| RENT! |
[Nov. 20th, 2008|05:18 pm] |
I can't believe how much I love the show RENT. It's rather odd, because there are definitely better musicals out there. But the combination of the electric music, familiar characters (of Puccini fame and doubtless borrowed in part from many pieces of literature, both oral and written), and an uplifting message in the face of adversity is just...thrilling!
Last night I saw RENT at the California Theater in San Bernardino. It was their invited dress rehearsal. While many aspects of the show were either unrehearsed or misguided, I loved several of the leads, and I was just so excited to see the show for the first time in about 3 1/2 years. My friend Jay absolutely rocked as Benny, the friend-gone-out-of-touch landlord of squatters in a particular alphabet city building. In fact, I liked him better than ANY of the Benny's I have seen on tours or bwy.
Unfortunately for the cast, the director clearly was unable to convey (or missed for himself...or both) the important messages of the show. Several of the actors, who appeared barely out of high school, looked almost detached from the show. They just didn't seem to understand the plight of this ragtag community...the NYers in the show were just a microcosm of all the frightened Americans dealing with the AIDS crisis and all its full ramifications. The actors looked more like they were in a staged reading of a period piece with the exception of a precious few acting moments. The staging was incredibly confusing (focus was thrown ALL over the place...except for where it needed to be). I was told they had just reblocked most of the show. I think they need to do that again...
The worst moment came at the crux of Act Two, right after Collins announces (regarding Angel) "It's over." The director actually staged the weighty reprise of "I'll Cover You" with Collins down center (correct...) but Angel spending half of the song walking off stage by a circuitous route that involved walking upstage, up the "Out Tonight" stairs, and slowly across the top level of the set. How INCREDIBLY distracting! This moment is supposed to be the most raw and personal moment for any character in the entire show, and to have the whole set brightly lit with a character that is supposed to have just "left" walking around was an example of shameful misdirection.
The vocal direction of the cast was pretty good (great ensemble singing!), but the band sounded like they couldn't be bothered to learn the whole score. Favorite moment: the music director, could not play the opening chords of "Seasons of Love" in the correct rhythm, and he seemed to be concentrating really hard on the music stand in front of him. Had he NEVER heard the song before? Also the ensemble was horridly misbalanced with itself...lead guitar was mostly inaudible for the show, and the drums were alternately too loud or far too quiet. The ends of several songs just petered out, notably "What You Own" and "Out Tonight," which are, to be frank, supposed to end with a bang! Standing out against the band problems, the vocal mixing of the show was fantastic, which impressed me to no end. That show is a MESS vocally, and I can't believe a single mixer was able to handle it and make it sound right. Never, in the two tours and three times I saw it on broadway, did I hear it better mixed. Fortunately, it being a dress rehearsal, I was able to pass along compliments to the man who actually performed that job.
Performances were energetic...I thought Mimi held many of the most difficult moments of the show. Roger was, as usual for RENT, a bit of an overactor when it came to Mimi's near death. I think he was also quite young, so maybe he just hasn't tapped in to the reality of the show. Joanne was truly enjoyable and had phenomenal vocal chops to back up her sass! Also, Maureen's "Over The Moon" was absolutely spot-on at capturing the ridiculousness of some performance artists...she had the audience sucking from her udder!
Ok, so this became an entire review! Overall, I believe that if you like the show you should go see it and get your fix. If you've never seen it before, I'd wait for another production that gets more than two weeks of rehearsal! |
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| i love... |
[Nov. 3rd, 2008|04:03 pm] |
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...ugly betty! i am catching up on season 2 right now (nope, I haven't seen anything from this year!). The reality is heightened to the point that every little detail is SO interesting...it's my favorite kind of show. Just sayin'. |
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| life changes! |
[Nov. 2nd, 2008|06:13 pm] |
So my life has really been morphing in full swing over the last few weeks...I only have one show left as music director before I stop playing piano for money next year. I'm really excited about this decision, because it will allow me to play because I enjoy it...and allow me to work more as a singer. I think at this point it's safe to say that more people know me as only a pianist and music director than know me as either a singer or a singer/pianist. It has made me rather confused in my career identity, because, as I see it, I really am a singer first. That's where my training is and that's where my heart lies.
Which leads me to the next point in life-morphing...mainly, I am possibly going to move to NYC next year. I have preliminarily set myself up to move as early as late February, although it might end up happening in the summer. I feel like I will be allowed sort of a fresh start if I am in a different geographic location (although I realize I am virtually starting from square one again by moving away from all my best contacts). I am actually hoping to work as a temp first, just so I can acclimate back to NYC living and have a bit of time in the city before I audition to be gone working across the country. At least, that's the goal =)
So here it is...I am taking a trip to NYC on Jan 7 thru 12 to see if it's really where I want to be. I don't know if I can ever truly be satisfied with only one side of the U.S., but I do love to travel, experience vibrant city life and work in musical theatre, so I am really hoping that NYC feels right in January. But if the economy is actually tanked at that point and I don't think I'll even be able to get a temp job, I will probably stay in California for a year or two.
One other important factor is that one of my best friends is moving down to Southern California next year, and I think it would be a shame to leave right as she's coming in (although I guess I could easily pass work on to her!).
I also recently decided to give dating a try again after a three year hiatus, so i joined Match.com...I don't really see this as a problem since I am not actually sure of what my future holds. And who is, really? I guess the sum of all this life-changing is that I am not sure where I'll be in February, but I am sure that life will be exciting, whether I like it or not ;-) |
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| call it a "bailout" or what you want... |
[Oct. 1st, 2008|12:15 am] |
...does anyone else think it's more than a little ridiculous that lawmakers have to clean up the mess created by everyone who overextended themselves financially? i expect heads to roll when the full scope of this debacle becomes clear. I don't think that's happened yet. And I don't think the blame lies solely with the people on top.
My tax dollars can be put to a lot more meaningful uses than a war waged by liars on other liars...not to mention funding yet MORE liars to help extend credit to ignorant Americans who want to play house like it's 1955 and pretend that it's "responsible" to bulldoze half the earth to fit a yard with a white picket fence around their McMansion. Thank you for playing, your time is over. Forever.
I don't think I could create a work of fiction with a more backwards-looking, gun-toting, not-in-my-backyard, i'll-only-listen-to-you-if-i-agree-with-you, obstinate, and thoroughly selfish group of individuals than "my fellow Americans." At least, Americans according to the media owned by, what, a half dozen people? Where are all the heroes-in-waiting with the bright ideas, with community-minded civilians sporting plans of action? Just because an idea can't be reduced to a sound byte does not mean it is idealistic and unreasonable.
Maybe it was our former optimism in our nation that concocted this toxic brew pouring over the edges of our rusted cup, but I think renewed optimism in humanity might possess an equal--and opposite--force that can rescue us from ourselves.
At least, I want to believe that. |
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| this thing is dead! |
[Sep. 22nd, 2008|09:42 pm] |
I don't know when the last time I posted was, but it's certainly been a while. You can thank Facebook for that, since it invites me to "update" with sentence-long "status" phrases. I guess it's all part of the grand scheme of things, where we are brought full circle in communication from our cave days and can once again only express feelings like "me hungry now" and "me go sleep!" Anyone else notice this trend?
Life is crazy, as usual, but for a change, I'm officially taking a hiatus from all jobs as a pianist or music director starting at the end of January '09. It's going to last at least until January '10. My initial motivation was to get back on stage performing (and perhaps find some other career that I enjoy...that actually pays money), but that drive has recently been eclipsed by *drumroll* TENDENTITIS!
Yeah, I'm 26 and am losing function in both my hands and wrists. It's ridiculous, but I think it has something to do with the 30+ shows I've done in the last two years and with working 40-80 hours a week behind a piano. Not to mention, half the shows I do have pianos that are either hard to play or are in awkward positions that probably exacerbate what would otherwise be mild discomfort.
Of course, maybe I should stop typing on a laptop too =)
Anyhow, my last shows will be Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Norris (opening Friday), The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood (playing end of Oct thru early Dec) and conducting Big River (in January). And of course the Knott's Berry Farm Calico Saloon Show...not sure when my last week will be. I'll miss that! |
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| jule styne |
[Apr. 30th, 2008|03:41 am] |
For the record, I can't sleep right now, so what better way to pass the time than to write away on livejournal, right?
So, I've become a huge fan of Jule Styne, composer of shows like Funny Girl, Gypsy, and, apparently, the Mysterious Christmas of Red Riding Hood (?!) which I'm music directing in the fall.
The first song I have in my score is a happy new year wish. I'm already a fan, because that's one of my favorite holidays (odd? yes!).
Also, the score they gave me to peruse is printed vertically on legal size paper, which is just funny because I have to put a tall book behind it to prop it up on my keyboard music stand. Oh, the nine o'clock players!
Umm, okay, that's my train of thought for the moment, but stay tuned...if the insomnia continues, so will the posting... |
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| VACATION! |
[Apr. 23rd, 2008|12:13 am] |
So, after months and months of working with something like 5 total days off, I am finally on vacation for almost six full days. AMAZING!
Vegas tomorrow...staying at the Wynn. I plan on taking pictures!
Ciao!! |
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| new schedule |
[Jan. 8th, 2008|04:47 pm] |
...and once again my sleeping schedule has shifted several hours in another direction! Now I get up at 6:30am so I can leave for Hollywood by 7:30 (my rehearsals start at 9:30, so usually I end up there REALLY early). I have jet lag...or "holiday lag" I guess.
I have really been enjoying working with the Assistance League (I'm MD'ing ALADDIN for them). Really great ladies, very talented, and all of them completely volunteering their time. Amazing! And it's a blast to be working with Richard Israel as a director (he produced ZANNA last summer) since we get along so famously.
Also, looks like I'm doing the Music Man concert with MTW and the LB Symphony Pops next Saturday the 19th of January. If you're reading this, you should come! I have NO IDEA what I'm doing but I'm sure I'll know by the 18th ;-) Love it.
That's my mini update. Off to VONS! |
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| 2008 |
[Jan. 1st, 2008|07:43 pm] |
This year I will not sell myself short in any jobs or do a lot of "favors" for little or no money. Oh, and I am going to cook at least one good dinner a week. Tonight it's filipino night! =)
If anyone's around and wants to join me for a weekly dinner, let me know when's good for you! I'm trying lots of new dishes. |
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| updates? what? |
[Dec. 18th, 2007|10:18 pm] |
| [ | music |
| | Something from the Enchanted Soundtrack | ] |
without looking at the history of my journal, i'm going to take a gander that this is the longest reprieve I have ever taken from this blog. not that i need to apologize for it, because 95% of the point of livejournal (so far as i understand) is to entertain ourselves ;-)
christmas caroling Season Three is wrapping up (no pun intended on gift wrap...or was it) with plenty of busy nights at the Five Crowns restaurant, the Summit House restaurant, Disneyland and Knott's...not to mention the ubiquitous private parties galore, and my day job of christmas shows at the Farm. It has been another crazy season like last year (after which of course i vowed to never hold a day job and carol at the same time...good thing i keep vows, right?), so I really can't wait to wrap it up and be done with Christmas for a good eight months. I'm sorry I never told anyone when they could come see me carol this year - that's completely my fault for not being on top of my own schedule, and if I do carol again next year I'll be sure to publicize my location a little bit better.
I am hopelessly behind on shopping for gifts this year (again, status quo!), so I have thought a lot about selfishly creating a new holiday that falls around January 11th when I can actually give presents to everyone after putting some thought into WHAT they should be =) Every year I tell myself that I should probably just come up with something more creative, but something I have learned recently is that creativity takes a LOT of brainpower. And that's not something I have to spare in December =) Or any other month, according to some sources haha
Umm...thinking "out loud" here, anyone want to take a fun vacation next year? I was supposed to be taking a few in the next few months, but it seems almost impossible with my schedule and finances right now (I've been pretty tied up paying for my music equipment that I bought earlier in the year for Zanna). So theoretically my next vacation might not be until 2009. But I'm still taking suggestions. It can't hurt to dream!
That's all I have for now. Peace, yo =) |
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