Thursday, I went in for an audition for a North Carolinian production of “Phantom.” That’s “Phantom,” the other version of “The Phantom of the Opera” not written by Lloyd Webber. Had the morning to get ready, nice and easy, got there 1/2 hour before the official sign up time started, and there was already a decent line. But got a […]
There’s always that negative stereotype of New Yorkers: they’re all loudmouths who yell at you instead of talking in a moderate, even, “indoor voice.” I always thought this stereotype might have emerged from the idea that New Yorkers had more attitude or are more “in your face” than other people. Nope. Now that I’ve lived here for 2 months, I […]
Riding the A by May SwensonI ridethe “A” trainand feellike a ball-bearing in a roller skate.I have on a grayrain-coat. The hollowof the caris gray.My facea negative in the slatewindow,I sitin a litcorridor that racesthrough a darkone. Strok-ing steel,what a smooth rasp—it feelslike the newest of knivesslicingalonga longblack crusty loaffrom West 4th to 168th.Wheelsand railsin their primecollide,make love in a […]
It’s super-cheap for being a sit-in restaurant(we got two hummus meals and split a frozen dessert and paid $22 after the addition of a hefty tip). And only 20 minutes on the 1 train from our house to the 72nd stop! www.hummusplace.com Speaking of the train, on our way back, Pete and I found ourselves the only ones on what […]
This is one of the many lines spoken by the character of Maria Callas in Terrence McNally’s brilliant play,”Master Class.” The play is a fanciful recreation of an actual series of Master Classes that Callas did in the prestigious Julliard school during the 1970’s. Callas, who was a legend opera singer of her and all time, says this to a […]
The last two presidential elections both came down to a relatively small number of votes, and in both elections the integrity of the voting process has been called into question. With the upcoming election looking to be similarly close, the time has come to ask the questions: what happened in 2000 and 2004; what has changed since; and what can […]
So, I check Actors Equity casting calls, and see they’re looking to cast future replacements for ensemble singers as thus: “Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses. Looking for singers with big, healthy voices, impeccable diction and wide ranges. Sopranos should not hesitate in showing off their sustained high notes and basses should give us their best ‘low’. Understudies for the Principals […]
Just came back from the first audition coaching session in New York. I hired my friend and UCLA alumn Brian Hobbs, who is a pianist, arranger, musical director and writer here. He was my music director/pianist for the first show I directed in college, “Assassins.” It was fantastic to work with him for an hour on an upcoming audition song, […]
Check these out in NY: Town Shop – if you women out there think you’ve got the wrong bra size, go here and they’ll (quite delicately) fit you for the right one. Save up, though. Each will be around $50. TDF: Theater Development Fund – if you can prove to them you’re in one of these groups: “full-time students, full-time […]
Reading this week’s TimeOut NY magazine (issue $669, July 24-30), I came across a small interview with John Clancy (founder of NY Int’l Fringe Festival) regarding what success on Broadway is. His quote on the matter, “Success is having the respect of people you respect.” He is also just starting up an Off-Off advocacy group called the League of Independent […]