Saturday, July 5, 2008

TUrn the World Off....

I can't believe it that the day has come. We are getting ready to performa our last show of High Fidelity. I had no idea that when I agreed to do this show, that I would actually have gotten this hooked on the show, and I feel like I will actually miss it. I am sure I have written about feeling like I have come full circle with New Line, starting with Attempting the Absurd and original unproduced show, and now being the first group outside of NYC to do High Fidelity. Granted it wasn't an un produced piece, but we made it our own, and it is good. Thank GOd I didn't have to get a mohawk. Thank you Scott for getting me out of that one. I am getting used to the green hair, although when I take the greaan out each night I feel like there is more white underneath.

I love how this cast has made the show their own. It is a majority Jeff's show, but we are all there to support him, and Todd as Bruce Springsteen, and Aaron and Zack as Dick and Barry, Margeau as Marie, Nikki as Liz, Kimi as Laura, and Robb making a wacky Ian. And the rest of us that support each of those characters somehow.

I guess I will put out there my top moments that I love to watch during the show. In no particular order.

1) Todd as Bruce, man he really got it down.....even though we can't watch it we can feel the energy. Kudos

2) Number 5 with a bullet.....again kudos to Kimi and the girls and Robb, as with Todd us guys can't see it but it is fun to feel the energy.

3) My favorite part personally is when the guys, during 9% Chance sing "Isn't Dead" and slide up to the new chord. I feel like we hit that every night and we nail it. LOVE IT!

4) The looks between Margeau and Lori during Ready to Settle....

and 5) Jeff you rock on Laura, Laura...I love that song, and you are so into it everynight.

Scott I love watching you direct, and you are amazing at what you do, I hope I can do more shows with you guys, and learn even more. Trish, you ROCK! I have never met a stage manager that cared so much for her cast, and you made my hair what it is today......The BAND! You guys rock the crap out of this score. Even fill in people, damn you guys are good. I may write more, but tonight after the show will be late, and then tomorrow I will be working, and trying to stay awake. Thank you if you came to see this amazing show, and Klepto boy signing out!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

It is hard to believe......

Wow it is hard to believe that this is the last weekend of High Fidelity. Not like I knew it was going to stop soon, but soon turned into this weekend. I am so glad that I was considered for this part. It was sort of a coming home party for the last couple of months. I found my programs and reviews the other day for the first show that I did with New Line, Attempting the Absurd. Man did I have fun with that one too. It sort of felt the same way as High Fidelity felt. Scott wrote Attempting the Absurd, and how I love to help mold a piece from the beginning. I can still remember Scott not liking how the scene in the courtroom was working in Absurd, and changed the lines a couple of days before we opened, I was petrified, but sort of excted to be challenged like that. I felt the same way of being challenged with High Fidelity. Being in this show is not like being in your typical musical. This is a type of music that I don't listen to anymore. I do, but not constantly, and know every lyric, and guitar riff. I know musicals, I have been doing them forever, and they are always in my car, because either I am listening to a song to block it while I am driving or I am learning music and dialogue. JUst to look back on this experience and just think wow, we were the first ones to bring this piece to life after it got canned on Broadway. Every night Scott ends his pep talk with "truth" make the characters true, and I am taking that with me now even more than when I would do shows before. The truer you make your character the more believable it will be. Hell I don't even know when I will be back on stage. It took me two and a half years for me to get to do this show. And what an experience it was to have the lyricist at our show, and give the leads such great compliments. Kudos to all the leads in this show, and what a great chorus we have too. Always jumping in to help whenever they can.
Well if you haven't come to see the show you may be out of luck, tonight and Saturday are pretty much sold out, and there are still tickets to tomorrows performance. And if you bring in the postcard you can get in with two for one. Hope you make it if you haven't all ready.

Klepto boy signing out!

Friday, June 27, 2008

"Oi, Oi, Oi!"

Well we started our third week of performances, and the show was great. Of course we had friends in the audience that helped with the laughter, but our cast just gels. The second time coming back from four days off, and we nailed it. Kimi and Jeff are remarkable, as is the whole cast. After having a birthday on Wednesday, number 41, and it being such a downer day doing the show again woke me up, and I had fun. We sold out last night and supposidly Saturday night is completely sold out too. Wow, granted that space is a small space and doesn't take a lot to fill it up, but to be totally full three times now, and four on Saturday it is an awsome feeling. I have a feeling that tonight will be a sell out too. Next week, unfortunately doesn't look as promising. Especially the 4th of July there is only like 30 seats sold, if that many. You don't do too many shows where you sell out this many times in a run.

Well this old grey haired fart better get back to work. Don't lift anything I wouldn't lift.

Klepto-boy, Joel

Sunday, June 22, 2008

And so it goes!

Ok so we have finished our second weekend of performances for High Fidelity. I am sad to see that it is half way over. I may have been to myself during rehearsals, but now that the show has opened I have made a lot of friends that I will cherrish for a long time. I have really only been involved with two other productions that have made me feel this way. One was Big River with Spotlight Productions, and the other was Into the Woods with Kirkwood Theatre Guild. Both shows had casts that were amazing and gelled together. Well the productions may not have been the best, but there was energy, and feeling put into those performances, there was a "truth" to the acting, something that Scott tells us every night before High Fidelity, that stays with me through the entire performance. Keep the story truthful, and the caharacters will be believable.

I felt bad last night that I couldn't go out and bond with the cast after the show, but I had to travel home to Wentzville, and then this morning had to be at work at 8:00 (12 minutes ago). I am sure everyone had a blast. This cast just gets along so well, and has fun with each other. You can see that onstage and offstage. God how did I get so lucky. I hope everyone else in the cast is resting peacefully this morning while I get ready to do exercise with my residents at the nursing Home. Yes I work in a nursing home, and I love it. I can't see myself working anywhere right now.

This weekend gave us two more nights of pretty much sold out houses, and what a great feeling that is to perform for a crowd, how ever small your house is. We continue to get nothing but praise. One of our friends who does theatre around St. Louis, and loves to go see shows here and on Broadway, who always has something that bothers him about the show, he LOVED it, except for my hair. That was his one thing with this show. If you come to see it, you will see my beautiful hair. Well I better get to work. I hope this finds everyone well. Klepto boy will return shortly, until then he will be lowly Activity Coordinator by day, and rocking Klepto boy with the bad hairdo by night.

ROck on!

Klepto-boy, Joel

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Here we go again

SO it has been a while since the last post, but I have sort of been unwinding, and going through realtor hell! I put a bid on a condo, got accepted, and then my dad is going in on the loan with me to help me out, I have to say I have my problems with my parents, but they are some of the most supportive parents you could ever have. Well yesterday after a decent day at work, I get home, and they say they have bad news, the loan didn't go through. I was devistated, so I sat downstairs feeling sorry for myself, and just sulking. Well After coming home tonight my dad went to a different bank, and they are going to give us the loan, so hopefully the paperwork will go through on this one. I know I am not getting my hopes up, until I have those keys in my hand.

Last weekend was such a rush. What a great opening weekend. I am so proud of this show, and so happy that my good friend Robin, mentioned me to Scott to be a part of this show. Everyone says there are no small actors, I am the largest actor onstage, but with one of the smaller parts, and I can tell you I feel like I am working just as hard to give a great performance just like our leads are.

I have been reading the reviews and they have been great. Of course there has to be that one, that mentions something negative, and really there hasn't been much negative said about this show. I have to disagree with the review about Nikki. It is one persons opinion. I remember getting a review once that said my singing didn't impress, and I pride myself on my voice. That review knocked me down for a long time. You know what that review pushed me even harder to be better, even if I wasn't bad to begin with. Pleas Nikki don't take these reviews too seriously. I don't know who the reviewer was, but sometimes these people think they know everything about music, but don't know squat! You are fabulous onstage, and we are happy that we got you in our show....Miss Liz 3.0! You are amazing, and just keep doing what you are doing!

God I love this cast! Thank you guys for making an old fart like me have so much fun onstage. And again thank you Scott for giving this fat, grey-haired Klpto-boy a chance to be onstage again.

See everyone tomorrow, to get pumped up to do the show!

Love you all!
Klepto-boy

Friday, June 13, 2008

OPENING NIGHT!

I can't believe it is finally here. It really seems like this rehearsal process has flown by. It has! I think with such a talented group of people we took Scotts blocking and went with it, and fine tuned the things that he wanted tuned along the way. Last night we had a decent crowd, about 45, not too bad, but it gave us a feel for when the audience might laugh. There were a few chuckles, and a few "Ahhs" but the wierdest thing was standing right in front of people and singing right to their face, when al this time you have gotten used to singing to the empty chairs. I guess the people sort of pumped up the adrenaline, and I felt like I was bouncing all over the place, I may have not been, but hey at least it felt like I was.

After the show last night a majority of the cast went to Joanie's Pizza down in Soulard. DUmb mistake on my part, but I am glad I did it. It was a time to talk to the rerst of the cast, you know something that I haven't really done throughout this whole rehearsal process, because I had to drive to Wentzville every night. Well I did last night too, and it was a long, scary ride that I don't remember parts of, but I am glad I got to know some of the other cast members. Talking to Scott I realized that I was the one that had done the earliest New Line show besides himself. Granted it has been 15 years since I did my last New Line show, but Attempting the Absurdwas I think the second season. It was that and a Sondheim Revue, and and auction fundraiser that wwe put together a cabaret type thing that was a blast.

I do have to say that I am struggling to stay awake at work today, but I think that I will have plenty of energy tonight. Two more hours and I will be done with work and then I'll go to Break Co. or something and just chill until I have to be at the theatre.

Well I hope to see some of you over the next four weeks of this show. And maybe you'll have to come again, because you liked it so much that you want to pick up on new things.

Klepto boy has left the buiding.

Joel (Klepto-Boy)

Thursday, June 12, 2008

"Turn the world off....."

Ok time to start the run of the show with preview night tonight, and we open tomorrow night, and just let the rest of the world float on by, and just conentrate on the show. We had our laast dress rehearsal last night, and what a blast. Scott was thoroughly please, with only a few nit-picky notes, and a majority of positive notes. I have got to hand it to the leads Kimi, Zack, Aaron, Nikki, Katie, Margeau, Rob, and wow Jeff, who knew you had all this inside of you. I watch all of these performances each night and I am still amazed, and keep wondering how I got put with such a great group of performers. I still feel like I am the high school kid amongst all of the professional actors. Everyone sounds so natural when they deliver their lines, and I feel, even though it may not come accross that way, that I am just reciting lines, and reading them off of the page. Then there is my hair style for the performances, you'll just have to come and see. My clothes, and hair and everything is just not me, and I mean REALLY NOT me!

HUge thanks needs to go out to Scott who fought to do this show, and got the rights, and went through all the stuff with the writers. He has really bout the emotion to the show, and it isn't just another musical comedy, where everything is played for the laughs. I have learned a lot. I think that is what I need to do, is do more shows, and watch different directors, and soak up everyting that I can. I love the way scott delves himself into each show, I mean thinking of all the hidden things, hidden meanings in dialogue, relationships, and what those relationships mean, and all that stuff. Yeah I am babbling, but I am at work and working on five hours of sleep, and usually I don't function with that little sleep, and to top it all off my air conditioning went out in my car, I still have the blower going but the cool air isn't coming through.

I have also put a bid on a condo here in Kirkwood, which is exciting and scary, but I am totally pumped.

So we will see you at the record store, and don't steal any thing....that is my job.

Klepto-boy.

Monday, June 9, 2008

"Sometimes all you need is a sliver of hope...."

Well yesterday (Sunday) we had our Sitzprobe with the band. Overall I didn't think it was that bad. I know how Scott was feeling, I have been in that position so many times, you know how you want it to sound, and it doesn't sound that way, and you are trying to think of how to improve it, and you hear everyone talking around you and you just want to explode. Well that is the way I feel during tech week sometimes. Either that or I just have a complete melt down, totally breaking down and crying because I can't handle the pressure anymore.

I think this show is in good standing, now the band knows sort of what is going on, they know what they need to practice on, and where they have solo lines. I think once the band starts to groove we are going to blow the audience away.

I feel sort of bad that I havent' gotten to bond with this cast as much as I usually do. Well for this show I am still living in Wentzville which is a bitch to drive every night, especially after the days when I work and then do a full out rehearsal. Hopefully that will change soon or at least during the run of the show. I am looking for a place to live, had a couple of options, but some have fizzled out. Started out looking for just an apartment but now it looks like I am looking for a house.

Well I think rehearsal tonight should be great. I know everyone is worried about one thing or another, but I think that will bump the adrenaline up, and give us the energy we need. Yeah we run with costumes tonight if you choose to. I only have one costume change and there is plenty of time for me to change so I am not worrying about it.

Well I better get to work. Thanks for reading, and we will let you know how HELL week is going!

Klepto-boy

Friday, May 23, 2008

Getting to know you....wait wrong show.....

Ok so last night Scott has us come up with a biography for our character, to help us get into character and more believable. OK either some people have way too much time on their hands, or I just don't know how to be creative. Some of the things that people came up with were a HOOT! Yes I did just say a Hoot! Margeau's was hysterical, I swear che had about 4 pages of notes. And everyone had to come up with an embarassing story about Jeff's character Rob, some of these were damn......Like it was mentioned last nightduring the table talk, no wonder the guy is so screwed up socially and relationship wise. I would get into it, but it would take way too long and it's our little secret, although I don't know if I'll be able to look at Jeff and not think about these stories about his character.

A little about my character is that his full name is Simon Leonard Kleptonovich. Get it? Well my family was sort of a modern day tribe of gypsies, and we made a living by stealing things, and scamming people. Well when I was a teenager I left the family and started scamming on my own, but one day I saw the light and wanted to go straight, but I was so used to the stealing world that I couldn't even stop, sometimes I wouldn't even know I was stealing anything. Well one day I happened to go into Rob's store and I lifted a record, and Barry caught me and when they asked my name, Barry came up with Klepto-boy for a nick name. Rob was such a nice guy that he told me to come into the store any time, and if I would lift something (by accident) I would just have to bring it back the next day. See what a great guy.......So now you know a little about my character.

I will write more later,
Klepto-boy

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

"It's no Problem...."

OK so last night we did some publicity shots and ran through Act I, roughtly, but I think it went pretty well. I feel so sorry for Jeff for having bunch of lines to memorize. Hell I only have about 6 lines and I screwed them up last night. The show is coming together, it is hard to think of things to do onstage almost the entire show, because the customers are shopping almost the entire show. Last night we had our starts and stops, but that was expected with memorized lines and off book for the first time. I do have to remind myself not to get too wild and crazy with the head because I don't want to get another herniated disc in my neck, and last night I felt like I overdid it a little, so I just need to figure out how much I can.

Last Saturday we had an "outing" with some of the guys to go to the REcord Exchange, and see what it is like to shop at a real record store with LPs and not CDs. We had such a great time. Every once and a while you would hear someone shout "Oh my god!" I never knew Zak was a Muppet movie freak! I found my record that I will be looking at through the show, you'll have to come see the show to tell me what song or LP I had. We got some props and records for the show, and the manager at the Exchange actually had a cast for 45's that Jeff needs as a prop. Well we then went to Jeff's for Burgers and Chicken, etc... But what a great store and what a great time bonding with some of the guys that I haven't gotten to know. Found out that Zach knows Micheal Ramey who did Joseph with me with Bravo Theatre Group. They went to school together at AMDA, small world..

Well I gotta look through Act II this afternoon and see what I need to remember. We did this act not too long ago so it should be too rough. I also need to work on my "biography" for my character for Thursday. Well until next time, keep the stolen goods hidden until you get home.....

Klepto-boy

Saturday, May 17, 2008

".....a tone poem"

Ok so we have gotten through with most of the blogging, except for a couple of numbers that the girls and Jeff have to do tomorrow during their blocking rehearsals with Robin. I have said this before, and I will continue to say this, I am so impressed with this cast. I read in Margeau's blog that she was a bit uncomfortable in some of the things that we have to do, but I have to say that I am not feeling too at ease with some fo the stuff we have to do either, but I think that once we start to get into it, I will. It has just been a long time since I have been onstage, and I am feeling a bit out of sorts.

A few years ago I had a herniated disc removed from my spine in my neck, and I have felt ever since then I haven't had the voice that I had back then. I know people probably just think I am making things up, but to pop to a high note, it doesn't do it as easily. You are probably saying well, you just need to keep practicing it. I have been practicing it in this show, and it isn't getting easier, actually I think it is getting harder. I could be psyching myself out, but I don't know.

Well enough of that......god, how depressing. This afternoon the "customers and store staff" are heading on an outing to the Record Exchange, I think that is where we said we were going, to study the customers and staff at a real record store. Plus we are supposed to be writing a background on our characters, so maybe I can get some ideas as to how Klepto boy is going to act.

Klepto boy is out of here empty handed.......til later

Friday, May 9, 2008

*BLEEP!*

Ok that was the fun word last night at rehearsal. THose of you that know me, know that I am not "hip", or "down with it" or what ever the phrase is that says that you are cool. I think this is a sign that I am getting old. Who would have thought that this preachers kid would be in a show where one of the lyrics he has to sing is "Pissin' on your grave" over and over again. But I am not the only one, I have known Jeff for at least 9 years now, and I have never seen him do rap but he is in this show, but he is younger, and hipper than I am. He really is doing a great job, the whole cast is. I am having a blast watch the rehearsal process with a different group. I have gotten so robotic, and do things the same way everytime, and I really don't look at the meaning behind some of the lines, and i see Scott do that, and i am amazed.
Well I am excited that I don't have to be at rehearsal on Monday, actually I wish I was there insted of my choir concert with the kids that I teach. They are really terrors. THey've lead me to the discovery that I am not a teacher, and I don't want to be a teacher. But I only have 6 more hours with them. WOO HOO!!!!!!! Don't get me wrong, some of the kids are great, and are really trying hard, but they get pushed out of the way by the kids that talk all the time......OK sorry I was going off on a tangent. I hope this finds you all well. This "pimp" (yeah right) is signing off.

Klepto-boy

Thursday, May 8, 2008

"I slept with someone...." HA! NOT!

I just love the title to that song, and everytime I listen to it it seems to make me laugh, well at least smile a little bit. Well we ran Act 1 the other night, and Scott was a little upset that we were very rusty on some of the numbers, and didn't remember what we were doing. I have everything written down, and I usually remember my blocking and choreography, but for some reason putting it all together the other night, was just impossible. Hell I couldn't even get the words right, and then when I did get the words right, I messed up the harmony, and then when I got both the words and the harmony right I screwed up the choreography. And I was stupid to have my script with me for my whoping 5 lines. Now I know how some of my actors that I direct feel, when they ask me "What's my motivation?" Usually I sort of laugh at them, and sort of blow them off, now here I am in High Fidelity asking "WHat is my character" Am I stealing things throughout the show? Do they notice if I am stealing things? THey must notice because Barry calls me Klepto-boy at the end. And if they did notice why didn't they stop me or report me, or call the cops? Am I stealing small stuff? Am I stealing records? It is a record store after all. See all the crazy things that are going through my head after rehearsal.
So we start working on Act two tonight, and we block the Bitches and Pimps scene. That one should be interesting.
Then there is the pictures that we are supposed to think about for our pictures for the program. I saw the ones of Jeff and Amanda, and they look amazing, well they are good looking people to start out with, so their pics should be great. I am a fat, balding 40 year old, trying to look cool in a pic? THis is so out of my element! I think I should just get my pic taken at at record store to make it LOOK like I am stealing a record, I am Klepto boy after all. Well see........
Well I will write more later.....
Till next time
Klepto-boy

Friday, May 2, 2008

9% chance I'll remember all these hand movements!?!?!

Last night we blocked a couple of scenes that I am in, and I have found my spot in the show. I am attached to the couch. I am Klepto-boy after all, I need to have a place where I can conceal all my treasures without anyone seening me take them, this character is so much more fun to create than Man with a Mowhawk.... NOw to figure out how to talk like a rock and roller. Me? a rock and roller. Those of you who know me, that is about as far from me as you can get. I am a theatre geek. I listen to musicals all the time, especially since I am usually working on one all the time, so that CD usually stays in my car for the duration of the rehearsal process, and by the time the show is over, the CD is retired and not lisened to for a long time.
For a bigger guy, i have been known to dance in many shows, after all I was Bobby in Crazy for You, and I had to do some tap dancing, but I have also learned all the dance technique that I have learned through doing shows at Six Flags and the Goldenrod showboat. Last night was the first dance rehearsal, well even though it was Millerography, it is still movement, and I was having trouble with it, something I usually don't have trouble with. I can see what Scott is going for and I love it, but for it to look as great as he wants it, it does have to be clean and precise from all of us guys. By the end I finally got it. Each time we ran through it it got a little easier, trying to remember the words, the harmony, and then the hand movements, and then to "Rock out" (my personal challenge.)
OK so I am feeling a bit old in this show, but it was fun last night workign with Kimi and Rob, not only are they on the older side like me, but we all worked on the Goldenrod Showboat, I actually understudied Rob in the Sound of Music, one of my shows on the Goldenrod, and last night we started Reminiscing a bit.

OK now to stop, I just start babbling, and don't stop. I will write more later.
Beware!
Klepto-boy is here!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Don't know if this is working yet

Yeah, so I haven't gotten hooked up to the Blog page on the New Line Theatre Website, but I am going to continue to write in my own little world.
Yeah last night we had a rehearsal/read-thru of the show with the whole cast. Wow what a great group of people. I used to think I was talented, but the line delivery and timing of lines, just blew me away. Luckily I won't make too much of a fool of myself since I only have like 6 spoken lines in the whole play. Then again I gotta save my voice for the singing aspect of the show. I realized last night I have to be careful with my voice. While teaching yesterday, something I am not to pleased with at the moment, I had to rasie my voice several times with the 7th grade class, and sometimes to the 8th grade class, and I lost my voice. Well I didn't lose my voice, I just lost the ability to control it , so singing the high A and Ab's were a little difficult last night, I still have a sore throat today, dang it.
I guess that most of the cast went out last night after rehearsal for dinner, but I feel bad that I am not doing things with the cast, but I live in Wentzville at the moment, something I hope to remedy soon, but finding an apartment closer to work, now that I have a real job, with real money, and insurance, god I love that word. SO if anyoe knows of a cheap decent sized apartment, let me know. I gotta a lot of junk, after living in my house for three years, I collected a lot of stuff I didn't need.
Well I should get back to work, it is getting late, and I really haven't done anything yet.

Keep blogging
Klepto boy

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Klepto-boy lives!

Ok this is my first attempt at a blog, and I'll probably suck at it too, but I just thought that I would give it a try. I am sure you are wondering what the title of my blog means, "Klepto-boy lives"? Well last night at rehearsal in one of the lines that Barry has that describes my character he calls me a Klepto-boy, and that name just stuck with me, so Klepto Boy was born. When I continued on reading the dialogue that Barry had about TMPMITW (try typing that 10 times fast, let alone say it 10 times fast) he describes him as a 38 year old man that lives with his parents.....well that is closer to my description in real life, but I like Klepto-boy!
You have no idea how much fun I am having with this show. It has been a while since I have been onstage, and of course Scott is challenging me by making me sing tenor, something I haven't done in a long time. But I am not complaining. I have been directing and musically directing for so long, I was ready to go back onstage, and in a show that has never been produced except on Broadway, how fun is that.
Years ago I started with New Line and did Attempting the Absurd, written by Mr. Scott Miller himself, and there too, it was a totally new musical with re-writes and everything, I HAD A BLAST! I also did a Sondheim Revue and some sort of auction thing, and I remember singing "I can See it" from Fantasticks with Scott, So mush fun!
Now anyone that I have done shows with before, please don't take this wrong I enjoy doing shows with all of you, but sometimes I just get pigeon holed into one thing, and I need to change, and this was just the change that I needed. Plus I get to do a show with friends I haven't gotten to work with in a long time. Scott of course, and Robb, I don't think we had worked to gether since the Goldenshod Rowboat, Katie, man I have been doing shows with you forever it seems, yet we haven't done that many, Jeff, I have done tons of shows with you too, and it's been a while, Kimi, who I have never done a show with but I have known you forever. Plus these talented actors and actresses that I have never worked with who just blow me away.
NOw the next show New Line needs to do is a lead that is approaching middle age, balding, with a great Baritone belt......Man of No Importance maybe? I know, I know Hair is coming up.....Yeah I can pull off Klepto, Mohawk guy, but not a hippy half my age!
Well I hope to try to keep this up during the rehearsals and the run of the show, I think it is so cool to sort of preserve these memories.

Later
Klepto-boy