It's been a crazy week. I'm seriously getting tired from all the work we're doing!
Ballet and jazz were today. One of the girls was gone in our jazz dance class, so the teacher needed someone else to fill into her spot with another group, as the "swing." For some reason, he picked me! But it was really fun to work with a new group and try to adjust to their dynamics. Plus I got a bit more exercise in. Always good.
Went up in Musical Scene Study with a scene from Little Women. We made half the class cry. =D it was a really good run, although we did miss a few key details for the scene. But now that we know them, we can fix it and it'll be even better.
Saw Ruined tonight. It was an amazing play. Just won the Pulitzer Prize, and I can see why. Great performances, good script, strong actors (apparently one guy went to USC! Yay!), and overall just a powerful experience. And even though I wasn't in the mood before the show for something that was slightly dark, in the end it didn't matter, because it was amazing.
Showing posts with label cap 21. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cap 21. Show all posts
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I don't think "busy" quite covers it...
Just a quick update, because I don't have the time-or energy-to get too detailed.
CAP21 is keeping me super busy! Our teachers keep emphasizing how crazy this program, and they aren't kidding. We're in class from 10-6 every day, and then I'm often staying a little late for rehearsals, and then grabbing dinner... needless to say, I'm often not back until 8pm or later. And then practicing and memorizing etc... It's crazy! But an awesome fun. The staff is amazing and know everything and everybody! And New York is seriously the center for all things theatre-related. I didn't realize how different it would be from LA, comparing theatre to film and things like that. It'll be weird to go back...
But anyway, today we had tap class (which is the biggest workout ever. I can get through ballet and jazz pretty easily, but after tap my heart's beating so fast!) Though I can also prove that I'm getting stronger: the first day, we, as a class, barely had the energy to get through the beginning warm-up of shuffles and flaps. Now, it's pretty easy! (I'm NOT saying that I'm doing it right though... But it's getting easier!)
Vocal tech is a great class, even though I seem to have a coughing fit every time we have that class. Our teacher does a great job of working with each individual. I feel like I'm learning so much in that class, even though I'm not 100% sure exactly what I'm learning. I just know I'm learning something!
We're starting new songs in vocal performance. My next piece is "It's a Perfect Relationship" from Bells are Ringing. I decided I wanted to work on something comedic and fun, especially since all my pieces lately have been really dark and intense. I want to make this song funny, but I have to do it in a way that makes it organic and not forced!
And for acting, we had our final performances of our first set of scenes. I was doing a scene from Mary Stuart, in which I played Elizabeth I. It's such an intense scene, but our last performance of it went pretty well!! We had been rehearsing outdoors in the park, since that's where the scene takes place, so doing the performance indoors was almost jarringly different. But I'm pleased with our final performance. And I think our teacher was pleased. She said we had lots of vocal dynamics and acted on the line, which is good for scenes like these, which are very wordy and flowery. It's the kind of thing we'd need to do for Shakespeare, which I'm assuming people know better than Mary Stuart! =) Anyway, now that I've finished that scene, I'm excited to see it on Broadway. I've heard amazing things about that production.
After classes we went to the Drama Bookshop and I got a couple of plays--the script for my next scene and a play adaptation of The Joy Luck Club. I can play a Chinese girl... right? =) I figure that'll be a good thing to have. And I liked the book! But I really like that store. It's filled to the brim with plays and sheet music collections and other books about acting and productions. Too bad they close at 7 each night... seems so early!
Anyway, I must now go to sleep. Or pick a song to use for my Audition tech class. We'll see...
CAP21 is keeping me super busy! Our teachers keep emphasizing how crazy this program, and they aren't kidding. We're in class from 10-6 every day, and then I'm often staying a little late for rehearsals, and then grabbing dinner... needless to say, I'm often not back until 8pm or later. And then practicing and memorizing etc... It's crazy! But an awesome fun. The staff is amazing and know everything and everybody! And New York is seriously the center for all things theatre-related. I didn't realize how different it would be from LA, comparing theatre to film and things like that. It'll be weird to go back...
But anyway, today we had tap class (which is the biggest workout ever. I can get through ballet and jazz pretty easily, but after tap my heart's beating so fast!) Though I can also prove that I'm getting stronger: the first day, we, as a class, barely had the energy to get through the beginning warm-up of shuffles and flaps. Now, it's pretty easy! (I'm NOT saying that I'm doing it right though... But it's getting easier!)
Vocal tech is a great class, even though I seem to have a coughing fit every time we have that class. Our teacher does a great job of working with each individual. I feel like I'm learning so much in that class, even though I'm not 100% sure exactly what I'm learning. I just know I'm learning something!
We're starting new songs in vocal performance. My next piece is "It's a Perfect Relationship" from Bells are Ringing. I decided I wanted to work on something comedic and fun, especially since all my pieces lately have been really dark and intense. I want to make this song funny, but I have to do it in a way that makes it organic and not forced!
And for acting, we had our final performances of our first set of scenes. I was doing a scene from Mary Stuart, in which I played Elizabeth I. It's such an intense scene, but our last performance of it went pretty well!! We had been rehearsing outdoors in the park, since that's where the scene takes place, so doing the performance indoors was almost jarringly different. But I'm pleased with our final performance. And I think our teacher was pleased. She said we had lots of vocal dynamics and acted on the line, which is good for scenes like these, which are very wordy and flowery. It's the kind of thing we'd need to do for Shakespeare, which I'm assuming people know better than Mary Stuart! =) Anyway, now that I've finished that scene, I'm excited to see it on Broadway. I've heard amazing things about that production.
After classes we went to the Drama Bookshop and I got a couple of plays--the script for my next scene and a play adaptation of The Joy Luck Club. I can play a Chinese girl... right? =) I figure that'll be a good thing to have. And I liked the book! But I really like that store. It's filled to the brim with plays and sheet music collections and other books about acting and productions. Too bad they close at 7 each night... seems so early!
Anyway, I must now go to sleep. Or pick a song to use for my Audition tech class. We'll see...
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
First 2 Days of Class
First two days of class, and I'm already exhausted. It's going to be a loooong summer... a good long though!
Vocal Tech: basically all about the technique of singing. It's a small class, only 8 of us, which is nice. It wasn't superbly exciting, but I feel like it's going to be extremely useful, especially for stuff that I'm not sure if I'm singing correctly or not. She actually told me that I was one of the few who was using breath correctly for belting, which was exciting, but obviously I can do more. The weirdest part for that class is the stuff she asked us to bring in--gauze, a mini-flashlight, and a small mirror. I found gauze and a mirror at the drugstore yesterday, but I'm still looking for the flashlight...
Tap 3: Somehow I got into Tap 3 (there are 4 levels total for the dance classes), so I'm glad I went to the placement for that class. I have it with Sophie, and OHMYGOODNESS after only one class I was totally exhausted and all shiny with lovely sweat. It's such a workout. We pretty much spent 45 minutes straight tapping a variety of combinations across the floor. And tomorrow we work on timesteps and learn the beginning of 42nd Street. This is, so far, definitely the hardest class. But it's kind of fun too. (Yay!)
Vocal Performance: So far, it's a lot like Parmer's class during the year--acting out the song, using his 10 Basic Questions (or "The One" and "The Two", as we did with Parmer) to create circumstances for ourselves. I've been assigned to work on "Someone to Watch Over Me," which I've already sung (for Parmer's class, actually!), but I like it so I don't mind.
Acting: It was very interesting. We talked a lot about ourselves and our training, then did a yoga-based warm-up to center ourselves. After that, a few people went up and did some basic improvs. I'm not sure how I feel about this class yet, but once we get our scene assignments I think I'll be more excited. It just seems a lot like what I've done in Acting 101 and 252ab, which is great repetition of the techniques, so that's good. And the strange thing is, this and my Vocal Performance class, as well as Musical Scene Study, is the same group of people--all girls. Not one guy. Sophie and Rachel are both in it with me. Everyone seems pretty friendly, so it should be good. I'm looking forward to working together!
That was yesterday. Today, we started with Ballet. The teacher called me out on not wearing a leotard and tights (but of course, the only leotard I have right now is skin tone and back at home! So I'm making a Capezio's run this weekend... When my mom comes to visit. She gets to pay for me, hehehe!!). She said she was treating it like a complete beginner class (and it's level 2). At first I thought, well I've taken ballet, so what's the point? But it's good because we're all on the same page, and she's very specific about how she wants the technique. And she was helping me, giving adjustments, but in a positive manner. So as much as I love ballet (....) I'm actually looking forward to working the form. It seems like it's going to be a legit class, unlike so many of the ballet classes I've taken before.
Jazz 2: We also did a long introduction about ourselves, then did a long warm up (which included both push ups and sit ups--ick!) and a few across-the-floors. That class seems really friendly, and everyone seemed nice. We also reviewed our audition routine.
Musical Scene Study: I was particularly looking forward to this class, because I want to work on acting that is bigger than the acting I'm working on at USC. And it's cool, because it sounds like we'll be doing the scenes into songs, possibly duets with others. Our teacher is super friendly and nice, and I really liked her. We all did selections from classical musicals to "introduce" our voices. I had Cain't Say No and Mister Snow both ready... Then when someone didn't have a contemporary song ready, she had them do part of Cain't Say No! Of course. But they stopped right where my cut began, so I thought it was an appropriate transition. And then, when I mentioned I had a soprano range too, she had me sing the last page of Mister Snow, just to show off the high notes. So we'll see what I'm assigned for that class. I really liked it though, and I'm excited for that class.
Business of Theatre: The required class about things all working actors should know: about agencies, management, Equity, networking, and more. Boring stuff, but extremely important things to know. A lot of things we mentioned today sounded familiar, because of the books I've read and that event that TSA put on end of last semester, where a casting director came in and gave a lot of information. But a lot of the stuff I don't know, so while I'm not excited for it, I'm really glad it's offered.
And that's it for classes! I spent yesterday evening running errands, on foot (owie!!), and tonight I relaxed, watched TV, attempted to buy a mini-flashlight but failed... I went to Washington Square Park, since it's literally just outside the building, and watched some guys play chess. It's amazing how fast they were moving those chess pieces, and watching them think! I felt like I was in that old Pixar short film, except way cooler. And the people watching were pretty friendly, because a few people had questions and some other people answered them, no sweat. I know nothing about chess, so I had nothing to say. Then I sat by the fountain and read on a park bench for about half an hour, until it got too cold, and I went back to the dorm. On the way in I saw some people watching So You Think You Can Dance, so I joined them, which was entertaining. I think there was more conversation about the show than actually watching it, but it was cool. And one girl I met is taking another acting conservatory in NYC, which was cool, and she's roommates with someone in my program! And then I came up here, and wrote this out.
Now it is time for me to do my homework for tomorrow (yes, homework. I'm back at school, I swear! We get a syllabus and assignments and everything) and figure out the recording device I bought last night. Bye all!
Vocal Tech: basically all about the technique of singing. It's a small class, only 8 of us, which is nice. It wasn't superbly exciting, but I feel like it's going to be extremely useful, especially for stuff that I'm not sure if I'm singing correctly or not. She actually told me that I was one of the few who was using breath correctly for belting, which was exciting, but obviously I can do more. The weirdest part for that class is the stuff she asked us to bring in--gauze, a mini-flashlight, and a small mirror. I found gauze and a mirror at the drugstore yesterday, but I'm still looking for the flashlight...
Tap 3: Somehow I got into Tap 3 (there are 4 levels total for the dance classes), so I'm glad I went to the placement for that class. I have it with Sophie, and OHMYGOODNESS after only one class I was totally exhausted and all shiny with lovely sweat. It's such a workout. We pretty much spent 45 minutes straight tapping a variety of combinations across the floor. And tomorrow we work on timesteps and learn the beginning of 42nd Street. This is, so far, definitely the hardest class. But it's kind of fun too. (Yay!)
Vocal Performance: So far, it's a lot like Parmer's class during the year--acting out the song, using his 10 Basic Questions (or "The One" and "The Two", as we did with Parmer) to create circumstances for ourselves. I've been assigned to work on "Someone to Watch Over Me," which I've already sung (for Parmer's class, actually!), but I like it so I don't mind.
Acting: It was very interesting. We talked a lot about ourselves and our training, then did a yoga-based warm-up to center ourselves. After that, a few people went up and did some basic improvs. I'm not sure how I feel about this class yet, but once we get our scene assignments I think I'll be more excited. It just seems a lot like what I've done in Acting 101 and 252ab, which is great repetition of the techniques, so that's good. And the strange thing is, this and my Vocal Performance class, as well as Musical Scene Study, is the same group of people--all girls. Not one guy. Sophie and Rachel are both in it with me. Everyone seems pretty friendly, so it should be good. I'm looking forward to working together!
That was yesterday. Today, we started with Ballet. The teacher called me out on not wearing a leotard and tights (but of course, the only leotard I have right now is skin tone and back at home! So I'm making a Capezio's run this weekend... When my mom comes to visit. She gets to pay for me, hehehe!!). She said she was treating it like a complete beginner class (and it's level 2). At first I thought, well I've taken ballet, so what's the point? But it's good because we're all on the same page, and she's very specific about how she wants the technique. And she was helping me, giving adjustments, but in a positive manner. So as much as I love ballet (....) I'm actually looking forward to working the form. It seems like it's going to be a legit class, unlike so many of the ballet classes I've taken before.
Jazz 2: We also did a long introduction about ourselves, then did a long warm up (which included both push ups and sit ups--ick!) and a few across-the-floors. That class seems really friendly, and everyone seemed nice. We also reviewed our audition routine.
Musical Scene Study: I was particularly looking forward to this class, because I want to work on acting that is bigger than the acting I'm working on at USC. And it's cool, because it sounds like we'll be doing the scenes into songs, possibly duets with others. Our teacher is super friendly and nice, and I really liked her. We all did selections from classical musicals to "introduce" our voices. I had Cain't Say No and Mister Snow both ready... Then when someone didn't have a contemporary song ready, she had them do part of Cain't Say No! Of course. But they stopped right where my cut began, so I thought it was an appropriate transition. And then, when I mentioned I had a soprano range too, she had me sing the last page of Mister Snow, just to show off the high notes. So we'll see what I'm assigned for that class. I really liked it though, and I'm excited for that class.
Business of Theatre: The required class about things all working actors should know: about agencies, management, Equity, networking, and more. Boring stuff, but extremely important things to know. A lot of things we mentioned today sounded familiar, because of the books I've read and that event that TSA put on end of last semester, where a casting director came in and gave a lot of information. But a lot of the stuff I don't know, so while I'm not excited for it, I'm really glad it's offered.
And that's it for classes! I spent yesterday evening running errands, on foot (owie!!), and tonight I relaxed, watched TV, attempted to buy a mini-flashlight but failed... I went to Washington Square Park, since it's literally just outside the building, and watched some guys play chess. It's amazing how fast they were moving those chess pieces, and watching them think! I felt like I was in that old Pixar short film, except way cooler. And the people watching were pretty friendly, because a few people had questions and some other people answered them, no sweat. I know nothing about chess, so I had nothing to say. Then I sat by the fountain and read on a park bench for about half an hour, until it got too cold, and I went back to the dorm. On the way in I saw some people watching So You Think You Can Dance, so I joined them, which was entertaining. I think there was more conversation about the show than actually watching it, but it was cool. And one girl I met is taking another acting conservatory in NYC, which was cool, and she's roommates with someone in my program! And then I came up here, and wrote this out.
Now it is time for me to do my homework for tomorrow (yes, homework. I'm back at school, I swear! We get a syllabus and assignments and everything) and figure out the recording device I bought last night. Bye all!
Monday, June 29, 2009
First 2 Days in NY
Well, I can officially call myself a New Yorker.
Not really. But in the last 2 days, I managed to get stuck in major parade-created traffic, get forced out (sorta) of my dorm room, watch an (off?)-Broadway show, take the subway several times (successfully!!) and, oh yeah—go to CAP21.
But let’s begin with yesterday. My day started at 6:30, when I woke up, got dressed, packed up a few final things, and drove with Dad to SFO. We get to the airport no problem, and I get through security and all that pretty quick. Then I grabbed a breakfast sandwich from the food place and wait for the airplane to start boarding people.
Random: the hand dryers in the SFO bathrooms are so cool! They’re like the traditional hand dryer, but instead of a big fan, you stick your hands in a little machine and, as you slowly drag them out, a “blade” of really fast air blasts at your fingers. Sounds strange in writing, but it was cool.
Anyway, I got on the airplane in what must be the family section, especially since I’m seated right next to this little boy. Now, I know what you’re thinking—uh oh, crying baby time! But I was pretty lucky, because he was, for the most part, pretty quiet. Sure, he shuffled around and talked a little too loudly and watched TV on his daddy’s laptop without headphones, but it wasn’t too bad. And the other little kids weren’t horrible. No more than half an hour of wailing, I’d guess.
The plane wasn’t as cool as I thought it’d be. The entertainment system got old really fast, though it was pretty cool using the touch screen to order my food. I didn’t want to pay for movies, and the little games were pretty lame. There was TV, but it didn’t list what was playing at the different times, and I’ve definitely been spoiled by TiVo and not-TiVo. So I watched a lot of Law and Order: SVU, since it was on reruns on USA, and America’s Next Top Model, on Oxygen. Both were on reruns.
Now, yes, I did try to sleep, I promise! But I didn’t get much, maybe an hour at most. I was just too easily distracted. Add that to the four and a half hours of sleep I’d gotten from the post-alumni show dinner, and I was pretty fatigued. Oddly enough, though, I didn’t feel terribly tired. I just was pretty low energy.
I did eat a steak sandwich, after picking out the veggies. It was surprisingly decent. I also had an Airborned water bottle, a mini-water bottle (plain), and a Coke. But that’s it.
5 hours later we land at JFK, and I take my time getting out of the terminal. I get my luggage quickly and found the Ground Transportation desk, where I “called” SuperShuttle to get picked up. 20 minutes+1 phone call home later, the guy gets me and we get on the shuttle.
Now here’s where it got sticky. It’s about 5:30, and he still has to pick up a bunch of other people in the (huge!!) airport. I need to check in before 8pm, or else call ahead and explain that I’ll be late. We get all our people by 6, and I’m hoping to be in by 7. I figure, worst case, once 7:30 runs around I’ll call them and say I might be late.
Well I forgot about traffic, and now it’s 7:30. We only have 3 of the 9 people left, so I’m hoping he’ll drop me off before 8pm. But when he doesn’t, and it’s 7:45, I try to call NYU Summer Housing. Sadly, I don’t have the number for the specific dorm, and the general office is closed. So I call Mom and Dad frantically and finally get the number (thanks Dad!!). The receptionist tells me that if I come in after 8, the security guard will let me in. It might be the unconventional way, but it will work.
The driver guy takes a bunch of side streets, because the Pride Parade is taking over the major streets, but we finally get there at 8:15. Hooray! I go inside and am greeted by a very crabby-looking security guard. When I tell her I’m there to check in, she says that the security guards can’t. Which is when I start to panic. Does this mean I have no place to stay for the night?!? But she calls down an RA, who gets me the forms I need.
Or does she? Because she can’t find the key. And she’s looking around the office but she can’t find my little envelope with room 406 on it. And she can’t find a spare. Apparently the people who lived in that room last never returned the key. Perfect. She actually finds the receptionist (or whoever runs the check in’s etc) and they talk, and they give me an option. Either they find me another room for the night, just so I can get some sleep and put my (extremely heavy!) backpack down, or they’ll use the 4th floor master key to let me in, and then hopefully my roommate will let me back in, should I choose to leave (which I planned to do—I desperately needed food!). At this point, I was really frustrated, so I said I didn’t care. So they brought me up to the room and unlocked the door.
Except… for some reason, the door wouldn’t unlock. So she bangs on the door loudly for a while. After what seems like an eternity, an Asian girl in PJs and bushy hair opens the door. She was probably asleep. I walk in, the RA still behind me. The room is strange. It enters straight into the bedroom, with a hallway in the back and then another room behind this one. As in, anytime someone wants to go to the back room/bathroom, they have to go in the first room. Sounds like a complete lack of privacy!
It gets better. This sleepy girl tells us that there aren’t any empty beds; that the room is full. At this point, I’m so tired and frustrated that I barely can think. We walk into the hallway, and I stay there while the RA gets the binders with all the information. Turns out that one of the girls extended her stay, and only half the stuff was updated. I’m listed for being checked in a week early (which is bizarre, since I’m definitely not), and I’m listed for room 1716. We make our way downstairs, where another girl is now at the reception desk and she gets me a key to the room. And I make my way up the elevators.
I open the door to 1716 and find 2 open beds. 1 is a bunk. My roommate Elise’s already there, apparently has been for at least a week. I am beyond relieved, you have no idea!!! I start to unpack, then call home. Then I realize I desperately need food, so Elise and I walk to a quick hot-dog store and I grab a hot dog, fries and a mango drink. Apparently the restaurant is famous-was in Sex and the City or something-and the food isn’t bad. The hot dog is a little small, and by the time I eat the fries they’re a little cold, but the mango drink is sweet and cool. We go back to the dorm to eat, and then I finish unpacking. It takes me forever to set up my computer, since the Ethernet cable only works with half the phone connections—there is 1 phone line and 1 data line on each phone connector thing—and one of them is broken while the other is in use. But I set it up, get my computer registered (took a while, though), and am now connected to the internet! Hooray!!
After that, I quickly review my audition material for the next day, and go to sleep. I set my alarm for 7:00, so that I can have plenty of time to shower and eat breakfast before I get to CAP21 at 9AM.
Well… I couldn’t get to sleep. And my alarm clock either didn’t go off, or I turned it off or something, because next thing I know it’s 8:30 and I’m in major panic mode. I take the shortest shower ever (less than 5 minutes) because I feel gross from the airplane and I need clean hair for an audition!! Then I walk as fast as I can to CAP21, without stopping for food. Which was really, really stupid.
I get to CAP21 and go up the elevator. I’m a little late, but it’s actually not a huge deal. I change into my (really baggy) dance pants and sit in “The Shop,” which is one of the studio rooms. I find Sophie and Rachel, which was a relief, and fill out some paperwork and listen to some orientation blahdeblah. Then we start the dance audition—sorry, “placement” tests.
The combinations are actually really easy. Fast sways, chaînes, grapevines, a pirouette. It was just crazy-fast. And I’m running on empty. I have to mark it a bit during the reviews. I’m not hungry, actually, but I think it’s because I’m beyond hunger. I’m just drained.
The ballet and jazz placements were first, and then those who said they had No Tap got to leave. I said I’d had tap (which I did! I swear!), so we did that. It was surprisingly easy—flaps, ball changes, and time steps. Now, I’m not saying I did the steps well, but I got the basics, at least. But then we had to do something called a rolling shuffle, which looked easy but was rather challenging. I think I managed not to make a huge fool out of myself though, thankfully. I got at least 4 mostly-correct, mostly-in time rolling shuffles in, out of 16. That may sound lame, but it was actually pretty good. Some people in that room weren’t very good. (It was the beginner’s room, so I’m not trying to be rude—I’m just trying to be honest.)
We finished, and Sophie, Rachel and I went to this overpriced bakery place down the street. It was actually quite good. I had catfish, broccoli, watermelon and honeydew. It felts good to have something healthy, especially after all that dance. Then I walked back home, since the singing/acting placement wasn’t for 2 more hours.
I get back and change into a slightly better outfit, then run to the music practice room and review my music. I was planning on singing Cain’t Say No and Meadowlark, but I realized that I just didn’t have the belt to finish Meadowlark, so I traded it for Mister Snow. It worked out that way—Cain’t Say No showed off the belt, and Mister Snow showed off the soprano. And I reviewed my monologue, which I put together from my scene in my Acting 252b class with Beth. Considering the time constraint, it would have to do.
Walked back to CAP21 and got there 15 minutes early. Once they called my name, I went in and showed the pianist exactly where I wanted to start. He told me they’d probably cut me off, so I eliminated the patter-ness of the songs and went straight into the refrains. I started with the monologue, which went well, and they seemed interested in watching. I almost wish this were an actual audition—they were so friendly and nice! Then Cain’t Say No. I got through the whole cut. I got through the first half of Mister Snow—not the best part, but it was fine. Then they asked me a few questions about where I was from and where I was staying, and then I left!
I knew I was going to have to take the subway when I went to The Wiz with Sophie and Rachel, so I took a practice ride down to my dorm. (It’s apparently the same amount of time to walk between CAP21 and my dorm as it is to take the subway. BUT it’s a lot less walking… ;D) I got in OK, took a little while as I got confused between the F train to Coney Island Exp vs… well, one without the Exp. But I got on it fine, and got off on the very next stop (naturally). Found my way back by recognizing the stores we passed when we got dinner the night before, then went back to the room to find directions on getting to The Wiz and unpacking the small amount of groceries that I’d purchased before getting on the subway (Special K bars, a Campbells microwavable soup, salted almonds… and Oreos. =D)
Before leaving for The Wiz, I stopped at the hot dog store again. This time I got 2 hot dogs, and the guy at the register was calling me “pretty lady” and said I had a “beautiful smile.” It was very nice and almost embarrassing!! But then I got on the subway, headed Uptown, and managed to grab a seat for myself. Then I got off at the correct stop and proceeded to get myself to the theatre.
It was 6:10. I’d left really early, just in case I got lost, so I arrived 20 minutes before I thought I’d meet Sophie and Rachel. Luckily, I brought a book. Unfortunately, I was on the last 10 pages. I finished within 10 minutes, so I just sat around and waited. I thought I saw someone who miiiight have been Sutton Foster walk in past me—she walked so quickly that I didn’t see her for more than a second, so it very well could have been someone else—but you never know! ;) I finally decided to head in at 6:45. Of course, at 6:47, Sophie calls me and asks if I’m there yet. So I wait at the stairs and we head in together.
Our seats are in the balcony, pretty far left. It wasn’t terrible, but we were surrounded by people who didn’t have proper theatre-going habits: they crinkled wrappers, talked during the show, took pictures (including FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY!!!) and apparently sang along to the songs! It was straaaaange. But we moved up during intermission, and it was a lot better then.
The production itself was really good. There was a huuuge orchestra, the set was awesome, the ensemble dancers were great and the singers were really good. Ashanti as Dorothy was a great singer, but not my favorite actor. (Not like that part is particularly challenging though.) LaChanze as Aunt Em/Glinda was great, I love her voice!! And James Monroe Iglehart, who’s based in the Bay Area and has been in shows that I’ve seen there, was really good too. He was the Lion—I’d expected him to have an ensemble part, but nope, he was a lead! 2nd to last bow, Sophie noticed. He was really good.
After the show, we waited at the stage door and then said hi to James. He was really nice! Hooray! At that point I was totally exhausted, so I found the subway station (or rather, I told Rachel the intersection and she told me it was down the street), waited what seemed like forever for the subway to come (they come far less often at 10:30 than at 6pm, I’ve learned!), and came back to the dorm. And spent the last hour typing up my day.
Tomorrow, the real fun begins. First day of classes. Then I’ll get my official ID card and get some real groceries, instead of just these snacky foods. (On the plus side, because of the massive mess of getting a room, the security lady knows me. I show her my temporary ID, and she just winks at me. So she knows my face. And the receptionist girl+RA both have run into me and asked how I was doing.)
So if you want to send me lotsa presents (and I KNOW you do!!), here’s my address:
33 Washington Square West #1716
New York, NY 10011
Not really. But in the last 2 days, I managed to get stuck in major parade-created traffic, get forced out (sorta) of my dorm room, watch an (off?)-Broadway show, take the subway several times (successfully!!) and, oh yeah—go to CAP21.
But let’s begin with yesterday. My day started at 6:30, when I woke up, got dressed, packed up a few final things, and drove with Dad to SFO. We get to the airport no problem, and I get through security and all that pretty quick. Then I grabbed a breakfast sandwich from the food place and wait for the airplane to start boarding people.
Random: the hand dryers in the SFO bathrooms are so cool! They’re like the traditional hand dryer, but instead of a big fan, you stick your hands in a little machine and, as you slowly drag them out, a “blade” of really fast air blasts at your fingers. Sounds strange in writing, but it was cool.
Anyway, I got on the airplane in what must be the family section, especially since I’m seated right next to this little boy. Now, I know what you’re thinking—uh oh, crying baby time! But I was pretty lucky, because he was, for the most part, pretty quiet. Sure, he shuffled around and talked a little too loudly and watched TV on his daddy’s laptop without headphones, but it wasn’t too bad. And the other little kids weren’t horrible. No more than half an hour of wailing, I’d guess.
The plane wasn’t as cool as I thought it’d be. The entertainment system got old really fast, though it was pretty cool using the touch screen to order my food. I didn’t want to pay for movies, and the little games were pretty lame. There was TV, but it didn’t list what was playing at the different times, and I’ve definitely been spoiled by TiVo and not-TiVo. So I watched a lot of Law and Order: SVU, since it was on reruns on USA, and America’s Next Top Model, on Oxygen. Both were on reruns.
Now, yes, I did try to sleep, I promise! But I didn’t get much, maybe an hour at most. I was just too easily distracted. Add that to the four and a half hours of sleep I’d gotten from the post-alumni show dinner, and I was pretty fatigued. Oddly enough, though, I didn’t feel terribly tired. I just was pretty low energy.
I did eat a steak sandwich, after picking out the veggies. It was surprisingly decent. I also had an Airborned water bottle, a mini-water bottle (plain), and a Coke. But that’s it.
5 hours later we land at JFK, and I take my time getting out of the terminal. I get my luggage quickly and found the Ground Transportation desk, where I “called” SuperShuttle to get picked up. 20 minutes+1 phone call home later, the guy gets me and we get on the shuttle.
Now here’s where it got sticky. It’s about 5:30, and he still has to pick up a bunch of other people in the (huge!!) airport. I need to check in before 8pm, or else call ahead and explain that I’ll be late. We get all our people by 6, and I’m hoping to be in by 7. I figure, worst case, once 7:30 runs around I’ll call them and say I might be late.
Well I forgot about traffic, and now it’s 7:30. We only have 3 of the 9 people left, so I’m hoping he’ll drop me off before 8pm. But when he doesn’t, and it’s 7:45, I try to call NYU Summer Housing. Sadly, I don’t have the number for the specific dorm, and the general office is closed. So I call Mom and Dad frantically and finally get the number (thanks Dad!!). The receptionist tells me that if I come in after 8, the security guard will let me in. It might be the unconventional way, but it will work.
The driver guy takes a bunch of side streets, because the Pride Parade is taking over the major streets, but we finally get there at 8:15. Hooray! I go inside and am greeted by a very crabby-looking security guard. When I tell her I’m there to check in, she says that the security guards can’t. Which is when I start to panic. Does this mean I have no place to stay for the night?!? But she calls down an RA, who gets me the forms I need.
Or does she? Because she can’t find the key. And she’s looking around the office but she can’t find my little envelope with room 406 on it. And she can’t find a spare. Apparently the people who lived in that room last never returned the key. Perfect. She actually finds the receptionist (or whoever runs the check in’s etc) and they talk, and they give me an option. Either they find me another room for the night, just so I can get some sleep and put my (extremely heavy!) backpack down, or they’ll use the 4th floor master key to let me in, and then hopefully my roommate will let me back in, should I choose to leave (which I planned to do—I desperately needed food!). At this point, I was really frustrated, so I said I didn’t care. So they brought me up to the room and unlocked the door.
Except… for some reason, the door wouldn’t unlock. So she bangs on the door loudly for a while. After what seems like an eternity, an Asian girl in PJs and bushy hair opens the door. She was probably asleep. I walk in, the RA still behind me. The room is strange. It enters straight into the bedroom, with a hallway in the back and then another room behind this one. As in, anytime someone wants to go to the back room/bathroom, they have to go in the first room. Sounds like a complete lack of privacy!
It gets better. This sleepy girl tells us that there aren’t any empty beds; that the room is full. At this point, I’m so tired and frustrated that I barely can think. We walk into the hallway, and I stay there while the RA gets the binders with all the information. Turns out that one of the girls extended her stay, and only half the stuff was updated. I’m listed for being checked in a week early (which is bizarre, since I’m definitely not), and I’m listed for room 1716. We make our way downstairs, where another girl is now at the reception desk and she gets me a key to the room. And I make my way up the elevators.
I open the door to 1716 and find 2 open beds. 1 is a bunk. My roommate Elise’s already there, apparently has been for at least a week. I am beyond relieved, you have no idea!!! I start to unpack, then call home. Then I realize I desperately need food, so Elise and I walk to a quick hot-dog store and I grab a hot dog, fries and a mango drink. Apparently the restaurant is famous-was in Sex and the City or something-and the food isn’t bad. The hot dog is a little small, and by the time I eat the fries they’re a little cold, but the mango drink is sweet and cool. We go back to the dorm to eat, and then I finish unpacking. It takes me forever to set up my computer, since the Ethernet cable only works with half the phone connections—there is 1 phone line and 1 data line on each phone connector thing—and one of them is broken while the other is in use. But I set it up, get my computer registered (took a while, though), and am now connected to the internet! Hooray!!
After that, I quickly review my audition material for the next day, and go to sleep. I set my alarm for 7:00, so that I can have plenty of time to shower and eat breakfast before I get to CAP21 at 9AM.
Well… I couldn’t get to sleep. And my alarm clock either didn’t go off, or I turned it off or something, because next thing I know it’s 8:30 and I’m in major panic mode. I take the shortest shower ever (less than 5 minutes) because I feel gross from the airplane and I need clean hair for an audition!! Then I walk as fast as I can to CAP21, without stopping for food. Which was really, really stupid.
I get to CAP21 and go up the elevator. I’m a little late, but it’s actually not a huge deal. I change into my (really baggy) dance pants and sit in “The Shop,” which is one of the studio rooms. I find Sophie and Rachel, which was a relief, and fill out some paperwork and listen to some orientation blahdeblah. Then we start the dance audition—sorry, “placement” tests.
The combinations are actually really easy. Fast sways, chaînes, grapevines, a pirouette. It was just crazy-fast. And I’m running on empty. I have to mark it a bit during the reviews. I’m not hungry, actually, but I think it’s because I’m beyond hunger. I’m just drained.
The ballet and jazz placements were first, and then those who said they had No Tap got to leave. I said I’d had tap (which I did! I swear!), so we did that. It was surprisingly easy—flaps, ball changes, and time steps. Now, I’m not saying I did the steps well, but I got the basics, at least. But then we had to do something called a rolling shuffle, which looked easy but was rather challenging. I think I managed not to make a huge fool out of myself though, thankfully. I got at least 4 mostly-correct, mostly-in time rolling shuffles in, out of 16. That may sound lame, but it was actually pretty good. Some people in that room weren’t very good. (It was the beginner’s room, so I’m not trying to be rude—I’m just trying to be honest.)
We finished, and Sophie, Rachel and I went to this overpriced bakery place down the street. It was actually quite good. I had catfish, broccoli, watermelon and honeydew. It felts good to have something healthy, especially after all that dance. Then I walked back home, since the singing/acting placement wasn’t for 2 more hours.
I get back and change into a slightly better outfit, then run to the music practice room and review my music. I was planning on singing Cain’t Say No and Meadowlark, but I realized that I just didn’t have the belt to finish Meadowlark, so I traded it for Mister Snow. It worked out that way—Cain’t Say No showed off the belt, and Mister Snow showed off the soprano. And I reviewed my monologue, which I put together from my scene in my Acting 252b class with Beth. Considering the time constraint, it would have to do.
Walked back to CAP21 and got there 15 minutes early. Once they called my name, I went in and showed the pianist exactly where I wanted to start. He told me they’d probably cut me off, so I eliminated the patter-ness of the songs and went straight into the refrains. I started with the monologue, which went well, and they seemed interested in watching. I almost wish this were an actual audition—they were so friendly and nice! Then Cain’t Say No. I got through the whole cut. I got through the first half of Mister Snow—not the best part, but it was fine. Then they asked me a few questions about where I was from and where I was staying, and then I left!
I knew I was going to have to take the subway when I went to The Wiz with Sophie and Rachel, so I took a practice ride down to my dorm. (It’s apparently the same amount of time to walk between CAP21 and my dorm as it is to take the subway. BUT it’s a lot less walking… ;D) I got in OK, took a little while as I got confused between the F train to Coney Island Exp vs… well, one without the Exp. But I got on it fine, and got off on the very next stop (naturally). Found my way back by recognizing the stores we passed when we got dinner the night before, then went back to the room to find directions on getting to The Wiz and unpacking the small amount of groceries that I’d purchased before getting on the subway (Special K bars, a Campbells microwavable soup, salted almonds… and Oreos. =D)
Before leaving for The Wiz, I stopped at the hot dog store again. This time I got 2 hot dogs, and the guy at the register was calling me “pretty lady” and said I had a “beautiful smile.” It was very nice and almost embarrassing!! But then I got on the subway, headed Uptown, and managed to grab a seat for myself. Then I got off at the correct stop and proceeded to get myself to the theatre.
It was 6:10. I’d left really early, just in case I got lost, so I arrived 20 minutes before I thought I’d meet Sophie and Rachel. Luckily, I brought a book. Unfortunately, I was on the last 10 pages. I finished within 10 minutes, so I just sat around and waited. I thought I saw someone who miiiight have been Sutton Foster walk in past me—she walked so quickly that I didn’t see her for more than a second, so it very well could have been someone else—but you never know! ;) I finally decided to head in at 6:45. Of course, at 6:47, Sophie calls me and asks if I’m there yet. So I wait at the stairs and we head in together.
Our seats are in the balcony, pretty far left. It wasn’t terrible, but we were surrounded by people who didn’t have proper theatre-going habits: they crinkled wrappers, talked during the show, took pictures (including FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY!!!) and apparently sang along to the songs! It was straaaaange. But we moved up during intermission, and it was a lot better then.
The production itself was really good. There was a huuuge orchestra, the set was awesome, the ensemble dancers were great and the singers were really good. Ashanti as Dorothy was a great singer, but not my favorite actor. (Not like that part is particularly challenging though.) LaChanze as Aunt Em/Glinda was great, I love her voice!! And James Monroe Iglehart, who’s based in the Bay Area and has been in shows that I’ve seen there, was really good too. He was the Lion—I’d expected him to have an ensemble part, but nope, he was a lead! 2nd to last bow, Sophie noticed. He was really good.
After the show, we waited at the stage door and then said hi to James. He was really nice! Hooray! At that point I was totally exhausted, so I found the subway station (or rather, I told Rachel the intersection and she told me it was down the street), waited what seemed like forever for the subway to come (they come far less often at 10:30 than at 6pm, I’ve learned!), and came back to the dorm. And spent the last hour typing up my day.
Tomorrow, the real fun begins. First day of classes. Then I’ll get my official ID card and get some real groceries, instead of just these snacky foods. (On the plus side, because of the massive mess of getting a room, the security lady knows me. I show her my temporary ID, and she just winks at me. So she knows my face. And the receptionist girl+RA both have run into me and asked how I was doing.)
So if you want to send me lotsa presents (and I KNOW you do!!), here’s my address:
33 Washington Square West #1716
New York, NY 10011
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Dance Shoes
CAP21 requires certain kinds of dance shoes: ballet, jazz and tap. Well, my ballet shoes were from Payless, my jazz shoes have giant holes in the bottom due to performing in outdoor theatre, and I don't even want to talk about the state of my taps. So Mom and I went off on a mission today: purchase dance shoes for the summer (and for all the dancing I do in future musicals too, of course! =D).
Well, I hate shoe shopping to begin with--I'm decidedly un-girly in that way. I hate shoe shopping, I hate trying to find my right size, I hate breaking shoes in. I'm very picky about the things I wear. I have wide feet, which means I tend to have a hard time finding shoes that fit. I also have small feet, which is irrelevant to this post but is true about my feet. (Small feet are convenient though--I usually can grab the display shoe and it'll pretty much fit.) But dance shoes are different than normal shoes. I don't need them to look cute, since I just need them to be practical. I need them to really fit my feet, since I'll be on my feet, dancing, for long periods of time. And they need to move well. Obviously.
I got my tap shoes pretty quickly. I'm not much of a tapper (I can do a basic time step and some simple moves, but I'm nowhere near calling myself an experienced tap dancer), so I got a pair that was not uncomfortable, stayed on my feet and was cheap. Ballet shoes weren't too bad either. Got a pair of Bloch ballet shoes that fit pretty well and aren't uncomfortable, though they're a teeny bit long.
But the jazz shoes took forever. For some reason I couldn't find a pair that I liked. I was pickier with these because I tend to wear jazz shoes more than ballet shoes in the random dancing I do--I'm wearing them for the MT Singing/Dancing class I'm teaching now, and I wore them for my show. So I wanted them to be really comfortable. But every pair I wore were either too long, too tight, digging into my heels or didn't move. After more pairs than I can count (I feel bad for the girl helping us--she kept going back and forth between the storage room and my chair), I finally picked another pair of Bloch shoes. Apparently they'll stretch out, which might not be the best thing, since they too are a bit long. But they didn't hurt. And even though they weren't as flexible as some of the other shoes, they'll do the trick. Honestly, I bet you anything that when I wear them in class, my feet won't be hurting from shoes. They'll be aching from the massive amounts of dancing I get to do. (YAY! Haha!)
[Random: did you know Bloch also sells normal shoes? As in, non-dance. I had no idea until we went into the dance store. And some of them were cute! But not cute enough to try on. Like I said, I'm picky.]
After that exciting adventure (NOT!) we went into a Macys, because Mom had some coupons. And I bought this adorable Fossil bag:
The picture sucks, but trust me, it's adorable. It's a messengar bag style with lots of colorful flowers. It has tons of pockets, including 2 on the outside (one zippered, one not) that'll be great for storing a cell phone or something else you need quickly. And the inside is the perfect size for a couple of notebooks or thin textbooks. Unfortunately, it'll probably be too small for all the homework I tend to bring to classes, and it's definitely too small for my huge binders of music, but it's great for other events where I need to have paperwork. And it's colorful and cute! I'm so excited. I love Fossil brand. I also really love the brand Haiku. Both companies feature lots of pockets in their purses, use space effeciently, and look really cute. Win win WIN!
Well, I hate shoe shopping to begin with--I'm decidedly un-girly in that way. I hate shoe shopping, I hate trying to find my right size, I hate breaking shoes in. I'm very picky about the things I wear. I have wide feet, which means I tend to have a hard time finding shoes that fit. I also have small feet, which is irrelevant to this post but is true about my feet. (Small feet are convenient though--I usually can grab the display shoe and it'll pretty much fit.) But dance shoes are different than normal shoes. I don't need them to look cute, since I just need them to be practical. I need them to really fit my feet, since I'll be on my feet, dancing, for long periods of time. And they need to move well. Obviously.
I got my tap shoes pretty quickly. I'm not much of a tapper (I can do a basic time step and some simple moves, but I'm nowhere near calling myself an experienced tap dancer), so I got a pair that was not uncomfortable, stayed on my feet and was cheap. Ballet shoes weren't too bad either. Got a pair of Bloch ballet shoes that fit pretty well and aren't uncomfortable, though they're a teeny bit long.
But the jazz shoes took forever. For some reason I couldn't find a pair that I liked. I was pickier with these because I tend to wear jazz shoes more than ballet shoes in the random dancing I do--I'm wearing them for the MT Singing/Dancing class I'm teaching now, and I wore them for my show. So I wanted them to be really comfortable. But every pair I wore were either too long, too tight, digging into my heels or didn't move. After more pairs than I can count (I feel bad for the girl helping us--she kept going back and forth between the storage room and my chair), I finally picked another pair of Bloch shoes. Apparently they'll stretch out, which might not be the best thing, since they too are a bit long. But they didn't hurt. And even though they weren't as flexible as some of the other shoes, they'll do the trick. Honestly, I bet you anything that when I wear them in class, my feet won't be hurting from shoes. They'll be aching from the massive amounts of dancing I get to do. (YAY! Haha!)
[Random: did you know Bloch also sells normal shoes? As in, non-dance. I had no idea until we went into the dance store. And some of them were cute! But not cute enough to try on. Like I said, I'm picky.]
After that exciting adventure (NOT!) we went into a Macys, because Mom had some coupons. And I bought this adorable Fossil bag:
The picture sucks, but trust me, it's adorable. It's a messengar bag style with lots of colorful flowers. It has tons of pockets, including 2 on the outside (one zippered, one not) that'll be great for storing a cell phone or something else you need quickly. And the inside is the perfect size for a couple of notebooks or thin textbooks. Unfortunately, it'll probably be too small for all the homework I tend to bring to classes, and it's definitely too small for my huge binders of music, but it's great for other events where I need to have paperwork. And it's colorful and cute! I'm so excited. I love Fossil brand. I also really love the brand Haiku. Both companies feature lots of pockets in their purses, use space effeciently, and look really cute. Win win WIN!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
My crazy week... and it's only Tuesday!
Wow. These last 2 days have been insanely busy, and it's not going to get any lighter. But it's been a good busy! A very good busy. In fact, this is pretty much going to be a brag post. Usually I wouldn't brag so much, but it's a blog! My blog, in fact. =) So indulge in my happiness. And if you'd rather not... well, you don't need to read it. Regardless, I'm full of smiley faces. =) =) =)
Monday, I woke up at 9:00am. My first class on Monday is at 11:30, which means that I willingly got up 2.5 hours earlier than I needed to. And for a college student, that's not so normal! Hah. But I got a lot of homework out of the way, which I needed to do.
Luckily one of my classes was canceled, which meant I had a little extra time for a rehearsal for a directing scene that I'm in for a friend. Unfortunately, now this scene has a bunch more rehearsals than I'd anticipated, at least one every day this week. It wouldn't be that bad, but with The Furies rehearsal, Kosher Pig rehearsal, and a full day of classes as well as other miscellanious commitments, it was more than I anticipated. Not to mention that the part she had me play was in the scene for, almost literally, 45 seconds. But today I got promoted to the Cardinal, who's in the whole scene. Odd, considering it's a male role, but that's theatre for you!
In my musical theatre audition class I sang Meadowlark, from The Baker's Wife, and my professor was impressed. He said it was one of the first times he'd seen this song and understood the whole emotional story. (This is coming from a Tony-award winning Broadway actor, who missed class once because he was filming for a major TV show. This is pretty awesome!! =D) It was really gratifying to hear, because I love this song and put a good amount of work into it.
Our first real rehearsal for The Furies went well. The chorus members each picked out the lines we liked to speak. Unfortunately, many of the lines I liked were snatched up by others before I got them, but overall I'm pleased with the lines I do have. And I'm really excited to get started. The translator of the play (it's a brand-new translation of the world's oldest play, heehee) is adorable! And the cast is pretty chill.
Today I had a midterm for the Theatre Scene Shop Studies class. It sucked. I probably should have studied more than just 2 hours after my midnight rehearsal. Haha... oh well. I just need to pass. A good grade is optional.
After that I had another short rehearsal for this scene, in which we read through the whole play, and I was reminded of how horrible I am at reading out loud. I always stumble over words or lose my spot. Once it's memorized I'm golden, but in the meantime... Not so good. Alas. (A lass. Alas. Alack.)
After that rehearsal, and 2.5 hours of sewing for my THTR shop class, I got back and got the most exciting email of, probably, my life. I GOT INTO THE CAP21 SUMMER PROGRAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm SO excited! 6 weeks in NY, studying nothing but musical theatre in the musical theatre capital of the WORLD! (Or at least the USA.) I get to check out NY for a while, go to tons of shows, and just work my butt off. And I'm so incredibly thrilled.
Tangent Time: Right now, I'm at a spot where things are starting to click. I'm really happy to work on my material and get stronger. For example, last semester I was having problems picking material to work on. I'd sing songs because I had to, not because I was particularily excited to sing them. And my MT professor would tell me to work on my tone and quality, but I wouldn't, because I saw it as homework instead of making myself that much stronger. But this semester, I've been picking songs I love and, instead of singing soprano material, I've been using songs that use my belt range.
Basically, I've been doing stuff that works for me, which I love, and it's paying off. I can feel myself improving. It's a great feeling.
Anyway, I sang Meadowlark in my MT class, and got only positive reviews. The professor that I've been working to please for a while had nothing but great things to say.
A few quotes from class:
"That was excellent."
"I'm consistently stunned by that huge voice from that tiny body."
"Just sing Meadowlark from now on. You don't need to sing anything else."
"Excellent work today. Instead of grumbling that you had to take this class again [the intro MT class, instead of moving up to advanced], you worked on what you needed to improve on. That's great. You deserve... [something. Heehee, I forget.]"
And then rehearsal. It was pretty much a lecture on all things Ancient Greek. It sounds like it could be boring, but our translator is so passionate and knowledgeable about the subject that it was really interesting! I actually enjoy learning about ancient Greece--so far my favorite philosophers are Plato and Socrates, both ancient and Greek. And I enjoy hearing about the mythology. It's really interesting.
So I'm extremely excited for this play. And this summer. And EVERYTHING!! I'm incredibly tired, considering I'm running on 5 hours of sleep, but I'm so full of happiness that I don't mind.
Monday, I woke up at 9:00am. My first class on Monday is at 11:30, which means that I willingly got up 2.5 hours earlier than I needed to. And for a college student, that's not so normal! Hah. But I got a lot of homework out of the way, which I needed to do.
Luckily one of my classes was canceled, which meant I had a little extra time for a rehearsal for a directing scene that I'm in for a friend. Unfortunately, now this scene has a bunch more rehearsals than I'd anticipated, at least one every day this week. It wouldn't be that bad, but with The Furies rehearsal, Kosher Pig rehearsal, and a full day of classes as well as other miscellanious commitments, it was more than I anticipated. Not to mention that the part she had me play was in the scene for, almost literally, 45 seconds. But today I got promoted to the Cardinal, who's in the whole scene. Odd, considering it's a male role, but that's theatre for you!
In my musical theatre audition class I sang Meadowlark, from The Baker's Wife, and my professor was impressed. He said it was one of the first times he'd seen this song and understood the whole emotional story. (This is coming from a Tony-award winning Broadway actor, who missed class once because he was filming for a major TV show. This is pretty awesome!! =D) It was really gratifying to hear, because I love this song and put a good amount of work into it.
Our first real rehearsal for The Furies went well. The chorus members each picked out the lines we liked to speak. Unfortunately, many of the lines I liked were snatched up by others before I got them, but overall I'm pleased with the lines I do have. And I'm really excited to get started. The translator of the play (it's a brand-new translation of the world's oldest play, heehee) is adorable! And the cast is pretty chill.
Today I had a midterm for the Theatre Scene Shop Studies class. It sucked. I probably should have studied more than just 2 hours after my midnight rehearsal. Haha... oh well. I just need to pass. A good grade is optional.
After that I had another short rehearsal for this scene, in which we read through the whole play, and I was reminded of how horrible I am at reading out loud. I always stumble over words or lose my spot. Once it's memorized I'm golden, but in the meantime... Not so good. Alas. (A lass. Alas. Alack.)
After that rehearsal, and 2.5 hours of sewing for my THTR shop class, I got back and got the most exciting email of, probably, my life. I GOT INTO THE CAP21 SUMMER PROGRAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm SO excited! 6 weeks in NY, studying nothing but musical theatre in the musical theatre capital of the WORLD! (Or at least the USA.) I get to check out NY for a while, go to tons of shows, and just work my butt off. And I'm so incredibly thrilled.
Tangent Time: Right now, I'm at a spot where things are starting to click. I'm really happy to work on my material and get stronger. For example, last semester I was having problems picking material to work on. I'd sing songs because I had to, not because I was particularily excited to sing them. And my MT professor would tell me to work on my tone and quality, but I wouldn't, because I saw it as homework instead of making myself that much stronger. But this semester, I've been picking songs I love and, instead of singing soprano material, I've been using songs that use my belt range.
Basically, I've been doing stuff that works for me, which I love, and it's paying off. I can feel myself improving. It's a great feeling.
Anyway, I sang Meadowlark in my MT class, and got only positive reviews. The professor that I've been working to please for a while had nothing but great things to say.
A few quotes from class:
"That was excellent."
"I'm consistently stunned by that huge voice from that tiny body."
"Just sing Meadowlark from now on. You don't need to sing anything else."
"Excellent work today. Instead of grumbling that you had to take this class again [the intro MT class, instead of moving up to advanced], you worked on what you needed to improve on. That's great. You deserve... [something. Heehee, I forget.]"
And then rehearsal. It was pretty much a lecture on all things Ancient Greek. It sounds like it could be boring, but our translator is so passionate and knowledgeable about the subject that it was really interesting! I actually enjoy learning about ancient Greece--so far my favorite philosophers are Plato and Socrates, both ancient and Greek. And I enjoy hearing about the mythology. It's really interesting.
So I'm extremely excited for this play. And this summer. And EVERYTHING!! I'm incredibly tired, considering I'm running on 5 hours of sleep, but I'm so full of happiness that I don't mind.
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