Theatre Awards

Right now, I'm sitting at home watching the Tony Awards - which brings me to point out one benefit of living at home for the time being, which is that I can watch basic cable TV (which my cousin and I chose to live without in our apartment). So it feels kinda appropriate that as I'm watching these theatre awards that I get an email from the producer of the musical that I was in... turns out, I've been nominated for a ACT Aubrey Award in the category of "Minor Supporting Actor"! Which is pretty nifty. Makes me feel like Robin Scherbatzky when she was nominated for a LAMA. ;)

Anyways - ACT (Association of Community Theatres) is a group of 6 San Diego independent theatre companies, and apparently they had a nominations banquet earlier this afternoon for shows that were produced in the 2010-2011 season. I knew that our theatre company had submitted names for nominations, and I figured that the star of the show ("Joseph") would be nominated for Lead Actor (and he was) amongst some of the other super talented cast mates with featured roles. So when I got the email (and when the list was posted on Pickwick Players Facebook group), my first reaction was "jigga-wha?" And then "alright cool."

My part in the show was super minor obviously, but it's nice that the directors (I'm assuming) submitted me. And it's interesting because not all the brothers received a nomination. I remember hearing it discussed that you could only be submitted for one category - i.e. the actor who portrayed both Pharoah and one of the brothers could only be submitted once, which was apparently in the "Major Supporting Actor" category for his Pharaoh role (and he got the deserved nomination). So stoked that the cast/crew got recognized and that I got to be part of it all.

The awards dinner is at the end of July, and it truly is cool just to be nominated. I'll probably go just to see some of the cast again and hang... and have some adult beverages. :D

Oh, and as for the Tony Awards - I have a mancrush on NPH. He's awesome. And I also really want to visit New York and see all these shows! Especially The Book of Mormon.

Opening Weekend!

So after 8 weeks of rehearsals, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" has finally opened!

These last two weeks have been insane... But this last week was a lot better, having gotten more used to the rigors of the schedule. And it all culminated in three great performances with one more to come tomorrow afternoon!

Thursday night we had a "preview" performance. This was our first time performing in front of an audience. In the past, Pickwick's (the theatre company) had invited "camps" to come in... but these aren't Indian Hills-type of camps. I forget their names, but these camps serve as sort of juvenile-detention facilities, and the teens get to spend their night out (for good behavior) by coming to see live theatre. They were a great audience, and we even had a little Q&A session afterwards. A good 90% of them had never seen a play or musical before, and they were into it, so it was a cool outreach.

Friday night was the official opening! I wasn't nearly as nervous for this, compared to the night before. I think what also helped was when we got our director's notes after Thursday, I got great encouragement from the director for always being "on" and being where I need to be and doing what I needed to be doing... being new to the company and theatre in general, I think I just needed to hear that feedback. So going into Friday, I was cool as a cucumber. My mom and dad were there for the big night too. They initially told me they could only come to the Sunday matinee due to work issues, but then on Thursday night, my mom messaged me to say she decided to work late the last two nights to finish all her work so they could make the premiere. As much as I'm going to hate living back home again, my parents are awesome. (Oh! And they came out to support me and my cousin at the finish line at the La Jolla Half Marathon two Sundays ago! Again... awesome.) After the show, everyone hung out in the theatre as there was champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries going around.

Saturday was another good day in general... slept in, did laundry, worked out, met up with Chris and Jordan at Artwalk in Little Italy (and bumped into my old roomie and friend Ben), had some pre-show food and libations at El Camino, then rushed my tail back to the theatre (I was 15 minutes late... hate when I do that)... then it was on for another performance, and with friends in the audience too. Ashley, Colleen and Christian came out and I spotted them in the front row, but I tried not to look.

Sidenote time: This is a small theatre, so if you're in the front row, you are like THERE, in the desert with us almost... anyways, I spotted my mom and dad in the front row too the night before (dad wearing his bright red sweater), but I tried not to look at them too. Anyway, when I came into the dressing room on Saturday, two of the guys were all like "hey, were those your parents sitting right in front by the keyboard? They were awesome! They were so into it, and smiling, enjoying the show, leaning into it and rocking out! We would try to perform out TO them!" Haha, maybe I should've been looking in their direction more.

Anyways, I'm sooooo appreciative of my parents and for those friends who came out these past two nights. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but knowing that they're out there just gives you a bigger push when performing, and it's great to have that support, that they would take the time out of their weekend and spend the money to come see the show.

I would take a picture of the cookie (shaped and frosted like a technicolor dreamcoat) that Ashley, Colleen and Christian (and Lea Michele, haha) sent to the dressing room, but I ate it as soon as I got home - and it was good, too.

But here are some pics from the show! :)

And a one, a two, a one two three four...

So.

This whole musical/theatre thing... it sure is keeping me busy and on my toes (literally). This was our first five day rehearsal week, where I'd have rehearsals after work, plus today (Saturday) was a 9am-3pm rehearsal day. I knew going into this that it would be hectic, and it's still incredibly fun and gratifying to be doing this stuff again. But it's also reminded me of a key aspects of myself... the big one being that I cherish my alone/down time.

Prior to this, I could go home after work and relax... and with my roommate/cousin out most of the time and me having the apartment to myself, I could have peace and get refreshed... and though I like going out and doing things (and had tentative plans for tonight which thankfully didn't happen), as an extreme introvert (as I learned from the Myers-Briggs, I am practically 100% introvert), I need that alone time to recharge my batteries. The whole week has been work (in which I get to workout at least), then rehearsals, then sleep, then repeat the next day... So I'm glad that the rest of my Saturday has been me at home, catching up on my "DVR", watching some movies, munching on Easter chocolates that I probably shouldn't have bought and prepping my meals for Sunday/Monday. That "me" time is appreciated, as the week flew by... and it would not go well if I started another full week without some complete R&R. (And I don't mean Ross and Rachel. Though Friends on DVD does sound good right about now...)

Anyways. Rehearsals have been going well. It was a dance week, and while I think I'm looser after I get some alcohol in my system, I didn't think it wise to hit up happy hour before going to rehearsals. So there were some bits of choreography that I picked up well, and others that made me feel like I had two left feet and I had to think about the steps a lot... and me getting stuck in my head overthinking things (pulling a Ted?) is what always gives me trouble, so I've just gotta get loose and get a little funky and go with the cheesiness. And keep on practicing my shoulder rolls and shimmy+box step...

Also, we got an email from the producer saying that we need to give a little bio about ourselves! You know in those theatre programs, how the cast has a little blurb about their experience and background... well now I get to write one about me, in 100 words or less. Since this is my first show, maybe I'll have to pad it with shoutouts. Haha.

Not talking about raindrops on roses, or whiskers on kittens...

This week's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" featured Barney Stinson doing a rip on Oprah's Favorite Things, which caused me to think: "what were some of MY favorite things in 2010?"

(in no particular order)

Homemade Tortilla Chips

I have an addiction. And I've boiled it down to this: crispy carbohydrates. I love them. French fries, potato chips, tortilla chips. But these things tend to be fried and not exactly healthy for you... until I came across the idea to get corn tortillas, season them a bit, spray some cooking spray, bake for 13 minutes at 375, and voila! A healthy alternative for me to get my crunch on! One corn tortilla has less than a gram of fat, only 15 grams of carbs, and makes 8 chips. Dip in salsa, and it's all good. 

Non-fat Greek yogurt

Keeping with the healthy theme, I've been getting down on some of this stuff. Non-fat, otherwise the fully loaded kind is laden with bad stuff. But this is a great snack when you want something dessert-ish, and has double the protein of regular yogurt. Throw in a bit of crunched toffee bits for flavoring up plain yogurt, or buy the pre-fruited kind. 

iPhone 4
You already know about this. You either have one, want one, or don't care. I am in love with mine, and the various camera apps (namely, Hipstamatic and Instagram). 

AppleTV

I was skeptical about this product, but I love it. It's not for everyone, but it's been great for my particular needs. I eliminated cable TV altogether to save money, since I have my ways of downloading the TV shows I do watch anyway, and I can stream all my media (music, videos, pictures) from my laptop to my big-screen TV. I can watch one thing on my laptop while streaming another movie from my laptop to the AppleTV (and thus my living room). And it allows me to access Netflix streaming and YouTube as well. Pretty cool. 

2011 Hyundai Sonata SE
So I got a new car this year, and I'm pretty happy with the choice that I made. Not too flashy or expensive, but certainly has plenty of cool features and should serve me well as I go into my late 20s and early 30s. I think this car says "Ryan" more than my two previous trucks did. 

Camelbak water bottle

Upon recommendations from friends, this is the water bottle I decided to try and am so glad I did. It's caused me to up my water consumption like 10 fold, and I use it all the time, even forgoing the use of glasses in my own home. It's spill-proof, easy-to-sip from, and comes in various colors. 

Modern Family
A hilarious comedy. It's not saccharine-sweet like the Full House-type shows of the 90s (which I loved too), but it's got plenty of heart. The cast chemistry is perfect, the characters are all a joy to watch even when they're being silly, and it's definitely worthy of the Emmy Award for Best Comedy. 

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells

One of the new things I've gotten that I use almost every day. Easily adjustable weights that go from 5 lbs to 52 lbs. Definitely glad I invested in these, so that I can workout in my room - seeing them right by my desk, I have no excuse to not get some sort of workout in daily. 

Lin-Manuel Miranda

I've had a man-crush this year, and it's this guy. It's not just "In the Heights" and the fact that he composed the music, wrote the lyrics, and freaking starred in it on Broadway and in the LA production (which I am SO lucky to have seen). He's just so talented! He's writing a new musical based off "Bring It On", a rap CD from the perspective of Alexander Hamilton (yes, the one shot by Aaron Burr), and in his recent wedding, he organized a rad thing at the reception to surprise his wife, wherein he and the wedding party did a choreographed number to "To Life" from "Fiddler on the Roof". Check out the YouTube video. 

Incredibly sweet, right? It's also what inspired me to write the speech that I did for...

Chris and Jordan's Wedding
I like weddings. I've had a good time at the few I've been to... but it's a whole other thing to be a part of one when it's not just one, but two of your closest friends uniting. Sure, it happens on TV a lot. But seeing it happen in real life, and seeing the expressions of love and joy on their faces...  it's a pretty beautiful thing. Inside I just kept wanting to go "awwwwww", but I had to stand still. Anyways, I'm super thankful to have been blessed by these two over the years, and it's also made me thankful for the little things from the past - such as MySpace and Spring Awakening - and reminds me to keep trusting in God's planning and timing. Because who knows what the little things from last week or tomorrow might bring?




And that sums up my 2010 Favorite Things. :) 

"No pare, sigue, sigue!"

In my previous blog post, I stated that I may have a new favorite musical: "In the Heights".

Being such a bold statement, I'm not making it official yet. I mean, I've seen "Spring Awakening" six times over the last two years, and plan on seeing it at least once when it returns to LA this spring. Perhaps twice, if I can score on-stage seats - which is a completely different and amazing experience. (And if you're Ashley, you were sooooo spoiled that your first time seeing SA was from on stage.)

But this post is about the wonderful show that is "In the Heights".

ITH is a present-day musical set in a Latino suburb of Manhattan, chronicling three days in the lives of a close community as they pursue their dreams and grapple with this idea of "home" and what it means to them. The contemporary score is infused with Latin, salsa, and hip-hop influences, and the choreography reflects this as well.

If you want to know more about the show, there's a PBS documentary on YouTube (in six parts) that does a really amazing job of showcasing the original cast members and their journey to get this show off the ground. I saw this before seeing the show itself, and it made me care about these people and I was able to appreciate their efforts even more. If you have 10 minutes, watch this clip below, and if you're sucked in (like I was), watch the next 50 online as well.

Two reasons why I love "ITH":

The Story

Everyone has different preferences when it comes to storytelling. Take two of my favorite shows, for example. I know some friends who adore "Rent" and others who are kinda turned off by the plot. Same goes for "Spring Awakening" - they'll say the music is great, but aren't particularly impressed by the story. To each their own, of course. But I love "ITH" and these characters.

In my previous post there was the song called "Breathe", and I was quickly drawn to the character of Nina and able to relate to her. What do you do when you have all these hopes and expectations placed on you by your family and community, but you find yourself struggling to meet them and things don't go according to plan? I've been there. Nina had to find her way through her particular situation (dropping out of Stanford), and I could relate to her journey (though my school was different and I didn't drop out).

The other story themes I relate to concern how to maintain your cultural heritage when you're removed from the homeland. The lead character's (Usnavi) parents immigrated from the Dominican Republic (but he was born in NYC); similarly, I was born in SoCal but my parents came from the Philippines. And while they have strong ties still and aren't going to forget their native country, I'm thinking now about what being Filipino means to me - since I never really did - and what parts of my heritage will I carry on with me when I eventually start a family.

Finally, "ITH" has a good deal of humor and fun to it, and I was very pleased with the ending... it's not big and schmaltzy (which is something I could see being said about "Wicked") nor is it dark and bittersweet ("Rent" / "SA").

The Music

"SA" was rocking out to a Duncan Sheik soundtrack - jumping up and down with youthful exuberance (fitting, as the characters are teens)... And "ITH" is grooving to a score that's more at home on a dance floor. And I can roll with both styles. :) Both have their "typical musical" numbers (i.e. slow and sweeping with some emotional climax), but as a whole, their soundtracks are distinctly different. I really dig the freestyling that goes on too - that style doesn't take over the soundtrack either. It's balanced really well, and Lin-Manuel Miranda seems like such an awesome fun talented guy. Here he is, doing a parody of a song from "High School Musical 2" that cracked me up - and if you watch it, you'll see a neat little cameo from "Jesse St. James"...

Anyways - every time I saw "SA", I picked up something new that made me appreciate that show even more. So we'll see what happens when I see "ITH" again this week. I'll go by myself, but hopefully get some friends/family to come out and see it.

Potential Blasphemy Ahead

Ready? Here it goes.

I think I might have a new favorite musical.

Yes, that means even more than "Spring Awakening"...

I KNOW, RIGHT?!

More thoughts on this later, as it's time to sleep. But needless to say, I'm super stoked that I got to see this in Hollywood earlier this evening.

New favorite song from the show: "Breathe". This clip features original Broadway cast member Mandy Gonzalez, whose voice is phenomenal. Favorite part: the stretch of video starting after the 2:00 minute mark...