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  • Interview with Lillette Jenkins-Wisner

    August’s shows included interviews with people who came in with their destiny clear in their minds, all four musicians were playing the piano by the time they were three years old.

    August 10, 2010 Lillette Jenkins-Wisner Re-Run Interview

    Lillette Jenkins-Wisner – is a one of a kind. Born in Harlem almost 85 years ago, she could play whatever she heard by the time she was three. The oldest of nine, her parents couldn’t afford a piano but her upstairs neighbor, who little Lillette would visit and “entertain,” offered her piano if Lillette’s parents would give her music lessons. And Lillette took the financial pressure off her parents by getting scholarships to study music by the time she was 10. Lillette refuses to be pigeonholed; she plays every kind of music. She has been every country in the world following the soldiers as part of the USO in three wars.


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  • Interview with Dotti Anita Taylor

    August’s shows included interviews with people who came in with their destiny clear in their minds, all four musicians were playing the piano by the time they were three years old.

    August 03, 2020 Dotti Anita Taylor Re-Run Interview – see March 30, 2010

    Dotti Anita Taylor was a true prodigy. At three years old Dottie would play the music she’d heard her seven year old sister play. Not surprisingly her sister’s piano teacher didn’t believe it until she saw tiny Dottie play what she heard. Cleverly the teacher insisted that Dottie not hear any of the music she was learning so she would not be able to cheat – but had to learn to read music. The result is a consummate musician who plays not only piano but flute exquisitely. A soft-spoken gentle woman Dottie is a powerhouse when connected to one of her instruments.

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  • Interview with Jeffrey Kin

    July 27 Jeffrey Kin

    Jeffrey Kin is the artistic director of The Players Theater a community theater in Sarasota Florida. The youngest of six from a farm family in Central Ohio, Jeffrey broke the family mold by being the “creative kid.” Discovering very early his desire to entertain and the charisma that would later make him so compelling on stage, Jeffrey was lucky enough to have a mother who saw that he “belonged on the stage” and “took care of Dad’s disapproval.” So Jeffrey was able to develop not only his acting, singing and dancing skills, but his play writing, directing and finally the administrative abilities that make him the perfect choice to shepherd The Players Theater’ renaissance.

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  • Interview with Iain Webb

    July 20 Interview with Iain Webb

    Director of the Sarasota Ballet Company, Iain Webb has danced all over the world with some the ballet world’s greatest choreographers and many of its most prestigious companies. But Iain’s story is compelling because he is a real live Billy Elliot, whose working class British father, while never truly accepting that his son was a ballet dancer, nevertheless did everything he could to support his son’s difficult choice. Listen to the amazingly serendipitous way that Iain discovered ballet and how he, fought for, protected and nurtured his dream.

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  • Interview with Duncan La Mont Part 2 of 2

    July 13 Interview with Duncan La Mont

    Although already a very successful musician and composer Duncan La Mont discovered that his first love is songwriting. Listen to how he discovered his skill and his passion for songwriting and hear some of his songs which were recorded by Natalie Cole, Blossom Dearie and Cleo Laine – to name only a very few. Duncan’s story to use his words is nothing less than “Magical and Spiritual.”

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  • Interview with Duncan La Mont Part 1 of 2

    July 06, 2010

    This is the first half of my interview with the much awarded, applauded, and accoladed Duncan La Mont. A boy from the tiny poverty stricken town of Greenock, Scotland, who expected to spend his life working in the mines, and although he tried hard to avoid it, found himself playing with Henry Mancini, Tony Bennett, Bing Crosby, Benny Goodman, Paul McCartney. Listen to remarkable way Duncan was pushed into accepting and using his prodigious musical gifts. Hear his wonderful music and his disarming sweetness.

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  • Interview with Dotti Anita Taylor

    March 30, 2010 Audio Interview

    Dotti Anita Taylor was a true prodigy. At three years old Dottie would play the music that her seven year old sister had just finished playing. Not surprisingly her sister’s piano teacher didn’t believe it until she saw tiny Dottie play what she heard. Cleverly the teacher insisted that Dottie not hear any of the music she was learning so she would not be able to cheat – but had to learn to read music. The result is a consummate musician who plays not only piano but flute exquisitely. A soft-spoken gentle woman Dottie is a powerhouse when connected to one of her instruments.

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  • Interview with Jimmy Clark

    March 23, 2010

    Interview – Jimmy Clark is so much of a rebel, that his Mom cautioned him to find a work that he wanted to do – because he just wasn’t going to fit into any one else’s mold or pigeon hole. Lucky for Jimmy not one but many teachers who not only understood him but were able to coax and lead him towards the direction Jimmy needed to go; first literature and finally theater. Of course Jimmy is a wonderful actor. And his story makes you want to go out and take a teacher to lunch.

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  • Interview with Larry Forgard

    March 15 2010
    Interview – Larry Forgard – re-run see Jan 26, 2010
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  • Interview with Michael Joseph Mitchell

    February 23, 2010

    Michael Joseph Mitchell is a lucky guy and the Asolo is lucky to have him. The 3 roles he is playing in this Asolo Repertory Theatre season were to go to a member of the company who got a role in a touring company production of “Spring Awakening,” and in an open call audition Michael was chosen to replace him. Discovering the thrill of being on stage in a third grade Christmas play, and then being fortunate to have a teacher in high school “drag him into an audition for a school play” where he discovered “the only thing I really do well.,” and set the course for his life.

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  • Interview with Doug Jones

    February 16, 2010

    Doug Jones began his life in Costa Rica, speaking Spanish. He was 3 years old when his family returned to the US and to help him learn English they put him in a little drama class. He did his first play at age 4 and as he says “he was doomed.” This began a life in the theater and the creation of a very thoughtful philosophy of what it means to be an actor. A pivotal player in the Asolo Repertory Company Doug is always playing many and varied roles in their productions, but none as varied and demanding as those he is playing this season. The self-effacing, busybody Sipos is the delightful production of “Perfume Shop.” And the tormented Don Waldman – struggling to make peace with his experiences in World War ll, in the compelling drama “Hearts.”. Listen to how a pro creates two distinctly different and wonderfully believable characters.

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  • Interview with Kris Danford and Sam Osheroff

    February 09, 2010

    Discussion – One of the ways to discover the danger that might be stopping you from discovering the parts of yourself which you had to hide is to explore your Catastrophic Expectations. In this show I will discuss this concept and explain how to find your Catastrophic Expectation.

    InterviewKris Danford and Sam Osheroff are husband and wife, talented actors and co stars in two plays running in repertory at the Asolo. In Searching For Eden they play Adam and Eve. The first act takes place in Eden as they discover themselves, each other and of course are banished. This act explores the stereotypical differences between men and woman. The second act sees a modern Adam and Eve, no longer in Eden, trying to maintain their relationship amid the stresses of modern life. Five Years After is the story of a couple who find each other, fall in love and then fall apart. There are many interesting twists in this play which is done completely in wonderfully clever and poignant songs by two talented actor/singers. There is a special advantage to seeing a married couple play lovers and of course it is that they are – and so they bring to these performances something that no other actors no matter how talented can bring – they bring the truth…

    In the next two shows I am airing interviews with two actors who appear in 3 of the shows currently at the Asolo, as well as Sharon’s Lesley’s reviews of two of those shows. The very first English language production of “Perfume Shop” the play which was the source for the movie’s “The shop around the corner,” “In the Good Old Summer Time,” and “You’ve Got Mail,” as well as the musical “She Loves Me.” And “Hearts” and little known powerful play about Don Waldman and the impact that being a young soldier fighting in World War ll had on the rest of his life.

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  • Interview with Michael Donald Edwards

    February 02, 2010

    Discussion – Is there a danger attached to discovering those parts of you which you have had to hide undercover? Are there consequences, of which you are consciously unaware, to discovering aspects of yourself that you have hidden (even from yourself) or to making certain changes in your life? In this show I talk about the existence of these dangers and how to unearth them so you can be “all that you can be.”

    Interview Michael Donald Edwards is the producing artistic director of the Asolo Theater and in this show he talks about his production (he directed) of The Life of Galileo. In our last interview, Michael talked extensively about his interest in the impact of religion on us and our culture. This interview follows that one and in it Michael explains why he was drawn to Galileo’s story and why he thinks this play and Paul Whitworth’s extraordinary performance are a must see. In this show I am also airing Sharon Lesley’s review of the play – listen to see if she agrees.

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  • Interview with Larry Forgard

    January 26, 2010

    Larry Forgard is an artist, he makes both his living and his life with his art, but it took him a while to find the perfect outlet for that art. For many years Larry employed his skills, as a graphic designer, hear the remarkable way he stumbled into teaching at the Ringling School of Art and Design and created a life in which he can not only teach but create his own paintings.

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  • Interview with Jack Gilhooley

    January 12, 2010

    Discussion – In this show I am beginning to talk about the danger we face when we begin to consider exposing the Undercover qualities we had carefully hidden away.

    Interview – Playwright Jack Gilhooley is a crusty, outspoken, interesting man with a dark vision and a passionate interest in history, which is demonstrated in his many, many plays. Jack was encouraged by his father to pursue a career in business and while it was instantly apparent both to Jack and the Wharton School that it wasn’t for him, it took him a while to realize that his passionate interest in plays, which he’d begun reading voraciously as a boy, was really what his life must be about. But having once started writing plays, nothing could stop him. “Writing a play is easy” he says, “it’s getting them on that’s hard.” Still jack perseveres. He is very definitely an example of someone who knows who he is, makes no apology for it, and steadfastly follows his path.

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  • Interview with Eleanor Merritt

    January 05, 2010

    Eleanor Merritt began to draw when she was five years old and from then till now (at over 70) she has never stopped making Art. Even when she had to do it “in the bathroom after midnight” having taken care of her responsibilities as wife, mother and teacher, Eleanor never stopped exploring her own very personal relationship to painting. Somehow she learned to “compartmentalize” all of the things she wanted and needed to do with her life, without having to sacrifice her beloved Art. Eleanor Merritt is a poster child for ‘self-actualization’ and listening to her story tells us all how it can be done…

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  • Interview with Carol Ettman

    December 29, 2009

    In this show I am playing what I believe to be the last interview given by my friend, the glorious jazz singer, Carol Ettman. Carol was not only the consummate professional; she was dedicated to discovering and bringing to light little known but terrifically interesting songs. Carol was always exploring, testing limits and in every aspect of her life, she was also the soul of generosity. In this show I am also playing several songs from Carol’s CD and one tune on which we just have Carol on piano and voice – in which you can hear not only her skill but her spontaneity and joy.

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  • Interview with Carole Kleinberg

    December 22, 2009

    Carole Kleinberg always wanted to direct plays, and even though her family discouraged her Carole was able to find the courage to pursue her dream. Trusting her instincts, she over and over again risked closing the door on one aspect of her life without knowing what is waiting for her. And over and over again something wonderful and completely unexpected was literally waiting in the wings. Carole has lived a life in sync with her deepest conviction of what is right for her and because of that her life has not only been exciting and fulfilling, it has also touched, influenced and encouraged many, many others.

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  • Interview with Gail Fulton-Ross

    December 15, 2009

    Gail Fulton-Ross is an artist with a capital A. She paints, sculpts, writes, and acts, and would sing if she could. Knowing as a very young child that she would be an artist “when she grew up,” Gail’s parents had to hide her coloring books in order to get her to go out and play. But as she points out life doesn’t always go in the direction you have chosen for yourself. Married and a mother by the time she was seventeen Gail powerfully describes the difficult challenge of balancing an unquenchable thirst to produce Art with an equally powerful need to be “a good mother, wife, daughter, student etc.” When Gail says that she has the “richness of being,” she is right.

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  • Interview with Sue Kutno

    December 08, 2009

    Discussion – Continuing the discussion of our Undercover I tell the story of Donna, whose Cover Story of I don’t work for money, but for the good of my family and community, was making it impossible for her to get the job she badly needed and was endangering her financial security. And how she discovered what she called her invisible ink reason for not doing what she needed to do. I talk about how we can all begin to discover and then recover the Undercover qualities we once had to hide.

    InterviewSue Kutno says “many years ago when I was a child, before I remember, I was an artist!” and it is the truth. Sue was born bursting with creativity. Whatever art form she was exposed to, be it stained glass or petit point; she embraced it, expanded on it, and improved it. Her Art is everything from fused glass – about which she wrote a book which is used as a text by other teachers and carried in two museums gift shops, gardening, home remodeling or the creation of websites. A poster child for being yourself, Sue’s gregarious exuberance is contagious. Listening to her makes you want to go out and create something!

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