Been awhile...
Besides updating for a fic I wrote, I haven't really posted anything here. Not much really is going on- this year for me August through the end of October are busy, busy as I am in school, plus with work, and on the weekends masteralida and I have spent almost every weekend, sometimes both days, at the PA Ren Faire. Which is leading us on a new journey.
We are auditioning for both the NJ and PA Ren Faires next year. So if all goes well, two weekends in June I will be in NJ working, and then once again my August-October will be INSANE as I'll be working, taking a lighter semester load, but still will have school, and weekends will be consumed with running amock on the Shire of Mt. Hope in costume and in character.
The audition process is something I have never really done. Back in early 2005, I did audition for two plays in the Waterford area- Wuthering Heights & some other play. I didn't get a part in either. I was never involved in theater or music when in school, though I was in the band for a year and a half only because I needed to take a music course and being in band satisfied that.
Needless to say, I have been scared out of my mind about this auditioning thing. In fact, I considered for a bit on saying no, I won't do it, but I was basically told I had no choice for PARF (ultimately I could have, but I would have disappointed a few people), but a big first step for me was making that initial contact for NJRF by sending my email to get myself a slot. So my audition for NJRF is Saturday, January 19th at 12:30 pm.
To audition, we need to sing a few bars of a song and perform a 1-minute monologue. For me, this means cue panic. I don't really think I can sing. Or rather, I probably have an okay voice, but no idea my vocal range or any training to go with it. Cue freak out: what song can I possibly sing that is not going to make me freeze?!
Potential ideas to help me have included going to karaoke nights. I am looking into possible voice lessons to lead me into the auditions. Ultimately, finding the right song has been important. I am pretty sure I have found it, but I was concerned if it would be weird to sing it because it's a song written for a male part- "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" from Les Miserables.
I adore this song. It is so heartbreaking and haunting, yet quite gorgeous and understated. There are so many strong, better known songs from the musical that I feel this song gets a little overlooked, especially as it isn't a female song and it's the only true solo for Marius in the musical. Plus, as I was singing along to the CD in my car, I noticed that I was not trying to make my voice sound like the voice on the CD, which is a bad habit I have. I also didn't feel like I was straining, even at the most powerful parts. Taking this as a good sign, I've decided this is the song I am going to focus on and learn and use it at all my auditions.
Next up is to figure out a monologue. I want something to show range, but there is a part of me that wants to almost "act out" one of two scenes from Black Jewels; When Draca is explaining the concept of Jaenelle spiraling to Saetan, or when Tersa is "reprimanding" the Dark Court when they keep asking why, why, why when Ladvarian asks them for blood and memories for Jaenelle. At the same time- I feel maybe I should choose an actual monologue from a play as is probably expected of me.
So that is my next thing to tackle in this new journey of my life. I admit it feels strange to be discussing the concept of singing, acting, auditioning, etc. I never thought it would be something I would do, though I have always wanted to. We'll see how the journey goes.
We are auditioning for both the NJ and PA Ren Faires next year. So if all goes well, two weekends in June I will be in NJ working, and then once again my August-October will be INSANE as I'll be working, taking a lighter semester load, but still will have school, and weekends will be consumed with running amock on the Shire of Mt. Hope in costume and in character.
The audition process is something I have never really done. Back in early 2005, I did audition for two plays in the Waterford area- Wuthering Heights & some other play. I didn't get a part in either. I was never involved in theater or music when in school, though I was in the band for a year and a half only because I needed to take a music course and being in band satisfied that.
Needless to say, I have been scared out of my mind about this auditioning thing. In fact, I considered for a bit on saying no, I won't do it, but I was basically told I had no choice for PARF (ultimately I could have, but I would have disappointed a few people), but a big first step for me was making that initial contact for NJRF by sending my email to get myself a slot. So my audition for NJRF is Saturday, January 19th at 12:30 pm.
To audition, we need to sing a few bars of a song and perform a 1-minute monologue. For me, this means cue panic. I don't really think I can sing. Or rather, I probably have an okay voice, but no idea my vocal range or any training to go with it. Cue freak out: what song can I possibly sing that is not going to make me freeze?!
Potential ideas to help me have included going to karaoke nights. I am looking into possible voice lessons to lead me into the auditions. Ultimately, finding the right song has been important. I am pretty sure I have found it, but I was concerned if it would be weird to sing it because it's a song written for a male part- "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" from Les Miserables.
I adore this song. It is so heartbreaking and haunting, yet quite gorgeous and understated. There are so many strong, better known songs from the musical that I feel this song gets a little overlooked, especially as it isn't a female song and it's the only true solo for Marius in the musical. Plus, as I was singing along to the CD in my car, I noticed that I was not trying to make my voice sound like the voice on the CD, which is a bad habit I have. I also didn't feel like I was straining, even at the most powerful parts. Taking this as a good sign, I've decided this is the song I am going to focus on and learn and use it at all my auditions.
Next up is to figure out a monologue. I want something to show range, but there is a part of me that wants to almost "act out" one of two scenes from Black Jewels; When Draca is explaining the concept of Jaenelle spiraling to Saetan, or when Tersa is "reprimanding" the Dark Court when they keep asking why, why, why when Ladvarian asks them for blood and memories for Jaenelle. At the same time- I feel maybe I should choose an actual monologue from a play as is probably expected of me.
So that is my next thing to tackle in this new journey of my life. I admit it feels strange to be discussing the concept of singing, acting, auditioning, etc. I never thought it would be something I would do, though I have always wanted to. We'll see how the journey goes.