Just lose yourself...

The other day when Carolyn and I had gone to Wabi Sabi to have a light dinner, she had just gotten done with Acting Class.  It's down the street from my apartment on Sawtelle, and the Coach is also a working actor.  She said she really loved the class and that it's really challenging and nerve-wracking, but that they work at least twice in class, and you really get something out of it.  I've missed going to classes and would like to go to something close, and there's no requirement as to when you need to go, you can come and go as you please, which is awesome because of my random schedule. 

I found the Coach on-line, and he has a blog as well.  As I started to read his blog, I felt really in-tune with what he was saying.  You can't memorize the words and just use your memorization as your tool, you have to feel it, you have to listen, you have to react!  If a Casting Director wants something different than you've done, and you could book the role based on your ability to listen to the advice and change something, if you can't do that, because you have it memorized a specific way, you've just lost the job, and a chance to even be called back in again, because you can't listen to directions.  What also really resonated with me, was that when you get somewhere, and you perform, that all the work you do gets lost when you're in the moment.  I usually don't remember what I've done after an audition, just how I felt about it, because I lose myself and become that character, that part, that scene, and do everything based on my instinct.  I might audit his class this next Tuesday, and I'll let ya know what I think :)

On Wednesday night I had Karaoke at Gabe's and right away when I got there, a group of people came in, this one woman brings in her students, and they like to sing Karaoke.  They're used to the Korean Karaoke, where they rent a small room and all sing but it's not public, so this gives them a chance to perform in front of a bar filled with people.  Needless to say, we were busy all night long until around midnight when everyone filtered out.  I was actually happy about that because I knew I wanted to get home early so I could get some sleep for my Stand In job that was on Thursday.  I sang a couple songs I hadn't sang in a while, 'Treat Me Right' and 'Cowboy Casanova' along with my new song for the night, 'Lesson in Leaving.'  I listened to a bunch of Jo Dee Messina back in College, because a couple of the cheerleaders and I listened to her CD on a Road Trip to Duluth, MN for a Football game.  I really like the song, but need to work on my breath control for it, because there's so many long phrases in it.  Carolyn, Matt, and Travis also came in, and she closed the night for everyone with 'Tears in Heaven' for her Grandmother.  She did a fantastic job!

It was my Friday for Karaoke this week as well, and for some reason, the past couple of weeks, no matter how hard I try, I can not make it to work early!  I either make it right on time, or a couple minutes late...and even if there's no one there to sing and we have to wait anyway, I've got to get my act together and get there early one of these weeks! *Sorry, just a little pep talk to myself.*  Since it was Friday, I figured it would get a little busy, and we had a steady night all night, big crowd, lots of people, everyone really receptive of the song choices, so it was a great night!  Khad and Sean came in and sang a few songs as well, including some Backstreet Boys, because it's been too long since a Double Entendre Performance.  I also did some songs I hadn't done in a while, 'Separate Ways' by Journey and The Toadies 'Possum Kingdom,' thank you Ian and Guitar Hero for helping me discover that song, so fantastic!  And 'Separate Ways' has been one of my favorite songs of all time for a long time, and it's one of those I'm comfortable with and can just let go when I'm singing it!  My new song of the night was Nancy Sinatra's 'These Boots Are Made for Walking' and I loved doing the song.  It was super fun and some people even started a slow clap and were dancing :)  Everyone had a really fun night, including myself, and it's nights like those that make Hosting Karaoke worthwhile!

The Gals with Double Entendre