Ok this is a couple weeks old post, I'm sorry again for not being as fervent to post as much as I need to, I AM going to change, especially cause alot of exciting things are going to be happening soon.

(couple weeks old post)
Yesterday I experienced something that was totally new, and incredibly awesome, and I owe it all to my housemates! I was preparing to trek up to the nyc and they told me about this new bus system called bolt bus and apparently how cheap they are. So I figured I'd give it a try. Well it ended up being cheaper then China town! which is usually the cheapest way to get there 20 bucks. Well this was 16.50 and would have been cheaper if i'd done it earlier, and then it turned out to be nicer than Greyhound!! How awesome!, The first bus I went in had all leather seats, and both buses (to and fro), had a power socket off the back of every seat, and Internet access. It was just way cool.

Anyway, so I trekked up there for some Broadway stuff. The 2 shows were WICKED, in the morning, and an old show they're bringing back to Broadway called, PAL JOEY, in the afternoon. Now it was really kind of eery cause as I was approaching the studio I didn't hear any noise, and there was no one in the halls, I wondered if I was in the wrong place or maybe at the wrong audition. I looked in the room, and saw all these equity men, and my friend General, phew someone I knew. Well turns out people were just showing up late, and my feelings of questioning should I be there were quickly diminished when I saw all my audition buddies! I didn't realize how intense these auditions are in making us come together, and support each other, and how much I could miss people, that I barely knew. It's so funny cause I remember the days when I was so uncomfortable and scared and intimidated cause I didn't know anyone.

Now WICKED is an audition that every one has gone to at one time or another, and so knows the combination that they teach cause it never changes, and it's so weird. And so does not look good on my body, you just come to those realizations that there are really some shows you are never going to be in. Oh well.



Oh by the way,

Some updates on EVITA. No I haven't found out why I was fired, but get this little bit of info I got from Andrew who I've been surprisingly seeing at auditions. Well after I was terminated Hank quit, then Samantha, then Andrew( hence the surprise sitings), Then Cameron, real big shocker cause she played Evita! Then Stephanie quit who was playing the mistress. Also there's been a couple of musicians who've quit the tour as well. Sunday I received a call from the Company Manager Brad, telling me that he was sitting in an airport cause he just got fired!, he called cause he thought I would think it was funny, which of course I didn't, cause I am not in the bizness of other peoples misfortune. All that to say, looks like God got me out at the right time, and the best way out of all.

So on to the next audition, I end up walking Andrew to meet Sam for lunch, fun little Evita dancer reunion. Again as I said before when they have new Broadway shows, every body and there mother comes out for it, people you just ain't never seen before, or haven't see in a while, now these people are mostly veterans to the Broadway stage, not old fogies( well not all) but just cats who have been in other shows there already, like my friend Joe Abraham who was in HAIRSPRAY!

Well There hasn't been any auditions lately that I've thought beneficial for me to go to, hence why I haven't wrote much.

I have just been dancing, and resting, and working out my body. Trying to see people and spend some quality time with folks before I move and really never get to see them.

But maybe something you all don't know, is that I sing as well. Being in my business, you have to be a triple threat! ( someone who can sing dance and act).

Anyway, I am apart of a choir, well during college I was in this choir that was so awesome that an alumni entity had to be made so we could handle the demand, and make a professional part for us. SO this weekend I had to run back and forth to York, Pa to sing with the choir. We had a great time seeing each other and making music together. Now this is not just some choir, there are lots of people in this choir who are performers on Broadway, and Broadway calibur musicians who teach music. Some of the shows we represent are: A CHORUS LINE, RENT, HAIRSPRAY, THE PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, GREASE, BLAST, just to name a few.

So I thought I'd let you in on the fun a little bit.

a 7yr olds imagination

Someone wanted me to show you how creative I can get. I made this when I was in rehearsal, and basically was cut off from the world, with massive creative influence. Actually this was inspired by a 7 yr old, Otis's son Max. So I made it for him

Where do we go from here

Ok,

so last monday I went to another Disney Cruisline call for dancers. I can't even remeber how many times I have done this audition now, and every time I make it thru, and nothing happens. So after the dance cut, the guy calls me over to the table and says, "alfie did they ever call you from the last time?" Yeah Ok. So apparently he had talked me up, and tried to sell me to the other parks and shows. But to no avail I guess, I asked if I should even stay, and he said yes, he wanted to keep trying, which I have to admit made me feel good.

Later on that day I made my way to the same studio I had the 7BRIDES audition in, this new space is getting used all the time now, for an audition for a new BROADWAY show called ANGELS. Now the posting said be prepared for some big atheletic combination, so all the guys were ready to pull out all the stops and were stretching everything, and working on there tricks, but it ended up being some real kind of modern lyrical combo. Well again since this was a new show, every came out! In fact they weren't even finished with the girls when we were suppossed to start. They ended up seeing like 170 something girls, maybe like 120 guys. By the time they got to us non equity boys they shortened the combination. It was nice, simple and atherial. but I got cut, so I treated myself to popeyes fried chicken.

I've been back in philly for about a week now. It feels weird, I feel like I should be working, and not just resting. But I've had 2 sets of parents tell me that this was a good settle time for me, right before things get crazy for me, and that I should just take class, and rest , and see people I need to since I am about to go international, and then move out of here. So I am going to try and do that as much as possible, so if anybody wants to send money my way GO RIGHT AHEAD! You can also just invite me over for dinner and meals and that would suffice too.

So, here I am back in Nyc,

You know what, I have only been in my home for the weekends this whole month, and where I seem to be shuffled back to is New York, so that's it and I;ve decided, I will be moving to NYC at the end of june!!

I have been here all week cause there has been an audition every day that I wanted to go to. Well, Once you get here, or I should say once things actually start panning out, and you're in the week, and life happens to you, you end up picking and choosing what is actually worthwhile auditioning for. For instance, I decided to not go to the WIZARD OF OZ call, cause it's only for a dinner theatre in Ohio! and Would I really want to do that show for an extended period of time, yeah I didn't think so.

Tuesday comes I get up early and go to another call for a new Broadway show, that is untitled. Now things like this bring people out of the woodwork, all kinds of people I hadn't seen before, and alot of the Equity regulars. And I mean alot, there was over 100 equity boys there, and then came us non ecs. Usually male calls don't get over the hundred mark. So I knew this was going to be a long wait, on top of that it was for a Gershwin project, which means old, and WHITE. This is just probably going to be a show with non so many black tracks(ie. roles for black people). SO I decided to leave and go work out, I figured I had another one later that day so wasn't worried about it, but what was funny is that on my way to the other studio, I stopped by Gershwin again and found out that my name had just been called to go in, I did wait and ponder if I was going in, but I decided not too. I headed down town to a studio I had never been before, and after finding it, was kind of weirded out. The ambiance was weird cause there were african type trinkets everywhere, it was a Capoeria studio. The weirdest place I have ever had a Broadway audition.

Well after waiting for what seemed to be a day, they finally got thru all the equity boys. It had been over an hour, and it was good thing they were done, cause we were making ourselves delirious with laughter, from the long wait weirded out environment, and crazy anxiousness. We had already seen one group come out incredibly soaked from sweat, and knew this was going to be an intense combination.

So we learned the most fun, fierce dance combo. It was great!!! It was a dance worth waiting for, haven;t had that much fun in an audition in a while.( though Lyrics audition was pretty fun). But again they were not making any cuts cause it was the first round of their whole process. Oh well. They let us dance it one more time just for the sheer fun of it. Awesome!!

Man I love to dance.

Well I was supposed to go to an audition on wed. but lets just say I only got home an hour before the morning news came on, so by the time the audition rolled around, I was sleep. It's ok, It wasn't a huge dancing show. But the great thing was despite that, I got a call back from MEMPHIS for thursday!!!, And then on top of that, I got a call from OK with a contract to do both SWING and 7BRIDES!!!!!!!!!!! WWWHHHHHOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!

So I was way excited and happy to land this gig, with these 2 shows that I really wanted to do. And it's great timing in my schedule it will start like a week after I get back from Germany and London. I'm so totally stoked for that experience!!!!!!!!!!! Man I can't wait to find out I'm one of the brothers!!!!!!!!!!hahahahahahahha

Lyric theatre of Oklahoma

So I traveled up to New York again Last Tuesday for an audition for the tour of MY FAIR LADY, the National Tour and SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS,and, URINETOWN, that this theatre in Oklahoma is doing for the summer. Now there was no real reason to audition MFL cause that was for just replacements for the tour which is only going til June, it was kind of weird and stupid that they were even having an audition, so that was just about auditioning.

WHat I mean by that is auditioning for auditioning sake. To sharpen my skills, at presenting myself, having a good time, picking up the dance combinations quick, that sort of thing. In this bizness, it's not just about being good at dancing and singing, but it's about auditioning well at the same time. Yeah that's another skill you have to learn. Now The combinations we learned were fun, and totally opposite, and all about being a character. In fact we really didn't have to stretch at all for these dances. The first one we had to act like we were drunkards, and the second like upper class snobs. Nice contrasts. Now what happened when it was all done is something that pretty much everyone agrees to hate on, and that's when the people who are looking at us don't make cuts. So they didn't cut any of us, and just gave us a blanket covering of information, and crap. oh well.

Now what I really wanted to perform well for was for the theatre in OK. I would love to dance in 7brides for 7bros. Now don't get mixed up by the name, it's not 7 Brothras, trying to find wives, No actually it's the opposite it's this mountain family of men in some country town. The movie is awesome, I totally recommend renting and watching it, it's freakin awesome, and all the Brothers have red hair! And the dance sequences are incredible. It's just a great male dancing musical. So I finally get in there to learn the dance, in he freakin teaches us the whole long thing, which is really complicated in just ten mins!! Lots of us were frustrated, cause this dance is all about guys gettin it! I mean big toe touches, and leaps and athleticism. And it was a pretty fun invigorating combination so we wanted to do well. At first I was scared and frustrated cause I couldn't get the transition of some steps, and sometimes, no matter how proficient you think you are, you feel to intimidated to ask questions. But Praise God by the time I had to perform it, I knew where I was going. I did a pretty good job, but what was to my benefit were the big jumps at the end. I praise God for the power in my legs, and I was surprised that a lot of the men couldn't get up as high, and stay on beat with the music. After everybody went, the Director asked to see a group go again, and he called 4 guys out, which I happened to be one of. One was this tall guy with big legs that were really spread wide when he was in the air, this other was this kid that you could tell he liked from giving him corrections before. SO I new this was a special group he was looking at. So we went, and people were cheering at us, and pumpin us up to dance well, and really perform, I had a fantastically great time!! And was so exited that I got called out.

Now this was just the day of no cuts, cause they didn't make selections either, but kept us all to sing. Which made the day even longer. Time passes, we take over the floors and lay around and become friends with people, including this guy who I met before at other auditions, who turns out to be in the movie I love ACROSS THE UNIVERSE! So I finally get in there to sing, I was forewarned about the pianist semi egotistical attitude, and saw exactly what everyone meant. sang my song nice and short, and on the way out one women gives me this compliment, " you have a beautiful head." umm, what I thought. Yes She proceeded to tell me that the shape of my head was great. Well what can I say, it was definitely weird though. I left the room, and went back to the holding room, and just about when I got to my stuff that woman came and chased me down and proceeded to secretively talk to me. I say that cause she was all close talking low, and asked me if I had the schedule open to dance in their other show that they still needed a dancer for, which happens to be SWING. Another show I would love to be apart of. So that made me feel totally awesome, and I'm just praying that I get that whole gig. It would be right after I come back from Germany. I added the famous barn dance for you to watch over on the side,!!! Please Enjoy

A quick breath

PHEEEEEWWWWW!!!!!!

Well, I am finally back. And I can finally get back into a groove of letting you know what's going on. I am sorry for those of you who have had nothing to do while I have been delinquent in not writing and keeping you updated. My life has been a whirl wind of travel, and opportunity, and new experiences!! Which is totally, fantastically, Awesome!!!!!

SO I have been in New Milford, CT rehearsing with the Dance company Pilobolus. Now I should clarify, I am not in the main company, no they are touring as we speak around the globe. But since they are wanted so much they have to have satellite companies that can do other gigs, hence where I come in, and the other cats in my company.

Now My company consists of the Director Otis who was in the main company for about 10 yrs, actually if you look down he's the white bald guy holding up those 3 other people in the picture. Yeah he's totally awesome too. He's like My big brother, we have the same kind of body type, and bald head, and love for dessert! Oh and we both have this really uncanny knack to become characters, just change our bodies and faces to create different people. So we're kind of paired against each other in our piece.

Then we have 5 others who have been performing with the satellite company for a while, Cdub, Cree, Holly, Molly, and Mark. They have been great in helpin us newbies learn the material, and feel comfortable about being ourselves and being there, and opening ourselves to create. The 3 others who got hired like me for this cast are, Mauriah, Lauren, and Jeff. So there are 10 of us, and the awesome thing is we all get along, and have a great time with each other.

Now Pilobolus work is very physical, and at times crazy, as you can tell from the pictures I've shown you before, so getting our bodies acclimated to this style took a while. Let me just tell ya, a 9 o clock felt like midnight, so after a 10 hr day, we pretty much crashed at 10pm the first week. Which explains why I was too tired to really write at the time what was going on. Now by the 2 week, we were starting to grasp things, so we were able to start hangin out with each other in our hotel rooms at night, but again only for like an hr or so, cause we would still need to go to bed at decent times to crank our bodies out the next day.

The piece we're working on is for a performance in Germany, and it's just a 1 time gig so we'll put it together, go over there and work it out for 2 and a half weeks and then be done. And if Pilobolus doesn't like me, they can just never call me again, but hopefully the plan for them is to keep using me, which is what I hope. Now since it is a one time gig, we don't have a consistent rehearsal schedule, actually it's kind of on crack. We had 2 and a half weeks on, and now we have 6 weeks off, then 3 days on, then 2 weeks off, then 5 days on then we go to Germany. The only nice thing about the time off is we can actually get back in shape again. Now It's not that we're not being physical, but it's not technical dancing, or even aerobic dancing, it's a lot of choreographed movements with certain dance flair. Now what's funny is that I am considered to be this Dancer- dancer, this ballet boy, who is just all about technique, Now I don't know how this came to be, but whenever there actually needs to be a beat or a count to a rhythm, they get me to count it. Or they'll ask me for some dance move or always assure me that they'll be some dancy moment. I just laugh. So I just try and live up to that.

More to come!!