July 2010 Archives

From the press release:

Tapestry Opera is pleased to announce the composers and librettists participating in the 2010 Composer-Librettist Laboratory, which will run from August 23rd to September 2nd at Toronto’s Rosedale United Church. The writers chosen for the 2010 Composer- Librettist Laboratory (affectionately called the LibLab) are Hannah Moscovitch, Anusree Roy, Michael Pollard, and Maja Ardal. Joining them will be composers Norbert Palej, Anna Höstman, Iman Habibi, and Gareth Williams. Also joining Tapestry in 2010-2011 is multi-talented theatre and opera artist Marjorie Chan, as the company’s new Writer in Residence, a role most recently assumed by Governor General’s Award Winner Colleen Murphy. Marjorie is a graduate of the LibLab (2003 and 2009) and librettist for the Dora Award-winning new opera Sanctuary Song which premiered with Tapestry and Theatre Direct for the 2008 Luminato Festival.

Here’s how it works: 4 composers and 4 writers are brought together for a 10-day period

of collaborative discovery through the creation of sixteen 5-minute scenes, each of which

are written, composed and performed within a 48 hour cycle that is repeated four times,

enabling each writer to work with each composer. Guiding the composers and librettists

throughout the process are dramaturg Michael Albano and musical dramaturg Wayne

Strongman (Tapestry’s Managing Artistic Director). At the disposal of the creative teams

will be some of Canada’s most respected performers, including soprano Carla Huhtanen,

mezzo soprano Kimberly Barber, tenor Keith Klassen, baritone Peter McGillivray, as

well collaborative pianist Christopher Foley.

For more information check out Tapestry New Opera website.

Now Boarding: Venus Airlines Flight 2010 from Gate Issaquah…

With rehearsals starting in only two weeks, I'm thrilled to announce the cast for my musical PLANE CRAZY at the Village Theatre Festival of New Musicals, which runs the weekend of August 13 to 15, 2010.

PLANE CRAZY will feature Jennifer Weingarten (Faith Hope),  Billie Wildrick* (Janet Jones), Megan Chenovick (Holly Banks), John Bogar* (Sam Crenshaw), Michael Cimino (Clive Miller), Ian Lindsay (Brett Mansford), and Vince Wingerter (Larry Stevens). Our amazing ensemble will include Kristin Culp*, Lindsey Larson, Natalie Moe, Mara Solar*, Bryan Tramontana, Jordan Delp, Michael Ericson*, Aaron Shanks* and Troy Wageman*.

* = member of Actors' Equity Association

The show will be directed by David Ira Goldstein (Artistic Director of Arizona Theatre Company) and the Music Director is Kim Douglass. Book, Music, and Lyrics are by Suzy Conn.

PLANE CRAZY will run on Saturday, August 14 at 2pm. The show will appear on the Village Theatre Mainstage (Francis Gaudette Theatre), 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA, 98027.

To see the PLANE CRAZY, you must be a “Village Originals” member. To join Village Originals, go here – on that Web page there are links to the membership form (or you can just call the Village Theatre box office at 425.392.2202). The great thing about joining Village Originals is that it’s a one-year membership that entitles you to see all six shows in the Village Theatre Festival of New Musicals, as well as other Village Originals readings and specials events throughout the year.

Stay tuned!

We searched all of NYC and here they are...The Broadway Dolls!

The Broadway Dolls was created by Hollie Howard (she's the one in the middle of the picture), who just happened to originate the role of Holly Banks in the NYMF production of PLANE CRAZY in New York! (see how I always bring it back to me?). Hollie is an incredible triple threat Broadway performer who has put together an amazing group of women.

From the website:

The Broadway Dolls searched New York City for the finest Broadway talent and found Five Broadway Stars! We specialize in developing a customized theatrical experience for your corporate event, business party, fundraiser, benefit or theatrical event! Five, real triple threat women -- all singing, all acting, all dancing come directly to you from the most well known Broadway shows, including Mamma Mia, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Rent, Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Grease, The Wedding Singer, Spamalot, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and more.

The Broadway Dolls was created by Hollie Howard, and is directed by Joey Murray, and assisted directed by Barbara Helms (a former Broadway Doll and she was also in PLANE CRAZY! See, I did it again!). Music supervision is by Lon Hoyt, with choreography by Jordan Fife Hunt and Bryan Knolwton.

For more information:

Phone: 646-537-1708 or info@thebroadwaydolls.com

Here's one for your "Must See" list -- SIDE SHOW at ArtsWest in West Seattle!

I went to opening night on Wednesday and LOVED it!

I didn't know too much about SIDESHOW before last night (other than the fact that Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley starred in it on the Broadway) so I was excited to see the show itself, in addition to seeing my daughter Myrna in the show.

SIDESHOW (book and lyrics by Bill Russell, music by Henry Krieger) is directed by Christopher Zinovitch and choreographed and musical directed by Troy Wageman. SIDESHOW is a musical about Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined Twins who make a change from being a circus act to becoming famous stage performers in the 1930s.

This show is awesome. From the opening number "Come Look at The Freaks" I was hooked. The direction and choreography are compelling, the costumes are awesome and the actors are totally invested in this show. Great singing, great dancing and great violin playing (courtesy of Myrna)!

Last night I sat "on stage" and it was a really cool experience seeing the show from a different perspective.

That's Myrna in the blonde wig and fat suit playing Dolly Dimples!

Get your tickets now. There are only five more shows left!

The latest episode I saw, entitled "Fathers and Sons" was written by John Whedon (Joss Whedon's grandfather!) and guest starred an extremely young Bob Balaban (Waiting For Guffman, A Mighty Wind, Seinfeld) with lots of hair as an angry young highschooler "Grady" who doesn't get a long well with his father (played by William Schallert)and mother (played by Anne Morgan Guilbert, the actress who played Millie on The Dick Van Dyke Show; John Whedon also wrote for that show).

I also caught a very young Ed Begley Jr. in the "Alice in Blunderland" episode.

I can't wait for more "guest star goodness"!

There are times when you think, "gee, does it get any better than this?". Yesterday was one of those moments. Just minutes away with free parking, Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island was our destination on a glorious sunny summer Sunday afternoon. The temperature was perfect -- not too hot, not too cold. We carried our amazing chairs on our backs (I say amazing because I get non-stop compliments on them, whether at swim meets or at free Shakespeare in the park) to the Luther Burbank Amphitheatre to see a FREE production of Seattle Shakespeare Company Wooden O's OTHELLO. As we settled into our chairs, perfectly shaded from the sun and surrounded by gorgeous greenery, the show began. Sigh.

I find it a little odd that the older I get, the easier it is for me to understand Shakespeare. Consequently, the more I enjoy it. I remember in high school it was like seeing a show in another language without subtitles. But sitting there yesterday, watching the show, I forgot I was watching "Shakespeare". I laughed, I was on the edge of my exceedingly comfortable seat, and I followed the story like I would any contemporary play. Maybe because the acting and directing were so darn good! No really, the cast was superb, the pace was quick. I understand they cut these plays down to 90 minutes for these park presentations -- it is probably a good idea to avoid an intermission in this setting. The whole cast was fabulous, and my favorite characters were Iago (George Mount), Roderigo (CT Doescher), and Emilia (Heather Hawkins).

Next up, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Maybe I'll bring some munchies and have a little picnic.

Go see some some fabulous theatre now. In a park. For free.

If you happen to be in the vicinity of Ithaca's Hangar Theatre then you don't want to miss their production of MAN OF LA MANCHA, which runs July 1 - July 17.

First of all, it got this incredible review on ithacajournal.com. The review described the show as "glorious" and "superb".

And did I mention that it stars two of my favorite performers? Richard Todd Adams, who played Brett Mansford in the New York production of my show PLANE CRAZY, stars as Cervantes/Quixote. You gotta love this quote from the review - "His rich tenor/baritone fills the house, and once he begins to sing, you want to crawl up inside his voice and simply live there."

Natascia Diaz stars as Dulcinea. I was blown away by Natascia when I saw her a couple of years ago at the Zipper Theatre's production of JAQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS. She's also in the fabulous movie "Every Little Step".

So hurry and buy tickets because it closes on Saturday!

My husband and I saw THE CIDER HOUSE RULES yesterday (which just happened to be our 23rd wedding anniversary) at The Book-it Repertory Theatre at the Seattle Center.

THE CIDER HOUSE RULES is being presented in two parts, Part One: Here in St. Clouds (just closed) and Part Two: In Other Parts Of The World (running September 15 - October 16). This was my first Book-it show, and I have to confess I never "got" that Book-it Theatre was about presenting theatrical adaptations of full-length novels. Not even after reading the tagline "Celebrating 20 years of Novel Theatre", or noticing that their flyers are shaped like bookmarks...(and the "duh" award goes to...).

Now I know :)

This was an absolutely astonishing production. Despite it running about three hours with 2 intermissions, it seemed to fly by, and I wanted it to keep going when it ended! I loved how the narration and the scenes were seamlessly integrated.

THE CIDER HOUSE RULES was adapted by Peter Parnell from the novel by John Irving, was directed by Jane Jones (based on the original direction by Tom Hulce and Jane Jones) and was conceived for the stage by Tom Hulce, Jane Jones and Peter Parnell.

The story telling was so beautifully done, so moving, so funny and so easy to follow (which is not always the case for me and a John Irving novel!). The whole cast was amazing. Peter Crook was magnificent as Dr. Wilbur Larch and shout out to the fabulously talented Jon Lutyens who played Fuzzy Stone, Jennings, MaryAgnes and musician (I had a perfect seat to watch Jon play the piano behind the scenes!).

Here's the scoop on THE CIDER HOUSE RULES PART TWO: IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD from the website:

September 15 – October 16, 2010 performed in the Center House Theatre

Irving’s Cider House is truly a signature piece for Book-It; Part Two completes the epic story that closed the company’s 2009-2010 20th Anniversary season. Leaving St. Cloud’s to experience the world beyond the orphanage and Dr. Larch, our Dickensian hero Homer Wells discovers that life’s joys and sorrows are neither black nor white, but infinite shades of gray.

Missed The Cider House Rules Part One this summer? Or just want a refresh before seeing Part Two -- Join us for one of these nine special reprise performances of Part One during the run of Part Two: In other Parts of the World. Part One will play again September 29, Oct 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, and 16.

Yes, it says "musicals" not "musical". Of course I'm very excited that PLANE CRAZY is in the 10th Annual Festival of New Musicals at Village Theatre in Issaqauh, but it turns out PLANE CRAZY isn't the only musical in the festival - who knew?

In fact, there will be six new musicals! And more importantly, five parties!

Here's the festival line up from the Village Theatre website:

Thursday, August 12, 2010 6:00 PM – FESTIVAL PREVIEW

Thursday, August 12, 2010 7:30 PM - IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU
Book & Lyrics: Brian Hargrove
Music: Barbara Anselmi

Friday, August 13, 2010 7:30 PM - BUDDY’S TAVERN
Book: Raymond De Felitta
Music: Kim Oler
Lyrics: Alison Hubbard
Based on the movie TWO FAMILY HOUSE, written and directed by Raymond De Felitta

Saturday, August 14, 2010 2:00 PM - PLANE CRAZY
Books, Music & Lyrics: Suzy Conn

Saturday, August 14, 2010 7:30 PM - IN YOUR EYES
Book & Lyrics: Brian Yorkey
Music: Tom Kitt

Sunday, August 15, 2010 2:00 PM - CLOAKED
Book: Michelle Elliott
Music: Danny Larsen
Lyrics: Michelle Elliott and Danny Larsen

Sunday, August 15, 2010 7:30 PM - LINCOLN IN LOVE
Book & Lyrics: Peter Kellogg
Music: David Friedman

Pretty cool bunch o' musicals, huh?

To partake of this musical-palooza all you have to do is buy a Village Originals membership.

Stay "tuned"...

I am thrilled to announce that my musical PLANE CRAZY will be in the Village Theatre 10th Annual Festival of New Musicals!

That's right, on Saturday August 14, 2010 at 2:00 pm at Village Theatre in Issaquah, PLANE CRAZY will fly again.

PLANE CRAZY will be directed by David Ira Goldstein (Artistic Director of Arizona Theatre Company), with musical direction by Kim Douglass!

I've been reworking the show over the past couple of months, and I had a "test run" reading of it on Monday. First of all, thank you to everyone involved, you guys were amazing! Secondly, it was so incredibly helpful and I've been madly rewriting ever since. I'm so excited to see the show up again, since the show has changed immensely since it first premiered off-Broadway in New York at NYMF in 2005. New scenes, new music, new lyrics, new structure!

PLANE CRAZY is a musical comedy about the emergence of the modern women's movement in the swinging ‘60s Jet Age. A time when the stews were sexy and the world was sexist. PLANE CRAZY is the story of three stewardesses who go on a journey to find their own voice and is set during an explosive time in history: The intersection between the dawn of the Jet Age, the introduction of the Pill, the genesis of the modern Feminist Movement, and the Golden Age of Advertising.

For more information, check out the Village Theatre website.

Stay tuned, and fasten your seatbelts!