RODRIGO VARANDAS
  • Home
  • About
  • Resume
  • Shows
  • Media
  • Blog
  • Contact

                                             Blog

The Best is Yet to Come

8/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Today, I was faced with the news that my VISA was denied. Yes, my Artist VISA that would allow me to live my dream and stay in America was denied. The moment I got the news I got dizzy, started sweating. But moments after I calmed down, I closed my eyes and started thinking why I was so calm.


In February of this year, I was diagnosed with depression. I have been in treatment for almost seven months. My therapist who is the greatest slowly got rid of any emotional baggage I had from the past.

I have gone to College in America and in College is where signs of my depression started. I had to put on masks, force myself to smile, be ok with what in my head was unfair, deal with hidden relationships and deal with bullying. These episodes started piling up to the point I was awfully miserable my senior year. There were no more good moments. I could not see any brightness and happiness. 

I graduated and started working right away. I was part of the best shows I could ever be. I still hold dearly my Singin’ in the Rain cast. I miss the craziness of West Side Story’s choreography. I wanted to be Twice As Strong in Original. I lived the peak of my career in Musical Theatre so far in Empire and Couldn’t be more excited to share the story of Children of Eden. But I, unfortunately, was surrounded by toxic friends. The worst kind. They made me doubt my talent, my looks, my accent, my charisma. Everything about me seemed to be not enough. 

“Rodrigo, you are enough! Love yourself. Stay strong and brush the pain away with light.” I used to hear that from my therapist and never understand until I was taken to Church. By that time, I got rid of the toxins in my life but didn’t seem to detach emotionally from them. My journey in Church was relieving and I released all my pain and grew so much as a person. I erased any trace of darkness that was caused, changed my perspective of who I listen to and who should I take advice from. I saw people erasing themselves from my narrative. The sassy, negative, sometimes even evil Rodrigo was not here anymore (Well, the sassy will always be) so a lot of people got distant to the point they disappeared. 

But, why am I so calm?? WHY?

I have never gone back home, since I left for College, in a good state of mind. I have never experienced my country, my people, my culture like this. And it excites me. I want to hug my mom every day. Speak my language all the time. Eat the food I used to eat. And be surrounded by the people I love and love me back in return. 

Yes, the friends that stay will be missed. The mentors who guided me will still guide me. But even though it wasn’t a choice, God has showed to me, THIS is the time to go home and experience my country.

And seven months after, my therapist says I don’t need her anymore. I am cured from my depression. Fast right? I just have to thank the people that surrounded my daily life and brought my spirit up every single moment they could. You know who you are and I can’t believe I have you in my life. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE GIVEN ME!!!

Be right back, America.
0 Comments

Let there be!

4/17/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
And tonight we celebrated a great run of Children of Eden. We finished the show in such a good note and I can't believe it is over yet.

This cast was definitely HUGE!! Look at the picture above!!!!!! But the are all lovely people I had the pleasure to share the stage and backstage with.

I have seen the show before but now I understand in a whole different level the connection the show creates.

I want to thank everybody from the Cabrillo family for giving me such an amazing experience. 
0 Comments

EMPIRE

2/14/2016

4 Comments

 
Picture
Here it is!! Empire!!! This was my favorite theater experience. The La Mirada family is truly a family and I couldn't be happier to have joined that family.

We have worked so hard to show audiences an amazing show annnnnnnnd we did!!! 

We closed today and I am so thankful to be part of such an amazing team. I love them.

​Now let's hope for that Broadway Bound!!! 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
4 Comments

Dub master!

12/14/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
I am officially a Voice-Over Actor!!! 

I can't believe I am doing this. It is such a fun job. 

The sessions are long (3-5 hours straight) but I have a blast creating different voices all the time. 

I can't reveal a lot about the project but this is big for Africa, Europe and South America! I can't wait for you guys to see the finished project.
0 Comments

Brasil, I missed you.

12/12/2015

0 Comments

 
I finally got to go home! I had a little bit of a break in between projects so I flew right away to Brasil.

I got to see my friends from my hometown, São Paulo and even celebrate a very early Christmas with my family.

​The energy of Brasil fills me up for at least a year. I saw my little cousin who is not so little anymore (#feelingold). 

Well, I really hope I can get back soon!!!

Another fun thing I have done was check out the Musical Theatre scene in Brasil. I watched Women on the Verge and Sister Act.
Picture
Sister Act was actually really good. I was impressed with the quality of the show. 

The outfits, lights and set were EXACTLY like the ones we saw on Broadway.

My main issue was the singing. OKAY OKAY, I shouldn't compare but I have Patina's voice in my head and that is hard to top.

Don't get me wrong, EVERYBODY could sing and very well, it is just the type of sound was not appropriate for the material. They didn't have that Pop sound that I was expecting.

​But besides that I loved the show. I was impressed!!!  
This one is a big NO NO! 

The story doesn't actually hit me. Everybody was too crazy and I couldn't connect to anybody in the show.

On top of that they recreated the vision of the show that for my taste didn't really work. 

The singing was something else. We had some actors that reaaaally nailed it and some that should not be there. Everybody had pitch but they didn't fit with the material. 

Then the lights went out halfway through the show and the lady who played Lucia's part lost her voice after her solo (WHAT?!)

Nothing actually worked for me. Nothing clicked. I was only able to go through it because it was raining a lot outside.

​
Picture
0 Comments

TOMASINA

11/24/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Tonight was FUN!!! First of all, I got to perform in the Rock N Roll of a place called House Of Blues!!! The crowd was crazyyyy but soooo fun.

I was invited by director/choreographer Hector Guerrero to open Tomasina's concert. We rehearsed a couple of times, learned our routine and performed with her. It was epic. I was in awe the whole time. Then I got to enjoy her concert from the stage and that REALLY made my night.

Thanks for all the support of everybody in the audience, friends, Hector and Tomasina!
Picture
0 Comments

Once a Shark...

11/22/2015

 
For a few months, I have been working in this amazing piece of musical theater: West Side Story. And tonight was the last day we performed it. It was a pleasure to be in this show and the choreography whipped me into shape. The show was done how it was originally done. I was really happy to be working with Hector Guerrero as my director/choreographer. 

Now, I have some time off and let's see what will be coming my way next!

Thanks West Side for such a great experience.

Break = NYC

9/14/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
I am finally back in NY!! There were so many shows I wanted to see. Got to eat at my favorite restaurants, go to my favorite spots in town and see some of my best friends.

Now, I feel this was the best NY theater marathon that I have done haha.
Picture
It started with Something Rotten

T'was hilarious! Hilarious indeed. I loved the role of Shakespeare. 

The number they presented at Tony is brilliant. They literally recreate the most iconic scenes on stage.

My only issue with the show is hook of it. The whole idea is to find what is going to be the next it thing and they find out it will be musicals. The joke gets a tad old after 2 hours of the same joke.

Mr Boyle is super funny!!! I loved it. 

​This show will be around for tad! 
Finding Neverland is all about Matthew Morrison.

But I didn't really like it. 

The choreography started well but then it got really weird. 

The story doesn't really makes sense. He is a struggling writer. Let me rephrase that. He is rich, has a perfect family, makes lots of money out of his art but is having a mid-life crisis. I was like: Why are you struggling? Let ME have your life.

The music didn't hit me either. It sounded like a mixture of 80's pop with an Irish flair on top of it.

​Now, for you not to think it is just bad, the ending sequence of the show made me cry! It was the most beautiful thing. I am not gonna tell you what happens but it is magical, windy and very glittery!! I loved the last 25 min of the show.
Picture
Picture
An American in Paris was beautiful.

It was the perfect marriage between dancing and storytelling. 

It brought back the old school musical theater to the stage. 

It feels like what On The Town tried to accomplish on stage.

Stunning, grandiose and simple at the same time!
YES YES YES!!!

This show hit me hard. Incredible actors on stage. I got to se Alex before he left the show and it was totally worth it. He was incredible. This is such a demanding show vocally and physically.

Now the stage is just ridiculous. The way it helped the story without getting in the way at any moment was beautiful to be seen. We had that stage transform itself every time a scene changed.

Even if you don't enjoy plays, you need to see this. This is incredible.
Picture
Picture
Awesome show. Before coming to the show, a lot of my friends said I wasn't going to like it because of its simplicity and as you all know I love a big production.

But this one hit me specifically for its simplicity. No Intermission. 1:40 straight. 

The little girl was just teaching us a lesson. A LESSON!

This show can't be missed. It talks about such a current matter which is sexuality. 

​Go there and have your heart melt with these characters.
Ok! This show had me clowning in that theatre.

I loved it but if you are extremely religious you might find this offensive. They deal with God and Satan in a very bold way.

I was uncomfortable in some of the scenes of the show. But slowly I was getting used to the language of the show until I relaxed into my seat.

It is a very strong play. Some people left the theatre, some people literally screamed in one of the scenes. 

Even though it was really religious, I enjoyed it and would advice people to come see the show with an open mind.
Picture
Picture
And Kelli does it again! She had me heart on the floor.

This production is one of the richest shows I have ever seen. They are literally throwing money at us.

The show is incredible and Kelli is the LEAD of the show. Tony deserved. 

​I hope I can see this show again. It was remarkable.
I won free tickets to see this show and I was very pleased with what I saw!

Carole King' story is so beautiful. And the production was phenomenal. I never expect a lot of story from jukebox musicals but this story was very moving. To see her story from beginning until today was really nice for a performer to get courage to do whatever I want. Stick to my instincts you know.

The music was also really good. I didn't know a lot of her songs but I got to enjoy all of them in a small amount of time. 

Very well directed! The show will be in NY for a while. It was sold out!!!!
Picture
Picture
I unfortunately missed this show when it was in Los Angeles but I got to see on Opening week.

I was moved. We all complain about life and how life is hard but for these performers life has another challenge: Life is silent. I can't imagine living my life in total silence.

They learned the show differently from all of us because they had to learn the dances and how to follow the music through visual cues.

Please, go see the touching piece of art. You will not regret.

Also, the speaking actors were ridiculously talented. Beautiful voices. 

It is a limited engaged so run to the theatre and buy your ticket.
Picture
Picture
Get ready for this! Because Hamilton is THE SHOW!!!

I got to New York knowing this was the hottest ticket in town. I have decided to go to the show but I had to get through the lottery which was the only way to get tickets.

I went there every day and there were around 800 people there. YES, EIGHT HUNDRED!!! In every lottery.

I tried and tried and tried. No luck -.-

Then on the last day, I walked there and said it is now or never. Guess who is the second name they pull out? MINE!!! I screamed like I have won the lottery, like the real one haha.

Well, I spent s few hours at Times Square showing off my TEN-DOLLAR tickets and the Hamilton bracelet. 

I sat front row center. 

The show was unbelievably amazing. I was waiting for a show to hit me like this. The music is genius and of course he reinvented Musical Theatre with this show.

The staging, the music, the actors and the lights were conducted so well that I was jumping on my seat. 

If you can save some money and buy your ticket, do it! If not, try the lottery. It is worth it. 

UPDATE: They just released the music of the show! Please listen to it. My favorites are: "Satisfied", "You'll Be Back", "Say no To This" and pretty much the rest of the show!!!
0 Comments

Original - The Musical

8/30/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
And that's a wrap!!!

Original the musical was a very unique experience. 

I got to be part of a workshop of a musical. We had to test out songs and scenes all the time. The amount of scripts we had was crazy.

I love the music of the show. It is a very strong and powerful piece. 

We unfortunately performed for Investors and Producers only but hopefully you will be able to see this show.

​This mix of Blues, originality and Janiva's life had me in tears!
0 Comments

Broadway in the Park

8/8/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
I still can't believe we got our lives together for this.

Hector invited me to be Bernardo in the West Side Story section of Broadway in the Park. I was a little scared but said yes.

We rehearsed twice! TWICE! And were able to put the whole performance together in seven hours. This is a record. I was in complete shock when we learned everything so quickly.

I had a blast. We only performed once but it was really fun. I love sharing the stage with performers like these. I wish we could do this for a few more days at least haha.

​More West Side Story news to come!!!
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    From Brasil to the world. Actor, Singer, Dancer, Entrepreneur. Storytelling drives me.

    Insta: rodrigo.varandas

    Archives

    August 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All
    Concerts
    Disney Love
    Great Experiences
    Shows And All
    The LA Adventure
    Trips Around The World

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Resume
  • Shows
  • Media
  • Blog
  • Contact