Summertime JAM!

Do you know that throughout the year, Epcot holds free (well with park entrance) concert series? It's true! They do. Being a CP means free entrance which means totally free concerts. And they usually offer some entertaining stuff too.

Today, Disney released the schedule for this year's Sounds Like Summer concert series. This series is all cover bands, but if my experience with last years bands is any indication, they are really good cover bands. Last year I went to go see 2U (a U2 cover band) with my training group buddy Patrick and his then girlfriend (now fiance) Toni. I went just to spend time with Patrick because I would be leaving Orlando to return to school soon but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed the band too.

Patrick and I enjoying the concert.

I have decided that this CP I am going to try to take advantage of everything. While that means I will be a very busy bee, it also means I will be a happy bee. So the plan is to hit up Epcot concerts because they are fun and free. I will hopefully go to the following Sounds Like Summer concerts:

• Slippery When Wet – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute, 6/26-7/2/11
• Frontiers – A Tribute to Journey, 7/10-16/11
• Karin Lawson – A Tribute to Janet Jackson, 7/17-23/11
• 2U – A Tribute to U2, 7/24-30/11

If you are going to be at Disney World in June or July (or just want to see who will be there) the Sounds of Summer schedule can be found here.

-M

Audition Pictures!

I forgot to add these into the post audition entry. Its really long so I just decided to make a post for the pictures. :D



 This is me right before I left my apartment. Look I am all cute and not sweaty-gross!

Hillary and I outside the audition room right after we finished. Look at how fierce and sweaty we look. Obviously we rocked it!

On more random tidbit that I forgot to mention in the audition post... Gina (the casting director) was actually the choreographer I had the very first time I auditioned. A nice little coincidence. 

3rd Times the Charm

Here it is! Post-Audition Review #3!

I don't think I have mentioned this before but I am relatively positive that this was my last time auditioning to be a Disney performer. The real purpose of doing the CP again is to use the program to network and get my name out there so hopefully I can get a PI and then a FT job with some sort of communication focus. Since my plan is to get a PI, I may end up extending my program, but I am hoping that I will eventually turn down the extension in favor of a PI. So basically this audition is the last chance I have to get into the performing side of entertainment.

So with that being said some of my previous really anxious posts might make more sense. Surprisingly though day of I wasn't freaking out.  I had some butterflies but that isn't bad and went away once I got there and started talking to people.

The full recap:

I woke up at 7:30 am so that I would have enough time to chill and get ready. I also wanted the extra time to stand around in hopes that my spine would compress some. I know that sounds totally ridiculous but you are taller when you first wake up and since I wanted to be as short as possible, I figured I would wake up and stand. Which I did. About the only time I sat that day was to drive to and from the audition location.

The audition location was only about 10 mins from my apartment so I left at 9:50 to get there for around 10. Check-ins start at 10:30 and the audition started at 11. Once I parked and got to the doors of the studio there were probably at least 30 people there. I am bad with visual estimates but there was definitely a good chunk of people already waiting. After some looking around I finally went up to the girl that I thought was probably Hillary, a girl I know from the FB group. Its turns out it was her (!!YAY!!). She came with 2 other girls she goes to school with (Molly and Kat) and I ended up staying with them the whole audition.

They led us into the audition room at I assume 10:30... I didn't look at my cell to check. The process was pretty much the same as the last 2 times I auditioned. They sat us down gave a kinda brief overview of the paperwork. Asked how many of us were there for the CP (most) and how many for Full Time/Part Time/Seasonal (15-20). The Casting Director (Gina) introduced herself and the choreographer (Marissa). They then handed out the application and pens. I knew going in that I didn't want to be #1 like I was last time so I took my time filling out the paper work. Since I am currently seasonal I got to check off that I was a current cast member which was a nice little change. Hillary, Kat, Molly, and I then got in line.  When I got to the front of the line I got my number (36), Gina looked at my application and saw that I was a current cast member. She has what I was and I told her I was an attendant at Hollywood Studios. She then asked me if I liked it, I responded I loved it, and then she took my picture.

Next up was getting measured by Marissa. Measuring this time around was a bit fancier than in the past. The last two times there was a strip of tape on the wall which had heights marked and they just stuck a ruler on the top of your head to measure you. This time around they had some fancy laser thing that they put on the top of your head, pressed a button and then you stepped away and it read the height from the floor to where the laser started. I of course thought short and was measured at "5 foot and some inches." That was Marissa's exact words, which I think are quite odd. Kat was measured at "5 foot 1 and some inches" so I know I was under 5'1 but I don't know exactly what I was measured at.

After getting measured everyone sat, stretched, and waited till everyone was checked in. There was a grand total of 88 people at the audition. From my previous experience in Austin auditions that is average. Once everyone was checked in and measured, Marissa got us all up and started the audition. The layout was the same as in the past, we are given scenarios for the animation portion and time to come up with what we are going to do and practice. Then she taught us the dance portion. It was 6 counts of 8 I believe. Counts 1 and 2 are pretty simple, 3 and 4 have more speed but the movements aren't really hard, then counts 5 and 6 are when the moves get more technical with the speed. The one thing I really appreciated about Marissa was that she went slow, not snails pace but not light lightening speed. After each bit she taught us we had a chance to do it one or two times. She also asked if we had questions every once in a while. Overall I think she was really great. After we learned the movement we then put the animations with the movements, did them a few times, and then she split us up into smaller groups so we would have enough room to do the whole thing together. The "whole thing" was animation, dance, animation, dance.  I ended up being in the first group to do the whole thing. After all of the groups (4 in total I think) practiced the whole thing we were sent into a smaller dance studio to wait for our turn to go perform for Gina.

While we waited, a lot of people practiced the dance. I practiced some but I also spent a good bit of time just trying to chill before the final audition. The room had so many people that were so hot that the mirrors started to fog up, the walls got kinda wet, and the floor (IMO) started to get a bit slippery. Totally gross. They took us in groups of 6 so I ended up auditioning with Hillary which was nice.

I can honestly say that this was the best Disney audition I have ever done. I really don't think there is anything I could have done better. I wasn't bad at the dance, but I am not dancer. I got the first part of the dance and then the more technical aspects I was alright. I went the right direction and generally did the right thing so it was as good as I could have made it. As for animations, I am so glad I took the time to practice the two days before. I know that I was big and expressive. I actually had someone say after I did the group practice "You were really great! Your movements were probably the best." That makes me feel good and I can only hope that Gina saw that too. I am really happy with my audition. No matter what happens I know that I did my best. The fact that my last shot was my best gives me so much peace. I can walk away happy.

So that is it for this post-audition entry. :) Gina said we should hear in 2-3 weeks and the "after steps" paper we got says within 4 weeks. Next week marks the end of the audition tour so hopefully 2 weeks is accurate. Fingers crossed I will hear some awesome news.

-M

Blog Milestone!

This blog just hit 100 followers! That is so amazing!

Thank you to everyone who reads this little thing. I really do love writing it. As silly as this sounds each and every one of you followers means a lot to me.  That fact that you take to the time to read what I write just boggles my mind. I am so thankful. So insert *Happy Follower Dance* here. :D

I am working on a post audition entry. I just saw this and needed to immediately post something about it.

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

It Twas the Night Before Auditions...

And all through the apartment, only one person was stirring, a hopeful potential mouse.

That hopeful potential mouse would be ME! I am quite excited at the moment and a bit wired. I am so freaking happy that I am not anxious and freaking out. I chalk that up to dance class on Tuesday. After that I have just been really confident and positive. I spent some time after class in the gym (where we hold our dance classes) in front of the mirrors practicing animations. I did that again today. Doing that has really put me at ease. I probably won't be given the scenarios I worked on but just the act of doing and practicing has given me confidence.

I also just finished reading Dan Brown's The Last Symbol which for some odd reason has given me this mind over matter I can do anything mind set. Part of the plotline includes humans being able to like, do crazy things like change the form of ice crystals with your mind. Hence mind over matter. So because of that I am all I can do anything I just have to have the right thoughts. Also kinda "the secret" book thing where you think and it comes to you. As ridiculous as these all sound I know that a lot of this audition for me is going to be mental. If I can just relax, have fun, and be my normal peppy big person like I am when I am excited I will do great. I may not pass but I won't have any regrets and will leave everything I have in that studio.

Sooooo Goodnight my dear bloggy followers! Please send good vibes, juju, prayers, pixie dust and general good luck my way tomorrow around 11 am central/12 pm eastern. :)

-M

T - 8 days!

Well hello there everyone!

Sorry it has been such a while since I last blogged (really blogged not that little update thing). I have been a busy bee with school and such. But I am finally freeeee!

I am actually sitting in the airport getting ready to fly to St. Louis for a friend's wedding. It seems that even when I am doing something completely unrelated to Disney, Disney finds me. The people sitting next to me have either just come from a Disney park or are on their way. The mom is looking at Disney Vacation Club brochures and the daughter is hanging out with her Jessie doll in her Mickey hat. And the mother is sporting Mickey Mouse sock and watch. Can we say ironic? I even look like I am one of them since my big Sorcerer Mickey pook-a-looz is popping out of my carry on bag. He is my travel companion. :)

In other news... 8 days till Austin entertainment auditions!

Blerg, Eek!, AHHHHH!

As I am sure I have said before I am both really excited and really nervous. Although at the moment I'm not so nervous. More excited and amped up. Yesterday was the first audition in Salt Lake City. Ironically today is the St. Louis audition day. Although that audition started about an hour ago at 1pm central time. No one posted in the FB group or DIS about attending the Salt Lake audition. Hopefully someone will about going to the St. Louis one. I am quite curious to see what the animations are. I think they may be different than the traditional ones but I have absolutely no way of knowing that for sure. 

I am currently in audition prep stage. I am about as confident as I can possibly be in my dancing ability. I am taking a dance class so I am about as prepared as I can possibly be in that department. As for animations I have just be standing in front of a mirror and acting like characters, mainly Minnie. Really big, sassy, girly movements. I figure if I can do that, then I will hopefully be able to do the animation sequences. Although I wouldn't be adverse to knowing what the scenarios at this year's auditions have been. :D

I have also been trying to figure out what style make-up to wear to the auditions. Its really a question of eye makeup. I plan on wearing pink lipstick and pink blush. As a friend put it "circle blush" aka circles right on the apples of my cheeks. The debate in the eye makeup comes in should I try and go more Tinker-bell or just something that will make my eyes pop. And if I go with the eyes pop should I go with colors that will make my eyes look blue or green. I have blue-green eyes that lean more towards green most of the time but the colors I wear can change that. Any thoughts? Perhaps I will post tests pictures here and get some opinions.

Other than auditions not much is going on in the Disney front. The days are slowly ticking away till graduation and check in. My birthday is also at the end of this month so I am counting down to that. The current countdown is: 14 days till my 22nd birthday, 58 days till graduation, and 81 days till check-in. Speaking of check-in I need to start figuring out travel logistics. Ideally I would be able to get someone else to come with me in another car so I could have more room to bring some stuff. It would be super duper fab if I could bring some of the furniture that I know I will use and that can then be there for when I move out of CP housing. Like a little bookcase or other random things. That way they don't have to be stored. But odds are if someone comes with me then we will both me in my car. Which would be fine since that is what I did last time. I have checked into hotel rooms. GO ME! Oddly (or really not since it is Disney) staying on site at a value resort even with my 50% off CM discount would be about the same or a little more than staying at the Holiday Inn Sunspree. And if it is the same or more plus travel time... well then its not worth it.

Anyway. Thats all for now. I will post more audition-y stuff soon. :)

Dear blogger, I miss you.

I know I haven't made a post in a while and I feel quite bad about that. My excuse is school. Last week was mid-terms and even though I am technically on Spring Break right now, I am still trying to finish a paper. Almost done though! And as soon as I finish it I am going to write an entry. About what? ... I have no idea. But I miss blogging and I feel like I have neglected this lovely little things so I will come up with something.

Also... 96 followers!? Thats almost 100! Holy poop. I love all 96 of you!

-M

Whos got a roommate... I DO, I DO!

Thats right ladies and gents I know who I will be living with this upcoming Fall. :)

My immediate roommate is a girl named Jenn. She is from Massachusetts, is a Theater majors, and will be an Attractions host. We chatted a lot before making the decision to live together and I think we are going to get along great. I am quite excited. She has a blog and if you click her name you can go check it out.

We will be living with Kryssy and Katarina in a 2 bedroom apt in Chatham. I am really quite excited about that because I have been talking to those girls since like August and I already love them. I am confident that we are going to get along and have tons of fun. I think that is the thing I am most excited about. I got along with my roommates last time but they were all a lot closer to each other than I was to them. We didn't really hang together after the first month or two. I really think that we (Jenn, Kryssy, Kat and I) are going to hang out together. I can foresee movie and TV nights and days in the parks. Hopefully our schedules will mesh enough to where we can actually do that sort of thing. Or at least mesh every once in a while.

I have to start thinking (eventually) about redoing my old packing list. There is definitely stuff I didn't really use last time and I don't need to bring this time around. Unfortunately I am going to have to figure out what that stuff was. I'm really not looking forward to that. But I am looking forward to being back in Orlando! 93 more daayyyssss!!

DCP Presentation Live Blogging Event!

Technical issues (no internet access or cell signal) meant I couldn't live blog yesterday's presentation. However I am going to try again today!

Update (1:15): Thanks to everyone who participated! I had a great time live blogging the event. If you want to see the transcript of the event just click the replay button in the box below.




-M