Wonderful Day Review #1

Fishnet Productions' "Wonderful Day"

Saturday 1st of September performance of "Wonderful Day".

Yuhan Lim's original musical, "Wonderful Day" is an intimate work that explores the life of a 2nd generation Chinese-Australian uni student, Kel, who is struggling to balance his need to find his own way and the expectations of his parents.

These issues are dealt with with considerable charm and humour that really are the hallmarks of the show. Yuhan, playing the lead role of Kel, is likeable and believable. The supporting cast is strong as Kel's friends and family. Callum McDonald, Kevin Newman and Kimberley Colman, Kel's inner circle, portrayed with real chemistry Kel's tight-knit group of friends. Ed Yap and Nanci Zhou played well the difficult roles of Kel's oppressive but loving parents. A final mention must go to Tegan Jones in her hilarious performance of Kel's grandmother.

The vocal performances were generally strong however, the singers were occasionally overwhelmed by the pre-recorded music. This was something of a pity as the often witty and poignant lyrics were sometimes dfificult to make out.

"Wonderful Day" is an enjoyable and touching musical. Special mention must go to Yuhan who not only wrote and produced the show, co-wrote the music but starred as the lead.

"Wonderful Day" has one week to go in its run. Go check it out guys!

New Beginnings, Old Endings

It is interesting to think of your life in stages or chapters. I am at a new beginning of a new chapter in my life. Granted, sometimes new beginnings of chapters are unwanted and reluctantly entered. However, other times you find yourself finding new beginnings exciting, anticipated, needed and expected.

I am very much enjoying my new interests and so glad that I have finally found the drive and thrown away the fear of learning languages. This has always been a fear and a self-inflicted put down. In the past, I had always told myself that I was stupid at learning languages and I just wasn't made of the right stuff to pick them up. What I realise now is the thrill of learning for personal improvement, satisfaction and development is really liberating.

I am finding myself very excited about the next year and a half. The thought that I will be in a very different place and state of mind in that time is so exciting! Even for the next 6 months, I have many exciting things to look forward to. With only one more semester to go, I will have a degree in my pocket. I hope to add Fame to the creative productions that I hope to do this year. I have started to take dance classes at the Space on Chapel St. I went with a couple of friends on Monday and realised that I am really out of touch with dancing. It's a fun and great way to keep fit and also to build up experience in dance which is my weakest point when it comes to musical theatre. I also plan to start taking singing lessons again soon, in preparation for the Fame Audition.

I am excited about the prospect of being able to move out of home next year and being able to afford a car and actually learn how to drive!! It is funny that I have dreamt of driving ever since I was about 13 and thought I would be one of those people who got their Ps on the 18th birthday and then look at me??? 21 and still on my Ls.. for shame!

The other awesome thing is that I have realised what awesome great friends I have. Almost every night this past week, I have been surrounded by different groups of them ranging from dinner and cocktails, birthdays, farewells, ferris wheel rides to Mornington Movie Madness and dance classes.

I guess, what I am trying to say is that I am looking forward to the future. Life is exciting.

One more semester to go!

Yup, that's right. One more semester and I am finished with my degree! Yay! That is if I don't fail anything. :p So what am I going to do for the next nearly two months? I actually have some things lined up.

Firstly, I am going to learn Mandarin as much as I can! My new found obsession of watching Taiwanese dramas (with English subtitles of course). This is the first time that I have ever been interested in learning Mandarin. I was forced to go to Chinese School from about year 3...till yr 10. That's 8 years of "learning" Chinese. My god, and to think I barely learnt a thing. The thing you have to realize is that it is really difficult learning a language, esp one like Mandarin. The "teachers" were teachers at all, mostly recent migrants from China whose English isn't very good at all. Most of the students there are already quite fluent in Chinese and are there to learn how to read and write. How can someone who only speaks English at home be expected to learn Chinese properly with only two hours a week. Ridiculous.

So why this sudden change. Well TV of course!! :P But also, I've realised that if I do learn Mandarin I could potentially go over there and possibly start a singing career. Yes Laugh, and I know it is quite far fetched, but I dunno. It's like I have finally realised that I am half chinese in a way. I have always kinda thought of myself as more western than chinese. But there seriously is a market for better singers in Asia, I can tell you. So we shall see how my chinese learning huh?

Also, my friend has written a script and wants to make a film and has asked me to be in it. Which is really cool! I have never done that kind of thing before and am really looking forward to it. Originally the character was written for a guy but my friend thought that changing it to a female could be more interesting. So yay!

I have a gig coming up on the 16th and I am totally not ready for it. :( I don't know why i can't just be professional and learn all songs. For some reason I am afraid of doing so.

Incompetent People

I need to rant. Desperately!

Lecturers can be sooooo frustrating most of the time. I have this one subject called "Planning and Urban Policy Studio" which is a three hour class. For some one who loves to talk about how communication, time efficiency and participation is wonderful and how every planner should do so. She doesn't herself! I have just spent THREE hours "listening" to other groups' presentations which were met to be 15 minutes but went for about half an hour. Now if you do the math, if NINE presentations all went for 1/2 hour than that would take four and a half hours. TOO long!

And even if the presenation didn't go that much over time, she would extend it by talking and talking and talking about shit all. Why bother go into analysis in the week when ONLY presentations are supposed to be on? Also, this presentation isnt' marked, just a hurdle requirement. So that also makes it feel like a waste of time. GAH!! Sad for the last four presentations who just had to present their recomendations. So all that work for nothing. So frustrating.

Another incompetent person is my "mentor". What another waste of time! These are the strikes against her:
1. didn't show up to the inital function
2. wasn't in the office when i tried to call her
3. finally calls me and tells me that she will be AWAY for two months
4. find out that she is a Urban DESIGNER not an urban PLANNER
5. my friend who is also one of her mentees says she has no personality..and speaks really really slow.

I am thinking of emailing the coordinator of this program and say stuff it. this is a waste of time and i can't be bothered doing this if she isn't going to be even in the country. PLUS you picked probably the worst person for me.

Am I going to have to deal with people like this when I go into the workforce next year??

From the Land that is Sexy

Being 21 now, it is only just that I visit an adult shop. I ventured out into the super sexy suburb of Springvale to go to the SUPER Adult store: Sexyland. I went with the Princess and Miss M. One of these beautiful ladies was unbelievably excited about entering the store. Each one of us left with something.. Of course, I am not going to tell you what they are. You will just have to ask one of us at some point or other. Going into a place like this is very educational. And it is also interesting to see what other kinds of persons. Scarily most are over forty, and in couples. Nice to know that the three of us broke the mold. Though most things in this store were heavily over priced. Though, I guess that isn't too surprising but it would be nice if the products actually looked worth that amount of money.

Anyhoo, I am going to have to get cracking on my big presentation that needs to happen on Monday morning. AHHH!!! And you can imagine that I haven't even started yet :(

Jonas

WOW. More posts! I am on a rampage! All this procrastination is becoming too much. But I just can't help myself. One day this little white laptop will not be so cool anymore and I won't want to use it ALL the time. That said, I thought of some ways that I could make my blog more interesting. I think that I will use Jonas as a way to do that. Jonas Armstrong is my new favourite actor. I thought that I would put this video of him up on here for all you gals to watch :P It is from this show called "Teachers" he did before Robin Hood. So very cute and funny. Why is he so gorgeous? I need to figure this out. Why is he so appealing? I now open up the graffiti wall for tags

Jonas in Teachers part one of his first episode

Here you go Leah. sorry that the video didn't work. stupid youtube grr.


[Tim, if you are reading this, my new found obsession with Mr Jonas has had no effect on me not finding you appealing ;) - gawd, did that even make sense in any language??]

You boy like beef noodle?

Yay! I got into my friend's original musical that he is putting in MudFest10. I am the grandma. She is 92 years old and has a memory span of about 5 minutes. She has a song in the Second Act of the show. It will be on in August I think.

The audition went well. :) In the end I choice to sing "When you're good to mama" and "Summertime". The acoustics in the room were awesome and it was very easy to project. I am really going to have to work on my dancing though. I have been thinking of two dance schools. I think I'll learn jazz, as every place says that is what you need to do musical theatre. I got the call about an hour after I had auditioned. I wasn't needed for the callbacks, they just gave it to me. :D

The great thing is, is that I have the option of just doing the grandma role or being the grandma and doing chorus numbers. I think I'll just stick to the grandma and audition for Fame - the musical that UMMTA is doing mid way through October. If i get in, I don't think it would be too much of a problem to do both since the performance dates are far a part.

Happy and content at the moment. I can always rely on Musical theatre to keep me happy :D

Back to Square One

Trying to make something of yourself in the music or creative industry is really very hard. Everyone who is trying to make it or has made it in some way or other will tell you that it is very difficult. That it will take a lot of hard work and perseverance. The music industry, whether you are aiming for stardom and paparazzi or smaller time gigging and performing, will still require a lot of effort, dedication and time. I found at the end of last year that I wanted to perform, I felt like vocally I was ready to make a start at gigging and making a singing name for myself. However, I find now that I am not really ready OR that I do want the same things as I did before. (I was presented with an opportunity to try something different and it hasn't worked out).

At the beginning of this year, I was presented with an opportunity to be in a duo. This duo is not like others. Mostly because it only comprises with a drummer and singer. The rest of the music is provided by a midi track. Over the last couple of months, it has been difficult for us to really get going or feel like it is working. I was torn between thinking that it could work and missing what I used to do, being Musical Theatre and not singing African style songs. But I wanted to persevere with this duo because I felt like I had to. I needed to prove to myself that I needed to do this to show that I could. That I could take it seriously. I learn now that this doesn't work if your heart isn't truly in it.

Also, when I decided I wanted to concentrate on music more this year, I was going to take a year off uni. But with other things not going to plan like my HUGE out of proportion travel plans, saving up money for said trip, I wasn't looking at the bigger picture and working out what can I do now, at this moment. I decided to go back to uni and then the priorities change. Music isn't as important as handing in assignments and being able to turn up to classes. For me, music is my soul and urban planning is my intellect.

So back track to yesterday. I am on a boat for Naomi's 21st. I get an sms from my drummer saying:

"Hey Teagan (grr that he spelt my name wrong after so long.) as of now, this duo is over. Will."

My first thought was, "boy this sounds like a break up", which it is in a way. Mostly, I was pissed off at the way he broke this duo up. He didn't have the decency to call me, tell me in person even. The guy is over forty and he isn't mature enough to do it properly. I don't want to go into how difficult this guy is to work with because I know with all my life changes I have been difficult to work with too. But one minute he pressures me that we need to start gigging NOW and then says that he can't and just wants to rehearse and then pressures me again. It is just not worth that much.

Three weeks ago, I told him, reluctantly, that I didn't think I was the best person for what he wanted. I want to finish uni first. And it wasn't fair on him to continue etc. That day was supposed to be our last rehearsal. I turn up and he convinces me that since we are almost ready to gig I should stay. Then last night was the: you know what, fuck it. You don't respect me or what we are doing so it is over. GAH!! So frustrating.

I am relieved that I don't have to think about this anymore. But I do want to say that I have learn A LOT from this guy. He knows so much about music, sound, sound equipment. And most importantly, has made me aware of what it is to be professional, to ask the right questions when opportunities come along. These are invaluable things to know and I know that I will be more prepared for future endeavors.

The best thing is that I realised how much I miss performing in Musical Theatre. I reckon now that I would be more than content to performing in amateur or semi pro musicals for a long time. I have an audition for a Musical on Monday for a comedic role. And I could audition for Fame next semester, even though I don't really like the musical.

The question remains for the rest of this year and the rest of my life, is how am I going to incorporate my urban planning and more importantly my singing/performing in to my life that is manageable?

Retrospect is such a wonderful thing.