A little less than two months ago I went into NYC to view a video of a concert version of Hair that was done as a benefit several years ago.
It starred Idina Menzel as Sheila and featured Jesse Tyler Ferguson in the ensemble along with several other notable performers.
I wrote down my thoughts while watching the video.
Not really in any particular order:
--I would rail Idina Menzel (hard)
--Why can't people get along?
--Don't believe in monogamy. If two people truly want to be monogamous, it is cool, but one should not force it on the other.
--Race relations. - We haven't progressed from the 60s that much.
--Woof is, in his words, "not a homosexual," but would like to make love to Mick Jagger. I don't want to make love to any man, but I have to admit that Ryan Reynolds is kind of dreamy for a dude.
--People should be able to speak their minds without fear of what society might think
--Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Sam Harris were both awesome in The Class
--Society is holding back society
--We are STILL afraid to talk about sex openly. It feels like the sexual revolution didn't even happen.
--Having long hair doesn't make you a hippie. Being true to yourself and your ideals makes you a hippie.
--Parallels between Berger/Shiela and my last relationship.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
A phonecall
I finally called up Mr. Vereen a few days ago. I was afraid to talk with him on the phone for a little while. It seems silly to think about now considering that I was able to speak with him in person without a problem.
The phone call went well and he was very nice (of course) and actually thanked me for thinking about him.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
The phone call went well and he was very nice (of course) and actually thanked me for thinking about him.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Hair
For those of you that don't know, I have been cast in a production of Hair in Venice, Florida. The show will run from November 10th until December 12th.
I plan on using this blog to post my thoughts on the show, rehearsals, hippie life, and various other related things in the coming weeks/months.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
I plan on using this blog to post my thoughts on the show, rehearsals, hippie life, and various other related things in the coming weeks/months.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Thursday, May 7, 2015
I'm going to be in Hair and it will be directed by BEN VEREEN!
Here is a repost from my FB feed.
Barely got a wink of sleep last night. I was too excited. I kept thinking about how everything played out last night, so I thought I'd share it.
***WARNING - Very long post***
Auditions for Hair started at 6:30 last night. It was the 3rd and last day of auditions.
I got to the theater at a little after 6 and stayed in my car for a few minutes to focus on what was ahead.
A few minutes later I got out of my car. I started heading to the stage door entrance and noticed Ben Vereen getting out of his car. He saw me, too, and said "are you auditioning?"
I said, "yes, I am."
"Great!" he said as he motioned for me to come closer. "What's your name?"
"Joseph," I said as he put out his hand for me to shake.
We shook hands and I continued, "we actually met in New Jersey a few years ago. You did a concert in Manasquan and we talked for several minutes after it was over."
"Alright, Joseph. How do you feel?"
"I feel good," I said.
"Nervous?" he asked.
"Yes, a little"
"Don't be," he said. "I'll see you upstairs."
He was so relaxed and cool that I couldn't help but feel at ease.
I signed in, they took my picture, blah blah blah, and then bam it was 6:30. Time for the dance call. I wasn't sure if they wanted me to participate, but they did.
At this point I started getting nervous again. I haven't had to dance at an audition in a few years and the last time I did, well, let me just say that "hot mess" doesn't even begin to describe it. (...and this time BEN VEREEN was going to be judging how well I dance?!)
So there were about 30 people in the room and we all learned the routine. I did as much as I could. After about 4 times through the dance, I was just thankful that I work out regularly. ;-)
We all did the routine together without the choreographer. After we finished, Ben told us that we were all so concerned with getting the steps/moves right that we weren't actually FEELING the music.
He said, "I don't care if you know the steps. I want to see that you feel the music inside you. For your songs - I don't care if you know the words. I care if you feel what you are singing. You all seem like you are afraid. That's good, though. If you move towards your fear it can help you. If you run from it, it will only hurt you. Your fear can make you better."
(I just now realize how much this advice sounds like something Darth Vader would say. :-p)
After that he split the men and the women. First a group of 3 men. Then the rest of the men. There were 4 in the second group and that is the group I was in.
We danced. Ben looked at me and said, "I want you to move more. You can't do the steps, but you can do other things to make us see you on stage."
We did it again. I changed it up a little.
"Better," he said. "Okay, the women now."
The men went to the side and watched as the women danced. I couldn't sit still, though. I was really feeling the music by that point.
The women finished up dancing and Ben said, "okay, that was good. That was good. I want to see my guy again."
He was looking at me as he spoke.
As I began to move toward the center of the room, Ben said, "Don't worry about the moves. I don't want the moves. Just do what you do. Show me how you dance. Rock it out."
Everyone was watching, but I felt good. The nervousness was completely gone.
I had no idea what I was going to do as the music started, but I felt completely focused and in the zone and I just made it up as I went along.
I spun around, I popped wheelies, I hopped up and down in my chair, I flailed my arms around, and I finished with my arms up and a smile on my face.
"Fantastic!" Ben said. He paused and then said, "So, can you sing?"
"Yes"
"Okay, let me hear you sing."
"Right now?" I asked.
"Yes, now."
"Can I get my music?"
"Go ahead and get it," he said.
As I went to get my music the person sitting next to Ben told him that the pianist had left the room. He hadn't noticed and neither had I.
Ben said to me, "Can you do it a cappella?"
"Yes," I said.
"Alright. Do it."
All of the other people that were auditioning were STILL in the room.
I sang.
Halfway through Ben said, "Stop moving. Just sing."
I didn't realize how much I had been moving around while I was singing, but I heeded his request.
I finished.
"What are you doing in September?" he asked.
"Hopefully doing this show."
"Well, you got it. You're in," he said with a smile.
I was in disbelief. I couldn't say anything except "thank you" over and over again as I began to cry a little bit.
The other auditioners were blown away. Several told me that my performance was amazing and that they'd never seen anything like that happen at an audition before.
Almost forgot! The show is in Venice, Florida. Performance dates are Tuesdays through Sundays Nov. 10 – Dec. 12, 2015.
#hair #musicaltheater #benvereen #peace #love #understanding #harmony
Barely got a wink of sleep last night. I was too excited. I kept thinking about how everything played out last night, so I thought I'd share it.
***WARNING - Very long post***
Auditions for Hair started at 6:30 last night. It was the 3rd and last day of auditions.
I got to the theater at a little after 6 and stayed in my car for a few minutes to focus on what was ahead.
A few minutes later I got out of my car. I started heading to the stage door entrance and noticed Ben Vereen getting out of his car. He saw me, too, and said "are you auditioning?"
I said, "yes, I am."
"Great!" he said as he motioned for me to come closer. "What's your name?"
"Joseph," I said as he put out his hand for me to shake.
We shook hands and I continued, "we actually met in New Jersey a few years ago. You did a concert in Manasquan and we talked for several minutes after it was over."
"Alright, Joseph. How do you feel?"
"I feel good," I said.
"Nervous?" he asked.
"Yes, a little"
"Don't be," he said. "I'll see you upstairs."
He was so relaxed and cool that I couldn't help but feel at ease.
I signed in, they took my picture, blah blah blah, and then bam it was 6:30. Time for the dance call. I wasn't sure if they wanted me to participate, but they did.
At this point I started getting nervous again. I haven't had to dance at an audition in a few years and the last time I did, well, let me just say that "hot mess" doesn't even begin to describe it. (...and this time BEN VEREEN was going to be judging how well I dance?!)
So there were about 30 people in the room and we all learned the routine. I did as much as I could. After about 4 times through the dance, I was just thankful that I work out regularly. ;-)
We all did the routine together without the choreographer. After we finished, Ben told us that we were all so concerned with getting the steps/moves right that we weren't actually FEELING the music.
He said, "I don't care if you know the steps. I want to see that you feel the music inside you. For your songs - I don't care if you know the words. I care if you feel what you are singing. You all seem like you are afraid. That's good, though. If you move towards your fear it can help you. If you run from it, it will only hurt you. Your fear can make you better."
(I just now realize how much this advice sounds like something Darth Vader would say. :-p)
After that he split the men and the women. First a group of 3 men. Then the rest of the men. There were 4 in the second group and that is the group I was in.
We danced. Ben looked at me and said, "I want you to move more. You can't do the steps, but you can do other things to make us see you on stage."
We did it again. I changed it up a little.
"Better," he said. "Okay, the women now."
The men went to the side and watched as the women danced. I couldn't sit still, though. I was really feeling the music by that point.
The women finished up dancing and Ben said, "okay, that was good. That was good. I want to see my guy again."
He was looking at me as he spoke.
As I began to move toward the center of the room, Ben said, "Don't worry about the moves. I don't want the moves. Just do what you do. Show me how you dance. Rock it out."
Everyone was watching, but I felt good. The nervousness was completely gone.
I had no idea what I was going to do as the music started, but I felt completely focused and in the zone and I just made it up as I went along.
I spun around, I popped wheelies, I hopped up and down in my chair, I flailed my arms around, and I finished with my arms up and a smile on my face.
"Fantastic!" Ben said. He paused and then said, "So, can you sing?"
"Yes"
"Okay, let me hear you sing."
"Right now?" I asked.
"Yes, now."
"Can I get my music?"
"Go ahead and get it," he said.
As I went to get my music the person sitting next to Ben told him that the pianist had left the room. He hadn't noticed and neither had I.
Ben said to me, "Can you do it a cappella?"
"Yes," I said.
"Alright. Do it."
All of the other people that were auditioning were STILL in the room.
I sang.
Halfway through Ben said, "Stop moving. Just sing."
I didn't realize how much I had been moving around while I was singing, but I heeded his request.
I finished.
"What are you doing in September?" he asked.
"Hopefully doing this show."
"Well, you got it. You're in," he said with a smile.
I was in disbelief. I couldn't say anything except "thank you" over and over again as I began to cry a little bit.
The other auditioners were blown away. Several told me that my performance was amazing and that they'd never seen anything like that happen at an audition before.
Almost forgot! The show is in Venice, Florida. Performance dates are Tuesdays through Sundays Nov. 10 – Dec. 12, 2015.
#hair #musicaltheater #benvereen #peace #love #understanding #harmony
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Sunday, April 26, 2015
La Joconde / Mona Lisa
I tried something different for this one.
I got some colored pencils so that the drawings would look better.
I used the technique of reversing the colors again and had to draw the canister of oxygen in red so that it would show up as green in the final picture.
I also fixed a problem with my printer that was causing the colors to come out weird.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
I got some colored pencils so that the drawings would look better.
I used the technique of reversing the colors again and had to draw the canister of oxygen in red so that it would show up as green in the final picture.
I also fixed a problem with my printer that was causing the colors to come out weird.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Whistler's Mom
My newest one.
This alteration took a little more thought mainly because of the color of the original work of art. After a while I figured out that if I inverted the colors of the original and drew the wheelchair in black, when I REinverted the picture after that it would show up in white.
I had debated putting a walker into the picture, but in the end I decided against it.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
This alteration took a little more thought mainly because of the color of the original work of art. After a while I figured out that if I inverted the colors of the original and drew the wheelchair in black, when I REinverted the picture after that it would show up in white.
I had debated putting a walker into the picture, but in the end I decided against it.
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Friday, April 24, 2015
Disability In Art and History
For my next alteration I decided on Georges Seurat's Un dimanche après-midi à l'Île de la Grande Jatte (A Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of La Grande Jatte).
For this one, I drew the crutch on the lady in the foreground first. Initially I drew the crutch in the style of one that you might get from a hospital for a temporary injury, but then I decided that a different design would be better instead. I'm happy with the crutch I drew for her, but I'm not as keen on the one I drew for the lady by the water in the background. (The handle almost makes it look like she has a penis.)
After I finished with those crutches, I drew the wheelchair. It ended up being a bit larger than what I had envisioned originally, but I figured that I'd leave it that way since the purpose of doing this is to raise awareness about disabilities.
The braces on the guy in the foreground that is lying down were an afterthought. I hadn't planned on putting them in at first. When I was finished with all of the other stuff, though, I noticed that he'd be the perfect recipient of them. (Unfortunately they ended up looking more like a corset than braces.)
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
For this one, I drew the crutch on the lady in the foreground first. Initially I drew the crutch in the style of one that you might get from a hospital for a temporary injury, but then I decided that a different design would be better instead. I'm happy with the crutch I drew for her, but I'm not as keen on the one I drew for the lady by the water in the background. (The handle almost makes it look like she has a penis.)
After I finished with those crutches, I drew the wheelchair. It ended up being a bit larger than what I had envisioned originally, but I figured that I'd leave it that way since the purpose of doing this is to raise awareness about disabilities.
The braces on the guy in the foreground that is lying down were an afterthought. I hadn't planned on putting them in at first. When I was finished with all of the other stuff, though, I noticed that he'd be the perfect recipient of them. (Unfortunately they ended up looking more like a corset than braces.)
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Thursday, April 23, 2015
What if history and art looked more like this?
http://www.youtube.com/WheelzOfFortune
http://www.youtube.com/JosephVisaggi
http://www.youtube.com/wheelzncards
http://www.youtube.com/legowheelz
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznpocketknives
http://www.youtube.com/wheelznvideogames
http://www.youtube.com/JPVLanguages
http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=hempick
http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref1289887
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2193155
http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2443052
Friday, March 20, 2015
BodyBuilding
I'm currently heading to West Palm Beach to participate in my 3rd BodyBuilding competition. Not expecting to win, but definitely expecting to do better than last time.
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