Everything's Coming Up Roses...or is it?

Today's blog comes from my hometown...I sit in our local Starbucks listening to the L.A.M.C. (Ladies After Mass Club) discuss their various home hunting problems, both past and present.  And by listening, I mean that I am sitting here with my coffee eaves dropping.  I can't help it, they speak loudly.  I drove into town last night to get work done this morning before I head back for rehearsal tonight.

Birdie closed yesterday.  I never went on for the lead but it was great fun doing the show and making new friends...can't believe that 9 weeks went so quickly.  With the closing of Birdie, I ended my first and last show as a member of the Jr. Company, it was such a great experience.  This is a company of talented young performers ranging from age 6 to 16, each with burgeoning talents and a dedication to them!  I learned so much about myself as a performer.  I was constantly in awe, and equally mortified, by exactly how talented they are...some of these kids can dance circles around me!  However, I take solace in the fact that I can sing circles around them...for now.

Update: L.A.M.C. is now discussing Wealthy Widowers.  "Is there a website? wwww.wealthywidowers.com" Note: [I am not kidding about the extra "w"] 

I got to vocal coach the Jr. Company pre-show that will open on Thursday.  Which means I will be in Tech rehearsals this week.  We have so many new members of the company that the work ethic isn't exactly what we are used to...they rehearse for six Saturdays and then open after three days of Tech rehearsals.  The amount of material they learn is mind boggling.  They learn ten to twelve songs with harmony parts and choreography!  Which makes this program an excellent training for the main stage company.

I also have two other events this week...a benefit concert at imaginarium and my sister's baby shower.  Technically the benefit concert is an event rental so I just have to be in the building and run our lighting system.  The baby shower, which is also at imaginarium, is more hands on for me since mother is hosting.

In the next couple of weeks I will begin packing for my move back to my parent's house...not thrilled about that prospect.  Hopefully something will pan out and I find a job.

Note: I really do plan on keeping up with the blog.  I just find myself super busy crazy all the time...or have nothing pertinent to write.

Back to the job hunt...

Just found out that I didn't get that job at the library.  I will be out looking for jobs again...yay, me!  I think I am going to go bake a cake.

Shhhh...it's dark in here.

I am sitting in my living room in near darkness.  I went upstairs for a small nap after rehearsal and when I came downstairs my roommate had decided to nap on the sofa...he seems to be thoroughly enjoying his nap and I don't want to disturb him so I have left the lights off and just turned the dimmer on very low.

This morning was Jr Company rehearsal...and I was tired.  I enjoy being in the company but I know that doing both Jrs and Birdie each night is going to be rough, especially if I ever go on for Albert!  I am not a dancer and Jr Company is 12 minutes of singing and dancing.  Doesn't sound too hard until you have to do it.  Right now what is kicking my butt are the rehearsals.  We start at 9 and work until lunch break at 12 then back at 1 to 3.  Luckily, I am not in all of the numbers so I get some backstage time which translates to break time during rehearsals.  I am a "moves well" actor and sometimes feel very intimidated by the youngsters in the Jr company...they can really dance!  Then I sit back and enjoy the fact that I don't have to do the crazy tap number that the choreographer has in the show.

I can't believe that Birdie opens in less than 2 weeks.  Our theater does a 24 hour turnaround; next Sunday after the matinee of Dreamgirls we will strike that set and move in the Birdie set.  Monday will be our first day of tech rehearsals and then we open that Thursday.  I still feel that there is so much more work to do.  Between Jrs and Birdie I don't know if I am going to be ready...

I started this post 8 hours ago...didn't really take it where I wanted but it went...

One Enchanted Evening

Tonight's posting is not about theater...unless you count the humming.

So tonight, one of the roomies and I headed out of the house and down to the Tower District to have some fun.  We had a quick bite at Million Elephant and then headed over to Veni Vedi Vici.  It was packed.  It got me thinking whether or not relationships still begin at bars...in today's age of twitter, facebook, and the plethora of dating sites out there do first connections still take place at a bar?  We basically just stood in the crowded patio area with our drinks, he had a beer while I drank water (someone has to be the DD) making very small talk, just chilling.  And I couldn't stop humming "One Enchanted Evening".

Perhaps because I just watched South Pacific, well the first part of it, or because we had been discussing dating and relationships earlier but I couldn't help but think that at this moment someone could be meeting their soul mate, or conversely not meeting them because we no longer meet people in organic methods.  We hide behind our friend lists and followers and whatever online identities we have created for ourselves and allow our social interactions to be dictated and directed by technology.  Not that I ever did, but what happened to starting a conversation at a bar that could lead to friendship and then eventually something more?  Who's to say that by only speaking to our predetermined friends we aren't neglecting a new relationship?  I am not trying to be deep...just thoughts that occurred while watching a friend drink a beer.

To the surprised faces out there, yes, I was at a bar.  In fact, we were at two bars today.  And last week we were at three.  I am moving out of my comfort zone, trying new things, heading forward.  Does that mean we met anyone at the bar?  No.  Did we go with the intention of meeting someone?  The roomie did, me not so much.  Did I have fun?  While not as fun as last weeks excursion, this week was interesting...I love hearing what people talk about at bars.  The woman next to me was adamantly informing her date that while robbing a bank sounds like a good idea, it isn't as lucrative as one might think.  The gentleman to my left was telling his friends he was James Dean reincarnate.  Interesting stuff.

Every time I start to write what I think will be an awesome blog it starts to go "blah" on me...I need to find some good things to write about.  My life, at the moment, isn't very eventful so it takes a while to get a good blog post.

Put on a Happy Face

On Tuesday I was back home and ran into a friend at her place of business.  She told me how excited she was when she saw an email stating that I had blogged; just to find out that it was a promise of a blog post...it was nice to know that I have a reader out there.

Monday was my understudy run through for "Bye Bye Birdie."  I understudy Albert Peterson, for those of you unfamiliar with the show he is the male lead.  So I had spent the weekend prepping.  Memorizing lines, locking in all the music and dances, and all the blocking.  It is a stressful experience being an understudy.  For our company, we have two types of understudies: In-Cast and Out-of-Cast.  An In-Cast understudy, or understudy, plays another part in the show whereas an Out-of-Cast, or standby, is not in the show.

I am an understudy, so I am part of the ensemble on a daily basis.  My part consists of five lines and some ensemble songs...my understudy role consists of many more lines, 4 songs, and a dance break.  As an understudy you get one chance to impress the ensemble, one shot to sink or swim.  I was beyond stressed all weekend and even during the run through felt the effects of stress.  Every mistake I made seemed like the end of the world...but I got through it.

During my drive to my parent's house on Tuesday morning I was able to look back and separate the stress from the experience I realized that I wasn't as horrible as I thought.  I can attribute my success to the overwhelming support from my friends and cast mates.  They helped me run lines, pointed me in the right direction during the run, and gave me encouragement.  I was told that if I ever have to go on that the show wouldn't suffer.  Which is a nice thing to hear.

So for now, I will just sit back and put on a happy face and wait...and pray that I don't have to go on.  While it would be fun I still don't think that I am ready.

Short blog this afternoon but will continue to write and post more regularly.

Update

Been a month since I moved to Fresno...feels like yesterday.  So much has happened.  I will update later tonight.  Tonight is my understudy run through...I will blog about it tonight.

495,913...495,914

Ever since freshman year of college, whenever I would come back to Fresno I would add myself to the population as I entered city limits.  Dorky, I know but I couldn't help it.  It made me feel like I belonged, like this was home.  It has been a long time since I have been able to do that, until this weekend.  I have recently moved back to Fresno and on my way into town with my car jammed full of my belongings I added myself to the population.  For the time being it may only be for the next 4 months until I find a job but it is still my home.  College was a time for me to learn, this journey is my time to live.  Living with 3 great guys in a fantastic house in an awesome location.  I am mostly settled in, just have a few things to set up (i.e. electronics, dvd collection) but everything is unpacked and ready to be used.  I guess it helped that I only brought 5 boxes of stuff and my clothes.

Rehearsals for Bye Bye Birdie begin tonight...reports on that later.  I know, I know, I always say that...this time I mean it.  I will post updates on Annie, Cemetery Club, Camp, and Birdie this week.

Starting Here, Starting Now

Well, Annie is over; blog on that later.  After Annie, I got hired as the Director of a summer camp.  I have been working for Camp Yeager for ten years and applied to be the camp director and got it!  Spent a lot of time planning, interviewing and hiring staff, and prepping for the year.  Just got back from camp on Friday and plan on doing a posting about camp in the coming week.  My plans now are up in the air.  I am starting rehearsals for Bye Bye Birdie soon...
One thing is for certain, I will be doing something great very soon.  Just have to figure out what it is.

Where have you been...

I mentioned today that I had been neglecting my blog and a friend of mine replied that it was such a horrible thing that I was ignoring the masses and then proceeded to laugh.  Thanks.  I didn't mean to leave you all alone.  Annie rehearsals are going...that is all on that matter.  I begin with the GCP Jr. Company on Saturday.  I am beginning as an assistant vocal coach and will hopefully be moving up through the ranks very soon.  Today has been a very long day and so I retire to my bed to read and sleep.

Dogs chase cars...

Cemetery Club is winding down... entering into the last weekend and I have begun my search for my next job.  I begin work with the Jr. Company in April, so that is something to look forward to.  First step to working with the actual company...  Need to head to bed soon; am meeting a friend for dinner tomorrow evening.

Theater Weekend

Cemetery Club has opened.  And it is getting great word of mouth from the audiences that have seen it.  Opening weekend was a bit slow but the numbers are going up...slightly.   The cast is amazing and are doing a fantastic job! Such an honor to work with this group of people.  Off to hang out with the boys.  Night.

One show down...

Magic Flute opened and closed this weekend.  Whew... what a weekend.  It has always saddened me to do all this work for one weekend of performances.  But the cast was amazing!!!  Tonight was a sold out performance.  Completely maxed out.  We even added more chairs.  What a way to end the experience of beautiful music.  If you are unfamiliar with The Magic Flute, look it up.  It's okay, I'll wait while you do.  All done?  Great!  Now that you are up to speed...Why were you not familiar with it!?!?!  Mozart knew his stuff.  The way he writes for the instruments and for the voice!!! How?!?!?  Seriously, it is so natural and so fluid.  Get thee hence to itunes or your nearest Mega-Bookstore and purchase a copy.  Or borrow one from the library.

Cemetery Club begins tech rehearsals this weekend.  I have to focus the lights tomorrow night and then we just wait until the new light controller that we ordered to arrive and then I can program the lighting cues.  Luckily, there aren't that many light changes. The only "difficult" changes come in the cemetery.  And only during Act 1.  All three ladies are on stage conversing with their deceased husbands at once.  The conversations do not pause but continue through the other monologues.  It will be interesting to see the finished product.  If we can sell some tickets.  But small town...we wait until the last minute to do anything.  Maybe tickets will start selling on Monday.

Annie has a company meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon.  Hopefully we can get people to commit to this production.  Going to hang out with Peter and the new roomie David for a bit.  There was talk of Smash Bros.  And then I am heading to bed.  I am going to church with ReShale and Katie tomorrow.  Let's see how that turns out.  I will post some vids from Magic Flute when I return to town.

It's Crunch Time!

This week begins the crazy schedule of shows for me.  Magic Flute opens on Friday.  The cast does their dress rehearsal this evening.  I was so blessed to have the opportunity to do this show.  I did additional staging for the opera.  Had two rehearsals with the cast. I don't need to worry about them.  So, I just get to sit back and enjoy those performances.

I have spent the past two days here in "the city" going to rehearsals, shows, and prop shopping.  But this afternoon I am making the drive back home to attend Annie rehearsals and my first Cemetery Club rehearsal with my leading man.  Cemetery opens in 3 weeks.  Tech starts two weeks from now!!  Aaaach!!!!!!!  Cemtery runs for a three week engagement; then two weeks later Annie opens.

My weekend in Fresno was fun.  I stayed with Peter and Chris and their new roomie, David.  Started to get to know David.  He seems like a really cool guy.  He likes to play WOW... I guess everyone needs to have a vice.

I went and saw The Producers at RR last night.  Overall it was a good show.  Doubt that I will be sharing all of my thoughts though...ask me about it sometime.

I must go and get ready to make my journey home.  But first, I am going to swing by FPU to see my good friend Becky.  I used to love reading her blog singininthekitchen.blogspot.com but she is such a busy lady she doesn't do it anymore.  Bummer. I am looking forward to catching up with her.

Watch Out Divas, there is a new Queen in Town

I promised I would post a few videos from Magic Flute and have taken so long to post them!  I am truly sorry.  Here is a video of our amazing "Queen of the Night", Katharine Holloway, who will undoubtedly be making a name for herself.  Wow.  And she wants to be a teacher!  We need more people like her in our classrooms!
No, not THAT aria.  This is No. 4 Recitative and Aria, Queen of the Night, The Magic Flute.  This is the Queen's first appearance in the opera when she charges Tamino and Papageno with saving her daughter from the fiendish Sarastro.

     

Ignore the mistakes, this was a rehearsal!  AMAZING... can't get enough.  Really wish that I could have gotten THAT aria to share with you.  We are rehearsing on Saturday so I will post one on Monday when I get home.

The entire cast is phenom! Did you read that?  The ENTIRE CAST!  What?!?!  So get out there and watch it! 

FPU Vocal Performance Workshop presents
Mozart's "The Magic Flute"
February 26 and 27
7:30 PM
559-453-2267

So much to do, so much to see...

It took forever to come with a title for today's post....in fact, I am currently writing this post without a title.  I thought that I would share some images with the blogosphere of Cemetery Club rehearsals and the set. I spent my three day weekend painting; I would still be painting but I was told there would be rehearsal this evening...that is yet to be seen.  I took this photo with my phone this evening so please excuse the quality.  We open in less than a month!!!!  Aaaach.  There are so many things that still need to be done.  I still haven't been able to get one of my actors to confirm that he is doing the show.  "I'm doing it," he says but has not made a rehearsal or given me times that he can make rehearsal.  He is an excellent performer but I fear I may have to find a replacement.  And it may end up being me...I DO NOT want to act in a show that I am directing.  Not to mention the 40 year age difference between myself and two of the female leads. 

At the Bucks

I am at my office, read Starbucks, chatting it up with Jack and Rory.  Correction, Jack and I are chatting.  Rory thinks that I hate him and therefore has retreated behind his earphones.  I never get to see Jack anymore, he has gone off to college and never get to chat with him.

In other news...

Still doing Annie, ran the rehearsal for the first 30 minutes this evening.  It was really nice.  I allowed them to go ahead and play the scene to the end then went back and fixed problems.  It was a much nicer way to run the scene.

Well, off to bed.  I have a bunch of things to do tomorrow.

Coming to you live...

...from Annie rehearsals.  Borrowed the office laptop and currently playing on the internet!  Well, by playing I mean that I am blogging.  To bring joy to you, my dear readers.  Our rehearsals are scheduled in hour long blocks per scene.  Which equals huge snooze fest for the creative team.  So, here I am typing away.  Had a lovely blog for you all...then without thinking I installed a flash update for youtube and restarted the browser; which of course deleted what I had for you.

Short Version:

Directing a production of Magic Flute at my alma mater.  Got that job on Sunday and had my first rehearsal Monday evening.  4 hours of blocking and characterization.  This is going to be an amazing production.  All of the singers are phenomenal!   Truly. I will post a video of the Queen of the Night later on tonight.  Amazing!

Got a part time job with the Parks and Recreation District.  Working Tuesday and Thursday evenings making sure the youth basketball kids don't destroy the gym.

Still doing Annie. People don't know how to show up on time!

I Wanna be a Producer

The past week has been full of rehearsals.  Both Annie and Cemetery Club are going strong.  I was able to get all of Cemetery blocked last week and we finally did a first read of Annie.  I am not only directing Cemetery Club but also producing it.  With imaginarium, of course.  Part of my job as producer is to set up all of our theater policies.  How seating is going to work, menus for dinner, drink orders, staffing, call times for actors and crew, and billing.  We are a young company and our last production, while a success, was not the most organized.  It is now my job to come in and learn from their past "mistakes".

My new role as producer aside, I enjoy learning.  I love Broadway.  And Broadway Shows.  I have, again, recently fallen in love with the public library (read, payed my outstanding fines) and requested the book, Second Act Trouble: Behind the Scenes at Broadway's Big Musical Bombs.  It is such a great book.  Basically a collection of newspaper articles and essays about Broadway flops.  With inside stories from the creative teams, stars, producers, and other critics.  With included footnotes.  I just read the most amazing story about Hellzapoppin starring Jerry Lewis and the reasons it failed.  I couldn't help but wonder if part of the reason wasn't the star.  Considering the interview with him included in that chapter's essay.  He wasn't a nice man during that interview.  Very rude, and crude.  The first two chapters included shows that ran for over 230 performances but were considered bombs because they never made back the money they spent!!!  Some of these shows have huge names attached to them and yet they still fail.  For all the would be producers or directors out there.  I suggest you read the book.  As a cautionary tale.

This coming week includes plans to go see Producers and Dearly Beloved presented by GCP in Fresno; attend Annie rehearsals and continue with Cemetery rehearsals.  Just found out that my "leading" man for Cemetery is still doing the production, after not hearing from him for a week and a half.  Saw Thoroughly Modern Millie  last night in Clovis.  I will write my review tomorrow.  But for now I must return to my book, Second Act Trouble: Behind the Scenes at Broadway's Big Musical Bombs (Applause Books)

The Sun'll Come Out

Tomorrow is the first ensemble music rehearsal. And I can't sleep.  First to teach them the basics of singing and then to teach them the songs.  I have three songs on my schedule: "NYC", "Hooverville", and "Gonna Like it Here".  Luckily we have some time before we open. I really should be sleeping but I can't.  Too many things in my head.  I think I will go and read.  Night.  Before I go, I leave you with Andrea McArdle singing "Tomorrow" on the rfamily cruise.

How to Succeed in Business...

NETWORK!  That's right readers; get off your fanny and get out and meet people.  I have been accussed of too much networking...really?!?!?!  Cliche moment: It isn't what you know, but who you know. Seriously.  But to succeed you also need to have the skills to continue.  No matter who you know, if you can't do your job...you're going to get fired.  Unless you are related to the boss, or sleeping with them... my point is that it isn't enough to just be good at your job.  You have to be good at your job and meeting people and figuring out how to make them work for you.  Without blackmail.

I know people that say only make contact with relevant people.  So stick within your bubble.  WRONG.  Maybe because I work in the arts, primarily theater, but I use every asset that I can find.  You never know when that person who happens to be friends with a bagpipe player, or the young woman who has a cockerspaniel that can piddle on command, or the aspiring actor that can drive an 18 wheeler will come in handy.  Not that I can come up with an exact instant that you need those people except maybe shooting a movie about a young man who plays bagpipes makes a trip cross country to save his dog that has been dognapped by truck driver.(Don't steal my idea)  But every contact is an important one.

In my Studies in Music Education course in college we are taught to make friends with everyone that comes into our classroom.  Janitors, administrators, students, parents, aunts and uncles.  Because you never know.  You may need a door unlocked and your good friend the janitor is there to help you.  Or help on a fundraiser.  So don't go looking for only those contacts that can immediately help you.  Whenever I am networking I try to find people that I can help.  These are the most important people in the room...not because of anything the did but because of what they can do.  Say I provide music for an event at the local coffee shop for an event they are doing.  Sure, I am helping them entertain their guests. But aren't I really getting free advertisement for myself and for my talents; which will lead to another, which leads to the next and so on and so forth.  And don't write of those that "don't have anything to offer" because they can lead you to others that can help.

I was networking this morning...okay so I was having coffee.  My friend is the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce and she is now hosting coffee hour once a week.  This is the only time that I get to see her since her new job has her pretty tied up.  This is only her third coffee hour and it hasn't picked up yet so it was just me, my boss, my friend Jack, and Ms. Darbus.  After a while the General Manager from the Parks and Rec center came through I had mentioned that I was going to be applying for the position of Camp Director this year and left it at that.  We talked theater, small town activities...later when I took my application in she remembered who I was...and it didn't hurt having the current director and assistant director for camp standing in the office singing my praises.  So...I may be spending three weeks this summer in beautiful Cambria.  So nice to get away from the 100+ degree weather in the valley!

Positoovity

It is raining.  Still.  I love the smell of the rain and I love what it does for the farms.  But I would love it even more if I did not have to go out while it was raining.  Am I the only one that feels the need to brew a cup of tea, wrap up in a big comfy blanket on a big armchair and read all day?  Leaving the window cracked just enough to allow the smell of rain to waft into the house.  Perfect.  But alas, my current projects allow me to spend most of the day in the house but eventually I have to venture forth to the theater(s).  And today I went to both theaters.  I spent the last few days recording rehearsal CDs for Annie and working out the blocking for Cemetery Club, now to finalize a rehearsal schedule for Cemetery.  I went down to the office to set up my recording equipment to record a student of mine who has written her first song.  And it was good.  Checked on the set for Cemetery which is coming along at dizzying speeds.  Then went to our first rehearsal for Annie.  Then back to the office to teach my voice class.  Because of the set construction in the theater my class was moved to a piano lab.  Six students and myself in a tiny classroom makes a very intimate session.  But my each of my students took something different from the meeting time.  Me?  If one of my students hadn't cancelled and I hadn't denied a guest from sitting in on the class we would have been bursting at the seams.

My younger sister is applying for colleges.  When did that happen? Oy.  I am going to be celebrating my 25th birthday this year.  I feel so old. I am going to throw myself a huge party.   There is always something happening on my birthday.  No exception this year but I will still be having a party.  Want to come?  Details to follow.  For now I leave you with some thoughts on this evening's musical of choice:

This evening I listened to The Little Mermaid.  I am obsessed with this cast album.  So many amazing voices on one CD! Norm Lewis, Sierra Boggess, Sherie Rene Scott, Tituss Burgess, Sean Palmer and an uber talented ensemble.  The Menken/Ashman/Slater musical is such a great adaptation drawing enough music from the original Disney film and incorporating such great new music.  True there are a few songs that I do not enjoy, "Human Stuff" being the "worst" of them.  But the rest of the album makes it an essential recording for me to have.  "I Want the Good Times Back" has to be one of the best songs on the album.  It is such a throw back to the classic broadway tradition of writing songs that move the story along rather than just singing feelings.  The orchestrations for "Good Times" fit so beautifully, the piano arpeggiating up the scale and chord accompaniment at the begining slowly adding violins and then the reeds and finally adding the brass, flowing yet never leaving that vaudeville-esque feel of the uhn-chik accopaniment of the piano.  CLASSIC!  And Sherie Rene Scott as Ursula...mind blowing.  I love that she does so much with her voice.  Not only does she sing the part amazingly effortless but she colors her voice in so many ways that add layers to the song that are all hers.

Immediately after "Good Times" is the audience favorite "Part of Your World" which is so fluid, always moving forward. It really brings the idea of land and sea together.  The flowing music with the yearning for the shores above.  Any one who grew up with the films knows this song.  My only complaint is that the song doesn't go anywhere!  After the "bright young women, sick of swimmin' ready to stand.... and" there is the perfect opportunity to take the song to a new key.  Yet we stay right where we were.  Gahhhhhhh!  Although, looking at it, you could say that the composers were helping to convey the aggravation that Ariel faces at being stuck in the sea.  Or, it was just something overlooked.

Ahhhhhh, luckily after that frustration comes "She's in Love"; what a way to feature the sisters and Flounder.  And does it feature Flounder!  The joy that I get from this song cannot be expressed in words.  Great word play, amazing melody, fantastic orchestrations, and perfect execution by the actors.  Again I say, Flounder!

Sean Palmer as Prince Eric.  Agh, why can't my voice sound like that!  If I could I would want my voice to be a mix of his and Gavin Creel.  "Her Voice" & "One Step Closer" just as you think that he is about to crack his voice clears and goes even higher.  NORM LEWIS!!!!  "World Above (Reprise)" talk about orchestrations providing mood.  And such a power house performer.

I leave you with one last thought... Titus Burgess, "Under the Sea".  Enough said.  Get yourself a copy.  Use these links to purchase from Amazon.  The digital download: The Little Mermaid: Original Broadway Cast Recording or the physical CD: Disney's The Little Mermaid (2008 Original Broadway Cast)

Just Another Day

Sorry for not blogging for a while. My life has been rather busy. Cleaning house for my sister's 18th birthday party, rehearsing Annie, meeting with set builders, worrying about my keyboard being broken (which it isn't!), being "promoted" to director for Cemetery Club (it became official late Thursday evening), going material shopping for Cemetery, and then last night playing hide and seek with my friends.

Today I met with the caterer for Cemetery and I think we picked a great menu. Spent some time building rehearsal schedules and then spent the rest of the evening recording music for Annie. Rehearsals for Annie begin on Tuesday evening which will be lots of fun and Cemetery rehearses mornings which means early starts and late nights.

The last musical I listened to was The Producers but I didn't get very far past the overture, maybe as far as "King of Broadway". Will make an effort tomorrow to listen to some musicals and give you my thoughts. For now, I leave you with the plea: "Go see a show. It's good for you." May I suggest The Producers at Roger Rockas Dinner Theater. Call 559-266-9494 for ticket information.

Until next time!

Sorrow Unending

I may cry. I sat down to write this evening's blog and my keyboard isn't working. It is a very special keyboard that has a midi-keyboard attached. I allows me to input music into Finale with ease. So, I am going to shut my computer off for the evening and see where we are in the morning. I hope that it is just some fluke randomly screwing with my USB ports.

update: not to worry, everything worked out. The problem has repeated itself but I find that restarting the computer fixes the problem.

I Know Things Now...

I've been performing for nearly 13 years now, 4 years of classical training and the past three years performing professionally and yet today I taught myself something new! I have spent a lot of time in the past week or two learning the score for Annie and prepping to teach it to the cast. Today was my 3rd meeting with the young lady playing the title role and I had to stop and think about why something works. There have been 3 times in my life that I have had that "aha" moment with my own voice and they have all happened while teaching. Sure it is selfish of myself to develop my voice in a lesson that belongs to another person but what can I say... I am a firm believer that "to teach is to learn". I can hear my voice instructors' cries of frustration as the read "3 times" and to them I say, those are "aha" moments. In the studio I feel I have more of the "duh" moments than anything else. Moments where the task at hand is easily solved by something we have already worked on. I am sure that all students have these moments where they are frustrated with an outcome and the instructor is kind enough (most of the time) to gently remind us of the solution and it slaps us in the face and our only option is to say "duh".

I have to constantly remind myself that this young lady doesn't have the training that I am used to working with. Not because she isn't good, but because she has a really great raw talent it is so easy for me to forget that she hasn't been studying for years. And so, I will often be mid-sentence describing how a certain vowel feels on a certain pitch and I have to stop and make sure that she is actually feeling vowels and pitches. I think sometimes we allow the nuts and bolts of singing get in the way of "just singing". If asked to sum up all of the vocal instruction with my current coach it would be "just sing!" My coach is constantly telling me this. If I had a dime, a penny even, for every time she has told me "to just sing" I would be a very wealthy young man and not have to worry about being an actor or a coach.

I enjoy teaching. Last month, at our cast party I taught an impromptu violin lesson. Our host, whose children were in the show, had mentioned on facebook that her son plays violin and her daughter the cello. I had remarked that I wasn't going to leave the party until I heard some violin and she took me seriously. She made her son haul out the violin and play something for me and the teacher in me jumped into overdrive and we had a 30 minute lesson right there. Mind you, it was more like a master class since the remaining guest at the party also took part but it was fun! I have never wanted to teach instruments so I know that it was the amazing training that I received from my strings professor that enabled me to diagnose what I was hearing and correct it. AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE! But alas, I am still just a poor ex-college student working to pay my bills. Well looking for a job to pay my bills. I just applied with Twitter and with a few other places so keep your fingers crossed.

One of those positions is Director of the new center our Fine Arts Institute is opening in a neighboring city. We meet with the city manager tomorrow morning so currently I am doing laundry to look my best. I am listening to My Fair Lady and had forgotten why I love this musical. Such great writing, the orchestrations are spot on, and the performances of Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison are everything one could want from a Doolittle and Higgins. Oh, it is the Broadway album, not the movie that starred Hepburn's body and acting yet Marni Nixon's singing. The orchestrations are phenomenal! They provide just the right amount of drama and pizazz to convince the audience that Harrison's stylized speaking on pitch is singing. I love it! Although, Harrison was not the nicest person during the beginning phases of working with the orchestra; he was constantly complaining that he couldn't hear the melody part. Which I can understand. When you rehearse a musical you only have the piano accompaniment which will sound, on the whole, nothing like the final orchestrations. I remember doing Fiddler a few years back and when we finally put the orchestra and singers together it was a time that I wish I had a video camera. Since we never had a proper sitzprobe (sit and practice) time with the orchestra. We sort of just moved from the rehearsal hall to the theater, read gym, and expected it all to go smoothly... hahahhaha. It took a little bit of extra rehearsal but we got it and it sounded amazing!

I feel that I have rambled on this evening. So I leave you with this thought, "Go see a show!"

The Pajama Game

No, not the musical, my life. I spent the entire day in my pajamas and if this hotel, read my parents house, had room service I never would have left bed today. I've been feeling not well lately but that isn't the reason I didn't want to leave bed; I just didn't feel like it. I felt that today should be one of those lazy days where you spend all day in bed and read. My mother, however, had different plans. So in revolt, I stayed in my pajamas!

I realize, as I crawl into my comfy bed to write this, that I haven't listened to anything "Musical" today. I worked in the main living areas of the house today and did not take my ipod to serenade me. The closest that I came to a musical today was my parody of "Tomorrow" from Annie in which I sang about tortillas! Don't ask me to sing it again because I can't remember how it goes. What a sad day for me. Usually my life is filled with musicals but for some reason today I just didn't feel the urge. I think it has to do with not wanting to get out of bed.

Tomorrow begins another week of working with the cast for Annie. I feel like I cheated them last week since I only worked with them two days last week. The schedule that I created gives both the cast (and myself) Tuesday off and Thursday and Friday I cancelled sessions since I wasn't feeling well. Now off to that great land of slumber and dreams!

I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here

Last night I went to Huck and Candace's house for carrot cake. And it was amazingly delicious! Huck made it from scratch! We sat talking about our current endeavors, Annie and Cemetery Club. After Huck was finished watching the most recent Annie movie we watched the end of "The Fantastics", the 1995 movie version and I don't know how I feel about it yet. I need to watch it from the beginning or maybe just listen to the music.

While converting "A Chorus Line", I discovered playbill from the Original Broadway performances. What a find! I was excited to flip through the pages and see how advertising has changed. The entire back page was a cigarette ad! How amazing. I haven't had time to sit and read the bios and material in the playbill yet but look forward to finding time. Perhaps while I listen to the album...

Spending time with the family this evening. Dinner is almost done. So happy to be able to just sit back and relax and not have to rush around doing things. Although, sister's birthday is coming up and no plans have been made... I feel a very last minute party coming my way.

May I suggest that you all go and listen to "Merrily We Roll Along". I love the song Franklin Shepherd, Inc. great use of word play and orchestrations. I came across it again the other day as I was cleaning my bedroom. I work my way alphabetically through my ipod. I started with "Mermaid" and ended with "Merrily" last night. Cleaning and driving are the only times that I really get to listen to my music and I was pleased with my choices. The best news is that I moved another bookshelf into my room and was able to unpack more boxes that have been stacked in my room for a year; books and records were reunited with their cousins on the shelf and even better than that was that now I can use my piano! I have been playing and singing up a storm... watch out, I am getting ready for big things.

Fever

I am not feeling that great today. My nose has been stuffy for about a week now and today I have serious sore throat issues. So...I cancelled Annie rehearsals for today. I don't believe in getting others sick.

On a happier note, I started (or should say restarted) converting all of my LPs to digital format last night! The first on my stack to convert was "A Little Night Music" the fantastic waltz musical written by Sondheim based on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night. The current revival starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury won't have a cast recording until later in February; until then this recording will have to suffice. One of my favorite songs in the show is "The Miller's Son", sung by Petra the maid, which offers a look at romance in terms not so far from the truth. I would suggest readers to check out Sara Ramirez performing the song on youtube.

More later on "A Little Night Music" but for now I should eat breakfast, get dressed and go pick up my book shelf from my sister's house. It is one of the final steps to completing my bedroom; for at the moment, I have boxes of books and records stacked in my room completely inaccessible for my reading or listening pleasure.

I can cheat the blogosphere

So...If I start a blog today and save it to my drafts then when I finally getting around to posting it the date will appear as the date I started it... not the day that I post it.

The last posting was made today 01/06/10... I started Annie on monday. Not back in December. Just thought that I would clear that up!