Theater is a beautiful thing. It can help people. It can teach people. It can change people; for good and for bad. I do theater because I believe in it. I believe in its transformative qualities. I believe in the process. I believe in the importance of collaborative creation. I don't do it because its glamorous or because it will make me rich, because it isn't and it won't. I love working with other creative beings. In the past year, I have met some of the most brilliant, passionate, COMpassionate, talented and kind people I've ever come across. True artists, and at the same time, truly lovely humans. They have helped me find my footing in a competitive world and have improved my quality of life just by being themselves. I am grateful. I don't tell them enough. Today, I will start. Unfortunately, this realization comes from experiencing the opposite extreme.
Today, I saw the opposite of what makes theater beautiful. Today, was the first day EVER that I hated my job. Today, I saw someone who has done much good in their life turn and let everything ugly about this art form take hold in a tyrannical fit. It was as offensive as it was fascinating. I am a notoriously high-strung person. But I am consistently ONLY high strung. I don't flip out. I don't get to that point. Ever. Today brought me pretty close. My professional integrity was brought into question along with my education, my commitment to my work and my competency. What gets me is that I have bent over backwards for this specific project. I have rearranged my life to fit this in. In the end, I was left speechless and confused and wondering what to do.
So I went to people much wiser than I, and received some of the best insight I've ever gotten: The ego is a powerful thing in the theater. It can help create electrifying moments in performance. It can promote a tireless work ethic. It can strike both admiration and fear in the hearts of those that encounter it. But there is also a very dark side to the ego. It can create doubt and fear and anger in people - even people that originally meant to do good. The same elements that create excellence are the ones that spawn arrogance and destroy creativity.
I can't attest to the intentions of this individual. But I can say that I've learned from this experience. I have seen exactly what I don't want to be, both personally and professionally. I have seen the ugliest of what theater creates. I thought my day was completely ruined.
And then I went to my performance of Bare. And all things beautiful were re-validated. I was surrounded by supportive, creative, and caring people. People that have worked together to achieve a common goal. This is what good theater is about. And this is what I will continue to strive for. No matter the obstacles. I will strive to do good.
These are the things I've learned today. I've always prided myself in my desire to learn something new everyday, and today, it became painfully clear that some lessons are harder to take than others. Sometimes, a job has to be just a job. And sometimes you just have to sit and play the piano for the paycheck. Awful, and disgusting, but its a part of life. Let the people you care about know that you care about them. Have integrity. Stand up for what you believe in; even if it is difficult and scary. And at the end of the day, remember that tomorrow is brand new.
Off to bed. Never, ever beige.
Hand-hugs and three squeezes.
A
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Everything
Yes, yes, I know it has been forever since my last post, but this is the first time I've been able to come up for a breath in quite some time. Update: things are crazy.
Bare opened this past weekend and it has seriously turned into a really beautiful show. The cast has been a dream to work with and since it has been so long since I've been onstage, this experience has reminded me why I started doing theater in the first place. I'm currently on a three day break from that, but these three days have been dedicated to getting Godspell and Millie on their feet. Millie opens in ten days and Godspell in two and a half weeks. Both are in decent shape, but both also have a long way to go before they are ready for an audience.
One upside to both shows is the age of the cast. I never realized how much I enjoy working with high school age actors. They have this energy about them that really inspires me every time we rehearse. They are like sponges. They are so willing to learn and try new things....I love it. I hope that I can continue learning and growing as well. I was worried that since I have stepped away from "formal education" for a year, that I would find myself hitting a plateau in my quest of learning new things, but I've actually found it to be just the opposite. College protected me from a lot of things that I am now having to deal with every day....both professionally and personally. Now that I've been working for almost a year, I've come up against some pretty difficult challenges, some of which are still present, but I'm really beginning to realize that if I don't do something about them myself, no one will.
As some of you know, I'd been looking at relocation for the summer....either to Arizona, Colorado, New York or London. Well, I have pushed that off a few more months and have decided to stay in the cities. There are some really fantastic opportunities in the coming months and I couldn't be more excited. The big one this summer will be Footloose. This was one of the first shows I did onstage, and so I'm very excited to revisit it as a music director. I'll also be music advising/directing for a workshop of a new musical and the new stuff is always exciting!
As far as the fall goes, who knows? I sure don't. Still waiting on some phone calls, but I won't be holding my breath. Perhaps by next week I'll know something. This entry has been SO random and jumbled. Hopefully I'll get my act together and be able to write something cohesive and coherent by the end of the week. I have a long of things I want to share!
One thing I learned this week: Life gets better if you remember to smile. =]
No beige,
A
Bare opened this past weekend and it has seriously turned into a really beautiful show. The cast has been a dream to work with and since it has been so long since I've been onstage, this experience has reminded me why I started doing theater in the first place. I'm currently on a three day break from that, but these three days have been dedicated to getting Godspell and Millie on their feet. Millie opens in ten days and Godspell in two and a half weeks. Both are in decent shape, but both also have a long way to go before they are ready for an audience.
One upside to both shows is the age of the cast. I never realized how much I enjoy working with high school age actors. They have this energy about them that really inspires me every time we rehearse. They are like sponges. They are so willing to learn and try new things....I love it. I hope that I can continue learning and growing as well. I was worried that since I have stepped away from "formal education" for a year, that I would find myself hitting a plateau in my quest of learning new things, but I've actually found it to be just the opposite. College protected me from a lot of things that I am now having to deal with every day....both professionally and personally. Now that I've been working for almost a year, I've come up against some pretty difficult challenges, some of which are still present, but I'm really beginning to realize that if I don't do something about them myself, no one will.
As some of you know, I'd been looking at relocation for the summer....either to Arizona, Colorado, New York or London. Well, I have pushed that off a few more months and have decided to stay in the cities. There are some really fantastic opportunities in the coming months and I couldn't be more excited. The big one this summer will be Footloose. This was one of the first shows I did onstage, and so I'm very excited to revisit it as a music director. I'll also be music advising/directing for a workshop of a new musical and the new stuff is always exciting!
As far as the fall goes, who knows? I sure don't. Still waiting on some phone calls, but I won't be holding my breath. Perhaps by next week I'll know something. This entry has been SO random and jumbled. Hopefully I'll get my act together and be able to write something cohesive and coherent by the end of the week. I have a long of things I want to share!
One thing I learned this week: Life gets better if you remember to smile. =]
No beige,
A
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Today's example of why I can't be left by myself for too long.
So since I don't ever work in the mornings (PUHLEASE - I'm an artiste (HA)), I was given the task of shoveling the driveway for the third time in 20 hours. Because I live in the Twin Cities. Where we get 60 inches of snow by the beginning BEGINNING of February. Disgusting. I'm over you, Winter. Go away.
Anywho. I was very pleased with myself because I not only shoveled the driveway, but I also chipped off those stupid snow-tire-tracks that happen when you drive over the freshly fallen stuff. You know? The ones that turn to ice and make shoveling 17 times harder? Yes, those. So I was finally done and I trudged inside to the laundry room where I took off my snow gear (including my onesie snow suit, which is awesome). And I am rounding the corner to go into the kitchen when I hear what sounds like a medium-sized crash bang boom. Oh shit, I think. Some hoodlum has sneaked into the house while I was out playing in the snow and now I'm going to be assaulted. Great. Happy Tuesday! So I tentatively say "hello?"....as if the burglar is going to recognize my friendliness and decide to not burgle me. No response. I go to the front hall where I left my phone on the table, grab it, and go towards the basement where I thought the sound came from.
Halfway down the stairs, I hear the sound again. Only this time, it is much louder and much closer....because it is coming from my pocket and it is accompanied by a little 3-second vibration. I squeal out of fright and promptly fall all the way down the stairs. Sporty, I know.
Oh! THAT is what my new phone sounds like when it gets a text message. GAH.
I just got a new phone and was unaware that my text-message-ring-tone was apparently the sound of someone's house being broken into. Interesting. I'll have to change that later. Its official. I'm a total spaz.
Now on to some voice coachings, my second day of Millie auditions and Bare rehearsal. Come on, Bruised Ego, its time to go to work. Here's to hoping that your Tuesday (and the rest of your life) is more graceful than mine. =]
A
Anywho. I was very pleased with myself because I not only shoveled the driveway, but I also chipped off those stupid snow-tire-tracks that happen when you drive over the freshly fallen stuff. You know? The ones that turn to ice and make shoveling 17 times harder? Yes, those. So I was finally done and I trudged inside to the laundry room where I took off my snow gear (including my onesie snow suit, which is awesome). And I am rounding the corner to go into the kitchen when I hear what sounds like a medium-sized crash bang boom. Oh shit, I think. Some hoodlum has sneaked into the house while I was out playing in the snow and now I'm going to be assaulted. Great. Happy Tuesday! So I tentatively say "hello?"....as if the burglar is going to recognize my friendliness and decide to not burgle me. No response. I go to the front hall where I left my phone on the table, grab it, and go towards the basement where I thought the sound came from.
Halfway down the stairs, I hear the sound again. Only this time, it is much louder and much closer....because it is coming from my pocket and it is accompanied by a little 3-second vibration. I squeal out of fright and promptly fall all the way down the stairs. Sporty, I know.
Oh! THAT is what my new phone sounds like when it gets a text message. GAH.
I just got a new phone and was unaware that my text-message-ring-tone was apparently the sound of someone's house being broken into. Interesting. I'll have to change that later. Its official. I'm a total spaz.
Now on to some voice coachings, my second day of Millie auditions and Bare rehearsal. Come on, Bruised Ego, its time to go to work. Here's to hoping that your Tuesday (and the rest of your life) is more graceful than mine. =]
A
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Certifiable
Certifiable. That is how I would classify myself in my current condition. All the way crazy, as some of my friends might say. I'm pretty sure that it will all turn out fine, as it usually does, but the thing is....I told myself that I would never let this happen again.....after last spring.
Between now and the next ten days, I will have started rehearsals for three musicals. Thoroughly Modern Millie, Godspell and Bare. TMM and Godspell are shows that I'm music directing and I'm onstage for Bare, which is a rare treat for me, as of late. Last spring, I promised myself that I would never do more than two shows at once. That was a result of putting up Light in the Piazza, Edges, Figaro and my senior recital all within seven weeks of each other. Insanity. I still haven't fully recovered emotionally.
And do you want to know the sickest part of all?
I like it. No. I love it. I love being able to create on a daily basis. I love the type of humans that my work allows me to encounter. For example, today I had my first music rehearsal for Bare and it was wonderful. One of the things I missed most about college was the quality of music-making and today's rehearsal certainly reminded me of that. While I am super shy by nature, and it will probably take me a while to get into the groove of things, I get so energized by working with and watching these new colleagues. And holy jeeeeez! They are talented! The first time we sang the opening sequence, full out, was chilling....in a good way! I'm excited to see where this show goes. At this point, it has potential to be spectacular! Keeping my fingers crossed! And practicing my rapping.
Millie and Godspell are getting underway shortly and both promise to be really rewarding productions for different reasons. I will keep you updated on both of those. In addition to all that, I will be traveling across the country to do my final grad school auditions within the next few weeks. NERVOUS. However, it is nice to know that I have a few options. Even within the grad school route....do I go for MT performance? Music Direction? Vocal Ped? Who knows? I guess I'll go for whatever they let me....gah. Keeping my fingers crossed about that one too. I am also waiting to hear the results of my coaching student's college auditions, which actually makes me more nervous than waiting for my own. I currently am working with 14 high school kids who are auditioning at some pretty major schools and we are all waiting with bated breath for the results.
So thats pretty much it for now. Things will continue to snowball for the next couple months and I am currently considering my options for summer, which include staying in the Twin Cities, moving to Iowa, New York, Arizona, Indiana or the UK. I should probably narrow that down sometime soon. But again, its not up to me. Its where the work is. Which can be frustrating, but I'm trying really hard to see it as exciting. So far, I haven't had much luck. Ha.
So I will continue being crazy. Why, you ask? Because the things that make me crazy also remind me that I'm alive. And that's important too.
Find what makes you crazy. Its can be scary, but its worth it.
A
Between now and the next ten days, I will have started rehearsals for three musicals. Thoroughly Modern Millie, Godspell and Bare. TMM and Godspell are shows that I'm music directing and I'm onstage for Bare, which is a rare treat for me, as of late. Last spring, I promised myself that I would never do more than two shows at once. That was a result of putting up Light in the Piazza, Edges, Figaro and my senior recital all within seven weeks of each other. Insanity. I still haven't fully recovered emotionally.
And do you want to know the sickest part of all?
I like it. No. I love it. I love being able to create on a daily basis. I love the type of humans that my work allows me to encounter. For example, today I had my first music rehearsal for Bare and it was wonderful. One of the things I missed most about college was the quality of music-making and today's rehearsal certainly reminded me of that. While I am super shy by nature, and it will probably take me a while to get into the groove of things, I get so energized by working with and watching these new colleagues. And holy jeeeeez! They are talented! The first time we sang the opening sequence, full out, was chilling....in a good way! I'm excited to see where this show goes. At this point, it has potential to be spectacular! Keeping my fingers crossed! And practicing my rapping.
Millie and Godspell are getting underway shortly and both promise to be really rewarding productions for different reasons. I will keep you updated on both of those. In addition to all that, I will be traveling across the country to do my final grad school auditions within the next few weeks. NERVOUS. However, it is nice to know that I have a few options. Even within the grad school route....do I go for MT performance? Music Direction? Vocal Ped? Who knows? I guess I'll go for whatever they let me....gah. Keeping my fingers crossed about that one too. I am also waiting to hear the results of my coaching student's college auditions, which actually makes me more nervous than waiting for my own. I currently am working with 14 high school kids who are auditioning at some pretty major schools and we are all waiting with bated breath for the results.
So thats pretty much it for now. Things will continue to snowball for the next couple months and I am currently considering my options for summer, which include staying in the Twin Cities, moving to Iowa, New York, Arizona, Indiana or the UK. I should probably narrow that down sometime soon. But again, its not up to me. Its where the work is. Which can be frustrating, but I'm trying really hard to see it as exciting. So far, I haven't had much luck. Ha.
So I will continue being crazy. Why, you ask? Because the things that make me crazy also remind me that I'm alive. And that's important too.
Find what makes you crazy. Its can be scary, but its worth it.
A
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Last one to know. Not shocked. Well, a little.
Okay. I'm usually really on top of things. Like when it comes to my life plans, I am thinking years ahead. I literally spend 80% of my day pursuing these life plans, in one way or another. And I am constantly evaluating myself and these goals. And this is why it came as a shock to me when I realized that I am not a singer actor. I am a music director. An MD, if you will.
Hold on. I just fell off my chair. Give me a second to recover semi-gracefully.
Holy lord. Why didn't anyone tell me this before? Hmmmm???
Oh wait. A ton of people did. I guess the question is why didn't I listen to them? I have no idea. I'm not usually incredibly stubborn. I mean, I am fairly opinionated, but I always put forth a conscious effort to hear out the things that other people tell me. And when I receive advice from people that I respect, I always pay special attention. I think this is why I am so shocked to have made this realization.
Acting has never been my strong suit. I can nail a song to the wall, but put me in a scene with lines, and you might as well have handed the script to an illiterate horse and then shot it. That made no sense, but its what popped into my head. Eh. Anyway. I've worked at it. I read plays. Out loud. Like a crazy person. Or a third-grader. I videotape myself reading said plays and then play them back as I critique. When I watch TV, I analyze the speech patterns. The vocal inflection. The technique. However, I haven't had the opportunity to really put this homework into practice as of late because I am constantly working as a music director. If I could have just seen the obvious before today, I might not have eaten like nine pieces of pizza this afternoon while I examined the shattered pieces of my misconceived existence. Ha. Kidding. But not about the pizza. It was good.
I should have realized when people started referring me as a musical director. I mean, my first four gigs out of college were either at the keyboards or with a baton in my hand. Its not often that everyone around me realizes something about me before I do. This might be a first. But the best part is, I couldn't be more excited about it.
I absolutely am loving what I do. There are often days where I feel like I am far too exhausted to work on anything, but as soon as I am in the rehearsal studio or onstage or in the pit, I am filled with this insatiable urge to create. I never leave a rehearsal feeling down; even if it was a difficult one. I love the opportunities to work with both actors and musicians. Both groups are very different and it takes some adjustment, but both groups have an energy that is infectious and positive. And I think the biggest thing that I've discovered about myself is that I really enjoy helping people in the discovery process. I love finding the perfect song for my students. You know? That one song that they can connect to in a way that makes it seem like it was written for them. The one song that, when they sing it, it is as if they are working right out of their stream of consciousness. The one song that brings the listener to the edge of their seat because the singer is truly communicating. They are making believe. Makers of belief.
Ugh. Sappy. I know. But I love sappy. I mean, after all, we're talking about musical theater here.
So where do I go from here? I have an acting gig coming up this spring. It is a role in the pop opera BARE with the Minneapolis Musical Theater Company. And if things go as planned, it might be my last time on stage as an actor. I am fully pursuing any and all MD gigs that come my way. In fact, for my grad school choices, (all of which were musical theater performance degrees before about two weeks ago) I have recently applied to two new programs, both of which offer degrees in Music Directing for the Musical Theater.
I feel good about this. I feel comfortable. I have a knowledge of my current skill set and I can now clearly see that I don't belong on the stage - at least during performances. I am beyond excited about what adventures this new goal might present, and I will do my best to keep all of you up-to-date!
Whirlwind. I like it. Now off to get my laundry out of the dryer. Glamorous, I know.
A
Hold on. I just fell off my chair. Give me a second to recover semi-gracefully.
Holy lord. Why didn't anyone tell me this before? Hmmmm???
Oh wait. A ton of people did. I guess the question is why didn't I listen to them? I have no idea. I'm not usually incredibly stubborn. I mean, I am fairly opinionated, but I always put forth a conscious effort to hear out the things that other people tell me. And when I receive advice from people that I respect, I always pay special attention. I think this is why I am so shocked to have made this realization.
Acting has never been my strong suit. I can nail a song to the wall, but put me in a scene with lines, and you might as well have handed the script to an illiterate horse and then shot it. That made no sense, but its what popped into my head. Eh. Anyway. I've worked at it. I read plays. Out loud. Like a crazy person. Or a third-grader. I videotape myself reading said plays and then play them back as I critique. When I watch TV, I analyze the speech patterns. The vocal inflection. The technique. However, I haven't had the opportunity to really put this homework into practice as of late because I am constantly working as a music director. If I could have just seen the obvious before today, I might not have eaten like nine pieces of pizza this afternoon while I examined the shattered pieces of my misconceived existence. Ha. Kidding. But not about the pizza. It was good.
I should have realized when people started referring me as a musical director. I mean, my first four gigs out of college were either at the keyboards or with a baton in my hand. Its not often that everyone around me realizes something about me before I do. This might be a first. But the best part is, I couldn't be more excited about it.
I absolutely am loving what I do. There are often days where I feel like I am far too exhausted to work on anything, but as soon as I am in the rehearsal studio or onstage or in the pit, I am filled with this insatiable urge to create. I never leave a rehearsal feeling down; even if it was a difficult one. I love the opportunities to work with both actors and musicians. Both groups are very different and it takes some adjustment, but both groups have an energy that is infectious and positive. And I think the biggest thing that I've discovered about myself is that I really enjoy helping people in the discovery process. I love finding the perfect song for my students. You know? That one song that they can connect to in a way that makes it seem like it was written for them. The one song that, when they sing it, it is as if they are working right out of their stream of consciousness. The one song that brings the listener to the edge of their seat because the singer is truly communicating. They are making believe. Makers of belief.
Ugh. Sappy. I know. But I love sappy. I mean, after all, we're talking about musical theater here.
So where do I go from here? I have an acting gig coming up this spring. It is a role in the pop opera BARE with the Minneapolis Musical Theater Company. And if things go as planned, it might be my last time on stage as an actor. I am fully pursuing any and all MD gigs that come my way. In fact, for my grad school choices, (all of which were musical theater performance degrees before about two weeks ago) I have recently applied to two new programs, both of which offer degrees in Music Directing for the Musical Theater.
I feel good about this. I feel comfortable. I have a knowledge of my current skill set and I can now clearly see that I don't belong on the stage - at least during performances. I am beyond excited about what adventures this new goal might present, and I will do my best to keep all of you up-to-date!
Whirlwind. I like it. Now off to get my laundry out of the dryer. Glamorous, I know.
A
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Unsettled (Unsettleable)
I have an extensive history of not being able to really settle down, no matter where I am in my life. I am always looking ahead. Looking for the next show. The next project. The next school. Whatever.
But the problem is that I tend to make very elaborate and detailed plans and then at the very last minute, change them to something completely out-of-character and unpredictable. That's my M.O. Always has been, and probably always will be.
For example, when I was 18, I was all the way ready to move permanently from the Twin Cities to New York. This would have been the next logical step in my career, as this is where musical theater happens. I would either work (not likely) or go to school at one of the various universities that offers a degree in MT. This is what everyone expected me to do....including myself.
And then what happened, you ask? I'll tell you.
I moved into a cornfield in Iowa (where musical theater is literally outlawed) and got a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in opera performance. I didn't even like opera. Still don't.
Why did I make this move, you ask? I have no idea.
Another example. So last April, I was busy preparing to graduate from said college-in-the-corn and I had just received my acceptance letter from the Steinhardt School at NYU for their MM in Musical Theater Program. So here I was, once again ready to move to the Big Apple.
And what do you suppose I did next? I decided to turn down NYU and try working professionally in the Twin Cities.
What the hell?!?! I mean, why am I so apparently afraid of New York? I'll tell you why. Because its scary. There are a million people there who look just like me, have my same skill sets and have the exact same career goals. And I don't know if you know this or not, but there are only like four jobs in New York. Okay, well there's more than four. There's like seven. But do you see why I hesitate?
So here I am, day after Christmas, 2010. I have been working consistently as a music director, vocal coach and singing actor in the Twin Cities for the past seven months and I have work booked out solid for the next five months at least. I also have a plan. Big plans, in fact, to attend Arizona State University for their MM in Musical Theater Program in the fall of 2011. I know how amazing and warm the climate is. I have picked the professor I want to study voice with. I know the apartment complex I want to live in (it has an AMAZING pool and is right across the street from campus).......
And I'm right on par for the course because where do you suppose I'm probably going next?
(If you just thought New York, you need to go back and read the paragraph about the abundance of jobs there.)
The United Kingdom.
Holy hell, someone rein me in.
Well, I know one thing for sure; my life won't be beige anytime soon.
Now, where is my ulcer medication?
A
But the problem is that I tend to make very elaborate and detailed plans and then at the very last minute, change them to something completely out-of-character and unpredictable. That's my M.O. Always has been, and probably always will be.
For example, when I was 18, I was all the way ready to move permanently from the Twin Cities to New York. This would have been the next logical step in my career, as this is where musical theater happens. I would either work (not likely) or go to school at one of the various universities that offers a degree in MT. This is what everyone expected me to do....including myself.
And then what happened, you ask? I'll tell you.
I moved into a cornfield in Iowa (where musical theater is literally outlawed) and got a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in opera performance. I didn't even like opera. Still don't.
Why did I make this move, you ask? I have no idea.
Another example. So last April, I was busy preparing to graduate from said college-in-the-corn and I had just received my acceptance letter from the Steinhardt School at NYU for their MM in Musical Theater Program. So here I was, once again ready to move to the Big Apple.
And what do you suppose I did next? I decided to turn down NYU and try working professionally in the Twin Cities.
What the hell?!?! I mean, why am I so apparently afraid of New York? I'll tell you why. Because its scary. There are a million people there who look just like me, have my same skill sets and have the exact same career goals. And I don't know if you know this or not, but there are only like four jobs in New York. Okay, well there's more than four. There's like seven. But do you see why I hesitate?
So here I am, day after Christmas, 2010. I have been working consistently as a music director, vocal coach and singing actor in the Twin Cities for the past seven months and I have work booked out solid for the next five months at least. I also have a plan. Big plans, in fact, to attend Arizona State University for their MM in Musical Theater Program in the fall of 2011. I know how amazing and warm the climate is. I have picked the professor I want to study voice with. I know the apartment complex I want to live in (it has an AMAZING pool and is right across the street from campus).......
And I'm right on par for the course because where do you suppose I'm probably going next?
(If you just thought New York, you need to go back and read the paragraph about the abundance of jobs there.)
The United Kingdom.
Holy hell, someone rein me in.
Well, I know one thing for sure; my life won't be beige anytime soon.
Now, where is my ulcer medication?
A
Sunday, December 19, 2010
So much for the In-Between.....Good lord.
Tonight marks the end of my first week of the In-Between and it has been and EPIC FAILURE. I was planning on doing a whole plethora of relaxing, lazy things and so far, all I've done is non-relaxing, work-related things. Granted, I love my job and the work that I get to do, but I cannot seem to catch a break! This weekend alone has been a bit of a whirlwind. I got sick last Monday (my first day off, of course) and didn't feel better until Thursday, just in time to get sucked into about a million projects.
My weekend consisted of two readings of new musicals, helping choose some high school actors to advance in a scholarship competition and trying to get my students into college.
Okay. On paper, this doesn't seem nearly as daunting as it felt. Maybe it was the cough syrup. Whoops. Don't tell.
The first reading was a really fantastic experience. It was a brand-new rock musical with some really fantastic material for seven actors. The content itself is mostly polished and this reading was more or less a final opportunity for the creative team to hear their work sung by actors before they stage a full workshop. The best part of this one for me was singing with the combo that they hired. It was a piano, drums, bass and guitar. Doesn't get better than that. I'm hopeful that they'll keep me around and ask me back to work on the next step, but only time will tell!
The other reading I did was a very new experience for me and I learned a lot about my strengths, weaknesses, theater education and preferences for the artistic process. The musical itself was incredibly fascinating. The plot centers around a Catholic priest and his return to a small Irish village during the Irish Potato Famine at the end of the 1800's. The reading itself went smoothly and the people involved all brought very unique interpretations to the table. The characters were intricate and the story itself is compelling. This is where my personal preferences for American Musical Theater began running through my head. After the reading was done, the moderator (and I think future director) of the reading told us that the creators were going to listen while the participating readers discussed what they thought were the strengths and weaknesses were in the plot and characters.
I've never had to really think about what I look for when I define good musical theater, but through the discussion that night, I very quickly learned that I value these things:
I want the show to be "somebody's story." To me, this means that the plot includes a defining moment for a main character that is compelling enough that I care about them and want to see their problems resolved.
The relationship between the audience and the plot should be clearly defined and decided from the very start of the show. Does the audience act as a fly on the wall? Is the audience encouraged to have a personal stake in the show? Is the show trying to convince? Inform? The choice needs to be clear and consistent.
The relationships and characters, while they can be complex, should be classifiable by classic, umbrella terms. The protagonist. The antagonist. The comedic relief. The basic relationship between good and evil. The parental relationship. The fraternal relationship. The relationship between the characters and a higher power. The relationships between the main protagonist and EVERYONE.
The characters HAVE to have a reason to sing. Musicals suspend reality enough to allow characters to break into scenes in which all the characters know the same melodies, lyrics and choreography, but I truly stand by the rule that the only reason a character should sing is if words alone can no longer suffice and in order to communicate, they need to do so through song. Going hand in hand with this is the need for EVERY song to move the story forward. The show cannot be in the same place at the end of a song, that it was at the beginning. It has to have a purpose. I am strongly against the concept that songs can just be thrown into a show on a whim. There needs to be a reason.
Modern musicals are (and should be!) sophisticated enough that they can "show" and not "tell". I can't stand a preponderance of exposition in character dialogue. I am SUCH a supporter of character driven work, and if the story calls for a lot of explanation at the top of the show, figure out a way to deliver it in a clean and attention-grabbing package a la Les Miserables. Did you know that the current format of the show includes a fairly lengthy prologue to set up the story of Jean Valjean that didn't originally exist because all the people of France are familiar with the story and the people of New York are not? That's right. Its so well done that most people can't imagine the show without the first 20 minutes.
Pacing. I don't want to fall asleep. 'Nuff said.
Okay. The most important thing I learned about myself is that I do a very poor job of intellectualizing plot and character choices. I think this comes from my training. I have always been told that it is not my job to mull over why specific choices were made by the creators. I have been trained as an interpreter. An interpreter of dialogue, music, movement and storytelling. I was rendered almost useless in the position of creator. In that capacity, I have no idea where to start. I am so used to looking at a show and deciding how to tailor it so it reads. I have never been asked to overhaul a show like we had been discussing. I was left to watch. And I was fine with that. Luckily, a lot of the other members of the reading were "go-getters" and had some strong opinions about how the next step of the show should be shaped.
This was my first taste of this specific type of workshop/reading. And I appreciate it because I now understand my specific place in the life cycle of a show. I belong in the later parts. The inception and initial development can be left to people that have a taste for those things. I love being able to breathe life into characters and songs and scenes. I love the organic nature of working with people in a space. I love watching the libretto come to life with characters that can alter their choices within the context of their scene. I love the building of a final product. This is where I belong and I'm more than okay with that.
Wow. Apparently I have a lot of opinions. I know that some of you might think that this is a negative quality, but I realize that this is what shapes me as an artist. My opinions shape my choices, and for better or for worse, I have to live with them....until the next show comes along.
Mull over THAT. =]
A
My weekend consisted of two readings of new musicals, helping choose some high school actors to advance in a scholarship competition and trying to get my students into college.
Okay. On paper, this doesn't seem nearly as daunting as it felt. Maybe it was the cough syrup. Whoops. Don't tell.
The first reading was a really fantastic experience. It was a brand-new rock musical with some really fantastic material for seven actors. The content itself is mostly polished and this reading was more or less a final opportunity for the creative team to hear their work sung by actors before they stage a full workshop. The best part of this one for me was singing with the combo that they hired. It was a piano, drums, bass and guitar. Doesn't get better than that. I'm hopeful that they'll keep me around and ask me back to work on the next step, but only time will tell!
The other reading I did was a very new experience for me and I learned a lot about my strengths, weaknesses, theater education and preferences for the artistic process. The musical itself was incredibly fascinating. The plot centers around a Catholic priest and his return to a small Irish village during the Irish Potato Famine at the end of the 1800's. The reading itself went smoothly and the people involved all brought very unique interpretations to the table. The characters were intricate and the story itself is compelling. This is where my personal preferences for American Musical Theater began running through my head. After the reading was done, the moderator (and I think future director) of the reading told us that the creators were going to listen while the participating readers discussed what they thought were the strengths and weaknesses were in the plot and characters.
I've never had to really think about what I look for when I define good musical theater, but through the discussion that night, I very quickly learned that I value these things:
I want the show to be "somebody's story." To me, this means that the plot includes a defining moment for a main character that is compelling enough that I care about them and want to see their problems resolved.
The relationship between the audience and the plot should be clearly defined and decided from the very start of the show. Does the audience act as a fly on the wall? Is the audience encouraged to have a personal stake in the show? Is the show trying to convince? Inform? The choice needs to be clear and consistent.
The relationships and characters, while they can be complex, should be classifiable by classic, umbrella terms. The protagonist. The antagonist. The comedic relief. The basic relationship between good and evil. The parental relationship. The fraternal relationship. The relationship between the characters and a higher power. The relationships between the main protagonist and EVERYONE.
The characters HAVE to have a reason to sing. Musicals suspend reality enough to allow characters to break into scenes in which all the characters know the same melodies, lyrics and choreography, but I truly stand by the rule that the only reason a character should sing is if words alone can no longer suffice and in order to communicate, they need to do so through song. Going hand in hand with this is the need for EVERY song to move the story forward. The show cannot be in the same place at the end of a song, that it was at the beginning. It has to have a purpose. I am strongly against the concept that songs can just be thrown into a show on a whim. There needs to be a reason.
Modern musicals are (and should be!) sophisticated enough that they can "show" and not "tell". I can't stand a preponderance of exposition in character dialogue. I am SUCH a supporter of character driven work, and if the story calls for a lot of explanation at the top of the show, figure out a way to deliver it in a clean and attention-grabbing package a la Les Miserables. Did you know that the current format of the show includes a fairly lengthy prologue to set up the story of Jean Valjean that didn't originally exist because all the people of France are familiar with the story and the people of New York are not? That's right. Its so well done that most people can't imagine the show without the first 20 minutes.
Pacing. I don't want to fall asleep. 'Nuff said.
Okay. The most important thing I learned about myself is that I do a very poor job of intellectualizing plot and character choices. I think this comes from my training. I have always been told that it is not my job to mull over why specific choices were made by the creators. I have been trained as an interpreter. An interpreter of dialogue, music, movement and storytelling. I was rendered almost useless in the position of creator. In that capacity, I have no idea where to start. I am so used to looking at a show and deciding how to tailor it so it reads. I have never been asked to overhaul a show like we had been discussing. I was left to watch. And I was fine with that. Luckily, a lot of the other members of the reading were "go-getters" and had some strong opinions about how the next step of the show should be shaped.
This was my first taste of this specific type of workshop/reading. And I appreciate it because I now understand my specific place in the life cycle of a show. I belong in the later parts. The inception and initial development can be left to people that have a taste for those things. I love being able to breathe life into characters and songs and scenes. I love the organic nature of working with people in a space. I love watching the libretto come to life with characters that can alter their choices within the context of their scene. I love the building of a final product. This is where I belong and I'm more than okay with that.
Wow. Apparently I have a lot of opinions. I know that some of you might think that this is a negative quality, but I realize that this is what shapes me as an artist. My opinions shape my choices, and for better or for worse, I have to live with them....until the next show comes along.
Mull over THAT. =]
A
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