Producer Readings - Part Deux

Last week, I had the privilege of performing highlights from the musical, Hell's Belles for producers.

Tonight is our 2nd round of reading for producers.

Here are some song snippets from the show:

Let's Sing 'em All 
(me as Judy Garland)

Sex Drugs Booze and Rock n Roll 
(me as Janis Joplin)

Every time I play these iconic women, I discover something new. I also play Guenevere and Joan Crawford.

It's a very fun show, and I love sharing the stage with Oakley Boycott, who plays a Lady Gaga-esque pop star, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Di, and Evita; Kristen Menglekoch, who plays Ma Barker, Eva Braun, Lizzie Borden and Bette Davis; and Kevin B. McGlynn, who plays the master of ceremonies, Lester.

Mary Feinsinger is our musical director. John Znidarsic has been directing various incarnations of the show, written by Bryan D. Leys with music by Steve Liebman. Molly Cohen is our lovely stage manager. And Sharon and Eileen Weiss of Tweiss Productions have been working to get this show to the next stage.

Reading for Producers

Tonight I'm doing a staged reading of Hell's Belles for producers. We're highlighting pieces of the show so potential investors can get a taste of it.

(Kristen Mengelkoch, Oakley Boycott, and me)

It's like a mini concert, because we have music stands and use our scripts to refer to the new script changes.

It's such a delight to be doing this high energy show again. I have such a great fondness for the cast and crew, and it's a thrill to play such iconic women as Janis Joplin and Judy Garland.

We're doing the reading again on Monday March 26th at 6:30, so if you're interested, please let me know!

The Secret Garden

I got a callback for the role of Martha in the musical, "The Secret Garden" at the Astoria Performing Arts Center, and I'm so excited to go in and read for this role for the creative team working on this show.

It's such a beautiful musical, and if anything, I'm thankful that this experience has taken me back to the original novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

I'm in the midst of it, and it's so fitting with the awakening of Spring in the city. The birds are singing. "In th' flower gardens... things will be stirrin' down below in th' dark. Th' sun's warmin' 'em. You'll see bits o' green spikes stickin' out o' th' black earth... They'll poke up a bit higher here... and uncurl a leaf this day..."

 

I feel a bit like these spring flowers, growing strong, soon to blossom.

The Voice

When I got home last night, I worked on my music for today's audition for "The Secret Garden."

I've always wanted to sing one of the big numbers from that show, "Hold On," and lo and behold, it's one of the required audition pieces for the character I've been called in for.

Such a great song!

I've also been experiencing music in a whole new way by applying acting techniques from Tim Phillips' book, "Audition for Your Career" and  Harold Guskin's "How To Stop Acting." I'm experiencing the music and the words in a whole new way!

And then I tuned into The Voice.

I've heard the hype. I've seen the magazine covers. And usually hype will turn me off. So I'm not sure what led me to The Voice last night, but I loved it. And I was impressed by the coaches and the advice they offered.

Like Lionel Richie's advice to not push, to just let the sound and energy come out. Christina Aguilera's advice to sing from the heart. And Jewel's assertion that the words have to mean something to you.


My friend, Tina, says its like free advice for singers. :) You can really tell when someone is "in" the song.