RODRIGO VARANDAS
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                                             Blog

Original - The Musical

8/30/2015

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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!
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Broadway in the Park

8/8/2015

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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!!!
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Singin' in the Rain

7/26/2015

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I can't believe we just finished our run with Singin' in the Rain.

I had the best time with this show. Our cast was phenomenal and I got to meet incredible people!!

I loved sharing the stage with all of you and I was really happy you were all part of my first professional musical in America.

I will always have this experience in my heart. And I am not gonna lie, I was scared at first. All of the tapping, this being my first experience, the fast pace of putting a show together in 3 weeks. But with the incredible direction of Jon Engstrom, we all enjoyed the process and got to live on that stage.

The show was sold out every performance and each show the audience got better and better. It doesn't feel like work! I was at home! 

I wish we could do the show for a few more months but life goes on.

​Sending all my love to Jon Engstrom, the MTW family and my cast.
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G  R  A  D  U  A  T  E  D

6/6/2015

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So I finally graduated!! And the past days were amazing!! I got have my family here in Los Angeles. I went to Disneyland, Motown the musical, Sand Diego, Sea World an I met J Elaine Marcus.

That day was so magical. I needed to graduate! I have been waiting to actually audition for outside shows!!

I want to thank my favorite instructors who guided me through my College career. Kathryn Lounsbery, Wendy Rosoff, Tajma Beverly, Kyle Gonyea, Joel Bishoff, John Sloman, Lee Martino, Tracy Silver, Jamie Torcellini, Phil George, Robin Clarke, Jeff Caldwell, John DeLuise, Leslie Stevens, Scott Harlan, Nick Petrillo, Jeff Rizzo and James Lent. Without you guys, I would never grow as a performer and most importantly as a person.

I have made lots of friends and lost some of them but the ones that are still in my journey will always be here. 

Right now I am heading on a brand new journey because I just got cast in Singing in the Rain at Musical Theatre West. Let's tap and have some fun!

Once again, thank you everybody that was part of my journey. Even the people that did not believe in me, without you I wouldn't be able to explore new horizons. I would settle and be happy with what I had to give. I don't need to name anybody because y'all know who you are haha.

But, THANK YOU to the people that helped in these 2 years and 8 months. From friends all the way to my favorite accompanists. I love you all!
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Les Mizzzzzzz

2/8/2015

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And that's a wrap! Les Mis is over. 

I already made my choice, this is the last production I will be involved in College. 

I hate sharing bad experiences but we all have them! Haha.

Where to start? Well, we all have our problems with our Colleges right? Not every College is perfect and the one I go to is sure not perfect either. So, to give a little background, every semester (Yes, we go by semesters not school year) we have to audition for the school shows. This semester the shows were Les Mis and West Side Story. As a latino man, I really thought I was going to be involved with West Side but I was wrong. I got to be part of Les Mis. So far, not bad. I was cast as ensemble and Marius U/S. 

Remember when I talked about the importance of an audition and skill levels, well, they have failed one more time to have a cast filled with strong performers. They got a cast of singers with some exceptions of course. And I am a all about storytelling and that made me very upset.

Later in the process, us, Understudies have a performance. It was magical, we cried and laughed. We lived Les Mis. The audience cried with us. I went to bed so happy. Next day at school everybody was talking to me about the show and how they were moved. I was really proud of myself.

Then I was called in to talk to one of the people involved in the production. The talk, summarized in one sentence, was like this: " Why did you work so hard to make the other students look bad? This is not a competition! You need to understand that you are the understudy and the actual lead is supposed to shine!"

UPSET.

Why would I think like that first? I was so in love with the process and everything, why did it have to be ruined by small thinking from some people? I am really sorry but I was thinking about doing a good job for myself.

So, we just closed the show and I was really happy to finish the process! After that talk, the process started to drag for me and seeing some performers just being sung disconnected me from the show.

I will not be involved in a show at school anymore. I need to focus on myself and get my life together because I graduate in 4 months!! AAAAAH!!!!
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Holiday Celebrations

1/4/2015

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This year's Holiday celebrations I went back home.

I missed everybody waaaay too much. I got to be with my family and friends and spend the New Year's Eve with this little girl in the center picture.

I forgot how hot it is this time of the year. I was sweating through the Holidays. Not enough to lose the weight I gained eating all the Brazilian food I saw in front of me. 

Now, I just got back to LA and this year I graduate from College.
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Black Friday

11/28/2014

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NEVER in your life let me get out of the house on Black Friday again!

I spent all my money!!! JESUS!!! I bought an Xbox One and a Wii U. Lots of games for it and a printer. It doesn't look like a lot but it is!! My Credit Card is the one who felt the pain. 

So, for the next three years and a half I will be eating ice and getting my vitamins from the sun!!

​Good night!
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The Dance

1/25/2014

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The School dance was fun because of one thing: Stephanie Nicole!

She is such a sweet girl and fun to be around. Argh.

Well, the dance was packed. There was a lot of students and not enough room haha. But we sure did have some fun.

I danced a little bit and had lots of snacks (fatty). 

​Another school year is about to start...
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Best student

10/9/2013

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I have been selected Musical Theatre Student of the semester here in NY! I am so happy about this.

Among others, we perform for the President of the College. 

I worked really hard to get here and to see that it is paying off really makes me happy. The NY Campus does reward their students for excellence in talent and hard-work.

I performed today and had an amazing work session with the head of the department. 

​Feeling great!! 
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Bye LA

6/28/2013

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My first year in College is done!!! Boom clap!

I finally got to go to Brasil. Got to see my family, Isa and my friends. I missed it.

It is so weird to go back to Brasil after such a long period of time. The amount of things that have seen in this time frame is insane and having to come back and see that the pace in Brasil is different shocked me. I had to get used to the way I used to live. I got a little spoiled with safety in America.

I will miss everybody but now I just landed in NY. The College I go to has two campuses and one of them is in New York. And I sure am taking this opportunity to study there.

I will be here for a few months so get ready for the shows I will be seeing haha
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    From Brasil to the world. Actor, Singer, Dancer, Entrepreneur. Storytelling drives me.

    Insta: rodrigo.varandas

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