Website revamp!

Hey readers,

I have an all new website that in addition is useful for following my theater work, also now serves as a place to see my work as an artist. 

Feel free to check it out! 

http://www.ryanbauer-walsh.com/

Best,

The Adventure Begins!

This Saturday I fly to PARIS!
Originally we thought we would be departing from Copenhagen. But now we are going to board the Silver Cloud in Rouen.
This whirl wind rehearsal process has been wonderful.
We have been working with Chris Childers- who is a former Madonna back up dancer, Michael Brennan of Las Vegas's Avenue Q and La Reve, and numerous other amazing industry professionals.
Rehearsals in Redwood have been great. The town literally has the best climate in the country--- it even says so on the 'Welcome to Redwood' sign. So we have had a great time for three weeks without a single day of rain! :-)

A few days back a did a little interview with Adam Rothenberg talking about what I would be doing with Silver Seas on the Silver Cloud ship. It was a really fun interview-- feel free to check it out and many of the other amazing interviews he has done on his column!

Call Me Adam: My Interview with Entertainment Columnist Adam Rothenberg

And yesterday, we had one of our final rehearsals for the ship at a beautiful house owned by a friend of the company.  Rehearsing on a white baby grand in a Great Room? Any day! And there were cats. So. It was perfect. ;-)

After the rehearsal we had a run back at Studio S, and did our Motown show. It was nice to feel it all come together. It has been a draining three weeks learning 3 shows, our own Cabarets, French, Italian, and nearly 800 pages of music. But it will be so worth it! I will be going to Russia, and London during the Olympics!

I have also made some wonderful friends here in Redwood. Unfortunately, we are not all on the same ship, but being that it is such a small world, I found out that one of the cast members, actually lives on my block in New York.

But it has been fantastic getting to know them, and experiencing their amazing talent.  I wish them the best of luck on their cruise, and I can't wait to start mine!

I hope I can find a gluten free Baguette in Paris... Hmm....

SETTING SAIL ON THE SILVER CLOUD!

Hey folks!
So I am about to set sail for six months with Silver Seas Cruises on the Silver Cloud ship. The first in the fleet. A luxury line that will take me all over Europe and South America- this new adventure promises to be a completely new chapter for me as I sing on the silver sea, and see the world!
My ship bio:
Ryan Bauer-Walsh

Born in Minnesota and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of The Hartt School of Music,

this New York based actor comes directly from the International Tour

of ZORRO the musical and the 10 time TONY award winning Broadway

hit, BILLY ELLIOT. Other credits include; Miss Saigon, Bye Bye Birdie, 

Side Show, Pirates of Penzance, Girl Crazy,  Measure for Measure, 

7 Brides for 7 brothers and many others.  A proud member of the Actor's Union, 

Actors Equity, Ryan has performed in such venues as The Kennedy Center, 

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Joe's Pub,

and the internationally celebrated BIRDLAND jazz club. Ryan has sung

the Star Spangled Banner at the White Sox home field, and at the internationally 

televised Chicago Marathon in front of an audience of 50,000.  He can be heard on 

numerous recordings including Tess the musical, Believe, and Brother Russia.

In addition to performing Ryan is also an author, artist, and community activist.

His illustration work and paintings have been used as set projections at 

The New York City Opera, the Coterie Opera and are also in private collections.

He is thrilled to be singing on the Silver Cloud and sailing the silver seas with you! 

Visit RyanBauer-Walsh.com for videos, and more!

I will be singing my own 40 minute cabaret set of all Broadway music with a band that includes piano, sax, bass and drums. 

I hope to post photos, and video of all of it and keep in touch with my friends and family while I am away! 


The itinerary is as follows:

DATE	DAYS	VOYAGE	SHIP	EMBARK/DISEMBARK
May 01 2012	7	1212C	Silver Cloud	Barcelona, Spain to Monte Carlo, Monaco
May 08 2012	12	1213	Silver Cloud	Monte Carlo, Monaco to Rouen, France
May 20 2012	10	1214	Silver Cloud	Rouen, France to Copenhagen, Denmark
May 30 2012	12	1215	Silver Cloud	Copenhagen, Denmark to London (Tower Bridge), UK
Jun 11 2012	12	1216	Silver Cloud	London (Tower Bridge), UK to Copenhagen, Denmark
Jun 23 2012	17	1217	Silver Cloud	Copenhagen, Denmark to Copenhagen, Denmark
Jul 10 2012	16	1218	Silver Cloud	Copenhagen, Denmark to London (Tower Bridge), UK
Jul 26 2012	9	1219A	Silver Cloud	London (Tower Bridge), UK to Reykjavik, Iceland
Aug 04 2012	9	1219B	Silver Cloud	Reykjavik, Iceland to London (Tower Bridge), UK
Aug 13 2012	14	1220	Silver Cloud	London (Tower Bridge), UK to Monte Carlo, Monaco
Aug 27 2012	9	1221	Silver Cloud	Monte Carlo, Monaco to Barcelona, Spain
Sep 05 2012	9	1222	Silver Cloud	Barcelona, Spain to Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
Sep 14 2012	9	1223	Silver Cloud	Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy to Venice, Italy
Sep 23 2012	12	1224	Silver Cloud	Venice, Italy to Barcelona, Spain
Oct 05 2012	5	1225	Silver Cloud	Barcelona, Spain to Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
Nov 01 2012	12	1228	Silver Cloud	Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain to Bridgetown, Barbados
Nov 13 2012	17	1229	Silver Cloud	Bridgetown, Barbados to Bridgetown, Barbados

Cheers to new adventures!

ZORRO farewell- back to the USA

Well, my friends.

Though this was supposed to be a year abroad-- it seems that was never quite a possibility.

I am in Minnesota writing to you to tell the tale of ZORRO.

The show was supposed to be running for one year, with 25 cities and a bunch of wonderful blogs representing each step of the way.

But there were problems. Oh.. There were problems.

As an equity actor I feel it is my responsibility to be faithful to my union.

Unfortunately, the union does not have any jurisdiction over shows outside the states.

So when there are problems, there are no solutions aside from the ones we create ourselves.

We arrived in China on the 15th or so.

We started tech a day or two later-- with the full intention of a smooth tech process that would lead us to open on the 26th of October.

But with no stage manager, and a limited number of interpreters who we were never introduced to-- things were very difficult.

Making anything work was difficult.

It was also our first time seeing the stage after rehearsing in a band room in Tel Aviv that was too small to accommodate a taped out version of the set.

So re-spacing was the name of the game, and re-space we did. For most of the entire tech process.

They lit us while we were on stage, and timed cues, and created sequences all the while.

We never really got a full run in without stops before we opened.

The night before we opened, with most of the ensemble on stage, the cues were not exactly set to accommodate the positions of other set pieces, and with less than 24 hours to curtain up the back wall of the set came down on top of the Gypsy caravan nearly cracking our poor little caravan in half and causing even things that were dead hung up top to sway and crash into each other.

12 hour days were the norm since the communication between everyone was so incredibly difficult- and there was a lot of hurry up and wait.

But with the "magic of theatre" and the audience already in place- we opened and managed to make it through the show. Rotating set pieces and all.

Sure it was magical, but the obstacles only continued after opening night.

We never had a stage manager officially, and we never had understudies or swings cast.

After opening night, we all crawled to MINT. A chic bar in Pudong housed in a skyscraper above everything.

It was a cash bar, and we were in a special VIP section where we were able to hang out and dance. We celebrated our victory, not knowing what battles lay ahead.

Soon after opening night with one ensemble down with a bum knee and more re-spacing we were starting to understand how this tour would go.

Our days were spent rehearsing, and re-rehearsing elements of the show that were never fully completed before opening night-- and living two trains away from the theatre on the other side of the tracks in the Zhabei district of puxi made it difficult to explore the heart of Shanghai. SO I am sad to report, that not many photos were taken during this period.

Though we were never introduced to our crew I made fast friends with my dressers who I called "Momma". After tipping them opening night (much to their chagrin) we played a short battled of gifts. They returned with two small figurines covered in crystals to thank me for their tips.

Not long after opening night, and wondering why our salaries were not being deposited we had a meeting where the producers announced that all the cities on the tour had been cancelled. There was no way to put the show up in a week with all the massive elements that lay within, and the schedule was impossible.

Also, there was a legal complication and all the assets including box office profits, were frozen. So we were only able to live off a per diem of 20 dollars a day.

This was not optimal, but this continued for the duration of my stay in Shanghai.

Unfortunately, I ran out of money and had to call it quits since rent was due, and I was paying for food out of pocket when the per diem didn't last.

I informed the producers of my situation, and I was told that there was little chance of my salary being paid until the end of Shanghai. I held out as long as I could, but after a time, I realized I would lose my apartment if I continued to work for free.

On my own closing night, I purchased two ceramic turtles each with two turtles on their back.

I told my 'mommas' that the big turtle was zorro, and the little ones were me and each Momma. They accepted the gifts and hugged me. The interpreter I found in the theatre told them that I had to leave the production, and they were so sad. I was sad too.... I didn't want to have to leave China. I was supposed to see the great wall. I was supposed to be conversationally fluent in Chinese! I was supposed to have an adventure, and be able to pay my rent at the same time.

10 minutes later, Momma 1 and momma 2 called me into the wardrobe room where they presented me with their goodbye gift to me. I realized I wasn't going to be able to get the last gift in, and would have to accept their gifts despite feeling that they had given more to me than I could ever thank them for in material value.

The company couldn't afford to fly me home, or any of the other cast members that had come to similar decisions as I had. Luckily my dad worked for an airline, and in a round-about way was able to fly me on standby stateside again.

It was anti-climactic to say the least.

As the curtain went down on the last show, I hugged my beautiful castmates, and thanked them for everything. They all understood why I had to go, and I understood why they chose to stay.

Luckily, I was able to collect the remaining weeks of unemployment I was on pre- ZORRO, and managed to make rent with the small amount of money I was able to get.

It is difficult to even write this entry, because I don't want to make it sound like I didn't make the most of things.

But here are the pros of this adventure.

-I lived in Tel Aviv for 3 months, and explored what parts of the middle east I could.

-I saw the dead sea, and Jerusalem.

-I went to the beach everyday.

-I went to China, and got to see the largest city in the world.

-I explored the Shanghai Metro.

-I got to have REAL Chinese food.

-I ate Chinese street cart food, and lived to tell the delicious tale of Shipooty-loo. (spelling?)

-I met wonderful people, who I will never forget.

-I made my first circle around the world- New York, Israel, Korea, China, and back stateside again.

So I leave you with this.

Sometimes things don't go the way you plan.

Sometimes things will continue to not go the way you want.

And sometimes you have to make hard decisions about what is best for you.

But the adventure exists, and you have to ride it for as long as you can because adventures are rare and beautiful things full of unexpected twists and turns.

They may frustrate you, they may bring you joy- but with an adventure the hurdles can be high, and there is no way around or over the- so we must simply go through them.

After all; Chaos is the source of all growth.

I hope you all get to experience the beautiful landscape of Israel, and the mysterious and crazy city of Shanghai.

Go have an adventure- or in my case let an adventure have you.

This is very difficult

Ah... China.

Well, our set was stuck in customs.

I think this photo sums it up pretty well.

Tel Aviv, Israel was a beautiful vacation-- beaches, and parties, and dancing, and delicious delicious food and drinkable water... and now we are working 12 our out of 12's. Which I have never done in my life.

I suppose customs didn't know what to think when they found a bunch of guns, swords, and pyrotechnics. So needless to say we are rather behind in some areas.

Also- the process has been slowed down by the fact that everything must be said in English, Chinese and sometimes Hebrew.

We open on Wednesday, and we just finished our cue-to-cue. We haven't been able to do a real run of the show yet. Today we did some PR-- we had a house full of photographers, videographers and Newspapers. We did a few numbers from the show, and it was interesting to finally have an audience in front of us.

There are a lot of rules in this theatre. No food allowed beyond the stage door-- fairly common as a rule, but here it is strictly enforced. Sure I manage to sneak in a bowl of dry ramen-- but don't tell anyone. Our interpreter tells us that the guards were severely punished last time they let someone bring food into the theatre. I can only imagine what that could mean.

We spent a long time today trying to work with the Chinese follow spots. They sometimes get the two lead actors confused, and it takes a while to communicate things like taking it to 50% or turning the spot blue for certain scenes.

The worst thing about Shanghai outside the theatre, is that the trains shut down at 10:30. So we have to take cabs, and trying to find a cab in Shanghai on Sunday night can take a while.

Since our hotel is fairly far from the theatre, some mode of transportation beyond walking is very important to have.

There has not been a lot of PR for the show that I have seen around town, and I am wondering how interested the Chinese people are in Musical Theatre. I have heard that the Japanese and the Koreans absolutely LOVE Musicals, and a big part of me hopes for the kind of excitement my friends who have performed with the Tokyo Philharmonic speak of. They say people flock to the stage door crying, bearing tiny gifts- they are so thrilled to have Broadway performers in their city.

In China, so far it seems like we are more of an inconvenience wherever we go. People try to herd us into the markets at the subway station. One of our actors had her iPod stolen out of her pocket the other day-- and whenever we ask a question the answer is always 'no'. Even when clearly there is Diet Coke available. ;-)

So I am a little nervous about what will happen when the show opens. I don't know how big the audiences will be- or how they will react to a musical about overthrowing a corrupt leader. I took this job for a few reasons- first and foremost- I wanted an adventure. Secondly; I really wanted to do a musical that could affect people. This show is a spectacle, with flying and explosions and lots of massive moving scenery. But more than that it is a story about freedom and the rights of individuals.

So even though we are a bit behind, and our day off has vanished by means of necessity I am still thrilled at the prospect of entertaining and affecting an audience.

So for now I close, with the hope that everything will go smoothly, and we will open with the energy and organization a giant musical like this demands!

First day in Shanghai

Well, after a long flight with as top over in Seoul, South korea. I am here in Shanghai.

We are staying in a hotel in Zhabei, Shanghai. It takes about 20 minutes by subway train to get to the Oriental Performing Arts Center where the show is being further rehearsed and performed.

First things to know.

English is not commonly spoken here. Even at the hotel there is only one gentleman who works here that has been able to help us communicate our needs. It took the production managers about an hour, to an hour and a half to get the company checked into the hotel.

Since it is a western style hotel- it is very comfortable with most of the things you would find at home in the states. The cost for a room for one night is 34 USD-- which is unbelievably cheap. But most things here are very cheap.

Currently, in 2011, the best way to broadly understand the Chinese Yuan vs. the US dollar, is to divide whatever you are purchasing in Chinese Yuan by 6. This will give you the rough estimate of what you are actually spending.

Cigarettes are about 2 dollars a pack, and they taste a bit like wood. I don't recommend smoking generally, but most people in China smoke, and I have been told you can even tip people in cigarettes and that they can make a good gift upon meeting new people-- as it is customary to give someone a gift--and as it is not proper to tip here in China. ( They will run down the street after you to give back the money that you 'accidentally left' on the table. )-- They have Marlboro, but that is it for American brands. But since they do taste like wood, and horribleness, those who smoke have opted for a brand represented by the milligrams of tar. The names are; Three, Five, and Eight.

For dinner, I got a bowl of Noodles With Beef. It cost 18 Yuan. Which is 2 dollars and 80 cents. I also got a side of cold beef, and of TURBO- Which as awesome as it sounds, is merely bok choy which is steamed in a bit of broth. (bok choy is a bitter leaf, similar to cabbage/romaine- it accompanies most dishes, including breakfast) the cold beef was 8 the bok choy was 5 if I recall. My whole meal, cost me 53 Yuan or $8.32. ( I also ordered a coke, and a mineral water).

I also got some snacks today. They included: Incredibly hard beef jerky (edible after some gnawing), Spiced dried mango, Dried kiwi, and some nabisco strawberry oreo bars. I plan on venturing into some more interesting foods as soon as I have the time to deal with the possible consequences. I have only been here 35 hours, and I have already had to take Imodium pills.

Sine I am allergic to tree nuts, I had to go to the front desk to have them write down for me a message to show waiters at restaurants. He had to have me spell out the names of the nuts, so he could google translate them. Then he wrote a message detailing the fact that I may die if I consume said nuts. All in all, it was a pleasant interaction. Though when I showed it to the waitress at Mr. Lee's Beef and noodle bar, she giggled, and asked if i wanted to see the healthy foods. Perhaps the concierge only got the part about nuts making me inflate, and wrote down that they make me fat? Still trying to figure out the right words to keep my epi-pen obsolete.

As for breakfast, the hotel provides a nice meal. This morning's dishes included Bok choy, white rolls plain, and white rolls with a lemon bean curd center. There were sausages, fried fish, toast, cereal, watermelon, rice porridge, coffee and orange juice.

The hotel also provides for you two bottles of water, and an electric tea kettle. You cannot drink the water here in China, and it takes a little getting used to. As performers we are used to guzzling water backstage. Maybe because it was the first day and I was focusing on not drinking water, but I only had two 12 oz. bottles of water today and I have a ripping headache from being dehydrated. So laying in bed typing, I am boiling the water in the kettle twice over and just having as much as possible along with some Advil.

Also confusing to performers is keeping your mouth shut in the shower. As you cannot drink the water, this also means you cannot get it in your mouth in the shower. You also cannot brush your teeth with the water. You have to use the bottled mineral water provided, or the electric kettle. I kind of had a brain meltdown when I started to think about the fact that I can't drink the water because it is too dirty, and yet I bathe my entire body in it? It can leave you feeling kind of dirty- but I assume I will get over it. However, I am sad that warming up in the shower vocally, may be a more difficult endeavor than usual. Luckily the water is really hot, and the pressure is GREAT.

Security: Tourists are not the main objective when it comes to security. I have heard many different tales of different illegal acts being overlooked by the Chinese police. Someone told me that they will raid a 'gay bar' but not till after someone has come in and told all the tourists to leave-- then they arrest all of the people left.

When getting on the subway you will throw your bag on a conveyer to be x-rayed. It slows things up a bit, but isn't too much of a hassle.

But do yourself a favor and don't participate in things that will get you in trouble. Because of the language barrier, you may end up in holding till a translator arrives, and I hear the ordeal is extremely unpleasant.

The subway is VERY clean. Because of the security measure, there is a low level of vagrants and such. No graffiti to speak of, and it works on an a system not to different than the one they are planning to implement in NYC with a plastic swipe card. You must swipe upon entering and exiting. The subway map is easy to understand and there are announcements in Chinese and English.

Outside the subway is a different story. People spit on the ground everywhere, everyone smokes, and children will often stop near a bush to undo the rear hatch on their pants to relieve themselves-- as was witnessed more than once today. Keep your wallet with your passport and keep them both in a place where only you can get to it. The crowded streets are a goldmine for pick-pockets. I am not saying you should go about with a fanny pack like a tourist- but chances are they are going to know you are a tourist in less than 2 seconds of seeing you-- so if it makes you feel safer, fanny pack it up. I opt for a messenger bag inside pocket, or the front pockets of my pants if the pockets are deep enough or have a button or zipper to fasten them.

People also don't seem to heed the traffic lights, so look both ways not only before you cross, but while you are crossing. The motor bikes here are silent, so you wont hear them till you are under them.

Outside my hotel, I was with a friend post check in when a man walked up to me and offered me a Lady Massage. He was grinning and I could tell that he was a pimp. When we turned him down he was a little more blunt with us, and offered us other services as well. Finally my friend who is male, said "Sorry, I like men" and the man giggled and nodded and walked away. This has happened to most of the male cast members at this point. When I read reviews of hotels in my area of Shanghai, a lot of them referred to the 'Onsite massage lady'. The reviews speak of a woman who will commonly be in the exercise room just waiting to provide whatever service you need.

People here are very poor, the lowest amount of money that people make here is around 250 Yuan a month or around 40 dollars. So it is understandable that many people will go out of their way to try and make ends meet anyway they can. That being said, I worry about the fact that tickets for the show I am in are at the high end; 2080 yuan, and at the low end, 120 yuan.

My hope is that the novelty of a Broadway style show, with Flamenco dancing and sword fighting will capture the imagination of the people here. But so far most of the interaction I have had with the Chinese people have only provided me with the thought that they find us uncomfortable to be around, and that we are awkward to interact with.

Through out the day, I have seen people staring directly at other cast members for long periods of time on the train, or as we walk. This is not meant to be rude, but it is common that they will stare at you here.

Sometimes the combination of authority and people staring at you can be bad though. A cast member who was in China earlier than the majority of the company for PR was wearing a T-shirt with what appeared to be Chakras on it, and he was questioned by the police as to it's meaning. The cast member thought that perhaps because it appeared to reference a certain religion that it was considered contraband and they asked him to remove it or turn it inside out.

So for a short summary of my first day in China:

-Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink. -I must remember to bring water with me- everywhere.

-I must find a good place to eat healthy food. Mr. Lee's beef and noodle bar ain't gonna cut it.

-I must take my Imodium pill when I wake up- or suffer the wrath of whatever.

-I must find a store like CVS, duane reade, or walgreens. (I neglected to transport most of my bathroom supplies due to luggage weight limits)

-Be patient when speaking with people. English is not common here, and smiling will get you further than angry mime work.

So that was my day. Tomorrow is another day- but until our 12 hour days are over, I may not get to explore much more!

Packing for China

I will be living in China for a year while working as an actor in a musical.

What does someone bring with them for a full year in China?

Converters- power adapters.

and an entire years worth of clothing that will need to be rotated based on the climate of each city?

This trip would be impossible with a luggage limit of 1 suitcase. So I have managed with some 'Space-Saver' bags to fit everything I will actually need into two suitcases and one carry on.

The funny thing is- you really don't ever wear everything you bring. Sure sometimes you will want to lounge around in that big sweater you thought you had to have. But you didn't really need it.

But with traveling to China I have been told that there is a necessary set of hygienic products that you must travel with. Namely; Deodorant.

My friend who traveled to China with The Sound Of Music tour a few years back, said deodorant is in short supply- and if you have a brand you like a lot-- then you better bring enough with you to last.

I have also brought an ample supply of Pepto-bismol, anti-diarrheal medication, and anti-inflamatory pills. Along with some serious Voltaren Gel ( Thanks Billy Elliot! ).

I also have my own set of physical therapy devices since we do not have a personal PT on this tour. These items include; Knee braces, ankle braces, wrist braces, shoe inserts, tiger balm, tennis balls, and my very own lovely thera-band.

The last day of rehearsal was on tuesday of this week. We had a run through- and we also recorded the final voice overs that will be used in the show. I play Young Ramon and I am in the ensemble. So you will get to hear such chart topping tracks as "You're not doing it properly/There are rules", "Angus Dei" and many other hits from the last couple of decades.

We had a great sitz probe ( a run through where we stand and sing through the show with a full orchestra) and I am ready to get this show on it's feet.

It will be an interesting journey- but for right now, I am just focused on packing!

We will fly Korean Air into Seoul, South Korea--- and from there CHINA AWAITS! :-)