Beth Marshall & Tod Kimbro are proud to announce the debut of "My Illustrious Wasteland." The show will premiere in July 2008 at the OST Margeson Theater!

AUDITIONS for Tod Kimbro's new sci-fi musical epic will take place in two weeks!

WHEN: Saturday, January 19th, 2008
12 noon - 4pm

WHERE: The John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center/Orlando Shakes

"My Illustrious Wasteland"
Produced by Beth Marshall
Book, Music and Lyrics by Tod Kimbro
Choreography by BLUE
Directed by John DiDonna

All cast/crew positions are paid.

Rehearsals begin in late January.


NEEDED FOR AUDITIONS:

Variety of male/female roles of varied age ranges. All types welcome!

Please bring (4) Headshots and Resumes (cut to size/stapled or firmly
attached to headshot)

MUSIC:

Prepare One (1) Minute of a Rock or Pop song (no musical theatre/show tunes allowed)

Singers will sing a capella or with recorded accompaniment (Boom Box will be provided, please ensure your disc plays in all formats)

DANCE:

Dress comfortably (or bring clothes for dance audition), sneakers or barefeet allowed.

Be prepared to learn 8 counts of eight.

ACTING:

NO PREPARED MONOLOGUES. Be prepared to cold read from script of "My Illustrious Wasteland"

Appointments REQUIRED for auditions. To schedule an appointment, please contact Beth Marshall at 407-648-0077x1 or by email at producer@orlandofringe.org AFTER Jan. 3rd 2008 to schedule your audition.

I should have listened to Steven Sondheim and James Lapine, the ingenious creators of "Sunday in the Park with George" and "Into the Woods," when they were asked:

"Which comes first: the music or the lyrics?"

"The book," they replied.

They couldn't have said it more wisely. And I couldn't have been more ass-backwards. When I finished the album in late 2005, I was delighted with the result, but--at the same time--I had a slight knot in my stomach because I hadn't written the story that my "Soundtrack" would accompany. No big deal, right? I'd just do that later...

Well, now it's later.

A lot F-in' later.

...But I emerge from my two-year artistic hell-hole with good news. The plot finally works, and the kinks are finally smoothed out (and there were plenty).

There were some casualties along the way, though. Three album tracks will be omitted from the show: "Can I Pass Chemistry," "Lay Back Down," and--most regrettably--"Happiness." But there are 7 new musical numbers (yay!)...

All of the lyrics from the "Soundtrack" are being slightly reworked, and a few songs(particularly "Conspiracy" and "Trucker Hat Blues") are getting drastic makeovers. Fans of the album should be aware, so they won't be too distracted by the changes when the show premieres (possibly next spring, but most likely next summer; it will take a LOT of work and time to put this sucker up.)

Oh, and one other thing...

Even though the album's called "Soundtrack to a Chemical Spill," the show will not be called "A Chemical Spill." There just aren't any chemicals spilling anywhere in this story (and the two songs that mentioned chemicals, "Happiness" and "Chemistry," have been cut).

That's the only thing major obstacle that's left: figuring out the title:)

Many of you may be wondering where I've been.  Why I don't come out and play. Ever.  Why I don't gig with the band hardly at all.

Blame real estate.

Here is the abridged saga (soon HGTV will buy the rights and turn us into the ultimate reality disaster series):

In April, we received a full-price offer on our first house in Deltona (yay!), which forced us to move out in two weeks because the buyers had to close by the end of the month (boo).

We accepted, shoved all our belongings into a POD, and moved in with my mom and dad.  Soon thereafter, we made a few offers on a few houses and found an awesome house in Orlando (yay!). And all was well...

...Until the closing on our house in Deltona FELL THROUGH THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CLOSE, because the buyers' finances turned out to be a mess (how these assholes got pre-qualified with a credit score of 450 is beyond me).

So we lost the new house in Orlando, which got sold...which left us stuck in my mom's house, with all our furniture in the POD, with no offers and no activity on our house...(big freakin' boo, but life goes on...)

Time passes.

In June we receive another offer on our house in Deltona (yay!), and the process starts again.  This time the Buyer looks good (more yays), and she's a lesbian (yay!), so we're thrilled that our house will continue to be the gayest on the block (big gay yay!).

We make a few more offers, settling on a great house on a lake. Life is good.  The closing on our old house goes through (yay!).

Money is in the bank (yay!).  All is well...UNTIL...

The inspection reveals an enormous amount of wood rot, and a strong possibility for internal, structural damage.  So our dream house has become a nightmare money pit. 

We ask to cancel the contract, only the asshole realtor tries to hold us to it.  We spend four hideous days threatening and haggling and talking to every realtor we know (bless you, thank you, Jordan Ellington) and even to a real estate lawyer, getting together a game plan and preparing for a potentially nasty battle. FINALLY the asshole realtor releases us from the contract.

We breathe.  A little time passes.

A few more offers.  A new house.  Big, nice, with a great pool (a weak "yay," not because the house isn't great...we're just too goddamn tired to express excitement).

Another inspection.  More wood rot.  Owners refuse to fix it.  We say screw you...we're walking.

We do.

Now we are up to our EIGHTH offer, and our FOURTH signed contract.  THE GOOD NEWS?...

The house is AMAZING!  And the inspection went through perfectly, except for a few things, which the very nice owners agreed to fix, so all is well...

UNTIL...

JUST KIDDING!  There's no "until..." 

But please, if you believe in a higher power, pray for us. Even if you don't believe in anything, lower your head and pray to your shoe.  We can't take any more drama.  We will explode.

In all seriousness, this one looks really really good, so hopefully, starting August 23rd (our closing date!), I will be out more, and will be gigging again.

Love to all.   

 

Congratulations, Chad Lewis!!!

The illustrious Mr. Lewis has won two tickets to my upcoming Fringe show, just for submitting his favorite f-in' songs in the "Drop the Bomb Ticket Giveaway"!

Also, I have tallied all of your submissions to determine the most popular F-Bomb of them all, and the undisputed winner is...

..."Untouchable Face" by Ani DiFranco!  This song will be added to my set list for "F-Bombs and G-Strings"...and it's really f-in' cool.  Hell, I think I'm gonna open the show with it:)

Thanks, all!

Tod

...Do you have a favorite song that features the F-word?

...Wanna see me perform it in my show?

...Wanna see my show for FREE?
We'll here's your opportunity to put in your two F-in' cents and win F-in' big!

It's the "DROP THE BOMB" TICKET GIVEAWAY!!!!!

1. Submit your favorite song that contains the F-bomb.
Your votes will be tallied the last day of April, and the most popular tune will be added into my final setlist. Please keep in mind that I'm trying to select songs that use the ultimate curse word in a more complex, interesting, and non-literal fashion than, say, "F..$% Her Gently" by Tenacious D or "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails.

2. Win BIG! (...that is, if you consider a $14 vale to be "big.")
Your participation automatically enters you into a drawing for 2 free admissions to one performance of "F-Bombs & G-Strings"!!! ***please see rules below

The winner will be announced the first week of May!

You may email your submissions to me through myspace, but I would prefer if you sent them to: info@todkimbro.com

Your subject line should read: "Drop the Bomb"

Thanks and Good Luck!
Tod F-in' Kimbro


***Rules for admission: Please be aware that you need to purchase a Fringe button before you can see my show or any show at Fringe, and that the complimentary admissions for "Tod Kimbro: F-Bombs and G-Strings" do not include the purchase of a Fringe button. Admission to the show is not guaranteed unless it is in full compliance with the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival's rules and regulations regarding complimentary admissions. Simply put: if you win, you'll need let me know which performance you would like to attend, otherwise neither the Fringe nor I can guarantee your ability to see the show, due to the limited amount of comps releases per performance.

"Tod Kimbro – F-bombs and G-strings"
conceived and performed by Tod Kimbro
featuring original songs by Tod Kimbro

Mature Audiences Only
Seven Dollars with Fringe Button

The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival runs May 17-28, 2007. Here are the dates for my show!

Friday, 5/18 @ 7:30 PM
Sat., 5/19 @ 12:30 PM
Sun., 5/20 @ 11:20 PM
Mon., 5.21 @ 7:40 PM
Thurs., 5/24 @ 11:05 PM
Sat, 5/26 @ 12:40 PM
Sun, 5/27 @ 3:35 PM

Hello, friends:

Listed below is my normal schedule at Pat O'Brien's in Universal CityWalk:

I perform SUNDAYS, MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESAYS, and FRIDAYS (10 PM-1:40 AM showtime, with a set break between 11 PM and Midnight).

THURSDAYS and SATURDAYS I am normally off.

Bear in mind that this schedule is not rock-solid, and that I occasionaly switch shifts and take time off. So let me know if you're planning to come out and see me! (I'll do my best to let you know if I am off or on that evening:))

Thanks!

Luv,
Tod

P.S.: Also, when you're at Pat O's, you can catch my band mates playing their first instrument: the piano! My bassist Rob Vandivier is my Sunday-Tuesday dueling partner, and my drummer Paul Creed plays with me on Wednesday and Friday.