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

2-25-21 Interview with Sam Osheroff, who has had a varied career as a studio artist, an actor, director and educator Listen to Sam describe his earliest experiences with theater, how, as an eight year old, he was struck by what seemed to him to be existence of “another world” on the stage. Hear him talk about the circuitous route he took to become the actor he always was, and see him star in “Cherry Docs,” the second production of the brand new Sarasota Jewish Theater, on zoom on Sunday Feb 28th at 3:00.

1-27-20 Interview

2-10-20 Interview

1-6-20 Interview

11-12-19 Interview

7-22-19 Interview

7-8-19 Interview

1-1-19 Interview

6-3-19 Interview

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.

3-27-19 Interview

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.

5-20-19 Interview
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.

5-13-19 Interview

5-13-19 Sharon Leslie Ohrenstein is a renaissance woman. Her extraordinary voice was first discovered in Kindergarten when she was chosen to sing the solo in the Christmas play and has delighted countess audiences since. She is a fine actor appearing in vastly dissimilar roles with authenticity. As a director she has helped actors find nuances which enabled them to be better than they were. And, as a teacher, she has enhanced the experience of the eager students at Roads Scholar for 16 years. Although writing came late in her life, along with her composer husband David, she wrote the book and lyrics to two musicals and two operas; producing, directing, and staring in many (she even made the costume). Listen to this amazing woman talk about her life journey and her current adventure; the creation of Patra a brand new Opera based on Cleopatra’s last days, which was chosen as a workshop production at the prestigious Seagle Music Colony in Schroon lake NY. And click here to donate to its gofundme page to be a part of this adventure. https://www.gofundme.com/patraopera

4-28-19 Interview

4/29/19 On May 6 2019 “The New York Theatre Barn is honoring co-founder and board member Sheilah Rae with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her exceptional contributions to musical theatre as a writer, composer, lyricist and performer for over 50-years, and her outstanding service and vision for New York Theatre Barn for more than a decade”. Sheilah found her life path very young. During the performance of “South Pacific” 5 year old Sheilah told her mother that she was “going to do that.” Her parents arranged for her to study dance with the renowned Edna McRae. Since Ms McRae also required that her students know music, 6 year old Sheilah began piano lessons. She was soon studying dance, piano, music theory and violin at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. She got her first role on Broadway in “Fiddler on the Roof” right out of college and never stopped adding to her arsenal of talents and accomplishments. Listen to this multi-talented, effervescent woman talk about a career in which she has done everything. And hear a song from one of her musicals (“I Married Wyatt Earp,” now called The Belle of Tombstone) lyrics by Sheilah and music by Michele Brourman.

4-8-19 Interview

The Lynne Show Pod cast can be heard and downloaded at
https://thelynneshow.com/2017/06/interview-with-singer-educator-annie-addington/ & thelynneshow.com
4/8/19 Singer, songwriter, educator, therapist, and woman of the world Annie Addington has done it all. Listen to this unusual woman describe her eclectic life journey; one which took her to many countries, taught her many languages, and involved her with many fascinating people before bringing her to Sarasota. Listen to 2 cuts from her forthcoming CD Wild is the Wind, accompanied by Eddie Tobin and recorded and mixed at Spirit Ranch Studio by Bud Synder – the title song Wild is the Wind and the jazz classic Ruby my Dear And help her complete finish the project by contributing to Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/annieaddington/annie-addington-cd-in-a-midnight-wind-jazz-brazili?ref=project_build

3-25-19 Interview

Shakespearean scholar Johnny Epstein has had a long career as an actor beginning when, at seven years old, he spontaneously adlibbed to cover a fellow student missed cue. He is currently a professor at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, where he teaches a 3 hour a day course in Shakespeare. Listen to this knowledgeable, articulate man describe the upcoming production of As You Like it, which will open on April 12th and the Selby Gardens and be performed by his class of 2nd year graduate students.

1-24-19 Interview

1-28-19 Florida Studio Theater Associate Artist Catherine Randazzo bounded into life. She decided to play the piano at two, by four she was demanding that her family listen while she described and acted out her dreams, but that was just the beginning. A good student, she was also an actor, a singer, a dancer, a volleyball star, president of school government, member of the chorus/choir, accompanist to same. There isn’t room on the page for all of her skills and accomplishments, all of which was achieved with a positive, open, self-deprecating, warm energy. Listen to this, talented, charming, remarkable woman talk about a life in which everything is possible

10-15-18 Interview

Andrei Maleav-Babel is a Russian Immigrant. The son and grandson of writers and artists, Andrei wrote musicals and directed his parent’s friends in his plays, by the time he was 10 or 12. Luckily coming of age as Perestroika was occurring in Russia, Andrei was able to start his own theater as a very young man. Barely able to speak English, he met, courted and married an American sociology student and became a Professor of Acting at the prestigious FSU Conservatory for Actor Training, one of the top ten actor training companies in the United States. Listen to him tell his amazing story and talk about his direction of the Conservatory’s production of Ibsen’s’Ghosts opening on Jan 4th

10-29-18 Interview

10/29/18 In the first part of my interview musician, composer, lyricist, cabaret performer, coach and teacher Steven Lutvak, he says that his life’s work is song; “writing them, teaching people to write them, helping people sing them, helping people sing them better, helping people choose them, helping people understand what a song is, and of course writing them, which means music, lyrics and collaborating.” Steven was blessed with a talent that made all things music come easily to him. From his first piano lesson music simply “made sense” to him. With such talent his journey should have been effortless but Steven had to overcome numerous hindrances which would have derailed many others. Luckily Steven seems to be un-derail-able. Listen to this charming, thoughtful, intelligent, man describe the bumpy early part of his journey.

9-10-18 Interview

9/10/18 The radicalization of Roger Steffins. Part 2 of my 3 Part interview with Roger takes him through his service in the army during the Vietnam War. Listen to Roger describe his extraordinary experiences, including; training in Psyops, having had the Tet Offensive happen all around him, and being responsible for tons of food and clothing delivered to displaced refugees. Listen to him talk about the impact his war-time experience had on his beliefs, the life he then chose to lead as a result, and the work it spawned. This segment ends with my asking Roger about his relationship with the legendary Bob Marley.