Too Much Allison

Too Much Allison Louisiana-based theatre enthusiast, here for lafs and tips.

TooMuchAllison.com/allisonsfavoritethings

🎭 Founder of Wonderland Academy & Center for Performing Arts

06/04/2026

Same song. Same singer. Completely different character.

One of my favorite acting exercises is taking a song out of its original context and seeing how many different stories it can tell.

A song isn't just notes and lyrics. It's circumstances.

Change the circumstances and suddenly the entire performance changes.

So now I need your help...

🎵 What song should I do next?
🎭 What kind of scene should I drop it into?

Give me a musical theatre song and the most random scenario you can think of. If I like it, I might try it.

06/03/2026

I grew up with one of the most repeated audition rules in musical theatre:

❌ Don't sing Sondheim.
❌ Don't sing Jason Robert Brown.

Not because the material isn't incredible, but because accompanists were expected to sight-read, and those scores could be... an adventure.

Fast forward to the self-tape era, and now most performers bring their own tracks.

So does the rule still exist?

Are Sondheim and JRB fair game now, or are they still sitting on the unofficial "don't bring this to an audition" list?

I'm genuinely curious where the industry stands on this one.

Drop your thoughts below. Theatre people tend to have VERY strong opinions on audition material. đź‘€

05/28/2026

“Back in my day” of auditioning, we didn’t submit self-tapes (we had to cut actual paper sheet music and prep it for a live pianist 9 times out of 10), so this is all new to me. I’m a life-long learner, though! Here’s how I’d approach a self-tape audition if I had to submit one today. I’d take the song and try to make it as unique as possible, allowing me to stand out as a performer. I typically take a song out-of-context when using it for an audition. Here are 3 examples of how I might make “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls my own.

05/27/2026

“Hamilton.”
“Wicked.”
“The Greatest Showman.”

Again. And again. And again.

If the audition panel hears the same songs all day long, it becomes really hard to stand out, even if you’re talented.

Theatre students need to stop building audition books around what feels safest and start showing more range, personality, and individuality.

Take creative risks. Explore different composers. Find material that actually feels like YOU.

While you CAN sing Sondheim / JRB with a track - you better be sure it's FLAWLESS (and if you're bringing sheet music to a live pianist... just steer clear of these composers, it's mean to make someone sight read their stuff).

05/21/2026

Addy is taking over Throne Thoughts to let you know… comparing yourself to everyone around you is a really fast way to forget what makes you YOU.

There is only one version of your voice, your energy, your weird little mannerisms, and your perspective. That’s the thing people actually connect to.

It’s what makes you YOU. Be proud of it and flaunt it.

05/20/2026

Directors, this one’s for you.
What if the best version of your show isn’t the one you already planned in your head?

Some of the most powerful moments in theatre happen when actors are trusted to bring their own interpretation, instincts, and creativity into the room. Not every rehearsal process needs to feel controlled down to the exact line reading.

Theatre is collaboration. Not copy-and-paste art.

Let the cast surprise you. Let the chemistry develop naturally. Let the work become its own thing instead of recreating what already exists.

That’s where the magic usually happens 🪄

05/14/2026

Theatre isn’t just about getting cast in a show.

It’s about learning how to communicate, collaborate, problem-solve, and understand people on a deeper level.

At , we know not every student is going to grow up and work professionally in the arts… and that’s never been the point.

The point is what theatre teaches you outside of the spotlight.

Confidence. Empathy. Creativity. Teamwork. Courage. Emotional intelligence.

When actors step into someone else’s shoes, they learn how to see the world differently. When they work alongside people from completely different backgrounds, they learn connection. When they perform, they learn bravery.

These are life skills. Not just stage skills.

Whether our students become performers, teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs, architects, or anything else, the lessons they learn here stay with them long after the curtain closes.

This is why I love performing arts education so much. Because the impact goes so much deeper than theatre.

05/13/2026

Getting notes after rehearsal does not mean you’re failing.
A note is usually one of two things:
“Keep doing that.”
or
“Adjust this so the show works better as a whole.”

That’s it.

And yes, sometimes notes can hit a nerve. Theatre is vulnerable. You care deeply. But if every correction feels personal, you’re going to spend more time defending yourself than actually growing.

Professional performers know how to separate:
“I got a correction”
from
“I am bad.”

Those are not the same thing.

If a note genuinely bothers or confuses you, talk to your director after rehearsal like a professional. Have the conversation directly. Ask questions. Get clarity.

But arguing during notes wastes everyone’s time and pulls focus from the work.

The goal is not perfection.
The goal is collaboration.

05/07/2026

Tech week feels like chaos… because it is.
But not the “everything is falling apart” kind.
The “everything is finally coming together” kind.

Every entrance. Every prop. Every light cue. Every mic.
All the things you never think about as an audience…
are being figured out in real time.

It’s long. It’s exhausting. It’s a little unhinged.

And it’s necessary.

Because you’re not just learning your role anymore.
You’re learning how your role fits into the entire machine.

So if tech week feels overwhelming… good.
That means you’re in the part of the process that turns a show into a production.

Address

2807 Johnston Street
Lafayette, LA
70503

Website

http://www.wonderlandperformingarts.com/

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