the thought of standing in front of a crowd.
Theis has a self-deprecating humor that I appreciated and I found myself invested in his journey. I also found myself shocked at how many people he knows. At one point he had a chapter dedicated to how many people took him out to lunch during his 3 months in LA. I'm not being facetious when I say, I literally don't think I even know that many people!
Not only am I not interested in acting. Prior to listening to this, I'd of told you I'm not remotely interested in LA. Big cities? No thank you. But all the history was fun. Again Theis made it so.
All in all, you might not be surprised to find that I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Even my hesitancy to listen to an audiobook narrated by the author himself proved unfounded. Theis spoke a bit too fast for my liking, especially in the beginning (which I listened to at .75 speed, which I hate doing), but it eventually slowed down and I enjoyed his banter-like narration. Invading Nirvana was a surprise win for me.
But surprisingly enough, I found it interesting. Interesting in a detached, 'I have NO INTEREST in doing that' sort of way. But interesting all the same; kind of a 'how the other half lives' experience. The other half being people who don't pee themselves at the thought of standing in front of a crowd.
Theis has a self-deprecating humor that I appreciated and I found myself invested in his journey. I also found myself shocked at how many people he knows. At one point he had a chapter dedicated to how many people took him out to lunch during his 3 months in LA. I'm not being facetious when I say, I literally don't think I even know that many people!
Not only am I not interested in acting. Prior to listening to this, I'd of told you I'm not remotely interested in LA. Big cities? No thank you. But all the history was fun. Again Theis made it so.
All in all, you might not be surprised to find that I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Even my hesitancy to listen to an audiobook narrated by the author himself proved unfounded. Theis spoke a bit too fast for my liking, especially in the beginning (which I listened to at .75 speed, which I hate doing), but it eventually slowed down and I enjoyed his banter-like narration. Invading Nirvana was a surprise win for me.
December 31, 2017
While this book started off a little slow for me, I came to really enjoy it. Theis gives a very informative peek behind the curtain. Whether you’re interesting in acting, the Hollywood scene, stand up comedy, or narration/voice over work, Theis opens the shutters of his life experience and shares the details.
Initially, there’s lots of info about the Chicago theater scene. I know nothing about this and there was a fair amount of name dropping. Since I’m so ignorant on this subject, this section of the book was a little boring for me. Then Theis moves things on to all his prep work for taking his shot at becoming a Hollywood star. I really didn’t know how much work goes into promoting yourself but I do see how it is absolutely essential. Theis’s family must all be saints for how much support they put into his endeavors.
Then Theis makes it off to Hollywood and initially things look great. Then he shares his rollercoaster ride of auditions, informal meetings, passing out his resume, etc. He speaks well of many people in the area that assisted him on his journey and he’s candid about the few people who blew him off or such.
While much of the book read like an entertaining resume, there were some particular highlights for me. Theis tried his hand at open mic night with some standup comedy at some place outside of Chicago. This section got several laughs out of me as Theis described the various spiels people did during their shot at making people laugh. As it turned out, not all were there for comedy but rather to make a loud and lengthy personal statement.
I have been a bit curious about voice over work – like how does one go about picking someone to do the job? How do you decide who has that voice? Does the artist get to see the video footage while they record? Theis talks a little about his voice over work and he makes one particular job sound very exciting and secretive. I definitely hope that works out well and that someday he can talk about that work. Maybe it’s secret government training videos that won’t be released for to the public for decades!
At one point, Theis was scheduled to show up for a theater promotion of sorts. However, with traffic and parking, when he got there, there wasn’t a table for his to set up his materials and do the handshaking and smile thing. Obviously, someone messed communications and it was an awkward situation Theis. But he and the folks there all did their best to handle it with grace.
All told, it was a detailed, intriguing look at what it takes to land an acting job – any acting job. I think this would be of use to many actors, fledgling or ones wanting to revamp their own resume. 4.5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Kevin Theis narrated his own book and it’s done well. There were one or two short sections that sounded a little like they were recorded in a cavern. His voice is very pleasant to listen to and his pacing is perfect. He even did a few character voices for various people and those were done well. 4.5/5 stars.
Initially, there’s lots of info about the Chicago theater scene. I know nothing about this and there was a fair amount of name dropping. Since I’m so ignorant on this subject, this section of the book was a little boring for me. Then Theis moves things on to all his prep work for taking his shot at becoming a Hollywood star. I really didn’t know how much work goes into promoting yourself but I do see how it is absolutely essential. Theis’s family must all be saints for how much support they put into his endeavors.
Then Theis makes it off to Hollywood and initially things look great. Then he shares his rollercoaster ride of auditions, informal meetings, passing out his resume, etc. He speaks well of many people in the area that assisted him on his journey and he’s candid about the few people who blew him off or such.
While much of the book read like an entertaining resume, there were some particular highlights for me. Theis tried his hand at open mic night with some standup comedy at some place outside of Chicago. This section got several laughs out of me as Theis described the various spiels people did during their shot at making people laugh. As it turned out, not all were there for comedy but rather to make a loud and lengthy personal statement.
I have been a bit curious about voice over work – like how does one go about picking someone to do the job? How do you decide who has that voice? Does the artist get to see the video footage while they record? Theis talks a little about his voice over work and he makes one particular job sound very exciting and secretive. I definitely hope that works out well and that someday he can talk about that work. Maybe it’s secret government training videos that won’t be released for to the public for decades!
At one point, Theis was scheduled to show up for a theater promotion of sorts. However, with traffic and parking, when he got there, there wasn’t a table for his to set up his materials and do the handshaking and smile thing. Obviously, someone messed communications and it was an awkward situation Theis. But he and the folks there all did their best to handle it with grace.
All told, it was a detailed, intriguing look at what it takes to land an acting job – any acting job. I think this would be of use to many actors, fledgling or ones wanting to revamp their own resume. 4.5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Kevin Theis narrated his own book and it’s done well. There were one or two short sections that sounded a little like they were recorded in a cavern. His voice is very pleasant to listen to and his pacing is perfect. He even did a few character voices for various people and those were done well. 4.5/5 stars.
May 31, 2018
I'm going to give this book four stars, which means very good, but not outstanding. Overall, I found it quite worthwhile and would recommend it to others.
Basically, there are three elements to the book which the author does a good job of coordinating throughout the story: personal details, entertainment industry focus, and Los Angeles travel narrative.
The first listed, unfortunately, does slow down the story at the beginning before he actually leaves Chicago. In addition, he has a habit of introducing almost every single individual with whom he interacts by full name, which in some cases was totally unnecessary. Also, he injects his political bias in a somewhat sarcastic manner, which might alienate some readers who would otherwise like the book. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I'm being honest as promised in exchange for the sample copy provided.
I found the travel narrative aspect, on the other hand, absolutely brilliant. He does a lot of research, including some out-of-the-way places, making the city Truly Come Alive. I would like to see him do more travel writing in the future!
The entertainment industry focus was well done, for the most part. I was left wondering whether his lack of success had to do with his age, in that many of the older fellows going for roles were already established actors? It's the good looking young people coming to town to start careers who are more of a level playing field as unknowns? Still, I was pleased that he managed to find a voice-over agent there, as well as discover the world of audiobook narration, as those seem to be strengths for him that he can build on going forward. Moreover, even though we never got any samples of his material, I do think that he likely has what it takes to be a comedian.
Basically, there are three elements to the book which the author does a good job of coordinating throughout the story: personal details, entertainment industry focus, and Los Angeles travel narrative.
The first listed, unfortunately, does slow down the story at the beginning before he actually leaves Chicago. In addition, he has a habit of introducing almost every single individual with whom he interacts by full name, which in some cases was totally unnecessary. Also, he injects his political bias in a somewhat sarcastic manner, which might alienate some readers who would otherwise like the book. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I'm being honest as promised in exchange for the sample copy provided.
I found the travel narrative aspect, on the other hand, absolutely brilliant. He does a lot of research, including some out-of-the-way places, making the city Truly Come Alive. I would like to see him do more travel writing in the future!
The entertainment industry focus was well done, for the most part. I was left wondering whether his lack of success had to do with his age, in that many of the older fellows going for roles were already established actors? It's the good looking young people coming to town to start careers who are more of a level playing field as unknowns? Still, I was pleased that he managed to find a voice-over agent there, as well as discover the world of audiobook narration, as those seem to be strengths for him that he can build on going forward. Moreover, even though we never got any samples of his material, I do think that he likely has what it takes to be a comedian.
September 26, 2017
In snappy, bite-sized chapters, Invading Nirvana manages to combine travelogue, how-to-guide and rollicking adventure into one extremely entertaining memoir. It details Mr. Theis' journey from Chicago to La La Land, where he is hell-bent on following his acting aspirations in a very compressed amount of time, teenage son in tow. The odds are against him, but Theis is no wide-eyed naif; he comes off as wry, self-deprecating and completely honest in his assessment of the many pitfalls and perks of life in Hollywood. He's practical and clear-eyed in the pursuit of the most impractical of professions, and that's what makes you root for him. Fun!
July 3, 2019
Great stories from actor, Kevin Theis. His journey from Chicago to L.A. to see if he can break into another level of his career is funny and depressing, yet in the end, filled with hope. There's always Chicago and his family to return to. Loved listening to his adventures.
December 7, 2021
I highly recommend the audiobook.
September 27, 2017
I have become a huge fan of authors reading their autobiographies. Listening to Kevin Theis's resonant voice fill out the tale of his intrepid trip from Chicago to Los Angelos in search of a scratch to satisfy his already very successful acting itch is highly entertaining, exhausting, thrilling and very funny. The two chapters about Scientology alone are worth the trip. Hey, an actor wants to experience as many different things as they can but listening to his experience visiting the three main centers of this creepy "religion" I wanted to scream, "Run, Kevin! Run for your life!" (It's okay, he makes it out alive and intact).
Kevin is a multi-talented voice-over, stage and screen actor, and director, so he's not stepping into the muck of L.A. without the experience to buoy him up. I mean, the guy gets two agents within weeks of his touchdown! But that doesn't mean he won't struggle . . . with traffic, being away from his family, just trying to get an on-screen audition and whether or not to roll the dice on the pernicious pay-to-play scheme sucking actors dry just so they can "audition" for some casting agents (he succumbs a little but feels dirty for doing so).
I had an 8-hour trip to do in one weekend and with Theis's story to accompany me the time flew by. If you're an actor who ever wondered if you should take a chance on L.A. this is a must read/listen-to. Or, if you're just in the mood for an excellent, self-deprecating actor relating his tales of adventure in a new world, check it out.
Kevin is a multi-talented voice-over, stage and screen actor, and director, so he's not stepping into the muck of L.A. without the experience to buoy him up. I mean, the guy gets two agents within weeks of his touchdown! But that doesn't mean he won't struggle . . . with traffic, being away from his family, just trying to get an on-screen audition and whether or not to roll the dice on the pernicious pay-to-play scheme sucking actors dry just so they can "audition" for some casting agents (he succumbs a little but feels dirty for doing so).
I had an 8-hour trip to do in one weekend and with Theis's story to accompany me the time flew by. If you're an actor who ever wondered if you should take a chance on L.A. this is a must read/listen-to. Or, if you're just in the mood for an excellent, self-deprecating actor relating his tales of adventure in a new world, check it out.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews