Auditions for Disney’s High School Musical – Dec. 6 and 7, 2006

hsm_audition_poster.gif
hsm_audition_poster.gifAudition Times, Free Audition Workshop and HSM Audition Tips.

Theater Arts Guild (T.A.G.) is having open auditions for Disney’s High School Musical on December 6 and 7 2006. For direct info and to schedule an audition time visit the Theater Arts Guild Website.
Auditions Tuesday, December 6th at 4, 5, 6:30, or 7:30 pm Wednesday, December 7th at 4, 5, 6:30, or 7:30 pm at the TAG rehearsal hall at 121 South 12th Street, a half block south of Division Street in Mount Vernon.

Directed by Scott McDade. Choroeography by Donna Carroll. Music Direction by Conrad Askland

AUDITION WORKSHOP

A free audition workshop will be held November 29th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm. at the TAG rehearsal hall at 121 South 12th Street, a half block south of Division Street in Mount Vernon.

Although the workshop is open to anyone who wants to sharpen their audition skills, it’s designed especially for people who have never auditioned before. Bring your audition song (with a tape, CD, or sheet music) and your dramatic reading – and get ready to have fun exploring how far you can take your performance!
Space is limited. Visit the TAG Website to register.

NOTES AND TIPS FROM CONRAD

This is a hip hop / pop musical. Check out the video, it’s been a hit on Disney. The plot is fun with lots and lots of roles for many people, not just a couple of leads. We will have a tight hip hop crew for our live band and it will probably drive a lot harder than the movie version. This unique musical has room for basketball players, urban style dancers and DJ’s in the pit.

KNOW WHAT PART YOU ARE AUDITIONING FOR – If you are auditioning for Sharpay or Evan, you might want to try traditional musical theatre pieces – upbeat pieces ala “Copacabana”. For Sharpay or Evan, strong dance skills are essential – and we’d like to see you dance and sing at the same time. If you are auditioning for Troy or Gabriella, do a modern hip hop/pop piece. Especially for Troy’s role we’ll want to hear some soul and hip hop inflections. Don’t know what role you’re going for? Then do a SHORT bit of each type of music.

We may be looking for some specific elements including:

1) Male and Female lead that can sing pop/hip hop with effortless ease, appearing as “natural” untrained talent.

2) Male and Female lead that are hyper-trained in voice and dance. They are slick with over the top synchronized talent.

3) BASKETBALL PLAYERS – Males that are wizards with a basketball and can shoot hoops well.

4) Shy, smart, sensitive actor that can play easy piano. (At the level of “Let It Be” by the Beatles). Singing not imperative for this role.

5) PIT BAND – Contact Conrad Askland here on this website (click “Home”, then click “Contact” link on right). We are going to rock the house. I need a DJ that can scratch records live and a tight hip hop crew to work with audio samples. I also need some percussionists (already have bass/drumkit) and two versatile, grooving guitar players that can read charts.

6) HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIANS – Want to get your school involved? We can use a small marching band and also a drum line.

7) LOTS of roles for male hip hop dancers/basketball athletes that can sing. Also lots of female supporting roles with some singing. IF YOU SING STRONG HIP HOP, I strongly encourage you to audition.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Troy Bolton

Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) is one of the protagonists in the movie, the basketball team captain. He has a great voice that he first discovered in the beginning of the movie when he was singing karaoke with Gabriella Montez at a New Years Eve party. Troy has to face his friends with his new passion for singing and face his father, who is also his basketball coach. He comes to realize that he has strong feelings for Gabriella and also manages to both play in the basketball team and sing in the callbacks for the school musical with Gabriella. He is friends with Chad Danforth and the team.

Gabriella Montez

Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) is the shy and brainy new student at East High. She originally meets Troy Bolton at a Ski Lodge on New Years Eve. It is there she realizes her love for singing, previously only being “The Freaky Math Girl”. She had previously been in church choir, but when singing solo, she, quote “looked at all the people staring at me and next thing I knew I was looking at the ceiling. End of solo career.” Sharpay and Ryan find out that she has won numerous Scholastic Competitions and try to get her to join the Scholastic Decathlon by showing an article to Taylor, the leader of the scholastic decatholon team, because they are afraid that she wants to try out for the musical. She and Troy, against all odds, audition for the Winter musical and win the roles that they auditioned for. She comes to realize that she has strong feelings for Troy and also manages to both do the scholastic decathalon and sing in the callbacks for the school musical with Troy.

Sharpay Evans

Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) is the antagonist of the story who is shown as an arrogant, domineering, and overall brattish person. She had always had the lead role in musicals since kindergarten, and is very mean to Kelsi, the composer, saying that Kelsi’s compositions are nothing without her and her brother. Sharpay is the more cunning of the Evans twins, and doesn’t treat her brother Ryan very well. Sharpay changes the callbacks date to prevent Troy and Gabriella from getting the roles, but it doesn’t work out. However, at the end of the show, she has a change of heart and wishes Gabriella luck. Also, she initially rejects Zeke, but after tasting his cookies, she falls for him and is seen hugging him in the end.

Ryan Evans

Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel) is Sharpay’s brother and acting partner. They’ve starred in 17 school musicals together. Ryan isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, as shown by his inability to read a sign the Basketball team made out of letters on their shirts which read “Go Drama Club!”. He doesn’t have any friends besides Sharpay so he usually follows her around. Ryan is the nicer of the two twins. He sings both ‘What I’ve Been Looking For’ and ‘Bop to the Top’ with Sharpay and also has a small solo in ‘We’re All in This Together.’

Taylor McKessie

Taylor McKessie (Monique Coleman) is the leader of the school scholarly/science club, which competes in the scholastic decathalon. She befriends Gabriella when she came to the school and, by means both foul and fair, convinces her to join the scholastic club. While she at first tried to stop Gabriella from singing, she eventually ended up supporting her.

Chad Danforth

Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu) is a member of the Wildcats team. He seems to be extremely devoted to basketball. From the start he’s a little selfish and unsupportive of Troy’s auditioning for the musical. He thinks that the musical isn’t for basketball players. However, he realizes later that singing is something that Troy truly enjoys and so Chad gives his support to his best friend’s audition endeavor. He also falls for Gabriella’s best friend Taylor McKessie.

Minor characters

Ms. Darbus

Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) is the harsh drama teacher at East High. Her nemesis is Coach Bolton (Troy’s father), and she will only ease up on talented singers. She likes to pronounce ‘musical’ with a flourish, using a French accent.

Coach Jack Bolton

Coach Jack Bolton (Bart Johnson) is the Wildcats’ coach and Troy’s dad. He is a former champion Wildcat player, and, like everyone else, expects the same thing of his son. His nemesis is Ms. Darbus, who puts two of his players in detention on a basketball practice day.

Kelsi Nielsen

Kelsi “Playmaker” Nielsen (Olesya Rulin) who receives her nickname from Troy, and also “Small Person” from Chad, is the composer of the Twinkle Town musical, which includes the songs “What I’ve Been Looking For” and “Breaking Free”. Kelsi is not the most confident person as noted by her reaction to Sharpay’s comment that Kelsi’s knowledge about musicals is not very large, however she gains confidence throughout the film and at the end of the movie, ends up standing up for herself.

Zeke Baylor

Zeke (Chris Warren Jr) is a member of the Wildcats team. He is interested in baking (revealed during Stick to the Status Quo) and he likes Sharpay. At the end of the movie Sharpay starts to like him for his excellent skills – and cookies. Also, as he says in Stick To the Status Quo, he wants to bake the perfect crème brûlée.

Jason Cross

Jason (Ryne Sanborn) is also a player in the Wildcats team and eventual love interest for Kelsi Neilsen. It is shown in the finale that Jason takes off Kelsi’s hat, revealing her wavy brown hair and helps her shoot the game ball.

Martha Cox

Martha (Kaycee Stroh) has a solo in “Stick To The Status Quo” confessing that she thinks Hip-hop is cooler than homework. She is the only girl other than Sharpay who appears in the finale. She also appears in a few scenes with the scholastic decathlon team.
hsm_audition_poster.gif

META’s Seussical The Musical 2006 – Cast Photos

conrad-grinch-small1.gifCast photos for Seussical the Musical, November 2006, McIntyre Hall – Mount Vernon, WA. Presented by META Performing Arts.

What a fun show this was! I think it was a real bullseye for the kids, META Performing Arts and the artistic team.

This is a show that will leave it’s mark for several years. It has raised the bar in several areas for local children’s theatre. We took a lot of chances, had a lot of “firsts” for McIntyre Hall – and it all worked.

Someone asked me today if I knew the show would be this good, and I said Yes. However, there was definately some support I needed from the directors and producers to get my end done – and they came through 110%. Ok, blah blah blah, it rocked and everyone did their part.

This group of kids became such a very polished professional group. Even backstage it was total pro. Amazing considering the ages we were working with. So YOU KIDS ROCK!

I had one person tell me they saw the touring Seussical show with Cathy Rigby and felt that ours was better. They were also very surprised at how “high class” our orchestra sounded. Mostly when I get compliments like that I brush them off a bit, but in the case of this show I know it’s true. I really do think this crew could go up against a touring show.

dsc01257.jpgAnd the most awesome comment I got today was from a mother who said her child had never participating in such a professional environment before. It made me remember when I was a kid and doing pro and semi-pro gigs. Made me smile. For many of the kids in this run of Seussical, this show will be a life altering experience for them. Some will realize they do not have to just be cute and slide along, they can actually step to the plate and bring it.

For some it means the next time they have a goal they are really driven to strive for, that this time they have a chance at acheiving it. Theatre also has a way of breaking down stereotypes. We all have a little mold we fit into, fulfilling other people’s expectations of ourselves. But in theatre we have a chance to reach out and be something different. Kids that have learning disabilities, are socially challenged; WHATEVER the shortcoming is (and we ALL have shortcomings, don’t kid yourself) – in theatre for each show they have a level playing field to start fresh.

For myself, my early performance experiences were extremely intense. It was largely a classical environment and I was a choirboy. Rehearsals were intense, performances were intense – but those shows instilled in me that nothing else will do. Nothing else is acceptable. There’s a saying (well, ok, it’s scripture) a friend shared with me that says if we bring our very best we will perform before kings. To perform before kings is not so important to me (I’ve had goals like that previously in life, and when I reached them they were empty and ephemeral). But it is MOST important that a little of that idea, the idea of reaching with absolute resolve in the arts, has been passed on with this show. At least I hope it has.

As the Cat in the Hat would say: “How sad! How terribly terribly Sad! Isn’t that Sad?” – the run is over. On to the next. Deep breath. Remember the mountain we climbed together. Another opening, another show – but life is a little sweeter for having been involved in this production……
61.jpg

7.jpg

111.jpg

dsc01257.jpg

fullorch12.jpg

pigtails.jpg

makeup1.jpg

makeup2.jpg

101.jpg

8.jpg

61.jpg

5.jpg

41.jpg

21.jpg

12.jpg

28.jpg

26.jpg

25.jpg

23.jpg

22.jpg

211.jpg

20.jpg

19.jpg

18.jpg

16.jpg

14.jpg

71.jpg

101.jpg

30.jpg

29.jpg

281.jpg

27.jpg

261.jpg

251.jpg

24.jpg

231.jpg

221.jpg

212.jpg

201.jpg

191.jpg

181.jpg

17.jpg

161.jpg

15.jpg

141.jpg

13.jpg

121.jpg

28.jpg

26.jpg

25.jpg

23.jpg

22.jpg

211.jpg

40.jpg

39.jpg

38.jpg

37.jpg

36.jpg

35.jpg

34.jpg

33.jpg

32.jpg

31.jpg

Church Service Music Copyright License Information

Disclaimer: Research for yourself the legal aspects of what’s posted here. This is for general church copyright license information and copyright law changes.

QUICK READ:

  • Performing music in regularly scheduled church worship services is exempt from copyright fees and licenses. Note: This does NOT include recordings or printing, only performance during regularly scheduled worship service.
  • Printing Lyrics in Service Bulletins – Get a CCLI.com account
  • BMI License – No need for worship services, regular service exempt.
  • Recording Music CD’s or Church Services – Churchca.com
  • Presbyterian Church USA Copyright Information Page

    • PERFORMING MUSIC IN CHURCH SERVICES

    Music performed in church services is exempt from copyright license and royalties. In other words, you can perform what you want during church services. This only applies to the regularly scheduled church service and does not apply to any special concerts, presentations or ticketed events.

    From PCUSA.org – For churches, the majority of questions involve copying music from hymnals or sheet music and taping services for shut-ins. The Religious Services Exemption contained in the U.S. copyright law exempts from copyright infringement performance of nondramatic literary or musical works or of dramatico-musical works of a religious nature, in the course of services at a place of worship or other religious assembly. This exemption does not extend to copying the music or to audio or video taping of the performance.

    PRINTING LYRICS OR PROJECTING LYRICS

    You need permission to print song lyrics in your bulletin or to project them on a screen. CCLI.com provides clearance for a large catalog of Christian praise music. They only provide clearance for printing lyrics in bulletings or screen projection of lyrics. They do NOT cover selling recorded copies of the church service. Current fees for congregations up to 250 attendance is under $300 per year. I use this service at my church. Their website is setup well with easy access to lyrics, audio samples and sheet music you can transpose to different keys and print online. They cover mainly contemporary worship music but also have lyrics to many traditional gospel and hymn type songs. I highly recommend CCLI for any music director performing contemporary Christian worship music in their service.

    CHURCH ONLINE PODCASTS AND CD RECORDINGS

    The Church Copyright Administration at http://www.churchca.com is a new partnership with BMI. They charge a monthly or yearly administration fee (starting at $100 per month) to administer rights for podcasts and CD recordings. They have a tiered membership plan depending on your podcast and recording activity. My understanding is the yearly fee only covers administration. From your online member panel you fill in the songs you want to record or podcast, then CCA will find out the copyright and license payment info for you and bill accordingly. This was launched in October 2006 and time will tell how successful this partnership with BMI is. Currently at BMI.com there is no classification for a church license. Their referral is to the CCA site listed above. My understanding is that CCA only covers recordings because according to copyright law there is no BMI fees needed for regular church services (regular scheduled worship services are excluded from copyright payments, ie: free to perform).

    COPYRIGHT FAIR USE ACT
    Portions of a work may be copied if used in the course of teaching or instruction. There is no set number of seconds or lines that is designated as a definitive “fair use”. It is a matter the courts would decide, not the US Copyright Office, as to whether a piece was used as a small part of a greater whole for the purpose of education. Visit the US Copyright Fair Use page. Practicial church application of this would be using a small audio sample, portion of lyrics or photo in the course of a larger educational presentation.
    RELATED COPYRIGHT ARTICLES and WEBSITES

  • BMI and CCA Partnership
  • Church Music Publishers Association
  • United States Copyright Office
  • Augsburg Fortress Copyrights and Permissions
  • Motion Picture Licensing Corporation

    • More Audition Tips

    aida-cast2.gifMore Audition Tips

    Also see:
    I Hate To Audition!

    Audition Tips for a Musical

    .

    Auditioning can be stressful,
    here are some helpful hints when heading out for the audition.

    Arrive at least 15 minutes early. You don’t
    want to have to rush into your audition.
    Give yourself time to find the space and warm up.

    Pack your bag with a book in case there is
    waiting and a bottle of water.
    Not every place has a water fountain.

    Be nice to everybody.
    You never know if the person you are speaking to is important.

    There may be several people waiting with you to audition.
    Remember that they are competing with you for the same job.
    Don’t let them intimidate you.

    Wear neat, comfortable clothing.
    We know you want to look nice,
    but make sure you can move around the room.
    And don’t wear a costume.
    Your outfit can suggest the character such as a high-collar
    blouse for a period piece, but don’t get all dressed up.

    Careful when using perfume or cologne. You don’t want to
    send anyone out of the room in a sneezing fit.

    Try to find some background information about
    the charcter you are auditioning for.
    If you are auditioning for a particular company,
    be familiar with their work.
    It can also help you decide which pieces to
    choose for your audition.

    Bring clean and clearly marked sheet music.
    If you are auditioning for a musical,
    be sure the music you give the piano player
    is cut down to 16 bars and is free of stray marks and coffee stains.

    Remember to smile. If you are nervous,
    take a deep breath and try to relax.
    Recognize that you are not going to get every job
    you audition for, but can learn from every experience.

    When you are called in for your audition,
    be confident and smile
    and unless it is vital, avoid asking too many questions
    as your audition probably has a tight time slot.

    Keep your monologue to about a minute. Most directors can tell
    in that time if they are interested. Have several pieces prepared
    and one longer piece in case they ask to see more.

    Definitely do not ask if you will be called back.
    The casting director will let you know, that you can be sure of.
    If you do get called back, wear the same outfit as during your audition.

    I Hate To Audition!

    369515018_m.jpg

    I thought this was a great capture of the audition experience. As an adult I haven’t had to audition too many times, usually I’m on the other side of the desk. But some of the auditions I’ve had were gut wrenching. I’ll have to post some day about my audition with Cirque Du Soleil. YIKES! Those French Canadians are very disarming.

    I’ve worked with the writer, Suzann McLamb, in AIDA and SEUSSICAL. Also seen her in Lil Abner and the local bard company Shakespeare Northwest. She’s very talented and in her own words, the ultimate “theatre junkie”.

    Which reminds me I need to post sometime about the rush of theatre performance. It is indeed intoxicating. See my previous post about AUDITION TIPS FOR A MUSICAL.
    .

    I Hate To Audition
    by Suzann McLamb

    I hate to audition and I’ll tell you why …

    My throat seizes up and I feel like I’ll die.

    My stomach performs a gymnastics routine.

    Performance is flight, my auditions turn green.

    The trembling begins in the sole of my foot

    And shakes its way out of my head at the roots.

    My vision gets wavy; my tunnel ears ring.

    I open my mouth expecting to sing.

    Instead of a lovely melody sound,

    Comes the gravelly howl of a dog in the pound.

    So, that didn’t go well. I’m crazy for staying!

    It’s monologue time; Should’ve spent more time praying!

    What was my first line and what is the next?

    They’re knitting their eyebrows and looking perperplexed.

    I speak but don’t hear words or know what I’m saying

    Is it Shakespearean English or rambled delaying?

    Help me! Help now! Help me get off the stage.

    I feel like a mouse in the rock python’s cage.

    My body’s constricting and I’m turning blue.

    How I got up here, I haven’t a clue,

    I’ll laugh when it comes ’round to cast party time

    And I’ve danced in the limelight and aced all my lines.

    But now I’m still here and they want a dry read.

    It’s murder! It’s hopeless! I’ll never succeed!

    The room spins again, I can’t see the fine text.

    Please, oh please won’t you just holler out, “Next!”

    A call back? You’re kidding! That’s such a surprise!

    Past evil auditions … shy thespians thrive.

    Men’s Rules – The Difference Between Men and Women

    manwomanfhfix5.jpg

    At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down

    Finally, the guys’ side of the story.

    We always hear “the rules”

    From the female side.

    Now here are the rules from the male side.
    These are our rules!
    Please note… these are all numbered “1”
    ON PURPOSE!
    1. Men are NOT mind readers.

    1. Learn to work the toilet seat.
    You’re a big girl. If it’s up, put it down.
    We need it up, you need it down.
    You don’t hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

    1. Sunday sports. It’s like the full moon
    or the changing of the tides.
    Let it be.

    1. Shopping is NOT a sport.
    And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

    1. Crying is blackmail.

    1. Ask for what you want.
    Let us be clear on this one:
    Subtle hints do not work!
    Strong hints do not work!
    Obvious hints do not work!
    Just say it!

    1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

    1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That’s what we do.
    Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

    1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a Problem.
    See a doctor.

    1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
    In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.

    1. If you won’t dress like the Victoria ‘s Secret girls, don’t Expect us to act like soap opera guys.

    1. If you think you’re fat, you probably are.
    Don’t ask us.

    1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of them makes you sad or angry, then we meant the other one

    1. You can either ask us to do something
    Or tell us how you want it done.
    Not both.
    If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

    1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

    1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

    1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
    Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

    1. If it itches, it will be scratched.
    We do that.

    1. If we ask what is wrong and you say “nothing,” We will act like nothing’s wrong.
    We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle, besides we know you will bring it up again later.

    1. If you ask a question you don’t want an answer to, Expect an answer you don’t want to hear.

    1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine…Really.

    1. Don’t ask us what we’re thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation,
    or golf.

    1. You hav e enough clothes.

    1. You have too many shoes.

    1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

    1. Thank you for reading this.
    Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;

    But did you know men really don’t mind that? It’s like camping.

    Ave Maria by JS Bach

    1760-08-wdheq-if-300.jpgI received a note saying someone was desperately trying to find history of the JS Bach “Ave Maria” and was not finding anything online.

    Bach never wrote the Ave Maria. Aha! It was Gounod that took a prelude by JS Bach, and then put a melody on top with lyrics to the Ave Maria.

    JS Bach was an unwitting partner in the collaboration. Charles Gounod was a French composer who lived from 1818-1883. Read the Wikipedia Page on Charles Gounod. So google “Gounod Ave Maria” and you’ll find it readily available from most sheet music suppliers.
    Here’s a bit of the music to refresh your memory:

    bagoavma-excerpt.gif

    Photo of composer Charles Gonoud

    180px-charles_gounod.jpg

    Musical settings of the Ave Maria

    The Ave Maria has been set to music numerous times. Among the most famous settings is the version by Charles Gounod (1859), adding melody and words to Johann Sebastian Bach’s first prelude from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Antonín Dvořák’s version was composed in 1877. Another setting of Ave Maria was written by Giuseppe Verdi for his 1887 opera Otello. Russian composer César Cui, who was raised Roman Catholic, set the text at least three times: as the “Ave Maria,” op. 34, for 1 or 2 women’s voices with piano or harmonium (1886), and as part of two of his operas: Le Flibustier (premiered 1894) and Mateo Falcone (1907).

    This text was also very often set by composers in the Renaissance, including Jacques Arcadelt, Josquin Desprez, Orlando di Lasso, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Before the Council of Trent there were actually different versions of the text, so the earlier composers in the period sometimes set different versions than the ones shown above. Josquin, for example, himself set more than one version of the Ave Maria. Here is an example of a text set by Josquin which begins with the first six words above, but continues with a poem in rhymed couplets: