Blech
I haven't updated in a good long while because I simply haven't felt like it. Not that there hasn't been anything to write about, but LJ is seeming more and more useless. But since I do have some friends who don't LJ, and their only way to keep track of my life is to read my posts, here it goes.
Red, Hot & Cole almost killed me. For a good solid month, I don't think there were any days that I didn't rehearse. I couldn't complain at the time because we desperately needed it. I expected to get sick and not be able to sing for the show, but miraculously I made it through.
I thought the show sucked. Well, I mean the show does suck. The writing is terrible and sometimes it just didn't make sense. But I guess the power of Cole Porter's music really trumps anything else about the show. It was a complete success! We were sold out the majority of our performances, and on the last night there was a three-page waiting list. I've never experienced anything like that before. The executive director of the theatre told us he probably, in total, turned three hundred people away.
I also felt very unsure of myself, as well. In a show where most of the parts were written horribly, here in the center was Cole. It wasn't the best part ever written, but it was pretty touching in some scenes. I felt so unsure of myself because in the course of the show he ages from twenty-two to seventy.....without the aid of make-up or wigs. So everything I did was purely by speech pattern, tone, posture and facial expression. I didn't have anyone coaching me, so I wasn't sure if I was doing the part any justice. I think a lot of us felt that way. But opening night was a beautiful experience. The audience absolutely loved it! And it continued that way for the entire run. People who I respect so much gave me some very nice compliments. An older friend of mine, who has done four Broadway shows, made me almost cry with his comments. It means more than anything to get recognition from people whose opinions you respect.
So, last weekend, when I attended the Pelican Awards (Players by the Sea's annual volunteer awards), I expected to walk away with an award. I was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical, which I felt I was a shoe-in, and for Best Actor in a Production, the only male nominated from a musical this year. But when the award for Best Actor in a Musical went to someone else, someone who played a featured part in my show, and someone who won simply because he has the voice of an angel, I was crushed. Not that this award means anything in the grand scheme of things, but because I thought I would finally get recognized for the hard work and thought I put into this character. It is Best Actor in a Musical, right?
Enough of that. Now I set my sights on Psycho Beach Party. This is a play I can't wait for everyone to see. It's hysterical, for one...and that's not an exaggeration. I'm also a co-producer, so my involvement is immense. We've been very lucky so far and we're hopefully going to have a featured spot on the First Coast Pride event schedule. (Fingers crossed.) This isn't really a show about gay issues, but more a show with gay sensibility. It's very campy!! The cast is going to be fabulous and I cannot wait to see Lee Hamby dressed in drag playing a June Cleaver/Joan Crawford character. I've only had one reservation so far, and it involves me. My character is a repressed homosexual. And I have a stage kiss. No big deal. I've done stage kisses before, both with women and men. I'm not scared. The only apprehension involves the guy that was cast in the part of my character's "boyfriend" is 15 years-old. He doesn't look it, he doesn't act it, and any normal person wouldn't have guessed so unless he told you. So, naturally, I felt very uncomfortable about doing that. I can't really explain it, but I just felt there was something wrong about it, even though it's only a stage kiss. Well, long story short, I had to get over it. His parents signed a permission slip, which is funny enough to me, and they're very cool about it. I guess there both big liberals and I guess it helps that he's involved with Jasmyn. It'll be fine.
My busy summer continues with more Forever Plaid shows July 7th - 17th at Theatre Jax. It's the same group of guys from St. Augustine, just on a bigger stage and with a better lighting design. A friend of ours who's home from Boston University is doing it, and he's good....really good. Our first rehearsal in that space is tonight, so we'll see. Also, I got cast as Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew. Rehearsals don't start until the end of July, but I'm ultra excited about that.
Otherwise, my life is boring. I'm an old man. I go to sleep early, I don't go out ever, and I like nothing more than reading a book. I figure it's just a phase, but it's just as well. It's too damn hot outside to be doing anything.
I apologize for the lengthiness of this, but it was a long time coming.
Red, Hot & Cole almost killed me. For a good solid month, I don't think there were any days that I didn't rehearse. I couldn't complain at the time because we desperately needed it. I expected to get sick and not be able to sing for the show, but miraculously I made it through.
I thought the show sucked. Well, I mean the show does suck. The writing is terrible and sometimes it just didn't make sense. But I guess the power of Cole Porter's music really trumps anything else about the show. It was a complete success! We were sold out the majority of our performances, and on the last night there was a three-page waiting list. I've never experienced anything like that before. The executive director of the theatre told us he probably, in total, turned three hundred people away.
I also felt very unsure of myself, as well. In a show where most of the parts were written horribly, here in the center was Cole. It wasn't the best part ever written, but it was pretty touching in some scenes. I felt so unsure of myself because in the course of the show he ages from twenty-two to seventy.....without the aid of make-up or wigs. So everything I did was purely by speech pattern, tone, posture and facial expression. I didn't have anyone coaching me, so I wasn't sure if I was doing the part any justice. I think a lot of us felt that way. But opening night was a beautiful experience. The audience absolutely loved it! And it continued that way for the entire run. People who I respect so much gave me some very nice compliments. An older friend of mine, who has done four Broadway shows, made me almost cry with his comments. It means more than anything to get recognition from people whose opinions you respect.
So, last weekend, when I attended the Pelican Awards (Players by the Sea's annual volunteer awards), I expected to walk away with an award. I was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical, which I felt I was a shoe-in, and for Best Actor in a Production, the only male nominated from a musical this year. But when the award for Best Actor in a Musical went to someone else, someone who played a featured part in my show, and someone who won simply because he has the voice of an angel, I was crushed. Not that this award means anything in the grand scheme of things, but because I thought I would finally get recognized for the hard work and thought I put into this character. It is Best Actor in a Musical, right?
Enough of that. Now I set my sights on Psycho Beach Party. This is a play I can't wait for everyone to see. It's hysterical, for one...and that's not an exaggeration. I'm also a co-producer, so my involvement is immense. We've been very lucky so far and we're hopefully going to have a featured spot on the First Coast Pride event schedule. (Fingers crossed.) This isn't really a show about gay issues, but more a show with gay sensibility. It's very campy!! The cast is going to be fabulous and I cannot wait to see Lee Hamby dressed in drag playing a June Cleaver/Joan Crawford character. I've only had one reservation so far, and it involves me. My character is a repressed homosexual. And I have a stage kiss. No big deal. I've done stage kisses before, both with women and men. I'm not scared. The only apprehension involves the guy that was cast in the part of my character's "boyfriend" is 15 years-old. He doesn't look it, he doesn't act it, and any normal person wouldn't have guessed so unless he told you. So, naturally, I felt very uncomfortable about doing that. I can't really explain it, but I just felt there was something wrong about it, even though it's only a stage kiss. Well, long story short, I had to get over it. His parents signed a permission slip, which is funny enough to me, and they're very cool about it. I guess there both big liberals and I guess it helps that he's involved with Jasmyn. It'll be fine.
My busy summer continues with more Forever Plaid shows July 7th - 17th at Theatre Jax. It's the same group of guys from St. Augustine, just on a bigger stage and with a better lighting design. A friend of ours who's home from Boston University is doing it, and he's good....really good. Our first rehearsal in that space is tonight, so we'll see. Also, I got cast as Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew. Rehearsals don't start until the end of July, but I'm ultra excited about that.
Otherwise, my life is boring. I'm an old man. I go to sleep early, I don't go out ever, and I like nothing more than reading a book. I figure it's just a phase, but it's just as well. It's too damn hot outside to be doing anything.
I apologize for the lengthiness of this, but it was a long time coming.