Choreographer
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Actor, Director Jim Weaver talks about his life and his direction of the upcoming WBTT production of Eubie
9-27-21 Actor, Choreographer, Director Jim Weaver is the Artistic Associate and Director of Education at Westcoast Black Theater Troupe. In this interview Jim talks about his life and his current project, directing the upcoming production of the musical revue Eubie. Like many artists, Jim always knew he wanted to be a performer. Unlike many however, he talked his parents into providing acting lessons when he was ten years old and, by the time he was fourteen, he had an agent and was a working actor. Listen to this veteran describe his journey from fourteen year old model, spokesperson and actor, to chorus, dance captain, choreographer, director and artistic associate . Also hear him talk about the exciting and moving, (in the physical sense) production of Eubie.
FYI in conjunction with all of the theaters in Sarasota, WBTT is requiring proof of vaccination, or proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours, and the wearing of masks – the audience will also be social distanced -
Interview with Triple Treat Peter Amster talking about Murder on the Orient Express
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.
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Interview with Entertainer Joe Plummer
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Interview with Dancer, singer, actor Josh Rhodes
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!
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Interview with dancer, actor, singer, choreographer Vanessa Russo
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.
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Interview with Robert de Warren Part 3
6-3-19 Part 3 of my interview with Ballet Master Robert de Warren begins with a description of the frightening climax to his tour with Iran’s National Folklore Organization to celebrate America’s Bicentennial and his departure from Iran as that country descended into chaos. It goes on to describe his seven year tenure with La Scala in Milan which Rudolph Nureyev chose him to lead: a star studded period during which Robert choreographed and designed ballets for the world’s most prestigious dancers and for which Princess Margaret was the Ballet’s patron. It concludes with a description of the ironic way Robert began his 13 years leading the Sarasota Ballet Company.
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Interview with Robert de Warren Part 2
5-27-19 In the 2nd part of my interview Robert de Warren talks about his studies with The Royal Ballet School, his early work with the Royal Opera Company, his first choreography with the Royal Ballet Choreographic workshop, his time with the Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Berlin Companies where he was finally able to dance principle roles. He talks about his first meeting with Rudolph Nureyev who would become his dear friend and sponsor, the injury to the sesamoid bones in his feet which threatened to end his career and his life, and how, at the Shahs’ request, he took over the National Ballet of Iran, later becoming Founder of Iran’s National Folklore Organization, where he documented and recorded previously unseen tribal ceremonies. It ends with his description of the both glorious and disastrous tour of America that he made with the troupe and his painful discovery of what would soon happen in Iran.
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Interview with Ballet Master Robert de Warren part 1
5-20-19 Interview
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Dancer, Choreographer, Ballet Master, Scenic and Costume Designer, Producer, Director, educator, author and Artistic Director of the most prestigious Ballet Companies in the world Robert de Warren, is one of the legendary, illustrious, celebrated and influential members of the international ballet community. In Part 1 of my interview this erudite, entertaining, gifted man describes his early life; his birth in Uruguay, his childhood in Montevideo, meeting his beloved Jacqueline, his career in banking and the serendipitous way he discovered, at age 16, that he was meant to be a ballet dancer. -
Interview with Tony Award Nominee Jeff Calhoun
11-19-18 Interview
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11-19-18 By the time he was 9 years old Jeff Calhoun knew what he wanted to do: he wanted to be Dick Van Dyke, he wanted to be Fred Astaire, he wanted to join the Ernie Flat dancers on the Carol Burnet show. He wanted to be a dancer! It was, he says, “in his DNA.” And, as if it was meant to be, a series of circumstances propelled him on the path of dancer, choreographer and director of musicals. Listen to unexpected way he became the protégé of the amazing Tommy Tune and the remarkable series of happenstance’s that led to his directing such musicals as Jekyll and Hyde, Grease, Big River, Bonnie and Clyde – The Musical, Newsies, and Pulse. And luckily nor us he is back at the Asolo, teamed once again with the incomparable Noah Racey, to direct the Broadway classic Music Man. Listen to this thoughtful, generous, self-deprecating man talk about a life spent “imagining” for the theater. -
Interview with writer, a painter, a musician, an actor, a singer, a dancer; light and sound designer Eliza Ladd
Many artists describe themselves and their work with one or a few adjectives, they’re a writer, a painter, a musician, an actor, a singer, a dancer; they work with light or sound or design. Eliza Ladd uses all these adjectives and more to describe herself and her art. She has spent her life exploring every possible way a person can express themselves creatively. Although she didn’t know how she was going to use all the skills she pursued, Eliza followed her curiosity and instinct and has created an art which synthesizes all of the skills she studied, trained in and developed. Listen to this spontaneous, guileless, breathless woman describe a journey for which there was no roadmap, a life in which she had to be her own guide and in which she created an Art which is uniquely her own
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Interview with Dancer, Singer, Director, Writer Carole Schweid
2-17-18 The multi-talented Carole Schweid began taking dance classes at six and continued studying through the grueling program at Julliard. But by then she had already discovered her interest in and talent for acting and singing, and her passion for plays. Listen to the delightful story of how she got her first Broadway show – Minnie’s Boys, and the life changing experience of being part of the company of the iconic show A Chorus Line. But performing was not enough for Carole and in addition to raising her two sons, Carole and her partner Nancy Diamond created the hugely-successful Play with Your Food, a truly unique theater experience, and the basis for her newly published book Staged Readings – Magic. Listen to Carole’s funny, charming, disarming story, hear her describe how she went from someone who was “dancing from the minute she could walk,” to the singer, actor, writer, director, choreographer, producer, and author she became and see the flyer below describing a book everyone in or interested in theater should own. #chorusline #playwithyourfood #stagedreadings
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Interview with Director/Choreographer Josh Rhodes
11-28-17 Interview
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11-28-17 In my 500th show I am airing an interview with dancer, singer, actor and Broadway director/choreographer Josh Rhodes who is in Sarasota directing his sixth show for the Asolo Repertory Theater; the stand out production of Evita. 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! -
Interview with the extraordinary Wayne Adams Part 2
12-12-17 Part – 2 In this second part of my interview, Wayne Adams continues to relate his remarkable life. Listen to him describe his delightful meeting with legendary acting teacher Maggie Flannigan; and how his production of Ralph Pape’s Say Goodnight, Gracie directed by Austin Pendleton, resulted in his determination to bring Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company to Broadway; first in the production of True West with John Malkovich and Gary Sinise and then in the Lincoln Center production of And a Nightingale Sang with , Joan Allen. Wayne says “I’m interested in being the human being that I am,” and he reminds us that “life is taking chances, not doing what someone else thinks you should do but doing from yourself honestly according to your own instincts.” Listen and be inspired.
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Interview with Dancer, choreographer JoAnn Hunter
5-9-17 – Dancer, Choreographer JoAnn Hunter discovered that she was a dancer when, at eleven years old, her mother suggested she take dance lessons. Once exposed to dance JoAnn knew it was her passion. Serendipitously, the dance teacher her mother picked at random from the telephone book, turned out to be just the mentor JoAnn needed. Beginning with ballet she brought in specialists to teach every type of dance and JoAnn lapped it up. Listen to this vivacious, endearing woman talk about her determination to pursue her passion, the obstacles and the successes; appearing in 12 Broadway shows before taking the leap to choreographer. Hear her describe her current project as choreographer for Beatsville, new musical the Asolo Repertory Theater.
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Interview with Poet, Dancer, Choreographer, Director Harry Bryce
4-4-17 Poet, Dancer, Choreographer, Actor, and Director Harry Bryce says that he came out of the womb dancing. And when you talk to him you can well believe it. Precocious and wise beyond his years Harry began writing poetry (although he didn’t know it was poetry) when he was a young boy in order to “stay sane.” Curious and observant as few are, Harry began to notice everything. It became important to him to be “precise,” so he recognized the variation in the hues of different colors – and wondered about what happened to a seed. He couldn’t take ballet lessons like his older sister because ”boys didn’t do that;” but when she came home from her lesson his sister would take him into the back yard and do the lesson again for him. By the time they were ten years old Harry and his sister were a popular dance act appearing at local weddings and events. Harry went on to have a varied and productive career as the artistic director of Memphis Black Repertory Theater and creator of the Harry Bryce Dance Company, Choreographer in Residence for the prestigious Vinnette Carroll’s theater company and as professor of dance and theater at Atlanta’s Morehouse and Spellman colleges. Currently Harry is directing the West Coast Black Theater Troupe of Sarasota’s production of Dearly Departed. Listen to this charming, delightful and reflective man talk about his career and the
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Interview with choreographer Donald Frison
3-14-17 Choreographer Donald Frison never had a dance class. Dancing from the moment he could move, Donald says that he was simply” born to dance.” Listen to the way he used his dancing to crash his older sibling’s parties and how he explained to the dance company who’d hired him that he didn’t know any dance terminology – but if shown he could do whatever they wanted him to– and he did. Now the resident choreographer at the West Coast Black Theater Troupe for which he has choreographed as many at 7 shows and appeared in any number of them. Come see his electrifying work with the four extraordinary singers in the current West Coast production of Girl Groups of the 60’s
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Interview with Joel King
6-14-16 Artist, singer, dancer, actor, playwright, producer, director Joel King discovered his multiple talents unexpectedly. He would simply do these things; draw, sing, dance, write and act, and luckily for him people continually congratulated him on his skill and encouraged him to do more of it. Over time Joel realized that what he wanted to do was sing but to please his mother who, who recognizing his artistic skill and like many other parents wanted him to choose a career that would pay, encouraged him to major in Architectural Design. So Joel majored in Architectural Design and minored in music. Then after auditioning for and capturing a role in a play, Joel was’ persuaded by the heads of the drama dept. to add another minor in theater. He said “I still liked Architectural Design, but I loved theater.” Since graduation Joel has written, produced and directed many original shows and acted in many others. Currently he got to see a workshop production of his HipOpera “Real Life,” done by the West Coast Black Theater Troupe in Sarasota FL. Listen to this gentle, ingenuous young man talk about the ironic way he discovered his talents and his passions and what he wants to accomplish in his life
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Interview with Dewayne Barrett
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.
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Interview with James Harkness of The Color Purple Part 2
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.
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Interview with James Harkness of The Color Purple Part 1
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.
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