Although I loved and do still love NY, LA in the 70’s was a revelation. It wasn’t crowded, people really were laid back and friendly, it still had the weather it’s still pretending to have, we hadn’t heard of smog, and I could live on unemployment. There was so much money available that a publisher would give you $100.00 (that was a lot of money) just to hold a song,. I went there to pursue my songwriting career and, like me, all my friends were scuffling to carve out a career in show business; actors, singers, writers, composers, comics… so I wrote “Hollywood Has Got Her”

These songs are all on my CD “I Won’t go With a Whimper” which was produced by the ridiculously talented Michele Brourman, who also arranged the songs and played all the keyboards. Michele is a brilliant singer/songwriter/performer/composer/musical director and producer. Check her out at Michelebrourman.com

I spent much of my 20’s worrying about the fact that, although there were always men in my life, I wasn’t MARRIED! When I moved from NY – where I was born and raised – and moved to LA, I began a new life. One day I realized that I was not only very happy, I no longer cared that I wasn’t MARRIED. And I wrote this song in celebration.

The Sweet Single Life is the first cut on My CD “I Won’t Go With A Whimper”

3-9-20 Singer and Cabaret Performer Anne Pringle Burnell thought she was going to be an actress. Listen to the ironic way she discovered that she is really a singer and was drawn to Cabaret where, unlike acting she can express herself. Anne was instrumental in creating the Chicago Cabaret Professionals and is currently its President. Along with many other music genres The Chicago Cabaret Professions will be participating in the Year of Chicago Music, and she and husband Mark Burnell will be performing along with 46 Cabaret performers at Chicago Cabaret Week, 3/20-39.

2-17-120 Laura Kepley, is in Sarasota to direct Into the Breeches at the Asolo Repertory Company. Laura fell in love with theater the first time she saw a play at 3 or 4 years old, and she can still remember the sticks with twirling lollipops. Not basically an extravert Laura persevered studying acting and theater until she realized that what she wanted to be was an Artistic Director. Apparently the Cleveland Playhouse though so too and so now she its Artistic Director. Listen to this charming, dedicated professional talk about her journey to discover her destiny. And come see Into the Breeches a “big hearted comedy,” whose message is you can be more that you, or others think you can.

2-24-20 Jeanne Corcoran is the director, Sarasota county film & entertainment office since 2007. She is an award-winning writer/producer/creative director and on-camera talent, in television and video productions, including dozens of concept-to-completion projects plus original tv and video content, music, books, electronic media, and web content. Listen to this amazing woman describe all the things she has done and is doing and come to the Film Commission’s 6 & a mix event – at Suncoast Technical College : 4748 S Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233 on Thursday Feb 27 – see details below

Featuring two upcoming young stars from Los Angeles, who have been on abc and other networks, cable and streaming, plus marvel and disney and numerous other major feature films and tv shows — Booboo Stewart (x-men, descendants, twilight saga and much more) and his sister Fivel Stewart (Hansel and Gretel, etc.) will speak on our vip panel in the conference center at 6:30 pm and if you’d like to just attend the beverages and nibbles mixer at 5:30 and then the vip panel, it’s only $12 total! if you’d like to come to any of the six workshops that run from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm you can register for those too at a different total cost of $50 for everything including the workshop, but it is not required, of course!
And if you have any questions, call the office at (941) 309-1200 extension 104
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/six-and-a-mix-tickets-86606968775

2-17-20 Derek Speedy, is charming gregarious and very intelligent. As he says, he could have chosen and excelled at many careers which would have been more “secure,” but Derek was captured by the theater. And at twenty-three, only two years out of Harvard, he is steadily working. Come see him at the Asolo, along with two other wonderful actors, in Lifespan of a Fact, brilliantly directed by Celine Rosenthal. Come see him now, so in the near future you can say that you saw him before he was famous.

1-27-20 – Actress/Singer Jannie Jones is one of a tiny percent of performers who actually make their living with their talent. Jannie was five years old when her mother taught her and her two sisters to sing Acapella. They became the sought after Ford Sisters performing at church and community groups. Known as the little girl with the Golden Voice, Jannie didn’t understand that she was “special.” Listen to this animated, vibrant woman describe how she came to appreciate her talent: how she accidentally became a theatre major and how, without any help or guidance, she found her way to her “place.” And come see her as Caroline in Caroline or Change at The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s brand new building.

1-20-20 Celine Rosenthal, is an Associate Artistic Director at The Asolo Repertory Company. She was captured by theatre very young and predictably studied acting. Surprisingly, although she loved everything about acting; script analysis, the rehearsal process etc., she really didn’t like being on stage. And in tandem with her acting studies she was also a pre-med student. After graduation she spent a year in Mumbai India creating a children’s theater, then found her way into producing, achieving Tony nominations for her work on Leap of Faith and Seminar. She worked as a New York City Medic before and taking the plunge to get her Directing degree from the New School of Drama in NY. Listen to the thoughtful, serious, exuberant woman describe the circuitous path that lead to her true calling – directing – and hear her describe “Lifespan of a Fact” the unique play she has directed for the current season at Asolo Rep.

1-13–20 Four year old Peter Amster decided that if Peter Pan could fly so could he and he had to be restrained from jumping out of the window. From then on he never stopped pushing his limits. Although he was to discover that his body was not designed to dance, he became a passionate dancer and choreographer. Although he says he wasn’t a very good actor – he nonetheless got work, and finally although already a working director – he questioned his technique and expanded his skill. Peter is not only a triple threat; he is a charming, delightful and funny man. Listen to his remarkable man talk about his journey. And hear what he has to say about his direction of one of the first productions of Murder at the Orient Express which is now playing to deservedly rave reviews at the Asolo Repertory Co.

12-30-20 Wendy Lyons Sunshine is an award-winning writer whose creative journey has included visual art and songwriting. After a career as a technical writer, Wendy began reporting for local publications and partnering with experts on books. Her first book collaboration was The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family, which has become a classic in its field. More recently, she partnered with leaders of the child welfare agency, Chaddock, on Raising the Challenging Child, coming out in January 2020. Listen to this thoughtful, intelligent, self-deprecating woman describe her journey to understanding how her unique abilities allow her to help other people tell their stories. Her website is polishedwriting.com

11-12-19 Dancer, singer, actor and Broadway director/choreographer Josh Rhodes is in Sarasota directing his seventh show for the Asolo Repertory Theater; The Sound Of Music.. Listen to this charming story of a man who was drawn to musicals as a 5 year old boy, who dedicated his life to becoming the very best performer he could possibly be and was rewarded for his talent and his diligence with the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography, and the Astaire Award as well as nominations for the Drama Desk and LA Critics Circle Awards and a career in which he never had to have a straight job!

7-22-19 Actor, director, playwright, author and teacher E Katherine Kerr said, that “as a girl from Indiana, with no exposure to theater and no formal training she should never have become an actor.” Listen to the hilarious story of the first time she was on a stage which convinced her never to step foot on a stage again. But time after time she found herself on stage until she finally accepted that she was meant to be an actress, Hear how she was discovered by her idol Mike Nichols, and the extraordinary career that followed in which she shared stage and screen with stars like Meryl Streep and Cher. Having spent years working on stage, film, and TV and as one of the principle members of the prestigious Westport Theatre Group, Katherine brought her talents and skills to Sarasota where she was gratefully embraced and will be missed by the Sarasota Theater Community.

7-15-19 Director Laura Braza says she was probably the “most difficult child that one could imagine.” She started directing her parents in scenes from her favorite cartoon – Robin Hood – by the time she was three years old. Luckily Laura had generous, understanding parents who let themselves be directed until the scene that got them to put an end to the Robin Hood production. But then they exposed Laura to every possible art form, feeding what turned out to be an insatiable hunger for all things art. Listen to this exuberant, talented woman describe a life dedicated to the relentless pursuit of learning, to acquire all the skills she would need to do the work she was born to do. And come see her direction of Thornton Wilders’ “Theophilis North”, a Dog Days Theater production.

7-8-19 Vanessa Russo discovered by accident that she was a dancer. She was three years old when her friend’s mother asked Vanessa to join a dance class so that her reluctant friend would attend. The friend didn’t stay, but Vanessa fell in love. Although sure she had a “plan,” she was supposed to follow, Vanessa relentlessly pursed each art she discovered; singing, acting, and teaching. Listen to this talented, determined, articulate woman tell the story of how she realized that performing, not following her original “plan,” was what she was meant to do.

7-1-19 In honor of his 55th birthday and to invite you all to his birthday bash – fund raiser I am re-airing an interview I did many years ago with Jeffery Kin. The youngest of six from a farm family in Central Ohio, Jeff 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, Jeff was lucky enough to have a mother who saw that he “belonged on the stage.” So he 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. Come out to let him know how much we appreciate and love him – Happy birthday Jeffery!!!

6-17-19 Singer, Dancer, Actor and member of the West Coast Black Theatre Troupe Ariel Blue never intended to be a performer. She loved to read and dreamed of being a journalist. When she was only 8 or 9 years old she joined an acting class at Florida Studio Theater because her friend didn’t want to join alone and even when the teacher was so moved by the sincerity of her performance that she asked if Ariel was “okay,” it never occurred to Ariel that performing was in her future. Listen to the ironic story of the way Ariel was finally convinced that, at least for now, performing is what she is meant to do.