Parade Week 1

Ok so this is the first official blog for Parade and I am so excited for this show, the cast, the blog, and one of my dream roles playing Jim Conley "Cleaning Supervisor". I hope you enjoy taking the journey with me through the entire process from the first read though until closing night.
Soon I will be posting photos, videos and more to aide in my blogging efforts.

So let us start at the beginning and work our way up until now.

December 22, 2008: Auditions!! the whole audition process can be sometimes crazy and nerve racking but I feel that I was more prepared than ever for this one. I had know about it for the longest and went right to work on trying to create the best Jim for the audition. I had read the script, listened to the entire cd multiple times and tried out "the voice" for Jim before the actual audition. I went in after closing down Joseph & Koza another great show i was apart of at the same theatre for Parade and I was sick and my high notes were really light. Of course I have never been more fearful for any other show in my life. I really wanted this part. So I sang "What is it about her?" from Lippa's Wild Party and I belted my face oof pushing through the cold and sickness just the same. From there I got the script to read for Jim and it was the scene I was very familiar with, which was very exciting. Also on the back of my head I was thinking I have to do so much better than any other black boy that had gone before me. Anyway after that thought and the much needed support from Jonathan and Rachel I hit a home run so-to-speak. After all of the auditioning that went on Jonathan, Rachel and I went to steak & shake and obsessed over Parade and when we would find out the casting.

December 29, 2008: The Elusive Phone Call!! So after waiting impatiently for too damn long this was the day. The night previous Jonathan, Rachel along with me and my wife to be went out to the movies to try and keep our minds off the fact that we still didn't know anything. Bedtime stories with Adam Sandler was pretty good although Courtney Cox looked like a young Janice Dickison. I digress!! afterwards we parted ways and just new the next day had to be the day. Surely it was and it couldn't come soon enough!! I had got off of work early and about halfway home I got the call!! but not for me as you would imagine. It was Jonathan and he had gotten the call and I was so excited for him. I screamed a little. I had made it home and still no phone call. I waited and played with my step daughter and paced around alot. Then the phone call!! again not the one I was hoping for but still great to hear from another cast member about their victory. My sweet little Michele who is awesome got the call. So where the hell was mine??? Well suprise I didn't get one. I am the only one to my knowledge not to get a phone call. I got emailed as you can imagine I was still overjoyed and relieved by the news. It simply said "btw you are Jim Conley" I literally went horse from the excitement and even my precious child was happy and she fell off the bed jumping for joy. Good times I tell you!!

January 4, 2009: The First Read Through!!! As you can imagine after all that waiting and waiting for the call now came the waiting for the first day of rehearsal. I was so excited and couldn't wait to see the whole entire cast(especially the black folk) I know it's sad but seeing as I knew I would be working closely with them I couldn't wait to see the caliber they possessed as far talent goes. So most of us get there and we were of course early as can be and it was great. Seeing people from previous shows Like Emily who is a Sweetheart and just a joy to be around along with Jonathan and Michele to start the day off right. So we get in there and setup and wait for more people to arrive and for a moment I remembered that damn crown I had to wear for the previous show. I had to hunt that puppy down and destroy it. Alas I didn't. Another point I would like to make is that it's been a while since I have been in a musical where we have done a sing through/read through. Safe to say that right from the beginning everyone was fantastic even if we really didn't the songs it was still awesome. Also I love good stage managers!! Any way the cast was just wonderful and I was on cloud 9 just being there.

January 5, 2009: Day Two!! So the first two weeks is pretty much music rehearsals and day 2 was pretty easy. There wasm't that much of an issue learning music. It seemed to go by very quickly and we got alot further than expected. Also I bought this acting book from my job that has proven to be somewhat helpful in character development and such through the beginning process. the rest of the week was pretty much the same. Not until we got to Thursday and we started going over "That's What He Said" did there seem to be an issue. I had been working and focusing my energy on this song the whole entire week and all of a sudden I was so nervous and fearful that I was really out of my element. It was really awkward knowing and not knowing and learning but already learned. At that point just listening to the emsemble do their thing I knew I had my work cut out for me. So I went home and regrouped to make sure I know all of my stuff in advance so when we come back to it I'll be on point. All in all the first week went pretty well.


Ok so my Objectives that I am working with right now:
To Create the "Monster"
To Create Doubt and Fear

My Obsessions of the week:
Doubt with Meryl Streep is absolutely amazing and you should go and see it!!
Virginia Woolf : I just finished reading Mrs. Dalloway and watching the hours!!
The Wedding Singer: I just need to be in this show!!

Also I will be posting Links from other productions on youtube that I think are awesome and alot of my research for this show!!
Here is the cast list!!

Directed by Frank Barnhart

Leo Frank - Jon Schelb
Young Soldier/Hugh Dorsey - Jay Rittberger
Old Soldier/Slaton - Randy Benge
Luther Rosser - Sam Vestey
Frankie Epps - Jonathan Collura
Jim Conley - LaRon Hudson
Fiddlin John/Ivey - Bill Fulk
Tom Watson - Mike Wilson
Newt Lee/Riley - Quentin Schoefield
Starnes/Mr. Turner - Aaron Leu
Floyd/Judge Roan - Joel Cohen
Britt Craig - Drew Eberly
Randy/Aide - Aaron Henley
Lucille Frank - Liz Wheeler
Asst. to Governor - Jennifer Painter
Sally Slaton - Danae Roll
Mary Phagan - Rachel Herring
Iola Stover - Abby Koselak
Monteen - Vera Creameans
Essie - Emily DeArdo
Mrs. Phagan - Eileen Howard
Betty/Angela - Wilma Hatton
Nurse - Dawn Farrell
Lizzie Phagan - Michelle Conison
Chorus - Dani Mann
Chorus - Wendy Cohen

Character - Cast List Always Subject to Change/Be Improved Upon ; )


Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert BrownWritten by Alfred Uhry and co-conceived by Harold PrinceSaturdays, Feb. 28 and March 7, 14 @ 8 p.m.Sundays, March 1, 8, 15 @ 2:30 p.m.Thursdays, March 5, 12 @ 7:30 p.m.

Parade is the tragic true story of the trial and lynching of a man wrongly accused of murder. In 1913, Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-born Jew living in Georgia, is put on trial for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan, a factory worker under his employ. Already guilty in the eyes of everyone around him, a sensationalist publisher and a janitor's false testimony seal Leo's fate. His only defenders are a governor with a conscience, and, eventually, his assimilated Southern wife who finds the strength and love to become his greatest champion.

More next time but I need to get ready for movie night!!

peace, love and skittle!!