Lynne Bernfield: psychotherapist / author / consultant / speaker / musician / performer and media artist

2-14-12 – Interview

Jeffrey Kin is a sextuple threat! He sings, he dances, he acts, he writes, he directs, he produces and all this while guiding the fate of Sarasota’s community theater – The Players. A farm boy who discovered as a small child that he was a performer, Jeffrey pursued his chosen field with a vengeance and now brings all of the knowledge and skill he’s garnered to The Players production of A Chorus Line, which opens on Feb 16th and which he not only directs acts in as well. Listen to this charming, dedicated, funny man talk about his life and work and hear a special song from A Chorus Line.

2-7-12 – Interview

When twelve year old Larry Barrett sang in his school choir he made a discovery which has informed his entire life. He discovered that loved “collaboration.” He loved to be part of something larger than himself, working with others to create something new. Luckily Larry has many skills which allow him to do this in many areas of his life. An actor, writer, director and producer of theater as well as a dedicated and talented chef, Larry loves to combine his various talents and passions. Currently he is once again combining theater and food by presenting an evening of The Firesign Theaters’ Nick Danger, Third Eye, and a classic dinner from the famous Delmonico restaurant, every Wed and Thursday in February. Listen to him describe this delightful event, his unique take on afternoon teas and the ingenious dinner parties he has invented for his catering company Simply Gourmet. Also hear a piece from The Outrageous Firesign Theater.

12-6-11 – Interview

Jeff Parker began appearing in musicals at his church as a youngster but it was not until spending the summer of his high school junior year at Northwestern University’s National High School Institute, that he began to think seriously about a career in theater. He did four years of actor training at California’s USC, but knowing that he could always fall back on ‘the family business,’ Jeff kind of coasted. While teaching at Northwestern’s Institute, a friend surprised him by setting up an audition at the theater she was working at. He got the job and literally never looked back. Today Jeff is starring as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at the Asolo Repertory Theater in Sarasota FL. Charming and easygoing he nonetheless makes you believe that Henry Higgins is cold, and even boorish. Listen to Sharon Leslie’s review of the show and two songs from the film version of the show, sung by Rex Harrison.

11-29-11 – Click here to listen to the Interviews

Interview with Laura Osnes
Director Jeff Calhoun describes Laura as “beautiful inside and out” and it is definitely true. The term unaffected is old-fashioned but seems to apply here; Laura seems almost unaware of her beauty, talent and sweetness. And her story is perfect for her; from the beginning others saw the potential star in her and encouraged it. Listen to the remarkable way her career simply unfolded, including how she won her starring role in Grease on a reality show. From there she captured roles in South Pacific and Anything Goes, but they were roles others had created. On Dec 1st Laura gets her chance to define a role – she will put her stamp on Bonnie Parker, beloved partner of Clyde Barrow. If you want to catch a rising star – hurry on down to the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, and see Laura launched.

Interview with Don Black
If Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan are on the cusp of their careers, Don Black the lyricist for Bonnie and Clyde the Musical is riding the crest of his. With more than 1000 songs for film and stage to his credit, mega hits – To Sir With Love and Born Free among them – Don continues to write songs which perfectly establish and define the characters for whom he is writing. Lyrics like the exuberant “When I Drive” and the poignant “My Bonnie” help us see the Clyde behind the gun. And the lyrics for “You Love Who You Love” and “Dying” help us understand why a “sweet girl like Bonnie” would give her life to a “bad boy” like Clyde. A tried and true veteran Don continues to love the life he’s chosen, to appreciate the opportunity to dream. He says that old song writers maintain a “twinkle,” and a spring in their step, this is definitely true of Don. Listen to him twinkle and .hear his beautiful lyrics.

11-22-11 Interview

Jeremy Jordan is charismatic bad boy Clyde Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde the Musical, which is now in preview and will be opening on Broadway 12/1/11, but he didn’t intend to be an actor. From the beginning Jeremy could sing and his Mom encouraged him to audition for shows at the community theater, but his first auditions were “horrible” and he “couldn’t even get cast in Peter Pan or Oliver Twist.” But he didn’t mind because he was a really good student and thought he was going to be an engineer. Just before his junior year in high school Jeremy attended a prestigious conference to jump-start his engineering career and realized that he had no interest in the field. As he says, “when you go for your career and return remembering only a couple of pretty faces, you know something is wrong.” Not knowing what he was going to do with his life Jeremy let life lead him. He sang in chorus in school and was heard by someone who offered him a role in a play. Jeremy was hooked and knew that this was the life he was meant for. And it must be true because at 26 he’s already had starring roles in Grease and West Side Story, Newses and now, he will be creating the role of Clyde Barrow, Listen to Jeremy describes the difference between telling people you are an actor (before you’ve had any success) and then when you can say you’re on Broadway….and hear the many sides of Clyde Barrow and the multi talents of Jeremy Jordan as he sings 2 songs from the show.

9-20-11

Actor, Director Pamela Wiley started her career at the age of 6 when a photographer snapped a picture of her which he sold to a national magazine and which got little Pam an agent. From then till her teens Pam managed to balance a busy modeling/commercial career with her soccer playing/cheerleading/vice president of her class life as a ‘regular girl.” She celebrated her 12th birthday on stage at New Jersey’s Papermill Playhouse, where she had her first professional acting job in Annie Get Your Gun. Knowing that the theater was where she wanted to be Pam got a degree in theater at Dennison College. Once again she handled a difficult balancing act, this time between a busy acting/commercial career and her life as the single mother of three. Pam’s energy, passion and commitment to quality seem inexhaustible. And currently the Players Theater in Sarasota is benefiting from it – as she gets ready to direct “It’s a Wonderful Life” which will open December 2nd. Listen to this effervescent role model talk about life, her career and growing up.

9-13-11

Five year old Bob Trisolini and his cousins entertained their parents by putting on plays which always ended with little Bobby being stood on his head and pushed over – a perfect beginning for the entertainer that Bob would become. But like KJ Hatfield, Bob was concerned about making enough money for the life style he wanted, so he took his talents to corporations. Listen to the incredibly long list of companies for whom he created spectacular events which introduced products, celebrated successes, motivated sales forces etc. Now in retirement from an overwhelmingly successful career which took him all over the world, and with a seemingly inexhaustible amount of talent and energy Bob continues to work here and there for FL based companies and to direct and perform in local theater productions. Just having finished directing “Stop The World” for Sarasota’s Golden Apple dinner theater, he is currently directing “Seussical The Musical” for the Players theater. Listen to this irrepressible dynamo and hear a song from “Seussical The Musical.”

9-6-11

KJ Hatfield decided early that she wanted to be a singer. She studied music, played piano and was in many community theater productions before she was in High School. But she also realized that although a life in the theater was her passion, it was an insecure way to make a living and besides, if she were as successful as she hoped, she wouldn’t be able to be at home in the evenings with the children she intended to have. So she found another way to make a living and committed herself to performing in community theater productions everywhere she found herself. Currently she is starring as Kate in the Players Theater production of Kiss Me Kate. She found a way to have her cake and eat it too.

8-23-11

Will Willoughby is a brave man. He might deny it. He might say that he had no choice, but that would not diminish the extent of his courage. Will says he was “different” from his family and most of his school mates in his home town in Nebraska. He suffered the teasing, punishment, ostracism and even torture of those who are uncomfortable with the “difference” of others. But even his family’s abandonment did not keep Will from honoring his “self.” And his strength of character – what he calls his “integrity” – helped him not only survive a dreadful childhood and adolescence, but become a joyful soul who, to quote his mentor, can “feast at life’s banquet.” Finding acceptance in drama class in high school Will followed his passion, luckily receiving lots of help along the way, and finally finding a “home” at Sarasota’s Florida Studio Theater, where he is currently stage managing the wonderful play “Savannah Disputation”. Listen to this inspiring story.

8-16-2011

Lisa McMillan and Susan Greenhill are 2 of the very talented 4 member ensemble cast of The Savannah Disputation playing till Sept 4th 2011 at Florida Studio Theater in Sarasota Florida.

While still in Jr. High School Lisa, who was always drawn to words and language, spent hours in the garage of her family home making herself laugh and cry, by reciting monologues from Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams. Lisa was accepted into and graduated from the 6th class at Julliard – where they accepted 35 students but only graduated 15. Listen to her stories of fellow students like Robin Williams and Kelsey Grammer and the tragic story of one student who wasn’t asked back.

In Kindergarten Susan was drafted by some older kids (4th, 5th and 6th graders) to be in the musicals they were putting on. Susan knew immediately that she was “home.” Her parents however, insisted that she consider acting a hobby and get a real job. So Susan minored in Education in college and began to teach, but it only took a very short time for her to realize that it was not for her and she announced her intention to pursue a career as an actor. Susan is now and has been for many years a working actor, but she hasn’t become rich and famous. Very few are willing to be as open and candid as Susan is about her early yearnings and how she has come to accept her quite lovely life “most of the time.” Listen to her honest and very funny description of her struggle.