Quick update. I booked a staged reading of a new musical at the Music Box Theater that will go up at the beginning of October, which is PERFECT because it will be just before things get crazy with Zombie Prom. Super pumped about that! That has definitely been the biggest challenge for me thus far. Scheduling. I am not exactly the....ummm....most organized person in the world, but between rehearsals, shows, auditions, classes and teaching, I am in desperate need of an assistant that tells me where I need to be and to hold my hand along the way.
Its weird because I flip-flop so often between functioning as an adult and just wanting to be a little kid again. Its especially weird because taking the hiatus from all this for school has really made my priorities change and I am not yet back to the hardcore competitor that I was before college. Oh well. At some point, I will have to just deal with it and get my act together if I want to be taken seriously in the long run. We shall see!
Recently I have had a revelation. When I was younger...like five or six years ago, I watched and really admired about half a dozen actors that worked here in the TC. Fast forward to well, now, and all but one of them have made the jump to either Chicago or New York. Luckily, before they left, I had the chance to get to know and learn from each of them, which I now realize was invaluable to the way I work now. While I am so excited for them and their new endeavors, I am also a little shell shocked by their absence. They were such fixtures in this market for me and I learned so much from just watching them and talking with them.
Someone throw some cold water on my face. I am getting all emotionally involved in what are purely business decisions. This brings me to my next revelation. The market has changed a ton since I last worked here. The youngins (myself included) are now being given the chances to prove themselves on the bigger stages here in the cities and the new faces are just as fierce and committed as the previous group. This is both exciting and well, exciting.
In the past couple months, I have done about twenty auditions and have met a ton of new people at each one. These are my new colleagues. My teammates. My professional family. And my competition. Such a mixed bag of classifications. I already miss the old crowd though. It really needs to happen though. As an actor, if you really want to make enough to live off of, and you have the itch, New York is the place to go. I have been reminded time and again that my piano and teaching skills are marketable in the cities and I have really used these to supplement the acting gigs. Hopefully I will be able to choose either one or the other sometime soon, but for now, I am completely content living in both worlds.
A
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
A renewed faith in touring shows....WOW
So I do not want to make this a blog where I just review theater shows, but I went to see the touring cast of Wicked on their third stop in Minneapolis tonight.....and was completely and utterly blown away. I have seen the show a few times before with various casts and while it was always impressive and flashy, it always felt a little overhyped with a satisfaction level that was not ever satiated. But this cast was by far the strongest I have seen. And on a tour!
All the elements were absolutely stunning. The show was beautifully lit and the transitions were beautifully seamless. On top of that, the actors themselves were out of this world. Vicki Noon was Elphaba and her acting was believable and compassionate while her singing was effortless and clean. All too often, the Wicked songs become vehicles for actresses to showcase their pop-style riffing...leaving the beautiful melodies almost unrecognizable. I was so impressed with Noon and her choice to infuse the song with vocal inflections that were dramatically based as opposed to vocal pyrotechnics. Her partner in crime was Natalie Daradich as Glinda and her comedic timing was to die for, as were her effortless high notes. Gah! So good! And then there was the ensemble. Probably my favorite part of the show, actually. They were fascinating to watch and their full company sound was thrilling. Because I have never been a dancer by nature, I was most impressed by the full company dance numbers. The style in Wicked is so unique because it really cannot be found in any other show. It is not the typical music theater dance with tap, jazz, ballet influence. It is totally original and completely fascinating to watch these beautifully trained dancers move across the stage.
In the past I have been a little harsh when it comes to touring casts, especially blockbusters like Wicked and Les Mis. I just feel that none of them live up to their hype. This production of totally gives me hope for the quality of touring productions. The show was fresh and infused with life from not only the actors, but from the technical aspects of the show as well. And the best part was that I got to go with great friends - some of whom have never seen the show before. I am so glad that they got to see this amazing cast! Its in Minneapolis for the next couple weeks, so if you get the chance, GO. This is one show that you do not want to miss. Seriously.
First full run of Zombie Prom music tomorrow! Wish us luck. Lots and lots of luck. =]
All the elements were absolutely stunning. The show was beautifully lit and the transitions were beautifully seamless. On top of that, the actors themselves were out of this world. Vicki Noon was Elphaba and her acting was believable and compassionate while her singing was effortless and clean. All too often, the Wicked songs become vehicles for actresses to showcase their pop-style riffing...leaving the beautiful melodies almost unrecognizable. I was so impressed with Noon and her choice to infuse the song with vocal inflections that were dramatically based as opposed to vocal pyrotechnics. Her partner in crime was Natalie Daradich as Glinda and her comedic timing was to die for, as were her effortless high notes. Gah! So good! And then there was the ensemble. Probably my favorite part of the show, actually. They were fascinating to watch and their full company sound was thrilling. Because I have never been a dancer by nature, I was most impressed by the full company dance numbers. The style in Wicked is so unique because it really cannot be found in any other show. It is not the typical music theater dance with tap, jazz, ballet influence. It is totally original and completely fascinating to watch these beautifully trained dancers move across the stage.
In the past I have been a little harsh when it comes to touring casts, especially blockbusters like Wicked and Les Mis. I just feel that none of them live up to their hype. This production of totally gives me hope for the quality of touring productions. The show was fresh and infused with life from not only the actors, but from the technical aspects of the show as well. And the best part was that I got to go with great friends - some of whom have never seen the show before. I am so glad that they got to see this amazing cast! Its in Minneapolis for the next couple weeks, so if you get the chance, GO. This is one show that you do not want to miss. Seriously.
First full run of Zombie Prom music tomorrow! Wish us luck. Lots and lots of luck. =]
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Groove
I think I've finally hit my groove. Hopefully. I've been out of school for a cool (almost) three months and I finally have time to take a breath and evaluate. From the looks of it, this might be my busiest year of theater so far. I've put up 5 shows since January '10 and have the possibility of doing 2 more before the end of the year. Too much? Perhaps. I was terrified in the last few weeks of school that diving right in and trying to jump start my career would be too difficult, but with a little bravery and a ton of patience, I am doing alright, which is a HUGE relief.
Sound of Music closed two weeks ago and it turned out to be a pretty good production. The children were double cast, so it was a bit of a challenge to build continuity for the run, but it was overall, a great experience for those involved. I've also had some more callbacks recently - none of which I've booked, but that's okay because I went into them knowing that I wasn't a great fit for any of the roles. That's been probably one of the most difficult things for me to grasp - type. As any singing actor, I'd like to fancy myself as someone who is able to morph into any role a director might ask for, but its becoming increasingly clear that there is a rhyme and reason to this whole casting world. Even with my classical background, I'm getting more and more calls for the pop/rock/modern musical theater look and sound, which is great. I love that material, and I'll ride it for as long as it lets me!
An exciting thing for some of my friends right now is the start of a new school year! For my younger buddies, going back to school is always an experience in itself. Each new year comes with things familiar and things brand new. Some good, some bad, some in-between. Either way, I am so pumped for them to have the opportunity to enjoy good old Iowa! For the friends that graduated with me, its a mixed bag of things. A lot of my friends are Education Majors and will be starting their student teaching in a few days, which is essentially going back to school. I am so So SO excited for them because all of them will be phenomenal educators in their own way. I can't wait to hear their stories and see how they adapt with their new experiences! Gah! So cool! I guess I'm so excited because I come from a family of all teachers and have a huge respect for what they do and why they do it, so there's that.
In addition to the endless auditions, I am also doing a ton of teaching and a ton of coaching. More and more, I am convinced that the MM in Voice Ped is the right way to go as opposed to the performance route. Especially because many of the requirements from the ped programs mirror those for the performance majors, so essentially, it wouldn't be that different. I just find myself much more gratified after a successful day of teaching than after performing. At least recently. Granted, I haven't performed a major role in a few months, so once I start rehearsing for my next show, I'll let ya know how I feel. In other updates, Zombie Prom is going pretty well. I've never worked with a group that is comprised of only high school kids before, so I'm getting used to them and they're getting used to me, but the more I get to talk to them, the more I am able to relate and help them have a great experience with this project.
Quick shout-out to friends in South Pacific at the Vivian Beaumont! They were televised on "Live from Lincoln Center" last night and the entire production was fantastic! I did the show a few years ago as Lt. Joseph Cable and seeing it done by such a first-class cast was so refreshing! It gives me a renewed faith in those old classics. Also going to see the Nat'l tour of Wicked this weekend and I hear the cast is good, so I'm excited to go after not seeing it for a while!
I've gotta go eat some cupcakes now, so I'll write some more when I have more to write!
Om nom.
A
Sound of Music closed two weeks ago and it turned out to be a pretty good production. The children were double cast, so it was a bit of a challenge to build continuity for the run, but it was overall, a great experience for those involved. I've also had some more callbacks recently - none of which I've booked, but that's okay because I went into them knowing that I wasn't a great fit for any of the roles. That's been probably one of the most difficult things for me to grasp - type. As any singing actor, I'd like to fancy myself as someone who is able to morph into any role a director might ask for, but its becoming increasingly clear that there is a rhyme and reason to this whole casting world. Even with my classical background, I'm getting more and more calls for the pop/rock/modern musical theater look and sound, which is great. I love that material, and I'll ride it for as long as it lets me!
An exciting thing for some of my friends right now is the start of a new school year! For my younger buddies, going back to school is always an experience in itself. Each new year comes with things familiar and things brand new. Some good, some bad, some in-between. Either way, I am so pumped for them to have the opportunity to enjoy good old Iowa! For the friends that graduated with me, its a mixed bag of things. A lot of my friends are Education Majors and will be starting their student teaching in a few days, which is essentially going back to school. I am so So SO excited for them because all of them will be phenomenal educators in their own way. I can't wait to hear their stories and see how they adapt with their new experiences! Gah! So cool! I guess I'm so excited because I come from a family of all teachers and have a huge respect for what they do and why they do it, so there's that.
In addition to the endless auditions, I am also doing a ton of teaching and a ton of coaching. More and more, I am convinced that the MM in Voice Ped is the right way to go as opposed to the performance route. Especially because many of the requirements from the ped programs mirror those for the performance majors, so essentially, it wouldn't be that different. I just find myself much more gratified after a successful day of teaching than after performing. At least recently. Granted, I haven't performed a major role in a few months, so once I start rehearsing for my next show, I'll let ya know how I feel. In other updates, Zombie Prom is going pretty well. I've never worked with a group that is comprised of only high school kids before, so I'm getting used to them and they're getting used to me, but the more I get to talk to them, the more I am able to relate and help them have a great experience with this project.
Quick shout-out to friends in South Pacific at the Vivian Beaumont! They were televised on "Live from Lincoln Center" last night and the entire production was fantastic! I did the show a few years ago as Lt. Joseph Cable and seeing it done by such a first-class cast was so refreshing! It gives me a renewed faith in those old classics. Also going to see the Nat'l tour of Wicked this weekend and I hear the cast is good, so I'm excited to go after not seeing it for a while!
I've gotta go eat some cupcakes now, so I'll write some more when I have more to write!
Om nom.
A
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Bare: A Pop Opera
Alright y'all. Super exciting stuff coming up. So last night I had final callbacks for Minneapolis Musical Theatre's production of the musical BARE. It was about two and a half hours, which wasn't bad for how many people they had there. It was in this really cool warehouse space downtown and we had the opportunity to hear all the other singers while we waited. Wow. The amount of talent in this theater community continues to astound me every day. During college, I guess I just got used to having everyone else's talent geared in the more operatic track, so being more into the pop/music theater sound made me unique in that aspect. Here in the cities, there are so many people that share the same passion that I do, and pursue their goals with such tailored training that I often find myself more intimidated than not.
Anywho. When I arrived at the space, they had us fill out a form with the usual question: Will you accept any role that is offered to you?..... This one took me a while. I was obviously interested in one of the principal roles, but I have such a high opinion of this show that I decided to say that I would accept any role offered to me. Well, I got the email today and was so ecstatic to find that I'd been offered the role of Lucas, who is the "school's fun loving purveyor of altered reality." In simplified terms, Lucas is the ultimate bro who also happens to be a dealer. This will certainly be one of the biggest stretches I've ever made for a character, but I am so ready for it! For example, there is a large chunk of one of the songs in the first act when Lucas has to rap....which is not one of the talents I list on my resume. I don't think anyone would be surprised to know that. haha! Luckily, I have a few months to prep for this, so maybe I'll find someone who gives lessons...? Does that even exist? I'll check it out.
I realize as I'm gushing about this, that some of you may have no idea what BARE is about. This is the story of two boys, Peter and Jason, who are in a clandestine relationship at a Catholic boarding school. It is a coming of age story about being true to yourself and those around you. It is a story about the importance of acceptance and equality. It is a story about love. Because it is rarely produced, it was a far-off dream for me to ever be cast in this show, but I am so very excited to work on this project! The subject matter is pretty touchy and definitely isn't for everyone, but it is portrayed beautifully through some really brilliant writing and the raw honesty that prevails in the text. In the words of the director, from an aesthetic, thematic and musical view, it is a cross between Spring Awakening and Rent. I think this is pretty accurate.
Okay. Enough about that. More to come later. I have one more week of Sound of Music and then its time to buckle down a bit more on Zombie Prom. We'll see how my stamina holds up for that. I'm super excited for my family to come back home. Its been great living by myself a lot this summer, but it sucks too because it can be super lonely at times. I find myself having full conversations with our fish, Rafael and giving him updates on my day. I'm pretty sure that's a sign that I might be all the way crazy. Who knows. I gotta get to bed if I am planning on getting up to run in the morning.
Until next time - learn, laugh, love.
A
Anywho. When I arrived at the space, they had us fill out a form with the usual question: Will you accept any role that is offered to you?..... This one took me a while. I was obviously interested in one of the principal roles, but I have such a high opinion of this show that I decided to say that I would accept any role offered to me. Well, I got the email today and was so ecstatic to find that I'd been offered the role of Lucas, who is the "school's fun loving purveyor of altered reality." In simplified terms, Lucas is the ultimate bro who also happens to be a dealer. This will certainly be one of the biggest stretches I've ever made for a character, but I am so ready for it! For example, there is a large chunk of one of the songs in the first act when Lucas has to rap....which is not one of the talents I list on my resume. I don't think anyone would be surprised to know that. haha! Luckily, I have a few months to prep for this, so maybe I'll find someone who gives lessons...? Does that even exist? I'll check it out.
I realize as I'm gushing about this, that some of you may have no idea what BARE is about. This is the story of two boys, Peter and Jason, who are in a clandestine relationship at a Catholic boarding school. It is a coming of age story about being true to yourself and those around you. It is a story about the importance of acceptance and equality. It is a story about love. Because it is rarely produced, it was a far-off dream for me to ever be cast in this show, but I am so very excited to work on this project! The subject matter is pretty touchy and definitely isn't for everyone, but it is portrayed beautifully through some really brilliant writing and the raw honesty that prevails in the text. In the words of the director, from an aesthetic, thematic and musical view, it is a cross between Spring Awakening and Rent. I think this is pretty accurate.
Okay. Enough about that. More to come later. I have one more week of Sound of Music and then its time to buckle down a bit more on Zombie Prom. We'll see how my stamina holds up for that. I'm super excited for my family to come back home. Its been great living by myself a lot this summer, but it sucks too because it can be super lonely at times. I find myself having full conversations with our fish, Rafael and giving him updates on my day. I'm pretty sure that's a sign that I might be all the way crazy. Who knows. I gotta get to bed if I am planning on getting up to run in the morning.
Until next time - learn, laugh, love.
A
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