The 1st Annual Mikey Awards

I had the great fortune of being a part of NYMF 2011 as a floater. Now there were 30 full productions, and I was only able to see 11 while I was working. So the Mikey's are for those 11 that I saw. To the 19 I missed, I apologize, but don't fret, these are just silly and unofficial! These accolades are just a way for me to congratulate some wonderful performances! Just a reminder, these are the opinions of this blogger, and this blogger only.

And without further ado, The Mikey's!

The Shows:
•    Central Avenue Breakdown
•    Cyclops
•    Ennio
•    Fucking Hipsters
•    Ghostlight
•    Greenwood
•    Jack Perry is Alive and Dating
•    Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
•    My History of Marriage
•    Outlaws
•    The Brain That Wouldn’t Die in 3-D

Outstanding Musical- The Brain That Wouldn’t Die in 3-D

 Honorable Mentions- Central Avenue Breakdown, Fucking Hipsters, Outlaws

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die in 3-D is by far the most complete production this year. And it also happens to be a blast. The campy B-film inspired comedy is hilarious from start to finish. The brilliant cast delivers the witty book and catchy score with flair. The musical is an instant cult classic. 

Outstanding Actor- Rodrick Covington (Central Avenue Breakdown) Honorable Mentions- Corey Boardman (Outlaws), Doug Carpenter (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice), Brandon Wardell (Fucking Hipsters)

Rodrick Covington’s Jim Marcel may not have been the favorite son, but he sure gave the best performance on the Central Avenue Breakdown stage. Covington played with just the right amount of comedy that balanced out the sincerity. Through all his downfalls, you wanted to root for him to overcome his demons. To have an audience sit stunned in silence after your death speaks wonders for your performance
 
 




Outstanding Actress- Patricia Noonan (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice) 

Honorable Mentions- Mary Mossberg (Greenwood), Heather Robb (Fucking Hipsters), Kathy Voytko (The Brain That Wouldn’t Die in 3-D)

The title character got the final bow, but it was Patricia Noonan’s flawless performance that made Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice a hit. Noonan is THE star of the future. She has a presence on stage that is unmatchable. Her voice was able to tackle the tricky score with ease. You wanted to love Noonan’s Elizabeth no matter how stubborn she may have been. I’ll say it over and over again, Patricia Noonan will be a household name very soon.
    

Outstanding Supporting Actor- Andrew Redlawsk (Greenwood)
Honorable Mentions- Louis Butelli (Cyclops), Matt Leisy (Ghostlight), Brian Charles Rooney (The Brain That Wouldn’t Die in 3-D)

With a musical featuring a cast of 22 characters, it may seem hard to stand out but Andrew Redlawsk did and with great force. With a fantastic voice and authentic personality, Redlawsk played Alex with charm like the star he will be. Look out for him!




 




Outstanding Supporting Actress- Nicole Powell (Central Avenue Breakdown)
Honorable Mentions- Brittney Lee Hamilton (My History of Marriage), Melissa Joyner (Jack Perry is Alive and Dating), Isabel Santiago (Outlaws)

Nicole Powell played the Marcel matriarch with conviction and emotion that broke hearts. Her show stopping number “You Make It So Hard” was beautiful and one of the best moments of the show. Powell never wasted a moment on stage.

Outstanding Ensemble- Fucking Hipsters
Honorable Mentions- The Brain That Wouldn’t Die in 3-D, Cyclops, Outlaws 

In real life, hipsters are a pretty unusual group of specimens, so naturally mocking the already mocked can be pretty outrageous. The ensemble of Fucking Hipsters did a supurb job playing up the joke but keeping it real. The members of the fictional band Mark Twain’s Moustache, Brandon Wardell, Heather Robb, Luke Smith, and Kyle Lamar Mitchell, gave phenomenal performances. The rest of the ensemble Jennifer Bowles, F. Michael Haynie, Jeff Tuohy, and rounded out by Emily Borromeo as Josie, also did a fine job creating the hipster world. It was watching their cohesiveness as an ensemble, playing off of each other, that made the show lovable and successful.



 
Unsung Hero Award- Travis McClung (Outlaws)

The Unsung Hero Award is an honor I will bestow to a supporting player who displays a performance that is worthy of the limelight.
This award goes to someone who I’m positive will be a star in the future. Outlaws was a show that thrived on having a cohesive ensemble, but it was Travis McClung who gave an outstanding breakthrough performance. His character may have been understated, but his performance was not. He has a wonderful voice that was able to rock and be sentimental.

 Band Geek Award- Cyclops

This special award goes to a group of performers who not only acted their asses off performance after performance, but they rocked out on stage serving as their in house band. The Satyrs, as they called themselves, played their characters even as they played their instruments. It’s not an easy task, but they deserve recognition for their deed.


And there you have it! The 1st Annual Mikey Awards! Congrats to all for all their hard work. Til next time! Stay classy!

Block Boards the Boat While Peter and the Starcatcher Flies to Broadway

Yes, it's true. Stephanie J. Block will be Reno Sweeney for a month. Excited? Sure. Odd casting again? Absolutely. But the best news of the day is the brilliant production of Peter and the Starcatcher is flying on to the Great White Way this Spring. If you missed this wonderful show, make sure you find time to check it out! Truly a spectacle of great theater. Here's hoping soon to be TV star, Christian Borle is part of the cast! He's dope!

The Mikey Awards are Coming...

Move over Oscar. Adious Emmy. Get out of the way Tony. It's time for the 1st Annual Mikey Awards! This time around, the Mikeys will honor excellence in NYMF performance (limited to the 1/3 of productions I caught). Though no physical statue will be handed out, the winners will get a big hug from yours truly and perhaps a little computer generated certificate to hang on the fridge. The categories this year will include Best Musical, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Ensemble, The Band Geek Award, and The Unsung Hero Award. Check back Monday for the winners!!!

Spotlight On...Nick Verina

Name: Nick Verina

Hometown: Niles, Ohio

Education: Wright State University in Dayton, OH, Second City in Chicago, and UCB in New York.

Select Credits: Grease (Sonny, Broadway National Tour 2008-10); Altar Boyz (Abe, Chicago Water Tower Theatre); Forbidden Broadway (all over the place); Follies (Young Ben, Kennedy Center)

Why theater?: Why not!? It's a blast! I've loved theatre and performing since I was a kid, I come from a family of performers, my dad and uncle had a band growing up and were both Equity Actors at one point and my parents met doing community theatre together, so it's kind of in my blood.

Tell us about Balls: First off, Balls...the Musical? will change your life!  Is that statement a major claim? Yes.  But it definitely has changed mine.  I've had a blast working on it and these guys are the funniest guys I know.  It's a musical parody from a completely new view, the straight male in musical theatre.  Of course, we don't take ourselves too seriously and we have jokes in the show aimed at everyone.  Think "The Hangover" set to music.  Is that statement a major claim? You'll have to come to find out!

What is it like to be a part of Balls?: It's been great!  I was in the last version of our show, Balls: V.D. Edition for Valentine's day.  We kind of did a cabaret version that lead us to this full production.  The great thing about the show is it has the ability to constantly change with the times.  Jokes can change, songs can change, and the story can remain the same.  We have two new hilarious additions to the Balls family, Ryan G. Dunkin and Will Ray.  They are taking over for me and Tuba since we aren't able to be a part of the cast on this one.  They couldn't be a better fit with the show and we're happy to have them on our team!  And we also have Kasey Marino as our director, Sonny Paladino as our Music Director, and the hilariously talented Abby Lee as our choreographer/assistant director.

What is it like to be doing both Balls and Follies at the same time?: It's been alot of work, but it is truly a dream come true, making my Broadway debut and having a premiere of something I co-wrote in the NYMF.  It's crazy!

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as artists?: I love all kinds of theatre, but I am really drawn to comedy, I always have been.  Balls has been a great creative outlet for me to write what I love doing.  I look up to alot of different people, not all of them are necessarily in theatre. Right now my hero is Larry David.  He's freakin hilarious!

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Nick in Balls...the Musical? on Broadway.  I hear that's coming in next Fall.  Too much?...too soon?

What’s your favorite show tune?: Don't really have a favorite, but we definitely give our own spin to some of Broadway's classics!

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Larry David.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Larry David in "How Balls Got to Broadway"

What show have you recommended to your friends?: C'mon...that's easy...Man and Boy...then Balls...then Follies.  I was joking about the Man and Boy thing.

What’s up next?: Follies through the beginning of the year!!!  Check it out!!!

For more information on Nick, visit http://www.nickverina.com/. For more information on Balls...the Musical? visit http://www.ballsthemusical.com/. For more information on Follies, visit http://www.folliesbroadway.com/. Balls is playing at the 47th Street Theater Wednesday, October 12 at 10:30pm, Thursday, October 13 at 8pm and 11pm, and Saturday, October 15 at 11:30pm. You can purchase tickets at the box office or at http://www.nymf.org/Balls.

Spotlight On...Patricia Noonan

Name: Patricia Noonan

Hometown: Havertown, PA
          
Education: Boston College
          
Select Credits: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth Bennett, NYMF); Death Takes a Holiday (Sophia, Roundabout Theatre); Where's Charley?, Girl Crazy (City Center Encores!); Signs of Life (Lorelei, Off-Broadway); Carousel (Julie Jordan, Barrington Stage); Sondheim at 80 (Featured Soloist, Kennedy Center); Little House on the Prairie (original cast, Guthrie Theatre); Hurricane (NYMF); How to Succeed... (Rosemary), Ragtime (Evelyn Nesbit), Man of La Mancha (Antonia) all at the White Plains Performing Arts Center.
             
Why theater?: Theater lets me challenge myself, learn about others, and tell great stories.  I was once given the advice, “Everything that you need or want to do to become a better person will make you a better actor, and vice versa.”  Every day I am finding how true this advice is and I am blessed to be in a career that challenges me to be open, fearless, curious, playful, loving, flexible, giving, grateful, humble, joyful, passionate, a good listener, etc.  Theater also gives me the opportunity to learn empathy for all kinds of people in all walks of life and from all time periods.  I guess partially my answer to “why theater?” is I love learning.  But I also love telling stories.  And there is something amazing about theater – about the immediacy of a great story being told live – that allows the audience to feel, to question, to release emotion, to gain new empathy themselves, to learn something, to laugh, to cry…it doesn’t always happen but when it does you know it.  I have been lucky enough to tell some great stories and I hope I can continue to do so for years to come.
          
Tell us about Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is just one of those great stories.   What’s so wonderful about this piece is that it is not just the great love story that everyone knows and loves but it is also a story about the process of writing, of creation.  The writers have framed the well-known story of Elizabeth, Darcy, Jane, Bingley, etc, with the character of Jane Austen herself revisiting her manuscript “First Impressions” and her decision to revise the story (ten years later) and make it the now famous “Pride and Prejudice.”  The characters get to interact with their author and it adds a whole other layer and journey to an already wonderful story.
                      
What is it like to be a part of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice?: I am so proud and honored to be part of this cast, this creative team, and this project.  I never wanted to leave work at the end of the rehearsal day!  Selfishly, I just love playing Elizabeth Bennett – as a young female actress rarely do I get to be fiery, intelligent, and witty in addition to being vulnerable and falling in love (especially in a musical!).  I think part of the reason Elizabeth and Darcy’s romance has captured the imagination for two hundred years is that they are full blooded, flawed people who are able to bring out the best in each other and admit their mistakes so that they can be together.  And beyond that, I get to be a part of an incredibly talented cast – you couldn’t have asked for anyone better in any single slot in this show – who all give and take so well together and a creative team that really allowed us all to be collaborators in this process.  So what’s it like to be a part of this show?  Awesome.
          
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as artists?: The kind of theater that speaks to me is the kind of theater that made me want to do this in the first place: great storytelling.  It can be the silliest comedy or the most gut wrenching tragedy, the most traditional structure or the most experimental – if the play makes me think, feel, question, see something differently, or just laugh so hard I’m crying it’s probably great storytelling.  Again, you know it when you see it.  A song by Sondheim can do it in two minutes.  The actors in the Barrow Street production of Our Town did it with a table and chairs while wearing street clothes (with some help from Wilder of course).
          
Any roles you’re dying to play?: I think some of the roles I’m most dying to play are the ones like the one I’m doing right now – the complicated, multifaceted ones I get to create.  So some of my “dream roles” (I hope) haven’t even been written yet.  I would also love to play Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Marian in The Music Man, Dot in Sunday in the Park (really, any Sondheim character in any show), Mother in Ragtime, and Guinevere in Camelot (one of the only shows I could ever get my brothers to act out with me growing up – thanks to the presence of swords) to name a few.
          
What’s your favorite show tune?: Wow.  If I have to pick one I think I’m going to pick “The Sound of Music” from The Sound of Music.  That musical is one of the first musicals I remember watching (and watching, and watching, and watching) and has a great deal of import in my family.  It is one of the first songs I can remember singing and it always makes me think of my grandparents. Plus, it’s a song about what a gift (and saving grace) music is to us: “My heart will be blessed with the sound of music and I’ll sing once more.”
          
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Established composers like Sondheim, Guettel, Ahrens and Flaherty (I just got to work with Maury Yeston – but I could put him on the list again!), up and coming composers, and actresses like Victoria Clark, Audra McDonald, Laura Linney (I was just lucky enough to work with Rebecca Luker – but I could put her on here as well) because I learn so much just from watching them.
          
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Well I think we’d have to wait quite a few more years to make a movie of my life worth making – so I would wager that the actress to play “young me” has not been born yet!  And I'm going to say the title is TBD as well.
          
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Well I’ve been recommending The Book of Mormon, Follies, and Sleep No More – so I guess I want to live vicariously through my friends because these are all the shows I want to see and have not gotten to see yet!
          
What’s up next?: Up next are a few firsts.  I am heading out to the west coast for the first time to play Lily in The Secret Garden at Theatre Works Palo Alto.  I also have my first official Cast Album coming out – look for the Death Takes a Holiday cast album starting October 11th!


To learn more about Patricia, visit http://www.patricianoonan.com/

Spotlight On...Lou Steele

Name: Lou Steele   
   
Hometown: Born in Charlottesville,VA. Raised (from 8 yrs old on) in Vernon, NJ

Education: BFA in Theatre with a Concentration in Acting

Select Credits: Aida (Radames, Shenandoah Summer Theatre); Miss Saigon (Chris, Weathervane Theatre); A Man of No Importance (Robbie, Weathervane Theatre); I Love You...Now Change (Man 2, Downstairs Cabaret Theatre); WedLOCKED (Ben, Mayfield Dinner Theatre in Canada- World Premiere)

Why theater?: Nothing else fills the void, makes me feel alive.

Tell us about Central Avenue Breakdown: We follow the Marcel brothers as they experience the rise and fall of the LA jazz scene in the 1940s. Two brothers with differing jazz styles("old school vs new school") struggle to please their father, while desperately trying to hold onto their individuality. Throw in drugs, death, a sexy starlet, and the racial tension of the times, and you're "slummin' it " on Central Avenue. It's a touching story of family with an amazing score. Audiences will def walk out humming tunes.

What is it like to be a part of Central Avenue Breakdown?: Awesome!! Artistically fulfilling. We are a supportive family working together to find the show's voice and let it sing. And boy do I love singing this score!!

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as artists?: For me, it's the modern stuff. The gritty raw theatre. Especially musicals. Musicals like The Last 5 Years and Tick, Tick... Boom. Stories about struggling relationships. In Central Avenue Breakdown, it was the father/son and brother/brother relationships that drew me in. Artists? I'm a huge fan of Norbert Leo Butz and Raul Esparza. No surprise I'm sure, since I've mentioned two musicals where they were the male leads. But I've seen them both in numerous productions over the years and they never cease to amaze me. Individually, or working together as they did when Butz briefly joined the cast of Speed-the-Plow replacing Jeremy Piven.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Many....the aforementioned The Last 5 Years (Jamie) and Tick Tick..Boom (Jonathan). I'd love to play Bobby in Company. Jerry in The Full Monty. The list goes on. Particularly singer/actor roles, as I am not much of a dancer...unless I'm at a wedding reception and have been drinking :)

What’s your favorite show tune?: I don't know. I feel like my mind shut down when asking this question. There are too many. That may be cliche'. I'll say this, it's always changing. It has to touch me/move me. A song I am dying to sing right now (in a cabaret setting i suppose), is Scott Alan's "Again". I find it haunting.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: There are so many people I've worked with, whom I'd LOVE to work with again!! But, I know that's not the question, so...I'd have to say one of my favorite performers: Norbert Leo Butz. Why? Because everytime I've ever seen his work, he's having fun. He's lovin' every minute of it, and it's infectious. Everyone around him seems absorb that joy/fun. I wanna have some fun!!

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: "Every Which Way But Lou's" (get it...a play on "Every Which Way But Loose"), starring...John Krasinski

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Central Avenue Breakdown of course.

What’s up next?: Waitin tables and waitin for the next gig. I don't think my show/vehicle has been written yet. But it's comin....

For more information on Lou, visit www.lousteele.net

Spotlight On...Jake Ottosen

Name: Jake Ottosen

Hometown: Auburn, NY, home of the metal band ManOWar, Harriet Tubman's house, and and a maximum security prison.

Education: The Hartt School, BFA in Musical Theater

Select Credits:  RENT (Mark, The Theater Company, Hoboken), Cartoon (Winston Puppet, MadCap Collective, NYC), Click Clack Moo (Farmer Brown, Theaterworks National Tour), and all shows with [By The Mummers] including Winterland, L8, and of course, BLOOD!

Why theater?: Everyone, in one room, living through a story.  I love the challenge of believing in the world we're creating.  Regardless of the material, if the actors believe in their world, indescibable, magical, things can happen.  It can be soul stirring.

Tell us about BLOOD [By the Mummers]: BLOOD is the product of a group of friends getting together and saying, "Let's do a Halloween show."  [By The Mummers] is that group.  This was in October 2009, after one of many summers spent working together at the Sterling Renaissance Festival.  Sterling taught us how to create scenarios through character-driven improv, and gave us the confidence to make a show happen, and trust that we all had each other's backs.  With that, we felt unstoppable.  Two years and three versions later, BLOOD has become a wacky on-stage thriller about prom night in a cursed high school.  It pulls directly from Macbeth, set in a teenage world of werewolves and vampires.  And it's funny!

What is it like to be a part of BLOOD [By the Mummers]?: Incredible.  It's a dream come true to do what we do, and be able to share it, especially at NYMF.  The Mummers have become my family in NY.  We have had bumps along the road, and creative differences are inevitable, but, corny as it is, we love and respect each other.  At the end of the day, we are all passionate about creating art and telling stories together.  I am very lucky.

What kind of theater speaks to you?: What or who inspires you as artists?: Anything that touches a chord of truth in me.  There is a very certain feeling when suddenly I find myself witnessing something onstage that shuts my mind off and opens my heart.  Often, I find that experience in ensemble pieces.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Younger Brother in Ragtime, Batboy in Batboy, and Mark in RENT as many times as possible.  I did it once, but I would love to do it again.  Love in the face of fear - powerful stuff.

What’s your favorite show tune?: Tie between "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha, and "No Virgins" from BLOOD (listen at www.nymf.org/bloodbythemummers under Music).

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Hugh Jackman.  The Broadway version, not the Wolverine version.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Man, this is tough.  Maybe Topher Grace, since he reminds me of me, but really I'd rather get one of my friends to play me.  And I'd make a cameo as them.  It'd be awesome to be in a movie/series about [By The Mummers].  Or better yet, a movie musical!  Will Smith could play me in that.  That works.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Brief Encounter was the last show of unexpected awesomeness I can remember raving about to anyone who would listen.

What’s up next?: More [By The Mummers] madness, God willing.  Our mantra is: "We are characters.  We create shows."  So create we shall, in one form or another.  The beauty of having no specific plan, yet knowing that art will occur.  Keep an eye on www.bythemummers.com.

For more information on Jake, please visit http://www.jakeottosen.com. For more information on BLOOD, please visit http://www.canyouhandletheblood.com/

Spotlight On...Grant MacDermott

Name: Grant MacDermott

Hometown: Teaneck, NJ

Education: Emerson college, BFA in Acting

Select Credits: Mister Roberts (Lindstrom, New Repertory Theater); A Christmas Carol (Young Scrooge, Stoneham Theater); The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Duke, SpeakEasy Stage Company)

Why theater?: Why not?! Honestly though, I see everything through a story lens. Everything to me is a story. The story of the man walking down the street, where did he come from and where is he going? Where did he buy that shirt? I am attracted to the realism of it. On the other hand I am also attracted to the fantastical elements, the stuff a little more out there. Theater is infinite. One small detail in the story changes and then everything else changes too. One actor says a line a certain way and the whole performance shifts into another world. Theater is always alive, always different; a story happening in real time in front of you in a safe way for you to experience with the broadest range of emotions you have. Pretty cool stuff.

Tell us about Matchmaker Matchmaker I'm Willing to Settle: All the stories are true. Nikki, the main character, is based on the actress playing her: Nikki. And Nikki truly did go on all these dates. She really has met all these men. Some names have been changed, but this fantastical, crazy, hilarious, sad, story is all true. It is basically an internet guide to dating by showing you what not to do. But at the end, after exhausting all the bad options, you have a pretty good clue of what to do in order to find love. And you might be surprised at the answer. :)

What is it like to be a part of Matchmaker Matchmaker I'm Willing to Settle?: In a word: Wonderful. Being a part of a new piece is electric. The room vibrates. Everyone is always thinking, improving, adding, subtracting. That is almost any new piece. But with this team, we do all that and laugh constantly. Everyone is pretty young so "no" rarely enters the room. No one on this team is scared of failure. And that is freeing. Everyone is so smart and talented. And for a piece with a title like ours, it can seem fluffy. but our book writers are incredibly smart; the music at its core is quite complex and beautiful, the director has a great eye for comedy highlighted with artful moments of profound truth. Then someone makes an inappropriate dirty joke and the room bursts out laughing.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as artists?: All theater speaks to me. This may lose me some points, but I am not a big "golden age" of musical theater guy. I'm not a big diva guy. Those just don't speak to me. I appreciate their artistry and can enjoy their performances-- I loved Funny Girl-- but I tend to gravitate towards the gritty, the underdog. In comedies, in dramas, in odd clown theater (the best show I ever saw was entitled Slava's Snow Show most moving piece of theater ever, and it didn't have a single word in it), I like the screwed up people, the broken characters, the ugly ones. I find their truths more accessible and more profound. My inspirations? Here is just a list. Edward Norton, Langston Hughes, Dorothy Parker, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Marianna Basham, Will Lyman, Scott Edmiston, Cate Blanchett, Doug Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci. For all of us as artists? Hard to say, there are so many of us. But any and everything. The entire musical theater cannon. The theater references fly when we all get together.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Edmund in Long Day's Journey Into Night; Hysterium in Forum; Henry/Hotspur in all the the History Plays, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Tom in The Glass Menagerie, Hermoine in The Winter's Tale, The Emcee in Cabaret, Mr. Zero in The Adding Machine (both musical and play). There are many more, too many to list. But plenty of women's parts too. And creating a role is always pretty cool. So someone write me something funny, quirky, and true. I like those things.

What’s your favorite show tune?: "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." I think one of the most beautiful songs in the history of theater.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Another huge list. But I'd love to work with Anthony Hopkins. I can dream big, right? lol

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would hope it would be me. I dunno. It is hard to find lots of redheaded actors. There is this actor who looks like me, and is quite a stellar actor, from Rome and Grey's Anatomy: Kevin McKidd. Excellent actor. and better looking than me. So he has the job hands down.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: In life? A lot! I am a theater junkie. Anything by Stephen Adly Guirgis, Slava's Snow Show, Ruined, Hair, Blackbird (as done by SpeakEasy Stage Company here in Boston), anything with Liev Schreiber, the most recent production of Driving Miss Daisy, Frost Nixon on Broadway with Frank Langella, Sleep No More, Noises Off (with T.R. Knight, Patti LuPone, Peter Gallagher), Death Of a Salesman with Brian Dennehy, the video production of A Raisin In The Sun with Danny Glover, the list goes on and on. I have sooooo many Playbills!

What’s up next: I will be in a contemporary production of The Nutcracker at Stoneham Theater. Then I will be in Medea playing the Messenger with the Actor's Shakespeare Project. Hopefully some more stuff happening with Matchmaker!

Spotlight On...Travis McClung

Name: Travis McClung

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Education: BFA Musical Theatre Pace University (Class of 2013)

Select Credits: Spring Awakening (Moritz Steifel, NY Regional Premier); The Who's Tommy (Tommy u/s-Pace University)

Why theatre?:  Since I was a kid, I have loved being in front of a live audience.  Each show is different, and I love how the audience influences each performance.

Tell us about Outlaws:  Outlaws is a rock musical about Billy the Kid.  The show takes a new spin on the story, and gives the audience a perspective from Billy's point of view.  The music and book are original and really bring an exciting feel to the old legend.

What is like to be a part of Outlaws?:  Being a part of this new show has been a great thrill.  The show has been changing constantly from the moment we started rehearsals and I love being able to work on a show that is constantly evolving.  It has been exciting and very educational being a part of this new musical.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?:  I love theatre that shows vulnerability.  Outlaws brings such a sense of reality into theatre, and I love that.  I feel that every character in this show is given such an arch, and that as actors, we are able to really tap into the realness of our characters.  There is nothing fake or "campy" about this production.

Any roles you're dying to play?:  I don't particularly have a role I am dying to play, but rather want to play parts that I feel speak to people.  I love to play characters that are genuine and real and I feel that I am given that opportunity playing 'Tom' in Outlaws.

What's your favorite show tune?: One of my favorite show tunes is "Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" from Spring Awakening, which I was able to play this last month in the NY Regional Premier!

If you could work with anyone you've yet to work with, who would it be?:  I would love to work with Mark Rylance.   I feel that he is so genuine in the roles he plays and I love his consistency on stage.  He is always changing the way in which he portrays a character and I find that very inspiring.

Who could play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Christopher Guest would play me. The movie would be called "I Found Guffman".

What show have you recommended to your friends?:  I have recommended Next to Normal because I feel that the music and story bring across a beautiful message.

What's up next?:  After Outlaws, I am planning on focusing on school and to continue auditioning in the city!

SMASH Racks in the Guest Spots

As we get closer (or a few months out) to the premiere of Smash, we are learning of some impressive guest spots in upcoming episodes. Joining the Smash team are Wesley Taylor and Savannah Wise (both of Rock of Ages fame) will be dancers in the musical, Nick Jonas will be a hot sitcom star who was a child Broadway star, and Bernadette Peters who will star as Megan Hilty's vicarious mother. With the exception of Jonas, it all sounds pretty stellar!

J&H Resurrected!

Early rumors are swirling of a new revival of the Frank Wildhorn mediocre hit Jekyll and Hyde’s return to Broadway. The musical which had a history of throwing in random “stars” into the mix after opening would need a severe makeover to gain success. Perhaps the 2006 concept album of the musical with a rock score will be included. I would go even further and modernize it, set it in New York, and have it star Adam Pascal as the title character with Kate Shindle and Mara Davi as Lucy and Emma respectively. And perhaps go even FURTHER and have John Gallagher Jr. as Utterson. Wild? I know. But leave it to Wildhorn to come up with wild ideas!

Billy to Take Final Bow

On January 8, 2012, after playing 1,304 regular performances and 40 previews, that lovable British kid Billy Elliot will stop dancing and take his final bow. The 2009 Tony winner had been attracting audiences and tourists, but will continue to live on through the tour. I guess it's time for a new show to come in...Newsies anyone?

Spotlight On...Brittney Lee Hamilton

Name: Brittney Lee Hamilton

Hometown: Williamstown, NJ

Education: Marymount Manhattan College, The Hartford Conservatory

Select Credits: Peg O’ My Heart (Peg, June Havoc Theatre, MITF Best Leading Actress Nomination); Hurricane (Lil, NYMF); ANGELS: The Musical (Uriel, Pre Broadway and NYMF); Gypsy (June, Ivoryton Playhouse); Eugene O’Neill Cabaret and Performance Conference (Featured Performer); Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Helen, Seven Angels Theatre); Boardwalk Empire (Season 2, Featured, HBO); Pokemon (Georgia, Cartoon Network); Jim Brickman in Concert (Featured Vocalist, Disney Cruise Line)

Why Theater?: I always had a very vivid imagination and I never let go of the love of playing “make believe”.  I was never shy and being on stage just came naturally to me.  There is something magical about playing make believe and dress up in front of hundreds of people.  It’s as if we are all kids and the stage is our playground.  It makes you feel like you can be or do anything. 

Tell us about My History of Marriage: My History of Marriage is a wonderfully touching show about ‘Nan’, a writer who has suffered a horrible divorce and now must write a book about marriage.  I play Ellen, Nan’s naive and enthusiastic assistant who is also the niece her agent (Bonnie Franklin).  Through hilarious historical vignettes, wonderful songs by David Shire, Lee Kalchiem, and Sam Kalchiem, and many more problem causing relationships, Nan tries to find a way to finish the book, and celebrate the gay wedding of her agent. 

What is it like to be a part of My History of Marriage?: I leave rehearsal everyday with aches and pains from the laughter.  The cast is superb and I am so very humbled to share the stage with them.  I have been lucky enough to work with Michael Bush and his creative team before, and every time just gets better and better.  He really knows how to speak to actors and he trusts the people he casts.  Every actor feels safe in Michael’s rehearsals.  Lee Kalchiem is a comedy king, Bonnie Franklin the queen, and David Shire is...uh DAVID SHIRE!!!  David, Lee, and Sam have written such a truthful show.  Through all of Nan’s skewed views of relationships we see two women who have shared their lives together (Bonnie Franklin and Blair Ross) and want to solidify it with “I DO’S”.  This show proves that, even though marriage isn’t perfect, it is a beautiful commitment that you hope ALL can have the chance to partake in.  It’s never too late. 

What kind of theater speaks to you?  What or who inspires you as an artist?: I have always loved the standards...Kaufman and Hart plays, Rogers and Hammerstein, Jule Styne, Kander and Ebb...I identify with the time periods of their shows and the simplicity of the writing.  They give beautiful colors to the actor and then let them paint the picture.  Stephen Sondheim is a master of that also.  They trust that the actors speaking their words and singing their songs are smart.  David Shire really knows how to write for the female voice, and singing his music is so refreshing!  This allows you to fall into the role and just play.  His music is so much fun to sing!!!

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Well, of course, ‘Liz’ in Baby!  I would also love to play ‘Alice’ in You Can’t Take It With You, ‘Kate/Lucy’ in Avenue Q, ‘Flora’ in Flora the Red Menace, ‘Dot’ in Sunday in the Park, ‘Mabel’ in Mack and Mabel, ‘Beth’ in Merrily We Roll Along, ‘Sophie’ in Mamma Mia, ‘Young Sally’ in Follies, and ‘Irene’ in Irene. 

What’s your favorite show tune?: Well, I must say, “Like” from My History of Marriage is quickly rising to the top of my list!!!  It’s hilarious and adorable.  “Over the Rainbow” has been my favorite song since I could hear.  It isn’t usually considered a show tune, but it is the first song I ever sang.  It lead to more Judy Garland songs, which lead to movie musicals, which lead to Broadway show tunes.  It’s where it all began for me. 

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to work with Bernadette Peters.  She has always been my idol!  Actually, I recently met her for the first time at Broadway Barks.  I was so nervous and tongue tied, I said something very very humiliating.  It was one of those “why would I say that?!?!” moments and I would really like to work with her and rectify that! 

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would think Ginnifer Goodwin would probably play me in a movie.  If you put a curly, red wig on her I think we could look a like!  The movie would be called, “No, I Have Never Played Annie”.  I am determined to write a one woman show, and that will be the title. 

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Besides My History of Marriage?!?  I highly recommend The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q, and Pride and Prejudice and Time Between Us in NYMF.  I have some very talented friends currently in those shows (Michael Liscio, Jr. is in Ave Q and Marriage)!

What’s up next?: I am doing a reading during Marriage of the musical The Countess of Storyville.  Then, I am doing a workshop at Irish Rep of the musical The Piper with music by Marcus Hummon.  In November, I am off to Bristol Riverside Theatre to play June in Gypsy with Tovah Feldshuh.  I am currently a recurring character on Pokemon!  I play Georgia and it airs Saturdays at 9am on Cartoon Network.  And my episode of Boardwalk Empire is airing on November 20th!

For more information on Brittney, visit http://www.brittneyleehamilton.com/. For information on My History of Marriage, visit http://www.nymf.org/.

Spotlight On...Heather Robb

Name: Heather Florence Robb

Hometown: Newark, Delaware

Education: Syracuse University

Select Credits: Fucking Hipsters (Evangeline, NYMF, Signature Theater)

Why theater?: Oh, you know - because it's there.

Tell us about Fucking Hipsters: It's a very tongue-in-cheek but also earnest representation of the Williamsburg music scene. With a twist.

What is it like to be a part of Fucking Hipsters?: It's like stupidly fun. And totally humbling - everyone is ridiculously talented and down-to-earth. It's been a great few weeks.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as artists?: I love simple stories with complex, well-developed characters. I love real, relatable theater that captures honest moments. I guess that's a little general but, well, it's true. I'm inspired by friends, the community around me - Darcy Fowler is a dear friend and a young playwright who inspires me on a daily basis.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Well yeah, of course. Anybodys in West Side Story, to name one.

What’s your favorite show tune?: Hmm. There are so many great ones and I'm terrible at choosing favorites. Right now the first song that comes to mind is "So in Love" from Kiss me Kate.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I'm very excited about the work being done by the Punchdrunk Theater Company out of the UK. I'd love to work with them someday.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: It would be called "Baby Giraffe" and I would be played by my friend Kate Stein.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Most recently, The Lapsburgh Layover at Ars Nova. It was created by a great theater company out of Philadelphia called 'The Berserker Residents.'

What’s up next?: My band (The Spring Standards) is finishing up our next record, which will be released early next year.

For more information on The Spring Standards, please visit http://www.thespringstandards.com/

Spotlight On...Andrew Redlawsk

Name: Andrew Redlawsk

Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa

Education: Loyola University Chicago, BA in Theatre

Select Credits: The Bowery Boys (Marriott Theatre); A Christmas Carol (Drury Lane Oakbrook); The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Northlight Theatre)

Why theater?: Because there really is nothing like putting on a show. The collaboration, the story telling. The fact that you get to go out there every night and have such an effect on people – even if that effect is only to have them forget about the stress of every day life, that's something. Well that, and also I have absolutely no other marketable skills.

Tell us about Greenwood: Greenwood is a great little show (or big show with a 22 person cast) about the excitement of having it all ahead of us, and then somehow along the way, letting our dreams and passions take a backseat for whatever reason. Life. We all know it. It gets in the way. But what if you were presented with a chance to relive those moments? That's what the show explores with the backdrop of a bunch of kids at a summer theatre camp, and then those same kids 25 years later. As someone who went to a theatre “camp” (Lynn Baber, the director of Cherubs, as it is affectionately called, will kill me for calling it that – it was a “program” or an “institute” - never a camp) I can honestly say that the bonds you make in five weeks last a lifetime. Everything is so immediate, so heightened, how could you not have an emotional connection with your fellow campers? Every success is their success, every breakdown is theirs – they become family. And then, just like that, they're gone. But I can tell you that if one of them called me tomorrow and really needed me, I'd be there for them, even if I haven't seen them in the 8 years since I went to camp myself. That's what this show's about. These adults who desperately need to reconnect to the excitement and passion they had when they were kids – because isn't that what it's all about? If you can't be doing something you love, what's the point?

What is it like to be a part of Greenwood?: It's a blast. Working with the likes of Andrea McArdle (the original Annie), Cary Shields, Mary Mossberg – not to mention the “youth ensemble” as we're called – is just an amazing opportunity, and I'm so grateful to be able to share the stage with them. And it's just as good on the other side of the table, where director Paul Stancato has his work cut out for him trying to stage and choreograph this beast of a show! It's just nothing but fun every day – and I mean that.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as artists?: Theatre that really makes you step back and reexamine yourself, or your life, or the way you thought about something, is truly incredible, and I love getting to see shows that do that. On the other hand, I'm not a fan of pieces that are so avant garde that you have to strain yourself to even attempt to “get it”, and if you don't, you've wasted your time and money. I truly feel the best theatre is accessible theatre, because if nobody gets it – whether that “it” is what you intended or not – then the whole thing was just for yourself, and then what's the point of that? Oh, and I have a man-crush on Patrick Stewart.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. It'll happen some day if the show runs long enough – I just look 12 years old at the moment. Frankie Epps in Parade. Bat Boy.

What’s your favorite show tune?: Ugh. It changes constantly. And I'm not really sure I have a favorite. But the aforementioned Parade and Bat Boy are shows that top my list.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Anyone and everyone. I want to say Patrick Stewart, or someone else equally lofty – but if I had to share the stage with someone like that I'd be scared silly. Talk about pressure.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Probably Topher Grace, and it would be called “The Typical Life of A Kid Trying to Make it as an Actor in New York”. I mean, I'm an actor... and I wait tables. The creativity in that is mind-boggling.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Jerusalem with Mark Rylance. I know it's a little out of date, now that the show has shipped overseas to the West End, but what that man did on stage was nothing short of a master class. It was breathtaking.

What’s up next?: Next I start up my FIFTH (that blows my mind) season with Classical Kids Live!, which is a company that puts up shows in conjunction with symphony orchestras to bring the music of classic composers to kids around the world. First stop is Richmond, Virginia.

For more information on Andrew, please visit http://www.andrewredlawsk.com. For tickets for Greenwood, visit http://www.greenwoodthemusical.com/. And information on Classical Kids Live!, visit http://www.classicalkidslive.com/