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!