THE LONG SLOG: I swear I don’t know how actors do it – showing up for audition after audition only to be told you’re not wanted. That was the case for Lee Trull before he became a member of the Dallas Theater Center’s resident acting company. The irony is that he’s now the casting director for the DTC, frequently forced to tell others that they aren’t right for the part. The occasional Art&Seek guest blogger and all-around good guy tells Front Row about how fortunate he feels to be in this position after so many years of struggle.

MUSIC BITS: Fort Worth’s Hudson Moore is just a junior at UT, but he’s already playing gigs at Billy Bobs. Oh yeah, and he’s playing ACL this fall. (dfw.com) … Anthony Mariani talks to Calhoun about its fifth album, Heavy Sugar. You’ll no doubt hear tracks from it Friday night at the Kessler. (fwweekly.com) … DC9 at Night rounds up the 10 songs that could be the themes for LeBron James’ ever-rising hairline. Oh you hadn’t noticed? Check out just how high that headband is positioned during Game 5 tonight. (DC9 at Night)

QUITE A COUP: The big premiere locally this week is Billy Elliot, which opened last night at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. But Lawson Taitte writes on dallasnews.com that it is also fitting that Uptown Players debuts Next to Normal. Why fitting? Billy Elliot edged it out for best musical at the Tonys (though Next to Normal got its revenge the next year by taking home the Pulitzer Prize).