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Sweet Spot

As I looked into the display case and noticed that the top shelf was quite noticeably empty, my heart sank.  And then I started to laugh at myself.  I had stopped into the newly re-located Madeleine...

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Program Notes

The mezzo-soprano was in the middle of spinning the second phrase of "La flûte de Pan"… Pour le jour de Hyacinthies,Il m’a donné une… …when the gentleman turned to his female companion and whispered...

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Goodbye Thirty-Nine… Hello Ice Cream

I had spotted the truck a few weeks ago.  There it was parked quietly and unassumingly on Broadway in the middle of the Upper West Side.  I didn’t know what to make of it at first, but as I got closer...

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Of Cups and Cones

This post is, more or less, a follow-up to my previous post. More or less. First of all, I am 40! So far, so good. Very good. It seems like I’ve been celebrating almost every day for the past two...

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Seven Years Ago, Seven Years Later

9/11/2001 I still remember that morning. I think we all do. Even though I had just returned from an out of town trip the night before, I was actually up and out of bed before 9:00am. I headed to the...

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Autumn in New York via Van Gogh

At the end of last week, I managed to view the new Van Gogh exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art three times: Thursday morning, Thursday afternoon, and Saturday afternoon. In other words, I decided to...

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140 Characters Or Less At A Time

http://twitter.com/JoseSPiano Do I want to blog about my Mom’s health, surgery?   12:48 AM Oct 10th Can’t sleep tonight. Too many things.  Mind is racing.   3:40 AM Oct 14th Doctor just gave us the...

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The Long Versions or The Overwhelmings

October 14, 2008 I should be asleep by now. In fact, I should have been deep in slumber an hour ago, ideally two. Instead, I lie here in bed, my mind spinning, my head full of conversations that may or...

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Merry Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve. And I’m spending it – and tomorrow in New York City. It will be my first Christmas not spent with my family in many years. And this song, well… This is for my Mom and Dad. My...

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A Time for Giggling

Somewhere in the air between Houston and San Diego I just started giggling. There really was nothing else I could do, and there was nothing I wanted to do in a way. The past 12 hours just seemed to be...

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A Time for Giggling

Somewhere in the air between Houston and San Diego I just started giggling. There really was nothing else I could do, and there was nothing I wanted to do in a way. The past 12 hours just seemed to be...

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ADVICE FROM THE PLAYER

As Audition Season has started to kick into high gear here in NYC and elsewhere – and it actually started earlier this year! – here are a few quick tips and fixes for your “book” – your physical book...

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Hashtag Auditions

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I shall be returning once again to Memphis to play for the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions (UPTA), as well as heading to Knoxville to play for the...

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Slate Your Name, Slate Your Name

Let’s start at the very beginning. “Hello, my name is Jose Simbulan. Number 88.” I rarely have to give, to say, to announce my full name – my first and my last name – on a regular basis. In fact, I...

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Cut It Out

While I have appreciated and marveled at what some people have managed to cobble together with pieces of cardboard, poster board, foam core, construction paper, decoupage glue, craft scissors, pinking...

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Three Questions

THREE QUESTIONS to take us into the weekend. Just some food for thought, rather some food to prompt some thought(s). Read each question. Answer each one for yourself. You might end up with some more...

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The Frankencut

In the process of cutting down a song to a suitable length for an audition – whether that be in terms of a number of measures (16-32 bars) or a span of time (30-60-90 seconds) – I sometimes feel that...

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Don’t Say It

“I’m sorry…” * “…that this page is falling out of my binder.” “…this page is ripped.” “…that when I copied this it cut off the bottom of the page.” “…I didn’t erase the old markings.” “…for not...

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They’re Hiring

If you’re still trying to figure out which songs and monologues you want to use for your UPTA and/or SETC audition, take a look at which Theatre Companies will be in attendance… UPTA Companies SETC...

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