Choices, Choices

  So, after the audition in NY was over, it was time to work on a new song. Mostly because I had beaten "Danny Boy" to death, but also because new songs teach you new techniques and help you grow. After discussing it with Angela, she suggested "Put on a Happy Face" from Bye Bye Birdie. I've always liked that song, and it was a good change of pace from Danny. Funny enough, I had tried to sing it years before in a video I made for someone, but ended up lip synching Dick Van Dyke's version because I had no training and my voice sucked. Things have a way of being circular, I guess.
  Little did we know, of course, that I'd get accepted to LAMDA, and so quickly; so this week, we discussed still more song possilbilities. Now, not only do I have to work on something to sing in the spring recital, I will also need another piece for the callback audition. I left my lesson on Wednesday with three candidates:

  "I Could Write a Book" from Pal Joey
  "Leaning on a Lamp Post" from Me and My Girl
  "Younger Than Springtime" from South Pacific

  All of these have their good and bad points. "Younger" is the most challenging of the three, and has some big notes. I actually had to sing part of this when I auditioned for South Pacific a couple of years back. Difficult. "Leaning" is a great, jaunty tune, and is very light and kind of humorous. "Book" is also lighter, and has more of a crooning sound to it. Frank Sinatra sang it in the Pal Joey movie, and Harry Connick, Jr. covered it in When Harry Met Sally. I think I'd like to give that one a go.
  Here's a fantastic version of the song done by DC's own Steve Walker:



  I think it would be a great song, and would give me a bit of a new style to work with for a while. Not sure yet if it will lend itself to acapella singing, but then again, I don't know if I'll be accompanied at the audition or not. So many unknowns!

I'm going to London!

  Early this morning, completely unexpectedly, I got an email from LAMDA about my audition. I wasn't expecting to hear for a couple more weeks. Here's what it said:

Thank you for attending our recent auditions. I am pleased to inform you that we would like to offer you a place on our One Year Classical Acting course PG (Dip) commencing 6 September 2010.
Entry to LAMDA is highly competitive so congratulations on achieving the place.
We would also like to recall you to London for consideration for the Three and/or Two Year Acting courses.
We will contact you shortly with possible dates and further details on the recall day.

  I'm still in shock as I write this. I had high hopes for myself, and I thought I did really well at the audition, but I am still blown away by it all. Not only did I make it to the callback stage, but at the very least, I've been offered a place in the one-year. Either way, I win.
  I will now have to take it VERY much to the next level if I want to compete for a slot in the two or three year degree course, which is my goal. This audition will be in front of the entire LAMDA faculty, and it will be a hundred times more intense than the one in New York. I'll have to start preparing additional material immediately.
  I'll update when I know dates.

Can't believe it.

I am Petruchio

  As anticipated, we all got our assigned characters last night at Studio, and I think everybody was really pleased. I was hoping for Hamlet, but Petruchio from "Taming of the Shrew" is a great role. My Kate and I already have a natural chemistry, and I think that will serve the work especially well. The only thing that concerns me is that it's got so many similarities to other characters I've played recently. I'm starting to feel a bit typecast in these "charming rogue" roles. Don't get me wrong, they're fun to play, but I'm already growing a little tired of them.
  Regardless, we are hip deep in Shakespeare now, and it's so interesting breaking these texts down in a way that you really begin to understand them. I had no idea how complex they are in structure and form. Just brilliant.
  Should be an interesting semester.