Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Preparing For Opening Night

Today, on the way to New York, I read a book called, "Treasure Planet". It is a really good book and very interesting. This is my kind of book. Luckily, we didn't have any commuting problems like yesterday. Yesterday, something was wrong with the bridge right before the Secaucus station. So the train had to switch tracks. The train went backwards for about fifteen minutes. Then we had to wait for the other trains to pass so that we could get on the other track. But we ended up okay. When I got there today, we rehearsed in another Ripley Grier studio on 55th and 8th Ave. There was alot of space in the hallways, but I had to wait until rehearsal to dance. I got the worm down pack, but I didn't have to do the Morning Report dance. Tonight, I watched a little bit of Circle of Life. Then I ran down the stairs at the BOOM. Afterwards, I played games on the computer and watched "Big Momma's House 2". Then my mom picked me up. Tomorrow is my OPENING NIGHT!! Hooray. TTYL

Alphonso

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The New Crew is in Effect

Today was our first show, but I didn't perform and neither did Shannon. It was Marquis and Shereen's turn. Tomorrow, Marquis is performing with Shannon. Since I did not perform, I took the time to decorate my dressing room. I brought pictures of my family and things to play with. It looks really good, but I still want to do a few more things. I was checking the Lion King website all day to see if our headshots were posted, but they weren't. While Marquis and Shereen were performing, Shannon and I talked and we ate Chinese food. I haven't had Chinese food in a long time. It was so good. Two more days and it will be my opening night. Yeah! TTYL

Alphonso

Monday, September 28, 2009

Another Day Off

Today is my day off. The best thing about it is that there is no school or work. So my mom took this time to shop for things I need for the show. We also bought my baby cousin's birthday present. We got her a learning laptop. It helps her learn how to type words, phonics, and it also has music and games. I bought my self a mood ring too. After that we went home and I played outside. I rode my scooter. Today was a very relaxing day. Tomorrow is opening night for Shereen and Marquis. I am so excited for them. Break a leg!TTYL

Alphonso

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Learning To Be Fierce

Today we picked up from where we left off yesterday. Shereen and I went first. We started from "Hey Nala" to "Stampede". Then we were caught up with Shannon and Marquis and they finished. We had a few things wrong today. After we both finished, we worked on the fight scene and being fierce. Every time, we got more and more fierce. Tomorrow I have a day off from work and school. I am really going to relax because the hard work is just about to begin. My dream is finally going to come true......I am Simba! TTYL

Alphonso

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Getting It Right

Today we rehearsed at Alvin Ailey Studios. We went over all of our notes. Then we rehearsed them. The good thing about it is that they were only minor things like numbers on the stage and specific spots in staging. I was so glad about that. During our down time, we were playing with Marquis' Miachi. It is a type of sack that you bounce around on your hand. It is kinda like Hacky Sack. It is fun to play with. Time flew by today. It was so calm and I liked it. Tomorrow we will pick up from where we left off today. I was the last to leave the studio today. When I got home, my family and I went out to eat and I had a good time. TTYL

Alphonso

Friday, September 25, 2009

Well Prepared

Today we did the whole show with the entire cast of Act One with full makeup, hair and costumes. Marquis went first. He did a very good job. Then it was my turn. It felt like a breeze going through the show. I had another ostrich problem. First my foot got stuck on the wing. Then my pants got hooked on the steps. I was still on time for every part. I didn't get lost or mixed up with any of my cues and staging. Overall everything went really smooth. I met a young woman on the train coming home. Her name was Kelsey and she was very nice. She was looking at me kinda strange. I think it was because I still had some of the makeup on my face. She got so excited when I told her that I was in The Lion King on Broadway. We all talked for a while then she asked me for my autograph. She had a suitcase that was bigger than she was. It was so funny seeing her handle it. We laughed when she told us that she was only going away for the weekend because it looked like she was packed for a month. I am so excited and I am well prepared for opening night. TTYL

Alphonso

Thursday, September 24, 2009

I'm Flying! I'm Flying!

Today I did "The Stampede" scene. We ran through it and then it happened.....I was FLYING! Even though I only went straight up, it was still fun. The harness can't be too tight or you will get a really hard pull on your lower area. We also did "The Elephant Graveyard" scene. It was better then the last time because we remembered more of the staging and choreography. We did a better job at looking at the puppets and not the people. My favorite things in the scene are the hyenas. Their costumes are so creative. It consists of a body suit, a puppet, boots and fake hyenas legs. They are really cool. Then we did "Hakuna Matata". I got to meet Timon and Pumbaa. The actors' names are Danny and Ben. Today I noticed that even the adult actors make mistakes when they are singing too. The mistakes were mostly the notes on the harmonies. I made some mistakes too. In the beginning of that scene, I ride up on an elevator. I rode it today and it was so cool. I had to do it with my eyes open because it's kinda scary going up with my eyes close. Tomorrow is my "Put In", also known as my dress rehearsal, including hair and makeup. I am ready to go. I've got one week until opening night. Yes! TTYL

Alphonso

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Ostriches, Giraffes and Fans, Oh My...

Today we ran through the whole "I Just Can't Wait to be King" number. We did it with the ostriches, giraffes and all of the dancers. I got on my ostrich kinda late, but I got on stage in time. Then I got off too slow, but got on stage in time again. It was so great. Then we did "Day With Dad". That was fun too. I got to work with the main Mufasa. His name is Nathaniel but we call him Nate. I was really energized. After we did all of that, Marquis and I had a recording session. We recorded saying, "Dad" over and over again. It was so cool though. When we were getting ready to go on our dinner break, someone asked to speak with me at the stage door. I couldn't figure out who would want to speak to me. I went out and there were seven people who were there to see the show. They were talking to my Godfather on the train and he told them that I was in rehearsal and they wanted to see me in person. I haven't even done my first show and people are already waiting for me at the stage door. Wow! After our break, we got to track again. It was better than the other time because funny things were happening left and right. Tomorrow I will be flying! I can't wait! TTYL

Alphonso

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Becoming a Group of Four

Today we did notes and fixed our staging and choreography. Marquis finally started today and he had a lot of catching up to do. Mr. Paul had to switch from room to room between us and Marquis. We didn't get to see him until after our dinner break. This was the first time we had a dinner break and we all went out to a restaurant called Schnippers. The food was really good. Afterwards, we went back to the studio to meet Marquis. This was the first time that Shereen and Shannon met Marquis, but I met him when I went for my wig fitting. We all went into our next rehearsal session. Shannon and Marquis ran through the show and they did a good job. It is going to be fun having another boy around. TTYL

Alphonso

Monday, September 21, 2009

Hard Work Monday

Today was my second full Monday at school. It was much harder than the first Monday. We took some tests and did review work. I got 100 percent on my math test and I felt so happy. Homework today took a lot of time, but I got it done. Tomorrow, I do not stay in school all day. I have to leave early because we have to catch the 9:50 train to New York. I have to step up my game with my homework. My mom told me that my teacher is going to give me all of my work for next Monday on Friday. It will be challenging but I am ready. Now I see how much hard work it's going to take to succeed, especially with my homework. TTYL

Alphonso

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Acting Can Be Hazardous

Today we rehearsed all of our scenes and music for Act One with Mr. Paul and Jen. It went so smooth. There were just a little bit of errors. I never knew that working could be dangerous. Let me tell you why. Shannon's tail was safety pinned to her corset. The pin came loose and stuck her in the back of her leg. There was a loose wire in my corset and it stuck me when I was doing the worm. I have bruises on my ankles from dancing and I got scratched several times during the fight scene. I'm glad Mrs. Shereen is going to cut Shereen's nails because they are brutal. Thank you Mrs. Shereen. TTYL

Alphonso

Saturday, September 19, 2009

I Can't Wait Til Opening Night

Today I rehearsed in Alvin Ailey studios. It's been a long time since I've been at that studio. We rehearsed in a studio that looked just like a theatre. It was awesome. All of our notes and dancing were so good. We only had a few things to work on. I also got to track today. Tracking is when you follow another Young Simba around through the show. I got to track with Jeremy Gumbs. I learned a lot of things today like crossing under the stage and my entrances. I also learned some of my exits and what to do. I can't wait til opening night. TTYL

Alphonso

Friday, September 18, 2009

The Lion King Coaster

Today we ran through the whole show in my shoes and corset. I did everything twice because there are two Nalas. I did the Morning Report dance great. The first time it needed some work. But the second time was awesome. We sat in the front of the train when we were coming home. We got to watch the conductor drive. He was very nice. All of the buttons looked so cool. It was awesome. I had some ups and downs today, but it came out to be great. TTYL

Alphonso

Thursday, September 17, 2009

My Arrival at Pride Rock

Today I came in the middle of someone playing, "I Just Can't Wait to be King". Ruthlin saw me and told me to get on the stage and dance. So I did and I danced to the rest of the song. All of the props are so cool and huge. It gets a high mark on my coolness chart. I also met some of the other actors; Timon, Puumba, Scar and Mufasa. They are such cool guys and great to work with too. My favorite is Timon because of his voice. It sounds small and tiny. The best part of today was that I got to get on Pride Rock. It is really, really high. To my surprise, it wasn't scary at all. There are steps that take you all the way to the top. It kinda reminds me of the graveyard bones because they also have steps. It is so exciting to run and jump on things and not get in trouble for it. How refreshing! TTYL

Alphonso

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

A Day With the Hyenas

Today we sang for a long time. Mr. Karl was trying to make sure that we had all of the harmonies and that they stuck with us. It was exhausting, but it was necessary. Finally, we got to do the "Elephant Graveyard" scene with the other actors. It was great. The set spins around in circles and we have to run on it. It can be very tiring, but I got use to it. In the play, there are three main hyenas. They look scary but cool at the same time. They make me feel scared which helps me stay in character and that is good. The actors play their hyenas role so well. Jen told me that they, the hyena actors, depend on me being a lion and I have to depend on them to be scary hyenas. Overall, it was a day full of hyenas. TTYL

Alphonso

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

I Finally Made It to the Theatre

Today I got to rehearse in my corset and shoes. It is very different than wearing regular clothes. It's harder to cartwheel because the corset is designed to keep me standing up straight. The shoes are a bit slippery too. I slipped a few times. As for my singing and dancing, I did well. I rehearsed my acting and singing in the lobby of the Minskoff Theatre where "The Lion King" is showing. But the best thing was that we danced on stage! It was fantastic. The stage is really huge. I had lots of room to move around when I danced. Tomorrow we start rehearsing "The Elephant Graveyard" scene. Those hyenas are gonna be so scary. It will help me stay in character. I did have two embarrassing moments today. At the end of rehearsal, I went to put my socks on and the seat part of the chair in the theatre closed up and I didn't realize it. When I went to sit back down, I almost fell. I refuse to disclose the other embarrassing moment. You can try and guess. TTYL

Alphonso

Monday, September 14, 2009

My First Full Day of School

Today was my first full day of school. I had a lot of catching up to do in class work, but I caught myself up. Lunch was awful. One of the boys in my class had a hot dog that was not cooked all the way. It was not satisfying. I also found out that I have to pay $1.75 for lunch. I'm gonna start bringing my own lunch because in my opinion, that lunch is not worth a single penny. On a good note, I did well in class. It seemed easy, but it is always easy at the beginning of the school year because teachers are reviewing what was learned in the previous grade. I went to my first after school session. It was so much fun. We played games, a had snack, then we did our homework. I loved it. When I finally got home, I was so tired that I took an hour nap. I really needed that. TTYL

Alphonso

Sunday, September 13, 2009

A Glimpse Into The Future

Today was filled with anticipation. On every break I would look at the time. I knew that we were going to see the show after rehearsal. I could not wait to see it. After rehearsal we walked to the theatre and tried on our shoes. Then Jeremy, one of the young Simbas showed me around. Cypress, one of the young Nalas showed Shereen and Shannon around. It was overwhelming. My dressing room is AWESOME. Then we went on stage and compared it to the rehearsal room. Soon it was time for the show to start. We took our seats and we were so excited. The show was great. Today was a fun day. TTYL

Alphonso

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Bringing Them to Tears

Today we rehearsed all of our scenes starting from my first scene, which is "Day With Dad". Once I did "He Lives in You", Shereen and Shannon were in tears. Then I did "The Stampede" scene and they were really crying. The fact that they were so moved gave me a great big boost of confidence. What a wonderful compliment. I did a good job. They were asking me, "How are you so good?" I didn't know what to say. But as I reflect, I realize that my mom taught me everything I know. She taught me how to draw on my own experiences to bring out emotions. Thanks to mom, I brought people to tears. I am glad that I will have the chance to give the audience what Simba is feeling. TTYL

Alphonso

Friday, September 11, 2009

My Sister's Birthday

Today was my sister's birthday. For her birthday gift, I gave her a pink shirt that said, " New York Princess". I told her it was earrings in the bag but it was a shirt. I sang with Mr. Paul today. He is a real jokester. He sent me a text message that said, "You smell". What a crack up. Ruthlin came to rehearsal for dance and choreography. I practiced all the choreography with Shannon and Shereen. They are both young Nalas. It is fun working with them. I wrote my blog so late because we went to the movies for my sister's birthday. All of her friends were there. It was a very good time. TTYL

Alphonso

Thursday, September 10, 2009

The Short Day

Today, I woke up at 6:41 in the morning to get on the train at 7:46. When we got to the train station there was a train already on the track so, we got on that. I slept on the train because I was so tired. By the time we got in New York, I was all rested, awake, and ready to work. We sung harmonies today. We did a very good job. Then we did the scene leading into ”I Just Can’t Wait to be King”. I did not have choreography today and that made rehearsal really quick. Rehearsal was short because the directors had to put in a new Zazu. Today was really fun and smooth. It was a short day of rehearsal.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Its All About the Details

Today I got on my first New Jersey Transit Bus. I rode it to the train station. I arrived at rehearsal 30 minutes later because Mr. Paul had to work with the Nalas. My mom bought me 2 books to read. The one I started reading is entitled, "The Tiger Rising". I could only read one page because I had to start singing. Today I did singing with Mr. Karl with a "K". He is the Music Director and he is very fun to work with. When I sang, I was missing some of my details. Details are accents on words, anticapations on words, and pitch. Once I learned them, I was singing like a pro. Then came the dancing. We did a run through of "I Just Can't Wait to be King". I did not have to do "The Morning Report" dance though. In acting, I did the Simba/Nala fight scene. She pushes me down and pins me, but I'm in control of falling and making it seem like she is really pushing me. There were specific details on how to fall and also details with my dancing. It's all about details. TTYL

Alphonso

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

I Can't Believe It....An Easy Day

Today the Nalas actresses came and had to learn their songs and dances. As a result, I got to leave early. So that felt good. That gave me more time to play outside. But tomorrow I can't slack off. I have to bring my "A" game. It was fun not to be alone today. I'm with my sisters all day, so I'm kinda use to having other girls around. I flew through my singing and dancing. I did well too. My mom and I reviewed my lines on the train ride home. I'm so glad to be home. TTYL

Alphonso

Sunday, September 6, 2009

The Hardest Week of My Life

This was the hardest and most exciting week of my entire life. It was so intense. And guess what? Today was my last day alone. Tomorrow I have a day off and on Tuesday, the Nalas come. I am so excited. Having a day off means no rehearsing, no lines, and no worries(Hakuna Matata). This morning my mom put “Bite It” on my nails. It is a solution that helps you to stop nail biting. My dad and I went to Subway to eat. I had a meatball sandwich and I licked my fingers. WHAT A NASTY UNBEARABLE TASTE! My facial expression just flipped from a smile to a grossed out face. It was nasty, but it worked. I did not bite my nails all day. Everything went fine in rehearsals. I got my singing, acting, and dancing down pact. I am glad to have Monday off so that I will be rested and get re-energized for Tuesday. TTYL
Alphonso

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Its The Lion in Me

Today I worked on character. Being a lion is what I do throughout the whole show. It is not very easy. You have to move with grace and keep your eyes focused on what you are hunting. I got some inspiration from the cat in the pizza shop I went to. He was sleep but then he got up and looked at my sister and me. It never took its eyes off of us until it had a good look. Then it walked away. When it walked it was all in grace. In rehearsal I tried to harness my inner lion. I know all of my scenes that invole me and someone else besides Nala. The only scene that I still have to learn is The Stampede. I will learn that tomorrow. Then on Tuesday the Nalas come. TTYL

Alphonso

Friday, September 4, 2009

That's a rap....No that's a rat

Today was the best rehearsal ever. I sung well, I did the Morning Report dance all the way through without forgetting anything at all, I acted well, and I got my check stub. I did so well that I got out early. There was just one thing that messed up the day. No we didn’t get lost and we weren’t late. There was huge a dead rat in the subway. I almost stepped on it. I screamed at the top of my lungs. My mom thought I sprained my ankle, but no…. IT WAS A RAT. When we were on the train, we kept on thinking that we were on the wrong train. Why? We were sitting backwards on the train. My mom asked a passenger where the train was going and he said Trenton. My mom and I said, “Whew!” I have to memorize the Hakuna Matata Scene. It won’t be hard, but it is a lot. While I was on the train a man named Ken asked me for my autograph. It was strange but he was excited to get it. I guess Igotta get use to it. TTYL
Alphonso

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Third Day Pay Day

When I woke up this morning, I felt like I was hit by a truck. It was such unbearable pain. I couldn’t twist move or bend without it hurting. But Mommy rubbed me with Ben-Gay. Before we left for New York we went to my school orientation. It wasn’t too long so we were just in time for the train. On the train my mom and I rehearsed some of my scenes. To my surprise, a lady recognized me from the newspaper. I was shocked and happy at the same time. We pulled into Penn Station, took the A subway and got off at Columbus Circle. We thought we would end up on one side of Columbus Circle, but we ended up on the other side. Thankfully, we got to Ailey on time. Rehearsals were the same as always, singing first, acting, and then dancing. My bones were still hurting. Guess what, I’m going to take my first hot bath with some Epson salt. I hope it works. TTYL
Alphonso

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Second Day of Broadway

Today I had a fitting for my costume. I have 2 hand beaded corsets, tailored pants with African print and a loin cloth attached. Why do I have 2 corsets? One is for flying and on is for just wearing. Then after the fitting, I practiced for the show at Ripley Greir Studios. I started with singing again then choreography. I learned the dance to the Morning Report. Trust me it is no joke. That dance is very tiring. There are cartwheels and round offs and Russian jumps. I also get to do the worm. Then we did some more singing. It was so hard that on my break I cried. But my mom gave me a pep talk and I felt all better. She kissed me and said,” We're made from strong stock so go get’em” and I did just that. After that the day was a little easier. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep on the train home. TTYL

Alphonso

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

My First Day

When we first left on the train at 10:20am, I felt nervous and excited at the same time. It was a bubbly type of feeling, kind of like the butterflies in your stomach. The train ride was 2 hours long. It was such a relief to get off. But then came the hard work. We walked to 6th Avenue and 34th Street, got on the subway, and rode it to 59th Street. Then we walked a few more blocks and Bam! There it was, Alvin Ailey Studios. It was a big glass building. When I walked into the studio, I was nervous. But the people in the studio were nice. In the beginning, I did some singing. Then I had a break, did some more singing then a break. On my second break I knew how much work I had to put in to live through this role. There were a few people that I met there. I met my Wrangler, Vocal Coach, Music Director, and my Stage Director. For now I just work by myself so I can get my acting down pact. I was sort of lonely today but I won’t be for long. My Nala comes next week. Over all I love this role. TTYL

Alphonso