Haines His Way

TCB, I don't know if I'll remember them all, but we've got Alice Ripley, Ken Page, Kevin Spirtas, Linda Hart (looks like it will work out), Bruce Vilanch, Misty Cotton, Alet and Andy Taylor, Michelle Nicastro, members of the LA company of Wicked, Linda Purl, and a few others.  More to come this week.

Thank you.  Is Brent still going to be doing the show?

I'm referring to grad school auditions.  Isn't this what these were?  The purpose of grad school is continuing education & the school should be able to correct these faults.

Auditions are auditions. I wouldn't accept a student if they looked bad because they were ill-prepared.  How do you know they're talented if they look awkward, unprepared and underrehearsed?

Do you want to jump in here, DR Jose?

I'm watching Vivien Leigh in ANNA KARENINA. Lordy, she is beautiful, and what a tiny waist she shows in those Cecil Beaton bustles!

I'm referring to grad school auditions.  Isn't this what these were?  The purpose of grad school is continuing education & the school should be able to correct these faults.

Exactly!  Today's auditions were people auditions for Graduate School programs.  And there were some decent schools out in the auditorium today, including Florida State University and both the New York and L.A. divisions of AMDA.

Unfortunately, I kind of expect some lack of preparedness when it comes to auditions in the "big room", but when you're auditioning for graduate schools, AND you get the chance to audition for 15-20 graduate school programs at one time, AND be considered this early in the application cycle, well... There is no excuse for you not to be prepared.  None at all.  And, again, it just makes me mad that some department heads and faculty sent their "product" out there in such a state of mediocrity.  These are not students hoping to land a semi-singing chorus part in a summer-stock company.  These are students who are hoping to further their education at another institution, and, hopefully, gain some scholarship money in the process too.

Yes, there still seems to be an abundance of coddling and ego-stroking going on in some programs, but when you come into an audition with a song "prepared", and your first words to me are, "I don't really sing that well, so could you play my melody with me,".... GET A CLUE!!!!!!!

And as for the "American Idol" affect, well... I actually use "AI" as an example of how critical one should be of oneself.  Just put yourself in the place of Simon, Paula and Randy... Or even just remember how your react to the people with no talent who make it on the air...  Be that critical with yourself.  In any case...

There were a few standouts today, and, as always, they're the ones that make my job less of a job, and more of a joy.

Don't even ask me about today's Michigan game.

Auditions are auditions. I wouldn't accept a student if they looked bad because they were ill-prepared.  How do you know they're talented if they look awkward, unprepared and underrehearsed?

Do you want to jump in here, DR Jose?

I just did.

Yes, these were students hoping to further their education elsewhere, but if they come into the room as if they've either ignored their education or, in some cases, been subject to a bad one, well, there's really nothing else that can be done at this point and time.

And there were a few times when I could tell someone should have had the key of their song changed - higher or lower.  But then I have to censor myself because I have no idea just how much my telling them just minutes before their audition that their song is in the wrong key for them is going to affect them for better or worse.  I might end up hurting their feelings.  I might end up stepping on some professorial toes.  The last thing I want to do to anyone is confuse them.  I want them to feel as comfortable and confident as they can be in such an innately uncomfortable situation.  If that's what they prepared, then that's what they prepared.  And in the bigger picture of things, if I help one, I have to help them all.

DR TCB:  

Beautiful photographs DR Laura!

Here’s how I see it:
There’s a huge set of people who’d like to sing for a living.  They’d like to open up their throats, to share their talents, to make music that pleases many an ear, to entertain on stage in a musical.  I think this is a wonderful calling, a fine ambition.

Within this set, there’s a certain subset who want it all without doing the work.  Singing often looks easy when you see it on TV, so naturally there’s dilettantes with the foolish notion that their voices will carry them to fame and fortune without putting in the real work and learning anything.

Again, not to beat a dead horse - but I guess I am...

All the people who auditioned today were either in the final year of their undergrad program or had finished their undergrad program this past spring/summer.  After four years of school, if you still don't know that preparation is everything, well...  What did you learn in college?

Jose, I hope you do address the concerns. It is sad to see such preparation. Granted, nervous energy may be one miss a note or two but still it should explain a breakdown in preparation.

There was a woman from Fargo, her name escapes me at the moment,  some years ago who tried for the MET in New York and she commented that her mentor in MPLS really stressed preparation for the auditions both mentally and orally.

Thanks Jose & elmore for answering my questions.  Unfortunately i have to go so I will read Jose's long responses tomorrow.

'night

It is all part of this "instant star" mentality.  When I started out as an actor, you were grateful and honored to be cast in the chorus or as the delivery boy who has two lines in the third act.  You were paying your dues.  You came prepared, you kept your mouth shut, and you did whatever you were asked.

Now days, everyone wants to start out as the lead.  They don't want to prepare, they don't want to learn anything because they know everything, and God forbid, you should offer them a walk-on or a chorus role.

Jose - Maybe it's smee, but I find most of the numbered blocks in the 40's West of 9th pretty scary and deserted very late at night, and also Tenth in the upper 40's, especially the area around the playground (I forget the exact street).  They seem to know I'm coming, because menacing people always seem to be hanging out on a stoop or two or selling a drug or two at those hours.  Obviously, they've been harmless, because I'm telling the tale, but I've been scared nonetheless.  

So I cab even for very short distances at that hour.

Just jumped on-line for a second now that I'm back home. It's not as hot outside today as it has been, but it's no picnic either. Tomorrow promises to be a little cooler and with some rain which we could use.

I loved(!) the outside temp today - mid-80s.  But maybe that's because the hotel likes to keep the thermostats set around 64 degrees, and the theatre was quite "cool" too.

toe-healing vibes to Danise.

Now that was a single entendre.