July 2009 Archives

Wake Up and Smell the Bacon in Missouri! Or is that show me the bacon....

I am please to announce the production of THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND at the State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Missouri! Yes, this November 2009 will see the return of Pigling Bland, Aunt Pettitoes and the whole crazy gang! This will be the third production of the musical that I (I being me, Suzy Conn) wrote (book/lyrics) with Mitchell Kitz (music), following a debut in Toronto (at the Toronto Fringe Festival), and a second production in Chicago at Theatre Building Chicago last summer.

THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND, based on the book by Beatrix Potter (no relation to Harry Potter), tells the story of the adventures of a young pig (Pigling Bland) who sets off to market with his younger brother, is interrogated by a policeman, pignapped by a farmer, teased and tormented by a cat and dog and eventually falls in love with a beautiful female pig . The two escape and....well... I can't give away the ending, now can I?

THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND will be directed by Eric Yazell, and is scheduled to run from November 16 to November 21, 2009 at the Stauffacher Center for the Fine Arts in Sedalia, MO!

And here's a bit of trivia -- turns out Sedalia, MO hosts the annual Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival!

More posts to come... oink!

My oldest daughter is looking forward to the last few weeks of summer vacation. Why? because when August arrives, so does The 5th Avenue Theatre's Summer Musical Theater Camp! This will be Myrna's 3rd year at The 5th Avenue's Summer Musical Theater Camp.

This is such a great camp for a number of reasons. First off, this is a skills based camp, where the kids are taught all facets of musical theater (singing, dancing, acting, etc.) and is not just focused on getting a show up. They are exposed to material from everything from golden age musicals to the current shows on Broadway. The parents don't see the final showcase, because the kids perform for each other. This means they can spend the full two weeks learning new material, new skills and then perform for their peers and the staff. Secondly, they are taught by working professionals both from the Seattle area, and from New York. I can't tell you how many times we've seen shows at The 5th Avenue where Myrna has pointed out people on stage who taught her in camp! That kind of access is invaluable. Finally, they create a really supportive environment and she has made really great friends there.

Here is Myrna singing at last year's final showcase!

From the 5th Avenue Website:

Summer Musical Theater Camp

Television Gold! (or is that Television Yellow?)

I first saw Mitzi Gaynor in the movie musical Anything Goes with Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor. One viewing of Mitzi doing "Blow Gabriel Blow", "Anything Goes" and "It's Delovely" and I was a huge fan! Such a fan, in fact, that the name "Mitzi" was on the short list of names for my second daughter (as was "Velma" and "Gladys"...I stopped short of "Daisy Mae").

My wonderful husband of 22 years bought me "MITZI GAYNOR RAZZLE DAZZLE! THE SPECIAL YEARS" for my birthday. Wow! This is an amazing must-see DVD.

From the DVD cover:

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Mitzi Gaynor's blockbuster film, Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC and the 40th anniversary of her first televised special, MITZI GAYNOR: RAZZLE DAZZLE! THE SPECIAL YEARS is an all new documentary that captures the creative excellence, the briliant fusion of song and dance, the glamorous Bob Mackie costumes and the non-stop excitement that were the hallmark of her glittering annual television events. For 10 years, Mitzi Gaynor's annual specials captured the imagination of audiences the world over. Now, for the first time in three decades, experience the groundbreaking Emmy winning performances choreographed by some of the most inflential forces in the world of dance: Peter Gennaro (ANNIE, WEST SIDE STORY), Danny Daniels (THE TAP DANCE KID), Robert Sidney (THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW) and Tony Charmoli (WOMAN OF THE YEAR). Including newly taped interview with Miss Gaynor, Bob Mackie, Kristin Chenoweth, Carl Reiner, Kelli O'Hara, Rex Reed and rare photos and footage from Gaynor's personal archive that illuminate the behind-the scenes stories and impact of her landmark television events.

The present day chats between Bob Mackie and Mitzi Gaynor are worth the price of the DVD on their own! It's so nice to see genuine affection between two artists, and to hear the stories behind the costumes. And what costumes! Mitzi wears sequins, beads, beads and more beads, short dresses, long dresses, dresses that zip up and zip down. As they were always in gorgeous, bright colors! It's like my dream wardrobe! (I can't help it, I like shiny stuff). And the guys costumes are just as amazing!

Speaking of guys, the specials are always just Mitzi and "her dancing boys". No other women in sight! And I recognized on of those guys as a dancer on the Carol Burnett show! I don't know his name but he played the Yankee soldier in the Went With The Wind skit! My favorite special is Mitzi and 100 Guys -- it seemed she had literally every male 1970s tv star on that show! From Captain Stubing to Mannix! Two of my favorite dances are EVERYBODY LOVES MY BABY and PRETTY FOR ME from her first 1968 special Mitzi (watched by 33 million viewers!).

Mitzi seems like such a level-headed woman, someone who really enjoyed her career, and appreciated the good fortune she had, and laughs a lot. There's none of that bitterness or regret, or exploitation/substance abuse stories you so often see in stars when they look back at the "good old days". Not only that, but she was happily married to Jack Bean for over fifty years! I would love to go out to lunch with Mitzi Gaynor and hear more cool stories!

Mitzi Gaynor is currently touring with a one woman show (of course!) called MITZI GAYNOR RAZZLE DAZZLE - MY LIFE BEHIND THE SEQUINS. Here's hoping she comes to Seattle!

Lucky number seven!

If you are wondering what to do the evening of Monday August 3 to celebrate Canada's civic holiday, (or you just want to rock out on a balmy August eve), look no further than NEW VOICES 7 brought to you by Contemporary Classics. Yes, this is the same concert series that Myrna rocked last December!

From the Facebook event page:

Its back! Don't miss the seventh edition of the popular NEW VOICES series. This edition is part of the CENTRAL HEATING LAB at ACT Theatre.

NEW VOICES is a concert series showcasing the best of today's most promising young musical theatre composers. An exciting blend of Sondheim and pop/rock, this next generation of composers is turning Broadway on its ear with musicals about grunge bands, electroshock therapy, road trips, and Anna Nicole Smith. Performed by some of Seattle's hottest talent, joins us for a break from the summer heat with an evening of brand new musical theatre songs.

August 3 at 8pm
Allen Theatre at ACT
700 Union Street in Downtown Seattle
$20 general admission, $15 student (with ID)
Purchase tickets at https://www.acttheatre.org/TicketsPlays/Play.aspx?prod=2340 (tickets on the right by the calendar)

**Some material may not be suitable for younger audiences**

STARRING
Krystle Armstrong (5th Ave's HELLO, DOLLY!)
Mo Brady (5th Ave's CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, SEVEN BRIDES)
Sarah Davis (ZANNA, DON'T!)
Nick DeSantis (5th Ave's SUNDAY IN THE PARK...)
Beth DeVries (SCT's WIZARD OF OZ)
Christian Duhamel (5th Ave's SEVEN BRIDES...)
Ashley FitzSimmons (Village's SHOW BOAT, BEAUTY & THE BEAST)
Nick Garrison (HEDWIG..., 5th Ave's CABARET)
Diana Huey (ZANNA, DON'T!)
Cayman Ilika (Village's SHOW BOAT)
Kate Jaeger (REEFER MADNESS)
Naomi Morgan (5th Ave's WEST SIDE STORY)
Brandon O'Neill (Village's TOMMY)
Kat Ramsburg (5th Ave's MAME)
Don Darryl Rivera (SCT's I WAS A RAT!, BUSYTOWN)
Tanesha Ross (Village's SAINT HEAVEN)
Jenny Shotwell (Seattle Musical Theatre's JANE EYRE)
Troy Wageman (Village's BEAUTY & THE BEAST)
Billie Wildrick (5th Ave's SUNDAY IN THE PARK...)
and Justin Huertas on cello

With R.J. Tancioco on piano
Hosted by Brandon Ivie

WITH SEXY SONGS BY
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Bobby Cronin
Adam Gwon
Joe Iconis
Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond
Brian Lowdermilk & Kait Kerrigan
Michael Mahler
Dan Martin & Michael Biello
Peter Mills
Ryan Scott Oliver
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Jeff Thomason & Jordan Mann

You've got to be carefully taught...

If you need a good laugh, check this out.

Happy long weekend!

One singular sensation of a movie!

Last night I went to the Landmark Harvard Exit movie theatre in Capitol Hill to see EVERY LITTLE STEP, the documentary about casting the revival of A CHORUS LINE.

FIrst of all, the Landmark Harvard Exit is one cool movie theatre! I'd never been before, and I almost drove right by it. The Landmark Harvard Exit is an old woman's club turned movie theatre.

From the theatre's website:

The theatre is located on a quaint, tree-lined street at the north end of Broadway, at Harvard and Roy on Seattle's Capitol Hill. The building in which The Harvard Exit currently resides was originally constructed as a clubhouse for The Woman's Century Club in 1925. The club continues to hold meetings in the lobby, although the building was sold in 1968 for conversion to a movie theatre. In the 1980s, a second auditorium was added in an unused ballroom space on the third floor of the building. One of the very first "art" theatres in Seattle, the Harvard Exit set the standard for the exhibition of independent film and foreign language cinema. Its large and glorious lobby retains a 1920s atmosphere, adorned with a fireplace, a grand piano and chandelier. A recent remodel adds a fully wheelchair accessible restroom on the main floor, expanded concession stand and an inside box office for those rainy Seattle nights.

I had seen the revival of A CHORUS LINE, so I was really excited to see the film. Also, a friend of a friend of ours, Natascia Diaz was figured prominently in the movie since it had come down to her and Charlotte D'Amboise for Cassie. I absolutely loved Natascia in JASQUES BREL at The Zipper.

What I didn't realize is how much footage we would get to see from the original 1975 production of A CHORUS LINE! As a "Hello 12, Hello 13" teenager I had lived and breathed that cast album (as a record of course) and sheet music when it was released, but had never seen the show until the revival in 2006.

Seeing Donna Mckechnie do The Music and The Mirror dance was unbelievable. She was other-worldly. Don't get me wrong, Charlotte D'Amboise was fantastic, but Donna Mckechnie defied description. You just have to see it. And she was just a wisp of a thing!

Eeyore is going to steal the show!

I'm very excited to see WINNIE THE POOH at Youth Theatre Northwest because my youngest daughter Trinity will be playing Eeyore!

Opening night is next Friday July 10, so get your tickets now!

From the Youth Theatre Northwest Press release:

Youth Theatre Northwest (YTN) commences it’s 26^th Season and Summerstock program with a magical adventure into the lush 100 acre woods with a stage adaptation of the beloved story Winnie-the-Pooh.  

Winnie-the-Pooh is a fat little bear who would like to drift peacefully through life, humming tunes and stopping frequently to eat “a little something.” However, he finds himself involved in all sorts of franctic adventures with his friends Eeyore, Piglet, and Rabbit. Pooh’s intentions are always the best, but his passion for honey and condensed milk keeps getting him into trouble. When friend Piglet gets roped into Kanga’s house and Kanga starts bathing him (with soap!), Pooh wants to fly to the rescue, but he’s had so many snacks he gets stuck in the door. Can his dear friend Christopher Robin help him now?

Adapted by Kristen Sergel from the popular children’s book by A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh’s wit and special understanding of young people make this one of the most successful and endearing plays for children.

Winnie-the-Pooh is the first production in Youth Theatre Northwest’s Summer Stock 2009 lineup. Paying tribute to classic stories, YTN will also produce Annie (July 31 – Aug. 9) and Pajama Game (Aug. 21 – 30).

Performance Schedule: Winnie-the-Pooh performs July 10^th through 19^th, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm with Matinee performances on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Weekday matinee performances will also be held July 14, 15, and 16 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) at 2:00 pm. Youth Theatre Northwest is located at 8805 SE 40^thStreet, Mercer Island, WA 98040.

Details:            Friday, July 10^th at 7pm

                        Saturday, July 11^th at 2pm and 7pm

                        Sunday, July 12^th at 2pm

                        Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (July 14, 15 and 16) at 2pm

                        Friday, July 17^th at 7pm

                        Saturday, July 18^th at 2pm and 7pm

                        Sunday, July 19^th at 2pm

Tickets for Winnie-the-Pooh are $17 for Adults and $15 for Seniors and Youth (under 18) for the July 10th opening night Gala (which includes an intermission dessert). Tickets for the remaining performances are $15 for Adults and $13 for Seniors and Youth. Discounted group rates are available. For tickets or information, call (206) 232-4145, ext. 109, or visit YTN online at www.youththeatre.org.

Production: 18 students, ages 8 to 13, from Mercer Island, Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah, Newcastle, Medina, Kirkland and Seattle.

Direction and Design: Adapted by Kristen Sergel and based on the book by A.A. Milne. Directed by Meghan Arnette, set design by Brian Jackson, costume design by Kim Tepe, lighting design by Rob Ward, and props by Stephanie Merrow.

Celebrating it’s 26^thyear, Youth Theatre Northwest “nurtures the intellectual, artistic and personal development of children and youth through drama, education, performing opportunities and live theatre experiences.” YTN is both theatre and school, providing a wide range of classes and programs designed to further theatrical learning, initiate creative play and stimulate intrapersonal development for children and young adults age 3-18. At it’s 200 seat theatre home on Mercer Island, YTN produces 10 annual plays. Additionally, YTN offered 109 classes to Puget Sound students and offers outreach programs to schools and libraries throughout the region.

Here's to Canada, eh!

And a special shout out to musicals (not an exhaustive list by any means) written by Canadians - TWO PIANO FOUR HANDS, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE and of course, PLANE CRAZY!

Okay, and a special shout out to one of my favorite Canadians -- Wolverine!