Law Practice
Aug. 6, 2002
Attorney Finds His Passion, Fulfills His Dreams on Stage
Al D'Andrea directs one of his actresses to open up to the audience. She keeps turning upstage at a crucial moment in the play, "Break Room," but D'Andrea feels that the audience needs to see her face.
Al D'Andrea directs one of his actresses to open up to the audience. She keeps turning upstage at a crucial moment in the play, "Break Room," but D'Andrea feels that the audience needs to see her face.
It's the final week of rehearsals for the director and his cast, and D'Andrea is busy giving similar polishing notes to all the actors. It's also the first time that lights, sound and costumes are introduced to the production.
"I felt that the cast had discovered the show," the pleased director says of the final rehearsals.
And while D'Andrea's cast found its play in just five weeks, he spent five years practicing as a patent attorney before finding his passion - the stage.
D'Andrea always dreamed of acting, but the reality of earning a living as an actor led him to pursue a career in patent law instead.
"Show business is an extremely risky business," D'Andrea says.
After spending five years practicing in Washington, D.C., he realized that show business was where he belonged. In 1979, D'Andrea moved to New York to study acting with the legendary Stella Adler at her studio.
He spent 14 years in New York, acting in various productions. To bring a little balance to his career in the arts, D'Andrea also delved into the sciences, providing patent work for local firms during his time in the Big Apple.
D'Andrea says he enjoyed his days in New York theatre, but as most actors know, you're no one unless you're in film and television. So in 1993, D'Andrea trekked to the movie capital of the world - Hollywood.
D'Andrea jumped right into the acting scene and received small roles on various television shows, including "NYPD Blue," "Profiler," "One Life to Live," "It's Like, You Know ..." and "Family Law."
"I play a lot of cops and detectives," he says. "I have that kind of look I guess."
Oddly, D'Andrea rarely is cast as a lawyer, a career that he maintains. After moving to Los Angeles, D'Andrea worked as a contract attorney in the intellectual property group at Loeb & Loeb. In 2000, he moved to Hogan & Hartson, where he is a member of the firm's intellectual property group.
While D'Andrea enjoys using his natural talents of math and science in his patent law work, he says his first love will always be acting. And when it comes to acting, there's no place like the stage.
"I love the live experience, discipline of having to recreate the scene over and over again and the relationship between the audience and the actors," he says. "It's a much more rewarding experience."
Stefanie Knapp
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