Theatre People

So... I miss my "Bye Bye Birdie" cast.

After nearly three months of rehearsing and performances, it's back to "normal" around these parts (which means going to work and then wherever else I can think of to get me out of the house). And I'm definitely much more sad about this return to normal than I was after my first and previous musical, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat".

I definitely had more of a theatre bonding experience this time around. I think this cast gelled better and everyone was very friendly and open and welcoming - no divas or cliquishness existed. The cast got in the habit of hanging out, telling stories ("So this one time at Burning Man..."), seeing other shows that friends were in ("The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"), having drinks and accidentally finding what seems like a gay speakeasy bar, and it was awesome to take part in all this. I remember watching backstage videos by the original "Spring Awakening" touring cast, and you can just tell how well those kids got along and sense the camaraderie that comes with this whole theatre process and in their case going city to city for well over a year.

I felt like I got a small taste of that, especially once we got into the theatre space and they had us all squeezed into that dressing room. Cramped as it was, it was a great place to be, and I hope that the next show I do brings about more of this overall feeling. And hopefully the Birdie cast reunites for more fun and frivolity soon. :)

Opening Night!

Just a quick little blog to say that opening night of Bye Bye Birdie last night was great! For all the tired-ness and grumpiness that's come along, there's been so much more fun and good times getting to perform, even if it is just bit parts - even though there's no such thing as a small part, right? :)

But it's been awesome hanging with this cast, going out after rehearsals a few nights and hearing crazy-ass stories from people... definitely confirms how I live a pretty tame conservative life, because man have some people done crazy shtuff! But it's all great bonding, and especially being there for each other backstage. 

Last night, my old roomie Ben came out to support and I love that he always always always shows up for things and is a man of his word, unlike some people who always just disappoint. I know tickets cost money and people have time-constraints and what-not, so I never wanna ask people to be there and understand when people are honest and say that they can't make it. But I'm super thankful for supportive family, friends and co-workers, and I hope that everyone who does make it out has a great time watching.

Besides, how can you not like us looking all like Mad Men? 

Concerts of 2012 - #3: Saba and Ari Hest (2/24/12)

I think I'm definitely going to try and keep recapping the concerts I've been to this year, even the small ones at the intimate coffeehouses like Lestat's (since it was paid and technically in a room separate from the coffeehouse)... meaning I now need to go back and recap the last one I attended.

So on 2/24, I returned to my old stomping grounds, "The Gregory Page Stage" at Lestat's, to see my old friend Saba opening for national touring artist Ari Hest. For as long as he's been around (which has basically been since I started seeing Saba back in 2004/5), I'd never seen him or really heard his music, save for a sweet cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Little Lies" that I had... 

But he took command of the stage when he come on, in both posture and voice, and I was really impressed overall. A few other local singer/songwriters I know (J Turtle and Josh Damigo) were also in attendance and were just as entranced, along with Saba (who I'm sure has a little bit of a crush on him). I liked his voice/tone, and though he often tours with a band, he had embarked on a solo acoustic tour this time, and he was totally fine. He told a fun story too, about how he took a little break to become an elementary school math teacher in NY. He was a substitute, and they ended up offering him a regular position, but he realized he wasn't ready yet to let go of his love of touring and singing his songs to both longtime fans and new attendees such as myself.

Anyways - I definitely need to get some more of his tunes online, but check out a video to one of his songs here:

1 - Young the Giant - SOMA - 2/10

2 - The Fray / Scars on 45 - HOB - 2/16

3 - Ari Hest / Saba - Lestat's - 2/24