Dolphin Talent’s Acting + Industry Guide

No one was more delighted than those of us at Dolphin to hear Hugh Jackman proclaim to the millions of people who watched the Oscars last night that the musical is back. With the successful television premiere of “Spectacular” fresh in our minds and three musicals slated in the next two and half years, we’re betting on it.

While this creative decision is, in part, motivated by the mind-boggling successful track record of musicals, it’s primarily a reflection of our own love for the genre. Because musicals have a way of engaging us that is wholly unique. They speak to us in a way that somehow more inspiring…more magical than a regular old comedy/romantic comedy etc. The use of music and dance effectively in a movie reminds us of American cinema at it’s very best. Musicals make us laugh and cry and SING. They have proven for generations to define our lives and stay with us as we grow older.

Dolphin is excited to be at the center of this re-birth and you can bet we are all singing (however off key) and dancing (however clumsily) around our offices as we look forward with anticipation to holding a national casting for our first theatrical musical in the upcoming year!

The Academy Awards: This is the big one, the one that everyone tunes in to watch, and the one that really matters. The “Academy” is the 6,000 some performers and industry professionals that make up fifteen different branches, one for each division, such as actors, directors, visual effects, music, etc.  So people in the industry have an opportunity to support each other and vote on who they think is the best.

The first awards were officially held in 1929 at a black-tie dinner in Los Angeles honoring achievements from the past two years. The next year the awards were broadcasted on radio, and the public interest only grew from there. It now shows in over 200 countries.

The 81^stAcademy Awards are coming up soon, hosted by Hugh Jackman, on February 22. For a list of nominated films and even a printable ballot go to www.oscar.com.

 Enjoy!

-Emerson

We are officially in the middle of Awards Season, the glitzy, glamorous, and exciting time to watch our favorite stars in hot or not so hot apparel go head to head to win world-renowned honors. Everyone usually knows what the stars are wearing, who came with whom and who won, but I thought I would give you some insight into the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards that took place Sunday, January 11, 2009 .

The Golden Globes: Notice how they always thank, “The Hollywood Foreign Press?” In the 1940’s, during a world at war, a handful of Los Angeles-based journalists who represented publications outside the US came together and formed the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association. These journalists thought it imperative for people outside of Hollywood to have a say in determining Hollywood’s finest work.

 The first Golden Globe ceremony was held in the 1940’s and grew from there. In 1955, television was added to the list of honors given out. One tradition that has continued on through each award show is the annual selection of the Miss and/or Mr. Golden Globe; this is the title awarded to the son or daughter of a famous actor or actress on stage assisting with the ceremony. Today the HFPA represents more than 55 countries and their publications include newspapers and magazines in all leading markets across the world. The HFPA members interview 400 different actors, directors, writers, and producers and see more than 300 films to come up with the winners who deserve an award.

-Emerson

In preparation for the TV debut of  “Spectacular!” I thought I’d give you all a brief breakdown on the history of Show Choir, as I know we all learned a lot about it through “Spectacular!.”

The first high school show choir was formed in 1955 at Arcadia High School in Arcadia, CA. They were called the Chanteurs. Twenty-five years later, Arcadia High was also the home to the first all girls show choir named New Spirit.

 The 1962 creation of The Young Americans directed by Milton C. Anderson in Los Angeles, CA marked the start of the show choir phenomenon. The Young Americans performed with Johnny Mathis, Bing Crosby, George Burns, Vicki Andrews and many others and were featured in an Academy Award winning documentary in 1968.

Show choir then went on to make its collegiate mark on the Midwest. Indiana University’s Singing Hoosiers and the University Singers of Ball State University during the 1970’s. Through extensive touring through out the US by both the Singing Hoosiers and the University Singers, show choirs started to pop up all over the Midwest and competitions were born.

The first high school show choir invitational was held in 1973 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at Jefferson High School and continues today.

National Competitions are held yearly and are typically held in destinations such as Orlando, FL, Nashville, TN, or New York, NY.

Lucky for you, if you have not seen a show choir in action, you can watch “Spectacular!” on Nickelodeon on February 16, 2009. Get your jazz hands ready!

SttlMeg

Hey guys, We are so pleased to be receiving so many submissions for Soul Surfer!  The official breakdown went out on Monday.  You still have plenty of time to send auditions if you are interested.  Please visit our casting page on our site http://www.dolphintalent.com/dt/info.php?id=6 if  you plan on auditioning.  Check back frequently to see when we will begin our next casting for our first feature musical!