The Worm at the Opera

Last night was opening night for A Midsummer Night's Dream at Houston Grand Opera. I get to dance with Bottom when he's dressed as the donkey. I'm not sure Shakespeare had this is mind when he wrote the play but I get to do "the worm" or as our Australian director calls it "the caterpillar" across the stage. Like I've written before - the opera is just not what you expect.

The Reason It's Called "Heck" Week

There is a reason the technical rehearsal week, usually the time right before show opening, is called "heck" week. It is long, late rehearsal nights. We've been rehearsing until 11:30 most nights this week. With the drive home and then having to get a bath I have been getting to bed between 12:30 and 1:00 and then having school and homework to get done. There are a lot of starts and stops while they work out all the technical details of the show. You end up redoing things over and over. Tech week officially ended today and I'm glad. Now we just have final dress rehearsal before the show opens Friday night.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. I saw the new year in with friends at a small party my parents had. We ate, played video games and Family Feud. Also, played guitar and electric drums with one of the guys. Today I rehearsed at opera until 6:30. I submitted myself to Nickledeon game show and they tried to set up an audition but I had conflicts with the dates due to the opera. They said to contact them in February and see if they were having more auditions then. I think 2009 is going to be a great year!

Working during the Holidays

Even though I'm off from school, I'm still working a lot. I've got a movie audition coming up the first part of January so I memorized the lines and worked with an acting coach. I'm also reading some background material to prepare. I'm performing at the Alley until the 28th. We even had a show Christmas Eve. I'm rehearsing at the opera beginning today through the remainder of the holidays and then some more. I'm practicing some recorder music at home also for the opera. I'm still managing to shoot some baskets on my new goal I got for Christmas and to play some of my new video games.

Opera - it’s not what you expect

I just finished my 4th opera with Houston Grand Opera. All have been so much fun. The first was Hansel & Gretel where the witch was a giant man operated puppet with singer inside. We staged this opera twice once indoor and the other outdoor with numerous peformances. At the outdoor performances, in addition to singing I also got to be a puppeteer, which was harder than it looked to keep your arm up working the puppet during the song. The second was Cunning Little Vixen where in addition to being a fox cub singing with the children's chorus, I also got to be a fly playing football. In Billy Budd, my 3rd opera, I was with all men/boys and liked my costume as an officer in training and the singing the best. While in Billy Budd, NPR radio came to the opera and I was interviewed on stage by Christopher O'Riley. It was neat to be in a radio recording process. In the 2 operas I just finished last night - Pagliacci & Cavaleria Rusticana- I got to sing Italian for the first time and also got to be a bad kid smoking. The cigarette had powder instead of nicotine. Everything is first class at the opera from the directors, musicians, costumes, sets, props, and most definitely the singers. I am treated so professionally and look forward now to starting rehearsals for MidSummer Night's Dream next week. If you haven't tried the opera you should experience it. We've had sets that were platforms or turntables moving, clowns juggling, and puppets bigger than life. Give it a try, I think you'll be surprised.

The Show Must Go On Cracked Elbow and All

Thursday night I fell off my friend's bike and cracked my elbow. I got my cast on around 2:30 Friday and opened at opera at 7:00 PM. The doctor put on a smaller, thinner cast so my costume would fit over the cast and it would not show under the sleeve. Opening was good and I made it with the help of some Extra Strength Tylenol. The music director told everyone to break a leg except me. She told me I already had enough broken bones. Any way I got through the show and the cast party afterwards, and tonight made it through singing at the AEROS, so the show really did go on cracked elbow and all.

Full Schedule

This week and last week crazy schedule. I'll start with last week. I agreed to fill in for the part of Schroeder in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown at a community theater as it was opening and their Schroeder had a family emergency. I was familiar with the show since I'd been Charlie Brown but still it was a lot to learn in a week.

Monday I had guitar lesson & play rehearsal, Tuesday play rehearsal, Wednesday piano and play rehearsal, Thursday voice lesson to work on my Aeros music and play rehearsal, Friday symphony rehearsal and opera rehearsal. Saturday was acting class, opening of the play, and then ran tech that night for other cast. Sunday was church and homework, homework, homework. I'm in 7th grade so I actually had school work all the days I listed. I usually take a dance lesson at my house each week but had to miss this week. Also, this week I had an interview with a Chronicle reporter for an upcoming article.

This week I had to cancel guitar. This week is even busier than last week. Today after school I had rehearsal at the symphony, costume fitting at the opera, and then opera rehearsal until 9:45. Tuesday I have symphony rehearsal. Wednesday is piano and opera rehearsal until 11:30. Thursday voice to work more on upcoming Aeros performance and to begin selecting Christmas music for December fundraiser, then opera rehearsal until 11:30. Friday costume fitting at the Alley Theatre for A Christmas Carol, rehearsal at Symphony and then rehearsal at Opera until 11:30. Saturday morning 2 performances at Symphony so I'll miss my acting class. I'll relax some Saturday night at a swim party and then back to opera after church on Sunday for more rehearsal. I'll be doing a lot of homework in the car this week but it is all worth it. I have a lot of fun around the other kids at the opera and there is nothing like being on the "big stage", or the sound of applause.