theTHEATREaddict here with yet another TV related post.
Yes there is a theatre connection. In my final year of law school, at the University of Western Ontario, I produced and directed a production of the musical Blood Brothers. I loved working on it and despite all bias I believe we had a dynamic production. It was the inspiration for starting my commercial theatre company and launching my producing career. Our cast was outstanding and I did massive amounts of research, including a trip to Liverpool, to ensure the authenticity of the show. We had a dialect coach, born and raised in Liverpool, work tirelessly with our cast to ensure every character had the right accent. It was a wonderful time for me.
We had a hard time finding our narrator and when Andrew Austin auditioned he was incredible and exciting. He was not legit theatre, although he had lots of community theatre experience. He had this awesome rock voice that was going to give the entire show a different edge. His harmonies and tone were unique and glorious. He was a dynamic talent. Post University, I spent two years managing his band and loved trotting around the clubs to watch him perform. He was always a rock star in waiting. His extraordinary talent is matched with his kind personality. He is a real good soul who you want to see succeed for all the right reasons. Well now he has a golden opportunity.
Last night Andrew was selected to be part of Canadian Idol’s Top 22. This means he will hit the phone in shows Monday. I know Canadian Idol is not the be all and end all but it is a chance to have the kind of exposure aspiring musicians’ dream of. If he can stay on the boards I think he has a great shot at putting out an album that can storm the charts. I don’t get enthusiastic about too many talents but Andrew Austin is someone I have always believed in. I urge you to check out the show Monday and vote for Andrew. Help me give this guy a shot, the music will be well worth the phone calls. 