My word

Hello everyone!

I'm getting closer to being on track with keeping up here. Update: Merrily, Merrily, Merrily opened in the Midtown International Theatre Festival this past Tuesday evening at the June Havoc Theatre to a positive audience response. I don't think we're getting actual written reviews or anything, but the few people that came to see our little show that night really seemed to enjoy themselves. The playwright was in the audience and she had wonderful things to say to everyone. Her words to me were (and I'm trying my best not to brag here, but it's difficult) that my monologue was the best she had EVER seen it performed. I walked around with a HUGE SMILE on my face the rest of the night. I'm looking forward to 5 more glorious performances and hopefully seeing some very familiar faces there.

Something struck me yesterday while reading and it sent my mind reeling, so I knew I had to write about it here before I forgot about it all together.

"...every city has a single word that defines it, that identifies most people who live there. If you could read people's thoughts as they were passing you on the streets of any given place, you would discover that most of them are thinking the same thought. Whatever that majority thought might be--that is the word of the city. And if your personal word does not match the word of the city, then you don't really belong there."

This is an excerpt from my current train-traveling companion EAT PRAY LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert. Before you start judging me: YES, I am reading chick lit, again. However, this is more than just chick lit; it's a damn good read about one PERSON'S journey of self-discovery. The above excerpt comes from a passage during her time in Italy. The conversation surrounding it concerns Liz, the heroine/writer, insisting another woman she spots in the city belongs there as opposed to her. Her companion Giulio tells her, "Maybe you and Rome just have different words." Naturally, this got me thinking: what is New York City's word? Upon further reading, it turns out Ms. Gilbert believes NYC's word is ACHIEVE.

That thinking led me to further mental discussion: what is my word? Is it ACHIEVE? If not, does that mean I don't belong here? I read this passage just before getting off the train to walk home and spent the entire time between the train and my house to ponder these questions.

At first, I thought: OF COURSE, ACHIEVE IS MY WORD! I want to ACHIEVE my goal of being a professional actor. That sounds simple enough, right? Maybe. But on the other hand, would I really want to say that my "word" is ACHIEVE--it sounds pretty stereotypical by some measures and rather selfish by others. So, then, what really is my word?

I thought back through the last 10 years of my life which would have started back in high school. We've talked about high school before. That was the time in my life when I realized I like it when people tell me I can't do something because then I just got an amazing drive to prove them wrong and overcome that adversity. Maybe my word is DRIVE? Or OVERCOME? To me, both of these sounds like I'm overly ambitious to the point of not caring who gets hurt in the process or that I've fallen on hard times. I haven't lost any friends in my pursuit of this dream and I'm pretty sure that I'm doing all right considering I'm typing this blog on my computer in an apartment I can pay rent for each month. So, no and no.

As soon as I turned down those choices, I passed one of the lovely fresh fruit and vegetable markets on 30 Ave. and the Faith Hill song "Breathe" was coming from the muzak. I tell myself and others to breathe everyday and stay calm through all the daily trials that may come our way. I am a singer, I do NEED to breathe in order to sing. Maybe BREATHE is my word. Then, I remembered my buddy Jared from college. At some point during college, Jared decided that all he needed to get through each day was to breathe and so he proceeded to begin each day writing "breathe" on his left hand to remind himself of this fact. A very wise man, that Jared. So, no, BREATHE is not my word, that is Jared's word.

Other things popped into my head: CARE, ORGANIZE, PERSIST. And, again, no, no, no. Maybe SURVIVE. I do live in a very expensive city where it can get difficult to make ends meet sometimes, especially working in a very inconsistent industry such as that of food and beverage. SURVIVE may fit. But all in the same instance, not at all. My word needs to be something that truly defines who am I, what I want, what I want to give, and for what I strive in this life. And right there on a corner in Astoria, it hit me.

I left Ohio to find something I knew I wouldn't find there; not entirely, at least. Everywhere I've gone in my life, I've insisted on bringing one simple accessory. My day is measured by how much of one thing I can provide for somebody else. And even if I can provide that one thing for just one person, my job is done.

HAPPINESS is my word.

So, since I live in NYC and NYC's word is ACHIEVE, does that mean I don't belong because my word is HAPPINESS? I dare you to tell me I don't belong here...

HAPPY Adventures!

Long overdue...

Hey everyone!

To say this post is "long overdue" would be a true understatement because there's a lot I have to cover here...at least, that's the way I feel right now. We'll see where my typing takes me/us...

Well, let's just get right down to business, shall we? I GOT A PART IN A PLAY!!! If you don't follow my updates on facebook, which I think most of you on here do, you probably already know this. Here's a little more info about this all came about:

So, you remember that reading series I talk about all the time back in January? Well, I got a call from one of the producers of this show saying that their director had worked with me during a reading and suggested I come in to read for one of the roles in the play! HELLZ YEAH! Within ONE YEAR of being here, I'm already being called to audition for stuff! Pretty tight, y'all! Anywho, so I went in to audition on a Sunday after reading the script that afternoon and was completely baffled by who they wanted me to read for. There are only three male roles in this play: Ben (19, figment of lead's imaginationg...sort of...), Andrew (20, angry youth that beats lead girl), and Jacob (55, Andrew's father with his own issues to deal with). When I checked in, I was surprised to be handed scenes to read for Jacob. Immediately, I was pretty unsettled because I wasn't sure if I read the script incorrectly, or these people got the wrong person because I am NOWHERE NEAR 55-years-old! However, true to form in NYC and always throwing me some interesting curve balls, they in fact knew I was only in my mid-20s and yes, I read the script correctly. There was another guy also up for the role that couldn't make it to the Sunday auditions so they were going to listen to him on Monday. All this meant for me was that I stayed for about an hour and 45 minutes reading a scene with various actors playing my son. At the end of that time they also had me read Jacob's monologue. Then they said thank you and sent me on my way. I didn't know what to expect because, like previously stated, life likes to throw me some curve balls. About an hour later, I got a voicemail asking to call the producers back because they "had some things [they] needed to discuss with [me]." The conversation went something along the lines of "Oh, thank you for staying so long, glad you could make it. There's another guy we want to read for the role. But, unfortunately, for him, we'd just like to offer you the role!" Cut to me dancing around on my front stoop!

Over the last month or so I've been hard at rehearsing my lines for four different scenes, two of which are spent on the phone...which can be very annoying. Anyways, I've been having a great time with it because it's the first time I've ever been challenged to think so much about my character. In the time since we started rehearsing, I've had to come up with this guys life story and answer all sorts of "Why?" questions. To be honest, it's been really intense, but incredible. I feel like I can actually step into this guys skin. Now, obviously I am much younger than he, but that's apparently the least of my director's worries. PHEW! I guess I can rest easy now knowing you believe our audience is going to believe a 25-year-old as a man more than TWICE his age. I'm glad she believes that, I'm not sure I will. Oh, well...

A week from tomorrow, "Merrily Merrily Merrily" opens in the Midtown International Theatre Festival at the June Havoc Theatre in NYC, featuring ME! We have six performances! If you're going to be in the area, or are just looking for a great time to come to NYC, here is our performance schedule:

Tuesday, July 13 at 6 PM

Saturday, July 17 at 5:30 PM

Tuesday, July 20 at 8:30 PM

Sunday, July 25 at 5 PM

Friday, July 30 at 8 PM

Saturday, July 31 at 2 PM

All performances will take place at the June Havoc Theatre in the Abbington Theatre Company Complex on 36th street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan. Tickets are available at https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/753545

Use code "RILY" for a discount!

In other news, I made one last trip back to Ohio in the middle of June for Miami University Alumni Weekend. And what a weekend it was! I flew into Dayton on Thursday, June 17, and spent a day with my good buddy Sean. He just completed his first year of teaching and was just getting ready to finally relax into summer. From all the stories he has, it sounds like he truly has found his calling. Not to mention he has this awesome little house out in the country with a nice backyard and a great landlord. After recovering from my 7 am flight out of NYC that morning, we made a trip to the grocery and proceeded to make burgers and such. Naturally, I baked brownies (chocolate-covered strawberry brownies to be exact). With some great munching came a rousing round of YouTube-ing which introduced me to "Miranda Sings". Seriously, this chick is crazy, but it's completely put on. Check it! YouTube-ing lead to the main event of the evening: Drinking by the firepit. It was sweet. We talked about life, about love, about friends, about enemies, and our favorite topic: Ethan. Yes, I am not afraid to admit there were tears shed. I am also not afraid to admit that it was NOT me shedding those tears--sorry, Seany, didn't mean to let the cat out of the bag about your emotional side. It's all good, though.

Friday was a leisure day that lead to a not-so-leisure night in Uptown OXFORD, OH! After checking in at Alumni Registration, we proceeded to perform with the Cheezies for the School of Fine Arts reception. Can't lie, it was pretty cool to be singing with those guys again, especially when "those guys" included members of the group from my first year with Cheezies! A drink or two followed the performance, which was just a precursor to the first rehearsal of the weekend! Hall Auditorium has always been Club's home and it was nice to return home and see so many familiar faces. Singing with this group will NEVER get old or tiring, this much I know is true. After rehearsal, drinking ensued. That's all there is to that.

Saturday was anything BUT leisure. Rehearsal at 10 am followed by a luncheon in Ethan's honor at Shriver where the first ever Dr. Ethan Sperry Legacy Medallions where the award was presented in three categories: Musical Contribution to Collegiate Men's Chorus, Leadership Development, and Commitment to Community. I am very proud to announce that I was among one of the six recipients. It is truly an honor to be recognized in this way to pay tribute to a man that gave so much to so many. Cheers to you Ethan!

That evening, about 200 Club alums took the stage at Hall to perform a selection of some of our favorite songs, including the Biebl "Ave Maria" and Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium". As is tradition, we ended the concert with "The Parting Blessing" conducted by the venerable Dr. John Wabrick, a living legend. In further tradition, the celebration was taken back to our dorm where we drank and sang the night away. For those that are familiar with this new trend known as "Bros Icing Bros", I'd simply like to say I was iced with a 32 oz. bottle of Smirnoff Ice and downed it like a champ. That is all.

I've probably said this before, but I truly believe, especially after the events of this Alumni Weekend, that distance does make the heart grow fonder. I've never loved Oxford and Glee Club more than going back over the last few months. See you all in three years!

I guess that's actually all for now. I thought about going into a dissertation about the Tonys, but the gist is that Montego Glover got robbed for Best Actress in a Musical, which went to the much less deserving Catherine Zeta-Jones. Not to take anything away from Ms. Zeta-Jones, she did a fantastic job ACTING the role, but Ms. Glover ruled every moment of MEMPHIS and blows the roof off the Shubert Theatre. Don't worry, Montego, your Tony is waiting in the wings...

Happy Adventures!