So today was a big day -- even though the top, most talented 200-225 kids are accepting into the program, they are still auditioned in the very beginning to see where their skills are best comparable. In other words, we have singers, dancers, and actors. All of them are excellent in at least on of these fields, but not necessarily outstanding in all three. They spend a very tedious day cycling through every single person a series of auditions: tap, ballet, jazz, acting, and singing.
But before I get into that, I'll start with the beginning. After breakfast, all the faculty and students gathered in the black box theater for a Faculty Introduction. Basically, there was stadium seating where 225 of the best upcoming musical theater talent was sitting, and there was a long row of chairs facing them. This was where we were to sit. So I sat down in this big long line of chairs as a "faculty" member, although I might as well have been sitting in the audience with the kids. My fellow colleagues, I have now learned, include a Professor Emeritus from USF; A timeless, classic tv/film star and original "Little Red" in Sondheim's "Into the Woods"; various vocal instructors with studios in Seattle, Miami, Dallas, L.A., and NYC; one of the biggest music directors and casting agents on Broadway; and so many others that it makes my head spin to even attempt to remember it all. So yes, they went down the line and we each introduced ourselves and talked about where we come from and what we do. To say the experience was surreal is an ultimate understatement.
After the meeting, we split up and went to our specific stations for the day. Acting people listened to monologues, vocal people listened to songs, instrumental people helped prepare singers for their auditions, and dance people watched dance. This is where I went -- Ballet and Jazz. I was assigned the task of accompanying the ballet auditions. Secretly, this was a tremendous relief for me, as I believe I've already mentioned. And let me tell you, it was such a wonderful experience!
The dance auditions were in one of the dance studios -- a tall, open room with black marley floors and a wall full of mirrors, of course. Sunlight streamed in through short, stubby little windows that lined the top of the exterior wall. I was playing a grand piano in the corner; a little clunky and with the bench chained to the piano itself, but grand nonetheless.
The combination was four 8-counts of an easy waltz feel. I began playing the underwater theme from Super Mario Brothers, but was encouraged to play different music if I wanted to mix it up for myself. I began to very quickly build an excellent rapport with the dance faculty who were present, especially the audition choreographer and demonstrator. He was lively, fun, and full of energy... but man oh man could he move. In fact, everyone in that damn room was built like a G.I. Joe. In an effort to keep things entertaining, I modified all of my ballet audition music for each of the seven groups that came through. Some favorites were "Billie Jean", "Summertime", "Bad Romance", and "Stairway to Heaven". Not your typical ballet music.
I don't know how ballet accompanists are typically, but apparently I'm something else because they all seemed so impressed by everything. I mean, it's four 8-counts in 3/4 time! If you can play a little ditty and keep an even tempo, it ain't that hard! I'll take my wins where I can though, so all in all I was totally lucky to be there rather than sight-reading the hardest music in the world.
Then tragedy struck: one of my knitting needles broke! I love my Knit Picks Zephyr interchangables, but one of the tips snapped. Now, that's not the first time that this has happened, but Knit Picks has the best customer service of any company I've ever dealt with ever. They have already insisted that I call so that they can send me a replacement, and that was simply based on a tweet that I sent out! Awesome company.
The meal situation is quite satisfactory, in my opinion. In previous years, all the kids stayed in dorms with those awful foam mattresses and everyone ate at the cafeteria... which was somewhere. Now, all the kids stay in the Embassy Suites, and lunch and dinner are both catered there! The line-up seems to be some kind of salad, cold cut sandwiches, and a couple of hot options. Today for lunch we had mac and cheese with chicken nuggets, and for dinner we had roasted potatoes and delicious broiled chicken. Oh yeah, and it's free. Holla! Yeah, I can deal with that!
So after dinner, I caught a ride back to the studios and had about half an hour to kill. Then of the kids came up to the office where we were and was stressing because the pianist who agreed to help him with prepare for his vocal audition wasn't there, and he had to sing immediately when the dinner break had ended! I offered to help, and despite the fact that his music was a little tough to play, I loved helping him!
You see, all of these kids want to be here. At $3500 a pop, they better freakin' want to be here. But generally, they are all so very appreciative, courteous, and eager to learn. I was happy to help him (as well as a young lady who was in the same predicament). It's such an amazing feeling, being a unique part of a program like this where I maintain my individuality and have artistic freedoms, but can also rely on others with comparable abilities and experiences (or in my case, who are way out of my league).
Tomorrow I begin working on my first project with a choreographer, casting/staging/rehearsing/arranging "For Good" from Wicked. I can't wait!
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