December 20, 2007
-
Comparing Carols
Waxing nostalgic this evening, I put in my DVD of the last Carol I did at Kelsey in 2005. The show has a special feel for me because it was the first show I did at Kelsey and I had the good fortune to work with so many great people. I can’t compare the two shows; it wouldn’t be fair. Kelsey is bigger and more resources; Haddonfield benefits from many more adults in the cast. I will tell you though that there are great voices and acting in both performances. The list of greatness in Kelsey’s actors is long! Tom Bessilou, Mike Schiumo, Jim Pietro, Vicky Czarnik, Michaela Tomcho, (I believe I have now misspelled everyone’s name) and many, many, more. I know I’ve spoken about not being sentimental for former cast mates but apparently that’s not totally true; I really enjoyed these people and that show and I’d get together in a minute.One rather bizarre fact about the former carol is that the music director insisted upon playing the music at a really frenetic pace. Consequently the musical has the feel of… remember at the end of the movie of the musical of Bye Bye Birdie when they give the Russian conductor a drug to make him speed up the music? Yeah; it’s like that. Really strange. Tim does a superior job at Haddonfield in regulating the pace to the mood.
Of course my DVD of Carol is messed up. I called Chris Kondreck about replacing it about two months ago. He said “no problem,” and I never got a replacement. I’ve since lost the number so if any of you has it, please email me.
So tomorrow is the next to the last show for this Carol. I feel every bit as good about this cast. I hope we get a usable video of the show. I want to watch these two back to back (alone I’m sure). I’m bringing a mini DV camera and tripod (if I can find them), and we’ll have a film. Perhaps we’ll film Saturday also and use the best takes. I can ask my daughter, who has a bit of experience, to edit the film, add some titles, maybe put in a menu. Hopefuly everyone will be able to purchase a finished copy (for cost). (Oh well, belay that, my camera is broken).
Did I mention that I’d sent my resume’ into Allen’s Lane for Six Degrees of Separation. I never got a reply, which so makes me want to respond to other ads at that theater. Here’s my rule of thumb about dating and auditioning; It never gets any better than it is at the beginning. If it ain’t good when they’s courtin’ you, it’s gonna be worse once they’ got you.
