I just got a phone call from the director of Little Shop of Horrors to inform me I will once again be playing Seymour. I was suprised, or at least would have been if Amy didn’t email me this morning with “I know something you don’t know”. Oh, and there was Matt who ventured over today to ask “So, how about Little Shop, eh?” to which I replied, “I haven’t heard yet,” followed by some fairly awkward silence. It seems news had gotten around to everyone but me. I think there’s a lesson in that.

I am really looking forward to it all kicking off on Monday night, and am thrilled Jess is playing Audrey. On top of that, the cast is wonderful, and McD will once again be voicing Audrey II.

In other news, I sometimes wonder whether a website for a hot dog shop can be taken to far. Greg tells me No, but I wonder if the shop itself is even a stretch of common sense.

I just sat down at the computer to start doing some serious work when I hear a loud pop and the lights go out. I test lights in other rooms and it seems only the ceiling light in the bathroom works (but not my beloved makeup lights). Is this a sign?

My advice for the Easter break is not to eat too much chocolate. Like I did. Some 12 years ago. When I awoke in the middle of the night. To spew. On my bed. Lots. Nice.

This was the second last time I have been projectionally ill. The last, of course, was my “throatal mishap“.

Have a great weekend!

Regardless of how successful the audition was, I was fairly happy with what I did, and that’s probably the best that could come of it. I’m glad to have done it, to have an audition under my belt since it has been some 5 years since I did it last. While I was in the foyer waiting (and waiting), another auditionee pondered auditioning for Audrey but decided against it when she looked over the scene work**. She then said something like, “I hate the acting bit!” whereas for me, it’s the only bit I’m comfortable with. Diff’rent Strokes, I guess.

In other news, I received an out-of-the-blue email from a local choir director asking me if I’d like the opportunity to be “assistant musical director” to the choir. I have never met this person, so the email was a suprise, but apparently two of the lecturers had passed on my name. As usual, it’s non paying work, but it will be “great for my CV”. I’m going to have an enormous CV, but nowhere to lodge it. Actually, I can think of a good place to lodge my CV, but I doubt it will do too much for my employment status.

** For those for whom it has been a while, a typical audition consists of a song (or bit of), a few pages of script appropriate to that character, and a short dance routine.

I am sharing this piece of information in the vein of freedom of information and fairness to all parties, but I need you to read the whole thing before commenting or sending me email.

Wednesday night I have an audition for a local production of Little Shop of Horrors. For those who have known me a while, it is a show I know well as I played Seymour in a 2003 production. I entirely don’t expect I will get the role, and am doing it as a way of boosting my audition experience again as it has been a long time since I did audition for anything. I’ve been on the other side of the panel and I know that an audition is just about seeing what talents someone has, not proving themselves or anything, but when you’re faced with 5 or 6 people at a table staring at you as you sing with a dry, nervous throat and fumbling fingers, it’s a slightly different tale.

I often get asked to be in shows in the chorus, just because I’m a guy and I can (usually) hold a pitch in chorus, and if you wait until the ‘desperate for guys’ stage (it’s about 1-2 weeks into rehearsal), if you have a reputation you can get in without an audition. I rarely take up these offers but the opportunity of audition-free casting is wonderful.

My audition this wednesday is fully-fledged. I turned up to the information session (albeit just to accompany another auditionee), booked an audition like everyone else (albeit not entirely my decision), and have to go through the same process. I’ll be auditioning for Seymour, but as I said before don’t expect I’ll get the role as there are many other talented performers vying for it. If I don’t get it, I have to keep telling my bruised ego that it’s no big deal. Last time I auditioned for Seymour I really wanted the role. There aren’t many really great leading male roles for character actors in musicals for skinny runts like me, but Seymour is certainly one of them. Last time I played Seymour, I had a blast, and was one of the highlights of my ‘career’.

I have spoken to quite a few people in the past many days who have wished me luck for my audition, but this is exactly what I don’t need to hear. Please don’t send me comments or email with good-lucks or any variant, because I don’t want to put any expectations on this at all. If I go in with nothing to lose, I’ll (hopefully) be a little more relaxed and there will be the slimmest chance I might not completely embarass myself in front of people I respect. That number again… PLEASE NO ‘GOOD-LUCKS!’