Are you tired of paying fees to access audition notices?  So are we!   Every Friday morning, Operagasm presents a fresh update of audition listings.  We would be happy to include your audition notice in a full story during the week and/or in the Friday listing,  please submit your notice by emailing auditions@operagasm.com.

Check out Operagasm’s Audition aka Impending Doom Page for the latest audition notices.

California
Company                    Call for                             Date
*Willows Theatre Company          Company                Mar 12
Contact:  http://www.willowstheatre.org/

Company                    Call for                             Date
Sierra Stages          Music Man                        Feb 4
Contact:  http://www.theunion.com/article/20120126/PROSPECTOR/120129842/1020&parentprofile=1055

Company                    Call for                             Date
LA Opera              Opera Chorus                      Feb 13
Contact:  http://www.laopera.com/company/jobs.aspx

Company                    Call for                             Date
MPC Theatre Co.           Cabaret                         Feb 3 & 4
Contact:Gary Bolen at gbolen@mpc.edu

Company                    Call for                             Date
Pacific Repertory Theatre         2012 Season                Feb 4- 6
Contact: Call Cindy at (831) 622-0700 ext.100 to schedule an audition

Company                    Call for                             Date
Redlands Bowl Summer Festival           Oliver                      Apr 21
Contact: http://www.redlandsbowl.com/the-rcma-announces-the-musical-for-the-2012-summer-music-festival/

Company                    Call for                             Date
Imagination Theatre       Secret Garden          Apr 21 – 22
Contact:  2012TheSecretGarden@gmail.com

Company                    Call for                             Date
Utah Festival Opera       Festival Artist Program          Feb 10
Contact: http://www.ufoc.org/index.php?p_resource=about_auditions

Colorado
Company                    Call for                             Date
Emerald City Opera        Opera Institute          Mar 3
Contact: http://www.emeraldcityopera.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=67

Company                    Call for                             Date
Opera Colorado         Young Artist             Apr 12 – 14
Contact: http://www.operacolorado.org/education/2012-13-young-artists-application/

District of Columbia
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Riverbend Opera Auditions         Othello              by appt
Contact: http://www.singersource.co/index.php/classifieds/auditions/217-riverbend-opera-auditions

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Washington Women’s Chorus         Singers             by appt
Contact: http://www.washingtonwomenschorus.org/auditions.html

Florida
Company                    Call for                             Date
*Royal Caribbean Cruises         Singers           Feb 26, Mar 25
Contact: http://www.royalcaribbeanproductions.com/auditions

Company                    Call for                             Date
Garden Theatre            The Music Man           Feb 13, Feb 15 – 18
Contact: http://www.gardentheatre.org/news/

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Naples Players          Hello Dolly (men)                      by appt
Contact: http://tinyurl.com/8y767sn

Georgia
Company                    Call for                             Date
*Royal Caribbean Cruises         Singers           Mar 4
Contact: http://www.royalcaribbeanproductions.com/auditions

Illinois
Company                    Call for                             Date
*Royal Caribbean Cruises         Singers           Mar 8 – 9
Contact: http://www.royalcaribbeanproductions.com/auditions

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Real Clear Productions          Fame – The Musical                 Mar 31, Apr 3
Contact: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=1675

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Theatre on the Move         Annie                             Feb 16
Contact: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=1670

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Big Noise Theatre Co.         Leader of the Pack           Feb 19
Contact: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=1666

Company                        Call for                                    Date
The Drama Group         Joseph & the Technicolor…           Feb 15 – 18
Contact: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=1672

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Chicago Folks Operetta       Singers                    Feb 19, 25, 26, 28
Contact: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=1665

Company                        Call for                                    Date
The Beverly Theatre Guild          Little Women                  Feb 12 & 13
Contact: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=1655

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Metropolis Performing Arts        Married Alive                Feb 6
Contact: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=1663

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Chicago Symphony Orchestra        Chorus                  Feb 6 – 29
Contact: http://cso.org/Page.aspx?id=10445

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Peoria Players      I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change        Mar 31, Apr 1
Contact: http://www.peoriaplayers.org/Auditions.html

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Opera for the Young       Cinderella                  Mar 22 & 23
Contact: http://www.operafortheyoung.org/about_ofy/auditions.html

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Lyric Opera of Chicago        Opera Chorus             Mar 12 – 17
Contact: http://www.lyricopera.org/about/auditions.aspx

Indiana
Company                        Call for                                    Date
South Bend Civic Theatre          Gypsy                  Feb 6 & 7
Contact:http://sbct.org/news/news/auditions_gypsy_news

Kansas
Company                    Call for                             Date
*LOOK Musical Theatre Festival     2012 Season         Mar 17
Contact: http://looktheatre.org/shows-and-events#pagefold

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Lyric Opera of Kansas City        Opera Chorus                Feb 9 & 11
Contact: http://www.kcopera.org/about/auditions.aspx

Maryland
Company                     Call for                              Date
Baltimore Concert Opera       SYTYCSO          Apr 30, May 1
Contact: http://www.baltimoreconcertopera.com/site/?page_id=44

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Riverbend Opera Auditions         Othello              by appt
Contact: http://www.singersource.co/index.php/classifieds/auditions/217-riverbend-opera-auditions

Company                     Call for                              Date
Chorus of Army Field Band      Low Bass               by appt
Contact: http://www.armyfieldband.com/pages/vacancy/chorus_bass.html

Massachusetts
Company                    Call for                             Date
Westborough Players Club         Joseph and the Technicolor…          Feb 10 & 11
Contact: http://www.westboroughplayers.com/

Company                    Call for                             Date
Fiddlehead Theatre Co.           The Fantastiks               by appt
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41227.html

Missouri
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Lyric Opera of Kansas City        Opera Chorus                Feb 9 & 11
Contact: http://www.kcopera.org/about/auditions.aspx

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Sunrise Beach Little Theatre         Man of LaMancha                Feb 26 & 27
Contact: http://www.lakenewsonline.com/news/x886300794/Casting-call-Audition-for-community-theatres-spring-musical

Company                        Call for                             Date
Musical Theatre Heritage         2012 Season               by appt
Contact: sarah@musicaltheaterheritage.com

Company                        Call for                             Date
Bach Society of St L     Principal Singer         by appt
Contact: http://www.bachsociety.org/performers/principal

Nevada
Company                    Call for                             Date
Emerald City Opera        Opera Institute          Mar 4
Contact: http://www.emeraldcityopera.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=67

New Hampshire
Company                    Call for                             Date
Leddy Center         Fiddler on the Roof        Feb 11
Contact: http://www.leddycenter.org/Auditions.html

New Jersey
Company                    Call for                             Date
New Jersey Assoc. of Verismo Opera      Opera Chorus       Feb 15, 29, Mar 14, 28
Contact: http://tinyurl.com/7z76gge

New York
Company                    Call for                             Date
*Bank Street Films      Classical Singers         Mid Feb
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42057.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*Annie                   Equity Principal                Feb 6 & 7
Contact:http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41888.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*42nd Street        Equity Chorus Call            Feb 15
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42013.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*How to Succeed in Business…      Equity Chorus        Mar 21
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42008.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*How to Succeed in Business…      Equity Chorus        Mar 19
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42011.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark       Equity Principal              Feb 8
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42039.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*Manhattan Dolls     Female Singers                Mar 1
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42046.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*Priscilla Queen….      Equity Chorus             Feb 20
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42051.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*Coffee The Musical      African American Male          Feb 1- 7
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/42065.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
*Royal Caribbean Cruises         Singers          Mar 12 – 13
Contact: http://www.royalcaribbeanproductions.com/auditions

Company                    Call for                             Date
Mamma Mia       Equity Chorus                   Mar 19
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41964.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
Buddy Holly        Equity Chorus Call            Feb 6
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41856.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
Amazing Grace        Equity Principal           Feb 10
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41979.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
Amazing Grace        Equity Chorus Call          Feb 7
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41980.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
The Butterfly        Equity Principal                Feb 6
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41939.html

Company                    Call for                             Date
Emerald City Opera        Opera Institute          Mar 17
Contact: http://www.emeraldcityopera.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=67

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Sunday Opera               Concert                               Feb 11/12
Contact: http://www.sundayopera.us/auditions.html

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Pittsburgh CLO        2012 Season                               Feb 3
Contact: http://broadwayworld.com/equitylisting.php?id=3343

Company                    Call for                             Date
Utah Festival Opera       Festival Artist Program          Feb 2-3, Mar 21 – 23
Contact: http://www.ufoc.org/index.php?p_resource=about_auditions

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Metropolitan Opera          Chorus (soprano, mezzo, alto)         Auds begin Feb 7
Contact: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/auditions/chorus.aspx

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Chelsea Opera       Madama Butterfly                   Late Jan/ Early Feb
Contact: auditions@ChelseaOpera.org

North Carolina
Company                    Call for                             Date
*Royal Caribbean Cruises         Singers          Mar 3
Contact: http://www.royalcaribbeanproductions.com/auditions

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Flatrock Playhouse      Equity Chorus Call             Feb 13
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41916.html

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Ashville Lyric Opera     Principal Artists                 May 19
Contact: http://www.ashevillelyric.org/?Productions:Auditions

Ohio
Company                    Call for                             Date
Renaissance Theatre         Legally Blonde: The Musical         Mar 17
Contact: Call 216-521-2540, ext. 10

Company                    Call for                             Date
Beck Center for the Arts          Legally Blonde: The Musical         Feb 12 – 13
Contact: Call 216-521-2540, ext. 10

Oklahoma
Company                    Call for                             Date
*LOOK Musical Theatre Festival     2012 Season         Mar 3 & 4
Contact: http://looktheatre.org/shows-and-events#pagefold

Pennsylvania
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Motherhood The Musical          Role of Amy                 Feb 6
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41922.html

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Motherhood The Musical          Open Call                    Feb 6
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41957.html

South Carolina
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina        Shout, the Mod Musical            Feb 18
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41928.html

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina        How to Succeed…            Feb 12
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41608.htm

Tennessee
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Dollywood                    Singers                                  Feb 25
Contact: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41794.htm

Texas
Company                        Call for                                    Date
*Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin        Patience; or, Bunthorne’s Bride       Mar 3 & 4
Contact: http://www.gilbertsullivan.org/SummerProduction.htm

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Houston Family Arts             The Fantasticks                        Mar 31
Contact: http://www.houstonfac.com/id6.html

Utah
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Terrace Plaza Playhouse       Thoroughly Modern Millie            Feb 11
Contact: http://terraceplayhouse.com/bev/auditions/

Virginia
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Riverbend Opera Auditions         Othello              by appt
Contact: http://www.singersource.co/index.php/classifieds/auditions/217-riverbend-opera-auditions

Washington
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Kitsap Forest Theatre       Footloose The Musical         Feb 23, 25, 26
Contact: http://tpsonline.org/auditions/auddb.php?Aud_ID=21669

Wisconsin
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Fireside Theatre        Legally Blonde – Principal                    Feb 6
Contact: http://broadwayworld.com/equitylisting.php?id=3297

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Sunset Playhouse       Greater Tuna                 by appt
Contact: Email jwest@sunsetplayhouse.com

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Bach Chamber Choir         Spring Concert                 by appt
Contact: Call (262) 821-3968

Company                        Call for                                    Date
Opera for the Young       Cinderella                        Mar 24
Contact: http://www.operafortheyoung.org/about_ofy/auditions.html

Wisconsin
Company                        Call for                                    Date
Florentine Opera Theatre      Opera Studio           Mar 22 & 23
Contact: http://www.florentineopera.org/opera_studio.html

*denotes new listing

Are you tired of paying fees to access competition notices? So are we! Every Friday morning, Operagasm presents a fresh update of competition listings. We would be happy to include your competition notice in a full story during the week and/or in the Friday listing, please submit your notice by emailing competitions@operagasm.com.

Classical Idol 6
Deadline: 2-20-12

http://rosclassicalidol.org/rosclassicalidol/Entry_Info_.html

New York Lyric Opera Theatre 2012 Vocal Competition
Deadline: 2-23-12
www.newyorklyricopera.org/auditions

2012 Kennett Symphony of Chester County Voice Competition
Deadline: 3-1-12

http://www.kennettsymphony.org/Pages/competitions.html#VoiceCompetition

The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition
Deadline: 3-1-12

http://www.gerdalissner.org/application.html

National Music Theater Competition
Deadline: 3-1-12

http://nmtc.nats.org/about-national-music-theater-competition/

McCammon Voice Competition
Deadline: 3-1-12

http://www.fwopera.org/About-Us/Work-for-Us/Singer/McCammon-Application/

Greek Women’s University Club Music Competition
Deadline: 3-15-12

http://www.helleniccomserve.com/gwucmusiccompetition.html

Redlands Bowl 61st Annual Young Artists Auditions
Deadline: 3-16-12

http://www.redlandsbowl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2012_Application.pdf

Vocal Arts Society Discovery Recital Series Competition
Deadline: 3-30-12

http://www.vocalartsdc.org/pdfs/VADC_AuditionForm.pdf

7th Annual Lois Alba Aria Competition
Deadline: 4-7-12

http://www.loisalba.com/

Leyla Gencer Voice Competition
Deadline: 4-16-12

http://www.leylagencer.org/en/yarisma.asp?cid=43&k1=yarisma&k2=kural

What do you call a drummer that breaks up with his girlfriend?

Homeless.

Hahahahhahahahahahaaaaaaaa. I guess it just feels good to know that sopranos aren’t the MOST made fun of category of musicians ever. Whew. Drummers, get a life. :p (Joke brought to you by The Joke Collection)

Ahhhh…tech week. Whatever scary term you use to describe it (Nodes Week, Purgatory) this time in the life of a production is a necessary step to making the piece run like clockwork. Do you know whose job really sucks during tech week? It’s arguable, but most would say the stage manager.

There they were, minding their own business, learning the show, making sure our breaks were timely, setting up the stage all pretty for us, sweeping, mopping – BOOM – over. Even though you may never stage manage in your life, you should probably kind of know what’s going on with them. Upgrade your overall knowledge of what’s happening around you in the theater by visiting Arizona Opera’s opera terminology guide.

Stage Manager – runs the visual elements of a show during the performance. They are responsible for calling all of the cues for the performance to the crew. This means that they must follow hundreds of detailed notes in the score and tell the crew when to change lighting, scenery, sound effects, and raise or lower the curtain. The Stage Manager is the one who tells the Conductor when it is time to start the performance, and lets all participants know when intermissions begin and end. (Definition provided by Arizona Opera)

A fine example of a good colleague.

by Melissa Wimbish

In our final week of upgrading, can we just review some of the basic rules of being a good colleague? That’s my Question of the Week. Oh, and this is going to be the feature today because it’s important.

Let me get on this soap box right quick with a little Top Eleven and a question: Why are people assholes? I’m a fan of Ayn Rand’s books, so I feel like I get this whole “being selfish is okay depending on how you define selfish” thing, but some “things” are just getting a little psycho-dumb. For those that are not familiar with Rand’s concept of “good” selfishness, it’s basically just her way of saying that there’s nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments and trying to succeed and that people shouldn’t be manipulated by their society to be so charitable especially if it’s at the expense of their individual success. Now, keep in mind, these books are like thousands of pages long, so if you’re some Ayn Rand genius person scholar, don’t go hating on my synopsis. I blog.

Anyway, I certainly don’t understand how not even considering consideration is becoming more of the norm in our artistic professions! Save it for the airplane and the annoying instances on the sidewalk. May I just answer my own Question of the Week with some of my basic rules of being a good colleague? I may? Thanks.

Number one: Don’t be an asshole.

Number two: Do say “hello” and introduce yourself to your colleagues without being a total snob.

Number three: Smile occasionally.

Number four: If you’re always musically unprepared, just quit and do something else. (Everyone learns differently, so I’m not suggesting that if you don’t learn music fast you should quit. Just suggesting that if you just flat out don’t do your work, then you probably suck and should find something you don’t suck at. If you suck at everything, go into politics. That’s probably the safest place for you.)

Number five: Do not give feedback about someone’s vocal technique unless you are ASKED which will probably never ever happen. Are you serious right now? No, are you seriously talking right now?

Number six: Focus at rehearsal. Camaraderie is awesome and throwing down the occasional laughable comment is fun, but for real, sometimes I wonder if people are coming to rehearsal to get better at performing, or to see how many witty things they can say in hopes that they’ll be remembered and thought of as the “cute” and “fun” one. STFup! You are annoying.

Number seven: Collaborate!!!! Don’t play dumb. It’s not cute. Stop talking in that stupid, high-pitched voice like you don’t know anything. If you like that high-pitched voice, go work for Maxim or hand out Red Bull samples on the street or something.

Number eight: Do not send emails to other people about stuff they did that pissed you off. If you can’t find a way to bring it up in person, then try having the conversation with yourself in front of the mirror and see what you come up with. If you want to punch yourself in the face, do… and then probably don’t say whatever you just said to the mirror in real life. If by the end of this session with the mirror, you haven’t worked something out, then it’s probably not that important and you should drop it. Email trains are nastier than real-live ones. It’s a very dangerous way of communicating. So is blogging? :/ NO, it’s not.

Number nine: Don’t knowingly flirt with the boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/partner/WHATEVER!!!! of anyone — but especially not people you’re working with. And don’t give me that, “I wasn’t flirting, we just really had a lot in common!” No, you didn’t. You are just so desperate to be liked that rather than take a risk and be personable or awesome with your actual colleague(s), you’d prefer to try hitting it off with their significant other because you think maybe if you can get that person to like you, it will inspire some sort of attention from the real target. Take the normally blank space that makes up your brain matter and fill it with the image of a firm hand slapping you in the face every time this seems like a good idea.

Number ten: Share candy.

Number eleven: Try to anticipate other people’s needs sometimes. Just try? Remember, Bubba said, “You can sit here if you want” before Forrest had to ask and you know what he got? Saved from getting blown up. Instead he died peacefully on a beach in the arms of his best friend because he ANTICIPATED. (Yeah, Jenny did, too, but she was really kind of a bitch for the rest of the movie, so Bubba gets props.)

I realize that this list is probably the result of only getting three hours of sleep and not yet having eaten my Chipotle burrito today. Yes, this post was inspired by real life events that have happened to me and probably you. I hope we can all be nice and considerate from now on so that outbursts like this can be prevented and I can go back to being know as the “cute” and “fun” one. Barf.

Do you need to upgrade your acting skills? Do you wish you had an expert acting coach to help you get in touch with the operatic characters you portray?  Look no further, in this YouTube clip featuring Sir Ian McKellen, he reveals the insights on his craft.  Watch and learn….

The theater says in a statement it is running a deficit of Euro3.7 million ($4.87 million) following cutbacks in government subsidies and a drop in sponsorship.

The theater will cancel 27 performances of seven shows between March 20-April 10 and June 5-July 8.

A spokeswoman for the theater said Thursday the decision will mean temporary layoffs among many of the theater’s 395 workers. She spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with the theater’s regulations.

The theater says ticket-holders will be reimbursed.

The Liceu delayed the opening of its 2011-2012 season by a month for similar reasons.

Click here for original article featured in Huffington Post.

Here’s a review by D.L. Groover packed with reviews! We’ll focus on two: Anna Bolena at Opera in the Heights and La Traviata at Houston Grand Opera. Check out the Operagasm review rundown!

Anna first!

Maestro on fire!: “With dramatic pace and an almost volcanic fury, Maestro Enrique Carreón-Robledo steers the OH production toward a heading that never falters. He keeps up the tension from the tumultuous prelude through all the personal melodrama and straight into that stupendous duet between Anna and Giovanna (powerhouse mezzo Sandra Schwarzhaupt) that crowns the opera.”

Careful on those steps in your hoopskirts!: ”Stage director Brian Byrnes makes good use of designer Rachel Smith’s stepped set, allowing for decorative and dramatic placing for maximum effect. And the costumes of Dena Scheh are handsomely Tudoresque and detailed, although the hooped gowns for Anna and Giovanna read more Scarlett than Elizabeth.”

If you’re feeling dirty: ”OH’s production is first-rate and spellbinding — operatic soap at its most cleansing.”

Now for Vio!

Something borrowed isn’t good luck on its own. Get out the feather duster for Christ’s sake, this woman has TB!: ”Borrowed from Lyric Opera of Chicago, the production is no beauty, one of veteran stage designer Desmond Heeley’s off works. Faded and musty-colored, it looks covered in dust. We’re supposed to be inside Violetta’s fevered dream….Whenever Violetta is wracked by coughs or stricken by some fatal premonition, she’s plagued by this ghost lady holding out a camellia blossom. This is mighty ineffective.”

“Choristers, think 1880, not 1980 perhaps?”: ”Meanwhile, the chorus is doing the slo-mo boogie in the background like bad Fellini outtakes. Aren’t we degenerate, they hiss.”

Maybe it was just too dusty on stage?: “Soprano Albina Shagimuratova..is a success story and house favorite. A natural coloratura, she can blaze through signature roles and toss off high Fs with flawless technique. There’s no denying the beauty of her voice, even though its color hardly varies. But as an actress who’s supposed to draw a dramatic character, she’s a bit of a dull pencil.”

Tenor to the rescue!: ”Violetta’s lover Alfredo fares better. Tenor Bryan Hymel was thrown into this drab production a little over a week ago when tenor David Lomeli fell ill. Hymel has done a tremendous job… Hymel has a clean, open sound, a real throwback to the voices of the ’50s, like Mario Del Monaco. He sings like a real guy.”

Check out the full review from Houston Press here!

Please share your thoughts on the following Question of the Week by leaving your comments below:

What is one of the most important qualities of a good colleague?

If you’d like to read more about my thoughts, check out today’s feature. (Only if you’re in the mood for slight bitchiness.)

THIS IS IT! Michael Jackson was brilliant. The end.

Upgrade your outlook on the art of performance by watching a phenomenal documentary/rockumentary that follows the superstar and his supporting performance team during the making of a masterpiece-mega-almost show: This Is It.

The first time I heard of the film, I remember a colleague explaining it’s awesomeness through a series of crazy MJ dance moves and voice imitations (that you would expect from a singer’s recount of anything), all with a facial expression of pure insanity and joy. Now, I’m that crazed fan — and you have GOT to see this! Truly magical like Disney World even though I’ve never been.

Get some popcorn, tissue, organize your living room in a way that allows for spontaneous moon-walking, and invite over a great friend that doesn’t mind you smacking the side of their arm while you scream “OMG! OMG! OMG!” during all of the sickly amazing choreography segments. Then, enjoy the King of Pop’s bittersweet outro: This Is It.