12/8/15 Audio Interview

The multi-talented Donald Chan is a conductor, musical director, pianist and composer. His repertoire includes 75 or 80 musicals. He has guest conducted at the American Conservatory Theater, the Seattle Repertory Theater and the Cleveland and Seattle Opera Houses. Donald was the musical director for the St. Louis Municipal Opera, the largest theater in the United States, for 12 years. Today, with director/choreographer Joey Mc Neely, he travels the world bringing the real version of West Side Story which he has conducted more than a thousand times. Luckily for us he is currently bringing his experience and expertise to the stage at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. Although he has worked with Gene Kelly, Ethel Merman, Chita Rivera, Carol Lawrence, Joel Grey, Sid Caesar, Len Cariou, Clark Terry and Shelly Manne to name a few, Donald is soft spoken and self-deprecating. In this show listen to him talk about the outrageous schedule he kept during his time at the St. Louis Municipal Opera and his decision to courageously follow his passion to be a musician and a conductor, so clearly the right choice, even though it disappointed his father who wanted him to be a dentist, also hear Pam Wiley’s review of the Asolo’s production of West Side Story and some of its glorious music.

10-22-13- Audio Interview

Karyl Lynn Burns says that she was a born producer. Listen to her delightful story about when her mother’s friends came to play bridge, how 4 or 5 year old Karyl Lynn would charge the children who accompanied them their allowance to watch her put on a show. Her childhood was filled with stories, invention and play acting; Karly Lynn says that she always knew her life would be about acting, producing and the telling of stories. But it has been that and more. She was also interested in writing and so she majored in Journalism in College, but she went on to study acting under Tony Nominated director Bill Ball at the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) an experience which changed her approach to her work and her life. Also through a series of coincidences she created a major Public Relations firm. But acting and producing remained her passion, listen to this delightful, charming, spontaneous woman describe the circuitous route which led her and her husband Jim O’Neil to the creation of the Rubicon Theater, a remarkable space for all kinds of theater.