This weekend was the Volunteer Revue Benefit concert, featuring yours truly, "Johnny Casino and the Gamblers", also known as the Grease Band. We have had numerous rehearsals in the past month that ate up a great deal of my free time, but in the end, it was definitely worth it.
We walked into the theatre Friday night, not really knowing what to expect. It was to be a dress rehearsal, but there were going to be more than sixty performers, many of them I had never met. In fact, the dress rehearsal ended up being very scary. The performances were sub-par, people had no idea what their cues were, the band members could not hear the vocalists we were trying to support, and a two-hour show took three and a half hours for a first-run. Select members of the grease band, myself included unanimously decided to retreat to a local pub to drink away much of the stress that accumulated over the course of the evening.
Last night, I arrived very early to set up my equipment. The other members of the Grease band arrived shortly thereafter, and in true Grease tradition, one of the members brought a bottle of scotch to calm our nerves. I could tell that this was going to be a night of shaky performances, and we would very likely be drowning our reservations throughout the night.
Then the worst possible news was delivered. MA, the newest member of the Grease Band, came into the theatre cursing a blue streak. That afternoon, he broke his hand while working in the yard. His hand was swollen, and he was in a great deal of pain. In true musician fashion, he picked up his guitar and managed to play the entire night, with the help of a lot of scotch.
The half hour before the performance opens, when spectators file into their seats and the curtains are closed are nerve-wracking. You pace the back halls endlessly, your mind rattles as you run through all the numbers in your head, praying that you don't blow your performance, you have to be quiet, so it's difficult to talk with one another without disrupting the stage crew. Some people love those few moments when the energy behind the curtain is electric; others buckle under the pressure.
When the curtain opened to a theatre of about 350 spectators, a miracle happened. It was a stellar performance. The band played well, and the performers nailed their parts. When compared to the previous night, the performance improved one thousand percent. The crowd loved the show, and we loved playing it.
Afterwards, about thirty of the cast and crew wound up at the pub to celebrate the shows' success (instead of drowning their sorrows). The members of the grease band sat together and drank heavy doses of their choice of poisons. I met a number of other musicians, who performed on-stage with us, and we complimented one another on the performance.
Most people would call this ass-kissing; musicians call it "professional development".
As the pub began to empty, remaining members of the Grease band realized that the bar was about to close, and it might be an ideal time to move the party elsewhere. MA decided to come over to my house for a few more beverages. It was about 4:00 in the morning by the time we decided to call it quits.
I am glad to get one project over and done with, but that just opens the door to other gigs, and other performances. I talked to MA about RH, the bass player I gigged with last weekend. The discussions MA and I had points in the direction that the three of us might have a band. I expect the three of us will be getting together next weekend to discuss the possibilities of throwing a killer band together.
If the three of us hook up next weekend, rest assured I will tell you all about it.
Showing posts with label Grease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grease. Show all posts
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Human Data Compression
Yesterday, I attended a rehearsal with the Grease band, where in addition to the songs we have known for many months, we were to learn about a half-dozen songs very rapidly. One of the songs is "Time Warp" from the Rocky Horror Show.
I was a little jealous when I was not asked to participate in the local production of the Rocky Horror Show, but I imagine that some day, I will have my chance to play Dr. Frankenfurter. Unfortunately, my longing to participate in the Rocky Horror Show has nothing to do with this post, so once again, I must put a topic on the back-burner -- to be forgotten until the desire resurfaces.
At last evening's rehearsal, the bandleader played a recording of the Time Warp for the band members, in order to get an idea on the key, riffs, and overall structure of the song. As I sat behind the drumset, I had my ears wide open, and I was fully focused on the music.
I had the whole piece memorized with one listen.
Before I fell asleep last night, and my brain was processing five thoughts per second, the issue of memorization crossed my mind, and I began thinking about the musical prodigies of history.
Especially Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Mozart was a musical genius; he demonstrated superhuman memory skills, he was incredibly talented, and intelligent. He had exceptional composition skills, and was proficient in almost every musical instrument of the time. I don't have the time to give you a synopsis of Mozart's life, but I recommend you watch the movie Amadeus, as it is quite accurate in the account of the events of Mozart's life, as well as his persona.
Mozart was known to have a photographic memory, which was well-documented in the movie. He could memorize an entire concerto with one listen. He would often compose entire symphonies in his head before committing one note to paper. His manuscripts were flawless. All these feats are even more astounding given the limits of 18th century technology. Last evening, while I was contemplating my rapid memorization of the Time Warp, I considered Mozart's uncanny mental prowess.
The memorization of large volumes of data has a lot to do with the way our brains manage and process information. Mozart must have used a number of tricks to allow him to store huge volumes of data, with little to no loss of data integrity. When I considered the way I memorized the Time Warp, I surmised that I used a type of mental data compression in order to assimilate a large amount of information in such a short period of time.
If I explain all this in musical terms, I will probably lose most of you with a bunch of jargon you may or may not know, so I have considered using a different analogy to convey my point.
First of all consider a landmark, or piece of architecture that strikes you with awe, at its' immense size or detail. Consider the Sistine Chapel. I have never been there, but even through photographs, I have been awestruck at the architecture and detail of the chapel. As a tourist, there is no possible way that one can absorb every detail, every crevice of the landmark, nor is it possible to absorb every detail Michelangelo painted on the ceiling. The level of detail is overwhelming. Strangely enough, we all have some recollection of the detail of the building.
Consider the process in which we all read. If you think way back to your youth, when you just began to learn how to read, you might recall it being a rather exhausting effort. I recall being taught to pronounce every single letter phonetically, and these letters became syllables, and then entire words. Entire words became phrases, and sentences; sentences became ideas; sentences became paragraphs, and paragraphs were representative of more complex ideas. You can extend this scale as large as you wish, but at the very root are individual characters.
When we memorize a sentence, a phrase, or poem, or any other written material, do you think we memorize every individual letter? If we tried to memorize every individual letter, we probably could not remember more than a few words. Our brains have become adept at recognizing words as individual units, instead of long strings of letters and punctuation. I am sure linguists and psychologists would argue that we memorize phrases, groups of words, even general ideas, as larger, more general pieces of information are easier for our brain to manage.
It's a lot like telling a joke you recently heard. You often remember the punch line, and you make up the rest. It's a way that we can assimilate large pieces of information. The important pieces are retained, and the rest is filler.
This is the same process that speed readers use to quickly assimilate large volumes of information, however it does take some training. When the common person reads, they do not read individual letters, much like a young child does, but their brain sees each word as individual units of information. Speed readers are able to go beyond the individual word and see entire phrases as one unit. They have learned to compress information at a higher level.
Contrary to popular belief, speed readers do not have photographic memories. When they are reading a page every ten seconds, they are only assimilating general ideas of the text. You cannot get them to quote passages word-for-word; instead they are looking at the bigger picture.
When I was listening to the "Time Warp" at last night's rehearsal, I was using the same tactic. Memorizing individual notes takes dozens of listens -- and takes far more time than I have available. I am sure Mozart similarly used these tactics to memorize entire compositions with only one listen.
What the layperson often does not know, is that music is a lot like spoken language; it has rules, grammar, and punctuation. There are rules to follow when writing music, there are motifs, and formulae which are used to develop musical themes. Composers of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods of music followed a much stricter code of composition then what is followed today. So, if a person was well-educated in the process of music composition, they could predict the direction a piece of music would take.
That being said, I am not criticizing Mozart by any means. He was far more talented than what I could ever hope to be. I consider him one of the most brilliant composers of all time. But the process I have outlined above is my hypothesis on how he could possibly memorize such huge volumes of music, and compose entire symphonies before placing one note on parchment.
On a slightly different tangent, the ability for the brain to process large volumes of information at the many levels I have described is likely the key to academic success at the post-secondary level. It seems that university students receive the greatest rewards when they can understand the bigger picture (macro), yet have the ability to memorize the important details at the "micro" level. Abstract thought, reasoning, deduction, and induction also play a large role in a student's level of success in their academic studies; which arguably, is related to a student's intelligence. Ultimately, a student will succeed if they can assimilate, process, and manage the information presented to them in a reasonable amount of time.
It was nearly too late in my academic career before I learned how to adequately manage the high volume of information I was given. I have my lousy grade-point-average to show for that. If I had learned those tricks two (or more) years prior to graduation, I would likely have a Ph.D. by now.
I am still considering the idea of returning to University to complete another degree. When I do, I am going to be unstoppable. I smell a 4.0 GPA in my future.
I was a little jealous when I was not asked to participate in the local production of the Rocky Horror Show, but I imagine that some day, I will have my chance to play Dr. Frankenfurter. Unfortunately, my longing to participate in the Rocky Horror Show has nothing to do with this post, so once again, I must put a topic on the back-burner -- to be forgotten until the desire resurfaces.
At last evening's rehearsal, the bandleader played a recording of the Time Warp for the band members, in order to get an idea on the key, riffs, and overall structure of the song. As I sat behind the drumset, I had my ears wide open, and I was fully focused on the music.
I had the whole piece memorized with one listen.
Before I fell asleep last night, and my brain was processing five thoughts per second, the issue of memorization crossed my mind, and I began thinking about the musical prodigies of history.
Especially Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Mozart was a musical genius; he demonstrated superhuman memory skills, he was incredibly talented, and intelligent. He had exceptional composition skills, and was proficient in almost every musical instrument of the time. I don't have the time to give you a synopsis of Mozart's life, but I recommend you watch the movie Amadeus, as it is quite accurate in the account of the events of Mozart's life, as well as his persona.
Mozart was known to have a photographic memory, which was well-documented in the movie. He could memorize an entire concerto with one listen. He would often compose entire symphonies in his head before committing one note to paper. His manuscripts were flawless. All these feats are even more astounding given the limits of 18th century technology. Last evening, while I was contemplating my rapid memorization of the Time Warp, I considered Mozart's uncanny mental prowess.
The memorization of large volumes of data has a lot to do with the way our brains manage and process information. Mozart must have used a number of tricks to allow him to store huge volumes of data, with little to no loss of data integrity. When I considered the way I memorized the Time Warp, I surmised that I used a type of mental data compression in order to assimilate a large amount of information in such a short period of time.
If I explain all this in musical terms, I will probably lose most of you with a bunch of jargon you may or may not know, so I have considered using a different analogy to convey my point.
First of all consider a landmark, or piece of architecture that strikes you with awe, at its' immense size or detail. Consider the Sistine Chapel. I have never been there, but even through photographs, I have been awestruck at the architecture and detail of the chapel. As a tourist, there is no possible way that one can absorb every detail, every crevice of the landmark, nor is it possible to absorb every detail Michelangelo painted on the ceiling. The level of detail is overwhelming. Strangely enough, we all have some recollection of the detail of the building.Consider the process in which we all read. If you think way back to your youth, when you just began to learn how to read, you might recall it being a rather exhausting effort. I recall being taught to pronounce every single letter phonetically, and these letters became syllables, and then entire words. Entire words became phrases, and sentences; sentences became ideas; sentences became paragraphs, and paragraphs were representative of more complex ideas. You can extend this scale as large as you wish, but at the very root are individual characters.
When we memorize a sentence, a phrase, or poem, or any other written material, do you think we memorize every individual letter? If we tried to memorize every individual letter, we probably could not remember more than a few words. Our brains have become adept at recognizing words as individual units, instead of long strings of letters and punctuation. I am sure linguists and psychologists would argue that we memorize phrases, groups of words, even general ideas, as larger, more general pieces of information are easier for our brain to manage.
It's a lot like telling a joke you recently heard. You often remember the punch line, and you make up the rest. It's a way that we can assimilate large pieces of information. The important pieces are retained, and the rest is filler.
This is the same process that speed readers use to quickly assimilate large volumes of information, however it does take some training. When the common person reads, they do not read individual letters, much like a young child does, but their brain sees each word as individual units of information. Speed readers are able to go beyond the individual word and see entire phrases as one unit. They have learned to compress information at a higher level.
Contrary to popular belief, speed readers do not have photographic memories. When they are reading a page every ten seconds, they are only assimilating general ideas of the text. You cannot get them to quote passages word-for-word; instead they are looking at the bigger picture.
When I was listening to the "Time Warp" at last night's rehearsal, I was using the same tactic. Memorizing individual notes takes dozens of listens -- and takes far more time than I have available. I am sure Mozart similarly used these tactics to memorize entire compositions with only one listen.
What the layperson often does not know, is that music is a lot like spoken language; it has rules, grammar, and punctuation. There are rules to follow when writing music, there are motifs, and formulae which are used to develop musical themes. Composers of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods of music followed a much stricter code of composition then what is followed today. So, if a person was well-educated in the process of music composition, they could predict the direction a piece of music would take.
That being said, I am not criticizing Mozart by any means. He was far more talented than what I could ever hope to be. I consider him one of the most brilliant composers of all time. But the process I have outlined above is my hypothesis on how he could possibly memorize such huge volumes of music, and compose entire symphonies before placing one note on parchment.
On a slightly different tangent, the ability for the brain to process large volumes of information at the many levels I have described is likely the key to academic success at the post-secondary level. It seems that university students receive the greatest rewards when they can understand the bigger picture (macro), yet have the ability to memorize the important details at the "micro" level. Abstract thought, reasoning, deduction, and induction also play a large role in a student's level of success in their academic studies; which arguably, is related to a student's intelligence. Ultimately, a student will succeed if they can assimilate, process, and manage the information presented to them in a reasonable amount of time.
It was nearly too late in my academic career before I learned how to adequately manage the high volume of information I was given. I have my lousy grade-point-average to show for that. If I had learned those tricks two (or more) years prior to graduation, I would likely have a Ph.D. by now.
I am still considering the idea of returning to University to complete another degree. When I do, I am going to be unstoppable. I smell a 4.0 GPA in my future.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Booked Solid
The next two weeks of my life are going to busy ones. It is going to be exciting, however at the same time, it's going to be rather stressful, as I have no idea how I am going to get enough sleep.
This week I am going into the recording studio to record an album with one of my associates, SK. I have mentioned him a number of times on this blog, as he has been kind enough to give me a few gigs on the odd occasion. I feel privileged that he asked me to record an album with him. Unfortunately, at this time, I have no idea what we are going to do once I get there. I could end up spending four or more nights in the studio recording drum tracks.
I also have rehearsals with two other bands this week. One of them, is Müle Shöe, whom are writing material for our sophomore album. The other band is the Grease band, from months past, as we have been solicited to do a gig for charity. It sounds like I will have about another dozen songs to learn just for that gig. I am also working with another associate of mine who is putting a recital together for her students. We will be having rehearsals every Saturday afternoon for the next two months to prepare our students for their performances. On top of all this, I have two gigs with SK on the weekends.
After all this, one thing comes to my mind: When the hell am I going to do my tax return?
This week I am going into the recording studio to record an album with one of my associates, SK. I have mentioned him a number of times on this blog, as he has been kind enough to give me a few gigs on the odd occasion. I feel privileged that he asked me to record an album with him. Unfortunately, at this time, I have no idea what we are going to do once I get there. I could end up spending four or more nights in the studio recording drum tracks.
I also have rehearsals with two other bands this week. One of them, is Müle Shöe, whom are writing material for our sophomore album. The other band is the Grease band, from months past, as we have been solicited to do a gig for charity. It sounds like I will have about another dozen songs to learn just for that gig. I am also working with another associate of mine who is putting a recital together for her students. We will be having rehearsals every Saturday afternoon for the next two months to prepare our students for their performances. On top of all this, I have two gigs with SK on the weekends.
After all this, one thing comes to my mind: When the hell am I going to do my tax return?
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Last Grease(y) Post
Last night was the final banquet for the production of Grease. About three-quarters of the cast and crew attended. The party was a little bittersweet, but at least there were no tears.
The president of the theater production company said a speech around dinnertime, thanked us for all our hard work and informed us that out of 44 Musical Theatre productions, ours was the most successful in history. The play not only sold-out, it sold out in seven days at 104% capacity. This production has raised the bar in standards of quality of entertainment at the local level. Of course, we were all gloating.
It may be the end of the show, but that doesn't mean that it will be the end of friendships. I know I will lose touch with many of them, unless we all coincidentally get cast in a future production. There are some friendships that I gained that will continue, and some that may develop into future business ventures.
I am specifically referring to a few of the members of the band. Some of us have enjoyed each others' playing to a degree where we feel that it might be advantageous for us to form a cover band. I brought up the idea to one of the guitar players and the bass player of the Grease band what they thought of this idea. They were both very receptive to the idea of forming a three-piece power rock band to make a few bucks on the side.
I have been getting the itch to play gigs again, and I have been biding my time to find the right guys to get back in the local music scene. My vision for this venture is little more than playing a few pubs around town. I am not thinking about writing songs, recording an album, going on tour, or the pursuit of stardom to any degree. I just want to have fun, and sing a bunch of songs for the local party animals.
I am excited about this little endeavor. I am already thinking about what kind of songs I'd like to learn. Yours truly will likely be doing a lot of lead singing -- something I am really excited about.
If I hear from the guys this week, than perhaps this little vision of mine might become a reality. I will keep you all posted about this little endeavor. Of course, if you have any song suggestions, by all means, drop me a line.
The president of the theater production company said a speech around dinnertime, thanked us for all our hard work and informed us that out of 44 Musical Theatre productions, ours was the most successful in history. The play not only sold-out, it sold out in seven days at 104% capacity. This production has raised the bar in standards of quality of entertainment at the local level. Of course, we were all gloating.
It may be the end of the show, but that doesn't mean that it will be the end of friendships. I know I will lose touch with many of them, unless we all coincidentally get cast in a future production. There are some friendships that I gained that will continue, and some that may develop into future business ventures.
I am specifically referring to a few of the members of the band. Some of us have enjoyed each others' playing to a degree where we feel that it might be advantageous for us to form a cover band. I brought up the idea to one of the guitar players and the bass player of the Grease band what they thought of this idea. They were both very receptive to the idea of forming a three-piece power rock band to make a few bucks on the side.
I have been getting the itch to play gigs again, and I have been biding my time to find the right guys to get back in the local music scene. My vision for this venture is little more than playing a few pubs around town. I am not thinking about writing songs, recording an album, going on tour, or the pursuit of stardom to any degree. I just want to have fun, and sing a bunch of songs for the local party animals.
I am excited about this little endeavor. I am already thinking about what kind of songs I'd like to learn. Yours truly will likely be doing a lot of lead singing -- something I am really excited about.
If I hear from the guys this week, than perhaps this little vision of mine might become a reality. I will keep you all posted about this little endeavor. Of course, if you have any song suggestions, by all means, drop me a line.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Music School Dropout
Friday night was the second-last performance of Grease. After the show, the cast, band and crew retreated to the Green Room for copious amounts of alcohol, and a special event called "skit night".
Skit night is an opportunity for members of the cast and crew to poke a little fun at themselves. It was a great way for us to unwind and have a few good laughs. There was also special thank-yous and awards given out to a few special people who put in an exceptional amount of heart, dedication and time to make Grease such a success. Yours truly even got a special gift: A T-shirt with the Grease logo on it, signed by the directors and all the members of the cast. I nearly cried.
The band members were a little sluggish in putting together a skit. It seemed that they were more interested in conjuring up some pranks to be delivered on the evening of the final performance. One of the saxophone players suggested we could do a parody of Beauty School Dropout -- aptly entitled Music School Dropout. Some members pondered the possibility of doing such a performance on skit night, but little action was taken.
I ended up spending one late night working on my own rendition of Music School Dropout. Time constraints prevented me from producing a fully workable piece of literature, but it was enough to show the guys in the band the next night. They loved it.
To just sing a song is a bit of a half-baked performance of a skit. We needed a gimmick that would make the performance memorable. The other sax player appeared Friday night with some costumes. We quickly changed prior to our performance. The guys were wearing horrific dresses that even Dame Edna would not be caught dead wearing. They also sported jester hats complete with jingles. They looked terrible, but my costume was worse.
Spandex. About three sizes too small. It was a one-piece body suit that looked like fifteen turkeys had to be destroyed to make it. I looked like an acrobat who had no idea what color-coordination was. The suit was so tight that it left nothing to the imagination; my twig and two berries could be easily identified -- from across the room.
We sought refuge backstage for a few moments before making our entrance to the green room. While ducking behind stacked chairs, old props, music stands and scrap pieces of wood, the performers found some props -- paint rollers. I have no idea why they chose those items over anything else, but at this point I was more worried if Mr. Happy was going to make a surprise appearance while I was in front of everyone singing this little number.
Upon entering the green room, we were met by laughter of unsurpassed volume. They were of course, laughing at our outrageous costumes. I climbed the makeshift stage, and explained that we (the band) were jealous that they (the cast) got to do all the singing, and we did not. So, this was the band's turn to sing a little number. The lyrics are displayed below:
Not just laughter; mass hysteria. My backup singers were "painting" my body with the paint rollers amidst my performance. Every line I sang erupted in ear-shattering laughter, hoots, hollers, and whistles. People were wiping tears from their eyes from laughing so hard. And all I could think of (besides my manhood) was how I didn't think my song parody deserved the response it received.
After the performance and the standing ovation, we quickly retired to the dressing room to put on some less-flattering clothing.
Oh yes, there were numbers camera bulb flashes during the performance. I fully expect that these pictures of me will wind up on the web sooner or later.
Skit night is an opportunity for members of the cast and crew to poke a little fun at themselves. It was a great way for us to unwind and have a few good laughs. There was also special thank-yous and awards given out to a few special people who put in an exceptional amount of heart, dedication and time to make Grease such a success. Yours truly even got a special gift: A T-shirt with the Grease logo on it, signed by the directors and all the members of the cast. I nearly cried.
The band members were a little sluggish in putting together a skit. It seemed that they were more interested in conjuring up some pranks to be delivered on the evening of the final performance. One of the saxophone players suggested we could do a parody of Beauty School Dropout -- aptly entitled Music School Dropout. Some members pondered the possibility of doing such a performance on skit night, but little action was taken.
I ended up spending one late night working on my own rendition of Music School Dropout. Time constraints prevented me from producing a fully workable piece of literature, but it was enough to show the guys in the band the next night. They loved it.
To just sing a song is a bit of a half-baked performance of a skit. We needed a gimmick that would make the performance memorable. The other sax player appeared Friday night with some costumes. We quickly changed prior to our performance. The guys were wearing horrific dresses that even Dame Edna would not be caught dead wearing. They also sported jester hats complete with jingles. They looked terrible, but my costume was worse.
Spandex. About three sizes too small. It was a one-piece body suit that looked like fifteen turkeys had to be destroyed to make it. I looked like an acrobat who had no idea what color-coordination was. The suit was so tight that it left nothing to the imagination; my twig and two berries could be easily identified -- from across the room.
We sought refuge backstage for a few moments before making our entrance to the green room. While ducking behind stacked chairs, old props, music stands and scrap pieces of wood, the performers found some props -- paint rollers. I have no idea why they chose those items over anything else, but at this point I was more worried if Mr. Happy was going to make a surprise appearance while I was in front of everyone singing this little number.
Upon entering the green room, we were met by laughter of unsurpassed volume. They were of course, laughing at our outrageous costumes. I climbed the makeshift stage, and explained that we (the band) were jealous that they (the cast) got to do all the singing, and we did not. So, this was the band's turn to sing a little number. The lyrics are displayed below:
Music School Dropout
(To be sung to the tune: Beauty School Dropout)
Your story's sad to tell,
A talent ne'er do well,
Most messed-up alcoholic at the bar!
Your vision's so unclear now,
You're even out of beer now,
Can't even get a trade-in on your guitar!
Music school dropout,
No gold record here for thee,
Music school dropout,
Missed your scales and flunked harmony!
Well at least you could have taken time, to wash and clean
your clothes up,
After spending all that dough to have the cocaine burn your nose up!
Baby get grooving,
Why keep your feeble hopes alive?
Where are your groupies?
You've got the dream but not the drive.
If you go for your diploma, you could join a Broadway show.
Turn down your guitar amp and go back to rock school!
Music school dropout,
Hanging around the music store.
Music school dropout,
It's about time you wrote a score.
Well they couldn't teach you anything,
You think you're such a looker,
But now you're poor as dirt and you can't afford a hooker!
Buddy don't sweat it,
No musician can hold a job.
Better forget it,
Even your girlfriend thinks you're a slob!
Now your guitar is tuned, your band is swooned, the
world is yours to rule,
Wipe off that distressed face and go back to rock school!
Buddy you blew it,
You put my good advice to shame.
Buddy you knew it,
Kalan Porter would say the same!
Now I've drank my shot; I've smoked my pot, and now I'm really high,
Gonna be singing: 'scuse me while I kiss the sky!
(To be sung to the tune: Beauty School Dropout)
Your story's sad to tell,
A talent ne'er do well,
Most messed-up alcoholic at the bar!
Your vision's so unclear now,
You're even out of beer now,
Can't even get a trade-in on your guitar!
Music school dropout,
No gold record here for thee,
Music school dropout,
Missed your scales and flunked harmony!
Well at least you could have taken time, to wash and clean
your clothes up,
After spending all that dough to have the cocaine burn your nose up!
Baby get grooving,
Why keep your feeble hopes alive?
Where are your groupies?
You've got the dream but not the drive.
If you go for your diploma, you could join a Broadway show.
Turn down your guitar amp and go back to rock school!
Music school dropout,
Hanging around the music store.
Music school dropout,
It's about time you wrote a score.
Well they couldn't teach you anything,
You think you're such a looker,
But now you're poor as dirt and you can't afford a hooker!
Buddy don't sweat it,
No musician can hold a job.
Better forget it,
Even your girlfriend thinks you're a slob!
Now your guitar is tuned, your band is swooned, the
world is yours to rule,
Wipe off that distressed face and go back to rock school!
Buddy you blew it,
You put my good advice to shame.
Buddy you knew it,
Kalan Porter would say the same!
Now I've drank my shot; I've smoked my pot, and now I'm really high,
Gonna be singing: 'scuse me while I kiss the sky!
Not just laughter; mass hysteria. My backup singers were "painting" my body with the paint rollers amidst my performance. Every line I sang erupted in ear-shattering laughter, hoots, hollers, and whistles. People were wiping tears from their eyes from laughing so hard. And all I could think of (besides my manhood) was how I didn't think my song parody deserved the response it received.
After the performance and the standing ovation, we quickly retired to the dressing room to put on some less-flattering clothing.
Oh yes, there were numbers camera bulb flashes during the performance. I fully expect that these pictures of me will wind up on the web sooner or later.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
It's Over...
Last night was the last performance of Grease. The experience was beyond my expectations and dreams. The show became something bigger than I had expected -- and certainly bigger than the patrons expected.
Realizing the show is now over, the depression is starting to sink in. I was blown away with the camaraderie expressed by all members of the cast, band, backstage crews and directors. We became a family, and I grew to love them all. In a way, I feel like I have lost them. In a sense, that is not the least bit true.
There is a final banquet for the cast and crew next weekend. Everyone in the cast and crew has been saying they will be there. Even though it's less than a week away, it's going to feel like I haven't seen them in years. That will be a tough night, as that is the "real" goodbye party.
I know there will be other shows. There will parties, reunions and other similar ilk, so I will see most of them again. But this the last time we all will be together at the same time. And there is no show quite like this one.
It's been an incredible ride.
Realizing the show is now over, the depression is starting to sink in. I was blown away with the camaraderie expressed by all members of the cast, band, backstage crews and directors. We became a family, and I grew to love them all. In a way, I feel like I have lost them. In a sense, that is not the least bit true.
There is a final banquet for the cast and crew next weekend. Everyone in the cast and crew has been saying they will be there. Even though it's less than a week away, it's going to feel like I haven't seen them in years. That will be a tough night, as that is the "real" goodbye party.
I know there will be other shows. There will parties, reunions and other similar ilk, so I will see most of them again. But this the last time we all will be together at the same time. And there is no show quite like this one.
It's been an incredible ride.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Cluttered Thoughts From A Sleep-Deprived Mind
[ed note: I have been quite unhappy with this post in the past days. I have noticed numerous grammatical errors, and I have taken the time to edit this post to a point where I feel I am communicating my ideas a little more effectively.]
It has been many days since I have written a post. The musical Grease is in full swing, and we have performed half of our sold-out shows. This is making it for a very sleepless week. I was not so lucky to get any time off work (I didn't expect I would get any anyway), so it is pedal to the metal for another five days or so.
I have to be at the theater two hours early to get into my costume, makeup, hair, and warm-up my cold hands. The performance is nearly two and a half hours long. There is a period of time of at least a half-hour that it takes for me to change out of my costume and chisel all the makeup off my face after the show. There are after-show parties ("Green Rooms" we call them) that I like to partake in, but as of late I find myself sucking back one drink in about fifteen minutes and then heading home to crash. Put all these things together, and it makes for a very long night. It's like running a marathon every day. The effects of all this energy exertion is beginning to take the toll on the cast.
The show is a runaway success. There are close to no bumps in the show at all by this point. It is very smooth, polished, and professional. Even I am amazed at the size and scope of this show, as well as the attention to detail. The costumes are authentic; the punch lines are well-timed, the music is tight, and the props are, well, authentic. They even have a classic convertible car and two classic motorcycles on the set.
I have taken a number of photos, and I will post them once I have access to a scanner. Many of the shots were so large, I had to take multiple photographs. This means I will have to make composite images using an image editing program. I imagine the Gimp will do a fine job.
November is National Writing Month. I wish I wasn't so busy, then I could dedicate some of my time to some creative writing. I wanted to post some snippets of prose on here to see what you all thought. After Grease has finished, I may have the chance to do some writing. What samples I choose to publish on here will mostly be quickly-written, half-baked ideas. I suppose that what I might write on here will not be more than a few hundred words at a time.
I thought I might take the opportunity to tell you a little bit about someone I have known for about seven years. She also happens to be the most strong-willed, sexiest, beautiful woman I know. Her name is Nina Bennett. She also doesn't exist.
You see, I created her. She was meant to be the protagonist in a novel I began writing in 1997. She's a complicated character; just as we are complicated people. As much as I know about her, a lot remains a mystery.
Nina [pronounced Nine-ah] has many admirable qualities to her. She is smart, independent, attractive, witty, and moral. She is a bit of an activist, and feels that she has the power to change the world for the better. Conversely, Nina also has many equal negative qualities. For example, she is a chain smoker and an alcoholic. She's non-committal, especially where relationships are concerned. I really don't know the details of why, but she's never been in any relationship with any man for any substantial length of time. It is likely that she's been in bad relationships in the past, but then, she has never told me.
Nina is the kind of girl that you dream of. She's tall, thin and curvy; the air is a bit sweeter when she walks past. Her hair is straight yet full, dark and shoulder length. She dresses professionally, and shows as little skin as she needs to. In fact, she doesn't need to wear tight or suggestive clothing to attract a member of the opposite sex. The way she carries herself is attractive enough.
Nina is intelligent, and is well-versed in the dating game. She knows being an attractive woman has its perks, and she uses them to her advantage. Conversely, Nina hates being a fox in a room full of hounds; she can't stand the chase. She is the hunter; the Black Widow. Any man that has ever come on to her has been shot down. She's not just playing hard to get; she would rather be perceived as impossible to get. This of course, is the source of a great deal of anguish and frustration with her male counterparts, as the only thing men want more than anything in the world is the one thing they can't have. These men are the ones who get off easy; those who have been subjected to her kiss fare far worse.
Nina is the kind of person who knows what (and who) she wants. She chooses her mates, just as she chooses the direction of her career. She chooses her "boy-toys" for mild amusement, often for the moment. They are often discarded for frivolous reasons. Some men have been so swooned by her that they immediately wanted some sort of long-term commitment from her -- something she was unwilling to give up, as her freedom is Nina's most precious possession.
The most important thing in Nina's life is her career. She learned early on in her life that there would be no guarantee that someone would be around to provide for her. She has never told me why, but I have reason to believe she has little or no family. She went to University and got a degree in journalism, where she eventually landed a career as a reporter for a major newspaper. She makes a decent living wage, though she often writes into the late hours of the night at home. Being a reporter also allows her to get herself into a bit of trouble. Not unlike Lois Lane, except that Nina does not have her Superman to bail her out of otherwise compromising situations.
Being a reporter, Nina has a moral conscience about her. She is often depressed about the social injustices she often has to report. This could contribute to her alcoholism, though sometimes she feels empowered, and if she rants and raves long enough, and if she screams loud enough, that she might reach enough people to instigate social reform. Nina wishes the world was a better place, and she believes that she has the job, the means, and the ability to do so. I admire her in that respect.
I think of Nina often. I wonder what she's up to, and what she might do if she were in my shoes. She sometimes talks to me in dreams, her personality unlike mine, yet very much a part of me.
Funny. All that being said, I could never spend my life with such a person.
It has been many days since I have written a post. The musical Grease is in full swing, and we have performed half of our sold-out shows. This is making it for a very sleepless week. I was not so lucky to get any time off work (I didn't expect I would get any anyway), so it is pedal to the metal for another five days or so.
I have to be at the theater two hours early to get into my costume, makeup, hair, and warm-up my cold hands. The performance is nearly two and a half hours long. There is a period of time of at least a half-hour that it takes for me to change out of my costume and chisel all the makeup off my face after the show. There are after-show parties ("Green Rooms" we call them) that I like to partake in, but as of late I find myself sucking back one drink in about fifteen minutes and then heading home to crash. Put all these things together, and it makes for a very long night. It's like running a marathon every day. The effects of all this energy exertion is beginning to take the toll on the cast.
The show is a runaway success. There are close to no bumps in the show at all by this point. It is very smooth, polished, and professional. Even I am amazed at the size and scope of this show, as well as the attention to detail. The costumes are authentic; the punch lines are well-timed, the music is tight, and the props are, well, authentic. They even have a classic convertible car and two classic motorcycles on the set.
I have taken a number of photos, and I will post them once I have access to a scanner. Many of the shots were so large, I had to take multiple photographs. This means I will have to make composite images using an image editing program. I imagine the Gimp will do a fine job.
November is National Writing Month. I wish I wasn't so busy, then I could dedicate some of my time to some creative writing. I wanted to post some snippets of prose on here to see what you all thought. After Grease has finished, I may have the chance to do some writing. What samples I choose to publish on here will mostly be quickly-written, half-baked ideas. I suppose that what I might write on here will not be more than a few hundred words at a time.
I thought I might take the opportunity to tell you a little bit about someone I have known for about seven years. She also happens to be the most strong-willed, sexiest, beautiful woman I know. Her name is Nina Bennett. She also doesn't exist.
You see, I created her. She was meant to be the protagonist in a novel I began writing in 1997. She's a complicated character; just as we are complicated people. As much as I know about her, a lot remains a mystery.
Nina [pronounced Nine-ah] has many admirable qualities to her. She is smart, independent, attractive, witty, and moral. She is a bit of an activist, and feels that she has the power to change the world for the better. Conversely, Nina also has many equal negative qualities. For example, she is a chain smoker and an alcoholic. She's non-committal, especially where relationships are concerned. I really don't know the details of why, but she's never been in any relationship with any man for any substantial length of time. It is likely that she's been in bad relationships in the past, but then, she has never told me.
Nina is the kind of girl that you dream of. She's tall, thin and curvy; the air is a bit sweeter when she walks past. Her hair is straight yet full, dark and shoulder length. She dresses professionally, and shows as little skin as she needs to. In fact, she doesn't need to wear tight or suggestive clothing to attract a member of the opposite sex. The way she carries herself is attractive enough.
Nina is intelligent, and is well-versed in the dating game. She knows being an attractive woman has its perks, and she uses them to her advantage. Conversely, Nina hates being a fox in a room full of hounds; she can't stand the chase. She is the hunter; the Black Widow. Any man that has ever come on to her has been shot down. She's not just playing hard to get; she would rather be perceived as impossible to get. This of course, is the source of a great deal of anguish and frustration with her male counterparts, as the only thing men want more than anything in the world is the one thing they can't have. These men are the ones who get off easy; those who have been subjected to her kiss fare far worse.
Nina is the kind of person who knows what (and who) she wants. She chooses her mates, just as she chooses the direction of her career. She chooses her "boy-toys" for mild amusement, often for the moment. They are often discarded for frivolous reasons. Some men have been so swooned by her that they immediately wanted some sort of long-term commitment from her -- something she was unwilling to give up, as her freedom is Nina's most precious possession.
The most important thing in Nina's life is her career. She learned early on in her life that there would be no guarantee that someone would be around to provide for her. She has never told me why, but I have reason to believe she has little or no family. She went to University and got a degree in journalism, where she eventually landed a career as a reporter for a major newspaper. She makes a decent living wage, though she often writes into the late hours of the night at home. Being a reporter also allows her to get herself into a bit of trouble. Not unlike Lois Lane, except that Nina does not have her Superman to bail her out of otherwise compromising situations.
Being a reporter, Nina has a moral conscience about her. She is often depressed about the social injustices she often has to report. This could contribute to her alcoholism, though sometimes she feels empowered, and if she rants and raves long enough, and if she screams loud enough, that she might reach enough people to instigate social reform. Nina wishes the world was a better place, and she believes that she has the job, the means, and the ability to do so. I admire her in that respect.
I think of Nina often. I wonder what she's up to, and what she might do if she were in my shoes. She sometimes talks to me in dreams, her personality unlike mine, yet very much a part of me.
Funny. All that being said, I could never spend my life with such a person.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Sold-Out!
It has been brought to my attention at last night's Grease Rehearsal that all 5000 tickets to the musical Grease have been sold in one week. It has been the fastest-selling play in the history of Medicine Hat Musical Theater. My apologies are going to those who haven't managed to get tickets. I have been secretly hoping that the show will be held-over for additional performances, but that doesn't seem like the possibility will come to fruition. If I manage to get reviews or photographs, I will be sure to publish them on this blog for your viewing.
We (the Grease cast and crew) move into the theatre tomorrow, where we will be putting the final touches on the performance. It is coming together quite nicely. I can't wait to see the set tomorrow; I have been told that the set and the stage is just breathtaking!
We (the Grease cast and crew) move into the theatre tomorrow, where we will be putting the final touches on the performance. It is coming together quite nicely. I can't wait to see the set tomorrow; I have been told that the set and the stage is just breathtaking!
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Important Grease Information
Taken from the Medicine Hat News, October 9, 2004:
Medicine Hat Musical Theatre Presents: Grease
By Permission of Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. And Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Los Angeles, California
November 12-20, 2004
Medicine Hat College Theatre
8:00pm - Nightly Performances
2:00pm - Sunday Matinee
(No Show Monday, November 15, 2004)
Box Office Opens October 25, 2004
9:00am - 5:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am to 4:00pm
329 North Railway Street SE
To order tickets by phone call (403) 504-6361
Nightly Performances - $20.00
Opening Night Dinner & Show - $50.00
Medicine Hat Musical Theatre Presents: Grease
By Permission of Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. And Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Los Angeles, California
November 12-20, 2004
Medicine Hat College Theatre
8:00pm - Nightly Performances
2:00pm - Sunday Matinee
(No Show Monday, November 15, 2004)
Box Office Opens October 25, 2004
9:00am - 5:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am to 4:00pm
329 North Railway Street SE
To order tickets by phone call (403) 504-6361
Nightly Performances - $20.00
Opening Night Dinner & Show - $50.00
Monday, October 11, 2004
Much Poorer Now
It has taken me nearly six months, but I have finally replaced my computer. Yesterday, I dropped a hefty sum of money on a brand-new iMac G5. The image you see on the left is identical to my model. Sleek, sexy, and powerful, I have high hopes that this machine will last me the next five years.Yes, I am absolutely bragging. I hope those who know me well will come over and have a look at this piece of modern art. But please, do not drool on the keyboard.
I imagine by now you have noticed some revisions to the template. I borrowed some code and added a list of recently read books. By recently, I mean in the last four years. I have been getting after myself to read more books and spend less time in front of the computer and/or television. You also know that I am rather opinionated, and putting this list of recommended books is all a ploy to influence all you readers.
The first thing I did once I got my computer home was install Dungeon Siege. What a great role-playing game. The screenshots speak for themselves. The sequel appears even more impressive. When I first installed the game, I wasted three months of my spare time trying to beat the game. At least I got my money's worth.
A new computer also means more frequent blog entries. That is, if time permits. I don't expect that I will get to spend much time on here until I am finished with Grease.
Speaking of Grease, I have been given ticket prices. $20 in advance. I still do not know the location of ticket vendors yet. That information shall arrive within a few weeks.
Time for shut-eye. Happy Turkey Day everyone.
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Keep It Simple, Stupid!
By now you have probably noticed the new title of this blog. In a previous post entitled "The Name Game", I solicited my readers to submit ideas for a new title of this blog. After a record number of submissions, and after reviewing the best entries (0 entries were submitted), I have decided on mcfro.blogspot.com. My reasons were simple: It would likely be easier to remember the web address. Just simple marketing, nothing more.
X-Prize Won
A few days ago, the Ansari X-Prize was awarded to SpaceShipOne. This was more or less expected, though it is unfortunate that the DaVinci Project came so close, but had unforeseen delays. DaVinci Project may not have won the prize, but I suspect that they will continue to develop their technology, and become the first Canadian endeavor to have launch capability. Heck, even the Canadian Armed Forces don't have the capability to launch a rocket!
Music, Music, Music
I have spent an incredibly large amount of my spare time dedicated to music this week. Late Thursday night, I received a phone call from a gentleman who was in desperate need of a drummer. He had a gig to play the next night, and (to say the very least), he was in a bit of a pickle. I offered to help him out and play the gig with him. It was then expressed to me that there would be no time for rehearsals, and that most of the cover songs would be changed to a point just beyond recognition. I thought it might be interesting, could very well be disastrous, but I would end up earning a few bucks.
It was one of the strangest gigs I have every played. We played music from the 1960's up until today. We took rock songs and turned them country, we took country songs and turned them punk. We took every song and turned them rock, ska, funk, blues, disco, or reggae. I certainly had to be on my toes to play any style the bandleader commanded. Due to the lack of rehearsal time, we sounded a little rough around the edges, but there were no major train wrecks. It was fun nonetheless.
So how did it go? Well, we're playing again on Friday. Same bar. I'm looking forward to playing gigs again.
Grease rehearsals are taking up the rest of my spare time. Things are coming together, albeit slowly. There is still al large amount of work to be done for this production. But it's going to rock!
NEWS FLASH! Presale of Grease tickets commence on October 24th. Ticket prices and vendors will be posted on this website when I have the details.
X-Prize Won
A few days ago, the Ansari X-Prize was awarded to SpaceShipOne. This was more or less expected, though it is unfortunate that the DaVinci Project came so close, but had unforeseen delays. DaVinci Project may not have won the prize, but I suspect that they will continue to develop their technology, and become the first Canadian endeavor to have launch capability. Heck, even the Canadian Armed Forces don't have the capability to launch a rocket!
Music, Music, Music
I have spent an incredibly large amount of my spare time dedicated to music this week. Late Thursday night, I received a phone call from a gentleman who was in desperate need of a drummer. He had a gig to play the next night, and (to say the very least), he was in a bit of a pickle. I offered to help him out and play the gig with him. It was then expressed to me that there would be no time for rehearsals, and that most of the cover songs would be changed to a point just beyond recognition. I thought it might be interesting, could very well be disastrous, but I would end up earning a few bucks.
It was one of the strangest gigs I have every played. We played music from the 1960's up until today. We took rock songs and turned them country, we took country songs and turned them punk. We took every song and turned them rock, ska, funk, blues, disco, or reggae. I certainly had to be on my toes to play any style the bandleader commanded. Due to the lack of rehearsal time, we sounded a little rough around the edges, but there were no major train wrecks. It was fun nonetheless.
So how did it go? Well, we're playing again on Friday. Same bar. I'm looking forward to playing gigs again.
Grease rehearsals are taking up the rest of my spare time. Things are coming together, albeit slowly. There is still al large amount of work to be done for this production. But it's going to rock!
NEWS FLASH! Presale of Grease tickets commence on October 24th. Ticket prices and vendors will be posted on this website when I have the details.
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Up To Speed
For all of you who are wondering what's happening in my life, I should bring you up to speed a little bit. I have returned to teaching drums to my pupils for another year. It appears that my students are motivated and excited about their music this fall, which should be conducive to some very enjoyable lessons. I am looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish this year.
In addition to my full-time job, and my part-time teaching, I have been involved in the local production of Grease. It has been a number of months since I have discussed the subject, but for the most part, not a lot had been going on at the time. I had received the music score for Grease at the beginning of summer, and spent my weekends learning the tracks. I put all the songs on my iPod, and bashed away at the songs. With 45 minutes of skip-protection, the iPod is the ultimate practice companion. I never have any shortage of songs to jam to on that little gadget.
Nearing the end of August, a party was thrown by the theater production company, where I had the opportunity to meet the cast and crew for Grease. It was rather casual, but entertaining to meet all these fledging actors and singers. I also managed to see a few people I hadn't since my last play I'm Getting My Act Together And Taking It On The Road. It was a great reunion and a good way to start the long drawn-out process of putting a play together.
Music rehearsals for Grease began shortly after Labour Day. So far, we are only having rehearsals once a week, but that is about to change. From now on until the end of October, I will be having rehearsals three days a week. So far the practices have been going smoothly, and it seems that everybody has been doing their homework. The musicians are all kind, and are excellent players. This band is going to smoke. I can't wait to hear the cast sing to our bands' music.
Sorry people, I don't have much information about tickets. There has been a lot of buzz generated already, and there is two months to go until debut. This play is going to sell-out. I wish we had a bigger venue -- like the Esplanade, which won't be completed until 2005.
On a completely unrelated tangent. I have been thinking about my old Tour Journals from 1999. I sure wish I knew about blogging back then. It would have made my efforts of sending mass emails and setting up webpages so much easier. I have decided I am going to revive the ZanZee Summer Tour 1999 Journals using the Blogger format. I might have to wait until Grease is finished before I can begin, but I suspect if I can recover my old webpage -- it is saved on my derelict laptop, that it won't take much effort to post all that information again.
I think I said I was going edit andcensor some aspects of the original Tour Journal. I imagine it will mostly be for brevity reasons -- and to protect the identity of a few people. Dave, Arleen and I will still have the same identities, of course. I will place a hotlink to the Tour Journal from this page, as well as my homepage, in which there is very little there anyway.
I have been watching my traffic lately; it seems that it is increasing. I have been monitoring the site statistics and it appears that I am getting some strays pass on through. Drop me a line; I don't bite --hard.
In addition to my full-time job, and my part-time teaching, I have been involved in the local production of Grease. It has been a number of months since I have discussed the subject, but for the most part, not a lot had been going on at the time. I had received the music score for Grease at the beginning of summer, and spent my weekends learning the tracks. I put all the songs on my iPod, and bashed away at the songs. With 45 minutes of skip-protection, the iPod is the ultimate practice companion. I never have any shortage of songs to jam to on that little gadget.
Nearing the end of August, a party was thrown by the theater production company, where I had the opportunity to meet the cast and crew for Grease. It was rather casual, but entertaining to meet all these fledging actors and singers. I also managed to see a few people I hadn't since my last play I'm Getting My Act Together And Taking It On The Road. It was a great reunion and a good way to start the long drawn-out process of putting a play together.
Music rehearsals for Grease began shortly after Labour Day. So far, we are only having rehearsals once a week, but that is about to change. From now on until the end of October, I will be having rehearsals three days a week. So far the practices have been going smoothly, and it seems that everybody has been doing their homework. The musicians are all kind, and are excellent players. This band is going to smoke. I can't wait to hear the cast sing to our bands' music.
Sorry people, I don't have much information about tickets. There has been a lot of buzz generated already, and there is two months to go until debut. This play is going to sell-out. I wish we had a bigger venue -- like the Esplanade, which won't be completed until 2005.
On a completely unrelated tangent. I have been thinking about my old Tour Journals from 1999. I sure wish I knew about blogging back then. It would have made my efforts of sending mass emails and setting up webpages so much easier. I have decided I am going to revive the ZanZee Summer Tour 1999 Journals using the Blogger format. I might have to wait until Grease is finished before I can begin, but I suspect if I can recover my old webpage -- it is saved on my derelict laptop, that it won't take much effort to post all that information again.
I think I said I was going edit and
I have been watching my traffic lately; it seems that it is increasing. I have been monitoring the site statistics and it appears that I am getting some strays pass on through. Drop me a line; I don't bite --
Monday, July 12, 2004
Is The Word
Apologies to all whom have been missing out on my posts. I have been very busy, and haven't found the time to post. There are new developments in my life, and I thought I would take a moment to tell you what's happening.I have been cast as the drummer for the local production of the Broadway musical Grease. Performances won't happen until mid-November, but there are plenty of preparations to be made in the meantime. I have received a copy of the music and met the fellow players. I am already busy preparing for the rehearsals by learning the songs, watching the movie, etc. I have also been spending a great deal of my time rebuilding by drumset form scratch to accommodate all the necessary equipment I will need for this production. My drums are going to look awesome under those stage lights!
For all of you who know me, and are interested in catching the show, I suggest you contact me closer to mid-October, as then I should know all the details on the 5 W's (as well as the how much tickets cost).
There are some challenges to musical theatre that aren't prevalent in normal stage-band situations. Many musicals have complicated arrangements, where the drummer has to play a myriad of styles and percussive instruments. Many of the songs require the musicians to follow cues from the actors, be it either dialogue or choreography. Even though the music is heavily structured, often the players have to improvise on a song in order to accommodate delays in the performance, dialogue or even set changes.
Even though I am not particularly fond of many of the songs featured in said musical, I must admit that performing in musical theatre is an absolute blast. Last summer, I was cast as an actor and musician in the Broadway musical I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it Out on The Road. I hadn't had that much fun in what seemed like years. I knew that I would not pass up another opportunity to play in Musical Theatre again. Who knows? Somebody's bound to do another production of Rocky Horror sometime in the future. Now that would be something!
Sure, musical showtunes are corny. So what?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
