Hey peeps! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Its been a bit of a whirlwind the last few weeks. Here's an update: I am still (thankfully) working in the Twin Cities. No word on the tour gig, so I'm assuming they went with someone else....because the scheduled date to leave is tomorrow, and I am not about to jump on a plane with 12 hours notice. While this was an extremely attractive position for me, I fully realize that I am a baby music director at this point in my life, and joining a national tour would be a huge risk for the current cast/production AND the rest of my career. I mean, what if I couldn't hack it? How depressing would that be? Show up and realize halfway through the first show that I can't actually play the stride piano part in "Be Our Guest"...(which, in reality, I DON'T THINK I CAN ACTUALLY DO). Shambles, I tell you.
In other news. I did the reading of the musical "Deal Dammit" about two weeks ago and had an absolute blast! The rehearsals were held in a studio space downtown and then the reading itself was held in the "historic" Music Box Theater in Minneapolis, which I had never been to. When we got there, we did a quick (two hour) review of all the trouble spots in the score and went over the technical details for the reading. Then the producers bought us pizza (which, in case you didn't know, is my all-time favorite food. Yes, I am six years old and I'm okay with it). For the performance, they thought we would have between 50-60 people. The final count that I heard was about 160, so we were all very excited to have so many people come out to see our little project! The performance went really well and I am so grateful to have met all the people in the cast. The highlight of the experience was definitely working with the director, Lisa Weaver. This is because she was my prof for my Audition Techniques Lab in college. Lisa is truly a lovely human who is a blast and a half to work with, and I probably learned more from her about practical theater things than I did from any other person during my four years of study. Its people like her that make four hour rehearsals fun and quick! I certainly hope to work with her again in the future!
New show! I was just hired to music direct the Grinch musical for a company called Youth Theater Workshop. We did the casting last week and rehearsals start on Tuesday. I usually don't like doubling up on shows, but with the economy what it is, I don't think I will be in the position to turn down work anytime soon. Not to mention the fact that I am a typical guy and all the way suck at multi-tasking. The only two things that I can do at the same time are sing and play piano. And that is only useful in....well.....hardly ever. I'll try my best!
And now for the current goings-on: Zombie Prom.
I love this job so freaking much and I couldn't have asked for a better long-term project! I get along with almost everyone in the cast and I have actually gotten pretty close with a few of the students. They are all so talented and friendly and I am so glad that they welcomed me into their family with open arms. I have two weeks left with them and then its on to the next big thing, so I'm sure I'll be grateful for the Grinch when I am mourning the loss of my Roseville buddies. Anyway, we had our first audience for the show last night for an open rehearsal/preview, and as such things often happen, every technical element that could have gone wrong, did.
We have ten mic packs that had been working perfectly for the last week that suddenly couldn't find the frequency of the sound board. The keyboard that I play during the performances suddenly couldn't be wired into the house sound system. The light board cut out during the first company number. And yet, the cast did a valiant job of carrying on with the show and telling the story. Some true professionals in the making, if you ask me. I was beyond proud.
We now have one more week of rehearsals before opening night and we are in terrific shape as of right now. After some last minute vocal touch-ups, some dance review and some scene study, this will be a really stellar performance.
I also want to write about me recent trip back to Luther College and I am also doing a recording session with one of my favorite pianists this week, so be looking for another update soonish! Until then, smile! It makes life better - trust me!
A
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Blindsided, to say the least.
You know how people sometimes say "well, that came out of left field"? Well, this week didn't come out of left field. It came from about 1200 miles to the east. And I was not prepared. And it doesn't help that I have this lovely habit of worrying about things to the point that I give myself ulcers.
Lets back up. I'll give you an overview.
I teach voice lessons. I love this job. I used to think that I love performing more than anything in the world. Now teaching musical theater is giving the whole "smell of the greasepaint/roar of the crowd" fix a run for its money. I never thought that I would enjoy the education path, and while I don't think I would fare well in a traditional classroom setting, the one-on-one is loverly as is working in the context of rehearsals.
I am music directing Zombie Prom for a local high school. This was another job that I was wary about in the beginning but has slowly grown on me to the point that I care deeply about the kids in the show and I feel incredibly committed to them and their experience with me.
I am acting. This weekend, I perform in the first staged reading of a musical called "Deal Dammit" which is a really clever show about a group of people living in Minnesota in the mid 1900's. It has been a really fantastic opportunity for me to witness the creative process in action, not to mention that the other actors involved are not only incredible performers, but also are delightful to work with.
All in all, my life is pretty stable considering the state of disaster it could be in having just graduated from college. My future was solidifying as well. My grad school choices are narrowed down, I have been accepted into the programs. I was looking into finding apartments near the campuses. Everything was going so smoothly.....
AND THEN IT HAPPENED.
I came face to face with what normally would have been my dream. A national tour. An eight month contract for a national tour. And not an acting gig. A music directing gig. Too good to be true, right? I KNOW. But there it was, right in front of me. I can't really give any more specifics than that, because no decisions have been made and no one has been hired as of yet, but you'd think that I would at least have been happy to be presented with the opportunity.
WRONG.
Okay. I was speechless for about ten seconds. And then I was ecstatic for two seconds. And since then, I've spent the last forty eight hours feeling sick to my stomach. My life is planned. I am settled. I have jobs. Plural. I have commitments. I have people in my life that need me and I need them in return. How the hell am I supposed to pack up and leave everything virtually immediately? I am going to grad school for performance in less than a year. Performance. Not direction. How did my life take a turn in a direction without me even noticing? I hate this feeling. Because I know that if I get "lucky" and get the call, there is no way I can say no. And in taking this job, my career path will be, without a doubt, changed forever.
I have never felt such mixed feelings before this. I was borderline incapacitated through everything I did today. I had no appetite. I can't sleep. I can't even do something mindless like watch TV. I never thought I would react this way to the opportunity of a lifetime. Its so easy to say that if this type of job came along, I would have no problem dropping everything to take it. But now that I have to actually consider this, I am convinced it is not that easy. At this point, I have no idea what my future holds. And for now, I'll just have to deal.
Stay tuned.
A
Lets back up. I'll give you an overview.
I teach voice lessons. I love this job. I used to think that I love performing more than anything in the world. Now teaching musical theater is giving the whole "smell of the greasepaint/roar of the crowd" fix a run for its money. I never thought that I would enjoy the education path, and while I don't think I would fare well in a traditional classroom setting, the one-on-one is loverly as is working in the context of rehearsals.
I am music directing Zombie Prom for a local high school. This was another job that I was wary about in the beginning but has slowly grown on me to the point that I care deeply about the kids in the show and I feel incredibly committed to them and their experience with me.
I am acting. This weekend, I perform in the first staged reading of a musical called "Deal Dammit" which is a really clever show about a group of people living in Minnesota in the mid 1900's. It has been a really fantastic opportunity for me to witness the creative process in action, not to mention that the other actors involved are not only incredible performers, but also are delightful to work with.
All in all, my life is pretty stable considering the state of disaster it could be in having just graduated from college. My future was solidifying as well. My grad school choices are narrowed down, I have been accepted into the programs. I was looking into finding apartments near the campuses. Everything was going so smoothly.....
AND THEN IT HAPPENED.
I came face to face with what normally would have been my dream. A national tour. An eight month contract for a national tour. And not an acting gig. A music directing gig. Too good to be true, right? I KNOW. But there it was, right in front of me. I can't really give any more specifics than that, because no decisions have been made and no one has been hired as of yet, but you'd think that I would at least have been happy to be presented with the opportunity.
WRONG.
Okay. I was speechless for about ten seconds. And then I was ecstatic for two seconds. And since then, I've spent the last forty eight hours feeling sick to my stomach. My life is planned. I am settled. I have jobs. Plural. I have commitments. I have people in my life that need me and I need them in return. How the hell am I supposed to pack up and leave everything virtually immediately? I am going to grad school for performance in less than a year. Performance. Not direction. How did my life take a turn in a direction without me even noticing? I hate this feeling. Because I know that if I get "lucky" and get the call, there is no way I can say no. And in taking this job, my career path will be, without a doubt, changed forever.
I have never felt such mixed feelings before this. I was borderline incapacitated through everything I did today. I had no appetite. I can't sleep. I can't even do something mindless like watch TV. I never thought I would react this way to the opportunity of a lifetime. Its so easy to say that if this type of job came along, I would have no problem dropping everything to take it. But now that I have to actually consider this, I am convinced it is not that easy. At this point, I have no idea what my future holds. And for now, I'll just have to deal.
Stay tuned.
A
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