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From:  Margaret Harrison <peggyh@i...>
Margaret Harrison <peggyh@i...>
Date:  Wed Aug 1, 2001  9:43 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Need advice on unpaid gigs...


Elizabeth Finkler wrote:

> I've been told by a couple of places that although they couldn't offer me a
> principal role, they'd LOVE to have me in the chorus. Trouble is, I've
> pretty much decided that I don't want to take unpaid chorus gigs, especially
> if they involve driving an hour each way to rehearsals.

> I've had a couple of principal roles, which may have deluded me into
> thinking that I've left unpaid chorus behind. But then again, I saw an
> *excellent* "Sweeney Todd" on Saturday night which I auditioned for (and was
> called back for Mrs. Lovett), and can't help thinking that even an ensemble
> bit in that would have been good.

That's a tough one. I generally don't get cast in
non-chorus roles (I have an ingenue's voice in a matron's
body!), so that's mostly my only stage option. I've done a
number of them now, and while I enjoyed them and am glad I
did them, I kind of now feel like "been there, done that".

I won't do Broadway show choruses ever again, unless it's as
a favor to a very good friend. This is because that's not
the type of singing I want to be doing and because the music
is no longer interesting enough to me that I want to spend
my time with it (the exception, if you can call it a chorus,
is being one of the Liebeslieder Singers in Little Night
Music, which I'd pay somebody money to let me do, and
Sweeney Todd with a good music and stage director). I've
done some G&S choruses with good groups, and though I had
fun, I think I've had my fill in terms of the time it
takes. I won't audition for any more of those shows, but if
someone I like were to ask me to sing in one without having
to audition, I would probably say yes. I still like to do
opera choruses, if it's for an opera with chorus music I
like, or if it's with people I like.

Peggy

--
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh@i...


  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
13429 Re: Need advice on unpaid gigs... Ian Belsey   Thu  8/2/2001   3 KB
13452 Re: Need advice on unpaid gigs... Karen Mercedes   Thu  8/2/2001   3 KB

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