New Songs: Angela Is Pregnant and Child's Party Clown

Download Angela is Pregnant



Download Child's Party Clown



Taped during a 1-29-06 rehearsal. How do these songs come about? The pianist just starts playing and I either get a strong idea/sense of what the song will be about or I don't. There were no suggestions given before each song. He just started playing and I'd fall in where I saw melody and words in my head.

This is an email from Beth Marshall about which artists are going to be at which artists conference. I'm posting this because it's the first time I have seen, in print, the names of the other local acts and mine. Wow. This is really going to happen.

Monday, February 6th


PRT: John Goring – Monday

Clarion Refugees: Jack Lowe & Susan Mitchell – Monday

Excellent Adventure: Fred Berning & Bill Patterson – Monday

Voci: Adrienne Nichols, Kelli Cummins & Genevieve Bernard – Monday

Lost Soles: Marc Ackerman & Andrew Douglas – Monday

Naked Orange: David Lee – Monday

King of Farts: Chris LaVigne – Monday

Hystorical Players: Jordan Camenker, Michael Deaver & Roy Scherer – Monday

Free Lobster: David Lamontagne & Jennifer Silverman – Monday

Ghostlight: Brandon Roberts – Monday

Angela Pflaumer, Nicolle Avery & Angela McDonald – Monday

Dying to Perform: Di Drummond – Monday

Michael Wanzie & Kenny Howard – Monday

Bay Street Irregulars: Larry Stallings and Marcie Schwalm – Monday

Improv Cabaret: Mark Baratelli – Monday


Tuesday, February 7th


Michael Murray, Marie Murray & Uri Kaweblum – Tuesday

Andy Dooley – Tuesday

Tait Moline – Tuesday

Chrissy Morales-Martin – Tuesday

Corruption Productions: Rachel Bowen-Wilkerson – Tuesday

I met with my second pianist today at 2pm and boy, it rocked. I will probably have two or three songs to share when I post them in the middle of this week. Listen to me descirbe how it went as well as share some other news from the Fringe front. Nothing earth-shattering, just general stuff:



I got some positive feedback for that last song I posted. Yay and thank you!

Also, please share the link to the song and/or this blog with anyone you think might be interested in a show like this. Improv, music, singing..

Later!

-mark

1-28-06 A new song popped out during rehearsals today I wanted to share with you. it's called "Lucky Girl"

Update:

---I am rehearsing with Chase at 3pm today. The other pianist has not gotten back to me yet on his schedule, but I will see him tonight at SAK. By the way, come out tonight if you want to see me- I'l be in both the 8pm and 10pm shows.

***UPDATE: I forgot to bring the microphone to rehersal, so I drove around for 45 minutes looking for one to buy at Wal Mart and Radio Shack. No dice, so we rescheduled for tomorrow night. The recording is an important component to the marketing plan. I want the songs eventually to get great and have people pass them around.

---Beth Marshall Playfest Seminars:
1. Feb 12- noon-two pm (How to do Fringe)
2. Feb 12- 3-5pm (How to tour with the Fringe circuit)

I am going to both. I called this morning to make reservations, like the email Beth Marhsall said to do. But, upon calling I found out there are no reservations needed. And, there was no point to even calling. You just show up, buy a button and that is your ticket in. I did have an interesting conversation with the guy on the phone. he told me I would be added to a mailing list if I bought tickets. I asked to be removed. He said if I did that, then they could not mail me tickets. What? You have to FORCE me to be on your mailing list to receive tickets? I am going to assume he was wrong. That can't be their strategy.


---The Fringe Conferences, which each show is required to attend (one of the following dates)

1)Monday, Feb. 6th -6-8pm

2)Tues. Feb. 7th- 2-4pm

I have to go to the Feb 6th one due to work. I hope Angie can make it. It'll be at the Studio Theater next to the Fringe office. And the best part? Snacks/Drinks provided.

So how am I doing? My biggest concern is creating a sense of comfort for myself: not stressing about nonexistant problems, relaxing and letting go at rehearsals, and making sure I get info from credible people who can help make the show better. That's it. Nothing dramatic right now. Knock on wood.

Full Version Alone in a Bar

Lots to update on, so sit back and enjoy...

I rehearsed with Chase today. My first rehearsal for the show ever! We’ve set up a second rehearsal for next week, same time. So you're probably wondering "How did it go?" Well, for a first rehearsal, I did alright. He was great. I was tentative and hesitant and unsure of myself. There were moments when I "let loose" but not many. I want to tap into that abandon I have when i sing in a SAK show. I guess that will come with rehearsal. Here are clips from three of the songs I sang. By no means do these reflect the quality of musical improv I want to have in my show ultimately. I am sharing them to hopefully illustrate an uptick in quality as rehearsals go on.

Play God Made Me Gay

God Made Me Gay.MP3

Play Red Lobster

Red Lobster.MP3

Play Alone in a Bar

Alone in a Bar.MP3

I'm rehearsing with another pianist as well starting sometime this month so I'll hopefully start having two rehearsals a week. One with one pianist and one with the other.

Beth Marshall (director of Fringe) is giving a “Producing a Fringe Show 101” class Feb 12, 12-2pm. Entrance is a $5 Playfest button. (The class is being given as part of Playfest). I will be there.

(taken from her flyer:)

This Discussion Will Include Topics Such As:
• How to Market your show,
• Cross Promotions with other artists
• What sales at Fringe
• How to Have a quality show with little to no budget
• What sponsors are best for you • How to get in The Fringe “loop”
• Strategies for success both artistically and financially as a Fringe Artist
• How to FABULOUSIFY YOUR FRINGETASTIC experience • Time will be left for open discussion

Also that same day from 3-5pm, she’s giving a lecture on touring the Fringe circuit. I’d be interested in learning about that as well.

There are lots of auditions this month: Universal, Disney, 42nd Street at the new Starlight Dinner Theater, SETC. I am avoiding them all so I can have nights free to perform this show around town. And speaking of performing around town, thank you to the people who got back to me and gave me a long list of venues I can perform the show at around town. I gave the list to Angie and we'll take steps toward contacting them soon.

Update 1-11-06: Instead of having zero piano players and no place to hold my pianist audition, I share some good news. I have two pianists willing to help me rehearse. Listen:

Update 1-10-06: The audition, scheduled for Jan 22, is in turmoil. i just found out #1 the space is now not available and #2 Angie today emailed everyone she knows telling them the audition location is SAK...which is now not available. What do I do? Beth Marshall announces her "How to Fringe" lecture. And amidst all this turmoil and stress, I actually consider applying for another city's fringe festival. Drama.

Elaine Stritch talks about doing cabaret. Taken from an audio slideshow by NYTimes.com. I heard this and thought...shit...maybe this is going to be harder than I thought. At least she had the script and lyrics.

Ok I let all my frustrations out in that last post. I wrote the friend who is helping me with this show and told her to listen to the post. She sent me a kick ass (as in, kicked my ass) email that got me back on track. Yes, it's January and yes, I have no pianist or performance venues or show structure...but apparently I should not throw in the towel and go shopping for shoes. Instead, I went back to my to-do list and got two things done this morning. One was to contact a friend who is excellent with writing and improv scene structure and set up a time to meet for him to help me with my show structure. The other thing was to send out an OPB (all points bulletin) asking for performance venue opportunities. I sent emails to people at SAK and posted a bulletin on myspace. Here is the message:

Hi-

I am looking for venues at which to perform a 30-minute cabaret show. It would
be myself and a pianist, and the whole thing would be improvised...songs,
monologues, everything. I have a dramatic, absurd and, ok, GAY, sense of humor,
but I don't want to lock into the gay clubs and bars only.

Can you recommend places (bars, lounges, cafes, bookstores, truck stops) or
other people who might be able to help me in this search? Names and emails
would be awesome. I could be used as an opener for something, or an act in a
line-up of musical/comedy acts. Or, I could just do my show. I am open to
possibilities.

Thank you

Mark

The whole point of finding venues to perform at is so I can get actual stage time doing the show in front of people before Fringe comes around as well as these mini-shows serve as buzz-generators. Should I do them well, people will talk, and hopefully then go see my show. It's fairly basic. Then once I get some video footage from these shows, I'll post them to this blog. And then I will start publicizing the show by sending people to this blog to watch the clips and say "Hey- that bitch is funny! I'll pay $7 to see his ass live at Fringe!"

Mark

absolute and utter frustration: