Halloweentime.

Hello blogoverse! Halloween is just around the corner! How absolutely exciting. This year, me and my newfound boyfriend [you'll learn about him more in the time to come. He's a keeper] are going as Woody and Buzz from the Disney animated film Toy Story [obviously I'm Buzz...] Here's the kicker, we're going as sexy versions of the characters. Be ready, world. Pictures to come.

This weeks theme: Musical Theatre for the Young Adult and a Bonus Roasted Potato Recipe! Excitement!

I recently received this letter [i didn't] from a colleague [i wrote it] and it sparked my interest...:

Dear 24/7[evan],

I'm having some trouble! I love to act, sing, and perform. I've done some shows at my local community theatre/youth theatre/high school/professional theatre and I think I may want to consider acting on stage as a career. What should I do?

Your's,

Anon

What should you do? Well, there are a few very important things that any musical theatre professional to-be must know. Firstly, and most importantly, you must understand that acting is a craft that you must be willing to hone. You can be talented out the wazoo, but without a strong drive you'll be left with the mediocre, "struggling" group I like to call the wedge. You absolutely do not want to be in the wedge, which means you need to work harder, stronger, and more efficient than anyone else. You should always be ready to sing an extra song, read for a character on the spot, or make a big choice others would be afraid to make. With these and more very specific skills, you'll always be one step ahead of your competition. The first, and obviously most important step, is your education.

Education for an artist is almost synonymous with training. Education is the outlet with which you can take your talent and grow. Sure, some people are more talented. Sure, some people work hard. But as my good friend Eddie pointed out to me, the people who have that "Wow" factor are the ones that have both. They're extremely talented and they work their butt off as performers. Those are the kinds of people directors want to hire. The kinds of people that give audiences chills and will be cast again and again because their personality is infectious. You want to go to there. [30 rock reference. nbd.]

So, with that said, the first step to ensure a well-rounded education involves getting a great voice teacher, getting into some basic dance classes, and applying for college. In addition to these three items, I'd highly recommend doing many, many shows at the community or youth level. This is an important step in identifying if you're talented enough to "make it." If you find yourself getting cast again and again, especially in leading roles, than musical theatre may be for you. In this business only the best of the best succeed and, oftentimes, this includes talent level. On the other hand, some people enjoy doing musicals as a form of recreation. If that is the case, then you shouldn't worry about anything this post has to offer. But keep reading! The potato recipe is eagerly awaiting your hungry eyes!

I'm looking at my written list and thinking that it would have been wise to split this monster discussion [or monologue if you will] [and I will] up into a few different parts, so that concludes the end of my lecture on performers. Get an education and start honing your talent and skill as early as you can.

Forbidden Potatoes of the Hidden Temple
or Evan's Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes are literally delicious and if you don't make them you're absolutely missing out.

Ingredients:
4 Cups Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 tsp Course Salt [regular salt is just fine too]
1.5 tsp Peppa'
1 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tbsp Paprika
3 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese [splurge on this and get the good stuff! It's shredded in the deli section.]
Some thyme or Rosemary if you're feelin' fancy.

1) Preheat the oven to 425 and decide if you want crunchy or tender potatoes. Either way you'll need some baking spray. If you chose crunchy, cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. For tender potatoes [I enjoy these more. they're still a bit crunchy] spray a baking pan.

2) Wash the outside of the potatoes very, very well, possibly letting them soak for a few minutes in some cool water if you're a germaphobe like me. Cube the potatoes. I find that that it's easiest to cut them vertically across like you would an onion or a tomato and then make cuts both ways like a checkerboard.

3) Place the potatoes in a large bowl and combine the remaining ingredients. Use your hands to coat the potatoes evenly. The paprika helps with this! :)

4) Place your future crunchy potatoes on the cookie sheet and your future less crunchy ones in the baking pan. put them in the oven for 30 minutes.

5) Remove the potatoes and stir around. This will make sure that the cheese doesn't burn! Put them back in for another 10-20 minutes for crunchy potatoes and another 15-25 minutes for tender potatoes.

6) Remove and enjoy! They're delicious!

Well, that's it for this post. Theatre and food. Got to love it. Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to spend some quality "me" time. Take a day off from classes and sleep in. Watch a full length movie on netflix. Just eat something that makes you smile. You'll thank me later! ;)

As always,
24/7[evan]

One Step at a Time

Hey y'all. Internet, invisible readers, ghosts [I think they read blogs.]. Welcome back or welcome for the first time. Here we go.

So things are going pretty well in my life. I got to play Mario Kart this weekend, enjoyed some thai food, and watched a few good movies with a few good people. Basically euphoria compared to these past few weeks. I can say that things have gotten better without hesitation. It also happens to be tech week for Charlie Brown, so the fact that there's anything positive to say in my life right now is remarkable! The show looks wonderful and if you don't come to see it, you're plain-and-simple not my best friend anymore.

In other news, I've been thinking a lot about my future and came to the conclusion that, in a perfect world, provided I meet someone beautiful inside and out with like-mindedness on the issue [aka dream man] I would like to start raising a family in the next five years. I can give or take a few, but that's kind of where I am right now. I've always thought the force that drives my life forward was success, but I'm starting to think that it might be simpler than that. Love. There, I said it and I'm not apologizing for it. I'm looking for love and I know that if I look in the right places and be open and honest, that it will come. Like I said in a recent facebook post: "I'm looking for someone as adorkable as I am." It stands.

So with that in mind, I'm looking for the next step in my life. To have a kind of bond with someone that doesn't fade or dissappear. To build trust and love. To get excited every time we touch, every time we communicate, and to miss them when they aren't near me. Are my standards high? Sure. But someone out there is waiting for all of the love I have to give. Maybe even closer than I think...

So with that, I guess I can say that I'm on my way to becoming a happier person, at least for the time being. It's really, really awesome. Truly.

In other news, Charlie Brown opens tonight and I'm literally too nervous for words. Excited and scared. And possibly scarred. At any rate, America's favorite beagle will be portrayed by your's truly at the Evelyn Smith Music Theatre in the school of music for the next  two weekends. It'll be fun. I hope.

Life without love is like eating a cupcake without frosting or darkness without a sunset. It just isn't the same. And all you internet haters that are jealous or angry or lost your chance or upset or [other bitter, mean things] can just kiss my butt. :D

Excited beyond belief,
24/7[evan]

Resume. Tresemme. Ooh La La.

Welcome back. Missed you. Let's get to work.

I recently started reading Tina Fey's book and I absolutely fell in love. Tina is not joking around with this book and it's absolutely everything a gay twenty something could want out of the dictation of an ex-SNL cast-member's, current television star's, and golden globe winner's book. I'm thinking the grammar wasn't spot on in that last sentence. Irregardless [not a word], the book is wonderful and there are laugh out loud moments on literally every page. I liked it so much that I bought the audiobook to go along with it. Seriously, y'all [i don't typically use y'all], it made the book 100 times more enjoyable and much, much more personal. I'd absolutely recommend it.

That's pretty much all that's been going on in my life since my last post. Trying to read for at least thirty minutes a day, looking to go on a date with... well, anyone [if you know anyone...]. Other than that I've just been at rehearsals for Charlie Brown and going to school. It's going pretty well considering my recent past, but things can always get better. Or worse, I suppose.

On to the topic of today's blogpost, resumes! About 30% of you [so roughly one of the three people who are actually reading] will find this helpful, but it's a must. If my blog is going to be about a twenty-something's journey through musical theatre and math, it's going to have to start with the facts. And by facts, I mean information. And by information, I mean a resume. So let's get to work!

The first and generally most important thing is your name. Your name should under all circumstances be the largest, boldest thing on your entire resume. With the flurry of information you're about to be throwing at the director's face, it makes sense. They need to know who you are and that you mean business. Some people who have fancy shmancey printers or can afford to pay staples/officmax/fedex/printingcompanyofyourchoice have started putting a small picture of themselves next to their name, or under their name. While I think this is a good idea, it seems pointless and arbitrary, as you've, generally, attached a copy of your head shot to the back of your resume. More on this later. 

Following your name, you should have your quick facts section. Generally, this includes all the information they would need to know about you to figure out what you look like. Hair and Eye Color, Height, Weight, Voice Type, ect. [PS I'm going to be pretty vague about everything. I'll attach a copy of my resume to the end and you'll be able to see for yourself... not that my resume is perfect by any stretch of the imagination.] The purpose of this section is to remind the directors of your physical stats. That way, if you've made your way into the "like" pile, they'll be able to easily remember who you were.

After quick facts should come the meat and potatoes of your resume, your past work. Generally, you want to follow this guideline, adding and subtracting from the previous section as you go.

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Regional

Collegiate

Community*

Youth*

(May be considered the same level in some theatre's eyes)

Keep in mind that this is just a "rough guide" you should follow, but listing your experience in this order will show your director that you understand the importance of theatre and know what level you're currently at. Sure, you may have gotten a scholarship from doing youth theatre. Sure, you have an award for a summer stock show you did. Sure, you originated a role at a community theatre. Unfortunately, none of this matters. Why? Because money talks and the closer you are to being affiliated with a professional company, the better off you are. With each step that you advance, people will begin to take you more and more seriously. As soon as you can remove one of the previous layers, you should. It makes you appear more advanced. On the other hand, be careful that you don't do it too soon, as you may not have enough experience for the role they're looking to fill.

Another important item to consider in your past experience is that of "understudy" opportunities. An understudy or cover in the next bracket is always considered "better" than that of the previous section, especially if it's a professional understudy/cover opportunity. 

Once you've tortured yourself over which roles to keep and which ones to remove, you should begin to list your training. This is the real-world equivilant to "name-dropping." I had the opportunity to work with original Avenue Q puppet designer and cast member "Rick Lyon" and you can absolutely guarantee that his name is on my resume. Try to list the most important people you've worked with and know that the theatre world is very small. You never know who might know who.

Finally comes your miscellaneous section. This can include a special talents area, an awards section, a master class/additional training section. a section of theatre production items [direction, choreography, ect.]. The possibilities are endless. I enjoy the "special talents" section because it let's me put some unique facts about myself. See my resume for some funny examples.

Other than that, just be sure to staple a copy of your headshot to the back of your resume and enjoy the roles that are sure to come your way! I'm sorry for the lack-lusterness of this blog post. I'll try to keep 'em short and sweet from this point on. [note: i don't use "'em" in real life...]

Stay beautiful,

24/7[evan]

p.s. My resume is attached! Feel free to take a look. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears!

A Way Back to Then

Hey blog. Sorry I've neglected you. We're okay? Good.

Well, life has taken a slight detour in terms of ultimate happiness, but that's the idea, right? Turns out I'm single now, but not really looking to date. Which is actually okay. I have to admit that, at first, I felt a little empty. When you put a lot of work into something, you're always sure to have some negative feelings when things go awry. Anyways, I'm not really here to post online about my problems. It's only life, after all. I'm on the "road to recovery," but it'll be awhile before I'm able to trust someone with my heart.

You're a Good Man Charlie Brown is in full rehearsal mode, which has made for an excellent distraction. Dale Dreyfoos, our director, is hysterical and really understands the unique style Charles Schultz has created. One signature thing found in all of Dale's productions is his use of props. In the "Rabbit Chasing" sequence alone I go from Dog, to Horse, to Cowboy, to Bandit, to Opera Singer, to Bo Peep's Sheep, to [yes, I'm still going] Butterfly Chaser, to Hunter, to Football Player, to Carmen Miranda, to actual Rabbit in less than three minutes. Impressed? I know I am. Other than that, the cast is absolutely amazing and if you're in Arizona, you do not want to miss this show.

I finalized my rep for this semester, which has been really difficult actually. First I'll be singing "The Butterfly" and "People Carry On" from the brilliant musical "The Story of My Life." The show lasted for five performances on Broadway due to recession-related issues, but the show is genius. Truly. Next on the list is a beautiful American folk song titled "Homeward Bound." Originally, the solo version is in Eflat, which works perfectly for mezzos and baritones. The song has a huge range and the lows were getting pretty low in Eflat, so I had one of my great friends Nathan transpose it up to Aflat. Much, much better. It sounds really really great now and I don't really have to stretch myself for the lows... wish I could say the same about the highs now... Next on the rep list is "Wand'ring Minstel" from The Mikado. It's funny and Gilbert-and-Sullivan-y... Judy [my voice coach] is basically making me sing it. The final song on my rep list is a Scott Alan song called "It's Good to See You Again." It's a song about a broken up couple meeting again for the first time in five years. It's really touching and it brings a smile to my face. Makes me think that there's hope in love.

At any rate, that's a picture of my life at the moment. In the next blog, I'm going to focus on more theatre-related items! I think I'll do resume's first! That's a great start for anyone interested in getting into theatre professionally. Thanks for reading, and, as always, keep it real.

[24/7]evan

The Journey

Well, well, well... Look what the cat dragged in.... It's me.

Hey internet/blog, sorry it's been so long. I've been very busy working and sleeping and then working, and not sleeping. There's a few more variations, but I'll leave those up to your imagination. Thought I'd post about my life so everyone could admire my pluck.

So, general news, I'm actually starting to get excited about going back to school. I'm really happy with my schedule and I'm officially on my way to graduating! This year is going to be pretty rough, but with enough energy and enthusiasm, I'm sure I'll be able to get through it. Anyways, I'm starting to get a little bit nervous about You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. Snoopy is kind of an interesting role. The whole thing is usually done goofy and VERY tongue in cheek. While I've played roles like this before, I'm a little intimidated by the whole dog thing. Have I started watching old Snoopy clips/youtube videos of dogs? I mean, yes. And it's helping. I'm trying to figure out what my maneurisms are going to be. I'm sure the brilliant director Dale Dreyfoos will help. It's probably going to be an epic show, so you should definitely clear your schedules. You can find out the details by going to http:///www.google.com and typing in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown ASU. Digital age, people. Get used to it. ;)

Next is the wonderful boyfriend. We hit one month as of the 19th of June and I couldn't be happier. He's amazing and that's all you need to know. If you ever get a chance to meet him, do it. He just may be one of the sweetest human beings in the history of the universe.

Continuing on to this weekend! My brother's birthday was at the very end of May [and coincidentally my Mom's birthday is tomorrow! Happy Birthday Mama!!!] and I decided that, for my present, I was going to take him to Magic Mountain! I get off of work early today to run to my Dad's office for a cheapy cheap discount on tickets! $26.00!!! From there I'm continuing my trek up to the great Anthem, Arizona. I'll stay up there and celebrate my Mama's birthday and then my brother and I are leaving on Sunday for sunny California. We'll get there early evening, spend the night at my Aunt Christy's house, and head to the park Monday morning. I'm really hoping it's not too crowded, but it's a Monday and the weather is going to be great, so I imagine there will be a few people there. And by a few I mean far too many. Anyways, we'll stay all day Monday, head back to Christy's to sleep again, and then head out on Tuesday morning for home. Oh, and the high for all the days we're going to be there is 88 degrees. Uh-huh-huh-huh. [Like the Mad TV character?]

At any rate, things are still going really well. I have a good job, a great family, the best boyfriend on the planet, and a whole slew of other fortunes. Life lesson for this week: don't think you can read into people. No one ever does it as well as they think they can. Also, stay above the influence, in general. Don't be tempted by drugs that make you feel good, or drama that brings interest to your life. Go meet someone in a park or grocery store and say hi. Maybe they're looking for a friend too. And always, always, always, always remember to capture the beauty of life. We literally only get one chance, and we all need to make it worth it. Even in this awful desert heat, you can find glimpses of beauty. Keep your eyes open, your ears alive, and think. I guess I should have said life lesson[s]... Oh, and read. ;)

Always,
24/7[evan]

I'm Going to Smile All I Want

Hello world and life force we know as the internet. Me again. I'm just going to do my own thing over here. Before I get into any details, I'd like to clarify that, although it does read 24/7[evan], my blog's title should be read as Twenty-Four S[evan]. Does that make sense? Yepperz.

So I've been pretty busy since my last post! Headed back to work for the week and I'm really liking it! Working seven hours a day M-F at 8.90 an hour isn't so bad for a summer job. I'm making enough money to support myself and pay off some debt, my supervisors are all super nice and supportive, and it's wonderful to know that I'm building "Big Boy" skills. Also, being a student worker is the best idea anyone could ever have to make money in college. Basically, they schedule your work hours around your school commitments and it's simply wonderful. You should look into it if you're poor and in college. Truly.

I headed up to Anthem for the fourth of July festivities and because I don't work on Monday. I plan on lounging, swimming, and just enjoying life. No stress [other than the crazy family] and a lot of fun. I'm meeting with the infamous Elizabeth Rhodes, the dashing Allison Houston, the heartthrob Sean Mullaney, and the charmer Kasey Ray on Sunday. I'm known as the Wanna-Be Ginger Evan Tyler Wilson. It's a living.

Meat and Potatoes time. I assume that if you've read this far, you're seemingly interested in what I have to say... or maybe you just like making fun of it. Either way, you're in for a treat. I had a sort of spirtual awakening this evening on my drive up to Anthem from Tempe. I got full-on chills driving toward the sunset and being the only one on the new freeway for miles. Chills, my friends. The kind you get when you kiss for the first time or when you're overly inspired to do something. For once in my life I had clarity and direction. In this moment, this fleeting instant, everything in my life is, all at once, getting better. Slowly but surely things are climbing from bad to good, or better to best. It just hit me and, prepare your wuss signs, I broke down crying. The sunset was so beautiful and there were no rules. It was just me and the road and a smile. Some people never get to find moments like these in their lives and I'm just so thankful that I was able to feel it. That's what being alive is all about right? The human experience and whatnot? So, my friends, keep your eyes and ears open and your spirits high. It's only life, after all, so cherish each moment as if you'll never have it again. Don't be afraid. Don't wait around. Don't judge yourself or others. And when you inevitably fall short or fail at something, don't spend your time thinking about why it happened. Spend your time thinking about what you learned and how you'll never let it happen again. The secrets to happiness revealed.

My life is sailing without a hitch and I'm going to smile all I want.

Thanks for reading,
24/7[evan]

A New World, Just Beyond the Mountain

Internet. It's me. Sup. [disclaimer: I don't use sup in real life.]

Why is the world so wonderful? I'm looking out the window right now at my parent's house in Anthem, and [despite the 109 degree weather] all I can think of is how beautiful it is. There are colors and shapes. Light, movement. It's all so beautiful. Take some time today and just look around you. The world we live in is just bursting with beauty. You just have to look for it.

Update time. My week long vacation slash summer camp extravaganza is coming to an end. I got to spend some time with the people I love, reach out to some young performers, and learn a thing or two myself. I go back to work tomorrow in Tempe and I'm just [sarcasm alert] thrilled. All good things must come to an end though, or they wouldn't be good in the first place. Things with the bf are wonderful. He doesn't cease to amaze me. I got to meet some of his friends the other day and they all seemed really great. I'm looking forward to meeting more of them! 

Game night took place at my house last night. I should take a moment to explain my love of board games. Simply put, I'm obsessed with them. I really can't put it into words, but I'll do my best. I love rules and order. The math side of my brain gets off on playing a game in our world where the rules of life don't mean very much. Luck, probability, exploration, everything. It literally brings me so much joy that it's hard to contain sometimes. When I play board games, I play for blood. Ask any of my friends. We played Betrayal at the House on the Hill and this new game called Bang! If you haven't played either I highly, highly recommend you go to your local board game store [they're usually located in malls or sometimes video game stores will have board games] and buy one of them. 

Betrayal is a wonderful game by the same people who brought the world Axis and Allies, Risk, Magic the Gathering Card Game, and [of course] D&D. Betrayal is like Dungeons and Dragons, but if D&D was fun... and not weird... and shorter... Basically you take control of one of six explorers and discover rooms in this haunted mansion. At a predetermined time, an event called "The Haunt" begins. One of the players turns "traitor" and pits themselves against the remaining explorers. One of fifty different scenarios begins and they've really pulled a lot of them from the horror universe. Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein's Monster, Zombies, and a whole lot more. Last night the house was transported to another dimension and we had to find our way back. Needless to say, we failed and the alien traitor killed us all. Just peachy. But it's a lot of fun and you should give me a call if you want to play. :)

Bang! was a new game that my bestie Jen's boyfriend: Will [adjectives!] brought. Firstly, the game is in Italian with poor English translations which always equals fun times. It reminded me of that classic party game Mafia where you secretly assign mobsters and they slowly kill everyone off. One person is the sheriff and the other players are outlaws, deputies, or renegades. You all have different tasks to complete and the person who completes them first wins. Obviously if you're the outlaw you want to kill the Sheriff, if you're the Sheriff you want to kill the outlaws, if you're the deputy you want to protect the sheriff, and if you're the renegade, you want to kill everyone and have a 1-on-1 with the sheriff. It's a good time.

So if you can't tell by the wall of text alone, I'm pretty obsessive about them. I've also started playing Yahtzee and Euchre on pogo.com which is soooooo amazing. No dealing, no picking up dice, fantastic. But that's another story. I'm always down for a good board, dice, or card game. :)

Oh! I've also started baking and cooking! This week, alone, I've made peanut butter cookies [with regular, mini, and pretzel m&ms], cake-batter blondies, fried rice, saute[weird squiggly e]d veggies, and cake-batter blondies... again. I'm going to post the recipe here, because they are that delicious.

Evan's Cake-Batter Blondies That He Stole But Still Wants Credit For Them:

You will need:

One box of yellow cake mix [cheaper the better!]
1 Egg [white please!]
1/4 Cup Canola Oil [no stick!]
2/5 Cup of Milk [weird measurements!]
1/4 Cup Rainbow Sprinkles [or one small shaker!]
1/2 Bag of White Chocolate Chips [if the brand starts with "G" you're okay!]

Easy-Peasy Recipe
Start pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees. Get a bowl. Use a mixer, a spoon, or your hands and combine the cake mix, the egg, and the oil until you get a mushy, crumbly mix. You'll need a mixer for this next part, so you might as well use it the whole time. Add in the 2/5 cup of milk [I say 2/5 because it's between 1/3 and 1/2 aka the perfect amount] very, very slowly so you get a thick, thick, thick, thick [do you get it?] mixture. You want it thick so the blondies are still gooey and batter... ey... Once the milk is added, combine the sprinkles and white chocolate chips by hand. Take out an 8x8 [that's the square one] brownie pan and spray the bejeezles out of it with canola spray, butter spray, or any other spray. [so the blondies don't stick!] Put your delicious mixture within and bake for 25 minutes. When they're done, you'll think to yourself, "These don't look done! They're still mushy in the middle! WTF 24/7[evan]!?!" Relax. Please. They're supposed to be that way. Let them cool for 20 minutes. You may be tempted to eat one, but don't!!! It'll all be so worth it, I promise.

And there you have it. Delicious, gooey, cake-battery, blondies! Yum! They're fairly inexpensive and oh-so-easy to boot! Try them out and leave me a comment!

Well, that's about enough blogging for the day. My family and I are going out to breakfast, so I must bid you adieu. As always, thank you for reading. Wish me luck as I head back to real life balancing a wonderful man, a tedious job, a stressful family, and monetary expenses!

Your's,
24/7[evan]