Performers In The Playground

[prongs43]

This is a thread for all of the actors, techies, musicians, singers, and other miscellaneous perfomers on the board. Come her and announce your pride of being what you are, and even share some stories about it if you want to.

I for one am an actor, musician, and a singer. In acting, my roles have been getting steadily bigger, starting from just 3 words to now appearing as Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. In music, I play the trombone and guitar. In singing, I am a tenor. My biggest devotion has to go to acting though. Thespian for life!

[ForzaFiori]

I was a thespian, though I unfortunately had to give up that awesome hobby when i took up sports and an instrument. I had several large parts in my day though. I am a musician, playing the bass guitar and piano/keyboard. I practiced martial arts (this was something else I dropped for sports/intruments, unfortunately), earning a black belt in Gojo-Ryu and Karate-Do. I was also in Chorus in 7th grade, where I was a bass. I still sing, but not for any group.

[shrike]

I'm a guitarist. Have been for about twenty years. I also sing. Currently hassling my girlfriend to teach me violin.

[The_Chilli_God]

Twice stage actor, once classical guitarist, once voiceover actor, and once music tecchie, but forever a comedian I will be.

...Even if I'm not actually set on comedianing as a profession. It shall always be in my heart.

Biggest production of mine would be the part of Sir Andrew in Bill Shakey's Twelfth Night - went all over it on GiantitP back then.

[hyperfreak497]

Most recent play: A Midsummer Night's Dream (http://hs.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20521566400)
I was Francis Flute (who plays Thisbe in The Most Lamentable Comedy, and the Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe). I started actually doing theater last spring for my middle school's musical (I got a fairly large supporting role). The high school (which I'm now in) is doing Cabaret, a musical about post-WWII Germany.

I play clarinet, also with my school. I play piano for fun sometimes.

[smellie_hippie]

I perform neurosurgery.

[RTGoodman]

I play (or rather, used to play) several instruments (before college and stuff got in the way) - trumpet, euphonium, piano, keyboards/synth, percussion, and a few others. I was in marching band (high school and university level), wind ensembles (at both levels, plus in community groups), jazz band (in high school), and indoor percussion ensemble (in high school).

Also, I wasn't a lead, but I was in several musicals in high school - "Jesus Christ Superstar," "1940s Radio Hour," "Grease," and one more (I think).

Since then though, I've mostly been working with my alma mater's marching band and indoor percussion ensemble, mostly as the head pit percussion tech. (By the way, if you don't know what indoor percussion is, go here (http://wgi.org/multimedia/videos.php) and click the P-tv area on the screen.)

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

Guess what role I got in Scrooge?

Bloody typecasters.

[RTGoodman]

Guess what role I got in Scrooge?

Tiny Tim? :smallbiggrin:

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

Tiny Tim? :smallbiggrin:

I had to be him last year as well!

It sure is exasperating.

[Raistlin1040]

Guitar player. I don't perform much though, except to my family.

[Vuzzmop]

I'm an actor, performing in both theatre sports and in scripted plays. I also play the guitar, but haven't been for long. My most important role to date is that of Corparal Cyrrill Bassett in "Once on Chunuk Bair".

[The Extinguisher]

I'm an actor, guitarist and a singer. Not very good at any of it, but it still counts. I've also written some stand up material, but never performed.

And I'm a dancer in the brand new 'emo' fashion of dancing. Which is quite hillarious if you see it.

[MisterSaturnine]

I am, in-and-out, an Ookian.

Long live Ook! The real first actor!

Yeah, it might be better if you didn't ask.

EDIT: Favorite roles. I've played Henry in Skin of Our Teeth (but I was in 7th grade...I'd really like to get the chance to play him again when I'm better-trained), The Professor in the Lesson, Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream, and Adam in Children of Eden (directed by the worst director ever. I have so many horror stories...).

[xanaphia]

I am a singer-songwriter who plays piano and guitar. My favorite memory was I was in a talent show and I performed a song on keyboard, basiacly threats to the judges.

The judge said, "From fear of stalking and death, we have decided that Buck is the winner."

I also write D&D related songs, and do vocal harmonies with a friend, including songs about D&D and 40K.

[Amotis]

And I'm a dancer in the brand new 'emo' fashion of dancing. Which is quite hillarious if you see it.

Stand still. Three steps in place facing left. Take a drag of your cig. Three steps in place facing right. Take a drag of your cig. Non conform with the others dancing. Repeat.

[SDF]

Stand still. Three steps in place facing left. Take a drag of your cig. Three steps in place facing right. Take a drag of your cig. Non conform with the others dancing. Repeat.

Isn't that most dancing past the early 90's? :smalltongue:


I perform neurosurgery.

Give me a few years and that's what I'll be doing :smallbiggrin:

When I was in MN I was huge in the theater group. I've always been a musician though. I played the trumpet in band from third grade through high school (don't have time for college band, though I'm still good enough) Play trombone, took up guitar a few years back (classical, then acoustic and electric) I just joined the Boise Highlanders, a bagpipe band. I've played piano for as long as I can remember and more recently got into the synth. I've fooled around with the drums a bit, and have a set, but I plan on getting competent with them when I find the time. I've done the whole rock band thing, and hope to make an independent album soon (I actually started last summer, but school and work have made the going slow)

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

Oh, well, I am a great dancer as well.

I'm famous for dancing with everyone once in their life time.

Albeit I don't do encores.

[DarkLightDragon]

I used to play the flute. I still have it, but haven't played it for ages and am horribly out of practice.

[rubakhin]

I'm a poet. A lot of the stuff I've done has been in the slam and spoken word tradition. It's funny; my accent only disappears when I'm reciting poetry.

I've also been in a couple of Shakespeare plays and had a bit part in a production of Guys & Dolls, but that was a while ago. Recently I came across an English translation of Nikolai Kolyada's "Slingshot" and I've been trying to pull some money and a cast together, but that's probably never going to come through.

I'd like to be a street musician, but I have no musical training.

[Castaras]

Amateur Actress, performing December. :smalleek:

Clarinet Player, used to be in our school orchestra, but it clashed too much with the performance dates of my Drama. Busked a little in the past though at a school bazaary thingymawhat.

So yeah.

[Falconer]

Amateur actor, and I'm also part of my city's improvisation troupe



Improv is mainly what I do these days. It's great stuff. :smallcool:

[Susil]

Guitarist and songwriter. I can't sing and I'm not much on the acoustic either, but that never stopped Bob Dylan... :smallamused:

Also a dancer here... Not emo but ballroom and latin, participated in my first comp on saturday, me and my partner came third in the beginners waltz, which I'm quite proud of. One-two-three-one-two-three......

[Thes Hunter]

I am a mediocre actress.

I used to be a theater minor, and when I transfered to Michigan they didn't have minors then. So I considered being a theater major but decided against it due to all the drama.

Er.... I mean all the day time talkshowness that everyone seemed to allow into their lives.


However through that, I found I act best with some... but not too much preparation. In my highschool and college performances, I found I gave my best performances right after memorizing the lines, and not the 3 or 4 weeks after that when we would finally hit the stage.

I know it's horrible, and why I will never be a real actress, but I would get bored with the script by then, and instead of trying to imagine myself as my character I would just recite the lines. Blah. :smallredface:

[Trog]

*unzips Trog suit*

I perform here. :smallbiggrin:

And...er...um... in the bedroom. Not the same type of performance though. :smalltongue:

*Zzzzzzip*

Trog needs a smoke. *wanders off*

[Emrylon]

I play bass guitar. I am currently in two bands a punk/hardcore band and a more grown up altern rock band, played my first paid gig in a pub a couple of weeks ago but I have gigged at local events loads of times with my other band.

I'm helping out in a concert on Saturday, organised by my guitar tutor (from the North Welsh School of Music) which my band is playing in and I'm playing bass for all the little kiddies that my tutor teaches in priamry school, lots of fun!

[valadil]

I've been a techie in more shows than I can count. Eventually I started writing in a sketch comedy troupe and then was asked to perform with them. I was reluctant because of stage fright but did it anyway, got over stage fright, and loved it. Then I graduated, so no more theater for me. I've been considering trying to do standup or improv (there's a bunch of local groups, hurray for davis square) but that's been buried under other projects.

I also play guitar. In spite of my metal-headedness I vastly prefer acoustic. This isn't a performing thing though, it's just for me. I've rarely played for an audience larger than one.

[Dragonrider]

I play piano, but only for fun. However, I've been in various choirs from the time I was 11. My brother and I were chosen to be in a (let see if I can get this right) North West American Choral Directors Association honor choir for middle schoolers when I was in 7th grade. That was a blast, but it was also the end for my children's choir career, because ours seemed so awful. After that, I sang with the adult chorus. That's a lot of fun.

[The Extinguisher]

Stand still. Three steps in place facing left. Take a drag of your cig. Three steps in place facing right. Take a drag of your cig. Non conform with the others dancing. Repeat.

You seem to confuse real emo dancing with the new parody version I've help created.

"Slash slash, cry cry, slash slash, weep weep, poem, poem, poem, poem" and repeat.

[Em Blackleaf]

I'm into theater, dancing, guitar and singing. Last year, I did a Wizard of Oz play, and I had several dancing parts. I also sang some songs in a group.

This year, I'm in my school's drama club, and we're going to do a play in spring. I don't know what it is yet, but someone in the club's dad wrote it, and apparently, it's supposed to be really good. But, it's not a musical, and I love being in musicals. :smallfrown:

I'm still learning guitar, I only know like two songs, so I still need some practice.

[ZombieRockStar]

There is no instrument I am not willing to try. I'm told that I sing really nice, but...*shrugs* I've heard myself. Interesting, but all I can ever hear are the flaws.

[I'm da Rogue!]

I'm a good dancer, but not ball room or latin dance.
It is a dexterity-based kind of dance, something like acrobatics. I've done some live performances with my group.

I also play the guitar decently, but just because the music I like is guitar-based.

I really want to learn to play the bass, or, even better, the contrabass. But it's much harder than the guitar..:smalleek:

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

I sing and play guitar for a band called Enumbrate and do spoken word poetry. Also, I like to consider myself a semi-professional smokering blower.

[commander43]

I'm only 16 and I've never played in an actual school ensemble of any sort, but I took piano for about 5 years, I've now been taking guitar and bass for about 7 months, and I just started on the violin.

The Violin is so much harder! Aaah!

[Vuzzmop]

Today I have a long day of performances with my guerilla theatre company. We'll be messing with the heads of two groups of parents watching a little kids (4-6) show. We are pulling a lot of new stunts today, and we're glad to have a definate audience for all of them.

[Hannes]

I sing in a choir! It's called St. Michael's Boys Choir. We're part of an organization named Pueri Cantores and we've given concerts in Paris, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, some other cities in France, Germany, Rome and some others.
We sing Estonian folk hymns. In spring we're going to Czech to a Gregorian chant contest.
EDIT:

I'm told that I sing really nice, but...*shrugs* I've heard myself. Interesting, but all I can ever hear are the flaws.

The reason for that is simple - the thing you hear doesn't reach your ears the same way it reaches others', because it resounds inside your head.

[Haruki-kun]

Oh, cool! I'm into Theater, too.

I've been in............ Romeo and Juliet, the Godfather, and a few other spanish plays. Hopefully Moulin Rouge next semester! :smallsmile:

[ZombieRockStar]

The reason for that is simple - the thing you hear doesn't reach your ears the same way it reaches others', because it resounds inside your head.

Yeah, I know. Sounds a lot better in my head. I'm talking about listening to a recording.

On the plus side, I do seem to have really good relative pitch, both inside my head and outside.

[Hannes]

I'm talking about listening to a recording.

Non-studio level recorders are not able to catch solo singing. A choir, for instance, is okay, but one person singing? Nono. I've been singing for 8 years now, and when I randomly record something I sing, I close my eyes and cringe.

[ZombieRockStar]

Non-studio level recorders are not able to catch solo singing. A choir, for instance, is okay, but one person singing? Nono. I've been singing for 8 years now, and when I randomly record something I sing, I close my eyes and cringe.

Yeah. But I think my recording equipment has been able to capture the gist of my voice, though.

Maybe it's easier if I just show you a few songs. This is the thread for that kind of egotistical self-marketing :smallwink:. (Sorry, people who I've shown stuff to before who were hoping for new songs, but I've already hawked these before):

http://www.mediafire.com/?5amg0dymjzd
http://www.mediafire.com/?293e9m1gmbb

See...people have listened to these and said they liked my voice, but I hear too much of a whiny quality to really like it.

[Hannes]

Well. To be a nice person, I'd say that those are PERFECT!

But I'm not.

To be honest, though, they are pretty good. Some parts need to be worked with, but mostly, the sound of your voice is nice. Just don't try to push it too much. That's what makes it whiny. Also, pitch problems in some spots, but don't worry, everyone gets them.

[psychoduck14]

I am a musician and an actor. I play teh drums. But my main lay of interest is in photography.

[mockingbyrd7]

I'm into theater, dancing, guitar and singing. Last year, I did a Wizard of Oz play, and I had several dancing parts. I also sang some songs in a group.

This year, I'm in my school's drama club, and we're going to do a play in spring. I don't know what it is yet, but someone in the club's dad wrote it, and apparently, it's supposed to be really good. But, it's not a musical, and I love being in musicals. :smallfrown:

I'm still learning guitar, I only know like two songs, so I still need some practice.

My background is actually very similar to Em's (and we're also the same age, odd coincidence). I LOVE singing and acting (and modesty aside, I have a great voice). I've been taking singing classes for two years, but I haven't truly been taking it seriously until a couple months ago, when I switched schools and got into my school's theatre program. I've been taking guitar for a few months, but I had to stop when school started. I took piano when I was little, but we discontinued my lessons when my piano teacher became crabby and took out her frustration on her students because of other problems in her life. I don't know if this counts as "performance" or simply "the arts", but I am a writer; in 5th grade, I wrote a 120-page novella based partially on my characters in World of Warcraft. God, I am SUCH a dork. And I love it. :smallbiggrin:
(When I grow up, I plan to be a novelist, musician, and actor, in that order of importance, so I suppose I'm at home in this thread. :smallsmile:)

[Em Blackleaf]

My background is actually very similar to Em's (and we're also the same age, odd coincidence). I LOVE singing and acting (and modesty aside, I have a great voice). I've been taking singing classes for two years, but I haven't truly been taking it seriously until a couple months ago, when I switched schools and got into my school's theatre program. I've been taking guitar for a few months, but I had to stop when school started. I took piano when I was little, but we discontinued my lessons when my piano teacher became crabby and took out her frustration on her students because of other problems in her life. I don't know if this counts as "performance" or simply "the arts", but I am a writer; in 5th grade, I wrote a 120-page novella based partially on my characters in World of Warcraft. God, I am SUCH a dork. And I love it. :smallbiggrin:
(When I grow up, I plan to be a novelist, musician, and actor, in that order of importance, so I suppose I'm at home in this thread. :smallsmile:)

Those are my goals too! :smallbiggrin:
In sixth grade I tried to write novel, but the computer I was writing it on stopped working. :smallfrown:

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

I was all of 10 when I performed in my first musical. It was a community thearter group, and they needed a kid to play 10-year-old Patrick Dennis in their production of Mame. The woman playing my Auntie Mame was a woman named Marion. I had a duet with her called "You're My Best Girl." And EVERY time we sang it, she would start to cry because, to her, it was just the sweetest thing on Earth. I can still hear the director, Marty, shouting, "Damnit, Marion! Stop crying! The makeup isn't waterproof!" :smallbiggrin:

I was in several other musicals over the years that followed, including:

Fiddler on the Roof (Twice, and one with the decent supporting role of Perchick.)
Once Upon a Mattress
Applause (The musical version of The Three Faces of Eve.)
and
The Pajama Game

Now, 14 years after I played young Patrick Dennis in Mame, the same group decided to do the show again. I landed the role of the elder Patrick Dennis.

I told them that the next time they do the show, I wanna be Mame. :smallbiggrin:

[Lord Iames Osari]

Choralist, actor, and capable of following choreography with reasonable proficiency, though I would hesitate to call myself a dancer.

[Evil_Pacifist]

I rock out on my cello a lot (I so want a electric one), and I sometimes like to mess around with other people's guitars, but like ZRS there is no instrument I'm unwilling to try. (Well... Maybe there is. But meh.) In fact, a couple of m'friends declared my purpose in life to be to learn to play Trogdor on every instrument, ever. Not the whole thing, just the "Duh nuh nuh nuh NUH, duh nuh nuh nuh NUH, duh nuh nuh nuh NUH nuh NUH nuh NUH NUH!" part. :smallcool:

I sometimes pretend I can act. I'm supposed to play Demetrius in Midsummer Night's Dream soon. (Even though I asked specifically not to have that role. :smallyuk:)

Dancing is against my religion, for the most part. Sometimes I make fun of people who headbang, though.

EDIT: Gah, it posted twice, but I deleted one. All is well.

[Don Julio Anejo]

I was in several other musicals over the years that followed, including:

Fiddler on the Roof (Twice, and one with the decent supporting role of Perchick.)
Once Upon a Mattress
Applause (The musical version of The Three Faces of Eve.)
and
The Pajama Game


OMG Fiddler on the Roof is my favourite play :smile:

I was in one play myself but it made absolutely no sense. The director pretty much made it up as we went along. It did look pretty funny though.

Mostly the only performance I do is entertaining people. Usually in the form of sick jokes, innuendo and accusing girls of wanting to go on dates with (insert weirdest, creepiest person you know here).

[Renrik]

I am a musician and actor.

As a musician, I am in a small Irish/American Folk band known as The Travelers (is that name taken?Perhaps. But we aren;t making any money. We have 3 people, and our going rate is a free meal.). We've played at a local lodge that was having a CD release party, at the Minnesota Rennaisance Festival with the St.Paul Irish Dancers, and at one or two variety-show type events at our High School. It's a fun little hobby. I do the vocals and play the pennywhistle, and know most of the old Irish songs, as well as the majorityof the American folk tradition. I'm thinking of taking up the banko. Or the bagpipes. Or the accordian. For some reason, my three favorite instruments are the ones that everyone else seems to despise. My sisterwants me to learn the guitar, but I am less than enthusiasticabout that. String instruments aren;t my style. I play the viola, but I'm no good, especially in a band with two fiddle vituosos (only one of them plays it in performance, though. The other manages the bodhran drum.)

As an actor, I've been in 6 plays. My first was a communty production of The Hobbit in 6th grade. I played Gollum.

Then, in freshman year o high school, I played one of two Mushniks in our school's production of Little Shop of Horrors (double the Mushniks, double the hilarity!), then, that spring, I played the Memory Mender in Still Life with Iris.

The following autumn, I played one of seven or so players in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Abridged. That following spring, I played a few different parts in Quilt: A Musical Celebration

This year, we are doing CATS, and it will be awesome, because... well, for a public HIgh School to be putting on CATS is an honor. A big honor for us. I'm playing Bustpher Jones as well as Gus the Theatre Cat. Opening night is only about ten days away, and I can't wait. It's gonna be great.

I also take part in Speech, where last year I performed an abbreviated version of The Iceman Cometh, by Eugene O'Neil. I also perform giving rousing speeches, playing Dungeons and Dragons, singing various folk and old rock songs, and telling outrageous but supposedly entertaining stories.

Other than that, I write poetry, but I don;t perform it, because it is the most unholy crap on earth (when I saymy poetry sucks, I'm NOT fishing for complements. I mean it really, really does suck.)

[I'm da Rogue!]

Dancing is against my religion, for the most part. Sometimes I make fun of people who headbang, though.


:smallannoyed: Never. Make fun of us. Again.

:smallamused: