Author: theactorvist

I love the Theatre. It's my church. It's my joy. I have been performing in plays and musicals for over half of my life, and I would be lost without it. Now more than ever, people are cutting back on everything that is too expensive or unimportant to their lives. As an actor, heck as a person, I don't know of anything that is more important than the arts. Art reflects history. It shows humanity at its worst but also its best. Every day some artistic program is getting cut from a school or a great show goes unseen. Maybe a talented singer isn't able to audition for American Idol. There are a ton of people who live in the South Bay Area of California, who go unseen or unheard. There are many production companies that are just bursting with talent, but people don't see the shows. I will do my best to bring you interviews with local artists of every kind, send out the call for local companies looking to cast people in productions, and much more. Stay tuned because this is only the beginning.

From Pippin’s Summer of AMAZING to Zombie Prom’s Fall of FUN…

This summer’s experience in “Pippin” was phenomenal.  I find myself constantly looking back at it to glean as much out of it as I possibly can.  I so utterly enjoyed working  closely with director, Allie Bailey, on character and movement choices.  I plan to use this type of method when it comes to JCS (which auditions in two and a half weeks!!!)  I loved talking through little moments in the show to see if there was something we could try to make the moment stick more, for example,  switching the gun in Pippin’s (Sven) hand from holding the barrel back to the butt at a critical moment in the finale was Sven’s brilliant idea.  It was a spectacularly collaborative effort that just made the experience burrow itself deep, deep into my heart with such tender loving fondness.

Photo courtesy of SunnyvalePlayers.org's Facebook page
Photo courtesy of SunnyvalePlayers.org’s Facebook page

But there was no time to truly mourn the end of this show because there was more theatre to be had!

1186268_10152267116058986_596414299_n

This came in the way of the, completely unknown to me, campy little piece called  “Zombie Prom.”  The moral of the story, don’t judge a book by its cover.  The music in this show is so freakin’ crazy hard and WORDY!!  Lawrd, it this show wordy!  There are still lyrics that I can’t quite say.  One would be “What’s your answer? Please speak clearly…”

Now that we have come to my favorite holiday of the year, Halloween, it’s only fitting that we have our first audience for the “Prom.”  We have our final dress rehearsal tonight!  It is so crazy to think just under a month ago, I was finishing up one show and already this one is standing up ready to begin walking.  I know it sounds like I am equating it to children, and in a small, very small, way it is.  The shape of the show and all the elements are there, so it is upright.  To begin performing it, we need an audience, so it would be like taking first steps.  Then, come Opening Night, the show will be running.  Just like a child.  It may even run away from us due to a fire alarm or something.  With all of the funny and all of the cuteness, the story and music are just freakin’ FUN!  I am constantly getting pieces of songs stuck in my head and it drives me bonkers!  My favorite is “There’s nothing like a true blue eh-smoke!” and Kerie does such an amazing job at it!  The cast is so fun and Nate Moss gives such a great performance as Eddie Flagrante.  Jennifer Medeiros plays my favorite character, the cold Miss Strict.   I have to add that character to my bucket list! hahaha.  If RuPaul can play her…

Again, this show is so much fun.  We open officially tomorrow, so I gotta go and practice that lyric!

Get out and see some theatre, will ya?  If you can’t do it because you already have plans,  how about making a donation to this fundrazr campaign.

Until next time,  thanks for reading aaaannnnnnndddd

 

Happy-Halloween

cracked wall textures_04

On Wednesday night, I got a text from my partner saying he was heading to the hospital ER because of stabbing pains in the kidneys.   I was on my way to rehearsal and we open in 8 days.

I had to learn the lesson of “the show must go on.”  I had tried calling three times, but due to the hospitals wireless blockage, there wasn’t a way to get a hold of him.  I had to be as professional as I could and I really felt that, even though the staff said I could head to the hospital, the first rehearsal with the orchestra was important.  I did mention to the stage manager the situation and that I may rush out to take a call.  Every one was super understanding and I was as present as I could possibly be during the sitzprobe.

Now, I know some of you may think that the choice I took was selfish or unloving.  In this type of situation, a performer needs to pull everything together and do the job we are paid to do.  It goes double if there is no understudy for your role.

Thankfully, it is just pneumonia and I say that with the full understanding of how potentially fatal that is.  My relief that he is a fairly healthy middle aged fella and the stats for that age range show a lower risk of death due to illness unless there is some sort of auto-immune disease, like HIV.

It was difficult to sleep through the night but at some point I managed to have a dream.

An aunt that I haven’t seen in ages is basically giving me a tour of her house.  We started off in the backyard where there is a crap ton of wood and cabinets.  It’s a mess but there is a lot of room.  She is showing me all this stuff like “Oh this is where we do this,” very tour-like.  We begin walking inside and she’s just chatting away asking about what I have been up to since we last spoke and tells me her life.  It is the weirdest feeling to know that you are dreaming, and while doing so realize that in the dream you are wondering why she and I are having this conversation.  I don’t know at what point I finally began to notice my surroundings and there was this overwhelming sense of sadness and fear.  The walls were cracked.  There was a layer of dust on everything.  The furniture was run down.  She went to her table and gave me some paperwork and said, “I want you to have this.  To have something.”  She smiled and I was so confused.  I realize that what she is handing me is the paperwork for the house!

Why would you offer your house to someone without explanation?

When I woke up I sat there for a minute at the edge of the bed.  Puzzled.  Somewhere deep inside me, though, knew what this dream was really about.

A home is your stability.  When I got that call, my world had a wake up call.  I am at that point where I know I have to do something other than just settle for my jobs.  It’s time to fight.  It’s time to do as the old showbiz saying goes “Make your own work.”

I have put some ideas on paper and am in the process of figuring out the logistics of how I would work each piece.  So I as I start piecing things together, I am trying to also include the people that I think would suit each project.  You see, I don’t want to just make my own work.  I want to make work that I can do with my friends.

So the research begins.  And I haven’t forgotten that I want to produce a full fledged production of “The Killing Jar.”

I know, I know.  You are probably scratching your head saying “how the hell is there time to do this as well as finish the last three shows I’ve committed to?”  This is where collaborations are going to come in handy.

I have my foundation.  Now it’s time to begin building my “house.”

 

 

Opening Night on a Friday the 13????

This is gonna be scary/fun/exciting/anxiety-filling!!!!  Yes, all of those things rolled into one big night.

255722-250  IT OPENS TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are a multitude of emotions that are zipping through my head right now and ever since I opened my eyes this morning.

I am excited because we get to see what the show is like with people watching and seeing if everything we’ve done works like we are thinking it will.

I am nervous about making sure I’ve got all my cues and props right.  And all the stairs.

I am happy because, in totality, these cast mates of mine and the show staff are a tremendous group of people.  Their onstage ethic is a joy to be around and their off stage personalities and kindnesses have made this process relatively stress-free.  Relatively because I stress myself out.   But I COULD NOT have asked for a better group of people to be on this journey with.

I am anxious because we all know there’s gonna be judgments.  Ben Vereen was a master at this role and he did a magically amazing job.  I am not Ben, so my interpretation is different, but I know there will be those people…  Hell, I am sometimes one.  Sigh…  There’s nothing I can do about it, so I shall say, let the judging commence.   It does help the our music director worked some magic of his own on the show.  You will have to see it to find out what I mean.

I am grateful to the staff for believing that I can pull this off.

I have been asked to explain this show to TONS of people.  It is such a hard thing to do.  But here’s my take on it.

Pippin is trying to find the ONE thing that will be completely fulfilling.  We all know there is no such thing.  We have to put our best into every opportunity we are given which is what the Leading Player provides.  The only thing you can really find fulfilling is looking back on your accomplishments in your twilight years knowing that you were a good person who helped people and set a good example.  In our current age of “Gimme Instant Fame” we forget this.   Does he learn his lesson?  You will have to come and see.   Get your tickets here:  Sunnyvale Players  I think the majority of the Goldstar tickets are sold.  There may be one or two for later in the run.

Because there is SO much to do today, I have to keep this short.

I honestly hope that you do come out and support local theatre.  See a show, even if it isn’t ours.  Support those people on stages that put their hearts and souls into something that affects people.  You are supporting the oldest form of entertainment, storytelling.  Keep this in mind whichever performance you see this weekend.  And now, I shall be off.  After all…

♪♫ We’ve got magic to do, just for you

As we go along… ♩♩♬

Labor Day Reminds Me I Need to Work More…

DownloadedFile

SOOOOoooo… how ya been?  How ya doin’?

August has come and gone and I didn’t even see it fly by.

Today is the first day of September, first time I got to meet with the JCS team, and is going to be the first time the Pippin cast sings with the orchestra.   If it is a sign of things to come for this month, it may be that I spend another month way from writing.  The sad thing is that I have 5 posts that have been started but by the time I sit down to finish them I had forgotten the point I was trying to get across.    Maybe I will still post them just so that way I don’t get into the habit of leaving things undone.  There’s just not enough time in the day!  Gah!

Pippin has been a wild ride of fun, hard work, and happiness.  I have been intimidated by these amazing people.  When they sing, I can only watch in envy.  But envy in a good way.  It makes me want to work harder at getting this music down.  I am sure I have mentioned a million times before that music is the hardest element for me.  I am so thankful that I have the great Aaron Weisberg and Kevin Brownstein helping me with this.  This cast is filled with not only fun and talented people but they are so giving.    The show is all blocked and we have it run-thru ready and we have two weeks before we open.  I am very excited that we are at this point and can only hope that JCS is in such a place when the time comes.

As for Jesus Christ Superstar, we got some things solidified. I got to empty out my brain and talk about my ideas.  I was so nervous and uncomfortable through the whole thing.   I was kind of waiting for people to tell my flat out “no” to some things and no one did! Color me shocked!!  There were definitely some raised eyebrows when I spoke about some of the things.  Along, with those eyebrows, there were some “ooh’s” and to me they sounded like good ones, so I think I am on the right track.

Oh, hahhahaa  “On the Right Track,”   its a Pippin reference!

I am excited to announce that auditions for Jesus Christ Superstar will be held on November 16th and 17th with callbacks on the 18th and 19th.  We (the staff and I) think that having a Saturday and Sunday audition would allow more people the opportunity to attend.  Saturday will be during the early afternoon and on Sunday will be the evening.  Expect email and facebook announcements to be forthcoming.  Those announcements will have more detailed information so keep your eyes peeled for it!

It has been a long first day of September.  Our sitzprobe for Pippin was insane fun. INSANE!  Come out and see the show which opens on Friday the 13th!!! Get your tickets by clicking this link!  Come see the joyful number “No Time At All” and to hear the glorious “Morning Glow.”   Join us for a super fun show!

Don’t forget, JCS auditions in November and Pippin opens on Friday the 13th!  Until next time…