I have been hearing about this project for quite some time now and was really excited to see the great reviews rolling in for Fat Camp A New Musical. All across the twitterverse, the facebook social circles, and the blogging networks Fat Camp has been getting rave reviews! From all corners, this new show is getting some mad theatre love.

About a group of people who spend their summer at Camp Overton, this new musical promises a great rock score from Matthew roi Berger and a great set of book and lyrics from Randy Blair and Tim Drucker.

Now, I haven’t seen it yet but I have friends who have come out of the theatre saying they can’t stop smiling and tapping their toes, and apparently craving some s’mores.

If you want to see this show, don’t miss out! It’s only playing for another seven performances! After winning Best in Fest at the New York Musical Festival in 2009 this off-Broadway show is going to be PACKED for the next week. Get your tickets now! If you’re a student, the rush starts half an hour before the show and it’s $20 cash with your ID.

You can find this show at The American Theatre of Actors on 314 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019.

That was a lot of exclamation points. I’ll try to tone it down a little. I’m just really excited. Here’s your list of nominees. How many of these Broadway shows have you seen?

Play
“Clybourne Park,”  Bruce Norris
“Other Desert Cities,”  Jon Robin Baitz
“Peter and the Starcatcher,”  Rick Elice
“Venus in Fur,”  David Ives

Musical
“Leap of Faith”
“Newsies”
“Nice Work If You Can Get It”
“Once”

Revival of a play
“Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”
“Gore Vidal’s The Best Man”
“Master Class”
“Wit”

Revival of a musical
“Evita”
“Follies”
“The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”
“Jesus Christ Superstar”

Book of a musical
“Lysistrata Jones,” Douglas Carter Beane
“Newsies,” Harvey Fierstein
“Nice Work If You Can Get It,” Joe DiPietro
“Once,” Enda Walsh

Original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theater
“Bonnie & Clyde,” music: Frank Wildhorn; lyrics: Don Black
“Newsies,” music: Alan Menken; lyrics: Jack Feldman
“One Man, Two Guvnors,” music & lyrics: Grant Olding
“Peter and the Starcatcher,” music: Wayne Barker; lyrics: Rick Elice

Performance by an actor in a leading role in a play
James Corden, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”
James Earl Jones, “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man”
Frank Langella, “Man and Boy”
John Lithgow, “The Columnist”

Performance by an actress in a leading role in a play
Nina Arianda, “Venus in Fur”
Tracie Bennett, “End of the Rainbow”
Stockard Channing, “Other Desert Cities”
Linda Lavin, “The Lyons”
Cynthia Nixon, “Wit”

Performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical
Danny Burstein, “Follies”
Jeremy Jordan, “Newsies”
Steve Kazee, “Once”
Norm Lewis, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”
Ron Raines, “Follies”

Performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical
Jan Maxwell, “Follies”
Audra McDonald, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”
Cristin Milioti, “Once”
Kelli O’Hara, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”
Laura Osnes, “Bonnie & Clyde”

Performance by an actor in a featured role in a play
Christian Borle, “Peter and the Starcatcher”
Michael Cumpsty, “End of the Rainbow”
Tom Edden, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Andrew Garfield, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”
Jeremy Shamos, “Clybourne Park”

Performance by an actress in a featured role in a play
Linda Emond, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”
Spencer Kayden, “Don’t Dress for Dinner”
Celia Keenan-Bolger, “Peter and the Starcatcher”
Judith Light, “Other Desert Cities” Condola Rashad, “Stick Fly”

Performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical
Phillip Boykin, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”
Michael Cerveris, “Evita”
David Alan Grier, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”
Michael McGrath, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”
Josh Young, “Jesus Christ Superstar”

Performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical
Elizabeth A. Davis, “Once”
Jayne Houdyshell, “Follies”
Judy Kaye, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”
Jessie Mueller, “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “Ghost the Musical”

Scenic design of a play
John Lee Beatty, “Other Desert Cities”
Daniel Ostling, “Clybourne Park”
Mark Thompson, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Donyale Werle, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Scenic design of a musical
Bob Crowley, “Once”
Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, “Ghost the Musical”
Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel, “Newsies”
George Tsypin, “Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark”

Costume design of a play
William Ivey Long, “Don’t Dress for Dinner”
Paul Tazewell, ”A Streetcar Named Desire”
Mark Thompson, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Paloma Young, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Costume design of a musical
Gregg Barnes, “Follies”
ESosa, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”
Eiko Ishioka, “Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark”
Martin Pakledinaz, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”

Lighting design of a play
Jeff Croiter, “Peter and the Starcatcher”
Peter Kaczorowski, “The Road to Mecca”
Brian MacDevitt, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”
Kenneth Posner, “Other Desert Cities”

Lighting design of a musical
Christopher Akerlind, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”
Natasha Katz, “Follies”
Natasha Katz, “Once”
Hugh Vanstone, “Ghost the Musical”

Sound design of a play
Paul Arditti, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Scott Lehrer, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”
Gareth Owen, “End of the Rainbow”
Darron L. West, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Are you going to be in any Tony pools this year? I sure am. I’m pulling for Leap of Faith and Phillip Boykin. In their categories. I’ve seen them; I’ve met them; They’re brilliant.

Leap of Faith has been in the works for years now. It’s been work-shopped and performed across the country with many different leading ladies and even different story lines and dance numbers. Tomorrow is the culmination of the journey that this show has taken and I must tell you that this one is a must see.

Raul Esparza alone is reason enough to see this show. As a veteran of the stage he’s an absolute pleasure to watch. His dance moves are bang on and his voice is better than I’ve ever heard it. Honestly, the man is sex on legs in this production.

The cast around him is absolutely phenomenal too. Nightingale’s sister, the leader of the gospel choir, and the town’s sheriff all have amazing stage presence. The gospel choir is so tightly choreographed and their singing is so joyous you’re going to want to jump on your seat and clap along…and guess what? That’s encouraged. The show is framed around the idea that the theatre goers are attending the third night of a revival. The story we are seeing is what happened in the past and Jonas Nightingale (Esparza) is narrating.

I don’t want to give away too much but I will tell you that you’re going to leave humming the songs, tapping your feet, and wondering when you can come back. I’m telling you, give Leap of Faith a fighting chance and you won’t be disappointed.

Get ready to fall under the spell of Jonas Nightingale. With
his troupe of singers, he’s journeyed far and wide, rattling
the rafters, conning the crowds and trading miracles for
money. And tonight’s a special night: He’s sharing the story
of his very own redemption. Don’t miss his roof-raising tale
about the time he came face to face with a strong-willed
woman and a spirited boy who put his grift–and his own
faith–to the test.

Four-time Tony Award® nominee Raúl Esparza headlines
this inspired new musical from a remarkable team: eight-
time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken; bookwriters
Janus Cercone and Tony®-winner Warren Leight (Side Man);
lyricist Glenn Slater; choreographer Sergio Trujillo (Jersey
Boys); and Christopher Ashley, director of the Tony®-winning
Best Musical Memphis.

I talked to my boyfriend about it. I’m not even completely submerged in the business yet, but I’m having these performance anxiety dreams. His first response (after telling me it was okay and he was sorry that I had that terrible dream) was to welcome me into the fold. “Congratulations, you now have Charlatan Syndrome like the rest of us!” As far as I can tell, Charlatan Syndrome is not a real thing. It’s the fear that someone in the audience is going to stand up and say “You’re no good! You’ve never been good! Get off the stage! You’re terrible! You call yourself a performer?!?” Apparently, it’s something that all actors, actresses, and theatre professionals get.

My boyfriend told me a story about a friend of his, Tony Award nominee, big name in the business, always working, recognizable name. My boyfriend asked him over coffee if this feeling ever went away. If he ever got to a point in his career where he wasn’t afraid that he was going to be “booed” off the stage. His response? “Never. That never goes away.”

On the surface, this is terrifying. The fact that you’re going to be scared for the rest of your career is awful! Then I thought about it, it’s that same fear that drives us to improve our performance, our skills, our abilities. This fear makes us better. Chances are you’re never going to actually be booed off the stage, but the possibility is going to make you study and work harder to be better at your craft.

Welcome. You have Charlatan Syndrome. Embrace it.

Now I need to figure out a way to stop having those dreams where I go onstage without pants.

Last week I talked about nerves and auditioning. That was because I was thinking about my own auditioning and how I was really nervous to start up again. Yesterday, I saw something that amazed me. It’s not exactly Broadway but I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up at the Met or Lincoln Center.

I’m probably a little late to the party but have you seen the video of Jonathan Antoine and his audition for “Britain’s Got Talent”? If you haven’t, take a minute and take a peek here. Seriously, go watch and come back. You won’t regret it. I’ll wait.

Remember Susan Boyle and how she completely wowed audiences with her voice that didn’t quite match her look? It’s happened again, and for some reason people are equally amazed. I guess that means we didn’t learn our lesson the first time around.

No, I’m not saying I knew that the boy would sound like Pavarotti but I didn’t dismiss him out of hand when I saw him walk out on stage. What captured my attention about this video was his interactions with the microphone and with his friend Charlotte who sang with him. Take a look at the look he shoots her when he starts singing too soon and the look she gives him back. Yes, he’s said that she gives him confidence but that’s comfort right there. Sometimes talent needs reassurance.

When his hand is shaking as he’s singing it’s not because of the big sound he’s putting out, it’s nerves. Honestly, who wouldn’t be scared to sing in front of that many people and Simon Cowell? But the mere presence of a friend can put you at ease…and look what can happen?

I get goosebumps each time I watch this video and I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve seen it more than once…in the last ten minutes.  It gives me courage to know that someone else out there who has doubts about their talent can get up there and do THAT. Bravo, Jonathan. Bravo.

Getting to an audition early in the morning is a feat (especially if you need to be awake at 4 am to get there in time.) Getting to an audition and not being nervous is impossible.

Nerves are just a part of the business. Butterflies appear when you audition, step on stage, or even meet your favorite actor. They can plague you through the rehearsal process. They can show up when you least expect it. In all honesty, being nervous is good. It means you care about what you’re doing. It’s not a fear, it’s a mechanism to help us deal with how much we care about a project, a role, an audition.

Sometimes, however, nerves can be debilitating. Everyone has seen someone succumb to stage fright. You definitely can’t afford to have that happen to you at a big audition or on opening night of your show! Most seasoned actors have different ways of dealing with those pre-show or pre-audition jitters. For the newbies, though, it can be hard to find something that works.

Here are a few of my tips:

• Find a hobby that calms you. Crocheting, origami, sudoku, writing. Do that before a big audition. It’ll help ease your mind. Repetition is also a good thing in a stress busting hobby.
• Drink something to take the edge off. I’m not talking about booze. Don’t be that guy. I’m talking about coffee and tea (for you caffeine addicts) water, juice. Nerves can sometimes mask symptoms of dehydration and make your symptoms worse. True story.
• Get yourself a mantra. Remember when I said repitition is good? Repeat something over and over to yourself. “Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.”
• Hug someone.
• Pet a cat.
• I’m totally serious.

What’s your favorite way to beat the butterflies?

I had an audition today. Well, I should rephrase, I SHOULD HAVE had and audition today. I’m out of practice. I don’t think I could tell you the last time I had an actual audition. I haven’t been on the performance side in awhile but my two year plan calls for a lot more in front of the curtain experience.

This audition wasn’t exactly part of the plan but would have seriously helped me out. Anyway, I had been down with a sickness for a few days and it had completely slipped my mind (I blame the strep throat.) Today when I was on my way to the city, I mentioned the audition to my significant other explaining that I wanted to audition. He looked at the posting and said it was absolutely perfect except for one thing. The audition was today.

Doh!

Well, needless to say, I was upset, but it did put some things into perspective. I wouldn’t have been prepared. I didn’t have a song. I didn’t have a headshot or a resume. I didn’t even have a good idea of the job. It really made me think that I need to get my act together. If I want to get back into the world of auditioning, I need to have the right tools for the job.

Here’s a list of things that you should have in your basic auditioning arsenal:

- Two Headshots: one happy, one more serious (choose one for the audition)
- A polished resume
-  At least four songs in audition ready shape. Two upbeat, two ballads. Make it a mix of old and new, pop and legit. You want options.
- Monologues. Again, you’ll want a few. Shakespearean, comedic, dramatic, and contemporary.
- Business Cards with relevant and updated information
- Get yourself some confidence. Sing in the shower, in front of friends, and feel good about your material.

Oh, and most importantly, learn how to schedule and read a calendar. I’ll be kicking myself for this one for a long time.

Here are a few tips to get you through the busy season.

1) Don’t overtax yourself. It’s important to be on top of your game in all of your auditions, not just the first one or two of the day. Try not to EVER do more than four in a day. If you have an appointment from a specific show that invited you or is a perfect fit for you, give that audition priority over the others that day.

It should go without saying that you should always put an emphasis on appointments rather than chorus calls or open calls. That’s not to say that these calls are not important, but an appointment means they’re interested in you specifically. It’s already one step closer to a callback than an open call audition.

2) Keep yourself in good shape. You want to present yourself at your best. If you’re a singer, you’d better be drinking some ginger tea and gargling every day. Keep your vocal chords in good working order. Don’t let them get rusty. You don’t want to show that to a casting director. Same goes for every facet of performance whether you be a dancer, puppeteer, actor, or all of the above! Keep your skills sharp.

3) If your headshot is over 5 years old, it’s time to start looking for a new one. Even if you think you still look the same, headshot photography has been morphing over the years and while you might not look dated, your photograph is.

4) If you have more than one “look” think about printing out smaller photos (like business cards) of that different look. For example, if you’re usually clean shaven but get a lot of work that requires you to grow a beard, you should definitely attach that photo to your headshot and resume for select auditions.

5) Send thank yous. Create your own branding by getting postcards printed with your headshot on one side and your personal info on the back. Send these to casting directors and associates who saw you audition. Not only is this a polite thing to do but it will keep you fresh in their minds!

Happy auditioning, everyone! Break legs!

But, as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. A director is in a position to employ actors. These days, there aren’t a lot of jobs out there that are actually available for actors. This is becoming more and more true as more and more theatres are using non-equity actors to fill out their casts and only giving Equity Guest Artist contracts for leads.

With so few jobs, actors are up earlier, working harder, and putting themselves out there more for the fewer jobs available. They put themselves into the hands of the auditioners and leave the rest up to their talent, and sometimes luck.

Sometimes, however, directors, producers, and other creatives can violate the etiquette of the power balance. This happened only a few days ago. A director in an audition room rifled through all of the resumes and headshots that they were given that day and took down all of the emails of the acting hopefuls that they saw that day. As this was a large call, there were over 800 emails. Later, an email was sent out that was entitled “Observations from the _________ Auditions.”

Many actors thought this was an invitation for a callback or (hold your breath) a job offer. Instead, it was an email hocking the acting class of the director for one of the shows from the season.

Not only is the preying on the hopes, fears, and dreams of people who got up at the crack of dawn to stand in line in the cold to wait to sing and act for you, but it’s just plain rude. It violates the delicate power balance between actor and director.

For those who are actually going to be cast in that particular show, how can you trust someone who took your information and used his position of power for his own gain? How can you work for or even respect someone who did that?

This director was reported to the union and subsequently sent out an apology email. Hopefully, this is the end of the story and everyone, even those not involved, learned something from this outrageous behavior.

Like how you should never do it.

Well, maybe not for Broadway but it has certainly been a big week for me theatrically speaking. Yesterday was the one and only EPA (Equity Principal Audition) for one of my favorite shows “Into the Woods.” It’s certainly been a huge time for this Sondheim musical. There’s been a resurgence in it’s popularity in recent years leading to remounts of the production and now an animated Disney feature directed by Rob Marshall. Keeping my fingers crossed that the movie will be as good as the original filmed stage version with Bernadette Peters et al. There’s talk of new Sondheim written songs in this one.

I wonder if those songs will make it into the Delacorte Theatre production coming this summer. This version is the one that has been ported over from London and is why so many aspiring actors/actresses showed up yesterday morning at the audition. My inside sources tell me that there were over 3 holding rooms FILLED with hopefuls, many were non-Equity and were soon weeded out. Just goes to show you how much people want to be a part of this much beloved show.

Speaking of much beloved shows, I won’t go into it right now because I want to devote a whole post to this production, but I found this on Playbill.com today and haven’t been able to stop watching it. Elena Roger, we’re counting on you. Dear little Eva…don’t let me down. A bad production of Evita would break my heart.