8-27-13—Audio Interview

Actor, writer, singer, dancer, storyteller, philanthropist and Druid Goddess, Annie Morrison is impossible to categorize. Like the Celtic Spirit she embodies Annie is a force for artistic creation. Raised in an artistic hothouse with a family dedicated to artistic collaboration Annie was trained to create, but not to compete. Listen to this charming, ebullient, creativity machine tell the story of how she became who she is and come to New York to see just some of her prodigious artistic expression; on Labor Day (Sept 2nd), at 54 Below where she will be performing NOW YOU KNOW An evening Steve, Lenny –and Annie (the work of Sondheim and Bernstein) and on Nov 14th at 4:00 PM at theUnited Solo of Theatre Row in New York to see her new one woman show Word Painting: Soliloquies around an Easel.

8-6-13 – Audio Interview

Even in the 2nd grade Jeff Plunkett didn’t want just to read the story in class – he wanted to act it. To deal with his chronic ear infections Jeff’s doctor prescribed voice lessons and from the time he was 13 he not only studied voice but had small roles in his voice teachers Opera Company. Although majoring in biology/psychology in college (thinking he might become a doctor), Jeff took every acting role he could and by the time he graduated knew that acting, not medicine was his path. Jeff says that he was “graced’ but I think it is we that are graced by being able to watch this wonderful actor become the role he is playing. Hurry out to see Jeff’s outstanding performance in Michael McKeever’s South Beach Babylon and listen to this thoughtful, intelligent man talk about his role in the show and what it means to be an actor.

7-30-13 – 2 Audio Interviews First Beth Duda and second Michael McKeever

Beth Duda still remembers being the tightrope walker in her kindergarten circus show, and cajoling her non artistic family to participate in and be the audience for the shows she relentlessly insisted on creating. But she followed her practical upbringing and became a teacher instead of a performer, until the twists and turns of her life made it possible for her to pursue/combine both of her passions, today she is the Director of Education and Resident playwright at Florida Studio Theater. Listen to this delightful, enthusiastic woman tell her charming story.

Multi-talented, Michael McKeever decided that he had a better chance of making money as an artist – something he was very good at and enjoyed doing – rather than in the theater where he “soul really was.” He majored in advertising design and did in fact make “stupid money” as an art director. But when life gave him opportunity and he jumped on it. He wrote his first play at 30 years old, and his “soul” must have been right because in the 15 years since he wrote that first play, Michael’s written 21 plays and all of them, including the first one, have been produced. Listen to this exuberant, passionate man talk about the joy of finally being what he was always meant to be. And come to Florida Studio Theater where his play funny, thoughtful, compelling play South Beach Babylon is currently running.

7-23-13 – Audio Interview

Bruce Jordan discovered his passion for performing in the 7th grade when the audience broke up laughing as he danced with a broom named Matilda. Bruce says “it was like a drug, you want to have more of it.” But while, for many, this experience would have triggered a yearning for an acting career, Bruce yearned to emulate his Jr. High and High School drama coaches, he wanted to be an drama teacher and give others the gift he’d been given. So having soaked up everything he could from his years at Geneseo University, he worked for “4 of the happiest years” of his life as a High School drama teacher. And here is where the story gets ironic. Realizing that he didn’t have know enough about the business of acting to help those students who wanted to become professional actors, Bruce decided to take a year off, go to NY and experience it firsthand. But the third agent he saw sent him to audition for a national commercial – he got the commercial and his first check was more than a year’s salary teaching. Needless to say he never returned to teaching. Listen to this delightful man tell a story which is full of the serendipities which led him to places “he loved,” doing things “he loves” including directing The Underpants which is currently running at Florida Studio Theater.

7-16-13 – Audio Interview

Elliott Raines grew up in what says is “now called the East Village, but when I grew up was called a slum.” Second generation, born to parents who believed in giving their children a “well rounded education,” Elliott studied piano and music theory, spent a year at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and most of his high school years in Drama Club, chorus and plays. He got a BA in Theater and an MFA in Acting, taught acting at his alma mater, and had some success as an actor. However at age 28 Elliott realized that the thing he hated most was looking for work, and acting – no matter how successful you are – is always about looking for the next job. Having realized this Elliott promptly went to Law School. He spent a career in law – with forays into acting and directing. And now having retired is once more able to pursue his passion for the theater. Elliott is currently directing The Boys Next Door at the Players Theater.

7-9-13 – Audio Interview

Mary Testa is a working actress, singer, dancer, Jill of all trades in the theatre, and winner of a Drama Desk Award for “3 decades of excellent work.” Most recently she starred as the intrepid Annie Edson Taylor in the musical Queen of the Mist, which was written for her by composer, lyricist and librettist Michael John Lachiusa, who has himself been nominated for several Tony and Drama Desk Awards. Like the character she plays in Queen of the Mist, Mary Testa “has greatness in her.” She found a way to survive a childhood which didn’t celebrate her. In Catholic school she was treated very badly because she “everything she wasn’t supposed to be;” Italian, when the nuns were Irish, curly haired and breasted, when the norm was straight hair and a flat-chest, out-spoken and defiant, when good girls were quiet and obedient. Refusing to go to Catholic High School Mary attended the public high school where she was the new kid in town and therefore, once more, odd man out. But Mary would not be suppressed and developed a full out – in your face – “I will say what everyone is thinking but no one else will say,” personality. Accompanying this outgoing personal style is Mary’s prodigious talent and that is what has kept her working in theater. Listen to this guile-less, passionate, funny, thoughtful woman talk about her life and her work, and come see her remarkable performance in the one woman tour de force in My Brilliant Divorce at the Asolo Repertory Theatre.

7-2-13 Audio Interview

First a singer, then an actor and currently a director Meliss Kenworthy was the little girl with the loudest voice in her class. She fell in love with Opera as a very young child and pursued her passion for singing, until finally finding that where she really belonged was in Musical Theater, where her beautiful voice, acting ability and good looks made her a shoo-in. Currently she is expanding her reach by directing the Painting Churches the first play in the Banyan Summer Season – Listen to Meliss’s story and hear Sharon Lesley’s review of Painting Churches.

5-21-13 Audio Interview

When he was just three years old Noah Racey’s Dad gave him a snare drum and was stunned to hear, within the first week, his infant drummer playing an entire John Phillip Souza album. Discovering a place to put his excessive energy and deriving a feeling of belonging and pride at being allowed – by age six – to play with his father’s drum circle, Noah put his foot on the path that would define his life; a life that has grown to include dancing, singing, acting, writing and the creation of his own extraordinary company of triple threat performers. Come see Noah and his troupe perform the premier production of his very own creation; Noah Racey’s Pulse, at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota Fl, and listen to the thoroughly delightful, spontaneous, joy-filled man talk about his love of the work to which he is giving his life.

Noah has danced in or choreographed for Fine and Dandy, Curtains with David Hyde Pierce, Busker Alley, Where’s Charley?, Babes in Arms, Do Re Mi, Never Gonna Dance, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Baby and Johnny Project, and Look Ma, I’m Dancin’!

Audio Interview

Although always surrounded by music in his childhood, Robert H Fowler followed his parent’s advice and became an electrical engineer. He was working as an engineer and studying gymnastics as a hobby when his coach suggested he take a dance class. Someone in his class offered him a job dancing in Las Vegas and he never looked back. Although that job fell through it freed him from his previous life and set him on the path to a career as a dancer, a singer, and an actor. Rita Rhen was not only a working professional by the time she was 11 but an entrepreneur as well. She and her sister created The Entertainers – a group of young girls who put on plays and became so successful that they were in demand in their community. Listen to these two talented people talk about the interesting and very different paths they took to becoming professional performers. And come see the result of all their hard work in By Gershwin and The Book Of at Florida Studio Theater.

Audio Interview

May 7, 2013 – Charlie Tyler and Rita Corn are appearing as the eccentric Elwood P. Dowd and his long suffering sister Vita Louise Simmons, in the delightful production of the much loved comedy Harvey, which is currently running at the Lemon Bay Playhouse in Englewood Florida. As Charlie mentions in his interview “Harvey” is the 6th longest running show in Broadway history. That is quite understandable because while it is funny, charming, and outrageous, it is also thought provoking, as it asks us to think about what is really important in life. Both Charlie and Rita discovered their love of theater/acting when they were very young and ironically both had to put off really indulging in their passion until they had lived otherwise productive lives. Listen to these charming and interesting people talk about the way they kept their love of theater alive until they could dive in, which to our delight, is what they are currently doing.

Audio Interview

4-30-12 – Raised in an environment in which jobs, not careers, were considered appropriate and neither acting nor writing was taken seriously as a way of life Tyla Abercrombie nonetheless discovered early that she was a poet and that she was attracted to, and intrigued by performances of all kinds. Exposure to the classic movies she watched on TV to keep from being scared till her mother came home from work; a performance by the Alvin Ailey dance company at her grammar school; and a production of Sweeney Todd, captivated her. These experience plus the impact she realized she had on others when she read her poetry, stayed with Tyla and although she’d planned to study accounting thinking that it would enable her to “make some money,” she was finally able to honor herself and do “what she wanted;” which was to study writing and acting. And anyone who has seen Tyla on stage as we in Sarasota have been lucky enough to do (she is appearing in You Can’t Take it With You and Clybourne Park at the Asolo Repertory Theatre) is glad that she made that choice. Listen to the forthright, delightful woman tell how she did it her way.

4-23-13 Audio Interview

Andrei Maleav-Babel – is a Russian Immigrant. The son and grandson of writers and artists, Andrei wrote musicals and directed his parent’s friends in his plays, by the time he was 10 or 12. Luckily coming of age as Perestroika was occurring in Russia, Andrei was able to start his own theater as a very young man. Barely able to speak English, he met, courted and married an American sociology student and became a Professor of Acting at the prestigious FSU Conservatory for actor training, one of the top ten actor training companies in the United States. Listen to him tell his amazing story and talk about his direction of the Conservatory’s production of Candida, which is now playing at the Cook theater, and hear Sharon Lesley’s review of the play.

4-9-13 – Interview with Austin Pendleton

I start this interview by saying “I am here with the one and only Austin Pendleton.” This is not a casual or frivolous comment. Nominated for a Tony for his direction of Elizabeth Taylor in The Little Foxes, winner of a Drama desk and an Obie award, actor, director, playwright, producer, teacher and inspiration, Austin Pendelton is one of a kind; a singleton. Unique, special, extraordinary and esteemed by his peers (listen to Meryl Streep and Olympia Dukakis talk about him), Austin has somehow managed to stay under the radar of fame. His love affair with the theater began when at seven years old when he snuck down stairs to watch his town’s fledgling community theater group rehearse in his living room. But young Austin denied his interest in acting to his friends, he says “who would believe that a nerdy kid, who wore glasses and stuttered so badly could be an actor.” Apparently Austin did. Apparently Austin was right. While not able to stop him, his stutter remained an intractable stumbling block on the path to his beloved goal – working in the theater. But Austin is not only incredibly talented, he is also incredibly tenacious; listen to the determination with which he worked to overcome his stutter and so become, while not famous, a professional who is always working, always in demand. Check out Austin Pendleton Theatre Credits and Austin Pendleton – Filmography to see what I mean.

4-2-13 Audio Interview

Some think that critics are people who couldn’t succeed in the art they critique, this is not true of Jay Handelman, Theater and Television critic for the Sarasota Herald Tribune. Jay is, and has always been a critic, “I am perfectly suited to being a critic” he says ”it just fits me.” Self-effacingly, Jay says that he is “not sure he is serving a larger purpose,” but he loves the theater and “hopes that his work elevates the quality of what we see.” Pointing to early experiences that led him to this career Jay remembers having seen, at 11 or 12 years old, a Broadway production of 1776, and rather than wanting to be in it or to have written it, he wanted to talk about it. Also standing out in his memory is his 11th grade American Literature teacher, Mrs. Joyce Garvin, who taught her class “Waiting for Godot.” He says “we opened the script, the first line is ‘Let us go,’ and the stage directions say ‘they do not move.” She slammed the book shut and we talked about that line for two days.” Listen to this sensitive and thoughtful man talk about his love of theater, his certainty that he was meant to be a critic and how he made a path to that goal where there was really none to follow.

3-12 13 – Audio Interview

Actor, dancer, singer, director choreographer Rick Kerby says “my life has been one big wave, which I’ve ridden wherever it took me.” Opportunities did seem to pop up in front of him but Rick was always ready – listen to the charming and funny story of how he learned to dance for his college audition. While on a trip to NY with his college to see shows Rick courageously placed himself in front of the wave by walking into Actors Equity and, as a non equity actor, auditioning for the tour of Oklahoma. He got the job and never looked back. He was continually working; touring and touring and touring in Oklahoma, The Best Little Whore House in Texas, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers he worked in Las Vegas and he taught. Today he brings that wealth of skill, experience and expertise to his position as producing artistic director of the Manatee Players Theater in Bradenton Florida, which is opening their brand new space with a production of Miss Saigon.

3-5-13 – Audio Interview

Jgar Hellwig discovered very young that he was “different;” he liked to invent characters, have conversations with the trees and talk to his imaginary friend. Even though his family was “not artistic,” they appreciated, enjoyed and encouraged his talent as a performer and by the time he was twelve he was playing the guitar and entertaining his family and friends with his remarkable voice, which he understood even then, was his “ticket.” Although he had a teacher who criticized his voice Jgar was able to overcome this criticism and continue to do the thing which brings him not only work and recognition but extraordinary pleasure – sing. Listen to him tell his story and hear that remarkable voice in a cut from his CD. Also come see and hear him as the outrageous Miles Gloriosous in the delightful and hilarious Manatee Players production of “A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to the Forum.”

2-26-13 – Audio Interview

Even in the 2nd grade Jeff Plunkett didn’t want just to read the story in class – he wanted to act it. To deal with his chronic ear infections Jeff’s doctor prescribed voice lessons and from the time he was 13 he not only studied voice but had small roles in his voice teachers Opera Company. Although majoring in biology/psychology in college (thinking he might become a doctor), Jeff took every acting role he could and by the time he graduated knew that acting, not medicine was his path. Jeff says that he was “graced’ but I think it is we that are graced by being able to watch this wonderful actor become the role he is playing. Hurry out to see Jeff’s outstanding performance as the real life Joseph Alsop in the Florida Studio Theater production of “The Columnist” and listen to this thoughtful, intelligent man talk about character he is playing, and the world he inhabited.

2-19-13  – Audio Interview

Apparently Brian Sills has The Muppets to thank for his career in theater. Inspired by them, Brian began creating puppet shows for friends, family and classmates by the time he was 6. Ironically Brian’s first role in a national touring company was in The Lion King, where his knowledge of puppetry came in handy. Like so many others Brian credits his teachers with “encouraging his creativity” and the local Community Theater for “welcoming and teaching him.” But he also talks about the potentially devastating effect an arrogant voice teacher might have had on his and other’s creativity. Fortunately this teacher was fired before he could damage Brian’s and other student’s vocal talent. Hear a sample of what we might have missed and listen to this delightful man talk about the joys and struggles of making a career in theater. Also hear Sharon Leslies’ review of “The Heidi Chronicles” currently running at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in which Brian shines as part of the ensemble company.

2-12-13 – Audio Interview

The Lynne Show is about courageously living the life you meant to live and Jay Patterson is a role model for it. Although he says

“I can never remember wanting to be anything other than an actor”

as a child he suffered from a “horrible stutter,” and was afraid to try. In his junior year in high school the head of the drama dept encouraged him to audition for a school play; he did and was in 5 plays in his senior year. He “never looked back.” Currently Jay is part of the amazing ensemble company in the Asolo Repertory Theatre production of Glengarry Glen Ross, in a role he understudied on Broadway and “always wanted to play.” Listen to his interesting and sometimes terribly funny stories and hear the incredible story of how he went from being a bar tender at a hotel to starring in a 2 person play on Broadway.

1-29-13 – Audio Interview

David Howard is the real deal; an actor who uses everything about himself to make his performance as genuine as possible. After having done what he was supposed to do – gone to law school to become the hot shot labor lawyer his family expected him to be – David finally, if painfully allowed himself the luxury of being himself. Saying that he should always have known, enumerating all of the clues that his unconscious had given him, but which, in his zeal to be a good son he ignored, David at long last embraced what he had always know he was – an actor. And he has been studying, working at, honing his skill ever since. At 85 his performances are flawless but David has not stopped trying to make them better, realer, more universal. Listen to David’s funny, interesting, human story, and come see him in action in You Can’t Take it With You currently running at the Asolo Repertory Theatre.