Prima donna, First Lady of the Living Room

It's 7:46. I've been driving up and down Fremont street for the past five minutes, and Fremont street is only about half a mile long. Where the heck is her house? I know she said Fremont Street, and it's a yellow Cape Cod...argh. I'm late. I'll just call her.

Laura: Hey Darcy? Where are you again? I've been driving up and down Fremont Street and I can't find you.

Darcy: That's because I don't live on Fremont Street.

Laura: Oh man!

Darcy: Yeah, it's on the corner of Poil and Durnside. The porch light is on.

Laura: Okay, I'll be there in two seconds.

Exactly two seconds later, Laura parked her car right in front of a yellow house with a lighted porch. As she walked up the path, the door seemed to magically open in front of her.

Laura: Darcy, I am so sorry!

Darcy: Oh it's okay!

Laura: I could've sworn you said Fremont. I am an idiot.

As she entered the room, Laura was struck the general niceness of the whole place. The living room, lighted with two torch lamps, contains a green leather couch, various knick-knacks, antique furniture, and a baby grand piano in the corner covered in sheet music.

Darcy: Well, let's get started.
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That was the beginning of my first formal singing lesson. I would've written more, but I didn't feel like it.

Singing lessons were always something I wanted to do. I've been in some amateur choirs and shows that require singing, but I didn't think my parents would pay for voice and piano lessons. Plus, I wasn't familiar with any of the voice teachers in this area. Now that I have the time and money, I'm doing it.

Anyway, here are some highlights of the night:

• While singing an exercise, I attempted to sing so high that when I opened my mouth, no sound came out.


• I can comfortably reach an A above High C. (I'm more of a soprano than I originally thought. I have to squeak to reach the B above that though.)


• I sang with my back against a wall so I could stop my shoulders from going up when I breathe.


• I sound like a ghost when I do the vowel exercise.


• Italian is the purest language to sing in, but not necessarily the easiest language to sight read (unless you know Italian, that is.).


• I giggle when I make mistakes (I giggled a lot.)


• I brought my new book of "Company" (the Sondheim musical) to learn some songs, and promptly left it at Darcy's house after the lesson.


• We shared our concerns about the fact that our show, Annie Get Your Gun, goes up November 4-7, and some people aren't even off script yet.


• I forgot my check book.

All in all, I had a lot of fun. I found out I get nervous and tend to close up when I sing for a small audience. That and I was new to the whole thing. I think when I learn the exercises better and am more comfortable singing with someone specifically watching my mouth, I won't be so constricted with my voice.

Maybe the next time I post a song, it'll be awesome! (If only my cell phone was a better mic.)