LITTLE SHOP @ AMTSJ

On Tuesday evening I was able to let go my bad weekend of events and havea good old time thanks to my friends Hilary and Peter, a fabulous meal at Scott's Seafood in San Jose and a fun version of Little Shop of Horrors at AMTSJ.

I have always loved the movie and I have only seen the stage version once before (it was an AWFUL production) but I went to see the show because my pal Christiane Noll was playing Audrey and I say this not just because I have worked with her - she was by far the best performer on that stage and the only one who made me forget their movie counterpart (sorry Ellen Greene). I have never heard a more beautiful rendition of "Somewhere That's Green." Christiane has such incredible control of her voice and she has the acting chops to back it up. It was a real treat to see her make this character fully rounded. (If you don't believe me see the review the SJ Mercury news gave her)

The show overall was a lot of fun with a good cast (Hal Linden from Barney Miller fame playing a mean clarinet in Mushnik & Son) and sets and a fabulous band led by Billy Liberatore. I had a lot of fun at this show so I recommend it. I will be seeing the show again later this year when my friend Tyler Kent plays Seymour in BBBAY's production.

That's all from me - sorry I don't have much time to write more exciting things to report. I was off from Orpheus rehearsal this week which gave me some time to breathe. I am excited to see my friend Nicole Julien in Steel Magnolias this weekend. Okay then - y'all stay dry now.

=+)

M.

WHEN IT RAINS...IT POURS!

So!!! The past few couple of days certainly have been interesting so let's recap...

First of all I have to confess that I have not been sleeping well and been feeling very odd during the day (tired & cranky) though I first thought that it was because I stopped smoking (I'm trying to quit again only this time it's not "quitting" but just stopping for a while.) but am now worried that it's not that.

On Friday I went to school having slept maybe a couple (or three) hours. I knew I had to sing at the Noon Concert (a free performance done once a month) and I had to sing 2 songs that I know very well. First of all I must note that there was no one at the concert besides NDNU students because there was no advertisement for this event and I was so tired and not in my A-game. I get up to sign Forbidden Fruit from The Apple Tree and I jumped verses and I knew that I was in trouble so I stopped, apologized and asked to start again...guess what? The same fucking thing happens. I am mortified because I had to start over again...this time all goes well but I just wanted to get offstage as soon as possible. There is no excuse for what happened - I know that it's life after all and shit happens but this was a combination of not getting enough sleep and not being on my A-game a 100%

So I am feeling a bit shitty and I decide to do something nice and I take my Dad to lunch to the Fish Market restaurant in Palo Alto. We had a shitty waitress and the food was awful (which surprised me because the food is always good here) and then I decided that it was time that I owned an Ipod so off to the Apple store in Stanford I went. I was so excited and went home to install it.
I was having some issues with installing it and I had to go to rehearsal for Orpheus so off I went...I sit around for 2 1/2 hours waiting for me to appear (I only appear in Act III) and then they decide to skip to the end, thereby skipping my part. I know that this happens - it's happened many times in many shows before...you are called, you wait, you do nothing. Nothing upsets me more than having my time wasted especially on this day when I am so sleep deprived. I go home and try to fix the Ipod just as the Apple Technician had instructed to me on the phone.

By some way, I must have made an error in what I did because my computer crashed. Today I was on the phone with Dell for 2 hours trying to fix it. Apparently my little mistake can only be fixed by re-installing Microsoft thereby erasing the last four years of my life...sheet music, an insane musical collection, personal files, ideas...ME - erased. On top of that Dell charged me $39 because my warranty had expired.

I needed to clear my head to I went to Apple to return my Ipod since it ruined my life and I was told that I would be charged a re-stocking fee of 10% You think that's it? NO!!! We are so not done. Then I decide to get some to go food from the Cheesecake Factory. I go, order, pay...an hour goes by and I still don't have my food. By the time I received it it was cold, and not even the right order. The manager didn't even apologize.

I think that life is all about these little episodes...true that many people have it much worse. After all what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I just feel that a piece of me was just erased. Maybe life is just s big ball of shit and it is up to us to overcome it. I have much more unhappy moments than happy ones so maybe that's just life. When it rains it pours...but the world goes 'round baby and we must go on.

And how are YOU?!

=+)


Martin

TEARS IN HEAVEN

I can't believe this - Brad Renfro & Heath Ledger two amazing young actors gone in the same week. Brad Renfro was amazing in THE CLIENT and I will never forget how brave Heath Ledger's performance in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN was. May they rest in peace.

THIRD @ THEATREWORKS

Well I just saw my first show of 2008 and it was a good one. I was thrilled to be part of the first audience in Northern California to see THIRD which is Wendy Wasserstein's last play. The play was riveting and features a great cast led by Elizabeth Norment and the always amazing Craig Marker (pictured left.) This play is about so many things - from what happens to a woman as she gets older, stereotypes & categories, fathers & daughters, mothers & daughters, teacher & student, and even King Lear.

I could see that in the play, Wasserstein shares with us some of what she must have been going through before her death - the pain, regrets and life experience. Kudos also to Amy Resnick and Gerry Hiken who really made the most of their supporting roles.

Beautifully acted & brilliantly written - this play is one that I am going to highly recommend. It opens Saturday and plays at the Mountain View Center for the Arts.

My beloved friend Tyler & I had a wonderful dinner at Max's before seeing the show and I would like to congratulate him on getting cast as Seymour in BBBAY's upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors. I knew he would be PERFECT for this role and thrilled that I encouraged him to pursue this opportunity.

Congrats mon ami!

Okay - time for bed it's a school night...oy.

Cheers

Martin

LA VIE EN ROSE

If anyone out there is serious about acting - I highly recommend that you rent LA VIE EN ROSE which is a heartbreaking film about the life of Edith Piaf - brilliantly performed by Marion Cottilard who gives an Oscar-worthy performance (I know who I'll be rooting for Oscar night.) Have the Kleenex ready kids but this movie is a must-see. I am so inspired by the performance I just saw but also by the life of Edith Piaf however tragic she is a magnificent & extraordinary human being.

I have always loved Piaf's songs but never really knew much about her - there got to a point in the film where I just couldn't watch anymore because I knew that tragedy would be around the corner. I was completely mesmerized by Cotillard's performance - how at such a young age she was able to play Piaf who was a frail morphine addict by the time she time at age 47. What an amazing woman - watch this movie. I highly recommend it.

OH OH, IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN...

So school is just around the corner so I have the next two days to sort of get it together and stop going to bed at 4 in the morning. I am ready to start. Rehearsals for Orpheus start on Wednesday and even though I only have one scene I may wind up going to a lot of unnecessary rehearsals (which I hate but it's life so what can I do?) so I think I am going to buy one of those portable DVD players as I have just become a member of Netflix - we'll see if I like it or not.

I got to celebrate my friend Tyler's 23rd Birthday on Saturday night. I took him to Estampas Peruanas which is a wonderful Peruvian restaurant here in Redwood City and then we went to see a movie. We ended up seeing Juno because he hadn't seen it yet and I loved it so much I didn't mind seeing it a second time.

The Golden Globes didn't air tonight and I was sad. I usually love watching these awards because I look forward to the acceptance speeches. As an actor, it is sometimes inspiring to hear their stories of triumph. I guess I may have to go see Sweeney Todd again and be more open to it as everywhere I go people are raving about it and it just won the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy and earned Johnny Depp his first major award for the title role...could Oscar be beckoning? I was thrilled to hear that Glenn Close won for her role in Damages - my favorite new drama of the year.

Okay not much else to report - I'll be seeing the final dress rehearsal of "Third" at TheatreWorks which features Craig Marker - he is a fantastic actor and I am looking forward in seeing the show. I didn't really care for The Sisters Rosensweig so we'll see what I think of this play (which would be Wendy Wasserstein's last play before her death.)

Okay kids, have a great week.

Cheers

Martin

MY FIRST BASKETBALL GAME...AND I LIKED IT!!

For Christmas I got my Dad tickets to see the Warriors play. He has always wanted to see them live but my Dad is...kind of a cheapskate (love you Dad!) meaning the chances of him ever spending money one basketball games are as likely as Madonna having dinner with the pope if you get my drift. I bought him two tickets so that my sister could go with him but my Mom & her are currently in Hawaii so I went with Dad and I thought I would not enjoy myself at all since I don't particularly care for sports.

I had a great time and I cheered and I asked questions and saw a lot of tall handsome men sweatin' down the court. They won the game which I believe was 130-121 after overtime. It was such a good game as both teams were on their A-game. They lost to the San Antonio Spurs which I didn't realize until later features Tony Parker (Eva Longoria's husband.) It was so great to see my Dad so happy - I am glad I could share his joy with him and at the same time experience something new. Yay! =+)

On a sad note, I just read that the Golden Globes Awards ceremony would not go on because of the writer's strike. While I worship the writers and all that they do, I wish that they would have been able to come up with a solution or agreement in order to let the awards go and perhaps they could have used the awards to support the writers strike. The Golden Globes are usually one of my favorite award shows to watch - I am very sad by this. What's next to be cancelled - the Oscars?

And on an ever sadder note - my Mother comes home today. My vacation (or peace of mind) is officially over. =+)

Cheers

M

THE FIRST AUDITION OF THE YEAR

Even though I am already booked until April I already had an audition for something in May. I usually don't like to talk about auditions on the blog and I can't remember if I have already written about this or not but I will say that auditioning (for me) is the worst part about being an actor - closely followed by "waiting" - you know what I mean? The waiting part after an audition is done. But I don't like to talk about auditions or make a big deal about them but this was kind of a a big one and I think in 2008 I will write more about the audition process.

The audition I went in for today was for a concert version of Follies (yup, again) for the Oakland/East Bay Symphony (with legendary opera diva Frederica von Stade starring!) I had to sing for the conductor, Maestro Michael Morgan at his studio. I think I did well. I sang Johanna from Sweeney Todd (in a deliciously high key) and also Beautiful Girls which is Roscoe's number from Follies and the high note went well. I hope I get it but If don't -- there will be another audition 'round the corner. =+)

I have to thank my friend Tyler Kent for saving me today because as I was headed over there I had the directions with me but not the actual address. Thank goodness Tyler was home near his computer so he could look that up for me - thanks Tyler!

Okay, this is the last week of vacation and I think I am rested enough and ready for the spring semester to start. Tonight I am taking my Dad to see the Warriors play (his Christmas present) and I have never been to a professional basketball game so if should be an experience. =+)

That's all for now - have a great week y'all

Cheers

Martin

SHOWS TO SEE IN 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I hope everyone had a safe new years eve. I can't believe that it's already 2008 and I have a list of shows that I want to see (if I can). Here they are in order of appearance:

THIRD @ TheatreWorks

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS @ American Musical Theatre of San Jose
starring my pal Christiane Noll as Audrey

STEEL MAGNOLIAS @ California Conservatory Theatre
featuring my girl Nicole Julien

OVER THE TAVERN @ Coastal Repertory Theatre
featuring my beloved Patti Appel

GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS @ San Jose Stage Company

A DELICATE BALANCE @ Dragon Productions

BEACH BLANKET BABYLON
*I have never seen this show but I cannot wait to see it with my beloved Hilary Little in it.

CAROLINE OR CHANGE @ TheatreWorks
My girl C. Kelly Wright is playing Caroline - cannot wait for this one.

BLADE TO THE HEART @ San Jose Stage Company

JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS @ Marin Theatre Company
featuring my girl Alison Ewing & my pals Kristin Stokes & Robbie Brewer (thanks for the 411 Courtney! =+)

Seeing these plus school plus the two shows I have going on this spring should keep me busy plenty.

=+)

M.