Plotting Planning and Train Rides.

So I am writing this entry on the train –

 

It is rather an annoying train ride – I usually find train rides incredibly zen and peaceful – put on my beloved atonal music, stare out the window, and cleanse my brain.  This train is crowded and full of whining children.  Then again, I suppose at the moment I’m a whining child, I’m just whining in audible silence.

 

So I’ve had a wee bit of a nervous breakdown these past few days – but the good kind.  The kind where you realize something needs to be fixed, you want to fix it, and how to fix it.

 

So for me, what needs to be fixed is my training.  I have talent, but its very unrefined.  Well not VERY unrefined, but unrefined enough to make me be cut instead of kept at auditions.

 

What I have observed is people who graduate from BFA programs have the skills to adapt to any choreographers style WELL ENOUGH to be kept.  They also have a comprehensive “audition book” with many many styles of music – songs that are perfect for a 1940s musical, a rock musical, a Disney musical, an Adam Guettel Musical, etc… and they are all very well rehearsed and prepared – able to be busted out at a moment’s notice.  Then – when/if they are called back after singing their perfect song, they are prepare to adapt well enough to the dance.  Or – if they are kept after the dance – they are prepared to sing the perfect song.  All I have is a bunch of overused high soprano songs, Part of Your World, and a whole lotta ballet that can’t easily be molded to other types of choreography.  Blah.

 

So what is a girl to do?

 

Well, ideally I’d build a time machine – and go back in time – magically make me get into every Musical Theatre Program I auditioned for, and you know – get an MFA  But alas, HG Wells fiction has yet to become science.

 

So, instead, Ive decided to give myself a simulated accelerated MT BFA program.

 

At Michigan, they spend a few weeks on a specific dance style.  They learn how to do it well enough to make it through a dance audition.  Sure – they won’t be the fiercest Fosse dancer out there – but they can do it well enough that they can get hired.  So – I’m going to spend two weeks doing a different style of dance.  I’m going to DESPISE some of these weeks.  For instance – I really dislike Fosse.  Hip Hop makes me cry.  But – in addition to taking ballet and Jana – I’m gonna take to focus on a different style for two weeks at a time.  Like banana week – only with dance.  Hip Hop two weeks! 

 

Mary is a really great voice teacher and she has amazing connections. There isn’t really a WHOLE lot I can do there except practice what she gives me.  (Ironically I am now at the Philadelphia stop – where I once auditioned for Ariel!:))  I suppose I COULD try to practice different styles on my own  - but I just have no idea how to do it.  We started working on my “chest voice” during the last lesson.  It was scary.  My chest voice is all shy.  She told me “Its your money so we can work on whatever you want to work on – but I’m going to be honest with you and say that I don’t think your belt with ever become anything hireable.”  And I asked – well – what does Ariel do?  She said “she mixes – you can probably get a pretty good mix, but belting isn’t going to happen.”  And I said – I’m happy if I never belt a note – as long as I can sing PART OF YOUR WORLD the way its SUPPOSED to be sung.  So – we are working on mixing.  When you belt – you ONLY use your chest voice.  Its what makes it sound loud and brassy.  When you mix you use about 30% chest voice – and 70% head voice.  It’s a mind game for me – because I want to keep busting into my “legit soprano” – but we made a lot of progress!:-)   She then went on about my soprano voice and how that is my bread and butter – and is ridiculous that it sounds like that without a whole of training and practice – I think she may have just been massaging my ego – but it felt nice!:)

 

She also recommended an acting class to me.  I’m going to check it out.  She also suggested that perhaps my problem in dance auditions is “tension” – that is one of my biggest problems in singing.  I think she may be right.  I tend to hold all my tension in my left hand.  (It’s a VERY strange place to hold tension I know – but even Yoda is like – WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT LEFT HAND! )    At any rate – it makes the lines all look weird and the positions imprecise.  This acting class is supposed to help with that.  So – I’ll check it out.  Its an open class – none of that must sign up for a month’s worth.  It is also recommended by one of the major casting agencies – so it would be a good resume booster.

 

So yeah – that’s the plan.

 

Anyhoo – Last night was JP’s birthday – I ate a lot of Greek Food – lol.  Kat, Cara, and I dressed up as the eels from the little mermaid.  (Kat is obsessed with one of the Eels – Flotsam.) 

 

AMANDA IS BACK!  YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!  She was in Yoda’s class yesterday – so that was fun.