BLOG: Sondheim To Release Memoirs

by Trish Causey

Sondheim fans will have to wait a year or two, drooling in antici----pa-tion for the tell-all tomes to be written by Mr. Musical Theatre himself. According to Bookseller.com, Sondheim reached a deal to publish his memoirs through British giant, Virgin Books, with anecdotes of his life and work printed in two volumes to be released sequentially in 2010 and 2011. The books will be titled Finishing a Hat and Look, I Made a Hat, respectively, and released in time to celebrate Sondheim's 80th birthday.

Sondheim has been a pioneer in the musical theatre artform and has won every major award available including an Oscar, multiple Grammys and Tonys, and a Pulitzer Prize. Though his music was considered too controversial and cerebral for most audiences, Sondheim has persevered to be one of the most loved and respected composers of the 20th (and now 21st) century.

Source: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/103777-page.html

AUDITION: "The Producers"

THE PRODUCERS — ECC/Singers Who Dance

Starlight Theatre Association of Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

Call Type: Equity Chorus
Date of Audition: 12/21/2009

Location: Pearl Studios NYC, 500 Eighth Avenue, 4th Floor(35th/36th Streets), New York, NY 4th Floor. MapQuest Directions. Time(s): Monday, December 21, 2009, 9:30 AM — Equity female singers who dance, 1:30 PM — Equity male singers who dance. >Chorus rules are in effect. >A monitor will be provided. Other Dates: ECC, Dancers Who Sing: Tue, 12/22 @ Pearl Studios NYC (See separate notice). 1st rehearsal: 8/12. Runs 8/23–29 (no extension possible). Note from Equity: Theatre states that Equity Principal Auditions will be held in February 2010. Contract: MSUA$875/week minimum. Seeking: Equity singers who dance. Breakdown: A breakdown has been added for this notice. Click here to browse. Preparation: Please prepare 16 bars of a song in the style of the show. Bring sheet music; accompanist provided. Some may be asked to stay and dance after all have sung. Bring ballet and tap shoes. Please bring a picture and resume, stapled together. Other: http://www.kcstarlight.com/. Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

Source: http://www.actorsequity.org/CastingCall/browse_notice.asp?NoticeID=20400&NoticeType=1

AUDITION: "Master Class"

MASTER CLASS — Equity Principal Auditions

The Media TheatreMedia, PA

Call Type: Equity Principal
Date of Audition: 12/7/2009

Location: Media Theatre for the Performing Arts104 East State StreetMedia, PA 19063: MapQuest Directions. Time(s): Monday, December 7, 20096 PM — 10 PM, No appointment necessary. Preparation: Please bring a picture and resume, stapled together. >A monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition. http://www.mediatheatre.org/

Other Dates: EPAs in NYC: Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at Ripley-Grier Studios from 10 AM - 2 PM (See separate audition notice). 1st rehearsal: January 18, 2010.Runs February 3 – 21, 2010. Contract: LOA, $488/week minimum. Seeking: Equity performers. All types and ethnicities. Breakdown: A breakdown has been added for this notice. Click here to browse. Preparation: Please prepare the following (if singing, bring sheet music; accompanist provided): Callas & Stagehand: A brief monologue. Sophie: “Ah! Non credea mirarti” from Bellini’s La Sonnambula (or similar Bellini aria). Sharon: “Vieni! T'affretta!” from Verdi’s Macbeth (or similar Verdi aria). Tony: “Recondita armonia” from Puccini’s Tosca (or similar Puccini aria). Accompanist: Brief (approx 1-minute) classical piano piece & 1-min. monologue. Other: Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

Source: http://www.actorsequity.org/CastingCall/browse_notice.asp?NoticeID=20368&NoticeType=1

AUDITION: "Sunday In the Park With George"

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE — EPAs

Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA

Call Type: Equity Principal

Date of Audition: 12/7/2009
Location: Arden Theatre Company, 40 North 2nd StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19106: MapQuest Directions. Time(s): Monday, December 7, 2009 10 AM — 6 PM. Lunch from 1 - 2. Sign-up begins at 9:30 AM.No advance appointment necessary. Personnel: Producing Artistic Dir/Stage Dir: Terrence J. Nolen, Associate Artistic Dir: Edward Sobel. >A monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition. Associate Producer: Matthew Decker (@ auditions). Artistic Assistant: Erin Read (@ auditions). Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim, Book: James Lapine. Other Dates: 1st rehearsal: April 27, 2010.Runs May 27 – July 4, 2010. Contract: LORT Non-RepC; $696/week minimum.

Seeking: Equity Performers for the following: Yvonne, Soldier, Boatman, Louise. All roles are understudied. Breakdown: This notice does not have a breakdown. Preparation: Prepare a brief song. Bring sheet music; accompanist provided. Please bring a picture and resume, stapled together. Other: Arden Theatre Company is an EOE/AA employer and values diversity in the workplace. Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

HIRING: AEA Stage Manager, NYC

IPH THEN — AEA Stage Mgr. and Assistant Stage Mgr.
Ma-Yi Theater Company
New York, NY

Send To: Ms Suzette Porte, Ma-Yi Theater Company, 520 Eighth Avenue, Ste 320, New York NY 10018; Email: suzette.porte@ma-yitheatre.org
Fax212-971-4876

Other: To be considered, send resume and brief cover note to Ms. Suzette Porte by December 1, 2009. E-mail is (preferred submission method): www.ma-yitheatre.org.

Contract: LOA-NYC. Weekly minimums: SM - $360; ASM - $330. Seeking: Equity Stage Manager and Assistant Stage Manager for this World premiere production. Breakdown: This notice does not have a breakdown. Other Dates: EPAs: Friday, November 20, 2009 at Actors' Equity Association's Audition Center from 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM (See separate audition notice). 1st rehearsal: February 22, 2010.Runs March 23 - April 18, 2010.

Source: http://www.actorsequity.org/CastingCall/search_auditions.asp

BWAY: FELA! Opens at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre

by Trish Causey

Frenzied Afro-Beat and political activism converge on Broadway in the new musical, Fela! Electrifying music, complete with a live band on stage and a myriad of ecstatic dancers, depicts the life of Nigerian activist and composer/performer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Fela composed music, combining jazz, funk, and African motifs and pioneering the sound of "world music." His outspoken activism against post-colonial military repression in Nigeria was inspired in part by the American activist group, the Black Panthers. Portrayed by dynamic performer, Sahr Ngaujah, the show follows Fela's life and troubles as he sings his story in a nightclub, surrounded by frenzied dancers.

This $11 million production is backed by star personalities such as Jay-Z and Will Smith and originally began off-Broadway gaining momentum and industry buzz. Tony-winning choreographer Bill T. Jones has spear-headed the biographical production, conceiving it with Jim Lewis and Steve Hendel, as well as directing and choreographing this 3-hour trip through African rhythms and political resistance.

Opening at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Nov. 23, 2009, Fela! is a must-see for anyone who loves activism, world music, and amazing dance numbers.

BWAY: Ragtime Revival Opens To Acclaim

by Trish Causey

Ragtime, the Tony-winning musical by Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, and Terrence McNally, has triumphantly returned to Broadway after a staggering sold-out extended run at Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Based on E. L. Doctorow's 1975 novel of the same name, Ragtime begins in 1906, juxtiposing the affluence of a resident American family with the impoverished hardship of an immigrant Jewish family and a jazz pianist in Harlem dealing with racial injustice. The stories of the three fictional families mingle with real-life personas such as Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, and Henry Ford, among others.

The original 1998 Broadway production was notable not only for its soaring score but also for the production design which included a car, a mammoth staircase, and larger-than-life backdrops of famous landmarks. For the Kennedy Center production, director Marcia Milgrom Dodge streamlined the focus of the show onto the relationships between the characters, and she has brought that same aesthetic to the Broadway revival.

Ragtime is the latest in a line of recent Broadway shows featuring a large cast and orchestra. With 40 performers on stage and 28 musicians in the pit, the future of legitimate Musical Theatre seems stunningly bright indeed. The award-winning production team includes Derek McLane (scenic design), Santo Loquasto (original costume design), Donald Holder (lighting design), James Moore (musical direction), and William David Brohn (original orchestrations).

With an African-American President in the White House and the grass-roots efforts for marriage equality, Ragtime's story of justice, revolution, and the pursuit of the quintessential American dream is perhaps more relevant today than when the book or the musical originally premiered. Settling in for a long run on Broadway, fiction and fantasy intermingle to remind us what is possible in "Their Time, Our Time, Ragtime."

JOB POSTING: Asst. Prof. of Dance

Assistant Professor in Dance/Movement
Utah State University

Starting Date: August 2010

Responsibilities: Teach courses in a BFA Acting program with selective entry in a collaborative teaching environment. The candidate will teach introductory classes in Dance for Musical Theatre and, depending upon qualifications, classes in Ballet, Tap Jazz and Modern. The candidate will also teach classes in movement for the actor. The candidate will contribute to Utah State Theatre by choreographing and/or directing one main stage production each year. The candidate must have a strong commitment to the mentoring of undergraduate students and will be expected to participate in department and college governance and play a role in student recruitment. The candidate must also maintain continuing professional development as a creative artist in quality professional venues and may be given release time to fulfill this requirement.

Qualifications: Terminal degree (MFA or equivalent) in dance or theatre; experience and demonstrated ability as a teacher of dance for musical theatre and movement for the actor at the college level. Skills to include competence in musical theatre dance styles and competence in one or more of the following recognized methods or techniques directed toward the physicalization of character: e.g. Feldenkrais, Laban, Le Coq, Alexander, Commedia dell'arte, Viewpoints. Candidate should have notable professional experience in performance or choreography. Some directing experience is preferred. Employment is contingent upon acceptable results of a background check prior to start of contract.

Department Description: The department offers a BA in General Theatre Studies and BFA degrees in Performance, Design and Theatre Education. It offers MFA degrees in Costume, Set and Lighting Design as well as an MA in Theatre. The department administers the Old Lyric Repertory Company, a professional summer repertory theater. The Theatre and music departments enjoy a close working relationship and collaborate on musical theatre productions.

Rank and Salary: This is a 9 month tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor. Salary is commensurate with experience. A generous benefits package is offered.Application Review: Review of applications will begin November 15 and continue until position is filled.

Apply: Apply on-line at http://jobs.usu.edu/

National Musical Theatre Week Campaign

Allow me to indulge myself as I promote my newest cause: the National Musical Theatre Week Campaign.

Sure, we could do this in name only. However, my goal is to have a National Musical Theatre Week officially proclaimed by the U.S. Congress and signed into reality by President Obama.

I could go into how cool it is to wear the awesome costumes, the zany wigs, the pounds of make-up, or sing your heart out to thunderous applause. Then there's the fun and frivolity of being in a cast -- the backstage dramas, the camaraderie of going out after the shows, or the bittersweet yet wild cast parties. Instead, I will use logic to support my cause because the bureaucrats probably will not buy my testimony: "Because musical theatre is my love and my life, and it's awesomely fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The arts are systematically being stripped from school curriculum, and the notion of being on stage is seen as frivolous. The truth about musical theatre (or straight theatre, or dance, or opera, but I'm here to promote Musical Theatre) could not be further from the truth.

To quote my newest favorite show, "Pushing Daisies" (starring Broadway stars Kristin Chenowith, Ellen Greene, and Swoozie Kurtz), the facts are these:

• Musical Theatre can be the perfect blend of art and science, human and technology.
• Music is the mathematics of sound, using intervals, pitch, and rhythm to convey emotion. Also, research proves that music engages activity in the entire brain, something that science, math, reading, and language alone cannot do.
• Theatre is a means of expression, allowing kids to channel emotions through a constructive process rather than succumbing to destructive "coping" means such as alcohol, drugs, or gangs.
• Working on a show teaches basic social skills as well as working as a team to achieve a goal. Everyone matters.
• Science and math are more viable to students in the real world of the theatre of illusion. Try building a safe, effective set without knowledge of physics, algebra, and geometry. Make costumes without understanding scale, proportions, and fractions.
• Lighting design and execution rely on a solid background in electrical wiring and an artistic eye for mood and atmosphere.
• Sound Engineering involves the science of acoustics, which includes physics and sound dynamics.
• Stage Managers and Production Managers must have leadership skills, the ability to work with department heads, follow a schedule, resolve problems quickly and efficiently, and get the job (the show) done.
• The world of theatre in New York is a $6 BILLION per year industry. The theatre industry in Chicago, Washington, DC, Miami, Houston, San Francisco, and other big cities also contribute to the business of theatre creating jobs not only for stage performers, designers, and technicians, but also the arts organizations who employ staff and teachers. Then there's the "trickle down" effect of local teachers who operate schools for acting, voice, dance, and music lessons.
• Musical Theatre, produced by a local company or brought in by a traveling band of national tour thespians, promotes tourism, boosting the local economy of local business owners and earning tax dollars at hotels, restaurants, and gas stations.
• And it's awesomely fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... oops... sorry...

Join the cause: http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Musical-Theatre-Week-Campaign/213118461958

Spread the word!

trish

AUDITION - "The Addams Family"

THE ADDAMS FAMILY - EPA/Future Replacements
Stuart Oken
New York, NY

Call Type: Equity Principal. Date of Audition: 12/3/2009. Location: Telsey + Company. 315 West 43rd Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY. Other Dates: Chicago performances begin in November 2009. 1st Broadway preview: March 5, 2010. Broadway opening: April 8, 2010. Contract: Production (League) $1,605/week minimum. Seeking: Possible future replacements for all roles (M/F). See Breakdown for details. Breakdown: A breakdown has been added for this notice. Preparation: Prepare a brief, contemporary musical theater song showing range. Bring sheet music; an accompanist will be provided. B a picture & resume`, stapled together. Other: Performers of all ethnic & racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

http://www.actorsequity.org/CastingCall/browse_notice.asp?NoticeID=20258&NoticeType=1

AUDITION - "42nd Street"

42ND STREET — ECC / Dancers who sing
Riverside Theatre
Vero Beach, FL

Call Type: Equity Chorus. Date of Audition: 11/30/2009. Location: Actors' Equity Association Audition Center, 165 West 46th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10036, Studio D. Time(s): Monday, November 30, 2009, 10 AM — Equity female dancers who sing, 2 PM — Equity male dancers who sing. > Chorus rules are in effect. > A monitor will be provided. Personnel: Producer/ Director: Allen D Cornell, Musical Director: Ken Clifton, Choreographer: Patrick Boyd, Casting: Wojcik Seay Casting. Other Dates: 1st rehearsal: January 7, 2010. Runs: February 4 – March 7. Contract: LORT Non-Rep C; $696/week minimum. Seeking: Equity Ensemble Dancers: Male and Female dancers who sing very well. 20s – 30s. All must tap. Several smaller featured roles may be cast from the chorus call. Women must be 5’ 3”or taller. Seeking all ethnicities. Breakdown: This notice does not have a breakdown. Preparation: Please bring tap shoes, character shoes and ballet slippers. Also bring book of music in case you are asked to sing. Accompanist will be provided. Bring picture and resume, stapled together. Other: Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

AUDITION - "Wicked" Bway/1st National Tour

WICKED — ECC / Ensemble Dancers

Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, Araca Group, Jon B. Platt & David Stone

New York, NY

Call Type: Equity Chorus. Date of Audition: 11/19/2009. Location: Ripley-Grier 520 (Everyone must showgovernment photo ID to enter building.), 520 8th Ave. (36th/37th), New York, NY, 16th Floor. Time(s): Thursday, November 19, 200910:30 AM — Equity female dancers2 PM — Equity male dancers. Personnel: Dir: Joe Mantello, Music Supervisor: Stephen Oremus, Associate Music Supervisor: Dominick Amendum. > Chorus rules are in effect. > A monitor will be provided. Personnel: Choreo: Wayne Cilento, Associate Choreo: Corinne McFadden-Herrera, Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz, Book: Winnie Holzman, Casting: Telsey + Company. Other Dates: ECC, Singers Who Move: Thursday, November 5, 2009 at Telsey + Company (See separate audition notice). Contract: Production (League)$1,605/week minimum. Seeking: AEA Ensemble Dancers who sing: 20s–early 30s, all ethnicities. Unique & fit dancers w/strong modern/ ballet/jazz technique for Wayne Cilento’s edgy/contemporary choreography. To play various characters in ensemble & possibly understudy principal roles. Breakdown: This notice does not have a breakdown. Preparation: Be ready to dance with jazz shoes or sneakers. After dancing, you may be asked to sing 16 bars of a contemporary musical theater song or pop song. Bring sheet music; accompanist will be provided. Bring a photo/resume stapled together. Other: Broadway / First National Tour. Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

AUDITION - "American Idiot"

AMERICAN IDIOT — Equity Principal Auditions
Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman
New York, NY

Call Type: Equity Principal; Date of Audition: 11/23/2009; Location: Ripley-Grier 520 (Everyone must show government photo ID to enter building.) 520 8th Ave. (36th/37th), New York, NY, 16th Floor. Time(s): Monday, November 23, 2009, 10 AM — 6 PM, Lunch from 1:30 – 2:30. EPA Rules are in effect. A monitor will be provided. Broadway rehearsal and opening dates TBA. Contract: Production (League), Currently $1,605/week minimum. Seeking: Equity performers. See Breakdown for details. Breakdown: A breakdown has been added for this notice. Preparation: Please prepare a brief song, pop/rock/punk style. Bring sheet music; an accompanist will be provided. Please bring a picture and resume, stapled together. Other: Note from Equity: When casting personnel state that a role has been formally offered and accepted, EPA notices list the role as “CAST”. Performers of all ethnic & racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions. http://www.actorsequity.org/CastingCall/browse_notice.asp?NoticeID=20294&NoticeType=1

AUDITION Notices - USA

• 'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,' NAT'L TOUR NETworks http://bit.ly/Kcg30
• 'SEUSSICAL,' TOUR TheatreWorks/USA http://bit.ly/1XKvhL
• 'THE IMAGINATION WINDOW' The Actor's Project NYC (TAPNYC) http://bit.ly/4FGm21
• 'ROMEO & JULIET,' MN, NYC & TOUR The Acting Company http://bit.ly/1P9J0B
• ROOTS OF RAP: POETRY,' TOUR IRT http://bit.ly/3GuueL
• 'TWO TRAINS RUNNING,' NY Geva Theatre http://bit.ly/1chdfH
• ‘MACBETH’ TOUR OPERATOR The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre http://bit.ly/LFA8S
• 'RENT' Santa Clarita Regional Theatre http://bit.ly/3lBc1t
• ‘THE STORY’ The Drama Group http://bit.ly/1SWoHt
• SPRING SCHOOL TOUR The Walnut Street Theatre http://bit.ly/IH3iC
• 'KISS ME KATE' Glendale Centre Theatre http://bit.ly/2Xptlf
• 'ROOTS OF DECEIT' U-Care Foundation http://bit.ly/2Ad3ng
• 'CHILE POD' La Jolla Playhouse http://bit.ly/3uWkrB
• 'JAKE'S WOMEN' Costa Mesa Playhouse http://bit.ly/2pdBKV
• 'TEA FOR FATHER' Christopher Edward Moss http://bit.ly/3774t1
• 'GODSPELL' Chico Theater Company http://bit.ly/2XO2wu
• 'RUINED,' FL, APPTS. Florida Studio Theatre http://bit.ly/1GEHHj
• ‘FREEDOM TRAIN’ TheatreWorks/USA http://bit.ly/yyQ93
• ‘AMERICAN BUFFALO,’ FL Palm Beach Dramaworks http://bit.ly/4g5bSW
• TX, ‘MAN AND SUPERMAN’ Austin Shakespeare http://bit.ly/30xp8p

Source:
http://casting.backstage.com/

BWAY: SPIDER-MAN Cast Amidst Money Troubles

by Trish Causey

Everyone’s favorite comic book reporter-turned-hero-arachnid is coming to Broadway with an extraordinary creative team and bankable stars… or not. With the promise of stunning special effects and songs by legendary hitmakers, getting Spider-Man on stage in musical form is proving to be a tangled web indeed.

The show wows on paper when ogling the A-list production team. Tony® Award-winner Julie Taymor co-wrote Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark with Glen Berger. Producers hired Taymor to direct as well, banking on her Midas touch to grace Spider-Man as it did The Lion King, which grossed $3.6 billion worldwide. Grammy® Award-winners Bono and The Edge of U2 composed the music and lyrics, creating musical numbers that focus on choral harmonies not rock guitar anthems.

Tony® Award-winner and film character actor, Alan Cumming was cast to play the villainous “Green Goblin.” Yet, in a bout of surprise casting, producers gave the role of “Mary Jane Watson” to television and indie film darling, Evan Rachel Wood.

Producers searched extensively for the perfect Peter Parker, the reporter who becomes Spider-Man. Thousands of Broadway hopefuls belted their way though try-outs on the 6-city audition tour. The producers surprised everyone again with their announcement of Reeve Carney for the lead role of Peter/Spider-Man.

With a built-in audience, a spectacular creative and design team, and celebrity songsters, Spider-Man should be a hands-down triumph. However, the success of any show comes down to "the bottom line", and the numbers for “Spidey the Musical” are as scary as any lab experiment gone horribly wrong.

The opening scene—as leaked to the press—catches Spider-Man in the act of a high-flying damsel-in-distress rescue set against a cityscape of burning buildings and a broken Brooklyn Bridge. Wiring actors to fly has been done successfully in Peter Pan and Wicked, but Spider-Man's technical difficulty of managing bridges that travel and actors wired for extreme moves requires a reported 40 stagehands to handle the rigging.

The expansive and daring production design escalated the already exorbitant budget to $52 million, making Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark the most expensive musical in Broadway’s history. Additionally, the cost estimate of running this technical extravaganza comes to $1 million per week, surpassing West Side Story and Mary Poppins.

Of course, the music by Bono and The Edge will be good. However, few have talked about the music. The issues delaying the show all deal with extreme technical designs and the money needed to make them happen.

This desire to bring the cinematic feel to the theatrical stage is problematic, financially and artistically. The stage and the screen are two completely different animals, and no engorged budget will compensate for its shotgun wedding. By forcing the cinematic style of storytelling onto theatre-goers, producers and designers want to make theatre into something it is not, ignoring or apologizing for what theatre actually is.

In the theatre, we assume believability. Our “suspension of belief” is fully engaged as we voyeuristically peer through the fourth wall to join the fray of characters and emotions occurring on stage. Theatre audiences do not need the tricks and stunts that Hollywood has increasingly relied upon to create blockbuster films. The theatre cares about relationships and the interaction of the characters with one another, not high-flying stunts and mammoth sets that overshadow the music and the fundamental storyline. Even the new revival of Ragtime saw the disappearance of its famous car and a downsized staircase in favor of concentrating on the moments shaping the characters’ lives.

With some estimates saying Spider-Man will be another six years in development, it appears Spidey might join the retirement home of the over-produced and over-budget Broadway musicals. Let this also be a lesson: no show is guaranteed just because money and “names” are attached. At the end of the day, it still has to be good theatre.

Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-spider-man6-2009nov06,0,1307530,full.story

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/STATE_TUBE_Reeve_Carney_Confirms_SPIDERMAN_Casting_20091108

"Male Vocal Training", 11-08-09, 5 pm EST/ 4 pm CST

"Musical Theatre Talk with Trish Causey" presents:

"Male Vocal Training", SUNDAY, 11-08-09, 5 pm EST/ 4 pm CST

GUESTS: Vocal Coaches Phil Hall (tenor) and Dean Bellais (bari-bass) unravel the mystery of the male singing voice, discuss fachs, training, repertoire, trouble-spots, and offer advice for hitting the "money notes" (low and high).

To listen live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Musical_Theatre_Talk
To call in with a question or listen on your phone: (347) 237-5224

MORE INFO ON UPCOMING SHOWS or hear the latest show, "Theatre Reviewers: What Are They Looking For Anyway?", go to the website: http://www.MusicalTheatreTalk.com

For more articles on MTT and Broadway happenings, go to the blog: http://musicaltheatretalk.blogspot.com/

trish causey
creator and host of "Musical Theatre Talk with Trish Causey"

GUEST: Phil Hall - "Male Vocal Training", Sunday, 11-08-09 5 pm EST

Well-known as a Vocal Coach in New York City, the better part of Phil Hall's career has been spent as a Conductor and Musical Director. On Broadway, he conducted Play Me A Country Song and was Associate Conductor for the Broadway revival of Mame, starring Angela Lansbury. He musical directed Side By Side By Sondheim at Michigan Opera Theatre. He conducted the Yeston/Kopit Phantom at Atlanta's Theatre of the Stars, Sayonara at Houston's Theatre Under the Stars, as well as the third national tour of Cats.

Phil was Conductor for The Wizard Of Oz, starring Phyllis Diller as the Wicked Witch, and The Prince Of Central Park, which starred Nanette Fabray. He conducted The Merry Widow, starring Ron Raines of Guiding Light fame, at Houston's Theatre Under the Stars. Other musical directing credits include Some Enchanted Evening at Kennedy Center.

He appeared on stage in Paper Mill's 1989 spring production of Show Boat, which aired on PBS' Great Performances series, playing the role of Jake. He appeared in the Mira Sorvino-produced, Griffin Dunne-directed film, Lisa Picard Is Famous as a vocal coach/pianist.

Phil composed the score for a new musical, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which was produced at Paper Mill Playhouse. He wrote and arranged music for the American premiere of Christopher Sergel's adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird at Paper Mill Playhouse.

He vocally arranged Sophisticated Ellington, a concert of Duke Ellington's music, presented at Carnegie Hall. He was also one of the vocal arrangers for Some Enchanted Evening--a revue of Rodgers and Hammerstein songs now published by Samuel French. Phil’s first play with music, Matthew Passion was produced around Easter, 2007, and he has just written his first play, Whee!

As a voice teacher and vocal coach, Phil taught master classes in musical theatre auditioning techniques at Tanz Gesang Studio in Vienna, Austria for one month in each of three consecutive years. He maintains a considerable teaching/vocal coaching studio in midtown Manhattan.

Phil has had the good fortune to work with such celebrities (in addition to those already mentioned, and those on stage tonight) as Bea Arthur, Bernadette Peters, Lily Tomlin, Tommy Tune, Alice Ripley, Martin Short, Madeline Kahn, Faith Prince, Petula Clark, Sally Ann Howes, Judy Kaye, Donna McKechnie, Andrea McArdle, John Raitt, Raquel Welch, Gregory Hines, Nancy Dussault, Teri Hatcher, Charles Shaugnessy, Lynn Redgrave, Laurie Beechman, and Melissa Errico.

LIVE RADIO SHOW: "Male Vocal Training" with guests, Phil Hall and Dean Bellais, 5 p.m. EST 4 p.m. CST. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Musical_Theatre_Talk

DREAMGIRLS' tour to open at the Apollo

by Trish Causey

The Tony- and Oscar-winning musical sensation, Dreamgirls, is making a spectacular comeback! Scheduled to premiere at the legendary Apollo Theatre on November 7, 2009, this new production already has theatre-goers buying up tickets for the national tour.

The newest incarnation of Dreamgirls is a visual feast in its dazzling simplicity under the direction of Robert Longbottom. Almost 30 years since it first premiered on Broadway, the story of talented hopefuls with stars in their eyes is a timeless tale. Cast through an open audition process, the new national tour stars Moya Angela (Effie), Syesha Mercado (Deena), and Adrienne Warren (Lorrell) as "The Dreams."

The original Set Designer, Robin Wagner, was brought back for the new production. Wagner’s pared-down set includes LED lights and moving panels that rotate to change the visual shape of the stage throughout the production.

Theoni Aldredge’s original costume designs that perfectly evoked the 1960’s Motown era inspired William Ivey Long’s new creations. He utilized modern fabrics to facilitate the singers’ and dancers’ movements across the expansive stage, while retaining the glitz and glam of starlets on the rise to success.

The story follows three friends: Deena, Ellie, and Lorrell, as they pursue their dream of stardom as an all-girl singing group, “The Dreammettes.” Deena is the lead singer while Effie and Lorrell sing backup.

An agent discovers them and sets them on the course to fame and fortune. However, that course also includes a grueling test of friendship as Effie becomes more popular than Deena.

The original Broadway production of Dreamgirls opened in 1981, turning the theatre world on its ear, and made stars out of its lead singers, Jennifer Holliday (Effie) and Sheryl lee Ralph (Deena). Powerhouse belter, Holliday, became world famous for her emotional performance of Effie’s song, “And I Am Telling You.” She released her version of the song in 1982. It became a #1 hit on Billboard's R&B charts and earned Holliday the 1983 Grammy Award for "Best R&B" performance by a female.

The musical was a smash success and inspired the film version of Dreamgirls in 2006. The movie was an unequivocal success, albeit controversially, as life imitated art. The film made an overnight star out of newcomer, Jennifer Hudson (Effie), leaving ho-hum reviews for internationally known singer, Beyoncé (Deena). As proof of Hudson’s gut-wrenching performance and soul-stirring vocals, she won an Academy Award for her role as Effie.

The music of Dreamgirls has certainly stood the test of time. Composer Henry Krieger even wrote a new song for the new production, “Listen.” Used in the 2006 film version, he rewrote the lyrics to evoke the stage dynamic between Deena and Effie.

“To be able to write a song for it, it’s as if I’d never put my hands off the keyboard.”

Henry Krieger, composer

This song is not all that is new. Co-Choreographer Shane Sparks, from TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance?,” flavored the theatrical dancing with street Hip-Hop for a modern edge to this stage classic.

The new Dreamgirls production opens at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem November 7th and travels around the country on a 14-city tour through June 2010. Get your tickets through the website: http://www.dreamgirlsonstage.com/ , and be apart of the Dream.

Sources:
http://www.dreamgirlsonstage.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_I_Am_Telling_You_I