Travel day from hell...

Okay...so I've been through a bit of an ordeal today. I missed my flight and got stranded in LA. Words cannot express the stress I experienced this morning...especially since I had a show to catch tonight...that ship has sailed. Ugh!

However, I'm not going to let the end of my experience here in LA sour everything else. Today may have been a day of utter shit but that's hardly reflective on what the rest of the trip has been for me.

This project will most definitely be one of the most important pieces of work I will ever do. Period. I believe so strongly in the material and it's message. This is an incredible project with incredible people involved. I loved every second of the experience that I had this past weekend.

I have heard plenty of rough takes of the music and the other performers involved...it's going to be incredible. There is so much heart and soul in every singer involved. I've said it before but I will say it again: this has all been an incredible gift.

I'm excited to get back to work...but I KNOW that these 4 days away from Spring Awakening were good for me. It cleared my head, gave me perspective, and got me believing in the important things again.

I'm still furious about this plane situation though...don't ever fly out of Burbank. If you miss your flight like an idiot (like me), there aren't many options...or other flights. Gahhhh.

More soon

Matt

Just wanted to drop a quick update. Things are going spectacularly well in the recording sessions. It's been a thrill working with everyone involved in this album. Today we worked on a couple pivotal tracks...my personal favorite "Queen Mab" and the big one, "Role of a Lifetime." Both went extremely well.

I absoloutely adore being in the studio. There's something really wonderful about being alone in the space and having nothing but the music. The entire experience so far has been nothing but positive. I'll let everyone knows how the rest of the sessions go. I have a couple more days!

Leaving!

Tonight I hop on a plane to LA for the studio recording of bare: A Pop Opera.

I am beyond excited, but very sad to be missing the last day of several performers in our cast. However, tonight I had the fortune of going on with Gideon, Robi, and Rob...who will all be leaving our cast on Saturday. I played Otto tonight and Rob and Robi were on for ensemble. It was nice to have tonight with them, I respect them all so much and value what I've learned from each of them.

It's kind of the end of an era! I cannot believe that I have already been with the cast for 5 months, but I feel so fortunate that I have had the opportunity to work with the original cast members for so long. It was an honor to come in as an added cast member.

I'll be back in on monday, taking over the "Stage left Chair of Rock" (as our stage managers affectionately call it). I have known about this for quite sometime and I'm flattered that I have recieved so many excited emails from fans about this recently! I didn't know it had been such a secret!

I am extremely excited about the work I'll be doing over the next few days. I'm sure it's all going to be a total blur! I'll be in the studio in about 15 hours...and I'm still in New York!

I cannot believe that I'll be missing 4 performaces. That's a very strange thing for me. I get nervous on mondays when we don't have to be at the theatre until 7:00. I always feel like I should be doing something...so being on another coast is going to be strange. I'll keep updates throughout the process if I have access to my computer much.

Bare

So my big news can finally be announced. Some of you may already know, but for those of you who don't, I am going to playing the role of Peter on the Official Studio Recording of Bare: A Pop Opera.

From the website:

"After being performed to sold-out audiences in Los Angeles and New York, the complete 2-disc studio album of the hit musical has arrived. Producers Deborah Lurie & Casey Stone have worked with composer Damon Intrabartolo and lyricist Jon Hartmere to make this definitive recording available for purchase Sept. 25, 2007."

Recording this incredible music is an absolute dream. The score is truly one of the most remarkable scores I have ever heard and the lyrics are a vocal performer's dream. I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this production. Oddly enough, I was discovered for it the on the day that I went on for Melchior in Spring Awakening.

Will keep you all updated on how the project is going. I will be out in LA from the 23rd to the 26th for some recording sessions.

Been getting a lot of messages about what my upcoming project may be. I promise you'll all know soon enough. I'm guessing around the 15th of August if I haven't said anything myself yet.

Game for Fools

The first moment you hesitate
Better ask yourself why
Don't you wait until it's too late
Until something inside has died
When you're paralyzed, no direction at all
Found yourself way up high
Now there's only space to fall
When you're losing
Even when you know the rules
Must be a game for fools

'Cause the
The first moment you hesitate
Better ask yourself why
Don't you wait until it's too late
Until something inside has died

Ooh

Yeah it's easy down the line
To make a map of your lies
But you can't keep on
Keep on keeping the truth
Well disguised
Acting like it was alright
When it was all wrong

And you feel you've wasted so much time
Forever
Trying to make up your mind
Now it's clear you should have just moved on
Simply packed your bags and gone

'Cause the
The first moment you hesitate
You can kiss those plans goodbye
Don't you wait until it's too late
Or something inside might die

If you're losing
When you know
Yeah you know all the rules
Must be playing a game for fools

Congratulations

Yeah you're winning the game
For fools

- Jamie Lidell

I urge anyone who hasn't heard of him to give him a listen.