Nancy Anderson, Jeffry Denman, and Ivan Hernandaz stopped by to discuss the unique love story of a gay World War II soldier.
Showing at the York Theatre, this intimate show has taken the Off-Broadway crowds by storm. With various tryouts since 2007, this Off-Broadway smash has found its stride.
Discussing the show and its unique angle on a World War II romance, the cast also sheds light on their individual vocal training and upcoming projects.
JUDITH CARMAN, DMA., has degrees in vocal performance and pedagogy and taught voice at university and in private studios for 40 years. She has practiced yoga regularly for 18 years, completed over 750 hours of teacher training, and holds teacher certification from the Yoga Institute of Houston (200 hour level) and the American Viniyoga Institute (500 hour level). Dr. Carman designed the course, Yoga for Singers in 1999. Her book, Yoga for Singing: A Developmental Tool for Technique and Performance will be published by Oxford University Press in 2011.
CLARE BURT, starred in David Leveaux's London production of NINE, that inspired the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival. As "The Witch" in INTO THE WOODS, she was called "splendidly malicious" by The Times of London, and "intelligent, powerful & fascinatingly equivocal" by What's On. Other West End credits include "Susan" in COMPANY, "Maggie" in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, "Rose" in ASPECTS OF LOVE, "Grizabella" in CATS, and "Fosca" in PASSION. Clare appeared at the Royal National Theatre as "Mrs. Milcote" in CORAM BOY and "Jean Shehan" in THE MIRACLE.
New York City Opera will be invaded by vagabond gypsies from the Great White Way when Tony Award darlings Kristin Chenoweth and Raúl Esparza headline "Defying Gravity: The Music of Stephen Schwartz" on April 21, 2011. (Get the smelling salts for the blue-hair opera patrons!)
No strangers to making beautiful music together, Kristin and Raúl appeared in BROADWAY'S GREATEST SHOWSTOPPERS in May 2008, an event under the baton of A CHORUS LINE composer, Marvin Hamlisch. They also appeared together in the abstract, yet oh-so-fabulous-albeit-short-lived television comedy, PUSHING DAISIES.
Stephen Schwartz is the composer of such legendary shows as WICKED, GODSPELL, and PIPPIN. NYCO will be home to the Broadway composer again when it presents the New York premiere of his first opera, SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON, April 19-May 1, 2011
Season subscriptions and single tickets will be available Sept. 7. Go to http://www.nycopera.com/, or call (212) 496-0600. NYCO productions are held at Lincoln Center.
Kathryn Grayson, operatically trained singer and star of many movie musicals, passed away on February 17, 2010. When I heard the news over Everyday Opera's email list, I immediately posted an RIP on Facebook. No other sources had posted it, and so it was called into question if it were true or a hoax. I wish it had been. Three days later, a friend of the family released the official statement that Kathryn had indeed passed away.
For me, as a singer and performer, I can honestly say that it was Kathryn Grayson who introduced me to my love of musical theatre and coloratura music. My first love was dance, having begun dance and gymnastics at age 2. When I was 14, I discovered movie musicals on the new station, American Movie Classics, and I was in heaven. Previously, only PBS showed artistic fare, and AMC offered two musicals, alternating each, for 12 hours per day.
I was able to watch Gene Kelley musicals endlessly, and one day, one of the musicals featured was ANCHORS AWEIGH. This one film seemed to be the best of all worlds, the amazing talents and ingenuity of Gene Kelley, the young, undamaged voice of Frank Sinatra, and a lead female who was a legit singer. While I loved the inventive musicals numbers, the predictable storyline, even the history-making animated dream sequence between Gene and Tom the Mouse, I sat though the entire movie, every time, for the last three minutes.
In the last few minutes of the film, Kathryn sings the "Waltz Serenade," a Tchaikovsky piece with words added, that she sings in absolute perfection. That was the song that showed me my voice was normal. My extended high range had previously been a cause for worry that I was just weird and had a lot of extra notes I would never use. I would hold my jambox close to the speaker on the television and tape the songs of the musicals on AMC so I could sing along to them later. Singing along with Kathryn, I was able to develop technique and speed, and hold the High F/F# (with vibrato) with ease. A few years later, at age 17, I learned that style of singing was called "coloratura," and so began my fascination with that repertoire.
You'll hear me talk about my idol, Barbra Streisand, and occasionally Ella Fitzgerald and Kay Starr, as these women were huge influences on me, along with Rosemary Clooney and Doris Day. But Kathryn was there first. My tapes of those early days recording musical numbers off AMC are long gone. I've bought CD's of Barbra, Ella, and Kay. But never got to have anything of Kathryn's singing, only the happy happenstance of catching one of her musicals on television and reliving those early years all over again. Now, it seems, she can be found on YouTube, and I think that is wonderful.
The Golden Age of Hollywood is passing, and the stars who built the movie industry are slipping away. It's sad we can't have good, ol'-fashioned movie musicals anymore -- they are deemed so...old-fashioned. The musicals that do make it to the screen require a "name" to carry the project, even if the star is not up to the task. Modern recording artists have trouble lip synching to their pre-recorded, over-produced, homogenized so-called "music," yet they are the "singers" in demand nowadays.
Kathryn Grayson was a star of the highest order, an exemplary vocal technician, and a good-hearted person who never took her fame too seriously and helped young singers along the way. She was a Hollywood star worthy of the moniker and adoration.
Thank you, Kathryn, for everything.
Anchors Aweigh - 1945 Kathryn Grayson with Gene Kelley & Frank Sinatra
Kathryn Grayson (with Peter Lawford) singing one of the jewels of coloratura repertoire, "The Bell Song" ("Ou va la jeune Indoue") from LAKME.
Ziegfeld Folloies - 1946
The Toast of New Orleans - 1950 Kathryn Grayson with Mario Lanza
Stars descended upon the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood last night, and another Academy Awards is in the books, or more correctly, the history books.
Viewers got a healthy dose of deja vu with a Broadway-esque Musical Theatre opening number, featuring a hoofin', beltin' Neil Patrick Harris. A tradition begun by Billy Crystal, the opening song and dance number alludes to the nominated films in most categories. Consensus has it that the smokin' hot opener performed by Hugh Jackman was better overall, but it was very gratifying (once again) to see rhinestone-bedazzled and feather-clad dancers gliding about and kicking out the Broadway-style choreography so prominently featured at an award show for movies.
The Broadway musical turned Musical Theatre film, NINE, did not win any gold statuettes, but Oscars were handed out to other award-worthy music endeavors. Best Animated Film and Best Score went to the amazingly touching, funny, and well-written film, UP. While I was personally rooting for the Musical Theatre animated film, PRINCESSANDTHEFROG to win Best Song, the award went to CRAZY HEART's country ballad, "The Weary Kind."
Producers continued the ridiculous tradition of just talking about the song nominees rather than allowing the composers and singers to actually perform them. However, even more perplexing than not hearing the nominated songs being sung was having to sit through an interpretive dance sequence forced upon the show by producer, Adam Schankman. Note to Academy: PLEASE bring back the composer and singers who EARNED their place at the Academy Awards and leave the abstract dance numbers to reality TV shows.
Months of pre-show talk had surrounded James Cameron and his film AVATAR, Oscar newcomers Mo'Nique and Gaborey Sidibe from PRECIOUS, and perennial nominee, Meryl Streep. Secretly, most people were rooting for Sandra Bullock for Best Actress, and she ultimately won the award---reminiscent of the moment another popular, romantic-comedy actress, Julia Roberts, won Best Actress, suddenly becoming legitimized as a serious actress.
Kathryn Bigelow made history when she became the first woman to win Best Director. While the winners are supposedly secret, it can be no accident that Kathryn Bigelow was handed her award by the one-and-only Barbra Streisand, the woman who pioneered women's place in show business on the production side of a project, not just the pretty face-for-hire in front of the camera. Many a Babs fan still thinks Streisand was cheated out of a Best Director Oscar for YENTL all those years ago, thanks to the good-ol'-boy network in Hollywood. It is no understatement to say that women can do what we do as directors, creative talents, and designers because Barbra Streisand blazed that trail for us in the last four decades.
The 82nd Academy Awards served up several memorable moments for women, African-Americans, and other minorities, not soon to be forgotten, or under appreciated for their importance for equality in show business.
CHRISTIANE NOLL starred on Broadway in the acclaimed revival of RAGTIME, for which she received a Helen Hayes Nomination. She made her Broadway debut creating the role of "Emma" in JEKYLL & HYDE, & received an Ovation Award as "Hope Cladwell" in the National Tour of URINETOWN. She was critically acclaimed for her operetta performances in City Center ENCORES! THE NEW MOON, THE STUDENT PRINCE, and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. Other favorite roles include "Audrey" in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, "The Baker's Wife" in INTO THE WOODS, "Mabel" in MACK & MABEL, working with Jerry Herman and winning a Connecticut Critics Circle Award.
She starred in the premieres of FRANKENSTEIN, ACE, KEPT, TAKEFLIGHT, CALL THE CHILDREN HOME, A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE, and LITTLE BY LITTLE. She has played the lead female role in the national tours of GREASE!, MISS SAIGON, and CITY OF ANGELS as well as a tour of Australia and Thailand as "Nellie" in SOUTH PACIFIC. Christiane made her Carnegie Hall debut as one of the 3 Broadway Divas with The New York Pops, and her Hollywood Bowl debut singing with the legendary Julie Andrews.
***TRISH CAUSEY, (Performer, Composer, Vocal Coach - AGMA, ASCAP, ACF, VASTA, ATHE; SCL (Assoc. Mem.) is a soloist and composer on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Her new online show is “Musical Theatre Talk with Trish Causey”. She is on the MAC Artist Roster and the SAF's Southern Artistry. She is currently writing a book on the theatre due out in 2010. Feel free to follow her on Facebook or Twitter. http://www.TrishCausey.com***
Kathryn Grayson, operatically trained singer and star of many movie musicals, passed away on February 17, 2010. When I heard the news over Everyday Opera's email list, I immediately posted an RIP on Facebook. No other sources had posted it, and so it was called into question if it were true or a hoax. I wish it had been. Three days later, a friend of the family released the official statement that Kathryn had indeed passed away.
Stars descended upon the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood last night, and another Academy Awards is in the books, or more correctly, the history books. 
The Broadway musical turned Musical Theatre film, NINE, did not win any gold statuettes, but Oscars were handed out to other award-worthy music endeavors. Best Animated Film and Best Score went to the amazingly touching, funny, and well-written film, UP. While I was personally rooting for the Musical Theatre animated film, PRINCESS AND THE FROG to win Best Song, the award went to CRAZY HEART's country ballad, "The Weary Kind." 
Kathryn Bigelow made history when she became the first woman to win Best Director. While the winners are supposedly secret, it can be no accident that Kathryn Bigelow was handed her award by the one-and-only Barbra Streisand, the woman who pioneered women's place in show business on the production side of a project, not just the pretty face-for-hire in front of the camera. Many a Babs fan still thinks Streisand was cheated out of a Best Director Oscar for YENTL all those years ago, thanks to the good-ol'-boy network in Hollywood. It is no understatement to say that women can do what we do as directors, creative talents, and designers because Barbra Streisand blazed that trail for us in the last four decades.
CHRISTIANE NOLL starred on Broadway in the acclaimed revival of RAGTIME, for which she received a Helen Hayes Nomination. She made her Broadway debut creating the role of "Emma" in JEKYLL & HYDE, & received an Ovation Award as "Hope Cladwell" in the National Tour of URINETOWN. She was critically acclaimed for her operetta performances in City Center ENCORES! THE NEW MOON, THE STUDENT PRINCE, and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. Other favorite roles include "Audrey" in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, "The Baker's Wife" in INTO THE WOODS, "Mabel" in MACK & MABEL, working with Jerry Herman and winning a Connecticut Critics Circle Award.
The 82nd Academy Awards served up several memorable moments for women, African-Americans, and other minorities, not soon to be forgotten, or under appreciated for their importance for equality in show business.
