Another Type Out, Frustration Ensues: Update #4

I know that I've said before that being typed out at an audition isn't all bad.  It saves you the time of going in and singing when they weren't looking for someone like you in the first place.  But, there are those times when you know that you're right for a particular show and you still get cut anyway.  Those times can be so FRIGGING FRUSTRATING!  As was the case yesterday.

This one was for Catch Me if You Can, the musical based on the Steven Spielberg movie that had Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.  Now I've seen the movie.  I really liked it too but, more importantly, I know that there are people of my type throughout the whole thing.  So, I went to the casting office pretty much expecting to get to sing for it.  Not meant to be.

Of my group of 20, they kept 5 guys and I was, obviously, not one of them.(FAIL)  This is the third time in a row for this particular casting company and it's starting to get frustrating.  What's it gonna take to even get to sing for them anymore?  I just wish that, if casting people are going to type, they would just post, at the sign-in table, a notice saying what they want on that day.  It could say, "40-something African Americans, 6'2" or taller," if that's who they want to see.

I know that they have to say that they'll see anyone with a paid up Equity card but, let's face it, isn't casting the highest form of discrimination (yes, it's a harsh way to describe it but I'm irked, at the moment)?  When a writer and director collaborate on a play, don't they have a pretty specific image of what the characters should look like?  Those mental pictures are what the casting people are using to find actors for a project.  Yes, that's the business and, of course, I understand it but, it doesn't make it any less frustrating sometimes.

So, we update the scorecard:

  Audition Scorecard 2010

                   5 Success

                   4 Fails  (3 Type Out)

Until next time...

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

I think it's such a great experience to see a brand new show that is still in previews!  At that point, barely anyone has heard the music and so you feel like you're being let in on a little secret.  That's how I felt going into the Belasco Theatre, Thursday night, to see the new musical Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

The musical, written by David Yazbek with a book by Jeffrey Lane, is based on the Pedro Almodovar film of the same name.  The show is written in a kind of telenovela format for the stage.  I'm not quite sure that everyone around me really got that concept.

I do have to say, as of now, the show isn't really easy to get into.  The opening number (My Crazy Heart) just felt a little odd as an introduction to the show.  I'm not quite sure what the purpose of it was because, while all the women are there, you don't really "meet" any of them.   Anyway, the story doesn't really get started until after it ends and, from then on, I had no problem getting it.

In fact, my biggest problem with the music was the fact that the songs that started both acts just didn't seem necessary.  The Act Two starter, "Madrid", was an ok song but did nothing to help advance the story and could easily have been cut (it still could be, seeing how there's still two weeks of previews left).  It didn't help that the Act One closer, "On the Verge", was a great ensemble number that left us with a really cool closing image.  It just seemed as though someone thought, "We need more dancing.  Let's hold off on really starting the second act until after we after we've added some more dancing."  And really, the choreography by Christopher Gattelli didn't really deserve its own number.

The impressive and constantly moving set was designed by Michael Yeargan.  There were also projections by Sven Ortel that added to the overall production.  These helped to move the action along and were pretty much characters in themselves.  The night we saw, everything moved smoothly with no stops.

The human characters of the show were played by what has to be, in my mind, the best ensemble on a Broadway stage right now.  Each of them had their moment in the spotlight and grabbed it.  Sherie Rene Scott had what would be considered the lead role of Pepa, the mistress with great gazpacho and a message to deliver.  I was excited to finally get to see her on stage and she didn't disappoint.  Her accent seemed a smidge shaky at the start but, her performance wasn't.  She took control of the stage and everyone around her like the star should.

As great as she was though, she had two ladies stealing the show at every turn.  Patti Lupone (another one I was SO excited to see!) and Laura Benanti both were hilarious playing a crazed ex-wife (Lucia) and a suspicious model (Candela).  I wasn't too keen on Patti's first number, "Time Stood Still", mainly because of the way it was staged but her second, "Invisible", gave her the chance to shine the way she deserves.  Laura's number "Model Behavior", was easily one of the highlights of the show.

As this show is about women, the men were relegated to being off stage for a lot of the time.  Danny Burstein was very funny as the taxi driver but, unfortunately, he's the one that gets stuck with the "Madrid" number.  Brian Stokes Mitchell, easily has the "paycheck" role.  He comes on, sings a song or two and then leaves but, he makes the most of it.  Justin Guarini was the nicest surprise of the cast for me.  Expectations were low for this American Idol runner-up but, he did a very nice job as Carlos.  But then, you'd better do a nice job when you're playing the son of Patti and Brian Stokes!

Overall, I thought the show was great for where it was.  It still has two weeks of previews to gel before opening but, I think they've got it for the most part.  I DO find it a bit unfortunate that, as of now, my two biggest issues with it were the beginnings of both acts.  Also, the ending was a bit abrupt and the audience didn't know it was over until the ensemble came out to take their bows.

I liked the way that the audience is thrown into the story but, I don't think that was the general consensus from the crowd around me.  During the intermission, some were still confused as to who some of the characters were since they weren't really introduced.  Maybe this will work itself out during the rest of previews.  Possibly by fixing that opening number?

Anyway, I think the show is in good shape and would love to go back and see what that cast and director Bartlett Sher do with it between now and opening.

Until next time...

"It Gets Better" (Broadway sings for the Trevor Project)

Since today is Wear Purple Day to bring awareness to teen bullying I decided to share this video of Broadway performers singing "It Gets Better" written by Jay Kuo and Blair Shepard.

Now usually when these "celebrity" group songs are recorded, I roll my eyes to the point of having them fall out of my head.  Because most of them just come across as a way of getting your face on a camera for everyone to see your "good deed".  And I'll admit, I had avoided this song for the same reason before I finally watched it today.  But if you listen to it, it's simple message is about as sincere as you can get.  And the group doesn't come across as trying to be "do gooders".  They look like people who've probably been through the same thing wanting to tell others that things will be ok.  Just stick around to see.

I think the recent stories of suicides due to bullying has finally hit home for a lot of people.  Doesn't matter who you are, EVERYONE was bullied by someone as a kid.  For whatever made you different from them.  Where does that come from?  Is it religion?  Is it family?  I don't know.  My family is a fairly conservative bunch (I'm probably the most liberal of all of them) but, they've NEVER thought it was ok to treat other people without respect.  If you don't like someone, just don't talk to them.  You don't continually hurt them to the point of making them want to kill themselves.

All of this recent news make me sad and angry.  NO one should ever be made to feel that low.  So low that they think the only option is death.  This kind of thing has been going on forever but, I'm glad it's finally getting the attention it, sadly, deserves.  Hopefully, some of the people doing the bullying will actually realize how much it hurts people and stop. Things will get better.  It just takes some time.

Anyway, watch the video.  It really is a great song.  Have a great day!



Until next time...

Les Mis in Concert – The 25th Anniversary Event to Be Shown In U.S.

Here is some awesome news that the special 25th Anniversary conert of Les Miserables is going to be screened in select movie theaters on November 17th.  This musical has a special place in my heart because it's the one that made me decide that becoming a performer is what I truly wanted to do.  So needless to say, I'm gonna do my darndest to get to one of the theaters it'll be showing in so that I can see it.

I do have one reservation for the whole thing.  Really?  They had to get Nick Jonas to play Marius?  What no actor who's got any name for himself was worthy of singing the role?  I beg to differ.  I could probably come up with at least a dozen in the next few minutes who are the right type and age.  Whatever, I still view it as a "MUST SEE!"


Les Misérables in Concert – The 25th Anniversary Event to Be Screened In U.S. Cinemas - Playbill.com

Scary Movie Nostalgia Trip... The Re-Imagining

Back in July, I was playing around on Netflix and came across the original A Nightmare on Elm Street.  I decided to watch it and it brought back the memory of my first scary movie.  I blogged about it on here in Scary Movie Nostalgia Trip.  That first experience is still the gold standard by which I judge all horror movies today.  It's also why I've been so hesitant to sit through the "re-imagining" that was released into theater earlier this year.

The recent trend of horror movie remakes held no interest for me, up to this point.  The original Halloween was a great movie but, I haven't liked any movie Rob Zombie has made so I had no interest in his remake.  The original Friday the 13th is just a terrible movie so why would I want to see a remake of something that was already awful?  Although thanks to streaming Netflix, I'm now going through the entire Friday series so I'll probably watch the new one just to be a completist.  Anyway, I finally gave in to the resistance and ordered the latest Nightmare on demand.

I have to admit, at the start, the movie had a couple of strikes against it.  One was the fact that Robert Englund was not part of the movie.  He's the ONLY Freddy Krueger for God's sake!  How do you do the movie without him?  The other was the lack of involvement by Wes Craven.  He created these characters and directed the original.  Any horror fan can tell you what happened to the series when he left.  But, I was determined to give this new one a fair shake and that's what I did.  Be aware this may be a bit spoilery.

Well, I wasn't a big fan of the changes.  First off, they tried to bring Freddy into the 21st century by making him the ghost of a child molester getting revenge on the kids who turned him in as opposed to just being some crazed child killer.  So now he has a motive but, why give him one?  He didn't need an entire backstory that, while somewhat interesting, is unnecessary.  It just seemed like an attempt at giving sympathy to a character who doesn't need it.   I also think it just reduces him to any other horror movie character.

Plus, another thing that made Freddy such an iconic character was that he was the first of these horror movie killers to actually speak.  And he could be funny, when he did.  This new Freddy is just creepy and has no humor whatsoever.  Jackie Earl Haley is a great actor but the way he speaks his lines just sounds silly, not scary or funny.  It doesn't help that now, knowing he's a pedophile, his "jokes" just come across as gross.  And yes, I know it's a horror movie and he isn't supposed to be sweet but this is a remake of a classic.  It's gonna draw comparisons.

As a whole, the cast seems to have been given valium before each scene was shot.  Ironic huh, for a movie where everyone is supposed to be trying to stay awake.  And the WORST offender of this is our supposed heroine, Nancy.  She's played by Rooney Mara and the only thing that would be less interesting would be watching a snail trying to cross a six-lane highway.  It made me long for original Nancy, Heather Langenkamp, and while she was over the top, she made we want to cheer her on.

Nancy's mom in this one is no longer an alcoholic.  You won't find this one passed out holding a bottle of vodka.  Also, Nancy's father is nowhere to be found.  I guess this is supposed to make her the "tough, single mom" but, she just comes across as a total witch who is hiding the past from her daughter. 

Which brings up the question: How is it that not ONE of these kids has a single memory of what happened back in the day?  Did the parents have them all brainwashed?  This new past involved an entire pre-K/Kindergarten class and not a single one has single memory of ANYTHING that happened?  But, I digress.

Ok, enough of the negative stuff.  There were elements of the new movie I DID like.  First off, the references made to certain scenes from the original were really cool.  The use of the CGI was also pretty effective for the most part.  Especially, when the kids are dreaming awake and the scene is flashing around them from drug store to boiler room in the same second (hard to explain that one).  The only time I found issue with the new graphics was in this movie's version of the bed scene (remember Johnny Depp?) and the final shot of Nancy's mom at the front door.  I think  the CGI actually takes away from these two scenes.  In the first movie, they came across more "real".  In this one, it was a little more obvious they used computer graphics.  I guess it's just one of those times when CGI isn't always an improvement.  But they were still fun to watch for nostalgic reasons.

Another thing this had going for it were the actual scares.  There were a few times I did jump.  That doesn't happen very often anymore.  So I think, if I had seen this movie on it's own terms I would've liked it more.  It's a pretty good scary movie.  But seeing how this was a "re-imagining", I couldn't help but compare it to the original.  I just didn't care for the story changes.  And in 25 years, people are just going to lump this in with all the others from "that period when they remade all the good horror movies".  Whereas the original will be still seen as one of films that helped to shape an entire genre. 

Until next time...

Deep Throat's Abrupt Closing

It's never good when a production has to close unexpectedly due to horrible reviews or low ticket sales.  But when circumstances beyond your control bring about the demise of a show, it just SUCKS!  That's how I'm feeling today regarding the news of the unexpected closing of The Deep Throat Sex Scandal due to a landlord-tenant dispute with the theater.  Read the Broadway World article here.

This is just another way to show that those of us involved in this business must either really love it or be nuts!  I'm guessing it's a combination of both.  We go through so much just to get cast in a show but once that happens, there's always the chance that the producers will decide to go another direction and replace you OR that the production will be cancelled before it even gets to opening.  It can be such a hateful and unforgiving business at times but, for those involved there's nothing else we'd rather be doing.   

My heart goes out to the people involved with DTSS because I personally know some of the people on the production team. The show had JUST had its official opening this past Sunday and had only played two regular performances. This business is hard and shows close all the time but, not usually because the performance space has been seized by the bank.  

So here's hoping that everyone involved in the show will find something new to fall into quickly and that the show itself (which I thought was fun, if not great) will find its legs in another space sometime in the future.  I know they're all professionals and know that this is the nature of our, sometimes cruel, business.  But for today, it sucks!

Until next time...

Squeezin' In - Scorecard Update #3

I usually try to avoid going to auditions on a Tuesday because that's the long day at the survival job.  I get to work at 10:30 a.m. and might not get out until after midnight.  So starting my day a few hours earlier by waiting to be seen by casting people isn't at the top of my list.  But last Tuesday, I decided to make the exception.  A well known theater in Florida was having their season EPAs and I wanted to go so, I sucked it up and went to be seen.

Unfortunately it turned out that this was the only day that they were having musical EPAs so, when I got to the sign-up table, all of the time slots had been taken. At an EPA once all of the time slots have been filled, they put you on the alternate list and call names from that, if time allows.  Depending on the audition monitor, the alternate list can run pretty quickly and I was number 23 so, I took my chance at waiting to see if I could get in before heading to work.

At the same time, another theater out of Pennsylvania was also holding auditions for their upcoming production of Annie.  Now it's been a million years since I've seen Annie and I'm not sure if there's even anything in it for me but, I took the opportunity to use it as a warm-up and try out a new song.  It wasn't  really in the style of the show but I've been told that, if they like you enough, it doesn't matter what style song you have.  I went in, sang the song and it went great! (success)  It was kind of obvious they had no intention of calling me back.  I wasn't what they were looking for and I knew this but, they liked the song so my purpose was still served.

While I was waiting in line to go in for Annie, my name was called off the alternate list for the Florida theater.  So, I got out of the Annie room and got in the Florida line.  In the Florida room, there was a smidge of a rough start.  The accompanist didn't play what I was expecting to hear so, we had to start over.  It's interesting how two pianists can play the same song two different ways.  But once we got into the song, I felt that it had gone better than before! (success)

I left the Equity building feeling great and ready for the long day of work ahead.  I DID show up about 15 minutes late but, that didn't matter.  Even if I had gotten in trouble, it wouldn't have mattered.  I had taken the chance of not being seen by anyone and, instead, was seen by TWO companies.  It was a good day!

So, as it stands:

            Audition Scorecard 2010
                   5 Success
                   3 Fails

I think I have a good shot at getting a callback from the Florida people so, I'll cross my fingers and let you know if it happens.

Until next time...