Keep it together, folks.

So last week we saw Memphis, and I gotta tell ya -- it's a fantastic show.  The dancing is fierce, the music gets you all carried away, and you just wanna rock out all night.  HOWever, I have this to say:  I'm all for private jokes onstage, but please DON'T BREAK CHARACTER.  There was this beautiful moment, major plot revelation, there was awesome acting and singing going on, and they totally had me -- until one of the girls in the ensemble caught another's eye and started laughing inappropriately.  I mean, come on!!!  Do you believe in what you're doing?  Do you know how many girls are lined up behind you, who can do exactly what you can do, and who won't screw around onstage (especially during crucial dramatic moments)?  Tsk, tsk, darlings.  Tsk.  Tsk.

xoxo

Sondheim on a Snow Day

A little genius inspiration from "Sunday in the Park with George."

I chose and my world was shaken -- so what?
The choice may have been mistaken; the choosing was not.
You have to move on.

Stop worrying if your vision is new.
Let others make that decision -- they usually do.
Just keep moving on.

xoxo

Tales from a Dominican Gym

So I go to Jay's Big Gym.  That's literally the name.  It's me and about 100 burly Dominican men.  Strange things happen there.  Yesterday, I was on the elliptical, and this woman walked up to her locker right in front of my machine.  She opened it, took out rolls and rolls of bubble wrap, turned and asked me in broken English if I had seen a cell phone, put the bubble wrap back in her locker, and left.

I mean, your guess is as good as mine on the bubble wrap.

xoxo

You're Not Fooling Anybody...

So there was an audition this morning (Saturday...  gah.) for Fiddler, and it was at Pearl Studios.  I was in the restroom (TMI, I know, but it's pertinent information) and I hear the door open, the sound of clickety-clack heels walking toward the sink, and then the sound of the ridiculously loud hand dryer turn on.  (You know, one of those new crazy turbo blow-your-skin-right-offa-your-hands thingies.)  And then, over the sound of the dryer, the clickety-clacker starts SINGING HER AUDITION SONG.  Are you serious?!?  You came into the bathroom to turn on the dryer so you could vocalize?  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  auditions are so weird.

And in related news, Alicia Silverstone was the absolute MOST in Time Stands Still.  WORK!

xoxo

One more for the evening.

For my buddy.

Not as cute as that little Asian kid, but...

What do you do on a Saturday night if you find yourself alone in the apartment?

Learn to play a Jason Mraz song on the ukulele. Clearly.

Audish

So we're back in NY, and we don't have jobs, which means we're on the audition bandwagon. I sang at my first audish back in the city this morning, and I felt pretty good about it, all things considered. It's approximately hurricane weather outside, which always makes things difficult (especially when you're supposed to look your fiercest)(fiercest?...sure, it's a word), but my little 100 yen Japanese umbrella and I did just fine.

But here's the thing about auditions. They're more a mindgame than anything. You know, there are the monitors who are really nice, but like to toy with the auditioners by making sassy little comments. There are the lines and the waiting, which, even though far better than the non-eq waiting game, are a little demeaning and just give you time to psych yourself out. There are the primpers, who never stop looking at the mirror; the warmer-uppers, who feel comfortable with fully vocalizing in a room full of other singers refraining from doing the same; the loud-talkers, who want you to know all their business and their entire resume. It's gnarly.

But for me, the sanity-keepers are the one or two other "normal" girls who are usually there too, whose eyes you accidentally catch when one of the weirdos does something wierd, and who share a secret little grin with you before going back to being strangers.

It's a crazy life.

xoxo