Get to know your Spring Awakening on Tour cast! Check out this video shout out with Christopher Wood who plays the role of Melchior!
For tickets and more information, visit www.springawakening.com.
Showing posts with label christopher wood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christopher wood. Show all posts
Spring Awakening's Christopher Wood
Actor Christopher Wood, who plays the role of Melchior in the 2nd national tour of Spring Awakening, shares some fun facts about himself in this video, provided by fellow cast member, Rachel Geisler. Check it out below!
For more information about Spring Awakening, visit www.springawakening.com.
For more information about Spring Awakening, visit www.springawakening.com.
Blah, Blah, Blah Wednesday #5 Recap
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| Devon Stone |
Q: What did you have to do for the audition process?
Devon: I went in for Spring Awakening back in April 2010 for an open call. I went in for about 10 seconds for the casting agent. About 2 seconds in, they asked me to sing "All That's Known." I auditioned for the role of Melchior, and I traveled between Boston (where I was attending school) and NYC for about a week and a half. Then I auditioned for Hanschen and got the role!
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| George E. Salazar |
George: It's pretty awesome to be a part of a show that touches so many people and changes people's lives.
Q: What has been your favorite state and stage door so far?
All: Minneapolis, Minnesota!
George: The stage door in Minneapolis had a lot of energy. The fans were very eager to meet us at the stage door.
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| Jamie Rea Billings |
Jamie: Never give up. My audition process for Spring Awakening was over the course of 3 years. So my advice would be: never give up and always keep your passion in the audition room. The audition experience is like walking in and showing a piece of yourself.
Q: What character would you perform as if you had to portray a character of the opposite sex and why?
Chris: I want to be Mama Rose in Gypsy. I think I could bring a lot to that motherly character. It's such a beautiful show.
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| Christopher Wood |
Chris: I think it's incredible to be able to see these places that most of us have never have seen before, and it's equally incredible to perform this show where a lot of people haven't been able to see it.
Q: Do you guys have any pre-show rituals/warm ups?
Devon: I play the character of Hanschen, and the character is extremely full of himself. So sometimes before the show I like to sit down in front of the mirror and talk to myself as Hanschen.
Jamie: The girls get together in a little circle and do "Mama Who Bore Me."
Q: When I saw the show in October, one of the best parts was during Song of Purple Summer, when the cast looks directly at the audience. How do you choose who to look at, or is it just random?
Jamie: It's pretty random. For me, it's one of my favorite parts of the show because we get to break the fourth wall and connect with people in the audience. There are people who you'll make eye contact with, and that's always a special moment.
Q: What is the funniest thing that has happened to you on or offstage?
Jamie: There was an incident where Chris knocked George's glasses off and it flew into the band.
George: How did you do it Chris?
Chris: I do some things intentionally sometimes.
Q: If you could trade roles with anyone in the cast, even if it were only for one performance, what role would you choose?
Chris: I would trade with Jeff the drummer because he's awesome.
Devon: I'd want to be Georg for the "Touch Me" solo.
Jamie: Hanschen.
Q: What separates your portrayal of Melchior from the actors who have played him in the past?
Chris: I had only seen the show once before, so what I brought to the show was my personal experiences.
Q: I had the lucky and amazing experience of sitting on stage during the Minneapolis show. What do you think of having new people on stage with you each show and does it ever effect your performance?
Devon: I would say it does affect performances day to day, and sometimes you can tell when a fan has seen the show before, and they look like they're in awe of sitting on stage. As an actor, it gives you a lift in energy and makes you want to perform well for that person.
Q: What do you most look forward to from the audience at each performance?
All: Energy!
Be sure to join us on Facebook next week for the final Blah, Blah, Blah Wednesday live text chat at 3 PM Eastern!
Blah, Blah, Blah Wednesday #5
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| Cast of the national tour of Spring Awakening (C)2010 Andy Snow |
This week's Blah, Blah, Blah Wednesday chat is December 29, 2010 at 3:00 PM EST and will feature cast members Christopher Wood (Melchior), George E. Salazar (Otto), Devon Stone (Hanschen), and Jamie Rea Billings (Ensemble).
Submit your questions NOW for Christopher, George, Devon, and Jamie by posting them to our main Facebook wall.
Remember, if you can't be here for the chat on Wednesday at 3 PM, you can submit your question in advance and then check out the cast's answers on Facebook after the chat! Please note: Cast participation is subject to change. Due to the limited time we have with the cast, we may not be able to answer all fan questions, but we will try to get to as many as possible! Thank you!
Q&A with Erin Burniston
What is your favorite song/scene/moment in Spring Awakening?
My favorite song is "Those You've Known." I love how the melody of the song integrates all the different musical themes in the show. It also is the only song that furthers the plot and allows you to see Melchior work through his personal struggle.
What inspires you to play the role?
As a Chair of Rock, I’m inspired simply by the fact that I am performing in the hottest musical of the decade. This show not only changed musical theatre, but also changes the lives of all who come to see it.
What is it like playing in a new venue almost every night?
Every night the show is different. I enjoy it because it really keeps us on our toes and allows us to have a new and different energy every time we perform. As a Chair of Rock, it's always interesting to see how the various audiences in different cities react to our role in the show.
Do you have a great Chair of Rock/Stage Seating experience you can share?
Every night on stage is a surprise! Some audience members have come right out and asked me if I was in the show. Others have offered to switch seats with me so that I “wouldn’t have to sit by myself." I have also had people talk to me during the middle of a pivotal scene. I love sitting on stage and I love seeing the different reactions from people every single night!
What is the weirdest/coolest thing that happened to you or another cast member on stage/at the stage door?
We had a huge crowd after both of our shows in Minneapolis. The second night was my birthday, and Christopher Wood (Melchior) announced to the fans that it was my birthday and made everyone sing "Happy Birthday" to me! The funny part was - they all knew my name! At first I thought it was just the cast, but every person at the stage door already knew who I was! It was a fun birthday surprise. It’s very exciting to have people at the stage door that know and care about us.
Have you been able to watch the show when an understudy was on? What did you think? What was it like?
I have been able to watch understudies go on and also perform as one! To watch my fellow swings get a chance to perform is so thrilling. Four of the five of us performed this fall, and each time was just as exciting as the first. I found myself tearing up, even during the funnier moments of the show because I was so proud. I know how hard we all work and how much we hope for those special shows when we get to go on. Having an understudy perform also brings a new and different energy to the show and allows the cast members to find new moments.
What was it like when you performed in front of Steven Sater/Michael Mayer during the rehearsals?
Performing for Steven and Michael was a truly special experience, especially because the show holds so much personal significance to them. I was touched how grateful they were to us that we were continuing the journey of their show and how pleased they were with our production.
What musical theater role/character outside of the one you are playing now would you most like to play? Why?
I would be honored to play the role of Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza. It would be a great acting challenge to play a part that is so complex and multi-layered. It would be a dream come true to sing the beautiful score, and to take on the challenge of portraying Clara.
Q&A with Christopher Wood
What is your favorite song/scene/moment in Spring Awakening?
My favorite moment in the show would have to be "Those You've Known." I think the song is simply beautiful, and the way it presents each character is fascinating. It is an extremely emotional scene, and it is heartbreaking to watch Melchior go through those re-connections with his friends. The scene is vitally important, as we see Melchior's struggle to survive these things he is realizing are mostly his responsibility. He has to overcome all of this and decide to move forward and carry those people he loves with him. As a performer, that scene is a wonderful release. A lot of the music in the show breaks out of the story to comment on the thoughts and feelings of the characters, and in this scene the music works alongside the plot progression perfectly. I think it is a scene that everyone has some way to connect to; whether they themselves have felt utter aloneness, or have experienced any loss or grief, or been there for someone who has; it carries the essence of humanity. I love this scene because, to me, finding a way to carry on is really the message of the show. And "Those You've Known" is that.
What inspires you to play the role?
Every night there is going to be someone in the audience who absolutely, beyond any doubt, needs to hear this story. The show has an importance to it. The story needs to be told because it is, in many ways, a story about each and every one of us. We've all felt and been exposed to all these things that the characters are dealing with (hopefully further from some than others). Especially when looking at the world around us and seeing people experiencing grief and trying to cope with it every day, it is easy to see that this story is needed. It is filled with loss, and Melchior experiences a harsh amount of it, even feeling responsible for the losses. And it is important for people who are going through similar things to see that it is possible to rise above that, and to continue on. Of course, the show is also one of the most exhilarating shows I've ever been a part of. That doesn't hurt.
What is it like playing in a new venue almost every night?
It's always a surprise. There is usually an "x" factor of some sort, usually the way the backstage space is arranged or the acoustics in the house. It definitely keeps us on our toes.
Do you have a great Guilty Ones moment/story you can share?
Sometimes I will get messages from people who saw the show, and they will share their personal experience and how the show moved them. These messages serve as little reminders of how important our story is, and it helps me stay focused and enthused about the show every single day. Teens and young adults everywhere are definitely still going through situations similar to the story. Usually they find comfort through experiencing the show, and it is one of the best parts of my job getting to hear how important it was to them.
Do you have a great Chair of Rock/Stage Seating experience you can share?
There was one night where we had an audience member getting a little too into the show, and he began joining in on the group choreography. He even started to get up and join the final picture at the end of "Totally F***ed". Turns out he wasn't just enjoying himself, but had 'other factors' playing into his behavior. Maybe he thought he was seeing Hair. Needless to say, when I sat down in the chair on the wall after the applause, the blur of clothing I had seen out of the corner of my eye left us one onstage audience member short. I guess one of our crew members used his best judgment and saved us from having to introduce a new character into our already fully developed story.
What is the weirdest/coolest thing that happened to you or another cast member on stage?
The weirdest thing that happened to me was in Wichita, Kansas on our first performance in the venue. I was running off after the "Word of Your Body" scene, and I usually pass the other guys entering just in time to turn upstage and walk around the back of the onstage seats, put my jacket on, and enter the new scene. Well, this night something was different about our timing, and the distance from the edge of the curtain to the seats, and I collided with the last person in the entrance line. I tried to avoid tripping him by side-stepping around his back, but I stepped on my jacket (which was in my hand) and preceded to fully face-plant into a forward roll, all expertly done in front of our cello player, who watched the whole thing. I think he gave me a perfect 10. In any case, when I re-entered again, I was seeing spots, and I proceeded to perform the rest of the act with tunnel vision and the rest of the show with a mild concussion (you can imagine I was a little off). Although, I did notice the lighting in "Totally F***ed" looked cooler than ever.
Have you been able to watch the show when an understudy was on? What did you think? What was it like?
I came down with a pretty bad sinus infection and had to miss a few shows, and I had the opportunity to sit in the house and experience it from the audience's perspective. It was surreal. It got me so amped up to get back out there and perform again, and I really found a new appreciation for our production after watching it.
What was it like when you performed in front of Steven Sater/Michael Mayer during the rehearsals?
It was really great to talk with them and soak up a bit of their insight. They were both very encouraging and their passion was evident, and contagious. Steven came out to Evansville, Indiana for our final dress rehearsal, as it is his hometown, and that made the event special for all of us. He devoted not only his time and energy, but his whole heart to this show, because he was certain of its power and of the possibility to move souls with the piece. Talking with him and hearing his thoughts on the show only deepened my appreciation of the work, and really helped us understand that the most important element of the show is finding the heartbeat. It doesn't come easily and you can't search it out, but in living with the show for a while and letting it affect you, you inevitably come to find it. For me, that's part of what makes this show so special.
What musical theater role/character outside of the one you are playing now would you most like to play? Why?
I'm a traditional musical theatre junkie, and a role I would really love to play is another young man searching to understand the world, but handling it in an entirely different way. Carousel is one of my favorite shows, and I think Billy Bigelow is a fascinating character study. Like Melchior, his actions deeply affect those around him, and he is forced to deal with them in his own way. He's not nearly as smart as Melchior, but in a lot of ways his strange process only makes the role more exciting to tackle.
Welcome
Welcome to Still Totally Truckin' -- the official blog for the 2010-2011 Spring Awakening national tour!
If you haven't already, be sure to check out these videos of the cast!
For tickets and more information about Spring Awakening on tour, visit www.springawakening.com.
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| Elizabeth Judd and Christopher Wood (c) 2010 Andy Snow |
If you haven't already, be sure to check out these videos of the cast!
For tickets and more information about Spring Awakening on tour, visit www.springawakening.com.
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