If you came here from one of my online forums then thank you for taking the time to read this post, and also thank you for being part of my online community network.
We’ve had an increase in spam posts lately, especially from the porn and pharmaceutical industries. Spam is when they drop a link to their website on a post; they do this to increase their rankings in the search engines. 99.99% of the time it is a new member and it is done on their first post. It’s very easy to spot. Some that are very clever will disguise it as an actual post, with an unrelated link.
ON MY FORUMS I DO NOT ALLOW LINKS FROM NEW MEMBERS – so if you see a member with one or two posts that has dropped a link in any forum besides the “Website Links” forum – PLEASE REPORT IT. I have a lot of anti-spam features installed on our boards, but it’s not catching all of them. It is a major problem lately for anyone who runs a forum, and not something focused specifically to my network.
. HOW TO REPORT A POST This little exclamation point graphic appears on the top right of every single post on my forums. If you click it, you will be “reporting a post” – it will ask you to briefly describe why it is being reported. I am immediately sent an email with this information and will take care of it ASAP.
MODERATORS – Mods, please don’t just move the spam post, please report it to me – then I can additionally ban the hosting email company and IP of the poster.
THE REVENGE
Many porn companies use automated robots to create member accounts at forums – I have features in place so they have to do it by hand. It takes them much more time to create an account, than it takes for me to remove the post and boot them. So at least there’s a little revenge built into the process.
Let’s keep the forums clean. Thank you for your help!
Well, new to me. I am so jazzed. A local organ repairman told me several months ago he’d keep an eye out for an organ for me. I told him I wanted a Hammond with B3 style drawbars and at least a two octave pedal board. He called this morning and SHABAM, here it is.
This is a Hammon 328322 Commodore. It has a two octave pedal board, real Leslie speaker built in, string section, rhythm and all the accompanying cheezeball effects. I told him I’ll never use the other stuff, just the leslie and drawbars and he said that’s typical of “real organists” and “purists”. So I guess I’m a “real organist” and a “purist” by that definition.
I’m conducting Seussical the Musical in November and I was going to cover the B3 organ parts on my Korg CX-3, which is a Hammond B3 and Leslie clone digital keyboard. But the repairman said he’d haul this organ up to the performing arts center, so I might just break it in onstage for that show. Too cool.
My friend Herb has been making fun of me for YEARS because he has a B3 with a Leslie and doesn’t even play keyboards. He’s been rubbing it in mercilessly. So Herb, if you’re reading this, and I know you are, I am hot on your trail buddy – getting closer to that B3………
And if someone is reading this and has a B3 or tons of money, I have an idea……why don’t you send me a Hammond B3. Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.
WOW! Went to see WICKED tonight at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. What a fantastic show. I purposefully did not research the plot too much so the show would be fresh for me. So many twists and turns, I am just blown away by all the imagination that went into producing this production. The story lines alone are amazing.
I won’t do a review, I’m sure there’s plenty out there. And besides, IT WAS FRIGGIN’ AWESOME! That’s all you need to know. Go see it. Ok, so maybe being a critic reviewer isn’t in my future. Visit the official Wicked website at http://www.wickedthemusical.com/
The thing that most delighted me was the plot line. WE ALL LOVE THE WIZARD OF OZ (If you DON’T like the WofOz, then I want you to go right now and wash your brain out with soap), and this musical delivers. It’s like watching the Wizard of Oz all over again for the first time. But the SUPER DOOPER COOL part is…………well, I knew the play involved background and character development for the witches……but the SUPER DOOPER COOL PART IS….that the plot line ran not only from the early years (which even a dummy like me knew that much), but the plot line continued right through the Wizard of Oz movie plot and beyond. So all in all, the movie of the Wizard of Oz might have all taken place within a very short segment of Wicked.
So as Wicked is presented, it’s the full story going on behind the scenes, while only the public saw the one dimensional media spin, ie: the MOVIE the Wizard of Oz.
The gift given to us, or the curse if you must, is that we will never see the Wizard of Oz the same again. We see it with new eyes, new perspective. The play is all about perspective, about how history is written, and sadly much of it is all too appropriate concerning current world affairs. I can’t help but wonder if some of the dialogue was tweaked a little to be a modern commentary.
Sets were cool, flying monkeys, flying witches, awesome costumes, incredible singing, perfect orchestra…..blah blah blah blah blah. But what blows me away is the plot and character development. Absolutely amazing. It hurts my brain to think how they must have come up with this. It is a real brain teaser.
Did you see the movie Sixth Sense? Remember as you drove home from the theatre you were thinking of all the twists and turns….and all those AHA! moments of realizing what was actually going on. That is what WICKED is all about. The whole time going AHA! – that’s what REALLY happened in Oz.
The musical takes two dimensional type-cast characters and makes them full 3D, and makes you feel guilty for judging people. WICKED is pure entertainment, but has plenty enough commentary for deeper discussions and introspection on how we see the world around us, and how we can only make judgements based on the information we have at hand. When we have more information. (read here: The CORRECT information), our viewpoint can change drastically.
Can’t get a ticket? I got my tickets on Ebay from a seller with very high sales count and good feedback. My tickets were $30 BELOW the sales price, I was very surprised.
Skagit Opera is getting ready to open Bizet’s opera Carmen at McIntyre Hall, Mount Vernon, WA. There will be a free preview talk with director Erich Parce & conductor Dean Williamson – including musical selections from the opera.
I have seen two Skagit Opera productions: The Magic Flute and the Marriage of Figaro – both were excellent productions. Hope to see you at the show!
Sunday, Oct. 1st – 2 pm – McIntyre Hall
Carmen Performances by Skagit Opera at McIntyre Hall, October 2006
Friday, October 6 at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 8 at 2pm
Friday, October 13 at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 15 at 2pm
More Information on Dean Williamson
Dean Williamson, one of the country’s foremost emerging opera conductors, was until 2002 music director of the Seattle Opera Young Artists Program.He has led all of the program’s productions, including Cosi fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni,La Cenerentola, and La bohème.
In 2001, he was asked to conduct a new production of Lucia at the Minnesota Opera. His success there led to numerous other invitations and in 2002 he made his debut at the Wolf Trap Opera with Don Pasquale.
Engagements in 2004 included Carmen at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Sondheim’s Passion at Minnesota Opera, Don Pasquale at the San Francisco Opera’s Merola program, Cosi fan tutte at the Seattle Opera Young Artists Program and L’Italiana in Algeri at Boston Lyric Opera.
In 2006 he returns to Spokane Opera for the New Year’s Eve gala, then conducts Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Washington East Opera. In February, he makes his Kentucky Opera debut with another production of Il barbiere di Siviglia, then comes back to the Seattle Opera YAP to lead The Turn of the Screw. In the spring and summer he returns to the Opera Theatre of St. Louis for Il barbiere di Siviglia, opening the season there. In the fall he conducts Die Zauberflöte at Opera Colorado.
Acclaimed by London’s Opera as a virtuoso at the keyboard, he was for twelve years principal coach and pianist for the Seattle Opera. Mr. Williamson has also performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe as accompanist with some of the world’s leading singers.
Deeply committed to teaching, he has given masterclasses at universities around the country, and has served on the judging panels of many competitions and scholarship auditions, including the Metropolitan National Council.
Accent: An unusual manner of pronunciation, eg: “Y’all sang that real good!”
Accidentals: Wrong notes.
Ad Libitum: A premiere.
Agitato: A string player’s state of mind when a peg slips in the middle of a piece.
Agnus Dei: A woman composer famous for her church music.
Altered Chord: A sonority that has been spayed.
Attaca: “Fire at will!”
Augmented Fifth: A 36-ounce bottle.
Bar Line: A gathering of people, usually among which may be found a musician or two.
Beat: What music students to do each other with their musical instruments. The down beat is performed on the top of the head, while the up beat is struck under the chin.
Bravo: Literally, How bold! or What nerve! This is a spontaneous expression of appreciation on the part of the concert goer after a particularly trying performance.
Breve: The way a sustained note sounds when a violinist runs out of bow.
Cadence:
The short nickname of a rock group whose full name is Cadence Clearwater Revival.
When everybody hopes you’re going to stop, but you don’t.
(Final Cadence: when they FORCE you to stop.)
Cantus Firmus: The part you get when you can only play four notes.
Chord: Usually spelled with an “s” on the end, means a particular type of pants, eg: “He wears chords.”
Chromatic Scale: An instrument for weighing that indicates half-pounds.
Clef:
If a student cannot sing, he may have an affliction of the palate, called a clef.
Something to jump from if you can’t sing and you have to teach elementary school.
Coloratura Soprano: A singer who has great trouble finding the proper note, but who has a wild time hunting for it.
Compound Meter: A place to park your car that requires two dimes.
Duple Meter: May take any even number of coins.
Triple Meter: Only rich people should park by these.
Meter Signature: The name of the maid who writes you a ticket when you put an odd number of coins in a duple meter.
Conduct: The type of air vents in a prison, especially designed to prevent escape. Could also be installed for effective use in a practice room.
Conductor: A musician who is adept at following many people at the same time.
Counterpoint: A favorite device of many Baroque composers, all of whom are dead, though no direct connection between these two facts has been established. Still taught in many schools, as a form of punishment.
Countertenor: A singing waiter.
Crescendo: A reminder to the performer that he has been playing too loudly.
Cut Time: When you’re going twice as fast as everyone else in the orchestra.
Detache: An indication that the trombones are to play with the slides removed.
Discord: Not to be confused with Datcord.
Dominant: An adjective used to describe the voice of a child who sings off key.
Duration: Can be used to describe how long a music teacher can exercise self-control.
English Horn: Neither English nor a horn, not to be confused with the French Horn, which is German.
Espressivo: Close eyes and play with a wide vibrato.
Fermata: A brand of girdle made especially for opera singers.
Flat: This is what happens to a tonic if it sits too long in the open air.
Flute: A sophisticated pea shooter with a range of up to 500 yards, blown transversely to confuse the enemy.
Form:
The shape of a composition.
The shape of the musician playing the composition.
The people of paper to be filled out in triplicate in order to get enough money from the Arts Council to play the composition.
Glissando:
The musical equivalent of slipping on a banana peel.
A technique adopted by string players for difficult runs.
Half Step: The pace used by a cellist when carrying his instrument.
Harmonic Minor: A good music student.
Harmony: A corn-like food eaten by people with accents (see above for definition of accent).
Hemiola: A hereditary blood disease caused by chromatics.
Heroic Tenor: A singer who gets by on sheer nerve and tight clothing.
Lamentoso: With handkerchiefs.
Major Triad: The name of the head of the Music Department.
Minor Triad: the name of the wife of the head of the Music Department.
Mean-Tone Temperament: One’s state of mind when everybody’s trying to tune at the same time.
Modulation: “Nothing is bad in modulation.”
Music:
Tempo: This is where a headache begins.
Tone Cluster: A chordal orgy first discovered by a well-endowed woman pianist leaning forward for a page turn.
Tonic: Medicinal liquid to be consumed before, during, or after a performance. (Diatonic: This is what happens to some musicians.)
Transposition: The act of moving the relative pitch of a piece of music that is too low for the basses to a point where it is too high for the sopranos.
Trill: The musical equivalent of an epileptic seizure.
Triplet: One of three children, born to one mother very closely in time. If a composer uses a lot of triplets he has probably been taking a fertility drug.
Vibrato: Used by singers to hide the fact that they are on the wrong pitch.
The American Idol film crew arrived at McIntyre Hall today (Mount Vernon, WA) to shoot footage of new contestant Skye Dahlstrom rehearsing with the kids from the upcoming Seussical The Musical show. Skye showed them choreography for songs from the show and taught them very hip dance moves.
Skye made it through the first round of auditions in Seattle, WA early this week; competing with over 9,000 other hopeful contestants I’m told. She then made it through the second round the following day. Her next round will be to audition for Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson.. We all wish her the best and to “break a leg” at the audition. GO SKYE!
As you can imagine there’s a lot of buzz about this locally and the news has spread like wildfire. Skye is a total pro and made everyone feel totally comfortable while supporting her for the film shoot.
And much to our pleasure, the film crew from American Idol was TOTALLY cool and ultra nice to work with. You might think being in this business they would be a bit jaded, but that is not the case. They made the kids feel comfortable and everyone gave them a big THANK YOU yell at the end. Nice people.
Why the interest in Skye’s choreography? That’s how Paula Abdul started, as a choreographer.
So here’s a rundown of our shoot. Of course I’m not going to tell you details about what we did, you’ll have to watch Skye on American Idol to see that!
We did the shoot on stage at McIntyre Hall, which is where we’ll be performing for Seussical the Musical in November 2006.
Parents sign all the legal stuff for their kids to be in the shoot.
Director Dave James does the ultra cool pose while waiting. Dave James is co-directing Seussical the Musical with his wife Carrie James. Skye Dahlstrom is the choreographer and I am the conductor and musical director. The show is produced by Kate Kyporus for META Performing Arts.
Kids hang out in the lobby at McIntyre Hall waiting to enter the theatre.
All lined up at the door and waiting to enter the hall. Many of the kids hadn’t seen McIntyre Hall yet, so it was very exciting all around for them.
The view of the stage from the front of the audience. McIntyre Hall also has beautiful box seats along the sides, a full balcony section and rear loge.
The view from my piano onstage. I played the music for the kids to practice Skye’s choreography. Very fun stuff.
Directors Carrie and Dave give instructions to the kids about stage etiquette and safety.
Steve Craig, stage manager at McIntyre Hall and all around theatre guru. Everybody loves Steve!
Our reason for being here today – Skye Dahlstrom!
Film crew scouting the stage out
Skye working with the “Who’s” on choreography
American Idol film crew talking things over with the directors and Ms. Dahlstrom.
The kids in the cast give Skye a big send off.
Dave James, Carrie James, Skye Dahlstrom and me (Conrad Askland)
I’ll let you know more as more information is made public. I’m only going to post things that are public knowledge.
Everyone asks me how Seussical rehearsals are going. The rehearsals are going fantastic. The kids are very focused. We have most of the music for the first act down pretty good and are adding choreography and character development.
I am SO happy about the casting, I think the show is perfectly cast.
Here are some pictures from rehearsals:
Kids practice improvised theatre
Director Dave James hams it up
Bianca Campbell as Gertrude
Bird girls practice choreography with Mayzie played by Ashley Henning
Skye Dahlstrom gives choreography tips
Mike Marlin plays the Cat in the Hat
Nate Young plays the Mayor
Paige Woods as Mrs. Mayor
Matt Olsen as Horton the Elephant
Carrie James leads the board meeting
Carrie James co-directs the show with husband Dave James
Skye Dahlstrom showing the citizens of Whoville some choreography
Skye Dahlstrom has completed the first two rounds to be on American Idol. We’re all VERY excited for her. Film crews from American Idol are coming up tomorrow to film her at one of our rehearsals for her background piece on the show. She is the choreographer for the current musical I am conducting: Seussical the Musical
GO SKYE!
I got the chance to see “A Really Big Shew” at the Tulalip Casino this past Sunday. I thought it was fantastic. The show is hosted by Jerry Hoban who portrays Ed Sullivan. He is FANTASTIC! If you remember the Pulp Fiction scene where they are at the restaurant and Ed Sullivan MC’s the show, that was Jerry Hoban. Visit the Really Big Shew website.
I’m a little bummed because I had the chance to hang out with Jerry Hoban on Saturday but didn’t, after seeing his show I just wanted to talk with him for hours. The show ran for several years in Laughlin, Nevada and switches out it’s acts depending on the venue.
My good friend Gailyn Addis was doing Liza Minelli the night I saw the show, and will be doing Olivia Newton-John later in the week. She was AWESOME as Liza Minelli, really incredible. Gailyn and I did a tour of Japan about 10 years ago when I was musical director for Ron Stein’s Hollywood Superstars. We had a troupe of background singers, musicians, dancers and tribute performers for Elvis, Buddy Holly, Tina Turner, John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe. When I worked with Gailyn Addis she was dong the Marilyn Monroe tribute. She also does Judy Garland and Madonna.
So you’ll notice some posts lately on my site with information about Liberace impersonators, and details of JS Bach’s face. After hanging out with Gailyn while she was up here, I kind of got the bug to do an impersonation bit. It just sounds like fun. Gailyn is THE MASTER at studying characters, and I don’t have any dreams of being as good as she is, but I think I could do a fun Liberace, Elton John and JS Bach. JS BACH? WHO DOES JS BACH IMPERSONATIONS? No one, it’s just crazy enough for me to do. I would like a JS Bach impersonator, so maybe someone else will too. So far I’ve ordered the wigs for Liberace and JS Bach, have a costume designer looking into creating a Liberace outfit, and I’ve ordered an Elton John costume and glasses. So we’ll see what happens.
THE REALLY BIG SHEW – was very fun. Murray the magician performed a unique act using palming techniques with compact discs, a very interesting and captivating cabaret act. I got to speak with him for a bit at dinner after the show. He’s currently working at the MGM in Vegas with his own show, and is getting ready to go to Greece and other far away places with his act. He said what I saw was his scaled-down cabaret act, in Vegas he does the full show. He reminded me very much of Johnny Depp, an ultra cool personality and ultra hip. Best wishes to you Murray as your career continues to build.
The show also had a spinning plate act. On tv this act might have seemed corny, but performed live it was great. You just don’t see acts like that anymore. It was a classic performance, and rumor has it the act ACTUALLY PERFORMED ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. That made it very cool.
There was also tribute performances to Little Richard, James Brown, Neil Diamond – a puppet act and many inuendo jokes by Ed Sullivan, which were very funny (he writes the jokes himself).
So congrat to a Really Big Shew, may your run last longer than M*A*S*H – Jerry Hoban, you are awesome, nice job!
Conrad
****
Music Tribute Acts Available for Really Big Shew:
Ann-Margret
The Beatles
James Brown
Johnny Cash
Ray Charles
Chubby Checker
Cher
Petula Clark
Patsy Cline
Bobby Darin
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Neil Diamond
The Doors
Bob Dylan
The Everly Bros
The Four Tops
Aretha Franklin
Judy Garland
Buddy Holly
Janis Joplin
Tom Jones
Jerry Lee Lewis
Liberace
Little Richard
Dean Martin
Johnny Mathis
Bette Midler
Liza Minnelli
Marilyn Monroe
Rick Nelson
Roy Orbison
Elvis Presley
The Rolling Stones
Frank Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Barbra Streisand
The Supremes
The Temptations
Tina Turner
Ritchie Valens
Frankie Vallie
Hank Williams
Jackie Wilson
Stevie Wonder
The Young Americans
Specialty and Novelty Acts:
Akrobatic
Adagio
Komedi Kontortions
Ed Alonzo Magic & Comedy
Yogi Baird Fiddle Playing Contortionist
Jim Barber & Seville Comedy Ventriloquist
Jack Benny Comedy Tribute
Dan Birch Illusionist
The Bizzarros Body Balancing Team
Bouncin’ Dan The Paddleball Man
Circus Boy Bobby Hunt
Rider of the World’s Smallest Stunt Cycle
Brad Cummings Ventriloquist
The Dancing Gouchos Specialty Dance and Drums
Jeff DeHart Emmy Award Winning Impressionist
El Gleno Grande A Man and His Zebra Sasha
Fedorchev Aerialist Extraordinaire
Janice Hart Comedianne Impressionist
The Hamners Grande Illusionists
The Hartzells Death Defying Crossbow Team
Hillel – Mr. Balloon Man
TM Jesse and James Country Comedy
Bob Moore’s Amazing Mutts Comedy Canine Troup
Murray The Guy with the CD’s
Magically Musical Illusions
Pete Michaels Ventriloquist
John Parks
The Funny Plate Spinning
Waiter Johnny Peer’s Muttsville Comix Going to the Dogs
Price & McCoy Acrobatic Team
Mark Nizer The Bad Boy of Juggling
Rice & Renee Comedy Rope Trick Team
Kip Reynolds Juggling Comedian
Almost Joan Rivers Comedy Tribute
Red Skelton Comedy Tribute
Cameron South Magical Comedy
James and Kathy Taylor Comedy & Adagio Dance
Leslie Tipton Contortionist
The Great Tomsoni & Company
The Wizard of Warsaw Jimmy Travis
Comedian Dario Vaquez Speed
Juggling Sensation Waldo & Woodhead
The Masters of Mayhem … and more!
