Author Archives: rachelrobinsonmusic

“There is no place I know to compare with Pure Imagination”

The arts these days are in an excellent state.  At least in Pleasanton, California, where I have had the pleasure of working with their Civic Arts Stage Company these past 5 months.  There are many factors that have gone into making this the most enjoyable work experience of my career thus far.  I’m working withContinue reading ““There is no place I know to compare with Pure Imagination””

“It makes you wish that the world could be as lovely as it looks.”

What I love most about musical theatre is that it has the power to fill the viewer with hope and possibility.  Musical theatre exists in a world of heightened existence.  Where characters sing when the emotional stakes are too high to simply just talk.  Where kings, peasants, sailors, and movie stars explode into dance whenContinue reading ““It makes you wish that the world could be as lovely as it looks.””

Why Kids Are Better

“It’s a very ancient saying, but a true and honest thought, that if you become a teacher by your pupils you’ll be taught.” – Oscar Hammerstein II If only I could have known what these words would one day mean to me when I played Anna Leonowens in our 8th grade version of THE KINGContinue reading “Why Kids Are Better”

It’s All About Me

Theatre has a reputation for being a rather egotistical art form.  After all, a great deal of personal investment goes into creating a piece of art.  Actors, directors, designers, and musicians are all sharing their craft.  There’s never enough time or money, and so theatre demands that we give more of ourselves.  It is completelyContinue reading “It’s All About Me”

Learning How to Play

My mother recently wrote a great post in her blog Discovering Santosha, entitled “Go out and play!”  She begins by writing, “Plato wrote, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Playing allows us to take risks, to laugh at ourselves, to fall down, andContinue reading “Learning How to Play”

CalArts

The arts are alive and well in Berkeley. While the rest of the Bay Area seems to be struggling to find its artistic identity and patron base, Berkeley is flourishing.  The 17.6 square miles that make up Berkeley proper, house three major education institutions – The University of California Berkeley, the Graduate Theological Union, andContinue reading “CalArts”

Movie Musicals – A Lost Art

I grew up on the classic MGM musicals.  I cleaned out the musicals section at Rocky’s Video, and eventually had to resign myself to watching the same movies over and over again.  Gene Kelly and Judy Garland were my heroes.  Their films were sweeping and romantic.  I bemoaned the fact that no one really madeContinue reading “Movie Musicals – A Lost Art”

Audition Ennui

Auditioning stinks. No matter which side of the table you’re sitting on, auditioning is one of the most brutal pieces of the theatre puzzle. As an actor, I came to dread going to auditions, not because I was scared, or anything having to do with the time I would spend singing or reading. Rather, myContinue reading “Audition Ennui”

The Beauty Is – 10 Most Influential Musical Theatre Experiences

Tonight, I finally managed to carve out a little time to just sit at the piano and play some music. It’s rare these days to find the time to play simply for pleasure and not for work. I find that one of the major hazards of a career in musical theatre is that you loseContinue reading “The Beauty Is – 10 Most Influential Musical Theatre Experiences”