Guest Blogger: Greg Reuter

Hey BroadwayWorld Readers! It has been such a pleasure to blog this month for you. Let's tackle one more subject. Auditioning.

First off, let me give another rousing shout out to 'The Other Josh Cohen', currently running at the SoHo Playhouse. What a great night of unique, inspired theatre! I have no connections to the show, other that having worked with a couple of folks involved, so I'm not a shill.

Hey readers! Today's blog should be fun. If it's not fun, I guarantee it will be informative (I don't think anyone has formally documented these two theatre phenomenons). I have to give a shout out to my pal Chris Hoch, who is always willing to debate these fringe theatre subjects in the dressing room!

Hey readers! first off, a little housekeeping. I'm trying to keep my blog interesting and relevant. My desire is to impart some experiences I've had in a painfully honest manner. That being said, this title sounds self-aggrandizing. I get it. I just finished the book 'Humblebrag' by Harris Wittels (head writer of NBC's 'Parks and Recreation'}, and it's made me gun shy to write ANYTHING! (PS- awesome book).

Today, I want to explore something that we have all experienced, whether we wanted to or not. The talent crush. Urban Dictionary defines a talent crush as 'an affection for somebody based solely on their talents.' There you have it. Example- every time I see Meryl Streep or Daniel Day-Lewis in ANYTHING, I get a talent crush. The talent crush has nothing to do with a schoolboy crush. It is often asexual. It overtakes you when you see someone do something artistically that stops time for you…

In 2006 (I think... my mind is a little fuzzy), I had the privilege to be part of the original cast of "Don't Quit Your Night Job"-­- an all Broadway Improv show. The show was created by Sarah Saltzberg, Steve Rosen, and David Rossmer. (PS - go see Steve and David in "The Other Josh Cohen" which starts previews Wed at the SoHo playhouse) all of them comedic gold. Now... it may seem like I'm milking my friends here, but I wouldn't post it if it wasn't true! Anyhow, I always had a fantasy of writing a sketch for the show involving David Hyde Pierce and Brian d'Arcy James. Why? Let me finish...

When I first moved to NY, I had two amazing roommates, Eric Christian (dancer, singer and actor extrordinaire) and Jennifer Stetor (now Stetor Eggars... see previous description!). Jen Stet (as we called her) was in 'The Will Rogers Follies', and Eric and I were sweating to the oldies in the Radio City Music Hall's Easter Show. One day, Jen posed the question to me, 'Why do audiences applaud? I mean think about it, human beings slapping their frontal appendages together to give praise...it's just weird.' She may not know it, but I have been fascinated by her query since that day.

Greetings BroadwayWorld readers, I will be one of your guest bloggers this month along with Rock Of Ages' Neka Zang. I have many musings to share with you, but first (and firstmostly), I want to invite you into the world of being a Broadway understudy. Now, I know firstmostly is not a word…but I learned fives upon tens of things in college (see where we're headed?).