I believe!

Last weekend I went to Santa Ana, California to see Shanna Palmer starring as Peter Pan in 3-D Theatricals' PETER PAN at the OC Pavillion.

PETER PAN, a musical production of the play by Sir James Barrie, has lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Music by Moose Charlap, additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and additional music by Julie Styne.

3-D Theatricals is the newest professional theatre company in the Southern California area, and has made the OC Pavillion its new home with a full season of musicals.

I've seen the Mary Martin version on television many times of course, and I also saw an outdoor production in Carmel a few years back, so I was expecting more of the same. Not so!

This production of PETER PAN is exciting, fresh and totally endearing. Shanna is amazing! She was was born to play Peter. She is totally believable as a young boy, and her physicality is amazing - she is at once both graceful and powerful. She is funny, touching, and full of excitement! She's an amazing singer, dancer, actress and flyer (the new quadruple threat!). And boy, is there a lot of flying, swooshing and dancing mid-air! Just glorious.

The whole cast is fabulous; Gregory North as Captain Hook/Mr. Darling and Alyssa Kennedy as Tiger Lily were two of my favorites.

The OC Pavillion is a cool theatre. They took an old bank building and transformed it into an arts building complete with theatre, recording studio, dance studio and restaurant. The band (which was terrific) was split in two and was located up in box seating on either side of the stage. The theatre seats about 500, is highly raked with one row of banquettes in front. We had amazing seats in a banquette which seated all four of us. And we could bring our drinks in with us!

I also got to see Patti Colombo's fabulously exciting choreography! Her choreography breathed new life into a story and a show that I am very familiar with, and once again took my breath away! Here is a picture of the Ugg-A-Wugg dance number:

We're Pigs!

A production of the musical THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND (book and lyrics by moi, Suzy Conn, and music by Mitchell Kitz) just finished at State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Missouri. They performed for over 4,600 during their week of productions for the public and area elementrary schools.

THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND, adapted from the Beatrix Potter book, tells the story of a young pig who is forced to find his way in the world - a classic coming of age pig story! And remember: Always cross that bridge when you come to it!

Eric Yazell, the director of the show (he is also the Speech & Theatre Instructor at The Stauffacher Center for the Fine Arts at State Fair Community College) sent me some wonderful pictures of the production:

The Door Song!

If

Little Patch of Potatoes/Wide Open Spaces

Thanks to a great cast for another successful production of THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND!

If you are interested in doing a production of THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND, please send an email to suzy@blogwaybaby.com.

Clang, clang, clang went the Trolley!

Last night I had my walk-on role in Village Theatre's production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS. Last May when I bid and won the walk-on role at the Village Theatre Gala, the show seemed so far away. Suddenly it was November and time for me to face the music.

A couple of weeks ago I went for a costume fitting and wig fitting. I was to be dressed in a beautiful coral and creme dress, big hair, big hat and lace up boots.

The wonderful and talented Bobbi Kotula was my contact throughout all this organizing dates, fittings etc. Paulette Buse, the stage manager, was my backstage contact and the one who scheduled my "put in rehearsal" for 6:30pm last night. Louise Kincaid was my "wrangler".

I arrived at 6:30 pm thinking I would just be shown when to walk across the stage and wave. Never assume anything!

Steve Tomkins welcomed me with a warm handshake and went about fitting me into the finale. The entire finale. I even had choreography and music to sing! Luckily I'm very well aquainted with both The Trolley Song, and Meet Me In St. Louis, and generally never need much convincing when asked to sing.

I enter with the cast on the trolley, sitting smack in the middle and singing my little heart out! "The day was bright, the air was sweet..." etc. Then I get escorted off the trolley and back to chat with Henry Nettleton and Bill Williams, also in the cast. Then it's back on the trolley, holding on for dear life as it goes off stage. Then grab an ice cream and run on with Bobbi to look at the World's Fair and see the fireworks and sing the last line - "So won't you Meet Me In St. Louis, Louis, meet me at the fair!"

I even got to take a bow with the female ensemble members! And then with the rest of the company! Woot Woot!

I was able to watch Act 1 in the audience with my family and then I went backstage at intermission to get dressed, and get my wig on. I had my own little space in the women's dressing room. Waiting for me was a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I got dressed and chatted with everybody and waited for the finale.

My performance went off without a hitch! I even got to watch some scenes in Act 2 from the wings with Bobbi. After the show they took picture of everyone in the cast, and moi, on the trolley. Then off to meet my fans (my family) backstage. Rave reviews all round!

Then the clock struck midnight and my carriage once again turned into a pumpkin. Back to life "behind the scenes" as a writer!

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS is a fabulous show (even when I'm not in it) and the cast is wonderful. Go get your tickets now!

I went to see the first preview of EQUIVOCATION at the Seattle Rep last week, (thanks Kathryn!). I loved it!

EQUIVOCATION, written by Bill Cain and directed by Bill Rauch, had its world premiere at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and will be running at The Seattle Repertory Theatre until December 13.

The Seattle Rep has put together a fabulous "know before you go" pamphlet also available on line which gives you some background on the plot, the times, historical figures and the plots of MACBETH and KING LEAR in 30 seconds:

What's EQUIVOCATION about?

It's London, 1605. William Shakespeare (in the play spelled Shagspeare, or Shag) has just been made an offer he can't refuse: King James I wants him to write a play about the recently foiled Gunpowder Plot. Shagspeare is leery: it's dangerous for playwrights to write about current events. Robert Cecil, the king's ruthless chief advisor, gives Shag the sanitized version of events, telling him to just add some dialogue -- and witches. The king wants witches. The rest of Equivocation is about Shagspeare's struggle to write a play that will please -- or at least not offend -- the king.

EQUIVOCATION stars Anthony Heald as Shag, Richard Elmore as Richard, Jonathan Haugen as Nate, John Tufts as Sharpe, Gregory Linington as Armin and Christine Albright as Judith, Shag's daughter. They are a brilliant.

The actors play different roles in the play, as well as characters in the play within the play. But fear not, Bill Cain's writing is so clear that the intricacies of the play flow seamlessly. Bill Cain's contemporary writing is brilliantly woven with threads of KING LEAR and MACBETH. And EQUIVOCATION manages to be incredibly humorous, despite the hanging, drawing and quartering.

Despite EQUIVOCATION clocking in at 2 hours and 55 minutes, I'm not equivocating when I say I want to go see this play again!

Monday October 26 I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet both Stephen Sondheim and Frank Rich.

I attended STEPHEN SONDHEIM A LIFE IN THE THEATER, AN ONSTAGE CONVERSATION WITH FRANK RICH at Benaroya Hall.

We (of course this night was a Conn family event) started the evening off at a 6:30pm reception in the Founder's Room hosted by David Armstrong, Producing Artistic Director, The 5th Avenue Theatre, and Dennis Coleman, Artistic Director, Seattle Men's Chorus /Seattle Women's Chorus. Delicious food, yummy wine, and what a beautiful room!

We were there not just for the wine and food, but to meet Stephen Sondheim and Frank Rich! So as soon as Stephen entered the room, the Conn family made a beeline for him! Wow, what a friendly, gracious and talkative man! We introduced ourselves, told him what huge fans we were, told him that INTO THE WOODS is Trinity's favorite show, and that Myrna was The Baker's Wife in INTO THE WOODS at Village Theatre Kidstage. Stephen congratulated Myrna on nabbing "the best role" in the show. He asked about the production - what was the orchestration, how much rehearsal time etc. I was then able to inform Mr. Sondheim that the girl who had played Little Red in that same show (Keaton Whittaker) was going to be in the Broadway production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. This was news to him, since he had left New York just days before the role was cast! So, I was able to tell Stephen Sondheim something he didn't already know. My husband went on to tell Stephen how much he loved COMPANY.

My husband and I had a fun, but brief, talk with Frank Rich, and he seemed genuinely pleased that we had both read and enjoyed his memoir Ghostlight

I was lucky enough to catch one of the last two performances of Taproot Theatre's ENCHANTED APRIL. Despite a devastating fire last week, Taproot Theatre, with the generous support of Seattle Children's Theatre, was able to mount two final shows on Saturday October 24.

However, the mad scrambling and exhaustion certainly didn't show in the performance, which was indeed, enchanted.

ENCHANTED APRIL, a play by Matthew Barber, from the novel by Elizabeth Von Arnim was directed by Karen Lund, and featured Charity Parenzini, Nikki Visel, Ryan Childers, Jerff Berryman, Anne Kennedy, Kim Morris, Aaron Finley and Llysa Holland.

I was originally interested in going to see this because of Anne Kennedy. Anne played Georgia (among other roles) in The 5th Avenue Theatre's Adventure Musical Theatre production of my musical THE MERCER GIRLS. She was fabulous in that, and in ENCHANTED APRIL. Wow, what a versatile, talented actress. And she totally rocked a bob wig and flapper dress.

From the website:

The enticement of an enchanting Italian holiday captivates the hearts of two British housewives on a drizzly London afternoon in 1922, and fills their imaginations with wisteria and sunshine. By the time they arrive at their Mediterranean villa, an aging matron and a young socialite have joined their quest for something more. The gardens, sea, cinnamon and macaroni are just the beginning of the transformation they discover.

From the program:

Enchantment and Femininity

In the spring of 1918, British women over the age of thirty were granted the right to vote. Later that year, the Great War ended with an armistice treaty declaring a ceasefire. Society was changing; many women were loudly asserting their right to equality while others asserted their right to remain invariable. In THE ENCHANTED APRIl, a 1922 novel by Elizabeth von Arnim, this dichotomy becomes clear. Von Arnim, not a feminist writer per se, wrote astute and romantic novels for popular readership, with autobiographical bits snuck into the pages. Her own ideas of femininity did not always agree with the social norms, nor did she directly identify with militant feminism. Her unique perspective, that women can have simultaneous independence, equality and togetherness with men through cleverness rather than militancy, is apparent in the novel and the subsequent play by Matthew Barber.

As Taproot Theatre moves forward from this disaster, they will need all the help they can get. Please help out if you can. You can charge your donation by phone by calling 206.529.3672 or online. All gifts to Taproot are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Go, go, go see JOSEPH!

My daughter Trinity is in the children's choir for JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at The 5th Avenue Theatre. She has been rehearsing since August, so it was quite a thrill to finally see opening night on October 15!

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, with music by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Lyrics by Time Rice, is playing at The 5th Avenue Theatre from October 10 to November 1. Directed by James Rocco, choreographed by Jayme McDaniel and musical directed and conducted by R. J. Tancioco, JOSEPH stars American Idol's Anthony Fedorov as Joseph and Jennifer Paz as The Narrator.

Oh yeah, and fifty two kids!

And these kids don't just sit cross legged on the stage. They are woven into the show and megamix, acting, singing, dancing, carrying corn, candles, and coats!

This has been (so far, since there are still 21 performances to go!) an incredible experience for Trinity, working with professional actors, directors, musicians, design and production crew, hanging out with old friends and making new ones. Luckily for me, Trinity had a few friends who got into the show with her who live close by, so I've been able to carpool -- shout out to the carpool moms!

Everything in this show is original except for the costumes, which I believe are the same design as the ones used in the Donny Osmond DVD. That includes a totally rockin' megamix created by Ian Eisendrath, Albert Evans, RJ Tancioco, Dave Pascal and Davee C. And did I mention Billy Joe Huels (The Pharoah) and his flaming trumpet?

This show is so much fun from beginning to end and features some of the best Seattle talent around, including Rich Gray as Potiphar, Troy Wageman as Levi, Mo Brady as Zebulun, Dane Stokinger as Rueben, Shanna Palmer, Brittany Jamieson, and Charissa Bertels (just to name a few of the extremely talented cast!)

I left the theatre smiling, singing and ponying (of course, that's how I usually leave The 5th Avenue...).

Road trip to London! Yeah, baby!

BIBA THE MUSICAL sounds ultra cool, I wish I could go to the London Showcase on October 25!

BIBA THE MUSICAL was written by Anthony Barry, David Foster-Smith and John Renoir, with set design and styling by Andrea Dunne.

Here's the 411 on the show from the website:

It’s the story of a fantasy that became a fantastic reality. It’s the story of fashion, of the Swinging Sixties, of beautiful people, of a musical and cultural coming of age. London 1964. Biba started as a tiny boutique in a Kensington sidestreet and grew to become a huge department store – unlike any that had been seen before or ever will again. Biba’s ethos was to be affordable but chic, to be so very very cool it almost hurt. All who were so very cool hung out there, from Brigitte Bardot to the Rolling Stones. Flamingoes strutted their stuff on the Roof Garden, while the louche and glamorous sipped exotic and often illegal cocktails in the Rainbow Room.

By the mid-seventies, Biba, by now an icon in its own time, found itself struggling to survive in a world that had turned cold and grey, a world of strikes, power cuts and recession. Glam was gone, and the angry voice of punk was on the streets. Suddenly it was all over, almost as suddenly as it had started. But the memories lingered in the minds of the tens of thousands who had been touched by the style, the music, the hedonism and the beautiful decadence that was Biba.

Oh what a night! What a party! Our COCKTAIL NUTS Landing The Gig pilot was a sold-out success!

We had a great rehearsal Sunday night, and then Monday afternoon as well. The pictures in this post are from Monday's rehearsal.

As I was helping set up the chairs and put the candles on the tables I couldn't help but get a little freaked out...

Luckily, I was working with pros - cast, crew, ACT theatre. Whew!

It was a couple of minutes to 7:00 pm -- each table had a cocktail glass full of cocktail nuts, and we had lit the last of the candles...then they opened the house! The people started pouring in! My Matt Dusk CD was playing in the background, and soon the room was filled with chatter, and the clink of glasses (yes glasses, not plastic cups) as people helped themselves to the buffet of gourmet snacks, and tried one of two Vessel cocktails: The Callback (my personal fav, and A Contemporary Tipple). The Bullitt Cabaret was transformed! The joint was jumping!

It was so nice to see so many familiar faces who had come out to support our pilot, and even nicer to see faces I didn't recognize! People who had bought tickets because it sounded like a fun evening. Cool.

Drum roll please....ladies and gentlemen, welcome Rich Gray to the stage! Time to start the show!

Rich Gray was our fabulous host for the evening. He sang, he chatted with the guests, and he made us all feel at home! He started with a song If Someone Had Told Me, and then went into our signature theme song, Cocktail Nuts, in which the fabulous Marianne Owen had a surprise cameo.

Then Rich introduced Jessica Skerritt, currently in CHASING NICOLETTE at The Village Theatre. Her set included If You've Got it, Flaunt it, Running, and Can't Help Falling in Love .

Then it was onto something different. In each COCKTAIL NUTS we plan on showcasing something different -- perhaps an instrumentalist, or dancers or a comic...you get the idea. Well Bill Robison was our first "something different" and he did not disappoint! He did a hilarious act that involved fabulous physical comedy, reading minds with a microphone, and scotch tape. This guy was amazing!

Then Rich did a number called Heidi with an I, which included a very original lyric that rhymed with mountain climbin' (you had to be there).

Then it was time for the high school spotlight. In every COCKTAIL NUTS we plan to showcase a talented high school student. And what better way to start than with the talented Myrna Conn singing You There in The Back Row! Needless to say the audience went wild.

To cap off the evening in style, American Idol finalist Anthony Fedorov sang three gorgeous ballads -- one in spanish to boot. Sigh. Anthony is starring as Joseph in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

The Night Club Gentlemen came back for a swinging traveling medley, and then the whole cast signed off with the Cocktail Nuts goodnight song.

Thanks y'all. See you in December!