4-12-16 Audio Interview

AK Murhbatah discovered his desire to and delight in performing by the time he was six years old. You can still hear the joy his second grade self-felt at being singled out to be the “Imp who saved Christmas.” But his father didn’t approve and it took a very long time for him to stake a claim to himself, and be what he always knew he was – an actor. Listen to this charming, unguarded man talk about his round-about journey to his destination and come see the results in his standout performance as– Dr. Martin Luther King in All the Way and Dr. John Prentice in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner currently playing at the Asolo Repertory Theatre.

4-5-16 Audio Interview

Louisa Flannigan was destined to be a performer but she had to travel a haphazard path to realize it. She fell in love with modern dance as a child but believed, as her family and extended community believed, that a career in dance couldn’t support you. She soon realized that majoring in elementary education was a mistake and became an art major. Still it took a serendipitous series of events to show her what she was meant to do. Listen to Louisa tell the story of how her fear of water is responsible for her finding what was so very definitely her destiny.

3-29-16 Audio Interview

Multi-talented actor, singer, dance, writer, producer and advocate Annie Morrison’s, career includes standout Broadway and Cabaret performances. She won The 2010 John Ringling Towers Fund Award and the Best Actress Award at the 2012 United Solo Festival for her one woman show which inspired her to join with Blake Walton and David Coyle to create Sarasolo – a one person solo festival in Sarasota FL. She has also won the Theatre World Award©, a Drama Desk Award© Nomination, the Drama-Logue, SAMMY, HANDY and Sarasota Magazine Awards and a Best Plays Citation. Listen to this one of a kind talent talk about her early life, her commitment to creativity in all of its forms, collaboration instead of competition and encouraging creative humans wherever she finds them. And come see her in the Freefall theatre production of Sondheim on Sondheim. Also hear her singing a cut from the original cast album of Sondheim’s Broadway musical; Merrily We Roll Along in which she originated the role of Mary Flynn.

3-22-16 Interview

Actor, dancer, singer Cecil Washington Jr. and his middle school friends were fooling around with a video camera, pretending to act out a movie. When Cecil saw himself on film he was hooked. The feeling in his body told him that this was what he was meant to do. But since he was skilled in math and science and his parents wanted him to be a doctor – he put his dream of being an actor aside. In college (while majoring in pre-health) he happened to see a call for auditions for a show – Cecil got that same feeling in his body and although he’d had no training went to audition. Listen to Cecil tell the story of that audition; of his re discovered his need to perform and the startling surprise discovery of gifts he hadn’t known he had. Finally Cecil accepted his destiny and changed his major. Come see the result of his powerful belief in what he was meant to do as he stars as Sam Cooke in the West Coast Black Theater Troupe’s production of Sam Cooke Story.

3-15-16 Audio Interview

Barry Pearl believes he was born to perform. He was singing, telling jokes and mimicking as a toddler. As the youngest boy in tap class, little Barry and the youngest girl performed for a large audience and Barry was “bitten.” He began to get roles in an adult company and was playing the Duke of York in a production with Roy Scheider when he was 9 years old. He got his first role on Broadway, that of Randolph McAfee in Bye Bye Birdie, when he was 11. And has been an actor ever since. Listen to Barry describe the “woo woo” way his life progressed: the unexpected way he became a director and the irony of having lost a role on a TV show just in time to be cast in the movie version of Grease. Currently Barry lives and works as an actor, director and teacher in Los Angeles. He has just finished a production of the musical 13 and will open a production of Camp Rock for Panic Productions at the NoHo Arts theatre in North Hollywood on May 6th.You can also see Barry as Stan Weaver (the producer for National Bandstand) in GREASE: LIVE which will air on March 27th on FOX.

March 8 Audio Interview

George Tynan Crowley had a mystical experience at the age of 7 when he spontaneously volunteered to read the prayer at communion and knew that he was meant to “speak out.” From then on he followed this path to speak out by becoming a versatile, talented actor, director, writer, and producer. Listen to this charming, articulate man talk about his work in theater and film, his belief in the power of theater to transform lives and his personal philosophy of life. Come see his powerful performance in the meaningful and beautiful play, Outside Mullingar, currently running at Florida Studio Theater and listen to Sharon Leslie’s review of the play.

March 1, 2016 Audio Interview

Talented and versatile actors David Breitbarth and Doug Jones, both long time members of the The Asolo Repertory Theatre Co are currently appearing in Eugene O’Neil’s comedy Ah Wilderness, listen to these serious professionals talk about their lives and their work. And Listen to Sharon Leslie’s review of Ah Wilderness.

2-23-16 Audio Interview

Summer Dawn Wallace discovered acting at four years old. Listen to the sweet story of how little Summer learned that a person could be anything she wanted to be. For example, every day she pretended to be a different animal, and if that day’s animal was a cat, little Summer refused to eat at the table insisting that her mother feed her on the floor. This began a lifelong commitment to creating alternate realities for herself and her audiences culminating, with co-founder Brendan Ragan in the creation of the Urbanite Theater, Sarasota’s newest and most unique theater company. In a very short time The Urbanite has proved Brendan and Summer right – that they are clearly filling a need in the community, is borne out by their swift and remarkable success.

2-16-16 Audio Interview

Johnny Epstein has had a long career as a Shakespearian Player and acting teacher. Although he knew from age 7 that he was comfortable on stage – when he spontaneously ad-libbed to cover a fellow student missed cue – it was a series of unplanned and unintended actions and comments that lead him to realize that acting was his career. To help him overcome a fear of water his parents sent him to Tuffs Magic Circle summer day camp because campers were encouraged to swim and, by the way, spent the mornings doing theater. Johnny spent 3 years there enjoying doing plays but did not think of acting as a “profession.” Following his first performance in a Shakespeare play (As You Like it) the shop teacher a “plain man with little exposure to Shakespeare” said “I saw that As You Like it – you’re a great actor – is this going to be your profession” This was the first time Johnny considered of acting as a profession. Listen to this knowledgeable, articulate  man describe the ironic way he got his first role on Broadway and talk about his life, the work of acting, and the upcoming production of Macbeth – performed by his class of 2^nd year graduate students at the FSU Conservatory for Acting Training.

2-9-16 Interview

Robert Douglas fell in love with acting when, at 8 years old, he saw a production of Raisin in the Sun. He identified so strongly with the character of Walter Lee Younger that began to inhabit the character of Walter Lee and believe that it was his job “to tell Walter Lee’s story. “ And when he saw Lady Sings the Blues he researched and fell in love with Billie Holliday’s music. These events lead him to pursue the world of characters and stories. Listen to this passionate, articulate man talk about his journey. If you saw him in the Westcoast Black Theater Troupe’s production of The Whipping Man – you already know how talented an actor he is. Come and get another opportunity to see him at work in the WBTT production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

2-2-16 Audio Interview

Having accompanied her mother to rehearsals when she produced West Side Story for a local theater group, nine year old Emily Sophia Knapp feel in love with the theater and when she saw her friend in a 50 kid production she knew that was what she wanted to do. But Emily has many interests and she didn’t want to miss out on anything. At Harvard she pursued independent research but found it too solitary and so she went to England to study acting. She sent a letter to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival asking for an audition and spent 2 years living the actor’s life in NY until OSF finally responded, gave her an audition and offered her a position. It was during her two years as an actor at the festival that she discovered an interest in everything about “how plays get produced;” she learned to write grants and developed a software program for the festival. It was there that she also began to direct, becoming assistant director for the earliest productions of All the Way – which she is currently directing for the Asolo Repertory Theatre Company. Listen to this exuberant, flexible, charming woman talk about her unusual path and hear Sharon Leslie’s review of All the Way.

1-26-16 Audio Interview

Internationally known Soprano and versatile actor Rebecca Caine’s life had a rocky start. When her parents separated her mother took Rebecca and her younger sister out of school and relocated them in London. When Mom and younger sister returned to Dad, Rebecca remained in London. When at 17 she unexpectedly left the Guild Hall School she was alone, without friends or family. But talent and tenacity helped her endure and overcome sadness, loneliness, and depression. Then she was surprisingly picked to create the role of Cosette in the Royal Shakespeare Company premier production of Les Miserables and to originate the role of Christine in Phantom of the Opera. Since then her career has included Opera, Musical Theater and Cabaret. And now luckily for us she is staring in her very first “straight play,” as The Diva in Living on Love at the Asolo Repetory Theater Company. Living on Love by playwright Joe DiPietro is a glorious confection. Genius director Peter Amster found every laugh in this piece and invented many of his own, Karl Hamilton as The Maestro is amazing – especially if you saw him as a very different character – Sen Hubert Humphrey in All the Way. But the star of this piece is the sparkling Rebecca Caine, come to support this courageous and talented woman – or just come to have a roaring good time.

1-12-15 SaraSolo2016 Interviews

Last year Annie Morrison, Blake Walton and David Coyle created a one person performance festival called SaraSolo. It was a huge success. This year it is back. SaraSolo 2016 brings a new crop of diverse, interesting and compelling performances. Carolyn Michel and Christine Alexander are two of those performers.

Carolyn Michel is a staple in the Sarasota theater community. A brilliantly talented actress, she is one of the longest members of the Asolo Repertory Company who has performed at every virtually theater venue. She is bringing a pastiche of several of her favorite characters to SaraSolo2016. Come see her bring Dorothy Parker, Rose, Bev, Trudy, Ann Landers and others both real and fictional to life on Sat 1/23 at 7:00 pm.

Christine Alexander is founding member of Florida Studio Theatre’s Improv Troupe, and the Lazy Fairie Improv Troupe. Christine has brought her infectious capacity to generate laughter to businesses, corporations, non-profits and regular people’s living rooms. At SaraSolo 2015 Christine brought the audience to their feet. Jay Handelman says of her “she keeps finding new ways to keep everyone laughing.” She’s bringing her improvisational magic to SaraSolo2016 on Sat 1/23 at 1:00 PM

1-5-16 Interview with Dewayne Barrett

Dewayne Barrett knew he was a performer by the time he was four. He was encouraged by a family that recognized and enjoyed his talent – putting him on the kitchen table to do the popular dances and getting him on the Romper Room. Always able to mimic whatever movement he saw Dewayne was offered scholarships wherever he applied; first at the Georgia Ballet Company and the Atlanta Jazz Theater and later with Steps on Broadway. All through high school Dewayne studied dance, voice and acting and remarkably a choreographer saw him dance and offered him a job and a place to live in New York City and Dewayne has been working dancer, actor, choreographer, director ever since. Listen to this charming Southern boy talk about his extraordinary ride, and hear some of the iconic songs from A Chorus Line which he is currently directing and performing in for the Manatee Performing Arts Hall.

11-17-2015 Audio Interview with Ben Vereeen

Ben Vereen is an icon; star of stage and screen, he is an internationally known and loved performer. Although he was singing and dancing in church and entertaining at churches and hospitals by the time he was four, Ben had no aspirations to be a performer; he thought he was going into the military. It took a very perceptive school principal to insist that he try out for the school of performing arts, and another perceptive teacher to see though his “bad audition.” Listen to the ironic way life conspired to help him find his passion. And once having found it he grabbed on and hasn’t let go. His credits include Wicked, I’m not Rappaport, Chicago, Hair, Jelly’s Last Jam, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Christmas Carol and winning the Tony and Drama Desk awards for his performance in Bob Fosse’s Pippen. His movies include Idlewild, All That jazz, Sweet Charity, and Funny Lady. TV; How I Met Your Mother, Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS, Law and Order, Criminal Intent, Armstrong. His latest film Time out of Mind costarring Richard Gere opened in September. He’s been inducted into both the Theater Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame. Hyper aware that his generation “failed to make good on its promise to create a safer more humane world,” Ben has re-imagined the iconic musical Hair and directed a very young cast at the Venice Theater in Venice FL in a production that will run Dec 13th. He hopes that by bringing this version to a current audience he will jump start a renewal of the spirit contained there. Listen to this serious, funny, self-deprecating, man talk about his life, his hopes for his version of Hair; and hear Sharon Leslie’s review as well as several songs from the show.

11-10-15 Audio Interview

Scott Kuiper and Kelly Elizabeth Smith are second year students at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for actor training appearing in in The Actor’s Nightmare and The Real Inspector Hound, which is currently running from 11/4-22 at the Cook Theater. Scott is the actor in The Actor’s Nightmare and Kelly, who plays several very different parts in Nightmare, has a leading role in Hound. Listen to these charming, passionate actors talk about the very different ways they each arrived at their chosen career. And hear Sharon Leslie’s review of The Actor’s Nightmare.

10-27-2015 Audio Interview Part 2

In Part 2 of my interview with James Harkness, he tells the remarkable story of how he wound up on Broadway, before he really understood what a big deal it was In it he also talks at length about The Color Purple, explaining why he believes it such an important piece. And listen to more of the wonderful music from The Color Purple.

10-20-2015 Audio Interview

Part I James Harkness is currently appearing on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. He took a leave of absence in order to make his directorial debut for the WBTT production of The Color Purple in which he performed and choreographed the Broadway debut in 2005 – and will return after the show opens. He recently performed alongside Betty Buckley in Grey Gardens The Musical. His stage credits include Aida, Guys and Dolls, Chicago, Dreamgirls and Smokey Joe’s Café. Film credits include The Maid’s Room and The Mend. He has earned numerous creative credits as a choreographer. Listen to this charming, delightful, spontaneous man tell the story of the ways in which life conspired to help him embrace the dancer he has always been, and to discover the choreographer and director he was always meant to be.. And listen to music from The Color Purple.

Sept 1, 2015 – Audio Interview with Kathryn Parks and Allen Kretchmar

Dancer, singer, actor, writer Kathryn Parks is part of the stand out cast in Tennessee Williams ground-breaking play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Players Theater. Listen to this talented, articulate woman talk about her life, her work and her role as Maggie the Cat, in which she gets to express aspects of herself which she might otherwise keep under wraps. And find out more about her at her website http://kathrynparks.com. Then Allen Kretchmar, who will be playing the patriarch, ‘Big Daddy,’ in the same production, talks the Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and the roller coaster ride he’s taken to finally wind up back where he started and always wanted to be – on stage.

6-30-15 Audio Interview with Katherine Michele Tanner

Katherine Michele Tanner is an artist in the truest sense of the word. Raised by a family that encouraged all of the arts she was able to pursue every one of her passions. As a result she is an exceptional actress, dancer, musician (violin and piano), playwright/composer, singer and painter. Submerged in, and bouncing back and forth between her passions Katherine radiates a breathless exuberance and joy. Listen to this unique woman talk about her life which is brimming over with creativity and productivity and come see her extraordinary performance in The Amish Project at the Banyan Theater from 7/16-8/2.