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.

The Audition, Part 2

As I sit here listening to the Next to Normal soundtrack, I realize I never did post a follow-up to the audition story... so to continue chronicling this journey of mine, here's how the second day of auditioning went.

I'll admit it - the second day was more nerve-wracking. I knew this was the day where they'd be testing your ability to pick up basic choreography and learn music. Having done mini-productions back in junior high school and having also been in an award-winning guys ensemble (haha, ok - so this was pre-puberty and in a competition of small Christian schools in the state), I knew somewhere deep down buried inside was the capability to "bring it". 

And then I walked inside and saw a girl in dancer's spandex and bending/contorting her body in ways that did not look comfortable to me at all... and that made me nervous. But all the kids/teens/adults around seemed fine. And I'd come to see we were definitely not going to be tested on our flexibility. 

Phase 1 of the night though was to pick up choreography. I've taken a few dance classes of the hip-hop variety and ballroom, and I'll say I'm in the DBNA-range when it comes to my capabilities in this arena, with the potential to be better after some liquid courage. But not too much - don't want to be sloppy! The steps we learned weren't too bad. The girls got it down rather easily, and I didn't feel so bad lumped in with all the guys. And luckily we didn't have to perform a dance solo! That would've been mortifying.

Phases 2 and 3 were learning songs from the show. Some people were obviously familiar with the music already. I mean, afterall it's Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice... serious theatre people tend to be familiar with their work. I, however, had no idea what was going on. I haven't held sheet music since 8th grade! So having to follow along with those pages took me back... phase 2 was seeing if we could learn to harmonize. Not bad, could do that before. Phase 3 was to learn a new song and sing it back solo, and to act it out. We had time to practice outside, so us guys went to practice. It was at this point that someone asked what high school I went to (Asians look young?) and if I played football (I guess I fill out my t-shirts better these days?)... anyways, when it came time to sing the solo, I didn't know that normally the song had a certain style to it... I just sang it straight/simple. I knew I could try to mimic what some of the other guys did, but then again, I wasn't trying to win a specific role. I just wanted to enjoy the experience and see how far I'd get in the process. 

And after that, night two was over and we were told we'd hear results the next day. And the next evening, I found out that I was cast as one of the brothers. It's a small part, but I do have a solo line to sing, and the brothers sing as a group quite a bit, so I still have a lot to learn! So far, it's been great. We've had two weeks of rehearsals now, and it's been exciting to be back in the thick of things. More thoughts on the whole process as the rehearsals progress!

The Audition, Part 1

As previously noted, I decided it was better late than never and that it was time to fulfill my 2009 goal of "go to an audition"... I've always kept watch of local theatre auditions, but never found one that I thought I should give a shot, until I saw an online posting from a local theatre company called Pickwicks Players for their upcoming production of "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat".

Never saw the show, but the listing said to prepare a 1-2 minute song and provided an email/phone # for more info... I emailed, stated how I have zero theatre experience, and they replied "no problem!" They consider themselves an educational theatre company, so having no resume whatsoever was not a problem. 

With my audition booked for Tuesday at 7pm, I started practicing to a song I knew very well... "All That's Known", from Spring Awakening. I found that it was comfortably in my range, and I love the show/song, so it was a good fit. Ordered the sheet music from Amazon, made a copy, and brought it with me. When I got to the audition, no one else was there yet, as you only show up for your time - you're not waiting around and watching everyone else. But since I didn't have a resume, I needed to fill out a quick form. While I did that, two girls came in with their resumes and headshots and each gave their audition. I didn't see, but I could hear from where I was waiting in the lobby... and they were really good and very theatre-voices. Also, a little Asian girl came in to audition too (around age 8 or 9), and even she had a headshot! So I felt unprepared, but I went about filling my form until they called me into the room. 

I gave my music to the accompanist as instructed, and he asked "so what tempo would you like me to play this?" I didn't know I had an option... so I believe my exact response was "Uhhhhhhh... the normal kind." What I didn't consider was the fact that this song isn't your typical audition song. It's not like "On My Own" from Les Mis, or some upbeat Broadway showcase song that everyone has heard before. Nope, I went with a song from the rock musical with swear words in it... at least this song is made to be played on the piano, so that worked. 

Singing to a live accompanist is a LOT different than just singing along to the CD... he started off much slower than the recording, so I had to adjust my singing on the fly to keep in step, meaning I had to think about my steps rather than just singing on autopilot. The song is normally 2 min even in length, but it dragged at the pace he was playing... my bad for not knowing, but now I know for any other future auditions. (I'll probably choose a different song though.) Anyways, I finished (hella nervous and shaky as I was) and they thanked me. As I walked away from the stage, the guy escorting me to the door told me "so they would like you to come back tomorrow." I'm guessing as my back was turned they gave him the secret signal of "yes", haha.

So that was night one. I wasn't expecting there to be a night two (which happened tonight - but more on that later), as my main goal was already accomplished just by showing up and doing it. And I'm so glad I did! I've missed this scene, and I'm happy to have put my fears aside. Officially crossed off the list! 

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

Turn and face the strain
Ch-ch-changes!

Gotta love some Bowie.

Month #3 of 2011 begins tomorrow, marking the last 90 days in the apartment. With my cousin moving back home to her parents, I'm reluctantly moving back to mine. I'm definitely going to miss having my own quiet space and that feeling of freedom after work where I can just kick back and relax... and oh my God, I'm going to be back in that tiny house with my parents again... okay breathe... breaaaaathhe...

[exhales]

I can do it. Six months, I can do this... saving up money, planning to buy a house of my own, and the time will fly. These first two months of 2011 certainly did, so the six months (at minimum) that I'll be at home should go fast as well. Knock on wood. I'll just probably be asking various friends if they want to go to a bar every evening after work... (Just kidding... kinda/sorta.)

My treat to myself though, at least I'm contemplating, is to go to New York in the summer. See the sights, a Broadway show or two, and escape... I've got the vacation hours, I'll have the money from being at home again, so I think a little action in the Big Apple for this theatre lover is appropriate.

Speaking of theatre, I have an audition tomorrow. A small local theatre company is putting on a production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and I'm going to just go for it. I'm seriously not expecting anything, since I have no theatre resume to my name, save for high school drama class (ten years ago) and skits I've been in at Flood. But since they're okay with that (I did ask first) and I had put down "go to an audition" in my 2009 list of goals (but never did that year or in 2010), I figure "why not now?" I just want to get out there and feel that pressure of theatre again, even if for two minutes. I already have my song picked out and the sheet music too! (It's not Bowie.)

TOW The Cowbell

Back in the days of 2005, I frequented Lestat's Coffee House for concerts on a pretty regular basis. A musician friend of mine, Pete, played a monthly show there and eventually I started getting called out from the stage. Whether that was to bring my camcorder up to him so he can play around with it, or to sing backup to Little Red Corvette ("whooo hooo hoooo!"), I was always extremely nervous to get up there, yet always game. (Such is me - always nervous, but always game. Maybe that should be my motto.) Anyways, on one of his monthly shows, a group of us got called up. Actually, I forget the setup, but we knew we were going up there to join him, which is why I brought my cowbell (which I still have, thankyouverymuch) and Tyler brought a toy trumpet. Luckily, Chris brought his camera and managed to tape this "faceoff" performance of cowbell vs. trumpet during Little Red Corvette.

Thought I'd share this here. :)

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. :) 

Starbucks Time + Old Memories

It's Coffeeshop Saturday!

I had to bring in my car to the Hyundai dealership to get some work done, and was told it would be a few hours. Knowing this in advance, I brought my trusty laptop, a book, homework, study aids, and water bottle and planned to just sit in the dealer's wait area and attempt to be productive.

And then as I drove to the dealer, I spotted the Starbucks directly across the street and thought "jackpot!" I needed food anyway, AAAAANNND (TM Jordan) I've been craving their caramel apple spice. As my cousin once stated (and I agree), "it's like melted Cinnabon in a drink!" Now if only there was a shot that fit this bill too...

Going through some old files on my laptop, I found old scripts I'd written back in high school. My senior year was 10 years ago - I still can't believe that... it's such a trip to read through things I'd written back in the day. I was a fan of the parody, apparently. This one script, for example, was for Drama class, and it was a group project. We needed to adapt a Shakespearean play, and ours was "As You Like It", and we ended up modernizing it and changed the names of the girls to "Romy" and "Michelle". It's very hilarious to read now, in that it's both intentionally funny but strangely juvenile from the perspective of a 26 year old, but the scripts I wrote always got A's. :)

Junior high English (8th grade specifically) was one of my favorite years though... My "big" script that year (which I no longer have, sadly) ended up being a kidnapping caper, but still had the parody aspect to it because it started off with a rip on "Unsolved Mysteries". That show freaked me out as a kid. I remember coming home from AWANA, and it'd be on TV with it's mysterious music, dark tales, and creepy host, who I named the narrator of my script after -- "Robert Pancakestack". The plot details escape me, I just remember they were preposterous but made for a fun time when the teacher assigned parts and we read them aloud in class. As the writer, I was always really nervous, but they always went over well with everyone - and the teacher, who gave me an A+...

Speaking of 8th grade memories, Brian McKnight's "Anytime" has been looping through my headphones. Loved that CD back in the day too!

Anyways - I think maybe I'll sign up for a playwriting class at Grossmont this semester. Depends on what the class schedule looks like, but mostly because the anatomy/physiology classes I want are already full. (The daytime ones aren't, but those won't fit with my work schedule, sadly.)