New Phantom show up and running

I'm a couple weeks into my new Phantom show. I think it's going well! It's been fun. I think it's pretty good. At first I wondered what need there really was in the world for another version of Phantom. But it is different enough to not be compared too much to the more famous version. The music is good, and I like the scaled down, intimate style of the show.

From what I understand, they are trying to get more producers involved. This financial help could allow us get the word out more, which could obviously lead to more performances, and hopefully more pay eventualy! It helps that the composer of the show is also the owner of the theater, so we'll have the option of running it there as long as he wants. That should buy us a little time, and allow us to really refine the show. I've enjoyed working with him. His name's Michael Sgouros. He's a very talented man. He's a Julliard graduate, and he also plays percussion for the show. The director/playwright Brenda Bell has also been good to work with. It adds some pressure as a performer to have the authors there like that, but it's a challenge I've enjoyed.

It's exciting to see what could become of the show. It's also exciting to be performing at a theatre with so much history. It's the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. It was the home to the very successful off-Broadway run of the musical Ruthless. I'm not a big fan of that show, I saw it once in Grand Junction, wasn't too impressed. But it's cool to see where it began. Laura Bell Bundy was the original lead in that show and Natalie Portman and Brittney Spears were both understudies. They all seem to be doing ok for themselves now. Hopefully I'll have the same luck!

For more information about my new show, check out http://www.phantommusical.com

Booked another show, my first Broadway audition (take two)

June was a pretty productive month for me as an actor. Especially considering I spent a week of it in Arizona with Heather's family. I didn't book any TV work, but I did have an audition and a call back for a movie. I'm trying not to get my hope up about it, but the director told me he would definitely call me. I felt really good about it, but I haven't heard anything yet, so we'll see. It shoots in the fall. It pays, but it's a non-union film, so it may not be that much. It would be a good experience for me though, so I really hope he does call.

I auditioned and was cast in an off-Broadway musical! It's for a new version of Phantom of the Opera. I will be one of the opera house managers. I know in the Andrew Lloyd Webber version, those two have really good, featured roles, so I hope it's the same with this one. It will be at the Players Theater in Greenwich Village. The same place where I did Cabaret. This time, it will be on the main stage though, not the blackbox. It pays a little, but I will need to keep the day job unfortunately. It's an open ended run, so depending on how well it does, this could keep me busy for a while.

After a few frustrating months of going to equity auditions only to be sent away because they didn't have time to see non-union actors, I finally had a break though! I went to the Broadway call for Mary Poppins yesterday. I was running really late, so I thought I had an even worse chance than usual. I was surprised however to find the audition room fairly empty. At least by Broadway audition standards. I checked in with the monitor and was very happy to hear that they hadn't sent the non-union actors home yet. There are never any guarantees, but that meant there was a least a chance they would see us. They finished with the equity actors with about fifteen minutes to spare. And all of us non-equity men, there were about twenty five of us, we were able to audition of a Broadway show! I know the odds are not great, but if they liked me enough, they can offer me a contract and I will finally be an equity actor!