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.

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.

Interview – Kris 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.

October 27, 2009

Discussion – Learn more about Uncovering Try the Who Am I Really exercise.

Interview – The second half of my interview with Carole Schweid, which begins with the “era of children.” In it Carole talks about how the explosively creative mother of two manages to give both her family and her creatively what they require, and to do it with joy!

October 20, 2009

Discussion – Can you recognize your Cover Story? Do you know what qualities, characteristics, capabilities or skills you’ve hidden Undercover? In this show I talk about how this happens and describe the positive role of Denial.

Interview – The first half of my interview with Carole Schweid, a founder with Nancy Diamond, of Play with Your Food, a truly unique theater experience. Listen to Carole’s funny, charming, disarming story. Hear her tell how she went from someone who was “dancing from the minute she could walk,” to the singer, actor, writer, director, choreographer, and producer she became.

October 13, 2009

Interview – The second half of my interview with Nate Jacobs, in which he tells the story or his mission to create a theater company with and for “people who look like me.” I also interview another founding member of the troupe delightful, 28 year old Leon Pitts, who began to work with Nate when he was 9 years old, and who had no plans for his life until Nate convinced him to audition for a part and it was “lights, camera, action from then on.”

October 06, 2009

Interview –The first half of my Interview with Nate Jacobs, Founder and Creative Director of the Westcoast Black Theater Troupe. Nate’s story is of a man who took a long time to believe what everyone was telling him – that he was a talented singer, dancer, actor, and story teller. For many years he told himself that “they were just being nice.” In this half of his interview Nate tells the often hilarious tale of his discovery and acceptance of himself and what it forced him to do with his life I also play an interview with gregarious and talented 26 year old Tsadok Porter, a founding member of the Troupe who began working with Nate when she was 5 years old.

April 28, 2009

In this show I air my interview with the producing artistic director of the Asolo Rep, Michael Donald Edwards, in which he talks about his vision for theater. I replay Sharon’s review of Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, which Michael directed and about which he takes at length. I also air my interview with actor/playwright Jason Wells, whose plan Perfect Mendacity is about to open.

April 21, 2009

Here I continue to talk about the families need for balance and encourage you to try the Small Change exercise to see if your family is balanced and in what way. Sharon reviews Murderers, and I interview Actor, Musical Comedy Star of the cult favorite Merrily We Roll Along, Druid, and self proclaimed Grail Maiden Annie Morrison.

April 14, 2009

This show is dedicated to an interview with the remarkably talented actor Dan Donahue who not only stars in Inventing Van Gogh but also Shaw’s The Devil’s Disciple, and Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale. And, right before this interview had played them back to back.  Also hear Sharon’s review of Inventing Van Gogh – to hear her reviews of Devil’s Disciple listen to the 3/31show and to hear her review of Winter’s Tale listen to the 4/7 or 4/28 shows, in which she also praises Dan.

March 22, 2009

In this show I describe my trip to Vienna VA and Washington DC – showing my dyslexia how made it doubly hard to find my way around a strange city. I air the interview there with singer/actor Sandy Bainum, and play two songs from her CD.

March 17, 2009

Discover the Family Pie Exercise and see how the roles assigned in your family maintain balance, and hear the 2nd half of my interview with Pam Wiley, and the commercial which supported her family for 17 years.

March 10, 2009

I explain that families require balance and show how the roles assigned to each family member in childhood helps the family achieve and maintain that balance. I air the fist half of my interview with Actor/Director Pam Wiley.

February 22, 2009

Here I begin to describe how brain chemistry can be altered, and air Sharon’s reviews of The Imaginary Invalid and Visiting Mr. Green currently playing at the Asolo Rep, and also play parts of my interviews with Carolyn Michel, star of Invalid, & her husband Howard Millman, director of Mister Green.

January 27, 2009

This show covers Myth #3, and I play the second half of my interview with Betty Garrett, who began her career starring on Broadway.

January 20, 2009

After describing Myth #2, I play the first half of my interview with Betty Garrett, who began her career starring on Broadway, then co-starred in movies with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, moved on to TV with recurring roles in Lavern and Shirley and It’s All in the Family and who – about to turn 90 – is still working.

January 06, 2009

In the first show of the Year I explain why New Year’s Resolutions can be dangerous; tell my annual Holiday story, interview mystery and screen writer, professor, lecturer Stuart Kaminsky & air Sharon Lesley’s review of La Cage.

July 29, 2008

Feelings – emotions, which are a necessary part of being human, get a bad rap in our society, we dismiss or discount them often saying – don’t mind me I’m just being emotional. Our criticism of the expression of emotion can make simple feeling a Danger and stop us from changing. In this show I counteract the criticism we often hear about feeling and try to resurrect the importance of allowing ourselves to feel, I also air my interview couple with actor/philanthropist Carolyn Micheal and her director/theater manager husband Howard Millman.

June 17, 2008

Continuing to describe the Dangers which keep us from changing I discuss the concept of Catastrophic Expectations and how the anticipation (even when it is unconscious) can keep us from doing things we want to do. In this show I play an interview with Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes; who are perhaps best know for their long running roles on the soap opera Days of our Lives, and I play the original version The Ballad of Davy Crockett, recorded by Bill Hayes.

June 03, 2008

This show introduces the concept of the Danger of Change, and explains that often when we are stuck it is because we are unconsciously aware of a danger that will confront us when we do the thing we want to do. Then continuing my series of interview of artists I play interview with actress/philanthropist Carolyn Michel and her director theater manager husband Howard Millman.

May 13, 2008

After recapping the creation of a Cover Story I explain how and why we hide some of our most important qualities Undercover, and that these qualities which we have, but deny, can be the very ones we need to do some things we’d previously been unable to do. Using brief descriptions of two movies “Juno” and “Miss Pettigrew” I talk about the importance of strong female role models in fiction and then play the second ½ of my interview with Sharon Lesley, who is not only a powerful role model but has written three theater pieces which highlight the lives of powerful woman.