Blog Stage - Acting in Film, TV, Theatre - Backstage

New Website for New Musical Theater Sheet Music!

NewMusicalTheatre.com, the first website dedicated entirely to selling sheet music by musical theater writers, launched late last week and features custom songbooks, song ratings, and a search engine specifically designed for singers browsing for new audition songs. Sheet music can not only be found and purchased (many of the songs come with mp3 or video samples), but users can also browse for new writers, find lyrics, and share their thoughts on the site.

The site will begin by selling sheet music written by a handful of up-and-comers such as Nick Blaemire (Glory Days) Adam Gwon (Ordinary Days), Joe Iconis (The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks), and Ryan Scott Oliver (Darling), allowing fans to directly support the writers of tomorrow’s biggest hits. Many more writers will be added in the coming months. The site employs new technologies to protect these writers from having their sheet music illegally downloaded. After previewing the new technology Jeff Marx (co-creator of Avenue Q) commented, "Whoever thought of making your credit card number the password to unlock the downloaded file was an absolute genius. That changes everything and serves everyone. This is going to be bigger than porn."

Bobby Bottleservice Auditions For 'Jersey Shore'

The very deep and intellectual Bobby Bottleservice submits his “audition tape” for the new MTV reality series Jersey Shore, which follows a group of self-described “guidos” enjoying their summer together in Seaside Heights, NJ.

Bobby Bottleservice - Jersey Shore Audition Tape - watch more funny videos

Michael Bay Directs New Victoria's Secret Commercial

The new ad debuted during the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show last week, and features all of the loud music and lingerie-clad ladies you would expect from Michael Bay (and Victoria's Secret, we suppose), plus knife throwing, helicopters, and slow-motion explosions under a desert sunset, of course.

The man behind Transformers and Bad Boys launched his directing career with music videos and television commercials, and Bay has directed several Victoria's Secret spots before, but this has to be considered his masterpiece.

Watch the video below:

SAG Foundation Announces 2010 Live Stream Video Series

Beginning in January, the SAG Foundation is launching a 12-week series of online seminars on the business of acting, in live streaming videos called "LifeRaft Live Stream." Watch the announcement video here.

The non-profit SAG Foundation, which is independent from the Screen Actors Guild, offers free services to SAG members. The live streaming program begins Jan. 12, 2010 and continues through April 27. Actors can watch from anywhere in the world, and interact by submitting questions for the panel during live discussions. Videos will also be available for later viewing at SAGFoundation.org.

"We are very pleased to be able to offer these valuable seminars to our members," said SAG National President Ken Howard. "No matter where our members live, they will have instant access to the seminar as it is happening and will be able to use the information to benefit their careers."

50 Worst Videogame Voice-Overs Ever

Someone with way too much free time has put together a YouTube video collecting the 50 worst examples of voice acting in videogames. While we're sure this is an incomplete list, in no way should it be considered incorrect.

Thanks to Comix blog "Life's Tough. Laugh More" for bringing this to our attention. #41 will definitely make you giggle, and all 50 are examples of truly bad voice acting -- but the clear winner (as "Life's Tough. Laugh More" notes as well) is #3. Enjoy.

For more terrible videogame voice-overs, visit www.audioatrocities.com.

Cheyenne Jackson Guest Stars on '30 Rock'

Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson (Finian's Rainbow) made his first appearance on the hit NBC sitcom 30 Rock last night. Jackson is guest starring in several episodes this season as the newest cast member of TGS, 30 Rock's show within the show.

Watch a clip of Jackson from last night's episode below:

-- Daniel Lehman

New Video Clip: Penelope Cruz in 'Nine'

Watch this new clip from Nine, offering a brief glimpse of sultry Penelope Cruz performing "A Call From the Vatican":

Nine is director Rob Marshall's film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical (which is itself based on Federico Fellini's film 8 1/2) about a world-famous film director struggling to balance all of the women in his life. Daniel Day Lewis stars as Guido Contini, with Cruz as his mistress Carla. Nine also stars Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Fergie, Judi Dench, and Sophia Loren.

Read "A Perfect Ten," this week's Back Stage cover story about Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz, online at BackStage.com. And watch the official trailer for Nine below:

'Pop Tarts & Wine' with Vincent Kartheiser

Missing your weekly dose of '60s-era office fashion after Sunday night's Mad Men season finale? (Even though that was less than a week ago? Man, you've got a problem.) Well, you're in luck. Sort of.

Actor Vincent Kartheiser, who stars as Pete Campbell on the hit AMC series, accompanies comedians Sean O'Connor and Julian McCullough to go suit shopping in the latest installment of their online series "Pop Tarts & Wine." Watch as O'Connor tries -- and fails -- to make Kartheiser his new best friend:

PopTarts & Wine : Vincent Kartheiser from Ralph Arend on Vimeo.

'Oliver!' Kids Sing "Don't Stop Believin"

The new Walnut Street Theatre production of Oliver! opens tomorrow in Philadelphia. The musical's cast includes 70 actors total, with 40 children (two casts of 20) and one dog.

In the video below, the kids of Fagin's gang sing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin''' during a rehearsal break. (Sure, the song might be played out at this point, but come on, kids are cute! Plus, one of the young actors even provides piano accompaniment.)

Oliver! runs Nov. 10, 2009-Jan. 10, 2010 at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, PA.

-- Daniel Lehman

Lin-Manuel Miranda Fuses Hip-Hop and History at White House

Alexander Hamilton embodies hip-hop. While this seems a lofty claim--and a shaky premise for a song--Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony-winning writer and star of "In the Heights," appears to feel so strongly about this notion that he's working on a concept album on this foundation. Here's a video of the first track from the album--a tribute told from the perspective of Hamilton's rival and killer, Aaron Burr--performed at a poetry night event at the White House:

It's no surprise that the song is catchy while feeling both clever and authentic--the man has won awards for those characteristics. Miranda elevates his amusing interpretation and basic chords with history that does not feel pedantic and a tone that does not mock the genre it mimics.

According to Miranda, Hamilton "embodies the word's ability to make a difference," evidenced in his path from illegitimate birth in St. Croix to Treasury Secretary on the basis of writing alone. That appears to be Miranda's own area of expertise. Whether he uses this power to liven up some history lessons or keep breathing his unique sense of life into Broadway theater, it's an enjoyable video that seems to bode well for the full album.