Digimon World Tour

Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Data Squad, etc. 1999-2013 Toei Animation, Akiyoshi Hongo, Studiopolis, Saban Brands, etc.

Foreward

by Douglas J. Erholtz

Hey there, this is your favorite voice actor (come on, admit it) Doug Erholtz. It's strange. I've been doing voice acting since the mid-90s, and yet I'm known for a few certain roles. My TV Tropes page says I "can pretty much portray any character, be they good or evil, but my vocal range is very distinct when it comes to this". I'd agree with them, but it seems I keep getting the same requests over and over from my agents. Why, just a few months ago, I got a call from him. "Doug, Spin Master just called, they're looking for someone to play a calm, athletic preteen; something about 'Tenkai Agility'. You want in?" I promptly answered, "No, thank you." That role reminded me way too much of T.K. Usually, I follow my first impressions when it comes to any role, and so far I've gotten some pretty good ones. In one, I'm a nobleman from the Magus Association, Lord of the house of El-Melloi and a prodigy at magecraft. In another one, I'm a loud-mouthed ex-thief fond of delusions of grandeur, and constantly at odds with a character named Guts. I've only been a guest at one anime convention because I've been so busy backing everyone up.

With the success of Digimon Tamers International and Digimon Savers International, I've been becoming just a bit more popular than I usually am. However, it just seems like I can't get away from what people keep saying is my defining role; this warm, friendly Lancer/rival to the new Goggle Boy; the McCoy to Brian Donovan's Kirk. Jeff Nimoy didn't like my character, And then there's this new role; Greg Logan, essentially a tougher, American version of T.K. I get Facebook comments, Twitter posts, Skype calls, everything. For once, I'd like to just break out of that mold and do something different.

It's not like I haven't tried. I once got a whole bunch of Studiopolis and Bang Zoom! people together for a Los Angeles Musical Theatre Guild production of Company. Melissa Fahn suggested I take the role of Bobby, "the presentable, clean-cut young man who spends years escorting debutantes to society balls and who, when asked if he harbors any homosexual inclinations, is at a loss for words" (to quote The New York Times). In other words, T.K. That frustrated me to no end, yet I took it in stride.

["Being Alive"

Written by Stephen Sondheim

Performed by 2012 Company Los Angeles Musical Guild Cast [Doug Erholtz (Bobby), Tara Platt (Sarah), Yuri Lowenthal (Harry), Philece Sampler (Susan), Sam Riegel (Peter), Melissa Fahn (Jenny), Michael Lindsay (David), Lara Jill Miller (Amy), Quinton Flynn (Paul), Mona Marshall (Joanne), Jamieson Price (Larry)]]

On stage, the five couples come walking in, making their usual talk to Bobby, similar to that in the song "Company". Bobby, having just shot down a proposition by Joanne by asking the question, "Who will I take care of?" , is lost in thought.

Friends: (frantically)

Bobby...Bobby...Bobby baby...
Bobby bubbi...Robby...Robert darling...
Bobby, we've been trying to call you.
Bobby...Bobby...Bobby baby...Bobby bubbi...
Angel, I've got something to tell you.
Bob...Robbo...Bobby love...Bobby honey...
Bobby, we've been trying to reach you all day.
Bobby...Bobby...Bobby Baby...Angel...Darling...
The kids were asking-
Bobby...Bobby...Robert...Robby...Bob-o...
Bobby, there was something we wanted to say.
The line was busy...
Bobby...Bobby bubbi...
Bobby fella...Bobby sweetie-

Finally, it becomes too much as Bobby finally gets on his feet, enraged, confused, and just wanting to get a word in edgewise. "STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPP!" he shouts. That silences the couples as he confronts them. "What do you get?" he asks in frustration.

Bobby:

Someone to hold you too close,
Someone to hurt you too deep,
Someone to sit in your chair,
To ruin your sleep.

The others attempt to comfort him and convince him to commit to a relationship. Paul is first. "That's true, but there's more to it than that." "Is that all you think there is to it?" Sarah asks. Harry is next. "You've got so many reasons for not being with someone, but Robert, you haven't got one good reason for being alone." Larry is absolutely convinced. "Come on, you're on to something, Bobby. You're on to something." Bobby continues on, as his frustrations start to seep in.

Bobby:

Someone to need you too much,
Someone to know you too well,
Someone to pull you up short
And put you through hell.

David makes a valid point. "You see what you look for, you know." Joanne attempts to give a comforting touch to Bobby, but he's not having it. "You're not a kid anymore, Robby. I don't think you'll ever be a kid again, kiddo." Peter is the next one. "Hey, buddy, don't be afraid it won't be perfect. The only thing to be afraid of really is that it won't be." Jenny continues to encourage him.
"Don't stop now. Keep going."

Bobby:

Someone you have to let in,
Someone whose feelings you spare,
Someone who, like it or not,
Will want you to share
A little, a lot.

"And what does all that mean?" Susan asks. Larry then asks an important question. "Robert, how do you know so much about it when you've never been there?" "It's much better living it than looking at it, Robert," Harry points out. "Add 'em up, Bobby. Add 'em up," Peter chimes in.

Bobby:

Someone to crowd you with love,
Someone to force you to care,
Someone to make you come through,
Who'll always be there,
As frightened as you
Of being alive,
Being alive,
Being alive,
Being alive.

Amy wheels out a birthday cake and starts pleading with Bobby. "Blow out the candles, Robert, and make a wish. Want something! Want something!" Bobby closes his eyes, and finally, finally wishes for someone to share his life with, someone to help and hurt and hinder and love, someone with whom to face the challenge of "Being Alive."

Bobby:

Somebody, hold me too close,
Somebody, hurt me too deep,
Somebody, sit in my chair
And ruin my sleep
And make me aware
Of being alive, (he opens his eyes)
Being alive.

Bobby stares out at the audience and continues his passionate delivery.

Bobby:
Somebody, need me too much,
Somebody, know me too well,
Somebody, pull me up short
And put me through hell
And give me support
For being alive,
Make me alive.

Make me alive.

Make me confused,
Mock me with praise,
Let me be used,
Vary my days.
But alone is alone, not alive.

The couples start putting their props away as they walk off the stage, giving Bobby enough room for his finale.

Bobby:
Somebody, crowd me with love,
Somebody, force me to care,
Somebody, make me come through,
I'll always be there,
As frightened as you,
To help us survive
Being alive,
Being alive,
Being alive!

He ends the song with arms wide open, as the audience gives him thunderous applause. Some people in the front row throw money and roses up on the stage.

I saved my frustrations for the after party. "All right! I just want all of you to know that I both enjoyed and despised this role. For once, I want an exciting character. I know I'm the workhorse around here, the supporting man. I despised it because it played too much to the characters most people know me as. I loved it because for once, I was up front. But I don't want it to end here. For once, just once, I want definition. I want to make love to somebody for no reason at all. I want to be a main character. I want to actually do something, not just play backup for everyone. I want to be somebody like Quinton, or Brian Donovan, or heck, even like my best friend Yuri." "You mean you weren't happy with your roles in Savers?" Yuri asked me before downing a drink. "Well... kinda. I mean, I had to deal with Q and Crispin. My character ended up being backup for Q's character, who got the finishing blow. I got stuck with a Richard Marx number," I griped. Quinton didn't look like he was complaining. "Hey, that's show biz, bro. Ya know what they say. There's no small roles, only small actors." That got a few laughs, but not from me. "I guess you're right," I sighed.

Later that night, I found solace in my best friend Yuri and his wife Tara, who had played a married couple in the production. "Now, what did you not like about that? I thought you did all right. You're no Larry Kert, but you're a good actor, and a pretty good singer, too," Tara said. "Well, you realize what's going to happen now. Now I've really sunk myself into the clean-cut role. For once, I'd like to do something dirty. I'd love to be someone more human, someone... you know, less vanilla." Yuri tried boosting my confidence. "And you can do it too. Your range is better than mine. I couldn't pull off the intensity you had in 'Being Alive', not by a longshot." I chuckled. "Yeah, that was more emotional than anything. I figured that was a safe outlet. I guess... I don't really know what I want. Voice acting is so different from regular acting, and yet it's the same. I guess I got too caught up in the fact that my name was up front. I'm lucky to be in the spot where I am." "That's right, bro. Ultimately, you can't be anyone but yourself. Your ego gets removed when nobody recognizes you," Yuri agreed. That made me feel better.

But enough about me. What you're about to see is something original, something never done before. This is a Digimon series, first and foremost, so you're going to be seeing some Digimon. But what's different about this one is that you'll be seeing some of your favorite characters from different seasons coming back in an all-new adventure. And yes, as much as I'm not too excited about it, I'll be voicing two of them, T.K. from Adventure 02 and Greg from Tamers and Savers International. (Obviously, Greg will be older so I can differentiate the two voices.) Matt will be there, because we're using his band as a front to go around the world and defeat these evil Digimon. We'll also pair together two of the most popular female DigiDestined, Rika from Tamers and Kari from Adventure 02. You'll see some others, including a special drummer that you can vote for at the author's profile page. So far, the top three finalists are Thomas H. Norstein, Marcus Damon, and Henry Wong. The one with the most votes by December 31st, 2013 will be included in the team when the fanfic officially premieres in January 2014. So make sure to make your vote count. [EDIT (as of 12/31/13): Voting is now closed.]

And speaking of bands, The Teenage Wolves are set to become one of the hottest bands in the world. We'll be covering more contemporary music, maybe some One Direction, some Savage Garden, maybe a Bruno Mars song or two. And since I need to rest my voice for all my other roles, I might have to call in a few friends to provide singing voices. (It's been done in Hollywood for years.) Ultimately, what this means is more music, more fun, and more action.

I look forward to it, and I hope you will too. Until then, stay tuned. Erholtz out.