From
the Green Room:
Gotta love 70 degree weather and blue skies in January! I know I certainly have been enjoying them as I've spent the last three weeks in Tampa, FL rehearsing for 'S Wonderful, my new project that opens next week at the Straz Performing Arts Center. What a change in process this has been for me! The show is considered a “reviewsical”, not quite review, not quite musical. It includes over 40 Gershwin songs strung together in several story lines all performed by five versatile actors. The sheer quantity of material was daunting to say the least. Solos, dancing, tight harmonies, dancing, scene work, dancing, quick changes... oh yeah, and did I mention dancing? It has been a real struggle to be a fully functioning triple threat, but our amazing director (and friend from tour) Tripp Hampton has been paramount to this show's success. He's really taken the time to work with each of us on any problem areas we may have. For this show to really work, all five actors have to be on point and working like a well oiled machine! Now that we have it on it's feet, it's such a fun show to do and I know I'll love running it through the spring. Also, I'll have no excuse not to go to those ECC dancer calls now! ...well, let's not get carried away.
From Outside the Green Room:
After the holiday's, I spent two weeks back in NYC which was great. I spent time with Morgana and other friends, did some background work on Orange is the new Black, took a photography class, and just really enjoyed spending time in NYC! I really do miss it and am already looking forward to the summer. Since arriving in Tampa, when I haven't been in rehearsal, I feel like I've been busy with some adventure. Whether is just a movie and dinner with the cast, or seeing my friend in the touring production of Wicked, or something extreme like Gasparilla (Tampa's pirate invasion Mardi Gras... seriously... Google it.). We've been very busy getting this show ready, but it's impossible to not enjoy the perfect Florida weather. Not to brag, but I ride a bike to work everyday... it's that nice. We even made a little cast outing to Disney on a day off! Orlando is only about 75 minutes away from Tampa, so we easily made a day trip out of it and hit up three parks! Other than adventures, I've also been playing guitar more and would love to make it a priority to do more open mic's when I'm back in NYC. Once we open this show, I'm sure we'll have many more adventures... but for now, tech week looms ahead and I've got my homework to do!
Gotta love 70 degree weather and blue skies in January! I know I certainly have been enjoying them as I've spent the last three weeks in Tampa, FL rehearsing for 'S Wonderful, my new project that opens next week at the Straz Performing Arts Center. What a change in process this has been for me! The show is considered a “reviewsical”, not quite review, not quite musical. It includes over 40 Gershwin songs strung together in several story lines all performed by five versatile actors. The sheer quantity of material was daunting to say the least. Solos, dancing, tight harmonies, dancing, scene work, dancing, quick changes... oh yeah, and did I mention dancing? It has been a real struggle to be a fully functioning triple threat, but our amazing director (and friend from tour) Tripp Hampton has been paramount to this show's success. He's really taken the time to work with each of us on any problem areas we may have. For this show to really work, all five actors have to be on point and working like a well oiled machine! Now that we have it on it's feet, it's such a fun show to do and I know I'll love running it through the spring. Also, I'll have no excuse not to go to those ECC dancer calls now! ...well, let's not get carried away.
From Outside the Green Room:
After the holiday's, I spent two weeks back in NYC which was great. I spent time with Morgana and other friends, did some background work on Orange is the new Black, took a photography class, and just really enjoyed spending time in NYC! I really do miss it and am already looking forward to the summer. Since arriving in Tampa, when I haven't been in rehearsal, I feel like I've been busy with some adventure. Whether is just a movie and dinner with the cast, or seeing my friend in the touring production of Wicked, or something extreme like Gasparilla (Tampa's pirate invasion Mardi Gras... seriously... Google it.). We've been very busy getting this show ready, but it's impossible to not enjoy the perfect Florida weather. Not to brag, but I ride a bike to work everyday... it's that nice. We even made a little cast outing to Disney on a day off! Orlando is only about 75 minutes away from Tampa, so we easily made a day trip out of it and hit up three parks! Other than adventures, I've also been playing guitar more and would love to make it a priority to do more open mic's when I'm back in NYC. Once we open this show, I'm sure we'll have many more adventures... but for now, tech week looms ahead and I've got my homework to do!
Lessons Learned:
Well, it sounds kinda silly, but I think this month I really learned to believe in myself and stop doubting so much. When I got the call to do 'S Wonderful, I knew the role was dance heavy (I kinda play the Gene Kelly role) and I was really nervous because I don't consider myself a dancer. What I've learned, is if I just cast my doubts aside and really focus on the work, I can still surprise myself. While I still would not consider myself a dancer, I am pleased with the work that I'm doing. Yes, it may have taken me a little longer to get than a trained dancer... but I'm getting it and I'm proud of myself for not throwing in the towel, or worse yet, not accepting the contract because I didn't think I could do it. I read a nice article today in Backstage about what people admire about actors and some of my favorites were, “You Train”, “You're Courageous”, “You do everything you can to be prepared”... but I think my favorite two are, “You love the work” and “You live full lives”. I really do love what I do. The struggles and successes. I really do feel like I'm living the life I am supposed to right now, and that's pretty cool!
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