Playwright
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2nd 1/2 of my interview with Actor, Director Tony Award Winning Playwright Frank Galati
4-18-22 In the second half of my interview with Frank Galati, Frank continues to describe the serendipity of his extraordinary career, and talk about the creation, with Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, of the brand new musical Knoxville, based on the on the Pulitzer Prize winning book A Death in the Family by James Agee and Pulitzer Prize winning play All the Way Home by Tad Mosel which will have its premier at the Asolo on Saturday 4-23-22.
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First 1/2 of my Interviews with Actor, Director, Ton Aware Winning Playwright Frank Galati
4-15-22 Interview with Actor, Director, Teacher Tony Award winning Playwright Frank Galati. I began my interview with the indefinable Frank Galati while he was directing a production of 1776 for the Asolo Theater. He was summarily whisked away for rehearsal so we never got to talk about 1776. In this half our conversation Frank talks about his early life.
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Introducing Lee Gundersheimer – The Players Theater’s new Artistic Director
-31-22 Actor, Director, Playwright, Administrator, and Educator. Lee Gundersheimer has done it all. Actor in 75 shows in New York and more all over the country. Director of over 80 plays, from Shakespeare to Annie. Playwright of 7 full length plays and 4 one acts including “Incommunicado,” nominated for four Audelco Awards, and opened the new Federal Theater Season off Broadway and Pas De Deux which won Best play in the New Play Festival on Theater Row. Administrator – he built and ran two theaters in New York; a Rep Company an off Broadway theater, was the Managing Director of a professional Shakespeare Festival and Arts and Culture Coordinator for the city of Winona, MN. Educator he taught at 7 University’s. Listen to this passionate man describe a lifelong commitment to every aspect of Theater.
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Interview with Stephanie Larking – Dancer, Musician, IT specialist and Head Penguin at Red Penguin Books
http://www.thelynneshow.com/Audio/Podcasts/Show_640_%20Stephanie_Larkin_1_24_21.mp3
1-24-21 Interview with the extraordinary Stephanie Larkin, who is the poster child for the adage when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Beginning ballet school at 2 and “adoring” it, Stephanie thought she’d be a dancer. An injury at 13, left her with 6 years of surgeries. Spending her teenage years on crutches, and unable to walk, altered what would have been the natural trajectory of her life. Nudged by her mother to purse another early passion, music, Stephanie began by learning violin. She majored in music, where she learned to “play everything.” She now beleived that her career would simply be in music, as composer and performer. But life had another lemon to throw in her path, a lemon which became another opportunity for Stephanie to discover how versatile she is. Listen for enjoyment and inspiration to the way this intrepid woman turns adversity into opportunity. Stephanie doesn’t make lemonade, she makes champagne.
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Interview with Actor/Artist Sam Osheroff
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.
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Interview with Slate Counts – Sarasolo
3-16-20 Interview
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Slate Counts has created an exciting piece of theater about William S. Burroughs. A writer and performer, Slate is the perfect person to introduce Burroughs to a new audience. He too has been intrigued by the areas of thought and imagination that Burroughs explored in his long, fascinating and checkered career, areas many think of as “on the edge.” Listen to Slate describe Burroughs extraordinary life and career, as well as the many famous people who were drawn to him. You can see this next week on Zoom when Slate brings his piece to the Sarasolo Festival. In addition to Slate’s work you can see 3 other interesting Solo performances, including one by Blake Walton, co-founder of the Sarasol Festival. For just $25.00 per household you can see two of these performances. Go to www.sarasolo.org for information and tickets, -
Interview with Andy Sandberg
The board of the Hermitage Artist Retreat in Florida announced today that the organization has chosen Andy Sandberg as its Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer as of January 1, 2020. Sandberg succeeds Bruce Rodgers, who is retiring after serving as the Hermitage’s Executive Director since 2005. Sandberg, an accomplished director, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer whose national and international career has been committed to new work and artist development, was selected following an extensive national search. In his new role, Sandberg will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s operations, artistic programs, administration, and strategic plan.
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Lynne Bernfield sings a song from her CD and explains why she wrote it
5-11-20 Interview
The Anatomy of an Artist Series with Lynne BernfieldLynne Bernfield sings a song from her CD and explains why she wrote it
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I was studying Hypnosis with Stephen Gilligan, who’d been a student of Milton Erickson, the father of clinical hypnosis. Something Stephen said caused me to write this song, I don’t know what it was, because I was in trance at the time. Click the link to listen to “You Really Can.” -
Lynne sings a song from her CD and explains why she wrote it
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Lynne sings a song from her CD and explains why she why she wrote it
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
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Lynne Bernfield sings a song from her CD and explains why she wrote it
I’m a therapist. The first time Sara (not her name) came to see me she was impeccably dressed in a business suit and low-heeled pumps. She sat very straight and described her problem matter-of-factly, showing no emotion, as though she was speaking about another person. She’d mentioned a stuffed animal she’d had as a child that she was very fond of. When she returned the following week, I handed her a stuffed animal. She put her arms around it, buried her head in it and dissolved in tears. Later that day I was thinking about her – and wrote this song. “Behind the woman, there’s a child” click the link to listen
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
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Lynne Bernfield sings “The Sweet Single Life”
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”
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Interview with Artistic Director Laura Kepley
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.
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Interview with Film Commissioner Jeannie Corcoran
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!
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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 -
Interview with Entertainer Joe Plummer
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Lynne Bernfield at Bookstore1’s Book Fair 8-10-19 at 2:00
The Anatomy of an Artist Series with Lynne Bernfield
7-29-19 Lynne Bernfield at Bookstore1’s Book Fair on August 10th at 2:00
Come talk to Lynne and get a signed hardcover copy or audio version of her book.
“When You Can You Will, why you can’t do what you want to and what to do about it.:Click on this link to hear her talk about the book
Clink on this Link to listen to the introduction to the audiobook
And get to know all the Book Fair authors before the event at
Teas Days 6517 Superior Avenue 6:00-7:00 on Thursday Aug 8thClick link below for information and free registration
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https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mingle-with-authors-in-sarasota-tickets-65795412851 -
Memorial to Actor, Director, Playwright, and Author E Katherine Kerr
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.
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Interview with Jeffery Kin – on his 55th Birthday
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!!!
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Interview with Sharon Ohrenstein – Patra
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
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Interview with Sheilah Rae receiving a Lifetime Award from the NY theater Barn
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.
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