Well, it's been a while. . . I know. Over the last two weeks, things have not really settled down at all. I Do! I Do! just finished its second weekend of shows. The reviews have been okay. The Houston press review was not that great, but he seemed like he just didn't like the script and the music itself, not necessarily our performance. But, Buzz at Chron.com gave us a pretty decent review although, in reality, it seems like he gives good reviews to everybody. Sometimes his reviews can be disgustingly positive, but then again, I'm certainly not going to send him an e-mail requesting that he be a little bit harder to please. If I were to do that, you can be sure that his next review of my work will not be as fun for me to read!
A Gig I'll Never Forget!
Among all of the craziness that has gone on for me over this last week and a half or so, I got to play one of the coolest gigs that I've ever been a part of! A couple of weeks ago, I got an e-mail from a performer named Merideth Kaye Clarke who toured with Wicked for a couple years as a chorus member first, and later as Elphaba. She said that she had gotten my contact information from a friend of mine who had played the role of Glinda on the same tour with her and is now playing the same role on Broadway. She said that she had been asked to perform at the Wortham Theatre in Houston for a breast cancer awareness fundraiser called "Pink at the Brown." Now, I have to admit, when we first started talking about the performance, it didn't sound half as cool as what it actually turned out to be!
It ends up, that we were going to be sort of the 'featured performance' in a concert that had performers from the Houston Ballet, the Houston Grand Opera, an instrumental group called La Camera, the Houston Boy's Choir, and the Houston Girl's Choir. A truly unbelievable group of performers! In our tech rehearsal the night before the performance, I started getting the idea of just how big of a deal this was to be here. During this rehearsal time was the first time that I saw the list of the other performers, I also realized just how big the Brown Theatre at the Wortham Center actually is, and finally I realized that I'd be sitting center stage playing on an 8 foot Steinway piano! This really was a once in a lifetime type of opportunity for me!
The night of the show was amazing! Merideth and I had been hanging out in one of the dressing rooms as the show started and then she mentioned that she'd like to see one of the ballet performances. So, her and I both walked to the backstage area where we could see the show. With as much time that I've spent in a theatre over the last several years, I haven't been able to be back stage during many performances, and especially not for a ballet. After watching these performers go through their warm-up routines before taking the stage and then watching their true skill in their performances, I definitely now have a huge respect for what they do.
Equally as impressive was getting to watch members of the Houston Grand Opera go through their warm-up routines moments before taking the stage. I guess I just forget sometimes how cool it is to be backstage and get to see all of these things going on. As a music director, all I know is when someone screws it up and misses an entrance. Again, my entire perception of what goes on for a performer during a show has completely changed!
Then it was our turn!!! Oh Crap! It has been a LONG time since I have been as nervous as I was for this performance, and I was only responsible for playing ONE song! I joked with Merideth that I wasn't nervous until she insisted that we go and watch the other performers. :) Although I was being a bit serious, I am so happy that I did watch the other performances. Anyways. I had gotten so nervous because the other two or three pianists who had played were just absolutely incredible, and from what we could tell backstage, the performance was sold out and there were about 5,000 people out there! The curtain went up, and off we went. We were performing Merideth's big song from Wicked, "Defying Gravity," and no matter how much we had practiced the song the night before, that was probably the fastest that she had ever sung it thanks to my nerves getting the best of me. Actually, the song went pretty well and we were both happy with how it had gone, so it couldn't have been too fast!
To make the night that much better, my mom and dad were able to make it out! My parents are so supportive of everything that I do, and I am so very thankful for that! I had called my mother the night before and told her how excited I was to be playing this show, and sure enough, she texts me the next morning saying that her and dad would be there. What a nice surprise!
It truly was a remarkable evening, and I was so proud to be a part of it! Not only was it a great night for me as a musician, it was also great to have a night to perform such a great song with an amazing singer while remembering my Aunt Cyndi who passed away in October 2009 because of breast cancer. Before she had passed away, I had dedicated my performance of Beauty and the Beast to her, but on this night, through all of the amazing things that were going on, I honestly never stopped thinking of her.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading.
Peace Out,
Luke
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