Face To Face 2 Face too Face

It has been many moons now since I took up the joy and entertainment of Musical Theater. And over the years I have been in more then my fair share of Musicals/performances. This isn't due to an automatic talent I was born with (I wish). I've been working really hard at crafting what I feel to be a fulfilling talent to the art. I was QUITE the lucky little honky with this adventure because of High School. I went to an Art's school which had an amazing Musical Theater program in it. (hence this story). At first I was just a child auditioning for my life to just get somewhere that I thought would be REALLY cool. And sure enough Cool wanted me too.

(excluding the variety shows I have been apart of)

As a grade 9 student I was fortunate, (and when I say fortunate I mean it was happening to all the Grade 9 musical theater students) to be in the Chorus of our schools production of "Godspell". This being my first take at theater acting, the thought never crossed my mind that when someone on stage improv's a line into the show and is really funny, YOU DO NOT LAUGH WITH THE AUDIENCE! But there I was enjoying myself as if I were some sort of idiot who just walked off the street and said "oOoOH look at the pretty lights!"
(just two kittens having a night on the town)

Now time flew by. Hair grew longer, girls seemed to be the only thing I thought worth wild to get up in the morning for, and of course the ever hating pubescent years of my life were beginning to REALLY kick my ass.
But this year in our production - the faculty decided to do something to really show off our vocal ranges. To really push into becoming performers. To really do a show to which the writers have been dead for soooo many decades that no one can claim royalties over. This year was "The Pirates of Penzance". Now this year was a test. It was all about focus. When that dashing Pirate King stood up and sang - if our eyes were not locked solid on to him then it was off the plank with us in that scene. I do admit we began to see the wrath of the teachers due to stress levels and all the leads losing their voices, I think I was scared sober. Scared sober due to the vodka hidden within my flask while we "pretended" to drink during the song "Pour oh Pour". Although it was not quite Pirate Sherry I was indulging in on stage, I would still consider myself trying out the method acting tactic.

(There is no picture here - this being because I was going through a "hair" stage. During the show my hair was bleached bright blonde (yechh) and befor the performance I had long brown dreadlocks.)
Now grade 11 hit me as hard as my girlfriend(s) could. They were tough dolls those ones. But luckily by this year I had begun to better understand this whole "acting" thing. Responsibility and professionalism was something I was all too familiar with in this years production. "Urinetown". It in my mind was and is a classic. The show is soo funny if you can get anyone that can hold themselves on stage and deliver a line to the fullest - then you have yourself this show. Our production was unique in the sense we took non singers and made them singers. In some of the cases we made them fake it. God did they fake it well. (I did not yet have my next girlfriend by the beginning of this production so don't get smart with me pervert!)


Alright now. I'm starting to get a little serious.... Enough joking.......... believe me? HA!...... Good acting right? pshh Yah I know!

Any way. It was time for me to start acting grown up. It's my last year of highschool and I really do enjoy this thing called Muse-ee-cull thhee-a-tor. So before I could even think of the next production I had two people giving me ideas left, right and center. The center was because this one guy (Mike) kneed me in the crotch once and stuffed snow down the back of my shirt..... A little over reaction for a small silent but deadly left behind in his car as he dropped me off at a friends house.... But he did however get me my first outside gig to which I will never forget about......

The night was HOT and I was out on the town with the idea of making it big. It's Tony night people - the biggest night for musical theater performers everywhere!....... no.... no I wasn't at the Tony's. Or even in the same country. BUT! I was invited to perform at a Tony party in Toronto during commercial times of the Tony's.
I was to perform "Purpose" the uplifting and cleanest song written within the musical Avenue Q. Of course as I went to perform this I must have forgotten to tell my brain not to be a complete ass and forget all the lyrics as I am standing up in front of dozens of people, some of which thought I was the cutest thing alive, and all of the ladies thinking I'm total crap.
This was my first bomb shell when it came to performing. Good thing I didn't invite any of my friends to come watch.... Oh wait.... I did. Good 'ol Matt and Kaleb... They didn't mind too much seeing how Kaleb was trying to flirt with the ladies behind us, and Matt completely ruining it by turning around to them constantly just to tell them to Shut many many things up with themselves.

But mind off of this night I had some more productions to think about. My right hand man-J-ordan D. Pipher got me an audition for a production of Seussical the Musical. (get it - seussical rymes with musical.... like how Dr.Seuss made up words to rhyme with real words too..... get it?...... Nothing? no? Okay.)

Soon would I find out that this is a production run by the camp to which I work at every summer. So meeting new people and seeing familiar faces made the audition process a lot more easier to go through..... And sure enough.... I did alright... I made some jokes, took some names. Left a song. I auditioned with "Any Dream Will Do" from the Musical- Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat... I got the role of the Mayor of Whoville.. His name being...... Mr.Mayor.. (Jordan being the Cat in the Hat hahaha)

Myself and Jordan were serious this year with singing so we took up a Vocal coach named Carol Hasek. Genius woman! I have never been more comfortable singing around someone than her. Even when I first met her. Something about her house I think?.....Or maybe that soup she gave me before I sang....hmm...what was in that?..... Any way. It was a great time.

As I worked hard on Seussical the next school production came up. It was Grease.... Who'd have thought that a high school would ever put that show on? Original right?... wop wop.....'

But it turned out really great. Jordan got to understudy Danny Zuko - he even got to perform him- and although I didn't get an initial part myself, I did get a solo in the show and be one of the initial/main T-birds. I sang "Those Magic Changes."
I learned two things with this show. One was that no part is really ever a small part. Although I was only able to have the spotlight for all of 3 minutes, I got to contribute to probably one of the funniest scenes in the show. And the second thing is how to save yourself vocally. Not going to lie - but at the time I could NOT hit one of those high notes. Trust me it was more than a stretch. And my good 'ol director really knew how to scare a person into performing their all. And all she had to do was to say 8 simple words as she crossed your path in the hall. "If you can't hit the note, you're out!"
...........................................................I hit the note :)..................................kinda......

Now it was Seussical. One genius of a musical. I did so well it's true-sicle. And not a person around did boo-sicle.

Mr.Mayor was a very fun role to play. I got to be funny and sing and be on stage with a hilarious cast. Even a couple of my musical theater teachers drove out to see it. Pretty sweet-icle... okay I'll stop... cough.........icle.....
The summer past and I was now on my own in the world. Working the odd City job as a film/photography teacher, and eventually becoming a Waiter at Jackastors........yippiiiee..:(....

But then GOOD 'ol Jordan gave me a ring a ling ling - and poof auditions for another musical came ABRUPT!........ (don't know why I used that word..... thought it would be funny :) )

This year we would audition for "Oliver! the musical". Now although there was nothing more I wanted then to perform in this show - stupid work was what needed to take priority. And as the pain swelled up my eyes to the point where I could see through time. I auditioned any way.... Now there are not many parts for a 19 year old who looks like a 17 year old in Oliver. It's either a little orphan boy or an old fat man...... I was niether... So luckily they found me a small speaking role of DR.Grimwig, the doctor who inspects oliver after he has been taken to the old rich mans house. I changed this prim and proper dumb doctor to drunken pirate. (easily compared to Capt.Jack Sparrow). Finally by the time this show started I had freed myself of all obligations. Work and ladies. One freed me without my consent hahaa but thats another blog story. I gave it my all and enjoyed every minute of it........


And thus brings me to my story..... HA!

Here you are wasting your night away reading and thinking this is the story! FOOOOLED YOU.... Man is that ever a smack in the face!........... WAIT!!!! don't turn off my blog... Keep reading!!! I'll keep the next part short I swear....... hehe suckerr...

It's like the book "PI"... You read half the book and its about sloths and religion... no story. Then FINALLY half way through the book you get into the story. And I have only ever heard good things about the 2nd half of that book. So you're in luck....... hehe suckkerrrr......

It's been another year - and thus begins another round of........dum Dum DUMMM!!!! Auditions.

Now I'm in a pickle.... Do I audition for the musical that has the killer lead part that I love (Bobby Strong - urinetown... Although I have already done the show)
Or do I audition for the show that has several realyl good parts and is being done with my Camp friends in it again. (Guys and Dolls.)

Now I would choose both if I could but Auditions were the same weekend and the shows are 2 weeks a part... So I need to choose...... What to choose what to choooooooossseeeee......

-Mission 3- Luck be a Lady


So here I go. Off to another whirl wind adventure with Jordan. This show should be a goood'n seeing how we are both aiming for 2 opposite roles from each other. I want Nathan Detroit or one of Benny and Nicely Nicely. And he wants Sky Masteson or one of Benny or Nicely Nicely.... Either way we kinda have a small hope we can team up in this production and play opposite to each other.....

So the auditions are nearing and I figure, hey it's classically done by such great club singers like Sinatra... So why not bust out a song like he would sing. So I search through what I think to be good music and find the song "Somewhere Beyond The Sea" sung by Bobby Darin. PERFECT!

One day I was listening to Jason Mraz.... hahaha one day?!........ Anyway... One day I was stalking the guy and he sang a SICK version of "At Last" by Norah Jones, and I think - Oh man! This song is soo sweet I could totally flaunt my vocals with this one! Screw Beyond the pee, I want "At Last"! PERFECT.....

Now myself and Jordan get lost in Youtube boredom. This is where you watch thousands of Youtube videos in one night because you get stuck watching something amazing when you don't want to do work.... And POOF - I stumble on footage from this past years Tony's....tony's grrrr..... And while I watch imagining I'm that singer on the stage crying because they just one for best leading lady - I stumble upon the production of "Xanadu" the musical. Not that old 80's crap with Olivia Newton John, but rather the new remake on Broadway Tony nominated production... and DAMN can that man SING! "Don't Walk Away"....... It's sooo amazing.... why are his shorts soo high?..... Why are his legs soo shiny? Why aren't mine?!!! wait back to the voice..... I must do this song!...... And lucky for me with only a week left before auditions I have no more time to flip flop back and forth through songs..... So I have chosen.... "Don't Walk Away" from the Musical production of "Xanadu".

Auditions come and I meet up with Jordan and our great friend Chaplin (charlie) - and we get to the audition. Seeing how the previous year for Oliver there was no dance segment to the auditions I decided it clearly must be the same.... So I wear dress pants and converse with holes all through them...... There was dancing.... But sure enough other than one note I rocked the song as much as I could have hoped for and got me a call back!

The call back comes and I am there to try for Nathan Detroit and Benny Southstreet. I get called in after a while and read lines and sing a duet with the really funny director Kate. I'm feeling comfortable at this point because I know everyone in the room. Even the nonstopping little girl in the seat watching me. (annie - she was jojo in Seussical the music...cough... And also Oliver Twist in Oliver!)

I did alright I think. I had trouble reading the liens on the paper but I think I did swell... Not too too long later I get called back in with Jordan. hehehehe.... He is to sing Nicely Nicely's part and I, Benny Southstreet.... We read lines.... We make up lines... he reads lines... I make up lines... Director wants the REAL lines............ We both read lines.....

Next week is our first rehearsal.
Tag team action with Jordan (Nicely Nicely Johnson) and I (Benny Southstreet).

-this is going to be a fun show hahaha