Something Special

I get to be in a show again! I am a replacement singer for the second extension of Ken Roht's 99¢ Only Calendar Girl Competition, at the Bootleg Theater.

And I have Quin and Prince to thank for it!

Quin had won one of the many infamous contests over at Bamboo Nation, and she had shared her winnings with me last December - two tickets to this fabulous show! I was so enchanted with the performance that I walked up to the director during intermission and asked him if I could submit myself, should the show need any understudies.

How to describe the show? Without going into too much detail (and there is a lot of that!), it was worth attending a performance just to see all of the props and costumes made completely out of items from the 99¢ Only Stores, especially the beauty constestants' dresses.

And the cast was impressively talented. The show itself is all completely original material, including the songs. In addition to the contestants, there is also a small group of male gogo MC's, fully clothed. With their thrift-store wigs (also bought at the 99¢ Only Store, perhaps?) and striped costumes, they reminded me of very bizarre dancing Oompa-loompas, if that's not too redundant. I was very jealous, and I wanted to be one of them.

I was jealous not to be part of this production. So, how thrilled am I that I now have the chance to do so, for four glorious weekends this March?!

I have not performed in a full scale show for over four years. I am rusty as a performer, both vocally and with my dance technique. But I wasn't worried about that when auditioning for this show. Even though the 99¢ Only Calendar Girl Competition is hysterically funny with some solid touching moments, there is so much beyond what is seen and heard on the surface.

Without getting too sentimental, I knew instinctively that this was one of those productions that takes a lot of heart, for all involved. I felt that auditioning for it was beyond just being a good dancer or a well-trained singer. Before I even join a first rehearsal, I have the strong impression that performing in this show will require digging around for the best of myself, and even the worst of myself, and a willingness to be open and raw about that as a performer.

And I look forward to it.

Thanks, Quin and Prince! Thanks for fitting a small and wondrous portion of universal synergy into my little plastic bubble world!