"You suddenly connect, with a thing that you forgot"

Just registered for MOST of my second semester classes. Feelin good about next semester. My 18 credit hour schedule plus being cast in a show and HOPEFULLY crewing the other show.......I am gonna have my plate FULL! But I feel good about it. I am feeling like I have things figured out and like I know what steps I need to take. My Fair Lady has been a great experience, but it will be "LOVERLY" to not have to drive to West Valley. It will be good for me to just be here. Next semester I will practically LIVE at school. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I will start school at 8:30 after that class I will study until 12:00 when I have my second class...I will run home and grab some lunch and start my final class at 2:30....after that at 4:30....I WILL GO TO THE GYM!!! That's right, I am gonna go to the gym. I just decided that just now as I was writing that. Afer the gym I will have rehearsal at 7 and finally get home at 10:00ish to shower, have dinner......?? and sleep. Yes you read that right...I will be AT SCHOOL from 8:30 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. ONLY a theatre major could have that schedule. As crazy and as stressfull as that sounds. I feel GREAT about it.
If only I could get RIGHT NOW figured out, that would be SWELL! I am just so excited for this show and this semester to be over. I don't even care what happens. I just need it to be done. I need to clean my room and KEEP it clean. I just don't get why: If I like a clean room....why do I let it get messy? I know why. Because I also like to be lazy. And lazy always wins. No matter who you are or what you are doing. I also need to get ALL of my laundry done. I am sick of being told what to wear....(meaning....the one and only thing that is in my closet.....) I am ready to have choices again. So this weekend, I am doin ALL my laundry. Also what is happening this weekend is SHIRTS ARE GETTING DONE. Yes that is right. Batman shirts...will be DONE this weekend. LONG WAY PAST OVER DUE Seven Brides shirts.........will be............Sufficiently dented in......this weekend.  I just NEED TO GET SHIT DONE!
......
It wouldn't really be a "Tanner Rampton Blog Post" if I didn't talk about theatre somewhere......(somewhere besides my crazy schedule.) Today I really realized what this is going to take and I think that may be why I am so excited to get next semester going. Dedication and Discipline. That is what needs to happen. Now I often say I am a very passionate person, and I am very passionate about what I do, but I am not sure that up until now I have been "dedicated." Now right now my mother is saying "Of course you are dedicated. You devote your WHOLE LIFE to what you do." And yes, that's true. But that's not what I mean. What I mean is that...I have to be NOT lazy and I have to be willing to work harder than everyone else. And I DON'T do that. But I will now. Today in my Voice and Movement class, Tracy Callahan lectured us. To start the lecture, she made us get out a sheet of paper and write various things like: Excuses we give ourselves, weaknesses, strengths, things we are afraid of. This opened my eyes SO much. I don't need to just take the assignment and do it. I need to take it and do it the best. I need to be the one that blows her away.
To quote a good song about theatre from [title of show]
          "And when you least expect, opportunity walks through the door. You suddenly connect with a thing that you forgot, that you've been looking for. And there you are, right in the middle of what you love. With the craziest of company, you're having a KICK ASS time. You're being who you want to be in this world."

Just something I have been thinking about. It's time for my beauty sleep.
Peace.

Stumbleupon

Well for those of you who don't know, I am OBSESSED with Stumbleupon. I have found so many fantastic things that I need to share.....and I normally do.
For those of you who dont stumble...DO IT! NOW! go to www.stumbleupon.com and sign up. You wont regret it.
From now on, every once in a while I will post things I stumble upon.....lets call it...a Second-Hand Stumble Whether it be cool, funny, inspiring, sad, or just awesome......you will get the chance to experience what I stumble.
ALSO I am going to try to post everyday.....like that'll happen......
SO FOR YOU FIRST SECOND-HAND STUMBLE....an incredible photo.

Isn't it INCREDIBLE!? I thought so.
That's all for today.
Peace.

A Very Long, Very Scatterbrained, Unorganized Vignette of my Crazy Life.

A lot has happened since I last blogged. Time to catch it all up.
1) If you haven't seen My Fair Lady at Hale Centre Theatre you still have until 11/26/11. There is a link to buy tickets in my last post....BUT they may be no tickets left. Why? Becuase I rock, and you are a slacker.
2) I just never quit. I have just been cast as the lovely "Gent/Dr. Specialist" in Weber State's production of The Cradle Will Rock. I Honestly couldn't be more excited. I am honored to be cast in a mainstage show as a freshman and I am honored to be working with SUCH a BRILLIANT cast and production team.
3) I have discovered alot about myself in just the last few days. I wont really get into too much detail because I am really not the type of person to gush about feelings and such, but I now am a firm believer in "Just going for it." If you don't go for it you will NEVER know and you will constantly wonder what would have been. For me, this applies for relationships, school, and my "career." I need to just follow my heart all of the time, always.  I also am a firm beliver in "everything happens for a reason." While these statements sound cliche, they are 100% true and totally applicable to my life right now. We could venture ALL the way back to November of 2010. In November of 2010 VHS had auditions for The Scarlet Pimpernel. I was so excited for this show. I worked my ASS off on my audition and NAILED it. I got a callback for the part I wanted (Chauvelin) and I nailed that as well. List comes and I didn't get the part. I didn't even get A part. I got a role she made up that didn't have a line, a solo, nothing. Being in this show would have done absolutely NOTHING for my career. SO what do I do? I do something I never thought I would do. I consider dropping out. I go to callbacks for Hairspray at CPT. I called Krista Davies, who in turn called Jim Christian and they said I could come. I go and I nail my callback. By this point I was completely relying on signs and completely trusting in everything that happened. If I made Hairspray then it was a sign for me to drop out of Pimpernel and if I  didn't make Hairspray, then I was meant to stick with The Scarlet Pimpernel.  Well I got cast in Hairspray as "Fender" and I accepted the role. Quitting the other show was a mess and a completely different story that maybe I will try to tell another time. Hairspray was a great experience and I got to bond with old friends like Taryn Tolman, Nick Morris, Taylor Knuth, Austin Hull, and Jenna Cole. And I got to meet new people like Cameron Garner, Nicole Burton, Camille Crawley, Gray Aydelott, amongst many others.... When it was almost time for the show to open(around early February) Taryn and Gray were getting ready to auditon for the summer Lagoon shows. I decided to go with them and audition. At the audition I sang, they kept me to dance, I danced, they kept me to dance more, I danced more, they kept me to sing again. Then when calls went to Taryn and Gray. I never got one. To this day I hope the reason I was cut was due to my novel of conflicts and not to lack of talent. When I didn't make Lagoon, I hopped right up and moved on to the next thing. Taryn suggested that I auditon for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Hale Centre Theatre. I didn't really think that I would get cast, I am young, they were looking for a small cast, and did I mention that I am young. Well I made that. Also at about this time I auditoned for the Musical Theatre program at Weber State and got awarded a full tuition waiver for the program. (I belive working with Jim on Hairspray helped with this.) In Dirty Rotten Scoundrels I also made some great friends. Debra Weed, Jennifer Barlow, Reba Johnson, Dave Tinney, DeLaney Westfall, Angela Jeffries, Kalyn West and my summer show buddy Ashley Carlson. During rehearsals Ashley conviced me to audition for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at CPT. I in turn made that and spent almost EVERY waking day of the summer of 2011 with Ashley. It was a BLAST. During Dirty Rotten I auditioned for My Fair Lady at HCT. On my auditon form I wrote that I wouldn't accept any role but "Freddy Eynsford-Hill." I KNEW FULL WELL that I was COMPLETELY wrong for the part, and entirely too young, but I wanted to keep auditoning for the folks at Hale and I knew that I had to be available for the shows at Weber. After my group went I waited in the hall to see if I got called back. I didn't. But I did. Tammy Morgan just told me that Jenny would call me. Later that day I saw Jenny at the show and she manipulated me into coming to the Ensemble callback. I am SOO glad that I did. I have had a BLAST in My Fair Lady and it has really changed my life. Jenny has now convinced me to audition for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. And I also met some great people. One of them being Jessica Kennedy. Too basically sum up to avoid boredum tears and to conclude. If Ms. M hadn't of shafted me, I would have never been Hairspray which got me a scholarship, and I would have never done a show with Taryn who urged me to audition for Diry Rotten and if I hadn't have been in Dirty Rotten I wouldn't have met awesome people in Seven Brides and I wouln't have audtioned for My Fair Lady in which I have made future plans and met great people. So in a nutshell, thanks Ms. M for helping me expound on my career!  Well I highly doubt that anyone expect my mom.....maybe Lauren.....and maybe a select other few....have read until now. But thank you. Thank you to everyone. Follow your heart, go for it, and know that EVERYTHING happens for a reason.
Peace.

My Fair Lady

Why yes! I AM in ANOTHER show! and Yes! You SHOULD come and see it!
My Fair Lady is a lovely story about a poor Covent Garden flower girl who undergoes a fantastic transformation. The classic score and lyrics are by dynamic duo Lerner and Leowe.
IF you want to come see ME play Jamie/Ensemble come on Tues, Thurs, and Saturday at 7:30 and Saturday and 4:30. However I will not be in the 4:30 show on October 15th or the 7:30 show on October 20th!
I am going to make this really easy for you!! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CLICK ON THIS LINK!!!
HERE!! CLICK HERE!! BUY TICKETS!!

Time to catch up

1. At this very moment in time there is a cooking show being filmed in my kitchen. Ya. That's right. AAT (Associated Actors and Technicians), a club from Weber is using our kitchen to compete in a cooking competition....pretty exciting. AND I just got kicked out of my own living room. What!?
2. I have had a fantastic week. FANTASTIC....enough said ;)
3. I sound like a broken record...but I LOVE what I do. And I LOVE being reminded that I AM in the right place and that I am actually good and what I do.  Sally Deitlein specifically tells me how delightful I am to watch on stage. At school I am asked to read a lot. And I have also been chosen as Dance Captain for My Fair Lady at Hale Centre Theatre. I just feel totally and completely in my skin right now. I am EXACTLY who I want to be. I feel like I have so many options and so many doors to choose from right now in my life and every single one of them has something good waiting behind it.

I have finally grown up. I feel so completely grown up. I am more comfortable on my own (Although I still miss my Mom and Dad daily....even though I see them still quite frequently :)) But I feel very independant and I LOVE that. I am making smart choices. Being smart with money. And everything in life just feel SO good right now.

I am currently taking donations for the "Tanner Needs to Go To New York to Audition for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular So He Needs Money" Foundation. SO if anyone at all would like to donate....I am more than willing to accept to help this wonderful cause......only joking.

Peace.

My life changed....

Saturday night I went to Next to Normal at Pioneer Theatre. This show was SO incredible I could have died. The actors were brilliant, their voices were brilliant, the set was brilliant, but most of all it is the most incredible story. For those of you who have listened to the entire soundtrack and thought that you could follow the entire story...you are kind of right, but mostly wrong. There is SO much for depth, heartache, excitment and emotion to this story. I encourge EVERYONE to see this show. (If you can handle lots of F bombs...I mean LOTS). Just had to let everyone know. Please just BUY TICKETS NOW!!!!!

LOVE!

Yes, Yes, I am posting again already!

Right now I am deciding that I am going to be DRIVEN and I am going to be DEDICATED and I AM going to be on Broadway. I just watched the sneak preview video for the stage production of "Newsies" at the Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey and I genuinley got depressed. I am sad that I missed out. The show is PERFECT for me! It is the type of athletic dancing that I pick up so easy and it just screams BIG BREAK for me. But too bad it's been cast. And too bad I am here in little ol' Utah. So, that being said...I can't miss anymore opportunities. I need to get my degree, get my training, get experience and DO IT!! I want to take dance classes, and practice voice for hours everyday, and be able to take any scene and act the crap out of it. I WANT TO BE THE BEST, and I will be. Just you wait.

Tonight I had a good talk with a good friend and it really just reassured me that I am moving in the right direction. I AM who I want to be. I AM going to do what I want to do. I have so much passion for what I do. I have such a fire in me that I just need to be doing this!

When I am rehearsing, I just want to give it my all and just keep doing it till I am perfect. I love that feeling of getting something right. I LOVE TO SWEAT! I love when things click and when you find the perfect gestures for a scene. I love when I feel like I am part of something and contributing. I love feeling important. I love being an actor. I love being a singer. I LOVE being a dancer and a performer.

At this point in my life I have realized that 9 out of 10 times, I am gonna be in the ensemble. However, I really am O.K. with that. Because I love being able to dance. I love being able to perform in a way that the leading man doesnt get to. Granted there are still numerous roles I WILL play. BUT for where my Career is concerned. I LOVE THE ENSEMBLE!

I LOVE WHAT I DO!!!!! I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS MY LOVE FOR PERFORMING! I really just want to do it ALL of the time. (sorry for the incessant babbling, if you are still reading, I am quite proud. I don't post for other people reading enjoyment, I post to express...so don't feel pressure to continue if you are bored) Every second I do more theatre, I love it more. Rehearsing tonight at Hale doing "Get Me to the Church On Time" I really just felt so awesome. I felt like as a group we bonded and we played and we learned this awesome number that will just kick down the house, thanks to the incredibly talented Jenny Barlow. (also forgive my spelling and grammar....when I write these I type super fast and don't really care about how it looks or sounds, I don't really want to take the time to think about it...I am just speakin) Well, I have lots more to say....and I am sure I will post another babbling blog soon....but as for now..Goodnight!

Wahoo!!!

Today, today was a fantastic day. My body casually woke up before my alarm, which is always a sign of a great day. I then proceeded to take a lovely stroll to school. I sat by my new friend Karson, who will be performing on a cruise ship with me next year. (We are not really performing.......but we are gonna audition..) Which is gonna be so fun! Then I sat with some awesome theatre people and made ridicuous theatre jokes and trivial pursuit questions. I then went to my voice lesson with the wonderful Jim Christian. What a lovely thing it is to have Jim Christian be your voice teacher. I sang a song that I have sang over 100 times I am SURE! And I sounded better than I have ever sounded before in my ENTIRE life! It was totally and completely Joyous!! We moved on and I am working on two awesome new songs: "Johanna" from Sweeney Todd..which is JUST beautiful! and also "Tonight at Eight" from She Loves Me which was exciting because I am not familiar with the show. After my voice lesson I went to the Costume Studio and got my first 3 hours of practicum. Now, I thought practicum was going to suck. But it didn't! Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that it was EXACTLY my cup of tea. I mean I sewed for 3 hours....I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SEW!!! But I sure as heck did a simple stitch. I worked on one "Bum Roll" for "Romeo and Juliet" for the ENTIRE three hours. But I got to chat with some theatre friends and meet some new people.

As of this very second, I feel like I really maybe can get through my degree if I just plow!

BUT that doesn't change the fact that I still want to have options. I WILL still audition for AMDA and I WILL still audition for Cruise Lines. Just becuase I need to see what options I do have. Which I mean, come on, thats understandable right? I mean we ALL can't be college people. Right?

Rehearsal tonight!-Wahoo!!!

Friday Tomorrow!-Wahoo!!!

Mary Poppins Sunday-Wahoo!!!

Life.Is.Good.

...College...Life...and BEYOND...

Well, two weeks ago I started college. The first week I was sick, I was ornery, and I hated it. Week two: a little better, still not loving it. Week three as of Wednesday (today) I am still just getting through. A few college pros and cons.

PROS-

1.I really have zero homework

2.I have some really fun classes

CONS-

1.I have to go to school

2.It is keeping me from doing other things that I really want to do

3.It is just a lot of stress for no reason

Well I have been exploring my options. I just wish I really knew what my options were. I have narrowed it down two three.

1.Stay in school, plow through it. Get my degree.

2.Audition for AMDA, get my certification or degree...if I got a big enough scholarship.

3.Audition for Cruise Lines and maybe perform on a cruise ship next fall. Exciting right? Yes.

But alas, I do not know what I should do.

Today..

Today I move the bed that is been in the same room for the past 13+ years of my life to a new location....because I am going to live in a new location. The thought is frightening, exciting, nerve-racking, and thrilling all at the same time! I paid my very first months of rent today. That was an adventure. The building that I thought would say Remax...actually said State Farm....misleading..no? yes? yes.

I am also not looking forward to sleeping on the couch in my current home for a week. not fun.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: I turn 18 on Friday! wooo!

Sorry for the lame post.

Heard through the grapevine

My Broadway opportunity is coming....NEWSIES IS GOING TO BROADWAY....or so I hear. If anyone has any information leading to auditions or Newsies Broadway in general, I would love to hear it....alas, I feel as if the ship as already sailed for some reason....LET ME BE ON BROADWAY!!!! Thanks...

DREAM ROLES!

I long to play many many parts....everyday I add more and more parts to the list of roles I would like to play. The list is actually quite ridiculous and kind of embarassing...so the entire list is not needed...rather I will list my top 1o DREAM ROLES!!

10.Jimmy Smith-Throughoully Modern Millie

Smart, young attractive paper-clip salesman

Sings-What Do I Need With Love

9. Robert Martin-The Drowsy Chaperone

Young attractive groom of show girl Janet van De Graff

Sings-Cold Feet, Accident Waiting to Happen

8. Freddy Eynsford Hill-My Fair Lady

In love with Eliza Doolittle

Sings- On the Street Where You Live

7. Lumiere-Beauty and the Beast

Fancy french candlestick

Sings-Be Our Guest

6. Will Parker

Young, in love with Ado Annie

Sings-Kansas City, All or Nothin

5. Prince Eric-The Little Mermaid

Young captain, in love with Ariel

Sings-Her Voice, One Step Closer...

4.Prince, Baker, or Jack-Into the Woods

3.Tony-West Side Story

Unfaithfull co-founder of the Jets. In love with Maria

Sings-Maria, Somethings Coming..

2. Link Larkin-Hairspray

Elvis-like male star of the Corny Collins show. In love with Tracy.

Sings-It Takes Two, Without Love..

1. Seymour Krelborn-Little Shop of Horrors

Nerdy, clutzy. In love with Audrey. Discovers Audrey II (Man eating plant)

Sings- Grow for Me, Suddenly Seymour...

These are only 10 (or 12) of the 1,000,000 parts I want to play..Just in case you wanted to know...

Summing Up My Recent Life

I am counting this as my first real post..since my last one was

A. Two years ago...WOW!

B. LAME!!!

So lets hope this one is less lame......

In the past couple of years of my life I have(No Particular Order):

1. Traveled to my favorite place in the world for the 2nd time (New York)

2. Performed in 5 musicals (Cats(High School)The Wedding Singer(HCT)Hairspary(CPT)Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(HCT)and currently performing as Ephraim in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers(CPT) I also just got cast as a quartet member in My Fair Lady(HCT)...no I never stop.

3. Recieved a full tuition waiver from

Weber State University for a degree towards Musical Theatre

4. Graduated High School!!

5. Performed with my high school Madrigal choir

6. Dropped out of my High School musical to participate in Hairspray at CPT and caused ALOT of drama...(get it drama)

7. Started a screen printing business...we'll see how that goes...

8. I am sure lots more things happened/were accomplished...but I can't think of them...

9. OH! I am leasing a town-house for school!!!

This is it.....:)

10. I am a gymnastics coach at Flips Gymnastics.....fun fun

.......I feel like this is all that is remotely cool about my life....BUT! if I think of anything else I will just...POST AGAIN...becuase my blog lacks blogging....and style my blog needs style....I hate templates....