"Close Your Eyes And Surrender To Your Darkest Dreams."

Phantom of the Opera is probably one  of two shows I can tolerate of Andrew Lloyd Webber's work (the second is Evita). I personally have never been a big fan of him, but I don't mean to offend anyone if they do.

Last year, my school put on Phantom of the Opera and it was a really big success! The show was probably the biggest production my school had ever put on but it was done flawlessly. 

Anyway, I'm posting a very famous song from the show, "Music of the Night", because this song can make or break the actor playing the Phantom and how well the audience likes the show. If he can sing it, then he and the show will be liked. If not, then the entire show will be weak and hated. 

This particular video is from the 25th anniversary of the show performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, starting Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom (he's currently starring as Jean Valjean in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables) and Sierra Boggess  as Christine Daaé (she's returning to Broadway in May as Christine again in The Phantom of the Opera). Either way, listening to both of them is heavenly.

I love vacation.  It's so nice and relaxing.  It also gives me time to update my posts.

Sorry for the delay, yet again.  This is more work than I thought.  I haven't completely forgotten about this though.  Future posts might include musicals not known (i.e. Gone Missing and Hands on a Hard Body), as well as regular straight plays (i.e. Peter and the Starcatcher and Death of a Salesman).  Until I gain more info, I'll leave this questionnaire. 

1. Favorite show? I change them all the time, but currently, it's Godspell.
2. Favorite role you've played? Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical Jr.
3. Favorite show you've been in? Godspell Jr., it was the only one where I didn't deal with a ton of drama. (Drama, get it? Ha, I slay myself!)
4. Number of Broadway shows seen? None........ for now.
5. Last show you were in? RENT School Edition
6. Favorite song from a show? "Now (It's Just the Gas) from Little Shop of Horrors
7. Favorite dance number from a show you were in? "Cross the Line" from Big! The Musical
8. Dream role(s)?  TOO MANY. Madame Giry (Phantom of the Opera), Ellen (Miss Saigon), Smitty (How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying), Adelaide (Guys and Dolls), Jan or Rizzo (Grease)
9. Show you would like to see? Any show except Cats. But lately, I've really wanted to see The Little Mermaid, Annie Get Your Gun and Godspell again.
10. Show(s) that makes you cry? Les Miserables, Godspell, Miss Saigon, RENT, Chess, South Pacific
11. Show(s) that makes you happy? Hairspray, Hair, Book of Mormon, Mamma Mia, Legally Blonde, The Lion King, Wicked, Avenue Q, Singin' In The Rain
12. Ever worn a wig for a show? Yes I have, for Cinderella: The World's Favorite Fairy Tale.
13. Favorite costume worn? There are some I've liked because it's from my own wardrobe, but none are my favorite yet.
14. Cast you're closest with? RENT School Edition
15. Favorite movie based on a Broadway show? I'd say Les Miserables, but I haven't officially seen it yet. So I'll say the Charlie Brown TV series from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
16. Show you would mostly like to see? The Little Mermaid

Howdy all! I'm dreadfully sorry I haven't been around to post in around a month(?);  I've been dealing with a lot of theatre turmoil, which I'll talk about.

So, in the past month my school did the production of RENT and we killed it! For our final night, we oversold (and by that, I mean we had to add rows of chairs in front of the audience because we didn't have enough room)!

Now here comes the depressing part, which will lead to today's topic. So yesterday, I auditioned for Phantom of the Opera, and ever since I was a little girl, I had always imagined playing Madame Giry. I love her character, she's so bad-ass! She doesn't have to say anything to get people to quiet down. I've always admired her.

Anyway, my audtioners and I discovered the cast list later that night. I was cast in ensemble and my best friend, pessimistic that the theatre group has been pre-casting all of their productions, was cast as a lead. To be specific, Madame Giry. It crushed me.

(I know, I sound like I should be on Jerry Springer with the subtitle "My Best Friend Took My Dream Role.") This morning, I couldn't talk to her without starting to cry. I guess I'm so frustrated and disappointed in myself. The past shows I've been in (the majority of my theatre career), I've been cast in ensemble. I didn't mind when I was younger because I was inexperienced, but as I got older, I felt the harder I tried, I would end up upset and reverting to what I'm currently doing now, eating my feelings away. 

At this point, you're wondering, "What the hell is this post?" and you're about to click off, but don't yet, because I have something that will help you!

What To Do When You Lost The Part You Wanted 

(This can be true for not getting the job, not asking a guy/girl out, your partner broke up/divorced you, etc., just change the guidelines a little bit!)

1. Cry. You are not making yourself feel better by keeping it all inside. In fact, you're purposely putting yourself in a bad and upset mood. Let it all out! (As for me, I'm saving my crying for the shower tonight.) Your body releases hormones that make you feel better after you cry. 
2. Talk To Someone. Let it be known, but not as shouting and throwing a temper tantrum. Just talk to a friend or parent or someone you really trust and calmly tell them (or cry, if you're still upset). They'll understand.
3. Congratulate The Person. Even if it kills you on the inside, it's still the proper thing to do and it shows you are the bigger person. (Whatever you do, please do not destroy any of their property. This includes, but not limited to; houses, cars, electronic devices, clothing, etc. You'll feel embarrassed about it afterwards.)
4. Give Yourself Time To Heal. This will not pass easily, especially if you really wanted the part (or job, etc.). The human heart is used to repairing itself. Do some other activities that you didn't have the time for before!
5. Be Optimistic. Even when you think you shouldn't be and you have every right to loathe, think ahead. Life does get better! You'll have the opportunity to audition for more parts and you will have your time to shine in the part you'll rightfully earn one day!
6. Smile. It'll make you feel better, even if you're in no mood to smile. Studies have shown that the action of smiling helps people feel better. (I don't know where, but I believe it).

Hope this helps!

Day Seventeen: Phantom Of The Opera

Today's post is a musical with the best music, which I think is Phantom of the Opera. (This post is strictly for the score; the post with the best lyrics will be for the next post.)

So I will give the basics. It takes place to 1899 (modern day), then transports back in time a good 50 years or so in Paris. There's this creepy guy who has only half a mask (the Phantom) and he's lived in some secret part of the opera house and always prefers to have Box #5 empty ("Box" is a small section of seats that weren't up on the balcony but aren't as low to the floor level.)

Meanwhile, there's this girl in the Ensemble, Christine Daae, who has been taught how to sing by the "Angel of Music" (who was really the Phantom through the ducts in the opera house). The Phantom has been demanding that the house will be run his way or things go bad, which have. Some acts include Carlotta being given this elixir that causes her to not sing well, the chandelier falls onto the stage, one of the stagehands is murdered, etc.

Christine and her old childhood friend, Raoul, have been sprouting up this romance, to which the Phantom becomes extremely jealous of. The Phantom tries to claim Christine as his "girlfriend," and she does so, in fear he will cause more damage to the opera house. The owners of the house reluctantly agree to perform a show that the Phantom wrote, called Don Juan Triumphant, with Christine as the female lead. They agree under Raoul's idea that they will capture the Phantom on opening night.

Problem is, the Phantom ends up onstage with Christine and Raoul can't just stop the show and take him offstage, especially because he had Christine hostage. He kidnaps her (yet again) and brings her to his lair, where she would stay. Raoul goes after her, while following the advice of Madame Giry, the ballet instructor,  to "keep [his] hand at the level of [his] eyes." (This is because the Phantom is an expert in killing people with the Punjab lasso, and the only way to stop it is to keep an arm there when it's tightened.)

Raoul finds the lair and falls into the Phantom's trap and is held captive. Christine begs Phantom to let him go and says she'll stay with the Phantom if Raoul is to be let free. The Phantom is so moved by this, he lets both Christine and Raoul go. Meanwhile, an angry mob has been finding their way to Phantom's lair, and when they get there, he's no where to be found.

At the end of the show, Christine is dead and every year there is a black rose on her grave (the Phantom's calling card to Christine was a black rose.) The End.

(Yes I know there are a LOT more characters, but this show is so well known, either people know it or they will look it up on WikiPedia.)

My personal favorite song of the show is "Phantom of the Opera," I think it's just very powerful and intense, you can't help but like it! (Plus, I think it really highlights just how good Christine is supposed to be, because of the Phantom.)  I absolutely love listening to Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman!

(Fun fact: For anyone that has seen Wall-E, during the movie there's an old musical video that Wall-E plays a lot (the show is Hello Dolly!) and in the duet part that is shown, the guy singing is Michael Crawford!)