Monday, June 05, 2006
THE PLAYS THE THING!
I was meeting with a local group last week and one of the members taken by my impromptu MC'ing of a game we played approached me after and suggested I come over to the community theater. Later I found out she really had me in mind for technical stuff, sound in particular, but in any case, I headed over tonight just to see what was up. The location was the Citrus County Art League Theater, and the play is Anything Goes by Cole Porter.
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Sitting outside, minding my own business, having a smoke, waiting for the lady who invited me, someone dragged me in where I was immediately grabbed by the Music Director to check out my voice. We went up and down the scales a few times and she declared that I could be anything, but she needed tenors, so voila! Warm-ups, then we worked on a song they had previously worked on, which I had never heard- and I am not completely unfamiliar with Broadway soundtracks- grew up on them- if we were doing My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Showboat, West Side Story, or any of a dozen others, I would know it all, but this! Totally unfamiliar; and apparently Porter was unfamiliar with the concept of key or time signature! He switched quite freely around in both, making this a rather complex tune to try to grab ahold of. Anyway, I muddled on through and decided I would simply get the record and learn it that way- good ear, not so good at reading music.
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After music rehearsal, the Director spoke about scheduling and mentioned he still had a few minor roles to fill, so I raised my hand and am now cast as Ling...
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Let's see- a 6 foot red-headed chinaman... that will work- test my acting ability...
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Costume! Make-up!
-Jud
