I Only Know What I Know

On my facebook page I've been posting a bit about the Oliver! soundtrack. Auditions for a production of the show are in May. Before, oh, a few months ago, I didn't know a whole lot about this show. I knew Consider Yourself and a bit of Food, Glorious Food, but that was it.  I learned "As Long As He Needs Me" as a potential audition piece, but I didn't know how it was set within the context of the musical.

Anyway, now having watched the movie several times, listening to the soundtrack, and working on the vocal selections book, I have a pretty good grasp of the music.

Today's weather was really nice, so I posted "Who Will Buy This Beautiful Morning" as one of my status messages (just that line). This lead to a discussion about the song, and a friend being surprised that I wasn't familiar with Oliver! until fairly recently.

So here's a list of shows I could sing in my sleep: (bold type indicates I've seen it live, italic means I've been in it)

• Phantom of the Opera
• Les Miz
• Jekyll and Hyde
• Parade
• Miss Saigon
• The Scarlet Pimpernel
• The Secret Garden
• Ragtime
• Side Show
• Beauty and the Beast
• The Lion King
• Avenue Q
• Titanic
• Gypsy
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• My Fair Lady
• The Sound of Music
• Sunset Boulevard
• Evita
• Into the Woods
• Wicked
• Children of Eden
• Annie
• Annie Get Your Gun
• Cinderella
• The Producers
• Spamalot
• The Music Man
• Fiddler on the Roof 
• Aida

Ones I know fairly well:

• Oklahoma
• The Light in the Piazza
• The Pirate Queen
• Carousel
• Allegro
• Guys and Dolls
• Chicago
• Company
• Working
• Love Never Dies (still working on this one)
• State Fair
• South Pacific (I know almost all of the songs except for ones like Dites-Moi. Know the title, not the tune.)
• The King and I 
•  West Side Story

Ones I'm familiar with (as in, I can sing a few of the big songs, but that's it)

• Kiss Me, Kate ("Another Op'ning", "I Hate Men", "Brush Up..."
• Flower Drum Song (The ABHORRENT "I enjoy being a girl")
• Martin Guerre ("How Many Tears?", etc.)
• Cats ("Memory", that's it, sorry.)
• The Little Mermaid (this, and Mary Poppins--I know the movie songs)
• Mary Poppins
• A Little Night Music ("Send In the Clowns")
• Camelot ("The Simple Joys of Maidenhood", "Before I Gaze...", "If Ever...", "Camelot")
• Little Shop of Horrors
• The Fantastiks (Who DOESN'T know "Try to Remember"?)
• Finnegan's Rainbow
• Brigadoon! ("Waiting for My Dearie")
• 42nd Street ("Lullaby of Broadway", "42nd Street")
• Chess ("Someone Else's Story")
• A Little Princess ("Live Out Loud")
• A Christmas Carol 
• Street Scene (which could be considered more opera...)  
•  A Chorus Line ("One", "What I Did For Love", "Nothing")
• 1776 ("Sit Down, John"...I would like to know this one better. On the list...) 
• Hello, Dolly! ("Hello, Dolly!", "Ribbons Down My Back", "Until the Parade Passes By" )

A short list of ones I know nothing or almost nothing about:

• Swing!
• Contact
• Steel Pier
• Spring Awakening
• The Woman In White
• The Beautiful Game
• Little Women
• Merrily We Roll Along
• 50 percent
• The Apple Tree
• The Putnam County Spelling Bee (yeah I know, I shortened the Title)
• Mamma Mia
• Jersey Boys
• Stop the World, I Want To Get Off
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (I know "comedy tonight")
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
• Two By Two
• Zorba
• 
  

I know I'm missing some. But really, there's a fair amount of musical theater--especially from the 50s, 60s and 70s--that I know NOTHING about. Any big dance shows are not my thing, because my dancing skills are limited. And any shows without decent alto parts--also limited. So that eliminates a lot of early musical theater.

For my grandpa--"Song for Athene"

I sang this piece as part of the 2000 Ohio All-State Choir. My grandparents had a copy of this CD.
This song is best known as the recessional for Princess Diana's funeral in 1997.

The Simple Woman's Daybook--April 5, 2010

Outside my window:

Bright and sunny--upper 70s!

I am wearing: 

coral t-shirt dress, a string of peals, brown BR heels

I am thankful for:

my siblings

I am reading:

God and the World . But have also read: House Rules, Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian, The Hour I First Believed. (Bookshelves coming later, I promise)

From the kitchen:

Not sure. Going to the parents' for dinner. I need to make out my menu tonight.

I am thinking:

That I do not want it to snow on my birthday! (Friday. And yes, it's a possibility.)

I am creating:

A clean apartment.

On my iPod:

Oliver!

Toward rhythm and beauty: 

Vaccuming. Possible window cleaning. 

To Live the Liturgy: 

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!!

I am hoping and praying:

for my grandfather.

Around the House:

The vaccuming, dishes, dusting. Stuff like that.

One of my favorite things:

Spring; Holy Week

A few plans for the week:

Th: Voice

Friday: My birthday!!!!!

Sunday: LOTS of LOOP stuff. More on that later.

A picture I'm sharing: 

M

Mel and I at brunch yesterday.

An Education

So on Saturday, it was a really pretty day. I was driving around, doing errands, and singing along to my voice lesson tape.
Now, when I'm driving through a residential or slow-speed area, and I want to sing, I put the windows up. I like my voice, but the rest of the world might not. And while I think Broadway cast recordings of GOOD shows should be required listening, I realize (alas) that everyone does not feel that way.
So, I was driving home from getting groceries. I turned onto my street and put up my windows so I could sing a bit of French aria. I really like this piece, was greatly enjoying singing it in the sunshine.
A few neighbors were out, including a guy who has a woodworking shop in one of the garages.
I pulled into a parking spot--and realized my sunroof had been open.
The neighborhood had indeed been treated to some French aria.
Whoops.

The Simple Woman's Daybook--March 29, 2010

Outside my window:

Wee bit cloudy. The daffodils are up in their glory and the tulips are appearing!

I am wearing: 

gray pants, Talbots' top

I am thankful for:

my siblings

I am reading: 

The King's Good Servant But God's First

From the kitchen:

Pasta from Jamie's Food Revolution tonight. The stew last night was great!!!

I am thinking:

That I hope my mom is doing OK. (see the prayers section...)

I am creating:

I'm moving ahead well on the novel.

On my iPod:

"Woman" and other voice stuff

Toward rhythm and beauty: 

Since it's Holy Week, that equals--big cleaning.

To Live the Liturgy: 

Daily Mass, hopefully some Holy Week adoration and Vespers. Then Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday 7 last words and MOPS (Mass of the Pre-Sanctified--I LOVE that phrase), and then.....Easter!

I am hoping and praying:

for my grandfather. He's being moved into hospice today/tomorrow, and my mom is up in Pittsburgh with her siblings and her mom making this stuff happen. Dad and I are down here trying to get the troops ready for any sort of funeral things we have to do. 

My grandfather is a truly wonderful person. He has lived a wonderful, rich life. He has eight children, 25 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren! He has perfect pitch, does crossword puzzles and sudoku and used to carry tic tacs in his pocket. He hates dogs. He sings in the church choir and has his own music company! He is a great and holy man.

Around the House:

The vaccuming, dishes, dusting. Stuff like that.

One of my favorite things:

Spring; Holy Week

A few plans for the week:

T: Mass, Vespers

W: Voice

Th: Thyroid ultrasound and blood work; Holy Thursday Mass

Friday: Good Friday

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. XX

I. 

It snowed this morning. Snowed! And there was ice! Fortunately now it's about 50 degrees so both problems are taken care of. But I was not happy. 

II. 

Things that make me happy--St. Pat's fish fry! Tonight I'm going with one of my old college buddies. He has a hankering for fish fry, but he's not Catholic, so I am provided the Catholic creds. :) I, too, love a good fish fry, so I'm excited.

III.

And continuing in the theme of food--I am excited to watch this tonight. I have Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals, and I'll write up my first experience with it later. It involved whisky and avocado. Good stories.

IV. 

Sorry it's been such a slow blogging week. I think I might have finally caught up with the DST clock. I promise more posting in the future.

V. 

How's your bracket? Mine is OK. Half of my final four still in, so I'll take it. 

VI. 

Books: The Law of Similars , The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo (this is such a good novel. If you've never read it, you should.) 

VII.

Had a fantastic voice lesson on Wednesday. I was happy, Robin was happy, the music was happy. Gotta love days like that. 

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. XIX

(we'll see how long I can keep up those roman numerals...)

I.
The Madness has begun! Do you have a bracket? At this moment, the Panthers (my favorite college team) are playing Oakland in Milwaukee, and winning right before the half. Let's hope this remains true. They were scaring me a bit in the beginning. 

II. 

Spring, spring, spring! Are you happy? I am!

III.

Things that make me not happy--this health care debate. I've got a post on it over at CPG.

Nothing this big has ever been passed in single-party fashion. Nothing. That makes me very, very nervous. 

IV.

Voice yesterday was great; Robin was very pleased. And when the teacher is pleased, I am pleased. I'm working on "Woman" from The Pirate Queen, "Live Out Loud" from A Little Princess, "Where Is Love?" from Oliver! and an Italian arietta. All of them are fantastic pieces. 

V.

What I'm reading: FinishedThe Scarlet and the Black: The True Story of Monsignor Hugh O Flaherty, Hero of the Vatican Undergroundand Song for Nagasaki. Both very good, S&B better than SFN. Also both WWII books. So I guess I'm on a kick there. Especially since I read Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife earlier this week. Definite trend. The Anne Frank book was good, but really only if you're familiar with the diary editions, the plays, and the movies. Otherwise it can be too nit-picky and specialized. 

VI. 

St. Patrick's Day at St. Pat's was awesome! Read about it here.

VII. 

Don't have a seven. So it's a six. :) Enjoy the weekend!

Head over to Jen's for more quick takes!

The Simple Woman's Daybook--March 15, 2010

Outside my window:
Snow is essentially GONE. YAY! A little rain, a little gray, but that's spring in Ohio. I'm seeing little flowers pop up their stems!

I am wearing: 

jeans, socks, an ocean blue top

I am thankful for:
My Lay Dominican chapter

I am reading: 

Master and Margarita (hope to finish this week)

From the kitchen:

Pasta tonight. Not sure what kind. 

The Guinness Cake is sitting on my counter, waiting to be devoured.

I am thinking:
That it was a good weekend and promises to be a good week!

I am creating:
Learning the music from Love Never Dies. Because I am a nerd like that. And working on voice lessons stuff. 

On my iPod:
Love Never Dies (I'm OBSESSED, I tell you!)

Toward rhythm and beauty: 

A menu, regular prayer times--like Fr. Blau told us yesterday, "we just have to be faithful. It doesn't have to be beautiful every time." 

To Live the Liturgy: 

Daily Mass (as often as possible), Magnificat, my Lent books. 

I am hoping and praying:
for my grandfather; for Meg; for Liz's mom. 

Around the House:
The vaccuming, the dishes. That's about it. 

One of my favorite things:

Spring!

A few plans for the week:

T: St. Patrick's Day Mass (at St. Pat's, appropriately!), and tea and food afterwards.

Th: Voice

 

A picture thought I am sharing: 

 

This is gonna make my Friday

What can be better than Phantom?
MORE Phantom. (And yeah, the lineup is funny, I'm just now experimenting with these Amazon buttons.)

The Simple Woman's Daybook--March 8, 2010

 

Outside my window:
It is 55! Snow is melting! The windows are open! Spring is here!!!! (Yes, I am really excited)

I am wearing: 

a yellow 3/4 length sleeve spring sweater, jeans, gray socks

I am thankful for:
My New Book

I am reading: 

Midwives, Master and Margarita

From the kitchen:
Last night: sloppy joes (really good!)

Tonight: I think Margherita Pizza, or pasta in general. 

I've got Alaska burgers and carbonara on the menu this week as well. 

I am thinking:
How happy I am to see my friend, Spring.

I am creating:
Editing the short story. 

On my iPod:
Sarah McLachlin, Mirrorball

Toward rhythm and beauty: 

A menu, regular prayer times

To Live the Liturgy: 

Daily Mass (as often as possible), Magnificat, my Lent books. 

I am hoping and praying:
for a good week; for my grandfather

Around the House:
Did massive cleaning on Saturday--really vacuumed, mopped, etc. Now it's the little things--cleaning the bookshelves, dusting off the top of my dresser (which gets dirty in record time, thanks make-up)

One of my favorite things:

Spring!

A few plans for the week:

T: Senate Session

Th: Voice

F: Dinner and movie w/ my brother

Sat.: Hair cut

A picture thought I am sharing: 

 

pretty spring flowers!!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook--February 23, 2010

Outside My Window::

38 degrees, sort of sunny, the snow is melting! I can see my porch again!

I am wearing ::

jeans, a lavender t-shirt

I am Thankful For::

A fruitful Lent, thus far

I am Reading:

Just finished In This House of Brede (again), and am reading Master and Margarita (it's so good, so far!)

From the Kitchen::

Not sure. Made chicken curry last night, so might be a sandwich night around here.

I am Thinking:
how glad I am that the snow is going away!

I am Creating::
a short story. It's almost finished!

On my iPod::

My gym soundtrack

Towards Rhythm and Beauty:
Still keeping the gym log. The food log is a LOT harder!

To Live the Liturgy:

Lent at St. Pat's is beautiful and solemn. Today is the Feast of St. Polycarp. I went to Mass and heard Fr. Blau give a great sermon on the meaning of the Our Father and meaningful repetition vrs. just repetition. So great.

I am Hoping and Praying:
For some friends who are making big decisions. 

Around the House:

Always--the kitchen table. Vacuuming. (Are you surprised?) a little bathroom cleaning, too.

One of My Favorite Things:

Daily Mass

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:

Th: Voice lesson

 

Second Day of Great Snow

The tally:

• Music: Brahms for Book Lovers, Beethoven for your Beloved, Bach for Breakfast. (I'm just about done with the "B" section...)
• Books: Little Town on the Prairie, The Amish Cook's Baking Book, Sailing the Wine Dark Sea (FINALLY done!), began The Winter's Tale (which I think is very appropriate)
• Movies: Oliver Twist, the beginning of Sleeping Beauty
• Food: Cowgirl Cornbread, pasta, and PIE! I am so excited about the pie. I will post pics tomorrow. 

The First Day of the Great Snow

Brought:

• Books: By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Molto Mario, The Olive and the Caper, Jesus, Teach Us to Pray. 
• Music: Bach for Book Lovers, Beethoven for Book Lovers
• Exercise: Seated yoga poses (whoa did I need those)
• Movies: A wee bit of Oliver Twist
• Food: Made Pampered Chef Fiesta Party dip (yum!)

The snow is over thus far--more is coming. So staying in. 

The Simple Woman's Daybook--February 1, 2010

I am so glad it's February! January seemed to last forever!

Outside My Window::

Very clear, not too cold--in the mid 30s. No ice, so I'm happy!

I am wearing ::
J. Crew chinos (gray), a Banana Republic cashmere argyle sweater

I am Thankful For::

My Parade experience

I am Reading:

Mediterranean Summer (I keep re-reading this. It’s such a good winter book.)

From the Kitchen::

A chocolate mascarpone cake from Giada’s Kitchen; pasta; chicken dishes that have yet to be decided on.

I am Thinking:
about how fortunate I am.

I am Creating::
ORDER. (see below)

On my iPod::

My gym soundtrack

Towards Rhythm and Beauty:
I have a gym log and a food log. I figure if I write everything down, that will be incredibly helpful. I used to keep a workout log, but I finished it, and I’m glad I finally have a new one. It’s a great way to track what I do in the gym. I’ve never used a food diary, so this will be a  new experience.

To Live the Liturgy:

Mass tomorrow for Candlemas (I love this feast, I love the name, love it all), LOH, Rosary, magnificat

I am Hoping and Praying:
For Leah Y., who is currently in labor with her first child—a boy! She was induced yesterday so I hope by now the babe has appeared.

Around the House:

Always--the kitchen table.  Taking out the trash, vacuuming.

One of My Favorite Things:

Symphony Concerts

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:

Tonight: Dinner with Karen and Paige

T and W: Session

Th: Voice

   A Picture Thought  I'm Sharing:

From the Parade archives: 

Last dress rehearsal, before the opening of Act I 

"They like us! They really like us!"

Tonight was the annual Theater Roundtable Awards in Central Ohio, where the best theater of the past year is recognized. Parade won two big awards: best musical ensemble, and outstanding production. The show also garnered best actors for: Jon Schelb (Leo Frank), Liz Wheeler (as his wife, Lucille), and Drew Eberly (as Britt Craig, the muckracking reporter for the Atlanta Georgian.) And Frank, our great director, received a Best Direction award. All in all, that's SIX awards!
Go team! It  was a great production and I'm glad it's getting recognition.

Culture Cat: CSO's "Oz with Orchestra"

Tonight the CSO, as part of their Pops series, combined two of my favorite things: Music and movies. And not just any music and movies--the score to my favorite movie of all time--The Wizard of Oz. 

Here's how it worked--the movie was shown on a large screen suspended from the stage. The dialogue track was kept in, but the music track was removed, so the orchestra could provide it live. And instead of just playing the original score, music that was written for the movie, but eventually excised, was also included. (I caught this in three places: When the Wicked Witch of the West first appears; when the Witch appears after "If I Only Had A Heart", and after Dorothy melts the Witch)

The pops series, in general, has a more populist appeal, and this concert brought out lots of families. I saw a girl dressed in head-to-toe Dorothy costume during the interval, and I also saw kids as young as 14 months old! I think events like this are perfect ways to introduce kids to orchestra--they're seeing something with which they're familiar, and even the music is familiar, but it's played by real people, right in front of them!

The orchestra was conducted by Maestro Constantine Kitsopolos, who has directed orchestral, classical, Broadway and national theater. He was a perfect fit for this event and did a great job at the helm. His experience in theater was greatly useful here since there were times the orchestra wasn't playing, and the cues were more musical theater like (as in, enter when someone says this line), as opposed to the scriptedness of a symphony. 

Even though I have been watching this movie for 27 1/2 years (really, I have been watching it since I was about a year old, Remind me to write about that sometime.), I picked up a lot of musical nuance by watching. The low strings--cello and double bass--have a lot to do, with some beautiful melody lines. The harp and timpani have an absolute ball. I bet the timpanist was thrilled to have so much to do. There was also a piano. The brass also had big parts. These are things you don't really notice when you're just listening, but if you're watching it's pretty apparent. Another difference was the use of violins instead of fiddles in certain areas (like when Dorothy leaves Munchkinland), which gave the sound a different texture. 

This was a one -night only event, but if you ever get the chance to see and hear this sort of thing, go! Take your kids. There was an intermission (right after they reach the Emerald City gates, but before they go in), so there was bathroom/snack break (the Ohio Theater sells refreshments at intermission). 

I had a great time, and I think the audience and the orchestra did, too. Some of the instrumentalists smiled or laughed at certain parts, even while they were playing. And the pathos of hearing "Over the Rainbow" with a real orchestra is pretty incredible. It doesn't matter how many times you've heard the song (and you've probably heard it many, many times): with real instruments backing up Judy Garland, the effect is goose-bump inducing; an excellent way to spend a Saturday night. 

The next two CSO concerts are classical ones; the Pops series resumes in late February with an appearance by the Chieftains at Veterans Memorial. 

Bionic Ear 101: Hearing aids and the CI

Me and Suze at the pool in Houston. You can see the CI dangling under my left ear. 

Regular blog readers are familiar with my bionic ear (AKA, cochlear implant). I've had it for almost four years now. I'm sure that lots of people who had never heard of CIs before they met me are learning that there is a difference between a traditional hearing aid (or "listening device") and a CI. But for the record I'd like to list some of them here, so that if you ever do meet me (or someone else) with either one, you'll know what's going on.

First, I wasn't born Deaf. I lost my hearing due to a group of drugs that I took as part of my CF treatment plan, and then, post transplant, to fight a nasty infection I contracted in winter 2006-2007. These were intravenous treatments. I started noticing hearing loss in college, and, as we increased the doses of these meds, the hearing loss also increased. But, at the time, the choice was hear or die. So I chose to not hear so well and still be alive.

I received hearing aids in 2005, post-transplant, but the quality was never very great. I had behind-the-ear models, which allow for the most sound magnification. I had them in both ears.

Hearing aids amplify sound. That's it. In my case, the inner ear cells had been destroyed, so amplifying the sound didn't really help. I still had problems making out certain sounds, hearing in noisy environments, etc. So we began the CI process once it was determined that my hearing loss was profound enough to merit CI usage.

Since I was "post-lingual" (Meaning I knew how to talk and knew what normal speech sounded like) and had only had severe hearing loss for a short amount of time, I wouldn't need therapy post surgery. Some people do.

The most immediate difference between a CI and a hearing aid is that a CI is implanted--part of it is permanent--while a hearing aid is not. A CI is two pieces--the external processor (what you see in the picture) and an internal part. The two parts are attached via magnet (it's hidden under my hair, but you can see it on boys).

(In this pic-the outside part. The girl can hide it under her hair.) 

The interior part is a little tricky to understand:

That is what's in my head. The "tail" part is wound into the cochlea (hence, the name), which, (briefly) is a set of 22 electrodes that transmit sound information to my brain. Essentially, the old ear structure is bypassed, and I am deaf (for all intents and purposes) in my left ear without the CI. This is one reason I was resistant to getting the implant--I didn't want to lose whatever real residual hearing I had left, because no matter how great the CI, it's never as good as natural hearing. 

So, that's what the implant looks like, and that's how it works. You can see the difference between a traditional hearing aid and a CI in quality--one just amplifies sound, the other helps you understand it. It also has several different channels for music, loud situations, etc. I can plug my iPod into it (There's a special adapter cord. It sort of rocks my world.). 

A CI is great--but it's only as great as you make it. You have to train yourself to set the sensitivity (how much the mic picks up incidentially) and the program that's best for you. When I first got it, I went back to my audiologist at different intervals to have the electrode settings adjusted. Now I have a program that is usually used for music, but I use it all the time, because I get a richer sound.  You will do better if you experiment with programs and tell your audiologist what you are hearing, and what you'd LIKE to be hearing. And the younger you are, and the more "verbal" you were before, the better. I was a musician before--I'm a musician after. My ears were SO important to me. And now, I work hard at bringing myself up to "normal" standards. I've found the CI pitches me sharp, which is very rare in the vocal world--most people are flat, if they're having pitch problems. I have to listen even more carefully than the average singer. Instrumental music I've never heard before is very difficult for me--it just sounds like noise at first. Vocal music isn't so hard, but I have a hard time discerning words if I don't have liner notes to work with as well. (So people--give me liner notes!) 

CIs are also somewhat better on the phone, because the CI mic is directed at the phone. I have a special program (called telecoil) that I use when I'm on the phone. I have to push a button to activate it, so that's why it takes me slightly longer to pick up! My cell phone is compatible with both hearing aids AND CIs--not all are. The same is true for landlines. My phone at work has a special component that helps with the sound quality. 

I do not have bilaterial CIs.  My right ear has about 20% natural hearing, and I'm glad it does, so that when my CI battery goes dead, or it's out when I'm in the pool, shower, or sleeping, I can still hear things, and discern some voices. I can sleep with the CI in, but you DO need to charge the battery every so often! They are good for about 18 hours at a go. I have two. There is a fifteen minute warning "beep" that tells you to change the battery before it goes dead. 

So this is probably more than you ever wanted to know about hearing aids and CIs, but I think it's an important thing to cover. CIs are becoming more common, and people need to know how they work. 

I DO know ASL, but that was a complete fluke--I added it as an elective in high school for two years. I'm fairly good at signing, and will use it when I have to. My little sister also took an ASL course, and my ENT knows some sign. So also take ASL courses, if you can! It's so useful. 

If you have any additional questions, post them in the com box and I'll answer them (If I can). 

Audition: Titanic

So tonight were the auditions for Phoenix Theater for Children's Titanic benefit concert.
Having seen the show when I was 17, and immediately fallen in love, this was a night I was really excited about. So excited I even forgot it was Monday!
I got there early, around 6:30, when my audition was set for 7:15. Kristin, the Parade music director, was there, acting as accompanist, so that was great. Of course, on the way I'd listened to the soundtrack, and "Lady's Maid", the Three Kate's piece, ended as I pulled in. Since I wanted to play Kate McGowan, I took this as a good sign.
My two pieces were ready to go. Robin had given me some good intro tips, which helped enormously. Tonight was the only audition night, and there looked to be 25-30 people on the audition list.  There were two girls about my age, two men about my age, and an older woman (maybe 60?) when I was there.
I was called in around 7:05. I showed Kristin my cuts, gave her my tempos, and introduced myself. I did "The Gentleman Is a Dope" first, then went to "As If We Never Said Good-bye."
If felt fantastic. Kristin and I work well together (at least I think so!) and the whole time the directors were smiling and looked really happy. They had great respnses and I fed off that.
When I finished the ballad, the direcotr closed his eyes and went "Ahhhh. How lovely."
(Yeah, I felt like doing a little jig right there.)
We talked for a bit--he asked me about my availability, how I'd heard about auditions, etc.--and I mentioned I'd seen the show when I was in high school (on Broadway). The other director scribbled that down on my sheet. Actually, he was scribbling a lot of things, and I had to fight the temptation to go, "Can I see that?" I was asked about Parade, said it was a great show.
I should find out by the end of the week (hopefully before voice on Thursday), and am way excited to hear.
Either way, it felt GREAT. I left singing "Doing the Latest Rag."

The Simple Woman's Daybook--January 24, 2010

Outside My Window::

Dark, raining, but snow is gone!

I am wearing ::

A J. Jill camisole, Life is Good shorts

I am Thankful For::

A nice weekend

I am Reading:

Traveling with Pomegranates

From the Kitchen::

Just made these muffins--very good. Other things this week: a chocolate pound cake, chicken  piccata, and a new pasta recipe.

I am Thinking:
That I am ready for this week

I am Creating::
My memoir. It's 100 pages now!

On my iPod::

Titanic soundtrack (broadway show)

Towards Rhythm and Beauty:
I vacuumed, unclogged the shower, and did a bunch of dishwasher loads. The place looks pretty good.

To Live the Liturgy:

Liturgy of the Hours, in the first Ordinary Time book. Back to green vestments.

I am Hoping and Praying:
For a good audition tomorrow.

Around the House:

Always--the kitchen table. 

One of My Favorite Things:

Books

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:

Monday: Audition
Tuesday: Governor's State of the State
Th: Voice
Saturday: Symphony Concert

   A Picture Thought  I'm Sharing:

For my cousin, Kelly, who has never seen this movie in its entirety. Shocking. 

Audition

So, the Titanic auditions are tomorrow. My numbers are:
Ballad--"As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard.
Up-Tempo--"The Gentleman Is a Dope" from Allegro (yes, some R&H. One of the very few R&Hs I like.)
Each audition is 5 minutes long, so I'm not sure what we're going to do after I sing 32 measures. Guess I'll find out!