Monday Fun Day

Nice to see the sun after surprise snow on Saturday!

Started the day off right with a fashion photo shoot for an SVA teacher (beginning at 8am, yikes!) What can I say, it's nice to wake up and have someone else do your hair and makeup. :-)

Now I'm off to a vocal rehearsal, here's hoping my morning coffee didn't disastrously dehydrate the old wind pipes.

Sending lots of sunny love from New York,

A Broadway Baby

You know you love opera when...

After three months of rehearsal, ten performances, and one High Definition live taping for 200,000 people across 44 countries, and you STILL come home after your Saturday matinee to watch the final scene on youtube.

If that's not love, I don't know what is!

Where'd I go?!

Just noticed my last post was Tuesday. Phew how life FLIES.

Beauty and the Beast callback, though I was a no go because they were clearly looking for a more voluptuous Babette cover. As a case study I'm def wearing three bras under a cute blouse for my next few auditions.. especially Jersey Boys. I'll report back with findings.

Finally have my work study shift back at Broadway Dance Center. Hooray for $5 classes!

Mariusz is Back!!

Hooray, Mariusz is feeling better and returning tonight to be our shorter, more even tempered, less inclined to throw people and stand on tables Giovanni.

Check out the NY Times article on him here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/arts/music/mariusz-kwiecien-on-the-mend-for-don-giovanni-at-the-met.html?nl=nyregion&emc=urb2

Didn't realize that the HD performance this Saturday is expected to reach an audience of 200,000 people in 44 countries. Eep!

....Today I'm feeling really sick. Hopefully no one will notice.

End of an Era

After four plus years, today was the last day I shall ever use my trusty red Blackberry Curve 8310. Now I own the technological equivalent of it's sexy granddaughter, I guess... but it's weeeird! I feel like I'm cheating on the best phone I ever had!

Oh... 21th century advancements ... you have yet to disappoint.

So my Kaplan kids are steadily improving, as are my private tutoring students. I'm holding the fort here on the Upper East Side.... after a day of vocal tech, vocal performance/audition tech, and two hours of working out, I'm prepped for an epic Tuesday.

The short list of tasks tomorrow:

1. Sign up for Beauty & the Beast singing call
2. Get headshots at the nearby Staples
3. Go back and sing for Beauty & the Beast tour
4. Investigate any other worthwhile auditions at Ripley Grier
5. Rush over to the School of Visual Arts for a modeling gig 1:30-5:30pm
6. Get to Lincoln Center before 5:45pm to meet with a tutoring client (that's going to take magic)
7. Swipe my ID and sign the cast list before my 7pm call time for Tuesday night's performance of Don Giovanni.

Wow. It's kind of helpful to see the madness laid out like that. Here's crossing fingers that everything works out. Tomorrow night is our test for the Live in HD filming that will take place this Saturday, October 29th. I can't believe the fall run of the opera is almost over already!

(Lastly, a return to my Disney mindset of yesteryear)


Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme...

The Upside of Down

I managed to disguise the fact that I was sick as a dog all day today in my SAT class. Phew! Even though I was feeling icky and the trains were not functioning - today was one of those days where yours truly got stuck in a downtown N train for about fifteen minutes and had to cab it to class to make it on time - there was an upside to all the nasty!

On my return voyage to the Upper East Side, I ran into Aaron Tveit, recently of Catch Me If You Can on Broadway!!! At first, I wasn't sure if it was him.... the notoriety of Broadway stars is so much more subtle than that of many of their (arguably less talented) Hollywood colleagues... but then I pulled out one of those friendly A Broadway Baby smiles and mentioned that he looks even taller in person than he does on stage.

Luckily he got a kick out of it, because we had a nice little chat while an uptown bound N cooled its jets near Carnegie Hall. He may even come see the opera!

So here you go - my smile - is - a -frown - just - upside - down moment for the weekend:

Doesn't he just look so approachable and nice? Good times.

Bye Bye Birdie (in Oklahoma?!) and Beauty and the Beast auditions tomorrow!!


Back in the saddle again...

Putting the STAR in "Starting Over"

Every day - especially one I have off - has the potential to yield something wonderful. There's this great person in my life who thinks that a day rested is a day wasted, and I just can't wrap my head around that. At least not in the context of the pace of a life lived here in the quintessential metropolis of New York.

This Friday has been amazing... last night was a movie night in celebration of a dear friend's birthday, and today I woke up without an alarm for the first time in I can't REMEMBER how long.

After a week full of private tutoring clients, negotiating schedules with some intensely busy parents, and seeing success become a viable option for my kids, I feel grateful for a refreshed lease on my life.

Here's to facing each new day with a healthy and renewed optimism, and to putting the star in starting over!


http://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter.html

Covered in Glitter

And awash with new beginnings. Today was my 11 year old tutee's 12th birthday, which of course we had to celebrate at Alice's Tea Cup, with a healthy dose of purple fairy dust sprinkled over us to guarantee our wishes.

Tomorrow is my first full day off in three months. I can hardly stand it.

Complete dissolution and bed rest, here I come!

Back to the Grind

I cannot BELIEVE I have already made my month's rent in just the first three days of this week.

And all from a rather unexpected source: private tutoring!

After spending a year negotiating part time employment that was both unfulfilling and under-compensated, I think I have finally stumbled upon my niche. With the help of Craigslist, Sittercity.com, TutorPro and Tutorspree (essentially like a Facebook that connects tutors with people who need specific services), I now have five new private tutoring client/families that I tutor on a weekly basis.

If that weren't fortunate enough, I actually really LIKE all of them! Three teenagers, one hyperactive, dance-loving 11 year -old (sound familiar, parentals?), and a student at the Columbia University School of Social work. This morning I woke up at the crack of dawn to head down to Times Square, where I tutor my post doctoral student in the mechanics of APA style and Neurosci/Psych research paper writing. Two hours... Two hundred dollars. Not bad... not bad at all.

I'm still counting my lucky stars and not going crazy with spending or anything, but wow, I am so happy that I finally feel I can leave desk jobs behind!!!

Moreover, I can finally get back into the business of doing what I really want to do: DANCE!

Tomorrow I'll be heading out at 7am to catch a train all the way out to White Plains for an Equity audition for the musical Cats. Apparently I really, really want to be in this show again, haha. Thank goodness I have some leggy dancer company in the form of the Namesake, upon her triumphant return from China.

Adventures, new clients, rogue work outs, oh my! Back to the grind now that I've come back to reality after months in Met Opera heaven? Why yes, yes indeed.

Love,

A Broadway Baby

La Boheme at the Met Opera

Just got a new cast member and it's meeeee.

Woot!

Don Giovanni NY TImes Review is OUT!!!

Check it out! 
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/15/arts/music/don-giovanni-at-the-metropolitan-opera-review.html?_r=1&nl=nyregion&emc=urb3


This line rings particularly true:

"...[Petter Mattei] was superb, singing alternately with suave, seductive phrasing and menacing intensity. At 6-foot-4, he was lordly, cagey, heady with desire and glibly reckless."

Reckless with the bodies of those around him on stage! Eep... he really was a bit terrifying (and alluring in a disturbing, super-tall, hyperactively gyrating sort of way). However, I must say this entire experience going from Mariusz to Mr. Mattei has given all of us the opportunity to relish the time-honored role of creating a solid support system so that the central character can stand out (or stand on dining tables ... you know... whatever he wants to do in the moment), regardless of any other mitigating circumstances.


According to the New York Times, the Met Opera announced officially yesterday that Mariusz would return to the role on Oct. 25 (Twitter updates, anyone?), the fourth performance in the run.... we'll miss him and wish him the speediest recovery until then!


Oh, look, I found a line that sorta kinda refers to me!! (err... all of the Don's girlfriends, really): 

"... we see an inner curved wall of balconies, with groups of young women in every alcove: a [gorgeous] human panorama of Giovanni’s lovers"

In an indirect way I am TOTALLY in the New York Times .... hahaha, not. But hey, getting closer and closer!! :-)

Good news!

I managed not to break anything, drop anything (or fall myself) from my third floor, danger pay-meriting balcony window! Even better, I got through opening night no worse for the wear, despite a nasty onslaught of unappreciated heartburn. One of the supers made the most amazing snickerdoodles I think I've ever had... mmm... who knew a teensy bit cream of tartar could be used to create heaven in slightly under-baked cookie form??

Peter's Don Giovanni defies easy explanation, but let's just say he was huge, physical, and genuinely terrifying at times. It's always nice when I discover that acting moments are just natural reactions to the situation at hand.

Much love to my amazing parents for the gorgeous surprise flowers! I even got a special call to my dressing room that flowers had been delivered to the stage door in my name. Oh the romance - my first show bouquet!!

Exhaustion and hunger are setting in, so I must go do something about the latter before I address the first.

Don Giovanni Performance #1 - check!

OPENING NIGHT IS HERE!

Into the abyss.

Hopefully I manage to come away unscathed.... or at least, un-barbequed!

My love and thanks to all my friends and family, who have been so supportive and encouraging. You are the reason why I will be in my first opera tonight!

Here's a sneak preview of our overture, conducted by the man himself, James Levine. I can't believe I am such a huge nerd as to actually watch the entire opera on Youtube while I'm at work before my call time tonight. Oy! The 1990 version of director Zefirelli's production at the Met is heavy handed, but definitely a GOOD time. Sam Ramey is a hottie of a Don Giovanni, but I'm loyal to Mariusz and want him back ASAP.

Hugs and love,

A Broadway Baby

Two Days and Counting!

 Nothing like the Catalogue Aria of Don Giovanni - in which Giovanni's faithful servant lists the thousands of women Don Giovanni has seduced and conquered for the enlightening of Donna Elvira - to put one's modern day relationships into perspective!

I mean, hey, he (or she) may not be as supportive as you'd like, but at least your partner hasn't slept with 1,003 women in Spain alone. One hopes, haha. (Fyi the people in the above video are from the 1988 Covent Garden production, not the cast that I've had the pleasure to work with).

Two days and counting until opening night!!

Peter has been rehearsing like a madman for Thursday's show. Apparently it's quite rare for an understudy to go on unless its absolutely last minute (alas, for I so love Duane Croft!)

For situations like ours, the creative team does all in its power to get a singer with a strong reputation who also has Don Giovanni in his repertoire. In the case of Peter Mattei, he was actually taken off of Barber of Seville at the Met Opera tonight (Rodeon, his undertsudy, sung the Figaro in his stead).

I'm sure alls well that ends well, as I'll see Thursday night. I only hope Mariusz has a speedy recover and can return to us soon. Send out positive energy into the universe on his behalf, everyone!

Hugs and love,
A Broadway Baby

Oh noes!

Now that it's been made public via Met Opera twitter, I can lament the loss of Mariusz Kwiecien, who was to have opened Thursday's first performance as our Don Giovanni. Instead, he has been benched due to an injury at today's final dress.

The person the Met's chosen to replace him in the DG debut is not even his understudy, Duane Croft, who I thought was quite stunning in his gifted, last minute cover today. Mr. Croft was sitting in the audience among several hundred other covers, dancer understudies, and some students, founders and other lucky ducks who were able to get free tickets to the final dress rehearsal.

Suddenly, he was called from his sit and rushed to the stage this afternoon - in his street clothes, no less - to continue as Don Giovanni after Mariusz was hurt in the first scenes. As the show progressed, wardrobe peeps got him into Don Giovanni's costume, and by the end of the first act, he was wigged (thank god, because a balding Giovanni was not really working aesthetically, though the voice and acting were both quite sound).

Duane Croft was really good, it was a pleasure to watch his older, darker, different interpretation of Giovanni, especially in the final scene when he descends to hell. That said, I only hope that Mariusz heals quickly; he has put so much time, effort, and caring into his character. Everyone on the team has poured their life's blood into the rehearsals for this production - from the Directors to the dance covers, the principals to the stage managers. I am just so saddened by this unforeseen complication and the frustration that Mariusz must feel. Luckily, I am surrounded by incredibly professionals, and as the old adage goes:

The show must go on!

Don Giovanni in the New York Times!!

Don Giovanni Preview Article with Director Michael Grandage, Conductor Luisi (replacing James Levine who is out with a significant and persistent back injury), and our very own Don Giovanni, Mariusz Kwiecien.

See link - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/arts/music/old-fashioned-approach-to-mets-new-don-giovanni.html?nl=nyregion&emc=urb3

Our Opening Night is this Thursday!!

All my love,
A Broadway Baby

Anachronism and A Lot of White

So during today's dress rehearsal, I found myself laced into three sets of 17th century style corsets, wearing a butt bustle and a 10 inch tall white Mozartian wig, struggling for breath as my boobs pushed their way towards my clavicle, and wearing the most beautiful maroon and gold dress I've ever laid eyes on.

Oh, and I was hungry.

In perhaps the oddest, most anachronist combination the Met dressing room has ever seen, I resolved said hunger issue with edamame and a bagel. Who knew it was so difficult to eat when your waist size has been reduced from 24 inches to 17??

I love my job.

Exhaustion!

Stunning how difficult it can be to keep up with a blog about getting a dance job once you've landed one! Rehearsals are going well; corsets are tight, pyrotechnics are stunning, all aspects of the Don Giovanni production at the Met Opera are happily above par....

Yet rent still necessitates other sources of income. Completely acceptable, just a bit difficult to negotiate. Took on some new tutoring clients, 2 of which I love, 1 of which is causing significant stress and frustration. Patience makes the heart learn to prosper, so I must - as always - remember to breathe and keep my end goal of dancing on Broadway in sight. Baby steps.