A Cockeyed Optimist

So, I don't even know where to begin. It's been an entire semester and I'm just now updating.

The semester was the roughest yet, however, I did make it through.

This weekend, I finish up the run of White Christmas at Playhouse In The Park in Murray, KY. It's been a blast. I am playing Phil Davis, and the character is one that I'm VERY happy to be playing. The rest of the cast is doing a phenomenal job. We managed to get through two Thursday morning shows with a twenty min break in between shows and still have enough fun onstage to get through the regular weekend performances. I don't get to go home to see my family until the 20th however, but at the same time, I'm not ready for the show to end. It's been beyond fun!

There's still a lot coming up which will hopefully turn out well and keep me busy. At school next semester, we're doing Molly Sweeney and A Midsummer Night's Dream. I'm choreographing Disney's Beauty and the Beast in January for Campus Lights. We have two and a half weeks to put the show up, which is terrifying, but fun at the same time. Everyone who does the show year after year pours their heart and soul into the show, so the show is always a blast to watch and be a part of. I'm also choreographing Hairspray at Playhouse in the Park which opens in February. The beginning of next semester will be hectic, but it helps me keep my mind off of things that may bother me.

I'm also going back for a second round of Making It On Broadway. I went in August, and it was more than I could ever ask for. Going to that intensive before coming back to school was one of the most difficult things I've had to do because for 6 days, I was in an environment that fully embraced musical theatre. Everyone was positive towards each other, and everyone had a passion and need to do not just musical theatre, but any theatre. The intensive was one of the best experiences of my life. Coming back to school, was difficult because it was like leaving home and not knowing if you'll be back. So, I'm truly blessed to be getting to go back in December.

I know it sounds cliche, but I've learned more about myself this semester than any other. It's been difficult at times, but I think I'm starting to see what I'm getting myself into... and I'm ready.

Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'!

Wow... so it's totally been over a month since I've updated. Sorry.

Life's been going this summer. I've done a whole lot of yard work and a little working out, and a LOT of thinking. But things seem to be getting clearer and the future not quite as daunting as it used to be. For some reason, everything seems to be looking bright, and I'm liking it!

But in terms of theatre, I've been attempting to find audition material for next year for everything from school auditions to KTA and Midwest Theatre Conferences. Finding material that I REALLY love and feel that I can connect to is much harder than I planned though.

The KTA, Midwest, SETC, Theatre Department audition prep...thingy...that Ashlan and I were talking about is actually going to be getting off the ground. It's called Audition Madness (what we used as the facebook event title for pre-audition get-togethers last year), and we're meeting Saturdays to go over singing and acting and devoting a great deal of time to that monster that EVERYONE loves, dancing. We're hoping to prepare people for the demands of auditioning for summer theatres that (from the seasons we saw at auditions last year) primarily like to do musical theatre. What's more? It's free! lol... It'll be super fun, but I'm super nervous about having to instruct people in dancing. But, hopefully this will go over well, and we'll have people who participate on a weekly basis.

Thursday, my mom, (possibly) brother, and I are making a trip into NYC to get some stuff before I go back to school. Some basic dance clothes and scripts and possibly sheet music. Musical theatre stuff I guess...

This does bring me to my next exciting topic though. Well, I'm gonna be three days late to school. But I'm going to get to attend a Musical Theatre Intensive in NYC August 16-21. I am SO stoked about this. It's so cool and they work with you on EVERYTHING... I cannot express my excitement. It's an entire 6-day intensive focusing on musical theatre. I'm truly at a loss for words. I'm SO nervous and excited about it. And I'm hoping that a lot of good will come from this workshop!

Well, I'll see you guys August 23 if not before! :-D

Aaron

I Dreamed A Dream

So...

Sorry that it's been a while. I should probably try to keep up with this better.

What to talk about...

Not much has gone on worth telling about here in New York. Nothing really exciting has really happened. I've done a lot of thinking about life and sorts... (one of those cliche things that people do when they don't have things to do)... But truthfully, I've thought about everything that I need to get done. I've also been thinking about what I can do next year to make it really worth while as it will (hopefully) be my last year at Murray. I will possibly have to go an extra semester though.

ANYWAYS!

I was looking through all of my music that I have trying to prepare my audition book and realized how hard it is and how much work it really takes. So one of the things that I really hope to start or at least get people who are interested to start preparing their audition books now. I really wish I would've had all of the info before with all of the resources I have and the time to work on it. Had I had all of this last year a while before KTA and Midwest to work on, it would have made those auditions SO much easier. It really makes me nervous because this may be getting close to my last year to attend these conferences because I will be graduating. After graduation, I'm hoping to come up to NY and audition for anything and everything... I just got sidetracked...

Ok... so next year, I hope that people will start working on their audition stuff early on in the semester. Right when we get back to Murray would be the best time. (Actually before would be better...but better late than never).

One of the things that I feel I learned from attending auditions this summer was the importance of dancing. I know people will probably say how stupid that seems or that they did some show choir in high school and can dance, but truthfully, it's difficult. One of the things that I know I'm gonna do next semester is make an effort to go to the dance studio Saturdays when it's free or find some alternate space and just practice. ANYONE who wants to go is more that welcome to join me. The auditions this summer made me realize that I need to work A LOT on my dancing and honing that...

I mean... I need to work on EVERYTHING much more and start developing my dancing, acting, and singing into something marketable that people will want to hire, and I know I could use some help and company along the way...so what I think I'm trying to say is...

Does anyone want to work on all of their skills with me outside of class even so the future hopefully doesn't seem as scary?...

Cause graduation's coming and soon everyone will be out in the field.

Overture/Only In New York

So...Hey! I'm Aaron.

I suppose I'll just jump in and say life's not too bad! It's summer break and there's not too much to do! I've done a lot of yard work. And that's one thing that looks like it'll be fairly constant this summer.

So, a little bit about myself. I am a Theatre Major with a Music Minor at Murray State University. I love it. I love theatre and music and combining them is one of my favorite things in the world. Musical theatre is more than just a silly past time or a like. It's a passion. I mean, I like ALL theatre, but musical theatre just speaks to me differently.

Anyways, I'm up in New York with my family, and there's not a whole lot to do here. I didn't grow up here so I don't really know anyone, which makes things difficult. I've met some of my brother's friends and they're really cool. It'd be nice to have some friends of my own up here though. However, one thing I get to do in the summers is audition for shows in NYC. It's really good practice, plus I don't have to worry about anxiety on my first audition after graduating anymore because I will have done it before. This summer, I auditioned for the national tour of Wizard of Oz. I loved dancing at the audition. It was SO much fun. I wasn't kept to sing though. It was kinda a bummer. I did do an audition for the national tour of Grease on Monday though. It went really well. The dancing was the most intense thing I've ever done: worse than Midwest, worse than the combination I made people do for Music Man auditions as school. It was SO much fun though. I was kept to sing for this audition so I mean, at least I was seen. And come to find out, Carole Demas (the ORIGINAL Sandy in the original Broadway production) was there to watch the dancing and singing. She was REALLY sweet and the entire experience was SO much fun. But that's the stuff that I'm doing this summer. There are a few more auditions I can go to luckily. But I need to find stuff to do to take up my time. If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me!!! lol...

But I think this is sufficient for an initial post. Nothing much has really happened so I don't have too much to talk about. Except, every time I go into the city, I see someone famous. (I've walked past Cory Monteith, Telly Leung, and sang for Carole Demas.) Not too much going on though. :)

So... I just figured I'd add a picture of one of my favorite shows that I've done. It was Godspell at MSU in 2008!