Day 26

It's a brand new day! I can't believe that there are only 4 more days left of this challenge. It's kind of freaking me out because it also makes me realize that there are only two more weeks until my auditions. Tonight I saw Wicked, which took care of my "See a live performance" part of this challenge. I also had a coaching session with Paul during my lunch break, and got in two solid hours of monologue work and finally found a space to rehearse without interruption. Woot! 


Private Coaching Session 

Date/time - January 26, 2011, 12 p.m.

Instructor - Paul
Minutes- 45 minutes

Repertoire - A Chorus Line, Nothing and Spring Awakening, Mama Who Bore Me

Points covered – First, we recorded the accompaniment to Nothing so that I have it to practice with and also so that I have it to take it with me to my URTA auditions. Then I sang through it a few times and went over the notes that I had been singing wrong yesterday and made sure that I had fixed those mistakes. We discussed character points and practices slating. Then we sang through Mama Who Bore Me a few times and talked about bringing new music to the private lesson with Kurt for Friday. 

Notes: I am starting to feel so much more confident about my singing than my acting. I never really feel like there is a happy medium for both and it's kind of frustrating. 

Attended Performance

Date/time - January 26, 2011 7:30 p.m.

Show/Venue – Wicked, Pope Joy Hall

Performer(s) –Anne Brummel as Elphaba, Natalie Daradich as Glinda, David Nathan Perlow as Fiyero,  Michelle London as Nessarose, Marilyn Caskey as Madame Morrible and Don Richard as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

What did you most enjoy? – I most enjoyed sitting down and going out to see a performance of a musical that I love rather than running around here and there to rehearse for my auditions and  worrying about myself. It was nice to spend two hours enjoying watching other people perform for once. It seems like the last few weeks I have been so wrapped up in myself I haven't been able to sit back and enjoy the talent of others.

Observations and Remembrances – I saw Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre in NYC in 2006 and it literally blew me away. At the end of Defying Gravity I was in tears. The performance tonight wasn't as impressive unfortunately. The actress playing Elphaba (Anne Brummel) seemed vocally stronger than Natalie Daradich (Glinda) at first, but I was really disappointed during Defying Gravity. However during the second act both ladies really seemed to warm up their voices and both almost sounded like completely different performers. Brummel was especially impressive during "No Good Deed" and sounded almost exactly like Idina Menzel. I could tell exactly where she was using the "mixing" technique that Kurt has been teaching us since he has been in Albuquerque, and it made me want to start adding songs to my repertoire like that since I'm getting better at mixing. I think if I wouldn't have seen Wicked in NYC, I probably would have been pretty impressed, but I don't think anything could top my original experience of seeing that show with my mom at the Gershwin Theatre as my graduation present in 2006.

*Please keep a copy of the program for submission

Healthy Eating Number 24

Meal Description – For breakfast, Brown cow blueberry yogurt, and orange, banana, and tea.

Restaurant or Market – La Montanita Co Op

Rating – 9/10



Daily Practice Session

Technical Concepts - Usual warm up, lip trills, goo goos, muh muh scales, yogi bear and dopey sound, breathing/strengthening exercise scales.
Minutes - 20

Repertoire - A Chorus Line, Nothing, What I Did For Love, Spring Awakening, Mama Who Bore Me
Minutes – 24

Successes – Mixing in middle and head voice is starting to feel really comfortable and strong. Since I work on it every day it is really improving.

Areas for improvement – I really need to add more songs to my repertoire. I know I do, tomorrow I will print more music and add it to my book. Promise, promise!

Notes: Will post videos from performance tomorrow.... still haven't completely figured that one out yet and only have 15 minutes before midnight and don't want to be late!