Hi!   I need your help! 

I'm an aspiring actress in Tampa, FL.  I moved here recently due to my husband's job. We were about 1 1/2 hrs. outside of NYC before we moved to Tampa, and I'd go in to the city for auditions here and there.  We have two children, 5 and 6 yrs, so we'd like to stay out of a city.  My background is in Broadcast Journalism.  I started in the Army (Germany).  I became interested in acting during a hosting audition with MTV a few years back.  I took some acting classes, and I do have a good agent in Orlando.  

Question 1.  Any advice on maintaining a family situation (children) and being an actor???  Any other acting mother's out there? I am in the midst of getting my real estate license in the hopes that this will be a decent income but will allow for flexibility.  For the last few yrs, like most I guess, I have been struggling financially just so I can go to auditions and send headshots/resumes out to casting directors.  Oh yeah, and do these always need to have a cover letter attached? 

question 2: I have no theatre on my resume.  It's all reporting, commercials, radio, voice-overs, and then: and I hope this helps and not hinders:  Fear Factor.  I want to be recognized as a legit actor, I want to be a working actor, I am very motivated, very passionate, but I need to know where to best concentrate my energies.   How to get involved with the right things.  I get offered modeling gigs more often than acting, and this is not my goal.    And with having children- I can't and don't really want to move to NY or LA, at least not unless I landed something wonderful, then I would.  Should I audition and do local theatre?  Any advice for theatres to get involved with around Tampa?  I do sing and love to dance as well.  This will take a big committment, and that's ok if it will really help my resume, considering that  my goal is to do *daytime drama or comedy/sitcom work (as opposed to theatre). 

question 3:  any advice on self-promo and marketing?

  Help!  I need the best possible direction!!!    

First of all read this book and the monthly newsletters it answers alot of your questions. 

http://www.youmustact.com/mmbahhtok.html - http://www.youmustact.com/mmbahhtok.html

As far as a cover letter I would say yes every casting director that I have talked to say that they prefer a short cover letter. They dont like to have to dig for your basic information. Remember to them time is money so anything you can do to save them time is going to help you.

As far as where to concentrate your efforts any acting you do is going to help to perfect your craft. You just don't want to load your resume up with theatre if that isn't where you want to concentrate later. Do some independant films or student films and build your acting reel etc. then you will have a well rounded resume. Feel free to email me at mailto:lookin2bcast@yahoo.com - lookin2bcast@yahoo.com and I can give you some breakdown lists and some other great sites/groups to help lead you in the right direction.