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!