In The Big Leagues: Man of La Mancha; Walnut Street Theatre September 4-October 21, 2007

Well I got the offer from the Walnut Street Theatre! I was cast in the ensemble of the of Man of La Mancha and I will be under studying a lead role. I am very excited about this opportunity! I used to walk in the lobby of the Walnut Street Theatre as a 16 year-old boy and dream of performing on that stage and now I will! The Walnut Street Theatre is the oldest continuously-operating theatre in the English speaking world and the largest theatre in Philadelphia. The venue has three stages: the Mainstage, for the company's primary and larger productions, the Independence Studio on 3, a studio located on the building's third floor for smaller productions, and the Studio 5 on the fifth floor, which is rented out for independent productions. Man of La Mancha is a main stage production. It's kind of like a minor league base ball player that finally gets called up to the big leagues. You might be at the end of the bench but hey, your in the majors. I sign my contract next week and start rehearsals on the 21st of August. The show opens on the 4th of September. So come check it out!

TAGP Audition Call Backs: Reconition

I am one of those rare actors that gets alot of satisfaction from getting call backs from theatre companies after an audition. I had my TAGP audition on June 11th 2007. After you audition for over 60 theatre companies you wait to see who calls you in to audition for their upcoming season. I didn't wait long. I had six call backs and counting. I love that! Even if I don't get cast, I love it when members of the theatre community recognize my talent and that I can possibly contribute to their agonizing and extremely difficult task of casting a season. They are looking for the best actors and think I might be one of them. The Interact Theatre Company was the first to call. Interact Theatre is the top political theatre in town and well regarded and respected. It is run by Artistic Director Seth Rozin. Seth Rozin called me in to audition for a play he wrote called Black Gold a couple days after my TAGP audition. The play is about what happens when an African American man living in Detroit's inner-city strikes oil in his back yard? Will newly-tapped resources lead to prosperity or violence? Will the poor get rich? Will the rich get richer? Will America's economy skyrocket or spiral downward? And what will happen in the ever-volatile Middle East? Six actors play over eighty roles in this fast-paced, futuristic satire of class, race, greed and America's insatiable appetite for oil. He emailed me the sides and I went in to the audition a few days later. When I walked in the door Seth Rozin told me thought my audition was incredible and thanked me for coming. The audition went ok and I haven't heard anything. Next to call me was the Prince Music Theatre named after the famed Broadway director Harold Prince. They are one of the largest theatres in town and they were doing Ain't Misbehavin'. Now I have done this show before at the Ritz three years ago so I knew it very well. At the audition I song "Honey Suckle Rose" which is in the show and I sang it when I did it three years ago. The director was Broadway director Michael Bush. The audition went really well and he asked me to sing the song again after giving me direction which is a good sign they like you. After that audition I didn't hear anything. My next call back was from the Montgomery Theatre in Montgomery county. They were doing a show called "The Full Monty" and director Tom Quinn called me in to audition. However, after researching the show I found out it is about a strip club and declined the audition but I asked him to keep me in mind for future shows. Story Book Musical theatre called me and my audition for them isn't until September. Last week I got a call from The Bush Fire Theatre. They are the second oldest professional African-American Theatre in the nation right behind Freedom Theatre which also based in Philadelphia. Bush Fire is run by Al Simpkins. At the audition I did my monologue from the Amen Corner and Free At Last from Big River. It went very well. They were four other African-American actors there and after the audition he asked for a meeting with us. He explained that Bush Fire is an ensemble theatre and they are looking for new members to join and wanted us to accept there invitation! He went on to say he loved our auditions at the TAGP and saw a place for us in their company. Chanta Layton was there as well. We did Purlie together at the Ritz Theatre back in Febuary. The orientation is in September which consists of acting classes in the Method Acting Technique. After the four week orientation Al Simpkins would decide which roles/shows fit which actor the best and they would be put under contract for that show. I am very excited about this opportunity! Bush Fire does classic plays by August Wilson and Loraine Hansberry. Roles I dream of playing! Next I was called by The Walnut Street Theatre. They are the largest theatre in Philly by far. I studied acting and singing at their Theatre School nine years ago and it was always a dream of mine to perform on that stage. Ironically I auditioned on that stage for my TAGP audition this year. They asked me to come in and audition for an ensemble role in their production of Man of La Mancha. If cast I would also understudy the lead roles. That audition was yesterday and it went very well. I sung Younger Than Spring Time from South Pacific. The director then asked me to sing another contrasting song. So I sung Love Me from Smokey Joe's Cafe. She then asked me to sing it again but like a lullaby. After the audition she told me she probably had a role for me in the show and that she would be in touch. So we will see. In July I did a children's show at the Ritz called The Prince and the Pauper and I played the Prince. I will blog about that show next...