My First Post!

Well, this is my first post. I am so excited because I will be doing the National Tour of "Oliver!", and playing one of my favorite roles ever. I have played Mr. Bumble at least 2 times before, and this will be my third, but I can never get enough of this role. I feel as if every time that I have played it, I have learned new things about this character, and have discovered great little nuances that have kept each experience fresh. Hopefully, this experience will not be any different!

Rehearsals will start for me in exactly a week, and I couldn't be any more nervous. Since announcing that I would be doing this, all of my friends have, almost on a daily basis, been asking me if I was excited yet. Honestly, this has become a little annoying as I really don't know what to expect, and would like to withhold my excitement until I actually get through rehearsals. In fact, I am a little nervous about the prospect of leaving behind my family and friends for approximately seven months and going on the road. It is not as if I haven't been away from home before, (college, duh!) but this is not going to be as stable as living in a dorm with a roommate, or in an apartment of my own. We'll be going from town to town, city to city, state to state, and practically, we'll all be strangers, learning to adjust to different personalities!

I have already started to reach out to a couple of my castmates via Facebook, or rather, they have found me for the most part....another example of my being apprehensive....anyway, I

have been chatting up my Widow Corney (Stacie Johnsen) via Facebook and AIM, and I think that we are going to get along famously! It's funny, because I remember meeting her VERY briefly at a callback for the Chicago National Tour back in December of last year. I was up for Mary Sunshine and she was up for Mama Morton, and when we were at the callbacks for this, we connected again, and started chatting. I was hoping she got the role, and I am so happy that she did, because I think we'll really look good together, and have a lot of fun, and not to mention rock it!

Speaking of, the final callbacks for this tour was one of the funniest audition experiences I have ever had. Not only was it 120 degrees that day inside of Chelsea Studios, I had been there ALL day, doing everything, and to top it off, the ceiling collapsed and fell on some of my fellow auditioning peers. THAT was scary! I don't think there was one person in that waiting room who didn't scream at the top of their lungs when that happened. Well, I know *I* did! Lord! Luckily a couple of people got scratched up, but nothing serious. I mean, big boulder-like pieces fell down. Can you imagine if that hit someone on the top of their head?

At the end of that day, I felt like I did a competent job, but did not think I would have gotten this part. Imagine my surprise the next day when I got the call...I was in shock for 3 days. I thought it was a joke! Oh well -- let me shut up now. I am anxiously awaiting my first real rehearsal, and I should try to memorize lines. Maybe I'll do that now. 'Till next time! Later!

Yours,

Chaz