I don't have anything new and profound to add today, just my thoughts as they ramble around. The band sounds great, and I'm really happy to have them. We've had 2 rehearsals so far with the band and I think it's going pretty smoothly. Still a few kinks to work out, but I know it will be solid after tonight.
We open in 2 days, and I think after these next 2 evenings of rehearsal that I will be more than ready. More often than not, actors get to a place where they are ready for an audience, they need the audience to fulfill the last chapter of the process, and I think we've all reached that point. We're ready for the crowd.
I always joke with my friends about making sure not to suck on the night that they attend the show, but it's really true. I want to give my best for every audience. Sometimes when I have family or friends in the audience and I don't feel that I've done my best, I can't help but feel a little disappointed in myself. Actors are always told not to let the performance get stale. As actors, we have to find ways of keeping the material as fresh and exciting as it is on opening night throughout the whole run. After all, it's a different audience every performance and every audience deserves our very best. That's why I generally encourage people (if they can) to come to the show on opening weekend and then again towards the end. For me, even though I've done so much preparation and work and rehearsal, I still tend to grow and go further with every performance. I bet that I'm not the only person like that either. Having an audience thrills me and drives me even further in my performance of a role. That's why I think each show is slightly different, and I like showing people how I've grown throughout the run.
I know that I'm not supposed to think about this, but I am definitely thinking about reviews. I don't hate reviews, they just make me nervous. Everyone always says not to read reviews or not to take them too personally if they're aren't so positive. But that is way easier said than done. I guess I should just realize that some people will love the show and others will not, and that's ok. Some people will think I performed well and others may not, and that's ok too. You can't always please everyone.
I'm really proud of this show and very grateful to have been given the opportunity to play Eva. Every member of the cast is 100% invested and I think that sort of dedication and fearlessness of the material has really paid off.
Until next time!
Taylor
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
It's Almost Here...
Well, tomorrow we start the tech process. Cue to cue is Saturday and then the band arrives on Sunday. This is usually the most stressful part of the process because this is where we add elements we've never had before. New sound, costumes, props, etc. Even though there's a lot going on, it's my favorite part of the rehearsal process. Sometimes when a particular part or moment hasn't quite come together yet, all you need is a costume and an electric guitar wailing in background to make it all suddenly come together.
I'm almost finished reading Eva's biography. If Evita (the show, or the person) was ever of any interest to anyone reading this, I strongly recommend reading the book. It's a fast read, so don't worry. When I was younger (and perhaps either more naive or less attentive to detail,) I never worried too much about background research. With this show though, I've really had a great time diving into the real life of Eva Peron and the time period in which it all took place. Right now, we're all trying to get that Argentinian vibe going. Even though we're not using accents, Scott is emphasizing how important it is that we understand and perform the material from the correct cultural perspective. We've not American or British or Canadian, we are Argentinian. I've never been outside the country (lame, I know) but I've heard people talk about culture shock. Since I've never experienced it, I can't say how it feels, but I'd love to be able to find out someday. It amazes me how quickly some people dismiss cultural differences as either "bad" or "weird." In some countries, men are much more open about their emotions, even in public. Here, when a man cries in public he's automatically labeled as a pansy. In some cultures, both genders display their emotions much more publicly and passionately than in other countries. And what's so wrong with that? We don't want to approach this from an American viewpoint, we want to approach it from an Argentinian viewpoint. I hope we can convey that to the fullest extent.
I was going over lyrics last week and I suddenly had a thought about one line in particular. In the Lament, Evita says:
"I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire, or else, or else I could choose time."
What she is basically saying here is that she could have had a "normal" life. She could have gone off to Paraguay with Peron and lived simply and happily with the man she loved for the rest of her days. Maybe it wouldn't have been as glamorous. There would have been no parties, no rallies, no crowds of people screaming her name, no power. Still, it might have been nice. Instead, she chose a much more difficult path. She chose to fight for Peron, for power, for the politics. Through her work as first lady, she literally worked herself to death. In the book it talks about 16+ hour days she would work, dedicating her life to the working class, her people. She traveled Europe without rest to spread the word of Peron and of the glory of Argentina. As previously discussed, some of her practices as she climbed the ladder weren't always the nicest, but she really was proud of her country and of her people. She wanted the world to know of Argentine glory. This kind of work is really what killed her. Well, that and the cancer. But Evita didn't even know what she had that made her so ill. But the years of working herself to the bone made her body incredibly weak and frail. Even though her life was cut short, she did indeed burn with the splendor of the brightest fire. And this is where that thought comes in...
At the end of Pippin, Pippin is faced with this exact same choice.
Let me back up for a moment for anyone not super familiar with the show Pippin. Pippin (the character) basically tells the audience at the beginning of the show that he is an extraordinary human being who is meant to do extraordinary things. The Leading Player sets him up on various adventures so he can do extraordinary things and find happiness. However, nothing ends up working out. Nothing works out for Pippin until he falls in love. After all of his various quests, Pippin discovers that even though there is nothing extraordinary about it, a simple life on a farm with a family is what makes him the happiest. In the end, Pippin is faced with a choice by the Leading Player and the rest of the ensemble. He could choose "time," meaning living the rest of his days relatively simply, but happy with Katherine and Theo. Or, he could literally burn like the sun in one last blaze of glory. The Leading Player explains to Pippin that it was all leading up to this one moment, the Grand Finale. He tells Pippin that he can step up onto the platform and they'll light him on fire and he'll go out with the biggest bang of all, shining like the sun. (He also explains that he obviously wouldn't be returning after such a stunt.) Despite the intense peer pressure, Pippin decides that he doesn't want to burn up in a blaze of glory like the sun, he wants time. Time, again, meaning a long, quiet, simple life with his family. No glamour, no glory, just time. Pippin wanted to do extraordinary things, but didn't. Eva Peron was thrust into the spotlight at a young age and became almost a like goddess to the people of Argentina. Pippin chose time, and lived. Eva didn't.
Obviously, Pippin is a made up character, and Eva Peron really did have cancer. But one has to wonder, if her body hadn't been so weak, could she have survived? If she had taken time off or not been so beaten down, could she have lived even a little bit longer? No one really knows...
My main focus right now is to continue to dig deep and find the right balance for Eva. I want the audience to relate to her and to understand why the people loved her. Today, I look at some celebrities and wonder why the world is so fascinated by them. I want to make sure that no one wonders that about Eva.
Well, I suppose I've rambled long enough. Until next time!
Taylor
I'm almost finished reading Eva's biography. If Evita (the show, or the person) was ever of any interest to anyone reading this, I strongly recommend reading the book. It's a fast read, so don't worry. When I was younger (and perhaps either more naive or less attentive to detail,) I never worried too much about background research. With this show though, I've really had a great time diving into the real life of Eva Peron and the time period in which it all took place. Right now, we're all trying to get that Argentinian vibe going. Even though we're not using accents, Scott is emphasizing how important it is that we understand and perform the material from the correct cultural perspective. We've not American or British or Canadian, we are Argentinian. I've never been outside the country (lame, I know) but I've heard people talk about culture shock. Since I've never experienced it, I can't say how it feels, but I'd love to be able to find out someday. It amazes me how quickly some people dismiss cultural differences as either "bad" or "weird." In some countries, men are much more open about their emotions, even in public. Here, when a man cries in public he's automatically labeled as a pansy. In some cultures, both genders display their emotions much more publicly and passionately than in other countries. And what's so wrong with that? We don't want to approach this from an American viewpoint, we want to approach it from an Argentinian viewpoint. I hope we can convey that to the fullest extent.
I was going over lyrics last week and I suddenly had a thought about one line in particular. In the Lament, Evita says:
"I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire, or else, or else I could choose time."
What she is basically saying here is that she could have had a "normal" life. She could have gone off to Paraguay with Peron and lived simply and happily with the man she loved for the rest of her days. Maybe it wouldn't have been as glamorous. There would have been no parties, no rallies, no crowds of people screaming her name, no power. Still, it might have been nice. Instead, she chose a much more difficult path. She chose to fight for Peron, for power, for the politics. Through her work as first lady, she literally worked herself to death. In the book it talks about 16+ hour days she would work, dedicating her life to the working class, her people. She traveled Europe without rest to spread the word of Peron and of the glory of Argentina. As previously discussed, some of her practices as she climbed the ladder weren't always the nicest, but she really was proud of her country and of her people. She wanted the world to know of Argentine glory. This kind of work is really what killed her. Well, that and the cancer. But Evita didn't even know what she had that made her so ill. But the years of working herself to the bone made her body incredibly weak and frail. Even though her life was cut short, she did indeed burn with the splendor of the brightest fire. And this is where that thought comes in...
At the end of Pippin, Pippin is faced with this exact same choice.
Let me back up for a moment for anyone not super familiar with the show Pippin. Pippin (the character) basically tells the audience at the beginning of the show that he is an extraordinary human being who is meant to do extraordinary things. The Leading Player sets him up on various adventures so he can do extraordinary things and find happiness. However, nothing ends up working out. Nothing works out for Pippin until he falls in love. After all of his various quests, Pippin discovers that even though there is nothing extraordinary about it, a simple life on a farm with a family is what makes him the happiest. In the end, Pippin is faced with a choice by the Leading Player and the rest of the ensemble. He could choose "time," meaning living the rest of his days relatively simply, but happy with Katherine and Theo. Or, he could literally burn like the sun in one last blaze of glory. The Leading Player explains to Pippin that it was all leading up to this one moment, the Grand Finale. He tells Pippin that he can step up onto the platform and they'll light him on fire and he'll go out with the biggest bang of all, shining like the sun. (He also explains that he obviously wouldn't be returning after such a stunt.) Despite the intense peer pressure, Pippin decides that he doesn't want to burn up in a blaze of glory like the sun, he wants time. Time, again, meaning a long, quiet, simple life with his family. No glamour, no glory, just time. Pippin wanted to do extraordinary things, but didn't. Eva Peron was thrust into the spotlight at a young age and became almost a like goddess to the people of Argentina. Pippin chose time, and lived. Eva didn't.
Obviously, Pippin is a made up character, and Eva Peron really did have cancer. But one has to wonder, if her body hadn't been so weak, could she have survived? If she had taken time off or not been so beaten down, could she have lived even a little bit longer? No one really knows...
My main focus right now is to continue to dig deep and find the right balance for Eva. I want the audience to relate to her and to understand why the people loved her. Today, I look at some celebrities and wonder why the world is so fascinated by them. I want to make sure that no one wonders that about Eva.
Well, I suppose I've rambled long enough. Until next time!
Taylor
Saturday, June 26, 2010
The Next Chapter...
We open in less than two weeks, and I feel like I'm finding my groove finally. Maybe a little slower than I had hoped, but it's getting there. Scott seems pretty happy with where the show is, so maybe I should just trust that.
I'm reading Eva's biography, and I'm almost all the way through. It's a fast read, and really insightful. Much of the material about her early life really made me feel for her. I can't imagine what it would have been like to have been a woman at that time in Argentina. As we've been discussing in rehearsals, Argentina was, at that time, (and sort of still is) extremely sexist and male dominated. Women in positions of power today still have a tough time now and then, but it's nothing like it was then. That's probably why there was such extreme hatred and opposition towards her. People may not agree with everything Hilary Clinton has to say, but I would guess most people on the whole have some respect for her. It wasn't that way for Eva.
As a child, she was described as a beautiful girl, but pale and fragile, with enormous eyes. She was born out of wedlock to an established man (Duarte) who already had a wife and family somewhere else. Because of this, the family was not welcome at his funeral. Eva's father died when she was only 6, and after much arguing between the families, Eva and her siblings were finally allowed to go in and pay their respects. At the funeral march though, they had to walk behind his other with the rest of the public. They were entitled to nothing. Eva's mother kept the last name Duarte for the children, but had anyone of importance found out about that, there would have been some serious consequences.
Let's review: A man leaves his wife and family, has an affair, has several more children, leaves them, then dies, and now the 2nd family is scorned and hated and gets nothing. Hmmm....it's a man's world indeed. I suppose if I had been Eva, I would have been pretty bitter and angry too...
The biography states that although she was poor, she was generally a happy child. The more she was stepped on though, it seemed to harden her. As she was working her way up the ladder in the theater world, it was almost like a "one step foward, two steps back" kind of scenario. Reading about all of these episodes is really helping me to create a more 3-dimensional character. I feel like I understand her more and more. As I said in previous blogs, many women play Eva as just a manipulative power hungry bitch. But she wasn't, and I don't want to play her that way.
Although I still struggle, I'm really having a blast working on this show. It's exhausting both mentally and physically, but I'm loving it. The ensemble is super strong and I love listening to them sing. Sometimes listening to the group numbers really gets me pumped and puts me in just the right mindset. Todd and John are both awesome to perform with, and I feel like the three of us are all connecting on the same levels. I feel very safe with both of them. If I make a new choice or play a moment differently as I'm exploring the material, I know that they'll both let me do my thing and go along for the ride. It's nice working with actors you can trust. I feel like the three of us are all on the same path right now. I know that when I screw something up, I tend to be kind of hard on myself. I think they are the same way. We expect so much out of ourselves, which can be good and bad. I'll usually mutter some obscenity and shake my head and mentally kick myself for making what I would consider a stupid mistake. They are the same way. But they aren't stupid mistakes. There's a lot going on, and sometimes the focus is so strong in one area that something slips in another. This phase in the process will pass though, as it always does. We'll only get stronger from here. Until next time folks!
p.s. I think everyone should go read this...http://www.newlinetheatre.com/evitachapter.html
I'm reading Eva's biography, and I'm almost all the way through. It's a fast read, and really insightful. Much of the material about her early life really made me feel for her. I can't imagine what it would have been like to have been a woman at that time in Argentina. As we've been discussing in rehearsals, Argentina was, at that time, (and sort of still is) extremely sexist and male dominated. Women in positions of power today still have a tough time now and then, but it's nothing like it was then. That's probably why there was such extreme hatred and opposition towards her. People may not agree with everything Hilary Clinton has to say, but I would guess most people on the whole have some respect for her. It wasn't that way for Eva.
As a child, she was described as a beautiful girl, but pale and fragile, with enormous eyes. She was born out of wedlock to an established man (Duarte) who already had a wife and family somewhere else. Because of this, the family was not welcome at his funeral. Eva's father died when she was only 6, and after much arguing between the families, Eva and her siblings were finally allowed to go in and pay their respects. At the funeral march though, they had to walk behind his other with the rest of the public. They were entitled to nothing. Eva's mother kept the last name Duarte for the children, but had anyone of importance found out about that, there would have been some serious consequences.
Let's review: A man leaves his wife and family, has an affair, has several more children, leaves them, then dies, and now the 2nd family is scorned and hated and gets nothing. Hmmm....it's a man's world indeed. I suppose if I had been Eva, I would have been pretty bitter and angry too...
The biography states that although she was poor, she was generally a happy child. The more she was stepped on though, it seemed to harden her. As she was working her way up the ladder in the theater world, it was almost like a "one step foward, two steps back" kind of scenario. Reading about all of these episodes is really helping me to create a more 3-dimensional character. I feel like I understand her more and more. As I said in previous blogs, many women play Eva as just a manipulative power hungry bitch. But she wasn't, and I don't want to play her that way.
Although I still struggle, I'm really having a blast working on this show. It's exhausting both mentally and physically, but I'm loving it. The ensemble is super strong and I love listening to them sing. Sometimes listening to the group numbers really gets me pumped and puts me in just the right mindset. Todd and John are both awesome to perform with, and I feel like the three of us are all connecting on the same levels. I feel very safe with both of them. If I make a new choice or play a moment differently as I'm exploring the material, I know that they'll both let me do my thing and go along for the ride. It's nice working with actors you can trust. I feel like the three of us are all on the same path right now. I know that when I screw something up, I tend to be kind of hard on myself. I think they are the same way. We expect so much out of ourselves, which can be good and bad. I'll usually mutter some obscenity and shake my head and mentally kick myself for making what I would consider a stupid mistake. They are the same way. But they aren't stupid mistakes. There's a lot going on, and sometimes the focus is so strong in one area that something slips in another. This phase in the process will pass though, as it always does. We'll only get stronger from here. Until next time folks!
p.s. I think everyone should go read this...http://www.newlinetheatre.com/evitachapter.html
Saturday, June 19, 2010
I just got home a few minutes ago, and it's definitely 95 degrees in my apartment right now. Something is wrong with the air, because the more I turn it down, the hotter it gets. I was going to start cleaning, but screw that, it's too hot in here. I guess I'll blog instead, because that requires less movement.
Since this blog is supposed to be about myself and the process, I thought I'd take some time to touch on my bad habits and fears about the show and theater in general.
I've always thought of myself as a dancer over anything else, probably because I started dancing first. Dancing was followed by piano, then voice, and acting came last. I was never super confident about my singing abilities until I got a little older, but even today I second guess myself quite a bit in terms of vocals. I also used to think that acting was my weakest point, just because I studied that the least out of the artistic things that I do. I've had great acting training, don't get me wrong, I just tend to be "in my head" a lot. I think too much instead of just being in the moment. I've always found acting in songs was much easier for me than in scene work, and fortunately for me, Evita is all singing!
We move into the theater on Monday, and as Scott says, now the really fun artistic stuff can begin. Getting into the theater always changes my attitude about the material. I know that there is still a lot of work to do and that the closer we get, the more of those little details will be plugged in. Plus, the more we run it, the less I can focus on words or lyrics or steps and start focusing more on the emotion and the actions. As they say, acting is about action and reaction. I need to stop anticipating. I need to get out of my head. I need to stop thinking "what should I do with my hand here?" or "how should I stand?" and just be in the moment and let it happen. All easier said than done. Nothing makes me feel more uncomfortable or awkward as an audience member than watching an actor look uncomfortable and awkward. So, I need to work on that...
Okay, it is seriously hot in here. WTF.
Scott and I were talking about one particular moment of the show, and I asked what he wanted from me there. Instead of just telling me how he wanted that moment, he told me something that John Cleese once said, which I found very helpful. It was something along the lines of "It's much funnier watching someone trying not to laugh than watching someone trying to be funny, and it's much sadder watching someone trying not to cry than trying to be sad." Something like that, but it makes complete sense.
We've also been talking about all of the "roles" that Eva played. In the beginning, she's only 15. Now, at 15, she was already a girl who knew exactly what she wanted and she went for it. However, at the end of the show, she's in her 30s. Obviously, I would not play both of those roles the same way. Just from watching clips on Youtube, I've often seen Eva played just, angry, and that doesn't work. Again, as they teach in acting school, you can't "play" an emotion. For me, it's about finding all of the ups and downs for each of her various roles, and finding that arch.
I feel like I have more to discuss, but it's still 95 degrees in here, so it's either time for an ice bath, or time to get out of the apartment. Until next time!
Taylor
Since this blog is supposed to be about myself and the process, I thought I'd take some time to touch on my bad habits and fears about the show and theater in general.
I've always thought of myself as a dancer over anything else, probably because I started dancing first. Dancing was followed by piano, then voice, and acting came last. I was never super confident about my singing abilities until I got a little older, but even today I second guess myself quite a bit in terms of vocals. I also used to think that acting was my weakest point, just because I studied that the least out of the artistic things that I do. I've had great acting training, don't get me wrong, I just tend to be "in my head" a lot. I think too much instead of just being in the moment. I've always found acting in songs was much easier for me than in scene work, and fortunately for me, Evita is all singing!
We move into the theater on Monday, and as Scott says, now the really fun artistic stuff can begin. Getting into the theater always changes my attitude about the material. I know that there is still a lot of work to do and that the closer we get, the more of those little details will be plugged in. Plus, the more we run it, the less I can focus on words or lyrics or steps and start focusing more on the emotion and the actions. As they say, acting is about action and reaction. I need to stop anticipating. I need to get out of my head. I need to stop thinking "what should I do with my hand here?" or "how should I stand?" and just be in the moment and let it happen. All easier said than done. Nothing makes me feel more uncomfortable or awkward as an audience member than watching an actor look uncomfortable and awkward. So, I need to work on that...
Okay, it is seriously hot in here. WTF.
Scott and I were talking about one particular moment of the show, and I asked what he wanted from me there. Instead of just telling me how he wanted that moment, he told me something that John Cleese once said, which I found very helpful. It was something along the lines of "It's much funnier watching someone trying not to laugh than watching someone trying to be funny, and it's much sadder watching someone trying not to cry than trying to be sad." Something like that, but it makes complete sense.
We've also been talking about all of the "roles" that Eva played. In the beginning, she's only 15. Now, at 15, she was already a girl who knew exactly what she wanted and she went for it. However, at the end of the show, she's in her 30s. Obviously, I would not play both of those roles the same way. Just from watching clips on Youtube, I've often seen Eva played just, angry, and that doesn't work. Again, as they teach in acting school, you can't "play" an emotion. For me, it's about finding all of the ups and downs for each of her various roles, and finding that arch.
I feel like I have more to discuss, but it's still 95 degrees in here, so it's either time for an ice bath, or time to get out of the apartment. Until next time!
Taylor
Friday, June 11, 2010
Who is Eva?
I'm not really sure where to start with this one...
First thing that comes to mind is the choreography. Robin's choreography is amazing. I'm not just saying that because she is my mentor and boss and one of my best friends. Robin really gets it. I mean, she understands how the dance in a musical has to blend with the show itself. As a fellow choreographer myself, I've always hated how some people throw in flashy steps and difficult moves just for the point of showing off. That never made any sense to me. Sometimes I even see dance steps performed by people who don't yet have the skill level to pull off those steps. Why? Why do that to the dancers? Why make them struggle to perform steps they can't handle? Choreography is not about the hardest steps and the best tricks. It is about finding the theme and elements that are important to the show and incorporating those elements into the dancing. It's also about making the dancers look good. It's about knowing the abilities of the dancers and using those abilities wisely. That's why I admire Robin so much. She would never send her dancers out on stage with material that the group couldn't handle or didn't fit the material of the show. She takes the time to understand the story, the time period, and what is important at that moment of the show, and I appreciate that.
Moving on...
We ran act I essentially four times, and I feel more and more confidant with each run. I am really impressed with out cast. Sometimes I get so caught up listening to the music everyone else is making that I forget what I'm supposed to be doing. I feel like the fast I get off book the faster I can start to explore more important elements...
Like the rest of the cast, I've been doing a lot of research. I'm reading books, watching documentaries, and getting emails from Scott with new thoughts and ideas about Eva almost on a daily basis. I'm really enjoying exploring her character, but that's also where I'm having the most trouble. It's difficult to discuss my thoughts about Eva without giving away too much, but I'll try...
Most people really don't know that much about Eva Peron. I didn't either, before this production. Some people say that Patti LuPone made her out to be a monster, while others say that Madonna tried to make her too likable and human. I say, she falls somewhere in between. First of all, she couldn't have been a complete bitch or she wouldn't have had the following that she did. I mean, the working class of Argentina likened her to a saint. The people loved her, they worshiped her. If she was so horrible, why would they have loved her so much? On the other hand, she did step on a lot of people to get to the top. I think she was an incredibly confidant woman. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and did whatever she had to do to get it. Was her heart in the right place for the most part? Yes. Did she always go about getting her way in a fair and ethical manner? Probably not...
From what I've read and talked about with Scott, Eva was only 26 when Peron became president. She held an office in the ministry of labor and had an incredible amount of power. She really did love the working class of Argentina, because she was one of them. She came from poverty. She came from nothing and rose to the top, but her heart was always with her people. I'm 25, and I can't imagine having that kind of power right now in my life. Hell, I don't even know where my keys are right now, what in the world would I do with that sort of status? Eva wanted the people to know that she was still one of them. It was very important to her that the people know she had not sold out and left them. This was pretty much the first time that the working class of Argentina were even acknowledged with regards to political leaders, and Eva is the one who made that happen.
Through her charity, Eva really did a whole lot of good. She worked up to 16 hours days, giving help to the poor. People would come in with all sorts of different money troubles, and Eva would just hand them money or the means to fix their problems, and the people loved her. The other political leaders and aristocrats....not so much....
We've been discussing how Eva played many different roles throughout her life. Playing her simply as an ambitious, power hungry diva would just be too easy. Plus, that's been done. I think for me, finding each of those roles and finding balance for Eva is going to be my challenge. I have a lot of great material to work with though, so I think I can make it happen.
I've also never had so much fun singing before. Before this I've always done more "standard" musical theater. Love Kills was the first time I got to really let loose and just wail, and I loved every minute of it. I feel like this whole rock musical thing really suits me. If only there were some more rock musicals coming up....
I hope my ramblings make a little it of sense....until next time.
Taylor
First thing that comes to mind is the choreography. Robin's choreography is amazing. I'm not just saying that because she is my mentor and boss and one of my best friends. Robin really gets it. I mean, she understands how the dance in a musical has to blend with the show itself. As a fellow choreographer myself, I've always hated how some people throw in flashy steps and difficult moves just for the point of showing off. That never made any sense to me. Sometimes I even see dance steps performed by people who don't yet have the skill level to pull off those steps. Why? Why do that to the dancers? Why make them struggle to perform steps they can't handle? Choreography is not about the hardest steps and the best tricks. It is about finding the theme and elements that are important to the show and incorporating those elements into the dancing. It's also about making the dancers look good. It's about knowing the abilities of the dancers and using those abilities wisely. That's why I admire Robin so much. She would never send her dancers out on stage with material that the group couldn't handle or didn't fit the material of the show. She takes the time to understand the story, the time period, and what is important at that moment of the show, and I appreciate that.
Moving on...
We ran act I essentially four times, and I feel more and more confidant with each run. I am really impressed with out cast. Sometimes I get so caught up listening to the music everyone else is making that I forget what I'm supposed to be doing. I feel like the fast I get off book the faster I can start to explore more important elements...
Like the rest of the cast, I've been doing a lot of research. I'm reading books, watching documentaries, and getting emails from Scott with new thoughts and ideas about Eva almost on a daily basis. I'm really enjoying exploring her character, but that's also where I'm having the most trouble. It's difficult to discuss my thoughts about Eva without giving away too much, but I'll try...
Most people really don't know that much about Eva Peron. I didn't either, before this production. Some people say that Patti LuPone made her out to be a monster, while others say that Madonna tried to make her too likable and human. I say, she falls somewhere in between. First of all, she couldn't have been a complete bitch or she wouldn't have had the following that she did. I mean, the working class of Argentina likened her to a saint. The people loved her, they worshiped her. If she was so horrible, why would they have loved her so much? On the other hand, she did step on a lot of people to get to the top. I think she was an incredibly confidant woman. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and did whatever she had to do to get it. Was her heart in the right place for the most part? Yes. Did she always go about getting her way in a fair and ethical manner? Probably not...
From what I've read and talked about with Scott, Eva was only 26 when Peron became president. She held an office in the ministry of labor and had an incredible amount of power. She really did love the working class of Argentina, because she was one of them. She came from poverty. She came from nothing and rose to the top, but her heart was always with her people. I'm 25, and I can't imagine having that kind of power right now in my life. Hell, I don't even know where my keys are right now, what in the world would I do with that sort of status? Eva wanted the people to know that she was still one of them. It was very important to her that the people know she had not sold out and left them. This was pretty much the first time that the working class of Argentina were even acknowledged with regards to political leaders, and Eva is the one who made that happen.
Through her charity, Eva really did a whole lot of good. She worked up to 16 hours days, giving help to the poor. People would come in with all sorts of different money troubles, and Eva would just hand them money or the means to fix their problems, and the people loved her. The other political leaders and aristocrats....not so much....
We've been discussing how Eva played many different roles throughout her life. Playing her simply as an ambitious, power hungry diva would just be too easy. Plus, that's been done. I think for me, finding each of those roles and finding balance for Eva is going to be my challenge. I have a lot of great material to work with though, so I think I can make it happen.
I've also never had so much fun singing before. Before this I've always done more "standard" musical theater. Love Kills was the first time I got to really let loose and just wail, and I loved every minute of it. I feel like this whole rock musical thing really suits me. If only there were some more rock musicals coming up....
I hope my ramblings make a little it of sense....until next time.
Taylor
Friday, May 28, 2010
One Week Down...
So rehearsals started on Monday, and yesterday was my birthday, I'm 25. Guess what I got for my bday? An upper respiratory infection!! Yay!!! It's been interesting....
Monday night went really well, the ensemble sounds great. Its nice to finally hear this material live after listening to a recording for weeks and weeks.
Tuesday night after rehearsal I started feeling sick, and then by Wednesday I was all messed up. On my birthday, I ended up at the doctor, then to rehearsal where I managed to get out a few notes, then I was off the to the Whitfield School Thespian Banquet. I choreographed Beauty and the Beast for Whitfield last month and was invited to speak at their annual banquet. It was actually really cool to be there because I was never part of any of that when I was in high school. It was great to see all the kids again, and I think they're all planning on coming to see the show.
Today I do feel better, but I have no voice. I sound like a squeaky toy, it's kind of funny. I'm not trying to whine about it, I just think its funny that I've been so concerned about taking care of my voice for the show and trying to drop some bad habits, and then I get this infection. But hey, better to deal with it now than the week of the show, right?
A few general thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head lately:
Before I got a recording of the show, I would go on Youtube to try to listen to the songs to get an idea of what the material was like. I don't know why, but I always read the comments for Youtube videos. Does anyone else do that? Sometimes people get into really intense arguments about the video and they're pretty comical. I always think "why are you so upset, its just a Youtube video..."
I found something very interesting as I was searching through Evita clips. Someone always ends up making a comment about Patti Lupone, and it's generally comparing whoever is in the video to Patti. It's always something like "well, this person did an ok job, but it's not just not Patti." Well no shit it's not Patti. The video description even said "Me playing Evita at a local theater company in 2006" Read the description! If you only want to hear Patti Lupone sing Evita, then buy a recording with her on it and shut up about it already! I don't know why that bothers me so much, but it does. Yes, I agree, Patti Lupone is amazing, but why are people always comparing women who play Evita to her? Obviously there is only one Patti Lupone. I don't want to be compared to her because I'm not her. Its not just Evita, though. I see that all over. People always compare singers to whoever originated the role and I just don't understand it. It's as if the original person's interpretation is the only way to perform the role. With that logic, why even perform the show anymore once the original cast quits?
What I also find interesting is that the first recording of Evita actually came out in '76 and it was a concept album. It was made before the show was even staged. Evita was played by Julie Covington, and I happen to think she was awesome. On top of that, Evita opened in London a full year before Patti did it on Broadway with Elaine Paige as Eva. I'm just saying...
I suppose I've rambled long enough. I had some thoughts to share about the role of Eva, but I'll save that for next time.
Taylor
Monday night went really well, the ensemble sounds great. Its nice to finally hear this material live after listening to a recording for weeks and weeks.
Tuesday night after rehearsal I started feeling sick, and then by Wednesday I was all messed up. On my birthday, I ended up at the doctor, then to rehearsal where I managed to get out a few notes, then I was off the to the Whitfield School Thespian Banquet. I choreographed Beauty and the Beast for Whitfield last month and was invited to speak at their annual banquet. It was actually really cool to be there because I was never part of any of that when I was in high school. It was great to see all the kids again, and I think they're all planning on coming to see the show.
Today I do feel better, but I have no voice. I sound like a squeaky toy, it's kind of funny. I'm not trying to whine about it, I just think its funny that I've been so concerned about taking care of my voice for the show and trying to drop some bad habits, and then I get this infection. But hey, better to deal with it now than the week of the show, right?
A few general thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head lately:
Before I got a recording of the show, I would go on Youtube to try to listen to the songs to get an idea of what the material was like. I don't know why, but I always read the comments for Youtube videos. Does anyone else do that? Sometimes people get into really intense arguments about the video and they're pretty comical. I always think "why are you so upset, its just a Youtube video..."
I found something very interesting as I was searching through Evita clips. Someone always ends up making a comment about Patti Lupone, and it's generally comparing whoever is in the video to Patti. It's always something like "well, this person did an ok job, but it's not just not Patti." Well no shit it's not Patti. The video description even said "Me playing Evita at a local theater company in 2006" Read the description! If you only want to hear Patti Lupone sing Evita, then buy a recording with her on it and shut up about it already! I don't know why that bothers me so much, but it does. Yes, I agree, Patti Lupone is amazing, but why are people always comparing women who play Evita to her? Obviously there is only one Patti Lupone. I don't want to be compared to her because I'm not her. Its not just Evita, though. I see that all over. People always compare singers to whoever originated the role and I just don't understand it. It's as if the original person's interpretation is the only way to perform the role. With that logic, why even perform the show anymore once the original cast quits?
What I also find interesting is that the first recording of Evita actually came out in '76 and it was a concept album. It was made before the show was even staged. Evita was played by Julie Covington, and I happen to think she was awesome. On top of that, Evita opened in London a full year before Patti did it on Broadway with Elaine Paige as Eva. I'm just saying...
I suppose I've rambled long enough. I had some thoughts to share about the role of Eva, but I'll save that for next time.
Taylor
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Shall we get started?
Hi all! So, this is my first time doing the blog thing...so I guess, let's do this...
I say that pretty much anytime I have that nervous excitement, where I'm a little unsure but I know I've prepared so there is nothing left to do but just, do it...I typically say that right before a tap performance. I know I've prepared enough and I know all the steps, but for some reason I'm still a bit nervous and anxious. Instead of break a leg or good luck, my feeling is just sort of, just get out there and do it. That is how I feel right now about this show. I'm excited, but nervous and a bit unsure. I'm sure all performers feel that way in the beginning of a new process. I know that by the time we open, I will have done all the necessary preparation and work, so there won't be anything left to do but just get out there and do it.
I work with / for Robin Berger, New Line's resident choreographer. She and I have been tapping together for years, and I'm excited to work with her in this setting. She introduced me to New Line when I was 17. She convinced me to audition for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas back in 2003, and it was a blast. My next New Line show wasn't until last October when I did Love Kills. I didn't blog for that show, but I wish I had. It was an intense experience, but it made me realize that this is where I want to be.
To be honest, I've never been a huge Lloyd Weber fan. I knew of Evita, I'd seen bits of the Madonna version, but never on the stage. In fact, I wasn't super crazy about it the first time I heard it years ago. But after listening to the '76 concept album, I liked what I heard much better. I'm excited to be working with such a talented cast on such a great show, and I'm also excited about the concept. From my understanding, we are doing a more scaled down, more edgy, rock and roll Evita, which I think suits me. It probably won't please everyone, but no show ever does. Rehearsals start on the 24th, so I have a few more days to try to get ahead on some of this material.
As for a few tidbits about me: I work at Leaping Lizards Performing Arts Studio with Robin as a dance and acting instructor, and I also teach private piano lessons. I just finished college (finally, after changing schools and my mind several times) and I'm glad to have some much needed free time during the day. During these free hours, I plan to get my act together and go to the gym. Yes, the gym. Most people hate it, but I actually like it. After Monday and yesterday, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. But that's okay, I'm going to go again today anyway.
Random subject change: I tend to think of my life as a sitcom. If something completely ridiculous is going to happen to someone, it will happen to me. I guess that's why I share my thoughts and experiences with my friends. Sometimes they are just so bizarre that they just have to be shared. I'll probably be sharing many of those thoughts and experiences here. Well, off to the gym!
Taylor
I say that pretty much anytime I have that nervous excitement, where I'm a little unsure but I know I've prepared so there is nothing left to do but just, do it...I typically say that right before a tap performance. I know I've prepared enough and I know all the steps, but for some reason I'm still a bit nervous and anxious. Instead of break a leg or good luck, my feeling is just sort of, just get out there and do it. That is how I feel right now about this show. I'm excited, but nervous and a bit unsure. I'm sure all performers feel that way in the beginning of a new process. I know that by the time we open, I will have done all the necessary preparation and work, so there won't be anything left to do but just get out there and do it.
I work with / for Robin Berger, New Line's resident choreographer. She and I have been tapping together for years, and I'm excited to work with her in this setting. She introduced me to New Line when I was 17. She convinced me to audition for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas back in 2003, and it was a blast. My next New Line show wasn't until last October when I did Love Kills. I didn't blog for that show, but I wish I had. It was an intense experience, but it made me realize that this is where I want to be.
To be honest, I've never been a huge Lloyd Weber fan. I knew of Evita, I'd seen bits of the Madonna version, but never on the stage. In fact, I wasn't super crazy about it the first time I heard it years ago. But after listening to the '76 concept album, I liked what I heard much better. I'm excited to be working with such a talented cast on such a great show, and I'm also excited about the concept. From my understanding, we are doing a more scaled down, more edgy, rock and roll Evita, which I think suits me. It probably won't please everyone, but no show ever does. Rehearsals start on the 24th, so I have a few more days to try to get ahead on some of this material.
As for a few tidbits about me: I work at Leaping Lizards Performing Arts Studio with Robin as a dance and acting instructor, and I also teach private piano lessons. I just finished college (finally, after changing schools and my mind several times) and I'm glad to have some much needed free time during the day. During these free hours, I plan to get my act together and go to the gym. Yes, the gym. Most people hate it, but I actually like it. After Monday and yesterday, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. But that's okay, I'm going to go again today anyway.
Random subject change: I tend to think of my life as a sitcom. If something completely ridiculous is going to happen to someone, it will happen to me. I guess that's why I share my thoughts and experiences with my friends. Sometimes they are just so bizarre that they just have to be shared. I'll probably be sharing many of those thoughts and experiences here. Well, off to the gym!
Taylor
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