Or write a book, give back to your community or even move into the business of acting. Joseph P. Genera has done all of this and so much more. He has led a life filled with a sense of adventure and gratitude at the deepest level. He has also suffered loss and tragedy along the way but faith has kept him ever-striving and moving forward.
All The Goods is inspired by such people, who not only make their own lives better but can inspire others at the same time. We have been following Joseph's latest journey as he wends his way through the often competitive but rewarding life as an actor. (The creator of this page, All The Goods, grew up in the same town as Joseph had and through the magic of Facebook, was able to reestablish this lost connection.)
Recently, we were able to catch up with Joseph to chat about the road that had led to where he is at the present time, his acting and his overall view on life itself.
ATG-Had you always wanted to get into acting and did you harbor this desire as a child? What drew you to it?
JPG-A resounding yes! From the time I was in elementary school. I'm not sure where the desire originated from. My family weren't show folk or anything like that. But I always enjoyed performing whether through acting, singing or playing piano. Seeing people enjoy it or be entertained or amused, it gets me so energized and it adds to my passion.
With acting, I absolutely love exploring the different characters, trying to figure out how they got to where they are at the stage of their lives that we are highlighting in the scene or story and how best to bring it across. It is also a way of 'seeing' into different ways of life without ever leaving your own. One of the advantages of being a 40 or 50 year old in this profession is, the actor has many of his own life experiences to draw from, in order to elicit the needed character emotions.
ATG-Did you perform in school plays?
JPG-Another resounding yes! For my very first one, I adapted a song we were singing in 4th grade music class into a play. It was called 'Don Gato', a tragic love story about these two Spanish cats. I still remember our leading lady, Debbie Dearborn's mother made her a beautiful white angora cat costume.
Something about the song's words had touched me. I believe it was the love, heartbreak and passion (I've always been a hopeless romantic!) and I wanted to see it come to life. Thankfully, our music, art and education teachers all supported my effort and from there my love for theater and performing was born.
In middle school, I wrote, produced and acted in, (with the support of Sgt. Roach from the Guilford (CT) Police Department), a play about the perils of shoplifting. When we performed it for the school, it was the first videotaped production in Guilford schools. I wonder if the tape still exists?
Throughout high school and subsequent college years (which because of life events, took me ten years to complete), I continued to perform whenever the opportunity presented itself, as well as taking acting classes at every school I attended, from UNH to NCSU. The most fun production was our own GHS's (Guilford High School) 'Lil Abner!'
ATG-You're a good spokesman for those who wish to change careers and start a new path at midlife. We admire this in you. How did the acting come about at this point in your life?
JPG-While I know it isn't practical or even sensible for everyone to do as I have...to essentially drop everything and pursue a dream, if there are things in your life that you can change, either large or small, to improve your outlook, increase your enjoyment or better the lives around you...do it! We only get one shot...one chance in this very short amount of time we are given. I would rather study, work and push hard now, than to live regrets later, wondering 'what if....?'
My own path back to the stage and screen was surprising to say the least. One of my endeavors Team- MuscleCar enables me to have a stable of sports and muscle cars that I would occasionally rent to several studios in Connecticut when they filmed period pieces. One Sunday in August 2012, I was scanning the State of Connecticut production site for any such opportunities and came across a casting call for background players for an ID Discovery series, 'Unusual Suspects', right in Danbury, CT.
Knowing that the wheelchair might stand in my way of successfully being cast (and the main reason I hadn't returned to acting following my accident), rather than 'cold' respond to the casting call, I instead emailed the LA-based casting director. I explained my situation and added my fear that some might see the chair and not be able to see the potential beyond my disability and asked if she had any suggestions. She certainly did! As a person who had epilepsy since the age of 10, she was well aware of the perceptions some may have in regards to people with disabilities. She cast me immediately as Tony in the production based on my picture and bio...and the rest is history.
On set, I met and became friends with several seasoned actors/actresses who encouraged an extremely naive and inexperienced Joe, put me in touch with several NYC-based casting agencies and I was hooked once again!
Since that time, I have acted in and/or appeared in over a dozen productions, mostly TV series, including 'Smash', '30 Rock' and the new pilot 'The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives' as well as bigger and better roles in numerous ID Discovery shows including 'Unusual Suspects'; three episodes of 'Deadly Sins' and 'Fatal Encounters'. I have leading roles in three commercials currently in production, as well as a supporting role in an independent film.
Never one to take my 'job' lightly, my days are now spent commuting to NYC, taking acting and voiceover classes, auditioning and actually working paying gigs 2-4 times a week. One really fun chapter of this journey was becoming a cast member of the comedy improv troupe Guilty Pleasures, a chance to 'let my hair down' and take part in a live theater experience. With our weekly rehearsal schedule, we are slated to debut our showcase at the end of February.
ATG-Do you have a mentor, meaning is there someone who is guiding you through this process?
JPG-Two people stand out from the very beginning. Kelli Lerner, the original casting director who took a chance on an unknown entity (me!) and German-born Sina Stockman, an actress I met my very first day, who encouraged me (and still does!), providing me with advice, contacts and support as I navigate a very complex and unknown (to me) world unlike another arena I have ever explored.
I'm not one who is afraid to ask questions or talk to strangers and each production I have been on, I have established relationships with other actors and production people. We openly share what resources we have/know with each other. While the entertainment industry is by its nature very competitive, most of us are in the same boat and the free-flow of ideas, suggestions and contact information is almost constant.
I have been relatively successful with my own 'self promotion', though a bit uncomfortable. But to be truly successful, my goals for this year are to secure an agent and to become eligible for membership in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), both of which are necessary to take my career and talents to the next level.
ATG-You are a person with a disability and are reliant on a wheelchair. Has this had a negative impact on your work and conversely, have there been any advantages as a result of the same?
JPG-Good question! Ha ha! Yes and yes. For most roles, I have been cast as a character and the chair is not an issue at all. I am incorporated into the scene or show as any other actor. I have run across several sets or location shoots that were inaccessbile or where I had to explain to the production assistants how I could make the situation work. For those who are not experienced personally with disabilities, it is sometimes difficult to envision things simply because the situation has not presented itself previously.
That is an area where I truly hope my work is having a positive effect, both with those who work these productions and also the audiences of these shows and theater. By bringing awareness to the various members of the filming crews, I hope I am going to open doors for others who may have the same dreams as I. When I appear onstage or screen, just as a regular Joe (pardon the pun), instead of an issue being made because of my disability, I hope that my appearance builds a sense of acceptance on the part of the viewers, where I can be seen as the character, rather than 'the guy in the chair.'
One neat tidbit regarding my disability, when casting for an episode of 'Made In Jersey', actor/director Eric Stolz (of Mask and Pulp Fiction fame) specifically wanted a wheelchair user for the scene and worked with me personally to get the shots he wanted. So cool!
As a result of my work and exposure, I am also working as a consultant/spokesperson for an accessible clothing designer and as a prolific user of NYC's accessible taxi program, I have been asked to be part of a focus group for the MTA to improve the system and assist in working the kinks out and increase ridership. Two very satisfying and unexpected offshoots of my work! Love it!
ATG-Do you see yourself as a role model for other people who might wish to change careers or even begin a new one?
JPG-When we are 'inside ourselves', it's difficult to see how others view us. As such, when I hear 'role model' or 'you're an inspiration', I get surprised as I'm just living and working, albeit an incredibly interesting path at present. I am doing it very publicly, both because of the nature of the work and also by turning my Facebook page into a journal of sorts since I began acting again. I had done that initially to record in pictures the extremely interesting locations/opportunities I have been exposed to in the hopes that my friends would find it interesting.
What it has evolved into is an almost daily catalogue of the work necessary to be a success in this business from the very beginning....the work, training, chance encounters, the FUN (and there is some to be had for sure!), the incredibly long hours needed to make it happen, the exhaustion at times. But at the same time, I hope that by my publicizing this new chapter of my life, it will demonstrate to people that perhaps it's never too late to try and hopefully succeed at something new, an area previously unexplored and that though it may be hard to get started, with determination and hard work, positive results are possible.
Not everyone can just 'chuck' their lives and start over. But whether it's taking a cooking class, enrolling in college part-time or full-time, exploring a new career or volunteering somewhere different, it is always worth giving new situations a try. It may not work the first time but we have the ability to 'do over' and I'm so glad that we do. We've been given a gift of life but as far as we know, we have one life to live. When health and circumstance allow, go for all that you can.
ATG-What is the most satisfying part of acting for you?
JPG-When the director yells 'action', everything changes. No longer am I 'Joseph' but instead I become the character envisioned by the writer and director. Whether as a background performer or the main character, everyone on the stage or set becomes the story being told. If we've done our job correctly and with passion, it's so satisfying to hear the director say 'It's a wrap! Good job, people! You nailed it!'. With live performances, it's hearing the audience laugh or sigh at just the right moment and the applause at the end of the show or scene. If/when that happens, we know we did what we set out to do.
ATG-What is your idea of the perfect role?
JPG-Actually, there are two. A dramatic role which allows me to express a full range of emotions, in order to make the audience really 'feel' and experience what the characters are feeling. The other is s a comedic role that leaves the audience laughing their heads off!
ATG-Do you have any favorite actors?
JPG-Several-Male...Jimmy Stewart; Burgess Meredith; Robert Duvall; Phil Hartman and of course Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro. Female...Donna Mills; Jessica Tandy; Jane Fonda; Tina Fey and especially Katherine Hepburn.
ATG-What are some of your roles up to this point?
JPG-'Deadly Sins'-a bad lawyer; a dirty senator Allen Roberts; and a bad banker; 'Deception' Dr. Slade' '30 Rock' (2 episodes) a silly 'Crab-Catcher.' Commercials for Mohonk Mountain House; Verizon; Lahey Medical Boston and a pharmaceutical company that I can't name yet. It's been busy!
ATG-If a movie was created from your life story, who would you choose to portray you?
JPG-I've had two months to answer this and I still haven't come up with an answer! I'll have to get back to you!
ATG-Aside from the acting career, what else have you done? We understand that you are as writer as well. Can you tell us more about that?
JPG-My first book 'Arrested Youth' is due to be published this spring. It is a true-life love story as touching as it is tragic. It's a story of two teenagers, first loves and the horrendous events that led to them becoming runaways, as seen through the eyes of a naive teen...and the words of the adult looking back thirty plus years.
The next work entitled 'Do As I Say, Not As I Did' is meant to be a self-help relationship-type book where real life problem love relationships are detailed and each scenario is then analyzed by a relationship psychologist. Issues tackled are the 'red flags' that we should see when first embarking on a new relationship but usually ignore; how to deal with a stalker;communication issues and many other serious problems that can fell an otherwise healthy union. The manuscript is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2013.
ATG-We know you also work with teens to rebuild muscle cars. Can you tell us about your program and what it's about?
JPG-Adopting the trademark slogan 'Teaching Teens, One Hot Rod ar a Time", Team- MuscleCar strives to help teens of all ages and abilities achieve their goals of high school graduation as well as providing the tools necessary to learn life-skills through mentoring, education and personal support. We use vehicles of all ages, types and conditions as teaching tools. By experiencing everything from detailing and small repairs through complete restorations, our teens learn the satisfaction of seeing their efforts turn into a beautifully finished classic ride.
Started as a personal hobby in upstate New York in 1998, Team-MuscleCar evolved in 2001 into a pilot project in conjunction with Guilford High School (Guilford, Connecticut). The team works with at-risk teens of all abilities, teaching them the fine art of Auto Restoration, as well as providing mentoring and personal support.
Recognizing that there are some students that learn easier with 'hands-on' type instruction than in the classroom and that some students with dysfunctional family situations, educational difficulties, substance problems and many other factors, thrive in a one-on-one learning environment, Team-MuscleCar was born. Working with several teachers and specialized staff from the school, I built a fully equipped restoration complex, specifically to bring this pilot concept to fruition.
As my own life has changed considerably due to personal and professional considerations, in 2011, I was fortunate enough to be able to turn the reins of the garage over to one of our first students, who has been with the team for eleven years now.
ATG-What is your philosphy about life?
JPG-That we have but one life to live and wherever possible we need and can live it to its fullest. If we should be knocked down by health issues, failure or other issues, we can succeed by getting up again. I also believe that our personal path is guided by a higher power and that we need to make sure we are open to the opportunities that are offered. To do otherwise is to miss the great journeys that we can embark on and what we can achieve.
ATG-Do you have any quotes that you live by?
JPG-One by Carl Bard, that I believe best describes the new paths I have been granted and am working for...'Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending'. Another is by James Matthew Barrie and modified by me...'The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story and lives another.'
ATG-You can find Joseph P. Genera on Facebook as well as IMDB (listed under Joseph Genera).
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